[HALLOWEEN BUDDY READ- THE REVIEWS] Splintered by A.G Howard

Booking Through Thursday 30/10/2014

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Booking Through Thursday and a different question is posted every week. 

What’s the scariest book you’ve ever read?

It took me a long time to think of this one, as to be honest, 'scary' books re not something I pick up very often.
I don'tread a lot of horror or thrillers as I'm more a contemporary or regency romance fan.
But I would say The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle.  Vampires and Amish - there were moments that actually made me jump as I was reading.

One that I had hoped would be scary was The Book Of You by Claire Kendal, but it fell flat.

Waiting on Wednesday 29/10/14 'The Retribution of Mara Dyer'

This week the book that I'm waiting on is The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.
The 3rd and final book in the Mara Dyer trilogy.
Released November 4th,

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.
Retribution has arrived.

W...W...W...Wednesday 29/10/14

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

I'm currently reading Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas

I recently finished Lady Sophia's Lover by Lisa Kleypas

I think my next read will be The Outside by Laura Bickle

Teaser Tuesday 28/10/2014 'Worth Any Price'

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
  Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser.

This week my current read is Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas. Teaser comes from page 83.

"Lottie struggled from his lap and straightened her clothes.  She went to pour herself some brandy from the crystal decanter at the magogany sideboard.  She was dizzy, and her knees felt jelly,which were good indications that more spirits were the last thing she needed."

Filthy Beautiful Love (Filthy Beautiful Lies #2) by Kendall Ryan

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 2529 KB
• Print Length: 316 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1502327228
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Kendall Ryan Books (29 Sep 2014)
• ASIN: B00MRQRBCU
• I never expected to watch Sophie walk away. She was mine. I would own her. She just didn’t know it yet. New goal: Seal the deal and rock her world so thoroughly she never wanted to leave again. 
  
  Highly sexual and emotionally charged, Filthy Beautiful Love is the provocative conclusion to Filthy Beautiful Lies.
  
  
  **Warning: this book contains an additively filthy alpha male who will dampen your panties and own your days and nights. Proceed at your own risk.**
• Cover:  I neither love nor hate this cover.  

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Filthy Beautiful Lies, and I blazed through it, reading it in just a day.
I've loved Kendall Ryan's other books that I've read, Hard to Love and Resisting Her, she is an author that I really enjoy.
This one was such a fast paced, sexy contemporary read.
I loved that we got both Sophie and Colton's points of view.
After the way book one ended on such an evil cliffhanger - I couldn't wait to get into this one.
I did enjoy it- but definitely feel they could have been condensed into just the one book, as they were so short, I'd rather have read one normal length novel.
Definitely recommend if you love hot, sexy, quick little reads.
3.5/5 stars.

Read from September 30 to October 01, 2014

Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Electric Monkey (28 Aug 2014)
• Language: Unknown
• ISBN-10: 1405265159
• ISBN-13: 978-1405265157

I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall nothing else about myself.

And then the games began.

The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear. 

But what does any of this have to do with Mara? She is about to find out . . 

Cover:  This cover is amazing in person.  A bright neon red/coral, with striking black pages, and creepy images under the dust jacket.

I've heard so many amazing things about Michael Grant, in particular, his Gone series,  But I had yet to read anything by him.
Then I was just casually browsing the book charts in the Supermarket, and I admit this cover stood out, and made me pick it up.  The creepy, dark synopsis instantly made me think it would be a fantastic read for October, as well as a chance to read something by Michael Grant.
And I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I flew through it, reading it in just two days.  
It was a dark, gruesome and creepy read and it WAS perfect for October.
Mara wakes up with no memories, when Messenger appears and starts showing her horrible things- a girl's suicide, brutal attack etc (think Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas but way darker.)
Why is he showing her these things?  To teach her to take over his job.
Judging when evil has been done, and what is to be done with them.  Offering them a game.  If they win, they go free, if they lose- they have to face their greatest fear.
The whole concept was amazing.
There was a big twist, that I did guess, but only about 10 pages before it was revealed, and it was GENIUS.  
I was a little confused at points.  The world building I did think could have been stronger.  But the actual plot was sound.
Highly recommend as a Halloween read, but not for younger readers because there is a lot of graphic content that could definitely be considered disturbing and nightmare inducing.
4/5 stars.  I look forward to seeing where this story goes.

Read from October 06 to 07, 2014