Title: The Clearing
Author: Heather Davis
ISBN: 978-0-5472-6367-0
Story Length: 228 pages
Genre: Young Adult Light Paranormal Romance

Back Cover of The Clearing

Every single night that summer I lay awake wishing my life were different. And then one day it was…but not in the way you probably think.

"Different" for Amy was moving from the city to her aunt’s trailer in the country–starting her senior year at a new high school, putting the pain of a broken relationship behind her, starting fresh.

"Different" was Henry, a teenage boy Amy meets in the clearing behind Aunt Mae’s. Henry dresses differently, talks differently, and treats her better than any guy she’s ever known. And she’s starting to fall for him.

But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of clearing, it’s 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy’s crossing over to Henry’s side brings him more happiness than he’s ever known–but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.

In this touching tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever…and learn that true love can be truly magical

Three Quick Points About The Clearing

• Point 1: Ultra-sweet. This is a book for true romantics at heart.
• Point 2: Melding two generations. Through beautiful prose, Davis paints a lovely portrait of the idyllic life of a bygone generation.
• Point 3: A few tiny holes. Some inconsistencies (and stupidities) pricked tiny holes in an otherwise beautiful story and made me wince. Continue reading »

Recently Read

My review queue is still a little backlogged, but I will set aside some time this week to go through it. In the meantime, here’s a quick rundown of some of the books I’ve this week.

Kin and Kith, Books 1 & 2 of The Good Neighbors, by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh are graphic novels about a girl named Rue discovering her faerie heritage. To make things more interesting, her grandfather (on her faerie mother’s side) wants to take over her city and she’s the only one who can stop it. Although I’m not overly fond of the illustration style (it’s not bad, just not my preference and I’ve run into a few consistency issues), and although I’m not fond of the sometimes stilted prose, I find the overall story to be entertaining—so much so that I can’t wait to see what happens in the third book.

wtf by Peter Lerangis was a romp with a darkly humorous twist. If you’re into character-driven novels, then this really isn’t it, but it’s great mental popcorn. The story is told in short vignettes that follow the actions of six prep school teenagers over the course of one night involving a car accident involving a deer, drug deals gone wrong, and horny couples hooking up in front of strangers. Even with that tidbit, I should mention there’s nothing entirely explicit. Yes, those things are on center stage, but many of the gritty details are left out. Overall, good read.

The Clearing by Heather Davis is my favorite read this week. It’s beautiful and sweet and a bit sad. After leaving an abusive relationship, sixteen-year-old Amy moves in with her great-aunt Mae. While in her care, she discovers a mist lining the forest and through it a clearing where she meets the eighteen-year-old Henry. Over time, the two fall in love, but there’s one problem: Henry (and his mother and grandfather) are stuck in 1944. It’s then up to the two of them to decide if and how they will be together.

Planned Reading

I think I may have strayed into book limbo; a place where I want to read, but have hit a reading slump. In any event, I hope I get out of my little funk soon because there’s a busy reading week ahead.

Pens & Other Cute Things

(I love those little index tab stickers!)

I went shopping at JetPens again. I only needed to get some pen refills, but I came away with seven new pens and some adorable index tab stickers. You can read all about it (and see pretty pictures) at Today, I Wrote…