ARC Review: Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Title: Low Red Moon
Author: Ivy Devlin
Release Date: 9/14/2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Number of Pages: 256
Reading Level: Young Adult


2 out of 5 Stars












Description from Goodreads:


Avery Hood is reeling from the loss of her parents--and the fact that she can't remember what happened to them even though she was there. 

She's struggling to adjust to life without them, and to living with her grandmother, when she meets Ben, who isn't like any guy she's ever met before. 

It turns out there's a reason why, and Ben's secret may hold the key to Avery finding out what happened to her parents... 

But what if that secret changes everything she knows about--and feels for--Ben.


My thoughts:


Avery’s parents are murdered, and she is found covered in blood at the scene of the crime. Sent to live with her estranged Grandmother, Avery struggles to try to regain her memories from that tragic night. She meets the mysterious Ben with his silver eyes. With this comes the knowledge something silver was there the night of her parent’s death. Now she is worried that the boy she is falling in love with may have had a hand in the murder of her parents.


I really wanted to love this one, but it didn’t happen. I don’t feel I ever really connected with any of the characters, and the writing did nothing to draw me in. While the relationship between Ben and Avery felt rushed the plot itself lagged. The ending did make up a bit for my disappointment because it was not what I was expecting. I love endings that I don’t see coming. I’m going to assume by how the novel ends this is the first in a series. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. With my lack of interest in the characters I don’t think I’ll continue if it is.


Other bloggers are loving Low Red Moon so I might just be the odd blogger out. 

*Received from Around The World Tours

ARC Review: Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Title: Cate of the Lost Colony
Author: Lisa Klein
Release Date: 10/12/2010
Reading Level: Young Adult


My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars












Description from Goodreads:


The greatest unsolved mystery of American history--what happened to all the colonists who landed on Roanoke Island in 1587? This novel traces the fortunes and misfortunes of one Cate Archer, banished to Virginia by a jealous Queen Elizabeth because of her dalliance with Sir Walter Ralegh. What will be her fate in this dangerous New World?


My thoughts:


Catherine Archer is an orphan who is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve as one of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies. Initially in the Queen’s good graces, Lady Catherine finds herself shunned because she acts upon a forbidden attraction. Cate is fascinated by the “new world” and longs for a life of travel and adventure. Exile to Virginia doesn’t seem like much of a punishment. Faced with difficult challenges in her new home on Roanoke Island, Cate must either give up or persevere.


Author, Lisa Klein, takes an American mystery and adds her own spin. Historical facts embellished with fiction leads to one amazing novel. History buffs will eat this one up. The author creates a plausible answer to what happened to the colonists that disappeared from Roanoke Island. Catherine’s relationships with Sir Walter Ralegh and Croatoan Indian, Manteo, adds a nice romantice element to the book.  The author managed to create quite a story, with a fascinating cast of characters. I look forward to reading more of Lisa Klein’s novels in the near future. 

Lisa Klein on the web:

Website

Source: Around the World Tours

ARC Review: Deception by Lee Nichols

Title: Deception (Haunting Emma #1)
Author: Lee Nichols
Release date: 6/8/2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Number of pages: 304
Reading Level: Young Adult

4 out of 5 Stars

ARC provided by A Book-lovers’ Review ARC Tours






Description from Goodreads:

When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

A rich New England setting filled with mystery, tradition, and prep-school intrigue make Deception the perfect choice for fans of series like Kate Brian’s Private, as well as all those paranormal fans. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two.

My thoughts:

Deception is a real page turner.  I managed to read it in just a few hours.  The characters were interesting and well developed.  I found protagonist Emma easy to connect with.  After spending most of her life feeling like second best she finds herself abandoned by everyone she thought cared.  I really felt for her, and could imagine the pain she was feeling.


Deception contained an interesting ghost story that kept me reading late into the night.  It also has a romance that promises to invoke warm fuzzies, as well as a little love triangle for those that dig that type of thing.  I’m a fan of warm fuzzies and love triangles so that was a definite win-win for me.  I didn’t find anything about this story predictable.  The conclusion was a real shocker, and left my heart feeling a wee bit bruised.  It all ended with what I’d consider a cliffhanger as well as several unanswered questions.  Frustrating for me yes, but also a guarantee I’ll read the next book.  Deception is a promising start to a new young adult trilogy.

If you like ghost stories and the paranormal check this one out.  Deception does contain some adult language, and sexual predicaments.  You may want to keep that in mind when recommending it to the younger teens and tweens.

Lee Nichols on the web:

Website | Twitter | Blog

Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Title: Magic Under Glass
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Available: Now
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Number of pages: 240
Reading Level: Young Adult

4 out of 5 Stars

My copy was borrowed from my local public library







Description from Goodreads:

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

My thoughts:

Magic Under Glass is an enjoyable story of a girl with big dreams, and the challenges she faces because of the color of her skin. As the mom of biracial children, I’m thrilled to see a novel with a main character of color. I loved the author’s writing style, and felt the characters were well developed for such a short novel. I connected with Nimira instantly, and quickly grew attached. If I could change anything about this book it would be the length. Even just 50 more pages would have made for a “meatier” plot, and a possible 5 star rating from me. The ending also didn’t provide the closure I was hoping for. I understand it is setting us up for a sequel, but I wasn’t thrilled that the primary conflict was left unresolved. So both of  my complaints lean towards me wanting more. If there was ever a good complaint to receive, I think that would be it. I can’t wait for the sequel, Magic Under Stone.

I would recommend Magic Under Glass to readers that enjoy fantasy novels especially those set in a historical time period. I feel it is a safe read even for young teens.  If you like faeries and magic check this one out.

Magic Under Glass Trailer

Jaclyn Dolamore on the web:

Website | Blog