My rating:

When Rae starts to hear voices in her head, she's afraid that she's going crazy, the way her mother seemed to before she died. Rae has a bit of a public meltdown at school, and all her friends avoid her or treat her like there's something wrong with her—including her boyfriend, who becomes her ex-boyfriend. Rae goes from being popular to being a social outcast. But gradually, Rae realizes that she's hears thoughts—other people's thoughts—when she touches things that they have touched.

Rae still has to attend group therapy sessions at a hospital—because they think she's emotionally unstable. Rae makes a friend at the group—and starts to feel less alone. But just before one of her group sessions, a pipe bomb explodes near Rae—and Rae is able to hear, from the thoughts she picks up, that someone has it in for her. The hospital blames Rae's new friend, so Rae sets out, by using her psychic powers, to try to find out who set the bomb, and why.

Some of the answers to these questions are only found in the next books in the series—a tactic that usually makes me so angry I never buy another book—but for me, this book was emotionally satisfying. Rae has someone on her side—and amazing powers that can help her. I do not usually like series, but after buying the first book in this series, I had to rush out and buy all the others. If you like fiction with psychic aspects, and gripping, fast-paced stories, you'll love this series.

My rating:

David lives in a very strict, religious community that exists probably thousands of years after the world was destroyed by nuclear bombs (although his society attributes the destruction to sin). His society does not tolerate the many genetic mutations that exist—mutant animals and crops are destroyed, and mutant people banished.

David's father is a harsh leader in the community, finding and banishing or destroying mutants. What his father doesn't realize is that David is one of those mutants—David can communicate by telepathy. He communicates with his cousin, Rosalie, and a number of other children scattered around the community that he has never met—and later, with his baby sister, Petra.

As David's sister Petra grows up, she becomes a problem for David and the other telepath children, as Petra's power is so strong, whenever she is upset or greatly frightened, she radiates a call for help so strong that all the other telepaths drop whatever they are doing and rush towards her—actions that cause great suspicion in their community.

Then some of the telepaths are discovered and tortured by the community, and David flees with his sister and cousin, and meets up with the other telepaths who were able to escape. The men of their society—including David's father—follow them, trying to hunt them down and kill them. As they flee, Petra keeps telepathically talking to a voice that none of the other telepaths can hear—until finally, they, too, can hear her...and they are eventually rescued.

A story that can be frightening, at times, at the hatred and prejudice that some people can hold, especially religious zealots—but heartening, too, at David's humanity and compassion, and the kind community of telepaths. At times the book is slow, but it's a wonderful read, fraught with tension, suspense, and a fight between rigid prejudice and compassion.

Also worth reading is Chocky by John Wyndham, again involving a boy with psychic abilities, though this time the boy is connecting with a being from another planet.

My rating:

Fourteen-year-old Kit is sent to live at an all-girls boarding school. She'd applied with her best friend, but when her best friend wasn't accepted and she was, she no longer wanted to go. Her mother and new fiance made her go any way.

When Kit arrives, she felt suspicious and uneasy. The next day she discovers that there are only three other students besides herself at the school. Then she discovers that all four of them were picked because of their supernatural abilities—and that those abilities are being enhanced and exploited by the school's owners for financial gain, while the girls' health deteriorates. Kit realizes that she has to get out of there—but she can't get the other students, or anyone else, to listen to her.

Suspenseful and captivating, this is my favorite Lois Duncan book. It's taut and emotional, thrilling and a relief at the end. If you like psychic fiction, don't pass this one up. A very enjoyable read.

My rating:

Julie has a psychic ability that allows her to see into both the past and the future. Her ability sometimes frightens people; her mother doesn't like her to talk about the things she sees, and Julie knows her mother is, at times, almost afraid of her. Julie feels different, and sometimes lonely. Her father is kinder to her, though he, too, does not completely understand her.

Then her father has a terrible accident—and Julie knows, through her psychic ability, that he needs her help or else he'll die. She leaps onto a horse and rides to where she knows he is—and her mother follows her. Through Julie's intelligence, clear thinking, her psychic ability, and the power inside her, Julie is able to save his life not once, but twice. And Julie's mother softens toward her, and accepts and loves her for who she is.

A tender, moving book, beautifully written. You won't be able to put this book down. If you've ever felt different, or if you like psychic fiction, you'll love this book.

This book has a younger protagonist, but don't let the age of the main character stop you. This is an incredibly well-written, moving, intriguing book. Cora Taylor also wrote a sequel, Julie's Secret, which you'll want to check out after you've read the first book.