Audio/Book Review of Ruby Blue (Ruby Blue Book 1) by Julie Cassar

Book Title: Ruby Blue (Ruby Blue Series Book 1)

Genre: YA Fantasy/Romance

Pages: 233
Audio Run Time: 3 Hrs 47 Mins

Author: Julie Cassar

Date Published: 3 February 2012 (E-Book)

1 April 2016 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

Meet Ruby. She's your average (somewhat dorky) ice-cream eating, garden-loving teenager, who is constantly being annoyed by her little brother, is best friends with possibly the only Goth kid in town and, oh yeah...she sees fairies. After Nick Martino (possibly the hottest guy she's ever known) finally asks her out, she can barely manage a two-word sentence when a bizarre incident strikes their lakeside town. Stumbling bare-foot through some interesting dates, will she ever find love? And what does Ruby do when more strange events continue to occur? Will she keep her gift of Fairy Sight a secret? As an ancient myth unfolds and new mystic fairy tales come to life, Ruby and her menagerie of friends tackle some extraordinary circumstances with her very ordinary abilities in this modern day fairy tale. See what legends come to life in Ruby Blue, a young adult fantasy fiction novel and the first installment of the Ruby Blue series.

Review:

Ruby Blue by Julie Cassar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Updated to include an Audiobook Review:

This is the first book in a fantastic YA fantasy series. I loved it!

Ruby Blue is a fantastic character. I really liked her. Ruby is seventeen years old, though she comes across as younger. She is a typical teen, a little angst-y, with an addiction to Converse shoes and ice-cream, but her ability to see fairies is what sets her apart. Her fairy friends are Anya and Brennan; they have been friends since Ruby was five.

I originally read and reviewed this book in 2012. When I heard that it had been made into an audiobook in April this year, I became excited and decided to download it to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was. The audiobook is narrated by Mysti Jording, who did an excellent job in giving Ruby and the other characters a voice. She has a young, pleasant voice that suited the tone of the story.

I became hooked into the story once more. I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed meeting Anya, Brennan and Jeremy for the first time. The story takes the reader on an adventure full of action and danger, with drama and romance aplenty in this book, as well as splashes of humour that kept me giggling. I must admit that by listening to the story, I was able to sit back and relax, though still feel a part of it. Ruby Blue is a magical fantasy complete with a rogue dragon and fizz popping fairies. The story ended all too soon for me and I am now looking forward to listening to the second book, Deja Blue once it becomes available in audiobook format too.

Julie Cassar is one of my favourite authors, and I will read any of her books in the future. Her characters are very lifelike and virtually leap off the page. I also love her fast paced writing style, which seems to flow effortlessly from scene to scene.

I HIGHLY recommend this book (and series) to teens aged 15 up and adults who love YA romances or fantasy genres. However, some adults may find this book too young for them. - Lynn Worton

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About The Author:

Julie Cassar's debut Young Adult Fantasy "Ruby Blue" Series has been met with rave reviews and has spent weeks on Amazon's Fantasy Series Best Seller List as well as it's Top Rated list. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor Degree in Fine Art, specializing in Graphic Design, Cassar has also worked as a production artist, designer, painter and photographer. She has been featured in Fitness Magazine, "Outdoor Athlete," and publishes a monthly blog.

Author Links:

Amazon Author Page ; Goodreads ; Facebook ; Website ; Twitter