REVIEW: Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

Publication Date: August 20, 2013

Publisher: Zondervan

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Magic

Series: Doon, #1

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

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Veronica doesn't think she's going crazy. But why can't anyone else see the mysterious blond boy who keeps popping up wherever she goes? When her best friend, Mackenna, invites her to spend the summer in Scotland, Veronica jumps at the opportunity to leave her complicated life behind for a few months.  

But the Scottish countryside holds other plans.  

Not only has the imaginary kilted boy followed her to Alloway, she and Mackenna uncover a strange set of rings and a very unnerving letter from Mackenna's great aunt—and when the girls test the instructions Aunt Gracie left
behind, they find themselves transported to a land that defies explanation. Doon seems like a real-life fairy tale, complete with one prince who has eyes for Mackenna and another who looks suspiciously like the boy from Veronica's daydreams. But Doon has a dark underbelly as well. The two girls could have everything they've longed for...or they could end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that has become a nightmare.

   I never expected to love this as much as I did. I sort of read it a long time ago but I just wasn't feeling it back then. I was zoning out so I decided it wasn't the right time for me to read it. But I think I've changed as a reader because I really appreciated this book this time around. So I'm glad that I gave it a second chance because I fell in love with the magical dimension in Scotland. And I really think this is such an underrated book that needs more attention! 

   Veronica and Mackenna are going to Scotland for the summer to visit Mackenna's aunt's old cottage that now belongs to her. But Veronica's been seeing a boy in a kilt who's been calling her to come to him. She tells Mackenna but she doesn't believe her. Then they find two weird rings and a journal and learn about a bridge called the Brig-O-Doon. All of these things seem to be intertwined but they make no sense. Veronica goes to visit the bridge and a series of unfortunate events occur. The world they find themselves in isn't what they imagined it to be. It may appear to be like a fairy-tale dream come true but there are more things than princes and castles lurking in the world they find themselves in.

   This turned out to be a true page-turner for me. I don't know why but this just captured my attention from beginning to the end. And I could not put it down! It did feel a bit cheesy in the beginning with Veronica and Mackenna going alone to Scotland. But I love that the story jumped straight into the story and there was nothing unnecessary at the start.

   The cover is one of the reasons why I wanted to read this in the first place. I love the appearance of the bridge with all the fog surrounding it. Especially the castle! Whoever did this deserves a medal because this will surely draw readers in as it did with me.

   Veronica doesn't really have the best living conditions in her home. She breaks up with her boyfriend for cheating on her. Her mom doesn't seem to care about her and her boyfriend is sort of a pervert. Then she's seeing the sexy guy in a kilt and doesn't know what to make of it. I truly pitied her and she was a character I easily liked reading about. She has courage and isn't one of those damsel in distress that needs saving. She also loves to read and we both have that in common. Mackenna is the stubborn and red-headed best friend who isn't afraid to speak her mind. She loves her friend like a sister. And I loved seeing how strong their relationship was.

   My only complaint would be that I wished that the story was only written in Veronica's point of view because I felt like her story was stronger than Mackenna's. I was more drawn by Veronica's story and her kilt boy.

   I was really glad to see romance because I was in the right mood for it. We have two swoon-worthy princes with kilts. Jaime is the older brother and next in line for the throne. He's also really cold and arrogant towards our protagonists but he also has a sweet side that he hides. Duncan is the younger prince, who is the complete opposite of his brother. He's such a sweetheart. Both of them are such gentlemen and protective. And can I just say that both of them are finely built!

   Overall, Doon turned out to be such a light quick read. The ending was really satisfying with a small cliffhanger to seal the deal and make you excited for the next book!

4 Stars: A Great Read!