Waiting On Wednesday (33) - The Waiting Sky

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're pining after.

Title: The Waiting Sky
Author: Lara Zielin
Published: 2nd Aug 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Seventeen-year-old Jane can’t quite face her mother’s alcoholism even though it sucks to spend all her time and energy keeping them afloat—making sure her mom gets to work, that the bills are paid when there’s money to pay them, and that no one knows her mom is so messed up. But when Jane’s mom drives drunk almost killing both them and Jane’s best friend, Jane can no longer deny her mom is spiraling out of control. Jane has only one place to turn: her older brother Ethan, who left years ago to go to college. A summer away with him and his tornado chasing buddies may just provide the time and space she needs to figure out whether her life still includes her mother. - From Goodreads

This sounds great, a little bit of heartbreak, and some action thrown in there too. Also can we sing out for how amazing the cover looks, I just love that tornado in a jar. I can't wait to see how this story plays out.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Let me know in the comments.

The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules is the first in a new series from Julie Kagawa, author of the Iron Fey series. It follows the path of Allie in a time where the world is over run by Vampires and Rabids, but more on that in my review post later.

The Immortal rules is due for release on April 24th and as of today the website bloodofeden.com and the trailer are live. Here is a quick peek at the trailer to get you excited...





If you go to the Blood Of Eden website you will also see how you can access additional exclusive content by counting the number of Eden symbols you see in the trailer.

So go and visit the website and let me know what you think, are you excited for the release of this book?

I am so close to finishing and can't wait to share my thoughts with you!!

In My Mailbox (23)

Welcome to this weeks in my mailbox where we discuss all the new books we acquired through the week. This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren.

I have had a very light month. Go me for saving money!! I have a few plays I have been given to read for potential assistant directing opportunities so I have been trying to keep my reading load light. I did however pick up an exciting eARC for review. So here are the plays and the NetGalley -

For Review:

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) - Julie Kagawa Thanks to NetGalley and publisher

Plays for Decisions

Nobody Will Ever Forgive Us - Paul Higgins

Doctor Faustus - Christopher Marlowe

What was in your mailbox this week?

Review: Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Title: Spellcaster
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Published: 27th March 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: Spellbound #2
Source: eACR thanks to NetGalley and publisher

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own. - From Goodreads

After finishing Spellbound I was not jumping at the chance to read the next book in the series. In my head Emma and Brendan had faced the obstacles in the way of their relationship and the story was finished. So why was there another book? I could see it possibly focusing on another character, alas no, Emma and Brendan have another issue to overcome.

Emma and Brendan have faced down a centuries old curse which was destined to kill Emma once they couple were together. Not only this, but Emma has discovered that she is a born witch. Now with Emma and Brendan trying to figure out their relationship someone is gunning for their blood, literally. True love is the strongest type of magic and when used in a spell can grant the witch immense power. Emma and Angelique must figure out who is out to get her and how to stop them.

I really liked both Emma and Brendan in the last book, but in this book there were a few things that really niggled me! Emma felt a little less of the witty, spirited book I like in the first novel. I am unsure if this is a reflection of the super-possessive Brendan or if her character has run out of steam a little. Where did the girl go who may not have always stood up for herself but had some really funny comebacks in her head after the fact.I suspect it is the influence of Brendan. Brendan was cool in the last book, but in this book there are some serious boundary issues that I felt he crossed. I like a manly man, but I felt that Brendan smothered her and treated her like a child. Bad Brendan!

With all of my thoughts on those two annoying me every couple of paragraphs, I thought that this book had a pretty entertaining plot. If you can get past the nonsense about it being another story in this magical book (why have neither of them just sat down and read it if it is so important) which was one of Emma's past lives (!!!!) then there is an good supernatural mystery waiting for you.

I found this book a bit of a challenge to get through, although that could be due to the fact that I never felt like another book was needed in this story. I am hoping that this is the end and that in my head everyone can live happily ever after.

Waiting on Wednesday (32) - Alice in Zombieland

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're pining after.

Title: Alice in Zombieland
Author: Gena Showalter
Published: 25th Sept 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: White Rabbit Chronicles #1

She won’t resist until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish. - From Goodreads

My oh my, I go away for a few weeks to produce a play and the book bloggers all go and get a crush without me!! In catching up on what various bloggers have been talking about (and I follow loads of them) and over the past week this book has been everywhere. Doing a little bit of research on my own and I have jumped on to the bandwagon, I think this looks great!

They may be cropping up in a number of YA books at the moment, but I love stories revolving around zombies, they scare the living daylights out of me and it's amazing!!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Waiting On Wednesday (31) - Touching The Surface

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're pining after.

Title: Touching the Surface
Author: Kimberly Sabatini
Published: 30th Oct 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Life altering mistakes are meant to alter lives…

When Elliot dies for the third time, she knows this is her last shot. There are no fourth-timers in this afterlife, so one more chance is all she has to get things right. But before she can move on to her next life, Elliot will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed… and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the mistakes of her past, Elliot must earn the forgiveness of her best friend and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever. - From Goodreads

I think this sounds like there are so many possible places for the story to go that it will be a compelling read. Also how stunning is that cover!! I can't wait to pick up this book and give it a read.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Published: 27th March 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Series: Goddess Test #2
Source: eARC, thanks to NetGalley and HarlequinTeen

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone. - From Goodreads

I was so excited to read this book as the first book had really taken me by surprise. I didn't think I was going to like the Goddess Test, but it became clear to me within a couple of pages that I was going to love it! So after enjoying the first book so much I was excited to read the second. I was a little worried that it would fall into the usual pitfall of the second book not living up to the expectations set by a great first book. I should not have worried!!

After marrying Henry, Kate left for a summer vacation, with James, before she returns to live in the underworld with Henry for the winter. Within a couple of days of being in the underworld, all of the Gods are attacked by the only thing strong enough to kill them, a titan. Calliope is working with the titan to exact her revenge on the Gods and Goddesses that agreed to her punishment for trying to kill Kate. After Henry and some of the other Gods are kidnapped, Kate has to go and ask for help from Persephone, the woman she is trying to live up to.

Kate has won the Goddess test and is now Henry's wife. She now lives with him in the underworld for at least 6 months a year, but she is still incredibly insecure. What bugged me about Kate in this book was how insecure about her relationship with Henry he was. she never stops to see anything from his point of view and try to understand how it looks to him. She is married for 5 minutes and then runs off to Greece with James, and fails to see how this might look to Henry. I think most of her angst in this book could have been solved by a little bit of reflection on her part and it may have stopped her being quite so paranoid about Persephone. On the other hand I loved how determined she was to help and thought that some of her enthusiasm was endearing!

I also liked learning more about the other Gods and seeing how they prepared themselves for battle. I thought that as usual this had a good story line and kept me wanting to know what was coming next. The world created for the underworld was well thought out and I could imagine it easily and picture myself walking there with Kate and Persephone.

I found that I had finished the book faster than I thought I would and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to see what comes next and I hope that Kate finds her feet in her relationship with Henry and stops being so paranoid all the time.