Book Review: Olivia Decoded

Olivia Decoded (Olivia Twister #2) by Vivi Barnes

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.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published September 6th 2016 by Entangled: Teen

  

MEOW . . .  MEOW . . .MEOW

I received a copy of this book by the publisher after they asks me if I wanted to read this book because I had read the first book.

It's been awhile since I've read vivi's first book Olivia Twisted, so I needed to brush up on the first book & read my review as well others. Diving into the second book, it started out with this dark and creepy admirer.

 

Soon Olivia starts to realizes that this admirer wasn't someone from her new life, but from her old life. Although she has trouble letting go of her old life and Jack, but when she starts getting random roses and extravagant gifts. She starts to wonder who is sending this and what their message? 

When I finally got to see how much Jack been trying to move on but he often thinks of Olivia, I know he can't seem to leave behind what they had. When Olivia reaches out to Jack to ask if he's been sending gifts, he denies it.

But things back at home (the new home) financials are getting hacked, and it's happening under the household. The atmosphere grows tense, with a houseful of hackers everyone is watching their back. Except for Jack only because he's trying to find that hacker and instead gets himself hacked.

I was surprised on who was behind the whole charades, but then I felt sad for the person that was forced to be involved with the person behind it because they got themselves into something that they might not have been able to back out of . . . IN which they didn't.

I give this an 4.5 Cat Paws, I like the darker effect of the secret admire but I was thoroughly missing more romance between Jack and Olivia.  

Will this leave for potential future books?

Book Review: Thirty-Five & a Half Conspiracies

Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (Rose Gardner #8) by Denise Grover Swank 

Book eight in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Rose Gardner Mystery series.

Rose Gardner has survived plenty of close scrapes in the past, but her latest bit of trouble has landed her in the Fenton County holding cell on trumped up charges. The most powerful man in southern Arkansas, J.R. Simmons, is determined to put her behind bars for good and destroy everything she holds dear, including her boyfriend, Mason, and her friend Skeeter, reigning king of the Fenton County crime world. In a stunning betrayal, it seems as if J.R.’s son, Rose’s ex-boyfriend, might have turned tail and joined his father.

But Rose doesn’t have to face this fight alone. Her tight-knit group of friends is dedicated to helping her figure out—and foil—J.R.’s plan for ruining her, Mason, and Skeeter. But even with their support and the use of her special power, Rose is at a disadvantage. J.R. is a criminal mastermind who has been using his money, power, and web of influence to hide his conspiracies for years. How can she hope to find solid evidence implicating someone who’s mastered the art of not getting caught?

Time is running out, and soon Rose realizes that reassuming her role of the Lady in Black might be her only chance at ferreting out the evidence that will save them all. In so doing, she will risk not only her life, but the possibility that her secret identity will be unveiled to all. 

Released November 3rd, 2015

Review

35 and a Half Conspiracies delivers the most mysterious of mystery in the Rose Gardner series.

Who's conspiracy who's?

The fate lies with the Lady in Black but doesn't it also lies within Rose as well.

With a power struggle on the rise and all hell is about to break loose, can Rose protect her identity as the Lady in Black but also the people she loves?

Or will Rose be force to make a decision that may change her life as well the relationships she has with her love ones.

PURRRECT!!!!! I'd seriously have to give this one PURRFECTIONS, I have never been so in gasp in worry about something terribly happening. Thirty-Five push limits of all limits, now we must wait until May to see what follows next. 

 

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

When we left 34 Rose was being hauled away to jail . . . Now she must stand trials for the false evidence that J.R. Simmons has placed on her. 

Mason is probably facing his worst fears in this book, the thought of losing Rose makes him sick. He felt that he failed to protect her from JR Simmons once JR had let the fabricated evidences surfaced. 

For the Team Joe fans; Joe had stepped on too many toes and did too many thy bidden, while later on in the book he surfaced again with the true purpose of protecting Rose. It might be too late. 

As far as for Joe's sister Kate, she is enigmatic or mysterious so to speak. I have no idea where her loyalties lies. Is she working alone or is she working for someone else that is not her father? 

Rose's LADY IN BLACK identity is at risk, but when Rose is being Frame by the orders of JR Simmons. She REFUSED to stand down. I admire Rose's strength and courage in this book, however I worried that she was going a little too far and not think about the repercussion of the after math. 

For Team Mason Fans: Better have a box of Kleenex next to you. Some part are happy, even one got me jumping in cheers but . . . . I'll just leave it at that.  

For Neely Kate Fans: She is such a tongue-twister! I did not expect that from her or her other secret of secrets. While Neely Kate knows about Rose being the Lady in Black, but what I did not expect her plan if things started to go down. She's an sneaking spy. 

The other thing about that Journal that Rose had in 34 and Joe took it? Well that was rarely brought up but I guess with all the things going on that maybe Denise just couldn't do it all in this book. The other thing that was sparsely left out was Hilary's pregnancy and all the crazy ideas we readers have. there's no confirmation on is it Joe's or is it JR's?

Book Review: Visions

Visions (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong

As #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new Cainsville series continues, Olivia’s power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her new hometown.

Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.

 

Hardcover, 448 pages

Published August 19th 2014 by Dutton (first published August 14th 2014)

Review

Olivia's life change in a blink of an eye, having the socialite life, about to be married to her fiance then her whole identity is revealed. 

Olivia reads Omens as if they were embedded in her head, but she doesn't understand why she know it or understands it. 

There's a new case . . . that means Olivia and Gabriel are working together once again but is there something much deeper that lies in the case? 

The Elders of Cainsville are watching Olivia and Gabriel closely . . . But what's their plan? 

Olivia's strange visitor gives her warnings . . .

I give this an 4 Cats Tail Up, overall Visions was stack with legendary plans and even more secrets that still have yet to be revealed.

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

Okay book two of Cainsville series by Kelley Armstrong, I have to say there was much more omens that Olivia kept seeing, she even got to a point to think how does she know about omens and legends? Why were they hammered inside her head? Only her birth mother Pamela Larsen would know . . .

Gabriel seems to have grown more protective of Olivia and even his aunt believes that destiny has it written somewhere that they should be together as a couple and not just work-related mutual friends.

Olivia's ex-fiance is stirring up trouble, and with his uprising political campaigns he need Olivia to be seen socially balanced. But when James starts having Gabriel keep a close tabs on Olivia without her knowledge, Olivia is stuck wondering what is it that James truly wants. And is feeling somewhat betrayed by Gabriel.

Also with Gabriel I believes develop some sort of interest to Olivia although she's currently seeing Ricky Gallagher. When I read Gabriel's POV in Chapter 56, you see another side of him but what's his real hesitation about opening up to people? I know he was abandoned by his mother and there wasn't really a father in the picture. So maybe being on his own cause him to be very private and almost sort of hermit-like from others  but with Olivia it seems he wants to be more than just friends.

Olivia starts dating Ricky Gallagher, who is the son of a the Saints biker club and those two hit it off right away. The little bike ride was Ricky has some personal knowledge of omens and other legends and he's someone that won't push Olivia to share every single detail about her.

Patrick, Patrick, Patrick . . . what are your tricks? The fact that he knows so much but only is willing to answers so questions or simply neither deny or know.  Even the Elders are weary of him but with Olivia

The ending was a twist! I really did not expect that but it all fits with the fact that nothing in Cainsville is consider normal. 

Book Review: The Naturals

The Naturals (The Naturals #1) 

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published October 7th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion (first published November 5th 2013)

Review

What do you do if you have an Natural ability?  

Cassie has always profiled people, she has a natural ability to know who they are and what type of person they are. 

Still haunted of her mother's murder which is now a cold case, the special program for the FBI might just help her get one step closer to possibly solving her mother's case once and for all.

BUT  . . .

What do you do when the recent murders has similar concepts to your mother's case?

Cassie and the FBI must work fast before another women is murder, but what do you do if the killer is closer to you and know every single step you move?

I'm giving this a 4.5 Cat's Tails up, I would really rate this a 5 cat's tails up however I'm saving the 5 for Killer Insticnt because that one deserves a 5 Cat's Tails up.

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

 

I LOVE LOVE . . .

. . .

. . .

LOVE

. . .

LOVE  . . .

THIS BOOK!!!!!

All Cassie ever want is to solve her mother's murder, but if working for the FBI special program will get her one step closer to solving it then how can she turn down this opportunity?

Women similar to her mothers case are turning up dead, while Cassie learns the way of thinking like a killer she also struggle with keeping thing apart from her mothers case although little things keeps adding on the murders. 

I love how Jennifer created her characters with such an uniqueness in them but the one has kept me wondering from the start was Dean. I wanted to know why he had such a darkness to him and why he was so closed off. However and this is a big big theory I detected that Dean has a likeness toward Cassie although he himself would never admit even after a dare that Cassie had to kiss him. 

The twist that Jennifer created in the book was beyond my imagination! I mean I did not see that coming or had any idea whatsoever. I'm not going to say whose responsible for the deaths so you will have to read it!


I almost wished that I didn't wait too long to start this but again now I'm sitting here waiting for book three to come out. Book Reader problems as always.

What I like LOVE about this book was the characters and the little paranormal sense that each of the characters has, starting with Cassie who NATURAL ability is profiling people. She could profile anyone except for who killed her mother, that remains a mystery.

Cassie meets Sloane, Michael, Lia and Dean . . . who all have a Natural ability but Cassie shares on Natural ability with another, DEAN.

While reading this book I got a big sense of the Supernatural brothers, Dean as Dean and Michael as Sam on many levels but really Dean stood out. He's a complex character that's for sure! I totally have a crush on him!

Jen's casting of Dean was Douglas Booth whom I've never heard of but I kind of had to imagine Jensen Ackles in a younger version  So I pick Logan Lerman (trust me he could pull it off) But then there's the actual actor that plays Young Dean in supernatural (I couldn't find the actor name)

 

 Michael is growing on me but I'm crossing fingers for Dean . . . 

Overall Jennifer has got me hooked on this series! It been awhile since I've read a book where I'm directly hooked on the whole thing. 

Stay tuned for Killer Instinct review!