In Manitou

In Manitou by Alyn Drasil
A night in the woods is more than Holm bargained for. And Holm is more than what Simon doesn't want.
Banner Credit: Helen

Helen Thinks: From just reading the Author's Note in the first chapter of Alyn Drasil's In Manitou, I knew I was going to immediately like this story (mention the T.V show X Files and I am most definitely sold!) but what I didn't expect was to fall head over heels in love with the story!

In Manitou sees our protagonist, Holm, stranded in the “Middle-of-Nowhere, USA” when his father's truck breaks down. With no mobile and no real idea of where he is, he goes on a hunt to find somewhere with a phone but what he found was the home of Simon Westen, a hermit that doesn't cohabit well with society and, therefore, has no mode of communication to the outside world. After a bad start, Simon finally decides that Holm can stay the night and go into town the next morning to retrieve a tow truck but there's one simple rule: he must stay inside his room, no matter what noises he hears. Holm, however, is a sixteen year old teenager so let the curiosity commence!

Alyn Drasil delivers this unusual supernatural love story fabulously with characters that show natural progression throughout their time together and a perfect combination of snarky and sincere dialogue that genuinely has you laughing out loud a good percentage of the time. Even with the odd typo, this story flows fluently and sticks its claws into you so that you just keep clicking the 'next chapter' button.