DESTINED FOR DOON

Short stories have never been my thing. I’ve always struggled when writing them because I can never limit myself to just a few pages; I’d rather write two or three hundred. I get too attached to characters and their worlds, wanting to spend more time there than what a short story allows.

I guess that’s why I’m more drawn to book series than books that stand alone. Even when I was little, I knew the difference and latched onto Narnia. I loved the Narnia world, loved reading about how it began, how it ended. Other book series I like? Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Justin Cronin’s THE PASSAGE and the sequel, Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles, Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian’s FIRE WITH FIRE series, Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls books, and…well, I could just keep going. I get so hooked by these characters, their stories, their worlds, that I don’t want the series to end.

All of this echoes something Vee says in DESTINED FOR DOON...and speaking of, one of my most recent favorite series is the Doon books by Lorie Langdon and Carey Corp. I read the first book back in January (see here), after which Lorie and Carey asked me to join a street team to promote the second. That means that although the second book in the series—DESTINED FOR DOON—doesn’t release until September 2, an advanced reading copy arrived in my mailbox on Tuesday. By Thursday evening, I’d read the entire thing. Yes, it’s THAT GOOD.

First, check out the gorgeous cover:

Now, what I love about DESTINED FOR DOON.

NOTE: If you haven’t read the first one—and, P.S., why not???—you should probably skip this next part. I’m not going to ruin anything that happens in DESTINED FOR DOON—just talk about the basic plot, which is revealed early on—but I’m going to spoil the end of DOON. So if you haven’t read the first, skip down to the end of this SPOILER ALERT. If you have read DOON, keep on.

Because, if you remember where DOON left off, Vee’s got her happily ever after and Kenna’s gone off to her internship in Chicago…

…except Vee’s ending isn’t so happy after all. (I love how realistic this is.) Not only aren’t Vee and Jamie the perfect couple, but Vee’s also having problems with the citizens of Doon, some of whom don’t accept her—an outsider—as their queen.

…except Kenna’s stuck in Chicago and realized the truth about her Calling. Kenna’s pretty sure she’s ruined both her life and Duncan’s by abandoning him on the bridge. And if she had any doubt, when Duncan shows up in Chicago, he’s distant and cold. He’s only come for her because Vee needs her help in Doon. He has to wear the other ring for the magic to open the way back to Doon, where the witch’s black petunias are spreading and people are disappearing.

While I love the plot (and all the subplots!) of this second Doon book, what I love even more is all the details that Carey and Lorie incorporated throughout. For starters, Kenna calls Doon’s new witch problem zombie fungus, which made me laugh the first time I read it and smile pretty much every time after that. Then there’s the fact that Kenna brings a Wicked umbrella with her to Doon, a huge, hilarious irony considering Doon’s citizens assumed she was in league with the witch the first time she was there. Also, Vee uses references and analogies to various books I’ve read (what girl doesn’t love Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice?) and dances to music I love (Justin Timberlake, anyone?). And…well, I could just keep going.

The point is—END of SPOILER ALERT—I love DESTINED FOR DOON as much as I love DOON. As soon as I finished the second book, I wanted to read the third. Obviously that’s not an option, but I’m so glad Carey and Lorie gave me the opportunity to read it early. Not only did I get to read it, I also got to send them a list of typos to correct before Blink prints the hardcover copies of the book. (Readers, you’re welcome :) Even more, I got a glimpse of what it’s like to be on the other side, the author side of a published book. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to thank Carey and Lorie enough for the opportunity to be on this street team, but I know that on September 2, I’ll be out buying a hardcover copy of DESTINED FOR DOON.