Waiting on Wednesday: All The Rage

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

 I am waiting on:

Title: All the Rage

Author: Courtney Summers

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, 

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　
With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

Why am I waiting?

While I get that this book is not going to be an easy book to read, I also have a feeling the Courtney Summers is going to handle the subject delicately, but brutally truthful too. This one I know I am most likely going to need a big box of Kleenex for at times, but hopefully it is an open read, even as a piece of fiction. 

What are you waiting on?

Make sure to let me know in the comments

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Waiting on Wednesday: Frostfire

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

 I am waiting on:

Title: Frostfire

Author: Amanda Hocking

Series: Kanin Chronicles #1

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, 

Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes. Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royalty. She's not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden. But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero who she once loved – appears to be up to something dangerous, kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?

Why am I waiting?

First how beautiful is that cover, It totally has me wishing for Christmas. I love Amanda Hocking, and I am really excited for her new series, which is a spinoff of her Trylle Trilogy. With this set four years after Ascend, I really need to get it in gear and finish the Trylle trilogy before this one releases. 

What are you waiting on?

Make sure to let me know in the comments

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ARC Review and Giveaway: Wake By Amanda Hocking

Title: Wake

Author: Amanda Hocking

Series: Watersong #1

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.
Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets

MY REVIEW

Wake by Amanda Hocking is a captivating start to a brand new series. In the world of young adult books, it is hard to find something that is new and unique, but yet again Amanda Hocking does it. I first fell in love with Amanda’s work while reading Hollowland. Something about the way Amanda creates worlds draws you in, and holds your attention. With the Wake, the paranormal element is sirens, just like the sirens of old mythology.

 Gemma is an avid swimmer hoping to make it to the Olympics one day, and spends her days training in a pool. Her favorite thing to do though is to take nightly swims in the bay around her town of Capri. Everything seems fine, until the tourist season starts, and three mysterious girls show up. No one knows what to make of the girls, because they are supermodel gorgeous but something just feels off. After spending the night with them, she knows something is really off. Gemma discovers she is stronger and faster in the water than ever before. After asking Penn, Thea, and Lexie (the three mysterious girls) what is going on with her, she discovers she is a siren. Just like the sirens of mythology, she can lure men to her with a simple song.

The problem is Gemma does not want to be a siren, she just want to spend the summer training and getting to explore her new relationship with the boy next door, Alex. While Gemma is more carefree and willing to take risks, her older sister, Harper, has a plan set aside for college and her life and thinks Gemma should too. Harper likes to play mother to Gemma, which means they do not always get along. To make matters more complicated, Harper is Alex’s best friend. Through all that in with sirens, and you are sure to have a bit of an explosive mix.

Even if you have never read anything by Amanda Hocking, Wake is a great way to introduce yourself to her marvelous work. Wake has a siren’s song of its own which has left me wanting more. I am now pining after the next book in the series Lullaby, which releases in November 27, 2012. 

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**

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Since I want to celebrate the release of such a wonderful book,
I am giving a way one copy of Wake by Amanda Hocking. This Giveaway is open INTERNATIONAL as long as Book Depository ships to you!!
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Book Review: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: June 19, 2012

PRE-ORDER THIS IS NOT A TEST

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It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

MY REVIEW

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is a beautifully written tale of grief and survival. This is not your typical blood and gore zombie tale. The zombies act more as a catalyst to propel the story into one that explores what people will do to survive, and the emotions that result from those decisions. Sloane has reached her breaking point, and decided she cannot live this life anymore. Too bad for her, the day that she decides she is ready to give up, the zombie apocalypse happens. Now she is trapped in the school with five of her classmates.

Barricaded within the school, Sloane has to see all the other survivors fighting to survive, and explore her reasons for giving up on life. With six different personalities trapped alone in a school, relationships, and loyalties are tested. The real question is, when the world is gone, does humanity go with it? Courtney Summer has taken the question and spun a stunning story exploring for the answer.

I am always up for a great zombie book, so I had to read this one! To my amazement and happy surprise, this book is so much more than zombies. This Is Not a Test is such an emotional and thought-provoking read. While Sloane may sound like a weak character, I truly find that she has a powerful inner strength. This story is not just about Sloane, it is also about the events that happened before the outbreak, the throughout the rest of the story.

Even if you are not a fan of zombies, this book is a must read. It is just so much more, and so amazing. I had to take time and think about this book after reading it. This review maybe a bit on the gushy side, but any book that makes me think this hard deserves my admiration for both the story and the author who tells it.

Update: It has been about a month or so since I read This Is Not a Test and wrote this review. Sometimes feelings change over time, but not with This Is Not a Test. It is a beautiful book, and it really is one of my favorite reads on 2012.

**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**

QUESTIONS I THOUGHT WHILE READING?

Would you change if all the pretenses and the whole idea of image disappeared in the blink of an eye? Would you still be the loser, the nerd, the jock, or just a human being who is fighting to survive? 

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