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Freaks of Greenfield High

By Maree Anderson

When a teenage cyborg is forced to hide out at a small-town high school, the unthinkable happens: she falls in love. But with a covert organisation intent on using her as a weapon hot on her trail, now’s sooo not the time for a cyborg to get all emotional! **Currently optioned for TV by Cream Drama, Inc.

Winner: Gulf Coast RWA’s Silken Sands “Self-Published Star” contest, YA category
Winner: Maryland Romance Writers “Reveal Your Inner Vixen” contest, YA category

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Jay’s a cyborg who looks just like normal teenage girl. She’s super-strong, super-smart, and she can even appear to grow and age like a human. When a covert organization intent on using Jay as a weapon comes after her, she needs to find a place where she can blend in. Greenfield High seems perfect… except that the boys all think she’s totally hot and keep hitting on her, and she has no clue how to handle the attention. Who knew high school could be so perilous?

To add to her confusion she’s evolving – experiencing human emotions for the first time. And when she encounters ex-jock-turned-outcast Tyler, he sends her logical brain into a spin. She’s just starting to get the hang of this girlfriend/boyfriend thing when her pursuers track her down.

Now’s sooo not the time for a cyborg to fall in love and get all emotional!

Click here to view or download a sample from Smashwords)

Click here to read an excerpt from Freaks of Greenfield High

Genre:	Young Adult
Format:	eBook
Length:	Novel, approx 68,000 words
Price:	US $2.99 (or US$ equivalent)
Publisher:	Maree Anderson
Published:	September 2011
Smashwords ISBN: Amazon ASIN:	978-1-4658-4469-9 B005M9TC3K

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Reviews

FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

Major Kudos for Originality:

Take The Terminator and throw in teenage angst, bullying, and a machine that discovers it/she can feel and you’ve got the wonderfully original FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH.

The Emotional Pull:

The author did a brilliant job of showing Jay’s confusion as she evolves, becoming more human as she interacts with others. At first, she analyzes her feelings and breaks them down into chemical reactions. Later, her confusion escalates and she worries she’s malfunctioning as her feelings for Tyler grow. She begins to care and eventually to love. Something she never thought possible for a being like her.

Then when Tyler discovers the girl he’s falling for is a cyborg, the scene is utterly heartbreaking. I felt his pain and understood his anger and hurt. Wow, emotion on every page there.

One Minor Problem I Had:

I’m not one for big dumps of vivid narrative. A few descriptive words here and there usually do it for me. As I read FREAKS, I came away feeling like I’d listened to an audio book instead of reading the words on the page. Why? It was because, with the exception of Jay and Tyler’s sister, the author didn’t describe any other character’s appearance. I knew what their personalities were like, but I had no idea what they looked like. The biggest issue was not being able to picture Tyler. I knew he had problems styling his hair, but I never knew what color it was so I could never fully picture him in my mind.

The Ending:

Wow, the author certainly ramped things up at the end when the bad guys finally track Jay down and she does what she needs to do to keep Tyler and his family safe. What a page turner. Again, my heart broke for Tyler and what he had to go through, but it was worth it in the end.

Final Thoughts:

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I’m not sure I’d let my 13 year old daughter read it. There are some mature situations (that are referenced, but take place off the page) and the language the teenagers use, while I know is realistic, I don’t want my tweener reading. Not yet, anyway. I think this book is more suitable for the older, high-school teen crowd. But if you like YA with a bit of romance and Sci-Fi thrown in, this is definitely the book for you.

Review by Lori Dillon (The Otherworld Diner)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

Five Lemons–Best Meringue Pie You’ve Ever Tasted

I loved this book! Definitely one of my favorites, I thought all of the characters were awesome, though Jay, of course, was my favorite. My favorite part was when Jay kicked Shawn’s a**, and threw him in a dumpster (Note from Lemon: This is true, she mentioned it at least 5 times during lunch period.), I also thought it was funny the way Jay studied people like textbooks. But one of the things that did bother me was Tyler’s reaction to Jay being a cyborg, all he did was whine about how she should be human, he even slapped her! I personally, would have been thrilled, I mean a cyborg for a friend, that would be awesome. I also found it interesting that Caro’s best friend, Vanessa, was a drug dealer, and her ex-boyfriend, Shawn, was on steroids when they were dating and didn’t tell her. I did like Caro very much, she had a strong personality and is all about fashion. Shawn, Caro’s ex, however I did not like very much, though he did add to the story by hitting on Jay and getting hit by Jay. The only left to say is that even if you’re a cyborg, in a place as complicated as high school, knowing everything just isn’t enough.

Review by Nerd (A Nerd And A Lemon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

“So, I kept seeing this pop up whenever I was looking for a read and I’d skip over it because I really wasn’t interested in a story with a cyborg in it, but finally, because it kept nagging at me, I gave it a shot and wow, probably one of my favorites! I absolutely loved the characters and the storyline, it was amazing! I spent half my break from college laying on my couch and reading it. Good grief. Thank you for the great story.”

Review by indigofish (via Wattpad, 12th Feb 2012)
(Note: permission to reproduce this review granted by indigofish)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

Blew me away!

I knew it was going to be good. What I didn’t know was that this young adult cyborg novel would be such a perfect blend of action and gut-wrenching humanity. I LOVED Freaks of Greenfield High. Maree Anderson is a masterful storyteller. I read a lot, and I cannot think of a more perfect book to appeal to guys and girls. Truly Amazing!

Review by Juli Alexander (Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

A thoroughly enjoyable read! How is a teenaged girl cyborg to fit in at a new school? By attaching herself to the guy that is on the outs with everyone else. This story grabbed me right away and I enjoyed Maree Anderson’s easy style and her spot on teen-speak. The characters were believable and I was impressed with Anderson’s ability to create such a loveable and meaningful character such as Jay, a cyborg on the run from a secret agency bent on capturing her and using her for their own means. Anderson gave this cyborg some interesting dilemmas and a kick butt approach that made her endearing and real. She also nailed the teen boy experience and voice, and I totally forgot I was reading something a woman wrote. Tyler is an unlikely hero, being that he is an outcast in his school and faints at the sight of blood. But from the first moment you meet him (when he’s examining a huge zit on his chin), to when he is lovingly tormenting his kid sister Caro (who gives it back in spades), Tyler is real and sweet, and I enjoyed watching his growth throughout the story.

Review by P.J. Sharon (Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:
Almost made me cry (in a good way)

I was searching for some interesting material to read last night and accidentally stumbled upon this. What an amazing read. I really enjoy a good fantasy/sci-fi romance and this hit the spot. There was enough action, humor, and romance to keep the pages turning. You really find yourself falling in love with this cyborg who tried hard to run away and ended up discovering the greatest thing of all, raw human emotion. I just fell in love with Tyler and his sister who are the perfect brother sister example. They fight, argue, but at the end of the day, love each other unconditionally. As for the cyborg, Jay, she’s just awesome. Make sure to have some long sleeves because you’ll secretly be wiping tears during the last few chapters. I’ll be buying this author’s other novels.

Review by Erica Stanciu “eas87* (Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:
Had to write a review

I’ve only written one other review but this book totally deserves it. It was an amazing mix of sci-fi and romance. I stayed up until 2am reading this and I’m pregnant! Needless to say I slept all day but it was totally worth it. This author really does deserve more reviews, buys, and likes. I’m in love with this book and really hope there’s a sequel.

Review by EastCoastJessie (Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

Freaks of Greenfield High is a young adult book that I strongly recommend. Not only does it mix romance with action but it has characters that you will love as the story progresses. It is about a cyborg named Jay that is forced to kill her creator and run due to an organisation who is hunting down the information that he possessed. Enter Tyler a former football player who is ridiculed by his sister Caro’s boyfriend Shawn and the popular cliques of Greenfield High. Tyler and his sister Caro live with their mother after their father abandons them.

Jay ends up in befriending Tyler, and he and his sister Caro become embroiled in the struggle between Jay and the organisation after her, as well as the conflicts between Shawn and his friends. What happens next will leave you excited and raring for more, as well as an ending that will make you want another book.

Review by Charlotte (via email 12th Jan 2012)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:

Oh my gosh. This was so unbelievable! I loved it! The story was fantastic and totally original. I love that you incorporated the normal teenage drama with a totally out of this world twist. The characters were amazing with incredible depth to them. I love Jay and her development throughout the story from abnormal computer to semi-normal teen girl. I love that the ending was so unpredictable and original. I really hope you do write more, even if it is not a continuation of this story. Your originality is refreshing.

Review by jakecole2 (via Wattpad, 24th Dec 2011)

(Note: permission to reproduce this review granted by jakecole2)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:
If you liked Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles you will love this YA book

Freaks of Greenfield High by Maree Anderson is a great YA cross between the Terminator movies and the Sarah Connor TV show. I devoured this book in two nights. It totally played out like a movie in my head. Anderson’s descriptions of cyborg Jay were amazing. I especially loved that Jay was a girl, trying to learn how to cope with new situations while learning more about humanity. I loved how Anderson added human angst to Jay who was trying to cope with blending in while playing being human. And Tyler and his twin sister had their own problems but friendships are the underlying theme in this book. It was fast paced, riveting, real teen language that I loved and I didn’t want it to end. I seriously hope Anderson will write a sequel featuring more cyborgs.

Review by Renee Pace (Nitty Gritty YA Writings, & Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:
A Definite Page Turner

Ms. Anderson has captured my attention. Jay and Tyler are both “different,” misfits that are struggling to find their way through the hierarchy of teen society. Jay, being a hunted cyborg, has been fighting in the adult world for awhile. Tyler has been hiding. Their personal growth as well as their relationship issues are true to life–both heartbreaking and heart warming. This author has become a must read for me. Although this book is a YA, I found I couldn’t put it down and read into the early morning hours.

Review by L.J. Charles (Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:
Great Heroine!

This book has one of the best heroines ever. Jay, the cyborg heroine, was so much fun, and the author wrote her really well. When I started the book, I was just going to read a little before going to bed. I ended up finally shutting off my Kindle at 2am. I finished the book the next night. A really enjoyable story. The teen hero had more growing up to do, which made him realistic. The YA language, doubts and attitudes were perfect, as were the cliques and the popular kids vs. the picked-on. It moved fast, and I think adults will like this as well as teens.

Review by E.S. Rose (Amazon)

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FREAKS OF GREENFIELD HIGH:
My New Favorite Heroine

There are three things I’d like to see more of in fiction: ninja, bionics, and cyborgs. Maree Anderson has provided us with the latter, enclosing it in a YA tale of…well, coming to terms with feelings, but the author takes that sap and executes it superbly so it’s no way near as cheesy as it sounds.

Needless to say, the cyborg is my favourite character. (Not so much her love interest, who writes love songs. I’ve never been one for balladry.) Read this, and you’ll understand why Jay Smith is so awesome – she’s my new favourite heroine.

Reviewed by Tez (Tez Says)

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