Blog

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets by Danette Haworth

Posted on by J.C.

** This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.**

Title: The Summer of Moonlight Secrets

Author: Danette Haworth

Published By: Walker Childrens (2010)

Synopsis: At The Meriwether, Florida’s famous antebellum hotel off of Hope Springs, nothing is quite as it seems. Secret staircases give way to servants’ quarters and Prohibition-era speakeasies make for the perfect hide-and-seek spot. Allie Jo Jackson knows every nook and cranny of The Meriwether—she’s lived there her whole life—and nothing surprises her, until the first time she spots the enigmatic and beautiful Tara emerging from the springs.
Tara’s shimmery skin, long flowing hair, and strange penchant for late moonlight swims disguise a mysterious secret—and once Allie Jo and her friend Chase discover Tara’s secret, nothing will ever be the same. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review: 

This was a very…interesting read, and by interesting I refer to the plotline.

The characters were very vividly described, well drawn and developed; I loved the author’s choice of names and I felt like I could truly connect with each character. They were easy to love and easy to relate to. I thought the author did a good job with switching perspectives—between Chase and Allie Jo—and wrote each character with their own distinctive personalities. So in terms of character growth and development, the author did an excellent job.

The setting was a fun, realistic place as well, described skillfully and written in a way you feel like the Meriwether could truly exist. The secret passageways were intriguing, and despite the fact they were never really explored, they were a fun addition to the plotline.

But the storyline was another story. (No pun intended.) I felt it was rather overdramatic, slightly forced, and too unrealistic. For example, take Tara, the main mystery of the novel. She is hiding out at the hotel, taking midnight swims in her one pair of clothes, hiding out again, and somehow eating. Yet, nobody notices her and nobody knows she’s there—except Allie Jo and Chase (who were somehow persuaded into secrecy just by a few words). I found this whole circumstance incredibly unrealistic. This hotel she’s hiding at—the place Allie Jo lives at—is a high-up, important place from the author’s descriptions. Someone would have noticed her! Normally, this wouldn’t be a big deal; a lot of authors can get away with this. But the way this author wrote it made it seem just way too unnatural.

Secondly, when the mystery of Tara is unraveled, I found it very strange—not strange as in bad, just strange—and just not matching the style of the story at all. I understand the author is probably trying to be creative, in creating a different solution to the mystery, rather than the obvious one expected—but seriously? Instead, the answer to the mystery of Tara is so bizarre and unheard of that I wasn’t even sure what the author was talking about at first. It just didn’t line up to the rest of the story and seemed off-balance…just too fantastical compared to the rest of the book.

Negative Content/Notes:

None.

Overall:

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets did have some nice themes and great characters. But the plot twist I’ve described above was just too unusual…that while I definitely found it enjoyable, it was not a book I loved, and most likely one I will not be reading again.

Rating: 3.0

Recommended to: Not recommended. 8-10 yrs.

Magic: The Crest by Rena Marthaler

Magic: The Crest by Rena Marthaler

Posted on by J.C.

** This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.**

Title: Magic: The Crest

Author: Rena Marthaler

Published By: CreateSpace (2013)

Synopsis: Magic The Crest is the story of a group of ten-year-old girls who use special powers to battle a flying dragon menacing their elementary school. When the girls receive a prophecy to rescue a child lost in the woods, they succeed. The rescued girl joins the group on a series of thrilling adventures as they search for The Crest. The spirited, brave young ladies have to join together to battle shape-shifting animals, mythological monsters, and supernatural forces of nature on their quest for The Crest. (Taken from Goodreads)

 

Review:

 Before I begin this review, may I begin in saying that this book was written by a nine-year-old girl! It is amazing that she was able to publish such a book at her age and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Full of imagination and fun, Magic: The Crest is a fantasy novel following four friends—Rachel, Lily, Ashley, and Zoe—through the galaxy on their quest first to find a lost child, then to find the magical jewels. Each of the girls possess a certain power depending on their element—fire, earth, water, etc.—that helps them through their quests. There was some element of the girls casting spells, which in a normal book I would have been bothered by, but in this case it was a fun addition to the story.

Shape-shifting dragons, unheard-of planets, lots of magic, and a bit of nine-year-old imagination combines to create an unforgettable story. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of planets, people, and things, and meeting the many interesting characters. The plot was ever-moving and never stopped; there was always something else going on, another adventure to embark on, another person to meet or another mystery to unravel.

Negative Content/Notes:

None.

Overall:

Considering the author is so young, this was an amazing book. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this book was overflowing with nine-year-old imagination. The ideas and plot twists were ones only a nine-year-old could ever have come up with; it was a super, super fun read and I LOVED it. The writer is so creative with her names and setting. The book is written from first person of a nine year old and since the author is the same age as her main character, this was incredibly realistic; the MC sounded exactly like your average nine-year-old.

Rating: 5.0

Recommended to: I’d highly recommend this to all ages, or anybody looking for a fun read!

Banished by Teresa Gaskins

Banished by Teresa Gaskins

Posted on by J.C.

** This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.**

Title: Banished

Author: Teresa Gaskins

Published By: Tabletop Academy Press (2012)

Synopsis:

Who Stole the Magic Shard?

Crown Prince Tyler raised his hands. The crowd fell silent at once. “I have made my decision,” the prince announced. “From this moment forward: Christopher Fredrico is banished from the kingdom of North Raec. If he is found within our territory, his life will be forfeit.”

All Chris wanted was to be a peaceful scholar who could spend a lot of time with his friends. Now, falsely accused of stealing a magical artifact, he is forced to leave the only home he knows. But as he and his friends travel towards the coast, they find a riddle that may save a kingdom—or cost them their lives. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

This is an amazing book! What makes it even more amazing is the fact the author is a 13-year-old homeschool girl. I was very excited to read Banished once I found out about it, and it definitely lived up to my expectations.

The writing was incredible! I have to say, I would have never, ever guessed the age of the author based on the story; it could have easily been one of an adult author. In fact, I’ve read adult authors that aren’t even as good as this. I was very impressed!

The characters were phenomenal as well, developed very well, down to the last detail. I also loved how the author gave us a range in personalities in each character. We have Chris, determined, smart, and kind; Arnold, more on the funny side, but very protective and kind to his friends; Terrin, bold and fun-loving; and Nora, my personal favorite, sweet, quiet, and kind. They all interacted well, forming an example of friendship and enhancing the storyline and book further.

The plot was very interesting and action-filled. The book takes place in another world, and the author was very creative with the names of her countries and new creatures, of which were very well described. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Negative Content/Notes:

None.

Overall:

This book was well written with great characters, a good-paced plot, and a fun setting. I loved it and am looking forward to the second book!

Rating: 4.5

Recommended to: All ages; anyone looking for a good fantasy or adventure.

 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Posted on by J.C.

** This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.**

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Published By: Feiwel & Friends (2012)

Synopsis: 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. (Taken from Goodreads.)


Review:

What a mix of genres this book was! Sci-fi, fantasy, fairy-tale retelling, a bit of dystopia—everything! This would truly take talent to pull off, but Marissa Meyer did an excellent job.

I loved the characters for the most part, and I also really liked the author’s choice of names—Cinder, Peony, Kai, etc. Though I did feel Peony was not quite developed deep enough as a character; I felt did not get enough time with her to truly care about her. On the other hand, Cinder’s relationship with her sister was written well enough that you do at least feel for her just through knowing and caring about Cinder, even if you never particularly knew Peony yourself.

Cinderella as a cyborg was honestly just such a creative concept, and I found it to be written incredibly! It was interesting and amusing; Cinder was just such an intriguing character you just can’t help wondering and thinking about.

The fairy-tale basis powered the story, and it flowed with the story wonderfully, despite the many, many, many additions (which were also well written). I liked the way the author chose to paint Peony as one of Cinder’s friends, rather than the bratty stepsister she is in the original fairy tale. The interaction between Kai and Cinder I loved—definitely fairy-tale love.

Besides the fairy-tale element, the story had a clear sci-fi and dystopian feel. The story—which takes place in China—is a futuristic world in which robots are a big part of (a feature of dystopia) and is also a world threatened by Lunars, the people from the moon who want to invade (a feature of sci-fi).

Negative Content/Notes:

None I can recall.

Overall: 

I thought it was a fantastic read and I’m looking forward to see where the story goes in the second book, Scarlet!

Rating: 5.0

Recommended to: 12+!

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Posted on by J.C.

** This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.**

Title: Uglies (Uglies, #1)

Author: Scott Westerfield

Published By: Simon Pulse (2005)

Synopsis: 

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. In just a few weeks she’ll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunning pretty. And as a pretty, she’ll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun. But Tally’s new friend Shay isn’t sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world– and it isn’t very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally’s choice will change her world forever…(Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

While there were elements I loved about this book, there was a lot of things I either did not understand, or disliked. While there were a lot of positive themes and a pageturner plot, I doubt I’ll read it again and I wouldn’t consider it a “favorite.”

Tally as a character was easy to connect to from a reader’s perspective: while others could complain of her not being brave enough, being flat, boring, etc, I found her written very realistically. She could have been an extremely bold character, taking risks at every move, but that just isn’t realistic. Instead, she acts like the average teenager, with the same hesitancy, same fears, etc.

This book was a long book; while most of it was contributing to the storyline, there was yet a lot that I felt was pointless, just written, it felt, to make the book longer. The end was simply WAY too drawn-out and I skimmed most of those pages, just trying to find the outcome already. The book did start out very well paced—however, by Part Three, it was very dragged out, like I’ve said, and I was wondering when the chapters would stop appearing. And, of course, it ended with an abrupt cliffhanger. Sometimes this can be good, but this time, to me, it just seemed a cheesy and easy way to get people to read the sequel. Not that it’s a bad thing…I just didn’t particularly enjoy it.

There was no real suspense; the one thing that was truly intriguing for me was Shay and Tally’s friendship, and the task Tally is assigned. What I really liked about this book was that it focused on friendship rather than desperate, lovestruck characters; ultimately, it was the interaction between Tally and Shay that was the storyline, rather than a romantic interest (though of course a bit of romance snuck in, as it always does with YA novels).

Negative Content/Notes:

No negative content I can recall.

Overall:

So, to sum up:

—Good characters

—Good storyline

—So-so writing

—Not-that-good ending.

Rating: 4.0

 

 

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien

Posted on by J.C.

** This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.**

Title: Birthmarked (Birthmarked, #1)

Author: Caragh O’Brien

Published By: Roaring Brook Press (2010)

Synopsis: In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother’s footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be “advanced” into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve. Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying. (Taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien was an excellent read. It was very well written, full of rich descriptions, great-structured sentences, and easy-to-love characters. The plotline was just enough action, twists, and excitement to keep me reading and I never lost interest. Unl

ike other books, this book did not appear dragged out to me. The characters were extremely well developed, and the twists and turns in the end were well written and I did not see them coming.

As a whole, however, the story was geared towards an older audience. There were a few confronting birth scenes (our main character is a midwife) that I skipped over. It was written to further drive the point, as this is a very deep book, but it was too much for me in those few scenes.

The storyline and the writing were definitely not for a young reader. The romance between Gaia and Leon was realistic though not inappropriate, and was not the focus of the story—it was more like a background thing going on (always a plus for me!).  As for the characters themselves? While they were wonderfully described and developed, at times they seemed flat and one-dimensional, and did not react enough when things are revealed. Yet, Gaia was an easy character to love.

Negative Content/Notes:

A few confronting birth scenes described in detail. I don’t recall any inappropriate romantic scenes.

Overall:

I enjoyed reading this book; I’d say it’s a great dystopia with a fun plot!

Recommended to: Ages 13+.