Glow Girl: Book One in the Droit Series by Michelle Weidenbenner {Book Review}

Disclosure: I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

Willow is just your average sixteen-year-old girl. Okay, maybe not so average. She can heal animals. But for her own safety, her veterinarian parents have made her promise not to use her powers. Unfortunately, sometimes her compassion takes over, and she can’t help … well … helping.

Willow is a Droit, but hides her Droitism because people like her are feared and hated by those without special abilities. Two of Willow’s schoolmates, rumored to be Droits, have simultaneously disappeared.

When Willow’s non-Droit friend, Rain, is targeted, Willow wonders whether she should get involved–even if that means putting herself in the line of fire.

A mysterious new friend, Trae, just might be the key to unlock her courage.

In the end, she has a choice: she can deny who she is or declare her ability to heal, but either way, her life will never be the same again.

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Read an excerpt

I saved our cat’s life four years ago when I was twelve.

How? I healed her. That was part of my Droit ability, but I didn’t know it then.

Random, our cat who lived at our animal clinic, had been sick for months, but my parents are veterinarians, so they were managing her disease. She wasn’t in pain until the day I was hanging out at the clinic and found her panting and writhing while lying on her side.

Mom was in the surgical room setting a fracture and couldn’t be interrupted. Dad was out picking up meds.

Random’s eyes fluttered and she let out a puny cry. I held her, wishing I could help. When I stroked her fur around the knobby tumors on her back, my fingertips tingled and glowed red. I had no idea what was happening.

Confused, I flapped my hands as if to put out a fire. The color faded, but as soon as I placed my fingers back on Random’s side, the glowing started again. I shook my head in bewilderment and then closed my eyes, allowing whatever this was to happen. Lightning bolts flashed behind my eyelids. My hands seemed to have minds of their own, this time locking onto Random’s body. Pain shot up my fingers and seared all the way to my neck.

My head felt heavy, like it was full of electric sparks. I groaned and shuddered but still couldn’t pull my hands away from her.

I don’t know how long I stayed that way before she purred, and I opened my eyes to see her licking her paw as if nothing had happened. I ran my fingers along her back. Her tumors had disappeared.

The room spun. What had happened?

Random jumped down and darted away with more spring than she’d had in months. I was certain I was seeing things. I blinked, but there she sat near the sink, giving her face a bath.

My fingers slowly faded. I turned them palm up, then palm down, studying them, trying to find a reason for what had happened, but there was none.

Mom came into the room, holding her hands in the air on the way to the faucet to scrub. “Were you looking for me?”

“Random doesn’t have cancer anymore,” I said, excitedly.

“Oh, really?” She paused with her hands under the water and gave me a peculiar look with her head cocked, eyebrows raised.

“How’s that?”

“I healed her.” Nausea bubbled up from my gut. I raced into the bathroom.

After I puked and returned to Mom, she was sitting in a chair with Random in her lap, parting her hair. “Her tumors are gone.”

“I know.” Nausea still clung to my ribs, but it wasn’t as bad. I was too excited about Random being better that it didn’t matter.

“What exactly did you do, Willow?”

Mom stared at me with wide eyes. I thought she’d be proud of me, but she didn’t act that way.

“My hands mended her,” I said.

“L-l-like h-h-how?” she asked.

“I don’t know. It just happened. I felt sorry for her. She was in pain, and the next thing I knew, my hands lit up and energy flowed from me to her.” I stared at my fingers again.

“Has this happened before?”

I shook my head.

“Good.” She nodded, licked her lips, and lowered her voice. “Can you make it stop?”

I shrugged. I didn’t know. “I can try.”

“Don’t do it again, and whatever you do, don’t ever do it in public.” Her voice was just above a whisper, and she glanced over her shoulder at the door.

“Why?” Wasn’t it a good thing that Random was better? Tears welled in my eyes.

“You won’t be safe if people know what you can do,” she continued in a hushed tone. “Promise me you won’t do it again.”

Swallowing hard, I nodded. “I promise.” But I didn’t understand.

I have read Michelle’s books before – both adult and children books – and thoroughly enjoyed them so when I heard she had a young adult book; I jumped at the opportunity to read it. I thought it would be a great book for myself to read, but also one that my 14 year old and 11 year old could read as well.

I finished the book in roughly three days. It was one that once I started reading; I didn’t want to put down.

The storyline had a paranormal aspect (Droits who have special abilities) as well as suspense and an element of romance – three genres that, in my opinion, make for an amazing read.

This easily could be an ‘adult’ read versus ‘young adult’ read. I think this would be a great book for kids starting in the 5th or 6th grade level through adulthood. Not only is it a great read, but the underlying lesson of standing up for who you are and what is right is definitely a lesson for everyone.

I truly enjoyed this book and have passed it on to my kids to read. I am not typically one to re-read a book after I have read it once, but I can definitely see myself reading this one again and will definitely be keeping an eye out for continued books in the series.

About the Author
Michelle Weidenbenner is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling and Award-Winning author and speaker.

She’s also a John Maxwell Certified Coach and Trainer.

Her sweet spot is the center of her pickleball paddle, but it’s also empowering moms to regain their purpose and significance in order to live a life that matters and positively influence others. Her energy is contagious and focuses on unlocking the self-advocate in others and encouraging them to dream big.

As the mother of a recovering addict, she spends most of her time advocating and coaching moms of addicted loved ones. She podcasts at Moms Letting Go. If you’re a mom of an adult addict, find her free guidebook, at MomsLettingGo.com.

Michelle is living her dream—writing every day and thanking God for the stories He puts in her path.

Link to Moms Letting Go podcast: https://anchor.fm/michelle515
Link to free book for moms: MomsLettingGo.com

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