Books with title Swimming Through Clouds: A Contemporary Young Adult Novel

AWARDS: B.R.A.G. Medallion Recipient 2014Finalist (2nd Place) NORWA (YA Fiction) 2012Finalist Women of Faith Full Manuscript 2012Finalist Wisconsin RWA Honorable Mention (YA Fiction) 2012Editorial Reviews: "With beautifully crafted poetic prose, author Rajdeep Paulus weaves fear and tragedy, hope and romance through a story that dictates you endure emotional anguish right along with her characters. A work of art." ~USA TODAY (HEA), Reviewer Serena Chase, author of Eyes of E'veria Series"Swimming Through Clouds is a tough book. It's about hope and kindness, but it's also about child abuse, human-trafficking, domestic violence, and the isolation that can be part of immigrant life. Despair and cruelty haunt its pages. Raj's most heroic characters find the strength to be compassionate at moments when it would be much easier to stand by and do nothing."~AMAZON, Feature Story February 2015, Editor at Amazon Praise for Swimming Through Clouds:"Tough and touching, resilient and raw -- Rajdeep Paulus has crafted a story of love and abuse with the deft touch of a master. SWIMMING THROUGH CLOUDS is profound, but never preachy. Paulus never allows her characters to be anything less than real and she never averts her pen from the realities that face far too many women and children." ~Tosca Lee, NY Times bestselling author of HAVAH and The Books of Mortals series with Ted Dekker"Paulus is an exceptional writer! The essence of the human spirit are illuminated through the characters who come to life in each page. Paulus captures the heart of the reader in SWIMMING THROUGH CLOUDS." ~Diana Mao, President of Nomi Network "Difficult to read, but even more difficult to put down." ~Brown Girl Magazine"Should be read by everyone... men, women, young, and old."~Masalamommas Review, Angie Seth"This patient, subtle romance is intimate and enticing."~Talking Cranes"SWIMMING THROUGH CLOUDS is a heart-wrenching story of both suffering and courage. This book will haunt you long after you finish it." - Darby Karchut, author of Griffin Rising and Finn Finnegan"I'm trapped in the middle of someone's life... And it's only just begun! I need more!!!" ~Teen Reader __________"I live in the in between. Between what if and what is. It's how I manage. It's the only way I know. Everyone has a way. This is mine."Senior year kicks off when the words on a Post-it note spark a sticky romance between two unlikely friends. Transfer student Talia Vanderbilt has one goal at her new school: to blend in with the walls. Basketball captain and mathlete Lagan Desai moves one thing to the top of his list: befriend the new girl. One Post-it note at a time, Lagan patiently moves past Talia's caution-taped heart, revealing a world where hope seems to lie around the corner she never turns. __________RAJDEEP PAULUS decided to be a writer during her junior year in high school after her English teacher gave her an "F" but told her she had potential. She studied English Literature at Northwestern University and lives in New York with her Sunshine and four princesses. When Paulus is not tapping on her Mac, you can find her dancing with her girls, kayaking with her hubs, coaching basketball, or eating dark chocolate while sipping a frothy, sugar-free latte. Raj writes masala-marinated, Young Adult Fiction and blogs at rajdeeppaulus dot com. Find her @rajdeeppaulus on Twitter.

AWARDS: B.R.A.G. Medallion Recipient Semi-Finalist Genesis Contest (YA Fiction) Finalist (2nd Place) NORWA (YA Fiction) Finalist Women of Faith Full Manuscript Finalist Wisconsin RWA Honorable Mention (YA Fiction) "Tough and touching, resilient and raw -- Rajdeep Paulus has crafted a story of love and abuse with the deft touch of a master. SWIMMING THROUGH CLOUDS is profound, but never preachy. Paulus never allows her characters to be anything less than real and she never averts her pen from the realities that face far too many women and children." --Tosca Lee, NY Times bestselling author of HAVAH and The Books of Mortals series with Ted Dekker “Paulus is an exceptional writer! The essence of the human spirit are illuminated through the characters who come to life in each page. Paulus captures the heart of the reader in SWIMMING THROUGH CLOUDS.” - Diana Mao, President of Nomi Network “SWIMMING THROUGH CLOUDS is a heart-wrenching story of both suffering and courage. This book will haunt you long after you finish it.” - Darby Karchut, author of Griffin Rising and Finn Finnegan “I’m trapped in the middle of someone’s life... And it’s only just begun! I need more!!!” - Teenage Reader "There is much to admire about Rajdeep Paulus's writing. Poetic, raw and thought-provoking, her words will indeed send you swimming through clouds." - Selene Castrovilla, author of THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, a GalleyCat Best YA Book (2010) __________ "I live in the in between. Between what if and what is. It’s how I manage. It’s the only way I know. Everyone has their way. This is mine." Senior year kicks off when the words on a Post-it note spark a sticky romance between two unlikely friends. Transfer student Talia Vanderbilt has one goal at her new school: to blend in with the walls. Lagan Desai, basketball captain and mathlete, would do just about anything to befriend the new girl. One Post-it note at a time, Lagan persuades Talia to peel back her heart, slowly revealing a world where hope seems to lie around the corner. She never turns. __________ RAJDEEP PAULUS decided to be a writer during her junior year in high school after her English teacher gave her an “F” but told her she had potential. She studied English Literature at Northwestern University, and she writes masala-marinated, Young Adult Fiction, blogging weekly at InSearchOfWaterfalls (dot) com. When Paulus is not tapping on her Mac, you can find her dancing with her four princesses, kayaking with her hubs, coaching basketball or eating dark chocolate while sipping a frothy, sugar-free latte. She secretly hopes to one day own a laptop that functions under water! Oops. The secret’s out.

Editorial Reviews for the Swimming Through Clouds Trilogy:"It is the rare author who can end an emotionally compelling trilogy with the same resounding truth from which it was formed, but turned inside out. In Soaring through Stars, Rajdeep Paulus does exactly that. Crafting her characters' inner growth at a believable and often heart-wrenching pace across the series, this final book extends an exquisite peace to hearts where extreme fear used to dwell. This series should be on the shelves of every American high school. Soaring through Stars is a beautiful, perfect ending to a truly exceptional series... Don't miss this one." ~USA TODAY (HEA) Serena Chase, Author of The Ryn "Rajdeep Paulus writes young adult fiction with a new kind of hero...Despair and cruelty haunt its pages. Raj's most heroic characters find the strength to be compassionate at moments when it would be much easier to stand by and do nothing." ~AMAZON, Amazon Author Success Story, Editor at Amazon Praise for Seeing Through Stones:"Brilliant. Smart. Brave. And daring."~ Masalamommas Reviewer Angie Seth"Tough and touching, resilient and raw--Rajdeep Paulus has crafted a story of love and abuse with the deft touch of a master... Paulus never allows her characters to be anything less than real and she never averts her pen from the realities that face far too many women and children. "~ Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author ofHavah and The Books of Mortals series with Ted Dekker"In this follow-up to her debut, Rajdeep Paulus quickly pulls her readers back into a heartfelt story that challenges our notions of family loyalty. Seeing Through Stones continues Talia's healing journey, but, even better, it gives readers the long-awaited story of her heroic brother, Jesse. There's something here for everyone, and perhaps the best part is Paulus's weaving of multicultural characters and traditions into a rhythm as unique as it is refreshing."~ Laura Anderson Kurk, Author of Glass Girl & Perfect Glass"After reading Rajdeep Paulus's debut novel, I was incredibly eager to get my hands on the sequel. The wait was worth it! With a lyrical voice, heart-tugging characters and skillful handling of sensitive subject matter, Paulus's sophomore novel is a beautiful piece of storytelling. I can't recommend it enough."~Melissa Tagg, Author of Made to Last and Here to Stay"Seeing Through Stones both broke my heart and filled it with hope at the same time. Paulus's writing simply soars as she paints her characters' pains, fears, and hopes in a beautiful portrait of recovery and grace. With this book, Paulus has established herself as a powerful voice in Young Adult literature." ~John W. Otte, Author of Numb and the Failstate series"Brilliantly crafted, Rajdeep Paulus stitched what seems dark and broken into a tapestry of hope and love."~Jennifer Murgia, Author of Angel Star & Between These Lines***"I live in the in between. Between yesterday and forever. The way forward haunts me. The gap I must cover daunts me. And hope beckons, 'Run to me,' but I just learned to walk."After a lifetime of abuse, the Vanderbilt siblings flee their home, finally free to pursue new dreams while running from yesterday's nightmares.Once bed-ridden Jesse navigates the Chicago streets, concealing his identity and planning revenge. A chance encounter in the rain introduces a girl who offers Jesse a glimpse of a sunnier future, but how will he weather the growing storm inside himself?Separated from her Post-it note prince, Talia hides at a safe house for survivors of domestic violence while her father turns the city upside-down to find her. Surrounded by women fighting their own demons, Talia faces her past at every turn. From Award-Winning, Young Adult author Rajdeep Paulus comes the sequel to Swimming Through Clouds, a powerful reminder that life is a battle you don't fight alone.

Editorial Reviews for the Swimming Through Clouds Trilogy:"It is the rare author who can end an emotionally compelling trilogy with the same resounding truth from which it was formed, but turned inside out. In Soaring through Stars, Rajdeep Paulus does exactly that. Crafting her characters' inner growth at a believable and often heart-wrenching pace across the series, this final book extends an exquisite peace to hearts where extreme fear used to dwell. This series should be on the shelves of every American high school. Soaring through Stars is a beautiful, perfect ending to a truly exceptional series... Don't miss this one." ~USA TODAY (HEA) Serena Chase, Author of The Ryn "Rajdeep Paulus writes young adult fiction with a new kind of hero...Despair and cruelty haunt its pages. Raj's most heroic characters find the strength to be compassionate at moments when it would be much easier to stand by and do nothing." ~AMAZON, Amazon Author Success Story, Editor at Amazon PRAISE for Soaring Through Stars: "Tough and touching, resilient and raw--Rajdeep Paulus has crafted a story of love and abuse with the deft touch of a master, and she never averts her pen from the realities that face far too many women and children." ~ Tosca Lee, NY Times Bestselling Author ofHavah and The Books of Mortals series with Ted Dekker In Soaring Through Stars, the final book in her trilogy, Rajdeep Paulus displays an almost magical ability to portray dark and haunting subject matter with her descriptively lyrical style. Her poetic prose not only manages to bring her characters' devastating struggles vividly to life, but also their singular grace and courage as they fight to wrestle hope from the rubble of epic loss, grief, and trauma.~ Lisa Amowitz, Author of Breaking Glass, Vision, and Until Beth "In Soaring Through Stars, Rajdeep Paulus does what few authors of series are able to do--she stays fiercely loyal to her characters and allows them to find the natural ending to an emotional journey. Something beautiful is created where there had only been chaos."~ Laura Anderson Kurk, author of Glass Girl and Perfect Glass "Brilliantly crafted, Rajdeep Paulus stitched what seems dark and broken into a tapestry of hope and love." ~ Jennifer Murgia, Author of Between These Lines and Forest of Whispers "A raw and heart-wrenching account of abuse, human trafficking, and enduring hope, theSwimming Through Clouds series is an incredible story of the strength of true love and the power of courage. Talia, Lagan, and Jesse will sneak into your heart and stay there long after you read the last line." ~ Amalie Howard, Bestselling IndieNext author of Alpha Goddess "This is a beautiful not-so-average love story and an ending that stays with you for days after you've finished reading the book."~ Brown Girl Magazine "Deep, sometimes quite dark, and very emotional YA story." ~ Once Upon a YA Book Blog *** "I live in the in between. Between holding on and letting go. Hurt clings to me. Hope teases me. Home. I can't explain it, but sometimes, I just want to go home." Talia and Jesse Vanderbilt have escaped a childhood full of abuse, and with the help of their friends have found the courage to publicly tell their stories. When they face obstacles trying to have their father convicted, the siblings can't help but consider the option to walk away and move on with their lives. Someone unexpected brings his own secrets, forcing the Vanderbilt teens to revisit their pasts and rethink their plans. Through it all, Lagan and Talia's Post-it love story blossoms, while Jesse and Summer hit roadblocks. From the award-winning author of Swimming Through Clouds and Seeing Through Stones comes a powerful story of freedom and belonging in this final book of the young adult trilogy that began with an invitation on a little, yellow, Post-it note.