On the weekend, I finished reading the debut novel by Lesley Anne Cowan, entitled As She Grows. (Keep checking my blog for the review of this book, which I’ll be posting later this week.) What readers of this novel may not realize is that the first book is actually the beginning of a series of books about teen girls, who have troubled lives. Once I finished Cowan’s first novel, I immediately started reading the second novel in the series, which just hit stores on June 1, 2010, called Something Wicked. I might only be on page 154 of 263, but I already like where the author is going with it.
Although SomethingWicked is the second book in the series, you can definitely get away with picking up this book first and going back to the first novel later because it isn’t by any stretch of the imagination a sequel. While As She Grows follows the story of Snow Cooke, the main character in the second novel is 16-year-old Melissa, who gets dumped by her 28-year-old boyfriend early on in the novel. To deal with her heart break, Melissa ends up sleeping with a lot of random guys and partying with all the drugs and alcohol she can get her hands on. Through Melissa’s own thoughts about herself, the novel forces the reader to contemplate questions like, are some people just born wicked or are those who have gone down an unhealthy path have a chance to turn their lives around? If you’ve read the first novel, you will recognize some of the minor characters, like Snow and Jasmyn, but they are more on the sidelines. Look for my review sometime next week.
If the little bit that I’ve said about this novel intrigues you and you live anywhere in Canada, then I have something that might put a smile on your face. Penguin Canada has generously agreed to let me offer 1 copy of Something Wicked for my next YA giveaway. For the first time, I’m going to try using this Form for contest entries to ensure the privacy of your personal information. The contest will close on Friday, June 25, 2010 at 12 midnight EST, but get your entries in early, so you don’t miss your chance to win! This one is for Canadian residents only at the request of the publisher. Good luck!
Melissa has always been a voracious reader of fiction and has an M.A. in English Literature to prove it. Like many other adults, she got caught up in the young adult crossover fiction phenomenon. Now, one of her great joys comes from sharing her love of YA lit on this popular review site. Come with expectations of intellect, magic, and honest reviews, and you won’t be disappointed.
