The Clearing

by Heather Davis

Overview

In this bittersweet romance, two teens living decades apart form a bond that will change their lives forever.

     Amy is drawn to the misty, mysterious clearing behind her Aunt Mae’s place because it looks like the perfect place to hide from life. A place to block out the pain of her last relationship, to avoid the kids in her new town, to stop dwelling on what her future holds after high school.

     Then, she meets a boy lurking in the mist—Henry. Henry is different from any other guy Amy has ever known. And after several meetings in the clearing, she’s starting to fall for him.

     But Amy is stunned when she finds out just how different Henry really is. Because on his side of the clearing, it’s still 1944. By some miracle, Henry and his family are stuck in the past, staving off the tragedy that will strike them in the future. Amy’s crossing over to Henry’s side brings him more happiness than he’s ever known—but her presence also threatens to destroy his safe existence.

     In The Clearing, author Heather Davis crafts a tender and poignant tale about falling in love, finding strength, and having the courage to make your own destiny—a perfect book to slip into and hide away for awhile.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547487830
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/12/2010
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	478 KB
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

HEATHER DAVIS is the author of Never Cry Werewolf, Wherever You Go, and The Clearing, which was nominated for a RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance. She lives in Seattle. Visit her website at www.heatherdavisbooks.com.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Will have special appeal for female fans of the romance in the Twilight books or Judy Blundell’s What I Saw and How I Lied. . . . Henry's dilemma is especially poignant, and a completely unexpected ending shows that Davis is capable of creating a riveting read that lingers long after the story ends."—Booklist

"Alternating between Amy and Henry's intersecting stories, Davis's (Never Cry Werewolf) second novel has a quiet power; the time travel element gives the story the feel of an old-fashioned romance, with a tinge of melodrama. The tale takes some unexpected turns, providing insights into healing and the weight of destiny along the way."—Publishers Weekly 

"This will appeal to romance readers that like a touch of the paranormal."—VOYA

Editorial Reviews

For her senior year, Amy decides to move from Seattle to a tiny town in the North Cascades to live in her great-aunt Mae's trailer. Her goal is to escape her self-involved mother and stepfather, shallow circle of friends, and abusive boyfriend. “I needed to be somewhere different. Maybe I needed to be someone different, too,” she muses. Fitting in at her new school is a struggle because of her defensiveness; in low spirits, she is drawn to a foggy clearing near Mae's home, which leads to Henry Brigg's family farm—in the summer of 1944. Henry, who lives with his grandfather and frail mother, is a gentleman and the opposite of the boys Amy's been damaged by in the past. Alternating between Amy and Henry's intersecting stories, Davis's (Never Cry Werewolf) second novel has a quiet power; the time travel element gives the story the feel of an old-fashioned romance, with a tinge of melodrama. The tale takes some unexpected turns, providing insights into healing and the weight of destiny along the way. Ages 14-up. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Will have special appeal for female fans of the romance in the Twilight books or Judy Blundell’s What I Saw and How I Lied. . . . Henry's dilemma is especially poignant, and a completely unexpected ending shows that Davis is capable of creating a riveting read that lingers long after the story ends."—Booklist "Alternating between Amy and Henry's intersecting stories, Davis's (Never Cry Werewolf) second novel has a quiet power; the time travel element gives the story the feel of an old-fashioned romance, with a tinge of melodrama. The tale takes some unexpected turns, providing insights into healing and the weight of destiny along the way."—Publishers Weekly 
"This will appeal to romance readers that like a touch of the paranormal."—VOYA —

From the Publisher

Gr 9 Up—Desiring a fresh start, away from an abusive boyfriend, Seattle teen Amy moves to Great-aunt Mae's mobile home in the North Cascade Mountains. There, she discovers a mist-laden clearing promising further escape. Penetrating this seemingly permanent haze, Amy meets and falls in love with Henry Briggs, a World War II teen existing in an endless summer with his mother and grandfather. One terrible night in 1944, fueled by grief and fear, Henry prayed for a miracle and jump-started a summer that never changed—until Amy came along. Stumbling, learning, and healing along the way, a braver Amy, thanks to Henry, Mae, and two new friends, decides to move forward. Taking her cue, Henry is finally able to step toward his own unpredictable future. But what will the future mean for their love? Despite familiar elements, this tender, supernatural romance isn't Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005). It's a compact tale about embracing the future and the life-altering capabilities of love. Henry isn't perfect, but he's genuine, perceptive, and non-domineering. Aunt Mae is an attentive guardian. And Amy is a well-developed protagonist, simultaneously vulnerable and strong, occasionally self-centered, realistically guarded. Chapters alternating between Amy's and Henry's points of view offer a nicely paced plot. While the ending might not be what some readers hope for, it's still satisfying.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

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