Behind the Mirror

A dystopian world on the other side of a mysterious mirror awaits 17-year-old Ella in Blossman’s sci-fi/fantasy blend. After Finley’s wealthy father outbids Ella’s for an antique mirror, the friends, along with their new friend Diane and Finley’s cousin Brodie, discover that they can travel through it. On the other side is the Dark World, an alternate version of their small town, where violence and death rule. There, they meet a mystic named Cipher and witness desolation. Diane seems to know more than she lets on, while Ella feels energized and discovers fire-generating capabilities. However, whenever they cross through the mirror, mischievous doppelgängers wreak havoc back home. Worse still, Finley’s unruly brother becomes trapped in the Dark World, and his doppel is a murderous psychopath who recognizes Ella as someone special. Adding tension are speculation about Ella’s parentage, friends whose loyalty comes into question, and a government conspiracy. Few plot points are resolved in this series opener, with new ones introduced in a cliffhanger ending. Though genre readers will recognize familiar twists within the quirky first-person narrative, Blossman’s quickly paced narrative will likely still find fans. Ages 14–up. [em](Self-published) [/em]