ONCE IN A FULL MOON

Bestselling paranormal author Schreiber (Vampire Kisses, 2003, etc.) tries her hand at a werewolf love story. The town of Legend’s Run is divided physically and socially between the rich, popular Eastsiders and the poor, looked-down-upon Westsiders. Celeste Parker, an Eastsider with compassion, finds herself drawn to newcomer Brandon Maddox, despite her friends’ contempt for his Westside address. When Brandon kisses Celeste, against the warning of a local psychic, he transforms, and Celeste begins to suspect he is a werewolf. Frustratingly, the author explains very little about what “werewolf” means here, leaving readers to wonder why Brandon’s transformation includes growing a goatee and attracting the attention of dogs but seemingly few predatory tendencies. Brandon is also inexplicably patient with Celeste’s hiding their relationship from her popular friends. Still, bland heroine meets not-too-dangerous paranormal creature is a proven formula, and the author follows it faithfully. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)