Gods of Anthem by Logan Keys

Oceans apart, a young musician and a “special” soldier embark on a perilous journey for home fueled by the unyielding pursuit of freedom from the Authority.

Sixteen-year-old prodigy, Liza Randusky, waits imprisoned, blamed for the undead plague that’s slowly destroying the planet. Banished to an island where she’ll never play her beloved piano again, Liza’s steadfast sense of justice and passion for music may have the power to change her destiny. But will it be enough...

To strike back at the new world order, the troubled son of a preacher, Thomas Ripley-Hatter, suffers unspeakable alterations by the Underground to join a secret Army. Tommy knows that all hope lies in human-weapons like himself, and that somehow he must cling to his sanity…while letting loose the monster to win.

The battle begins for the last-standing sliver of humanity: Anthem.

Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Christy – ☆☆☆☆
This could be the hardest book I have ever had to review. Now it is not because the book is bad, in fact I thoroughly enjoyed the book and had a hard time walking away from it. But because throughout the book it feels as though I am reading 2 very different stories that just happen to be set in the same universe. First you have Liza’s story and it is confusing and heartwarming, but be prepared for a rollercoaster ride with her. Then you have Tommy and his story is all manly and confusing but much more straightforward. Now add a backdrop of zombies and military and dictatorship and you have the universe setting. And trust me, there is plenty of action and heroic measures throughout the book. But I didn't see how it all fit together until the very end and then I was left with more questions. If the author happens to read this review please tell me this is going to be a series. I need more. I need to know what happens next and if sweet JoJo is okay. Oh there is so much to say that I can't due to I don't do spoilers. All I can say is this an action book that MAKES you think.

Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual content and violence.

Logan began writing horror and poetry early in life but she says young-adult dystopian is the next best thing. She's currently living on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii with her husband, daughter, and fur-child Lola. Even though it's a tropical setting, her writing remains the same moody narrative she's always enjoyed.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Gods of Anthem (Gods of Anthem #1) by Logan Keys to read and review.

Dark Hope by Monica McGurk

For years, Hope Carmichael, survivor of a shocking child abduction, has lived a sheltered existence under the protection of her fanatically religious father. Now, liberated by her mother, Hope prepares to start life over as a normal kid in an Atlanta, Georgia, high school.

Normal, that is, until Hope meets Michael, a gorgeous emancipated teen with a mysterious past and a strong interest in Hope. Soon, Hope’s life is filled with questions. What’s behind the angry looks Hope gets from Lucas, leader of a gang of students? Who’s responsible for sending Hope strange valentines inscribed with Bible quotations? How does this relate to the sinister business of human trafficking that operates on the periphery of Hope’s suburban world? And is Michael really a protector, or something more sinister—and just why does he seem so familiar?

In an epic narrative that takes readers from the back streets of Atlanta to the height of Vegas penthouses and beyond, Dark Hope introduces The Archangel Prophecies, a saga of vast mythological scope and great moral urgency.

Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Christy – ☆☆☆
This book is a clever way to get teens invested in a major social crime. Using the backdrop of a girl that can change the world because she is so special for both angels and demons, the author tells a story of her search to find one girl in the vast human trafficking network and to save her. I feel though the underlying theme to the series was lost somewhat with so much of the focus more on saving the sex slave. I plan on reading the second book though.

In addition I feel this book is meant for older teens – 17 plus – given the nature of sex trade and violence in the book.

Also Available in the Archangel Prophecies Series

Book 2
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Monica McGurk loves nothing better than to craft thought-provoking, multilayered stories, showcasing strong girls and women overcoming big challenges.

Already a fan favorite, she received the 2013 TwiFic Fandom Undiscovered Gem award for Morning Star, her alternate ending to the Twilight series, written before the release of Breaking Dawn.

Her first novel in The Archangel Prophecies trilogy, Dark Hope, was published in 2014. Dark Rising is the second novel in this series. The final installment, Dark Before Dawn, is expected in 2016.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dark Hope (Archangel Prophecies #1) by Monica McGurk to read and review.

Hickville Confessions by Mary Karlik

New town. New look. New beginning. High school junior Ryan Quinn has a past. She will do just about anything to keep it hidden, even if means joining the ultra-conservative, no fun allowed, Purity Club. But secrets are hard to keep in a small town and when the Purity Club girls discover the truth, they viciously attack Ryan.

Justin is the kind of guy who can make Ryan forget her vow to change. He’s the kind of guy she should avoid at all costs. But he knows her soul secrets. He understands her and it is torture when she is away from him. But as she deals with the outward scars on her face and the inward shame of her past and Justin’s home life continues to spiral out of control, their relationship becomes as convoluted as their home life. Will they find the courage to open their hearts to each other in spite of their family drama?

Book 2
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Hickville Confessions had an entirely different feel than its predecessor. Dark with a wealth of emotional depth. The first in the series, Welcome to Hickville High, was a great Young Adult read. It was a shorter novel but seemed drawn out a bit – light with some depth but didn't hook me. I'd empathized with the narrators, but didn't truly connect with the story. Hickville Confessions, at nearly twice the length as the 1st in the series, was fast-paced and absorbing because of the fact that the 1st in the series set the series up so well. No unnecessary backstory in Hickville Confessions because we had already learned those things in the prior book. 100% solid storytelling.

Welcome to Hickville High was a good book, but if I hadn't been asked to read the second for review, I might have taken a pass on continuing with the series. I would have missed out on something great. Hickville Confessions sunk its claws into me, making me want more of the series as a whole.

Hickville Confessions hits upon a lot of heavy issues plaguing young adult and adults alike: grief/bullying/sexual assault/controlling behavior/religious brainwashing/peer pressure/mental illness/consequences of texting while driving/unhealthy relationships with friends/family/boyfriend/girlfriend. I'd suggest this as a good read for teens, as it would show them never to negotiate with bullies. The strength is in looking them in the eye and moving on with your life.

Without going into detail, the only drawback to the story was the school system. In a school system with a zero tolerance for bullying/fighting/drugs/violence, with the issues with the PC, not once was the lipstick messages on Ryan's locker addressed. That didn't fit the storyline whatsoever. As obviously it was witnessed by school staff on a daily basis. Also, we never learn the identity of the lipstick defamer.

Mary Karlik created a very engaging, realistic town, with diverse characters, and I look forward to reading more by this author.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Ryan's life in Chicago including partying, drugs and sex with boys. Moving to Texas she wants a fresh start and joins the purity club. When Ryan's past is discovered she is labelled easy and is the target for bullies.

Our hero of the story, Justin rescues Ryan from an assault by bullies and the two of them connect. Justin is dealing with his own issues following the death of his sister in a car accident a few years earlier.

Hickville Confessions is an excellent story that covers many important teen issues including bullying, violence, date rape and safe dating, and deciding when the right time to have sex is. It also deals with grief, depression, and loss. There is a seriousness to this story but there is also strength and hope. This is a book I would highly recommend for teenaged girls.

Age recommendation: 13up

Also Available in the Hickville High Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our Welcome to Hickville High post.

Following a career as a nursing instructor, award-winning author, Mary Karlik earned an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania. A native Texan, Mary loves horses, dogs, cats, country music, and small town diners. Although she has recently relocated in northern New Mexico, her heart remains in the Lone Star state.

Connect with Mary

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Hickville Confessions (Hickville High #2) by Mary Karlik to read and review.

Welcome to Hickville High by Mary Karlik

The Universe has completely dumped on High School senior Kelsey Quinn’s life. Credit card at Nordstrom’s? Deactivated. Honda Accord? Sold. Life in the burbs of Chicago? Gone. And it’s all her sister’s fault. Yep. Drugs, alcohol, and getting caught with the boss’s son was all it took. Dad loses job, family loses money, and the next thing she knows she’s crammed in a cell on wheels for the next two days as they make their way to a dilapidated farmhouse in Texas. But Kelsey doesn’t just leave the good life in Chicago. She leaves the boy who-has-it-all, Drew Montgomery.

Hillside senior, quarterback, Austin McCoy works for Kelsey’s dad at the feed store and helps with the farm chores in the morning. He sees through Kelsey’s surly attitude to the girl whose eyes light up when she’s with the animals. He is determined to help Kelsey see that not only does she love the Farmville life, but that the guy she really wants is him.

Will Austin convince Kelsey he’s the guy she wants? Will Kelsey embrace the simple life and find forgiveness for her sister?

Book 1
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Welcome to Hickville High is perfect for young adults and those young at heart.

Kelsey was in the in-crowd back in Chicago, going to a private school, dating the boy every girl wanted, was on the fast-track to Ivy League colleges, and then all of that changes. She finds herself locked in a moving car, destination Hickville, Texas.

Young adults will surely identify and sympathize with Kelsey. The adults, probably not-so much (I can hear them getting frustrated with the girl). But since I'm 37 years old, I'll give you my take on it. I found Kelsey easy to empathize with. Imagine living a way of life for 17 years and having it all stripped away. How powerless you'd feel having every goal you thought to realize removed by the poor decisions of the adults in your life? She is living the consequences of her father, mother, and sister's choices, when up until then she had made all the right choices to have the future she planned. Now, ask yourself if Kelsey feeling resentful was justified or not?

Kelsey was written in a very human manner, befitting a teenager, and as someone who grew up as an affluent Chicagoan.

But the beauty of Welcome to Hickville High is how the grass is always greener on the opposite side of the fence. Through Austin's narration, we're able to see the beauty of a simple life in Texas. Depending on the point of view, some of Kelsey's inner monologue will rankle some readers. Like her thoughts on wanting to enter a house trailer because she wanted to know how people lived in them. Instead of feeling slighted, I thought it a unique perspective, as Kelsey would be completely ignorant to the things all of us in rural America experience on a daily basis. Moral of the story: everyone needs to experience both to have a balanced life.

Welcome to Hickville High was very detailed with beautiful descriptions, but it slowed the flow down considerably, making the story feel a bit drawn-out.

My favorite parts of the book were the tidbits and facts posted as the header of every chapter, and the out-loud laughter that rumbled from me every time coke versus Coke was brought up. (I'm a rural girl and grew up with it being pop or soda. So if someone offered me a coke, I'd expect me some Coke. I laughed so hard when she took tea instead, not knowing what 'flavor' of coke she would get. Loved it!)


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Kelsey's life changes dramatically when her father loses his well-paying job and they go from the rich life in Chicago to a working life in rural Texas. She arrives a good girl but a spoiled rich girl. Not her fault – that is how she was raised. She behaves and gets good grades. These two things combined made her a challenging character for me. Sometimes I didn't like her and thought she was a bit of a twit and irritating. Other times I thought she was hard done by and just doing her best to get by.

Her friend and love interest Austin is a good, hard working Texan boy. The kind of boy every parent would like for their daughter. He helps Kelsey adjust to a life that includes work, a new high school, and farm animals.

Welcome to Hickville High is a lovely story about growing up and includes a sweet romance. I will definitely be reading more of the Hickville series.

Age recommendation: 13up

Also Available in the Hickville High Series

Book 2
Buy Links

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Following a career as a nursing instructor, award-winning author, Mary Karlik earned an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania. A native Texan, Mary loves horses, dogs, cats, country music, and small town diners. Although she has recently relocated in northern New Mexico, her heart remains in the Lone Star state.

Connect with Mary

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Welcome to Hickville High (Hickville High #1) by Mary Karlik to read and review. Review copy purchased by the blog.

Steam by Stacey Rourke Blog Tour

Time passes, sins forgotten.
The bodies of the victims long since rotten.

Trapped within the essence of the Headless Horseman by the guilt of slaughtering her best friend, Ireland Crane follows the father of science fiction, HG Wells, in search of freedom from the curse that binds her. Instead, she discovers even he has a hidden agenda. A dark, relentless passion to be reunited with the woman he loves has driven him to manipulate time and a murderous Horseman.

Yet heed my warning, as the Raven flies,
The Hessian will come … and you will die.

All that prevents Ireland from abandoning Wells’ twisted pursuit, or introducing him to her sword, are the undead witches haunting her. Begging for freedom from a vile succubus, the ghoulish coven leads Ireland and her crew on a journey through Salem’s sordid past. There, they learn there is more to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s history than a scarlet letter, and the secret they’ve uncovered seeks to destroy them all.

Book 3
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Smashwords

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Christy – ☆☆☆☆☆
As a longtime fan of Rourke's I knew the ending of the series would be beautiful and sad, as a matter fact I had a box of tissues on standby. Once again the book started off with a new twist and plenty of snarky banner from Ireland, though way more twisted this time around. Once again Stacey offers up a Young Adult novel not only worth reading but worth reading more than once. The suspense will keep you engaged until the bitter end and you only think you know the truth, trust me it's so much darker than you think! As saddened as I am to see these beloved characters go, I take heart in the fact that I can revisit them again!

I would recommend this book for older teens 15+ due to violence and some sexual suggestions.

Also Available in The Legends Saga

Book 1
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B&N  ~  Smashwords

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Crane Blog Tour.

Book 2
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Smashwords

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Raven Blog Tour.

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series as well as the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.

-RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
-Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
-Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Connect with Stacey

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Steam (The Legends Saga #3) by Stacey Rourke to read and review for this tour.