Escaping... One Book @ a Time: *Review by Kellie* Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton + Giveaway & Character Interview

Kellie has reviewed Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton for us today on

the blog!!! So read on and enjoy!!

Release Date: November 30, 2012
Published By: Ripley Patton
Length: 372 Pages
Review Copy: E-book, provided by author

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Seventeen-year-old Olivia Black has a rare birth defect known as Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Instead of a right hand made of flesh and blood, she was born with a hand made of ethereal energy.

How does Olivia handle being the girl with the ghost hand? Well, she's a little bit morbid and a whole lot snarky.

Her mother thinks her obsession with death, black clothing, and the local cemetery is a bid for attention. But when Marcus, the new guy in Olivia's calculus class, stares at her like she's a freak, Olivia doesn't like it. And when her hand goes rogue, doing things she never imagined possible, Olivia finds herself running for her life with Marcus from a group of men bent on taking the power of her hand for their own nefarious purposes.

Ghost Hand, by Ripley Patton is the first book in the PSS Chronicles series. The protagonist, Olivia, is quite unlike any character I’ve read about. She’s a 17 year old High Schooler, certainly that isn’t unique. What’s unique about Olivia is her hand. Olivia was born with PSS (Psych Sans Some). In other words, her hand is made of ethereal energy. Olivia is a bit of an emo, who’s dealing with a rough home life at the moment. Her father passed away about four years ago after a long fight with cancer, and her mother, a psychologist, is somewhat uncomfortable with Olivia’s hand. Other than that, her life is that of your typical teen in a small Illinois town. One would think that with a ghost hand like Olivia’s she would face some form of discrimination on a daily basis. Thankfully, for her, that isn’t an outward reality. Certainly she doesn’t have too many friends, in fact, she only has one friend—her best friend, Emma. The two girls have been inseparable since grade school. Olivia’s world, however, is soon turned upside down, the moment a new and very good looking guy (Marcus), shows up at school. What’s peculiar about him is that he takes an interest in Olivia in during class. His attention makes Olivia a bit uncomfortable, especially since he appears to be scoping out her ghost hand. His stares, however soon become the least of her worries. In the middle of a Calculus test, her hand begins to act strangely. So strangely in fact, that it reaches into a fellow classmate’s back and pulls a pack of razor blades from her. Helped by the new guy and soon introduced into the secretive world around her, those razor blades prove to be the least of her worries.

Olivia offered much as a character. She was defiant, raw and loving in so many ways. The layers were enjoyable. And the progression of her relationship with Marcus was endearing. It wasn’t forced, which happens quite a bit in YA books. Also, the plot dealt with sensitive issues; loss, trust, and, most notably hate. It is a hate which leads a group of men to target individuals possessing PSS, some men whom Olivia has known all her life. Marcus’ character was layered, a bit mysterious at times, but always likeable. It was impossible to even think for a second that he didn’t have Olivia’s best interest at heart. The other guys in the crew were all necessities to the story, from Nose to Yale. I connected with each of the “good guys” except Jason. Jason was a complex monster, quick to resort to violence, even against Olivia. Due to his character’s brutality, it will be interesting to find out where Patton takes his character in the coming books. Despite Jason’s aggressiveness, they all managed to work and grow as a team. Of course, Olivia’s growth is most notable, a girl who was once a bit apprehensive about her hand, learns to embrace it, and she also learns to embrace herself.

Ghost Hand was a fun adventure, despite the struggles faced by the characters. It was a ride filled with twists, turns, love and a need for more. I look forward to reading the second book in the PSS Chronicles series and I am pleased to recommend it to everyone seeking a unique Sci-Fi Fantasy with a strong protagonist.

“Five Minutes into my Calc Test, I glanced up and caught the new guy staring.”

“What are those things in your bag?” She demanded, shaking the torn baggy at me. “And why are they making that noise?”

“They’re razor blades,” I said.

Character Bio & Questionnaire

GHOST HAND and GHOST HOLD, The PSS Chronicles

By Ripley Pattton

Name: Olivia Anne Black

Age: Seventeen

Height: 5' 7"

Hair colour: deep dyed black

Eye Colour: brown

Fashion sense: Small town Goth. My style has been referred to as Emo Ninja.

Born: Greenfield, Illinois

Where are you living now? CAMFer compound, somewhere in Oregon. For those who haven't read the series, thems the bad guys.

Do you have any defining abilities? Yes, I can pickpocket people's souls.

Do you have any defining physical characteristics? I have a right hand made of PSS (ethereal) energy instead of flesh, otherwise known as my ghost hand.

If you were to describe your creator in 5 words, what would they be? Old, determined, intelligent, creative, female.

What is your biggest fear? Helplessness.

Are you keeping secrets? Honestly, I'm an open book. Probably too open.

What’s on your nightstand right now? They don't give you a nightstand in a prison cell. But recently it was a gasoline soaked matchbook and a Walther handgun.

What would you say is your strongest memory from childhood? The time my parents split up for a month when I was four and my mom and I went to live with my witch of a Grandma in Orlando.

Have you ever been madly in love, or had your heart broken? Yes and Yes. I am madly in love with David Marcus Jordon, and he seems to mange to break my heart on a regular basis.

Are you a lover or a fighter? Oh, a fighter. How can you know someone really loves you unless you’ve gone toe-to-toe with them and come out the other side of it together?

About the Author

Ripley Patton lives in Portland, Oregon with one cat, two teenagers, and a man who wants to live on a boat. She is an award-winning short story writer and author of The PSS Chronicles, a young adult paranormal thriller series.

Ripley doesn't smoke, or drink, or cuss as much as her characters. Her only real vices are writing, eating M&Ms, and watching reality television.

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