cover image Mystic

Mystic

Cheryl Brooks. Sourcebooks Casablanca, $7.99 mass market (384p) ISBN 978-1-4926-6163-4

This latest addition to Brooks’s Cat Star Legacy futuristic romance series will suit lovers of fated pairings and intergalactic incidents. Aiden Banadänsk lives on a world called Rhylos, haunted by visions of his people’s future, a power he has denied all his life. When he meets Sula, an anthropology student on the run, his whole world is turned upside down. As Aiden and Sula grow closer, they must also concern themselves with the danger chasing Sula: a cloaked villain is wiping whole worlds clean of life, and Sula is the only living witness to this terrible act. This book has romance; some explicit, sometimes technical, sex scenes; and just enough espionage to move the story forward. It also makes some attempts to talk about prejudice and acceptance, but these pieces are not as well handled. Those who have followed the series will likely enjoy references to familiar characters, and new readers will be able to join in on the fun without feeling like they’ve missed too much. (Feb.)