Desperately Wanting Wednesday (4)

Desperately Wanting Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View. It is based off of the meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, Waiting on Wednesday. Since the "On My Wishlist" meme is no longer active, Ed and I have decided to switch to this meme so we can talk about books (and movies) that we want - both released and to-be-released.

This week's theme is:

Hot Books I Missed

Our Young-Adult Pick:

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo
The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
358 Pages

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

I've wanted to read this since I heard of it! And now that it's released, I'm only buying my time. If I stopped finding books I want to read on Netgalley, it would be a faster process. Grr!

Our Adult Pick:

Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: July 26, 2005

Publisher: Dell

629 Pages

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

*gasp* I know, I know! It's on my list! Very high up there, I swear. I've heard only awesome things, plus the residence hall Ed and I will be living in next year is named for the author. (She attended my school! a;sdjnfal;sdkfna;lsdkfhgfds SO FREAKING AWESOME)

Desperately Wanting Wednesday (3)

Desperately Wanting Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View. It is based off of the meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, Waiting on Wednesday. Since the "On My Wishlist" meme is no longer active, Ed and I have decided to switch to this meme so we can talk about books (and movies) that we want - both released and to-be-released.

This week's theme is:
Books I Would Like to Read For The Second Time

Our Released Pick:

The Pledge (The Pledge #1) by Kimberly Derting

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: November 15, 2011

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

323 Pages

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

I really, really enjoyed this book! It was one of the best books I read in 2011. Plus Kimberly Derting is on of my favorite authors. I have to reread this one before book two, The Essence comes out in January.

Our To-Be-Released Pick:

Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: September 18, 2012 

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books 

336 Pages

A DYING LAND 
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever. 

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST 
The hunters of Shima's imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death. 

A HIDDEN GIFT 
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her. 

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

I just finished this book last night and I already need to reread it. Stormdancer is one of the best books that I've ever read. Ever. It's so freaking good and even though I just spent time with the characters last night, I miss them. Is that weird?

Waiting on Wednesday (17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Crash (Visions #1) by Lisa McMann

Release Date: January 8, 2013

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the vision. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode... and nine body bags in the snow.

She has no idea why this is happening to her or if she’s going crazy. It hardly matters, because the visions are everywhere--on billboards, television screens, windows--and she’s the only one who can see them.

But it’s not until the vision starts coming more frequently, and revealing more clues, that Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it's someone she knows. Someone she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

People kept telling me this was coming out this year. BUT IT'S NOT. So lemme go cry some more. Basically - we should all read Lisa McMann's books because she's awesome. Her writing is phenomenal and she writes real, relatable characters. (And some super hot dudes.)

What are you waiting on Wednesday?

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Release Date: November 6, 2012

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

304 Pages

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."

With the way the last book ended, I'm seriously aching to have this. I'm sure we're going to need a ton of tissues though. Start stocking up on them now! Also - pretty cover is pretty. I love that it matches the first one with drastic contrast. God. This is going to be good.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff

Release Date: USA Edition - September 18, 2012
                       UK Edition - September 1, 2012 (Lucky jerks.)
Publisher: Tor UK/ Thomas Dunne Books
336 Pages

A DYING LAND 
The Shima Imperium is verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of the imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

This book is less "waiting on" more "IF I DON'T GET MY HANDS ON THIS BOOK ASAP, MY LIFE MY NEVER BE HAPPY AGAIN." My mother would call me dramatic if she saw this and I was tell her that I'm an English major, not a Theater major, so I'm never dramatic.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu

Release Date: January 29, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
384 Pages

The Elector Primo of the Republic has died, with his son assuming power over what’s left of the USA’s West Coast as it teeters on full-blown chaos. June and Day join up with Patriot rebels so they can rescue Day’s brother and head east for the Colonies. In order to help, though, the rebels want June and Day to kill the new Elector, who may pose an even greater threat than his father.

I read the first book of this series when I received it for Christmas from a very good friend of mine. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to get a chance to read book two! January is too long to wait for this one! Dystopian novels are books that I can't do any waiting for.

What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

This week I'm waiting on... (This is where the drumroll goes)

Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols

Release Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: MTV Books
320 Pages

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.     

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.

Jennifer Echols is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. Right up there with Sarah Dessen, Stephanie Perkins and John Green. She has yet to produce a novel that I didn't immediately fall in love with. And most of them have torn my heart to shreds only to make me the happiest person, ever. So you understand now? I can't wait for this book because I know it's going to be great, just like all of her other work!

What are you waiting on this lovely Wednesday?

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions #1) by Louise Rozett

Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
304 Pages

Freshman Rose Zarelli has rage issues. 

First of all, her father lost his job, took work as a contractor in Iraq...and never came home. 

Second, she likes the wrong guy and his super-intense, scary cheerleader girlfriend is now her nemesis. 

Third, her fashionista best friend, Tracy, is suddenly infinitely cooler than she is—and talking about losing her virginity. (What?!)

Rose is ahead when it comes to studying for the PSAT, but she’s so far behind socially that she might as well be moving backward. She needs Tracy’s help choosing the right clothes, she likes all the wrong extracurricular activities, and she can’t even make a decision about which photo of her father to put on the memorial website she’s making (and hiding from her adolescent-shrink mother). 

With her brother away at college and her mother always locked in her office with her messed-up teen patients, Rose struggles to get through each day without inflicting bodily harm on anyone.

This sounds like a really good book. An emotional ride that isn't like all of the other contemporaries that are coming out now-a-days. I love the cover, too!

The Expendables 2 (2012)

Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.

I'm pumped to see this movie because it's the sequel to the best guy movie. It has all the best action heroes in it! I'm really excited to see Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Unwholly (Unwind Trilogy #2) by Neal Shusterman

Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
352 Pages

n a society where unwanted and troublesome teens are salvaged for their body parts, Connor, Risa and Lev continue to fight against the system that would 'unwind' them. Thanks to their high-profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of so-called troublesome teens might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question and a new law passed. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests, not to mention the illegal 'Parts Pirates', that want to see it not only continue, but expand.

Connor, Risa and Lev each struggle to rescue as many AWOL teens as possible and offer them sanctuary. But life at the Graveyard is hard, rivalries bubble under the surface and the cracks are beginning to show.

And then there is Cam, a teen who does not exist. Made entirely out of parts from one hundred other 'unwinds', Cam is a 21st century Frankenstein, a rewound, struggling to find a true identity and meaning, and a place in society. But when a sadistic bounty hunter who takes "trophies" from all the 'unwinds' he captures starts to pursue Connor, Lev and Risa, Cam finds his own fate inextricably bound with theirs…

The first book in this series blew me away. I loved it (and need to get it as a hardcopy). It's a great dystopian novel that is sure to thrill you and inspire fear at the same time!

Prometheus (2012)

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

I want to see Prometheus because I'm a sci-fi junkie and I have to watch.

Waiting On Wednesday (10)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Outpost (Razorland #2) by Ann Aguirre

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

336 Pages

Deuce’s whole world has changed. Now living topside in a community called Salvation, she has a whole new set of problems. Down below, she was considered an adult, and she contributed to the whole. Now, topside, the people of Salvation think she’s a brat in need of training. She hates school, and she doesn’t fit in with the other girls. They’ve spent their lives learning to cook and sew–suitable woman’s work. Deuce only knows how to fight. To make matters worse, Fade keeps her at a distance, and the band of four has broken into fragments.

Stalker presses for a closer relationship, but Deuce sees him as a training partner, and she’s busy trying to find her place in Salvation. She refuses to accept that she’s wrong for being who she is, but tensions rise as she struggles against the status quo. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Once she’s free from school for the year, Deuce pursues a chance to serve in the summer patrols–those responsible for making sure the growers and planters can work the fields without danger of Freak attack. It should have been routine, little fighting, but things have been changing on surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks are smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it will take a girl like Deuce to turn the tide.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series! I'm very excited for this one to be released! The cover is awesome and matches the first book's cover. And the summary really drew me in!

Lawless (2012)

Set in the Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a cut of their profits.

I want to see this mostly because my girlfriend wants to see it. She loves Shia LaBeouf!

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Poppy

304 Pages

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorced dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great. Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

I love Kody Keplinger's book The DUFF and I'm really looking forward to see what she's releasing next. This sounds awesome and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (2012)

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.

First of all, Abraham Lincoln is one of the coolest presidents ever. And give him an axe and some vampires to kill and you get awesomeness in life in general. It's beyond a movie. The preview looks so cool!

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

The Glimpse by Claire Merle

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: June 7, 2012
Publisher: Faber & Faber (UK)
432 Pages

Once you've seen into the future, can you change your destiny?

In a near future, society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell. 

Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her 18th birthday, she may stay in the Community until her illness manifests. But if Jasper changes his mind, she will be cast out among the Crazies. As Ana’s joining ceremony and her birthday loom closer, she dares to hope she will be saved from the horror of the City and live a ‘normal’ life. But then Jasper disappears. 

Led to believe Jasper has been taken by a strange sect the authorities will not intefere with, Ana sneaks out of her well-guarded Community to find him herself. Her search takes her through the underbelly of society and into the pits of the human soul. And as she delves deeper into the mystery of Jasper's abduction she uncovers some devastating truths that destroy everything she has grown up to believe, but she also learns to love as she has never loved before.

I love Dystopian YA novels. I love this cover and am thrilled to read the book!




The Avengers (2012)
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo

Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army.

I'm a big comic book fan and I'm so excited to see all these superheroes in this movie! The Hulk, Captain America and Iron Man are three of my favorite superheroes! I can't wait to see the action. Samuel L. Jackson as Colonel Fury is sick!

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme held on... you guessed it, WEDNESDAY and it's hosted by the wonderful Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Purity by Jackson Pearce

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
224 Pages

A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order. 

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex. 

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

I've heard so many great things about this book and I loved the other book I read from the author. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. 

I know this will be another excellent release from DreamWorks Pictures! I can't wait to see it!

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

Emily is waiting on:


This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
320 Pages


It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually wantto live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what doyou hold on to?

I love books about zombies and gore. I'll admit it. It's one of my favorite types of books. And Courtney Summers writes brilliant, realistic situations. I'm dying to read this one! It sounds fantastic! This Is Not a Test needs to be in my hands right now. It's one of the books I'm looking forward to most in 2012!

Edwin is waiting on:

Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Length: Not Yet Released
PG-13

Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face's crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that brands him an enemy.

I'm obsessed with Batman and I can't wait for this!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?