If you are looking for a fresh read that falls within the Young Adult genre, check out Ascenders. This book was brimming with a new world perspective that opens your eyes to possibilities and a story that is engaging and fun! Check out more about this story from C.L. Gaber, read Tina’s Thoughts, check out an awesome book trailer, and make sure to enter the giveaway to celebrate this book and tour!

Ascenders
Ascenders Saga #1
CL Gaber
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Release Date: April 20, 2015

“It will keep you up all night reading.” USA Today bestselling author Tiffany King.

Walker Callaghan doesn’t know what happened to her. One minute she was living her teenage life in suburban Chicago…and the next minute, she was in a strange place and in a brand new school with absolutely no homework, no rules, and no consequences. Walker Callaghan, 17, is dead. She doesn’t go to heaven or hell. She lands at The Academy, a middle realm where teenagers have one thing in common: They were the morning announcement at their high schools because they died young.

These high school kids are now caught in a strange “in-between” zone where life hasn’t changed very much. In fact, this special teen limbo looks a lot like life in a quaint Michigan town complete with jocks, popular girls and cliques. “There are even cheerleaders in death,” Walker observes. It’s not a coincidence that the music teacher is a guy named Kurt who “used to have this band.” The drama teacher, Heath, is crush worthy because back in his life, he starred in some superhero movie.

Principal King explains the rules — there are none. Why? You can’t die twice.

There is no homework. No tests. No SATS. You’re just there to learn because the human brain isn’t fully formed until you’re 24.

By the way, you can’t get hurt physically, so race your Harley off that hillside. But falling in love is the most dangerous thing you can do …because no one knows how long you’ll stay in this realm or what’s next.

“Losing someone you love would be like dying twice,” Walker says.

* * * * * *

Walker Callaghan has just arrived at the Academy after a tragic car accident. “Is this heaven or is this high school?” she asks.

She finds out her new life is a bit of both as she falls in love with tat-covered, bad boy Daniel Reid who is about to break the only sacred rule of this place. He’s looking for a portal to return back to the living realm.

He needs just one hour to retrieve his younger brother who strangely never arrived at The Academy. Bobby is an Earth Bound Spirit, stuck at a plane crash site that took both of their lives as their rich father piloted his private jet nose-first into a cornfield on Christmas Eve.

Walker loves Daniel and risks it all to go with him.

Have they learned enough to outsmart dangerous forces while transporting a young child with them? Can their love survive the fragmented evil parts of themselves that are now hunting them down as they try to find a way back to the middle?

At the Academy, you learn the lessons of an after-lifetime.

You can purchase your copy at the retailers listed below!

Amazon | iTunes

It is always nice to find a book that takes a look at something different, giving the reader a new and intriguing perspective to wonder about. Ascenders is a story that beautifully presents a new world to the reader, a world between life and the afterlife, a place where new life exists and transformation occurs. In the first book of this young adult paranormal saga,  Walker has just met her untimely death and is learning to adjust to a world that is like what she knows but eerily different. The Academy, a place where she goes to learn about anything and everything, is the seemingly the same as any high school on Earth. There are mean girls and the sexy boys, but there is also a curiosity and environment in which anyone can study anything. This book focuses on Walker’s time in this in between realm and opens the door to so many possibilities. When I first read the synopsis, I wondered where the story would go. As I read the book, it took turns and plot twists into places I didn’t anticipate. These situations and characters create a world that is exciting but also completely plausible.

Walker is a fantastic female character. She is a true YA heroine. She is kind, inquisitive, and full of life. Watching her wade through the new realm and her new reality was very applicable to young people today. There are things she learns and new life experiences she dives into. I loved watching her find her place and embrace it all. Daniel and his siblings are all incredible additions to the story. the friendship and chemistry between Daniel and Walker is well paced and sweet.  I loved meeting Cass, Bertha, Dr. King, Tosh, and so many more. The people you meet in this book enhance the story and give Walker a foundation to thrive in.

One of the things I loved about this book was all the people you meet in passing. Everyone you meet is dead, obviously. So there are some pretty fantastic teachers in the classrooms. You meet musicians and scholars from history, people who take the time to share their knowledge with the students at the Academy and challenge them to be great. It made this story an incredible blend of history, art, and culture when the author added musicians, athletes, and great thinkers from history you will recognize into the mix. When you add this element to an already fun and lively story, it is something that draws you in and keeps you hooked.

Ascenders is a book that will fascinate young and old readers alike. There is a quest, a new world to explore, and emotions to develop. The story takes something that is thought provoking and adds a new twist, a new lenses with which to see something on the other side. This YA book has everything you expect from the genre with the paranormal excitement throw into the mix. If you are looking for something that is both thought provoking and entertaining, check this one out.

To celebrate the blog tour for ASCENDERS, C. L. Gaber is hosting a fun giveaway! Enter this Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance to win one of 5 Signed copies of ASCENDERS and bookmarks. Simply follow the instructions listed on the giveaway and you will be entered for your chance to win. Don’t miss out. Good luck!

C.L. GABER is the author of ASCENDERS, the first book in Ascenders SAGA. She is also the co-author of “Jex Malone.” A lifelong entertainment journalist, she interviews A list film and TV stars for the New York Times wire and various other publications. C.L. lives in Nevada with her husband Ron, bonus daughter Sabrina and two unruly dogs. You can reach her at CLGaber@yahoo.com

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