Here's my 5-Star review of Teri Polen's new novel, Sarah. I received a pre-release copy. The book goes on sale in December 2016.
SARAH BY TERI POLEN -- Cain is a typical teen with a loyal friend named Finn and a
fashionista girlfriend named Erin whom he’d like to ditch if he could only find
the courage. Life in mom’s new house is a bed of roses except for the fact
that the door to the attic, accessed through his bedroom, keeps swinging open in
the middle of the night without reason. Or maybe there is a reason. A strategically
placed camcorder captures a haunting figure in his bedroom as he sleeps. Is this
the ghost of a girl killed while the house was under construction? Mom is a
realtor and knows the story of the girl, but doesn’t believe in ghosts.
After a soccer incident leaves Cain hospitalized with a
concussion, he tries to return to normal activities, but nothing seems normal
anymore. That’s good and bad. Out with the fashionista. In with Lindsey.
She’s more Cain’s type. Enjoys horror movies. Isn’t a loudmouth shopaholic.
Pushes all the right buttons.
Strange things begin happening to Cain. He verbally attacks
Erin in a crowded hallway at school; he ‘spies’ on the football team as they
practice—but he doesn’t remember any of this.
It’s as if someone is controlling his body against his will.
Fortunately, Lindsey’s Aunt Mona, has spiritual powers and…
Well, I’ll not say too much more for fear of revealing the
plot, but suffice it to say that Sarah is a good old fashioned ghost story with
contemporary characters, events, and surroundings. It’s billed as a YA, but
this 50-something year old male liked it too.
I love author Teri Polen’s writing style. She reminds me of
John Saul—only better. In fact, I’ve already added her to my ‘favorite authors’
list. Even when the story reaches a pivotal storm, her sentences flow like a breeze
and tell the tale without wasted verbiage. From cover to cover, the dialog is
natural, unstilted. I can actually hear Cain and Finn engaging in conversation,
see Cain’s face grimace at Finn’s stinging humor and cover my ears at Erin’s
shrill voice. I think I went to high school with these kids. If you’ve ever
seen a movie called The Ring, you’ll enjoy this novel. It’s just as creepy and
every bit as haunting because you get to experience Sarah up close and
personal. Sleep well.
Occasionally in life, we get lucky. One glorious day in
October, I happened to be in the right place at the right time and received a
complimentary advance copy of Sarah in exchange for my honest opinion. If you
haven’t figured it out by now, I LOVED this book! It was right up my alley. My
advice: head on over to Amazon when the book goes on sale in December 2016 and order the hard copy or download
the Kindle version. If you like ghost stories, you’ll LOVE Sarah.
Single Chicas by Sandra C. Lopez is more than just a
compilation of short stories. It’s a collection of good advice on love, relationships,
and life. I like the way the author teaches the reader how to use rational judgment
instead of blindly following one’s heart. Reading this book is like chatting
with a close friend—someone who will tell you what you need to hear, not
necessarily what you want to hear. Each story is only a handful or pages long,
so you can set the book aside and pick it up later. But with Lopez’ use of
stinging advise and whimsical humor you may find yourself reading cover to
cover. 5-Stars for Single Chicas. Get a copy.
Geriatric Delinquents is a rollicking, character-driven spoof
about two sisters who oppose a local marijuana
proposition. To their chagrin, their aging rock star brother brings his
gravitas to town in support of the measure. The sisters counter with
sabotage and sanctimonious resistance. (Imagine someone like Dolly Parton as the
older sister, Goldie Hawn as the younger sister, and Mick Jagger as the
brother.) Geriatric Delinquents is a southern contemporary with a timely plot.
