Review and Win

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Win a Copy of Painted Black

Angie was one of the reviewers of Painted Black when it first came out. She even gave it five-stars.

She is giving away her copy of the PRINT version, so if you want a hard copy in your hot little hand, go to her FACEBOOK page, Like it, then comment about why you think the book sounds FANTASTIC!  Contest runs for the whole of October.  and Yes, I will be mentioning it again, and again, so get ready for a bit of spam for the next four weeks.

What do you see when you think of teens living on the streets of a city?  Do you get angry, compassionate, or think it’s a shame, but not your problem?  Be ready to see these teens in a different way.

In this novel, Borys introduces readers to Jo Sullivan, a reporter who started out just looking for a story, but who finds so much more.  Most especially, she finds Chris Young, a young graffiti artist living on the streets, surviving however he can.  Together they look for the truth, not only about a funeral home, but also about themselves.

“Midnight interviews at funeral parlors – not exactly the way they mapped thing out in Journalism 405: Strategic Communication Research.  But then nothing about Jo’s situation now related to what life had been back then.”

Jo comes to care about Chris, as do readers, with Borys painting a picture of life on the streets of Chicago that will absorb and involve readers as the reality shocks and captures them.

 

“Borys is quite the master”

Darian Wilk continues to love my Street Stories suspense series.  Here’s her review of Bend Me, Shape Me.  She is also offering a contest to give away a print and e-copy of the book.  Follow the link to enter.

This is the second book in the Street Stories series by Debra Borys, the first, Painted Black, I also had the privilege of reviewing.

The focus again is on the lives of young homeless kids living on the streets. Kids, especially those trapped in this type of life, should be able to trust those in positions to help them – like psychiatrists. But something feels all too wrong. Snow’s roommate commits suicide. Again Jo Sullivan is the one who steps up to help those without a voice. True to Borys style you get a very surreal feeling of what life on the streets is really like. It’s gritty, dirty, frightening, and cold. She portrays this life effortlessly, and before long you’re pulled into this harsh life these kids live.

The plot moves along at a good pace throughout the story, slowing and spiking at just the right points, and the characters are fleshed out so well that you immediately feel a connection to them – even if you’ve never lived the same kind of life.

There are many books that try to delve into the darker areas of life on the streets, yet at best can only come across as somewhat believable; Borys is quite the master at not only creating believable environments, but thrilling tales. Again, I would recommend Borys work to anyone who is a fan of the suspense genre, or anyone brave enough to take a real look at life of homeless kids. But buck lovelies, it opens your eyes to all the ugly you try to pretend don’t exist.

I would definitely recommend this book, and series. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads list!

via Book Review: Bend Me, Shape Me by Debra Borys – Darian Wilk.

Win a Free Copy

Night Owl Reviews is offering a contest starting today, July 16 through July 26 to win a free copy of Bend Me, Shape Me.  I believe you have to sign in to participate, but if you like reading, it’s a site you will find useful.  They review several genres–AND IT’S FREE!

Here’s a summary of how you can win.  Click here to read the complete entry rules.

Comment = 1 Entry | Tweet = 1 Extra Entry* | Like = 1 Extra Entry* | Pinterest Pin It = 1 Extra Entry*

* Mention in the comments for extra entry

In addition, they included a guest post I wrote about following your passion.  Here’s a bit of it below.

Thanks to Night Owl for allowing me to share my passion with you. Wouldn’t life be great if all our goals were set by something we are passionate about? The novels in my Street Stories suspense series combine two of my passions: suspense fiction and sharing the inspirational stories of people who live on the streets. I spent over fifteen years volunteering with agencies who offer services for homeless kids and adults and discovered that the stories they have to tell are not only fascinating, they deserve to be given a voice.

While the plots I select are bizarre and twisted, the people that populate my series are real life composites of individuals who both educated and enriched me during my years on the street.

via Debra R. Borys – Follow Your Passion.