Authors: FJR Titchenell, Matt Carter
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Sci-fi
Series: The Prospero Chronicles #1
Trade Paperback, 328 pages
Publication: September 23, 2014 by Jolly Fish Press
Source: I received a review copy in exchange for a honest review and blog tour.
Under ordinary circumstances, Ben and Mina would never have had reason to speak to each other; he's an easy-going people person with a healthy skepticism about the paranormal, and she's a dangerously obsessive monster-hunter with a crippling fear of betrayal. But the small town of Prospero, California, has no ordinary circumstances to offer. In order to uncover a plot set by the seemingly innocent but definitely shapeshifting monsters-that-look-like-friends-family-and-neighbors, the two stark opposites must both find ways to put aside their differences and learn to trust each other.
Splinters is the first book in The Prospero Chronicles series following two teenagers in the small town of Prospero, California. Ben Pastors is in town with his mom for his childhood friend Haley’s funeral. Ben overwhelmed with the funeral procession steps outside for fresh air when all of a sudden the girl in which they’re at the funeral for bursts out of the forest dirty and naked. Ben who was in the right place, at the right time gets labeled as a hero as he helps Haley back on her feet. What’s strange is that Haley been missing for over two months and everyone thought she died. What’s stranger is a girl he doesn’t know passes him a message in secret with only three words: It isn’t Haley. Strange doesn’t even beginning to describe the people of Prospero, California…not even close.
When I began this book I thought it’d be more paranormal but I was
pleasantly surprised to find it’s a combination of paranormal and sci-fi. Splinters
is very reminiscent of the old movie Invasion of the Body Snatcher, and the
book The Host by Stephanie Meyers and American Elsewhere by Robert Bennett
except that it’s lighter and aimed at a younger audience. The town of Prospero
is slowly being overrun by Splinters, small centipede-like creatures either by
latching on to the minds of animals or replicating/impersonating a member of
the townspeople (a process in which the fake double splinter takes over a
person life, and the real person is stowed away in a pod). Mina, our heroine has
been dealing with splinters since she was eight-years-old, and now at sixteen
she just takes the job more seriously making her a social outcast. Mina and her
two friends make up her team of monster hunters. Mina has set her sight on
newcomer Ben as a possible recruit, and does whatever it takes to convince him
of aliens all while protecting him from getting snatched. Readers along with
Ben learn all about the world of Splinters as Mina gives him 411 on a list of
possible splinters, the best way to harm them, and where it all began/where
they came from. For the majority of the book readers tag along with Ben and
Mina as they try to find the Splinters’ secret location, in hopes of exposing
them and saving whoever is trapped in the pods. Splinters was a pretty
quick read, with plenty of action scenes and banter that kept me glued to the
page till the very end. I enjoyed the duo narrative alternating each chapter
between Ben and Mina, it gave a better perspective of the characters especially
Mina who is somewhat socially awkward.
Mina is not only shunned by her peers but pretty much the entire
town. She is so enveloped with chasing down possible splinters that she has no semblance
of a normal life. I actually loved Mina’s awkwardness, it made her more
endearing. Mina is extremely smart, sensible, brave and totally kick-butt. It
never mattered that people called her nasty name, or didn’t believe her about
the Splinters…she would still go out of her way to protect her town even if meant
endangering herself in the process. Then there’s Ben, an easy-going guy that’s
charming and likeable; the total opposite of Mina. Ben was skeptical and a
little more than freaked out when Mina first propositioned him to join her team,
but in the end he was open-minded about the whole thing. I thought Ben was
great for Mina. He helped her breakout of her shell and kind of just live a
little. While they’re total opposite, they were perfect for each other and they
help balance one another out. There isn’t any romance in this book (which I
didn’t mind), but the end did promise a budding romance in the next book (I
hope).
Overall I enjoyed Splinters, it was full of action
just the way I liked it and had an ending that was totally unexpected (in a
good way). Splinters is a great start to a new series, and I believe
adults and teens of all ages will enjoy this one…a book worth checking out!
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
J.R TITCHENELL and MATT CARTER met and fell in love in a musical
theatre class at Pasadena City College and have been inseparable ever
since. Though they have both dreamed of being writers from a very young
age, they both truly hit their stride after they met, bouncing ideas off
of one another, forcing each other to strive to be better writers, and
mingling Matt's lifelong love of monsters with Fiona's equally
disturbing inability to let go of high school. They were married in 2011
in a ceremony that involved kilts, Star Wars music, and a cake topped
by figurines of them fighting a zombified wedding party.
Titchenell and Carter live in San Gabriel, California.
Connect with the authors!
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