Avra's God - Ann Lee Miller (Review & Giveaway!)

4 Stars!

ABOUT THE BOOK -

Avra wants love, but drummer Cisco—self-medicating from his parents’ divorce with sex and intoxicants—is a poor choice. Cisco hungers for fresh-baked cookies and the scent of family he finds at Avra’s.

Kallie shares her classically trained voice only with lead vocalist Jesse and fights to keep her heart safe. Jesse feeds on fame and hides more than insecurity beneath his guitar.

The friends surf ego, betrayal, and ambition and head for wipeout.  But somehow, when they're not looking, Avra’s God changes them all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -

Ann Lee Miller earned a BA in creative writing from Ashland (OH) University and writes full-time in Phoenix, but left her heart in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where she grew up. She loves speaking to young adults and guest lectures on writing at several Arizona colleges. When she isn't writing or muddling through some crisis--real or imagined--you'll find her hiking in the Superstition Mountains with her husband, meddling in her kids' lives or at AnnLeeMiller.com.  

MY REVIEW -

By now I know I am always going to enjoy a story from Ann. She is really establishing herself as an author. I thought this book was pretty good. Although I didn't quite like it as much as the other two. I can see where some people might actually like it better. I think it does have more teen appeal. So it would be better as a YA novel, where as the other two I thought were more for adults or college students. 

This story was all about dating, choosing the right guy, making good choices, being faithful (to each other, to God and to your personal choices). 

This story was a little hard for me to get into to at first and I was a little confused at times, but as the story went on it did get much better! And the ending was actually very good.

The character development was very good as it always is in Ann's books.  I just did not really like the male characters, Cisco and Jesse. I liked Avra and Kallie, but thought they could choose better men! Towards the end I did get to like Jesse but never really did warm up to Cisco. But that is what character development is all about - some characters you like and some you do not! If I liked all the characters all the time then I would think something was wrong, they are not all suppose to be likable. And it wasn't my decision who she should date, it was Avra's! LOL

"Who'd a thunk it?"  Ha! I love that this line is in the book! I say that all the time! When I read that I just laughed and thought - wow, someone else says that besides me.

"Are you going to ask me out again?"

"Do you want me to?"

She stared at the clouds, unseeing. She didn't hear his breathing. "Not yet."

Cisco let his breath out. "So I should ask in five minutes? Half an hour? Next week? Next month? If it's anything less than not in this lifetime, I'm in. I'm not going anywhere. I'm patient. Now," - my favorite lines in the book.

"I got God. I didn't show up at your church for half the summer just to get my cheeks pinched by old ladies." - heehee

THE ALL-IN-ALL -
All in all this is a good teen read. It is pretty clean, but realistic. There is talk of sex (but nothing graphic) there is no swearing, and the female characters make good choices and have good values and stick to their decisions, but it does show how they are tempted.  I think this book has good morals for a teen without being preachy and boring and too "goody-goody".

Be on the lookout for this book - it launches Dec. 1 2012!

THE GIVEAWAY!
* The Author has offered one e-book copy of this book!
*Plus - to anyone who comments that they would like one - a e-book copy of her first book "Kicking Eternity"
 

* To win a copy of this book, please fill out the form below.

* Please US & Canada only.

And please only enter once!

* Winner will be chosen on 12/6/12

* Winner will have 48 hrs. to respond.