Book Review: Emerald Isle

Title: Emerald Isle: A Fascination Island Book

Author: Kate Hinderer

Publisher: Self-published

Pages: PDF; 181

Release Date: July 16, 2012

Source: Author

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Intended Reading Group: Young Adult

Content Screening: Nothing of note

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HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers looking for a fun, lighter read as their next pick.

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

To escape a bad break-up and fighting parents Audyn takes a job as a lifeguard at Fascination Island. The posh five-star resort lives up to its name in every way, including the strange rules the owner has about entering the water at night. Despite declaring it a boy-free summer, it isn’t long before the shy, endearing Levi and the mysterious, tattooed Tristan begin vying for her attention. When Levi tries to push his advantage and Tristan comes to the rescue, Audyn realizes there is more to both these boys and the island they inhabit. Suddenly, she’s forced to acknowledge a reality she’d never considered and to pick a side in the conflict that has been waging for decades.

Audyn’s life has taken a sour turn. Her latest boyfriend cheated on her with a best friend. She’s feeling down in the dumps. What else is there to do but get out of town? Calling in a favor, Audyn runs from her home in New York to Fascination Island. A land where the wealthy come to play, and she can just get away. Little does Audyn know what awaits her there!

It’s a little hard to review this book fully without giving anything away, but I’ll do my best! Audyn is a likable character. The thing that made me like her most was watching her grow during the book. Learning to accept things from both sides, it was this growth that helped her ultimately in the story. I also rather enjoyed her job on the island. The rules made things interesting, and kind of added an element of suspense to the story line. I was always waiting to see what would happen next.

Unfortunately the book moved a little slow for me. At only 180+ pages, I was surprised that I felt that way. I honestly believe it was due to the fact that there is a lot of dialogue between characters. It tends to eat up the pages. The twist in this story intrigued me, and I liked the feud, but the boys themselves really didn’t draw me in. Since I didn’t feel much for either one, I wasn’t really committed to their struggle. Only my opinion, as you know! I know that other readers will find plenty to love.

The good part about it all though is that Audyn shines the farther into the story that she gets. The more that she learns, the further she delves into the secrets surrounding Fascination Island, the more I liked her. Hers is a character that has heart. It’s so nice to see a girl who can be a hero! So ultimately, despite what I mentioned above, I did enjoy the overall story. I just wish that it had drawn me in a little bit more.

At the end of the day, Emerald Isle was a book that I did actually end up reading the whole way through and enjoying. I’d recommend it to readers who like a lighter read, with a slight paranormal twist. You won’t get more out of me than that. If you want to know what happens, you’ll have to find out for yourself!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.