The Prequel of the Way of Life Series
19 year-old Josie is stuck in boarding school and there are only two ways out: graduate – or commit suicide.
It’s not the school that troubles her, but what happened before. And now she has to find a way to live with it. Walk with her through the hallways of the school she calls “the bitch kennel”, through emotional turmoil, unexpected friendship and a passion for painting that leads to the discovery of a strength she had only guessed at before.
‘Survivor’ was awarded with the IHIBRP 5 Star Recommended Read Award:
“The plotline of this story is familiar, but the relationship between these characters is vivid and complex. More than a few teens and women will relate to this nightmare-dreamer who is just gearing up to take charge and shape her own destiny. I look forward to the debut of Spratte’s upcoming novel and highly recommend this superlative read.“ Excerpt of the award review
Reader’s voices
– I’ve had this on my kindle for what feels like forever. I had a feeling it was going to be emotional — and it was. A moving story about young woman who’s trying to put her life back on track after a traumatic event in her recent past. An event that isn’t quite explained fully here — but I have a feeling it will be in subsequent books. By the end, she’s regained a grip on herself and has a plan to find her future on her own terms. A quick read, but a good one.
– This is one of the best short stories I read in a while. No, we didn’t find out what happened to Josie. But we for sure could see, no, we could feel, how she coped with the trauma she had experienced.
Every moment, every page, I was at the top of my chair, eager to find out what happened next.
By this novel, Annette Spratte entered gloriously my list of favorite authors. I for sure will read more of her work and recommend this book highly.
– I was intrigued by this taster for a future novel. The reader is left with a mystery as to how Josie suffered and what brought her to the brink. Well written and descriptive one can certainly feel empathy with the lead character and we can only wonder how she is going to cope when she leaves boarding school. However I did not only feel for Josie but also the teachers who have to help her with the trauma. There is never an easy answer in coping with tragedy.
– I read an ARC of this short story. Well-written, it introduces us to Josie, who is the protagonist of the author’s full-length novel. Something terrible has happened to Josie, although we don’t find out what in this prequel. Just out of therapy, Josie has been sent to boarding school by her parents, and is having a difficult time. The author describes Josie’s inner anguish very compassionately, you can feel her desperation as events threaten to overwhelm her. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger – rather, the reader is intrigued to find out what happens next to Josie, as she embarks on her journey towards her future. I can’t wait to read the novel!
– This short story focuses on Josie, as we find her in a boarding School, following something traumatic that has happened to her. Most short stories of this kind that are teasers or prequels for a longer novel, tend to leave the reader feeling short changed but instead, Josie’s turmoil and character was one I totally believed and was involved in. I wanted to know what had happened to her because the author Spratte made me care for her. Rather than feeling like it cut short, it left me intrigued and wanting more!
Annette Spratte 