Fatal Exchange (Christy #3) by Cindy M. Hogan

For 19-year-old Christy Hadden, it’s life as usual as a spy, only this time in Paris, France. Her mission: retrieve a flash drive containing evidence that a high public official is working to destroy Paris. Pretty standard, until someone steals the drive from her. Forced to abandon her position protecting the informant, she goes after the thief, but returns empty handed—only to find her informant dead.

Christy's failure taints her reputation at Division and the director has lost all faith in her. But Christy isn't one to slink into the shadows. Alone and disgraced, she decides to track down the drive and solve the murder, not only to redeem herself as a spy, but to give meaning to her informant’s sacrifice, and perhaps even save Paris.

Suspenseful, with the right amount of romance, and awash with action, Fatal Exchange will send you on a thrill ride that will be hard to forget.

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

This book had so many elements that I just love.  I was really looking forward to reading this book and it definitely did not disappoint.

Fatal Exchange is the third book in this Christy series.  Christy is a spy and a good one at that.  I love her spy team because they are so fiercely loyal to each other.  They are friends and they look out for each other one hundred percent.

The pacing of this book is fantastic.  It was fast and I felt like I was on a fantastic ride where I hold on for dear life with a smile on my face the whole time.  There is danger and suspense almost around every turn.  It was great fun.

There is some light romance, but it isn't a main focal point in the book until toward the end.  I think this book probably could stand alone, but I would recommend reading the whole series because that is really how you get to know the characters.  I'm sure this book wouldn't have been so good to me if I hadn't been following the series and had that connection to the characters with the background of knowledge that comes with it.

This is, by far, my favorite series from Cindy Hogan.  She has found her groove with these books and I am a fan.

Content:  Clean- no swearing or sexual content beyond some kissing.

Hotwire by Cindy M. Hogan + a $25 Giveaway

Division spy Christy Hadden can't wait for her latest assignment posing as a student at a prestigious New York City academy and car thief extraordinaire. The best part of the mission is her attractive handler, Jeremy, and her new team. The worst part? The sociopath masquerading as the academy's most popular guy. But soon she realizes the car thieves are much more than they seem. Her simple spying mission becomes more dangerous than anyone imagined. If the organization discovers her true identity, they won't hesitate to kill her, and if she fails, others will suffer the same fate. Young Adults, teens and adults will love this exciting suspenseful adventure with a dash of romance. You won't want to put it down.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

iTunes * Smashwords

It's true.  What the blurb says above?  You won't want to put this book down.  I sure didn't want to but I expected that going in.  I looked at my day when I started this book and thought it was going to be tough putting the book down when I had to do so many other things that day as well.  If you've read anything by Cindy Hogan, you know that she writes suspense and tension really well.  All of her books, for me, have been fast paced, full of action with killer tension.

I first got to know Christy in the Watched trilogy and now she has developed into a young woman and a first class spy.  It's also true what the blurb above says about the romance.  There is only a dash, much to my frustration.  Christy has her eye on Jeremy but not much happens on that front.  Just a bit of teasing by the writer that makes you want to beg for more.  haha.  The bad guys in this book will give you shivers (not the good kind either).  There are a lot of bad guys!

This book was good fun to read.  I loved the pull the book had and the constant forward movement.  I'll definitely be coming back for the next book when it comes out.  I hope it's soon!

Content:  Some graphic, intense violence, kissing

Enjoy the following excerpt!

"It took me a second to realize it, but Kozlov was speaking in Russian. I flipped my head to Jericho. He clenched his jaw, and a vein pulsed on his temple. He had definitely understood Kozlov’s words. Did that mean that Jericho knew Russian? Did he have a Russian heritage? Were his parents Russian? Or had he been working for Alexander for a while and had taken Russian classes in order to fit in better? That made more sense to me. Besides, it seemed obvious, now that I knew him better, that he was involved with the bratva for the status, the power of it.

The fire in his eyes told me he would find a way to make me pay. Of that, I was sure

I thought Kozlov would leave now that he had laid down the law, but he didn’t. He stood there, waiting to watch Jericho succeed or fail.

I watched, despondent, as the kids we’d come to save were led away with the same hopeless acceptance they’d shown when we’d taken them out of the container in the first place. It broke my heart.

With military-like precision, Jericho ordered the rest of the guards to take up positions along the path to some container that would be our home for two weeks. I glanced at Jeremy. What was going to happen to us? Would Halluis and Ace be able to send someone? And even if they did, how would we be able to get to our would-be rescuers?"

   

Cindy M. Hogan graduated with a BA in education and is inspired by the unpredictable teenagers she teaches. More than anything she loves the time she has with her own teenage daughters and wishes she could freeze them at this fun age. If she's not reading or writing, you'll find her snuggled up with the love of her life watching a great movie or planning their next party. Most of all, she loves to laugh. She is the bestselling and award winning author of the Watched trilogy, a YA suspense series with a dash of romance. She has since branched off to write a mystery, Gravediggers, that won Best YA novel of 2013, a contemporary romance, Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips, and two in a spy series, Adrenaline Rush and Hotwire.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/26/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quantum Breach by Denver Acey

Tanner Zane is a Mormon with a secret criminal past. Nobody suspects that, before his religious conversion, Tanner hacked into thousands of computer networks across the globe. He accumulated millions of dollars from his illegal activities until a sudden, life-changing event caused him to abandon hacking and give his fortune to charity. But Tanner’s guarded past is exposed when he is kidnapped by his mysterious neighbor and forced to hack into an impossible target – Los Alamos National Labs. Inside the government facility is a prototype quantum computer that is powerful enough to crack the digital safeguards of the Internet. When Tanner learns that cyber-terrorists will use the quantum computer to commit massive identify theft and corporate espionage around the world, he deliberately engages in an intellectual battle with his captors to prevent them from obtaining the device.

Do you see the sub-title under the main title of this book?  "A Mormon Hacker Novel".  That seriously cracks me up.  Oh my.  Tanner, a Mormon with a secret...  I wish they would have gone with "The Quantum Breach" and left it at that.  Yes, the main character is a Mormon (a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) but there is no religious doctrine preached within and the whole idea of him being "Mormon" is really moot point.

Tanner is a likable, smart guy.  His past misdeeds come back to haunt him when he is kidnapped and forced to use his hacking skills again.  He does what he has to do to keep his family alive and safe but all the while he is planning and plotting.  Those kidnappers underestimated Tanner and his abilities.

What I enjoyed as a reader was that while we were following the plans and execution of the kidnappers, we always knew Tanner was up to something but we didn't know exactly what.  There were little hints and I had it mostly figured out, but not entirely.  There was just enough to make me think I was smart but not enough to give it all away.

This book had that spy, espionage feel with some action and danger.  It was completely clean, which I appreciate.  There wasn't really what I would consider romance, which was totally fine with me because this wasn't really that type of book.

I don't know if I can say I loved the eye opening insight into how easy it is for people to gather my information in this digital age.  It is scary to think how easy it is.  I think I am guilty of complacency and even a bit of ignorance when it comes to identity theft and how I put information out into the digital world.  I need to be much more careful.

Overall this was a good book and I really enjoyed reading it.  It kept my attention the whole way through.  The ending left it a bit open so I'm thinking there could be a follow up book.  I would definitely pick up another book by this author.

You can purchase "The Quantum Breach" at Amazon.

Few people understand the terrifying, yet realistic threat of computer hacking like Denver Acey. Denver has spent his entire professional career in the information technology industry where he has witnessed and even thwarted actual cybercrime. From his top-secret job working for the US government to securing computer networks at Fortune 500 companies, Denver is personally familiar with hackers and their unscrupulous activities.

But over the years, Denver has become increasingly frustrated with Hollywood's inaccurate portrayal of cybercrime. Hackers are more intelligent and more sophisticated than simple teenagers, who guzzle down Mountain Dew while playing video games. Cybercrime is a billion-dollar business that encompasses organized crime and foreign governments. For these elite hackers, the fruits of success are iconic trademarks, innovative patents, and government secrets.

Because of his unique background, Denver decided to write a book to dispel hacking myths while highlighting the tenacity of cybercriminals. Utilizing actual computer hacking concepts and scenarios that he has experienced firsthand, Denver illustrates -- in a simple way for even the non-techie to understand -- how vulnerable we all are to cybercrime.

Spy Noon by Jordan McCollum

We're celebrating the launch of Spy Noon, a prequel novella to I, Spy! You can also find Spy Noon at the special 99¢ launch discount through Singles Awareness Day (Feb 14) on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and JordanMcCollum.com!

About the Book

Canada's the last place you'd expect to find an American spy, but CIA operative Talia Reynolds has problems piling up higher than a Canadian snowbank. When Elliott Monteith, her ridiculously handsome new coworker, shows up (and shows her up), Talia decides it's game on. She'll be the first to track down a dangerous counter-spy, and she'll give Elliott an unforgettable souvenir of his time in Ottawa: some humble pie.

Her plans don't work as well as she expects, though. Elliott's over-the-top flirting dredges up too many painful memories for Talia and undermines the confidence she's worked hard to regain. To do her job and keep her integrity intact, she'll have to keep her personal feelings at bay. Now Talia must find a way to work alongside Elliott—and maybe even trust him—to outsmart the enemy.

This is a review I squeezed in at the last minute because I just couldn't stand to not be a part of it. This spy series by Jordan McCollum is one of my favorites. It is fun, fast paced and full of wit and humor. Spy Noon is a prequel to the full length novels. It is a novella, super short, but also provides that little bit of insight and understanding into the relationship between Talia and Elliott.

 

Elliott is such a character.  Talia has a hard time knowing what he's really about with all the flirting, joking and cockiness.  He's driving Talia crazy but even she has to admit that he is good at what he does and he always has her back.  I loved Talia's "ah-ha" moment at the end of the book.  It settled things in her mind, in my mind, and set the whole stage for the rest of the books.

I loved this novella just as I have loved this whole series.  I'm always happy to see an email pop up regarding something "spy" and new.  It makes me happy.  If you haven't read this series yet, you really, really should.

This book is clean.  :)

Read an excerpt!

This excerpt comes from chapter six. Talia and her handsome (and cocky) new coworker are alone together on an assignment.

Our “date” comes too soon, with me and Elliott stuck in the back of a surveillance van again once the sun sets. We haven’t seen our target coming or going here, but we’re trying to be patient.

Patience is a more than a virtue for a spy. It’s a saving grace. As in something that actually saves you.

Will’s in the Marriott lounge, chilling on one of those yellow leather chairs. Elliott and I stand — sit — at the ready to spring into action, too. As soon as one of us sees the right guy.

Elliott kicks back in his chair again, watching the live feed on the laptop. “So, Canada.”

I don’t move. “You just figure out what country you’re in?”

“I was going to ask you for the lay of the land. Baselining, you know.”

Now I move — to scrutinize him. “You wanted my take?”

“Yeah, sure.”

For a long second of silence, I consider that. He might really think I have something worth contributing?

“Or you could stare at me,” he says. “I’m told it’s a great view.”

Ugh. “How stupid of me, believing you were capable of thinking about work for sixty consecutive seconds.”

“Thinking about work? I was just playing hard to get.” Elliott grins, bowing closer to me. “You know you love me.”

I glare. “Shut. Up. Elliott.”

He reconfigures his smile, growing more mysterious. Like he thinks I’m flirting back — or no, not quite that. But whatever he believes this is, he likes it.

Why this scene? Jordan loves this interchange in particular because she lived it.

More about Spy Noon | Add Spy Noon to Goodreads! 

The Spy Another Day series

I, Spy Book One	Spy for a Spy Book Two
To save her secrets and her country, CIA operative Talia Reynolds must sacrifice the man she loves.	Talia's new boss is her ex-boyfriend. And that's the just beginning of her problems.
Finalist 2013 Whitney Awards	Finalist 2013 Whitney Awards
Mr. Nice Spy Prequel novella Elliott Monteith must choose between  his fiancée and his fellow spy. Cake. Now free! Chronologically, Spy Noon is the first in the series.

An award-winning author, Jordan McCollum can’t resist a story where good defeats evil and true love conquers all. In her day job, she coerces people to do things they don’t want to, elicits information and generally manipulates the people she loves most—she’s a mom.

Jordan holds a degree in American Studies and Linguistics from Brigham Young University. When she catches a spare minute, her hobbies include reading, knitting and music. She lives with her husband and four children in Utah.

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Email newsletter 

Tour Stops

February 3
Readalot Rhonda
Shooting Stars Reviews  

February 4
Jae Randall
Rebecca Shelley

February 5
Lisa Swinton, Queen of Random
Getting Your Read On  

February 6
I Love to Read and Review Books
The Stubby Pencil
Tressa's Wishful Endings

Spy for a Spy by Jordan McCollum + a giveaway!

We're celebrating the launch of Spy for a Spy, sequel to I, Spy! Read on to get a cool spy tip for your daily life, free & discounted reads, and enter to win some great prizes! You can also find Spy for a Spy at the special $3.99 launch discount on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and JordanMcCollum.com!

About the Book

Canada is probably the last place you’d expect to find an American spy. And it was the last place CIA operative Talia Reynolds expected to run into fellow operative Brand Copley. AKA her new boss. AKA her ex-boyfriend.

Just the guy every woman wants to face in the middle of planning her wedding. Once again, Talia’s lying to the man she loves, but this time, to protect his heart. After Brand takes over Talia’s latest case and steals her newest agent, he assigns her to spy on her old boss—who’s suddenly giving her every reason not to trust him. With only weeks until the big day, planning falls by the wayside as she goes into damage control mode. But when Talia discovers Brand’s real motives, fighting him is the only option, no matter what the personal and professional cost.

I am a Jordan McCollum fan. I just can't help it. There might have been a little squee that escaped me when I was invited to sign on for this blog tour. Yeah, a little squee. I reviewed "I, Spy" awhile ago and a couple weeks ago I read the novella, "Mr. Nice Spy". There is just something about these spy books that have me hooked.

Talia is so flawed, so tortured.  You want to simultaneously shake her and love her.  Really her motivations are honorable- lying to protect the innocent (aka Danny).  But keeping people in the dark in the name of love and protection isn't always the best and smartest idea.  You would think Talia would have learned that by now, but no.  She just keeps on making the same mistakes.  Danny has the patience of a saint.  Honestly.  If we could only bottle that up and sell it. . .  :)

"Spy for a Spy" had me so absorbed, flying through the book.  I had to keep telling myself to slow it down, take it easy.  I just couldn't help it.  I felt like I was going crazy for half the book.  Like Talia.  The first person narrative really works for this book.  It's so easy to get caught up in her head.

This book is clean (like squeeky)(no swearing, no sex) which I completely love.  There are mentions of the main characters being LDS and some traits particular to the LDS faith (no drinking, no premarital sex) but there is nothing preachy at all.  No religious discussions or anything of that nature.

Well, I'll end as I began.  Coming full circle to this:  I am a Jordan McCollum fan and I love this book series.  I can't wait for the next book.  I wonder if we'll ever get Talia and Danny against the world together?  That would be completely awesome.  

Excerpt

From chapter 12: CIA operative Talia Reynolds's ex-boyfriend/new boss, Brand, has assigned her to spy on her old boss, Will, who's allegedly betraying their country. Though Talia doesn't trust Brand, she has to take the assignment—especially once she realizes Will is trying to recruit her fiancé Danny to the CIA.
Parked outside Will’s house three days later, I readjust my binoculars and slump a little lower in my car seat. It’s dark, I’m in a car he won’t recognize, and he should have no reason to worry, but I’m nothing if not careful.
Will’s not nearly as cautious as I am. (Seriously, no one is.) No surveillance detection run on the way home, no meetings, no signals, no nothing. In fact, this has to be one of the most boring surveillance assignments I’ve ever done. Brand. Is. Wrong.
The garage door to Will’s unremarkable stucco rambler rolls open and there’s everyone’s favorite CIA chief of station in a Mr. Rogers cardigan. Leaving for a meeting with an agent?
Will heads past his perfectly nondescript car: Canada’s most common make, model, and even color — Honda, Civic, white. He’s got a bag. I train my focus on that black garbage bag, less than half full. To anyone else, that’s just trash. To me, it’s something he doesn’t want people to see. My pulse picks up a tick. This could be important.
Will reaches the passenger side of his car. Opens the door. Leans in. He’ll stick the bag in there and drive off and betray everything he was ever supposed to stand for.
Or not. He straightens, pulls out a Tim Hortons sack and stuffs it in the trash bag. He deposits the garbage in the black plastic bin beside his house and goes back in.
No relief allowed yet. Could still be a drop off. A risky one, sure, but we’re in Canada. How secretive would a double agent from a friendly foreign country have to be?
It’s a long, long night until the lights go out at Will’s. I wait until he has to be asleep, each minute ratcheting the muscles in my shoulders, my back, my legs tighter. Finally, I open the car door and prowl along the hedgerow to check the back. Lights off.
I move to the garbage can and ease the lid open. Of course the bag is way at the bottom. Grateful it’s well after dark, I lower the can to the ground and crawl inside.
Yes, the real life of a spy puts James Bond movies to shame. Nonstop glamour. I drag the bag out and replace the trash can, hunkering down beside it to hide from the street. Normally, I’d take this and run (yes, I do this enough to have a “normally”), but I can’t risk Will noticing. I hardly need my flashlight to see that this is an unremarkable, sadly lonely load of kitchen trash: microwave dinners, desserts for one, budget meals. I almost feel bad for our $150 tab this week, like he’s been doing penance for his accounting gluttony.
Nothing incriminating here whatsoever. Okay, so Will’s trying to recruit Danny to the CIA. Doesn’t mean he’s gone to the dark side.
Could I have fallen for Brand’s strategy all along: put me on Will’s trail to keep me off his? Everything he’s been doing — all that talk about how I can’t be impartial, the “apologies,” those “genuine” gestures, siccing me on Will, if only for a few days — it’s not just Brand being obnoxious. It’s Brand being covert.
Yep, I’m an idiot. I reload the garbage bag, slip it back into the bin and head out.
I know what I have to do. I have to watch Brand, and I have to be extra careful to make sure he thinks everything’s fine.
More about Spy for a Spy | Add Spy for a Spy to your Goodreads to-read list!

Hone your spy skills

Spy skills can come in handy in the most unusual situations, like this one . . . Further hone your spy skills by reading Spy for a Spy!

About the author

An award-winning author, Jordan McCollum can’t resist a story where good defeats evil and true love conquers all. In her day job, she coerces people to do things they don’t want to, elicits information and generally manipulates the people she loves most—she’s a mom. Jordan holds a degree in American Studies and Linguistics from Brigham Young University. When she catches a spare minute, her hobbies include reading, knitting and music. She lives with her husband and four children in Utah.

Join the party & enter to win!

As part of the debut of Spy for a Spy, Jordan is co-hosting a launch party with Julie Coulter Bellon, author of Pocket Full of Posies. Join us November 12 on Facebook (Jordan's and Julie's pages) and Twitter (follow Julie and Jordan) for drawings throughout the day, and enter to win more fabulous prizes here!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special deals!

Spy for a Spy is a sequel to the novel I, Spy, available for 99¢ at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Jordan's site this week only! To save her country and her secrets, CIA operative Talia Reynolds will have to sacrifice the man she loves. More about I, Spy. Also, as a free gift this week, Jordan is giving out free e-copies of a prequel novella, Mr. Nice Spy, on Amazon and her site!