Possessions: The Screaming Season by Nancy Holder

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today is off to a strange and startling start indeed what with the earthquake in Japan and the tsunami warnings cropping up left and right.  Let’s take a moment to remember everyone that is being affected by this natural disaster and hope that the after effects are as minimal as possible.  If you are looking to help, there are a number of organizations stepping forward to start the relief efforts so just check around on Google or search through the Twitter feeds and you’re sure to find something that will suit your desires.  Pushing forward…

Today’s post is going live a bit late.  Why?  Oh well…pretty much life, if I had to put a find point on it.  As much as I love my blog and all of my fellow readers, time is not always in abundance for me to get things squared away.  I’ve learned to deal with it…chin up, move on, and all that jazz…but sometimes you can’t help but feel like screaming at the world “…just let me be so I can read and share”…ya know?  Speaking of screaming…

Today’s featured title is all about those crazy loud outbursts that happen from joy, from pain…and from fright…screaming.  This one landing squaring on the shoulders of “fright” definitely packs a punch.  It being the third and final book in the Possessions series (perhaps you’ve heard of it? ^_^), you definitely want to have read the prior two before diving into this one….and it just so happens I reviewed these titles previously.  For a quick catch up (mostly spoiler free), my reviews for book one and book two (and an interview that the author was so kind to give).  *whistles and waits while you get up to speed*  Ready?  Yay!  So let’s get on with this review, shall we?  Today’s book of choice is…

Possessions:

The Screaming Season

by

Nancy Holder

Lindsay Cavanaugh has a lot more emotional baggage than most teenagers.  There’s HER school work, boy trouble, mother’s death, mental breakdown (need I continue?)…and then there’s CELIA’S trouble past, horrific death, and vengeful desires.  You see, Lindsay is possessed all thanks to a little snotty rich girl named Mandy.  Campus prima donna and bitc…witchy wonder, she gets what she wants, when she wants it…usually.  This year, things are changing.  The spirits that possess the girls of Marlwood seem to be losing their grip on their hosts…with frightening consequences.  For every moment they are free of these entities, there are two fold as many that leave them lost, confused, and at times, unable to control their own bodies…and what they do.  This high stakes game is about to come to a less than quiet end.  Who will win is anyone’s guess…just remember, winner takes all.

First off let me say, this is definitely one that you need to read the prior books before delving into…trust me.  In fact, once they are all out (as this one releases next week), I’d recommend reading them one right after another.  There is a certain mindset you need to be in, in order to fully understand and follow what’s happening.  It’s not that it’s unclear, it’s more that because of the circumstances presented, both the storyline and dialogue bounce around between the possessed and the possessor which can leave you feeling a bit muddled if you’re not mentally prepared.  Reading book one and then two ….you’re already “in the zone”…know what I mean?  Anywho...

I love the unexpected turns the characters take in this book.  Just when you thought you had everyone figured out…BOOM….something else happens that makes you wonder if you were coming or going.  Those that seemed crazy may not really be and those that inspire trust…well, we all know about the quiet ones (oh wait…that would include me then…ummm….O_O).  Lindsay finds her inner strength.  Mandy shows her sweeter side…who even knew she HAD one.  Miles unearths a shred of decency that on him is rather off-putting and shudder-worthy (and yet still swoon-worthy at times).  In a nutshell, a mixed bag to say the least.

Story wise, we are greeted by a blast from the past in many ways; revisiting (mentally) the time before and after Lindsay’s mother passed away, dealing with the fallout of the events that followed, and tackling the feelings hidden beneath her hardened exterior that made her a beacon for Celia when seeking a “host”.  The flashbacks from Celia also take on a life of their own forming into something more tangible than shadows and mist…though I’d watch out for that mist (I’m just sayin’…); something that true nightmares are made of. 

In the end, the conclusion is satisfying and yet still leaves you something to ponder.  Is “a-character-whose-name-will-be-revealed” behind the final flowery finding or is it something more sinister?  It lets your imagination run wild (and work overtime) with possibility, a nice touch indeed.  It’s a great YA story with a strong paranormal cast that is sure to get your ghost…so to speak.  The message is one about facing your past, not being afraid of your feelings and finding the strength to discover who you really are.  Is it “scare your socks off” scary?  Not to me, but readers reactions do tend to vary.  It DOES however have a fabulous creepiness to it that doesn’t let go…even after the final page.  Careful you don’t walk away from this story with more than you bargained…. (muwhahahaha!)

Recommended reading for YA fans of the middle to teen and beyond age range.  This book is set to release this month from Razorbill Books, so be on the lookout on a bookshelf near you.  Review copy courtesy of author Nancy Holder and Erin, her assistant.  (THANKS!)  For more information about the author and her extensive body of work, visit her website, or follow along on Twitter. 

Now someone will be screaming with joy come next Thursday (03/17/11).  Why?  *gasp*  You don’t know?  That’s the day that this title is celebrating its book birthday!  *grabs party hat and confetti*  Its ALSO the day that we find out who will be enjoying this series from where it all began….book one.  Oh…didn’t I mention?  It’s CONTEST TIME!  Okay, so I know I didn’t mention it…was just curious to see how many would read the post without the initial announcement of a contest.  If you’re reading this, you passed!  *claps madly in your honor*  Anywho…back to “CONTEST TIME”!

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That’s right!  Thanks to this incredible author and friend to book bloggers round the world as well as her fabulous assistant, I have the pleasure of offering you not ONE but TWO copies of the first book in the series.  Here’s the scoop!

The prize…

1 of 2 copies of Possessions by Nancy Holder

How to enter…

Just fill out THE FORM.

The rules…

 *Open to US/Canada mailing addresses only!  No P. O. Boxes please.

Until next time…good luck everyone…and happy reading!

* Entries will be accepted from Friday, March 11th, 2011 through Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at midnight CST.  The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator.  (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post.  You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email Thursday, March 17th, 2011 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.  Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  If you choose to include your full name and mailing address in your contest entry, no worries....the time frame issue is erased.

*Winner's name and address will be forwarded to Erin for prize send out only and then discarded.