I have often been told not to judge a book by its cover – and I usually don’t listen. So when I saw the cover for ‘The Smoking Mirror’ by Dr. David Bowles, I knew I had discovered a gem. It doesn’t hurt to know the author is known for the amount of research he puts into his projects, and the charismatic nature of his work makes it almost impossible to put a book down.

‘The Smoking Mirror’ is a Young Adult Fantasy that mixes folklore & mythology with modern day adventures, bringing Aztec/Mayan histories into mainstream pop culture in a most credible scenario for a fictional story. Keep in mind, the plotline is based in South Texas and Mexico, something we don’t often come across is novels. The story is thoroughly relatable to those of us from the border who have family ties in both countries.

Carol and Johnny, twins who have learned their mother has gone missing, are trying to pick up the pieces as their world begins to tumble at home. The twins are your average tweens dealing with issues youth often experience – bullying, doubts, moods, fitting in. The problems at home lead them to an extended stay with maternal relatives in Mexico, away from their home environment and their father. What they don’t know is the journey and revelations awaiting them! Peeling the layers of secrets their mother has kept from them, Carol and Johnny discover they have inherited powers from her and are introduced to their nagual forms – just the fuel they needed to journey into the underworld and search for her, with the help of new friends and allies.

‘The Smoking Mirror’ kicks off a Young Adult book series in a fast paced adventure sure to teach you a thing or two about regional histories often forgotten.