Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: July 2013
ISBN: 978-1937053383
Blurb:
On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, he’s not sure whether they’re real or if he’s losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.
Wow! What a debut, Mrs. Amowitz! Breaking Glass is a fast-paced, what-the-hell-just-happened, cement truck full of suspense ride. So grab a drink, get comfy, and hold on.
One thing YA is not overflowing with is an abundance of thrillers, so it's always refreshing to me when I get my hands on one, especially one this well written, with characters who hold my attention. The one thing I do despise; however, is attempting to review them without giving away the entire plot, but I'll do my best.
The small town I graduated high school from is what came to mind when I first read about Riverton in this novel. A place where nobody escapes, and those who do are eventually drawn back for one reason or another (so far I have escaped this destiny, knock on wood). They still have the same friends, their kids are all friends, heck even their grandkids are friends; and when lineage stretches that far into the past, there are likely to be a few skeletons skulking in the closets. Just ask Jeremy Glass, or Ryan Morgan, or Susannah Durban.
Jeremy Glass, our narrator and protagonist, finds himself in the epicenter of lies and deceit. It appears people are talking to him from the grave, his best friend might be a murderer, the girl he loves is not only taken but a tad bit psycho and the adults, well, they're even worse. I mean, why would Jeremy want to quit drinking when his mom is dead, his dad is always workingg; Ryan's dad is a freak; and Susannah's mom is just a straight up trip. Come on, you'd drink your life away, too...right? So what happens when he's forced to sober up?
Nothing good.
People disappear, accidents happen, secrets start spilling, and people die. And every. Single. Person. Seems suspicious.
Slowly, the secrets unravel and the layers peel apart until you're left with the horrible, naked truth - which is much too little, much too late. Those left living are damaged beyond repair, both physically and emotionally. And, as I've already said, others are dead.
I admit I obsessed over how Breaking Glass would end. I'm a little gun-shy with authors lately. Some seem to enjoy torture just a little too much, but Lisa wrapped the story up in a fitting manner. Not in a happily ever after, because there's just no way to pull that kind of ending off in a thriller, but I wasn't horrified. The only reason I'm not throwing the fifth star in there is because I felt there were so many great things happening in the story, that some of the characters didn't shine as much as I would have liked them to, other than that, perfect.
I highly recommend Breaking Glass, especially if you're looking for something a little bit different. Lisa Amowitz combined excellent writing with that "dark and twisted" imagination referred to in her bio, and created an edgy and captivating story.
***Besides the sponsored giveaway below the author bio, I'm also giving away 2 paperback copies, just leave a comment and let me know you stopped by to enter. I'll use Random.org to pick a winner on or about August 1st. My dad will be having surgery on July 31st, so if I'm a day or so late, please be patient.***
When she hit her teens, she realized that Long Island was too small for her and she needed to escape. So she went to college in Pittsburgh. Go figure.
On leaving college, Lisa became a graphic designer living in New York City. She eventually married her husband of a zillion years, had two lovely children, and was swept away to a fairy tale life in the Bronx, where, unbelievably there are more trees and wilderness than her hometown. She can see the Hudson River from her kitchen window.
Lisa has been a professor of Graphic Design at her beloved Bronx Community College where she has been tormenting and cajoling students for nearly seventeen years. She started writing eight years ago because she wanted something to illustrate, but somehow, instead ended up writing YA. Probably because her mind is too dark and twisted for small children.
BREAKING GLASS which will be released in July, 2013 from Spencer Hill Press, is her first published work. VISION, the first of the Finder series will be released in 2014, along with an unnamed sequel in the following year. LIFE AND BETH will also be released in the near future, along with graphic novel style art.
Giveaway items:
(1) custom pendant like the one pictured on the book cover
(2) signed ARCS
(1) original work of Breaking Glass related art created and signed by the author.
You can find an illustrated preview of Breaking Glass called Shards below.
Here are a list of Lisa's upcoming events:
July 18th: Book Launch Party; 7PM @ Womrath Book Shop, Bronxville, NY
July 26: Summer Thriller Chiller Event with Barry Lyga, Kate Brian, Elizabeth Kiem, Alan Zadoff and me! 6:30 PM @ The Voracious Reader in Larchmont, NY
August 18: The third anniversary event of the Hudson Valley YA Society: 4PM @Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY
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