Friday, October 5, 2012

Book Review: Blue Aspen by Tenaya Jane



IMAGINE YOU COULD HAVE ANYTHING YOU
WANTED. . . WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO WAKE UP?



Seventeen-year-old insomniac, Dulcee Elders' mother dumps her at her uncle's
house and leaves without a word. Dulcee is forced to adapt to life with her
reclusive uncle and his isolated mountain mansion. Insomnia has plagued Dulcee since
her father died. Once at home at Uncle Jack's, inexplicably Dulcee now can
sleep; sleep brings not only strange and intricate dreams, but a shadow she's
compelled to follow. At first, Vincent Sands is only the silhouette of a man. When
Dulcee is asleep, Vincent can give her anything she wants, even the ability to
talk to her dead father. When Uncle Jack leaves town for business, Dulcee's
dream world and reality collide. Once she is alone, the silhouette is no longer
content to remain only in her dreams. Nevertheless, Dulcee and Vincent are torn
apart when Uncle Jack returns. Spiraling into withdrawal, Dulcee experiences
the high price of loving Vincent-an addiction rivaling that of any hard-core
drug. Desperate to bridge the gap between them, Dulcee faces a crucial decision
that carries irreversible consequences.


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The sign of a talented author for me is one that can keep you completely on edge, engrossed in the book you are reading.  That is exactly what happened when I read Tenaya Jane's Blue Aspen.  It disturbed me, it fascinated me, and I kept turning the pages to find out what happened next.  The lead character, Dulcee, was such a heartbreaking figure.  Clearly she had suffered often in her young life, losing her father and having grown up with a mother that made it clear that she was in the way and not wanted.  When she was dumped off with her uncle and he showed genuine happiness at having her there, I saw a little sliver of hope for Dulcee.  Unfortunately, her uncle had his own issues to deal with and couldn't be there for her. Which is where Vincent Sands came in. First appearing as a shadowy figure looking in the window, he eventually showed himself to Dulcee and a bizarre love story began.  He was the disturbing part of the book to me.  As Dulcee started to lose her grip on reality and slip further into madness, the character of Vincent became more creepy to me.  I found the love between them to be obsessive and controlling.  I couldn't stop reading, needing to know where this was going to end up.  The alternate story of Dr Patricia Verell that ran parallel with Dulcee's was intriguing.  Both women, such polar opposites and yet so similar, let Vincent manipulate their minds. While Dulcee's ultimate decision showed how desperate she was for someone to love her no matter what, I was a bit surprised at how out of control Pat became.  And the final line of the book - completely threw me.

Tenaya Jane wrote a very gripping novel about love, madness, and sacrifice.  Saying the book disturbed me might make you wonder if I liked it or not.  The answer is yes! It is twisted, definitely, but it takes so many offbeat turns that every time I thought I had figured out what was going on, it proved me wrong.  If you want a haunting story that lingers with you, then this is the book for you and I can't recommend it enough
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Hello. My name’s Tenaya and I’m an addict. I mean author. When I was growing up, writing was just something I played at from time to time. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I was one of those people who could never finish anything. When my eldest son was diagnosed with Autism, I began to write seriously. Writing became a necessity for me in the midst of my heartbreak. It was either that or take up drinking. I ‘m thankful I chose writing as my escape because I discovered it truly is my thing. I want to be swept away when I read. That’s what I want my books to do for you. The main goal of my writing is to entertain you. I want to help you escape everyday life for a little while. I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy sharing them with you!

I have a wonderful husband and two beautiful sons. I’m an advocate for Autism awareness, and women trapped in abusive relationships. I try to always look on the bright side and help others do so too. I’ve lived many places but I currently reside in Missouri. I love reading, indie and foreign films, gardening, and moody music.
  
Visit Tenaya's Website!

http://tenayajayne.com

Buy the Book! 
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Aspen-ebook/dp/B005IT99DM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326310802&sr=8-1

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