Stitch

Stitch Trilogy #1

by Samantha Durante

- Stitch Trilogy Book 1 (2016 Revised Edition) -

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa's body screams at her to run... but yet she's powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees - and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell - Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn't figured out yet is that she's not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university's idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface...

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, New Adult

314 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2012

About the author

An avid reader long before becoming an author herself, Samantha Durante has always felt a debt of gratitude to all of the writers who came before her; the Stitch Trilogy, her debut series, is her humble attempt to return the favor. Samantha’s dream is to bring the same delight to readers that other authors have brought to her life, so if you find yourself staying up just a little too late to finish another chapter, she will know she’s done her job!

Samantha lives in Westchester County, New York with four of the five loves of her life – her husband, son, younger daughter, and cat – and carries her fifth love, her stillborn eldest daughter, in her heart. In addition to penning novels and writing candidly about grief, she also volunteers her time as an advocate for empowered pregnancy - though more often than not these days she's on full-time mom duty!

A former Microsoft software engineer and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha said goodbye to the corporate world in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and lifelong love of writing. Learn more at www.samanthadurante.com.

Reviews

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great debut novel by Samantha Durante! Stitch was nothing what I expected. I purposely stayed away from the reviews and blurbs because I wanted to experience this novel from a fresh perspective. So color me impressed when I thought I was jumping into a paranormal ghost story, then later to discover there was a dystopic twist to the world building, and ultimately deciding it was probably more scifi because of certain unique elements Durante weaved into her story-telling. So ultimately, I'll leave it to the author to give me her take on how she'd categorize this intriguing tale of mystery, intrigue and sinister plots and twists.

In Stitch, we get to meet Alessa who is trying to get accustomed to her new life as a freshmen in college. In the aftermath of her parent's death, she is faced with another challenge when a ghost begins to appear in her sorority house. As she starts to investigate the history of her house and who that apparition could possibly be, she begins to uncover a sinister element to her world that ultimately leaves her wondering what is truly happening around her.

I have to give props to Durante for being able to incorporate metaphysics into her plot without making it overwhelming and contrived as I've seen happen in other novels. The author gives us just enough information to create her environment and not make you feel like you need a degree in physics to understand why and how certain things can happen in her story. So I have to say I enjoyed that aspect of her book.

Also, the author does a great job of creating an extremely likeable cast which is mainly made up of Alessa, Isaac and Janie. They have a bond and strength about them that really made me root for their cause and I hope we get to see these characters continue to develop in the subsequent installments. I have to admit now... I really don't believe Joe is completely out of the picture... something feels off about that piece of the storyline so I'm wondering if there's more to come where he's concerned.

Overall, I have to say that Durante delivered an intriguing story that incorporates some interesting elements, which ultimately makes Stitch uniquely her own. I can't wait to see what happens in the world of Paragon!

Oh and guess what???!! I got to interview Samantha Durante, so be sure to check out my Author Spotlight scheduled for September 9th on:

[David Estes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was REALLY surprised by this book, in a really good way. I was so confused early on, because I had a certain idea of what genre the book was meant to be in, and what it would be about, and it was completely different to what I expected. Always a good thing. And then the plot was flipped upside down, once, twice, three times, until it morphed into the genre I expected. The twists were pretty brilliant, well thought out, and well executed. I was constantly poking holes in the plot, and they were filled! The writing was quite strong for a debut novel and the concept pretty cool, if not entirely unique I kept thinking of the movie, The Truman Show, as I was reading

Finally, I love love love the cover and the title, both are perfect for the book and extremely effective!!

All in all, an awesome start to a debut series by the intelligent and talented Samantha Durante!

Fun fact: Before Samantha became a writer, she was an engineer at Microsoft! I love when people make huge career changes to follow their dreams! I was an accountant before I started writing full time :)

Minor beefs- I didn't feel the emotion as much as I'd hoped to, particularly when some really bad stuff happened. There seemed to be a bit too much unnecessary filler in the beginning, which made it somewhat hard to get into the story, but once the twists started coming, I couldn't put it down!

[Erica (Reading Kitten) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, that was strange.

The summary made this book sound so interesting, but as you can see by my rating... I'm incredibly disappointed.

I read the first 11 chapters of this book, and I felt like nothing really happened. There was a lot of "telling" going on in the chapters that I read, and also a serious lack of dialogue. The main character goes on and on about stuff that happened before, but whatever she tells us, it's not interesting at all.

The first few chapters of a book are supposed to suck me into the story. They should make me want to read more and make me want to know what'll happen next. They should not be boring!

It takes like 5 chapters of nonsense before we even meet this "ghost" the main character is so fascinated with, but he disappears almost immediately without saying or doing anything at all. Then the main character tries to find out who this ghost was when he was still alive and I felt like... Why should I care about this ghost? I don't know anything about him. Show me why I should be interested in this ghost, before boring me with research on who he used to be or what his name is.

So yeah. I guess this book wasn't for me.

[Brooke Banks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stitch: Disappointing Ghost Story With Dystopian Promise I wanted to be apart of this tour because I love dystopians. Honestly, one of my favorite preferred genres. I haven’t read ghost love stories before because they don’t appeal to me - not my cup of tea. However, I figured since the blurb guarantees that it’s not what it seems, the best way to find out about ghost loves stories is if it’s actually wrapped up in my favorite genre.
 
As far as Stitch is concerned, I was wrong. 
 
 




Pros:


Cons:




Liked the characters


Felt like nothing happened during the first half




Dystopian end was a step in the right direction


Didn't care for the ghost story




Back story is the best part, interesting


Predictable and formulaic



 

World isn't fleshed out or build solidly




The first majority deals with the whole straightforward ghost love story, which I wasn’t really moved by. I got to know Alessa, her best friend, Janie, and the perfectly bubbly movie star beautiful sorority head sister, Lizzie. And the ghost of course, but again, can’t say much there otherwise I would ruin everything. I did like the characters, I just found it all very standard fare and bland. The whole first half is under this fog with minor irritations that bloomed to full on frustration as it took soooo long to get to the twist I was waiting on.

The twist certainly was mind boggling and completely out of left field that finally moved the book into the science fiction dystopian genre. I did continue reading to figure out how this was all going to work. After 40 or 50 pages of flashbacks, I still can’t give a good picture of how this world works. It is rather typical dystopian set up and doesn’t include details needed to flesh it out at all. I kept asking basic questions about how it was all set up and wasn’t satisfied with the world building.Then there’s this whole action sequence with pauses for dramatic effect (How were you no caught taking so long to get away?) and questionable logic (like what tool can put a hole in a pipe?). There’s mini-reveals that didn’t land for me because it all felt really formulaic at this point. The whole ending devastation for Alessa? I’m snorting and saying, well, duh.There’s other issues like just how stupid some people came off because they kept saying “We don’t know” or “We know [this] but talk about several incidents that contradict [this] and be oblivious about it all”. The worst of it being they didn't follow through on some things that just seemed so common sense and basic. It felt like giant gaps I couldn’t move around or make sense of. The whole world is painted in broad, general strokes as is so I can’t even begin to try to parse this all out myself. It’s not even all big-important-keep-it-as-a-surprise in the next book, it’s stuff like how big is said place? One building or lots of buildings? What’s the division like? How many people are we talking about here?As far as what I was looking for the second half-ish is definitely a step in the right direction nonetheless. The back story was really the best parts of the book. After the fog of first half lifted, I really starting liking the characters more because they made sense and were far more interesting and compelling to me. I love how it’s not including the typical love triangle as well but considering the holes in place I’m worried it’s not going to stay this way. (dun, dun dunnnnn love triangle! predication. No, seriously I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t happen.)In the end, I’m wondering if the very reason I picked up the book may have been the downfall for me. The clash between the first part in an unloved genre vs. the high standards of one of my favorite genre second part was just too much. Does this mean I hated Stitch and don’t recommend it? No, I just recommend it more specifically and say it wasn’t personally up to par.

 While I had my issues, I’m actually open and interested on how the next book turns out. The end is what I wanted in the first place and with where the storyline is going I think it’s quite possible to like the next book more. I mean without the problems of the beginning just not being my preference and I think I’ll get the facts I want just by the nature of where the character are going, so Stitch #2 isn’t necessarily ruled out.First books in trilogy are usually susceptible to issues like not having it’s own storyline (not an issue here), having to open the door to a new world (started the foundation, but not really framed well), and leaving readers wanting to continue (true here).Conflicted, lots of different pros & cons = 



 
Recommended for:
 those who like ghost love stories, science fiction dystopias and won’t pick at the little things, I’d say definitely give it a shot. You’re more likely to love it, then hate it. There’s certainly promise and hope but I didn’t find it executed to my liking.(Note: All my reviews are honest opinions. Obviously, subjective and I was not compensated for this review. I simply received a free e-copy of Stitch in order to review it as part of this tour.)

[Alana ~ The Book Pimp · Rating 5 out of 5]

My, oh, my. First of all, I would like to thank Samantha for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review. The initial blurb drew me in, although by the time I read it I had completely forgotten everything except that there was a ghost angle going on. Where it ends up took me by complete surprise and makes me want to beg Samantha for book 2.

I will admit, the beginning of the book drags some. I was sucked in, and kept trudging along but my enthusiasm was waning at one point. There were pages about mundane tasks, primping and preening... I was starting to get apprehensive at that point. But then there is just this 'click' where everything feel into place and the wool was removed from my eyes. It all seemed to makes sense; I understood the 'why' of the dragging parts and how they add depth to the story. There is method to the madness, and by the end of the book I was nearly beating myself up, "Why didn't I see that before? Now I totally get it!"

As you begin it seems an almost basic paranormal premise. Alessa has lost her family the year before, goes to college, joins a sorority ... yadda, yadda, yadda... sees a ghost, gets sucked into the mystery of 'who is the ghost'? Been there, done that, have the blog post. *BAM* That's me all of the sudden getting hit over the head and putting on the special 'They Live' glasses. From ho-hum paranormal it suddenly gets launched into this dytopian conspiracy. My brain needed a cigarette after that reach around!

It's like this book got rolled around in a pile of different genres... it's a little bit YA (or rather 'New Adult'), a little paranormal, a hefty spoonful of vanilla romance, add a dash of conspiracy theory suspense/thriller, and then douse it in dystopian. It surprised me how much I enjoyed this book; had anyone told me, "You're going to be head over heels by the end and be begging for book 2!" I would have totally rolled my eyes... "Yeah, right. We'll see, sounding a bit optimistic." But they would have been right. Apparently, I need to be reading more dystopian because it seems almost every one I pick up I've enjoyed.

Give it a chance and power past the slower sections, the ride is totally worth it.

[Caro [The Book Rogue] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll sum that up with two short words: rollercoaster ride. I'm perfectly serious, this book was emotional and factual a mess pretty much unparalleled -- and it was awesome! I'm sure I wasn't the only one led by the nose through the first half of this book.

I really thought this would be about time travel. Although ususally not a fan of the subject, I was perfectly fine with the idea that female lead Alessa was seeing a ghost named Isaac, and was supposed to travel back in time to safe him, since this didn't sound totally absurd and the emotional level was startling. Everything was so perfectly in place, I was totally forgetting that the blurb already mentioned she wasn't really a university student and Isaac wasn't really a ghost, so there wouldn't be any travelling through time. Go ahead and laugh if you must, but it's making me give a lot of credit to the style if any reader might get so lost in the story like I was, especially since this turns out to be a dystopian story where deception and control plays such a mayor role.

Speaking of dystopian... Although it was kinda nothing new since it was about a virus breaking out and people herding together in quarantine where a new government is established, thought to be temporary, and then they misuse their power to create a totalitarian society which exploits its working force, and of course there is a rebel movement. I have no problem with the commonness of that, maybe because I don't read dystopian all that often, but even regulars on that setting are hopefully rattled by the new aspects tossed into the mix: control through drugs, and being imprisoned in another persona.

I mean, ususally you find a small group of people who hold the power using fear to keep their workers in line, which inhibits the oppressed population to make a move, although everyone knows they should, meaning they all want to rebel, but only a few dare to do so. In Stitch, the working force is drugged through their food, and then kept occupied with work and social media, meaning they are to watch reality shows very night. What they don't know: the actors in those shows aren't playing. They are prisoners who are made to believe they live exactly the life on set (which has come to get called "stitched" because this is how the memory re-wiring process feels like). It reminds me a bit of what was done to Peeta in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and I still find only one word within me to describe it: cruel. I mean, can you imagine being "stitched" into a totally different person, living a life as far from your own as possible, having forgotten all that makes you yourself, and being watched for entertainment of others nonetheless?! The whole idea creeps me out, so I'm shocked every time I stumble across it, and of course that's getting bonus points from me.

Which brings me to our stitched main characters, Alessa and Isaac. Starting only with the names, I like them. Can't say exactly why, but I feel like they aren't too common and sound quite well together. The second plus is that Alessa is acutally two years older than Issac, a combination you really don't find that often in YA lit, so I'm giving credits there. Now the book is written mainly from Alessa's PoV, but Isaac has a few chapter which give intel into his feelings as well, and it makes me like them both very much, ecven more so after it was revealed they were stitched, and then when their memories returned in a few flashes for the reader. Their relationship definitively is one of the more unusual ones since Alessa was originally the love interest of Isaac's older brother Joe, but then they naturally find together after his death. However, I think this might remain a point of conflict in the future, which sould prove very interesting. Anyway, they both get lots of bonus points for feeling so authentic, so human, which is made clear through all the little things presented in the flashbacks but also in the beginning, when they only see glimpses of one another without knowing the truth about the stitch.

Of course, the supporting characters get credit as well. I kinda liked Nikhil, and was shocked over his short cut appearance. Janie was awesome, a perfect complement to Alessa, Isaac and Joe; as was Lizzie and Regina. I'm curious to find out more about them and the other rebels that were only briefly introduced; because there are some many awesome stories to be found behind their involvement, I'm sure of it. Lizzie's story was already... omg, I can't even pinpoint it with a word that'd give enough credit to her.

All in all, as you might see on the lenghty review, I loved this. Granted, there was only a brief touching of the romantic surface there, but I still liked what I found and I am very, very sure we'll get more of that in the future. But of course I don't want to read on just because of that, but for about a thousand other reasons as well. I'm still thrilled and entrapped in this, and I can't wait for Shudder to come out, which is the title of the second installment of the Stitch trilogy.

Area Scan: Style: 5/5 -- Plot: 5/5 -- Characters: 5/5 -- Suspense: 5/5 -- Romance: 3.5/5 -- Drama: 5/5 -- Humor: 3/5 -- Fantasy: 5/5

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stitch has to be the most interesting, well written, and deeply thoughtful book that has ever had the pleasure of existing. It reached into the deeper recesses of my mind and brought out feelings that I'd never felt before while reading a book. The way things were described was so realistic and rich that I can picture Alessa’s world as easily as my own. This novel blurred the edges of my reality with its own fantastic world of lies, intrigue, and deceit. Stitch is true an amazing novel, a kick-off to an amazing new teen series.


The theme for this novel is a very genius one indeed. A perfect blend of paranormal and dystopian. Durante takes the reader to these places and makes us believe that both worlds exist next to each other, the realm of ghosts and futuristic oppressive governments. Durante’s twist on the now common-place dystopian idea has blown most all of them out of the water, making me think that there is hope for the genre yet.


For me, this novel’s setting was perfect and I was quickly immersed into the college life style very quickly. I just love that the college campus played a huge part in Alessa’s world in the beginning. Alessa just seems like a normal girl living out a normal life, but the question is: is she really? There doesn't seem to be one thing I hated about this book.


Alessa is easily one of the most fearful heroines I know, but for some reason I cannot help but to love this character because of how she find courage among it all. She is indeed strong, loving, yet after her parents died she seems to be stuck in a depression of sorts. But a mindboggling confession has her world soon spinning out of control.


Stitch’s writing is so proper and beautiful that all I could do is gape at the amazing gift Durante has at writing prose. Words drifted beautifully into the next like a painting that had been recently finished. The characters were flawless and were so lifelike I can picture them standing before me or when I’m in line at the grocery store. The story awoke a part of me I didn’t know existed and taught me to never only look on the surface for there is always soot in the cracks of the perfect lies we’ve been told.


Gifted beyond any comprehension, Samantha Durante’s debut novel, Stitch, will have wondering if this life isn’t as perfect and coincidental as it seems.

[Lottie Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really surprised with Stitch. At first, I really couldn’t get into it. I found it to be slow. But at some point something clicked. Reading Stitch started to get more enjoyable. The book started to get more exciting. There was suspense. I was getting pulled in and after a while I was glued to my seat. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

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The story flowed through different genres. It went from being a paranormal story to a science fiction story to a dystopian story. So, I guess, you could say that the changing of genres made the story a little more than unpredictable. I am not saying that the constant changing of genres was a bad thing. In fact, Durante was able to pull it off well. She was able to make the different genres flow together very nicely.

I loved how Durante was able to make the world she created not what it seemed. Behind the peaceful college life Alessa has been living is something really frightening and sinister. I couldn’t get enough of the world the author created. It was very different from many things I have read before.

The characters were all likeable. The interactions they had with each other felt real. The same goes for the relationships. Whether it be love, friendship, or admiration, the dynamics between the characters were interesting to read about.

The writing in Stitch was easy to read. Durante’s prose was well in control. Not to flowery but still able to help the reader visualize the characters and their surroundings. The narrative was also good as well.

Do I have any quibbles? Of course I do. As I have said in the beginning of this review, I thought that the beginning was a bit slow. There are also some time jumps throughout the book that confused me at first. And then there was one scene that just annoyed me.

Have you ever read a book in which a couple was being chased down and they just decide to kiss, wasting crucial seconds that could have made a difference in their survival? Well, this is what happens in Stitch. I was internally screaming at the two characters to stop kissing and start running. It was only one brief scene but it annoyed me, nonetheless.

Despite the flaws that Stitch has I would recommend this book. It is exciting and very readable. There is a lot to love about this book and I have no doubt that this will appeal to lovers of sci-fi and dystopia. The book ends with a cliffhanger and I can not wait to get my hands on the next book

[Neyra ♦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

FREE on Amazon right now! Ends June 11th

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RC3NAM/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_ask_DIsgF.18M8HTF


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With a whole new outtake on Dystopia, Stitch by Samantha Durante delivers a refreshing new world where all is not what it seems.

In the beginning, we are introduced to Alessa Khole a freshman at Eastern State University. After the death of her parents, Alessa struggles to keep herself focused and moving forward; and the last thing Alessa expected upon arriving at ESU was to be seeing ghosts. What I loved from the beginning of the story was that there was no going around the matter. We’re diving straight into the heart of the book…but who is this mysterious ghost with the alluring blue eyes? And why is Alessa the only one in a house full of women (Sorority) that can see him?

What I was expecting from the character and what we got was totally different. I was thinking Alessa would be interacting w/ the ghost here and there that it’d be THAT kinda ghost love story, but once again Samantha surprised me. Cause and I hope this doesn’t spoil it; there was NO interaction what so ever. And it was frustrating, but at the same time kept me on edge thinking, “Shit, will they- and how- or when will they finally communicate??”

The more the story progresses, the more the characters develop and you begin to sense that there's something, more sinister lurking about the University. And what's amazing about this book is that the writing captivates you and transports you into the story. The world building, as with any dystopian novel, is necessary, but the story flows beautifully that you hardly notice it, making for a very easy, light and fun read.

Once things begin to pick up, it gets really interesting, I was glued to the pages once the action started. There are plot twists you can't see coming, and things finally begin to click into place by about halfway through the book. And the secondary characters are more than cardboard cut outs just to fill space, you get a sense of who they are even w/ little interaction.

This book is engaging, though it was a slow start for me at first, it was still very appealing, and I loved every minute of it! 5 awesomely naughty bunnies for Stitch, & Thank God it’s not over! Expect a sequel to come out soon ;)

[Jill Swanson-Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an exclusive interview with the author on my blog! Stop by and check it out!
http://littlehyuts.blogspot.com

I LOVED this book! It has one of the best dystopian settings I have read. Samantha Durante is an extremely talented writer who has written an impressive debut novel. Stitch keeps you on your toes. The premise is original and thoroughly immerses you in it's structure. I would have loved this book even if it had remained strictly a paranormal love story. Of course the transition into a society under the oppression of a ruling class makes this story one of a kind. There are many dystopian books out there right now, but Stitch was definitely not what I was expecting. It was full of twists and turns. I was hooked from page one.
The character and world building throughout this story are impeccable. Everything unravels at exactly the right time and the story progresses flawlessly. I was swept up in Alessa's story and her love for Issac. I'm a sucker for a story line that acknowledges that soul mates do exist! Alessa is a strong female lead. I enjoyed her determination and heart. She is thrown so many curve balls yet seems to continue on without loosing sight of what she needs to achieve. The idea of a 'ruling class' drugging my food or 'stitching' my brain gives me the willies. Samantha Durante has really created an intriguing and horrific society. I liked the concept of the TV dramas and how they paralleled Issac's story with Alessa's.
I could gush about this book all day, but i'll keep it to a minimum. The ending to Stitch is full of tension and leaves you with that, " WOW," feeling. If you are a fan of dystopian, science fiction and romance you will LOVE this book. I highly recommend it! I am going to be counting down until the sequel comes out. I can not wait to see where Alessa and Issac's journey takes them next.

[Editing Services by Cynthia Shepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alessa is a college freshman whose parents died in a car crash when she was 18. She pushes past her depression, or tries to, by attending college and living in a sorority house, even though she does not fit in. Alessa has one friend that she can count on in the house, Janie, who is also a freshman. Alessa starts seeing flashed of something out of the corner of her eye, and it evolves into seeing a ghost, a boy that looks to be her age, maybe a little younger. Alessa is drawn to the ghost with a magnetic pull that she does not understand. Terrified by the sightings, even though they only last a few seconds, Alessa is also strangely bereft and depressed after she sees him, longing to catch a glimpse of him again. Then, she starts having strange dreams, dreams where she is locked in a prison, or fighting in a type of war, and the boy is with her. When she starts researching the house in hopes of finding out who the boy is, she discovers that his whole family dies because of a fire. Alessa starts off on a quest to try to change the past and try to save him and his family.

Only Alessa discovers something sinister along the way…she is not truly a college student…the boy is not a ghost…and both their lives…and the lives of thousands of other people…are on the line. They have all been STITCHED! This is reality TV like you would never have thought possible! (Caught your attention yet lol?)

Let me just say OMG! I remember reading the back cover when I first received this book for review, but by the time I started reading the book, I only vaguely remembered that it had a girl and a ghost in it. I thought it would be like so many countless other books I have read about a girl falling in love with a ghost. I WAS WRONG! This story is not what you expect at all. I was floored when I hit the twists and turns that finally explained what was going on. I never expected it at all. This book was so intense that I literally read it in 1 day and could not put it down. The main characters are well thought out and you instantly connect with them. The storyline was complex, and I love books that keep me guessing to the very end, and this one did. Besides, I love dystopian books and this one was one of the best I have ever read. This book is a must read. I give it 5 stars and I cannot wait for the next one. I want it BAD! Oh, and I have to mention the cover of the book because it is awesome. It is one of those books that you know just by looking at it, that you HAVE to read it!
For more reviews of great books, visit http://cynthiashepp.wordpress.com

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY REVIEW
I was sent both a kindle copy and paperback copy of Stitch to review by Samantha Durante. I loved this as, although I like reading on my kindle, I still love holding and reading a physical book too!
I like the cover of this book, the eyes draw you into the book and make you want to know more. I would certainly pick this one up in a store. Then the blurb would make me want to know even more.
It's a difficult one to describe without giving away any spoilers, so forgive me if I don't describe in great detail. The book starts down one path, (that I thought was going to be a ghost story), then it twisted and I thought it was a time-travel story and then the final twist made it fall into the post apocalyptic/dystopian genre.
I love the descriptions and the visual images produced of the characters. So my favourite character is Issac, his eyes sound so gorgeous *sighs* I love how he feels so protective of Aleesa even though, at certain points in the story he doesn't know who she really is, and what she really means to him. Of course I like Aleesa as she is a main character, she is a strong female character, in that she doesn't sit down and let things unfold around her, if she doesn't like something she isn't afraid to rebel and/or make a stand. I also like Janie, the sacrifice she makes in the book for her sister to escape is done with no fuss, without her sisters knowledge, it is done so selflessly.
I loved all the twists and turns in Stitch. I usually don't go for ghost type stories, but I loved the way this one was going and it really drew me in then it twisted to bring in a time-travel element possibility, and I thought I wasn't going to like the direction the book was going in. So then I just got used to the time travel possibility, when the direction twisted again to a more dystopian edge. Then you read further and realise that there had been this undercurrent of a dystopian edge running in the background throughout the whole book. I really loved this book all the way through. The book ends on a cliff hanger, which makes you want book two straight away. Then right at the end of the book there is a sneak peek into Book 2, Shudder. I am now (im)patiently waiting for book 2!
So did I enjoy the book? Yes it was totally different from anything I have read so far. Would I recommend? Yes. Would I read a Book 2 or more by Samantha Durante? Yes to both!

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve wanted to read “Stitch” since the first time I saw the beautiful and original book cover. The book summary skyrocketed my curiosity, and with all the positive reviews and hype this book has been receiving, I was seriously looking forward to reading it. Sadly, the cover and the blurb ended up being the best part of the book for me.

I had lots of difficulties settling into the story and liking or connecting with the characters. Alessa, in my opinion, is too miserable and rather dull. Reading from her point of view, I often found myself yawning or dozing off due to an overload of unnecessary information not advancing the plot in any way. Much time is spent on her inner voice and her observations and conclusions which, again, didn’t add much to the story. It only started picking up for me in the last half of the book when Alessa discovers the truth about herself, her sister, Isaac, and the rebellion. Although the story developed at an incredible pace after Janie’s confession, it became rather ridiculous. The whole tv show scenario was just too much and if you ask me, simply not a good enough “twist”. I was enormously disappointed with this development in the storyline as it is somewhat of a weak twist, and I guess I just expected something a lot more fascinating and imaginative. I was hoping for something new and exciting; something I’ve never read before.

“Stitch” is not a complex read. I finished it in less than a day as the writing is utterly simplistic and very precise. Durante is a good writer and where I’ve found a lot of grammar errors in more than half the books I’ve read in the past year and a half, “Stitch” is – grammar wise – well edited. I came across a few inconsistencies, though minor hindrances, but ones I noticed right away. “Stitch” is a clean, family-friendly read which can be enjoyed by readers as young as thirteen years of age. Despite some shortcomings, and as is clear from all the positive reviews, I think a lot of readers who enjoy romance and dystopian will find this book to their liking. It just wasn’t for me, and with hundreds of thousands of books out there waiting to be read, it’s unlikely I’ll be reading anything by this author in the near future.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW was the first thing I thought when I finished Stitch. There's a whole bunch of genre's going on here - it starts out contemporary, moves to paranormal and then BAM!, right into dystopia.

I thought Alessa was a fantastic main character - she was easy to relate to, likable, down-to-earth and a pretty tough little cookie. Her friendship with Janie, her attraction to Isaac and her interactions with other characters all felt very real. She is definitely a character I want to know more.

The connection between Alessa and Isaac was very realistic - I could see their passion and attraction for each other, despite the evil Paragon's attempts to thwart their relationship.

The plot is full of seamless twists and turns, and just when I thought I had things figured out, I was completely knocked for six when things took a turn that I couldn't even have imagined. The world-building was great for the first half, and only improved when the book took its first big twist and secrets started to be revealed, both to me and to Alessa. In fact, I even had to stop a few times to gather my thoughts and process exactly what had just happened. The pacing is spot on - it builds gradually and then reaches an action-packed climax at just the right time. Although there are a few small gaps in the history of how the Paragon came to be, I'm sure they will be expanded upon in the following books - I can't imagine that Samantha Durante won't flesh these out a little more as she has done such an excellent job of convincing me of the world thus far.

Despite the fact that Stitch is part of a trilogy, the ending is a perfect balance of cliffhanger and a resolution to book one - and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Samantha Durante has written a fantastic Young Adult Paranormal/Dystopia in Stitch - all the elements come together perfectly to create a thrilling, real story with incredibly likable characters that feel just like friends.

Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alessa is attending her freshman year in college not her first pick of schools but one that would accept her after her senior year wasn't so amazing. It was during her senior year just after her eighteenth birthday that her parents died in a car wreak and she was given the choice to live the rest of the year on her own. She was really depressed her grades went down and even trying to dig her way out of the end of the year didn't help. She was offered a chance at ESU which she took, they even let her pick a sorority her first year so she didn't have to live in student housing.

Alessa isn't the social butterfly like her sorority girls, but she does have a best friend Janie the other freshman in the house. Everything it starting to look better for Alessa until she starts to see brief images of a man in her room, and around the house. At first she's a little scared at seeing a ghost but the more she see's him the more she is intreaged by who this stranger is. She sets out to find out who he is by checking out old records of the house at the school library. Alessa figures out who he is a 17 year old boy from the 1900's who had died in a fire, and sets out to tell to try to save him.

This book is wow. You instantly connect with Alessa she comes off as your typical college girl, she's dealing with the loss of her parents and typical college stress. She's a strong woman who knows what she wants and does what it takes. The characters are well written I had a good idea of each one, and felt like I was their with them. The story sucks you in to the point where you can't put it down you just have to know what's lurking behind the walls of the university. When I found out what was really going on it shocked me it never crossed my mind so I loved the twist the book too. I really enjoyed Stitch I can't wait to get my hands on the next one. I want to know more about the real world that Alessa lives in.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa! Stitch was nothing like I was expecting. It surprised me so much. I went into it thinking it would be intriguing. Then I picked up the book a while later and forgot what the summary said. So I start the story and I figure its a simple little ghost tale, and I expected to enjoy it. But I got so much more from Stitch, and it is not a simple story. Not at all! It is continuously morphing, which meant that it was always grabbing my interest. Once I really got into the story, I could not put it down. I loved it.

Alessa seems like such a sad soul. I felt so bad for her, but she really is a resilient character. She just keeps going on, like the little engine that could. (remember that kids story?) I do wish we got to see a little more of Nikiha though. It seemed like his storyline was unfinished. But in his place we got Issac. He just made me smile. I loved seeing snippets of the story from his POV. I can't wait to see more of his story. I feel like we only just scratched the surface with him, which makes me so excited for book 2.

The world in Stitch kind of blew my mind. I just kept sitting there thinking about the logistics of it for so long. It was so flippin' cool in a terrifying way! But I did love going over the details of it all and I can't wait to find out even more about it in the next book.

Stitch totally exceeded my expectations! And I love being surprised in a great way like this. It kept me guessing and kept me turning pages until the very end. It is a really great dystopian, so if you are a dystopian fan this would be a great trilogy for you to check out!

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested a copy of this book from the author to review and she graciously complied. I had some trouble rating this book-- it's between a 3.5 and 4, but closer to a four, which is what I ended up rating it.

Stitch by Samantha Durante is an amalgam of genres-- but I won't say more so the reader can discover its secrets without me ruining it. In brief, Alessa is a college student who has lost her family and is still dealing with the aftermath. In her sorority house, she sees a handsome ghost who she must learn more about. With her best friend Janie, Alessa goes further than she could imagine to connect with this ghost from the past.

There's a lot to like about this book. I love all of the twists and turns and the characters are very likeable. I was impressed with how I didn't see one of the big twists coming, and I thought it was nicely done. I like Alessa, the main character, and Janie, her best friend, was probably my favorite character.

That said, I had a couple of issues with this book. First, there is a lot of telling of backstory, rather than showing. The prose is the strongest when we are in the action. Because there is a lot of introspection, I wonder if this would have been better written in first person instead. Also, I wasn't thrilled about the change in perspective randomly in the middle. I think either it should have been upfront with alternating chapters between characters or just one character's viewpoint the whole time.

Overall, I think it was a solid first novel that with some tweaks could have been great.

[Dani C. (Polly's Place) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stitch is nothing like I thought it would be! It is the perfect mixture of a ghost story and a dystopia romance. I am just in awe with how the author created one world and then reveals that it wasn’t what it seemed to be….

Alessa is a freshman at a college she didn’t really want to attend. Her senior year in high school was a devastating one when she loses both of her parents in a car crash. Now she lives in a sorority house with only one friend and a ghost that keeps appearing to her.

After some research she find out her ghost once lived in the house she now lives in… over 100 years ago. She discovers how he and his family died and wants her friends Janie’s help to send him a message in order to save his life.

I have to say the twists in this plot were amazing and well thought out. I had no idea how this was going to go from a ghost story into a dystopia and when it finally happened it was just perfect. Since this is the first book in a trilogy we are left with a cliffhanger that makes us beg for more!

[Sandra Valente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debut author? Most impressed! Fabulous.

Review will be posted on CBL book tour date.

Read all my reviews at http://ssbookfanatics.blogspot.com

As I've given 'Stitch' 5 stars, it obviously means that I loved it. Not only that, I was most impressed with this debut by Samantha Durante. This book was nothing near to what I expected, and combines a variety of genres. Just when I thought this would involve a ghost throughout, which is how we think of Isaac for the most part, it did such an about turn that I know for a fact I found myself sitting open-mouthed... for quite a while.

What I'd like to mention first is that 'Stitch' might come across as confusing for some and if I'm honest, at one point I was like, 'Huh? Really? and then (as Oprah would say) I had a light bulb going off in my head moment, because it eventually made sense. You won't be told specific details about how big this 'world' - Paragon - they live in really is, but I presume it's huge due to the different areas where certain life/reality situations take place. Not everyone is privvy to this, and most don't have a clue what is real, what exists or that they are in actual fact being manipulated to living the way they do to suit those who rule. I'd also like to know who appointed those in high authority to be where and what they are. This might be something that will be better explained in the second book.

Although it wasn't the quickest start, it was perfect for it's setup and I had absolutely no problems with the beginning, middle or end and here I'm talking about the change in genres. It works - for me that is.

Alessa has started college and struggles getting along with most people (except studying and barely picks up a book), but then she's gone through a devastating loss. Her best friend, Janie, is the only one she can open up to. Alessa starts having weird dreams and some that are more like nightmares including visions of a gorgeous guy who she thinks must have died in the fraternity house she's living in. A ghost. She can see him, but it always looks like he's looking past her, or communicating with someone just behind her. On the other hand, Isaac is experiencing the exact same thing, unbeknownst to either of them wherever he is. She starts investigating and gathering information in order to reach a conclusion. What eventually transpired was so unexpected I was gobsmacked. Janie isn't who Alessa thought she was, but then nothing is as she thought it was.

I know I sound like I'm going round in circles here, but this is one of those books where by one sentence alone, I could spoil the whole story for others who want to read it. So, this is where I'm leaving it. I will add this though: there's a lovely romance which I hope will blossom in #2, Shudder; the back stories are enlightening as you're guided through their lives prior to the war and the disease that followed killing people like flies, in turn forcing those that survived into this new 'world' - to survive - but at others whims, not theirs; the characters are interesting and likeable, and the premise of this story including the world building is ace.

Personally, and I've read what others had to say, I thought this was fabulous, well thought out, imaginative and entertaining. This was a completely new concept for me and provided much reading pleasure. Well done to Ms. Durante. I'll bet it's only going to get even better from here on in. I was impressed by not only the story, but also the writing.

[Kim (Sliced Open Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts?

I have to admit that by the time that STITCH made its way to the top of my TBR pile I was kind of like "umm...what was this about?" But it was late at night and the computer was already shut down so I started reading and I'll just say this, that night, I really didn't make it too far.

The early pages of STITCH left me a bit less than excited. Luckily, I had already finished one book that night so I decided to forgo reading for the rest of the night. The next day at work I decided to dig back through my email to the original synop to give myself a bit of a refresher on what made me pick the STITCH tour. After re-reading the synop, it all came flooding back to me. By time I got home from work and curled up with my Nook, I was a goner and read clear through to the end of the book!

Ok, yes, it wasn't looking very good in the beginning. Why? Well, frankly, it was slow. I was having a really hard time connecting with Alessa and I just couldn't understand where the story was going. Then...

HOLY EPIC-PLOT-TWISTING-GREATNESS BATMAN

Yes, Samantha Durante, within her debut novel managed to make my head spin!

Things really took off about a third of the way through and I found myself having that disconnect from the world that I love when I get into a good book. I also grabbed on to a connection with Alessa (and the other characters) and I was totally loving the story.

STITCH is a genre bending mixture of New Adult, Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Dystopian with a light dash of Paranormal. Oh and Samantha Durante also managed to do genre bending right. The mixture was smooth, transitioning you from one aspect to the next with fluid writing and...yea...those epic plot twists!

Which I will tell you nothing about. NOTHING! The twists and turns are something that can only be experienced while reading so you will have to go experience it yourself. (Oh, at the end of this post Samantha has been nice enough to let me giveaway a copy so you can enter, win and see what I'm talking about!)

There is also something else that was pretty surprising within this debut novel...

POV changes (Did you cringe? I did just typing it! YUCK!)

...WAIT! There were POV changes that I somehow...wait for it...didn't even notice. Ok ok, so I noticed them, yes but, it didn't awake the inner reading snob that becomes a full-fledged raging bitch when POVs start. I was actually probably 3-4 changes in once I was like, Wait a minute, have these been there the whole time?!?! Why yes Kimberly, they had, they were just so wonderfully mixed and blended that you didn't have to go through the re-buildup with each change.

Me not noticing POV changes = MIND-BLOWN

Overall?

Score: Samantha 3

Kimberly 0(I will, with great humility, let Samantha take the win on this one.)

Samantha Durante's debut novel STITCH, manages to take four of the major turn offs for avid readers and smoke them off the bookshelf.

↓ Slow start ↓
↓ Early disconnect from characters ↓
↓ Genre bending ↓
↓ POV changes ↓

Samantha ends up delivering an exciting, edge-of-your-seat read that will keep you guessing clear through to the end. And you will never guess this one people. Go ahead, read it and you can see for yourself that she manages to outsmart us all!

[Hayley G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have NEVER read anything like Stitch.
Durante has taken the popular genres of today's YA, (i.e. Dystopian, Romance and Sci-fi) and put her own unique spin on them, with a bone-chilling plot that combines the harsh society of Divergent with the cruel "Reality" T.V. experience of The Hunger Games and Truman Show.
I found myself sympathizing with Alessa throughout my reading of Stitch, not just for her loss, but her loneliness. She's attempting to reinvent herself, after suffering through a year of guilt and grief, once an A student, she's now forced to go to the one University that would accept her, after her disastrous final year of high school. She lives with a bunch of Sorority sisters but finds a companion in her one sister, Janie and a ghostly, blue-eyed figure that continues to pop-up at the most unexpected moments. She feels this magnetic pull towards this ghostly figure, Isaac, that she doesn't understand. Along with Alessa, I to was feeling confused and even frustrated over these feelings. I was so desperate for her to figure out why this boy kept appearing, but once I did I was blown away by the twist in Stitch's plot. The synopsis does not even cover HALF of the depth of this book! (I'm not going to go into depth regarding this twist because I think it's essential to the mystery of the book).
While a large portion of Stitch is narrated from Alessa's third person point-of-view, we're given a few chapters from Isaac's perspective, which was a nice change of pace and gave the reader a look into Isaac's side of the story, and we find out he's just as confused as Alessa! I kept wanting to scream WHY???? I'm a huge fan of romance, as I state quite frequently, so I would've liked more development between Alessa and Isaac on the physical side, but I understand it's hard for them both knowing that their memories have been stripped.
While there isn't that much action in the first half of this book, Durante certainly does a great job of building up the suspense to a very dramatic, and unexpected climax. I believe that it's predecessor, Shudder will have much more action and hopefully a more developed romance! I also wouldn't mind the return of Nikhil. :)
Durante's debut relies heavily on descriptive prose. There is dialogue, of course, throughout Stitch, but we're mainly given descriptions on characters internal thoughts and emotions and the environment surrounding them, one might worry that the story might grow stale. But Samantha's writing stays fresh throughout the story, that the reader isn't distracted by any repetitive verbs or adjectives, and has a clear image of the events surrounding Alessa and Issac.
After reading Stitch, I'm kind of left wondering, what's real and what's created to make me believe it's real, is Sarah really my sister, is my house REALLY my house? Do I really have privacy, who's watching me? What century is it, really?! Yes I know paranoia galore, but once you've read the book you'll understand what I mean!
Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of Dystopian and Sci-fi, the twist of this book is just so innovative and refreshing. Can't wait to get my hands on Shudder, let the showdown commence!

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Stitch began as a paranormal romance that was familiar and refreshing at the same time. It was familiar in that it was about a girl who was trying to figure out what she wanted out of life while being haunted by the presence of a ghost only she could see. The refreshing aspects of it were that the girl was a college student (yay for new adult!) and that she was having recurring nightmares of a prison. Now, having strange dreams may seem typical of the paranormal genre, but in actuality, it played a big role in why the story wasn't just a paranormal

That's one thing I liked about Stitch and why I found it to be so unique. It can't be pegged to one genre. While it may have started off as a paranormal romance, it drastically transformed into a dystopian sci-fi later on. Having elements of various genres really amplified the mystery and suspense. I didn't see lots of things that were revealed coming, and I have to commend the author for managing to keep the story balanced even after adding another major genre into the mix.

Alessa, one of the main characters of Stitch, was likable and mature, and if it weren't for the dreams and the ghost, she would have seemed like a regular girl. The chapters within the first 100 or so pages were all from her perspective. Although the story was a bit slow-going during that time, it was nice getting to know her character and trying to solve the mystery of the ghost along with her. However, once the story passed over the 100-page mark, the story really began to pick up. We started getting chapters from another character's perspective, a character named Issac. I loved reading his chapters! Reading through a male's perspective tends to always be interesting and enjoyable to me.

Without revealing too much, there was a romance between Issac and Alessa. The love story was great, and my favorite parts of the novel were actually their moments together and finding out how they became a couple. I wanted to know even more about their relationship than what was shown in the novel though. Thankfully, from WinterHaven Books' interview with the author, we will be learning more about Alessa's and Issac's pasts in the sequel Shudder. I'm crossing my fingers that it means their relationship too!

Not only am I looking forward to knowing more about Alessa and Issac, I'm also looking forward to knowing more about the rest of the characters and the world. Stitch was a unique story and a great start to the trilogy. Whether you like paranormal, dystopia, sci-fi, or romance, Stitch had a good balance of each and more to satisfy a range of readers.

[Van (Short & Sweet Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, look at that cover! I love it, so beautiful and striking yet simplistic. The cover does a great job at depicting the story and the characters (if you read the book, you'd totally see what I mean ;) ). I should now get on with the review for the book. Wow, this book was something else! It takes a lot to really shock me, and Stitch did exactly that. This book is a mix of genres, and hard to describe without spoiling it for those who still haven’t read it yet. When I first read the synopsis, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t give anything of the story away beside Alessa, the main character being a college student. I absolutely didn’t know what to expect when I read this, so when the twist came up it completely floored me. I literally stopped reading and flipped to the back synopsis, and went “What the heck?!”

Durante was able to mix different genres effortlessly for a unique and mesmerizing storyline. I never read any book that did what she did, and what’s more astounding is this is her first novel! The novel blends contemporary fiction, paranormal romance, Sci-fi and dystopian genre all into one neat package. You’re probably wondering how is it possible huh? I didn’t think there were such books that can do this till I read Stitch. The characters in this book are about 19 to their early 20’s, and I found most of their situation really relatable, being in college and all. The first 13 chapters are told in Alessa’s point-of-view and then jumps to another character, and from here on it jumps back and forth between the two of them. There are also flash-back scenes halfway through the book, and the structure was a bit hard to follow (scene breaks unclear) but I eventually got the flow of how everything was set up.

The first third of the book was a bit slow as we follow Alessa through her everyday college life/sorority life (contemporary part), I wasn’t sucked in immediately because ‘contemporary’ isn’t a genre I read. As we got more into the book everything begins to change, and I found myself glued to the pages (this is where the ‘other genres’ come into play). I know my review is pretty bare, but if I mention even a little bit of the novel, I might spoil it for you guys! I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to reading the next book, Shudder. I highly recommend this book to everyone, because like I said it has a little bit of everything (genre wise) for everyone. If you do plan on reading this book (which you should!), don’t read any of the reviews for this book…because most reviews out there will give everything away! Stitch is definitely a book to check out, and if you’re still not sure....the ratings online should say it all (4.4/5 stars on Amazon and 3.9/5 on Goodreads).

[Brandi Salazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of Stitch in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I hardly ever read a synopsis, and when I do, I promptly forget it and just know that I wanted to read it and so I do. With Stitch all I knew was that it had a ghost story involved, and that was enough to hook me. Initially, when I started reading, I was captured by the vivid descriptions and laid back style of writing. That element remained constant throughout the book, but I still struggled a bit with keeping truly involved in the storyline. It was just that the plot had a tendency to drag a bit, but it delivered just enough sightings of the "ghost" to keep me intrigued. Then, at about 1/3 of the way through, everything just clicked. The only way I can describe it would be a train starting up. From a dead stop, it almost seems to take forever to get going, but then it starts to build up momentum and before you know it, you're speeding down the tracks. The thing of it is, if you have patience, you'll appreciate the beginning so much more. It's like a slow build up to something bigger and grander than you ever expected.

The author has clearly spent a lot of time doing extensive research into the paranormal and physics, because I certainly felt like I learned something reading this story. And while it was an original plot, I can also see where she might have drawn some of her influence. Stitch has a mash-up of Hunger Games meets Quantum Leap meets Somewhere in Time meets....something else (give me a minute to think of it...). Oh well, I think you know where I am going with this. The point is, it has a little of everything that we may have seen in other books, movies, tv shows, but it holds its own in an entirely unique way. Stitch has so much going on, I dare anyone to be bored or turned off by it. It gives you a bit of everything: paranormal, romance, suspense, conspiracy, and stuffs it all into a neat little package and wraps it in dystopian paper. Sounds pretty, right? It is.

I honestly didn't know if I would like this book going in--It's my first dystopian, after all--but I had high hopes for it. What I can tell you now is that it won't be my last. In fact, the next dystopian I pick up will probably be Stitch's sequel because I want to see what happens to these characters. I'm invested in their world now! I encourage anyone who hasn't tried dystopian before to give it a shot, starting with Stitch. It has the right balance of everything you probably already read to ease you into the genre, which is exactly what I need when trying something new. I don't think you could possibly be disappointed.

[Anagha Uppal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview
A superb addition to the dystopian genre.

The Plot
Wow! Wow! There are so many twisty turnies in this book, my mind is still in a whirl. Eep!! Now most of you have read The Hunger Games. Divergent. Matched. Uglies. Delirium. Etc etc. But I bet you've never read anything like this. There's an evil government, there's a ghost, there's contemporary (college life, death of parents) and there's romance. In one book. I'm not kidding. And you might guess that so much going on might make the book too confusing and complicated, but that's not the case here. Still feeling depressed after the death of her parents, Alessa starts seeing a ghost at her college dorm - and she feels like she knows him, like she's connected to him somehow! Then, she starts getting frightening dreams of another time and place - often hiding from an army or stirring up some form of resistance. She has no idea if she's going crazy, and the only person she can confide in is her best friend Janie... who has some secrets of her own. Intriguing and engrossing - you must read this!

The Characters
The characters weren't necessarily the best element of the novel. I mean, sure, I like them while I'm reading. However, I don't feel like I'd like to stay with them and get to know them better. I admit - I have a terrible memory. But I think I should be able to remember the main character's name five days after reading it. I had to actually look it up to remember. I think that says something, don't you?

Narration/Tone
Another small problem. Although the plot itself was not confusing, but constantly changing POVs AND settings without warning was very, very disorienting. One minute, I'm reading about Alessa talking to her best friend, Janie, and the next, it's Isaac and Joe talking about rebellion and stealing food. It takes me a minute to figure it out. If you're reading this, Samantha, I suggest you put some kind of date, place, and POV person at the beginning of each chapter in later editions so it's easier to orient onseself. Just an idea :-)

Overall
Yes, there may be a few small problems, but the unique plot is totally worth everything here. I am already earnestly looking forward to the sequel since it ended with a cliffhanger that's similar to the plot of Blood Red Road and Ashes - the guy and the girl have to make a long journey to help the dying community. OMG!

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book made me think that it was going to be a time travel novel, which the fits the title. The MC, Alessa, has been seeing a ghost. A ghost that she is drawn to and feels a connection with and attraction to. She doesn't understand. She begins doing research to find out about the inhabitants of the soroity house that she lives in on her college campus because she believes that he may have been one in the past. Of course she eventually finds out that things are definitely not as she suspects and finds herself living in a completely different world.

I read Stitch and Shudder one after the other. I went into Stitch without re-reading the summary, so I didn't exactly know what to expect. I ended up getting invested into the story wondering what was really going on and what was going to happen. I definitely related to Alessa. I could also see how she could be so intrigued by Isaac. Everything definitely climaxes towards the end.

There were some slow parts and some parts that had too much information. I felt like quite a bit of the information wasn't completely necessary, which made the story drag. Although, I think the author was just giving her backstory and showing how Alessa would have gone about trying to figure things out.

I felt that the writing and editing were well done for both books. I've read several self-published (indie) books that needed so many corrections that I just couldn't even get into or finish the book. This definitely isn't the case here. I also liked the covers.

I really liked Alessa's character. I thought she was a great MC and I connected with her and her struggles under the circumstances she was dealing with. I thought she was fairly realistic in her reactions as well. It also helped that I liked the interactions with the other characters and that I liked Isaac, Nikhil, and Janie.

The society and plot were plausible (for a scifi/paranormal) to me as well. The drugs used on the people and separation of the classes; the romance; what the "virus" had created; the struggle for survival, but also for freedom all worked for me.

Overall, it was an enjoyable book.

Content: Some innuendo and violence.
Source: Received review copy from book tour host for an honest review.
You can see my book tour post on my blog.

[Aydrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming October 14th as part of the tour!

Wow this book was full of unexpected moments. The whole plot was very unique and I loved every second of it. Just when I thought I figured everything out something else would happen to make me question just what exactly was going on. I loved that the plot completely surprised me and was so unique from anything else I have read. It is hard to say much about the plot without giving everything away and I would hate to ruin it for anyone. I do have to say that the plot is very original & engaging.

The main character Alessa was interesting from the start because of her past and how alone she felt. I was intrigued by the fact that she was seeing a ghost & that she felt an inexplicable connection to him. That alone drew me in and then as the story progressed and Alessa grew as a character I liked her even more, she turned out to be pretty brave. Then there is Isaac. His appearances are few in the beginning and therefore it is hard to learn about him. When it switches to his POV it helped me learn more about him. Although I don’t think I learned enough about him so I can’t wait to learn more, same goes for Alessa. Janie was a great character & I really liked her. Her friendship with Alessa was great too, I loved how they seemed to connect so well.

This book was not what I was expecting at all & I absolutely loved it. I can’t wait to see what will happen next. I can’t wait to learn more about everything that happened & to see more of Alessa & Isaac. I highly recommend it!



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[Komal Kant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: Spoiler-ville ahead!

I went into STITCH knowing what to expect from the get-go. I’d read enough reviews of the book to know which direction Samantha was heading in with this story. Did it take anything away from the story? Absolutely not! I was still affected by all the twists and turns that Samantha threw at me.

STITCH is hard to box into one specific genre and I have come to the realization that it spans across THREE genres, not two. The book started out as a Paranormal Romance. I was completely captivated by the ghost story that was unfolding. The connection between Alessa and Isaac was undeniable. I looked forward to the brief moments where Isaac’s “ghost” appeared and Alessa was trying to figure out why she was so affected by him.

The book took a Science Fiction turn for me when the “wormholes” and “time travelling” plot came about. I was like, “Whaaat?” At first, my logical mind was resisting this plot twist, but on the other hand, I really wanted Alessa to stop the fire from happening and, in turn, prevent Isaac’s death. Just as soon as I was beginning to accept the Sci-Fi of it all, THAT happened.

By “THAT”, I mean we are suddenly told that, “No, STITCH is not really a Paranormal Romance or a Science Fiction novel about wormholes; STITCH is really a well-disguised Dystopian novel.” Um, WHOA! It sounds like a lot, right? You’re wondering how a debut, self-published author can pull something like that off, right? Trust me, the revelations aren’t overwhelming at all. Samantha Durante is one hell of a writer!

The writing was excellent and I found myself flying through this book (it totally broke my reading slump!). The characters and their relationships with each other were intriguing, and the glimpses into the Dystopian world and Paragon were really interesting. We didn’t get to see a whole lot on it, but I know there is a sequel and I’m sure many of our questions will be answered in SHUDDER.

All in all, STITCH was a fantastic debut by Samantha Durante. She has done an amazing job crossing genres and is a talented writer. I really can’t wait for SHUDDER’s release, so I’m off to bug Samantha to write faster!

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - I liked it!!

When I began reading this book, I expected it just to be a simple ghost story, where the characters discover each other and find love. Boy was I wrong!! It is way more than that!! Samantha Durante has written a fascinating story where all is not what it seems and it will keep you wanting more!

Alessa is a college freshman and has glided through her last year of high school after the deaths of her parents. Her grades slipped as a result and she didn’t get into one of the big colleges that she wanted to attend. Instead, she was accepted to Eastern State University as they overlooked her personal issues. She has settled into the Uni life, as a normal young adult, attending classes and the occasional party. She only has one close friend, Janie, who is her constant support person.

In various places around her dorm, Alessa keeps seeing a ghost. He pops up out of nowhere and he unsettles Alessa as she feels very emotional about him. She decides to learn more about him and does research about the original occupants of the house. This is how we learn about Isaac more personally as she is able to discover so much about him at the college library.

I like Alessa, she is portrayed as the normal, smart college chick who is doing her best at school. She has no family left and has had to regroup and set her own goals. She is a determined person and once she has her heart set on something it is hard to change her mind. So when she decides to try and help the ghost not even Janie can change her mind.

After reading about half of the book I was thinking, now this is a nice book, we may be seeing soul mates trying to get back together. We have the ghost and the girl from the future trying to connect through time, aww how sweet. But then BANG!! This massive twist is thrown in that I didn’t see coming and the plot takes an abrupt change. Samantha was able to keep me glued to the pages, waiting to see what would happen to Alessa next! With all the twists that come into it I have been left wanting more!

[Anika Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on The Oaken Bookcase on October 31, 2012.

Alessa has recently started at a new and unfamiliar college. Depressed and withdrawn after the accidental death of her parents, she starts seeing a ghost of a young man in her house. Drawn to the ghost by a strange attraction, she tries to discover who he might have been. Her world is turned upside down once more when she discovers what is really going on at her college, and that nothing in her world is as it seems.

This book was an odd one to read – here I was, settling into a slightly bland college ghost story, getting the feeling that the tension was gradually building to some unspecified event when half-way through the book, BAM. Complete plot twist and non-stop action until the end. I’m not sure what else to say without give anything away, but I will say that I completely did not see that coming, despite the clues.

The characters are quite likeable and even though we haven’t seen a lot of Isaac yet, it sounds like his relationship with Alessa is going to be very sweet and profound in the next book. Alessa herself, along with the other female characters, seem very strong and capable.

The tension is built up so well once the truth is revealed that at some points I was holding my breath, waiting to see what would happen. It does get a little wordy – especially early on in the story. We could do with hearing less about college life and get into the Isaac-related action a little more quickly – I wonder if less patient readers might put the book down during the first half before the action gets going. That said, Stitch is a very well-written debut from Samantha Durante and I’ll be looking forward to reading what happens to Alessa and Isaac in future stories.

If you like a little bit of paranormal romance or you’re a fan of Dystopia, then make sure to add Stitch to your list!