A raw and haunting, coming-of-age novel about a courageous, young girl, her tragedy, unique survival skills and a divine intervention.
Growing up in her parents' crazy hippie household on a tiny island off the coast of Boston, Jules's imaginative sense of humor is the weapon she wields as a defense against the chaos of her family's household. Somewhere between routine discipline with horsewhips, gun-waving gambling debt collectors, and LSD-laced breakfast cereal adventures, tragedy strikes a blow from which Jules may never recover.
Adversity requires her to find the will to live despite the suffering in her life--and she encounters, in her darkest moments, what could be explained as serendipity or divine intervention. For Jules, this experience offers the hope she needs to come to the rescue of her fractured life.
Assessment:
In Yates's YA novel, a captivating story about dealing with life's hardships and tragedies, Jules witnesses the violence between her parents, their neglect of her siblings, and the death of her younger brother. Jules is a well developed character and her attempts to appear strong to hide her vulnerability make her likeable. The story is well written with the happy ending for Jules that feels well deserved.
Date Submitted: June 02, 2016
"This is a story full of raw, sometimes harrowing, emotion. It's also the story of {a girl} who despite seemingly insurmountable odds {has} the resilience and courage to face whatever obstacles Fate selects to block {her} chances of attaining peace and happiness. Despite the grimness of the narrative this is a story where good does eventually find a way to triumph over adversity (evil) and first time novelist, J. Dylan Yates, has excellent descriptive skills and tells a story that involves the reader from the first page to the last."
"Yates shows much skill in description, characterization and dialogue, and she’s insightful about the mental state of abused children, as when Jules learns to compartmentalize: “I began to see my life in parts. When something bad, or weird, or crazy happened, like my father having a gun and threatening my mother, I’d say to myself: This is the part where my father points a gun at my mother’s head.” Yates vividly evokes time and place . . . the bleakness of a Cape Cod tourist town in winter or Wendy’s psychedelic decorating style. Well-written."
Congratulations! The results of the 2014 USA Best Book Awards have been announced. THE BELIEF IN Angels - Adapted for Young Adults has been honored as a Finalist in the Young Adult category!
IPPY GOLD WINNER for Young Adult Category: THE BELIEF IN Angels - Adapted for Young Adults, by J. Dylan Yates (Chenery Press)
We’re proud to present The Kindle Book Review’s 2015 Kindle Book Award Winners! It’s been a great year, and ALL of the submissions have made this year’s contest an amazing experience for our review and judging team.
CONGRATULATIONS TO J. DYLAN YATES! She is a Young Adult Finalist!
THE BELIEF IN Angels - Adapted for Young Adults
2015 Leapfrog Fiction Contest Winners announced:
18 manuscripts have been chosen out of 380 entries.
J. Dylan Yates, The Belief in Angels, Young Adult Novel (California) Honorable Mention
THE BELIEF IN Angels, Dylan's debut novel, was written over the course of many years while she attempted a number of BFA-related jobs, including: waitressing, teaching, corporate training, real estate, nursing, interior design, directing, acting, producing, library science, parenting and reluctant housewifery. Dylan volunteered with Boulder County's Voices for Children program as a C.A.S.A for 15 years and now volunteers with the Girls Rising program as a mentor.
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