Double Star by Cindy Saunders

Double Star

Cindy Saunders

Paperback/ebook:  266 pages

Release Date:  June 7, 2013

Publisher:  Clean Teen Publishing

ISBN:  148101532X

Buy it at Amazon

For more information check out the Double Star website.

From Goodreads:

When Cepheus, a dark god, forces seventeen-year-old Ally Ashworth off an isolated overlook, she has no idea she’s falling into his world, or that the necklace she’s wearing is actually a key – one with the power to ignite the next world war. But she’s carried beyond his reach and into the one place where he’s powerless…the forest of Gilgamesh.

Ally’s never been Miss Popularity, but her outsider status takes on new meaning when she’s rescued by Liam Cheveyo and his peculiar friends. After seeing them shape-shift into their freaky humanimal counterparts, Ally smacks hard into a few truths: magic really does exist and, although getting here took no effort, finding her way back might be impossible. Feelings between her and Liam being to grow along with the realization that, in this world, she’s stronger, better…until she’s caught in a trap set by the creepy spider-boy Cepheus sends to retrieve her. But Ally’s not going down without a fight, not after learning the horrible truth about the passageways.

The survival of both worlds depends on it.

My review

Double Star is an exciting read, set in a beautiful world, with amazing characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. First off, I want to live in Gilgamesh. The descriptions are stunning and the magic is mesmerizing. In particular, there is a scene involving the main character Ally and her love interest Liam at a lake that is so well done. It completely draws you into a place where it’s as if time has slowed down and lost innocence is found.

Ally is a great main character. She’s tough and adapts to her odd surroundings. Yet she is also a teenager, not always thinking first when she speaks. I love her musical talent with the violin. It brings her character even more alive. And of course her relationship with Liam is amazing. She goes from a bratty nuisance to his inspiration and true love. As the reader you get to enjoy seeing the relationship totally evolve.

Liam is the “man of the house” taking care of his sister while his father is always away. He’s never recovered from losing his mother. When Ally blows into his life, he wakes up again and as readers we slowly learn there are many layers to this character. It’s heartbreaking as Liam wrestles with his love for Ally and knowing that eventually he will lose her.

The book is full of wonderful secondary characters. The friendship between Liam, Corm, Oisin, Ian, and Shane is something we all probably long for. Each character has his own back story and traits. Corm is the honorable one. There are hints to a complicated home life that I hope we get to learn more about deeper into the series. The antics of Ian, Oisin and Shane add some lightheartedness to the dangerous journey they all take. Liam’s sister Meg provides a youthful innocence and their wise grandmother Thea helps tell the story between the two worlds.

Cepheus is the evil antagonist that brought Ally to Gilgamesh. He utilizes a few nasty cronies in his quest to kidnap her, but my favorite minion is Caleb. Ms. Saunders gives the reader a complete picture of this character. The way she brings part of his story into the folds of the group of six is intriguing.   

I love the way Ms. Saunders relates the two worlds through history of the gods and history Ally remembers from school. It’s fun to connect the dots between the vastly different dimensions.

There’s so much more I want to know. The end is really more like the beginning, or just a pause in the journey for Ally to get home. There is so much more ahead for this group, many battles are likely in their future. But the bond they share is unbreakable. This book will make you wish you could fall into such a magical, wonderful land where someone’s word is still their bond. I can’t wait for the series to continue and to see what lies ahead for Ally and Liam and their friends.