Elise Stephens

I always love the beginnings of stories - how our heroes and heroines came to be who they are. This tale is great at beginning our hero's adventure of finding who he was meant to be. The characters are strong and the story line is always moving forward. This would be a great read for middle aged children. Dragons, fairies, goblins, and other fantasy creatures are in this and are sure to be more present in future books.
I received this as an ebook for free from LibraryThing.com for my honest review.… (mais)

Moonlight and Oranges is a delightful modern day adaptation of the classical Greek mythology romance tale of Cupid and Psyche.

Author Elise Stephens weaves an enjoyable romantic story that seamlessly blends the timeless Greek classic with a modern twist. Set in Seattle, the reader follows the development of the romantic relationship of Lorona and Kestrin. Their relationship starts off with a whirlwind romance that quickly develops into passion, love, and a hasty elopement. But their marriage isn't perfect or strong enough to withstand a variety of trials and tribulations that stand in the way of true love. With a mixture of fear, doubt, secrets, lack of trust, betrayal, obstacles, intriguing twists and turns, and tough decisions, Lorona and Kestrin's love will be put to the test. Is Lorona and Kestrin's love and marriage strong enough to overcome the obstacles in their way, or will it tear them apart?

Moonlight and Oranges is an intriguing and complicated story full of emotion, passion, drama, and angst. It takes you on a roller coaster ride as Lorona and Kestrin's whirlwind relationship is put to the test time and time again. You can't help but get drawn into their story: opposites attract and fall in love, yet forces are trying to pull them apart. This story engages the reader in wondering if fate and destiny really had a hand in their relationship, and what's not to love about a great romance story intertwined with a timeless and classic Greek mythical tale that will capture the reader's attention from the beginning until the climatic ending? This is a well written and enjoyable story that will leave a smile on your face.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2015/01/moonlight-and-oranges-by-elise...… (mais)

This book seemed slow at first but picked up quickly, and when I reminded myself that it was a YA book I began to really enjoy it. It was a good mix of fantasy about the secret society and the temptations within, as well as the interactions within the family and between them and the other characters. Most of the characters, even Calvin, weren’t always very likeable at times, but they seemed true to life. This was such a dysfunctional family: as the history unfolded it made it a bit easier to understand, and Calvin’s anger, frustration and sense of responsibility come clearly through. I was angry myself with his father, but also with his mother because she was not able to be stronger and take better care of her children, and with his grandfather because of his actions. It would have been nice to hear a little more from Cleo’s point of view rather than just using her discovery as a jumping off point for Calvin’s story, because she surely was as affected by the family dynamics as Calvin.

It was fast-paced and held my attention throughout. I would recommend this book for all audiences, but particularly YA.… (mais)