The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Daughter
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: August 1, 2010 (paperback)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 368
Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary: 
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. 

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart. 

After finishing The Iron Daughter, all I can say is that I need to read The Iron Queen... like right now! Once again, Julie Kagawa takes readers on a fast-paced, wild thrill ride that is sure to bring out the inner faerie-lover in you. 

With plenty of action, adventure, and even heart-wrenching moments this time around... seriously, what was not to love? Meghan Chase finds herself a prisoner in Queen Mab's Winter Courts with her powers sealed, surrounded by her enemies with no one to trust... even Ash, her ice prince, wants nothing to do with her. But after a sudden deadly visit by the Iron Fey, the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen and Mab is all too quick to blame Oberon, Meghan's father and also the Summer King. Now Meghan has more than her love life to deal with on her plate. If she doesn't find a way to prove the Summer Court didn't steal the Scepter and return it to the Winter Court... there will be war.

All of your favourite characters are back again, plus we get to meet some new ones! I kind of felt that Meghan was more like a damsel in distress too often in this one, but when the the time ultimately comes for her to make her most important move, she won't let you down. And the boys! The boys! Puck revealing his true feelings about Meghan (while giving us some great laughs!) and Ash's iciness will have both Team Puck and Team Ash fans anxious to find out what happens next!

I mean, I used to think I was on one side before... but now.... I think I'm more on the fence. Kagawa has created two great guys that either way, if they don't have their happily ever after with the Summer Princess, I will be torn.

You'll love The Iron Daughter as much as, if not more, than The Iron King- an impressive feat for sure.

Check out Julie Kagawa's website here.

Spotted! Cover of Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver, author of New York Times bestseller Before I Fall, officially revealed the cover of her upcoming early 2011 novel, Delirium, on her blog today.

Delirium, which takes place in a dystopian society, will be the first in a trilogy.

Release Date: February 1, 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary (from Goodreads):

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that one love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, the...more Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

What do you think of this cover?

July Release Picks

Alrighty, so on Chapters I usually post a list with my anticipated reads of the month, so it only makes sense that I would feature them on the blog as well.

During the month, these books will still also be on the 'Upcoming Releases' page, but once the month's up, I'll be taking them off that page but you'll still have this post to refer back to if you wish or you can check it out on Chapters under my Top 10 Lists. (I hope that makes sense!)

July is almost over but I never did a post about it, so here were my July Release Picks!

*All book links lead to Chapters/Indigo. For a larger view of a book cover, just click the image.* (If you would prefer me to leave the links to another site such as Goodreads from now on, leave a comment to let me know... otherwise, I'll continue to link to Chapters.)

July 1

Indigo Blues by Danielle Joseph
What's Your Status? A Top 8 Novel by Katie Finn

July 6

One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt
Only The Good Spy Young (Gallagher Girls #4) by Ally Carter 
Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill (Note: This is an ADULT novel.)

July 13

Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus 

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Will by Maria Boyd

7 Souls by Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando

July 20

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Take Me There by Carolee Dean

July 27

Echoes by Melinda Metz

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2) by Jeaniene Frost (Note: This is an ADULT novel.)

What about YOU? What books did you get this month that you were excited to finally get your hands on?

Book Blogger Hop + Follow Friday (1)

Hmmm... I've seen these memes around and I've decided that I want to join in the fun too!

**Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee.**




**Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books.** 

This week's question is: Who is your favourite new-to-you author so far this year?

This a really tough question for me because I just hate having to choose a particular favourite... so I may have to cheat a little bit and say some of my favourites instead.

So, in no particular order, here are some of my new fave authors which I've narrowed it down to:

1) Gayle Forman- I finally read her novel, If I Stay, and she had me crying within the first twenty pages. Her writing is so beautiful and she had me thinking about the meaning of life. Pretty deep stuff if I do say so myself.

2) Julie Kagawa- If I was unsure about joining in on the faerie bandwagon before, her debut novel The Iron King convinced me that faerie books can be awesome to read. Sure, I've read a few other faerie books before, but none of them captivated me as much as hers did.

3) Rachel Hawkins- Her debut novel, Hex Hall, was a fun refresher from the otherwise more heavy paranormal-genre YA books available today. It was cute and fun, plus I loved seeing it center on a teenage witch. 

4) Susin Nielsen- I don't normally read novels with the main character as young as in the seventh grade, but the Canadian author had me laughing just at the title of her latest novel, Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom. It was light, fresh, and absolutely hilarious to read! 

Well, that's it. I'm off to do some blog hopping! *hops away*

Winter's Passage: An Iron Fey Novella by Julie Kagawa

Title: Winter's Passage: An Iron Fey Novella
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: June 1, 2010 (eBook)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 67
Source: Free Download (details at the end of review)

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:
Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat.... 

Whenever I read a novella (which is not too often, mind you), they always have this short story feel to them where by the time you finally get into the story, you flip the page and then it's over. That is certainly not the case with Winter's Passage (aka. Iron Fey #1.5), which reads more like a novel. You jump right into the action right away, and just like with The Iron King, the first novel, Julie Kagawa will take you on a wild thrill ride that you hope will never end... something I didn't even think would be possible due to the limited amount of pages.

For Team Ash fans, this is a perfect extra dose of Ash that will tide you over until you pick up The Iron Daughter, but I'm sorry Team Puck fans, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer as Winter's Passage picks up where The Iron King concludes. (That last little part makes more sense if you've read the book and I didn't want to give any spoilers away.)

I first read this wicked novella when it was initially released and all it did was leaving me pining for more... so it's a good thing The Iron Daughter is pretty much out in most stores early (at least in Canada) so if you're just finishing Winter's Passage now, you can run out to get book two right away.

Winter's Passage is a wonderful addition to the Iron Fey series and a must read for fans of the Iron Fey series.

**Winter's Passage can be downloaded for free on the official Iron Fey website until JULY 31, 2010, which gives you.... eeek! Only a few more days! Sorry for such short notice! Anyways, if there's even a possibility that you're thinking about reading The Iron King, I would highly suggest downloading Winter's Passage while it's still at such an unbeatable price.**

Check out Julie Kagawa's website here.

Waiting on Wednesday (4) - Matched by Ally Condie

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Dutton Children's Books
Release Date: November 30, 2010

Summary (from Goodreads): 
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.  

Matched is easily one of this year's most anticipated YA novels (certainly one of mine!). Did you know that Condie received a seven-figure advance from Dutton for three novels? Don't quite believe it? Here's the article from Publishers Weekly. 

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: February 1, 2010 (paperback)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 368
Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary: 
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Whenever someone's looking for a new book recommendation, I never hesitate to recommend The Iron King, the first novel in the Iron Fey trilogy. From the very first moment I read the plot description, I knew I had finally found a faerie novel that I would really enjoy... and I was so right. The Iron King is easily my most favourite faerie novel, and I have a feeling its going to stay that way for awhile.

Most faerie novels have very similar traits- the Summer and Winter courts with inspiration taken from A Midsummer Night's Dream- but Julie Kagawa puts a new spin on everything, creating her own type of mythology that you'll easily fall in love with.

Meghan Chase has never quite fit in at school, and after a horrible prank played by her longtime crush Scott, on her sixteenth birthday no less, she just wishes to never go back. But that night, Meghan discovers something frightening... her little brother Ethan has been replaced by a changeling and if she ever wishes to see him again, she's going to have to travel to the Nevernever. However, the Nevernever is a dangerous place and all too soon, Meghan discovers that she's not exactly as human as she always thought she was... and that she has just become a pawn in a deadly game of fae politics.  

Kagawa creates a great cast of characters that you will come to adore. Meghan- brave and willing to do whatever it takes to help those she cares about; Robbie/Puck- the best friend who's always been there for Meghan; Ash- the ice prince who will melt your heart. And there's no way I can forget to mention Grimalkin, a talking cat who makes witty remarks when not offering some much needed help to Meghan.

With tons of action, excitement, and a dash of forbidden romance, The Iron King will surely become one of your favourite novels too.

Check out Julie Kagawa's website here or watch the book trailer below.

Book Trailer! - Torment by Lauren Kate

I believe this trailer was released a few weeks ago but I've finally stumbled across it today! Torment is the second book in the four-part series by Lauren Kate, with the first novel being Fallen.

The cover is just gorgeous and even though the book trailer is rather short, I think it will still get you interested to find out what happens next in the series!

Release Date: September 28, 2010

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers 

So, what did you think? I found Fallen a tad slow at times, but the ending was set up pretty well for leading into Torment.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin

Title: The Lighter Side of Life and Death
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin
Release Date: May 25, 2010 (hardcover)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 240
Source: ARC received from publisher through Bookurious

Overall: 4 Stars 

Summary:
Acclaimed YA author C. K. Kelly Martin offers a sexy, soulful story of one confused boy, two girls, and all the complications that ensue in this romantic feel-good love story that celebrates friendship, first love, first lust, and second chances.

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends—the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true, and the future looks golden.

Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake, and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if that means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive twenty-three-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry . . . until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world. 

This was my first time reading a novel by Martin, but wow, has she ever left an impression. I'll admit, I was a bit wary to begin reading the novel so I kept putting it off, but finally, I grabbed it and just began... and I'm glad I did. In some ways, The Lighter Side of Life and Death was exactly the kind of book I expected it to be- a teen romance which goes awry with the main lead needing a distraction to get over it- but it was also so much more than that.

With honest storytelling, Martin writes with a bluntness that never strays far from the truth. She tells things for what they are, the good and the bad, allowing readers to get right into the mindset of a sixteen -year-old teenage boy. 

Mason thought he just had the best night of his life. His performance in the school play was stellar and best of all, he's just lost his virginity to his beautiful, best friend Kat Medina, who he's been secretly in love with for years. But Kat doesn't see things quite like Mason. In fact, she wants to pretend the night never happened and is now avoiding him. Crushed, Mason finds himself lost and depressed. His other best friend, Jamie, had feelings for Kat too and is mad at him, and Mason's father will be remarrying soon. Then, Mason meets twenty-three-year-old Colette, immediately seeming to hit it off with the older woman. Before Mason knows it, he'll be even more lost than he was before.

The language and mature content in this novel would be more suitable for older teens and adults. Martin isn't afraid to write about sex, and yes, it does happen several times in the novel... and not the glossed over version that most YA novels would have done. She gets all the emotions, all the descriptions, all the thoughts that a boy would be thinking- and isn't afraid to shy away from writing about it.

Martin pushes the boundaries in YA lit, giving you a novel that's both edgy and emotionally-charged at the same time. 

You can check out C.K. Kelly Martin's website here.

My Trip to the States!

Okay, so I finally uploaded the pics I took while I was in the States two weekends ago and thought I'd share a few. Along with my family, we drove to Dearborn, Michigan which is not too far from Detroit, and visited the Henry Ford Museum. I was only there for a few days before we drove home back across the border, but I had more fun than I expected!

This was the kind of the weather we had to drive through on the way... and let me tell you, I was praying it wouldn't last forever otherwise it was not going to be a very fun weekend.

It was raining so hard we could barely see in front of us! And then it even hailed! But thankfully, once we passed that stretch of road, it was like this:

By the time we reached our hotel, it was too late to do anything, so we just settled in and got ready for the next day. Now, introducing... the Henry Ford Museum!





Later that night, we watched Inception at their IMAX theater, which is apparently the largest in the state. Inception was AMAZING and seeing it on their huge screen made the experience so much better!! I even saw it again this weekend. :)

The next day, we checked out Greenfield Village!





Well, that pretty much sums up my little mini-vacation. A lot of walking and seeing things from the Industrial Revolution, but I'm so glad the weather cooperated with us after all!

Book Trailer! - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay, the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins is set for release in under a month! Are you getting excited? I know I am! After the horrible cliffhanger in Catching Fire, I MUST find out how everything is going to end.

To my fellow Canadians, want to be one of the firsts to have a copy? Chapters/Indigo is holding Midnight Release Parties across Canada to celebrate the release of Mockingjay! Just click here to check for participating locations and more details.

Release Date: August 24, 2010

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Are you looking forward to Mockingjay? Who are you supporting- Team Peeta or Team Gale?

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Title: Leviathan
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Illustrator: Keith Thompson
Release Date: October 6, 2009 (hardcover)
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 448
Source: Borrowed 

Overall: 4 Stars 

Summary:

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.

Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever. 

This was my first time reading a novel by Scott Westerfeld and in venturing into the steampunk genre, and I was quite impressed! Westerfeld puts a new spin on history, envisioning an alternate 1914 Europe full of so much imagination and creativity that captures you right from the start. The whole time I was reading, learning with each page more and more about this world that is so similar yet different from ours, I kept thinking, "This is so cool!'

Europe is on the brink of war when word spreads that Archduke Ferdinand and his wife have been assassinated. Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, manages to escape with a few loyal men in a Stormbreaker, a war machine, with the hope of making it to neutral Switzerland. The task won't be easy though. Germany, and even his own countrymen are after him, and they have a long road ahead of them before they can even think about crossing the border. Meanwhile, Deryn Sharp, a British commoner, dreams of joining the ranks of the British Air Service and flying. The problem? Deryn is a girl. Disguised as a boy and going by the name of Dylan, she can only hope that no one will learn her secret as she earns herself a spot on the whale-like airship, Leviathan.

The beautiful illustrations that went along as you read helped me visualize the events exactly as they unfolded... if I hadn't had them, I'm afraid my mind wouldn't even be able to fathom the creatures and machines that made this story so great. 

The alternating viewpoints of Alek and Deryn were a pure joy to read. They're both brave, strong characters who can keeps their wits about them in dangerous situations, yet their backgrounds couldn't be more different. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more about these two in Behemoth, the next book in the series, when it's released in October of this year!

Leviathan will surely appeal to both boys and girls needing a novel full of adventure and excitement! 

You can also check out Scott Westerfeld's website here or view the book trailer below.

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

I missed last week's In My Mailbox due to my trip to the U.S but I did get some new books this week that had me quite excited because I've been waiting patiently for awhile to read them.

Bought:

• Forget You by Jennifer Echols 
• Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
• The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa 

Borrowed (from a relative):

• Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld   

What about YOU? Any new reads/find this week?

Happy Reading!

It's All About The Cover Trends...

Publishers Weekly has this really cool post dedicated solely to recent YA cover trends. It's a fun post to check out, seeing different covers compared to one another from covers with flowers, historical costumes, holding hands, etc, etc.

Here's a small glimpse at what to expect.

I mean, you can tell covers have similar styles all the time, but to see them pitted against each other is really neat!

Just click here to read the article.

So, what do you think? Did you already notice those trends? Any predictions for next year? 

Spotted! Cover of Entice by Carrie Jones

Correction (Aug 19/10): This is NOT the official cover (it's close though!). Click here to view my newer post to see it and read the plot summary!

Well, what do we have here.... why it looks like the cover of Entice, the third novel in the Need series by Carrie Jones!

After the crazy events last time in Captivate, I'm must... no, I 'NEED' to know what happens next. I mean, Nick is cool and all, but after Astley came along, I need more details!

Now, I'm not sure if this cover is official but I'll be checking back to see if it's confirmed when the news does come. (I'll report back to this post and say if it's true or not.) In the meantime, I learned something I didn't know before on Carrie Jones' website while on the Entice page... there's going to be a fourth book! I'm just the slightest bit worried if adding another book will change the quality of the series, but I'm still hopeful all will be good.

So, before I keep rambling on, here's the cover!

So, what do you think? I think this may just be my favourite cover of the series so far!

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Title: Forget You
Author: Jennifer Echols
Release Date: July 20, 2010 (paperback)
Publisher: MTV Books/Pocket Books
Pages: 304
Source: Bought

Overall: 4 Stars 

Summary:
WHY CAN'T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . .  AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?  
There's a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey's fear that the whole town will find out about her mom's nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she's the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.  But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there's one thing she can't remember at all-the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug-of all people- suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life-a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug. 

I was so excited when I picked up a copy of Forget You at the bookstore... after all, I loved Going Too Far so I couldn't wait to see what Jennifer Echols next romantic drama would be like. While I didn't come to love it as much as Going Too Far, I still really enjoyed Forget You, breezing through the pages until before I knew it, I was already at the end.

In Forget You, popular swim team captain Zoey gets into a car accident one night but the next day, she can't remember anything except that Doug had pulled her out of the car.... which doesn't make sense because they've never gotten along. Zoey is a girl used to being in control and it scares her that she can't remember any of the events of that night, especially since Doug is suddenly acting as though something had happened between them while her new boyfriend, Brandon, seems to be avoiding her.

Once again, the chemistry between the characters are off the charts and although Zoey can deny all she wants about her feelings for Doug, you'll be cheering for them to be together from the start. The only reason I didn't completely fall in love with this novel was because I spent most of it wanting to reach into the pages so I could talk some sense into Zoey. She spends most of the time bent on trying to maintain she even has a relationship with Brandon, but it's so obvious that she should be with Doug because he actually cares for her. Her father is about to marry someone that's less than a decade older than her and her mother has tried to commit suicide, a fact almost no one knows. It's no wonder that she's trying to have a perfect image, because in reality, her life is so far from perfect, but I thought Zoey cares what others think of her too much. 

With that said about the main MC, without a doubt, Forget You will certainly hold your interest. The urge to find out what really happened the night of the car crash, and the wait to finally see if Doug and Zoey will be together despite their differences leaves you eagerly flipping through pages to see what happens next. Jennifer Echols knows exactly how to write teen romance novels that will always leave you wanting more. 

Check out Jennifer Echol's website here.

Book Trailer! - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Surprise, surprise, I came across another book trailer today! Linger is the second novel in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater, with Shiver being the first one.

I bought the book just the other day but managed not to read it yet, so it's sitting on my bookshelf right now... just waiting to be read.

 Release Date: July 20, 2010

Publisher: Scholastic Press

I remembered the cool stop-motion trailer for Shiver, so it was cool seeing another one for Linger!

Waiting on Wednesday (3) - The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

Publisher: Little, Brown/Poppy

Release Date: September 7, 2010

Summary (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face. 

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley. 

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone. 

I can't wait for this novel to come out! Unexpected romances are always just the best to read, don't you think? 

Spotted! Cover of The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Bree Despain just revealed the cover of The Lost Saint, the sequel to The Dark Divine, earlier today on her blog. The Lost Saint will be released December 28, 2010.

Also, Bree Despain's having a contest to countdown the release of The Lost Saint, with the cover reveal just being the beginning! Check out the details here.

I really like how they've kept the cover format similar to the first one. The covers are simple with their black backgrounds but still so eye-catching! What do YOU guys think?

Book Trailer! - Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

So... onto the latest book trailer which I've spotted... Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel which will be the first novel in the Vampire Queen series! Yes, I said vampire. But wait, before some of you groan and say, 'There are too many vampire books out there!' give this one a chance. There's actually a twist to this vampire novel and it has me... well, intrigued to learn more.

Release Date: August 3, 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

So what do you think? Shall we give this new vampire novel a chance?

Spotted! Cover of Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

 It's official. According to Richelle Mead's blog, this is the ACTUAL cover of Last Sacrifice, the 6th and final novel in the Vampire Academy series.

I will be so sad to see the series end when the book is released December 7, 2010 (which seems such a long time away!) but honestly, I have some mixed feelings about this cover... I was expecting something, I dunno, better? I mean, this cover is reminiscent to the cover of Blood Promise and well, something just seems to be missing....

What do you guys think?

By the way, I'm back home from my little mini- vacation now! I haven't loaded any pics to my laptop yet, but when I do, I'll show a couple of them. :)

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Title: Going Too Far
Author: Jennifer Echols
Release Date: March 17, 2009 (paperback)
Publisher: MTV Books/Pocket Books
Pages: 245
Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over.... 

I bought this book when it was first released and I re-read it again because Jennifer Echol's latest novel, Forget You, will be in stores tomorrow! (I guess you can tell what store I'll be heading out to first thing...) I've been excited to read it since I first heard about it, so fingers crossed I won't be disappointed.

Jennifer Echols has a few previous novels she wrote before Going Too Far, but admittedly, at the time, this was my first time reading a novel by her after a few recommendations from Chapters to check this novel out. Boy, was I so glad I did!

Meg hates her small town and can't wait to get out as soon as possible when she graduates in a few months. With her blue hair and rebellious streak, she's the wild girl in a town where everyone knows each other. But after one night and an attempted hook up session with bad boy Eric after trespassing illegally on a bridge for trains, she gets caught by the police, never realizing the danger she could have been in. Instead of spending her spring break partying, she'll be now riding along with John After, the attractive young police officer who caught her, during the night shift as an unconventional punishment.

Little do they expect, but Meg and John may just have something to teach each other... about love, and more importantly, about life. 

There's a bit of swearing and some more mature subject matter than a younger teen may be used to, but older teens and adults will surely love this story. Meg and John seem like such an unlikely couple but while reading, you see how these two can bring about the best and worst in each other... leaving readers always on edge to see what would happen next. They both have their flaws and there's certainly more to their characters than meets the eye, but I love how Echols slowly breaks their exteriors apart to reveal more than just a girl with attitude and a boy who doesn't act his age.

Fast-paced and edgy, you'll be finished reading Going Too Far before you know it.
 
Visit Jennifer Echol's website here.