Waiting on Wednesday: No One Else Can Have You

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

No One Else Can Have You

Kathleen Hale

January 7, 2014

Small towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 688) is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.

Unfortunately, Friendship’s police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth’s best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth’s secret diary (which Ruth’s mother had asked her to read in order to redact any, you know, sex parts), sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer.

Why I Can't Wait: The cover is absolutely adorable! I mean the plot sounds interesting, but that cover!

Review: Perfect You

Perfect You
Elizabeth Scott

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them...

Wintertime Reads

This is my perfect winter day: Imagine being curled up in a fleece blanket on your favorite chair by the fire. You have a nice cup of *insert favorite winter drink here* by your side. Outside there is a slight flurry of snow but no worries, you are nice and warm and toasty. All that is missing is a good book. These are some of the books I would reach for:

My number one choice would definitely be Let it Snow by John Green, Mureen Johnson, and Luren Myracle. This book contains three different holiday romances that all occur in the same town. All of the stories connect in the cutest ways. This book is the EPITOME of a cute, feel-good winter read. 

When I think of winter reads, I think of  books that make you feel as good as a warm fire does. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan does that. The first time I finished this book I couldn't help but smile. And doesn't that cover just scream winter?

If you are more of a paranormal book person I would recommend Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. This book has just what you need: a wintertime setting, a cute small-town, a simple but complicated love, and werewolves!

What is your ideal wintertime read?

Top Ten: 2014 Releases I'm Dying To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

The Retribution of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer #3

June 10, 2014

City of Heavenly Fire - Cassandra Clare

Mortal Instruments #6

May 27, 2014

Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me #3

February 4, 2014

The Forever Song - Julie Kagawa

Blood of Eden #3

April 29, 2014 (My Birthday XD)

No Cover Yet :(

Panic - Lauren Oliver

March 4, 2014

The Geography of You and Me - Jennifer E. Smith

April 15, 2014

Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins

May 13, 2014

Raging Star - Moira Young

Dust Lands #3

May 13, 2014

Rebel - Amy Tintera

Reboot #2

May 13, 2014

Into the Still Blue - Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky #3

January 28, 2014

What is your top book releasing in 2014?

Stacking the Shelves: Heroes, Specials, and Allegiants

So I haven't done one of these posts in forever! Putting all of the books I have gotten since then would be crazy, so this is just going to be all of the books I got in October. Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It's a great way to show other people the books that you've bought or received for the past week!

Bought (Used)

Cryer's Cross

Lisa McMann

Everlost

Skinjacker #1

Neal Shusterman

Ink Exchange

Wicked Lovely #2

Melissa Marr

Specials

Uglies #3

Scott Weserfield

The Lost Hero

Heroes of Olympus #1

Rick Riordan

The Son of Neptune

Heroes of Olympus #2

Rick Riordan

The Mark of Athena

Heroes of Olympus #3

Rick Riordan 

The House of Hades

Heroes of Olympus #4

Rick Riordan

Allegiant

Divergent #3

Veronica Roth

Monthly Recap: October 2013

I have finally accepted that I won't be able to read as much and as often as I did during the summer and last year. My work load is significantly harder than is was last school year. I could understand not trying and then getting bad grades, but I am definitely not used to working my butt off and STILL not getting good grades! But that is beside the point. The point is I only read three books this month... Three! Ugh.

Books Read:

1. Outpost (Enclave #2)- Ann Aguirre
2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)- Laini Taylor
3. The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1)- Rick Riordan

Books Reviewed:

1. Prodigy (Legend #2)- Marie Lu
2. Enclave (Enclave #1)- Ann Aguirre
3. Requiem (Delirium #3)- Lauren Oliver
4. The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1)- Rick Riordan

Most Viewed Post: My Ex From Hell: Guest Post

Least Viewed Post: Picture This #5: October 2013

Quote of the Month:

“You should never be surprised when someone treats you with respect, you should expect it.” - Keeping the Moon, Sarah Dessen

Picture of the Month:

This is so freaking adorable! Found here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Night of Cake & Puppets

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Night of Cake & Puppets

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

#2 . 5

Laini Taylor

November 26, 2013

In Night of Cake & Puppets, Taylor brings to life a night only hinted at in the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—the magical first date of fan-favorites Zuzana and Mik. Told in alternating perspectives, it’s the perfect love story for fans of the series and new readers alike. Petite though she may be, Zuzana is not known for timidity. Her best friend, Karou, calls her “rabid fairy,” her “voodoo eyes” are said to freeze blood, and even her older brother fears her wrath. But when it comes to the simple matter of talking to Mik, or “Violin Boy,” her courage deserts her. Now, enough is enough. Zuzana is determined to meet him, and she has a fistful of magic and a plan. It’s a wonderfully elaborate treasure hunt of a plan that will take Mik all over Prague on a cold winter’s night before finally leading him to the treasure: herself! Violin Boy’s not going to know what hit him

Why I Can't Wait: This sounds adorable! Hopefully it will be able to tide me over until the final book comes out next year.

Review: The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero
Heroes of Olympus #1
Rick Riordan

Jason has a problem.
He doesn't remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper. His best friend is a kid named Leo, and they're all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for "bad kids", as Leo puts it. What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea—except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret.
Her father, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he's in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn't recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools.
His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What's troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper's gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.

Picture This #5: October 2013

These are my favorite pictures I found in October~

Found here

Found here

Found here

Found here

Found here

Found here

Which is your favorite?

Waiting on Wednesday: Horde

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Horde
Razorland #3
Ann Aguirre

The horde is coming.

Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they're not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn't run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade's love.

Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn't been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.

This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.

Why I Can't Wait: This is the final book in an amazing series. I can't wait to see how it all wraps up!

Mini Review: Requiem

Requiem
Delirium #3
Lauren Oliver

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Waiting on Wednesday: Into the Still Blue

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Into the Still Blue

Under the Never Sky #3

Veronica Rossi

January 28, 2014

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

Why I Can't Wait: This is the final book in this trilogy and I am excited to see how she wraps everything up. 

Review: Enclave

Enclave
Ann Aguirre
Enclave #1

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

Cover Reveal: Born of Deception

Born of Deception

Born of Illusion #2

Terri Brown

Isn't it so pretty!?!

Synopsis 

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

Waiting on Wednesday: Ignite Me

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Ignite Me
Shatter Me #3
Tahereh Mafi
February 4, 2014

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

Why I Can't Wait: I freaking loved Shatter Me and Unravel Me, and I have been waiting for this book since I picked up Shatter Me!

Review: Prodigy

Prodigy
Legend #2
Marie Lu

Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

My Ex From Hell: Guest Post

My Ex From Hell
Tellulah Darling

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:
a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world. Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe … and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

Waiting on Wednesday: Allegiant

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Allegiant
Veronica Roth
October 22, 2013

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Why I can't wait: Uhhhh Because Divergent was freaking amazing?

Monthly Recap: September 2013

Okay so this month I fell of the train. Hard. Buuuuuuut I have picked myself up and gotten my stuff together. And I am now back! Volleyball season is almost over and I have really gotten a hold on schoolwork so I am very happy about that. I will start posting every other day and commenting on all the blogs I love to read much more. And let's hope October will be a great month!

Books Read:

1. Love and Other Perishable Items- Laura Buzo
2. The List- Siobhan Vivian
3. Wild Cards- Simone Elkeles
4. Prodigy (Legend #2)- Marie Lu
5. Enclave (Razorland #1)- Ann Aguirre

Books Reviewed:

1. Unbreakable (Unraveling #2) -Elizabeth Norris
2. Love and Other Perishable Items -Laura Buzo
3. Wild Cards -Simone Elkeles

ARC Review: Wild Cards

Wild Cards
Simone Elkeles
Release Date: October 1, 2013

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Waiting on Wednesday: Snakeroot

Waiting on Wednesday's is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Snakeroot
Nightshade Legacy #1
Andrea Cremer
December 10, 2013

Fans asked for it, and now they've got it! Andrea Cremer is continuing the story she began in in her internationally bestselling trilogy: Nightshade, Wolfsbane and Bloodrose. In this new installment, Bosque Mar haunts the dreams of both Adne and Logan, trying to escape for the Nether, where Calla, Shay and the other Guardians trapped him in the final battle in the War of All Against All. Will he turn Adne to the dark side? Will Logan reclaim his birthright? And will darkness take over our world? In a novel filled with magic, romance and breakneck action, master storytelling Andrea Cremer's newest installment will not disappoint!

Why I can't wait: I really liked the Nightshade Trilogy, so I have mixed feelings about this. I liked how the trilogy ended,  and I just hope this one doesn't mess up that series for me.

By Blood: Author Interview

By Blood

Tracy E Banghart

For 17-year-old Emma Wong, spending a summer in England should be a dream come true. Gorgeous scenery? Check. Lots of hot guys with accents? Yes, please.

Throw in an estranged mom, annoying new stepdad, and drooling baby half-brother, and it’s a disaster even her favorite cherry red leather jacket can’t fix. Even worse, there’s (hot) live-in research assistant Josh to contend with. The only thing more embarrassing than drunk-kissing him hours after they meet? Knowing he’ll be witness to her family’s dysfunction all. summer. long.

But when Emma meets a mysterious girl who happens to be a Druid, her vacation suddenly promises to be far more intriguing than she anticipated. Powerful rituals, new friends, an intoxicating sense of freedom...and Simon, the sexy foreign stranger she was hoping for. It’s all a perfect distraction from dirty diapers and awkward family dinners.

Trouble is, intriguing doesn’t often mean simple. And Emma is about to discover just how not simple her life really is.

By Blood is a novel about the ways that blood can bind us to others – or tear us apart.