Home Truths by Jill MacLean - Amazing

I read reality today. It was the story by author Jill MacLean, called Home Truths, published by Dancing Cat Books. Breathtakingly real. That’s how I would describe Home Truths.

The story features 15 year-old Brick MacAvoy and when you are introduced to Brick you immediately dislike him. He comes across as a bully. Keep turning the pages here, people. Brick might be a bully but like the age out truth – it takes a bully to make a bully – and voila, here the reader is introduced to Brick’s dad, Floyd. Opal is the non-existent mother, who hates being a mother and Cassie is Brick’s sister. The tenderness, adult way Brick interacts with Cassie is what makes this story unique and special. By the middle I wanted to kill Floyd with my own hands so

I was pleased when MacLean introduced Brick to Karate. The twists and turns of this boy coming into adulthood made my heart speed up with each interaction, whether it was the girl he at first dislikes, who is Tully (she has her own story inserted into this book), the dog Igor who he hates at first but comes to save, or the neighbours who help him out with odd jobs.

Home Truths could be set anywhere but MacLean hints it’s on the Eastern Shore, but she also says you won’t find Hilchey Bay but I have to say this book could have been set in my community on the Eastern Shore, NS. This book left me thinking—love that in a book. I highly recommend Home Truths as a must read!

Check out Jill MacLean's website at http://www.jillmaclean.com for more information on the author and her wonderful books.

The sun came out bright with light and it made my day. Then the clouds came in to drag the cold back declaring Spring is still not free. I want green grass, hot lazy days, swims to cool off, bbq's because who wants to cook in the heat, wine (lots of it), and to cuddle up with a great YA book. Recommends for summer - send my way.

Off Leash - Makes Quarter Finalists in 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel

Just found out my hard hitting YA story, Off Leash, made it to the quarter finalists in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel. So over the moon, jumping up and down!!!

I'm reading Jill MacLean's Home Truths novel and it's nice to read an author who's brave enough to write about YA real issues. I will confess it makes me feel better about Off Leash. I've had great people critiquing it but a few found it sad (that's what I was going for it part) but it's also a story of real teen survival, hard-hitting in your face survival but that's how the world works. What I also wanted to give to readers were two endings - Hollywood version and the Nitty Gritty side.

All I have to say, my Nitty Gritty series will get published- one way or another. I'm smiling hard with just making it to the quarter finalists in this contest.