Teaser Tuesday #4

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, Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics.

Teaser #1:

"With each wave of searing pain I see Henry's face. How it studied mine with such curiosity the first time we met, when I came to the mountain town with my Pa. How it twisted in pleasure while he rode me in the woods behind our cabin with animalistic urgency. How it gazed upon me in disgust when I told him I carried his child.

The agony continues longer than I could have ever imagined." - page 118 

Teaser #2:

"The ghost will be forever waiting."

"'Goodbye,' I whisper to the memories, to Henry, to the cabin.

"'Goodbye,' I whisper to the lost part of myself." - page 55

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

Teaser Tuesday #3

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, Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski.

Teaser #1:

"Kana saw the creature for the just a split second longer before she disappeared into the tree. He stared at the knife in his hand." - page 294

Teaser #2:

"'Quiet.'

Water began to drip again, but there was something else -- another noise, a shuffling of rocks and gravel on a nearby surface.

'Go,' said the voice. 'They have your ssscent -- and they are coming for you." - page 202

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

Review : Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder

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

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Pages: 355
Source: Own
 

The Story:

Affection turns to obsession—and love means both devastation and redemption—in this gripping novel from the author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me.

Rae’s always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her…and the less she wants to give.

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. He’s not about to let her go. And with danger following her every move, Rae must fight for the life and love she deserves if she’s going to survive.

via Barnes & Noble

Rating: TWO Gold Stars!!!!

My Review: 

Tag Line:

Love found her. Now it won't let her go.

Opening Line:

At last I can breathe.

Plot:

The plot of Falling for You was decently laid out. The pacing was a little slower than I expected. To be honest, what made Falling for You 's rating suffer was my disappointment with the climax. For once, I wanted blurb predictable. I wanted the psycho, obsessed ex-boyfriend to be the murderous stalker I knew he had in him. Although, at first I thought the pacing steady considering what I hoped it would boil and blow up to become. However, when the plot conflict volcano finally exploded, it felt unspectacular so it made the pacing seem to drag (if that makes any sense at all).

Character Breakdown:

Rae Lynch - What I enjoyed about Rae's character so much is that she wasn't the weak, thirsty-for-love teenage girl I assumed she would be. Sure she had insecurity and wanted to be wanted, to be loved but it wasn't to the point that she remained in an abusive relationship out of some misguided need to fill a hole her parents didn't. It's nice to read a story that circles closely to matters I can relate to in real life but without the same exact mistakes being made.

Nathan - Perfect stalker ex material! Sexy, mysterious, confident, selfish, and so on. Nathan had so much potential! I was so disappointed I could see him in his Super Saiyan (Dragonball Z nerds will get this reference; in other words, his 100%, max potential).

Overall, I didn't hate Falling for You, it simply didn't do enough for me. I think Falling for You lost a star in rating for the lackluster finale showdown. Had there been some full-fledge stalker, obsessed ex insaneness with violence and psychological thrill and blood, my rating for would have definitely gone up. Still, Falling for You is not so bad that I would dissuade anyone from reading it. If you're bored or waiting between release dates then maybe give Falling for You a try.

***Check out Lisa Schroeder's website for more information about her and the Falling for You: HERE

Happy Reading!

Review : Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

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

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication date: 2000

Pages: 114

Source: Own

The Story:

Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle—he can't even move his eyes. For all Shawn's father knows, his son may be suffering. Shawn may want a release. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger.

To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead. Within these pages, however, we meet a side of him that no one else has seen—a spirit that is rich beyond imagining, breathing life.

Fourteen-year-old Shawn McDaniel, who suffers from severe cerebral palsy and cannot function, relates his perceptions of his life, his family, and his condition, especially as he believes his father is planning to kill him.

- Barnes and Noble
 

Rating: FOUR GOLD STARS!!!!!

My Review: 

Stuck in Neutral is a book I read back in 2003 when I was in the 8th grade. Although I have not touched the book in over 10 years, the story has never left me. From the moment I read the blurb I knew I would enjoy the book. The premise alone gave it a head-start in rating.

The story resolves around two main conflicts. First, the main character, Shawn McDaniel has cerebral palsy. For those unaware about the condition, those with cerebral palsy is unable to voluntarily talk or move. Thus, it is easy for others to assume that those with the condition are not only physically disabled but mentally disabled as well.

The second main conflict in Stuck in Neutral is that Shawn believe someone close to him is plotting his death. What makes the latter conflict worse is that Shawn cannot inform anyone of his theory because of his condition.

Having said all that, Shawn McDaniel was definitely my favorite character of the book. Despite his seemingly debilitating condition, he was smart, and strong in ways no one could have ever imagine. To top it off, Shawn had a special gift. One, I think makes Stuck in Neutral even more interesting to read.

All in all, Stuck in Neutral was a good book and I enjoyed. The only part that drove me nuts was the ending. Ambiguity is not my strong-suit. But then again, I suppose it makes the story strong in a way. If you're searching for something different and unlike anything you've read then differently try Stuck in Neutral.

*** Check out Terry Trueman's website for more information about his and Stuck in Neutral: HERE 

*My review on Goodreads

Happy Reading!

Review : Pawn by Aimee Carter (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)

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

Release Date: November 26, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 352
Source: Own

The Story:

YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed…and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

--via Barnes and Noble

Rating: THREE Gold Stars!!!

My Review: 

I have to say, I enjoyed Aimee Carter's Goddess Test series much more than The Blackcoat Rebellion trilogy. I really wanted to like Pawn. The premise sounded interesting so I was really excited but it just didn't do it for me. I had a hard time being drawn into the story.

Plot:

There were several interesting aspect of the story. The caste system, the country being run by one family, the aptitude test that determining a citizen's caste then receiving a tattoo representing their rank. The main conflict was Kitty Doe trying to be a double-agent -- Masked at Lila Hart, the country's princess and the face of the Blackcoat Rebellion. Sounds interesting right? Well, it was -- just not as kickass I as went in expecting. Nevertheless, it was decent and had plenty of plot-twists And I love plot-twists you don't see coming.

Character breakdown:

Usually when I read there is at least one character I fall in love with but, unfortunately, not in Pawn. However, Daxton and Augusta (the bad guys) were runners up.

Kitty Doe - Kitty irritated me to highest level. She was weak, a bit naive and always got caught doing something trying to go through with half-baked ideas.

Ben Doe - Ben was cute. That is all I can say because readers aren't really given the chance to get to known him let alone relate or swoon over him.

Daxton & Augusta Hart - They were well written villain. I hated them and what is a villain if you cant hate him/her? I feel as if they were the strongest characters in the story.

All in all, I can't quite pinpoint what it was about Pawn that made me reluctant to love it and that sucks, I am sorry. as always, I advise that you give Pawn a try for yourself or read an excerpt before you purchase it. I may not have been particularly fond of the book but that doesn't mean you wont. And, at least know that it does get better. I enjoyed Captive more than I did Pawn so if anything, push through Pawn and it'll get better.

*Sorry for the crappy review*

***Check out Aimee Carter's website for more information about her and Pawn: HERE

*Read my review on her other books Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion #2), The Goddess Test, Goddess Interrupted & The Goddess Inheritance.

Happy Reading!

Feature Friday ARC Review : The Jewel by Amy Ewing

*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: HarperCollins Publishers
Release Date: 9.2.2014
Pages: 368
Source: ARC

The Story:

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

Rating: THREE Gold Stars!!!!

My Review: One word: HYPNOTIC

The only reason why I give The Jewel three stars, instead of four, is because the beginning pace of the plot. Usually I prefer the books I read to move a bit faster. Luckily, once The Jewel hit the late 100s the pace picked up. Now, onto more exciting news . . .

Violet Lasting lives in a world where poor girls from the Marsh are taken away if they possess a special genetic quirk that will allow them to carry babies to term and without deformities for the royalty of The Jewel. After years spent in a holding facility honing her abilities, Violet -- along with hundreds of other girls just like her -- is sold to the highest bidder. The Duchess of the Lake.

Stemming from a long line of royalty -- more specially one of the four founding houses of The Jewel -- the Duchess of the Lake expects to get her way, as she usually does. And what she wants is for Violet to use her Augury abilities to grew her a child to gain more control in The Jewel. But there is more than meets the eye to the surrogacy set up. In the mist of murder, enslavement and deadly secrets, Violet must find her way. And fight for the power to make her own choices. Even if they cost her her life.

Violet is a likable character. And likable characters are never something to turn a nose up at. I appreciate that she is not a completely docile character who lets her circumstances rule her. She has a little spice to her, which makes her a bit daring and the story more interesting. Even more so, Violet has people she cares for and a passion for something. Music. I am a sap for a character with a strong passion for something that makes life sparks inside of them. And in Violet's case it is the cello.

"The memories burn inside me like a candle flame, and the bow flies across the strings, the notes climbing higher and higher and I feel free, really free, because no one can touch me in this place, no one can hurt me, and as I draw the bow across the final fifth, a chord that reverberates throughout the cavernous room, I realize that I am smiling and a tear trickles down my cheek" [page 225].

Having said all that, who doesn't love a badass best friend, good ole forbidden love and cute guys? The Jewel has all the above! Violet's best friend is the fierce Raven who was also auctioned off but who refuses to let the wicked Duchess of the Stone to break her. And when Violet discovers a devastating secret that jeopardizes not only herself but her best friend, she is forced to make a difficult decision that has the potential to ruin all that she has hoped for. A way out of The Jewel.

As for forbidden love and cute boys, I will not say much about that other than you will have to find out more on your own. But here is a taste of what you have to look forward to:

"'What is your name?'

My heart explodes into a million glittering fragments that rain down like fireworks through my chest.

'Violet,' I whisper.

He closes his eyes and breathes it in, like it's the answer to a riddle or a secret key. 'Violet,' he murmurs. Then his mouth is on mine" [page 253].

By the end of The Jewel I was disappointed the story was over. Talk about a cliffhanger! The Jewel is a hypnotic tale that smoothes you into false security then rips the carpet right from under you but all you can do is beg for more. Well done Ms. Ewing!

Also, I want to say thanks to HarperTeen for handing out copies of The Jewel at BEA 2014!

*** Check out Amy Ewing's website for more information about her and The Jewel: HERE

Happy Reading!
Ashley