An action-packed tale of valiant heroes and vibrant, unforgettable monsters.
Canadians with extraordinary abilities battle otherworldly creatures in this debut paranormal novel.
Chinese Canadian real estate agent Anna Lin steps outside late one night to boot some pesky raccoons off her family’s property. But apparently the noise she heard is a tentacled, serpentine beast hiding in the garage and flashing razor-sharp teeth. She reacts instinctively and takes the monster out with “xhen” energy, a formidable power she hasn’t used in years. (A bolt “burns a streaking hole straight through the creature’s mouth and out the back of its head.”) She learned how to use xhen as a child alongside her twin brother, Jason, and their Anishinaabe best friend, Dave LaRoque Montcalm. Soon, much bigger creatures menacingly fly over Toronto, and Anna doesn’t hesitate to combat these “skyworms.” Jason, now an emergency room doctor, and former CEO Dave quickly join her side as more skyworms appear. Their xhen teacher, Kalos, guides them as an inner voice and sometimes takes over one of their bodies. Apparently, this isn’t the first time the massive, shiny-scaled beasts have attacked the world, and the three xhen-wielding “Xenthians” may be humanity’s only chance at surviving. In this series opener, Williams aptly develops this trio of protagonists. The twins, for example, begin the story estranged, having had dramatically different responses to their mother’s chemotherapy and subsequent death. The author is unmistakably paving the way for future volumes, merely hinting at such subplots as the skyworms’ origin and the heroes’ past training with Kalos. Still, there’s a wealth of exhilarating action scenes brimming with bright energy pulses as well as powers like teleportation and telepathy. The novel’s latter half rarely slows down, as even the Xenthians’ taking a breather retains the intensity of an active battlefield. Williams’ descriptions run through an array of colors, from slithering orange skyworms and human soldiers’ military green to the glowing blue light that Anna’s xhen generates. Readers may want some answers in the sequel but will surely look forward to more superpowered clashes.
An action-packed tale of valiant heroes and vibrant, unforgettable monsters.Pub Date: June 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1778064517
Page Count: 356
Publisher: Circle Star Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
It's almost enough to make a person believe in ghosts.
A disturbing household secret has far-reaching consequences in this dark, unusual ghost story.
Mallory Quinn, fresh out of rehab and recovering from a recent tragedy, has taken a job as a nanny for an affluent couple living in the upscale suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey, when a series of strange events start to make her (and her employers) question her own sanity. Teddy, the precocious and shy 5-year-old boy she's charged with watching, seems to be haunted by a ghost who channels his body to draw pictures that are far too complex and well formed for such a young child. At first, these drawings are rather typical: rabbits, hot air balloons, trees. But then the illustrations take a dark turn, showcasing the details of a gruesome murder; the inclusion of the drawings, which start out as stick figures and grow increasingly more disturbing and sophisticated, brings the reader right into the story. With the help of an attractive young gardener and a psychic neighbor and using only the drawings as clues, Mallory must solve the mystery of the house's grizzly past before it's too late. Rekulak does a great job with character development: Mallory, who narrates in the first person, has an engaging voice; the Maxwells' slightly overbearing parenting style and passive-aggressive quips feel very familiar; and Teddy is so three-dimensional that he sometimes feels like a real child.
It's almost enough to make a person believe in ghosts.Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-81934-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Not without its charms and rewards; read on, if you must.
Two professors who happen to be a witch and a vampire face new challenges in the fifth volume of what was originally a romantasy trilogy.
Despite the conclusive-seeming confrontation that the witch Diana Bishop and the vampire Matthew de Clermont had with the Congregation—the governing body of witches, vampires, and demons—over their taboo relationship at the end of Book 3, The Book of Life (2014), it seems the group will not let this couple and their gifted twin children alone. An ominous visit from ravens, an invitation from a previously unknown great-aunt, and a summons from the Congregation to examine 6-year-old Pip and Becca for the often-feared potential for higher magic lead Diana to travel to Ravenswood, home of her late father’s family. As Diana connects with these new relatives, uncovers fresh secrets about her heritage, and begins to travel the first steps of the Dark Path to higher magic, enemies both new and old attempt to block her from proceeding. Like Diana, Harkness treads a tricky path that many others have attempted before her: in this case, trying to extend the magic of her epic trilogy into future volumes without it seeming contrived. The author is not entirely successful in this endeavor, alas. Book 4, Time’s Convert (2018), was a reasonably diverting but entirely unnecessary coda that mainly focused on secondary characters from the previous works. This novel returns to the original two protagonists, filling in some gaps from the original trilogy while opening the storyline to multiple future installments. Diana and Matthew have an entertainingly angsty relationship and it’s always fun to spend time with them. However, the book’s plot retravels a great deal of territory. Harkness has demonstrated enough creativity in her previous books that she could take her tale in a fresh direction; whether she will remains to be seen.
Not without its charms and rewards; read on, if you must.Pub Date: July 16, 2024
ISBN: 9780593724774
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
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