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Title:  Chasing Atlantis

Author: Kelly Coughlin

Published: July 2013, by Outskirts Press, Inc.

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Click here to purchase Chasing Atlantis from Amazon.com

Its summertime and Amy is once again spending it at her mother’s house in Florida.  Sounds like the ideal summer for a teenage girl, but it turns out to be anything but.  Her mother and stepfather are acting strangely, and they won’t stop pushing her on their friends’ son, Adam.  Amy thinks he is cute and all, but he just isn’t for her.  Amy heads out to the beach one day and meets a really attractive lifeguard, Ty.  He’s kind of mean to her, and she leaves upset, but she still can’t stop thinking about him.  Turns out, no one is who they say they are, and everyone has something to hide.

This book started out okay, with a lot of spelling and editorial errors.  I just hate when there are a lot of those because it pulls me right from the story.  I felt like the story was being told in the beginning, instead of being shown, if you get my gist.  However, as the book went on, I feel like it got better and the author grew and improved, and I finally did end up enjoying it.

I think I would have like this book a little better if I could connect to the main character, Amy.  I know she was a teenager in the book, (and I’m in my 30’s), but she seemed a bit immature and annoying.  I didn’t like how she didn’t stand up to her mom and stepdad for a while about dating someone she didn’t want to date.  That got to me, but hey, maybe I’m just getting old!

Chasing Atlantis has a bunch of different kind of supernatural beings.  Some expected.  Some not.  It was definitely a different story and didn’t feel familiar at all; that’s a good thing.  All and all, I would say it’s a good book.  I think author Kelly Coughlin did a great job on her first book, much better than I could have done.  Scroll down for an interview with her.

My Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.*****

Interview with Kelly Coughlin

Why did you decide to write it?

I started thinking of a story just to entertain myself, as well as my friends one day, and before I knew it I couldn’t stop.  It was as if a part of my brain would not shut off until this story was complete.  While standing in the post office I began furiously scribbling dialogue down on whatever facsimiles I could wrap my hands on (yes, I was that deranged person who is laughing to herself as she takes notes on their hand while in line.)  I was a woman possessed because I believe that the purity of the characters and the loyalty that they show to each other is something that is missing from our world today.  To surmise, I just wanted to tell a love story.

How did you get your book published?

Well, originally I tried it the old fashioned way of sending it off to publishers and got rejected (a lot) *sniffles*.  I decided to put it on the back burner for a few years, while I started looking into self-publishing.  I researched many different self-publishers and decided that Outskirtspress had the best bang for the buck.  I sent it off to them, crossing my fingers and chanting “oh please let this be a good idea” for a few days until I saw the finished results.  I loved it!  It was everything I ever dreamed of and then some. 

What types of readers will be interested in your book?

Young Adult readers who like fantasy romance with a twist of mystery will enjoy this book.  This story has plenty of deception and lies to keep you guessing until all hours of the night.  It is a good read if you plan on basking by the beach.  Only just don’t look too deeply in the water after reading…

Have you published any other books?  Do you plan to publish more?

This is my first novel.  Yes!  I’m writing another right now.  I definitely plan on writing many more books.