Waiting on Wednesday # 13 - The Casual Vacancy

Book: The Casual Vacancy

Author: J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Expected Release Date: September 27th, 2012  

Summary (From Goodreads): When Barry Fairweather dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

Why I'm Waiting: When it was announced that J.K. Rowling would be releasing a new book in 2012, I happy danced like a lunatic.

Can you blame me? It's J.K. Rowling! The woman could write a refrigerator manual and I would buy like 20 copies! The Casual Vacancy is a very different story than the Harry Potter series, but I don't think that's a bad thing. In fact, I'm really excited to see what Rowling does with this new story.

Also, it's release date is the same week as my birthday, so...



What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday # 12 - The Diviners

Book: The Diviners

Author: Libba Bray

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Expected Release Date: September 18, 2012

Summary (From Goodreads): Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

Why I'm Waiting: I first fell in love with Libba Bray when I read A Great and Terrible Beauty. It was a rich, gothic, historical/mystery/paranormal novel that managed to juggle all of these elements with ease, not an easy feat for any writer, but Bray definitely pulled it off. I'm so excited that she's getting back to similar themes with The Diviners. The historical setting is a little different for The Diviners however - instead of Victorian England, we will be exploring 1920's New York City. As a big Great Gatsby fan, I'm so excited that Bray set the book in this time period. Basically I could gush about this book forever, so I'm going to stop for now and continue the gushing once I actually read it!

Also, creepy trailer:

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What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #11 - Every Day

Book: Every Day

Author: David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Expected Release Date: August 28, 2012       

Summary (From Goodreads): Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

Why I'm Waiting: I have a confession to make: I've been terribly lax in my David Levithan reading. In fact, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List (co-authored by Rachel Cohn) is the only David Levithan novel that I've read. This is ridiculous for two reasons. 1) I loved Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List and 2) I've heard nothing but good things about David Levithan's work. I vow to change my Levithan ignorance this year and I think Every Day would be a great place to start. It has a creative concept that could be very intriguing. It sounds like Invasion of the Body Snatchers from the Body Snatcher's point of view. That story on it's own would be interesting, but Levithan raises the satkes by adding a love story to the mix. This will surely be a great read, and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Waiting on Wednesday #10 - Son

Book: Son                                                         

Author: Lois Lowry

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt        

Expected Release Date: October 2nd, 2012       

Summary (From Goodreads): Told in three separate story lines, Lois Lowry’s Son combines elements from the first three novels in her Giver Quartet — The Giver (1994 Newbery Medal winner), Gathering Blue, and Messenger — into a breathtaking, thought-provoking narrative that wrestles with ideas of human freedom. Thrust again into the dark, claustrophobic world of The Giver, readers will meet an intriguing new heroine, fourteen-year-old Claire. Jonas from The Giver is here too, and Kira, the heroine of Gathering Blue. In a final clash between good and evil, a new hero emerges.

Why I'm Waiting: In my opinion, Lois Lowry is one of the titans of young adult literature. I was eleven when I first read The Giver, and it was a great introduction to YA for me and I highly recommend it if you haven't read it yet (seriously, if you haven't read it yet, go get a copy from your library, Amazon, local indie, etc. You won't be disappointed!). Gathering Blue and Messenger are also fantastic reads. It will be great to see all of the different storylines from these loosely connected novels come together. These books were a part of my childhood, so I'm excited to revisit them in this new novel!

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.  

Waiting on Wednesday # 9 - The Edge of Nowhere

Book: The Edge of Nowhere                          

Author: Elizabeth George

Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

Expected Release Date: September 4th, 2012

Summary (from Goodreads): The Edge of Nowhere, the first book in George’s new YA series, will follow a teen girl with psychic abilities who runs away to Whidbey Island, Washington, and is abandoned by her mother.

Why I'm Waiting: I'm excited for this novel. It has a paranormal element but from what I've read on Goodreads, it also is a bit of a mystery. I'm sure that Whidbey Island will be a super creepy place that I will never want to visit! Add the mama drama to that and you have a recipe for a book that I will surely devour.

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #8 - Ten

Book: Ten                                                           

Author: Gretchen McNeil

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Expected Release Date: September 18, 2012

Summary (From Goodreads): And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Why I'm Waiting: When I found out about Ten, I did the happiest happy dance ever. It has everything I want. It's a murder mystery set on a creepy island, it's a retelling of And Then There Were None (My favorite Agatha Christie novel), The cover is fantastic. There might even be some teen angst. Who doesn't love some good teen angst?

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #7 - For Darkness Shows the Stars

Book: For Darkness Shows the Stars       

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Expected Release Date: June 12th, 2012

Summary (From Goodreads): Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

Why I'm Waiting: This book sounds fantastic! I love it when authors retell classics. It's fun to pick up the novel it was based on (in this case Persuasion) and compare the stories to see what was incorporated by the author and what they changed. In this case, Diana Peterfreund has added a science fiction element that sounds really interesting. Also, the cover is beautiful, and I'm a sucker for good cover art.

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #6 - Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone

Book: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone

Author: Kat Rosenfield

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Expected Release Date: July 5th, 2012

Summary (from Goodreads): An arresting un-coming-of-age story, from a breathtaking talent

Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.

Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to the truth about Amelia's death.

Why I'm Waiting: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone sounds like a really original and interesting idea. I like books that tell multiple stories that weave together. The mystery part of this novel is what really intrigues me. How did Amelia Anne die? I guess we'll find out come July 5th!

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #5 - Shadow and Bone

Book: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Expected Release Date: June 5th, 2012

Summary (From Goodreads): Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Why I'm Waiting: Shadow and Bone is the type of book that I would buy for the cover alone. It looks really cool! The story itself sounds unique and interesting. It sounds like there is some sort of war going on between good and evil, and it seems very high stakes. I also am a sucker for stories where an underdog finds that he/she has the power to save the world. Honestly, who doesn't love an underdog? Shadow and Bone sounds like it has a lot of things going for it, so I'm definitely excited for this release!

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #4 - Hemlock

Book: Hemlock

Author: Kathleen Peacock

Publisher: HarperCollins

Expected Release Date: May 8th, 2012

Summary (From Goodreads): Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

Why I'm Waiting: This book sounds really good. It combines a murder mystery with a paranormal fantasy and i'm really interested in the author's take on werewolves. From the summary it sounds like she tackles it as a virus that most people are aware of and trying to deal with like any other disease. I also am in love with this cover! I love how the vines wrap around the letters. Hemlock looks beautiful and sounds intriguing. I might have to purchase this one, even if it makes my bank account cry. I'm sure mr. debit card will get over it once he sees the cover.

What books are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments!

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

Waiting On Wednesday #3 - This Is Not a Test

Title: This Is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Expected Publication Date: June 19th, 2012  

Summary (From Goodreads): It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Why I'm Waiting: This zombie apocalypse book sounds insanely intense, but the summary seems to not just focus on the zombies, but on the people fighting for their lives and the internal struggles they face. Also, the idea that these teens are stuck in their high school kind of reminds me of The Breakfast Club. The Breakfast Club and zombies would be such a great combo!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #2 - Dead to You

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Expected Publication Date: February 7th 2012

Publisher Simon Pulse

Summary (From Goodreads):

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

Why I'm Waiting:

This book sounds fantastic! It sounds like it has some creepy mystery undertones coupled with family drama - always an intense combo. I loved the Wake Trilogy by Lisa McMann, and this just sounds like another amazing book from a great author!

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

Waiting on Wednesday #1 - The Gathering Storm

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

Title: The Gathering Storm (Goodreads)
Author: Robin Bridges
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Expected Pub Date: January 10th, 2012

Oh my G! If I wasn't a broke college kid I would be on Amazon hitting the preorder button for this book.

5 reasons that I want it:

1. It's set in 1800s Russia. Pre Soviet Union Russia was a pretty fancy pants place.
2. The main character is named Katerina. If anyone watches The Vampire Diaries, you'll know why this makes me happy.
3. Katerina just happens to be able to raise the dead...so she's a little different.
4. That cover is amazing - that snow, that hat and that sassy/concerned facial expression shows me that this book means business.
5. The book trailer, which you can find here is amazing! Be prepared for some creepy white eyes, creepy old ladies, and an ominous shaking tea cup...




So that's what I'm waiting on this Wednesday. What books are you waiting for?