Who knew specs of green and gold could be so important and powerful?
Secrets of Green and Gold by Jo Holloway is the first in The Immortal Voices: Green and Gold Series and it did not disappoint. Cara is a 15 year old girl who has a special gift that everyone around her thought was an overactive imagination. She was very connected to all kinds of animals. They would just gravitate to her and she would mention seeing things all of the time, meanwhile her mother would disregard it and essentially make her feel insane about it. One day she sees something happening with an owl and some squirrels but this time, there’s other people around who see it too. This begins her journey of self discovery, self acceptance, and unraveling a mystery.
I loved that this novel was a coming of age story of a girl not only entering high school but also coming into her own power. The fact that there was the undertones of a teen being self-conscious, self-aware but society around them deemed that awareness invalid, as well as the idea of fitting in. As with many middle school and high school based novels, fitting in is a common ground that the characters have to face. In addition to that, this novel also touched on being normal vs an outsider, angsty teens, living a double life and finding balance and acceptance from others. Cara was simply misunderstood and it turned her into a loner.
I also liked that there was the connection to animals and the introduction to mythical creatures. We all love some mythical creatures within our fantasies!
Although this was a great start to the series and had many amazing aspects to it, there was one area that started to feel a bit redundant. The internal conflict that Cara was facing felt like it was the same thing being expressed without any shifting. Every few instances, she was thinking the same thing over and over. By slightly shifting the thoughts and showing the growth or backtracking, we could take in her story arc on a whole other level. With that said, I really enjoyed the story overall.
This is a great YA for those transitioning from Middle Grade to Young Adult. It’s not too long and has relatable experiences. Readers 13+ would really enjoy this journey with Cara! Additionally, anyone who is interested in contemporary fantasies, coming-of-age with hints of mystery, this is for you!
This first novel definitely sets the standards for many adventures and an overarching mystery to unfold. I can’t wait to explore it.
Next in series: Shadows of Green and Gold
I award Secrets of Green and Gold 5 stars
