Someone wants her dead - Tainted Energy by Lynn Vroman

"I loved this book! Great characterization and world building. Quality writing and an intriguing story. A real page turner that you won’t want to put down. I fell in love with Tarek. The author does a fantastic job of ramping up the suspense in the story. I had no idea how it was going to end. Can’t wait to read more from this author."- Goodreads

Description:

For seventeen-year-old Lena, living in the trailer park with the rest of town’s throwaways isn’t exactly paradise. Dealing with a drunken father who can't keep his fists to himself doesn’t help matters either. The only good thing in her life, other than track, is the mysterious man who visits her dreams, promising to find her.

When a chair burns her arms, Lena chalks it up to stress-induced crazy. Yet as bizarre incidents escalate, even being crazy can’t explain it all away… until one day dream guy does find her.

Tarek lost Lena seventeen years ago after she was accused of treason and marked Tainted. He finally discovers her reborn on Earth into a life of suffering as punishment for her crime.

However, someone else has already found her… and wants her dead. Willing to sacrifice everything, he fights to keep her safe so she can live the only life she’s ever known—even if that life doesn’t include him.

I think the main inspiration for writing young adult literature has to be my daughters and watching them grow into amazing young women. So much is going on internally and externally in that time between teen years and early twenties. Exploring those emotions and life-altering changes fascinates me.

As for which genre is my favorite, I write both fantasy and contemporary, and I love each genre for different reasons. Fantasy is great because I get to build some fantastical worlds, as well as create and fall in love with new characters who are challenged to traverse those places. With contemporary, for me, it’s all about the characters and getting as deep inside their heads as I can.

The second book, Lost Energy, will be out in 2015. Readers should expect to find the story expanding beyond Lena’s life. She’s going to be thrown into situations in different worlds with awesome new characters. In the first book, she’s discovering all these wonderful, terrifying things about how the universe is really constructed while figuring out how to survive it. In the second, she’s going to have to transition from being a survivor to a fighter, as she gets rid of one enemy only to find plenty more in line waiting to take away everything—and everyone—who means something to her. (from author's previous interview)

EXCERPT

Dad's alcohol coma hadn't worn off, his feet still propped on the half-empty case of beer. He slouched in the same beat-up wicker chair as last night while loud snores escaped his mouth. A can of Genesee dangled in his right hand, its contents leaking from the opening.

The hate in my chest suffocated me. He spent most of his time in this room, admiring the Native American pictures he had collected from garage sales and flea markets, drinking himself into a sloppy mess. He swore they'd be worth money someday, even the velvet ones.

Useless.

Dangerous.

Worse, he'd never let Mom go without a fight.

Shaking my head, I stalked toward the smell of burnt eggs.

My frustration turned to anger when I noticed a brand new bruise coloring Mom's left eye. "He give that to you?"

She scraped at the bottom of the cast-iron skillet with a spatula, not answering. The new shiner explained her absence last night. Dad usually left her alone after he lost his temper.

"Why this time?"

Mom stopped torturing the eggs and looked up, her bottom lip shaking. Level-ten rage sent me back to the living room.

Her narrow hand reached for my sweatshirt sleeve. "Lena, stop. What're you gonna do, anyway?"

"Smashing one of those dumb pictures over his head sounds good about now."

"He'll just get at you, too."

"So we let him beat the crap outta you whenever he wants?"

Her shoulders dropped and her cheeks sagged. "Where else do we have to go?"

Staring into eyes the same color green as mine terrified me. Like looking into my own future if I didn't escape. "We can always go to the shelter."

"Shelter's no place for a teenage girl."

My arms flailed around our dilapidated trailer. "And this is?"

*******

She reached for her coffee, brushing my hand with her fingers. I pulled back to let her take my hand warmer without opening my eyes. After a sip, her loud voice interrupted the silence. "What happened?"

Never thought of myself as transparent–except to Wilma. I didn't even have to talk for her to know something weighed on me. Knowing me for...what...my whole life probably had a lot to do with it.

But no way would I tell her about last night. I didn't need another person I cared about thinking I boarded the crazy train. "He hit her again."

"That sadistic piece of garbage needs to be hung up by his balls."

I snorted. She had a way with words, my lunch lady. "You volunteering?"

Her knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, and her face developed blotchy red patches across her pudgy cheeks. "You have no idea how much I'd love the job."

"I'll be out of there soon. No need to take his balls." I slouched in the seat. "Besides, I'm sure those shriveled up a long time ago."

She snorted this time, setting her coffee in the holder. Smoothing frizzy black curls away from her face, she said, "Found a place in town, looked decent. I'm thinking of taking it."

The news didn't surprise me. Wilma had lived in that double wide for years, but when I told her about my plan to move a week ago, she started grumbling about how much she hated her house and needed a change. Guess it didn't matter hers was the nicest dump in the park.

With a grin, I looked her way. "I think that's a great idea."

She nodded, never taking her eyes off the road.

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About the author:

Born in Pennsylvania, Lynn spent most of her childhood, especially during math class, daydreaming. 

Today, she spends an obscene amount of time in her head, only now she writes down all the cool stuff. 

With a degree in English Literature, Lynn used college as an excuse to read for four years straight. She lives in the Pocono Mountains with her husband, raising the four most incredible human beings on the planet. She writes young adult novels, both fantasy and contemporary. 

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Event organized by YA Bound Book Tours