Category Archives: Paranormal

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

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City of Bones by Cassandra ClareCity of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
Cassandra Clare
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published March 27, 2007

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When fifteen-year-old Clary witnesses a murder, she is determined to find out what’s happening. Unfortunately, she’s the only person who can see the perpetrators and the victim literally disappeared post-mortem. As she tries to reconcile herself to the strange happenings, she encounters one of the vicious youths again, only to discover that he belongs to an elite and mysterious group called Shadowhunters who protect ordinary mortals (which they call mundies, or mundanes) from demons. What they still aren’t sure about is why Clary can see them.

Before they can figure it out, however, Clary’s mother is kidnapped, and Clary is wounded by a poisonous demon. Jace, Clary’s newfound demon-hunting friend rescues her and brings her back to the Institute. There Clary learns about the history of Shadowhunters and about the ruthless former Shadowhunter who will torture her mother until she reveals the location of the Mortal Cup. The only way to stop him is to find the Cup first, but the location is buried in memories Clary has been forced to forget. Jace and Clary set out in a race to unlock her memories and find the Cup before it’s too late.

In a series opener that’s tough to put down, Clare introduces a hidden world within the familiar landscape of New York City. The story rockets off to a quick start, leaving readers scrambling to turn pages. Snappy dialogue and imaginative creatures spring from nearly every scene. There were a few moments in which characters’ behavior was a little incongruous with the rest of Clare’s descriptions of them, but overall, this is a high-action story of drama and heart worth the time it takes to cross from cover to cover.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate/infrequent.

Sexual Content
Clary battles a strong attraction to the mysterious Jace, and the two share a couple of intense lip-locked moments, but nothing beyond that physically.

Spiritual Content
Clary and Jace briefly discuss whether Jace believes in God. After all, the existence of Shadowhunters is based on a story involving an angel, and they have been tasked with killing demons. Jace doesn’t think this adds up to the existence of real angels, demons, or God.

Violence
One expects a bit of violence in a book about hunting demons, and Clare doesn’t disappoint. Clary and her newfound allies face no shortage of monsters, and a few are not so pretty, but over-all fairly brief in description of their dispatch.

Drug Content
For her birthday, Clary visits a Goth club known for access to drugs and alcohol. She and her best friend Simon do not participate in these activities. At a party filled with supernatural guests, Simon ingests a strange drink with rather catastrophic results.

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Review: Haunters by Thomas Taylor

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Haunters
Thomas Taylor
Chicken House Publishers
Published May 28, 2013

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After his father’s death, David began to dream of strange things. He visits a boy in 1940s London, and though David knows they are just dreams, his friendship with Eddie feels as real as his waking life. When a forceful team attempt to abduct David from school, he learns there’s more to his dreams than simple sleep. David is one of the gifted Dreamwalkers who can travel to other times and locations during sleep. He appears to others as a ghost, and in fact, that’s how his mysterious dream friend has come to identify him. David teams up with other Dreamwalkers to stop a vicious group called Haunters who use the dreamwalking ability to control and manipulate history. The group’s current target is Eddie, David’s dream friend. With his new allies, David must stop the Haunters from destroying Eddie and ending the Dreamwalker project altogether, but in order to succeed, they will have to defeat the most powerful dreamwalker the team has ever known.

Haunters is peppered with interesting characters and early teen awkwardness as scenes flip back and forth between modern day and World War II ravaged London. Tension mounts as David’s quest becomes more urgent, making this a difficult novel to put down, once one reaches its midpoint. Fans of sci-fi or super-hero stories will enjoy this time-traveling, super-human story, though the title leaves one pondering why the novel is named for its villains rather than its heroes.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A London girl mistakes the presence of the computer simulation called Misty for an angel.

Violence
Characters from opposing sides clash and attempt to destroy one another’s ability to dreamwalk using a powerful mind attack. One of the Haunters uses a hired hit man to attempt to murder a teenage boy. The boy is wounded, but survives, though his attacker is slain. Very few graphic details.

Drug Content
David takes a pill to allow him to dreamwalk without being disturbed.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Review: The Amazing Adventures of Toby the Trilby

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Middle Grade 8-12, Paranormal, ,

The Amazing Adventures of Toby the Trilby
Angela Castillo
CreateSpace Independent
Published October 17, 2013

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When an unknown Voice beckons to Toby to leave his home in the caves and seek others on the earth’s surface, Toby can’t help but obey. His caretakers, scientists who’ve created him from a melding of human and cat DNA, pack supplies for Toby and allow him to leave their care. Though the scientists have had no word from earth’s surface for a long time, they prepare him as best they can and respect his desire to choose his own path in life.

On his journey Toby meets many human survivors, many of whom are cruel or mentally damaged in some way. While at the outset of the story, it seems the Voice leads him on some kind of evangelistic mission, Toby’s real quest is to discover somehow whether being born in a test tube means he has a soul or not. In a sort of burning-bush type of meeting with the Voice, he learns the truth of this question.

This is a short, fairly simple story which may appeal to preteens struggling with issues of self-worth and spirituality. The plot develops loosely, leaving some threads unfinished, but Toby’s innocence and compassion are admirable and endearing traits that draw readers into the story and open dialogue about injustice and personal value.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Toby begins a journey outside the caves in which he has lived his life at the request of a Voice he continues to hear throughout the story. He realizes the speaker is God and makes a commitment to follow Him.

Violence
Renegade children surround Toby and threaten to cut off his cat tail. He escapes before they can harm him.

Drug Content
After Toby is injured, he wishes for quick-healing medicine his caretakers provided for him when he lived in the cave.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore

Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Dark Halo
Shannon Dittemore
Thomas Nelson
Published August 27, 2013

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Brielle has been blessed with a special gift: she can see the Celestial, both the angels and their warring worship and the fear that gushes like black tar from those caught in the grip of her enemies. She’s not the only gifted one. Her boyfriend Jake can heal others with his hands.

But Jake has been taken, kidnapped by demons, and her attempt to save him throws Brielle into the hands of the Prince of Demons. He asks her to make a terrible choice. She’s been given a heavenly halo, one that bestowed her gift upon her. The Prince offers her a dark halo, one that will block the pain of her heavenly sight. It’s a choice Brielle thinks will be simple, but when nightmares and tragedies plague her, doesn’t she deserve just a little relief?

Dark Halo is the third and final book in the Angel Eyes series. It can be read without the first two books, but will be more enjoyable if one is familiar with the stories from the first two novels. Jake, Brielle and the others reveal deeply moving stories, participating in a spiritual battle and hunting down clues to solve mysteries concerning the disappearance of Brielle’s mom, a human-trafficking organization, and the death of Brielle’s friend. It’s not all drama and tragedy, though. Dittemore lightens the mood with the perky hilarity of Kaylee, Brielle’s young friend. This makes for great tempo in the storytelling. Readers who enjoy fantasy or paranormal stories will love this series which is a little bit like Peretti’s This Present Darkness meets X-Men.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Light – Jake and Brielle share a few lip-locked moments and discuss plans for marriage.

Spiritual Content
Angels and demons wage war over earth and its inhabitants, based on scripture from the Bible. Brielle, Jake and other characters wrestle with doubt and other obstacles to faith.

Violence
While most of the warfare going on in the story is in the form of worship, there are a few battle sequences. Angels use wings of razor-sharp feathers to cut down their enemies. Jake and Marco are both treated pretty roughly by their captors. There are some brief references to injuries sustained in a deadly car accident.

Drug Content
Brielle’s father struggles with alcoholism, and there are some brief references to him drinking too much.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review: Alpha Gene by Angel M. Huerta

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Alpha Gene
Angel M. Huerta
White Goblin
Published June 29, 2013

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After being unjustly accused of murdering his friend and partner, Dr. Lucas McKenna relocates to a small town in Maine to live a quiet life pursuing his passion: genetics. When he is mistaken for an obstetrics physician and delivers a child who mysteriously flickers in and out of his visibility, the doctor believes he may have stumbled onto the next great evolutionary leap in humanity. He follows the girl’s progression and soon discovers several more children who seem to possess extraordinary gifts. While the doctor’s actions may seem creepy, he assures the reader he is only pursuing the science and intends no harm to the kids.

Years later, when Peter, a new, strangely gifted teenaged boy arrives in town with his family, he meets up with the other teens with special abilities. As he emerges as the leader of the group, he begins to try to convince the others to challenge local bullies and stand up for themselves. His efforts go awry, and the bullies are quick to take advantage, but Peter is not giving up so easily. He will need all his tenacity, too, when a bigger, darker threat emerges and threatens the life of the only person who truly understands the abilities the kids possess. It will take the whole team of kids working together to save the doctor before it’s too late.

The story begins with an interesting, birds-eye perspective from the elderly genetics doctor, the man who later discovers the emergence of new abilities in humans. As he tells his tale, he often pauses to relate other stories, from his marriage to his late wife to his coffee pot, to how Peter’s family dog came to live with them. While at times charming, sometimes this chops into the forward motion of the story, creating a little bit of confusion. When Peter’s point-of-view is introduced, the narrative evens out a little more. Prickly at first, Peter soon grows into the leader of the group of misfit teens and begins to inspire them to be more than they currently are. Readers who enjoyed Unleashed by Jennifer L. Hartz may also enjoy this story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Some brief physical confrontations. No graphic details or violence.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Of Poseidon
Anna Banks
Feiwel & Friends
Published May 22, 2012

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After surviving a devastating shark attack, the last person Emma wants to see haunting the halls of her high school is the mysterious boy she met on her beach vacation. But try as she might, Emma can’t seem to escape Galen, nor can she find an explanation for the powerful connection she feels when she’s around him.

When Galen finally explains his reasons for following Emma across the country, she can’t – or doesn’t want to – believe him. But neither can she deny the inexplicable gift she possesses, a gift Galen says holds the key to saving his people from war. If Emma accepts Galen’s story, it will change everything and put everything she wanted and almost had squarely out of reach.

Despite the heaviness of the opening scenes, this is a fun, often humorous story about forbidden love with a bit of a new spin on mermaid – or Syrena – myths. Emma, a pure soul with a tragic past, and Galen, a duty-bound prince of a hidden realm, make perfect star-crossed lovers. Of Poseidon has recently been nominated for the 2013 YALSA Top Ten award.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild.

Sexual Content
Emma worries that her mother will assume she and Galen are having sex, though they aren’t sharing more than secrets and a few super-charged kisses.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
A bull shark attacks a young girl as she swims at the beach. Details are a bit gruesome. Two girls with super-strength tackle each other in a beach house, destroying furniture, but causing only minor damage to each other.

Drug Content
None.

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