Low Red Moon

By Ivy Devlin

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver-deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school-Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him-at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans. As breathless as Twilight and as spooky as Shiver, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting-by an acclaimed YA author making her paranormal debut under the pseudonym Ivy Devlin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Sep 14, 2010
• ISBN: 9781599906256

Ivy Devlin

IVY DEVLIN is the pseudonym of a popular and critically acclaimed author of teen fiction. With Low Red Moon and the Ivy Devlin name, she makes her paranormal fiction debut. She lives in Virginia. www.ivydevlin.com

Book preview

I was covered in blood when the police found me.

Head to toe: in my hair, on my eyelashes, in the skin between my toes. Dried so deep into my clothes they were taken away and I never saw them again.

I found flecks of it under my fingernails for days after, dried reddish brown crumbs that I clung to as they fell free, that I held as if I could somehow pull them inside me.

As if I could somehow bring my parents back.

I didn’t remember what happened to them. I didn’t remember finding them. I didn’t remember sitting down with their … with their bodies. I didn’t remember sitting with them as the night-gleaming moon rose, arching across the sky, and the stars shone.

I was with them all night in the forest. I didn’t remember that either.

I didn’t even remember being found. Ron said he’d found me after he’d gotten a call from Deputy Sharpe, who was out patrolling the little section of forest where people lived. Ron had come to find the deputy crying, and me …

And me.

I was just sitting there, but when I was in the hospital I heard him tell Renee that at first he’d thought I was dead too. That I wasn’t moving. Wasn’t blinking.

That I was sitting on the ground outside my home covered in blood.

That I was sitting with my parents’ bodies, holding their hands in mine.

That I’d tried to put what was left of them back together. That all the blood on me came from me trying to make them whole when they were broken. From me trying to put them back together.

I couldn’t do it.

My parents were dead.

They’d died and no one knew how or why, just that it had happened.

They hadn’t just died, though.

My parents were murdered.

Ron was sure I’d seen something. Heard something. I was in the hospital for two days after they found me; not because I was hurt, but because I wouldn’t move. I wouldn’t talk, wouldn’t eat, and wouldn’t speak. Everything inside me was dark. Gone.

It was like I was dead too, just like Ron had thought when he’d first seen me.

But I wasn’t dead, and Renee made me leave the hospital for the funeral. She stood next to me, holding my hand while the wooden boxes that held my parents were put in the ground. The boxes were closed tight, but I didn’t wonder if my parents were in there. I knew they were gone forever.

I knew that because the one thing I did remember is what I saw when Ron put me in his car. Deputy Sharpe was off sobbing softly in the distance, the sound coming to me like it was the wind. Like noise, and nothing more.

I remembered looking out Ron’s window and hearing the crying. I remembered seeing the colors of sirens cast shadows everywhere. I didn’t hear the sirens, though. In the car, I didn’t hear anything but silence.

I watched those colored shadows on the ground and I watched them flicker off pieces of plastic sheeting. I remembered it looked strange to see them there, covering the soil and snaking around the trees my parents loved.

I remembered the lumps under it.

I remembered screaming then, screaming until my voice stopped.

So when I saw the boxes, I knew who was in them.

I knew my parents were gone.

I watched them being lowered into the ground, I saw soil start to cover them up, and I stared at the trees Renee pressed into the dirt, tiny saplings that would one day grow tall and true. That would grow into trees like those in the forest.

I heard her whisper, "Why, John? Why?" her voice angry and sad but mostly angry, so angry, as she did it, and then watched her stand up, brushing the soil off her hands. It fell free easily, smoothly.

I closed my eyes and saw dark red.

I saw blood.

And around that, through that, I saw silver, gleaming silver, a blur of something cruel. Inhuman.

Avery? Renee said, and I opened my eyes. Saw the soil where my parents would forever lie.

I didn’t remember finding them. I didn’t even remember the last thing I said to them. It was all gone.

And yet I was still here.

I went to school the day after the funeral. Renee said I didn’t have to go, but I didn’t know what else to do. I wasn’t allowed to go home. I had a few things from there, brought over in boxes, but that was it. The house was still a crime scene and Ron wouldn’t let me go out there at all.

But you’re the sheriff, I’d said to him in the hospital, as he and I sat waiting for Renee to sign the paperwork to check me out. He sighed.

I know, he said. But you can’t go out there. Not now. Not yet.

When? I said, but he shook his head, no answer at all.

So my choices were to sit in Renee’s house, spending the day with a grandmother I didn’t know, or go to school.

I knew the people there better than I knew her, and I kept thinking about what she’d said at the funeral. How there’d been so much anger in what she’d whispered to my father.

School was easier to deal with.

It shouldn’t have been. There should have been stares and whispers, and maybe there were and I didn’t notice them. I was just glad to be out of Renee’s house, out of the reminder that her blue guest room was my room now.

That my house—my parents, my world—was gone.

I sat through my first three classes just like always, in the back watching everyone else. My father hadn’t liked the schools in Woodlake—he’d been through them and thought they taught crap. He’d been so sure he hadn’t learned enough that the summer before he started college in Chicago he took the bus there and spent all his time reading everything he could in the public library.

I had so much to learn, he always said, and I don’t want that for you, so I spent fifteen years learning at the kitchen table with Mom and not going to Woodlake schools.

Mom was a good teacher. The ones at the high school were okay, but they didn’t come up with anything like Mom did. In English, we were reading Julius Caesar, but I’d already read some of Shakespeare’s plays when I was thirteen, and then watched movies of them and wrote about how the themes were so universal they could be filmed over and over again.

I knew the play, and so I was ready to talk about it, but the discussion wasn’t anything like the one Mom and I would have had. All the teacher talked about was Brutus and what he did. Why he did it.

No one wondered about Julius. About his drive. His will. Why he made the choices he made.

Mom had made me think about it.

She would have asked me about it; she liked hearing about school and had been the one to talk Dad into letting me go in the first place. He’d only agreed because Mom’s business—she made and sold wild fruit preserves, and some singer swore in a magazine article that a diet of them and rice crackers kept her thin—had taken off and we’d needed the money she was able to make.

The paper Dad worked for, The Woodlake Daily, kept cutting staff, kept cutting salaries, and really only survived because the owner was old and believed everyone should start the day reading the paper, even if she had to basically give it away.

I had been excited about going to high school when I started last year. I loved my parents, but I wanted to make friends. Meet guys. I’d seen some cute ones around town, and I wanted to talk to them. I wanted them to want to talk to me. I wanted to be like the people who lived in town.

I didn’t want to be like me and my parents were; I didn’t want my whole life to be the forest. I didn’t want to be like the Thantos family, who lived in the woods just like we did, but who hardly ever went into town and who always looked vaguely startled when they did, as if the small cluster of buildings that made up Woodlake’s main street was enormous, overwhelming.

I didn’t want to be like their daughter, Jane, who I’d only met a handful of times, and who could talk for hours about the forest but who didn’t want to watch TV or even talk about books, who said, I don’t know who that is, whenever I’d asked her about someone I’d seen in town.

But high school wasn’t—it wasn’t hard, but it wasn’t easy either. The guys I’d seen in town, the ones who were so cute, weren’t so cute in school. They looked all right, but they didn’t talk about anything real. They just laughed at dumb things or talked about what movie or person or TV show sucked most.

I knew that was normal, I did. But I had pictured guys who did more than check out my chest when they looked at me. I wanted more than guys who frowned over the lack of my chest and then said stuff like, So you got taught by your mom, huh? That must have sucked.

The girls were even harder. They just ignored me. They’d known each other since I was five and learning my ABCs in the kitchen with Mom while they went to Woodlake Elementary. They’d been through birthday parties and slumber parties, boyfriend problems and shopping trips to the nearest mall, two hours away.

They knew who I was, but I wasn’t part of their world, and with graduation not in the distant future but close—an almost they could taste—they didn’t need me. They had each other, and the one girl I did become friends with only talked to me because no one else talked to her.

Kirsta had been popular, but that was back in middle school and long forgotten by everyone but her. She held on to that time tightly, though, pulled it out and unfolded it for me to hear. She told me about the birthday parties girls who now looked through her used to beg to attend. How she used to have a different boyfriend every week when all the guys did was sneer at her now.

Kirsta had been a star, but in fifth grade her mother died and her dad married his secretary three months later. Even I’d heard about that, and in Woodlake being different—or doing something different—wasn’t a good thing.

So when I started high school, Kirsta was different too, wasn’t a star at all. In fact, she was so far down the social ladder that she was willing to talk to me. She and I only saw each other at school, though. We didn’t have a real friendship, but it was the closest thing to one I’d ever had, even if I knew she only talked to me because I’d listen to her stories about the way her life used to be.

And on the day I came to school from Renee’s house and not my own, I knew that our friendship was over as soon as I passed her in the hall before lunch.

I knew because I saw her see me, and watched her turn away.

I could understand why she did it. Before, I’d been Avery Hood, the quiet girl who lived in the woods like a few other people did. But now I was Avery Hood, the girl whose parents had been murdered, the girl who’d been found with their bodies. Kirsta had lost her mother, but not like I had.

I was the girl who’d been found with her parents’ bodies. I was the girl who couldn’t remember what had happened. Who should have had a story to tell but didn’t.

I was the girl who’d been covered in blood but who hadn’t had a mark on her.

So I ate lunch by myself, picking at the chicken nuggets on my cafeteria tray. Mom always made lunch for me before, and it was strange not to be eating a sandwich on her homemade bread. I’d hated it, actually—the heavy weight of it and how it didn’t even look like regular bread—but now I missed it. I missed everything about Mom and Dad.

She never even really talked about her parents, I heard Kirsta say, and looked over to where we used to sit, saw her grinning as girls she used to rule years ago stood looking at her, smiling to show they were being kind. That they were letting her in, even if it was only for a little while.

"I mean, she never talked about them, like maybe she … you know … ," Kirsta said, drawing out the last words to let silence and speculation reign, and I pushed my tray away and got up.

It was true; I hadn’t talked about my parents. I hadn’t needed to. I was happy with them, and Kirsta had her own stories to tell, a never-ending supply of them, all once-upon-a-time stories that ended with her father bringing home someone to replace her mother, and how people had stared and talked and then forgotten her.

I wanted to hate her for what she’d said, but I watched her smile at the girls clustered around her, saw how happy she was to be seen again, and knew it was what she’d always wanted. And I couldn’t get upset over that. It just seemed wrong to waste tears over her. To cry over something as small as a story when what was true and real for me—what had been my life—was gone.

Still, my eyes stung anyway.

I left the cafeteria and somehow kept going, even though school dragged on and on and on. I trudged to my last class, Art, wearily.

I’d signed up for it because Kirsta had, and because Mom and I had always drawn together at home. I wasn’t any good, but it hadn’t mattered to Mom. I’d learned about technique and looked at famous paintings, and we’d talked about what made them beautiful. Mom said that loving art was just as important as being able to create it.

Here, loving art didn’t matter, and I walked in to see the same bowl of apples that had been defeating me since—and it was strange to have to think this way, to have to think of before and now and my parents in that way.

But I did, and that bowl of apples had been defeating me since before my parents died. They were shiny, perfect-looking, plastic.

Fake.

Kirsta was working on the other side of the room, away from her usual spot near me. I stood alone and looked at those unchanging apples and the drawing I’d started. I’d wanted to make the apples look like they should after they’d been in a bowl for a few days. I’d

Reviews for Low Red Moon

[trishnyc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Avery Hood is haunted by the recent deaths of her parents at the hands of an unknown assailant. Avery has no memory of their deaths despite being found by the police in a pool of her parents blood. She constantly tries of remember why and how her parents died but seems to have blanked out her recollection of these events. As she deals with her intense grief at her loss, she struggles to build a relationship with her estranged grandmother, cope with the stares at school and her budding feelings for the new boy in town.I recently have been reading a great deal of YA literature and unfortunately I cannot say this was one of the best of the bunch. For one thing this book was very short at a mere 196 pages. It did not give me enough characterizations of the different players thus making it hard for me to form any lasting bonds with the characters. While Avery's grief, confusion over her memory loss and her attempts to bond with her grandmother are all adequately handled, her romance with the new boy, Ben, is flimsy at best. It feels like one minute they meet and the next minute they are in love. The relationship was not developed well enough for me to see it as anything but superficial. I heard much about Ben's beauty, her intense feelings for him and him for her, their ability to sense each other's emotion but they never seemed to have enough meaningful conversations that would explain their love for each other. I wish the author had written a longer and more detailed relationship because the potential definitely existed for a good romantic angle. As with the romance, the mystery of who killed Avery's parents was not as compelling as it could have been and I felt that after a while it was easy to guess who the killer was. I also did not appreciate the fact that there were some scenes in this book that looked like they were lifted straight out of Twilight, even right down to dialogue. I find it hard to believe that the author of this book just coincidentally had the exact same thoughts and wording as a book (and movie) that came out years ago. This author had enough of a story line going that she did not need to mirror another work. Despite my criticisms, I am more than willing to read any sequels that follow because I believe there is a lot of potential here for a good story. *Review copy provided by Amazon.com's Vine Program.

[flamingrosedrakon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Alright this is one of those books that falls into what type of category should I put this in. At first glance and through the reading style I would definitely say Young Adult then be done with it but after reading it I would hesitate with that category since if I had children I don't want them reading something that is somewhat blatantly sexual in the bits and pieces that do appear even though I know around the teenage years they are prone to explore in that aspect so this book is one of those "Blood & Chocolate" types where it could be but I definitely wouldn't agree with Young Adult writings so I am putting it in my romance section even when it has missed that mark. Aesthetically this was a gorgeous book even in the limited funds. The cover was metallic and so it did glow thus catching your eye. The title page and the following leaf were red with white trees while in the corner of almost each page you had a small red-colored inset or what could have been a red-colored hanging tree to start the chapter off. And the best part of the aesthetics in my opinion was that each time the word moon appeared in the book it was presented in a red color although the moon wasn't as important to the story as one would think it would be. The story was a bit repetitive but it fit with the young trauma-struck young adult theme going on. Meanwhile the writing was easy, flowed simply and wasn't hard to follow along so it does make for a quick and very easy to read book. The one thing that I found was annoying was some depth to the characters. I can forgive the heroine of the book in a sense for she was going through a lot but Ben could have had a better amount of character as could his uncle and Avery's grandmother who were just as much main characters but with lack of personalities. All in all it was interesting. Reminded me of another werewolf-type book I read but cannot remember the name of while also having a type of Twilight-element with the bonding of creatures that cannot be separated type.

[bookspot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Avery wakes up in the woods, covered in blood and and surrounded by her parents destroyed bodies but unable to remember how she--or they got that way. With her safe, secluded life with her parents deep in the woods now but a memory, Avery is forced to live in town with the grandmother she hasn't spoken to in years.

Avery works at going back to school--where she meets the mysterious new boy Ben who seems to have silver eyes--and remembering something, anything that can help the police find who killed her parents. All she can seem to remember is a flash of silver moving inhumanly fast . . . which she knows makes no sense.

As Avery deals with reconnecting with Renee (her grandmother), developers wanting to buy her family's valuable land in the woods, the stories the town has about mysterious wolves in the woods, and Ben, she has to try, too, to figure out what happened to her parents and why she was unharmed.


Low Red Moon reminded me of an almost reverse Little Red Riding Hood (the girl lived in the woods, the parents were killed, she went to live with the grandma, there were possible wolves, etc).

Told in a slightly disjointed style--one thought will be started, then stopped, sometimes finished and sometimes not--that actually fits the plot really well, Low Red Moon grabbed me from the first page. I think a smooth, orderly telling of Avery's tale would not have fit the storyline as well as the way it was told because Avery's own thinking and memory is fragmented.

Another thing I really loved about Low Red Moon was that the paranormal aspect of the story was not the entire story, if that makes sense. In this sense, it reminded me of Blood and Chocolate --at least the parts of it between Vivian and Aidan. The paranormal aspects of the story didn't overrun everything, they were a part of the story, but not the whole story. (I apologise for not being able to explain this better.)

9/10

[rosa.mill · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was too short. Avery watched her parents get brutally murdered, and she can't remember anything that happened. Now she is living with Renee, a grandmother she has avoided for many years and trying to adjust to living in town. There is also Ben, who she feels strongly connected to.

I did like the story and I loved learning about Avery. She was a very interesting character and I liked seeing how her nontraditional upbringing had made her stronger. There was a great twist and I would never have figured out the ending. I also really liked Renee.

What disappointed me about the story was that there was no character development for Ben. I understand who he is and how he got to the town and his connection to Avery; but really we don't know anything else about him or what kind of person he is. Just that he has had a difficult life and has a strong connection to Avery. There were also a few parts of the story that could have been better developed. I would have loved to understand more about what Ben and Louis were and I would also have loved to have a better understanding regarding Avery's connection to the forest. Hopefully the author will write a sequel that goes a little bit more in depth into these matters.

[shahnareads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this one. I love stories about fantasy creatures. Werewolves included.

The cover caught my eye immediately and I just couldn't put it down. I needed to have this book. I also love the little hints of read through out the novel. Every time the word 'moon' is on the page it is printed in red. Such a small detail, but I loved it.

I love when book start off with a death. It just sets the mood for the whole novel. Love it! And don't forget the love between beauty and beast. Classic and predictable, but I like it all the same. I'm a sucker for a fantasy romance.

[renkellym · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Low Red Moon combines a familiar fairy-tale with a thrilling murder mystery. The beginning of the book tosses the reader right into the middle of the action, and we’re left guessing until the very end. Although the middle of the book is a tad slow, things pick up again during the heart-pounding climax.Avery was a good heroine—I liked how well she handled herself despite everything that happened to her. Her love interest, Ben, was sweet, but I didn’t quite believe their romance. I suppose this is because was based on an initial attraction/soul-mate calling, which I’m not a huge fan of. The romantic scenes were, however, steamy enough to make me still thoroughly enjoy them. :)One really cool thing about Low Red Moon is the way the book is designed. There are little tree/moon graphics at the bottom of each page and at the start of each new chapter. And every time the word “moon” was mentioned, it was printed in red, subscript font—making each “moon” a Low Red Moon! Too cute! (It’s the little things, really)Despite some complaints (the slow middle, the odd romance between Ben and Avery), I did enjoy Low Red Moon. The allusions to Little Red Riding Hood and the suspenseful mystery kept me hooked. (Originally posted to 365 Days of Reading)

[thelittlebookworm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Little BookwormAvery Hood is discovered one night, covered in her parent's blood after they are murdered. She can't remember much about that night except for flashes of silver. Now living with her grandmother, she longs to remember what happened to her parents. But something dark and evil is evading the woods around her house and it's after Avery too. Y'all, this book is super creepy. From the very first moment when Avery is found covered head to toe with her parent's blood next to their mutilated bodies all the way to the very surprising ending. Creepy. It really kept me guessing and gave me the shivers. It managed to evoke a quiet, chilling atmosphere while providing an interesting murder mystery and a few paranormal elements. It was well-written and the main characters were well fleshed out.I really liked this book. I would have loved it though if it didn't include the supernatural element that was Ben, the new boy at school. I mean Ben the character was fine and his connection thing with Avery was actually fine. It provided a necessary though mostly unexplained reason for his character. It's what Ben is that bothered me. It seemed unnecessary though I suppose plot-wise it actually was necessary. I just wish it had been different. But I liked the supernatural aspect of Avery and thought it was pretty neat and different. Can't win them all.

[abookwormshaven · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First off, Low Red Moon has the best first chapter of a book that I have read, period. Ivy had me sucked into the story so fast, it was awesome! Plus, the set up of the pages and the illustrations on the bottom of them are sweet. You will have to look at a copy to see what I mean because I cannot attach the pictures here. This book is a YA paranormal but it definitely had a lot of thriller aspects, which I really liked. I loved the suspense element in the book because you are constantly evaluating every character, trying to get a feel for them and discover who the murderer is. The paranormal just added another element of awesomeness to the book :) I thought at one point I did have the mystery figured out, but I was wrong. That is okay though, because if I knew everything that was going to happen the book wouldn’t be any fun and I would lose interest. So well done Ivy, for keeping me confused!Low Red Moon is only about 200 pages, which I thought was going to be a downer, but it actually turned out to be fantastic! Since the book was so short, everything happened so fast and it kept me racing to find out what was going to happen. I read the whole thing in one morning. My husband looked over at me when I finished and said “Did you really just finish that whole book a couple hours?” I said “Umm…yeah! It rocked!” He was shocked I went through it so fast, but I was just so engrossed in the mystery I could not put it down.The only real downside to the book being short is that we did not really get to dive into the whole reasoning and mythology behind the paranormal elements in the book. We did get some tidbits and some explanation, but I think there is still a lot more hidden under the surface that I hope we get to later. It makes me wonder if there is going to be a sequel that will touch on some of that, but I am not sure. Anyone know if Ivy is working on book two?I loved the main characters in this story, Avery and Ben. They have both experienced real pain and lose in their life. When they meet they are both broken and watching them try and heal each other was beautiful. I love the relationship that blooms and grows as the story unfolds.Low Red Moon may be a shorter book, but within the pages of the book lies an intense, dark and mysterious tale of loss and love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the YA paranormal/mystery world as much as I do.FTC: I received this ARC from the publisher.

[thehidingspot · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Oddly, LOW RED MOON was both more and less than I had expected. I started the novel thinking that the paranormal aspects would be the focus, but quickly found that this was not the case. From early on in the novel the reader knows that Ben is a werewolf. To be honest, the reader actually knows as soon as they read the description. I assumed, since this fact is clearly pointed out, it would be a much bigger focus. Instead, this element is almost unnecessary. This novel could have had the same ending without anything paranormal occurring. I would have appreciated more backstory and lore regarding this aspect of the novel.I was much more impressed by the rest of LOW RED MOON. In my opinion, Avery's grief ended up being the main focus. Sometimes I felt like it was almost too much of a focus... I sometimes find it frustrating when reading novels with strong themes of loss and grief. I understand why Avery would spend so much time grieving - her parents were just brutally murdered - but I felt that it made much of the novel repetitive, especially when she was trying to recall what happened that night. She never really moved past having seen "a flash of silver" that was "inhuman." I felt like that element could have been further developed...I found the romance to be surprisingly intense. Most of the novel seemed to move at a slow pace, but not when it came to Ben and Avery. Those passages are what kept my interest when it occassionally flagged. I wish the relationship and why they felt so strongly for one another would have been explained in more detail. I felt like I was missing some key information.Overall, LOW RED MOON was a good mystery with a passionate romance and a dash of the supernatural thrown in for good measure. Not the best, but it could've been. I'd definitely read more from Ivy Devlin, but, in her next novel, I hope to see greater exploration of the paranormal elements!

[damarisgcr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin for review from 1 ARC Tours. I actually signed up and was really excited to read it. Low Red Moon is a very fast paced book. It starts with Avery being found by her parents dead bodies, and how she has no memory of who or what killed her parents. All she can remember is all the blood she had on her hands and her clothes. She lives in a small town so everyone in the town knows what happened to her and how she cannot remember.Whenever Avery walks into a school it is uncomfortable for her because everyone just stares at her. She tries very hard through out the whole book to try to remember exactly what happened. Avery meets Ben, a new boy in school who is already different from the other students. At first Ben and Avery do not say a word to each other, but that changes one day when Avery decides to take a walk in the woods. She bumps into Ben in the woods and their relationship kicks off from there. Low Red Moon is a very suspenseful story. Avery has no idea what happened to her parents and as she continues to try and remember, things just go from bad to worse. Those she thought she could trust are now giving her doubt, including Ben.To me Low Red Moon was an okay book. I felt that Ivy Devlin did not really give us a lot about her characters for me to like any of them. Ben and Avery's relationship was rushed. I love a book that gets to the point from page one, but I also like it when it all makes sense. With Low Red Moon the more I kept reading the more I felt like something was just missing in the story. I had no connection with Ben or Avery at all. Though you can feel a chemistry between the two, it just did not feel real. Ben does not say a word to Avery and then one day in the woods they bump into each other share two or three words and then kiss.The Plot of the story is actually really good and that is what kept me reading. Ivy had a very good story to tell, but like I said before, she could have added more to the story and given us more about her characters. I kept reading and felt where Ivy Devlin was trying to take the story, but it just did not get there. It was good enough to keep hold of my attention and continue to read, but It could have been so much better in my opinion. The ending was really good and if there were a part two I would try to read it. I do want to say though, that the ARC I have is only 196 pages and GoodReads says it's really 256 pages. So I am hoping that she added more to the story and it all falls into place because I don't think this ARC did the book justice.

[graceschumann · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One word can sum up how I feel about this book and that is AMAZING!!!! I can't wait until 2012 for the next book. It's just too long.This was a different take on the werewolf stories. I was completely surprised by the ending because it was so unpredictable. I think that was my favorite aspect of the book was the spontaneity

[wwe_fan_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I first saw the cover of Low Red Moon it reminded me of Shiver. The difference is, Shiver is way better. This book is okay, just found the writing to be very choppy. Sentences were always incomplete. If you like human girl meets wolfboy, then I suppose you'll enjoy this. And if you are into this genre, definitely read Shiver and Linger, you will not be disappointed.

[amwo_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

**spoiler alert** I definitely had high hopes for this book, and was sort of expecting it to be like Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. (Especially since the cover is so similar.) Sadly though... miss Ivy Devlin disappointed me. I was a little intrigued at the beginning as Ben entered and he and Avery seemed to have some chemistry. I think the thing that really turned me off of the book was how unbelievable it was. Yes, I know, it's Paranormal YA, so it's not supposed to be REAL, but I think it has to be BELIEVABLE. What makes a Paranormal YA book so good is that it's written so well, you WANT that world to be real, and the characters to be real. In Low Red Moon, the romance was so intense and fast paced that it was fake. Think Edward and Bella, but times ten. Avery meets Ben. Avery is attracted to Ben. That night... Avery makes out with Ben in her house where her parents were KILLED. A couple days later... Avery and Ben are madly in love and don't want to leave each others' sides. It was highly unbelievable. I think that Ivy Devlin had the right idea by writing a book about werewolves, romance, and a murder but she just didn't execute it right. I really liked the plot, I hated the characters and the timeline the plot took up. It was seriously, tops, three weeks. My honest opinion? Ivy Devlin has potential, but not in YA Paranormal romance. The parts I loved most about the book were the mysterious parts about the murder. And I LOVED the ending. (Which, for some people, might be TOTALLY shocking. I guessed part of it, but was shocked by the other part.) I think Ivy Devlin should write murder mysteries. Or thrillers. Something to that extent. Ivy Devlin as an author is good, but not so much as a paranormal romance author. My suggestion? Borrow the book and see if you like it, don't buy it right away. And keep your eye out for future Ivy Devlin books.p.s. not sure if this was super spoiler-y or not, so I marked it as spoiler-y just in case.

[allureofbooks · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

When I picked up Low Red Moon, I was a little wary. Sure I'm a fan of YA fantasy books, and I also love werewolves, but would this book really have anything original to offer? To a point, I'll say the answer is yes. Ivy Devlin has a very unique writing style. The main character, Avery Hood, goes through a lot over the course of the book. And as she thinks or says things outloud, Devlin often cuts off her thoughts mid-sentence using dashes and ellipses (...). I thought that was a neat way of showing confusion, heightened emotion and sometimes shock. It is also a good way to communicate the fact that her mind was probably going 100 miles an hour and her actual words or coherent thoughts couldn't keep up. The relationship between Avery and Ben really wasn't very original. It also wasn't terribly well developed. I am not a fan of having characters form such all-consuming bonds so suddenly and without any real development. But at the same time, they were so intense that I couldn't help but be captivated by them. I think that, as the series continues, they will be able to develop a more mature connection. I am also very intrigued with where the overall plot of the story will go. The mystery in this book wasn't hard to solve very early on in the story, but it remained interesting throughout the book just the same. Judging from the way this book ended, I think the sequel will be a much better read all around. So, even though I did have a few issues with this book, there was enough for me to enjoy and I am definitely looking forward to the sequel.

[bonbonsandreveries · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I first picked up this book all I knew about it was that it was a book about a girl who falls in love with a werewolf. Which seems to be a popular plot element in most paranormal YA books along with vampires and angels. But since I'm obsessed with love stories I picked it up anyway. I do not regret it one bit! It's a short book so it didn't take me that long to read. The book was fast paced and heart racing. Seriously, my heart was actually racing. It was beating so hard I had to stop reading to calm down-that's how suspenseful it was-especially the ending. The story revolves around Avery Hood, whose parents were just brutally murdered. She witnessed the murder but can't remember it. The only thing she remembers is a flash of silver and blood. Haunted by nightmares and forced to live with her grandmother, Avery buries herself in the pain of losing her parents. Strange things start happening to Avery as she tries to remember who murdered her parents- her hair starts changing color (to blood red), her love of her old home draws her into the woods, the murderer is out to remove his only witness, and a cute new student arrives at the local public high school (which Avery attends). Ben and Avery have a seriously intense relationship. I love it! They can sense/feel each other's emotions which makes it difficult to hide things. They both know what the other is feeling. Imagine how amazing it would be if you could feel the love and know with out a hint of doubt how much they loved you. That's how Avery and Ben's relationship is. Of course both have secrets that they keep, even ones that they don't even know they have. Ivy Devlin did a beautiful job with the writing. I felt the pain that Avery felt when she mourned her parents. She truly loved them. She didn't have that typical "teenager hates parents" relationship that I've seen in a lot of YA books. She was close to her parents. Also, in the book whenever the word "moon" came up, the word was printed in red-as well as the cover. The color red was seen throughout the book, not just the typography but also in the story. It fit perfectly with the story since red symbolizes both love and blood. Low Red Moon was a sensational debut novel that had me flipping through the pages. This modern day paranormal retelling of the popular Little Red Riding Hood will leave you wanting a sequel. I really really really hope Ivy Devlin writes a sequel. So far I haven't read anything that says she is-but I'm hoping anyway.

[sithereandread · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

LOW RED MOON, by Ivy Devlin, is an original tale about werewolves stalking the residents of the forest outlining a small town. Devlin gives a fresh-perspective on the werewolf myth and takes you on a ride full of twists and turns leaving you aching for more.I really enjoyed this book. The mystery about how Avery's parents were murdered kept me on my toes the whole time. And the supernatural element of werewolves and mind reading was enchanting.Avery was a marvelous character. She did not fit in the mold of a typical high school girl. The home-school aspect kept her at the mental distance from others her age, and I think it made her more adult and able to handle the death of her parents more maturely. Her immediate bond with Ben left a lot of questions unanswered. The connection was definitely swoon-worthy but I would have liked Devlin to expand on their mental and physical link a bit more.The question of who murdered Avery's parents was always lurking in the back of my mind. Avery searched her mind for clues of that night, but was blocked by the trauma. I enjoyed going on the journey with her to revisit the events of that night through bits of flashes that jogged her memory.It has been a while since I have been surprised by an ending in a book, and this book did it! I was invested in one person from the start and Devlin completely took the rug out from under me. I really hope there is a sequel to this book that delves deeper into the supernatural background of Ben and Avery. Overall this was quite a unique book and a very strong start to Devlin's paranormal fiction debut.

[booksforcompany · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

l am going to start off by saying the few little things in this book which meant, for me, it’s a 4.5 and not a 5.My only real 'complaint' of this book is a few things were repeated too much which gave me the impression some sentences were forced. The sentences which felt forced didn’t flow with what was happening, it kind of felt like déjà vu and l found myself thinking ‘Didn’t you just say/think/do that a second ago?’ For explain if a feeling was being described sometimes the same feeling would be described a paragraph down, not always in the same way but still something which has already been said. Minus my negative feelings, repeating things can sometimes be a good thing, at one point l didn’t understand what had happened but because it was kind of said again l then understood it. Saying that, like l said above, l felt for some feelings the reader already understood them and it didn’t need to be repeated.Ok, on a more positive note, l LOVED this book! First off the cover and inside of the book really stands out, the cover is sooo shiny and the page numbers etc are red as well as a picture of a few trees at the bottom of each page, l loved that!Apart from how appealing the book is to read its obviously not the most important thing, the writing inside is! Well let me tell you, Ivy has wrote an amazing debut book. The writing is great with an engrossing plot behind it that shows off Ivy’s writing and imagination skills. I don’t think it’s an action packed book because, like l said, some scenes and actions feel a bit repeated in this book. For me though that didn’t matter too much, l was engrossed by Avery’s struggles and discoveries and enjoyed following her journey.It felt like the ending of this book hinted towards a second to follow which would suit some people as l have heard some felt not too much happened in this book and was more developing of the characters. I can’t see this myself, l think this is a great book within itself and do feel relationships between the characters will be interesting to see how they grow and change and should be a big part of the second book, if there is one.Overall l would really recommend this book, it’s not a big book but is an enjoyable read and definitely a debut author of 2011 who will grab your attention!

[booklady123 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Good Reads Description:The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver—deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school—Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him—at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died. Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans. As breathless as Twilight and as spooky as Shiver, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting—by an acclaimed YA author making her paranormal debut under the pseudonym Ivy Devlin.This is one of those books that I picked up because of the cover. I kept reading because of the writing. This has been one of my favorite reads of the New Year. I’ve discovered that I really enjoy wolf stories and this is an excellent one. Devlin’s paranormal debut is a strong one. Avery is a strong female character. No one will be accusing her of being a doormat. I like the relationship between Avery and Ben. The attraction between them fairly jumps off the page.I also felt that the relationship between Avery and her grandmother was very well crafted. (Grandmothers are another favorite story element of mine.) You can tell that Avery loves her grandmother, but is hesitant due to the years of estrangement. Devlin doesn’t force their relationship, but provides plenty of opportunity for them to grow closer. She does this amazingly well, considering the short length of the book.I’m looking to reading more of Devlin’s books. If you like paranormal romance and/or stories about wolves, this is a must read for you.

[elbrown_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book held appeal but sadly it disappointed. It seemed like another great retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but the characters left you feeling blank. Avery never made me want to know more or even care about her. A lot of what makes a great character to me is one that makes you feel, whether it's love or hate, you still feel something for them and Avery inspired nothing in me. Her Grandmother Renee, is meant to have this mysterious past, that by a few chapters in, isn't mysterious at all. Ben just felt flat all the way around. He has a secret, you find it out but it's never really this big thing. It's just accepted and then moved on. It just felt like there was more that could have been done with Ben and his development. All he cared about is mooning over Avery. The rest of the side characters were just mentioned and then forgotten about just as soon as they were mentioned. I do have to admit that I never figured out the killer of Avery's family but that also had to do with lack caring for the characters. The story was a quick read, but the plot felt flat. Everything is wrapped up at the end, but it feels very rushed and unconvincing. Like Devlin realized the story was ending and so she just threw everything in there and said the end.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

'This was an engrossing and tension-filled young adult paranormal novel. Avery doesn't remember what happened when her parents died. All she remembers is being covered in blood and having flashes of silver. She goes to live with her grandmother who had been estranged from her father and tries to adjust to a new life. She desperately wants to remember what happened. She meets a new boy and is immediately drawn to him. She can feel what he feels. She soon learns that he is a werewolf and that, when he is a wolf, he doesn't know what he does. She knows him and loves him. He needs her. But, could he be the one who killed her parents? While there isn't a lot of action there is considerable psychological suspense. I really enjoyed this one.'

[jamesterck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When we first meet Avery, she has just been through the trauma of seeing her parents brutally murdered...even though she can't remember exactly what happened. She has to live with her grandma, Renee, who drifted apart from the family because she and Avery's dad did not seem to get along. As a result, she and Avery are not close. Avery struggles with trying to get on with life without her parents, having to try and co-exist with a woman she barely knows anymore and dealing with the whispers about her at school. Then the new boy, Ben, comes into her life. She can sense he's different, but it's a complete shock when she finds out he's a werewolf. They feel instantly connected, but with Avery still not sure who (or what) killed her parents, she's not sure who she can trust...not even Ben.My opinion: I really enjoyed this book. I can usually tell very early on if I will at least somewhat enjoy a book by the writing style. If I like the writing style, even if the plot itself is weak, I will probably find it easy to continue to read the book. Ivy Devlin definitely has a knack for writing and I found it easy to finish this book in one sitting. I really liked Avery; she was very tough, very grown up. The kids at school were anything but nice to her, and her one "friend" only talked to her because everyone was shunning her at the time. But Avery took all of it in stride, even saying she understood why the girl acted the way she did, because fitting in made her happy and she was glad she was happy. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like I connected with Ben as much as I would have liked. It was obvious that he would do anything for Avery right from the start, but it's tricky with first-person narratives to get a good grasp of all of the characters sometimes. I felt like maybe the story was a bit too short to fully be able to connect with the characters properly. But I did enjoy the story line and think it was very well written. The ending was a bit predictable, but then again there aren't a lot of books that really fool me.My rating: 4/5 stars

[fredamans · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was a nice, refreshing afternoon read, though my lasting impression is this is basically what life would be like if it was just Jacob and Bella. No Edward.It has a nice mix of romance, mystery, suspense and drama to keep you interested to the end, just wasn't surprised by any of it.Still definitely one teenagers would especially love.

[jrlibrary · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Thought I'd love it... really, really didn't think much of it. Details of the book left my brain within minutes of me closing the cover. Had to force myself to finish it. Slower then I would have liked, and way too repetitive for my liking, but I'm sure somewhere out in readerville, someone will love it!

[stephxsu · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Avery Hood remembers almost nothing about the night her parents were murdered and she was found sitting by their bodies, covered in their blood. As she adjusts to her new life with her grandmother and being avoided by her classmates, she meets—and is instantly attracted to—Ben, a new boy at school. She can hardly believe the flashes of silver she sees in her eyes, silver that reminds her of the mysterious something she saw the night of her parents’ death. Avery finds herself unable to stay away from Ben, despite the fact that he may be keeping a secret that is related to the thing that killed her parents…I should’ve known better. I’ve grown more and more wary (no, not quite weary) of paranormal romances, because so many of them use the exact same formulae, with the same underwhelming results. LOW RED MOON may be an interesting enough read for the eternally paranormal romance-happy, but the number of conventions it uses unfortunately did not win me over.Is it really even necessary to talk about the many paranormal romance conventions that appear in this book? I will just start listing them in question form: How is Ben attractive aside from his beauty and the inexplicable allure that Avery feels towards him? Why does Avery seem like she would not exist outside the mystery behind her parents’ death and her attraction to Ben, i.e. why does she not have interests, passions, hobbies, and worries outside of the usual “I wish things could go back to how they used to be”?Also, why do people believe that as long as they don’t mention what, exactly, the type of supernatural creature in the story is, that this makes the story all the more credible? Here, let me explain it to you, in a way that Avery, for some reason, refuses to: IT’S A WEREWOLF ROMANCE. Does thinking that she might be dealing with a werewolf make Avery less credible, when within the first few pages of meeting Ben, she already tells him that she knows there is something unusual about him?LOW RED MOON’s writing is reminiscent of any number of those paranormal romance visual franchises (Twilight, The Vampire Diaries) that make so much money nowadays. The dialogue is always being spoken at either a fearful, hissy whisper or in the literary equivalent of Kristen Stewart’s expressionless monotone. Ben behaves only like he is always on the verge of breaking down over his concern (or, I suppose, luuuv) for Avery, telling her in panicky voices to leave him alone, go away, save herself, stay away from him. And of course Avery has a one-track mind and cannot. Stay. Away. Of course.The prose is what I think I’ll call “melodramatic teen prose” from now on: there are a lot of repetitions, repetitions that one seems to think will make the story seem cool, cool or otherworldly, otherworldly in a highbrow manner, and oh—how I love the dashes that appear everywhere—to indicate the dropping off of thought—interruptions because—gasp!—IT CONTRIBUTES TO THE PARANORMAL ROMANCE MELODRAMA, DAMNIT.Reading this is kind of like how I imagine reading a screenplay of The Vampire Diaries would look like, which was one of the biggest reasons why I stopped reading L. J. Smith.A sadly great number of recent paranormal romances out there make Twilight look good in comparison, and I’m sorry to say that LOW RED MOON was no exception. If the promise of a low-key supernatural murder mystery intrigues you and you are supremely devoted to paranormal romances so that conventions don’t bother you, then you could give this a try. Otherwise, I would honestly say that you should stay away, or else you’ll end up like me, writing this sort of review in order to expression the frustration that this book manages to eloquently wrap up all that is cliché about YA paranormal romances.

[lawral_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Low Red Moon is paranormal romance at its best, but it is also so much more. It is also a book about a girl who is dealing with the loss of her parents. Avery, who has little to no relationship with her grandmother even though they are so close geographically, just wants to go home, but when she finally makes it to her parents' house, it's not longer home without them there. It's also a murder mystery with some all-too-human players, such as her father's friend who wants to turn the woods into a strip mall. With all of this going on, you might think that the paranormal romance aspect of the plot might push everything over the top, but it is actually what makes everything gel together.As in all your favorite paranormals, Avery and Ben have an almost immediate feelings for each other, a bond that goes (a bit) beyond attraction (though there are plenty steamy make-out scenes). But Avery is not the swooning type. She does not also immediately trust Ben or follow all of his for-your-safety commands (why do these paranormal guys all think they're love interest are so freaking helpless?). She reserves a bit of herself for, well, herself, even as she throws herself headlong into a pretty fast-moving relationship with Ben. It is during one of their massive make-out sessions that she discovers a patch of fur on his back. Not man-sweater fur, actual fur. The fact that Ben is more than human (werewolf, to the rest of us) terrifies her, even though Ben swears he would never ever hurt her. Ben, who she feels can see into her soul. Ben, who is a distractingly good kisser. Ben, who is a certifiable monster and moved to the woods near her parents' house just before they were murdered. Ben, who also doesn't remember the night they died. Avery makes the mental jumps that any rational human would make.I don't want to say too much more. While reading, my head was split between thinking that of course Ben killed Avery's parents and thinking, as paranormal romances have been teaching me since Twilight, that tru lurv conquers all and that Ben couldn't have possibly hurt her parents. Even though Avery and Ben hadn't met yet when they died. And even though Ben has a really good reason for wanting Avery's dad to shut his pie-hole. I was torn between the romance and the facts as we know and see them, just as Avery is. Her struggle is real and by the time she opens up and asks for help and advice, it looks like it might be too late.About the romance: I know there has been a lot of criticism about the unexplained attraction that is mistaken for love in all of these paranormal romances. Well, that's probably what's going on here too. Instead of this being a chaste "love" story (not that there is anything wrong with chaste teenage romances!) all about how hot the other person is, Avery and Ben get it on. They're attracted to each other, so they make out, feel some crazy connection to each other when they kiss, and think they're in love. Let's be honest, there's nothing all that paranormal about that. It happens to young adults, in books and in real life, all the time. As much as I wanted them to have a more meaningful relationship, it is pretty realistically portrayed. With all that is going on in Avery and Ben's lives, they don't have a ton of time to go get coffee and get to know each other. Does that mean they should constantly make-out in alleys? No, but they do. We can only hope that if Ben is not a crazed mass-murderer that they'll go back after this is all over and find out each others favorite colors.Book source: ARC picked up (and signed!) at ALA

[ericajsc · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Although I know that paranormal is not my favorite genre, I continue to pick up new books and hope that it will be one of the good ones, one of the ones that combines heartfelt emotion with mystery and self-discovery through the use of the metaphor of supernatural traits. I had high hopes that Low Red Moon would be one of those books, because every other book I’ve read by this author (under a different name) has pulled me in and had me awash with emotion. I just didn’t feel it with this book.Avery is disoriented, which would make sense given the fact that her parents were brutally murdered, and the fact that she’s completely blocked out that night in her mind only adds to it. Yes, I get that, and were I in that situation, you can bet I’d be racking my brain trying to uncover the memories. However, I quickly tired of seeing page after page where Avery bemoans the fact that she can’t remember, she knows she was there, what happened, if only she could remember. The thing is, that’s all there was to Avery. Other than the fact that she was homeschooled for most of her life and that she loved the forest, I don’t really know anything about her.And then, Ben comes into the picture. There is, of course, an intense connection between Avery and the mysterious new boy in school. Inexplicably, she is drawn to him, even though there’s this nagging feeling in the back of her mind that maybe he’s the one who killed her parents. But, still, he’s a really good kisser and the feel of his hands… As for the mystery behind Avery’s parents’ murder, it was decent. It wasn’t extremely obvious, but neither was it completely shocking. Unfortunately, though, there wasn’t a point when it was solved, it was simply remembered at the point when it would’ve been revealed anyway.What I did appreciate about the book were Avery’s fond memories of her parents. She was close to them, and it was obvious that she’ll never recover from having the two most important people in her life stolen from her. That grief was real and heartfelt.Unfortunately, not much else in the book pulled at me on any emotional level.

[fayeflame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Low Red Moon… from the very beginning I was already sucked into the mystery of the novel!The story itself was captivating...the forest, wolf legends, and a psychotic mass murder…It definitely grabbed my attention! I was loving the story, but with the characters it was a different story.Although I felt sympathy for Avery and Ben I never really felt a connect to them. While everything exciting was happening and me playing detective. The characters felt one noted. With everything Avery has ever loved is now gone she still has the forest, her Grandma Renee and Ben. I enjoyed the relationship between Avery and Ben, I had a thing for forbidden love, that and the suspense of the story kept me reading.Low Red Moon has great premise, and Devlin’s writing was easy to read, it wasn't too complex. This story differently has potential to be a great series! It's necessary sometimes to build a relationship with the characters, it give us something to look forward to. I'm sure readers will be flipping through the pages to solve the mystery along with Avery and Ben. I know that is what I did!This is a great start to a series and I'm looking forward to reading the next.

[pollywannabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.comLOW RED MOON is the Twilight version of Little Red Riding Hood. At least it really, really wants to be.The main character’s name in Avery Hood, she literally goes through the forest to her grandmother’s house, there’s a wolf (although this time he’s a beautiful teenager named Ben) and even a hunter (or rather a sheriff). There are some beautiful passages in the book and a solid mystery, but the romance felt rushed and the paranormal elements so vague and mysterious as to be more frustrating than fascinating.Avery’s love interest Ben has one single defining characteristic: he’s beautiful. He barely speaks and when he does, he’s pensive and full of cryptic warnings. Despite this, he and Avery are lightning quick acknowledge that they are magically meant for each other even though Avery is pretty sure Ben slaughtered her parents. This is one of those relationships you just have to accept from the get-go to enjoy.My other big hang up were the paranormal elements. LOW RED MOON is saturated with references to the power of the forest, the malevolence inside it, and its connection with Avery, yet we are never told how, why, or even what that means. The werewolf mythology is a little more flushed out, for example the whole forced change during the full moon is false, but not by much. The mystery of who/what killed Avery’s parents was the strongest part of LOW RED MOON and I found myself accusing everyone by the end of the book. I also enjoyed the damaged but salvageable relationship between Avery and her grandmother, as well as the character of Avery herself.LOW RED MOON is a short book (256 pages, but my ARC was less than 200) and it felt more like a novella then a full story, especially considering the super rushed romance, and the extremely cryptic supernatural elements. I can appreciate what it was trying to be (Twilight meets Little Red Riding Hood), I just think don’t think it completely pulled it off. Another hundred pages could have gone a long way towards building Avery and Ben’s relationship more credibly which would have turned this good book into a great book. Fans of Twilight and Carrie Jones Need series will enjoy this book, as did I, but the shortcomings I mentioned keep it from being as good as either of those.Sexual Content: Kissing. Very mild sensuality.

[mrsderaps · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Low Red Moon opens with violence. Something horrific has happened. Avery Hood is covered in blood. Her parents are dead. Flashes of silver--That's all she remembers. Avery lived in the forest with her parents. They were off the "grid" and lived off of the land. It was a beautiful life, but there was constant pressure for her parents to move away from the forest, which are populated by rare species of wolves. There are rumors that these wolves can take human form. Avery doesn't know what to believe. And then, a mysterious but beautiful boy named Ben moves to town. Avery is now living with her grandmother. A normal house, no solar panels or water-saving showers. Avery now goes to school with others kids because her mother isn't there to home school her. So Avery sees Ben. A lot. It seems like he's everywhere that she is. And, it doesn't help that she's strangely attracted to him. It's almost animalistic. I would say this read is entertaining. I read it in the space of an afternoon. It was a little scary, though a tad predictable (for me at least). I wished that there was a little more development of the relationship between Ben and Avery. There was a lot lacking, a lot that needed to be left to the imagination. But, I was flipping pages to see if my prediction panned out. And that's a good thing.

[grgenius_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Oh LOW RED MOON....how I wanted to love you so. Your cover is appealing, title intriguing, and the storyline, interesting indeed. *SIGH* BUT....I could not for the life of me connect with your lead character. Even setting other books aside while reading you did nothing for me. The premise of the story is good but you lacked details in many instances that (to me at least) were necessary. Your male lead (Ben) was intense, "bewitching", and by far the most complete character in the book. Did I finish the book? Yes. Was I compelled to read it? By the storyline, yes...by the characters, not so much. Will I watch for the sequel? Certainly....but with baited breath hoping that the characters are allowed to grow.