Radhika Mundra
Author: Tonya Royston
Price (Kindle Edition): $0.99/ ₹66
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 3/5
ISBN- 9781530218721
Young Adult is quite a repetitive genre, so while choosing the books, I make sure there is a new element or something different than the normal cliches. ‘Gypsy Magic’ by Tonya Royston, book one in the Gypsy Magic Trilogy, is a YA paranormal romance which is, thankfully, not following all the cliches. Here’s my review of the same:
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| Source: www.jennifergibson.ca |
Blurb from the book:
Gracyn Pierce is starting over. She has a new home, a new boyfriend, and a new horse. Everything is perfect, or so it seems. Because Gracyn left a secret behind. In her quest to erase the memory of that night, she forces herself to study hard, her sights set on an Ivy League college.
But her attempts to stay focused are derailed when the neighbor suspected of murdering his sister returns to town. As if that isn’t enough, her senses begin to change in ways that aren’t physically possible. As hard as she tries to find an explanation, there isn’t one.
Gracyn soon learns that things are not what they appear to be. Even her sister who took her in is hiding something. Will Gracyn continue pursuing her goal of getting accepted to a top-notch university, or will the secrets of the past and present ruin her future?
Plot- Gracyn, a teen, has recently found out about a sister her mother gave up for adoption long before her birth. Her mother has a new job in Moscow but she chooses to move to Sedgewick, Massachusetts instead, to live with her newly found half-sister Becca and her husband to finish her senior year of high school.
Gracyn doesn’t mind the change as she has a few secrets of her own. In the conquest of erasing the memories of that night, she throws herself into studying as hard as she can to get into a top Ivy League college. Becca is thrilled to have her and gifts her a horse named Gypsy which helps Gracyn overcome her fear of horses due to a scary riding incident from her childhood.
Gracyn adjusts with the new school, makes new friends while focusing hard on her studies. Along the way, she meets Alex, a senior, and they hit it off well. Then enters the ‘bad boy’, the third wheel to the budding romance, Lucian.
Lucian is the prime suspect in a two-year-old murder that took place in the woods in Becca’s neighborhood. Even though she’s scared, Gracyn is drawn to Lucian but she is dating Alex and as it so seems, is happy with.
All this while, Gracyn has noticed some strange, inexplicable changes in herself and has discovered that there are several secrets that this town hides. What are these secrets and what becomes of Gracyn when she finds them out?
Read the book to know more!
Also, read Book Review- ‘Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo’ By Michael Pronko
- Fast Paced.
- Realistic.
- Not entirely predictable.
Cons:
- Redundant expressions.
About the Author:
Tonya lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, son, two dogs and two horses. Although she dreamed of writing novels at a young age, she was diverted away from that path years ago and built a successful career as a Contracts Manager for a defense contractor in the Washington, DC area. She resurrected her dream of writing in 2013 and hasn’t stopped since. When she isn’t writing, Tonya spends time with her family. She enjoys skiing, horseback riding, and anything else that involves the outdoors. More information about Tonya and her writing can be found at www.tonyaroyston.com.
Personal Opinion: This book was a refreshing change from the repetitive plots of YA that mostly focus on romance. Royston has taken the time to develop the characters well, while not rushing into the acceptance of unnatural occurrences. I’m really hoping that she avoids the love triangle. The book’s magical element develops slowly and is well presented.
The book is the base for the sequels and a lot of things have been left to be discovered in the next part. I enjoyed reading it but I’m really hoping it doesn’t end up being the same old story.
Nice review! 🙂
Liked your take. Thanks for sharing.. 🙂
This books sounds interesting. Will surely check it out.
Thanks, UK!
Thank you, Hitesh! 😀
Thanks, Ramya! Let me know what you think. 🙂
Interestingly reviewed Radhika:)
the blurb was interesting.. seems paranormal.. liked your reviewing style.. 🙂
+ Radhika Mundra.
Sound's an interesting read. Nice review, Tc. :))
Thanks, Vishal! 🙂
Thank you, Pratikshya! 🙂
Thank you, Christine! You might like this one. 🙂
Great review… 🙂
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Nice storyline… although I agree, YA fiction tends to become Repetitive.