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Screamcatcher #4

Screamcatcher: Sa'be Most Monstrous

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Jory Pike and the Badlands Paranormal Society get a strange and frantic call from a woman who claims her property has been invaded by unknown trespassers who have terrorized her and her husband and killed their two dogs. She says her husband has gone hunting for the culprits and disappeared. The Sherriff’s office performed a routine investigation and mysteriously quit. The woman also called a first nations tribe tracker to help her, but after a short investigation, he claimed she had something more dangerous than a bear and wanted nothing to do with it.

Jory’s 91 year-old grandfather, a full blood Ojibwe, believes he knows what this mystery is all about and demands to go on the hunt.

Four teenagers and a seemingly fragile old man find out, too late, in the deep Shasta forest, that they are the ones being hunted.

222 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2022

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2 people want to read

About the author

Check out my blog GUERRILLA WARFARE FOR WRITERS (SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS):

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About me
Gender Male
Industry Science
Occupation Novelist and Science Writer
Location Fyffe, Alabama, United States
Links Wishlist
Introduction Been writing for 42 years, publishing novels, non-fiction books, radio horror plays, short stories, reviews, interviews, poetry and thousands of non-fiction automotive articles. I'm on my third agent, and have had 10 books and twenty-two short stories published, beginning in 1988. Writing Credits and History BOOK CREDITS: Auto Repair Shams and Scams (Forward--Ralph Nader), 1990, Price Stern & Sloan, Los Angeles--226 pages, non-fiction, consumer warning book. Garage Sale Mania, 1988, Betterway Publications, Crozet, Virginia--190 pages, non-fiction book—1988. Word Wars, a SF novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada—May, 2007. Once Upon a Goddess, a Fantasy novel, to Rain Publishing, Canada—January, 2008 Planet Janitor—Custodian of the Stars, a SF novel sold to Engage Books, May 2009 Gate Walker, a Paranormal Fantasy, sold Lyrical Press—January, 2009. The Wolfen Strain, a fantasy thriller sold to LBF Books, February 2009
The Girll They Sold to the Moon, Intrigue Books
Blackmailed Bride to Melange Satin Romance. Screamcatcher: Web World by Melange Books.

Interests Hiking, paleontology, Ufos, cryptozoology, bigfoot, astronomy, lake monsters, ancient Egypt, archeology, geology

Favorite Movies Blade Runner, Time Cop, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Logun's Run, Transformers, The Time Machine, Kickass
Favorite Music REM, Abbaa, When in Rome, Steve Miller Band, SF and fantasy soundtracks.
Favorite Books Icerigger, Virgin Planet, Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Lord of the Flies, Black Marble, Close Encounters, The Island, Black Marble, Dune, Riverworld, The Mote In God's eye

How many books have I published? 18 to date, with three out on agent subs, and five more in the wings ready to go.

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Ellie Mitchell.
Author 3 books236 followers
June 8, 2023

~About

Once again, the Badlands Paranormal Society has landed themselves a fascinating case. Jory Pike (their leader) is considering a more settled future with her fiancé Choice when she receives a phone call about a missing person and some unusual activity in a remote forest area.

With Jory’s beloved grandfather (Albert ‘White Feather’ Pike) sensing something ancient and dangerous at work, he insists on accompanying the team on their latest mission, to lead them with his intimate knowledge of the likely culprit – Sa’be, Guardian of the Mountains.


~Characters

Despite having evolved over the course of the past three books in this series, the lead characters were still familiar and just as admirable. For the purposes of this review, I have chosen to focus on just three characters; Jory, her grandfather (Albert), and the Sa’be (as a collective group).


-Jory

Jory Pike is the leader of the Badlands Paranormal Society. She is a brave and stubborn young woman, who is determined to get to the bottom of any and all cases she takes on. She stands by her values (integrity, honesty, loyalty) and has a pure heart, which serves her well in life. I found myself frequently admiring her resolve, as well as the way she cares for her friends, family and those who are strangers to her, in more ways than one.


-Albert

Albert ‘White Feather’ Pike is a wise and deeply compassionate man, who protects the land and those he holds dear. At 91-years-old, he is a surprisingly strong man, both in body and mind. Caring, cautious and a peacemaker at heart, Albert paves the way for a successful and non-confrontational mission. Despite his calm and non-confrontational nature, Albert is also direct and purposeful with his words and actions. Furthermore, there is a quiet majesty to him as an individual; in the way he conducts himself, treating all living beings with the utmost respect. Overall, there was nothing I disliked about him and there was much to learn from his perception of the world.


-The Sa’be

Finally, we come to the Sa’be, a unique race of beings who have only been seen by a select few people. Keeping to themselves for the most part, the Sa’be are a proud and protective race, who will do anything necessary to take care of their own so they can live in peace. Over the course of the story, I gradually learned more about them and went from feeling wary of them, to feeling a peculiar sort of kinship with them. They were the most fascinating beings I have encountered in this series and I still find myself in awe of them weeks after having finished the book.


~Positive aspects

There were so many wonderful things about this book, and about this series in general:

-Firstly, the story is engaging and well-written: it dives into the main story quickly, hooking you in while still allowing you to briefly re-settle into the story world.

-Secondly, the characters have continued to grow on me, especially Jory and Choice, with their love for each-other continuing to flourish in a heart-warming way.

-In addition, there were many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat – I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

-Finally, the cultural ways of the Sa’be were well-explored: I found it fascinating to learn more about them as the story progressed.


~Neutral aspects

The only minor downside (from my personal experience) were some errors in the writing itself – typos, misspelled words, etc. However, a light proofread would easily fix this and it did not detract much from an otherwise amazing reading experience.


~Memorable Quotes

The following four quotes from the book were the most memorable and inspiring:

1) ‘First impressions are valuable clues. They provided little insights if one were looking for a greater picture’.

2) ‘There’s the possible, the probable, and the known. There’s a hard line between each one of those’.

3) ‘Humanity must work on love the most’.
4) ‘Nothing done without a reason. No wasted energy. There was meaning in everything’.


~Overview

Overall, Screamcatcher: Sa’be Most Monstrous was a gripping tale of mystery, old legends, and a dangerous journey to find answers to a strange series of otherworldly disturbances.

Key themes included: family and friendship, territory and survival, folklore, and nature.

My Rating: 5 stars. I could not put this book down.

Recommended to: lovers of paranormal/folklore-inspired young adult series. This is one of the best, most consistently-engaging book series I have had the pleasure to review. Hopefully, there will be more fantastical instalments to come.
Profile Image for Jill Smith.
Author 6 books61 followers
September 25, 2022
Jory is the leader of the Badlands Paranormal Society. Her group includes her boyfriend Choice, and her best girlfriend Darcy as part of the team with her boyfriend Lander. After hearing the client's plea for help, Jory's grandfather insists on joining them. The five will investigate the strangest situations.

EXCERPT*
Jory knew she wasn’t going to win this one. Albert White Feather Pike knew the old wise ones directly. He had been in their company as a youth, so had he told her. Countless generations before him knew of the First Tribes and bands. All the red people had known. Although the white man had said the First Nations Tribes had arrived in the new world 13,500 years ago, it was a lie. Jory’s
ancestors had come much earlier. Yet the wild man, the wilderness people had always been here. They were the first guardians of the woods and mountains.

She bowed her head slightly. “Forgive me. It would be an honour to accept your leadership, Grandfather. We surely would stand a better outcome with your guidance. You will have complete control of the mission. Your words will brand upon our hearts and our ears will stay open.'
END EXCERPT*

Albert is a wise native Indian, with the skills and knowledge his granddaughter and her team of paranormal investigators need to crack this case. He doesn't usually join Jory on her expeditions to solve puzzles. This time he feels he must. He is knowledgeable in the old-time Indian languages and ways of the Sa'be creatures.

The client Tonya, has a missing husband Kyle. She's been hearing strange noises on the property and is frightened. Albert senses that this hunting man is still alive and that he is the cause of the unwanted attention at the remote property. Kyle's dogs have been killed. The barn freezer was raided and ruined.

The team treks into the wilderness to discover what the danger is. They are followed by beasts that stamp and call out keeping out of sight. They return to the homestead to find Tonya has had visitors, a window is smashed and the walls of the house have been damaged.

Albert relates the stories of these first people which has the team rethinking their opinion of their foe. Why hadn't these huge creatures been photographed or filmed? What kind of creatures are they? Albert gives the Sa'be a human-like face. They are clever enough to threaten but not kill. Kyle, Tonya's husband has overhunted his property and the surrounding area. He posed a threat to the food supply of Sa'be as a family group. They have 'Bigfoot' foot casts and sound recordings. How much further can they go? Will they be able to find Kyle and take him back to Tonya?

The characters are well defined. The story is fast-paced. I enjoyed this story very much and would recommend it to anyone who wants to be taken along a mysterious path.

This book really gets you in. There are several subplot messages throughout.
Profile Image for Anthony.
Author 29 books199 followers
September 16, 2022
The Review

I absolutely loved this novel. As a longtime fan of this series, I was thrilled to be able to jump back into this world of paranormal and high strangeness for YA readers. The way the author was able to further the narrative for the cast of characters was brilliant, as longtime fans and newcomers alike were able to connect to the characters on an emotional level, especially the protagonist and her grandfather.

Yet it was the world-building and mythos that really stood out to me. The in-depth way the author blended and utilized Native American mythology, in particular the Ojibwa Tribe’s mythos, with the paranormal aspects of the narrative was an inspired and creative choice that kept the story feeling fresh and unique amongst other YA novels. However for me, as someone who absolutely loves the study and looking into real-life paranormal and high strangeness cases, I am well versed in the lore of both the particular creature used in this narrative and the area known as Mt. Shasta. The author’s use of this setting was so fun and captured my attention clearly.

The Verdict

Haunting, rich, and entertaining, author Christy J. Breedlove’s “Screamcatcher: Sa’be Most Wanted” is a must-read YA paranormal thriller and fantasy read. The perfect next chapter in Jory Pike’s journey into the Screamcatcher universe, the shocking twists and turns in the narrative, as well as the identity of the true culprits behind this investigation, will leave readers hanging off of the author’s every word.
Profile Image for Amys Bookshelf Reviews.
881 reviews69 followers
March 10, 2023
Enjoyed this story!

Christy Breedlove writes a YA fantastical thrilling tale with Screamcatcher: Sa'be Most Monstrous. This book is part of the The Shimmering Eye series, and this is volume four. I recommend reading the four books that came before this one, as I do with all series. I enjoyed reading each one in the series, and that brings me to this one. Breedlove is one grand storyteller. It's a very exciting story as Jory and the Badlands Paranormal Society have something new to investigate. Little did they know, Jory's grandfather insists on helping find out what happen to her husband, and what caused the death of her dogs. It's not a typical investigation for these four teens, but it's something that they always try to help figure out and investigate. No one else wants to find out the truth, except Jory and his friends, and grandfather. Especially when everyone involved gives up for no apparent reason. I'm a big fan of this author! It's full of twists and turns, and you never know what will be there, beyond the shadows. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. It is always an honor to read Christy Breedlove's books. The reader just embarks on a interesting journey. Jory is determined and tenacious, and determined to get the job done no matter what. Screamcatcher: Sa'be Most Monstrous is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
Profile Image for Beth Billings.
102 reviews3 followers
October 10, 2022
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!


Jory and her friends are a company called the Badlands Paranormal Society. She receives a frantic call from a woman about her missing husband and there is a mention of Bigfoot! Jory takes on the job to go searching for both the husband and to see if Bigfoot is responsible for the peculiar goings-on on the property involved. Will the Badlands paranormal society teamed with Jory's grandfather be able to discover the source of the mysterious happenings or is it just a wild goose chase?


I thoroughly enjoyed this book I didn't realise it was part of a series and I will be reading the other stories involved.


It's a very insightful plot with a lot of interesting things that the Ojibwe follow and believe in. I don't want to say too much and give away the story as it is much more fun to go on the journey first-hand.


Christy is very captivating with his writing and leaves you wanting more, I wasn't ready for the book to finish I turned the page over and was disappointed that there was no more to read!


Hope you enjoy it as much as I did


A recommendation from me.


** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
Profile Image for Anu.
348 reviews15 followers
September 19, 2022

Wild, Twisty and Riveting!

This is the fourth book of the Scream Catcher series. Every Screamcatcher series is equally enjoyable and good.

Brilliant characters, fantastic plot and a superb read. The author has the ability to pique your interest and hold it throughout the book. I adore Jory Pike's relationship with her grandfather Albert. Together with the team, you embark on an interesting adventure that revolves around Bigfoot. The narrative includes a detailed study of the game plans, tense situations, and techniques used by the team to overcome the barriers that stand in their way. The author's attention to detail is astounding. Plot development using the most creative, imaginative, and intellectual storytelling skills. The depictions of Albert's extraordinary energy, his Seven Teachings of the Grandfathers, and his efforts to communicate with the Sa'be group have all been excellent. I can't wait until the next book in the series.

Loved these quotes in the Book:

Not knowing the whys of it would allow everything to stay as natural as possible.
Man fears time; time fears Albert White Feather Pike.
Profile Image for Julie (Bookshelf Adventures).
409 reviews21 followers
December 1, 2022
The Badlands Paranormal Society is called out to a rural property due to strange happenings that no one will truly investigate. Dogs have been killed, property vandalised, and now a man is missing. Along with her grandfather, Jory and her friends venture out to find the truth. What they find changes their lives forever.

I really enjoyed this next instalment of the Screamcatcher series. The author did a wonderful job in bringing a lot of folklore and science into this tale. I learned so much more of the Sa’be myth and legend that I never knew before.

The characters and conflicts were well written, with beautiful scenes described so that I could imagine myself out in the wilderness as well.

The fast-pace of the novel kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happened next.

I received a complementary copy of this novel from the author and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
Profile Image for KayBee's Bookshelf.
1,823 reviews58 followers
December 29, 2022
This was a great addition to this series. The author, as expected, did a great job with scene building and character development. It moved quickly through each scene and chapter with great transitions. The characters were well written. One particular scene stood out to me and they may just be because of the current climate that we're in today. It was the scene where Lander was doubling down on his viewpoints of why the Sa'be wouldn't stay with their own. I think the discussion of crossbreeding and interbreeding were handled very well. I also felt the camaraderie between this eclectic group that make up the Badlands Paranormal Society. The story moved quickly and well. I think I will go back and read the novels in the series that I'm missing. Great job.
Profile Image for Gigi Sedlmayer.
Author 6 books65 followers
September 22, 2022
And here comes another thrilling and engaging fantasy. this is now the fourth book i have read by the author, even I am not a real fan of his books. But I still think they are an amazing fantasy.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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