Waiting on Wednesday: Bone Gap

Bone Gap
Laura Ruby
Releasing March 3 2015

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

One of the deepest, well-kept secrets of my very pocketed literary heart: I adore magical realism.

(Well, here at least it is a well-kept secret, simply because I haven't been reviewing as I should or chronicling my stop-and-start obsession with devouring ALL the magical realism titles YA has to offer.)

I covet stories like this because they feel like they can literally sink down into my marrow: very rich, thick with potential for magic and well-spun words...The kind of story you can dwell in.

It also helps when you've been fortunate to have had wonderful conversations with the author herself and know that you'll regret it if you don't read more words produced from that creative mind.

I do not have the best luck with requesting titles from this particular publisher online, though, so I suppose I'll have to sit on my hands and wait for the release date. Which is so very, very far away. Ah, the joys of being a reader.

ETA: On reviewing the GoodReads page for Bone Gap, I note that it's shelved as a contemporary and not a magical realism per se? Perhaps I'm applying my own hopes to it and the fact that the wonderful Nova Ren Suma recommended it to me a few months ago (and just a general note that you never, ever doubt Nova's recommendations - ever).

So we'll see.

add on goodreads | visit laura ruby's website

Waiting on Wednesday: Illusive

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For a list of participants and more information, please refer there!

Illusive
Emily Lloyd-Jones
Releasing July 15 2014
 

The X-Men meets Ocean's Eleven in this edge-of-your-seat sci-fi adventure about a band of "super" criminals.

When the MK virus swept across the planet, a vaccine was created to stop the epidemic, but it came with some unexpected side effects. A small percentage of the population developed superhero-like powers. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba has the handy ability to change her appearance at will. She's what's known as an illusionist...She's also a thief.

After a robbery goes awry, Ciere must team up with a group of fellow super-powered criminals on another job that most would consider too reckless. The formula for the vaccine that gave them their abilities was supposedly destroyed years ago. But what if it wasn't?

The lines between good and bad, us and them, and freedom and entrapment are blurred as Ciere and the rest of her crew become embroiled in a deadly race against the government that could cost them their lives.

Okay, first of all. Ever since I was a young girl, I've watched most - if not all - cartoon adaptations of popular superheroes. X-Men might have been the series I understood the least, but only because I seemed to tune in several episodes after the last one I viewed, and thus wasn't completely up to date on the hijinks going on.

But it was still awesome.

So, anything involving superheroes will always be cool by me. Or villains, for that matter. (I am still unconvinced that Loki is truly evil and not actually a victim of his adoptive father's mind games, but that is another story entirely.)

That all being said...super-powered criminals? An epidemic that doesn't actually wipe out the population, leaving this as a sci-fi and NOT a dystopian? (Believe me, I've had my share of dystopian love, but I would like to see more cool sci-fi on the market, too.)

Little, Brown, please remember this humble little blogger when you happen to have copies of this available for reading.

That is all I have to say.

(Also, as an extra bonus, I have spoken to Emily before and she is super sweet and friendly. Friendly authors + great stories equals...well, what could come from that except for awesome?)

add on goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday: Salt & Storm

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For a list of participants and more information, please refer there!

Salt & Storm
Kendall Kulper
Releasing September 23 2014

A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.

Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for.

Edelweiss, why don't you love me? This has been up for the past two weeks, and so far, I've been denied its glorious, salt-tinted beauty twice.  

Review request woes aside, this story is everything that eighteen-year-old Kaye (or now-Kaye, to be honest) would want. Living near the Atlantic, I've always had a yearning for the sea: lifting up my skirt and wading in it, looking into tide pools and seeing if there was any trapped magic within them...

There's just something rich and mysterious about the crashing waves. And Salt & Storm seems to catch all the best aspects of it - witches! Tattooed whalers! An island!

What more could a girl ask for?

add on goodreads | find the author on twitter

Waiting on Wednesday: Tsarina

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For a list of participants and more information, please refer there!

Tsarina
J. Nelle Patrick
Releasing February 27 2014

Natalya knows a secret.
 
A magical Faberge egg glows within the walls of Russia's Winter Palace.

It holds a power rooted in the land and stolen from the mystics.

A power that promises a life of love for her and Alexei Romanov.

Power, that, in the right hands, can save her way of life.

But it's not in the right hands.

I'm of two minds on this release date: It's January, so February is around the corner - but it's January, so we have the rest of the month and most of February to go through. Ah, the angst of waiting for a book to release.

In any case, I've probably mentioned my middle-school obsession with the Romanovs. I was particularly enthralled by Princess Anastasia. She was a girl my age (at the time, of course), who took selfies, adored her family and could be stubborn. And of course, what girl doesn't like the magic of a real life princess?

Well, this story isn't centered around Anastasia, but - magic! Mystery! Faberge eggs! What more could a girl ask for? I certainly won't complain.

(And, uh, if you happen to have an ARC that you aren't using, please...keep me in mind. I will pay with gratitude and cookies.) 
 

add on goodreads | find the author on twitter

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Belle Epoque and The Wig in the Window

Belle Epoque
Elizabeth Ross
June 11, 2013

When Maude Pichon runs away from provincial Brittany to Paris, her romantic dreams vanish as quickly as her savings. Desperate for work, she answers an unusual ad. The Durandeau Agency provides its clients with a unique service—the beauty foil. Hire a plain friend and become instantly more attractive.

Monsieur Durandeau has made a fortune from wealthy socialites, and when the Countess Dubern needs a companion for her headstrong daughter, Isabelle, Maude is deemed the perfect foil.

But Isabelle has no idea her new "friend" is the hired help, and Maude's very existence among the aristocracy hinges on her keeping the truth a secret. Yet the more she learns about Isabelle, the more her loyalty is tested. And the longer her deception continues, the more she has to lose.

I pride myself on generally not being a shallow reader and sticking to the whole adage of "don't judge a book by its cover" - but let's just forget about that for now, because the Mucha-esque font and gilded pattern is just driving me nuts.

Some girls fall for diamonds and gold bracelets.

I am a sucker for a good cover.

(Well, at least my future hubby's wallet can breathe a sigh of relief.)

Anyway, not only is the cover good for this one, the summary is utterly captivating. I mean, of course, I've heard about bridezillas who pick 'ugly' bridesmaids in order to make themselves drop dead gorgeous on their wedding day - but a whole agency designed on giving rich girls best friends in order to look better? After an influx of The Luxe (rhyme not intended) - he said, she said and all that irritating jazz - this type of literary scandal and intrigue is very much welcome.

The Wig in the Window
Kristen Kittscher
June 18, 2013

Sophie Young and Grace Yang have made a game of spying on their neighbors, but when they stake out the home of notoriously phony middle school counselor Dr. Charlotte Agford (aka Dr. Awkward), they stumble across a terrifying scene.

Or do they? The girls are convinced that Dr. Agford’s sugary sweet façade hides a dark secret. But as they get closer to the truth about Agford, the strain of the investigation pushes Sophie and Grace farther apart. Even if they crack their case, will their friendship survive?

Perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Wig in the Window is a smart, funny middle-grade mystery with a Rear Window twist.

As you probably know by now, I have a brother in the middle-grade spectrum of things. As you might also know by now, he's a ridiculously picky reader. That being said, The Mysterious Benedict Society was one of his favorite series within the past year or so, and - since he actually deigned to acknowledge it with his attention - I picked it up and enjoyed it as well.

I think my basic success code with MGs has to be smart and funny (hence, my obsession with A Series of Unfortunate Events, and subsequently, suspicions of unibrowed men) - thus, this story seems like it's going to be right up my alley. It involves best friends, a suspicious school counselor, and a dark secret. Oooh la la!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme run by Breaking the Spine. Please refer to the hosting blog for more information.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Defiance

Defiance (Defiance, #1)
C.J. Redwine
August 28, 2012

Alright. Today, I am sitting on the hands of my inner fangirl. Already, I'm a little biased about this release as it is because I constantly check on Ms. Redwine's blog and her interviews with other authors and I mean, come on, she loves lemon bars! How can you not love someone who likes lemon bars (which, by the way, I plan on baking tonight AGAIN, but that's another story entirely...).

The truth is, I'm a sucker for a girl who can rock a pretty dress but be totally unbeatable at the same time. (I'm friends with people like that, so believe me...it never gets boring.) Also, a girl who has her heart with her family - besides my siblings, I have a ton of cousins that I count as extra brothers and sisters, and my family is EVERYTHING to me, so I find it a true sign of good character if a heroine doesn't spend all her time pining away over a boy and does care if her father goes missing or her mom is pregnant and has an accident or whatever.

I mean, teens can be selfish - but they can also love.And by love, I don't mean that cute guy next door. I mean absolute love, like you can go to sleep and know that person is watching over you, and they know the same about you. It could be a relative, it could be a friend...but it still warms the cynical little cockles of my heart.

Wow. Looks like that fangirl did escape after all.

Anyway, this is definitely one of the 2012 debuts I'm looking forward to. (And if you have a copy, please let me know so I can bother you about it to within an inch of your life.)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme run by Breaking the Spine. Please refer to the hosting blog for more information.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Stormdancer

Stormdancer (The Lotus War, #1)
Jay Kristoff
September 1, 2012

A DYING LAND 

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST 

The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL 

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Shall I go over the "I love Japan, I love the culture, I love the chopsticks, I love tofu, yadda yadda yadda" spiel again?

No?

I didn't think so.

Suffice it to say that, anything involving my favorite culture + my favorite genre (steampunk! History and inventions and awesome-sauce heroines who wear long dresses but know how to throw it down!) must be positively AMAZING.

That's plain logic. Didn't you learn about it in school?

Also, it's coming out under Tor. I've learned pretty quickly to trust them and the authors they choose.

Do you have this title on your shelf yet? What do you think?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Friday Society

The Friday Society
Adrienne Kress
November 2012

Set in London at the turn of the last century, the novel follows the stories of three intelligent and very talented young women, all of whom are assistants to very powerful men: Cora, lab assistant to a member of parliament; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant to a martial arts guru; and Nellie, a magician's assistant. The three young women’s lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It’s up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder—and the crimes they believe may be connected to it‐‐without calling too much attention to themselves.

Told with Adrienne Kress's sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Today I just discovered something startling about myself: I am made for steampunk.

Yeah, Kaye, and all those years of Treasure Planet re-runs and Ghibli fangirling didn't tip you off before now?

Alright, so let's just say that it's been a discovery in development. I think the main reason that I love steampunk is because its roots are in one of my great subject loves (history). Or, the history is the cookie part of an Oreo, and you can change up the filling to whatever you want.

Mmm. Now I'm hungry.

And good thing there's an awesome book to look forward to that seems utterly satisfying.

I love the concept of three girls from different backgrounds - but all united in one thing: male subjugation. Let's face it: the boys like to make it all about them. It's a good thing there are heroines like Michiko, Cora, and Nellie to show them a thing or two. I mean, a magician's assistant? Usually, you'd just expect her to just smile and wave and pull a few cards out of air, right?

But here she is, running alongside a lab assistant and a guru's standby for a single cause.

Forget about summer 2012. Can we just skip to autumn already? Pretty please?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Crewel

Crewel (The Crewel World, #1)
Gennifer Albin
October 16, 2012

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Sci-fi is totally underrated.

Really.

I think the main reason why I find it so hard to reconcile myself with dystopia is because...well, it's the end of the world. Everyone seems locked in a dog-eat-dog, smother-or-be-smothered chain that doesn't stop, even if the hero breaks out of the mold and starts a rebellion.

Does a dystopian really end happy? Well, I guess it depends on who you ask.

Well, I'm not saying that a sci-fi couldn't turn out the same way (example: Across the Universe, one of my favorite stories but...well, very dark) - but there's more going on than just setting it in the middle of a war-torn United States and adding in a bunch of statutes that no one can break, or some epic nuclear blast that has everyone scrambling for a safe haven.

And again, that can totally be done. Just sometimes, it feels like we aren't getting titles who do it the right way.

The original way.

In any case, YA is long overdue for a new makeover, and a new sci-fi - especially one that sounds as alluring as this one (really, have you looked at that cover? That is what you call a siren in book form) -  is exactly what I need.

What do you think? Too much dystopian and too little talent? How about sci-fi - yay or nay?

Do I make any sense in my posts at all?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls
Claire LeGrand
August 28, 2012

Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster--lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does, too.)

But then Lawrence goes missing. And he's not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that Mrs. Cavendish's children's home is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out . . . different, or they don't come out at all.

If anyone can sort this out, it's Victoria, even if it means getting a little messy.

Wow. It finally has a cover.

And it's a perfect cover.

I'll get you, my pretty. Someday soon.

I might claim to be a solely YA book blogger, but it's time for a little confession: my literary pleasure, the titles that give me as much happiness and warmth as a cup of well-brewed, sweetened tea - or maybe a cupcake without that all that wretched frosting - are middle-grade titles. Things like Percy Jackson and The Emerald Atlas and Ordinary Magic (which I really need to review, don't I)?

And now, this one.

As soon as I get a chance to read it, and believe me, I WILL, because isn't that summary too tantalizing for words? For some reason, I'm thinking of the last scene in Willy Wonka (the book, of course), where all the naughty children are returned to their guardians - "just as obnoxious and nasty as always," the candy-making genius claims, but the illustration shows a little differently.

Not that I think that Lawrence will be turned into a candy. That's just too...ew.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Tiger Lily & Kill Me Softly

Tiger Lily
Jodi Lynn Anderson
July 3, 2012

15 year old Tiger Lily, proud and fierce, wild and misunderstood, doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland, and immediately falls under his spell. 

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, big-hearted but hard to reach, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything - her family, her future - to be with the haunted, hunted, courageous boy who loves her. 

When - as a punishment for her rebellious ways - she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of PEACHES comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

So my good friend Dani of Refracted Light Reviews brought this title to my attention after I wrote a piece based off Tiger Lily and Peter for a Figment theme. The idea of Tiger Lily being a better match for Peter Pan has always appealed to me. Not to completely blindside Wendy from the picture, but...Yeah, I root for the Native American princess this time.

After all...how can a British girl sing with all the voices of the mountain and paint with all the colors of the wind? (Heh. Sorry. Couldn't resist.)


The only downfall for this novel to me - which has me eagerly anticipating and dreading it - is that I'm not sure that Tiger Lily will get a happy ending. *gasps* What if the author still has her shoved aside for Wendy in the end? Gah. Well, the only way to find out is to just go ahead and take the plunge, I guess.

Or lurk on GoodReads until someone braver reviews it.

Kill Me Softly
Sarah Cross
April 10, 2012

True love’s kiss just may prove deadly....

Mirabelle’s past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents’ tragic deaths to her guardians’ half-truths about why she can’t return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who’s a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren’t pretty things, and they don’t always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy-tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy-tale curses of their own ... brothers who share a dark secret. And she’ll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

By now, you probably know of my weakness for fairy-tale retellings since fifth grade. The Sisters Grimm, Ella Enchanted (Prince Char + Ella 4Ever!), endless replays of any new Disney princess movie that comes out (assuming that they don't ruin it and totally make it in a prince-bolstering, wet-blanket-heroine tournament)...I think you get the idea.

The author curates a fairy tale blog on Tumblr that I compulsively check for inspiration and new ideas. With such unique images and depictions, I have faith that she'll carry this off wonderfully.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Diviners

The Diviners (Diviners, #1)
Libba Bray

A supernatural series set in Manhattan during the 1920s that follows a teen heroine reminiscent of two of the era's most famous literary women—Zelda Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker. The story will be a wild new ride full of dames and dapper dons, jazz babies and Prohibition-defying parties, conspiracy and prophecy—and all manner of things that go bump in the neon-drenched night.

I've only read the first of Ms. Bray's previous historical series, A Great and Terrible Beauty. I adored the writing style and the descriptions (and the glimpses of India!), but was ultimately put off because of certain changes in the plot (and a little bit of spoiling done by a very dear friend who does not know when to keep her mouth shut).

The Diviners, from what I've heard so far, sounds rather like a mix of Anna Godberson's fare of books (flappers and deadly secrets and the like) with a twist of things that go bump in the night. Intriguing. In any case, I'll keep my eyes, ears and mind open for this one.

What do you guys think? Does this new series sound promising to you? What were your thoughts on AGaTB?

Also, am I the only one who hates short blurbs?

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Magic Under Stone

Magic Under Stone (Magic Under, #2)
Jaclyn Dolamore
April 10, 2012

For star-crossed lovers Nimira and Erris, there can be no happily ever after until Erris is freed from the clockwork form in which his soul is trapped. And so they go in search of the sorcerer Ordorio Valdana, hoping he will know how to grant Erris real life again. 

When they learn that Valdana has mysteriously vanished, it's not long before Nimira decides to take matters into her own hands—and begins to study the sorcerer's spell books in secret. Yet even as she begins to understand the power and limitations of sorcery, it becomes clear that freeing Erris will bring danger—if not out-and-out war—as factions within the faerie world are prepared to stop at nothing to prevent him from regaining the throne.

I enjoyed Magic Under Glass just as much as I thought I would (and not only because Nimira is from a different race than the usual fare...diversity in YA for the win!), and I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens to Nimira and Erris. I probably might have to read the last book again to figure out if there's anything I forgot (argh...getting closer to twenty seems to have my memory slipping).

Also, did anyone else see the author's note that this is the last installment of the story? How do you feel about that? Do you think that two-book series can be carried out? Ms. Dolamore is a talented author, so I'm withholding judgment until I actually read it. You can be sure I'll let you know what I thought about it.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, #1)

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, #1)
Maggie Stiefvater
September 18, 2012

Filled with mystery, romance, and the supernatural, The Raven Boys introduces readers to Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh king. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish—either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart.

Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there—known as Raven Boys—can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But she was wrong.

And this is where I show you exactly how much of a Stiefvater fan-girl I am. Admit it, you love her, too. If not, come on: this is the long awaited Magical Novel!  I thought the Irish elements of The Scorpio Races was awesome enough, but in this new series we are apparently getting Welsh mythology. I don't know much about Wales, but the legend of Glendower sounds appropriately intriguing - and a little squicky, too, but that's just as good.

Well, the fact that we even have a proper blurb plus the cover at this point is awesome! (I don't know if you remember me ranting about the two-sentence "preview" we got of The Scorpio Races last year? Ugh. That doesn't bear repeating.)

Also, I love the fact that the girl's name is Blue. I have no idea why. I just do.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Tokyo Heist

Tokyo Heist
Diana Renn
June 14, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Violet loves reading manga and wearing scarves made from kimono fabric, so she’s thrilled that her father’s new painting commission means a summer trip to Japan. But what starts as an exotic vacation quickly turns into a dangerous treasure hunt.

Her father’s client, the wealthy Yamada family, is the victim of a high-profile art robbery. Someone has stolen van Gogh sketches from the Yamadas’ Seattle mansion, and is holding them hostage until the Yamadas can produce the corresponding van Gogh painting.

The problem is that nobody knows where this painting is hidden, and until they find it, all of their lives are in danger. Violet’s search for the missing van Gogh takes her from the Seattle Art Museum, to the yakuza-infested streets of Tokyo, to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery deepens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust.

But she knows one thing: she has to find the painting and the criminals—before it’s too late.

Now, if you know anything about me, you probably know that I love Japan. LOVE it. Mostly the history and the ancient traditions, but the new blend between cultures isn't so bad to follow, either. (And I have to say, I do love my manga and anime.) That being said, it's no surprise that this is one of my "gah gimme now" titles for 2012.

The plot sounds really fast-paced and gripping - one of those novels you read along with a mental soundtrack of gunshots, loud explosions and heavy breathing. (No lie - you have no idea how much I get into the worlds I read about.)

Also, there's yakuza in here? Yakuza, as in the Japanese mafia? You know I have got to read this.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
Sarah J. Maas
August 7, 2012

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

I'm sorry that I missed this story's stint on Fictionpress, because now I'm going to have to wait all the way until August to read it! Gah. How will I survive? But seeing as the author assures all her past readers on her website that the edited version is even better, perhaps that's a good thing.

So initially, this story was meant to be a retelling of Cinderella - only Cinderella is at the ball to kill Prince Charming. Now, it is billed as a high-fantasy adventure with slight ties to the fairytale. Either way, it sounds   A M A Z I N G.

Also, I love it when the prince has some competition for the girl's affections. I mean, who always wants the royalty to win?

Unfortunately, seeing as we are nowhere near this book's release date, there is no cover.  Ah, well. Soon enough.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)
Leigh Bardugo
June 19, 2012

Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, all she’s ever been able to rely on is her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’ve been sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. She is torn from everything she knows and whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes that she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the Sun Summoner. Only her power can destroy the Fold. 

Overwhelmed by luxury, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to keep her wits about her without Mal by her side. But nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her mastery of her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha—and the secrets of her heart.

Okay, I think I like these beginnings of a new trend with Russian-based YA. Of course, anything with a trouble-worn, determined heroine is always a big WIN with me - as long as the author really does deliver - and with authors like Susan Dennard and Sarah J. Maas giving this high praise, I'm pretty sure it'll own up to its expectations.

And, as I said before in the Gathering Storm review: anything involving sled rides + samovars + thick exotic accents + mysterious elite = MUST READ.

And the fur hats. If you want to get me ANYTHING this year, give me one of those.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme courtesy of Breaking the Spine. Please refer the hosting blog for participation rules.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Pretty Crooked and Gallagher Girls #5 (FINALLY!!!)

Pretty Crooked
Elisa Ludwig
March 13, 2012

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them suspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her: evening the social playing field between the haves and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of thefts at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

Okay, so twists on classic heroes always score high in my book, and I'm adding extra points for the fact that the girl's name is Willa, which I think is one of the most underrated names EVER. It seems just up the ally of the contemps I prefer: hip, action-packed and heroine-centric. (Now if only NetGalley would take a hint and send my request through.)

And speaking of girl power...

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls, #5)
Ally Carter
March 20, 2012

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

 FINALLY. Has it really been two years since the last volume came out? Ah, well. More the reason for a Gallagher Girl re-readathon! Really, if you haven't been keeping track of this series, you don't know what you're missing out on. Some kids watch the skies for their Hogwarts letter. Me? I just keep an eye out for a black-tinted limo and some suspicious faces in the crowd at the mall. You never know when your country needs you...

Also, Cammie has amnesia?! What on Earth could she have been up to? This cannot come out fast enough for me.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Something Strange and Deadly & In Darkness Shows the Stars

Something Strange and Deadly
Susan Dennard
July 24, 2012

There’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

(Me, just gushing) May I just say how much I want this book?! First of all, you know how mad I am about Victorian culture by now, yes? The cover is positively gorgeous and authentic and promises that this story is going to give as good as it promises. And a handsome inventor? Gah. When can I have this?

(Gushing translated into some semblance of English) This book appears to have a perfect balance of symmetry between plot and characterization. The cover is aesthetically appealing and the author's plot twists intriguing, as well as the tantalizing promise of a deserving love interest. I look forward to having a chance to read this in the near future.

For Darkness Shows the Stars
Diana Peterfreund
June 12, 2012 

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

I am always a bit leery of retellings involving my favorite classic authors (don't even get me started discussing everything that could go wrong with A Breath of Eyre). I also haven't read Diana Peterfreund's killer unicorn novels as of yet, but the plot does sound promising. You don't see many authors incorporating Luddites into their stories, do you?


My only issue: couldn't they have kept the same names? I'm not too keen on Kai. Makes me think of a tall, brawny version of Mowgli for some reason. :(

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Last Princess

The Last Princess
Galaxy Craze
May 8, 2012

Happily ever after is a thing of the past.

The year is 2090.

England is a barren land. Food is rationed. Oil has decimated the oceans. The people are restless.

A ruthless revolutionary enacts a plan to destroy the royal family, and in a moment, the king is dead. His heiress, Princess Mary, and her brother, Jamie, have been abducted, and no one knows their fate. Princess Eliza Windsor barely escapes, and finds herself scared and lost in London's dangerous streets.

With a mind for revenge and the safe recovery of her siblings, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. There she is tempted by her first taste of independence -- and true love. Ultimately she must summon her courage and fight to ensure that she does not become... The Last Princess.

Step aside, Anastasia, there's a new lost heiress in town.

When you think about it, most dystopians focus on America falling apart at the seams, facing alien invasion or a plague that should have died away millions of years ago - but rarely touch upon what our friends across the pond will be experiencing. The very idea that Britain's monarchy could be shaken to the point that its last princess would be left to wander the streets for herself is frightening and intriguing all at once.


Also, can I just say how awesome of a name Galaxy Craze is? I doubt it is her birth name - but if it really is, she has some awesome parents. ;)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. For more information on participating, please check out the host blog.