Waiting on Wednesday #59: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Heir of Fire by Sarh J. Maas

Expected Release: September 2014

Goodreads Synopsis
Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien's only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan's Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. 

Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King's Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan's biggest threat - and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love? 

This third novel in the Throne of Glass sequence, from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, is packed with more heart-stopping action, devastating drama and swoonsome romance, and introduces some fierce new heroines to love and hate.

So excited! 
What book are you looking forward to reading?

Blitz & Giveaway: To Know Me by Marcy Blesy

To Know Me by Marcy Blesy 

(To Know Me #1) 

Publication date: August 21st 2013

Genres: Romance, Young Adult

Goodreads | Amazon

Synopsis:
To know me is to die.

Seventeen-year-old Mae is convinced that the consequences of her poor decisions have caused the untimely deaths of her dad, sister Laura, and grandma who all die within a year, no matter how ludicrous her thoughts seem to those she loves. The solution? Run away so no one else she cares for gets hurt (even if she has to keep a GPS tracker on her phone at all times).

Desperate to earn her diploma and salvage something of her life, she transfers schools when people get too close. After switching to Woodson Prep with only two months to go until graduation, Mae keeps her goals in sight. But when she meets Ty, the “perfect boy” with his own secrets and a relentless interest in Mae, she must decide if she can stop running from the past and still protect those she loves.
___

TO KNOW ME is the first book in a new YA romance series that follows Mae from her senior year in high school through her first two years in college as she learns to accept the consequences of her past mistakes that keep impacting the relationships with those she loves...and those she shouldn't.      Out now:  TO KNOW ME...TO LOVE ME...TO FORGIVE ME...and coming in summer 2014: TO CHOOSE ME.

Excerpt
To know me is to die. I mean, to really know me, like when you know I can run for hours without so much as a water break, or that cinnamon sugar doughnuts are my weakness, or that my dad gave me a whole different name. But I don’t let people get that close. I’ve learned the hard way. Too many people die in my life. Grandma said I was only unlucky.

“It’s not your fault all those people you love die. It’s just bad luck that you’ve had to deal with grief so young. Not fair at all,” she’d said. That was right before she died on my seventeenth birthday and right after my sister Laura, my dad, and my dog Petie.

I direct Mom Number 4 toward the front door of the high school. I always get a new mom when I transfer schools. I have yet to find a school that allows a seventeen-year-old to register herself. I wanted to graduate in Ohio, but too many people started asking questions. They weren’t important questions. Just stuff like, “How come I can’t ever come over to your house?” or “Why won’t you ever talk about yourself?” or when I do, “That’s not what you told so-and-so.” I had to leave. To let people into my life isn’t an option anymore. But, there’re no worries anyone will start to ask questions here. It’s already March. That diploma is as good as mine. Then I can enroll in online college and try to salvage something of my pathetic life.

AUTHOR BIO

Marcy Blesy is the author of several middle grade and young adult novels and short stories. Her picture book, Am I Like My Daddy?, helps children who experienced the loss of a parent when they were much younger. She has also been published in two Chicken Soup for the Soul books as well as various newspapers and magazines. By day she runs an elementary school library and enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys.

Marcy is a believer in love and enjoys nothing more than making her readers feel a book more than simply reading it. She likes to connect with her readers via twitter (@marcyblesy), email (mablesy(at)yahoo.com), or her blog(www.marcyblesy.com).

Author links:

http://marcyblesy.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AmILikeMyDaddy

https://twitter.com/marcyblesy

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6587358.Marcy_Blesy

To Know Me is currently 0.99c on Kindle

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If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

Author: Corrine Jackson
Title: If I Lie
Publication: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Goodreads First Reads
Website

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

This story is really sad to me. Quinn's shunned by her entire town and friends that promised to stand by her, all just to keep a secret. I admire her tenacity and loyalty to Carey but at the same time, it's selfish of him to have her put her life on hold and lie for him as well, especially since he's not there to help her through it. Finally, things have cooled down about her betrayal but then his goes missing and they all see her as Hester Prynne and start making the poor girl's life unbearable. Her parents are a reliable support system either. Her dad checked out emotionally once her mother left him years ago and she has to deal with him being detached. She feels like when he looks at her he sees her mother, which is unfair because she abandoned Quinn as well. This young woman has so much coming at her from many directions and it's interesting to see her grow and learn to become her own person. Overall, I liked the story and think that anyone looking for about defining oneself, friendship and family will enjoy this book.

Waiting on Wednesday #58: Talon by Julie Kagawa

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Expected Release: October 2014

Goodreads Synopsis
Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Love this cover! What book are you looking forward to reading?

Stolen Songbird by @dljensen_ @strangechem

Author:  Danielle L. Jensen
Title: Stolen Songbird
Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
Publication: April 1st 2014 
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Website 

For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

I loved that this book was about trolls. Jensen does an amazing job of creating a world that is realistic and entertaining. It all begins when Cecile is about to move in with her mother to train as a singer. She's out alone and gets kidnapped by someone she trusts, who then trades her to the trolls. The troll royalty believe she is the mysterious young woman mentioned in a prophecy that will relieve the curse upon the mountain in which they live. Against her will, she must marry Tristan, the prince and free them. However, things don't go as planned and she finds herself a pawn in a political struggle that even she can't understand. Cecile hopes to escape and return home but as time goes by she begins to see the truth of Trollus. There is a heavy weight placed upon her to save those suffering. What I like about Cecile is her struggle with her need to flee and her developing emotions towards the prince. I enjoyed the moments between Tristan and Cecile; they were sweet, heart-wrenching and thrilling interactions. Cecile's a fire-cracker of girl, she's afraid but clever and seems to hold her own rather well in Trollus. Tristan, the mysterious prince is an unexpected surprise; he has the tremendous burden of helping his people and keeping Cecile out of trouble. Overall, I found the story, characters and world building very inviting and I look forward to the next one!

Fairytale Fortnight Giveaway Hop!

Some ideas below...enjoy!

Giveaway Details: No purchase necessary. Open Internationally to participants that are legally eligible to enter and receive Amazon or Barnes & Noble giftcard code. Must be 18 years or older to enter or have legal guardian or parent enter for you. The number of eligible entries received determine the odds of winning. Winners will be notified by email and have 48 hours after notification to claim prize after which another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not affiliated with Rafflecopter, Book Depository, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Twitter.This giveaway was sponsored by Cricket @ Little Library Muse and is not responsible for items lost in the mail. Void where prohibited by law.

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Blast & Giveaway: Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum

B&N | Amazon | Goodreads

Synopsis 
Insecure, shy, and way overweight, Colby hates the limelight as much as her pageant-pretty mom and sisters love it. It's her life: Dad's a superstar, running for office on a family values platform. Then suddenly, he ditches his marriage for a younger woman and gets caught stealing money from the campaign. Everyone hates Colby for finding out and blowing the whistle on him. From a mansion, they end up in a poor relative's trailer, where her mom's contempt swells right along with Colby's supersized jeans. Then, a cruel video of Colby half-dressed, made by her cousin Ryan, finds its way onto the internet. Colby plans her own death. A tragic family accident intervenes, and Colby's role in it seems to paint her as a hero, but she's only a fraud. Finally, threatened with exposure, Colby must face facts about her selfish mother and her own shame. Harrowing and hopeful, proof that the truth that saves us can come with a fierce and terrible price, Big Fat Disaster is that rare thing, a story that is authentically new.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In addition to writing Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Beth Fehlbaum is an experienced English teacher who frequently draws on her experience as an educator to write her books. She has a B.A. in English, Minor in Secondary Education, and an M.Ed. in Reading. She is currently a Library Science student at Sam Houston State University.

Beth is the author of Big Fat Disaster (Merit Press/F+W Media, March 2014); Courage in Patience (Kunati Books, 2008); and Hope in Patience(WestSide Books, 2010). Hope in Patience was named a 2011 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Truth in Patience, which rounds outThe Patience Trilogy, is as yet unpublished. The Patience Trilogy has been revised and is available for acquisition!

Beth has a following in the young adult literature world and also among survivors of sexual abuse because of her work with victims’ advocacy groups. She has been the keynote speaker at the National Crime Victims’ Week Commemoration Ceremony at the Hall of State in Dallas, Texas and a presenter for Greater Texas Community Partners, where she addressed a group of social workers and foster children on the subject of “Hope”.

Beth is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, like Ashley in The Patience Trilogy, and the day-to-day manager of an eating disorder much like Colby’s in Big Fat Disaster. These life experiences give her a unique perspective, and she writes her characters’ stories in a way meant to inspire hope.

Beth lives with her family in the woods of East Texas.
You can find Beth online at http:www.bethfehlbaumbooks.com
on Facebook, and on https://twitter.com/bethfehlbaum

               Giveaway is open to US Residents Only. | Must be 13+ to Enter
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Waiting on Wednesday #57: The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas 

Expected Release: August 2014

Goodreads Synopsis
After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

Love this cover! What book are you looking forward to reading?

Blitz & Giveaway: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

It's RELEASE DAY for

The Geography of You and Me

by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me
by Jennifer E. Smith
YA Contemporary Romance
April 15th 2014 by Little, Brown for Young Readers

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Amazon *  Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Did you miss any of the excerpts we shared on our tour? 

You can go back and read chapter one in its entirety, but here are some snippets:

Tour Launch

The two main characters, Lucy and Owen, from The Geography of You and Me first meet in New York, but then keep in contact from different places around the world before meeting up in New York again.

The author, Jennifer E. Smith, shared some of her favorite places in the world in preparation of Geography's release. We'd like to re-share them with you!

A Backwards Story - Chapter One, Part 1

On the first day of September, the world went dark.

But from where she stood in the blackness, her back pressed against the brassy wall of an elevator, Lucy Patterson had no way of knowing the scope of it yet.

Literary Meanderings - Chapter One, Part 2

When the elevator had wrenched to a stop, their eyes met, and in spite of the situation, she’d found herself wondering—ridiculously—whether he recognized her, too. But then the lights above them had snapped off, and they were both left blinking into the darkness, the floor still quivering beneath them. There were a few metallic sounds from above—two loud clanks followed by a sharp bang—and then something seemed to settle, and except for the faint beat of his music, it was silent.

Book Briefs - Chapter One, Part 3

The boy turned to face her, and though it was still too dark for details, she could see him more clearly with each minute that passed. She was reminded of a science experiment her class did in fifth grade, where the teacher dropped a mint into each of the students’ cupped palms, then switched off the lights and told them to bite down hard, and a series of tiny sparks lit up the room. This was how he seemed to her now: his teeth flashing when he spoke, the whites of his eyes bright against the blackness.

A Life Bound By Books - Chapter One, Part 4

“I think we’ll be fine,” he said, his voice reassuring; then, with a hint of amusement, he added: “Unless, of course, you’re afraid of the dark.”

“I’m okay,” she said, sliding down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, her elbows resting on her knees. She attempted a smile, which emerged a little wobbly. “I’ve heard monsters prefer closets to elevators.”

The Reading Diaries - Chapter One, Part 5

This time she laughed. “What’s up there, anyway?”

“The sky.”

“You’ve got keys to the sky?” she said, and he knitted his fingers together, lifting his arms above his head in a stretch.

“It’s how I impress all the girls I meet in the elevator.”

Colorimetry - Chapter One, Part 6

“I know. Hard to believe school starts tomorrow.”

“Yeah, for me, too,” he said. “Assuming we ever get out of here.”

“Where do you go?”

“Probably not the same place as you.”

“Well, I hope not,” she said with a grin. “Mine’s all girls.”

The Wonderings of One Person - Chapter One, Part 7

He considered this a moment. “Yup,” he said finally. “That pretty much sums up my feelings about New York.”

Lucy nodded. “You would prefer not to,” she said. “But that’s just because it’s new. Once you get to know it more, I have a feeling you’ll like it here.”

“Is this the part where you insist on taking me on a tour of the city, and we laugh and point at all the famous sights, and then I buy an I ♥ NY T-shirt and live happily ever after?”

“The T-shirt is optional,” she told him.

Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf - Chapter One, Part 8

His eyes caught hers through the darkness, and the elevator felt suddenly smaller than it had just minutes before. Lucy thought of all the other times she’d been crammed in here over the years: with women in fur coats and men in expensive suits; with little white dogs on pink leashes and doormen wheeling heavy boxes on luggage carts. She’d once spilled an entire container of orange juice on the carpet right where Owen was sitting, which had made the whole place stink for days, and another time, when she was little, she’d drawn her name in green marker on the wall, much to her mother’s dismay.

I Am A Reader - Chapter One, Part 9

Across the elevator, Owen rested his head against the wall. “It is what it is…” he murmured, letting the words trail off at the end.

“I hate that expression,” Lucy said, a bit more forcefully than intended. “Nothing is what it is. Things are always changing. They can always get better.”

Bookfever - Chapter One, Part 10

“It won’t help anything,” she said. “Worrying.”

“Exactly,” he said. “It is what it is.”

“Nope,” she said. “Nothing is what it is.”

“Fine,” he said. “It’s not what it isn’t.”

Lucy gave him a long look. “I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Or maybe you’d just prefer not to,” he said, sitting forward, and they both laughed. The darkness between them felt suddenly thin, flimsy as tissue paper and even less substantial. His eyes shone through the blackness as the silence stretched between them, and when he finally broke it, his voice was choked.

You'll have to find out what happens between Lucy and Owen by grabbing a copy.

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of This Is What Happy Looks Like, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Storm Makers, You Are Here, and The Comeback Season. She earned a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City. Her work has been translated into 27 languages, and her next young adult novel, The Geography of You and Me, will be out in Spring 2014.

Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Tumblr

Tour-Wide Giveaway

- Hardcover copy of The Geography of You and Me
- ebook copy of The Geography of You and Me
- Open internationally
- April 8 - 22

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Review: Champion by Marie Lu

Author: Marie Lu
Title: Champion
Series: Legend #3
Publication: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Genre: Sci-Fi, Dystopia
Pages: 369 pp.
Source: Own
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

The explosive finale to Marie Lu’s New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy—perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT!

He is a Legend.
She is a Prodigy.
Who will be Champion? 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

I read this book a while ago but I loved it! June and Day go through so much in this book. Day is keeping a secret from everyone and as things begin to escalate, he's running out of time. He must make a choice that may destroy him. Disease is spreading quickly and they all hope for a cure before complete chaos takes place and all hope for a peace diminish. I enjoyed  June and Day because they are such strong characters, yet their vulnerability  is real and tangible. The world building by Lu is amazing, it's like looking into a possible future for our world. The writing is intense, fast paced and it was hard not to put this one down. Overall, I think they both are champions and the ending for June and Day is just right.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Birthright by Nichole Giles

About the Book: 
Two months ago, Abigail Johnson saved the life of the boy she believes is her destiny and defeated an army of demons that have pursued her ancestors for centuries. Now, she and Kye should be taking their place as leaders of the new generation of Gifted. But the curse they thought was broken has returned, and every minute together brings them closer to death.

When remaining shadow demons attack again, the Dragons send Abby to Mexico. Being apart from Kye is slowly killing her soul, and it turns out she isn’t any safer here than she was back home. The shadows have tracked her, the locals expect her to help with their own demon problems, and the more time she spends away from Kye, the more she doubts the destiny that ties them together.

When the demons destroy her safe house, Abby has no choice but to take the fight to them. But the arrival of an old nemesis throws their careful plans into disarray, and Abby and her friends find themselves facing new adversaries in a battle that turns fatal. This time, not everyone will make it out alive. 

About the Author
Nichole Giles was born in Nevada, and moved with her parents to a number of cities in and around the West. Writing is her passion, but she also loves to spend time with her husband and four children, travel to tropical and exotic destinations, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along.   
Blog | Twitter | FB | Goodreads

DESCENDANT Book 1
Goodreads | Amazon | BN
Seventeen-year-old Abigail Johnson is Gifted.

Blessed—or cursed—with Sight and Healing, Abby lives an unsettled life, moving from place to place and staying one step ahead of the darkness that hunts her. When she arrives in Jackson, Wyoming, she is desperate to maintain the illusion of normalcy, but she is plagued with visions of past lives mixed with frightening glimpses of her future. Then she meets Kye, a mysterious boy who seems so achingly familiar that Abby is drawn to him like he’s a missing piece of her own soul.

Before Abby can discover the reason for her feelings toward Kye, the darkness catches up to her and she is forced to flee again. But this time she’s not just running. She is fighting back with Kye at her side, and it’s not just Abby’s life at stake.


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Waiting on Wednesday #56: Echoes of Us by Kat Zhang

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Echoes of Us by Kat Zhang 

Expected Release: September 2014

Goodreads Synopsis
In the gripping final book in the Hybrid Chronicles, Addie and Eva come to terms with sharing a body as they fight for lasting change and hybrid freedom.

Addie and Eva barely survived the explosion at the Powatt institution, but they refuse to sit still as the nation ripples with rebellion. Then Marion, an ambitious reporter, offers Addie and Eva the chance to go undercover and film the wretched conditions of a hybrid institution. The girls are hesitant—things didn't turn out well last time they took such a risk. But Marion promises to free Jackson, the boy Addie loves, in return for their cooperation. As Eva and Addie walk into danger, they cling to each other and the hope of a better future. But the price they might pay is higher than they ever could have imagined.

This final installation in the Hybrid Chronicles explores the search for identity, independence, and love with beautiful language and emotional depth that will captivate readers and fans of Ally Condie, Lauren Oliver, and Scott Westerfeld.

What book are you looking forward to reading?

Wild Cards by @SimoneElkeles

Author: Simone Elkeles
Narrators:  Amy Rubinate & Kirby Heyborne 
Title: Wild Cards
Series: Wild Cards #1
Publication: October 1, 2013
Length: 8 hrs, 53 mins
Format: Audio CD & Print
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Library
Website | Twitter | Facebook

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

I started listening to this in the car but ended up reading it. Why? I needed more immediate gratification. The audio is great; Rubinate's and Heyborne's portrayal of the characters translation is wonderful. The audio production is clear without any distracting noises and I think this book actually works well as an audio.

 Ashtyn's an unusual girl; she plays football and has proven that she's a worthy teammate. Her determination to not give in to the pressure and keep pushing motivates her team whether she realizes it or not...they have come to respect her. She joins the team as a way to connect to a father that is physically there but emotionally absent. Then one day, her sister comes home with a nice surprise, her son-in-law, Derek. He has the southern charm that could melt socks off a bear but not Ashtyn. She just can't figure him out and he'd much like to keep his past to himself. What begins as an agreement to stay out of each other’s way becomes a sweet romance that I think anyone will enjoy. This is actually the first book that I've read by Elkeles and I'm glad it was this one. I enjoyed her writing style and the way the story flows. The author treats the characters situations and their emotional angst in a way that is both realistic and believable. Overall, I liked the book and look forward to reading the next one. 

Couldn't put it down!

My Sunday Post # 48

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 
I'm also linking up to Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Review this week.

Last Week on the Blog

Interview: Author Danielle Jensen of Stolen Songbird
Giveaway + Teaser: The Prophecy by S.P. Cervantes
Blitz & Giveaway: The Golden Apple by Michelle Diener
Afterparty by Ann Stampler ~ Review
Storm by D.J. MacHale ~ Trailer Blast & Giveaway
Waiting on Wednesday #55: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
GirlsGoneSciFi Interview & Giveaway with Jessica Brody, Lauren Miller, Jessica Khoury & Tamara Ireland Stone
Grimmtastic Girls by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams ~Giveaway

Tenative Schedule for this week 

My Sunday Post #48
Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen ~ Review
If I Lie by Corrine Jackson ~Review
Waiting on Wednesday #56
Birthright by Nichole Giles ~Cover Reveal
The Ring & The Crow by Melissa de la Cruz ~ Review
Earth Star by Janet Edwards ~ Review
Wilds Cards by Simone Elkeles ~ Review

Giveaways

Girls Gone SciFi Giveaway!

New This Week 

FOR REVIEW CONSIDERATION

Steadfast by Claudia Gray
Death Sworn by Leah Cypess
Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum
While We Run by Karen Healey
Earth Star by Janet Edwards
Ember & Ash by T.M. Goeglein
Wings by Elizabeth Richards
Scan by S.E. Fine & Walter Jury
Salvage by Alexandra Duncan

Many thanks to Merit Press, PYR, Putnam , Little Brown, HarperTeen & Greenwillow

Purchases

Origin by Jessica Khoury
Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone
Parallel by Lauren Miller
Unremembered by Jessica Brody

I got a chance to meet these authors last week(they are amazing) and get some books signed. Also there is a giveaway going on with some signed copies of the books except for Vitro, so check it out!

Notes 

I haven't done one of these in a while, so I'm trying to get back into a rhythm. 

Reveal & Giveaway: Grimmtastic Girls by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams

About Book #1
A Grimmtastic girl named Cinderella is starting her first week at Grimm Academy on the wrong foot. Cinda's totally evil stepsisters are out to make her life miserable. The Steps tease Cinda, give her terrible advice about life at the academy, and even make her look bad in front of her new friends, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel! But when Cinda overhears the Steps plotting a villainous deed that could ruin Prince Awesome's ball, Cinda, her new friends, and a pair of magical glass slippers have to stop them--before the last stroke of midnight!

About Book #2
Red Riding Hood might have a terrible sense of direction, but her grimmtastic friends are always there to help!

Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia...

Red Riding Hood is thrilled to try out for the school play. Acting is her dream, and she's great at it--too bad she has stage fright! After a grimmiserable audition, Red decides to focus on helping her friends Cinda, Snow, and Rapunzel save Grimm Academy from the E.V.I.L. Society. But when Red gets lost in Neverwood forest and runs into Wolfgang, who might be part of E.V.I.L., she needs her magic basket and a grimmazingly dramatic performance to figure out what's going on!

Author Websites

Suzanne Williams | Joan Holub

Open to US Only. 

For more information on Terms & Conditions view the Rafflecopter below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway