"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

CATHERINE
By: April Lindner
Published By: Poppy
Release Date: Jan. 2, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A forbidden romance. A modern mystery. Wuthering Heights as you've never seen it before.

Catherine is tired of struggling musicians befriending her just so they can get a gig at her Dad's famous Manhattan club, The Underground. Then she meets mysterious Hence, an unbelievably passionate and talented musician on the brink of success. As their relationship grows, both are swept away in a fiery romance. But when their love is tested by a cruel whim of fate, will pride keep them apart?

Chelsea has always believed that her mom died of a sudden illness, until she finds a letter her dad has kept from her for years -- a letter from her mom, Catherine, who didn't die: She disappeared. Driven by unanswered questions, Chelsea sets out to look for her -- starting with the return address on the letter: The Underground.

Told in two voices, twenty years apart, Catherine interweaves a timeless forbidden romance with a compelling modern mystery.



Why it's wanted:
I love retellings of classic novels, and this sounds like a really interesting twist on Wuthering Heights. I'm curious to see how it works!

Teaser Tuesday (55)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"'So we'll leave in the morning then, yes?' Kaidan raised a lazy eyebrow at me and I shivered, breaking into a cold sweat as I nodded my agreement.

What had I done?"


p. 118 (ARC) from SWEET EVIL by Wendy Higgins
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Banned Books Week Hop

Welcome to this stop of the Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop, hosted by I am a reader, not a writer and I Read Banned Books. A little bit of information about Banned Books Week:

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

To find out more, please visit the ALA website.



My thoughts on banned books (taken from a post I've made before):

Confession time: I read banned books.

It is inconceivable to me how, in this day and age, books are challenged and banned, removed from schools and bookshelves, simply because the material is "unpleasant" or "inappropriate." And this opinion is rarely held by the majority; it is often an individual or small group that speaks out against a book.

Last time I checked, we're not all the same.

Books do not have to appeal to everyone; but neither should they be restricted because of the opinions of a few. I just finished a book that I know many people won't read because of its subject material. But does that mean it wasn't a good book, or that others, myself included, shouldn't read it either? Of course not! To each his own, I say. If you don't like a book or its subject material, by all means don't read it; but know that that book may speak to someone else, may help and influence him or her in a positive way, may be the book that makes the difference.

Yes, there are books that might not be suited to children. Yes, there are books that may offend someone. Yes, there are books that are controversial and spark debates. But that is the beauty of books! The ideas and messages are there for the people who need them, when they need them. Books are powerful. Embrace them!

My real confession: I have not read enough banned books.



~GIVEAWAY~

This giveaway is for a banned or challenged book of the winner's choice (up to $15) from The Book Depository. To see the a list of the top ten books challenged each year in the past decade, click here.

The contest is open internationally. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

Must be a GFC follower to enter.

This contest will close on Sunday, October 7 at 12:01am CST.





Don't forget to visit the many other stops on this hop!

Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

TEN
By: Gretchen McNeil
Published By: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: Sept. 18, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: Mystery/Horror
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: And their doom comes swiftly.

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 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 don't often read a lot of murder mysteries or horror stories, but this modernization of an Agatha Christie play was impossible to pass up. Ten was the perfect book to read on a dark, stormy night for full effect (or during a bright, sunny day if murder mysteries aren't your thing).

What happens when ten teens are isolated on an island during a terrible thunderstorm? Like every horror movie expert knows: Murder. What Meg thought would be a fun - or at least possibly fun - weekend with her best friend Minnie and other local teens turns deadly after they watch a DVD with a murderous message. With each minute that passes, it seems more and more likely that the killer responsible for a recent murder has made it to the island and is now after everyone inside. With no chance of outside aide, Meg knows that it's up to her to find the killer...or risk being the one who's killed next.

First things first: Ten might be a murder mystery, but there is much more to the story. Gretchen McNeil brings a fresh voice to the YA market with a bit of snark that brought the characters to life. Within the context of the mystery we get to know all of the characters, especially Meg and T.J. Meg has always been a loyal best friend to Minnie and often in her shadow, but throughout the novel Meg really comes into her own. Minnie might have a crush on T.J., but as Meg and T.J. are thrown together in trying to solve the mystery, it becomes clear that they have a connection. Yes, somehow Gretchen McNeil manages to develop a really sweet romance in the midst of a suspenseful mystery, and it makes the story all the more enjoyable.

Ten is a book that you can't put down. Even before the murders begin there is never a dull moment, and after the first body is found the suspense builds right until the end. I loved the way that everything was tied together and how there weren't holes in the plot. The book will certainly keep you guessing right along with Meg about who the murderer really is.

If you enjoy murder mysteries, you will definitely want to add Ten to your reading lists. I know that I will look forward to reading more from Gretchen McNeil!

"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

THE ESSENCE
By: Kimberly Derting
Published By: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Note: The Essence is the second book in the Pledge trilogy and the summary may contain spoilers.

Goodreads Summary: “Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.



Why it's wanted:
The Pledge was one of my favorite books last year, and I can't wait to find out what happens next! The blend of dystopian and fantasy is unique and left me wanting more.

Teaser Tuesday (54)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Sheridan wanted to turn and look at her mother, but the light enveloped her, a brilliant electric mouth devouring her and Taylor both. I'm going to die, she realized, and didn't have time for another thought before a shock slapped through her, buckling her legs. Then everything went deeply black."


p. 11 (ARC) from ERASING TIME by C.J. Hill
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Author Interview & Giveaway: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

THE GATHERING STORM by Robin Bridges

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart? (From Goodreads)

You can read my review here.



~INTERVIEW~


I'm very excited to have Robin Bridges here today. THE GATHERING STORM has been one of my favorite books so far this year and I'm looking forward to the release of THE UNFAILING LIGHT! Please take a few minutes to learn more about this amazing author!


If this were Twitter, how would you pitch The Gathering Storm in 140 characters or less?

In the midst of scheming vampires and vicious fae in 1880’s Russia, Katerina of Oldenburg hides a dangerous secret: she can raise the dead.

What drew you to Imperial Russia as the setting for your book?

This story actually started with the setting. I’ve always loved Russian history and wanted to write a fantasy based in a Slavic-type kingdom.

If Katerina were offered the choice to exchange her abilities as a necromancer for another magical gift, what would she choose?

I think she’d love to be able to read George’s mind, just as he can read hers.

You mentioned in the author's note of The Gathering Storm that you loved Russian fairy tales - do you have a favorite that you could share with us?

Ruslan and Ludmila was written by Alexander Pushkin and was based on the Russian fairy tales he’d heard as a child. Ludmila was the beautiful daughter of the Prince of Kiev and was engaged to the warrior Ruslan, but was stolen away by an evil wizard. The poem was turned into an opera by the Russian composer Glinka in the mid 1800’s, so it’s a story Katerina would have been familiar with. (It’s one of my favorites because my great-grandmother’s name was Ludmilla!)

Another favorite, the story of Koschei the Deathless, ended up being an inspiration for the lich tsar Konstantin in the Katerina trilogy!

In your journey as a debut author, from first draft to publication, what surprised you the most? What has been the most rewarding experience?

I think one of the most rewarding things for me has been the camaraderie between debut authors and all the online/ in-person friendships I’ve made with Elevensies/ Apocalypsies/ 2K12 classmates. And there’s nothing like the feeling you get when you receive fan mail from a reader! My first fan letter had me walking on clouds for days!

If you could have dinner with any member (or members) of the Russian nobility from ages past, who would you pick and why?

Miechen was notorious for her dinner parties. She and her husband Grand Duke Vladimir were thrown out of a Saint Petersburg restaurant once for getting into a fight when Miechen flirted with a stage actor. The tsar, who was not amused by their antics, sent the couple to France until the scandal died down.

Can you tell us anything about The Unfailing Light?

Here’s the jacket copy:

“Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.”

So… more monsters, more magic, and more smooching. :)

Thank you for stopping by! If you're curious about THE GATHERING STORM now (and you should be!), see below for details of how to win a copy!



~GIVEAWAY~

Because I really enjoyed this book and think others will too, you all have the chance to win a copy of THE GATHERING STORM! To enter, please fill out the form below.

This contest is open internationally as long as The Book Depository ships to your country. Must be 13 to enter. Please see my Contest Policy for more information.

This contest will close on Monday, Oct. 1 at 12:01am CST.

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

PANDEMONIUM
By: Lauren Oliver
Published By: Harper Teen
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2012
Series: Delirium (#2)
Pages: 375
Genre: Dystopian
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA Midwinter
Buy the Book: Amazon

Note: Pandemonium is the second book in the Delirium trilogy, and the summary below may contain spoilers.

Goodreads Summary: I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.



Delirium was one of my favorite books from last year, and I was very excited to read Pandemonium. I'm not sure why it took me this long to read it, but on the bright side, the wait until Requiem is much shorter now!

After the events of Delirium, Lena knows that her life now is going to be very different. However, she has no choice but to find a way to survive. Yet no matter how hard she tries, the emotional baggage she carries with her cannot go away. Once again she finds herself running, trying to put her thoughts behind her, until running becomes the only means of survival for her and the new family she has found. And when the running is over, Lena finds herself somewhere she never expected to be - part of the Resistance, charged with keeping the son of the leader of Deliria-Free America in her sight. Suddenly Lena's life seems linked to Julian's, and if they don't do something soon, they might not be alive much longer.

From the very beginning, Pandemonium has a very different tone than Delirium. Where Delirium was a time of new love and hopefulness for Lena, Pandemonium shows the gritty side of fighting for survival in a repressed society. She is only now realizing how hard life can be, but despite everything, she is determined to survive. Once again Lauren Oliver's writing style was wonderful, alternating between clear and elegant and emotionally charged and gripping. Everything in this book - the emotions, the tension, and the fear - were so palpable. I was completely caught up in the story and living everything through Lena. There were moments of sadness, moments of high adrenaline, and even a few moments of tenderness, but there was certainly never a dull moment. I also loved the alternation of "Then" and "Now" narratives; it made everything more intense than having one continuous story.

There are several new characters in Pandemonium, including Raven and Julian. I liked that Raven had a backstory and would have liked to have learned even more about the others of her group. Then there is Julian, the poster boy for the DFA that Lena is forced to rely on. Just like the others, Julian has his own emotional baggage, and some of his interactions with Lena were very touching. And finally, there is the ending...I need Requiem, and I need it now!

Pandemonium is an excellent sequel and one that will leave you hungering for Requiem. I will be counting down the days!

"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

THE DEAD AND BURIED
By: Kim Harrington
Published By: Scholastic Point
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2013
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . .

But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things.

Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house . . . is haunted.

Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school -- until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets.

But is one of them a murderer?



Why it's wanted:
I loved Kim's first two YA books, Clarity and Perception. She has a knack for writing mysteries, and I'm looking forward to this one!

Review: My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend

MY LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE
By: Natasha Friend
Published By: Viking Juvenile
Release Date: June 21, 2012
Series: None
Pages: 294
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: What if you lost the thing that made you who you are?

Lexi has always been stunning. Her butter-colored hair and perfect features have helped her attract friends, a boyfriend, and the attention of a modeling scout. But everything changes the night Lexi's face goes through a windshield. Now she's not sure what's worse: the scars she'll have to live with forever, or what she saw going on between her best friend and her boyfriend right before the accident. With the help of her trombone-playing, defiantly uncool older sister and a guy at school recovering from his own recent trauma, Lexi learns she's much more than just a pretty face.



The beginning of the summary poses a very interesting question - if you lost one thing that defined you, how would you define yourself? That premise coupled with the cover made this book one that I knew I'd have to read.

Lexi knows that she is beautiful - she has been told so all her life, even by strangers. Even her best friend Taylor approached her years ago because she was pretty. Her life seems to be fairly perfect. But in one night, that all disappears. Lexi sees the unthinkable happening between her best friend and her boyfriend. Desperate to escape the sight, she gets into a car with someone who's more interested in her than in watching the road...and before she knows it, her face has gone through a windshield. After being hospitalized and enduring several surgeries, she's faced with the task of putting her life back together. But how can she do that with no best friend, no boyfriend, and a less-than perfect face? Now that she can't rely solely on her beauty, who will Lexi be?

In Lexi's struggle to reinvent her life, this book explores a lot of relationships - those with family, those with friends, and romantic relationships. Throughout the book she spends more time than she expected with her mother and her sister, coming to know her sister especially in a way that she hadn't before. As for her friends, Lexi has to decide which is more important - her anger or her friendships. Finally, Lexi saw that sometimes love can be found in unlikely places. With all of these things, I have to say that I really liked the person Lexi grew to be. She definitely went through a process similar to the five stages of grief, but she made it through them. This book really shows how you can take control of your life and recover from setbacks if you're willing to work at it.

The one thing that I really would have liked to have seen more of is the relationship between Lexi and Theo; it felt a bit rushed and glossed over. However, I really enjoyed the time that we did see between them. I also liked the activity that Lexi picked up as she worked to rebuild her life - it's something not often seen, and that made her character stand out. Even after finishing this book, I've wondered if Lexi's life continued on the new path she set it on.

My Life in Black and White is a quick read but one with a lot packed into its pages. I look forward to reading more from Natasha Friend!