Before you Ghost by Helena Hunting and Debra Anastasia

 

3 Stars

Evan had the most interesting demise.  He was having the best make up sex with his girlfriend Sammi when he went flying off the cliff and died.  Sammi can’t really believe what happened as he’s still sitting next to her cracking jokes while the police are explaining the next couple of steps will be.  How is Sammi supposed to handle Evan being a ghost and another ghost out to get her?

This story had an interesting premise and it was written by two authors I enjoy reading.  The writing was good and there was a fair bit of humor.  You will need to suspend your mind a bit for the sex scenes between a living breathing person and a ghost.  Ultimately the book was ok but there isn’t really a happily ever after since Evan stays a ghost and Sammi stays alive.  They just get physical time together when a medium type person helps them out.

Promo: Debra Anastasia

 

Debra Anastasia’s writing is imaginary, dark, comedic, and perfectly sexy.” — Tijan New York Times bestselling author Drowning in Stars, an all-new, heartbreakingly beautiful mature YA romance from Debra Anastasia is out now!

… he walked a tightrope five stories up just to hold my hand.

Gaze: I moved into the building next to Pixie when I was eleven. She blew bubbles through my window. I shot my Nerf gun through hers. We both had secrets, but one of us was fated to get hurt. I wanted it to be me.

Pixie: When I was afraid of the dark, he would shine a light in my window. We shared our popsicles and I taught him how to get a good swing on the playground. I never imagined I’d have to decide who got to live and who didn’t. I chose him --and he could never know.

She walked a tightrope five stories up just to save my life…

Download your copy today! Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fLskBj Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/drowninginstars

Add DROWNING IN STARS to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2ZWq8Su

Excerpt

If she was superman she couldn’t have timed it better because the fire alarm went off. I followed the flow out the door, the teachers closing doors and flicking out lights. I didn’t like how Megan and Ashlin snickered with each other.

They gathered near a group of girls that all had their phones out. Their attention was pinned on a door like they were cats ready for a mouse to pop out.

It was cold outside. I stood near my last class, but it was more a loose cluster. When the door finally popped open, the fire alarm was starting to give me a headache.

The spoils of mean laughter made me grit my teeth. I’d been bullied enough to know that that particular noise was always accompanied by someone else’s pain.

Her hair was shorter than when we were kids, but her face was an instant balm to my raw heart.

Pixie.

But I went from calm to confusion. My normally gutsy Pixie looked like she was trapped in her worst nightmare. She hung her head for a few beats of the alarm. Flashes went off. The crew of girls snapping pictures.

Pixie was hugging her body and I realized why with a gasp. She was only in a pair of underwear. She was topless and hugging her breasts as a way to cover herself.

I jumped through the kids in front of me, using their shoulders to hold myself up and swing my long legs through. I flat out sprinted to get to Pixie, peeling off my basketball jacket from my old school as I moved. I covered her from the front, pulling the arms behind her back.

She looked up in my eyes. Her confusion and relief collided.

I slipped my sweat pants off and held them out to her feet. She stuck them in one and at a time and then jumped so I could yank them up the rest of the way.

The world swirled around us, blurry and useless. I used the time to cuddle her to me, holding the jacket closed while she wiggled her arms inside. I leaned over her and snapped up the back.

She was covered.

“Gaze?” She held up her hand, well it was her hand but it was dwarfed by the extra fabric of my long jacket on her. She almost touched my face before squinting. “You can’t be?”

I watched as her soul knew what her brain refused to come to terms with.

“I am. It’s me and I’m back.”

Teachers came into our orbit, asking questions. The snide assholes were there too, but the pictures and video continued, I saw it in my peripheral. I’m sure my boxer briefs were super exciting.

Pixie pushed on my chest. “Are you cold?”

“No.” It was her. I could still smell her strawberry shampoo and tsee the small dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose. They were my own personal constellation that I’ve always wished on a million times.

Meet Debra

Debra creates pretend people in her head and paints them on the giant, beautiful canvas of your imagination. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in political science and writes new adult angst and romantic comedies. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two amazing children.

Connect with Debra Facebook: https://bit.ly/39Pypep Reader Group: https://bit.ly/31ea3Hd Newsletter: https://bit.ly/NewsletterDebra2020 Twitter: https://bit.ly/2XiD8QK Instagram: https://bit.ly/39MXC9g Pinterest: https://bit.ly/3icmYRd Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vVuo45 Bookbub: https://bit.ly/3fmQIZx Website: https://bit.ly/2BQLBDg

Promo: Debra Anastasia

 

“A gut wrenching, angsty story that will break your heart and then put it back together and melt it, all at the same time.” --Helena Hunting, New York Times bestselling author

Drowning in Stars, an all-new emotionally gripping and beautifully written mature YA romance from Debra Anastasia is available now!

… he walked a tightrope five stories up just to hold my hand.

Gaze: I moved into the building next to Pixie when I was eleven. She blew bubbles through my window. I shot my Nerf gun through hers. We both had secrets, but one of us was fated to get hurt. I wanted it to be me.

Pixie: When I was afraid of the dark, he would shine a light in my window. We shared our popsicles and I taught him how to get a good swing on the playground. I never imagined I’d have to decide who got to live and who didn’t. I chose him --and he could never know.

She walked a tightrope five stories up just to save my life…

Download your copy today! Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited. Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fLskBj Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/drowninginstars

Add DROWNING IN STARS to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2ZWq8Su

Meet Debra

Debra creates pretend people in her head and paints them on the giant, beautiful canvas of your imagination. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in political science and writes new adult angst and romantic comedies. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two amazing children.

Connect with Debra Facebook: https://bit.ly/39Pypep Reader Group: https://bit.ly/31ea3Hd Newsletter: https://bit.ly/NewsletterDebra2020 Twitter: https://bit.ly/2XiD8QK Instagram: https://bit.ly/39MXC9g Pinterest: https://bit.ly/3icmYRd Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vVuo45 Bookbub: https://bit.ly/3fmQIZx Website: https://bit.ly/2BQLBDg

Drowning in Stars by Debra Anastasia

4 Stars

Content Warning: This book contains physical and sexual violence against minors.  If this subject matter offends please skip the book.  The review will touch on it but not in depth. 

Gaze moved into the building next to Pixie when they were 11.  They were inseparable until one fateful night when Gaze’s father nearly killed him.  Pixie broke both of their hearts by telling the police what happened and saving him but putting herself in danger.  Years later when the system decides to send Gaze back to his father they are reunited, and they will have to find away to work through their past, so they have a future.

This was a really good but heart wrenching book.  Gaze was physically abused by his dad for years and his mother’s family wanted nothing to do with him.  He finally found someone who made him happy and he loses her, and he was devastated by the loss.  When they finally come back together, he’s so happy that she is there until he finds out her stepdad had raped her.  As a reader this was heartbreaking because she had no one she could turn to for help.  There was a small timeline issue for me as in I am not sure when certain things happened to them.  The only ages I am sure on is they met right before their 12 birthdays, were reunited at 17 almost 18 and the end of the book was when they were 19.  This just irritated me a small bit as I wanted to know it but it didn’t take away from the story just a me issue.

Booty Camp Dating Service by Debra Anastasia

4 Stars

Hazel Lavender is done with men after walking in on her boyfriend screwing another woman.  Her friend talks her into joining the Booty Camp Dating Service.  They guarantee success on finding new love. 

Wolf Saber has a gift to see when people are matched.  It works on everyone but himself.  He went against the powers and married someone and it fell flat when she found her perfect match.  Wolf figured he would be alone until Hazel walked into his recent Camp.  They had so much chemistry but she’s paying them to find her love so she is off limits to Wolf.  Will he goes against what his brain is telling him or will he follow his heart and keep her forever.

 

I really liked this book.  It was funny and a different take on dating.  I’ve read something similar by a different author that I really liked and this book reminded me of that series.  Hazel and Wolf’s respective best friends were awesome and they were super cute as a couple.  The pacing was spot on.  I didn’t feel like there were any lags or any rush to finish the story.  The book is meant to be a standalone but I would love to see this as an ongoing series.