First Light

by Haylee Leatherman

I'm going to die! The thought flickered frantically through my mind as I plummeted down to the unforgiving stone below. But my life didn't flash before my eyes the way I'd always thought it was supposed to when someone was swiftly slipping into death. Instead, it was a dizzy whirl of questions slung out at me How? How is this happening? These ropes are sturdy; they don't just break! And this type of knot doesn't just come undone! Junior year's pretty tough for Brooke; there's the heavy school load, AP exams, preparing for college, not to mention varsity tennis practice and church commitments. Brooke is as busy as can be, but she still manages to find time for her adoring little sister, her best guy friends, and a possible love interest in Enoch, the thoughtful yet mysterious guy from church. When she joins her youth group for a high-adventure rappelling trip and something goes seriously wrong, in one bated breath, a split second, her world is rocked. Rather than plummeting into sure and sudden death, she somehow miraculously defies the law of gravity and survives the forty-foot fall. And Enoch, who had been watching nearby, is nowhere to be found. Could he have been what saved her? Brooke's survival leads her to find that not only is nature tirelessly ready to take her, but so is something else, a thing from the past that only masked memories can remember. Enoch might have been able to protect her before, but where she will go is so far below the only world she's ever known. Will he be able to save her now? Will they see First Light? Author Haylee Leatherman lives in San Antonio with her husband and children. First Light is her first novel.

288 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published December 21, 2010

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this was a great book. I really enjoyed the protagonist Brooke as she has a great personality and enjoys an amazing array of fun activities while still finding time for the important things in life. Her supporting characters were also enjoyable with several reminding me of great people I miss from my own high school years;.. and some I don't miss at all. In addition to the great cast, the book has a very nice flow with lots of action that makes you want to keep turning pages. The original ending with a nice twist was also welcome and closed the novel out nicely, even as it left you hoping the sequel doesn't take too long to be published. Bottom line, I strongly recommend the book for all ages, regardless of gender.

[mmriley54 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been an English teacher for a number of years, I have read my fair share of books. Leatherman has an excellent grasp of the English language. Her use of imagery is compelling, as she is able to captivate the reader with her vivid descriptions. While this book is clearly intented for a younger audience, I must admit that it was even enjoyable for someone at my age. I would recommend this book for as young as fifth graders, ranging up to the elderly!

[Bailey]

Jill this is the book I was telling you about written by the girl in my ward.

[Christena · Rating 1 out of 5]

After discussing this book with other readers, I'm editing my review. Yes, I hated the book. No, I would not recommend it to anyone else. Yes, I would still give it less than one star, if possible. BUT, I honestly feel that
the poor quality of the book has as much to do with the the lack of editing on the publishing company's part as it does with the actual content/style of the book.

I'm sure Leatherman tried to write an exciting, enjoyable Young Adult read...there is just a lack of consistency between the language being used and the intended audience. The story isn't captivating/believable enough for most adult readers, and the word choice isn't appropriate for most Y.A. readers (i.e. "...but in perfect perception, all senses in superlative concurrence"...what?!?!). Partner this with poor grammar, out-of-touch characters, and strange stylistic choices (such as overuse of parentheses, overusing colors as descriptors-9 in just one paragraph-and strangely referring to body parts rather than the character as a whole (i.e. "...his head turned hastily away," "...his eyes touched mine," "...my head freaked out," etc. etc. etc.), and the whole thing becomes a bit of a mess.

Had Leatherman had a knowledgeable editor, which I assume she did not, to cut out the superfluous nonsense, there might be a good Y.A. novel hiding here.

[Vanessa · Rating 1 out of 5]

At first I felt like this was a lame "goody-two-shoes" imitation of Edward and Bella from Twilight (one of my favorites). But this book is really well written. It takes an interesting turn that makes it different enough from Twilight to keep me reading to the end. There is so much detail and the characters are very likeable. Brooke is definitely someone that young girls should look up to. Her relationships with the other characters are so real and so fun, I actually laughed out loud while reading some of the scenes.

But I was so disappointed. The book builds up a great character, interesting and fun relationships, and a lot of intrigue. But it falls flat. Too much fictional liberty is taken with religious topics such as translated beings, conversations with Heavenly Father, and possession by evil spirits. It borders on sacrilege, and some of it was just incorrect. Evil spirits cannot possess the body and soul of a righteous young woman against her will.

I felt wrong reading this book and I cannot support it or recommend it to anyone else. Hence, my copy is going in the trash.

[Rainygirlboo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having recently met Haylee, I want to say what a great person she is. She was awesome to talk to and was super friendly. Plus, like me, she actually loves tennis and rock climbing too. So I wanted to make certain and add a quick review for her book.

Now her book was great! There is an amazing love story, lots of action, plenty of detailed descriptions, tennis, sleepovers, and rock climbing! Brooke, the main character, is a very kind, easy going girl that is so cool. She is athletic, beautiful, and has decided to live by a set of standards that set her apart. Her love interest is Enoch. He is so dreamy… tall, handsome, athletic, kind, friendly, and mysterious. Along with them are several other really great, likable characters that are developed enough to remind me of some of my own friends. With the characters experiencing some very fun activities and living through a great plot, the book literally flew by. Since I do not want to spoil anything, let me just say that I loved the ending! I totally recommend this book to everyone!