by Fleur Philips
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Just released: June 9, 2015
Publisher: SparkPress
Genre: Romance, Thriller, YA
Paperback: 150 pages
Rating: 4.5
First sentence(s):
Clarissa sees Decker Bail before I do. He's with a group of his friends, about to walk into the Adidas store behind me. I know she sees something because her eyes get real big and she coughs on the sip of banana-bluebery smoothie she'd just sucked up through her straw.
Zombie sighting:
I think bout Decker's eyes—wide and terrified at first, like I was a zombie or something, and then drooping as though he was puzzled or maybe even sad.
-chapter 4, page 26
Seventeen-year-old Melanie Kennicut is beautiful. Her entire life revolves around this beauty because her overly controlling mother has been dragging her to casting calls and auditions since she was four years old. According to Joanne Kennicut, Melanie was born to follow in her footsteps. But Melanie never wanted this life.
When a freak car accident leaves her with facial lacerations that will require plastic surgery, she can't help but wonder if this is the answer to her prayers. For the first time in her life, she has a chance to live like a normal teenager‹at least for a little while away from the photo shoots and movie sets that have dominated her entire existence.
But after Melanie allows her best friend to come to the house to see her, Joanne decides to hide her daughter in Montana for the remainder of the summer. There, Melanie won't be seen by anyone they know, and her face will heal in time for the scheduled surgery in late August. Joanne’s plan backfires, however, when Melanie meets Sam, a Native American boy hired by the home's owner to tend to the property.
Sam is nothing like the Hollywood boys Melanie knows he is poor, his father's a drunk who possesses a bizarre gift inherited from a Kootenai Shaman, and his only brother disappeared into the mountains after the death of their mother eight years before. What transpires over a mere 36 hours after Sam and Melanie meet changes both of their lives in ways they never thought possible.
My two-bits:
I liked the pacing of the story. I did not expect the thriller part which made for some excitement.
The story starts off with an intro to the life of a young beautiful model in Hollywood. However, a bit of the unglamorous side of things as the main character, Melanie, is not really into any of that kind of lifestyle.
Then after an accident occurs that leaves Melanie with ugly facial scars things start to change. Melanie begins to take steps towards change.
However, a thriller aspect of the story comes into play towards the end of the story and things are revealed that result in more changes for Melanie than expected.
And to round out this story a sweet romance brews.
About the author:
* added to my COYER challenge/scavenger hunt (details)
* part of Summer YA Book Box giveaway (here)
* review copy courtesy of BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge 2015 (details). @booksparks #SRC2015
Destination: Hit the mountains of Montana
