YvonneAlongside the website, where P.D. Workman discusses her latest published books, she has also developed a page where she chats about her own reading trends and acquired books. It was whilst exchanging comments on some of the regular memes in which we both particpate, I noticed that P.D.’s book ‘Stand Alone’ was being offered free as a Kindle download, as part of a birthday celebration.
Whilst I have read a couple of YA books, this is not a genre I read on a regular basis. However, with the focus of P.D.’s storylines concentrating on mental illness, addiction and abuse, I am interested in reading ‘Stand Alone’ as a comparison to a book with a similar premise, written by a UK author (‘Hoodie’ by Brendon Lancaster), to see how the issues have been portrayed and attitudes and solutions dealt with by an author in the overseas marketplace.
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‘STAND ALONE’
Is Justine crazy?
Everyone thinks so…
Her mother. The kids at school, and the teachers and administrators too. Even the police who pick her up from her night rambles. Maybe them most of all.
Justine’s therapist says she is ‘troubled’, but it means the same thing. He thinks that her vivid, reoccurring nightmares and atrocious behavior point to some trauma in her past; but Em, Justine’s mother, can’t explain it.
Justine used to have Christian, her best friend and skateboard partner. He was the only one who accepted her. Maybe because skating is the only time that Justine is really free to be herself. Now that Christian is gone… Justine keeps thinking things can’t get any worse.
Even as she sees her life spinning further and further out of control, Justine can’t give up her sense of who she is—someone far different than the loving daughter Em expects her to be—to just fit in and be happy. She is sure that Em secretly holds the key to who Justine really is. But if she does, Em isn’t talking.
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P.D. WORKMAN
P.D. Workman writes young adult/suspense fiction, with the focus of the storylines concentrating on mental illness, addiction, and abuse.
For as long as she can remember, the blank page has held an incredible allure and she is a self-proclaimed writing addict. After a number of false starts, she finally wrote her first complete novel at the age of twelve. It was full of fantastic ideas and was the spring board for many stories over the next few years, although some three decades were to pass before she finally took the plunge and self published her first novel.
P.D. Workman is a wife and mother of one, born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She is a homeschooler and an Executive Assistant. She has a passion for art and nature, creative cooking for special diets, and running. She love to read, to listen to audio books, and to share books out loud with her family. She is a technology geek with a love for all kinds of gadgets and tools to make her writing and work easier and more fun. In person, she is far less well-spoken than on the written page and tends to be shy and reserved with all but those closest to her.
Catch up with P.D. Workman at her website
‘Tweet’ P.D. Workman on her Twitter feed
‘Like’ P.D. Workman on Facebook
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Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home, where links may be added each week. So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and don’t forget to leave a comment for our three new joint administrators, after all, we all like to receive them … ‘Mailbox Monday’
Leslie of ‘Under My Apple Tree’
Serena of ‘Savvy Verse & Wit’
Vicki of ‘I’d Rather Be At The Beach’
This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!
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I am looking forward to sharing some of your great ‘new finds’ this week
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I had never heard of Stand Alone but the premise is indeed intriguing. I hope it’s as good as it looks. Enjoy your new book!
Hi Kay,
Definitely an interesting set of circumstances coming together in this story. It sounds as though all communication between mother and daughter has pretty much broken down, which doesn’t bode well for a good outcome for either of them!
Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
I wouldn’t want a steady diet of YA books but I do enjoy them from time to time. This one sounds gripping. I hope you love it!
Hi Kathy,
YA books are an occasional ‘treat’ for me and definitely not one to be over-indulged in!
‘Stand Alone’ sounds like quite an intense read, but unfortunately ‘troubled’ children are an all too often heard of phenomenon these days …. Maybe a sign of our hectic, fast-paced and often disorganised lifestyles?
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate the comments.
Happy reading
Thanks Serena.
I hope that you also have a good week, with some great new books to keep you busy!
I occasionally read YA and my pre-teen granddaughter sometimes gives me suggestions. This one sounds like it could be quite interesting.
Nothing new at my house this week (not that I’m lacking for things to read!).
Hi Kelly,
I know that my MM box is usually only drip fed, one item at a time, but even then, I could probably manage for several years on all the books I have stashed away on shelves all over the house, plus the downloads sat on the Kindle waiting patiently to be read!!
It would be great to have someone in the YA age group to offer their POV about books I may have read in the genre, but unfortunately all the likely relatives are grown up and past that stage now. In fact I don’t think that most of them are related to me at all, as they just don’t seem interested in reading or books, apart from one nephew, who survives on reading management and self-improvement books by the wheelbarrow load!
Your granddaughter sounds like one to nurture, so that she never loses the book bug!
Have a fantastic week.
That’s a new to me book. Enjoy!
2 Kids and Tired Books MM
Hi Holly,
This is far from a debut novel from this prolific author, however all of the stories deal with some pretty intense and often disturbing themes.
Perhaps if books such as ‘Stand Alone’ were more widely distributed and were part of the mandatory curriculum in schools, some of the problems our younger generations seem to face on an ever increasing scale, might be headed off!
Thanks for your interest in today’s post, I really appreciate it.
I hope you find your new book interesting and enjoyable.
Hi Mary Ann,
Interesting yes, but I am not so sure that I am going to find this one enjoyable or particularly pleasant reading.
The storyline sounds just a little too intense and emotional for that and I am not sure whether I shall be ready to hug or slap Justine, when I get to start reading!
Thanks for the visit today, I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
One at a time for books is great. Too many pile up and then it is difficult choosing what to read.
Stand Alone sounds as if it would work well for schools. I taught in public school for 34 years at all levels. I am not sure I would want to read this book, though. I hate reading about bullying or anything like that.
ENJOY your reading week.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
Hi Elizabeth,
I don’t know about the state of the education system, or the behaviour of much of the youth, in the US. Here in the UK though, I think that the short, sharp, shock tactics of books such as ‘Stand Alone’, might be quite beneficial. The problems of teenage binge drinking, drug addiction and bullying, just appear to keep getting worse by the year. The problem now is that those teenagers of a few years ago, are parents themselves and the problems they encountered as youngsters are manifesting themselves in their own children, together with the added problems of child abuse!
I don’t necessarily ‘enjoy’ this kind of shocking story, however it serves to remind me what is actually going on out there in a world which is becoming more and more alien to me, the older I get!
The concept of one book at a time sounds great in theory, however if you could only see the huge stash of books I have in every conceivable nook and cranny around the place, then it is only going to take one book too many, to topple the whole carefully balanced system!! LOL
I hope that all is well with you and thank you for making the time to stop by.
Stand Alone sounds like YA with depth. I read Hoodie as well a few years ago.
Enjoy it and looking forward to your review.
Hi Naida,
I remember us both ‘enjoying’ ‘Hoodie’ a year or so ago, if enjoying is quite the right word to use for this genre of pretty hard-hitting, no holds barred, writing.
It will be good to see how ‘Stand Alone’ stacks up against ‘Hoodie’, although I believe there is going to be more parental input from Justine’s mum Em, in this particular story. It will be interesting to see how P.D. develops the mother / daughter relationship!
A full on weekend here, I hope yours is more relaxing!