Waiting on Wednesday: The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Waiting on Wednesday is here again. That means we are that much closer to a weekend- and boy, it cannot come a moment too soon. This week I am waiting on The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson. I really liked Rory in The Name of the Star, the first book in the Shades of London series (see my review of the hilariousness/creepiness here). I hope this sequel is just as fun to read.

When madness stalks the streets of London, no one is safe…
There’s a creepy new terror haunting modern-day London. Fresh from defeating a Jack the Ripper killer, Rory must put her new-found hunting skills to the test before all hell breaks loose…

But enemies are not always who you expect them to be and crazy times call for crazy solutions. A thrilling teen mystery (GoodReads).

What are you "Waiting on"? Let us know! And as always, a cheers of our whiskey sours to Jill at Breaking the Spine for hosting this weekly meme showcasing up and coming publications we can't wait to read.

Top Ten Tuesday: Fallish Reads

This week YAF&WS is listing, for the freebie week, our Top Ten Tuesday- Fall Reads, or as Grad Student put it "books that set a mood for fireplaces, snuggling and cool weather." Hope this list inspires you to cuddle up with a good book! As always, thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for hosting this awesome weekly event!

With cooler temps, leaves, and spiced rum heating on the stove, here is what we will be reading:
                

1. The Night Circus by  Erin Morgenstern. This book oozes atmosphere (and everyone wears scarves all the time).
2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Creepy, cold, wet, definitely perfect for fall.
3. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab. Atmospheric moors again! 
4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Set on stormy moors, and mysterious.I sense a pattern developing.
5. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. It is all about dropping temperatures.
6. Anything from the Harry Potter series- if you know us, you're not surprised.  As Crazy Camper put it,  the Gryffindor Common room during the winter months is the place to be, the ultimate in cozy.
7. Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow, for ass-kicking in knee-deep snow.  Since we all went to college in a region plagued by lake-affect snows in October and November, props to Dru for not giving up and crawling under her comforter to die/ hide till spring, whatever comes first.
8. The Twilight series, 'cause you can read all three (CC is "ignoring the 4th, I just can't accept it") on a rainy cold day, and it sets the mood for Forks (and some serious eye rolling as well).

Gryffindor Common Room, Via

Check out our reviews of The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern!

Addendum: A transcript of CC and GS's morning gchat. (as sisters, they do this every morning) CC is a poet and she didn't know it. YAY FALL!

 CC:  cloudy leaves 
RADIATORS ON 
WELCOME HOME

Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

I AM ABOUT TO FANGIRL ALL OVER.  Hold on to your horses, people.

I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team. (GoodReads).


I would rather read Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein than go to a party. A really fancy one with all my friends and free drinks and party dresses. I would happily stay home from the event of the year to read this book, it is that gorgeous and moving. Even though it left me a puddle of tears standing at the kitchen counter over my dinner--I couldn't even be bothered to move to the table to eat. That is how involved I was in the last 20 pages.

Queenie is described as smart, brave and imaginative, incredibly charming but with a foul mouth, beautiful and capable. Her narration is beautiful in its desperation, her love for Maddie, and the terrible and powerful experience of Nazi-occupied France. I will absolutely reread this book.  And I wish I was amazing enough to be friends with these two ladies.

Originality: 10+. I loved this incredibly intricate story, rooted in fascinating history, but I do not want to give ANYTHING away, because I spent a lot of the second half of the book gasping and feeling satisfied by the complicated plot twists. Also, points for not one but two strong female leads.
Absurdity: -100,000,000.
Level of Paranormal Romance: 0. This is a book about friendship and courage in many forms. There are so many courageous people being brave in this book, it is mind-blowing. It is absolutely about love, but I don't even want to apply a paranormal grading scale to Queenie and Maddie's friendship. They are just so far superior.
Level of Harry-Potter-ness: 9. This book stuck with me, keeping me up late thinking through the heartbreak and friendship and the conspiracies. I do not kid when I say I called by boyfriend at midnight and said "What would you do if I was a spy captured by the Nazis? Would I be a good, brave spy? PS I LOVE YOU."  This book makes you FEEL big feelings. Maddie and Queenie's friendship is inspiring and heartbreaking. This is a true tribute to the J.K. Rowling grading scale of books that linger in your mind. Fabulous!

Stacking the Shelves: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Happy Saturday from the awesome town of Santa Fe, New Mexico! Don't worry, I am not going to sit inside and blog during vacation--I am just on east coast time and up way before the rest of town. People, Santa Fe is AWESOME. It has history and cool architecture and lots of Mexican food and margaritas. Huzzah, huzzah, lets go margarita (I made it a verb, no big deal). So while I am off frolicking to Mary Austin's haunts*******, enjoy this Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Review!

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman sounds awesome, as the rest of the book blog world knows. Bring on the dragons for my epic plane ride home.


Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. (GoodReads).


******WAIT HAVE YOU NOT READ THE LAND OF LITTLE RAIN? GO DO IT NOW. I mean, its one sentence blurb is "A classic of southwestern literature by a woman ahead of her time." You know we love some environmental literature around here , particularly feisty Victorian women who hung out in art colonies in the desert.  Check Mary Austin out, she's awesome.

Cruisin' Through a Series: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

I am jumping on the Vampire Academy bandwagon full force- I even made Grad Student and our mother read them.  I reviewed book one here, but then read the rest so fast I didnt have time for individual reviews, so here goes my series  review, what we call "Crusin' Through a Series" when we stop living our lives and devote time to a single series. Sometimes this has to happen. And its spoiler free, of course!

• Originality: 7- good/ bad vamps.  I know that Twilight did this ( and actually once I had an ex-boyfriend buy me a bad vamp poster as a joke when it was way marked down on sale... and I have to admit it was for a reason, even teenage girls didn't want the bad vamps on their walls, and he was a bad gift giver too,  but I digress) but Vampire Academy did it BETTER.  The good vamps, their guardians, and the bad vamps made an excellent parallel world to human reality that was easy to get lost in.

• Absurdity: 4.  Eh, I found it easy to believe overall, and for a change, as the series progressed, it didn't get weird and out of control.  The plot moved forward with twists and turns, but really, it just got more awesome.  It was great to read a series where the following books didn't disappoint.  I think the most absurd was book two, which happens all over the course of ski trip to Idaho.  I know I read a Babysitter Club with this plot once.

• Level of Paranormal Romance: 15. O ROSE.  Now I know we have some die hard Adrian fans out there, BUT I am Team Dimitri now and for forever.  And the absurdity of books 4-5 and the love triangle is just plan old awesome, and had me routing for love.

• Level of Harry-Potterness: 6.  Loved the story, loved the characters and how they grew, cause they did, and most of all, loved the bad-assery of our main character Rose.  Thank you to Richelle Mead for making a character who was strong and hot, and knew it, and didn't mope around sadly and insecurely for a few hungred pages before 'finding' herself.  While Rose does change, she is still always a badass and I love her for it.

“If he wants to tell you, he'll tell you. End of story, Rose. Besides, you certainly keep your share of secrets too. You two have a lot in common."
"Are you kidding? He's arrogant, sarcastic, likes to intimidate people, and—oh." Okay. Maybe she had a point.” 

Great series.  I will probably buy these in paperback for myself, and as a devoted library reader, that is the high form of compliment I can give a book.

Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Not only do I want to hang out with John Green, I also want to hang out with a lot of his characters. Case in point? Tiny Cooper. I was laughing out loud 3 paragraphs into the book and it was largely in part to Tiny Cooper's larger than life (ha, literally, ha) persona.

I just recently spent an entire review gushing over how much I want to be John Green's friend, and I have to tell you that it's not going to stop in this review.

Synopsis, Sir!

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . . Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage. Told in alternating voices from two YA superstars, this collaborative novel features a double helping of the heart and humor that have won them both legions of fans.

This is just yet another example of YAF done so right - giving characters depth and heart without cheapening their struggles or feelings because of their age. This book was open and honest and sad and hilarious, I could not put it down.

John Green, call me!!!

• Originality: 10 - loved it and have never read a book like it! The combination of two distinct, but harmonious voices was thrilling and enthralling. My whiskey sour is being poured out for this book!
• Absurdity: 7 - Only because I will never meet another person with my name in an adult bookstore in Chicago (oh, man!), I give this a seven.
• Level of Romance: 6 - Not super romantic, but super awesome nonetheless!
• Level of Harry Potter-ness: Have we met? I'm going to rank this an even Majillion. If I compose one sentence in my life as well as either of these authors, I'm going to drop the proverbial mic right then and there!

Blog Tour: What Hides Within by Jason Parent

Inside all of us, there is darkness. Inside Clive, it's tangible, and it's aching to get out. What Hides Within tells the story of a man held captive by an unknown evil. Clive Menard is a spineless slacker leading an ordinary existence. But when Chester enters his life, it becomes far from ordinary.

A disheveled Clive stands alone in a hospital waiting room. A series of incidences have led him to undergo unnecessary neurosurgery. A voice inside Clive’s head nags him to kill the doctor.

Weeks prior, a murder investigation and an unrelated kayaking excursion set the story’s interlocking events in motion. When a remorseful killer, a bomb-happy psychopath and a mysterious widow spider converge upon Clive, they bring with them destruction and death. Clive must discover who or what is steering his very existence before he, too, is consumed by the carnage around him. With a driven detective following his every step and a vicious killer hiding within his circle of friends, Clive must walk a narrow and dangerous path, teetering between salvation and damnation. He must confront Chester and his own demons. But is he powerless to overcome them? (GoodReads).

We are participating in the What Hides Within Blog Tour here at YAF and WS. Since this is a bit of a horror book, Goosie Mama was going to read it, but life got busy and I did. Friends, I have just relearned that am not the audience for scary books (or books peopled with unlikable characters.) But I bucked up and read this creepy spider book (spiders are creepy period, never mind when they are the potential bad guys!)

Absurdity: 2. this seems like a basic murder mystery tinged with paranormal. But there is an entire section about a terrible doctor and a dirty hospital, too. YUCK, why? an extra two points for that absurdity.
Originality: 5. Murder mystery in Fall River ( hey, Rhode Island!) + spiders +mind control + moms dying of cancer. I am not kidding, all of that is in this book! This score reflects this combo.
Level of Paranormal Romance: 2. Clive is a bit sleezy so romance doesn't really factor in here.
Level of Harry-Potterness: 3. This was not my favorite read- I know you don't have to like a main character to like a book (as John Green often points out re: Catcher in the Rye) but I did not like Clive. He is like a character out of Office Space-- disengaged, slightly homophobic and misogynistic, and lazy. This is a book for people who like their characters dark and murders grizzly.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a review copy as part of the blog tour. We do not accept or receive compensation for reviews at YAF and WS.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.(GoodReads)

• Level of Absurdity: 4. Now This is a LOW grade for an absurd premise—that Nikki has been snuggling with an immortal for the last 100 years—but I was happy to see that this book was a gritty take on “prince charming”—in other words, running off into an alternate paranormal universe does not mean everyone suddenly loves you/wants you to be their queen. Wait a second....never mind.....ABSURDITY=9.
• Level of Originality: Out of paranormal genres Greek myth comes in second to last (fairies are obvi last) in the list of stories I want to read, but Everneath world building is actually pretty satisfying. The darkness and danger of the tunnels was well done. Yikes! Choking on dirt for eternity sounds terrible.
• Level of Paranormal Romance: 8.No holds barred paranormal love triangle. I didn't see the appeal of Cole but am not sure the author even wanted the reader to....except it makes it harder to believe Nikki would go with him to the Everneath...Anywho, Jack sure is cute in his anguished-tattooed-boy -meets-quarterback persona. What is with my love of fictional boys with tattoos? (Heeyyyyy Kaleb and Seth)
• Level of Harry-Potter-ness: 3. This low grade reflects my frustration with the format. The flashbacks were frustrating. Instead of building suspense as to what happened to push Nikki into going with Cole I found them annoying. They slowed the story and I was all “oh please, just tell me already.” This format encouraged skimming. I would never to that to JK Rowling-- her books are meant to be savored.

Waiting on Wednesday: Everbound by Brodi Ashton

I present, for this Waiting on Wednesday, Everbound by Brodi Ashton! If there is a textbook definition of a cliffhanger, Everneath, the first book in this series, would be it. I want to know what happened to Jack!

This dress would be great to own.
My party dress collection has requested
 its presence in my closet.

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.(Good Reads)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten "Older" Books You Don't Want People To Forget About

Happy TTT, people. When I asked Crazy Camper and Goosie Mama for feedback on this TTT, GM brilliantly answered: "Can we go really old school? Like Sweet valley high, goosebumps and nancy drew? These are the true originals and where I learned to love series!!" Why, yes we can! Thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for making this list possible, and hosting TTT! So without further ado, here are our favorite series--some may be old but that we have never forgotten them:

1. Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene. CC and I used to take these out of the library by the armful and read multiple in a day. A trump card, really.
2. Goosebumps by R. L Stine (PS: CC and I did NOT read these. We are super wimps when it comes to scary books. A cousin once read to us from Very Scary Stories and we had to share a room for the next 4 months. I refuse to tell you how old we were, but we were too old to be sharing a room.) But you know Goosie Mama loves a good ghost story.
3. Sweet Valley High series by  Francine Pascal. Yes! Twins! Do you all remember the theme song to the TV show? "could there be two different girls, who look the same at Sweeeeeeet Valley, Sweeeeeeet Valley Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh..."
4. The Enchanted Forest series by Patricia C. Wrede. I loved the girl whose hair lit on fire when she was angry. Who is with me on this! See here for Crazy Camper's love.
5. The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce. This is no surprise to anyone. We seriously hope you have by now drunk the Koolaid and read these books. George forever!
6. Box Car Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Another oldie but goodie. I always liked the idea of building a little house (My Side of the Mountain had this appeal, too)
7. So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane. Looking at this on Goodreads, I am not sure I even finished the series, but there was budding love and magic. I am going to try to find these ASAP.
8. Double Trouble Squared by Kathryn Lasky. The Starbuck Family Adventure series. AGAIN a book with twins, this time with physic powers. Crazy Camper is going to go bananas that I remembered these. We LOVED these mystery books. In the next book the twins are going to be able to mind-meld with dolphins while living in the Florida Keys. 

THESE WERE SO GOOD HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THEM FOR EVEN A SECOND!?

I love ND so much I had trouble picking which cover to show.
But I mean, is that Ned? Yum. AND a great photobomb by the ghost manta ray.

BAM. via