End Times

May 19, 2014
Debut author Schumacher offers the first in an apocalyptic romance series. Daphne Peyton has a pastâa past she wants to forget. Putting what has happened behind her, she moves to Carbon County, Wyoming to live with her Uncle Floyd, Aunt Karen, and cousin Janie. Meanwhile, Owen and his "Earth Sister," Luna, two new friends with an odd resemblance to one another, are also on the road, searching for answers to troubling events in their own pasts. Drawn to Carbon County, their paths cross those of the Peytons. When strange events begin happening that some say have divine meaning, it becomes clear that Owen and Daphne have not met accidentally and that is up to them to sort out the meaning of these strange events, as well as their growing love for each other. Schumacher tries hard to tie together biblical events and contemporary teenage angst, but at times her story is forced and difficult to follow. Some graphic sexual content could push the boundaries for the youngest readers. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM.

April 15, 2014
The rapture will begin in modern-day Wyoming. Seventeen-year-old Daphne can't wait to put her past in Detroit behind her, while Owen wants to stop the strange nightmares that started on his 18th birthday. Their paths converge in the dying community of Carbon County, Wyo. Her arrival heralded by trumpets from the sky, Daphne ends up living with her uncle, Floyd Peyton, and his family in their overcrowded trailer. The Peytons attend church regularly and always include the charismatic Pastor Ted in their prayers. When Daphne discovers oil behind the Peyton trailer, the community begins to revitalize. Owen finds himself drawn to Daphne, while his mysterious possible half sister, Luna, appears to have an uncanny ability to make strangers do her bidding. As signs of the end of days continue to appear and the community turns against them, Daphne and Owen both begin to question their own actions and motives. What role does free will play if your destiny is preordained? In her debut, Schumacher rounds out her third-person narrative with a varied cast of believable secondary characters and sets the stage for a compelling sequel. In an even greater feat, the author provides a fascinating reimagining of the rapture accessible to both religious and secular readers alike. This page-turner will leave readers eager for more. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2014

Gr 10 Up-After Daphne kills her abusive stepfather in self-defense, she hopes she can escape her past by moving in with relatives in Carbon County, Wyoming. When her arrival is literally heralded by trumpets, and then she discovers oil on her uncle's land, county residents aren't sure if she's the best good luck charm ever, or someone to be feared. Her dippy 17-year-old cousin Janie is pregnant, and Doug, the biggest jerk in town, is the reluctant daddy. He makes it his personal mission to torture Daphne after she rejects his advances. Smoking hot newcomer Owen starts to work on the oil rig with Daphne, and as more and more strange events plague the small town, pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place for the two of them-and it's not a pretty picture. Is the end of the world at hand? While some choppy perspective changes and a few underdeveloped plot points detract a little from the overall effect, this is still a promising start to what is clearly a planned series. Cousin Janie provides much needed comic relief to the overall dark feel, and the story moves along at a relentless pace.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

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