I’ve only said this once before: if I could give 6/5 stars, I would this book. The Scent Keeper is definitely one of my favorite books of all time, and I knew it would be within the first 50 pages. From the very first page I was captivated by young Emmeline and her father and their quaint, yet very intense life on the island. Bauermeister’s writing style is perfect. She put so much care into every word and detail, from describing who the characters are and want to be to making sure readers can not only visualize each moment, but smell them. Bauermeister's voice is lyrical and poetic. The relationships between every character and even setting is complex and imaginative and beautiful. I love books that drop subtle hints as to where it's going just enough so that when it happens, you feel satisfied and Bauermeister does this effortlessly. Her characters are also incredibly complex and I love the way she pushes Emmeline forward, while also grounding her in her past. The Scent Keeper is a coming of age story, but also so much more than that; it's about romance and family and passion. The story is incredibly unique and I’m desperate to know more about Bauermeister’s process in creating Emmaline’s journey. I also need more. I need to know about her “little fish,” her relationship with Henry and Colette, how Fisher’s reunion with his mom went, how Rene's new career is going, and if Emmeline got another pet. But at the same time, I feel like I’ve learned what I need to from this novel and am completely content with what I now know of the scent keepers.