A couple of months ago, I caught five minutes of the first Twilight flick. No offense to the Twilight lovers out there, but those are five minutes I will never get back. Ever since, I vowed not to read any paranormal--YA or adult-- book. Those five minutes of wooden acting and, "Jacob...Bella...Edward," turned me off vampires and werewolves. So why did I agree to read and review Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin? It's very simple. In this book blogging world, I make an effort to discover and read new blogs. A lot of those blogs focus on YA. I saw so many YA books that piqued my interest, including Low Red Moon. When the opportunity came to participate in a blog tour with Bloomsbury, I jumped at the chance.
In Low Red Moon, we meet 17-year-old Avery Hood, who has just witnessed the murder of her parents. She knows she saw something horrific, but can't remember the details. Avery is found covered in blood, trying to put the pieces of her mutilated parents back together. All Avery can remember is the color red--blood red-- and a flash of silver. She's certain that flash of silver was not human.
In the small town of Woodlake, there have always been stories of wolves. The wolves rule the forest, and at night you can hear their calls from the woods. Legend has it, the wolves made a deal with the settlers of Woodlake. The deal ensured wives for the wolves, of course the wolves aren't 100 percent animals, they are also part human. An old wives' tale for sure, but Avery starts to wonder if there is some truth to it after meeting the mysterious and beautiful Ben Dusic.
Avery has lived her entire life in the woods, away from the heart of town, and away from her grandmother, whom she calls "Renee." Without her parents, Avery must stay with Renee. But, living in town is not the same. The forest keeps calling to her. Late nights in the forest are more comforting than living in Renee's guest bedroom, and lead to heart-to-heart talks with the new boy in town. Ben is not part of a clique. Something attracts Avery to Ben. There's something different about Ben -- something not quite human. His eyes occasionally have a flash of silver. Is it that same silver Avery saw on that fateful night? The revelation that Ben is a wolf doesn't scary Avery away, initially.
Should she stay away from Ben? Did he kill her parents? What is this power that the forest has over her? Or is she the one with the power? The story is beautifully told. You feel for Avery as she struggles with her grief. Who can she turn to? A grandmother she barely know? Instead she turns to her one true home and connection to her parents -- the forest. Avery and Ben's relationship doesn't seem forced, instead it has a natural progression. For me their relationship is the larger focus, the mystery of the wolves in Woodlake is just a backdrop. While she has some family left, Ben is the one she can talk to. It's easier for Avery to be herself around him.
The ending, however action-packed it might be, falls a little short for me. I don't want to give anything away, but the ending came out of left field for me. After all the buildup and mystery surrounding the town, Ben, and the wolves, the ending didn't seem to fit the story. It seems more like this is just the beginning for Avery and Ben. Perhaps Devlin is just setting the foundation for future adventures between Avery and Ben (Hint Hint).
Rating: Give it a try
Notes: I received a copy of the book from the publisher as part of a blog tour. For more information on the author visit: http://www.ivydevlin.com/
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