Pwned by Shannen Crane Camp

Pwned

Author: Shannen Crane Camp

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Published: Originally 2013, new publish date Dec. 3. 2015

ISBN13: 9780996619370

Paperback: 185 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Reagan West has the perfect life. She’s gorgeous, she’s popular, and she’s at the tip-top of the high school food chain as co-captain of the cheerleading squad. She’s also best friends with the most evil girl in Albany, Tawny Perez, which means she’s never on the receiving end of Tawny’s wrath. 

The only trouble in Reagan’s perfect life comes from the constant threat of her fellow classmates discovering her dirty little secret—Reagan West is a closet gamer. 

What’s more, Reagan absolutely hates her role as the evil cheerleader. But, as any teenager knows, it’s better to suppress your own nerdy tendencies than to submit to a lifetime of being shoved into lockers. So, Reagan bravely soldiers on as a reluctant bully ... until a cute boy from her guild moves to her school and becomes Tawny’s next target. The good-looking newcomer threatens to reveal Reagan’s nerdy little secret and force her to come to terms with who she truly is. Now Reagan has to decide if she’s going to defend her fellow geeks, or if she’ll continue to be a total troll.

My Review

Pwned is a great book that brings out the inner-gamer in us all!  I loved getting to know and learn "gaming terminology".  Very fun!  I really liked Reagan and her journey to find who she really is.  Tawny was awful, sometimes a bit over the top for me (are girls really that evil?), but Shannen wrote her well.  I was pleasantly surprised with the sweet relationship between Reagan and her brother, Cannon.  I loved the scenes where they would interact, especially when they played Cannon's matching game. What a great kid.  I also liked that there was parental involvement too, and I appreciated some of the actions taken by Reagan's mom.  Actually there were lots of fun surprises in this book, one at the end, that I suspected, but when it was revealed, made complete sense.  I say this a lot, but the boy stole the show for me.  I loved Parker, he truly was a great guy and a great match for Reagan.  

4 out of 5 stars! 

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon Currently $.99 for the re-release and enter to win a Kindle Fire!

Eruption by Adrienne Quintana -- Blog Tour

Eruption

Author: Adrienne Quintana

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published: January 13th, 2015

ISBN13: 9781462115365

Paperback: 288 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Jace Vega has finally landed her dream job—working for Omnibus, an up-and-coming tech firm. But a mysterious message from her future self sets Jace and her old friend Corey racing to piece together clues before Omnibus destroys their future—and their past. This fast-paced thriller will keep you guessing till the very last page.

My Review

Excuse me while I catch my breath...  Great story with excitement around every page.  In the beginning, I was screaming at Jace, she frustrated me at first, but what an awesome character she turned out to be.  I realized that I would probably be just like her, not knowing who to trust and being too trusting, all at the same time.   I think that that is what made her most relatable.  So many choices and decisions for her and so many things she had to face, all while trying to chose between Corey and Damien and the turns her life could take her with any choice.  The storyline with the tablet was so cool, all that was found in it and all the secrets that were hidden.  All of Jace's quirks and breathing techniques were for a good reason, which is slowly revealed through the book.  The last fourth of the book is, WOW, make sure you aren't needed for awhile, because you will want to find out what happens.  Great ending, too!

4 out of 5 stars.  I can't wait for more from this author.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book

About the Author

Adrienne Quintana is the second of nine children born to professional oil artist, John Horejs, and his wife and business partner, Elaine. She spent her early years playing on the banks of the Snake River in southern Idaho while her father built a geodesic dome house. When the family wasn’t traveling around the country to art shows, Adrienne spent many happy hours reading in her unfinished, tent-like bedroom. Love of reading soon blossomed into a desire to write. If the family’s antiquated computer could be resurrected, a collection of short stories involving local characters and their epic battles with fire-breathing dragons would be sure to entertain.

After completing high school via correspondence, Adrienne studied Music Education at Mesa Community College. She took an 18 month break to serve a church mission in Montreal, Canada, where she gained invaluable life experiences and a few pounds from the local delicacies. After the completion of her mission and a month abroad in Europe, Adrienne moved to Utah with the intention of continuing her education at Brigham Young University, but these plans were short-lived when she met her husband-to-be while working at an investment company. Soon after their marriage, the Quintanas packed up and moved to Minnesota, where Adrienne worked while her husband earned a Law degree.

After four children and a move to Arizona, Adrienne completed her Bachelors of Science and Communication at the University of Phoenix. In the throes of housekeeping, potty-training, and carpooling, Adrienne discovered that she could find time to accomplish her goals—often in the quiet hours after the children were in bed. Since her graduation in 2012, those quiet moments have been used to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a writer.

Resisting Ruby Rose by Jessie Humphries -- Blog Tour/Giveaway

Resisting Ruby Rose

Author: Jessie Humphries

Publisher: Skyscape

Published: October 28th, 2014

ISBN13: 9781477825082

Paperback: 284 pages

FYC FYI: Received a PDF copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Still reeling from the heartbreaking events that unfolded on Grissom Island, Ruby Rose is trying to come to terms with the fact that she’s gone from a vigilante in killer shoes to a stone-cold killer. Everyone from her therapist to her smoking-hot boyfriend keeps trying to convince her that she hasn’t crossed over to the dark side, but Ruby isn’t so sure. It doesn’t help that her nemesis, Detective “Mastermind” Martinez, is still out there, waiting for another chance to take her down.

When an alleged CIA agent named Skryker shows up and asks for a meeting, Ruby figures it just means more questions about her case. But he has information of an entirely different nature and a job offer: join an elite force of young assassins, including Skryker’s right-hand guy, Quinn Donovan. Quinn is distractingly charming, handsome—and deadly. Ruby resists becoming a killer again, but as she becomes more ensnared in a web of deceit, no one around her is safe.

My Review

Another wild ride for Ruby Rose.  I read this book in 24 hour period, I couldn't put it down.  It was fast-moving, intense, full of action, and wild twists and turns.  This book starts fast, lets you catch your breath sometimes, but then picks right back up and does not stop until the end.  Ruby has some tough choices to make, as everyone around her is effected by her choices, good or bad.  Her relationship with Liam is on the rocks, thanks to the mysterious Quinn, and other reasons. :)  Martinez is still on the loose and when Ruby's mom is hurt, Ruby knows he will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

I love how Jessie write Ruby.  She is a great character with a love of danger,shoes, and nicely dressed boys.  I liked how Ruby's relationship with Silver is handled.  I can't wait for the next book to see what happens to these characters, especially Liam, I worry about him.  Great job, Jessie!

4 out of 5 stars.  This is book 2 of the Ruby Rose series, the first book Killing Ruby Rose was released in May, you will need to have read the first one to appreciate (and understand) what is happening in this book.   

About Jessie Humphries: Jessie Humphries was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. She received a BA from San Diego State University, where she cultivated her love of the beach, then lived in France, where she cultivated her weakness for shoes, and finally earned a law degree from UNLV, where she cultivated her interest in justice. After practicing law for several years she began writing, and, appropriately, her debut novel Killing Ruby Rose is a thriller about vigilante justice set in sunny southern California with a shoe-obsessed protagonist. Jessie currently writes and practices law in Las Vegas, where she lives with her husband and children.

Social media links:

Website: www.jessiehumphries.com  

Blog: http://jessie-humphries.blogspot.com

Twitter: @JessieHwrites

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsJhump

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieHumphriesAuthor

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/jessiehumphries

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7058718.Jessie_Humphries

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Content: lots of steamy kissing (clothes on), some language

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For Elise by Sarah M. Eden -- Blog Tour/Giveaway

For Elise

Author: Sarah M. Eden

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published: September 2014

ISBN13: 978-1-62108-787-8

Paperback: 258 pages

Regency romance

FTC FYI: Received a paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

In the sprawling gardens of their neighboring estates, childhood friends Miles and Elise spent countless pleasant days together in the spirited adventures of youth. They were inseparable—until Elise vanished without a trace. Miles searched, but Elise could not—or would not—be found.

After years spent laboring on the family plantation in the West Indies, Miles Linwood is shocked by the unexpected news: he has inherited his distant cousin’s estate and the title of Marquess of Grenton. Miles’s return to England is tarnished by only one thing—he is still haunted by Elise’s mysterious disappearance. So when he glimpses a woman with a startling resemblance to his lost friend, he’s shaken to the core. This is no mere shadow of the past: it is truly Elise. But his dear friend has changed—to the point that he questions whether it is really her, though he knows it is. Accustomed to rescuing Elise from childhood escapades, Miles takes her and those in her care back to his estate, even as he struggles to understand her fear and mistrust. As their friendship and feelings slowly blossom again, the shocking truth of their separated years is revealed, and Miles realizes more than ever that he must protect Elise. She slipped away once, and he cannot lose her again.

My Review

Miles finds his long-lost friend Elise and is surprised to see that she has a child.  He takes them both right away to his estate.  Elise is very close lipped and Miles can tell that Elise is troubled.  Little does he know it has everything to do with him.  Elise is a widow now and has been raising her daughter with her mother-in-law.  They have survived on close to nothing, and it is hard to Elise to accept Miles's help, even though she has so little.  Once they arrive at Miles's home, mysterious things start happening.  Can Elise let go of the past and ask for help?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I loved Miles, he had me at the first page.  His humor, spirit, and especially his devotion, will make him a character that I will compare others to.  All of the characters are magnificent.  Elise especially.  I also really liked Mr. Langley, Miles's brother-in-law.  He was a great comic relief.  His sister Beth was a delight, too.  I really enjoyed the turn the story took with Elise and the secrets she was keeping.  The romance with a touch of mystery added in, was a perfect mix.  I liked how the events came about and one thing really surprised me!

5 out of 5 stars.  A perfect book from a perfect author.  I will read anything from Sarah.  Her books are always well-written and entertaining.  

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book / Seagull Book

Blog Tour Schedule:

*September 15th: http://www.charissastastny.com/, http://www.minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/

*September 16th:  http://www.iamareader.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com

*September 17th: http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://bookgeekreviews.com/

*September 18th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://www.fireandicereads.com/

*September 19th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, http://brooklynberrydesigns.com

*September 20th: http://rockinbookreviews.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/

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Son of War, Daughter of Chaos by Janette Rallison -- Blog Tour

Son of War, Daughter of Chaos

Author: Janette Rallison

Publisher: self

Published: July 2014

ASIN: B00LHFO9V8

ebook: 326 pages

FTC FYI: Received a Kindle copy from the author in 

exchange for an honest review.

Summary

Aislynn is accustomed to watching for the enemy. Her parents instructed her from the time she was young to look for the signs: people with greater than normal strength, eyes that can glow green, and have the ability to jump long distances. Over the years, Aislynn has come to view her parents’ fears as quirks—things that get in the way of having a normal high school life.

When Aislynn’s mother dies under suspicious conditions, her father doubles his restrictions. But all his precautions can’t stop the boy with glowing green eyes from finding Aislynn. She realizes too late she’s been drafted into an ancient Egyptian war, whether she’s prepared or not.

My Review

This book is seriously awesome.  Janette is so talented.  Whether she is writing about dragons, fairy godmothers, Egyptian wars, or anything else, I will read it.  She is a brilliant author.

Aislynn is a great character.  Her family is super paranoid, but with good reasons (which do not get revealed until later in the book).  Her father and brother, it turns out, have been keeping secrets from Aislynn.  Even the biggest secret of all, what really happened to Aislynn's mother.  It is until she meets the strong and mysterious Dane, that these secrets come to light.  All the characters in this book are awesome and well-written.  The story is full of history, and in a word, chaos.  When secrets are slowly made known, Aislynn has to make some hard choices that will determine the rest of her life, or could end it.

5 out of 5 stars.  I seriously loved the choices that Aislynn makes and the ending was so good!  Please, Janette, write a sequel!

Excerpt 

An Egyptian tomb is only a good place to die if you happen to be the pharaoh for whom it was built. And maybe not even then. I didn’t intend to room with any of the deceased, which meant the sooner I got out of this place the better.

My flashlight swept over the figures on the mural in front of me. A feeling of danger and expectation clung to everything here, as thick as the dust. On the mural, a warrior with bright green eyes stared back at me. Horusian glowing eyes. I could almost see the smugness in his expression, an expression that said he was coming for me. Or at least his kind were.

Behind me, something creaked. Footsteps.

AMAZON

Blog Tour Schedule

Author Janette Rallison

Janette Rallison is old. Don’t ask how old, because it isn’t polite. Let’s just say she’s older than she’d like to be and leave it at that.

Janette lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, five children and enough cats to classify her as “an eccentric cat lady.” She did not do this on purpose. (The cats, that is; she had the children on purpose.) Every single one of the felines showed up on its own and refuses to leave. Not even the family’s fearless little Westie dog can drive them off.

Since Janette has five children and deadlines to write books, she doesn’t have much time left over for hobbies. But since this is the internet and you can’t actually check up to see if anything on this site is true, let’s just say she enjoys dancing, scuba diving, horse back riding and long talks with Orlando Bloom. (Well, I never said he answers back.)

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 8/17/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Killing Ruby Rose by Jessie Humphries -- Blog Tour/Giveaway

Killing Ruby Rose

Author: Jessie Humphries

Publisher: Skyscape

Published: May 1, 2014

ISBN13: 978147720063

Paperback: 300 pages

FTC FYI: Received a PDF review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

In sunny Southern California, seventeen-year-old Ruby Rose is known for her killer looks and her killer SAT scores. But ever since her dad, an LAPD SWAT sergeant, died, she's also got a few killer secrets.

To cope, Ruby has been trying to stay focused on school (the top spot in her class is on the line) and spending time with friends (her Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks are nothing if not loyal). But after six months of therapy and pathetic parenting by her mom, the District Attorney, Ruby decides to pick up where her dad left off and starts going after the bad guys herself.

When Ruby ends up killing a murderer to save his intended victim, she discovers that she's gone from being the huntress to the hunted. There's a sick mastermind at play, and he has Ruby in his sights. Ruby must discover who's using her to implement twisted justice before she ends up swapping Valentino red for prison orange.

With a gun named Smith, a talent for martial arts, and a boyfriend with eyes to die for, Ruby is ready to face the worst. And if a girl's forced to kill, won't the guilt sit more easily in a pair of Prada peep-toe pumps?

My Review

Wow, what a ride!  This is a very fast-paced, engaging book that doesn't stop until the last page.  I was sure I knew what was going to happen next, but then I would turn the page, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I thought might happen, didn't happen, and I would just have to keep on guessing what was going to happen next.  Ruby is a complicated, but enjoyable character with a great inner voice.  Liam was a fun addition that Ruby needed in her life.  With a dead dad and an absent mom, Ruby needed to try to let others in her life (other than her obsession with finding bad guys).  Huge twist at the end, but when I looked back at a few pages when I was finished, the twist made sense, but was still very shocking, and awesome!

4 out of 5 stars.  I am definitely looking forward to the sequel!

Content

There is some language, nothing I was offended by, no F word.  Some kissing scenes, no sex.  Some violence and references to crimes.  

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Ruby-Rose-ebook/dp/B00HZ6EEN6/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killing-ruby-rose-jessie-humphries/1118811500?ean=9781477820063

About Jessie Humphries: Jessie Humphries was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. She received a BA from San Diego State University, where she cultivated her love of the beach, then lived in France, where she cultivated her weakness for shoes, and finally earned a law degree from UNLV, where she cultivated her interest in justice. After practicing law for several years she began writing, and, appropriately, her debut novel Killing Ruby Rose is a thriller about vigilante justice set in sunny southern California with a shoe-obsessed protagonist. Jessie currently writes and practices law in Las Vegas, where she lives with her husband and children.

Social media links:

Website: www.jessiehumphries.com

Blog: http://jessie-humphries.blogspot.com

Twitter: @JessieHwrites

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsJhump

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieHumphriesAuthor

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/jessiehumphries

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7058718.Jessie_Humphries

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New Sight by Jo Schneider -- Blog Tour/Giveaway

New Sight

Author: Jo Schneider

Publisher: Jolly Fish Press

Published: April 22nd, 2014

ISBN13: 9781939967220

Paperback: 310 pages

FTC FYI: Received an ePub copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

After succumbing to the sudden and terrifying urge to rip people’s eyes out of their sockets, 16-year-old Lysandra Blake finds herself tied down in a psych ward, convinced she’s crazy. The doctors have no answers, and Lys is ready to give up when the mysterious Jeremiah Mason appears, telling Lys that she’s not insane—she’s addicted to a rare and deadly drug that she has no recollection of using. Mr. Mason offers to take her to his facility where he can treat her. Desperate yet suspicious, Lys agrees to go with Mr. Mason to his facility where she meets with a fellow addict, the tall and handsome Kamau. Together they discover that Mr. Mason may not have told them the truth about their condition—they’re thrown headfirst into a world of daunting powers that are not only unbelievable, they are dangerous.

My Review

Very interesting story that had me intrigued throughout.   The author does a great job of planting seeds of interest that kept me reading to find answers.  At first, the whole "ripping out eyes" thing had me worried as to how the rest of the story would go, but luckily that wasn't the main focus of the story.  I don't want to give anything away, because the why and how of the "Need" doesn't get revealed until later, but what I did find were characters and situations that were enjoyable and the twists and tangles in the book kept me thinking where is this story going to go next?  Who can Lys trust?  There is a bit of language, but nothing that was offensive to me.  

Make sure to check out the Rafflecopter below for the blog tour giveaway!

Author Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoannSchneiderAuthor 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoSchneider_1
Website: http://joannschneider.blogspot.com/

Book Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/New-Sight-Jo-Schneider/dp/1939967228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396936507&sr=8-1&keywords=new+sight

B&N: http://www.amazon.com/New-Sight-Jo-Schneider/dp/1939967228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396935170&sr=8-1&keywords=jo+schneider

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18722333-new-sight

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Cragbridge Hall: The Avatar Battle by Chad Morris -- Blog Tour

Cragbridge Hall: The Avatar Battle

Author: Chad Morris

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: March 4th, 2014

ISBN13: 9781609078096

Hardcover: 352 pages

FTC FYI: Received a hardcover copy from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Goodreads Summary 

The adventure continues when Abby and Derick begin second semester at Cragbridge Hall, the most prestigious secondary school in the world. But when Grandpa Cragbridge admits them to the Council of Keys--a secret group of people who have keys to travel back in time--strange things begin to happen. One by one, members are found unconscious and unable to wake, their keys stolen. Now Abby and Derick must scramble to figure out who is behind the attacks before they become the next victims, which would give their enemy the power to change the past forever.

A page-turning, time-travel adventure that teaches powerful lessons about choice and consequence, believing you can do hard things, and valuing history.

Author Video by Chad Morris.

My Review

The Avatar Battle is another reason why I love, love, love Middle Grade books.  Chad Morris has got himself a hit with this series.  The Avatar Battle is even better than The Inventor's Secret.  The action hits you right at first, and develops a great mystery that had me guessing until the end, which I love!  There are very fun twists and turns that I wasn't expecting that kept me turning pages fast!  

One of the things I liked the most was the conflict Abby was having with herself.  She doubts how great she is because of her grades.  I can relate to that in my own family with one of my daughters.  After some challenges and set backs, Abby starts to realize that she is needed and important.  Derick also tested with challenges to overcome.  He wants to join a club at school and feels he will never be good enough either.  The twins probably don't even realize they have this in common.  Abby also asks her grandfather an important question as to what is happening on the Bridge and adds to this exciting adventure as Abby, Derick, Carol and others race to figure out the threat to Cragbridge Hall.

5 out of 5 stars.  If you are new to this series, definitely start with the first book, The Inventor's Secret.  

Author Links

Twitter / Website

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Deseret Book / Seagull Book