Courtney King Walker

As posted on TheReaderBee.com.

I decided to read On the Fringe on a whim. I was looking for a short book that I could pass the time with. I went into the book not really knowing what to expect, and what I got was a great story in return.

After the death of Daniel, a childhood friend and newfound crush, Claire is struggling to find a way to cope and to move on with her life. On her 16th birthday, Claire falls into the lake and while drowning, see’s the face of her beloved Daniel. Now they are connected, and she is able to see him anytime. But what does this mean for Claire? Is she crazy, or is she on the fringe?
The characters in the story were all really likeable. Actually, likeable is probably not the word I’m looking for. I liked them, but I felt so many different emotions for them as well. Everything that Claire and Daniel went through left me with a mix of emotions. I was feeling happy and sad, breathless and shocked, and so much more. I really love having that happen when I’m reading a good story. I found myself to be fascinated by these characters, and the secondary characters as well; I just couldn’t get enough of them.

This book has it all, including action and suspense, romance and drama. The storyline was well done, in my opinion, and definitely kept me guessing as to what would happen next. The pacing was excellent as well. I was so hooked; I finished this book in just a few hours time. I also loved that the author wrote the book in different points of view between Daniel and Claire, it was great seeing both of their points of view.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book. I’m not much one that rereads books often, but I already want to read this again. I read it on my Nook, but I am definitely going to be adding a finished copy to my collection, and soon!

Happy Reading!… (mere)

When separated by the harsh reality of death, will love get a second chance?


Ever since 15-year-old Claire was four, Daniel has been a constant presence in her life. Not only are they neighbors, but his little sister, Addie, just happens to be her bestie while Daniel and Claire’s brother, Matthew, are practically inseparable. Together the four of them have shared almost every noteworthy childhood memory. One day, a couple of months before his senior graduation, Daniel comes to some realizations about the nature of his feelings for his best friend’s little sister. Unbeknownst to him, Claire has begun to notice him as well. They dance around each other for weeks, both afraid of admitting what they feel, the other’s rejection, their siblings finding out. Then one fateful night, Matthew and Daniel attend a party, a gun is drawn and Daniel is shot and killed. Matthew, Claire and Addie are understandably devastated at the loss of Daniel, each grieving in their own, sometimes unhealthy, way.


Months pass and still grieving for Daniel, Claire finds her 16th birthday party taking a decided turn for the worst when she accidentally falls in the lake near her house, and can’t pull herself out. When the fog finally clears from her mind, she’s certain Daniel rescued her from certain drowning, and she suspects he’s not completely gone from her yet.


Faced with the possibility of a second chance, Claire & Daniel struggle to make sense of Daniel’s continued fringe existence and their feelings for each other as they come face to face with a vengeful spirit intent on the destruction of their happiness.


While I love many things about On the Fringe, one of the things I appreciate most about this book is how realistically Claire and Daniel are portrayed. They are not super-teens or overly adult, like many YA protagonists tend to be. I remember being 16. I remember the slightly lost feeling, trying to figure out where I fit into the larger picture, trying to define who I was and why I believed what I believed. Heck, some of those feelings never truly leave you. All that to say, I think Walker did an excellent job at communicating the complicated aspects of being a teenager – specifically a teen dealing with grief, loss and first love – in a very honest, genuine way. The trials they’ve been subject to and the obstacles to their relationship that Claire and Daniel face require a lot of maturity, and definitely give them a renewed perspective on life, death and what it truly means to love. They are both just wonderful characters who tugged on my heartstrings and who underwent a lot of individual development as the story progressed.


Speaking of my heartstrings being tugged, another thing Walker does very well is drawing readers in emotionally. Whether it be a grief-laden scene, a frightening scene, or a romantic scene, the emotions and character responses just seem so natural and grabbed a hold of me. Claire and Daniel’s romance in particular, just inspires such bittersweet feelings. I mean imagine coming to the realization that you may love someone who’s been a constant part of your life for almost as long as you can remember. But you’ve never had the chance to tell them before they’re suddenly gone in the blink of an eye. You have had them for all that time, never realizing just what you had, never telling them how you felt and now you never will. It seems to me as if that’s a different kind of grief – mourning the person as well as the possibilities that can never be. It’s heartrending, and I believe Walker does an excellent job of communicating these complex emotions through Claire’s grieving process as she can do nothing but keep on living in spite of her loss. I think it’s a difficult skill to master – resonating with a reader emotionally on a very real level and generating genuine sympathy for a character and their fate. Yet, scene after scene, Walker accomplishes this so well.


Storywise, I felt at times as if the plot moved a little slowly, though it’s one of those books that builds at a simmer until the climax. I also wasn’t completely sold on the antagonist, who is certainly mean and frightening, but, for some reason I can’t put my finger on, just wasn’t quite doing it for me. I also found myself wishing for more of an explanation of the Fringe, the existence Daniel finds himself “living” in after his death. I was just hoping for a few more specifics on the purpose and the rules, even though I know that’s not really the purpose of the story. I’m just insatiably curious and I don’t like when certain things are left to interpretation or vagueness.


On the flip side, I adore the achingly wistful tone that pervades the entire book. The climactic scene is intense and worth the wait. Walker does a fantastic job of bringing the action to a boil and it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. And I love the conclusion. I wasn’t sure quite how Walker would end On the Fringe, but I thought the resolution was a beautiful and fitting end to Claire & Daniel’s story. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.


Overall, with a strong, emotional resonance, fantastically realistic teen protagonists and an achingly sweet romance, On the Fringe is a beautifully written novel about second chances, healing and the nature of love.… (mere)

THE FAERYS VIEW

On the Fringe by Courtney King Walker is aptly named and you’ll soon find out why. Ms. Walker gave me a mesmerizing look at first love and the devotion that can come with it even beyond the grave. I enjoyed another ‘ghost’ book! Surprise, surprise! I guess I can wipe that off my ‘I don’t read’ list now as this is the fifth book involving ghosts that I have truly enjoyed.

Claire and Daniel have known each other for ever. Claire is best friends with his sister and Daniel is best friends with her brother. They both secretly harbor a secret love but Daniels life is cut short before he or Claire can act upon their feelings. It isn’t until Claire is drowning on her 16th birthday when she reconnects with the spirit of Daniel.

Ms. Walker narrates in both Claire and Daniels POV which keep’s the book flowing beautifully, seeing each characters feelings and thoughts brings much to this thrilling story. On the Fringe isn’t just about reconnecting with first loves it’s also about where Daniels been, On the Fringe, Ms. Walker gives an interesting and thought provoking account of life after death. It is thrilling as Daniel tries to protect Claire against an entity that has it out for Daniel.

On the Fringe has some interesting plot twists, dash away tear moments and plenty of thrills to keep any reader intrigued until the very end. Well written with engaging characters, an unusual and fascinating plot and a heart wrenching story of first loves, On the Fringe will appeal to most readers of the genre.

THE FAERY SAYS THIS IS A GREAT GHOST STORY!… (mere)

I loved this book. More specifically, I loved Claire and Daniel. The love story in this book is one of the sweetest, most captivating loves I've read in a long time. Why? Because the two main characters, before realizing they were in love, had known each other almost their whole lives. There is something so infinitely romantic to me about having a person in thousands of your memories, having stored up good times and bad times, pranks and adventures, over twelve years and then one day coming to the realization that this is the person that makes your heart race and the one you don't ever want to live without. For all of you YA readers out there who can't take one more bout of the dreaded "instalove"---On the Fringe is about as far from that as you can get. I was completely smitten with these two. They were really just two very normal kids, not stunningly beautiful or extraordinary, Claire is even described as a little uncoordinated and awkward.

On the Fringe is both heart-wrenching and hopeful. You can feel each characters emotions, especially Claire's, but also the other characters as well, no matter how they handle it, show it, or bury it. The story being told alternately from Claire's and then Daniel's perspective, really gave us the full story from all sides and that worked for me. There are some great emotional scenes between Claire and her best friend, Addie, and for Claire and her brother. I really enjoyed all the shifts in each relationship throughout the story. I also loved how present Claire's parents were. There are also some very spine-tingling moments, as well as plenty of excitement and danger, thanks to a very insane and angry spirit looking for revenge.

Mostly, it's about what you would give, what limits you would go to for that impossible second chance. It's about being surprised by love and how powerful it can be. It's also about missed chances, remorse, misconceptions, and revenge. On the Fringe is an excellent debut, and I'll definitely be on the look-out for more from this author in the future.… (mere)