Waiting on Wednesday (144): WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS

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What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott

March 31st, 2015 from Point

An unputdownable thriller with twists and turns the reader won't see coming, from YA talent Kieran Scott.

It's a beautiful, sunny day. Callie Velasquez holds hands with her boyfriend Jeremy as they follow Callie's new BFFs Penelope and Lissa up the trail. The four friends are embarking on a camping trip -- a trip that immediately goes awry. They lose their way on the trail, and encounter a charismatic stranger with questionable motives. And when Callie stumbles upon a dead body, it becomes clear that the danger that lies in the woods is deadlier than she could have ever imagined. Tensions mount and friendships are tested as these teenagers try to survive the most sinister of circumstances.

I practically grew up reading Scott's Private series (written under the name Kate Brian), and those books were full of drama, murder mysteries, and shocking cliffhangers. So I'm curious to see what Scott will do with this book! Sounds like it will be an excellent thriller!

What are you waiting on?

COVER REVEALS & REDESIGNS: STARGLASS, FIENDISH, and THE INVENTOR'S SECRET

 

Original MoS Hardcover

STRANGE AND EVER AFTER: I love the covers for this trilogy! Great titles, too. 

MAID OF SECRETS (paperback): I like the redesign a bit more. 

 

Original Hardcover

STARGLASS (paperback): I liked the original, but the brighter blues and greens on the redesign have won me over. I love the new font, too! 

STARBREAK: I really like this one, too.  

 

FIENDISH: Eerie! Creepy house, random flowers...it definitely stands out! 

THE TAKING: Not too much going on, but the title looks great. 

Original covers for this trilogy

  

DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES (WAKE / FADE / GONE omnibus): The older covers are better and stand out more, in my opinion. But I haven't read these books, so maybe the new cover works. 

ON THE FENCE: A bit typical, isn't it? The book sounds great, though. 

ONLY EVERYTHING: This one is a bit strange...I'm curious to see what the novel is about. 

First Cover Design

THE INVENTOR'S SECRET: I like this design so much more than the heart! It's fantastic!

Have you spotted any fabulous covers lately? 

In My Mailbox 44

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie

Books from last few weeks: 

For Review

Almost True by Keren David (so excited to read this!)

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab ARC

Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens (won from RB)

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter + Bookish Swag 

(Pen, two mini notepads, compact hairbrush/mirror! So cute!)

All You Get is Me by Yvonne Prinz

Bought

Matched by Ally Condie (my review)

She's So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott (my review)

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney 

(signed to me with a very nice note - and I recommend going to Daisy's events if you can!)

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand 

(I couldn't resist buying it signed - it was too tempting!)

Kindle Freebies

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

Thank you so much to Deborah from Disney Hyperion for sending two fabulous books, Jessica, Eileen, Random Buzzers/Random House, Stephanie Dray and Kayleigh, and to Yvonne Prinz and HarperCollins :)

Invitation Only by Kate Brian

Book: Invitation Only (Private series #2)

Author: Kate Brian (aka Kieran Scott)

Source: own

My Summary (Spoilers for first book!):

The newest addition to Billings, Reed's finally on top...sort of.

Even though she's a part of Billings, Reed has to play Cinderella for the rest of her new dorm-mates. That means cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. To make everything worse, Reed's boyfriend Thomas is still missing. Add to that a malicious roommate who snaps some very incriminating photos of you at a party, and you've got the worst luck ever.

In order to keep those photos out of the hands of the administration (which would result in saying 'bye 'bye Easton Academy), Reed has to spy on her four friends. The deeper she looks into their rooms, the more dirty little secrets she finds, and she starts feeling guilty. Because she knows one thing: Only the Billings Girls can get her into the Legacy, the most exclusive party of the year. A party where her missing boyfriend is bound to make an appearance.

So what does she do? Spill their secrets and keep her spot at Easton? Or keep silent, risking everything, to remain loyal to the girls who can help her have a future, and find her boyfriend?

Review: With the second installment in the Private series, Reed finds herself a Billings Girl (or kinda their own personal slave). But Reed is persistent, biting her tongue as she works her way through this all. I've got to hand it to the girl, I would not have nearly enough patience that she exudes. To top everything off, she's hurt and confused about Thomas being missing, and angry that he even left. To put it bluntly, Reed is having a really bad time (blackmail, missing boyfriend, cleaning duty).

As the tension builds up to the final chapters, the end will come as a surprise. I've got to say, reading this book again has me appreciating all the subtle hints that Brian drops (especially for future books), and I can't believe I never noticed them all before.

If you want an addictive series that's filled with suspense, mystery and cliffhanger conclusions, then try out the Private series.

Highlights: I've said it time and time again that suspense is what Brian excels at. She knows how to slowly build her way up to the final twists, and she does leave hints for readers to grasp at.

Lowlights: Ah, Reed...I just want her to grow some backbone and stick up for herself!

Rating:    

Reviews of other books in this series:

Private (book #1)

Untouchable (book #3 - to come)

Confessions (book #4 - to come)

Suspicion (book #10)

Scandal (book #11)

Private by Kate Brian Review

Book: Private

Author: Kate Brian (a pen name of Kieran Scott's)

Source: my bookshelf

My Summary: 

Reed may be fifteen, but she's ambitious. She wants more for her life than what she was given, so she's taking the chance at Easton to become a better, more successful version of herself. Not to mention, she can finally leave behind the mess of a family that awaits back home on Croton, Pennsylvania.

Only problem is that her straight-A's seem to have been left behind when she moved, her roommate drives her crazy, not to mention the other girls in her dorm. Only highlights? Thomas Pearson, the older and more influential boy at school who becomes enamored with Reed, she still kicks butt at soccer, and then there's the Billings Girls.

Noelle (the bitchy leader), Ariana (the soulful, motherly one), Kiran (the model), and Taylor (the smartest girl at school with a bubbly personality). The rightful quartet that lead the Billings Girls, these girls are everything Reed wants to be, and she'll do anything to be one of them...

Review: Addictive with every word, Private is just like chocolate, a guilty pleasure that you can't get enough of.

Narrated in first person, we get to know Reed from the first page. She's one of those girls that's seeking better things, a better life, and Easton Academy is her answer. It's easy to relate with Reed, from her embarassing moments to her more confident ones. She is flawed, constantly seeking the acceptance of four girls who do, in a sense, everything they can to belittle her. She makes mistakes, but it's easy to want her to pull through in the end. 

The other characters, like the leading ladies of Billings, are very intriguing as well. Brian manages to make them seem even a bit likable, despite the cruel measures they (at times) resort to. 

Highlights: Private is a great start to the series, and Brian takes her time making her characters as real as possible. Plus, her writing is just addictive, and she's wonderful at creating suspense. 

Lowlights: Maybe Reed's desperation...but I still love the suspense, romance, and mystery of this book and this series. 

Rating:   

Reviews of other books in this series:

Invitation Only (book #2 - to come)

Untouchable (book #3 - to come)

Confessions (book #4 - to come)

Suspicion (book #10)

Scandal (book #11)

She's So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott

She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott

Release date: May 25th, 2010

Source: Bought

My Summary:

Ally Ryan used to have it all, until her father's financial investment went downhill...along with all the money he invested using money from family friends. The Ryan's had to pack up and leave, and the life Ally knew was gone for good. Until Ally and her mom land back in Orchard Hill long after Ally's dad vanishes without a word. Ally's mom has secured a new job in the city they swore to never go back to, and a decent living space. Too bad Ally's old friends aren't too happy to see her. The only one that seems to make the slightest effort is Jake Graydon, the newest addition to Ally's old circle of friends. Drama and scandal ensue as the unlikely pair grow closer, and old grudges are brought even closer to the surface...

Review: Addictive, scandalous, and all-over exciting, She's So Dead To Us has got me wishing the sequel was already out.

Every page of this book had me hooked, which is definitely one of Scott's specialties. The narrative alternates between Ally and Jake, giving an intimate insight on both characters. Its easy to automatically sympathized with Ally, especially when her old friends decide that they are done with her. Even with Jake, there were moments when he follows the crowd, and I wanted to hate him…really, I did want to. But I couldn’t. He’s a flawed guy, but he has some redeeming qualities (just like Ally). The supporting characters were all dynamic as well, although I would have loved to see more of Annie and David (and perhaps I will in the sequel!).

Highlights: Scott is a master at keeping the pages turning. It's always difficult to put any of her books down. Plus, the ending (hello, cliffhanger) has got me intrigued for the sequel, He's So Not Worth It. SSDTU is a guilty pleasure, much like Scott's books under her pen name, Kate Brian (The Private Series). 

Lowlights: It was simple enough to tell at some points what was going to happen, but I didn't ever really see anything wrong with that. I still had fun reading, and still found myself surprised at a few other points. 

Rating:   

Contest at Kieran Scott's Blog!

Hey everyone! Just thought I'd share some contest news!

Author Kieran Scott is having a huge contest over at her blog, and there is still a few days left to enter! And it's really simple. 

One person will win autographed copies of:

• She's So Dead To Us
• Geek Magnet
• I Was A Non-Blonde Cheerleader

PLUS

• She's So Over Him (sequel to SSDTU) when it's released next summer! 

Cool contest, right? Entering is really simple too! But hurry! It ends on Friday, so you only have a couple days left to enter!!

For more info on how to enter, go check out Kieran's blog! Don't miss out on such an incredible contest!