Waiting On Wednesday: A Court Of Mist And Fury 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 Mist And Fury

By Sarah J. Maas

Publication Date: May 3, 2016

From Goodreads:

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Why I picked it:

1. It's Sarah J. Maas... How can you not love her books??
2. It's several different fairy tales all mashed together. And I love my fairy tales.
3. Look at how pretty that cover is! {Yeah, I know, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover... but look at it!}
4. I need to know how the whole Tamlin-Feyre-Rhysand relationship works out.

If you would like to read this book, click here to be redirected to the library's Web page so you can put your name on the hold list.

Waiting On Wednesday: The Shadow Queen by C.J Redwine

“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:

The Shadow Queen

By C.J. Redwine

Publication Date: February 23, 2016

From Goodreads:

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose. 

Why I picked it:

I love fairy tales retold... I might have mentioned that a time or two (or a thousand) before. And I love the idea that in this version of the story Snow White fights back against the Evil Queen. If you'd like to put this book on hold, click here to be redirected to the KHCPL Website

Waiting On Wednesday: Never Never by Brianna Shrum

“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:

Never Never

By Brianna Shrum

Publication Date: September 22, 2015

From Goodreads:

James Hook is a child who only wants to grow up.

When he meets Peter Pan, a boy who loves to pretend and is intent on never becoming a man, James decides he could try being a child—at least briefly. James joins Peter Pan on a holiday to Neverland, a place of adventure created by children’s dreams, but Neverland is not for the faint of heart. Soon James finds himself longing for home, determined that he is destined to be a man. But Peter refuses to take him back, leaving James trapped in a world just beyond the one he loves. A world where children are to never grow up.

But grow up he does.

And thus begins the epic adventure of a Lost Boy and a Pirate.

This story isn’t about Peter Pan; it’s about the boy whose life he stole. It’s about a man in a world that hates men. It’s about the feared Captain James Hook and his passionate quest to kill the Pan, an impossible feat in a magical land where everyone loves Peter Pan.

Except one. 

Why I picked it:

This is another fairy tale retelling, but this time from a completely different point of view. I don't usually tend to like books when the narrator is a guy, but I'm willing to give this book a try because I really like Captain Hook. (and by that, I mean that I like the Captain Hook portrayed by Colin O'Donoghue on Once Upon A Time, not the crazy looking one from the original Peter Pan)




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Waiting On Wednesday: Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas

“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:

Ash & Bramble

By Sarah Prineas

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

From Goodreads:

When the glass slipper just doesn’t fit…

The tale of Cinderella has been retold countless times. But what you know is not the true story.

Pin has no recollection of who she is or how she got to the Godmother’s fortress. She only knows that she is a Seamstress, working day in and out to make ball gowns fit for fairy tales. But she longs to forsake her backbreaking servitude and dares to escape with the brave young Shoemaker.

Pin isn’t free for long before she’s captured again and forced to live the new life the Godmother chooses for her—a fairy tale story, complete with a charming prince—instead of finding her own happily ever after.

Sarah Prineas’s bold fairy tale retelling is a dark and captivating world where swords are more fitting than slippers, young shoemakers are just as striking as princes, and a heroine is more than ready to rescue herself before the clock strikes midnight.

Why I picked it:

I'm rather fond of fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, and I think that this one sounds extra awesome. I've never thought about the Fairy Godmother not being as nice as she seemed before, and I think it'll be a nice twist on the classic that we all know and love.
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Waiting On Wednesday: Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

“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:

Mechanica

By Betsy Cornwell

Publication Date: August 25, 2015

From Goodreads:

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

Why I picked it:

 I love fairy tale re-tellings {because I’m a huge fan of the Happily Ever After endings}. However, I have yet to find a steampunk story that I absolutely love. So I figure I’d give this one a shot. Would you like to read this Steam Punk version of Cinderella? If so, click here to put your name on the hold list.

Monday Meme Spotlight: Not-So-Wonderland

     I was never one who loved Alice in Wonderland- not the classic story, at least. Even for my imagination, it was a little bit too crazy. Sometimes that happens- a book is so out there that even though it's a classic, you can't really wrap your head around it. And then I found some books that took Alice's world and twisted it into something wholly different, something amazing. Now, I haven't read all of these series, but I have on good authority that they're very good, and most of them are on my read list. So here are a few Alice-twists that caught my eye.

1. The Looking Glass Wars- Frank Beddor: This is hands-down my favorite adaptation. It took total nonsense and turned it into something I could wrap my head around- still wild, still fantastic, but utterly thrilling. Alyss is swept away from Wonderland and tells her story to Carroll, hoping that someone will come find her, take her home. And they do- only to be challenged by the Cat, the personal assassin of the Queen of Hearts and wrapped in a dangerous game of imagination and a struggle for the throne. It's exhilarating, unique, entrancing- any number of words, and I highly recommend all three books in the series. You can find them by clicking here.

2. The Splintered series- A.G. Howard: This is a series that I think about a lot. I haven't read it yet, but the covers of all three books catch my eye every time I look at them. It's a tale of madness and is darker than you might expect, but I've heard good things, and the first book is a nominee for one of KHCPL's current teen displays- the Elliot Rosewater Award. You ccan find out more and request a copy here.

3. The White Rabbit Chronicles- Gena Showalter: This is a retelling that I'm not very familiar with (not a zombie fan) but I've heard good things from a former coworker. The synopsis is vague, the concept could be interesting, but it's up to you to decide. I personally am more interested in the previous two series, but of course it's your decision. You can check out the White Rabbit Chronicles by clicking this link

4. Heartless- Marissa Meyer: Okay, this one isn't released yet, and it probably won't be until next year sometime, but I'm so excited I have to include it. It's a prequel about the Queen of Hearts and how she became what she is, written by the same author that writes the Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, Scarlet, Fairest, Winter). I love those books, and I love the concept, so I'm really hoping it's amazing.

     So whatever you think about Alice in Wonderland, keep on believing and don't let the man get you down, whatever that actually means. And just remember-

So keep on dreaming.

Monday Meme Spotlight: Classics Retold

     Ah, the classics. A lot of people pick them up and immediately put them back down. The print is tiny, the words are long, and the details come in heaps. But everyone says they're SO amazing- so how can you get the gist without reading the whole book or reading through the dry SparkNotes? Try a YA retelling- there's a whole lot out there. Here are a few that I like.

1. Masque of the Red Death- Bethany Griffin: This is a retelling of the short story of same name by the master of suspense, Edgar Allen Poe. While few, if any, can live up to his writing, Ms. Griffin does an admirable job expanding on the mysterious thriller. Though Poe's work is primarily metaphorical, Griffin takes a literal stance on the plot of a plague invading a lavish party. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I appreciated the retelling of Poe's classic. Click here to get the retelling, or here to try Poe's classic. You won't regret either. And check out Poe's awesome statue by clicking that link. 

2. The Fool's Girl- Celia Rees: This is a retelling of Shakespeare's classic play, Twelfth Night. While it's not the first, it's absolutely one of my favorites. The novel takes place in Elizabethan England, and Shakespeare even makes an appearance as a character, leading, of course, to many adventures. It's filled with humor and suspense (one of the main characters is a fool, a jester, as the title implies) and leads to an epic quest to find a stolen relic. Check it out here or wade through Shakespearean English (with helpful commentary) here. They're both worth it!

3. For Darkness Shows the Stars- Diana Peterfreund: Here we find a really, really cool retelling of a great classic- Jane Austen's Persuasion, set in the wilds of....space. That's right. Space. It's a sci-fi delight, with love lost and regained, an extraordinary journey, and something that isn't a spin-off of the more well-known Pride and Prejudice (not that I don't love that one too). But this twist on a great classic provides a new perspective- humanity has been decimated, and they are living in a world ruled by anti-technology tyrants called 'Luddites'. It's a wild ride, I assure you. Click here to check out the book or here to enjoy Austen's classic.

4. The Once Upon a Time series- Various authors: There are a ton of books in this series, all classic fairy tales retold by some excellent authors. From Beauty and the Beast (Belle) to Jack and the Bean Stalk (The World Above) this series covers a wide variety of classic tales, so there are many options for every preference. My favorites, personally, are The World Above (previously mentioned), The Diamond Secret (a story of Anastasia), and Violet Eyes (The Princess and the Pea). Click here to take a look at the selection- I'm sure there will be something to interest you! Or click here to order a book that contains many of the original fairy tales from which these books are taken. 

    No matter what kind of book you like to read, there's something out there for you. If you don't feel like tackling the originals, check out one of these books or google 'classics retold' to find even more YA adaptations of those fantastic, if difficult, stories. 

    P.S- This is a cool chart of all kinds of YA retellings.