Waiting on Wednesday: Burn Bright & What We Keep is Not Always What Will Stay

Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres

Into a world of wild secrets and deadly pleasures comes a girl whose innocence may be her greatest strength.

In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .

Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.

When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?

Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?

Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

Why I Chose this:

Darkness can be explored in a thousand ways. I think Burn Bright will be one of the most unique books this 2011 based on the book description. Ixion sounds like a surreal, pleasurable and dangerous world. And what is a Riper? I’m dying to find out. Eternal bonds always pull me in. Anything with the word eternal has my attention actually. Lastly, look at that cover. Wow. I know. Very pretty!

What We Keep is Not Always What Will Stay by Amanda Cockrell

Fifteen-year-old Angie never used to think much about God—until things started getting weird. Like the statue of St. Felix, her secret confidante, suddenly coming off his pedestal and talking to her. And Angie's mother, who's busting up her third marriage for no apparent reason. Then there's Jesse Francis, sent home from Afghanistan at age nineteen with his leg blown off. Now he's expected to finish high school and fit right back in. Is God even paying attention to any of this?

Against the advice of an increasingly vocal St. Felix (who knows a thing or two about war), Angie falls for Jesse—who's a lot deeper than most high school guys. But Jesse is battling some major demons. As his rages start to become more frequent and unpredictable, Angie finds herself losing control of the situation. And she's starting to wonder: can one person ever make things right for ?someone else?

Why I Chose this:

I like the cover of this book! It kinda looks cute in a punk/emo sort of way. A stone statue saint coming to life, weird stuff happening, falling for a guy who is unpredictable? This is my kind of story! I’m the kind of person who appreciates stories peppered with problems and learns how to face and solve these. This kind of story inspires me and makes me appreciate what I have in the present. Yay for Flux! The Iron Witch, The Latte Rebellion, then this? Wow. Good line-up!