What is White Mountain about?
The 2nd book in the duology beginning with Black River, this episode is focussed on Opi (Ophelia), the younger sister of the main character of Black River.
Opi is now affected by the same bloodlust as her sister Dusty. She must learn to deal with it, whilst yearning for the same connection with someone, like Dusty has her boyfriend Will.
Bodies are surfacing however, and the police are beginning to investigate what is going on, on White Mountain.
Plot summary of White Mountain (No Spoilers)
Opi has become like her big sister Dusty, requiring blood to survive. They don’t sleep or eat, and have special gifts. Opi is frustrated at how long it takes for her special skill to surface, but when it does, it’s miraculous.
She struggles with her need for blood however, and feeding once a week from an understanding friend is not satiating her. Still reeling from drinking from a loved one to a dangerous level for them, Opi is full of guilt.
But this one event has Dusty asking her friend Eli to watch over Opi. Dusty fears for others and Opi’s safety, but this constant hovering is angering Opi.
Eli and Opi clash as they spend so much time together, and all the while another ‘changed’ White Mountain teenager is changing others, putting them all at risk.
When the police begin investigating a body found at the roots of a felled tree, tension rises among Opi, Dusty and their friends. Can they keep their secret? The reason behind everything is slowly revealed and they must all work together to fight the force that changed their lives.
Review
I enjoyed reading this episode in Opi’s point of view, but I enjoyed the surprise of Black River better. This novel however, pulls everything together, including the reason for their mother’s disappearance when they were young, what a rebel vampire is actually doing, and the force that has caused the changes in their lives.
Romance is a much bigger part of this episode, with Opi and Eli being the main focus of this thread. The increased tension with a police investigation makes White Mountain gripping, but I would describe this novel as a slow burn type of read with a satisfying conclusion.
Book Style
368 pages
FAQ’s
What age is it for?
12+
Where & When is it set?
A fictional town called Black River in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York
What is the Point of View / Tense of the novel?
Multiple points of view / Third person
Is there Violence?
Gunshots are fired in the exciting ending
Is there sex in this novel?
No
What genre is White Mountain?
Fantasy Young Adult Fiction
Themes
Vampires / Fantasy / Romance / Friendship / Love / Sci Fi
Is it part of a series?
Yes
1 – Black River
2 – White Mountain
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Author
Ruby Jean Cole
Publisher
Simon & Schuster Australia
(2026, Simon & Schuster, Mountain, Wilderness, Vampires, Love, Romance, Sibling tension, Family, Friendship, Series, Duology, Tension, Nature, Sci Fi, Mystery, Secrets, Intermediate NZ)