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About the Book
Book title: The Girl Who could See
Author: Kara Swanson
Release date: June 1, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy/Young Adult
All her life Fern has been told she is blind to reality—but, what if she is the only one who can truly see?
Fern Johnson is crazy. At least, that’s what the doctors have claimed since her childhood. Now nineteen, and one step away from a psych ward, Fern struggles to survive in bustling Los Angeles. Desperate to appear normal, she represses the young man flickering at the edge of her awareness—a blond warrior only she can see.
Tristan was Fern’s childhood imaginary hero, saving her from monsters under her bed and outside her walls. As she grew up and his secret world continued to bleed into hers, however, it only caused catastrophe. But, when the city is rocked by the unexplainable, Fern is forced to consider the possibility that this young man is not a hallucination after al—and that the creature who decimated his world may be coming for hers.
My Review
You should definitely judge this book by its cover! It’s gorgeous! And when you get past that to the pages underneath, you’ll find the story is just a captivating as that cover is.
Kara Swanson’s take on an imaginary friend is entertaining and hooked me in right away. Filled with action, mystery, and the slightest hint of a potential for romance, The Girl Who Could See combines the world we know with the world of the author’s imagination.
As Fern unlocks the nightmares of her past in order to save her (and everyone else’s future), she walks the line between remaining strong and holding on to her vulnerability. And when she realizes what she will have to give up to save the people who have labeled her as insane, my heart broke for her.
From Tristan’s consistency to Fern’s love and dedication to her niece, from the world building to the story arc, this is a fast moving yet gripping story that will stick with you long after you’ve read the last words.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
As the daughter of missionaries, KARA SWANSON spent sixteen years of her young life in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Able to relate with characters dropped suddenly into a unique new world, she quickly fell in love with the speculative genre and was soon penning stories herself. At seventeen, she independently published her debut fantasy novel, Pearl of Merlydia. Her short story is included in Kathy Ide’s 21 Days of Joy: Stories that Celebrate Mom. She has published many articles, including one in the Encounter magazine, and she received the Mount Hermon Most Promising Teen Writer award in 2015.
Guest Post from Kara Swanson
Did you have an imaginary friend growing up? I did. And I think most of us probably understood what it was like to use our childhood imaginations to create friends and take us places.
The Girl Who Could See follows Fern Johnson, a young woman who’s imaginary friend, Tristan, first appeared in her life when she was eight years old—and has never left. Now nineteen, Fern still sees Tristan, only he is no longer her friend. Now he is her curse. The source of her insanity. The reason Fern cannot keep a job and has been passed from one psychologist to another. The reason she is one step away from a psych ward. However, Tristan disagrees. He says that he’s not a figment of Fern’s imagination and is determined to prove it. But, if his existence is real, it has dangerous implications not only for Fern, but for her world. Because the creature that decimated Tristan’s planet is coming for Earth—and only the girl everyone says is crazy can stop it.
I wrote the novella as a way to explore the idea of what would happen if someone had an imaginary friend who never left. What would the psychological and daily implications be? And what if that imaginary friend wasn’t imaginary? The story that grew from those sparks of ideas became an adventure that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did. 🙂
Blog Stops
June 27: A Baker’s Perspective
June 27: A Simply Enchanted Life
June 27: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
June 28: Kristin’s Book Reviews
June 28: Christian Chick’s Thoughts
June 29: Fiction Aficionado
June 29: Genesis 5020
June 30: Smiling Book Reviews
June 30: The Fizzy Pop Collection
July 1: Blogging With Carol
July 1: remembrancy
July 2: Inklings and notions
July 2: Ashley’s Bookshelf
July 3: Zerina Blossom’s Books
July 3: God1meover
July 4: Book by Book
July 4: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses
July 5: Dragons Read History
July 5: Through the Open Window
July 6: It’s Storytime with Van Daniker
July 6: Baker Kella
July 7: Pause for Tales
July 7: Edits and Reviews By Leslie
July 8: Books, Books, and More Books.
July 8: Pursuing Stacie
July 8: The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate
July 9: Reader’s cozy corner
July 9: A path of joy
July 10: Neverending Stories
July 10: Henry Happens
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b7f6
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Growing up, I don’t think I had an imaginary friend. I had siblings, so I was never lonely. My little sister had one briefly. When my older brother started making fun of her because of it, her imaginary friend quickly became nonexistent. Lol. Anyways, this book sounds so intriguing and I love the cover. Can’t wait to check it out.
I didn’t have one either but Tristan makes me wish I did :). This was an excellent novella. I’ve read it a couple more times since the initial read!
AWWWW! You read it multiple times? You’ve totally made my day, Suzie 🙂
Looking forward to reading this!
It’s a good one!! Enjoy!
Thank you so very much for your gorgeous review, Suzie! <3 I so appreciate it!
Fantastic novella, Kara!! Deserving of every single gushing review!!
This sounds like a fun take on the imaginary friend theme. I like that who she thought was someone she imagined, ends up being real somehow. Very intriguing! I never had one, but my younger son had one named “John.” It was so cute and funny, and then his older brother thought it was a good idea but was lacking originality, so he named his “my John.” They don’t believe in them anymore, but it was cutw while it lasted.
That was a bit of the premise of this story. Her imaginary friend helped her through a trauma when she was younger but now that she’s older, her imaginary friend isn’t considered cute any longer. And he won’t go away. But there are some good twists in this one too. Enjoy!