Manipulation by Jolene Perry: Review and Giveaway

Manipulation (Shadows #2)

by Jolene Perry 

Release Date: January 2013

Paperback/e-book

Summary from Goodreads:

Addison Prince has almost always gotten what she wants.
Dean Courser only wants to find his brother, but it's the one thing he’s failed at... Even with his unusual ability.

Dean and Addison share the gift of Manipulation—a brief touch that forces others to do what they wish. But when they meet and realize their connection, they find more questions than answers. Suddenly Dean is seeing shadows move on their own, and Addison is learning her father’s mysterious group may know more about her abilities than he’s ever let on.

As Dean and Addison second-guess every decision about who they are and why they're wanted, time is running out. With shadows following their every move, they're losing hope they’ll ever get to safety—if such a thing exists.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

My Review:

Uptown girl, Addison meets downtown guy, Dean and they discover they share the power to influence others through touch. This power is amplified when they work together, but it also makes them a target for the Middlemen, a strange group that collects people with supernatural talents. Running from these mysterious collectors, send the two on a road trip that brings them close together.

Perry writes in a stripped down, clarified style that most people find very appealing. Addison, isn't the nervous, virgin we get in so many YA books, and Dean isn't the manly, stoic type either. The characters are very fleshed out and deliciously human. {Dean, in fact, is my book boyfriend this month. Four reasons why: 1.) He's handsome (of course) 2) He isn't haunted and edgy. He's upbeat and sweet. 3.) His best friend is a girl he deeply cares about, but isn't trying to bang. That shows depth. 4.) He would do anything to find his younger brother who was adopted to another family. Family loyalty is hot!}

The paranormal aspect makes Manipulation fun and the love story is particularly sweet and tender, which I found so refreshing. The minor characters are interesting, like Katy with her new boyfriend, Addison's father with his secrets and our protagonists' relationships with their younger siblings, and those subplots keep the story alive and vital page after page.

 About the Author

Jolene kissed a boy on her high school graduation night. One she’d wanted to kiss for a long time. They got married two years later, have built two homes together, survived military deployments, law school, student loan debt, and two children.

Jolene plays the guitar, takes pictures, and loves to hike. She doesn’t like rivers, but loves the ocean. She loves to fly, but gets motion sick. Her ultimate vacation would be to sail 

***GIVEAWAY***

Prize #1:  (1) Paperback copies of Insight and Manipulation (International)

Prize #2:  (1)Paperback copy of Manipulation (US only)

Prize #3:  (3) e-book copies of Manipulation.  Kindle or Nook (International)

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