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Emerald City
by
Alicia K. Leppert (Goodreads Author)
Olivia Tate is a broken shell of a girl haunted by the tragic events that fill her past. She has closed herself off from the world, each day grasping at something—anything—to live for. Convinced there will never be a way out, she seeks solace in the depths of her medicine cabinet. When she wakes up days later in the hospital she is introduced to Jude, the quiet stranger re...more
Hardcover, 311 pages
Published
April 10th 2012
by Sweetwater Books
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3.5 Stars
Emerald City was a haunting and engrossing story with a paranormal twist.
Twenty-year old Olivia is struggling with depression. It's a chore just getting through the day, going to work trying to act like she cares about anything. She barely eats and sleeping has become extremely difficult because she's plagued by nightmares of her mother's death. After overhearing mean comments about her at work, Olivia goes home, barely thinking through her actions, and almost ends her life. This is wh...more
Emerald City was a haunting and engrossing story with a paranormal twist.
Twenty-year old Olivia is struggling with depression. It's a chore just getting through the day, going to work trying to act like she cares about anything. She barely eats and sleeping has become extremely difficult because she's plagued by nightmares of her mother's death. After overhearing mean comments about her at work, Olivia goes home, barely thinking through her actions, and almost ends her life. This is wh...more
view all 14 comments
Twenty-year-old Olivia is depressed. Her father abandoned Olivia and her mother for his other family, and her mother abandoned when she moved out to get an education. She endures life poorly, social connection worse, and work with a fake smile plastered on her face.
Then one night, when the nightmares have robbed her of her sleep and she just wants to rest for a while, she downs a bottle of valium and lets go.
Except, she doesn't.
Olivia wakes up in a hospital to find out that a mysterious neigh...more
Then one night, when the nightmares have robbed her of her sleep and she just wants to rest for a while, she downs a bottle of valium and lets go.
Except, she doesn't.
Olivia wakes up in a hospital to find out that a mysterious neigh...more
They say its darkest just before dawn. One broken girl, one mysterious guy and two worlds collide in a terrific debut novel by Alicia K. Leppert. This novel revolves around Olivia and Jude and how far they are willing to go to get through life or make it bearable to live once again. Olivia, the girl with abandonment issues finds herself numbed to the core of her being with the ones she loved (or did love) no where insight. Jude comes to her and saves her from the black pit of a life she was lead...more
Seattle waitress Olivia Tate goes through the motions of living everyday, but life for her is torture. Sleeping is nearly impossible, and eating has no appeal. Her emotional scars are so deep that one night she decides she can't take it anymore.
Olivia is saved by Jude, a neighbor she's never seen. He helps her recover and she can't help falling for him. But she knows that he's keeping something important from her. She tries to protect her heart while digging for the truth.
The emotions described...more
Olivia is saved by Jude, a neighbor she's never seen. He helps her recover and she can't help falling for him. But she knows that he's keeping something important from her. She tries to protect her heart while digging for the truth.
The emotions described...more
The review is published to coincide with the book tour hosted by Cedar Fort Publishing.
Olivia Tate has not had an easy life, and it had taken a toll on her. After losing her mother, she has holed herself up in a tiny, cold apartment, and has been making herself go through the motions of life. However, one night, she has decided that she cannot take her life as it is anymore. She decides to take a bottle of pills in an attempt to end it all.
Jude West is a mysterious guy who is in the right place...more
Olivia Tate has not had an easy life, and it had taken a toll on her. After losing her mother, she has holed herself up in a tiny, cold apartment, and has been making herself go through the motions of life. However, one night, she has decided that she cannot take her life as it is anymore. She decides to take a bottle of pills in an attempt to end it all.
Jude West is a mysterious guy who is in the right place...more
Ok, I groaned out loud when I saw this book was published by Cedar Fort but the plot intrigued me so I read it anyway and, guess what, I liked it! Alicia's story needs editing as her characters lapse into annoying stream of consciousness narrative but her story idea is a good one. Alicia carefully steers her plot away from any "City of Angels" or "Twilight" rip offs and keeps the reader hooked throughout. With no premarital sex and cohabitation merely hinted at, this is a quick read and the firs...more
This novel, set in Seattle, tells the story of a young woman, Olivia, who is struggling with depression. Her mother died recently, and the hard life the two had after the desertion of Olivia's father has had its toll. Olivia exists, barely, moving through the routine of her life as a waitress and her small studio apartment. Even her friends have deserted her. When she thinks she has hit a low, she finds that someone does care and she has been helped. As she moves forward, she must find the stren...more
EMERALD CITY
By Alicia K. Leppert
It's always darkest before the dawn...
How is it possible to be alone in a city of 600,000 people? But it is possible in the sprawling cement jungle of Seattle, Washington. Sleep was impossible as the nightmarish memories came, especially just before the dawn. Daylight brought numbness which was a relief.
Olivia Tate's life has taken her down this path since the day her father left when she was five years old. In the years that followed she had managed to reject hum...more
By Alicia K. Leppert
It's always darkest before the dawn...
How is it possible to be alone in a city of 600,000 people? But it is possible in the sprawling cement jungle of Seattle, Washington. Sleep was impossible as the nightmarish memories came, especially just before the dawn. Daylight brought numbness which was a relief.
Olivia Tate's life has taken her down this path since the day her father left when she was five years old. In the years that followed she had managed to reject hum...more
Olivia has lived a very difficult life. Everyone she's ever loved or cared for has abandoned her and as a result, deep depression has set in. She's finally pushed over the edge, but luckily for her, she's rescued by a mysterious guy. After putting up major walls from everyone leaving her, Olivia finds herself reluctantly letting her rescuer, Jude, slowly break down those walls as they become friends. A heart-wrenching page turner as you discover just how much Olivia has been deeply hurt and how...more
Emerald City is an understated, touching, endearing read. Olivia is living a quiet life, slowly disappearing inside herself while the nightmares torture her nights and her insecurities and social anxiety’s prey on her days. After a particularly bad day Olivia sees no other option open to her, and, just wanting it all to stop, just for a little while, she takes solace in her medicine cabinet.
She is rescued by quiet and strong Jude, who is determined to make sure she realises she has something to...more
She is rescued by quiet and strong Jude, who is determined to make sure she realises she has something to...more
Review by Book Babe at www.romancingthetomereviews.com
Quickie Review:
A story that begins in a dark place and leads the reader beyond the desperation and the darkness into a world of love and light.
First Line:
"They say it's darkest just before dawn."
Summary:
***SUMMARY CONTAINS SPOILERS***
Twenty year old Olivia Tate lost her father at the age of five when he walked out on her and her mother, and chose instead to live with his "other" family complete with "other" kids. (Bastard.) Her mother never r...more
Quickie Review:
A story that begins in a dark place and leads the reader beyond the desperation and the darkness into a world of love and light.
First Line:
"They say it's darkest just before dawn."
Summary:
***SUMMARY CONTAINS SPOILERS***
Twenty year old Olivia Tate lost her father at the age of five when he walked out on her and her mother, and chose instead to live with his "other" family complete with "other" kids. (Bastard.) Her mother never r...more
Emerald City is a story of survival, hope, sacrifice, and how just the little things can turn someone’s life around completely.
The story is great, however you do get dropped in right at the bad part and while the first part of the book takes you through Olivia's healing process, it is a very dark subject that some readers might not take to.
I enjoyed the parts of this book that dealt with Olivia's depression and anxiety, as well as her steps toward healing after the suicide attempt. The mind of...more
The story is great, however you do get dropped in right at the bad part and while the first part of the book takes you through Olivia's healing process, it is a very dark subject that some readers might not take to.
I enjoyed the parts of this book that dealt with Olivia's depression and anxiety, as well as her steps toward healing after the suicide attempt. The mind of...more
It's a little bit difficult to review the book without giving away too much of the story, and I don't want to do that. I want readers of the book to discover the secrets as they read rather than from my review, so I'm going to try to give as thorough a review as possible without filling it with spoilers.
Emerald City is the story of Olivia, who lost her mother in the most tragic way a young girl possibly can. She wraps herself in her misery, isolated from humanity, barely existing from day to day...more
Emerald City is the story of Olivia, who lost her mother in the most tragic way a young girl possibly can. She wraps herself in her misery, isolated from humanity, barely existing from day to day...more
The touch, the feel, the fabric of a perfect romance. This is the story of Emerald City.
The tale unfolds with the story of Olivia, a seriously depressed young woman. She’s experienced great sorrow for her tender years, and finds little to hope for. This hopelessness leads her down a self-destructive path until she ultimately tries to commit suicide. She would’ve succeeded, too, if it hadn’t been for the careful observations of her next door neighbor, Jude.
Ah, Jude. He’s kind, handsome, loyal, de...more
The tale unfolds with the story of Olivia, a seriously depressed young woman. She’s experienced great sorrow for her tender years, and finds little to hope for. This hopelessness leads her down a self-destructive path until she ultimately tries to commit suicide. She would’ve succeeded, too, if it hadn’t been for the careful observations of her next door neighbor, Jude.
Ah, Jude. He’s kind, handsome, loyal, de...more
Olivia is in a dark place. Having been abandoned by everyone she loved, Olivia has reached the end. She can no longer deal with her life. What she thinks will be the end however is a new beginning. Saved by her handsome neighbor Jude, Olivia faces a different life. One that is full of Jude. Olivia finds that she does has something to live for. However, Jude has some secrets, the kind that could change everything for both him and Olivia. They both have to learn to adjust to their new situations,...more
Summary
Olivia Tate has had a tough life. She is barely making it through each day, simply going through the motions, when she overhears unkind words about her. She is in the depths of despair and can see no way out except through a bottle of pills.
When she wakes up in the hospital, the nurse tells her she was saved by her neighbor, a young man with green eyes named Jude. Jude is genuinely kind, yet quiet and incredibly private about his life. Olivia finds herself drawn to Jude, and as they build...more
Olivia Tate has had a tough life. She is barely making it through each day, simply going through the motions, when she overhears unkind words about her. She is in the depths of despair and can see no way out except through a bottle of pills.
When she wakes up in the hospital, the nurse tells her she was saved by her neighbor, a young man with green eyes named Jude. Jude is genuinely kind, yet quiet and incredibly private about his life. Olivia finds herself drawn to Jude, and as they build...more
Doesn't Emerald City have a pretty cover? I really like it. The line on the front is so true, too. I think that one line is perfect for the story of Emerald City.
I think I forgot what this book was about in the time between when I signed up for the blog tour and the day I actually read the book. I was a bit surprised when I started reading it. It wasn't what I was expecting. That's not a bad thing. I kinda like good book surprises. :)
I would call this book "real life drama with a paranormal twi...more
I think I forgot what this book was about in the time between when I signed up for the blog tour and the day I actually read the book. I was a bit surprised when I started reading it. It wasn't what I was expecting. That's not a bad thing. I kinda like good book surprises. :)
I would call this book "real life drama with a paranormal twi...more
Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert was well written, almost methodically planned out. When I first started reading it, I was entranced by Olivia's story. I felt her emotions and that loneliness that made her cut off everyone and not care. Although looking at the flip side, perhaps she cared too much. I felt myself drowning in her pity and sadness.
When the story inserted Jude, I felt as if I was the last one to know a huge secret. I even numerous times commented in my head "Did I miss something?"...more
When the story inserted Jude, I felt as if I was the last one to know a huge secret. I even numerous times commented in my head "Did I miss something?"...more
This book deals with some serious issues. And it dumps you right in the deep end, so be prepared for that. And by that I mean that the story starts off on a very somber tone.
I'm not going to lie, when I first met Olivia I didn't think I was going to like her. I thought she seemed weak and wouldn't be able to help anyone, let alone herself. Nothing could be further from the truth! She really grew as the story progressed. I was so happy to be proven wrong and I ended up loving her!
And then there...more
I'm not going to lie, when I first met Olivia I didn't think I was going to like her. I thought she seemed weak and wouldn't be able to help anyone, let alone herself. Nothing could be further from the truth! She really grew as the story progressed. I was so happy to be proven wrong and I ended up loving her!
And then there...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Originally reviewed here.
This is a book that I think will do well in its genre. It’s exactly what fans of paranormal romance would expect it to be, and will probably be a crowd-pleaser. I rated it three-stars because I felt a bit let down by its predictability. In a genre that is so popular it’s starting to become formulaic, I kept waiting for Leppert to pull out a trick I’d never seen before. It never happened, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In a lot of ways, Emerald City plays to the t...more
This is a book that I think will do well in its genre. It’s exactly what fans of paranormal romance would expect it to be, and will probably be a crowd-pleaser. I rated it three-stars because I felt a bit let down by its predictability. In a genre that is so popular it’s starting to become formulaic, I kept waiting for Leppert to pull out a trick I’d never seen before. It never happened, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In a lot of ways, Emerald City plays to the t...more
This is one of those books where you really don't know what to expect. The synopsis doesn't give much away. Presuming this was possibly a contemporary romance I entered into Olivia's world at the worst possible moment. For her there is nothing left. Her father left her, her mother left her. Now she's alone and trying to cope having pushed her best friend away in the process. In her darkest hour she's saved by the mysterious Jude. Handsome, patient but quiet, Olivia is drawn to her saviour but it...more
Emerald City is about a girl named Olivia who has been abandoned by every one in her life. Her father leftve her family. Her mother committed suicide. Her best friend left her when things got too tough. After having everyone she cared about leave, she became so depressed she tried to kill herself. Her "neighbor" saves her but he's not all he seems to be.
I actually really liked this book. It was a sweet romance and a story of healing. Olivia goes from suicidal to bringing her life back together....more
I actually really liked this book. It was a sweet romance and a story of healing. Olivia goes from suicidal to bringing her life back together....more
3.5 stars-
Emerald City is one young woman's journey from the harrowing feeling of hopelessness to beginning to heal. 20 year old Olivia has suffered far more than most 20 year olds and feels alone in the world, her mother having committed suicide and her father abandoning the family after living a lie. One particularly hard night Olivia reaches her breaking point and in an effort to end the pain ends up in a hospital bed with no knowledge of how she could have possibly been saved. Her front doo...more
Emerald City is one young woman's journey from the harrowing feeling of hopelessness to beginning to heal. 20 year old Olivia has suffered far more than most 20 year olds and feels alone in the world, her mother having committed suicide and her father abandoning the family after living a lie. One particularly hard night Olivia reaches her breaking point and in an effort to end the pain ends up in a hospital bed with no knowledge of how she could have possibly been saved. Her front doo...more
First off, I received this book (my first one at that) from Net Galley. I don't know why, but I felt really important to be given the chance to read a book that's not yet to be released until April 10th. Like I was going to know this all important secret before the rest of the world. So if you will, indulge me for a moment while I live on this high.
To be honest, what first drew me to the book was the cover and the title. I mean, the cover looked all dark and mysterious and the title instantly m...more
To be honest, what first drew me to the book was the cover and the title. I mean, the cover looked all dark and mysterious and the title instantly m...more
This is more a 3.5 rating for me. I rounded up. :)
Emerald City is a book that takes a look at depression and the recovery of a young woman named Olivia.
She tried to end her life one evening and is saved by a young man named Jude. He is supposedly her neighbor who saw her taking too many pills through her apartment window.
Jude takes an interest in Olivia and helps her along the way to feeling better about herself and taking care of herself. They become good friends and the relationship is on tr...more
Emerald City is a book that takes a look at depression and the recovery of a young woman named Olivia.
She tried to end her life one evening and is saved by a young man named Jude. He is supposedly her neighbor who saw her taking too many pills through her apartment window.
Jude takes an interest in Olivia and helps her along the way to feeling better about herself and taking care of herself. They become good friends and the relationship is on tr...more
Olivia, who is only 20 years old, feels she has already reached the lowest point in her life. So low, in fact, that she's decided to end it. But luckily for her, she is not successful.
Her rescuer is Jude, an impossibly handsome neighbor who caught her just in time to get her to get her to the hospital and save her life. As Olivia struggles to overcome the physical and emotional fallout from what happened to her, she finds that Jude will become much more than her life saver.
But can Olivia, who ha...more
Her rescuer is Jude, an impossibly handsome neighbor who caught her just in time to get her to get her to the hospital and save her life. As Olivia struggles to overcome the physical and emotional fallout from what happened to her, she finds that Jude will become much more than her life saver.
But can Olivia, who ha...more
3 1/2 Stars
If you're looking for a fresh new and exciting fantasy read, than this book probably isn't for you. Emerald City is little more than a YA romance, with secondary fantasy elements added. I had no idea that this was a YA book until I reached the end, since it isn't marketed as such. Those who know me, know that I rarely read those types of novels for a variety of reasons.
The main plot centers around a chaste romance that sometimes borders on extreme sweetness. There is quite a few obst...more
If you're looking for a fresh new and exciting fantasy read, than this book probably isn't for you. Emerald City is little more than a YA romance, with secondary fantasy elements added. I had no idea that this was a YA book until I reached the end, since it isn't marketed as such. Those who know me, know that I rarely read those types of novels for a variety of reasons.
The main plot centers around a chaste romance that sometimes borders on extreme sweetness. There is quite a few obst...more
Feb 27, 2012
Erica Smith
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Teens, young adults, Christians, librarians, and book lovers
Recommended to Erica by:
NetGalley
Shelves:
addiction-to-fiction
It really is darkest before dawn.
And in the darkest time of her life, Olivia meets Jude West and with each page turned, there is a steady, mild excitement as to what and who Jude West really is and the events unfold into something achingly clear, something familiar to us all. Jude’s story is our story, Olivia’s pain and hope is our pain and hope and this is what separates Leppert’s novel from other fiction and literature…the genre is quite unclear.
Before leading into the juicy goodness of this a...more
And in the darkest time of her life, Olivia meets Jude West and with each page turned, there is a steady, mild excitement as to what and who Jude West really is and the events unfold into something achingly clear, something familiar to us all. Jude’s story is our story, Olivia’s pain and hope is our pain and hope and this is what separates Leppert’s novel from other fiction and literature…the genre is quite unclear.
Before leading into the juicy goodness of this a...more
A despondent young woman grieving over the loss of her mother is saved from a half-hearted suicide attempt by a mysterious and other worldly stranger. If this description interests you, you are the audience for Emerald City.
I enjoyed reading it, but there were no surprises in the plot or character development. It is set in Seattle, and I liked the references to Seattle locations and landmarks.
The narrative switches from Olivia in first person to Jude in third person, and I found that distracting...more
I enjoyed reading it, but there were no surprises in the plot or character development. It is set in Seattle, and I liked the references to Seattle locations and landmarks.
The narrative switches from Olivia in first person to Jude in third person, and I found that distracting...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Reviews: Emerald City by: Alicia K. Leppert | 1 | 7 | Apr 25, 2012 05:05pm |
I always knew I wanted to be a writer, ever since Career Day in first grade when I walked around carrying a notebook and pencil. Twenty-some odd years later, after a short stint in high school where I dreamed of being an actress, a whirlwind Internet romance including a blind proposal that led to a fairytale wedding and two pretty-near perfect kids, my lifelong dream came to fruition with my first...more
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“I felt like a mouse running through one of those cardboard mazes. I didn't have to think about anything I did. My body just...went. The difference was that, unlike the mouse, there was no hunk of cheese waiting for me at the end. No reward of any kind for making it through. In fact, there was no end at all.”
—
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