Thursday, March 14, 2013

Review: The Obvious Game by Rita Arens


Blurb:


“Everyone trusted me back then. Good old, dependable Diana. Which is why most people didn’t notice at first.”


"Your shirt is yellow."
"Your eyes are blue."
"You have to stop running away from your problems."
"You're too skinny."

Fifteen-year-old Diana Keller accidentally begins teaching The Obvious Game to new kid Jesse on his sixteenth birthday. As their relationship deepens, Diana avoids Jesse's past with her own secrets -- which she'll protect at any cost.


My Review:


I know this book was written for teens, and it's perfect for them, but it's also perfect for adult survivors of the teen years! Though the book is set in the early nineties, its story is timeless.

Diana is a young girl facing the anguish of her mother's illness and her own eating disorder. It was handled with brilliant sensitivity. I found myself relating to Diana on such a deep and emotional level. I too grew up with a mother who had cancer, and I also had an eating disorder that I kept hidden. So reading Diana's story had me like this at some points:




And I LOVED it!

Diana's symptomology was so spot on that I didn't notice the signs of the disorder at first, much like any who was ill wouldn't. But then, things evolved. The story is beautifully written with character development that was so rich and genuine that I couldn't put the book down.

I don't want to say much more or reveal any spoliers, but I will say this book wasn't just a wonderful read. I haven't been so emotionally impacted by a book in a long time. So much so that it was a healing experience for me. And for that, Rita Arens, I must truly thank you.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewed By: Lisa

Monday, March 4, 2013

Release Day Party - The Watcher



Millennia ago, he fell from heaven for her.
Can he face her without falling again?

Fascinated with ancient civilizations, seventeen-year-old Mia Crawford dreams of becoming an archaeologist. She also dreams of wings—soft and silent like snow—and somebody trying to steal them.
When a horrible creature appears out of thin air and attacks her, she knows Michael Fontaine is involved, though he claims to know nothing about it. Secretive and aloof, Michael evokes feelings in Mia that she doesn’t understand. Images of another time and place haunt her. She recognizes them—but not from any textbook.

In search of the truth, Mia discovers a past life of forbidden love, jealousy and revenge that tore an angel from Heaven and sent her to an early grave. Now that her soul has returned, does she have a chance at loving that angel again? Or will an age-old nemesis destroy them both?
Ancient history is only the beginning.


Book Details:
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Format: eBook and Paperback
Length: Super Novel
ISBN: eBook: 978-0-9856562-1-8
Paperback: 978-0-9856562-2-5
Price: US $14.99  (Paperback)
US $4.99 (eBook)



About the Author:

A Canadian-born author, Lisa Voisin spent her childhood daydreaming and making up stories, but it was her love of reading and writing in her teens that drew her to Young Adult fiction.

When she's not writing, you'll find her meditating or hiking in the mountains to counter the side effects of drinking too much coffee.

She lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her fiance and their two cats.

Find her: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

The Giveaway:

Inkspell Publishing is offering a chance to win the following:

  • One of 2 Paperback copies of THE WATCHER (US, UK, and Canada-only)
  • One customizable eBook sleeve (US, UK, and Canada-only)
  • One of 5 eBook copies of THE WATCHER (Worldwide)
Note: The eBook sleeve giveaway is customizable. The winner will get to choose from a lot of designs and the name will be sewed in too if they wish. The designs are absolutely beautiful and the image below is only a sample.