Waiting on Wednesday: Float Plan & With You All The Way

Float Plan
by Trish Doller

Expected publication: March 2nd 2021
by St. Martin's Griffin

Critically acclaimed author Trish Doller's unforgettable and romantic adult debut about setting sail, starting over, and finding yourself...

Since the loss of her fiancé, Anna has been shipwrecked by grief—until a reminder goes off about a trip they were supposed to take together. Impulsively, Anna goes to sea in their sailboat, intending to complete the voyage alone.

But after a treacherous night’s sail, she realizes she can’t do it by herself and hires Keane, a professional sailor, to help. Much like Anna, Keane is struggling with a very different future than the one he had planned. As romance rises with the tide, they discover that it’s never too late to chart a new course.

In Trish Doller’s unforgettable Float Plan, starting over doesn't mean letting go of your past, it means making room for your future.

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With You All The Way
by Cynthia Hand

Expected publication: March 30th 2021
by HarperTeen

Ada’s life is a mess. She just caught her boyfriend cheating on her after a humiliating attempt at losing her virginity, and she’s had it up to here with her gorgeous older sister’s unsolicited advice.

But things really hit the fan during a family vacation in Hawaii, where Ada discovers her own mother is having an affair. Apparently, everyone is falling into bed with people they shouldn’t. Everyone except Ada. But when Ada decides she’s going to stop trying and start doing—sex, that is—her best laid plan overlooks an inconvenient truth:

Feelings, romantic or not, always get in the way.

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•     •     •

Both of these books sound so good, right?! I can't wait to check them out.

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

Waiting on Wednesday: My Calamity Jane & Truel1f3

My Calamity Jane
(The Lady Janies #3)
by Cynthia Hand
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Jodi Meadows
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Brodi Ashton
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Publication Date: June 2nd 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062652812

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Welcome ​to 1876 and a rootin’-tootin’ America bursting with gunslingers, outlaws, and garou.

JANE (a genuine hero-eene)

Calamity’s her name, and garou hunting’s her game—when she’s not starring in Wild Bill’s Traveling Show, that is. She reckons that if a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead and be one.

FRANK (*wolf whistle*)
Frank “the Pistol Prince” Butler is the Wild West’s #1 bachelor. He’s also the best sharpshooter on both sides of the Mississippi, but he’s about to meet his match. . . .

ANNIE (get your gun!)
Annie Oakley (yep, that Annie) is lookin’ for a job, not a romance, but she can’t deny there’s something about Frank she likes. Really likes. Still, she’s pretty sure that anything he can do, she can do better.

A HAIRY SITUATION
After a garou hunt goes south and Jane finds a suspicious-like bite on her arm, she turns tail for Deadwood, where there’s been talk of a garou cure. But things ain’t always what they seem—meaning the gang better hightail it after her before they’re a day late and a Jane short. (Goodreads)

I am so excited to get my hands on this book! I have read both My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane, so I'm very excited to see what's next in the Lady Janie's series!

TRUEL1f3
(Lifelike #3)
by Jay Kristoff
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Publication Date: June 30th 2020
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9781524714017

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From the bestselling co-author of the Illuminae Files comes the thrilling finale in the LIFEL1K3 trilogy--hailed by Marie Lu as "a breathless, action-packed exploration of what humanity really means."

Best friends have become enemies. Lovers have become strangers. And deciding whose side you're on could be the difference between life and death. For Eve and Lemon, discovering the truth about themselves--and each other--was too much for their friendship to take. But with the country on the brink of a new world war--this time between the BioMaas swarm at CityHive and Daedalus's army at Megopolis, loyalties will be pushed to the brink, unlikely alliances will form and with them, betrayals. But the threat doesn't stop there, because the lifelikes are determined to access the program that will set every robot free, a task requiring both Eve and Ana, the girl she was created to replace. In the end, violent clashes and heartbreaking choices reveal the true heroes . . . and they may not be who you think they are. (Goodreads)

So I'm definitely going to have to do a refresher course on this series before this next book is released, but I am super curious to see what's going to happen next in this series!

•     •     •

Those are my WOW picks for this week! What about you??

**"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 How & The Why by Cynthia Hand

The How & the Why
by Cynthia Hand
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Publication Date: November 5th 2019
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 464
ISBN: 9780062693167
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy | Finished Copy from Publisher

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A poignant exploration of family and the ties that bind, perfect for fans of Far From the Tree, from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.

Today Melly had us writing letters to our babies…

Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for. They’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—except maybe the one thing she wants. Like, to know who she is. Where she came from. Questions her adoptive parents can’t answer, no matter how much they love her.

But eighteen years ago, someone wrote Cass a series of letters. And they may just hold the answers Cass has been searching for.

Alternating between Cass’s search for answers and letters from the pregnant teen who gave her up for adoption, this voice-driven narrative is the perfect read for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson. (Goodreads)

I am always on the lookout for a new book by Cynthia Hand, so of course I had to add The How & the Why to my TBR as soon as I discovered it!

I knew just from reading the synopsis of this book that it was going to be an emotional read, but I really didn’t know quite how emotional it would make me. Going on this journey with Cass throughout the book -- from turning 18 and trying to find out who her birth mom is, while also trying to spend as much time as she can with her adoptive mom who is very ill, and trying to find the college that fits her – it was quite a roller coaster ride of emotions. I felt like I was experiencing everything right along with Cass, and what a ride it was. The storyline for this book was really great, and yes, very emotional.

And not only does this book have an interesting storyline, it also has some pretty great characters as well. Cass has a great support system around her, including her awesome parents, (the ones who adopted her, and raised her with so much love), and her best friend, Nyla, who also happens to be adopted, but has a completely different story. We also get to see a bit of the birth moms story told in letters that she wrote to Cass before she was even born. Reading some of those letters were my most favorite part of the book, and I enjoyed getting to know more about this woman right along with Cass. She was definitely fascinating!

Overall; As you can probably tell from my thoughts above, I really, really enjoyed The How & the Why! Cynthia Hand always manages to WOW me with her books, and I am always happy after I finish one of her reads. (They are all great!) I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next awesome read that Cynthia has coming our way, which I do believe will be the third book in the My Lady Janie’s series, and after that, the first book in the Mary series, My Contrary Mary! I can’t wait for all of these!

My Thoughts: My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows

My Plain Jane
(My Lady Janies #2)
by Cynthia Hand
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Jodi Meadows
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Brodi Ashton
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Publication Date: June 26th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 464
ISBN: 9780062652775
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

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You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights. (Goodreads)

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows was one of my most highly anticipated reads for 2018, as I'm sure it was for a lot of people, and I'm beyond thrilled that I had the opportunity to read this book!

I read My Lady Jane back when it was first released and I really enjoyed the book, so I was super excited to get started on this one as well. I had actually hoped to re-read My Lady Jane before starting this new book, as my mind isn't all that it used to be when remembering stuff, but I unfortunately didn't have the time to do so. However, while these books are a series, they can definitely be read as standalone as well, and that worked perfectly for me!

Each book in The Lady Janies series is about a different lady from history, whose name happens to be JANE! The first book in the series, My Lady Jane, was about Jane Grey, and this new book, My Plain Jane, was about Jane Eyre, which I found completely fascinating! While I have never read the original story by Charlotte Bronte, I know the jist of it, and it fun to read the authors retelling of the story. And, it really makes me want to read the original story ASAP, which I have been meaning to do for FOREVER, but still haven't gotten around to yet. This is something that I'm definitely going to be doing soon.

My Plain Jane is full of lots of fun characters, including Charlotte Bronte and, of course, Jane Eyre, and lots of great supporting characters as well. I really enjoyed following them along on their adventure throughout the book, and the familiar storyline, with it's fun twist, definitely kept my attention throughout the book. This was a great summertime read!

Overall; My Plain Jane is a great addition to The Lady Janies series, and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on the next book, My Calamity Jane, which is set to release in 2020, and is all about -- you guessed it -- Calamity Jane! I just know I'm going to enjoy that book as well, and I can't wait to have it in my hands! If you're a fan of famous Janes in history, do add My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane to your TBR now, and I hope you enjoy them just as much as I did.

Waiting on Wednesday #315 - My Plain Jane & The Emerald Sea

My Plain Jane
(The Lady Janies #2)
by Cynthia Hand
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Jodi Meadows
Website | Twitter | Instagram
Brodi Ashton
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: June 26th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062652775

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

You may think you know the story. After a miserable childhood, penniless orphan Jane Eyre embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester. Despite their significant age gap (!) and his uneven temper (!!), they fall in love—and, Reader, she marries him. (!!!)

Or does she?

Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights. (Goodreads)

Is anyone else super excited for My Plain Jane to release??
I've had an e-arc of it for a little bit now, and I'm dying to start it.
Of course, I really want to read My Lady Jane first,
and I have it on my TBR for next month.
I can't wait to read both of these!

The Emerald Sea
(The Glittering Court #3)
by Richelle Mead
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Publication Date: June 26th 2018
Publisher: Razorbill
ISBN: 9780698406018

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The dazzling conclusion to #1 New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead's The Glittering Court series.

Meet Tamsin, the Glittering Court's hard-angled emerald. Her outsized aspirations make her a fierce competitor, rising to the top of the ranks. But when the ship she boards for the New World is tragically lost at sea, she is quite literally thrown off-course. (Goodreads)

Ah, The Emerald Sea! Another book I can't wait to read!
This book is Tamsin's story, and I have been SO curious to read it!
I can't wait to finally do so soon!

Those are my WOW picks for this week,
What books made your pick today??

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

Waiting on Wednesday #276 - The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

The Afterlife of Holly Chase
by Cynthia Hand
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Publication Date: November 7th 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062318503


Available for Pre-Order:
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On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn't.

And then she died.

Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . . (Goodreads)

What?? That summary!! WHAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE for Holly??
Gah, I'm dying to know.
This story sounds awesome! I can't wait to check it out!

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

Review: The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

The Last Time We Say Goodbye
by Cynthia Hand
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Publication Date: February 10th 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780062318473
Genre: Young Adult | Realistic Fiction | Death
Source: Edelweiss

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There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go. (Goodreads)

When I first started reading The Last Time We Say Goodbye, I knew this was going to be a sad book. I also knew Cynthia Hand was capable of making me cry big, ugly tears, as she pulled this off in the past while I was reading Hallowed. (There was major ugly crying happening with that book.) The Last Time We Say Goodbye was beautifully written, and through the sadness, it leaves you with a message full of hope.

The storyline for the book is about teen suicide and I’m seeing more and more books being written on the subject lately. Honestly, sometimes I dread starting a book that touches on suicide because it’s such a sensitive subject, and I feel the author has to be able to tell their story ‘just right’, so that the story doesn’t impact a person in the wrong way. The Last Time We Say Goodbye was very, very well written, and I think it is a book that I will stay with me for a long while.

The story is told from Lex’s point of view. Through her eyes, we see not only her brother’s suicide itself, but also the time leading up to, and what comes after as well; the learning to deal the best you can after such tragedy. I am amazed by Lex’s strength, how she handled everything in her own way. I found her to be a very relatable character, and I can imagine I myself would be much the same in her situation. She pulled away from all of her friends and pretty much bottled everything up, which is never good, but with some help, she finally started to work her way through everything that happened.

I think the person that I related most to in the story was Lex’s mom. I have three children, and I can’t even imagine what I would do being in this situation. It really makes my heart go out to anyone that has ever been touched by suicide.

Overall; While the subject of the book is scary and tragic, the book also sets off a good message; a message of hope. And I hope that the people that read the book, of any age, will take away something away that message this book. There is help. There is hope. There is not always tomorrow, so love your best every day.