When Heather McCorkle first contacted me to read The Secret of Spurce Knoll, I was enamored with the synopsis. Any book that deals with magic in a real world setting takes my heart instantly. Why? Well perhaps I'm a dreamer, but I like to think it's really out there somewhere. Who knows. People like Eren could be living somewhere and we'd never even know it! I digress though. Let's get on to the review!

Let's start with what I really liked about this book. Eren's character was fascinating to me from the beginning. Partially because of her new found abilities, but also because of her dual heritage. See, Heather McCorkle has created a character that has both Mayan and Irish background. Of course this causes all sorts of problems for her in the long run. The society in which Eren has found herself has very clear lines drawn between the four heritages that occupy it. What is a girl to do who doesn't really fall on either side? Cue dramatic tension, and some fantastic world building.

I was also very drawn in by how quickly the premise of this book really takes off. From the very beginning it is evident that Eren's parents didn't just die in a freak accident like most people think. Something happened to them that seems rather... off. I won't spoil anything at all, but I will say that everything is revealed as the story progresses. Very well I might add. There always seems to be just enough information given to keep you guessing, without making things move too slowly. The Secret of Spruce Knoll is, for the most part, a wonderfully paced read.

Now you're wondering why I marked this a star below, if I enjoyed it so much. Correct? I'll tell you honestly, it was the interaction between the characters. Eren was a wonderful protagonist, but it never felt like she really grew into her own. Eren's actions are very safe, and neutral most times. I didn't feel much of anything for her at all, and since I felt mediocre about her character, there were times when I felt mediocre about the overall story. What really struck me most though about Eren's character was how quickly she fell for Aiden. "Insta-love" is a big issue for me personally, as a reader. I would have liked to see more buildup between them, so I could feel more invested in their relationship.

The bottom line? Fantastic world-building, a unique and interesting premise, characters I just didn't fall for. The Secret of Spruce Knoll was a quick read, and one that I honestly did enjoy overall. A huge thank you to Heather McCorkle for a review copy, and for allowing me to share my honest opinion with you all. For a debut novel, this one was right on the money. I will be keeping by eye on this author for more. ( )

It seems like I've been a little down on paranormal type young adult books lately. So much of it just starts to feel like the same ol' same ol' and while each book tends to have some unique aspect it's still hard for me to feel like I really love the book. So I was a bit worried that this might end up being another so-so read. But guess what?! It wasn't! Yeah, I wasn't completely blown away, but I did really like it.

The book kind of sets off with a bang and sets up a mystery we look to solve through the novel. The book didn't feel like a mystery though and the answers came pretty easily. I think maybe the author could have made it a bit more mysterious and not given away so many details, but really it worked fine as it was as the 'mystery' wasn't really the focus of the book.

I liked Eren right away but I was afraid I was going to get annoyed because she wasn't aware of Channelers and I was just waiting for her denial and her flip out {been there, saw that}. Fortunately it all was pretty fast and we could move onto the story {I might have wished it went a bit different, but I didn't cringe too much cause it was really just a couple pages}. And she actually ended up being pretty sensible through the rest of the book. I get annoyed with all these girls that think they are just going to run in and save the day and really it's just a stupid move. And while Eren still made some decisions that made me concerned she knew what she was up against and didn't think for a second she could beat them with her powers and was usually prepared with a plan and backup.

The town kind of made me cringe at first. Yes, I admit it. It just didn't seem realistic and just a bit cheesy or something that there's this whole town that made up of all channelers and these different society's. But somehow the author made it work and it ended up not really bothering me after the initial introduction. It actually ended up having a pretty interesting backstory and I'm curious and anxious to learn more about it.

The power these people have is actually very fascinating. I'm not sure I fully understand how it works but their power comes from the earth. The earth needs to be healthy and free of toxins or they get sick. I loved that aspect because this entire town is green. Like really green. They recycle everything, they ride bikes or walk and they don't drive. While the book never focuses on this it is mentioned the different things they do because Eren is just learning about it all herself.

The romance is pretty great! The two of them spend time getting to know each other before anything romantic develops between them and Aiden isn't a 'bad boy'. He has a bit of a temper and is protective of her but he's very cautious and concerned about hurting her. He's all about protecting everyone else and while he doesn't have the best situation himself he never complains about it or tries to change anything.

The writing, the characters, the plot, it was all fantastic! I read the book in two sittings and the second half was pretty intense and hard to put down. If you like young adult paranormal type reads I definitely recommend you pick this one up! ( )