The Scavenger (A Hopps Town Duology #1) - Aidan Lucid

Jared Duval wants Lydia Moran to stop bullying him. He also wants the football captain to like him, even just notice him. And, to know why is he having vivid and scary dreams.

Adrian Cole needs to stay fit for soccer, keep his grades up, study harder. He also misses his mother, who died in a car incident. Aside from all of that, he’s looking for a relationship. The substitute teacher is stunning but why would she be interested in him?

Jessica Barlow craves for her mother’s love. Ever since her dad left them, any affection Bertha has for her daughter is hidden far beneath the verbal and physical abuse, smoking and alcohol.

Will life change for them? 

Hopps Town is small, so it's doubtful. But a chance encounter after the school’s Halloween dance with a seemingly lost girl makes change possible. In pursuit of the runaway girl, they come across an abandoned shack with a well outside. They lean in and all make a wish…

Jessica wakes up to her mother happy and making breakfast. Stunned at this change in attitude, the young girl heads off to school, prepared lunch in hand (she can’t remember when that last happened) in a daze. Is this real?

Adrian’s head is filled with his father’s chastisement of how important going to college is, but these thoughts are soon discarded when he finds a note in his locker. Who is it from and why do they want to meet him?

The nightmares that Jared experiences intensify but unexpectedly, Tom, the handsome football star has suddenly noticed him. Jessica loves her ‘new’ mom and Adrian's new relationship is turning out better than expected. Did those fanciful wishes they made at the well actually come true?

And then Adrian and Jessica encounter the same supernatural occurrences that Jared has. They are dismissive and unsure of what they've seen and felt, but soon become scared as the realization that the wish bestowed upon them comes at a price.

There is something obviously evil that granted their wishes – but what has the death of a disgruntled man back in the late '70s to do with this evil entity and can Jared’s aunt really help the three teenagers get rid of this supernatural being?

The author’s introduction to Hopps Town and its inhabitants is a great beginning. He has managed to entwine some chilling and horrific moments without it being cliché. The emotions of the teens as they experience an abusive mother or peer bullying are real and expressive. His characters are believable as are the episodes of hearing haunting voices and seeing frightening images that plague them.

With novella’s, there is a tendency to be short with descriptions or moments and they can have a slightly disjointed feel. There are elements of this in the book, but Lucid has managed to say a lot in a limited number of words and the overall premise of the book hasn't been lost. And whilst I wished the story could be expanded – more tension created, more dialogue to really get behind the characters -Lucid has still created a story that is exciting, filled with unsettling moments and believable personalities. 

As a YA book the language used is fairly suitable, it skims issues that teens face - sexuality, bullying, acceptance - with some positivity given to these situations but there is a lot of negative attitudes too. However, falling under the genre of horror, it perhaps shouldn't be expected to be teaching lessons of acceptance etc., - the main focus is the battling of evil spirits!

Overall an enjoyable story that is a good grounding for the next installment. It will keep the reader fairly engaged and for them to look forward to what happens next in Hopps Town. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author to read and review. The opinions expressed are my own and I was not required to give a positive critique.

A Bride of Convenience (The Bride Ships: No. 3) - Jody Hedlund

Having travelled thousands of miles from England to British Columbia, Zoe Hart isn’t expecting a completely new life. But, certainly a decent one. And, to find her twin brother Zeke. She’s already mourning the loss of her mother, niece and estrangement from her sister. To lose touch with her sibling would be too much.

And then, her best friend Jane with whom she travelled with, dies.

Cursing the hard mill life, they left behind in Manchester, she aches for the loss of her sweet friend and that pain is soothed by Pastor Abe offering condolences. When he speaks the Lords words of comfort over Jane’s still body, Zoe finds a new resolve but shuns the thoughts of noticing that Abe is a good-looking man.

All is forgotten momentarily when a miner arrives (at the hospital) with a filthy, pungent bundle explaining to Pastor Abe that he can’t be a father. Zoe immediately lays claim to the unwanted babe vowing to care for the infant despite its mother being ‘native’ and therefore unwelcome amongst the white townspeople.

Pastor Abe Merivale administers to the miners up in the mountains. He’s not the typical clergyman as he sees value in talking to the and with the people not just preaching to them. When he arrives at the hospital to say last rites, he’s recalls seeing Zoe on a visit to Victoria. He had noticed her beauty and had admonished himself over such thoughts. He had also noticed her being accosted by local man, Dexter Dawson, a man that can’t be trusted. Abe watched her walk away from his attentions and had prayed she and the other wannabe brides would choose their husbands carefully. And now, he stands in front of her as she willingly offers to care for a stranger’s child.

Zoe knows that in order to look after the orphan baby, she needs to be married. So, when Dexter is happy to marry her despite the child, she jumps at the chance. However, Abe is mortified at the thought and tries to dissuade Zoe from making a horrific mistake. And, through a misunderstood question, Abe finds himself married to Zoe.

Will they like being married to each other? It’s a marriage of convenience, certainly, but for Zoe or Abe? Will they be able to find happiness? Find love with each other? And will Dexter let go of Zoe that easily?

The third book in the series and it just gets better. An epic journey for a woman escaping the dreary mills of England and deceased family could easily be a forlorn tale, but Hedlund’s finesse of storytelling creates a heartwarming tale of how two apparently mismatched souls can come together to form a bond of friendship, family and eventually love. There are moments of drama – Dexter Dawson, Bishop Hills and local madam, Wanda – throwing what could be a run of the mill romance off course and therefore creating a rounded story of two people coming together in the spirit of love and with God’s guidance.

It’s a treacherous tale emotionally and the reader will find themselves quickly and easily involved with the characters. The author has created people who are epitomes of kindness and selflessness. Their generous hearts make them an ideal couple to the townspeople of Yale. A book that is easy to read with superb descriptions of 1800s Vancouver Island and the references to indigenous people are written respectfully and sympathetically.

Overall, a great installment in the Bride Ships series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and I'm excited to read the last book of the series. Fans of Christian fiction, historical fiction, romance and  Jody Hedlund will not be disappointed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers to review. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive critique.