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At Yellow Lake
Etta, Peter and Jonah all find themselves at a cabin by the shore of Yellow Lake, and flung together in the terrifying series of events that follows.
Jonah has come to Yellow Lake to try to get in touch with his Ojibwe roots. Peter is there to bury a lock of his mother's hair - her final request. Etta is on the run from her mother's creepy boyfriend, Kyle, and his dodgy friends.
But as the three take shelter in the cabin, finding surprising solace in each other's company, they soon realise that they have inadvertently stumbled onto the scene of a horrifying crime, and Kyle and his cronies have no intention of letting them escape.
A sparkling debut from new children's author, Jane McLoughlin, At Yellow Lake will keep readers gripped until the final page.
Jonah has come to Yellow Lake to try to get in touch with his Ojibwe roots. Peter is there to bury a lock of his mother's hair - her final request. Etta is on the run from her mother's creepy boyfriend, Kyle, and his dodgy friends.
But as the three take shelter in the cabin, finding surprising solace in each other's company, they soon realise that they have inadvertently stumbled onto the scene of a horrifying crime, and Kyle and his cronies have no intention of letting them escape.
A sparkling debut from new children's author, Jane McLoughlin, At Yellow Lake will keep readers gripped until the final page.
368 pages, Paperback
Published June 7, 2012
9 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
Jane McLoughlin
2 books9 followersJane McLoughlin was born in Minnesota and lived in several parts of the USA before she met her future husband in San Francisco and followed him to the UK. Over 20 years later, she is still there, living with her family on the south coast of England. "At Yellow Lake" is her first novel for young people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
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January 4, 2018It was an awesome book! I totally recommend this book! It is told by three different people.
July 4, 2014
This book did not impress me. When I first approached it, I expected something creepy and a bit scary-maybe with a mystery type feel. What certainly reinforced that idea was Anne Cassidy's description of how it "oozed menace".
However, I never truly felt that this book had a menacing feel. It was only after reading about 70% of the book that the action really started. And what came before that, was uninteresting-like it was fluff.
What was well done was the development of the idea of Jonah feeling caught in between his two significantly different cultures-and not understanding where he belonged. How he faced this-in going into nature and building his own wigwam and all- I felt was a unique approach in bringing in the theme of figuring out who you are and gaining self knowledge.
I also felt like the book took a long while to get to the plot. Yes, I understand that it helped develop each character and reinforce the idea of the odd, yet tight group they make, but 100 pages of character introduction seemed a bit overdone to me. To put it simply, the book to a while to get interesting.
When I ask myself the question: how would you describe the characters? I'm honestly not quite sure how to answer that because the characters lacked depth. I understood their backgrounds, as we were given much of them, but it couldn't be only their pasts that defined who they were; besides 'lost' not much came to my mind.
Just in general, this book felt somewhat unrealistic to me; the characters, their actions, how the plot evolved. This book was a bit of a letdown in terms of my expectations, and I am sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy it.
However, I never truly felt that this book had a menacing feel. It was only after reading about 70% of the book that the action really started. And what came before that, was uninteresting-like it was fluff.
What was well done was the development of the idea of Jonah feeling caught in between his two significantly different cultures-and not understanding where he belonged. How he faced this-in going into nature and building his own wigwam and all- I felt was a unique approach in bringing in the theme of figuring out who you are and gaining self knowledge.
I also felt like the book took a long while to get to the plot. Yes, I understand that it helped develop each character and reinforce the idea of the odd, yet tight group they make, but 100 pages of character introduction seemed a bit overdone to me. To put it simply, the book to a while to get interesting.
When I ask myself the question: how would you describe the characters? I'm honestly not quite sure how to answer that because the characters lacked depth. I understood their backgrounds, as we were given much of them, but it couldn't be only their pasts that defined who they were; besides 'lost' not much came to my mind.
Just in general, this book felt somewhat unrealistic to me; the characters, their actions, how the plot evolved. This book was a bit of a letdown in terms of my expectations, and I am sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy it.
November 8, 2013
Won't even finish this book. I stopped at 172. It goes nowhere. Most teens don't have patience for the rambling thoughts and random actions which consume this novel that really has no plot.
February 6, 2020
This book was riveting and had me hooked from the cover, title page and then the meeting Etta on the first page of chapter one. Jonah's journey to explore his ethnicity was interesting and relevant in today's times, as was Peter's efforts to honour his mum.
I enjoyed the mix of characters all teens with their own angst and issues and all trying to solve their problems on their own...is that really doable?
a problem shared is a problem halved is perhaps what they learn and that having friends and family are important in one's life.
It is gripping and exciting, full of growth and forgiveness and life realisations espcecially about relationships with both peers and parents/family.
A really enjoyable quick read.
I enjoyed the mix of characters all teens with their own angst and issues and all trying to solve their problems on their own...is that really doable?
a problem shared is a problem halved is perhaps what they learn and that having friends and family are important in one's life.
It is gripping and exciting, full of growth and forgiveness and life realisations espcecially about relationships with both peers and parents/family.
A really enjoyable quick read.
January 8, 2019
Didn't realise it was a teen book when I picked it up. It had its moments but before I could get into the drama it was over. Hard to understand motives but I did like the idea of people from different walks of life colliding at one point.
October 4, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and my teenage sons did as well. Great, relatable characters... fun an thrilling plot... whats not to like? Highly recommend!
March 8, 2023
This book was a hard one to get into mostly because the action/ interesting parts only started from over half way point. It was an okay book overall but I probably wouldn’t recommend reading.
October 12, 2018
I felt that it was too much of a slow starting book and took too much time getting to the main storyline. I also felt that Etta's storyline of running away from her mom's boyfriend didn't match with Peter and Jonah's storylines. The way Peter and Etta met by both of them getting lost in the woods after Etta got in a car crash didn't make much sense to me. I wanted a thriller/mystery book but instead, I got a boring romance novel.
June 18, 2012
The quest to find oneself always makes for a good story. Add in a little drama and some intense thrill, then you have yourself a great novel. At Yellow Lake has all these attributes which lends to the enriched drama displayed in the novel. The author, Jane McLoughlin does a wonderful job of showing the emotion and inter turmoil of the characters. As you read the book, you can't help but to have a sense of sympathy for the main characters. In At yellow Lake we get to know three teenagers, each dealing with their own inner demons. Each one comes from different walks of life. They come together to a place which is rooted in all them, where their lives will change forever. Having to face tragedies that no one should go through, each character struggles to find peace within their restless souls. The author has a great writing style. The character's problems are believable and could happen to anyone. This was a very intense novel that was a pleasure to read. The characters are as real as it gets and the storyline flows without a bump. In conclusion, books that make a guy feel sympathy are hard to come by. So it's impressive to find such a hard hitting novel that connects with all types of people and does just that!
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...
July 22, 2013
Another book that would have benefitted from the half star system! I felt more strongly than "liked it" but not quite to "really liked it". My favorite part was the relationships between the characters, and my least favorite part was the unbelievability of the adults - a common problem in YA literature.
Jonah, Etta, and Peter all end up at Yellow Lake on separate quests: Jonah, a part Ojibwe Indian on his mother's side, wants to get back in touch with his ancestral roots. Etta is running from her mother's loser drug dealer of a boyfriend who abducted her when he found her alone in the trailer one night, and Peter is there all the way from Sussex, England to bury a lock of his dead mother's hair at her final request.
The three of them form a somewhat unlikely trio, and the fact that they are in imminent danger from Etta's mother's boyfriend, Kyle, is fairly unbelievable to me. However, I appreciated the parts about Jonah's struggle to belong and not feeling like a part of Indian or American culture, and I loved the fact that it wasn't a typically happy ending. Of course, all three of them have to go back to their separate, dysfunctional lives at the close of their adventure, and as much as I wanted them to stay together forever in the wigwam that Jonah built, that would have been a cop out.
Jonah, Etta, and Peter all end up at Yellow Lake on separate quests: Jonah, a part Ojibwe Indian on his mother's side, wants to get back in touch with his ancestral roots. Etta is running from her mother's loser drug dealer of a boyfriend who abducted her when he found her alone in the trailer one night, and Peter is there all the way from Sussex, England to bury a lock of his dead mother's hair at her final request.
The three of them form a somewhat unlikely trio, and the fact that they are in imminent danger from Etta's mother's boyfriend, Kyle, is fairly unbelievable to me. However, I appreciated the parts about Jonah's struggle to belong and not feeling like a part of Indian or American culture, and I loved the fact that it wasn't a typically happy ending. Of course, all three of them have to go back to their separate, dysfunctional lives at the close of their adventure, and as much as I wanted them to stay together forever in the wigwam that Jonah built, that would have been a cop out.
January 21, 2013
At Yellow Lake was an exciting mix of action and adventure, inner quests and courage, and forming friendships.
Three teens are drawn to Yellow Lake: Jonah, part Ojibwe Indian who is trying to connect with his heritage. Peter, who promised his mother to bury a lock of her hair by the lake after her death. Etta, who is on the run from her mother’s boyfriend, Kyle. Peter’s family owns a cabin at the lake, and after he helps Etta escape from Kyle, they hide out in the cabin. Shortly after the meet Jonah, who has built his wigwam nearby.
It isn’t long before Kyle’s cronies show up, and the three know they are in the middle of something deep and dangerous. It will take all the bravery they have to make it out.
At Yellow Lake took me pleasantly by surprise. It was a nice, easy read that I fell into and barely came up for air. Like any book, there were good and bad elements. I loved the friendship formed by the three and the bond they created. Jonah in particular ensnared my attention and I enjoyed learning about his history. The reactions of the parents in this book jarred me a little and it made the book as a whole less believable.
This book has a little bit of something for everyone, a sure crowd pleaser.
Three teens are drawn to Yellow Lake: Jonah, part Ojibwe Indian who is trying to connect with his heritage. Peter, who promised his mother to bury a lock of her hair by the lake after her death. Etta, who is on the run from her mother’s boyfriend, Kyle. Peter’s family owns a cabin at the lake, and after he helps Etta escape from Kyle, they hide out in the cabin. Shortly after the meet Jonah, who has built his wigwam nearby.
It isn’t long before Kyle’s cronies show up, and the three know they are in the middle of something deep and dangerous. It will take all the bravery they have to make it out.
At Yellow Lake took me pleasantly by surprise. It was a nice, easy read that I fell into and barely came up for air. Like any book, there were good and bad elements. I loved the friendship formed by the three and the bond they created. Jonah in particular ensnared my attention and I enjoyed learning about his history. The reactions of the parents in this book jarred me a little and it made the book as a whole less believable.
This book has a little bit of something for everyone, a sure crowd pleaser.
October 24, 2015
3.5 stars
At Yellow Lake is different from anything I’ve read this year, it’s intense and emotional. There are some moments in the story that a heart-breaking. Jane McLoughlin has provided three very different characters that all have their own stories – which bring them together at Yellow Lake.
I did enjoy this book but it took me a while to get used to the narration. Each character’s story is told in alternating chapters throughout the book. Etta’s is in first person, whereas Peter and Jonah’s chapters are in third and that’s confusing. I wasn’t particularly attached to any of the characters, so the urgency in finding out what happened next wasn’t there while I was reading.
That said, the writing is good, during some of the slower parts I carried on just for the pleasure of reading because of this. There are some really intense moments where I couldn’t put the books down but At Yellow Lake wasn’t a book I had to finish before I could go to bed.
I think At Yellow Lake is one of those books you appreciate the more you read it so I’m looking forward to seeing how my perceptions change the next time – because I will be reading it again.
At Yellow Lake is different from anything I’ve read this year, it’s intense and emotional. There are some moments in the story that a heart-breaking. Jane McLoughlin has provided three very different characters that all have their own stories – which bring them together at Yellow Lake.
I did enjoy this book but it took me a while to get used to the narration. Each character’s story is told in alternating chapters throughout the book. Etta’s is in first person, whereas Peter and Jonah’s chapters are in third and that’s confusing. I wasn’t particularly attached to any of the characters, so the urgency in finding out what happened next wasn’t there while I was reading.
That said, the writing is good, during some of the slower parts I carried on just for the pleasure of reading because of this. There are some really intense moments where I couldn’t put the books down but At Yellow Lake wasn’t a book I had to finish before I could go to bed.
I think At Yellow Lake is one of those books you appreciate the more you read it so I’m looking forward to seeing how my perceptions change the next time – because I will be reading it again.
July 28, 2015
This book had great potential but never fulfilled what I was expecting. Etta has recently moved to near Yellow lake with her mother, a wandering soul who seems to be attracted to unsavory men. Etta feels uncomfortable around the latest boyfriend, Kyle, who seems to put moves on her and also brings drugs into their home. Jonah is on a personal quest to get in touch with his Indian heritage. He is at the lake trying to live off the land and learn what it is to truly be Indian. Peter arrives at the lake via England. His mother, an American, recently died of cancer and Peter's mission is to fulfill her wish of burying a lock of her hair at the lake where she spent her childhood and owns property. Etta is kidnapped by Kyle and they are on the way to the lake when the car almost hits Peter. Etta escapes and finds Peter and then they make their way to the lake and discover Jonah on the property. It's at this point that things seem to become really stilted between the 3 characters, plus I started getting irritated that none of them seemed to be able to do a simple thing like pick up a phone and call for help (especially to Peter's uncle) when there was imminent danger.
September 9, 2012
At Yellow Lake is aimed at older children, it's a fairly good read for adults too, but doesn't cross-over as well as other YA books that I've read recently.
Told in alternating chapters by each of the three main characters, the background of the main players; Etta, Peter and Jonah are explained well. The reader knows exactly who they are and why they are at the cabin on Yellow Lake. The young characters are very well done, each with individual voices, each with their own character and each with an interesting back story. However, the adult characters are not so well formed. They often appear stereotypical; the neglectful mother, the overbearing father, the wicked step-father, the drunks.
The story is a slow-burner, the three characters don't even meet each other until half-way through the book and when they do, it's something of a let-down.
I didn't dislike the story and I thought the writing was good, but I've read better YA novels.
Told in alternating chapters by each of the three main characters, the background of the main players; Etta, Peter and Jonah are explained well. The reader knows exactly who they are and why they are at the cabin on Yellow Lake. The young characters are very well done, each with individual voices, each with their own character and each with an interesting back story. However, the adult characters are not so well formed. They often appear stereotypical; the neglectful mother, the overbearing father, the wicked step-father, the drunks.
The story is a slow-burner, the three characters don't even meet each other until half-way through the book and when they do, it's something of a let-down.
I didn't dislike the story and I thought the writing was good, but I've read better YA novels.
March 27, 2016
I cant say I found this book particularly creepy, as per the description on the cover, but I did find it dark, especially when it came to Etta's story. Well written, poetic in parts, and I enjoyed the development of the three teenagers, their reasons for coming to the lake and how their stories came to converge. Three lost souls who find courage and companionship together, face dangerous odds, and find the spirit they need to live in the 'real' world again afterwards. Good read.
November 14, 2012
Good mystery/suspense/thriller book for high school kids (due to some use of the f bomb). Found it in the staff picks section at Barnes & Noble. Was pleasantly surprised to find the settings to be the Twin Cities, Duluth, and Lake Superior areas. That was a fun surprise having lived up there for 14 years. I always like when you can visualize the settings because you've actually been there.
March 14, 2016
I did not enjoy this at all. It was something with this that bothered me. The characters felt... not real or just boring? The story was boring as well. You knew what was going to happen and at the same time did it all feel just weird and boring. I was so excited to read this - because it sounded so interesting - but it was a complete let down.
July 17, 2014
I don't think this book quite knows that it wants to be. It is clearly YA but with a couple of unpleasant and definitely adult moments - and as someone else pointed out, a few uses of the f-bomb. It had promise but lacked substance. I read it cover to cover in one day... It certainly doesn't 'ooze menace' as the strap line would have you believe, though.
October 14, 2014
At Yellow Lake is a young adult novel following three young people running away from troubled lives. They meet at an old cabin at Yellow Lake, arriving for different reasons from from different places, as if fate put them there to face their worst nightmares while learning to really care about each other and realize what they did have, rather than what they lacked.
December 15, 2016
Probably written by an overly optimist in love yet she has no sorts of encounter so these characters deal in absolute. Absolute innocence, absolute hatred, and absolute grief. Seems unfair to brand this book as a mysterious and possibly gruelling story when it looks to be another love story, poorly written.
May 6, 2014
Terrible!
The only reason I gave it one star is because how the author chose unique characters but overall it's just horrible. But maybe one day I'll read it again, but not until I'm a little older.
Theme: Actions speak louder than words.
The only reason I gave it one star is because how the author chose unique characters but overall it's just horrible. But maybe one day I'll read it again, but not until I'm a little older.
Theme: Actions speak louder than words.
September 2, 2014
*I actually finished this 3 days ago, I didn't have wifi to update*
This was ok to me, but just that. Jonah was annoying in the beginning, and Peter was extremely annoying throughout the whole book. The character's actions annoyed me also sometimes. It ended pretty good though.
This was ok to me, but just that. Jonah was annoying in the beginning, and Peter was extremely annoying throughout the whole book. The character's actions annoyed me also sometimes. It ended pretty good though.
Want to read
November 16, 2011mystery, crimes, and suspense?! I'M IN!!
March 5, 2012
A new voice that resonates with truth.
May 2, 2012
great book i love it
June 6, 2012
This a fantastic new writer. The characters are so realistic. And it has a very good sense of humor underneath the mystery, the tension and the cruelty of some chapters.
Great book.
Great book.
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July 14, 2012A great teen/YA read - absorbing, pacy, I loved it!
January 25, 2013
I read this for the student book group. It was a bit more explicit than I was expecting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews