Hey, guys! ♡

First and foremost, I want to thank for giving me the opportunity of being a featured author in this year's Wattpad Block Party. It's nice to be part of an event that celebrates writers, readers, cover makers, critics—everyone that has a passion for Literature. Even more because this event is hosted in Wattpad, a site that's joining everyone around the globe together. I love, love, love the diversity in here.

My name is Abigail and, if you haven't noticed already, I'm really excited to be here. Assuming that we'll all be friends by the end of this post, you can call me Abi (Abbie, Abby, Aby)—there are different variations to the name, I think they are all pronounced the same way.

This post is going to be divided into two parts: a sneak peek to my new story 'Levittown' and a section in which I'll recommend some incredible books—some of my favorites, may I add. What better way to know a writer than through his or her writing? In the second section, I would love it if you guys could recommend some books, too! Let's open a discussion about them, yeah?

I'm very nervous, but here we go...

On the night of Sebastián's annual Beginning of Summer Bash, amiable and adventurous Melody Tryniski went missing. What might have appeared as a juvenile escapade - a casual incident in eerie Levittown, Utah - turned into a missing person's case. Nobody knows what happened, but what they do know is that Melody was last seen with best friend Alexa King and boyfriend Logan Price.

After two months with no trace of her, she returns to Levittown unharmed, unresponsive, personifying the town itself: solemn, eerie, quiet. However, Melody's long-awaited return is cut short when she's found brutally murdered in the comfort of her room.

Questions begin to arise and it seems everyone in Levittown believes someone from her group of friends committed the awful crime. With outside media taking an interest in a town that's best left alone and a terror-stricken town willing to accuse anyone of the murder, Alexa King must find the truth behind Melody's death.

But the truth is not always simple, it can sometimes be dangerous - and, as the scandalous revelation comes to the surface, she realizes she's challenging something more sinister.

: Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?

CALLER:

: You don't know? If you're in any kind of danger, you can tell us. We'll send help.

CALLER:

: Scared of what, honey? Can you give me your address?

CALLER:

: Why are you thinking about death, honey? Are you thinking about hurting yourself?

CALLER:

: Can you give me your address, honey? We'll send help, just stay calm.

CALLER:

: (pause) Can you at least give me your name?

CALLER: .

: What's your last name, Melody?

CALLER:

: Melody, if you're thinking about hurting yourself, just breathe for a second, think about it. I'll stay on the phone with you until you calm down.

CALLER:

: Sweetheart—can I call you that? —you sound like a sweet girl to me. From the sound of your voice, I can tell that you're young and confused. Life is complicated, but—

CALLER:

: Melody, listen to me very carefully. Try to exit the house in any way you can and if there's something in there you could use to defend yourself, grab it.

CALLER:

: I located your address by using your phone's tracker. Help is on the way, honey. Stay with me on the phone and do as I say.

CALLER:

: What's happening? Melody? Melody? Help is on the way, just—

'The Shining' by Stephen King has to be one of the most important horror books in our generation. It was published in 1977 and has lived on for more than forty years, so it's no surprise that it is been considered a classic for the genre.

The book follows the life of the Torrance family after the father, Jack Torrance, is given a job as a caretaker for the Overlook hotel during the winter. His five-year-old son, Danny "Doc" Torrance, is a special kid—within him, he bares unique and supernatural abilities, what is called 'the shining'. Once residing in the hotel with no way to escape, strange and supernatural things begin to happen, connected in some way to Danny's shining, and they take ahold of Jack Torrance. Now it's up to his young child, wife (Wendy Torrance), and the Overlook's cook to escape from the hotel's sinister ways.

This masterpiece ventures through the complicated relationship between a broken family. It also explores the inner workings in a father-and-son relationship. Needless to say, I was both horrified and crying by the end of the book.

'The Shining' has a refreshing new take on what horror is really about—the uncomfortable atmosphere that's so intense that it results with you crying and waiting for more—, incredible writing, a creative plot, and characters as real as us. What more can we expect from the King himself?

I'll take this spot right here to recommend its sequel, 'Doctor Sleep'. It's equally amazing.

'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a reflective intake of what society was during the 1920's. It was published in 1925 and gained no recognition during its publication—it wasn't after the author died that it began to be appreciated. Now it's a classic, and one of the best ones at that.

The book is seen through the eyes of Nick Carraway, who narrates both the lives of those around him (centering, of course, on Jay Gatsby) and his own. The reader gets thrown into a life of lavish parties, wealthy commodities, and illegal aspects of a society that was just trying to own a place in said lifestyle. Through Jay Gatsby, we can experience the downfall of that lifestyle, the inevitable conclusion.

This is a story about love, ambition, power, betrayal but, above all, the length a person would take to acquire the 'American Dream'. It's filled with representative colors, lots of beautiful metaphors, and a rich understanding of what the human life is about. It's brief and a true piece of literary art.

'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel that plays with the possibility of a future with a totalitarian society that centers on repressing women's rights. It was published in 1985 and, to this date, reflects the oppressive nature of a society that was and still is ruled by patriarchy. Due, primarily, to its poignant writing and unwavering depiction of what oppression is really about, this masterpiece is considered a classic (by now you should've noticed that I'm a sucker for classics).

The novel is told by one of the handmaids, Offred, who gives a shocking and brutal account of what being a woman in Gilead is really like. In this twisted society, women are seen as things that can only produce babies and, when they don't 'function' anymore or if they never did, they are discarded to a wasteland for their quick demise. Needless to say, women don't have any kind of privilege, except for the ones they're given after conceiving.

The handmaids are assigned to different commanders (who, by the way, are old) and their wives. After she's done her part, the baby, her baby, is raised by the commander and his wife, and the handmaid is not allowed to see said baby never again. The tricky part is that there are ranges: some women have more privileges than others, same with men, but they're still oppressed. All of them. Confused yet? You should be.

This twisted yet amazing story is indirectly divided between the past, the present, and the future, and how they all intertwine with one another. It shows us the inner battle of a passive rebel, the mental turmoil inflected by both an oppressive government and a society ruled by powerful men. This is a pulsating story, an unflinching perspective of what could be. And, honestly? It's frightening.

'Dangerous Girls' by Abigail Haas is one of the best mystery novels I've read in my life. It was published in 2013 and, if I'm being totally honest, it didn't get the recognition it so clearly deserves.

The novel is told in Anna's perspective who, alongside her boyfriend Tate, is accused of the brutal murder of her best friend, Elise. It all begins on a trip to Aruba during Spring Break, where a group of eight friends plans to get wasted, have lots and lots of sex, and just enjoy what life brings them along the way (sweet, sweet adolescence). One day, while they were all out, Elise was nowhere to be found. It's not until they arrive to the penthouse, suspicious and worried, that they discover Elise's dead body in her room.

The story palpates with the tension of discovering who killed Elise. Anna narrates both the present and the past—everything that led up to the gruesome conclusion. At the same time, she has to prove her innocence in any way she can, while having the pressure of the media turn everything she does into something negative. I can't say more than that. I don't want to spoil this amazing story for you all.

I have to warn you that this is twisted, and dark, and nasty, and everything a mystery novel should be. It's a page-turner, an addictive read that won't leave you alone until you finish it. And, at the end, the truth is more shocking than you'll ever imagine—because it's not just about who killed Elise, it's about every single relationship, every single moment, the reason why she was killed in the first place, that finishes this exquisite narrative.

As a matter of fact, I'm rereading it because it's that good.

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read my long a$$ post. I hope it was worth your while. I can't wait to interact with you in the comment section, so comment away!

In celebration of being a featured author in the Wattpad Block Party for the first time and my new mystery book 'Levittown', I'm participating in the giveaway. Here are all the details:

Also, if you want to know if I'm qualified to review your book, you can check out any of my books OR you can go to my page, click the username in my bio (my backup account), and you can read some reviews I made in a book called 'Book Reviews'. You won't miss it.

Check out my page and leave a message. If 'Levittown' caught your interest, check it out and tell me what you think. It would be greatly appreciated. I'm here for everyone's feedback.