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Off the Grid #1
Going Gridless
For 17 year old Greer Wakefield, life has been perfect and normal. Her life is very green thanks to her parents, and she’s okay with that. Everything changes when her parents decide to take their green living to the next step. They move the family into an off the grid community. Greer grapples with the complete 180 her life has become. Living in an earth home takes some adjusting to.
Hunter Tumman has lived at Gridless all his life. Living off the grid is the only thing he knows. But new girl Greer catches his eye and their friendship throws him for a loop. Her stories of the outside has him questioning everything he thought he knew. Could there be more to life than what he’s experienced?
While one questions the life he's led, the other grows adjusted to the life she's thrust into. Will they meet in the middle or will they miss each other as they live their lives off the grid?
Hunter Tumman has lived at Gridless all his life. Living off the grid is the only thing he knows. But new girl Greer catches his eye and their friendship throws him for a loop. Her stories of the outside has him questioning everything he thought he knew. Could there be more to life than what he’s experienced?
While one questions the life he's led, the other grows adjusted to the life she's thrust into. Will they meet in the middle or will they miss each other as they live their lives off the grid?
- GenresYoung Adult
50 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2014
3 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Brandy Jeffus Corona
9 books144 followersBrandy Jeffus Corona has always been a writer, even before she could wield a pen. She would dictate her stories to her mom who would type them on a typewriter. Thus began Brandy's love affair with the written word.
She is a wife and a mother to two awesome kids. Her best friend in the world is her mother. She's a true Texan, loving the Cowboys even when they suck and uses the words 'y'all' and 'fixin too'.
She reads more than she writes, volunteers at church, her children's school and with Girl Scouts and sometimes she spends too much time on Facebook.
She is a wife and a mother to two awesome kids. Her best friend in the world is her mother. She's a true Texan, loving the Cowboys even when they suck and uses the words 'y'all' and 'fixin too'.
She reads more than she writes, volunteers at church, her children's school and with Girl Scouts and sometimes she spends too much time on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 6, 2015
Available now on Amazon! Only $.99!
I was really excited to start this one because I love the concept of this story. I felt like all aspects of the Gridless community seemed to be well-researched, which I very much appreciate, and consequently the aspects of their green living were informative.
Technically speaking, I think the story could’ve been edited one more time—some little grammatical things, most of it isn’t too distracting.
I didn't love Greer.
Mostly it was because she didn't seem like she was 17, and she was supposed to be. Her character reminds me a lot of my 12-year-old baby sister, and my sister is by no means mature for her age. Her wide-eyed adoration of her "can do no wrong" parents, the way she was around boys, her general lack of her own identity. I'd like to see more emotion/humanness from Greer. To me, she just felt like an extension of her parents, not so much a character in her own right. Hopefully in the coming stories she will branch out and become her own person, but as far as this one went, she didn't feel real to me. It's just an introduction though, so we'll see how she grows.
“I guess they weren’t too mad at my outburst or I would have been disciplined by now.”
Like this. No. For one thing, I’m pretty sure, “Hey, we’re uprooting your whole life without concern for what you want to move you into a hippie compound that you’ve never even seen before,” warrants an outburst of human emotion. From anyone, but definitely from a 17-year-old. She's almost an adult herself, and yet Greer feels very much like a stifled child.
I personally prefer characters who are a little more dynamic. I'm not sure if Greer will get there or not, but right now she's too "perfect." Not perfect as in flawless, but as in she tries too hard to always be "good" when she should be figuring out who she is instead of carefully monitoring her behavior. She's too controlled. I'd like to see Greer let loose a little, 'cause if she doesn't, she's going to eventually spin out of control--and maybe she needs to.
Hunter...I didn't see enough of him to form much of an opinion, but I thought their feelings for each other progressed way too fast without being properly built, which made me feel like any cute boy would get the same response...but what I've been told about Greer earlier (that she had never even found a boy she was attracted to) doesn't compute if that's the case.
I think I might've liked if it would've been another chapter longer, and more time spent fleshing out the relationships between the characters.
**** Free ARC received in exchange for an honest review.****
Review also found at Land of Fiction Book Blog
I was really excited to start this one because I love the concept of this story. I felt like all aspects of the Gridless community seemed to be well-researched, which I very much appreciate, and consequently the aspects of their green living were informative.
Technically speaking, I think the story could’ve been edited one more time—some little grammatical things, most of it isn’t too distracting.
I didn't love Greer.
Mostly it was because she didn't seem like she was 17, and she was supposed to be. Her character reminds me a lot of my 12-year-old baby sister, and my sister is by no means mature for her age. Her wide-eyed adoration of her "can do no wrong" parents, the way she was around boys, her general lack of her own identity. I'd like to see more emotion/humanness from Greer. To me, she just felt like an extension of her parents, not so much a character in her own right. Hopefully in the coming stories she will branch out and become her own person, but as far as this one went, she didn't feel real to me. It's just an introduction though, so we'll see how she grows.
“I guess they weren’t too mad at my outburst or I would have been disciplined by now.”
Like this. No. For one thing, I’m pretty sure, “Hey, we’re uprooting your whole life without concern for what you want to move you into a hippie compound that you’ve never even seen before,” warrants an outburst of human emotion. From anyone, but definitely from a 17-year-old. She's almost an adult herself, and yet Greer feels very much like a stifled child.
I personally prefer characters who are a little more dynamic. I'm not sure if Greer will get there or not, but right now she's too "perfect." Not perfect as in flawless, but as in she tries too hard to always be "good" when she should be figuring out who she is instead of carefully monitoring her behavior. She's too controlled. I'd like to see Greer let loose a little, 'cause if she doesn't, she's going to eventually spin out of control--and maybe she needs to.
Hunter...I didn't see enough of him to form much of an opinion, but I thought their feelings for each other progressed way too fast without being properly built, which made me feel like any cute boy would get the same response...but what I've been told about Greer earlier (that she had never even found a boy she was attracted to) doesn't compute if that's the case.
I think I might've liked if it would've been another chapter longer, and more time spent fleshing out the relationships between the characters.
**** Free ARC received in exchange for an honest review.****
Review also found at Land of Fiction Book Blog
December 26, 2014
GOING GRIDLESS (OFF THE GRID 1) by BRANDY JEFFUS CORONA
A new story and a serial from Brandy Jeffus Corona that feels new to me. The premise of the story is different but in a good way. I was given a complimentary copy of this book. I think reading just the first part of the story will give you the idea that there is a different theme to it. I mean, it would be romance (I think) but there's just something different how she created a story in introducing the characters and the romance in a place that is so gnarly. Totally different storyline. Mother Earth-like. It doesn't make sense but if you read the book then you will know what I am taking about (I hope. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)
I am definitely curious how the story will continue in book 2 and I think this is just an introduction to this serial and what the story will be about eventually so I am looking forward for the next release. :)
♥♥♥♥
** Also posted on my TUMBLR account & AMAZON
http://xoxopimpimxoxo.tumblr.com/post...
A new story and a serial from Brandy Jeffus Corona that feels new to me. The premise of the story is different but in a good way. I was given a complimentary copy of this book. I think reading just the first part of the story will give you the idea that there is a different theme to it. I mean, it would be romance (I think) but there's just something different how she created a story in introducing the characters and the romance in a place that is so gnarly. Totally different storyline. Mother Earth-like. It doesn't make sense but if you read the book then you will know what I am taking about (I hope. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)
I am definitely curious how the story will continue in book 2 and I think this is just an introduction to this serial and what the story will be about eventually so I am looking forward for the next release. :)
♥♥♥♥
** Also posted on my TUMBLR account & AMAZON
http://xoxopimpimxoxo.tumblr.com/post...
September 9, 2014
This is the first installment of Brandy Jeffus Corona's Off the Grid series. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Since by day I'm an environmental health student, I was very intrigued to see how the author weaved off-the-grid living into a fiction novella.
Going Gridless was immensely enjoyable! Like I said, it's a novella so a really fast read--I finished it within an hour. The story is told from the POV of eco-friendly teenager Greer, whose parents are dedicated to green living. They become even more so when they decide to move the family, including Greer and her sister, into an off-the-grid community. It's clear the author did a lot of research, and I love how she turned the concept into a novella about family, growing up, and young love. I liked the narration style and thought Greer sounded like a believable teenager. She's a smart, focused and generally nice girl. She tries to be a good daughter, but there is some conflict and resistance on Greer's part when her parents decide they want to move--which is natural for a young girl that doesn't want to leave her home and friends behind.
The only thing about the novella that I'm just not used to seeing in a lot of fiction was the religious aspect. Faith and God are definitely an important part of Greer's life. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just that I wasn't used to it.
Toward the end of the novella, Greer meets Hunter, her new, off-the-grid love interest. The author does a great job of building up the tension between these two. The ending was a little open-ended, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for Greer and her family--and, ok, Greer and Hunter.
Going Gridless was immensely enjoyable! Like I said, it's a novella so a really fast read--I finished it within an hour. The story is told from the POV of eco-friendly teenager Greer, whose parents are dedicated to green living. They become even more so when they decide to move the family, including Greer and her sister, into an off-the-grid community. It's clear the author did a lot of research, and I love how she turned the concept into a novella about family, growing up, and young love. I liked the narration style and thought Greer sounded like a believable teenager. She's a smart, focused and generally nice girl. She tries to be a good daughter, but there is some conflict and resistance on Greer's part when her parents decide they want to move--which is natural for a young girl that doesn't want to leave her home and friends behind.
The only thing about the novella that I'm just not used to seeing in a lot of fiction was the religious aspect. Faith and God are definitely an important part of Greer's life. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just that I wasn't used to it.
Toward the end of the novella, Greer meets Hunter, her new, off-the-grid love interest. The author does a great job of building up the tension between these two. The ending was a little open-ended, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for Greer and her family--and, ok, Greer and Hunter.
August 10, 2014
I am a huge fan of everything that Brandy has written. Each book just reaffirms how great of a writer she is. New storylines and characters and nothing ever recycled from book to book. Everything is so fresh! Going Gridless was no different either. I absolutely loved it! I was a bit curious about how the story would be when I seen that it was about green living. Well, I was hooked from page one. I read it in one sitting. I started reading and I was immediately taken to a whole new world.
Greer is 17 and her parents are all about living green. She was okay with that until they decided that they wanted to move the family to an off grid community. Needless to say, Greer was not happy about that at all. I don’t blame her. Im pretty attached to my technology. Lol!! Okay maybe Im addicted. She does take her iPod with her. Smart girl. I would die without my music and books.
Things look up when she meets Hunter. City girl catches the hippy boys eye. It was so sweet how Hunter acted towards Greer. I absolutely loved their friendship. They had me giggling like a 12 year old, boy crazy girl.
As their friendship grew, so did the amount of questions they asked each other about their lives. I cant wait to read more to see where the future takes these two.
Greer is 17 and her parents are all about living green. She was okay with that until they decided that they wanted to move the family to an off grid community. Needless to say, Greer was not happy about that at all. I don’t blame her. Im pretty attached to my technology. Lol!! Okay maybe Im addicted. She does take her iPod with her. Smart girl. I would die without my music and books.
Things look up when she meets Hunter. City girl catches the hippy boys eye. It was so sweet how Hunter acted towards Greer. I absolutely loved their friendship. They had me giggling like a 12 year old, boy crazy girl.
As their friendship grew, so did the amount of questions they asked each other about their lives. I cant wait to read more to see where the future takes these two.
May 9, 2014
I knew this was going to be a short series and like all of the other books Brandy has written, I didnt know what it was going to be about.
At the beginning when Greer was describing herself it felt like she was describing me in high school so I had an instant bond with the character.
"I was more of a loaner type, not really belonging to any one clique..."
"I coasted along, nice to everyone from the Goths to the Cheerleaders."
Even though I did have to put this short book down a few time to take care of my 2 year old, I still went right back to it. I am loving the vibe I picked up from the Eco Friendly place that her parents decided to move her and her sister to. I think this is going to be a great series and I cant wait to hear more about the other people in the community, and to see where the spark between Greer and Hunter go.
Keep up the good work Brandy. <3
At the beginning when Greer was describing herself it felt like she was describing me in high school so I had an instant bond with the character.
"I was more of a loaner type, not really belonging to any one clique..."
"I coasted along, nice to everyone from the Goths to the Cheerleaders."
Even though I did have to put this short book down a few time to take care of my 2 year old, I still went right back to it. I am loving the vibe I picked up from the Eco Friendly place that her parents decided to move her and her sister to. I think this is going to be a great series and I cant wait to hear more about the other people in the community, and to see where the spark between Greer and Hunter go.
Keep up the good work Brandy. <3
May 25, 2014
Once again Brandy delivers a story that is unlike any book I have read. She has a talent of thinking outside the box and creating story lines that are new and different.
Greer’s parents basically ripped her away from everything she knew in order pursuit of living an eco-friendly, gridless life. She struggles with her parent’s decision, but slowly learns to accept her fate.
“We’re not gonna live in some cult compound with a bunch of drink-the-Kool-Aid crazy heads.”
Everything seems to be going as planned until she meets Hunter. He makes her start feeling emotions and feeling she has never felt before.
Normally I love when books are short sweet and to the point, but this book was too short. I am already antsy for the continuation of Greer’s story.
Greer’s parents basically ripped her away from everything she knew in order pursuit of living an eco-friendly, gridless life. She struggles with her parent’s decision, but slowly learns to accept her fate.
“We’re not gonna live in some cult compound with a bunch of drink-the-Kool-Aid crazy heads.”
Everything seems to be going as planned until she meets Hunter. He makes her start feeling emotions and feeling she has never felt before.
Normally I love when books are short sweet and to the point, but this book was too short. I am already antsy for the continuation of Greer’s story.
May 26, 2014
I got the pleasure of reading this awesome story before it was live. with a copy provided by the one and only Brandy Corona!!
This is a story so different that it engulfs you and all you can do is read it!! Brandy writes this amazing eco friendly short story. You get in the heads of the characters and fall in love. Greer is one of the cutest characters and I can't wait to see how her and Hunter grow!! As always Brandy writes a story with emotion, real feelings and with a passion for what she does. I would highly recommend this book and the next to come.
This is a story so different that it engulfs you and all you can do is read it!! Brandy writes this amazing eco friendly short story. You get in the heads of the characters and fall in love. Greer is one of the cutest characters and I can't wait to see how her and Hunter grow!! As always Brandy writes a story with emotion, real feelings and with a passion for what she does. I would highly recommend this book and the next to come.
May 4, 2014
beta read*
Brandy told me it was a short novella series, so I expected short. I love all her books and they all, to me, are educational in different aspects. This one I learned a few things regarding earth friendly homes and communities.
I really enjoyed this small novella. I cannot wait to know what happens next!
Brandy told me it was a short novella series, so I expected short. I love all her books and they all, to me, are educational in different aspects. This one I learned a few things regarding earth friendly homes and communities.
I really enjoyed this small novella. I cannot wait to know what happens next!
May 24, 2014
*~*~*~*~Beta Reader*~*~*~*~*~
I have never read a novella series but the way the first book was written I can't wait to read the next short story. I liked that it feels like you are reading it as the author is writing it. I really want to find out what happens between Hunter and Greer!!!
I have never read a novella series but the way the first book was written I can't wait to read the next short story. I liked that it feels like you are reading it as the author is writing it. I really want to find out what happens between Hunter and Greer!!!
May 10, 2014
As always Brandy does an excellent job on this book. I loved it like i have loved all of her books. A true writer at heart and she can capture so much emotion in her books.
May 14, 2015
This is another book I won in a giveaway.
Anyway, I'll start off by saying that I did like the novella, but I did have some issues with it.
When I read books that are YA, I expect there to be some sort of angst, because let's face it, the book is about teenagers. I expected some level of angst, but I was sadly disappointed by the lack of it. There was only one instance in which Greer (our protagonist) lets off some steam. But, it is very short lived, and her parents don't even really seem to respond to her outburst. I find that very odd, because parents are not that easy going. I felt like the characters, especially the parents, were cookie-cutter caricatures and for the most part lacked character and personality.
The second point that seriously bothered me was the insta-love that occurred between Greer and Hunter. I know this is fiction, and anything is possible in fiction, but there has to be at least some sort of build-up to the love, right? It just happened way too quickly for my taste, but I know there are others who like the insta-love, and that's okay. That kind of thing just isn't for me.
Now I'll go into what I did like.
The recycling concept of living completely green. I'm sure most of us, if not all, know about the negative effects humanity has had on nature. In my own home, we try to recycle things as much as possible, and on that level, I could connect with Greer and her family's concern for nature. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where litter doesn't line the streets or the ground of public places. While we don't go out and pick up garbage in the park like Greer and her sister, we do our part to make the world a little cleaner.
I could also connect to the bond between Greer and her sister Jess, and at the anger they felt at having to move to another place where they don't know anyone. I've experienced that in many instances throughout my childhood.
Overall, it's an interesting novella, and I give it 3/5 Platypires.
Maribel @ Platpypire Reviews
Anyway, I'll start off by saying that I did like the novella, but I did have some issues with it.
When I read books that are YA, I expect there to be some sort of angst, because let's face it, the book is about teenagers. I expected some level of angst, but I was sadly disappointed by the lack of it. There was only one instance in which Greer (our protagonist) lets off some steam. But, it is very short lived, and her parents don't even really seem to respond to her outburst. I find that very odd, because parents are not that easy going. I felt like the characters, especially the parents, were cookie-cutter caricatures and for the most part lacked character and personality.
The second point that seriously bothered me was the insta-love that occurred between Greer and Hunter. I know this is fiction, and anything is possible in fiction, but there has to be at least some sort of build-up to the love, right? It just happened way too quickly for my taste, but I know there are others who like the insta-love, and that's okay. That kind of thing just isn't for me.
Now I'll go into what I did like.
The recycling concept of living completely green. I'm sure most of us, if not all, know about the negative effects humanity has had on nature. In my own home, we try to recycle things as much as possible, and on that level, I could connect with Greer and her family's concern for nature. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where litter doesn't line the streets or the ground of public places. While we don't go out and pick up garbage in the park like Greer and her sister, we do our part to make the world a little cleaner.
I could also connect to the bond between Greer and her sister Jess, and at the anger they felt at having to move to another place where they don't know anyone. I've experienced that in many instances throughout my childhood.
Overall, it's an interesting novella, and I give it 3/5 Platypires.
Maribel @ Platpypire Reviews
December 24, 2014
This is a great first book in an offbeat young-adult serial. How could I not enjoy a story about a family moving to an ecovillage complete with earthships? Corona does a great job describing the unusual elements of the commune in a way that's intriguing without feeling like an infodump, and I'm looking forward to hearing more about Gridless in future installments in this series.
Otherwise, the story is a pretty typical teenage-girl-moves-to-a-new-neighborhood-and-meets-cute-boy tale, but it's done quite well. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I didn't think our heroine felt too perfect. Instead, I really identified with her and could totally see having similarly mixed feelings if my parents had decided to take their own strong countercultural beliefs up a notch and move to an off-grid commune. I thought Hunter (aforementioned cute boy) was delightfully appealing, and I look forward to reading more about him in the next installment.
Otherwise, the story is a pretty typical teenage-girl-moves-to-a-new-neighborhood-and-meets-cute-boy tale, but it's done quite well. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I didn't think our heroine felt too perfect. Instead, I really identified with her and could totally see having similarly mixed feelings if my parents had decided to take their own strong countercultural beliefs up a notch and move to an off-grid commune. I thought Hunter (aforementioned cute boy) was delightfully appealing, and I look forward to reading more about him in the next installment.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews