Feed 1 (Fooko #1) by Nicole Grotepas

Originally imagined and developed to let the blind see, tiny, wireless cameras now roam the spaces and the lives of the residents of the U.S. filming lives and movements and broadcasting it all online for anyone to watch. The cameras’ inventor, Sam Ramone, had expanded the functionality from the medical arena to this total invasion of everyday life after massive home-grown terrorist attacks had been launched targeting thousands including his own children. Now, no one would ever be able to plan or execute such a threat again. However, Ramone never intended, nor imagined, the total invasion and televised results all in the name of entertainment. People were addicted to ‘the feeds’ as they were called: both appearing in them and viewing them. And now Ramone has had enough. But even as he works to undo the damage he made possible, he’s being watched himself.

In Feed 1, the first book in the Fooko series, author Nicole Grotepas has created a future U.S. where everyone is under constant scrutiny, and anyone can become ‘a star.’ Some watch ‘the feeds’ and vicariously share the lives of others. Some crave the attention of the viewers at the other end of ‘the feed’ and change their actions and their lives just to up the number of people following them. The story is peopled with regular characters that are feeling the pressure of the impact of ‘the feeds.’ But there are forces at work to keep the new status quo in place.

This story is highly recommended for sci-fi readers and anyone that has ever found themselves lost down a YouTube rabbit hole for an untold amount of time.

Angel Blue by Jennifer Silverwood

In Angel Blue, Episode One of author Jennifer Silverwood’s new paranormal series, Seven Deadly Sins, we are introduced to Anu, the last of the House of Eanna and a princess of the “Chosen” as she celebrates her ‘20th’ birthday at some human dive bar (she's actually around 1200 human years old.) She meets, dances, and shares a smoldering interlude with sexy Wil of the emerald-flecked eyes and broad shoulders. This does not end well when his companion, Izzie, discovers them and we find out that neither she nor Wil are human either. They are the “Cursed” – creatures that centuries before had murdered all the members of the House of Eanna and burned their castle to the ground – and they are hunting Anu as well. The dive bar burns, trapping many of its occupants inside. Anu and her guardian, Etlu, escape but are soon tracked down and surrounded by Wil, Izzie, and the rest of his group. They fend off their attackers and return to the home of Lady Tiamata, the House of Gisnu, where they are awaiting the arrival of Malku, the self-appointed leader of the “Chosen” and the man Anu is to wed. Betrothed at birth, Anu is not in favor of the union. Malku is known as a cruel man and she has loved Etlu for years. She plots to escape the House of Gisnu and persuade the honorable Etlu to run away with her. However, the “Cursed” ones are not done. The attack at the bar was only a single skirmish in a much more elaborate and longer developing plan to wipe the “Chosen” out entirely.

I enjoyed all the characters introduced so far especially Anu, Etlu, and Wil, and will most definitely be looking for Devil Red, Episode Two to find out what happens next. I am still in the dark as to who or what the “Chosen” are and the back story remains shadowy for me. The “Cursed” seem to be werewolves of “shifters” of some kind. I am willing to keep reading under the ambiguity because I’ve enjoyed this author’s previous work, but it’s not comfortable, and this may not be for every reader of fantasy out there. But the writing is SO GOOD, the characters so compelling, and the plot keeps slowly unfolding, and for now, I’m happy.

Chasing Filthy Lucre by Jarrett Rush

Dirty, edgy, and lots of action!

In a grim future America, one company, RomaCorp, provides all goods and services to the city of New Eden. The city had become what it was after a bunch of young idealists had taken over the in-situ government with theories that sounded good on paper but, in practice, failed after a mere eighteen months. The leaders of New Eden had come on television one day and said everyone was just “on their own.” Now the population of the city was scraping by in a dirty existence to fund their next hookup to “the wire.”

Weber Rexall had been a soldier and then a cop when the collapse happened. Now he eked out a living doing exhibition fights where sometimes he played the part of the winner, sometimes the loser. Tonight he’s paired against Johnny “The Kid” Berger, and is scheduled to be the victor.

Between his appearances in Raul’s basement fight ring, Rexall sidelines as a bodyguard for a data runner named Carroll. Carroll’s shop downloads critical or sensitive data into human data runners, and Rexall escorts them to the recipient of the data where it is uploaded and removed from the human carrier, a financially beneficial exchange for both the runner and the escort.

Rexall, impressed with Berger’s skills, includes him in this lucrative endeavor, but their very first job doesn’t go well, leaving the data runner dead, Carroll near death, and his shop destroyed by RomaCorp. With the help of a Serve-O named Simmer Jones, Rexall and Berger set out to make things right. Or at least as right as they can.

Clocking in at a little over 100 pages, Jarrett Rush packs a lot of awesomeness into Chasing Filthy Lucre, this first story in the New Eden series. I loved the noir styling, the dark, itchy setting, and the characters that combine to tell a really good story. This is recommended for readers that like dystopian, urban storylines with all the grit and dirt and unsettling edginess.

The Girl in the City by Philip Harris

What an exciting kick-off to this series! And what a cliffhanger!

By night, Leah King scavenges through the backways of her city and the surrounding wastelands for items that her father can trade for food, clothing, and other essentials. After one such foray, she finds herself in the middle of an attack on a young man by the Transport Authority (the city’s governing and enforcement entity.) As he lays dying, the young man pushes the leather bag he’s carrying toward Leah with a whispered “Please …” for her to take it.

Hoping for some good salvage, Leah takes it to her father. But when they open it, they find only one item – a green rectangular object resembling a circuit board encased entirely in clear plastic and marked with strange symbols. An exhausted Leah retreats to her bed, but before she can fall asleep, she overhears her father talking to someone on the phone and leave the house.

Later, when he has still not returned, she slips out to try and find something she can salvage. She is caught stealing from the food wagon of an old Amish man who instead of turning her over to the Transport Authority officials urges her to keep the food and tells her where he can be found while he’s in the city should she get into any trouble.

She returns home to find it being ransacked by Transport Authority and her father, in their custody, being questioned and accused of being a member of TRACE, the terrorist organization currently fighting the Transport Authority. From what she overhears from the Transport Authority leader, Leah surmises they are looking for the strange object she’d gotten earlier.

When everyone leaves, she removes it to her secret hiding place located in the tunnels beneath the city, evading a scarred-faced woman who doggedly tried to follow her as she made her way through the neighborhoods, market, and back alleys to her destination. Desperate to free her father from the Transport Authority, she goes to the temporary lodgings of the old Amish man where she learns the significance and purpose of the strange object.

This introductory story by Philip Harris is an exciting setup for his Leah King series. Though short, a lot of ground is covered in building Leah’s world and the characters that populate it. It is dark and gritty, and filled with shadows, intrigue, and danger starting with Leah running for her life in the very first scene. I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series, The Girl in the Wilderness. This book is recommended for those that like young adult post-apocalyptic/dystopian tales.

The Bottle Stopper by Angeline Trevena

When Maeve was six years old, her mother was taken away by the authorities for crimes against the state. Since that time she lived with her Uncle Lou, a horrible, abusive man that runs a sham of an apothecary. Maeve’s job is to scavenge old bottles from the nooks and crannies and alleyways of the “The Floor,” the poorest slum of the city of Falside where they live, and fill them with medicine to sell in the shop. In reality, the “medicine” is the polluted water from the local river and a sprig of whatever plant material she has gathered. It is a grinding existence until Topley and her loving parents open the bakery next door.

Topley’s family gives Maeve a vision of another life that she, too, can have once she turns 18 leaves Uncle Lou. But when Topley suddenly falls ill and her desperate mother resorts to some of Uncle Lou’s medicine, Maeve’s dream of a better life changes to one of revenge.

Maeve’s world of Falside is grim and bleak where women are restricted and controlled and viewed as property. The birth of female children has, unaccountably, become a rare occurrence, and leaving Falside is viewed as treasonous and punishable by death. But there is a glimmer of revolution here and there such as in “The Paper Duchess,” an old bookstore off the beaten path, where Denver, Kerise, and Tale try to discover what happened to Maeve’s mother.

The Bottle Stopper is a dark and well-developed beginning to The Paper Duchess series. It is recommended for readers that enjoy dystopian tales and those with similarities to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

Murder at the Pool Party by Sandi Scott

Twin sisters, Georgie and Aleta Kaye, are involved in another mysterious death!

After a less than perfect date with her friend, Obby, Georgie decides to expand her circle of acquaintances by joining an online singles group, Excellent Over 50. As it happens, the group is planning a pool party for the following day at one of the founding member’s gorgeous Winnetka home. Georgie drags Aleta along to broaden her horizons as well. The party is lovely with champagne, swimming, and an awesome lunch which includes a 20-foot long sweets table.

While there the sisters meet some interesting new people and observe a little drama-in-the-making when one of the older men shows up with a 20-something date who is looking daggers at one their new friends, Maren Ingrid. After the meal begins, they see Maren and the older man slip upstairs together away from the rest of the party. Maren returns a short while later feeling ill so the hostess, Beth Bonomolo, calls for an ambulance. Beth receives word later that Maren died at the hospital. So, the sisters are once again at the scene of a mysterious death and Georgie is compelled to find out what is behind it.

I love this series. It’s short, it’s sweet, it’s simply fun. Georgie doggedly works her way through the murders and attempts to find a balance in her relationships with her ex-husband, Stan, and friends such as Obby. As with the previous books, the settings the author presents are interesting and comfortable at the same time. The dialogue between the two sisters continues to be snappy and entertaining. This book is recommended for readers of cozy mysteries, especially those that enjoy later-in-life protagonists.

A Curve in the Road by Julianne MacLean

Abbie had a premonition that something bad was about to happen.

Dr. Abbie MacIntyre has just started the hour-long drive back home after Sunday dinner with her widowed mother when a car crosses the center median of the highway careening into Abbie’s SUV and sending it off road, rolling over and over until landing in the bottom of a ravine. She is successfully extracted from the wreckage and transported to the nearest medical facility suffering a minor head wound. The driver of the other vehicle, reeking of alcohol, is in the same unit and in far worse condition awaiting airlift to a proper trauma hospital.

Abbie’s mother comes to her daughter’s side and both repeatedly attempt to contact Abbie’s husband, Dr. Alan Sedgewick, to notify him of the accident. (Abbie was supposed to have met him that evening at their son’s hockey game.) They are unsuccessful until emergency workers deliver the personal items of the drivers retrieved from the accident site to the hospital and Alan’s cellphone is discovered among the detritus. To everyone’s shock and horror, the drunk driver is Abbie’s own husband!

This is just the beginning of A Curve in the Road by Julianne MacLean. Once I started reading this book I didn’t want to put it down. The story is emotional and full of surprises as family relationships and secrets are revealed in the aftermath of the accident. Abbie’s perfectly normal life will never be the same again as the answers to how and why her loving, cardiologist husband who rarely drank even a glass of wine was driving drunk and was not headed to their son’s hockey game. This book is recommended to readers that enjoy a contemporary setting with romantic plotlines of betrayal, forgiveness, and second chances.

OH, and it features an awesome golden retriever as well.

Silver Hollow: 2018 Edition (Borderlands Saga #1) by Jennifer Silverwood

Amie Wentworth buried her beloved parents ten years ago and in the ensuing time had built a life and a growing career as a novelist. Returning home one evening from a welcome home party for one of her best friends, she’s attacked and fatally stabbed by a man who’d been lurking in the darkness by her doorway. She’s rescued and miraculously healed by a mysterious, dark stranger she’d seen lurking around town that day who then fades away into the shadows.

The following day, she leaves town without a word to her friends to travel to Wenderdowne, her ancestral home in England at the request of her Uncle Henry, a man she’s never met and whose invitation and traveling preparations had conveniently arrived, unbidden, the previous day.

During the train trip from London to Wenderdowne, she is once again attacked but makes her escape with the help of Emrys, the same man who had saved her before.

Finally reaching her uncle’s home, a dark and crumbling estate in the middle of nowhere, she discovers that her life back in East Texas had been one elaborate lie. She had been taken away as a small child from her rightful place in the family by Durstan, her father, and “glamoured” into forgetting her previous life and believing the new, made-up one, to save her life from those that wished her dead.

Wenderdowne is located in Silver Hollow is a different world, an alternate world from the one she’s known for the past 20-something years. Magic and magical creatures exist, and Amie must uncover her own magical powers with little help from those around her. Confused, somewhat homesick, and not know who to trust, Amie struggles to come to grips with her life. Information comes at a decidedly slow pace. However, when she and Emrys slip away from Wenderdowne for what was to have been a quiet day out, Amie starts to regain her memories as she encounters other people and places from her past. And then things really start to happen.

I really enjoyed the mix of modern, fantasy, and myths that the author has woven together to create Silver Hollow and the Borderlands. Amie is a likeable heroine and Emrys is dark and sexy and mysterious. I loved her grandfather, Arthur. And was emotionally shocked over Brillig Toadstool. I have not read many stories involving King Arthur or Merlin nor those involving mythical creatures such as unicorns, so their appearances were a surprise and delightful in how they were presented: new to me and very entertaining.

I recommend this book to readers of fantasy that is mixed with ancient myths and those that enjoy romance in their fantasies as well. This is the first book in the Borderlands Saga and I now look forward to the next one.

Strange Tidings by Jim Stein

After the C-12 virus struck, surviving humans were left to cluster into crumbling populations center such as New Philadelphia and slowly try to regroup into some semblance of life. Recovery was hampered by the discovery that many of the survivors were no longer capable of having children; only a few families had retained the ability to procreate. Those that could reproduce did and allowed some of their babies to be adopted by couples that could not.

Among the babies that were adopted out is Edan Johnson and his “sister,” Piper. Brought up in New Philadelphia, “Ed” is an aspiring musician and through a connection of his sister’s, he has landed his dream job at the local recording studio where he works with station engineer, Billy. One evening after the day’s business, Ed is using the station equipment to produce his own recording when he is interrupted by an odd, old man named Koko. Ed had previously encountered him at the farmers market across town and had received a strange coin from him. Additional sightings over the next couple of days, both in person and in dreams, finally reveals that Koko holds a significant place in Ed’s past and future.

Billy, too, has dreams. He’s a member of an up-and-coming band that is on the verge of making a name for themselves and possibly revitalizing the lost music industry. When Ed goes to hear the band play for the first time, he is drawn to their mysterious and complicated bass player, Quinn.

Strange Tidings is the first book in author, Jim Stein’s, Legends Walk series. The storyline is complex creating an entire world of post-virus America. I found it to be exciting and fresh in its use of native American mythology to draw in a paranormal cast of characters (which was new to me.) The complexity of the initial world-building provides several intriguing options for additional books to come. I highly recommend to readers that like young adult, paranormal thrillers, and native American legend tales incorporated into modern times.

Lost and Found by Ashley Ford

Naima is a succubus, and she is fleeing for her life through heavily wooded terrain when her pursuers are attacked by a large wolf. Bryce, one of her attackers and the group’s leader, escapes and hides out in a nearby barn to recuperate briefly before going after her again. He is hunting Naima to avenge his brother’s death at her hands. The brother had become obsessed with the succubus, kidnapped and held her captive, until she accidentally absorbed his entire life energy when he’d attempted to sexually assault her.

Following the wolf to safety in a secluded cabin, she meets the grief-ridden occupant, a shapeshifter named Gage. He is the wolf and has hidden himself away in the woods suffering from the loss of his mate, Alicia, the year before in a car accident.

The story of Lost and Found is about these two lost people finding each other and healing together. There is instantaneous attraction between the two which both fight making for some nice tension and wonder on the part of the reader – “Will they overcome their problems or not?” The story contains somewhat graphic sexual situations, but I thought they were well done.

This novella is recommended for readers that enjoy paranormal romances, shapeshifter stories, wolf pack tales, and something a little different – a succubus.

I Am Terry Walker by Skye Andrews

Horrific confession-journal of a serial killer.

When a night out at a pub ends with a mindless, drunken murder, Terry Walker discovers that the horror at his actions also brings with it a deep feeling of satisfaction. Trying to recreate the feeling, Terry plots and picks up prostitutes, people he believes no one will ever miss, and murders each using a different method of torture. This story is presented in the form of a personal letter by Terry as he sits in his cell after being caught, tried, and sentenced to 120 years in prison: a confession-journal of his crimes, known and those that, until now, have gone undetected. Terry is writing the missive in an effort to increase his notoriety and is in no way seeking forgiveness.

This horror story starts out strong but does not sustain becoming a short recitation of different torture methods and vaguely how they work each occurring on Christmas of each succeeding year. The presence of a companion – a female tourist he kidnapped early in his years of crime – is mentioned infrequently during the years and I kept wondering (until the conclusion of his narrative) if she were still about or if he’d disposed of her at some point. The reader is privy to Terry’s thoughts and his motivations but there’s really not much to consider or dissect – I guess, though, that fits in with what we’re supposed to be reading: a quick and final confession of these additional crimes.

Horror is not my reading forte and I’ve not encountered the opportunity to book-talk the genre much. Having said that, when I say I cannot recommend this book, I really mean I am not able to suggest a group of readers that would find it a must-read. It is just too short and too shallow in its current form. It is often hard to understand because of uncertainties due to grammar. I do think the author is on to an interesting idea and it has the potential to become really horrific with care and expansion.

Murder at the Makeover by Sandi Scott

When Georgia Kaye receives an invitation to a high school class reunion (of sorts), she jumps at the chance to go see old friends and relive past memories. With sister, Aleta, in tow, the event unfortunately turns out to be little more than an attempt by Clara Lu, the event organizer, to introduce her pyramid-scheme, The Better You!, makeup business to her old friends, gain recruits, and expand her empire. Before the sisters can quietly slip away, someone screams and one of their former classmates, Samantha Alfred, is found dead on the floor of the ladies’ room. Chicago Police Detective Stan Toon, Georgie’s ex-husband, arrives on the scene to investigate and the sisters are once again embroiled in the search for a killer.

Murder at the Makeover is the 6th book in the sweetly, entertaining Pet Portraits Mystery series by Sandi Scott featuring the sixty-something twin sisters, Georgie and Aleta Kaye. In this story, readers are treated to a walk down the sisters’ memory lanes, revisit characters from previous books, and get a little closer look at Georgie’s feelings for ex-husband, Stan, and become more familiar with Aleta’s family. This series is recommended for readers that like their mysteries cozy, with lots of fun, snappy dialogue, and enjoy protagonists of a “certain age.” This series would be great on television! I can’t wait for the next one to come out.

Softhearted by Kim Law

Set in the Texas Hill Country, somewhere near San Marcos, Softhearted is the second book in the Deep in the Heart series by author Kim Law.

The series focuses on the women of Bluebonnet Farms – a foster home begun and continued by “Aunt Blu” Johnson. Softhearted features Heather Lindsay, the middle “sister” of Aunt Blu’s three original foster girls and continues from a point a little while after the story told in book one, Hardheaded. (Softhearted can be read as a standalone novel though I think readers will enjoy it more after having read Hardheaded.)

Of the three original girls, Heather is “The Soft One” with a heart as big as Texas and tender to boot. She was orphaned as a young teen when both parents were killed in a barn fire. Years later, this tragedy still looms large in her life and colors the choices she makes. Thrice disappointed in love, she finds herself attracted to what she fears is another bad choice – Waylon Peterson, the new ranch manager working for her foster sister, Jill and, soon-to-be-husband, Cal.

With the wedding only weeks away, the Bluebonnet women (Jill, Trenton, and Heather) are working hard on transforming Cal’s ranch house and grounds into the perfect setting for the upcoming nuptials. Adding to the expected pressure that a wedding brings is the fact that these activities are all being filmed as part of Jill and Cal’s new reality TV show, Building a Life. Heather and Waylon are like catnip to each other in this emotionally charged atmosphere. But both have some soul-searching to do before they can find their happily-ever-after.

Softhearted is a great next step in the Deep in the Heart series with a full-bodied story for foster sister, Heather, and some intriguing foundation laid regarding the future for foster sister number three, Trenton, and even Aunt Blu. The hero is a romantic and a single dad with a charming young daughter. I loved the setting in the Texas Hill Country and the mention of San Marcos. Horses played a featured role in this story which I also enjoyed. This book is recommended for contemporary romance readers.

Murder at the Car Show by Sandi Scott

Georgie Kaye is on the snoop again!

This time, Georgie and her twin sister, Aleta, are attending the Tri-Local Antique Car Show when one of the show’s employees is found dead in one of the vintage cars. Georgie had been asked to dress up and act as a model for a new photographer friend, Errol Barr. Aleta, as usual, has accompanied Georgie as her wingman. However, Aleta is the one that catches the eye of an admirer. Marley Gillibrand, an attractive older gentleman, is one of the participants in the show. When Hera Packard, one of the employees of the show’s organizer is found dead in Marley’s restored ’56 Chevy, Marley becomes the chief suspect in her death.

With Aleta considering venturing into her first relationship since the death of her husband, William, Georgie is determined to discover the truth behind Hera’s death, and exonerate Marley. In the meantime, she is also questioning her own romantic relationships including her true feelings for her ex-husband, Chief Detective Stanley Toon.

Murder at the Car Show is the fifth entry in author Sandi Scott’s Pet Portrait Mystery series about twin amateur sleuths, Georgie and Aleta Kaye. The characters remain interesting, the dialogue snappier than ever, and the relationships among the recurring characters genuinely fun. One thing that sets this series apart from others is that the characters are mature (if not always mature-acting) individuals; the twins are in their 60s and their beaus are the same and older. This book and all of the previous ones are just a fun time, and I really look forward to each new adventure.

The Dead Game by Susanne Leist

After graduation from college in New York, Linda Bennett is somewhat at loose ends. Her parents and brother had been killed in a car accident during her freshman year, and her future, without her family, stretched before her. Happening upon an advertisement for a bookstore for rent, Linda checks it out, signs a lease, and relocates to Oasis, Florida, the new proprietor of “Oasis by the Sea” bookstore and coffeehouse.

The quaint little town was picturesque and poised on the coast of northern Florida. But Oasis isn’t the idyllic respite Linda expected. Once there, with her bookstore open for business, she realizes the town harbors some shadowy secrets.

Lurking at the heart of the problem are the long-established residents of the town that live in the gated and oddly green-glassed mansions in the forest outside town, and only appearing at night. Frequently, townspeople and tourists go missing never to be heard from again. And then outside of town there is the mysterious and long abandoned mansion situated high on a cliff overlooking the ocean known as End House.

As shadowy figures flit through town at dusk, strange things begin to happen. Linda’s store and that of her friend, Shana, are vandalized looking as if a powerful wind had whipped through toppling bookcases and blowing things all around. And one day when Linda is out for a swim, she is grabbed underwater by a black-clad figure and almost drowns when she is rescued by the town’s most eligible bachelor, Todd Morrison.

Things really get dangerous when Linda and her friends, all newcomers to town, receive a mysterious, unsigned invitation to a party being held at End House, and they decide to attend.

The Dead Game is a horror story with elements of romance. The horror is fairly mild, scary, but not something that would keep a reader up all night afterwards. The romance is clean and sweet for the most part (no graphic scenes). Action is presented from the viewpoints of several characters. And there are questions left unanswered that would be a launching point for a sequel. This book would make a really fun movie. On the other hand, there are some confusing things that make reading a little tedious. There are a large number of characters involved that all have a part in the main story. The dialogue is repetitive in some instances BUT if this were a movie would probably make sense because additional characters would have to be updated on what was going on. And frankly, I wanted to smack almost every one of the characters at one point or another for dumb decisions, childish behavior, and stupid comments…you know, like in real life.

Stray (Touchstone #1) by Andrea K. Höst

When Cassandra Devlin left school on her final day of classes she thought she was headed home to prepare for a night of partying with her fellow graduates. But somewhere along the way she inadvertently traveled through a gateway away from Earth and onto another planet.

Alone, lost, and without resources other than what she had in her school backpack, she located a waterway and followed it downstream in hopes of finding civilization. Instead she came to a strange, deserted community constructed of blocky, white stone buildings.

Surviving there a month, she is discovered and rescued by a pair of young, black-clad soldiers (Setari) and taken to their home base, KOTIS, on the island-city of Konna, on the planet Tare. There she receives medical attention and is implanted with a device that helps her understand and learn the Taren’s language.

She is what they call a “STRAY,” and she’s not the first one that’s been found. There have been others.

Throughout the story, Cassandra expresses her desire to return home, but as she tries to figure out how to accomplish this, she is developing relationships with her rescuers and becoming embroiled and invested in their fight to save their world from destruction by the horrible creatures, the Ionoth, coming through the ENA. Her Setari friends believe that should she breach the ENA again to return to Earth she may draw the attention of the Ionoth and cause them to attack Earth just like Tare.

Told in first-person in the form of Cassandra’s diary, author Andrea K. Höst has developed an imaginative and compelling storyline in an interesting world. Familiar yet very different, the planets of Muina and Tare, and the concept of the ENA remain mysterious to the reader even at the completion of this first book in the Touchstone series. (The ENA is defined as “a dimension connected to the thoughts, memories, dreams, and imaginations of living beings,” however, it is a very real and scary place in the novel, filled with shadowy locations and dangerous creatures.

There are also a multitude of characters introduced (so many that there is a list of characters included at the end of the book.) While I enjoyed Stray, it took some effort to keep reading; the story develops slowly. Many of the characters are only superficially sketched out right now but I’m guessing some will become more substantial as the series progresses. I will definitely be going for the next book in the series, Lab Rat One, soon.

A Darker Shade of Sorcery (The Realmers #1) by William Collins

I loved this book!

Evander “Evan” Umbra never knew his mother or father, or anything about them. He was found abandoned in the forest as a newborn and reared by “Gran” until her death five months ago when he was sent to a children’s home for orphans. Since arriving in London he’d been visciously bullied by the neighborhood gang but still he steps when they target a smaller boy. As he’s beaten by the gang members, Evan sees a mysterious black mist emanating around him. Before he can wonder much about it, the beating ends and the mist disappears.

When Pete, another orphan at the home, goes missing, no one see or hears anything. His room is covered in blood so it is assumed that he’s been murdered and carried off. Then Evan sees a frighteningly, repulsive stranger lurking outside his school one day, watching and waiting, it seems, for him. After school, the bullies chase Evan down and as they pound on him, the stranger appears and reveals his true form – a horrible, nightmarish spider-creature. It kills Ollie, the gang leader, and attacks Evan. This time, instead of the black mist, Evan shoots green fire from his hands hitting the creature. But the creature survives, grabs Evan, and takes him through a portal to a different world as a gift for his queen.

Evan is saved from the queen by a silver-haired man and taken through another portal to the realm of Veneseron where there is a school for individuals just like him – Venators – Demon-Hunters!

Simultaneously in America, Brooke Carn is picked up by three Arch-Realmers – Arantay, Lok, and Tyrell – and taken to Veneseron. She, too, is to begin training as a Demon-Hunter. She meets Evan when he is attacked by a demon in his room at the Fortress. Along with others in their same Novice class, they form a group of friends and allies as they discover their skills in sorcery and try to keep Evan safe from further demon attacks.

The story is fast-paced and never dull. The characters are fun, interesting, and much like teenagers anywhere. There are some similarities to the Harry Potter series but it is different and entertaining. I was thoroughly engrossed once I started reading it.

EBBA, The First Easter Hare by Leen Lefebre

Somewhat difficult to follow due to a rough translation from the original Dutch into English, EBBA, The First Easter Hare, is the reimagined origin story of the Easter Bunny.

In this country, the tradition of the Easter Bunny (or “Osterhase”) is thought to have come to the U.S. via German immigrants in the 1700s. Their children made nests out of grass for the egg-laying hare where it would leave its colored eggs. Other sources say the association of a rabbit with Easter or Spring, in general, goes further back in time and was the symbol of the goddess “Eostre,” a goddess of fertility. Rabbits, of course, are known as early and prolific breeders.

In this new take, Ebba and her parents live in a dark kingdom ruled by her uncle, the cruel King Stern. It is a lightless place where the kingdom’s subjects are slaves: the males serving in the army protecting the borders and murdering any other creatures found inhabiting the kingdom. Females are expected to spend their lives gathering food for the king and his army.

One day, Ebba’s father, Atta, approaches his brother, the king, and requests to leave the kingdom for a place beyond the borders that is rumored to be sun-filled and free. The king refuses and they argue, but Atta goes anyway leaving baby Ebba and her mother, Hulde, behind with the promise to return one day and take them to their new home in the promised land.

Time passes, and Atta doesn’t return. Hulde and Ebba keep a low profile hoping for the day when they, too, can escape the dark kingdom until one day, while out gathering food, they discover a rabbit warren that has been destroyed by King Stern’s soldiers. Hidden away in a remote section, Ebba finds a clutch of runner’s eggs overlooked by the army. Ebba and Hulde decide that Ebba must take the unhatched eggs to the promised land beyond the borders to the runner mother that had desperately hidden her nest and fled when the army attacked. And so, begins Ebba’s journey to the borderlands and the adventure it becomes.

This is Book Two in a four-book series for middle graders and older that centers around one of each of the four seasons. (Book One was a winter tale.) Imaginative and short enough to hold the attention of children, it would benefit from some fine-tuning of the language to clarify what is going on and being said. Many times, I was halted in my enjoyment of the story because the word usage was just clunky and off-putting or didn’t make sense.

Zombies from Space ... And Vampires by Angela B. Chrysler

Zombies from Space …And Vampires by Angela B. Chrysler is an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it novella in which UFOs arrive and deposit aliens that look and move and eat humans like in the classic horror movie zombie sense. The main character is 19-year-old Aria who witnesses the arrival of one of these UFOs and the immediate disappearance of her father, her only close relative. As she stands there in complete disbelief of what she is seeing, she is grabbed by a mysterious stranger who comes out of the shadows and sinks his teeth into her throat. The next thing she is aware of is waking in a castle on Singer Island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. The mysterious stranger is Caius and he wishes to keep her with him in the castle on the island as his guest but before she can figure out what he’s about she’s rescued by two black clad women, Cin Dixon and Kylie.

Cin takes her to a ship, the “Slush Brain,” moored in the river, captained and crewed by an assortment of interesting and quirky characters. Before they can float safely out of reach of the aliens on the nearby shore, they are alerted to the predicament of another fleeing crew member. Chess, who has the barely sane, Max, in tow, is trapped by the surging horde of aliens at the water’s edge. The crew rescues Chess and Max from the aliens (known as Weeches) but before they can get the ship underway it is attacked and destroyed by Caius and his group of followers. The crew finds themselves back on land and fighting for their lives and freedom.

An interesting forward to the novella explains the origins of both the story and the characters – a writing project incorporating the author’s real-life friends. I thought this quite fun! The story moves swiftly and probably should be read in one sitting for maximum entertainment though not required, of course. The novella could benefit from some additional editing just to make the story flow a little better but if a hiccup here and there doesn’t bother a reader it is definitely an entertaining time.

I received a free copy of this novella through Goodreads. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Heirs of Power by Kay MacLeod

Always in twilight with never-ending lava formations encroaching on the inhabitants, Tenebria was dying.

When the world of the Tenebri began turning into a destructive, fiery land, the inhabitants broke through a magical barrier to safety, in a new land, a New Tenebria, to the kingdom of another people, the Lucidians. But the invaders were not welcomed and they were sent packing by a group of 10 super-beings, Lucidians that had embued the physical bodies of selected humans with their spirits, and enhanced with special gifts and powers. They were known as The Constellations after the special groupings of stars in the sky.

The Lucidians knew that the successful removal of the Tenebri was only temporary – they would undoubtedly try again. So, to remain prepared for the day that happened, the powers of The Constellations are passed on from the original holder to their first child at birth. It would be up to the original Constellation to nurture and train their replacement.

Kitty Fairlow is blissfully unaware of any of this when she and her father stumble upon a portal being opened between this world and Tenebri with a magical urn. Her father, Zander, one of the original Constellations, has told her nothing. At her birth, she inherited his gifts – those of the The Archer. She is sent to take the urn to Princess Judith who rules for her mother the queen in the city of Lanathere. There she meets her first Constellation – Serena Olbridge, The Dancer. The two women set out to bring all the Constellations (The Juggler, The Astronomer, The Swordsman, The Sculptor, The Mystic, The Duellist, and The Scholar) together to once again fight the Tenebri and save the world and the human race.

Heirs of Power is the first book in The Constellation Saga and introduces us to most of the Constellations and their enemies, the Tenebri. The author does a nice job of building the kingdom of Lanathere and adding in the history of the conflict between the Tenebrians, the Lucidians, and how humans became involved. The characters are fun, quirky in some cases, heroic, but still definitely human. This book is recommended for fantasy readers that enjoy a good mission and a hearty saga of a story. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.