Cheryl Ntumy - Entwined

I’m sure what I’m feeling is only a fraction of his power, and that scares me.

But not enough to make me walk away.

Connie Bennett is a freak. She has premonitions, crazy wild hair and the boy she’s loved for three years doesn’t know who she is. Suddenly she can hear everyone’s thoughts and she finds herself drawn to a mysterious, scarred boy. Sparks literally fly between them, but could he actually be dangerous?

Then she discovers there’s a gang of zombie-like young girls being controlled by someone. Only Connie can stop him.

Can she cut the Puppetmaster’s strings?

A CONYZA BENNETT BOOK

Copyright Copyright Author Bio Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Glossary Endpages About the Publisher

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2013

Copyright © Cheryl S. Ntumy 2013

Cheryl S. Ntumy asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © September 2013 ISBN: 9781472044532

Version date: 2018-10-30

CHERYL S. NTUMYalways knew she wanted to write. With two teachers as parents, she grew up surrounded by books. As a child she wrote everything she could think of, from comic books and magazines to short novels and film scripts – some of which are still hiding in a dusty closet. She dreamed of exploring the realms of science fiction, fantasy and the supernatural, but ended up studying textile design instead, and then journalism.

It didn’t take long for her to decide that fiction writing was the only career she was interested in. Her first book, the supernatural novella Crossing , was published in Botswana in 2010, and her first romance novel came a few months later. She has published five romance books to date. Entwined is her first young adult novel.

Cheryl is now a full-time freelance writer in Gaborone, Botswana, where she spends her days writing, reading and daydreaming about stories. Her friends and family are still waiting for her to find gainful employment. She’s determined to keep them waiting for the rest of her life.

I must thank the following people for making this book possible:

My sister Aku Ntumy, for the joke that became Conyza Bennett, telepath and Gabs girl extraordinaire. Sorry about the title. Maybe I’ll let you win on the next one.

My friend and roomie Sharon Tshipa read the manuscript and offered feedback, and then pointed me in the direction of HQ Digital, so technically I owe her double.

Tlotlo Tsamaase, fellow YA writer, was kind enough to go through the book and offer her insight.

HQ Digital, thank you for giving Connie a voice.

Last but not least, thank to you to writers, publishers and book distributors everywhere. Your very existence inspires each word I write.

To Aku, Connie’s co-creator and the best sister a writer could hope to have.

Cover

Blurb I’m sure what I’m feeling is only a fraction of his power, and that scares me. But not enough to make me walk away. Connie Bennett is a freak. She has premonitions, crazy wild hair and the boy she’s loved for three years doesn’t know who she is. Suddenly she can hear everyone’s thoughts and she finds herself drawn to a mysterious, scarred boy. Sparks literally fly between them, but could he actually be dangerous? Then she discovers there’s a gang of zombie-like young girls being controlled by someone. Only Connie can stop him. Can she cut the Puppetmaster’s strings? A CONYZA BENNETT BOOK

Title Page Entwined Cheryl S. Ntumy

Copyright Copyright Copyright Author Bio Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Glossary Endpages About the Publisher HQ An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2013 Copyright © Cheryl S. Ntumy 2013 Cheryl S. Ntumy asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins. E-book Edition © September 2013 ISBN: 9781472044532 Version date: 2018-10-30

Author Bio CHERYL S. NTUMY always knew she wanted to write. With two teachers as parents, she grew up surrounded by books. As a child she wrote everything she could think of, from comic books and magazines to short novels and film scripts – some of which are still hiding in a dusty closet. She dreamed of exploring the realms of science fiction, fantasy and the supernatural, but ended up studying textile design instead, and then journalism. It didn’t take long for her to decide that fiction writing was the only career she was interested in. Her first book, the supernatural novella Crossing , was published in Botswana in 2010, and her first romance novel came a few months later. She has published five romance books to date. Entwined is her first young adult novel. Cheryl is now a full-time freelance writer in Gaborone, Botswana, where she spends her days writing, reading and daydreaming about stories. Her friends and family are still waiting for her to find gainful employment. She’s determined to keep them waiting for the rest of her life.