Wishing Upon a Wednesday (1)

Wishing Upon a Wednesday is my take on "Waiting On Wednesday" over at Breaking The Spine. It's a great Meme but it implies that it is for book which have yet to be released. However, sometimes I wish for a book that has already be released but is yet to be sitting on my shelves. And I often will be showcasing more than one book at a time. Please note that I take absolutely NO credit. Anyone can participate in this modified version, you may link up in the comment section if you'd like. I would love to know what you are wishing for!

On My Wishlist For a While:

Hunting Lila
By Sarah Alderson
Released: August 4th 2011
I have been waiting and waiting for this book but it is impossible to find other than TBD.
Did you read it? Do you want to read it?
What did you think?

Half-Blood
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Released: October 15th 2011
Yes, I know. I should have read this WAY long ago. But same story as Hunting Lila. I can RARELY make online purchases and this one is impossible to buy in my city! :(

Did you read it? Do you want to read it?
What did you think?

Obsidian
By Jennifer L. Armentrout
Released: December 6th 2011
Yet another one by the LEGENDARY Jennifer L. Armentrout. Same deal. Guys! What will I do if I never read them!?

Did you read it? Do you want to read it?
What did you think?

New Additions To My TBR Pile:

Days of Blood and Starlight
(Daughter  of Smoke And Bone #2)
by Laini Taylor
Releasing: November 6th 2012
If I hadn't read, loved, and marked as BEST OF 2011 already, I'd add it here just for the  wonderful cover. The fabulous Laini Taylor won't disappoint.

What's Left Of Me
by Kat Zhang
Releasing: September 18th 2012
Wonderfully original concept? CHECK
Whimsical cover? CHECK
I want it? CHECK CHECK CHECK!
Enough said. I will end up sleeping with this book tucked under my pillow. No kidding!

Glitch 
by Heather Anastasiu
Releasing: August 7th 2012
Well, this is dystopian which means I want it! Love the idea, and I am a sucker for rebellious stories.

That's it for me! What's on your wishlist!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by  The Broke and The Bookish . At this link you can find all past and future TTT.

This week's topic is: 

Top Ten Five Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years

Usually books that are read 30 or so years after they are first published have some sort of ethical, sociological and/or philosophical meaning of some sort. So I'll try to keep that into consideration and avoid naming one simply because: "OMG IT WAS SO GOOD!". If you know what I mean... But yes, I did absolutely loved all the books I mention below. The difference between these and the other ones is in the thought that came after I finished that last page.

1. Whither by Lauren Destefano: This book has a theme centered around longevity and possibly how it can be taken for granted and because of that some of the most beautiful moments in life might be passed up as plain and ordinary.
2. XVI by Julia Karr: This one focuses on the media and it's influence of society. It is a true cautionary tale about individuality and being able to think for ourselves. 
3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: Another cautionary tale about individuality and how if you aren't as what society deems to be "normal" you are therefore abnormal and become an outcast. 
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth: This one is yet another book centered on society's impact on our daily lives. This observes the role we all play in life. How each role is crucial and all are important for the other's survival.  
5. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins: Finally we have a book centering around sins and excess. The impact certain "sins" and excesses can either have a relieving effect or a devastating one.

So that would be it for me! What about you?

{Review}The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

The Pledge
by Kimberly Derting
Series: The Pledge #1
Published: November 15th 2011
Publisher: McElderly Books (S&S imprint)
ISBN: 1442422017 (ISBN13: 9781442422018)
Pages: 323
Source: Bought Myself
Reading Level: 15+
Shelf Award: Notable Dystopian Series
Rating: 4 Stars

Where To Buy: TBD ChaptersIndigo

Summary from Goodreads:In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.
Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime

My Thoughts

Cover Love: There is something beautifully dark and twisted about this cover. A mystery that transcends into the story. The flourish around the "P" is so pretty! And the depressed "PLEDGE" in the background is perfect for Cover Strokers like me! All in all a 5 Star Cover!

Review:

The concept of language castes and a touch of fantasy all wrapped up in a dystopian world make for an unforgettable read! 

The story was great! I mean I read it in two days and that can be hard to do with a toddler screaming "MOMMY, MOMMY!" every 5 minutes. The characters were nicely developed for the most part. Sometimes the story felt a little hmmm, well, wobbly (for lack of a better word). It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book but sometimes it made me wonder where exactly Kimberly Derting wanted to take her story. Sometimes it lagged but I still REALLY wanted to read on! 

OH AND THE TWISTS! I do not know how I didn't see it coming. I guess Ms. Derting just has a knack for literary surprises I guess. 

Charlie was heroine of epic proportions (no she isn't a giant) I could really feel how much she cared and loved her family. She was well developed and lovable. Although she could have trusted her friends a smidge more. That was her only flaw. Although understandable given the world she lives in.

The Queen, Sabara... Well she's scary bad! I got goosebumps and even nauseous at times. She is cold and cruel and a perfect villain for the story!

Another notable Character was her best friend Brooklynn. I loved her SO MUCH in the second part of the book! Now, I can't explain why because it would be all kinds of spoilery business!

So that's it!

NO IT ISN'T! Oh yeah that is right...  The SWOON. The oh so protective and devoted and HOT Max. And that is all I am saying. 

Then there is Xander who equally Swoon worthy in a more rugged way. 

Take your pick! I'll take both!

So all in all I gave it a well-deserved 4 Stars rating!

What did you think? I'd love to know what you thought or if you would like to read it!

{Review} Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Starcrossed
by Josephine Angelini
(Starcrossed #1)
Published: May 31st 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 0062011995 (ISBN13: 9780062011992)
Pages: 487
Source: Bought Myself
Reading Level: 16+
Shelf Award: Favorite
Where To Buy: TBD , ChaptersIndigo
Rating: 4 Stars

Summary From Goodreads:Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention.
Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy that the Three Fates insist on repeating over and over again throughout history. Like her namesake, Helen of Troy, she’s destined to start a war by falling in love. But even though Lucas and Helen can see their own star-crossed destiny, they’re still powerfully attracted to each other. Will they give up their personal happiness for the greater good, or risk it all to be together?

Cover Love
Gorgeous cover. It is wonderful enough to look at that I am probably getting it blown up and hanging it on my wall! Totally a dreamy cover!
My Thoughts
OK so here is the deal with Starcrossed. I loved it. But there were a (very little)few things that kept me from thoroughly enjoying it. Things I now proceed to enumerate so we can hurry and get on to the good stuff.
You know how some Heroines are just "too good" well Helen was like that. I understand she doesn't want to hurt anyone but still...
Then the issue of her criticizing her body like she's so ugly. Gah!
Now I am sure the author had her reasons and I am not criticizing her work. These are my universal pet peeves in all the books I read.
Now onto the good stuff!
With her flaws aside, Helene was a good heroine, loyal and protective... And those were her redeeming qualities when it came to her whining about learning to fight.
The pacing was perfect. Not once did I want to stop reading. If I somehow got bored even in the slightest all I had to was turn a page and I was right back in.
The characters both main and secondary were all very well written. My heart was simply torn apart about the impossibility of their love. Nonetheless, I loved the romances between Lucas and Helen and Jason and Claire. I almost hope there is a spinoff or something about those two!
The Greek concept was amazing and extremely well developped! Now thanks to Starcrossed my love of mythology based books has been renewed!
Yes there were MANY similarities to Twilight. And that's not a bad thing at all. I LOVED Twilight. I read the whole series 4 times!! But honestly... I might read the Starcrossed series 5 times.

So yeah, that was the deal on Starcrossed!
A 4 star book and a spot on my "Favorites" shelf!

What did you think? Will YOU run to get Dreamless on the 29th?
Because I WILL!

{Review} The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

The Mephisto Covenant (The Redemption of Ajax)
by Trinity Feagen
(The Mephisto Covenant #1)
Published: September 27th 2011
Publisher: EdgmontUSA
ISBN:   9781606841709
Pages: 448(hardcover edition)
Source: Bought Myself

Reading Level: 17+
Shelfability: Must Read/ Covet
Where To Buy: TBD , ChaptersIndigo
Rating: 5 Stars

Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger--she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx's biggest threat.

A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant--God's promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he's finally found the girl he's been searching for: Sasha.
With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

Cover Love:

This cover is just dreamy and perfect. I am a big sucker for the "Girl in a dress" book cover trend and this one has to be in my top 5. It has an air of mystery and wonder. LOVE IT!

My Thoughts:

DARKLY REAL, RAW AND HEART-PUMPING!!! TRULY DESERVING OF 5 SHINY STARS!

It is extremely RARE that I give a book a 5 star rating. But this one deserves it. It starts off with a BANG and keeps on, it's full of action, suspense and "swoonage"!!

I was refreshing to read about teenagers behaving like teenagers and bad guys being truly un-sugarcoated villains. It was a raw and real (in a paranormal sense) story that hooked me in. 

Sasha felt very real to me. Her inner struggles and how she dealt with them made the story believable and it made her relatable. There were parts that made me tear up and some that enraged me. I was basically feeling everything Sasha was feeling. I loved that she was unforgiving to some that hurt her the deepest, but even then, she kept a great sense of humanity and kindness. Jax and Sasha were balanced in their personalities. I absolutely LOVE them!

Jax was loyal and completely swoon-worthy boy.

I love that Ms. Faegen didn't "soften" stayed true to her story and her characters. Even if that meant a certain sex scene. The reality is that teens DO have sex and shying away from that fact makes it all the more taboo. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that YA books with no sex scene are no good, but simply that in this case, IT WORKS!

The supporting (minor) characters were nicely developed with personal demons and passions. Sometimes it was a bit difficult to keep up with them all but the subsequent books in the series will make it easier to get to know them. 

Trinity Faegen goes on my Favorite authors list!

I do believe this is a TOTAL must read!! Can't wait to start the sequel: The Mephisto Kiss!

READ IT!