Nerve Blog Tour & Giveaway!

Thank you  to A Tale of Many Reviews for the opportunity to be a part of the Nerve Tour. Also, a big thanks you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC for review. Make sure to check out the Linky below to see the other stops on this tour.

Nerve
by Jeanne Ryan
Publication Date: September 13, 2012
Published by Dial Books (Penguin)
Formats: eBook, Hardcover ~304 pages

Synopsis:
A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?

Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.

Author Link          Amazon           Barnes and Noble 

My Thoughts: 

Vee is your average girl. She isn't the star of the school play, she doesn't have a hot boyfriend, or have much of a life since her parents grounded her for the "incident". One night after finishing her back stage gig with the school musical, she decides she no longer wants to be the girl on the sidelines and participates in a dare...

Nerve. A game. A reality show. A way for Vee to do something more. To be a part of Nerve, all you have to do is participate in a dare on a live streaming video feed. If said dare is popular with the online crowd a new dare is given. The prizes run from cash to trips to gorgeous shoes - pretty much anything you want that you can't have. Each round the dares get more and more difficult. If you want to watch the games, be a watcher, either in person or online, you have to pay for it. 

As Jeanne Ryan's debut novel, Nerve will be a hit with gamers and Hunger Games fans alike. However, the idea of doing anything for a few things was hard to believe. Vee is sucked into round #2 by shoes and the next by more things - all of which were on her social media site. Some of Vee's choices were also questionable. I understand her need to do something and get out of her regular existence, she just gets into the game deeper and deeper. With her partner who is turning into a friend and maybe something more, Vee is thrust into a place where she will have to ask herself where is the line she won't cross?

Nerve is a fast-paced, frantic ride that takes you into a new world - one where nothing you do is ever private and someone is always watching. Kudos to Ms. Ryan for creating a creepy, suspenseful story. Definitely give this book a chance; your adrenaline will be pumping right along with Vee's! I have high hopes to see this on the big screen! 

★ ★ ★ ★ ½

FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review as part of a blog tour. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made. Please note that this was an ARC and things may have changed in final edition.

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Review: Feyland: The Bright Court

Feyland: The Bright Court
Book 2 in the Feyland Trilogy

By Anthea Sharp
Published: May 21, 2012
Formats Available: Kindle, Nook(EPub), Paperback: 340 pages


Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

INSIDE THE GAME...
Jennet Carter escaped the dark faeries of Feyland once. Now, fey magic is seeping out of the prototype game, beguiling the unwary and threatening everyone she cares about.
MAGIC…
Tam Linn may be a hero in-game, but his real life is severely complicated. Still, he’ll do whatever it takes to stop the creatures of Feyland, even if it means pushing Jennet toward the new guy in school—the one with an inside connection to sim-gaming…
and the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets.
ALWAYS WINS…
Despite the danger, Jennet and Tam must return to Feyland to face the magic of the Bright Court—and a powerful new enemy who won’t stop until the human world is at the mercy of the Realm of Faery.                                                   
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The Cover: Another beautiful cover for the second book of Feyland. It is similar to the first cover, but is now reflecting a blond girl in gold hues – representing the change of courts from the Dark to the Bright Court. I think the girl on the cover represents Jennet, but I could be wrong. I am curious, though, to see what the third book’s cover will show for the Twilight Kingdom. I wonder if it will sparkle…sorry I couldn’t help myself.


My Thoughts: The Bright Court starts out right where the first book ended. Tam is now out of the hospital, but still not in the best shape and Jennet’s hands bear the scars of her last Feyland encounter. Their friendship is still strong, but the romance between the two wavers – mostly because of Tam’s insecurities. Jennet on the other hand, knows she wants Tam and tells him just that. I love a strong female character that doesn’t need to wait for the guy to make the first move.

Just as in the first book, the POVs switch between Tam and Jennet. In The Dark Realm we saw inside Jennet’s head for the majority of the book, but in The Bright Court we get to see more of Tam’s insights. He lacks self-confidence and is uncomfortable in his own skin. Not to mention that his home life is always on the verge of imploding. Not many YA books delve into the male’s insecurities so it is a nice change to see that not only the female characters have warring emotions and self-esteem problems.

A new character, Roy Lassiter, the son of VirtuMax’s CEO, is introduced into the equation. He has also played Feyland, but has had very different experiences then Tam and Jennet. I immediately disliked him and continued to dislike him throughout the entire book. He is the quintessential pretty-boy who gets off on the admiration of others. And everyone is charmed by him, except for Tam and Jennet. What I really hated was that he caught the eye of Tam’s friend Marny, the big girl who always tells it like it is, suddenly turns into a Roy lemming - I wanted to scream. Although, she does appear to know, at certain moments, that he is not what he seems; that what glitters is not always gold.

The idea of fate was used heavily in The Bright Court; that each character – even some of the minor ones, have a part to play. That one could try to fight fate, but it will always find you – even in your dreams.

There are great battle scenes, romance, friendship, and loyalty – what more could you ask for? The only thing I didn’t like was the actions of Jennet’s father. I am not quite sure what he is thinking or  what his intentions are, especially at the end of the book, but I have a feeling he will be finding himself in a dangerous place if he doesn’t start listening to his daughter.

There are a lot of questions left unanswered, but I am hoping the answers are revealed in the third book, Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom, which will be available fall 2012.

Favorite Quote: “We must go where fate sends us, and do our best. Even if we do not understand the purpose, or feel strong or wise enough to play our part.”

 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Awesome Sci-Fi/Fantasy book! Recommend to anyone who likes faeries, gaming, and a little romance.

*I was given an eARC copy of this book from the author for an honest review. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.


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Review: Feyland: The Dark Realm

Feyland: The Dark Realm
Book 1 in the Feyland Trilogy

ByAnthea Sharp

Published: December 4, 2011

Kindle/Nook - 327 pages

Paperback - 330 pages

Synopsis:(from Goodreads)

Feyland: The Dark Realm

WHEN A GAME…

Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.

TURNS REAL…

Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. Th...morWHEN A GAME…
Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.
TURNS REAL…
Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.

WINNING IS EVERYTHING…
Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.

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The Cover: I am a sucker for beautiful book covers. I know, "Never judge a book by its cover," but I am easily lured by pretty things. This cover is beautiful and made me want to open the book and find out who the picture was depicting. Also note that this cover is a revamp of the first, which still can be seen on Goodreads if you are interested.

My Thoughts: I love the idea of playing a game that is able to affect real life. I have always been interested in the idea of Virtual Reality games or the idea of being sucked into a game. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies from the 90's - Arcade.

In Feyland: The Dark Realm, playing the game is called Simming. However, Feyland isn't just a game; it is the 'inbetween' place between reality and the faerie world. The basic plot of the book is that Jennet and Tam must venture into the game and battle through various levels and villans to save Jennet's mortal essence that was taken by the Dark Queen when she lost the game initially.

Jennet, the protagonist, is the daughter of a VirtuMax employee; the company that created Feyland. She lives in The View, a exclusive community for VirtuMax employees. However, she attends a regular high school instead of a prep school, which she did purposefully to find someone to help her. As a former mean girl inside school and a loner at home, she was used to doing what she wanted. But when she lost her essence to the Dark Queen, Jennet became vulnerable and had to learn to rely on others for help.

Enter Tam - the reluctant hero. Where Jennet was rich, he was poor. Tam lived in the Exe - a destitute, dangerous part of the city. Tam's homelife is also rough. He has to take care of his little brother because his mother has issues and is never home. He is a really good gamer and even won a simming competition and recieved a game console as a prize. But when his little brother dismantles the system, he has nowhere to go to play. When Jennet approaches him, I think he was more interested in the challenge of winning a new game than actually helping Jennet. Especially because it took him getting hurt and then some for him to really believe her.

The relationship between Tam and Jennet is slow romantically, which I find refreshing. They didn't fall in love at first sight. They became friends and learned to trust and care for each other naturally.

What made this book really special is that I felt it when Tam and Jennet were in the game, I was there too. Then, when they stopped gaming and were thrust back into reality, it was like a splash of cold water. Yes, they could be harmed in the game and it could be permanent, but it paled in comparison to what kind of damage their real lives, especially Tam's could inflict. Both characters grow and learn about love, friendship, and sacrifice and what it really means to live.

Anthea Sharp does an amazing job of describing the scenery and the action. Her knowledge of Faerie lore was extensive and her ability to put you in the game was superb. I had chills, my adrenaline was pumping, and I could not put this book down. Fantastic for fans of the science fiction/fantasy genre. Can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy!

Favorite Quote: "Games weren't fun if you couldn't turn them off."

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

For those who have read The Forbidden Game series by L.J. Smith will love this book.

*I purchased this book. I was not given anything in exchange for this review.

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