LeighStatham

Title: DAUGHTER 4254

Author/s: Leigh Statham

Publication Date: December 5th, 2017
Publisher: Owl Hollow Press

Pages: 286

Purchase Links: Amazon | iBooks | Booktopia | The Book Depository

Signed Copies are available from King’s English

Synopsis

Daughter4254 used to think life in a community where art, music and names are outlawed would suffocate her creative spirit. Now that she’s rotting in a prison cell, she’s not sure her dying mother made the right choice when she entrusted her with the secrets of rebellion. Prison has given her plenty of time to relive every mistake and lose all hope.

Then she meets Thomas, a fellow inmate, who tells her stories of the mythical mountain colonies where people have names and the arts thrive. Together they plot an escape, knowing if they fail, they will die. Or worse, their consciousness will be taken by the MindWipe, leaving their bodies free for the government to use. When nothing goes as planned, Daughter4254 must choose between using her mother’s secret to better the world she hates, or following Thomas to the quiet life of freedom she has always craved.

So I put my name down for this book after reading the synopsis sent to me via a marketing company – it was about this girl who appreciated the arts in a world that outlawed it, and finds a boy who introduces her to a land where she can express her creative spirit loudly, but must choose between saving herself or saving the entire nation of likeminded (maybe) individuals. Upon first glance, it reminded me of Delirium (by Lauren Oliver) and a little bit of Hunger Games/Divergent.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book.

This happens quite often nowadays, but I rarely post about it, instead giving books and their authors the benefit of the doubt and contacting publishers to let them know that the book didn’t grab my attention and so I won’t be posting anything neutral or negative.

Most of the time, it has more to do with personal circumstances and interests rather than the quality of the story telling and book. Daughter 4254 brought an amazing idea forward, but also one that had been explored in young adult fiction time and time again. I barely started this book, because it just didn’t enchant me.

Today marks many, many months since beginning this post and being contact about this book tour. I’ve forgotten many details from the book, but I do remember having a lot of trouble with the title; it’s just not memorable.
It definitely gets the point across, I love that part, but whilst I write this review I have to go back and check whether the order of the numbers is correct. It’s not nice, and I feel there could be many better alternatives to it.

I felt bad, having this unfinished review sitting in my drafts, but then I remembered that this is my book blog, not simply a marketing platform. It’s a place where I love sharing my opinions, reviews, and loves for books, and the marketing of brand new novels is just an aspect of it.

I don’t enjoy the politics of this community so much. It’s a place where large blogs publishing poor (but positive) reviews are favoured by authors. I understand that’s what is good for business, but allowing smaller, more personal blogs review large titles as well would definitely create a lot of hype.

From now on, I will be publishing reviews that aren’t 3+ stars, and I will be reading more books bought from the book shop so that I enjoy my time here as much as the authors cashing their cheques do.
I’m not opposed to the publishing platform book blogs allow, but it’s not something I want to be a huge part of.

If you’re a basic-kinda-reader, sure, give Leigh Statham’s novel a go. But if you’re after more, maybe check out your local book shop and find something a little more unique. 🙂

[I will not be publishing star-ratings on DNF reviews.]

A little bit about Leigh Statham…

Leigh Statham was raised in the wilds of rural Idaho but found her heart in New York City. She worked at many interesting jobs before settling in as a mother and writer.
She now resides in North Carolina with her husband, four children, eight chickens, a fluffy dog, and two suspected serial killer cats.
Leigh is currently working on an MFA, has written countless short stories, and is the author of lots of mediocre poetry. She is also the winner of the 2016 Southeast Review Narrative Nonfiction Prize for her short story “The Ditch Bank and the Fenceline.”

Bookalicious is the last stop on DAUGHTER 4254’s book tour, which means you can read amazing excerpts, awesome reviews, and interesting interviews and guest posts from Leigh Statham at the following blogs;

BookHounds YA (interview), Fan-Girl-Tabulous (review), Reese’s Reviews (excerpt), Caffeine and Composition (review), Hooked to Books (guest post), YA Obsessed (review), Maddie.TV (interview), The Desert Bibliophile (review), Wandering Bark Books (excerpt), Kindle and Me (review), Wishful Endings (interview), Jena Brown Writes (review), Stuffed Shelves (review), Life of a Simple Reader (review), Books, Vertigo and Tea (excerpt), Savings in Seconds (review), Two Chicks on Books (interview), Cindy’s Love of Books (review), and Captivated Reading (review).

You’re also able to view the promo post for Leigh Statham’s novel, DAUGHTER 4254, via this link, which features a giveaway (prizes include finished copies of this novel and amazon giftcards)!!

Thank you for supporting my book blog! If you have a book blog of your very own, what’s its URL? I’d love to read it!

I received DAUGHTER 4254 in exchange for an honest review and promo post. In saying this, all opinions, reviews, ratings, and comments are my own and have not been influenced by this.