Review: WINDFALL by Jennifer E. Smith (YA)

WINDFALL

by Jennifer E. Smith

Release date: May 2nd, 2017

Published by Delacorte Press (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format: Hardcover, eBook, UK Paperback

Format read: ARC acquired by another book blogger
My rating: 2 1/2 stars

SUMMARY

Alice doesn't believe in luck - at least, not the good kind. But she does believe in love, and for some time now, she's been pining for her best friend, Teddy. On his eighteenth birthday - just when it seems they migh be on the brink of something - she buys him a lottery ticket on a lark. To their astonishment, he wins $140 million, and in an instant, everything changes. 

At first, it seems like a dream come true, especially since the two of them are no strangers to misfortune. As a kid, Alice won the worst kind of lottery possible when her parents died just over a year apart from each other. And Teddy's father abandoned his family not long after that, leaving them go grapple with his gambling debts. Through it all, Teddy and Alice have leaned on each other. But now, as they negotiate the ripple effects of Teddy's newfound wealth, a gulf opens between them. And soon, the money starts to feel like more of a curse than a windfall.

As they try to find their way back to each other, Alice learns more about herself than she ever could imagined... and about the unexpected ways in which luck and love sometimes intersect. 

MY REIVEW

I had such excitement going into this story... as this is one of my favorite authors, the whole concept and summary of this book sounded exactly what she would write and it would be dreamy and amazing! Unfortunately, that's not how it went for me... 

Alice is a very intelligent teen who works hard at everything - after the loss of her parents and having to move in with her uncle and his family, she has done nothing but to continue to try to make her parents proud of her by doing the things that she thinks that they would have liked her to do - excelling in school, volunteering, tutoring... Her best friend Teddy lives with his single mom in a modest one-bedroom apartment and is seemingly happy and content with what he has. When Alice gifts Teddy a lottery ticket for his birthday, and he wins, you can just imagine the excitement that ensues! Everyone wants to know Teddy and be his friend, even his father, who abandoned him, shows up on his doorstep... it takes Teddy a little too long to realize what everyone really wants from him and the truth comes out. Meanwhile, Alice sits on the sidelines waiting for Teddy to get a clue... 
In the end, the one person, besides his mother, that Teddy wants to share his winnings with doesn't want it... confusion, miscommunication, and drama arise from there... 

Parts of the story and the characters were too predictable. Alice is a goody-goody who has had a very sad and traumatizing past and is crushing on her best friend; Teddy is your typical popular/cute boy who gets by on personality and sports who then turns into an attention seeking and self-centered brat (as if he didn't already have enough attention by being popular, etc.); and Leo, the gay artist best friend who understands everything, is supportive and always says the right thing.

Overall, the main characters felt flat to me. Alice was just too good to be true. Even though things are explained, it still didn't seem right; and with Teddy, I just can't put it into words. He just didn't sit well with me. I wanted more from both. The "romance" connection wasn't there... I know that they could have been so much more, especially with their histories - their emotions just didn't reach me... the topics that arose could have been so much deeper and meaningful and it wasn't. I always expect so much when it comes to this author (she's one of my favorites!). Perhaps my expectations were too high... 

Tthe overall moral of the story is thoughtfulness and kindness - and everyone magically delivers in the end. A perfect happy ending... again, predictable.

The one good thing out of this story is Leo. I would LOVE to have a WHOLE book on Leo, please! Leo is quite the teaser - he was mysterious, aloof and gave as much as was needed for Alice and Teddy's story, but kept his own story to himself. His relationship, how he truly felt about everything that was happening around him, his past... I really felt drawn to Leo and feel that his story would definitely be worth knowing about and reading! I hope that this is something that the author is thinking of writing considering that she has only ever published standalone books and not companions or series.

I would recommend this book to all who truly love contemporary's with quick happy endings! Those who need a smile and are looking to just get lost in a story for genuine fun!

*I acquired an ARC from another book blogger through #booksfortrade via twitter.

All thoughts are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jennifer E. Smith

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of eight books for young adults, including WINDFALL and THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

She earned her master's degree in writing in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and her writing has been translated into 33 languages.

LINKS: Goodreads / Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr

Blog Tour (Review): NO GOOD DEED by Kara Connolly (YA)

NO GOOD DEED

by Kara Connolly

Release date: July 18th, 2017

Published by: Delacorte Press (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary w/magical realism (12yo+)

Format available: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: ARC from the publisher

SUMMARY

Fans of Dorothy Must Die will love this reimagining of the legend of Robin Hood.

Girl power rules supreme when a modern girl finds herself in the middle of a medieval mess with only her smart mouth and her Olympic-archer aim to get her home. 

Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle - yes, that Nottingham - she ends up in medieval England.

Ellie doesn't care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What's an ace archer to do while she's stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?

Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past - or doom civilization's future.

MY REVIEW

There's never a dull moment in NO GOOD DEED - an adventure behind every tree in Nottingham's forest...

If you know Robin Hood's story, then you can already guess what Ellie's story is... 
Ellie is in is just one trial away from being on the U.S. Olympic archery team, but the stress of her missing brother is starting to wear on her and she doesn't know what to do about it.
After her last round of competition, with only one more to go, she goes on a walk and decides to take a quick tour of Nottingham Castle... lost in the castle's underground caverns, she emerges to find that things are not the same and things get interesting really quick.

The story unfolds and follows very closely to Robin Hood's - it's quite obvious that Ellie takes on Robin Hood's role and that she is making history with every move she makes and every person she meets. Her 'Maid Marion' is a handsome knight turned 'Friar Tuck'. We also get to meet 'Alan Dale', 'Will Scarlet' and 'Little John'; and let's not forget the 'Sherriff of Nottingham'! All played their roles expectantly... the Sherriff was a bit darker than I thought he would be, with a twist, and it was wonderful!

For me, the 'time travel' element to the story was almost forgotten and only remembered when Ellie would remind herself that she had to be careful not to do anything too rash so she wouldn't change history too much. Considering that everything had happened already, the only 'tricky part' to her story was making sure she made the right decisions to stay true to the Robin Hood story which didn't seem too far fetched to accomplish. Although the fear of being executed at any given moment did feel real - one must remember that Robin Hood is folklore, and it supposedly took place in the 15th or 16th century! 

What really made this book amazing - two things...
First, it's the first time that I read a retelling where the character is more than aware that she is living through a story that has already been told and tries her best to stick to the history of it.
The next best thing, it's ending!!!
The ending was so unexpected and wonderfully original! I am always skeptical with retelling stories, especially those that have to carry on with the time travel element - and this ending tied up everything perfectly!

Definitely recommend this book for anyone that loves a quick, predictable read with a happily ever after!

*I received this book as part of the blog tour from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Kara Connolly

LINK - Goodreads 

Blog Tour (Review): THAT'S ME LOVING YOU by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (C)

THAT'S ME LOVING YOU

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Release date: December 27th, 2016

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Format: Hardcover

Format read/reviewed: Hardcover from the publisher.

My rating: 4 1/2 stars

SUMMARY

From the author of the New York Times bestseller I Wish You More, comes a book that promises continuous love and makes the perfect gift for fans of Emily Winfield Martin's The Wonderful Things You Will Be and those looking for something new to add to their shelves next to the classic The Runaway Bunny. 

Wherever you are, 

Wherever you go, 

Always remember 

And always know... 

That feeling you always have in your heart?

That's me loving you.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal captures parents' desire to be ever-present in this simple and touching poem offering reassurance of their love. Signs of affection can be found in the natural world around us - from a soft breeze to a shimmering star. 

MY REVIEW

A very sweet and gentle story to be read to little ones while snuggled up in their favorite jammies and blanket... the book is filled with colorful, warm and connecting illustrations that will encourage your child to interact and ask questions, and/or will give them the courage and peace they seek from whatever they may be feeling at that moment... 

The story itself flows and will bring serenity over everyone, the reader and whoever is listening. It gently soothes all involved; allowing everyone to believe that they're not alone. It encourages children that no matter what situation they may be, whether they are in school, with the babysitter, or if a loved one has gone away for a long time or has passed away, they are never alone. That a small part of that person is/will always be with them just as long as they take a moment to remember that they are. There are little ways to remind your child to seek through their surroundings to connect to you or whomever they are missing to find reassurance, safety and love.

It is often hard for young children to remember self-coping methods when they are feeling disconnected, lonely or suffering from separation anxiety... if there is anyway to remind them of a favorite line from their favorite book, an illustrations, a toy, etc. they can eventually learn to remember on their own that someone is always thinking of them, loves them for always - and eventually they will learn to work through their feelings themselves. 

An unforgettable story told from the heart! Definitely for those who adore The Kissing Hand, Guess How Much I Love You and I Love You Through and Through!

*I received this book from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Amy Krouse Rosenthal is the author of over 20 children's books. Her titles include Uni the Unicorn, Plant a Kiss, Little Pea, Spoon, The Wonder Book, Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons, and Duck! Rabbit!. 

A long-time contributor to NPR, she is currently the host and creator of MissionAmyKR.com produced by Chicago Public Radio. 

Amy lives with her family in Chicago.

Links: Website / Goodreads

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Teagan White

Teagan White is a freelance illustrator specializing in playful watercolors and illustrated typography.

Originally from Chicago, Teagan now lives and works in Minneapolis, where she received a BFA in illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design in 2012. 

Links: Website / Goodreads

Waiting On Wednesday #142: THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY by Lauren Morrill (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is where we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released!!! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night!!!

And, quite possibly, to make our shelves look pretty too :) 

What I'm currently waiting for... 

THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY

by Lauren Morrill

Expected release date: December 8th, 2015

Published by Delacorte (RandomHouse)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

SUMMARY

It's not about the destination, it's about the journey...

With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm - the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize. 

Liza can't imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She's therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she's especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens to be Liza's ex-best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that's the band's greatest competition. 

But it's not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza's best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she's about to find herself lost at sea. 

Why I'm waiting for THE TROUBLE WITH DESTINY...

First... it's another book from Lauren Morrill! 

I quite enjoy her books :) 

Second... let the battle of the bands begin!!!

Lastly... romance!!!

Possibly a love-triangle???

SO, what are you dying to get your hands on this week?!?!?

Book Haul #91: The Shadow Races and More!

Hello booknerds!!!

Where did the week go???

I had some lovely personal memories happen this week...
my nephew, my one and only, turned ONE this week!
AND, he has started to let go and walk long distances like a wobbly pro :)
Yes, I know I have 3 boys of my own, but having a nephew is just the best bonus ever!!! I love him so much - it's such a different kind of love, but it is SO much! I am enjoying every minute watching him grow! And, it's bittersweet seeing my little sister being a mom and a grown-up now, lol! I'm 6 1/2 years older than her, she will always be the 'baby'... 
My baby bee is finally talking more! In between his baby gibberish you can make out words too, which means, he's trying to talk in full sentences already, lol! I really think he's going to outdo his brothers once he gets the hang of it... oh boy! 

I had some lovely bookish memories too!
Don't you just looove it when authors reach out to you, like your tweets or IG pics... 
OH! and when one of your favorite authors follows you back?! *flails*

And lastly, as you can see below, I got a good small stack of new reads this week...
my collection of The Scorpio Races has doubled! I'm hoping to now start collecting foreign editions!

I'm a happy bookworm... I hope you all are too!!! xo

I am participating in Stacking the Shelves, 
hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews!!!

*From giveaways...

- DR. CRITCHLORE'S SCHOOL FOR MINIONS (ARC) by Sheila Grau, Illustrated by Joe Sutphin from Word Spelunking and Abrams... thank you!

- SHADOW SCALE (Seraphina #2) by Rachel Hartman from Pure Imagination and Random House... thank you!

*What I purchased...

- THE SCORPIO RACES (HB) by Maggie Stiefvater

- THE SCORPIO RACES (UK PB) by Maggie Stiefvater

- HAPPY AGAIN (This is What Happy Looks Like #1.5) (eNovella) by Jennifer E. Smith
- STATION ELEVEN (eBook) by Emily St. John Mandel (A)

* * * 

A few pics from this past week :)

My nephew turned ONE!!! He's a year old already!!! *sobs*

Re-organized my YA shelves again :)
There are about 12 books missing from this pic, lol!

* * * 

Please help Annie get her new lungs!

https://m.helphopelive.org/campaign/6507?3.13.829

My husband's sister, Ann Marie, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 2.
Until a year ago, she has been living a relatively normal and active life... 
Ann Marie is in need of a double-lung transplant now.
Any donations will be forever be appreciated.
Healing prayers too!

Please click on the link for more info!
And, thank you in advance for any and all contributions!!! 


* * * 

Thank you SOOO much for stopping by!!!

Don't forget to leave a comment with your links so I can visit your hauls too!!!

xoxo

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: FOR THE RECORD by Charlotte Huang (YA)

FOR THE RECORD

by Charlotte Huang

Release date: 2015

Published by: Delacorte (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format: Unknown

Cover reveal hosted by Me, Myshelf and I

SUMMARY

Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like... until she became one. 
After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything. 

Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level — not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.

Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band — and their fans — love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule... 

Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

GIVEAWAY

1 Winner will get the very first ARC of FOR THE RECORD, signed! 

Plus FOR THE RECORD swag.

(Ships in US only / Must be 13+ To Enter)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will not be held responsible for any lost, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Charlotte Huang

Charlotte Huang is a graduate of Smith College and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, which is clearly something every aspiring writer should do. 

When not glued to her computer, she cheers her two sons on at sporting events and sometimes manages to stay up late enough to check out bands with her music agent husband. 

Charlotte lives in Los Angeles and is the author of FOR THE RECORD (Delacorte, 2015).

Goodreads / Website / Blog / Twitter / Instagram

Blog Tour (Review and GIVEAWAY): LITTLE WHITE LIES by Katie Dale (YA)

LITTLE WHITE LIES

by Katie Dale

Release date: December 9th, 2014

Published by: Delacorte Press (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Suspense/Drama

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover book from the publisher.

SUMMARY

Fans of Pretty Little Liars will be ensnared in this tale of deceit. 

The first time Lou meets mysterious Christian, she knows he is The One. 

But Christian is hiding a terrible secret. 

Why does he clam up every time Lou asks about his past? Why doesn’t he have any family photos, and why does he dye his blond hair black?

When Christian’s house goes up in flames, his tires are slashed, and he flees for his life, Lou insists on going with him. But as Christian’s secret is unveiled in front of the whole world, it seems everything he’s ever told Lou is a lie. 

Can what the media are saying about him really be true? Should Lou trust him? Or is she in grave danger? 

And what if their accidental meeting wasn’t an accident at all...?

MY REVIEW

Full of deception and intense emotions, LITTLE WHITE LIES doesn't hold back once the truth starts unfolding - it will knock you down, over and over again. Once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put it down... murder, love, lies, and complicated relationships...

Our dear sweet Lou has moved to start at a new school, with a new alias, to escape a tragedy that happened the year before. She doesn't want anyone to know who she is, not even her roommate. It seems that Lou is determined to start over - new haircolor, new town, new friends. Perhaps even a new crush?
Our aloof and dapper Christian is in no hurry to get to know Lou. Overly cautious, Christian keeps his distance and continues to make excuses, and pushes Lou away. But the girl is adamant. Where another girl would have given in to rejection, Lou is determined to figure out what Christian's story is, and how to help him. She needs to get to know him. And more importantly, she needs to know what his secrets are...
Little do we know that Lou is more than what she seems. Christian's life starts to unravel right before our eyes. And Lou is anxious to help him. But at what cost? And what are Lou's secrets? Is she running away from something? Or hiding? And what do they have to do with Christian?

LITTLE WHITE LIES is more than just its title - it is a huge web of lies! And everyone that discovers even the smallest bit of truth is thrust into the web and stuck in for good, until the very end!  The suspense and thrill of every fact was believable and eventful! I was second guessing every character on every page... all the characters are engaging and amazing too! It's hard to choose a favorite, they all fit in so well!

There aren't enough words to describe how well Lou and Christian's story unravels... 

Katie Dale's writing is captivating, intriguing and spellbinding! There is no way to predict the outcome of this story - everything just happens! If you're like me, too eager to know where the story is going, you will miss tiny little hints here and there. By the time I started to make any sort of prediction about any of the characters, things were unfurling right before me and taking a twist and turn for the worst... This is definitely a book for PRETTY LITTLE LIAR fans! A good mystery, drama and outcome! Read it now!!!

*A hardcover copy was sent to me from the publisher for the blog tour for an honest review.

All thoughts are my own.

GIVEAWAY

TWO winners will win a copy of LITTLE WHITE LIES from the publisher!
Giveaway ends 12/30/2014.
(U.S. only!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Katie Dale

I love nothing more than creating characters - both on page and on-stage! 

I studied English Literature at Sheffield University, spent a year at UNC-Chapel Hill, followed by a crazy year at Mountview drama school, a national Shakespeare tour, and back-packing through South-East Asia. 

I love all genres, and am busily working on a variety of projects from novels to picture-books - whilst playing the odd princess/assassin/zombie in-between! 

Website/Blog - Goodreads - Twitter

Blog Tour (Review and Giveaway): SIX FEET OVER IT by Jennifer Longo (YA)

SIX FEET OVER IT

by Jennifer Longo

Release date: August 26th, 2014

Published by: Random House Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover from the publisher.

SUMMARY

Home is where the bodies are buried.

Darkly humorous and heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Jennifer Longo’s YA debut about a girl stuck living in a cemetery will change the way you look at life, death, and love.

Leigh sells graves for her family-owned cemetery because her father is too lazy to look farther than the dinner table when searching for employees. Working the literal graveyard shift, she meets two kinds of customers:

Pre-Need: They know what’s up. They bought their graves a long time ago, before they needed them.

At Need: They are in shock, mourning a loved one’s unexpected death. Leigh avoids sponging their agony by focusing on things like guessing the headstone choice (mostly granite).

Sarcastic and smart, Leigh should be able to stand up to her family and quit. But her world’s been turned upside down by the sudden loss of her best friend and the appearance of Dario, the slightly-too-old-for-her grave digger. Surrounded by death, can Leigh move on, if moving on means it’s time to get a life?

MY REVIEW

Jennifer Longo has quite the flair to making you think and feel things that you don't want to. In SIX FEET OVER IT, we encounter loss and death, depression and sadness, new and unusual friendships - a coming-of-age story of a girl who learns that its okay to let go, move on... to live life and be happy.

Leigh, pronounced like Lee, has had quite the tumultuous childhood. We get to see reminisce about her childhood on their much beloved beach house with a cool older sister, hippie-artist mom and fun dad. She also dwells on how their lives fell apart when her sister Kai was diagnosed with cancer. On how her parents are unable to deal with it, and they start to neglect the girls. And then Leigh is left to try to keep what little is left of her life together by going to school, ignore the bullying that happens, and then coming straight home from school everyday to be with Kai.
Leigh tried her best, but there is only so much a tween, now a teen, can do.
Especially after the loss of her best friend.
And then her father, Wade, uproots the family and moves them to a cemetery where he has big plans, but then proceeds to make Leigh do all the office work and hires Dario to do all of the landscaping and handiwork. Wade hasn't a clue on what he's doing and puts high expectations on Leigh to handle the emotional side of it without a second thought. All while Leigh's mother hides in their home, depressed, painting beach landscapes. And Kai, in remission, goes back to school, takes up running and leads a normal teen life.

Leigh is lost. She believes that she is cursed, that bad things and death follow her and that she must keep herself from anything good in order to avoid bad things happening. She doesn't think twice about how her sister is moving on, but is hurt when her sister doesn't share the details with her. She wishes she could smack her parents on the side of their heads to get them to realize that things are bad, not normal, but, she's afraid of the fallout and then having more responsibilities. She pushes away potential friends, because she doesn't want her bad luck to interfere...
but when she finally lets someone in, just a little bit, and sees that there is some potential, even in her current state, she's confused about being hopeful... will Leigh dare to stand up for herself? Be happy? Dream of a better life?

Filled with insightful moments, sarcastic humor and great prose with memorable characters.... Leigh's story will make you think about how we deal with loss and hope. And will make you reevaluate how we treat ourselves, and not to be so abrupt with our decisions and loved ones. And that even in the most dire times, redemption and hope can be found.

*A hardcover book was sent from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jennifer Longo

A California native, Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting from San Francisco State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing For Theatre from Humboldt State University. 

She is a two-time Irene Ryan Best Actor award recipient and a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Best Full Length Script honoree for her play, Frozen. 

After years of acting, playwriting, working as a literary assistant at San Francisco’s Magic Theatre, then as an elementary school librarian, Jennifer told the occasional story at San Francisco’s Porch Light Storytelling Series and decided at last to face her fear of prose and actually write some. 

A recent San Francisco transplant, Jennifer lives with her husband and daughter near Seattle, Washington beside the water on Mercer Island and her every hour is consumed by writing, running marathons, tide pooling, walking her kid to ballet class eleven thousand times each week and reading every book she can get her hands on.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

Waiting On Wednesday #95: PRINCESS OF THORNS by Stacey Jay (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by  Breaking the Spine. 

This is were we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night and, quite possibly, to make our shelves look all pretty too :)

What I'm waiting for...

PRINCESS OF THORNS 

by Stacey Jay

Expected release date: December 9th, 2014

Published by: Delacorte Press (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Fairytale/Fantasy

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? 

Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?

Why I'm waiting for PRINCESS OF THORNS...

Let me say these two things first... 

1) I am not a Game of Thrones fan, sorry! I have never read the books nor have I watched it and I kind of don't really know what it's about, lol! 

2) And I am definitely NOT a fan of this bookcover! Why do they always insist on putting a girl on all of these fantasy covers? SO much potential with this story, could have gone really creative on so many fairytale levels and this is what they do.... sigh... 

BUT!!! As a fairytale-lover, I am SO in love with the premise of the story! Especially since the main character is Sleeping Beauty's daughter and her kisses are cursed! Disney has always made "the kiss" the thing that saves them all, (especially for Sleeping Beauty - the prince's kiss is what wakes her up), how funny to go against that concept! 

And, I'm such a huge fan of Juliet Immortal! I just received Of Beast and Beauty and cannot wait to dive into this one too! I'm happy to see this author take on more fairytale-ish stories...

I cannot wait to get my hands on this! Ugly cover and all, lol!

SO, what are you waiting for this week???

Waiting On Wednesday #92: THE FIRE WISH (The Jinni Wars #1) by Amber Lough (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by  Breaking the Spine. 

This is were we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night and, quite possibly, to make our shelves look all pretty too :)

What I'm waiting for...

THE FIRE WISH

The Jinni Wars #1

by Amber Lough

Expected release date: July 22nd, 2014

Published by: Random House

Genre: Young Adult 

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

A jinni. A princess. 

And the wish that changes everything. . . . 

Najwa is a jinni, training to be a spy in the war against the humans. 

Zayele is a human on her way to marry a prince of Baghdad — which she’ll do anything to avoid. 

So she captures Najwa and makes a wish. 

With a rush of smoke and fire, they fall apart and re-form — as each other. 

A jinni and a human, trading lives.  

Both girls must play their parts among enemies who would kill them if the deception were ever discovered — enemies including the young men Najwa and Zayele are just discovering they might love.

Why I'm waiting for THE FIRE WISH...

JINNIs!!! 

I've never read a book with a jinni in it!

(Disney's Aladdin doesn't count, lol!)

What are you waiting for???