Waiting on Wednesday (84) (times two!)

WOW is hosted by Breaking the Spine

The Murmurings by Carly Anne West

March 5th, 2013

Simon Pulse

"After her older sister dies from an apparent suicide and her body is found hanging upside down by one toe from a tree, sixteen-year-old Sophie starts to hear the same voices that drove her sister to a psychotic break."

Not much info so far, but it does sound pretty intriguing. 

Can't wait to see a full summary...

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver

March 5th, 2013

HarperTeen

"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. Of Pandemonium, ALA Booklist noted that 'like all successful second volumes, this expands the world and ups the stakes, setting us up for the big finale.'

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."

I am so excited for this book! The ending to Pandemonium was such torture and I can't wait to see what happens next. Plus, having Hana's POV along with Lena's should be interesting!

What are you waiting on?

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium
Lauren Oliver
February 28th, 2012
375 pages (hardcover)
HarperTeen
Source - Purchased

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

After surviving the events of Delirium, Lena is thrust into the Wilds. Alternating between her beginnings in the Wilds and her current ventures as a part of the Resistance, it's easy to see that Lena has been shattered, pieced together again, and rebuilt into a young woman that is slowly finding her strength and her purpose in a very hectic society. But nothing is easy, nothing is what it seems, and not everyone can be trusted in Lena's world.

If you thought Delirium ripped your heart out and stomped on it by the time you reached the breathtaking conclusion, just wait until you read Pandemonium. The pacing starts with an excited rush, and that tension never quite dissipates. Instead, the tension lingers, building and receding until the exhilarating conclusion finally arrives. My eyes were locked onto that final page, and I was silently cursing the fact that I don't have the third novel, Requiem. Pandemonium is chaotic and compelling. You'll never want to tear your eyes away once you begin reading.

Highlights: Pandemonium pulled me in and twisted my emotions around as I followed Lena through her dangerous journey. Lena's world is more fully discovered and developed. Alternating chapters (Now and Then) provided a full view of Lena - Seeing her in both ways was fascinating: from a broken and fragile girl to a strong, determined young woman. All in all, a strong sequel.

Lowlights: Too short of story (especially for Lauren Oliver), so sometimes things felt like they were happening too fast. I was able to figure out all of the surprises before they happened¹. I wasn't fond of the romantic relationship Lena begins to build - I somewhat grew to like him, but not enough to believe in their relationship.

Rating:  

1 Very few books surprise me. But, most "surprises" (like the ending) still made an emotional impact on me.

Images + Summary from Goodreads

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Release: May 2011
Pages: 496 (hardcover)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Netgalley
Summary:

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history....read more at Goodreads.

Thoughts: Helen is a gorgeous-yet-insecure^{1} beauty with more gifts than she’s willing to find out about. But when the Delos family moves into town, Helen can’t hide from just how unique she really is. The first time she comes across Lucas Delos, he inspires nothing but the purest emotion of hatred…something that the Delos family seems to feel for her in turn. Then there are the mysterious three crying women who appear whenever she comes near the Delos family – three women that only they can see. From there, Starcrossed only gets more intriguing, dangerous, and downright surprising. 

While the Delos clan and Helen take center stage, supporting characters like Helen’s best friend Claire^{2} or her father manage to shine all their own – possibly even more than intended. Angelini puts her own spin on Greek mythology, creating an interesting backstory. Some aspects to the plot can easily be predicted, but the story still manages to slip in a few surprises. Starcrossed, simply put, is an exciting debut novel and Angelini has great potential.

Highlights: Lucas and Helen's first interactions^{3} with each other really put an interesting spin on YA – it was oddly nice to see the girl instantly dislike the guy. Despite my complaints about the Delos family, I adored how addictive and surprising Starcrossed turned out to be. Helen’s growth as a person was absolutely wonderful to see as well.

Lowlights: The POV switches didn't work for me at all, they seemed random and unnecessary. The Delos clan was too Twilight-esque; they needed to be far more unique and much less reminiscent of the Cullens.  The story starts off with strong creativity and stand-out appeal, but then slowly eases into more clichéd elements. Regardless, I have high hopes for the sequel.

Rating: 3.5 out 5

{Footnotes}

{1} Haven't I read about that girl before? Helen might even be a bit Bella-ish at first....yikes. 
{2} Claire is actually kind of bubbly/sassy/awesome. Very jump-off-the-page personality. I wish she had more page time. 
{3} Girl tries to kill boy at first sight. I want more books like that, it's interesting. Is that weird?

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

Shadowland by Meg Cabot 

(The Mediator #1)

Release: 2004

Pages: 304

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Bought

Summary:

Suze is a mediator -- a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations...read more at Goodreads.

Review: By and far some of Cabot's best work, Shadowland (the first installment of the Mediator series) is witty, fun, and full of heart. 

Susannah "Suze" Simon isn't your average teen: she can't drive, she wears a motorcycle jacket, and she's a mediator - a person who can see, speak and (if necessary) give ghosts that extra nudge (or shove) into the beyond. Giving up NYC life to go live in Carmel, California, Suze attempts to make the best of her new stepfather, Andy, and his three sons, Jake (Sleepy), Brad (Dopey) and David (Doc). But the moment she steps foot in her so-not-Suze bedroom, she realizes the move will be more difficult than she anticipated. Mostly because of the Spanish-speaking ghost that refuses move out of her bedroom. But in comparison to a ghostly Queen Bee named Heather waiting for Suze at her new school, he's the least of her problems. Being a mediator, it's up to Suze to deal with Heather, especially before someone gets hurt...or worse.

Every time I reread this book, I'm reminded why I love Cabot's writing (especially her earlier work) so much. Cabot includes intriguing storylines, characters you can't help but to adore, a strong/realistic heroine, and an abundance of amusing moments to keep your spirits up. Suze isn't some weak protagonist - she's not afraid to defend herself and the people she cares about. This is also one of the few paranormal stories that manages to keep family/friendship at the heart of the story, and I love how Cabot writes a light paranormal story where the family is present and cares about our protagonist (instead of killing off the family/making her parents completely suck like other books do). There's enough to keep a reader pleasantly surprised as well.

If you're looking for a lighter, amusing paranormal story for summer, then Shadowland is the perfect choice. 

Highlights: Suze's witticisms and attitude bring this story to another level. She is without a doubt one of my favorite book characters. Even her stubbornness makes her endearing. Many of the characters - from Father Dominic, Jesse, to the Ackerman family - are enjoyable and amusing because of how realistic and unique they are. I loved the California descriptions because it was a bit interesting to see Suze's reactions to the beach/palm trees/Cali life in comparison to NYC. 

Lowlights: Not quite enough is done with some of the supporting characters (especially Jesse, Ceecee, Father Dominic, and Adam), but it is only the first novel. Besides, I already know that all of these characters get more page-time later on. 

Rating: 


Read an excerpt at Meg Cabot's website

Waiting on Wednesday (Times Two!)

WOW is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Release: October 2011

Summary: 

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool. But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

YA murder mystery? YAY! And as a side note, those intense eyes are kind of freaking me out ;)

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Release: July 2011

Summary: 

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended.Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she's certain her days are numbered.  

But then the Searchers make her an offer,one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Despite my immediate dislike of this cover (and the new paperback - both of which make me think "Adult Urban Fantasy"), I'm still really looking forward to this book. 

Besides, it's not the cover that matters - it's the wonderful story that the author creates beneath the cover! I loved Nightshade so much, and wish Wolfsbane was out now! I need to know what happens next!!

What are you waiting on this week?