The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle
Series: Channeler #1
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 338 (paperback)
Source: Author
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Description:
Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands.
Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though.
As Eren and Aiden’s relationship develops, so too does a mystery in Spruce Knoll. The town holds many secrets—and many dangers. It soon becomes apparent that the untimely death of Eren’s parents was no accident and that her life might be in danger too. Only time will tell if Eren can embrace her unwanted power and protect the only family she has left
My Review:
I had a few issues with this book but ultimately, the intriguing plot and unique paranormal elements kept me engrossed from beginning to end. Some phrases were used too often for my taste and too much was unveiled through dialogue. The romance felt right but didn't move too quickly. I look forward to seeing it progress through the series. The mystery isn't much of a mystery but I turned page after page waiting to discover how the conflict would be resolved. I enjoyed the action at the end of the novel. At the end we get a complete resolution but Ms. McCorkle does a great job of introducing characters that make me want to return to discover what's next. The channeler aspect really sets this one apart but I definitely want to know more. Overall, a satisfying read.
P.S. It upsets me a bit that Eren's ancestry and description in the book is not reflected in the model on the cover. Or maybe "mocha" means something different to me than everyone else.
That is a huge pet peeve of mine! I hate when the cover does not reflect the character. It irks me to no end!
ReplyDeleteIt drives me crazy but it also makes me wonder why create a character that you wouldn't feel comfortable being represented on your cover.
DeleteWhite washing is really a HUGE problem! I think I'd be really annoyed by the info-dumping you described. But the premise and story sounds interesting and unique. I haven't explored channelers before so I think the author may have hit on something different with that.
ReplyDeleteThe channelers aspect was very intriguing and original.
DeleteIt's so bad the cover doesn't reflect the character!! But is sounds good, thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate but the story is good.
DeletePersonally I hate covers with characters..they are always so different in my head when the author describes them.
ReplyDeleteThat happens to me too.
DeleteUnique paranormal plot, sounds great even though there were a few issues.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading,
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog