Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Review : Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: 6.26.2012
Pages: 400
Source: Own 

The Story:

Your heart misleads you. That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy.


But it won't be.

Because he's Amish. And I'm not.
 

RatingFOUR GOLD STARS!!!!

My Review: One Word: ENSNARING

Each and every time I have visited Barnes and Nobles recently, I have picked up Forever and stared at it curious about Noah and Rose's story. But it was the last books in Karen Ann Hopkins trilogy. So, when I finally decided to head to B&N to pick up Temptation low and behold there were no copies. of any of the three books in the trilogy. Anxious to read the trilogy, I got my butt on Amazon and purchased them.

I could not stop reading!

I am not even joking, for two days straight, I binge read the Temptation trilogy. From beginning to end, I was ensnared with Noah Miller and Rose Cameron's love story. The way Hopkins incorporated the Amish culture and using it as the basis for the forbidden love aspect was brilliant. And so darn believable.

When I say believable, I absolutely mean it. All of the characters, especially Noah and Rose were written so genuinely. They felt and were portrayed exactly as teens in their age would. Neither character was put on a pedestal. or flawless. There were times where I go frustrated with them, for being the teenagers they were.  For instance, Noah was honorable, kind but selfish. Rose was the typical teenage girl but bitchy.

And I found the experience was refreshing.

Noah and Rose's story is about two teenagers falling in love for the first time and all the pains, headaches and adult interference that comes with it topped with an Amish twist. Temptation is definitely a worthwhile read.

Happy Reading!
Thursday, July 24, 2014

TGTG #14: And the winner is . . .


My fourteenth Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway is now complete! With that said, today is the day to name to winner. May I have a drum roll please? The winner of the is . . .

Danielle Meek

Congratulations, Danielle!

You are the recipient of ARCs of Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater & The Dream Thievesby Maggie Stiefvater!

On a final note, I've already sent you an email regarding your prize. If for some reason you have not received said email contact me at TheTatteredPage@yahoo.com. Remember, you have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will have to be drawn.

Thank you to all for becoming followers of The Tattered Page and for participating in my giveaway.

Hope you enjoy the books, Danielle!

Happy Reading!
Haysel

P.S. For those of you who didn't win, don't fret I will be hosting a ton of giveaways over the next few months!
Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Review : The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc
Publication date: 7.1.2010
Pages: 384
Source: Own 

The Story:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival.

- Barnes and Noble


RatingFOUR GOLD STARS!!!!

My Review:

Before I start my rant about The Hunger Games, I have to admit that I was reluctant to read it -- as you can see I waited until now to do so. And to be honest, I cannot give you a good reason why. Perhaps it was a number of things that prevented me from reading the book. Maybe I was afraid the book would let me down since the film was so good? or maybe I was afraid that the film strayed to far from the novel and I would be pissed?

Well, that does not matter now. I finally give in and read The Hunger Games. And loved it!

The characters were real and came off the pages. Katniss, the girl on fire, and Peeta, the boy with the bread = . The pace off the story was steady. There was just the right balance of thrill, unrequited love humor (yes!) and relative material. I mean, I fell into the story. I felt a part of it. The whole while I was reading The Hunger Games, I felt as if I were beside Katniss. Absolutely mind-altering work of literature that gets under your skin.
"Without thinking, I pull an arrow from my quiver and send it straight at the Gamemakers' table. I hear shouts of alarm as people stumble back. the arrow skewers the apple in the pigs' mouth and pins it to the wall behind it. Everyone stares at me in disbelief.
'Thank you for your consideration,' I say. then I give a slight bow and walk straight toward he exit without being dismissed" [page 102].

What I found most interesting, was how Katniss always assume she would be the one to kill Peeta during the games, although she never outright stated or even admitted it (Pages 33, 72, etc.). Yet, in the end, Katniss was the one to save Peeta.

But let us get back to Peeta Mellark. Oh, Peeta, Peeta, Peeta. He is such a sweetheart but not to the point of weakness. Maybe that is why I love his character?  Not to mention, how much better does it get then when you find out the cute, kind boy with the beard secretly pined Katniss since they were 5 years old! Can I get a "book boyfriend material!"? Amen.

"'And right when your song ended, I knew -- just like your mother -- I was a goner,' Peeta says. 'Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you'" [pages 300-301].

Now, I am patiently (sike!) waiting for my copies of Catching Fire and Mockingjay to arrive in the mail. Cannot wait to read them -- although I think I am going to wait to read Mockingjay after the movies since that will be the case for the first two books in the trilogy.

*** Check out Suzanne Collins website for more information about her and The Hunger Games: HERE

Happy Reading!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

TGTG #13: And the winner is . . .


My thirteenth Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway is now complete! With that said, today is the day to name to winner. May I have a drum roll please? The winner of the is . . .

Danielle Meek

Congratulations, Danielle!

You are the recipient of ARCs of The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre & The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin. So you get to crack the cover of The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone open before finished copies hits stores on August 12, 2014!

On a final note, I've already sent you an email regarding your prize. If for some reason you have not received said email contact me at TheTatteredPage@yahoo.com. Remember, you have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will have to be drawn.

Thank you to all for becoming followers of The Tattered Page and for participating in my giveaway.

Hope you enjoy the books, Danielle!

Happy Reading!
Haysel

P.S. For those of you who didn't win, don't fret I will be hosting a ton of giveaways over the next few months!

Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway #14


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Enter for a chance to win Sinner AND The Dream Thievesby Maggie Stiefvater right here!


 
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef33/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values:

        +10 for Following this blog
        +4 for Leaving a blog post comment
        +5 for Following me on Twitter
        +10 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter

4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on July 24th 2014 and a winner will be chosen July 25, 2014.
10. The books are FREE all I ask is that the winner pay for shipping (Priority Flat-Rate $5.15)
11. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater:

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc
Expected Publication Date: July 1, 2014
 
SINNER follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Shiver Trilogy.
found.
Cole St. Clair has come to California for one reason: to get Isabel Culpeper back. She fled from his damaged, drained life, and damaged and drained it even more. He doesn't just want her. He needs her.
lost.
Isabel is trying to build herself a life in Los Angeles. It's not really working. She can play the game as well as all the other fakes. But what's the point? What is there to win?
sinner.
Cole and Isabel share a past that never seemed to have a future. They have the power to love each other and the power to tear each other apart. The only thing for certain is that they cannot let go.

 
Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater:
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publication Date: September 17, 2013

The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!
Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after....
 
 
- via Barnes & Noble

Happy Reading!
Haysel


Thursday, July 10, 2014

TGTG #12: And the winner is . . .


My twelve Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway is now complete! With that said, today is the day to name to winner. May I have a drum roll please? The winner of the is . . .

Diana

Congratulations, Diana! You are the recipient of ARCs of The Orchard of Hope by Amy Neftzger and The Young World by Chris Weitz. So you get to crack the cover of The Young World open before finished copies hits stores on July 29, 2014!

On a final note, I've already sent you an email regarding your prize. If for some reason you have not received said email contact me at TheTatteredPage@yahoo.com. Remember, you have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will have to be drawn.

Thank you to all for becoming followers of The Tattered Page and for participating in my giveaway.

Hope you enjoy the books, Diana!

Happy Reading!
Haysel

P.S. For those of you who didn't win, don't fret I will be hosting a ton of giveaways over the next few months!

Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway #13


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Enter for a chance to win The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre & The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin right here!


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef29/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values:

        +10 for Following this blog
        +4 for Leaving a blog post comment
        +5 for Following me on Twitter
        +10 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter

4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on July 16th 2014 and a winner will be chosen July 17, 2014.
10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.

The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre:

Publisher: Orbit
Expected Publication Date: July 8, 2014
 
I haven't touched another person in three years.
That seems like it would be a difficult task, but it's not. Not anymore, thanks to the internet.
My anonymous clients spend thousands of dollars to watch me take my clothes off for the camera. What they want, I give. Their secrets, I keep.
Everything I tell them is a lie.
Open the door to this year's most shocking thriller.
 
The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin:
Publisher: Soho Press, Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: August 12, 2014
For fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Girl, Interrupted, and A.S. King, National Book Award-finalist Adele Griffin tells the fully illustrated story of a brilliant young artist, her mysterious death, and the fandom that won't let her go.
From the moment she stepped foot in NYC, Addison Stone’s subversive street art made her someone to watch, and her violent drowning left her fans and critics craving to know more. I conducted interviews with those who knew her best—including close friends, family, teachers, mentors, art dealers, boyfriends, and critics—and retraced the tumultuous path of Addison's life. I hope I can shed new light on what really happened the night of July 28.
—Adele Griffin
 
 
- via Barnes & Noble

Happy Reading!
Haysel


Thursday, July 3, 2014

Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway #12!


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Can't wait to read Amy Neftzger's highly anticipated yet to be released teen fantasy? What about Chris Weitz's upcoming YA? . . . If so, you can snag The Orchard of Hope and The Young World  right here.


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef27/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway



RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form
2. Provide a working email with your entry
3. Entries point values:

        +10 for Following this blog
Bonus entries:
        +2 for Leaving a blog post comment
        +3 for Following me on Twitter
        +5 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter
4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9.
The giveaway ends midnight on July 9nd 2014 and a winner will be chosen July 10, 2014.
10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.

The Orchard of Hope by Amy Neftzger:
Publisher: Fields of Gold Publishing
Publication date: June 23, 2014
 "Hope is never gone, but it can be eaten alive."
A quest to save hope.
A kingdom under a spell.
A wizard in training.
A gargoyle with a sweet tooth.
The sequel to The Orphanage of Miracles is filled with engaging characters, magic, adventure, and unusual circumstance. It's a story that will both entertain and inspire the reader.
Kelsey, a strong-willed and high spirited young girl, embarks upon another adventurous quest - this time to save hope, which is being stolen from the orchard. While the kingdom is still under the spell of the evil sorcerer who distorts reality in order to gain control, the king begins training someone who he believes can ultimately defeat the sorcerer: a young boy named Nicholas. Revisit some of your favorite characters or meet them for the first time in this volume.
The Young Worldby Chris Weitz:

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: July 29, 2014

Welcome to New York, a city ruled by teens.
After a mysterious Sickness wipes out the rest of the population, the young survivors assemble into tightly run tribes. Jefferson, the reluctant leader of the Washington Square tribe, and Donna, the girl he's secretly in love with, have carved out a precarious existence among the chaos. But when another tribe member discovers a clue that may hold the cure to the Sickness, five teens set out on a life-altering road trip to save humankind.
The tribe exchanges gunfire with enemy gangs, escapes cults and militias, braves the wilds of the subway and Central Park...and discovers truths they could never have imagined.
 
- via Barnes & Noble

Happy Reading!
Haysel