This is unlike most of the UF I usually read - the MC is not a powerful ass-kicker, there aren't a lot of fight scenes, and it feels like a standalone. And it works so well. 
 I usually read the more action-inspired UF; this one was a very enjoyable change of pace. If you must have a lot of romance or a warrior-woman MC, then this one probably isn't for you. If you are craving something different, then definitely check it out. 
 Garet is a "normal young woman" which of course means she is anything but "normal" - and after a chance meeting in a shop she never knew existed, the "real" world, the one populated by Fae, monsters and vampires starts to show itself. Although there wasn't a lot of fighting, there was still a lot happening in the book, a sense of increasing danger. It flowed well too, as Garet begins learning about her own strength, encountering beings of myth, realizing the stories her mother told her as a child were all true. 
 I liked that Garet had to learn, that she had to visit with different "specialists" in her crash course on magic. Her stumbles felt so natural - she's not perfect nor is she all powerful right from the start. Her abilities progress nicely with the increasing danger and tension. 
 There is some romance, but it was hardly the focus. 
 I'm rarely surprised in books anymore, but this one did surprise me. I'll be keeping an eye out for more from Lee Carroll.