Once in a Full Moon (Full Moon Series #1)

Reviewed by Jaglvr for Teens Read Too

Celeste Parker has the ideal boyfriend. Nash is the popular boy at school. He's also the best friend of her two best friends' boyfriends, so it makes it handy when they want to hang out. The six of them can do everything together. But things subtly start to change for Celeste the night the six of them go camping. Nash tells the gang the story of the Legend's Run werewolf. In the distance, a wolf howls, and they go running in fright from the woods. When the boys make a bet that the girls are too scared to visit a psychic on the wrong side of town, the girls take them up on it. Abby and Ivy get generic fortunes, but Celeste gets one that haunts her: Beware of a kiss under a full moon. It will change your life forever. Celeste decides to walk home from the psychic and encounters a bizarre freak snow storm - and a pack of wolves. It's a newcomer to town, Brandon Maddox, who comes to her aid, but he is bitten in the scuffle. Celeste can't stop thinking of Brandon and comparing Nash to him. Because the girls won the bet with the guys, Celeste forces Nash to invite Brandon to one of his parties. Of course it doesn't go well, and Celeste breaks up with Nash. Slowly, Celeste and Brandon get to know each other in secret. None of Celeste's friends would approve of her friendship with someone from the wrong side of town. But Brandon is everything Celeste wants. Celeste visits Brandon on the night of a full moon and watches him transform into something else. Brandon doesn't know what is happening, nor does Celeste. But over time, Celeste is positive he's a werewolf and tries to convince him, as well. ONCE IN A FULL MOON is only the start of a new series by Ellen Schreiber. I believe there will be mixed opinions with this series. On the one hand, it's by Ellen Schreiber, and she already has such a loyal fan base. But on the other hand, those expecting a story like VAMPIRE KISSES will be disappointed. ONCE IN A FULL MOON reads so differently from her other series that it didn't feel like the same author at all. I feel that ONCE IN A FULL MOON actually has more substance to the tale than Raven and Alexander's story does. This one took a little longer to build up to the action, but it gives the reader time to get to know Celeste and her friends and the background of Legend's Run. Celeste is a positive role model for readers. She's a studious gal who volunteers willingly at a nursing home, and even develops a close friendship with one of the residents there. I can't wait to see more of Brandon in the future. He's kept brooding and to himself as the new boy in town, but I see so much potential in him. The cover is absolutely beautiful and that alone will draw readers to the book. If you like Ellen Schreiber, if you enjoy werewolves, and certainly if you love a little romance, pick up ONCE IN A FULL MOON.

11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

This is the books description

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.

4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Clichéd and Lacking Development

This is the first book I've read by Ellen Schreiber, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I'll be honest and say that I did not enjoy the book. Celeste, the main character, is nothing more than a love-struck teen who becomes obsessed with her paranormal paramour, Brandon. They have one of those insta-love relationships that have little to no buildup and lead to undying love. Aside from that, I don't even know who they are.

Celeste, Brandon, and all the surrounding characters have almost no development. I never swooned over Brandon or even Celeste's ex-boyfriend, Nash. In fact, I found very few redeeming qualities about Nash and Celeste's best friends Ivy and Abby. The three of them aren't nice and Celeste is constantly troubled by her friends ditching her because of her affections for Brandon, who comes from the 'wrong side of town.' Talk about the bestest friends in the whole wide world. *Please note my extreme sarcasm

The werewolf aspect to the story is slightly different from other incarnations that I've read, but not even that makes the book all that worthwhile. The writing is riddled with clichés and gave me more than a few facepalm moments because I couldn't even handle the cheesiness. The plot was rushed and the romance was forced. Celeste and Brandon paw over each other way too much when there are much more important and urgent matters at hand - nothing matters to them, but kissing and giving each other gaga eyes.

Once in a Full Moon fooled me with its striking cover, but younger audiences could still enjoy it. The writing is certainly aimed towards a younger audience and if you can get past the clichés and lack of character development, the werewolf aspect may draw you in.

Opening line: It began underneath the haunting glow of a full moon. ~ pg. 12

No favorite lines this time

*This is the ARC version and lines, cover art, etc. may be subject to change before official publication. E-book page numbers may not match with physical copies.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

BookWhisperer Review: Once in a Full Moon

Once in a Full Moon is a very magical story. This was a very quick read, but I am afraid in this particular novel this affected the quality of the story. Brandon and Celeste are very captivating characters, but I believe that the speed of this story did not leave enough time for character building. My reading experience was truely as an outsider in this novel, and it seemed that the romance was a bit forced. Nothing seemed to follow the natural course, but yet everythings seemed spontaneous and rushed. I really enjoyed the storyline and characters as a whole; I only wish that with a little more depth it would feel would have felt more natural and realistic. My understanding is that this novel is the debut for a new series, and I did enjoy this enough to take a look at the next book when available.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A nice read.

A smooth relaxing read that compliments itself.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Like a bad FanFiction.

I'm not even kidding. I read the first chapter and felt severe dissapointment. It didn't keep me hooked at all, I tried skipping around through the chapter and it didn't get any better.

I've read the Vampire Kisses series and thought they were amazing, sadly this didn't even compare.

I think if this crap can be published then everybodies including my crappy stories can be published also.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Just fell flat

Once in a Full Moon was a decent werewolf story, but it just didn't quite grab me. Sometimes I thought it was a bit cheesy, but overall it was a decent story.

Celeste has everything she could want great friends a hot boyfriend, but then a new mysterious guy comes to town and everything changes. Celeste and her friends go to a psychic lady on a sort of a dare. Their boyfriends don't think they would go to Riverside, sort of the bad side of town, and they take them up on the challenge. Her two friends Abby and Ivy get the typical palm reading that makes Celeste think right off this psychics a phony, then Celeste gets her palm read.

"I see snow, she began. "Beware of the woods...of the sounds of howling. There could be a outsider who will turn...underneath the glow of the full moon."

Now Celeste really thinks the woman's crazy. But after this crazy prediction Celeste life changes and so does the new guy Brandon's. Brandon seems like a real nice guy and likable. I feel a bit sorry for him because he got bit by a wolf saving Celeste from them and now his life is turned upside down. I guess you could say this story is sort of the Romeo and Juliet of werewolf stories. He is from the wrong side of the tracks, but Celeste doesn't care about that. She does on the other hand care about what her friends think because they don't like Brandon because he is from Riverside.

Celeste makes me a little made because I kept thinking if you want to be with Brandon then just come out and say it because its not nice to keep Nash hanging thinking that she was going to come around and start seeing him again. I know its teenage insecurities not wanting her friends to hate her but I didn't think it was fair to Brandon.

The part I thought was a little bit cheesy to me was that she kept hanging around him when he is changing into a werewolf. The guys got fangs growing and she wants to kiss him? I guess he is not a mean werewolf sort of reminds me of the movie Teen Wolf. =) It just doesn't have the pizazz that a lot of other stories about werewolves have, it just sort of falls flat. I might check out the next book but it won't be a priority.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Ellen Schreiber does Werewolves

For Celeste, living in Legend's Run means living with stories of werewolves in the woods. It's a way of life. Luckily, it's been many decades since the last time anyone has seen one. The sighting was so long ago, that Celeste and her friends Abby and Ivy have a hard time believing the rumors to be true. Then a mysterious outsider named Brandon comes to town and completely changes Celeste's life. Now she finds herself keeping two sets of secrets - her own and Brandon's - from everyone around them. As the entire town grows more suspicious, it is going to be difficult to know who to trust!

Since I'm part of Team Werewolf, this was the perfect Ellen Schreiber book to start with. I have yet to read any of her Vampire Kisses books, but I want to! The romance between Celeste and Brandon was very cute, though the drama felt a little contrite in some places. Brandon was a perfect blend of mystery and tough guy and softy. I liked that Celeste volunteered at a nursing home. It is always nice to see teens in books helping out and donating their time for free. Ivy and Abby were both funny and serious and ultimately very believable. Once in a Full Moon is a short book, but sets up the town of Legend's Run and it's key players for Schreiber to continue her series with. I look forward to more secrets being revealed in the next installment!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

It actually took me a long time to finish it (couldn't bring mys

It actually took me a long time to finish it (couldn't bring myself to read it). Characters are shallow and annoying. The main character is repetitive and always worried about what others think.

Hightly Recommended!!

A great book. I really enjoyed it!!

Once in a Full Moon- A dubious prophecy, shallow characters and hollow dialogues! I can¿t howl at that moon!

Once in a Full Moon begins with a well-known scene: a group of teenagers sits around a campfire, tells scary stories about a werewolf legend, then they coincidentally hear the howl of a wolf and get scared.

Being fascinated by its cover and summary I couldn’t wait to start reading Once in a Full Moon. Finally having started reading and being halfway through it, I couldn’t wait to quit reading it again. I hoped to read about new fantasy elements of the werewolf world but only encountered a ton of stereotypes like a mindless football player, shallow and material shopping friends and a quack doctor.

I am always open to make new friends with protagonists, but I couldn’t stand our female protagonist Celeste (whose name represents another misplaced element when talking about a werewolf and celestial influences). Although she is a very thoughtful character, she doesn’t come to appropriate solutions. She keeps her true feelings a secret and always acts in response to her best friend’s opinions which I find disappointing. Celeste is a weak character with no own opinion, controlled more by hormones and less by rationality when she and the situation need it the most. Where other novels take the chance by equalling their main character’s flaws or weakness with extraordinary and protruding secondary characters, Once in a Full Moon continues building up an ensemble of ridiculously ignorant characters that are unlikeable and unauthentic.

Ellen Schreiber applies the classic werewolf elements of changes in dependence of moon phases and the bite of a wolf as trigger.
Our male protagonist, Brandon changes into a classic werewolf with human and animal-like features. But what Celeste describes as an appealing and hot werewolf look, I find even unsexy. His wolf form makes me wishing him to change back into human form fast.

What I like about Schreiber’s werewolf presentation is that Celeste and Brandon experience his new identity together where other novels put the changing character in a lonely position of self-awareness.
New about the classic werewolf-moon dependence is that a kiss has an influence on Brandon’s change.

The story itself has no flow and consists of short chapters which show unsmooth and inconsistent transitions. It is constructed very obviously so there weren’t many surprises to me. And although there are only short distances and sometimes minor or even unimportant problems to bridge, our heroine seems to spot a drama behind every corner.

Once in a Full Moon is dominated by shallow emotions, clichéd characters and predictable events. Schreiber applies so many clichés that her novel, by adding more charm and wit, would have perfectly worked as a (good) satire.

THE VERDICT

Disappointing stereotypes, a foreseeable storyline and an average writing style form another novel in the huge pool of fantasy novels, but absolutely no remarkable.
You should read this novel if you are a fan of Ellen Schreiber or don’t want to miss a single novel in the werewolf spectrum.

Best book in a while!!

This book is highly recommended for teens that like fantasy books like Twilight, House of Night Series, Night World Series, or any book book like those. I loved the story line and the romance that went along with it. There was suspense and like earlier said romance. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cant finish

i am half way through an bored, not worth cost i spent on it plus its just 191 pages. young teen book, very young teen. :)

MOST AMAZING BOOK EVER !!!!!! A MUST READ!!!!!

Im usually not a fan of reading books but when i started reading this book its like i could never put it down. Its absolutely amazing and I definately can not wait to read the second book in the series. loved it and is the best werewolf romance book ever!!!!!

Once In A Full Moon/ By: Elizabeth-Middle

It is one of the best book I have ever read. It is a good, clean romance book for teenagers like myself. I really did enjoy this so much, I read it a second time right after i finshed reading it the first time! It is a good read! Highly recommend!

Don't waste your time

I bought this book with high expectations shortly after it was released. Now I only wish I could get the time and money back that I spent on the book. Usually I can make it through almost any book, but this book really tested my patience in many places. Most of my problems were with Celeste, the main character. Schreiber couldn't have made a worse main character if she had tried harder. Celeste was so shallow and self-centered. All of her thoughts focused on Brandon. Normally, this wouldn't be too big of a problem in a paranormal romance. Being a teenage girl, I know all too well that it is possible for a guy to be your main focus, but not to this point. Celeste never shut up about Brandon, how hot he was, how much she liked him. I found this to be incredibly dragging and it took me a long time to make it through the book because I had to sift through all of Celeste's pining about Brandon.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pretty good read.

I thought it was a rather slow start, but i enjoyed it once it picked up. Good for a one time read. Im planning on reading the second when it comes out.

Quick light reading

Ok. I admit, there is a flaw of having a couple instantly just fall in love with each other and thinking they're going to be together forever. Without properly knowing each other, it seems far fetched and even silly but I couldn't help but love Brandon and Celeste being together. They had that chemistry between them. You certainly didn't feel the same way when Celeste is with Nash. However that being said, I'm biased as I'm a sucker for hockey boys and Brandon happens to be one. I liked that a lot because you do get tired of reading the same kind of guy who plays basketball and football. Hockey was a nice change to see.

The plot was not that bad, but it wasn't the best either. It provided a good entertaining read and I was able to read the book in one sitting (it was short in length too). I would say, it's not the kind of book to deeply mull over rather, it's really one to read to pass the time, or for avid voracious readers, it's a book you read 'in between' heavy reads. I rather enjoyed it despite a few flaws here and there, but the cliffhanger at the end got me so I will be looking forward to the next book.

The characters aren't really that special. Celeste's friends are rather empty headed typical popular girls you see in nearly every YA book there is. Celeste isn't that bad herself as she's different from the in-crowd. I am not a fan of Nash as he's a typical egotistical jock and he was not the greatest boyfriend to Celeste anyways. I did feel bad for him though, because he was in his own little world and oblivious to Celeste and her feelings. I really did like Brandon (however as mentioned before, that's a biased opinion).

This is a short read, and the ending of this book does leave everything out in the open, it may not be the best read, but I thought it was entertaining enough to make it one of those 'light reads'. I don't think this is for those that are wanting something deeper and with more development. You won't really find it here. Otherwise, do pick this up if you're wanting something light before you jump into something heavier.

Ok....

It was not that bad..

Once Upon a Full Moon (You can't take it too seriously)

If you like Teen Wolf (the one on MTV), and you liked Mean Girls. Then you are going to like this light, fun, and slightly campy werewolf YA romance book. I really hate making comparisons, but couldn't help but seeing the guy from Teen Wolf every time Brandon changed in the book. I find very few YA fiction that is actually honest to how teenagers are. This was one of the most honest ones I have read, and there was more parent action in it than most. First off we have Celeste, pretty much popular by default. She happens to live on the 'right side of the tracks' and befriended the most popular girl in school on their first day of school on the bus. Thus began the elements that shape who Celeste is. Honestly I wasn't totally impressed with her till I got about 90% through the book. Her whole back and forth train of thought of "I love him, but I won't be popular anymore and I will let myself centered friends down if I love him," got a bit out of hand. However, it was how teenagers think. In reality, a teenager would not lose their status over the hot guy, if he doesn't live in the right place. I really hated her friends. They were so dominantly mean, and they used her like a puppet. They said that she was a puppet to everyone else but honestly they were like "You don't want to go there do you Celeste." When she finally stood up to them I was like "About time!" So, if I am being honest, the book was great because the friend dynamic was brilliant. Brandon I totally enjoyed, because he had a great reaction to becoming a werewolf. "Lock me in my room and unlock it at dawn." Smart teenager! I sort of knew from the beginning however that the 'psychic' was trying to just get video of Brandon to sell. You could smell it all over her. She was totally suspicious. In the end it was a book that I thought was a quick, light read. It won't give teenagers any worse ideas about how to be, other than how teenagers already are. It isn't intense and dramatic. It is just fun. I would let my daughter as young as 12 read it. There is no sexual content, and if you daughter wants the chance to dive into some YA Paranormal I highly suggest this book. I think it is a bit too soft for most adult readers to enjoy, however.