Waiting on Wednesday: Devil and the Bluebird by Jennifer Mason-Black

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

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: Devil and the Blackbird
Author: Jennifer Mason-Black
Series: n/a
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: May 17, 2016

“Devil-at-the-crossroads” folklore finds its way to YA via this moody, magical tale.

Blue Riley has wrestled with her own demons ever since the loss of her mother to cancer. But when she encounters a beautiful devil at her town crossroads, it’s her runaway sister’s soul she fights to save. The devil steals Blue’s voice—inherited from her musically gifted mother—in exchange for a single shot at finding Cass.

Armed with her mother’s guitar, a knapsack of cherished mementos, and a pair of magical boots, Blue journeys west in search of her sister. When the devil changes the terms of their deal, Blue must reevaluate her understanding of good and evil and open herself to finding family in unexpected places.

In Devil and the Bluebird, Jennifer Mason-Black delivers a heart-wrenching depiction of loss and hope.

Cover lust. I have it. Also, you tell me there's a devil in the story, and I am so in. Plus, sister stories are always worth a read, having two sisters of my own and never really understanding either of them completely. Also also, I can't say no to characters named Blue. So, to sum up, this book sounds all kinds of made for me. :D


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: amulet, beautiful covers, devil and the bluebird, folk lore, jennifer mason-black, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Waiting on Wednesday: Unhinged by A.G. Howard & How To Love by Katie Cotugno

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

This week's WoW selection's are...

Title: Unhinged
Author: A.G. Howard
Series: Splintered, book #2
Publisher: Amulet
Publication Date: January 2014

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

I was slow to discover the awesome that was Splintered earlier this year, partly because I judged the book by its cover.  It's not that I hated it...it just didn't sit right with me as the cover for an Alice retelling.  But I gave the audio a try after seeing many, many great reviews for the book, and I fell in love with the characters, the story, and eventually, even the cover.  I know now that the covers for these books are very indicative of the magic and beauty contained in the pages, and I find that I kind of love them now.  And I'm so glad there wasn't a cover redesign for them!

Title: How To Love
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice.

I love that simple cover.  And I kind of adore complicated love stories with a heaping dose of reality.  And I want to know where Sawyer ran off to and why he's decided to come back into Reena's life.







What are you waiting on this week?  Feel free to share it in the comments or leave a link so we can stop by!

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Labels: a.g. howard, amulet, contemporary, fantasy, harper-collins, how to love, katie cotugno, retellings, splintered, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Awhile on the Pile #12: The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Awhile on the Pile/From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday but was also inspired by Rachel at My Reading Pile/Fiktshun. The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review -- or any book that you own and really want to read/review -- but haven't yet got around to reading in order to give the book some extra publicity.

Here's the book I chose to give some extra love this week:

Title:  The Peculiars
Author:  Maureen Doyle McQuerry
Series:  n/a
Publisher:  Amulet
Publication Date:  May 1, 2012
Source:  ARC

This dark and thrilling adventure, with an unforgettable heroine, will captivate fans of steampunk, fantasy, and romance. On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears.

I think I haven't gotten around to 80% of the books that released on my birthday.  There were just too many, and my main focus at that time was Insurgent.  But had my ARC come with this cover instead of the plain, cartoonish one it did, I might have read it immediately instead of sticking it on the bookshelf to collect dust.  [Figuratively, I mean...my books don't collect dust.  ;0) ]

Have you read this one?  If so, what did you think?

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Labels: amulet, awhile on the pile, historical fiction, maureen doyle mcquerry, paranormal, steampunk, the peculiars

Guest Review: A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle

Today, I'm welcoming back the lovely Mckenzie Kate to review another middle-grade title for us.  I love hearing what actual teens think about the books that are targeted toward their age group, and Mckenzie never disappoints.  So, without further ado, here is her engaging review of Roddy Doyle's A Greyhound of a Girl:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title:  A Greyhound of a Girl
Author:  Roddy Doyle
Series:  n/a
Publisher:  Amulet Books
Publication Date:  May 1, 2012
Source:  ARC

Mary O’Hara is a sharp and cheeky 12-year-old Dublin schoolgirl who is bravely facing the fact that her beloved Granny is dying. But Granny can’t let go of life, and when a mysterious young woman turns up in Mary’s street with a message for her Granny, Mary gets pulled into an unlikely adventure. The woman is the ghost of Granny’s own mother, who has come to help her daughter say good-bye to her loved ones and guide her safely out of this world. She needs the help of Mary and her mother, Scarlett, who embark on a road trip to the past. Four generations of women travel on a midnight car journey. One of them is dead, one of them is dying, one of them is driving, and one of them is just starting out.

Mary O’Hara is a twelve-year-old girl living in Dublin, Ireland. Unfortunately, things haven't been going very well for Mary lately. Not only has her best friend just moved away, but her grandmother, Emer, is extremely sick and has been admitted to the hospital. To add to that, a strange woman keeps appearing in Mary’s neighborhood. Mary assumes she is a new neighbor, but finds out later that that is not true at all. The woman, Tansey, short for Anastasia, is a ghost. A ghost of Mary’s grandmother’s mother. She’d heard of Tansey plenty of times in stories, but, of course, had never met her in person. Now, Tansey is asking Mary and her mother (who, oddly enough, are not all that shocked about a ghost in front of them) to help her reach Emer again so she can talk to her. Mary and her mother agree to help Tansey and take her to the hospital to see her daughter, and that’s where the adventure begins.

This book was so fun and interesting to read. And set in Ireland? Even better! A lot of Irish references and words throughout the story had me laughing out loud, along with several other parts, but then, there were parts that had me on the verge of tears, as well. I’ve never read any books by Roddy Doyle before, and, though A Greyhound of a Girl may be my first, it definitely won’t be my last! The writing style was unique and captivating, and I was hooked from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, exciting read. Also, the cover and pages are beautiful, and that is always a plus!

Now, for my favorite characters!

~ Scarlett: Scarlett, Mary’s mother, was so hilarious and eccentric that I couldn’t help but love her. Though my mother is not eccentric by any means, she is also hilarious and always in good spirits, and Scarlett reminded me of her. She was always shouting things and ending sentences with !!!s, as Mary said.

~ Tansey: Tansey’s story, though sad, was enjoyable to read about. I loved reading about her and what happened, how she died, and how she was able to stay on earth as a ghost. Tansey and Emer had a beautiful mother/daughter relationship, and I could really relate to that, as well.

~ Dommo and Killer (Dominic and Kevin): Though these two boys (Mary’s older brothers) did not appear in the story often, it was interesting, to say the least, when they did. They were usually very funny, and a lot of parts involving these two had me cracking up. Like this (also an example of Mary’s hilarious, overly-excited mother):

… the boys charged into the kitchen, in a race to the fridge that Killer was winning.
The boys stopped when they saw Tansey.
“We’re talking about death, boys!” said Scarlett.
“Cool,” said Dommo.

This was an amazing story, and, after reading in the back of the book where some of Roddy Doyle’s books have become movies, I hope this is made into a film, also. I have a feeling it will - such a wonderful book deserves to be on the big screen! I hope to read more of Roddy Doyle’s fabulous work… and soon!

Thank you so much, Ms. Jen, for sending me this book for review!

Rating: 

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Thank YOU, Miss Katertot, for taking the time to read and review another book for us!  I know this one, in particular, was a little emotional for you, but I really appreciate your thoughtful, insightful review.  If you do pick up any more of Roddy Doyle's works, please do share your thoughts with us!

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Labels: amulet, guest reviews, katertot, middle-grade, reviews