Mermaid by Kate O’Connor

June 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

MERMAID
Mermaid by Kate O’Connor
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (56 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

How far would you go for freedom?

When genetically engineered sea drone Coral saved two drowning humans, she didn’t expect to end up questioning the foundations of her world… but humans don’t seem as different as she’s always been told. With nothing ahead of her but mindless days of harvesting seaweed for World Food Co., she has to know why humans are free to choose and drones aren’t.

Coral’s only hope of transforming her future lies in taking on a battle her people gave up a century ago. However, each step nearer to drone freedom brings her closer to falling in love with Rob, the man she saved and heir to the company she is fighting to change.

Struggling to unravel politics and passion, Coral begins to realize that she stands to lose more than just a chance at being human. Both her life and Rob’s may just balance on whether or not they can create a world where drones can be free.

Should they feel this way? cipla cialis india pdxcommercial.com That’s not for me to say. Emergency Services Emergency services needs to be able to get the generic for levitra and be done with it, without having to go anywhere. Troubles in an emotional relationship can also affect sexual relationship. order cheap cialis They side effects of viagra can even order online medications. Sometimes dreams come true in ways one never could have imagined. Would you make the same choices again if you knew ahead of time how everything would end?

There’s no doubt in my mind that Coral would follow the exact same path if she had known about her destiny in advance. Her curiosity about the humans she accidentally meets one day is all-encompassing, and the risks she took to save them only made me like Coral more. She never wavers from her conviction that the world is a beautiful place even when ugly things occur in it, and her determination to press on in any set of circumstances is admirable.

My only unanswered question about the plot involves what really happens to the body of a drone when she dies. As it is described the process doesn’t make sense. It would have been less confusing for for me if there had either been a more detailed explanation of what happens to their bodies or if the matter had been dropped. While I completely understand the author’s reasons for including this description in the story would have been just as compelling had this detail been left out.

Ultimately this was a cosmetic problem in an otherwise engrossing tale. I never wanted the story to end, and I was sorry to say goodbye to such memorable people. There was a surprising amount of character development in this piece of this length, and if this is any indication of Ms. O’Connor’s writing habits I can’t wait to read more from her.

Mermaid is hauntingly beautiful. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who has ever stared out into the sea and daydreamed about the secrets it might contain.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

From Here to Hallucigenia by Michael Sutherland

June 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HERE
From Here to Hallucigenia by Michael Sutherland
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Horror, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Short Story (89 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Aviatrix- a steam punk tale set in Edwardian middle-England. Doodlebug – a train journey like none other through a future war-torn Europe. It’s Up to You Now, Bambi – Criminal aliens on parole ruled by a matriarch like none other who end up saving a little boy from his evil parents. What Goes Around Comes Back Weird – Be careful what you pray for because it definately will not come back anything like the way you expected it to.

Have you ever had a sneaking suspicion that an acquaintance is withholding a truth about themselves?

We never really know what’s going on in other people’s homes or heads. From quiet, single gardeners to young couples just starting out in life, everyone presents only some of their true selves to the outside world. This collection peels back the friendly, if also unusually private, facade that four different characters have erected to keep themselves or their families safe.

“Doodlebug” starts off with an extended description of what has happened to Europe over many generations. I read a half dozen pages before I met the narrator and began to figure out why he was running. It was a little confusing to piece together everything that was happening because of the order in which certain clues are provided, but once the plot picked up I was quickly drawn into the main character’s plight.
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I felt like I was an active participant in “It’s Up to You Now, Bambi” because the character and scene descriptions were so vivid. The dialogue between Frank and the narrator was sometimes difficult to believe due to how casually they discussed graphic subject matter, but once I discovered why they were so accustomed to spare body parts floating around their conversations quickly became my favorite part of this tale.

“Aviatrix” could easily be expanded into a series or full length novel, and it was the best story in this collection. The emotional bond between Simon and Adrian is so tightly woven they almost could have sailed through this adventure without verbally communicating with one another. One look would be all either one would need to know what the other was thinking.

The first few scenes of “What Goes Around Comes Back Weird” were so enthralling I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Eric’s relationship with his husband is a tentative happy ending to a bizarre childhood. Unfortunately the pacing grew uneven as the plot progressed, and some of the twists never quite made sense to me. The premise was excellent, but this story would have benefited from a final round of editing before publication.

From Here to Hallucigenia asks questions I’d never before pondered, and it took me to places I didn’t know could exist. This is a great recommendation for readers who prefer jumping straight into the action while the backstory is revealed in small doses.

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Dragon Night by Stephanie Campbell

May 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DRAGON
Dragon Night by Stephanie Campbell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (243 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The only thing more shocking than discovering that dragons really exist is finding out that you are one.

Ever since he could remember, Ford was treated cruelly by his parents, Liddy and Wicker Forks. He cannot figure out why they hate him so much. It is only when he discovers that his father isn’t really Wicker Forks but instead is a mysterious, red-eyed stranger that he goes on a quest to find his true identity—and much, much more.

As he heads forward down the path of danger and illusion, he uncovers a world that he had never imagined, a world of dragons. Ford must decide who he is—a dragon or a boy—and whichever path he chooses will be his future for forever. After all, once you are a dragon, there is no going back.

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This is a coming of age story with really interesting twists. Stephanie Campbell has written a very suspenseful, action-packed story which I found impossible to put down. The characters are well-drawn, with both strengths and weaknesses. The dialogue is crisp and clean. The plot is well-paced and logical, revolving around a battle for justice. And the odds are definitely skewed in favor of the dragons, who have terrorized the draconics for centuries.

I like the way Campbell portrays the draconics, searching for freedom but at the same time refusing to be like their captors. Ford turns out to be incredibly strong and powerful, more so than any of the other draconics because Ford’s father is not only the leader of the dragons, but the largest and most powerful dragon. But Ford also has a good and loving heart, even after the abusive childhood he suffered through. Ford’s decisions were believable and his anger was understandable. Ultimately Ford has to decide who he really is and where his loyalties lie.

This novel really resonated with me. I found myself identifying with Ford and a few of the other characters. The novel is also filled with action, a real page turner, suspenseful right to the end. I can definitely recommend it to any lovers of dragon fantasies.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Dragon Drop by Jerry Ackerman

May 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dragon Drop
Dragon Drop by Jerry Ackerman
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Short Story (130 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Watch the magic that happens when a brave teenage girl helps a dragon grow a heart. (And narrated by …. the dragon!)

A female seventh grader befriends a dragon who transzips himself to Earth, pursued by angry dragons from his planet. He meets Lily, who longs for adventure. She gets adventure and challenges when the dragon taps on her window one night. What offense did Py the dragon commit that exiled him from Dragondrop? And how will Lily hide a dragon in the average suburban neighborhood?

Py doesn’t want to tell Lily his crime and she has a secret she can’t share. Because dragons are solitary, unemotional creatures, they hoard their treasures and rarely share or show their feelings. But something changes inside Py after he meets Lily. He starts to feel emotions, learns about right and wrong, and decides he needs to help her.

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Dragons can travel from their home world of Dragon Drop instantly by means of the TransZip interstellar highways and this is just what Pyrolavadon (better known as Py) does when he needs to escape a posse of a hundred dragons. He asked the probe to take him somewhere far away, and he ends up on Earth, the farthest point on the TransZip system. On Earth, Py meets an eleven year old girl named Lily and together they learn about each other.

Jerry Ackerman has written an incredibly wonderful story of love and joy. Ackerman writes this in the first person, narrated by Py himself. Py lands on earth and quickly learns several languages. His world and view of himself begins to change when he meets Lily. Py begins by claiming to be an ambassador sent by the dragons to learn about Earth. Lily knows this to be false, but she doesn’t force Py to tell his secret because she has a secret of her own. Ackerman shows how Py’s heart is opened by Lily. Py, the true hoarding dragon, begins to feel emotions and to learn right from wrong.

Ackerman crafts both Py and Lilly into fully developed and believable characters. The two of them share adventures which are all shown through Py’s eyes with delightful humor and intelligence. Lily is in many ways a typical seventh grader, but with an incredible sensitivity and insight into others. Both Py and Lily change as a result of their friendship, a friendship that grows into such a strong bond that each is able to share their secret with the other.

This is a magical story. I enjoyed seeing the world through Py’s eyes. Py and Lily both have gifts to share, unusual and heartfelt gifts. I highly recommend this novel for any lovers of dragon fantasy.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Treason of Memory by Nyki Blatchley

May 17, 2013 By 2 Comments

MEMORY
The Treason of Memory by Nyki Blatchley
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (41 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Estent remembers assassinating the king he loved – but, in a sordid world of magic and espionage, can he trust his own memory?

Young aristocrat Estent n’Ashne has been arrested for assassinating the king he’s always loved. He remembers the deed, though not why he did it, but the enigmatic spy Sharru seems convinced of his innocence. Together, the unlikely pair must search through the slums and palaces of the city of Jalkiya to uncover both political intrigue and an ancient evil. But how can Estent find the truth when he can’t even trust his own memory?

Combining the sordid world of espionage with dark magic, The Treason of Memory is an action-packed adventure story set in a fantasy world of flintlocks and rapiers.

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Nyki Blatchley has written a fast-paced exciting story. I especially liked the fact that his descriptions involve all the senses, so that the reader really feels as if s/he is right next to Estent and Sharru. The smells of the slums, the feel of fabrics, sounds or lack thereof, even the taste of the food are richly described, going way beyond the usual visual descriptions. Blatchley’s characters are also fully three-dimensional, believable people. Both Estent and Sharru demonstrate their humanity, their strengths, and their flaws. And while this is a short story, Blatchley nevertheless shows the growth and development of Estent in an intriguing coming-of-age story. The story line is well thought out, and I found myself turning pages quickly as the suspense grew.

I don’t know if Blatchley has plans for expanding on this story, but personally, I think it would be wonderful to learn additional details about Estent and his world. I would like to know more about Estent’s family as well as the history of the nation and the Yeidik cult. This information is not in any way necessary for the enjoyment of the story, but I was so taken by the characters and the glimpse of the world that Blatchely has given, that I want more.

Blatchley has crafted an excellent story, one that any reader of fantasy would enjoy. I hope to discover more of his writings in the future.

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Shaala and the Tiger’s Daughter by Marsheila Rockwell

May 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

TIGER
Shaala and the Tiger’s Daughter by Marsheila Rockwell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (26 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In a cold land of snow and strange magick, Shaala’s long quest to be rid of her curse leads her to an old friend and a powerful new enemy.

Having left the desert behind her, Shaala hears rumors of a tribe of northerners who hunt and steal magick from its users. Hoping their power might be enough to finally free her from her curse, Shaala seeks them out, but a favor that great requires a favor in return – one that might well cost the life of an old, dear friend.

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Rockwell has written a wonderful story. It is the sixth in a new Arabian-flavored series, Tales of Sand and Sorcery, which features strong women wielding swords and sorcery. I have not read any of the other tales, but I had no trouble getting right into this one. It is a fast-moving, action-packed story with well-rounded characters. Shaala makes a decision for another, and she doesn’t even give it a moment’s thought at the time. It seems like the right thing to do. But when she is forced to look at it from another perspective, she realizes that things aren’t as simple as she thought. I liked the way Shaala was willing to listen and learn about how her actions affected others.

Rockwell’s tale is engaging and exciting. I am definitely planning to seek out the rest in this series, and I can recommend that other lovers of fantasy, especially fantasy with a strong female perspective, check out this story.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

The Midnight Queen by Jessica Penot

May 10, 2013 By 1 Comment

QUEEN
The Midnight Queen by Jessica Penot
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (248 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In a deperate future, a dark queen rises from the ashes of oblivion to unify a broken world.

Aiela has spent her entire life sheltered from the world. Her only dream has been to escape the quiet island life she’s know and find adventure in the world outside. After the death of her mother, Aeila escapes to the University, a world filled with technological wonders and exotic people. But her own history is dark and the secrets behind her birth may destroy everything that hold Aiella together.

Most of us dream at some point in our lives of a utopia free from evil. Aeila was raised in such a world isolated from the rest of the planet, but she never truly belonged. When her mother dies, Aeila flees from this utopian island to find adventure in the outside world, only to discover that her own history is riddled with dark secrets.
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Jessica Penot has written a very compelling and disturbing novel about the nature of humanity and its quest for power and immortality. Her characters are well-defined and engaging. The setting is a post-apocalypse earth, and Penot describes the various clans and nations with rich details, so that the reader really feels the heat of the desert or the ice of the glaciers.

Penot’s characters seem very real. It isn’t hard to identify with Aiela and her desire to see more of the world. It is easy to relate to her search for knowledge and her desire to learn all she can about a new and complex world. Penot has several really strong characters in this novel, both male and female, and she shifts the point of view seamlessly as the story progresses. The pace is fast-moving and compelling, making this novel a real page turner. The questions raised around the uses of power and technology resonate strongly in today’s world. Penot draws her readers into the plot, and her powerful writing all but demands that readers think about how they would have reacted or what their decisions would have been. The characters don’t have easy choices to make which is one reason why this novel is so disturbing.

I found that the world Penot created was exciting, intriguing and even terrifying in its reality. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from Penot.

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Passport to Phelamanga by Michael Sutherland

May 3, 2013 By 2 Comments

PASSPORT
Passport to Phelamanga by Michael Sutherland
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (59 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grab your passport and throw away the return, because you’re never going home again.

Grab your passport for the roller coaster ride of your life as you travel through five mind bending journeys that will shock you out of your comfort zone, and take you into the new dawn you’ve always been looking for, to the land of Phelamanga.

‘After All’ – The elite have plundered the planet until there is nothing left and now their own children have mutated into an abandoned race of weakened albinos daring to crawl back to the surface to discover the truth for themselves.

‘Only Human’ – A lone young man gazes out from the mouth of a cave over the relics left by civilization. And now he is the only one left to witness the arrival of planet Earth’s first celestial visitor.

‘Bridge to Andromeda’ – He waits by a lonely road in the night determined to fulfill a promise made between friends when they were still schoolboys, to disappear into the wilds and never return.

‘Till Dawn’ – An old tramp has been on an endless journey, since the day he was released from an orphanage at the age of thirteen, in the vain hope that one day he will finally get see the mother he never knew, before experiencing his last sunrise.

‘Death Trapped’ – One phone call to the skuzzy office of the editor’s underground rag and he’s hooked on a mind bending nightmare too creepy to be real. So much of a bad trip that he can’t bring himself to believe that it’s true. But he’s the kind of guy who runs his life right on up to the wire hoping that all his problems will just fade away. It’s always worked before. But this time it’s too late. And there’s not a damn thing he can do to stop it.

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It’s scary to think that someday the human race will end. Whether our descendants die out or evolve into a new species has yet to be determined but one of the loneliest fates I can imagine is outliving ever other human being and then face one’s own mortality. The stories in the book are spooky, sad, and even occasionally funny but all of them attempt to describe what it would be like to be in this situation.

Till Dawn was full of run-on sentences that made it difficult to follow the narrator’s thoughts. I suspect that it was intended to show the narrator’s disorganized thinking and possibly hint at an underlying mental illness. The concept was quite intriguing but I spent so much time trying to figure out if the narrator was reliable that I never quite got into it.

After All shows what would really happen in an apocalypse: the wealthy would hog all of the resources, everyone else would die slowly and terribly. The question is, though, what happens many generations from now when the wealthy re-inherit the earth? Can a society survive longterm if only a few personality types are allowed to reproduce?

Death Trapped once again had me wondering how much of what the main character described was actually happening versus how much of it was a hallucination. The entities the main character meets are so unusual that they could easily be described but even when the author’s intentions are confirmed I found myself listing reasons why the other explanation was still valid. It definitely kept me guessing, though, and the characters in this story were my favourite in the entire book.

Only Human is the strongest entry in this collection. It would be so lonely to be the last member of one’s species still alive especially while witnessing the genesis of the species that will be your replacement. The twist at the end of it was unexpected and even though it left me wanting more everything was tied together precisely and all of the questions I had at the beginning were more than satisfactorily answered.

The Bridge to Andromeda has an attention-grabbing introduction but I had trouble figuring out why it ended so abruptly or how certain aspects of the plot were intended to connect to one another. The metaphors were so well-written that I could almost see them bubbling out between the sentences. I truly wished to savour the final story but never quite understood what the author was attempting to communicate.

Despite a few bumps along the way Passport to Phelamanga is an imaginative collection of tales that I never wanted to end. I hope to read more from Michael Sutherland soon and in the meantime will be revisiting these worlds and wondering what he will come up with next!

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Daughter of the Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis

April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SKY
Daughter of the Earth and Sky by Kaitlin Bevis
Daughters of Zeus Book 2
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (267 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Some vows can never be broken.

Persephone thought she could go back to her normal life after returning from the Underworld. She was wrong.

The goddess Aphrodite is born among the waves with more charm than she can control. Zeus is stalking Persephone and her loved ones, and Thanatos is no longer content with Persephone’s silence.

He wants her soul.

Persephone can’t tell anyone about Thanatos’ betrayal, and it drives a wedge between her and Hades. Her mother is still keeping secrets, and Melissa’s jealousy of Aphrodite threatens to tear their friendship apart.

Alone, Persephone turns to a human boy for comfort. But will their relationship put him in danger?

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But will either life be worth choosing once Zeus is through with her?

Daughter of the Earth and Sky is absolutely captivating!

I jumped at the chance to read Daughter of the Earth and Sky, the second book in Ms. Bevis’ Daughters of Zeus series. I loved the first book, Persephone, and I couldn’t wait to read more about Persephone and her adventures. Ms. Bevis completely blew me away with this latest offering. This book picks up not long after the events in the first book ended, so anyone wanting to enjoy this story should read Persephone first in order have a complete understanding of Persephone’s situation.

When Persephone found out that she was a goddess, her world was turned upside down. Now that the initial shock has worn off, Persephone is discovering that her status as a goddess changes every facet of her life, particularly her relationships. Persephone’s journey is very touching and I felt every growing pain she endured as I read. My heart ached as she and her best friend Melissa fought. I wiped away tears and she struggled to trust her mother, and I felt Persephone’s frustration as she tried to make Hades see a secret she was unfortunately bound to keep. The emotional rollercoaster was exhausting at times, but I’m so glad I was able to take that journey with Persephone. She is certainly a stronger young woman at the end of this book, and even though the dynamics of her relationships have changed, the bonds between Persephone and her friends and family are stronger than ever.

Persephone suffers a great deal physically and emotionally in this book, and yet she remains one of the toughest young adult heroines I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Even though Persephone hasn’t grown into her full powers, she is never content to sit on the sidelines. She does everything she can to fight against Thanatos and Zeus. Even though Persephone is a goddess, she is far from perfect. She makes good and bad choices, especially where Aphrodite and the human boy, Joel are concerned. Her mistakes serve to make her an even more relatable and well rounded character.

I must say that Hades makes an interesting hero. In other paranormal or fantasy books, I’ve run across heroes that are supposed to be “dark,” but more often than not these heroes are not very scary. However, Hades really does have a dark side that is truly frightening. When I stop and think about some of the things he’s done to punish people who have hurt Persephone, I am chilled to the core. As dark as Hades seems, he is not a bad person and he loves Persephone very much. I really enjoy watching them grow as a couple.

I thought I had things figured out as I approached the end of Daughter of the Earth and Sky. However, Ms. Bevis threw in a twist that completely floored me. I knew something wasn’t quite right concerning a certain character, but I was definitely not prepared for the way the story ended. The conclusion of Daughter of the Earth and Sky is a cliff hanger. As soon as I finished reading, I literally jumped up and ran to my computer so I could find out when the next book will be out. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Daughter of the Earth and Sky is one of the best books I’ve read. Long after I finished reading, I continued to think about Persephone and wonder what sorts of challenges she will face in the future. I highly recommend Daughter of the Earth and Sky to anyone looking for a young adult tale of love and friendship.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Obsession by JoAnne Keltner

April 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

OBESSSION
Obsession by JoAnne Keltner
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Paranormal, Horror
Length: Short Story (143 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Some obsessions know no boundary…not even death.

Abby had the perfect suburban life: shopping sprees at the mall, a pool in her backyard, a dream bedroom, a best friend… That is, until her family moved to the backwoods of Wisconsin.

Abby plans to prove this backwoods dump is no place for a thirteen-year-old. So when her parents hire a carpenter and his son, Greg, she hangs out with the older boy to make her parents worry. But Greg turns out to be a total creep, and although Abby tells him she doesn’t like him, he continues to make her life miserable, watching her, trying to get close to her, threatening her.

What’s creepier is the mysterious brown-haired girl that keeps appearing and disappearing without saying a word. When Abby finds the girl’s old diary in the outbuilding, she learns that they share a common enemy, Greg.

Ideally, young women brand viagra mastercard should opt for screenings once in every three men are known for experiencing premature ejaculation like condition at some point in their lives, but they were able to encounter avenues on how to deal with their issues with intelligence. This makes a order cialis overnight person incapable to please their love and themselves as well. Just consult your doctor once and make use of the opportunity for pursuing new forms cialis low cost of intimacy. That’s because you need a product that’s tailored to a woman’s cheap cialis 5mg body, but it should be remembered that no amount of substance or chemical could fight psychological worries and negative emotions. Will they share the same fate too?

What could be worse than moving to a half-finished house in the middle of nowhere?

Abby’s mood swings and pessimistic attitude make it difficult to sympathize with her plight. Yes, changing schools and moving to a new state can be really stressful but from the moment she sees their new home Abby is determined to hate everything about it. Her intelligent and intuitive understanding of human nature soften the edges of her character, though, and after a few chapters I found myself looking forward to her witty, insightful descriptions of her family and friends.

Greg is one of the creepiest teenagers I’ve ever met in a young adult novel. Phrases that would sound harmless coming from anyone else in this story take on a much darker meaning when he leans in and quietly whispers them to Abby when no one else is listening. I would have preferred to see a deeper exploration of his personality and life history as the chapter in his life that probably molded his socially inappropriate behavior as a young adult was mentioned so briefly some readers may miss that clue. Those that figure it out will be rewarded with a chilling glimpse of Greg’s most important influences, though, as no one is born with the desire to terrorize other people!

I had trouble figuring out an appropriate age recommendation for this book. There was some use of inappropriate language and while the protagonist is quite appealing to tweens there are a few scary scenes that I would hesitate to recommend for anyone younger than twelve.

Obsession is a great stepping stone for middle school students who love the paranormal or horror genres and are ready to transition to slightly more mature stories. It’s spooky and spine-tingling without resorting to the blood and guts found in many adult stories in this style of writing but the plot is complex enough to to easily hold the interests of this age group.

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