Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye (Screamcatcher Book 3) by Christy J. Breedlove

Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye is the third book in the YA paranormal fantasy Screamcatcher series that was sent to me by the author. Moving on from just dreamcatchers, Jory and her friends' Badlands Paranormal Society travel to a large ranch in Montana to help Ambrose, a homeowner struggling to fight against physical and mental attacks from something... evil. What the teens face is nothing the have ever seen before. Are they ghosts? Aliens? Spirits? Interdimensional beings? As Jory's team works to learn what is causing the paranormal events plaguing this property, they are pushed to their breaking points. Whatever it is, it has been around for thousands of years- and it and its army of horrific creatures aren't going down without a fight.

In a twist, the characters are no longer facing evil spirits inside dreamcatchers, but paranormal beings in general. This separated the installment from the rest of the series and stepped up its game, sending the characters into seriously freaky, unknown territory. I don't even know how to describe this book except a mix between Gremlins, Scooby-Doo, and Ghostbusters. I will say, if this was a movie, I probably wouldn't be able to deal with actually looking at the grotesque creatures! What also strikes me is that these teenagers do not have magical powers or abilities, and still manage to hold their own against monsters that look like they could have come out of a Marvel movie or Star Trek. 

I was very impressed with how despite the horrors of what the characters were facing, the writing still managed to have light-hearted moments, and at times I laughed at some of the metaphors and just how utterly bizarre the scene was. I typically do not read horror, and I think this is what sets it apart from other books that may deal with paranormal investigations/hauntings/invasions is its ability to be utterly terrifying while also having moments of calm and lightness. 

In my review of the previous book, I wrote that I thought the characters were insane for going back into a another dreamcatcher after what happened in the first book, and that I would have run away as fast as possible. Now, I say that they are seriously brave, and yes, sort of insane, for choosing this for the rest of their lives and not going to college. I'm surprised they didn't go to college first and major in something like Cultural Anthropology or Folklore and Mythological Studies (yes, that actually does exist as a major, even Harvard has it). They're just kids, facing what no person should ever have to, let alone want to. I'm not saying that its unrealistic or unbelievable, but that it is admirable and extraordinary. The psychiatric toll of what they have seen and experienced should be immense, and I was glad that the book continued to deal with changes in their personalities and decision making, both for the positive and negative. It will be interesting to see if Darcy has any lasting repercussions in the next book. 

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading the next, Sa'be Most Monstrous.

Title: Screamcatcher: The Shimmering Eye
Author: Christy J. Breedlove 
Publisher: Fire & Ice Young Adult Books
Pages: 224
Series: Yes, Book 3 of 4
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Five Stages of Moria: "The Worst Refugee Camp on Earth" by Elika Ansari

Moria was the largest refugee camp in Europe before it burned down in 2020. Ansari was a humanitarian worker at the camp herself, and this book tells the stories of five refugees at the camp, based on true experiences Ansari witnessed and the people she met.

How is it fair, how is it acceptable for anyone with even a sliver of a conscience, to push someone when they are already down, to treat someone how they were treated in Moria after everything these people have already been through? Is it racism, implicit bias? A financial issue of greed from politicians? A symbolic threat to their perceived way of life from their culture, or employment? From what I can gather from research into the conditions at Samos and Mavrovouni camps that replaced Moria, conditions are just as bad. I'm not saying to build them all palaces and enshrine them like royalty, but to have decency! I appreciate how honest, sometimes brutally honest The Five Stages of Moria is. Ansari did not shy away from discussing difficult and traumatic topics.

These people have left their homes in fear for their lives, left oppression and death and corruption, and travel dangerously across hundreds or even thousands of miles, are faced with a nightmare reminiscent of their homes- Moria, often without water, food, electricity, or shelter other than a concrete floor or falling apart cot, living in inhumane filth. That, or foraging for yourself in a nearby jungle with nothing besides a subpar tent. After reading this book, you may not believe that there can be worse. The title is not stating that Moria is the worst refugee camp on Earth, but that it is perceived as so. Believe it or not, there are refugee camps worse in Africa and in the Middle East. The U.S. refugee camps in Texas, such as the one for displaced children at the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, are frankly not even better. 

Yes, it is an extremely complicated situation, and I'm not claiming to know the answer of how to solve the immigrant crisis that will only escalate in the face of global warming and the Ukraine war, but something has to give. We have to do better, we have to be better. However embarrassing to say, I had never heard of Moria before. I knew the conditions of refugee camps in general from literature and classes like Cultural Geography, but the majority of people likely know even less than I do. The only difference between "them" and "us" is where we were born, and books like these further emphasize and enlighten to that. I especially loved the presence of raw emotion and honesty on depression and the impacts that the camp had on not only the people in it, but those who work around it. Humanitarian aid workers are largely unappreciated and invalidated. There is only one other book that I could find by googling and searching various websites on Moria, lots on refugee camps in general, but nothing like this.

I highly recommend this book! While the reading level is on point for a YA audience, adults can also learn from and appreciate this book. For a relatively short read, the impact can be far-reaching.

Title: The Five Stages of Moria
Author: Elika Ansari 
Publisher: Arkbound Publishing
Pages: 227
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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Stellarlune (Keeper of the Lost Cities Book 9) by Shannon Messenger

Stellarlune is the 9th book in the middle grade fantasy series, Keeper of the Lost Cities. Keefe, faced with the life-changing alterations to his abilities (yes, plural!), runs away to hide among humans, scared of how his new powers could hurt the ones he cares about. Sophie struggles to help him, and along the way confronts her own feelings that she's been reluctant to admit.

Let us start with what I liked about the latest installment in my favorite series ever before we get into the criticisms. I liked that Stellarlune continued to address more serious issues in their society like elaborating on the flaws in their matchmaking system, the Talentless label, and memory erasing. Honestly, I didn't think the secrets from the caches were worth erasing. I understand that elves' minds are delicate to violence and guilt, but their society has a problem with forgetting being the answer to uncomfortable situations. I hope changes will be made for how the council operates moving forward. I think Glimmer's character was an interesting addition that spoke to several problems in the Lost Cities' society, but at the same time I sometimes feel like there are too many of them! Stop writing such amazing characters! 

This book's main focus on was on relationships. Sophie grew into her role as a leader, and became more restless and angry over her situation. While she was criticized for it by other characters in the book, I can appreciate her reasonings. I liked how Messenger tied back into her upbringing and differences between human and elf society and linked to her past traumas. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Keefe is by far the best written and developed character that Messenger has created, and this book was no exception. He had some difficult decisions to make, faced with a power never seen before with unique and fundamentally challenging consequences to their society as a whole. The more serious and morally challenging discussions that have been become prevalent over the course of the series is something I enjoy, and I think is fitting for a maturing audience as well. I was only 14 when I first picked up the series.

Stellarlune read like a romance novel, rather than the action-packed fantasy adventure that Keeper of the Lost Cities was once known for. The majority of Stellarlune was building to a romantic relationship change, with one climatic event only at the end. I miss when the series was more about meaningful action in fighting to save the fantasy world of The Lost Cities from the Neverseen. A lot of people love the relationship emphasis and romance novels, but I dislike those. Yes, I am happy with the outcome of that and "shipped" the characters together, but I strongly prefer romance aspects to be integrated into the story, rather than taking over and derailing from the pressing matters at hand in their world to be dealt with. I miss the action and magic and adventure that the earlier books emphasized. In Nightfall, for example, book 6 was able to still discuss the love triangle (or square) but balance it with the danger and progression along the storyline. However, Stellarlune was completely out of proportion; most of the entire book was dedicated to just a romantic relationship achievement with a tiny sprinkle of mystery and fantasy. I was actually very surprised with how quickly the focus turned.

When I reviewed book 8.5, I wrote that I thought Messenger was drawing out the series, and commented that roughly only about 30% of book 8.5 was part of the story and not extra material. I still agree with that comment. After reading book 9, I believe a little reorganization would have been very beneficial; hear me out. I would have changed the order and created a book 9.5 instead of 8.5. That 30% in Unlocked of the actual story could have been inserted into Stellarlune, and I would have shoved all the teenage fretting about boys and romance, along with the excess material that was included in book 8.5, into a book 9.5. Let me know in comments what you would have thought of that rearrangement! That way, no material would have had to be cut, but rather switched in order to provide balance and provide a better natural flow to the writing. I understand that there have to be breaks for the characters and relationships do have to progress, but the previous books were far better at balancing both desires.

I actually disagree with the acknowledgment's claim that the cliffhanger was the "game changer of all the game changers! The biggest secret in the Lost Cities.” No spoilers, but I can think of a few more secrets that Sophie and her friends have uncovered over the course of the series that are more mind-boggling and climactic than how the book ended, although I agree there is a new escalation. Book 9 left off with some huge plot worries still unconcluded, with several new ones. The 10th book is supposedly the series finale. With the pacing of book 8.5 and 9, I highly doubt that Messenger will be able to wrap everything up in one more book. I hope to be proven wrong. 

You can see all my other reviews of this series here. 

Title: Stellarlune
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Aladin
Pages: 732
Series: Yes, Book 9
Rating: 3 Stars
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Extant (The Coelacanth Project Book 1) by Sarah Newland

Extant is a YA science fiction book that was sent to me by the author. It is the first book of two in The Coelacanth Project series. Friends Natalie, Leo, Tawny, Owen & Brant have always known that their parents' jobs were unusual, and that they have been keeping secrets. After their homes and offices are bombed, and their parents missing/assumed dead, the teens run to Natalie's uncle, who reveals the teens are genetically altered as part of the Coelacanth project and given the ability to teleport when in contact with seawater and aurichalcum. The organization Nautilus, who claim to want to achieve world peace, follow and attack the teens. seeking to manipulate their abilities.

I understand that while Natalie was imprisoned, she was trying to examine the past events to hopefully find clues to help her escape. However, I was not a fan of alternating chapters between the past and the present, for a few reasons. The main reason for me was the different pace of the past and present, as well as the pace that I went at while reading, which sometimes made it hard for me to follow the course of events. It was also sometimes not very clear if the chapter took place in the past or the present. A simple headline of what the date was at the top of each chapter would have been a great help. The second was for spoilers; I typically enjoy the flow of a story and natural discovery, rather than knowing what happens before the characters do. I would have rather discovered their powers and the truth behind who they are as the characters did so. Switching viewpoints through time actually symbolically made sense at the end of the book with a revelation of another power that Natalie has, but personally that style of storytelling isn't my favorite. 

A main theme of the book is to question everyone's motives and what you assume about the world around you. Does that make you paranoid or careful? One question I have is why Nautilus attacked in the first place. I understand that they are an extremist organization and thought that violence was necessary, but if the goal is to use these teen's powers to make the world a peaceful and safer place, why not just approach them and have a conversation, invite them to join the cause and only then if they said no, use violence? It seemed counterproductive, and I am curious to find out more about what the organization actually does in the next book.

One thing I appreciated was how despite being science fiction, the chemistry as to why the teens' powers work only in the ocean with the aurichalcum "spark" was actually scientifically feasible. The specific concept of their powers was also quite creative; I have never read a book before with powers so specific and unique in this requirement. I also admired the bravery of Natalie and the other teens. They could teleport across the world to wherever they want, to start their lives over, and yet decided to try to find their adoptive parents and fight back. I do not know if I would have done the same. 

While I overall enjoyed the story and thought it was creative, my dislike of the book's strategy of constantly switching perspectives back and forth through time, despite the connection in the end, was bothersome enough to rate the book 3/5 stars. However, I am interested in reading the next book, Chymist. 

Title: Extant
Author: Sarah Newland
Publisher: Hiking Hedgehog Press
Pages: 406
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 3 Stars
Goodreads