ANCHORED

In this novel, a teenage girl who lives separate existences in two worlds must cope with startling events in both.

Seventeen-year-old Alora lives in Terra, a realm where men can be Healers or Lifters (telekineticists). Women exhibit neither of these abilities—with the lone exception of Alora, whose Lifting powers are accepted and kept secret by her adoptive circus family. When Alora is forced to reveal herself, accidentally killing a man, she is immediately targeted by a sect of misogynist zealots. The group sees her as the Warden, a prophesied female Lifter who will bring about the destruction of Terra. Alora learns of her birth family and flees to her father, the ruler of a rival sect that recognizes and cherishes women. War is coming, and Alora must fight for her life. Meanwhile, in a different world, 17-year-old Alora and her brother, Jesse, scrape an existence working menial jobs on Earth. They live in Houston under false identities and on the run from social services. They have no one but each other, and their sibling bond remains strong. Jesse alone believes that Alora really does live a second life whenever she’s asleep. But when the man Alora killed on Terra turns up at her job on Earth and dies there, too, even Jesse starts to have doubts. Could Alora’s dual existence be the product of some deep psychosis? Baker writes in the first-person, present tense and crafts engaging stories on both worlds. Alora is a strong, likable character, and her sibling relationship with Jesse is a highlight. Romance also hangs in the air; Alora is drawn to several characters on Earth and Terra. But female empowerment finds a champion, and she remains self-determined and independent, even fighting against the insta-love trope. The author’s worldbuilding is astute and unobtrusive. The fantasy series opener finds its rhythm early and then breezes along, keeping readers enthralled. There is, regrettably, something of an information dump toward the end, and the story lacks the conclusive heft of a stand-alone. But by this point, the novel is already a winner. YA and new-adult readers will take Alora as their own and thrill to the thought of a sequel.

An absorbing meld of secondary-world and urban fantasy.