Waiting on Wednesday

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. The setting is Arkwell.

And then it comes true.

Now the Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

I've been absolutely DYING for this since I discovered it (2 months before the cover release) and doesn't it just grab you in? I mean, it definitely sounds original with her being a nightmare and this guy who just happens to dream of a murder--that comes true. WOW. Can I say WANT?

The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

Goodreads Blurb

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie.
Friends didn't.
Boys couldn't.
Their family falling apart never would.
Until they got to Serenity Point.

(this will be a long review due to two main characters and two love interests etc.)

My Summary

Alice and Charlie’s mom just married Richard Flood the Third, an insanely rich man who’s wife died of cancer and who’s daughter, Camilla, died merely months after. They almost immediately move to Serenity Point, a beach area filled with rich people, all with their own sinister secrets surrounding Camilla and her demise. But even more creepy, Alice happens to look exactly like Camilla and there’s no way she can let those secrets stay hidden. Not when her sister is pulling away and these secrets seem to affect her family personally. But maybe the people at Serenity Point aren’t the only ones with secrets.

Writing

The writing? There was just something I can’t pinpoint that made me completely love the writing. It was just…gorgeous. I mean, I could read one word and be completely sucked in immediately. I could barely put it down!

And yes, The Innocents is written in the 3^rd person POV, and maybe sometimes it seemed that it should be in the 1^st, but this way The Innocents could switch between Alice and Charlie’s POV without any confusion and much more ease. It may seem weird at times that in the beginning one chapter was all Alice, another all Charlie, and that after it would switch between one then the other in a paragraphs, but they switched at exactly the right time if that makes sense. But mainly, Alice was our narrator and I found it so much more enjoyable!

The Sisters

Which leads us to characters. Alice was definitely my favorite sister. She’s a bookworm (Which basically everyone reading this can connect to), quiet, shy, but she watches. She’s the one who notices the little things, the one who can usually catch on before anyone else, and it was just amazing that we went through 80% of the book from her perspective. Because she caught the details when Charlie blew them off as paranoia. Alice is the older, more wiser sister you could say. She knows when enough is enough and she won’t bend to ANYBODY’S will. Completely the opposite of her sister.

Charlie.  Oh Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Most of these characters I loved to hate, but especially her. She was just so…agh. I don’t whether it was because I liked Alice more, but Charlie just annoyed me so much especially when abandoning her sister for a guy (who I’ll talk about later) or told Alice that she was just being a downer. Please. But when you read from her point of view…you just can’t blame her (no matter how much disdain you’re nursing). She’s the wild, unpredictable one. She always fits in.She’s never had much trouble in guys, until Jude. More on that below. I definitely think both of these sisters are two characters all readers can relate to. If not one, then the other!

The Love Interests

Since we started with Alice, let’s start with her love interest. Tommy. Yes, the name sounds a bit awkward lol. But Tommy is such a sweet guy, with such a nice personality. Like incredibly incredibly sweet. He fit Alice perfectly, quiet and understanding. But of course, the Innocents is all about secrets. And he has secrets of his own. Ones that could maybe, and quite probably, change everything.

Jude. Can. I. Kill him? Pretty please? Okay, I totally wanted to murder Jude. He was such a tool. He played with Charlie, drawing her away from Alice, and not even really caring about her. And Charlie knew that. But she was just so desperate for him. I don’t even know why! He was cute. His personality isn’t exactly a gem. Jude was, quite frankly, a son of a bleep. He’s the other character I loved to hate. He strung Charlie along, but the worst part is…well, you’ll have to read and find out.

Plot/Plot Twists

They weren’t so much as twists as things that were already there. Secrets that become unveiled, reasons and intents become clearer, and all of them are slowly leading up to the big giant, juicy plot twist that’s just waiting to be read. While some people think that there was only the one twist, there were so many more subtle ones that would’ve been hard to catch if you weren’t looking for them.

All of these…ohmygoodness, there were so many hints lying around. I would collect them but I wouldn’t connect the dots and was so shocked! You guys…be sure you aren’t in a squeal-free zone like the library when you finish the last hundred pages or so. Also, ghosts. Yes. Ghosts.

The Bad

With a few grammar errors, my complete lack of understanding as to why Jude was such a catch, those were pretty much my only complaints on the novel. While it was uber amazing, it didn’t affect me quite as much emotionally as I’d hoped. But still. Amazing.

Overall

The Innocents is a stunning debut with gorgeous writing and even more gorgeous content. This debut is definitely a favorite and takes a whole new meaning to “dangerous secrets”. With main characters the readers can relate to, the Innocents will both shock you and make you giddy for more. Filled with secrets, lies, and…unrequited love? The Innocents is one to grab for those who are looking for something new in the contemporary section. One that will make you grit your teeth and squeal at the same time, this is not a book to be taken lightly! After all, when everyone has a secret, who can you really trust?

Pages: 288

Series: Innocents #1

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: October 16

Rating: 4.5--->5 stars

 

Book Haul + Weekly Recap

OKAY, it's been a pretty slow week and the reson is...UPS IS HOARDING MY PACKAGES. I'm missing 4 packages that were shipped via UPS that should've arrived DAYS ago. UGh. And they were awesome books too! But I did get one book (and I totes forgot to take a picture of it) and it's indie! Possibly the only one I'll be reading and reviewing, since I'm swamped with books anyways. But I couldn't resist! It sounds AMAZING and the author even signed it!

Given


NetGalley
    

If you go on goodreads and read the blurb...OMG IT SOUNDS SO AWESOME DOESNT IT? :D Also, SIGNED! Eep!
YESYESYES. PRINCESS OF THE SILVER WOODS! I absolutely LOVED the other two, Princess of the Midnight Ball and Princess of Glass, so getting this was awesome! But it is an eBook so it's going to take a LONG time before you see my review! Same goes for The Raven Boys. I'm pretty sure this one released though. Weird

Weekly Recap
52 Days of 52 Reasons to Love jessica Brody and her Book (AND GIVEAWAY!)
Mini Freak Out: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin
Review: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

Goodreads Blurb

At a camp filled with vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Kylie Galen has always struggled to figure out what she is. Now she finally knows the truth—but she's left with more questions than answers. She doesn’t have a clue what her heritage means or how to harness her newfound powers. All she knows is that she needs to sort out her feelings for Derek, the sexy half-Fae who just confessed his love, and Lucas, her werewolf boyfriend who seems more committed to his pack than to their relationship. All the while, Kylie's dealing with a group of underground rogues who want her dead and a mysterious grandfather who makes it clear he doesn’t trust the FRU . . . or Shadow Falls. Soon Kylie will have to choose: Will she stay with the new family she’s formed at Shadow Falls, or will she leave with her grandfather and embrace her destiny?

Kylie knows what she is now, but not what it means. She’s a chameleon? She’s a lizard? She has no idea what’s going on now and has more questions than answers. And to add to that, why did that ghost have Holly’s face? Holly isn’t dead yet…but does that just mean that she will? (ok, so there’s a spoiler in my review which means if you don’t want to know this tiny spoiler, avoid all paragraphs with a *) Not to mention that even though Kylie’s finally chosen Lucas, she can’t deny her feelings for Derek or that Lucas is hot one second, cold the next. What’s a not-so-human girl to do?

*I think this was definitely my favorite book out of all of them. It was different in the way that it wasn’t action-y and was more a mystery. This was basically the book where most of our questions were answered while at the same time, Kylie and the rest of the gang were trying to figure out who killed Holiday’s twin sister. And jeez! They went one some awesome traces/leads and I loved guessing who killed her, why, and everything else. As morbid as it sounds, this was definitely my kind of book!

What I didn’t like? I didn’t get why Kylie didn’t tell Holiday about the ghost with her face. It just seemed weird. I mean, sure it would’ve scared her but Holiday had the right to know plus it would’ve been easier and faster to figure out why the ghost had her face if Holiday had known. It just really annoyed me to hell and back. But hey, that only lasted 1/3 of the book!

While Kylie was a little annoying when it came to romance in the beginning you’ll eventually forgive her when it’s clear she’s literally torn apart between her feelings for Derek and the ones she has for Lucas. I mean, they’re both awesome guys and honestly? While I’m Team Lucas, I did fall for Derek. He’s the complete opposite of Lucas and I was just as torn as Kylie was. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW SWOON WORTHY THESE TWO GUYS ARE?

Characters? This is going to be long…

You guys, my favorite character absolutely has to be Della! She’s so snarky and fun that you just have to love her! If possible, she’s more snarky in this book than in any other! And she was an amazing friend besides, no matter WHAT she says/acts like. Miranda was too! And I loved how she kept squealing about Perry after they (finally) got together! It was too cute!

I’m not even going to mention the boys. That would take too much squealing. Sigh. I’m totally crushing on too many book boyfriends.

Kylie is definitely a great MC. She wasn’t as stupid as some other characters; she figured (most of) the things out and I loved that she would give the benefit of a doubt and that she always, always, understood. Err…well, most of the time!

OMG. You guys! The ending. The ending! AGH! Can I choke someone? You could hear my jaw drop half way around the world. I was not expecting that at all and loved that this book could surprise me right when I had things figured out! I can honestly say that I’ve never been more surprised! And I’ve never read a more cliffhang-y cliffhanger.

As stunning as the first three, C.C. Hunter writes an amazing fourth installment that will answer some questions, but raise even more. A thrillingly satisfying read, Whispers at Moonrise will keep you guessing until the last page, leaving you shocked and aching for Chosen at Nightfall!

Pages: 400

Series: Shadow Falls #4

Genre: Paranormal/Romance

Publisher: St. Martin's

Release Date: October 2

Rating: 5 stars

AAAAAHHHH!!!

WORST NEWS UPDATE EVER

1) my sidebar is down at the bottom of my blog because, I think, of a broken link hiding somewhere on my blog. Of someone can find it and email me THANK YOU 1000X!!! PLEASE help"

2) All of my email subscribers have disappeared! Feedburner has SHUT DOWN. So sorry y'all! I'd recommend subscribing via GFC!

3) UPS HAS LOST 4 OF MY PACKAGES!!! ACK! And awesome books they were. :'(

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Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Goodreads Blurb

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.
Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.
Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.
Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.
Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Crewel. Biggest. Mind fuck. Ever.

And I mean that in the good, awesomely, best way. Because it seriously was. The world-building was so complex and amazing. And I actually did get it. Barely. It’s one of those rare and awesome books that you have to pay attention to. You can’t have your mind sidetracked or else you’ll have to backpedal and reread. Trust me, I did. The world-building was completely thought out. It was so scientific, and I totally wouldn’t be surprised if…no. I will not spoil it. no matter how many times I want to. But it was just so believable and the fact that there were no flaws (I bet even Eileen wouldn’t be able to find any!) just made it better. I couldn’t find one hole in the logic really and I loved discovering how things worked (even if I was a tad creeped out. I mean, anyone could rip my thread just to prove a point and…no.)

OMG I LOVED ADELICE. (first of all, awesome name! And it represents her wonderfully. It sounds pretty but it’s special and actually sounds pretty independent.) was stubborn and independent, and you guys know that can often get on my nerves, but this time is was the perfect mix of stubborn! She listened to people’s warnings and made sure to be more careful, but didn’t trust anybody completely and that was a good thing. Because honestly, who can you trust when everyone’s out to get you or use you? She wasn’t afraid to look for answers and she knew what to do to get what she wanted. But she was far from ruthless. She knew it was wrong what the Spinsters were doing and she was passionate! She didn’t trust easily, but when she did, she was loyal to the core. Adelice is possibly my favorite MC of 2012!

And I loved the other characters. I mean, they were stereotypes taken to a whole ‘nother level. They were creweler (DID YOU CATCH THAT?) and they were more secretive. They had more to risk and more to gain than anyone else. But it’s extremely scary how power-hungry and blood thirsty these people were. And they could live almost forever. It was scary. And they always had an ulterior motive to everything. It isn’t just about control. There’s something deeper than that going on. And I can’t wait to find out what, exactly, it is.

Plotness. Oh my goodness gracious, can you even believe the plot twists in this? There were secrets upon secrets upon secrets! You would think you know something and something completely random would pop out, but…it made sense. Why this could happen, why this didn’t. the plot twists were many but they didn’t overwhelm the main aspect of the book, and the ending? GASP. I did not expect it, but I realized that I should’ve. I can’t give you any more than that, but remember what I said, read each page carefully. And remember every. Little. Detail.

This is just amazing. I give 5 stars easily…but this one? It got 10. Yep. In all of my reviewing, this is only the third book. And it deserves every one! Every. Single. One. This is one that will make people run around crazily going “ACK! I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED.” You guys have to grab this. Like seriously. I mean, I have a wide taste and…think of this as an epic Divergent. With more science that sounds like magic. I’m not kidding.

With a stunning MC, swoony love interests, and evilly awesome antagonists, it’s definitely one for everyone who loves strong leads. Which is, you know, everyone! There were so many secrets I was suspicious of everyone and the world building was…magic. Sciencelly magic. Pick it up, you will not regret it!

(P.S. My other tens? Venom. If you loved that, you’ll adore this!)



Pages: 368

Series: Crewel World #1

Genre: Dystopia/Sci-fi/Romance

Release Date: October 16

Rating: 10/5 stars!