REVIEW: Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

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.
DOON is loosely based on the premise of the musical Brigadoon, with permission from the ALan Jay Lerner Estate and the Frederick Loewe Foundation. Follow the journey at http://www.DoonSeries.com

I received a finished copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

3 of 5 stars (Please see my rating system further below). My favorite part of Doon would definitely have to be the setting. The fact that the story is woven around the dynamic country of Scotland and a high fantasy secret land beyond a bridge made me enjoy the book much more than if it had been written in a regular generic setting. The writing and the fantasy aspect of this book brought so many memories of my childhood filled with epic high fantasy. The 2 protagonists Veronica and McKenna are very relatable to, which made reading from their perspectives much more enjoyable; I liked reading from Veronica's point of view much better than reading from McKenna's. Doon is also based off of the musical the Brigadoon; I love the idea, but I felt like that element of the book was under executed. There were definitely mentions of it, but I would've liked the authors to go more in depth and use it more profoundly, then just naming a river and bridge. Unfortunately, Doon does feature one of my biggest bookish pet peeves; instalove. Both Veronica and McKenna experience love in Doon, because both have experienced what is called a "calling"; this means that you have a soulmate in the magical land of Doon, and that you were meant to be with each other. Right when Veronica and McKenna meet their soul mates, the story turns into a cheesy romance novel that was less likable (for me at least) then the epic tale of two best friends and a secret fantasy world. Overall, I found this book quite entertaining; It had me at the edge of my seat, and I definitely indulged this book until I was finished.

My rating system: (I do use half stars.) 

5 - I do not use the 5 star. Not because a book might not be worthy, but because a book is never perfect. 

4 - I loved it! There weren't too many flaws, and I had no trouble getting through it. (A 4 star rating is the highest rating I've ever given a book.) 

3 - I enjoyed the book, but there we're flaws that made me enjoy it less. 

2 - I finished the book, but there were too many flaws for me to enjoy it. 

1 - I could not finish the book, and I probably did not finish it....


Reviewer:
Grace