Waiting on Wednesday: A School for Unusual Girls & Daughter of Deep Silence

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS (STRANJE HOUSE #1) BY KATHLEEN BALDWIN
Release Date: May 19th 2015

It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts...

The description reminded me a little of an episode of one of my favourite shows on television right now, The Musketeers (BBC). The idea of women going behind the scenes and doing great things -- one of the episodes actually played with that idea. Anyway, it sounds like an exciting and interesting book and I can't wait to read it!

DAUGHTER OF DEEP SILENCE BY CARRIE RYAN
Release Date: June 2nd 2015

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process. Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose. 

Liza put me in the direction of this book. I'm not going to lie - I don't think I've ever heard of this author. She's definitely caught my eye. 'Daughter of Deep Silence' intrigues me from the title alone. Then there's the whole lover of her enemy and friend to a dead girl thing. Very enticing!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Thing About Jellyfish & Neverland

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH BY ALI BENJAMIN
Release Date: September 22nd 2015

After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

The Thing About Jellyfish sounds like it is bound to be a touching story. It's definitely one that I'm looking forward to reading with my daughter later this year!

NEVERLAND BY SHARI ARNOLD 
Release Date: April 7th 2015

It’s been four months since seventeen-year-old Livy Cloud lost her younger sister, but she isn’t quite ready to move on with her life — not even close. She’d rather spend her time at the Seattle Children’s hospital, reading to the patients and holding onto memories of the sister who was everything to her and more.
But when she meets the mysterious and illusive Meyer she is drawn into a world of adventure, a world where questions abound.
Is she ready to live life without her sister? Or more importantly, is she brave enough to love again?
In this modern reimagining of Peter Pan, will Livy lose herself to Neverland or will she find what she’s been searching for? 

I was instinctively drawn to the synopsis of the book. I have a special, tender place in my heart for fairy tales - especially Peter Pan. The MC - Livy Cloud (love that name!) - lost her sister four months ago. She’s having trouble moving on...and then she meets a mysterious boy called Meyer. I’m guessing Meyer is ‘Peter Pan’. I’m attracted to the potential of a modern fairy tale paralleling a real life emotional journey (in this case - grief and the loss of a loved one). It’s being released April 7th and I look forward to sharing my thoughts on it with you!

Waiting on Wednesday: This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

THIS SIDE OF SALVATION BY JERI SMITH-READY
Release Date: April 1st 2014

Everyone mourns differently. When his older brother was killed, David got angry. As in, fist-meets-someone-else’s-face furious. But his parents? They got religious. David’s still figuring out his relationship with a higher power, but there’s one thing he does know for sure: The closer he gets to new-girl Bailey, the better, brighter, happier, more he feels.

Then his parents start cutting all their worldly ties in to prepare for the Rush, the divine moment when the faithful will be whisked off to Heaven…and they want David to do the same. David’s torn. There’s a big difference between living in the moment and giving up his best friend, varsity baseball, and Bailey—especially Bailey—in hope of salvation.

But when he comes home late from prom, and late for the Rush, to find that his parents have vanished, David is in more trouble than he ever could have imagined... - Good Reads

I need this now because this is what comes out of Jeri Smith-Ready's fingers / mind: 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

THE GEOGRAPHY OF YOU AND ME BY JENNIFER E. SMITH
Release Date: April 15th 2014

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. - Good Reads

I absolutely loved This Is What Happy Looks Like and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I need to read this NOW! I don't want to wait until April 15th! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD BY AVA DELLAIRA
Release Date: April 1st 2014

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because she thought he’d understand since he died young just like her sister, May, did. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people—Janis Joplin, Amy Winhouse, Ameilia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more—although she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about what it’s like going to a new school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time, how her family splinters apart after May dies. She even writes about the abuse she suffered—while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May, and to see her as the person she was: lovely and amazing and deeply flawed. - Good Reads

I love pretty covers and of course that was my original draw to this book, plus the title! And reading the description, it sounds like it's very much up my alley! I can't wait to read it. 

Waiting on Wednesday: This Wicked Game by Michelle Zink

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

THIS WICKED GAME BY MICHELLE ZINK
Release Date: November 14th 2013

Claire Kincaid’s family has been in business for over fifty years.
The voodoo business.
Part of the International Guild of High Priests and Priestesses, a secret society that have practiced voodoo for generations, the Kincaid’s run an underground supply house for authentic voodoo supplies. Claire plays along, filling orders for powders, oils and other bizarre ingredients in the family store, but she has a secret.
She doesn’t believe.
Struggling to reconcile her modern sensibilities with a completely unscientific craft based on suspicion, Claire can’t wait to escape New Orleans – and voodoo – when she goes to college, a desire that creates almost constant conflict in her secret affair with Xander Toussaint, son of the Guild’s powerful founding family.
But when a mysterious customer places an order for a deadly ingredient, Claire begins to realize that there’s more to voodoo – and the families that make up the Guild – than meets the eye.
Including her own. - Good Reads

As she bands together with the other firstborns of the Guild, she comes face to face with a deadly enemy – and the disbelief that may very well kill her.

I adore Michelle Zink and her writing and I'm really looking forward to this book! I'm actually not even that interested in voodoo and normally I'd probably skip over that subject, but because Michelle wrote it, it's a must-read! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadow of the Mark (Carrier #2) by Leigh Fallon

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

SHADOW OF THE MARK (CARRIER #2) by LEIGH FALLON
Release Date: July 9th 2013

Leigh Fallon’s Shadow of the Mark, the sequel to Carrier of the Mark, is a captivating love story set against the lush backdrop of Ireland. Megan knew she was destined to be with Adam from the first moment she saw him and now they are determined to be together. But Megan and Adam are Marked Ones, and a romance between two Marked Ones is strictly forbidden…and could cause worldwide devastation. Leigh Fallon’s Shadow of the Mark is a great choice for readers who love Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush.

I really did enjoy the first book in this series and it seems like it's taking FOREVER for this one to come out. I need it now! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

APOLLYON (COVENANT #4) BY JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT
Release Date: April 9th 2013

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.
Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.
The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.
Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

I'm actually about starting to re-read through this series before this comes out and I don't have reviews up for all of the books I read and will be posting them soon-ish, but I love this series and I am literally freaking out over here and counting down the days! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Sapphire Blue (Edelstein Trilogie #2) by Kerstin Gier

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 

SAPPHIRE BLUE BY KERSTIN GIER
Release Date: October 30th 2012

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean. At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out. - Good Reads

I really loved the first book in this series Ruby Red and I can't wait for this one! And the cover is gorgeous! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


SWEET EVIL BY WENDY HIGGINS
Release Date: May 1st 2012

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil. 
Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna. 
A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Love the cover and this one sounds SO good! Can't wait! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Fated by Sarah Alderson

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


FATED BY SARAH ALDERSON
Release Date: January 5th 2012

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it? 
When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight. 
But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends. 
If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it? - Good Reads

I recently read Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson and FELL IN LOVE. So when I saw that she had another book coming out I was elated! And Fated sounds amazing, doesn't it? :) 

Waiting on Wednesday: Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


PANDEMONIUM (DELIRIUM #2) BY LAUREN OLIVER
Release Date: March 6th 2012


I couldn't find a summary for this, but I seriously cannot wait for this! I loved Delirium like a crazy woman and I cannot live too much longer with that cliff hanger!

Waiting on Wednesday: Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


SPELL BOUND (HEX HALL #3) BY RACHEL HAWKINS
Release Date: March 13'th 2012

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted. 
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident. 
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late? - Good Reads

I just finished the first two books in this trilogy (look out for the reviews this week!) and I TOTALLY TORE THROUGH THEM! I'm literally counting the days until Spell Bound comes out now! March, pleasepleaseprettyplease, come quicker! 

Waiting on Wednesday: A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS BY MICHELLE ZINK

Release Date: March 20th 2012

Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance... 
When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel. 
Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal. - Good Reads

I *loved* Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy and I am dyyyying to read this! She writes beautifully! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


OBSIDIAN (LUX #1) BY JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

Release Date: December 6th 2011

Starting over sucks. 
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. 
And then he opened his mouth. 
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens. 
The hot alien living next door marks me. 
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 
If I don’t kill him first, that is. - Good Reads

I'm so excited to read this. I love Jennifer L. Armentrout and I'm totally into sci-fi and YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! Plus the guy on the cover is a total hottie! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


INSURGENT by VERONICA ROTH
Release Date: May 28th 2012

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. - Good Reads

I just recently read Divergent. I really wished I wouldn't have waited so long to! Except for the fact that Insurgent doesn't come out until May 2012! WTH? NO FAIR, I SAY!

Waiting on Wednesday: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Waiting on Wednesdays is hosted by Breaking the Spine! It puts a spotlight on upcoming releases we're anticipating! 


SHATTER ME by TAHEREH MAFI 
Release Date: November 15th 2011

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 
In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel. - Good Reads

Ahhh, I *can't wait* to read this. I wish it was November already! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Silence (Hush Hush #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking The Spine where we share upcoming releases we're anticipating. And I'm anticipating...

"The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever." - Good Reads

I can't wait to read this. Aaaaah!