Sliding on the Edge

Sliding on the Edge is a definite page-turner. Once inside Shawna Stone's skin, the reader may as well put life on hold until the last compelling word is read. Gripping, heart-warming and captivating, this story will tug at the emotions. The reader will find he or she rooting for Shawna, and hoping for the best outcome when at times it seems all hope is lost. A fabulous read, suitable for adults, as well as teens. C. Lee McKenzie is a brilliant story teller and I am looking forward with much anticipation to future novels!

When her mother abandons her, sixteen year old Shawna Stone is forced to give her up life in Las Vegas and move onto a horse farm with her grandmother, Kay. These two have major secrets. Shawna battles her inner demon, a "Monster", who urges her to cut herself and whispers of suicide. Kay secrets deal with her marriage and her son. Watching their lives unravel makes for an exciting read but the real joy comes as they begin to rebuild. This is a wonderful story of healing and redemption. Don't think for a moment that you will be able to put this book down until it is done. You will be too drawn into the main character's troubled world. In her debut novel, C. Lee McKenzie tackles some serious issues (abandonment, attempted suicide, depression) and creates a compelling story for both teens and adults. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more books by this author.

I decided to give this book a quick read before passing it to my teenage granddaughters. Once I started I couldn't put it down. The story, enlightening and shocking in turn, will tear into the emotions. For me it brought memories of a troubled son and new understanding of today's teenagers. I was grateful for the horses as they provided an outlet for grief without attaching blame to the characters. For readers over 16 this book is a productive journey.

One of the greatest compliments I can give a book is to say I sat down for a half hour to read and suddenly realized four hours flew by. So it was with C.Lee McKenzie's book "Sliding on the Edge." This is a story about survival in a not-so-friendly world. Shawna Stone is a teenaged girl who is physically and emotionally abandoned by her mother; then sets off to live with a grandmother she has never met. The reader experiences Shawna's difficulties as she fights the past, barely grabs onto the present, and struggles to allow herself a future. To quote from the book: "I'm going over to a whole other side of the world." Great story for adults as well as teens. Freddie Remza author of "The Journey to Mei"

I loved this compelling debut novel by C. Lee McKenzie. Shawna's story pulls at the reader's heartstrings, and the message is one that will resonate long after the book is finished. I highly recommended it! (Just don't forget the tissues!) :)