Waiting On Wednesday (39): A Monster Calls

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:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

To be Published: September 27th 2011 by Candlewick

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting – he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd – whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself – Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined

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I read Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy just a month ago, and now Patrick Ness is on my list of "purchase ANYTHING this author ever writes."  I think A Monster Calls sounds like it too will pull out strong emotions from the reader and I can't wait to get my hands on it.  Also, I like that Patrick turned Siobhan's idea into a novel after she passed away and is giving her all of the credit for the idea. Kudos to him.

What book are YOU waiting on?

 

Back in Action ...

I have not been online or posted anything in over a week! Wow, that seems strange.  My laptop went in for repairs and I slacked off...  but I am back in action now!  However, this does mean I have a few items backlogged that I need to share with you.

First up - My blogiversary is in 13 days!!! I am getting prepped right now for some fun things, so keep an eye out for them soon. I can't believe it has already been a year.

Also, Did you know that you can get Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater on Audiobook for FREE right now?! Go here for all the details.  Sync will be giving away two Audiobooks a week for a while, so make sure to keep an eye on them.  I have been wanting to read Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari and I can't wait for that one!!

If you like the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich they are having an e-book sale!  You can get #s 12-15 for only $2.99 and #'s 4 & 8 for $3.99 for the Nook or Kindle!  I have read most of these, but the plot never seemed to move forward so I gave up. However, the books are pretty fun & hilarious - you just have to ignore all of the swearing.

Oh, and have you seen these awesome new covers?!  I am so pumped! I can't wait for more Tucker, and I am really intrigued about Rafe.  I highly anticipate both of these novels.  Is it 2012 yet?

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

"For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Described by Richelle Mead as “utterly captivating,” Unearthly received outstanding reviews, garnered accolades from New York Times bestselling authors, and was named an Indie Next Pick. In this heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming joy of first love—and the agony of loss. This beautifully woven tale will appeal to fans of Lauren Kate, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Aprilynne Pike."

 The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

"Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye...."

 

Scoot's Ramblings: Harry Potter!

'nuff said.

... or maybe not, because what is THIS??  JK Rowling, you tease. 

Also, I LOVE this:

Waiting On Wednesday (38)

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:

Above by Leah Bobet

To be Published: 2012 by Arthur A. Levine Books

Matthew's father had lion's feet and his mother had gills, and both fled the modern-day city to live in underground Safe, a secret community of freaks, ghost-whisperers, and disabled outcasts hidden beyond the subways and sewers. Raised underground, Matthew is responsible for the keeping of both Safe's histories and the traumatized shapeshifter Ariel, the girl he took in, fell in love with – and can't stop from constantly running away.

But Safe is no longer safe: the night after a frightening encounter in the sewers, Safe's founder Atticus is murdered by the one person Safe ever exiled: mad Corner, whose coup is backed by an army of mindless, whispering shadows.

Only Matthew, Ariel, and a handful of unstable, crippled compatriots escape to the city that cast them out; the dangerous place he knows only as Above. Despite Ariel's increasingly erratic behaviour and with the odds against them, Matthew must find a way to rescue Safe from Corner's occupying army. But as his quest leads him through abandoned asylums and the dregs of urban poverty, Matthew discovers that the histories he's devoted his life to aren't true: Corner's invasion -- and Ariel's terrors – are rooted in a history of Safe much darker and bloodier than Matthew ever imagined.

And even if he manages to save both home and Ariel, he may well lose himself.

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What was I thinking looking at books that don't come out until 2012?!  It is going to be a long wait, but this one looks totally worth it.  The first thing to catch my eye was the great cover - but then the synopsis quickly trumped it. I can't wait!!

What book are YOU waiting on?

 

Minder

Author: Kate Kaynak
Genre: Young Adult – Paranormal/Romance
Publication Date: June 18, 2010
Publisher:  Spencer Hills Press
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 249
Date Scoot Read: March 2011
Source: Paperback

Scoot's Rating: 7- Enjoyed most of it.

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt. Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place.

Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control.

A stray thought can burn a building to the ground.

And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads. But it's still better than New Jersey. Especially once she meets the man of her dreams...

Scoot’s Review:
Maddie Dunn is attacked one afternoon and lashes out in a way she never knew was possible; with her mind. In the blink of an eye Maddie’s life is turned upside down as she is taken away from her mother and brought to a school called Ganzfield for gifted youth.  Thrown into a place where those with the most power rule, Maddie has to discover how to control her new powers.  Maddie struggles to find her place in the school and manages to find an unexpected romance in the process.  Minder is a well written and fast paced paranormal adventure.  I am not usually a fan of a fast romance (I am a full believer that you should have a few decent conversations before falling in love) but due to plot elements the fast romance in this novel worked out just fine for me. The romance was sweet and I enjoyed it.   The cover has a lot to be desired and makes you less likely (I feel) to pick up the book.  However, setting the cover aside this is a good novel! Slightly unrealistic at times – would there really be a school with basically NO authority?  And a few things managed to happen in record time.  Yet, I loved the different psychic powers and the way they were explained.  The novel had great character building and a solid lead character in Maddie.  There was probably only a moment or two of split personality syndrome, but even that didn’t last long.  The pacing of the story was great, with plenty of turns and action in the plot to keep you intrigued.  The story had a good conclusion but definitely leaves things open for more.  I look forward to reading Adversary the next book in the series!

  

In My Mailbox (23)

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly Meme hosted by The Story Siren!

I am not consistent about posting my IMMs... so here is what I have received recently.  Lots of great books that I can't wait to get started on and a couple that I have read before!

In My Mailbox:

Prizes

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

A World Without Heroes (Beyonders) by Brandon Mull

Juniper Berry  by M. P. Kozlowsky

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

The Iron Thorn (The Iron Codex) by Caitlin Kittredge

The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles) by Kady Cross

Purchased

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Mini Reviews: Retro Demonology & The Strange Case of Finley Jane

Why is it tiny things are always so darn cute?!

  

These reviews might not be as cute as this tiny piglet, but they are mini! 

Mini Reviews are short reviews of books I have read for my own enjoyment and wanted to share with you. I will describe in a couple of sentences (often fragmented) my thoughts on the book.  I may or may not ever post full reviews of any of these books.  So in the mean time, Enjoy!

Retro Demonology by Jana Oliver

"A Demon Trapper’s bonus story.

Before Riley Blackthorne can take on Grade Five demons, she has to trap her very first. Her debut solo trapping experience should be a breeze, just a harmless Grade One after all. But throw in some dippy hippies (whose peace signs and Patchouli really aren’t driving any demons away), one mischievous demon, and a run-in with the police, and Riley might not be able to pull it off..."

A great little intro story for the Demon Trapper world where we meet Riley and join her on one of her first solo demon trapping adventures.  Personally I would start with the book and then go back and read this afterwards. There are no spoilers, but I prefer the book without this short story.   It was a fun read, but REALLY short so I rate this as a [7- Enjoyed most of it.]. 

The Strange Case of Finley Jane by Kady Cross

"Finley Jayne knows she's not 'normal'. Normal girls don't lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behavior has already cost her one job, so when she's offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience. Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined…

An ebook exclusive prequel to The Steampunk Chronicles."

A fun steampunky mini-adventure! Introduced to Finley Jane and could easily be read as the first few chapters of the novel.  Well written and great character development which continues in the main novel.  Fun action packed novella with an intriguing new world makes this is [9-  Great read! Couldn’t put it down] for me.

Scoot's Ramblings: Dream Library

So the hubs and I have been slowly remodeling our home and today I got onto the train of thought regarding in house libraries.  I would someday LOVE to have an in home library. For our current home this is a not very practical, instead we will be updating the more common things like a new fence, a covered patio, and repainting. However, in the future it would be pretty awesome to have one of these.

This is my iconic library dream: Beast's library. Love love love.  Of course the square footage of this library is probably ten times the size of my total house. So odds are slim my future library would look anything like this...

However, there are a few elements that if I ever have one of these amazing rooms I would like to incorporate. 

First, it would need some comfy seating. I am not a fan of sitting and reading at a desk or on some hard chair. I want comfort! Some place that I cuddle up and read my book for hours without getting back pains or bed sores.

Second, I would need some super tall bookshelves requiring one of those awesome shelf ladders.  I might be slightly obsessed with these!! I love them.

Also, I would go with a rich color scheme/dark woods and THIS ceiling.  Amazing.  Beautiful and cozy looking at the same time!

Oh and of course it would have a magical-self-populating shelf of ARCs; constantly supplying me with amazing new reads.  A girl can dream, right?

Do you have a dream in home library? 

Waiting On Wednesday (37) + New Covers!

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:

First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci

To be Published: November 1st 2011 by Scholastic Press

A startling, wonderful novel about the true meaning of being an alien in an equally alien world.

"We are specks. Pieces of dust in this universe. Big nothings.

"I know what I am."

Mal lives on the fringes of high school. Angry. Misunderstood. Yet loving the world -- or, at least, an idea of the world.

Then he meets Hooper. Who says he's from another planet. And may be going home very soon.

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I think this contemporary fiction with a twist of sci-fi sounds intriguing.  Also I really like the cover.  I am definitely going to have check it out when it releases in November!

What book are YOU waiting on?

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On a side note... have you seen these awesome recently released covers?







Blood Red Road (ARC)

Author: Moira Young
Genre: Young Adult – Dystopian
Publication Date: June 7, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 512
Date Scoot Read: May 2011
Source: eGalley from Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Scoot's Rating: 9- Great read! Couldn’t put it down.

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

Scoot’s Review:
For Saba her whole world revolves around her twin brother Lugh. Lugh is the kind, handsome and strong one – and she is his dark shadow. When tragedy strikes and they are ripped apart from each other Saba knows nothing else matters except finding her brother. On an epic journey across a post-apocalyptic land Saba is in a dangerous race against time to save her beloved Lugh. This story pulled me in hook, line and sinker. It was a fast paced, intense read that left me wanting more. I was intrigued by the plot and the alternate dystopian world that was presented. The novel felt like a blend of elements from Gladiator, Hunger Games, Dune and more. I am a sucker for strong sibling relationships and this book had both ends of the spectrum; the beloved twin brother and the younger despised sister. It was interesting to see how the sibling’s relationships changed and strengthened over time. Saba was a strong character who knew what she wanted and didn’t let anything stop her. Survival and saving her brother were her only priorities. Yet, even with her rigid personality, you see Saba bend and developed into a better and stronger person. The characters in the novel were unique and well developed. The only real issued I had with this book was the writing style. What they call “a poetically minimal writing style” was difficult for me to read. I have read novels before that were written in a format matching the education level/dialect of the characters in the story but this one had me constantly tripping. It felt overdone and would often pull me out of the story instead of pulling me in deeper, which was to the story’s detriment. However, despite the language barrier in this novel the story pacing was excellent. I loved the romance and relationships built in the novel. Blood Red Road is a balance of heartache, tragedy, romance, adventure and courage. If you enjoy dystopians make sure to add this one to your list!

Waiting On Wednesday (36)

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:

Soul Thief (The Demon Trappers #2) by Jana Oliver
To be Published: August 30th 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin

Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…

Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad. With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.

But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…

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I just finished reading The Demon Trapper's Daughter and I loved it! I should be posting my review on it soon, but in the mean time I am now anxiously waiting for this second novel.  I can't wait to jump back into the story!  Good thing August is not too far away. Yay for another great read coming out this summer.

What book are YOU waiting on?

Scoot's Ramblings: Time

Having been able to participate in Armchair BEA last week (which was awesome!) I came to realize that the majority of book bloggers blog for fun and/or personal fulfillment.  So that brings me to wonder, where does everyone find the TIME?!  I know that a lot of us have careers, attend school full-time/part-time, and/or have children and families that fill up our days.  Yet we manage to find the time to read ginormous amounts of books and blog about them.   I personally think that is awesome, but I am also curious to know where everyone manage to squeeze in their reading and blogging time.  I have a horrendously long work commute each weekday on the train.  I am on the train (or waiting for the train) for about three hours every day, so I manage to get a lot of reading done then.  I also read when my husband is busy watching one of his shows (currently he is fixated on Prison Break) or when he is in school (he's getting his MBA!).  I try not to let reading take over my life, and I work hard to balance my hobby (cough*addiction*cough) with all of the other wonderful things in my life.  As for my blogging - honestly most of this happens during the day at work. Horrible, but true.  I am on a computer all day and taking a couple of minutes to post a blog doesn't really detract from what I am doing.  I am a big multi-tasker.  However, being on the computer all day also means that by the time I get home I am sick of being online and I usually don't blog much in the evenings or the weekends.

How about you? Where do you squeeze in time for reading and blogging?