A Harmony Ink Press Title

It’s no surprise teens Sam and Harry are inseparable. Harry’s ability to fly manifested at age ten—when he saved Sam’s life. Since then, Sam’s made it his mission to shield Harry from danger. They’re being watched by people with an unknown agenda, and their only chance is to run.

An encounter with Jonah Clayton and the group of gifted teens he’s training means a place for Harry and insight into his powers. But is there a place for an ordinary kid like Sam, or has he reached the end of his quest to help his best friend? Jonah’s group isn’t as benign as it seems, however, and the danger is far from over. Harry still needs Sam—who is far more than anyone can imagine.

I know a lot of people think of YA books as something they wouldn’t normally read. Me? I enjoy the hell out of them. This one? Blew me the heck away!

As I was gathering the information for the post, I noticed that MC Lee has several books with Harmony Ink (a division of Dreamspinner Press). Seriously, I need to check out their other stuff, because The Touchstone rocked my socks.

We have Sam and Harry, the main characters, who are more than friends. More than lovers, even. They’re integral to each other’s lives. When they were kids, Sam fell from a tree and, for the first time, Harry flew. He caught Sam and saved his life. Since then, they’ve been inseparable.

You know the old adage, with great power comes great responsibility? It also comes with a lot of problems. Like the fact that Sam and Harry are on the run. They don’t even know from who, but there’s someone out there that’s been watching Harry, and Sam’s not having it. So they flee to a crappy town, thinking they’re going to be able to lie low. Only…

They’re approached by someone who claims he wants to help Harry train. Sam, being ordinary, would be in the way of that. Harry (love him) refuses, and tells Jonah that they’re a package deal. Only Jonah does an end run, and convinces Sam that it’s in Harry’s best interest for him to take the training. Reluctantly, Harry agrees, and the problems that had been there, escalate out of control.

The world that MC Lee has created is thriving and vibrant. The people that Harry trains with are sort of like the X-men, with Jonah being Professor X, except a bit more of a dick. He’s done things in his past that are going to bite them all in the present, and (especially since MC Lee just signed a contract for book two!), their future.

We have two brothers–one who can see the future, the other who can slip inside a person and basically control them, we have a young woman who can be invisible, another who can manipulate energy, and Harry, who can fly. What does Sam bring to the team, other than a set of eyes when things go wrong?

Apparently a lot more than anyone realizes. I’m not going to spoil this for you. It’s not a huge secret, but it will rock everyone on the team, and what was a target on Harry, has now become a spotlight on them all. When all is said and done, will the team be able to stand together to ferret out the truth? Is Jonah on the level with his desires? Is the group who is after them being honest when they say Jonah isn’t all he appears? And is the vision that Alex has of the future a certainty? Because if it is, well… Harry and Sam better hope it isn’t.

(For those worried about sexual content, it is gently referenced, but not shown on page.)