Review-Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz

Breaking Glass
by Lisa Amowitz
Release Date: 07/09/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

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My Review:

Creepy story full of twists that will leave you spinning.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that really creeped me out. In a good way of course. Breaking Glass is a chilling tale of unrequited love, dark secrets, power, and abuse in many forms. Every time I thought I had things figured out another twist was tossed at me to throw me off track. I loved every minute of it.

Meet Jeremy Glass: the forever sidekick, standing in the shadows of his perfect best friend. He’s also a closet alcoholic. He can hide secrets better than my four year old can hide candy. To his friends he’s the good guy, loyal to the bro code, the responsible one. But underneath it all he’s tormented by a horrific past, in love with his best friend’s girlfriend, and clings to his silver water bottle.

Talk about a complex character. There are so many layers to this guy it’s unreal. I love that the whole story unravels from his point of view. His raw emotions are hard to read at times, but so real. My heart broke for him and everything he lost.

The book begins with a terrible accident. It is the turning point in the lives of every character. For Jeremy is means losing just about everything: his running, his scholarship, and most importantly the love of his life (and his BFF’s girl) Susannah. Like Jeremy, we don’t know what happened to Susannah other than she vanished without a trace. But somehow, she leaves him clues to find her. Following the trail means uncovering the dark secrets of the town, some that are so devastating lives will be torn apart. But finding Susannah is all Jeremy can think about when the rest of the town barely mentions her name.

The cast of characters is full of some loathsome people, especially Patrick Morgan. You will hate him. Ryan is the guy everyone wants to be. You will question his intentions a lot. Susannah is a free spirit, but through Jeremy’s eyes you will want to strangle her for toying with his heart. Even Ryan’s dad is a bit shady at times, but I guess I should’ve given him a break due to the circumstances. There is a little brightness found in Marisa. She wants nothing more than to help Jeremy, even when he won’t help himself.

Overall I found this book enthralling. I couldn’t wait to discover the truth. It did keep me up for a night, and not just because I couldn’t put it down. It’s a bit eerie and every little creak in the dark kept me on edge. If you are looking for a suspenseful YA with lots of mystery you’ve found it in Breaking Glass. 

About the Author

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. 

Website│Twitter│Goodreads

Interview with Breaking Glass author Lisa Amowitz

Breaking Glass
by Lisa Amowitz
Release Date: 07/09/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

Available from:

  

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Listen to Lisa's interview with CurvyWriter Radio below!

Guest Author and Cover Artist Lisa Amowitz 07/23 by CurvyWriter Radio | Blog Talk Radio

                                         

I am so excited to host Lisa Amowitz on my blog today. Her book, Breaking Glass, just hit the shelves and if you haven't picked it up yet you really want to read this one. It's dark, chilling, and full of all sorts of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Enjoy the interview and then read the excerpt below. Don't forget to enter to win a signed ARC of your very own!

Where do you find inspiration for your writing?

I love telling stories and I love getting into my character's heads. I think I find the true inspiration in the words themselves. I really enjoy language and often forget this until I force myself to sit in front of my computer and write!

Tell me a little bit about your road to publication.

It's long and sordid! I wrote this horrible fantasy book a number of years ago without knowing anything about genres or children's publishing in general. I am, by trade and training, an artist and graphic designer, but I always wanted to illustrate a children's book. That horrid book—which I am not kidding you, my best friend and cousin badgered me about at my book launch party (I'm looking at you Joanne and Mark!) and insisted that I HAD to rewrite it or they might tie me up and tickle me to death or something silly—gave me the disease and I have been writing ever since. I have been through misses and near misses, crit groups and forums, and conferences. I still have the same crit group from ages ago, and though we aren't as regular as we used to be, they are my support group--the first place I turn to whine and complain and say all the stuff you'll never hear from me in public! Pity those valiant and wonderful women.

I've written four other books besides Breaking Glass--two of which (including that first one, sorry Joanne and Mark) will never see the light of day. BREAKING GLASS is the fifth book I have ever written. The sixth one is VISION which will be released by Spencer Hill Press in May 2014. The fourth book is an urban fantasy called LIFE AND BETH which will probably show up somewhere, sooner or later. The third book still has some promise and I am thinking about what might be done with it. Oh, and here I am.

Aside from Jeremy, who was your favorite character to write in Breaking Glass and why?

Oh dear--that's tough. As people pointed out, most of my characters are a little hard to like. I guess, maybe Marisa? She's sort of an underdog--someone whom you barely notice who slowly becomes more and more important as the story continues. 

I love the cover! It really sets the tone for the book.  You are a graphic designer, so was it hard to design a cover for your own book? Hell yes! I am the WORST possible client. I am just too picky to please myself. It took about 30 attempts--and then my daughter and her friends insisted that the cover I chose was the ONE.

What are you working on now? I am very soon going to be getting my edits for my May 2014 release, VISION and I am trying to get back into the non-paranormal mystery I am writing. I have had a bit of writer's block, but I can feel the inspiration building to a slow boil.

Fun Questions:

Dream vacation spot. A castle in the south of France, complete with staff and four-star chef... and ghosts. And a short walk to the beach.

Coffee, tea, or neither. COFFEE!!!!!!! (most people think I should stay away from coffee).

Last movie you saw. Much Ado About Nothing.

Last book you read. EXTRACTED by Sherry Ficklin and Tyler Jolley--currently reading PODS by Michelle Pickett and Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater

Favorite junk food. popcorn

Woohoo! Thanks for having me, Meredith! And thanks for being a part of Team Breaking Glass!

--

Visit me on the web at: http://lisa-amowitzya.blogspot.com

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**Excerpt**

Then

The look of rapture on Susannah’s face was reflected in Ryan’s. It was a look of curiosity and wonder, a look of such intensity that I knew anything I did to come between them was pointless. Right there in the hall near West Hall 3, I witnessed two people falling in love.

It felt like horses were trampling over my chest, like my ribs were cracking, the bone shards jammed into the soft tissue of my lungs.

But I kept the smile pasted on my face and managed to speak between painful breaths. It was a skill I’d come to master over the next three years. “Susannah. This is Ryan Morgan. The bossy kid from the playground. Ryan, meet the Pirate Queen.”

Ryan’s blue eyes dilated, his mouth falling open like he was about to take a bite of the most luscious ice cream cone ever. “Huh?” he said, eloquent as usual .

“From the park. It was like five, six years ago? Remember when we used to play pirates, and this girl came along and you said that girls were—”

“Yeah! I remember. I said girls were stupid.”

I didn’t mention that I was the one who’d vowed I was going to marry her.

Susannah smiled and flipped some stray curls out of her face. “You really said that?”

Ryan chuckled. “What did I know when I was eight? Where’s your class? I’ll take you there.”

And just like that, he slipped a muscled arm over her slim shoulder and they drifted away as if I wasn’t there. As if they’d been standing alone. I watched them go, the ridiculous smile clamped on my face like a too-tight mask.

About the Author

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, released on July 9, 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. 

SHARDS, an illustrated prequel to BREAKING GLASS, is now available as a free download at Spencer Hill Press. 

Website│Twitter│Goodreads

***GIVEAWAY***

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz Book Blitz

Breaking Glass
by Lisa Amowitz
Release Date: 07/09/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

Available from:

  

***Excerpt***

“So where is he?” She cranes her neck, trying to spot Ryan in the crowd.

Heart pounding, my mind hiccups through its storehouse of facts. I reposition myself to block her view. There’s no time to try texting Ryan a warning.

I could tell Susannah. Tell her how Ryan has been sneaking around behind her back for over a year, even hooking up with two college juniors in a motel room during one of our out of town meets. But defying the Morgan machine by pointing this out takes too much energy. Instead I blurt, “Did you realize the Watch Hill carousel was once part of a traveling carnival?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “What? Jeremy, sometimes you can be such a--”

But her voice trails off as her gaze wanders past mine, her smile crumpling like a paper bag. I follow her line of sight and I know this is it. The crowd has thinned around Ryan, enough for her to see him with his mouth smashed against Claudia’s.

“Oh, man,” I gasp. I turn to comfort Susannah, but she is already gone.

I stand, dithering; wanting to run after her and apologize for letting her walk into this ambush.

But, no. This is something Ryan needs to take care of. I might have signed on to sweep his mess under the rug, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to clean up after him. I push through the crowd to get to him.

“What? She what? Did you know she was coming back early?”

I feel my face heat. “No.”

Ryan pushes Claudia off of him, his stage makeup still glistening and thick, traces of Claudia’s lipstick smeared on his lips. “Good job, Jeremy. You could have at least texted me.”

My hand curls into a fist. I stuff it in my jacket pocket. “She ran out,” I say. “Maybe you can catch her.”

Ryan shrugs, and without a coat, stalks out of the theater into the night. I wait a few minutes then follow. Susannah’s car is gone, and so is Ryan’s. I try to call Susannah, but she doesn’t pick up.

I get in my car and focus on resisting the water bottle’s siren call, panicked glimpses of my waking nightmare crashing through the floodgates, the terrifying memories swept through with it. The rain and the torrents of water sweeping past, draining into the Gorge, forcing me to remember. To relive it. No. Not now. I need to stay clear.

Since eighth grade, when I discovered that liquor dulls my terrors, I have been a master thief and spy.

Not even Ryan knows.

Just a sip to calm my shaky nerves. One tiny sip to beat back the rising waters that threaten to drown me. I can do it. I pride myself on my steely self-control. My ability to remain stone-cold sober even when the track team holds a victory keg party. They call me Jeremy the Teetotaler. Jeremy, the History Nerd who never partakes.

I snap open the glove compartment. The innocuous silver bottle is shoved behind the owner’s manual, gas receipts and a collection of power bar wrappers. I raise it to my lips and gulp once, twice, three times; the cold liquid igniting as it hits my throat. It takes two, three more gulps to slow my heart to normal speed. The bottle is nearly empty. I cap it and return it to the compartment, warmth flowing to my cold fingers. I’d need to drink three times as much as that to lose focus.

Swerving the deserted black roads slick with rain over ice, I follow my usual running circuit. This is familiar turf. My backyard, practically.

Yes. I can do this. Susannah knows my route so I hope she’s come this way and parked, knowing I’d find her. She wants me to find her. To comfort her. I’ll tell her everything. How I’m sorry for lying to her. For letting Ryan hurt her. And maybe at last she’ll accept that it’s not Ryan she wants, but me.

But there’s no sign of her.

After driving and searching fruitlessly, my mind churning with outcomes, the now driving rain blurring my windshield, I can’t stand it anymore. My heart is racing. Just one last sip to fortify myself is all I need.

When I round the next hairpin curve, my headlights flash on Ryan’s car parked behind Susannah’s, engines running. I squint through the rain and mist and spot them behind the guardrail, illuminated in the headlamps’ cone of light. There’s no shoulder on this side of the road, so I pull over when I can, about twenty yards past them.

When I finally get out of the car I can hear her shouts over the racket the rain makes. My head is buzzing, but my thoughts are clear.

In fact, they’ve never been clearer, as the roots that entangle me fall away.

The damp air smells like freedom.

Susannah screams, and pounds at Ryan’s chest with her fists. He shoves her hard and she falls backward. I don’t see her get up again. Raucous arguments were nothing new between Susannah and Ryan, but I’d never seen him hit her before.

There’s a steep decline into the woods where they’ve chosen to have their argument and I worry Susannah could have gotten hurt. Ryan disappears now, too. What the hell are they doing?

I begin to run at full tilt. I still have some distance to cover, but that’s no problem for me, even with the Absolut pumping heat through my veins. But my boot heel catches on a wet leaf then slides out from under me.

I’m flying, but I land softly.

About the Author

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. 

Website│Twitter│Goodreads

***GIVEAWAY***

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

****UPDATE****

Check out Lisa's comment below! Even if you don't win you can STILL order a SIGNED copy of Breaking Glass! And she's added an extra special something if you mention my blog. Can't wait to get mine!

THANKS LISA!!!