The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet by Stephanie Morrill

In fiction, everything always comes together, but in real life, it seems that hard work isn’t always enough, the people you love can’t always be trusted, and the dream-come-true of publishing her book could be the biggest mistake she’s made yet.

I literally just finished Stephanie Morrill’s latest. I read it in 2 1/2 days (and, really, I can’t believe it took me that long, because my Kindle informed me I hit 50% that first evening).

It’s that good, people.

I thought I liked Ellie before. Well, not only does her smile grow on this, her second book’s, cover…her soul grows. She learns a lot about writing, the business of pen-wielding, balancing life and a broken heart.

The ending was excellent. I loved the turn of events that led up to it (I never saw some of that stuff coming!) and how Stephanie pulled all of it off.

As with the first book, there are those mild references to typical high school behavior. In this one, one of those subjects becomes a major plot twist, but Stephanie, as always, handles it with tact, and I could turn the page and move on to what it meant for Ellie.

In truth, I liked that Ellie got more of a taste for the real world in this book. She learns new lessons about what works in fiction, but she also learns new lessons about how to make her real life work, too. It was very fun getting that taste of what it could be like to be published at sixteen and expected to market your debut novel at seventeen. Ellie felt the pressure–realistic. But she never complained to the point where I wanted to remind her, hello, you’re published, and this is what that means!

Writers, teen writers, and those who just love to read will love this latest installment from Stephanie Morrill!

What Others Are Saying

“With the compelling voice of a storyteller, Stephanie Morrill has done something special in The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet. She’s taken a sweet, engaging read and given it depth. I felt every step of Ellie’s journey, and when I closed the book it was with the impression that I was sending a cherished friend on her way in the world. I do wish her well.”

– Shannon Dittemore, author of the Angel Eyes trilogy

“I fell in love with Ellie when she revised her life. Now that she’s debuting into her dreams, I found myself cheering, crying, and loving her story more than ever. Morrill managed to surprise me, make me sigh, and leave me feeling as though I had discovered more truth than I could have imagined. An excellent book!”

– Roseanna M. White, author of the Culper Ring Series

“In every book she pens, Stephanie Morrill’s characters come to life. Ellie, Chase, and Palmer leap off the page and into the hearts of readers. I will love them always. The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet is a wonderful sequel that rings with true-to-life honesty, humor, and is so very worth reading.”

– Jill Williamson, Christy Award-winning author of By Darkness Hid and Captives

About the Author

Stephanie Morrill lives in Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately she discovered a passion for young adult novels and has been writing them ever since. Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. She enjoys encouraging and teaching teen writers on her blog, Go Teen Writers.