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Cassidy Jones And The Secret Formula (2011)

by Elise Stokes(Favorite Author)

4.21 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

JACE Publishing LLC

series

Cassidy Jones Adventures

review 1: (Includes some minor spoilers for the early part of the book)I downloaded this novel a few days ago, and have already finished it. That should give you some idea of how enjoyable I found it.The story is told in first person from the perspective of the titular Cassidy Jones, an ordinary fourteen year old schoolgirl with everyday problems (fitting in at school, peer pressure, bullying etc.). Cassidy’s life changes when her news reporter father goes to interview genetic scientist Serena Phillips, and she is accidentally infected with mysterious chemicals.When Cassidy comes around, she discovers she is no longer an ordinary girl. She now has special powers that a comic book character would possess: accelerated healing, enhanced senses, and others as well (but that would be r... moreevealing too much – you’ll have to read the book and discover those for yourself).After a brief prologue that sets the tone nicely, there are a couple of chapters that introduce us to Cassidy, her life and family. I initially thought the first part of the book was a bit slow and didn’t seem to be going anywhere (a lot of ordinary stuff and conversations). However, the initial school sections did tie in nicely with events later in the book. Things do pick up speed after Cassidy acquires her special powers.When Serena disappears in mysterious circumstances – and the police believe she has been kidnapped – Cassidy finds herself caught up in the investigation, and teams up with the scientist’s son Emery who becomes her confidant and ally. I thought the developing relationship between these two central characters was one of the highlights. Though Emery sometimes came across a cliched geeky character (boy with glasses who’s into computers, lots of gadgetry), there were enough mysteries about him, his family/friends and background to keep things fresh, interesting and compelling enough (again, I won’t go into too many details as it would spoil the story).The middle section of the book did feel it dragged a little (but this might be a personal preference). However, the final action packed third more than made up for this. The villains came across as a little cartoonish, but this is probably intentional as there are clear parallels between Cassidy’s plight and that of a superhero who’s just gained their powers and learning to use them for the first time (think of Peter Parker in Spiderman for a classic comparative example). It’s clear this is a superhero tale, and so some wackiness is to be expected. The author is excellent at describing action sequences, particularly fights which can be difficult in a novel with no visual aids, and builds suspense brilliantly. The book was a real page turner by the end, and I finished the final half in one sitting, desperate to see what happened next.At times Cassidy felt a little overpowered and able to best her opponents easily, but I expect this will be addressed in later novels in the series (where I suspect villains who are more of a match for her will be introduced). There are a couple of chapters at the end that set up some potential adversaries / problems for Cassidy in the future.The ordinary person gaining powers angle is nothing new and somewhat generic, but having a child go through it is relatively original. Overall, I felt the author did a fine job, as origin stories are notoriously difficult to pull off. I’ve not yet read the other books in the series, but definitely intend to do so.I think this book should appeal to children of most ages (probably older than ten, so they can relate better to some of the teenager issues), and also adults who have inner kids inside them. If superheroes are your thing, definitely check this out. It’s also a refreshing change from a dystopian setting or paranormal romance. Most of my above comments should be seen as minor nitpicks in an excellently written tale.
review 2: It is amazing, right after the first paragraphs I realised that I was fully drawn into the story. The idea of someone like Cassidy suddenly becoming a superhero does not seem new at first. Just a few pages into the story you realise that this is different. The story evolves into an adventurous hunt to save a professor, a father, and a friend. I can fully understand how Cassidy feels in the different situations, as Elise Stokes craftily develops the story. No. I will not tell you more. This would spoil the fun of reading this book yourself.With this first volume of a fantasy series, Elise Stokes proves that it is not required to give never-ending descriptions. You can clearly imagine her surroundings and those she deals with. Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula perhaps seems to be a light read – however, by showing a great deal of emotional intelligence, it provides food for thought.Now I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Cassidy Jones Adventure series: Cassidy Jones and Vulcan’s Gift. :-) less

Download links for: Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula

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