P.D. Workman's Blog, page 101
March 27, 2018
Excerpt from Room by Emma Donoghue
Easter is coming! I’ll have some special deals going on this weekend. come on back and check them out!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
I just started Emma Donoghue’s Room today, but I am already entranced by it. I love little Jack’s voice and the courage of his mother. A very difficult topic handled in a surprisingly charming way.
“Well, I couldn’t draw you while you were awake, or it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?” Ma waits. “I thought you’d like a surprise.”
“I prefer a surprise and me knowing.”
Emma Donoghue, Room
To five-year-old Jack, Room is the world. It’s where he was born. It’s where he and Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. There are endless wonders that let loose Jack’s imagination: the snake under Bed that he constructs out of eggshells; the imaginary world projected through the TV; the coziness of Wardrobe, where Ma tucks him in safely at night, in case Old Nick comes.
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it’s the prison where she’s been held since she was nineteen—for seven long years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in that eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But Jack’s curiosity is building alongside Ma’s own desperation, and she knows that Room cannot contain either indefinitely.
Told in the inventive, funny and poignant voice of Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience—and a powerful story of a mother and son whose love lets them survive the impossible.
March 22, 2018
40% off ebook bundles at Kobo
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Kobo is having a boxed set sale, and both Enemy of Light (four suspense books) and Medical Kidnap Files #1-3 are on sale for 40% off. Pop on over to pick up one or both!
The coupon code is 40DEAL
March 20, 2018
Excerpt from The Aeronaut’s Windlass
I released Two Teardrops, sequel to the award-winning Tattooed Teardrops last Friday; be sure to check it out!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
I am really enjoying a new (to me) book from Jim Butcher, The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut’s Windlass[image error]. I’ve read a couple of the Dresden Files series before, but this is the first in the Cinder Spires series. This new world of crystal-powered airships, pirates, and warrior cats is the best fantasy I’ve read in a long time. There is enough undiscovered backstory and possibilities to sustain several series. Jim Butcher’s description of the body language and behavior of the cats is perfect. They are so clearly superior to the humans. At one point, Rowl’s note that the leaders of the humans often wear large hats, which he thinks is ‘adorable’ had me laughing out loud.
There was a rustle and a very light thump, and she looked up to see one of her favorite people bound lightly from the top of the next vat, land in silence only a few feet away, and sit down, regarding her with large green eyes.
The Aeronaut’s Windlass, Jim Butcher
Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity. Within their halls, the ruling aristocratic houses develop scientific marvels, foster trade alliances, and maintain fleets of airships to keep the peace.
Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship Predator. Loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy’s shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is damaged in combat, Grimm joins a team of Albion agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring his ship.
And as Grimm undertakes this task, he learns that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity’s ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake…
March 16, 2018
Vanishing Teardrops
Vanishing Teardrops by P. D. Workman
Series: Tamara's Teardrops #4
Genres: Young Adult
Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play, Booksamillion, Audible
Goodreads
The worst thing that could possibly happen, did.
Fourth in the series of Tattooed Teardrops, winner of the 2016 Top Fiction award by Library Services for Youth in Custody’s In The Margins Committee.
It was her second chance at parole, and Tamara knew this time that it wasn’t going to be easy. That ended up being the understatement of the century. In a new environment, trying to be a parent for the first time after years of not being allowed to make any decisions for herself, she didn’t know how she was going to make it.
And then the worst thing that could possibly happen, did.
Caught in the middle of a missing child investigation where she is the prime suspect, Tamara is in a race against the clock to find out what happened to her baby before it is too late.
Coming Soon!
+ Praise for Tamara's Teardrops Series
—Refreshingly bold
—I couldn’t stop reading it! It took me about two days to read it and I ended up staying up late on a school night! Oh well, it was totally worth it! Thank you!
—Absolutely amazing, I just want to keep reading!
—No words, just pure happiness.
—I found myself rooting for [Tamara] all the way to the end.
+ Endorsements for Tattooed Teardrops
Readers will appreciate the realistic details about Tamara’s release, her issues dealing with a foster family, her emotional triggers, and the challenges facing someone trying to maintain the conditions of parole. For those teens who love books where all that can go wrong does go wrong (isn’t that almost all of them?), this is a winner.
P.D. Workman’s fictional Tattooed Teardrops and Tewhan Butler’s nonfiction title America’s Massacre: The Audacity of Despair and a Message of Hope top this year’s In the Margins (ITM) Book Awards. The selection committee, operating under Library Services for Youth in Custody, selected these winning works among books by, for, and about kids living in the margins.
– Library Services for Youth in Custody
+ Book Club Resources
Bullying Pinterest Board
Mental Illness Pinterest Board
Domestic Abuse Pinterest Board
Foster Care Pinterest Board
+ Praise for P.D. Workman
“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me in ways no one or almost anything else has. And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”
“The way that P.D. Workman writes just flows amazingly and allows the reader to get really invested in a book.”
“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend her enough.”
+ Tortured Teardrops on my Blog
Vanishing Teardrops
Fourth in the series of Tattooed Teardrops, winner of the 2016 Top Fiction award by Library Services for Youth in ...
More...
Sequels to Tattooed Teardrops are coming soon!
Since I published Tattooed Teardrops, one of the most common comments that I received was "when is the sequel coming ...
More...
Plans for 2018
Wondering what's in store for 2018? Here is a quickie outline of some of my releases for this year: This ...
More...
Another Excerpt from The Hero of Ages
I told you I would have a Halloween short story for you in the Auntie Clem's Bakery series, and it ...
More...
About P. D. Workman
Award-winning author P.D. Workman writes riveting young adult/suspense fiction about mental illness, addiction, and abuse. P.D. Workman is a devout wife and a mother of one, born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She loves to read and is a technology geek with a love for all kinds of gadgets and tools. For as long as she can remember, the blank page has held an incredible allure, leading her to write her first complete novel at the age of twelve.
Tortured Teardrops
Tortured Teardrops by P. D. Workman
Series: Tamara's Teardrops #3
Genres: Young Adult
Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play, Booksamillion, Audible
Goodreads
Tamara French is back in juvenile detention, and things are not going well.
Tortured Teardrops
Third in series after the award-winning Tattooed Teardrops, winner of the 2016 Top Fiction award by Library Services for Youth in Custody’s In The Margins Committee.
Tamara French is back in juvenile detention, and things are not going well. Have her experiences on the outside affected her so much? The staff can’t figure out what is wrong, and Tamara herself can’t explain what is going on with her.
Things are spiraling rapidly out of control and nobody seems to be able to reach Tamara anymore.
Coming Soon!
+ Praise for Tamara's Teardrops Series
—Refreshingly bold
—I couldn’t stop reading it! It took me about two days to read it and I ended up staying up late on a school night! Oh well, it was totally worth it! Thank you!
—Absolutely amazing, I just want to keep reading!
—No words, just pure happiness.
—I found myself rooting for [Tamara] all the way to the end.
+ Endorsements for Tattooed Teardrops
Readers will appreciate the realistic details about Tamara’s release, her issues dealing with a foster family, her emotional triggers, and the challenges facing someone trying to maintain the conditions of parole. For those teens who love books where all that can go wrong does go wrong (isn’t that almost all of them?), this is a winner.
P.D. Workman’s fictional Tattooed Teardrops and Tewhan Butler’s nonfiction title America’s Massacre: The Audacity of Despair and a Message of Hope top this year’s In the Margins (ITM) Book Awards. The selection committee, operating under Library Services for Youth in Custody, selected these winning works among books by, for, and about kids living in the margins.
– Library Services for Youth in Custody
+ Book Club Resources
Bullying Pinterest Board
Mental Illness Pinterest Board
Domestic Abuse Pinterest Board
Foster Care Pinterest Board
+ Praise for P.D. Workman
“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me in ways no one or almost anything else has. And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”
“The way that P.D. Workman writes just flows amazingly and allows the reader to get really invested in a book.”
“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend her enough.”
+ Tortured Teardrops on my Blog
Vanishing Teardrops
Fourth in the series of Tattooed Teardrops, winner of the 2016 Top Fiction award by Library Services for Youth in ...
More...
Tortured Teardrops
Tortured Teardrops Third in series after the award-winning Tattooed Teardrops, winner of the 2016 Top Fiction award by Library Services ...
More...
Sequels to Tattooed Teardrops are coming soon!
Since I published Tattooed Teardrops, one of the most common comments that I received was "when is the sequel coming ...
More...
Plans for 2018
Wondering what's in store for 2018? Here is a quickie outline of some of my releases for this year: This ...
More...
About P. D. Workman
Award-winning author P.D. Workman writes riveting young adult/suspense fiction about mental illness, addiction, and abuse. P.D. Workman is a devout wife and a mother of one, born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She loves to read and is a technology geek with a love for all kinds of gadgets and tools. For as long as she can remember, the blank page has held an incredible allure, leading her to write her first complete novel at the age of twelve.
March 15, 2018
New Releases! Two Teardrops is now live
[image error][image error]
Two Teardrops, the much-anticipated sequel to award-winning Tattooed Teardrops is now live!
There was no justice.
Returning to juvie after breaching her parole, Tamara finds that everything is the same as when she left, and yet everything is different. She fights to reestablish her rep while increasingly troubled by emerging memories.
Unexpected events lead to Tamara again finding herself out of juvie and on the streets, trying to resolve her past while avoiding capture by the authorities.
More New Releases
I have a few other new releases for you to have a look at while you’re at it!
Restore Me (Shatter Me)
by Tahereh Mafi
Restore Me
Juliette and Warner’s story continues in the electrifying fourth installment of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series.
Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander of North America, and now has Warner by her side. But when tragedy strikes, she must confront the darkness that dwells both around and inside her.
Who will she become in the face of adversity? Will she be able to control the power she wields, and use it for good?
Emma's Story
by Nils Odlund
Emma’s Story
Emma wants what all young anfylk women want, a burrow in the village and a family to fill it with life – and she could have it. Her best friend Torkel has proposed. He’s the only one for her and he’s first in line for the only available burrow in their small hillside village.
It should be easy, but it’s not. Torkel is a dreamer and a scoundrel. A self-styled huntsman and adventurer, with no real grasp of what it means to be a father and a husband.
But time is ticking, and the longer the burrow lies empty the weaker the village’s spirit gets. When an angry bear comes down from the mountains to terrorize their forest the villagers are unable to ward it off on their own.
Go: A Coming of Age Novel
by Kazuki Kaneshiro
Go
As a Korean student in a Japanese high school, Sugihara has had to defend himself against all kinds of bullies. But nothing could have prepared him for the heartache he feels when he falls hopelessly in love with a Japanese girl named Sakurai. Immersed in their shared love for classical music and foreign movies, the two gradually grow closer and closer.
One night, after being hit by personal tragedy, Sugihara reveals to Sakurai that he is not Japanese—as his name might indicate.
Torn between a chance at self-discovery that he’s ready to seize and the prejudices of others that he can’t control, Sugihara must decide who he wants to be and where he wants to go next. Will Sakurai be able to confront her own bias and accompany him on his journey?
Heiress to Waitress (The Royal Tea Shop Book 1)
by Ginny Clyde
Heiress to Waitress
When sixteen-year-old Olivia Buchannan’s father dies suddenly, her life is thrown into chaos. She is torn from the high society world of Edinburgh and her beloved Academy to go live in a small town in Pennsylvania where her mother grew up. Life is not the same anymore, but it’s turning into one heck of an adventure.
As if there wasn’t enough struggle in Olivia’s riches-to-rags life already, a mysterious boy has taken up stalking her. Even though she tries to avoid him, he is always there to save the day. It wouldn’t be as bad if he didn’t make her heart race every time she was near him.
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
by Stacy Claflin
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
He’s on the road to fame. She’s at the end of the line. A chance meeting will change everything.
Kenna Mitchell grew up despised and mistreated by those who should’ve loved and protected her. Now homeless and alone, with pain too heavy to bear, she’s ready to end it all.
Enter Rogan Scott, an up-and-coming rock star with one focus—his band. Out in the woods, looking for song inspiration, he comes across a beautiful girl seconds from ending her life. 
Road to Eugenica
by A.M. Rose
Road to Eugenica
Yesterday, Drea Smith couldn’t do anything spectacular—even walking and texting at the same time was a challenge. But today, she suddenly has more answers than Google, can speak and understand numerous languages, and she can fight. Like a boss.
Seriously cool.
Drea has no idea where her encyclopedic knowledge has come from, but she’ll take it when she discovers someone out there knows her secret and wants her badly. And that they’ve been searching for her since she was born.
Since she was created.
Better Than This
by Tia Souders
Better Than This
Before the car accident that changed everything, Samantha Becker was a happy and loved little girl. Ten years later, Sam, now 18, lives under a dark cloud—largely ignored by an alcoholic mother who never recovered from her loss and ruled by an overbearing father who blames Samantha for the family tragedy. And yet, the troubled teenager has a dream that keeps her going, and an extraordinary musical talent that could take her all the way to Julliard…and far beyond.
Following her heart, however, means defying her father, who has his own plans for his daughter’s future. Then, in the wake of another devastating personal catastrophe, her dream is irreparably shattered, and in her pain and anger, Samantha acts out recklessly. But her salvation could come from a most unlikely trio: a handsome college student, a hopeful little boy…and an older neighbor woman whose caring and secrets will change Sam’s world forever.
Twelve Steps to Normal
by Farrah Penn
Twelve Steps to Normal
When Kira’s father enters rehab, she’s forced to leave everything behind–her home, her best friends, her boyfriend…everything she loves. Now her father’s sober (again) and Kira is returning home, determined to get her life back to normal…exactly as it was before she was sent away.
But is that what Kira really wants?
Life, love, and loss come crashing together in this visceral, heartfelt story by BuzzFeed writer Farrah Penn about a girl who struggles to piece together the shards of her once-normal life before his alcoholism tore it apart.
Saving Me
by Sadie Allen
Saving Me
On the outside, Ally has everything any teenager could want. She’s beautiful, popular, and athletic. She has the right friends, an adoring boyfriend, and the picture-perfect family.
Too bad it’s all a lie.
Every day she’s dying a little on the inside, drowning in everyone’s expectations and opinions, the weight of it all pulling her under.
She wants to do the unthinkable … until a boy with shaggy hair, unusual eyes, and a lip ring changes her plans.
Stolen Lives: an American Crisis
by Tom Gnagey
Stolen Lives
The story presents five, precious, teen lives – strangers – four in love with life, on their ways to happy, productive futures, while one, understandably, hates the life he is forced to live as an outsider, separate from his peers. The reader grows to love and understand an artist, an athlete, a shy volunteer, an accomplished pianist, and a sad, angry loner. Each of eight chapters presents 5 vignettes, illustrating aspects of the lives they each lead at school and within their families.
Gradually, those stories coalesce, painting pictures of five, fascinating teens, each one displaying his or her ups and downs, hopes and dreams, big questions about life, and the responsibilities and activities that come to give purpose to their young lives. And then, the shooting.
This novel is a celebration of life, as it reflects on the most devastating act in society, today – the school shooting. There is no depiction of violence.
The Girl Without Magic (The Chronicles of Maggie Trent Book 1)
by Megan O'Russell
The Girl Without Magic
Death would have been easier, but the Siren wasn’t through with her.
Seventeen-year-old Maggie Trent fell out of a battle and into the Siren’s Realm, a land where secrets hide in the shadows and pleasure comes at a price Maggie is unwilling to pay.
The time for the Siren’s reckoning has come, sweeping away all she deems unworthy to live in her realm. Those without magic are hunted by the Siren. Those with magic are hunted by the Stricken. Fighting or hiding seem necessary to survive. But there is a different way.
In Sight of Stars: A Novel
by Gae Polisner
In Sight of Stars
Seventeen-year-old Klee’s father was the center of his life. He introduced Klee to the great museums of New York City and the important artists on their walls, he told him stories made of myths and magic. Until his death.
Now, forced to live in the suburbs with his mom, Klee can’t help but feel he’s lost all the identifying parts of himself—his beloved father, weekly trips to the MoMA, and the thrumming energy of New York City. That is until he meets wild and free Sarah in art class, with her quick smiles and jokes about his “brooding.” Suddenly it seems as if she’s the only thing that makes him happy. But when an act of betrayal sends him reeling, Klee lands in what is bitingly referred to as the “Ape Can,” a psychiatric hospital for teens in Northhollow.
Good Luck Charm (The Holiday High Series) (Volume 2)
by Kellie McAllen
Good Luck Charm
Basketball star Kerri “Killer O’Connor” knows she’s bad luck, and she’s tried everything to keep it from ruining her life — a rabbit’s foot, a horseshoe, her dad’s lucky shirt — she’s never without one.
When her dad gets hurt in a freak accident on Friday the 13th, Kerri is sure she’s to blame, but then a boy shows up wearing her father’s old sweatshirt, and Kerri’s luck suddenly does a 180.
Convinced that Connor Murphy is the talisman she needs to change her fate, Kerri begs him to be there for her while her dad is recuperating. Connor doesn’t believe in luck, but he’d do anything to win the girl of his dreams, even if that means spending all his time with Kerri.
More Than We Can Tell
by Brigid Kemmerer
More Than We Can Tell
With loving adoptive parents by his side, Rev Fletcher has managed to keep the demons of his past at bay. . . until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.
Emma Blue’s parents are constantly fighting, and her only escape is the computer game she built from scratch. But when a cruel online troll’s harassment escalates, she not only loses confidence but starts to fear for her safety.
When Rev and Emma meet, they’re both longing to lift the burden of their secrets. They connect instantly and deeply, promising to help each other no matter what. But soon Rev and Emma’s secrets threaten to crush them, and they’ll need more than a promise to find their way out. 
Heart of the Dragon (The Lost Royals Saga) (Volume 3)
by Rachel Jonas
Heart of the Dragon
(Book #1 is $0.99 here)
Even the deadliest dragon warrior has a weakness … his answers to the name Evangeline. Liam suffered the loss of his mate once before, but with forbidden magic, Evie has returned to him. His reputation as “The Reaper” is one he earned … one kill at a time. So, if there’s any warning his enemies should heed, it’s that he’ll stop at nothing to keep history from repeating itself; will stop at nothing to protect her.
Evie senses the walls rapidly closing in as her role in the revolution becomes clear—a movement in which the supernatural order has begun to shift. All who stand for the cause have made sacrifices, including Evie who’s faced several hard truths. The hardest lesson being one that brought loyalty into question—a single, careless act at the hands of someone she trusted. Someone who nearly cost her everything. 
The Beauty That Remains
by Ashley Woodfolk
The Beauty That Remains
We’ve lost everything…and found ourselves.
Music brought Autumn, Shay, and Logan together. Death might pull them apart.
Autumn always knew exactly who she was: a talented artist and a loyal friend. Shay was defined by two things: her bond with her twin sister, Sasha, and her love of music. And Logan has always turned to writing love songs when his real love life was a little less than perfect.
But when tragedy strikes each of them, somehow music is no longer enough. Now Logan is a guy who can’t stop watching vlogs of his dead ex-boyfriend. Shay is a music blogger who’s struggling to keep it together. And Autumn sends messages that she knows can never be answered.
Crucible Station
by Julianne Q Johnson
Crucible Station
There’s only one way to escape the city
Life in New Liberty is tough, but it’s the only life Marjoram has ever known. At fourteen, she lives with her parents and wears a breathing mask to survive the polluted city streets on the way to school. Crucible Station offers a better life to any citizen smart enough to receive an invitation, but Marj won’t leave her family.
When she is thrown into a detestable government home because her family can’t feed her, Crucible Station is the only way out–if she is clever enough to pass The Trials.
New Release! Two Teardrops is now live
[image error][image error]Two Teardrops, the much-anticipated sequel to award-winning Tattooed Teardrops is now live!
There was no justice.
Returning to juvie after breaching her parole, Tamara finds that everything is the same as when she left, and yet everything is different. She fights to reestablish her rep while increasingly troubled by emerging memories.
Unexpected events lead to Tamara again finding herself out of juvie and on the streets, trying to resolve her past while avoiding capture by the authorities.
More New Releases
I have a few other new releases for you to have a look at while you’re at it!
Restore Me (Shatter Me)
by Tahereh Mafi
Restore Me
Juliette and Warner’s story continues in the electrifying fourth installment of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series.
Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander of North America, and now has Warner by her side. But when tragedy strikes, she must confront the darkness that dwells both around and inside her.
Who will she become in the face of adversity? Will she be able to control the power she wields, and use it for good?
Emma's Story
by Nils Odlund
Emma’s Story
Emma wants what all young anfylk women want, a burrow in the village and a family to fill it with life – and she could have it. Her best friend Torkel has proposed. He’s the only one for her and he’s first in line for the only available burrow in their small hillside village.
It should be easy, but it’s not. Torkel is a dreamer and a scoundrel. A self-styled huntsman and adventurer, with no real grasp of what it means to be a father and a husband.
But time is ticking, and the longer the burrow lies empty the weaker the village’s spirit gets. When an angry bear comes down from the mountains to terrorize their forest the villagers are unable to ward it off on their own.
Go: A Coming of Age Novel
by Kazuki Kaneshiro
Go
As a Korean student in a Japanese high school, Sugihara has had to defend himself against all kinds of bullies. But nothing could have prepared him for the heartache he feels when he falls hopelessly in love with a Japanese girl named Sakurai. Immersed in their shared love for classical music and foreign movies, the two gradually grow closer and closer.
One night, after being hit by personal tragedy, Sugihara reveals to Sakurai that he is not Japanese—as his name might indicate.
Torn between a chance at self-discovery that he’s ready to seize and the prejudices of others that he can’t control, Sugihara must decide who he wants to be and where he wants to go next. Will Sakurai be able to confront her own bias and accompany him on his journey?
Heiress to Waitress (The Royal Tea Shop Book 1)
by Ginny Clyde
Heiress to Waitress
When sixteen-year-old Olivia Buchannan’s father dies suddenly, her life is thrown into chaos. She is torn from the high society world of Edinburgh and her beloved Academy to go live in a small town in Pennsylvania where her mother grew up. Life is not the same anymore, but it’s turning into one heck of an adventure.
As if there wasn’t enough struggle in Olivia’s riches-to-rags life already, a mysterious boy has taken up stalking her. Even though she tries to avoid him, he is always there to save the day. It wouldn’t be as bad if he didn’t make her heart race every time she was near him.
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
by Stacy Claflin
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
He’s on the road to fame. She’s at the end of the line. A chance meeting will change everything.
Kenna Mitchell grew up despised and mistreated by those who should’ve loved and protected her. Now homeless and alone, with pain too heavy to bear, she’s ready to end it all.
Enter Rogan Scott, an up-and-coming rock star with one focus—his band. Out in the woods, looking for song inspiration, he comes across a beautiful girl seconds from ending her life.
Road to Eugenica
by A.M. Rose
Road to Eugenica
Yesterday, Drea Smith couldn’t do anything spectacular—even walking and texting at the same time was a challenge. But today, she suddenly has more answers than Google, can speak and understand numerous languages, and she can fight. Like a boss.
Seriously cool.
Drea has no idea where her encyclopedic knowledge has come from, but she’ll take it when she discovers someone out there knows her secret and wants her badly. And that they’ve been searching for her since she was born.
Since she was created.
Better Than This
by Tia Souders
Better Than This
Before the car accident that changed everything, Samantha Becker was a happy and loved little girl. Ten years later, Sam, now 18, lives under a dark cloud—largely ignored by an alcoholic mother who never recovered from her loss and ruled by an overbearing father who blames Samantha for the family tragedy. And yet, the troubled teenager has a dream that keeps her going, and an extraordinary musical talent that could take her all the way to Julliard…and far beyond.
Following her heart, however, means defying her father, who has his own plans for his daughter’s future. Then, in the wake of another devastating personal catastrophe, her dream is irreparably shattered, and in her pain and anger, Samantha acts out recklessly. But her salvation could come from a most unlikely trio: a handsome college student, a hopeful little boy…and an older neighbor woman whose caring and secrets will change Sam’s world forever.
Twelve Steps to Normal
by Farrah Penn
Twelve Steps to Normal
When Kira’s father enters rehab, she’s forced to leave everything behind–her home, her best friends, her boyfriend…everything she loves. Now her father’s sober (again) and Kira is returning home, determined to get her life back to normal…exactly as it was before she was sent away.
But is that what Kira really wants?
Life, love, and loss come crashing together in this visceral, heartfelt story by BuzzFeed writer Farrah Penn about a girl who struggles to piece together the shards of her once-normal life before his alcoholism tore it apart.
Saving Me
by Sadie Allen
Saving Me
On the outside, Ally has everything any teenager could want. She’s beautiful, popular, and athletic. She has the right friends, an adoring boyfriend, and the picture-perfect family.
Too bad it’s all a lie.
Every day she’s dying a little on the inside, drowning in everyone’s expectations and opinions, the weight of it all pulling her under.
She wants to do the unthinkable … until a boy with shaggy hair, unusual eyes, and a lip ring changes her plans.
Stolen Lives: an American Crisis
by Tom Gnagey
Stolen Lives
The story presents five, precious, teen lives – strangers – four in love with life, on their ways to happy, productive futures, while one, understandably, hates the life he is forced to live as an outsider, separate from his peers. The reader grows to love and understand an artist, an athlete, a shy volunteer, an accomplished pianist, and a sad, angry loner. Each of eight chapters presents 5 vignettes, illustrating aspects of the lives they each lead at school and within their families.
Gradually, those stories coalesce, painting pictures of five, fascinating teens, each one displaying his or her ups and downs, hopes and dreams, big questions about life, and the responsibilities and activities that come to give purpose to their young lives. And then, the shooting.
This novel is a celebration of life, as it reflects on the most devastating act in society, today – the school shooting. There is no depiction of violence.
The Girl Without Magic (The Chronicles of Maggie Trent Book 1)
by Megan O'Russell
The Girl Without Magic
Death would have been easier, but the Siren wasn’t through with her.
Seventeen-year-old Maggie Trent fell out of a battle and into the Siren’s Realm, a land where secrets hide in the shadows and pleasure comes at a price Maggie is unwilling to pay.
The time for the Siren’s reckoning has come, sweeping away all she deems unworthy to live in her realm. Those without magic are hunted by the Siren. Those with magic are hunted by the Stricken. Fighting or hiding seem necessary to survive. But there is a different way.
In Sight of Stars: A Novel
by Gae Polisner
In Sight of Stars
Seventeen-year-old Klee’s father was the center of his life. He introduced Klee to the great museums of New York City and the important artists on their walls, he told him stories made of myths and magic. Until his death.
Now, forced to live in the suburbs with his mom, Klee can’t help but feel he’s lost all the identifying parts of himself—his beloved father, weekly trips to the MoMA, and the thrumming energy of New York City. That is until he meets wild and free Sarah in art class, with her quick smiles and jokes about his “brooding.” Suddenly it seems as if she’s the only thing that makes him happy. But when an act of betrayal sends him reeling, Klee lands in what is bitingly referred to as the “Ape Can,” a psychiatric hospital for teens in Northhollow.
Good Luck Charm (The Holiday High Series) (Volume 2)
by Kellie McAllen
Good Luck Charm
Basketball star Kerri “Killer O’Connor” knows she’s bad luck, and she’s tried everything to keep it from ruining her life — a rabbit’s foot, a horseshoe, her dad’s lucky shirt — she’s never without one.
When her dad gets hurt in a freak accident on Friday the 13th, Kerri is sure she’s to blame, but then a boy shows up wearing her father’s old sweatshirt, and Kerri’s luck suddenly does a 180.
Convinced that Connor Murphy is the talisman she needs to change her fate, Kerri begs him to be there for her while her dad is recuperating. Connor doesn’t believe in luck, but he’d do anything to win the girl of his dreams, even if that means spending all his time with Kerri.
More Than We Can Tell
by Brigid Kemmerer
More Than We Can Tell
With loving adoptive parents by his side, Rev Fletcher has managed to keep the demons of his past at bay. . . until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.
Emma Blue’s parents are constantly fighting, and her only escape is the computer game she built from scratch. But when a cruel online troll’s harassment escalates, she not only loses confidence but starts to fear for her safety.
When Rev and Emma meet, they’re both longing to lift the burden of their secrets. They connect instantly and deeply, promising to help each other no matter what. But soon Rev and Emma’s secrets threaten to crush them, and they’ll need more than a promise to find their way out.
Heart of the Dragon (The Lost Royals Saga) (Volume 3)
by Rachel Jonas
Heart of the Dragon
(Book #1 is $0.99 here)
Even the deadliest dragon warrior has a weakness … his answers to the name Evangeline. Liam suffered the loss of his mate once before, but with forbidden magic, Evie has returned to him. His reputation as “The Reaper” is one he earned … one kill at a time. So, if there’s any warning his enemies should heed, it’s that he’ll stop at nothing to keep history from repeating itself; will stop at nothing to protect her.
Evie senses the walls rapidly closing in as her role in the revolution becomes clear—a movement in which the supernatural order has begun to shift. All who stand for the cause have made sacrifices, including Evie who’s faced several hard truths. The hardest lesson being one that brought loyalty into question—a single, careless act at the hands of someone she trusted. Someone who nearly cost her everything.
The Beauty That Remains
by Ashley Woodfolk
The Beauty That Remains
We’ve lost everything…and found ourselves.
Music brought Autumn, Shay, and Logan together. Death might pull them apart.
Autumn always knew exactly who she was: a talented artist and a loyal friend. Shay was defined by two things: her bond with her twin sister, Sasha, and her love of music. And Logan has always turned to writing love songs when his real love life was a little less than perfect.
But when tragedy strikes each of them, somehow music is no longer enough. Now Logan is a guy who can’t stop watching vlogs of his dead ex-boyfriend. Shay is a music blogger who’s struggling to keep it together. And Autumn sends messages that she knows can never be answered.
Crucible Station
by Julianne Q Johnson
Crucible Station
There’s only one way to escape the city
Life in New Liberty is tough, but it’s the only life Marjoram has ever known. At fourteen, she lives with her parents and wears a breathing mask to survive the polluted city streets on the way to school. Crucible Station offers a better life to any citizen smart enough to receive an invitation, but Marj won’t leave her family.
When she is thrown into a detestable government home because her family can’t feed her, Crucible Station is the only way out–if she is clever enough to pass The Trials.
March 13, 2018
Excerpt from Racing the Devil
[image error]I have a new release coming later this week, be sure to watch for it. Sign up for my mailing list to be notified via email.
And if you are a Kobo reader, Gluten-Free Murder is free this week!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
I’ve read a few of Charles Todd’s Ian Rutledge mysteries in the last year, and quite enjoy this Scotland Yard Inspector’s adventures, including the ever-present second voice in his head, a remnant of the shell-shock he suffered from his service during WWI. Racing the Devil is no exception, and I am interested in seeing how this one turns out!
Half hidden by the mist was a narrow bridge, looming on either side. Too narrow for his motorcar. His brother-in-law’s motorcar, he reminded himself in a panic. The bridge was too close to miss. He was headed straight toward it, and there was nothing he could do.
Racing the Devil, Charles Todd
On the eve of the bloody Battle of the Somme, a group of English officers having a last drink before returning to the Front make a promise to each other: if they survive the battle ahead—and make it through the war—they will meet in Paris a year after the fighting ends. They will celebrate their good fortune by racing motorcars they beg, borrow, or own from Paris to Nice.
In November 1919, the officers all meet as planned, and though their motorcars are not designed for racing, they set out for Nice. But a serious mishap mars the reunion. In the mountains just north of their destination, two vehicles are nearly run off the road, and one man is badly injured. No one knows—or will admit to knowing—which driver was at the wheel of the rogue motorcar.
Back in England one year later, during a heavy rainstorm, a driver loses control on a twisting road and is killed in the crash. Was it an accident due to the hazardous conditions? Or premeditated murder? Is the crash connected in some way to the unfortunate events in the mountains above Nice the year before? The dead driver wasn’t in France—although the motorcar he drove was. If it was foul play, was it a case of mistaken identity? Or was the dead man the intended victim after all?
March 8, 2018
Cozy Winter Reads on sale for $0.99
[image error]A bundle of cozy mystery books to read by the fire while the storm rages outside! The perfect way to spend cold winter nights.
The regular price of this collection of cozy mysteries is a great one; who could pass up a sale price of $0.99 for six full-length novels? This promo is only running for four days, so don’t put it off![image error]
March 6, 2018
Excerpt from Flat Broke with Two Goats
The Smashwords annual Read an eBook Week has kicked off! Visit the promotional catalogue to find my books on sale.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules and more teasers at The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along.
I don’t often read memoirs, but Flat Broke with Two Goats by Jennifer McGaha attracted my attention and has been an entertaining read so far. It is a fun, honest look at what led to Jennifer’s financial demise and their efforts to confront the new realities of their lives.
Up until now, all the things I should have seen as warning signs had simply seemed like minor inconveniences. Somehow, David always managed to fix things. The lights came back on. The phone worked. The subpoenas to appear in court for unpaid bills were withdrawn. It never once occurred to me that the power might be out for good, that one day we might actually find ourselves in court.
Flat Broke with Two Goats, Jennifer McGaha
Jennifer McGaha never expected to own a goat named Merle. Or to be setting Merle up on dates and naming his doeling Merlene. She didn’t expect to be buying organic yogurt for her chickens. She never thought she would be pulling camouflage carpet off her ceiling or rescuing opossums from her barn and calling it “date night.” Most importantly, Jennifer never thought she would only have $4.57 in her bank account.
When Jennifer discovered that she and her husband owed back taxes—a lot of back taxes—her world changed. Now desperate to save money, they foreclosed on their beloved suburban home and moved their family to a one-hundred-year-old cabin in a North Carolina holler. Soon enough, Jennifer’s life began to more closely resemble her Appalachian ancestors than her upper-middle-class upbringing. But what started as a last-ditch effort to settle debts became a journey that revealed both the joys and challenges of living close to the land.
