Indigo Awakening

December 1, 2012
Ultrapsychic children with intense blue auras--hence the label "Indigo"--find themselves under attack from a group of fanatics. Seventeen-year-old Rayne's brother Lucas has fled from a mental hospital operated by the sinister Church of Spiritual Freedom. Lucas may be a "crystal child" with psychic abilities far superior to even the best of the Indigo children. Now he runs through the streets of Los Angeles, seeking refuge. Meanwhile, Rayne meets Gabe, a boy who appears to have even more psychic power than Lucas. They search for Lucas while the Church searches for all of them. Fortunately, the extreme psychic powers, such as the ability to manifest hordes of snakes, bats and other animals, works well for protection from various bad guys. Galloping suspense turns out to be the main attraction of the book, along with a few romance episodes and some pathos. Worldbuilding and characterization suffer, however. Readers never learn anything about the Church of Spiritual Freedom aside from its brutal intent to destroy the Indigo children. The church and its believers appear to have no religious doctrine whatsoever. Rayne's sister, Mia, has become part of the Church, but neither her motivations nor her position within it are clear. Rayne, at least, has a spunky personality and a pet iguana that adds some spice to the narrative. Some of the Indigo children also stand out as interesting characters. Exciting if not particularly filling. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)

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