Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway: Olivia Decoded by Vivi Barnes

Olivia Decoded (Olivia Twisted #2)
Author: Vivi Barnes
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: Ebook
Source: YaReads Blog Tours
Review by: Nahomi
  

This isn’t my Jack, who once looked at me like I was his world. The guy who’s occupied the better part of my mind for eight months.
This is Z, criminal hacker with a twisted agenda and an arsenal full of anger.
I’ve spent the past year trying to get my life on track. New school. New friends. New attitude. But old flames die hard, and one look at Jack—the hacker who enlisted me into his life and his hacking ring, stole my heart, and then left me—and every memory, every moment, every feeling comes rushing back. But Jack’s not the only one who’s resurfaced in my life. And if I can’t break through Z’s defenses and reach the old Jack, someone will get hurt…or worse.

3.5 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However, it did not influence this review in any way.*

A while back I read Olivia Twisted, so when the opportunity presented itself to read Olivia Decoded the second book in the series, I took it! Olivia Decoded takes place eight months after Olivia Twisted and picks up right after the last chapter. The beginning is a recap of what has been happening with all of the characters since we last saw them in Olivia Twisted.

I really liked that the story is told from both Olivia and Z perspective. I love the elements of mystery and suspense in the story. The plot is fast paced and kept me turning pages until I was done. There are definitely some plot twists I didn’t see coming!

The only thing stopping me from giving the story a higher rating was my inability to connect with the characters. Olivia is basically the same as the last book with the exception of a setting change. I feel the same about Z. There really wasn’t any character growth between the last book and this one.

Other than that the story is was really interesting and kept me turning pages.

You can follow the rest of the tour here: Tour Schedule

Giveaway: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Vivi Barnes was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. After college, she convinced her supportive husband to move with her to be part of the sunshine and magic in Orlando, Florida. On a good day, she manages to divide her time writing, working, reading, goofing off with her three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes. Vivi is a proud member of SCBWI and attends conferences whenever she can.

Author Links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter

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Review: Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes

Paper or Plastic
Author: Vivi Barnes
Release Date: February 3, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Entangled Publishing
Review by: Nahomi

Welcome to SmartMart, where crime pays minimum wage...

Busted. Alexis Dubois just got caught shoplifting a cheap tube of lipstick at the local SmartMart. She doesn’t know what’s worse—disappointing her overbearing beauty-pageant-obsessed mother for the zillionth time…or her punishment. Because Lex is forced to spend her summer working at the store, where the only things stranger than the staff are the customers.

Now Lex is stuck in the bizarro world of big-box retail. Coupon cutters, jerk customers, and learning exactly what a “Code B” really is (ew). And for added awkwardness, her new supervisor is the totally cute—and adorably geeky—Noah Grayson. Trying to balance her out-of-control mother, her pitching position on the softball team, and her secret crush on the school geek makes for one crazy summer. But ultimately, could the worst job in the world be the best thing that ever happened to her?

3 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an early copy of this title from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

Paper or Plastic is a cute story, that has a lot of good themes. It took me about 75 pages to be able to get into the story because Alexis's internal monologue was annoying, especially in the beginning. After I got over my initial annoyance with Alexis I was actually able to get into the story and finished it fairly quickly.

The plot and the pacing of the story are good, although the plot is a little predictable. I love how the story transitions from one section to the next seamlessly. Alexis shows a lot of character growth by the end of the story and I think that is one of the main reasons I liked it better towards the end. I really liked the relationships she formed with her co-workers at the supermarket.

I enjoyed how the relationship between Alexis and Noah evolved. It took them some time to get to know each other and get over their initial misconceptions of each other. Noah is such a sweet guy. He is always looking out and trying to protect others. Noah and Alexis compliment each other very well.

Paper or Plastic is a good story overall. The ending left me high and dry so to speak it felt kind of abrupt, although all of the major conflicts were resolved. Other than my initial qualms with Alexis I enjoyed reading Paper or Plastic.

Review: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes

Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes
 Expected release date: Nov. 5, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Entangled Teen via NetGalley
Reviewed by: Nahomi
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher but it did not influence this review in any way.*

My rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
Olivia 
He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don't care.

At least at this moment, I don't care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia's seen a lot in her sixteen years. She's hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite-break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z's boss. And he's got bigger plans for Liv...

Z
I can picture Liv's face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta. 

It was just a kiss. That's all. She's just like any other girl.

Except that she's not.

Thanks to Z, Olivia's about to get twisted.

When I read the premise of this book I thought to myself "I have to read it." I was pleasantly surprised with the story and it's characters. The story had good pacing, and several plot twists that left me opened mouth and in shock. The book captured my attention and kept me turning pages from beginning to end.

Our main characters Liv (Olivia) and Z aren't your typical teenagers, they are orphans who have been through many tough situations in the foster system. Liv is a sweet hard working girl who just wants to get to graduation so she can escape the foster care system. She is very strong and has a good moral compass, even though she gets herself into some sticky situations. Z, on the other hand is trouble; he is attractive, smart and a bad boy. There is something about Z that keeps me from swooning over him, though. He comes off as aloof but underneath it all he really cares. I really liked that in the end both characters did what they thought was best for them although that didn't always equal being together romantically.

I loved that the book had an epilogue and I also liked how the author ended the story. The only reason I could not give this book a higher rating is because I didn't feel the characters were memorable. I didn't have that connection with them, the kind that gives me a book hangover for several days. Other than that I really enjoyed reading this story and think the author did a great job.