The Fall of Candy Corn

Sweet Seasons #2

by Debbie Viguié

In the second book of the Sweet Seasons series, Candace has decided to spend another season at The Zone amusement park. But while working as a screaming mascot in the maze is fun, the park has more than a few serious twists—and scares—to offer. Candace never thought she’d sign up for another season at The Zone, but the allure of working with her boyfriend, Kurt, and spending time with her new friends has made the job easier to bear. Though once she finds out her new job is working as Candy in the newest Halloween maze—a role based on her harrowing night in the park that summer that shifted into a wild story she was chased by a killer—things don’t look quite as promising. Her friend Josh makes things slightly easier to bear, but soon the stress of her family’s potential financial hardships, a suddenly strained relationship with Kurt, and the exhaustion of running and screaming each night begin to take their toll. Then dangerous things start happening inside the maze, and Candace starts wondering if maybe her urban myth is becoming a reality—which means her life may be in danger. The Fall of Candy

Genres: Young Adult, Christian, Contemporary, Romance, Christian Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Debbie Viguié is the New York Times Bestselling author of more than three dozen novels including the Wicked series co-authored with Nancy Holder. In addition to her epic dark fantasy work Debbie also writes thrillers including The Psalm 23 Mysteries, the Kiss trilogy, and the Witch Hunt trilogy. Debbie also plays a recurring character on the audio drama, Doctor Geek’s Laboratory. When Debbie isn’t busy writing or acting she enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott, visiting theme parks.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“They're fun! They're quirky! They're Sweet Seasons - unlike any other girls' books you've ever read. You could call them alternative, God-honoring chick lit.
Join Candace Thompson on a sweet, lighthearted, and honest romp through the friendships, romances, family, school, faith, and values that make a girl's life as full as it can be.
Will Candace survive the shift from cotton candy to candy corn?
Fall is in the air, and without completely knowing why, Candace Thompson has signed up to continue what was supposed to be a short-term summer job at the local theme park. Working with Kurt doesn't hurt, but a surprising kink involving her youth group, as well as the shock of an unexpected setback, threaten to be more painful. Candace's autumn holds as many surprises as her summer as her rousing romp through the seasons continues.”


Series: Book #2 (of four) in the “Sweet Seasons” series. (Read Review of #1 Here!)


Spiritual Content- Prayers; A few talks about God & His plan; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God (though there’s only one); Go to & Mentions of Church & Youth Group; A few mentions of those in the Bible; A couple Scriptures are quoted & mentioned.
*Note: Dressing up as Aphrodite; Mentions of ghosts.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘dumb’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘stupid’, and two forms of ‘wimp’; Sarcasm; Underage drinking at a party; Mentions of blood/bleeding & injuries.
*Note: This book is set around Halloween/the fall, so there’s a lot about creepy things, Ghosts, Halloween, Monsters, Mummies, Vampires, Witches, Wolves, and Zombies; A few mentions of horror movies.


Sexual Content- six not-detailed kisses; Noticing; Flirts & Jerks make comments & sometimes tries to touch a girl; a ‘floozy’ and two ‘hot’s; A nightmare about going to school naked (not-detailed); Noticing a guy and girl making out and *Caution* getting “felt up by a guy she doesn’t even know.” *End of Caution*; Boys, boyfriends, liking boys & the drama.
*Note: Mentions of (and sometimes wearing) tank tops, short skirts, & low-cut tops.

-Candace “Candy” Thompson, age 17
P.O.V. of Candace
203 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{Higher ratings for girls in Public School or fans of Melody Carlson}
{Ratings very on your family’s opinion of Halloween}
My family doesn’t celebrate Halloween, so I was a bit worried on how much of that would be in this book. While it wasn’t detailed (and there weren’t any mentions of devil costumes or skeletons—yay!) there was a lot of the whole scare people theme, being an amusement park. While I was amazed with who Candace is *still* dating (I don’t like him!), I was proud of her for leaving a party she wasn’t comfortable at (See Negative Content). The ending also made a great lead in to #3, “The Winter of Candy Canes”.


Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Annie Twitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute, silly, and super relaxing. Sometimes I just want the big problem to be "I'm being chased through the theme park by ghouls". Really enjoyable for a casual summer read.

... I just realized that may sound sarcastic and snarky but I promise it's not.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

First of all, someone was dressed as a mime and I hate mimes and clowns so that really detracted for me...

Overall this series is cute. They are fast reads, but there is a lot of growth in Candace. She's got a lot of spunk and is easy to relate to. The secondary characters are good as well, though I am not wild about her boyfriend.

The theme park sounds like it would be a really cool place to both work at and visit.

I'm really looking forward to the Christmas one.

[Larissa Hipp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series. Really good to. Candance goes back to the zone to work the annual Halloween event called Scare. Then gets hurt working it and gets stuck working as a candy corn vendor.

[Madi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just as great as the first and I loved it!!!

[Noel Maczko · Rating 2 out of 5]

A festive book for anyone looking for a book that takes place during October and revolves around Halloween. I really liked the amusement park and haunted mazes atmosphere.

Although, I found Candy to be more annoying in this book than in the last one. I thought there were some times when she was over dramatic and really overreacted. Like when she went on about how disappointed she was in Kurt because he was lying and fueling the urban legend story. He was just having some fun and she acted like she just found out he was lying to her and betraying her. And then when she freaked out because Tamara was getting people to go see her perform in the maze and she acted like it was the most humiliating thing ever to have people she knows see her in the maze. Like, really? If she didn't want people seeing her, she shouldn't be working in the maze. And then there was the whole thing with Kurt's Halloween party where she got upset because there was alcohol and people under 21 were drinking. She got so upset she just left the party. And then she was upset with Kurt because he wasn't bothered by the alcohol and he stayed at the party while she left. Like, oh no! Alcohol at a college party? Gasp!

Overall, the book was good for a light Halloween read. It was better than the first one, but those few instances with Candy overreacting made me not enjoy the book as much as I would have otherwise.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'm getting old, folks. I loved this story, it was fun and sweet and nostalgic. If I read it in my teens I think I would have loved it even more. It made me think of Christy Miller and I'm looking forward finishing the series.
The reason I feel like I'm getting old, though, is some things seemed a little, just a little 😂, unrealistic.
People out to get her- specifically her at work and in the theme park and her parents were completely oblivious?? (I think she had two conversations with them the whole book? 😂 maybe a few more but they were not in the book very much at all)
Her guidance counselor didn't think she had ambition but one of her goals was to get a four year degree? Even just wanting that shows some ambition and I doubt the counselor would try to talk her out of it. I feel like usually people try to talk you INTO more school 🤷🏻‍♀️ I also didn't particularly like Candice's view of college- kind of the typical "You have to go to college" idea and she did NOT want to go to a community to college (even though that's usually a better financial decision) and she didn't know what she wanted to study but she just knew she wanted a 4 year degree. (That also doesn't sound like the best financial decision 🤷🏻‍♀️)
But all in all it was a sweet and cozy read and I look forward to finishing the series!

[Adri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought the first book in the “Sweet Seasons” series, The Summer of Cotton Candy , a very long time ago—probably when I was just starting high school. I enjoyed the first book because it was so fun and creative. What is not to like about a girl getting her first job at an amusement park—and an amusement park that isn’t “ambiguously” modeled after Disneyland or anything like that. When I was younger I really like reading about “The Zone,” which was like a harmonious coming together of thrill parks and family amusements all in one. To sum it up, it’s a cute idea and it’s just a fun concept.

I liked the first book so much that younger me went back to the bookstore after finishing it so that I could buy the next one. Silly me, I went back when The Fall of Cotton Candy was out of stock. What did I do next—surely what ANY reasonable person would do: I bought the third book, The Winter of Candy Canes , and skipped over the second one entirely. So, for years, the only two books in this series that have been on my shelf are the first and the third and I’ve always been curious to know what happens in the second and fourth books.

I recently came into a little bit of extra money, so I FINALLY bought the second installment, like five years overdue. It’s fall time, this is a fall book—I think you can put two and two together.

Now that my personal story behind the book is done, what did I actually think of it?

I’m going to stick with a word I used in the first paragraph and I’ll admit that this story was “cute.” It really was. Candace, the main character, is working her second season at The Zone, and like many other theme parks, they put on a bunch of scary mazes and do all these crazy Halloween activities—and I am all for that. At the same time, she’s juggling school work and friendships and relationships and all that fun stuff. All in all, it was an okay book.

Even when I first started reading this series, I knew that the writing wasn’t winning any awards, if you get what I’m saying. Candace’s narration is fun and endearing, but it’s not always the best in the world. At least this book had plot—The Zone is experiencing a lot of mayhem and trickery during the Halloween season, and Candace has to ~figure out what’s going on before someone gets hurt~ —and it kept me interested. It was a very quick read, which I liked, but it just was not the best. While it’s a cool book to read during the fall season, I just didn’t think it was as strong as it could have been.

Because Candace is such an innocent, pure person, sometimes her narration can seem a little sheltered—a little naïve and somewhat “corny” (forgive the pun). On the back of every book in this series, the summaries boast about how this is “God-loving Chick-Lit” because Candace is a religious person who relies a lot on her faith—which is great for her. Personally, I’m not on the same wavelength as her, but I respect the viewpoint, and it didn’t distract me from the story at hand. Sure, Candace goes to youth group and prays when she’s in trouble, but for the most part I don’t think that her religion isn’t as in-your-face as the summaries make it out to be.

I think what they mean by promoting such “God-loving” lit is that the book contains a protagonist who is not out there having sex or doing drugs; she has morals and beliefs that keep her from engaging in anything “negative,” which, like I said, I can respect even though we don’t see eye to eye on all things. That being said, I think that because Candace lacks a lot of rounded insight about a lot of things—like she’s very biased in her viewpoint and lacks empathy for other’s opinions—that it affected her narration and made her seem childish at some points, at least to me. She talked about a lot of things on the surface, and I just prefer a more in-depth narrator.

I found Candace’s viewpoints sometimes annoying. For instance, there’s a scene where Candace’s boyfriend, Kurt, invites her to a Halloween party at his house with his roommates. Naturally, there are people there that Candace doesn’t know and there are things going on there that she doesn’t like: under-aged drinking, drug use, groping public displays of affection, et cetera. She does, in my opinion, the right thing by leaving. She tells her boyfriend, “Hey, this isn’t my scene and I don’t feel comfortable here. I’m going home.” You go, Candace—four for you. But at the same time, she’s forceful of her opinions and her beliefs about these people. She does a little bit of slut-shaming to a girl she sees making out with someone at said party, which I just don’t appreciate. As I’ve said, I respect her faith from a subjective place; I appreciate that she knows who she is and that she’s willing to walk away from things that don’t feel right to her, but at the same time, I feel like she can be narrow-minded, which affects the narration.

All in all, it was just an okay book. Don’t get me wrong, I did like it and I reasonably enjoyed it—I got through it in a couple of hours, which I always appreciate; there’s always a special place in my good graces for quick reads. Of course, just because a book is easy to get through doesn’t mean that it’s a GOOD book, which is kind of the case here. It’s a mixed bag for me, because I thought it was cute and I still think the involvement with the theme park is a lot of fun to read about—it just wasn’t very strong writing. It’s probably more suited for my fourteen-year old self (or however old I was at the time) because it’s more of a surface read and it’s a little too happy-go-lucky/cheesy for my tastes now. But I appreciate that it has morals and a different kind of protagonist—it just didn’t end up being GREAT. There’s potential, but not fulfilling execution.

Still, I think it was an entertaining Halloween read, and I may reread it next fall season just because it truly fits the autumn/Halloween bill.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book from Debbie Viguie! The only reason I docked a star is the narrator of the audiobook I felt really messed up with the voices. Even though these books take place in California, she gave 3/4 of the people southern drawls. It really didn't make much sense to the story.

The story was absolutely fantastic though. Candace is back for another season but this time she gets to sell candy corn, among other things. The Zone is also running scare zones for the Halloween season. As things start happening around the park, rumors start flying about the park being haunted. Is it really haunted or is someone trying to sabotage The Zone?

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

IT WAS SOOO GOOD!!! Favorite chapter was def 19, and it was hard to get into at the beginning but once you dive into who’s sabotaging Scare etc it’s so awesome! Also team Josh. Like all the way right now.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I finished reading the first book I knew I had to read the second, but I didn't have it so I bought it and read it in like a day. It just keeps getting more and more interesting.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect series for any teenager. So fun!

[Dakota Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good

[Sophia Suuppi · Rating 4 out of 5]

ugh kurt

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Michaeleen Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little while back I reviewed With This Ring, I'm Confused because I was looking to see how published authors did light-hearted stories that had characters with doses of morality; I did that book because I couldn't find any YA Christian literature. However, lucky for me, I was able to find this series (and another, The Carter House Girls series, that I'll review separately) that fits the YA Christian fiction bill.

These books were decent, I started to like the characters the further they went on--perhaps because this author is kind of new and maybe her writing is getting better each time. Whatever the cause, Candace (and her friends and boyfriend) became more likeable as time went on. What irritated me with this series though is the same issues I've had with Kristin Billerbeck (see the With this Ring... review linked above), Christian fiction is way too heavy-handed. If you want to make your message really clear, make it clear, but don't preach. I think the reason I find this so grating is because the target audience is very likely Christians, who could probably draw the conclusions themselves without having the author come right out and put in a little prayer. Call me crazy, but some times I like to actually have to think for myself when I'm reading.

That's not to say that when the final installment in the series, The Spring of Candy Apples, comes out in late February 2009, that I won't be picking it up. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, or I can't stand to not find out what school Candace ends up going to (although I'm pretty sure I could make a safe bet now), but I've got to close the loop on this series.

All in all, a decent series for young adult readers (I'd say maybe 14-17, any older than that and it might be too silly and saccharine). I gave it an B because, as I read the other YA series, I found that (even with its flaws), the Sweet Seasons series could have been worse. The B is probably relative.

[Jana Henderson (Reviews from the Stacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a fun fall-themed YA story with a Christian foundation but not specifically about Christianity, The Fall of Candy Corn is perfect! I picked this up on sale way back at the beginning of quarantine, and soon read it in a single day. The pacing is good, the characters are fun, and the setting of the amusement park is both unique and enjoyable. I haven’t read the first book in this series (The Summer of Cotton Candy) but I caught on easily to the dynamics between characters and any other important elements. I’m sure there are things that would have made more sense if I had read the first book, but I don’t seem to have missed much. Christianity is woven into the story neatly; it’s not pushy, but definitely there.

On the more critical side, this is not a book that really holds up for those who don’t usually read YA, but it is something I would have enjoyed reading very much while I was in high school or early college. Some of the conversations, thoughts, and supposed issues felt overly immature and just not that important to me. But, again, I can see them being a big deal to the target audience. Also, I’m not a big fan of Candace and Kurt’s relationship, but it’s not inherently objectionable. Just potentially problematic. I wonder, though, if that might be the author’s intention: not that this relationship is something to strive for, but a realistic portrayal of the complicated nature of relationships.

I recommended this book to YA readers looking for a fun adventure with a Christian backdrop. I would read the other books in the series in the season they correspond to if I happened across them, but it’s not terribly likely that I will specifically seek them out. The Fall of Candy Corn is fun, its pacing is fantastic, and the characters are solid. Four stars from me.

This review originally posted on Reviews From the Stacks.

[BethLee]

Read more reviews like this at my blog: http://bethleesbookblog.blogspot.com/

The Fall of Candy Corn by Debbie Viguie is a fun read. It is the second book in the Sweet Seasons series, which revolve around Candace Thompson. In the first book, "The Summer of Cotton Candy", Candace (AKA Candy), has to get a summer job. She decides to work for an amusement park as a cotton candy vendor. Now in this book, Candy is back for the Halloween event called Scare. It is filled with mazes and scary things. Since she got trapped in the park last year, there is a new maze for scare about that. Candace is asked to play the part of Candy, and pretend to get chased around by a psycho killer. But when Candace gets hurt on the job, she has to sell candy corn instead. She is also debating where to go for college. Will she figure out who hurt her and where she wants to go to college in time?
This was a very fun and light read. I could relate to Candy with the things she did, such as not liking parties where underage people drink. She had good intentions but sometimes they got a little out of hand. Candy's boyfriend, Kurt, is also an issue in her life, because she isn't sure if she likes him as much as he likes her. It teaches about friendship and being respectful to your bosses and elders. This is a great book if you are looking for a Christian lit with a high school girl protagonist. Debbie Viguie has created a book that will make anyone learn good morals and life lessons in a fun and addicting read.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

They re fun! They re quirky! They re Sweet Seasons unlike any other girls books you ve ever read. You could call them alternative, God-honoring chick lit. Join Candace Thompson on a sweet, lighthearted, and honest romp through the friendships, romances, family, school, faith, and values that make a girl s life as full as it can be. Will Candace survive the shift from cotton candy to candy corn? Fall is in the air, and without completely knowing why, Candace Thompson has signed up to continue what was supposed to be a short-term summer job at the local theme park. Working with Kurt doesn t hurt, but a surprising kink involving her youth group, as well as the shock of an unexpected setback, threaten to be more painful. Candace s autumn holds as many surprises as her summer as her rousing romp through the seasons continues."

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the 2nd in a series called Sweet Seasons. I think I would have enjoyed the book even more if I had read the first book.

The story picks up in the Fall as Candance(the main character;'s) local amusement park is getting ready for their Halloween mazes. She is highered to work in a maze based on herself. This is where the story takes a turn as trouble starts to happen in the park.
This was an easy to read chick lit book. Small but meant for older teens. It is considered a Christian book, I would put it as a book with Christian characters. The book is not too preacy but its not too trampy either. A great read.

[$hanel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that this book was just as good as the first one! Candace Thompson is back working at The Zone... but this time she is not a cotton candy vendor... she`s working Scare a huge Halloween bash that is going on at The Zone for four weeks and Candace is really pumped about working there with all of her friends that also work at The Zone! While things seem like a dream awhile for Candace one day at The Zone a terrible accident happens to Candace and that changes things for her job at The Zone and she starts having troubles with her boyfriend Kurt! Things also will be very spooky at Scare!:O What happens to Candace and will she stay with her boyfriend Kurt?

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up shortly after the events of The Summer of Cotton Candy and continues with the themes presented in that book. I found this book to be funnier than the previous one, and relevant to teenagers trying to find their place in the world. This one also had a suspenseful mystery aspect as well, which kept things lively in the story. It was another quick and enjoyable read, and one I will definitely recommend for my daughter!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice book that had a good message and an interesting, it not somewhat predictable set of characters. I enjoyed seeing how the story progressed, but some of the circumstances were just a tad bit too sugar-coated for my liking. I enjoyed this book, but I would still categorize it as a fluff book. I'd probably recommend.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2010...

[Kathryn Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked The Fall of Candy Corn even better than the first book. I love the fall! It's a great season. I guess I'd say that for every season because I just like change. The amusement park, The Zone, is where Candace is still working. To read more of my review click the link to my book blog.
Clean Teen Fiction's review of The Fall of Candy Corn

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars because towards the end of the book in got very exciting! My favorite part was when Candace, Josh, Tamara, and Martha set up a plan to catch the saboteurs of The Zone. Candace could have died when she got grabbed by Brandon and also when she went into the maze to get Will. She ended up saving the park and finally got everything back together for Scare and Sugar Shock. I defentelly would reccomed this sereis to girls that are my age and up. It was a great book!

[Anam Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. I didn't realize it was a young adult book until I was into it. I hadn't read the first, and while I think it might be interesting to see what Candace does next, I feel like it will just be the same story repeated again - a lot of this one referred back to incidents in the first in the series giving me that impression. Same plot, just slightly different things happening at the Zone. I'd be willing to be that in the end, she ends up with Josh, not Kurt, though.

[shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ I liked this one better than the first one, and I like where the series is going. (Just gonna say I’m team Josh)



this book has large amounts of halloween content in it, so if you don't like that, I'd avoid it. I personally, as a christian, don't find anything wrong with halloween, as long as you're staying rooted in your faith. (and I tend to skip most gory/horror movies anyways) so this didn't bother me.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute sequel. Much of the basic information is repeated so someone could theoretically read this one first.It is starting to feel a little predictible, but there are just enough mini surprises to make it worth reading. I find that I wish we could get on with it and find out how the carried on conflicts are resolved.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, probably more than I should have. Now that it's fall, it's Halloween time and Candace is back at the park. I mostly enjoyed seeing Candace try to figure out what to do with her future and learning who she is and what she wants out of her life.

I'm anxious for the next in the series and finding out what Candace's future holds!