The Snow Angel Review

Title:  The Snow Angel
Author: Lauren St. John
Series: Not Applicable
Publisher: Zephyr
Publication Date: 05 October 2017
Source: Jonathan Ball Publishers
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 327
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reading Timeline: 28 April 2018

Goodreads Synopsis:

Growing up in vibrant, crowded Nairobi, Makena has only one dream: to clime Mount Kenya like her hero, her mountain guide father. But when her beautiful world is shattered, she finds that in the city's dark places there are a thousand ways to fall, each more deadly than any crevasse. In a world of strangers, does she dare just Snow, whose ballet dreams are haunted by a past she's still running from? And is the sparking fox friend or foe?

After a fresh start in the Scottish Highlands turns bad, Makena flees to the mountains. But will they betray her or be the making of her.

Book Review:

Pre-Reading Thoughts:

I definitely requested this book for the cover but the synopsis is actually really enticing. I want to know more about Makena and the past she is running from. I also want to know more about the trials that Makena faces.

Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a copy of this book to review! I cannot wait to jump in! Just a small disclaimer for this reading this review. I have received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this does not affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own.

Writing Thoughts:

The writing was simple in this book. It was easy to read and made for a something that you could read quickly. The writing was a bit young for me but that comes with the territory. There was a lot of detail but I felt like it was inconsistent sometimes. However, when the author describes the snow in Scotland, it felt like I was there

Plot Thoughts:

The plot was so good and carried an important message. It did take a while to unfold but the struggles that the main character goes through just grips you and tugs at your heart. The story constantly grabs your attention because it shows you the life of some orphaned kids. I felt like this book was the perfect balance between the real and the fantasy.

Character Thoughts:

I wasn't overly fond of the characters in this book but I admire the story that they told. The main character was strong and at times super resourceful. They were developed and carried a lot of weight when it came to certain topics. Snow represented both a relief for Makena as well as the superstitions of some people

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think it is perfect for middle-grade kids because of the strong message it carries. I also really liked the representation that was there. I liked the writing, I think that the simplicity really worked with the story. The plot was really good even though it took a while to unfold. The characters were diverse and really aided the story. Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a copy of this book to review

Yours in Reading,

Melleny