Tag: blog tour

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Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer – Blog Tour Book Review

The Synopsis:

“A young girl who is empowered, capable, and smart…the Enola Holmes book series convey an impactful message that you can do anything if you set your mind to it, and it does so in an exciting and adventurous way.”–Millie Bobby Brown

Enola Holmes is back! Nancy Springer’s nationally bestselling series and breakout Netflix sensation returns to beguile readers young and old in Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche.

Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of her more famous brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. But she has all the wits, skills, and sleuthing inclinations of them both. At fifteen, she’s an independent young woman–after all, her name spelled backwards reads ‘alone’–and living on her own in London. When a young professional woman, Miss Letitia Glover, shows up on Sherlock’s doorstep, desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister, it is Enola who steps up. It seems her sister, the former Felicity Glover, married the Earl of Dunhench and per a curt note from the Earl, has died. But Letitia Glover is convinced this isn’t the truth, that she’d know–she’d feel–if her twin had died.

The Earl’s note is suspiciously vague and the death certificate is even more dubious, signed it seems by a John H. Watson, M.D. (who denies any knowledge of such). The only way forward is for Enola to go undercover–or so Enola decides at the vehement objection of her brother. And she soon finds out that this is not the first of the Earl’s wives to die suddenly and vaguely–and that the secret to the fate of the missing Felicity is tied to a mysterious black barouche that arrived at the Earl’s home in the middle of the night. To uncover the secrets held tightly within the Earl’s hall, Enola is going to require help–from Sherlock, from the twin sister of the missing woman, and from an old friend, the young Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether!

Enola Holmes returns in her first adventure since the hit Netflix movie brought her back on the national bestseller lists, introducing a new generation to this beloved character and series.

Buy the novel at
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250822963

My 5/5 Star Review:

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this brilliant installment in the Enola Holmes series, and inviting me to join the blog tour to celebrate its release! As luck would have it, this was my introduction into Nancy Springer’s work, though I had heard the buzz about the novels as well as the accompanying film. At first, I was worried that I would feel left behind starting in on the 7th volume, but that fear was immediately quelled in the very prologue! Sherlock Holmes himself provided a letter giving a run-down of his sister’s exhaustive exploits– doing an amazing job of catching up a new reader as well as outlining the relationship between Enola and her family. I felt attached to the characters in a way I didn’t expect, especially being only a few pages in!

In this way, Sherlock brings us up to speed and melts into Enola being called for by Dr. Watson to pull her brother out of one of his ‘tempers’. While she is there, a distressed woman named Tish walks into his office asking for help, and Enola jumps at the chance. This twin tearily tells the young sleuth she had received word from her sister’s husband that she had died from a mysterious, contagious illness that necessitated her body to be cremated afterward. Tish refuses to believe this as truth, and insists that she would have felt it had something happened to Flossie. Enola’s compassionate heart goes out to the pair in an instant, and her enthusiasm for the case also rouses her brother into action.

The trio (along with Dr. Watson and friends) set out to investigate the Lord of Dunhench– running into many obstacles along the way that made for excellent plot twists– but really showcasing the strength and empathy of the titular character as she outsmarted the men who, in this day and age, believed her to be much more incompetent and fallible than she was. Enola is such a likable person, and as someone who never felt drawn to any Sherlock Holmes novels despite having a healthy interest in mysteries, I was reassured by the fact that I related to her and enjoyed the life her snarky wit brought to this world. Thank you so much to Nancy for giving girls and women everywhere a smart mind to look up and aspire to.

The Author:

Nancy Springer is the author of the nationally bestselling Enola Holmes novels, including The Case of the Missing Marquess, which was made into the hit Netflix movie, Enola Holmes. She is the author of more than 50 other books for children and adults. She has won many awards, including two Edgar Awards, and has been published in more than thirty countries. She lives in Florida. Stay up to date with her and Enola’s upcoming adventures on Twitter: @NancySpringer

An Exclusive Excerpt:

enola-holmes-excerpt-Download
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Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher – Blog Tour Book Review

The Synopsis:

Sparks fly between two teens as they grapple with grief, love, and the future in this unforgettable debut novel sure to entice fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer E. Smith

Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college.

In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future.

When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along.

Ashley Schumacher’s devastating and beautiful debut, Amelia Unabridged, is about finding hope and strength within yourself, and maybe, just maybe, falling in love while you do it.

My 5/5 Star Review:

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for inviting me on the blog tour of this truly inspiring YA release. From the whimsical cover with its title that mirrors my own name for my book blog to the plot synopsis that left me breathless– I had so many reasons to be deliriously excited about this debut. What I wasn’t prepared for was exactly how much the story would mean to me. All through my life, books have been my escape. I know that, comparatively, my life has been very privileged and easy, but growing up is always painful to some degree. Losing myself in a story lessened that, as well as helped me form bonds with like-minded individuals. So too did this narrative begin; with a novel that formed the groundwork of the friendship that would change Amelia’s life.

Our protagonist was looking for a way to leave her broken home behind for a bit as she stood in front of her local bookstore. A classmate of hers, Jenna, saw her through the window and recognized something in her. The two girls meandered the shop as Jenna picked up Amelia’s broken pieces and handed her the gift of literature. They returned to Jenna’s house that night physically, but the girls spent the night with their minds firmly planted in alternate universes spectacularly crafted by masters of the pen and page. This is when Amelia first visited Orman. ‘The Forest Between the Sea and the Sky’ resonated with Amelia in the way I’m sure any reader will recognize. We all have a book or a series that made us feel like anything was possible, like we were the heroes, and like we were seen and heard. The girls found their counterparts in the sisters written into the plot, and as their friendship blossomed throughout the years, so too did their fascination with the novel and its author, N. E. Endsley. When a plan to meet him goes awry, Amelia is left devastated, but soon learns the true meaning of the word. Jenna passes away, possibly leaving behind a mysterious copy of a book that shouldn’t exist, and Amelia follows the trail to put her friend to rest. What she doesn’t count on, however, is finding herself in the process. Against all odds this search leads her to Nolan, the boy behind N. E. Endsley. He is quiet, scared, and broken like her. The more she finds out about him and the Michigan town she’s spirited herself away to, the more alive she feels for the first time since Jenna left her side.

There are so many things that I love about this book that I don’t know where to start. Amelia is such a strong and relatable character, and I felt her pain as my own while she is suddenly loosened from the bonds that held her firmly to earth and seems to be floating aimlessly. Jenna was her rock; having taken Amelia into her family and planning both of their lives. It’s mostly the latter that haunts Amelia; and the look at just how damaging others’ expectations of you can be is so sobering. Not only does she want to honor the memory of her friend, but she doesn’t want to upset Jenna’s grieving parents even more than they already are, even if it means losing herself in the process. Nolan shows us how trauma effects someone long term, and it is painful, unpredictable, and easier when shared with others. The town of Lochbrook is incredibly charming, housing an exciting array of personalities from Wally, the bumbling horse of a dog to the spitfire piano teacher, Valerie. It would be a fairytale setting if not for the air of tragedy that surrounds it. Despite that, you can feel a clear change between the crowded and memory-ridden streets of Dallas and the whale-streaked skies of Lochbrook. It’s like the world goes from grey to technicolor as Amelia realizes she may have reached Orman after all.

Speaking of Orman, I always admire authors for creating a book within a book, and the lore included for this fictional narrative is intriguing and lovely; something I can see myself picking up in real life. I am head over heels for how the story was a vehicle for so much positive change in this world. Ashley Schumacher really shows off how much magic a novel holds. It has the power to bring you to tears, to mend your heart, to make you smile– all from words on a page. She knows that it is up to the readers to use those words, and that they will interpret them however they need them at that moment. So, as Amelia’s life turns from the fantasy she imagined, she begins to write an autobiography instead. It’s hard work, but she finds her way to living for herself, which I think is a huge message for readers of all ages. This book will remind you to keep that spark alive within yourself; the one that says ‘I am, I am, I am’ with beautiful imagery and chapters that are so easily devoured I could have finished it in one night. However, like Nolan, I despise endings, so I was loathe to let this one go. Just like in existence, though, all things come to an end, and I am a more hopeful soul after having been touched by this poignant story of love and life.

The Debut Author:

Follow Ashley Schumacher’s journey on social media! She is supportive, kind, and talented, and I cannot wait to see what she does next!
Twitter: @AshWritesBooks
Instagram: @AshWritesBooks
Website: http://www.ashwritesbooks.com

An Exclusive Excerpt:

Selection from Amelia Unabridged Chapter ThreeDownload
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The Mall by Megan McCafferty – Blog Tour Book Review

Synopsis:

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with the following information!

New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty returns to her roots with this YA coming of age story set in a New Jersey mall.

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places. Megan McCafferty, beloved New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.

Follow the link to purchase: https://wednesdaybooks.com/the-real-deal/the-mall/

Review:

5/5 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me this ARC and to Wednesday Books for inviting me on the blog tour! I was excited to read it the moment I saw it was set in 1991, which was my birth year. I’m a 90s baby, so of course most of my memories and formative years are set in the early 2000s, but I have a deep love for my birth decade and the music, pop culture, and fashion that came out of it. Growing up in a small town, the only ‘fun’ thing to do for miles was to go to the mall. I have since moved to another such rural area, and recreation opportunities have, not altogether unsurprisingly, remained unchanged since I was a child. Because of this grounding thread in my lifetime, I knew that no matter what year I was born in, I would relate to this story. Reading it, however, I found out that it was more than the place and time that I would find familiarity in. This novel is a coming of age story that will pull on the heartstrings of all its readers; no matter what generation they hail from.

We are thrust into the middle of Cassie’s seemingly perfect life. She has started a new job with her boyfriend of two years, and the two of them are planning their life together post-high school. Summer has arrived, so the joy of the inhabitants of this New Jersey city is at an all time high. It is a renewal that is much needed; especially for Cassie. She just got over mono, which knocked her out of commission for things like prom, graduation, and the first few weeks of life at her local mall’s America’s Best Cookie, so it finally looks to be the start of a beautiful season. However, she is accosted on her first day back outside of her home with an inordinate amount of change. These unexpected hurdles send her reeling straight out of her relationship, her job, and the person she thought she was. As she picks herself back up again, she finds a safe space within the halls of the Bellarosa Boutique; surrounded by Drea, her ex-best friend from fifth grade, and a treasure hunt that brings the two of them together. Through Drea’s encouragement and Cassie’s hard life lessons, we see this girl change before our eyes. She learns to love again, but this time– she’s loving herself.

I was overwhelmed by the consistent theme of being you, no matter what that means. For Cassie, it’s a complete overhaul; she realizes she doesn’t have to be the prim, proper, and perfect overachiever that her ex-boyfriend fell in love with. She starts to take risks, both mentally and physically, and is a better person because of it. For Drea, it’s understanding that she deserves to follow her dreams outside the mall. For Cassie’s parents, it’s figuring out who they are apart after years of being staplegunned to the other’s side. For Cassie’s maybe beau, the boy formerly known as Sam Goody, it’s stepping away from a life that has made him unhappy for so long to focus on the present. There are so many characters struggling in their own way within these pages, and despite the issues that they have, they find a version of happiness that suits them. It’s incredibly uplifting, and even at 28 I am still figuring out who I am, so it’s heartening to see that journey from ages 17 to 40-something in this book. It reminds you that you’re never too old to start again, to take risks, and to be happy.

The references in this book were fantastic; the treasure hunt alone was littered with relics of a bygone era, lyrics from shows and bands from the decade are strewn throughout, and there is a distinct smell in the air that the book just naturally exudes of denim, hairspray, and the chlorine from the mall fountain. It brought back the mall I remember from my youth which has now lost its own fountain and closed up many of the shops that used to be so prevalent then. The bookstore my grandmother used to take me to every weekend so I could pick out a new R.L. Stine novel may be long gone, but Spencer’s and Bath and Body Works are still going strong, and the food court is still the happening place on a Friday night. In this way, The Mall felt like home, and the hi-jinks that the varied cast of characters gets into reminded me of nights out with my best friends in high school; looking at things we didn’t have the money to buy, having scavenger hunts, and just being young and alive. There is so much energy in this novel. I felt electrified as I was reading it and just was not able to stop. I recommend this to any adult trying to recapture what it felt like to be unencumbered and surrounded by seemingly endless possibilities, and to any teenager grappling with the daunting task of growing up. There’s something here for everyone, just like the book’s namesake.

Author:

Find Megan on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/meganmccafferty

Megan McCafferty writes fiction for tweens, teens and teens-at-heart of all ages. The author of several novels, she’s best known for Sloppy Firsts and several more books in the New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series. Described in her first review as “Judy Blume meets Dorothy Parker” (Wall Street Journal), she’s been trying to live up to that high standard ever since.

Early Praise:

Hear more buzz about this nostalgic tale!

“The Mall was to 1991 teenagers what the iPhone is to today’s generation: EVERYTHING. This delightful novel about that particular time and place is loaded with fun, warmth, intelligence, big hair and an even bigger heart. I loved it.” — New York Times bestselling author Rachel Cohn

“Both a laugh-out-loud pean to those bygone cathedrals of the 1990s, and a zippy coming-of-age tale, THE MALL is a delightful read for any generation. So tease your hair, grab your hotdog on a stick and prepare to have a freaking blast!” — Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and I Have Lost My Way

“What a pleasure it is to spend time in a McCafferty universe. Her writing is sharp, smart, sexy and oh-so-real. I’ll read her forever.” — Rebecca Serle, New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years

“Totally rad! This former 1990s mall teen loved The Mall, an ode to tall bangs, boys with good taste in music, and female friendship, set in the only place that mattered. What a joy to have a new book from Megan McCafferty, who knows exactly how to make us laugh, cry, and fall in love with her characters.” — Amy Spalding, author of The Summer of Jordi Perez and The New Guy

“A delightful, funny, sweet and affecting real life adventure with such a big heart, it’ll make you cry the happiest tears. The Mall is something special.” — Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie

Sneak Peek:

Click below to read the first chapter and prepare to finish the excerpt wanting more!

Chapter One SampleDownload

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Mayhem by Estelle Laure – Blog Tour Book Review

Synopsis:

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with this information!

The Lost Boys meets Wilder Girls in this supernatural feminist YA novel.

It’s 1987 and unfortunately it’s not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy’s constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem’s own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren’t like everyone else.

But when May’s stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem’s questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good.

But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.

From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.

Click here to preorder: https://wednesdaybooks.com/galaxies-and-kingdom/mayhem/

Review:

5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of Mayhem, and to Wednesday Books for inviting me to take part in this blog tour! I had gotten an email recommending that I read the novel, and after I saw the blurb about it being The Lost Boys meets The Craft, I was so IN. Being raised by my mom who was a total 80s girl gave me a love of a lot of media from the time, but none so much as anything that had to do with supernatural happenstances or magic. These tales made the world feel much bigger, more exciting, and like anything could happen in our own reality. This book had the exact same vibe as we followed Mayhem on her journey to discover herself in a society that is desperate to keep her, and those like her, down. It is amazing to watch her metamorphosis from a demure, hopeless teenager to a vibrant and self-assured woman who is done watching and waiting for life to get better. She takes her own existence by the horns within these pages, and by the end she is riding astride it.

Mayhem is born to a mother, Roxy, from an infamous family in California. Due to reasons beyond her ken, Roxy stole them away one night after May’s father’s passing, leaving the comforts of home and ending up in the arms of a southern gentleman, or so he seemed. Years go by, and Mayhem endures much suffering in Taylor, Texas. She never feels as though she fits in, and she sees her mother beaten again and again by her abusive step-father. Finally, it goes too far, and the two women take off again, but this time they return back home. Roxy’s twin sister has kept up the family home and taken in foster kids that feel like her own. She welcomes the runaways in with a full and gracious heart. Mayhem is desperate to mesh in her new surroundings, and so she finds a place within the circle of Neve, Jason, and Kidd, and despite Roxy and Elle’s warnings, the four of them careen to the point of no return.

These kids that Elle has taken under her wing have found out the secret of the Brayburns, and share it with Mayhem. There is a kind of magic that has always been awaiting her in her veins, and once she unleashes it, she can see herself and everyone else with clear eyes. This sight threatens to fracture her relationship with her mother, but ends up saving them both. It also comes with a heavy responsibility; for years Brayburn women have used it to rid the earth of evil, and it’s something that Mayhem must come to terms with, along with the fact that the power is an addiction, and it’s one that is eating her friends alive. Our protagonist navigates these waters with the skill of a newborn sea turtle–instinctively and like it was what she was born to do. She has always had the strength within her, and it has been waiting for her to wake up.

I love this book not only for the supernatural elements, but that in spite of this, it is a book about finding your power and unleashing it. It is an anthem to all the women who have been silenced by society, men, themselves– and how far we have come even in four or so decades. It is a plea to know that sometimes you don’t have control over the things that happen to you. Everything that happens in your life is for a reason, even if it seems like complete chaos. There does come a point, however, where you have to choose to be complacent or if you want your voice to be heard, and Mayhem’s story makes you want to yell from the rooftops. It reminds you to treasure your friends, the people by your side that push you and help you to grow, and love your family fiercely, but to remember to turn those things on yourself as well. Listen to the whisper from the sea that there IS magic in the world if you know where to look, and some of it is there, waiting for you when you peer in the mirror. Give this novel a try if you’re feeling less than or out of sorts. It will bring you back to your body with renewed purpose.

Author:

Find Estelle on social media below!
Twitter: @starlaure
Instagram: @estellelaurebooks

Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely around the world.

Words by the Author and Surprise Sneak Peek:

Please enjoy a preface to the content of this riveting release as well as a look at the beginning of the novel!

Letter from Estelle LaureDownload
Chapter One ExcerptDownload
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What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin – Blog Tour Book Review

Synopsis:

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with all of this information!

Lex was taken–trafficked–and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again.

After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn’t trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that’s what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things.

But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.

Kate McLaughlin’s What Unbreakable Looks Like is a gritty, ultimately hopeful novel about human trafficking through the lens of a girl who has escaped the life and learned to trust, not only others, but in herself.

Review:

5/5 stars

I’m overwhelmingly grateful to NetGalley for the eARC of this hard-hitting and devastating novel; and to St. Martin’s Press for including me in this blog tour! I haven’t ever really researched much into sex trafficking; but I did vaguely know of the horrors within. It is a terrifying reality that countless kids are thrust into, but it is a topic that remains mostly untouched whether it be in fiction or nonfiction. Kate not only does an excellent job of opening the door to conversations about this scourge, but in doing so, she brings readers a story that gives us an unapologetic look at the lives of these young adults that have been irrevocably changed forever while also inserting a spark of hope. There is the ever-present threat of danger, the fear of being too broken, and the struggle of returning to a normalcy that has since left you behind– but the protagonist shows us all how strong the human spirit is, and no matter what your circumstances, you deserve happiness.

Alexa, better known as Lex, was taken by a man she thought she could trust and was then coerced to transform into Poppy; a girl who, along with several other ‘flowers’, was forced to have sex with many different clients. She watched captured girls come and go, made bonds with a few, and attempted to maintain a sense of self while being plied with drugs and beaten to keep her docile and submissive. She never thought she would see anything else but the hotel she was confined to, and she was almost resigned to that fact. Then, one day, the police arrived. They brought her to a nearby hospital to be examined, and when she is eventually discharged, she is taken in by an estranged aunt who facilitates her recovery. Lex endures rehab, makes new friends, trusts the wrong boys, loses people she loves, becomes the center for gossip at school, and maybe even begins to fall in love for the first time– all while wondering how much of it she deserves, or even how much of it is real.

I found Lex tremendously powerful as a character because she has been through so much and yet is still able to see the good in people and persevere through so much pain and trauma. She loses so much after she leaves the hotel, and both in spite of and because of that, the development that she has from page one to the end of the book is like night and day: the reader watches her build her self worth back and though it takes a long time, she also finds a sense of security and belonging that she had never felt before. This novel truly shows the magic of a good support system, as Lex is surrounded by love from her aunt, Krys, from her release on. In addition, all the people she meets afterwards act as a wall around her, protecting her from setbacks and hardships. All of these stalwart figues let her find out who she is in her own time, but love her every step of the way. Their influence reminds readers to treat those you meet in life fairly, as you never know what scars lie just beneath the surface.

Upon learning Lex’s history, readers and fellow characters alike will make snap judgments about her. Those people could never know her penchant for books and research, her affinity for public speaking, her strength, or the love she is capable of. She is a truly captivating protagonist, and though this story is heart-wrenching, just know that it is also a beacon of hope. Sometimes saving yourself will be the hardest thing you ever have to face. If, instead of discovering your own value, you’re taught your ‘worth’ at a young age, it’s going to be hard to overcome that, but it is always possible to change. You have the power to defy the world as it tries to take you down. It is cold and it is unforgiving, but you can find your people and yourself through it all. No matter how broken you feel, we are all stronger than we know. Lex’s tale is sure to remind us all what unbreakable looks like; and if you look in the mirror, I know you’ll see it too.

Author:

Find Kate on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/alterkates

KATE McLAUGHLIN likes people, so much so that she spends her days making up her own. She likes writing about characters who are bent, but not broken – people who find their internal strength through friends, strife and sometimes humor. When she’s not writing, she likes studying people, both real and fictional. She also likes playing board games with friends, talking and discovering new music. A proud Nova Scotian, she’ll gladly tell you all about the highest tides in the world, the magical creation known as a donair, and people who have sofas in their kitchens. Currently, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and four cats. She’s the author of What Unbreakable Looks Like.

Early Praise:

Check out what others have to say about the novel!

“With unflinching honesty, What Unbreakable Looks Like exposes the injuries and scars we wear on our skins or in our souls. Hidden damage is tragically common, but helpful others who dared embrace hope invite Alexa to step onto the healing path. This novel may offer a springboard for a reader’s own healing or foster empathy for life’s walking wounded.” – Liz Coley, author of international bestseller Pretty Girl-13

“Raw, unflinching, and authentic, Kate McLaughlin’s thoughtful What Unbreakable Looks Like carefully crafts a story exposing the vulnerability of underage trafficked girls and what it takes to begin the process of healing from sexual trauma.” – Christa Desir, author, advocate, and founding member of The Voices and Faces Project

“This is a powerful book about a sobering topic that I found myself thinking about for days after I completed it. It is wonderfully poignant, painfully real, and even laugh out loud funny at times. Not everyone can truly wrap their minds around the trauma these victims endure and yet somehow, despite all of it, are still just regular kids. But Kate McLaughlin gets it. ‘Lex’ is truly what unbreakable looks like and you’ll fall in love with her spirit.” – Tanya Compagnone, Trooper First Class

“Sex trafficking continues to seep into all our communities. In this novel, Kate McLaughlin brings to life the trauma that transpires in youth who forced into the life of sex trafficking. Her novel is a reminder that each of us can make a difference in someone’s life.” – Dina R. St. George, MSW, Juvenile Re-Entry Unit OCPD

Sneak Peek

Click below to preview the first chapter of this riveting YA debut!

Chapter One ExcerptDownload