Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Book Info
Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Expected publication: August 5th 2014 by Feiwel & Friends
ASIN B00IWUXVRY
edition language English
series Immortal Game #1
other editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind..

My Thoughts

In the normal course of life we experience many ups and downs, some pleasant some not but for those of us like Edie Kramer who do not fit a mold that certain members of society find to it’s liking life can be complete misery. Prior to her parents enrolling her in the prestigious institution of private school Blackbriar Academy Edie never considered the fact that she would rather spend her time in the company of books rather than with others of her own age to be out of the ordinary. Unfortunately add to the fact she is a bookworm who also needs thick glasses to see, does not wear fashionable attire or makeup, has unkempt hair rather than styled and is overweight as well and the bullies at Blackbriar target her unmercifully for three years until a final indignity before summer break of her senior year forces her to decide to commit suicide.

It is hard to understand at times just how cruel human beings can be to one another, especially children. It is harder still to imagine having to live as a target for all the criticisms, foul pranks and hurtful words aimed your way simply because you do not look or act like everyone else around you.

Edie Kramer’s story not only shows exactly how critical it is for our self worth not to be tied into how we look or how we dress or even how much money we have to spend but rather how we overcome these superficial measures by doing the best we can for ourselves as well as others no matter how many mentally damaging roadblocks are placed in our way.

This is an excellent book in the respect that it really captures the way in which we can become a victim to those whose cruelty far outweighs their humanity, it also shows the other side of the coin by allowing Edie to get to the point where she is able to understand to a degree what motivated her classmates to perform such careless acts that drove her to decide death was preferable to her life.

My only regret mirrors that of others who have stated that after Edie’s personal transformation her scheme for revenge became a secondary plot, taking a backseat to the power plays that were going on with Edie at the center of a game that she had no real hope of winning.

To get the most impact for the kind of horrors that await Edie throughout the course of the tale it is best to not even give a hint as to what bargains were made and what lessons can be learned by both Edie and the reader as they are unveiled.

This is indeed a tale of “darkness” but one that shows how we can find “light” in the most unexpected places at the most unexpected times!

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]