Ondine: Amazon.ca: Ebony McKenna: Books

Product Description

This is a brilliantly witty fairy tale with a mystery that is as surreal as it is sinister. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

About the Author

The decision to leave a career in journalism was a logical choice for Ebony. There wasn't enough time in the day to write the fictional stories she wanted to tell, against the factual that she had to tell. She followed her heart towards writing science fiction, romance and young adult adventures. Ebony now writes full time and lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and young son.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Lost for Words, Aug 20 2010

By

Cor Lost For Words (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Ondine (Paperback)

Source: Received from author. Many thanks goes to Ebony McKenna for sending me this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 5/5

Ondine de Groot is a normal girl, residing in Brugel. She has adopted a ferret named Shambles, and is surprised to learn that he talks. She is further surprised when she learns that he was once a young man, and that a witch, related to her, had cursed him to spend his life as a ferret. She sets out to break the spell on him, but can she do it, or is he doomed to spend eternity as a ferret?
I absolutely loved this book. I found both Ondine and Shambles engaging, I loved their banter, and found myself immersed fully in their world. Shambles is a cheeky ferret, and it's quite easy to see how he got into trouble in the first place. His Scottish accent makes him all the more endearing, and his phrases will have you giggling in no time. I absolutely loved, and have never seen before in a fiction novel, the footnotes. They explained certain phrases, so we could follow along easily. Most of the time, the footnotes were tongue in cheek, and the explanations were just as funny as the original phrasing.
Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the characters; and enjoyed getting to know Ondine's full family, as well as Shambles, and Ondine herself. Her parents, and siblings, as well as their respective partners kick up the action, and they keep Ondine on her toes. Things are quite lively, and I found the book refreshing. I cannot wait for the next installment in this series. I'm rooting for Shambles/Hamish and Ondine, and can't wait to see where McKenna takes them next. If this book is any indication, we are in for a treat.
All in all, McKenna's humour adds another dimension to the book, and leaves us begging for more. An excellent debut novel; one, that I think we should all read. It is a lighthearted, and vibrant read that will burrow itself into your heart. This is one book that I know I will be re-reading in the future. It is a feel-good tale that kept me involved, and guessing what would happen next. The next book isn't out until February 2011. February cannot come soon enough.

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Amazon.com: 4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantasy that sparkles with romance and wit, July 26 2011

By Michelle Fayard - Published on Amazon.com

With warm wit and believable imagination, Ebony McKenna scores a ten with her debut romantic fantasy Ondine: Summer of Shambles.

The book opens with Ondine de Groot leaving summer psychic camp two weeks early, dreading how to tell her parents she's failing her studies. She also must figure out how to explain something else--that she's befriended a ferret, nickname Shambles, who not only can talk but is an enchanted Scottish laird. Ondine wisely decides not to mention that she's falling just the teensiest bit (OK, head over heels) in love with him.

Oh, and one more complication: It was Ondine's great aunt who put the spell on Hamish McPhee. Sheesh, as if being an overprotected 15 year old isn't bad enough!

To prove to Auntie Col he is worthy of being a man again, Hamish tries to help Ondine and her family run their pub, not an easy task when you look like a weasel and customers threaten to call the health inspector when they see you. While taking refuge underneath a table, Hamish overhears a plot to assassinate the country's leader.

Ondine and her da tell the duke what they've learned but don't understand why he and his son now are threatening to close down their establishment--until the de Groot family discovers, hidden in their pub, a box filled with jewels, money and documents that point to a scandal in the duke's family.

As Hamish's good deeds start to have a positive effect on Auntie Col's spell he is able to transform, for a few hours at a time, into his human form. As Col explains, "You've had a glimpse of the man you once were and can be again. The rest is up to you." But Ondine has another take: "What is the point of falling in love with a man if he turns back into a ferret when the moon goes down?"

The book ends on another suspenseful note as the duke offers Hamish a job working for him as a spy in his ferret form. What a "Shambles" this should be!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta Love Ondine, Jun 13 2011

By Lisa - Published on Amazon.com

I won't bore you with summarizing the book, or a lengthy review. But I have to tell you how thoroughly enjoyable this book is. The humor is amazing, but the heart is what makes it special. Such a sweet, entertaining story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, Jun 11 2011

By H. McCorkle - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Ondine (Paperback)

I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a long time. I literally laughed out loud! If you enjoyed The Princess Bride or Ella Enchanted then this book is one you must read. Dare I say, in many ways I think it even out-shined those. This novel has the perfect mixture of magic, fun, and romance. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars