Forevermore by Cindy Miles

 

Forevermore

Miles, Cindy.  New York: Point, 2013.  9780545426220

Quantitative Reading Level:  Lexile 610

Qualitative Reading Analysis:

I would rate this book as Middle Low on the “Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric for Literary Text”.  The structure is relatively simple and conventional and it has a single layer of complex meaning.  Because the book takes place in Scotland there will be some unfamiliar places, terms, and there is even some Gaelic which is translated.  The book is clearly fantasy but requires some knowledge of Scottish culture.

Summary:

Ivy Calhoun’s mother has just married a Scottish laird and now they are moving to his castle.  When she arrives she finds the castle and the countryside to be spooky and the welcome from her stepfather’s grandmother’s reception is cold and even hostile.  Then Ivy starts hearing voices telling her to go away, sees things floating, and she is even pushed and choked by an unseen force.  Who or what wants her to leave?  When Ivy meets Logan, a ghost who hangs around the castle she doesn’t know if he is friend or foe, but as she gets to know him she starts to fall in love with him.  Can Ivy discover the mystery of the castle before she gets hurt?  Can she somehow change Logan’s destiny so they can be together?

Personal Thoughts:

This really was a fluff book but it was fun.  Scotland is a wonderful, mysterious setting and was the perfect backdrop for this book.  The story reminded me of the “Outlander” series by Diana Gabaldon but more appropriate for middle school.  There was a good mystery and some spooky elements so it was ideal for a beach or summer read.

Subjects/Themes:  Love, Darkness and Light

Character Names/descriptions:

Ivy Calhoun: Transplanted 16 year old from South Carolina to Scotland.  She falls in love with Logan, a ghost and solves the mystery of the castle.

Logan: A ghost who can’t remember how he died or why he stays near the castle.  He protects Ivy while she figures out the mystery of the castle.

High Interest Annotation:  What would you do if you fell in love with a ghost?