BLOG TOUR: Fear Collector by Gregg Olsen

 

"YOU'LL SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON AFTER READING GREGG OLSEN." --Allison Brennan

Ted Bundy. America's most notorious serial killer. For two women, he is the ultimate obsession. One is a cop whose sister may have been one of Bundy's victims. The other is a deranged groupie who corresponded with Bundy in prison--and raised her son to finish what Bundy started. To charm and seduce innocent girls. To kidnap and brutalize more women than any serial killer in history. And to lure one obsessed cop into a trap as sick and demented as Bundy himself. . .

    

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“This or That”
with Gregg Olsen

Paris or Venice:  Paris, because I just visited there and like everyone who does, fell in love with one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Deodorant or Perfume:  For me or someone else? Deodorant for me! Something light in the way of perfume for a woman or girl…no heavy clouds of scent, please!

Winter or Summer:  Summer in the northwest where I live is brief, but spectacular.

Vampire Diaries or Twilight:  I love that Twilight is set here in my home state. So that’s the winner for me.

Angels or Demons:  Angels, of course. That might surprise people (since I write such dark stuff!) But the truth is, I need to believe in good things because without such hope, we’re in deep trouble!

Fall or Spring:  Fall because of the colors of the season.

Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter:  Harry Potter!

Ice Cream or Sorbet:  Sorbet (lemon or raspberry, please!)

Coke or Pepsi:  Mexican Coke.

Cabin in the woods or Condo on the Beach:  We live on the water, so I’ll take the cabin in the woods for a change of pace!

Kisses or Hugs:  Both!

Cash or Card:  Cash.

Print or Ebook:  Still in love with print books, but appreciate the convenience of ebooks!

Voice or Text:  Voice. My fingers seem too fat for texting.

Batman or Superman:  Batman…he’s more troubled!

Wheat or White:  Wheat always!

Romance or Passion:  Those two go together, don’t you think?

Night or Day:  Night…because that’s when I write.

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About Gregg Olsen

Throughout his career, Gregg Olsen has demonstrated an ability to create a detailed narrative that offers readers fascinating insights into the lives of people caught in extraordinary circumstances.

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Olsen has written eight nonfiction books, eight novels, a novella, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel. He has also appeared on Dateline NBC, William Shatner's Aftermath, Deadly Women on Investigation Discovery, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Today Show, FOX News, CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, MSNBC, Entertainment Tonight, CBS 48 Hours, Oxygen's Snapped, Court TV's Crier Live, Inside Edition, Extra, Access Hollywood, and A&E's Biography.

In addition to television and radio appearances, he has been featured in Redbook, USA Today, People, Salon magazine, Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.  The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington's Secretary of State for the book's contribution to Washington state history and culture. His Young Adult novel, Envy, was the official selection of Washington for the National Book Festival.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife, twin daughters, three chickens, Milo (an obedience school dropout cocker spaniel) and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

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The Giveaway

 

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ARC REVIEW: Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett

Title: Rapunzel Untangled
Author: Cindy C. Bennett
Pages: 304
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Expected Publishing Date: February 12, 2013
Format: eBook
Source: Received from Publisher via NetGalley

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Rapunzel is not your average teenager.

For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.

Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.
 

I absolutely adore fairytale retellings, so I jumped at the chance to read and review Rapunzel Untangled.  Writing a retelling has to be a very difficult thing for any writer.  How do you take a story that's been told for years and give it your own unique twist?  It's all been done before!  Well, Cindy Bennett has done an amazing job of giving us a unique and imaginative story while keeping to the basics of the classic fairytale.  This is probably the darkest Rapunzel story I've heard.  Most all have the same basic plot:  Rapunzel is kidnapped as an infant by the witch Gothel and grows up in a tower, trapped there for years.  Sometimes Rapunzel lives as a prisoner, sometimes as a daughter of Gothel.  This story is no different, but that is where the similarities end.  Rapunzel Untangled is modern and fun, but gives us a twist filled with darkness and horror.

Rapunzel is nearly 18 years old, and she has lived in her rooms in the tower of Gothel Mansion all of her life.  She has a serious illness that makes it impossible for her to go outside without getting sick.  Her mother, Gothel, is the only other person she has ever had contact with.  She does all of her schoolwork online, and when she accidentally finds this wondrous site called Facebook she realizes she can use it to connect with other people her own age.  This is how she meets Fane.  At first they only correspond online, but Rapunzel eventually agrees to meet him.  He climbs her tower and the two become close friends.  When Fane convinces Rapunzel to sneak out of her rooms one night, they find stairways that lead nowhere and doors that open up to cement walls.  There's also a creepy room covered with black scorch marks and decorated with 6's.  Soon Rapunzel starts questioning everything she's been told.  Things don't add up.  The more Rapunzel learns the more questions she has, and the answers aren't at all what she wants to hear.

I enjoyed the uniqueness of Rapunzel Untangled.  It was unexpected and refreshing to read a story that's so classic, yet it's turned into something so much more modern and fun.  Rapunzel transforms throughout the book from the quiet girl that obeys every order to a strong woman willing to risk everything just to live a real life.  What we see of Fane is great.  He's funny, and he's completely loyal to Rapunzel.  I'd like to have seen more of his personality.  This would have been a great book to have alternating points of view.  His mind had to have been blown by the circumstances surrounding Rapunzel, but we don't really see that.  I also found the ending bit incomplete.  It would have been nice to see more about Rapunzel's real family.  Without a doubt, Rapunzel Untangled was a great read, and a great fairytale retelling.

 

 

REVIEW: The Forgotten by Claudia Carozza

Title: The Forgotten
Author:  Claudia Carozza
Series:  The Barronlands Trilogy (Book #2)
Reviews in Series:  The Twenty (Book #1)
Pages:  282
Publisher:  Self-Published
Date Published:  September 23, 2012
Source:  Received from Author for Honest Review

Synopsis:

Hazel's job at the Antioch didn't work out at all like she had planned. After a daring escape and one very risky delivery of the first baby born in years, she's still holding on to the hope of a better future. Out of the Antioch and on the run, who can Hazel turn to for help and can they really be trusted? In the second book of the Barronlands Trilogy, relationships are tested and even more secrets are revealed. Hazel tries to put the pieces together, hoping everything doesn't fall apart. Will she be able to hold it all together or will there be those who slip through the cracks?

Buy It at Amazon!

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Add it to Goodreads!

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The Forgotten picks up right where The Twenty left off, and we're immediately thrown into the adventure.  Hazel and her friends have escaped the Antioch and are on the run.  Some have gone into hiding; some have chosen to fight.  With everything she's up against, Hazel is having a hard time keeping it together.  Her friends are all leaning on her, and she isn't sure she's up to the job of leading this group of misfits.
 
There is so much to love about this series!  First of all we have two super hot guys.  They are strong, sexy characters, and you can't help but love them both.  If you've read The Twenty you know just how hard it is to pick a favorite.  I know I can't!  One minute I think I like Luka best.  He's the tough and sexy bad boy.  It's apparent that he's totally into Hazel, and he's extreme.  But, then there's Shane.  We only got a glimpse of who Shane really is in The Twenty.  His real bad-ass personality comes blazing through in The Forgotten.  He wants Hazel, and while he's more laid back and quite, he's also pretty damn passionate about it.  He kinda makes me melt. 
 
Now, let's talk about Hazel.  In The Twenty she goes to the Antioch prepared to make a better life for herself and her family.  She has no idea what she's getting herself into.  When I reviewed The Twenty I had this to say about Hazel:   "I immediately liked and respected Hazel. She is selfless and will do whatever it takes to protect the people she cares about. She's self assured and amazingly strong willed, and when things get tough she squares her shoulders and marches ahead, even pushing everyone else behind her."  This is exactly how I would describe her in The Forgotten, but she's wiser, tougher and even more selfless.  She's gotten to be quite the bad-ass herself!  The trials she and her friends are going through weigh heavily on her, sometimes breaking her down, but she never fails to stand tall and kick ass. 
 
The Forgotten is much more action packed and full of adventure.  We meet some new people, some I like and some, not so much.  I'm not sure who I trust, yet.  We lose some of our group, some with no idea as to their whereabouts.  Some questions are answered, usually leaving you with another.  We find out that the Antioch has many more secrets that we first thought.  I'm still not sure what the Antioch is up to, but I'm enjoying finding out one piece of the mystery at a time.  I am completely and thoroughly captivated by this amazing series, and I can't wait until the third and final book comes out!

 

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Claudia is giving away two signed copies of "The Forgotten"!  If you'd like to win one be sure to enter the rafflecopter below.

 



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Cloaked

Cloaked by Alex Flinn



I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Keys.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED.

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Johnny Marco works with his mom at the family business doing shoe repair for the rich and famous.  His dad left when he was only a baby, and his mom has struggled to make ends meet every day since.  He's a hard working good boy.  But even though he never complains, underneath it all he longs to be free of his ordinary life.  He wants to be a shoe designer, and he knows he'd be good at it, too!  But he knows he will never have the money to do what he wants.  When a famous princess visits the motel where he works he thinks he'll be lucky just to get a look at her.  But Princess Victoriana notices him, and asks him for a favor.  It seems a witch has turned her brother into a frog and she needs Johnny's help to find him and break the curse.  And what will Princess Victoriana do for Johnny in exchange?  Well, she'll marry him, of course!

I love fairytale retellings!  I know some people don't, and I can understand why.  They aren't always original.  But, I like that you can pick one up, have no expectations of literary genius, and just enjoy a good story.  That's exactly what you get with Cloaked.  Johnny is a very likable character.  He tries to help everyone he encounters on his quest, and even when he messes up (which he does quite a bit!) you can't help but hope he will finally get it right.  His best friend, Meg, is my favorite character.  She's in love with Johnny, but she's never let him know how she feels.  When she realizes Johnny is going on a dangerous quest she does everything she can to help him, saving his life more than once.  Even after she finds out he plans to marry Victoriana she never lets Johnny down.  I loved watching how these two handle one problem after another.  I had so much fun reading Cloaked! 

This is the third book I've read by Alex Flinn (also read Beastly and A Kiss In Time), and it's most definitely my favorite.  Have you read it yet?  Would you like to?  Well, I hope so because I've decided to give away my copy!!  So if you would like to get your hands on Cloaked be sure to enter the giveaway below!!  And good luck! 

4 Stars * * * *

Don't forget to enter the Off the Shelf Giveaway too!!

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Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5)

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls #5) by Ally Carter



The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

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I picked up I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Book #1) from the library a few years ago because I thought it looked like a fun, cute and quick read.  Well, I was right!  I really enjoyed it, along with the rest of the series.  The adventures that these friends go on are so much fun.  I mean, come on, who hasn't wished they lead the life of a spy!?  If you haven't read any of this series and you enjoy a good YA/Chick Lit/Mystery/Spy novel (yes, they really fit all of those genres!) you should try them.  I gave the first four books in the series 3 & 4 stars.

*Spoilers Ahead if you haven't read Books 1-4!*

Out of Sight, Out of Time begins with Cammie waking up in a convent in the middle of the Alps.  She's confused because she's told it's October 1st and the last thing she remembers is leaving Gallagher Academy to protect her friends from the Circle of Cavan---in June.  She's been missing for four months and she has no idea where she has been, what she did or why she's injured and has lost so much weight.  All she wants is to go home, back to her school, her family and her friends, but when she gets there things aren't exactly as they were when she left.  Her friends are angry with her for leaving without them, her boyfriend Zach is now going to school at Gallagher Academy with them.  She's no closer to remembering what happened over the summer, but she knows it's not an accident that her memory is missing.  And, she's determined to figure out what she spent her summer doing and what the clues her father left behind mean.

This book was much more fast paced and action packed than previous books in this series.  It's darker, it's deeper and the situations are much more dangerous.  The girls have grown up a lot throughout the books, and the maturity level of the story has grown with them.  One of the things I like the best about these books is the loyalty between Cammie, Liz, Bex and Macey.  Every girl needs strong girlfriends in her life, and these girls have that in each other.  This book was really very good, the best in the series by far, and I look forward to seeing where the Gallagher Girls curiosity leads them.

4 Stars ****

Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

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**Disclaimer:  If you have not read Divergent this review may contain spoilers!!  Also, if you have not read Divergent go now!!  Get it!!  Read it!!  That is all!**

I've been finished with Insurgent for a few days now, and every time I sit down to write my review I draw a total blank.  Why?  I just can't seen to come up with words to explain just how intriguing I find this series.  I was afraid that Veronica Roth wouldn't be able to pull off book #2 with as much action and adventure as Divergent and still give us an amazing story, but she did just that.     

The factions are at war and everyone must pick a side.  But what do you do when you think both sides are wrong?  How do you betray the people you love and help the people you've come to despise?  And how do you live with yourself when you look in the mirror and see the person you've become, the person that watched her mother and father murdered and took the life of one of her best friends to save her own?  And as if all of this isn't enough to deal with Tris knows there are secrets all around her.  Who can she trust?  Who's working against her?  Who is feeding information to the enemy?  And most important, what is the secret that is so important that her parents were willing to die to reveal it?

Insurgent is full of action and adventure, love and betrayal.  Secrets are revealed that no one, not even the ones responsible for the war, could have imagined.  And the Divergent are at the very center of it all.  And, an ending so ironic it literally left me sitting there staring off into space with my mouth agape finishes off the suspense of Insurgent!  Bottom line:  This series is amazing! 

5 Stars *****

Deadlocked

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris



**Deadlocked is #12 in the Sookie Stackhouse series.**

Growing up with telepathic abilities, Sookie Stackhouse realized early on that there are things she'd rather not know. An now that she's an adult, she also realizes that some things she knows about, she'd rather not see--like Eric Northman feeding off another woman. A younger one.

There's a thing or two she'd like to say about that, but she has to keep quiet--Felipe de Castro, the vampire king of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), is in town. It's the worst possible time for a human body to show up in Eric's front yard--especially the body of the woman whose blood he just drank.

Now it's up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl's fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who's set out to make Sookie's world come crashing down.

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I have been a fan of this series almost from the very beginning, and I always anxiously wait for releases and then devour the new books so fast they leave my head spinning.  This one was no different.  I read the entire book in less than 24 hours!  I couldn't put it down.  This series has been getting a lot of criticism lately, and I agree that some of the last few books haven't been amazing like I've come to expect.  But Deadlocked seems to have picked back up some of the thrill I love so much.  Of course, we get the mystery we've come to expect from Sookie.  There's lots of betrayal, jealous lovers, and rifts that probably won't ever be repaired.  It's obvious that the series is winding down.  Many loose ends were tied up, and the stage has been set for what I hope will be Sookie's happily-ever-after in the very last book of the series, Dead Ever After.  I'll be sad to see an end to a series that I have loved so much, but I think all fans will agree that it's time for Sookie to be happy.  Really and truly happy! 

4 Stars ****

Still Missing

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

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Reading Still Missing was like driving by a really bad car accident.  Even though it's horrible and you want to cover your eyes you can't help but stare. 

Annie O'Sullivan is a realtor that is abducted from an open house.  This book is her story as told during sessions with her psychiatrist after her escape.  She's drugged, thrown in the back of a van and driven to a remote cabin in the middle of who-knows-where.  Her abductor, whom she calls The Freak believes that he has saved her from her life.  He brings her to his home, which he has specially built just for her, complete with padlocks on the doors, drawers and even the refrigerator.  Her new life is a series of schedules.  Everything from eating, bathing, and even going to the bathroom are done only on his schedule.  For nearly a year Annie is held captive, rarely even getting to go outside.

This book is an outstanding debut novel.  It kept me riveted and on the edge of my seat.  As appalling as the story is, it is amazingly written.  I felt Annie's pain.  I felt her loathing of The Freak; I hated him for her.  And through all of the heartbreak I wanted to see Annie survive, not just her captivity, but the struggle after.  And quite frankly, the real horror begins when she gets home.

I gave Still Missing 5 stars and I look forward to seeing more of Chevy Stevens.

*I listened to the audiobook.