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Phantom Island #3
Watercrossing: Phantom Island Book 3
Summer at Camp Fusion is rapidly coming to a close for Whitnee and her best friends, Morgan and Caleb. Working as mentors for troubled preteens all summer would have been adventurous enough, but discovering a secret portal on the forbidden side of the Frio River turned their idea of reality upside down. Now the three friends are determined to find a way back to the magical White Island in the hopes of recovering Whitnee's missing father and setting things right once and for all. However, the journey back is complicated—especially since Morgan is hiding a terrible secret and Caleb is looking less like a best friend and more like a potential boyfriend. Whitnee is determined to stay focused this time and not get distracted, especially by a certain someone, but she is completely unprepared for the moment she enters again into a deadly game of control on the Island. Can Whitnee navigate her way through the danger and survive the lies that threaten the people she loves?
- GenresFantasy
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 2012
About the author
Krissi Dallas
14 books166 followersKrissi Dallas loves pop music, mismatched socks, and Tex-Mex food. She is wife to Dr. Sam Dallas, mom to two strong-willed little boys and a couple of pups, and former junior high teacher of sixteen years. When she’s not busy serving in her church and community, Krissi is a multi-genre author with a commitment to create heart-pounding, imagination-inspiring entertainment geared for ages 12 and up. Books by Krissi Dallas DO NOT CONTAIN explicit language, gratuitous violence, or onscreen intimate scenes.
Do you love portal fantasy with a multi-generational cast of characters? An epic love triangle between two worlds? The Phantom Island series should be your first stop! For those who want to go behind the scenes of internet celebrities with an enemies-to-love adventure inside a small town setting, check out romantic comedy Wish Upon A Streaming Star. If you love a dark and twisty mystery with a cast of famous kids turned into spies and pilots on a mission to take down an evil organization, then Icarus Flight School is the series for you. Young adults and young-at-heart adults welcome!
EDUCATORS: Krissi loves doing author visits with junior high and high school. Get in touch today and download free teaching resources on her website!
Krissi is a proud screenwriter for the 100 Pages Movie project and loves nothing more than connecting with readers and writers of all ages.
Do you love portal fantasy with a multi-generational cast of characters? An epic love triangle between two worlds? The Phantom Island series should be your first stop! For those who want to go behind the scenes of internet celebrities with an enemies-to-love adventure inside a small town setting, check out romantic comedy Wish Upon A Streaming Star. If you love a dark and twisty mystery with a cast of famous kids turned into spies and pilots on a mission to take down an evil organization, then Icarus Flight School is the series for you. Young adults and young-at-heart adults welcome!
EDUCATORS: Krissi loves doing author visits with junior high and high school. Get in touch today and download free teaching resources on her website!
Krissi is a proud screenwriter for the 100 Pages Movie project and loves nothing more than connecting with readers and writers of all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 19, 2019
Opening Watercrossing, Book 3 of Krissi Dallas’s Phantom Island series, was like entering a time warp: all of a sudden I was back on the Island. Though months had passed here on the Mainland since I’d read Windchaser and Windfall, it was as if no time had passed at all due to the way in which Dallas dives immediately into the action, drama, intrigue, and suspense with characteristically vivid detail. Watercrossing picks up where Windfall leaves off, but not where we expect it to. The first twoWind books center entirely around the series’ protagonist and narrator, Whitnee Terradora. We eavesdrop on Whitnee’s thoughts, experiencing the Island entirely through Whitnee’s gray Aerodorian eyes. So when Watercrossing opens with third-person narration, it’s a bit disorienting, and it takes a while to figure out where we are and what’s happening and to whom. Dallas deftly uses a simple literary device to evoke rather than elucidate intense feelings of drama, suspense, and uncertainty. And this is exactly how novels, how art, should work: form follows function, and we find ourselves reading instead of sleeping and wishing we were on the Island when we’re stuck at work or school.
When we meet up again with Whitnee, Caleb, and Morgan, we find the threesome (once again through Whitnee’s first-person narration) driving home from Camp Fusion for the Fourth of July. On the way, they stop to interview the strange camper from when Whitnee’s dad was a counselor, the one that suddenly disappeared from camp and was found months later in California. The fragments he gives them seem like nonsense to the three friends, but the careful reader will pick up on Dallas’s Island-laden symbols and tuck them away as helpful hints and foreshadowing. Once home, and then again back at Camp Fusion, Whitnee’s feelings for Caleb, her green-eyed, boy-next-door, best friend, start to change, and Whitnee begins to see in her best friend what all the other girls have known all along… Caleb’s a catch. (Sorry, Whit, for the fish analogy.) This makes things complicated since Whitnee isn’t over Island hottie Pyra, Gabriel. (Who would be?) And as things heat up in the love triangle, I imagine the competition among Dallas’s fans, who vehemently took sides during the Wind books, will only heat up too. Dallas’s blog and Facebook page was covered in comments from “Team Gabriel” and “Team Caleb” when books 1 and 2 released. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens… how many stay true and how many trade sides… as events unfold in the newly released Watercrossing (May 22, 2012).
Dallas’s Phantom Island series is not only driven by action, drama, and suspense; ultimately, they are character driven. When I reviewed the Wind books (before they were split into two books, which I think was a smart move by Tate and a better format for the series), I mentioned how the characters took hold of me, captivating my imagination and my interest. Returning to the series with Watercrossing is like seeing old friends after a long absence; the reunion does my heart good. Phantom Island‘s likable and life-like characters are a large part of the books’ wide appeal across age and gender, and it evidences Dallas’s deep knowledge of her characters and her ability to entrust the story to them. These elements of Dallas’s craftsmanship are heightened in Watercrossing when roughly half-way through the novel, the voice of the narrator shifts again, and readers are privileged with invading this new narrator’s inner thoughts and personal space, which in turn gives us better insight into all the other characters as well.
Choice and personal responsibility, one of the largest themes of the series, crops up throughout Watercrossing as it did in the first two books, but one instance in particular caught my attention. Whitnee, a headstrong, emotionally-driven teenager, makes a lot of big mistakes throughout the series (which is why she’s fortunate in the friends she has, friendship being another huge theme of the books), but she also makes good choices, usually because of her thought-through convictions. One of the biggest Whitnee-wins happens on page 285. I can’t talk about it, or I’d give too much away. But when you get there, pay attention, especially if you’re a young woman, because with the wisdom she relates regarding choices, Whitnee bravely rejects a very old, very powerful social script that dehumanizes women and men alike. The more women who can follow Whitnee’s example, the better the world will be.
Watercrossing delivers everything we expect it to and more. It’s full of humor and suspense, action and romance, and if you know where to look, life-affirming symbolism and motifs. Dallas never shies away from life’s dark corners or trivializes the uncertain and unknown. She has her characters struggle through and learn to face them, which in turn helps us do the same. That’s the power of reading good literature. You won’t be disappointed when you pick up Watercrossing. You’ll only be sad when you put it down after finishing it and you have to wait for the release of the next novel, Watermark, to see what happens next to the characters you’ve come to love.
When we meet up again with Whitnee, Caleb, and Morgan, we find the threesome (once again through Whitnee’s first-person narration) driving home from Camp Fusion for the Fourth of July. On the way, they stop to interview the strange camper from when Whitnee’s dad was a counselor, the one that suddenly disappeared from camp and was found months later in California. The fragments he gives them seem like nonsense to the three friends, but the careful reader will pick up on Dallas’s Island-laden symbols and tuck them away as helpful hints and foreshadowing. Once home, and then again back at Camp Fusion, Whitnee’s feelings for Caleb, her green-eyed, boy-next-door, best friend, start to change, and Whitnee begins to see in her best friend what all the other girls have known all along… Caleb’s a catch. (Sorry, Whit, for the fish analogy.) This makes things complicated since Whitnee isn’t over Island hottie Pyra, Gabriel. (Who would be?) And as things heat up in the love triangle, I imagine the competition among Dallas’s fans, who vehemently took sides during the Wind books, will only heat up too. Dallas’s blog and Facebook page was covered in comments from “Team Gabriel” and “Team Caleb” when books 1 and 2 released. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens… how many stay true and how many trade sides… as events unfold in the newly released Watercrossing (May 22, 2012).
Dallas’s Phantom Island series is not only driven by action, drama, and suspense; ultimately, they are character driven. When I reviewed the Wind books (before they were split into two books, which I think was a smart move by Tate and a better format for the series), I mentioned how the characters took hold of me, captivating my imagination and my interest. Returning to the series with Watercrossing is like seeing old friends after a long absence; the reunion does my heart good. Phantom Island‘s likable and life-like characters are a large part of the books’ wide appeal across age and gender, and it evidences Dallas’s deep knowledge of her characters and her ability to entrust the story to them. These elements of Dallas’s craftsmanship are heightened in Watercrossing when roughly half-way through the novel, the voice of the narrator shifts again, and readers are privileged with invading this new narrator’s inner thoughts and personal space, which in turn gives us better insight into all the other characters as well.
Choice and personal responsibility, one of the largest themes of the series, crops up throughout Watercrossing as it did in the first two books, but one instance in particular caught my attention. Whitnee, a headstrong, emotionally-driven teenager, makes a lot of big mistakes throughout the series (which is why she’s fortunate in the friends she has, friendship being another huge theme of the books), but she also makes good choices, usually because of her thought-through convictions. One of the biggest Whitnee-wins happens on page 285. I can’t talk about it, or I’d give too much away. But when you get there, pay attention, especially if you’re a young woman, because with the wisdom she relates regarding choices, Whitnee bravely rejects a very old, very powerful social script that dehumanizes women and men alike. The more women who can follow Whitnee’s example, the better the world will be.
Watercrossing delivers everything we expect it to and more. It’s full of humor and suspense, action and romance, and if you know where to look, life-affirming symbolism and motifs. Dallas never shies away from life’s dark corners or trivializes the uncertain and unknown. She has her characters struggle through and learn to face them, which in turn helps us do the same. That’s the power of reading good literature. You won’t be disappointed when you pick up Watercrossing. You’ll only be sad when you put it down after finishing it and you have to wait for the release of the next novel, Watermark, to see what happens next to the characters you’ve come to love.
April 12, 2012
There is always a certain exhilarating dread that goes along with the anticipation of the latest book in a series. I find myself asking questions like, Will I like it? Will it live up to my expectations? What if I hate it? Will it be as good as the rest of the series? Believe me, I've had to live with my share of disappointment. But thankfully, Watercrossing does not disappoint. Not only is it just as good as the previous books in the Phantom Island series, Windchaser and Windfall, but I think it's even better. The story and the characters pulled me in and wouldn't let me go until the last page.
If you haven't read Windchaser and Windfall, read them. If you have, you know that Windfall ends with Whitnee and her friends back at Camp Fusion after an out-of-this-world experience on the White Island of the Dorians. Whitnee is desperate to get back and try to find her father, who has been missing for six years but just might be hidden somewhere on the Island. Several individuals on the Island are just as desperate to get her back, for various reasons. While Whitnee, Caleb, and Morgan plan, research, and hope to find a way to get to the Island, life rolls on at Camp Fusion. Romance is in the air, and Whitnee finds herself drawn to her friend Caleb, despite all the potential complications of their friendship and the knowledge that there is someone else somewhere out there -- someone she would really like to be able to forget. There are some adorable and downright hilarious scenes between Whitnee and Caleb. I laughed a lot while I read this book. But just underneath the fun and frivolity, all is not well. Morgan is clearly distracted and not herself, and Whitnee's camper Amelia sinks into depression because she feels rejected by her parents. As the summer rushes to a close, the friends put together a great plan for how to get to the Island and what they'll do what once they get there, but you know what they say about best-laid plans...and if you want to know the rest of the story, you'll just have to read the book.
I do have to say one thing about the ending: it isn't one. Like the end of Windchaser, it's more of a pause for breath before the next book. Unfortunately, unlike Windchaser, the next book did not come out simultaneously, so fans will have to wait on pins and needles warmed by hot coals for Watermark, which is rumored to be out "sometime next year." Bummer. So if you are the kind of person who doesn't handle suspense well, you might want to wait and read both books at the same time.
When I read the Wind books, what really impressed me was the worldbuilding. Krissi does such an amazing job of it that when I saw the map of the White Island in the front of Watercrossing, I thought, "Yeah, that's pretty much exactly where I thought everything was." As you read, you can really "see" the people and the places in the story. In Watercrossing, it's the character building that really stands out. From Whitnee's determination to act more like an adult and keep her focus on finding her Dad without distractions (hello, hot Island boy) to Morgan's struggles, and all the little glimpses we get to see of other characters in between, these people come to life. They feel like real people with real issues that I can really care about it, and I love that.
In spite of the crazy ending, I really liked this book. For some reason, the word that always comes to mind when I think of Krissi's writing is "sparkly." Since I love sparkly things, I was thrilled to see that Watercrossing sparkles and shines even more brilliantly than I dared to hope it might.
If you haven't read Windchaser and Windfall, read them. If you have, you know that Windfall ends with Whitnee and her friends back at Camp Fusion after an out-of-this-world experience on the White Island of the Dorians. Whitnee is desperate to get back and try to find her father, who has been missing for six years but just might be hidden somewhere on the Island. Several individuals on the Island are just as desperate to get her back, for various reasons. While Whitnee, Caleb, and Morgan plan, research, and hope to find a way to get to the Island, life rolls on at Camp Fusion. Romance is in the air, and Whitnee finds herself drawn to her friend Caleb, despite all the potential complications of their friendship and the knowledge that there is someone else somewhere out there -- someone she would really like to be able to forget. There are some adorable and downright hilarious scenes between Whitnee and Caleb. I laughed a lot while I read this book. But just underneath the fun and frivolity, all is not well. Morgan is clearly distracted and not herself, and Whitnee's camper Amelia sinks into depression because she feels rejected by her parents. As the summer rushes to a close, the friends put together a great plan for how to get to the Island and what they'll do what once they get there, but you know what they say about best-laid plans...and if you want to know the rest of the story, you'll just have to read the book.
I do have to say one thing about the ending: it isn't one. Like the end of Windchaser, it's more of a pause for breath before the next book. Unfortunately, unlike Windchaser, the next book did not come out simultaneously, so fans will have to wait on pins and needles warmed by hot coals for Watermark, which is rumored to be out "sometime next year." Bummer. So if you are the kind of person who doesn't handle suspense well, you might want to wait and read both books at the same time.
When I read the Wind books, what really impressed me was the worldbuilding. Krissi does such an amazing job of it that when I saw the map of the White Island in the front of Watercrossing, I thought, "Yeah, that's pretty much exactly where I thought everything was." As you read, you can really "see" the people and the places in the story. In Watercrossing, it's the character building that really stands out. From Whitnee's determination to act more like an adult and keep her focus on finding her Dad without distractions (hello, hot Island boy) to Morgan's struggles, and all the little glimpses we get to see of other characters in between, these people come to life. They feel like real people with real issues that I can really care about it, and I love that.
In spite of the crazy ending, I really liked this book. For some reason, the word that always comes to mind when I think of Krissi's writing is "sparkly." Since I love sparkly things, I was thrilled to see that Watercrossing sparkles and shines even more brilliantly than I dared to hope it might.
June 8, 2012
What I Liked: 1) I love these characters like they're family. Krissi Dallas is one of THE BEST when it comes to creating rich, loveable characters with dynamic stories and well-developed lives. And what I love about it is that it isn't just our MC that we learn so much about - you get to know the other supporting characters very well also. Gabriel, my imaginary boyfriend, is the one we know the least about, but for good reason. He's supposed to be more of a mystery. In Watercrossing, we do get to know some more about him though, including one bit of information that made me think, "geez, I knew he was too good to be true." No worries though. I still love him. 2) Caleb. I want to talk specifically about this guy for a minute. I liked Caleb well enough in the two Wind books. Caleb is loveable in a...boy next door kind of way, whereas Gabriel is the guy I want bringing me drinks with little umbrellas. But Caleb definitely ups his game in this book. He gets a little cockier, and that makes him all the more appealing to me. But I'm not jumping the Gabriel ship just yet. 3) Alternating perspective. The first two books were told from the POV of Whitnee only. But in this one, we get some alternating POV with one of the other characters. I'm not going to reveal who, because I want everyone to be pleasantly surprised, but I will say that it's great to delve a little deeper into the mindset of this person. I felt that it opened up my eyes to some other ideas about Camp Fusion, and the Island. Whitnee *SPOILER ALERT* kind of views the Island as a second home, not like she is a visitor or outsider. She is desperate to drink in all the knowledge about this place that is a part of her heritage. This other character sees the Island differently, because they don't feel that connection. I'm glad we got this other POV, it opens up new ideas for the reader about the Island. 4) The map! A map of the Island was included in Watercrossing. It was beautifully drawn, and a great addition. Being able to see the Island, how it's apportioned, and where everything is located definitely helps in understanding the travels that Whitnee and her friends take both in Watercrossing, and the preceding books! 5) When I read the first two books, the Island became this serene place that I'd love to vacation. We began learning about the culture, customs and politics briefly in the Wind books. We get a much more in depth look at particularly the politics of the region. There are some darker parts of the Island, and sinister people who are making the Island not such a happy place. It brought a new dimension to the plot and took the books to the next level.
What I Didn't Like: As usual, I have more questions after the end of the book. Isn't that how it's supposed to be with a series, though? There were two things in particular about the ending that distressed me (mostly because, like I said, I love these characters so much), but I have faith. Krissi hasn't let me down yet!
Overall Thoughts: I could not have asked for a better continuation of one of my favorite series. Watercrossing adds a darker dimension to a story that's already come alive though lively characters and an intriguing plot. For fans of fantasy, this series is one that should already be on your shelves. The Phantom Island books will intrigue and excited you, give you characters to hate and to love, and a setting that you'll want to escape to every chance you get. I can't wait for my next trip to the Island!
See this and other reviews at Fuzzy.Coffee.Books!
June 5, 2012
So amazing, and it has such a cliff-hanger ending it leaves you cursing the wonderful author Krissi for leaving you in such suspense. A must-read for all ages!
August 27, 2012
Oh I can't wait for the next book! I really have enjoyed this adventure. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
May 11, 2024
Ugh this series is too good! I’m mad I have to wait a couple more days for the last book to come in. These plot twists, the mystery >> I just want to read more and more.
Out of all the books I’ve read I’ve never been this into one!
Out of all the books I’ve read I’ve never been this into one!
June 1, 2025
whitnee creating those ice stairs for gabriel: https://www.icegif.com/wp-content/upl...
July 25, 2014
Krissi Dallas does not disappoint! It picks up where they other book left off but leaves you wanting more. I enjoyed it and can't wait to share it with my students.
January 21, 2013
OMG. Worst cliffhanger EVER!!! I need watermark!!!! When will it come out!!!! :O
February 15, 2013
Ending leaves you hanging! Can't wait for the next book! Hope it comes out soon.
November 14, 2013
Review to come, loved it!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews