Waiting on Wednesday

A Shard of Ice by Alivia Anders

THEIR SOULS, REAWAKENED.
When 13-year-old Lilix Morgan is found alive and floating on a bed of ice at sea, everyone counts it a miracle. Kidnapped nearly four weeks earlier, she remembers nothing of her mysterious abduction. When she tries to remember what happened, she hears only a melody – a faint and delicate set of notes, strung together in a tune she doesn’t understand. 
THEIR POWER, UNMATCHED.
A year later and desperate to put the lingering nightmares of her past behind her, Lilix crosses the country to enroll at Baelmorte Academy, aiming to become the violinist she once dreamt of. Things seem to be finally going well, and Lilix settles into a routine of sheet music and inspiration among new friends.
Then the dreams start. 
The melody and night terrors she thought she’d left behind return with a vengeance, threatening to ruin her fragile version of normalcy. Then an unlikely ally tells her that she isn’t alone. That there are others just like her, fighting to hide their own shocking truths from coming to light. That they know who she is, and what she’s been through. Now, accompanied by four other girls, Lilix discovers her nightmares are larger than a single trauma; they’re a window to a hidden part of her soul, a place of immense power with a destiny that cannot be ignored. 
THEIR BATTLE, IS ONLY BEGINNING.
With this knowledge comes a new and frightening reality. For Lilix has been reawakened to stop an age-old enemy, one thought to have been destroyed centuries ago. Trapped by her destiny, Lilix is torn between what feels right and what she remembers. Her memories tell her of a star-crossed love waiting to be reunited, of friendships and trust broken in the past. But can she save that love when reality brings her an enemy, and an evil that will be the undoing of them all if they don’t destroy it?

This sounds absolutely fascinating and I can NOT wait to read this! The synopsis is pretty long, but it just grabs you by the second paragraph! And oh my GOD, the cover is gorgeous! I'm a sucker for masquerade masks! I feel a bit iffy on the fact that she's 14 when this takes place. I always considered 14 an awkward age. ( I mean, 13 and 15 seem so significant for some reason) but there is no way I'm letting that bother me! REINCARNATION FTW. 

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Random Musings: Moving

Yes, I know that this button is slightly greener than it should be, but that's because I'm talking about moving to Wordpress. 

SO IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, I'M MOVING TO WORDPRESS IN MID JUNE. AND THIS STUFF HAS BEEN STRESSING ME OUT SINCE JANUARY. Seriously, I'm writing this on Jan 16. *waves from the past* 

So anyways, I'm not just moving to Wordpress, I'm completely redesigning my blog into a sort of teal color instead of just blue and I'm so in love with what I have planned! I CAN NOT WAY TO OFFICIALLY GET STARTED WITH DESIGNING THE FINAL THING (which should be happening soon since my mom promised to let me do this once May started...it should be about now right? RIGHT?)

ANYWAYS (damn I get off topic so much) I'm actual really loving this whole process of creating a new design and making new banners and buttons and stuff and it's EXHILARATING. But damn is it stressful. 

I'm doing new memes, a set schedule, and instead of Week of a Fiction Freak I'm doing monthly recaps that will, most likely, be in video form. Guys it's so stressful deciding what memes I should do, what a good ratio is for memes: reviews and what days I shouldn't post anything at all. (Oh I think I'm going to post my new schedule down below, TELL ME IF IT'S OKAY? BECAUSE I'M DOUBTING IT ALL) 

 BUT BUT BUT. I'm so excited to finally have MY OWN FREAKING BLOG that I don't have to worry about and that Google can probably just shut down at any random time and worry about blogger glitching. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO CALL IT A BLOG. A WEBSITE. IT IS MY OWN WEBSITE. AHH. AT 13. That's just so freaking exciting and it makes me feel professional even though I'm far from it--if you can tell from my LOTS OF CAPS-ness. 

I honestly think moving to Wordpress (as in, buying your own domain and hosting) would be an AWESOME idea, especially if you plan on blogging long term--and if you do move to Wordpress, using Ashley @ Creative Whim's UBB (Ultimate Book Blogger) plug in or her Tweak Theme would be a GREAT investment. 

BACK TO THE SUBJECT, I'm planning on blogging throughout high school (my excuse--it's one of my extracurriculars so I kinda HAVE TO ya know? ;D ) and hopefully through college, so I definitely want my own site after two and a half years on Blogger. I love you and all, but Blogger, you're killing me. 

BUT YEAH that wasn't really a musing, more like a rant but eh. 

By the way here's the schedule I was thinking of 

Sunday: (at the end of the month, a wrap up) 

Monday: Book related

Tuesday: Book Related

Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday: Book related

Friday: Life of a Blogger

Saturday: Book Related

YES? NO? HAVE YOU MOVED TO WORDPRESS? ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT IT?

Waiting on Wednesday

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters…

YOU GUYS IT'S JENNY FREAKIN' HAN. FIRST CONTEMPORARIES I READ--THE SUMMER SERIES. WHICH I LOVED SO FREAKING MUCH. And then Burn for Burn which I loved. Obviously I'm going to need this as much as air is necessary for survival and obviously I will FREAKIN' FALL IN LOVE WITH IT. OH MY GOD. NOW. GIMMEE.

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Weekly Recap

Hey y'all! I'm sorry I haven't written or posted a Book Haul in WEEKS, but honestly I just...haven't felt like it. But it's Spring Break now so hopefully things will be more fun on the blogging side! 

I'm super exhausted every day for no reason and my grades have started plummet which is pretttyyy bad. So I may get off twitter a bit more and just...not tweet as much! I'll definitely be around though, so no worries! <3 

I have also discovered that ice cream cakes are super expensive. Mine was $54 from Baskin Robins O_O 

ANYWAYS, here's what I got since Feb 26! (I don't remember receiving anything before that haha.)

Bought

The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman

All That Glows by Ryan Graudin

Shinobi by Cole Gibsen

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Impossible Knife of Memory by Laura Halse Anderson

Me Since You by Laura Weiss

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Traded

Pieces of Me by Amber Kizer

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Exile by Kevin Emerson

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi *PERSONALIZED*

Publisher/Author

The Break up Artist by Philip Siegel

Far From You by Tess Sharpe* 

Don't Look Back by Jennifer Armentrout*

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore*

Rules for Breaking by Ashley Elston

Mirk and Midnight Hour by Jane Nickerson

Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell

*From Summer of Chills promotion box

Bought the Impossible Knife and Goose Girl to be signed at Teen Book Con! THE WINNER'S CURSE IS JUST AMAZING. I finished it the three hours after I got it and I just. I adored it. 

I traded for Strands of Bronze and Gold because I readand loved Mirk and Midnight! Dear Killer sounds super exciting, I adored Anna and the French Kiss, AND IGNITE ME! SIGNED! EEP! <3 

I also got my very first boxed ARC package this week for Disney Hyperion's SUMMER OF CHILLS promotion! I'm super excited for all three and have already devoured Don't Look Back which was just. Yesss. 

How was your week?

Waiting on Wednesday

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Theo is better now.
She's eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend, Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.
Donovan isn't talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she didn't do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she's been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.

Okay. What is with all the freakishly gorgeous covers of 2014? Like, are they trying to make all the book nerds broke?
But oh my God this sounds absolutely stunning and I am almost desperate to know HOW she knows this stuff. I fell like this is going to be heartwrenching--so yeah, I HAVE TO HAVE IT

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Waiting on Wednesday

Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano

Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance. . . on her.
Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

The cover is absolutely creepy. ABSOLUTELY. I love it! And I love the numbers on the cover and the color scheme. It's absolutely haunting and that synopsis? I DIE. IT SOUNDS SO AMAZING AND SO CREEPY AND I MUST READ THIS. And oh my God. Reformed bad boy spying on her? Oh God. Oh my God. I NEED THIS NOW HELP MEEEEEE. 

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Random Musings: Books. Plain and Simple

(Repinned from http://pinterest.com/dragonflyturtle/ on Pinterest) 

This will, most likely, be a super rambly post since you know, this is pretty random and this is all brain vomit. I refuse to use backspace. Also this will be 100% cheesy.

Sooooo...books. That's all this blog is really about isn't it? But I don't think I've ever talked about books in the large general category. And whoever said books are life changing? They're right. What's sad is that sometimes I can't remember every single book I've read, every word, every letter. And I hate to forget my favorite books, but it happens.

http://barbara-bibliotecaria.tumblr.com/page/2

And it's just horrible because I always end up learning something from every character, every world, every twist of a story. And I have fun with all the characters who're there, quick to laugh, quick to love. And just forgetting their adventures? It's excruciating. So I guess that's what Goodreads is for. But I'm never going to remember all the feelings I had when I first read it and I'm never going to have the time to reread all my favorites.

Repinned from
http://pinterest.com/allthingsregal/whats-in-a-book/

And then that moment when you see these characters grow up, and you grow up with them, and you just realize--Oh my God the series is going to end. And you just want to break down crying because you'll never see your favorite characters in their lives ever again. I actually did cry the month before Iron Knight released. Several times. While listening to the Iron Fey playlists. THANK THE LORD FOR THE SPINOFF SERIES  OR I WOULD BE ON MY KNEES. It was just so heartbreaking seeing my favorite characters just go *poof* Seriously. There was a pain in my
chest. I felt like someone murdered my best friend.

Books have absolutely affected me and anyone who says reading sucks just hasn't done it right, or they haven't had the chance to meet their favorite book. Because when you do? The tears and the laughs and those moments where you just realize what the author was trying to do...oh God. I just can never keep my feelings in check.

It's so easy to call something your "favorite book" or your "new favorite book", but I think less than half of those claims are true. So here's my question--

What's your favorite book? Your number one, always can rely on, always there to comfort you, book?

http://pinterest.com/serinazhane/more-than-words-wow-words-of-wisdom/

Waiting on Wednesday

Where Silence Gathers by Kelsey Sutton

Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Tate sits outside Nate Foster’s house, clutching a gun. After serving ten years for the drunk driving accident that killed Alex’s family, Nate has been released from prison. Every night, Alex waits out of sight, building up the courage to exact her own justice. There’s just one problem: Forgiveness.
Alex has been able to see personified Emotions for as long as she can remember, and Revenge is her best friend. But when Forgiveness suddenly appears, he offers Alex a choice—getting even or moving on. It’s impossible to decide when Revenge whispers in one ear . . . and Forgiveness whispers in the other. 

*Update: I READ IT
OH MY GOD I DO NEED THIS. I LOVED SQP AND NOW. NOW LOOKIT THIS. LOOKIT IT. OMFG. And this cover is so totally amazing and it would look amazing next to SQP. EDKJSFC;J;L

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Waiting on Wednesday

Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.
Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?
Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?
Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

Oh my God you guys. Did you know that such an awesome sounding book releases on my birthday? WELL IT DOES. This reminds me a lot of Pivot Point actually but I'm absolutely curious about the last line...hmmm...And I love the cover! It's adorable! As for the two guys...I am unsure which one I'd pick honestly. They honestly don't sound that appealing lol! This is going to be a hilarious read, methinks! 

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Waiting on Wednesday

Free To Fall by Lauren Miller

What if there was an app that told you what song to listen to, what coffee to order, who to date, even what to do with your life—an app that could ensure your complete and utter happiness? What if you never had to fail or make a wrong choice?

What if you never had to fall?

YES YES YES YES YES. THAT IS ALL. JUST YES. I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS OMG! It sounds so cool and I absolutely ADORED Parallel last year and OH GOD CAN WE JUST. CAN WE. I CAN'T EVEN. ADKSJF;SLKD J;KSDJF;LSDKHF;LSDHFCLDSHF GIVE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

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Waiting on Wednesday

Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt

When Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 
For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 
Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 
One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

Did I absolutely love Send Me a Sign and name it one of my Favorites of 2012? YES YES I DID. Does Bright Before Sunrise sound absolutely awesome? YES YES IT DOES. Can  I wait until it releases in like 3 weeks? NO NO I CAN'T. 
I seriously can't wait to read this because, honestly, Tiffany Schmidt is a genius and I really want to cuddle all her characters. And also, I cried in Send Me a Sign. SO OF COURSE I AM SALIVATING FOR THIS RELEASE. GIVE IT TO ME NOW I BID YOU. 

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Waiting on Wednesday

Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel

Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.

Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.
But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.

This sounds SO COOL and I'm going to ADORE this witch worldbuilding, I just know it! But how amazing is it that our character is Chaos and that she chose that unwittingly? Seriously, these 2014 debuts are blowing my mind and I can't wait to get my little grabby hands on this one! AND THAT COVER. 

Waiting on Wednesday

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

Madeline Landry is born into a world of influence and luxury, a world of estates and gardens fueled by nuclear power and maintained by a caste of people called the Rootless. When a Gentry girl is attacked, it is the Rootless who are blamed, even though Madeline knows better.

As she searches for the truth, she can't escape the rumors of revolution and retribution circulating through the ballrooms, and neither can she escape the city's new golden boy, Captain David Dana, who has secrets of his own. Soon, she finds herself forced to choose between her duty and her desires, her ancestral destiny and her conscience, and her choice will shake the very foundations of the world she was born to rule.

The cover totally (sort of) matches my blog right? RIGHT? I love the sleek look and how the words totally stand out.

And oh gosh, this sounds absolutely AMAZING AMAZING.  I just love these kinds of worlds and I can't wait to meet the new golden boy! The author's totally sweet too and I just can't wait to fall in love with all of it. EEP! 
SERIOUSLY HOW AWESOME DOES IT SOUND. TELL ME I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE DYING OF NEED. 

Week of a Fiction Freak

HEYYYY GUYS. So even though I'm starting to use a few new graphics...June's going to have a totally new design since I'm moving to Wordpress! (WHOOP!) Just in case y'all want to see what it'd look like, here's the button: 

(Click to embiggen) 

Anyways you're here to see what I got this week, right? (Correction: Last two weeks. Oops?) 

Publisher
Arcadia Falls by Kai Meyer (Not shown)
Faking Normal by Courtney C Stevens (Accidentally grabbed Cruel Beauty instead!)
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Traded/Gifted
Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon (Secret Santa!)
Blue notebook (Secret Santa!)

Bought
Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

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Also, I decided to move my shelves around a bit, remembered I had a bean bag and tissue paper, then found a random slab of wood. And this was the result of 2 hours:

I THINK I FINALLY MADE A BOOK NOOK GUYS. 

Waiting on Wednesday

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom—all because of a reckless bargain her father struck. And since birth, she has been training to kill him. 
Betrayed by her family yet bound to obey, Nyx rails against her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, she abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, disarm him, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. But even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, could she refuse her duty to kill him?
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

This just sounds SO good and is definitely one of my more anticipated releases! Thank God it releases this month.
I always love those stories where you just have no idea who's the "good" guy/who's side you're really on. INTERNAL CONFLICT! Love vs. duty. I never tired of that story. Not to mention, Beauty and the Beast? YES! AND I ADORE THE COVER! It's so clever! And I love the name Nyx. I mean, it means night and that just is too perfect for the dark sounding book! 

*Update* READ AND LOVED (and my review goes up on Tuesday!)

Week of a Fiction Freak + #NYE14Reads

Hey guys! Before we get into my week and my book haul (long overdue!) I wanted to tell you guys about #NYE14Reads!

It's almost 2014 y'all! And that means...

TWITTER PARTY! 

Or something of the like! Authors will be tweeting about other authors' books (linking Goodreads pages and the like) and we encourage you to do the same! Chat with authors, tweet about your most anticipated books, or just squeal about your excitement for 2014! 

It'll go throughout the day from noon to night. Support the 2014 debut authors and HAVE FUN! 

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So a) I made a new banner because the old one was...weird to me. So, yeah. 

WINTER BREAK!! HALLELUJAH. I think my midterms went pretty well (97 on History, 100 in English, 97 in Math, 88 in Art--we had an actual freaking written exam. What?, 95 in Science, and...Gym. Uh.)

It's been a pretty awesome break but this week, all my relaxing goes away and I have to start working on a giant project due the week we get back from break. So ugh. But anyways! 

Library

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Bought

Control by Lydia Kang

Flawed by Kate Avelynn

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson

Publisher

Ink by Amanda Son

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

These Broken Stars by Meagen Spooner and Amie Kaufman

Gifted

The Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett

Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Pivot Point by Kasie West

Giveaway

Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs

The Chance You Won't Return by Annie Cardi

Caminar by Skila Brown

There Will Be Bears by Ryan Gebhart

I got my friend to check these two out for me (I asked her to get some others for me, but she couldn't get them SIGH.) since I lost my library card...ahahahaha...haha...anyways I read Amy and Roger's already and I ADORED IT SO MUCH. I need to get my own copy soon! I loved Matson's other book, Second Chance Summer, so I had high hopes for Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. Now, I'll officially read anything by Morgan Matson.
CONTROL! I'm so excited to read Control by Lydia Kang. I've been aching for a sci-fi lately, so this is perfect! I also stopped by Half Price Books and picked up Flaw, which seems heartbreakingly emotional, and Losing Lila, the sequel to Hunting Lila. I've been eyeing the series for a while and I jumped at the chance to get the sequel since it wasn't available in the US. Now I have to get my hands on a copy of the first book and I'll be good! 
INK! I got Ink from Harlequin Teen's Panel and I already had an ARC copy, but the finished copy is gorgeous! And I read both These Broken Stars and Fire and Flood--loved both! Reviews to come soon! (These Broken Stars though omg. I need a Pandora, btw.)
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO JESSI FOR THE NIGHTMARE DILEMMA! Read and loved and review shall come! Thanks to Eileen for Pivot Point which I've been DYING TO READ lately and THANKS SO MUCH to Inky for The Coldest Girl in Coldtown! 
I won a Candlewick Press Giveaway and WAS SO EXCITED TO READ THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER. Which, by the way, is as strange and beautiful as the title suggests. I absolutely adored it. 

I also got a rather epic Secret Santa gift from my Merp Squad Secret Santa, Annabelle! She's a pretty awesome gift giver guys:

Bag of Jolly Ranchers (Actually Inky also got me a bag of Jolly Ranchers! I LOVE JOLLY RANCHERS)

Turquoise Maybelline eyeshadow

$20 B&N Gift Card

See's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle (it was delicious)

Blue/Purple Scarf

CHRISTMAS CANDY! 

Loved this gift! <3 Annabelle is so sweet! 

AND THEN GUESS WHAT ELSE I GOT. WAIT FOR IT. WAIT FOR IT. (It being the terrible photo, but...)

I BOUGHT TEDDDDYYYYY BEARS. I couldn't decide so I got my mom to get one for herself. Then stole it from her. You know. (Hey so they're both the same but with different shades of brown. BUT THE SHADE OF BROWN IS IMPORTANT DUDE.)