{Review} SUMMER CRUSH (The Tournament, #4) by B.B. Griffith

ISBN #: 978-0989940078

Page Count: 242

Copyright: October 29, 2014

Publisher: Griffith Publishing LLC

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

It's been ten years since the Battle of the Black House. The Tournament has grown beyond anyone's wildest dreams – with dozens of teams, hundreds of players, and millions of fans worldwide.

Every year more teams are added to this global gunfight, and every year the original eight teams get older and a step slower.

Ellie Willmore and Team Blue wonder if each passing Tournament might be their last. What they don't know is that this time, someone plans to make sure of it. A mysterious figure who calls himself the Gardner has his sights set on rigging the Tournament and hand-picking the winners, and he wants Team Blue out.

In a competition without rules, Ellie realizes just how far some will go to win. And in what might be their final Tournament appearance, Team Blue find themselves in a fight for their lives.

Charlene's Review:

In the forth installment of The Tournament series, mysterious yellow roses are showing up around the globe, and death follows. The original players of the Tournament, a state-sponsored global fighting game, are aging and suffering the effects of diode hits, and it seems, someone wants to see them out of the game, for good. If the mysterious "Gardner" is to be stopped and the Tournament restored to its beginnings, the original teams that once battled against each other must pull together and stop him before he kills again.

Having read and reviewed all four of the books thus far, this has to be my favorite. Most likely, because of the change of direction the storyline took, but also because of the action, and the deeper insight into the characters. Mr. Griffith took all the loose ends of the previous installments and wove them together in Summer Crush. I was simply unable to put it down.

Having covered all four "seasons" in his titles, I was disappointed that this series may be winding down. Only until the last page. Mr. Griffith is obviously keeping his options open, and for very good reason. The only way I would like to see an end to this would be if it was written for the big screen. I am fairly certain it would rival The Hunger Games in action and suspense.

This is easily one of my favorite series. 5 out of 5 stars!


*A physical copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Reading Challenge} The 2015 Amazing Book Race

What is The 2015 Amazing Book Race Reading Challenge?

We are excited to welcome you to our first ever reading challenge!

So often throughout the year there are books we are dying to read but can't due to review obligations. This challenge is to get you (and us) to read some of those books you were dying to read the year before, based on the Goodreads Best Books of 2014 list (compiled by your votes during the Goodreads Choice Awards in 2014).

The Race

Below are the reading levels for this race. You can always move up a level, but never down so be sure to choose a level where you'll reach the finish line. Your start up post will need to include your goal as well as link back to us, the host of the challenge.

1 to 6: So You Think You Can Read?

7 to 12: Reading Rainbow

13 to 18: Dances with Books

19 to 24: Survivor

25+: The Librarian

Challenge Details:

Make sure to read all the way through!

1.) This challenge will run from January 1, 2015 until December 31, 2015. Sign-ups will remain open until 11:59 p.m. Eastern on January 31, 2015.

2.) Please make sure you sign up in the Linky List below with the link that goes directly to your master challenge list. This is the list you'll keep updated as you review the books for the challenge. You do not have to post your review on a blog; posting your review on Goodreads is fine. Be sure to update your master list with the link to your review of each book as you finish them.

Side Note: Books can be read in any order, so feel free to bounce around!

3.) Each of your chosen books must come from Goodreads' Best Books of 2014 list (found here). We will be confirming your selections so please include the category for each book on your list (i.e. Horror: Prince LeStat by Anne Rice). There are 20 categories so you should have plenty of options. You are allowed 2 to 3 alternatives in case you have novels on your master list you just can't get through.

4.) You can absolutely crossover books from other challenges into this one ... as long as the book is on Goodreads' Best Books of 2014 list.

Monthly Check-Ins:

On the 20th of each month, we will have a check-in post to see how you're progressing. Feel free to leave any links in the comments section to the challenge books you've reviewed the previous month (no duplicates, please).

What's a Race without Prizes?

Every race has 1st (gold), 2nd (silver), and 3rd (bronze) place winners. So, in the spirit of that, we're offering three (3) prizes for this challenge. Entries for the challenge giveaway are earned based upon the number of books you read and provide a direct link to your review. For example:

6 books read and reviewed: 1 entry

12 books read and reviewed: 2 entries

18 books read and reviewed: 3 entries

24 books read and reviewed: 4 entries

25 or more books read and reviewed: 5 entries

So, let's say you chose the Reading Rainbow level but you only finished reading and reviewing (with direct link provided) 8 out of 12 of your books. Well, then you've earned one (1) entry into the challenge giveaway. If you chose The Librarian level and only finished reading and reviewing (with direct link provided) 22 books, then you've earned three (3) entries into the challenge giveaway. Prizes are below.

Gold Medal:
One (1) physical copy of a novel of your choice off of Goodreads' Best Books of 2015 list
List to be announced December 2015 on Goodreads
Maximum value up to $25
Open internationally - Please confirm the Book Depository ships to your location

Silver Medal:
One (1) $10 Amazon Gift Card

Bronze Medal:
One (1) Ebook of your choice (valued up to $6)
Ebook can be chosen from Amazon or Barnes&Nobles

How Do We Determine the Winners?

Participants will be entered into a spreadsheet as they earn entries. On January 1, 2016, three winners will be randomly selected using Rafflecopter. First winner chosen wins the Gold Medal, second winner chosen wins the Silver Medal, and third winner chosen wins the Bronze Medal.

Winners will be announced in our wrap-up post on January 1, 2016 at noon Eastern time. Winners will also be contacted via email, which is the reason why we ask for your name and email address when you sign up via the Linky List. Winners will have 48 hours to respond. If the winner fails to respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen in their place.

Each winner has the right to forfeit their prize, should they be so willing. If this happens, we will chose a runner up winner for that specific medal.

Socially Acceptable:

Feel free to like our Facebook page and chat with us there. We're also on Twitter. Please use #2015TABR when tweeting with us about this challenge.

Questions?

If you have ANY questions concerning this reading challenge, please feel free to email us at literaryrr2@gmail.com.

Grab The 2015 Amazing Book Race Button:

<a href="http://literaryrr.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6T32ynuspVu_8Cs1bAgepURdH76iceMAD3vDsma-H3rbttD1mae_FTi5BbzIuE12H6F8YzjJVw7BZRhYgnkM7-H7yrugejxfie9mH8FxlF043SDhixLI_sjEMnKJw6M4l5D80iV_LvHpo/w320-h207-p-no/" height="150" width="150"/></a>

Linky List Sign Up: Will close January 31, 2015

{Blog Hop} First Line Friday #4

First lines of novels can capture your attention, give you a clue to the character's past or present, set the stage for the entire novel, or more. First lines are extremely important and have a great responsibility. With that in mind, we'd like to welcome you to First Line Friday.

Please use the Linky List below to link your First Line Friday post so we can see your First Line Friday post!

Lupe's Read

For a man whose adult life would come to be marked by so many strange and miraculous events, Montaro Caine had a comparatively unremarkable childhood.

Mandy's Read

My name is Kathleen Whittier Mostyn, and when I was seventeen I became famous for catching the biggest shark New South Wales had ever seen: a gray nurse with an eye so mean it still looked like it wanted to rip me in two several days after we'd laid it out.

{Release Day Blitz} BODY OF LAW, Volume 1 by Amanda Lance

Body of Law, Volume 1 by Amanda Lance

RELEASE DAY BLITZ

December 4, 2014

This routine is killing me.

Day in and day out, it’s; the same thing: go to work, bed a whore, get a criminal off on a technicality— pretty standard for one of Chicago’s most established criminal defense attorneys. Yet I’m almost positive that if I don’t find something to get me out of this rut I’ll go as crazy as the murders I defend.

And when Violet Donovan walks in, the smart-mouthed intern who is anything but routine, I’m sure those pouty lips and fuck-me eyes are just what I need to get my cock and love for the law twitching again.

Too bad she also happens to be the daughter of the man who once tried to mentor me.

Too bad she’s completely off limits.

~*~ABOUT AMANDA LANCE~*~

A native of New Jersey and lifelong nerd, Amanda Lance recently completed her Master in Liberal Arts at Thomas Edison State College after her BA in English Literature and AFA in creative writing. As an avid reader of all genres, some of her favorite authors include Hemingway, Marquis de Sade, Stevenson, Bukowski and Radcliffe.

When she isn’t writing or reading, Amanda can found indulging in film noir or hiking with her other half and their extremely spoiled dog. She is obsessively working on her next book and trying to tame her caffeine addiction.

{Release Day Blitz} THE TROUBLE WITH FAKING by Rachel Morgan

The Trouble with Faking by Rachel Morgan

Release Day Blitz

December 2, 2014

After a stupid miscommunication, everyone in Andi’s new res thinks she’s secretly dating Damien, boyfriend of resident queen bee Charlotte. Since the rumour’s already out there and refuses to be squashed, Andi and Damien decide to keep up the facade in the hopes of snagging the attention of the people they really want to be with. Brilliant plan, right? Especially since Damien is the guy Andi’s always wanted. But now there’s Mike, the guy Andi’s pretending to be interested in for the sake of the fake relationship plan, and Noah, Damien’s annoying best friend—who is so not Andi’s type—and suddenly the plan isn’t looking so brilliant anymore.

BUY IT AT:

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/FAKINGAmzn

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/FAKINGiBooks

B&N: http://smarturl.it/FAKINGNook

Kobo: http://smarturl.it/FAKINGKobo

~*~ABOUT RACHEL MORGAN~*~

Rachel Morgan is a South African author who spent a large portion of her childhood living in a fantasy-land of her own making. After completing a degree in genetics, she decided science wasn’t for her—after all, they didn’t approve of made-up facts. These days she spends much of her time immersed in fantasy land once more, writing fiction for young adults and those young at heart.

She is the author of the bestselling Creepy Hollow series, and the lighthearted contemporary romance Trouble series.