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Moth to a Flame
I was almost killed by a delusional murderer five months ago. Since then, the recurring nightmares, creepy hallucinations and overpowering fear are gone. That's good, right? I mean, no one in their right minds wants to feel like that. I am starting to wonder if I'm in my right mind anymore...When a lady in my neighborhood died, I couldn't help but stick my nose in, to see what happened. I should just get on with things–I've got some new friends, and a cool boy named Chris has taken an interest in me. Everyone is telling me to just leave this weird murder alone.But I can't stop myself. The more I find out about her death, the more twisted everything is.I think there’s a predator in Narrowdale. And now it’s hunting me…What have I gotten myself into?
- GenresParanormalMystery
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2015
316 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Michael Omer
6 books61 followersMy name is Michael Omer, and I’m a writer, journalist and game designer. I wrote and published my first novel when I was sixteen, and figured I’d keep at it. Since then, I have published two more novels, and wrote… who can even count how many? I’m happily married to a woman who keeps pushing me to write more, and have three kids who insist I should stop writing and come play with them. I also have two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 16, 2015
This is the second book in the Narrowdale YA series. I'm not sure exactly which genre it falls under; I'd put it somewhere between suspense and horror, with paranormal elements. And as YA goes, it's at the younger end, and wouldn't be unsuitable for middle-graders, since the horror is muted, and the humour is cranked all the way up to eleven.
In fact, the opening few chapters are as funny as anything I've ever read anywhere, and yes, that covers Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Bill Bryson. Main character Amy is an absolute delight, completely swept up in her own affairs, and since the book is written in the first person, we get to share all her dippy thoughts. The collision of Amy with algebra had me crying from laughing so hard. I know humour is a personal thing, but I defy anyone not to laugh out loud reading this.
The first book in the series, 'Sleepless', described how fourteen-year-old Amy moved to Narrowdale with her parents, made a couple of friends, and got involved in some scary stuff. That book had a few wobbly aspects, but this one works far, far better. The characters are shown in sharper focus, the plot feels more real and the writing is beautifully smooth. And I may have mentioned the humour...
Apart from Amy, the backup team comprises Shane, the pal with the camera, Carole, the obsessive academic, and Nicole, the friend from back home who bounces in and out to jog things along. There's also Peter, the security guy that Amy rather fancies. And now there's Chris, Amy's potential boyfriend (I rather like Chris, so I hope he sticks around). Even the minor characters are quite memorable, especially Carole's mum, with her insistence on family meals together, no matter what. We all know someone like that.
The plot... well, if you've read the first book, you'll know what to expect. There's a weird murder, and a guy who's disappeared, and Amy, as usual, is right in the thick of things, walking into murder scenes and wandering about in all sorts of odd places, finding... well, all sorts of odd things. And, as usual, the adults pat her on the head and tell her not to interfere, to leave it all to them. And does Amy listen? Of course not! That would be no fun at all.
There are a couple of very minor things to mention on the negative side. One is the use of present tense. Now this is a very personal thing, it’s very common in YA and most people probably won't even notice, but I found myself constantly jolted by it. So that spoiled my enjoyment very slightly. The other is that this does feel very young, to me. Again, it's a purely personal thing, and I know I'm not in the target audience for a book like this. I don't read a lot of YA, and when I do, it tends not to be the modern-day, high school kid type of YA. I find it much easier to read when it's (say) epic fantasy. For me, reading about Amy's fourteen-year-old thoughts felt uncomfortably voyeuristic. Which means, of course, that the author got it exactly right, so it will be perfect for the appropriate audience. And it’s a testament to the author that he kept me hooked, even when the kids-running-rings-round-the-police element reminded me of my misbegotten childhood reading Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.
There's one more thing that the author got exactly right, and this was a huge plus for me: he's beginning to reveal a little more background on Narrowdale itself, and the reasons behind all the weird stuff. Now, I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. I hate it when things happen just because, and I love that frisson of excitement you get when you discover something huge about the world the story is set in. It's why I read epic fantasy, after all, and to find it here is awesome. That alone would keep me reading, but adding in the humour, Amy's charm and the beginning-to-be-interesting friends makes this series unmissable. Very enjoyable, with a great ending and just a couple of personal niggles keeping it to four stars.
In fact, the opening few chapters are as funny as anything I've ever read anywhere, and yes, that covers Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Bill Bryson. Main character Amy is an absolute delight, completely swept up in her own affairs, and since the book is written in the first person, we get to share all her dippy thoughts. The collision of Amy with algebra had me crying from laughing so hard. I know humour is a personal thing, but I defy anyone not to laugh out loud reading this.
The first book in the series, 'Sleepless', described how fourteen-year-old Amy moved to Narrowdale with her parents, made a couple of friends, and got involved in some scary stuff. That book had a few wobbly aspects, but this one works far, far better. The characters are shown in sharper focus, the plot feels more real and the writing is beautifully smooth. And I may have mentioned the humour...
Apart from Amy, the backup team comprises Shane, the pal with the camera, Carole, the obsessive academic, and Nicole, the friend from back home who bounces in and out to jog things along. There's also Peter, the security guy that Amy rather fancies. And now there's Chris, Amy's potential boyfriend (I rather like Chris, so I hope he sticks around). Even the minor characters are quite memorable, especially Carole's mum, with her insistence on family meals together, no matter what. We all know someone like that.
The plot... well, if you've read the first book, you'll know what to expect. There's a weird murder, and a guy who's disappeared, and Amy, as usual, is right in the thick of things, walking into murder scenes and wandering about in all sorts of odd places, finding... well, all sorts of odd things. And, as usual, the adults pat her on the head and tell her not to interfere, to leave it all to them. And does Amy listen? Of course not! That would be no fun at all.
There are a couple of very minor things to mention on the negative side. One is the use of present tense. Now this is a very personal thing, it’s very common in YA and most people probably won't even notice, but I found myself constantly jolted by it. So that spoiled my enjoyment very slightly. The other is that this does feel very young, to me. Again, it's a purely personal thing, and I know I'm not in the target audience for a book like this. I don't read a lot of YA, and when I do, it tends not to be the modern-day, high school kid type of YA. I find it much easier to read when it's (say) epic fantasy. For me, reading about Amy's fourteen-year-old thoughts felt uncomfortably voyeuristic. Which means, of course, that the author got it exactly right, so it will be perfect for the appropriate audience. And it’s a testament to the author that he kept me hooked, even when the kids-running-rings-round-the-police element reminded me of my misbegotten childhood reading Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.
There's one more thing that the author got exactly right, and this was a huge plus for me: he's beginning to reveal a little more background on Narrowdale itself, and the reasons behind all the weird stuff. Now, I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. I hate it when things happen just because, and I love that frisson of excitement you get when you discover something huge about the world the story is set in. It's why I read epic fantasy, after all, and to find it here is awesome. That alone would keep me reading, but adding in the humour, Amy's charm and the beginning-to-be-interesting friends makes this series unmissable. Very enjoyable, with a great ending and just a couple of personal niggles keeping it to four stars.
July 23, 2015
First I would like to disclose that I received a free copy of this book for an honest review. This is the second book in the series, the first is titled "Sleepless" also by Michael Omer.
I'd like to start by saying this was a great continuation of Amy's adventures in Narrowdale. It reminds me so much of a scooby doo adventure I would have watched as a kid. Those pesky kids putting their noses where they don't belong. And Amy is a natural and maybe somewhat of a supernatural sleuth! This series is turning into a great little mystery series. The read was quick, got right to the mystery without a bunch of extras, and the ending was still surprising and yet a mystery.
Amy is drawn to a murder site, which she later realizes is her Spanish teacher's mother. It is a violent murder and most everyone is effected. Meanwhile, she is being tracked around town by an animal predator who limits her freedom in town. With the help of her friends (Coral, Shane, Nicole and few others) she feels compelled to solve this murder. And the fun begins!
I would recommend this story to pre-teenage and teenagers who enjoy a thriller, mystery with a bit of paranormal. Mr. Omer does bring a little bit of graphic violence to the scene, but I think it is reasonable with the description not too gross.
As a "grown" kid, I must admit, this was a fun read. Amy is a typical teen with a funny sense of humor, but not annoying like some YA books.
Five stars for me, I recommend this cute, funny, quick/concise, paranormal mystery for those suspense seekers.
Enjoy!
I'd like to start by saying this was a great continuation of Amy's adventures in Narrowdale. It reminds me so much of a scooby doo adventure I would have watched as a kid. Those pesky kids putting their noses where they don't belong. And Amy is a natural and maybe somewhat of a supernatural sleuth! This series is turning into a great little mystery series. The read was quick, got right to the mystery without a bunch of extras, and the ending was still surprising and yet a mystery.
Amy is drawn to a murder site, which she later realizes is her Spanish teacher's mother. It is a violent murder and most everyone is effected. Meanwhile, she is being tracked around town by an animal predator who limits her freedom in town. With the help of her friends (Coral, Shane, Nicole and few others) she feels compelled to solve this murder. And the fun begins!
I would recommend this story to pre-teenage and teenagers who enjoy a thriller, mystery with a bit of paranormal. Mr. Omer does bring a little bit of graphic violence to the scene, but I think it is reasonable with the description not too gross.
As a "grown" kid, I must admit, this was a fun read. Amy is a typical teen with a funny sense of humor, but not annoying like some YA books.
Five stars for me, I recommend this cute, funny, quick/concise, paranormal mystery for those suspense seekers.
Enjoy!
January 20, 2024
Keeping up with the weird first book of this series, nothing really is that surprising anymore. You can see the progression of Omer's investigative approach is building and getting better. I think the writing itself would make more sense if I'd started with these and followed the progression of his writing to his older books but you can see his growth from the first book to this second book. They definitely are different than anything else he's written but this one makes more sense and you can actually follow how it's all possible. The investigative aspect of his writing really takes off here and leads you down a path of real life detective work and a little fantasy.
October 26, 2018
Great YA mystery
This is the second and final book (except for a novella) in the Narrowdale series. Amy is at it again, finding intrigue and mystery in the small town of Narrowdale. It's been 5 months since her last bout of trouble and things are calm and quiet. Until an elderly lady dies, and Amy thinks it's murder. Only in Narrowdale!
This is the second and final book (except for a novella) in the Narrowdale series. Amy is at it again, finding intrigue and mystery in the small town of Narrowdale. It's been 5 months since her last bout of trouble and things are calm and quiet. Until an elderly lady dies, and Amy thinks it's murder. Only in Narrowdale!
May 16, 2021
Fun Sequel
The setting for this series is interesting and I'd like to read more about the adult characters even though this is geared more towards the young adult audience. Regardless, this was a quick, fun read.
The setting for this series is interesting and I'd like to read more about the adult characters even though this is geared more towards the young adult audience. Regardless, this was a quick, fun read.
May 25, 2024
Good stuff
I enjoyed the pace and the build up in the stories. The content and suspense was good. Kept me reading, and waiting to find what was going to happen next. The ending unpredictable and generating a desire for the next story.
I enjoyed the pace and the build up in the stories. The content and suspense was good. Kept me reading, and waiting to find what was going to happen next. The ending unpredictable and generating a desire for the next story.
Read
February 23, 2020Loved these two books
These were very good books I couldn’t put them down!! I can’t wait for the next one!! It’s a must read!!!
These were very good books I couldn’t put them down!! I can’t wait for the next one!! It’s a must read!!!
April 27, 2020
Great
Love this story and the characters.interest, exciting and scarey. Look forward to new books in this series. Will be looking for new adventures.
Love this story and the characters.interest, exciting and scarey. Look forward to new books in this series. Will be looking for new adventures.
March 10, 2024
A fun read
There was mystery, there was suspense, there was action, there was humor. Another good one by Mike. Keep I coming.
There was mystery, there was suspense, there was action, there was humor. Another good one by Mike. Keep I coming.
August 25, 2016
The Good:
Let me just start off by saying that I love how this setting has endless possibilities. First, you have a clever girl who is prone to life-threatening idiocy, but only because she's curious and has some sort of abnormal fixation on figuring out why strange things happen and solving murders. THEN, you throw her into a town where strange things repeatedly happen and people get murdered, so you could literally write book after book after book. You're a smart man, Mr. Omer! But the the set-up isn't the only good thing about his books. His POV character Amy is clever and curious (I know, I already said that), hates school and tests like the rest of us (which makes her relatable), is adorably clueless about love and boys, and is actually pretty dang witty. Maybe it's because it's been awhile since I read the first novel in this series, but I feel like her "funny" came out more in this one. I found myself laughing as much as I was wincing or screeching. And yes, I do all those things while I'm reading. My husband and kids and dog can attest to that :)
Another good thing worth mentioning is that Mr. Omer doesn't write predictable stories. In Moth to a Flame, I wasn't able to figure out who the killer was until Amy did. However, I did figure out another big reveal before Amy did, but I almost think it was intentional on the writer's part. I won't say much more than that for fear of giving it away.
The Bad:
There really isn't anything bad to say about this book, other than I still wish we knew more about what Amy and her friends look like. We don't get much more than hair color and body-types or accessories. And I couldn't tell you what her parents look like at all. Perhaps Mr. Omer did describe them (and I'm sure he did), it just didn't stick with me for whatever reason. None of that is really a deal-breaker though.
The Ugly:
Nothing to say in this category!
In Short:
Moth to a Flame is an excellent sequel to the first. I highly recommend this series!
Favorite Quote:
"How can everyone here be so loud? So cheerful? I want to scream at them to be quiet. I want to hit one of them. I want to kick the back of the seat in front of me. I want to smash the window and jump out. I want to cry. I do none of those things."
Let me just start off by saying that I love how this setting has endless possibilities. First, you have a clever girl who is prone to life-threatening idiocy, but only because she's curious and has some sort of abnormal fixation on figuring out why strange things happen and solving murders. THEN, you throw her into a town where strange things repeatedly happen and people get murdered, so you could literally write book after book after book. You're a smart man, Mr. Omer! But the the set-up isn't the only good thing about his books. His POV character Amy is clever and curious (I know, I already said that), hates school and tests like the rest of us (which makes her relatable), is adorably clueless about love and boys, and is actually pretty dang witty. Maybe it's because it's been awhile since I read the first novel in this series, but I feel like her "funny" came out more in this one. I found myself laughing as much as I was wincing or screeching. And yes, I do all those things while I'm reading. My husband and kids and dog can attest to that :)
Another good thing worth mentioning is that Mr. Omer doesn't write predictable stories. In Moth to a Flame, I wasn't able to figure out who the killer was until Amy did. However, I did figure out another big reveal before Amy did, but I almost think it was intentional on the writer's part. I won't say much more than that for fear of giving it away.
The Bad:
There really isn't anything bad to say about this book, other than I still wish we knew more about what Amy and her friends look like. We don't get much more than hair color and body-types or accessories. And I couldn't tell you what her parents look like at all. Perhaps Mr. Omer did describe them (and I'm sure he did), it just didn't stick with me for whatever reason. None of that is really a deal-breaker though.
The Ugly:
Nothing to say in this category!
In Short:
Moth to a Flame is an excellent sequel to the first. I highly recommend this series!
Favorite Quote:
"How can everyone here be so loud? So cheerful? I want to scream at them to be quiet. I want to hit one of them. I want to kick the back of the seat in front of me. I want to smash the window and jump out. I want to cry. I do none of those things."
August 21, 2016
Another intriguing instalment in the Narrowdale Mysteries sequence and another gripping yarn that I enjoyed reading.
It was good to see that the main character of Amy was consistent from the first book, and her observations and wit and humour had me laughing in this book as much as in the previous one. There are a few additional characters in this story as well as the return of Amy’s friends.
Again, this book is very well written and the behaviours and conversations between the characters is realistic. The author has continued to include live links to Amy’s blog in this book as well (ebook version).
The storyline was interesting and engaging and hard to put down. The book was an enjoyable read full of great characters, mystery and suspense, and an element of creepiness with Amy’s humour breaking it up a bit so it wasn’t too scary. As in the previous book, this story kept me guessing right to the incredible end. A few things have developed a bit further in this book, like homeless man Edgar, and Corale and Shane, so I am certainly looking forward to any future books in this series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery with an intriguing paranormal twist.
It was good to see that the main character of Amy was consistent from the first book, and her observations and wit and humour had me laughing in this book as much as in the previous one. There are a few additional characters in this story as well as the return of Amy’s friends.
Again, this book is very well written and the behaviours and conversations between the characters is realistic. The author has continued to include live links to Amy’s blog in this book as well (ebook version).
The storyline was interesting and engaging and hard to put down. The book was an enjoyable read full of great characters, mystery and suspense, and an element of creepiness with Amy’s humour breaking it up a bit so it wasn’t too scary. As in the previous book, this story kept me guessing right to the incredible end. A few things have developed a bit further in this book, like homeless man Edgar, and Corale and Shane, so I am certainly looking forward to any future books in this series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery with an intriguing paranormal twist.
May 25, 2016
"A Compelling Thriller"
In this exciting young adult novel, Amy Parker's recurring nightmares have ended, including hallucinations and fear. She settles into being a better student, has more friends ... one new friend, a boy named Chris' has become very interested in her. She's advised to put away the thoughts of a murder she had uncovered, but she doesn't. She still has investigative thoughts. She now thinks a predator is in Narrowdale ... hunting for her. Get comfy because this book, too, will mesmerize you as you follow Amy and her friends into scary events. Highly recommend this exciting mystery!
In this exciting young adult novel, Amy Parker's recurring nightmares have ended, including hallucinations and fear. She settles into being a better student, has more friends ... one new friend, a boy named Chris' has become very interested in her. She's advised to put away the thoughts of a murder she had uncovered, but she doesn't. She still has investigative thoughts. She now thinks a predator is in Narrowdale ... hunting for her. Get comfy because this book, too, will mesmerize you as you follow Amy and her friends into scary events. Highly recommend this exciting mystery!
May 16, 2016
I didn't enjoy the main plot quite as much as the first book, but the teases that deepened the overarching mystery make the next book in this series a must read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews