{Review & Giveaway} Losing Elizabeth by Tanya J. Peterson

Losing Elizabeth
by Tanya J. Peterson
Publisher:  Self Published via Createspace
Pages:  147
Source:  Provided by Tanya J. Peterson in exchange for a fair and honest review
Available as of April 25, 2012
Amazon

High school junior Elizabeth Carter is self-confident and outgoing with a bright future. Life is good for Elizabeth, then she meets Brad Evans. To those on the outside, and even to Elizabeth at first, her life gets even better with Brad. Slowly and insidiously, though, Brad takes control of Elizabeth. Is she really as lucky as she thinks she is? What price is she willing to pay to be this popular, charming, attractive senior boy's girlfriend? Is she envied...or pitied? Most importantly, does she have to lose herself in order to be Brad's significant other?

Rating:

My Review:

Upon reading the summary, I was intrigued and looking forward to reading Losing Elizabeth. However, after reading a few chapters I was counting down the pages to the finish line. While it wasn't a great read for me, it wasn't a horrible one either. Tanya J. Peterson touched on a subject that I've read about in a number of other books, but with a slightly different take. 

Elizabeth is a great tennis player, a wonderful friend, and willing to try new things. That is, until Brad Evans walks into her life and creates waves that leave Elizabeth a shell of who she once was.

Losing Elizabeth was a great book that shows how a relationship can become not only mentally and emotionally abusive, but also physical. However, I fell like the dialogue didn't fit. Feelings were overly expressed and the train of thought was forced, lengthy, and self-deprecating. I can't see a junior in high school, a girl who is intelligent and has aspirations to become an engineer, be so easily manipulated by a boy. She was so easily swayed. It was as if she had no mind of her own, It, to me, was unrealistic and I wanted to put the book down after only a few chapters. 

While I don't feel that the dialogue, internal and spoken, was at the correct level for an intelligent girl, it is my opinion and doesn't necessarily mean you won't enjoy the book. The content was wonderful and the story line was great, but it wasn't enough for me. 

Overall, I felt Losing Elizabeth was lacking in the dialogue department, but was a great example of how a girl can be tricked into a "loving" yet highly abusive relationship. It just wasn't for me

Giveaway!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.