Night of the Purple Moon (Toucan, #1)

Sep 20, 2012 Melissa (ladybug) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Dystopian readers, YA readers

Shelves: fiction, kindle, young-adult, science-fiction, future-progenys-bookshelf, team-read

Abby like everyone else on Earth is looking forward to seeing the comet. It will turn the light from the moon purple and the Sunsets/Sunrises would be exceptional. One problem though. The "Space Dust" that is left on the Earth killed everyone who wasn't quarantined (such as Scientists) and children who haven't reached adolescence. Abby and her brother Jordan are left to try and take care of Lisette aka Toucan. Time is running out because when children reach Adolescence they become sick and die....more

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Sep 19, 2012 Sarika Patkotwar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Night of the Purple Moon was a brilliant read.
Life on Castine Island was absolutely normal, until the night of the purple moon. The space dust killed all the adults on the planet, save for some scientists living in quarantine. The situation leaves kids alone to take care of themselves. The lives of all children on the verge on puberty are in danger as they will be the next victims of the purple moon.
Abby, Jordan and Toucan of the Leigh family take the initiative and bring together all kids of Ca...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Night of the Purple Moon is a very pleasant surprise. I love the idea of seeing a comet, and then having purple sunsets and moons for the weeks following. Of course, not if it would kill me and all of the other adults and older teens in the world! Which is exactly what happens in the novel. Excitement and wonder over the breathtaking sky turned into fear and the struggle to survive in just a matter of hours. The kids of Castine Island must come together and work together in order to ensure their...more

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Apr 09, 2013 sh(e)reader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-cloud, ya

** Free download on Amazon April2013 **

First I have to ask, who else thinks that the one cover here is SO similar to the movie cover for "The Color Purple" (maybe too much so, as other covers have been introduced)?

While a comet spreading germs that kill anyone who has passed through puberty isn't exactly "normal", I didn't consider this a paranormal read in any way. Everything presented was pretty realistic/scientific (within a fiction realm). I don't know that I really even consider it dystopi...more

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Apr 20, 2013 E.A. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like the cover of this book a great deal. It's disturbing and inviting at the same time while clearly defining its young adult audience.

The premise of the novel (and the series to follow) is solid and interesting - a space borne disease that creates a sudden planet of child only survivors with death perched at puberty's dividing line. Nice! It also featured a strong and admirable female main character. All good things and with a reasonably well thought out plot. The execution, however, as far...more I like the cover of this book a great deal. It's disturbing and inviting at the same time while clearly defining its young adult audience.

The premise of the novel (and the series to follow) is solid and interesting - a space borne disease that creates a sudden planet of child only survivors with death perched at puberty's dividing line. Nice! It also featured a strong and admirable female main character. All good things and with a reasonably well thought out plot. The execution, however, as far as character development and pacing left many things to be desired.

Some have pointed out the writer's clean and succinct style but for me it was too sparse, too clinical, and created a descriptive world that was flat and often needlessly uninteresting. There were often fascinating moments happening in the story but the writer's emotionally distant style drained the color right out. Emotional moments were quickly curtailed and the barest of explanations were often given for changes in the children's conditions or outlook - moments that should have been expanded. Opportunities for the children to be conflicted between childhood and premature adulthood were often missed or glossed over with a short comment. Opportunities for the characteres to demonstrate their necessary learning of how to drive, how to cook, how to change diapers, handle injuries, run meetings, dole out punishments, develop job lists, plan for the future, learn to lead, learn to follow, how to work, how to build, etc., etc. were typically missed or handled in the briefest of brief mentions in passing. These types of moments would have allowed a great deal of humor, pathos and character development but they were missed. In many ways the novel felt like an expanded outline for a novel to be - one with better and deeper characters.

The dialogue was often too short, unhelpful or just didn't seem to ring true to the ages. Yes, their dialogue will change as they prematurely take on adult responsibilities but we never saw the transition during the story. Characters were hard to keep straight since many were nearly interchangeable. I thought digging into the motivations for the three "renegade teens" were a great opportunity missed. Their actions in the last third of the book remain more of a mystery than a revelation. Ironically, the mainland gang of children are better developed and more revealing than the ones we spent most of the book with. Odd.

I am conflicted because I liked the novel quite a bit and yet I had hoped for so much more than what is here. I would like to give it a 4 but I just can't. Perhaps, a 3.5 would be more accurate to my feelings. (less)

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Sep 21, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

The world is full of excitement as the astronomers have predicted that the Earth will pass through the tail of a comet and turn the moon purple. It becomes an event that families have been planning weeks for. But who would predict that the fumes from the space dust would have a tragic effect on all adults, death.

When Abby wakes up to the sound of a car accident out on the street, she notices the weird dust that has consumed the air outside. Their parents have gone missing and the neighbor has c...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What to say about this book? I found it stupid, predictable and boring, gosh was it ever boring. Let me explain. The book is about a girl named Abby (grade 7) her little brother Jordan (grade 6) her baby sister Toucan and their next door neighbors Kevin (grade 7) and Emily (grade 6). All the adults die world wide after a meteor goes through the earth's atmosphere and turns the moon purple. The book changes P.O.V's constantly (Abby, Jordan, Kevin, and Emily), then if that's not bad enough the aut...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

I really can't speak to most of the book as I didn't get more than a handful of chapters in. The writing was what really put me off. It's...not developed. I'm not sure of another way to put it. It's not terrible. I've encountered much worse. It's just uneven and lacks depth and cohesion. I suspect this is the author's first book and they haven't quite developed their style yet. My issue was the writing...it really put me off.

My second issue was I just didn't find the book interesting. This was...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: Night of the Purple Moon

Author: Scott Cramer

Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult Science Fiction

Length: 188 pages

Reviewer: Katie French

THE RUNDOWN

Just like everyone on her small island town, seventh grader Abby Leigh is looking forward to the purple moon, an event caused by the earth being swallowed by a comet's tale. They watch the purple hues filter into the night sky, yawn and go to bed. It is when she awakens that she realizes what has become of the world as she knew it.

Pounding on her do...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-for-review, e-books

What is the purple moon? Should I tell you now or let you find out by reading the book?

The purple moon is what astronomers predict is going to happen when the Earth passes through the tail of a comet. The main character, Abby Leigh, is looking forward to this night.

Something else comes along with the purple moon--toxic space dust killing off all adults and anyone having gone or going through puberty.

Abby lives with her father, brother, and young sister on a small island off the coast of Maine....more

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Feb 08, 2013 Elizabeth (Stuffed Shelves) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just as everyone else on Earth, Abby is excited about seeing the comet. It's expected to turn the light from the moon purple and apparently the sunrise and sunset are to be phenomenal. Once space dust has settled, they learn it has killed majority of the adults in the world. Only those who were quarantined, including the scientists and children were not affected.

Abby and her brother are now put with the responsibility of making sure Toucan and all of Castine Island do not get sick, because thos...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Alex Albrinck rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit... about ten pages in, I didn't think I'd like this book.

I'm not sure what it was that made me think that, however, at least not anymore. Because as I kept reading this book, its claws kept pulling me deeper and deeper in, until it became a book that I truly enjoyed. Whatever it was in the first few pages that had me thinking I'd not finish... long forgotten at this point.

Abby Leigh lives with her father, her brother Jordan, and her sister Lisette (nicknamed "Toucan" by a younger...more I have to admit... about ten pages in, I didn't think I'd like this book.

I'm not sure what it was that made me think that, however, at least not anymore. Because as I kept reading this book, its claws kept pulling me deeper and deeper in, until it became a book that I truly enjoyed. Whatever it was in the first few pages that had me thinking I'd not finish... long forgotten at this point.

Abby Leigh lives with her father, her brother Jordan, and her sister Lisette (nicknamed "Toucan" by a younger Abby). The four live on a small island community off the shores of Maine. Mom works on the mainland, a long enough commute away that she stays at their old mainland home during the week and rejoins the family each weekend.

That all changed when the comet came. The comet would pass close enough to the Earth that the planet would travel through its tail, and the space dust was expected to lend a purple haze to the environment and atmosphere. People celebrated its arrival with purple drinks, food, clothing... all celebrating a once in a lifetime event. Abby, Jordan, and their father stay up late to watch the comet's passing.

The next day, Abby and Jordan wake to learn that the world has changed forever. Bacteria in the space dust attacks adult hormones, eventually killing the host. The earth has, overnight, lost billions of adults and post-pubescent teens. Only younger children (Abby, Jordan, Toucan, and others in their neighborhood) and those adults quarantined for various reasons survived.

And survive they must. There are no adults left to feed them, to grow their food or make their clothes. Older children must care for the younger children. They are old enough to understand the robotic voice from the Centers for Disease Control, sent by quarantined scientists, that aging is more a death sentence than ever. Now, physical rites of passage into adulthood spell certain and swift death. And Abby, Jordan, and others know it's only a matter of time. Can they survive long enough for the scientists to find a cure? And, if it's found... how will they get it?

As someone who has written books, I know that characters drives stories; it's their experiences in facing and meeting the challenges that come their way that truly make a story. Magic, killer comets, aliens on other planets - these are ways to help those characters to experience something remarkable, and to change accordingly.

What we see in this story, through the eyes of the children living through it, is that the human spirit will not give up, and will not quit. Faced with the deaths of their parents and all other adults, the children do not quit; they use what they know, what they can learn, and what they can share to survive. Not only does the human spirit not quit, but it adapts, even in the youngest. Cramer's story illustrates this well; young children grieve and experience sadness, but they find it within themselves to continue to fight and to never, ever quit. They experience horrors - children having to dispose of the remains of their parents and loved ones, and eventually each other - that we'd like to shield all children from. Yet they never quit.

Cramer's book is an enjoyable read, and one that I'm glad I finished. I recommend it.(less)

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Jan 07, 2013 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free-kindle-books

This was a very quick read. The pacing was excellent and moved things right along.

I wish I could rate it higher but some things just bother me about the book.

The premise is that a comet comes along and leaves behind bacteria that infects Earth, killing anyone who has reached puberty. The children wake up the next morning to find their parents and every other adult dead.

Abby, Jordan and Toucan are siblings living on an island off the coast of Maine. They gather up all the kids on the island and...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Benjamin Snider rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was excited to read Night of the Purple Moon when I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review, and luckily, the story gave me more reasons than I can list to give it a five star rating. The premise alone grabbed my interest, and once I began reading, I recognized Night of the Purple Moon as a fascinating read that not only entertains, but manages to create a very believable and most likely outcome to a scary situation, all while not sugar coating things or going overboard with horrend...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Scott Cramer packs a lot into 188 pages. I made the mistake of reading this right before bed last night and had serious trouble going to sleep. But that is a good thing. This book had my mind whirling with questions and left me with a lingering sense of sadness tinged with fear.
On a night when the moon and the world are cast into a lovely purple haze due to a comet’s passing a nightmare begins to unfold. Children around the world wake up to a world in which the adults have died. The obvious terr...more Scott Cramer packs a lot into 188 pages. I made the mistake of reading this right before bed last night and had serious trouble going to sleep. But that is a good thing. This book had my mind whirling with questions and left me with a lingering sense of sadness tinged with fear.
On a night when the moon and the world are cast into a lovely purple haze due to a comet’s passing a nightmare begins to unfold. Children around the world wake up to a world in which the adults have died. The obvious terror that this would cause is obvious. Cramer does an excellent job of putting that into words on paper.
It would be almost impossible to write this kind of a story without some hints of Lord of the Flies coming into play. I think almost every school child in America had to read that book. And while there are some allusions to perhaps the most well known children on their own novel, Cramer manages to weave them into his own story without letting them overwhelm. They stay as mere hints.
As an adult reading this book I feel quite certain I had a different reaction to many parts of it than a 12 or 15 year old would. The complete sense of helplessness this inspired when imagining my own niece and stepsons in this world is what kept me up. I would profoundly hope that they would be more like Abby and Jordan in their response to the catastrophe. I enjoyed that Cramer chose to portray how such a situation could let some of the best inner qualities of mankind shine. Compassion, caring and community.
Nothing is glossed over though. Some of the more awful realities and choices that could be made are present as well. This is definitely for the mature YA reader. While some 10 year olds would read and be able to handle the emotional complexity expressed I am sure there are many that would not. This book has the capability to really disturb someone because it causes deeper thought on things many would not want to dwell on.
The only weaknesses I found in the book were an occasional awkwardness in the description of romantic moments and that the switches between what character was narrating were not always clear immediately. But these are very small weaknesses in an otherwise excellent book.
I look forward to the next installment.

I was provided a free copy of this book for the purpose of reviewing it.
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Nov 23, 2012 Mandy (I read Indie) Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Puberty was a ticking time bomb planted in each and every teen. The older you were the louder and faster it ticked."

The night the comet streaked across the sky was the beginning of the end. Everyone was looking forward to it and the 2 weeks of having a purple moon. What no one imagined was the destruction it left behind: death to all those that are over the age of puberty.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Me not being absolutely crazy about books that come from younger ki...more

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Nov 06, 2012 KR Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA

Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer is a YA post-apocalyptic science fiction novel. I got the Kindle edition for $0.99 on sale, and even at the regular $2.99 price, I think it is reasonable. I purchased the book in order to read something different from what I would normally choose, and to see what interests the YA audience.

The story revolves around a group of young children living on an island off the Maine coast while trying to survive in a world where a comet has covered the world with a...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Mary Ellen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-to-the-fi

DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this book through a Good Reads giveaway. Now that the lawyers are satisfied, on to the review:

IN SHORT: This book is a decent read with a lot of potential for future sequels. Large sections of it are very dark, particularly for a younger reader, but it tries to hold on to a sense of optimism regarding both the future and the basic goodness of most people.

THE GOOD: One of the real strengths of this book is the characterization of the children. At least the ma...more DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this book through a Good Reads giveaway. Now that the lawyers are satisfied, on to the review:

IN SHORT: This book is a decent read with a lot of potential for future sequels. Large sections of it are very dark, particularly for a younger reader, but it tries to hold on to a sense of optimism regarding both the future and the basic goodness of most people.

THE GOOD: One of the real strengths of this book is the characterization of the children. At least the main kids. Too often in novels like this, the kids are either far too cutesy and naive or just adults in kid bodies with none of the immaturity or insecurity that comes with adolescence. Night of the Purple Moon strikes a good balance here. The main characters all experience fear, grief, and uncertainty the way real children would, but they also get to demonstrate strength and courage. And some of them demonstrate the sort of infuriating stupidity and selfishness that readers will recognize from their own childhoods.

It was also nice to see different types of strength in the main characters. Determination, compassion, intelligence, and leadership are all shown to be valuable. And it's always nice to see a mix of ethnicities, however glancingly mentioned.

The author also does a good job of turning a previously safe and comforting world into a menacing place. The rolling fog, the churning ocean, the disembodied voices of the CDC crackling over the radio, and of course the glittering purple dust create an erie environment for the kids to survive in. And there are few things more frightening than a microscopic enemy trying to devour you from within.

Lastly, the little burgeoning romances between some of the characters were actually quite sweet, if limited. Some of the best scenes in the book occur between these characters. In particular the Month 3 chapter was well done with its simple contrast between two different relationships.

THE NOT SO GOOD: First, the science. From what little I know, the way the infection works just isn't right. Same problem with some of the other science-based things (being intentionally vague to avoid plot spoilers here) that happen. But since the purple dust is more a vehicle for the plot than a real focus of the book, this can largely be ignored. (You don't see a lot of folks debating the chemical makeup of Jekyll's potion.)

Next, the secondary characters. There are a lot of stray kids wandering through the story, and most of them aren't much more than a name. The book is short, so it's understandable that there just isn't space to give everyone a fully developed personality, but in that case, it might be preferable to just leave them out and tighten the focus on the main characters.

It would have been nice to see more development of the main four as well. First, you are only given the vaguest description of what they look like, which might be a problem for more visual readers wanting to imagine them in their heads. More seriously, you have only the slightest idea of who these children were before the disaster. Since so much of the interest in a disaster story is the contrast between who the leads were and who they have become, this is a major flaw.

The prose can be a little uneven, but although the occasional sentence made me cringe (mostly over the similes), considering that this is the first work of a new novelist, I would say this is a good effort.

And finally, the pacing. Other reviewers seemed to enjoy the pacing of the book, so this may just be a personal preference, but there seems to be some wild jumping from happy event to sad event to happy event to sad event. The impact of the darker moments might have been increased if they were not immediately followed by a complete tonal opposite.

CONCLUSION: An impressive first effort.(less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Rane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Imagine a world where kids run free without any parental interference. That’s the world the characters in Night of the Purple Moon (The Toucan Trilogy)
find themselves in, but the circumstances that got them there are rather grim and it’s not all fun and games. Scott Cramer’s post-apocalyptic Young Adult novel is set on a small island off the coast of Maine. After a global catastrophic event devastates the population, sparing only those under the age of 15, the island’s children must learn to sur...more Imagine a world where kids run free without any parental interference. That’s the world the characters in Night of the Purple Moon (The Toucan Trilogy)
find themselves in, but the circumstances that got them there are rather grim and it’s not all fun and games. Scott Cramer’s post-apocalyptic Young Adult novel is set on a small island off the coast of Maine. After a global catastrophic event devastates the population, sparing only those under the age of 15, the island’s children must learn to survive on their own.

The author does a lot of things right. The obstacles they face are ever larger and the stakes are constantly being upped. The pacing is excellent, making this a real page turner. Most of the children in the book are honest and good. Rather than falling apart, the children on the island come together to form a new society that, while not without challenge, is almost idealistic. Yet, the author doesn’t shy away from also showing how easily society could fall apart.

Though well-plotted and engaging, the book is not without its flaws. It is rather short, even for a YA novel, and character development suffers as a result. The main character is a Mary Sue in the worst possible way. She has but one flaw, a fear of fog, and even that she approaches in a rational and consistent manner. As such, she is shorted a meaningful character arc. She’s not really a different, better or more mature person at the end, she’s just the same person in different circumstances.

Secondary characters get shorted even more. The love interests are flat stereotypes who are basically props that come in and out when it is useful to the plot. One character who seems important in the beginning completely disappears for most of the story and is only talked about by other characters. When he does finally show up again, what follows is quite predictable. It makes it difficult to really care for the characters, because they never really feel like real people. Most of the character don’t even have physical descriptions. A lot are described as being this person’s son or that persons’ daughter, which is odd, considering we never meet their parents.

The end leaves a lot to be desired. Not only is it entirely implausible, but it is also a cheat. It wants to make sacrifices without actually committing to them. Up until the end, the plot is the strength of the book. The ever escalating obstacles pull the reader through at a quick, easy pace and then it hits a wall that left this reader feeling disappointed.

Still, there are a lot of good things about this book. It gives children a lot of credit. It portrays most of them as being mature enough to handle the day-to-day problems associated with life without any parental control. It also shows the realistic consequences faced by those who did not rise to the challenge. Even with its flaws, it is worth the read.(less)

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Oct 09, 2012 Waterfall *Daughter of Northridge Earthquake* rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually liked this book. I'm quite sad it's a series and I'm unable to finish it right now. It's probably not my favourite book, and most definitely didn't leave me speechless, but I'd probably read it again if I came across it a few years down the road.

This book had nice character development and the perfect amount of depressing. However it was kind of strange how adult the kids immediately became; twelve year olds knew how to drive without a single mention of any sort of difficulty, even th...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-to-z-title-challenge

Kindle Version (free via author for honest review)

Abby, Jordan, Toucan, and their Dad all live on a little island off the coast of Maine. Abby's Mom is still living in their old hometown until she can find a job on the island and can move. Abby hates the small island and would love nothing more than to move back to where they came from, but that doesn't look like it will happen. Abby comes to hate the island even more the night of the purple moon phenominon. Her brother, Jordan, and her watched...more Kindle Version (free via author for honest review)

Abby, Jordan, Toucan, and their Dad all live on a little island off the coast of Maine. Abby's Mom is still living in their old hometown until she can find a job on the island and can move. Abby hates the small island and would love nothing more than to move back to where they came from, but that doesn't look like it will happen. Abby comes to hate the island even more the night of the purple moon phenominon. Her brother, Jordan, and her watched the purple comet tail start to sweep over the sun and planet before heading up to bed. It is said the purple hew to everything will be around awhile. When Abby wakes up she is in her own horror movie or nightmare. All is quiet...too quiet. Upon getting up and investigating some she finds her sister in her room (highly unusal at this time of the morning), her Dad missing, the outside world soaked in purple and purple space dust, and a local company truck crashed into the neighbors front gate. While trying to sort things out with her brother the neighbor kids come pounding on their door. They say their parents are dead. Later Abby finds her father dead too, but that's not the weirdest part. All the adults seem to be dead, only the children that haven't hit puberty yet are alive, there is no TV, no radio, no internet. What happened during this purple comet? With the help of Kevin, the extremely "geeky smart" boy from next door, they manage to hack into the internet service to get to the CDC site and find out that they are working on a cure, but any adults that were not in secure buildings are now dead. They found a connection between hormones that start in puberty and the deadly disease the comet has started. As if puberty wasn't bad enough to worry about going through, now it is a death sentence too! Abby and Jordan do the best they can to gather all children that are alive and start "organized choas" to try and survive, but they also know that they won't last long themselves being so close to puberty ages. They must think of their sister Toucan though and be positive and hope for a cure before it's too late. How long can a bunch of kids survive in a world of chaos though? How will they get food and supplies in a world that has stopped working? Can the CDC find a cure and somehow distribute it to all of them before it's too late? Can they survive long enough to find out? Never before has the awkward stage of adolescence meant to much to a bunch of kids that see it as a death sentence. How can you be happy on your own birthday knowing it is just bringing you that much closer to death?

I must say that this book was like no other I have read...and I loved it. I really felt the characters made the book too, they were very well developed as the book went on. I really came to like all the kids that came to live with Abby and Jordan to try and survive. I also thought Abby was a really great character, kind, caring, willing to help people she didn't even know, and very driven to help their survival rate any way possible. I liked how the kids all, for the most part, came together to work as a group to increase survival while hoping for a cure. They really were very smart kids, gathering food from all the houses that they could, tending to the farm animals that they found to get fresh foods like milk and eggs, and starting routines in their days so it didn't feel so foreign to them and they could take their minds off the constant worry. I loved the relationships they formed too while trying to survive and how close the bonds between them all became. They were willing to do anything for the good of the group and for each other if it meant survival could be possible. This book was written in such a way that you just wanted to keep reading and not put it down. Before I knew it I was finished with the book and it was the wee hours of the morning. I just was drawn into the book and plot and couldn't wait to see how it would turn out. These kids have so much against them, but they refuse to give up and promise each other to be positive and hopeful and never ever give up the fight to stay alive until the CDC can help them by finding a cure. Very good book and I must say that I am already excited for the follow-up book and can't wait to read on when it comes out.

5/5 Stars!!
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Sep 03, 2012 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable book. The characters were well fleshed out and immediately likable and easy to relate to. The story, while not completely original in premise, definitely had unique elements. Sometimes the author's writing style came across as simplistic, but it was still effective in getting the story across and keeping things moving along. I also think the way the characters behave and interact and express feelings will hit home with a YA audience.

While reading the book I had the impr...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Lenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

This novel reminds me of a modern day Lord of the Flies. When the earth's orbit involves passing through the tail of a comet, space germs are introduced into the atmosphere that wiped out virtually every adult. Adolescence became the best friend and worst enemy of the remaining children and teens. Abby Leigh with her younger brother and baby sister had to band together with the other survivors as they helped one another survive and hold on until an antibiotic could be created. It made for a ver...more This novel reminds me of a modern day Lord of the Flies. When the earth's orbit involves passing through the tail of a comet, space germs are introduced into the atmosphere that wiped out virtually every adult. Adolescence became the best friend and worst enemy of the remaining children and teens. Abby Leigh with her younger brother and baby sister had to band together with the other survivors as they helped one another survive and hold on until an antibiotic could be created. It made for a very interesting synopsis and plot line and I think the author Scott Cramer handled it well. I enjoyed reading about which characters came to surface as natural born leaders and how each character made an effort to support one another when they needed it most.

I thought the pacing of the novel was a little bit unorthodox next to the rapid plot development. It seemed as though Abby and her friends very quickly discovered the death of their parents, and figured out what was happening with the space germs and then went into a long waiting period. However, one of the things I appreciated was that I did want more. I wanted to know how they would figure out the cause of the epidemic and how they would fare in the battle against time. And the author does a good job of releasing information to the reader on a need-to-know basis. But going back to the pacing of the novel, the action and the waiting periods alternated in spurts. The entire timeline covered the course of a year and while I'm sure it felt like an eternity to our characters, in reading it, I didn't necessarily feel as though we were being taken through a full calendar year.

Time, or lack thereof, plays a big role in Scott Cramer's novel, which adds to the intrigue, but I also found it to be vague. Puberty is a time bomb, only there is no distinct countdown because nobody knows when it's going to hit. But in addition, a distribution date for an antibiotic, which provides a clear time frame, is an issue because Abby and her fellow survivors must acquire it before they are affected by the space germs. In setting up the plot this way, Cramer plays with the open ended sense of time as well as a clearly defined sense of time. Nobody knows when they will be affected by the germs, but when they are, they have an approximate sense of how long they need to stay alive to be around for antibiotic distribution.

The Positives: I enjoyed reading about how the characters developed and the lack of adults in the world seemed to be a normalcy by mid-novel. I didn't find myself concerned with the fact that there were no adults because the children and teen survivors grew into the adults role very well. One scene in particular that made me laugh was when one of the boys complained about a toothache and Abby with the help of a couple volunteers extracted the tooth:

"In the morning Abby rubbed whiskey on Barry's gums to numb them and then Jordan and Derek held the trembling ten-year-old as Colby zeroed in with a pair of pliers and yanked the culprit."- pg.83 Night of the Purple Moon

Moments like these were really enjoyable to read about and the reader is reminded that these are in fact kids, dealing with problems that their parents would have taken care of. I also enjoyed Cramer's writing style. It is succinct and to the point and very easy to read.

The Negatives: The setting of modern day society came across as a bit heavy handed at certain points, particularly with the introduction of the usage of Facebook chat between characters. While I understand the relevance, it also affected for those moments the way I was absorbed in the story -- I would assume that most readers would know the story was intended to be set in modern day society.
I also wanted to know more about the space germs. I wish there was more of an explanation of how the space germs worked simply because the inconsistencies in how its victims were affected was unexplained.
The implication is that the adults died instantaneously however, the rate at which the survivors were affected after reaching puberty seemed to vary case by case. Some lasted three months, others seemed to last longer or not quite as long. So it was hard to figure out, exactly how the space germs killed. Given the amount of time the survivors listened to the radio broadcasts, more knowledge would have been satisfying to read about.

In a Nutshell★★★☆☆: Night of the Purple Moon was an entertaining read with interesting plot elements and heartfelt moments. There was some intrigue, some factor of fear for both the characters and the reader, and if you are a fan of YA dystopian, or just looking for something new to read, I would recommend giving this novel a try.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much to Scott Cramer for the review request and providing a copy of this novel.
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Aug 13, 2012 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian

First thoughts
The synopsis was so good. The plot was so unique and even though I had no free time really I couldn’t pass it up. This needs to be a movie! Scott Cramer did an amazing with this book and I am sooo glad I accepted the request to review it!

My thoughts
I really enjoyed this book! It was so unique and unlike any other book that I’ve read, especially for a post-apocalyptic book. Night of the purple had me from the very beginning! I loved that I didn’t have to wait long before the story t...more First thoughts
The synopsis was so good. The plot was so unique and even though I had no free time really I couldn’t pass it up. This needs to be a movie! Scott Cramer did an amazing with this book and I am sooo glad I accepted the request to review it!

My thoughts
I really enjoyed this book! It was so unique and unlike any other book that I’ve read, especially for a post-apocalyptic book. Night of the purple had me from the very beginning! I loved that I didn’t have to wait long before the story to get started; it was never a slow or dull moment. With the unique plot, likable characters this is a grade A book.

First let’s talk about the plot and how creative it is. I comes passes though earth and sets off a purple moon which brings space germs that attack the human bodies with high levels of hormones. That means that all adults are gone, and children that have reached adolescents. Children are now left without parents, internet, electricity and the basic things they need to survive. Everyone has to grow up quickly and stick together to build a better future for the younger kids, all the while dreading getting older, because as soon as one enters adolescents your time is limited, and no one is safe.

The characters in this book where Abby, Jordan, and their younger sister toucan (lisette).Abby is the oldest sibling; she learns of the outcomes from the comet and tries to get the island together so that they can care for themselves and their younger sibling. Kevin and Emily is Abby’s neighbors’ and they band together and figure out ways to survive. After everyone is finally accounted for there is just a small group of kids left. Now it’s up to them to determine the best way to stay alive. Kevin and Abby were my favorite character’s followed closely by everyone else. I enjoyed watching everything the kids had to do and learn in order to sustain their lives.

Overall this was a great story! I don’t think I could have been in that situation and was strong enough to grow up that fast. Night of the purple moon kept me guessing! Who was next? What’s going to happen? When would the cure be available? And if so would the character’s I’ve grown to love be alive to receive it? This story will grip your heartstrings. It’s a wonderful story told in the span of one year, and a lot happens, it’s a book that you don’t want to miss. The second one is one my books to watch list because I must find out what happens next.

I highly recommend this book it’s a great must read for middle- school aged kids and beyond! Don’t miss out!
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Jul 20, 2012 Jeracalea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

**I received this paperback novel for free by the author for an honest review.**

Abby, her younger siblings Jordan and Toucan, and her father are very excited to see the comet fly across the sky. It's said that it will change the moon purple and will alter the colors of the sunrise and sunset for a couple of weeks after the comet shower.

But when all 3 wake up after falling asleep before the comet flew by, their life had been changed... All because of the purple moon.

All of the adults are dead. Ab...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Valentina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is definitely the type of book that I enjoy reading. It has a post-apocalyptic setting that is wholly unique and completely frightening.
Something that really caught my attention from the beginning was the stark writing style the author has. It goes straight to the point, giving the story a good sense of urgency that really helps to set the right mood. This doesn’t mean that the story is lacking in imagination in any way. On the contrary, the plot is fun and different enough to stand out fr...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-for-review-from-author, june-2012

First I would like to give a huge Thank You to Scott for allowing me to read and review his book. I have to say I really have not read to many dystopian books but I really enjoyed this one.

The night of the purple moon is fast approaching and things will never be the same. Everyone is talking about it and the scientists have even predicted it will be bad. The night of the purple moon comes and kills all the adults except for the scientists who live in quarantine.Then Jordan and two other friends...more

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May 30, 2012 Nadège Richards rated it 4 of 5 stars

As the dystopian genre has crept slowly into my heart and made a home there, I've earned myself a deeper understanding of originality and creativity. It absolutely astonishes me to see the many ways our mind can bend around a story, creating it, effortlessly, so that the tale itself is truth. When I think about it, to what extent will we go? Is there no end to creativity? Well, Mr. Scott Cramer himself has resolved my inner waging war. Night of the Purple Moon was unique—for a crowded genre this...more

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May 10, 2012 Amie McCracken rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer is a young adult post-apocalyptic science fiction. A comet's dust turns the sky purple, and space germs kill everyone who is past puberty. The world is left with a few scientists who were quarantined, and thousands of kids. On an island off of Maine, a group of kids bands together to survive.

The high stakes and constant motion just kept building throughout the book. I didn't want to stop. The idea was what really intrigued me, but the personality and writ...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Jim From YAYeahYeah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, sci-fi

(I was given an electronic copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

Virtually everyone on Earth is looking forward to seeing the purple moon they’ve been promised for months. The planet will pass through the tail of a comet, creating weeks of colourful sunsets and sunrises for them to enjoy. What they’re not expecting, though, is the space dust which has a devastating effect, killing off older teens and adults in just hours. Abby Leigh, her brother Jordan, and th...more (I was given an electronic copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

Virtually everyone on Earth is looking forward to seeing the purple moon they’ve been promised for months. The planet will pass through the tail of a comet, creating weeks of colourful sunsets and sunrises for them to enjoy. What they’re not expecting, though, is the space dust which has a devastating effect, killing off older teens and adults in just hours. Abby Leigh, her brother Jordan, and their neighbours Kevin and Emily are left frantically trying to look after the other children on their small island. Can they survive until a cure is found? As well as the problems in feeding and caring for themselves and a bunch of smaller children, they’re all too aware that it’s a race against time – because Abby, and some of the others, are getting close to puberty themselves.

This is a fairly strange way to start a review of a sci-fi book, but what really got me about Night of the Purple Moon was how realistic it felt. Everything after the initial deaths due to the dust seems to be incredibly well thought out, both in the way in which characters act and the effects their actions have. Similarly, the characters – especially Abby and Emily – are very well-developed and this makes it gut-wrenching when bad things happen to them. (And believe me, some very bad things happen to some of them – I was stunned by how dark it got at points.) I also had a soft spot for Abby’s two-year-old sister Toucan, an incredibly cute toddler.

Given how easy it is to fall for these characters, I found it to be a gripping book because I was desperate to find out what happened to them. I read the last two-thirds while sitting in a dentist’s waiting room about to have a filling, and it completely took the thought of the upcoming procedure out of my head – no mean feat given my general dread of dental visits!

Strong recommendation as a really impressive novel. I’m hoping Scott Cramer releases something else in the near future! (less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Addicted to Book ...: Night of the Purple Moon (The Toucan Trilogy #1) by Scott Cramer	1	5	Nov 22, 2012 03:16pm
♥!The Young Adult...: YA Dystopian giveaway!	1	28	Sep 24, 2012 02:07am
The Indie Exchang...: INTL eBook Giveaway: YA Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic	1	10	Aug 12, 2012 06:51am

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Night of the Purple Moon (The Toucan Trilogy #1)

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