Monday, September 12, 2011

Beyond 5 Star Review!

Today I received a review that had me in tears, but in a happy way. As a writer, you love your creation, but you're not sure what others will think of it. I'm well aware that not every book can please every reader, but for today, I'm humbled and in awe of my review. Here's what I received from Zee at firepages.blogspot.com.



5/5 Stars

"Altered is everything I could have asked for and more! Laura Burks delivers paranormal, suspense, and a touch of romance in a major way. It is by far on of the best written, most creative novels I have read. Altered is beyond 5 stars!"

Favorite Character
Jenna Larson is my favorite character. She is curious by nature and doesn't mind following her curiosity and exploring her surroundings. That is partly what gets her in trouble, but unlike other leading ladies in books and movies take on their problems by themselves, Jenna doesn't keep what she finds to herself. She shares her experiences with her lovable grandfather, John Larson. Jenna is independent, but also knows when she is over her head, when she needs to accept help. 

Although young, Jenna is a very mature teenager. She is kind, honest and considerate to her grandpa. She is a good friend to her friends, Shelly and Danny. And most importantly, she is honest and respectful of herself. Regardless of the other worldly mess she gets into, Jenna is a friend I would like to have!

Quotable Quote
"Another day, another time, I would go back. But for now, my day had turned out much better than what was originally planned. Sometimes the unexpected is way more exciting." - Jenna Larson, Page 47

"'I've waited for someone like you all my life,' he breathed." - Jess Parkin, Page 254

Final Thoughts
Altered is an amazing story, one which kept me guessing all the way through. I loved that this was not your typical paranormal title. The paranormal aspect of this novel was more subtle, more disturbing. Let's talk about Louisiana and a curse from a deal gone wrong. This title makes you think twice before shortchanging someone you have made a deal with. Altered makes you think again before deciding to have your cake and eat it too. 

I enjoyed reading about the budding romance between Jenna and Jess. It was slow, sensual, and deliberate. Jenna and Jess would let each other know where their heart was. There were no games. No drama. It was honesty in it's purest form. To just be with each other was enough. Every hand held, every gaze in each other's eyes, every secret shared was monumental. They lived in the moment with each other. I was often taken back to the days when my young heart was filled with that much innocence, when I experienced my first throws of love. The romance in Altered will make your heart leap more than once in fond remembrance. 

Burks kept surprising me at every turn of the page. I would have it in my head where I thought the story would go next, and it never did. I was glued to this book. Quite literally. Every second I had, I whipped out one of my devices - HTC smartphone, iPod Touch, Kindle, HP Touchpad - to finish a chapter or read one more sentence. Altered is just that good of a novel! Laura Burks writing style is flawless. I don't remember seeing a typo nor did I have to reread a paragraph to understand what was going on. She kept her plot tucked away nicely, waiting on the right moment to reveal information to the reader, and as a result, everything fell smoothly into place.

Laura Burks is a seriously talented author and very creative to boot. Altered, her debut novel, is a hit and a personal favorite. I can't wait to read more novels from Laura! :)

7 comments:

  1. So Yay! For you. I am so proud of you. And can't wait to get my hands on mine.

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  2. Thanks Char. You always make me smile!

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  3. I just found your book through Goodreads and signed up to win it. It sounds great!!

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  4. Thanks "What's Beyond Forks?" Good luck with the contest. I plan on posting another when this one is over. Fee free to contact me anytime and I'm so glad you found my website!!

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  5. Thank you for letting me know! This is definitely a book I'll be keeping an eye on! :o)

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  6. Reviews like that can make you. Congrats!

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  7. No wonder you're excited - and emotional. That's a dream review! Congratulations!

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