Thanks-Giving Thursday #10: HALLOWEEN EDITION!

 

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.

Since Halloween happens to be my favorite holiday of the year, this week's TGT Giveaway will be colossal!  Soooo . . . you can enter for a chance to win:
The Farm, Croak (SIGNED), Scorched, The Darkest Minds and Black City all right here.

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0ec6ef24/" 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:

        +5 for Following this blog

Bonus entries:

        +1 for Leaving a blog post comment

        +2 for Following me on Twitter

        +3 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 31st 2012 and a winner will be chosen November 2, 2012.

10. Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.

- via Barnes & Noble

Black City:
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Expected Publication Date: November 13, 2012

 

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.


The Farm:

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Expected Publication Date: December 4, 2012

Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

 

Croak:

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Expected Publication Date: March 20, 2012

Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex’s parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than shoveling manure.
He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach Lex the family business.

She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But Lex can’t stop her desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she encounters a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper skills?

Scorch:

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Expected Publication Date: September 30, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby is a teenage grim reaper with the bizarre ability to Damn souls. That makes her pretty scary, even to fellow Grims. But after inadvertently transferring her ability to Zara, a murderous outlaw, Lex is a pariah in Croak, the little town she calls home. To escape the townspeople’s wrath, she and her friends embark on a wild road trip to DeMyse. Though this sparkling desert oasis is full of luxuries and amusements, it feels like a prison to Lex. Her best chance at escape would be to stop Zara once and for all—but how can she do that from DeMyse, where the Grims seem mysteriously oblivious to Zara’s killing spree?

 

The Darkest Minds:

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Expected Publication Date: December 18, 2012

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

 

 

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

 

-- via Barnes and Noble

Always,

Haysel

Review : Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

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

Release date: October 23, 2012

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Books For Young Readers
Pages: 454
Source: Own

The Story:

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

--via Barnes & Noble

Rating: THREE GOLD STARS!!! 

My Review: One word: QUENCHING

She thought all of her troubles would end with killing her father, Hank Millar, but fate had different plans. Newly turned Nephil Nora Grey has now sworn a blood oath to her deceased father and ex-commander, the Black Hand. She must lead his army of Nephilim against the Fallen Angels who have possessed the bodies of their Nephilim vassals for centuries during Cheshvan. A hellish prison as the "Fallen angels have free rein to do as they please, and since it's the only time during the year they can actually feel physical sensation, their creativity knows no bounds. they chase after pleasure, pain and everything in between, playing parasites to their Nephilim hosts." Or suffer consequence punishable by death. But her own life isn't the only one at stake. her mother's lies in the balance as well.

Nora hoped she could lead the army to peace but the threat of foes, old and new, and betrayals has put the life Nora has and hopes for in jeopardy. Including the one she has planned with Patch Cipriano. Her boyfriend and fallen angel. And as Cheshvan draws near Nora will have to make a difficult choice that will predict her future. Fallen angels or Nephillim? Will she be able to keep the peace and war at bay? Will she be able to keep she holds dear and near safe? Or will she have to suffer the grief and guilt of losing a friend, lover, another parent?

Will her newly inherited position at the heart of the war destroy the love Nora and Patch have always fought for?

In my opinion, Nora Grey has always been a strong character with a presence. The red haired, slender high school senior still remains someone readers can relate to. She's strong and vulnerable, headstrong and compassionate, witty and endearing. As for Patch, the badass with a heart, is still sexy as all hell. But I have to admit there was a couple of times when he spoke and I remember thinking to myself: "That's kind of cheesy. Patch wouldn't say something that whack!" No real harm done, though. I'm still a Patch Girl.

With that, I have to say that I've been a faithful Hush, Hush fan since I picked up copy of the first installment at Barnes & Noble back in 2008. So then it should be no surprise that I pre-ordered the fourth and final book of the series, Finale -- title of which I hate, for what should be obvious reasons --, and am sad to see the series' end. However, I am glad Becca Fitzpatrick, author extraordinaire, brought Patch and Nora's story to an end on a good note. All the readers and "Team Patch's out there can rest easy because there will be a rainbow at the end of the storm.

Here is a couple of my favorite quotes from Finale:

*Readers Beware:* Spoilers ahead!

Nora & Patch: “Patch hooked his elbow around my neck and dragged me into a kiss. 'Every time you strip my sword, I owe you a kiss. How's that sound?'
I bit my lip to keep from giggling. 'That sounds really dirty.''' -- Page 378

Vee to Nora: "'I see how it is. I'm gonna have to walk in front of all those people with my undies waving in the air, and you don't even care,' Vee said, but she, too, was grinning. She took a Band-Aid from her purse and slapped it over the torn fabric." -- Page 451

Nora & Patch: “Inside our cozy, private room, I reached up and tugged on his silk necktie, undoing the knot. 'You dress to impress,' I said approvingly.
'No, Angel.' He leaned in, his teeth softly grazing my ear. "I undress to impress." -- Page 454

*** Check out Becca Fitzpatrick's website for more information about her, Finale and the rest of the Hush, Hush series: HERE

Happy Reading!

TGT #8: And the winners are . . .

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

Tayte H
&
Alicia Marie

Congratulations, Tayte and Alicia! Tayte, you are the recipient of Prize Pack #1 which includes ARCs of Skinny by Donna Cooner, Poison Princess by Kresley Cole and The Innocents by Lilie Peloquin. That's means Alicia, you are the recipient of Prize Pack #2 which includes Crewel by Gennifer Albin, Beta by Rachel Cohn, and Venom by Fiona Paul. So you get to crack the covers of the ARCs open before finished copies hits stores on October 2, 2012, October 16, 2012, October 1, 2012, October 1, 2012, October 16, 2012 and October 30, 2012 respectively.

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 or BCHaysel@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, Tayte and Alicia!

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!