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Bitsy
Bitsy Varret has a secret and her name is Liz. But, Bitsy’s alternate personality, Liz has a secret too, and it’s leading them both into a world drenched in shadows and blood.
Musician. Administrative Assistant. Closet psychic. Bitsy wants nothing more than to live a sane life, and to start her career in music. She practices her violin. She ignores the visions and angels. She works at her thankless job in an emergency department in Portland, OR. But, seeing new victims on a daily basis prods at the carefully stowed memories of the acts that split her in two.
Liz has dreams too: dreams of wielding an unearthly power to cut down the perpetrators of rape and molestation. Using the alien magic to perform ritualistic vigilante acts may even help the victims forget the crime. She's not alone in her goal and what Bitsy doesn't know won't hurt her. Until it threatens not only Bitsy's dreams and their tentative sanity, but their very life.
Musician. Administrative Assistant. Closet psychic. Bitsy wants nothing more than to live a sane life, and to start her career in music. She practices her violin. She ignores the visions and angels. She works at her thankless job in an emergency department in Portland, OR. But, seeing new victims on a daily basis prods at the carefully stowed memories of the acts that split her in two.
Liz has dreams too: dreams of wielding an unearthly power to cut down the perpetrators of rape and molestation. Using the alien magic to perform ritualistic vigilante acts may even help the victims forget the crime. She's not alone in her goal and what Bitsy doesn't know won't hurt her. Until it threatens not only Bitsy's dreams and their tentative sanity, but their very life.
356 pages, Paperback
Published August 15, 2016
2 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Rayna L. Stiner
6 books22 followersI believe in the power of stories. I write fiction and fantasy novels of the epic, urban, contemporary, and young adult variety. Fantasy is the backdrop for the philosophical conversation on the nature of humanity, the connection we share with others and with the world around us.
If there's anything anyone could gain from reading one of my novels, I hope it's empowerment. YOU are a force of creation and whether you mean it or not, you fashion your existence with every intention, choice, and action.
Embrace your power and wield it with love and joy.
If there's anything anyone could gain from reading one of my novels, I hope it's empowerment. YOU are a force of creation and whether you mean it or not, you fashion your existence with every intention, choice, and action.
Embrace your power and wield it with love and joy.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 14, 2018
Bitsy is a captivating story about a woman forced to overcome the darkest sides of humanity. Elizabeth or as she is known by her nickname, Bitsy is a passionate violinist who is quite timid. She would rather avoid confrontation than face the demons she has as a result of her past. Liz is Bitsy's alter personality. She is the complete opposite of Bitsy, Liz embraces all the tough stuff. She is daring and brave and if I may say a "complete bad ass". Both personalities care for each other much like sisters. They also tend to fight as such too. Bitsy and Liz start experiencing strange vivid "dreams". These dreams unlock a myriad of peculiar events, testing both Bitsy and Liz to their limits. Stiner's writing style has a remarkable way of enticing her readers leaving them wanting to read just one more chapter. I didn't want the book to end. Her characters are completely relatable. I found myself thinking "I don't even have split personalities and I do that!" Stiner captures a woman's inner dialog and the constant warring within perfectly. The author does her readers a fair service by writing a trigger warning in the beginning of the book. I personally felt the book brought to light a serious subject that no one wants to think about actually happening. I disagree with another reviewer, however, they stated it was too dark and did more to gross them out then to further the plot. The story was no darker than watching the evening news. In my opinion Bitsy was written to bring comfort and strength to those who may have suffered a similar trauma. While also enlightening those who are oblivious to the wicked ways of humanity.
November 10, 2016
“It takes guts to get up every day and face the world after you’ve seen so much of its ugliness.” (Kindle Locations 2415-2416).
Bitsy and Liz are the same person, or rather different personalities of the same person. After surviving her own childhood horror, Bitsy and Liz emerged. Now an admin assistant for the local hospital in the ER for abuse victims, Bitsy wants nothing more than to play violin in the local orchestra, but her alternate ego has other plans.
This book wasn't a story so much about Bitsy as it was about trying to relate a concept about the terribleness of child abuse and sexual abuse, which is quite noble but didn't work in this particular novel. The fantasy and dream sequences seemed forced into the narrative and the plot was overwhelmingly odd and ill-fitting with the subject matter. The graphic sexual violence and suggestions of sexual violence felt forced into the story line and these gritty details didn't so much further the plot as gross me out.
The fantasy was necessary for the plot, but very distracting and unnatural seeming in the way it was integrated into the story. I skipped over much of the description, especially wherever the fantasy was involved.
The concept of a person who has been in such a traumatic experience that their personality splits into two separate entities to deal with the emotional turbulence and healing is very, very interesting and kept me reading this story, but the plot and the interjection of the 'dark fantasy' element was a big turn off and didn't fit into the story well.
Bitsy and Liz are the same person, or rather different personalities of the same person. After surviving her own childhood horror, Bitsy and Liz emerged. Now an admin assistant for the local hospital in the ER for abuse victims, Bitsy wants nothing more than to play violin in the local orchestra, but her alternate ego has other plans.
This book wasn't a story so much about Bitsy as it was about trying to relate a concept about the terribleness of child abuse and sexual abuse, which is quite noble but didn't work in this particular novel. The fantasy and dream sequences seemed forced into the narrative and the plot was overwhelmingly odd and ill-fitting with the subject matter. The graphic sexual violence and suggestions of sexual violence felt forced into the story line and these gritty details didn't so much further the plot as gross me out.
The fantasy was necessary for the plot, but very distracting and unnatural seeming in the way it was integrated into the story. I skipped over much of the description, especially wherever the fantasy was involved.
The concept of a person who has been in such a traumatic experience that their personality splits into two separate entities to deal with the emotional turbulence and healing is very, very interesting and kept me reading this story, but the plot and the interjection of the 'dark fantasy' element was a big turn off and didn't fit into the story well.
October 24, 2016
Prepare to be drawn in completely to this riveting story that will keep you enticed chapter after chapter. Stiner does an amazing job of weaving in the sites of Portland, Oregon - I loved the specifics and truly felt like I was there.
The characters in this story are so well developed, especially Bitsy/Liz - a complex mix of both strength and vulnerability who will take you on this journey through redemption and the supernatural.
I was provided a copy of “Bitsy” in exchange for my honest review.
The characters in this story are so well developed, especially Bitsy/Liz - a complex mix of both strength and vulnerability who will take you on this journey through redemption and the supernatural.
I was provided a copy of “Bitsy” in exchange for my honest review.
November 7, 2016
I like it a lot. It is a very well written book and you are not really sure if it is a scifi or young adult. Really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it.
March 31, 2017
Wonderful story!
Read it twice so far and cannot put it down. To see Bitsy come into her strength and her gifts. Great story
Read it twice so far and cannot put it down. To see Bitsy come into her strength and her gifts. Great story
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews