Read My Mind: Under the Empire, Book 1

Haworth (Y Negative) begins the Under the Empire series by installing an almost too-sweet college romance into the framework of a dystopic fantasy setting in which a population of eccentrics with semi-hereditary, god-mediated magic must register with a government that recruits rare individuals for its own purposes. Scott Kensington arrives at university with a stronger than average religious upbringing but no magical abilities. He connects with Nick Barns, a telekinetic whose knowledge of the gods comes only from comic books. When Scott develops telepathy, unexpectedly and later in life than usual, Nick helps him learn to manage it, but his ability to broadcast emotion sometimes kicks in unintentionally, which makes new relationship jitters especially awkward, muddies consent, and heightens the awkwardness of public flirtation. When they leave campus and head to their respective homes, the appearance of magic in Scott’s supposedly nonmagical family pulls the family apart, while Nick and his dad both deal with the still-fresh loss of his mom. Though the setting certainly supports this small, personal story, readers will hope the sequels include plots that affect the world in a more substantial way. (Oct.)