Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Sara

From inside cover: "IT ONLY TAKES ONE MAGICAL MOMENT... Lucinda Chapdelaine was orphaned as a young child when her parents left for a royal ball and never returned. Ever since, she has toiled away in her uncle's lonely jewelry shop under the cruel hand of her step-aunt. But now, all at once, Lucinda's lot is about to change.

A mysterious woman, a handsome young gentleman, and an unusual gem all enter the shop on the very same day. The woman is none other than the dreaded Amaranth Witch, and she has a daring task to offer. If Lucinda succeeds, she will not only reclaim all that is rightly hers, but she will discover a true friend... and perhaps a true love. Family secrets, magical surprises, and another royal ball will test her, but Lucinda is determined to find her own happily ever after."

This book, though it had its good points, was a bit of a let down for me. The characters seemed underdeveloped and one-dimensional and the dialogue was lacking. The book never really got anywhere - it was predictable. It wouldn't have been very hard for me to set it down and never pick it back up.

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 6
Characters: 6
Writing Style: 8
Romance: 6
Memorable: 2
Total: 28/50 (D)

I hate to not like a book, but I really didn't like this one. It simply wasn't... anything spectacular. Lately I've been reading a lot of really amazing books, so maybe that makes me a little more biased against the mediocre books. I recommend checking this book out from the library if you think the plot summary sounds good, otherwise skip it. There isn't any hidden gem hiding here.