(A novella length, contemporary YA with paranormal elements published by Turquoise Morning Press)
This review is done in conjunction with the author's virtual tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. Suzanne will be awarding a pair of designer sunglasses to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US/Canada only), so comment today AND follow the tour (if you click on the tour banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a some awesome new sunglasses!
What would you do if you could see your future? Would you accept it or would you change it?
Mariah Davis loves animals, running, and her hunk of a boyfriend, Kevin Creamer. Everything looks bright for her until the day she finds a pair of sunglasses that allow her to see the future.
When she glimpses a disaster looming, she tries to avoid it but fails. She has a car accident that lands her in a wheelchair, smashing her hopes for a running scholarship to the veterinary program at Ohio State University. She pushes Kevin away, thinking he’ll want to end their relationship now that she can’t walk.
Will she ever learn to trust and love again? She could search for an answer in the sunglasses. But she’s afraid what they reveal might destroy her.
I was intrigued by the premise of this story -- because who wouldn't like to make sure things in our lives went well? If we had the power to know what would happen, would we try to change things?
Mariah finds a $400 pair of sunglasses and is excited to have them ... until she starts seeing things that are going to happen. At first it's harmless enough (a pop quiz in trig! Cool... she can study), but it becomes less innocent as she sees herself in a horrible accident. Despite her efforts to change the future, she's unable to and her life is changed forever.
I'll be honest, if I hadn't committed to reviewing this story for the tour, I may not have read past the first chapter or so. They were rather ho-hum, day in the life of a teen and failed to grab me. But, I had committed to it, so I kept turning pages, and I'm really glad I did. Mariah's struggle with how her life changes, with decisions and behavior and with the temptation that looms to use the glasses was fascinating to watch. She wasn't a typical flightly teen when we started. She had her head on pretty straight and knew what she wanted in life, and exactly how she'd get it. When all that is stripped away from her, she's a bit of a mess. And it's the rebuilding of her new life that's awesome to see and was realistic and sweet.
The author, too, has created an awesome community in her book and from looking at her website, it seems she has other Honey Creek books. Her secondary characters are fun and colorful and I could see the diner, especially, so clearly. I want to visit, sit and have a piece of chocolate beet cake.
If you're a fan of YA that isn't full of sparkling vampires, but instead addresses real issues for teens in a way that's both touching and entertaining, I'd recommend Shades of the Future. Don't let the beginning stop you from reading to the end. It's worth every minute you spend to see how Mariah works through the trials that are given her.
3.5 / 5 Flowers - Good! I liked it!
Author website: http://www.suzannelilly.com/
TeacherWriter blog: http://www.teacherwriter.net/
Fridays at Honey Creek blog: http://www.honeycreekbooks.com/
Suzanne Lilly at Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5258804.Suzanne_Lilly
Follow @SuzanneLilly on Twitter: http://twitter.com/suzannelilly
Available at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Lilly/e/B006HY79IY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_2 and most online book retailers in digital or paperback.
Thank you for hosting Suzanne today.
ReplyDeleteThere are so few YA stories that really have a lot of depth. This sounds like one that does.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Shades of the Future sounds really good! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeletenatasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
Definitely deeper. I'm only halfway through, but Suzanne's attention to detail puts you in the story, if not in Mariah's head. Enjoying the story very much. Young Adult gets a bad rap and categorized as "cheesy." However, the YA stories selling now are every bit as gritty and edgy as adult fiction, only more intense. Adult have experienced life and are able to handle the unexpected, where teens are having their first life altering experiences and their emotions are raw and unpredictable. That's what Suzanne has created in Shades of the Future.
ReplyDeleteNice review.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com