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Daughters of the Moon #4
The Secret Scroll
Catty, a girl with the power to travel back in time, inherits a secret scroll that will help her defeat the evil Atrox.
268 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
35 people are currently reading
2158 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Ewing
48 books863 followersLynne Ewing is an American author and a screen writer.
She always had to move around a lot when she was growing up because her father was in the Marine Corps. She has two sisters. Lynne graduated from high school in Lima, Peru after attending seven other schools. While she was in Peru, she learned to speak Spanish. She attended the University of California at Santa Barbara. When she was 30 years old, she began writing for newspapers, documentaries, magazines, and did screen writing. She also counsels troubled teens. Her first books were Drive-By and Party Girl. Drive-By took six years to write, and Party Girl has been made into a movie called Living the Life. She has written the completed Daughters of the Moon and Sons of the Dark series. She lives in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.. Ms. Ewing has two children, Jonathan, a molecular biologist, and Amber, an international lawyer. She has also traveled to Japan, China, Russia, Europe, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. She has begun a new series called Sisters of Isis.
She always had to move around a lot when she was growing up because her father was in the Marine Corps. She has two sisters. Lynne graduated from high school in Lima, Peru after attending seven other schools. While she was in Peru, she learned to speak Spanish. She attended the University of California at Santa Barbara. When she was 30 years old, she began writing for newspapers, documentaries, magazines, and did screen writing. She also counsels troubled teens. Her first books were Drive-By and Party Girl. Drive-By took six years to write, and Party Girl has been made into a movie called Living the Life. She has written the completed Daughters of the Moon and Sons of the Dark series. She lives in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.. Ms. Ewing has two children, Jonathan, a molecular biologist, and Amber, an international lawyer. She has also traveled to Japan, China, Russia, Europe, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. She has begun a new series called Sisters of Isis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
July 19, 2021
This entire series swept me off my feet from beginning to end!
August 16, 2018
3.5 stars. I love how fast paced the story moves. I need something entertaining and not based on reality. This book helped meet that need. The detail and character development could have been better, but I loved the story and it was hard to put down.
May 27, 2018
The concept of this world and magic is the main selling point. The characters can be a bit annoying at times and the shock factors aren't really that shocking. That being said I still care about what happens in the plot even though it seems everything bends to work out in the end a bit too easily. Anyway, I will continue this series eventually.
April 13, 2009
yo yo yo I am back with my next book going to start reading it...O ya man I love this. This is a great series and if you thought that the other books
you read were good well think again this series is so good you will want to read and read and read...I know I did! I love this series and I think you will too!!!!!!!!! but I will warn you when you start reading these books you will not want to put them down!! i know i Didn't
happy reading!!!!!!!
you read were good well think again this series is so good you will want to read and read and read...I know I did! I love this series and I think you will too!!!!!!!!! but I will warn you when you start reading these books you will not want to put them down!! i know i Didn't
happy reading!!!!!!!
June 15, 2009
This series gets it's first 4-star rating with the fourth book. Catty is my favorite character, and has the coolest gift in my opinion - the time-traveling thing.
And how cool was her explanation of why she can time travel? It was something like... Time doesn't exist the way we think about it - it's more like a river, where everything occurs at the same time. But we only experience it one day at a time because that's how we've been trained to view it as.
And how cool was her explanation of why she can time travel? It was something like... Time doesn't exist the way we think about it - it's more like a river, where everything occurs at the same time. But we only experience it one day at a time because that's how we've been trained to view it as.
August 14, 2018
This one had a few glaring problems. There was some good- the writing was on par with the rest of the series. Reading about the girls getting dressed for battle was fun, mostly for nostalgia. I did like Kendra and Catty's relationship, it was obvious that Kendra really cared about Catty and would do anything to protect her.
So, on to the problems.
Toby is a great big red flag to me as a reader. After reading about the way the Regulators cause static build up and then all of a sudden they get shocked around him... gee wonder what he could be?
It seams to me that Catty most of all should have realized something was going on with Vanessa. They have been friends for a very long time, and the other girls should have realized it when she was not wearing her amulet. It's made such a big deal of in previous books about the amulet being able to warn them, and none of them thought to get some time alone with Vanessa to ask her when hers started burning or anything? It's a big step back from previous books, as the girls are also usually a lot smarter.
Jimena can't control her premonitions, but they do come when a big run in with Followers is goanna happen. Why would a Regulator kidnaping Vanessa be any different? In fact, Jimena has almost no premonitions in this volume.
Serena can read minds for Pete's sake. She read Catty's mind to understand what a Regulator felt like when near. She felt none of that from Toby? She did not once look into his or Vanessa's mind? I would think that Vanessa would have in her subconscious that Toby made her uncomfortable, and Serena could have found it easily had she glanced at all.
The last thing that bothered me was Catty can suddenly go back several weeks with her power. In the first book, she does talk about leapfrogging back, but can only do it about twice, so two or three days. There is no real explanation of how she suddenly is able to go back weeks.
Over all, this is a interesting premise for a series and it is pretty well written. After the first book, though, things are just washed and repeated. There may be new villains who come in, but it's basically a mystery comes up centered around one girl, she tells the others, they go to school, Planet Bang, hang with their boys, usually one of which is on the Atrox's side, then they schedule a showdown and get dressed up for it. Then they win the show down, yay!
There are some variances, but that's it in a nutshell. It's a quick light series that teens can fall in love with (I did) but will probably leave adults wanting a bit more.
So, on to the problems.
Toby is a great big red flag to me as a reader. After reading about the way the Regulators cause static build up and then all of a sudden they get shocked around him... gee wonder what he could be?
It seams to me that Catty most of all should have realized something was going on with Vanessa. They have been friends for a very long time, and the other girls should have realized it when she was not wearing her amulet. It's made such a big deal of in previous books about the amulet being able to warn them, and none of them thought to get some time alone with Vanessa to ask her when hers started burning or anything? It's a big step back from previous books, as the girls are also usually a lot smarter.
Jimena can't control her premonitions, but they do come when a big run in with Followers is goanna happen. Why would a Regulator kidnaping Vanessa be any different? In fact, Jimena has almost no premonitions in this volume.
Serena can read minds for Pete's sake. She read Catty's mind to understand what a Regulator felt like when near. She felt none of that from Toby? She did not once look into his or Vanessa's mind? I would think that Vanessa would have in her subconscious that Toby made her uncomfortable, and Serena could have found it easily had she glanced at all.
The last thing that bothered me was Catty can suddenly go back several weeks with her power. In the first book, she does talk about leapfrogging back, but can only do it about twice, so two or three days. There is no real explanation of how she suddenly is able to go back weeks.
Over all, this is a interesting premise for a series and it is pretty well written. After the first book, though, things are just washed and repeated. There may be new villains who come in, but it's basically a mystery comes up centered around one girl, she tells the others, they go to school, Planet Bang, hang with their boys, usually one of which is on the Atrox's side, then they schedule a showdown and get dressed up for it. Then they win the show down, yay!
There are some variances, but that's it in a nutshell. It's a quick light series that teens can fall in love with (I did) but will probably leave adults wanting a bit more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2023
"The Secret Scroll" by Lynne Ewing is a captivating installment in the "Daughters of the Moon" series. This book, much like the rest of the series, combines teenage drama with supernatural intrigue, providing an engaging and immersive reading experience.
One of the notable positives of "The Secret Scroll" is its ability to maintain the series' signature blend of relatable characters and mystical elements. I truly enjoyed reading this book from Catty's perspective. The main characters continue to evolve and face personal challenges, making them easy to connect with. The book also delves deeper into the overarching storyline, revealing more about the Daughters' powers and the threats they face.
On the critique side, some readers may find that the plot occasionally meanders, and the pacing can be uneven, with moments of intense action followed by slower character development. Additionally, for those who are new to the series, it might be challenging to jump into the story without prior knowledge of the characters and their backgrounds.
In summary, "The Secret Scroll" is a solid addition to the "Daughters of the Moon" series, offering an enjoyable reading experience for fans. While it may have some pacing issues, its strengths lie in character development and the seamless blending of the supernatural with the everyday lives of the protagonists. A 4.5/5 rating seems fitting for this engaging installment.
One of the notable positives of "The Secret Scroll" is its ability to maintain the series' signature blend of relatable characters and mystical elements. I truly enjoyed reading this book from Catty's perspective. The main characters continue to evolve and face personal challenges, making them easy to connect with. The book also delves deeper into the overarching storyline, revealing more about the Daughters' powers and the threats they face.
On the critique side, some readers may find that the plot occasionally meanders, and the pacing can be uneven, with moments of intense action followed by slower character development. Additionally, for those who are new to the series, it might be challenging to jump into the story without prior knowledge of the characters and their backgrounds.
In summary, "The Secret Scroll" is a solid addition to the "Daughters of the Moon" series, offering an enjoyable reading experience for fans. While it may have some pacing issues, its strengths lie in character development and the seamless blending of the supernatural with the everyday lives of the protagonists. A 4.5/5 rating seems fitting for this engaging installment.
May 30, 2017
Another 3.5 stars. I sort of couldn't wait for Catty's story. I liked Catty from the beginning. Always making it seem like what she could do was a gift, practicing, getting better. While Vanessa just sort of sat around and pouted about it. I just adored her story. I liked hearing about her mother and about what really happened the night Kendra found her. I loved Kendra and I loved how much she cared about Catty.
Possible Spoilers Ahead...
The Secret Scroll thing. I get it, I got it, sort of. There was a part of me that just didn't understand what the damn thing did. I mean, in my mind I didn't understand why they didn't just copy the thing and destroy the real one I guess. And it always kind of amazes me that they didn't really realize what was going on with Vanessa like, THE WHOLE TIME that she was acting weird. But I guess that just led to the story. I liked Chris and I'm sad that they can't really do the thing together. I really wish they could have. They were really adorable together. I wonder if they ever get a chance again...
Possible Spoilers Ahead...
The Secret Scroll thing. I get it, I got it, sort of. There was a part of me that just didn't understand what the damn thing did. I mean, in my mind I didn't understand why they didn't just copy the thing and destroy the real one I guess. And it always kind of amazes me that they didn't really realize what was going on with Vanessa like, THE WHOLE TIME that she was acting weird. But I guess that just led to the story. I liked Chris and I'm sad that they can't really do the thing together. I really wish they could have. They were really adorable together. I wonder if they ever get a chance again...
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December 22, 2022One of my favorite things about doing buddy reads with ACOFAE cohost ACOFAELaura (https://www.goodreads.com/acofaelaura) is that she exposes me to books that I never would have considered prior to our weekly discussions. The Daughters of the Moon series is a perfect example. We even discuss it more on ACOFAE Podcast episode dedicated to books #3 and #4.
Podcast episode: shorturl.at/xDJ25
With books 3 and 4, nothing ever truly goes out of style. Time is a flat circle. Friends don't know everything about each other. Boys can suck. These are the four life lessons that we, the readers, learn in books 3-4 of the Daughters of the Moon series. Jimena and Catty take the lead in their respective books and learn about themselves, adjust their priorities, and gain a bit more knowledge about the future and the Choice that must be made. Lovers back from the dead and a secret prophecy make for fast-paced action, while the plot solidifies into something much bigger than we ever anticipated. Tartarus in LA? Nothing ever truly goes out of style.
Podcast episode: shorturl.at/xDJ25
With books 3 and 4, nothing ever truly goes out of style. Time is a flat circle. Friends don't know everything about each other. Boys can suck. These are the four life lessons that we, the readers, learn in books 3-4 of the Daughters of the Moon series. Jimena and Catty take the lead in their respective books and learn about themselves, adjust their priorities, and gain a bit more knowledge about the future and the Choice that must be made. Lovers back from the dead and a secret prophecy make for fast-paced action, while the plot solidifies into something much bigger than we ever anticipated. Tartarus in LA? Nothing ever truly goes out of style.
May 18, 2025
Once again, going through my melancholic reads from high School, I might've skipped this one back then, because I don't remember ever reading anything of the story. However, it was still cute and sweet. Once again, endings are super fast and cheesy, and everything turned out okay. I did understand most of what was happening at the end, unlike the last three, which feel so rushed; things happen super fast, and the evil on this one was more interesting. SO much potential in this series, if it could've been given a few rewrites and more substance to the actions. There are also so many things that just happen, like no repercussions, no consequences, just perfect timing all the time, but again, this is a book for teenage girls in their early years, so I don't fault it for it. Which I didn't know when I was in high school.
February 21, 2022
2.5/5
For some reason, even though Catty is my favorite character, this book felt weak. I can't explain why, maybe Catty being slightly OoC kinda was a turn off for me. Hopefully her next book she will act a bit more like herself, but I think it makes sense for her the act the way she did in this book. It just felt like a weird mix of Vanessa and Serena to give birth to imposter Catty, is the best way I can describe this book lol
For some reason, even though Catty is my favorite character, this book felt weak. I can't explain why, maybe Catty being slightly OoC kinda was a turn off for me. Hopefully her next book she will act a bit more like herself, but I think it makes sense for her the act the way she did in this book. It just felt like a weird mix of Vanessa and Serena to give birth to imposter Catty, is the best way I can describe this book lol
May 7, 2021
Catty’s not one of my favorite characters. She’s rash. The new relationships with Chris and Toby were out of place, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that they turned out not to be as advertised. It’s also strange that all of a sudden she can finally meet her mom with Stanton’s help. The plot in this one just seemed very convoluted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2024
I usually do not like time trippy plots, but this book did it really well! There was a lot going on, and it didn't all revolve around romance which is nice and refreshing sometimes. I really like Catty as a character, and I'd like to get into her head a bit more. Definitely going to continue on with the series and re-living my pre-teen days!
May 12, 2024
Loved these as a teen, so I'm rereading.
Prose can be cheesy - Ewing is always talking about "sexy" dance moves, and every scene where the FMC get dressed like they're going into battle? Didn't date well.
The plot lines are also predictable.
Overall, I liked it just didn't love it.
Prose can be cheesy - Ewing is always talking about "sexy" dance moves, and every scene where the FMC get dressed like they're going into battle? Didn't date well.
The plot lines are also predictable.
Overall, I liked it just didn't love it.
September 3, 2025
I read this whole series in elementary school (around 25 years ago 🤣). I loved everything about this series and it's the series that got me into reading fantasy.
One of the best escapes I had in my childhood.
One of the best escapes I had in my childhood.
October 9, 2018
It was ok?!
August 15, 2019
This scroll is the truth!
February 6, 2021
Not gonna lie, for a hot second there I thought Stanton was gonna be Catty’s dad. We’ll see I guess.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2021
Catty goes back in time to find out the truth about her past, Find the sacred scroll meet her mother and discover who she is. This book is a whirlwind of adventure, truth and self acceptance.
June 27, 2022
Favorite book of the series!
May 14, 2023
More action packed and way less repetitive than the last one!
September 14, 2023
Catty is so fun to read!
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October 2, 2023This one was definitely the best so far.
January 1, 2025
4.5 stars
August 31, 2025
Such a nostalgic read from my younger days. I was absolutely obsessed with this series and would love to re-read it one day.
April 22, 2011
CHECKED OUT THE BOOK FROM MY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
APART OF THE GOODREADS 2011 READING CHALLENGE.
2ND REVIEW. 1ST REVIEW IS HERE.
Review/Rating:
5 out of 5
Catty is having a very bad day, and it just gets worse when she is called to the morgue to claim her biological mom’s body. Not only that, she learns that she is the heir to the Secret Scroll, but the only problem is that anyone who goes near it is cursed. Will she be able to figure out the secret behind the scroll and her past?
I decided to do a better review of the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing since my first ones weren’t done very well. This book is really a fast read, but since I really didn’t like this one, it took longer than the other two books.
In the fourth book of the Daughters of the Moon series, it explores the legend behind the phases of the moon – to give hope to the people. It really isn’t as interesting as the other mythology information since I already knew that legend. Oh, well…
The tone and dialogue reminds me a lot of my teenage years and my high school, so the author did a really good job at writing the book in teenage words and their world. The descriptions were also very well done, and both of these things made the book go a little bit faster than most other young adult books. So, I really like this book from this stand point. Another thing I liked about this book is the mythology that is incorporated in it. Also, the character growth and their personalities are believable (for a supernatural book). Despite the descriptions, there is very little growth, and it is not as interesting as the first two books. However, it’s better than most books that have a series. :( As the books/series goes on, you get more information about the Daughters of the Moon and the Atrox, which is good because it won’t overload you with information with just one book.
For the fourth book, I really loved it because the author begins to unravel the mystery behind Catty’s past. Another interesting thing in this book is the twist the author puts behind Catty’s heritage. Also, I loved the book because the author finally gives Catty a guy to play with, Chris. ;) However, I wish there was a little bit more romance between them. Out of all the guys in this series, Christ is rated my number two, while Stanton is number one.
Anyways, this series and book is pretty good and well written because it gives enough information at a time without making it seem too fast, slow, or not really that boring. Also, it has great descriptions and growth. Any more information would spoil the books. :P
APART OF THE GOODREADS 2011 READING CHALLENGE.
2ND REVIEW. 1ST REVIEW IS HERE.
Review/Rating:
5 out of 5
Catty is having a very bad day, and it just gets worse when she is called to the morgue to claim her biological mom’s body. Not only that, she learns that she is the heir to the Secret Scroll, but the only problem is that anyone who goes near it is cursed. Will she be able to figure out the secret behind the scroll and her past?
I decided to do a better review of the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing since my first ones weren’t done very well. This book is really a fast read, but since I really didn’t like this one, it took longer than the other two books.
In the fourth book of the Daughters of the Moon series, it explores the legend behind the phases of the moon – to give hope to the people. It really isn’t as interesting as the other mythology information since I already knew that legend. Oh, well…
The tone and dialogue reminds me a lot of my teenage years and my high school, so the author did a really good job at writing the book in teenage words and their world. The descriptions were also very well done, and both of these things made the book go a little bit faster than most other young adult books. So, I really like this book from this stand point. Another thing I liked about this book is the mythology that is incorporated in it. Also, the character growth and their personalities are believable (for a supernatural book). Despite the descriptions, there is very little growth, and it is not as interesting as the first two books. However, it’s better than most books that have a series. :( As the books/series goes on, you get more information about the Daughters of the Moon and the Atrox, which is good because it won’t overload you with information with just one book.
For the fourth book, I really loved it because the author begins to unravel the mystery behind Catty’s past. Another interesting thing in this book is the twist the author puts behind Catty’s heritage. Also, I loved the book because the author finally gives Catty a guy to play with, Chris. ;) However, I wish there was a little bit more romance between them. Out of all the guys in this series, Christ is rated my number two, while Stanton is number one.
Anyways, this series and book is pretty good and well written because it gives enough information at a time without making it seem too fast, slow, or not really that boring. Also, it has great descriptions and growth. Any more information would spoil the books. :P
February 12, 2013
What I liked:
-Catty. She’s my favorite of the four girls, and her past really gets explored with this book. We find out that surprise, . This leaves Catty with a kind of predisposition to evil, and I know this will come up later in the series, probably more than once.
-Time Travel. Catty’s power is the coolest of the four girls, and she seems to be the most lax in personal boundaries with using it. Vanessa doesn’t like using hers, Serena is worried about hers, and Jimena can’t control when hers happens, but Catty does. She enjoys messing around, and I like that.
-Chris. I liked his character, and I never would have guessed what his ties were to the scroll. I’m glad he comes back in later books, but I like the idea of him and Catty being together.
What I disliked:
-Writing. It felt very juvenile, and even though I’m older than the target audience, I should have still been able to enjoy the writing, but I didn’t. It was very choppy and it didn’t flow very well, and it lacked description of any kind. If the writing had been smoothed out, the books might have been a bit longer and less like short stories.
-Length. These books are very short, and the writing is larger than average and so is the spacing, so that makes them even shorter than they appear. They probably could have been either lengthened out or she could have made them parts and put more than one together.
Overall, this is one of the better books in this series, and since it features my favorite of the four girls, that makes it one of my favorites. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about good battling evil or books about superpowers. 4.5
-Catty. She’s my favorite of the four girls, and her past really gets explored with this book. We find out that surprise, . This leaves Catty with a kind of predisposition to evil, and I know this will come up later in the series, probably more than once.
-Time Travel. Catty’s power is the coolest of the four girls, and she seems to be the most lax in personal boundaries with using it. Vanessa doesn’t like using hers, Serena is worried about hers, and Jimena can’t control when hers happens, but Catty does. She enjoys messing around, and I like that.
-Chris. I liked his character, and I never would have guessed what his ties were to the scroll. I’m glad he comes back in later books, but I like the idea of him and Catty being together.
What I disliked:
-Writing. It felt very juvenile, and even though I’m older than the target audience, I should have still been able to enjoy the writing, but I didn’t. It was very choppy and it didn’t flow very well, and it lacked description of any kind. If the writing had been smoothed out, the books might have been a bit longer and less like short stories.
-Length. These books are very short, and the writing is larger than average and so is the spacing, so that makes them even shorter than they appear. They probably could have been either lengthened out or she could have made them parts and put more than one together.
Overall, this is one of the better books in this series, and since it features my favorite of the four girls, that makes it one of my favorites. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about good battling evil or books about superpowers. 4.5
March 28, 2016
Catty is a misunderstood teenager with a huge responsibility. Catty and her friends are The Daughters of the Moon, sworn to protect the world from the Atrox and it's followers and regulators. When she is called by the corner's office to announce that her biological mother is dead she doesn't know what to do except go see this person. Catty realizes then that it is her real mother because they gave her her mother's amulet. Catty tells her friends what happened, because when she was with the receptionist 3 regulators came in and they immediately left. Kendra the person who found her at the edge of the road took her in and since then Kendra has been like a mother to Catty. Things unravel fast when Stanton Serena's boyfriend takes her into the past to see why her mom gave her away. Then Catty finds out that her father is a regulator and her mother is a fallen goddess. And now she has to save the world but can she do it if it means that she has to sacrifice her best friend Vanessa? So with the help of her boyfriend Chris she is given a scroll that is so secret that almost no one knows about it. And she has to think up a plan to trick Toby the regulator who has trapped Vanessa in her worst nightmares. Catty goes up against Toby and pretends to destroy the Secret Scroll, but then Toby finds out that it wasn't the real scroll so he takes Vanessa back in time. Serena, Jimena, and Catty go after them and get Vanessa back, and loose the secret scroll some time in the past. And with Toby disintegrating in front of them they go back to the present where they leave as fast as they can back home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2025
I love not remembering what is going to happen. It is like reading the book for the very first time. In this volume of the series Catty is the narrator. She has just met a guy she really likes and everything seems to be going well until she receives a phone call that she is to come make arrangements for her mother's body. Catty is adopted so she knows they are speaking of her biological mother and this begins a journey for Catty that takes her back to the day she was abandoned so that she can meet her mother and find out what really happened. She also learns that she is the heir to a dangerous secret and that the Atrox has sent a very powerful form of evil to hunt her down and destroy her as well as what she protects. This book is as good as the previous three. It is a short easy read and is full of myth, magic, intrigue, action, and a little bit of romance. I like how well thought out the storyline is and Catty has my favorite power of all the daughters. To be able to go back and forth through time is a historians wet dream and as such I love the books where Catty is the narrator because she can go back and change things as well as meet people who were dead before she got a chance to in the present. I am also glad that they got rid of Toby because Vanessa is completely meant to be with Michael and I am excited to start the next book because Stanton is the narrator and I hope he and Serena get back together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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