*This title will be released on September 14, 2010*
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Book Description
A tale of heart-stopping love, death, amnesia . . . and dangerous creatures.
The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans. As breathless as Twilight and as spooky as Shiver, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting—by an acclaimed YA author making her paranormal debut under the pseudonym Ivy Devlin.
Review
Book 1 in The Low Red Moon Series
LOW RED MOON is the Twilight version of Little Red Riding Hood. At least it really, really wants to be.
The main character’s name in Avery Hood, she literally goes through the forest to her grandmother’s house, there’s a wolf (although this time he’s a beautiful teenager named Ben) and even a hunter (or rather a sheriff). There are some beautiful passages in the book and a solid mystery, but the romance felt rushed and the paranormal elements so vague and mysterious as to be more frustrating than fascinating.
Avery’s love interest Ben has one single defining characteristic: he’s beautiful. He barely speaks and when he does, he’s pensive and full of cryptic warnings. Despite this, he and Avery are lightning quick acknowledge that they are magically meant for each other even though Avery is pretty sure Ben slaughtered her parents. This is one of those relationships you just have to accept from the get-go to enjoy.
My other big hang up were the paranormal elements. LOW RED MOON is saturated with references to the power of the forest, the malevolence inside it, and its connection with Avery, yet we are never told how, why, or even what that means. The werewolf mythology is a little more flushed out, for example the whole forced change during the full moon is false, but not by much.
The mystery of who/what killed Avery’s parents was the strongest part of LOW RED MOON and I found myself accusing everyone by the end of the book. I also enjoyed the damaged but salvageable relationship between Avery and her grandmother, as well as the character of Avery herself.
LOW RED MOON is a short book (256 pages, but my ARC was less than 200) and it felt more like a novella then a full story, especially considering the super rushed romance, and the extremely cryptic supernatural elements. I can appreciate what it was trying to be (Twilight meets Little Red Riding Hood), I just think don’t think it completely pulled it off. Another hundred pages could have gone a long way towards building Avery and Ben’s relationship more credibly which would have turned this good book into a great book. Fans of Twilight and Carrie Jones Need series will enjoy this book, as did I, but the shortcomings I mentioned keep it from being as good as either of those.
Sexual Content: Kissing. Very mild sensuality.
My Rating (out of 5):Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.
Previous books in the series:
- N/A
Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult - Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (September 14, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1599905108
- ISBN-13: 978-1599905105
- Cover Art: N/A
*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of Bloomsbury
Good review! I agree with some of what you said as well. Although I still enjoyed the book. I'm hoping the mystery of the forest and its magic is explored later on. And the quickness of the love relationship was a little too fast, but like you said, you have to roll with it to enjoy the rest of the book!
ReplyDeleteOMGoodness-- how did I msis the little red riding hood!! Great catch!
ReplyDeleteJessica - It's a fabulous idea...I just wish it had been more fully explored.
ReplyDeleteBrandileigh - I was halfway way through the book before it clicked for me too :)
Being sort of a modern adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood definitely peaks my interest, but the Twilight comparison (which other reviewers have pointed out as well)turns me off big time. Yeah, not a fan of Twilight or its derivatives.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review!
Marg - You might want to steer clear of this one then.
ReplyDelete