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First of all, I really loved the cover! It gives off such a mysterious feeling, you just don’t know what kind of story you’ll get ^^ The blurb on the other hand doesn’t work in favor of the book. When I read it, it didn’t attract me to start reading. It seems like it would be yet another story about a new boy arriving and it all starts. But this book definitely differs from all the others!

The book went off with a powerful start with the appearance of a very big dog. Since this book is about werewolves, my mind was already working overtime and was connecting all the possible dots. In reality it went a little bit different than I expected ^^ I was also intrigued by the fact that Lacey appeared to have not one but two possible soul-mates and about all the visions she has about what their live will be like ^^

I just thought that Lacey would be better off if she starts listening to what her body tells her. If your body tells you that something is not right, that your sick, you’d usually stay home, right? You wouldn’t think it’s a hallucination, right? Every time it happens? Wouldn’t you start thinking that maybe they’re not hallucinations?

This book has opened my eyes about soul-mates. Before reading this book I always thought how great it would be to have one. But it actually means you’re obligated to love someone, because he’s your soul-mate. Even when you just fell in love with someone else. You’ll know you’ll break that someone’s heart, although you still love him. You just love someone else more, someone you just met a couple of seconds ago. Isn’t that a bit cruel for the one that’s left behind? This problem is described in detail and gave me a whole new look on soul-mates…

Although I liked the fresh look on soul-mates, I didn’t like the soul-mates in question. Both Alex and Brandon didn’t seem to have a lot of “depth.” Not for the role they have in this book. Occasionally they were even annoying and boyfriend material. But alas, I had to cope with them, since there weren’t any other options available…

Conclusion

3 HEARTS. Although the start was strong, it became more fuzzy to the end and my attention wavered. After you read this book you’ll get a whole new look on the soul-mates problem and I really liked that, even when it became very hard for Lacey. She has my full support, even though I would like for her to listen to her body more. If you’re sick, you’re sick -.- ( )

THE CRESCENT, by Jordan Deen, was an original spin on werewolves. Deen created the perfect setting for understanding her take on werewolves and the primal thoughts and urges that surround their being.

This book stands out on its own in terms of creativity. The connection that Lacey shared with both Brandon and Alex was equally tempting and passionate. With Brandon it was more of a mental connection and with Alex it was definitely physical. The decision to choose from the brain or body was Lacey's impossible choice. I liked the tension created from both wolf packs to "get" Lacey on either side. This added tension created a really great love triangle and I soon became anxious for its resolution.

One thing that bothered me about this book was the immediate romance between Lacey and Alex. I felt that there should have been a bit more of a courtship between the two, or at least more questions from Lacey on why he jumped right into the relationship. Alex was a bit too clingy for my taste and Lacey constantly wondered why, but hesitated to take a step back herself. And I wish there could have been more involvement for Brandon in the relationship, but maybe there will be in the sequel.

How great is this cover? I was immediately drawn in by the midst-covered wolf.

I enjoyed this supernatural tale of fate versus choice and I am excited to read the sequel Half Moon, where I hope many of my questions will be answered. ( )

Lacey just can’t wait until she can leave for college, and escape the constant fighting between her parents. She spends afternoons working in her aunt’s veterinarian hospital. She is definitely not considered one of the popular girls at school. Imagine her surprise when she captures the attention of not one, but both of the new boys. If only Lacey knew what that attention will cost her, and that her life is about to be turned upside down.

I was pleasantly surprised with this little novel. It started out slow, but I really liked main character, Lacey. She kept me reading. Once the action picked up I found it hard to put down. This book contains a very intricate love triangle, and for the first time ever I wasn’t able to choose a side by the time I reached the end. Both love interests seem like perfect matches for Lacey. What a lucky girl! The author did a great job of creating a story that didn’t feel rushed, and held this reader’s attention.

If you enjoy werewolf books, especially those from the young adult genre, give this one a try. It’s a quick read with an interesting plot. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book of this series. ( )

I didn't know what to expect going into this one. All I knew was to expect werewolves. One of the first things I couldn't help but notice was the odd way the paragraphs were spaced and quite a few grammatical errors. I knew this book wasn't published by a big publisher, so it wasn't "polished" as nicely. But I still went in with an open mind to focus on the story. As soon as I got into the story, I didn't even notice the errors.

Lacey was a pretty likable main character. I immediately felt bad for her for living in a house where her parents fight all the time. That hits pretty close to home for me. One thing I really liked about Lacey was that she had an after school job. She helped her aunt at an animal shelter after school. That is something I'd like to see more of in YA lit. There was one thing that irritated me about Lacey, and that was her lack of questions. She had questions bouncing around in her head, but she wouldn't actually ask them. Especially with stuff going on with her parents. Any person in her situation would be asking "What the hell is going on?" more often than she did. It also seemed that her parents just stopped fighting all of a sudden, with no explanation why. The first few chapters made it seem like they do nothing but fight, but then you didn't see it anymore. That was a little confusing for me.

The main focus of this story is the love triangle. But this love triangle is SO much more complex. First Lacey falls for Alex. Their relationships seems perfect. It moves way too fast, but you understand later in the story why. Then Brandon comes along, a guy Lacey knows nothing about, but is having flashes and daydreams that feel like they really happened. But this isn't as easy as picking one over the other. By choosing one, it could mean the death of the other. This is really a love story about the difference of who you love, and who you are supposed to love. At one point Lacey says she loves one with her head, and one with her heart. I loved that line. I honestly can't pick a team. There are qualities and flaws in both Brandon and Alex. Most of the book I was all for Brandon. But at the end, I started leaning towards Alex. I'll have to wait for the next book to see what I think!

I loved the idea of one wolf pack against the other. I don't want to go into the details of what being a werewolf in Lacey's world means, because I don't want to spoil anything. But I will say that I thought Deen's idea was very unique and intriguing.

The ending left at a cliffhanger that left me wanting to know what is going to happen. The Crescent was a quick and enjoyable read for me. It had a few flaws, but in the end I was left wanting more. The qualities outweigh the flaws for me. I have a good feeling about the next book in this series. Romance fans will enjoy this one. I, for one am waiting for the sequel! ( )

(Courtesy of www.narrativelyspeaking.com)

This is one of the hardest reviews I think I have ever written. I don’t understand why it becomes more difficult to write a review about a book that you truly, truly love. For example, there has to be a reason why my review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is not up here yet! Perhaps I am worried I will not portray the book in the right light, that I won’t do it justice. Anyway, that being said I have actually re-read The Crescent and battled with this all day with a view to writing the best review possible. So here goes...

I have only recently been introduced to the writings of Jordan Deen. I saw a contest to win her book, looked it up on Amazon, thought it sounded really interesting and entered the contest. I decided there and then that even if I didn’t win, I would still be buying the book. To my surprise, I won the book and was thrilled to receive it yesterday! Yes, that’s right. I’ve had the book in my possession for about 24 hours and I’ve already read it. It’s not very long at 187 pages so I knew I could have it read quickly but for a debut novel, it’s fantastic and definitely what I call a “just another chapter” kind of book. Let’s just say that I went to bed at 4am.

The main protagonist is Lacey Quinn who is counting down the days until her 18th birthday. She is an only child and comes from a pretty rough home where her parents argue nonstop. NOTHING is going to stop her from going to college where she can escape the madness of her home life and finally have a decent social life. That is until Alex and Brandon enter the scene - two new guys at school who both make a lasting impression on Lacey. Alex may have gotten there first but Lacey cannot deny the overpowering instant connection she has with Brandon. She may be dating Alex but Brandon haunts her dreams and as time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to distinguish between dreams and reality. Lacey must choose between Alex, her first love and Brandon her supposed soul mate. Only her decisions will cost her much more than she realises. Unbeknownst to Lacey, she is caught in the middle of an ancient war and she is the key to it all. A family secret slowly unravels itself and threatens to destroy everything she has ever known. This is a story of first love vs. True love. How do you choose your soul mate when your heart belongs to someone else? How do you choose your destiny when it will destroy everything and everyone you love? Destiny cannot be stopped, can it?

From the very first pages, I was immediately drawn into the story and I think it’s clear by now that I LOVED this book with a passion - it basically blew me away. And top it all off, the cover art is just gorgeous! I have to be honest at this point and say that the book contained a lot of spelling and grammatical errors (blame the editors) but for me, the story shone through. I struggled to regain some coherence when I finished reading and I love it when a book does that to you. This is a fantastic debut novel from Jordan Deen and it definitely left me wanting more. The sequel entitled “Half Moon” is currently in the pipeline with no set release date as of yet. ( )