SNOWY COVE is a 2-book series, including Charlie and Cousins Forever. The books are stand-alone novels that share the same setting and a few cross-over characters.
Cousins Forever is a Middle-grade or YA contemporary realistic novel with humor.
Amazon - Kindle
Lainey Murphy is neither the most popular girl at her high school nor the least. And she wants to stay that way, thank you.
Enter Tick Murphy, the cousin with candy-apple-red hair and an equally loud personality. First, she makes a spectacle of herself in Drama class, then she plays an awful prank on Lainey’s friends. This is her “making an effort” to fit in? What’s next? Burning down the school?
Lainey tries everything she can to get along with her cousin, but she’s starting to wonder why. The only thing that will return Lainey’s life to pre-Tick normalcy would be if her annoying cousin left town … back to the west coast, and out of Lainey’s life.
How is Lainey going to make that happen?
REVIEWS:
“(The) young adults are real people verging on adulthood and I can see the complex motivations that lead them to make mistakes: they’re worried about public image, relationships with friends and family, self-identity, etc. Cousins Forever really showcases Dalya Moon’s talent with young characters. Lainey and Tick Murphy fit into archetypes of good kid / bad kid at times, but without becoming flat stereotypes. We get to watch them grow and change …”
- T, Amazon Reviewer (full review on Amazon.com)
Charlie is a Middle-grade to YA contemporary coming of age novel.
Amazon - Kindle
“Charlie made me laugh and cry … a touching story with lots of heart.”
Charlie doesn’t like being told what she can’t do. She may be the youngest student in the entire high school, but she’s not about to let the school ban her from the woodworking shop simply because she’s female.
Charlie’s not like the other girls. When they dress up in short skirts for Halloween, Charlie comes to school as a lumberjack, complete with a cardboard ax. She’d like to catch the eye of the dark-haired, moody boy in her homeroom, but she only attracts weirdos, like Ross, the class clown who wears the penguin mascot costume.
Before she can master her role as a school rebel, she’s shaken to the core when she discovers her mother and father may not be her birth parents. She’s always been close to her father, but fears that her growing up will pull her family apart.
Charlie must figure out who she is and take a stand for what she believes in, even if it means fighting with her best friend, her mother, and the entire school board.
Book length: 42,000 words/120 pages
Recommended for: Ages 12+, and adults enjoy it too. Contains occasional mild swearing, but no mature content.
(Previously published as Charlie Woodchuck is a Minor Niner; title and cover changed to simply Charlie as of May 2012.)
Reviews & Excerpts of Reviews:
“Charlie Woodchuck is an adorable girl with the voice of a woman and the name of a boy. She is thoughtful, inspiring, and vocal in her beliefs. I hope that more young people will strive to be a little more like Charlie. Least favorite characters: Stacy and Charlie’s mom.”
- Sonny, Literary Junkie – full review
“I would’ve loved to have a best friend like Charlie when I was a kid. The final chapter in the book reads like a poignant epilogue, and I thought that the yearbook caption that Charlie does end up with (which I won’t spoil!) perfectly summed up her year of growing-up.”
- Randomize Me – full review
“… A delightful read that had me smiling the entire time. Whether it was Charlie’s crazy antics or her embarrassing moments, there was always something to look forward to … I suggest this book for younger teens, as they will be able to relate to Charlie’s uneasiness as she tries to navigate the strange waters of being a teen and starting high school. Adults who would like to revisit the 1980’s will also enjoy this blast to the past.”
- Tessa, From the Bookshelf of T.B. - full review
“So much fun to read … When I wasn’t smiling my heart was aching for Charlie.
Stacy and Kendra, Charlie’s friends at school were so different and yet both appealing in their own way. Stacy is a real drama queen and Kendra is one of the ‘smart’ girls, but both are good friends to Charlie. On the boys side, Otter, Ross and Sky were so well written I kept comparing them to friends of mine when I was that age.
The story is set in small town USA and it is basically a regular school story, but what sets this one apart is that the year is 1988. No cell phones or computers and lots of campy references to bands like Pink Floyd and tv shows like The Cosby Show.”
- Carol, The Paperback Princesses - full review
“I don’t read a lot of Middle Grade literature, but I still recognize a good one when I see it. It had me laughing and nearly crying, really, with Charlie and seriously kept thinking: Girl, why are you friends with people like that? But she’s 13 years old (well, 14 years old later) and if I think back to that time, I probably did the same thing. It felt very real and I can really see this happening.”
- Jill, 30 Nights Insomniac - full review
“Dalya Moon is a very skilled writer … Charlie’s family- her mom and dad, were extremely real and had that wonderful quality fictional parents do when the author has taken time to observe people of all ages. I particularly loved how Charlie’s dad was shown, in this real, I’m-also-human way.”
- Rida, Raindrop Reflections - full review
“A humorous read with a very real heroine. I recommend this book to tweens looking for a fun mystery book without any of the dark, scary stuff that accompanies a lot of mysteries.”
- Kris, Imaginary Reads blog - full review
“This was so much fun to read, I loved every second of it! There were too many laugh out loud moments to count and when I wasn’t laughing I was smiling …”
- April, Book Geek Central blog - full review + author interview
“These characters will have you remembering the 80s with fondness and who knows you may have known someone just like them. This book is totally awesome. Doy!”
- Jennifer - full review on Goodreads
“(Charlie Woodchuck) is one of the most relateable protagonists I have read in a long time because I totally remember being just like her when I was fourteen years old, nerdy, rebellious and totally socially awkward so I totally got Charlie’s reactions and behaviour, which made this book all the better for me.”
- Jade, Inkscratchers blog - full review
“I liked the way Dalya Moon incorporated all sorts of details about the 1980’s. I got even more interested in the story when Charlie started to consider that she may be adopted. I liked that a science lesson on genetics got her mind racing, and I was completely shocked by what she finally found out. Mostly, I liked that Charlie handled herself well and she grew more mature over the course of the story.”
- Melina, Reading Vacation blog - full review
“Easy to read, sweet and funny. Talks about issues, problems and situations that may occur in the lives of children. Taking place in the 80s, also will show how simple life was some years ago without the technology that exists today. … a book kids will enjoy, and that parents and adults will like too.”
- Idris – Throwing Books blog - full review + author interview
“Captures teenage emotions, so relatable, and a satisfying ending. Too many LOLs to count.”
- Adriane
“Loved it! Great character development, mystery, and fun to reminisce! I think I was clearly a Disgusting in high school. How embarrassing!”
- Sharlene G.
