Desiccate

Back of the Book: Leya Truelong has the potential to become a powerful Double Vision Mistress, if she can control her impulsiveness and temper and avoid being stripped of her gifts in a painful and debilitating ritual. But, Zandra, a devious bully, knows exactly how to rouse Leya’s anger. The girls’ battle of wits mirrors the greater conflict between the Mistresses and the renegades. Can Leya, a simple peasant girl, hold her own in a world of deception and betrayal?

In a world where different colored eyes can produce special powers, Leya only dreams that her green and blue eyes can help her escape a life of poverty. However, after being selected, Leya must struggle to overcome her temper in order to become the Mistress she dreams of being. As Leya’s powers grow stronger, can she overcome her impulses in order to become an admirable leader?

This book follows the life of rash and energetic Leya as she discovers and wields her powers. It’s refreshing to see a character who not only makes mistakes, but has to deal with the consequences. I was impressed by Leya’s character development, and the changing of her personality as she grows up and matures. The world of the Mistresses was well-fleshed out, with enough detail to make the world feel tangible. This book builds up to a powerful climax that leaves the reader hungry for more.

Midnight City

Back of the Book: Earth has been conquered by an alien race known as the Assembly. The human adult population is gone, having succumbed to the Tone—a powerful, telepathic super-signal broadcast across the planet that reduces them to a state of complete subservience. But the Tone has one critical flaw. It only affects the population once they reach their early twenties, which means that there is one group left to resist: Children.

Holt Hawkins is a bounty hunter, and his current target is Mira Toombs, an infamous treasure seeker with a price on her head. It’s not long before Holt bags his prey, but their instant connection isn’t something he bargained for. Neither is the Assembly ship that crash-lands near them shortly after. Venturing inside, Holt finds a young girl who remembers nothing except her name: Zoey.

As the three make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, they encounter young freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and the amazing powers that Zoey is beginning to exhibit. Powers that suggest she, as impossible as it seems, may just be the key to stopping the Assembly once and for all. 

Midnight City follows the perspectives of two young teens yet to be taken over by the Tone—the mysterious force that conquers adults and hijacks their bodies. Holt Hawkins struck out on his own to survive in the wild. He works as a bounty hunter, with his current fixation being a running treasure hunter, Mira Toombs.  With his dog, Max, as his only companion, Holt evokes a Han Solo-esque persona as he struggles to survive against those taken by the Tone. What he doesn’t count on are his conflicting feelings for Mira as she captivates him while he attempts to capture her.

Mira Toombs has been on the run after being banished from the Midnight City. With a mysterious talent for handling artifacts, she finds a way to survive while struggling to fight the Tone. However, Mira reluctantly joins forces with Holt in order to achieve her real goal. But she doesn't know how much longer she will last as the Tone threatens to take her over.

When the two find a clairvoyant little girl, they travel across the country to help Mira find her goal. From start to finish, this book excels in captivating its reader. Midnight City is a stand-out, fresh, and original novel that packs in action, suspense, romance, and the undead!