‘DESTINED FOR DOON,’ BY CAREY CORP AND LORIE LANGDON

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There is something about a contemporary that travels back in time. Maybe its allure first begins with the popular Gene Kelly musical Brigadoon (the loose inspiration for this) or maybe it’s just the idea that we might revisit these bygone eras. This co-authored Destined for Doon is the sequel to last summer’s inventive novel Doon and it continues the adventures of McKenna Reid and her best friend, Veronica.

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STORY: Nearly a year later, McKenna is living in Chicago to pursue her dream of a career on stage, and she has regrets. What if the boy she left behind, not to mention real-life royalty, Duncan, is her true love? It’s been 12 months for her, but for everyone else, it’s merely been three months and now Doon requires McKenna’s return, and Veronica needs her best friend. The kingdom is coming under attack by forces that evil witches rule. With her new Calling as the Queen , Veronica is only able to fight the battle so far by herself; her best chance to win is with McKenna by her side. Trouble is, McKenna left Doon with broken hearts in her rearview and it’s impossible not to let personal infractions complicate everything.

Destined for Doon, by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon | Book Review

Readers have been eager to return to the land of Doon will be delighted with this sequel. One of the things that makes this book work so well is the modern vs. old fashioned battle for center stage. One thing I’m a stickler for (from a non-historian standpoint) are books that are “historical” only to dismiss historical elements. This rule goes out the window because what it does is espouse a very contemporary world with historical Scotland. It’s comedic to read the contemporary references; everything from iPods (there’s a sweet music scene between Veronica and Jamie) and funny quips (the McKenna saving the world in a gown line makes me smile). Also, as a bonus, may I just say, pretty much any book that works in a Pushing Daisies reference has my heart.  

The best thing about this YA novel is actually the friendship. Veronica and McKenna are two different girls, yet they’re the real kind of best friends. Despite their differences of opinion or beliefs, in their loyalty, they always find a way to work around their squabbles. This element alone makes the series worth tying, especially if you haven’t read many good friendship books. I will say it’s pretty important to read the first book prior to this. I read Doon last summer and do get lost here a few times. This is because of the many references to past events, though as things progress I do remember the “bigger picture” story. On the flip side, the characters move forward, and further develop, it’s just the plot that gets a little stuck.  

In the end, this book is a solid summer read. It’s quick and for those who may not like it, it doesn’t push Christianity (I wish the role of the Protector to be more prevalent). The romance is a tad too much on the physical focus, but then, I’ll give this a pass considering its age range. This sequel also gives us more insight into what makes McKenna tick. Only as a little warning, this ending? Yep, it’ll leave you going, “Now what??” 

And yes, that’s all I’m saying. 

About the Book:

Author(s): Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
Publisher: Blink YA Books, a division of HarperCollins
Source: Publisher (ARC Copy)
Publication Date: 2014
Find the Review elsewhere: Goodreads | WordPress
Add the Book: Goodreads
Series: Doon, book 2
Genre: Fiction; Young Adult/Teen, Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Content: there is some minor innuendo and a few description kissing scenes.

Sincere thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary ARC copy of Destined for Doon for reviewing purposes.