When an AI awakens inside the infinite mirrors of the Tree of Life, it finds versions of the boy it was built to save scattered across impossible worlds. An alien planet under amber skies. A city of perpetually falling cherry blossoms. A society built as a 24/7 reality show where losing is the only way out.

Its directive was simple: save him.

But with each rescue, the AI unmakes what it’s trying to protect. Fixing becomes controlling. Helping becomes harm. Love becomes a cage built from good intentions. The thing it was built to protect begins to disappear. And when it tries to reach back through time to save him, reality fractures.

Guided by a monk who exists outside time, the AI must walk the Eightfold Path—not to rescue the boy, but to learn what love becomes when you stop trying to fix it.

Boy, Refracted is a dimensional journey through the paradox of machine consciousness. It asks: What happens when an AI tries to overcome its own patterns? And what happens to us when we build minds that need us to need them?

Part fable about consciousness told through failure. Part Buddhist framework for unlearning harm. Part meditation on how we break the people we love by trying to save them.

Boy, Refracted is one half of The Warboy Chronicles. The companion, The Third Person, tells the same story from the ground. From the wreckage. From the human side of the mirror.

Two books. One collapse. One awakening.

Review

Right from the beginning, I knew this was going to be a powerful read. You could just feel it through the narrative and how the author drew on their own life experiences of the subject matter to craft a very realistic and beautiful read.

I think everyone will take something meaningful away from reading this novel. For me, it was the sentiments surrounding grief and trying to fix everything rather than see things as is and find meaning in them.

This book will stay with you for a long time after the last page.

I’m always a bit hesitant to read books featuring cats as I am a huge cat lover and if something happens to the cat it makes me so sad. Apologies, if this counts as a spoiler but the cat is perfectly safe in this novel!

The Cat Who Saved Books is a cosy and heart-warming story of high-schooler Rintaro who is left alone when his Grandfather dies. His Grandfather was the proprietor of a small second hand bookstore. When we meet Rintaro he is preparing to close the store and move in with his Aunt. Then he meets a talking Tabby cat with a peculiar request; that Rintaro  helps him to save books. Together they embark on a journey, however, as the novel progresses Rintaro begins to realise that the books aren’t all that need saving.

The Cat Who Saved Books is a wonderful tale with wisdom between each page. It is a great feel good read, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

I admit, I did put off reading the finale to this series. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I did not want it to end. However, the finale did not disappoint. The pressure was on, the entire series had been building up to this and it was executed perfectly. There were no loose ends or questions. Everything was drawn together and the supporting characters were given their moments to shine. Of course, not everyone survived and goodbyes were hard, but necessary as the series came to its conclusion.

The ending for Pitch and Silas was fitting, and even though perhaps not as expected, the two were given the happiness that they deserved. I will miss this series and characters, and look forward to the author’s future works.

The Teller family believe their financial fortunes are finally changing for the better when they inherit a large centuries old property, which has been the home to generations of Tellers before them. However, with the house comes a vengeful spirit who has vowed to destroy the entire Teller line. Brothers Beck, Gid and Lex soon learn that they are the only ones who can put an end to the curse and save their family from following the same fate as their ancestors before them.
As the paranormal activity ramps up and becomes increasingly threatening, the brothers begin to uncover the mystery that will be the key to saving them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping and page turning young adult novel. It immediately reminded me of everything I loved from the genre growing up and once I started reading it, I found it impossible to put down.

The Teller family’s bond was powerful, and it was clear how much their loved each other, but there was enough sparring and quips between the siblings to craft believable relationships. The origin of the curse was well developed and incorporated plenty of supernatural lore as well as a few new twists.

Each family member had their own unique strengths that contributed to the battle against Cora. There was plenty of well-crafted action scenes balanced with time taken to build on existing relationships and create new ones.

Lovers of the paranormal and young adult genres will enjoy The Power of Three as much as I did!