The Disappearance of Emily H. -- Review and Giveaway

Thought for the Day:

“Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say ‘infinitely’ when you mean ‘very;’ otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.”
-C.S. Lewis

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

Feeling a little delusional about your writing? Maybe we all are a little delusional about our work. Anne R. Allen has some great advice HERE about dealing with those delusions.

Another great post from Janice Hardy HERE on Fiction University. This one is about characters that are too perfect, a problem my critique group can attest I often have. 

Stephanie Gayle did an interesting guest post on The Writer’s Dig that outlines seven fatal flaws that will tell you your novel isn’t ready to submit. You can find it HERE. Number four is one I really need to watch for. 

When I last wrote, I offered an ARC of Lincoln's Spymaster by Samantha Seiple to one of you. This time, Janet Smart is the winner. Congratulations, Janet! If you don't know Janet, you should check our her blog, Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch, HERE. She is a West Virginia writer specializing in children's stories and writing about Appalachia. I will be getting your book out to you this week, Janet. For the rest of you, please keep reading. I have a wonderful book to give away.

I don't read a lot of fantasy. It just isn't my cup of tea. But I do like books that are set in the real world and have some fantastic elements. When I read about The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy, I asked the Manhattan Book Review to get it for me for review. I'm really glad I did. Here the the review I wrote. 

Raine has a special ability. She can see sparkles on people or things and, when she picks them up, can read memories from them as her grandmother had before her. She is starting eighth grade at her third middle school and fifth school over all. As she is picking up her schedule, she meets Shirlee who is also new, having only been homeschooled. Before long the newbies are targeted by the mean queen of the school and her minions. Raine discovers she and her mother are living in the house of a girl who had recently disappeared and is thought to be dead. When Raine steals a sparkle, she discovers the mean girls may have had something to do with the disappearance. At the same time an arsonist is on the loose. And there’s more that creates real danger for Raine and others.

“Jennifer uploads a few more videos on YouTube about me, then stops. It’s not really her thing. She prefers to bully in real life, up close and personal. She wants to see her victim’s reaction.”

Barrie Summy has created a delicious mystery with some magic added in that

Barrie Summy

will have readers turning the pages as quickly as they can read. The writing is excellent, the characters real and sympathetic, and the story compelling. It deserves to be read well beyond the tween audience to which it is marketed. 

I have an ARC of this charming book I would be happy to send to one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower, and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Shannon Messenger's wonderful blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways.