Review: FLAWED by Kate Avelynn

FLAWED
by Kate Avelynn
ebook pub date 11/23/2012
paperback pub date 12/11/2012

product description from goodreads.com

Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact...
My Review:


FLAWED is a stunning piece of fiction, beautifully written and expertly crafted in such a way that grips you and carries you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and nerves. The three main characters, James, Sarah and Sam, each possess both good and bad characteristics, and I found myself both rooting for and cursing them constantly. 

Sarah first comes across as timid and weak, but we discover (along with Sarah) her true self through the novel's progression. Her decisions throughout had me almost yelling out loud at her they were so wrong at times, but the great thing about Avelynn's storytelling prowess is that I completely understood why she was making them. Many times I found myself asking what I would do in her situation, which is always a great thing for a story to produce in a reader.

James is seemingly the polar opposite of Sarah. He's strong, protective, unafraid of standing up for both himself and his sister. But James also harbors a darkness that eats away at him from page one. A darkness that shows itself more and more as the novel moves forward. A darkness that threatens everyone. I have to admit that my feelings toward James changed by the end of the book, but to avoid any spoilers, I won't say how. 

Sam, to me, is the light of this novel, though as I said, he isn't all good and perfect all the time (who is, right?). But Sam does represent possibility and hope, not only for James and Sarah, but also for himself. The relationships he has with both Sarah and James are severely damaged right from the start, but he has a quiet optimism inside that somehow keeps the fragility of those relationships intact.

My Rating:

I really can't express how powerful and moving this novel is. I was swept into the story from the first page, and I stayed there until the unbelievable end. I give FLAWED 5 Stars, and highly recommend (demand, really) that you all go and get a copy now and meet a cast of characters that will stay with you long after you've read the last word.  

AVOW by Chelsea Fine book trailer & giveaway!

Hey lucky followers, I'm so stoked to be able to show you the all-new book trailer for Chelsea Fine's upcoming Archers of Avalon finale, AVOW! I revealed the cover last week (you can check out that post here) and Chelsea was nice enough to send me the trailer to share with you guys (yay us!).

Okay, I won't keep you waiting. Here's the trailer for AVOW, book three in the Archers of Avalon series!



Isn't that great? I seriously don't know how Chelsea was able to take any of those photos with Tristan standing there (major distraction, right?) but she did, and did a great job, too!

As a bonus, Chelsea is also giving away some outstanding prizes that you're definitely gonna want to get in on. Signed books, cash, electronics--score! Wanna know how to enter? Check out the rafflecopter below! (and it's INTERNATIONAL!!)

Be sure to visit Chelsea on Twitter, her website, or Facebook, and congratulate her on an awesome trailer and say thanks for the giveaway!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find me on ADR3NALIN3!

Hey folks, head on over to the ADR3NALIN3 Blog today for my post on NaNoWriMo!

Cover Reveal...AVOW by Chelsea Fine!

You guys, I'm super-duper thrilled to be part of the cover reveal for Chelsea Fine's final book in the Archers of Avalon trilogy, AVOW! 

I've gotten to know Chelsea via Twitter and she's such a sweet, funny gal I now consider a friend. I've yet to begin the Archers series (curse you, TBR pile!) but I can't wait because I just know her humor and sharp wit are gonna shine through!

Okay, I'm not gonna keep you in suspense. Here it is, the cover for book three in the Archers of Avalon trilogy, AVOW!

Isn't that beautiful?! I seriously love all three of these covers (note: book two may just be my favorite; brownie points to anyone who can guess why. lol) and can't wait to get hard copies to add all this pretty to my shelf:

 

Aren't they gorgeous all lined up together?! Squee!

Here's a bit about AVOW:

Scarlet remembers. Everything. Her past lives, Tristan, Gabriel, Nate: she remembers it all--including how to get to the Fountain of Youth. But time is running out.

Heather and Gabriel have been kidnapped by Raven, while the curse that has plagued Scarlet and Tristan for centuries has shifted, putting the star-crossed lovers in more danger than ever before. Water from the Fountain of Youth is the only thing that can save Scarlet and her loved ones. But the water comes at a price.

With lives--and hearts--at stake, Scarlet leads her friends on a dangerous journey to the Fountain of Youth. Where eternal life is possible, but death is certain.
And a bit about the author herself:

I grew up (and still live) in the Phoenix, AZ area where I studied Design at Arizona State University. During college, I also took my first creative writing class, which is how I fell in love with writing. In 2007, I found myself working at a credit union, staring at a computer screen, and bored out of my mind. I promptly opened up Word and began writing a story...to kill time. (I know, I'm a terrible employee.) But eight pages and forty-five minutes later, I realized I was actually having fun. Years later, (after I quit the credit union and became a self-employed artist...because let's face it, I was no good at "being on the clock" what, with all the story-writing during "work" hours) I asked a publishing company to edit a short story of mine and before I knew it I was on the road to publishing my first book, Sophie & Carter. Now I spend most of my days writing, painting, and trying not to burn the house down when I cook. Other than that, I'm an avid reader, a lover of music, a Battlestar Galactica fan, a coffee addict, a chronic texter, an obsessive teeth-brusher, and a shameless superhero enthusiast. Oh, and I have the best agent in the world, Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffey Literary!

Wanna keep tabs on Chelsea and all that's to come from this awesome author? Check her out on her website, Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter!

And be sure to stop by my blog every Monday between now and the release of AVOW on December 11th for some special treats from Chelsea--including a giveaway! 

Cover Reveal -- SHRAPNEL by Stephanie Lawton!

You guys, I'm so excited to be part of the cover reveal for the awesome Stephanie Lawton's latest novel, SHRAPNEL (Evernight Teen, Jan 2013)!

I "met" Stephanie a few months ago via Twitter (seriously, how did we introverts ever meet people before social networking?) and can honestly say she is a super funny, super sweetheart. I quickly grabbed a copy of her debut novel WANT and fell in love, not only with the story and characters, but with Stephanie's spot-on writing. So needless to say, I'm excited for this one!

Okay, without further ado, here it is, the cover of SHRAPNEL by Stephanie Lawton!

Isn't it great? There are so many tells in such a simple shot: The quirky-yet-daring laced-up boots, the semi-revealing tank top, the nervous insecurity of the lace-wound fingers. Gah! I can't wait to read this!

Here's a bit about SHRAPNEL:

It’s been six years since Dylanie and her family visited a Civil War site and the place came alive with cannon fire. Problem was, no one could hear it but her.

Now she’s sixteen, her dad’s moved out, her mom’s come out of the closet and Dylan’s got a spot on Paranormal Teen, a reality TV show filming at historic Oakleigh Mansion. She’ll spend a weekend with two other psychic teens—Jake and Ashley—learning how to control her abilities.

None of them realized how much their emotional baggage would put them at the mercy of Oakleigh’s resident spirits, or that they’d find themselves pawns in the 150-year-old battle for the South’s legendary Confederate gold. Each must conquer their personal ghosts to face down Jackson, a seductive spirit who will do anything to protect the gold’s current location and avenge a heinous attack that destroyed his family.

And a bit about the author!

After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.

A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles.

If you'd like to stalk learn more about Stephanie, visit her website, Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter. 

And be sure to tell her how awesome you think this cover is!