The Tear Collector

by

R.M. Romero

Intriguing middle-grade climate fiction, post-apocalyptic tale.

The Tear Collector by R.M. Romero is an intriguing post-apocalyptic tale for middle-grade readers, featuring an island community formed after a second great flood. Besides a mysterious story with young protagonists living on an isolated island where sadness can transform one into a monster, it is a cautionary tale about taking care of our world before it is too late. All is not lost, though; the story provides hope for the future by the tale’s end. 

Siblings Malka and Ezra were swept away during the civilization-ending flood, ending up with other survivors on an island formed by the rising water level. They are “adopted” by a medical doctor in the new community who has dedicated his life to finding a cure for a terrible new malady called “The Sorrows” that afflicts bereft, morose islanders and turns them into monstrous, animalistic creatures. Dr. Jonas Hollman is convinced that the answer to the horrifying illness lies in the tears of the people, and it becomes Malka’s job to collect samples. She follows through with determination because her beloved younger brother, Ezra, has started sprouting feathers. But when a small plane flown by a girl her own age, claiming to come from the mainland, crashes on the beach, everything changes. 

Malka and Ezra were close even before the flood. She saved his life when the water came, and continues in her role as his champion when other islanders shun him when the proof he’s got “The Sorrows” comes to light. Malka is quite aggressive in her dealings with others, sometimes getting in people’s faces so quickly that she borders on unlikable. She takes nothing from nobody, except Ezra. They have developed a found family with Jonas and some of the other residents of their hotel home, complete with all the quirks that come with one formed from blood ties. However, their relationship with Jonas takes an unfortunate (and all too tragically realistic) turn as the story progresses. 

The author does an amazing job creating her post-flood world, with the survival of random bits and pieces of life from before and the odd mix of buildings that literally weathered the storm. I really liked the pink hotel, where Jonas, Malka, Ezra, and others made their home as Jack’s efforts to normalize its current state continued. 

The horrifying effects of “The Sorrows” absolutely gripped me, not only because of the body horror but also the uncertain internal impact on the minds of those poor afflicted individuals. Jules Gray and his henchmen, Mikos and Lukus, are dastardly, evil villains. 

Due to the colorless, dreary, and always-raining setting, Olivia Diaz, the young pilot, stands out as a shockingly bright spot in the narrative from the very first. Still, it is a toss-up as to who I would name my favorite character among the three children. 

I recommend THE TEAR COLLECTOR to readers of middle-grade fantasy and horror. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.

Between the Living and the Dead

by

Sophie Jupillat Posey

Intriguing combination of paranormal mystery and Peruvian folklore.

Between the Living and the Dead by Sophie Jupillat Posey is an intriguing paranormal mystery novella incorporating elements of Peruvian folklore. Young Cavilla Ramirez can see dead people. Most specifically, she is visited by her deceased best friends, Niko and Angelica, who were killed two years earlier by a hit-and-run driver. Knowing Cavilla’s penchant for Agatha Christie novels and her past successes helping others find things and solve problems, they hope she can identify and bring their killer to justice. 

Cavilla is a feisty girl and a fitting match for her fiery Tia Luz, who has raised her since she was a baby. At times, she’s a little bratty as she tries to drag her family’s history out of her reluctant-to-talk aunt. But she’s dealing with some extremely big issues and feelings alone, and it’s easy to forget she’s only fourteen. Tia Luz fights Cavilla’s inquiries every step of the way in the name of keeping her safe. I enjoyed her goal of becoming a private investigator someday. 

While the story is really good, the short novella included quite a bit of her daily life and internal angst, which sometimes began to drag and feel repetitive. But the big showdown at the eleventh hour is suspenseful and well-choreographed, and her investigations were approached with courage and confidence, even when the danger of doing so was very apparent. I would love to see this as the first book in a series featuring Cavilla, her family, and friends. 

I recommend BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD to readers of paranormal mysteries. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Dare to Dream Scary Fast: The Road to Kona

by

Wade Wilson

Inspirational memoir about the author's amazing triathlon journey.

Dare to Dream Scary Fast: The Road to Kona is a wonderfully inspirational memoir by Texas triathlete and author Wade Wilson. The story of his humble grit and tenacity had me soaking up every word, almost feeling his physical and emotional journey, as he grew from a newbie participant to a world-class competitor. 

Wade had an unusual entry into the sport of triathlon, having not grown up in a family where sports were emphasized, and having to overcome a physical challenge with his feet at birth. I loved that he unexpectedly excelled as a pitcher in middle school and ached when he was unable to continue playing the following season. It's impossible to say how far he would have gone, as his perseverance in practicing and pushing himself to improve was already evident by then. He also recognized early that he had a love for participating in team sports, and this passion continued throughout his path to competing in his extreme sport alongside many like-minded enthusiasts. You could feel the joy of the after-race play-by-play sharing by the competitors the following day. 

For those looking to enhance their involvement in the sport, Wade enthusiastically, and with scientific backing, details his training and humbly acknowledges his naivete when he was just getting started. I found it personally inspiring that he focused intensely on competing and completing the events he entered, trying to improve his personal bests, rather than being consumed by the desire to win it all. His attitude and encouragement are applicable to all sports and participants at every level of performance. His training successes, sometimes shaving seconds off his previous time, really brought home how even small improvements can add up to significant differences in the end. Additionally, as a spiritual person, he discusses his devotion to God, family, career, and his sport, in that order. 

With his easy-going, conversational style, I felt this was a man who genuinely wanted to share his journey to encourage others to follow their own dreams. I recommend DARE TO DREAM SCARY FAST to readers of sports memoirs. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

Under Vixens Mere

by

Kit Fielding

The gripping tale of the intertwining lives of the members of a unique floating community.

Under Vixens Mere is a compelling, mystery-tinged novel by Kit Fielding about the lives of the residents of a unique community of wide-beam boat and barge-dwellers moored in the marina of Vixens Mere near the village of Broome. Portrayed over several years, the story reveals the surprising origins of the close interconnectedness between the permanent residents and those who come and go with the seasons. Once I started, I couldn’t put this book down. 

The storylines feature the permanent, temporary, and seasonal inhabitant who lives on their barges or boats in Vixens Mere marina: a free-spirited but aging hippie couple and their late-life son, a drug dealer who inherited his barge and berth from his father, a severely wounded ward veteran and his full-time carer-wife, a laborer at a local pig farm, a new arrival looking to start over after the breakup of her long-standing relationship, and a handsome Scotsman who arrives looking much the same as he did when he last came to stay fifteen years earlier. Each resident brings an intriguing backstory, all of which is interwoven with the others to create a captivating whole in the present. Tragic secrets bind the quirky community together, and they continue to come together to offer support and share their burdens. 

Each character is endearing in their own unique way, and I would be hard-pressed to select a single favorite, as I was quickly and intimately drawn into all of their lives. Big Ed and Milly the Mystic anchor the community, and though well up in age, remain an earthy, lusty, and loving couple. However, they mask their relationship behind a screen of constant bickering and clever banter. Newbie Lorrie Smith is disillusioned after her breakup with her long-time partner, Petra, but is determined to start afresh after getting back in healthy physical shape, and I rooted for her personal transformation from the start. Drug dealer Jed Rawlins shows a softer nature when he takes in Anna, who’s on the run from a really bad situation. Karen Jones, full-time caregiver to her husband Harry, is at the breaking point and plays a pivotal role in many of the others’ stories. Not only is Harry’s condition rapidly deteriorating, but she’s carrying a load of guilt and regret, which is compounded by the arrival of a figure from the past. 

The plot unfolds from multiple perspectives and an unusual shift in point of view as the individual storylines are established and converge. While most of the narrative is expressed in the third person, Brodie Stewart’s story is delivered in the second person. He enters the tale blissfully unaware of the permanent impact his actions fifteen years earlier have had on the current situation in the floating community. Similarly, Harry Jones has no idea of the collateral consequences of his final actions, believing the results will only be positive. Every resident on the mere has long-held secrets, and even the water itself hides a few. 

I recommend UNDER VIXENS MERE to readers of contemporary fiction, mystery, and drama. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

Reap the Wind

by

Joel Burcat

Riveting road trip during a massive and unexpected hurricane-force storm.

Reap the Wind is the new climate-fiction road trip thriller by veteran author Joel Burcat, and from its edge-of-your-seat opening to the final pages, the suspense never lets up. This book made me stay up half the night just to find out what was going to happen, and it was worth it! 

Although the road trip from Houston involves three people, the story focuses on the young couple, Josh Goldberg and Keisha Jones, who are expecting a baby sometime in the next six weeks. They love each other and are fun and sweet together; their anxiety is palpable when apart. Both have reservations about their futures, and their tense situations have them thinking and rethinking their actions. Josh is an environmental attorney who feels like a sell-out working for his large corporate clients, who are the antithesis of all he believes. While he fights through the massive storm, he also struggles with his ethical dilemma. Along for the ride is a senior associate coworker, Geoff Roberts, and Josh’s selfish and manipulative boss, Diane Scanlon, a villain who is easy to despise. Keisha, confined to the hospital in Florence, has time on her hands for reflection as well, and that includes thinking about Dr. Anthony Sudor, her ex-boyfriend who just happens to be the attending OB/GYN at St. Elizabeth’s. 

Coincidentally, the initial stage of Josh’s drive from Houston was certainly déjà vu for me. I drive to Houston along parts of his route a couple of times a year, and one leg of the trip is ALWAYS through a major storm, without fail. (It has become a joke with my family.) While the storms are not in the same league as this fictional one (except for that one time outrunning an actual hurricane), the trip becomes exponentially longer and more difficult with the smaller highways, winding terrain, and tall, encroaching treelines, all contributing to the experience. Throw in an unfamiliar vehicle (my husband’s pickup rather than my daily driver), and I could absolutely relate. And, yes, there are some odd little towns along the way should you have to make a stop. 

I was definitely on the edge of my seat and actively guessing the whole time as to how the story would work out. I was not disappointed. This is the first book by this author I’ve read, and I will check out his Mike Jacobs series as soon as I have the chance. 

I recommend REAP THE WIND to readers who enjoy exciting climate-related thrillers, stories featuring attorney protagonists, and tense road trip tales. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.