Crystal Doors

By Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson

Review by Alison

The opening paragraph grabs the reader’s attention.

·Put reader right into the action

·Make reader imagine the unimaginable (ie. It’s not everyday that a 13 year old girl is accused of murder…)

·Don’t start with “the book I read was…” That’s way too BORING! Hook us into the plot!

There is another land out there, somewhere in the universe. Then, imagine, how could you get there? That is, if it does really exist, or maybe, it was just another fairytale. For two cousins, a door opened, and they entered a new realm. A magical land, and secrets, never meant to de told. As the quest is revealed, there destiny unravels as they must face the hardest choices anyone could ever make.

The title and author are worked in naturally

·Don’t say, “My book was The Giver” when you can say, “Jonas, a twelve year old boy and the main character of Lois Lowry’s Newbery Award winning novel The Giver, must make decisions that impact his entire society.”

When fourteen-year-old twin cousins, Gwen, and Vic enter into a new land, accidentally by Vic’s scientist father, they arrive to the land of Elantya. In Rebecca Moesta, and Kevin J. Anderson’s novel, the Crystal Doors, things are happening, and nothing is normal.

The overall idea and plot are discussed, without giving away the ending

·Keep it short and sweet, even if it’s a long book

·Just give the reader the gist of the book. Be clear, make sense, don’t give away the ending

When Gwen and Vic were transported to Elantya, they are wrapped up in a battle between land and sea, and the disappearance of Vic’s mother, who disappeared after Gwen’s parents were killed in an accident. With no time to loose, Gwen and Vic must make hard choices, choices that could tear them apart from the world they had come from.

Describe one exciting incident in detail

·Again, don’t give away the ending

·Be clear enough so that someone who HAS NOT read the book can follow

Imagine doing something you’ve dreamed of doing, but something goes wrong. Terribly wrong. When a orca name Shoru attacks Gwen, Gwen’s uncle, Vic’s dad, Uncle Cap, knows something is wrong. When they arrive somewhere, Uncle Cap asks them to pack their bag. Gwen and Vic are surprised; did it have to do with the disappearance of Vic’s mother?

End the review with your opinion and recommendation

·Who might like this type of book? (Sports fans? People that love to laugh? History buffs? Late night readers that like to be freaked out?

·What did you think? Is it worth reading? If it won an award, is it worth the hype?

I think people who like books about parallel worlds, adventure, and fantasy will enjoy this book. This book is worth reading because it is a hooker, and will keep you reading through the night, until you finish it.