Waiting on Wednesday: This Side of Salvation

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to. 

This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready
Publication date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Everyone mourns differently. When his older brother was killed, David got angry. As in, fist-meets-someone-else’s-face furious. But his parents? They got religious. David’s still figuring out his relationship with a higher power, but there’s one thing he does know for sure: The closer he gets to new-girl Bailey, the better, brighter, happier, more he feels.

Then his parents start cutting all their worldly ties in to prepare for the Rush, the divine moment when the faithful will be whisked off to Heaven…and they want David to do the same. David’s torn. There’s a big difference between living in the moment and giving up his best friend, varsity baseball, and Bailey—especially Bailey—in hope of salvation.

But when he comes home late from prom, and late for the Rush, to find that his parents have vanished, David is in more trouble than he ever could have imagined...

Another Jeri Smith-Ready book! I'm so excited. So very very. Very. Excited. And the cover is amazing. And the synopsis sounds amazing. You are amazing. And everything is amazing.

What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Naturals

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to. 

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publication date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie. What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides— especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. 

Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length. Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

I love psychological thrillers and I'm a fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes, so I'm really looking forward to this one. But not the cover. No. Not the cover at all.

What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Infinite Moment of Us

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

Publication date: August 20, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now . . . not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are? Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be. And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them . . . Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers.

Look at that cover. *pets it* I love Lauren Myracle so I'll definitely be giving this one a read and look forward to it! August isn't too far away. Right?? Well...

Waiting on Wednesday: Reality Boy

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Reality Boy by A.S. King

Publication date: October 22, 2013

Publisher: Little, Brown for Young Readers

Gerald Faust knows exactly when he started feeling angry: the day his mother invited a reality television crew into his five-year-old life. Twelve years later, he’s still haunted by his rage-filled youth—which the entire world got to watch from every imaginable angle—and his anger issues have resulted in violent outbursts, zero friends, and clueless adults dumping him in the special education room at school. 

Nothing is ever going to change. No one cares that he’s tried to learn to control himself, and the girl he likes has no idea who he really is. Everyone’s just waiting for him to snap…and he’s starting to feel dangerously close to doing just that. 

In this fearless portrayal of a boy on the edge, highly acclaimed Printz Honor author A.S. King explores the desperate reality of a former child “star” who finally breaks free of his anger by creating possibilities he never knew he deserved.

I love Everybody Sees the Ants and am about to start Ask the Passengers soon, so I'm really looking forward to Reality Boy. Her books are so powerful and I can't wait for this one! Contemporary usually isn't my thing, but A.S. King is one of the few contemporary authors that I know I'll keep going back to no matter what.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Blackout by Robison Wells
Publication date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen

Laura and Alec are trained terrorists. 

 Jack and Aubrey are high school students. 

 There was no reason for them to ever meet. But now, a mysterious virus is spreading throughout America, infecting teenagers with impossible powers. And these four are about to find their lives intertwined in a complex web of deception, loyalty, and catastrophic danger—where one wrong choice could trigger an explosion that ends it all.

Soooooo, I am kind of over the whole "kids get super powers" plot, but this is Robison Wells and I am a fan of his Variant series. It was super intense and I'm looking forward to what he can do with this one. It sounds like there are some new elements added so it could be different! *crosses fingers*

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

Publication date: April 2013

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

This is a tale of missing persons. Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in a rainy corner of Cambridge (in our world). Elliot, on the other hand, is in search of his father, who disappeared on the night his uncle was found dead. The talk in the town of Bonfire (in the Kingdom of Cello) is that Elliot's dad may have killed his brother and run away with the Physics teacher. But Elliot refuses to believe it. And he is determined to find both his dad and the truth. As Madeleine and Elliot move closer to unraveling their mysteries, they begin to exchange messages across worlds -- through an accidental gap that hasn't appeared in centuries. But even greater mysteries are unfolding on both sides of the gap: dangerous weather phenomena called "color storms;" a strange fascination with Isaac Newton; the myth of the "Butterfly Child," whose appearance could end the droughts of Cello; and some unexpected kisses...

I love her Ashbury High books, so I'm really looking forward to this one!

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Publication date: December 11, 2012

Publisher: Razorbill

Sixteen-year-old Cleo has grown up in luxury, the royal heiress to a prosperous kingdom. But beneath her nation's seemingly peaceful surface lies dangerous unrest. Whispers of war are growing ever louder--intensified by a murderous incident for which Cleo's betrothed, Aron, is accused. Amidst the ongoing intrigue, Cleo has a more desperate mission. She defies her father's orders and sets off on a secret and perilous journey into a neighboring country, seeking a magic long thought to be mythical. If it's real, it could be the cure that heals her ailing sister. If it's only legend, Cleo will be stranded in a kingdom that has just declared war on her own.

YES! Please. I can never get enough fantasy. And look at that cover!

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Velveteen by Daniel Marks

Publication date: October 9, 2012

Publisher: Random House

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that's not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it's not a fiery inferno, it's certainly no heaven. It's gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn't leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what's really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she's figured out just how to do it. She'll haunt him for the rest of his days. It'll be brutal . . . and awesome. But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen's obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she's willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker. Velveteen can't help herself when it comes to breaking rules . . . or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.

I have Asher at Paranormal Indulgence to thank for this one. It. Sounds. Amazing. I love revenge stories. This is probably because I choose to turn the other cheek in my own life, so I love to live through other people who choose to do the opposite. BONESAW!! I love it. Please let this be good. Please let this be good.

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Dark Star by Bethany Frenette

Publication date: October 23, 2012

Publisher: Hyperion

Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human—something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile. Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers—livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin. 

To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight. When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything—and everyone—she loves.

SUPERHEROES! Sorry for the caps. I'm just really excited. I'm a nerd and get a little hot over superheroes. Does the description remind anyone else of Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series (if you've read it obviously)? That might be another reason I'm drawn to it. And well...you know...SUPERHEROES. I hope there's more than just her mom and Leon.

What are you waiting for?

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Publication date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school's most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury. But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine. Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

I need this book. Right? Yes. The cover reveal, which happened this week (I believe?), matches the synopsis of the book to perfection. It makes me want it even more. With the tension and fear that McNeil was able to put into Possess, I have complete faith this one will have much more of the same. I can't wait until September!

What are you waiting for??

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to. 

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee
Publication date: July 17, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications (again!) and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home and school. She refuses to be daunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom, or that her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of? Annaliese? Or herself?

This book sounds amazing to me. And it's got ghosts, guys! Ghosts! I love ghosts! And a "hunky farmer boy!" Anyone read Texas Gothic? *ahem* That's a hunky farmer boy. Anyways...Am I the only one noticing a higher number than usual of book releases that have main characters with a mental illness (or possibly has one)? Not complaining. Just making an observation.

What are you waiting for??

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) by Meg Cabot

Publication date: May 28, 2012

Publisher: Point

SPOILERS IN SYNOPSIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE 1ST BOOK IN THE SERIES

Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead. But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey. Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves. But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies. And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

I'm going to come out and admit that I was disappointed by the first book in the Abandon trilogy. I won't go into detail because this isn't a review, BUT I thought it was a great set-up for the second book and am looking forward to Underworld immensely! I think of book one as a really long (kind of boring) prologue that introduces all of the fun stuff that will happen in the rest of the books. Can't wait for this one!

What book are you waiting for??

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Publication date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: Random House

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high. Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

A book to add to the Fantasy genre!! This sounds like it can only be amazing. There shall be no suckage in this book. Right? Right. *please*

What book are you waiting for??

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

The Fear (The Enemy #3) by Charlie Higson
Publication date: June 12, 2012
Publisher: Hyperion

HE DOESN’T KNOW IT BUT DOG NUT IS ABOUT TO SET OFF A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT WILL AFFECT EVERY KID IN THE CITY. The sickness struck everyone over the age of *sixteen. Mothers and fathers, older brothers, sisters and best friends. No one escaped its touch. And now children across London are being hunted by ferocious grown-ups . . .They’re hungry. They’re bloodthirsty. And they aren’t giving up. DogNut and the rest of his crew want to find their lost friends, and set off on a deadly mission from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace and beyond, as the sickos lie in wait. But who are their friends and who is the enemy in this changed world?

I love zombie books and I adore this series. It's full of action, suspense, and it's terrifying. SO EXCITING!! Check out the first two if you can before this one is released. And yes, a character's name is really DogNut. I'll be reviewing the second one soon. Here's my review of the first one: The Enemy. It's one of my early reviews when I was beginning to get the hang of blogging (and I still am, actually).

*The Goodreads synopsis says "fourteen" but it's actually sixteen so I changed it here.

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

Publishing date: February 28, 2012

Publisher: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux

After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend Ilven kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.

Do I really need to explain why I want this one? I don't understand how vampires fit into story, but I don't care and still want it. I love dark stories and this one sounds right up my alley!

What are you waiting for??

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Publication Date: June 12, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

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 need this book like woah. I fell in love with Diana's writing in Rampant. Who knew someone could make a story about killer unicorns freaking awesome? That's a rhetorical question because everyone knows only Diana could. Well, maybe Stephen King too, but Diana came up with the idea first. Plus, Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel. So yeah. I need this book.

What are you most looking forward to? Leave a link to your WOW in the comments and I'll come visit!

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Seraphina’s first love made her immortal…her second might get her killed. Incarnation is a new series that introduces a fresh mythology perfect for fans of bestselling series like The Immortals by Alyson Noel and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

After spending six hundred years on earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world’s riches, but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to swap bodies with other humans, jumping from one vessel to the next, taking the human’s life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she’s done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.

Then sixteen-year-old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she’s inhabiting—and falls for the human boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she’s his again, and every moment she stays, she’s putting herself and the people she’s grown to care for in great danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that’s eluded her for centuries: true love?

Look at that pretty cover! I actually just found out about this book today! My store and myself didn't receive an ARC and this makes me sad (I've become spoiled...). I'm intrigued by the premise of The Alchemy of Forever and it reminds me a bit of The Host by Stephenie Meyer which I enjoyed. I've always had a fascination with alchemy, so I'm curious as to what the author has done with it in the story.

What are you most looking forward to? Leave a link to your WoW in the comments and I'll come visit!

Waiting On Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine which asks what book we're most looking forward to.

Forgiven by Jana Oliver
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin

The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of her tryst with a hunky fallen angel and a deal freshly made with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s elite team of demon hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s on the run, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list.

But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than either Riley or Beck, and rapidly getting out of control. Someone's tampering with Atlanta's Holy Water, and it’s on Riley to figure out who. On top of that, there’s something wrong with the demons; they’re working together—and refusing to die. The trappers and hunters are doing their best, but civilians are falling in harm’s way.

Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming—and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

I am so excited for this book. Soul Thief left me on the edge of my seat. I NEED this book. Like yesterday. And look at that gorgeous cover! Want it. Need it. Now.

What book are you most looking forward to? Leave me a link to your WOW in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!