Ever stumble across a book that you instantly love? You've only seen the description and the cover but you already want to share the book with everyone you know? It doesn't happen often but it does happen so I thought I would create a little feature to showcase the books that make me want to share them with the world even if I haven't read them yet.


Publisher: Lerner Books/Carolrhoda Books | Author: Isla J. Bick | Release Date: January 28th 2012

There are stories where the girl gets her prince, and they live happily ever after. (This is not one of those stories.)

Jenna Lord's first sixteen years were not exactly a fairy tale. Her father is a controlling psycho and her mother is a drunk. She used to count on her older brother—until he shipped off to Iraq. And then, of course, there was the time she almost died in a fire.

There are stories where the monster gets the girl, and everyone cries for his innocent victim. (This is not one of those stories either.)

Mitch Anderson is many things: A dedicated teacher and coach. A caring husband. A man with a certain...magnetism.

And there are stories where it's hard to be sure who's a prince and who's a monster, who is a victim and who should live happily ever after. (These are the most interesting stories of all.)

Drowning Instinct is a novel of pain, deception, desperation, and love against the odds—and the rules.




Why Feature It?

I haven't read this one yet so I don't know if I will personally like it but I have read reviews and blurbs and it just SOUNDS like it's going to be one of those books that will stick with you for a very long time. It also sounds like the kind of book I would stay away from, in fact if you look at my Scribing Shadows' Review Policy I will not accept books about continued abuse of any kind and I don't have this in my policy but I also do not read or watch anything about student/teacher relationships (Vampire Academy was an exception) and the synopsis for this book hints that there might be some student/teacher stuff going on but this just SOUNDS so good that I am going to ignore my rules and give it a shot. Hopefully this decision won't bite me in the butt.


Blurbs About the Book

"...a compelling study of brokenness that persists across generations and of salvation by unconventional means."
--A RECOMMENDED READ, Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books
"Bick ...writes about dysfunction with a professional's insight."
--Booklist
"Bick's deft handling of a controversial subject will have readers waiting to see what she writes next."
--StreetInsider.com
"DROWNING INSTINCT builds and builds ... while there are many monsters in the story, some are more monstrous than others."
--Examiner.com
"...takes hold of you and doesn't let you go until the very last page."
--Ashley Perez, author of The Knife and the Butterfly
"Intense, suspenseful, passionate...Insanely good."
--Xpresso Reads


About the Author

Ilsa J. Bick is a child psychiatrist, as well as a film scholar, surgeon wannabe, former Air Force major, and an award-winning, best-selling author of short stories, e-books, and novels. She has written extensively in the Star Trek, Battletech, Mechwarrior: Dark Age, and Shadowrun universes. Her original stories have been featured in numerous anthologies, magazines and online venues. Ilsa's YA paranormal, Draw the Dark, was also a semifinalist for the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (as Stalag Winter). Ilsa currently lives with her family and other furry creatures in rural Wisconsin and across the street from the local Hebrew cemetery. One thing she loves about the neighbors: They're very quiet and come around for sugar only once in a blue moon.


Do you have a book that you haven't read yet, but want to share with everyone?