Gabe isn't the point-of-view character-or at least not the main one. It drew me right into Laura Bickle's dark world of ancient alchemies and her own take on Americana folklore and myth, and stayed with me for my whole journey through the novel's pages. This is only one fabulously original scene in a book filled with mystery and astonishing imagery. His skin felt cold from where the evening chill had begun to seep into the bird's feathers, dew now glistening on his skin.

Gabe flexed his right hand, whole and unmarked. It slipped up his sleeve, meshing with flesh in a flutter of darkness. A raven separated from the mass of birds and flew to him. Gabe lifted the empty sleeve of his right arm. Ravens line the barbed wire fence nearby. He gets into his truck and one-handedly drives to another field where a group of men who look like him are standing in a circle around a pair of strange skeletons.

Index of Title, Month and Page sorted by Authorĭark Alchemy, by Laura Bickle, Harper Voyager Impulse, 2015, $6.99ĭARK Alchemy opens with a ranch hand named Gabe standing in a field, his arms hanging at his sides. She'd be more than happy to tell you.Fantasy and Science Fiction: Books To Look For by Charles de Lint Which means they're lame and Maggie's not. And they care about things like 'matching' and 'footwear.' Of course, they also can't clean a gun blindfolded, shoot a crossbow, or exorcise ghosts from a house.

Did you know normal girls don't stuff their bras with holy water balloons? Nor do they carry wooden stakes in their waistbands. Maggie's battled ghosts and goblins and her fair share of house brownies, but finding herself a boy-fitting in with her peers-proves a much more daunting task than any monster hunt. Blood and gore and insides being on the outside and all that. Something about virgin blood turning vampires into pointy rage monsters. Which presents a problem when Maggie's mother informs Maggie that she can't get her journeyman's license for hunting until she loses her virginity. She's also not like other girls her age, but then, who would be when the family business is monster hunting? Combat boots, ratty hooded sweatshirts, and hair worn short so nothing with claws can get a grip, Maggie's concerns in life slant more toward survival than fashion or boys. Seventeen-year-old Maggie Cunningham is tough, smart, and sassy.

The awesome by eva darrows