Waiting on Wednesday: Teardrop by Lauren Kate

Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.

But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined. From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.(GoodReads).

GUYS!!! It is is time for a new series by Lauren Kate. As you might know, loving to hate the Fallen series is one of our fav pastimes here at YAF and WS. I like the moody atmosphere of the first Fallen book a whole lot, so hopefully a Kate book SANS Luce and Daniel will be awesome.

Teardrop is due out Oct. 22, so the wait will not be long!

As always, a big thanks goes out to Jill at Breaking the Spine for hosting Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly meme where we share our most-anticipated upcoming reads. What is your WoW this week? 

Group Read: The Dream Theives (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggi Stievfvater

Man o MAN- This book is just plain old excellent. Well written, plot twists, characters.


Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

We were VERY lucky to get an early version and Grad Student and I cannot say enough.  At one point we were text messaging photos of quotes from the pages of the book to share how much we loved what was happening.  O Gansey...

Originality:  
CC:  8. This story beautifully built on the world of Gansey, Cabeswater and Henrietta.   Stiefvater has created a thrilling world that is only better in this second book of the series.
GS: 8. The BARNS alone was so freaking inventive. Dream thievery is not something I want to get into as a job (scary!), but it is fascinating. And I love how Stiefvater talks about the Raven boys as a unit. And on top of it all, the descriptions of Henrietta are intoxicating. I want into this world!

Absurdity: 
CC: 2.  I don't think I ever rolled my eyes- not ONCE, which is incredible for a book about highschoolers falling in love and battling super natural forces.  It just felt real.
GS: 2. I agree. If I tried to tell someone I was reading about Welsh legends transplanted to Virginia, they might think it was absurd. But the magic feels organic and super creepy (in the best way possible) that you can absolutely believe that there is something old and powerful lurking in the mountains.

Level of Paranormal Romance:
CC: 7.  The looks and silent intentions in this book are phenomenal   As is the understanding of the power of a first kiss, but also the power of attraction and why we fall for the ones we do. Swoon worthy.
GS: 8.  So CC was surprised to hear that in addition to falling for Gansey ( I mean, I saw it coming), I really liked Ronan. There is some surprising intensity of feeling from this angsty hunk, and I like how he feels about his friends and his little brother. I am also into his tattoo, so that helps. 

Level of Harry Potterness:
CC: I loved The Raven Boys, and this love has not diminished. Dream Thieves exceeded my expectations completely.  sigh, thank goodness for good books and better sequels.
GS: 8! This writing is lyrical and so well done. You can tell Stiefvater thinks seriously about language and word patterns, and the result is just beautiful.

"Gansey threw open his door. Gripping the roof of the car, he slid himself out. Even that gesture, Ronan noted, was wild Gansey, Gansey-on-fire.Like he pulled himself from the car because ordinary climbing out was too slow.This was going to be a night."

Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols is exactly the sort of book you should pick up on a boring Sunday and consume in a single sitting. It is engaging, full of hunky boys/lust/feelings. It is a soap opera for teens in a book, and I liked it a lot. I know I am late on this one- does everyone else like it, took?

But at first I didn't think I would end up liking this book. The first fifty pages really bothered me. I thought meg was Unappealing and that the cop thing was a bit fetishy. Thank goodness there was more to this story than first impressions.


HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

Originality: 5. I like Echols's southern-high school-hard knocks thing. I see that it is a trend in her books now (and reminds me of the Pushing the Limits series), but this was the first Echols I read and I found it fresh.

Absurdity:  6. See my concerns re: start of the book. This book isn't going for realistic portrayal of how cops handle badly behaved teenagers.  ALSO this cover is absurd. It hurts. And I read it in paperback!

Level of Paranormal Romance: 7. Sexy cop and bad girl sounds like a themed fraternity mixer- bad news. Luckily John After the 19 yr old runner is a hunk hunky hunk. And after a whole its clear that the Officer After version of John is pretty great, too.

Level of Harry-Potterness: 3. Obviously  no muggles in this one. But this book has more going on than first meets the eye, and Echols manages to bring in some serious issues without making it forced or cheesy. I was touched and surprised.

Waiting on Wednesday: Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow

In the world of Sorrow’s Knot, the dead do not rest easy. Every patch of shadow might be home to something hungry and nearly invisible, something deadly. The dead can only be repelled or destroyed with magically knotted cords and yarns. The women who tie these knots are called binders.

Otter is the daughter of Willow, a binder of great power. She’s a proud and privileged girl who takes it for granted that she will be a binder some day herself. But when Willow’s power begins to turn inward and tear her apart, Otter finds herself trapped with a responsibility she’s not ready for, and a power she no longer wants (GoodReads).

                                        

Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow comes out at the end of October.I have wanted to read Bow's Plain Kate for a while- I hear good things! So I am adding this new book to the TBR list. It seems spooky and atmospheric- perfect for fall.  Thanks to Jill at Breaking the Spine for hosting WoW, a weekly meme that showcases upcoming publications we are looking forward to. What made your WoW this week?

Group Read: Get Ready for the Dream Theives Group Read!

Those of you who are lucky enough to have already plowed through The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater, we are jazzed for  a YAF and WS group read. Join us next Monday, October 14th. We are excited!!!  We loved The Raven Boys and this one DID NOT DISAPPOINT!
                        
If you want to post your own thoughts at your blog, that is **awesome** and just let us know so we can put up links celebrating the together-ness of the internet.We will be answering our regular categories of Originality, Absurdity, Romance and Harry-Potterness (aka quality of overall book). If you want to do your own thing or even address the questions at the back of the book, go for it. It is just nice to think of people reading and thinking together about a great book.

Also, Maggie painted her car for the book... its awesome... check out her website.

Review: Fragments by Dan Wells

A long long time ago, in a time known as 2012, Grad Student was excited to read Fragments, the sequel to Partials.  You should know by now that I am not always on the cutting edge of new YA books, but here I am, loving the Partials series!

Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.

The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means—and even more important, a reason—for our survival (GoodReads).

It is like Dan Wells read my mind, dropped all the medical mumbo jumbo down to a reasonable level and got the plot turning!

Originality: 7+, a high school for a sequel.  The voyage across the desolated US was a new adventure and a new world.

Absurdity: 7. Basically for their survival skills. Acid rain gets them and they just basically dodge raindrops and continue onward.  ( I am ignoring the TERRIBLE mutated dog thing, it reminded me too much of Gone, which I despised......you are better then that Dan Wells)

Paranormal Romance: it goes from a 3 to an 8 in the last section- with an overly aggressive kiss!  No spoilers but  I had to roll my eyes and be like ok, this MAY be plausible in a time where there are few cute new outsiders to make the moves on. Survival of the fittest? perhaps.(side note-xxxoo Samm and his feelings)

Level of Harry Potterness: 6.  This book was a great fast, engaging read.  A sequel that matched and in my opinion surpassed the first- definitely looking forward to the next in the series!

Friday Library Updates: Too Much Homework and The Movie Version of The Host

The amount of fiction being read around here these days is shamefully low. This is what I have been reading:

                                                              

Try and not to be jealous, okay? The good news is On Writing Well by William Zinsser is pretty funny. Check out this bit'o'writing wisdom:

“Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon.” 

Willie Z being hilarious while talking about prose! The fact that I like this so much could also mean I am losing my mind. Ahh, to be a graduate student. 

In other news, I watched The Host. And I LIKED IT. What!?! I know, I know. against all odds-the plots holes, the ridiculous secret keeping, the even more ridiculous alien outfit choices-I enjoyed this movie. Mostly because of the abundance of hot guys running around the desert. And lots of love and kissing. SO MANY CUTE BOYS. Did anyone else on the planet enjoy this? Should I read this book? Lets discuss.

Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard was such fun to read. I am not much of traveler, but I wish I could see exotic places. Being a grad student puts a damper on the whole having-money-necessary-to-travel thing. But I love to read about people on exotic adventures. I have been refering to "going to Belize" because of this book. I use it when I do something out of my comfort zone. I get a total kick out of it! Now, on to the book:

It all begins with a stupid question: Are you a Global Vagabond? No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry to this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story. (GoodReads).

Originality: 7. I have never read a book set in ANY of these places. So this might not feel original to everyone, but I liked it.
Absurdity: 7. Ok, so striking off on your own in Central America as a high schooler is 99.99% the most ridiculous, unsafe thing to do. But hey, this is fiction. So its edgy and adventures and leads to dreamy love interests rather than killers.
Level of Paranormal Romance: 6. Rowan! Of course this former bad-boy is totally dreamy. What is the point of having a former bad boy who is lame and unattractive? T
Level of Harry-Potterness: 6. This is a basic story, but I am giving Hubbard bonus points for the very cool sketches. Sometimes I hate that stuff in books, but this wasn't corny at all. It made me feel connected to the story. and anyways, Rowan is a hunk--it is confirmed by the sketches :-).

Waiting on Wednesday: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #3)

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong. (GoodReads).

This week's Waiting on Wednesday is dedicated to Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi comes out February 4th 2014. It should be epic.  Here is a cheers to Jill at Breaking the Spine for hosting Waiting on Wednesday, a way to share books we can't wait to read. What is your WoW this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Turn-Offs

People, it is OCTOBER. This fact blows my mind. Is the world spinning faster or something? Anywho, the good news is its Tuesday and its time for Top Ten Tuesday. We love everything that the ladies at The Broke and the Bookish do, and this list-mania feature is a good one. This week TTT is all about book turn-offs. A book turn off is a REAL thing. Sometimes you are happy as a clam with a book until bam! Something completely turns you off -- for us that something is usually:

Grad Student:

1. flashbacks. I almost always skip them.

2. faux-Victorian-era language. Im looking at you, Steampunk....    
                                
Crazy Camper:

3. Derogatory language.  I understand that you are trying to make a point about your character being tough, having an edge, being a jerk, but you are a writer.  use your imagination and show me this character without dropping f bombs, making homosexual remarks, or generally being an ass. 

4. Adultery- just not me thing, I have mentioned this before and books about cheaters and adultery is a turn off.

5. Too much world building, not enough action.  George R.R. Martin BARELY gets by in my opinion with his epic descriptions of food and clothing.  Everyone else, please stop and just let my imagination go for it.

6. Characters who write bad poetry that I have to read that makes them feel deep or express their emotions.  This is usual terrible poetry and there is not much worse to read in this world.
                    

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is a CLASSIC example of uber world-building.

But on a cheerier note, the new editions of these books have much improved covers.

Good work, professional cover-pickers.