The Summer of Moonlight Secrets - Danette Haworth

Imagine this...your parents run a historic hotel in a historic Floridian town, and you call the hotel home. You have total run of the place! You have just started summer vacation. There are natural springs nearby where you can swim. The hotel is filled with secret tunnels and servants' stairs, an attic that is open to the elements where kudzu grows, and several really cool kids your age have come to stay at the hotel for a few weeks. There is a beautiful, mysterious girl wandering around who seems to be a runaway, who has secrets, and is just a little other-worldly. Oh, and did I mention that the hotel just happens to specialize in dollar-sized blueberry pancakes???

Sounds like the summer you've always wanted as a kid? Yeah, me too. My Floridian author friend Danette Haworth has done it again. Just like her debut novel, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning, she has blended the perfect tale of childhood adventure, friendship and coming-of-age infatuation, along with the struggle of loneliness, relationships with your parents, and standing up for yourself. And all of it occurring in a creaky old hotel, rich with stories and rumors of ghosts! But what came as a total surprise in this novel was the element of fantasy that takes this childhood romp to the next level. I'm not going to discuss the fantasy portion of the book. I will leave that up to you to discover.

Danette and I share a love for historic old southern houses and old Florida (and American Idol!). And what I love about her books is that this passion shines through her words and stories. Live oaks, kudzu, humidity, thunderstorms, bugs, manatees, Spanish moss, night blooming jasmine...everything you need for atmosphere. She also "gets" kids too - their hopes, dreams, worries and confusion with today's pressures and distractions, but doesn't allow it to get too dark. Her books are the perfect read for the 8 to 12 year old who doesn't want to grow up too fast just yet.

I would love to thank Danette for an engaging lunch and offering me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this charming novel!