Monday, October 28, 2019

C. Lee McKenzie & Not Guilty



I’m delighted today to welcome author C. Lee McKenzie to my site to talk about her latest release, NOT GUILTY, as part of her MC Book Tour Blog adventure.

After you find out more about this tantalizing new story, be sure to enter Lee’s giveaway featured below.

* Not Guilty
* by C. Lee McKenzie
* Publication Date: October 25, 2019
* Genre: Young Adult

          A blood-smeared knife. One young man’s word against another. A lifetime dream crushed.
          The evidence points to Devon Carlyle. He was there when it happened. Everyone knows he had it in for Renzo Costa. And Costa says Devon was the one. In the judge’s rap of a gavel, Devon’s found guilty of assault. The star of the Oceanside High’s basketball team loses his shot at the one thing he’s worked so hard for—the championship game where college scouts could see how good he is.
          Now he makes his great shots in Juvenile Hall with kids far different from those that have always been in his life.
          Angry? Hell, yes.
          He’s bent on finding who did the crime. He’s bent on making them pay because he’s Not Guilty.
          But can he prove it?

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

C. Lee McKenzie has a background in Linguistics and Inter-Cultural Communication, but these days her greatest passion is writing for young readers. She has published five young adult novels: Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, and Sudden Secrets. Not Guilty is her most recent one.

          Sometimes she likes to jump into the world of the fantastic and when she does, she writes for the middle-grade reader. Some Very Messy Medieval Magick is the third book in the time-travel adventures of Pete and Weasel, with Alligators Overhead and The Great Time Lock Disaster being the first two. Sign of the Green Dragon, a stand-alone, takes the reader into ancient Chinese dragon myths and a quest for treasure.

          When she’s not writing she’s hiking or traveling or practicing yoga or asking a lot of questions about things she still doesn’t understand.

For more information on Lee and her writing, connect with her on FacebookTwitterInstagram and at her Website

NOT GUILTY can be found AMAZONSmashwords, Barnes & NobleKobo, and Goodreads.



The author’s other young adult books include: Sliding on the Edge, Princess of Las PulgasDouble NegativeSudden Secrets


GIVEAWAY

With Halloween celebrated this week, Lee’s giving away five digital copies of NOT GUILTY and a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate. This tour-wide giveaway will end at midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 5th.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by today during Lee’s visit. Do you enjoy stories where the underdog becomes the champion? Don’t forget to enter the giveaway.



***

My review: 


This book is a powerful and emotional read - one of my favourite YA reads ever.
Devon is a 17-year-old basketball star who has everything going his way ... until he's accused of stabbing a man on a stretch of beach near his home.
Watching Devon go through so many challenges makes for a stressful and emotional ride that had me both in tears and cheering more than once.
Honest, gritty, realistic, and incredibly heartfelt.
These characters and this story will stay with you long after you've finished the final page.


A fabulous read!!


NOT GUILTY is out and about and it is so good. It's easily one of the most powerful and emotional YA books I've ever read. It pulled me in from the beginning, dug in its claws, and didn't let go until the last words. Do yourself a favour and pick up your copy!

41 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

And Lee will be thrilled with that review!

Mason Canyon said...

Enjoyed your review, Jemi. This is a fascinating story. Thanks for being a part of Lee's tour.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Great review!

I always feel I should give yoga a try again (reading Lee's bio, in case that sounds like a non sequitur, ha).I'm so clumsy that last time was a disaster, though. I just read so many good things about it...

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Congrats to Lee and great review for her book.

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Great review!

Teresa

Elephant's Child said...

Huge congratulations to Lee. And yes, I loved this book. I really, really appreciated Devon's growth as a person.

Jemi Fraser said...

Hope so - the book is awesome!

Jemi Fraser said...

Happy to help spread the word!!

Jemi Fraser said...

I agree with the yoga - I've only tried a few poses and I tend to end up on the ground! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Diane - it's a great story!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Teresa :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Yes! He sure learned a lot about life and himself throughout this story!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I so agree with your review. I loved Lee's book!

cleemckenzie said...

Thank you so much for the compliment, Jemi and for having me here today. It's a delight!

cleemckenzie said...

You're the best, Natalie. So glad we're connected as bloggers and writers.

cleemckenzie said...

I'm pleased to hear that Devon struck a chord. And thank you for saying that here.

Mary Cloud said...

Thanks for sharing the review with us - it was great.

cleemckenzie said...

Jemi is a great reviewer. Authors are lucky if she reads and reviews their books. I certainly am.

cleemckenzie said...

And thanks to you Diane for taking your time to visit the blogs during this launch. I know how busy you are.

cleemckenzie said...

I'm pretty much a mess if I don't keep at my practice. I'm a yoga addict I guess, but I'd rather be addicted to it than something else. :-)

cleemckenzie said...

I'm enjoying the tour a lot.

cleemckenzie said...

You are so right, Alex.

R's Rue said...

Great.

Jemi Fraser said...

Me too!

Jemi Fraser said...

You're more than welcome any time!! :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Mary - it's fun writing reviews for great books!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks R! :)

Powdered Toast Man said...

I think he's guilty. Multiple personality is the twist.

Jemi Fraser said...

LOL - you'll have to read to find out!! :P

H. R. Sinclair said...

That's a fantastic review! It sounds stressful too. ��

Jemi Fraser said...

It really was stressful - my heart was so full!!!!

traciem72 said...

I am very excited to read this book! I am very interested in what will happen to Devon~ . My email is tmcooper1972@gmail.com / Tracie Cooper

DMS said...

I can't wait to read this. I love Lee's writing and this sounds like a book that will stick with me. Thanks for sharing. :)
~Jess

Jemi Fraser said...

You'll really enjoy it - it's a fabulous book!

Jemi Fraser said...

You're going to love it Jess - it's so well done!

Dora William said...

YA genre is saturated. To stand out and grab eyeballs, authors need more reviews. Being a YA romance novelist, I understand the need to stand out from the crowd. To get more reviews, I recommend https://usabookreviewers.com/christmas-gift

Pat said...

Sounds like a terrific book!

Dawn Simon said...

What a great review, Jemi! Congrats to C. Lee McKenzie on her book!

Jemi Fraser said...

There is a lot of great YA out there - this book is one of the best I've read!

Jemi Fraser said...

It really is, Pat!!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Dawn - it's a great story!