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Ivy Cole and the Moon
Ivy, a werewolf with the ability to choose her victims, arrives in the town of Doe Springs to eliminate the unsavory folks who reside there, but something else has taken up residence in the land, with an unconscionable appetite that targets the ones Ivy loves. Reprint.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 22, 2008
The idea is raised in Gina Farago's Ivy Cole and the Moon tha a girl born south of the Mason-Dixon line is always a part of the South. My parts of Kentucky are more Midwest than Southern--yet they're close enough that I suspect something of that very idea may draw me to novels set there. Especially fantasy novels, or in this particular case, horror.
Ivy Cole and the Moon is not a particularly fast-paced work. But then, it doesn't need to be; instead, like a summer night in the South, it is heavy and redolent with atmosphere. It slowly builds until, as if with the inevitable Midwest or Southern thunderstorm, the tension blows over at last. Farago knows the pace she needs to set and sets it well, handing out careful pieces of her werewolf heroine's backstory while she hunts another of her kind--who, unlike her, is taking innocent prey. While her style occasionally struck me as a little too cumbersome, there was also a refreshing lack of dialect tricks in her rendering of her Southern accents; where many authors might have taken shortcuts, dropping g's and writing out pronuncuations phonetically, her dialogue was wonderfully clear. There's not quite enough suspense here to make the plot truly surprising... but then, thunderstorms in the South rarely are. And sometimes, a good storm is refreshing indeed. I'll give this one three stars.
Ivy Cole and the Moon is not a particularly fast-paced work. But then, it doesn't need to be; instead, like a summer night in the South, it is heavy and redolent with atmosphere. It slowly builds until, as if with the inevitable Midwest or Southern thunderstorm, the tension blows over at last. Farago knows the pace she needs to set and sets it well, handing out careful pieces of her werewolf heroine's backstory while she hunts another of her kind--who, unlike her, is taking innocent prey. While her style occasionally struck me as a little too cumbersome, there was also a refreshing lack of dialect tricks in her rendering of her Southern accents; where many authors might have taken shortcuts, dropping g's and writing out pronuncuations phonetically, her dialogue was wonderfully clear. There's not quite enough suspense here to make the plot truly surprising... but then, thunderstorms in the South rarely are. And sometimes, a good storm is refreshing indeed. I'll give this one three stars.
October 13, 2008
This book caught my eye in a bookstore a while back. I'm glad that it did because it was an extremely well-written book. The plot was tight - there was a lot of mystery, but the information was given just at the right time; the characters are great. The only thing I didn't really like was the way that it ended, but perhaps the author was leaving it open for a sequel.
March 5, 2010
What a terrific werewolf story! I absolutely loved it! It was quite different from what I expected - and in a very good way. The book was impeccably researched, with a solid plot and fantastic characters. I really loved it! It was an absolute pleasure to read and I am SO happy to have the sequel already. I just can't wait to read it!
August 20, 2008
So much better than the Twilight series, I think.
August 25, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I came to care about Ivy and Melvin and Gloria. I hope this one has a sequel.
October 16, 2024
I've had this book for almost ten years (honestly cannot remember where it came from), and I never really knew what to make of it. The cover gave me generic paranormal super long repetitive series vibes, even though the title and series length (two books) didn't follow the norm. So I just never read it, because whenever I'd remember it existed I just couldn't figure out what it was actually going to be.
So yes, I'm more than a little pissed at the book cover for 1) the misleading vibes that made me wait a decade to read it, and 2) for not even looking like Ivy Cole.
The only way I really know how to describe it is to compare it to Annette Curtis Klause's The Silver Kiss and Blood and Chocolate, except longer and geared more towards adults rather than young adults. But it's the same brand of paranormal that's creepy and fascinating and tragic. I'm not one hundred percent sold on the ending, but throughout the whole book I was constantly thinking, "Good For Ivy Cole."
Honestly, maybe the mixed signals of the cover ended up working in the book's favor, because I never had any clue what was going to happen next or how it was going to end.
And yes, as soon as I finished reading it (well, after scouring the internet for the sequel or to see if Gina Farago ever wrote anything else [she wrote a cookbook and a book about grief for kids, which is awesome, but unfortunately not what I was hoping to find]) was to make a music playlist, so you know that means I loved it.
So yes, I'm more than a little pissed at the book cover for 1) the misleading vibes that made me wait a decade to read it, and 2) for not even looking like Ivy Cole.
The only way I really know how to describe it is to compare it to Annette Curtis Klause's The Silver Kiss and Blood and Chocolate, except longer and geared more towards adults rather than young adults. But it's the same brand of paranormal that's creepy and fascinating and tragic. I'm not one hundred percent sold on the ending, but throughout the whole book I was constantly thinking, "Good For Ivy Cole."
Honestly, maybe the mixed signals of the cover ended up working in the book's favor, because I never had any clue what was going to happen next or how it was going to end.
And yes, as soon as I finished reading it (well, after scouring the internet for the sequel or to see if Gina Farago ever wrote anything else [she wrote a cookbook and a book about grief for kids, which is awesome, but unfortunately not what I was hoping to find]) was to make a music playlist, so you know that means I loved it.
January 30, 2016
This book had been sitting around our branch for a long, long time. One day it was returned, and I realized that it was pretty much in two pieces (not uncommon with mass market paperbacks - they don't last long), so I withdrew it from circulation and prepared to give it a proper burial. And stopped. And looked at it again. And realized that I'd always sort of wanted to read it, so why not take it home and put it in my To-Be-Read pile? A much more fitting end than the trash can, right?
As usual, it sat around for a while, probably a good year or so. I finally picked it up about a month ago; something just told me it was the right time to give it a shot. Which I did...
Ivy Cole is a werewolf. This is nothing new to her, having been bitten and turned when she was still a child. Sure, it's a bit of a pain having to Change every month, but she's grown used to it, moving when people start to get suspicious, keeping to herself, and even accumulating her own pack of stray dogs. She's young, beautiful, and has headed back "home" to the small town of Doe Springs, North Carolina. Unfortunately for her, hiding her true nature in a such a small town is proving to be difficult. You see, Ivy uses her "condition" to handle problem people, preying on and killing abusers, murderers, and such. She's always very careful to make it look like an accident. Sadly, her latest victim, Clifford Hughes, has been discovered far sooner than Ivy had intended. The police know he was attacked by some sort of animal, and they're wondering if it's the same animal that has been attacking the local livestock.
Ivy is interviewed by Sheriff Hubbard and Deputy Melvin Sanders due to her connection to the victim - the grieving widow's best friend. It becomes obvious that Melvin is attracted to Ivy; the feeling is mutual, but of course, she's got that pesky "monthly condition" that he can never know about. Ivy is also under suspicion because of her work - as a dog trainer. The local police wonder if someone like her could train her dogs to attack and kill, especially her very large Shepard, Auf. Ivy does her best to throw them off the scent (no pun intended) while doing her own investigation; she knows that there's another werewolf in her area, one that needs to be dealt with before he/she exposes them both.
This isn't a bad book, but there are a few problems. I liked most of the characters, especially Ivy, but I felt as if the author was keeping them at a distance from us, the readers. I also figured out who the other were was early on in the book, even before the author let us in on the identity, something that I'm not sure Farago should have done. After all, don't you want the reader to be in suspense? When you write your reveal just a little over half-way, it feels premature. I think a few less hints and better timing would have made that part of the book more appealing. My biggest beef is the epilogue; the scene left me scratching my head and saying "when did that happen?" I know the "why" - a sequel, and yes, it's out - I checked on Amazon. But if you're going to have a scene that makes it clear that you'll be writing a sequel, shouldn't I as the reader remember what led up to that scene? Just a very weird thing to do.
I will hopefully be able to get my hands on the sequel, "Luna", and let you know if it's better. "Ivy Cole" is a solid entry, just not a stellar one.
As usual, it sat around for a while, probably a good year or so. I finally picked it up about a month ago; something just told me it was the right time to give it a shot. Which I did...
Ivy Cole is a werewolf. This is nothing new to her, having been bitten and turned when she was still a child. Sure, it's a bit of a pain having to Change every month, but she's grown used to it, moving when people start to get suspicious, keeping to herself, and even accumulating her own pack of stray dogs. She's young, beautiful, and has headed back "home" to the small town of Doe Springs, North Carolina. Unfortunately for her, hiding her true nature in a such a small town is proving to be difficult. You see, Ivy uses her "condition" to handle problem people, preying on and killing abusers, murderers, and such. She's always very careful to make it look like an accident. Sadly, her latest victim, Clifford Hughes, has been discovered far sooner than Ivy had intended. The police know he was attacked by some sort of animal, and they're wondering if it's the same animal that has been attacking the local livestock.
Ivy is interviewed by Sheriff Hubbard and Deputy Melvin Sanders due to her connection to the victim - the grieving widow's best friend. It becomes obvious that Melvin is attracted to Ivy; the feeling is mutual, but of course, she's got that pesky "monthly condition" that he can never know about. Ivy is also under suspicion because of her work - as a dog trainer. The local police wonder if someone like her could train her dogs to attack and kill, especially her very large Shepard, Auf. Ivy does her best to throw them off the scent (no pun intended) while doing her own investigation; she knows that there's another werewolf in her area, one that needs to be dealt with before he/she exposes them both.
This isn't a bad book, but there are a few problems. I liked most of the characters, especially Ivy, but I felt as if the author was keeping them at a distance from us, the readers. I also figured out who the other were was early on in the book, even before the author let us in on the identity, something that I'm not sure Farago should have done. After all, don't you want the reader to be in suspense? When you write your reveal just a little over half-way, it feels premature. I think a few less hints and better timing would have made that part of the book more appealing. My biggest beef is the epilogue; the scene left me scratching my head and saying "when did that happen?" I know the "why" - a sequel, and yes, it's out - I checked on Amazon. But if you're going to have a scene that makes it clear that you'll be writing a sequel, shouldn't I as the reader remember what led up to that scene? Just a very weird thing to do.
I will hopefully be able to get my hands on the sequel, "Luna", and let you know if it's better. "Ivy Cole" is a solid entry, just not a stellar one.
June 12, 2011
Rating: 4.0
Genre: Dark Fantasy, with slight Romance involved.
Ivy Cole and the Moon by Gina Farago is a much different story than I was expecting. The story starts out at a slow pace, but that is not always a bad thing. If you allow yourself time to actually take in the world building, and the characters that are introduced to you, you will find that this is a pretty decent story that straddles the line of between dark fantasy and PNR. THe last half of this story is filled with tension and suspense as the characters find themselves being driven together by the villian of the story.
You will definitely need to understand the background story behind why Ivy has become judge, jury and executioner and why she is back home living in Doe Springs, North Carolina where her family was originally from after all the years of being away so that you can understand what drives her. Farago does a wonderful job of interweaving Ivy’s background into the story along with her present circumstances.
The people she goes after are not nice people at all. Do they deserve to die? We can sit here and debate that until the cows come home but the answer is yes they do. Ivy ends up being called the Devil of Doe Springs much to her chagrin and that is only the start of her problems as she becomes the focus of the investigation by the Sheriff’s department under Gloria Hubbard.
Ivy was not born a werewolf. She had the unfortunate circumstance as a child of being bitten by her nanny who was having an affair with her father at the time. The nanny hoped that Ivy would wake up one day and they would become the family that the nanny was never able to have. The reality is, in fact, so much different. Ivy realizes from the very beginning that the nanny was responsible for her mother’s death and makes it her mission in life to pay her back and anyone else who may have benefited from it. Thankfully Ivy has the support of her German Uncle Stefan and Aunt Pritchard who lives in Doe Springs.
Ivy does have a romantic entanglement in this story with Deputy Melvin Sanders so it doesn’t end up being a true dark fantasy novel. Of course, Ivy has too many secrets that become exposed over the course of the sheriff’s investigation of the four deaths on full moon nights to actually expect that her relationship will last. Even her Aunt tells her she should be looking toward her own kind instead of messing around with a human.
This is the first book by Ms. Farago that I’ve read, and I do plan on reading Luna which was released in 2008, and is the sequel to Ivy Cole and the Moon as soon as I can find it. Yes, this book does leave open for a sequel as well as a few other questions especially regarding the fate of Melvin.
Only real complaint: I don't like the back and forth between the characters. I would have preferred if the story had focused on Ivy and her trials and tribulations, and maybe threw in the villains POV to show how they are on a collison course which he had set up.
Genre: Dark Fantasy, with slight Romance involved.
Ivy Cole and the Moon by Gina Farago is a much different story than I was expecting. The story starts out at a slow pace, but that is not always a bad thing. If you allow yourself time to actually take in the world building, and the characters that are introduced to you, you will find that this is a pretty decent story that straddles the line of between dark fantasy and PNR. THe last half of this story is filled with tension and suspense as the characters find themselves being driven together by the villian of the story.
You will definitely need to understand the background story behind why Ivy has become judge, jury and executioner and why she is back home living in Doe Springs, North Carolina where her family was originally from after all the years of being away so that you can understand what drives her. Farago does a wonderful job of interweaving Ivy’s background into the story along with her present circumstances.
The people she goes after are not nice people at all. Do they deserve to die? We can sit here and debate that until the cows come home but the answer is yes they do. Ivy ends up being called the Devil of Doe Springs much to her chagrin and that is only the start of her problems as she becomes the focus of the investigation by the Sheriff’s department under Gloria Hubbard.
Ivy was not born a werewolf. She had the unfortunate circumstance as a child of being bitten by her nanny who was having an affair with her father at the time. The nanny hoped that Ivy would wake up one day and they would become the family that the nanny was never able to have. The reality is, in fact, so much different. Ivy realizes from the very beginning that the nanny was responsible for her mother’s death and makes it her mission in life to pay her back and anyone else who may have benefited from it. Thankfully Ivy has the support of her German Uncle Stefan and Aunt Pritchard who lives in Doe Springs.
Ivy does have a romantic entanglement in this story with Deputy Melvin Sanders so it doesn’t end up being a true dark fantasy novel. Of course, Ivy has too many secrets that become exposed over the course of the sheriff’s investigation of the four deaths on full moon nights to actually expect that her relationship will last. Even her Aunt tells her she should be looking toward her own kind instead of messing around with a human.
This is the first book by Ms. Farago that I’ve read, and I do plan on reading Luna which was released in 2008, and is the sequel to Ivy Cole and the Moon as soon as I can find it. Yes, this book does leave open for a sequel as well as a few other questions especially regarding the fate of Melvin.
Only real complaint: I don't like the back and forth between the characters. I would have preferred if the story had focused on Ivy and her trials and tribulations, and maybe threw in the villains POV to show how they are on a collison course which he had set up.
March 6, 2013
Years ago, I met Gina Farago at a Dragon*Con convention where she had a table with her book Ivy Cole and the Moon and some information about wolves. Being a lover of wolves myself, I was curious and we spoke a bit about her book. I was intrigued and decided to buy it from her. Fast forward past three moves to new homes to now and I found the book again. I finally sat down to read it.
If you are a lover of wolves like I am and aware of the plight of them, you will definitely be glad to read this book which is also written by a lover of wolves who casts a spotlight on the much maligned beast.
Having said that, this book left me in two different camps: One that enjoyed the book and one that didn't. Confusing, yeah, I know.
The story takes place in North Carolina (I spent a week in Asheville and was a bit familiar with the area) and the feel and pacing is as slow and easy as a summer in the south. The characters are appropriately 'local' and Gina Farago paints a picture of the small town with a comfortable brush. The wolf and werewolf lore that is shared through the story is definitely interesting and worth a whole book all on its own and the main character of Ivy Cole is a strong woman with the burden of her past and carrying the weight of it with grace. The mystery of the deaths and what's happening unravels throughout and leads to an appropriately climactic scene that is exciting as you wonder how all of this is going to turn out. Though, it does not end completely since there is another book to follow which makes reading the ending feel sort of... like the air going out of a balloon for me.
The problem I had with the book in many parts was the pacing which could get a bit slow here and there (though that is forgivable given the novel takes place in a location where things are a bit slower paced). There were many 'dead ends' of story that grew a little annoying to deal with. The switching of point of view from characters was also disconcerting in many places as I had not realized the change at first - there was no indication of a change. While I'm sure this was to keep an element of 'who-dun-it', it left me feeling confused and made me lose the thread I was following as I was jarred to pick it up again in the new voice.
Part of my enjoyment of a book is not just the story, which is the obvious part, but my enjoyment in the actual [i]reading[/i] of it. While I enjoyed the story - and let me assure you, it is a very good story - I didn't always enjoy reading it.
Of course, I am still going to have to find Luna, the sequel to Ivy Cole and the Moon and find out what happens to Ivy and her first love, Melvin Sanders!
If you are a lover of wolves like I am and aware of the plight of them, you will definitely be glad to read this book which is also written by a lover of wolves who casts a spotlight on the much maligned beast.
Having said that, this book left me in two different camps: One that enjoyed the book and one that didn't. Confusing, yeah, I know.
The story takes place in North Carolina (I spent a week in Asheville and was a bit familiar with the area) and the feel and pacing is as slow and easy as a summer in the south. The characters are appropriately 'local' and Gina Farago paints a picture of the small town with a comfortable brush. The wolf and werewolf lore that is shared through the story is definitely interesting and worth a whole book all on its own and the main character of Ivy Cole is a strong woman with the burden of her past and carrying the weight of it with grace. The mystery of the deaths and what's happening unravels throughout and leads to an appropriately climactic scene that is exciting as you wonder how all of this is going to turn out. Though, it does not end completely since there is another book to follow which makes reading the ending feel sort of... like the air going out of a balloon for me.
The problem I had with the book in many parts was the pacing which could get a bit slow here and there (though that is forgivable given the novel takes place in a location where things are a bit slower paced). There were many 'dead ends' of story that grew a little annoying to deal with. The switching of point of view from characters was also disconcerting in many places as I had not realized the change at first - there was no indication of a change. While I'm sure this was to keep an element of 'who-dun-it', it left me feeling confused and made me lose the thread I was following as I was jarred to pick it up again in the new voice.
Part of my enjoyment of a book is not just the story, which is the obvious part, but my enjoyment in the actual [i]reading[/i] of it. While I enjoyed the story - and let me assure you, it is a very good story - I didn't always enjoy reading it.
Of course, I am still going to have to find Luna, the sequel to Ivy Cole and the Moon and find out what happens to Ivy and her first love, Melvin Sanders!
June 21, 2011
I have such incredibly mixed feelings about this book that it's just not funny anymore.
After much searching (and eventually finding the object of my former desires on the shelves of a second-hand bookstore), I did eventually track down this strangely hard-to-find book. Unfortunately, though, it's one of those two steps forward, one step back things. As much as the lack of subtle-as-a-brick-to-the-face sexual metaphors (even though modern writers get them rather...wrong. Werewolves were metaphors for male sexual violence!)was a relief in the extreme sense, it doesn't make up for this bad habit of plot points leading to nowhere.
Most of the book, unfortunately, is forgettable. There's nothing horribly amazing about the characters--the flip side to that being that many of them are written very sympathetically.You can love the people of this little town. Likewise, you can also hate them with a firey passion. Take Ivy's friend, the widow, for instance. Character flaws and incredibly dirty deeds are written off by Ivy as if the woman had no conscience; frankly, it makes Ivy look about as dumb as a box of rocks. Secondly, there's this bad habit the book has of starting subplots...and then going nowhere with them. Characters pop up, a subplot starts going--and then it drops suddenly right after the climax. That being said, there are a number of cliches involved (the white wolf/black wolf is only the most obvious) that make the ending far too obvious.
Like I said, having a female werewolf character that isn't a nymphomaniac who's written for the ah...'pleasure'...of those readers who have rape fantasies, but it doesn't really balance out the subplot problem, the character malfunctions, or the cliches.
After much searching (and eventually finding the object of my former desires on the shelves of a second-hand bookstore), I did eventually track down this strangely hard-to-find book. Unfortunately, though, it's one of those two steps forward, one step back things. As much as the lack of subtle-as-a-brick-to-the-face sexual metaphors (even though modern writers get them rather...wrong. Werewolves were metaphors for male sexual violence!)was a relief in the extreme sense, it doesn't make up for this bad habit of plot points leading to nowhere.
Most of the book, unfortunately, is forgettable. There's nothing horribly amazing about the characters--the flip side to that being that many of them are written very sympathetically.You can love the people of this little town. Likewise, you can also hate them with a firey passion. Take Ivy's friend, the widow, for instance. Character flaws and incredibly dirty deeds are written off by Ivy as if the woman had no conscience; frankly, it makes Ivy look about as dumb as a box of rocks. Secondly, there's this bad habit the book has of starting subplots...and then going nowhere with them. Characters pop up, a subplot starts going--and then it drops suddenly right after the climax. That being said, there are a number of cliches involved (the white wolf/black wolf is only the most obvious) that make the ending far too obvious.
Like I said, having a female werewolf character that isn't a nymphomaniac who's written for the ah...'pleasure'...of those readers who have rape fantasies, but it doesn't really balance out the subplot problem, the character malfunctions, or the cliches.
July 15, 2013
Ok..hmm not how I expected it to end. This is not a type of book I normally read, it is supposed to be horror but I thought it more along the lines of suspense with a hint of romance. I liked how we got to read from so many different perpectives and view points. Most of the times that annoys the heck out of me put it actually worked well in this book.
I never thought I would like reading in the view point of a dog or wolf but I did. The information about wolves and their history will seem overwhelming and boring if you are not into that. I personally thought the author did a wonderful job at describing wolf packs and the way they work with comunication and survival.
The novel ended in a way it leaves it wide open for a continuation. I'm not sure if there is another book after this, I picked this up at Goodwill and thought to give it a try, sounded intresting. I'm still shaking my head at the ending so many questions still not answered and I feel there is still more to Ivy I want to read about. The author only slightly hinted at what happened to Sanders, Simple Rex is left with a vague ending, and what about Tee?? So many more questions and no answers.
The BOB or back of book gives a pretty good idea of what goes on so I won't waste time with a general overview of the book, just my thoughts.
I never thought I would like reading in the view point of a dog or wolf but I did. The information about wolves and their history will seem overwhelming and boring if you are not into that. I personally thought the author did a wonderful job at describing wolf packs and the way they work with comunication and survival.
The novel ended in a way it leaves it wide open for a continuation. I'm not sure if there is another book after this, I picked this up at Goodwill and thought to give it a try, sounded intresting. I'm still shaking my head at the ending so many questions still not answered and I feel there is still more to Ivy I want to read about. The author only slightly hinted at what happened to Sanders, Simple Rex is left with a vague ending, and what about Tee?? So many more questions and no answers.
The BOB or back of book gives a pretty good idea of what goes on so I won't waste time with a general overview of the book, just my thoughts.
December 17, 2011
This is Southern gothic style contemporary fantasy set in the hills of North Carolina featuring werewolves - the not-so-friendly kind. The point of view shifts among different characters, so you know what's coming, and yet there's still a lot of suspense. My only complaint was the Epilogue. I wonder if it was an afterthought to set the stage for a sequel, because it didn't make complete sense given what was written in the rest of the book. The author should have gone back and adjusted a couple scenes a bit to make it logical. Bad editor!
The premise is that Ivy Cole, dog trainer, is finally setting down roots in the small town of Doe Springs, near her only living relative, her aunt. She's a werewolf with a sense of justice, so she's only willing to kill people who have it coming. Something else has been attacking animals, driving farmers out of business, and eventually threatening her friends. Complication: there's a sherriff deputy who's smitten with her. Much of the story is from the point of view of the police who are trying to solve this bizarre serial murder mystery that has the town in a panic every full moon.
The premise is that Ivy Cole, dog trainer, is finally setting down roots in the small town of Doe Springs, near her only living relative, her aunt. She's a werewolf with a sense of justice, so she's only willing to kill people who have it coming. Something else has been attacking animals, driving farmers out of business, and eventually threatening her friends. Complication: there's a sherriff deputy who's smitten with her. Much of the story is from the point of view of the police who are trying to solve this bizarre serial murder mystery that has the town in a panic every full moon.
April 7, 2015
When darkness falls on a mountain, it does not descend slowly, like the sinking of a great black ship over the peaks.
Ivy Cole returns to her home state of North Carolina after being away for a decade. Strange things are happening in the small town of Doe Springs. A "devil" appears each full moon and people disappear or die. Ivy has always tried to be careful about the prey she chooses during the full moon. They are bad hurtful people that she hopes no one will miss. Killing the local postal carrier brings things to close to Ivy and her secret. There is also another werewolf in the area that is not being as careful and Ivy searches for him before he reveals what they are.
This was an enjoyable story set in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. The local sheriff is a woman on edge because of the mysterious deaths. One of the deputies falls for Ivy and digs a little too close into her past. Ivy's pack of dogs are a mishmash of rescues that she loves unconditionally. I enjoyed the characters and the descriptive settings. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Ivy Cole returns to her home state of North Carolina after being away for a decade. Strange things are happening in the small town of Doe Springs. A "devil" appears each full moon and people disappear or die. Ivy has always tried to be careful about the prey she chooses during the full moon. They are bad hurtful people that she hopes no one will miss. Killing the local postal carrier brings things to close to Ivy and her secret. There is also another werewolf in the area that is not being as careful and Ivy searches for him before he reveals what they are.
This was an enjoyable story set in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. The local sheriff is a woman on edge because of the mysterious deaths. One of the deputies falls for Ivy and digs a little too close into her past. Ivy's pack of dogs are a mishmash of rescues that she loves unconditionally. I enjoyed the characters and the descriptive settings. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 1, 2015
Ivy Cole and the Moon by Gina Farago is not the type of book I would normally pick up. On the surface it seems to be of the horror genre, not one of my personal favorites. But this 'werewolf' book is far more than it seems on the surface. I was immediately struck by the beauty of the structure as the writer weaved her tale with flashbacks and revelations about the characters. The setting, familiar to me as my own backyard, only added to my interest in the story and the names of the characters were right for the area and for the tale. The fascinating theme of the story lifts the book far beyond genre fiction.
I won't say more; I never understood how all those teachers have been able to struggle through years of book reports. But if you're looking for an interesting read with some chills but also with some depth and style, think about Ivy Cole and the Moon.
I won't say more; I never understood how all those teachers have been able to struggle through years of book reports. But if you're looking for an interesting read with some chills but also with some depth and style, think about Ivy Cole and the Moon.
March 26, 2011
This was an excellent book. Gina takes the werewolf mythos out of the forests of Europe and drops it squarely in the middle of a small Southern town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The results are surprising, as her werewolves are in their own just as much victims of their own gifts as the animals and people who cross their paths. There were a few moments where the plot dragged a little, which was the only thing keeping it from a five-star review. However, this book is well worth the read if you like your horror with fangs, fur, and a good amount of fun! I actually re-read it for the second time; any fan of werewolves in the classic sense will appreciate this novel.
January 29, 2018
This book is the perfect blend of suspense and romance. The author has an extraordinary ability to describe the scene and the setting. The description is so vivid that I almost felt as if I were in the Blue Ridge Mountains alongside the characters in the book! There were a few minor questions in the story that were left unanswered, so I’m thinking (and hoping) that they will be answered in the sequel, Luna, which was recently published.
November 5, 2009
I really can't believe I read this book. None of the characters intrigued me. The imagery and descriptions were a bit heavy-handed through most of the book. At times, it felt pieced together without much thought as to flow. The ending was not a surprise in the least.
I still don't know why I finished it, especially when I have many other books waiting to be read - books which I may actually enjoy.
I still don't know why I finished it, especially when I have many other books waiting to be read - books which I may actually enjoy.
July 29, 2016
Ivy Cole is an unassuming werewolf with the ability to choose her victims. She oftens chooses based on her own unique brand of justice - such as a wife beater or animal abuser. This book is the story of her life - how she became a werewolf and how she lives with it. The author, Gina Farago, is a local NC author and the background of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the story provides another pull to the book.
October 5, 2013
A great read! Found this little treasure in a bookstore and fell in love with it! This is my second time to read it. The characters are great and the storyline is perfect! I have always loved wolves and werewolf tales, so this was really fun to read. I actually learned a lot of folklore and wolf behavior from this book that really piqued my interest for history.
I'm so excited to read the next book, Luna! :D
I'm so excited to read the next book, Luna! :D
November 2, 2017
Ivy Cole and the Moon was loaned to me by my best friend so I knew I was going to love it already, since we have the same taste in books! And I wasn't disappointed! One of the best werewolf tales I've read/seen, Ivy's world is one of true terror. Gina Farago isn't afraid to get her hands messy with gore and surprise endings. You'll love this dangerously delicious novel if you're ready to meet the wolf-woman!
May 27, 2011
Anybody reading this book and thinking they are getting a paranormal romance with a happy ending should wise up. It's a fantastic werewolf horror story with suspense, violence, and, yes, a sad romance featuring a lead female character you won't soon forget. Couldn't wait to see if there would be a sequel and years later came Luna.
December 6, 2012
It took me a good 100 pages to get into this book, but when it got going, IT GOT GOIN'! This is definitely not a happily every after story, which I almost wish it was, but I don't think it would have been as good if it had been.
February 26, 2007
Someone...or something is attacking livestock...as well as the more deleterious citizens of a small town.
April 27, 2007
Little slow in the beginning but picked up in the middle. Seemed like there should have been a book before this one.
Currently reading
September 18, 2008she is some kind of creature but a human and she murders men who deserve it like men that abuse their wifes
November 20, 2008
Its a good book that is not just a romance story but goes deep into the mystical world of werewolves. It was alittle predictable and could have had a better plot line but overall it wasnt a bad book.
November 4, 2011
Different sort of werewolf story set in the American South. Lots of comments about real wolves and what they have endured over the centuries at the hands of mankind. Mystery, plenty of bloodshed.
June 21, 2011
Well written werewolf horror novel.
July 15, 2011
It made for a good read and after I finished I reread it again which rarely ever happens
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December 25, 2011link to my review http://socyberty.com/folklore/ivy-col...
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