Dorine White

(This review can be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).



I was super excited to be asked if I wanted to be part of the Emerald Ring Blog Tour by the author, Dorine White. After reading the synopsis of this book, I definitely wanted to give it a read. All in all, I definitely enjoyed it!

Sara is a 12 year old girl, who, after finding an emerald ring at her grandmother's house, realizes she can shape-shift into a cat. She's also started having some really strange dreams as well. When a bunch of burglaries start happening close to her neighborhood, she takes it upon herself to put everything together to figure out who is behind them all. Will Sara's find out what the thief wants and why she's having strange dreams? Or will the magic of the emerald ring be too much?

I do like the title of this book. It's very straight-forward which I believe is a good thing as it's a middle grade fantasy novel. You know exactly what this book is going to be about. I think the title would definitely appeal to middle schoolers as well as adults.

The cover definitely suits the book. I like how there's a picture of the ring on the cover. I also like the sarcophagus on the cover. It's a nice touch! I believe the cover will appeal to children in middle school very much.

The world building in this novel is believable especially for a child in junior high. The dreaming sequences were very well written as were the scenes at Sara's school and house. I had no problem using my imagination to set up the world in which this novel took place.

The pacing in this novel is great!! Even as an adult, I thought it flowed rather nicely. I devoured this book in no time at all. Each chapter ran smoothly into the next. It was terrific!

The characters, for the most part, are well written. Sara reminded me of a 12 year old girl with her thought process and the way she acted. I loved her curiosity about everything. Heidi, Sara's best friend, was my favorite character. She always had Sara's back and was a big help when it came to Sara's adventure. I wish she was featured a bit more in the story though. I do think she was a bit too trusting of everything Sara told her though. I don't think most 12 year olds would be that gullible. Kainu was a believable character but I kept forgetting that he was supposed to be African. He spoke very good English for someone from Africa. It is explained how he learned how to speak English, but I don't know. I still felt as if he spoke English a little too well. Plus, Kainu's story wasn't that believable being as he's only 12 years old. I won't go into more detail because I don't want to give any spoilers away. Perhaps middle schoolers won't pick up on any of the character flaws.

The dialogue was fun to read. I enjoyed Sara's internal dialogue the best. I loved reading about how she felt and what she thought. There were a few words that I think middle school children wouldn't know the meaning of. Even I struggled with a few of the words, but there aren't many so it doesn't take away from the book.

Overall, The Emerald Ring by Dorine White is a cute, fun story which will be enjoyed by all middle school children. In fact, I think it will be enjoyed by most adults as well. The plot is interesting, and the characters are fun. At the very least, it may get children interested in Ancient Egyptian history.

I'd recommend this book to everyone age 11 because it's such a fun and cute story.

The Emerald Ring (Cleopatra's Legacy #1) by Dorine White gets a 4.5 out of 5.


(I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review).… (lisätietoja)

The Awakening by Dorine White is a fantastic fantasy read that will keep you reading through the night! A young teen finds out that there is magical beings in the world when a talking wolf ends up in his house. He later learns he is part of the magical world. He thinks all the reading classes his Aunt Martha has been giving him is worthless until he gets dropped off at a school for magical kids. He can't read anything there and everyone makes fun of him. But they quit teasing him when they learn he know how to read the ancient language, what his aunt taught him. His powers grow and things go crazy. The adventure really begins. It is fast paced and action packed with imps, shape-shifters, magic, strange creatures, curses, mythical beasts, lots of action, adventure, twists and surprises. An all around great fantasy! Great plot, developed characters, and a fun ride. I received this book for a honest review and it in no way effected my review or rating.… (lisätietoja)

The Awakening by Dorine White

Fifteen-year-old Kyler Birkwood discovers that he comes from a family of Mages, and dangerous mythical creatures do exist. He must learn to use his magic while convincing the high court they are in peril.

Kyler is a fantastic hero. He takes what he learns in stride and does not give up. He is smart and open minded. He makes commendable friends whom he values and respects. It is easy to like him and his friends.

I especially appreciated Kylers, classmate, Darcy. I love that she didn’t act like a stuck-up princess (literally), and that she did not let being a girl hold her back. She is strong-willed and clever. I like that she is determined and will help defend her family and friends.

White did a great job in developing Mordrake. He is an interesting and powerful villain. I valued discovering his background as the kids researched his existence.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The plot was adventurous and exciting. Many clever things happen that keep the reader engaged. The descriptions are well done and imaginative. Dorine White created an inspirational world that was believable.

The Awakening reminded of the Septimus Heap Series by Angie Sage. It also had some qualities similar to The Hobbit and Harry Potter. It is a fun read for any age and would make a terrific movie.… (lisätietoja)

What an AMAZING series!
A fantastic adventure in finding hidden gems!
LOVED IT!

Sara has the Emerald Ring (read about that HERE)

Now in a place, not so far away, Melanie is home for spring break.

Among the excitement of Mardi Gras, jazz band and voodoo, Melanie finds a secret room that holds a secret journal from her late Aunt Florence.

Everyone said that Aunt Flo was crazy, even mad, and the diary might prove that as it contains the story of Flo's necklace that she claims used to belong to Cleopatra.

Aunt Flo goes on to describe how the necklace can help the wearer hear the thoughts of other people, even those who are dead.

Was Aunt Flo really crazy or could she really hear the voices she claims to have heard?

And so the adventure begins and Melanie and her best friend Sybil, follow the clues to find the missing necklace.

Go with them into "crumbling graveyards, busy streets of the French Quarter, and then into murky swamps" as they search not only for the missing necklace but the other gems that used to belong to Cleopatra.

But beware, a dangerous cult is also seeking the gems....

Can Sara, now working with Melanie, find them before they are lost forever?

A FUN fantasy to be enjoyed by the WHOLE family!… (lisätietoja)