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: Crime!

Superheroes are all about the crime fighting. Take down the bad guy, take out the ones making life harder for everyone. But sometimes we need to see the other side. Sometimes we need to cross the fence and look at it from the point of view,,,of the criminals. 

Hold Me Like A Breath- Tiffany Schmidt: Told from the point of view of the daughter of a major crime family in the business of organ transplants, HMLAB is a nerve-wracking experience in which you never know what's going to happen- or who's going to lose their lives in the precarious world they live in. Click here to put it on hold. 

Birthright series- Gabrielle Zevin: All These Things I've Done, Because it is My Blood, In the Age of Love and Chocolate. Set in a future where chocolate is impossible to acquire, this series tells the story of a daughter of a chocolate crime mogul in New York City and their efforts to avoid the scrutiny of the authorities. You can find them at the library here.

These two- one a series that has just begun, one that has been finished- are great examples of what it feels like to be on the other side, to be on the side of the criminals and never really know what's going to happen next in their dangerous world. They're great, believe me. But beware the harsh judges...

Waiting On Wednesday: Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“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:

Every Last Breath

By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: July 28, 2015

From Goodreads:

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

Why I picked it:

This is the 3^rd book in the Dark Elements series, and I have been waiting to read it since OCTOBER when the 2^nd book came out. And to be honest, it’s felt like it’s been way longer than that. Jennifer Armentrout’s books always seem to pull me out of my reading slumps, no matter how many times I’ve read them before. If you’d like to read this book when it comes out, click here to put your name on the hold list.

Monday Meme Spotlight: Video Games!

     If you're like me, you love books. And if you're like me, you also love video games of all shapes and sizes. When the two collide, it makes for a sweet, sweet escape from reality. So here are my favorite books about video games (or not)

The Aftermath- Jen Alexander: This book was awesome. It balanced the idea of future technology with something that seemed very believable for our futures, and not too far down the road. Being trapped in a video game doesn't sound appealing to some, especially when you don't control yourself but are someone else's avatar. To our main character, though, it's becoming her life, and she wants to escape. When the line between reality and the screen blurs, she has to find her way out, with the help of some friends and the opposition of some pretty scary guards. Interested? Click here. 

Push/Rush/Crash- Eve Silver: Although admittedly, this turns out to not actually be about a video game, it starts out that way, and the premise is the same. They're dropped in a deadly battle with alien creatures- the only catch is that if you die in the game, you die in real life. The monsters have another agenda though, and even though I haven't gotten to the third book yet, I can tell you that each one has been more exciting than the last. Click here to find out about it. 

The Leveller- Julia Durango: This is a new release, which only came out a few weeks ago. I've had the privilege to read it, and let me tell you, it was pretty great. It was what I like to call a 'vacation' book- one so easy to read, one so fun, that you don't really feel like you're reading because you're laughing and enjoying all the funny little details involved, and then the book is over. It's really pretty fun, so if you're in a slump or want something light to read fast. Click the link to hold it!

      I really hope you like video games, because if you don't, that would make me SO sad. If you do, enjoy the summer: 

Waiting On Wednesday: Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally

“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:

Jesse’s Girl

By Miranda Kenneally

Publication Date: July 7, 2015

From Goodreads:

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

Why I picked it:

Miranda Kenneally’s books rate right up there with Kasie West and Sarah Dessen’s on my Absolutely MUST read no matter what list. Not to mention that I do have a soft spot for stories where a big time rock star falls for a small town girl. If you would like to read this book click here to put your name on the list.