Arson - Estevan Vega

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN'T SHUT IT OFF.

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl--who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin--moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. Using what he fears most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is his present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

Title: Arson

Author: Estevan Vega

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Coming of Age

Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises

My Rating: 5/5

Arson starts off slowly, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It engages the reader in the life of Arson, and we get to see what Arson's home life is like before Emery comes along. The tone is set right from the beginning, and we get to see how disillusioned Arson is. The characters were magnificent in their portrayal. Vega did an astounding job creating them, the depth, and the passion in them is absolutely remarkable. I found myself identifying with Emery almost immediately, and loved the spunk and defiance in her. I found the relationship between Arson and his grandmother, Kay, was bittersweet. I could completely understand his feelings towards her.

Do not let the cover fool you. This book is definitely not a horror novel. It is more of a coming of age novel. The cover is more symbolic than anything. We see Arson grow as a person, and learn more about himself, and we see how he interacts with others, given that he is different than most. I really enjoyed this book, and really connected with the writing style and characters.

I can't wait for the next book to see what Vega does to, I mean, with these characters. I have a feeling their story isn't finished just yet.

Vega is definitely an author on the rise. He knows how to mold characters that can infuriate you; or leave you feeling helpless because you are only an observer of the story and not physically able to help the characters in the story. It's been a long while since I've been that engrossed in a tale.

All in all, this is a must read. It meanders its way through the lives of Arson, and Emery; telling their story, all the while pulling at your heartstrings.

Blog Tour: Arson - Estevan Vega & a Contest

Hello all, welcome to the next blog tour stop for Estevan Vega's Arson.

We just heard about his Wedding at Wal-Mart. If you are just dropping in, you can find out what exactly happened at Wal-Mart over HERE. It was definitely an eagle's eye view into the muse and music of Estevan Vega.

Next up, you will find his tour stopping over at Cafe of Dreams on Friday, April 9th.

For now, you will find yourself immersed in the words, the pure talent that is being showcased today; the talent that is all Estevan Vega. Join us as we take a look into the past, at a short that Estevan wrote while in high school honing his craft. It is breath-taking in its quality, and it is just a teaser of what is yet to come—the pure brilliance that is Arson.

For more information about Arson's release date and the contest, please refer to the bottom of this post.

Forget me not

By: Estevan Vega

The day had turned cold. Soon, dusk slipped in.

Soren searched the recesses of his fragile mind for a reason. A reason to stay, to live out as the actor of failed endeavors. In the past, it was easy. In the past, he'd simply wish these dark emotions away. It'll get better, he always told himself. But better never came. Was life nothing more than an attempt to live out what someone else wanted?

"I love you, really I do," began the letter. The ink bled on the the loose white page. His hand shook. Hot tears mixed with the blue dye that seemed to knit neatly each frail word. "I missed you forever, but you never came back. I'm sorry for what I did." Had it been his fault? Was he the reason his father left six years ago? Maybe he didn't respect him enough. Maybe his grades were too low. Maybe he screwed everything up. His mind was a clouded mess. Soren wondered with every apt pen stroke what the point was. The minutes turned to seconds, which turned to milliseconds until time completely stopped.

It waited for him.

Mourning came. But never the dawn.

The world seemed frozen, like he was now. Everyone was just blind to the truth, that's what it was. The cold truth that bled through the lies of his face. Soon the blue ink appeared red. The stillness would bring the world back to the way it was supposed to be.

"I wish it weren't this way," Soren wrote, tears now in his eyes. "I wish you hadn't forgotten me."

A dim light hid in the corner.

"Coward," Soren seethed. Back to the page he returned, back to the memories. Back to a hopeless cold. "Forget me not," he wrote.

If he had a soul, he couldn't feel it. And if he still had a heart, he couldn't hear its beat. The pen neared the end of the page. The anger and resentment of his emotions soon turned to numbness. "Daddy, why did you go? Daddy, come back." Now, the words seemed frail, like his own being, tossed around like some reluctant fish caught by a vicious hook. How completely out of control he was.

But one thing remained that he could control. It has to be this way, he convinced himself. It's the only way. It'd break his mother's heart, sure, but maybe his father would come back. Maybe if he had a reason to come back, he would.

As he licked the envelope and sealed it, he listened for his mother downstairs. She was baking. The smell of the fresh cookies carried peace into his bedroom, if only for a short while. A weak smile found his face. He picked up the pen again and wrote: Dad, forget me not. And then slowly, as already stuck in the grip of eternity, Soren walked to his closet, where a thin thread hung from the bar where his suit jackets—covered in dust—lived. After all, life was a circle, a thin one. He stepped up to the chair he'd already placed below it and gently wrapped the white ring around his throat. It felt tight. It felt like something wanted him. This closet, this thread. It felt good to be wanted, to be needed. He tightened it and dried his tears. "Forget me not," Soren gasped, before kicking the chair out.

Tonight, the world stopped spinning. But tomorrow the world would spin again, it would come alive and Dad would come back....

What a descriptive and evocative piece, don't you think? Very expressive, especially in a few short paragraphs. Just imagine the tension, the feeling that resonates in those few lines, and imagine them counter-fold in the newest work soon to be released, Arson.

Arson IS available through Tate Publishing at the present time. You can order it HERE. It will be released May 4th and will be available to purchase at that time through Barnes & Noble and Borders.

As for the contest, it will run until May 4th. It is open to the US and CANADA only. (Sorry to those who are international.) Just comment on this post, and feel free to leave your email address so I can contact the winner. Contest has ENDED. Thank you to those who participated!