My Ratings:
Vocabulary: *****
Ingredients: *****
Satisfaction: *****
Lexile Level: 990L
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Romance
My Opinions: Nore comes down to Shadow Grove to spend time with her new family and father. Since her mother's death, her father had been an unsuccessful writer. However, after meeting Lisette Berge, he fell back into his normal routine and Nore couldn't have been happier. Upon arriving, things are just plain weird. The way her family acts and the way they talk. After discovering her new family's secrets and coming close to death, the question is: Will Nore be able to save herself and her father?
I read the book in about three hours. It has a Nancy Drew feel to it which I was totally excited about. It was suspenseful and definitely a page turner. So it is definitely a great pass time book, especially when you don't have a lot of homework on a rainy weekend. Therefore, anyone can read this but I would not recommend this book for schoolprojects because there isn't much going on beneath the tip of the iceberg in this book. It is a clear plot and easy to understand.
The reason I gave this book a 3/5 in satisfaction is because with the title in mind, I already felt like I knew what the secret behind her step-mother's family was by about the sixth chapter. The way Josie, an awkward 13 year old, Lisette, the perfect stepmother, and Gabe, a highly attractive stepbrother, acted in the beginning sent red flags into my brain to note that this was no normal family. Personally, it would have been nice to not know the secret ahead of time and instead have Duncan write a plot twist in the middle. Also, if the drama between Gabe and Nore and the romance between Dave and Nore had been extended, it would have made the book a little more entertaining. It just all seemed too easy for Nore by the end of the book.
Read it for the relaxation, but don't expect the book to be impactful. Like I said before, it has a teen-detective feel to it but it definitely has an interesting plot for sure.
On a side note, I can't wait to see Age of Adeline coming out next week because it is also about a woman, played by Blake Lively, who is locked in time. Trailer looks amazing!
