Today I am one of the stops on the blog tour for COMES THE NIGHT by Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty. The tour is hosted by ATOMR Book Blog Tours and you can view the rest of the stops here.

Info:
Title: Comes the Night
Authors: Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty
Release Date: December 9, 2012
Publisher: Something Shiny Press
Source: Authors for blog tour
Series? Casters Series #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Page Count: 330
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

How far would you go to escape your own personal teenage hell? Would you run away, break away from everything you know—even your own body?

Alex Robbins, Brooke Saunders and Maryanne Hemlock could not be more different, yet they all have something in common — deep and soul-searing pain. They are also all students at Streep Academy, a boarding school just one step away from juvie, where they’ve come to complete high school. The three have been relegated to Harvell House, the residence reserved for the hardest cases, the so-called Rejects from Reject Row. In the forbidden attic of the old Victorian house-turned-residence, the girls discover the diary of Connie Harvell, a young woman who was confined and abused there some 50 years ago. In the end, Connie’s attic prison couldn’t hold her—not completely. She found a way out. At least a dark part of her did. And after reading her diary, the girls discover they can escape at will too. A terrifying, thrilling flight from their bodies and their troubles.

But God help them, their pain isn’t all they leave behind when they join with the night. And God help anyone who’s wronged them… (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
COMES THE NIGHT is the story of three living girls, Alex, Maryanne, and Brooke, and one dead girl, Connie. The four are connected when Alex finds Connie’s old diary in the attic of their school dormitory. Shocked by the tales of abuse with the diary’s pages, the girls learn about Connie’s method of coping, and eventually they try out her method, too.

Alex, Maryanne, and Brooke attend Streep Academy, best described as a boarding school for troubled and out of control teens. They live in Harvell House, aka the house of the worst of the worst. As it turns out, Harvell was also Connie’s prison — she was locked in the attic by her stepfather.

COMES THE NIGHT is definitely a dark book for mature teens. There are some things that may be triggers for readers, such as rape, incest, and child neglect. The book starts with Alex waking up after being raped, and her struggles to remember what happened that night are a big part of the story, even though she keeps it a secret. Maryanne and Brooke have their own issues they’re working through; I’ll let you discover them on your own.

Connie’s method of coping turns out to be a type of astral projection, something she and the other girls call “casting.” It leads to the three girls haunting the town, almost as if they are living ghosts. I was really curious about casting, and would have liked to learn more about it. Why it’s possible, how Connie discovered it, etc. I do understand the girls didn’t have those answers, so hopefully more shows up in the next book. COMES THE NIGHT is the first in a trilogy, the Casters Series.

I enjoyed reading COMES THE NIGHT, although the book didn’t grab me. It was well-written, with an intriguing hook — the casting — and also, I liked that the authors weren’t afraid to harm their characters. There was a part where I wasn’t sure if one of the main characters would wake up from a serious injury — I like having worry moments like that. But I figured out most of the story early on; there was perhaps a bit much foreshadowing. The way the girls acted while out casting bugged me sometimes — they were kind of juvenile and petty — but I also am sure that’s how lots of teens would act with such a power in their hands.

The main stories within COMES THE NIGHT are wrapped up by the end of the book, and I am curious to see where the authors will take the characters in the next book.

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*giveaway is tour-wide

The authors:
NORAH WILSON is a Kindle best-selling author of romantic suspense and paranormal romance. She lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, with her husband, two adult children, dog Chloe, and kitty, Ruckus.

HEATHER DOHERTY fell in love with writing while taking creative writing courses with Athabasca University. Motivated by her university success, and a life-long dream of becoming a novelist, she later enrolled in the Humber School for Writers under the mentorship of David Adams Richards. Her first literary novel was published in 2006. While still writing dark literary (as well as not-so-dark children’s lit), she is beyond thrilled to be writing paranormal/horror with Norah. Heather lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick with her family. (No pets, but I swear Norah’s dog, Chloe, calls me Aunt Heather).

Together, Heather and Norah write dark, edgy, frightening young adult paranormal/horror.

Website
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Blog Tour Book Review: Comes the Night by Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Summary:

Eighteen-year-old Simon Peters wants to stand up for the truth about who he is. His love for Stephen is unwavering, but does he have the courage to defend it when his entire church community, including his eldest brother has ostracized him? Trapped in a cashier’s job he hates, struggling to maintain peace with his brothers after their parents have died, and determined to look after his mute brother, Simon puts everyone else’s needs before his own. It takes a courageous act of self-sacrifice on Jude’s part to change both of their lives forever. Jude, who knew that when the fig tree in their yard began to bloom, it was his time to finally be heard and to set Simon free. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
When I read the summary for THE WAITING TREE, I thought the book would be about Simon’s difficulty in being gay in a community where Being Gay Is Not Acceptable. In part, that’s some of the story, but Simon also has a lot of other problems. THE WAITING TREE is his journey of self-discovery.

Simon and his three brothers were orphaned after their parents died in a car accident. Simon didn’t even get to finish high school. Instead, to help out financially, he had to get a job at a place that’s very reminiscent of a certain big blue retailer. Simon works nights because during the day he watches his twin brother, Jude. Jude has never spoken a word in his life and can’t take care of himself. On top of everything else, Simon lives in an economically dead and conservative town, so there aren’t a lot of options. And the very worst part? His boyfriend, Stephen, was sent to a “de-gay” center after Stephen’s dad found the two having sex.

THE WAITING TREE is not a cheerful book. It is realistic and gritty, but also hopeful. I think a lot of teens will empathize with all the burdens Simon has. Times are tough for teens and young adults (and everyone else), and I think readers will understand what Simon is going through. They might even feel like they’re going through the same sort of thing themselves — overwhelmed by everything, and just getting through day by day.

And that’s exactly what Simon’s doing — living day by day. His main concern is Jude. Second is his love for Stephen. As I read THE WAITING TREE, I was both sad and hopeful, and I enjoyed seeing Simon eventually realize he couldn’t just sit back and shuffle through life, that he had to take steps if he wanted to change things.

I would have liked to see what happened when Simon went to get Stephen. The ending was my least favorite part because it was open ended; I’m the type of reader who likes closure. But otherwise, I enjoyed the book, and I don’t think I put it down while reading. It’s not a very long book (the ARC is 218 pages) so it’s easy to finish it in one or two sessions.

Simon and Jude stole my heart, and when Jude made a very painful decision, I actually said, “No, don’t do it!” As for what that decision was, you’ll have to read THE WAITING TREE to find out, which I recommend you do. Although it’s a Young Adult book, I think adults would enjoy it too. As I said, it’s not a cheerful book — there’s a lot of bad stuff going on I didn’t mention — but I think the message behind the book is a good one.

Socialize with the author:
Lindsay Moynihan:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Book Review: The Waiting Tree by Lindsay Moynihan appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Today I am one of the stops on the blog tour for TWISTED SUMMER by Lucy V. Morgan. The tour is hosted by Itching For Books and you can visit the rest of the stops here.

Info:
Title: Twisted Summer
Author: Lucy V. Morgan
Release Date: April, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Author for blog tour
Series? No
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Page Count: 169
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

A dark New Adult romance

You have to understand that we never meant for it to happen. We knew it was stupid. We knew it was wrong.

Eighteen-year-old Danni Warren has big plans for her last summer before college: a cool job, a concert she wouldn’t miss for the world, and spending time with her beautiful girlfriend, Esme. But after one hell of an argument, Danni’s mother packs her off to stay with her estranged step-uncle, Gabe, in his lodge on the English coast. So begins a weekend of the worst punishment imaginable: no phone signal.

With his sun kissed good looks and sarcastic manner, twenty-nine-year-old Gabe Asher isn’t anything like Danni expected. She wants to hate him—he’s her punishment for standing up to her mother—but between surfing lessons and beach hikes, Gabe and Danni grow close. Maybe too close.

Now Danni’s questioning everything: old family secrets, her future, her strained relationship with Esme. One sun stained afternoon, Gabe and Danni go too far. And then everything else falls apart… (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
TWISTED SUMMER is a fast, fun, wild ride, much like the relationship of the two characters within its pages. It’s a new adult contemporary focusing on the “taboo” attraction and relationship between Danni, eighteen, and Gabe, twenty-nine. As if the age difference wasn’t enough, Gabe is sort of Danni’s uncle (he’s her mother’s step-brother, so they aren’t actually related by blood).

They meet when Danni’s mother, tired of her attitude and cheekiness, sends her to Gabe’s beach shack as a punishment. An out lesbian, Danni’s pissed she’ll miss going to a concert with her girlfriend Esme. But her bad attitude starts to change when she notices that Gabe is, well, hot. And he seems to like her, too.

TWISTED SUMMER is just that — the story of one very twisted summer love affair. Danni and Gabe know their attraction can’t move beyond the weekend, but of course, they end up wanting much more from each other than a fling. For Danni, there’s the added complication of her girlfriend, and figuring out how to let Esme down gently. Hint: it’s a lot harder than she thought it would be.

What I liked most about TWISTED SUMMER was the realism of being young and confused. I think it’s important for teens and young adults to realize that their first love is most likely not going to be their soulmate, and that sometimes, you really have no idea what you want. Did Danni and Gabe do some stupid things? Did they rush into the sack a little too fast? Maybe. But you know, that’s real life, and it happens sometimes.

The ending was maybe a bit too neat, but you know what? I liked that Danni and Gabe got their happily ever after. TWISTED SUMMER isn’t a perfect book, but it did engage me the whole time I was reading, even though contemporary isn’t a favorite genre of mine. I do recommend it for mature readers, as there are quite a few adult scenes, both of the boy on girl and girl on girl variety.

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*giveaway is tour-wide

About the author:
Lucy writes sharp contemporary fiction, usually with a liberal splatter of filth. She is a Lyrical Press author and a screenwriter.

Her upcoming new adult novel, TWISTED SUMMER, is a gutsy take on forbidden love starring an even gutsier heroine.

Her contemporary series, encompassing CHAIRMAN OF THE WHORED and THE WHORED’S PRAYER, features slick London lawyers with a penchant for sensual violence. It’s definitely on the darker side. BEAUTIFUL MESS, her current release, is a snarky, sexy friends-to-lovers romp.

Lucy is currently working on new novels, and is developing a paranormal television series with producers (think The Vampire Diaries meets The 4400).

She is still trying to kick her dirty Pepsi habit.
Website

– leeanna

The post Blog Tour Book Review: Twisted Summer by Lucy V. Morgan (and giveaway!) appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Today I am one of the stops on the blog tour for SUBMERGED by Nicole Sobon. The tour is hosted by Itching For Books and you can visit the rest of the stops here.

Info:
Title: Submerged
Author: Nicole Sobon
Release Date: February 14, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Series? Outbreak #1
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Page Count: 384

Summary:

After a mysterious virus makes its way into the United States, the government demands that states seal themselves off from one another and do their best to protect their surviving residents. When the state of Florida is bordered off from the surrounding states, Taylen Fincher, a seventeen-year-old girl with a yearning for her former life finds herself wondering how much of what they’ve been told is true.

When Troum took control of the state, he told the residents that the other states had fallen to the virus and that he wouldn’t allow the same thing to happen to them. But Taylen doesn’t believe it. She insists that there is still life outside of the state, and she is going to do whatever it takes to prove it… but her actions will cost her more than she ever expected.

Troum kidnaps Taylen’s sister, Penelope, in hopes of coaxing her into behaving – into being a submissive resident, much like the others. But Taylen isn’t one to give in that easily.

Eager to rescue her sister, Taylen will set out on an adventure that’ll force her to open her heart to the unexpected and to uncover secrets that will change everything.

SUBMERGED is the first book in a YA dystopian duology. (summary from goodreads)

Excerpt:
This excerpt is from the prologue, from Lexton’s point of view. I picked it because it gives a good idea of what’s about to happen in SUBMERGED.

There was this power about Taylen. She drew people in. She was a force of nature, and everyone knew it. Even as a child, I could see the fire that sparked within her eyes.

She was always one to want more, to dream the impossible possible.

She was everything that Troum feared, and I knew that, sooner or later, her determination would only result in trouble for her.

“You know this girl, don’t you, Lexton?” He tapped the screen, his pointer finger lingering over her head. When I didn’t speak, he tried again. “This girl — Taylen Fincher, is it? You grew up with her?”

“That is correct, sir.” I swallowed down the spit that had gathered in my throat.

He drummed his fingers along the tablet screen before leaning back in his oversized chair. “She’s a problem for our people,” he finally said after what felt like hours.

I’d thought that my heart had been broken when I was forced to leave her behind; to erase her from my life. I had thought wrong.

It felt as though someone had taken a knife to my chest and plunged it deep inside of my heart. Surely he was joking, I thought, he had to be.

But he wasn’t.

He reached for the tablet and tabbed on a small icon beneath her photo. There, on the tiny screen, was a record of everything she’d done over the past six months, including every time she’d escaped to the beach across the way of the Family Sector.

So the rumors were true.

“As you can see,” he said, laying the tablet back down, “Taylen has not only managed to slip past the guard daily for the past six months, but she has also questioned everything I stand for as a leader, and as you know, that is unacceptable behavior, Lexton.”

“Yes,” I struggled to speak. “I understand, sir.”

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*giveaway is tour-wide.

About the author:
Nicole Sobon is a YA author of several novels, including Program 13, The Emile Reed Chronicles, Capture, No Place Like Home, and the latest Submerged. This is the first in her dystopian duology.

Website
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Blog Tour: Submerged by Nicole Sobon (and giveaway!) appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Today I am the stop on the blog tour for DEER IN HEADLIGHTS by Staci Hart. The tour is hosted by Parajunkee Blog Tours.

Info:
Title: Deer in Headlights
Author: Staci Hart
Release Date: February 13, 2013
Publisher: Promise Socks Publishing
Source: Author/blog tour
Series? Good Gods #1
Genre: Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Mythology
Page Count: 166
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

What do the Greek gods do when they’re bored? Because they’re always bored, so humans are the perfect players in their games.

Aphrodite owns love; she hasn’t lost a competition on her turf in over three millennia. Apollo is on a mission to win. He’s counting on it to finally get the one woman he’s never been able to have. The two gods will choose their human players, and if Aphrodite can’t get them together before the clock runs out, Apollo will get his way. And Aphrodite couldn’t have that.

Lex and Dean are perfect for each other, they just don’t know it yet. Dean is a perpetual bachelor, and a brooding, beautiful rock star. Lex is always with a man, but she’ll never fully give herself up. Aphrodite has her work cut out for her, but if she can’t make it work, no one can.

The gods have their own drama. Apollo killed Aprhodite’s mortal love – they’ve got beef that’s been dragging on for thousands of years. Ares, the douchebag, is forever trying to pick a fight, and trying to get Aphrodite into bed. And Persephone, Aphrodite’s best friend, is the one person who Aphrodite shares everything with.

Follow the gods as they fight, laugh, cry, lose love, gain power, and make a mess with humans. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
If you’re immortal, what do you do when you’re bored? That’s the question DEER IN HEADLIGHTS attempts to answer, showing the modern day lives of the Greek gods.

The first in a series, this book is really two stories in one. The first is the competition between Aphrodite and Apollo, the latest in thousands of years of such challenges. Each has a mortal hero — Aphrodite’s goal is to get the two humans to fall in love in two weeks, and Apollo’s is to keep them apart. Aphrodite and Apollo have a long, long history, and neither wants the other to win.

The second story in DEER IN HEADLIGHTS is the story of the gods’ humans. Lex, Dita’s human, is a girl afraid to get truly attached to any man, and Dean, Apollo’s champion, is the epitome of bad boy. Seriously. Dean’s the lead singer of a band, believes in one night stands, and is a magnet for chicks.

I was originally drawn to DEER IN HEADLIGHTS because of the cover, which is quite different from what you usually see, but the stories and characters inside kept me reading. The narrative bounces back and forth between the gods and the humans, and between the gods’ past and present lives. Sometimes I had to reread a page or two to figure out what was going on, but on the whole, the author did a good job of keeping all the different plotlines easy to follow. I always like to see new twists on Greek mythology.

I wanted to root for both Aphrodite and Apollo. They both have excellent reasons for wanting to win, which you learn from the flashbacks. Their part of the book was the most interesting to me, and I would have liked to see more of them and the other gods in modern day. The romance between Dean and Lex was okay, but I just had more interest in the Greek gods.

DEER IN HEADLIGHTS is definitely not a book for younger readers. There are some explicit scenes, all of which were nicely descriptive without going overboard or being too flowery. One little thing that bugged me about the book was the use of nicknames — almost every character has one. There’s Dita for Aphrodite, Perry for Persephone, Heff for Hephaestus. The writing was pretty easy to read, with the exception of dialogue that sometimes felt over the top.

The two stories in DEER IN HEADLIGHTS are both resolved at the end, yet there’s an opening for the next book in the series, Good Gods. It sounds like the next book will feature Persephone and Ares, presumably with a competition between them. I’m curious to see what else the author has in mind.

Giveaways:

Tour Wide Giveaway:
US ONLY
5 signed copies of Deer in Headlights
2 $25 Amazon Gift cards

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Socialize with the author:
Staci Hart:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Blog Tour Book Review: Deer in Headlights by Staci Hart (and giveaways!) appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

Alrighty! It’s been a while since I’ve done a readathon, so I’m again participating in Bout of Books.

I’ll update with my goals tomorrow, as I haven’t yet figured out what they’ll be. Lots of reading and writing reviews, of course! I want to visit other participants as well, and maybe find some new blogging buddies. Tonight I plan to have one long night of Warcraft, and then I’ll devote the upcoming week to reading and getting ahead.

Goals:
REVIEWS:
Review AMITY & SORROW by Pegy Riley
Review THE BOLEYN KING by Laura Andersen
Review VICTORIA REBELS by Carolyn Meyer
Review ALPHA GIRL by Kate Bloomfield
Review THE END GAMES by T. Michael Martin
Review ROSES HAVE THORNS by Sandra Byrd

FINISH AND FINISH REVIEW:
Finish/review DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS by Staci Hart
Finish/review SUBMERGED by Nicole Sobon
Finish/review TWISTED SUMMER by Lucy V. Morgan
Finish/review COMES THE NIGHT by Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty
Finish/review THE BORGIAS: THE HIDDEN HISTORY by G. J. Meyer

READ AND REVIEW:
Read/review THE PROGRAM by Suzanne Young
Read/review PULSE by Patrick Carman
Read/review DARK TRIUMPH by Robin LaFevers
Read/review DON’T TURN AROUND by Michelle Gagnon
Read/review CRYSTAL BONES by C. Aubrey Hall
Read/review INSIGNIA by S. J. KINCAID

As you can see, I have a LOT of reviews I need to write. I doubt I’ll get to all of them, but having yet another list is a good reminder that I need to get better about taking notes as I read! I’ve been trying to do this, because it helps, but sometimes I get through a book way too quickly or I’m too into it to take notes.

I’m also trying to give myself some variety with the books I need to read next, so we’ll see what I actually pick up to read.

Lastly, I want to get around to some of the other participating blogs and maybe make some new blogging friends. I’m also going to attempt to be more active on Twitter while reading. We’ll see!

Progress:
MAY 13:
Finished review for DEER IN HEADLIGHTS
Finished post for SUBMERGED
Read half of PULSE

MAY 14:

MAY 15:

MAY 16:

MAY 17:

MAY 18:

MAY 19:

– leeanna

The post Bout of Books 7.0 appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Summary:

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy’s mom decides they need to take a break.

Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who’s always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.

Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
SCHOOL SPIRITS is a spin off of the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins. I was totally surprised by how much I liked Hex Hall, so when I found out about SCHOOL SPIRITS, I had to read it.

SCHOOL SPIRITS stars Isolde “Izzy” Brannick, of the Brannick clan of fighter women. Instead of fighting against the Prodigium Council, Izzy and her mother are now working for it. They’re also searching for Izzy’s sister Finley, who disappeared during a mission.

After a fight with a vampire goes wrong, Izzy’s mother finds her an easier mission: infiltrating a high school to investigate the ghost haunting it. But Izzy’s not so taken with the idea — she’s never been to school, or around kids her own age. So how do you learn about high school if it’s completely foreign? You watch DVDs of high school dramas with the warlock your family trapped in a mirror hundreds of years ago. Said warlock, Torin, is the closest thing to a friend Izzy’s ever had. I hope more of his story comes out in future books, because I really want to find out how he got trapped in the mirror, and what secrets he’s hiding.

When Izzy starts school, she falls in with a group of geeks who have a ghost hunting club. Sure that they’re the ones responsible for the ghost haunting the school, Izzy gets close to them as part of the job. But when she realizes she actually cares about them — and has real friends for the first time ever, she’s torn between duty and friendship.

SCHOOL SPIRITS is a good book, full of great characters and witty writing. I like that Izzy was scared about high school even though she’s a butt-kicking monster slayer. I also liked that Izzy hung out with the “uncool” kids. Yeah, her friendships with Romy and Dex started out as part of the job, but once she saw that they cared about her (and were cool in their own way), she started to question her mother’s teachings that Brannicks don’t have unnecessary interactions with humans.

The relationship between Izzy and Dex was adorable. Izzy has no clue on dating, and that was another aspect I liked. She kept comparing their interactions to moments from the high school drama she and Torin watched, and I think that’s a good reminder for teens that real life isn’t like what you see on TV.

However, SCHOOL SPIRITS didn’t have quite the same magic that the Hex Hall series did. There was just something missing, something I can’t quite put my finger on. Although I did enjoy reading, I was just … underwhelmed. The climax was a bit weak, the ending a bit too neat. After all the buildup about the violent ghost, I expected more oomph in the final showdown.

I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t thought of it as a spin off of Hex Hall, even though it is. SCHOOL SPIRITS is basically a ghost story; other than a vampire the beginning, there aren’t really any other supernatural creatures.

It’s a good book, and I’ll continue Izzy’s story, but I just wasn’t grabbed by Izzy like I was by Sophie in Hex Hall. I’m sorry for all the comparisons, but was inevitable, since the books are related.

Socialize with the author:
Rachel Hawkins:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Book Review: School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Summary:

Reminiscent of the Elizabeth Smart case, Pretty Girl-13 is a disturbing and powerful psychological mystery about a girl who must piece together the story of her kidnapping and captivity.

Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she’s returned home…only to find that it’s three years later and she’s sixteen-or at least that’s what everyone tells her.

What happened to the past three years of her life?

Angie doesn’t know.

But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren’t locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her “alters.” As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible?

Liz Coley’s alarming and fascinating psychological mystery is a disturbing – and ultimately empowering page-turner about accepting our whole selves, and the healing power of courage, hope, and love. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
PRETTY GIRL-13 is a book that flew under my radar. I don’t usually read contemporary fiction, because I like something supernatural or magical to spice up a world. But once I read the first few pages of the book, I couldn’t finish it fast enough. I devoured PRETTY GIRL-13 in one sitting, blocking out everything around me and getting annoyed every time I needed to take a break.

The book starts with Angie returning home from a camping trip. Or so she thinks. When she greets her parents, she’s shocked by their reaction. They claim she has been missing for the last three years, and that she’s now 16. But the last thing Angie remembers is her Girl Scouts camping trip; she thinks she is 13.

From there, PRETTY GIRL-13 takes off. I usually try not to spoil the plot when I review a book, but in this case, I REALLY don’t want to say anything more. I went into the book blind, which I think is the best way to read it. If you’re debating reading this book, try to avoid spoiling yourself.

I can say that this is a dark psychological mystery. The author goes into some dark topics that you usually don’t see in a young adult novel. Angie’s story is chilling, terrifying, and emotional. At the same time, it’s inspirational and hopeful, because Angie is not a victim. She is a survivor. And let me tell you, she survives a lot.

Looking back, there are some aspects I could critique, but I’m not going there. I was fully immersed in the book while reading. When I finished, I felt empty, because there weren’t any more pages to turn. I read upwards of 100 books a year, and very few leave me with a physical reaction. I already know PRETTY GIRL-13 is going to be one of my favorite books of 2013, and it’s only April.

It is a fast read, so if you’re in doubt, give it a try. And while I read it in the space of a few hours, it’s a book that has stayed with me in the two weeks it’s taken me to write this review. Oh, lastly I do have to say that the prologue threw me for a loop, since it’s written in second-person POV, but almost all of the book in third-person. You’ll see why the prologue is different when you learn Angie’s story.

Socialize with the author:
Liz Coley:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Book Review: Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Summary:

Since finding her father’s body at the bottom of the basement stairs, Annette’s been drifting through her days, watching cars pass down the rural Ontario crossroads beside her house. Her brothers have no great ambitions, but Annette remembers a time when she did. She just can’t remember what they are.

Then she meets her neighbour, Sadie, a tattooed, world-weary, newly single portrait artist. Something about Sadie awakens something in Annette—the essence she captures in her subjects, perhaps, or the way the old familiar crossroads seem so fresh and promising from the view out Sadie’s window.

Annette begins to help Sadie, cleaning brushes and filing invoices between long lazy afternoons of conversations and shared silences. Soon, though, Annette wants more from her enigmatic neighbor, and their slowly heating friendship melts into passionate nights. Somewhere along the way, Annette discovers that her lover has illuminated for her, as with the people Sadie paints, not just her essence but her own endless worlds of possibilities. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
PORTRAIT OF A CROSSROADS is a glimpse into the life of eighteen-year-old Annette. Living in a fog after the suicide of her father, Annette isn’t sure what to do with her life, or how to move forward. She’s basically sleepwalking through life, going through the motions.

But when she takes notice of the painter living next door, and starts to help Sadie, Annette slowly comes back to life. Sadie is gay, and the more time they spend together, the more Annette wonders what it would be like to be with her.

PORTRAIT OF A CROSSROADS is short, only 40 pages. It does what it needs to do in those pages: exploring Annette’s return to life. I would have liked more of Annette’s thoughts instead of so much description — the author describes almost everything, from the sound of trucks to decor to corn fields. Because the story is about Annette discovering herself and possibilities, I wanted to see more of that. But the basic messages are there: It’s okay to be attracted to women. It’s okay to not know what you’re doing. It’s okay to explore.

There’s a quote from Sadie that I really liked, when asked about her sexuality: “It’s not like I really decided. It’s just what evolved inside of me. And it’s not really as simple for me as one gender over the other. I don’t think it is for anyone. It’s about people, you know? Who you feel attracted to. It’s about that person you want to be around all the time, who you can’t stand to be away from (p. 24).”

This is definitely an adult story! There’s one explicit love scene (happily without flowery euphemisms), and references to sex between Annette and her ex-boyfriend. I appreciated that the author made those references realistic. Hint: he wasn’t good. Sadie was.

Lastly, the cover matches the story, which is always a plus for me. PORTRAIT OF A CROSSROADS is a good story, I just wish it wasn’t so short.

Socialize with the author:
Kelly Rand:
Website
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Book Review: Portrait of a Crossroads by Kelly Rand appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.

Today I am one of the stops on the blog tour for THE LAST ACADEMY by Anne Applegate. The tour is hosted by Itching For Books and you can check out the rest of the stops here.

Info:
Title: The Last Academy
Author: Anne Applegate
Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Point
Source: Point/NetGalley
Series? No
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mystery
Page Count: 320
Rating: [3/5 stars]

Summary:

What is this prep school preparing them for?

Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam’s new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don’t seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam—and readers—stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel. (summary from goodreads)

My Review:
THE LAST ACADEMY is a book that is very difficult to describe without spoiling its gigantic twist. The summary somehow gave me the idea that it would be about a paranormal boarding school, which is why I originally wanted to read it. It is — sort of — but first there’s a lot of contemporary-style story going on.

After a huge, embarrassing fight with her best friend, Camden is happy she’s heading off to boarding school instead of going to high school with everyone else. Although she’s fourteen, Camden’s voice read to me like that of an older character … except where boys were concerned. After getting to Lethe (quirky name for a school, right?), Camden gets the hots for upperclassman Mark Elliot. It wasn’t quite insta-love, but it reminded me a lot of a first crush.

At first, THE LAST ACADEMY is about life at normal high school. Camden doesn’t get along with her mean roommate, but she does find a few friends, including Jessie, Nora, and Brynn. But when Jessie mysteriously disappears in the middle of the night, Camden starts to realize something’s wrong. The staff claim Jessie decided to go home, but Brynn says Jessie left with a guy. Add in Barnaby Charon, a guy who gives Camden the creeps, and you’ve got the beginning of a big mystery.

I’ll admit, I almost gave up by the first half of THE LAST ACADEMY. I wasn’t really getting into the happenings at Lethe, and was confused by the actions of some of the supporting characters. But then, then came the gigantic twist, and everything clicked into place. Suddenly all the things that didn’t make sense were clear, and I had an entirely new appreciation for the book.

There are a liberal amount of hints and foreshadowing pointing to the big twist, but even so, I didn’t predict how it would all come together. So in the end, I liked the way THE LAST ACADEMY turned out. The idea behind it was pretty creative, and though I would have liked more from the book overall, it was a good read.

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*giveaway is tour-wide

About the author:
Anne Applegate was born in Chico, California. Most of her childhood was spent moving across America with her family, nomad style.

When Anne was fourteen, her parents sent her to boarding school so she could spend four years in a single educational system. As it turned out, her family then promptly settled into a small mid-western town and lived there for the next sixteen years. Anne still hasn’t figured out if this means something.

After graduation, she went on to Tufts University in Medford, MA, where she had a wicked good time. Eventually, she wound up back on the west coast, where she married a fantastic Californian guy. Together, they have three children.

For the last twelve years, Anne has lived in San Luis Obispo County. This is by far the longest time she has stayed in any one place her whole life. She immensely enjoys living where 1) the sun always shines and 2) she isn’t the weirdest person in town.

Website
Facebook
Twitter

– leeanna

The post Blog Tour Book Review: The Last Academy by Anne Applegate (and giveaway!) appeared first on leeanna.me: a book and writing blog.