The Therans: Secrets Beneath Scars Is a Fantasy Rollercoaster

A deeply personal book, Cyndi Brec’s new title reveals both crucial strengths and weaknesses of the modern Romantasy genre.

Set in a haunting Ohioan landscape, this young adult fantasy romance weaves drama, supernatural intrigue, and a coming-of-age story into one tale.

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Author Cyndi Brec

A Tense Introduction to The Therans Universe

The novel centers on sixteen-year-old Callie Tresham, a character burdened by a tragic past and a mysterious gift. She is shaped by the haunting memory of her parents' brutal murder—a murder she had a premonition about but couldn’t prevent.

Brec constructs a vivid Ohioan town backdrop, enriched by her own historical knowledge. This setting comes to life with its eerie atmosphere and unexplored secrets, grounding the story in a place that feels simultaneously mystical and familiar. The homage to the horror genre in world-building is scathingly obvious, you can practically hear Stephen King’s pen scratching against paper all the way from Maine.

Brec’s experience with her family co-owning a 200-year-old historic water mill inspired much of the setting and the atmosphere, certainly not to the detriment of your suspension of disbelief.

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Multi-Faceted Plot

Brec excels at keeping readers on edge, balancing fast-paced action scenes with moments of quiet introspection, which offer readers a chance to see Callie wrestle with her inner fears and hopes.

This journey into the unknown is marked by encounters with friends, enemies, and even potential love interests who bring out new facets of Callie’s personality.

The slight problem occurs once a love interest is introduced. Brec is certainly not the first author to fall victim to Romantasy’s expectations and the narrative foil that comes with balancing teenage romance with the mission.

Many entries in this genre tend to follow familiar story structures and character archetypes—strong but emotionally scarred heroine, an unfolding love interest, ancient legends—without adding fresh layers to the storytelling style or tackling themes with a new approach. The love story in Brec’s entry certainly does not ruin the mission, but it is a little too sweet against the haunted backdrop introduced at the beginning.

The romance feels a little too Seth Cohen/Summer Roberts circa 2004. I would argue this story is interesting enough to stand on its own without the romantic subplot.

A Remarkable Debut with Layers of Intrigue

As a debut, The Therans: Secrets Beneath Scars establishes Cyndi Brec as an exciting new voice in YA fantasy romance. Her storytelling style is personal, authentic, and often lovely. Brec’s ability to create suspense and maintain a steady rhythm makes it hard to put the book down once you start.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the genre or new to it, Secrets Beneath Scars is worth picking up.

4.5/5*

Cyndi Brec writes her heroine into dangerous webs of deception while she sips French vanilla iced coffee. She’s an avid reader turned YA fantasy romance writer with a Recreational Therapy background who has penned The Therans Series.

You can preorder Cyndi's book here: Therans: Secrets Beneath the Stars