Author submission in exchange for an honest review.
Title:
Between Seasons
Author:
Aida Brassington
Release Date:
October 30, 2011
Publisher:
Word Count:
approx. 69,000
Purchase Links:
Author's Website:
Description:
There are things Patrick Boyle will never forget: the sound of his own neck breaking at the moment of his death in the fall of 1970, the sweet taste of his mother's chocolate cake, and the awful day his parents abandoned him in his childhood house-turned prison.
Nineteen-year-old Patrick wonders for decades if God has forgotten all about him or if he's being punished for some terrible crime or sin over a lovely forty years trapped in an empty home. But when Sara Oswald, a strange woman with a mysterious past, buys his house, old feelings reawaken, and a new optimism convinces him that she's the answer to his prayers.
Things are never simple, though, especially when she begins channeling the memories of his life and death in her writing.
Nineteen-year-old Patrick wonders for decades if God has forgotten all about him or if he's being punished for some terrible crime or sin over a lovely forty years trapped in an empty home. But when Sara Oswald, a strange woman with a mysterious past, buys his house, old feelings reawaken, and a new optimism convinces him that she's the answer to his prayers.
Things are never simple, though, especially when she begins channeling the memories of his life and death in her writing.
Joey’s Review:
I love being surprised by a book. Between Seasons touches on the after-life, an oft-explored subject in fiction. There is something very fresh about this story, however.
From the first sentence, I was pulled in. Me, the not-exactly-a-paranormal fan. That’s happened only a couple of times since I started this blog. Ms. Brassington does a great job of instantly establishing Patrick’s predicament, and letting us experience his isolation as he is trapped between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
Enter Sara, the first person to enter Patrick’s personal hell for decades. Naturally, a lonely ghost will be drawn to anyone who finally enters his lonely space. But it becomes apparent quickly that Sara would be a great catch for Patrick. Well, she would, if he were alive. And he could really hold a conversation with her. And he could do more than make her shiver when he’s near.
And that’s about as much as I can say without crossing into spoiler territory. I can say this: Our characters, despite their otherworldly obstacles, make sense. The way they connect is handled very creatively. And the way the author makes them a pairing we can root for is smart. (Considering how hard it is to make me get behind a ghostly hero, this is key.) I forgot to keep an eye on page numbers as I was reading, and actually made an unintelligible sound of outrage when the book ended before I was ready. Luckily, mercifully, there is another chapter in the saga of Patrick and Sara, two characters I officially adore, on its way, and I for one can’t wait for it to come out. I’m desperate to find out what happens next!
Joey's Rating:
I'm so thrilled you enjoyed the novel. Thank you for a wonderful review!
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