Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Wishlist Wednesday #5


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*



Snow Like Ashes by Joanne Dahme

PublisherBalzer + Bray
Release DateOctober 14, 2014
Pages: 432

The Story:

Game of Thrones meets Graceling in this striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self.  Sara Raasch’s debut fantasy is a lightning-fast story of loyalty, love, and controlling one’s destiny.
Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. The Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been searching for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild their kingdom ever since.
Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, Winter’s future king—she would do anything to help Winter rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of half of the ancient locket that can restore their magic, Meira decides to go after it herself—only to find herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics, and to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Wishlist Wednesday #4


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*



Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

PublisherHarperTeen 
Release DateFebruary 10, 2015
Pages: 400

The Story:

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard's sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king's palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?
Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.
To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!


Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Wishlist Wednesday #3


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*


The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

PublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux 
Release DateMarch 3, 2015
Pages: 416

The Story:

Following your heart can be a crime
A royal wedding is what most girls dream about. It means one celebration after another: balls, fireworks, and revelry until dawn. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement: that she agreed to marry the crown prince in exchange for Arin’s freedom. But can Kestrel trust Arin? Can she even trust herself? For Kestrel is becoming very good at deception. She’s working as a spy in the court. If caught, she’ll be exposed as a traitor to her country. Yet she can’t help searching for a way to change her ruthless world . . . and she is close to uncovering a shocking secret. 
This dazzling follow-up to The Winner’s Curse reveals the high price of dangerous lies and untrustworthy alliances. The truth will come out, and when it does, Kestrel and Arin will learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!


Thursday, October 9, 2014

TGTG #18 : And the winner is . . .


My 16th 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 . . .

Michelle

Congratulations, Michelle!

You are the recipient of a hard copy of The One by Kiera Cass, as well as ARCs of Awaken by Meg Cabot & The Jewel by Amy Ewing!

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.comRemember, 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, Michelle!

Happy Reading!




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, October 8, 2014

Wishlist Wednesday #2


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*




What I Thought was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

PublisherDial Books 
Release DateApril 15, 2014
Pages: 416

The Story:

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to My Life Next Door is a magnetic, push-me-pull-me summer romance for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her idyllic Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past--or the island--Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true--about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself--with what really is.

Huntley Fitzpatrick delivers another enticing summer read full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions, and a romance that will make every reader swoon.


-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!


Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Review : Magnolia by Kristi Cook

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

PublisherSimon Pulse
Publication date: 8/5/2014
Pages: 336
Source: Own

The Story:
Jenna and Ryder are far from friends—until a storm stirs up their passion in this contemporary southern romance fromNew York Times bestselling author Kristi Cook.
In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, The Cafferty and Marsden families are practically royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when the families finally have a baby boy and girl at the same time, the perfect opportunity seems to have arrived.
Except Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen—oh, and also? They hate each other. Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would prefer it if stubborn-headed Jemma didn’t exist. And their communication is not exactly effective: even a casual hello turns into a yelling match.
But when a violent Mississippi storm ravages through Magnolia Branch, it unearths feelings Jemma and Ryder didn’t know they had. And the line between love and hate just might be thin enough to cross…
Barnes & Noble
 

RatingTHREE GOLD STARS!!!!!

My Review: One word: CHARMING

As you Bookies well know, I am not much for Contemporaries but! have you read The Story (blurb) above? How could I resist? Not only that but I am trying to broaden my horizon that usually entails Paranormal Romance and I took the time to read the Sample of Magnolia and I was pleased.

A red-head Jemma Cafferty sticks true to the saying, with the fiery attitude to go along with it. Jemma is the second and youngest child who doesn't think she shines much -- in comparison to her athletically gifted older sister -- and isn't one much for breaking the rules. Jemma is a mostly likable character who does not entirely get on my nerves which is a plus but there were times when her unnecessary temper tantrums got on my nerves -- but I have a sneaking suspicion that may have been Kristi Cook's intention. On that note, I like that, although her mother as well as her mother's best friend basically mapped out her entire life, Jemma is not completely weak and docile. Holding the title for the best shot in Magnolia Branch county (including among men) and how she progressively comes into her independence throughout the novel are two more pluses.

Moving on, insert plot twist! Ryder Marsden. Honestly, I don't have much -- if anything -- against Ryder; simply put, he didn't do anything to piss me off. Anywho, Ryder is Magnolia Branch's golden boy, the all-star quarterback with his pick of colleges vying for him, the best grades in school, and family wealth. Not to mention is mouthwatering hot. Any girl would love to hang on his arm right? Wrong. Well at least wrong for Jemma.

"I exhale sharply. The answer is boxer briefs, heather-gray ones. And right now they're clinging to him wetly, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. He looks like a god. A six-foot-four, football-playing god, and I am staring at him with my mouth hanging open like some kind of pathetic freak" [page 144].

To make the story interesting, Jemma and Ryder absolutely loath each other. Living on the same property, having Sunday dinner together every week, spending vacations together and knowing your mothers are unabashedly and enthusiastically planning your marriage since the womb can have that affect. Besides when your has been forcing a match on you so the families can finally be tied by marriage, she must be wrong ... right?

"'Go. I hate you, Ryder Marsden!'
'Yeah, well . . . the feeling's mutual,' he throws back over one shoulder" [page 28].

Having said all of that, let us delve into my overall thoughts of Magnolia. I enjoyed the book. I even finished it in one day. The characters were likable, the leading guy was hot, the story takes place in the South (and for some reason, lately I have been drawn to Contemporary Romances set in the South) and there is character growth. Alas, my only complaint is that there were a lot of cliches used in the writing. Believe me, I am not dead set against cliches at all but ... in Magnolia they stood out, nagged at me. Ending on a good note, there were some humorous quotes, which is always an asset that I appreciate when I read. All in all, Magnolia is a quick, enjoyable piece worth it's reading time.

"... That boy's got a stick up his ass, if you ask me.'
'A very attractive one at that.'
'What, the stick or his ass?'" [page 83].

*** Check out Kristi Cook's website for more information about her and Magnolia: HERE 

Happy Reading!
Friday, October 3, 2014

Feature Friday ARC Review : Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick


*Feature Friday is a meme I came up with to feature YA books that have not yet been released by reviewing them on The Tattered Page.*

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

Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers
Release Date: 10.7.2014
Pages: 400
Source: ARC

The Story:
Danger is hard to resist in this sexy thriller from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.
Britt Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn’t prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.
Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there…and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.
But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?
Black Ice is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…
via -- Barnes & Noble

RatingFOUR Gold Stars!!!!

My Review: One word: THRILLING

Becca Fitzpatrick makes my Top 5 Favorite Authors List, hands down. I devoured the Hush, Hush series as if my life depended so it goes without saying that I was itching for another Fitzpatrick Fix. So, when I snagged an ARC of Black Ice you can imagine how fast I cracked the cover open. The best part was: I loved Black Ice!

Honestly, although I loved the Hush, Hush series, I was still apprehensive about a thrilling contemporary. Normally I am not much for thrillers or contemporary. But, Fitzpatrick did not let me down! Reading Black Ice was such a great pleasure.

Now, on to the good stuff. Black Ice is a story of a Britt Pfeiffer who has training every spare moment she could to backpack through Teton Range. So, for spring break, Britt only has two things in mind: one, hang with her best friend, Korbie, in the family cabin on the Teton Range and, two, forget about Calvin, Korbie's brother.

But of course, Britt's plan does not follow orders.

Before they are even able to make it to the cabin Britt and Korbie get caught in an unexpected blizzard and are forced to ditch the Jeep on the road. Everything goes downhill from there. But Britt, who is clever and has just enough spunk, takes her hardships in stride. No one enjoys reading a weak MC. And although Britt starts off as dependent, by the end of Black Ice she grows into her own. Girl power! As for the other characters, Korbie is a spoiled, competitive girl who uses Britt as an emotional doormat and Calvin is a jerk who apologetically ditched Britt as soon as he got the chance. Save to say I don't like the siblings much. But all is well, Becca makes up for it with another character (whom, I won't tell ;))!

Packed with a murder mystery, kidnapping, threat of starvation and frostbite, romance, suspense and more, Black Ice keeps readers on their toes, begging to see what happens next. Who can Britt trust? Is Britt in the grasp of the one responsible for murdering all those girls in the last year? Will she make off the range alive? Does Calvin's feeling for her still exist and spur him to her rescue?

Also, I want to say thanks to Simon and Schuster for distributing copies of Black Ice at BEA 2014!

*** Check out Becca Fitzpatrick's website for more information about her and Black Ice: HERE

Happy Reading!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway #18!


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  One by Kiera Cass, Awaken by Meg Cabot & The  Jewel   by Amy Ewing  right here!


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
        +3 for Leaving a blog post comment
        +4 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 October 8th 2014 and a winner will be chosen October 9th, 2014.
10.  Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.


The One by Kiera Cass:

PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
Expected Publication Date: May 6, 2014
The time has come for one winner to be crowned.
When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.
- via Barnes and Noble
     

Awaken  by Meg Cabot:

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Expected Publication Date: July 2, 2013



From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth comes to a thrilling conclusion.
Death has her in his clutches. She doesn't want him to let go.
Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she'd be forced to live forever in the one place she's always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves.
But now her happiness -- and safety -- are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul.
If the balance between life and death isn't fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce's home back on earth will be wiped away. But there's only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.
- via Barnes and Noble

The Jewel by Amy Ewing:

Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Expected Publication Date: September 14, 2014
The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty.
But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude.
Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.
Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel's glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.
Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence . . . and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess's petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.
Debut author Amy Ewing expertly crafts an enchanting story full of riches, rivalries, and riveting twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
- via Barnes and Noble

Happy Reading!



Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Wishlist Wednesday #1


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*


Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez

PublisherKatherine Tegen Books
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Pages: 432

The Story:

Love. Betrayal. Murder.
Valentina is living a charmed, glittering life in Miami—falling in love for the first time, showered with gifts and affection by her father, surrounded by friends—when one shocking moment shatters everything she thought she knew about herself, her boyfriend, and her world. With no one left to trust, Valentina sheds her identity and flees to Montreal, where she finds work posing for a series of portraits by a pompous young artist. Valentina has always been at home in the art world, but she's never felt quite so alone.
Valentina's carefully constructed new life comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, putting her safety in question and her heart on the line. With betrayal at every turn, Valentina must untangle the deceptions of those she once loved and race to find her own truth—before it's too late.

-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!