Waiting on Wednesday Update (4)

This is a series where I look at my old Waiting on Wednesday posts and talk about if I actually ever did read the book, if I liked it if I did, and if I haven't, would I still or not. That kind of thing. I think it's an interesting idea, and I hope you do, too.

WoWed August 14th, 2009:

Evil? by Timothy Carter

Release date: August 1th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Stuart Bradley knows there are a lot of reasons people in his small, conservative hometown might not approve of him. He's openly gay, he's mouthy in church, and he conjures demons in his spare time—the usual. So Stuart knows something is odd when his little brother catches him "self-pleasuring" in the shower and, before he knows it, an angry mob is chasing down every teen who ever had an "impure" thought.

Stuart soon discovers that the new preacher in town is more than he seems. He's a fallen angel-fallen because he became too obsessed with a certain harmless adolescent activity. If Stuart and his demon sidekick don't stop him, blindness is going to be the least of anyone's worries.

Update: I had to double check that date because yeah, I WoWed it after it came out, lol. I was doing a themed post and you all know how I am with the themes. This does sound kind of unique, but I'm just not that into angel/demon books anymore.

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Release date: October 13th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Update: I read this, I reviewed it, I bought a copy in addition to my ARC, and I'm not linking to my review because it is embarassing, lol. I had like no critical bones in my body back then. Ah, how things have changed.

Covet by J. R. Ward

Release date: September 29th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about—his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins.

And failure is not an option.

Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. And then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart—and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

Update: I'm not really interested in this series/concept anymore, and I'm a bit more selective about my reading choices in genre romance these days.

WoWed August 19th, 2009:

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Release date: April 1st, 2010 by Harlequin

Summary (from goodreads): Keep Your Head Down.

Don't Get Noticed.

Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops.

So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Update: I never got around to reading this, but I probably wouldn't intentionally seek it out. Just a bit of YA dystopian exhaustion in general. If I found it at a secondhand book sale, I'd probably grab it, though.

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

Released: May 19th, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): Sixteen-year-old, music- and sound design-obsessed Drea doesn't have friends. She has, as she's often reminded, issues. Drea's mom and a rotating band of psychiatrists have settled on "a touch of Asperger's."

Having just moved to the latest in a string of new towns, Drea meets two other outsiders. And Naomi and Justin seem to actually like Drea. The three of them form a band after an impromptu, Portishead-comparison-worthy jam after school. Justin swiftly challenges not only Drea's preference for Poe over Black Lab but also her perceived inability to connect with another person. Justin, against all odds, may even like like Drea.

It's obvious that Drea can't hide behind her sound equipment anymore. But just when she's found not one but two true friends, can she stand to lose one of them?

Update: I think I have a bookmark or something for this in my book swag shoebox. Apparently the autism rep in this is pretty good, so that's neat. No plans to seek this out, but nothing against it.

WoWed August 25th, 2009:

Strange Fate by L. J. Smith

Release date: To be discussed in the update.

Summary (from goodreads): Sarah Strange is a normal teenager with annoying siblings and a crush on two boys, Mal and Kierlan, who happen to be her best friends. But Sarah also has visions of a place where dragons darken the sky and feast on humans.

When Sarah confides in Mal and Kierlan about her visions, she discovers her friends are not who they seem. They are part of the Night World. And they believe Sarah must help establish peace and harmony between humans and creatures of the Night World to stave off the apocalypse.

And if Sarah’s visions are any indication of the danger, destruction, and devastation that the apocalypse will bring, there is no time to lose…

Update: So I never read this but neither did anyone else? I have what I think is this whole series stuffed in my fireplace (it's not a working fireplace, don't worry) and I'd totally finish it with this one, but apparently this was supposed to be released in 1998 originally? My WoW post says April 6th, 2009, and goodreads in 2014 said a possible 2015 release, and there's even a cover that matches the others from the original series on Amazon. Apparently the original release was supposed to be 1998.

Chapters has it with a release date of 2030. Last update from the author about it seems to be in 2012, and she hasn't updated her blog since 2016. Seems like she had some major health issues during 2015, so hopefully she's doing better these days.

I would totally buy this if ever came out, but who knows if that actually will happen.

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

Release date: April 1st, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): If you could have anything, what would you wish for? The impossible...or a real chance at being happy?

Olivia Larsen's twin sister, Violet, is dead. Olivia knows nothing that can change that . . . until the day she receives a beautiful dress. The dress doesn't just look magical: it has the power to grant wishes. And all Olivia wants is her sister back.

But Violet's return isn't what Olivia expected. As love, secrets, betrayal, and a haunted past collide, Olivia begins to wonder what a wish is worth . . . and if her life will ever look the same.

Update: So, this didn't actually have a cover when I WoWed it, and I actually think the cover does the book a disservice? I don't like it at all. The French cover is way better. Honestly I think the book still sounds good, but I wouldn't grab that cover, personally. It just does nothing for me and looks very generic. The premise sounds good, though.

Dark Secrets 2: No Time to Die; The Deep End of Fear by Elizabeth Chandler

Release date: May 4th, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): In No Time to Die, the drama is deadly. Jenny is going undercover for the summer at the theater camp where her sister, Liza, was murdered just a year earlier. Though Jenny is still grieving the loss of her sister and feels completely out of place on stage, she is determined to discover why Liza was murdered—and more importantly, who killed her. Soon she thinks she hears Liza speaking to her, and suspects someone may be following her. The drama is even more twisted than she thought….

In The Deep End of Fear, Kate thought she was done with daring adventures after her childhood friend Ashley tragically drowned in an icy pond. But when she returns to her childhood home, it all comes flooding back. To stop history from repeating itself, Kate must face the childhood fears that have haunted her for so long

Update: I actually got an original run of Deep End of Fear that my library weeded. I've read some of this series in the past, and I own the first bind-up, but I would really love to get the full series of this. I should stick them on my amazon wishlist. It seems like the kind of thing that would fit around here in one of those series review posts I do, or something like that.

Thirst No. 1: The Last Vampire, Black Blood, and Red Dice by Christopher Pike, which are books 1-3 of the Last Vampire series 

Summary (from goodreads): As to blood -ah, blood, the whole subject fascinates me. I do like that as well, warm and dripping, when I am thirsty....

Alisa has been in control of her urges for the five thousand years she has been a vampire. She feeds but does not kill, and she lives her life on the fringe to maintain her secret. But when her creator returns to hunt her, she must break her own rules in order to survive.

Her quest leads her to Ray. He is the only person who can help her; he also has every reason to fear her. Alisa must get closer to him to ensure her immortality. But as she begins to fall in love with Ray, suddenly there is more at stake than her own life....

Thirst No. 2: Phantom, Evil Thirst, and Creatures of Forever by Christopher Pike, which contains books 4-6 of The Last Vampire

Summary (from goodreads): Tears roll over my face. I touch them with my quivering tongue. They are clear and salty, not dark and bloody. Another sign that I am human.

What Alisa has desired for five thousand years has finally come true: She is once again human. But now she is defenseless, vulnerable, and, for the first time in centuries, emotional.

As she attempts to reconcile her actions as a vampire with her new connection to humanity, she begins to understand the weight of life-and-death decisions. Can Alisa resolve her past and build a new identity, or is she doomed to repeat her fatal mistakes?

Update: I bought both of these. Did I read them? No XD But I did buy them both. I'd love to add to the collection and get 3-5 of the Thirst series that continue the series. And then maybe read them, but maybe not, knowing me, lol.

Okay, that's ten. This is

So I only read one of these, but one is impossible to read, and I did buy a few of the others? Kind of an interesting one, and I learned some stuff about the Night World book.

Have you read any of these? Any you think I should read or that I'm wrong about? Let me know in the comments!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday Update (3)

I haven't seen if anyone likes this series yet, really, but I've got a bunch of these posts written because I got carried away, and I don't have an interesting answer to the BBH question this week, so let's do this!

I probably need a real intro for these. Let's see. This is a series where I look at my old Waiting on Wednesday posts and talk about if I actually ever did read the book, if I liked it if I did, and if I haven't, would I or not. That kind of thing. I think it's an interesting idea, and I hope you do, too.

WoWed June 17th, 2009:

The Mark by Jen Nadol

Release date: February 1st, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Sixteen year old Cassandra Renfield has seen the mark since forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.

The one time she mentioned it to someone else, the mark was dismissed as a trick of the light. So Cassie has kept quiet, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until the day she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person's imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, answers, always careful to hide her secret. How does the mark work? Why her?

Most importantly: if you know today is someone's last, should you tell them?

Update: I haven't read this, but I own it and I probably will. Eventually. Still sounds good!

WoWed June 24th, 2009:

Dragonfly by Julia Golding

Release date: October 20th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Princess Taoshira of the Blue Crescent Islands is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal. And he's not too pleased, either. She is used to a life of discipline, ritual, and splendor. He is used to hunting and carousing. They hate each other on sight. But both of their countries are under threat from a fearsome warlord, and the only chance of peace is to form an alliance.

When Tashi and Ram are kidnapped, they fear there's no escape--from their kidnappers or from each other. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive ambush, unarmed combat, brainwashing, and imprisonment? And will the people they meet on their adventure--including a circus strongman, a daring rebel leader, a sinister master of spies, and the best female fighter they have ever seen--help them or betray them to the enemy?

Update: I never read this one, and it doesn't sound too much like my kind of thing. Me thing, not a book thing. I'm just more aware of what I do and don't like these days.

Time of the Witches by Anna Myers

Release date: September 15th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Orphaned at the age of four, Drucilla finally has a place she can call home with her new family, the Putnams, of Salem Village. But when a new reverend and his family move into town with their servant Tituba, life takes a strange and dangerous turn as accusations of witchcraft swirl.

Dru is overwhelmed by the fervor of lies and the power of groupthink among the other girls in town; reluctant to turn her back on the Putnams, she utters her own accusations.

Only her best friend Gabe sees through the deceit, but it may be too late for Dru to protect the truth, and innocent people will pay the ultimate price.

Update: Never read this one either. I would probably buy this if I saw it at a sale or something for cheap, but I probably wouldn't seek it out. The cover is really pretty though.

WoWed July 1st, 2009:

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

Release date: February 9th, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback.

Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .)

Those who prefer their heroes to be not-so-usual and with a side of wiseguy will gobble up this witty, geeks-rule debut.

Update: I have not read this, but I own it! I got it somewhat recently, in fact. I do want to eventually read it.

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Release date: September 1st, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. When Kate's village falls on hard times - crops fail, and even Kate's father falls victim to a deadly fever - the townspeople look for someone to blame, and their eyes fall on Kate.

Enter Linay, a stranger with a proposition: In exchange for her shadow, he'll give Kate the means to escape the town that seems set to burn her, and what's more, he'll grant her heart's wish. It's a chance for her to start over, to find a home, a family, a place to belong. But Kate soon realizes that she can't live shadowless forever -- and that Linay's designs are darker than she ever dreamed.

Update: I really liked Erin Bow's Swan Riders series, and I'd like to read more, but I believe this has some racial stereotyping about Romani people that I would not like to support. So, I'd probably pass on this one, but would be interested in other books from the author.

WoWed July 8th, 2009:

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Release date: March 23rd, 2018

Summary (from goodreads): The day the rains came was like any other, blistering air coating the canyon in a heavy stillness....

Just as the rains come after ten long, dry years, a young wizard, Wayland North, appears, to whisk Sydelle Mirabil away from her desert village. North needs an assistant, and Sydelle is eager to see the country - and to join him on his quest to stop the war that surely will destroy her home.

But North has secrets - about himself, about why he chose Sydelle, about his real reasons for the journey. What does he want from her? And why does North's sworn enemy seem fascinated by Sydelle himself?

Update: I never read this one, but I totally would if it made its way to me. Still a gorgeous cover, too.

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Release date: August 1st, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them.

But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost.

If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love?

Update: Interesting fact, this actually got a new title from when I WoWed it. It used to be much longer. I never read this, but I totally would. It looks really cute. The cover art also reminds me of Coraline a little.

Interesting fact #2, I had two different Waiting on Wednesday posts numbered "13". Because of course I did. I mean, 13 is a lucky number for me, and I cannot count.

WoWed July 15th, 2009:

The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas

Release date: January 4th, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): Griffin Penshine is always making wishes. But when a sinister old woman tricks her into accepting a box of eleven shiny Indian Head pennies from 1897, Griffin soon learns these are no ordinary pennies, but stolen wishes.

This box of labeled pennies comes with a horrible curse: People in possession of the stolen coins are Wish Stealers, who will never have their wishes granted.... In fact, the opposite of what they've wished for will happen. Griffin must find a way to return these stolen wishes and undo the curse if her own wishes are to come true.

But how can Griffin return wishes to strangers who might not even be alive? Her journey leads her to ancient alchemists, Macbeth's witches, and a chance to help people in ways she never imagined, but the temptation of the Wish Stealers' dark and compelling power is growing stronger. Can Griffin reverse the curse in time to save herself and the people she loves?

Update: I'm realizing I'm a sucker for middle grade. Didn't read this, but I'd grab it at a yard sale.

I Kissed A Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer

Release date: January 26th, 2010

Summary (from goodreads): Algonquin “Ali” Rhodes, the high school newspaper’s music critic, meets an intriguing singer, Doug, while reviewing a gig. He’s a weird-looking guy—goth, but he seems sincere about it, like maybe he was into it back before it was cool. She introduces herself after the set, asking if he lives in Cornersville, and he replies, in his slow, quiet murmur, “Well, I don’t really live there, exactly. . . .”

When Ali and Doug start dating, Ali is falling so hard she doesn’t notice a few odd signs: he never changes clothes, his head is a funny shape, and he says practically nothing out loud. Finally Marie, the school paper’s fashion editor, points out the obvious: Doug isn’t just a really sincere goth. He’s a zombie. Horrified that her feelings could have allowed her to overlook such a flaw, Ali breaks up with Doug, but learns that zombies are awfully hard to get rid of—at the same time she learns that vampires, a group as tightly-knit as the mafia, don’t think much of music critics who make fun of vampires in reviews...

Update: Is this supposed to be a parody or serious? Just not so much my thing anymore, I think.

WoWed August 14th, 2009:

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Release date: December 8th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?

17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross . . . only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart.

Get ready to fall...

Update: Okay I've never read this one. But.

Luci has.

And there was a movie made based on the book. And I'm not gonna lie, it looks terrible. So I'm gonna make them watch it with me eventually! It's gonna be fun :D

I probably won't read it though.

So I own two of these, but haven't read any of these. Huh! Interesting grouping in this post. What are you all thinking of this series?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday Update (2)

The last Waiting on Wednesday update was really fun to write. If you missed that, you can check it out here. Since it was so interesting to write, I thought I'd do another one. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it as well, dear readers! Again, not going to do these too often, because they take a While to write, lol.

Also, I cannot wait for Past!Laina to discover goodreads. I made life so much harder than it needed to be.

WoWed April 29th, 2009

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Release date: June 2nd, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Nick and his brother, Alan, are always ready to run. Their father is dead, and their mother is crazy—she screams if Nick gets near her. She’s no help in protecting any of them from the deadly magicians who use demons to work their magic. The magicians want a charm that Nick’s mother stole—and they want it badly enough to kill.

Alan is Nick’s partner in demon slaying and the only person he trusts in the world. So things get very scary and very complicated when Nick begins to suspect that everything Alan has told him about their father, their mother, their past, and what they are doing is a complete lie...

Update: I'm not the biggest fan of this author, and this book just isn't my thing anymore. I am also seriously cringing at how hard I was trying to believe I was straight in these posts, lol. Past me, you don't need to do this.

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Groff

Release date: January 25th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Annie Richards knows there are a million things to look out for -- bicycle accidents, food poisoning, chicken pox, smallpox, typhoid fever, runaway zoo animals, and poison oak.

That's why being careful is so important, even if it does mean giving up some of her favorite things, like bike races with her best friend, Rebecca, and hot dogs on the Fourth of July. Everyone keeps telling Annie not to worry so much, that she's just fine.

But they thought her brother, Jared, was just fine too, and Jared died.

Update: I never got around to reading this, but I totally would read it now. I love the cover too.

WoWed May 6th, 2009:

After by Amy Efaw

Release date: August 11th, 2009

Summary (from my old post, because I don't like the one on goodreads): Who would leave their own baby in the trash to die?

Certainly not someone like Devon--a straight-A student, soccer player with Olympic dreams, more mature than her own mother. But desparation and panic drover her to do what most people can't even imagine. Now Devon's in a juvenile detention center, charged with attempted murder. If she's tried as an adult, she faces life in prison.

Does Devon deserve that punishment? Your answer depends on whether you believe her story--that she didn't even know she was pregnant. Was she buried in a denial so deep that she was unable to register the seemingly obvious signs of pregnancy? Or were her actions the result of a more devious, premeditated plan?

Update: I did in fact read this! I believe I was sent an ARC of this. I reviewed it, too, but I'm not linking that to you because it's probably terribly written and dated now. I remember liking it, though.

Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Release date: October 6th, 2008

Summary (from goodreads): Nothing is beyond Kristi Carmichael’s disdain—her hippie high school, her friend Jacob, her workaholic mom.

Yet for all her attitude and her mind-reading abilities, Kristi has a vulnerable side. She can hear the thoughts of her fellow students, calling her fat and gross. She’s hot for Gusty Peterson, one of the most popular guys in school, but of course, she’s sure he thinks she is disgusting. And she’s still mad at her father, who walked out on them two years ago.

Soon, a school project brings her together with Gusty, her father comes home and drops a bombshell, and a friend comes out of the closet, and suddenly she is left doubting that she can read people at all.

Update: Never got around to this one, and honestly I don't think I would. It doesn't seem like my kind of thing anymore.

WoWed May 20th, 2009:

Sleepless by Thomas Fahy

Release date: July 28th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE SOON she tells herself.
SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE AND I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE.

A few days after the first time you
walk in your sleep, you kill someone.
That's how the end begins.

Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead. Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure out what's behind the murders-before anyone else dies.

Update: I haven't read this one, but I may have some plans for it. You'll see. Eventually. Hopefully.

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Release date: October 13th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Update: I got an ARC of this through... Barnes and Noble First Look? I seriously can't remember, but it was definitely some kind of reviewing program. And then they changed the ending between ARC and publication so I bought a hardcover, too. I liked it a lot, but Present!Me looks at that with much skepticism. Sorry, Past!Me, you weren't critical enough.

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Release date: December 14th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Love can be a dangerous thing...

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna’s tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she’s far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

Update: I actually have read this twice. One time just at the end of 2017! And I reviewed it here, and I'm not so embarassed by that post!

The Vampire Is Not That Into You by Vlad Mezrich

Release date: October 1st, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Are you in love with a vampire? Are you worried that you might not be his (blood) type? Do you wonder whether that cold stare means he isn’t interested . . . or if it’s because he’s been dead for three centuries (nothing personal)? Have you tried to coax him out of his crypt with a flash of your neck or a near-death situation that requires him to save you at the very last possible moment? Have you ever considered what it will be like to introduce him to your mother?

Even though your vampire’s skin is transfixingly translucent, he can still be very hard to read. Sometimes he’s simply holding back his true feelings, resisting the urge to bite you in the chance that one day you will truly love him. And other times . . . well, he’s just not that into you.

How can you tell? Undead dating specialist Vlad Mezrich has all the answers, utilizing quizzes, Top Ten lists, language analysis, real-life (and real-death) testimonials, and fancy charts to show you what you need to do in order to get your vampire and keep him forever. Once you go vamp, you never decamp – so let this eternally rewarding book show you the way to the vampire of your dreams.

Update: This seems like the kind of thing that I'd buy like at a Scholastic book fair as a kid, but probably wouldn't seek out as an adult. Also, check out that flip phone!

Fade Out by Rachel Caine (The Morganville Vampires, Book 7)

Release date: November 3rd, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again…

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve’s castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger—and way more dangerous—than anyone suspected.

Update: I totally bought and read this. I don't remember when exactly, but this was like the last one of the series I read for reasons. I would re-read these, though, and I would love to own a full set.

WoWed June 17th, 2009:

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Release date: December 22nd, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

Update: I read and reviewed the whole series here and here. I was not a very big fan.

So that's actually 5/10 books that I did read, plus a possible plan to read another. That's not bad!

Let me know what you all think of this kind of post!! I'd like to keep doing them now and then, when I don't have anything else to post on a Friday. Should I fumble at making some kind of graphic for them? Let me know in the comments.

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Waiting on Wednesday Update (1)

This is something I thought could be interesting. I probably won't do it too often because these posts take a while to write and they'd probably get annoying to do constantly, but I thought an interesting thing to do would be to look at my old Waiting on Wednesday posts and talk about if I actually ever did read the book, if I liked it if I did, and if I haven't, would I or not. That kind of thing.

Since I used to do two books a post, I'll generally do five WoWs per post, and that'll get us ten books per post, but this one will just have four since I had two posts with three books.

...that's a lot of numbers. Don't worry about the numbers. I'll do the worrying for you. Let's just get into this!

WoWed March 4th, 2009:

Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine (The Morganville Vampires, Book Four)

Release date: June 3rd, 2008

(Summary from goodreads): The wait is over... dig into the feast.

In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace.

Student Claire Danvers has never been convinced, though, especially with the arrival of Mr. Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony.

What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister. It's only at a formal ball, attended by vampires and their human dates, that Claire realizes the elaborately evil trap he's set for Morganville.

Lord of Misrule by Rachel Caine (The Morganville Vampires, Book Five)

Release date: January 6th, 2009

(Summary from goodreads): In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony.

Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn't the only threat.

Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.

(These have really short summaries that messes up my formatting. This text is solely here so it doesn't annoy me.)

Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine (The Morganville Vampires, Book Six)

Release date: June 2nd, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace.

Until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets.

He's kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants-the living and the undead.

Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

Update: So, I own and have read all three of these. I really used to like this series and read them as soon as they came out. I own everything up to Kiss of Death. Hey, maybe I should put the rest of the series on my Amazon wishlist and maybe finish it. I might do that.

Interesting fact, in March 2009 I could not get a book that had been released in 2008. That is what access to a limited library looks like, my literary... listeners. (The alliteration got away from me a little bit there.)

WoWed March 11th, 2009:

The Morgue and Me by John C. Ford

Release date: June 25th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Christopher just needed a job to kill time the summer after high school graduation. He didn't expect it to be in the morgue. Or that he would accidentally discover a murder cover-up.

Or that his discovery would lead him to a full-blown investigation involving bribery, kidnappings, more murders... and his best friend. And he certainly could never have predicted that Tina - loud, insanely hot, ambitious newspaper reporter Tina - would be his partner.

But all of that did happen. And Christopher's life will never be the same.

Update: I honestly am not reading very many books by dudes these days, especially white/nonqueer dudes. Sorry! The summary isn't doing a lot for me either, honestly. Did not read it, and I think I would pass on doing so.

Me and the Blondes by Teresa Toten

Release date: April 25th, 2006 by Puffin

Summary (from goodreads): Sophie Kandinsky has spent the last six years trying to keep her crazy family life secret. The devil is in the details. The first detail is her larger-than-life, eccentric, Bulgarian mother. The slightly larger detail is the fact that her gentle, poet-father has been charged with murder. All Sophie wants is to be adored and invincible, which is really hard once people find out her father’s in prison.

But this time, after yet another move to another new school, and another opportunity to wipe the slate clean, Sophie has devised a plan. On her first day of school, she will locate The Blondes—that clique of perfect, confident girls who are beyond gossip and reproach—and she will make them her friends. This time, no one will find out the truth. This time, everything will be brilliant.

Update: I had already read this, but I didn't understand how regional releases worked. Ah, the follies of my youth.

Better than Blonde by Teresa Toten

Release date: April 3rd, 2007

Summary (from goodreads): Life is almost ... well ... potentially perfect for Sophie Kandinsky. As it turns out, the Blondes were as dazzled by her as she was by them, and Sophie enters grade ten at Northern Heights smack in the centre of the power grid.

There will be no more cascading lies and secrets from her, but the Blondes—now that’s another story. And her eccentric Aunties are still peppering Sophie with their eccentric advice on life, love, and how to land the elusive Luke Pearson. But in the end, the best and biggest news is also the worst.

After seven years, Sophie’s beloved Papa is finally out of prison. Papa is home. Trouble is ... he’s supposed to be dead. No more lies? No more secrets?

Update: I never read this one, and apparently a third one was released in 2011. I'm kinda curious about them now, and if they've aged well at all.

WoWed March 26th, 2009:

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog

Release date: June 23rd, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Morgan Sparks has always known that she and her boyfriend, Cam, are made for each other. But when Cam’s cousin Pip comes to stay with the family, Cam seems depressed. Finally Cam confesses to Morgan what’s going on: Cam is a fairy. The night he was born, fairies came down and switched him with a healthy human boy. Nobody expected Cam to live, and nobody expected his biological brother, heir to the fairy throne, to die. But both things happened, and now the fairies want Cam back to take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Even as Cam physically changes, becoming more miserable each day, he and Morgan pledge to fool the fairies and stay together forever. But by the time Cam has to decide once and for all what to do, Morgan’s no longer sure what’s best for everyone, or whether her and Cam’s love can weather an uncertain future.

Update: I never read this, but I think I gave away bookmarks of it for a while whenever I did giveaways. I probably wouldn't seek this one out from the library or anything, but if I saw it at a yard sale or something, I'd grab it. There are other books by the author I'm more interested in, though.

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

Released: January 27th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides.

Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told.

Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza's world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see into the past, into the future and she has no choice but to flee her town.

Liza's quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds.

Update: Similar story here where I never read this one and probably wouldn't seek it out, but wouldn't pass it by if I saw it somewhere.

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Released: May 5th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

Update: Ditto for this one, although part of me has a feeling this one has probably aged the poorest. Not to be rude, I just have that gut feeling.

Also, wow, all these covers were so similar. That had to be Twilight influence, right?

Alyzon Whitestarr by Isobelle Carmody

Released: September 26th, 2005 but it was re-released in 2009 which was why I was just hearing about it.

Summary (from goodreads): Are Alyzon’s new abilities a blessing... or a curse?

Alyzon Whitestarr doesn't take after her musically talented father or her nocturnal, artistic mother. In fact, she’s the most normal member of a very eccentric family... until the day that an accident leaves her more unique than she ever could have dreamed.

Suddenly colors are more vibrant to Alyzon; her memory is flawless; but strangest of all is Alyzon’s sense of smell. Her best friend smells of a comforting sea breeze. She registers her father’s contentment as the sweet scent of caramelized sugar. But why does the cutest guy in school smell so rancid?

With Alyzon’s extrasensory perception comes intrigue and danger, as she becomes aware of the dark secrets and hidden ambitions that threaten her family. In the end, being different might be less of a blessing than a curse....

Update: Never read this one, and I probably won't ever seek it out unless I heard something absolutely amazeballs about it.

Kaleidoscrope Eyes by Jen Bryant

Released: May 12th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Will Lyza's 1968 summer mystery lead to... pirate treasure?

When Lyza helps her dad clean out her late grandfather's house, a mysterious surprise brightens the sad task. In Gramps's dusty attic, Lyza discovers three maps, carefully folded and stacked, bound by a single rubber band. On top, an envelope says For Lyza ONLY.

What could this possibly be? It takes the help of her two best friends, Malcolm and Carolann, to figure out that the maps reveal three possible spots in their own New Jersey town where Captain Kidd (the Captain Kidd, seventeenth-century pirate) may have buried a treasure.

Can three thirteen-year-olds actually conduct a secret treasure hunt? And what will they find?

Update: Actually, while I never read this one, I'm going to put it on my to-read list. It sounds fun, and apparently it's told in verse and that sounds really cool. Good choice, past!Me.

Meridian by Amber Kizer

Released: August 11th, 2009

Summary (from goodreads): Meridian has always been an outcast. It seems that wherever she goes, death and grief follow. On her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family's home - and although she's untouched, Meridian's body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she's a danger to her family and is hustled off to her great-aunt's house in Revelation, Colorado. There she learns the secret her parents have been hiding for her entire life: Meridian is a Fenestra. the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead.

It's crucial that Meridian learn how to transition human souls to the afterlife - how to help people die. Only then can she help preserve the balance between good and evil on earth. But before she can do that, Meridian must come to terms with her ability, outsmart the charismatic preacher who's taken over Revelation, and maybe - if she can accept her sworn protector, Tens, for who he is - fall in love. Meridian and Tens face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos. But together, they have the power to outsmart evil.

Update: The sound of this one doesn't do much for me now. I'm not that into angel/demon books anymore. The cover is really pretty, though.

Well, that was interesting! I'm kind of excited to do this again, and see what other books I talked about previously, and what I think about them now.

What did you all think? Have you ever done anything like this before? Do any of these books strike your fancy? Thanks for reading and leave me a comment with an answer!

Peace and cookies,
Laina