Title: Christina Daley
Author: Christina Daley
Publication: February 12, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
Mary is part Vietnamese. Carter is a complete jerk. Normally, they don't talk much.
But when Mary's in an accident on the way to school one morning, Carter nearly dies saving her life. The doctors say his chances of living are slim, and Mary's feeling the full weight of survivor's guilt.
However, Carter's back at school in a matter of days, as if nothing had happened. Although, he is a little "glitchy," and he's developed a sudden and intense interest in Mary. She thinks he's suffering from major brain trauma from the accident. Or that he's been possessed.
As it so happens, Carter really is possessed. And the thing controlling him is having the time of its life learning to be human.
Featuring a diverse cast of characters, RADIANT is a funny "paranormal-lite" story about being human, being in love, and being healed.
Mary is part Vietnamese. Carter is a complete jerk. Normally, they don't talk much.
But when Mary's in an accident on the way to school one morning, Carter nearly dies saving her life. The doctors say his chances of living are slim, and Mary's feeling the full weight of survivor's guilt.
However, Carter's back at school in a matter of days, as if nothing had happened. Although, he is a little "glitchy," and he's developed a sudden and intense interest in Mary. She thinks he's suffering from major brain trauma from the accident. Or that he's been possessed.
As it so happens, Carter really is possessed. And the thing controlling him is having the time of its life learning to be human.
Featuring a diverse cast of characters, RADIANT is a funny "paranormal-lite" story about being human, being in love, and being healed.
Excerpt:
A
voice called to her. It seemed close, and it was getting louder as the pain got
sharper. "Hey? Hey! Are you all right?" it asked.
Mary
blinked several times before she could finally see again. She was in the middle
of the street. The cars had stopped and people on the sidewalk were staring.
"Are
you all right?" the voice asked again. It was coming from a man wearing
some type of uniform.
"What…?"
Mary tried to say more, but her voice suddenly stopped working.
"Careful,"
he said as he helped her up. "Looks like you can move all right. Here,
let's get you out of the street."
He
helped her over to the sidewalk. "Stay here. Someone's calling the
paramedics." And then he was gone.
Mary sat there, still in a daze. She
started noticing familiar stuff all over the ground—an open book bag, books,
folders, unused tampons, a shoe, and an apple with one bite mark. Her eyes
followed the trail of debris to a brilliant red sports car, half of which was smashed
in by a city bus.
What
had happened? Mary studied the whole scene, trying to puzzle together the
pieces. Then it dawned on her. The car had hit her. Not intentionally. She had
run in front of the bus without knowing it. It was about to hit her, but the
car had gotten in the way first. It had saved her life.
Mary
thought about looking in the car. Then her feet sorta moved without her meaning
them to, and she made her way to the passenger door. She recognized the person
inside. Carter. She knew his last name, but she couldn't think of what it was.
He was slumped over the seat with blood oozing all over his face. His eyes were
shut.
Mary
knocked on the window. The tears in her hand stung.
No
response.
She
beat the window with her fist.
Still
nothing.
Mary
stared. She couldn't believe it. On any other day, she wouldn't exchange two
words with this guy. Just yesterday, he nearly mowed down an elderly couple
while driving out of the school lot. Mary had secretly wished he'd be taught a
lesson. But she didn't mean this.
She
tried the door handle, but it was still locked. Suddenly, Carter's eyes flickered
opened. He looked straight at her.
Mary
gasped and pressed her face against the window.
Carter's
eyes closed.
She
stared at him, waiting for him to open them again. Waiting for any sign of
life. But he was still like he was before.
Hands
suddenly took hold of Mary, pulling her away from the car. Her feet moved on
their own again. Someone was yelling "Miss" a lot. Parts of her brain
found other noises too, like sirens, voices, beeping, and other things. The
hands directed her to sit on something hard and cold.
"Miss?
Can you hear me? Can you tell me your name?"
Mary
didn't answer. She still hadn't found her voice, and her mind was fuzzy, too.
"Is
that her bag there? Does she have a driver's license?"
A
different person spoke. "No license, but I found a student ID. Her name's
Mary Phan. She's seventeen and a junior here at Lewis Prep."
Mary
heard a third voice. "I just talked with some of the kids on the sidewalk.
One of them said her mom's a nurse at the memorial hospital."
"Find
out how to contact the mom. Anyone see what happened?"
"Cops
are questioning witnesses right now. Looks like she ran in front of the bus. It
would've nailed her if that sportster hadn't gotten in the way."
"Anything
on the bus or the driver of the car?"
"Everyone
on the bus looks fine. The car belongs to a kid named Carter Maxwell. Also a
junior." A sigh. "I wouldn't hold my breath. He looks really bad in
there."
Mary
tuned out everything else. All sights. All sounds. The only thing she could see
in her mind was Carter staring at her.
Author Bio:
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Christina Daley made her first book with neighborhood friends when
she was four years old. They "wrote" out some semblance of lettering
with crayons, cut up a cardboard box for the cover, and bound it all
together with clear adhesive tape. It was brilliant.
Quite a few
years later, Christina is trying her hand at writing "real" books. She
lives in Dallas, Texas, with a pet plant named Herb.
Giveaway:
The excerpt was great!! I bet i would love this book!!
ReplyDeleteThanks
-Theresa M. Jones