Boy in the Mirror (The Infinity Trials)

This was definitely a great read. The pacing overall was good, which at 355 pages is kind of a must when you have little time (like I do) to read. The second half of the book was a page turner. And the conclusion left me eager for the release of the second book.

First, I will admit that the synopsis of the book had me thinking that this story would ultimately be about Jacqueline Talbot and her quest to free Mal, the boy in the mirror. But to me, it felt more like a side story than the overall focus of the novel. The majority of the story is centered around Jacqueline trying to settle into her new life as she fights to overcome a pretty horrific past, while the boy in the mirror seems to be the only one trying to figure out how to free himself. She ultimately plays a role in the outcome, but to me it just felt secondary to the other happenings in the book where I expected it to be front and center. Don't get me wrong, the occult is definitely present in this book and you ultimately get the answers you’re looking for with that. With multiple POVs you get a firsthand look at the evil that Jacqueline is up against, or (*shudder*) a glimpse of it, but I just expected it to be more largely focused on this anomaly of the boy being trapped in the mirror.

Second, I will admit that these characters are your stereotypical teenage archetypes, i.e. the dumb (a*hole) jocks, the supermodel mean girl, and the misfit nerd clan Jacqueline ultimately teams up with. But when the story plays itself out, these characters no longer fill the role that you had expected them to at the start, and their interactions and places in the story pleasantly surprise and confuse you.

It was an enjoyable (and super creepy, in a good way) book that made me think and ultimately want to continue the story, which for me is the most important thing. If I’m bored, I put a book down. I move on. I definitely wasn’t bored.

Looking forward to the second installment.

"Boy in the Mirror" is Volume 1 in 'The Infinity Trials' series by author, Robert J Duperre. I would classify this book in the horror genre with an intended audience of older teens and adult readers.

General Theme

Since her parents died some time ago, 15 year old Jacqueline Talbot has been shuffled around from one foster home to another... with most places bringing back unpleasant memories. Her one and only friend is Mal, who appeared shortly after her father's death, and is magically trapped in the mirror of her mother's antique compact.

Then unexpectedly, her previously unknown Aunt Mitzy turns up out of blue to rescue her from her latest home of horrors. They move to the town of Mercy Hill where she enters school with the hopes of a new beginning. However the peace and serenity of Mercy Hill is short lived as a sinister entity begins hunting and killing some of the kids. This malevolent being appears to be desperately hunting for someone very special to him... hmmm, wonder who that might be?
It's now up to Jacqueline, Mal and a few select friends to try to figure out what's going and maybe even save the world if they're successful.

Some thoughts on "Boy in the Mirror"...

1.) well written and edited.

2.) an interesting premise for the main plot.

3.) several intriguing characters... some likable; others not so much.

4.) lots of action with descriptions that can be suggestive and graphic as the situation warrants.

5.) cover art... a stunning image. Truly capturing the essence and mood of the this novel.

Impressions:

A horror tale that has been classified as Young Adult (YA)... probably for those 15+ years and up, as the first 20% of this novel had a distinctly more mature audience theme, giving it a definitive, edgy Adult feel.

From my experience in reading fantasy and horror genre books, I've often felt it was difficult for writers to blend YA and Adult stories in a fashion that makes them work together... however, author Robert Duperre has achieved just that in "Boy in the Mirror".

This is NOT a book for a child or even the tween age reader... there are some frightening situations and scary stuff found within these pages.

As a mixed YA/Adult book... 5 Stars.

Ray Nicholson
@ralannicholson

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have all of Rob's other books. This one is my favorite so far, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. While it is a young adult book, this (supposed) grown-up couldn't put it down.

Really good opening book to the series. There was a lot left hanging at the end of this book that makes you want (or need) to read the next in the series.

It took me a couple days to read the book. So, it's not super long if you are hoping it's not. I was really hoping it wasn't like 800 pages. It's not even 400 pages so that worked for me.

It's also YA if you are looking for something like that. I didn't know that until I got half-way through.

I was looking for a bit more horror. I think that was mainly my mood. There is horror but I wanted the characters to delve into a world that lies under your bed with pointy teeth.

BUT! There are pointy teeth so that was good.

This was more of an introduction to a horror novel. Does that make sense? I think that's because it's a series. If this was just a standalone this would be more of a thriller. But this just makes me look forward to Book 2 which is due out in the summer.

I thought it was super cute that the author had help from his daughter while writing this book. I was curious how a dude knew how teenage girls thought.

I'm unsure if this is a boy/girl book. At the moment it seems more geared towards teenage girls. And that's not because it's too froo froo. It's because from my experience with my teenage son.... boys can be pretty sexist when it comes to books with a female heroine. Girls on the other hand tend to read about both boys and girls.

I did have one part figured out. But maybe that's because I'm awesome... or maybe I just got awesome. But the ending might make you gaspity gasp. I had a couple of different predictions but my final one was right.

All in all it was a fun read!

Jacqueline Talbot hasn’t led an easy life since she was orphaned at a young age, shuffling from foster home to home ever since. She’s been seen as a bit troubled once her father received the death penalty for murdering several people after her mother passed away. But just when the last foster home seemed like it was the most oppressive, the unknown-to-Jacqueline and estranged to any family left Aunt Mitzy sweeps in and takes custody of her niece, bringing Jacqueline back to live in her parents’ old home town of Mercy Hills.

Jacqueline is thrilled to start over in a place where no one knows that her father was a murderer, and she’s so happy to finally have real family. As she makes friends with a band of quirky misfits that love anime and video games, she also unwittingly attracts the attention of a few of the popular boys. But she harbors a secret that would make her look crazy: her best friend/boyfriend is a boy in a compact mirror that she inherited from her mother, and working to free Mal from his mirror prison is one of her main priorities.

The citizens of Mercy Hills aren’t white washed…The racial diversity of The Boy in the Mirror is quite refreshing. Jacqueline is half Indian and half Caucasian, her group of friends includes a Puerto Rican girl, a Vietnamese boy, and one of the popular boys that is drawn to Jacqueline is black. None of the characters are written in a stereotypical way, other than being regular teenagers, and I quite enjoyed the change up here that most novels don’t have.

Jacqueline had to develop a tough skin living in different foster and group homes over the years, and after she’s made a few mistakes along the way, she’s learned that wallowing in self-pity doesn’t get her very far. She’s always had Mal to run to when things got rough–even though he’s trapped in the mirror–and he’s been a great support system for her. When things in Mercy Falls start to go south and grow dangerous, with monsters popping up to take them out, she must find the will to fight–for herself, her aunt, and her friends.

The Boy in the Mirror is told in third person point of view, so you get a good look at what’s happening in and around Mercy Falls–not just what’s happening with Jacqueline. Robert Duperre does an excellent job of switching POVs without head hopping excessively, so these transitions are seamless and really flow naturally.

Bottom Line: This book seriously knocked me out with fantastic world building, great horror, and good character introductions and development. Even though this is slated as young adult, I’d say this is skewed a bit on the older side of the spectrum with some drug use and other situations. The ending definitely left me wanting the second book right away, and I was definitely intrigued by both Jacqueline and Mal—the boy in the mirror.

It is easy to feel connected to the characters in this novel. I found myself pondering over their relationships and motivations throughout the day as if they were a part of my life. Most intriguing was the mystery surrounding two characters in particular; Mal and Jacqueline's aunt Mitzy. Are they good guys or bad guys? Who is good? Who is bad? Is Mal bad because of his name?? Is Mal even real???
This is a well written, interesting, at times suspenseful novel with an ending that answers just enough questions to leave one anxious to read the next book in the series.