Doug Dillon

I want to start by saying my first thoughts were to give this book 4 Stars- but after giving it some thought I've decided that this book is well worth 5 stars. This book has so many elements to it a perfect blend~ I enjoyed Doug Dillon's writing style* the book was well written and consistent- with likeable characters. A week or so has passed since reading this story and it's still on my mind. Although this book is aimed for younger readers I was able to stay fully engaged in this story- The Author managed to keep the pages turning while keeping the story clean. I loved the history in this book. (I liked that the Author added a page giving links to pictures of the real life cemetery where some events took place in the book) The ending of the book had just the right amount of mystery and suspense added. This is now a favorite of mine and I plan to have my 12 yr old give this book a try. I'm glad I was able to read this book it has become a favorite of mine for 2012. I can not wait to continue on with this trilogy.… (mehr)

I just finished reading the first volume of The St. Augustine Trilogy, "Sliding Beneath the Surface," and must say I was impressed. The storyline caught my attention early on and kept it for the remainder of the book, increasing in intensity as we drew toward the conclusion.

This creative YA book is told from the point of view of a teenager - but this time a boy. Jeff moves to a new town thanks to his father's gambling problems that basically wiped the family out financially. One of the first bfriends he makes is Carla, who happens to be black (nice to see a bit more diversity in a YA book today - if you don't count paranormal diversity that is). Carla introduces Jeff to Lobo and this is where the story really starts moving, maintaining a decent pace throughout.

Aside fom some minor allusions to romance, at its core this is a story about discovery - both internal & external, plus beginning to learn his own boundaries and what he is capable of. The end of the book was good, and could probably stand alone, but left me wanting to know more of what happens, and to learn right along with Jeff & Carla.

There only mild irritant for me was when Jeff stepped out of the story to address the reader. In those moments the writing and dialogue (with the reader) were distracting from the story and felt as if they were on a much less polished than the dialogue between the characters within the story itself. It was almost as if there was a pause in the story but someone forgot to tell Jeff, so he went off-script.

Other than those minor annoyances (which were not too frequent) I found this story entertaining and a solid read. Not only is it a good read for those in the YA category, it also has the 'legs' to cross into tradition fiction. That being said, I would still list it in the YA section of any library.… (mehr)