Wish by Grier Cooper
(Indigo Dreams #1)
Publication date: December 2nd 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Synopsis:
(Indigo Dreams #1)
Publication date: December 2nd 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Synopsis:
For Indigo Stevens, ballet classes at Miss Roberta’s ballet studio offer the stability and structure that are missing from her crazy home life. At almost 16, she hopes this is the year she will be accepted into the New York School of Ballet. First she must prove she’s ready, and that means ignoring Jesse Sanders – the cute boy with dimples who is definitely at the top of Miss Roberta’s List of Forbidden Things for Dancers.
But Jesse is the least of Indigo’s concerns. When she discovers her mom is an alcoholic, it simultaneously explains everything and heaps more worry on Indigo’s shoulders. As her mom’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Indigo fights to maintain balance, protect her younger brothers from abuse, and keep her mother from going over the edge. When the violence at home escalates, Indigo realizes she can no longer dance around the issue. At the risk of losing everything, she must take matters into her own hands before it’s too late.
But Jesse is the least of Indigo’s concerns. When she discovers her mom is an alcoholic, it simultaneously explains everything and heaps more worry on Indigo’s shoulders. As her mom’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Indigo fights to maintain balance, protect her younger brothers from abuse, and keep her mother from going over the edge. When the violence at home escalates, Indigo realizes she can no longer dance around the issue. At the risk of losing everything, she must take matters into her own hands before it’s too late.
Headlights
appear and we both turn our heads. The car screeches to a stop inches away from
our feet. The passenger window rolls down. “Hurry up and get in,” Mom says.
“Mrs. LaRue is watching your brothers. We have to jet.” It’s the freaking
Christmas voice.
She
eyes Jesse. “Oh,” she says. “Who do we have here?”
Why
me? “Mom, you know Jesse. Jesse
Sanders. Remember?”
“Right.”
Her hand flies to her mouth dramatically, like she’s starring in her own
private soap opera. She giggles. “Of course I do.”
I
quickly get in. “We should go. Right, Mom?”
She
giggles again. I roll my eyes as I close the window. Jesse smiles
sympathetically.
Mom
guns it and I fall back against my seat. “How was rehearsal, sweetie?” She
swivels her head to look at me.
Right
then, I know we are headed for trouble. “Mom! Mom, look out!”
There’s
a tremendous thud as she drives onto the turnaround island in the middle of the
driveway. The car bucks and lurches sideways. My head whips back against the
seat rest.
“Jesus,
Mom! You just drove on the island!”
She
giggles in response. “Now, Indy, you know I don’t see well at night.”
“Mom,
hey! Slow down!”
She
doesn’t break speed as the car crashes down off the island. She pulls a
Hollywood stop on her way out of the driveway, narrowly missing an oncoming
car. The driver leans on his horn but she doesn’t even seem to notice.
“Are
you hungry?” she asks. “Cuz I’m hungry.”
I
stare at her like the four-wheeling lunatic I now know her to be.
And
Jesse saw the whole thing.
Perfect.
Grier began ballet lessons at age five and left home at fourteen to study at the School of American Ballet in New York. She has performed on three out of seven continents with companies such as San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, totaling more than thirty years of experience as a dancer, teacher and performer.
Her work has been praised as “poignant and honest” with “emotional hooks that penetrate deeply.” She writes and blogs about dance in the San Francisco Bay Area and has interviewed and photographed a diverse collection dancers and performers including Clive Owen, Nicole Kidman, Glen Allen Sims and Jessica Sutta. She is the author of Build a Ballerina Body and The Daily Book of Photography.
Her work has been praised as “poignant and honest” with “emotional hooks that penetrate deeply.” She writes and blogs about dance in the San Francisco Bay Area and has interviewed and photographed a diverse collection dancers and performers including Clive Owen, Nicole Kidman, Glen Allen Sims and Jessica Sutta. She is the author of Build a Ballerina Body and The Daily Book of Photography.
7 comments:
Thanks for being on the tour, Michelle! :)
Thanks so much for hosting WISH today, Michelle!
Oh the book sounds like one of those book that you just cannot put down!
looks great. thanks for the fun giveaway
loved the excerpt, thank you!
(Alisha Sienkiel in rafflecopter)
I really enjoyed the excerpt. Thanks for the giveaway!
looks like a good read! thanks for the chance to win
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