Waiting on Wednesday (156): A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith

I can't believe it's been a year since I've last posted a WoW. And I am waiting for a lot of books this 2016, obviously!

I'm starting now, and for this year's first installment of Waiting on Wednesday, I am waiting for this book that sounds really amazing. Check it out below!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: A Darkly Beating Heart by Lindsay Smith
Release Date: October 25th 2016
Published by: Roaring Brook Press

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Summary:

A time-travel story that alternates between modern day and 19th century Japan as one girl confronts the darkness lurking in her soul.

No one knows what to do with Reiko. She is full of hatred. All she can think about is how to best hurt herself and the people closest to her. After a failed suicide attempt, Reiko’s parents send her from their Seattle home to spend the summer with family in Japan to learn to control her emotions. But while visiting Kuramagi, a historic village preserved to reflect the nineteenth-century Edo period, Reiko finds herself slipping back in time into the life of Miyu, a young woman even more bent on revenge than Reiko herself. Reiko loves being Miyu, until she discovers the secret of Kuramagi village, and must face down Miyu’s demons as well as her own.

Why I'm waiting for A Darkly Beating Heart:

Two things. Japan and time travel.

I've mentioned this before and I'm a really big fan of anything that is remotely related to Japan, so the first time I've read the summary for this book I know I'm going to read this. (I did a quick search and it looks like Kuramagi is a fictional town so I'm more than excited to know about this historic village!) Also, modern times and 19th century Japan? Can you imagine what 19th century Edo period Japan in a ficitonal town will be like?  Plus secrets! Vengeance! What an amazing combo!

I'm very, very intrigued! I have Lindsay's other series on my TBR list so I haven't read anything from her but A Darkly Beating Heart makes me want to bump her books up my list just so I can get a glimpse of how her writing is.

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What are your WoW picks? Share them with me, please!

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Waiting on Wednesday (155): Made You Up + Hello, I Love You

This week's WoW picks has a theme: Blue. And, well, gorgeous covers.

Just check them out below! :D

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
Release Date: May 19th 2015
Published by: Greenwillow Books

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Summary:

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

Why I'm waiting for Made You Up:

For some reason, I am really in love with the cover of this book. I can't put it into words but after I've finished reading the summary and I looked at the cover closely, I felt like it fits the story.

What is reality and what isn't? That phrase just got me. And who is Miles? I like that I'm going to think real hard while reading this book, guessing what is real and what isn't. And I've never read the Silver Linings Playbook, but Made You Up just makes me want to read it now. There's something about Alex being an unreliable narrator that gives this book so much appeal. I need it!

Title: Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout
Release Date: June 9th 2015
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

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Summary:

A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.

Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can't stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can't deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she'll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process.

Why I'm waiting for Hello, I Love You:

If you've been following me for quite some time, then you know how much I love Kpop and the Korean culture and this book felt like all my dreams come true and then some. Finally, someone wrote the book I've been wanting to read for a long time!

And to mention Anna and the French Kiss (but with an Asian twist?!) is making me all the more curious about this book! I have never read any book that includes Kpop, idols / superstars, fame, the music industry like this book suggests, so I am eagerly waiting for the release of Katie's book. It's just something I need to read, both because I'm a Kpop fan and I'm an avid YA reader, and this just sounds like a really good combination I can't wait to get my hands on!

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So what are your WoW picks? Share them with me, please!

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Waiting on Wednesday (154): From Where I Watch You by Shannon Grogan

How are you all? The weather is still somewhat chilly (in the mornings, at least) which is a plus. Okay, I am not sure why I'm talking about the weather, but yeah, my 1st WoW post of the year!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: From Where I Watch You by Shannon Grogan
Release Date: August 4th 2015
Published by: Soho Teen

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary:

16-year-old Kara is on course to be a superb professional baker. Perfectly designed and piped, her cookies are masterpieces, but also her route out of the rainy streets of Seattle. Winning a prestigious culinary contest could take her away from the misery that is her home life since her widely hated big sister Kellen drowned. Now Kara's dad is gone, her mom has turned from high-powered attorney into nutty holy-rolling Christian fundamentalist who sells Soul Soup in the family café, and Kara is left with memories of better times.

As Kara pieces together the events that led to Kellen's death, she starts seeing her out of the corner of her eye: an unwelcome ghost in dirty Ugg boots. And then there are the notes. Someone is watching her, knows exactly where she is and what's she's doing. If she doesn't figure out who her stalker is, she could lose everything. Her chance of escape. The boy she's beginning to love and trust. And even her life.

Why I'm waiting for From Where I Watch You:

I wasn't at first, actually. I mean okay, a YA contemporary story about baking, happy family. But everything changed as I was reading the second paragraph. I've always loved a good YA thriller / mystery story and I haven't read enough of those so I'm definitely intrigued with this book after reading about the notes. Stalker? Someone watching?

(And hopefully it's not the boy she's beginning to trust.) So excited to see how the story plays out!

And that gorgeous cover! You actually wouldn't think this was a thriller based on that.

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What are your WoW picks for this week? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Waiting on Wednesday (153): The Grace of Kings + Mind Games

This week's WoW picks made me go "Okay Kai, what were you thinking? It's like you're in this place one second, and then on another the next.". Yes, they're vastly different books, but they currently tickle my fancy, so I chose them.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Grace of Kings (The Dandelion Dynasty #1) by Ken Liu
Release Date: April 7th 2015
Published by: Simon & Schuster

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Summary:

Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, soaring battle kites, conspiring goddesses, underwater boats, magical books, as a streetfighter-cum-general who takes her place as the greatest tactitian of the age. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.

Why I'm waiting for The Grace of Kings:

Aside from that awesome title? I'm currently reading Pierce Brown's Golden Son (*gasp* IKR?) and there's just something in my current reading experience that made so attracted to this novel. They're not even in the same genre, but there's something oddly magnetic in the way this story is set up. Two people who became friends, brought together by war and when it ended, found themselves standing on opposite sides instead of being together. Conflict! Danger! Feelings! Something tells me this is going to be epic.

(Also, for some reason that cover makes me think of Gladiator.)

Title: Mind Games by Teri Terry
Release Date: March 5th 2015
Published by: Orchard Books

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Summary:

Luna is a no-hoper with a secret: in a world of illusion, she can see what is real. But can she see the truth before it is too late?

Luna has always been able to exist in virtual and real worlds at the same time, a secret she is warned to keep. She hides her ability by being a Refuser: excluded by choice from the virtual spheres others inhabit. But when she is singled out for testing, she can’t hide any longer.

The safest thing to do would be to fail, to go back to a dead-end life, no future. But Luna is starting to hope for something better, and hope is a dangerous thing...

Why I'm waiting for Mind Games:

It's no secret that I love Teri Terry. Slated is one of my favorites and I was so happy and excited when I found out she has a new book coming out and then I read the summary and I just love her even more. Mind Games sounds amazingly intriguing with that sci-fi vibe from the get go. It's got that Divergent + Glaze feel to it and the combination just makes me more eager to read her book!

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So what are you waiting for this week? Share your links below!

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Waiting on Wednesday (152): Crimson Bound + Becoming Jinn

Wow, it's been so long since I last made a WoW post! I miss it terribly!

These books will not be released until after a good 5 to 6 months have passed, but still I am very excited to read them! Wanna know what these books are? Check out my post below!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Release Date: May 5th 2015
Published by: Balzer & Bray/Harperteen

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Summary (from Goodreads):

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

Why I'm waiting for Crimson Bound:

Even though Cruel Beauty was a wee bit underwhelming for me, I became a fan of Rosamund Hodge's writing because of the e-novella Gilded Ashes, which made me realize how good of a writer she is and that made me so excited for Crimson Bound. It's inspired by the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and it just sounds dark and sinister, intriguing and fascinating all at the same time, which I think is amazing. Oh the anticipation!

I can't believe I still need to wait half a year to read this book. *sigh*

Title: Becoming Jinn (Becoming Jinn #1) by Lori Goldstein
Release Date: April 21st 2015
Published by: Feiwel & Friends

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters,” Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

Why I'm waiting for Becoming Jinn:

After Exquisite Captive, here's another tale of genies/djinns that sounds like something I'd like to read. Don't you just love it how imaginative and creative people can be and manage to reinvent, rewrite and reimagine ideas and give birth to something like this one?

Being a genie who can't grant wishes to just anyone and is instead being controlled by a class of people as their servants? Done. Sign me up for this book.

Also, how gorgeous is that cover?

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What are your Waiting on Wednesday picks this week? Do share them with me!

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Waiting on Wednesday (151): An Ember in the Ashes + A Wicked Thing

I know, I know... 2014 is not yet over, but I am so very excited because we have some amazing 2015 books! I for one can't wait to read them, so I am highlighting two 2015 books that I would love to read!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Release Date: April 28th 2015
Published by: Razorbill

Want? Add to your Goodreads list! 

Summary (from Goodreads):

Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier— and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

Vow your blood and body to the empire.
Keep your heart for yourself.

Why I'm waiting for An Ember in the Ashes:

Can someone just give me a copy of this book, please? Kidding aside, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about this book, especially during SDCC, where it was highlighted as one of the must read novels next year. The author was a former Washington Post editor, and thought the book hasn't even been released, the film rights has already been acquired by Paramount in a SEVEN FIGURE DEAL. But again, aside from those pieces of news, I think the main premise of the novel is nothing short of interesting, and I for one cannot wait to read this. it's an "echo of Rome", and having recently read and finished Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen, which this book somewhat reminds me of, I am so very intrigued to know if this book delivers what the summary promises.

Title: A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas
Release Date: February 24th 2015
Published by: Harper Teen

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Rhiannon Thomas's dazzling debut novel is a spellbinding reimagining of what happens after happily ever after.

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairy tale.

Her family is long dead. Her "true love" is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

Why I'm waiting for A Wicked Thing:

A retelling of Sleeping Beauty? Where have you been all my life? This is why I really love retellings, and it's not just because I get to read a re-imagining of a favorite, or a fairytale I've read growing up, but because of things like this: what happens after happily ever after? This book sounds like something that I will enjoy reading, and because hey! It's Sleeping Beauty! I like how nothing's like what it was in Aurora's world... very curious to know what will happen after she wakes up.

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So what are you waiting for this week? Share your picks!

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Waiting on Wednesday (150): Evidence of Things Not Seen + Welcome to the Dark House

Still on a reading slump, but that doesn't mean I don't get excited over upcoming book releases! Check out my picks for this week!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Evidence of Things Not Seen by Lindsey Lane
Release Date: September 16th 2014
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

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Summary (from Goodreads):

When high school junior Tommy Smythe goes missing, everyone has a theory about what happened to him. Tommy was adopted, so maybe he ran away to find his birth parents. He was an odd kid, often deeply involved in his own thoughts about particle physics, so maybe he just got distracted and wandered off. He was last seen at a pull-out off the highway, so maybe someone drove up and snatched him. Or maybe he slipped into a parallel universe. Tommy believes that everything is possible, and that until something can be proven false, it is possibly true. So as long as Tommy’s whereabouts are undetermined, he could literally be anywhere.

Told in a series of first-person narratives from people who knew Tommy and third-person chapters about people who find the things Tommy left behind—his red motorbike, his driving goggles, pages from his notebook—Particles explores themes of loneliness, connectedness, and the role we play in creating our own realities.

Why I'm waiting for Evidence of Things Not Seen:

I am very very very curious about this book. I get that "it's gonna mess with your brain royally" vibe from this one and after what I went through with We Were Liars, I think I'm ready to read something that will make you think real hard and make sense of the mystery and try to figure out things with all the clues you've been given kind of book, and Evidence of Things Not Seen sounds like that type of book. To be anywhere and nowhere at the same time? Color me interested. Wow. Even the summary teases your brain for being so ambiguous and mysterious.

Also, what a fantastic looking cover!

Title: Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Release Date: July 22nd 2014
Published by: Disney-Hyperion

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

What’s your worst nightmare?

For Ivy Jensen, it’s the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.

And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.

Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.

Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.

By the time Ivy and Parker realize what’s really at stake, it’s too late to wake up and run.

Why I'm waiting for Welcome to the Dark House:

Because I'm ready for a scary read even if Halloween is months away? Okay, fine, I admit it... I'm not a fan of scary movies and well written horror books scare the life out of me, but this one just sounds so interesting I just want to read it. Just how scary will this be? It somewhat reminds me of "Ten", and yes, I am expecting people to die here. Or Scream, maybe? This book is starting to sound more fantastic as I think about it more. I want to read it now!

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So what are you waiting for this week? Share them!

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Waiting on Wednesday (149): The Rain + Chasing Power

When was the last time I posted? I've been sick for the past 5 days... it feels a bit weird to finally be back to blogging something again.

Here are my WoW picks for the week!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Rain by Virginia Bergin
Release Date: July 17th 2014
Published by: Macmillan Children's Books

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

One minute sixteen-year-old Ruby Morris is having her first proper snog with Caspar McCloud in a hot tub, and the next she’s being bundled inside the house, dripping wet, cold and in her underwear. Not cool. As she and Caspar shiver in the kitchen, it starts to rain. They turn on the radio to hear panicked voices – ‘It’s in the rain . . . it’s in the rain . . . ' That was two weeks ago, and now Ruby is totally alone. People weren’t prepared for the rain, got caught out in it, didn’t realize that you couldn’t drink water from the taps either. Even a drip of rain would infect your blood, and eat you from the inside out. Ruby knows she has to get to London to find her dad, but she just doesn’t know where to start . . . After rescuing all the neighbourhood dogs, Ruby sets off on a journey that will take her the length of the country – surviving in the only way she knows how.

Why I'm waiting for The Rain:

As someone from a country struck by devastating typhoons every single year, I know how dangerous Rain can be, but exactly how dangerous is it in this book? What's in the rain? And how scary a premise is that? It's raining, but you can't drink it. You have plenty of water which you can't use. I can't imagine how it will be, surviving without water, if it's even possible. So this book definitely has earned big points from me in terms of eager anticipation! Talk about intriguing plot line...

Title: Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst
Release Date: October 14th 2014
Published by: Bloomsbury

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Kayla was born with the ability to move things with her mind—things like credit cards and buttons on cash registers—and she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again . . . which would mean grave danger for them both.

When she’s caught stealing by a boy named Daniel—a boy with the ability to teleport—he needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel’s kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family—and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive . . . or survive.

Why I'm waiting for Chasing Power:

While I fawn over how much I love the cover, let's talk about the plot. Over-all it sounds like an action packed thriller, and I like the sound of it. Teleportation, mind control. And why would the heroine be fleeing from her father? Intrigue, intrigue and more intrigue! And back to the cover! I really like the typography they used for the book title.

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So what books are you waiting for this week?

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Waiting on Wednesday (148): The Aftermath + Princess of Thorns

Long time no post! A lot of things happened recently and I'm just getting my blogging groove back, so here I am showcasing two books I am looking forward to read! Check them out and tell me what you think.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Aftermath by Jen Alexander
Release Date: August 26th 2014
Published by: Harlequin Teen

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Sometimes, I dream that I'm someone else.

A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hunger

or thirst or running from flesh-eaters.

In her world, those sorts of things don't exist.

Since the spring of 2036, when the world changed forever, Claudia and a small clan of survivors have roamed the streets of a very altered Nashville: polluted and desolate, except for the ever-present threat of cannibal Hoarders. Together they must undergo punishing tests of endurance and psychological challenge sometimes with devastating consequences all just to live another day.

With food and water in dwindling supply, and with danger lurking around every corner, no one can be trusted. And as her world starts to make less and less sense, Claudia begins to realize something terrifying: she is just a pawn in some sort of game, and all of her actions are being controlled from afar by a mysterious gamer. So when she meets a maddening and fascinating outsider named Declan, who claims to be a game moderator, she must decide whether to join him in exchange for protection and access to the border.

If they play the game right, they are each other's best hope for survival and a life beyond the only world Claudia's ever known: the terrifying live-action game known as The Aftermath.

Why I'm waiting for The Aftermath:

Oh goodness me that summary is so interesting I want to read this book NOW! A future Nashville, decimated and dangerous with cannibals and hoarders. And all of it is just a game? How terrifyingly cool is that? I'm curious to know how the author can pull this story off. How does one control a person? And what kind of game is The Aftermath? Woah. Okay, questions are popping inside my head which means I'm excited for this book. These survival types of story gets me going and I have a feeling this one's going to be quite a read.

Title: Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
Release Date: December 9th 2014
Published by: Delacorte Press

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Why I'm waiting for Princess of Thorns:

Sleeping Beauty's daughter? I've heard of retellings with main characters as the fairytale princesses but never their daughters. And I love retellings, so this one I will definitely look forward to reading. A warrior fey princess disguised as a boy? This somehow reminds me of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series, which I greatly loved! They said this is like Game of Thrones meets Grimm's fairytales, which sounds fantastic in my ears! I will seriously be on the look out for this book once it comes out.

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So what are your WoW picks this week? Please share!

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Waiting on Wednesday (147): The Walled City + Dissonance

Gearing up for Saturday's mega fabulous signing! Haha, so forgive me if this post is a bit rushed.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
Release Date: November 4th 2014
Published by: Little, Brown

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

There are three rules in the Walled City: Run fast. Trust no one. Always carry your knife. Right now, my life depends completely on the first. Run, run, run.

Jin, Mei Yee, and Dai all live in the Walled City, a lawless labyrinth run by crime lords and overrun by street gangs. Teens there run drugs or work in brothels—or, like Jin, hide under the radar. But when Dai offers Jin a chance to find her lost sister, Mei Yee, she begins a breathtaking race against the clock to escape the Walled City itself.

Why I'm waiting for The Walled City:

Because it sounds seriously awesome. I'm not sure if it's just because the summary was written in a way that'll make a person curious to know more (as all summaries are supposed to do), but come on. A lawless labyrinth. Gangs. A girl who wants to get out of a walled city to save her sister. Imagine the adrenaline rush it'll bring. The adrenaline filled, action packed scenes. That makes me unusually excited, wow. Sign me up for this!

Title: Dissonance (Dissonance #1) by Erica O'Rourke
Release Date: July 22nd 2014
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Want? Add to your Goodreads list!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

Why I'm waiting for Dissonance:

Two words: Alternate universes! Or fine, parallel words! (Still two words.) I've never read a book that deals with what happens in other worlds, or the "roads less travelled", so this one sure made me curious. What a fresh sounding concept!

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Waiting on Wednesday (146): Magnolia + A Blind Spot for Boys

Hi! How are y'all doing?

I had to think real hard and decide which books I want to feature as my WoW picks this week, and here they are! Have you heard of these books? Let me know by leaving comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Magnolia by Kristi Cook
Release Date: August 5th 2014
Published by: Simon & Schuster

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Summary (from Goodreads):

In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are southern royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when a baby boy and girl were born to the families at the same time, the perfect opportunity seemed to have finally arrived.

Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen, for goodness’ sake, not to mention that one little problem: They hate each other! Jemma can’t stand Ryder’s nauseating golden-boy persona, and Ryder would like nothing better than to pretend stubborn Jemma doesn’t exist.

But when a violent storm ravages Magnolia Branch, it unearths Jemma’s and Ryder’s true feelings for each other as the two discover that the line between love and hate may be thin enough to risk crossing over.

Why I'm waiting for Magnolia:

Because I'm craving for good YA contemporary reads for the summer, and this book sounds like something I'd read. I'd like to read it now, if possible. Love-hate relationships? Southern royalty, age old family friends, childhood friends (okay, maybe not) and I feel like the setting is perfect for a cute read.

Title: A Blind Spot for Boys by Justina Chen
Release Date: August 12th 2014
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Shana has always had a blind spot for boys. Can she trust the one who's right in front of her?

Sixteen-year-old Shana Wilde is officially on a Boy Moratorium. After a devastating breakup, she decides it's time to end the plague of Mr. Wrong, Wrong, and More Wrong.

Enter Quattro, the undeniably cute lacrosse player who slams into Shana one morning in Seattle. Sparks don't just fly; they ignite. And so does Shana's interest. Right as she's about to rethink her ban on boys, she receives crushing news: Her dad is going blind. Quattro is quickly forgotten, and Shana and her parents vow to make the most of the time her father has left to see. So they travel to Machu Picchu, and as they begin their trek, they run into none other than Quattro himself. But even as the trip unites them, Quattro pulls away mysteriously... Love and loss, humor and heartbreak collide in this new novel from acclaimed author Justina Chen.

Why I'm waiting for A Blind Spot for Boys:

Because it's Justina Chen? I loved North of Beautiful, and even though that story is very much different than this, I'm looking forward to reading a new novel from her. And I find the "Boy Moratorium" really cute. I want to know more about Shana's habit of falling for the wrong guy. (Don't we all, at one point?) Plus what a curious sounding name, Quattro, and I never thought Machu Pichu can be an ideal setting for a YA contemporary novel. I wanna see how everything works out in the book!

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Waiting on Wednesday (145): Mortal Danger + Stitching Snow

And then I am suddenly busy, so I'm posting this a bit later than I wanted to. Anyway! Highlighting two book that I think sounds fab! They make me want to fast forward the days to release day so I can read them!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre
Release Date: August 5th 2014
Published by: Feiwel & Friends

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...

Why I'm waiting for Mortal Danger:

Because... uhm... Ann Aguirre? I've been a huge fan of her other YA series, Razorland, and this just makes me so excited that she has something new coming out soon! That cover looks creepily awesome! A lemniscate positioned sideways? Blood spatter? Color me curious! And I need to know more about this Kian. I love how deliciously dark this sounds, revenge, bullying, payback. It's like a complete recipe for disaster that just makes you so intrigued.

Title: Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis
Release Date: October 14th 2014
Published by: Disney-Hyperion

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back-but that's assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane's arrival was far from accidental, and she's pulled into the heart of a war she's risked everything to avoid.

In her enthralling debut, R.C. Lewis weaves the tale of a princess on the run from painful secrets . . . and a poisonous queen. With the galaxy's future-and her own-in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

Why I'm waiting for Stitching Snow:

I love retellings! Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series is one of my favorites, and Stitching Snow reminds me of that. A futuristic retelling of Snow White involving androids, a tech savvy heroine and a Prince who pilots a space ship? It sounds really cool and unique even as I type it. I'm interested to know how creative the author had to be to be able to reinvent and write the story of Snow White like this.

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What're your WoW picks for this week? Share them!

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Waiting on Wednesday (144): Glory O'Brien's History of the Future + Don't Touch

Okay, both books sounds really good. What do you think? They're awesome right?

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King
Release Date: October 14th 2014
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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Summary (from Goodreads):

WOULD YOU TRY TO CHANGE THE WORLD IF YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD NO FUTURE?

Graduating from high school is a time of limitless possibilities—but not for Glory, who has no plan for what's next. Her mother committed suicide when Glory was only four years old, and she’s never stopped wondering if she will eventually go the same way...until a transformative night when she begins to experience an astonishing new power to see a person’s infinite past and future. From ancient ancestors to many generations forward, Glory is bombarded with visions—and what she sees ahead of her is terrifying.

A tyrannical new leader raises an army. Women’s rights disappear. A violent second civil war breaks out. And young girls vanish daily, sold off or interned in camps. Glory makes it her mission to record everything she sees, hoping her notes will somehow make a difference. She may not see a future for herself, but she’ll do everything in her power to make sure this one doesn’t come to pass.

Why I'm waiting for Glory O'Brien's History of the Future:

It's a new A.S. King book. That's enough reason for me to read it, right? Seriously. I didn't even know A.S. King has a new book coming out and then I came across this book. Just... wow. If you had the power to see the past and future, what will you do? I've always been interested in a premise like this, and I love how A.S. King managed to incorporate in her book feminism, freedom, and things that matter. I'm pretty sure this going to be another compelling read.

Title: Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson
Release Date: September 2nd 2014
Published by: Harper Teen

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Summary (from Goodreads):

A powerful story of a girl who is afraid to touch another person’s skin, until the boy auditioning for Hamlet opposite her Ophelia gives her a reason to overcome her fears.

Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Touch another person’s skin, and Dad’s gone for good.

Caddie can’t stop thinking that if she keeps from touching another person’s skin, her parents might get back together…which is why she wears full-length gloves to school and covers every inch of her skin.

It seems harmless at first, but Caddie’s obsession soon threatens her ambitions as an actress. She desperately wants to play Ophelia in her school’s production of Hamlet. But that would mean touching Peter, who’s auditioning for the title role—and kissing him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.

Why I'm waiting for Don't Touch:

Okay, why is she afraid to touch another person's skin? It's a contemporary novel, so it's not because of an ability of some sort. Now that I think about it, that's what makes this book intriguing. There's a deeper reason? Why? I keep on asking these questions and it just goes to show how I'm curious and intrigued with this book. It sounds so mysterious and it gives off that vibe that it's a book that looks a lot deeper and darker than it sounds.

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