Gravel Ghost
Death Valley Series Book# 1
By- Charyse Allan
Genre- YA Thriller
Publication Date- December 16th, 2014
Seventeen-year-old Payton Morros is a killer. Adopted as a child, and groomed into the profession by her new parents, she longs for a normal life. But lethal assassins at the top of their game can’t exactly quit their day job. Her only escape from her predetermined destiny is spending time with her best friend Conner, if only for a little while.
When Payton is sent to Chile for an assignment, she discovers a devastating truth that challenges everything she knows about herself and her family. Abandoning the mission, and on the run, she must unravel the secrets of her past before she loses all sense of herself. Or worse, before she jeopardizes everyone she cares about.
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Here is our interview with Charyse Allan-
Thanks for stopping by Girls *Heart* Books! Let’s start off with you telling us a little bit about yourself and your latest project.
I grew up in Mesa, AZ, but now live in the White Mountains of AZ where the weather is perfect and I have an amazing view. I’m a certified pastry chef, but I only use these skills now when I’m in the mood to bake something or make the occasional wedding cake for a friend. I married my high school sweetheart/best friend and we are going on seven years with two awesome kiddos and two cool dogs. I absolutely love reading and have read 96 books this year, with a goal to reach 100 before the years end. When I’m not writing or reading, I love doing yoga, running and tending my garden (when it isn’t frozen, of course). I’m a Friends fanatic and I love The Walking Dead! I also love anything with cheese on it, especially nachos, and anything with chocolate.
Gravel Ghost is my debut novel about a girl and her four sisters having been adopted and groomed into assassins. Payton Morros is seventeen and one of the best assassins in her family, but she hungers for something more in life. She often sneaks out of the house she’s rarely allowed to leave--unless she’s on an assignment--to hang out with her best friend Conner.
When she’s sent on an assignment, a secret is revealed, which makes her question everything she knows about her profession and her family and causes her to leave the assignment unfinished. Doing so puts everyone she loves in danger, forcing her to unravel the secrets of her past before she loses herself in the very profession she despises.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I only realized my passion for writing about four years ago. I used to love writing as a kid and especially in high school, but I had a creative writing teacher who told me I just didn’t have it, so I moved on to my passion for food. It took me a while to realize people can say whatever the hell they want, but that doesn’t mean they actually know what they’re talking about. Anyways, I just had our daughter and I was reading a really good book, I can’t even remember what book it was, I wish I had written it down, but the author’s bio said she had never gone to school for writing or anything. I thought that was amazing and figured as long as you are willing to learn and give it a try, why not? So I tried my hand at writing a novel and I was surprised and proud of myself when I finished it. It isn’t this novel, but I learned a lot from that first one and I might rewrite it down the road.
What are three things you must have to write?
A notebook and pen, my laptop and a glass of iced tea or cup of coffee :)
What’s your writing space look like?
It’s an old wooden desk in our entryway, basically in the middle of everything so I can keep an eye on my kiddos while I work. It’s littered with notebooks, pens and mail and my laptop is in the middle of it all; rather messy...I should probably clean it up.
Why do you write young adult? What do you love about it?
I think it’s because these are the years in which people find out a lot about themselves, while still being innocent and being able to just be kids without the responsibilities of the world resting on their shoulders. You get to have crushes, figure out what love is, what a broken heart feels like and you get to go on fun adventures. I love being able to write those adventures and all the feelings that go along with them.
What role does music play in your writing? Do you have one album or playlist that works best for you?
I usually have some form of music on while I’m writing. I don’t have any specific albums or playlists, but I usually try to listen to whichever kind of music will put me in the right mood for whatever I’m writing. Since this novel was a little darker and action packed, I listened to a lot of Avenged Sevenfold, The Used, My Chemical Romance and some Glitch Mob.
What can we expect next from you?
The second book in the Gravel Ghost series will be coming out in the middle of March and the third novel shortly after that. I also have an upper-YA, contemporary suspense series in the works, which I’m hoping to release shortly after, if not before the final novel in the GG series. Basically, I’m not going anywhere; I plan to see this through and keep on chugging along :)
Mel's Review
Gravel Ghost is the first book in the Death Valley Series by Charyse Allan. From the moment I read the synopsis and saw the cover of this book, I just knew I was going to fall in love with this book and I was dying to read it. This book was non-stop action from the very beginning and I was hooked instantly. There is so much to love about this book; I am going to do my very best to not gush but I can't make any promises.
The story is told from the point of view of our main character, Payton- a 17-year-old assassin looking for something to keep her going in the midst of the endless violence that is her normal life. It was so easy for me to love Payton; to get completely caught up in her story and become invested in what she was dealing with. She's tough, loyal, surprisingly sweet (for an assassin) and very funny. She's a force to be reckoned with; a fierce heroine and I cannot wait to read the rest of this series to find out what becomes of her.
I really, really love the characters in this book; even the ones I hated (ahem-Scarlet!) were well developed and real. Payton is easily my favorite character in the story but the supporting cast is amazing. If I had to pick a second favorite, though, I think it would be a toss up between Cadmar and Conner. Conner, being the immensely swoon-worthy young man that he is, probably wins in the end. Something about strong, sweet, caring, green-eyed guys just does me in.
I was shocked this was a debut novel, honestly. This author writes like a seasoned veteran; the plot is flawless, the characters well fleshed out, and the book is just so well written, you fly right through it. I loved every action packed moment. Grab your copy today, I promise you won't regret it!
My Rating:
About the Author-
Charyse Allan grew up in Arizona dancing and riding horses. She is an avid reader, but didn’t become one until high school. This is also when she realized her passion for writing, however it wasn’t until a couple years into her marriage that she tried her hand at writing a novel.
Website: charyseallan.com or charyseallan.net
Blog: shortandsweetcma.blogspot.com
*We receive NO payment of any kind for our reviews---we review books we've bought, or books that are provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
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