Book Review - Eric Trant's Wink (#WINK)

Good morning!

I recently had the pleasure of reading a thriller called Wink written by an amazing man named Eric Trant. My review of Wink is below, followed by Eric's bio and then a summary of this memorable work! Enjoy!!!

Book Review: Wink – Thriller by Eric W. Trant

By Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

Wink   takes place in a rural Gulf Coast town. The main character, Marty Jameson, is an unusual young man with a disturbing home life. Marty’s mother is abusive to Marty as well as other substances provided to her by Marty’s father who is absent most days while wheeling and dealing drugs in neighboring towns. Marty seeks refuge in the attic of his home where he can avoid the hoarding and abusive tantrums of his mother and stay out of sight and smelling range of his older brother who is comatose and wasting away in his bedroom.

Marty is damaged, but somehow not defeated. Surrounded by unthinkable sadness and anger, he is able to escape to the attic to find his own refuge and peace. He is a determined young man who seems to find joy in the most unlikely places. He forgives his mother time and time again even though she is not willing to offer him the same unconditional love and emotional support. His optimism and resilience is incredible and seems to be the driving force behind any goodness in his life.

Right next door in a house very similar to Marty’s lives a family so different in many ways from the Jameson’s. Sadie Marsh’s life is anything but perfect; she is confined to a wheelchair and yet her home is filled with love and light where Marty seems to be surrounded by evil and darkness. Sadie feels for Marty and waits by her own window to see what is going on at the Jameson’s. Sadie’s mother has warned her about that family next door and yet Sadie is drawn to Marty and the goodness she knows lives within him. Sadie is convinced Marty is not the devil her mother makes him out to be, but those huge black-winged creatures she sees at his house have her wondering if her mother was right. When Sadie’s mother admits to seeing them too, they both know Marty is dealing with more darkness than they had imagined.

Marty is drawn to Sadie just as she is to him. He sees the goodness in her home and in his own way longs to experience the love within their walls instead of enduring the torture and hatred of his own family dynamic. Emotionally scarred Marty is torn but determined. The key to his triumph lies in the attic and the stories told to him by his one-eyed uncle. He’s pulled between the darkness and light as the winged creates threaten everything he has ever known.

Trant’s imagery and storytelling is incredibly. The story of Wink left my head spinning and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cry or just hold my children tight. Trant’s brilliant writing places the reader in the middle of the chaos as the story unfolds. The tension builds and you find yourself unable to put the book down. This is a story of family and triumph but most definitely a ‘keep you at the edge of your seat’ thriller to say the least.

About the Author:
Eric W. Trant is a published author of several short stories, including "Apple Tree" and "One Small Step," and the novels Out of the Great Black Nothingand Wink.

Eric is an advocate for organ donation and lost his 18mo son in May of 2012. Eric and his wife courageously donated their son’s heart, kidneys, and liver. The couple went on to begin a foundation to support organ donor families. Eric speaks openly about this emotional journey on his blog and the topic of organ donation is very close to his heart.

Find out more about the author by visiting him online:

Author website: www.EricTrant.com

Author blog: http://diggingwiththeworms.blogspot.com/

Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/eric.trant.9

Book Summary:

A moving, fast-paced and incredibly emotional story about love, friendship and transformation.

In this thriller set in a rural Gulf Coast town, Marty Jameson finds refuge in the attic from

his mother's abusive rages. But only during the day. At night the attic holds terrors even beyond what he witnesses in his home. With a family made up of a psychotic mother, a drug-dealing father and a comatose older brother withering away in the spare bedroom, Marty feels trapped.

Next door, wheel-chair bound Sadie Marsh obsessively watches Marty's comings and goings from her bedroom window, despite her mother's warning about the evil in that house. Evil which appears to Sadie as huge black-winged creatures.

Marty, emotionally torn by the violence and dysfunction in his family, is drawn to Sadie and her kindly mother. But if he is to save his new friend from the supernatural horror threatening them all, Marty must transform himself from victim to hero. And to do so, he must first confront what lurks hidden in the shadows of his attic.

Wink is a thriller that captivates readers and leaves them longing for more. Trant is a talented author whose character descriptions go far beyond the physical.

Paperback: 275 pages

Publisher: WiDo Publishing (May 7, 2013)

ISBN: 193717834X

ISBN-13: 978-1937178345

ASIN: B00CE4OP1K

Twitter hashtag: #WINK

Wink is available as a print and e-book at Amazon andBarnes & Noble. 

Now - I know Eric pretty well and I guarantee if you leave a comment or ask a question he will get back to you - so PLEASE leave your comments and questions below!

May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and opportunities to meet fabulous new friends!

~Crystal