Bren Owen is bored of his small town, Map. He wants excitement, adventure, and to sail the seas. When a dying sailor gives Bren a strange coin of sorts, Bren’s journey launches into danger, mystery, and more excitement than he ever bargained for.

What I Loved:

The premise of THE VANISHING ISLAND is incredible. I love the mystery behind the Black Tulip, the magic, and the great legends. The mystery of Marco Polo’s journey is especially intriguing, and readers will easily ooh and ahh over the clues as the story builds.
The world building is strong and believable, crafting a setting that seems somewhat familiar and calm but is somehow still ripe with magical possibilities. Map is the kind of teaser town one can easily imagine a young person like Bren feeling trapped in; few opportunities exist for him, yet he is surrounded by explorers making pit stops and telling fantastical stories like those he reads about in his adventure novels.

What Left Me Wanting More:

While I understand Bren’s general motivations, I still had a hard time connecting with him. His character feels surface level, and though he does develop throughout the story, he still seems flat and a bit predictable. The plot is a little slow going at times, which may contribute to not getting a fuller force of Bren’s internal growth as there are fewer areas for his actions to give notice. Secondary character Mouse captured my interest much more easily, and Mouse’s own mystery is sure to keep readers turning the pages. The ending does give hints that a deeper course may await Bren the next book.

Final Verdict:

Though I found it difficult to connect with Bren, the enchanting premise and awesome world building make this a delightful read, perfect for eager young explorers.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/18461-the-vanishing-island-chronicles-of-the-black-tulip-1

"Rachel Woodley isn't exactly happy working as a governess, but she appreciates her job and place in life. When her mother dies, she loses her job, her home, and all the things she held dear. When she finds a photograph that shows her father isn't dead like she thought for all these years, she goes on a mission to find him and confront him. Gaining access to an earl won't be easy however, and Rachel will have to figure out how much lying she can take." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=54837

"Dave and Julia have been best friends for years, and right before they enter high school, they make a pack not to be cliché, sealing the deal with a list of all the things they will Never do. A few years later, graduation is approaching, and they decide to use their last months to do all the Nevers they wrote down even though rule #10 involves never dating your best friend, and Dave secretly loves Julia. As they break their rules, they will discover whole new sides of life they were missing and more." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=54943

Short and Sweet:

Though something feels a little off in the story, I fell hard for the beautiful writing, absorbing characters, and eery mystery!
To Elaborate…

This premise is probably one of my favorites that I’ve ever read. I LOVE magical realism, and this is a perfect example of it. The story is mystical, a little spooky, heartfelt, mysterious, and grounded in all too real characters and relationships. Some parts even verge (or full on cross over) into being trippy, but it works surprisingly well. The main characters act their ages and like to have a little fun, even while avoiding sharp objects and other potential accidents.

Something does feel a little off in the story. This could entirely be me (I definitely want to stress that), but I was really surprised at the direction to the story went. Based on the synopsis, I think I subconsciously expected the accident season to be the conflict of the story. How did it happen, why is this still going on, etc. The characters get all the answers to these questions, but they aren’t actually looking for the answers or asking the questions. Cara is focused on looking for a missing person, which does lead her to clues about the accident season, but it’s the missing person that she spends her time looking for. At the same time though, I understand why solving the mystery of the accident season wasn’t a primary conflict because of how everything turns out (can’t say much without spoilers). That might not make sense, but basically, I’m very pleased with where the story ended up and the journey there; I just didn’t expect where it went.

I have a secret love of the stepbrother/ex-stepbrother (in this case) romance trope, and I love it in this story. I know it’s not for everyone, but what I think makes this relationship stand out so much is that it’s also a friends-to-lovers kind of trope. Cara and Sam are super close, and they always have each other’s back. Their romance is minor, but it has a great slow burn. I wanted to shout, “NOW KISS!” approximately a thousand times. I also love a certain secret relationship in the story (more spoilers I can’t reveal), and the emotional responses between the entire cast of characters is entirely moving and intense.

Overall, the writing is strong and pulls the reader right in, and I finished the story in a night it was so absorbing. The emotion level is high and nearly intoxicating at times. The romance and premise are incredible, even though some aspect of the story still has me scratching my head. I decided to go with 4 stars because I would definitely read this again (and again and again), and I absolutely recommend it for lovers of magical realism.

Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2015/08/review-the-accident-season-by-moira-fowley-doyle/