Nine Days

by H.R. Willaston

Andy Qwinn isn't even ordinary in a family full of extraordinary.
She's a straight A student, created her school's Earth Club, has been a top-ranked varsity swimmer since her freshman year and is the youngest person to earn an internship at the aquarium she volunteers at. She dreams of going to college and studying marine biology. In an artistically-minded family, none of this matters.
At 17, Andy can't act, draw, paint or sing. She didn't inherit her mother's graceful gift of dance or her father's talent to play any instrument he picks up. Her four siblings have been showcasing their artistic talents since preschool, and even her seemingly mundane stepparents have an artist's flare. However, while the spotlight may be shining brightly on her extraordinary family, not everything is as perfect as it seems. The glare of the stage lights washes out the black and blue of bruises. The roar of applause drowns out the sounds of verbal punches. Costumes and make-up, canvas and paint make it easy to hide what life is really like for Andy.
With a brave but risky plan and the click of a mouse, Andy changes an ordinary spring break visitation with her mom, step-dad and step-sister to an extraordinary nine days in Hawaii, working with a couple of monk seals and their intern - Kai. She spends the week experiencing things she's never thought possible before and learning more about herself than she could in any art class.
How much can Andy's life change in nine days? Following her dreams. Making her own choices. Dealing with the consequences of those choices.
What happens when the Nine Days are up?

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Young Adult

282 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

H.R. Willaston spent most of her childhood and teen years in the world of books written by other people or filling notebooks with her own never-ending stories - her imaginary world being so much more fun, freeing and exciting than her real life. As an adult, she's taken experiences of her real life and the imaginary ones she'd created, pieced them together with the guidance of her dreams and wrote stories that she felt needed to be told.
She currently lives in California with her best friend and husband Scott and their menagerie. Most of her adult life has been spent caring for and teaching children as a preschool teacher and is currently working as a High School RSP Tutor.

Reviews

[Sainabou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why did I wait so long to read this?!
I apologize so much Heather!

Every time I added this book to a challenge I would always wait too late and then not read it, this time I added it last minute :)

I loved the camaraderie between Andy and her friends and it was really nice to see her getting accepted for who she was especially after coming from where she did. They changed her in so many amazing ways
I was astounded by how she was treated by some characters in the book and how people saw but did nothing until Andy took matters into her own hands, that was awful and kind of eye opening about people in general.

I love the idea of destiny and faith (because I am religious I guess) and so this was right up my alley but I also like that Andy was willing to go after what she wanted anyway.

The timeline did confuse me slightly and my copy had some spelling mistakes but it didn't pull away from the beauty of this book.

Please write more books as they are a joy to read :)

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a contest...
What is life like for a teenager running? Running from what? Life, home, school... Everything!

Meet Andy, 17 year old whose life is anything but typical, or is it. Andy and her siblings come from a broken family, her parents divorced nd remarried. Talking about the ugly step parent syndrome! Andy truly thinks that she has them! She tells her mom and dad what their spouses have been doing to her and well they don't believe her.

She devises a plan to get away for Nine Days. She tells no one not even Jase, her best friend who together at school are known as Pete and Repeat. Off she goes. What does she expect to find in these Nine Days, where does she go? Paradise! Yes that is where she goes. She has to answer to no one, falls in more ways than one and comes back a changed person.

You can run, but you can’t hide. Much to her surprise her “boy crush” and his family show up where she is. Called out, now everyone knows, what is she going to do? She’s falling in love. The monk seals and the dolphins are her escape, her passion. So is someone else?

Now it’s time to go home, leave what she feels like she belongs and is “home” to her. Are there more problems on the horizon? At least she is safe, finally gets what she wants.


This is a book I won in a contest. Thank you H.R. Williams and CONGRATULATIONS on an amazing book. A book that is true to life, reality.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy is a 17 year old runaway, but not your stereotypical runaway. She ran to Hawaii and a chance at an internship at an Aquarium working with two seals that she watched online for months prior. Her parents had a rocky divorce and both are remarried to horrific individuals, Andy has been abused both physically and emotionally and is only looking for the opportunity to learn more about Monk Seals and the inner workings of an aquarium. She's a smart girl and a starting varsity swimmer for her high school team. She did not plan on meeting Kai, and the changes her life was about to make.

This was a great read, any time I tear through a novel in less than 48 hours I have to automatically have to give it 5 stars. The characters are well written, the friendships and romance leap off the page! I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a great contemporary romance.

[Medavis66 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Couldn't read it quick enough as enjoyed it thoroughly, but then was upset as I read the ending pages because it was over. I loved Andy's strength and individuality (*duality with Jace). She grew so much in the nine days of her trip and made lifelong bonds that helped her overcome so many things she had been dealing with alone (or with Jace). Loved her roommates - Ciara was a great friend, Blake was a confidant, and Greg was like a big brother. Lani and Kai and their parents were fabulous people and good influences for Andy. Luke (Boy Crush) was a day late and a dollar short, as the saying goes, but ended up being a good friend. Absolutely loved Pete and Reep and all the connections they had together. Emily seems like she has her head on straight and will be a super support system. Those parents and steps - ick. Loved the race and bets with Andy, Micah, and Luke. Dress Up Andy was a fun game to read about. Her changes were subtle enough to deal with but allowed the real Andy to finally shine through.

ARC provided in exchange for honest review.

[Amber Dicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

"After years of watching my parents -I always assumed marriage meant loving someone so much that you were blind to everything and everyone else. And when your eyes were finally opened you'd hate that person so much that all you wanted was to see them hurt, no matter what it cost. I never wanted to live like that. But with Kai, we aren't blind to the world. He doesn't blind me, being with him makes the world clearer. My eyes are open and there's no way I'd ever want to hurt him."

I cannot say enough about how good of a book this was. Not only was it well written, but the story line was absolutely amazing. It was a true love story where fate put Andy right where she needed to be to become the woman who she is destined to be. Throughout the book you experience the pain she feels, but you can also feel the love she experiences. My fingers are crossed that there will be a second story for Kai and Andy!

[CatJuggler · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part - the first time Kai tells Andy he loves her. It was really familiar. ;-) (Always happy to be my wife's inspiration.)

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely cute and sweet story about a young girl, Andy, on the path of finding herself. Her story has a lot of ups and downs and for the most part keeps you on an emotional roller coaster. This leaves you on the edge of your seat for most of the book trying to anticipate what will happen next. The characters had an amazing chemistry with each other and I really loved reading their interactions. Overall it was a good read.

Likes:

1. Andy's relationship with pretty much everyone (besides the parents and steps, of course, and also Luke). I loved the interactions between the characters.
2. Blake!!!!!!!!! <3
3. The fact that Andy finds out so much about her self and has made a path for herself. She didn't let what the parents and steps wanted deter her from her passion. She fought for what she wanted!
4. Andy doesn't just change internally but externally as well. New clothes and new tattoo!
5. The story of the promise ring. I have dislikes about it too, but those will come later. I am a sucker for the true love romances and this one was too cute. Especially because it played into the Hawaiian theme and traditions.
6. All of Andy's interactions with the animals. The dolphin and seals. I loved her close connection with them all.
7. How all of the other parents worked together to help Andy out. This helped Andy realize a different side of parents and was very beneficial for the story. It helped her grow more as a character.

Dislikes:

1. How mushy Kai and Andy were together. Sometimes it is just hard to handle a fast romance. It was really sweet, don't get me wrong, it just seemed a bit too mushy at times.
2. The story behind the ring. While I like a good folklore it just seemed a bit overdone as far as the stones being their birthstones. Although I suppose most folklore seems to be overdone.
3. Luke. I just didn't like his character. While he did ultimately help her I just didn't like how he interacted with her. His thoughts towards Andy were never really explained and left you wanting more. Did he really like her the whole time? Did he just want to be her friend? Why was he so weirded out by everything? I just need more of a development with their relationship.

[Laura Glue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if I didn't inspire any of the characters. That's ok.