Waiting On Wednesday: A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, and it gives you a chance to spotlight a book that you are eagerly waiting to be released.

This week, I picked:

A Court of Thorns and Roses

By Sarah J. Maas

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Why I Picked it:

There are 3 reasons why I picked this book:

1.      It mixes Beauty and the Beast with Faeries, and I just so happen to be a big fan of both of those.

2.      It’s written by Sarah J. Maas, and I love her other series, Throne of Glass.

3.      And last, but certainly not least, it’s recommended for fans of Kristin Cashore. And her book, Fire, is one of my all-time favorite books.

If you want to read A Court of Thorns and Roses, click here to put your name on the hold list.

Monday Meme Spotlight: I Am the Warrior

     Everyone likes a strong main character- and who's stronger than the warriors of any culture? Here's a couple books or series that you might like, featuring strong warriors, male and female alike. 

1. The Graceling Realm series- Kristin Cashore: These are three novels set in different time periods of the same universe. Each has a pwoerful female lead, a strong male counterpart, and an interesting, unique world that captures your attention and won't let you go until you've finished all three in the series. I love these books, and they're good enough to read again and again. You can check them out by clicking here.

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series- Rick Riordan: I'm pretty sure everyone has read these by now, but they're a prime example of what I'm talking about. They're all fighters, finding a way out of any situation using their smarts, their talents, or their sheer power. There are tons of epic battle in this five-book series, and I'm sure you won't have a hard time reading them (or re-reading) if you so choose. If you'd like them, click this link.

3. Girl in the Arena- Lise Haines: Gladiators, anyone? Neo-gladiators, that is. In a modern world where gladiatorial games have risen once more, one girl takes the stage. In a futuristic world startlingly easy to envision, Lyn must fight for her freedom to marry when a gladiator kills her stepfather and captures her dowry bracelet- meaning she must marry him, unless she can find a way to win her life back. Click here if you want to check it out.

4. Blood Red Road- Moira Young: Okay, I'll be straight with you- this is also a series, called The Dust Lands Trilogy. But I didn't like the second one at all, which was really disappointing, because this book, the first, is AMAZING. It's a struggle to survive and save the ones Saba, the protagonist, loves, with wild characters,  a silver-eyed fighter named Jack, and the relentless TonTon, who chase them through blistering deserts and precarious mountain passes. Anyway, everyone is a fighter- you have to be, in their world. Here's where you can request it: click!

5. The Throne of Glass series- Sarah J. Maas: I haven't read this series, to tell the truth. But it comes highly recommended by our YA Librarian Melissa and kwatanabe, a fellow contributor. It's a about an assassin- yeah, it's that cool- fighting for her freedom in a competition to find the newest assassin for the crown. I hear it's a pretty great read, so if you want to check it out, click here!

     Whether you think you're a fighter or not, read these books to feel confident and strong in everyday life. And always, always remember:

Waiting On Wednesday: An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, and it gives you a chance to spotlight a book that you are eagerly waiting to be released.

This week, I picked:

An Ember In The Ashes

By Sabaa Tahir

Publication Date

From Goodreads:

I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING I TELL EVERY SLAVE.
 
THE RESISTANCE HAS TRIED TO PENETRATE THIS SCHOOL COUNTLESS TIMES. I HAVE DISCOVERED IT EVERY TIME.
 
IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE RESISTANCE, IF YOU CONTACT THEM, IF YOU THINK OF CONTACTING THEM, I WILL KNOW
 
AND I WILL DESTROY YOU.

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Why I picked it:

This book just sounds absolutely fantastic, and that’s all the reason I need. Want to find out if this books is as awesome as it sounds? Click here to put your name on the hold list.

Monday Meme Spotlight: Superheroes Everywhere!

     We all love superheroes. They're unique, they're epic, they're something special- but waiting for the newest Marvel movie or trying to wade through the thousands of comic books out there for each hero and crossover. So what can you do to bide your time? Try YA. There are lots of really interesting takes on the superpower genre, everything from the traditional 'good-versus-evil' epic battle to 'talented' teens just trying to survive. Here are a few selections to get your super-fix.

1. Illusive- Emily Lloyd-Jones: This first novel (the first in a series) is actually about super criminals. Teens mutated by a virus- and who were already "troubled"- commit crimes with their powers. Soon, though, they are forced to make decisions that blur the lines between good and evil, in a deadly race against a government that wants only one thing- power. You can find a library copy here.

2. Impostor- Susanne Winnacker: Another first in a series, Impostor centers on a girl who can absorb and mimic DNA by touch- she can become anyone she come in contact with. She's sent to a small town to catch a serial killer- but can she focus with the lure of a normal life drawing her in? A roller coaster of a ride, this is even featured on the South Branch's teen room display- you can put a hold on a copy here.

3. The Reckoners series- Brandon Sanderson: This is one in which the powerful "supers" or Epics, as this series calls them, are not the main characters, nor are they benevolent. The main character has been burned by one such Epic and seeks revenge- and the battle between the seemingly weak, normal Reckoners and the evil Epics is about to rage. Steelheart is book one, and Firefight is the recently released second book. You can put them on hold by clicking here.

     These are just a few of the many different types of superhero YA options available to you while you wait for the newest comic book movie (Avengers: Age of Ultron anyone?!) or if you just want to widen your horizons.