Year in a Review by Jo-Anna Walker

This year has been such a fantastic ride for every Twinsie. One of us had a baby, one of us became an author and our Twinsie family grew and grew. When Angie SJ and Angie WE asked me to join their review blog, I instantly jumped on the chance to be a part of it and then we got so big, we needed 3 more reviewers. How amazing is that? Because of all of you, we're where we are today. So for that, thank you! To each and every one of you. You all rock our socks!

Back in May of this year, I was lucky enough to meet Angie SJ and Melinda in PERSON! It was like we hung out every constantly.

I talk to these girls every single day. I love our little tightnip family and because of them, I am where I am today as a person and as an author. Thank you my Twinsie sisters!! xx

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Here are my top 10 favorite books for the last half of 2013! Do you know how hard it was to just choose 10? So here it goes.

1. I have to say that my favorite serial novel of all time is the Phoenix series by Michelle Stevens/Red Phoenix. They are just heartfelt, uplifting, heartbreaking...amazing stories all around.




2. Now number 2. This is a given since this series has my #1 book boyfriend in it. Gideon Cross. Swoon. Even the name gives me shivers. Entwined with You by Sylvia Day is one of the hottest books I have ever read!




3. Walking Disaster cause hello? It has Travis Maddox in it! #2 book boyfriend on my list of many BBF's!




4. I added these two books to my list back in the earlier months but I have to add them again. Desert Rice and Desert Flower brought me into a world I had never experienced before. It made me feel things while reading I've never felt and it made me message the author and rant and rave about how much I absolutely loved these books!!




5. Hers by Dawn Roberston. I read the blurb and was blown away! I read the book and fell in love! If you like hot, dirty, raw, real type books then this one is for you.





6. This book by far is the funniest I have ever read. I laughed so hard, I cried. Read this one for naughty dirty humor. Every time I think of it, I bust out laughing. So not cool when you're by yourself in public.




7. Okay so Angie J and Melinda and I'm not sure if any of the other twinsie's read this book but love the books by Kendall Grey. So I finally dove in and bought Strings in paperback signed and ebook. Strings by Kendall Grey is probably the dirtiest, most raw, gritty, in your face book I have ever read and I love it.




8. I've read almost 90 books this year but now that I have to choose my top ten, I can't seem to remember what I've read. Bullet was recommended to me by Angie J and I fell instantly in love. It's a long one but it's filled with so much stuff, it couldn't be written any shorter. I loved it.




9. Now I'd have to say that if you love Red Phoenix's Brie series, then you'll love the A Week with my Romanian series by Steffie Dawn. Meeting My Master (A week with my Romanian #1) has made my top ten list because it allowed me to meet a wonderful person, a wonderful author and a wonderful friend. The books are hot!




10. Epilogue by CJ Roberts...look at the cover. Need I say more?





So those are my top ten for 2013. Each book has affected me in someway or another. I can't wait for 2014 and for the awesomeness that these authors will bring us. Thank you all for your hard work and keep up the writing!! xx

Survivor Roundup (The Zombie West Series #2) by Angela Scott

Book Blurb:

Red always knew she would have to face the man who nearly destroyed her. She just didn’t figure it would happen so soon...

With the plague sweeping across the nation, destroying many and turning others into walking corpses, survivors head West in search of a chosen land, a place designed to keep the infected out, while sealing survivors inside. In theory, the idea seems the only way to keep humanity alive. In practice, it doesn’t matter whether a person is on the inside or the out—there is no humanity.

...And even though John Gatherum hunted her down and instigated their reunion, Red’s no longer the passive girl he once manipulated. This time, she has a hidden agenda of her own.

Kill him. Save her family. Save herself.

Jo-Anna's Review:

 Angela Scott does it again with another fantastic read! I'm honored to say that I was approached back when a tour was being for regarding her second Desert book I believe and I fell in love with her writing that I had to read everything written by her and now I can proudly say,  I HAVE READ EVERY BOOK BY ANGELA SCOTT!!! (so far that is) ;)

Angela does it again with the sequel to her to The Zombie West series. I just love Red and Trace and every single character in these books. The zombies are awesome too cause who doesn't love a little zombie action?

Again, the people of The Zombie West books are trying to keep away from the zombies and fight for survival. These books are about hardship, rough times, survival, laughter, friendship, love...*swoon* They are just fantastic. If you've read the first Zombie book, definitely read this one.

I can't wait for the 3rd installment of this series! I know Angela will not disappoint and she'll do us readers proud!!

Author Information:

Angela Scott hears voices. Tiny fictional people sit on her shoulders and whisper their stories in her ear. Instead of medicating herself, she decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. She's not crazy. She's an author. For the most part, she writes contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, she found herself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West--and loving it. Her zombies don't sparkle, and they definitely don't cuddle. At least, she wouldn't suggest it. She lives on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. She graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of her love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn't require math. She can't spell, and grammar is her arch nemesis. But they gave her the degree, and there are no take backs. 

Wanted: Dead or Undead (The Zombie West Series #1) by Angela Scott

Book Blurb:

WINNER:Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book of 2012 - Young Adult
WINNER: League of Utah Writers Golden Quill Award 2012
FINALIST: The 2012 USA Best Book Awards (sponsored by USA Book News) - Young Adult
SECOND PLACE: The 2012 Sharp Writ Book Awards - Young Adult

Evolved Publishing presents the award-winning Wanted: Dead or Undead
(Book 1 of The Zombie West Series) by Angela Scott. (Young Adult, Zombie
Western Romance)Trace Monroe doesn’t believe in luck. He never has. But when a fiery-headed cowgirl saunters through the saloon doors, wielding shotguns and a know-how for killing the living dead, he believes he just may be the luckiest man alive. Trace wants to join "Red’s" posse, but she prefers to work alone—less messy that way.

In order to become her traveling companion, Trace has to agree to her terms: no names, no questions, and if he gets bit, he can’t beg for mercy when she severs his brain stem. He agrees, knowing only that Red is the sharpest shooter he’s ever encountered. The fact she’s stunning hasn’t escaped his attention either.

What he doesn’t know, is that Red has a very good reason to be on top of her game. She not only has the answer for how they can all outlive the plague taking over the wild, wild west, she is the answer.

Jo-Anna's Review:

The reason I chose to read this book is because, one: I love zombies! and two: I've read the other books by Angela and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM!!! 

Angela has a way with words and captivates you every time. I fell in love with her Desert books but her zombies series is just as amazing. 

They're set in the Western type era where you meet Red and Trace and a bunch of other characters that you end up loving. 

These books are about survival, love, friendship, and action, all while trying to not let the zombies attack them.

This was my first zombie book and I really enjoyed it! The zombies rule these books! As much as the characters are trying to get away from them, the zombies still and probably will always have the upper hand. Have you ever seen a zombie movie where the humans win? I didn't think so. 

I'm not a fan of Western type novels but this book was fabulous and I look forward to reading the rest of the books!

Author Information:

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author.

For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

Desert Rice and Desert Flower by Angela Scott Blog Tour

 *** Angela will award one commenter at every stop a Mobi or ePub copy of WANTED: Dead or Undead or Survivor Roundup from her backlist, and one randomly drawn commenter on the tour will receive a $15 gift card to Amazon. ***

Book Blurb:

 Samantha Jean Haggert is a beautiful twelve-year-old girl—but no one knows it. All they see is an awkward boy in a baseball cap and baggy pants. Sam’s not thrilled with the idea of hiding her identity, but it’s all part of her older brother’s plan to keep Sam safe from male attention and hidden from the law. Fifteen-year-old Jacob will stop at nothing to protect his sister, including concealing the death of the one person who should have protected them in the first place—their mother.

Sam and Jacob try to outrun their past by stealing the family car and traveling from West Virginia to Arizona, but the adult world proves mighty difficult to navigate, especially for two kids on their own. Trusting adults has never been an option; no adult has ever given them a good reason. But when Sam meets “Jesus”—who smells an awful lot like a horse—in the park, life takes a different turn. He saved her once, and may be willing to save Sam and her brother again, if only they admit what took place that fateful day in West Virginia. The problem? Sam doesn’t remember, and Jacob isn’t talking.

Jo-Anna's Review:

The reason I chose to read this book is because it's YA and I'm so happy that I did. When I marked this book as "read" on Goodreads, I felt that 5 stars did NOT do this book justice. This is probably one of the best books I have read this year!

I am new to reading Angela's books and this is the first of hers that I have read but I am now hooked. When I was about half way done, I actually PM-ed Angela and gushed about the book. I just had to talk to someone about it and who better to talk to then the author herself?

The first chapter of this book begins with telling us how Sam and Jacob find their mother dead. Then the story goes on to tell us how they run away, what they go through and things they do to survive in an adult world. So many emotions went through me as I read this book. There were parts that I was scared to read more but I just had to find out what happened. I just love Sam. I've never read a book with a POV of a 12 year old but the way Angela writes this story, after the reading the first sentence, I couldn't put the book down. I could have read it in one sitting if RL didn't get in the way.

I'm so happy to be apart of this tour and that I get  a chance to read these books. I am recommending them to everyone I know that reads. I'm also so very excited to read the next book. Great job Angela and I can't wait to hear more of Sam's story!! Definitely a must read!

Book Blurb:

Bodies have a canny way of finding Samantha Jean Haggert. The first, the dead body of her mama. The second, a naked man in the middle of the Arizona desert. For Sam, dealing with one dead body in her lifetime is more than unfair. Two, is downright cruel.

Seven years after running from West Virginia, Sam's now a young woman of nineteen, trying to put the pieces of her life together with the help of her family—Jacob, Boone, and Laura. But the naked man in the desert spirals her world out of control, resurfacing past hurts, revealing old secrets, and pitting her between two men who via for her heart. Carson, her friend, her first kiss, and the one man who knows everything about her past and loves her despite it. And Turner, the stranger who knows nothing, but who excites and frustrates her all at once.

When bad choices made as a child leads to more bad choices as a young adult, Sam finds herself at a crossroads and is forced to face her demons head on if she plans to have any future at all—with Carson, with Turner, or with anyone. But fixing the wrongs of the past takes time, and learning to forgive herself is damn near impossible.

Jo-Anna's Review:

After reading both of these books, I'd have to say that this one is my favorite. I love them both but this one, wow. I thought the emotional turmoil couldn't get worse then the first book but this one, knocked my socks off.

I think from the first page to the very last, I was on the edge of my seat. If I had time, I could have read this book in one sitting. 

After finding a naked man in the desert in the beginning of the book, Sam's life is thrown for a loop. What Sam goes through...wow. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I just have to say, the ending?? Wow!! Seriously?? I need more. A book can NOT end like that. It can not. But of course I am arguing with myself because I enjoy books that have cliff hanger endings. It leaves me wanting more. In this case though, I NEED more. 

AND I just love Turner! I do. But I love Carson also. I love them all.

Angela Scott has been amazing through out my journey of reading these two books. Poor thing has had to put up with my PM's and she has the patience of a Saint.

These two books are now high are my list of favorite books that I have ever read. I just loved them. I can't say that enough. You need to read these books!! I don't have enough words to describe how much I enjoyed these books. 

These two books are must read!!

Author Information:

I hear voices. Tiny fictional people sit on my shoulders and whisper their stories in my ear. Instead of medicating myself, I decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. I’m not crazy. I’m an author.

For the most part, I write contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, I found myself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West—and loving it. My zombies don’t sparkle, and they definitely don’t cuddle. At least, I wouldn’t suggest it.

I live on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. I graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of my love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn’t require math. I can’t spell, and grammar is my arch nemesis. But they gave me the degree, and there are no take backs.

As a child, I never sucked on a pacifier; I chewed on a pencil. I’ve been writing that long. It has only been the past few years that I’ve pursued it professionally, forged relationships with other like-minded individuals, and determined to make a career out of it.

Tour dates:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/01/virtual-review-tour-desert-flower.html?zx=4ecc04a4a8fb57a3