Posts Tagged YA Fiction
Review LINGERING ECHOES By Erica Kiefer @EricaRockKiefer
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on March 1, 2014
Description
She’s broken with guilt.
He harbors a chilling past.
It’s safer if they keep their distance…
But, the echoes that linger connect them.
Returning to Hidden Pines is the last thing Allie Collins wants to do during her final summer before college. For her, the family cabin she spent her youthful summers in, now holds a dark memory that has haunted her every day for the last year.
While struggling to forget her past, Allie runs into Damien, a local rebel with secrets of his own. He’s dark, dangerous and he keeps showing up when Allie least expects him to. She has every reason not to trust him. So why does she find herself opening up to him in a way she hasn’t been able to with anyone?
As pieces of Damien’s identity emerge, answers to a rumored mystery begin to unfold. By the time Allie unearths the secrets of Damien’s past, she realizes just how intricately they are connected. Now she is caught in a dangerous battle that threatens her life and those she loves.
Review
I was absolutely captivated by this tragic, yet beautiful, novel.
Young love is such an adoring subject that never grows old for me, but this author has added a few exhilarating twists that will leave you unable to put this book down until the end. The personal demons that Allie and Damien fight are believable, as is their immediate reaction to choose solitude over solidarity to deal with the pain. The intense, gut wrenching suffering resonated more powerfully than I expected, which made me very emotional at times. The characters involved are entertaining, though I didn’t know who Allie could trust with each turn of the page. The author writes the perfect blend of mystery, romance, drama, and turmoil, making this remarkable tale a must read! I highly recommend this to all YA fans!
THE PREQUEL TO THIS NOVEL: FREE ON AMAZON AND B&N
Allie Collins wants nothing more than to forget the past and move beyond the recent death of her beloved cousin. If only it were that simple.
Upon returning for her senior year of high school, rumors quickly spread about the tragic summer accident that left the school’s star athlete grieving in the shadows. Now, the last thing Allie wants is the limelight. But the relentless pressure for normalcy from her friends and family leaves her with no choice but to surrender. Rejoining her basketball team and spending time with popular boys might seem like the perfect senior year, yet Allie struggles to embrace this identity that once came so naturally.
With the help of a special teacher, she learns that some things cut so deep, the scar lasts forever. Sometimes you can’t go back to the way things were, but must find the way to become who you are meant to be.
Still, tragedy is no stranger to Allie.
As the gossip swirls, influencing Allie’s every decision, the events that unfold will draw readers into a well of emotion in Rumor’s, a Lingering Echoes Novella.
Rumor’s is a prequel novella to the best selling book: Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer.
About the author:
Erica Kiefer was born on Christmas Eve in Southern California to an American father whose ancestors arrived from Europe during colonial times and a Thai mother who moved to the US during high school. Adding to her rich and varied heritage, Erica grew up living abroad in Asia, including Taiwan, Fiji, Thailand and Indonesia. She gained a great respect for the beautiful mosaic of cultures found in various parts of the world. After graduating from International School Bangkok, she attended Brigham Young University in Utah, where she earned a degree in Recreation Therapy. Her career as a Recreation Therapist has allowed her to work with at-risk youth since 2007.
Erica made the best decision of her life by marrying her husband in 2005 and is currently a mother of three, one of whom awaits her in heaven. Erica also loves singing, reading, writing, and satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies. Playing collegiate rugby was one of the most memorable experiences of her life, thus far.
Erica’s first book is titled Lingering Echoes, which was published by Clean Teen Publishing in November, 2013. Her newest release titled Rumors, was released in late December 2013 and is a prequel novella to Lingering Echoes.
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Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on February 27, 2014
If you never speak of the past, can it be erased?
Lacey Edwards has a past.
A past which changed her life forever.
A past she is desperate to forget.
Lacey is quiet and reserved compared to her best friend Becca Fox. They became instant friends when Lacey moved to Maryland nine years ago. Becca helped pull Lacey out of her internal shell to experience life. By high school, Lacey was active in the club scene and would occasionally have to drag Becca with her. One night, Lacey realized she might be able to run from her past with the help of Becca and one steamy Caine Rogers.
Lacey didn’t know, until it was too late, how feelings, honesty, heartbreak and life altering events can change a person. Lacey has Becca’s support but will that be enough?
Will Lacey sacrifice her own happiness to do what is expected?
***WARNING***
Appropriate for readers 16 years and up. This novel contains heavy life issues that some might find offensive.
AMAZON / AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK
BARNES & NOBLE / SMASHWORDS / KOBO
If the decisions you make don’t define you, what price would you pay to change them?
“Close your eyes. This is the darkness I see, I feel, I live because of my choices.”
I spent my life running. Running from my past. A past that changed my life, robbed me of my childhood, and bound me for a life of silence. Silence protected me from further hurt. When I couldn’t control my life, I found reprieve in my silence. Dark, cold silence. I’m trapped, trying to find my way out, trying to make a stand, trying to finally live; but is it too late?
Lacey Edwards fought emotional turmoil most of her life. She made choices that unknowingly put her through more painstaking heartache. She found bits and pieces of happiness in all the wrong areas except for one. This one gave her hope for a fresh new life full of promises. Could she hold onto it, or would it slip through her fingertips?
***Warning*** Young Adult Edition. Appropriate for audiences 16 years and above. This novel contains heavy life and social issues that some might find difficult or offensive.
AMAZON / AMAZON CA / AMAZON UK / BARNES & NOBLE
Review
While I will make sure to submit separate reviews for these novels elsewhere, I felt entirely too in tuned with them to do so here.
L.U. Ann has touched on an incredibly sensitive subject with the integrity and skill of a master. In order to be a master in this case, however, you must first be subservient. My heart ached for Lacey as each novel shed light on her dark and troubled story. Her family and friends play a significant part to this heroine’s victories, but her determination is from pure grit, which reflects a beautiful ray of hope. There’s a great deal of emotion in this novel, which tends to lead our beautiful girl astray at times, but the realism makes it so hard to put down!
I must thank the author for beginning each novel with such an endearing note for our young men and women, and for giving information where those in need can find support; it’s beautiful. This is an incredibly touching series that will make you laugh, cry, and completely livid! A definite must read!
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Author L.U. Ann moved to Colorado from the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband and two children. Life in Colorado is so much different. In Maryland, you would find her in the garden tending to her vegetables and flowers, sea glass and shark tooth hunting once a week, and enjoying the kids swimming in the backyard. Her life took a drastic change when her family moved to their own “Little House on the Prairie” at an elevation of over 6,000 feet above sea level, and a semi-arid climate that makes it hard to grow anything. While barely anything can grow where she resides now, the wildlife makes up for it. Mountain Lions, and coyotes, and rattlesnakes, oh my!
She tries to spend a little time each day writing, but domestic chores around the house usually take precedence. She would much rather hide them from her husband. She tends to her loving four-legged children who at times become much too demanding when she locks herself in the office. This often results in MORE domestic work, and she finds herself cleaning up after their deviant behavior.
At night, you’ll find her begging the kids to go to bed so that she can catch up on the latest book before her sister can. Yes, she is an avid reader who escapes her chaotic but wonderful home to the feisty depths of romance land in search of her newest book boyfriend. Shh, don’t tell her husband!
She is an artist by the grace of God. She worked as a set designer for six years, helping establish a local children’s theatre where she was the scenery artist, set, and prop designer. Before that, you would find her covered in paint, so engrossed in painting a mural that time didn’t exist. Graphic design is her guilty pleasure.
Special Note From L.U. Ann
I created this Young Adult Edition to reach a wider audience. Lacey is nineteen years old and finishing high school. The issues she faces are the very issues a teenager could be facing right now, some possibly even younger.
This series deals with heavy life issues. Issues that are real. It may not be for everyone, but it’s a reality for so many. I hope you take some valuable information away from reading A Destructive Novel series. If anything, please read the resources found in the back of each book.
Thank you for the opportunity to tell Lacey’s story. My story.
L.U. Ann
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Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Book News, YA Fiction on February 25, 2014
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LOST GIRL (An Oracles Novelette) By: Dax Varley
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on January 17, 2014
BLURB:
Juniper Lynch has a flair for all things psychic – a gift she inherited from her dearly departed granny.
When her best friend, Gena needs help finding her missing retainer, Juniper is quick to try scrying, aka crystal-gazing. With no crystal ball handy, she goes the easy route and gazes into a glass of water. But the image that appears is not what she expected. The shriveled face of a missing girl floats to the surface. Juniper is seized by a mystical connection and the countdown clock begins.
Can she find the lost girl before they both wither away?
REVIEW
You know that you’re in for an adventure when the Ouija board gets pulled out!
After Gena loses her retainer and is threatened with six weeks away from her besties, she’s willing to try anything that will help her find it. Fortunately for her, Juniper has inherited a unique gift that may be able to locate its whereabouts. Unfortunately for all of them, however, the gift has a mind of its own. As their focus begins to hone in on a missing girl in Junipers vision, they forget the dangerous situation they’re putting themselves into.
Juniper, Gena, and Anne are a comical and adorable trio. The freak, the geek, and the beauty are a very relatable combination. I can think of several little groups that I’ve known over the years that would fit their profile perfectly. I laughed, and held my breath, as the amazing young women worked together without doubting Juniper’s gift.
I love Dax Varley, as her novellas are intelligently written, fast paced, and so much fun! She has such an enchanting way of combining the paranormal with the thrill of a mystery, while giving the narrative from a teenager’s point of view. This story is entertaining, creative, funny, and touching. As with any book from this author, I highly recommend this to YA fans!
Book Links:
Amazon:
LOST GIRL (An Oracles Novelette)
Goodreads:
About the Author:
When Dax Varley isn’t reading, she’s slinging words onto a page. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband and a half-dozen imaginary friends.
Author Links: http://www.goodreads.com/dax_varley
Review: SEVERED a tale of sleepy hollow
Posted by The Literary Melting Pot in Reviews, YA Fiction on October 2, 2013
Blurb:
Katrina’s still haunted by her encounter with the Headless Horseman – the night he beckoned to her. Now he has risen again, slashing heads and terrorizing the quiet countryside.
Her only joy during this dismal darkness comes when Ichabod Crane, a gorgeous young man from Connecticut, moves to Sleepy Hollow and their attraction turns to romance.
When the Horseman marks Ichabod as his next victim, Katrina, despite dangerous efforts to save him, sees no other choice than for them to flee.
But the Horseman awaits. Now it’s up to her to sever the horror and alter the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Review:
This was the second novel that I’ve read by Dax Varley and once again, she’s blown me away. The writing style is intelligent, easy to follow, and conducive with the setting. Although this novel is based around the time of the Revolutionary War, the characters are relatable and very entertaining. I was completely enthralled from the first page, and on the edge of my seat as the mystery unraveled.
After rereading Irving’s tale, which was actually influenced by an Irish legend known as The Dullahan, I thoroughly enjoyed the route the author took with her version of the Headless Horseman and the inhabitants of Sleepy Hollow. There are several noticeable influences from other versions of the classic, but that does not take away from this story at all. Varley has turned the incorrigible Katrina into a loveable heroine, the lanky Ichabod into eye candy, and has manifested the Headless Horseman into a real being that is feared by all. The supporting characters are compelling as well, making this novel flow with incredible ease.
As expected, this author has done justice to a tale that has haunted many for centuries! This novel is romantic, scary, thrilling, and even comical at times. A story for YA and adults, I highly recommend this book!
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About the Author:
When Dax Varley isn’t reading, she’s slinging words onto a page. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband and a half-dozen imaginary friends.
Author Links: http://www.goodreads.com/dax_varley
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