REDEMPTION IS AVAILABLE!

I'm so excited to announce that Redemption, the final book in The Sophisticates trilogy, is now available!

I can't explain how incredible it feels to finish this series and be able to share it with you. I hope the story surprises you, I hope the ending exceeds your expectations, and I hope you love the characters and their strengths and flaws as much as I do. Thank you for going on this journey with me and for all the support. It's amazing to know I'm living my dream because of readers like you.

I have a couple of exciting pieces of news to share with you to celebrate the release of Redemption, so please read through to the end to make sure you don't miss anything.

HERE'S WHERE TO BUY REDEMPTION:

Ebook:

• Amazon

(As of January 18, 2016, only available in ebook format on Amazon.)

The print version is available:
• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble



ENTER TO WIN A KINDLE FIRE & $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter contest. It's easy to gain entries by sharing news about the release of Redemption on social media. And, if you've already read the books, you can gain extra entries by sharing your insider reader knowledge.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
THE FIRST TWO BOOKS ARE ON SALE!

DEVIATION IS FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!
You can download Deviation for free from Amazon from Dec. 21-Dec. 25, 2015. Or, if you're a member of the KindleUnlimited program, Deviation is always free.

CONVICTION IS $.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME!
You can download Conviction for $.99 from Amazon from Dec. 20-Dec. 27, 2015. Or if you're a member of the KindleUnlimited program, Conviction is always free.

REDEMPTION SYNOPSIS
The hunted have become the hunters.

Cleo finally has the freedom that she’s always craved, but it’s come at a terrible price—the Program wants to terminate the Deviant Dozen and now she and her friends are on the run. To make matters worse, she’s finally learned to use her deviation—except when she’s around Ozzy. Even an innocent touch or kiss can cause her skills to spiral out of control. He’s the last person she’d ever want to hurt, but he’s also the one in the most danger if she can’t learn to master her skills and emotions. 

Ozzy’s duty has always been to protect the Dozen, but now he must make the difficult choice between laying low to stay safe or starting an all-out war so that the Dozen can truly be free. He knows that if they have any chance of outsmarting the Program, they’ll have to look for help in unlikely places—even if that means trusting their enemies.

Rune and the Others have always been anonymous, hiding in the shadows as they carried out acts of terror and revenge. That all changed the moment the Program discovered they existed. To survive, Rune and the Others will be forced to make an alliance that is just as likely to kill them as it is to save them.

Program officials are determined to erase their mistakes, but when they terrorize innocent civilians and Sophisticates in an effort to flush out the Dozen, they discover a harsh truth—the weapons they created are fighting back.

Put Redemption on your To-Read List.

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Book Review - Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Title: Fairest
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3.5


SYNOPSIS:
In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.


MY REVIEW:
The only way to describe this is to say it is a necessary evil. Very evil. There is no happy ending, just a deep understanding as to why Queen Levana is so wicked. And I say this is necessary because I think before the reader moves on to read Winter, they need to have this understanding. I have to admit...I kind of feel dirty after reading this book.



SUM IT UP: 

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Book Review — Ensnared by A.G. Howard

Title: Ensnared
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered #3


SYNOPSIS:
After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?


MY REVIEW:
Mad. Wild. Wonderful. Violent. Unexpected. Heartbreaking. Sensual. Beautiful. Tempting.
What a great finale to a different kind of series. Yes, the story is based on Alice in Wonderland, but it's almost unrecognizable in this insane retelling. One of the things I loved was that the love triangle in this story was so well done, I could feel my heart splintering just as much as Alyssa's. How to choose between two men who are so different, yet so perfect for her? When she was with Morpheus...I was Team Morpheus. When she was with Jeb...I wondered how I could ever not be Team Jeb. It was perfect. If there is one thing I would have liked, it would have been more of Jeb in the epilogue, but I will just have to imagine the details myself.


SUM IT UP:

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Book Review — Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Title: Unhinged
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered #2


SYNOPSIS:
Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.


MY REVIEW:
I liked the first book more because everything was so new and weird, but Unhinged was also a great, dark, twisted read. A.G. Howard has taken the Wonderland story and turned everything on its head to make it even more whacky than the original. Because the story is so dark and there are so many "rules" to Wonderland, I often found myself putting the book down in the first half of the story and digesting all of the details for the rest of the day. But once I got to the last third of the book, I couldn't put it down. There was a huge cliffhanger at the end and I'm really excited to see what happens in the next book.


SUM IT UP:  

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Book Review - Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title: Splintered

Author: A.G. Howard

Series: Splintered #1

SYNOPSIS:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

MY REVIEW:

Dark, twisted, and very demented. I loved it. This story takes the madness of the Alice in Wonderland fairytale and reimagines it as something seductive yet nightmarish. I enjoyed seeing elements of the old fairytale bent and twisted into an intoxicating story that made me feel I was becoming a little unhinged and mad myself. Wonderful storytelling, interesting characters, addictive romance, fun adventure, and insatiable insanity—the perfect elements for a great story.

SUM IT UP:

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www.christinemanzari.com

Deviation, Conviction, and Hooked Cover Reveals!

It's been a busy week for me . . . THREE COVER REVEALS!!!

In August, I asked VLC Productions to redesign the covers for the first two books of my Sophisticates Series, Deviation and Conviction. Vania Stoyanova did a photo shoot to capture the personalities of my main characters and she came up with a new design that really showed off the dystopian feel of the story. She will also be designing the last book in the series. The cover reveal for those two books occurred last week and it was so exciting to finally be able to share them after having them finished for so many months. I'm really happy with the way that they turned out.

DEVIATION
Cover Design: VLC Productions
Cover Photo: Vania Stoyanova
Cover Model: Krista Gibson

CONVICTION

Cover Design: VLC Productions

Cover Photo: Vania Stoyanova

Cover Model: Hart Morse

And tonight I revealed the cover for my NEW ADULT romance that will be published February 3, 2015!!! I love this cover so much and I hope you do too!

HOOKED

Cover Design: VLC Productions

Cover Photo: Vania Stoyanova

Cover Models: Chandler Steele and Damien Michael Chase

HOOKED SYNOPSIS:

If you ask the confident and snarky skater girl, and she’s in the mood to share, she’ll tell you her name is Cat. She might even tell you that she’s hooked on graffiti, 80s movies, and having fun—the riskier the better. Cat will share a good time with you, but she won’t ever trust you enough to share her heart. It’s protected by secrets and she’d like to keep it that way. 

Cat knows one thing for certain: Love isn’t really her thing.

If you ask the confident and rich pretty boy, he might tell you his name is Huck. He might even tell you he loves a challenge and is used to getting his way. He won’t tell you that his life is a mess because he risked his heart by trusting the wrong girl. Huck is ready for a change, he just wasn’t ready to get hooked on someone like Cat.

Huck knows one thing for certain: Love hasn’t done him any favors, but Cat just might be worth the risk.

Cat and Huck think a one-night stand seems harmless, but when all the little secrets they didn’t share turn out to be toxic truths, they realize how easily a one-night stand (or a few) could ruin everything. 

The thing is, you can be ruined in more than one way. Once you’re HOOKED, what wouldn’t you risk for the chance at more?


Put Hooked on your TO READ list on Goodreads!

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www.christinemanzari.com

Book Review – Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Series: Anna and the French Kiss #2


SYNOPSIS:
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket—a gifted inventor—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. 


MY REVIEW:
This book was like a big bag of cotton candy. So sweet, and pure, and addictive. How could I not fall in love with Lola and Cricket too? I couldn't stop reading or smiling. Each character had wonderful quirks that made me jealous I wasn't that clever and strangely cool too. Usually I'm a huge fan of snarky bad boy characters, but I'd have to say that Cricket Bell is a forever favorite love interest. And Lola....I feel like I can relate to her. I was just as insecure and strange growing up, although without the fashion skills. Loved this book and I just want to hug this entire series.


SUM IT UP:

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www.christinemanzari.com

Book Review – Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Series: Anna and the French Kiss #1


SYNOPSIS:
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?


MY REVIEW:
This was so ah-mazing! The characters were diverse and interesting, the story was easy to fall in love with, and the witty banter between the friends was my favorite part. What a sweet, easy, fun read. Oh, and I'd like to add that I never wanted to go to Paris until I read this book....it makes me want to go!


SUM IT UP:

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Book Review – Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title: Prodigy
Author: Marie Lu
Series: The Legend Series, Book 2


SYNOPSIS:
Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?


MY REVIEW:
Five. Massively. Heartbroken. Stars.

Haven't Day and June suffered enough? 

Seriously. Just when I think they've made it past the worst the world has to offer, tragedy strikes again. And again. And again. But June and Day aren't prodigies for nothing...they still keep fighting and surviving through each and every horrible torture they face. They trust their instincts and follow their hearts no matter how scared they are. They make sacrifices to do what's right for their families and for others who are suffering. Their story is complex and addictive and I love that they are helplessly drawn to each other no matter what else goes on in their world. And their world is disaster. It seems the only safe place for Day and June in all of the Republic or Colonies is when they're together, but that safety is stolen from them time and time again whether by scheming officials, injuries, heartless soldiers, or strange illnesses. 

Even though the entire story was gut-wrenching and the ending completely tore my heart to shreds, I loved every minute of reading this book.

p.s. Day = Sacrifice


SUM IT UP:

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Book Review – Legend by Marie Lu

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Series: Legend Series, book 1


SYNOPSIS:
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.


MY REVIEW:
Legend is everything a dystopian story should be. The world building was gritty and believable, the characters were both flawed and heroic, and the events were described in such vivid detail that I could believe this scenario happening in the future. 

I admired June for her quick thinking and ability to stay calm when faced with danger, but I loved Day for his triumph over tragedy. He defied death to become the common man's hero. He is like the Robin Hood of the future. 

Loved the story, loved the characters, loved the mystery and I'm so glad I have the rest of the books already in my greedy little hands because I can't seem to put them down.


SUM IT UP:

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Book Review — Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Published: August 7, 2012


SYNOPSIS:
In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.


MY REVIEW:
An enjoyable read, lots of interesting characters, plenty of action and suspense. I would have enjoyed seeing more of the competitions, but since the book was already hefty (which is fine in my opinion), I'm glad Maas gave us more character depth and less action. I'll take that trade. I've always been a fan of Xena, so this was awesome for me to see a female warrior character who had a dark past.


SUM IT UP:

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Indie Book Review – Defining Courage by Jill Daugherty

Title: Defining Courage
Author: Jill Daugherty
Series: The Courage Series (Book 3)
Published: April 19, 2014

SYNOPSIS:

“I know Balor is evil and all, and I know his death would mean that so many other people would get to live, but I hate that I have to be the one to kill him. Taking his life will mean that I’m no better than he is.” 

Ian stopped walking and took one of my hands in his. 

“You want to know the biggest difference between what Balor is doing and what you’re planning to do? You question it. You ask yourself it it’s morally correct. You have a powerful internal struggle that I know keeps you up at night. Balor never asks those questions. Balor doesn’t struggle with what he does.” 

Eighteen-year-old Maggie O’Neill is a high school dropout. If her parents knew, they’d probably kill her, but that’s the least of her worries. Balor—the evil faery from hell—is still stalking her, someone is still betraying her, and the mean girl at school is still mean. The worst part of her life, however, is figuring out how to live it without Simon. Will Maggie discover a way to defeat Balor? Will she ever be able to out-snark the mean girl? Will she find Simon? Tune in next week—uh, read the book—to find out.

MY REVIEW:
Defining Courage is a terrific ending to the trilogy. We get to see Maggie begin to become stronger, not only as a faery, but also as a person. Instead of running from her problems, she faces them head on with courage and maturity. There are plenty of plot twists that keep the story exciting, leaving the reader unable to guess, or assume, what will happen. I really enjoyed the irish folklore and the way it was worked into the modern day world. The Courage series is a great debut series for Daugherty and I encourage everyone to check it out, especially if you enjoy stories about fey.


SUM IT UP:

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Book Review – Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Ignite Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me Series
Published: 2014


SYNOPSIS:

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and satisfying end.


MY REVIEW:

This book was so incredibly perfect in every way. The writing, as always, was poetic and haunting and gorgeous. 

I enjoyed seeing Juliette come full circle and grow as a character, able to look back at herself in the past and find answers and explanations in her behavior and choices. 

And Warner. God how I loved Warner's character. He was the ultimate tortured, cocky, bad boy...my favorite. There was so much action and craziness at the end that I truly feared I would not get my happy ending. But this book was flawless and I loved, loved, loved it.


SUM IT UP:

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