Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts

Friday, September 14, 2018

The Wife by Alafair Burke ~ Review

Title: The Wife
Author: Alafair Burke
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: January 23, 2018
Source: Amazon Vine
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

His scandal. Her secret.

When Angela met Jason Powell while catering a dinner party in East Hampton, she assumed their romance would be a short-lived fling, like so many relationships between locals and summer visitors. To her surprise, Jason, a brilliant economics professor at NYU, had other plans, and they married the following summer. For Angela, the marriage turned out to be a chance to reboot her life. She and her son were finally able to move out of her mother’s home to Manhattan, where no one knew about her tragic past.

Six years later, thanks to a bestselling book and a growing media career, Jason has become a cultural lightning rod, placing Angela near the spotlight she worked so carefully to avoid. When a college intern makes an accusation against Jason, and another woman, Kerry Lynch, comes forward with an even more troubling allegation, their perfect life begins to unravel. Jason insists he is innocent, and Angela believes him. But when Kerry disappears, Angela is forced to take a closer look at the man she married. And when she is asked to defend Jason in court, she realizes that her loyalty to her husband could unearth old secrets.



**********
Holy cow! The Wife was a mind-blowing story. I didn't see any of it coming, and I loved each and every little or big surprise. Angela has a dark past that she has never really recovered from, preferring to stay behind the scenes and not take part in the spotlight of her husband's amazingly successful career. But when women make accusations against him for sexual harassment, Angela sees her life starting to fall apart.

But when these women disappear, Angela is forced even closer to the spotlight she has been trying to avoid. And here's where things get really really interesting. I had a least a dozen "say what?" moments that just led to yet another one. Nothing turned out the way I expected, but all made perfect sense in the end.

There were some moments in the story that really dragged though. I'm still not sure if they were just lying more groundwork or just in there to take up a little space and spread out the story a little. I feel like if I read this book a second, third, fourth time, that I'd see more and more every time. That's how deep things are layered, and maybe there is more hidden in the dragging scenes than I gave them credit for.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

Thursday, August 23, 2018

When They Come for You by James W. Hall ~ Review

Title: When They Come for You (Harper McDaniel #1)
Author: James W. Hall
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 290 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: September 1, 2017
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn


After her journalist husband and infant son are brutally executed in a fire in their Florida home, photographer Harper McDaniel has nothing left to live for—except settling the score. When the local police fail to take the arson seriously, Harper takes the reins and discovers her husband was investigating some mysterious deaths at a cacao plantation on the Ivory Coast. Now she’s convinced he was targeted in a corporate conspiracy to silence him.
Aided by her former mafioso grandfather and well-connected financier brother, Harper embarks on a global manhunt, flying first to Africa, then Zurich to expose a high-level cover-up inside a powerful chocolate conglomerate.
But Harper has a few secrets of her own—starting with her lethal martial arts skills—and she’s not afraid to take on any hired guns or guerrillas standing in her way. In trying to cover their tracks, the conspirators made one fatal miscalculation: they didn’t count on Harper McDaniel coming for them.
**********
I was so confused. So much of this story just didn't really line up for me. Harper Collins loses everything to an assassin and she's determined to find out why. OK. I'm on board so far. But when things get a little odd when she mysteriously has all these connections, including an ex-mobster father.

Putting aside the crazy characters, the mystery is a bit odd. Tracking down the people behind a chocolate corporate conspiracy takes Harper all over the world. Meanwhile, the assassin is on her tail, but only because he's become obsessed with her. Odd. A lot of this is explained - eventually - but it all just played out funny to me.

The ending seemed overly contrived as well. Their solution was so simple and yet overly complicated at the same time. Again, too many cases of "well, I just happen to know so-and-so from my past life."

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter ~ Review

Title: The Good Daughter (The Good Daughter #1)
Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 656 pages
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: August 8, 2017
Source: Amazon Vine
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

The stunning new novel from the international #1 bestselling author — a searing, spellbinding blend of cold-case thriller and psychological suspense.

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville's notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won't stay buried forever…

Packed with twists and turns, brimming with emotion and heart, The Good Daughter is fiction at its most thrilling.



**********
Holy cow. Karin Slaughter writes an amazing story that pulled me in from the beginning and never once let go. A new favorite author of mine. Tying two horrific events together - once current, one past - the Quinn family becomes the spotlight yet again. Charlie Quinn is following in her father's footsteps and defending those that no one else will touch. When a girl is arrested as the obvious shooter at a school that left a young girl dead, Charlie thinks there may be more to it.

But this rabbit hole runs deeper than anyone knows. The truth will eventually come to light, but not before many lives are torn apart, old wounds re-opened, and past wrongs are forgiven. The story is full of revelations, most of which I didn't completely see coming. 

Superbly in-depth characters and a plot full of suspense and tension, I hope to see more in this new series soon.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

Thursday, July 5, 2018

You Made Your Bed by Cornelia Goddin ~ Review

Title: You Made Your Bed
Author: Cornelia Goddin
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 364 pages
Publisher: Backstreet Books
Release Date: June 20, 2018
Source: Review Request
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rich. 
Beautiful. 
Out of her f***ing mind. 
From the outside, Caroline Crowe has everything: famous father, pretty much all the money, the freedom to live any kind of life she wants. On the inside, it's another story. 

This girl daydreams about murder and how to get away with it. And it sure looks like she's got the resources--including a heart of stone--required for the job. 

You're only as sick as your secrets. 

But Caroline's never, ever going to tell.



**********
You Made Your Bed is quite a dark story about the Crowe family - primarily their only daughter Caroline. Goddin brought me right into this troubled woman's head and I took up a perch alongside the Jeerlings (which I pictured as crows) to listen to her thoughts and watch her every move as she plans a murder. She's been planning a murder in her head for quite a while now, she just doesn't really know whose it is yet.

Caroline appears to be an incredibly smart woman, but as the story unfolds and I learned more about her, I quickly realized that there was something seriously wrong. This is what the first half of the book seemed to be. Goddin was trying to show me just how messed up Caroline was. While this let me into her head and helped build a sense of sympathy for her, it also caused the book to get off to a very slow start.

Eventually, someone "forces" Caroline's hand, and she must kill them to protect herself and her family. As the murder plays out and we follow and listen to Caroline's thoughts, the author does a great job of portraying just how desperate she felt. How she had no choice. How it wasn't really her fault.

The ending was just amazing. All the family tension and issues finally boil over and while I don't think I'd call it an actual resolution - some of Caroline's problems to disappear. But that isn't the end, now Caroline needs to decide what's next, and as she walks out the door I have to wonder if everything that happened will allow her to live a normal life.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

Friday, June 23, 2017

Carry Me Home by Jessica Therrien ~ Cover Reveal


Carry Me Home
Jessica Therrien
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: September 26th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Thriller, Young Adult
“A riveting page-turner… Jessica Therrien broke my heart into a million pieces — and then put it back together again. This book will haunt and uplift readers long after they turn the last page.” 
-KAT ROSS, best-selling author of The Midnight Sea 
CARRY ME HOME is a fictional novel inspired by the true story of a teenage girl’s involvement in several Mexican gangs in San Jose and Los Angeles. The members of her crew call her, Guera, Spanish for “white girl” and it doesn’t take long for her to get lost in their world of guns and drugs. 
* * * 
Lucy and Ruth are country girls from a broken home. When they move to the city with their mother, leaving behind their family ranch and dead-beat father, Lucy unravels. 
They run to their grandparents’ place, a trailer park mobile home in the barrio of San Jose. Lucy’s barrio friends have changed since her last visit. They’ve joined a gang called VC. They teach her to fight, to shank, to beat a person unconscious and play with guns. When things get too heavy, and lives are at stake, the three girls head for LA seeking a better life. 
But trouble always follows Lucy. She befriends the wrong people, members of another gang, and every bad choice she makes drags the family into her dangerous world.
Told from three points of view, the story follows Lucy down the rabbit hole, along with her mother and sister as they sacrifice dreams and happiness, friendships and futures. Love is waiting for all of them in LA, but pursuing a life without Lucy could mean losing her forever. 
Ultimately it’s their bond with each other that holds them together, in a true test of love, loss and survival.


Author Bio:
Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book one in the series, Oppression, became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release.
Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011. Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Saved, is also available as part of the anthology.
Jessica spent most of her life in the small town of Chilcoot, California, high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this town of nearly 100 residents, with no street lights or grocery stores, there was little to do but find ways to be creative. Her mother, the local English teacher, inspired her to do all things artistic, and ultimately instilled in her a love for language.
In 2003, Jessica attended California State University Long Beach where her passion for language found her studying Chinese, and in 2005 she moved to Taiwan to study abroad. From 2005 to 2006 Jessica was fully immersed in the Chinese language as she attended National Taiwan University, and in 2008 she graduated from San Diego State University magna cum laude.
Jessica currently lives in Irvine with her husband and two sons. She is working on an adult novel and a children's picture book.

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Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Lux and Lies by Meg Collett ~ Cover Reveal


Lux and Lies
Meg Collett
(Whitebird, #1)
Publication date: May 2017
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
Mr. Robot meets UnReal in a story of celebrities and anarchists, reality shows and evil corporations, romance and self-discovery. 
Nineteen-year-old Wren Iver is nothing more than a dying girl with cancer, but when megastar Sloan Lux dies right before filming starts on the year’s most anticipated reality show, producers scramble to secretly replace her—with Wren. She’s swept into Hollywood and promised a cure by VidaCorp, the nation’s richest bioengineering corporation, for simply replacing Lux. It’s a deal Wren can’t refuse.
The decision could get her killed, because she isn’t the only cast member with ulterior motives 
The Whitebirds, a social anarchist group, has infiltrated the show, and they’ll stop at nothing to use Sloane Lux’s fame to derail VidaCorp’s efforts to legalize their controversial, life-changing drug—a drug that might kill more people than it saves. Caught in the middle of a game between a powerful corporation and ruthless anarchist group, Wren will do anything to survive. 
Will Wren secure the drug she needs to survive, or will she become another casualty in the anarchists’ fight against VidaCorp?



Author Bio:
Meg Collett is from the hills of Tennessee where the cell phone service is a blessing and functioning internet is a myth of epic proportions. She and her husband live in a tiny house with three dogs and not enough couches. She’s the author of the bestselling Fear University series, the End of Days trilogy, and the Canaan Island novels. Find out more at her website www.megcollett.com.

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Monday, January 16, 2017

As You Lay Sleeping by Katlyn Duncan ~ Cover Reveal


As You Lay Sleeping
Katlyn Duncan
Published by: HQ Digital
Publication date: February 20th 2017
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
I did it all for you… 
Cara’s boyfriend is dead. 
When fingers start pointing at her, she knows she’s in more trouble than she originally thought. Because Cara can see that something isn’t right. 
As her carefully constructed life begins to crumble, Cara isn’t sure who she is anymore. 
But maybe that’s exactly what someone wants her to think…









Author Bio:
Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her ever since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them. 

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world. 

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Friday, October 21, 2016

Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale


Title: Everything We Keep
Author: Kerry Lonsdale
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 306 Pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: August 1, 2016
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keepexplores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us.
Sous chef Aimee Tierney has the perfect recipe for the perfect life: marry her childhood sweetheart, raise a family, and buy out her parents’ restaurant. But when her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes in a boating accident, her well-baked future is swept out to sea. Instead of walking down the aisle on their wedding day, Aimee is at James’s funeral—a funeral that leaves her more unsettled than at peace.
As Aimee struggles to reconstruct her life, she delves deeper into James’s disappearance. What she uncovers is an ocean of secrets that make her question everything about the life they built together. And just below the surface is a truth that may set Aimee free…or shatter her forever.
**********
I loved this book until the epilogue. Then I wanted to throw the book - not because of anything wrong - I know it was just a personal preference - but OH MY GOD it made me so mad. Now, this could be seen as a good sign. It takes a lot for me to have that type of reaction to a book. I was so drawn into the characters and their lives that I felt like they were my friends. Good thing!!

I learned a lot about memory and what it can and can't do. It's quite fascinating, and from my simple research partner (Google) the author did a great job of portraying the circumstances. As Aimee comes to grips with what has happened to her fiance, we learn right along with her, and it was a great way of relaying information without doing just a big info dump on me.

Everything We Keep is an incredible emotional ride. I felt everything in the spectrum right along with Aimee and even James (the little bit we get to see). Right before the end, I was frustrated with life, but satisfied with the way Aimee had reacted and sorted things. Then the last two page....and the almost throwing. I want to say those pages ruined the book for me, until I tried to explain it all to someone. Their comment, "If it touched you so deeply, then it was a good book."

And they were right. This was a book that was beyond amazing and engaging. But if you read it, be prepared. It is not what you are going to expect. I could tell you the story, and it still wouldn't be what you expect. You have to live this one to truly experience it.


Friday, February 12, 2016

Chosen Soldiers by R.H. Scott ~ Book Spotlight




Title: Chosen Soldiers 
Author: R.H. Scott 
Release Date: February 9, 2016 
Publisher: Harper Voyager 
Genre: YA Dystopian/Thriller 

After the missiles tore up the Earth, societies crumbled, leaving scattered patches of humanity struggling to survive. Slowly, a group came together, helping each other regrow a world worth living in.

And then the Others attacked.

Realizing the need to truly protect themselves, they formed the Academy: a place where young people could be built into an elite military force. The training is intense…and so are the consequences for failure. Sloan Radcliffe is not a failure.

In fact, she’s the best of the best—the girls’ Senior Champion—and the only one who can match her is matched to her: her betrothed, Jared Dawson. They are the perfect couple: exemplary fighters, pure leaders, and exceptional role models. But as their time at the Academy draws to a close, Sloan is starting to see signs that maybe their life is built upon secrets…and that secrets are never a strong foundation.

With the battlefront looming and whispers growing louder, Sloan is caught up not only between her loyalties to her people, but also to the man she loves.

 A combination of military sci-fi and dystopian thriller, R. H. Scott’s Chosen Soldiers is an intense look at a young woman’s world shattering under the weight of its own illusions.

 photo addtogoodreadssmall_zpsa2a6cf28.png photo B6096376-6C81-4465-8935-CE890C777EB9-1855-000001A1E900B890_zps5affbed6.jpgB&N

Meet the Author:

R.H. Scott, born 1991, has spent the better part of her life travelling with her mother and sisters. Having lived on three continents by the age of 21, she developed a unique interest in differing societies and psychology. Scott completed a Bachelor of Arts Sociology & Socio-Legal Studies and is currently working on her MSc Experimental Psychology. The granddaughter of two published authors, writing has been a lifelong passion, and outside of her academic endeavors, Miss Scott writes full time, enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, and reading.
 

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Tour Schedule

Monday, February 8 - Book featured at Reader Girls
Thursday, February 11 - Book featured at Born to Read Books
Friday, February 12 - Book featured at Hot Off the Shelves
________
Monday, February 15 - Interviewed at The Review From Here
Tuesday, February 16 - Guest blogging at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Wednesday, February 17 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
Thursday, February 18 - Book featured at Bound 2 Escape
Friday, February 19 - Book featured at CBY Book Club
________
Monday, February 22 - Book featured at Rambling Reviews
February 23 - Interviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
February 24 - Book reviewed at Wishful Endings
February 25 - Interviewed at PUYB Virtual Book Club
________
Monday, February 29 - Book featured at A Title Wave
Wednesday, March 2 - Book featured at Ali the Dragonslayer
Thursday, March 3 - Book featured at Around the World in Books
Friday, March 4 - Interviewed at Voodoo Princess

Monday, January 25, 2016

The Unmoving Sky by K.L. Hallam ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway


Title: The Unmoving Sky
Author: K.L. Hallam
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller
Publisher: Leap Books
Release Date: May 16, 2016



There is nothing darker than the woods, until you meet your worst fear.

Jackson Bower has a lot on his mind lately. His younger brother hasn’t been the same since his mother’s death. His father’s drinking is out of control. Then there’s Jackson’s girlfriend and the grief that ties them together even as it threatens to drive them apart.

He distances himself, hoping for a little perspective at the family lodge. But when their father gets drunk and dangerous, he and his brother escape into the woods.

Night creeps in, and the rains come fast. Artie slips down a ravine. He’s wounded and the brothers seek shelter in a cave, only to find someone else already taking refuge there.

A desperate man with plans to destroy their town.

Jackson must get him and his wounded brother out of the cave and over the mountain to warn everyone in time. Without getting them both killed first.



Meet the Author

K.L. Hallam, an air force brat as a young child, who moved around to more schools than she can list,
gathering the stories that would connect to her heart. She writes MG, YA, and short fiction, or anything she hasn’t tried, a member of SCBWI, a singer and songwriter, illustrator and mother of two teenagers. She lives in New York City and spends her mornings writing in a Jazz club.

Follow K.L. Hallam on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and her website.





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Friday, August 14, 2015

Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt - Review


Title: Remember Mia
Author: Alexandra Burt
Genre: Adult Mystery, Thriller
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Rating: 5
Source: Amazon Vine Program

Like Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, Remember Mia is a riveting psychological suspense, exploring what happens when a young mother’s worst nightmare becomes devastatingly real…

First I remember the darkness.
Then I remember the blood.
I don’t know where my daughter is.

Estelle Paradise wakes up in a hospital after being found near dead at the bottom of a ravine with a fragmented memory and a vague sense of loss. Then a terrifying reality sets in: her daughter is missing.

Days earlier, Estelle discovered her baby’s crib empty in their Brooklyn apartment. There was no sign of a break-in, but all traces of seven-month-old Mia had disappeared. Her diapers, her clothes, her bottles—all gone. 

Frustrated and unable to explain her daughter’s disappearance, Estelle begins a desperate search. But when the lack of evidence casts doubt on her story, Estelle becomes the number one suspect in the eyes of the police and the media.

As hope of reuniting with Mia becomes all she has left, Estelle will do anything to find answers: What has she done to her baby? And what has someone else done to her?


This is one of the best books I've read all year. It's probably the best mystery/thriller I've read ever. It grips you from page one and takes you for a ride that you will never forget. I went from being suspicious of Estelle, to feeling pity for Estelle, to being convinced she was a murderer, and back through it all over again. 

We watch the mystery unfold as Estelle slowly begins to remember what happened to her daughter. This is not one you will be able to solve on your own. You don't have all the information, just like Estelle doesn't have all the memories. So I was very excited every time she had even a small break through and I found out a little bit more about what happened to Mia.

This isn't just a psychological book. There are some serious more physical moments that we re-live with Estelle as she remember them. My heart races, I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to give her a hug and tell her to keep fighting and not give up.

It's been a very long time since I was so emotionally involved in a story. You do not want to miss one!!!

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Monday, October 28, 2013

Cover Reveal: Peaceful Genocide by J.A. Reynolds


Peaceful Genocide by J.A. Reynolds 
Publication date: November 25, 2013
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Mitzi and Deuce can recall how many drops of water were on a leaf from a rainstorm five years ago and conversations from last week, month, or year. They have the ability to remember every second of everyday—since birth.

This gift has blessed Mitzi with a history of being sexually assaulted by researchers and abused by her own parents. She trusts no one. Likes no one. Deuce, however, is a high school standout. His gift has made him a superstar on the football field and his memory promises him endless opportunities.

When they both end up at an Alzheimer’s research facility under false proviso, they quickly realize this place isn’t what it seems to be. They endure crazy military-style tests, are forcefully drugged, and complete real-life simulations that haunt them.

Mitzi and Deuce have no idea what the researchers want to do with them or their memories. But one thing is clear: the researchers will go to any lengths to get what they want.


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Cover Reveal: Defector by Susanne Winnacker


Defector by Susanne Winnacker
(Variants #2) 
Published by: Razorbill
Publication date: June 26, 2014
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
Synopsis for book 1 – Impostor:
Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late?

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself



AUTHOR BIO
Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog and three bunnies in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals.
When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes.
Her YA thriller IMPOSTOR will be published on May 28, 2013. It has been optioned for TV by Warner Brothers!

Website: http://www.susannewinnacker.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/91168.Susanne_Winnacker

Monday, September 9, 2013

Book Tour: Jenny's Blue Velvet by Angela Carlie Review and Giveaway

Title: Jenny's Blue Velvet
Author: Angela Carlie
Genre: Adult Romantic Thriller
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Release Date: August 22, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Jenny’s stuck.

She’s tried just about every occupation she can think of and will be digging out of student debt for a very long time, but has nothing to show for it. Her everyday routine feels like a prison. And her marriage? Well, let’s just say it’s been a little one-sided lately and the money she threw down on the toys from Lover’s Erotic Store was well worth it and then some.

Jenny decides her next big step is to become a romance writer. Romance books are flying off the virtual shelves, after all. This will be her big break, her escape from the prison, and a way to freedom. Self-publishing is all the rage these days. She’ll be a best seller in no time.

When Jenny makes friends with a woman named Cassandra from the gym, she instantly decides that her new friend will make a perfect main character in her upcoming book. After the first chapter, real life begins to resemble the fiction she’s writing. Her friendship blossoms, sex with her husband turns into a daily feast, and her job gets more interesting with each chapter written.

Out of the blue, a person who is a close friend with her husband and who is dating Cassandra disappears. As the mystery behind the missing person unfolds, Jenny wonders if she might be responsible for his possible death. And if she is, what will be the consequence? What has this writing business gotten her into?

JENNY’S BLUE VELVET is a dark, humorous, romantic thriller for adults only



Jenny's Blue Velvet had to be one of the most strange stories I've read in awhile.  It followed Jenny as she tries to make sense of her life and how to make it better.  Her grand idea is to write a romance, but it seems to have taken on a life of its on and begins writing itself.  It's hard to say too much without giving a lot away.  There were so many things that helped drive the story forward it never really seemed to stop moving or take a break.  The writing was very good and easy to read, doling out bits and pieces that all added up in one big "ah-ha!" moment.  This moment was far from what I expected, but was even better because of it.




Purchase:



AUTHOR BIO
I’ve lived in the state of Washington my entire life. Sure, it rains a lot, but that’s what makes it so beautiful here. I’d like to say it’s the most beautiful place on the planet, but I have yet to travel the world. Someday I’ll know for sure.

I write fiction involving young people. Mainstream publishing would label my writing as YA or middle grade. Since I’m an indie author, I can skip over the labels and tell you that each one of my stories is unique, can be read and enjoyed by all ages, and almost always has a young person as the protagonist. Authors write what they know and I don’t know old yet. I may someday write about older people, but that’s so far in the future that I can’t see it yet.

Author Links:


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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Jenny's Blue Velvet by Angela Carlie

Jenny's Blue Velvet by Angela Carlie
Publication date: August 22nd 2013
Genre: Adult Romantic Thriller

Jenny’s stuck.

She’s tried just about every occupation she can think of and will be digging out of student debt for a very long time, but has nothing to show for it. Her everyday routine feels like a prison. And her marriage? Well, let’s just say it’s been a little one-sided lately and the money she threw down on the toys from Lover’s Erotic Store was well worth it and then some.

Jenny decides her next big step is to become a romance writer. Romance books are flying off the virtual shelves, after all. This will be her big break, her escape from the prison, and a way to freedom. Self-publishing is all the rage these days. She’ll be a best seller in no time.

When Jenny makes friends with a woman named Cassandra from the gym, she instantly decides that her new friend will make a perfect main character in her upcoming book. After the first chapter, real life begins to resemble the fiction she’s writing. Her friendship blossoms, sex with her husband turns into a daily feast, and her job gets more interesting with each chapter written.

Out of the blue, a person who is a close friend with her husband and who is dating Cassandra disappears. As the mystery behind the missing person unfolds, Jenny wonders if she might be responsible for his possible death. And if she is, what will be the consequence? What has this writing business gotten her into?

JENNY’S BLUE VELVET is a dark, humorous, romantic thriller for adults only


AUTHOR BIO
Facts about Angela Carlie

I write fiction. I work hard. I play often.

When I'm not pushing a mouse around at a desk job, which is boring, or writing, which is fun, I enjoy hanging out with my fourteen-year-old son and husband, reading, hiking, kayaking, traveling, and running.

Hawaii and Washington are my two favorite states.

I believe that if everyone ate a whole-food plant based diet, cancer cases would be a minimum, heart disease a thing of the past, and hunger something found in history books.

One of my favorite documentaries is Forks Over Knives.

I love hearing about people reading my books, so if you enjoyed one of my stories, please let me know by leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Thank you for spending time with my stories. We don't have much of it and I appreciate that you find my work worthy of your time.

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Review: Impulse by Debra Webb

Title: Impulse (Faces of Evil #2)
Author: Debra Webb
Genre: Romance - Thriller
Source: FirstReads
Reviewed by: Jasmyn
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

The Player is a master in the art of torture and murder. No one had ever gotten close to capturing him until Special Agent Jess Harris targeted him with her relentless determination. Jess's actions may have cost her a job with the bureau, but the Player still wants his vengeance and he'll make Jess pay in ways she never imagined. The first victim is Jess's friend-and the killer won't stop there. With each new death Jess becomes more certain that the only way to stop the Player is to give him what he reallywants: her.

Chief of Police Dan Burnett is determined to give Jess her confidence and her life back. With an offer on the table, a position as deputy chief of a new division, can Jess risk staying in her hometown and putting those around her in more danger? Or will she walk away to protect everyone she loves-including Dan, who just may want her back in his arms? The stakes are high, and a single impulse will determine who survives the Player's final, deadly game . . . 




Wow! It's going to be hard to talk about this one and not give away any of the amazing plot. While this is book two in the Faces of Evil series - I don't think you would "need" to read the first book in order to pick up Impulse and enjoy it.

Jess has a history with a very nasty serial killer known as the Player - and now he's targeted her. He will find a way to make her feel the fear by picking off her friends and family one by one before he makes his final move. Jess and Police Chief Dan Burnett are in a race against the clock to find his victims before he can finish them off.

With lots of action and suspense - I flew through the pages constantly asking myself "oh my god - what's next?" With just enough going on that there are no dull moments, but not so much that it became overwhelming, it was the perfect combination of story and suspense.


Buy at Barnes & Noble: Impulse
Buy at Book Depository: Impulse