Dream snatcher by Clara Coulson.
They say the crash is an accident. They lie.
Ella Dean is a sixteen-year-old girl with a big dream: scoring a spot at Julliard to pursue her passion for piano.But when a mysterious attack by an unknown assailant kills Ella's mother, an assistant district attorney, and leaves Ella hospital bound for months, her life's dream is ripped out from under her feet.Six months later, a much-altered Ella stumbles upon a clue to the truth about her mother's murder, and inadvertently sets off a series of events that will redefine her future forever.
A very good read. Great story and characters. 4*.

I don't often get the chance to read novellas related to series, but this was well worth picking up. I loved learning a bit of the history of two characters from the main series. And was totally impressed that the same sassy, humourous tone was handled as well in this story as in the main series. Seriously, I giggled quite a few times, and will never read another book from the main series without looking at Riker in a new light.

This is definitely a great quick read for anyone who loves the City of Crows series already, or wants to learn what the feel and tone of the series is about, before they jump in.

Ella Dean’s life is turned upside down after a mysterious car crash that kills her mom and leaves her in a coma. The accident reports imply the car hydroplaned; However, Ella distinctly remembers a suspicious man with a yellow aura standing in the middle of the road who seemingly caused it. So, Ella sets out to track down the killer. After months of no luck, she finally gets a break, when she overhears a certain hot guy (Nick Ryker) to have a file on her mother. She steals the file and reads it, before Nick comes after her. She manages to punch him, breaking his nose. He does, however, captured her, but to her surprise, instead of taking her to the police, they go to the DSI, an undercover agency that finds aliens who are a threat to human society. A new world opens for Ella, and she is determined to give her life a new turn: helping the DSI chase the one responsible for killing her mother... not to mention all the other creatures out there.

If this book is any standard for the City of Crows series, then I'll be reading that next. Funny, heartbreaking and full of suspense. What can a girl want more? Well, for Ella Dean it is simple: find the guy (or being, since sending fireballs towards your car can never be done by a simple human) who is responsible for her mothers death.

Although everybody says the car had aquaplaned, she is certain what she saw. Someone wanted them dead. So, now she quit her pursuit of getting entered into Juilliard, and she is tracking down that guy.

After months of no succes, she finally gets a break, when she overhears a certain hot guy (Nick Ryker) to have a file on her mother. She is able to steal the file and read it, before Nick comes after her.

Scared, but the determined, she fights him and breaks his nose. After he has captured her, to her surprise, he does not take her to the police. But to the DSI: an undercover agency trying to find aliens who are a threat to human society.
A new world opens for Ella, and she is determined to give her life a new turn: helping the DSI chase the one responsible for killing her mother. And all other creatures out there.
Aliens beware: here is Ella Dean. Four out of five stars from me. And a thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Dream Snatcher, Clara Coulson

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Sci-fi and Fantasy

City of Crows is an amazing series, one for readers who want more than most of the paranormal offerings around, don't want the thin story wrapped around a "he-of-some-type meets she-of-some-type" plot.  
I've loved the books out so far, and I love when authors do this, give us a novel centred around one ( or two in this case!) characters, so we see their backstory and understand them better. 

Ella in the series is dedicated, clever, talented and its clear she's been with the team a long time. Just how young she was when she joined we can now find out. 
Its was great seeing teen Ella, seeing her on the track of a dangerous man, and especially as its set back in time and kept to the low tech, no mobiles, and fledgling DSI, when they're first set up. Well, they exist when Ella gets caught up, but they are clearly new-ish, and the bottom end of financial priorities.

Ella is an ordinary kid, albeit one devoted to her music, when tragedy strikes, rips her mum away and sets her on a very different course.
I loved the way the story played out, the way it felt so real, especially as I look back to my teens, no mobiles, tech stuff etc and she does things the way I would back then. disposable camera and 24 hr photo shops, no mobiles and digital pics back then, and its trains and buses for transport, with the odd taxi.
Its not just Young Ella but a real story too, a typical exciting, well planned suspense, and I enjoyed it very much. 

The other person we meet at a younger age is terrific too and it spread a new light on what I'd read. I really hope Clara writes more of these how-they-joined-DSI stories.  

Stars: Five, terrific read whether you're new to city of Crows, or like me already a fan. A great intro to a new world. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers