K. R. S. McEntire is from the generation that dashed through platform 9 ¾, fell in love with vegetarian vampires and motorcycle-riding werewolves, and took down a corrupt government during the Hunger Games. Her sorting hat placed her in Gryffinpuff (she's convinced it's a thing).

McEntire remembers how magical it felt to follow wardrobes into unimaginable worlds, and she hopes to bring that same joy to the next generation. Her earliest introduction to swords, dragons, and mythical kingdoms was playing RPG games alongside her father, and she's glad that writing allows her to build her own epic worlds.

She runs the Facebook page Diverse Books With Magic, where she promotes diversity in speculative fiction. McEntire lives in Indianapolis with her husband and her two sons, Justus and Kaden

Making Eden by K. R. S. McEntire

In post-apocalyptic Chicago, only the Cleansed survive.

Seventeen-year-old Ivy would do anything to save her mother—giving up her mutant abilities in a Cleansing ceremony is a price she's willing to pay. It's the only way to get her hands on the medicine her mother needs.

Asher hopes the Cleansing will secure a safer life for his girlfriend, Ivy—one where she's less likely to get slaughtered for simply walking down the street. A life where she can get legally married, ideally, to him.

But Ivy's Cleansing goes horribly wrong. When mutants disappear, Asher must discover where the missing mutants have gone. Will Asher and Ivy find each other and discover the truth about the treatment before more mutants vanish?

X-Men meets The Darkest Minds in this dystopian fantasy adventure.

While Making Eden is part of The Eden Saga trilogy, it can be read and understood as a standalone.

CURATOR'S NOTE

K. R. S. McEntire champions diversity in speculative fiction, running the popular Facebook page Diverse Books With Magic. And the thrilling conclusion to The Eden Saga is no diffrent. Follow seventeen-year-old Ivy's journey in Making Eden, blending a diverse rag-tag group of teens in a magical mutant dystopia. Perfect for fans of X-Men, The Hunger Games, and The Darkest Minds. – Zelda Knight

 

REVIEWS

  • "I read the first two books in this series one after the other, and had to pre-order this one to find out what happened next. I loved the way each book in the series has focused on two different people. The story was engaging from the first page and took you along for a ride. You find yourself on the edge of your seat, trying to guess where the twists and turns are going to take you. I adored the ending, adored the way the series came together and the world building along the way. This is a must read for anyone who loves dystopian or post-apocalyptic stories. Very very well written and highly engaging and recommended!"

    – Amazon Review

  • "SOOO MUCH ROMANCE in this one!!!:-). Makes you smile and makes your heart full!!:-). The settings were INCREDIBLE!!!:-). The adventure starts right from jump and you are breathless throughout a ton of this adventure!!! GIVES SOOO MUCH HOPE for the future which is unique and refreshing in the dystopian genre!!!:-). LOVED IT!!!:-)"

    – Amazon Review

  • "This book makes you think a little about basic human rights and how much society is willing to let go of in order to be safe. I greatly enjoyed the thought-invoking plot the author has created to showcase what a true dystopian society would look like."

    – Amazon Review
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Ivy held her hospital gown shut with trembling hands as she stood in line in the waiting room. Surrounded by a sea of women in tiny white robes, she watched her peers clasp their arms firmly across their chests for some semblance of modesty.

The waiting room in the medical office was too clean and the walls were a ghostly white. Metal chairs were stacked in the corner, forcing the patients to stand, and fluorescent overhead lights cast human-shaped shadows on the ivory tiled floor. There were no windows; no way to peek at the decaying Earth outside.

No way to escape.

Soon, we will all be ghosts, Ivy thought. Even though the Wardens of the Watch promised that Cleansing was the start of a better life, she knew a part of her spirit would die. Once the needle pierced her skin, she would never be herself again. Her most powerful and forbidden parts would be gone.

A bright red door was the only pop of color in the room. The Wardens promised that what was beyond the door was nothing to worry about; this facility was just like the main hospital in town.

Of course, mutants were not allowed to use hospitals. Ivy and all of the other patients had no practical frame of reference to pull from. She'd seen a hospital in a movie that predated the Bio Wars but guessed the hospitals that existed in New America were not like the ones in old movies and books. She didn't know why the Wardens of the Watch separated men from women, or why everyone had to strip down to get a shot. All she knew was that the fear in the room was as strong as the scent of antiseptic, and she wanted to be done with this and move on with her life.

I'm gaining more than I'm giving up, Ivy reminded herself as the red door creaked open.

"Haven." A bearded man in a Warden uniform—a tailored and utilitarian blue suit with red and white accents—motioned for the next girl in line to walk in.

Ivy's chest tightened as she watched the girl approach the Warden. The girl's golden complexion and curly dark hair reminded Ivy of her mother. Soon, Ivy would finally be able to buy medicine for her mom. She'd have access to stores, hospitals, and doctors. Even if her mother refused to take the cure, she could find a way to use her new status to help her mother. In addition, she'd be able to legally marry and start a life with her boyfriend. Asher would save every penny to afford the medicine. He was fully dedicated to helping the people that she loved.

In order to gain anything in life, you typically have to lose something. It's just one shot. One small death followed by a life better than the one I have now. The Cleansing is nothing to be afraid of, Ivy reminded herself. A part of me will die, but my mother will live. The people I love are worth it.

Ivy chewed her fingernails, a nervous habit that she thought she'd overcome years ago when she'd started journaling. Being separated from friends and family and working for The Mutants in Service to Society program had brought her nervous habits back.

Ivy could see the girl's limbs trembling as she stepped toward the bearded man, but could only speculate if it was due to the cold or due to fear. The girl took a deep breath before following the Warden through the door. The door shut behind them with a loud bang.