All the while he reads his grandfather’s spellbinding book, filled with stories of giants, witches, talking horses, and ever-present peril. Certain his father, of whom no trace was discovered after the house fire that took his mother’s life, will be there, Vince makes a dangerous escape followed by a fraught journey, with the orphanage headmistress in hot pursuit and the murderous, bank-robbing Byron clan on the loose. When his only living relative, his grandfather and namesake, dies at a faraway nursing home, Vince receives a handwritten book documenting the fantastical adventures of the elder Vincent’s life, as well as the sad news that he won’t be able to attend the funeral in the titular Dyerville.

Ages 10%E2%80%93up.Twelve-year old Vince Elgin is a weaver of tales, captivating his fellow orphans as they crawl into bed every night with stories of fire and dragons, brave fathers and loving mothers. Despite her emotional and ethical struggles, Juniper remains a flat character, making it difficult for readers to care deeply about her fate. Although filled with requisite horror elements%E2%80%94thick forest, sinister tree, screeching raven, terrifying/tantalizing underworld lord%E2%80%94the novel fails to inspire page-turning terror.

She soon gains a sidekick, equally lonely Giles, whose parents have succumbed to the same power. Berry's teeth were bared, her nostrils flared, and her eyes were dark')%E2%80%94and the balance combating the evil yet enticing forces that have overtaken them. Intelligent, thoughtful, and ever optimistic about winning back their love and attention, Juniper spends the first third of the book trying to understand what has changed her parents%E2%80%94readers will quickly pick up ominous hints that there is something otherworldly about the celebrity Berrys ('Mrs. Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry once had a cozy, love-filled life with her struggling actor parents but, with their ascent to stardom, they have become cold and zombielike, leaving Juniper lonely and confused. Kozlowsky's debut novel is a murky mix of family drama, horror fantasy, and inspirational tale.

The Dyerville Tales by M.P. Kozlowsky