Blog Tour: Leaving Unknown by Kerry Reichs

Today we welcome Kerry Reichs‘ Blog Tour for her new book Leaving Unknown here at Stiletto Storytime.  Some really cool things about Kerry: she was a child guest star on both Sesame Street and The Electric Company and she’s originally a Carolina Girl (North Carolina) but we’ll let her get by! And she’s a “shoe nut”…..just our kind of girl.

“Remember just like stilettos, reading never goes out of style.”

“ It may not be original but I’m a shoe nut. I’m that girl building doormen and dental assistants remember because of her shoes. The largest closet in my house is a “footwearhouse” where I have shelves to the ceiling storing my beauties in carefully labeled boxes. You can never have too many, as nuance significantly impacts a total look. I’m astonished when someone asks why I have three identical pairs of black boots, when clearly one has a rounded toe and square heel, one has a pointy toe and spike heel, and one is significantly taller. My current favorites are some dashing silver peep toes I picked up in Amsterdam.” –Author Kerry Reichs

Review: Leaving Unknown by Kerry Reichs

Maeve Connelly has spent most of her mid-twenties drifting through life unsure of what it had to offer beyond her collection of funky knee socks and her beloved bird Oliver. She just couldn’t find her niche in the world around her and wasn’t sure she had one. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to have one? Then came the spontaneous plan to road trip across the country on a move to Los Angeles from Charlotte, North Carolina. Maeve was determined to really make a fresh start and prove to her parents that she could accomplish what she set her mind to all by herself. That is until fate stepped in and left her and her beloved car Elsie stranded in Unknown.

Unknown, Arizona is a small town, a very small town.  The kind of town where everyone knows everyone and where Maeve finds she can’t keep running from her past. She must learn to face it or forever be held prisoner by its limitations on her future life. Surrounded by the love of true friends and neighbors for the first time ever, Maeve feels she finally belongs but could it be too good to be true?  However no matter the demons she must face or the love she finds, Los Angeles must be reached no matter what gets left behind in Unknown, Will Maeve realize sometimes the destination is not as important as the journey or will she lose her chance at a life of love ad happiness just to prove her point?

Reichs has really made an impact with Leaving Unknown. It shines with its originality and unique premise while remaining utterly readable. The best part of the book is what you don’t expect and never see coming. Twists and turns created for the reader to keep each page fresh and exciting abound. The book is full of rich characters that seem to jump off the pages with life and personality: the best of which being Maeve herself the perfect quirky, fearless, hypochondriac heroine that you simply cannot help fall in love with.  And of course her fine feathered friend Oliver, who can forget him “Are you thinner?”

Love, fear, friendship and sorrow all abound in Unknown but for Maeve it just might be home. Poignant, funny and completely enticing Leaving Unknown will have you wanting to take to the road to see just where it might take you.