Official Review: Sophia Violet and the Crystal Orb

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sophia Violet and the Crystal Orb" by Evangeline Greene.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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In this sequel to Sophia Violet and the Fiery Orb, Sophia must go beyond the shocking discovery of her shapeshifter blood and destiny as the Orb Master of Chiralis. Despite her efforts to restore reliable power to the Chiralian Grid, the fluctuations continue to cause disruptions to everyday life, and her new responsibilities only add to the tensions of reconnecting with her estranged Chiralian father and maintaining her regular life on Earth.

Sophia continues to struggle with the secrets that her biological father kept from her, and she's not exactly willing to trust him. However, she may not have a choice as Chiralis falls under the attack of unknown invaders. Meanwhile, Sophia still hasn't found a way to tell her adoptive parents about her shapeshifter genes. With her parents questioning her every move, how will she manage to save the planet while maintaining her double life? As the vicious motives of the reptilian invaders come to light, Sophia will have to embrace every bit of strength and creativity she can muster to restore peace and save her family. But if her parents learn the truth, will they ever look at her the same way again?

Sophia Violet and the Crystal Orb, by Evangeline Greene, is the second book in the Orbs of Power Trilogy. Even as an adult reader, I enjoy the creative adventures in middle grade and young adult fiction, so I was eager to jump into this series. The Crystal Orb picks up where TheFiery Orb left off. While there is quite a bit of character development, adventurous peril, and shapeshifting fun that you'll miss if you start with book two, the author does a great job of giving quick recaps in the first portion of this book. These reminders blend smoothly with the continuation of the Sophia Violet saga, making it possible to jump into the series with the second book. Still, I think you'll miss out on connecting with Sophia as she discovers her identity and accepts her role in book one.

I loved that this series focuses on the importance of family values and supportive friends. I appreciated that Sophia often has to rely on her friends and their abilities to help her as she takes steps to grow. I also found it refreshing that Sophia had opportunities to work with her extended family in different ways that forced her to realize that they were hurting too. With all the events happening in the book, there wasn't much time for extensive development and healing. Regardless, the author did a great job of expressing the emotions that the characters were feeling, which brought them to a place of satisfying resolution in the end.

Another positive addition of the book was exploring the Chiralian Badlands, the frozen wasteland briefly mentioned in book one. It was suspenseful to watch Sophia find ways to survive and strategize while traversing the hazardous Badlands to stop the invaders' plans. I also loved that there were so many new secrets that revealed the complexity of the plot. The author answered questions remaining from book one, and I loved the exciting new developments that leave the reader surprised and eager to continue with the final book in the series. A few moments in the Badlands made it more difficult to suspend my disbelief, but overall, I enjoyed how the events played out in this fantasy novel. My least favorite thing was the number of errors in the book, which reduced my rating to three out of four.

This author does a fantastic job telling an engaging story, so I look forward to seeing how she concludes Sophia's journey. For parents looking for a clean fantasy adventure series for their upper middle grade to high school readers, please note that this series does not contain swearing or sexual content of any kind. There is some violence and peril, but the story focuses more on Sophia's growth as a young woman stepping into her responsibilities, using her gifts to help others, and facing the challenges that life often presents at inconvenient times.
*This book has since been edited further, and the errors have now been corrected*
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Sophia Violet and the Crystal Orb
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[Kavita Shah]

I really like the cover, it's neon blue pink looking all mysterious. So Sofia is a shape shifter, that's real cool. I need to read about book 1 to find connectivity with this review. Thank you for a great review!

[MarveeAman]

I really like the cover, it's neon blue pink looking all mysterious. So Sofia is a shape shifter, that's real cool. I need to read about book 1 to find connectivity with this review. Thank you for a great review!

I was thinking the same, I loved the cover of this book. Also, the concept is unique and interesting.

[Kavita Shah]

I really like the cover, it's neon blue pink looking all mysterious. So Sofia is a shape shifter, that's real cool. I need to read about book 1 to find connectivity with this review. Thank you for a great review!

I was thinking the same, I loved the cover of this book. Also, the concept is unique and interesting.

It's real unique. I kind of want to see it in a movie as the plot is so creative and Sophia Violet will make a fantastic lead character.

[Becca Olsson]

I’ll admit I haven’t read the first book, but this sounds like it’s be intriguing. I want to know how shapeshifter genes fit into her life here on earth. Thanks for the interesting review!

[Kennedy NC]

Seems like a very intriguing plot packed with adventure. Great review.

[Hogwarts03]

This book sounds very intriguing with a great plot. I really want to read further on how Sophia will incorporate her shapeshifter genes into her normal life, especially regarding her family.

[Anahi garcia]

This book sounds very intersting with a good plot. I really want to read more on how Sophia will continue her shapeshifter genes into her normal life, especially with her family

[Edit_or]

An interesting plot. Seems like a must read for me. Thanks for the review

[Shivali Y]

This sounds like a unique fantasy novel - something right up my alley. I appreciate the positive points you've in the review, it definitely piqued my interest in this book. Thanks for an honest review!

[Kingsley Emodi]

Great storyline. I think I will enjoy reading this. Great review. Well done.

[Astral Magi]

Do they get rid of the reptilian invaders? Thank you for a great review. I might read this one too sometime.

[Ekezie1998]

The plot and storyline do seem a bit abstract. Great review though.

[NetMassimo]

This seems like an engaging fantasy series that can be enjoyed by adults as well as teenagers. It's good to see that the book received additional editing, as it shows the author's commitment. Thank you for your great review!

[Rizki Pradana]

The cover was looking nice. Furthermore, with fantasy genres makes me want to read it.