Once in a Full Moon - Ellen Schreiber

Published: Dec 28, 2010

Publisher: Katherine Tegen books

e-ARC provided by: Netgalley and Publisher

Summary: Goodreads

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon.

I haven't read anything by Ellen Schreiber before, so I really wasn't sure what to expect, although her Vampire Kisses series has been really popular. What I got was a little bit of a disappointment, unfortunately. I felt as if something was missing, no excitement, which is what we've come to expect from werewolf books. The main protagonist, Celeste, was supposed to be 17 (I think), but she read to me as if she was much younger. Perhaps I'm just getting a little jaded, but the whole book felt younger to me.

Celeste seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the 'bad' boy, but in a totally vapid way, and I was a little put off because she refused to completely break with her boyfriend, Nash. He deserved better. Sorry if that was a spoiler. She just seemed very young! And the whole idea Brandon as a handsome werewolf with a goatee just didn't work for me. I kept seeing pictures in my mind of cartoon characters. - particularly Shaggy from Scooby-doo - not sure why. The secondary characters never really felt fleshed out, and the fact that Celeste kept lying to them was a bit off-putting.

One good thing is that is was a very clean read. No bad language, and no sexual situations (that I can remember). I thought for a moment that perhaps that was why I didn't enjoy it so much, but I don't think so. There are plenty of other 'clean' reads that I have thoroughly enjoyed - like 'Paranormalcy'. Truthfully I felt as if I'd only read the first half of a book - I believe there may be a follow-up - so perhaps the action will pick up in a second volume.

All in all, I didn't dislike the book, but I certainly wouldn't recommend everyone rush out and buy it - get it from the library, definitely! Sorry, Ms. Schreiber, but I just was not that into 'Once in a Full Moon'.