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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