Review: Game Over by Andrew Klavan

About the book:

This time, there’s no escape from The Realm. 

The MindWar Realm is a computerized world created by a deranged terrorist named Kurodar. Built through a link between Kurodar’s mind and a network of supercomputers, The Realm is a pathway through which the madman can project himself into any computer system on the planet.

Twice before, Rick Dial has entered the Realm as a Mind Warrior and come back alive. But now, something has gone terribly wrong. A connection has formed in Rick’s brain that sends him hurtling into The Realm without his consent—and brings the Realm’s monsters into the Real World.

As Kurodar works to turn Rick’s brain to his own purposes, Rick’s waking and sleeping life is ravaged by terrors he never imagined.

Rick knows he has no choice but to face The Realm’s final and most powerful protector. But can Rick destroy MindWar without destroying himself and the people he loves?

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Review: MindWar by Andrew Klavan

About the book:

Rick Dial has the potential to be a hero. He just doesn't know it yet.

Rick’s high school football team couldn't be stopped when he was leading them as their quarterback. He was going to Syracuse on a scholarship. But then his dad abandoned them and a terrible accident left him crippled.

Certain his old life is completely lost, Rick spends months hiding away in his room playing video games. He achieves the highest scores on so many games that he's approached by a government agency who claims to be trying to thwart a cyber attack on America that would destroy the technological infrastructure of the entire country. The agents say that the quick-thinking of a quarterback coupled with Nick's gaming experience make him perfect for this assignment. The problem is that there are no extra lives and this isn’t just a game . . . but Rick doesn’t have many other options at the moment.

Entering “The Realm” gives Rick the one thing he thought he’d never have again: a body that’s as fast and as strong as he ever was before the accident. But the more time he spends in The Realm, the more questions he has. What secrets are these agents keeping from him? What really happened to his father? How many others have gone into The Realm already . . . and failed? And perhaps most important, is he the hero they think he is?

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Review: Revolutionary by Krista McGee

Revolutionary by Krista McGee
Anomaly Trilogy: Book Three
Thomas Nelson / 2014

About the book:

All her life Thalli thought she was an anomaly. Now she must use her gifts to fulfill the role she was called to play: Revolutionary.

Back in the underground State against her will, Thalli is no longer the anomaly she was before. She has proven herself to be a powerful leader aboveground and returns with information that Dr. Loudin needs to complete his plan of uniting the world under one leader: himself. But he, too, has information. A secret he has kept from Thalli her entire life. A secret that, once revealed, changes everything about the person Thalli thought she was.

Hoping to help Thalli rise up against the Scientists, both Berk and Alex join her underground, but their presence only brings more trouble for her. Now Dr. Loudin knows just the leverage to use on his captive, and she is forced to choose between the two of them. Is her first love her true love? Or does Alex ultimately claim her heart?

Unsure of everything around her, including her own identity, Thalli doesn’t know where to turn. She knows she needs the Designer, but he seems further away than ever. What she does know, though, is that if she doesn’t do something to stop Loudin, the fragile world aboveground will be lost once and for all.

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Review: Critical Condition by Richard Mabry

About the book:

Dr. Frasier couldn't save the gunshot victim on her front lawn. Now she's fighting for her own life.

It began as a quiet dinner party honoring Dr. Shannon Frasier's colleague, but became a nightmare when a man was shot on her lawn, reviving emotions from a similar episode a decade ago. Then a midnight call from her sister, Megan, causes Shannon to fear that her sister is on drugs again.

Her "almost-fiancé" Dr. Mark Gilbert's support only adds to Shannon's feelings of guilt, since she can't bring herself to fully commit to him. She turns for help to her pastor-father, only to learn that he's just been diagnosed with leukemia.

Shannon thought it couldn't get any worse. Then the late-night, threatening phone calls begin, the rough voice asking, "What did he say before he died?"

With everything around her in a critical state, simply staying alive will require all the resources and focus Shannon has.

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Review: Dancing With Fireflies by Denise Hunter

Dancing With Fireflies by Denise Hunter
Chapel Spring: Book two
Thomas Nelson / 2014

About the book:

Jade returns home to Chapel Springs after years of protecting her fragile heart. Then along comes Daniel, making her long to dance again.

Creative and complicated, Jade McKinley felt like a weed in a rose garden growing up in Chapel Springs. When she left, she thought she’d never look back. But now, pregnant, alone, and broke, she has no other choice but to return.

The mayor of Chapel Springs, Daniel Dawson, has been an honorary member of the McKinley family for years. While his own home life was almost non-existent, Daniel fit right into the boisterous McKinley family. He’s loved Jade for years, but she always saw him as a big brother. Now that she’s back, his feelings are stronger than ever.

As Jade attempts to settle in, nothing feels right. God seems far away, she’s hiding secrets from her family, and she’s strangely attracted to the man who’s always called her “squirt." Finding her way home may prove more difficult than she imagined.

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Review: Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter

Smitten Book Club
by Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter
Thomas Nelson / 2014


Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

About the book:

The century-old Gentlewoman’s Guide to Love and Courtship is no ordinary book club choice. But for the little book club in Smitten, Vermont, it might be their best pick yet!

The thick, leathery tome Heather pulled out of the dusty cardboard box was definitely coming home with her. Not only was The Gentlewoman’s Guide to Love and Courtship an appealing curiosity by virtue of its title; it was also written by Smitten, Vermont native Pearl Chambers, a local gentlewoman from three generations back.

Little did Heather know the repercussions this little curiosity would have on her and her friends’ romantic exploits.

When Heather and her fellow book club members begin passing the book around, their respective interpretations are unleashed on their respective love lives . . . for better or for worse. Is it a mystery? An idealist fantasy? An intimation of Jane Austen? As romantic love finds its way to each woman, the Guide proves itself both surprisingly prescient and hilariously irrelevant.

What’s more, a handwritten inscription indicates that the arcane book might hold the only extant clues leading to buried gold—exactly what one of the members needs to keep her house. How could they not go treasure hunting?

In this remarkable collaborative novel, besties Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt tackle the tale of the Gentlewoman’s Guide by writing for one book club member apiece. Smitten Book Club is a hopeful, hilarious story of friendship and healing, written by friends for friends.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Smitten Book Club is the third book in the "Smitten" series. I have to say, this has been one of the most unique series I've seen. All of the books are a collection of novellas from four authors with different main characters - and yet there's one central theme/story that binds them together.

For Smitten Book Club, it was Pearl Chambers' book and the search for the legendary buried gold. I think this was my favorite part about the book, as I loved the little bit of mystery it brought to the story. The quotes from "the Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship" (Pearl's book) at the start of every chapter were fun, too!

As for my favorite novella, that was the last one: Happily Ever After by Denise Hunter. It seemed like the novellas got better with each one: Love by the Book was just okay for me; I felt like it needed better editing, as the story didn't seem to flow that well and was confusing at times. Shelved Under Romance was good and I liked this story. A New Chapter is my second favorite novella in this book; I enjoyed it very much and the only thing that I didn't care for all that much was how quickly things moved in the end - didn't seem believable. As I said, Happily Ever After is my favorite of the bunch. I felt like it was the most complete novella and flowed the best. I really liked that one! :)

Overall, a fun read! If you like contemporary reads, you might enjoy Smitten Book Club.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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"Waiting On" Wednesday: MindWar by Andrew Klavan

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're

eagerly anticipating.

 This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

MindWar: A Novel (The MindWar Trilogy) by Andrew Klavan

 Thomas Nelson / ISBN# 1401688926
Expected Publication Date: July 15, 2014
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

Rick Dial has the potential to be a hero. He just doesn't know it yet.

Rick’s high school football team couldn't be stopped when he was leading them as their quarterback. He was going to Syracuse on a scholarship. But then his dad abandoned them and a terrible accident left him crippled.

Certain his old life is completely lost, Rick spends months hiding away in his room playing video games. He achieves the highest scores on so many games that he's approached by a government agency who claims to be trying to thwart a cyber attack on America that would destroy the technological infrastructure of the entire country. The agents say that the quick-thinking of a quarterback coupled with Nick's gaming experience make him perfect for this assignment. The problem is that there are no extra lives and this isn’t just a game . . . but Rick doesn’t have many other options at the moment.

Entering “The Realm” gives Rick the one thing he thought he’d never have again: a body that’s as fast and as strong as he ever was before the accident. But the more time he spends in The Realm, the more questions he has. What secrets are these agents keeping from him? What really happened to his father? How many others have gone into The Realm already . . . and failed? And perhaps most important, is he the hero they think he is?

Why I want to read this book:

I want to read Mindwar because it sounds good and Andrew Klavan writes really good YA adventure novels.

What's your "Waiting On" Wednesday selection this week?

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Review: Luminary by Krista McGee

Luminary (Anomaly) by Krista McGee
Thomas Nelson / 2014
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

Thalli thought escaping to the surface would mean freedom. But is she any less of an anomaly aboveground?

After escaping an underground annihilation chamber, Thalli, Berk, Rhen, and John find themselves fleeing across the former United States, aboveground for the first time. As the defectors cross the for gotten landscape, the three youths see things the y had only read about on screens: horses, rain, real books—and a colony of unsanctioned survivors living the ancient way in a town called New Hope.

When the citizens of New Hope reveal the truth of what happened years ago, Thalli is left unsettled and skeptical of everything she’s ever been told. Can she trust anything from the State, including her own feelings for Berk? When she volunteers for a peace mission to New Hope’s violent neighbor, Athens, her confusion mounts as the supposedly ruthless Prince Ale x turns out to be kind and charming. Although everyone in New Hope warned her not to, she can’t help but fall for him.

Meanwhile, John’s unwavering faith in the goodness of the Designer begins to make its mark on Thalli’s heart. But can Thalli really come to trust in a generous, protective Designer who rules over all things? Would that not be setting herself up for another betrayal?

The time for her to decide is now . . . because the State is closing in.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Wow! This book completely blew me away! I've been anticipating Luminary since finishing Anomaly last year (it had a great cliffhanger ending!) and it definitely met my expectations!

At first, Thalli annoyed me a little, just because of how pessimistic she was, but I guess that would be a normal reaction after everything that had happened to them. Berk and John were (again) my favorite characters, but I also really liked a new one (who shall remain nameless). ;)

There were so many things that happened in Luminary and I kept being surprised by the story! I loved not knowing what to expect and the way the story held my attention throughout.

With another cliffhanger ending, the second book in Krista McGee's Anomaly trilogy leaves me anxious to read Revolutionary, which releases July 2014. I definitely recommend this book to fans of Dystopian novels - it's great! I think you should read Anomaly first, though, so you won't get confused with the story.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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Review: Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan

Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan
Thomas Nelson / 2013
Find on: Amazon, Goodreads

About the book:

What should have been an ordinary morning is about to spiral into a day of unrelenting terror.

As a reporter for his high school newspaper, Tom is always on the lookout for an offbeat story. But from the moment he woke up this morning, his own life has been more bizarre than any headline could ever tell.

The streets of his town are suddenly empty and silent. A strange fog has drifted in from the sea and hangs over everything. And something is moving in that fog. Something evil. Something hungry. Closing in on Tom.

Tom’s terrified girlfriend Marie says the answers lie at the Santa Maria Monastery, a haunted ruin standing amidst a forest blackened by wildfire. But can he trust her? A voice that seems to be coming from beyond the grave is warning him that nothing is what it seems.

Only one thing is certain: with his world collapsing around him, Tom has only a few hours to recover the life he knew—before he, too, is lost forever in this nightmare city.

My rating:

My thoughts:

Nightmare City was a very different read. I loved the writing style - when I was reading, the pages just flew by. Part of the story reminded me a little of Tom Pawlik's adult speculative book, Vanish, but only certain aspects and the two stories are not similar.

While I didn't particularly love any of the characters, I did like Tom and enjoyed reading his story and the things that happened to him. The one word that comes to mind when thinking of the story is weird - not weird in a bad way, but a good way. There were just so many parts to Nightmare City that were different from other books I've read!

There were some scenes in Nightmare City that were really suspenseful and I loved those! I also loved the last part of this book and how it was possible to guess who the villain was, but I didn't guess it.

All in all, Nightmare City was a really good read that I think teens (and adults!) who enjoy action/adventure novels with some supernatural/weirdness will enjoy. I recommend it!
 
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Was my review helpful? If so, please click "yes" on Amazon. Thanks!

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