Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: Empty Cup by Suzanne Costigan

When I first discovered the synopsis for this book on Goodreads a while back, I was excited to read it, because it looked like a book that would definitely put all of my feels through the gamut and those are usually the types of books that I love to devour. I absolutely love it, when a book stays with me after I've finished read it and puts me through emotional hell. That means the author is doing their job really well or that's just my take on it. Plus, I've been a reading goal of mine this year, to read as many new-to-me books/author's as I can because I want to take the chance on them and try and read a little bit more out of my comfort zone. 

I figure if I don't do as much of this as possible and make the conscious effort, then my reading and my desire for it will get stale and I'll want to read less and less. That is not something that I want to happen, plus I'm always looking for ways to grow my reading habits and make them strong as well. This book and blog tour, seemed like it would provide the perfect opportunity for me to do that. So, today I'll be sharing with you my honest thoughts and opinions on Empty Cup and how it gave me ALL THE FEELS. 

There's also going to be an official tour wide giveaway where a few lucky winner's will have the chance to win some pretty awesome stuff. So, definitely stick around and stay tuned for that. 

Interested in the Empty Cup and want to know more about, check out the synopsis below!

Empty Cup

by Suzanne Costigan

Published: November 3, 2014

Publisher: Rebelight Publishing

Age Demographic: Young Adult

Pages: 176

Mom’s new boyfriend is creepy.

On the night of her seventeenth birthday, Raven finds out he isn’t just creepy, he’s dangerous. He leaves Raven broken and bleeding, but Mom blames her for what happened. She kicks Raven out of the house with nothing but a blanket to protect her from a frigid winter night.

Alone. Devastated. Abandoned.

As Raven struggles with the aftermath of the ultimate betrayal, she seeks solace in her imagination and a teacher who seems to understand her situation. She ultimately discovers that her world won’t change if she relies upon someone else to do it. Real change begins within. 

(Note: I received a copy of this book via the publisher, in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions on it.)

Stunningly dark and edgy, Empty Cup is an incredibly intense and emotional story that's hard to read. Suzanne Costigan pens a beautifully written and realistic tragedy that will drag your emotions through the gamut and wreck you. It will frustrate you, incense you, and move you to tears as you embark on the painful and traumatic journey that Raven goes through in order to discover that change comes from within and only she can make that happen. Alone and devastated, dealing with the aftermath of what she's endured at the hands of her mother's boyfriend, she's frightened and trying to find solace in the depths of her own vivid imagination and immersing herself in the presence of a teacher who seems to understand the hell that she's just been through. Raven's life is filled with so much pain, betrayal, abuse, and torment that it's hard for her to see any glimmer of light in the darkness that she's been tossed out in.

She's drowning, while still gasping for air and any small trace of hope that could possibly give her any bit of comfort to hold onto. Suzanne Costigan, doesn't shy away from writing about the hard stuff, the kinds of topics and issues that the world would be all too happy to turn a blind eye to, because they don't want to go through the pain of acknowledging that kind of evil and torment exists in this world. The way that she writes about it, packs such an emotional punch that it will leave you gutted by the time you finish reading. It's one of the things that I loved most about this book, the realism that it symbolized, the hard realities that evil does exist, and that if you want there to be a change it starts on the inside and then radiates outward. No one else can make that change for you, only you can do that for yourself. She puts Raven through sheer torment and hell, only to have her realize in the end that she's the only one who can make the change from within herself.

It's hard for me to truly talk about this book, without giving too much away because I feel like this is definitely a book that needs to be read by every young woman. It's important to raise awareness for the issue that is tackled within this story, the pain, emotional tragedy, and physical abuse that happens on a daily basis to anyone. Not just to young women, but to anyone. As broken as and tormented as Raven is, she's a gorgeous compelling character that my heart went out to. At times, I wanted to reach through the pages and hug her, for being so incredibly brave and having so much courage to accept the truth of who she is and what she has to do in order to survive the painful past she's been through. It's refreshing, to see that with the help of her friends and teacher that she was able to come through this and start to put the shattered remnants of her life back together so that she could function in a more healthy and productive way.

If you are looking for a novel that's going to leave you floored, break all of your emotions, and then lift you up I would suggest Empty Cup to you. It's not pretty, it's damn hard to read, but it's worth every bit of the time you'll spend with it.

Giveaway

Two (2) winners will received a physical copy of Empty Cup by Suzanne Costigan (US/Canada)

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Empty Cup by Suzanne Costigan (INT)

Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to be entered!

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About the Author

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Suzanne Costigan has been writing on and off since elementary school. Writing poetry and short horror stories were her salvation through high school. When her children were toddlers, she dreamed of publishing a picture book. When they were in elementary school, she wrote her first middle grade novel (still needs much editing!) When they became teenagers, she wrote a young adult novel -- Empty Cup -- published in November 2014 by Rebelight Publishing Inc.

By the time she started writing novels, she became very serious about my writing. She took workshops, college courses, correspondence courses, filled her library with "how to write" books (and read them!) and most importantly she applied what she learned. Add to that attending conferences in both Toronto and Saskatchewan annually. She was also a co-founder of two writer's groups focused on writing for children. She immersed myself in the world of writing and editing. 

When she's not writing... or rather, what she does while trying to find time to write is parent. Her own two a fore mentioned teenagers and she's a foster parent. So she is surrounded by kids. All. The. Time. And pets. Cats and dogs. Lots of fur... 

She also loves photography. She now considers herself to be slightly beyond beginner, and closer to intermediate with her DSLR. Her photos and stories from her life can be read at her blog, Living Lunacy.