Someone's Been Messing With Reality by John Hearne

What worked:

Readers aren’t sure what’s happening early in the book so it’s fun to wonder where the plot will go. On a yard camera, Martin sees his father flying from the roof of their house. Martin’s friend Tina has all kinds of wild ideas and she’s convinced his parents must be aliens. I hadn’t read the book’s synopsis yet so I didn’t know she was correct. Readers will become engrossed in the story as Martin tries to figure out why his parents have gone missing. Tina still has all kinds of theories and makes a drastic decision by a tower that dramatically alters the plot.

Enda is a fascinating character even though he barely says a word. He used to do everything with Martin and Tina until he fell from a cliff and damaged his brain. Tina and Martin can still guide him around but he can’t talk to them. He spends much of his time in the shed behind Martin’s house engrossed in a model train set. He doesn’t seem to make any matches when playing the Memory card game even though Martin senses there’s a pattern to his choices. Readers will suspect there’s more to Enda’s character than they see and they’ll anticipate the moment his secrets are revealed.

The author masterfully uses words and language to create moods that will captivate readers. They’ll experience Martin’s shock and confusion when he learns about his father’s talent and his parents’ disappearance. Martin discovers a message from them that creates hope and uncertainty. The author captures the claustrophobic feelings of climbing through narrow mine tunnels and the dark, damp surroundings. Readers feel haunted house emotions when Martin and Tina enter a huge cavern full of alien life. The plot ramps up to a thrilling climax full of terror and exhilaration.

What didn’t work as well:

As with some other books, the synopsis shares more information than it should. The author stimulates readers’ imaginations in the early chapters but the synopsis undermines the possibilities.

The final verdict:

This book works for me. The plot feels fresh and new even though it contains familiar elements of science fiction books. Martin is a sympathetic character as he gets thrown into the middle of a worldwide crisis. This book will appeal to lovers of aliens and action and I recommend you give it a shot.