Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula (REVIEW)

Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula(Cassidy Jones Adventures, #1) by Elise Stokes
Genre: MG science fiction - Publisher: JACE Publishing LLC - Publication Date: January 1, 2011 - Pages: 314 - Source: Author

Fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones wakes up the morning after a minor accident in the laboratory of a world-renowned geneticist to discover that her body has undergone some bizarre physical changes. Her senses, strength, and speed have been radically enhanced.

After exploring her newfound abilities, Cassidy learns that the geneticist, Professor Serena Phillips, is missing and that foul play is suspected. Terrified that her physical changes and Professor Phillips' disappearance are somehow connected, Cassidy decides to keep her strange transformation a secret. That is, until she meets the professor's brilliant and mysterious fifteen-year-old son, Emery. An unlikely duo, they set out to find Emery's mother, who is key in explaining Cassidy's newly acquired superpowers.

Their lives are put at risk when they find themselves embroiled in a dangerous, action-packed adventure. Soon they are forced to confront a maniacal villain willing to do anything - including murder - to reach his own ambitious goals. (Goodreads.com)

This book was absolutely adorable! I don't usually read Middle Grade, but when I read the synopsis for this book, I knew immediately that it was going to be interesting. With enjoyable characters, a clever plot, and a fast pace, this book could bring a smile to anyone's lips. It's great for boys and girls of all ages.

I was hooked from the beginning. Cassidy has an intelligent and fun voice that is hard to ignore. She was a cute character who had good qualities and bad, and her breakdowns were almost endearing. It was very easy for me to just put myself in Cassidy's shoes, because she is relatable for almost every teenager. Not only does she deal with the fact that she may be becoming a mutant, but she also has to face the perils of high school. Boy drama, popular girl drama, bully drama. Most importantly, though, was that I felt completely connected to Cassidy. I could really feel her emotions.

The writing was pretty darn good, but there was one thing that bugged me. I feel like Elise Stokes added a little TOO much variety to the beginnings of her sentences. There were several instances when one paragraph would contain a ton of sentences that begin with -ly words (Ex: gratefully, questioningly, etc.). Other than that it was pretty magnificent. It just naturally flowed and held my interest throughout the entire book. The plot was generally original, the clima was pretty epic, and the story had some complex concepts that were explained incredibly well. Not only that, but Stokes painted vivid pictures in my mind with her fantastic use of imagery.

This book was light and really clean, plus it contained realistic and interesting dialogue that fit the characters. I actually didn't want to smach my head into a cement wall when Cassidy said "crud". And the word crud is pretty difficult to effectively pull off.

Honestly, this book was an excellent read that kept me engrossed and eager to find out what happens next. I would certainly recommend this to all ages. I'm definitely looking forward to Cassidy's next adventure!

• The action. For real, there were some epic fight scenes in this book. It wasn't gory or disgusting, it was just a load of fun.
• The characters. Every single one of them. They each have their own distinct personalities, their quirks and habits. I think Chazz, the little brother, may have been my favorite with his fascination for super heroes!
• Ninjas. Yes, there are ninjas in this book. With nunchucks and throwing stars. Need I really say more?
• The villian. Okay, he was just so much fun to read about. He was eccentric and arrogant and so funny!

If you liked:

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

The Maximum Ride series by James Patterson

Then you will go crazy for Cassidy Jones!

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