thriller – Page 2 – Sincerely Karen Jo

The Teddy Bear Chronicles

Saved in Paris #1

In this first volume of the suspense series (for ages 16+), a young educated Chicago woman, Kelly Donovan, must escape from her luxurious home to get away from her sociopath boyfriend, Mark Flannery, before he takes her to a woodsy cabin for a little “anniversary get-way.” She must plot, lie, and pretend to be happy before she can flee her relationship and her own home, alive. Unforeseen obstacles frustrate her efforts to get away, and Kelly’s family and friends, strangers to one other, must perfectly work together to help her live a life free from threat. The diverse group includes an insecure drama teacher, a brilliant pharmaceutical engineer, and an international businesswoman with a secret that comes in very handy at one critical point.

This story is uniquely narrated by inanimate household teddy bears, which, notwithstanding their immobility, have interesting thoughts and perspectives on the shocking events and intriguing relationships which form before their plastic eyes. These plush bears also get a healthy dose of an entertaining blooming romance when Kelly’s plight takes everyone overseas to Paris. While in France, more scheming, racing to stay steps ahead of Mark, and even physical violence ensue – violence which does not always involve a damsel in distress. To complicate matters further, some of the characters are not necessarily what, or who, they seem. Once the plot’s feverish pace decelerates, the group starts to feel some hope, but is the race really over? The genre-mixing mind-bending narration style makes this novel a sensational ride. Enjoy!

About the Author

After 44 years on this Earth, the one constant, in terms of Donnalyn Vojta’s strengths, is writing. From college to law school to legal writing to lesson planning and now fiction writing, it is her favorite and strongest skill. Vojta has a B.A. in Philosophy, including a minor in Literature. She also earned her J.D. in 1999. When she is not writing fiction, Vojta is working as an Academic Private Tutor in all subjects related to English.

Follow and Connect with Donnalyn Vojta

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Sincerely Karen Jo

Ferocious

(Vicarious #2)

Paula Stokes

5 ★ – Explosive Conclusion

PUBLISHED BY TOR TEEN AUGUST 15. 2017

GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT, CONTEMPORARY, SCI-FI, THRILLER

PAGES: HARDCOVER 352

BUY AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE, BOOK DEPOSITORY

When Winter Kim finds out that her sister is dead and that she has a brother she never knew about, only two things matter―finding what’s left of her family and killing the man who destroyed her life. Her mission leads her from St. Louis to Los Angeles back to South Korea, where she grew up.

Things get increasingly dangerous once Winter arrives in Seoul. Aided by her friends Jesse and Sebastian, Winter attempts to infiltrate an international corporation to get close to her target, a nefarious businessman named Kyung. But keeping her last remaining loved ones out of the line of fire proves difficult, and when all seems to be lost, Winter must face one last devastating decision: is revenge worth sacrificing everything for? Or can she find a spark of hope in the darkness that threatens to engulf her?

What an explosive conclusion! Ferocious is everything I hoped in a sequel and as I said in my review for Vicarious, I’m so not ready to move on from this mind-blowing series.

Ferocious picks up as Winter plans for her revenge against Kyung, the man who’s caused her so much pain and took away everyone she loves. Intrigue, drama, mystery, action, and some humor keep the story moving along. There are so many twist and turns that I never knew which way the story was going. I was definitely on edge the whole time and I absolutely loved it! But amidst all the tension and madness, there are plenty of heartwarming and sweet moments too… and that made me love this series even more.

When I first met Winter, she believed that she’s too damaged to love and be loved. Seeing her grow every step of the way was so rewarding. I was totally fist pumping when she finally comes to realize that her past does not define who she is nor does it determine what her future will be. I truly adore Jesse with all my heart. He genuinely cares for Winter and does what he can to protect and help her in every way possible. He’s kind, gentle, and patient so it’s difficult not to fall for someone like him. And Baz… he’s just so awesome. I loved that I was able to get to know him more and by the end, I definitely wanted to give him a big hug.

The romance in this book is ridiculously SWOONY and absolutely one of my favorite parts of this book. Winter and Jesse are so freaking cute together! Their chemistry and slow-burn romance made my heart melt from the very beginning — sweet, adorable and most of all, realistic. It never takes the front seat, but blends in so perfectly with the story. I really enjoyed watching them work out their feelings for each other and will forever ship them.

Ferocious is truly one fantastic read! It’s thrilling, exciting, well-paced, and full of surprises. It deals with tough issues that will break your heart, but leaves you with so much hope and love. It’s bittersweet saying goodbye to these characters, but the ending feels so right – the perfect conclusion to a remarkable series.

I have to mention that Paula Stokes is without a doubt a talented and versatile writer. I fell in love with her writing style when I read Girl Against the Universe last year. I now have read 4 books and a short story and honestly LOVED them all. Paula’s writing is incredibly realistic, captivating, and hits all the right FEELS. Whether it’s cute and swoony like GATU or intense and dark like Vicarious and Ferocious, she delivers her story with so much heart. If you haven’t read any of Paula’s books, you are totally missing out on something absolutely amazing!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Follow / Connect with Paula Stokes: Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

Sincerely Karen Jo