Waiting on Wednesday: Dare you to by Katie McGarry

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s can’t wait to read selection is
Dare you to by Katie McGarry.
Publication Date: May 28th 2013.

Dare you to - Harlequin Teen

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Synopsis from goodreads.com

It has been hard to find a comparing romance for Pushing the Limits, Katie McGarry's first book in this series. Unexpected twists and turns as well as the tender love both main characters shied and clung to at the same time pushed my expectations high. Now comes the sequel with a focus on former minor character Beth and I'm both wary and excited for its release. Beth is a good and very close friend to both Noah and Isaiah in Pushing the Limits. I also perceived her as a fighter and rough on the outside. The synopsis for Dare you to now suggests Beth and Ryan - two strong characters - clashing and their love being based on a dare. I expect a rollercoaster of feelings and am a little sceptical as to where that will lead, but I learned from book one: there's always hope!

Which release are you not so patiently waiting for this Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday: Skylark by Meagan Spooner

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!  

Skylark by Meagan Spooner.

Skylark - Corgi

I knew what I would find when I tried the handle, but the wave of despair still choked me. The door wouldn’t budge.
-- Chapter 6

“And then you’ll go home,” he said, and twisted my hair so hard my eyes watered. I didn’t cry out, though. I heard his message:
We’re lying.
-- Chapter 7

I don’t usually have a problem with books that throw you into the story without warning. And I wouldn’t say that I had a problem with this one. But I somehow found myself asking What is going on? a little too often during the beginning. I think I mostly have figured that out by now and I’m beginning to enjoy the scenario of this world so let’s see where this will lead. At the moment, I wouldn’t mind if Caesar were actually called Brutus.

Let us know in the comments what you are currently reading.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s can’t wait to read selection is
The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller.
Publication Date: May 7th 2013.

The Summer I Became A Nerd -
Entangled Teen

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

Synopsis from goodreads.com.

It should be obvious, why I'm waiting for this book's release: it sounds extremely funny! My own nerd-tendencies lie with Marvel heroes (particularly the Marvel 1602 ones) and I am looking forward to (in-)direct references to video games and comic books. :) But I gather it must be very hard for Maddie to reconcile the cheerleader persona with the comic book loving girl - especially, when there's so much at stake as the love of one certain "adorkable" guy named Logan. How will she attempt to keep both her worlds separate and, failing that, what comes out of it in the end?

Do you have favourite comic or video game heroes as well? Tell us in the comments with your Waiting on Wednesday choice!

Teaser Tuesday: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!  

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi.

Through the Ever Night
- HarperCollins

Aria shook her head, trying not to smile. Truly, Roar was the perfect choice. He had taught her all she knew about sounds—and knives. “Everything except modesty.”
-- Chapter 4

“Wait. What’s wrong with Reverie?”
He grinned, tipping his chin up. “If you want to know, then come back.”
-- Chapter 18

I’ve just started reading this one and picked the second quote at random from the middle ... without spoiling myself, which is quite a feat I think. I’ll admit that I sometimes skip a few pages ahead to get a sense of what’s coming. Less so with eBooks since they don’t really allow for that kind of thing. Anyway, I’m a few pages in and already have a feeling that I’ll like this sequel better than Under the Never Sky. I can’t quite say why yet and I might very well be disappointed later, but right now I’m very much enjoying the Outside. And I want to punch Wylan and Hess, but that shouldn’t be a surprise.

Do you skip ahead in books? Or do you even read the ending or the last page before you finish? Tell us in the comments.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s can’t wait to read selection is
The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar.
Publication Date: March 21st 2013.

The Art of Wishing -
Dial Books For Young Readers

He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

Synopsis from goodreads.com.

Before coming across The Art of Wishing, my only knowledge of genii came from the TV-series Dream of Jeannie (originally from the 60s, though I watched it much later) and Disney's Aladdin. It seems to me, I have got a lot of catching up to do concerning genii and this book looks like a nice start, especially as it throws some questions at me, I really like to get answered. Does Oliver sleep in a bottle, too, and how old is he really? Come to think of it, who would want to murder a genie? And how would that be possible anyway? Then there is Margo, who might actually be able to do something about Oliver's predicament. A genie in need of help, a female hero and maybe a bit of romantic tension here and there? Sounds all very good to me.

Have you read genie books before? Are there any in your can't wait choices this week? Tell us in the comments!

Teaser Tuesday: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!  

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Evolution of Mara Dyer
- Simon & Schuster BfYR

I did something brave, then. Or stupid. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. I decided to trust her.
-- Chapter 2

“She scares me sometimes,” Dad finished. “You think she doesn’t scare me?” Maybe I didn’t want to hear this conversation after all.
-- Chapter 8

I feel like a bad reader for only getting to this one now. As an excuse that is not an excuse I think I’ll finish this in almost one sitting (damn pesky obligations like sleeping and working). Mara also is the sort of character that you have to be in the mood for to read about her and at the moment I’m absolutely enjoying her voice as it is quite different from the usual narrator in this category. Just the fact that I’m constantly asking myself how reliable Mara’s observation is and if what she is seeing is actually happening. One minor grievance: At this point there has been decidedly not enough of Noah. Even if I hear that this is a blessing and a curse. I like it better when he is around.

Do you have books that require a certain mood for you to read them? Tell us in the comments along with your teasers!

Waiting on Wednesday: Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s can’t wait to read selection is
Unremembered by Jessica Brody.
Publication Date: March 5th 2013.

Unremembered - Farrar, Straus, & Giroux

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.
Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.
Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.
Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

Synopsis from goodreads.com

Maybe this is not the best book to read when you are planning a long distance flight ... or maybe it is in spite of the premises. However, I know that this book will make it into my possession as quickly as I can get my hands on it. It sounds like a well-developed mystery with just the right amount of suspense and possible romance.

Which book are you (not so) patiently waiting for this week?

Teaser Tuesday: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
To play along just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor.

Days of Blood and Starlight
- Little, Brown

He looked very tired, his eyes heavy-lidded, but he mustered a smile.
"All ready?" he asked her.
She nodded and lit the incense.
"Good girl."
She bristled at the words and the caressing tone in which he spoke them. Am I? she wondered as she sank to her knees to raise the dead.
-- Page 70

My teaser comes from the sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which was an amazing read. Whereas the first book had two perspectives from which to tell the story, Days of Blood and Starlight has three: Karou, Akiva and Zuzana. I like Zuzana the most; she is feisty and funny and a loyal friend to Karou. The teaser is taken from Karou's part though, because its tone reflects the tone of the book until now: dark, brooding, full of doubts - only broken by Zuzana's optimism. I'm still at the beginning and, as I'm afraid for the characters, it's not so easy for me to continue. There are difficult times ahead, but Zuzana is my (star-)light.

Which books are you reading right now? Tease us in the comments!

Preview of 2013

Happy New Year, everyone! Diana and I hope that all of you had a great start of the year and that it will treat you kindly. And, of course, that we will all discover great books this year. As a sort of attunement we have compiled a little preview of what we are looking forward to in the coming months.

Have you set yourself a challenge of how many books you want to read this year? And which titles are on your “definite read” list?

Diana’s picks:

The Nightmare Affair
– Mindee Arnett

I probably have said this before somewhere, but the idea of this book is totally new to me and I’m so excited about its realisation. The girl named Dusty is a Nightmare – personified, not metaphorical (I hope) – and she’s got to find a murderer in the dreams of a human boy and outside them. A murder mystery with an exceptional magical background and a love story – just the right combination for me. :) Expected publication: March 5th.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
– Neil Gaiman

By now I have read a bit of Gaiman’s work – including some of his comics – and I can say for certain that I never know what to expect of the books before reading. I read them nonetheless because I like the way Neil Gaiman creates his magical worlds, intertwining them with reality, and the way he tells his stories. This is exactly how I feel about The Ocean at the End of the Lane. The synopsis doesn’t tell me much, but I’m sure there’s magic somewhere and maybe one or three mystical creatures. That’s a good start. Expected publication: June 18th.


I read Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan in nearly one sitting and it was fabulous - until the end, which I just couldn’t get along with. So I wish for Untold, which doesn’t have a cover or a synopsis yet, to at least explain a bit of the ending and maybe start to mend what is broken. I have no certain idea in which direction the story might go now, but that makes it more exciting. Expected publication: August 29th.

Julika’s picks:

The Madness Underneath
– Maureen Johnson

The Name of the Star was one of my favourite books in 2011. Back then, the sequel was still announced for 2012. Then it got pushed to January, then February 2013 ... The Waiting Game is not one I enjoy, but I’m fairly certain that this one is worth waiting for. And now it is not too long. Barring unexpected circumstances, which you probably have to take into consideration ... seeing that it is Maureen Johnson. Expected publication: February 26th.

Clockwork Princess
– Cassandra Clare

This souldn’t come as a surprise for you. Both, Diana and I are waiting for this very much. (She got Untold for her list and I got this one for mine, fair sharing and all ;) .) As this is the last book in the series, I’m having mixed feelings about it. Theories that we have speculated about since book one are going to be proven or disproven and I’m sure that Cassie has quite a few surprises in store for us as well. Still, I don’t want to say goodbye to the Shadowhunters of Victorian London, even if we get to keep Magnus. Expected publication: March 19th.

The Eternity Cure
– Julie Kagawa

If there is one thing I’m a little put off about, it’s that the publisher changed the cover design of this series after the first book. Even if I understand the explanation why they did it ... and don’t get me wrong, I really like the new design. And after all, it’s still the content that counts. I’m very curious about the direction is sequel is going to take. I have a few theories and hopes, but I certainly don’t want to jinx them. Expected publication: April 23rd.