"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

LABYRINTH LOST
By: Zoraida Cordova
Published By: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: Sept. 6, 2016
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...



Why it's Wanted:
I love books about witches, but combining witches and ghosts seems like it will create the perfect spooky Halloween read. What could be better for fall?

Teaser Tuesday (95)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I made myself look away, trying to stop this train of thought. There was absolutely no point to it. This had been five years ago, and I'd long since gotten over it. There was no need to drag this stuff up again. But even so, I let myself lean slightly into Toby. She gave my shoulders another squeeze, and I was beyond grateful for a friend who knew exactly what I meant even when I wasn't saying anything."


Taken from p. 97 of THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING
by Morgan Matson
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Snapshot Musings: Dusting Off the Shelves

One of my blogging goals was to have more discussion posts. I've said this for a long time, but somehow never quite write them. Having Snapshot Musings will hopefully encourage me to post more than just book reviews and regular memes. Some posts may be long, some short, and some mainly asking for opinions of fellow bloggers. If there's any topic you'd like to see featured, feel free to email me with the idea!



For the past couple of weeks, I have been trying to reorganize my bookshelves. I've been going through ARCs and finished copies that date back several years. I've managed to fill a 12-cubby bookshelf from IKEA, and there are still more books stacked on my floor, in my closet, on the four other bookcases that I have in my apartment. Some of these books I have read, and I'm trying to find my favorite ones places of honor on my remaining shelves. But in all of the books I haven't read, there are so many great stories, so many that I want to read, and yet I have one major reservation about them: I run a book review blog.

It might seem odd to say that running a book review blog is keeping me from reading books I want to read. But how can I read all of the old stories and still have time to review the new ones? Is publishing reviews of books that are several years old doing any kind of service to the blogging community? Surely someone hasn't read the book either--there are only so many hours in the day--but would it do more good to only review more recent books? Should the older books get their own special feature? Is it possible to read old books without reviewing them and without feeling guilty for taking time away from the blog?

As nice as it is to say that blogging still has to be about reading what you want, when you want, the pressure to keep up doesn't go away. We want to share new books and help them get exposure, or we wouldn't be blogging in the first place. The to-read lists are endless and ever-growing. I still want all of the new, shiny books, but I can't bring myself to let go of all of the other books still on my shelves. What do you do when books start to pile up? How do you balance older books with new releases? Is it ever too late to review a book? Let's talk!

"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

LEAVE ME
By: Gayle Forman
Published By: Algonquin Books
Release Date: Sept. 6, 2016
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: International bestselling author Gayle Forman's trademark humor and insight abound in this masterful adult debut, showing us that sometimes you have to leave home in order to find it again.

For every woman who has ever fantasized about driving past her exit on the highway instead of going home to make dinner, for every woman who has ever dreamed of boarding a train to a place where no one needs constant attention--meet Maribeth Klein. A harried working mother who's so busy taking care of her husband and twins, she doesn't even realize she's had a heart attack.

Afterward, surprised to discover that her recuperation seems to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the unthinkable: She packs a bag and leaves. But, as is so often the case, once we get to where we're going, we see our lives from a different perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help of liberating new friendships, Maribeth is finally able to own up to secrets she has been keeping from those she loves and from herself.

With big-hearted characters who stumble and trip, grow and forgive, Leave Me is about facing our fears. Gayle Forman, a dazzling observer of human nature, has written an irresistible novel that confronts the ambivalence of modern motherhood head-on.



Why it's Wanted:
I know this is a YA book blog, and usually I stick to YA because I love the journeys of self-discovery, the thrill of first true love, and everything with it. However, Gayle Forman is one of my auto-buy authors because her books are just that amazing, and I think I'd enjoy reading self-discovery from an adult perspective.

"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

TONIGHT THE STREETS ARE OURS
By: Leila Sales
Published By: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux
Release Date: Sept. 15, 2016
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Recklessly loyal.

That’s how seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley has always thought of herself. Caring for her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But lately she’s grown resentful of everyone—including her needy best friend and her absent mom—taking her loyalty for granted.

Then Arden stumbles upon a website called Tonight the Streets Are Ours, the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter, who gives voice to feelings that Arden has never known how to express. He seems to get her in a way that no one else does, and he hasn’t even met her.

Until Arden sets out on a road trip to find him.

During one crazy night out in New York City filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn’t exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn’t exactly who she thought she was, either.



Why it's Wanted:
This book sounds like one fun, fast-paced, crazy ride and a perfect fall break read. I'm looking forward to seeing what feelings are explored and living vicariously through all of their shenanigans.

Teaser Tuesday (94)

I'm very excited to be one of the many blogs participating in Teaser Tuesdays! TT is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat. To participate:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I’m scared to put myself back out there again, but this is Ezra. The guy I’ve known forever. The friend I can talk to. The one I can trust?"


Taken from p. 119 of DEFENDING TAYLOR
by Miranda Kenneally
Please share your teasers - post them or link to your blog!

Book Sketch: Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally

DEFENDING TAYLOR
By: Miranda Kenneally
Published By: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Series: None
Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?



First Thought After Finishing: I’ve missed Miranda Kenneally’s books and her wonderfully relatable characters.

Sometimes you read a book that just fits your day or your current situation even when you weren’t expecting it. Defending Taylor happened to be just that. Miranda Kenneally’s books deal with issues that go beyond the high school setting or the sports field and speak to different phases of life.

Taylor is a senior in high school, captain of her soccer team, and Yale-bound. Her father, a US Senator from Tennessee, has tried to instill the best values in her and holds her to high standards. However, one major mistake lands Taylor expelled from her boarding school and attending Hundred Oaks High. She has to try and put her life back together if she wants to get into Yale, and she has to do it without her best friends and boyfriend, all while handling her family’s disappointment. As Taylor tries to get back on track, she begins to wonder if her father’s track is really the right one for her.

"What do I expect of myself? I have no clue. I’ve never felt so lost, but the more I think about it, I wonder if I’ve ever actually found myself to begin with. Maybe I’ve always been lost."

One of the reasons that I love YA books is that I enjoy the self-discovery stories. Taylor’s story was no exception. She’s courageous as she challenges the expectations from her family and herself. She learns that some things are beyond her control, there is such a thing as too little, too late, but sometimes we can only make the best of what we have. In the process of finding herself, she realizes that it’s okay to be passionate about what she wants and to try and make her own happiness. It’s a quality that I admire.

Another thing I love about Miranda’s books is that the characters are always more than they seem. And even when we don’t see a character very much, we still get to know them. For instance, Taylor’s love interest, Ezra, is a guy that we all hope to have. Like Taylor, he’s trying to make his own path, but there is more to his story than simple rebellion against his parents. I enjoyed watching the two of them develop a relationship that was meaningful. Taylor’s soccer friends and family also play a role in the book. It was refreshing to see such a well-rounded picture of life, very real, encouraging, and sweet.

Most Memorable Aspect: Taylor’s morning conversations with Ezra. I love that they cared enough about each other to talk about hard things.

"Waiting on" Wednesday

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



This week's selection is:

WHAT THE DEAD WANT
By: Norah Olson
Published By: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Preorder the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: 16 -year-old Gretchen takes photographs to understand the world around her, a passion her mother Mona fostered and encouraged when she was still around. Since her mom disappeared years ago, Gretchen and her dad have lived on their own in New York City, haunted by Mona’s absence.

When Gretchen’s great aunt Esther calls unexpectedly to tell her that she has inherited the pre-Civil War mansion on her mother’s side of the family in upstate New York, Gretchen understands nothing except that her aunt needs her help. But what she finds there is beyond her imagination. The house is crumbling apart, filled with stacks of papers and journals from decades, even centuries past, and it’s crawling with rodents. It’s also full of secrets and a legacy of racism and violence so reprehensible that the ghosts of the past are exacting revenge on the living.

Somehow the mystery of Mona’s disappearance and the atrocities that happened on the land during the Civil War are inextricably intertwined, and it’s up to Gretchen to figure out how…before even more lives are lost.



Why it's Wanted:
A ghost story with historical elements? Yes please! This sounds like a gripping story that will make for a good thunderstorm read.