5 STARS | Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Temptation
Series: Temptation #1
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B007UNC27E
Published: June 26th, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★★

What is forbidden cannot be forgotten...

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.

Temptation is the story of Rose and Noah. Rose's family moved to the small town of Meadowview, Ohio, which had a large Amish community, and that was where she met Noah. They are star-crossed lovers in the sense that Noah is Amish and Rose is what they refer to as English. No one was okay with their relationship: their parents were vehemently against Noah and Rose being together, their siblings didn't understand what they saw in each other, and their friends were doubtful that they could make it work. But none of that mattered to Rose and Noah. Their connection was strong from the beginning, their feelings for each other intense, and their determination to be together pushed them to do things that had serious consequences. The future for Noah and Rose is very uncertain, sacrifices are made, and their bond is tested.

Rose is a very spirited person, and Noah even refers to everything about Rose as being like fire. She loves with her entire heart, but because of that she's easily hurt. Rose is a very good friend. She's loyal, protective, and always has her friend's back. But her stubbornness can be a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. The things she enjoys the most about her English world are dancing, music, horseback riding, and the conveniences her world has to offer.

Noah, on the other hand, lives in a world of hard work, discipline, and rules. And he's fine with that. In fact, he loves it and doesn't want or need anything from Rose's world of convenience. Except her. Noah is a very handsome (and surprisingly passionate) young man in his Amish community, and a much sought-after marriage match. His world is turned upside down when he meets Rose. Their secret relationship, when brought to light, causes and uproar in both their worlds, and everything comes crashing down around them. But neither of them is willing to give up on their relationship, no matter the consequences.

The differences in their backgrounds and the people around them bring conflict to their lives and relationship. It's obvious how their differences in upbringing would cause ripples, but it's the people in their lives that cause the waves to come crashing against them and test the strength of their bond. First there are the rivals for Rose's and Noah's attentions, respectively. Ella Weaver had expected Noah to court her, but when Rose snatched his attention away, Ella became a potentially dangerous enemy. Then there is Levi Zook, who has a very unhealthy obsession with Rose. He's a creeper through and through, and very dangerous. Both Ella and Levi are a part of Noah's Amish community, and if these two were to ever team up against Rose and Noah, it could be disastrous. Finally, there is Hunter Braxton, a new friend and teammate of Rose's older brother Sam. He didn't leave a good impression on Rose after a drunken incident at a party, but he seems to have genuine feelings for her.

But the biggest obstacle to their happily ever after is their parents. Noah's parents were very unhappy to learn that their son was in love with an English girl, but when they saw how serious he was about Rose, the relented. But there's a catch: Rose must become Amish. Rose's father wouldn't allow his daughter to have anything to do with their "cult." However, his girlfriend suggested allowing rose to experience the Amish life and come running back on her own. But they're all in for a big surprise, because Rose refuses to give up so easily.

I'll be honest, I was skeptical about this series. Why would I want to read a book with Amish characters? But once I started reading I was instantly hooked. This was the first book I ever read with an Amish atmosphere, so it was definitely a new experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked how this story showed that the Amish are not perfect, like a lot of us "English" would believe. They are human and they make mistakes just like everyone else.

And I'm a totally sucker for star-crossed lovers stories. Noah and Rose are just amazing. Their story seemed very real to me and I just couldn't help but love them and desperately hope that they could make it work. I also liked how there are characters, the people in their lives, who don't make it easy for them. There are those who want either Rose or Noah for themselves, there are those who just want to protect them, and then there are those who want to hurt them. It's a very...intense story and atmosphere. It always feels like there is danger just around the corner.

And I definitely like how this book ended. The conclusion was very clean and while there was no huge cliffhanger, it leaves you wanting to know what happens anyway. It's the beginning of Rose's life as an Amish woman. Will she be able to handle all the hard work and rules? Will she go running back home like her family believes she will? Or will she tough it out and finally have her happy ending with Noah? I'm just so hooked on this story and feel so connected to these characters, that I don't think I'd be able to leave this series even if I wanted to. Which I resolutely do not.

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A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.


Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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4 STARS | The Emblazoned Red by Dawn McCullough White

Title: The Emblazoned Red
Series: Trilogy of the Tyrant #1
Author: Dawn McCullough White
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Historical
Elements: Vampires, Ghosts, Zombies
Publisher: Claypipe Press
Format: Kindle Edition
ASIN: B00D38X41I
Published: May 28th, 2013
Source: Kismet Book Tours
Events: Book Tour
Rating: ★★★★

Once, in another world—a dark world, the world of Faetta—there lived paladins and pirates, tyrants and scallywags, vampires and the undead. In this world a revolution is brewing. The royalty of Sieunes are in chains, and those priests and paladins who follow the holy word of the gods are under attack. In the west, the kingdom of Kellerhald receives the fleeing priests in their temples of the paladins of Silvius, god of the Sky.

Here, a young woman has just passed her tests to become a paladin. A pirate crew raids along the Azez Sea. An undead creature, wielding great power, roams the graveyard of Yetta. And a lost soul, crying out from beyond the veil, seeks out a pure hearted warrior to hear its plea.

Amid the turmoil of the revolution, Ilka’s mettle is tested. Rescued by pirates, she ends up with an unlikely ally: the pirate captain himself. The newly trained paladin finds herself collaborating with the undead, working with a vampire, and worst of all, longing for revenge against the man who has ignited the revolution in Sieunes: Francois Mond...

Death of an Innocent. Rise of a Paladin.

Book One in the Trilogy of the Tyrant, a stand-alone series set fifteen years after the Trilogy of Shadows.

The Emblazoned Red was a book that I just couldn't put down, and when I had to, it was with reluctance. Ilka and Captain Nate were two characters that I couldn't help but love, and I was rooting for them from the very beginning. Waiting for Ilka to realize her feelings for Nate was so frustrating! But when that moment came I really wanted to scream, "YES!!" really loud. And of course there were characters that I really just did not like, Ilka's fellow Paladins and supposed friends, for one. They really proved where they stood and it definitely wasn't with Ilka. And the story itself is just amazing. There are still so many things left unsaid by the end and the cliffhanger has me desperate for the next book.

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Dawn McCullough White is known for her strong female protagonists, and gritty dark fantasy.

Ms. McCullough-White has lived the majority of her life in and around Rochester, NY with a brief stint in Tucson, AZ. She is pursuing a degree in psychology at R.I.T. Dawn is a history buff and was a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism for years, active as a heavy weapons fighter. She currently resides with her husband and son in a quaint neighborhood next to an old cemetery.



Disclaimer: This review was originally posted in 2013 to my book blog, A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books.

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