Today, LitNuts is shining a spotlight on two young adult fiction titles from author Rebecca Rook:
False Haven (new release!) - a chilling YA horror novel where Holes meets The Haunting of Hill House
The Penance of Valentine Cash - Neil Gaiman’s American Gods meets Jennifer Mason-Black’s Devil and the Bluebird in this modern adaptation of the Greek legend The Twelve Labors of Hercules for YA fantasy readers
False Haven
NEW RELEASE: February 13, 2024Genres: Teen & Young Adult Horror, Teen & Young Adult Ghost Stories, Teen & Young Adult Fantasy & Supernatural Mystery
Ebook: $4.99
A young adult horror novel for fans of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, Asylum by Madeleine Roux, and Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff.
Seventeen-year-old Vivienne Barston’s life has fallen apart.
With her mother recently dead, her father disappears into his grief – leaving Viv to deal with her sadness and anger alone. Viv turns to destructive behaviors like petty vandalism, but after a disturbing stint in a juvenile detention center frightens her, Viv agrees to a court mandated service opportunity designed to expunge her record. The deal: work for six weeks with a trail conservation crew in the rural woods of southern Oregon, and she’ll be free with a clean slate.
She knows it’s her last chance to fix her life.
When Viv arrives at the small town of Hard Luck, Oregon, she meets her motley crewmates, all with troubles of their own. The unusual group travels to Grafton Stake, a remote and derelict former asylum with a haunted history–and now Viv must face the ghosts of the past while fighting for her future.
The Penance of Valentine Cash
Recent Release: January 16, 2024Genres: Teen & Young Adult Fantasy, Teen & Young Adult Mythical Creatures, Teen & Young Adult Greek & Roman Myths & Legends
Paperback: $16.00
Ebook: $4.99 (Free via Kindle Unlimited)
The young and the ancient, the tangible and the mythical, collide in this tale of redemption, connection, and the enduring power of the human spirit.
Valentine Cash is dead.
When she dies in an accidental collision she caused on the cusp of musical fame, Valentine is offered a deal: Complete a series of difficult tasks to get her life back. Fail, and she dies a final, everlasting death. Guided by Route 66 the Mother Road of America on her quest, she tackles one herculean task after another, giving up a piece of herself with each trial.
Valentine begins to understand that the fame she once sought won’t bring her happiness or belonging – and if she fulfills the penance, she must decide what’s more important: Her old life or restoring the lives of the strangers who died alongside her.
Praise for The Penance of Valentine Cash
"A unique and wonderful book." ~Amazon Review
"Incredible storytelling." ~Goodreads Review
"The gods would be pleased." ~Amazon Review
About the Author
Rebecca Rook is a hard of hearing person who designs tabletop games, manages a little free library dedicated to sequential art and comics, and lives in the Pacific Northwest with two wonderful dogs. A 2021-2022 Hugo House Fellow in Seattle, WA, she also attended the 2021 Tin House YA Fiction Workshop in Portland, OR. Prior to this, she completed the wonderful Yearlong Workshop for Young Adult and Middle Grade Fiction at Hugo House. She writes young adult fiction in the fantasy, thriller, and horror genres. Learn more at byrebeccarook.com, and follow Rebecca online:
