Teaser Tuesday #18

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, Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.

Teaser #1:

"Probably my husband was away striking cursed bargains with other fools who thought--as Father once did-- that they could bear to pay his prices." - page 49

Teaser #2:

"He smiled faintly. 'Because you kissed me'
When he said the word kissed, my whole body contracted. Suddenly I didn't feel like a strange, free girl who could have what she wanted. I felt like Nyx Triskelion, who was supposed to guard her virtue (when she wasn't sacrificing it) and think only of saving Arcadia." - page 78

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

Happy Reading!

May 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 May! Take a look:

Books Read:

Books Reviewed:

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

New Books:

. . . To name a few

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

 In My Mailbox #24

 In My Mailbox #25

Book In Progress:

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

*Still stuck on this one

June TBR:

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
And I Darken by Kiersten White 

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

Happy Reading!

Review : A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: May 3, 2016
Pages: 640
Source: Own

The Story:

The # 1 New York Times bestselling sequel to Sarah J. Maas' spellbinding A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

via Amazon

Rating: 

One-word Review:  SEDUCTIVE

Reading Tune:  Dark Hopes by Barbarossa

Tag Line:

"Tell me what you see."

"A world divided in two." 

Opening Line:

I vomited into the toilet, hugging the cool sides, trying to contain the sounds of my retching.

My Review: 

Plot:

As with A Court of Thorns and Roses, I went into A Court of Mist and Fury not knowing what to expect. At all. If anything, at the back of my mind, I figured readers would get the story of Happily Ever After -- since we had the story before Ever After with ACOTAR.

A Court of Mist and Fury pacing was little slow for me. My guess is it was because of all the foundation laying for the main event to come in book 3. There were boat load of changes to Feyre's story readers had to adjust to and A Court of Mist and Fury was that adjustment period. A Court of Mist and Fury was a transitional book. The world-building was phenomenal. The world in the story was like nowhere I have ever been, it felt so real. Maas' writing was was as brilliantly captivating as ever. With every passing page, I was drawn more and more into the story.

All in all, you need to read A Court of Mist and Fury. A Court of Thorns and Roses remains my favorite of the two. But, A Court of Mist and Fury is the book I LOVE to HATE! While I didn't like how the story changed from A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury was a dark, seductive fantasy I very much enjoyed reading.

Character Breakdown:

The characters were as well-written and fleshed out as in the first book.

Feyre  - Feyre was different in this book. She went from colorful to black and white. Broken, bland.

For him, I had done this -- for him, I'd gladly wrecked myself and my immortal soul.

And now I had eternity to live with it. - page 7

Tamlin - I don't know who Tamlin was in A Court of Mist and Fury. He was drastically different in character and I hated the change of direction. #TeamTamlinIsMia #ACOTARWasAFarce But, it remains, I still had faith in Tamlin.

His fingers grazed lower, circling my belly button. "You are--you're everything to me," he said thickly. "I need . . . I need you to be all right. To know they can't get to you--can't hurt you anymore." - page 23

Rhysand  - Rhysand was a obnoxious son of bitch, and a frienemy you were not sure you liked or hated. I preferred Tamlin over Rhysand but Rhysand had a way of sneaking up on me. Never knew what to expect from him.

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 Mist and Fury: HERE




Happy Reading!

Wishlist Wednesday #84

*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 Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: January 3, 2017
Pages: 400

The Story:

Hawthorn wasn't trying to insert herself into a missing person's investigation. Or maybe she was. But that's only because Lizzie Lovett's disappearance is the one fascinating mystery their sleepy town has ever had. Bad things don't happen to popular girls like Lizzie Lovett, and Hawthorn is convinced she'll turn up at any moment-which means the time for speculation is now.

So Hawthorn comes up with her own theory for Lizzie's disappearance.  A theory way too absurd to take seriously...at first. The more Hawthorn talks, the more she believes. And what better way to collect evidence than to immerse herself in Lizzie's life? Like getting a job at the diner where Lizzie worked and hanging out with Lizzie's boyfriend. After all, it's not as if he killed her-or did he?

Told with a unique voice that is both hilarious and heart-wrenching, Hawthorn's quest for proof may uncover the greatest truth is within herself. 

-via Amazon

Meet the Author

I’ve lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for most of my life. It’s a weird place. I’m not a fan of casinos, but I love the Mojave Desert. I also love the woods and hills and dying steel mill towns of eastern Ohio, which is where my family is from. I wish I could split my time between both places.

I have a nerdy-cool husband and a goofy dog and evil cat. I read a lot of books. I think Mad Men is the best show ever made. I rock climb, even though I’m afraid of heights. I would eat red velvet cupcakes from the Cupcakery every day if I could. One of my favorite things in the world is exploring abandoned places.  

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

Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday #17

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 Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

Teaser #1:

A chuckle rasped out of him, and he drained his glass, setting it on the tray.
He watched me take a long drink from mine. "I'm thinking," he said, following the flick of my tongue over my bottom lip, "that I look at you and feel like I'm dying. Like I can't breathe. I'm thinking that I want you so badly I can't concentrate half the time I'm around you, and this room is too small for me to properly bed you. . ." - page 470

Teaser #2:

Red exploded in my vision, and I couldn't breathe fast enough, couldn't think above the roar in my head. One heartbeat, I was staring after him -- the next, I had my shoe in a hand
I hurled it at him with all my strength.
All my considerable, immortal strength.
I barely saw my silk slipper as it flew through the air, fast as a shooting star, so fast that even a High Lord couldn't detect it as it neared --
And slammed into his head." - page 

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

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox #25

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren which allows bloggers to share what books they bought/received each week.*

Hey Bookies! This week will be the twenty-fifth time hosting In My Mailbox and I am so excited to share with you what I received in my mailbox recently.

Another oldie but goodie. These are the books I acquired at my first ALA Conference ever! ALA Midwinter in Boston, MA back in January 2016. Take a look below:

*If you're interested in the other books that are on my radar you can check out my Amazon Wishlist: Books I Dream About!

Happy Reading!

Wishlist Wednesday #83

*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*

Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Release Date: October 4, 2016
Pages: 416

The Story:

Nell Crane has never held a boy’s hand. 

In a city devastated by an epidemic, where survivors are all missing parts—an arm, a leg, an eye—Nell has always been an outsider. Her father is the famed scientist who created the biomechanical limbs that everyone now uses. But she’s the only one with her machinery on the inside: her heart. Since the childhood operation, she has ticked. Like a clock, like a bomb. And as her community rebuilds, everyone is expected to contribute to the society’s good . . . but how can Nell live up to her father’s revolutionary ideas when she has none of her own? 

Then she finds a lost mannequin’s hand while salvaging on the beach, and inspiration strikes. Can Nell build her own companion in a world that fears advanced technology? The deeper she sinks into this plan, the more she learns about her city—and her father, who is hiding secret experiments of his own.

-via Amazon

Meet the Author

Sarah Maria Griffin’s haunting literary debut will entrance fans of Patrick Ness’s Chaos Walking series, Paolo Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker, and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven.

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

Happy Reading!

New YA Releases: May Part C

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

Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.

The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

Outrun the Moony by Stacey Lee

The Way Back to You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott

Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Dream On by Kerstin Gher

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

Happy Reading!

Review : Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

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

Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: March 22, 2016
Pages: 256
Source: ARC

The Story:

The intrigue of The Raven Boys and the "supernatural or not" question of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer coalesce in this young adult mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, no one is quite who you think, and everything can change on a dime. 

Every story needs a hero. 
Every story needs a villain. 
Every story needs a secret. 

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous. 

What really happened? 
Someone knows. 
Someone is lying. 

For fans of Holly Black, We Were Liars, and The Virgin Suicides, this mysterious tale full of intrigue, dread, beauty, and a whiff of something strange will leave you utterly entranced.

via Amazon

Rating:  

One-word Review:  WHIMSICAL

Reading Tune: Where's My Love by Syml

Tag Line:

A hero.
A villain.
A liar.

Opening Line:

The first time I slept with Poppy, I cried.

My Review: 

Plot:

Wink Poppy Midnight was different. The story was unique and nothing I expected. The first book I read written by April Genevieve Tucholke was Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and, unfortunately, I was disappointed. Luckily, Wink Poppy Midnight was an improvement and I would be willing to read more by the author. I am a sucker for author redemption.

Wink Poppy Midnight pacing was not fast-paced but it was in time with the story. The story was a bobbing stream that merges with a raging river. That was how the plot unfolded. The story has a country charm to it and was filled with secrets, lies, twists and mischief. Wink Poppy Midnight has an ending you will not see coming. The world-building was decent - it was enough to draw me into the story and get lost inside. Furthermore, the writing was slightly similar to  Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea but more engaging. And strange. In a good way.

All in all, Wink Poppy Midnight was worth the read. Especially if you were a fellow reader who was put off by Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Wink Poppy Midnight was a strange, country story filled with mischief.

Character Breakdown:

The characters of Wink Poppy Midnight were lively and real. The dynamic was a strike and made for an interesting story. Definitely my favorite aspect of the story. 

Wink Bell - The strange girl-next-door with a gaggle of siblings. Tucholke did a brilliant job capturing Wink's strangeness and conveying it on page.

Midnight Hunt - He was a curious character. As I write this review, I am still unsure if he was a believable teenage boy. Maybe that is because when I was a teenager I never met a boy who acted the way he did. Either way, as the main character, Midnight's character doesn't take away from the story.

After we slept together, I started crying. Just a little bit, just because my heart was so full, just a couple of small little tears. Poppy shoved me off, stood up, and laughed. It wasn't a nice laugh. - pages 10

Poppy - The epitome of the Evil Queen Bitch. Boy, Tucholke did write Poppy well. I will leave it at that.

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 Wink Poppy Midnight: HERE

Happy Reading!