Celebrate Lit Review BLOG TOUR for Seeing Voices by Olivia Smit

About the Book

Book:  Seeing Voices

Author: Olivia Smit

Genre:  Contemporary Young Adult

Release Date: April 15, 2020

Skylar Brady has a for her life—until a car accident changes everything.

Skylar knows exactly what she wants, and getting in a car accident the summer before twelfth grade isn’t supposed to be part of the plan. Although she escapes mostly unharmed, the accident has stolen more than just her hearing from her: she’s also lost the close bond she used to have with her brother.

When her parents decide to take a house-sitting job halfway across the province, it’s just one more thing that isn’t going according to plan. As the summer progresses, Skylar begins to gain confidence in herself, but as she tries to mend her relationship with her brother, she stumbles upon another hidden trauma. Suddenly, she’s keeping as many secrets as she’s struggling to uncover and creating more problems than she could ever hope to solve.

Click here for your copy!

 

 

About the Author

 

Olivia Smit loves baking, visiting small towns, and writing stories that face hard truth with hope and encouragement. Olivia has an Honours Specialization in Creative Writing, English Language, and Literature and lives in Canada with her family. Seeing Voices is her first novel. Learn more at https://oliviasmit.ca/

 

 

More from Olivia

Although “Seeing Voices” is not the first book I ever wrote, it is the first one that felt like it held a little piece of my heart. Skylar and her older brother, Mike, popped into my head one afternoon, both coping with the aftermath of a car accident in totally different ways. It took me ages to figure out what kind of story they belonged to, but right from the beginning I knew it would be a story about siblings and families, pain and guilt, and also (perhaps most importantly!) togetherness and love.

In so many ways, “Seeing Voices” was for me, before it was for readers. I wrote the rough draft when I was 18, fresh out of high school and still figuring out a few tricky situations within my own family. As I wrote about Skylar and Mike, I poured a lot of my own confusion and emotion into the pages, trying to make sense of my own feelings of responsibility, frustration, and ultimately, hope. Words from the book still float through my mind when I’m in certain situations, little reminders of lessons I learned once and need to hang onto with both hands.

I prayed my way through the writing process, trying (and failing) to find a story that fit with Skylar and Mike, who felt so much like real people. I prayed through querying, trusting that if God wanted this story out there in the world, He would find it a home … and if He wanted Skylar and Mike to be a story just for me, I would be okay with that, too. In so many ways this process has been a team effort, and I feel convinced that this isn’t my story, after all — it’s God’s, and I’m just doing my part to help tell it.

 

My Review of Seeing Voices:

My normal genre of books isn’t usually YA, but I read the back blurb of this book and wanted to try it. I didn’t realize the main characters in this book weren’t believers; however, I enjoyed the way the author introduced Skylar to the gospel in an authentic way through the use of Cam. Cam was probably my favorite person throughout. His character was written authentically, genuinely, and he was someone I’d like my child to hang out with. I also understood the feelings and emotions Skylar and Mike were experiencing as much as a reader can who hasn’t experienced the same traumas they went through. I was a little confused, though, with how much Skylar could (or couldn’t hear) even with her hearing aids in and why she didn’t wear them the majority of the time? I understood why she took them out sometimes, but when she knew she was responsible for her brother and sister’s safety – why did she take them out then?

I also enjoyed the addition of Anastasia to the book, although I would have liked a little more closure with what happened to her and her part of the story. I loved the way the author wrote the mom, and dad, into the story as well. I could feel the warmth, love, and sadness they were dealing with as well. Overall, it was a good book; and I think the ending message of how Skylar finally comes to see God is one many teens need to hear now-a-days. I think, also, the author will reach more people by having Skylar come to that conclusion slowly, being an unbeliever throughout the majority of the book because other teens will be able to relate to her feelings and emotions more than if she started out a believer.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit but was not under any obligation to write a review. All opinions are strictly mine.

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Don’t forget to check out the other blog spots listed below for your convenience.

Blog Stops

Remembrancy, May 15

Batya’s Bits, May 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 17

For the Love of Literature, May 18

Older & Smarter?, May 19

Andrea Carmen, May 19

Texas Book-aholic, May 20

Inklings and notions, May 21

Writing from the Heart Land, May 21

For Him and My Family, May 22

deb’s Book Review, May 23

Spoken from the Heart, May 24

Nancy E Wood, May 24

Pause for Tales, May 25

Hallie Reads, May 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 27

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 28

With a Joyful Noise, May 28

 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away the grand prize package of coasters and a book sleeve!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fa00/seeing-voices-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

3 Replies to “Celebrate Lit Review BLOG TOUR for Seeing Voices by Olivia Smit”

  1. What a heartfelt book of going through a journey with a loss of sense and then a gaining of more awareness and caring.

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