Waiting on Wednesday: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord + Empire of Night by Kelley Armstrong

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

I spent four hours catching up and listing down books from Goodreads. I'm ashamed and at the same time surprised at the number of books that was new to me. I read through all the book descriptions and took note of the titles. Some of those jumped out at me, such as The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord and Empire of Night by Kelley Armstrong.

**Don't forget to join the giveaway: Win signed copies of Ignite Me + A Thousand Pieces of You or a book worth $15 from Book Depo!

Book Description:

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: March 31st 2015

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for a year, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

Why I Chose this Book: I have chosen this mainly because of the good feedback for her first book, Open Road Summer, which I'm dying to read. I just can't seem to find a copy and I always get distracted. On the other hand, who could say no to that gorgeous cover huh? I love the sunset effect - it looks absolutely romantic and nostalgic at the same time.

Book Description:

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 7th 2015

Sisters Moria and Ashyn are the Keeper and Seeker of Edgewood. Or at least, they were.

Their village is gone. Their friends have betrayed them. And now, the emperor has sent them on a mission to rescue the children of Edgewood—accompanied by Prince Tyrus and a small band of imperial warriors. But the journey proves more perilous than they could have imagined. With treachery and unrest mounting in the empire, Moria and Ashyn will have to draw on all their influence and power to overcome deadly enemies—not all of them human—and even avert an all-out war.

Why I Chose This: I loved, loved, loved Sea of Shadows - the first book. It was one of the best fantasy books that I read. I loved how the author dragged the budding romance, so much so that I wanted to trap the couples together in an isolated island myself. Looking forward to more epicness!

If you happen to drop by, kindly leave your Waiting on Wednesday links below so I could visit you, too!

Waiting on Wednesday: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff + Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Hi guys! For Waiting on Wednesday today, I'm featuring Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff + Court of Fives by Kate Elliott. Look at those summaries! Two highly anticipated reads from two of my favorite genres.

Book Description:

Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: 2015

From Publisher's Weekly:

THESE BROKEN STARS co-author Amie Kaufman and STORMDANCER author Jay Kristoff's ILLUMINAE, to Melanie Cecka at Knopf Children's, in a major deal, in a pre-empt, in a three book deal. Told through a dossier of hacked documents – including emails, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, graphics, and more – for what's billed as a found footage-style mashup of Battlestar Galactica and Ten Things I Hate About You, Illuminae is the story of of a young hacker and her fighter pilot ex-boyfriend who must uncover the truth about the deadly plague ravaging their fleet, the AI that should be protecting them, and the powers that be who may or may not be lying about everything.

Publication will begin in fall 2015; Tracey and Josh Adams at Adams Literary represented Kaufman, and Matt Bialer and Lindsay Ribar at Sanford J Greenburger Associates represented Kristoff.

Why I Chose this Book: I am a big fan of Jay Kristoff, his books were rated with 5 cupids on this blog. Aside from fact number 1: Jay Kristoff is one of the authors. I chose this because of fact number 2: that synopsis!! Hacked documents, military files, plague? I'm sold. I love the high-mystery pre-apocalypse setting.

Book Description:

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 18th 2015

A teenage girl secretly competes in her city's prestigious athletic competitions in this high-fantasy adventure that can be pitched as Game of Thrones meets The Hunger Games meets Little Women.

In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott's first young adult novel weaves an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.

Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whoever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

Why I Chose This: Another promising high fantasy for me! Schemes, class struggle, competition and danger are some of the elements that I look for in a book. So excited for this!

If you happen to drop by, kindly leave your Waiting on Wednesday links below so I could visit you, too!

Waiting on Wednesday: Arcana by Jessica Leake + Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Hi guys! For Waiting on Wednesday today, I'm featuring Arcana by Jessica Leake + Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe. Two books from different genres, with beautiful cover art.

Book Description:

Publisher: Talos
Publication Date: November 4, 2014
A romantic, suspenseful, genre-bending debut set in Edwardian London.

Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome—or dangerous. To help ease her entrance into society, Katherine’s family has elicited the assistance of the Earl of Thornewood, a friend and London’s most eligible bachelor, to be her constant companion at the endless fetes and balls. But upon her arrival in London, Katherine realizes there will be more to this season than just white gowns and husband hunting.

Through her late mother’s enchanted diary, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. Any misstep could mean ruin—and not just for her family name. The Order of the Eternal Sun is everywhere—hunting for those like her, able to feed on arcana with only a touch of the hand.

But society intrigue can be just as perilous as the Order. The machinations of the fashionable elite are a constant threat, and those who covet Katherine’s arcana, seeking the power of her birthright, could be hiding behind the façade of every suitor—even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood.

With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?

Why I Chose This: Historical London, magic? This reminds me of Wicked by Jessica Spotswood. I can't wait to actually read this. I haven't read anything historical for some time now. I would really like to get back on track.

Book Description:

Publisher: Razorbill Canada
Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Seventeen-year-old Skylar has been haunted for as long as she can remember by fleeting yet powerful sensations that something is horribly wrong. But despite the panic attacks tormenting her, nothing ever happens, and Sky’s beginning to think she’s crazy. Then she meets a mysterious, otherworldly boy named Win and discovers the shocking truth her premonitions have tapped into: our world no longer belongs to us. For thousands of years, Earth has been at the mercy of alien scientists who care nothing for its inhabitants and are using us as the unwitting subjects of their time-manipulating experiments. Win belongs to a rebel faction seeking to put a stop to it, and he needs Skylar’s help--but with each shift in the past, the very fabric of reality is unraveling, and soon there may be no Earth left to save

Why I Chose this Book: Megan Crewe is one of my favorite authors. She wrote the heartfelt dystopian series, Fallen World. I love the way she writes. Aside from that, I was intrigued with "time-manipulating experiments" and hope to read more about this.

If you happen to drop by, kindly leave your Waiting on Wednesday links below so I could visit you, too!

Waiting on Wednesday: Compulsion by Martina Boone + Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Hi guys! For Waiting on Wednesday today, I'm featuring Compulsion by Martina Boone + Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Aside from the gorgeous cover, the summaries are catchy.

Book Description:

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 28, 2014
Beautiful Creatures meets The Body Finder in this spellbinding new trilogy.

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson had been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lived with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Why I Chose This: This is the best "fusion-y" book ever. I love The Beautiful Creatures and am deeply intrigued by The Body Finder. I can't wait to actually read detailed reviews of this book. It sounds really, really, really, really promising. *grabby hands*

Book Description:

Publisher: Orion
Publication Date: March 26, 2015

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood—those with red and those with silver. Mare and her family are lowly Reds, destined to serve the Silver elite whose supernatural abilities make them nearly gods. Mare steals what she can to help her family survive, but when her best friend is conscripted into the army she gambles everything to win his freedom. A twist of fate leads her to the royal palace itself, where, in front of the king and all his nobles, she discovers a power of her own—an ability she didn't know she had. Except . . . her blood is Red.

To hide this impossibility, the king forces her into the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks her new position to aid the Scarlet Guard—the leaders of a Red rebellion. Her actions put into motion a deadly and violent dance, pitting prince against prince—and Mare against her own heart.

From debut author Victoria Aveyard comes a lush, vivid fantasy series where loyalty and desire can tear you apart and the only certainty is betrayal.

Why I Chose this Book: Ever since reading The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, I've been on the lookout for promising (oh yes, promising is the word of the day for me) fantasy reads. I like the color themes and of course, the amount of danger that the synopsis presents. In line with The Winner's Curse, there is also a master-slave hierarchy, which is bound to be interesting.

If you happen to drop by, kindly leave your Waiting on Wednesday links below so I could visit you, too!

Waiting on Wednesday: Subway Love + Princess of Thorns

Hi guys! For Waiting on Wednesday, I have two picks. One fantasy and one time travel read. I'm excited for both. :)

Book Description:

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date: May 13, 2014
What if destiny leads you to your soul mate, but the laws of time conspire to keep you apart?

If her parents had never divorced, Laura wouldn’t have to live in the shadow of Bruce, her mom’s unpredictable boyfriend. Her mom wouldn’t say things like "Be groovy," and Laura wouldn’t panic every weekend on the way to Dad’s Manhattan apartment. But when Laura spots a boy on a facing platform, lifting a camera to his face, looking right at her, Laura feels anything but afraid, and she can’t forget him. Jonas, meanwhile, thinks nonstop about the pretty hippie girl he glimpsed on the platform — trying to comprehend how she vanished, but mostly wondering whether he will see her again in a city of millions — and whether if he searches, he would have any chance of finding her. In a lyrical meditation on love, Nora Raleigh Baskin explores the soul’s ability to connect, and heal, outside the bounds of time and reason.

Why I Chose This You guys..THIS>>>> In a lyrical meditation on love, Nora Raleigh Baskin explores the soul’s ability to connect, and heal, outside the bounds of time and reason. This is exactly what I want to read in this book. I have read amazing time travel love stories such as All Our Yesterdays. But I'm still looking for something more heartfelt, more earth-and-soul-shattering. This might just be it.

Book Description:

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: December 9, 2014

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 Chose This: I love Stacey Jay's books! So when I saw this one on Goodreads, with her name on it, I just had to put it in my want-to-read pile. Another fierce heroine who goes to war for her throne, side by side with her *crosses fingers* love interest. Who would say no to that?

If you happen to drop by, kindly leave your Waiting on Wednesday links below so I could visit you, too!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Shadow Prince + The Winner's Curse [2014 Edition]

*waves* Hello! So, it's been two months since I last participated in Waiting on Wednesday. I can't believe it's been two months! Anyway, for this week's WOW, I'm featuring 2014 releases. I've been so out of the loop lately that I did Goodreads-research last Monday. Here are some of the titles that caught my attention:

Book Description:

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Date of Publication: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

In the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Cassandra Clare comes this brilliant, unputdownable, star-crossed romance about the curse of winning.

Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music.Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart

Why I chose this:

It's been a long time since I read a historical novel. I just miss the old world vibe of it. To be honest, what really caught my attention was the gorgeous cover. Then the plot: sort of like a two-worlds-apart forbidden romance. Plus it's fantasy, a genre very close to my heart.

Book Description:

The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain
Date of Publication: March 11th 2014
Publisher: Egmont

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

Why I chose this:

Back when I started blogging in 2010, Bree Despain's book, The Dark Divine, was one of the very first books I blogged about. I'm just so happy to see that she has new series! Plus, this is mythology-related and you all know I'm a sucker for that.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Leave your links below!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Elites by Natasha Ngan + Waterfell by Amalie Howard

*waves* Hi! It feels like AGES since I've done a Waiting on Wednesday post. This week, I have two novels that I'm absolutely dying to read. One is the second book of one of the best writers on the face of the planet, Amalie Howard, and the the other is a futuristic book with exoticism and romance.

Book Description:

The Elites by Natasha Ngan
Date of Publication: September 5th 2013
Publisher: Hot Key Books

'There is a rumour that the Elites don't bleed.'

Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures - and racial tension. Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She'd never dream of leaving - but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel's president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

Packed full of adventure, romance, exoticism and the power of friendship, THE ELITES is a highly compelling and beautifully written novel from a supremely talented debut author.

Why I chose this:

Oh my gosh, you guys! This sounds like my kind of read. Here's the list of things that I want in a book:

Futuristic. Check!
Wars. Check!
Scientific shiz. Check!
Adventure. Check!
Action. Check!
Exoticism. Check!

Whoa, I'm so excited to read this I'm practically trembling!

Book Description:

Waterfell by Amalie Howard
Date of Publication: October 29th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age.

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

Why I chose this:

Next up is a mermaid book, written by my favorite author and friend, Amalie Howard (who also wrote the amazing Bloodspell in 2011.) But aside from the fact that Amalie writes so darn well, like awe-inducing, smile-inducing perfection, mermaids! Guys, I'm so eager for a sea creature-starred book! Falling for a human boy = delicious romance. This just sounds so promising. Really looking forward!

What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Leave your links below!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Dance + Love in the Time of Global Warming

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

For this week, I'm desperately waiting for an upcoming YA novel by the author of my favorite historical-faery series (The Faerie Ring + The Torn Wing)!

The Last Dance by Kiki Hamilton
Publication Date: February 14, 2013 (Isn't that just perfect?)
Published by: Fair Wind Books

Two people couldn't be more opposite...

Kellen Peterson, the gorgeous star quarterback of the Griffin High football team, seems to have it all. Until the night of the Homecoming game, when Kellen gets tackled and suffers a traumatic brain injury - an injury that changes his life - including his ability to walk, talk and throw a football.

Ivy Ly is a senior and counting down the days until she can escape to college. Though her parents have big plans for her to be a doctor, Ivy is afraid to tell them she'd rather pursue music as a career.

Ivy's best friend, Mira, is obsessed with Kellen. When Ivy is asked to tutor the injured football player upon his return to school, she thinks it's the perfect opportunity for Mira to get to know him better - but sparks fly - in more ways than one...

Why I Chose this:

Why not? Kiki Hamilton is one of the nicest authors I've ever e-met and of course, she wrote one of my favorite series ever! I'm eager to read this! (And so curious as to how Kiki writes a contemporary novel.) I like the synopsis. Although it sounds simple, I can already imagine the sparks flying! Plus, I'm on a New Adult/Young Adult contemporary roll right now...so, yes to this! Another reason to want this: it comes out on February 14th, which isn't just Valentines day for me but also a special kind of day. ;)

Another book that I'm desperately waiting for is...

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block
Publication Date: August 27, 2013 (Isn't that just perfect?)
Published by: Henry Holt & Co. BYR

Seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) has lost everything—her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother. Like a female Odysseus in search of home, she navigates a dark world full of strange creatures, gathers companions and loses them, finds love and loses it, and faces her mortal enemy.

In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who holds hope and love in her hands and refuses to be defeated.

Why I Chose this:

Key word: dystopia. I admit that...the last dystopian novel I read was...was...was so long ago I can't even remember the name of the book! See? I'm dystopia-deprived. But seriously, what really drew me in was the title. I'm imagining this as a chaotic and romantic book. I haven't read any of the author's novels before and I'm hoping that this will be my first.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Leave your links!

Waiting on Wednesday: The OathBreaker's Shadow + After Eden

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine!

Here are the picks for this week:

The OathBreaker’s Shadow by Amy McCulloch

Publication Date: June 6, 2013

Published by: Random House UK

Fifteen-year-old Raim lives in a world where you tie a knot for every promise that you make. Break that promise and you are scarred for life, and cast out into the desert.

Raim has worn a simple knot around his wrist for as long as he can remember. No one knows where it came from, and which promise of his it symbolises, but he barely thinks about it at all—not since becoming the most promising young fighter ever to train for the elite Yun guard. But on the most important day of his life, when he binds his life to his best friend (and future king) Khareh, the string bursts into flames and sears a dark mark into his skin.

Scarred now as an oath-breaker, Raim has two options: run, or be killed.

A gripping YA action-adventure fantasy, the first part of a planned duology.

Why I Chose this:

Oh, a guy main character! I’m definitely going to read this. I have nothing against fierce and beautiful heroines but from time to time, I want to read something else. A story from a guy’s POV is refreshing. Plus, “A gripping YA action-adventure fantasy” – wow. I just have to have this!

After Eden by Helen Douglas

Publication Date: July 4, 2013

Published by: Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Eden Anfield loves puzzles, so when mysterious new boy Ryan Westland shows up at her school she's hooked. On the face of it, he's a typical American teenager. So why doesn't he recognise pizza? And how come he hasn't heard of Hitler? What puzzles Eden the most, however, is the interest he's taking in her.

As Eden starts to fall in love with Ryan, she begins to unravel his secret. Her breakthrough comes one rainy afternoon when she stumbles across a book in Ryan's bedroom - a biography of her best friend - written over fifty years in the future. Confronting Ryan, she discovers that he is there with one unbelievably important purpose ... and she might just have destroyed his only chance of success.

Why I Chose this:

Since I’m co-hosting the YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge for this year, of course, it’s a given that I’m crazy for time travel. Especially ones that have romance. Can’t wait to read this!

What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Leave links so I could visit you, too!