Book Review: Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (26 Jun 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037321054X
• ISBN-13: 978-0373210541

Your heart misleads you.  That's what my friends and family say.  But I love Noah. And he loves me.  We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be  ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won't be. Because he's Amish. And I'm not.

Rose and her family move to Meadowview after the death of Rose’s mother. Together with her two brothers and her father, she thinks there can be nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere. But when the family next door introduce themselves, Rose can’t help but be awestruck by Noah, and think maybe her moving there was fate after all.

But nothing can ever happen between Rose and Noah. Because he is Amish. And she is not. Everything about Rose is dangerous to Noah. She speaks her mind. She doesn’t look after the men in her life. She dresses how she likes. For Noah, she is free with her kisses. 

Noah is a puzzle to Rose. One moment he is a normal boy, riding his horse alongside hers, making her laugh, and stealing her heart a little more every time they are together. But the next moment he talks about babies and marriage and women minding their place and she knows they are a world apart. 

Temptation was a delicious novel about forbidden romance in a very fresh way. I knew little to nothing about Amish traditions before reading this book, and I am pleased to have learned something new. 

The story was pleasant enough, though at times it did feel repetitive. It was left with plenty of room for a sequel, and I am intrigued as to how it will pan out.

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Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks (7 Jun 2012)
• Language: Unknown
• ISBN-10: 0007466692
• ISBN-13: 978-0007466696

Thirty-five beautiful girls. Thirty-five beautiful rivals…

It’s the chance of a lifetime and 17-year-old America Singer should feel lucky. She has been chosen for The Selection, a reality TV lottery in which the special few compete for gorgeous Prince Maxon’s love.

Swept up in a world of elaborate gowns, glittering jewels and decadent feasts, America is living a new and glamorous life. And the prince takes a special interest in her, much to the outrage of the others.

Rivalry within The Selection is fierce and not all of the girls are prepared to play by the rules. But what they don’t know is that America has a secret – one which could throw the whole competition… and change her life forever.

The Selection had a little bit of everything. Part dystopian. Part reality show. Part romance. Part love triangle. 

For any girl, getting to be a part of the Selection is a chance in a lifetime. Prince Maxon needs a wife, and must choose between thirty five girls whilst the nation watches.

But getting chosen isn’t America Singer’s dream. In fact it’s her worst nightmare. By being chosen she must leave Aspen, the boy she really loves. Aspen refuses to be selfish, and urges America to go through with it, for he is a lower caste of society than America, and can’t give her the future she deserves.

America thought Prince Aspen was a weakling, a wimp who was spoiled and shallow. The reality was something quite different, and despite her preconceived notions, the pair embark on an easy friendship. And as the number of girls dwindle and America remains at the palace, her heart begins to soften to Maxon. 

The Selection is a book you can’t help but fall for. It was a very easy read, but only in the sense of it was achingly easy to fall into. I found myself hating having to put it down to take care of mundane things like...life. 

America herself was a likable character, and Maxon was the epitome of dream prince. I slipped into this world so easily I didn’t want it to be over. The author wrote herself such a good book that the wait for the sequel is sure to be agonising. 

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Book Review: What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 447 KB
• Print Length: 326 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008177HVE

Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat. 

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.

Jake Hayes has it pretty good. Decent grades, star football player, great family. But then a few beers, one seriously bad decision and a t-post changes his world forever.

When he learns that he will never talk again, Jake thinks it is the worst thing that could ever have happened to him. No one understands, no one gets how hard it is, no one could possibly understand how he feels. Jake lashes out, his anger at the situation boiling inside him. He expected people to be nervous around him, to say something stupid or avoid him altogether. What he didn’t expect was the way his whole community rallied around him to make things easier and show their support.

With his school schedule readjusted, Jake now has way more time with Samantha Shay than he did before. Samantha Shay. His one regret – never telling her he was in love with her. And now thanks to the accident, he will never speak the again.

Slowly, Samantha brings Jake back to life. She shows him ways around his inability to talk and how he may not have chosen to lose his voice, but how he deals with it is entirely up to him.

What I Didn’t Say was inspirational and achingly romantic. Jake’s frustration radiated off the page as he struggles to get used to life without talking. I loved the interactions between him and his family, who treat him exactly the same. Samantha’s subplot helped keep the story interesting as the couple face yet more obstacles in their path.

One for a rainy day to curl up on the couch with. 

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