Rook by Stella MacDonald Blog Tour and Review

Rook Could you be the monster to save who you love? Two women, separated by generations, must leave what they know to start a new life. Seventeen-year-old Kate's senior year is ruined when she's moved from the only home she's ever known. After an isolating month alone in her apartment, school starts, but neither her classmates nor her teacher are who they seem. Kali, a single mother living in the nineteenth century wilds of Montana, is stalked by a malicious past. She fights to keep her daughter safe while her freedom is threatened by her less than benevolent benefactor. Both find love, and with it hope, but that is quickly ripped away as one woman must learn the lessons of the other -- before it's too late to save either.  

Praise for Rook: "This book also drew me in. I couldn't let go of what was happening and when life intervened and forced me to close my computer I kept looking for a few moments to sit down and read some more.” Brookeworm, a Blog 4 Stars "Rook had me hooked from the first page. It all started so mysteriously that I just had to know what it was all about. “ Jannat Bhat, Obsessive Compulsive Reader 4 Stars “Rook is an amazing story that had me at the edge of my seat.” Tee Loves Kyle Jacobson Blog, 5 Stars    

Excerpt Is that him? Is he back? My legs jerked, kicking and twitching me around to face the sound. I managed to roll slightly, knocking against a soft, solid object at my feet. It grunted weakly, and immediately I recoiled as though I had been bitten. Squinting, I stared, willing my eyes to find light in the dark, but there was nothing. The sound of the runner drew closer, as if they would trample me any moment. A dim, swaying light appeared through the trees, burning away the inky edges of the deep shadows. When light and sound were almost upon me, branches above me snapped, spraying me in a shower of dried pine needles and snow.
 

Tour Schedule

  Author Stella MacDonald Stella is a married graduate student with three boys. Utah is home right now, but the need to wander has extended beyond the fantasy world of writing and into real life. She's lived all around the US and even into the Middle East. The world is really a small place, only made bigger through imagination.  
    Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 1/24/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Review: ****--4 Stars.
I read the blurb, but couldn't remember what the book was about when I started it. I went back and read the blurb again--it's a great one because it doesn't really give away anything! I was flipping pages, trying to put everything together and figure it all out. It was so mysterious--I couldn't figure out who was good, who was bad, and who was who for quite awhile.

Kate had her struggles, but I thought she did a good job of trying to fit in. I thought her mom would've been more a part of her life, especially considering how she was raised. Kate had some good instincts about who to trust, but she was a teenager, so she didn't always follow up on what she knew deep down.

I liked Sean and thought he was a good, stabilizing friend for Kate. Back to the parent thing--I thought his would have cared a little more, too.

Kali, Emily, and Nelly were a very interesting thread.  I really enjoyed seeing the way the story unfolded and came together. There were some interesting concepts that were unique to anything that I've read.

I read Pawns (a short novella) before I started this story and there was some good insights found in there. I couldn't figure out who Leslie was until she finally popped up in Rook. Pawns really made sense of her character and the situation that many like her found themselves in.

Content: a few swear words; some mild to moderate violence. I would say this is a pretty clean book.