Watcher of Worlds (Whispering
Woods #3)
by Brinda Berry
Release Date: 12/17/13
Summary from Goodreads:
Senior year should bring fun, friends, and
happiness. Not portals, treachery, and murder.
Seventeen-year-old Mia Taylor, gatekeeper to an interdimensional portal, wants nothing more than to heal from her romance gone wrong. Illegally falling for her co-worker Regulus had been a huge mistake. But when Regulus goes rogue to hunt down a murderer, Mia must forget her broken heart and use her unique abilities to save him. Traveling across dimensions, she enters a strange and hostile world where a rebel faction holds the key to their escape. Her gift of synesthesia is in high demand, and a secret organization of the otherworldly kind has her in their sights. But sabotage and murder may be the least of her worries. Her ex-boyfriend wants a relationship. Her dad wants her to act normal. Her friends want her to stop moping. Who knew faking happy would be the easiest part of senior year?
Seventeen-year-old Mia Taylor, gatekeeper to an interdimensional portal, wants nothing more than to heal from her romance gone wrong. Illegally falling for her co-worker Regulus had been a huge mistake. But when Regulus goes rogue to hunt down a murderer, Mia must forget her broken heart and use her unique abilities to save him. Traveling across dimensions, she enters a strange and hostile world where a rebel faction holds the key to their escape. Her gift of synesthesia is in high demand, and a secret organization of the otherworldly kind has her in their sights. But sabotage and murder may be the least of her worries. Her ex-boyfriend wants a relationship. Her dad wants her to act normal. Her friends want her to stop moping. Who knew faking happy would be the easiest part of senior year?
Excerpt
The doorbell rang. I
leaped off the barstool and hurtled for the door, desperate to
relieve the boredom. I flung open the door, not really surprised that
the person in front of me would be able to show up at the last minute
on Christmas Eve night. The wind blew the door open wide and I hugged
my arms around my body.
My ex-boyfriend
Regulus stood staring me.
His dark hair curled
along the edge of his cream wool turtleneck and a shy smile teased
one corner of his mouth. He held a brown box tucked under his arm and
had one hand shoved into his jeans pocket.
I knew I was only a
synesthete and couldn’t make time stop, but I’d swear the clock
hands stood still. In the moment we stood silent, a boa constrictor
of jealousy wrapped around my throat.
Was Regulus
attracted to that girl Arizona had mentioned? Had he kissed her? Was
he dating her?
Arizona shoved him
out of the doorway. “Dude, I’m freezing here.” Arizona
maneuvered around Regulus’s still body in the doorway. He leaned
forward and gave me a hug. Although I generally avoid the touchy
feely stuff, I let Arizona give me a friendly squeeze.
“Look what I
brought,” Arizona said, holding a piece of mistletoe high in the
air.
“In your dreams,”
I said and shoved his arm with a laugh.
Dad stood framed in
the kitchen doorway. He smiled at Arizona, then looked at Regulus.
“Son, come on in.” My stomach twisted when I heard him say ‘son.’
He hadn’t done that before. I didn’t think Dad had cared very
much for Regulus while we dated.
I stepped back from
the door, embarrassed at the ogling that I’d vowed to never do
again with Regulus. Biscuit, who had been glued to Dad’s side
begging for food in the kitchen, ran to the door to greet our
visitors. He ran circles around them in that happy dog way.
“I’m glad you
both could come. At such short notice and everything.” Arizona
travelled across the family room, peering around corners. Regulus’s
direct stare sent tingly warmth to my face.
“Where is the
Christmas tree?” Arizona scouted ahead.
“No tree.” I
answered. “We didn’t do that this year.”
Dad came forward and
took Arizona’s coat and held out his hand for Regulus’s. “It’s
my fault. Mia said she didn’t care whether we had one or not, so we
didn’t.”
Arizona looked like
a kid who’d lost his best friend. “I thought everyone put one up
at Christmas. I was looking forward to it.” He flopped into Dad’s
recliner.
Dad gave me a look.
His face said that he thought Arizona was a single digit on the IQ
scale. I grinned.
About the Author
Brinda Berry lives in
the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She has a BSE in
English and French and a MEd in Learning Systems Technology. She's terribly
fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality. She
doesn't mind being called a geek or “crazy dog lady”. When she's not working
the day job or writing a novel, she's guilty of surfing the internet for no
good reason.
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I think it would be cool to do that if given the chance.
ReplyDeleteI think I might! It would be fascinating.
ReplyDelete