Waiting On Wednesday (34): Be Not Afraid

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is

Be Not Afraid

by Cecilia Galante

Releases |April 28th 2015 by Random House Books for Young Readers|

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Marin spends a lot of time avoiding things. She avoids thinking about her mother's suicide and what she could have done to prevent it. She avoids looking at people directly-because she can see their pain as bright, colorful shapes. And she avoids Cassie Jackson, who used her in a sinister ritual months ago, although Marin's not exactly sure why.
When Cassie stands up at school, screaming, raking her nails down her cheeks, and pointing a finger at Marin, whispering "YOU," Marin's days of avoidance come to an abrupt end. Cassie's older brother believes that Marin holds the secret to Cassie's illness. So they team up to solve the mystery of what Cassie has unleashed. But as they look deeper into the darkness and things begin to go bump in the night, can Marin trust what she sees?
Cecilia Galante, author of The Patron Saint of Butterflies, presents a chilling story with horror-movie thrills and nail-biting suspense. Perfect for fans of American Horror Story, Paranormal Activity, and The Exorcist, and readers who love to feel goose bumps.
Story Locale: Fairfield, Connecticut; Present Day

Why I'm Waiting...

I don't typically read books like this, but I don't know, why not try it out. It sounds pretty interesting and kind of weird in a creepy way. 

Taste of Darkness by Katie Reus

Taste of Darkness
(Darkness, #2)
by Katie Reus
Released |July 24th 2014|
Edition |eARC|
Source |Netgalley|
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He spent more than a thousand years imprisoned in hell…
Drake is an ancient dragon shifter, one of the most powerful beings in existence, but a millennium trapped in utter darkness has left him ill-equipped for modern society. If it wasn’t for Victoria, the sweet female brave enough to befriend him, he’d be lost. She’s smart and gorgeous and everything he never dared dream of during his years of agonizing loneliness. He may not have anything to offer her, but one thing he knows for sure: he’d die to keep her safe.
Only to fall into the heaven of her touch.
Victoria is a wolf shifter, healer of the Stavros pack. She’s seen a lot, but she’s never met anybody quite like Drake, the fiery, fascinating shifter who can blaze through the skies unseen by mere mortals. He’s lost, dangerous, and the last male she should fall in love with, but the more time she spends helping him navigate modern life, the deeper—and hotter—their connection becomes. She’s thrilled when they finally locate his family, but reuniting with his people plunges them both into unimaginable danger. It’s a race against the clock trying to figure out who wants them dead and who they can trust, especially when the threat is closer than they ever imagined.

Taste of Darkness was a very refreshing read for me. I remember reading book one and ended up really enjoying it, but I have to say that I definitely liked book two a little bit better. I found that I enjoyed being with the characters a lot and I absolutely loved the romance. Also, the fact that there are dragon shifters in this book just made my day. I flew through Taste of Darkness in almost one sitting and ended up finishing it in a day. Considering the story follows different set of characters than book one, you could definitely read this one as a standalone, but I'd recommend reading book one because that's where the characters were first introduced.

Book Hauling It Up (106)

Hey everyone,

I hope you've all had a great week :) I finally had one! I read 3 books this week. Wait, what? I know right?! I finally found the urge to read after so long :) I really hope I can keep it up. It felt great to be back into stories again. Hopefully the slump is no more! Since I finished 2 review books, I didn't feel bad for requesting one on netgalley after I said I was going to try not to lol

For Review

I now I said I was going to try not to request books for a little while two weeks ago, but I had to get this!

Fated - Release Day Blitz + Giveaway

The Fated

5 have come together to bring you a collection of five steamy new adult urban

fantasies about sacrifice, second chances, destiny and love against all odds.

With fan favorites from new adult and urban fantasy bestsellers Rachael Wade, Nikki Jefford, Stacey Marie Brown, Alyssa Rose Ivy and

Heather Hildenbrand.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks 

***Availablefor a LIMITED TIME only!***
Five full-length novels only 99 cents.

Amaranth by Rachael Wade – Camille moves to
Southern Louisiana to escape her abusive past, not expecting to fall in love
and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Aurora Sky: Vampire
Hunter
by Nikki Jefford– Thanks to her rare blood type, Aurora’s forced to hunt vampiresin Alaska. Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only
boy she can think about may very well be a vampire.

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown – Ember has never
fit in. After she lands herself in a facility for troubled teens, she meets the
darkly mysterious and hot as hell, Eli Dragen who is keeping secrets that can’t
stay hidden much longer.

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy – A summer in New Orleans
leads to a chance encounter with the infuriating yet alluring Levi. Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society
and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or
saving a city that might just save her.

Whisper by Heather Hildenbrand – Five months
after Whisper is released from the Skye View Wellness Center she stumbles upon an
unconscious boy at a bonfire party who holds the key to breaking her curse.

Waiting On Wednesday (33): The Inquisitor's Mark

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is

The Inquisitor's Mark

(The Eight Day, #2)

by Sianne K. Salerni

Released |January 27th 2015 by HarperCollins|

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After the all-out Eighth Day war in Mexico, Jax, Riley, and Evangeline have gone into hiding. There are still rogue Transitioners and evil Kin lords who want to use Riley, a descendant of King Arthur, and Evangeline, a powerful wizard with bloodlines to Merlin, to get control over the Eighth Day.
So when Finn Ambrose, a mysterious stranger, contacts Jax claiming to be his uncle, Jax’s defenses go up—especially when Finn tells Jax that he’s holding Jax’s best friend, Billy, hostage. To rescue Billy and keep Riley and Evangeline out of the fray, Jax sneaks off to New York City on his own. But once there, he discovers a surprising truth: Finn is his uncle and Jax is closely related to the Dulacs—a notoriously corrupt and dangerous Transitioner clan who have been dying to get their hands on Riley and Evangeline. And family or not, these people will stop at nothing to get what they want.
With suspense, action, and intrigue lurking around every corner, this fast-paced fantasy series will be a welcome addition for fans of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter.

Why I'm Waiting...

I read an arc of book one when it released and thought it was pretty good. I don't read a lot of middle grade stories, but when I find some that I actually enjoy I want to try and keep up. The first book was an interesting one so I'm curious about book two. 

Other Books in the Series

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

The Hunt
(The Hunt, #1)
by Andrew Fukuda
Released | December 24th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin|
Edition |Paperback|
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Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

I've been wanting to read the Hunt for quite some time now and I finally decided to pick it up. I thought the book was an interesting read. Gene is the main character and he's a human living among the vampires. Vampires are in charge and humans are practically extinct. If they're out there, they're hiding or trying to blend in. And that's what Gene is doing. He's trying to blend in with the vampires, but one wrong move could be his last. So he had to be extremely careful about everything that he did.

Waiting On Wednesday (32): The Body Electric

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is

The Body Electric

by Beth Revis

Releases |October 2014 by Scripturient Books|

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The future world is at peace.
Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.
But not all is at it seems.
Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…
Someone’s altered her memory.
Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.
So who can she trust?

Why I'm Waiting...

I've never read anything by this author, but I've heard some pretty good things. This book sounds pretty interesting and I'm curious to check it out. 

Top Ten Tuesday (26): To Read or Not To Read

Hosted by: the Broke and Bookish

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books I'm Not Sure I Want To Read

I haven't done one of these post in so long! And I thought this one would a be a good one to do. I have quite a few of these and I'm going to include a little bit of everything from overhyped to just not interested anymore. 

1. The Fault In Our Stars - This book was way too over hyped for me so I was already hesitant. And then I let my mom read it before me and she spoiled the crap out of it so I pretty much lost interest after that. I mean when my mom spoils a book, SHE SPOILS A BOOK! From page one to the end...

2. Soul Screamers  - Once again, I let my mom get to the series before me (she reads faster than I do). And she spoiled me. I can you what happened from book one to the end of the series and I haven't cracked open a none of the volumes (and I have them all). KEY ISSUE: Stop letting your mom beat you to the books. She can't help herself. She must talk about the books when she finishes it lol

3. Die For Me - This is a book I've had on my shelf for years. I wanted to start the series, but I kept pushing it off and now I don't know when I'll ever get to it.

4. Uglies - I just don't think I have an interest in reading the book anymore. 

5. Falling Under - I honestly don't even know why I bought this book.I think it was on sale for $3 and I just decided to get it.

6. Pushing the Limits - It's been so long since the first book came out, but I do want to give it a try.

7. Just One Day - I love If I Stay and Where She Went but haven't decided on this one yet.

8. Fifty Shade of Grey - Thing is, I started it months ago. I just don't know if I'll find time to finish it. I didn't hate it, but I was busy at the time and just stopped reading it.

9. Friday Night Bites - I enjoyed book one, but I'm so far behind in the series idk if I'll ever catch up.

10. Hallowed - I think I've lost interest in the trilogy. Book one was good, but I don't think I'll ever read the sequel. 

Getting By by Claudia Y. Burgoa + Giveaway

Getting By
(A Knight's Tale, #1)
by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Released |February 18th 2014 by Literally Alpaca Illustrations, LLC|
Edition |Ebook|
Source |Author|
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When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.
Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

Getting By is a book that involves two characters that each have a painful past. Emma and Jake each have personal issues that they've been struggling with and that means that they both have a lot of emotional baggage and they're also carrying a lot of guilt. You really feel bad for both of the characters because you see the love that they have for each other, but the things that they're holding on to is what's holding them back.

Book Hauling It Up (105)

Hello Everyone :)

I hope you have had a fantastic week!

I've decided that I want to stop requesting books as much as possible on Netgalley and things until I catch up. I want to take a break from requesting to finish the review books that I already have since I've been struggling to get back into the groove of reading. I honestly don't know why I'm finding it so hard to just pick up a book and read. UGH! It's seriously the most frustrating thing ever. I want to do a little mini readathon for myself to knock out the two books I've been reading for the last month. I really hope it works out for me. That's the plan though anyways. Hope it works because I'm starting to feel a bit depressed about it. I can usually jump right out of slumps after a week or two but this one has been no joke..

Received Last Week for Review

 

Bought

Waiting On Wednesday (31): Between the Stars and Sky

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is

Between the Stars and Sky

by David James

Releases |September 2014 by Ingram|

Add to Goodreads

In the small, lakeside town of Huntington, the Firelight Festival marks the end of summer. A time to laugh, to live, to love. And for Jackson Grant, it is a chance to begin again.
But there is a darker side to the Firelight Festival, a deadly tradition known as the Firelight Fall. A secret game. A legendary lie. A test of bravery. Those who fall risk everything, and Jackson is on the edge. Until he meets a girl who pushes him over.
For Jackson, falling for Sarah Blake might be as dangerous as jumping in the Firelight Fall. As summer burns away, Jackson and Sarah ignite an unstoppable love game. For her, his heart is on fire. And soon, Sarah shows him life, saves him from loss, and opens his heart to an infinite and wild love found between the stars and sky.

Why I'm Waiting...

This is a contemporary and I rarely ever read them. But this one sounds like it has a bit of a twist to it with the festival aspect. I'm curious to see what it's all about and I've never read anything from the author before.

Book Hauling It Up (104)

Hey everyone,

I hope you've all had a great week. Mine has been pretty busy and i still have a lot to get done. I wish there were more hours in the day. I mean, August is already here! I didn't buy any books week :( But maybe next week lol

For Review