Title: Reluctant Guardian
Author: Melissa J. Cunningham
Published: September 20th, 2013
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
Word Count: approx. 82,000
Genre: YA Mature Paranormal Romance
Content Warning: Topics
such as suicide and sexual abuse implied but not described
Recommended Age: 14+
Synopsis: Sixteen year old Lisa Callahan believes suicide is
her only option. But not even death will save her from a tortured past.
After numerous tragedies Lisa yearns to be free of her heartache, so she takes her own life, but to her surprise and dismay, instead of resting on pink fluffy clouds for eternity, she is required to pay the debt of taking her life by becoming a guardian.
Guarding Brecken Shaefer—a dark, dangerous, good-looking rebel—is harder than it looks. Not only does he have special gifts that make her life miserable, but he possesses a dangerous secret as well. When feelings develop between them, everything spins out of control. Not only must Lisa face her own demons, but to protect Brecken, she must face an evil so heinous that it threatens to destroy their souls completely.
After numerous tragedies Lisa yearns to be free of her heartache, so she takes her own life, but to her surprise and dismay, instead of resting on pink fluffy clouds for eternity, she is required to pay the debt of taking her life by becoming a guardian.
Guarding Brecken Shaefer—a dark, dangerous, good-looking rebel—is harder than it looks. Not only does he have special gifts that make her life miserable, but he possesses a dangerous secret as well. When feelings develop between them, everything spins out of control. Not only must Lisa face her own demons, but to protect Brecken, she must face an evil so heinous that it threatens to destroy their souls completely.
Melissa
J. Cunningham began writing five years ago when she decided, out of the blue,
to enter a community writing contest and won first place. From that moment on
she had a new love: Writing. Melissa is a member of the League of Utah Writers.
Her past publication experience includes a recurring opinion column called
Writing Reality, for her local newspaper: The LeaderMelissa's first novel: Reluctant Guardian, was accepted for publication through Clean Teen Publishing in August 2013.
When Melissa is not writing you can find her spending time with her family and her horses, cats, dogs and chickens or reading. Melissa is also a local music teacher.
I should have realized that suicide was
not my best option. But like most teenage girls, I hadn't planned ahead. I
never pictured my parents and brothers picking up the pieces of my broken life,
or the empty hole I would leave in my wake.
I honestly didn't think anyone cared that
much.
The medication I'd been taking hadn't
helped matters either. My doctor prescribed it after the death of my beloved
grandmother who'd lived with us since I was a baby. Three months later, my best
friend Natasha, died from a brain tumor. Nothing could have shattered me more.
Not just because Natty and I were closer than Siamese twins, but because we
shared a dark, horrifying secret.
Something I'd never told anyone. Not even
my parents. Once she was gone I didn't know how to shoulder that weight on my
own. I was drowning in sorrow. I'd fallen into a dark pit and had every right
to take that antidepressant. My parents thought it would help too.
I should have been more open about my feelings.
I should have confided in my mom and dad. Explained that the medication wasn't
working. That in reality I felt worse. But I didn't. I didn't realize the drug
was affecting me adversely . . . until it was too late.
The only thing I wanted that night was to
not feel anymore, to not have my heart ripping in two, and to
not cry so hard that my whole body ached.
Would it be painful if I rammed my car
into the tall pine at the curve of the road? Would it do the trick or just turn
me into a vegetable for the rest of my life?
I gambled. I took a chance and
got what I wanted. Death.
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