Emerald City

by Alicia K. Leppert

Olivia's sad, solitary life in Seattle comes dangerously close to ending one fateful night, if not for a neighbor saving her in the nick of time. Curious about her mysterious rescuer, she seeks him out in hope of getting some answers, but instead finds something she never thought she'd have again.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Angels, Romantic

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 10, 2012

About the author

I always knew I wanted to be a writer, ever since Career Day in first grade when I walked around carrying a notebook and pencil. Twenty-some odd years later, after a short stint in high school where I dreamed of being an actress, a whirlwind Internet romance including a blind proposal that led to a fairytale wedding and two pretty-near perfect kids, my lifelong dream came to fruition with my first novel, Emerald City. I live with my small brood in my beloved hometown of Pasco, which is located in the only part of Washington state that isn't green. When I'm not writing, I can be found decorating novelty cakes and taking naps--my other two passions.

Reviews

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Emerald City was a haunting and engrossing story with a paranormal twist.

Twenty-year old Olivia is struggling with depression. It's a chore just getting through the day, going to work trying to act like she cares about anything. She barely eats and sleeping has become extremely difficult because she's plagued by nightmares of her mother's death. After overhearing mean comments about her at work, Olivia goes home, barely thinking through her actions, and almost ends her life. This is where we meet mysterious Jude, her neighbor and savior, coming at just the right moment. When Olivia wakes up and finds out what happened, she's mortified by her actions and deeply curious about Jude. She can't fathom how he showed up at just the right time, and when she's almost positive she locked her front door.

I was drawn into this dark, although hopeful, story from the first pages. I think the author did a great job at portraying the apathetic feelings of depression. You truly feel for Olivia when you hear some of her background. So when Jude, not only saves her but also befriends, and treats her with such care and kindness, you can't help but fall for this saintly man. Some of the moments between these two, had me swooning! There is a mystery, with a paranormal twist, behind Jude, that slowly unfolds, leaving you turning the pages eagerly to find out. My only complaints with this story were some of the inner turmoil Olivia recounts, at the end of the story, is a bit lengthy. I thought this should've been shortened. I also would've liked more background to the story of Olivia and her best friend. I didn't clearly understand the why, in their falling out. All in all, I thought this was a great debut for Alicia Leppert. I look forward to reading more from her!

Thank you to Netgalley and Cedar Fort for allowing me to read this.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I received this book (my first one at that) from Net Galley. I don't know why, but I felt really important to be given the chance to read a book that's not yet to be released until April 10th. Like I was going to know this all important secret before the rest of the world. So if you will, indulge me for a moment while I live on this high.

To be honest, what first drew me to the book was the cover and the title. I mean, the cover looked all dark and mysterious and the title instantly made me think of Wizard of Oz. Then I read the blurb that was on Net Galley-

One city of 600,000 people.
One broken girl.
One mysterious boy.
One fateful night,
Two worlds collide.

I thought, how in the world is this related to the Wizard of Oz. It didn't matter, I wanted to read it. And fast. Quite frankly, it doesn't have anything to do with the Wizard of Oz. That was just my own ignorance shining through. Thank goodness I had a coworker who told me that Seattle, or Washington more like it, is called the Emerald State.

Okay, I get it. That made more sense when I read this blurb on the authors website.


Olivia Tate is a broken shell of a girl haunted by the tragic events that fill her past. She has closed herself off from the world, each day grasping at something—anything—to live for. Convinced there will never be a way out, she seeks solace in the depths of her medicine cabinet. When she wakes up days later in the hospital she is introduced to Jude, the quiet stranger responsible for saving her life. She never could have guessed then that her mysterious rescuer would end up saving her life a second time, while simultaneously turning her world upside down. A modern-day romance with a twist, Emerald City has a little bit of something for everyone!


I went into this book not really knowing what it was about. Obviously (see my Wizard of Oz moment from above) but I came out absolutely LOVING this book. Mrs. Leppert is right when she says that this mysterious rescuer turns Olivia's world upside down. Oh and the twist on the romance? Yeah, wouldn't have expected what it was from the tiny summary above.


Now, on to my take on this book.


Olivia is depressed. There is no way to sugar coat her life. It sucks and it's monotonous. She has the same routine every day. Find the will to get up, shower, eat, go to work, come home, avoid sleep- when that doesn't work, do her damnest to get through her nightmares. Why the nightmares? Why the depression? Sister has had it rough! Her dad was living a double life and choose the "other" family over her and her mom. Her mom struggled to make ends meet and support Olivia as a single mother. When it all became too much, her mom killed herself in the bathroom, for Olivia to find. Six months later, still reeling from the hand that life has dealt her, she decides to take the pain away herself by od'ing on pills. She's unsuccessful. See, there's this mysterious neighbor by the name of Jude who comes to her rescue.


And this is where the fluttery romance begins. Jude, after explaining to the doctors, that is was an accident that Olivia tried to kill herself, makes it his mission to keep his eye on Olivia. Convenient to keep a watch out for her when he lives right across the street. Just so happens, he shows up everywhere. On her doorstep when she can't sleep. At her job when her shift is over. And before you know it, Jude not only has taken up residence in Olivia's life but he's now in her heart. And if his could beat...(dun dun dun) she'd be in his too.


Hey Jude (go ahead and sing it. You know you want to) is "mysterious" and totally had my cheeks aching. He's sweet and adorable and I won't say swoony because I really don't like that word, but he's just...yeah. He's pretty awesome. Along the way, you pick up clues as to what Jude really is. I won't spoil the secret, but halfway through the book, you have a pretty good idea that he's something else. Something other worldly.


This book was truly wonderful because it shows hope and promise when you've reached your limit that you can go on. You can find happiness if you allow yourself. Yeah, life sucks sometimes, but if you can pick yourself up and do right by yourself, then maybe you can be given a second chance. And love. Oh love. Who wouldn't want a second chance at life when you have someone to love to share it with?


Thank you NetGalley and Cedar Fort Publishers for allowing me to read this gem before it's released. I feel honored and humbled at the opportunity. And if you can get your hands on this April 10th, I suggest you do. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Mia Searles (The Muses Circle) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come check out more of my reviews on my blog at The Muses Circle

My Review: I am not sure what it was about the synopsis of Emerald City that caught my attention. Yes, I am a sucker for romance and "mysterious" heroes, so maybe it was that aspect of the summary that made me click the "request" button on netgalley. I definitely don't regret it, even though this debut novel by Alicia K. Leppert turned out to be quite different then what I expected it to be.

As the synopsis states, the story opens with a harrowing scene of attempted suicide. Olivia is a 20 year old shell of a young woman, broken down by losing everyone that has meant something to her. Abandoned by even her best friend, Olivia has attempted to eke out her own life by working and owning her own apartment. But she lives like a robot, going through the motions without truly seeing or feeling, barely eating or full-filling other social or physical needs. After a particularly bad day at work, swallowing a bottle of anxiety pills becomes her answer to her problems. One minute Olivia feels nothing and is greeted by white light, the next she is waking up in the hospital, told she has been saved by her mysterious neighbor named Jude. And so Olivia's journey begins, her fight back to mental and physical wellness, finding something worth living for... Sounds like a pretty straight forward, contemporary novel, right?

I battled back and forth on how much I should reveal about Emerald City in my review. But after some careful thinking and seeing that other reviewers have talked about what I wanted to reveal, I decided to go for it. If you haven't figured it out already, Emerald City is actually a paranormal romance and our mysterious hero, Jude, is an...angel! Now hold that thought.

Here is what I liked about the novel. I think the author did a great job with capturing the realistic nature of depression and suicide. I completely disagree with another reviewer in regards to how long it takes to heal after suffering a great loss. In the book, Olivia's mother killed herself a year before. Another reviewer felt that her depression lasting a year over the death of her mother felt unrealistic. They felt that after a couple of months, Olivia should have been able to start healing from her loss. Seriously?? Who puts a limit on the grieving process? Everyone deals with loss differently, so I thought the author dealt with the subject conscientiously.

Emerald City is filled with great characterization. The author really takes her time to build the relationships between her characters. While some other reviewers felt it may have taken too long for the relationship between Olivia and Jude to begin to really blossom, I thought it was a nice change from some of the typical "instant love" romances out there. I also like the fact that the author didn't bog the story down with tons of secondary characters. Not that I have issues with secondary characters, but Alicia K. Leppert does a great job making the characters she has three dimensional. One of my favorites is Hal, the mysterious homeless man that Jude always goes to when he needs to borrow materialistic things, like a truck, money, etc. I know, sounds weird, right? How can a homeless man have those kinds of connections? Read to find out :)
Even though the paranormal element wasn't really evident until about halfway through the book, I liked the angel mythology that was introduced. In Alicia K. Leppert's world, her angels don't have any wings. Heaven is not located in the sky, but is hidden in some sort of alternate dimension. Spirits are kept separate from angels. There are also many different kinds of angels, like ones that comfort you before you pass on, those that guard you, etc.


Now to my issues with Emerald City. A few are minor and are just thoughts/questions I had while reading. Olivia owns her own apartment in Seattle, but only works at a cafe shop. Is that realistic? Olivia swallows a whole bottle of pills but somehow Jude convinces the hospital it was an "accident". Really?? Apparently he did not use any of his "heavenly" influences to convince the hospital staff that it was an accident. It doesn't sound plausible.

When Olivia is at one of her therapy sessions, she thinks to herself that she doesn't want to reveal that Jude is the one that saved her. She tells Dr. Robinson that she has been spending time with a guy and that he is her neighbor. Then later in the conversation, she mentions that her savior the night she tried killing herself was her neighbor. Wait, didn't she just give it away??? I think it was one of those unconscious errors the author made and the editor didn't catch it. A little proof reading and rewording would have solved that mistake.

Also, without giving away too much, there is a part where Olivia is able to "meet" Jude's mother on the other side. I thought this was a bit odd since I would have thought that if the author was going to go in that direction with the story, it would be Olivia's mother that she would be able to see. Considering the fact that she has regrets about her mother's death and wishing she had the chance to talk with her one last time, I'm not sure what purpose was gained by making it be Jude's mother whom she meets. Again, maybe it slipped the author's mind, but I thought adding Jude's mom to the mix was a bit of an odd angle.

Lastly-- and this is my biggest issues and sadly, I don't think this is the author's fault-- I think Emerald City was completely marketed wrong. Back to my earlier comment, I first went into this novel thinking it was going to be a contemporary YA novel. Then I started reading it, and with Olivia's age being revealed at 20 and the serious/grimness of the depression and suicide attempt, I thought wow, maybe this is more of an adult novel. Then the angel concept was intertwined and I came to the conclusion that this is a YA paranormal romance for older teens. On top of the genre confusion, throw in a completely ambiguous cover art and book title, and you have yourself a hot mess of confusion. Now, I have talked to enough authors to know cover art is usually completely out of their hands. But I am still stuck on the title. Sometimes authors have a say, sometimes they don't. Other then Jude's green eyes which are mentioned quite a bit throughout the novel, I can't figure out what "Emerald City" means. And it absolutely does not help market the book at all.

Emerald City was not a bad read. I think the author captures the realistic and ugly stages of grief, depression, and suicide. I liked that the paranormal elements were introduced a bit later in the book. It was a nice change to see the relationship between two characters take its time to develop rather then using the instant love formula that we see so much in YA novels. Great characterization, interesting angel mythology held the story together. But a few plot holes such as poor editing, combined with the terrible marketing of this book is why it only gets a 3 out of 5 star rating. I think paranormal romance fans will miss out on Emerald City because they won't know about it. Thank God I am open minded! Someone who picks up this novel thinking its a contemporary romance may leave a worse review simply because they felt misled.

Reviewed by: Mia Searles @ The Muses Circle

[rameau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twenty-year-old Olivia is depressed. Her father abandoned Olivia and her mother for his other family, and her mother abandoned when she moved out to get an education. She endures life poorly, social connection worse, and work with a fake smile plastered on her face.

Then one night, when the nightmares have robbed her of her sleep and she just wants to rest for a while, she downs a bottle of valium and lets go.

Except, she doesn't.

Olivia wakes up in a hospital to find out that a mysterious neighbour has saved her life and lied to the doctors about her intentions. She finds out that his name is Jude and that he has been spying her through the window from the opposite building. Or has he?

In the seconds that followed, I became disconnected from the scene.

That sums succinctly my problem with this book.

First of all, it's a good example on how this story is told as opposed to shown. Instead of using language that is active and gripping, Leppert manages to find the exact opposite way of saying everything. It's like a mother bird regurgitating a ready chewed meal to her chicks to eat. This author doesn't trust her readers to infer from context or dialogue what exactly is going on in Olivia's head.

Or in his. Jude's third person limited voice is mixed with Olivia's first person limited, and it's not done well enough to justify it. Please, if you want to write in first person stick with it. Deal with the limitations first person limited sets and don't start adding multiple voices or other points of view written in third (or second) person. Or, alternatively, if you're going to mix, then at least do it well. This is a huge pet peeve of mine, but I've made exceptions. Most recently, Glow comes to mind. This however is not it.

The handling of Olivia's attempted suicide was utterly disappointing. At first, it was a positive surprise to see her seeking for professional help, but as the story progressed, it became clear that her psychiatrist's main function was to give Olivia someone to talk about Jude. Later on, the therapist was replaced by a random co-worker and a random high school bestie reconnected.

The focus on the relationship (I refuse to call it a romance) wouldn't have been as aggravating had I found it compelling. It was tepid at best and riddled with disease of insta twu wuv. I didn't buy their declarations of love nor did I understood why Jude chose to fall for her. The only explanation given in the book was superficial at best. Also what kind of angel doesn't have wings? Angel lite? Ugh, no thanks for me.

Then there's the plot. Or more accurately: What plot? There was none that I could detect. Maybe a smattering towards the end resembled something plottish, but it was over before I could muster the excitement. I do prefer my books and stories to be on the plottish side, but there's nothing wrong with character driven introspective stories either. Except. Well, read on.

Secondly the quote describes perfectly my connection to book and its characters. For a someone whose voice I should be intimately acquainted with after spending three hundred pages with her, I don't have a clue who Olivia really is. Neither do I feel like I know or care about Jude, whose story I think would have made a better book than Olivias's.

Which brings me to my first status update for this book:

It reads like a fanfiction.

It's not necessarily a bad thing, because I quite like reading fanfiction. It's just that I prefer my books and original fiction, well, original.

At first it was just a handful of details that alerted me along with the writing style, but as the list grew I kept thinking: Was this a Twilight fanfiction? I asked around, and so far the answer is a resonant no.

Unfortunately that doesn't remove the similarities I saw:
- The book is set in Seattle.
- Olivia's parents are absent.
- She has self-destructive tendencies.
- Jude stalks observes Olivia unbeknownst to her.
- She confronts him of his lie in a restaurant.
- He's a supernatural creature.
- They trust each other too easily with the kind of sensitive information both are hiding.
- There's a painful transformation.
- There's a discussion about waiting to have sex.

There are others, but my notes are sketchier. The point is that, if I can easily replace (in my head) the names of your characters with other well known character names and not notice the difference, your characterisation seriously sucks. What's worse, I think I would have enjoyed this story more had I been reading an honest Bella and Edward Twilight fanfic, and I hate reading fics about Bella and Edward.


I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Vanya D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received this book from Netgalley.

Speechless. That's how I feel after finishing this brilliant work of prose. I'd gladly give it six stars out of the five I'm allowed to give because it stirred my soul on such a deep level, I can't even begin to describe it.

At first, I thought it'd turn out to be something like A city of angels, but it wasn't. The story was unique in its own way. And it was so well developed, that it had me clinging to every single word, like it was the air I needed to breathe. Honestly, I haven't read such an emotional book in a very long time. I'm sure Emerald City will stay with me for a while, just like I'm sure that I'll be re-reading it sometime soon.

I must say that I was intrigued from the very first page. It was written in such a masterful way, with a style that completely answered my plea for a book that would be worth my time. I am glad for spending every second buried in the pages of Emerald City, because it made me realize many things I hadn't actually thought about. Things like the fact that no matter how bad things look, we should never give up on life. Or that feeling mentally and emotionally low is much much worse than being physically low. But most of all, I realized on a much deeper level that it's love that makes us weak, and love that makes us strong. And ultimately, it's the only thing worth fighting for.

I loved the way every detail was described, and it's a first time where the narrative didn't bug me out of my mind. No, here the narrative was my silent companion that made me feel one with both Olivia and Jude, the two main characters. The descriptions of their states of mind, the importance of their decisions and the thoughts that lurked in their subconscious drew me in like a drug, making me crave for more.

Most of all though, nothing about the story or the characters sounded casual, or cliched, or even a little bit unrealistic. In truth, they all felt so real, that at times I felt like I was pulled into their world and held there with sailing ropes.

The characters:
*Olivia - she started out as a complete mess. She was nobody, she felt like a nobody and somehow she preferred it that way. Until someone noticed her and called her a name that bothered her to the bottom of her soul. That name seemed to be the drop that pushed her into a whirlpool of events she could hardly control. But with all that she went through, she was still incredibly brave in the most human, most feminine way. It felt like she might need superpowers to get back among the living, but all she had were her own strength... and the help of a friend. I honestly loved Olivia, because she was true to herself, and she was real and tangible. She wasn't s shallow character that acted out of need. No, she was a person, living and breathing and hurting. To me, she was real.

*Jude - oh, how my heart ached for him! I knew who he was a couple of chapters before Olivia figured it out herself. And I had a feeling what decisions he would end up making. But boy, was it hard to accept! I think I literally felt pain when I read those last few chapters, because Jude was an amazing person. Everything about his experiences felt so real, that I could feel it along with him. The pain, the struggle, the ultimate decision... and how he grew from there. It was simply amazing. And when he called Olivia 'Liv', it was like my heart melted along with hers. It was beyond beautiful.

*Hal - what would this story be without him? He was the special guy that seemed to hold lots of answers. He was secretive and mysterious and open to help however he could. He made me smile, especially because of his job (you wouldn't believe!), and he totally won me over with his friendly demeanor.

So, in the end all I can say is: Read this book, people!!!! It's worth your time and money!!!!

[Jeremy Hurd-McKenney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note to self: anyone with an idea about a sad, broken girl wandering listlessly through the soggy wastelands of the Pacific Northwest until rescued by a vampire/werewolf/angel/BDSM businessman can apparently get published. Never ever read this book, unless you like the feeling of sympathetic embarrassment you would receive from reading a twelve-year-old girl's diary.

Boo to the publishing company for its deliberately vague jacket description, and also boo to the usually reliable Elliott Bay Books for misfiling this in the horror section. The only true horror in this book is the sophomoric prose.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seattle waitress Olivia Tate goes through the motions of living everyday, but life for her is torture. Sleeping is nearly impossible, and eating has no appeal. Her emotional scars are so deep that one night she decides she can't take it anymore.

Olivia is saved by Jude, a neighbor she's never seen. He helps her recover and she can't help falling for him. But she knows that he's keeping something important from her. She tries to protect her heart while digging for the truth.

The emotions described by author Alicia Leppert immediately drew me in to Emerald City. Although parts of the story reminded me of a certain 1998 movie, it was entertaining and suspenseful.

Once Jude's secret was discovered the pace changed quite a bit, and the story seemed to set itself up for a sequel.

Leppert's debut novel was an enjoyable read.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stories about people who come from low points in their lives to triumph and find their passions and will of living again usually strike me at my core. I've read many realistic stories that have done this very well. I've also read many supernatural and paranormal stories that have done this well.

Emerald City fits into neither one, unfortunately. It's a novel where I saw what the author was trying to do in the progression of it, but the execution left much to be desired on many different scales. It felt too familiar of a story for me to fully get behind - a sort of alternating take on a story like the movie "City of Angels", only without necessarily taking the direction that the ending of that movie did.

20-year-old Olivia is a young woman suffering from a deeply rooted depression that consumes her entirely. She nearly succeeds in committing suicide, but is saved by a mysterious man named Jude who claims to have seen her attempt and called for help in sending her to the hospital to get treatment. Olivia knows that he's lying to protect her. While this may seem all well and good, Olivia doesn't know what to make of Jude's mysterious presence and explanation for saving her life. Even more, she begins falling for him, even while he keeps a rather guarded secret (which really isn't as much of a secret as one would believe). Still, the novel goes forward to establish the tension between them, and as Olivia starts to become whole again, the secret and the forces driving a wedge between them threaten to tear them apart.

Forgive my bluntness, but this feels like an all too familiar scenario, and it's further complicated by how Leppert chooses to approach the story. I don't believe this benefited much from being told in alternating perspectives. For the most part, it's kind of a given after a certain point as to whom Jude's identity really is and how it would impact Olivia. It actually could've been revealed much earlier on and still had the same impact on me as it did when the story went around the 50% mark (which is to say - it didn't impact me very much at all). I found the shift from first person Olivia's account to third person Jude's account jarring. One of the few authors I've read that managed to do this well was Sophie Hannah in "Little Face." While even that story had its share of caveats that were hit or miss depending on how you felt the reveal to be, it still provided a decent amount of tension leading up to what was a story heavily rooted in its genre: mystery.

Here, in Leppert's work? Not so much. I kept asking what was the point. The wait for that reveal felt like pulling off a bandaid stuck to skin - it wasn't really a surprise to me. I don't think it would surprise other people if they knew that "Emerald City" is, in fact, a paranormal romantic story. You don't get that description from the blurb, but it's pretty obvious once you get into the heart of the story and realize "Oh crud, I know where this is going to go." It's like every cookie cutter YA paranormal romance that starts in the direction of boy saves girl's life, boy seems to stalk girl, boy has terrible secret that would harm girl if she knew. It's a familiar troupe. Only I have to give props to Jude for actually being a decent guy. But that presents another issue entirely.

Another consideration: I did appreciate that the author chooses to develop Olivia as a woman coming to terms with her respective issues and depression. Yet, why the heck did her progression have to be so reliant on her relationship with Jude? Jude himself seems like a Gary Stu placed in the alternating measures of this novel (hence why I said him being a decent guy was a problem). He shows up at the right time, he's charming and funny, he listens to Olivia's problems and struggles within her depression. He just seems to be there to do all the right things at first. I couldn't wrap my head around Olivia being so open to him about her problems, let alone I couldn't see myself thinking that her progression/changes were solely because of Jude. Depression really doesn't work that way, and the suggestion that this novel makes in having Olivia's issues being dependent on that relationship made me want to throw my E-reader against the wall. It offended me. Even when you consider the conversations between Olivia and her therapist and Olivia and her boss remarking on the changes she's made in her life - it all comes back to Jude. It felt really shallow and contrived as a plot device.

Suffice to say, as events came to pass and Jude reveals his secret to Olivia, the novel starts moving along. It actually started moving along a little better than its beginnings - at least until the second major wedge arrives. Jude leaves Olivia by her lonesome without saying goodbye or giving an explanation; we later figure out the reason why through his narrative and through the recap in Olivia's perspective. Olivia is heavily distraught during his absence and suffers somewhat of a relapse - which I saw coming from a mile away. Ugh - this is far too common a troupe in paranormal romance where the hero disappears, leaves the heroine awash with grief - as if a good heroine can't fend for herself in a lover's absence. (Though it's reasonable to expect this kind of action to make a heroine upset as heck.)

He returns, she's reasonably distraught, at least until he explains why he was gone. Then things smooth over until certain events come to pass and threaten to tear them apart yet again (which by this point I started drawing the City of Angels comparisons). The ending goes down a little easier than I expected, but it still left me ill at ease at how predictable the plot was and considering all the assertions made through the story.

I appreciate the intent, but I did not like the execution of "Emerald City" when the whole of it was considered. It used too many familiar troupes, trivialized the central issue it focused on AND managed to make it somewhat of a paranormal wish-fulfillment story with characters - while having some charms in tow - that lack enough dimension to really carry the story beyond its cliches. I couldn't enjoy this for those reasons, I hesitate in recommending it, unless you are a reader that doesn't mind the familiar paranormal romantic measures of recent considerations. It just felt like it could've been a much better story.

Overall score: 2/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Cedar Fort/Sweetwater Books.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and again, there is a book that really grabs my heart and keeps hold. It is, therefore, with a lot of gushing and awe that I admit that Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert was one such book. I’m almost one hundred percent certain that I haven’t read a book so in tune with me in such a long time. It was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it and it is one book that I would happily read over and over again. This book touched me in ways that so many other books just fail to do.

One of the first things that drew me into this story was how well Alicia has actually written this book, and how well she’s grasped depression and the way people can and do feel. It is unfortunate that the reason I know this is because I have felt very similar thoughts and feelings in my life but this is also probably why I love this book so much. It was nice to know that no one is alone with thoughts and feelings like this. I also loved witnessing the journey and transformation of Olivia, which left a trajectory of hope to the readers. It just showed that it doesn’t always have to end horribly, that it can turn around, and that people are there to help and that you can feel better, if you let it happen.

I enjoyed reading about the blooming friendships in the novel and how it portrayed that it can sometimes be the people in our life that really help us the most, without us even truly realising it. I also liked that it showed that a lot of the time, new friends could be right beside us but we just may not take the time to notice. It sort of gives the message to really look around you and try to reach out to the people you see almost daily as you never know what happen. It really makes you think about how much you can affect someone’s life, and it is such a powerful and moving message. I also liked the idea that despite big arguments happening, friends can always turn back to each other and work together to rebuild their broken relationship. Everything isn’t always ruined forever.

This leads me to discuss the love relationship in this book, and boy, what a relationship! I absolutely adored them together. I loved how caring, protective and gentle Jude was and how mysterious he was around Olivia. I loved that she felt sage and happy and secure around him and how he helped her to be stronger and to start looking at the world around her. But what I loved most about it all was how realistic and natural it all felt throughout the story. I could honestly imagine a relationship forming that way, because nothing was too rushed or forced. I also loved that the relationship building was witnessed. It didn’t just ‘happen’, but it took a while, it was slow and hard to avoid the feelings, and darn it, it was just so romantic and cute and lovely. Jude is the kind of guy that everyone wants, or well, I know I do!

The plot within this book was also extremely compelling and page-turning. Written mostly in Olivia’s POV, it is clear that the story is about her and her journey and it was so great to read about everything that happened. It was, however, the few sections of Jude’s POV that really brought mystery and suspense to this book. It always left you with questions as to what was going on or what was going to happen and really managed to pull the reader in. I wanted to know what was going on and then, once I had realised it, I sat in eager anticipation as I waited for Olivia to come to the same conclusion that I had. This was such a brilliant tactic and style that I thoroughly enjoyed as it built up the tension perfectly, it was never too much, but just right. After all has been solved, however, I loved that it wasn’t all over but that there was actually so much more to happen. It was so action-packed and mysterious and compelling and I simply adored every word that was written on the page.

All in all, this book was one that I enjoyed and treasured intensely. It tugged at my heartstrings, it represented a serious topic extremely well and gave it a new perspective while also giving readers some sign of hope and happiness. It was a lovely, romantic, twist-leading, mysterious book that pulls your emotions in so many different ways that it is almost impossible not to love this book, at least, in my opinion! I would recommend this book to people who love emotional romance books that have something more, and to anyone who is, or has ever experienced depression or knows someone who has or is. It is a powerful book that I could not praise highly enough; I loved it more than words can convey.

I received the ARC of this book in return for an honest review from NetGalley.

[Bry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say - I am totally torn on this book. I love it, I hate it, I like it, I'm apathetic about it. I read the first half of the book insanely fast because I was completely sucked in by the depth of the emotions and the severity of their consequences. Then the second half of the book took a complete 180 and went really slow even though it was the climax of the book. But lets slow down here and take it from the beginning.

The plot...
It revolves around the relationship between Olivia and Jude as Olivia combats her depression and Jude deals with who he really is and how that will keep Olivia and him apart. It is full of emotion, sadness, hope, fear, and 12 other feelings. It totally took me on a roller coaster ride. And I loved it. Like 5 star loved it. But that was just the first half. From there it went all down hill for me.

The second half of the book which deals with Jude's decisions, actions, and consequences (which I can't really describe without spoilers), but sadly to me this was rushed and full of plot holes. For instance, who Jude "is" is supposed to be the big mystery of the book but it is GLARINGLY obvious from the beginning, and then about half way through the book instead of making subtle hints to his real identity the author blatantly hits the reader over the head with those "hints". It was like 2 books in one, and I liked the first book MUCH BETTER, So sadly I had to rate the second half of the book only like 2 stars.

The characters...
They were pretty fantastic. I have to say I was highly impressed with Olivia especially. From the very beginning her emotions are incredibly deep, complex, and true to form. At first I thought it was so friggin depressing, but then I realized that was the point. The author was trying to make the reader feel just a tenth of what Olivia was feeling, and I did. What makes her even better is that she grows throughout the book and actually recognizes it. You see her mentally and emotionally mature throughout the novel all while still being believable and relatable.

Jude was a bit too picture perfect for me, but given who he really was it made sense. His heart was pure gold and he usually managed to say or do just the right thing. Hal, Jude's friend, was another favorite character in the book. He was full of surprises, and was always the character you needed him to be without changing himself. You need someone to talk to? Hes a great listener. You need someone to throw down in a fight? Man's got mad skills. You need anything? He will make it happen.

Final verdict...
Overall I am giving this 3 stars mostly as an average between the awesome beginning and the disappointing ending. This author thought definitely has potential. She can write and describe some insanely complex mental issues and emotions, and is fantastic at characterization. I just think she needs to work a bit more on her action writing.

I definitely recommend this based on the outstanding depth of character, but maybe for those of you who don't mind a little less action in their books, or can overlook the not so subtle hints and small plot holes.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doesn't Emerald City have a pretty cover? I really like it. The line on the front is so true, too. I think that one line is perfect for the story of Emerald City.

I think I forgot what this book was about in the time between when I signed up for the blog tour and the day I actually read the book. I was a bit surprised when I started reading it. It wasn't what I was expecting. That's not a bad thing. I kinda like good book surprises. :)

I would call this book "real life drama with a paranormal twist". Olivia has been dealt a sad and difficult hand in life. Her story is really heart breaking. I felt so much sympathy for her. She was so sad and lonely. Her life had become almost no life at all as she was wasting away to nothing. Which leads me to my favorite thing about this book. In her darkest, worst moment, someone steps in with some light. A small kindness, followed by another, followed by another that ends up making all the difference in the world to Olivia. Isn't that what can make all the difference to any of us on any given hard day? A small kindness can change everything.

Olivia goes from a shell of a person to someone who believes she can maybe survive. Then when she is surviving, she starts to believe that maybe she can find some happiness somewhere. It starts a chain of events that move Olivia to a better place. A place where love is found.

I loved the transformation for Olivia. I love that she found hope and light and love of life again. Of course Jude, the rescuer and friend, is at the center of Olivia's transformation. He ultimately shows us how showing kindness and love can change a person's whole life. What a good, good man. Jude. (that was my romantic heart sighing) At first I was like, "what's up with Jude?!" And then a bit later I said, "Oh, that's what's up with Jude." Just wait until you find out what's up with Jude. :)

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert was well written, almost methodically planned out. When I first started reading it, I was entranced by Olivia's story. I felt her emotions and that loneliness that made her cut off everyone and not care. Although looking at the flip side, perhaps she cared too much. I felt myself drowning in her pity and sadness.

When the story inserted Jude, I felt as if I was the last one to know a huge secret. I even numerous times commented in my head "Did I miss something?" When Hal mentioned 'redemption' I finally clued in on most of the big secret.

I felt myself cheering for Olivia as she struggled with herself, therapy, loving Jude and her every day life. I felt like this book was missing something though, her father. I really wanted her to meet him, so she can get some closure from that. I feel that Olivia hasn't had a whole lot of that.

When the book ended, I was in shock. The end to me felt a little bit fast BUT it was a great ending. I have a huge feeling that if this book gets as many good reviews and is successful in the sales as I feel it should be, there will be a continuation and possibly a saga or series.

Alicia K. Leppert has been very accomplished for this book. I hope there is a second book, I would love to hear more. I think everyone, no matter what age would enjoy this novel GREATLY. I'll be looking out for her in the future, for her and her novels.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one likes a depressing suicide scene, so keep reading past the first few pages and you will find what may well be one of the greatest love stories I have read in long while. An excellent book club choice full of "What would you do?" questions. What would you give up for love? What do you see when you think of heaven? How would knowing someone gave up everything for you change you now and down the road? How much of our life is determined by our own choices, by the people in our lives, by fate or by some higher power? This book tells the story of Olivia.....and Jude, their love story as they fall in love in our world. It will keep you guessing, keep you thinking even when you get to the end and wonder if the ending is the right one, did Jude make the best choice? Did Olivia? Who really is to say what is right and wrong and what would you do?

Appropriate for all ages.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I am Alicia's sister, but consider myself a very critical reviewer. Take that for what it is worth.
Things I love about this book:
The way it deals with a very sensitive subject without being over dramatic or ignorant.
The way you get into the minds of the characters and know what they are feeling without sappy similes and metaphors. I hate sappy!
The way Olivia's character develops through the book. Too many books these days are all flash and the characters don't actually grow in any way.
The way the characters have real feelings like frustration, embarrassment, doubts, fears, but then you can see the hopes and growth and it makes them very relatable.
And of course who doesn't love a mystery! What is it about Jude that Olivia just can't quite figure out?

This is a great read and a fabulous first book by an up-and-coming author!

[NaDell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It was written well and the plot line was well thought out and I enjoyed the characters and twists and turns to the story development.
The very best part of this book for me was the disclaimer at the very beginning stating that she would "stay as true as possible to her beliefs" and she did that throughout the book by not needing swear words or crude language to make a love story (and not even insinuating that the main characters were behaving in that way). This really made it easy from the very beginning for me to read knowing that I wouldn't cringe and have to think about whether this is a book I should be reading. This is a book I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Alicia is JUST starting out and I cannot wait for the sequel to Emerald City!

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled on my heart strings and made my heart ache with love, compassion, and hope. It almost resembles a spiritual Romeo and Juliet set to a modern city but with with a much better ending. This book, the love shared, the strength built, and the bonds created made me reflect on my own relationships and strength. Repetitive at times, never the less, a very good and quick read!

[Jennifer Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a delightful and tender romance - like a sip of fine wine. I enjoyed the fragility of Olivia and the rash decisiveness of Jude. Their story is like a flower that slowly blooms. I enjoyed it front start to end!

[Anncleire · Rating 4 out of 5]

“One thing you have to remember is good always conquers evil. It’s not just a cliché. It’s true. And I’ll die making sure it happens.”

“Emerald city” è il primo romanzo di Alicia Leppert e lo avevo scelto convinta, non so assolutamente perché, che fosse una distopia. Mi sono rifiutata di andare a leggere la trama continuando ad andare a tentativi cercando di capire di cosa parlasse e quando finalmente ho afferrato il senso di tutto ero esterrefatta, tale è stata la bravura della scrittrice.

Olivia ha perso la madre che si è suicidata, ha vissuto un’infanzia e un’adolescenza difficile e va avanti per inerzia soffocata dal dolore. Una notte un commento poco felice da parte di uno dei clienti del coffee shop dove lavora fa scattare una molla dentro di lei e tenta di uccidersi. Non aveva considerato l’arrivo imprevisto di un “vicino di casa” Jude che la salva da una fine certa e la aiuta ad andare avanti e a riprendere in mano la sua vita. Piano piano i due diventano molto intimi ma Jude non è chi pensa Olivia e nasconde un segreto, ha sacrificato tutto per lei. I due riusciranno ad essere felici insieme?

Ora io pensavo che il libro fosse una storia verosimile, di dolore e speranza e non avrei mai considerato il pizzico di paranormale che aleggia nella storia finché non me lo sono trovata davanti e non ci ho sbattuto la faccia. Anzi ero così sconvolta che ho dovuto rileggere la scena incriminante. Avevo i miei dubbi sulla reale natura di Jude ma non avrei mai immaginato fino a che punto. E questo è un punto di merito per la Leppert che mi ha coinvolto a tal punto nella storia, facendomi completamente immedesimare in Olivia che ho scoperto la verità insieme a lei, in modo naturale e al momento giusto. Incredibile.
Olivia è una ragazza che ha sofferto tutta la sua vita. Il padre ha abbandonato la madre quando Olivia aveva solo cinque anni perché si era ricostruito una famiglia con un’altra donna e da allora si è completamente disinteressato della ragazzina che si è dovuta arrangiare con sua madre tirando sempre sugli spiccioli, lavorando senza sosta. La madre non si è mai ripresa, sempre sull’orlo della depressione e quando sua figlia si è trasferita ha mollato la presa. Non si può biasimarla, anche se naturalmente rinunciare è sempre un segno di debolezza, uno di quelli che ti rimangono addosso. Ma chi ci rimette è Olivia che si sente in colpa, che rinuncia a tutto, allontana anche la sua migliore amica e si chiude nell’autocommiserazione. Ma la ragazza è più forte di quello che si pensa, è capace di darsi da fare, di lottare, di non smettere di vivere, perché in fondo tutto si riduce a questo. Non sopravvivere o trascinarsi avanti ma vivere, dare una seconda chance alla vita. E cambia, affronta i demoni del passato, si fa aiutare, si immerge nella realtà che la circonda.
Jude invece è completamente preso dalla sua attività ma rinuncia a tutto ciò in cui crede, e che è per Olivia l’ancora di salvezza, perché tiene a lei e ci rivela tutto questo mondo a dir poco magico. È il sostegno che serve alla ragazza, l’amico e il ragazzo giusto per farla uscire dal guscio. Si ci sono momenti in cui lo si vorrebbe prendere a schiaffi, ma è talmente adorabile e dolce che gli si perdona tutto. Non voglio aggiungere altro, probabilmente in altre recensioni viene spiegato chi è Jude ma voglio lasciarvi il piacere di scoprirlo da soli, così come ho fatto io. Ce ne sono tanti di libri che trattano lo stesso soggetto ma questa è sicuramente la trama più originale che abbia letto ultimamente.
Non ci sono tantissimi personaggi secondari, e l’unico che voglio citare è Hal, un barbone, ma che in realtà è molto di più, amico di Jude e che nella storia avrà un ruolo speciale.

Due sono le cose che ho particolarmente apprezzato di questo libro. Innanzitutto l’ambientazione in questa Seattle glaciale, ma assolutamente impressionante, con il porto, la baia, l’oceano, la commistione di migliaia di vite che si sfiorano ma non si conoscono davvero, che si passano vicine ogni giorno ma non sanno niente l’una dell’altro. I passaggi bruschi tra giorni e notti, gli incubi, le urla, l’appartamento di Olivia che nasconde tutto il suo dolore, quella scatola di legno che nasconde il suo passato, la macchina bianca di Jude e sempre l’impressione di dolore e fatica. Ma di fondo una speranza unica, speranza che si nasconde nell’emerald del titolo.
E poi la scelta narrativa della Leppert che racconta la storia in prima persona dal punto di vista di Olivia mostrandoci tutta la prospettiva del suo dolore e della sua sofferenza che continuano a far capolino e a distruggere la sua sanità mentale. Salvo poi alcuni punti di vista, in terza persona di Jude, che non sono davvero risolutivi ma che contribuiscono ad aggiungere mistero e domande alla storia, rendendola ancora più intrigante. È il contrasto che ne viene fuori è assolutamente perfetto.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una statuina a forma di angelo. Che significato ha? Leggete e scopritelo.

Consiglio a tutti la lettura di questa storia meravigliosa dove la speranza si personifica, l’amore e la lotta per la sopravvivenza fisica e spirituale la fanno da padrone. Non c’è niente di scontato, ogni giorno si conquista un pezzo di felicità a costo di sacrifici e di rinunce. L’amore non è solo la felicità di stare insieme, significa anche rinunciare a quello che si è per rendere felice l’altra persona senza annullarsi. Un tocco di paradiso sulla terra.
Buona lettura guys!

Io ringrazio Netgalley e Cedar Fort per avermi concesso l’onore e il privilegio di leggere questo ARC in cambio di una mia recensione. Thanks!

[Kayla Beck Kalnasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at Krazy Book Lady

Emerald City by Alicia Leppert is a young adult romance that could easily be classified as contemporary, with just a hint of paranormal romance. It is Leppert’s debut novel, published by Cedar Fort Books.

Olivia Tate found herself in a very dark place. She had numbed any emotions that she may have had since the death of her mother. Her father was long gone, having left her and her mother fifteen years prior. She was able to go through the motions of life until finally everything becomes too much. A bottle of Valium later, she finds her life has changed (and been saved) due to the concern of her mysterious neighbor, Jude West.

When I started reading this book, I wanted to put it down. I do not usually enjoy reading about others floundering at the bottom of the deep void of depression, but I am so glad that I stayed with it. This is a story of survival, hope, sacrifice, and how just the little things can turn someone’s life around completely. The characters were very sweet, and it was easy to become attached to them. I am not usually a fan of romance, but this one was palatable. The book had a bit of a twist, but I had picked up on it almost immediately. (It's been done before.) However, it did not detract from the story or my enjoyment of it at all.

The book only had a few minor issues, with the main one being Olivia (and the only one really worth mentioning). I know how realistic it is for teenagers to feel so very hopeless, but I was irritated by what instigated her Valium consumption. (This is not a spoiler – it happens very early in the book.) She does not mourn the death of her mother or her loss of other personal relationships in her life. However, when she is called a freak at work after someone wanting a different waitress than her, she is driven to suicide. Olivia spent the first pages of the novel describing how numb she feels, but she gives up so quickly. It galled me a bit, even though I am aware that sometimes the burden can just become too heavy. Also, she was a very ill individual. I just wish she would have gotten stronger for herself. I will grant that she did see a mental health professional, but Jude was the driving force.

All in all, Emerald City is a lovely debut novel for Leppert. I finished it in two days and did not want to put it down. Due to the suicide attempt at the beginning of the story, I would only recommend it for the older young adult audience. That being said, maybe reading this would inspire someone in pain to seek help. Not everyone gets a Jude, and it is just important for someone to learn to stand on his or her own two feet. I think anyone who enjoys romance and contemporary books with a hint of the supernatural would be happy to get their hands on this book.

If you, or someone you know, is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received the book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has in no way affected the outcome.

[Book Babe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by Book Babe at www.romancingthetomereviews.com

Quickie Review:
A story that begins in a dark place and leads the reader beyond the desperation and the darkness into a world of love and light.

First Line:
"They say it's darkest just before dawn."

Summary:

***SUMMARY CONTAINS SPOILERS***

Twenty year old Olivia Tate lost her father at the age of five when he walked out on her and her mother, and chose instead to live with his "other" family complete with "other" kids. (Bastard.) Her mother never recovered from the loss, and years later once Olivia moved out on her own, her mom did the unthinkable and committed suicide. Alone, and struggling to cope with the situation, she pushes away her best friend and finally hits rock bottom. Nightmares consume her and she wants them to end. An overdose of Valium nearly ends her life. Her savior is Jude West, a stranger hiding secrets of his own. The story takes us with Olivia as she struggles for recover from the tragedies she has endured and learns to live again.

What worked for me:

* The beginning of the story give a real sense of the desperate, hollow place Olivia has been since the tragic loss of her mother. I originally thought the pacing of the first few chapters was slow, but in retrospect the pacing turned out to be a perfect corollary to Olivia's emergence from the life she'd been living.
* As Olivia's life became bearable, as she began to observe the world with new eyes, the author began to enrich the description, and the writing blossomed along with Olivia. I'm not sure the author did this intentionally, but it worked brilliantly.
* Depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts are dark subjects and I think the author did a nice job of showing the reader what it's like to suffer, heal, and recover from their detrimental effects.
* Olivia and Jude are well fleshed out. I will remember Olivia's character for a long time to come largely because she was so broken at the beginning of the story. I cheered for her immediately, wanting her to persevere, wanting her to survive and move toward a life well lived.

What didn't work for me:

* Honestly, the story itself worked. The cover however, is another matter. If anything, it conveys where the story takes place and the dark feel of the cover corresponds with where Olivia began her story. I don't think it represents the whole of the story, nor the paranormal elements that made the story such a delight. (And perhaps, that was the intent.)

Other Thoughts:

* Personally, I would categorize this story as YA Paranormal. Upper YA to be sure, considering the dark elements of depression, anxiety, and attempted suicide.
* Paranormal romance fans will find this story lacking in "romance", and the paranormal element really doesn't get introduced until quite late in the story. There is a distinct lack of action scenes through much of the story, which is atypical of paranormal romance. True PNR fans may not enjoy this as much as YA fans.

[Ms. Castellano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up Emerald City because I found the excerpt and the cover intriguing, and I wasn’t disappointed. The book focuses on Olivia, a waitress in Seattle, whose mother’s tragic death has left her feeling like a shell of a person. She still goes through the motions, but feels like there is nothing left for her. After a particularly bad day, she decides to end it, but is saved by Jude, a mysterious neighbor she has never met before. After her release from the hospital, which he helped orchestrate, he begins to show up frequently.
The beginning of the book is dark and sober, but in a good way. It really shows where Olivia is coming from, and why she did what she did. After Jude saves her, they become friends, and he helps her see a future beyond the tragedy.
The progression of Olivia and Jude’s relationship was realistic. It was nice to see a relationship develop instead of the insta-love in so many books I’ve read recently. Olivia actually becomes strong in her own right. It is easy to see why Olivia cares about Jude, more than she wants to even. She knows he’s hiding something from her, and doesn’t allow her feelings to let her forget it. The fact that Jude is obviously hiding things from her actually bothers her (unlike many other heroines) but she can tell he does care. Based on the darkness of the beginning of the book, I was surprised by what Jude was revealed to be when the secret finally comes out, though I did figure it out before the book “told” me, and it definitely worked with the rest of the story. It was actually nice not to know what the paranormal twist would be from page one.
The one thing that I really wish had been woven into the story more was why Jude was willing to give up so much (and when the reader learns what he did give up, it’s huge) for Olivia. Near the very end of the book, he tells her, but it would’ve been nice to see that, or at least hints of it, sooner. I liked Olivia, but had a hard time telling what set her apart from all the others like her Jude has seen. Since his POV is shown, it would’ve made his actions much more believable, especially since a significant portion of the book focuses on their relationship.
The book was an enjoyable paranormal romance with plenty of room for continuation, without leaving a huge cliffhanger at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Cedar Ford Publishing for letting me read this before its release.

[Carrie Ardoin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia, who is only 20 years old, feels she has already reached the lowest point in her life. So low, in fact, that she's decided to end it. But luckily for her, she is not successful.

Her rescuer is Jude, an impossibly handsome neighbor who caught her just in time to get her to get her to the hospital and save her life. As Olivia struggles to overcome the physical and emotional fallout from what happened to her, she finds that Jude will become much more than her life saver.

But can Olivia, who has been left by everyone she's ever loved and trusted in her life, open herself up to someone long enough to form a legitimate relationship? And can Jude let her know the truth about him, without breaking her trust all over again?

I can't say too much in this review because I don't want to give away the main plot points...you can discover those for yourself.

Olivia is an empty shell of a girl who has already been through so much in her short life. It saddens me so much to know that there are so many people in the world who get to the point where they think their life is so horrible that they have to take it. This book was an eye-opener in terms of suicide and learning to deal with extreme situations, and losing hope.

I'm glad Olivia grew throughout the novel, but I hope it was not only for the sole reason that she was with Jude.

Jude is the quintessential perfect guy of course--model handsome, polite, not pushy when it comes to sex, sensitive enough to talk about emotions. I wish I could have seen a little bit more from him--but I know that would have been difficult, given what he is.

I was wondering why the setting was Seattle--I guess I felt it could have been anywhere. But the more I think about it, I have to guess that the somber mood and constantly unpleasant weather may have had an affect on Olivia--it was just another ugly thing that she couldn't control.

I liked the author's writing style, but I feel like some of the book was just filler. I think it could have been at least 50 pages shorter. Nonetheless, it did give some things to think about, and I always appreciate when a book can do that for me.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerald City is a truly wonderful read, the storyline is very emotional and the descriptive writing is amazing. I found myself randomly reading out pieces of the book to whoever was near. I connected with the main character, Olivia quite early on and I loved reading her journey.

Olivia is feeling very low, her life is on a downward spiral. Her mum committed suicide and she still hasn't gotten over it. She either works as a waitress or she is in bed, she has gave up on eating and looking after herself. It is safe to say she has hit rock bottom and one thing pushes her over the edge and causes her to take an overdose.

When Olivia comes to in the hospital, she discovers that one of her neighbours rescued her. She meets Jude (her saviour) and everything in her life starts to take a turn, for the better. But Jude isn't who he says he is and when the truth is revealed will Olivia be able to handle it? Or will it push her over the edge?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Olivia and Jude's beautiful relationship, from the awkwardness at the start to what it eventually blossoms into. Olivia went through such a transformation and it was great to read, she is one of them characters that you will genuinely care about.

The ending is fantastic, I ever had a little tear. I will be on the look out for more works from Alicia K. Leppert. Add Emerald City to your Goodreads shelf today.

My favourite character was the main one:

Olivia - She is like-able, genuine, strong, smart and I think she will be relatable in some way to most people. She was willing to change her own path in life, which I loved.

Some of my favourite quotes:

"For that split second, locked in his gaze, I truly believed I could see it : a shimmering emerald eternity."

"I'm not really sure, the dark intrigues me. It has a certain magic to it."

"We turned to the beat of the rain, lost in a world that was completely our own. It was like a fairytale, like we'd transcended time and space to some magical place in some fantasy world."

*A review copy was provided for the tour*

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars-

Emerald City is one young woman's journey from the harrowing feeling of hopelessness to beginning to heal. 20 year old Olivia has suffered far more than most 20 year olds and feels alone in the world, her mother having committed suicide and her father abandoning the family after living a lie. One particularly hard night Olivia reaches her breaking point and in an effort to end the pain ends up in a hospital bed with no knowledge of how she could have possibly been saved. Her front door was locked, she has no real friends or neighbors in her apartment building that would check up on her, yet a mysterious man name Jude is said to have found and rescued her. Soon Jude has taken Olivia under his wing and shows her what it means to be cared for and looked after, but feelings are growing on both sides and there are so many unanswered questions about Jude's past and who he is.

As a reader I found myself wondering who and what Jude is through out most of the book until we get his back story over 20 chapters in. I really enjoyed learning more and wish we would have been filled in a bit sooner. From there this romance with a twist of Urban fantasy takes off. It's a darker read until then as Olivia is treading through the absolute hopelessness of clinical depression and suicidal ideation. I like that she addresses her issues through seeing a psychiatrist and going on medication when she so clearly needs it. But I think this is an older read for 17- adults because of the sad tone and traumatic life events Olivia faces. I am curious if there will be more in the series! If you are a fan of the Heavenly series by Jennifer Laurens this has similar character elements. I love love the cover and the chapter headings which highlight Seattle where the book was set, and I am pleased the author shows how one person can change the life course of another.

Content: no swearing or sex, some violence, suicidal and traumatic life events, some kissing and sleep overs.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out more of my reviews here: www.TheWindyPages.com


After a traumatic event, Olivia's life has spiraled out of control. One day, she finds herself taking her own life. Or at least, trying to. Instead, she wakes up in a hospital, and is told her neighbor has rescued her. A neighbor she never knew she had.

Jude introduces himself as the neighbor who saved her. While Olivia is skeptical at first, Jude quickly breaks down her walls and they find themselves becoming fast friends. Maybe more. But there's too much Olivia doesn't know about Jude. What is he hiding? And how did he rescue her? She was in her bedroom, and thought she had locked her door...

I wasn't sure what to categorize Emerald City as. At the beginning of the book, I would categorize it as Adult, but as the story continued, I noticed how the voice changed to YA. So maybe it's some sort of cross.

Olivia is a complex character. She is severely depressed when the novel opens and through the story, she is on this very long and difficult journey. But don't let her fool you. She grows into this very strong and thoughtful character. Anyone who has ever known someone who deals with depression will find the story very real. It can be difficult to read as it's very heavy and sad, but that just makes her transformation stronger.

Of course, Jude is wonderful. Soft spoken, true and totally beautiful, I knew his secret pretty early on. But that didn't take away from the story. I looked forward to seeing how Olivia would handle Jude's secrets and enjoyed their natural friendship.

I read this book slowly, enjoying the language and the heavy tone. It has a slow, liquid feel, watching nature happen. Very organic and real. The main characters were true to themselves and weren't forced. Events didn't happen too quickly. Well paced and emotion.
Jude is far from safe, and Olivia is becoming the fighter I know she can be. I will definitely read future books.

[Shanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary

Olivia Tate has had a tough life. She is barely making it through each day, simply going through the motions, when she overhears unkind words about her. She is in the depths of despair and can see no way out except through a bottle of pills.

When she wakes up in the hospital, the nurse tells her she was saved by her neighbor, a young man with green eyes named Jude. Jude is genuinely kind, yet quiet and incredibly private about his life. Olivia finds herself drawn to Jude, and as they build a friendship she finds that hope and light are returning to her life again.

My Review

I was drawn into Emerald City from page one. While it starts out a little dark I was pulled right into the story of Olivia and the mysterious young man from the next building. If I hadn’t been so tired I would have read straight through the night.

I really liked Jude and was very intrigued by him and his story. While I had a suspicion about the truth behind Jude, it was wanting to know more about him (and see if I was right) that kept me turning pages. Yes, I am purposefully not telling you what it was or if I was right or not. No spoilers here! I appreciated seeing Olivia seek help and recognize her strength and value. She opens up a little to others around her, sees their kindness and even makes a new friend at work.

While Emerald City has a hint of YA feel to it, Olivia is 20 years old, so it fits more in the “new adult” category and will appeal to both mature teens and adults. As far as content goes, I don’t remember any language and there is no sex, though Jude does spend the night often.

I don’t know if Emerald City is part of a series but if it is, I would definitely read the next book.

Review originally published here: http://bit.ly/x96EDP (www.ldswbr.com)

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

EMERALD CITY
By Alicia K. Leppert

It's always darkest before the dawn...
How is it possible to be alone in a city of 600,000 people? But it is possible in the sprawling cement jungle of Seattle, Washington. Sleep was impossible as the nightmarish memories came, especially just before the dawn. Daylight brought numbness which was a relief.
Olivia Tate's life has taken her down this path since the day her father left when she was five years old. In the years that followed she had managed to reject humanity until humanity had managed to ignore her as much as she ignored herself. The pain was too much and the thought of ending the nightmares was just too tempting.
But when Olivia is given a second chance by a complete stranger will she embrace this opportunity or will she allow the darkness that had enveloped her life to pull her back down. But who is Jude West and why would he care about someone like her?
As Olivia and Jude become friends, Jude helps Olivia to come out of the shell she has created around her life. Olivia starts reaching out to her co-workers at the Coffee House where she works. Olivia realizes that she is not alone and she actually has a life she wants to live.
Emerald City is a story of second chances. It is Olivia's story as well as Jude's. It is a story of hope.
I have reviewed other books that have dealt with suicide and I'll be honest all the others have left me feeling depressed. Emerald City did not leave me feeling depressed. The fact that Olivia was saved from herself and the fact that she managed to turn her life around made Emerald City a very positive reading experience.
I received a Digital ARC loan from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

[Jaime (Twisting the Lens) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The review is published to coincide with the book tour hosted by Cedar Fort Publishing.

Olivia Tate has not had an easy life, and it had taken a toll on her. After losing her mother, she has holed herself up in a tiny, cold apartment, and has been making herself go through the motions of life. However, one night, she has decided that she cannot take her life as it is anymore. She decides to take a bottle of pills in an attempt to end it all.

Jude West is a mysterious guy who is in the right place at the right time and saves Olivia’s life. Although Olivia is somewhat grateful that he did show up when he did, the circumstances have left many questions unanswered.

As their relationship grows into more than friendship, they must learn each other’s pasts and secrets, before they both make decisions they could regret. However, Jude seems to know everything of Olivia, but gives little in return to share his life with her, leaving Olivia feeling that the relationship is one-sided. It becomes apparent that Jude has walls that he is not ready to break down in order to let Olivia into his life completely. However, his secrecy may be entirely to protect Olivia’s life.
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For the entire review, please visit http://twistingthelens.wordpress.com

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say its darkest just before dawn. One broken girl, one mysterious guy and two worlds collide in a terrific debut novel by Alicia K. Leppert. This novel revolves around Olivia and Jude and how far they are willing to go to get through life or make it bearable to live once again. Olivia, the girl with abandonment issues finds herself numbed to the core of her being with the ones she loved (or did love) no where insight. Jude comes to her and saves her from the black pit of a life she was leading. But to what cost to him? Can Olivia find true love with her shining rescuer? Can they really endure life on Earth and all that is thrown in their way?

From the preface to the last page, I was hooked. The characters came alive and I felt like I was right there in Seattle with them going through their lives with them. The descriptions were fantastic and made it easy for me to imagine everything taking place. I was left with a need at the end. A need to know what happens next, I was so in rapture with this book. This is definitely quite the debut novel. I will be excited to see more from Alicia Leppert in the future.

* I would also like to include that the copy that I read was an advance readers copy.

[Trimble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia has lived a very difficult life. Everyone she's ever loved or cared for has abandoned her and as a result, deep depression has set in. She's finally pushed over the edge, but luckily for her, she's rescued by a mysterious guy. After putting up major walls from everyone leaving her, Olivia finds herself reluctantly letting her rescuer, Jude, slowly break down those walls as they become friends. A heart-wrenching page turner as you discover just how much Olivia has been deeply hurt and how difficult it can be to pull yourself out of depression. It was amazing to see how Olivia was able to become stronger than she ever thought possible with her own determination, the help of a friend, and a few other factors. On top of dealing with her difficult life, Jude has secrets that Olivia is trying to figure out and this just keeps adding to her emotional ups and downs. Once the secrets are revealed, even more surprises pop up. Jude and Olivia are well-developed characters, making you really feel what they're experiencing. A sweet story of how much someone will do for love. I really enjoyed this book and give it high marks!

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