Waiting on Wednesday: Fyre

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...

Fyre, by Angie Sage

Summary (from Goodreads):
Now that Septimus, Jenna, and Beetle are fourteen years old, they have assumed larger roles in their Magykal world. Beetle has become the Chief Hermetic Scribe of the Manuscriptorium and Jenna is waiting to be crowned Queen, but Septimus is still battling the remnants of the Dark Domaine, which will remain until the power of the evil Two-Faced Ring is destroyed forever. To accomplish that, the ancient Alchemie Fyre must be relit—a task that sends Septimus to the very origins of Magyk and Physik, testing both his skills, and his loyalties to ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, and Alchemist Marcellus Pye.

In a journey that encapsulates the entire Septimus Heap series, Septimus will continue to discover the truth of who he is and expand upon his Magykal power and skills. Septimus Heap, Book Seven: Fyre weaves together every singular character from the entire series and incorporates many of the Magykal places from each book. Written with Angie Sage’s distinctive humor and heart, Fyre is the grand finale that celebrates the greatest Magyk of all: When the Fyre inside is kindled and when the Time is Right, anything is possible.

Fyre will be released April 16th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday: Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...
Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltlskin, by Liesl Shurtliff

Summary (from Goodreads):
In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke.

Rump has never known his full name—his mother died before she could tell him. So all his life he's been teased and bullied for his half-a-name. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. For Rump discovers he can spin straw into gold. Magical gold.

His best friend Red Riding Hood warns him that magic is dangerous—and she's right! That gold is worth its weight in trouble. And with each thread he spins, Rump weaves himself deeper into a curse.

There's only one way to break the spell: Rump must go on a quest to find his true name, along the way defending himself against pixies, trolls, poison apples, and one beautiful but vile-mannered queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—Rump just might triumph in the end.

An inventive fairytale retelling, perfect for fans of Gail Carson Levine or Shannon Hale.

Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin will be released April 9th 2013 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Triumph

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...
Dark Triumph, by Robin LaFevers

Summary (from Goodreads):
Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. Naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, the convent views Sybella as one of their most dangerous weapons.

But those assassin’s skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. Her father’s rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother’s love is equally monstrous. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

This heart-pounding sequel to Grave Mercy serves betrayal, treachery, and danger in equal measure, bringing readers back to fifteenth century Brittany and will keep them on the edge of their seats.

Dark Triumph will be released April 2nd 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Review: Reached

by Ally Condie
Series: Matched #3
Hardcover, 512 pages
Published November 13th 2012 by Penguin
Age Recommendation: Young Adult

This review will include spoilers for Matched and Crossed.

After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

Reached was a slow read, but it was worth the time it took to get through. Although I was not initially impressed, it grew on me, especially during my reflection after finishing it.

The chapters were divided between Cassia, Ky, and Xander, who each had a separate role to play in dealing with the revolution and the plague. In Crossed, I preferred Cassia's voice to Ky's, but in Reached, I looked forward to Xander's chapters most. Additionally, in Reached, the three voices seemed much more distinct and individual. I could usually tell who was speaking without relying on the context.

I loved that Reached stayed true to the series, and did not veer off into the average dystopian plot. From the beginning, the characters' journey is centered not around violence but about discovering beauty despite captivity. Thankfully, Reached does not become violent either. Amazingly, Reached is not about destruction but about healing. This distinction is amazing to me, and is what sets this series apart.

I was satisfied with the resolution to the love triangle, but found that the triangle was not what kept me going through the story. In fact, I would not have minded no matter who Cassia ended up with. Mostly, Condie kept the characters true and focused on each character's development rather than the drama of the love triangle.

Overall Thoughts: Reached was definitely a slow read, but if you're a character person, it may just be the story for you. It certainly gets better upon reflection, so I'd be happy to chat with you about it and see what you think.

Waiting on Wednesday: In the Shadow of Blackbirds

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...
In the Shadow of Blackbirds, by Cat Winters

Summary (from Goodreads):
In 1918, the world seems on the verge of apocalypse. Americans roam the streets in gauze masks to ward off the deadly Spanish influenza, and the government ships young men to the front lines of a brutal war, creating an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Sixteen-year-old Mary Shelley Black watches as desperate mourners flock to séances and spirit photographers for comfort, but she herself has never believed in ghosts. During her bleakest moment, however, she’s forced to rethink her entire way of looking at life and death, for her first love—a boy who died in battle—returns in spirit form. But what does he want from her?

Featuring haunting archival early-twentieth-century photographs, this is a tense, romantic story set in a past that is eerily like our own time.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds will be released April 2nd 2013 by Amulet Books.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday: Poison

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...

Poison, by Bridget Zinn

Summary (from Goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Poison will be released March 12th 2013 by Disney Hyperion.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday: Strands of Bronze and Gold

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...

Strands of Bronze and Gold, by Jane Nickerson

Summary (from Goodreads):
The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

Strands of Bronze and Gold will be released March 12th 2013 by Random House Children's Books.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Friday Face Off: Staring Eyes

Friday Face-Off is a weekly feature hosted by Misty at The Book Rat. 

This week's FFO compares Peeps by Scott Westerfeld and Gothic!, a short story collection by Deborah Noyes (Editor), Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Celia Rees, Barry Yourgrau, Janni Lee Simner, Vivian Vande Velde, Joan Aiken , M.T. Anderson, Neil Gaiman, and Caitlín R. Kiernan. Both covers give me the creeps. Which do you prefer?

Now it's your turn to choose...

Which cover did it better?

Click on any cover to enlarge.
Leave your thoughts in the comments!

On the last FFO: Ordinary Magic won against Rump: The True Story of Rumplestilskin with three votes to none. It's been quite a while since then!

As usual, you are still welcome to comment with your thoughts on old FFOs, and I will update this page accordingly.

Waiting on Wednesday: Requiem

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I am eagerly waiting on...

Requiem, by Lauren Oliver

Summary (from Goodreads):
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Requiem will be released March 1st 2013 by HarperTeen.

What are you guys waiting for this week? Leave thoughts and links in the comments!

Trailer for Dark Triumph now available!

The first book in Robin LaFevers' His Fair Assassin triology, Grave Mercy, was one of my top 12 of 2012. I loved it, as I wrote in my review. And now we are approaching the release date for Dark Triumph! I can't wait to read about Sybella, who was one of the most interesting characters in Grave Mercy. I am so excitied to dive back into LaFevers' world. I may even reread the giant Grave Mercy before I pick up Dark Triumph.

Anyway, today, the trailer for Dark Triumph was released on Entertainment Weekly. Check it out here!

There's only a few short weeks until Dark Triumph comes out on April 2nd! Mark your calendars, everyone!