Waiting on Wednesday - October

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a post where you can let people know what upcoming books you're anticipating!

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

October 18, 2011

Little, Brown

Jill MacSweeney just wants everything to go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. You can't lose one family member and simply replace him with a new one, and when her mom decides to adopt a baby, that's exactly what it feels like she's trying to do. And that's decidedly not normal. With her world crumbling around her, can Jill come to embrace a new member of the family?

Mandy Kalinowski knows what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, she knows she wants a better life for her baby. But can giving up a child be as easy as it seems? And will she ever be able to find someone to care for her, too?

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about what it means to be a family and the many roads we can take to become one.

I have really enjoyed Sara Zarr's other books, and I love what she does with her characters. I'm really looking forward to this.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

October 18, 2o11

Scholastic

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

I'm curious to read something from Stiefvater that sounds so different from the Shiver books.

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

October 25, 2011

Harlequin

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.

I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

I love this series. I have completely fallen in love with Prince Ash, and am so excited for this to come out!

End of Summer: Love Story - Echols & Forever - Stiefvater

Love Story - Jennifer Echols

2011 - MTV

Read: August 10, 2011

Review: I have been a HUGE Jennifer Echols fan since I first read Going Too Far, and then my love grew when I read Forget You. However, I wasn't as big of a fan of Love Story as I was anticipating. I liked the characters, and I enjoyed Echols writing, but I didn't like the story. I didn't like how the meat of the story, the really important parts, were told in short stories "written" by the characters. I felt like it was kind of an experimental novel style, and I would have much rather gotten to know the characters more through their interactions, instead of their stories for creative writing class. If you haven't read any of Echols' work before, I would start with this book and then read the other two.

Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls # 3) - Maggie Stiefvater

2011 - Scholastic

Read: August 2011

Review: I really enjoyed the ending to this trilogy. I was skeptical of this novel, because I didn't really like Linger, the second book, very much. I felt like it was just a switch-around of Shiver. I really liked Shiver though, and I wanted to finish out the series. I was very happily surprised with the turn of events in Forever, and I loved that Cole became such an important character. Cole was the only thing that kept me going in Linger, so to see him really come into his own and be as important as Grace or Sam was really nice for me. I like Stiefvater's writing style, I think she does a wonderful job crafting difficult relationships and friendships. I am interested in reading her past books, too. I saw her at a book talk a few months ago, and she was surprisingly funny, a trait I'd love to see carry through more in her writing.

Up Next: Want to go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman, Never Have I Ever (Lying Game # 2) by Sara Shepard