Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Release Day! Book Review and Giveaway: DECEPTION: A HAUNTING EMMA Novel by Lee Nichols. Two Winners for this one!

Title: DECEPTION: A Haunting Emma Novel
Author: Lee Nichols
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: ARC
ISBN:
978-1-59990-421-4 (PB)
978-1-59990-308-8 (HC)
Price: $9.99 (PB) 16.99 (HC) Pages: 310
Release Date: June 8, 2010

Lee Nichols has written several adult books since 2004. They were light hearted chick-lit fare. Now she's trying her hand at the young adult market and by the looks of things, she's quite good at it. Her first plunge into writing for teens is todays brand new release, DECEPTION. This is the first book in what is known as the Haunting Emma series. It's a trilogy and Emma is the girl you'll want to follow throughout the saga. (Check out the author interview posted below). Let's take a look at the blurb on the book:

When Emma Vaile's parents disappear on a mysterious business trip, her life begins to unravel. The eerie visions she had as a child return, her best friend abandons her, and a new friend notifies social services that she is living alone. Enter Bennett Stern, her older brother's best friend and Emma's knight in J. Crew armor. Bennett whisks Emma away to New England to live in his family's museum-like mansion and attend Thatcher, an old-fashioned private school.


Emma  makes friends with the popular legacy crowd quickly and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the haunting visions are only getting worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher she can't explain--it's as if she's returning to a place she's never been. Bennett finally confides that he and Emma are ghostkeepers, people who can communicate with ghosts. He's been keeping Emma close to protect her, but now Bennett needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.



A common complaint in young adult fiction today is the absence of parents in the story. This is revealed in the first sentence of DECEPTION and admittedly, I thought: here we go again, but I was quickly pleased to discover this development is an integral factor and part of the great mystery to be explored in the book. It was not a lame excuse to get rid of authority figures, just so the author can have the freedom to let the kids do whatever they want. I already was developing a fondness for DECEPTION.

This is the first YA paranormal I've read that utilized ghosts as the supernatural entity. Personally, I haven't had much interest in ghost stories of any type, as I've assumed them to be without much substance--both figuratively and literally! But Ms. Nichols has made me re-think that assumption. Not only were the ghosts substantive, but some were down-right horrific, in a truly creepy, scary way. I was impressed with the author's ability to describe and relate the sense of horror to the reader. This is a true, creepy mystery. The last sentence of the book only leaves the reader hungry for more and wanting answers to the many questions. This does not mean the story didn't tie up nicely at the end. It did, but it's a story that clearly isn't over and much is still to be learned and explored.

For your chance to follow Emma on her creepy journey, become a follower if you're not already, leave a comment telling me what ghost stories you've read if any and leave your email so you can be contacted. That is all. Two winners will receive an ARC directly from the publisher.

My sincere thanks to Kate Lied of Bloomsbury Children's Books / Walker Books for Young Readers for making the ARCs available.

Giveaway ends Tuesday June 15, 2010


Only open to residents of the US at publishers request. No PO boxes please. Sorry guys.


Toodles!


25 comments:

  1. I haven't really read any ghost stories besides The Darkest Powers series (if that can be considered a ghost story), but Deception sounds really great!

    pirate_pony2 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Already following Writing is a Blessing with Google Friend Connect [Cheryl F. {The Lucky Ladybug}] -- I haven't read any ghost stories for years and I can't remember what they were, but I'd love to read Deception :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
    theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

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  3. I'm already following. : ) Google Friend Connect.

    The last time I read a ghost story, it was in the Love is Hell collection of short stories. Specifically, Laurie Faria Stolarz's "Sleeping with the Spirit" Otherwise, I have a few ghost stories in my TBR stack, but none I've read that recently.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ambience.of.rain {at} gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. To be honest, none of my books really are about ghosts... unless you're counting The Christmas Carol. :)
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Love, Hannah
    xoxosweeet at yahoo dot com

    I am most definitely a follower!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have not read ghost stories, but I have read all of Lee's adult books and they are so funny! I'm glad to see she is becoming popular in the blog world. I'd love to read her YA book so please enter me in. I'm an old follower.

    stephaniet117 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am already a follower. I have had this book on my wishlist for awhile!

    I read Ruined, that's kinda a ghost story...but as far as remembering any being told as a kid...i am drawing a blank ha ha

    booknerdd(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think Greywalker would be the last, though the main character was not a ghost. Many paranormal series stick in ghosts occasionally.

    robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
    I am a follower.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm already a follower. Anyway, being truthful, I haven't really read any ghost stories except for those books in my elementary libraries called "Scary Stories." Does that count? lol

    Sophia Lee
    mashimaro401[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Awesome giveaway!! I really want to read this book.. I am a follower..

    lovestoread0708 AT yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a follower.

    The most recent ghost story I read was FIREFLY RAIN by Richard Dansky. Really stinking good.

    ajourneyofbooks-at-gmail-dot-com.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The last ghost story that I've read was Casper to my 6 year old {how sad right?} I would love to read this, it's been awhile since I've come across one that I want to read. I'm already a follower.

    majik.of.mystee(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm a follower via GFC
    I LOVE Ghost stories, we have local books for the ghost stories around town where I live.

    time4mommy@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think the last full out ghost story that I read this year was A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb.

    booksake(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm trying to remember which was my most recent ghost story. The one that comes to mind is Megan Crewe's Give up the ghost, which I really enjoyed.

    sdeeth at msn dot com

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  15. I haven't read many ghost stories lately, but one of my favorites from when I was younger is Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn.

    melanie@reclusivebibliophile.com

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  16. The only ghost story I've read (if you consider it one) is Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. I would consider it more horror. I also enjoy any ghost stories that appear in Weird NJ.
    I'm following you publicly on Google Friend Connect as Tethered Mommy.

    Maggie at tethered mommy dot com
    www.tetheredmommy.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm a follower. :-)

    Time For Andrew, Wait Till Helen Comes, Ghosts in the Attic, The Doll in the Garden...haha, I was big on ghost stories growing up. I'm glad they're starting to come back in vogue.

    whatinabox at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hmm, no ghost stories come to mind but I am a lover of the paranormal so am always open to ideas.

    I am following you

    deanabarnhart@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I havent read a lot of fictional ghost stories, although I am always looking for good ones. (Suggestions welcome). But I do tend to check out the ones posted on About.com, very interesting.

    I am a follower.

    Thanks!
    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  20. I read Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill last year and it was pretty creepy. I am reading Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase right now - it is kind of a romantic comedy and has all kinds of paranormal creatures - including ghosts!

    Follower!
    kherbrand at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  21. I haven't read many stories with ghosts in them, the last one I read was by Karen Kelley and I can't think of the name right now!! I would love to win this one, it looks like an awesome read!!

    I already follow you on gfc

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

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  22. I'll always love "More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" by Alvin Schwartz! His ghost stories scared the crap out of me in elementary, and still creep me out as an adult! lol
    -follower :)
    -bells DOT franco AT gmail DOT com

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  23. sounds like the first shot at YA is a good one! I'd love to read :)

    rebecca (at) rebeccaleighromance (dot) com

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  24. I am a follower. I haven't read many ghost stories...the only one I can think of is A Christmas Carol.
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

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  25. Yay! Happy release day indeed! This is suppose to be a great read..would love to get a copy of my own. Count me in! Recent ghost story read....POSSESSIONS by Nancy Holder. Deals with the ghosts of some not-so-happy school girls that died on the very grounds on which the new school has been opened...only they might not be so dead-and-gone. Ooooohoooh! ^_^

    Already a follower on Google Friend Connect!
    Thanks for the contest!

    grgenius(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete

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