Book Blitz: Take Them by Storm by Marie Landry

Take Them By Storm (Angel Island #3)  by Marie Landry

Release Date: January 6, 2015

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Buy Links: Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Summary from Goodreads:

This book is a standalone companion novel to Waiting for the Storm and After the Storm. The books do not need to be read together or in order, but please note that this synopsis contains mild spoilers for After the Storm.

Sadie Fitzgerald has always been different, and not just because she makes her own clothes and would rather stay home watching Doctor Who than party with kids her age. When it’s time to leave Angel Island for college, Sadie is eager to put her old life behind her. Small-minded people and rumors have plagued her for years, but with the love of her adoptive family, the O’Dells, Sadie has learned to embrace who she is. Now she’s not afraid to admit the rumors about her are true: she’s gay.

For the first time in her life, Sadie feels free to be herself. She dives into college life and begins volunteering at the local LGBT center, where she discovers her small-town upbringing left holes in her education about life outside Angel Island.

The world is a bigger and more accepting place than Sadie ever imagined. She’s finally found where she belongs, but with the reappearance of someone from her past, an unexpected new friendship, and a chance at love, Sadie soon realizes she still has a lot to learn about life, friendship, and love.

Companion books in this series:

Waiting for the Storm│After the Storm

 

About the Author

Marie has the best job in the world—one where she gets to make stuff up for a living and shamelessly eavesdrop on everyone around her. She writes happily ever afters while dreaming about the day she’ll have her own epic love story to tell. Most days you can find her writing, reading, fantasizing about traveling the world, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. 

For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie83 any time!

Author Links

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Pinterest

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Cover Reveal: Take Them By Storm by Marie Landry

Take Them By Storm (Angel Island #3) by Marie Landry 

Release Date: 01/06/15

Add to Goodreads

Pre-Order Links: Amazon 

Summary from Goodreads:

This book is a standalone companion novel to Waiting for the Storm and After the Storm. The books do not need to be read together or in order, but please note that this synopsis contains mild spoilers for After the Storm.

Sadie Fitzgerald has always been different, and not just because she makes her own clothes and would rather stay home watching Doctor Who than party with kids her age. When it’s time to leave Angel Island for college, Sadie is eager to put her old life behind her. Small-minded people and rumors have plagued her for years, but with the love of her adoptive family, the O’Dells, Sadie has learned to embrace who she is. Now she’s not afraid to admit the rumors about her are true: she’s gay.

For the first time in her life, Sadie feels free to be herself. She dives into college life and begins volunteering at the local LGBT center, where she discovers her small-town upbringing left holes in her education about life outside Angel Island.

The world is a bigger and more accepting place than Sadie ever imagined. She’s finally found where she belongs, but with the reappearance of someone from her past, an unexpected new friendship, and a chance at love, Sadie soon realizes she still has a lot to learn about life, friendship, and love.

Companion books in this series:

Waiting for the Storm│After the Storm

       

About the Author

Marie Landry is the author of BLUE SKY DAYS (contemporary YA—January 2012), THE GAME CHANGER (women's fiction—November 2012), WAITING FOR THE STORM (contemporary YA—April 2013), and THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR (a new adult holiday novella-November 2013). Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood, she's had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, wandering around with a camera in her hand, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece.

Author Links

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Pinterest

Cover Reveal Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Review: After the Storm by Marie Landry

After the Storm by Marie Landry 

Published: April 8, 2014
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

For most people, starting senior year at a new high school would be a nightmare, but for Ella O’Dell it’s the new beginning she desperately needs. Two months after her mother’s death, she’s ready to leave behind the rebellious, unhappy person she became when she found out her mom was dying.

When Ella meets River Maracle and Sadie Fitzgerald, she begins to learn it’s okay to be herself, even if that means being different. River and Sadie aren’t ashamed of their misfit status—River grew up on a reservation, and his mother is the school counselor; Sadie stands out with her funky homemade clothes, and is a master at ignoring the whispered rumors that have plagued her since the beginning of high school.

Ella finds a kindred spirit in Sadie, and something more in River. After almost a year of pretending to be someone she’s not, she finally embraces life and allows herself to have fun without constant guilt. But despite her budding happiness, something is off with her new life. She doesn’t want to dwell on the past, but Angel Island is a small place, and she soon realizes her demons are harder to outrun than she thought.

My Thoughts

After the Storm is the story of Ella who has recently decided to change her ways and with new town and friends nothing could be better. Ella is trying to start fresh, after her mothers death she realized how awful she was to her family and is now trying to be the person she knows she can be. She starts school and is hoping no one finds out about her past. In the process she becomes friends with River and Sadie who themselves are far from the “in” crowd.

Ella and Sadie become fast friends but soon Ella realizes Sadie has issues of her own. Sadie is dealing with her family and classmates who can’t or won’t except her for who is she. Meanwhile Ella and River have a budding romance and Ella is at odds as to how to deal with it. She has never had a “real” boyfriend, she just used to hook up with guys but doesn’t know how to really date. River is a nice guy who likes Ella for who she is and is willing to take things slow in order for Ella to sort things out.

This book although is a standalone does have characters from Waiting for the Storm, Marie Landry’s previous novel. I was able to read that novel last year and I must say it was one of favorites. The characters are real and flawed which I loved. It deals with real issues and I think people can identify with. I also enjoyed that Ella has owned up to her mistakes and doesn’t put the blame on others. She knows what she has done and is trying to make things right. I also love how she is trying to mend her relationship with her family.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. It’s a wonderful story of family and mending. It’s about learning to love yourself and knowing that your past should not dictate your future. I highly recommend both Waiting for the Storm and After the Storm, two awesome books from a talented writer.

Cover Reveal: After the Storm by Marie Landry

After the Storm by Marie Landry

Expected Publication: April 2014

Synopsis

For most people, starting senior year at a new high school would be a nightmare, but for Ella O’Dell it’s the new beginning she desperately needs. Two months after her mother’s death, she’s ready to leave behind the rebellious, unhappy person she became when she found out her mom was dying.

When Ella meets River Maracle and Sadie Fitzgerald, she begins to learn it’s okay to be herself, even if that means being different. River and Sadie aren’t ashamed of their misfit status—River grew up on a reservation, and his mother is the school counselor; Sadie stands out with her funky homemade clothes, and is a master at ignoring the whispered rumors that have plagued her since the beginning of high school.

Ella finds a kindred spirit in Sadie, and something more in River. After almost a year of pretending to be someone she’s not, she finally embraces life and allows herself to have fun without constant guilt. But despite her budding happiness, something is off with her new life. She doesn’t want to dwell on the past, but Angel Island is a small place, and she soon realizes her demons are harder to outrun than she thought.

Excerpt

~First Day of School~

I head off across the lawn, sending a quick wave over my shoulder. Ezra’s car rumbles to life and the sound of the engine slowly fades as they drive away.

Kids rush past me, their voices ringing out as they catch up after a summer away, talk about upcoming school activities, and show off their new clothes. I hear footsteps behind me, and a second later a girl with glossy blond hair falls into step beside me.

“Was that Ezra Rhodes who just dropped you off?”

And hello to you too. “Yeah. He lives next door to me, and he’s my sister’s boyfriend.”

Her green eyes sweep over me curiously, and my skin prickles. “So you’re Gabriella?”

Oh great. Thirty seconds in and someone already knows who I am…was. So much for my reputation not following me to school. I don’t remember seeing her on the beach this summer, but then I wasn’t exactly sober much of the time. “Ella.”

“I’m Kyla. I didn’t get to many of the parties on your side of the island this summer, but I heard about them. You dated Chris, right?”

I stumble slightly at his name, but recover quickly. “Yeah, but if you don’t mind I’d really rather not talk about him.”

She wrinkles her nose. “I don’t blame you. Guy’s a jerk. You’re so much better off without him.”

I knew he was a jerk from the beginning but it didn’t stop me from going out with him. We fooled around some, but when I wouldn’t have sex with him he tried to force himself on me. Luckily I got away with nothing more than a ripped dress, but the whole experience had shaken me pretty badly and was something I tried to avoid thinking about. I know a lot of other girls aren’t as lucky as I was, but it was the wake-up call I needed to stop my destructive behaviour.

I suppress a shudder. Kyla and I have reached the front doors now and I’m anxious to find the office then get to class.

Kyla reaches out and blocks the handle of the door I’m reaching for. “I’m sorry. My friends tell me I don’t make a very good first impression.” She laughs lightly and shrugs one shoulder in a ‘what can you do?’ sort of way. “I’m not gonna lie, I heard some stories about you this summer, but I’m not one to judge.”

She opens the door and ushers me through before she keeps talking. “Anyway, I just wanted to say hey so that you can start your day knowing at least one person here.”

“Well…thanks. I appreciate it.”

She beams at me. “No problem.” Someone calls her name from down the hall and she waves before signaling for them to wait. “I’ll probably see you at lunch, ’kay? My friends and I sit at one of the long tables by the window if you need someone to sit with.” She gives me a little finger wave before hurrying to join a group of five or six girls who begin to squeal and hug each other when Kyla joins them.

I give my head a quick shake. Last year Kyla would have been exactly the type of girl I’d have wanted to be friends with. I would have taken advantage of her popularity and tried to get in with her group, even if I didn’t really like them. When Charlotte left school to take care of Mom, I started hanging out with her two best friends Alexis and Bianca, who welcomed me into their large group of friends at school. From there I met the smaller group of kids who cared more about skipping class, smoking, drinking, and other things. Everything went downhill from there, and I know I can’t let that happen again. Not here, not now. Not ever again.

I head for the office and get my schedule and a map from one of the secretaries. There’s a sticky note on my timetable that says the school counselor wants to meet with me during my free period later this morning. Great. Hopefully it’s nothing more than a ‘Welcome to Angel Island Secondary School’ pep talk, but I highly doubt it. More likely it’s an ‘I hear you let your life fall apart last year and that your mother died at the beginning of summer…let’s talk about that’ deal.

Something to look forward to.

Author Bio

Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood she's had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. She's a hopeless romantic, an unapologetic eavesdropper (occupational hazard), an equally unapologetic squeeing fangirl, and a lover of swoonworthy book and TV characters. For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie any time!

Author Links

Blog: http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieLandryAuthor?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SweetMarie83

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188180.Marie_Landry

Sale

For the course of the cover reveal, Waiting for the Storm will be 99 cents across all ebook platforms.

 Amazon / Kobo / BN / Smashwords

Giveaway

Marie Landry is having an international giveaway for a $10 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.

ENTER HERE

Holiday Reads: [Review] The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Marie Landry

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Marie Landry
Published: November 5, 2013
Format: Kindle purchased
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, right? At least that’s what twenty-year-old Ginny Bailey’s grandmother always told her, and Ginny believed it until Grama died. She even put on a brave face the following two Christmases, carrying on Grama’s traditions and decorating her house and café with Grama’s favorite decorations. But Ginny can’t pretend any longer. When she finds out she’s going to be alone for the holidays this year, her Christmas spirit goes out the window, along with her luck. Everything that can go wrong does, and Ginny just wants to spend the holidays hiding under the covers...until Dean Riley comes back into her life. With their shared past, old feelings begin to resurface almost immediately, and Ginny thinks Dean might just be the Christmas miracle she’s been waiting for to help her remember why Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.

My Thoughts

Now this is what I call a Christmas read! It’s everything you will want in great holiday tale. It’s sweet, heartwarming and has just the right amount of romance. Am I the only one who thinks that some of these holiday reads have a huge amount of sex in them? Don’t get me wrong romance is a good thing but I want true romance not sex in my holiday reads.

I truly enjoyed the romance and spark between Ginny and Dean. It’s sweet and there’s just something about first loves reuniting that is worth rooting for. Ginny is still trying to recover after the lost of her beloved Grama when things just seem to get worse over Christmas. She’s left alone while her teen crush moves back in next door. With his help she starts to feel like her old self again, enjoying the holidays again and just wanting to do her best. While this is quick story it reads like a full read. You get the whole experience of great detailed story of love, hope and the magic that is Christmas. I can’t recommend this enough. This my friends is a book you must read over the holidays!

I’m quickly becoming a huge fan of Marie Landry. I read her previous book Waiting for the Storm and loved that book as well. Do yourself a huge favor and curl up under a warm blanket and let yourself fall in love with this awesome read.

Book Blitz + Giveaway: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Marie Landry

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Marie Landry
Release Date: 11/05/13
Add to Goodreads
Buy: Amazon/ B&N/ Kobo/ Smashwords/ Apple

Summary from Goodreads:
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, right? At least that’s what twenty-year-old Ginny Bailey’s grandmother always told her, and Ginny believed it until Grama died. She even put on a brave face the following two Christmases, carrying on Grama’s traditions and decorating her house and café with Grama’s favorite decorations. But Ginny can’t pretend any longer. When she finds out she’s going to be alone for the holidays this year, her Christmas spirit goes out the window, along with her luck. Everything that can go wrong does, and Ginny just wants to spend the holidays hiding under the covers...until Dean Riley comes back into her life. With their shared past, old feelings begin to resurface almost immediately, and Ginny thinks Dean might just be the Christmas miracle she’s been waiting for to help her remember why Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.

What people are saying about The Most Wonderful Time of the Year:

"While The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a quick read, it is an adorable one. This story shows the value of friends and family and the importance they have in our lives, no matter what time of the year it is…If you're looking for a well-written, heartwarming story for those cold days, pick this up.”
~ Jessica Sankiewicz, author of If Only We

“Marie Landry delivered the perfect little holiday novella with The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It has a small-town coffee shop, memories of Christmas with Grandma, snowballs, hot cocoa and a yummy man from our heroine’s past. Mini review: romantic, sweet and filled with holiday spirit.”

-Kimberly from Caffeinated Book Reviewer

“The Most Wonderful Time of Year was quick and sweet, just how I like my holiday reads.”
~ Christy from Love of Books

 Excerpt:

‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ came over the speakers in the café, and I smiled, humming along to the jazzy song. It was one of my favourites, but then again I had a lot of favourite holiday songs. I added a dollop of whipped cream and shook some red and green sprinkles onto the peppermint mocha latté I’d just made. I carefully pressed a lid into place before setting the hot drink on the counter. “Here you go, Mrs. Sanders.”

“Thank you, dear.” Mrs. Sanders tucked a loose white curl under her crocheted hat. She was in her seventies, and had a sweet tooth like I’d never seen. She volunteered at the used clothing store down the street, and on any given day would pop into the café two or three times for a sugary drink or a freshly baked goodie. Mrs. Sanders’ gaze swept over the café. “The place is looking wonderful, Ginny,” she told me, a warm smile lighting her grey eyes. “Looks just like it did when your grandma owned the place and decorated for the holidays.”

I swallowed the lump that always formed in my throat when someone mentioned Grama. “I’m really happy to hear you say that,” I replied, managing a small smile. “Christmas was always her favourite time of year.” “Don’t I know it.” Mrs. Sanders chuckled and shook her head. “She’d be up in that attic of yours fishing around for Christmas decorations as soon as Halloween was over.” Her smile dimmed slightly, turning wistful. “I’m glad she passed her love for the holidays on to you. It’s nice to have someone to keep up those traditions and add in some new life.”

I nodded, swallowing compulsively around that stupid growing lump in my throat. It had been three years since Grama passed away, but I still felt her loss as if it were yesterday. She’d been so much more than my guardian—she was my best friend and confidant, the one person who loved me unconditionally and supported me no matter what. She’d also been a huge part of the community; she had a seat on town council, and had owned what was once the only café in town until a Tim Horton’s moved in near the mall. “I do it for her.” I knew Mrs. Sanders would understand the slight tremor in my voice that I couldn’t control. “Because of her, I’ve believed in the magic of Christmas for as long as I can remember. It was always the best time of year growing up. Everything just seems different around Christmas. Like anything could happen, you know?”

Mrs. Sanders still wore that soft, wistful smile. “Now you sound just like her. She was always talking about the magic of Christmas. She’d be really proud of you, Ginny.” This time my smile was genuine. I knew Mrs. Sanders missed Grama too. They had been friends most of their lives, and Mrs. Sanders was one of the few people who freely talked about Grama around me. Most of the other people in town seemed to think I’d shatter into a million pieces at the mere mention of her. “Thank you.”

The older woman nodded and reached for her wallet, but I waved her away. “It’s on me today. Enjoy.” Mrs. Sanders patted my hand where it rested on the counter, then pulled on her leather gloves and tugged the collar of her coat up around her neck. “I’ll see you tomorrow, dear.”

I watched her go, then glanced around the café as Mrs. Sanders had done a few moments earlier. Most of the decorations were Grama’s, but I’d added a few over the years. There was a small artificial tree in every corner, decorated with lights and the mismatched ornaments Grama and I had been collecting or making since I was a child. Star-shaped lights hung in the big windows on either side of the door, and the fireplace was adorned with stockings that were almost filled with donated toys for the local yearly toy drive. I made my way around the counter, smiling at the people scattered at tables and on couches around the café. It was one of the quietest times of day; the after work rush had finished and most people were home having dinner. Things would pick up again around seven, when a lot of folks liked to drop in for coffee or dessert, or grab a snack on their way to the movies.

I collected dirty mugs and plates before wiping down tables, all the while humming along to the carols playing on the stereo. I was surprised to find almost every empty table held a tip. People didn’t often leave tips, and if they did it was in the fancy jar by the cash register. I scooped the money into the pocket of my Christmassy apron, enjoying the musical jingling sound as the change and bills accumulated. I was heading back to the counter when the front door flew open, sending the bells overhead into a tinkling frenzy and a gust of wintry air into the café. I turned and smiled when I saw my best friend, Clara, sweep inside, stamping her booted feet and shaking the hood of her coat. “Is that snow?” I rushed through the café to the window. I nearly pressed my face against the cool pane when I saw that it was, indeed, snowing softly. We’d hardly had any snow yet this winter, and as Christmas drew nearer I was afraid we weren’t going to get any. Christmas wasn’t Christmas without snow. “I’ll be right back, everyone,” I called to no one in particular as I grabbed Clara’s hand and pulled her back outside. “What are you doing?” Clara asked. “Where’s your coat? You’re going to freeze!”

Ignoring her, I stood on the sidewalk and turned my face toward the sky. Fat snowflakes fell, melting instantly as they touched my skin, which was overheated from being close to the fire while bussing tables. An uncontrollable smile spread over my face, and I closed my eyes, letting the flakes cool my eyelids, cheeks, and forehead. “You’re a loon, you know that?” Something warm settled over my shoulders, and I opened my eyes to see that Clara had taken off her coat and draped it over both of us. She looped her arm through mine and pressed against me, pulling her half of the coat around her as much as she could. “I know,” I answered easily. “But you know how much I love snow.”

“I do, which is why I stopped in. I figured you’d be busy and might not have seen it yet.” “That’s why you came by?” I asked, surprised and touched. “Well, yeah.” Clara shrugged. “I was leaving the library when it started, so I figured rather than call I’d just come up the street and see you. I know I haven’t been around much lately.” It was true. Clara had been dating a guy named Bobby since summer, and they were nearly inseparable. I’d gone from seeing my best friend all the time to practically having to make an appointment just to have a conversation with her. It had been hard on me, and at times it felt like our friendship was scarcely bearing the weight of the strain. None of that seemed to matter right now, though. She was here, it was snowing, and everything seemed right with the world, even if it was only for a few minutes. “Thanks for coming.” I turned my face back to the sky. I didn’t want to talk about Clara’s absence lately. “Well, I knew…” Clara’s voice trailed off and she shifted closer to me. I glanced at her and saw she was staring resolutely at the sky, her jaw tight, and tears glistening in her eyes.

“Don’t,” I pleaded.  “Please don’t.” She jerked her head back and forth, and one lone tear slipped down her cheek. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I swore I wouldn’t. I told myself all the way over here that if I started to cry, I’d never forgive myself, but I just can’t help it.”I let out a quiet groan as I felt the lump return to my throat. Clara and I had grown up together, so she’d known Grama forever, and felt her loss almost as acutely as I did. She’d been the one who had mourned with me, held my hand when I needed comfort, cried with me, and shared stories from our childhood. Clara took a deep breath and slid her hand down my arm to grip my hand tightly. “She was like a little kid when it snowed,” she said quietly. I couldn’t look at her for fear I’d start crying, but I could hear the smile in her voice now, and it calmed me a bit.

“I remember you telling me about how she’d drag you outside during the first snow, no matter where you were, what you were doing, or what time it was,” she continued. “Like that time when you were six and it started snowing in the middle of the night and she dragged you out of bed to see it. I don’t think I really believed you until the next year when I was sleeping over and she woke us up at 3 a.m., bundled us into our coats, and took us outside.”

I laughed shakily at the memory. It was one of my favourites. I could still remember us throwing our coats, hats, mittens, and boots on over our pajamas and following Grama outside. The three of us stood on the huge front lawn, holding hands, and staring up at the sky as fat snowflakes fell around us. Clara squeezed my hand, drawing me back to the present. “I think someone wants a refill.” She pointed over her shoulder at the woman waiting patiently near the counter with an empty mug.

“Shoot.” I started to slip Clara’s coat off, but she swung it off her shoulders instead and wrapped it around me. “I’ll go. You enjoy the snow for another few minutes.” She paused with her hand on the doorknob and gave me a small, sad smile. “I swear I feel her out here, Gin.”

She hurried inside before I could reply—or before either of us could burst into tears and spend the next half hour blubbering on the sidewalk in the snow. I watched her for a second as she spoke to the woman at the counter, smiling brightly and tossing her golden hair over her shoulder. I felt a swell of affection for her that nearly took my breath away, and I turned away quickly before I really did start to cry. While there were a few people who understood that I was still mourning the loss of my grandmother even after all this time, Clara was the only person who I felt really got it. She’d been like a sister to me growing up, and I’d happily shared Grama with her.

Christmas was the hardest time of year for me since it had been Grama’s favourite, but I’d promised myself I would celebrate it just like we always had. I swore I would hold on to the magic of the season, the way she’d taught me. I turned my face to the sky once again and closed my eyes. The snowflakes slowed, touching my cheeks gently like angel kisses. Clara was right; I could feel Grama here too.

About the Author

Marie Landry is the author of BLUE SKY DAYS (contemporary YA—January 2012), THE GAME CHANGER (women's fiction—November 2012), WAITING FOR THE STORM (contemporary YA—April 2013), and THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR (a new adult holiday novella-November 2013). Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood, she's had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, wandering around with a camera in her hand, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece.

Author Links:
http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188180.Marie_Landry

http://twitter.com/SweetMarie83

http://www.facebook.com/MarieLandryAuthor

https://pinterest.com/sweetmarie83/

GIVEAWAY:

2 $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift cards (INT)

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Blog Tour: Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry

Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry
Publication date: April 9th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
Rating: 4/5
Amazon/Goodreads

Synopsis:

Charlotte O’Dell knows this summer is going to suck. Her beloved mother just died, her sister hates her, and her dad has completely checked out. Fulfilling her mother’s final wish, the family heads to Angel Island for the summer to stay in a beach house her mother once loved.

After a year of being shut away taking care of her mother, Charlotte is numb and practically afraid of her own shadow; she hopes going to the island will give her the time and space she needs to begin healing, and an opportunity to bring her family back together. When she meets her mysterious neighbor, Ezra, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte to confess the issues she’s developed. Ezra begins giving Charlotte assignments to get over her fears, and although she accepts his tasks, all she really wants is to be with him. When she’s with Ezra, she’s able to forget the hollow ache in her heart and the fact that her family is falling apart. But Ezra has secrets…

Can Charlotte pull what’s left of her family together, mend her broken heart, and allow herself to fall for Ezra? Or is it all just a storm waiting to happen

My Thoughts:

I was pleasantly surprised by this wonderful read. This is a story of a family trying to mend after the recent death of their beloved mother and how they must now try and figure out how to deal with this and repair what’s left of them. By fulfilling their mother’s last wish to return to the summer place where she grew up, they all somehow, slowly but surely heal and try to become a family again.

The main character Charlotte is my favorite. She’s the one who has taken the brunt of everything that’s happened. She was the one who cared for her mom and has tried to keep her family afloat. She’s trying to keep her dad from falling into depression and her younger sister from going down the wrong path. During all this she has been taking care of everyone and everything else around her; she has failed to take care of herself. In the process she has closed herself off to everyone around her emotionally, building up walls so that she will experience hurt like that again.

Then enters Ezra, who is the perfect guy next door, but has his own issues and secrets that are far from perfect. Can Charlotte finally allow herself happiness after so much pain? Or will her emotional walls force the one person who has cared enough to take the time and see through it all? Little does she know that by simply opening up her heart not only will she start to heal herself, but she will also maybe help Ezra in the process.

I truly connected with this on a personal level. I’m very much like Charlotte. I’ve always been very guarded and have built walls in order for me to never get hurt. It took me a long time to realize that not everyone is out to hurt you and that love is a two way street. You can’t give love if you’re not able to receive it. Love is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone. It’s one of the purest things in life and anyone deserves to experience that at least once in life.

Life and love is like Waiting for the Storm it can be rough and bumpy but you have to have the ugly in order to truly appreciate the rainbow at the end.

AUTHOR BIO

Marie Landry is the author of BLUE SKY DAYS (contemporary YA—January 2012), UNDRESSED (a collection of short erotic romance stories—October 2012), THE GAME CHANGER (chick lit—November 2012), and WAITING FOR THE STORM (contemporary YA—April 2013). Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood, she’s had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, or having grand adventures with her two precious nephews. For more on Marie and her books, please visit marielandry.blogspot.ca or check out her book blog Ramblings of a Daydreamer (sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca).

Author links:

Website: http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5188180.Marie_Landry
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarieLandryAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SweetMarie83