Black Friday Book Bonanza Hop!

Welcome to the Black Friday Book Bonanza Hop! This Black Friday we'll be celebrating by giving away things we're all thankful for - books! This hope will run from November 23rd - November 25th. It's being hosted by Heather from Book Savvy Babe, Jenn from The Bawdy Book Blog, and Lisa from Alive on the Shelves.

For my part in the bonanza, I will be giving away (1) paperback copy of Envy and (1) paperback ARC of Betrayal by Gregg Olsen. Two great books to one winner!

Envy (Empty Coffin #1)

Description:

Murder is such a dirty word…
 
New York Times bestselling adult true crime author Gregg Olsen makes his YA debut with Empty Coffin, a gripping new fiction series for teens based on ripped-from-the-headlines stories…with a paranormal touch.
 
Crime lives--and dies--in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen--and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town's victims and culprits.
  
Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins' old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out--and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined.

Based on the shocking true crime about cyber-bullying, Envy will take you to the edge--and push you right over.  

Betrayal (Empty Coffin #2)

Description:

In this action-packed thriller sequel to Envy, foreign exchange student Olivia Grant is stabbed to death after a party--and the prime suspect is her best friend. As twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan get pulled into the aftermath of this Amanda Knox-like crime, they realize nothing is what it seems. Could it be betrayal of the ultimate kind?
 
Betrayal features real-life crime-solving techniques, heart-stopping suspense, plenty of red herrings, hard-hitting ethical questions, and information about the Amanda Knox case that inspired the novel. As the crime unravels, so does the twins' past…and they must face off against a family member who may unexpectedly have carried out the worst betrayal of all.  




Rules:
1. Must be a resident of the US/CAN.
2. Must be a follower of my blog. All other entries are optional.
3. Winner will have 48 hours to reply to my email or a new winner will be drawn.


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Betrayal Blog Tour: Review

Betrayal (Empty Coffin #2)
Author: Gregg Olsen
Genre: YA Mystery
Release Date: September 4, 2012 

Description:

In this action-packed thriller sequel to Envy, foreign exchange student Olivia Grant is stabbed to death after a party--and the prime suspect is her best friend. As twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan get pulled into the aftermath of this Amanda Knox-like crime, they realize nothing is what it seems. Could it be betrayal of the ultimate kind?
 
Betrayal features real-life crime-solving techniques, heart-stopping suspense, plenty of red herrings, hard-hitting ethical questions, and information about the Amanda Knox case that inspired the novel. As the crime unravels, so does the twins' past…and they must face off against a family member who may unexpectedly have carried out the worst betrayal of all.


Review:

Betrayal is the second book in a young adult mystery series that is centered in Port Gamble, a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Twins Taylor and Hayley Ryan find themselves in the middle of the murder investigation of a fellow classmate - British exchange student Olivia Grant. Will Taylor and Hayley be able to figure out who killed Olivia and why before someone else gets hurt?

Just like the first book in the series, the second installment is an incredibly well written and fast paced mystery jam packed with twists. The plot is very engrossing and had me hooked from the first pages. I was always trying to figure out who the killer was and what would happen next in the story. The paranormal aspect with Taylor and Hayley adds an added dimension to the series that I find really interesting. The characters are all fully rounded with unique personalities that make them easy to identify with. The plot is well executed and written in a way that makes it feel realistic - even more so since it features real crime solving techniques. Aside from the enthralling mystery, the novel deals with hard real-life issues like family, friendship, trust, betrayal, and morality. Fans of the first book in the series will love this new installment, as well as fans of mysteries in general.

 

Review: Envy by Gregg Olsen

Envy (Empty Coffin #1)

Author: Gregg Olsen

Genre: YA Mystery/Crime

Release Date: August 23, 2011

Summary:

New York Times bestselling adult true crime author Gregg Olsen makes his YA debut with Empty Coffin, a gripping new fiction series for teens based on ripped-from-the-headlines stories…with a paranormal touch.


Crime lives--and dies--in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen--and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town's victims and culprits.


Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins' old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out--and as they investigate, they stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined.

Based on the shocking true crime about cyber-bullying, Envy will take you to the edge--and push you right over.  

Review:

This book really intrigued me. It had a bit of everything - contemporary issues, paranormal, betrayal, friendship, bullying, and suicide. I loved how Olsen mixed the serious contemporary topics with a paranormal twist. I don't think adding the bit of psychic stuff dampened the importance of the storyline though - it just gave it some spice, which I really enjoyed.

Almost all readers will be able to identify with and empathize with the characters, especially Katie. Her pain and the terrible things that happened in her life broke my heart. This book deals with some very serious issues that are rampant in our society today - issues like cyber bullying, suicide, popularity, cliques, and jealousy. Olsen gives a great moral lesson to readers throughout the novel, not just at the ending. It makes the reader take a step back and take a hard look at their own lives. Are we doing things that we shouldn't be - that could be hurting someone else? What could these seemingly "innocent" pranks and gestures really be doing to others and what could happen if they're taken too far? The fact that this story is based on true events really makes you think about things more seriously. The plot is fast paced and very well written. It kept me guessing and trying to figure out what happened to Katelyn. In the end, you find out the ugly truth and I just wanted justice for Katie - to see that the people responsible for her death paid for what they did. Although this is a YA fiction novel, I think it really makes you think about teenagers and what goes on in our schools and in society today - and it's not a good thing.