Waiting on Wednesday #208 - Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace

Shallow Graves
by Kali Wallace
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Publication Date: January 26th 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
ISBN: 9780062366207



Available for Pre-Order:
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Breezy remembers leaving the party, the warm, wet grass under her feet, her cheek still stinging from a slap to the face. But when she wakes up, scared and pulling dirt from her mouth, a year has passed and she can’t explain the necklace of bruises around her neck. She also can’t explain the man lying at her grave, dead from her touch.

Returning home seems impossible. Her parents and sisters have clearly grieved and struggled to move on, and Breezy can’t begin to answer their inevitable questions. Her heartbeat comes and goes, she doesn’t need to eat or drink, she can see the inky memories of murderers, and she can somehow pull on this dark guilt to kill them. Haunted by the happy memories from her life and disgusted by the half-dead creature she’s become, Breezy embarks on a reckless quest to find answers and a dangerous healing magic…but the cure is as dark and terrible as the disease.

Set in a gorgeous, terrifying world, Shallow Graves is a stunning novel about the heartbreaking trauma of a girl’s life cut short and her struggle to reconcile her humanity with the creature she’s become. (Goodreads)

Um, can I have Shallow Graves now, please??
Because, DID YOU READ THAT SUMMARY??
This book sounds freaking amazing... and super creepy!!
Breezy is definitely going to be an interesting character to meet.
Also, that cover is pretty stunning.
I totally can't wait to check this out. Squeeeeee!

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

Review: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Ink and Bone
(The Great Library #1)
by Rachel Caine
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Publication Date: July 7th 2015
Publisher: NAL
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9780451472397
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: For Review

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In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.… (Goodreads)

When I first discovered Ink and Bone, I have to admit, I was really curious. I had read a few of the books in Rachel Caine’s The Morganville Vampire series in the past and really enjoyed the books. I was super curious to see what she had come up with in her newest book, especially when I discovered the storyline was about a Great Library and a world where books were forbidden.

There are SO many really great characters in this story, and they are all different and all just completely wonderful. Even the ones that you think you won’t really like when you meet them in the beginning of the novel end up growing on you by the end of the book, and you will be in love with them as you are with everyone else.  I really just loved so many of the characters, and each for so many different reasons. Jesse was a wonderful main character; it was really interesting to follow him along on this adventure and to really watch him grow as so much as a character. I enjoyed watching his relationships grow with the other characters in the novel and watching the unlikeliest friendships form for him. Again, he was such a really great character, and there were so many great secondary characters in the story as well. I can’t wait for you to meet them!

There is also a bit of romance in the book, and I thought it was very well written. It was really cute watching Jesse fall in love as I turned the pages, and I liked even more that it was in a way that didn’t overpower the main storyline at all. The romance is there, but it’s very sweet and subtle.

The storyline for the book definitely held my interest. I love stories that are about books, and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. I can’t even imagine living in the world in which Jesse lives – a world where owning a book is completely forbidden, and could end up costing you your life. A world where you can only read books that are approved by the Great Library and everything you read is watched by said library. (Yeah, no thank you!) The story ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, and left me impatiently waiting to get my hands on the next book in the series.

Overall; Ink and Bone was so far from what I expected when I first started reading the book, but it’s such a really great read. With characters that you can’t help but love and a completely addictive storyline, Ink and Bone is a really awesome beginning to what should prove to be a really amazing series. I hope you check it out!

Review: Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns
by John Green
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Publication Date: September 22nd 2009
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 305
ISBN: 9780142414934
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction
Source: Own

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Who is the real Margo?

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew... (Goodreads)

Paper Towns is the second book I’ve read so far by John Green, the first being The Fault in Our Stars, which I really enjoyed. I was really curious to see how the two books would compare to each other, and I also wanted to read the book before the movie was due to release in theaters. I ended up enjoying Paper Towns more than I expected to, and now I’m curious to read even more of Green’s books as soon as possible.

I had planned to read the book, but ended up listening to the audiobook for Paper Towns instead. I’m actually really glad I did, because the audiobook was awesome. Dan John Miller did a really great job of narrating the book, especially with the different scenario’s and character voices throughout the book. I don’t always click with narrators in audiobooks, but Miller did a great job, and really held my interest throughout.

There were a lot of great things that I really enjoyed about Paper Towns, including the main characters, Quentin and Margo, and even the secondary characters as well. The storyline for the book was really interesting, and while I didn’t *love* the ending of the book, it was definitely a more realistic ending than what I had expected when I first started it. There were also so many funny moments throughout the book that made me giggle as I listened to the audiobook. I know a lot of this was the book, but a lot came from how Dan John Miller narrated as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed Paper Towns more than I expected to. I went into the story with low expectations, because it seems that people either really liked the book, or they really didn’t. Despite a few issues that I had with the book, I still found it to be a very enjoyable read. I’m really looking forward to reading more by John Green in the future, and I’m super excited to see the movie for Paper Towns once it’s released in theaters!!

Waiting On Wednesday #207 - The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

The Great Hunt
by Wendy Higgins
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Publication Date: March 8th 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062381330



Available for Pre-Order:
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Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people. (Goodreads)

Squeeeeee!! I absolutely love retellings, and this one sounds awesome!!
I have all of Wendy's previous books, but I haven't had a chance to read them yet.
I've heard great things, and I'm hoping to get to them soon!
The Great Hunt sounds absolutely fantastic! I can't wait to have it in my hands! :)

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Last Ten Books That Came Into My Possession

July 14: Last Ten Books That Came Into My Possession

Bought
1. The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson
2. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
3. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Arc's
4. Everything But the Truth by Mandy Hubbard
5. Undeniable by Liz Bankes

Library
6. When I'm Gone by Abbi Glines
7. Homecoming by Kass Morgan
8. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
9. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
10. The Heiresses by Sara Shepard

Happy Tuesday, Bookworms!!
I've had a lot of books come into my possession lately,

and most of them have been holds from the library!
(Of course, they ALL come in at the same time. lol!)
I picked a few that I'm most excited to read,

along with the latest I've purchased and received as well.
I'm super excited to read the ones I haven't read yet!!

What books have recently come into your possession??
Leave a link in the comments so I can check out your list!!

Review: The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

The Heart of Betrayal
(The Remnant Chronicles #2)
by Mary E. Pearson
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Publication Date: July 7th 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Pages: 470
ISBN:  9780805099249
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Romance
Source: Review Copy

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Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia's erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar's interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there's Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country... and her own destiny. (Goodreads)

The Heart of Betrayal is a book that I couldn't wait to read. I read The Kiss of Deception last year, and really, really enjoyed the book. It was actually a favorite read of mine for 2014. I just knew The Heart of Betrayal would be just as good as its predecessor, if not even better, and it totally was!

The Heart of Betrayal picks up right where The Kiss of Deception leaves off. Lia is being held captive in the kingdom of Venda, with very little hope of getting away. But instead of crumbling like a normal girl would, Lia adapts to the situation the best way she can in order to survive. That’s the thing I adore about Lia. She’s such a strong character, and I’ve loved her rebellious side since the very first time I met her in the first book. She’s a really great main character, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her in the rest of the series.

I love how the author has the ability to make you fall in love with the characters. Even when you don’t want to, she still makes you fall in love with them. And there are so many characters in the book that I love. Besides Lia, Rafe is a personal favorite of mine, as is Aster and even Kaden. But there are also some characters that you’re going to hate with a passion. But whether you love them or hate them, they are all so well written.

I always envisioned that the three main characters in the story looked much like the main actors in the tv show Reign, who are all super gorgeous. There’s just something about the characters descriptions that made me instantly think of these actors. If you watch the show and then read the books, you may picture them this way as well!

The book stays on the same storyline as the previous book, and is told from multiple viewpoints. The setting and storyline are so very creative as well; this book is 470 pages, and it still didn’t feel like enough when I finished. I wanted more! The book ends with a pretty big cliffhanger; one so big that leaves me desperately wanting book three in my hands right now. I really need to know what is going to happen next, and it's going to kill me to have to wait until next year for the third book to be released. Sigh.

Overall; The Heart of Betrayal was an absolutely fantastic sequel to The Kiss of Deception. I will be most impatiently waiting to get my hands on the third book in the series. If you’ve not yet picked up these books, I highly recommend that you do so. They are a personal favorite of mine, and I really hope that you enjoy them as well!

Waiting on Wednesday #206 - Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Glass Sword
(Red Queen #2)
by Victoria Aveyard
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Publication Date: February 9th 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062310668



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

If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different.

Mare Barrow's blood is red — the color of common folk — but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince — the friend — who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: She is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever? (Goodreads)

The cover for Glass Sword was released yesterday and it's SO GORGEOUS!!
I absolutely cannot wait to add this book to my collection. It's so stunning!
I imagine I'm going to see this on a lot of people's WOW posts today, and for good reason!
The first book was awesome, and I can't wait to get back into the world Aveyard created!!

Visit Yahoo Movies for more info on the cover & for movie news as well!!
Also, check out Epic Reads on Instagram to see a finished copy of the book!!

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Hyped Books I've Never Read

July 7: Top Ten Hyped Books I've Never Read

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - I think I may be the only person left in the book community that has not read this book yet!! What is wrong with me?? I have the first book sitting on my shelf, and it mocks me every time I walk by it. I WILL read the book this year. Hopefully within the next few weeks!

2.The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows - I've had this book in my possession for a while now, but have not yet been able to fit it into my schedule. I see it everywhere, and I'm dying to finally read it!


3. I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson - I have heard nothing but good things about this book, and I'm absolutely dying to read it! I also want to read The Sky is Everywhere as well!

4. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - Have I ever mentioned how much I loved summer themed books?? Or how much I love Morgan Matson??? I can't believe I haven't read this yet! I will be getting to it soon!


5. Legend by Marie Lu - I have the audiobooks for this series and they are just waiting for me to listen to them! I have read Lu's The Young Elites, and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read Legend!

6. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige - I keep trying to find time to work this into my schedule, but I haven't managed to just yet!! I'm super curious to read it already. I love the cover and the story sounds fascinating!


7. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - I have read every other book that Lauren Oliver has written, but I still haven't read Before I Fall! I see it all the time, and I must get it into my schedule asap!

8. After by Anna Todd - So, this book... I see it everywhere. On Instagram and Twitter, and in my Goodreads feed All. The. Time. But I've not yet read it. To be honest, I'm more than a little intimidated by the book!!


9. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - YES! I've been waiting to read this book for FOREVER. I had it at one time from the library, but had to send it back before I could read it. Then I had to wait for MONTHS for the audiobook to come in, but just last week, it finally came in! I can't wait to listen to it.

10. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab - I follow this author on Twitter, and her tweets are the best! I've also heard nothing but good things about this book, and I'm dying to read it!! It sounds really awesome.

That's my list! What's on yours???
Leave me a link so I can stop by and check it out!!

     

Review: Between Us and the Moon by Rebecca Maizel

Between Us and the Moon
by Rebecca Maizel
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: June 30th 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062327611
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Publisher

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A luminous young adult novel that evokes Judy Blume’s Forever for a new generation.

Ever since Sarah was born, she’s lived in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Scarlett. But this summer on Cape Cod, she’s determined to finally grow up. Then she meets gorgeous college boy Andrew. He sees her as the girl she wants to be. A girl who’s older than she is. A girl like Scarlett.

Before she knows what’s happened, one little lie has transformed into something real. And by the end of August, she might have to choose between falling in love, and finding herself.

Fans of Jenny Han and Stephanie Perkins are destined to fall for this story about how life and love are impossible to predict. (Goodreads)

I absolutely couldn’t wait to start reading Between Us and the Moon. It sounded like the perfect summer read, and summer-themed books are my absolute favorite at the moment!

Sarah’s love for the stars has consumed her life to the point where she is watching the world, instead of living in it. She’s smart and has her whole future planned out, including landing a scholarship that will pay for the next few years of her schooling. But she’s also always lived in her dazzling sister’s shadow, always in the background, never seen by anyone, including her parents. All that changes during the summer on Cape Cod, when she meets Andrew, a boy who sees her like no one else has ever seen her, and changes her life forever.

While I could totally relate to some of the things that Sarah went through in the story, the lying really, really bothered me, to a point where I was pretty uncomfortable with some parts of the story. I could totally understand how she felt about being in her sister’s shadow, and even wanting to reinvent herself so that she would finally be ‘seen’ differently by people. But the way she went about it was so wrong. The lies just built up, one on top of the other, and eventually blew up in her face. She was selfish, and her actions could have messed up not only her future, but could have totally ruined Andrew’s as well. But even though she was selfish and naïve throughout most of the story, the things that she experiences throughout the summer make her a completely different person, and we see that changes in Sarah as we turn the pages. I do believe that she learned something from all the mess she made.

The romance between Sarah and Andrew in the book was a really conflicting emotions for me. Had they been closer to the same age, I would have thought it of a lot differently. I didn’t expect for things to go as far as they did between the two, and it really made all of Sarah’s lies bother me even more. In another situation, it would have been really sweet and swoon-worthy, but for this story it kind of made me really uncomfortable, especially with Sarah being so much younger and lying about it as well.

The character I liked the most in the book would definitely have to be Andrew. WHY can’t all guys be like him? He was so sweet and kind and caring, and all throughout the story I felt so bad for him for the lies that Sarah kept telling him. I just wanted him to know the truth already, especially before things got as far as they got between the two. He was definitely a great character though, very well written.

I really like the idea for the storyline of the book. It’s a great coming-of-age, summer romance, and there is so much I did enjoy about the book. The setting is awesome, who wouldn’t love spending the summer at the beach? And there were also some really great secondary characters in the story as well. The only other issue I had with the book was the ending. After EVERYTHING that happens in the story, that’s how it ends?? I wanted more, and more, and a little more, please! Sigh.

Between Us and the Moon is one of those books where I’ve had a difficult time writing out my review, not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because even after typing out my thoughts, I’m still processing everything that I read.  While I liked the book a lot, I keep wondering what the story would be like if there hadn’t been so many lies, and such a big age difference between Sarah and Andrew. I think it still would have been a pretty epic love story without all the mess, in my opinion.

Overall; despite a few issues I had with Between Us and the Moon, I found the book to be an interesting and thought-provoking read. It is definitely a book that will keep you thinking, long after you turn the last pages, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Maizel in the future!

Waiting on Wednesday #205 - The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

The Shadow Queen
(Ravenspire #1)
by C. J. Redwine
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: February 23rd 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN: 9780062360243



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

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose. (Goodreads)

It's a Snow White retelling, you guys!!
Not only does the story sound freaking awesome,
but the cover is absolutely stunning as well!
Do you guys have this on your to-read list yet?
Because you should!
I can't wait to have this in my hands! :)

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