Half-Life

by Tina Ferraro

Half a life is not worth living.

Probably not a good idea to take advice from your dead twin sister. High school sophomore Trisha Traynor and friends have played the Halloween mirror game for years, the one that’s supposed to show a glimpse of the guy they’ll marry. But no one’s ever seen anything.

Until tonight—when Trisha is gob smacked by the candlelit arrival of her long-deceased twin sister, instead of her crush, Kirk Maxwell.

In a voice and vision that only Trisha can hear and see, Chessie claims to be back on a compassionate journey. Trisha fears she's gone nuthouse crazy. But she nonetheless follows the instructions Chessie outlines in their nightly conversations, until she finds herself stepping across some ethical lines, and probably ending all chances with Kirk.

When a sisterly showdown ensues, resulting in the shattering of the mirror, Chessie’s gone again, and a heartsick Trisha sets about righting her recent wrongs. That is, until she stumbles upon the real reason Chessie had come back and the most important glimpse yet that the mirror could never predict.

108 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 24, 2015

About the author

Tina Ferraro spent a lot of her childhood people-watching and making up stories. While that didn't do much for her grades, it did ultimately prove among her better life mistakes. She sold her first short story in her early 20's, launching her publishing career in the adult and young adult romance markets.

Over the years she has acquired one husband, several kids and several cats, and recently, the world's cutest grandchild. Tina and some of the aforementioned live in the foothills above Los Angeles, where her hobbies include overeating, jigsaw puzzling and chasing coyotes out of their yard (not necessarily at the same time).

A two-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America's RITA award and the National Reader's Choice award and a winner of the Marlene, she's currently working on an adult rom-com series.

Reviews

[winterthekatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but I just wasn't blown away. I had high expectations due to the title, the beautiful cover and the mysterious blurb. However, I found the story to be a little too young for my taste. I enjoy reading YA and even some middle grade books have captivated me but in this case it sort of fell flat for me. I do think that a younger audience could definitely enjoy it more than I did. The best thing for me was the author's writing style. It was so easy to read; the words just flowed. I would like to read more books by Tina Ferraro, I just don't think Half Life was the one for me.

From the blurb we know that the ghost of Trisha's twin sister came to her during a seance with her friends. Chessie is apparently on a mission to patch things up between Trisha and her best friend. I couldn't really relate or understand the fallout with the best friend. Apparently Trisha was mad because her friend had a boyfriend and wasn't spending time with her anymore, or at least that's what I got from it. Maybe for a teenager this is a huge deal but to me it seemed way too trivial. Overall, it is a good (just not great) coming of age story where Trisha learns a few good lessons and the author surprises us with an unexpected twist.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Marni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story in this book isn't what I thought it was going to be. The cover and the synopsis had me thinking much more along a spooky story, which is not what this book is. This book covers a girl, her choices, possible outcomes and the chance to make everything right.As a novella, there's a lot that goes in to this story. I could feel the pain of a troubled friendship, the internal turmoil caused by the loss of a sibling years earlier and the push and pull of peer pressure. Trisha is quite the normal teenager, except that her long dead twin sister has suddenly started appearing to her. As a mother of twin teenage girls, stories like this really feel like a hit in the gut.A paranormal take on how some situations could be manipulated by outside forces. It really makes you think. How many times have we heard a person say how someone close to them must have been watching over them to keep them out of harms way? Simple things like, if I had gone straight to the store as planned instead of missing the turn, that could have been me in the car accident. If I had missed my flight, I would have been on the plane that crashed. An interesting story that works well for the young adult audience of any age. It touches on the dangers of alcohol and watching out for the smooth talkers that have only one thing on their mind. This story has many lessons in it that come to fruition at the end and wraps everything up nicely.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an adult, I have to admit I do enjoy reading young adult literature yet, with this book the 108 pages I endured was more than enough. I loath writing reviews on books that I am not fond of but as a reviewer, I have to be honest regarding how I feel concerning the book and how it is written.
The blurb of the book gave the idea there was going to be a creepiness factor, for instance, a teenage girl seeing her dead twin sister in the mirror reads an eerie book ahead. The sad fact of the matter is the book contained nothing frightening not even a hang nail. None the less the mother in the book did make my skin crawl since her character is overwritten in the despair department. The prose was light focusing primarily on teenage drama. However, the author did add to the plot a positive point to the story which helped this read a great deal. Even though this book was not my cup of tea I am sure there are pre-teens that will enjoy this book.

This book is under the genre young adult which in literature is traditionally written for ages ranging 16 to 25. I think this book falls more under teen fiction, which is written for ages 10 to 15.

This review opportunity was through Xpresso Book Tours.

[Michelle Rebar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This totally surprised me in a very good way :) Review to come...

[Joana B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more reviews go to: www.best-of-ya.blogspot.com

Trisha and her friends have a Halloween tradition wherein, at the strike of midnight, they hold compact mirrors up to the flame of a candle in the hopes of seeing the faces of their future husbands. Year after year, the only face staring back at them is their own. This year something incredulous happens; the face Trisha sees in the mirror is identical to her own, but it does not belong to herself. She sees Chessie, her twin sister who passed away when the girls were just 5 years old. In nightly meetings that only she can see and hear, Chessie claims to be back on a mission that involves Trisha. Trisha is pretty sure she’s gone crazy, but chooses to follow the instructions her sister has outlined for her in the hopes that it will help Chessie finally move on and gain the peace she deserves.

The official synopsis for this book is very misleading and alludes to a much more sinister plot (especially in the last paragraph) than is actually present. I thought this was going to be a lot spookier and more supernatural, but all that really happens between Trisha and her long-deceased sister is that they get together and talk about Chessie’s plan every other night or so. (Unfortunately, she isn’t even a cool ghost with powers because she can’t manipulate anyone or anything) Chessie supposedly has a way to get Trisha and her ex-best friend to patch things up, but in order for this to happen, Trisha apparently needs to start dating a classmate of her choice. The whole plan was really random and didn’t make much sense--it didn’t add up with the ending in my opinion. I just felt that the whole central plot was off and lacked believability.

There was not much of a romance aspect either; Trisha lacked chemistry with both of her romantic interests which was disappointing. She has a huge crush on a fellow student, Kirk Maxwell, but the boy she chooses to help her fulfill Chessie’s task is someone completely different and someone she hardly even knows. As expected their relationship went nowhere. Kirk kind of just shows up at random times and “saves” her from situations. He seemed to be into her, but they don’t ever really share any special moments.

My favorite aspects of this were the overall message of friendship, honesty, and the familial bond and the fact that it is barely over 100 pages long. Other than that, I feel like this was a cool concept, but was just trying too hard to be something it unfortunately wasn’t.

[Jessica Bayliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Half-life” is story about a soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old, Trisha, who is struggling to jump the line dividing childhood from adolescence. Her best friend, Abby, has already gained entrance to the next stage with her new boyfriend and their welcome into the world of cool high school parties. Trisha is left behind, and all she wants is to get her BFF back. Lucky for Trisha, the annual Halloween spirit conjuring works—only instead of showing Trisha the man she’s going to marry, the spirit world brings Trisha her twin sister, Chessie. Who happens to be dead. Together, they’ll scheme to reunite Trisha and Abby, but when events begin to go awry, Trisha is forced to wonder: Does Chessie really have Trisha’s best interests at heart? And, when you’re a teenager trying to navigate the complex web of social relationships, under-aged drinking, parent hang-ups, and need to figure out whether the “drop dead gorgeous” boy you really like likes you back, nightly ghostly visits aren’t always your biggest problem.

And, because I don’t like spoilers in reviews, that’s all about the story I’m going to sayl

My thoughts: This was such a fun book full of dilemmas and suspense. By about halfway through, I was so engrossed, I found myself babbling away to my husband about the book (now, mind you: he’s a 40-yo man, but thank goodness, a patient listener). When I was down to the last couple chapters, I had to put it down (life, how dare you interfere with reading?), and I couldn’t wait to get back to it. Ferraro does an excellent job of balancing the real-world dilemmas and situations with just the right amount of supernatural mystery and intrigue. Trisha is the kind of main character you can get behind. Far-from-perfect, she makes mistakes and has moments of doubt about her choices, but she’s strong, smart, and knows herself. Overall a fun, satisfying read.

Who am I? I am an author of commercial fiction for MG, YA, and adults. My stories cut across genres including romance, paranormal, adventure, and horror. For more about me, check out my website: JessicaBaylissWrites.com

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trisha is a teenage girl packed with spunk, lots of corners and still, a big heart. She wants what all girls her age want, to be accepted, but already with the opening scene, it becomes clear that her long-time best friend has her head somewhere else.

This is a cute, short, coming of age story. Trisha is trying to please her parents, who are still upset after her twin sister's death years before, while fighting to get her social life worked around. Of course, boys are a big part of this. There's a great relationship between her and her parents, not so far in that it's always rosy, but rather realistic. The mother has troubles dealing with the sister's death and does let it affect how she raises Trisha, and somehow, Trisha has to come to terms with this.

Peer-pressure is also a big issue in this story, a problem Trisha has troubles dealing with, especially when pleasing certain people helps her reach goals she and her mother both have set for her. There's a lot of strands to this weave, and that's exactly what makes it so easy to sympathize with. Life isn't clear cut either.

The paranormal aspect is cute and pulls at the heart strings. Still, I had felt this could have been built out more. We get to know Chessie a little, but it wasn't enough for me to connect with her. But in a story this short, that's also a tall task to expect. Plus, the ending felt rushed in so far that it wrapped up a little too nicely.

But, in general, this is a smooth read which hits on many topics teens will connect with, and I believe they'll enjoy reading this and have no trouble feeling for Trisha. They'll see a lot of themselves in many parts of this story.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

[Jacqueline Horsfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Research shows there may be a stronger bond between twins than that of normal siblings. If true, is it possible for a deceased twin to communicate with her living sister? This is exactly what happens when Trisha, the teen protagonist, hooks up by way of a compact mirror with Chessie, her deceased sister, who happens to be monitoring her living family's life.

The premise is not so far-fetched as it seems. I personally know of someone whose twin sister died at birth. This information was withheld from the living sister. But from toddler years, the living sister kept referring to an invisible "Other Me" with whom she would converse. Strange, yes. But perfectly parallels what Trisha experiences at an older age.

Chessie has a convoluted mission which she must perform before graduating to the higher heavenly realms, no longer keeping a watchful eye on her family. I won't reveal the surprise ending, but you'll understand why it all makes sense. Perhaps the dead may influence the living, keep them from harm, and sneak in a few subtle messages from the beyond.

And if you think death is an awful theme, check out this bit of humor: Trisha asks Chessie if there are any cute guys "up there." Chessie's response: "Just wait till I get to Heaven. The young hunks from the Revolutionary War alone will fill up a football field."

[Alison (Ali's Books) Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out with a really interesting opening scene, and kept my attention from that point on. Trisha participates in a little ritual on Halloween that results in a visit from her deceased twin sister, Chessie. Chessie, has a mission, but she’s not really sharing it with Trisha. However, Chessie does share some very specific tasks with Trisha that she must complete.

This story has a very young YA feel to it. Trisha is still quite immature and in need of some growing up. She’s not completely ditzy, though, and when it matters most she makes the right decisions.

Apart from the slight darkness of the séance-style ritual that may bother some parents, this is a clean story with some great messages and life lessons that I think most parents would be glad to have their young teens read. Trisha has to face multiple issues typical teens deal with today, including dating issues, drinking, and wanting to be popular. In the end, she sees clearly what really matters.

I give this 4 sweet and innocent stars, and highly recommend it to fans of the lower YA paranormal romance genre.

[Melissa Burcham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC book for an honest review free of persuasion from the author or anyone else affiliated with this book.

CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS

This was a great YA read. It had a slight paranormal twist with the ghost of the sister, but otherwise was just a good quick read. I enjoyed my afternoon reading this book. As the story moved on, I found myself reading faster, anxious to find out what would happen next to the main character. This was a very good book that I am planning on getting for my 13 year old daughter. I think she would enjoy it as well.

Trisha is a teenager coming of age. She is still struggling with the death of her twin sister, but is moving on. She tiptoes around her mom who is still feeling the guilt from 8+ years ago. As a teenager coming of age, Trisha makes some wrong decisions. Does she learn from those decisions? What drives apart her and her best friend? Is the long gone twin sister Chessie able to help Trisha?

This is the first book I have read by Tina Ferraro. I hope to have the chance to read more. I recommend this book to teenagers and any other YA lovers! Thank you Tina for a good read.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Half Life by Tina Ferraro

4 Stars

Every year Trisha and her friends play the mirror game in the hopes of seeing their future husbands, of course it has never worked. But this year is different, they managed to play on October 31st and though they didn’t see their future loves, Trisha did see the image of her dead twin sister Chessie in her compact. This was the beginning of a new relationship with the girls, whenever Trisha was alone she would pull out her mirror and talk to Chessie. Being on the other side, Chessie was able to see things Trisha was unaware of so was able to guide her to do what was best for her in all areas of her life.

Half Life is the story of a broken family, of a mother so tormented with guilt over the loss of her daughter that she was unable to speak her name or allow her other children to have normal full lives. We follow them as, with the help of the dead girl, they heal and move on.

This is an interesting story, steadily paced and easy to follow with a feel good ending.

Copy supplied for review.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trisha and her friends are playing the mirror game on Halloween. By candlelight they gaze into a mirror to glimpse at their future husbands. Trisha has a big crush on Kirk, whom she helps with Geometry, and she’s hoping to see him in the mirror, but instead she sees her deceased twin sister, Chessie.

Chessie’s visitation doesn’t end there. After Halloween, Trisha continues to gaze into a mirror to learn about Chessie, her afterlife, and what she wants from Trisha. Chessie directs Trisha into doing specific things, which makes her feel uncomfortable. Why is her sister giving her these orders? Trisha is in the middle of boy and friend problems, but Chessie doesn’t seem to be making everything right. The shocker at the end is when the real reason behind Chessie’s demands are revealed.

This is a fast, suspenseful read. There’s high school drama, but also a lot of depth regarding friendship, family, and the mourning process, making this a well-rounded paranormal tale.

[J.S. Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

When fifteen-year-old Trisha receives a visit from her twin sister Chessie who died ten years ago, she's torn between fear and joy. Her twin helps her navigate a failing friendship, the confusing world of boys, and her mother's inability to let go of the past. When Trisha discovers the real reason for Chessie's visit, she knows she has a guardian angel. While this might not be the scary ghost story you were expecting, it's well worth reading. Authentic high school characters and twisty drama keep things exciting.

[K.L. Hallam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! --its creativity, the voice of the protagonist and I laughed and teared, as I gobbled this book up. A delightful short read. It wasn't quite the paranormal I expected. It was a lot more, realistic in many ways and with a twist. Totally fun.

[Julie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for a honest review.

This book was a really sweet read about a teenage life with the added twist of a death.

I liked the characters(well maybe not Abby) and I thought the storyline was good.

Without teasers I can say that this read was really good and made wonderful life points.

[Anne (Angel Anne Reviews) Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 angel stars