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
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Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe

Dark Room Etiquette is a YA thriller that was sent to me by the publisher. This book will be released in two weeks on October 11. 

Sayer Wayte has grown up with a life of money and privilege. One day, a man run Sayer off the road and kidnaps him. This man, Caleb, chains Sayer and tells him that he is his real father, that Sayer's parents kidnapped him when he was 10 and that his real name is Daniel. He eventually acts the part of Daniel to survive, as the months go by and his escape attempts continue to fail. But eventually, he loses himself. Eventually faced with a re-entry into society, Sayer must rediscover who he is.

I'll admit, I had trouble caring about Sayer in the beginning, when he was a bully. But nobody deserves what happened to him. I haven't read a book that made me cry, really cry, in a long time. I'm not sure if that is embarrassing or not, but Dark Room Etiquette is emotionally jarring with how real it feels. There was one particular scene in the classroom with crayons that stirred something inside me. I don't think I have ever read a book so accurate about Stockholm Syndrome and the lasting trauma that follows, likely due to Roe's experience in psychology and special education. It also makes me upset that the school didn't offer him more support. The nerve of that guidance counselor! Doesn't he know what Sayer went through? 

Many books surrounding kidnappings end pretty quickly after the person is found or escaped, but I loved that a good chunk of the book focused on the aftermath of that event. The dynamic between Sayer and Evan was particularly interesting to me, and I was so happy that he had someone to talk to, to help him make sense of what he went through in that house. Dealing with this trauma has a different component when his memories became distorted, when everything that he thought was true and his beliefs about himself and the people he loved were challenged. For some parts that I was reading, I actually wondered if Caleb was telling the truth. Roe manipulated Sayer just as the reader. We are both in the dark and battling the same lack of knowledge. 

I highly recommend this book! I already re-read it, as I loved it so much.

Title: Dark Room Etiquette 
Author: Robin Roe
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 512
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Memories of Eskar Wilde by E.H. Wilde

The Memories of Eskar Wilde is a YA realistic fiction book that was sent to me by the author. Eskar Wilde had just turned 18, and faced with grief and uncertainty, he sits down to write a memoir of his life over the past few years. From his father's suspicious death to his unfortunate love life, Eskar tells a story filled with mystery and mistakes.

While organized as a memoir, the author explained that too much of it was fictionalized to be labeled that way. E.H. Wilde is also a pen name.

Despite the informal tone, the writing still felt sophisticated. I tend to enjoy books that are structured as journals and where the reader feels valued by the protagonist. Eskar is a good person who highly values his family, and I enjoyed reading the passages that focused on the relationship between him and his mother. I was pleased that he acknowledged his mistakes and had a matured sense of self-reflection. I was initially concerned that he wasn't allowing himself to feel grief, anger, and sadness, but I was happy with Eskar's emotional development towards the end. 

The Memories of Eskar Wilde isn't particularly exciting, but it is still an intriguing and perhaps a calming story. I am not a person who understands French, and I am grateful that the translations to French dialogue were given in the footer. I am a person who highly values background information, but the one complaint that I would have is that at times it felt like too much information, and at times I skimmed some pages in a rush to find out what happens next! The ending was most certainly bittersweet. While I was secretly hoping for a happily-ever-after, I appreciate how it stuck to realistic outcomes. 

I recommend that you read this book!

Title: The Memories of Eskar Wilde
Author: E.H Wilde
Publisher: Tablo Pubishing
Pages: 384
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
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Laela and the Moonline by Lisa Perskie

Laela and the Moonline is a YA fantasy book that was sent to me by the author. Laela, a Treedle, is transitioning into womanhood, and is faced with deep internal conflict of what a woman should be. She loves hunting and adventuring, activities reserved for men. All that she should be looking forward to is finding a mate. Challenged by confusing visions, she embarks on a quest to learn about the culture and customs of the Mergon society below them. As she falls in love with an exiled prince and is faced with great danger, Laela unknowingly fulfills an ancient prophecy of reunification and future change to both of their cultures.

Laela and the Moonline is politically and socially powerful. For a fantasy, it reads much more like historical fiction from Mesopotamian traditional society with the Mergons being the Aztecans and the Incas as the Treedles. This story is powerful and inspiring for women and girls everywhere. I am not a religious person, and I was initially concerned with its abundance. However, as the story went on, I was impressed with how Laela blossomed into a force for existentialism as well as her faith.

 I am proud of Laela for recognizing the unfairness of traditional gender roles and stigmas around what a woman should be by attempting to educate others. I also relate to Laela. I was always more intellectually mature and morally responsible than my peers, and I have questioned the traditional routes for a woman. Despite being a teenager, she speaks with a voice of enlightenment, sincerity, and a politeness. I have no doubt that she will accomplish much in her life as a leader. While it seems as though Laela enlightened some of the Mergons, it worries me that her people will be invaded, tortured, and forever inslaved by Marl in revenge. How will the peaceful Treedles defend themselves? Will her words in Mergon court inspire the common people to rebel against him? I wonder what the new golden age as a result of her union with Mateo holds. I hope Perskie will write a sequel.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Laela and the Moonline
Author: Lisa Perskie
Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
Pages: 376
Series: No 
Rating: 5 Stars
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The Prince of Infinite Space by Giano Cromley

The Prince of Infinite Space is a New Adult realistic fiction book that was sent to me by the publisher and is released today! 

A few years later in a sequel to The Last Good Halloween,  Kirby is doing well at the military school and has found a passion for journalism. But when the top editor position for the school newspaper is given to someone just because of their socioeconomic status, he loses his progress. He stumbles on a newspaper clipping that shows Izzy, his once-girlfriend, homeless in Chicago. When his father randomly shows up at the school and wants to take him to meet his dying grandmother near Chicago, Kirby seizes the moment to find her.

Kirby based his self-worth and purpose in life based on journalism, and I can understand how this loss sent him spiraling into depression and defiance. Getting in a dark car with someone you've never met, that claims to be your father, is definitely not something I would do, but I can understand and appreciate his motives. To be honest, I skimmed some of the middle passages about his biological father because I was just so excited to see Izzie again! I loved Kirby being on the streets searching for Izzie, but unfortunately their reunion was not what I was imagining and hoping for.

It is a shorter read than the first book, and I do wish that the author had made the book longer; instead of listing examples of what happened, it would have been nice to experience them. I also wish the ending was more concrete. However, The Prince of Infinite Dreams was still well-written and its depiction of homelessness and mental illness was accurate. To be honest, I liked the first book much better than the sequel. However, I am still glad that I read it!

I recommend this book! While the publisher advertised it as a possible stand-alone, I highly recommend reading the first book first to have adequate background knowledge.

Title: The Prince of Infinite Space
Author: Giano Cromley
Publisher: Propertius Press
Pages: 171
Series: Yes, Book 2 of 2
Rating: 4 Stars
Goodreads

The Last Good Halloween by Giano Cromley

The Last Good Halloween is a New Adult realistic fiction story set in the 1980s. This book was set to me by the author. Kirby Russo returns from summer camp to find his stepfather missing and his mother having already moved on with one of their neighbors. Angry and conflicted with his missing father figure and all the new changes in his life, he makes some impulsive decisions that include deciding to steal the car of his friend's parents and running away to find his stepfather. 

The Last Good Halloween feels like a classic written in the 1980s and not one written about the 1980s in 2013. I was impressed with how realistic the setting felt. The publisher compared Kirby to Holden Caulfield in her email to me, and I can imagine an essay prompt now to compare and contrast the two characters. I also enjoyed the literary references to Hamlet. 

When I was reading The Last Good Halloween, I couldn't stop thinking about the song "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance, as Kirby's situation seems to mirror the song in some ways. The same fears that follow the son in the song are similar to Kirby's, with the missing of his father figure, the fear of loss, his fixation on what others think of him/how he would be remembered, and his confliction over religion. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, and I particularly was fond of Izzy's story. I'm excited to see the continuation of her story. A prequel from her perspective would also be nice. The strength of a novel is often heavily identified by how relatable and likable the protagonist is. I wouldn't say Kirby is easily likable with his attitude, but he is very relatable. 

I highly recommend this book and am excited to read the sequel, The Prince of Infinite Space, that will be released on August 2nd!

Title: The Last Good Halloween
Author: Giano Cromley
Publisher: Tortoise Books
Pages: 240
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
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The First to Die at the End By Adam Silvera (Death-Cast #0)

The First to Die At The End is the prequel to the bestseller YA realistic/science fiction book They Both Die at the End. This book was sent to me by the publisher, and it will be released on October 4, 2022. 

Have you ever played Would You Rather and have had one of the questions be if you would rather know how you are going to die or when? Death-Cast cannot predict how you are going to die, but they can mysteriously predict when. On the first night that Death-Cast goes live in New York City, Orion Pagan and Valentino Prince bump into each other, and feel a connection. Unfortunately, one of them receives a call from Death-Cast, and the other doesn't. They decide to spend their last day together, forging a relationship surely to end in heartbreak.

When I wrote my review in 2019 of They Both Die at the End, I wrote that I was conflicted regarding the lack of background knowledge on the Death-Cast system. I am very pleased with the prequel, which answered many of my questions. I assume that many people shared the same concerns that I had since a prequel instead of a sequel was written. I did not find out how specifically the company's software predicted the deaths. However, the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe it was a good idea to let us wonder.

It is unrealistic to think that the author listened to my feedback on the speed and forcefulness of the romance between Rufus and Mateo, but this book was a major improvement. Orion and Valentino took their romantic relationship slowly, and built up to being a couple through friendship. While the specific scenario in the book seemed a bit of a stretch, it all seemed reasonable considering the sad circumstances. I loved both Valentino and Orion; their dedication to being kind to others and supporting each other, even though they had only just met, is admirable. 

I am happy in particular that the book explored the childhoods of the two main characters in the first book. When I realized that the prequel starred two different boys than the first book, I was a little concerned about how the two books would connect. I was surprised by the multiple perspectives and how they all overlapped in the end. Normally, I hate books where characters die, especially when I become attached to them. But Silvera did a good job of making the ending empowering and also hopeful, despite the loss. 

I highly recommend this book! Read my review of They Both Die at the End, and also More Happy Than Not, also by Silvera. 

Title: The First to Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 416
Series: Yes, Book 0 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads