Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Olivia Twisted

Olivia Twisted
By: Vivi Barnes
Kindle: 352 pages
Publisher: Entangled Teen (Nov 5th 2013)
ASIN: B00BRAFR4Q
Rating: 4 stars

What Goodreads has to say:  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.


My Review: Olivia Twisted took me by surprise in the best way possible. After reading the blurb I was interested but not sure how much I would really end up liking the book. I started to read and by the end of the day I was only a few chapters from the end! After I finished all the things that typically get in the way of my reading aka work, school, etc I jumped right back to reading so that I could finally find out the well waited for ending. I think what really kept me hooked was the different approach the author took to a slightly common idea. The girl meets bad boy and gets drawn in thing is not something new, however, the way things play out and the stuff Olivia gets drawn into are certainly not like anything else I have ever read in any book.  Z is an interesting male character as well, at times it is hard to see where tough Z ends and the real Z underneath begins. Throughout the story Z is shrouded in mystery and I kept reading wanting to learn as much as I could about this mysterious past of his and how he ended up like he did. The book also touches on some of the more unfortunate parts of children's lives who are stuck in the foster care system. I felt this brought an added bit of realness to the book and reminded the reader how gritty life can be, this helps gain a sense of why these kids would turn to hacking for money. I love the inspiration the author drew from the story Oliver Twist and I would suggest this book to anyone looking for an interesting new read that breaks away from the usual love stories. Find Olivia Twisted on Amazon and Barnes&Nobel.

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. Now living in the magic and sunshine of Orlando, Florida, she divides her time writing, working, goofing off with her husband and three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes. You can fine her on her blog, facebook, and book website!