The
Blood of Faeries The
Allison Lee Chronicle, #2 by
Dan Rice Genre:
YA Urban Fantasy
Allison
Lee wilts under the bright light of celebrity after being exposed as
a shape-shifting monster. She'd rather be behind the camera than in
front of it. Being under the tooth and claw of her monstrous mother
is even less enjoyable. All she desires is for everything to go back
to the way things were before she discovered her true nature. But,
after she accidentally kills a mysterious man sent to kidnap her, she
realizes piecing her old life back together is one gnarly jigsaw
puzzle.
When
Allison's sometimes boyfriend Haji goes missing, Allison and her
squad suspect his unhealthy interest in magic led to his
disappearance. Their quest to find Haji brings them face-to-face with
beings thought long ago extinct whose agenda remains an enigma.
Dragons
Walk Among Us The
Allison Lee Chronicles Book 1
Shutterbug
Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the
popular girl's abuse. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her
green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the
school paper and the judges of a photo contest. While visiting her
friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison's life irrevocably changes after
an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a photojournalist are
dashed as she realizes she'll never see again. Despair sets in until
she is offered an experimental procedure to restore her vision. But
there are side effects, or are they hallucinations? She now sees
dragons accompanying some of the people she meets. Can she trust her
eyes, or has the procedure affected her more than she can see?
Dan
Rice pens the young adult urban fantasy series The Allison Lee
Chronicles in the wee hours of the morning. The series kicks off with
his award-winning debut, Dragons Walk Among Us, which Kirkus Reviews
calls, “An inspirational and socially relevant fantasy.”
While
not pulling down the 9 to 5 or chauffeuring his soccer fanatic sons
to practices and games, Dan enjoys photography and hiking through the
wilderness.
Shutterbug
Allison Lee is trying to survive high school while suffering the
popular girl's abuse. Her life is often abysmal, but at least her
green hair is savage. Her talent for photography is recognized by the
school paper and the judges of a photo contest.
While
visiting her friend Joe, a homeless vet, Allison's life irrevocably
changes after an attack leaves her blind. All her dreams as a
photojournalist are dashed as she realizes she'll never see again.
Despair sets in until she is offered an experimental procedure to
restore her vision. But there are side effects, or are they
hallucinations? She now sees dragons accompanying some of the people
she meets. Can she trust her eyes, or has the procedure affected her
more than she can see?
“Debut author Rice offers an allegorical YA fantasy novel about the transformative power of self-love.
Savvy, coffee-loving teenager Allison Lee is strong beyond her years. The biracial girl faces open discrimination and also copes with her apparent abandonment by her mother, who disappeared several years ago. She’s developed a keen sense of social justice along with a skill for photography. When a mysterious stalker hits her over the head, leaving her blind, she turns to an experimental eye-surgery procedure that forever changes her view of the world. Once, Allison saw her camera as her window to the truth; now, with her naked eye, she’s able to see mythological creatures that aren’t visible to other humans and that fight to protect their way of life. Allison’s ability results in her embarking on a dangerous adventure as she discovers her own highly unusual dragon-hunting legacy. She faces mortal peril as she protects humans and other creatures from a violent, otherworldly onslaught. Along the way, she also gets in touch with her own physical and emotional resilience. Although dragons play a central role in Rice’s work, the heart of the narrative is found in simple humanity and in a celebration of differences. Throughout, characters demonstrate emotional growth as they confront their limiting beliefs about others and embrace a sense of family. The story addresses serious, socially relevant subject matter, such as discrimination, poverty, and bullying, but it’s never preachy; indeed, it has a lighthearted tone that will resonate with adolescent readers. It concludes on an affirming, heartfelt note that will leave readers thoroughly satisfied yet also curious about the future of Rice’s magical fictional world.
An oddly familiar beeping wakes me. I shift my cramped body. Ouch. Moving makes me feel like I’m slamming my head against a brick wall. Ugh. I’m lying down on a soft, cushy surface. Fabric covers me. Bedsheets? I’m in bed? How in the world did I end up in bed? I draw in a deep breath, and my eyes flutter, never quite fully opening. A harsh scent hangs in the air like the antiseptic odor of a recently cleaned high school bathroom. Where the hell am I? My eyes blink open, only something isn’t right. I don’t see anything. Nothing. At. All. “Help,” I say, sounding like I’m speaking with a mouthful of toffee. I try to stay calm, but my body is reacting. Pulse reverberating. Breathing rapid. I’m so hot underneath the sheet I want to tear it aside. I raise my voice. “Help!”
Fear slams into my brain like a baseball bat. My eyes are wide open, but all I see is the most intense darkness I’ve ever known. Absolute black.
Dan has wanted to write novels since first reading Frank Herbert's Dune at the age of eleven. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he often goes hiking with his family through mist-shrouded forests and along alpine trails with expansive views.
Dragons Walk Among Us is his
debut novel. He plans to keep writing fantasy and science-fiction for
many years.
