Unusual Awakening by S.M. Knowles
Title: Unusual Awakening
Author: S.M. Knowles
Genre: Young Adult
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours
Book Description:
With
tears and a tight hug, Rylee Everley’s dad left for Afghanistan with
the Army Reserve. Since his deployment, her mom has been distant, her
sisters are constantly fighting, and Rylee, at only thirteen years old,
has to be the glue to keep them together. While her mother stays locked
in her room, Rylee has been forced into the role of parent.
Now,
two years later, a freak accident involving a bus at school promises to
restore some normality to her family. In spite of not knowing how their
father is, her mother is happy and her sisters don’t seem to fight as
much as they used to. Rylee herself is seeing more of her friends and is
even trying to sort out her own feelings about Brock Parker. However,
something dark threatens to disrupt that normality for personal gain,
and that darkness is willing to break every rule to get what it wants.
.
Author Bio:
S.M.
Knowles was born in Elmira, New York where she was swept away in a
whirlwind to the Land of Oz—Independence, Kansas. Her parents were
relocating for working opportunities and decided that this would be the
perfect place to start new roots. Little did she know that this place
would contribute to the inspiration for the first book she wrote in her
Rylee Everley Series.
While
growing up, S.M. would travel the roads around her house while
imagining she was somewhere else. Her imagination would take her
everywhere, making the long hot summer days seem shorter throughout her
fantasies.
At
the age of twelve, she decided to write her first book. Filled mostly
with dialog, she filled up one-hundred pages, front and back. After
taking the book downstairs to show her mom, and persuading her to buy
her more paper, she excitedly ran back to her room. As she barreled
through the door, S.M. tripped over items left on her floor, and her
papers came raining down in her room. Discouraged, she stood there in
tears, picking up her papers and throwing them in the trash. Her work
had no organization, no numbers on her pages, just a child fulfilling a
joy that she would put down and not pick up again.
When
she became older, she joined the military for something different. In
that time, she was able to explore many places and even met her husband
in Iraq. After coming home, she started her family in Arizona and went
back to school, earning a Master’s degree in Adult Education and
Training. Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrOQwyLPeMM&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share
Excerpt:
Getting
up, I walk over to the tree line. I don’t see anything around, so I
grab a rock and throw it to scare off any animals. Walking in further, I
call out, “Hello?” Everything is quiet. I wait a few more seconds.
Something feels off. Walking in a little further, I hear a branch break.
I know I didn’t step on anything, so something’s unquestionably out
there. “Who’s out here?” I yell. A big oak tree stands directly in front
of me, right next to him. “No, no, no, no,” I beg.
My Review:
I found this book to be intriguing. It does keep your attention and keep you guessing. I personally found a few things here and there that did annoy me personally, but they may not annoy another reader. Rylee is a likable character, though sometimes I wanted to smack her, and you do want to root for her to overcome this mentality of thinking that she can't have a boyfriend and that she only has room for her absent father in her heart until he comes home. If I was her friend, I probably would shake her and smack her a little, lol. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, so that says something!
