LIBRA ASCENDING

A teenager learns about her special role in fighting alien evil in this YA paranormal series opener.

Though some might consider it a gift, Brielle sees her ability to sense transgressions by those around her as a curse. She has uncontrollable visions that show her others’ misdeeds and make her feel their guilt; she also always knows whether someone is telling the truth. She’s tried to keep her abilities secret but feels an overwhelming urge to accuse the guilty, which has often gotten her in trouble. At 17, she’s close to aging out of Grace Orphanage in Mirror Point, “a quaint little suburb on the outskirts of New York City.” She has a last-minute opportunity to be adopted by the Pierces if she can just hide her strange powers. Seventeen-year-old Tristan Ayers, a new student at Mirror Point High, also has secrets to conceal. He has visions of his own, always of two possible outcomes for the future, but no way of knowing which will happen. Moreover, he’s a Zodiac Guardian Heir, an alien prince who was sent to Earth as a baby for protection when his planet was attacked by the evil entity known as Chardis. Tristan’s mission is to find the other scattered Heirs, one for each zodiac symbol (except for his own, the twin sign of Gemini, which has two), who are also sought by Skins—human vessels taken over by Chardis who possess superstrength and invisibility. After meeting Brielle, Tristan suspects she’s a missing Heir and maybe even his Gemini soul mate (born on separate planets; not brother and sister), especially because they share a strong attraction. Although she just wants a normal life, Brielle will be tested—to discover her true heritage and full abilities and also in the fight against Chardis.

Barr and Sloan, both experienced writers in the YA fantasy genre, plan a novel for each sign of the zodiac in this series, their first collaboration. The orphan teenager with extraordinary powers and a singular destiny is a familiar trope, but the authors provide a sufficiently complex backstory and an intriguing zodiac hook to freshen the concept. Brielle’s ability to sense the truth and compel confessions is another original contribution, one that ties in logically to the zodiac theme. The book supplies several unexpected twists that enliven the ending, a finish that leaves plenty of room for developments in future series outings. Readers will likely be interested to discover how each zodiac sign eventually is related to the appropriate special powers. The paranormal and SF elements are given real-world grounding in Brielle’s desire for adoptive parents and in her teenage, angst-ridden emotions revolving around friendship and dating. This contrast helps supply effective conflict, though expressed somewhat comically as “Can she have both? A normal family and a whirlwind alien romance?” The occasional non-American expression strikes an odd note, as with the Australian phrase “calm the farm.”

An engaging series starter that adds a few new ingredients to the paranormal teenage romance.