Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. Here is my pick of the week!

Darkstar by Bethany Frenette
 Expected publication: October 2012

Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human—something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.

Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers—livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.

To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight.

When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything—and everyone—she loves. (Goodreads)

Doesn't it sound exciting? I love the idea of a superhero image. ^_^ What's yours?

 

Book Review: Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls

Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls

Author: Tellulah Darling

Publish Date: October 2012

Publisher: Te Da Media

Why the hell can’t chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a player. He just wishes girls wouldn’t change the game from sex to relationships. It makes him look like an asshole. But when Sam’s best friend, Ally Klinger, gets dumped, she begs him to transform her into someone who can screw around then screw off. No risk of heartbreak that way. It’s Sam’s chance to create the perfect female AND cheer up his best friend. Armed with Sam’s Three Step Guide to Backseat Success, Ally gets the game better than Sam thought she would and before long, Sam has his wish: the female version of himself. Too bad it’s driving him nuts. Told from Sam’s and Ally's alternating POVs, Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is a fast-paced romantic comedy that follows these teens as they navigate the minefield of sex, love, and friendship.

This book contains strong language, drinking, euphemisms, and lots of “bow chicka wow wow."

It’s been a while since I’ve read a contemporary book. I’ve been craving one so badly and while perusing NetGalley saw this. I’m SO happy I found this. 

Sam is a typical high school boy. Hormones and all. He’s unapologetically a player. He has a set of rules and he follows them. For the most part. He’s not a bad boy, he doesn’t go out and do things on the wrong side of the law or anything in that vein. He’s just got a really bad itch and he scratches it. Frequently. The only thing he cares deeply for is his friendship with Ally. 

Ally is a good girl. She’s smart, almost too smart, and often really hard on herself. More than likely this stems from a requirement of today’s society (and some of Sam’s influence too). She’s smart so she can’t be pretty. Or so she thinks until Sam gives her a hand. And then she’s pretty but than acts like she isn’t smart, for reasons still confusing but plausible. 

I really enjoyed reading this. The story splits personality between Sam and Ally. Every other chapter respectively. It’s not something I enjoy usually in a book, but it’s almost required for this one. It wouldn’t be the great read it is without the insight we get from being in the minds of both characters. The dialogue is fun and quirky and so natural to the characters that it’s super easy to get lost and immersed into the story. This one certainly takes the cake for me, and I would say should for anyone that loves a good love story. 

My Rating:

Series Review: Angelfire

Angelfire and Wings of the Wicked

Author: Courtney Allison Moulton         

Publish Date: 2011 / 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

I must apologize. It’s taking me forever to write reviews but not read. >_< I really should start writing a review as soon as I’m done reading rather than jumping into the next book,. Or in the instance of the Angelfire books, I read them back to back. 

The story follows Ellie, a girl who has extraordinary abilities. She has a companion, Will and they basically protect the world from the greater evils of the depths of Hell.

The story environment is fantastic and very realistic. It’s like watching a movie in words. There’s no confusion or puzzlement over what something looks like or what exactly that is. Everything is clearly and realistically drawn out. 

Ellie is a wonderful character. She’s smart, and strong and doesn’t buckle under the task appointed to her, though there are instances where the reader can feel her despair and want to quit. But she doesn’t. She grits her teeth and pushed through. No matter how impossible it may seem she still fights for her future. It’s super admirable. 

Will is complex. His only thought, his very existence relies on Ellie. It’s weird in a way and slightly unsettling at first when his full nature is revealed and the story behind it. His loyalty and love for Ellie is unquestionable and unshakable throughout both books and it’s wonderful to read the lengths he goes to keep himself by her side. 

The story itself moves quickly from point A to point B without much of a stop inbetween. Ellie is thrust from one problem to the next, sometimes of her own doing, and sometimes it is outside of her control. There’s no way to read just one chapter at a time simply because by the end of the chapter there’s something else that needs attended to and the reader is dying to know what’s going to happen. (Or at least I was)

In whole the books were amazing. It’s a definitely top of the charts paranormal book that all paranormal fans should read. However, I recommend blocking out a decent amount of time for it. Once started there’s no stopping until the end of the second book is reached and then there’s no way to continue like the story demands it be continued because the last in the series hasn’t been released yet. It’s heart wrenching. T_T Once again, if you’re a lover of paranormal you MUST read this series. It doesn’t get any better than this. 

My Rating: