Waiting on Wednesday: The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

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 Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason.
Publication Date: September 17th 2013

The Clockwork Scarab
- Chronicle Books

Two young women of similar age and standing have disappeared:
one found dead and the other still missing. The only clue to
connect them is a small Egyptian clockwork scarab. Only Miss
Stoker and Miss Holmes are well-positioned enough—similar in
age and stature as they are to the victims—to investigate. An
unlikely pair, the fierce Evaline Stoker and logical Mina Holmes must follow in the footsteps of their infamous families—Miss Holmes has inherited her Uncle Sherlock’s keen investigative skills, while Miss Stoker has accepted her family calling as a hunter of the undead. The partners must find a way to work together, while navigating the advances of a strange yet handsome American, a clever Scotland Yard investigator, and a cunning thief, to solve the mystery of the clockwork scarabs.

Set in steam punk London, steeped in Egyptian mythology
and literary references, with a surprising time travel twist and compelling romantic triangles, Colleen Gleason has crafted a fast-paced and romantic debut young adult novel.

Synopsis from goodreads.com

I admit it, I'm a wee bit obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. The thorougly read Holmes collection on my bookshelf might indicate that fact. So there's no way I could bypass a book with a Holmes relative in it. 

Stoker is a new field to me though and I think, I'll keep it that way and let myself be surprised by his sister. She and Miss Holmes seem striking women, quite fitting for a steam punk setting. With both of them working together, mystery is a given and mythology an added bonous. I only wonder why there have to be love triangles and time travels. The synopsis sounds suspenseful enough as it is. 

Do you (re-) read the classics before delving into stories based on them? Let us hear your views and Wednesday picks in the comments.

Teaser Tuesday: Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins

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!

Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins.

Sweet Peril – HarperTeen

I shuddered. Couldn’t Dad somehow teach them to knock? Anything less jarring than dive-bombing toward my face unexpectedly.
— Chapter 7

“As if you don’t know.” Ginger’s eyes narrowed with distrust as she studied me.
My stomach compacted into a firm ball of nerves. “I don’t know.” I looked over at Marna. “Tell me.”
— Chapter 8

Didn’t I recently say something about sequels and final books? So no worries there are enough unfinished series to go around. At the very least this one is straight forward and doesn’t for example change its main characters or locations ... well, technically speaking it probably does. It  suffers a little from what I call second-book-syndrome-of-absent-guy-and-possible-replacement-guy. Only not as badly as other series, and I also don’t want to smack the heroine around the head on a constant basis. I’m about a third in now, but I really hope that things will pick up soon, otherwise this could become a little tedious.

Have you been disappointed in a sequel recently? Sound off about it in comments and share your current read.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fragile Spirits by Mary Lindsey

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
Fragile Spirits by Mary Lindsey.
Publication Date: January 23rd 2014

Fragile Spirits - Philomel

Paul has always known he was a Protector, fated to serve a Speaker who could hear the voices of spirits lingering after death and help those souls find peace.

Vivienne ignores the voices of the dead.

Paul has always followed the Protector’s rule book, preparing diligently for the day when he’d be matched with his Speaker and fulfill his destiny.

Vivienne never does what she’s told.

So when Paul is matched with Vivienne, they both find the pairing less than satisfactory. But a kidnapping, a malevolent spirit and power stronger than both of them may just prove that they are two halves of the same whole.

Synopsis from goodreads.com. 

When it comes to series, I'm torn between wanting to delve back into the world I know - including the characters already presented (and loved) - or reading about totally new characters set in the same universe. Both ways can work well and I can't decide, which I prefer. I really liked Lenzi and Alden of Shattered Souls and would have loved to read about them again. However, the synopsis for the sequel Fragile Spirits promises interesting new characters, especially feisty Vivienne, lots of suspense and maybe a love story. 

Do you prefer changing characters in a series or rather keep the known ones? Share your opinion in the comments along with your waiting on choice.

Teaser Tuesday: Ink by Amanda Sun

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!

Ink by Amanda Sun.

Ink – HarlequinTeen

There’s a saying in Japan, and it has to do with cherry-blossom viewing — hana yori dango — Dumplings over flowers. It basically means that someone should value needs over wants, substance over appearance.
— Chapter 3

He was drawing a dragon, long and angular, and it wriggled on the page like a snake, like the scrap I had picked up that day. The sun glinted on its mouth full of shiny teeth and my whole body went cold.
— Chapter 10

I’m not an artist but I have seen drawings that looked real enough to jump right off the page. The idea that this could somehow happen is equal parts awesome and terrifying. What I really love about this book are all the distinctly Japanese references, customs, and habits that at least to me who has never been to Japan seem real and well-researched. Even if I wished that the Japanese glossary was more easily accessible when reading the eBook. And as a former cultural studies student I appreciate the "find your identity and define yourself via othering". But don’t worry it’s definitely not a case study situation but a really interesting story and refreshingly "other".

Would a setting in a culture that you possibly cannot relate to immediately make you hesitate to pick up a book or rather make you more interested in it? Sound off in the comments and share your Tuesday pick.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fake ID by Lamar Giles

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
Fake ID by Lamar Giles.
Publication Date: January 21st 2014

Fake ID - HarperCollins

Nick Pearson is pretending to be someone he isn’t. Not high school pretending. Witness Protection pretending. And the #1 rule is “stay low-key”. But, when his sole friend Eli dies in the school’s journalism room under mysterious circumstances, and Nick stumbles upon the conspiracy Eli planned on exposing, staying low-key takes a backseat to staying alive.

Newspaper Nerd Eli had a secret, an in-the-works story codenamed “Whispertown”. And it’s got a lot of folks interested. Like corrupt cops, the town’s shady mayor, and certain high-ranking government officials. Teaming with Eli’s estranged (and gorgeous) sister, Nick sets out to unravel the mystery and still maintain his cover. He’ll have to use all the deviant skills he’s gained from his racketeering dad, assassin godfather, and their Serbian gangster boss to find the truth. However, each clue brings him closer to answers he may not want. Whispertown is bigger than he could have ever imagined, and in its shadow stands a killer…a killer Nick fears may be his own father.

Synopsis from goodreads.com.

When I chanced across Fake ID on goodreads, I immediately wanted to throw my self-imposed no-buying-books-this-month rule over board. Fortunate for my purse, much less so for me, there's quite a wait for this book's release. The synopsis however promises a thrilling read with Nick trying to solve his best friend's murder whilst keeping his witness protection cover. Secrets, suspense and mystery all rolled into one; that's surely worth the wait.

Have you picked up a book you came across purely by chance lately? Tell us in the comments along with your waiting on choice.