White Witch (Texas Druids, #0.1)

HISTORICAL:  IJessie has visions portending the future.  Her most recent revelation is of a horrific fire, all of Chicago is burning!  But her father pays no heed.  The fire does come, and all of Chicago is running for its life.  It is hot and the wood tinder is dry, and then there is the wind...can the Devlin family escape the towering wall of flame that pursues them? Jessie’s father berates himself for not listening to her, and now he fears that they will pay a horrible price for his indifference.  They manage to escape, but most of Chicago is destroyed by the inferno.  In the aftermath of the disaster the Devlins find a new home and try to rebuild their lives.  Jessie's brother has plans for his future and Jessie's father is busy planning Jessie's - but what about what SHE wants?  And what about those strange dreams she's been having?  A man with smoky green eyes stars in her dreams of fire, the one who comes to save her – who is he?

Lyn Horner weaves a tantalizing tale of a young girl beset by visions, trying to figure out what it all means.  As a novella, the story is short, but sets the stage well for the next installment, with great characters and a tempting story line.  The descriptions of the Chicago fire are spellbinding, pulling the reader into the carnage.  “White Witch” is a well written snapshot of a climactic time in America’s history, as Jessie and her family find a way to make their lives and fortunes in the new frontier.  

Victoria Z. Burg