Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday (48): The Future of Us



Time for the"Waiting On Wednesday" weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Waiting on Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

The Future of Us
by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
To be Published:  November 21st 2011 by Razorbil
 
It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.
-----------------------
 
I have had my eye on this book for a while.  I think the synopsis sounds intriguing and it has relatively good reviews on the advance copies.  I have never read anything by either author, but I am willing to give them a try! I remember well the first days of AOL dial up, so this should be an interesting flash back book for me. Lucky for us this book comes out in November, so the wait isn't too much longer.

What book are YOU waiting on?
 
Photobucket

Monday, September 26, 2011

Airborn


Author: Kenneth Oppel
Genre: Mid-grade to Young-Adult – Historical Fiction & Adventure
Publication Date: May 1st 2004
Publisher: Eos/Harper Collins
Age Range: 12+
Pages: 355
Date Scoot Read: September 2011
Source
: Hardcover Library Book

Scoot's Rating
: 10 – Amazing! Loved it. Read it now!

Synopsis (via Goodreads)
: Sailing toward dawn, and I was perched atop the crow's nest, being the ship's eyes. We were two nights out of Sydney, and there'd been no weather to speak of so far. I was keeping watch on a dark stack of nimbus clouds off to the northwest, but we were leaving it far behind, and it looked to be smooth going all the way back to Lionsgate City. Like riding a cloud. . . .
Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt's always wanted; convinced he's lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist's granddaughter that he realizes that the man's ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious.
In a swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, Kenneth Oppel, author of the best-selling Silverwing trilogy, creates an imagined world in which the air is populated by transcontinental voyagers, pirates, and beings never before dreamed of by the humans who sail the skies.

Scoot’s Review:
In Airborn we join Matt Cruse - a boy who was literally born in the air.  Becoming an airship captain someday is Matt’s ultimate dream, and sailing on the Aurora is his path to get there.  In a twist of fate Matt crosses paths with Kate de Vries and is quickly pulled into a sky-high adventure; where the risks could cost the lives of all of those aboard the Aurora. I love, love, loved this book.  Airborn had all of the right elements for me; strong characters, action, adventure, wit, humor, emotional depth, and a touch of romance.  The writing style comfortably portrayed the mannerisms of the time period and you felt pulled into history.   The alternate world filled with airships was fascinating, as were the new species portrayed.  I wouldn’t necessarily put this novel in the steampunk category but it had that feel to it, and I am a sucker for steampunk novels! The plot flowed well and the story line was absorbing; you were quick to become emotionally involved with the characters and events.  The main characters were well developed and likeable. Matt was an easy favorite and a great lead character.  He was loyal, brave and witty and I enjoyed the book being written from his point of view.  I loved his sarcastic internal dialogue!  Matt had hidden layers and as the reader you learned more about him throughout the novel.  The story was adventurous and well paced.  Yet, the novel wasn’t all fun and games, there were a few harrowing moments and some tragedy.  Airborn could easily be a stand alone novel with its well rounded conclusion. However, I was so glad to know there were more books because I was not ready to let go of the story.  Lucky for me this series isn’t brand new, so I have already had the chance to read the next two novels.  Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed Airborn and was satisfied with the novel overall.  If you enjoy a good midgrade to early young-adult action and adventure story be sure to put this one at the top of your list! 


Photobucket

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Ashfall (ARC)

Author: Mike Mullin
Genre: Young Adult – Apocalyptic/Adventure/Dystopian
Publication Date: October 11th 2011
Publisher: Tanglewood Press
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages:  466
Date Scoot Read: April 2011
Source
: eGalley from Netgalley and Tanglewood Press

Scoot's Rating
: 8- Really good!

Synopsis (via Goodreads)
: Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.
Scoot’s Review:
Alex is your average teenager – just wanting to have fun and trying to avoid spending too much time being stuck on boring family vacations.  After convincing his parents that he can stay home alone for the weekend Alex is enjoying his solitude when suddenly his world falls apart – literally.  Alex doesn’t know it, but the Yellowstone super volcano has erupted and the world is in turmoil.  Trying to survive in a world covered in Ash, Alex has to strain his mind and body in ways he never has before.  Alex is determined to find his family and his road to survival is dark and dangerous.  This was an action packed apocalyptic story and I enjoyed it.  The story never dragged, was fast paced and had an intense plot. There are a lot of elements that I really loved in this book, and at the same time there were things that just didn’t click for me. I liked Alex; he was a well developed character who managed to have a backbone of steel and a soft side you couldn’t resist.  He was a lead character that I enjoyed reading about.  There were quite a few traumatic events in the plot, and the story had a few heartrending moments.  Mike Mullin does not hold back and managed to portray a realistic and heartbreaking world.  One thing that felt a little off to me was the romance. Alex’s love interest just seemed harsh and I didn’t connect as well with their attraction for each other; yes they were thrown into tough situations where they bonded – but it just didn’t feel comfortably developed.  However, in retrospect even my feelings aren’t consistent on this - sometimes I loved their romance, and other times I was like... huh?  So it’s a tough one to peg down.  Things moved a little fast, but it was the end of the world as they knew it.  I did love that Alex’s love interest was older than him, because realistically what are the odds of Alex finding a girl exactly his age in that situation?  I enjoyed the realistic elements of the novel and how this is something that could potentially occur (not that I want it too! Scary!).  I thought Ashfall was a great read and it was hard to put down. I will definitely be checking out the sequel next year!  Another great disaster/apocalypse/dystopian novel to add to my collection.  Make sure to check out Ashfall when it is released in October!


Side Note: My Amazon widget doesn't seem to be working, but here is the link if you are interested in purchasing this novel. It looks like Amazon has copies on sale right now, no need to wait until October!
Photobucket

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Top 5 Books for 2012!

This post has been inspired by Princess Bookie's Contest Craze! She currently has a Mini Challenge asking what the top 5 books are that we are looking forward to in 2012. 

Let me just tell you that making this list was HARD.  Choosing only five books when there are so many you want to read is pretty rough. Of course a couple of them were no-brainers, but then it got tough to narrow it down.

Here is my list:
(in no particular order and of course subject to change depending on my mood. *wink*)


#1 - Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh
Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by Atheneum

"While Varen remains a prisoner in the dream-world, Isobel is haunted by his memory. He appears to her in her dreams and soon, even in her waking life. But is she just imagining it? Isobel knows she must find a way back to Varen. She makes plans to go to Baltimore. There, she confronts the figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster—the same dark man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams, calling himself “Reynolds.”
Isobel succeeds in interrupting the Toaster’s ritual and, in doing so, discovers a way to return to the dream-world. Soon, she finds herself swept up in a realm which not only holds remnants of Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world comprised of fear, terror, and anger.
When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. With his mind poisoned by the dream world, he becomes a malevolent force, bent on destroying all—even himself. Now Isobel must face a new adversary, one who also happens to be her greatest love."

Why this made my top 5 list: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Nevermore. It was a great novel and it was long.  Lucky for me I didn't read it until recently, so I have not had to wait quite as long as everyone else who got their hands on it early.  Needless to say, waiting until next summer still seems like an awfully long time! I am sure it will be worth it!! I am anxious to know what happens next for Varen and Isobel.

#2 Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Expected publication: May 1st 2012 by HarperCollins Children's Books

"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature."

Why this made my top 5 list: Ummm, have you read Divergent? If not, GO READ IT.  Divergent has quickly jumped up to one of my top reads ever, so of course I can't wait to read the next installment in the series.  At the same time I am a little leery of reading this novel because it is often tough for sequels to keep the momentum of the first amazing novel going.  But never fear, that won't be stopping me from attempting all forms of subterfuge to get my hands on this novel early.
 
#3 The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima
Expected publication: Fall 2012 by Hyperion Book CH

"In the fourth and final book in the Seven Realms series, the stakes grow ever higher as a series of murders raise tensions between the Wizard Council and Spirit Clans to a fever pitch. With treachery on every side, Han and Raisa struggle to fend off threats from ambitious neighbors while keeping the queendom from imploding from within."

Why this made my top 5 list:  I have LOVED the entire Seven Realms series.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel and each book since has been just as good! I REALLY want this book and am not looking forward to the long wait.  I am going to be sad when this book is over because it is the last one. Boo! Here's hoping we can convince Cinda to write a couple more for us! *ithinkicanithinkicanithinkican*

#4 The Savage Grace by Bree Despain
Expected publication: March 13th 2012 by EgmontUSA

Why this made my top 5 list:  This book doesn't have a synopsis yet, or a cover... but let's just say that with the cliffhanger ending of The Lost Saint I am highly anticipating this novel.  I can't wait to get my hands on it!!  Is it March yet?



#5 Unwholly by Neal Shusterman
Expected publication: September 2012

Sequel to "Unwind"

Why this made my top 5 list: Can I repeat; "Sequel to "Unwind."'  Holy cow I am excited about this book! I read Unwind years ago - and it instantly became of my favorite reads ever.  I also think this might have been the first real Dystopian that I read.  Maybe? Not sure, but either way I loved it and have wanted MORE ever since.  I can't wait to hear what this book will be about - let's hope that we get a little more Connor, Risa and Lev in it.  Also, did you hear they are making an Unwind movie?  I might be in my 30s before that happens, but still, yay!

Photobucket

Waiting On Wednesday (47): Insurgent

Time for the"Waiting On Wednesday" weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Waiting on Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Insurgent
by Veronica Roth
To be Published: May 28th 2012 by HarperCollins
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
-----------------------
The sequel to Divergent. Need I say more??  Holy cow -  May of NEXT YEAR is a really long time to wait. *mustbepatient*

What book are YOU waiting on?

Photobucket

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

We have a winner!

I finally tallied up the entries to my final blogiversary giveaway. 
And the winner is....
 
 Andrea Thompson!

Andrea will get to choose one book from the list below ...


 Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver
Beyonders by Brandon Mull
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Warped by Maurissa Guibord
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness 
 
Thank you to everyone who participated!
Photobucket

Waiting On Wednesday (46): The Other Life

Time for the"Waiting On Wednesday" weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

Waiting on Wednesday spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


The Other Life
by Susanne Winnacker
To be Published: February 1st 2012 by Usborne

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

-----------------------
Coming out of a bunker to what sounds suspiciously like a zombie-apocalypse? Wowsers.  I think this one sounds pretty intriguing and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Also, the cover? AMAZING.  I love it.

What book are YOU waiting on?
 
Photobucket

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Torrent: River of Time 3 (ARC)




Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren
Genre: Young Adult – Historical/Fantasy
Publication Date: September 1st 2011
Publisher:  David C. Cook
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 388
Date Scoot Read: August 2011
Source
: eARC from author for review

Scoot's Rating
: 10 – Amazing! Loved it. Read it now!

Synopsis (via Goodreads)
: When Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and final book in the River of Time series.
Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times.   But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death.

Scoot’s Review:
**Warning: don’t read this review if you haven’t read the other books yet to avoid spoilage. Just go read the other books first, they are great!
 
In Torrent we join the entire Betarrini family as they travel back to 14th-Century Italy.  But how long have they been gone, and what is the state of Castelo Forelli and all of those they left behind?  Torrent is an excellent conclusion to the River of Time trilogy.  So many things happened in this book that I want to gush on about, but I will restrain myself to avoid spoilage.  Let’s just say that I enjoyed this book as much, if not more, than the other two in the series.  Torrent is a well written blend of action, adventure, tragedy, romance, and real life lessons.  The story was one that you enjoyed until the last page and left you wanting so much more (not in a bad way)!  Characterization continues to excel, and I believe that I could read about the characters from this series for ages and never get tired of them.  I enjoyed watching each character grow and develop in different ways. Gabi continues to bring strength to the novel, with her loyalty to doing what she feels is right. Even with unstable pathways ahead of her; wishy-washy Gabi is not.  The emotions riding throughout the story felt natural, real and absorbing; I was heartbroken and in tears in the first 100 pages, and on the edge of my seat or tied up in knots for the rest of them.   The plot had a few unexpected twists, which kept things intriguing and prevented the pace from stalling.   I loved the romance between Gabi and Marcello, they just constantly made me smile.  Needless to say I was really happy with this novel and highly recommend it.  The only error I felt this book had was that it ended.  I need a book for each character; Luca, Marcello, Lia, Rodolpho, etc, etc! (please ignore my shameless plug for more books – unless your name is Lisa of course ;)) Go grab your copy of Torrent today!

  












Photobucket

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails