"Waiting On" Wednesday: Slay

Slay by Brittney Morris was sold in a six-figure, two-book deal to Simon Pulse last week. Thus there is no book cover or even a cover copy yet.

But I had to share this Black Panther-inspired novel because it sounds amazing.

Slay is the tale of 17-year-old Kiera Johnson, a black teen game developer battling a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired online role-playing card game she has created and that has become especially popular among black gamers worldwide. But when an African-American teen, Jamal Rice, is murdered during a dispute over the in-game currency (“Slay Coins”), Slay is widely disparaged in the mainstream media and elsewhere as a racist, exclusionist, and violent hub for thugs and criminals.

Read more at Publisher's Weekly.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction

I enjoyed Grady Hendrix's HORRORSTÖR, a haunted-house story with a touch of satire. I am totally unsurprised that Hendrix is a fan of cheesy 70's and 80's horror paperbacks.

I remember checking those books out from the library as a kid, fascinated by the covers.

PAPERBACKS FROM HELL looks like a fun, informative read, and I can't wait to pick up a copy when it comes out on September 19th.

Take a tour through the horror paperback novels of the 1970s and ’80s . . . if you dare. Page through dozens and dozens of amazing book covers featuring well-dressed skeletons, evil dolls, and knife-wielding killer crabs! Read shocking plot summaries that invoke devil worship, satanic children, and haunted real estate! Horror author and vintage paperback book collector Grady Hendrix offers killer commentary and witty insight on these trashy thrillers that tried so hard to be the next Exorcist or Rosemary’s Baby. It’s an affectionate, nostalgic, and unflinchingly funny celebration of the horror fiction boom of two iconic decades, complete with story summaries and artist and author profiles. You’ll find familiar authors, like V. C. Andrews and R. L. Stine, and many more who’ve faded into obscurity. Plus recommendations for which of these forgotten treasures are well worth your reading time and which should stay buried.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Boy Is Back

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I love Meg Cabot. I don't love each and every one of her books, but she has written far more hits than misses in my opinion. Her stories are funny and romantic with a touch of feminist edge.

Recently, she's been returning to old series. Next week, on October 18, a new book in her "Boy" series is coming out. This is one of her adult series, and I remember it consisting mostly of unrelated contemporary romcoms. (I read the last one when it came out in 2005; it's been awhile.)

I'm quite excited to read it, because I love a good cute romance.

Here's the publisher's blurb:

In this brand-new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a scandal brings a young man back home to the small town, crazy family, and first love he left behind.

Reed Stewart thought he’d left all his small town troubles—including a broken heart—behind when he ditched tiny Bloomville, Indiana, ten years ago to become rich and famous on the professional golf circuit.  Then one tiny post on the Internet causes all of those troubles to return . . . with a vengeance.

Becky Flowers has worked hard to build her successful senior relocation business, but she’s worked even harder to forget Reed Stewart ever existed. She has absolutely no intention of seeing him when he returns—until his family hires her to save his parents.

Now Reed and Becky can’t avoid one another—or the memories of that one fateful night.  And soon everything they thought they knew about themselves (and each other) has been turned upside down, and they—and the entire town of Bloomville—might never be the same, all because The Boy Is Back. 

Seriously, doesn't THE BOY IS BACK sound fun? I trust Cabot to make a romantic cliche shine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Great Hunt

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I enjoyed the Sweet Evil series, so I kept an eye out for new books from Wendy Higgins.  The first book in her new duology, THE GREAT HUNT, comes out March 8th.  I'd be interested in it any way, but knowing that it is a fairytale retelling made me even more eager to read it.

Publisher's blurb:

Wendy Higgins, the author of the New York Times bestselling Sweet Evil series, reimagines a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale with The Great Hunt, a dramatic, romance-filled fantasy with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom.

When a monstrous beast attacks in Eurona, desperate measures must be taken. The king sends a proclamation to the best and bravest hunters: whoever kills the creature will win the hand of his daughter Princess Aerity as a reward. The princess recognizes her duty but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger—she was meant to marry for love—until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. And while there’s no denying the fiery chemistry between them, Princess Aerity feels that Paxton’s mysteriousness is foreboding, maybe even dangerous.

Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He is determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the secrets he’s buried begin to surface against his wishes.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Legend of Lyon Redmond

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I've been rereading the Pennyroyal Green series by Julie Anne Long, and I am now pumped for the release of THE LEGEND OF LYON REDMOND.  Long has been building up to this one throughout the series.

With ten books so far, the series has been up and down.  But when Long is on, there are few better.  I really hope this one is as winning as its cover.

Bound by centuries of bad blood, England's two most powerful families maintain a veneer of civility . . . until the heir to the staggering Redmond fortune disappears, reviving rumors of an ancient curse: a Redmond and an Eversea are destined to fall disastrously in love once per generation.

An Enduring Legend

Rumor has it she broke Lyon Redmond's heart. But while many a man has since wooed the dazzling Olivia Eversea, none has ever won her—which is why jaws drop when she suddenly accepts a viscount's proposal. Now London waits with bated breath for the wedding of a decade . . . and wagers on the return of an heir.

An Eternal Love

It was instant and irresistible, forbidden . . . and unforgettable. And Lyon—now a driven, dangerous, infinitely devastating man—decides it's time for a reckoning. As the day of her wedding races toward them, Lyon and Olivia will decide whether their love is a curse destined to tear their families apart . . . or the stuff of which legends are made

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Tell the Wind and Fire

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I enjoy Sarah Rees Brennan's work (see one of my reviews), so I was quite excited when Angie pointed out that the cover had been revealed and an excerpt of the first chapter released over at Entertainment Weekly.

Now, the cover is super boring.  Cityscape, greyscale, title.  It's a very similar treatment to her novel with Justine Larbalestier, TEAM HUMAN.  But that excerpt!

Look, I was already excited about a modern fantasy retelling of A TALE OF TWO CITIES, basically my favorite book by Dickens.  That excerpt just whetted my appetite more.  So do yourself a favor and go read it.

All Amazon says right now:

"From New York Times bestseller Sarah Rees Brennan comes a magic-infused tale of romance and revolution that is lush, dramatic, and poignantly timely."

Waiting on Wednesday: Soundless

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Richelle Mead would be a guilty pleasure of mine, if I had any shame.  I've read several of her series, both adult and YA, and found enjoyment in them all. She marries zippy plots with characters that get under your skin and makes it look easy.  Her books are funny and sexy and exciting.  When she has a new book coming out, I pay attention.

Here's the publishers synopsis of SOUNDLESS, out November 10, 2015:

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever....

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Brown-Eyed Girl

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I love Lisa Kleypas's writing.  Her characters are believable and her romances often leave me breathless.  Her contemporary romances about the Travis family are some of my favorites, especially the epic BLUE-EYED DEVIL.  (And no, it's not just because they're all set partially in Houston.)

On August 11 this year, the final book in the Travis series is coming out: BROWN-EYED GIRL.

The blurb (from publisher):

"Now it's my turn to talk." The sound of Joe's voice in my ear was pure sin. "I'm the man who's right for you. I may not be what you're looking for, but I'm what you want."

Ambitious Avery Crosslin has no time for a personal life--she's in charge of planning the biggest wedding Houston society has ever seen, and she doesn't need distractions. After one scorching summer night in the arms of sexy photographer Joe Travis, Avery is stunned by a passion that burns out of control, and she's determined to keep it from happening again.

But Joe is a man who goes after what he wants, and he's determined to have all of Avery. . .including the secrets from a past she would do anything to forget.

Okay, it sounds pretty cliche, but I trust Kleypas to bring it to life.  I can't wait!

Read my reviews:

• The Wallflowers series
• Dream Lake
• Rainshadow Road

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Stone in the Sky

"Waiting" On Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Last year, I fell in love with TIN STAR by Cecil Castellucci.  Thus, I cannot wait to read the sequel STONE IN THE SKY, which comes out next month (on the 24th).

Upon finishing TIN STAR, I said, "There is romance in TIN STAR, though it is rarely a focus.  I did, however, truly love the romance and wish that there was more time for it to be explored.  I understand that it wasn't the focus of TIN STAR, but I would adore a sequel.  I know I've been clamoring for more standalones, and now that I've got them, I keep falling in love and wanting sequels.  TIN STAR tells one heck of a story about a teen girl stranded in space."

Here is the publisher's blurb for that sequel:

Brother Blue.

His name, even the color, filled me with a furious fire of pure hatred.

 

Years ago, Tula Bane was beaten and left for dead on a remote space station far from Earth, her home planet. She started with nothing and had no one, but over time, she found a home, a family, and even love. When it's discovered that the abandoned planet beneath the station is abundant with a rare and valuable resource, aliens from across the galaxy race over to strike it rich. With them comes trouble, like the man who nearly killed Tula years ago—the man she has dreamed of destroying ever since.

 

In this sequel to Tin Star, Cecil Castellucci takes readers on an extraordinary adventure through space in a thrilling and thoughtful exploration of what it means to love, to hate, and to be human.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Weight of Stars

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I love Tessa Gratton's United States of Asgard series, so I was quite surprised that I almost missed that she has three novellas coming out next week, on November 17.  They will be available individually, or in a collected volume called THE WEIGHT OF STARS.  I'm going to by the anthology myself, although the individual ebooks are tempting given their pretty covers.

Blurb:

“This infinitely exciting tale’s twist and turns highlight the characters’ missions as they decide which identity to choose: hero, martyr, or villain. Readers looking for a sophisticated fantasy that shows a raw, rowdy, and rough side of life will be utterly satisfied. For fans of Robin LaFevers’s His Fair Assassins series.” —School Library Journal

The United States of Asgard is a nation of poets and warriors, of rock bands and evangelical preachers, of gods and their children. The media tracks troll sightings and reality TV is about dragon slaying and teen prophets. The president rules the country alongside a council of Valkyrie, and the military has a special battalion dedicated to eradicating the threat of Greater Mountain Trolls.

Welcome to the United States of Asgard: Be sure to watch for troll-sign!

GOLD RUNNER tells the story of Amon Thorson, bastard son of Thor Thunderer, a rebel who specializes in illegal troll artifacts and elf gold. Someone has stolen Loki’s Mask of Changing, and Amon is the prime suspect, putting a famous hunter and a mysterious stranger on his tail.

LADY BERSERK is about Vider, the first female berserker warrior in generations, who is loved by Loki Changer but determined to stand on her own. One of six celebrities invited to participate in a televised dragon hunt, she knows things are not as they seem—which is usually a sign Loki is up to his old tricks.

GLORY’S TEETH offers a glimpse into the wild heart of the Fenris Wolf, also called Glory, trapped in the shape of a teenaged girl for hundreds of years so she cannot grow large enough to devour the sun and begin the end of the world. But Glory’s seen signs that now is time she’s fated to hunt Baldur the Sun down and eat him.

With evocative writing and lush world building, Tessa Gratton once again captivates readers with her inventive reimagining of Norse mythology and American life in this collection of novellas based on her United States of Asgard series.

“With razor-sharp prose and bone-deep emotions, Tessa Gratton doesn’t just tell a story. She invites readers into another world-- one we hate to leave when the last page is turned.” —Saundra Mitchell, author of Mistwalker and The Vespertine

"Waiting On" Wednesday: El Deafo

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I read a brief preview of EL DEAFO on NetGalley, and it whetted my appetite for the whole thing.  This graphic memoir is the story of Cece Bell's hearing loss and how she dealt with it as a kid.  You might know Bell from her illustration work, including the Sock Monkey series. 

Here's the publisher blurb for EL DEAFO:

Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid.
The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.

The art is pretty cute, with everyone being represented by animals (kind of like Arthur). It's a cute style that's totally appropriate for the age group.

From EL DEAFO by Cece Bell

I look forward to reading the whole book on September 2, 2014!

Waiting on Wednesday: Promise of Shadows

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I've been excited about PROMISE OF SHADOWS since Cecelia mentioned it in her post about upcoming 2014 books.  Her reasons for wanting it - "Mythology, young adult and the promise of funny, smart writing.  Well, yes!" - sounded pretty awesome to me.

Below is the blurb for Justina Ireland's PROMISE OF SHADOWS:

A teen who is half-god, half-human must own her power whether she likes it or not in this snappy, snarky novel with a serving of smoldering romance.

Zephyr Mourning has never been very good at being a Harpy. She’d rather watch reality TV than learn forty-seven ways to kill a man, and she pretty much sucks at wielding magic. Zephyr was ready for a future pretending to be a normal human instead of a half-god assassin. But all that changed when her sister was murdered—and Zephyr used a forbidden dark power to save herself from the same fate.

On the run from a punishment worse than death, an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend upends Zephyr’s world—and not only because her old friend has grown surprisingly, extremely hot. It seems that Zephyr might just be the Nyx, a dark goddess that is prophesied to shift the power balance: for hundreds of years the half-gods have lived in fear, and Zephyr is supposed to change that.

But how is she supposed to save everyone else when she can barely take care of herself?

Doesn't that sound awesome?  Plus, the typographic cover would look so pretty on my shelves.  PROMISE OF SHADOWS will be released March 11, 2014.

Waiting On Wednesday: The Burning Sky

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I love Sherry Thomas.  She's one of my favorite historical romance authors.  (Just read one of my reviews.)  And now she's making her YA debut, and it's going to be fantasy!  I think her lush, descriptive style will lend itself very well to fantasy.

THE BURNING SKY will be available September 17, 2013 and you can preorder it now on Amazon. 

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to revenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

Read an excerpt here.

Waiting On Wednesday: April Fairytales!

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, The Book Rat, and A Backwards Story are hosting the Fairy Tale Fortnight.  In honor of that very fun event, I decided to highlight three new fairytale retellings coming out next month.  All three are middle grade and all summaries are provided by the publisher.

FROGGED by Vivian Vande Velde

How can I resist a new book by Vande Velde? She's tackled fairytales before, so I'm sure FROGGED will be fantastic.

One should be able to say of a princess “She was as good as she was beautiful,” according to The Art of Being a Princess (third revised edition), which the almost-thirteen-year-old Princess Imogene is supposed to be reading. Not feeling particularly good, or all that beautiful, she heads for a nearby pond, where, unfortunately, a talking frog tricks her into kissing him. No prince appears, as one might expect. Instead, the princess turns into a frog herself! Thus launches a funny, wonderfully spun fractured fairy tale in which Imogene wonders if she will be forever frogified.

THRICE UPON A MARIGOLD by Jean Farris

This is the third book in Jean Ferris' terrific Marigold series. Not a direct retelling, but the series has a fairytale sensibility.

Princess Poppy, the bouncing baby daughter of Queen Marigold and King Christian of Zandelphia-Beaurivage, is in terrible danger. The kingdom’s former torturer-in-chief and poisoner-in-chief have joined forces to kidnap the baby as an act of revenge for their exile! Can a ragtag parade of rescuers—including the king and queen, the evil kidnappers’ mortified children, five dogs, a white elephant, and a washed-up wizard—save Princess Poppy in time?

RUMP: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Sutcliff

I am not familiar with Sutcliff, but this novel looks super cute!

In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke.

Rump has never known his full name—his mother died before she could tell him. So all his life he's been teased and bullied for his half-a-name. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. For Rump discovers he can spin straw into gold. Magical gold.

His best friend Red Riding Hood warns him that magic is dangerous—and she's right! That gold is worth its weight in trouble. And with each thread he spins, Rump weaves himself deeper into a curse.

There's only one way to break the spell: Rump must go on a quest to find his true name, along the way defending himself against pixies, trolls, poison apples, and one beautiful but vile-mannered queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—Rump just might triumph in the end.

An inventive fairytale retelling, perfect for fans of Gail Carson Levine or Shannon Hale.

My Most Anticipated Releases of 2013

For each month I (mostly) picked one sequel, one book by a debut author, and one book by a more established author.  There are books I'm anticipating that aren't on this list because I already have a copy.  Despite organizing them month by month, many dates are tentative (and some were made up by me).  Sometimes I fudged the dates a little to make things fit.  I gave up on December really.

I am sorry guys, but I have no clue what I'm gonna read in December.  Eliminating books from earlier in the year took all the fight out of me.

January: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (Across the Universe, Book 3)
 Paper Valentine by Brenda Yovanoff
Hooked by Liz Fichera

February: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines, Book 3)
Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter (Heist Society, Book 3)
City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

March: The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Spellcaster by Claudia Gray
Poison by Bridget Zinn

April: Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (His Fair Assassin, Book 2)
Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins (Sweet Evil, Book 2)
In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

May: Dr. Radway's Sasparilla Resolvent by Beth Kephart (Companion to Dangerous Neighbors)
Doll Bones by Holly Black
Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan

June: Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (For Darkness Shows the Stars, Book 2)
Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey
Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn

July: Drachomachia by Rachel Hartman (Seraphina, Book 2)
Vortex by S. J. Kincaid (Insignia, Book 2)
Starglass by Phoebe North

August: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
Antigoddess by Kendare Blake
All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry

September:  Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (The Lynburn Legacy, Book 2)
Currently untitled by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle, Book 2)
Taste Test by Kelly Fiore

October: Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce
Reality Boy by A.S. King
A Point So Delicate by Brandy Colbert

November: Currently untitled by Laura and Lisa Roecker (Liar Society, Book 3)
Tandem by Anna Jarzab
Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

December: Currently untitled by Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds, Book 2)
Paradise by Janet Fox

I'm considering this an unofficial Waiting On Wednesday, which is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Anticipating 2013 already?!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Today I was going through my blogroll and such when I came upon Faye's "Waiting On" Wednesday.  The book sounded so cool I wanted to feature it too.  What makes it so appealing?  It's high fantasy, one of many genres I've been craving lately, and it has a non-Western setting.  I'm hoping for something like Cindy Pon's SILVER PHOENIX.  So what is this book?

It's PROPHECY by Ellen Oh, available January 2, 2013 from HarperTeen.  The following blurb is taken from Faye's post:

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms . . . is a girl with yellow eyes.

Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope . . .

Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king.

Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy. Followed by Warrior, and King!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: A Couple of Fairytale Titles

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

I love fairytales, so I'd like to highlight a few fairytale-inspired novels being released soon.

ENCHANTED by Alethea Kontis will be released May 8 by Harcourt Children's Books. Summary from Amazon:

It isn’t easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?

THE TREACHERY OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS by Ruth Long releases August 16 from Dial. Summary from Amazon:

A darkly compelling mix of romance, fairy tale, and suspense from a new voice in teen fiction

The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.

Any books I should add to my list?

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Ghost Flower

"Waiting On" Wednesday is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Michele Jaffe, one of my favorite authors, has a new YA thriller coming out on April 12th. If you've read ROSEBUSH or BAD KITTY, then you know Jaffe is a must read.

The synopsis on Amazon:

Eve, a runaway, finds a new job at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Tuscon. When she's approached by two wealthy teens who claim she bears an uncanny resemblance to their missing cousin Aurora, her life takes a turn for the dark and mysterious. Drawn into a scheme to win Aurora's inheritance, Eve finds herself impersonating the girl, who disappeared three years ago on the night her best friend Elizabeth died. But when Liza's ghost begins to haunt Eve, doing harm to the people close to her under the guise of "protecting" her, Eve finds herself in a nightmare maze of lies and deception that leads her to question even her own identity. She realizes her only chance is to uncover the truth about what happened the night Liza died, and to find Liza's killer - before she's next.

This teen thriller by Michele Jaffe will keep readers turning pages well into the night.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: This One Doesn't Even Have a Cover Yet

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme began by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

Christa Desir announced on February 1st that her graphic, short, dark, soul-rending novel TRAINWRECK will be available sometime in Fall 2013 from SimonPulse. This one looks like it will break my heart, but I still want to read it.

Eighteen-year old Ben Baptiste decides not to go to the party with his girlfriend, Ani. He’s not there when two strangers pour her drinks and brag about the upcoming “ride.” He misses her table dance, her announcement of a plan to hook up with half the guys in the room, and finding her passed out three hours later with no memory of the night.

But when doctors surgically remove a lighter left inside Ani, he's there. When whispers of "Firecrotch" and "Manhole" follow Ani down the school halls, he's there. When Ani begs him to make her forget, but then cries as he whispers, "I love you," he's there. And when his best friend tells him Ani's messing around with other guys, he is there.

Ben doesn't know how to fix Ani. But he is there.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Superhero edition!

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme began by Jill of Breaking the Spine.



AFTER THE GOLDEN AGE by Carrie Vaughn comes out April 12 - less than a week from now! I love superheroes and I enjoy Vaughn's work, so it's a bit of a no-brainer that I'm waiting for this one.



Coming out the same day is WAR, POLITICS, AND SUPERHEROES: Ethics and Propaganda in Comics and Film by Marc Dipaulo. This one is more expensive since it's an academic book, but it sounds cool.



On May 1, Garth Nix's new book comes out. TROUBLETWISTS is co-written with Sean Williams, another Australian author. It's not quite a superhero story, but close.

The blurb:

A spectacular new middle-grade fantasy series from NYT bestselling authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams, in which two twins find that they must act as wards against a threatening evil.

The Evil has been trying to break into our dimension and dominate the earth for centuries. Unbeknownst to most of us, there are Wardens all over the globe, who protect humanity from the Evil that asserts itself at the Portals, which are the only places through which the Evil may pass into our world.


Jaide and Jack Shield don't know that the world is under attack. They don't know that their dad and their Grandma X, who they move in with, are Wardens, or that they themselves are troubletwisters, young Wardens just coming into their powers.

ETA: I am definitely not waiting on WICKED PRETTY THINGS. Cleolinda's update on the kerfluffle will link you to all you need to know.