Waiting on Wednesday: Wanderlost by Jen Malone

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Wanderlost by Jen Malone
HarperTeen, 352 pages
Expected US Release Date: May 31, 2016

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan begins unraveling, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up. 
----------------------------Goodreads summary

I don't know if it's the spring weather that's here, but I'm definitely in the mood for a solid, good contemporary romance in the YA world. And the setting of beautiful European cities?! I'm there. I can't wait.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman (2/2016)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman
Simon Pulse, 320 pages
Expected US Release Date: February 9, 2016

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything. This is their story.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England? 

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.
----------------------------Goodreads summary

Because pirates. Because rich vs. poor. Because Romeo & Juliet-esque romance. Because trapped by society. And because FREAKIN' PIRATES.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Dial BYR (an imprint of Penguin)
Expected US Release Date: September 16, 2014

Jude and her brother, Noah, are incredibly close twins. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude surfs and cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and divisive ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as an unpredictable new mentor. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant, fully alive, sometimes very funny novel from the critically acclaimed author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once. 
----------------------------Goodreads summary

I feel like I don't even have to justify why I am waiting for this book - perhaps read my review of Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere to know how much I love her. Or just search it to see how often it pops up on my blog and how much I absolutely love and adore it. Or check out all the brilliant words I quoted here (spoilers!!). And of course, this novel sounds so breathtakingly wonderful I can't even fathom what beauty will be within the pages. Is it selfish to hope she includes more poetry? Because yes. I want.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on: Split Second (Pivot Point #2) by Kasie West

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Split Second (Pivot Point #2) by Kasie West
Harper Teen, 320 Pages
Expected US Release Date: February 1, 2014

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.
----------------------------Goodreads summary

If you've read my review of Pivot Point, you'll pretty obviously know why I'm waiting for this one. In summary, I LOVED PIVOT POINT. And Trevor. Mostly Trevor. But also Pivot Point, and to finally know what happens after…and what it means…and that things still develop farther?! And that TREVOR IS STILL HERE?! I need this. Need need need.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Harper Teen, 432 pages
Expected US Release Date: April 1, 2014

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!
----------------------------Goodreads summary

I'm pretty certain this book wins for most original concept/best fairy tale retelling (that's not even a fairy tale retelling!). How freakin' awesome does this novel sound?! I love love LOVE the idea of not only continuing the story of Oz, but turning it completely around. I always thought Dorothy could go on the evil side, too! This book has all the potential to be thrilling, original, hilarious and brilliant -- and I can't wait!

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on: While We Run by Karen Healey

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

While We Run (When We Wake #2) by Karen Healey
Little, Brown Young Readers, 336 pages
Expected US Release Date: May 27, 2014

It's 2127, and the future is at stake . . .

Abdi Taalib thought he was moving to Australia for a music scholarship. But after meeting the beautiful and brazen Tegan Oglietti, his world was turned upside down. Tegan's no ordinary girl - she died in 2027, only to be frozen and brought back to life in Abdi's time, 100 years later.

Now, all they want is for things to return to normal (or as normal as they can be), but the government has other ideas. Especially since the two just spilled the secrets behind Australia's cryonics project to the world. On the run, Abdi and Tegan have no idea who they can trust - and, when they uncover startling new details about the program, they realize that thousands of lives may be in their hands.

Karen Healey offers a suspenseful, page-turning companion to When We Wake that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and make them call into question their own ideas about morality -- and mortality, too.
----------------------------Goodreads summary

I was completely shocked how much I loved When We Wake (read my review here!), and I'm definitely anticipating this second book like crazy. It ends so well and on SUCH a cliffhanger that I just...there's an infinite amount of possibility with where this story will head, and I can't wait to find out which Karen Healey has chosen. Also, sounds like we'll get more Abdi (perhaps even his POV?) - and I will LOVE getting to know him better. He was my least favourite of the favourite characters (makes sense in my head), so I can't wait to really dig into his character more and lessen that typical vibe I got from him. And of course, I can't wait for more of Tegan's awesome personality :)

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren E. Morrill

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren E. Morrill
Delacorte BYR, 256 pages
Expected US Release Date: January 7, 2014

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.
----------------------------Goodreads summary

Meant To Be was one of my favourite reads of 2012 (and EVER), and this one sounds like it will be just as amazing. I love this concept of switching lives to escape (loved it even when Model Behavior tried it - YEAH I JUST REFERENCED JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE'S FIRST MOVIE), and can't wait to see what happens with it. Also? I am totally a closet figure skate lover. I love love LOVE the sport, and you can bet your buttons every winter olympics that is all qeued up in my DVR. I also catch all the obscure competitions and love Johnny Weir and may still want to marry Evan Lysacek (stand aside, Vera Wang).

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
St. Martin's Griffin, 416 Pages
Expected US Release Date: September 10, 2013

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? Open her heart to someone?

Or will she just go on living inside somebody else’s fiction?

----------------------------Goodreads summary

Have I made it clear yet how much I fucking LOVE Rainbow Rowell? Because you can see it here in my review of Eleanor & Park, and how she's one of my insta-read authors, and you will in my upcoming review of Attachments, her phenomenal adult novel...basically, I am Rainbow's fan girl FOREVER. (Ya see how I worked that in?!) This sounds like a fantastically cute and meaningful novel about becoming your own person, and I am so, SO excited to see what Rainbow Rowell does with it. Can I seriously just have a copy now?!

(Also, how cute is that cover? She always has the best covers. Love love love.)

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: the STAR cover love edition*

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine
meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Across A Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows the Stars #2) by Diana Peterfreund
Balzar + Bray (an imprint of HarperTeen), 464 Pages
Expected US Release Date: October 15, 2013

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

In this thrilling adventure inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Diana Peterfreund creates an exquisitely rendered world where nothing is as it seems and two teens with very different pasts fight for a future only they dare to imagine.
-----------------------------Goodreads summary
Did you read my review of For Darkness Shows the Stars (if you haven't, you can here!)? Because you will know how much I love and adored and went crazy for and generally just gushed and made a fool of myself for it. I loved it, and I love that Diana is continuing on with this world. Her writing makes me feel ALL THE THINGS and oh my god I cannot wait to get swept up again. (I HEART PUNS.)

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

Disney Hyperion, 384 pages
Expected US Release Date: December 10, 2013

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever? 

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

-------------------------Goodreads summary

Because this seems like Across the Universe by Beth Revis and For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund mashed together, but with its own twists and elements thrown in. How could I not want to read that?! I also quite like the name Tarver - it's one I haven't heard before and I'm curious about him.

*see what I did there with my post title? Ya like that?!

What book(s) are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Bloomsbury Teen, 216 pages

Expected US Release Date: September 24, 2013

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.
----------------Goodreads summary

We all know how much I loved Something Like Normal by Trish, right? If you don't, you can read my review and you'll see. And while I loved SLN because of the military-related elements, I also love her writing and how strongly Trish can write a character's voice. Which is why I'm SO SO SO excited for Where the Stars Still Shine! I can't wait to see what she can write in a situation I'm not so deeply, personally involved in - and I know for a fact I will love it. She is fantastic, her writing is amazing, and this promises to be brilliant.

Also, MAJOR MAJOR COVER LOVE. I am obsessed.

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Harper Teen Is Awesome Edition

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine
meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Transparent by Natalie Whipple
Harper Teen, 352 Pages
Expected US Release Date: May 21, 2013

Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.

An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.

After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.

Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.
--------------------Goodreads summary

INVISIBILITY. That's all.

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Harper Teen, 320 Pages

Expected US Release Date: July 2, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company. 

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

-----------------------Goodreads summary

Pivot Point was a fantastic story, I can't wait to see what Kasie does with contemporary.

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
Harper Teen, 352 Pages
Expected US Release Date: September 10, 2013

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.
---------------------------Goodreads summary

CLEOPATRA IN YA. That's all. (Also: THAT COVER. *drools*)

PS. Anyone know why I grouped all these books together? Virtual hug and a cookie if you do!

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine
meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith
Katherine Tegan Books, 400 pages
Expected US Release Date: May 28, 2013

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:
1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:
1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.
---------------------------Goodreads summary

First of all, I'm pretty much guaranteed to like any book whose summary is in list form. I love lists. Who doesn't like them?! But also, this book sounds brilliant and I hear NOTHING but good things. The moment I saw the book during the Tea Time chat with the brilliant Epic Reads ladies two weeks ago, I knew I wanted to read it - and all I hear are fabulous things about it. It's top of my list now, and I am DYING to get my hands on it.

(Which also means, if anyone has it and wants to loan or trade me - please do!)

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy
Simon Pulse, 288 Pages
Expected US Release Date: May 2013

Nikki’s life is far from perfect, but at least she has Dee. Her friends tell her that Dee is no good, but Nikki can’t imagine herself without him. He’s hot, he’s dangerous, he has her initials tattooed over his heart, and she loves him more than anything. There’s nothing Nikki wouldn’t do for Dee. Absolutely nothing.

So when Dee pulls Nikki into a crime – a crime that ends in murder – Nikki tells herself that it’s all for true love. Nothing can break them apart. Not the police. Not the arrest that lands Nikki in jail. Not even the investigators who want her to testify against him.

But what if Dee had motives that Nikki knew nothing about?

Nikki’s love for Dee is supposed to be unconditional . . . but even true love has a limit. And Nikki just might have reached hers.
-----------------------Goodreads summary

I've only read one book of Terra's, but I really loved it (Being Friends With Boys - my review is here!) - her writing is fantastic and she's got a real knack for creating real. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of her work. BUT! Criminal sounds like it's so different from all her other stuff! It sounds brilliant and amazing, yes, but it feels so much darker. In any case, I can't wait to read this. Books that center around a love that goes too far or an obsessive love that turns dangerous? They're terrifying, but I can never resist them. Plus, Elizabeth Eulberg was tweeting while she read an ARC of this and couldn't stop raving - I'm even more curious now!

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday (-ish)...more of a YAY! post

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Soooo I'm actually tweaking WoW this week so I can publicly congratulation someone...

My fantastic friend Stephanie Diaz sold her book to St. Martin's Press!

A trilogy!! You guys, I am so beyond excited for her, I can't even tell you. Read the PM release below:

Click to enlarge

If you can't read it, it says:
Nineteen-year-old film student Stephanie Diaz's debut EXTRACTION trilogy, about a girl who wins escape from a life of brutality on her planet's surface only to face the cruel realization that her new life within the core has its own set of horrors, pitched as Divergent meets Ender's Game, to Kathy Huck at St. Martin's, at auction, in a three-book-deal, by Alison Fargis at Stonesong. (world)

How effing AWESOME does her book sound?! I can't wait to read (though the tentative pub date is Spring 2014 - how are we to wait until then?!) and am so thrilled for her. I'm excited to see Stephanie go through the publishing journey - she will be fabulous as an author, and I know everyone will love her.

Her blog is here (with an awesome celebratory giveaway going on right now!), and brand spankin' new author site is here - and if you'd like, leave a comment to congratulate her or hop on over to Twitter to send her a tweet and follow! Also, make sure you add Extraction on Goodreads! (GR has a lengthier summary too.)

So this Wednesday, I'm waiting - allllllll the way until the projected Spring 2014 - on Extraction, Stephanie's debut novel!

Congratulations, Steph!

Stephanie, myself & Amy Tintera at the recent #YAintheSun event!

(Amy's debut, Reboot, will be out in May 2013 from HarperTeen! So many talented people in my life.)

Waiting on Wednesday: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Reboot (Reboot #1) by Amy Tintera
HarperTeen, 352 Pages
Expected US Release Date: May 7, 2013

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

-----------------------Goodreads summary

I have been dying to post this as a WoW pick for awhile now, but was waiting on the cover - so hooray! Can we talk about how much I love it? It's so fascinating and I love how it ties into Wren's number. So cleverly simple.

I'm very lucky to know Amy in real life - we officially met at Shannon Messenger's Launch Party for Keeper of the Lost Cities, and silly me didn't put two and two together when I met her! I knew we had mutual friends, I'd learned she was getting published in May by HarperTeen and even heard her talk about her book a little - but I stupidly never asked her what the title was. Only later when I got home and saw her name was I like "holy crap Amy! She's the writer of Reboot!"...and I quickly scuttled off to Twitter to apologize and tell her I'm a dolt for not realizing. Still, I adore Amy and love whenever we get the chance to see each other and chat. Plus, we've talked about books and she has fantastic taste in reading - so there's no question to me that her book will be just as awesome!

But enough of looks and name dropping - doesn't this sound fantastic?! The idea of how long you're dead means you're farther from being human...it's one of those ideas that's so plainly obvious and so original all at once! And of course, the possibilities between a 178 and a 22 are endless. I can't wait to see what this book will be, and what it means to disobey an order. Plus, since it's part of a series, I'm curious about the larger picture, too. You can't say 'soldier' without me thinking there's something crazy going on in the world around them, too! (I could be wrong, I don't know. See what I mean by needing to know?!)

Sigh. May is so far away.

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

PS. Have you entered my Holiday Giveaway? You could win your choice between 4 books!
(2 winners, open Internationally - ends 11/28)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Harper Teen Sequel Edition

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine
meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky #2) by Veronica Rossi
Harper Teen, 400 Pages
Expected US Release Date: January 8, 2013

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.
------------Goodreads summary

Seriously, who can I bribe out there for an ARC of this? Because I don't think I can wait any longer! I adored Under the Never Sky so much (read my review here!), it is easily one of my favourites and a go-to recommendation. I have to know how Aria and Peregrine are faring, and truthfully? Roar. I love him. (Also, I gushed about the cover here.)

The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

Harper Teen, 336 Pages

Expected US Release Date: April 23, 2013

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

-------------------Goodreads summary

I know The Selection got some mixed reviews anyway, and even in my own (read it here!) I was a bit torn since I can't stand America and Aspen, but adore Maxon so much. But that doesn't mean I'm not dying to know about The Elite! What is happening with the rebels? Who is Maxon going to pick? Will America ever stop being a flaky bitch and commit to someone? Must know!

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link in the comments!

PS. Have you entered my Holiday Book Giveaway yet? It's international! Ends 11/28

Waiting on Wednesday: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman
Dutton Juvenile, 320 Pages
Expected US Release Date: January 8, 2013

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!
---------------------Goodreads summary

When I went to the YA or Bust Tour earlier this year (recap here!), Gayle was telling us a lot about her new duet novels, Just One Day and Just One Year. I already love Gayle - her books are absolutely breathtaking magic, and she herself is so hilarious and witty and intelligent. I want to hang out with her all the time. And then the premise of these novels? I can't. I just need. All of it. Now.

It is up on Edelweiss, but I've only ever requested once on there before and was denied (I don't even remember what book it was...), so my hopes are not high for this one. Regardless, I will read this the SECOND it is available to me.

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: Golden by Jessi Kirby

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

Golden by Jessi Kirby
Simon & Schuster, 256 pages
Expected US Release Date: May 14, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost may be a distant relative of Robert Frost, but she has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a mystery in her lap—one that might be the key to uncovering the truth behind a town tragedy, she decides to take a chance.
-----------------Goodreads summary

I love Jessi Kirby. Not only is she super sweet in person (I've met her at the Summer Lovin' Book Tour and hung out at an event during ALA), but her writing is fabulous. When I read In Honor (review here!), I was so swept up in the tale and lost in her beautiful writing - and Golden looks like it'll be just like that, if not better. The premise is so intriguing, and how gorgeous is the cover?! May needs to get here fast!

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link in the comments and I'll hop by!

Waiting on Wednesday: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

meant to highlight an upcoming release we're excited for!

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
Poppy, 416 Pages
Expected US Release Date: April 2, 2013

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith's new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle," the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don't even know each other's first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don't tell each other everything; Graham doesn't know the major secret hidden in Ellie's family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham's new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie's mom want her to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Just as they did in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, the hands of fate intervene in wondrous ways in this YA novel that delivers on high concept romance in lush and thoughtful prose.
--------------------Goodreads summary

Sleepless In Seattle AND You've Got Mail?! YGM is one of my two favourite movies (Love, Actually is the other), so any comparisons to that will immediately sell me to a book -- but then you read the summary, and how exquisitely perfect does this sound?! I'm in love with it already. Jennifer E. Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight (read my review here!) is one of my favourite contemporaries, and this one sounds dangerously close to equalling it.

Also, I'm really attracted to those names. They just feel right, as though it fits in with this plotline. I've never really had that feeling with a book before I've read it, but I figure that has to be a good sign :)

What book are you eagerly awaiting?

Leave your link in the comments!

PS. Have you entered my Follower Appreciation Giveaway yet? FIVE winners, one of which is international!