Waiting on Wednesday: Winterkeep & Lore

 Winterkeep
(Graceling Realm #4)
by Kristen Cashore

Expected publication: January 19th 2021
by Dial Books For Young Readers

The highly anticipated next book in the New York Times bestselling, award-winning Graceling Realm series, which has sold 1.3 million copies.

Four years after Bitterblue left off, a new land has been discovered to the east: Torla; and the closest nation to Monsea is Winterkeep. Winterkeep is a land of miracles, a democratic republic run by people who like each other, where people speak to telepathic sea creatures, adopt telepathic foxes as pets, and fly across the sky in ships attached to balloons.

But when Bitterblue’s envoys to Winterkeep drown under suspicious circumstances, she and Giddon and her half sister, Hava, set off to discover the truth–putting both Bitterblue’s life and Giddon’s heart to the test when Bitterbue is kidnapped. Giddon believes she has drowned, leaving him and Hava to solve the mystery of what’s wrong in Winterkeep.

Lovisa Cavenda is the teenage daughter of a powerful Scholar and Industrialist (the opposing governing parties) with a fire inside her that is always hungry, always just nearly about to make something happen. She is the key to everything, but only if she can figure out what’s going on before anyone else, and only if she’s willing to transcend the person she’s been all her life.

Add to Goodreads

Lore
by Alexandra Bracken

Expected publication: January 5th 2021
by Disney-Hyperion

From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Darkest Minds comes a sweepingly ambitious, high-octane tale of power, destiny, love and redemption.

Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family's sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory. For years she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man--now a god--responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to bind her fate to Athena's and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost--and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

Add to Goodreads

•     •     •

Whoot! Even more awesome books coming out in early 2021!
I am SO behind on the Graceling series, but I loved the first book,
and I can't wait to catch up on the rest of the series.

And I am a HUGE fan of Alexandra Bracken,
and I can't wait to read this new book by her!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Legacy
(The Darkest Minds #4)
by Alexandra Bracken
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: July 31st 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 576
ISBN: 9781368023245
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Sci-fi
Source: Own

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act, she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive.

Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike. (Goodreads)

I was a little late to the party when it came to reading The Darkest Minds trilogy, but I just recently finished the series, and I really enjoyed it! And I was thrilled that I finished the books just in time for this first new series to release, and I really enjoyed it as well!!

The Darkest Legacy is the fourth book in The Darkest Minds series, and while it’s set in the same world as the previous books, the story is told from Suzume’s point of view this time around. The storyline for the book picks up a few years after where In the Afterlight leaves off, and though 5 years have gone by, the world felt very much like it did in the previous books, with prejudice and hate against the Psi kids, despite all of the fighting that Suzume and others have done for the rights of these kids. When one horrific event goes wrong, Susume finds herself on the run once again, doing her best to stay alive.

The storyline for this book very similar, yet very different to that of the previous books. It was interesting to see the story through Susume’s eyes, including the flashbacks that had happened over the past few years. SO much has happened over that time, though it feels like very little progress was made, which felt very realistic to the world today, unfortunately. The storyline for the book was definitely addictive, and I was hooked on the story. The book ends in a way that will definitely have you pining away for the next book, and I am hoping that we will get information for that book soon!

As I mentioned above, this book is told from Susume’s point of view, and I love that she is our narrator! She was so quite through most of the first three books, and I really enjoyed getting to know her more in this story. The book has a lot of interesting new characters, as well a some of the characters we know and love from the previous books, and I love this the most about the book! I’m super curious to see what’s going to happen next for ALL of these characters.

Overall; fans of The Darkest Minds series will definitely want to check out this newest book! I really enjoyed diving back into this world, and I really can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the next book, which I can’t seem to find any information on, but will definitely be keeping an eye out for! I really enjoyed this book, so check it out!!

Waiting on Wednesday #323 - The Darkest Legacy & Contagion

The Darkest Legacy
(The Darkest Minds #4)
by Alexandra Bracken
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: July 31st 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 9781368023245

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Five years after the destruction of the so-called rehabilitation camps that imprisoned her and countless other Psi kids, seventeen-year-old Suzume "Zu" Kimura has assumed the role of spokesperson for the interim government, fighting for the rights of Psi kids against a growing tide of misinformation and prejudice. But when she is accused of committing a horrifying act, she is forced to go on the run once more in order to stay alive.

Determined to clear her name, Zu finds herself in an uncomfortable alliance with Roman and Priyanka, two mysterious Psi who could either help her prove her innocence or betray her before she gets the chance. But as they travel in search of safety and answers, and Zu grows closer to the people she knows she shouldn't trust, they uncover even darker things roiling beneath the veneer of the country's recovery. With her future-and the future of all Psi-on the line, Zu must use her powerful voice to fight back against forces that seek to drive the Psi into the shadows and save the friends who were once her protectors.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a harrowing story of resilience, resistance, and reckoning that will thrill loyal fans and new readers alike. (Goodreads)

You guys! I am so super excited for this book to come out!
I've been reading the series over the past few months,

and I'm finishing up the third book this month!
I'm super excited that I can start this one when it releases!!

Contagion
(Contagion #1)
by Erin Bowman
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: July 24th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062574183

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

It got in us

After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission.

Most are dead.

But when the crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded weapons…and dead bodies.

Don't set foot here again.

As they try to piece together who—or what—could have decimated an entire operation, they discover that some things are best left buried—and some monsters are only too ready to awaken. (Goodreads)

Ok, does this book sound awesome or what??

I've wanted to read a book by Erin Bowman for a while now,

and I think this one would be a great place to start!
I can't wait to check it out. :)

Those are my awesome WOW picks for this week!
Now, what book(s) are you super excited for this week??

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds
(The Darkest Minds #1)
by Alexandra Bracken
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: December 18th 2012
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 488
ISBN: 9781423157373
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Source: Own

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living. (Goodreads)

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken has been on my TBR for way too long, but I was determined to finally read the book this year. I planned it so that if I read one book a month for the next few months, I would be completely caught up on the series when the newest book, The Darkest Legacy, is released in July, and that I would also have all the books read when the movie is released in August. I was super excited to finally read the books, because I seriously think I'm the only person who hasn't read them already, and I'm thrilled that I really enjoyed the book! I can't wait to read the second book in the series soon.

Can we start by talking about the characters in this story? These kids are pretty awesome, and I love that they can pretty much take care of themselves, and do what they have to do to survive. I don't know what I would do if I were ever in their situation, but these guys handled whatever came their way like pros. I enjoyed watching the bond form between the main characters throughout the story as well. It's not really like you could trust many people when you're in their situation, but that's exactly what happens, and watching these bonds form is one of my most favorite things ever. I don't want to go into too many details and spoil the story, so if you want to know more, go read the books!

The storyline for the book was interesting, and definitely addictive. I liked the idea that the kids had different kinds of powers, and I definitely hope to learn more about those characters and their powers as the series goes along. This book was a pretty quick read for me, mostly because once I started reading it I was hooked, and I really just needed to know what was going to happen next. I like that it had a few twists along the way that kept me guessing as well. The book ends in a way that will definitely leave you wanting to start the next book right away, and thank goodness I don't have to wait for it to be released before I can start it. It's on my TBR for this month, and I can't wait to dive into it.

Overall; I really enjoyed The Darkest Minds! Since I am a fan of Alexandra Bracken's more recent books, this shouldn't have been a surprise to me at all, but it was. I'm definitely looking forward to starting the second book in the series as soon as possible to see what happens next for Ruby, Liam, and the rest of the characters in the book. If you're a fan of Alexandra Bracken and haven't yet checked out this series, or if you're a fan of dystopian stories in general, I do recommend you check out The Darkest Minds! And I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did!

Waiting on Wednesday #282 - The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding
(The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding #1)
by Alexandra Bracken
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: September 5th 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 9781484778173


Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

"I would say it's a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness."

Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history — that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made — and then broke — a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type.

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose — to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his future without a side of eternal servitude, thanks.

Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night, and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Can you ever fully right a wrong, ever truly escape your history? Or will Prosper and Alastor be doomed to repeat it? (Goodreads)

I don't read middle grade books often,

(unless it's about Percy Jackson or Harry Potter, obviously),
but this book is by Alexandra Bracken, so OF COURSE I want to check it out!
It sounds pretty awesome. I can't wait to read it!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

Wayfarer
(Passenger #2)
by Alexandra Bracken
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: January 3rd 2017
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 532
ISBN: 9781484715765
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Time-Travel | Historical
Source: From Publisher

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
Wayfarer is the second and final book in the Passenger duology by Alexandra Bracken. I read Passenger last year, and I really, really enjoyed the story. I couldn't wait to start Wayfarer to get back into the fascinating world that Bracken had created for us. This series has everything; time travel, pirates, and lots of super intense action and suspense. If you haven't yet done so, I highly recommend you check it out!!

There are SO many characters that I love in this series. Etta and Nicholas are both really great main characters, and I really enjoyed both of their narratives throughout the story. Sophia turns out to be pretty awesome also, once you get to know her and understand her better. There are a few more characters in the series that really surprised me as well, some we met in the previous book, and a few that we just meet in the new book. They were all interesting, and really well written! I'm not going to go into details, as I'd rather you read the book and meet them for yourself!

After the cliff-hanger ending in Passenger, I was really excited to dive back into the story to see what's going to happen next. The story definitely did not disappoint. I was completely engrossed as I flew through the pages much  faster than I expected to, which was no easy feat considering that this book is a whopping 532 pages! The ending though is what really got me, and I finished the book with a huge, satisfied smile on my face. Seriously, it was perfection.

Overall; Wayfarer was the excellent sequel and conclusion to the Passenger series! I really hate to see the series end, as I really enjoy the story and characters so much, and I'd love to read even more books by them. But, I still have the Darkest Minds series by Bracken to read, I'm hoping to get to those soon!

Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger
(Passenger #1)
by Alexandra Bracken
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Publication Date: January 5th 2016
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 496
ISBN: 9781484715772
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Time Travel
Source: Netgalley

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever. (Goodreads)

Passenger is the very first book I've had the pleasure of reading by Alexandra Bracken! I've had her Darkest Minds series on my to-be-read list for years, but for some insane reason, have not read them yet. After reading Passenger, I totally can't wait to! This story was super unique and it completely captivated me as I turned the pages!

The story is told from two different point of views; through Etta, whose life is changed one devastating night after she's forcibly pushed into a strange new world by a girl she doesn't know, and Nicholas, who has known about time travel almost his whole life, and wishes to have nothing more to do with it, or with the family that now controls it. These two characters made a really great team, and worked so well together, even though they each had their own secrets that they kept from each other. I was really rooting for these two throughout the whole story.

I love that as go through the pages, you can totally tell that Etta is a girl from the present, and Nicholas is a boy from the past. It was interesting seeing how they interacted with each other and reacted to each time period they jump into, as well as how they were treated during the specific time as well. With Nicholas being a dark skinned boy, and Etta being just a girl, things were definitely not always easy for the two. Nicholas was pretty awesome as a pirate too, and he was a legal one at that, and Etta proved to be a lot stronger than I first thought, and I really appreciated that.

The storyline for the book was very interesting. I've only read a handful of time travel books, and I always find them to be either very well written, or decidedly not, and this book was very well written. I loved the settings and people from each time period Etta and Nicholas jumped through. Bracken did a great job with descriptions; I could picture everything perfectly in my mind! And that ending... I'm not a huge fan of cliff-hanger endings, mostly because they leave me pining for the next book so desperately and I'm super impatient sometimes, but this ending, while a cliff-hanger, was not extremely dramatic, and I can live with that. (I'll still be impatiently waiting to get my hands on the next book though!)

Also, this book was massive, coming in at 496 pages, and I STILL managed to read the bulk of it in one day. It was very much engrossing!

Overall; I really enjoyed Passenger so much more than I expected to! I loved the characters and the storyline was unique and refreshing. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book, Wayferer, which should be released in 2017! I'm curious to see how this story is going to end. Check the book out for yourself, and I hope you love it!