Beth Fish Reads: Today's Read & Giveaway: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

19 February 2013

Today's Read & Giveaway: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

What do you think happens when you die? What if there were no heaven or hell but just an eternity to remember your life, over and over. That's what happened to Felicia Ward, who died just one day shy of her eighteenth birthday.

I'll sleep when I'm dead. I used to say it a lot. When my dad suggested I turn off the flashlight I thought I so expertly hid under my covers. That time youth pastor Joe told us to pipe down at the church lock-in. The balmy summer night I convinced Autumn to sneak out after midnight so we could dance in Nidda Park, arms outstretched to the stars. But then I died.

And now I can't sleep.

—Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans (Simon & Schuster / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013, p. 1)

Quick Facts

Setting: the afterlife
Circumstances: Felicia learns that death may not be as peaceful as she first thought
Characters: Felicia; Julian and Neil, whom she knew in life; other characters she meets in death
Genre: speculative; good vs. evil; life after death
Miscellaneous: the first entry in the Memory Chronicles; Appelhans also writes picture books with her illustrator husband

Giveaway

Thanks to the generosity of my friend author Lenore Appelhans, I can offer one of my readers a copy of the unabridged audiobook edition of Level 2 read by the fabulous Jenna Lamia. I've listened to the audiobook and can attest to its wonderfulness. This giveaway is open to those of you with a U.S. or Canadian mailing address. To be entered for a chance to win, just fill out the form. I'll pick a winner on March 1 with the help of a random-number generator and will delete all personal information once the winner has been confirmed. Good luck!

20 comments:

Beth Kephart, 2/19/13, 7:18 AM: Such a great giveaway!
Laurel-Rain Snow, 2/19/13, 7:59 AM: Wow! Now I am fascinated...I often ponder these issues, wondering if the "after life" will be like the strange dreams I now have in which memories of the past keep threading their way into memories of the present.

Here's MY TUESDAY MEMES POST
Harvee@BookDilettante, 2/19/13, 8:23 AM: I can't imagine how this would end or even where the storyline would go...intriguing.
rhapsodyinbooks, 2/19/13, 9:09 AM: There has been so much hype over this one - I can't wait to read it!
Nicole (Linus's Blanket), 2/19/13, 10:13 AM: I have already read and loved the book but now I am really curious about the audio. I have heard from more than a few places just how good it is.
Catherine@thebookparade, 2/19/13, 11:43 AM: This book sounds fascinating, I really want to read it! Shame I can't enter the giveaway, though, I don't live in the US or Canada :( Oh well, hope whoever wins enjoys the book!

Catherine :)
The Book Parade
Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews, 2/19/13, 11:49 AM: Hi Beth,

What some disturbing teaser lines. I read another book with a very similar storyline not so long ago and that certainly gave me food for thought and had my imagination running riot.

I keep trying to convince myself that my belief, that when you are dead, there is no afterlife, you just cease to be, is the right one. I would hate to be trapped in some kind of limbo, where all you can do is remember you life in vivid detail!!

Interesting post, thanks for sharing,

Yvonne
JoAnn, 2/19/13, 12:11 PM: I tend to shy away from books like this, but after reading the quote, I'm curious...
The Reading Date, 2/19/13, 12:13 PM: Thanks for the great giveaway! I've had my eye on this audiobook since Jenna Lamia is one of my fave narrators. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Zibilee, 2/19/13, 12:21 PM: I loved this book, and think that Lenore did a great job with it. I wish all your entrant s good luck! I am sure the lucky reader will be fascinated, just as I was.
kayerj, 2/19/13, 12:33 PM: this book sounds very interesting. kelley—the road goes ever ever on
Sandra Nachlinger, 2/19/13, 2:39 PM: Interesting premise for a book. I'm hooked by your teaser.
My Teaser is from TEN TINY BREATHS.
Heather, 2/19/13, 4:44 PM: An interesting beginning. My teaser: Who Do, Voodoo?
Margot, 2/19/13, 5:41 PM: That first paragraph really grabbed me. Now I have to know if this afterlife of hers is ever going to end or change to something else. Must read.
Ali, 2/19/13, 6:04 PM: I am in the middle of this book right now. It's a great read!
(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea, 2/19/13, 7:33 PM: I'm curious about this one - from the intro I would read more.

Thanks so much for joining us this week; I appreciate it.
Yvonne, 2/19/13, 7:43 PM: Great giveaway and sounds like a good book.
Nise' , 2/19/13, 9:10 PM: I look forward to this book. Thanks for the giveaway.
JLS Hall, 2/20/13, 1:37 AM: Interesting. The afterlife is something I generally try NOT to think about, so I'm not sure this is the book for me. Good teaser, though!
Sandy Nawrot, 2/20/13, 6:37 AM: I just finished this on audio...getting ready to write up my thoughts!