Book Review: Beckoning Light

Beckoning Light

by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Series: The Afterglow Trilogy #1
Release date: 25th July, 2011
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 256 (ebook received in exchange of an honest review)

Summary from Goodreads:

As Charlotte steps through the gate, she has a strong feeling that nothing will ever be the same again.

Moving back to South Carolina after three years away, Charlotte knows she's going to have to face people from her past and adjust to a new high school, but she's completely unprepared for what else waits for her in Charleston.

Drawn through an old garden gate, Charlotte discovers a hidden world where she meets Calvin, a boy to whom she is inexplicably attracted. As Charlotte is pulled deeper into this hidden world, it's up to her older brother Kevin to rescue her. No matter how hard Kevin tries, the rescue depends upon Charlotte fighting her intense feelings for Calvin while mastering a set of abilities that she has only just discovered she possesses.

Review By Alaiel Kreuz:

Charlotte and Kevin, her brother, move to South Carolina to live with their uncle. It's been three years since they left and althoug Kevin is okay with the situation Charlotte is not so happy about it.
First there's that akward last moment with Liam, Kevin bestfriend and Charlotte' secret crush, after she decided to kiss him and got basically rejected. Right?
And second because well, she is shy. Easy-going but shy and making friends would be a little difficult. The only thing she could do? Take it easy, watch and learn and then make friends.

But then everything changes when she remembers something: one of the rules she always respected was to never cross the old garden gate. Never. Until now. Now her curiosity is bigger than that old childhood fear... And so she does cross the gate and a whole new world appears before her eyes.

Alongside gorgeous Calvin, Charlotte discovers the truth about her inheritance. Now would she be able to cross back to her old wold? More important: Does she want to go back?

Without realizing it she is going to need all the help she can get to see her brother and her friends again.

Personal opinion:
This is on of those books that you can easily read in one day. The plot is not new but it is well written. And somehow, after reading the blurb, my mind connected it with The Secret Garden (one of my favorite books when I was a child); it must be the whole gate thing...

Anyway, as I was saying, I enjoyed the book a lot. The fact that the author decided to divide it between Charlotte and Kevin's POV was a clever and good decision.
Maybe, if you are not familiar with it can be a little bit confusing or you just might find yourself wanting to skip pages to continue. I really encourage you not to do it. The change of POV increases the intrigue and the rush of adrenaline.

The characters are really easy to relate to: Charlotte is shy but at the same time has this inner strong girl that comes to surface when she needs it most; Kevin is the usual brother that watches out for her even after they fight (and their fights are hilarious).
Then we have Liam, the one that somehow rejected Charlotte a few years ago but now has a crush on her (and a character I really want to see more in the next book). And finally Calvin towards whom I have mixed feelings... I know Charlotte likes him and he is very mysterious and cute but... oh, well, I'm not going to spoil anything, I suggest you just read it and then tell me your opinion about him.

Maybe you will find the beginning to be a little slow but don't worry too much about it, a good book needs a good foundation and Beckoning Light is a clear example.

Alaiel's Rating:

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