April 2016 Wrap-Up!

A review of the monthly activities on the blog incl. book reviews, memes, 
reading challenge additions, book hauls

Hey Bookies!

This is my Wrap Up post for April! Last month, I was in such a reading slump - with being half-way through the semester and just not really being able to get into any books. But I am happy to say, this month I have broken free! I have read several books this month so take a look:

Books Read:

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Books Reviewed:

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

New Books:

. . . To name a few

For full details check out my In My Mailbox posts for April

 In My Mailbox #22

 In My Mailbox #23

Book In Progress:

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

May TBR:

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

If you have any suggestions on improving my Wrap Ups for the future posts, comment below.

Happy Reading!

Review : A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Pages: 448
Source: Won

The Story:

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R.R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin--one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin--and his world--forever.

via Amazon

Rating: 

One-word Review:  SPELLBINDING

Reading Tune:  We are the Hearts by EXGF

Tag Line:

The She stole a life.

Now she must pay with her heart.

Opening Line:

The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice.

My Review: 

Plot:

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the best book I have read in a long while! If you have not read A Court of Thorns and Roses yet, now is the time to get your ass on Amazon and order a copy -- and the sequel, A Court of Mist and Fury, while you are at it!

YAS! Just yes! I went into A Court of Thorns and Roses not knowing what to expect from the New Adult retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I am not a fan of New Adult. Or faeries for that matter, which I found out were a large part of the book after I was already in love. Having said that, the plot was much more than the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. There was war being evil Faeries and human, the threat of an powerful, ancient foe. A slow-burning, then passionate affair.

A Court of Thorns and Roses pacing was perfect. At no point did I feel the story drag. Maas' writing was phenomenal! This is the first book written by Maas that I have read and I fell in love with her writing. I do not know why I waited so long to read A Court of Thorns and Roses but I am glad I did! A Court of Thorns and Roses is my favorite book of 2016. The world-building was wonderful, I felt immersed in a different realm. I could not put the story down!

All in all, you need to read A Court of Thorns and Roses. Like yesterday. It is such an enchanting tale, a brilliant twist on Beauty and the Beast. I promise, you will not regret it. 

Character Breakdown:

The characters jumped off the page. They were so well written, fleshed out. Their personality were all different and bright and worked well together.

Feyre  - Feyre is a fierce, clever, kick-ass character while still managing to be soft, feminine, witty. She was also selfless and loyal and loved her family even when they did not exactly deserve it.

Tamlin - Man, did I love me some of Tamlin! So sexy, rugged, stoic. TeamTamlin all the way!

"This was such a lovely dream. I'd never slept so wonderfully before. So warm, nestled beside him. Calm. Faintly, echoing into my world of slumber, he spoke again, his breath caressing my ear. "You're exactly as I dreamed you'd be, too.'"- pages 212

Meet the Author:

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series. A New York City native, Sarah currently lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with her husband and dog.

***Check out Sarah J. Maas' website for more information about her and A Court of Thorns and Roses: HERE






Happy Reading!

Wishlist Wednesday #80

*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 Raping of Ava DeSantis by Mylo Garbia

Publisher:  Rockefeller Publishing Group, Inc. 

Release Date: September 10, 2015
Pages: 420

The Story:

Set in 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia, The Raping of Ava DeSantis tells the story of a working class college student who is brutally attacked by three wealthy fraternity brothers, then confronted with the decision of a lifetime: accept money to stay quiet or seek justice with the police. What she does in response 15 years later is the basis of this captivating woman's revenge thriller that will have readers talking for years to come.
 
With brilliantly written characters, bone-chilling, fast-paced scenes and a double twist ending, The Raping of Ava DeSantis is the perfect blend of suspense, thriller and horror -- guaranteed to entertain both female and male readers alike.
 

-via Amazon

Meet the Author

Mylo Carbia is a former screenwriter turned #1 bestselling author widely known for her work in the horror-thriller genre and trademark of surprise twist endings. Her writing style has been described as "a perfect mix between Stephen King, M. Night Shyamalan and Quentin Tarantino, but infused with a signature female sharpness that is all her own." 

Born and raised in Jackson, New Jersey, Carbia famously spent her childhood years writing to escape the horrors of growing up in a severely haunted house. After spending 13 years ghostwriting films, Carbia left Hollywood to release a series of bestselling novels all featuring strong female protagonists. 

In 2015, her debut novel "The Raping of Ava DeSantis" hit #1 Bestseller in New Releases, #1 Bestseller in Horror, #1 Bestseller in American Horror and #1 Bestseller in Horror Classics only two days after its official release. 

Today, Carbia splits her time between New York City and South Florida. She continues to write exclusively for the literary world and plans to release seven more novels over the next several years. Her highly anticipated follow-up "Violets Are Red" is targeted for release in early 2018.

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

Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday #15

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just flip through your current read to a random page -- or not -- and share two teaser quotes from somewhere on said page.

This week my Teaser Tuesday quotes will be taken from my current read, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

Teaser #1:

"Inside that hissing voice I'd heard the screaming of human victims, the pleading of young maidens whose chests had been split open on sacrificial altars." - page 181

Teaser #2:

"'You drove me mad,' he growled, and the sound trembled down my neck, along my breasts until they ached. 'I searched for you, and you weren't there. When I didn't find you,' he said, brining his face closer to mine, until we shared breath, 'it made me pick another." - page 196

What teasers are you sharing this week?
Don't forget to tell me in the comments or on twitter; @TheTatteredPage. You can also use #ACOTAR on twitter if you're reading it! 

Happy Reading!

New YA Releases: Week of April of 25th

Here are some upcoming releases this week. Release dates sources: 

Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.

The Raven King (Raven Cycle) by Maggie Stiefvater

The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Soldier by Julie Kagawa

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Heir to the Sky by Amanda Sun

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian

Happy Reading!

Review : Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

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

Publisher: Speak
Release Date: August 15, 2013
Pages: 384
Source: Own

The Story:

You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand...

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White's sleepy, seaside town... until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet's crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet's grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet's already so knee-deep in love, she can't see straight. And that's just how River likes it.

A gothic thriller romance with shades of Stephen King and F. Scott Fitzgerald, set against a creepy summertime backdrop—a must-read for fans of Beautiful Creatures, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, and Anna Dressed in Blood.

via Amazon

Rating:  

One-word Review:  CREEPY

Reading Tune: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by XYLO

Tag Line:

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White's sleepy, seaside town ... Until River West comes along.

Opening Line:

"You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand."

My Review: 

Plot:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea was not at all what I expected. The opening line was such a fantastically, wicked hook. 

"You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand."

But after the first some odd pages the story was slow to get juicy. And still didn't get all that juicy. There were gruesome murders, lies, secrets. But no passion or sizzle really... And all the good bad stuff wasn't what I thought it be - it was two faced. If that makes any sense at all - it's more of you have to read Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea to really understand.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea pacing was slow for me, honestly. I expected more bang for my buck. More fast-paced evilness. I expected to be flipping through pages of devilish delights. *sigh* Tucholke's writing was not amateur, she was good at conveying Violet internal struggle with knowing better and being unable to resist the temptation of the Devil. However, overall, I needed more. More fright, more passion, more gothic lure. As for the world-building, Tucholke made decent work of it. Violet's small, seaside town felt real to me. The magic of her old-money estate on a cliff felt real to me. 

All in all,  Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea definitely not one of my favorite but I had a day off and read through it. 

Character Breakdown:

The characters were an ... interesting lot. But no one really popped at me. 

Violet White - To be honest, the protagonist seemed one-dimensional to me. While I didn't truly connect with Violet, the most interesting aspect of her character was her struggle with her feelings for River and knowing there was something not right with him, and that I could connect with. I get the falling for someone who could destroy your entire world but not being able to resist their charm. 

"I felt as if I knew him already. Like how I knew Sunshine, and luke, and my parents. Like how I knew Freddie.

But I didn't. At all. And that knowing feeling, based on nothing, was dangerous. And, I felt, not quite sane."- pages 117

River West - While River had the potential to be wicked. The buildup of his devilish character was on point but then he just fell flat. And that's all I will say about River. You will have to read Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and learn for yourself.

"I was worried, I was. I felt a sharp tingle in the pit of my stomach that said All Is Not Right Here, even as I looked at River's smiling face and firefly eyes."- pages 114

Meet the Author:

April Genevieve Tucholke's debut novel, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, was a 2014 YALSA Teens Top Ten nominee and received numerous starred reviews. Its sequel, Between the Spark and the Burn, was published in 2014. She is the anthologist for the YA horror/thriller anthology Slasher Girls & Monster Boys, and her third novel, Wink Poppy Midnight will be released in 2016 from Dial/Penguin. Tucholke has lived all over the world and currently resides in Oregon with her husband Nate Pedersen.

***Check out April Genevieve Tucholke's website for more information about her and Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: HERE

Happy Reading!

Wishlist Wednesday #79

*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*

As Old as Time by Liz Braswell

Publisher: Disney Press 

Release Date: September 6, 2016
Pages: 496

The Story:

What if Belle's mother cursed the Beast? As Old as Time is the third book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. When Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, memories flood through Belle's mind-memories of a mother she thought she would never see again. And, stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful enchantress who cursed the castle and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast will have to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is 21 years in the making.

-via Amazon

Meet the Author

I was born in Birmingham, England but grew up in a small New England town. (even now I split my time between New York and Vermont) My major at Brown was Egyptology and yes, I can write your name in hieroglyphics. In New York I produced video games for almost a decade, which was the coolest job ever, but I'm glad I'm out of it. I like skiing, sitting third row center at the movies, David Bowie, my sister's excellent black boots, and Nutella.

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

Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday #14

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just flip through your current read to a random page -- or not -- and share two teaser quotes from somewhere on said page.

This week my Teaser Tuesday quotes will be taken from my current read, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke.

Teaser #1:

"You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand." - page 3

Teaser #2:

"'I turned, and I saw a man, crouched near to the ground. I saw him, clear as day. His eyes were huge and milky blue. He smiled at me with these little sharp teeth, and they looked fuzzy, somehow, as if he had been eating fur..." - page 39

What teasers are you sharing this week?
Don't forget to tell me in the comments or on twitter; @TheTatteredPage. You can also use #BTDevilATDBSea on twitter if you're reading it! 

Happy Reading!