Spirit Racer (Aleja Garcia, Book 1) by Luke James

What worked:

The book opens with a prelude that immediately lets readers know this is going to be a good versus evil story. Dark racers compete with Light racers, and a Light team driver disappears after being grabbed by a giant spider. He will need to be replaced before the Light team can compete again. Then, the first chapter introduces Aleja, whose family may lose their farm to a greedy, evil governor of the village. A series of events finds her in the big race against the governor and other competitors, where she manages to win. However, that only leads her to a portal into Astra, where she’s entered into the Race Eternal. Winning this race will help protect Earth from the Demon Age of war, plague, and hunger, along with spirits and demons.

The Race Eternal is action-packed, non-stop excitement that is guided by mythology, past history, and imagination. Where else will readers find obstacles like an ice giant, Fenris the wolf from Norse mythology, and a huge, destructive statue from Egyptian mythology trying to destroy twenty-four spiritual racers? Lava fields and other dangers await the two teams as they vie to become the winner of the 100^th Race Eternal. One of Aleja’s advantages as a living soul is that her racer is created by her imagination and can adapt as she becomes more experienced. Pepe is her pet chihuahua, but she’s surprised when his spirit shows up in Astra. He offers moral support and encouragement as Aleja navigates the challenges.

 Several of Aleja’s Light teammates are eccentric, memorable characters. Bruiser drives a souped-up truck adorned with metal plates, fur, and giant tusks on the front. Disco Dash drives a New York taxi cab he calls the Dashinator, complete with a cymbal-playing monkey in the back seat. Nexus can control time-fields around her car and force opponents into slow motion. Pixel Pro was a gaming legend when he was alive, so he sees the race courses as gaming code. Unfortunately, the governor from Aleja’s home is represented on the Dark team by his racing-legend father. All of these characters and more add colorful personalities to the book and help Aleja become more confident.

What didn’t work as well:

Readers might want more description once Aleja reaches the spirit world of Astra and before she starts racing. Upon entering the realm, she’s immediately thrown into the Race Eternal with a very brief explanation shared by her deceased grandfather. Readers know the race is to keep the Dark out of the Earth realm, but they don’t know much about the contest or the other characters.

The final verdict:

Amazon indicates this book is for ages 10 and up, but younger people with decent reading skills can enjoy it, too. The story moves quickly and has plenty of action to entertain young readers. The author emphasizes the importance of family and developing self-confidence. I recommend you give this book a shot.