Book Tour!
Dead Sea
by: Mia Kerick
by: Mia Kerick
Dead Sea
(Story Ballads Book #2)
by: Mia Kerick
Genre: YA Coming of Age Gay Romance
Release Date: March 3
by: Mia Kerick
Genre: YA Coming of Age Gay Romance
Release Date: March 3
Kyle has been left alone in the world; Lenny is the world’s biggest loner.
When Kyle saves Lenny from drowning, their lives will never be the same.
After a brutal encounter with school bullies, Lenny swims out into the ocean, determined to let the current whisk him away. Next thing he knows the meanest kid in town is pulling him from the waves, promising to be his Dead Sea, and to never let him sink.
All Kyle wants is to get out of beach cleanup, is that too much to ask? So he goes for a swim, only to come upon the most epic “nobody” in the senior class drowning in a riptide. Lenny’s haunted gaze grips him, and Kyle makes the impulsive decision to save his life or die trying. And through this ordeal, Kyle and Lenny are transformed.
Kyle’s heroic act sets him on the straight and narrow, and he opens his heart to the young man he dragged from the ocean. Lenny changes too but is still unable to reveal the truth of his pain. While drowning in a sea of secrets, the reformed bully and wary victim fall in love. But staying afloat in the Dead Sea is not as simple as it seems.
Buy Link:
Amazon: (Kindle Unlimited or $2.99)
My Review: ★★★★☆
I very much enjoyed this book. It played with my emotions several times. I started reading it one night at bedtime, forced myself to go to sleep, and then finished reading the next morning when I woke up. I found it to be an easy read, in terms of reading difficulty, not content. The content itself can be a bit difficult at times as it covers some sensitive topics. There should be a trigger warning at the beginning of the book for people sensitive to topics of suicide, bullying, and perhaps child abuse.
I found the characters interesting even if some of them were pretty basic and often found in young adult books. There are the school bullies, the misunderstood character, and the character that goes through a big change.
I enjoyed Lenny, though I found him frustrating at times. I can understand that it is difficult to trust someone enough to open up and share your deepest secrets with them, but I still felt that he hesitated a bit too long. I wanted to reach into the book and both shake him and give him a big hug. Kyle's abrupt change in attitude had my head spinning. It was almost difficult to believe the change happened as fast as it did. I do think that perhaps people change more quickly when what we see isn't really what is deep inside of them, so perhaps the change wasn't as difficult to believe as I first thought.
This book still has me thinking about multiple things, like the attitude changes, difficulties in opening up, and the relationships between people. I feel the author did a good job in making characters you will like, characters you will love, and characters that you will love to hate.
I feel that this book deserves a solid four stars. It had interesting characters, a good storyline, and I definitely wanted to finish it right away. I think the only thing that kept it from being a five-star read for me was the fact that there were several times when I found the actions of the characters a little over-the-top or unbelievable. I have already told my teen daughter that she must read it soon to discuss it with me. I do recommend this to anyone that enjoys a young adult romance, enjoys gay romance, and/or enjoys an emotional read. I will admit that it brought me near tears a couple of times.
I received this book for free or at a discount in order to read and give my honest opinions about it. I was not required to leave a review. As always, all thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.
Giveaway!
$20 Amazon Gift Card (International)
Award-winning gay romance author, wife, and mother of four, Mia Kerick, knows that a satisfying romance novel is riddled with challenges. For true love to prevail, the leading men are going to have to put in some effort. But the HEA is oh, so rewarding.
From Jane Eyre’s Mr. Rochester to Brokeback Mountain’s Ennis and Jack to Twilight’s Edward, Mia has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature. Her contemporary gay romance focuses on such tropes as coming of age, hurt/comfort, and forbidden love. She firmly believes that sometimes you have to break his heart to save him. In Kerick’s books, the course of true love truly never does run smooth.
Mia’s books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine. They have won a 2019 IPPY GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, GOLD award for Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction, a 2018 YA GOLD MOONBEAM Children’s Book Award, a YA Readers’ Favorite Award, several Gold Rainbow Awards in YA and adult categories, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, a YA Indie Fab Award, a First Place Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, a First Place Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Award, and more.
Mia cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.
Author Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474518.Mia_Kerick
Website: https://miakerickya.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miakerick/
BookBub Link: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mia-kerick
Tour Created by YA Bound Book Tours
Hi Amanda! Your review was incredibly thoughtful and I learned from it. Thank you for your serious consideration of Dead Sea, for hosting me on your blog, and for sharing the book with your daughter.
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