Black Flowers, White Lies - Hardcover

Ventresca, Yvonne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1510709886 ISBN 13: 9781510709881

Publisher: Sky Pony, 2016

Synopsis

A 2017 Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Medal Winner!
Her father died before she was born, but Ella Benton knows they have a supernatural connection. Since her mother discourages these beliefs, Ella keeps her cemetery visits secret. But she may not be the only one with secrets. Ella’s mother might be lying about how Dad died sixteen years ago. Newfound evidence points to his death in a psychiatric hospital, not as a result of a tragic car accident as her mother always claimed. After a lifetime of just the two of them, Mom suddenly feels like a stranger.

When a handprint much like the one Ella left on her father’s tombstone mysteriously appears on the bathroom mirror, at first she wonders if Dad is warning her of danger as he did once before. If it’s not a warning, could her new too-good-to-be-true boyfriend be responsible for the strange occurrences? Or maybe it’s the grieving building superintendent whose dead daughter strongly resembles Ella? As the unexplained events become more frequent and more sinister, Ella becomes terrified about who or what might harm her.

Soon the evidence points to someone else entirely: Ella herself. What if, like her father, she’s suffering from a breakdown? In this second novel from award-winning author Yvonne Ventresca, Ella desperately needs to find answers, no matter how disturbing the truth might be.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

About this title

From the Author

Yvonne Ventresca is a young adult author who likes writing about situations that scare her. Pandemic (Sky Pony Press, 2014), her debut novel, won a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in 2015. Yvonne’s other credits include a short story in the YA dystopian anthology Prep for Doom and two un-frightening nonfiction books. Besides writing, she enjoys Isshinryu karate, which she’s studied for the last ten years. Yvonne resides with her family in Chatham, New Jersey.

Review

Praise for Black Flowers, White Lies:

A 2017 Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Medal Winner

This suspenseful psychological thriller definitely won’t disappoint.” Buzzfeed

Prepare your fingernails, because tension mounts quickly as Ella’s reality is chipped away piece by piece . . . This one will keep you guessing.” Justine

"Ventresca has carefully plotted a variety of twists and turns in this engrossing mystery that doesn’t let up until the final pages. It’s tense, scary, and, at times, upsetting, everything a supernatural thriller ought to be." Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE, "ALAN Picks October 2016"

I raced through Black Flowers, White Lies in a single sitting. What a twisty thrill-ride!” April Henry, New York Times-bestselling author of Girl, Stolen

With a compelling cast of characters and a mystery that'll have you turning pages, Black Flowers, White Lies is a book you don't want to miss!” Tiffany Schmidt, author of the Once Upon a Crime Family series

Black Flowers, White Lies is not your typical YA thriller. It's beautifully written and tightly plotted, telling a story that manages to keep a tight, intimate hold on the reader by digging into some universal fears that aren't often explored in novels. An unnerving reminder that darkness and even evil often hides in plain sight.” Jessica Warman, author of Between

A captivating story of a girl facing unexplained events that shake her to her core, open up old wounds, and make her wonder what's real. Is it madness or haunting? You'll be turning pages until the end to find out. Highly recommended!” Maria E. Andreu, award-winning author of The Secret Side of Empty

A chilling tale of faith and deception. The supernatural scares kept me hooked, and the ending absolutely blew me away!” Joshua David Bellin, author of Survival Colony 9 and Scavenger of Souls

Black Flowers, White Lies lures you in with charming characters and situations that seem innocuous until they become sinister. A great read from cover to cover.” Dr. George Simon, bestselling author of In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People

"Readers will be guessing up to the very end of this riveting page-turner . . . Young adult readers will love this story, and librarians serving teens should have it in their collection." VOYA

"[T]he elements of this tale all come together to provide the most amazing psychological thriller written in a very long time. (YA or otherwise.) This fresh tale is so well-developed, so creepy, so intelligent, and so off-the-charts that readers will be absolutely riveted to this plot until the very last spell-binding page. The author grabs everyone with both her characters and her ability to weave a mystery of quiet, yet epic proportions . . . The YA genre can rejoice. A dystopian world is not needed in this psychological suspense that literally deserves time up on the big screen.’” Feathered Quill Book Reviews

I loved this book. It’s an incredibly fast read and I was so curious about what was going on and who was responsible (and there are, like, a ton of credible suspects). This book was an absolute delight and perfect for this time of year. (And if you’re not good with super scary things, you’ll be ok with this. It’s creepy enough to give you chills while reading it but not so much that you’ll have trouble sleeping. Win win!) Recommended.” Kelly Vision

Praise for Yvonne Ventresca's Pandemic:

"An engrossing apocalyptic story."
School Library Journal

"Teen disaster fans will likely appreciate that the high-schoolers are portrayed as good, helpful, yet imperfect people....this fast read will appeal to fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life As We Knew It."
Booklist

"Ventresca's debut novel will appeal to those who love realistic coming of age stories, romances, or disaster fiction. Bravo!" Mike Mullin, award-winning author of the Ashfall Trilogy

"Yvonne Ventresca’s debut novel hits the ground running and never stops until the last page. This fast paced story about a teen who struggles to regain her sense of safety after an assault will have you reading well into the night. Pandemic is an exciting new addition to Young Adult books." C. Lee McKenzie, author of Sliding on the Edge and The Princess of Las Pulgas

"You’ll be rooting for Lil and Jay!" Debbie Dadey, author and coauthor of The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series and the Mermaid Tales series

"A suspenseful, authentic and emotional narrative. . . . Riveting and terrifyingly real with moments of hope that shine through when you least expect it, Pandemic is one that will stay with you long after you read the last page." Amalie Howard, author of the Aquarathi series, The Almost Girl series, and Alpha Goddess

About this edition

• Publisher: Sky Pony
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1510709886
• ISBN 13: 9781510709881
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 272