On a hot, hazy summer day, a group of cousins, brought together for a family gathering, embarks on an adventure when the youngest of the group suddenly goes missing. What they do not realize is that that objective will lead them to travel between time and space as they unearth their family’s history by revisiting their parents' childhood home as well as their grandmother’s, and eventually deep into the forest. Unbeknownst to them, by the end of the day, there will be a new addition to the family lore in the form of a tragedy. Idle Grounds, written by Krystelle Bamford, is a tale through the hazy memory of an adult looking back on a day from their childhood. Some may find it meandering at times and even filled with tangents that seem to lead to nowhere; however, when looking back on the adventures and even the confusing existence as a child, one may find that a lot of their experiences were filled with side paths and divergences and not a straight trajectory in one direction especially when it comes to happenings surrounding traumatic events. Despite the flaws of the book, I found it to be an overall enjoyable read. I found the writing to be poetic and descriptive. The discoveries in the book filled in some information but were cryptic enough that they left you wondering and opened the door for some good conversations and interpretations.  - - D.B.