Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

By Elise Stokes

One Girl. One Accident. One Incredible Superhero.
Cassidy Jones is your typical fourteen-year-old— that is, until a seemingly harmless accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist turns her world upside down.

Discovering incredible strength, speed, and enhanced physical senses that defy logic, Cassidy embarks on an action-packed adventure that has her fighting for answers...and for her very life.

Other books in Cassidy Jones Adventures:
Cassidy Jones and Vulcan's Gift, Book Two
Cassidy Jones and the Seventh Attendant, Book Three (Coming June 2013)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elise Stokes
• Release date: May 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780615377131

Elise Stokes

Elise Stokes lives with her husband and four children. She was an elementary school teacher before becoming a full-time mom. With a daughter in middle school and two in high school, Elise's understanding of the challenges facing girls in that age range inspired her to create a series that will motivate young teens to value individualism, courage, integrity, and intelligence. The stories in the Cassidy Jones Adventures series are fun and relatable, and a bit edgy without taking the reader uncomfortably out of bounds.

Reviews for Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cassidy Jones is a regular kid just trying to make her way through school without making waves. She is part of a loving family. Her father is a local celebrity since he is on the local news. When Cassidy goes with him to interview a scientist, she is accidentally exposed to a secret formula and all sorts of changes start happening to her. She is fast and strong and heals incredibly fast. When the scientist is kidnapped, Cassidy joins with the scientist's son to find her so Cassidy can get back to normal. I really liked Cassidy. In a world where every teens seems to want to stand out and be "special", Cassidy just wants to be herself. How refreshing. But when it is necessary to use her super powers, Cassidy does not hesitate to do so. She is a great role model. I am starting the second book soon.

[redmojomama · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I must proclaim that I am not normally a Young Adult reader. I've struggled to read a couple and just couldn't do it. Not so in the case of Cassidy Jones! I loved the book from beginning to end. It's a wonderfully engaging read, perfectly appropriate for the age level it's intended for but so well-written and fun that any age can read and enjoy it.I love Cassidy - she's adorable, totally 14 and completely courageous. Her hormones are raging naturally, then throw in the secret formula and watch out. All the characters are very well-drawn and her family life is believably wonderful.Her newfound pal, Emery, is a combination of heart-throb and nerdy intellectual that's very appealing. Their interactions are so spot-on that I felt I was back in high school with them, struggling to get through the drama and trauma.I highly recommend this book to adults - young and old - who just want to have a good time once in a while when they read. You'll love it.

[lindseygray11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I saw the cover of this book and was immediately drawn in. The hand drawn cover of the young redhead with an intriguing boy in glasses looking back at her had me captivated before one word was even read. Elise Stokes is not only the genius behind Cassidy Jones, but she also had the tremendous smarts to have Kelly Carter from Mad Spider Studio design the eye catching cover.Between the cover laid the world of the all american teenager, Cassidy Jones. I love how the story begins with Cassidy's day to day life, giving a reader a glimpse at what the fourteen-year-old is all about. She has the same problems that any teen might acquire in this day and age. Yet, when she bangs her head and inhales the mysterious secret formula in the lab of Professor Serena Phillips, it doesn't change who she fundamentally is.As Cassidy begins to notice the changes within herself and the sudden disappearance of the Professor, the perfect wrench is thrown into her life in the form of Emery, the Professor's son. The handsome fifteen-year-old depicted on the cover is not at all what Cassidy expected. He's smart, a little geeky, but has a big heart and the knowledge to help Cassidy through the changes she's beginning to experience. The bond that the two teens form is not those of an epic romance, but the beginning of a trusting and lasting friendship. Although I do hope for a little teen romance as the series progresses to the next novel, “Cassidy Jones and Vulcan's Gift”.Cassidy is not the typical superhero, but she is the best one I have read to date. She's flawed in her own way. She makes decisions sometimes as a fourteen-year-old and not at the new super being she has become. All in all, Cassidy is someone you want on your side who will give you one adventurous ride.If you're looking for adventure, suspense, and a kick-ass female superhero, The Cassidy Jones Adventure series is most definitely for you.

[robertmorrow_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'll begin with a disclaimer: I rarely read books in this genre and, outside of Harry Potter, I don't think I've read any series. According to the author's website, her motivation was "to create a series that will motivate girls to value individualism, courage, integrity and intelligence," so I will also have to disclose that I am not a teenage girl.This is why when I say I can't wait for the next installment, you should be impressed.The focus of the book is obviously Cassidy Jones. Cassidy is a vivid, complex character who has fantastic, bizarre things happen to her but always remains an authentic human being. The plot and the other characters serve more as a background to the more important journey as Cassidy's growth as a young woman. I'm sure the other characters will gain dimension as the series progresses, but in creating Cassidy, Elise Stokes has created a much more interesting hero for her series than Mr. Potter and Cassidy's journey is more relevant to our lives and times. Cassidy moves through mood swings, back-and-forth, one step forward, two steps back, crashes and falls, makes sudden turns, changes her mind, makes decisions and regrets decisions . . . in other words, she is a genuine non-linear human being like many teenagers (and like many adults, who are better at building facades to hide their human inconsistencies). Cassidy also makes mistakes, says dumb things and exhibits numerous flaws. She's human, and the reader can't help but develop a strong connection with her.The contrast with the Potter books is just that. Harry Potter is more about the world Ms. Rowling created and a struggle of ideologies; Cassidy Jones is more about what it means to be a real human being at a time of life when possibilities are endless and endlessly confusing. While there are hints of that theme in the Potter novels, Ms. Stokes is more successful with it.The book is definitely a page-turner (I finished it in three days while sneaking in some reading sessions at work) and features frequent bursts of ironic humor to keep the reader's perspective in check. The five-star rating I'm giving this book takes into account the fact that this is the first in a series and should be judged on that basis. The book does have flaws here and there, primarily having to do with Cassidy as narrator. Being narrator and hero of the book is quite a heavy load to carry and sometimes Cassidy-the-narrator speaks with too much sophistication and too rich a vocabulary for a 14-year old girl. It might be interesting to relieve her of the narration duty in future installments, or perhaps use the dual-narrator approach that Dickens used in Bleak House.These are minor distractions that even the great novels contain. Ms. Stokes is off to a fabulous start in her journey "to create a series that will motivate girls to value individualism, courage, integrity and intelligence," but I think Cassidy Jones has the potential to transcend that limitation and appeal to all people, regardless of age or gender.

[hollysing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A secret formula goes wrong and the professor in charge goes missing. Teenager Cassidy Jones obtains unexpected, heightened powers from a scientific explosion. How will she use them? Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula is a hip, fast-paced adventure chock full of issues young people can relate to. The plot is original and exciting and the characters well-rounded. Main character,Cassidy, is a budding detective full of courage and integrity. This refreshing YA book doesn’t need vampires or witches to be compelling.Elise Stokes, mother of four children and former elementary teacher understands how kids think and writes the way they talk. Although a clean read, the book is not preachy and will appeal to male and female teens alike. The story is complete on its own and very satisfying, but the door is left open for the next installment.Appropriate for middle school and high school readers. Highly recommended.Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont

[ljldml · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book. It was quick, fun and full of adventure. It's the most fun a book can be without witches, vampires, werewolves or wizards.The characters in this story are great, they are full of life. The author seems to understandthe psyche of the young teenage mind. The interactions between the siblings and the friendsare priceless. I think this is a great book for Middle School kids. They will get a kick out of Cassidyand her newfound "superpowers". I enjoyed seeing the bully of the school brought down (althoughthis was not done by Cassidy...read the book kids)This is the first in the Cassidy Jones Adventures. Book two is Cassidy Jonesand Vulcan's Gift.

[jenniferochs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula By Elise StokesDisclosure: I received this book free from the author for the purpose of a book review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”This is the first book in the Cassidy Jones Adventures. Elise Stokes does an amazing job for setting the stage in this young adult series. Cassidy Jones is a fourteen year old girl who develops special abilities after an accident. With her new heightened senses, strength and abilities, she partners with Emery Phillips, a fifteen year old genius. Together they set out to find their kidnapped parents. The story is quick moving, and leaves you wanting more. Elise Stokes is a wonderful storyteller. Her characters are rich, believable, as well as relatable. She eloquently uses descriptive language to convey what the characters are feeling without overdoing it. There is adventure, excitement and overall enjoyment with this read. As the relationship and trust between Cassidy and Emery grows throughout the story, so does the empathy and likeability develop between the reader and the characters. Stokes leaves the reader with anticipation.

[dranea_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Flaming hair, kicking butt, and taking names. That is what Cassidy Jones is all about. This girl used to be a wallflower, but not anymore. She stepped up to the plate and she is taking anyone down who gets in her way.Her family is pretty dang cool, she has a twin brother, super hero lovin' little brother, a famous dad, and the perfect mom. Forget the Cleavers, this is the family I wanna belong to. Her friends are pretty amazing too. Emery and Miriam are definitely two characters you won't be forgetting in a hurry.A famous geneticist is kidnapped right after Cassidy's dad tries to interview her. Unfortunately, the interview gets cut short because Cassie has a small accident. She falls off a rickety old stool and busts her head open on one of the cluttered tables in this lab. As she does, some of the creepy looking bottles on burners mix and Cassidy inhales the vaopr right before she knocks herself out. I'm not saying she turns into Spiderman or anything like that, but what does happen to her after that is pretty freaking cool.Cassidy and Emery create a bond when he comes to live with them for a while while the search for his mother continues. Cassidy isn't sure at first if she can trust him, but soon learns he is unlike any boy she has met before, and discovers her trust is will placed in him. With his brains and her skills, there will have to be one heck of an army in place to stop them. The problem is - there is one heck of an army, and one deranged, evil bad guy waiting to stop them.This was a super fun story and one that I have had on my shelf waiting to be read for some time now. I wish I had been able to get it sooner, although maybe I won't has as long to wait now for Cassidy's next adventure. This book was full of twists and turns, and there was always something happening. I never felt there was a lull in the story line, and I really could not put it down. I read the entire thing TODAY. This is a great YA book, it says that it is appropriate for 12 and older, I honestly would have no problem with my 9-year-old daughter reading this book. As a matter of fact, she has been eyeballing it and asking me how I like it. I think I will have to pass it along to her to read tomorrow. There is a bit of blood in the story, but no one is killed, so if you do not like your child reading anything with violence in it, be warned, there is fighting. But it is done with little description and no disturbing imagery. There is also no love story in the background, so you don't have to worry about your young one getting into a kissy, touchy, feely book. This book is ALL YA, and just because there is a lack of holding hands and anticipating first kisses, this book is chocked full of great story telling. This reviewer gives it 4 stars and wants to thank Elise Stokes for giving me the chance to read and review her amazing work.

[gmtapublishing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

ELISE STOKES' "CASSIDY JONES AND THE SECRET FORMULA" (A REVIEW)I have to say that I was absolutely intrigued from the very beginning of this story and simply could not put the book down. Elise Stokes has woven a fantastic tale about a 15 year old girl that unwittingly finds herself becoming a scientific blunder. Turned into a super hero she soon has to join forces with the scientists son in order to save his mother from possible doom. This story has all elements of surprise and a captivating side story involving the life of a teenager in High School. This book is great for kids ages 12 and up and I cannot wait for the sequels to come! Elise Stokes ranks up there with other YA masterminds! This is a definite must -read book!-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If there's one thing I like in a story where someone gets super powers from a lab accident is that someone having a great time learning what she can do. Cassidy Jones is that someone. Oh, it isn't all fun and games--her father is missing and some very scary people want her for what she now is--but she still manages to have a sense of awe over things.

I really could have done without the high school drama plot, especially because there was so much going on elsewhere. (I veto the Jared loooooooove thing.) Because this really wasn't a story about Cassidy having superpowers in high school, it was a story about Cassidy having to step up and be a hero and actually save people from harm.

Let's say it's 2.5/5 stars.

(Provided by publisher)

[aleciastone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. So glad I finally finished it, and it's not because of lack of enthusiasm. Just too much workload. I loved Cassidy and Emery. They had great chemistry. The story was well executed. It's a simple storyline: Cassidy Jones starts off as your average teen dealing with sibling rivalry and boy crushes until an accident at a laboratory turns her world upside down.It's a well written book, and a good start to a series. It was full of adrenaline. There were moments when the pace slacked a little, but it often quickly picked up pace again that it wasn't much of an issue. The character of Arthur King was annoying, I must say. He just kept talking, so much so that I felt I could shoot him just to shut him up. I'm not sure if that was the intended reaction I was supposed to have towards this character, but that's how I felt.I sense there's a lot more adventure to come with Cassidy and Emery - and hopefully what seems to be a budding romance. It's a good read.

[dianneastle-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read a number of very positive reviews for this Author's work. This book is the first in the series and was available free. This is a YA superhero story. The target audience is teenage girls. All I can say is that this book is worthy of the positive reviews. The plot was engaging. The characters had depth. It was a very enjoyable read.

[rhonda1111 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

5 STARSCassidy is a teen age girl who through a accident her genes are changed and now she can do many things easy and heals fast.What would you do if all of a sudden you were different. You were stronger and could smell scents from down the block? Would you tell your parents are someone else.This is a fun entertaining story. It is full of fun characters, danger, action, teenage drama and comics. It is a clean read.target audience is teenagers but anyone can enjoy it.I was routing for Cassidy and for Emery to find his missing mother.Emery is very smart. He is a teenager but has already graduated from college. He is a true friend to Cassidy. I do want to know more about his father in the future.Cassidy emotions are being blasted along with her physical changes. Cassidy has two brothers. Her youngest is really into comic books and costumes. The other brother is her twin.I have bought the second book in this series and can't wait to start reading it.I was given this ebook to read for purpose of reviewing it. The opinions are all mine. Received the book from Netgalley.Publisher: JACE Publishing LLC (December 13, 2010) 286 pages ASIN: B004GB1FIK

[al_stone-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. So glad I finally finished it, and it's not because of lack of enthusiasm. Just too much workload. I loved Cassidy and Emery. They had great chemistry. The story was well executed. It's a simple storyline: Cassidy Jones starts off as your average teen dealing with sibling rivalry and boy crushes until an accident at a laboratory turns her world upside down.It's a well written book, and a good start to a series. It was full of adrenaline. There were moments when the pace slacked a little, but it often quickly picked up pace again that it wasn't much of an issue. The character of Arthur King was annoying, I must say. He just kept talking, so much so that I felt I could shoot him just to shut him up. I'm not sure if that was the intended reaction I was supposed to have towards this character, but that's how I felt.I sense there's a lot more adventure to come with Cassidy and Emery - and hopefully what seems to be a budding romance. It's a good read.

[cassandrabookblogger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a BlogCassidy Jones and the Secret Formula would fall into the science fiction category in novels. The story of Cassidy Jones who has a journalist for a father who on one of his many interviews with well-known people happens to be on this occassion with a scientist that is researching and developing something entirely new in cell restoration for disabled humans. During the interview, Cassidy is accidentally exposed to a dangerous chemical formula that the scientist Dr. Serena Philips is devoloping which changes her body forever.Cassidy now has unbelievable powers and maybe even be indestructible. As she leaves with these new powers through her father and those close to her are kidnapped because of the same formula that turned her into a superhuman. Cassidy is now forced to put herself in possible danger to find out the culprit who kidnapped not only her dad but Dr. Serena Phillips. Which along the way introduces us to Dr. Phillips son, Emery Phlips, that leaves us even more in excited confusement. Is he connected to his mother's disappearance or just a concerned teen boy? Some of the appeal of Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula is the intense but rather fun super-powered fighting/action scenes. Whenever they come they bring in some exciting, vivid details along with suspense of the moment. There is a lot of major character driven moments. Also to be noted, is the big ground movement in the novel of the swift pace that keeps delivering in smooth torrents. While, Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula isn't a rather new idea in science fiction its an entertaining read. There are some vastly interesting characters that exude genuity. There is a conclusion of great mystery still even if the finale concluded with some obvious reveals. Leaving your average reader thirsty for more to lead toward Book Two: Cassidy Jones and Vulcan's Gift.Overall: Touching read.Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

[misenhoff_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cassidy Jones doesn’t stand out in a crowd. She isn’t popular, nor is she a bully. She can’t climb a rope in PE to save her life, and she has an allergy to sports equipment in general. In the sea that is Queen Anne High School, she has “adopted the strategy of being a sardine. A sardine wasn’t exciting, but it was safe.” She’s the very last person you’d ever suspect of having mutant genes and super powers.But the morning after an accident in the lab of a famous scientist, Cassidy finds that her senses, emotions, reflexes, memory and strength have all been amplified. She’s been turned into a finely-tuned weapon, but one as unstable as hydrogen in a smoker’s lounge. As Cassidy learns control her new strengths, the scientist suddenly disappears. Distrustful of the police, Cassidy teams up with Emery, the scientist’s brilliant teenage son, to locate her and bring her safely home. After all, the woman is the only one who can help Cassidy now. But Emery warns her that enhanced abilities place her in grave danger. The ones who kidnapped his mother would stop at nothing to control Cassidy and use her powers for their own evil purposes. And then someone even closer to Cassidy disappears.Ms. Stokes employs a very solid writing style. It’s not particularly beautiful or witty, but it flows along as strong and as easy as a Mississippi current. It’s a natural base for the hard-hitting, fast-moving action that zips above it like a powerboat, tugging us along in its wake till the final pages. Pages that, I must say, compel me into the sequel. I mean, who is the strange new character at the end? Who has the item missing from the lab? And what, I want to know, does this mean for Cassidy’s future? But I’m getting ahead of myself. First I need to let you know that Ms. Stokes has crafted Cassidy Jones in such a way that even guys will enjoy getting in on this adventure. Don’t let the girly name in the title throw you, fellas. The book isn’t girly. It reads like a comic book, with a gaudy, insane villain, unlikely heroes, and high-powered action sequences. Numerous references to well-known characters like Clark Kent and Wolverine back up this comic book illusion, as does Cassidy’s little brother’s fetish with all things superhero. And it’s clean! I highly recommend this one.

[ravenswoodpublishi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

ELISE STOKES' "CASSIDY JONES AND THE SECRET FORMULA" (A REVIEW)I have to say that I was absolutely intrigued from the very beginning of this story and simply could not put the book down. Elise Stokes has woven a fantastic tale about a 15 year old girl that unwittingly finds herself becoming a scientific blunder. Turned into a super hero she soon has to join forces with the scientists son in order to save his mother from possible doom. This story has all elements of surprise and a captivating side story involving the life of a teenager in High School. This book is great for kids ages 12 and up and I cannot wait for the sequels to come! Elise Stokes ranks up there with other YA masterminds! This is a definite must -read book!-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club