Review: BooAlert Vol. 1: Trail of Tears by Moe Mae

A real estate appraiser and a “sensitive” finds herself deeply entangled in a tragic mystery stretching more than a century into the past in Boo Alert: Vol. 1 Trail of Tears by Moe Mae. In her quest to understand why these troubled specters are seeking her out, and what secrets of the past they hold, she draws the attention of an ancient evil that may spell her ultimate downfall.

Lauren’s unique abilities are front and center in the plot, from the very first chapter, but it is quickly apparent that something is changing within her. She has begun seeing the same apparitions more than once, and is unable to shake the feeling that a young Cherokee woman needs her help. Lauren enlists friends and allies to help understand this new development in her paranormal powers, and conducts her own risky investigations through her dreams, unraveling the secrets of her historic new home, the shadowy Burlman family, and the legacy of cruelty and betrayal that the Cherokee suffered in the face of American ambition.

While the dream sequences and extensive visions from the past provide narrative flexibility to Lauren’s voice in the novel, the other key historical figures, Awinita and Raleigh, are just as engaging. The shifting points of view keep the energy of the book up, and allow for visceral storytelling, rather than journal entries or vague visions of events long past.

Over the course of the novel, Lauren evolves from casual spirit observer to full-fledged ghost hunter, Awinita is forced to flee with her family on the Trail of Tears, growing up in painful ways each day, and Raleigh must reconcile the brutal battle between patriotic duty and his basic humanity. These high-stakes plot lines mix and mingle in unpredictable ways, across time and space, so while the story can occasionally seem disjointed, the author shows an impressive amount of draftsmanship.

For those who love historical fiction, this paranormal-heavy read certainly ticks that box as well, offering vantage points from the Cherokee Nation and the US Army’s indefensible moral position. This book may delve into spiritual realms and pure fiction, but the historical events and existential lessons are very real. More importantly, this is a part of US History that remains a shameful and rarely discussed scar, so any author shedding new light is doing valuable work.

At times, however, the exposition-heavy conversations feel unnatural, particularly early in the book. Being overly explicit in a mysterious and paranormal novel is unnecessary – a bit of uncertainty and suspense is a good thing, and Mae strives for clarity in the prose, sometimes to a fault. Similarly, in the dialogue exchanges, characters’ motivations are too apparent, and the interactions can feel stilted. The internal monologues and exclamations are also overdone, as though nudging readers to feel a specific emotion, while making it hard for them to authentically experience the story. Finally, simple grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and lackluster sentences or passages could be improved with a basic editing sweep.

That said, the storytelling eventually hits a stride, and the interactions take on a more organic feel. Furthermore, the emotional power of this novel is undeniable, and the carefully interwoven stories make for a compelling, time-jumping tale that grips the heart. Despite some technical stumbles, BooAlert lays the foundation for an exciting and thought-provoking series.