Waiting on Wednesday (41): THIS SAVAGE SONG

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: This Savage Song

Author: Victoria Schwab

Release date: July 5, 2016

Summary: Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city--a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be a ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent--but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who's just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August's secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seethign metropolis, one worth of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side--including the monsters within. 

Thoughts: Okay, so I've yet to read any Victoria Schwab at all. But this sounds SO GOOD. Especially with the inclusion of music? Sounds right up my alley. And who knows? Maybe this book will be the one to get me into the world of Victoria Schwab finally!

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday (40): IVORY AND BONE

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: Ivory and Bone

Series: Ivory and Bone #1

Authors: Julie Eshbaugh

Release date: June 7, 2016

Summary: Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe--that's the life seventeen-year-oild Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless--and nearly grave--mistake. However, there's something more to Mya's cool disdain...a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy of Mya's past who Mya swears has ulterior motives. 

As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate ujntil violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he's trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo--Kol doesn't know which--had been planning all along. 

Thoughts: I've followed Julie Eshbaugh on Pub(lishing) Crawl for a long time, and so I've been waiting for this book for a long time. I've known about it for what seems like a few years, and it's finally coming out this summer! And it sounds very intriguing, and unlike anything I've read before! 

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday (39): MY LADY JANE

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: My Lady Jane

Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Release date: June 7, 2016

Summary: Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to married to a total stranger--and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that's the leaset of Jane's problems. She's about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong. 

Thoughts: This is a historical retelling, which usually isn't really my jam. But I've loved everything I've read from Cynthia Hand, and I've heard great things about the other two authors. And honestly, I don't know much about Jane Grey, but a brief perusal of her Wikipedia page left me very interested in her, and especially this YA-retold version! 

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

2015 Bookish Resolutions Wrap-Up

Before I get started on my resolutions for the coming year, I wanted to go back and see how I did on my resolutions for last year so that can inform my new goals! So let's look at how I did on my 2015 resolutions. 

1. Post more often! 

I did really well on this for the first half of the year. Then after the summer I started tapering off, and as you know, I stopped posting in the last few months of the year. So this is a half-success!

2. Booktube more often! 

Again, did really well in the first few months! And in August, I did the Book-tube-a-thon and did several videos then! Not so much in the last few months.

3. Tweet/Instagram more often! 

Same. The end of the year kinda sucked.

4. Be more active in the community in general! 

This was a bit of a fail. Better luck this year!

5. Read Insurgent and Allegiant before March 20th! 

Success! I think I actually finished Allegiant ON March 20th. Ha.

6. Finish more series than I start! 

Success! I finished 15 series and only started 10!

7. Read more contemporary! 

Success! In fact, contemporary was my second-most read genre of the year. (Right behind comic trades. Go figure.)

8. Limit the book buying! 

Toward the end of the year, I started doing really well with this. I haven't bought very many books in the last few months, and I'm really excited about it!

9. Participate in at least ONE readathon! 

I participated in THREE. Boom. So proud.

10. Read 40 books in 2015!

I read 96! WOO!

I also want to look at the list of books that I said I HAD to read in 2015, and see how I did!

1. Insurgent and Allegiant by Veronica Roth -- READ

2. City of Ashes and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare -- UNREAD

3. Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner -- READ

4. Echoes of Us by Kat Zhang -- READ

5. Forged by Erin Bowman -- READ

6. The Darkest Minds trilogy by Alexandra Bracken -- UNREAD

7. The Body Electric by Beth Revis -- UNREAD

8. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld -- UNREAD

9. Reached by Ally Condie -- READ

So...could have done better on that. Oops!

The last thing I wanted to do was look at my Most Anticipated Books of 2015 and see how many I actually managed to read!

Fairest by Marissa Meyer -- READ

99 Days by Katie Cotugno -- READ

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West -- READ

Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan -- UNREAD

Forged by Erin Bowman -- READ

The Rose Society by Marie Lu -- UNREAD

Please Remain Calm by Courtney Summers -- READ

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo -- READ

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas -- READ

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas -- READ

Winter by Marissa Meyer -- READ

So there are only two of those books I haven't read yet, but I DO own them, so hopefully I will be reading them this year, still! 

Tell me: how did YOU do on your bookish resolutions for 2015? Let me know in the comments below!

Most Anticipated Books of 2016!

Before we get into the books I just can't WAIT to read this year, I will note that since this post is coming late, there is a book on this list that have already been released. However, I haven't bought or read it yet, so I'm going to go ahead and put it on the list anyway! So here we go!

10. Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Release date: August 30th

There isn't an official cover for this one yet, but based on how much I loved the Shatter Me series, I know that I'm going to want this. 

  

9. Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige

Release date: March 15th

The Dorothy Must Die series is a trilogy that's gotten some bad press in the community, and I feel like not very many people love it. But I enjoyed the first two books much more than I expected, so I'm so ready to see how the story is going to conclude!

8. Summer Days and Summer Nights-- an anthology edited by Stephanie Perkins

Release date: June 14th

This is basically the summer version of My True Love Gave to Me, which I enjoyed. There were certain stories in that anthology that I didn't like at all, but there were others that I absolutely loved, so I'm excited to see what this volume has to offer!

7. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Release date: May 3rd

Really, I discovered that I loved Morgan Matson this year. So I'll read ANYTHING she writes. But that cover is so precious and perfect and I can't wait to read it. 

  

6. The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

Release date: May 3rd

The Wrath and the Dawn was a book that definitely took me by surprise this year. I had heard great things, but I didn't expect to fall in love with it nearly as hard as I did. I'm desperate to find out how the story will end, so I am anxiously awaiting this sequel. 

5. Untitled Throne of Glass #5 by Sarah J. Maas

Release date: September 6th

Duh. With the end of Queen of Shadows, I'm going to need this book, like, yesterday. But of course we don't even have a title or a cover yet. That doesn't mean I'm not insanely excited about it. 

4. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Release date: May 3rd

Duh. I loved ACOTAR this year (just like I knew I would), so I can't wait to see where this installment in the trilogy takes us! (And I can't wait to see more Rhys. Ha!)

 

3. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Release date: February 2nd

When I finished Winter and cried a thousand tears, I was devastated that it was over. It was a fitting conclusion for the series, and I absolutely loved it, but I'm so glad that the story's not quite over. The more we get to see these characters again, the happier I am!

2. Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Release date: January 5th 

I haven't gotten my hands on this beauty yet, but I've been waiting for this book for almost two years, so it's almost unbelievable to realize that's it's actually here. But I've been hearing great things, so I can't wait to read it for myself!

1. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Release date: September 27th

This one also doesn't have a cover yet, but unlike Furthermore and ACOMAF, it doesn't even have a PLACEHOLDER cover yet. And that's utterly awful for me because Six of Crows was completely incredible. Leigh Bardugo has a way of making me fall head over heels in love with her characters before bombarding me with feels. And I just need to know what happens to these characters. I need it now! 

So that's it. Those are my top 10 most anticipated books for 2016. But don't be fooled; there are a great many more books that I'm excited about. I had to narrow down my list by almost half in order to get it to this number. So fear not! 2016 is far from lacking in exciting YA titles.

Tell me: which of these books are YOU most excited about? What other books are you excited for that didn't make my list? Let me know in the comments below!

Favorite 15 of '15!

Today I'm going to tell you what 15 books made my top favorites list for the year of 2015! Looking back at my list, it's easy to see when I fall in love with an author because there are four authors who made this list with TWO books! So without further adieu, here they are!

  

  

   

  

    

   

Let's be completely honest. These are in no particular order. I couldn't even tell you which of these fifteen were my absolute favorite. But I'm really proud of how diverse this list is. Yes, I admit, they are all YA. But there is a nice mixture of contemporary vs. fantasy/sci-fi, and also standalones vs. series. 

Overall, I think I think I had an incredible reading year, and I can't wait to see what this coming year brings, as well! 

Tell me: did any of my favorites make YOUR favorites list of 2015, too? Let me know in the comments below!

2015: Year in Review!

Books

A year ago, I was so proud of myself for reading 50 books. In 2015, I outdid myself. I will admit that my overall number wouldn't be quite as impressive if I didn't include comic book trade paperbacks, but I do. They're on Goodreads and they take at least half an hour to read (for me), so they get counted! So here are some breakdowns to everything I read this year. 

I read NINETY-SIX books in total!

I also kept track of the number of books I read in each genre. As you can see, I read mostly comic trades, and fantasy and contemporary YA novels. 

I've started TEN new-to-me series: 

• DOROTHY MUST DIE by Danielle Paige
• A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas
• UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand
• MAGONIA by Maria Dahvana Headley
• TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han
• THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh
• BURN FOR BURN by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
• THE REMNANT CHRONICLES by Mary E. Pearson
• MIND GAMES by Kiersten White
• SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

And I've finished FIFTEEN series!: 

• SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi
• SKYLARK by Meagan Spooner
• THIS IS NOT A TEST by Courtney Summers
• HYBRID CHRONICLES by Kat Zhang
• DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth
• TAKEN by Erin Bowman
• ELIXIR by Hilary Duff
• UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand
• TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han
• BURN FOR BURN by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
• MATCHED by Ally Condie
• MIND GAMES by Kiersten White
• ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins
• PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs
• LUNAR CHRONICLES by Marissa Meyer

So there are FOUR series that I've started and finished within the same year. 

So if you'd like to know which of these books were my absolute favorites of the year, be sure to come back tomorrow to read my Favorite 15 of '15 post! 

Community

As you probably already know, I take an unexpected hiatus from the community at the end of the year. If you want some more information on that, check out yesterday's post HERE. 

Other than that, I did manage to make several videos on my booktube channel this year! One I'm particularly proud of is my Avengers Book Tag! I had a lot of fun coming up with the questions for the tag, and Christine from Polandbananasbooks actually ended up using my tag for her collaboration video with author Margaret Stohl when promoting her book, Black Widow: Forever Red! That was a truly awesome experience. 

I participated in several read-a-thons this year, all of which were awesome, and I am definitely looking forward to doing more this year! I even participated in the Booktube-a-thon and made a few videos for it! 

Again, I just want to thank you. If it weren't for the people like you reading my blog, liking my Instagram pics, or watching my videos, I wouldn't keep doing it. I like talking to new people and finding others who share my interests. I had a lot of fun doing this for the first half of last year, so I'm looking forward to making this fun again. 

Be sure to come back every day this week for more! 

Unexpected Hiatus: An Explanation

Hello, everybody, and welcome back to YA, By the Way! 

Wow. It's...been a while. Hasn't it? I haven't posted a review since the end of September, and I haven't posted ANYTHING since October. I am SO sorry.

Really. I have no real excuse for how I've neglected things. And it wasn't just this blog. I have posted maybe five pics on Instagram in four months. I haven't been on Twitter at all in almost three months. And I haven't posted a video to my booktube channel in five months. Again: 

And like I said, I really have no excuse. It's not like my work life was super busy; on the contrary, I didn't work very much at all in the fall. Nothing super drastic happened in my personal life. It was more just a series of small distractions and moments that added up to several months of inactivity on social media. I was sick for a couple weeks in November, and in the middle of that, my friend came to stay with me for a week. Then there was Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's. So there was shopping and spending time with family and playing around with Christmas gifts. 

So basically, I just got lazy. I got so far behind on my reviews that I just go so overwhelmed. So every time I came to my dashboard, thinking about writing a post,  I got so anxious about all the things I was supposed to be writing that I ended up writing nothing at all. When I got an idea for a post that wasn't a review or a feature, I talked myself out of it because I needed to catch up on my "required" posts first, and I just never felt like doing that. 

So. Where does that leave me now? It's a new year. It's 2016! So once again, I'm striving for a fresh start. I'm not going to abandon my online life. And that means that I'm going to be blogging again, and producing videos, and generally regaining my online presence. That starts now. 

Starting today, you can expect a new post every day this week. I know that it's already the middle of January, but I'll be using this week to get some closure on the past year and discuss the plan for the new year. Today, I'll be posting my 2015: Year in Review. Then tomorrow, I'll be posting my Favorite 15 Books of 2015. Starting on Wednesday, I'll be looking forward with my Bookish Goals, my Most Anticipated, and the books I HAVE to read in 2016! 

So if you've stuck around through my radio silence, thank you so much. I'm sorry I disappeared for a while, but I'm back and hopefully better than ever. 

Waiting on Wednesday (38): DOWN WITH THE SHINE

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: Down With the Shine

Author: Kate Karyus Quinn

Release date: April 26, 2016

Summary: There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them--literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave. 

These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late--after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago. 

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashion bootlegging. 

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year. 

Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

Thoughts: I read Kate Karyus Quinn's Another Little Piece earlier this year, and absolutely loved it, so I'll be checking out anything she comes out with in the future. And this one sounds very intriguing. As the daughter of a Tennessee-native, the idea that a family uses moonshine to grant wishes is absolutely wonderful. I'm hopeful that this book will be just as strange, creepy, and oddly poetic as Another Little Piece. 

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday (37): WHEN WE COLLIDED

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: When We Collided

Author: Emery Lord

Release date: April 5, 2016

Summary: Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power to save or destroy them. 

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him. 

Thoughts: I haven't read either of Emery Lord's previous books, but both of them are on my TBR, so why wouldn't this one? That cover is completely different from the covers of Open Road Summer and The Start of You and Me, but I am definitely digging it! The colors, the paint splatters, the font? Love it all. This sounds like a swoony, emotional rollercoaster, and those are usually my favorite kinds of contemporaries, so you can see why I'm anticipating this book!

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

What I'm Watching -- Fall 2015!

Hey, guys! As you should know by now, television is one of my other obsessions. So today, rather than talk books, I thought I'd bring you my thoughts on all of the fall shows I am/will be watching this year! I'll go through my shows day by day and let you know why I'm excited, or what I think so far!

Monday

Dancing with the Stars: Honestly, I probably wouldn't be watching this show if I wasn't living at home right now. But my parents are ABC reality junkies, so Monday nights are pretty much taken up all year-round by DWTS, The Bachelor/ette, and Bachelor in Paradise. However, I will say that this season has been fun so far. I love Bindi Irwin and the PenaVegas. This one is definitely my guilty pleasure for the year.

Tuesday

Agents of SHIELD: This show is so perfect. Definitely one of my favorite shows. A lot of people had mixed feelings about this show when it first started, but it has grown and developed into something amazing. The season 3 premiere was this week, and let me tell you this: it may have been a premiere episode, but those were some finale-level feels happening. Seriously. Can't wait to see what happens this year, especially in conjunction with the upcoming Captain America: Civil War. 

Scream Queens: Okay, I know I probably shouldn't like this show. And yes, some of the insults and language are a bit much for primetime television. It's a little uncomfortable sometimes, But at the same time, the mystery is very intriguing, and there are some characters I genuinely adore already. And in the two-hour premiere, I was already blown away with a crazy twist that I did not see coming. So I'm excited to see where it goes from here, and how they keep the mystery alive. Also, there are some pretty funny moments that don't rely on stereotypes or gross language. Like the moment when Pete cut a circle into the glass window in the door, then ended up breaking all of the glass when reaching for the door handle. I laughed out loud then and at other moments, so I'm in for the long haul!

Wednesday

Empire: YAASSSS. My mom and I finally gave into the hype this summer and binged the first season. It is SO GOOD. This week's premiere was, as always, game-changing. So much went down in only 42 minutes! The characters are all amazing, because not a single one falls into the purely good or bad category. They are all just doing what they think is best. There are moment when I'm like "FAMILY" and other times when I just want to strangle everyone involved. And that's when I know a show is really a favorite; when I get invested enough in the characters and story to cry or yell at the TV. 

American Horror Story: Hotel: This one doesn't start until next week, but I am SO excited for it. I'll admit that I haven't even finished Freak Show yet. (That will have to wait until its DVD release.) But I loved Asylum and Coven, and Hotel looks absolutely brilliant. The cast is perfection, so I'm highly anticipating its premiere. 

Thursday

Scandal: A perennial favorite. As a Jake/Olivia shipper, I was not happy with last year's finale, so I was desperately awaiting this season for the other shoe to drop. The premiere was fantastic, blending the overall story arc with the return of the serialized "case of the week" aspect. Truth be told, I just can't get over how much I love these characters. And I just want to see what directions their lives go in episode after episode. This one's a real nailbiter, too. I just love it. 

How to Get Away with Murder: The sophomore season of this show started last week, and it was just as insane, if not more, than it was last season. And that cliffhanger? Whoa. These are morally ambiguous characters, but I can't help but fall in love with them. Especially Connor and Wes. And it is always a pleasure to see what twisted thing Annaliese is going to get up to next. This season is going to be another doozy!

Haven: Next week, the final arc of episodes begins. That's it, folks. This show is coming to an end. And I am so ready to find out how it all goes down. But at the same time...I'm not ready at all. *sob* As interesting as the plot is (and it SO is; so many fantastic twists and turns), it's really the characters that steal the spotlight. All of these main characters hold a very special place in my heart, and it might just break when this is all over. I'll be mentally preparing for the end from now on. 

Elementary: This one doesn't start for another month, but I am obsessed with this show. Last season ended on a completely heartbreaking note, and I was so upset that we had to wait so long for it to be resolved. This season is going to start on a heavy note, and oh my God I'm almost crying just writing this. I just need my Sherlock to be okay! Can't wait for this to start up again so I can see how Joan and Sherlock are handling this. 

Supergirl: This doesn't start for over a month, but I am very excited. I'll admit, I was a little hesitant about it when it was first announced. Melissa Benoist was pretty blah on Glee's season 5, so I wasn't sure about her role as Kara Zor-El. But the trailer for the show just look like a ton of fun. Plus, I had no idea that Jeremy Jordan was going to be in it, so that right there is reason enough for me to check it out. I'm very intrigued to see how it will fare. 

Saturday

Doctor Who: Okay. So I really need to catch up on this show and finish watching Series 8. But I really do want to catch up in time to see the Christmas special this year, because RIVER SONG. (!!!)

Sunday

Once Upon a Time: SUCH A FAVORITE. I've been angsting over this show ever since the spring finale. And the premiere this past Sunday definitely did not disappoint. As you should know, I have a crazy amount of ships on this show, and I just love all of these characters to death. With the addition of Merida this year, I'm still so interested to see what's going to happen for the residents of Storybrooke. This show also gives me ALL the feels. Just so much love for this show.

Quantico: This is a new show for the season, and probably the one I've been the most interested in since upfronts in the spring. The premiere was last Sunday, and DAMN. It was incredible. The mystery is definitely already twisting in ways I don't expect, and the characters are extremely intriguing. I can't wait to see how it's all going to go down, and how these relationships develop throughout the season. I'm already thinking this is going to be a new favorite!

Tell me: what shows are YOU watching this fall? Are any of your favorite shows on my list as well? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday (36): THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: The Trouble With Destiny

Author: Lauren Morrill

Release date: December 8, 2015

Summary: It's not about the destination, it's about the journey...

With her trust baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm--the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize. 

Liza can't imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She's therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she's especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens to be Liza's ex-best friend and leaders of the Athenas, a show choir that's the band's great competition. 

But it's not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza's best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she's about to find herself lost at sea. 

Thoughts: I haven't read either of Lauren Morrill's previous novels yet (but Meant to Be is on my September TBR!) But that won't stop me from picking up her next one! Even though I hated marching band when I was in it in high school, it still brings up some fond memories looking back at it now. And a book about a over-achiever drum major on a cruise ship just sounds like SO much fun! Plus, that cover? I love the combination of the illustrations with the real couple at the top. So cute!

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Book Birthdays! -- September 29, 2015

*Note: when celebrating birthdays for books in a series other than Book 1, I will not list the summary, in the interest of avoiding spoilers. If you've read the first book(s) in the series, or are just insanely curious, follow the book title link to the Goodreads page to read the summary there! 

Standalones

Title: Daughters Unto Devils
Author: Amy Lukavics

Summary: When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries. 

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul. 

Series Starters

Title: Menagerie

Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Menagerie #1

Summary: When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black=top, she discovers a fierce, sharp=clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town. 

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"--mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies--are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed. 

Title: Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Six of Crows #1

Summary: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price--and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction--if they don't kill each other first. 

Title: Zeroes

Author: Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti

Summary: Ethan, aka "Scam," has a way with words. When he opens his mouth, whatever he wants you to hear comes out. But Ethan isn't just a smooth talker. He has a unique ability to say things he doesn't consciously even know. Sometimes the voice helps, but sometimes it hurts--like now, when the voice has lied and has landed Ethan in a massive mess. So now Ethan needs help. And he needs to go to the last people who would ever want to help him--his former group of friends, the self-named "zeroes" who also all possess similarly double-edged abilities, and who are all angry at Ethan for their own respective reasons. Brought back together by Scam's latest mischief, they find themselves entangled in an epic, whirlwind adventure packed with as much interpersonal drama as mind-bending action.

Tell me: what new releases are YOU excited for this week? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below! 

Review: REACHED by Ally Condie

Title: Reached
Author: Ally Condie
Series: Matched #3

Why I read it: To finish out one more series on my long list of unfinished series!

Thoughts: Boy, did I dislike this book. Mind you, not as much as I hated Allegiant. But still a strong dislike. In fact, many of my problems with this book were similar to the problems I had in Allegiant.

If we're being completely honest, I began reading this book with the expectation that I wouldn't like it. I didn't enjoy the second book in the series, Crossed, very much, so I was already disillusioned with the series in general. And reading this book, all of my fears were confirmed.

Here is my main problem with this concluding novel; the main conflict and problems in this book seem entirely separate from the rest of the series. The main overarching conflict from the first two books is solved fairly quickly here, within the first quarter of the book. And, as in Allegiant, a whole new complication arises that was barely hinted at within the first two books. It made for a very disjointed story.

I also don't care for the characters in this series. We get the POVs of all three main characters in Reached, but it's difficult to tell them apart. Their problems and thoughts are similar, all three characters constantly worrying about the same things. None of them have enough personality for me to really care about them and their fate that much, even when the situations they find themselves in are very dire.

If I didn't care much for the main characters, then the secondary characters I've all but forgotten already. I can't remember any of their names, much less remember their exact roles in the plot. Part of the problem is that basically all of the secondary problems are new to the series, introduced only through the course of this last book, and only serve as plot devices rather than well-developed characters. They are props, not people.

I really liked the first book in the Matched trilogy. It wasn't a favorite, but it was enjoyable. But unfortunately, the series only went downhill from there. I am glad I have finished yet another series, but this will most likely make my list of least-favorite books for the year.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this book yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday (35): WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: What We Left Behind

Author: Robin Talley

Release date: October 27, 2015

Summary: Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They've been together forever. They never fight. They're deeply, hopelessly in love. When the separate for their first year at college--Ton to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU--they're sure they'll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, their relationship will surely thrive. 

The reality of being apart, however, is a lot different than they expected. As Ton, who identifies as genderqueer, falls in with a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship. 

While Toni worries that Gretchen, who is not trans, just won't understand what is going on, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in Toni's life. As distance and Toni's shifting gender identity begins to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide--have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?

Thoughts: I am so glad we are getting more and more LGBTQIA+ books out there in the mainstream. I've heard great things about Robin Talley's other book, Lies We Tell Ourselves. I would also like to read that book, but it's a historical fiction novel, which is not usually my favorite genre. But this contemporary sounds much more up my alley, and I think it's especially wonderful that it features a nonbinary protagonist. And on a totally shallow level, that cover is sooo pretty. 

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Book Birthdays! -- September 22, 2015

*Note: when celebrating birthdays for books in a series other than Book 1, I will not list the summary, in the interest of avoiding spoilers. If you've read the first book(s) in the series, or are just insanely curious, follow the book title link to the Goodreads page to read the summary there! 

Standalones

Title: This Monstrous Thing
Author: Mackenzi Lee

Summary: In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch's life shattered to bits. 

His brother, Oliver--dead. 

His sweetheart, Mary--gone. 

His chance to break free of Geneva--lost. 

Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead. 

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair's horror further damages the already troubled relationship. 

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay... 

Title: The Scorpion Rules

Author: Erin Bow

Summary: A world battered by climate shift and war turns to an ancient method of keeping peace: the exchange of hostages. The Children of Peace--sons and daughters of kings and presidents and generals--are raised together in small, isolated schools called Preceptures. There, they learn history and political theory, and are taught to gracefully accept what may well be their fate: to die if their countries declare war. 

Greta Gustafsen Stuart, Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan-Polar Confederation, is the pride of the North American Precepture. Learned and disciplined, Greta is proud of her role in keeping the global peace, even though, with her country controlling two-thirds of the world's most war-worthy resource--water--she has little chance of  reaching adulthood alive. 

Enter Elian Palnik, the Precepture's newest hostage and biggest problem. Greta's world begins to tilt the moment she sees Elian dragged into the school in chains. The Precepture's insidious surveillance, its small punishments and rewqrds, can make no dent in Elian, who is not interested in dignity and tradition, and doesn't even accept the right of the UN to keep hostages. 

What will happen to Elian and Greta as their two nations inch closer to war?

Title: Dreamland
Author: Robert L. Anderson

Summary: Odea Donahue has been able to travel through people's dreams since she was six years old. Her mother taught her the three rules of walking: Never interfere. Never be seen. Never walk the same person's dream more than once. Dea has never questioned her mother, not about the rules, not about the clocks or the mirrors, not about moving from place to place to be one step ahead of the unseen monsters that Dea's mother is certain are right behind them. 

Then a mysterious new boy, Connor, comes to town and Dea finally starts to feel normal. AS Connor breaks down the walls that she's had up for so long, he gets closer to learning her secret. For the first time she wonders if that's so bad. But when Dea breaks the rules, the boundary between worlds begins to deteriorate. How can she know what's real and what's not?

Title: What We Saw

Author: Aaron Hartzler

Summary: Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone's house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early--the feeling that maybe he's becoming more than  just the guy she's known since they were kids. 

But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills's shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn't have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate's classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can't be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?

This story takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It's a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time. 

Series Starters

Title: Blood and Salt
Author: Kim Liggett
Series: Blood and Salt #1

Summary: "When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in--blood and salt."

These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time. 

Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town's history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own. 

As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself--and discover the truth about Quivira before it's too late. Before she's all in--blood and salt. 

Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger

Author: Rae Carson
Series: The Gold Seer Trilogy #1

Summary: Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home--until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? 

Series Continuers/Enders

Title: Sound

Author: Alexandra Duncan

Series: Salvage #2

Title: Library of Souls

Author: Ransom Riggs

Series: Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #3

Tell me: what new releases are YOU excited for this week? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below! 

Waiting on Wednesday (34): FIRST & THEN

WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Title: First & Then

Author: Emma Mills

Release date: October 13, 2015

Summary: Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Case, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life. 

Thoughts: This sounds like such a cute, fluffy contemporary. That cover is so adorable and colorful! This is also pitched as Friday Night Lights meets Pride & Prejudice. Now, I haven't watched FNL yet and I haven't read P&P, but this might be just what I need to get me into both of them! I just can't with how adorable this sounds. Definitely intrigued!

Tell me: what are YOU waiting on this Wednesday? Does my choice sound interesting to you? Let me know in the comments below!