Book Review: Who We Were

 "...sometimes memories of the past are hardest to part with" 
- from book description on Goodreads

I was so excited to be one of the privileged people who got to read Christy Sloat's new book before its official release date.  This is her first book-writing experience in the genre of contemporary romance for YA, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

Who We Were officially releases on September 15

Sadie is attending summer school - by choice.  While most teens are there to make up for slacking off the previous school year and failing, Sadie wants to get ahead so that she can begin taking college credit during her senior year.  The class that she needs is at a different school than she attends, and the peers that she meets there will shape her summer into something much different than she could have ever thought.

This book has so much hurt hidden between the pages.  I wanted to reach through the pages of the book (OK, you caught me - I was reading on my iPad mini) and shake some sense into one of the characters.  I don't want to write any spoilers, so I won't go into detail.  But just know that this book is more than just a typical romance.  

Friendship.  Football players.  Parties.  Twins.  

On a bit of a side note, I just want to applaud Christy Sloat for not taking the "true love waits" approach to teen romance.  It irks me to no end when reading a YA novel and the main characters rush to get married so that they can stay pure, or only kiss once - I know that people will disagree with me on this, but I think that view point is simply unrealistic.  Once upon a time I was as big of a prude as the come, but lets be realistic; teens show affection. 

Alright, stepping down from my podium now.

The last page of this book gave me all the feels.  In a good way, though.  Who We Were is so different from her other books, which really goes to show how Christy Sloat can capture audiences across multiple genres.  I'm so thrilled to be a part of helping celebrate her release and can't wait to see what she writes next!

Pre-order your copy on Amazon

Book Review: The Crimson Key

Blurb from Goodreads:

"The truth can be deadly.

Brylee Branson’s best friend and boyfriend have fallen victim to a horrible curse that haunts her home. With the witches who cast it dead she has no choice but to rely on the ghosts inside the Brown house to help her find a cure. But time is not on her side, because Lynley's illness is spreading rapidly.

Confused and scared, seventeen-year-old Brylee must confront a new ghost in the house she has never spoken to before. This spirit is not a Brown relative and makes no promises to help them … unless she can re-unite her with a loved one.

The fate of those she loves now rests on her. Can Brylee put the pieces of this puzzle together in time to save them? Or will the Brown house claim another victim?

The Visitor’s Series continues to scare and entice its readers with this gripping second book."



With the way that book one ended, I absolutely couldn't wait to start reading book 2.  Brylee's world is practically falling apart, and she has to find a way to make it all right.  There's ghosts, and witches, and a nasty curse.  Her best friend and boyfriend are in serious trouble - "it's" going to hit the fan!

How much do I love Christy Sloat's books?  This much!  ::holds out arms wide::  She is a wonderful storyteller, making the paranormal vivid and tension-building.  I was lucky enough to be given an advanced reader copy of the third book, which I am currently devouring. I can't get enough!

If you love YA, and if you dabble in the paranormal, this series is a must-read for you!

Book Review: The Brown House

I wasn't kidding when I said that The Visitor's series was next on my list. And after participating in the cover reveal for the third book, I was excited to get started. 

Brylee is a California teen who has to move across the country after her father loses his job. They end up in New Jersey, where the creepy house on the book cover becomes their new home. Everyone in town is frightened of the brown house, with talk of people dying in there, and of ghosts. Little did she know, Brylee has the ability to unlock the house's secrets. 

This book had me hooked pretty fast. While the idea of an old, haunted house may seem very first season, American Horror Story, The Brown House is it's own story. But just to warn you: you'll want the second book ready to read because the end of this one is going to have you shaking your fist and cursing. (Or maybe that's just my thing. ) 

After last year, when I discovered both Stacey Rourke and J.B. Lynn, I was wondering if I would find an author this year that I loved as much. Christy Sloat, you're it, lady!  But be warned: I've been known to live fb message authors while reading their books!

Stay tuned for the next review. Grab this book up and let me know what you think!

Cover Reveal: The White Door by Christy Sloat

First off, how cute is this author banner?  I love it so much, I knew that I had to make sure to include it in my post.  Maybe I need one like this, only with blonde hair, and reading.  Oh, and the room would be covered in toys.

But aside from that, the main purpose of this post is to share with you the cover reveal for Christy's third book in the Visitor's Series, The White Door.  And here it is...

Absolutely stunning, if you ask me.  Doesn't the cover make you just want to pick it up and read it (in a fully lit house, of course) to find out what's behind that door?  So what is the book about?

Blurb:

The haunting third book in the Best Selling Visitors Series.

“When I first moved here I was still a girl who cherished the normality of teen life. Now, after being here a year I had come to love a boy who was both strong and courageous. I made real friendships that would last even after death. The selfish girl my grandmother warned me of becoming had vanished. A girl who stood tall, with the powers to see the dead and help those in need, appeared in her place.”

In Brylee’s world, nothing is normal. She sees and speaks with the dead and, at seventeen years old, she already has a full plate. She’s in her senior year of high school and college is just around the corner, but only if she learns to control her gifts and survive in the land of the living. She has succeeded in ridding her boyfriend, Ephraim, from the Brown family curse, but, in the end, her best friend loses her life. Now a whole slew of new problems present itself and, like always, Brylee is tempted to run for the hills. With Ephraim at her side, she must come to grips with the reality that she is not an average girl and she never will be. What will happen when the town turns on her? Or, better yet, when a body is unearthed in her backyard? The choices that Brylee must make will determine whether she has a future or nothing at all.

This series is next up on my to-read list.  In fact, the author has already kindly gifted me with the first two books, and I am going to dive in this weekend!  I am so excited to read these. Keep watching for my reviews!

 

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