Waiting on Wednesday: Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan

Waiting on Wednesday

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

Daughter of Deep Silence

Author: Carrie Ryan

Release Date: June 2nd 2015

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers

In the wake of the deadly devastation of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace, rescued from the ocean after torturous days adrift with her dying friend Libby, knows that the Persephone wasn’t sunk by a rogue wave as survivors Senator Wells and his son, Grey, are claiming—it was attacked.

To ensure her safety from the obviously dangerous and very power­ful Wells family, Libby’s father helps newly orphaned Frances assume Libby’s identity. After years of careful plotting, she’s ready to expose the truth and set her revenge plans into motion—even if it means taking down the boy she’d once been in love with: Grey Wells himself.

Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose.

Book Review: The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith + Giveaway

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The Alex Crow
Author: Andrew Smith
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Released: March 3rd 2015
Review Source: Dutton Children's

Once again blending multiple story strands that transcend time and place, Grasshopper Jungle author Andrew Smith tells the story of 15-year-old Ariel, a refugee from the Middle East who is the sole survivor of an attack on his small village. Now living with an adoptive family in Sunday, West Virginia, Ariel's story of his summer at a boys' camp for tech detox is juxtaposed against those of a schizophrenic bomber and the diaries of a failed arctic expedition from the late nineteenth century. Oh, and there’s also a depressed bionic reincarnated crow.

Andrew Smith is one heck of an astonishing author. He writes one book and another, yet you think there are written by completely different people. His writing is so unique that you always wonder how he does it.

What fascinates me the most about The Alex Crow is how confused one can be while reading. It messes with the reader’s mind. It challenges one to keep up. I for once had to re-read certain parts to comprehend what was going on. I wondered how he would tied up the three stories into one, leaving no space for theories.

The story is about Ariel, a fifteen year-old refugee boy who can't seem to find his place in the world. He goes through many tough situations only to find his way be reborn into a new life. He is taken to the U.S. where he meets his new family and his new brother Max. To be honest, that is where everything burst only to collide into one.

I must admit The Alex Crow is a Weird YA novel, as weird as Grasshopper Jungle. Yet as a reader, one should embrace these type of novels. One should read them, challenge our minds and be rewards with such creativity.

I do recommend this story to everyone. Andrew may give you hell to figure out the ending but it will be worth the struggles. Go read it! Challenge yourself.

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Courtesy of Penguin Teen, we are giving away a final copy of The Alex Crow!

Open US Only

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Book Review: Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

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Belzhar
Author: Meg Wolitzer
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: September 30th 2014
Review Source: Dutton Juvenile

If life were fair, Jam Gallahue would still be at home in New Jersey with her sweet British boyfriend, Reeve Maxfield. She’d be watching old comedy sketches with him. She’d be kissing him in the library stacks.

She certainly wouldn’t be at The Wooden Barn, a therapeutic boarding school in rural Vermont, living with a weird roommate, and signed up for an exclusive, mysterious class called Special Topics in English.

But life isn’t fair, and Reeve Maxfield is dead.

Until a journal-writing assignment leads Jam to Belzhar, where the untainted past is restored, and Jam can feel Reeve’s arms around her once again. But there are hidden truths on Jam’s path to reclaim her loss.

From New York Times bestselling author Meg Wolitzer comes a breathtaking and surprising story about first love, deep sorrow, and the power of acceptance.

A teenager learning to cope with losing her one true love gets shipped off to a boarding school for the emotionally fragile teens. Jam gets shipped to The Wooden Barn after losing Reeve Maxfield and gets put into a class called Special Topics in English. While at first being hesitant about the good this school and class could do for her she slowly realizes that this place, and these people, are good for her. While in Special Topics in English she finds a refuge with her classmates in a place called Belzhar.

This book is honestly such a fantastic book. It is a literary version of The Breakfast Club, just without the detention. At first Jam is a character whom you don't really care for, but she slowly grows on you as her character grows. You see how Jam's personality grows through the interactions with her friends at The Wooden Barn. While this book is geared towards Young Adults I would say that the moral of the book is good for anyone and everyone. While reading this book I realized that the story, although I wasn't in the same shoes as Jam, still related to me in some ways. The reason this book was so good to me was because of the moral of this story.

I would say if you have the chance take the time to read this book, I finished it within a day and I was not disappointed.

Book Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

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Isla and the Happily Ever After
Anna and the French Kiss #3
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Expected Release Date: August 14th 2014
Review Source: Penguin Group

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

Mini-review from 6/2/14: I was beyond thrilled when asked to read a sneak peek into Perkins next book release due out this August. I am a HUGE fan of the previous companion books. There is just something about Perkins work that immediately connects with you as you are reading. Isla and the Happily Ever After did that in just 40 plus pages. I cried out loud when it finished because I needed to keep going. I already feel attached to the book, Isla and Josh. 

You always get worried how a author will top the last book or that favorite character everyone relates to, well I can tell with Isla she is going to be loved by many and Josh, as mysterious as he is in those few pages, you already like him too. Isla is socially awkward but its just too cute how she is affected by Josh. Can't wait to read the rest and see where Josh and Isla take their "friendship" too. 

And if your wondering how Isla is pronounced, in the book its shows us:

It's Isla (Eye-la) and not Isla (Iz-la).

And Chapter Two was adorable:

"Ohmygod what the hell did I do last night?????????"

Perkins at her finest!

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To continue the mini-review that I shared after reading the sneak peek a few weeks ago with a longer review today will be easy. Why? Because it's Perkins and there isn't a book written by her I don't love. They are those happy ever after stories you need sometimes. Yes reading angst or sad story are good but nothing like a amazing happy ever after with a side of sappy to win ya over. I have said it time after time. When you are feeling down, just grab a Perkins novel and everything will be so much better in the world after that. Her books just take you to that happy place you need to be in some days.

Isla and Josh's story is romantically adorkable! It's like when we read Anna's book and remember all those moments, Isla's story takes you back down memory lane but with her own romantic story. Plus we are back in Paris, the city of love. Isla loves Josh for years but has just watched him from the sidelines literally until that one loopy day changes everything and turns out Josh has had an eye in Isla too. Once they are back at the Paris school things take off but before you know it Isla and Josh past and insecurities come front and center and the relationship begins to crumble. Josh is letting his past dictate his life while Isla can't hey past her doubts. Then distance is thrown in their for a curve ball that at one point seems no one will survive the changes but love conquers all!

Bonus points in the story is seeing the past characters make cameos. Plus the news ones we are introduced too because favorites immediately. I loved Isla and the Happily Ever After and just know that everyone else will too. Perfect summer read to make any gloomy day shine the brightest.

Blog Tour: Inland | Kat Rosenfield | Dream Cast

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Inland
Author: Kat Rosenfield
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary | Fantasy
Released: June 12th 2014
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

The psychological labyrinth of a young woman’s insidious connection to the sea, from the Edgar Award nominated author of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone.

Callie Morgan has long lived choked by the failure of her own lungs, the result of an elusive pulmonary illness that has plagued her since childhood. A childhood marked early by the drowning death of her mother—a death to which Callie was the sole witness. Her father has moved them inland, away from the memories of the California coast her mother loved so much and toward promises of recovery—and the escape of denial—in arid, landlocked air.

But after years of running away, the promise of a life-changing job for her father brings Callie and him back to the coast, to Florida, where Callie’s symptoms miraculously disappear. For once, life seems delightfully normal. But the ocean’s edge offers more than healing air … it holds a magnetic pull, drawing Callie closer and closer to the chilly, watery embrace that claimed her mother. Returned to the ocean, Callie comes of age and comes into a family destiny that holds generations of secrets and very few happy endings.

Callie would be tough to cast amongst the current crop of young Hollywood actresses, just because she's a big, tall, and ultimately very physically imposing girl, and there aren't many of those to choose from; you'd basically need a teenage actress with the body of Gwendoline Christie (who plays Brienne of Tarth on "Game of Thrones.") But if she were tall and muscly enough, Nicole Boivin would be great for Callie. She played a sort of Frankenstein's monster on the Netflix series Hemlock Grove, and it had to have been such a tough role — I don't think she even had any lines; she had to act purely via facial expression — but she was fantastic.

For Callie's friend Jana, who's a really big, confident, talented, gorgeous girl, you'd have to get Sharon Rooney, definitely. I'd want Caleb Landry Jones for Ben; he's got the red hair and the nerd charm. I'd love to see Keke Palmer and Coco Jones bantering as Mika and Shanika. Famke Janssen as Callie's Aunt Nessa; she's got a sort of otherworldly sexiness. And Bryan Cranston as Callie's dad, because he's the best in the world at everything.

Check out Leydy's Review on Inland!

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Kat Rosenfield is a writer, illustrator, advice columnist, entertainment journalist, zombie enthusiast, and author of two YA novels: AMELIA ANNE IS DEAD AND GONE (Dutton, July 2012) and INLAND (Dutton in June 2014.) When not writing fiction, she can be found shamelessly gossiping about movies and celebrities as a contributor for MTV News, and offering relationship and life advice as the resident agony aunt on Barnes & Noble's SparkLife.

Blog Tour: Everything Leads to You | Nina LaCour | Review

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Everything Leads to You
Author: Nina LaCour
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: May 15th 2014
Review Source: Dutton Juvenile

A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still.

A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.

Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.

Everything Leads to You was such a great read. It reminded so much when I was in high school and we did this intensive research. It was fun learning experience. And I felt this is how Emi felt as she researched the past to discover the truth.

Emi is not your typical girl. She has everything and she is not a spoiled brat. No, Emi has worked hard for everything she has accomplished. We all should be like her. I mean we should learn from her - to accomplish so much at such young age. To be driven at such young age. But what I love about Emi is that she is true to herself. She’s the type of girl that doesn’t care what people thing. She loves who she is and doesn’t care about if people talk about her. I also love how she is a foolishly romantic and falls in love easily. She’s such an amazing character. Struggling to get over another break-up form the same girl, her brother recommends Emi to do something fun this summer while he’s gone on a trip.

When Emi and her best friend discover a letter at a sale of a Hollywood film legend, they both decide to do the impossible. They decide to track down the mystery child of this legend mention in this letter. With intensive research and little clues they gather, they discover who the mystery child is.

Although the story was predictable, seeing Emi do something for fun was well, fun. She discovers a new love with Ava, the mysterious and unknown child. Emi is able to help Ava in many ways and their relationship blossom. Everything Leads to You is very sweet and fun. I recommend this to anyone looking for something to refreshing to read during the summer.

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Nina LaCour talks about her inspiration for EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU:

Writing a novel about two girls falling in love has been something I’ve wanted to do for a while, especially since I’m married to the girl I fell in love with when I was nineteen. But it wasn’t until I visited a high school in Minnesota and met with its GSA that I knew for sure it would be my next project. The teenagers I met made me understand how important it is to share stories about all kinds of love, and to show young people facing discrimination over their sexual orientation that there are places where they will be able to be open about themselves without fear, and people who will honor them for who they are, regardless of whom they love.

From there, the story grew to be about so much more: filmmaking, friendship, family, inspiration, Los Angeles, fears about life after high school, and the excitement of living on one’s own as a young adult. I thought it was going to be a simple love story, but the book had a mind of its own and became much more complex that I had imagined it would be. Still, the love is what binds everything together.

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About Nina LaCour:

Nina LaCour (www.ninalacour.com) is the author of the award-winning Hold Still and widely acclaimed The Disenchantments. Formerly a bookseller and high school English teacher, she now writes and parents full time. A San Francisco Bay Area native, Nina lives with her family in Oakland, California.

Teaser Tuesday + Book Review: Inland by Kat Rosenfield

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading

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Inland
Author: Kat Rosenfield
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary | Fantasy
Released: June 12th 2014
Review Source: First To Read | Dutton Juvenile

The psychological labyrinth of a young woman’s insidious connection to the sea, from the Edgar Award nominated author of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone.

Callie Morgan has long lived choked by the failure of her own lungs, the result of an elusive pulmonary illness that has plagued her since childhood. A childhood marked early by the drowning death of her mother—a death to which Callie was the sole witness. Her father has moved them inland, away from the memories of the California coast her mother loved so much and toward promises of recovery—and the escape of denial—in arid, landlocked air.

But after years of running away, the promise of a life-changing job for her father brings Callie and him back to the coast, to Florida, where Callie’s symptoms miraculously disappear. For once, life seems delightfully normal. But the ocean’s edge offers more than healing air … it holds a magnetic pull, drawing Callie closer and closer to the chilly, watery embrace that claimed her mother. Returned to the ocean, Callie comes of age and comes into a family destiny that holds generations of secrets and very few happy endings.

Where do I begin to profess my love and admiration for Kat Rosenfield? Where? Her words left me gaga! She is so talented. Her writing is amazingly beautiful. A lullaby to me ears. Inland will not be my only read of hers. I need more!

Given the fact that I was privilege to read this book at FirsttoRead.com, which I’d completely, forgot about, this was a win-win for me. Not only was I allowed to download a copy of Inland but I discover this new must-read-all-her-novels author!

First of all, the cover is stunning and the writing is well, beautiful! Inland is a hunted story of Callie Morgan. A girl that isn’t able to enjoy life due to her failure of her lungs. After the lost of her mother, Callie’s father has always been very protective of her. He doesn’t let her do much. He keeps her away from her true calling, away from the seaside. Until fates decides to her future…

So I am not a fan of anything related to the sea. Terrifying myths about sea monsters and gods, yeah, I’d always kept away from these type of stories. But the fact that Kat’s writing is beautiful, I had to continue reading. Overall, Inland is very different from what I read and I was glad I read it. The story itself is dark but with such a powerful message.  I personally think if you are a fan of Maggie Stiefvater, like myself, you would love Kat Rosenfield!