Waiting on Wednesday (12): We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Expected Publication Date: May 13th, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.
 
We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.






My Thoughts

So you know me, just browsing through titles on Goodreads, when I come across this. I'd heard some murmurings about this book on the internet, but pushed them aside, until I read the summary on Goodreads. I've never read E. Lockhart, though I'm intrigued now. The story seems like the type of intense, dramatic reading I'm craving right now. May cannot come soon enough. 

Renée

Waiting on Wednesday (11): Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick:

Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Expected Publication Date: July 8th, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Sci-Fi

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

My Thoughts

I feel the summary just speaks for itself. Time Travel? Maybe not Doctor Who-esque, but still, I just love Rainbow Rowell. Eleanor & Park was by far an amazing read. I can't wait to read what she has in store for us next!

Waiting on Wednesday (9): Panic by Lauren Oliver

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

This week's pick:

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Expected Publication Date: March 4th, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Contemporary, YA

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

My Thoughts

I fell in love with Lauren Oliver's books wayy back when I first picked up Before I Fall. It was so lovely and heartbreaking at the same time. Of course, Panic's blurb, screams Hunger Games, one of my favorite series. I can't wait to see how this dystopian story-line plays out.

Waiting on Wednesday (7): Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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

This week's pick:

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Expected Publication Date: April 15th, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre: Contemporary, Fanstasy, Romance, YA

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash. 

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

My Thoughts

Another Jennifer L. Armentrout book? I'm totally on board here. Her writing style and characters are just so awesome! Really can't wait for this one.

Waiting on Wednesday (6): Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

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

This week's pick:

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss #3)
Expected Publication Date: May 15th, 2014
(Placeholder Date)
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.









My Thoughts

You guys know from my Still on my Mind post that I love this series. The YA romance Stephanie Perkins writes is just so playful. Her characters come alive between the pages. I really enjoyed reading Anna and Lola's stories. And I can't wait to see what characters Stephanie Perkins has drawn up in this book.
I also recommend you read Anna and the French Kiss if you haven't already. You will seriously fall in love with that book.

Renée 

Waiting on Wednesday (5): Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

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

This week's pick:

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Expected Publication Date: January 28th, 2014
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Genre: Retellings, Romance, YA

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

My Thoughts

When it comes to fairy-tale retellings, the word obsessed doesn't even cut it. I love finding the connections between the original story and the new one. And it has to do with Beauty and the Beast. That was literally one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid; I think I watched that VHS tape until it wore itself out! Just two more weeks, and I'll finally have a copy :D
Can't wait!

Renée



Waiting on Wednesday (4): Alienated by Melissa Landers

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

This week's pick:

Alienated (Alienated #1) by Melissa Landers
Expected Publication Date: February 4th, 2014
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, YA

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

My Thoughts

Being a lover of Doctor Who and the Lux series, I've got a soft spot for a good alien story. This seems an interesting take on the idea of extraterrestrial life -- a student exchange program -- and speculates what would happen if we made contact with non-Earth people?
And just look at that gorgeous cover! It is a beautiful representation of juxtaposed worlds. Hope the story is as good as it looks.

Renée



Waiting on Wednesday (3): Be With Me by J. Lynn

 

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

 

This week's pick:

 

Be With Me (Wait for You #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (J. Lynn)

Expected Publication Date: February 4th, 2014

Publisher: Avon (William Morrow)

Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

 

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

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Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone reveled in last night's festivities; speaking of which, a new year means new books to come. In particular this beauty: the second book in the Wait for You series. I simply adored the first book, and I can't wait to see what Jase and Teresa's story is about. Only a month to go!

Renée 

Waiting on Wednesday (2): Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

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

This week's pick:

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Expected Publication Date: May 13th, 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux
Genre: Contemporary, Retellings, YA

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

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A Peter Pan retelling. Need I say more? I have been in love with Peter Pan since watching the Disney movie as a child and all the other versions in between. (On a side note, I highly recommend you guys check out the 2003 version starring Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan). There's just something so enticing about a guy who can fly and never grow up. He's free to do whatever he wants.
I'll be anxiously counting the days down until this book gets released!



Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine  in which we spotlight upcoming release we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pick:

 

 These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)
by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Expected Publication: December 10th, 2013              
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: YA, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

A timeless love story, These Broken Stars sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.
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I'm always on the lookout for new series to fall in love with, especially after finishing some of my favorites like Harry Potter (cliché, I know) and The Infernal Devices, this looks like it could be the start of an amazing series...

Renée