Book Review: Mishap & Mayhem

Mishap & Mayhem
Author: M.M. Shelley
Pages: 288 pgs
Published: April 3th 2011
Reading Level: YA
Review Source: Author
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) For centuries magical beings have hidden in the darkness, waiting. Some good, some evil. A battle is brewing, and only twins, Grasiella and Tatiana, have the power to stop it.
A secret that has been kept since the dawn of time is about to be revealed with devastating consequences. It's the summer of the year 2045, and sixteen year old Grasiella, along with her twin sister,Tatiana plan to visit their grandmother in Hawaii. They have no idea that when they arrive on the island of Kauai, they are about to be drawn into a secret, the secret, of their family's dark origins and magical powers.

On the first day of their arrival, their grandmother is accused of a horrible crime involving a faerie. Whispers have spread throughout the islands about the disappearance of a faerie named Sita Knook and her connection to a mysterious group known only as the Cinerians.

Before long, Grasiella and Tatiana are doing battle with ancient races and magical beings. All the while trying to retrieve an ancient stone of power and impress a couple of local surfers, Kana'i and Kye, cousins who have some pretty exciting family secrets of their own. It's pretty serious stuff for two girls who were planning to spend the summer at the beach getting tans, but then that's the trouble with secrets, sometimes they just don't stay buried.

The cover to me represents a lot of what the story is about. I am not sure if it is Tatiana and Grasiella who are on the cover, or just Grasiella, but I like how in the back of the girls is the picture of Mauna Kea, the volcano in the story.

Tatiana and Grasiella are sent to one of the Hawaiian islands to spend the summer of 2045 with their grandmother, who they call “G.” Tatiana and Grasiella know the story about their ancestors and how they came to possess the magic from fairies, but there is more to the story that they haven’t been told just yet. While on the island they meet Kye and his cousin, Kana’i. Soon Tatiana and Grasiella find out that they are not just regular boys, they also have a family secret. One night a faerie shows up at their grandmother’s house telling the twins to give them back Sita Knook. They have no idea what the faerie is talking about. The faerie tells them that she knows they have Sita Knook locked up some where and that bad things would come to them if they don’t hand her over. This is where the journey begins. Tatiana and Grasiella go on an adventure filled withgnomes, gods and goddesses.

Although the plot of the story is really unique and good, the story felt rushed. There were times where I was confused and lost because there was so much going on. But besides that, it is a good book and I did enjoy reading it. What can I say, I’m a sucker for Mystical creatures. The second book should be coming out soon. I will make sure to add it to my “to-be-read-pile.”