Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Made the Grade: Swans Landing Series, Book 1 | #BookReview @shananorris

- This was an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon: Paperback - Pages: 329; Kindle Edition - File Size: 657 KB; Audible – Unabridged | Release Date: November 13, 2011 | Publisher: Self-Published | Obtained: NetGalley when it was within the anthology "Text Me, 8 Novels of First Love"

"Surfacing" [Swans Landing Series, Book 1] by Shana Norris

Author's Book Description : Sixteen-year-old Mara Westray has just lost her mother, and now, being shipped off to live with the father she doesn’t know is not how she imagined grieving. She’s already counting down the days until she turns eighteen and can leave the tiny island of Swans Landing.

But from the moment she steps off the ferry, nothing is as ordinary as it looks. Whispers of a haunting song on the wind make her see impossible things, and she isn’t sure she can trust her judgment about what is real and what isn’t anymore. Maybe she can’t even trust her judgment about quiet Josh Canavan, whose way of speaking in riddles and half-truths only confuses her more, luring her deeper into the secrets hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.

As she tries to unravel the events that led to her mom fleeing the island sixteen years ago, Mara finds that the biggest secret of all is only the beginning.

My Book Review : 3.5 out of 5 stars!! After being away from the small island of Swans Landing for around 12 years, Mara returns to live with her father (a man she never knew). Feeling lost and alone, Mara finds herself drawn to Josh. Josh is a teen who keeps to himself and compels her at every turn. However Swans Landing is an island FULL of secrets and once Mara finally understands what those secrets are will she be willing to stick around the island or will she “run” away as far as she can…

This is an intriguing and mysterious YA romance novel. It kept me guessing most of the way through while wishing for a good HEA to wrap it all up. What I got was a whole lot of secrecy. Yet, I liked that even though the series continues at a cliffhanger for the main storyline, there was a smallish HEA for Mara.

What can I say about Josh and Mara other than they were made for one another. While they are both so similar, it was how they seemed to help each other become who they were meant to be that I liked the most. It makes me interested to see how their relationship will continue as this series progresses. Especially because of how the ending was handled, I know they are in for plenty of tough roads ahead.

I recommend this novel and series to those looking for a unique suspenseful YA paranormal romance.

Purchase This Book and/or The Other Books From It's Series Here : Amazon (Kindle) USD : Submerging (Book 2) | Amazon (Kindle) USD : Shifting (Book 2.5) | Amazon (Kindle) USD : Surrendering (Book 3)

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Swans Landing Series Boxed Set
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Author's Novel Extras : Excerpt from Surfacing

Author's Series Extras : Swans Landing series - Overview | Welcome to Swans Landing, North Carolina

Book Teaser(s) :
"You're on my part of the beach," I said when I reached him.
"Your part is over there." Josh nodded his head toward the right. "This is my part."
"I changed my mind. I'm claiming all of this." I waved my hands in a big arc. "You can have that one little corner way over there."
Josh looked around. "That's a pretty big piece of beach for one person."
"I need all of it."
He still wore his usual black hoodie and baggy jeans, but his hair was wet and plastered to his head, dripping water onto his collar. "Have you been swimming?" I asked.
Josh blinked. "Why would I be swimming? It's February. It's cold."
"Your hair is wet," I pointed out.
"So is yours."
I peeled a lock of sticky hair from the side of my face. "I got a Diet Coke shower a few minutes ago."
Josh raised his eyebrows.
"Not voluntarily," I growled. ~ within Chapter 10
Lake completed his final round of checking the windows and then looked at me. "Well. I guess I should go."
I looked back at him. "Okay."
"Remember what I told you," he said.
"Right. Have a wild party and be sure to invite only people I've never seen before."
Lake stared back at me with a blank expression.
"You should really grow a sense of humor," I told him. ~ within Chapter 16

Book Preview(s) :

For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Shana, then please check out her Amazon Acct.

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