Young Adult Urban Fantasy from Entangled Teen

Team Urban: Why I Love Urban Fantasy!

Brenda Drake – Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers, #2):
I’m such a fan of Urban Fantasy for many reasons, but mostly because writers can take our normal world and, either secret or not, add a dash of the fantastical to it. With mystical creatures hiding from humans or living side by side with them, deliciously nefarious things can happen. There’s just something extraordinary about urban fantasy. It’s the ability of the writer to look at something normal in the human world and mix it up. Changing a simple book into something that can transport someone from library to library or hiding a zoo of magical beasts in a common suitcase.

Book Description:

Being a Sentinel isn’t all fairytales and secret gardens. Sure, jumping through books into the world’s most beautiful libraries to protect humans from mystical creatures is awesome. No one knows that better than Gia Kearns, but she could do without the part where people are always trying to kill her. Oh, and the fact that Pop and her had to move away from her friends and life as she knew it.

And if that isn’t enough, her boyfriend, Arik, is acting strangely. Like, maybe she should be calling him “ex,” since he’s so into another girl. But she doesn’t have time to be mad or even jealous, because someone has to save the world from the upcoming apocalypse, and it looks like that’s going to be Gia.

Buy Guardian of Secrets

Chris Cannon – Fanning the Flames (Going Down in Flames, #4):
1. There are no maidens that need to be rescued in urban fantasy. More than likely the females are the ones kicking ass.
2. I love the snarky banter that occurs when you throw modern day characters into strange/magical/supernatural circumstances.
3. Anything is possible in urban fantasy. There are no rules about what types of paranormal creatures you can have. If you want to create dragons that breathe fire, ice, wind, sonic waves, and lightning, you can, just like I did in Going Down In Flames *cough cough shameless self promotion

Book Description:

She isn’t afraid of anything…except losing the knight she loves. Bryn McKenna has it all, including her smoking-hot knight turned live-in boyfriend, Valmont. Even though she’s a hybrid dragon, she’s finally fitting into the new shape-shifting dragon world that’s become her own. But her grandparents want to ruin everything by making Bryn’s nightmare of an arranged marriage to Jaxon Westgate a reality. It doesn’t help that Jaxon’s father is on a witch hunt for Rebel sympathizers and Bryn finds herself in his line of fire.

If she doesn’t say, “I do,” she’ll lose everything. Good-bye flying. Good-bye best friends. Good-bye magic. But if she bends to her grandparents’ will and agrees to marry Jaxon, she’ll lose the love of her life—her knight.

Buy Fanning the Flames

Shonna Slayton – Spindle:
Urban fantasy reminds me that our own world is magical. We are so used to the way our world works that we take for granted how incredible it is that our heart beats, our brain imagines, that our eyes see color.

As a writer, urban fantasy allows me to open up my imagination on multiple planes. I still work with the real world, but I get to add layers onto that. It’s like going from black and white TV to color. Like Dorothy in dusty old Kansas stepping into the colorful land of Oz.

Book Description:

In a world where fairies lurk and curses linger, love can bleed like the prick of a finger…

Briar Rose knows her life will never be a fairy tale. She’s raising her siblings on her own, her wages at the spinning mill have been cut, and the boy she thought she had a future with has eyes for someone else. Most days it feels like her best friend, Henry Prince, is the only one in her corner…though with his endless flirty jokes, how can she ever take him seriously?

When a mysterious peddler offers her a “magic” spindle that could make her more money, sneaking it into the mill seems worth the risk. But then one by one, her fellow spinner girls come down with the mysterious sleeping sickness…and Briar’s not immune.

If Briar wants to save the girls—and herself—she’ll have to start believing in fairy tales…and in the power of a prince’s kiss.

Buy Spindle

Tara Fuller – Inbetween (Kissed by Death, #1):

Book Description:

Death doesn’t fall in love. Usually. Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.
It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

Buy Inbetween

Danielle Ellison – Salt (Salt, #1):
Whether it’s witches, demons, ghosts or other types monsters, there’s nothing like escaping the sometimes mundane reality of our world, or giving what we know every day a spice of fantasy. Filled with kick-ass heroines who aren’t afraid to fight for what they believe in (and hot, just-as-fierce love interests) Urban Fantasy inspires you look beyond what you see and be more than you think you can be. Plus, life is more with some magic: more dangerous, more unpredictable, more chaotic, more fun.

Book Description:

Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.

When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find “her” demon. To take back what was stolen.

Then she meets Carter. He’s cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too. He knows her secret—but he also has one of his own.

Suddenly, Penelope’s impossible quest becomes far more complicated. Because Carter’s not telling her everything, and it’s starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda…and they’re far too interested in her.

Buy Salt

Rachel Harris – My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, #1):

Book Description:

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits…right into Renaissance Firenze.
Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Buy My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

Gloria Craw – Atlantis Rising (Atlantis Rising, #1):
I love Urban Fantasy because it infuses normal life with myth and magic. It’s so exciting to have something in common with a character who finds a magic object, special ability or a secret origin. The possible ways her courage and passion might be tested are endless. When she does triumph against fantastic odds, I’m left feeling inspired and reassured that I can overcome great obstacles in my everyday life too. Urban Fantasy reminds me that the ordinary in us can sometimes be…extraordinary.

Book Description:

We’ve stayed hidden too long… I am different. I have always been different, but no one can know or my life will be in danger. So I hide in plain sight, wearing drab clothes and thick glasses and trying to be invisible. I’m so good at hiding, no one has ever noticed me. Until Ian…the mysterious and oh-so-cute boy I know I need to avoid.

Now I have been seen. And more terrifying still, I am wanted—by those who would protect me and those who would destroy everything and everyone I love. But if they’re all terrified about who I am, wait until they see what I can do…

Buy Atlantis Rising

Entangled Teen YA Urban Fantasy VS Epic Fantasy

From February 27 to March 3rd, Entangled TEEN is featuring some of our new and backlist titles in a YA Series promo called Team Urban vs. Team Epic Fantasy, including:

  • Team Urban Fantasy:

    • Guardian of Secrets (Library Jumpers, #2) by Brenda Drake

    • Fanning the Flames (Going Down in Flames, #4) by Chris Cannon

    • Spindle by Shonna Slayton

    • Inbetween by Tara Fuller

    • Salt by Danielle Ellison

    • My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

    • Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw

  • Team Epic Fantasy:

    • Island of Exiles (The Ryogan Chronicles, #1) by Erica Cameron

    • Garden of Thorns by Amber Mitchell

    • True North (True Born, #2) by L.E. Sterling

    • In Truth & Ashes (Otherselves, #3) by Nicole Luiken

    • Relic by Renee Collins

    • The Summer Marked (The Winter People, #2)

    • Greta and the Goblin King (Mylena Chronicles, #1) by Chloe Jacobs

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The Urban vs. Epic Fantasy Week Begins!

GIVEAWAY

The Grand Prize winner of the contest will receive the following:

  • True Born (True Born Trilogy, #1) by L.E. Sterling

  • Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers, #1) by Brenda Drake

  • Spindle by Shonna Slayton

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keystone by Dannika Dark….Release Day Blitz

The highly anticipated next release by USA Today Bestselling Author of Urban Fantasy Romance and Paranormal Romance, Dannika Dark is now available!! 
KEYSTONE is the first book in the brand new CROSSBREED Series!!
Grab your copy today!!
Keystone
(Crossbreed Series Book 1)
By Dannika Dark
 
Blurb:
With over 1 million books sold, USA Today Bestseller Dannika Dark introduces her next addictive series…
 
When the road forks, how do you know which path is the right one?
Raven Black hunts evildoers for fun, but her vigilante justice isn’t the only reason she’s hiding from the law. Half Vampire, half Mage, she’s spent years living as a rogue to stay alive. When a Russian Shifter offers her a job in his covert organization hunting outlaws, dignity and a respectful career are finally within her grasp. The catch? Her new partner is Christian Poe – a smug, handsome Vampire whom she’d rather stake than go on a stakeout with.
They’re hot on the trail of a human killer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. One misstep during her probationary period could jeopardize Raven’s chance at redemption, and her partner would love nothing more than to see her fail. Dark secrets, unexpected twists, and a blurred line between good and evil will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Will Raven find the courage to succeed, or will she give in to her dark nature?

Available for purchase at

      
Available in audio on January 31, 2017
Pre-order available at
   

 

 

Learn a little bit more about 
Raven and Christian! 
About the Author
 

Dannika Dark is the USA Today Bestselling Author of Urban Fantasy Romance and Paranormal Romance. Her books have sold more than 1 million copies worldwide, and she is a 2016 Audie Awards finalist. 

 

Dannika was born on a military base in the U.S. and spent her youth traveling abroad. She developed an interest writing poetry and song lyrics early on, eventually gravitating toward a job that involved writing procedural training documentation. In her spare time, she wrote novels before she decided to pursue a career in publishing.
In addition to writing about supernatural worlds, Dannika is passionate about graphic design and creates all her own covers and series art. When not writing, she enjoys indie music, movies, reading, Tex-Mex, strawberry daiquiris, heaps of chocolate, and unleashing her dark side.
All of her published books to date are written in the same universe and contain material suitable for adults only.
“For me, writing is all about blending genres to break out of the confines of predictability, but it’s what I love to do.” ~ Danni
You can find Dannika at
           
To receive exclusive content and be the first to know about upcoming releases, please sign up to receive her newsletter.  

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Lucian Devine by Renée Carlino….Blog Tour & Review

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luciandivine_03-1-1-1“My guardian angel is a drunk.”

Evelyn Casey’s life is at a standstill. She’s in her mid-twenties, struggling with the dating scene in San Francisco. Nothing seems to be working out, and she’s starting to think that she’ll live out her days in her crummy apartment with her overbearing roommate, Brooklyn. It’s absurd, but sometimes Evey longs for a guardian angel to show up and save the day.

And then he does. Seriously. His name is Lucian and he’s a guardian angel, been on the job for two thousand years. His sudden presence in her life is both good—he’s brilliant, witty, and warm—and bad—he’s brilliant, witty, warm, and hot as —-. But as perfect as Lucian seems, he’s got problems of his own. He’s taken up drinking and he’s brazenly inserted himself into Evey’s life, going against the greatest cosmic law ever created.

For Evey, the rules are simple: You are not allowed to hook up with your guardian angel. But sometimes fulfilling your destiny requires a leap of faith, a confrontation with God.

Yes, God as in God.

 

iTunes | B&N | KOBO | AMAZON PRINT |

Amazon

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I enjoy Renee Carlino and her writing.  However, this book didn’t feel that it had the depth of her other books.
What I did love about this book was the different aspects it brought.  Yes, it’s about angels but the way Renee tells the story is quite interesting.  She has a unique take on guardian angels and God and the unknown.  I truly loved the added humor in this book. It helped give the story that quirky view and that what’s kept me interested.
Renee tells this story from Lucian and Evelyn’s POV.   Lucian definitely made this book for me.  I enjoyed his view on things and the way he challenged everything.  His love for Evelyn was astounding.  Evelyn was just ok for me.  I couldn’t really connect with her but that sometimes happens.
Overall, it’s how this story played out that entertained me.  While I had figured out how things were going to happen, it’s the characters reactions that made the book interesting.  These angels do things I don’t expect most angels to do.  And the unexpected in always enjoyable to read.

 

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EARLY REVIEWS

“I was utterly and completely swept away by Lucian Divine. This story is sweet, swoony, so funny and unique and just downright magical. It’s pure delight.”
-Mia Sheridan
New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

“Lucian delivers all the feels and heart in a beautifully clever, blissfully winged package. This story was the absolute best way to start my New Year.”
-Staci Hart
Bestselling Author

“A love story like we’ve never seen…witty and so utterly charming, Carlino’s humor shines thought in Lucian Divine. I have been swept away.”
-R.S. Grey
USA Today Bestselling Author

“Lucian Divine has redefined and set a new standard of what a must-read book is for me.”
-Carey Heywood
New York Times Bestselling Author

“Carlino pulls all the stops and gives us not only something emotional that will touch your heart and soul, but will also give readers something to think about long after reading the very last page.”
-Christina Shh Moms Reading

“This author has ASTOUNDING talent and every romance reader out there needs to experience at least one of her incredible stories. Unique, addictive, beautiful, and faultlessly written, LUCIAN DIVINE by Renée Carlino was an incredible DELIGHT to read!”
-Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads

“A love so deep, so strong, one that will melt your heart and have you devouring word after word. Lucian Divine consumed me and I have to say that I am in awe of Renee Carlino’s talent and her ability to create a tale that brings this story and these characters to life.”
-Jen Shmexy Girl Book Blog

“This book delivers on so many levels. It questions but also reaffirms faiths. It makes you love harder and sends a hopeful message.”
-AC Book Blog

“I adored the neurotic but lovable Lucian. Everything about this book was perfect for me.”
-A Literary Perusal

 

Renee-121Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women’s novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. Learn more at www.reneecarlino.com

Freeks by Amanda Hocking…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

Buy Links:

Macmillan

Books-A-Million

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

 

 

 

EXCERPT

5. carnival

Unlike many of the other members of the sideshow, I didn’t have a specific job. My mom was a fortune- teller, Gideon did a magic show, Zeke had his tigers, Brendon and his family did acrobatics, Seth was a strongman. My best friend Roxie Smith was in two acts— she helped out Zeke, and did a peepshow revue with two other girls.

I had no talent. No special ability, making me essentially a roadie. I did what was needed of me, which usually involved helping set up and take down, and various menial tasks. I cleaned the tiger cages and emptied out latrines when I had to. It wasn’t a glamorous job, but it was crucial to our way of life.

Since Roxie worked with the tigers, Mahilā actually tolerated her. Roxie was helping me clean out the tiger cage they traveled in. The cage was open to a fenced-in enclosure Seth had built, so the tigers could roam as they pleased.

Safēda lounged in the grass, the sun shining brightly on her white fur. Whenever we stopped, Safēda seemed content to just lay in the sun, sleeping the entire time, but as the older tiger, it made sense.

Mahilā paced along the fence, occasionally emitting an irritated guttural noise in between casting furtive glances back toward Roxie and me. Her golden fur was mottled with scars from her past life in the abusive circus, including a nasty one that ran across her nose.

“So where did you go last night?” Roxie asked, her voice lilting in a sing song playful way. She was out in the run, using a hose to fill up a blue plastic kiddie pool so the tigers could play in it, while I was on my hands and knees scrubbing dung off the cage floor.

Her bleached blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and the sleeves of her white T- shirt were rolled up, revealing her well-toned arms. The cut- off jean shorts she wore barely covered her bum, and her old cowboy boots went up to her knees— her chosen footwear anytime she was at risk of stepping in tiger poop.

With fair skin, full lips, large blue eyes, and a dainty nose, Roxie was pretty and deceptively tough. Being a beautiful carnie was not an easy job, and dancing in the revue under the stage name “Foxy Roxie” didn’t help that. But she made decent money doing it, and Roxie never put up with anybody’s crap. I’d seen her deck guys much bigger than her and lay them out flat on their backs.

“I was just at a party,” I said as I rinsed the brush off in a bucket of bleach and warm water.

“A party?” Roxie looked over at me with a hand on her hip.

“How’d you get invited to a party so fast?”

I shrugged. “I was just exploring town, and I saw some people hanging outside of this big house party, and they invited me in.”

“So what are the people like here? Are they nice?”

Safēda had gotten up and climbed into the pool, and then she flopped down in it, splashing Roxie as she did. Roxie took a step back, but kept looking at me.

“I don’t know. The people I met last night seemed nice, and they were superrich, so that bodes well for the town, I guess.”

“Like how rich?” Roxie asked.

“Like their house is practically a mansion.” I dropped the brush in the water and sat back on my knees, taking a break to talk to her. “It was the nicest house I’ve ever been in, hands down.”

“Is that why you spent the night there?”

Roxie understood my fascination with houses. Well, “understood” wasn’t the right word. It was more like she knew of it, but didn’t understand it all. She’d grown up in an upper- middleclass family, in nice houses with basements, and thought they were about as boring and lame as she could imagine.

“Partly.” I nodded. “It was a really amazing house. There were pillars out front, and the front hall was bigger than my trailer.”

“It’s just a house, Mara.” Roxie shook her head.

“I know but . . .” I trailed off, trying to think of how to explain it to her. “You know how you felt when you first joined the sideshow two years ago? How everything seemed so exciting and fun, and I was like, ‘We live in cramped trailers. It kinda sucks.’”

Roxie nodded. “Yeah. But I still think this life is a million times better than my old life. I get to see everything. I get to decide things for myself. I can leave whenever I want. There’s nothing to hold me back or tie me down.”

She’d finished filling up the pool, so she twisted the nozzle on the hose to shut it off. Stepping carefully over an old tire and a large branch that the tigers used as toys, she went to the edge of the run and tossed the hose over the fence, before Mahilā

decided to play with it and tore it up.

She walked over to the cage and scraped her boots on the edge, to be sure she didn’t track any poop inside, before climbing up inside it.

“So what was the other reason?” Roxie asked.

I kept scrubbing for a moment and didn’t look up at her when I said, “Gabe.”

Gabe?” Roxie asked. “That sounds like a boy’s name.”

“That’s because it is.”

“Did you have sex with him?”

“No.” I shot her a look. “We just made out a little.”

“What what what?” Luka Zajiček happened to be walking by just in time to hear that, and he changed his course to walk over to the tiger cage. “Is that what you were up to last night?”

“That’s what sucks about living in a community so small. Whenever anything happens, everybody knows about it right away,” I muttered.

Luka put his arms through the cage bars and leaned against it, in the area I’d cleaned already. Since he was rather short, the floor came up to his chest, and his black hair fell into his eyes.

His eyes were the same shade of gray as mine, but his olive skin was slightly lighter than mine. We first met him when he joined the carnival four years ago, and the first thing my mom said was that she was certain that we were related somehow.

Unfortunately, Mom knew next to nothing about our family tree to be able to prove it. All she could really tell me was that we were a mixture of Egyptian, Turkish, and Filipino, with a bit of German thrown in for good measure.

Luka had been born in Czechoslovakia, but he’d moved here with his family when he was young, so he’d lost his accent.

He had recently roped me into helping him with a trick. He’d stand with his back against a wall, while I fi red a crossbow around him. Originally, Blossom had been the one to help him, but she kept missing and shooting him in the leg or arm, so he’d asked me to do it because I had a steadier hand.

“So you made out with some local guy last night?” Luka asked, smirking at me. “Are you gonna see him again?”

“He’s a local guy. What do you think?” I asked, and gave him a hard look.

Luka shrugged. “Sometimes you bump into them again.”

“And that goes so well when they find out that I work and live with a traveling sideshow,” I said.

The floor was spotless, or at least as spotless as tiger cages can get, and I tossed my brush in the bucket and took off my yellow rubber gloves.

“We can’t all meet our boyfriends in the sideshow,” I reminded Luka as I stood up, and it only made him grin wider. He’d been dating Tim— one of the Flying Phoenixes— for the past three months.

“But you didn’t see Blossom anywhere in town last night?” Roxie asked, and Luka’s smile instantly fell away.

A sour feeling stirred in my stomach, and I looked out around camp through the bars of the cage, as if Blossom would suddenly appear standing beside a trailer. As I’d been doing my chores all morning, I kept scanning the campsite for her, expecting her to return at any moment with a funny story about how she’d gotten lost in town.

But so far, she hadn’t. And the longer she went without coming back, the worse the feeling in my stomach got. I shook my head. “No. I didn’t see her at all last night.”

“She’s gotta turn up, though, right?” Luka asked. “I mean, it’s not like there are really that many places she could’ve gone considering she has no money or car and she’s in a small town.”

The tigers were still down in the run, so I opened the side gate and hopped down out of the cage. Roxie got out behind me, then we closed the door.

“I should talk to Gideon,” I decided as Roxie locked the cage up behind me. “It’s not like Blossom to do this.”

“It’s not totally unlike her, though,” Roxie pointed out.

“When we were in Toledo six months ago, she dis appeared for a few days with that weird commune, and came back just before we were leaving, totally baked out of her mind.”

Blossom had grown up with parents who pretended to be hippies but were really just a couple of drug addicts. That— along with her unexplainable telekinesis— led to her dabbling with drugs and alcohol at a young age, before the state intervened and shipped her off to a group home.

My mom tried to keep her clean of her bad habits, but sometimes Blossom just liked to run off and do her own thing. That wasn’t that unusual for people who lived in the carnival.

“But if you’re worried, you should talk to Gideon,” Roxie suggested. “Luka’s right in that Blossom really couldn’t have gone far. Maybe you can scope out Caudry.”

“Since that sounds like a mission that may take a bit of time, can you help me and Hutch with the museum before you talk to Gideon?” Luka asked. “The exit door is jammed, and we can’t get it open, and Seth is busy helping set up the tents.”

“Sure. Between me and Mara, I’m sure the two of us can get the door unstuck,” Roxie said.

I dropped off the bucket with the other tiger supplies, and then followed Roxie and Luka away from our campsite to the fairgrounds on the other side of a chain- link fence. We always stayed close to the rides, the midway, and the circus tent, but we didn’t actually sleep there. It was much better for every one if we kept our private lives separate from the crowds.

Many of the games were already set up, and the Ferris wheel was in the process of being erected as we passed. Near the end of the midway was a long black trailer painted with all kinds of frightening images of werewolves and specters, along with happier pictures of mermaids and unicorns, and the sign was written in bloodred:

Beneath that were several smaller signs warning “Enter at your own risk. The creatures inside can be DISTURBING and cause NIGHTMARES.”

The entrance to the left was open, but the exit door at the other end was still shut. Wearing a pair of workman’s gloves, Hutch was pulling at the door with all his might. His neon green tank showed that his muscles were flexed and straining in effort. The bandana kept his dark brown hair off his face, but sweat was dripping down his brow.

“Let me have a try, Hutch,” Roxie said.

“What?” He turned to look back at her. “Door’s stuck.”

“I can see that. That’s why I said let me have a try.”

“Okay.” Hutch shrugged and stepped back.

Hutch’s real name was Donald Hutchence, but nobody ever called him anything but Hutch. He didn’t have any special powers, unless you considered being really agreeable and easygoing a super power, so, like me, he was left doing whatever else needed to be done.

Roxie grabbed the door and started pulling on it, and when it didn’t budge, I joined her.

“Luka, go and push from the inside,” Roxie commanded through gritted teeth.

Both Luka and Hutch went inside, pushing as Roxie and I pulled. And then all at once, the door gave way, and we all fell back on the gravel. I landed on my back, scraping my elbow on the rocks.

Roxie made it out unscathed, and Hutch fell painfully on top of me, so he’d avoided injury. Luka crashed right on the gravel, though, and the rocks tore through his jeans and ripped up his knees and the palms of his hands pretty badly.

“Do you need me to get a Band- Aid or anything?” Hutch asked as he helped me to my feet.

“No, I’ll be okay.” I glanced over at Luka and the blood dripping down his knees. “What about you? Do you want anything?”

“Nah. Just give it a few minutes.” Luka waved it off and sat down on the steps leading up to the museum door.

No matter how many times I saw it, I couldn’t help but watch. His knee was shredded, with bits of gravel sticking in the skin. Right before my eyes, the bleeding stopped, and the rocks started falling out, as if pushed by his flesh, and the skin grew back, reattaching itself where it had been little mangled flaps.

Within a few minutes, Luka’s knee was healed completely.

Copyright © 2017 by Amanda Hocking and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Griffin.

 

 

I loved Amanda Hocking and her books.  And when I read the blurb to this book, I was immediately hooked.  However, I did not enjoy it as much as I was expecting.

The overall story of this book was great.  That’s what kept me glued to the pages.  I love the idea of the sideshow and all the characters involved.  They were very interesting and I wish we could have gotten to know more about them.  But I get that this book revolved around Mara and her family in the carnival.

While I enjoyed the characters and their abilities, I had a hard time connecting to any of them.  And it’s not that because this is a YA book, but I just don’t think any of them were as well developed as her other books.  And the whole insta-love thing between Gabe and Mara just seemed to far fetched for me.  I understand they have unique gifts and that’s the underlying part of how they connect so quickly, but without feeling any connection to them, everything just felt off and hard to believe.

Overall, the book is a good read.  There wasn’t a point that I wanted to walk away.  As I said, the overall story kept me glued and had me wanting to know what was going on.  Just don’t expect to get too attached to any characters or anything along those lines.

AMANDA HOCKING Q&A

 Your characters are sent into the Hunger Games. Who wins?

If it’s just the characters from FREEKS, and only one could win, I would put my money on Luka or maybe Roxie. Luka because he can heal from injuries, which gives him a crazy advantage, but Roxie is smart and she’s a survivor. Plus, she has the power of pyrokinesis, which I think I would come in handy in a battle to the death.

  What do you listen to while you write? Or do you prefer silence?

I almost always listen to music when I write, unless I’m writing a really difficult scene. Sometimes the silence helps me focus, but most of the time, I prefer music. For FREEKS, I got to make a really fun 80s playlist, so I especially enjoyed working to that.

  What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve looked up in the name of research – or what do you think the government has maybe flagged you for?

There are sooo many things. For FREEKS, I had to do fun stuff like, “What does a dead body smell like?” and “How much blood can a human lose?” And then after those macabre questions, I did a bunch of googling on fireflies and tarot cards. My search history when I’m working can be pretty exciting like that.

  What was your favorite part of writing FREEKS?

I love Southern Gothics and I love pulpy 80s horror movies, so I was excited to be able incorporate those things in FREEKS. But my favorite part was actually Mara and Gabe. I think they complement each other well, and it was fun writing their banter and flirtations.

  Which actor/actress would you like to see playing your main characters from FREEKS?

For Mara, I envisioned Cassie Steele from the start. I used to be a hardcore Degrassi fan, and I loved Cassie Steele on that. For Gabe, I like Ryan Guzman. I saw him in a Jennifer Lopez movie, and I was like, “Yep. That could be Gabe.”

  Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

I usually write between 11 am and 7 pm. I’ve tried to write earlier in the day and have more of a 8-5 type schedule, but I am not a morning person. My brain just doesn’t want to work much before noon.

  Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

I usually have a goal in mind before I start writing, but it varies. Some days, it’s slow going and I hope to get at least 500 words out. Other days, I fly through with thousands of words. So it depends on where I’m at in the book, when it’s due, and how I’m feeling about the whole thing.

  When you develop your characters, do you already have an idea of who they are before you write or do you let them develop as you go?

With all my main characters, I have a really good idea of who they are, and it’s just a matter of showing that to the readers. With the side characters, they tend to be rather one-dimensional, and they grow into the story as they’re needed.

  How did writing Freeks differ from your writing your previous novels?

FREEKS was the first thing I had written in awhile that was started out just for me. For most of the past ten years, I have been writing my books with the intention of publishing them, with the audience and readers and trends in mind. I think I had gotten a little burnt out on trying to make everyone happy (mostly because it is impossible to please all readers all the time), and I just wanted to write something that for the sake of writing it.

And that turned out to be a gothic love story about a teenage girl travelling with a band of misfits in the 1980s. It was a very cathartic writing experience for me, and it reminded me of exactly why I loved writing in the first place – I love getting lost in the world, with the characters.

  If Freeks had a theme song what would it be?

Either “Hush” by Limousines or “Head Over Heels” by Tears For Fears.

 Can you please tell us a little bit about Freeks and where you got the inspiration to write it?

I was going through a rough patch, creatively speaking, and so I just sat back and tried to think of my favorite and what I loved most that I would want to write about.

When I was a kid, I used to get old books at garage sales all the time, and I distinctly remember getting Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King and a few old V. C. Andrews novels, which are pulpy Southern Gothic-esque novels. I also watched The Lost Boys and Pretty in Pink over and over again (I think I literally ruined the old VHS of The Lost Boys from watching it too much).

So I basically threw all those things together in a soup, and I picked apart the things I liked and wanted to explore more. That became a travelling sideshow in the 80s stopping Louisiana, where a supernatural monster is afoot, and a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who is smith with a local boy with secrets of his own.

  Freeks is full of many amazingly talented characters and I imagine it was really fun to create some of them, but which one was your favorite and why?

Mara and Gabe are my obvious favorites, since they’re the main characters because I was drawn to them and their story the most. Both of them of them have complex feelings about family and personal identity, and their instant chemistry was fun to write.

But I think Gideon – the namesake and head of sideshow – was actually the biggest surprise, which made him fun in a different way. In the original outlines of the story, he was much a different character – very one-note and cruel – but he completely changed and evolved as I was writing.

  The book is based off of a type of traveling circus that is full of many mysterious acts. If you were to attend a Freekshow, which act would you want to see most?

My favorites are usually the acrobatics, but I think if I attended Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Sideshow, I would be most excited to see Gideon’s magic act. With his skills and knowledge, I think it would be a really amazing show.

  What do you hope readers will take away from FREEKS after reading it? 

With some of my other novels, I deal with heavy themes like life and death, identity, honor, mortality, classism, and family. And while I do definitely touch on those themes in FREEKS, I mostly wrote it as an escape for myself, and that’s what I hope it is for other readers. Life can be hard and frustrating, and I just wanted to write a fun book that readers could get lost in for awhile.

  What is something people would be surprised to know about you? 

Probably how chronically shy I am. Writing is a weird profession, because a good 90% of it is perfect for introverts – you sit alone by yourself and make up imaginary friends to go on adventures. But the last 10% – which involves introducing the whole word to your imaginary friends – is the most exciting and rewarding part, but it’s also the most difficult when you’re as shy as I am.

Social Links:

Author Website

Twitter

Facebook

Author Blog

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GoodReads

Keystone by Dannika Dark…Cover Reveal

Keystone
(Crossbreed Series Book 1)
By Dannika Dark
 
Blurb:
With over 1 million books sold, USA Today Bestseller Dannika Dark introduces her next addictive series…
 
When the road forks, how do you know which path is the right one?
Raven Black hunts evildoers for fun, but her vigilante justice isn’t the only reason she’s hiding from the law. Half Vampire, half Mage, she’s spent years living as a rogue to stay alive. When a Russian Shifter offers her a job in his covert organization hunting outlaws, dignity and a respectful career are finally within her grasp. The catch? Her new partner is Christian Poe – a smug, handsome Vampire whom she’d rather stake than go on a stakeout with.
They’re hot on the trail of a human killer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. One misstep during her probationary period could jeopardize Raven’s chance at redemption, and her partner would love nothing more than to see her fail. Dark secrets, unexpected twists, and a blurred line between good and evil will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Will Raven find the courage to succeed, or will she give in to her dark nature?
Release Date:
January 17, 2017
You can pre-order your copy today at

 

About the Author
 

Dannika Dark is the USA Today Bestselling Author of Urban Fantasy Romance and Paranormal Romance. Her books have sold more than 1 million copies worldwide, and she is a 2016 Audie Awards finalist. 

 

Dannika was born on a military base in the U.S. and spent her youth traveling abroad. She developed an interest writing poetry and song lyrics early on, eventually gravitating toward a job that involved writing procedural training documentation. In her spare time, she wrote novels before she decided to pursue a career in publishing.
In addition to writing about supernatural worlds, Dannika is passionate about graphic design and creates all her own covers and series art. When not writing, she enjoys indie music, movies, reading, Tex-Mex, strawberry daiquiris, heaps of chocolate, and unleashing her dark side.
All of her published books to date are written in the same universe and contain material suitable for adults only.
“For me, writing is all about blending genres to break out of the confines of predictability, but it’s what I love to do.” ~ Danni
You can find Dannika at
           
To receive exclusive content and be the first to know about upcoming releases, please sign up to receive her newsletter.  

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The Bound by K.A. Linde…Release Day Blitz

 

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tb-amazonCyrene Strohm is a Queen’s Affiliate, a high-ranking official of the court of Byern, with power and privilege to spare. But she’s also a keeper of dangerous secrets: like the fact that she holds the heart of the King, and that she possesses magic in a world where magic no longer exists.

Determined to discover what this means and how to use her newfound abilities, Cyrene sets off for the distant land of Eleysia. An island nation where Affiliates are strictly forbidden from entering.

But the journey is perilous, and the destination may mean utter ruin, as Cyrene comes to learn that everything she’s been told her whole life – about her court, her homeland, and even herself—are bound in a beautiful lie.

 

 

 

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excerpt

 

Staggering down the hallway, she didn’t even look up when she heard her name.

“Hmm?” she asked.

“Cyrene, there you are!”

Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she tipped her head to look up into the most beautiful face. She smiled and felt a renewed burst of energy flow through her.

“Hey,” she whispered.

“Hey,” he said, threading his fingers through hers. A shiver ran up her back. He glanced around the empty hallway and then tugged her away from the main corridors. She turned a corner, and he pressed her back into a darkened alcove. His mouth was only inches from hers.

Her exhaustion was wearing off from the excitement of being with him.

“I was really worried about you,” he breathed.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” she said, trapped in his gaze. She teetered on her tiptoes and nearly brushed their lips together. Her heart was racing ahead of her. This felt almost better than reaching for her magic. Definitely better than moving one drop of water at a time all day.

“You’re wrong.” Then, he softly dropped his mouth down on hers. His lips were tender and slow as they caressed hers. “I will always worry for your safety.”

Cyrene’s cheeks heated, and she sighed, leaning back against the hard stone of the alcove. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

His hands pushed up through her hair and tilted her head back up to look at him. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was so tired, and just the feel of his fingers was lulling her to sleep.

“That feels good.”

His mouth found hers, and despite her exhaustion, she pushed back against his lips with more force. She refused to let the fact that she was tired get in the way of her time with him.

“Whoa,” he said, pulling back from her. He rested his forehead against hers, and she could tell he was breathing heavily. “As much as I want this, and I do, I want to make sure you’re okay. This didn’t scare you away?”

She shook her head. “This, most certainly, does not scare me.” Then, she kissed him again for good measure.

He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first met you.”

“You have not!” she insisted.

“Are you kidding? A gorgeous, feisty woman who wasn’t afraid to put me in my place the first time she met me? I mostly certainly have.”

 

 

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ta-amazonThe Affiliate: Book 1

“With rich romance and twisty political intrigue, THE AFFILIATE is a breakneck fantasy ride that’s perfect for fans of THE SELECTION or THRONE OF GLASS.” –Susan Dennard, NYT bestselling author of TRUTHWITCH

On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm’s lifelong plans come to fruition when she’s chosen for one of the most prestigious positions in her homeland–an Affiliate to the Queen.

Or so she thinks.

When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene’s position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have…

King Edric himself.

Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series. Great for fans of Game of Thrones, Tudors, and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

 

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editkylaK.A. Linde grew up as a military brat and created fantastical stories based off of her love for Disney movies, fairy tales, and Star Wars. In her spare time, she is an avid traveler, loves reading young adult novels, and dancing. Additionally, K.A. has written more than a dozen adult novels and is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Lubbock, TX with her husband and two super adorable puppies.

K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!

You can contact her at kalinde45@gmail.com or visit her online at one of the following sites:

www.kalinde.com

www.facebook.com/authorkalinde

@authorkalinde

 

 

Beyond The Ever Reach by Everly Frost….Cover Reveal

Beyond the Ever ReachBeyond the Ever Reach by Everly Frost
Genre: YA science-fiction

In a world where nobody can be killed, one girl will change it all.

In an alternate version of today’s Earth, everyone is invincible. Since the beginning, people have been able to heal so fast that nobody can be killed. The normal lifespan ranges hundreds of years.
Despite all that, Ava Holland is afraid of death. When the unthinkable happens, her only ally is the boy she should fear the most. Michael Bradley is the strongest, fastest healer anyone’s ever seen. But Michael has secrets too.
Together, they run from a society that rejects them. Michael seeks redemption and Ava seeks safety, but when the truth is revealed, it’s up to Ava to save them both.
About the Author:
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Everly Frost grew up in a country town, lived for a little while in Japan, and worked for several years in Canberra, Australia’s capital city. Now, Everly lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Broken God by Nazarea Andrews…Blog Tour & Review

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BROKEN GOD by Nazarea Andrews is now live!
This is an adult, contemporary fantasy novel.
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Buy it now!
Amazon: http://bit.ly/BrokenGodAMZ
iTunes: http://bit.ly/BrokenGodIBOOKSBLURB:

Power is a strange and broken thing.

He was the sun god, the god of healing and song.

And prophecy.

Apollo has lived alone for centuries, content to spin out the years wandering a new and strange world, lost in the past and endless versions of the future. He has cut all ties with the remains of Olympus and his power, and hidden himself in humanity.

His twin thinks he’s depressed, spending his time in coffee shops, hospital waiting rooms, and concert halls…and nothing matters. Not really.

Until her.

Iris. With her teasing mouth and soulful music and eyes that remind him of the past.

He can’t resist her smile.

A girl as wild as he was, once, with a poet’s tongue and the body of a siren, who for one night makes him forget all the years and everything he gave up.

And he can’t stop fate.

Gods knows he’s tried.

He can’t help taking her.

Even if he knows better.

When Iris wakes up screaming, caught up in visions of the future, Apollo realizes that he didn’t leave his power quite as far behind as he thought.

He’s the god of prophecy and he’s been running from it, for centuries.

Iris is everything he has to avoid.

Now he has a furious Oracle on his hands, his sister trying to fix him, and someone is killing the gods.

It’s not just his tenuous sanity that hangs in the balance this time.

It’s all of Olympus.

Godhood really wasn’t supposed to be this hard.

my-review

I love Nazarea and her writing.  She has always been able to capture me with her words and take me to different place and want to live there. But with this book, I had a hard time staying focused.  But I truly believe that’s because I read this book pre-edit and will be re-reading it once it’s published to see if the issues I had are fixed.

So this review is based on the plot and nothing else.  The rating could change once it’s released and I will edit my review also.  So please take all this into consideration as you read my review.

The concept of this book is phenomenal.  I love Greek mythology. Apollo is seen as slightly crazy and the only thing that keeps his together is music, poetry and his connection to the sun.  And when he meets Iris, things get even more interesting.

I have to say I had a hard time getting through this book quickly because I kept finding myself lost or confused and having to go back and re-read things.  Now I am not sure if that’s where the editing will help this out or if that’s how the book is intended to be read. But it happens quite and a lot and that made me lose focus and a few times, almost not care to finish.

Overall, I definitely need to re-read this when it’s released to see the differences between my unedited version and what readers will truly get.  It’s the only way I can give the book a true review. 

With all that said, I would recommend giving this book a go. Nazarea is a truly talented writer.  She’s always able to take you away with her words and place you in her magical worlds.

3LovesRLB
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Nazarea Andrews’ Bio:Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binging watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.

Author Links:

Site – http://www.nazareaandrews.com/
Blog – http://www.nazarea-andrews.blogspot.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/NazareaAndrews
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NazareaAndrewsAuthor/
Street Team – https://www.facebook.com/groups/427502530700422/
Newsletter – http://eepurl.com/MtHwj

The Gender Game by Bella Forest… Release Blitz

Gender Game Banner

the gender game

The Gender Game by Bella Forrest

Release date: 24 September 2016

Genre: Young Adult Sci fi/Dystopian

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

* For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. *

 

A toxic river divides nineteen-year-old Violet Bates’s world by gender.

Women rule the East. Men rule the West.

Welcome to the lands of Matrus and Patrus…

Ever since the death of her mother, Violet’s life has been shadowed by bad luck. Already a prisoner to her own nation, now after two unfortunate incidents resulting in womanslaughter, she has been sentenced to death.


But one decision could save her life.

One decision to enter the kingdom of Patrus, where men rule and women submit.
Everything about the patriarchy defies Violet’s identity, but she must sacrifice many things if she wishes to survive the forbidden kingdom… including forbidden love.

 

 

What Early Readers are Saying:


“Bella takes this genre to a new level. Imagine the intrigue of Divergent, the suspense of The Maze Runner and the heart-pounding excitement of The Hunger Games. That is the magic Bella is working with her new novel The Gender Game.”


“The chemistry between the characters is INTENSE. Forbidden romance at its best!”

“You can never predict where Bella Forrest will take a story!”

Intrigue, danger and mystery at every corner.”

“Once I started reading, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop. My heart raced along with Violet’s […] The twists and turns so far in this book have left my mouth hanging agape.”

“Intrigue, espionage, and a strong, smart female at the center of it all. Had me sucked in from the get go.”

 

 

Pre-order links:

Ebook (pre-order now to lock in the lower launch price): http://GetBook.at/TGG

Paperback: http://GetBook.at/TGGp

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31131467-the-gender-game

 

 

About the Author:

 

 

Best known for writing fantasy, Bella Forrest is a lover of romance and mystery-infused stories with twists you won’t see coming. She has sold over five million books since her first novel was published in 2012.

 

Follow her on Twitter: @ashadeofvampire

Check out her website: www.bellaforrest.net

 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cblt1c7Kgf4

Olivia Decoded by Vivi Barnes….Blog Tour & Review

Olivia Decoded Banner

Olivia TwistedOlivia Twisted Synopsis (Olivia Twisted, #1):

 

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Liv might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Liv and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

 

Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

 

Goodreads Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17343436-olivia-twisted

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Olivia-Twisted-Vivi-Barnes-ebook/dp/B00BRAFR4Q

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/olivia-twisted-vivi-barnes/1114511531

iBooks Buy Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/olivia-twisted/id620469564

Kobo Buy Link: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/olivia-twisted

Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olivia-Twisted-Vivi-Barnes-ebook/dp/B00BRAFR4Q

Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Olivia-Twisted-Vivi-Barnes-ebook/dp/B00BRAFR4Q

Entangled Publishing: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/olivia-twisted/

 

my-review

I was asked to review this book and after reading the blurb I was sent, I was hooked.  It’s an adaption of Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist with today’s modern flare.  It’s truly quite an interesting book.

Olivia Twisted is told in both Z and Liv’s POVs.  They both are foster kids, but Z is living a slightly better life due to the “home” he now lives in.  It’s not Liv is living with horrible foster parents now, it’s just that Z seems to be doing quite well for himself  – enough that he’s able to afford a Ducati.  Yea, crazy for a foster kid.

Anyway – I enjoyed the plot and how Vivi built this story up.  It’s a slow build and shows what these characters thinking as things progress.  Liv is dubbed as naïve by Z but I think she’s anything but naïve – she’s curious enough to question everything that goes on. 

I was a little let down when it came to the big build up and what was planned for Liv, the overall book was really good.  I was hooked from start to finish and the pace kept me glued to the pages. 

I look forward to reading the next book, Olivia Decoded. Especially since this one didn’t really end on a cliffhanger. 

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4LovesRLB

 

 


Olivia DecodedBook Title: Olivia Decoded (Olivia Twisted, #2)

Author: Vivi Barnes

Release Date: Sept. 6, 2016

Genre: YA Thriller

Olivia Decoded Book Synopsis:

This isn’t my Jack, who once looked at me like I was his world. The guy who’s occupied the better part of my mind for eight months.

 

This is Z, criminal hacker with a twisted agenda and an arsenal full of anger.

 

I’ve spent the past year trying to get my life on track. New school. New friends. New attitude. But old flames die hard, and one look at Jack—the hacker who enlisted me into his life and his hacking ring, stole my heart, and then left me—and every memory, every moment, every feeling comes rushing back. But Jack’s not the only one who’s resurfaced in my life. And if I can’t break through Z’s defenses and reach the old Jack, someone will get hurt…or worse.

 

Goodreads Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29500584-olivia-decoded

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Olivia-Decoded-Vivi-Barnes/dp/1633754901

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/olivia-decoded-vivi-barnes/1123733469

iBooks Buy Link: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/olivia-decoded/id1080308160

Kobo Buy Link: https://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/olivia-decoded

Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olivia-Decoded-Vivi-Barnes/dp/1633754901/

Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Olivia-Decoded-Vivi-Barnes-ebook/dp/B01BBXSJKM/

Entangled Publishing: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/olivia-decoded

 

my-review

Olivia Decoded takes place about 8 months after Olivia Twisted ended.  And yes, you should read Olivia Twisted before reading this to get a good background on all the characters and what happened to get them to this point.

This book isn’t so much about the hacking and computer stuff as the first book.  It’s more about the mystery behind Liv’s stalker and how it all ties her and Z/Jack together.  Yes, there is talks about hacking going on, but it’s not the focus of the book.

I enjoyed how Vivi played everything out.  I was truly surprised by the twist of events and hwo things went down.  I honestly didn’t see that coming.  However, my biggest gripe is the time frame in which things happen.  For instance, on a particular day there visiting a school that is letting out and then what should be hours later, a text is received stating they’ll be at school by 3.  See -things just not working out in the timeline for me.  But that’s my only gripe and for some I know that will irk a lot more than it did me.

Overall, the story was very interesting and flowed well (aside from the timeline issues).  I was kept interested in the story and definitely needed to know who was behind everything.

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4LovesRLB


About the Author:

ViviBarnes

Vivi Barnes was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. After college, she convinced her supportive husband to

move with her to be part of the sunshine and magic in Orlando, Florida. On a good day, she manages to divide her time writing, working, reading, goofing off with her three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes. Vivi is a proud member of SCBWI and attends conferences whenever she can.

Author Blog: https://4chicks.wordpress.com/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViviBarnes

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vivibarnes.author

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6926794.Vivi_Barnes

 

The Giveaway:

A signed copy of Olivia Decoded + a $25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read below for an excerpt from the book:

“Wow, who gave you that?”

“My grandfather. He left it on my car seat this morning.”

“Oh, boo. I thought maybe you had a secret admirer or something.” I try not to smile at her obvious disappointment. Emerson’s been on me to date for months now. She knows I had someone back in Richmond who was special, but only that we broke it off before I moved here. She doesn’t know anything else about Jack. No one does, because what would I say? The last guy I dated is a criminal, and the last time I saw him was right after we got kidnapped by his horrible boss and almost died trying to escape. That’d go over really well.

“I don’t know, what do you think?” Emerson breaks into my thoughts as we walk down the hallway to our lockers.

“About what?”

She sighs. “Where Kade’s taking me tonight. Girl, you are not with it today, are you? Are you doing anything tonight?”

“My grandfather’s taking me to dinner.”

“Sweet. Not so romantic, but sweet.”

I smile. “Yes, he’s sweet. But a little over the top on gifts sometimes.” Even after eight months of living the wealthy life, I’d be happier if he gave me a gift card to a bookstore instead of extravagant jewelry I rarely wear.

My phone starts buzzing, and I pull it from my pocket. Grandfather’s text reads: What gift?

I frown, typing, The bracelet you left in my car. I snap a quick picture of the bracelet on my wrist and send it to him. Maybe his text was a hint to send a picture, though I doubt it. He’s usually pretty direct about things.

“What’s up?” Emerson asks.

“Looks like Grandfather forgot he left me the bracelet.” But even as I say it, it doesn’t sound right. He’s one of the sharpest people I’ve ever known, and he runs a financial institution.

“Maybe he gave it to one of his staff to put in your car.” Her voice has the usual bitter tone whenever she’s thinking of her parents. They’re hardly ever around, and when they are, they don’t pay much attention to her.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I don’t believe that, though. Even though it’s possible Mrs. Bedwin did put it there, I doubt it. Grandfather is the type to handle things himself when it comes to me. But Emerson’s parents travel so much for their business that they often let their staff handle things like birthdays and other events they think aren’t important. So as grateful as I am that Grandfather’s always there for me, I don’t like to rub that in Emerson’s face.

“Maybe you really do have a secret admirer,” she says hopefully.

I roll my eyes.“I doubt that.”

“Oh, really?” She stops in her tracks, her eyes fixed straight ahead. I follow her gaze, a sharp sense of dread creeping down my spine. A white rose is dangling from the vent in my locker.

A rose I know wasn’t placed there by my grandfather.