Waiting on Wednesday: Saint Anything & Lying Out Loud

"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: Saint Anything
Author: Sarah Dessen
Series: n/a
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: May 5th, 2015

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

Last year, I listened to a few of Dessen's books in audio. I became a quick fan. So far, my two favs are Just Listen and Lock and Key. Really looking forward to this one. :)




's Pick:



Title: Lying Out Loud
Author: Kody Keplinger
Series: stand-alone, companion to The DUFF
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: April 28, 2015

Kody Keplinger returns to the world of The DUFF in this brand-new companion novel!

Sonny Ardmore is an excellent liar. She lies about her dad being in prison. She lies about her mom kicking her out. And she lies about sneaking into her best friend's house every night because she has nowhere else to go.

Amy Rush might be the only person Sonny shares everything with -- secrets, clothes, even a nemesis named Ryder Cross.

Ryder's the new kid at Hamilton High and everything Sonny and Amy can't stand -- a prep-school snob. But Ryder has a weakness: Amy. So when Ryder emails Amy asking her out, the friends see it as a prank opportunity not to be missed.

But without meaning to, Sonny ends up talking to Ryder all night online. And to her horror, she realizes that she might actually like him. Only there's one small catch: he thinks he's been talking to Amy. So Sonny comes up with an elaborate scheme to help Ryder realize that she's the girl he's really wanted all along. Can Sonny lie her way to the truth, or will all her lies end up costing her both Ryder and Amy?

I didn't think I would like any of Kody Keplinger's books when I first read the summaries, but I've ended up really enjoying all of them. They're cute and comical and just plain fun. And I know that The DUFF movie really seems nothing like the actual book, but I still want to see it. =) And now there's going to be another book set in the same school with some old favorites, too? SIGN. ME. UP!


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: companion novel, contemporary, funfunfun, kody keplinger, lying out loud, Saint Anything, sarah dessen, scholastic, the duff, viking juvenile, waiting on wednesday (wow)

When Books Are Better as Companions

I actually posted a little bit of my thoughts on companion novels in my review for Boomerang, which is the first in a series of companion novels from Noelle August, also known as the pseudonym for Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger:

The sad thing, though, is that when I like one of them [new adult novel], I'm usually under the impression that the book is a stand-alone, only to find out later that it's the first in a series of companion novels -- and I usually don't like the "sequels" nearly as much.

I kind of have a love-hate relationship with companion novels. I should probably write up a discussion post about the topic since I have a lot to say on the matter. Anyway, the reason I mention this is because going in to Boomerang, I knew that there would be follow-up books. Which is perfectly acceptable to me...knowing versus not knowing is the key. I just hope that the next novel in the series will prominently feature Ethan and Mia, rather than just giving them a small cameo to appease fans of the first book. That's probably what bothers me most about this type of series: that you're just getting to know the characters in the first book, and then the second book is like starting all over with completely new characters, even if you did meet them briefly in the previous installment.

There was some interest in this topic, so April and I decided to make a discussion post out of it after all. As one does.

General Feels:

Jen:  Okay, I freely admit that I'm one of those people who always begs for more from an author:  more story, more from these characters, more words, period. Just as long as the author doesn't make it last too long, ya know? And that all depends on the series and how it's going. Sometimes, seven books is fine and sometimes it is way past the point of too much and the author seems to be reaching.

I've found the use of companion novels most frequent in contemporary series (YA and NA), and they always seem to start off great with that first book. But then the "series" loses it's momentum by the third book and I find I don't really care about the new characters by then. Obviously that's not always true, but from my experience, it happens more often than not, i.e. The Losing It series by Cora Carmack and the Pushing the Limits series by Katie McGarry. I loved the first and second book in each of those series because the characters were still familiar, but by the third book, I was done.

On the other hand, when a fantasy series makes use of the companion novel, I usually find myself captivated. Admittedly, I haven't read all that many like this, but some favorites include the Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore, the For Darkness Shows the Stars series by Diana Peterfreund -- who, coincidentally is also working on a New Adult series of companion novels under her pseudonym, and the Starbound series by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. For whatever reason, it works for me in these series.

April:  For the most part I enjoy companion novels. There are those instances like Jen mentioned, where they start to go down hill. For me the Pushing the Limits Series is great, but I haven't read the most recent one yet, it's still sitting on my kindle. I haven't read The Losing it series yet. I suck.

I do get discouraged when I read a book I like and realize it's only the first book in a string of companions, because you guys.. my to read list is huge. Before I started blogging, I was all about the companion books. Who doesn't like to see snippets of previously loved characters, but now I'm like like... *sigh* When will I ever get to those?

So it's really a love/hate thing for me these days.

Biggest Gripes:

Jen:  My biggest beef with companion novels is that we only get the barest glimpse of the characters we've come to know and love in the first book. I don't need a sequel to a contemporary novel unless it's warranted, but I'd like more than a cursory glance at the lives of the characters that were introduced in the previous novel. With most companion novels, it's all hello goodbye and they don't make another appearance in the story. Of course, this isn't always the case. Sometimes companion novels are only set in the same world and feature none of the previous characters at all. So, it's kind of like that idiom my mom was fond of saying...six of one, half a dozen of the other.

April:  hmmm, my biggest gripe is when a companion novel follows a side character I dislike. Because while I want to know what the first beloved characters are up to, I'm not sure it's worth the money to bother with. Then I feel like I'll miss out on something.

On The Flip Side:

Jen:  Sometimes, very rarely, I end up liking the second or third novel in a companion series even more than the first. And in those cases, it's a lucky thing that the current installment features new characters, especially if I wasn't fond of the ones I met in the first book. In a fantasy companion series, it's a chance for the author to continue with their world-building by focusing on different characters and areas of their world. I guess that's why I appreciate this technique more in a fantasy setting.

April:  Sometimes that side character you hate from the first books, ends up being pretty awesome. I had this happen with the Between the Lines series by Tammara Webber. I hated Reid through book one and two so I wasn't pleased to see he got his own story. I ended up loving it and him.

What Could Make Them Better:

Jen:  Obviously, I'd like more interactions with characters from previous books. Maybe make the second novel from the perspective of the first novel's best friend so that they're still very much in the picture, just not the focus of the story. I suppose that negates that whole "separate but still part of a series" vibe companion novels are supposed to have. So, if more character interactions isn't possible then maybe have NO interactions with previous characters in the series. I don't want just a fleeting look at those characters, so I'd rather just not know that they're there. I guess you could say I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. ;-)

April:  I agree with Jen. More interactions with previous characters is a major plus. It's one of the things I look forward to most in companions. Also, better plots. Now I'm not speaking for all, but I've read a few companions that just seemed like they were riding off the popularity of the first books. Not a lot of story, and a whole lot of fluff. Just thrown together to make a buck. I feel if there is going to be a companion, it should be as well written as the first. I'm spending my hard earned cash on it after all.

Stand-alone Versus Sequel Versus Companion Novel:

Jen:  I find it really interesting how most reviews of companion novels make some mention of the fact that although the book is part of a series, each book can be read as a stand-alone. I'm not usually one to read books out of their published order, mostly because I'll always have that niggling feeling that I missed something in a previous book that's going to be important later. I'm just a little bit obsessive and need to read books in their proper order. Usually. Which is why I'd usually prefer to read a stand-alone or a series with actual sequels. No temptation to read the books all willy nilly.

However.

I'm willing to give more companion novels a chance, but I plan to do more research on the subject, too. I'm currently listening to Breathe, Annie, Breathe, which is the FIFTH companion novel in Miranda Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series. I haven't read any of the previous books. GASP! But I'd been told repeatedly that all of these books can be read as stand-alone novels. I plan on putting that theory to the test and reading them all out of order. This should be fun. So far, I've gotten a brief introduction to Jordan from the first book in the series, but not knowing her story hasn't hindered my enjoyment of Breathe, Annie, Breathe. I am wondering if eight books in this series is overkill, but I won't make any snap judgments till I've read them all.

April:  Even when companions are said to be stand alone as well, I have a very hard time reading them out of order. I just can't bring myself to do it.

I can't even say which of these I really prefer. I love Stand-alone's, but they almost always leave me wanting more. And sequels, well they are wonderful if done right and not dragged out. Companions are good too because while you get more, you usually aren't left with a huge ass cliff hanger like in series books. They all have their plus and minuses. I'm undecided. It also depends on the stories.


So, how do you feel about companion novels? Do you prefer a series where you can pick and choose which books to read or do you read them straight through regardless?

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Labels: companion novel, discussion

Review: Vengeance by Megan Miranda

Title: Vengeance
Author: Megan Miranda
Series: Fracture, book #2
Publisher: Walker Children's
Publication Date: February 4, 2014 -- that's today!!!
Source: won a signed ARC from the author, from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nobody really believes in a curse. Until you know the people who disappear. Too much coincidence, you look for reason. Too much death, you grasp for something to blame. Carson pulled Delaney out and he died on the side of the road with her mouth pressed to his. Her air in his body. Troy. She told the cops it was suicide. Didn't matter. The lake released her and grabbed another. But when Decker's father dies in a pool of spilled water on their kitchen floor, all Decker can feel is a slow burning rage. Because he knows that Delaney knew that his dad was going to die. She knew and backed out of his house and never said a word. Falcon Lake still has a hold on them both, and Decker can't forgive Delaney until he knows why.

I loved Fracture when I read it in 2012, and I went on to love Megan Miranda's next book Hysteria, as well.  There were similar themes in both, but even so, each story stands apart and kept me guessing.  A good thriller is hard to come by, at least for someone like me, who is perpetually anticipating the outcome.

In this sequel/companion to Fracture -- and I say companion since Decker has taken over narration duties, though the events in Vengeance do follow those in the first book -- I didn't worry so much about the ending. For once with a Megan Miranda novel, I guessed it early on.  But there were many bumps along the way and a lot that I didn't see coming, so even if I did predict the outcome, I still felt unsettled for much of the book.  And that's how I know this was a great story.

I think what really helps this story along is the fact that yet again, we have a slightly unreliable narrator. Ever since Delaney was pulled from Falcon Lake a second time and survived, and since the death of their friend Carson, who was one of those who helped rescue Delaney, the people of this suburban Maine town believe the lake is cursed.  And it's taken six months, but Decker is finally starting to believe the rumors.  He's seeing things, feeling things, and he puts a lot of distance between himself and Delaney in the process.

There were times when I just wanted to beat some sense into Decker, to tell him to stop believing in ghosts and see what was right in front of him.  He was just so infuriating, what with his being a hypocrite and all. Other times, I wanted to pull him into a hug and tell him to stop bottling up all of his grief, that he was only going to end up hurting worse if he kept down this path.

It was interesting being inside Decker's head for this sequel, as opposed to the analytical, sometimes clinical-to-a-fault Delaney.  There was a marked difference between the two voices, and I'm glad Miranda decided to write Vengeance from Decker's perspective because it really does make you look at things differently. With Delaney, you were a part of the curse.  With Decker, you're an outsider...one that the curse is coming after.

Megan Miranda writes one heck of a psychological thriller, and she really puts her background in science to good use.  I also like that, though the romantic relationships in her books are important to the stories, they don't become all-encompassing.  After everything I've read from this author in the last couple of years, I am a huge fan, and I am very much looking forward to what else she has in store for us, including Afterlife and Soulprint, both of which sound as intriguing as everything that Miranda's written so far.  I just love an intelligent read that leaves me hoping for the best yet always fearing the worst.  If that sounds like your kind of story, then I'd definitely recommend this series to you.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Megan is a scientist - turned - teacher - turned - stay-at-home-mom - turned - writer. She is not nearly as indecisive as she sounds. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, where she volunteers as an MIT Educational Counselor, does the mom thing by day, and writes by night.

Her first novel, FRACTURE, was published in January 2012 by Walker/Bloomsbury. HYSTERIA, a YA psychological thriller, will be published in February 2013. VENGEANCE, a companion/sequel to FRACTURE, will follow in 2014.

Find Megan:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Labels: bloomsbury, companion novel, favorites, megan miranda, psychological thriller, reviews

Waiting on Wednesday: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

"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: Sinner
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls, book #4
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: July 1, 2014

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

I've been chomping at the bit since I first heard that this book existed.  And now it has a cover!  Granted, the cover doesn't match the other three books in the series, but I could almost forgive that since this is a companion novel focusing on Cole St. Clair (YUM!).  However, did they have to go and change the covers for the other three books?  Don't get me wrong, I like them.  I like that they're still similar to the old covers in content, but now I have the desire to have these books with the new covers, even though I have all of them in hardcover already and Maggie has signed them herself.

Why? Why do publishers do this to loyal fans of a series?  It feels like we can't make it through a series anymore without them changing the covers.  But that's a rant for another day, even though I've ranted about it before.  And the cover redesign doesn't mean I'm any less excited about Cole's story.  Please can I have it now?  Pretty please?!?

Now that you know what I'm dying to read, what are you waiting on this week?  Feel free to share it in the comments or leave a link so I can stop by!

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Labels: companion novel, cover redesigns, favorites, maggie stiefvater, must-read, scholastic, waiting on wednesday (wow), werewolves, wolves of mercy falls

Waiting on Wednesday: Maybe Someday & Breakable {i.e. the New Adult edition}

"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: Maybe Someday
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: n/a
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: March 18, 2014

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

I've only read Hoover's HOPELESS series, but I've enjoyed each book in that series better than the one before it, so I'm fully expecting to love this one.  I hate cheaters and back-stabbing best friends, and I'll be rooting for those two to get their comeuppance.  Also, I can't for some serious chemistry between Ridge and Sydney.  :D

Title: Breakable
Author: Tammara Webber
Series: companion to Easy
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: May 6, 2014

He was lost and alone. Then he found her.
And the future seemed more fragile than ever.

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.

Note: "Breakable is not a sequel. It's a prequel story from Landon and the Easy story from Lucas. Breakable is Lucas's story - for those of you who wanted inside his head. It can be read as a stand-alone of its own, or as a companion to Easy."

Easy was one of my first forays into new adult, and despite some tough subject matter, I really enjoyed the story and the characters and all the feels.  Lucas was an intriguing character, and I'm excited to read his story, and I'm definitely glad to hear this isn't Easy just from his POV.  I didn't mind that with Hoover's Hopeless/Losing Hope, but it's always nice to read a different story from a character you've already come to know.

Now that you know what I'm dying to read, what are you waiting on this week?  Feel free to share it in the comments or leave a link so I can stop by!

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Labels: colleen hoover, companion novel, contemporary, easy, maybe someday, new adult, penguin, post hs ya, simon schuster, tammara webber

{Short Story Sunday} Review: Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry

image source

Short stories are awesome.  They give us in-depth insight into characters, providing anecdotal proof of why some characters are they way they are.  They entertain by creating a certain mood or focusing on a singular effect...some instance in a previous body of work (or one to follow) that might have been glossed over or ignored completely in a longer novel. 

And so, every Sunday for the foreseeable future, I would like to highlight short stories and novellas set in worlds I've already come to love and learn a little more about some of the secondary characters in my favorite novels.  I'll be underscoring some of my favorite aspects of these short works of fiction, in addition to offering up a mini review of each work.

This week I'm featuring a secondary character's story:

Title: Crossing the Line
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits, book #1.5
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Katie McGarry captivated readers with her “riveting, emotional” Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it’s worth crossing the line for love…

Lila McCormick, Echo's best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters—or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness—and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

I read Pushing the Limits awhile back, and I'll be honest, I kind of forgot about Lila.  I remember that she stood by Echo in the end when the rest of their friends turned their backs, but that's about it.  But that's probably all you really need to remember for this short story.

Lila's strength of character displays itself in every facet of her life, including her decision to go away to college, even though everyone is trying to convince her to attend university at home.  She has moments of self-doubt, though, just like anyone else might.  But it's when she's *this* close to changing her plans that Lincoln shows up in the flesh and helps her to forge her own path.

Lincoln is full of pent-up emotion, but when it comes to Lila -- his pen pal, his best friend, someone he hopes to have more with -- he can't just sit idly by.  He helps Lila face her fears, and faces down some of his own demons in the process, owning up to his own mistakes.  And as strong as he can be for Lila, he can be just as tender.

I enjoyed seeing how these two came together, knowing that they'd been writing back and forth for two years and because of that, they had a more solid relationship than most couples at that age might hope to have.  And when they finally meet again, there is open communication.  Just as they did in their letters, they don't hold back their feelings or play games.  Such a welcome relief from all of those angsty teenagers!

This novella was refreshing and reminded me of why I like Katie McGarry's writing.  I'm even more excited now to get to my galley of Dare to You, especially after reading that excerpt at the end of this short story!

Rating:  

Pushing the Limits series

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Labels: companion novel, contemporary, harlequin-teen, katie mcgarry, novellas, pushing the limits, reviews, short story sunday