Dust Spells

March 15, 2024
Three sisters face hardships amid frequent dust storms in 1934 Kansas. The Fischer girls' mother died, their father left for Wichita in search of work, and their aunt has turned their home into a boarding house. Middle sister Stella dreams of Hollywood and tries to make that dream a reality by delivering moonshine. That side hustle introduces her to Lloyd McCormick, a handsome vagabond who begins doing odd jobs around the house. While the sisters and Lloyd are scavenging lumber from a dilapidated cider mill, a ghost appears, guiding them to a portal. On the other side, they find mill owner Archie Bright trapped in an alternate world where the air is clear and everything broken is healed. Archie conjures up lavish parties from his memories, and they dance the night away. The others are able to leave, and they promise Archie they'll try to set him free. But despite experiencing the glamour Stella has craved, the sisters feel the toll of their regular visits to this newfound paradise, leaving them depleted in the mornings and fracturing their relationships. And it soon becomes clear that there's more to Archie's story than he's told them. The author makes the most of every page in this short novel, bringing to life characters who are worth supporting. The compelling narrative seamlessly blends genres as it unfolds against the harsh, dusty backdrop. The characters are cued white; the Fischer sisters had a Romani grandmother. A captivating story filled with suspense and magic. (Paranormal historical fiction. 14-18)

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Starred review from April 22, 2024
Lynn weaves historical fiction, fairy tale lore, and simmering romance to craft an electric and harrowing Dust Bowl–era debut. When teenager Stella Fischer meets handsome drifter Lloyd, he quickly endears himself to her family. Stella has no patience for romance, however; she’s too busy brewing and selling moonshine in secret to raise money. After the family invites Lloyd to stay with them as a hired hand, he repays them by revealing a place in the woods full of resources the family sorely needs. Further discoveries reveal a portal to a lush, phantasmagorical mirror world filled with food, trees, and sunshine, all presided over by a mysterious man who conjures dazzling visions at will. But there’s a price to pay
for entrance into this dreamworld. As old debts come to light, Stella must protect the people she loves at all costs. With one foot entrenched in the brutal reality of the Great Depression and the other in a fantastical utopia, the novel never sacrifices the urgency of human need while establishing its supernatural charm. A passionate romance between the white leads, enlivened by snappy banter and rock-solid emotional stakes, adds further depth to this vibrant tale. Ages 13–up.

April 19, 2024
Grades 10-12 Stella dreams by night of becoming a famous movie star, like Greta Garbo or Jean Harlow. If she can make enough money by secretly making moonshine, maybe those dreams can come true. After the Crash and the Great Depression, her family has very little left: dust storms killed her mother, sent her father away, and scarred her older sister's face. On a chance meeting with drifter Lloyd, she begins to hope again--even more so when Lloyd, Stella, and her sisters Lavinia and Mattie go looking for extra lumber and somehow end up in a sparkling dream world. Archie, the man who lives in this other realm, made a deal with the devil, and it's gone terribly wrong, leaving him trapped. As Stella and her sisters try to free Archie, they learn more about him, leaving them questioning whether they should be helping him or not. Though occasionally unpolished, this debut boasts an intriguing concept.

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