Waiting on Wednesday - Two and Twenty Dark Tales

Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes
October 16, 2012 from Month 9 Books

Nursery rhymes sung sweetly can take us back to childhood. But deep inside many of those childhood favorites is… a hint of something dark. TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes imagines dark and sinister things amuck in Mother Goose-land. From familiar rhymes, to some of the more obscure, TWO AND TWENTY DARK TALES is a must read for anyone who enjoyed Mother Goose rhymes as a child, but has come to love the darkest of tales.

Love short stories and anthologies? Then this one is for you! I love many of the authors who have contributed to this collection. Take a look below at some of them:

Shannon Delany
Leigh Fallon
Angie Frazier
Nancy Holder
Heidi R. Kling
Karen Mahoney
Georgia McBride
Gretchen McNeil
Francisco X. Stork
Suzanne Young
Michelle Zink

Proceeds from the title through 5,000 copies sold, will be donated to YALITCHAT.ORG. Authors are donating their advances to a charity of their choice. Love it! The cover is pretty too! I'll definitely be picking this one up.

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Waiting on Wednesday - The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez
October 16th, 2012 from Simon Pulse

From the author of Virtuosity, a novel about two sisters and the secrets they tell, the secrets they keep, and the secret that tears them apart.

Amelia is used to being upstaged by her charismatic younger sister, Charly. She doesn’t mind, mostly, that it always falls to her to cover for Charly’s crazy, impulsive antics. But one night, Charly's thoughtlessness goes way too far, and she lands them both in serious trouble.

Amelia's not sure she can forgive Charly this time, and not sure she wants to…but the situation is even worse than either of them realizes. Amelia has no choice but to give up everything--her friends, her future, her dream--in order to cover for Charly’s huge mistake.

Amelia doesn't understand how her sister could have done this to them both. What she doesn't know is that Charly is hiding a terrible secret—one with the potential to change everything.

Waiting on Wednesday - Dear Teen Me by E Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally (+Interview)

Dear Teen Me by E Kristin Anderson and Miranda Kenneally
November 2012, from Zest Books

Dear Teen Me includes advice from over 70 YA authors (including Lauren Oliver, Ellen Hopkins, and Nancy Holder, to name a few) to their teenage selves. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including physical abuse, body issues, bullying, friendship, love, and enough insecurities to fill an auditorium. So pick a page, and find out which of your favorite authors had a really bad first kiss? Who found true love at 18? Who wishes he’d had more fun in high school instead of studying so hard? Some authors write diary entries, some write letters, and a few graphic novelists turn their stories into visual art. And whether you hang out with the theater kids, the band geeks, the bad boys, the loners, the class presidents, the delinquents, the jocks, or the nerds, you’ll find friends-and a lot of familiar faces-in the course of Dear Teen Me.

It is rare when you are excited that a ton of your friends get to do something cool and you aren't invited, but  Dear Teen Me is exactly one of those cool things!! I am so excited for this book and even more excited to read some seriously embarrassing stories from some of my favorite people. I have stayed tuned to the Dear Teen Me website for(ever) a long time and I'm happy that all this will be wrapped up in a package I can share and take home with me. I can picture the release party right now.... I hope you check it out!

Waiting on Wednesday - Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo
June 5th, 2012 from Henry Holt


Alina Starkov doesn’t expect much from life. Orphaned by the Border Wars, all she’s ever been able to rely on is her best friend and fellow refugee, Mal. And lately not even that seems certain. Drafted into the army of their war-torn homeland, they’ve been sent on a dangerous mission into the Fold, a swath of darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.

When their convoy is attacked, all seems lost until Alina reveals a dormant power that not even she knew existed. She is torn from everything she knows and whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. He believes that she is the answer the people have been waiting for: the Sun Summoner. Only her power can destroy the Fold.

Overwhelmed by luxury, envied as the Darkling’s favorite, Alina struggles to keep her wits about her without Mal by her side. But nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her mastery of her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha—and the secrets of her heart.

Waiting on Wednesday - Hidden (Firelight #3) by Sophie Jordan

Hidden by Sophie Jordan
September 11, 2012 from HarperTeen


Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory. 


The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning.... 


Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

My pick is in support of a fabulous series and an awesome Texas author! I have a long standing opinion that dragon books aren't for me. Well, draki are a whole different story! I have read and reviewed both Firelight and Vanish and will eagerly await Hidden's release. Boo to the no ARC on 3rd book rule! Who made that decision, anyway?

What are you waiting on?

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You can find Jordan at her website

Waiting on Wednesday - Blind Spot by Laura Ellen

Blind Spot by Laura Ellen
October 23rd, 2012 from Harcourt Children's Books

How do you clear your name of murder when you can't remember what happened? When a truck driver plunges through the thinning ice on Birch River, Tricia Farni’s body floats to the surface—dead since the night she disappeared six months earlier. The night Roswell Hart fought with her. The night Roz can’t remember. Roz has an eye disease that robs her central vision, so she's used to piecing things together to make sense of the world around her. But this time it’s her memory that needs piecing together—to clear her name and to find a murderer. Debut novelist Laura Ellen's own experiences with macular degeneration and special needs add powerful authenticity to this suspenseful and emotional page-turner for teens.

Yes! I'm drawn to that cover. I'm supposed to be! I love that the title is small and the the photo is zoomed in to where we really don't see all of the model. It leaves your imagination wide open to picture the protagonist on your own. Something I sometimes miss with all of these gorgeous girls in gorgeous ball gowns on book covers. Also, I love the purple-blue hue and it gives it a grimy and raw feel. I love a good mystery and this one sounds like a must read to me.

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You can find Ellen at her website

Waiting on Wednesday - Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams

Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams

May 1st, 2012 from Simon & Schuster

Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault?

Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams.

Wow! If that synopsis doesn't move you, you must be a robot. I've been trying to find some upcoming contemporaries and I love the sounds of this one. Although, it may break me... Luckily, I scored this one at ALAmw and can't wait to dive it!

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Waiting on Wednesday - A World Away by Nancy Grossman

A World Away by Nancy Grossman
July 17th, 2012 from Hyperion


A summer of firsts
Sixteen-year-old Eliza Miller has never made a phone call, never tried on a pair of jeans, sat in a darkened theater waiting for a movie to start. She’s never even talked to someone her age who isn’t Amish, like her. 


A summer of good-byes 
When she leaves her close-knit family to spend the summer as a nanny in suburban Chicago, a part of her can’t wait to leave behind everything she knows. She can’t imagine the secrets she will uncover, the friends she will make, the surprises and temptations of a way of life so different from her own. 


A summer of impossible choice 
Every minute Eliza spends with her new friend Josh feels as good as listening to music for the first time, and she wonders whether there might be a place for her in his world. But as summer wanes, she misses the people she has left behind, and the plain life she once took for granted. Eliza will have to decide for herself where she belongs. Whichever choice she makes, she knows she will lose someone she loves.


This one is a totally different read for me, but I'm all over it. I don't think I am the only one that is a little fascinated with the Amish lifestyle. My fingers are always on the lapie or on my phone and I can't imagine living in the prairie days or even today as an Amish girl. I can't wait to see Eliza experience everything we take for granted...

What do you think? Do you know any other YA books that address the Amish community? And just before I hit Publish Post, I did a search and came across this list about Amish Teen Fiction. I don't recognize any. I will note that these books are written by the Amish, for the Amish.

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Waiting on Wednesday - A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Nonaghan

A Girl Named Digit: Underage, Underestimated, and Undercover by Annabel Monaghan
June 5th, 2012 from Houghton Mifflin

Farrah "Digit" Higgins may be going to MIT in the fall, but this L.A. high school genius has left her geek self behind in another school district so she can blend in with the popular crowd at Santa Monica High and actually enjoy her senior year. But when Farrah, the daughter of a UCLA math professor, unknowingly cracks a terrorist group's number sequence, her laid-back senior year gets a lot more interesting. Soon she is personally investigating the case, on the run from terrorists, and faking her own kidnapping-- all while trying to convince a young, hot FBI agent to take her seriously. So much for blending in . . .

I love the sound of this one - girl power! It has a Gallagher feel to it and I really enjoy those books that portray girls as smart and in charge. I think this one will be a good addition to my giant pile of books...

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You can find Monaghan at her website

Waiting on Wednesday - Counting Backwards by Laura Lascarso

Counting Backwards by Laura Lascarso
August 14th, 2012 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Three weeks ago I tried to run away from home. Now all I want is to go back.

When troubled Taylor Truwell is caught with a stolen car and lands in court for resisting arrest, her father convinces the judge of an alternative to punishment: treatment in a juvenile psychiatric correctional facility. Sunny Meadows is anything but the easy way out, and Taylor has to fight hard just to hold on to her sanity as she battles her parents, her therapist, and vicious fellow patients. But even as Taylor struggles to hold on to her stubborn former self, she finds herself relenting as she lets in two unlikely friends-Margo, a former child star and arsonist, and AJ, a mysterious boy who doesn't speak. In this striking debut, Laura Lascarso weaves together a powerful story of anger and self-destruction, hope and love.

Holy awesome cover! This seriously drew me from the first second I saw it. I wasn't surprised to learn that a psych ward would be the setting. Yikes! This debut sounds totally captivating and I absolutely can't wait to read.

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Waiting on Wednesday - Fall From Grace by Charles Benoit

Fall From Grace by Charles Benoit
May 8th, 2012 from HarperTeen

Grace always has a plan. There’s her plan to get famous, her plan to get rich, and—above all—her plan to have fun.

Sawyer has plenty of plans too. Plans made for him by his mother, his father, his girlfriend. Maybe they aren’t his plans, but they are plans.

When Sawyer meets Grace, he wonders if he should come up with a few plans himself. Plans about what he actually wants to be, plans to speak his own mind for a change, plans to maybe help Grace with a little art theft.

Wait a minute—plans to what?


I listened to YOU on audio very recently and just loved it. I met Charles at the Austin Teen Book Festival last year and I so wish I read YOU sooner. He has been very generous with his time and donation of books to this blog and I am a big fan! The synopsis of this book is hilarious! Where in the heck did art theft come from? I HAVE to read in order to find out.... The cover is pretty interesting too. Shattered glass or something else? Do those blue eyes belong to Grace or Sawyer? So many questions...a must read for me!

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Waiting on Wednesday - Nothing Special (Stupid Fast #2) by Geoff Herbach

Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach
May 1st, 2012 from Sourcebooks

Felton becomes an absolute monster on the field, a mega-player. He loses his balance, though, and loses Gus, Aleah, and Andrew, his poor little brother. To be the kind of dude he really wants to be, he will have to learn, go where he doesn’t want to go, and rebuild what’s been broken (with a lot of help). Oh yeah… He’ll have to make it to Florida, twice.

Ah! A Stupid Fast sequel! This look is completely different from the football cover of Stupid Fast. I'm okay with that! I love this.... Herback says, "It's a direct reference to something in the book." I can't wait to read more! A little birdie said readers will be available by Midwinter in Dallas. So, ask Sourcefire for one! I know I will....

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You can find Herbach at his website

Waiting on Wednesday - Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel

Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel
August 21st, 2012 from Simon & Schuster

When does obsession become madness? Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library. He vows he will never dabble in the dark sciences again—just as he vows he will no longer covet Elizabeth, his brother's betrothed.

If only these things were not so tempting.

When he and Elizabeth discover a portal into the spirit world, they cannot resist. Together with Victor's twin, Konrad, and their friend Henry, the four venture into a place of infinite possibilities where power and passion reign. But as they search for the knowledge to raise the dead, they unknowingly unlock a darkness from which they may never return.

I actually stumbled across this one when I was writing up my Lone Star Reading List. Oppel was listed for This Dark Endeavor and lo and behold, this little beauty came up. Did you read the synopsis above? That's right, Frankenstein! Love it! Here is what MTV has to say about the new book:

"As was the case with "This Dark Endeavor," we once again find the cover subject with his back (frustratingly) turned to us, but unlike the first installment, young Frankenstein has some lovely company by his side."

Add to GoodreadsYou can find Oppel at his website

Waiting on Wednesday -

Arise (Hereafter #2) by Tara Hudson
July 5th, 2012 from HarperTeen

Amelia—still caught between life and death—must fight for every moment of her relationship with the human boy Joshua. They can hardly even kiss without Amelia accidentally dematerializing. Looking for answers, they go to visit some of Joshua’s Seer relatives in New Orleans. But even in a city so famously steeped in the supernatural, Amelia ends up with more questions than answers…and becomes increasingly convinced that she and Joshua can never have a future together.Wandering through the French Quarter, Amelia meets other in-between ghosts, and begins to seriously consider joining them. And then she meets Gabrielle. Somehow, against impossible odds, Gaby has found a way to live a sort of half-life...a half-life for which Amelia would pay any price. Torn between two worlds, Amelia must choose carefully, before the evil spirits of the netherworld choose for her.

I really enjoyed Hereafter this year and I'll definitely stay tuned for book two. It doesn't hurt that the author is from my home state, Oklahoma. ;) I'm eager to find out more about Amelia and Joshua. What is up with these headless covers lately? Anyone else notice the trend? Regardless, I'm in!

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Waiting on Wednesday - My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
June 12th, 2012 from Dial Books For Young Readers

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her-and will her perfect love survive?

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.


Wow! The Reeds place sound like my house...loud, numerous.... I am in the mood for a contemporary and this one caught my eye. The cover is a perfect representation of teenage love. Terribly cute!

Waiting on Wednesday - Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Timepiece by Myra McEntire
June 12th, 2012 from EgmontUSA

This little beauty was leaked two months early. You know you are a big deal when your cover leaks before there is even a synopsis on Goodreads! Regardless, I love it and I absolutely can't wait for it. I love this cover! I wish I could have been at that photo shoot....

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You can find McEntire at her website

Waiting on Wednesday - Diabolical by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Diabolical (Tantalize #4) by Cynthia Leitich Smith
January 24th, 2012 from Candlewick Press

When “slipped” angel Zachary and his werewolf pal Kieren are summoned under suspicious circumstances to a mysterious New England boarding school, they quickly find themselves in a hellish lock-down with an intriguing assortment of secretive, hand-picked “students.” Plagued by demon dogs, hallucinatory wall décor, a sadistic instructor, and a legendary fire-breathing monster, will they somehow manage to escape? Or will the devil have his due? Best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith unites heroes from the previous three novels in the Tantalize Series — including Zachary’s girl, Miranda, and Kieren’s love, Quincie — along with a fascinating cast of all-new characters for a suspenseful, action-packed clash between the forces of heaven and hell.

We are very lucky to have Cynthia right here in our own backyard in Austin. She is a great supporter for other writers in this community and I'm happy to know her. I knew this one was coming out next year and then kablam - it landed on my doorstep yesterday! Love it when that happens.... If I remember correctly, this book is not from Quincie's perspective. It is from Kieren's, Zachary's, and Miranda's. I can't wait to dive in! Eternal is my favorite of the series and I'm glad Zachary has a leading role.

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You can find Cynthia at her website

Waiting on Wednesday - The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova
April 12th, 2012 from Sourcebooks Fire

Set against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer comes The Vicious Deep, the story of sixteen year old Tristan Hart whose life is turned upside down when the mermaids make an unscheduled return to land in search of their new king.

When a sudden storm pulls Tristan from lifeguard duty into a deadly riptide, he discovers what he really is—a prince of the Sea Court. Turns out, his girlfriend hopping and talents as a swimmer aren’t caused by his teenage prime hormones after all.

In this modern Arthurian tale with a twist, when all a guy wants to do is get The Girl and enjoy the freak show that is a Coney Island summer, Tristan has to fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity, if he still wants it, as he’s caught in a race for a throne that is as ancient as the gods.

I'm not 100% sure that this is the final cover. I saw this on the Apocalypsies blog, but couldn't confirm on Cordova's blog. I also didn't see it in the Sourcebooks catalog. Hmmm? Regardless, I think the premise is really interesting and I don't recall ever reading anything about sea horses. What do you guys think?

**Update, this is NOT the final cover says Sourcebooks and Cordova. That should be released in a few weeks. And, this is about mermaids hence the word mermaid in the synopsis. I hear "Sea Court" and think seahorses. Is it Friday yet?

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You can find Cordova on her blog and Twitter

Waiting on Wednesday - Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

July 10th, 2012 from Katherine Tegan Books

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Well lookey what came over the interwebs today. I've been waiting for this book and got the heads up that the cover would be revealed today. Insignia sounds a little like Ender's Game - which I really liked. I'm really digging the male protagonist as well and I hope to get my hands on this one soon!

The cover was designed by the talented Sammy Yuen. He is the genius behind covers like Leviathan, Incarceron, Cryer's Cross, and Ellen Hopkins amazing books.

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You can find S.J. at her website, blog, and Twitter. 

Waiting on Wednesday - Embrace by Jessica Shervington

Embrace by Jessica Shervington
March 1st 2012 from Sourcebooks

I slowly opened my eyes. The sun speared its first bright rays of golden orange into the sky and I leapt from the cliff, with the sorrowful knowledge that no matter what the outcome, at least part of me would die that day...


Violet Eden is dreading her seventeenth birthday dinner. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. The one bright spot is that Lincoln will be there. Sexy, mature and aloof, he is Violet’s idea of perfection. But why does he seem so reluctant to be anything more than a friend?


After he gives her the world’s most incredible kiss - and then abandons her on her front doorstep - Violet is determined to get some answers. But nothing could have prepared her for Lincoln’s explanation: he is Grigori - part angel and part human - and Violet is his eternal partner.


Without warning, Violet’s world is turned upside down. She never believed in God, let alone angels. But there’s no denying the strange changes in her body ... and her feelings for Lincoln. Suddenly, she can’t stand to be around him. Luckily, Phoenix, an exiled angel, has come into her life. He’s intense and enigmatic, but at least he never lied to her.


As Violet gets caught up in an ancient battle between dark and light, she must choose her path. The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity...

I first learned about this YA title through a webinar last week hosted by Sourcebooks. So fun to sit and listen to some great upcoming titles. I highly recommend you jump on those. Anyway, this was one of the featured titles and I really liked the look and sound of it. Lo and behold, it came in the mail the other day! Yipee!

What are you waiting on?

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