{WOW} A CROWN OF WISHES by Roshani Chokshi

"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: A Crown of Wishes
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: The Star-Touched Queen, book #2
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: March 28, 2017

The new novel follows Gauri, the younger sister of the titular Star-Touched Queen, on her harrowing quest for freedom.

When Gauri, the princess of Bharata, is captured by her kingdom’s rivals, she can only find help in Vikram, the cunning prince of an enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with royal life, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. They set aside their differences and team up to compete in the Tournament of Wishes, wherein the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor. Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

OMGOMGOMG! That cover is a thing of beauty. Like, I LOVED the cover for The Star-Touched Queen, but this thing is maybe even more gorgeous! And I love that it's a companion, not a true sequel, so we get to follow Gauri on her adventures this time around. And I really, really hope that's Kamala on the front. I miss that bite-y demon horse! =D =D =D

Check out the excerpt revealed yesterday on EW!!!

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: beautiful covers, fantasy, favorite authors, favorites, girl power, grabby hands, must-read, roshani chokshi, st. martin's press, the star-touched queen

Judging a Book By Its Cover: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

We so borrowed this idea from Sara at Forever 17 Books, who got the idea from an article on Babble called Judging a Book by Its Cover: A 6-year-old Guesses What Classic Novels Are All About. Basically, it's about getting a child's perspective on the story inside the book based on just the cover art. It can be hilarious, but it can also be enlightening.

Okay, I totally missed doing these posts with Katie, and it looks like it's been right at a year since our last one. While cleaning recently, I found the folder that I kept her previous iterations in -- all 33 of them! -- so I begged April to see if Aubrey would be up to contributing, too. Lucky for me, she was! =)






This week, the girls are working on the following book:

Title: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories
Author: various
Series: anthology
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you're going to fall in love with My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by 12 best-selling young adult writers (Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de La Peña, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Stephanie Perkins, Laini Tayler and Kiersten White) and edited by the international bestselling Stephanie Perkins. Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa, there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have 12 reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

Behold, the girls' attempts at recreating My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories, edited by Stephanie Perkins...

Aubrey's masterpiece & guess:

Aubrey says:

"I think it's about people who love ice skating at Christmas time. And they live in the snowy mountains."

Aubrey is quite familiar with living in the snowy mountains. I have to say though, the orange skater looks like he broke his leg, but  I didn't tell her that. lol. I'm reading this book slowly right now. A story here, a story there. It's pretty cute so far. Love this time of year!




Katie's artwork & thoughts:

Katie says:

"I think it's a Christmas story and it takes place at night. And I think it's about them having fun and them all skating together."

Hehe...I love this just as much as I loved the book! I think it's adorable that Katie picked her two favorite couples to depict, rather than doing all twelve couples. Actually, what she said was, "I don't have to do all of those people, do I?" It's her vision so I just let her roll with it any old way, and I like the direction she took.

This book is seriously such a cute holiday read. You can read my review here. There's something for everyone...really! Some stories from favorite authors and some from authors I'd only ever heard of, but all of them were worth a read. This anthology definitely got me in the mood for some holiday cheer!


Have you read this book or do you plan to? What do you think of the girls' artwork and their thoughts on the story's premise?

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Labels: anthology, aubrey, beautiful covers, christmas, contemporary, cover art, favorites, happy new year, holidays, judging a book by its cover, katiebug, st. martin's press

Waiting on Wednesday: Better Than Perfect & All the Rage

"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 selections are...








's Pick:

Title: Better Than Perfect
Author: Melissa Kantor
Series: n/a
Publisher: HaperTeen
Publication Date: February 17th, 2015

Juliet Newman has it all. A picture-perfect family; a handsome, loving boyfriend; and a foolproof life plan: ace her SATs, get accepted into Harvard early decision, and live happily ever after.

But when her dad moves out and her mom loses it, Juliet begins questioning the rules she’s always lived by. And to make everything even more complicated there’s Declan, the gorgeous boy who makes her feel alive and spontaneous—and who’s totally off-limits. Torn between the life she always thought she wanted and one she never knew was possible, Juliet begins to wonder: What if perfect isn't all it’s cracked up to be?

Melissa Kantor once again delivers a tale that is equal parts surprising, humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic. Powerful and honest, Juliet’s story brilliantly portrays the highs and lows of life in high school and will resonate with any reader who has experienced either.

While getting our TTT together for this week, it made me think of how much I'm looking forward to this book. I loved Maybe One Day and I'm hoping I will love this one just as much. Thankfully I won't have to wait until February to read it. I'll be getting to this one as soon as possible. :)

's Pick:

Title: All the Rage
Author: Courtney Summers
Series: n/a
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: April 14, 2015

In her hardcover debut, from the author of Cracked Up To Be and This is Not a Test, comes a powerful new young adult novel.　

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous.But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now—but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

So, I was just saying how I needed to read more from Courtney Summers after loving This is Not a Test, and I think I know which one I want to read next. If TiNaT is any indication, this will not be an easy book to read, but it will be honest and real. And after reading the first chapter, I know I'm going to feel all the rage myself. I hadn't planned to feature this book this week, but the cover was revealed yesterday and I checked out that sneak peek, and I knew I had to switch out my pick for this week. This book is going to be amazing and sad and poignant and I cannot wait until I have the opportunity to read the whole thing.

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: all the rage, Better than perfect, contemporary, courtney summers, harper-collins, macmillan, Melissa Kantor, st. martin's press, tough subject, waiting on wednesday (wow)

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Series: n/a
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: September 10th, 2013
Source: Borrowed from Jen
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Ahhhh I loved Fangirl!!! Thank you so much Jen for sending me your copy so I could experience the awesomeness at last. Now it’s time to gush, so let’s do this!

Real quick though, I’ll mention the one thing I didn’t like. The fan fiction parts. I couldn’t get into them. I think that was mostly just because I wanted to get back to the story at hand, but I found myself skimming those parts.

Other than that, Fangirl was perfect for me. I loved the whole college experience through Cath's eyes. It came across as very realistic. I always wanted to go to college, and I finally got to from the comfort of my couch. Cath had a twin sister. This was a huge plus because I have this thing with reading about twins. I’m obsessed with Twins. I blame Sweet Valley Twins from my younger years.

Cath is not the most social person you could say, and adjusting to college life left for some awkward moments. Laugh out loud at times. On top of all that, her sister is trying to become independent from her. She feels alone and scared.

I loved her roommate, and Levi, Oh Levi. He’s just so great. We need more nice guys in books! Those are the ones that really steal my heart, and Levi has mine.

I know this is is a short review, but it's heard to review greatness. Fangirl is such a good coming of age story, and I will insist my daughter read it one day. INSIST!!!

About the author:



Rainbow Rowell writes books. Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS and LANDLINE). Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK and FANGIRL). But she always writes about people who talk a lot. And people who feel like they're screwing up. And people who fall in love.

When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguing about things that don't really matter in the big scheme of things.

She lives in Nebraska with her husband and two sons.

Find Rainbow Rowell:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: college life, fangirl, rainbow rowell, reviews, st. martin's press

Waiting on Wednesday: Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan & Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

"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...

Title: Untold
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: The Lynburn Legacy, book #2
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Free from bonds, but not each other.

It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?’

Why Jen's waiting:  I think Unspoken was probably my favorite book last year.  There were lots I loved, but that one, it was made of pure awesome.  And after that ending, GAAAHH!  I need this sequel now.

But, can I have it with a cover to match the first book?  Pretty please?  This one's okay, but I really liked how different and unique the cover for Unspoken was and was hoping for more of the same with the rest of the series, especially since the "covers" for the prequel stories even match.  :(

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Series: n/a
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: September 10, 2013

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

Or will she just go on living inside somebody else’s fiction?

Why Mendy's waiting:  Yay, a sister story!  Sort of.  :)  This sounds fun, and Jen liked Eleanor & Park, so I think I'd like to give this author a try myself.


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: contemporary, fangirl, favorites, gothic mystery, magic, rainbow rowell, random house, sarah rees brennan, st. martin's press, the lynburn legacy, waiting on wednesday (wow)

In My Mailbox #40

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  It's a weekly meme where we all get to brag about the books and swag we got in the mail, for review, won in contests, etc.

Um, so, I wasn't bad or anything this week, but I'm still not helping myself when I do this.  :0(  Maybe I should just face facts and admit that I'll never really get caught up.  But couldn't all of the wonderful authors out there just take a small break, like maybe a two-month vacation or something, just to give me a chance?  No?  Okay, well, then I need to figure out how to absorb the contents of a book by touch.  Or intravenously.  Something.

Alright, I'm done whining.  Sorry about that.  Here's the awesomeness that was delivered to me this week:

For Review:

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Inbetween by Tara Fuller
Covet by Melissa Darnell
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Purchased:

Hex Hall & Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins, audiobooks - a re-read was necessary for me to start Spell Bound but I don't have time for an actual re-read so this will have to do
Cinder by Marissa Meyer, audiobook - finally gonna see what all the fuss is about

So, at least some of my purchases (or re-purchases, since I already own the hardcovers, d'oh!) are for a good cause.  I'm desperate to read the last installment of Sophie's story.  Oh, how I've missed her snark!

Well, what did the mailbox faeries bestow upon you this week?  ;0)

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Labels: audiobooks, entangled, harlequin-teen, in my mailbox (imm), st. martin's press