Author: Antonia Michaelis
Format Acquired: Paperback
Format Acquired: Paperback
Publication Date: January 1, 2012
Publishing House: Abrams
ISBN: 9781419701221
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked
Summary:
A good girl. A bad boy.
A fairy tale that's true.
A truth that is no fairy tale.
Anna is fascinated by Abel, the moody school drug dealer with the military haircut and the deep blue eyes. One day she discovers a secret: Abel is caring for his six-year-old sister, Micha, alone. Despite friends' warnings, Anna is draw to Abel and Micha, and falls under the spell of the fairy tale he tells his sister about a little orphan queen who is pursued by hunters for the treasure she carries: her diamond heart.
It's a story with parallels to reality. Social services and Micha's abusive father could take her from Abel if they discover the truth about their situation.
But when people Abel has woven into his story turn up dead, it's Anna whose heart is in danger. Is she in love with a killer?
Antonia Michaelis has written a spellbinding tale of suspense, danger, and transformative love.
(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)
Review (the only review where I should not write so much as to give anything away):
This book has left me and my co-blogger absolutely in tatters. Michaelis' The Storyteller was like a long roller coaster ride, complete with 180 turns and sudden drops. You know how there's this violinist playing in a film where the suspense is eating you and you can't help but dangle at the edge of the seat as the violin-playing gets faster and faster? That could be the only way to properly describe this book - gripping, tense, and eerily beautiful at the same time.
Anna is a sheltered seventeen year-old, who becomes enraptured by the mysterious and charming Abel Tennatek. As she finds out more about Abel, his dreamy stories, and his sister Micha whom Abel loves and protects more than life itself, Anna is caught in a fairy tale that has become deadlier than anyone has ever expected.
It may come off as a cliche, but trust me when we say that this is a book that you'd love to hate, and hate to love. Pick up this stunning and heart-wrenching novel by Antonia Michaelis (or better yet, win it through our local and international giveaways!), and fall in love with Anna, Abel, and Micha. Set in winter where everything is coated in sheets of virginal white, let The Storyteller take you to highs and lows, and experience heartbreak and pain in a European background.
Rating:
And now for the awesome part.
As we've learned from our mistakes last giveaway, we therefore introduce our terms and conditions. We apologize that it's lengthy, and that it may put off some of you, but this is only to clarify what can / can't be expected from the giveaway. We are nothing but very thorough this time, so as not to confuse any of you guys.
Terms and Conditions:
1. There can only be one (1) winner per giveaway. Each winner will receive two copies of The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis to share with a friend. All in all, there will be a total of two (2) winners.
2. Entrants should be of age 12+. If you are underaged, kindly ask a parent or a guardian to join the giveaway for you.
3. Entrants must join the correct giveaway corresponding to their location. If you currently reside in the Philippines, you must join the LOCAL version of the giveaway. If you reside in other areas of the world, then you must join the INTERNATIONAL version of the giveaway. To make it perfectly clear, entrants can only join one giveaway. Entrants who do not comply with the aforementioned rules will be subject to the removal of their incorrect entries.
4. The Twins Read will not be held liable for any tax, customs, or tariffs, etc., that your country imposes on you with regards to the package. Likewise, The Twins Read will also not be held liable for any lost or damaged packages.
5. If the entrant uses only ONE account to do all these tasks and enter under different names, they will still only constitute as ONE entry.
6. Additional entries and their corresponding entry numbers will be up to the The Twins Read's discretion to input, therefore entrants may not complain about the random number their entries are assigned to.
7. It is the responsibility of the entrant to make sure that his / her entries are qualified. The Twins Read is very thorough when it comes to validating entries, and they will not hesitate to remove unfit entries when both giveaways close.
8. For verification purposes, please make sure that the Facebook / Twitter / etc. links you leave on the Rafflecopter forms can be viewed by The Twins Read. If the The Twins Read duo can not view it, then the entry does not count, and will be subject to removal.
9. Rafflecopter only accepts submissions beginning December 4, 2012 12:00AM until December 18, 2012 12:00AM (GMT+8:00).
10. The Twins Read will begin qualifying entries on December 19 - 20, 2012. Any e-mails / messages sent after midnight of December 18, 2012 (GMT +8:00) to The Twins Read regarding qualifications of entries will not be entertained.
11. Upon announcement of the winners on the blog, The Twins Read will send e-mails / Facebook messages / Tweets to the winners. Failure to respond within 48 hours will result in forfeiture, and The Twins Read will be forced to select another winner.
12. For the international winner, books will be sent by BookDepository.co.uk. For the local winner, books will be sent via Xend.
International giveaway:
(Join here if you do not currently reside in the Philippines.)
Local giveaway:
(Join here if you currently reside in the Philippines.)
Great review, i love the violin reference!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDelete(How is it possible that I only saw this one now?!)