Review : Prey

Prey

Allison Brennan

 Ballantine Books

 

 

First, she imagined it. Then a killer made it real.
Rowan Smith is living in a borrowed Malibu beach house while her bestselling novel is made into a Hollywood movie. A former FBI agent with a haunted past, Rowan thinks she has outrun her demons. But fiction and reality collide when a dismembered body is found in Colorado: the real-life victim had the same name, occupation, and looks as a character in Rowan’s novel. By the time the FBI, the LAPD, and her own private bodyguard gather around her, another person is killed–again, the murder ripped from the pages of Rowan’s book.

In the company of a former Delta Force officer with secrets of his own, Rowan faces an excruciating dilemma: the only way to chase down the tormenting killer is by revisiting the darkness of her past–and by praying for some way out again.

After the prey is chosen, the hunt is on and the kill is certain.

My review:  This book was a quick read because it is so action packed and the story flows so well. From the start the story grabs you and compels you to see who did it , and why. Rowan was such a complex character and her secrets so deeply hidden you devour the book to discover them all. I finished this book in about two days because I had to work but to tell you the truth I wanted to call in sick so I could finish it. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I want to see that happens to all the character next.



Review: Unwind



Unwind

Neal Shusterman

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

 

 

 

 

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive.

 

 

My Review:  This book was amazing. I was brought into a world that boggled my mind. I have to read the rest of the series. This book blew me away with such an unusual concept, and the way it was handled was spectacular. My son and I talked about this book for over an hour. I can not express how much I really enjoyed this book. The adventure the main characters went on was eye opening and interesting. As we read we bond with each of them for different reasons. I loved how all three of the kids in the book grow and become their own person, but their stories still intertwine together to show us this unique world that Neal Shusterman has created. A world I would never want to live in but I did enjoy visiting. 

 

 

Review : Freak

Freak

Jennifer Hiller

Pocket Books

 

Sitting alone in a maximum-security prison cell, Abby Maddox is a celebrity. Her claim to fame is the envy of every freak on the outside: she’s the former lover of Ethan Wolfe, the killer who left more than a dozen dead women in his wake and nearly added Puget Sound State professor Sheila Tao to the tally. Now Abby, serving a nine-year sentence for slashing a police officer’s throat in a moment of rage, has little human contact—save for the letters that pour in from demented fans, lunatics, and creeps. But a new wave of murders has given Abby a possible chance for a plea bargain—because this killer has been sending her love letters, and carving a message on the bodies of the victims: Free Abby Maddox.

Jerry Isaac will never forget the attack—or his attacker. The hideous scarring and tortured speech are daily reminders that the one-time Seattle PD officer, now a private investigator, is just lucky to be alive. Abby Maddox deserves to rot in jail—forever, as far as Jerry’s concerned. But she alone may possess crucial evidence—letters from this newest killer—that could crack open the disturbing case. With the help of Professor Sheila Tao, seasoned police detective Mike Torrance, and intuitive criminology student Danny Mercy, Jerry must coax the shattering truth from isolated, dangerous Abby Maddox. Can he put the pieces together before Abby’s number one fan takes another life in the name of a killer’s perverted idea of justice? 

 



My Review:  What a sequel. I love Jennifer Hiller writing style and fast pace. I could not put this book down. A wonderfully delightful continuation of her first book "Creep" I can't wait for the next installment at least I hope there is more. The plot was just as good as the first book and I grew more invested in Jerry's life this time. What a great character . My only question is what happens now . I need to know. Plllllllllleeeeeeeeaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeeeeeee.

  

Review: Dead (A Lot)



Dead ( A Lot)

Howard Odentz

Bell Bridge Books

 

Last Friday night, the world changed-and not for the better.
Zombies are among us. School's out for the foreseeable future, and with Mom and Dad at the lake house, my twin and I are on our own in this mess. Which is fine as long as we can avoid being on the menu.
Tripp Light's teenage world is suddenly filled with "poxers"-the infected ones, the ones that have the Necropoxy virus. In an entire world gone mad and bad, Tripp's only hope of survival is to clear a path through zombie land with his sister and head for the hills (aka his aunt's farm) to rendezvous with his parents.
Success clearly favors the fittest and the fastest. Survival demands the twins make hard, ruthless decisions, but that all changes when Tripp and his twin hear a distress call via the radio. Prianka Patel, a girl Tripp loves to hate, is trapped and surrounded in a bakery. Soon, the twins have quite a collection of misfits and survivors and miles to go before anyone can sleep safely again.
No matter where Tripp looks, everyone everywhere is dead.
Like really dead... a lot.

 

 

My Review :

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 I thought this was going to be a typical zombie story because they are popping up everywhere now. I was surprised to see this was a story more so about family and the courage of two young people who are faced with unbelievable odds stacked against them. The courage and strength they display when their world comes tumbling down is a wonderful story. I really enjoyed this heart warming story about twins Tripp and Trina and how they come together in the hour of need. The secondary characters  I also liked because they show the diversity of humanity and how we can expect great things from everyone around us. Even the people we least expect it from. I am recommending this book to some friends that I think will truly enjoy the range of characters and the power of family ( related or not) .

 

 

                                            

 



Review : Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children



Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Ransom Riggs

Quirk Books

 

A horrific family tragedy sends Jacob 16 to a remote island off Wales, to the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, where he finds unusual old photographs. The children, one his grandfather, were more than peculiar, perhaps dangerous, quarantined for good reason - and maybe still alive.

 

 

 

My Review: If you have not read this book what are you waiting for. This book was amazing. I could not put it down and I can not wait for the next one. I was blown away by this book. Jacob's grandfather was an eccentric old man who like to tell stories of his youth, but as Jacob grows up he realizes his grandfathers stories can not be true. Levitating girls and invisible boy just don't exist. After a horrifying event Jacob's family thinks he needs help dealing with what has happened and hope a trip to his grandfathers childhood home will help him deal better and stop the nightmares he has been having. Jacob also thinks he will discover the truth behind the stories and the mysterious letter he discovered in his grandfathers possession. Jacob soon learns that fact is stranger than fiction and discovers the truth about himself. This book was fast paced and edge of your seat thriller. The pictures in this book just bring it to life that much more. I can't wait for the next installment in this story. I am also going to have my kids read this and recommending it to a number of people I work with that love a captivating story with twist and turns.

 

                                          

  

Review : Lady Thief (Scarlet # 2 )

Lady Thief

A.C. Gaughen

Walker Childrens

Feb 11th 2014

 

 

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

 

 

 

My Review : I would like to thank netgalley for letting me read this book for my honest review.

 As soon as I put down book 1 in this trilogy (Scarlet ) . I started the next book. This was a wonderful sequel. With just as much action in the last book it was a roller coaster ride from beginning to end and I am waiting and wanting more. Twist and turns aplenty make this a great read and the third can not come out soon enough. I will be first in line to get this book I need to see what happens next. I want more. 

 

 

 

Review: Scarlet

 



Scarlet

A.C. Gaughen

Bloomsbury Childrens

 

 

 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the evil Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only Big John and Robin Hood know the truth—the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. It’s getting harder to hide as Gisbourne’s camp seeks to find Scarlet and drive Robin Hood out of Nottinghamshire.

But Scarlet’s instinct for self-preservation is at war with a strong sense of responsibility to the people who took her in when she was on the run, and she finds it’s not so easy to turn her back on her band and townspeople. As Gisbourne draws closer to Scarlet and puts innocent lives at risk, she must decide how much the people of Nottinghamshire mean to her, especially John Little, a flirtatious fellow outlaw, and Robin, whose quick smiles and temper have the rare power to unsettle Scarlet.

 

 

My Review:  This was one retelling of Robin Hood I enjoyed immensely. With all the beloved characters we know but with an interesting twist. Told through the eyes of Scarlet. I enjoyed this well known story but in a different perspective. We always see it through Robin Hood's eyes, now we see it as told by one of his Merry "Men". I found this to be a unique and interesting interpretation of this beloved tale . A good read for anyone who likes action-adventure with mystery and just a touch of romance.