A Dream Within A Dream: Cut Me Free Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for CUT ME FREE! Today I'll be sharing my review of the book and don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a copy of your own!

Cut Me Free

Author: J.R. Johansson

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR

Description:

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can’t rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won’t let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.

That’s when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment--without a trace of entry. And they’re addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn’t just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead.

Cut Me Free is a serious roller-coaster of a young adult mystery/thriller! I'm a huge fan of this genre, as many of you will already know if you read my blog/posts. I have to admit that I'm usually saying that there aren't enough really good thrillers out there in YA fiction right now, but I'm glad to say that I've been seeing more and more that kick my statement to the curb - and this book is among the best I've read. I'm going to really try not to ramble and fangirl everywhere - but no promises. It's really hard to put into words how amazing this book is and how much I love it - let alone for all the different reasons I love it. The plot is genius. When I read the description, I was excited to read the book and thought it sounded like a good story. I was not prepared for the amazing and twisted story I got instead. There are so many twists and unexpected turns throughout the story that I was reading as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next. Like with most mystery/thrillers, I try to figure out who's behind everything and what's really going on before the characters do. Well, that was next to impossible with this book. I would get a really good theory going and then BAM! - a huge twist sends me reeling back to nothing with my mouth gaping open in shock and surprise. I loved this aspect of the story the most - all the unseen turns and unexpected twists that would come from nowhere. Not once. Not twice. All through the book - it's like the author planted these little surprises for the reader that would throw them off course. That, in my opinion, is a huge indicator of an author's talent.

There's so much I can talk about with this novel, but on the other hand - I can't because I don't want to give anything away. And there are definitely some biggies that I don't want to ruin for anyone. Charlotte is an awesome main character. She's been through some incredibly tough times and is still trying to run from them. She's caught up in a world that won't let her go - one that she's dying to escape from, but can't until she can free a couple people she loves too. There's so much to her character - she's tough, broken, knows what she needs to do, and she's smart. On the other hand she's scared, alone, and still living the nightmare of her life before. I found her to be incredibly realistic and easy to empathize with right from the beginning of the book. Watching her character grow and mature as she encounters all the various obstacles in the book is something that I really enjoyed. There's honestly not much more I can say without giving anything away. Overall, this is one of the most gripping and compelling YA thrillers I've ever read - and it's definitely a new favorite. I can't encourage you enough to read this book. If you love mysteries and thrillers - you need to put this next on your TBR list. NOW. I think it'll impress and appeal to readers who enjoy other genres as well - mostly because of the masterful writing style and complex storyline that keeps you guessing until the very end. GO. READ. THIS. BOOK. - NOW!!

By far one of the best YA thrillers I've ever read & a definite new favorite!

J.R. Johansson is the author of Insomnia and Paranoia. In researching for this novel, she found several stories about human trafficking which fueled her conviction to join the fight against it. If you'd like information on how to help visit notforsalecampaign.org or enditmovement.com. J.R. Johansson lives on the foothills of the Utah mountains with her two young sons and a wonderful husband. Visit her online at jennjohansson.com.

Author Links:

http://www.jrjohansson.com/

https://twitter.com/JennJohansson

http://www.facebook.com/jenn.johansson

http://jennjohansson.blogspot.com/