Sunday, September 25, 2011

Blog Tour for Crossroads by Mary Ting- Review and Guest Post



Welcome to the Crossroads Experience!

Today I have a guest post and a review.

Claudia Emerson has a good friend who shares the same first name and last name. That friend unfortunately dies in a tragic accident during homecoming dance. Claudia is distraught at the loss of her friend, but is even more disturbed by her dreams, which seem to take her to another place called Crossroads. Unknown to her, Crossroads is like a second heaven, a place between heaven and earth. It is where the souls of humans in comas or near death experiences may wander. Where, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn’t her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia. 

Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed, about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most. Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should?

(Cover and summary via Goodreads)


About Crossroads

I started writing Crossroads after my grandmother passed away about 3 years ago.  When these characters came to life in my mind, along with the character Gamma, inspired by my grandmother, it was a way for me to heal.  I decided to start from a dream I had in high school, chapter one.  Chapter two is also based on my dream as well.  I didn’t think I would have much to write about, but when I made Claudia to be more like me, it was easy.  Her first car, her first job, her first experience at camping and her grandmother having a stroke was all part of me.  Too bad Michael wasn’t real…lol!!!
Many people like Davin, which I’m really happy about because his character was inspired by my friend who passed away.  He was very likable and was a best friend to all his friends.  Patty is my friend from church.  She is exactly how I described her, social butterfly who knows everything about her friends and fashion.  I named Claudia after a student I once had many years ago.  I can still picture her face, just like an angel.  When I was much younger, I had a crush on a boy name Michael, but his character is based off my husband, protective, romantic, and silly at times.  No… he doesn’t have wings…lol!!!
Though I was busy with work, being a wife, a mother, and PTA president, I would always find time to write, even if that meant typing while I was cooking or brushing my teeth.    Crossroads was written for a fast, fun reading with likable characters. Many have emailed me to let me know how Crossroads has helped them escaped from their everyday stress.  Also, how they’ve connected to this book because of chapter one, having a loved one passed away. I took on a journey not knowing how rewarding it would be for me. I’ve meet so many wonderful people from all over the world through facebook, goodreads and blog sites.  I’ve made everlasting friendship where friendship knows no boundaries.  And I have to thank my grandmother who continues to watch over me from Heaven. 


For more info about the book, check out the Goodreads page and Facebook page. Learn more about the author at her websiteblog, or follow her on Twitter. Book is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


Review:


Claudia has been having strange dreams almost all her life. She sees the same place every time, and sometimes she sees and talks to other people there. When a friend of hers with the same name dies, Claudia sees this friend in her dreams. She soon discovers that her dreams are taking her to a special place- the Crossroads. While there she interacts with Michael, who quickly informs her she doesn't belong and is not welcome at the Crossroads. As Claudia learns more about Michael and the Crossroads though, she will begin a completely new journey. The truth changes everything for Claudia. Now she must manage to stay safe and navigate the waters of true love. 


This was a very interesting book. Perhaps the best part for me was the characterizations. The author did a fabulous job of writing people that felt real. They had good points and bad points, but mostly they were just great characters. I found myself wanting to know more and more about them and their world. Even the bad guys. There's also a very sweeping romance. In fact, the romantic aspects of the book do take up a good deal of time. So be prepared for that. There is plenty of action too though. For me one of my favorite parts was when Claudia went to a birthday party with a group of half-angels in tow. They were an awesome group, and that's definitely some people I want to party with!


There were a couple surprises in the book, so that was always fun to come across. This book also had an amazing part dealing with the death of loved ones. You felt the grief, but you also got a great sense of hope. Naturally a book dealing with angels will discuss the afterlife, and this book does a great job of balancing the sadness of passing with the joy of knowing no one ever truly dies. If you want to get lost in a book with some fun characters, daring action scenes, and a lot of smushy romance, then definitely check this book out!


Book provided for review. 


   
Be sure to check out the tour page for the rest of the stops. Thanks for stopping by!

No comments: