B.B. Swann
Author of stories for the young... and the young at heart!
FROM THE WILD ROSE PRESS
FLIRTING WITH DEATH'S GRACE
Asher Jacob’s life is almost perfect—at least from the outside. He has divorced parents who buy his love, a party-happy best friend, and plenty of girls to feed his ego. But what Asher wants most is his ex-girlfriend and childhood love, Grace King, a straight-laced preacher’s daughter who refuses to compromise her morals.
Unable to have her, he clings to his vices until the Angel of Death comes knocking—in the form of a teenaged girl named Kali. Through her, Asher is given a glimpse of his fatal future. But far more devastating is the revelation that Grace also has a date with death, a date only he can interrupt—if he lives long enough to prevent it.
A Sample from
Flirting With Death's Grace
I hung, waiting for the rock I clutched to pull away from the soft soil and send me plummeting to the bottom. Instead of screaming in fear, I laughed. Kali had told me we should have met at the bottom of the quarry, and I’d even reminded myself of the possibility before I came here. Maybe it was inevitable. I pictured Kali’s beautiful face. Seeing her Hollywood smile when she greeted me might be worth the pain of death. Then new visions filled my mind. Grace laughing on the playground at recess as I spun her on the merry-go-round. Grace chasing me through the woods behind our house, letting her catch me so she could tickle me and I could feel her touch. And Grace hugging me after I told her about my parents’ divorce, her arms tight around my waist, head on my chest as she cried with me. The thought of dying left me as cold as the stone I clung to. But the visions filled me with a burning heat, heat I wanted to feel and taste before I died. Movement from above sent a shower of pebbles bouncing off my head and face. I closed my eyes until they stopped and looked up again—into Kali’s dark eyes. “Hey, Asher.” Relief flooded me. “Thank God. Please help me out of here.” “Sorry.” She shook her head. “That’s not why I’m here.”
REVIEWS!
Editorial Review by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite FIVE STARS! Flirting with Death’s Grace by B.B. Swann is a young adult fantasy. After Asher's parents divorced, he lost control. He made many wrong choices and was soon an alcoholic and addict. Asher broke off his relationship with Grace because his bad habits were more important to him. He met Kali, a death angel who was trying to change his fate. Kali warned Asher that he would die if he did not mend his ways. Kali showed Asher a vision of Grace in which she was dead and told him that he could save her. Asher and Grace were thrown together to complete a school project and soon resumed their relationship. Grace then gave Asher news that would turn his world upside down. Would Asher be able to save Grace? Flirting with Death’s Grace touches on real-life issues that many people can identify with. B.B. Swan handles the sensitive topics of addiction, love, and loss with great care and empathy. A devastating situation is turned into a tale of hope. I was turning the pages as fast as I could to see what was going to happen. The story held my attention, and I could not put it down as I was too afraid I would miss something. The characters were brilliantly developed. They were realistic, and I could relate to them. I had sympathy for Asher and Grace’s pain. The story is well-written and has many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this book to anyone who is experiencing addiction, or who knows someone who is.
Best selling and award winning fantasy author Shami Stovall rated it FIVE STARS Great romance. Great message. Seriously, this is a book about addiction, apathy, and lack of direction. But once the main character meets death herself, everything changes. I love the message about self-determination, and changing one's destiny for the better, because the person wants to change. Great stuff. Definitely worth the time, and if you love romantic dramas, you won't be disappointed!
Author J.C. Kenney rated it FIVE STARS Flirting With Death's Grace is the latest offering from B. B. Swann. In it, she delivers a powerhouse tale that will resonate with readers of all ages. Asher is a high school senior. After his parents' divorce, he found himself the odd person out in their lives. That left him with the "freedom" to do almost whatever he wants-drink, smoke, have casual sex. Instead of being happy, though, he comes to realize how lost, alone, and desperately unhappy he is. His plans for a final solution to his problems are derailed when he meets Kali, who's not who she appears to be. Kali helps Asher understand that, even in a life fraught with poor decision-making followed by worse decision-making, nobody is beyond redemption. As Asher comes to accept responsibility the choices he's made, and the sometimes devastating consequences that result, he's given an opportunity to repair the damage to the relationship with Grace, the person he needs most in his life. And as it turns out, he's the person she needs most in her life, too. While ultimately a life-affirming tale, in Flirting with Death's Grace, Swann asks the reader to consider what's it's like to feel utterly alone and abandoned by those closest to us. And how, through the prism of that isolation, the choices we make are often cries for help. The story suggests that, if we are lucky, maybe we'll find someone who's willing to respond to those cries. Someone who will help us reassemble the pieces of our shattered lives. In doing so, we may find that we aren't as alone as we thought. There are people who care about us. All they are want from us is an opportunity to lend a helping hand as we go through this adventure we call life. Flirting with Death's Grace asks big questions and doesn't insult us by offering easy answers. If you're looking for a story about redemption, a commentary on the challenges teens are faced with, or a modern day fairy tale, give this a try. Just be sure to keep a tissue box within reach.
Fantasy Author Shameez Patel Papathanasiou rated it FIVE STARS Lately, I've only been reading upbeat fantasy and romance, but when I was given the opportunity to read Flirting With Death's Grace, I figured it was time to get out of my comfort zone. And I'm glad I did. Flirting With Death's Grace took me on a journey with the protagonist, Asher, and while I didn't like him at first, he grew on me in a way I'm sure Swann intended because teenage boys can be difficult and she wrote him accurate to that... perhaps too accurate as I grumbled with each bad decision he made. But through clever and immersive story-writing, I found myself rooting for him, understanding him, loving him and more than that, it took me by surprise that I'd end up loving all the other characters too. It's been a long, long time since a book had me in tears.
Best selling fantasy and romance author Chris Cannon rated it FIVE STARS This story of first love and second chances will keep you turning the pages until the emotional end.
Christy Swift rated it FIVE STARS Must-read for anyone who has experienced the pain of addiction in their life or had a crisis of faith. Your heart will break for Asher as you experience his redemption story. Get the tissues ready!
Author Erin Rose rated it FIVE STARS This beautiful and uplighting, if sometimes tragic, YA speculative romance will have you turning page after page to see what happens next! I couldn't put this down and absolutely had to know what happened to Asher next. His story is one that will stay with you long after you've read 'the end'.