Waiting on Wednesday 11/14/2012

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

This weeks selection is...The Essence by Kimberly Derting (Book # 2 The Pledge)

Synopsis

“Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

Expected publication: January 1st 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry

What are you waiting for?

Cover Reveal - Jenn Bennett's Binding the Shadows

I must say, that this is the best cover of the series! I absolutely love the purple!

Cover Artist - Tony Mauro

Synopsis

In the third book in this beloved and “riveting” (Romantic Times) urban fantasy series, demon-friendly tiki bar owner Arcadia Bell discovers more about her own evolving, and possibly destructive, magical abilities when her bar is the target of a demonic crime wave.

Renegade mage and bartender Cady Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is coming completely unhinged. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady’s demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that shouldn't exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her. But the criminals aren't the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses—Cady’s own Moon Child abilities are evolving beyond her control. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside destroys everything—and everyone—she loves?

Mass Market Paperback, 1st Edition, 384 pages

Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by Pocket Books

more details...

(ISBN13: 9781451695083)

Review - The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Megan Crewe’s “The Way We Fall” takes place on a small island community which is apparently part of Canada. The main character is 16 year old Kaelyn Weber who is pretty shy and withdrawn after losing her best friend named Leo 2 years earlier after he left for NYC. 

Kaelyn’s way of telling us the story is via her personal diary which she keeps close at hand. The chapters are short and show Kaelyn’s emotions as those around her slowly succumb to the virus’s impact and she struggles with her own mortality.

When Kaelyn’s island suddenly begins showing signs of a virus melding its way through the citizens, Kaelyn takes readers on a journey that ends with a mild cliffhanger, rather than answers the questions as to where the virus came from, and why Kaelyn and a few others seemed to have been immune to the virus itself. There is a presumptive answer as to why Doctors like Kaelyn’s father believe the survivors were able to fight off the virus, but, I shall not endeavor to spoil that aspect for you.

Thoughts - Are we supposed to believe this is a Dystopian novel where this virus will eventually travel across time and continents and end the world as we know it? Or, are we to presume that this virus perhaps is a man-made creation and the cure itself is in the blood of the few survivors on this Canadian Island that has been cut off from the world by the Canadian government, Public Health Agency, and the World Health Organization?

The Way We Fall is an interesting look into the life of Kaelyn Weber as she tries to explain to her best friend Leo what is really happening to her family and those that she runs into along the way. Kaelyn’s ability not to crack up under pressure was one of the saving graces of this story. Right up until the end, I was with Kaelyn and understood the emotional pain she was feeling, especially after tragedy hits home in the most devastating way possible. I could put myself into her shoes as she truly believed that there is nothing more she can do in this life, and wants to put an end to her own suffering. Who could have blamed the girl at this point?

While Kaelyn is an interesting enough character, Crewe, thankfully, introduces readers to Tessa Freedman, and Gavriel Reilly who both play important roles in not only keeping Kaelyn sane and busy, but in helping to save the population of their small Canadian Island.

This book is intended for the YA audience up to and including 18 years of age. There is action, romance, and a little mystery thrown in for good measure. The book isn’t that long at 309 pages so readers shouldn’t have a hard time trudging through the dull scenes to get to the important ones. 

**Note** I borrowed this book from my local library, thus no money transferred hands, and none was expected. **

Title - The Way We Fall
Author - Megan Crewe
Publisher - Disney-Hyperion
Released - January 24, 2012

Cover Reveal - Jocelyn Adams' Rise of the Magi

Synopsis

In a battle of wills, who is strongest? The one who hates or the one who loves? 

In a test of faith, who will fight the hardest? The one who has everything to lose or the one who believes only in herself? 

For Lila Gray, the answer is both.For the Magi, the questions are pointless since they can’t lose, and they’ve been waiting since before Lila’s birth for this one moment. Lila only needs to find them to understand her entire purpose in life. This time, though, instead of protecting her people, Lila may be leading them all, including her unborn child and the man she loves, to their deaths — and not by accident.

In the ultimate trial of heart and soul, and the conclusion to the Lila Gray series, Lila will learn that the greatest weapon of war is herself, with one ultimate unknown. For which side will she fight?

Rise of the Magi (Last book in Lila GrayTrilogy)

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Target Reader: Adult

Keywords: Fantasy, Fairy

LINKS: 

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/28

Other Books in this series include:

The Glass Mann (#1)

Into the Unknown Anthology – Tempted (#1.5)

Shadowborn (#2)

Stacking the Shelves 11/10/2012

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you have add to your shelves. It may be physical or virtual (ebook). This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Thank you for stopping by my blog and checking out what I received this week.

If you please leave me your link, I shall do my best to return the favor in a timely manner!

This has been a fantastic week and it was all because I refused to be denied for titles 

I really wanted! Netgalley be damned with there new feature of NOT allowing you to request titles again after being denied!

Borrowed from Library:

 

 

 

Borrowed from (Braine) @ Talksupe

 

Received from Flux Books via Netgalley

 

Received from Tor Teen via Netgalley

Received from Random House for Children via Netgalley

Once again, thank you so much for stopping by! 

Enjoy your weekend!

Review - Emi Gayle's After Dark

“Within the cloak of the human form, we are hidden. She with the most at stake needs knowledge of all our races. The choice she must one day make! For the Changeling, the form desired most becomes hers.”

After Dark, by Emi Gayle, is the first book in her 3-part trilogy called The 19th Year. It is the story plain and simple of Maya MacKenzie (Mac) Thorne who is a Changeling. She has the ability to transform into any supernatural being she wants to by night. By day, she manages to become human and hides the fact that she is different from the rest of her schoolmates. Mac also has two guardians in Lucas (vampire) and Alina (Fairy) that look after her needs and are supposed to guide her and train her while she decides on what she wants to be when she turns 19.

Mac has a tough choice ahead of her and isn’t afraid of taking her time in making her final decision. As a Changeling, she and the rest of her ilk are the only ones who are given that choice. Changelings are also expected to become the leaders of a certain sect depending on what supernatural being they choose. Mac sticks to her choice of not rushing into choosing her destiny before she is ready and thwarts any attempts by the Council into making the choice for her.

“Dawn conceals what the darkness reveals. What is it that’s found within darkness?”

Then, of course, there is Winn (Wineford Thomas) and his sister Zoe who become a part of Mac’s world. What can I say about Winn that hasn’t already been said? He is the geek of the story and one that people treat with lack of respect. He knows things about Changelings that no other human understands thanks to getting his hands on a book called the Carriage. He becomes smitten with Mac and understands that there is a chance that Mac will choose to become Human against the wishes of the council if he has anything to say about it. In the end, Mac and Winn will discover a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to Mac’s choice as a Changeling as well as Mac’s own mother’s fate and choices she made in order to help her daughter.

I liked the supporting cast of characters, especially the unique mixture that is the Council. You have aspects of fire, water, the stars, earth, air/land, night/day, and peace/war. My only real complaint throughout this entire book was that even tough Mac is a tough heroine; she fails to ask important and life altering questions of her peers and is pushed into the corner by a council intent on choosing for her. She fails to realize, in time, that she is being used as a pawn by others and has to rely on Winn in order to save her from being pushed into the wrong direction.

I am definitely looking forward to reading Day After the second book in the trilogy. I liked the world building that Gayle has created as well as the hidden danger that awaits Mac at every angle. I liked Mac as a main protagonist. She is smart and cunning and has the ability to transform into almost anything at a moment’s notice. As I said before, I also like Zoe who apparently has the ability to see and speak to ghosts.

Author - Emi Gayle
Title - After Dark (The 19th Year # 1)
Publisher - J. Taylor Publishing
Released October 31, 2012

Emi Gayle's After Dark Blog Tour Stop!

Welcome to my stop on Emi Gayle's After Dark BlogTour. I am pleased as punch that Emi was able to take time out of her hectic schedule and sit down with me and answer a few questions for you, my awesome followers. Let's get right to the questions shall we?

 Shelley - Hi Emi! Welcome to Gizmo's Reviews! 

 Emi - Thank you SO much for having me!

1. Can you please introduce yourself to our readers who may not know you or your upcoming release?

::waves:: Hi! My name is Emi and I'm the author of After Dark my debut novel, and the first in the 19th Year trilogy! Woohoo! Now if you want to know more about me specifically, here's my official bio...Emi Gayle just wants to be young again. She lives vicariously through her youthful characters, while simultaneously acting as chief-Mom to her teenaged son and searching for a way to keep her two daughters from ever reaching the dreaded teen years. Ironically, those years were some of Emi's favorite times. She met the man of her dreams at 14, was engaged to him at 19, married him at 20 and she's still in love with him to this day. She'll never forget what it was like to fall in love at such a young age — emotions she wants everyone to feel. And seriously, everything in there is true!

2. Please tell us why readers will love this new series.

Who doesn't love a geek? I'm married to one (yes, for real) and didn't think there were enough strong-minded, awesome nerdy smart guys in books. But I wanted him to be real, so the girl's the Type-A paranormal. The combination is just ... um ... well I love it. :)

3. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Oddly, this isn't something I wanted to do/be and worked toward it. I just did it and fell in love with my imagination!

4. How many books do you intend to write for this series?

There are three. After Dark, Day After and Darkest Day. Day After is already scheduled for release next May!

5. Was it difficult to write the first book? How long did it take?

Nope. It was easy. Book 2 was harder, though. Book 3 was torturous. Not because I was bored of the characters or anything, but because completing the series meant walking away from 'people' I've fallen in love with! It was hard to say goodbye.

6. How did you end up writing paranormal books?

That came naturally. I love the paranormal. It's 'my thing' because it's not real. And there I can really let my imagination fly!

7. What influences what you write? 

Everything. My teenage son. Life. Work. Problems. People around me. People I don't know. Scenery. Really. everything.

8. Where is your favorite place to write?

On the couch. Yeah, I'm weird. Right there in the middle of everything is me and my laptop.

9. What is your favorite comfort foods?

Oooh ... I LOVE doughnuts. Yeah, it's bad, but I love them. Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts. Doesn't matter. Bring 'em on!

10. Is there any other genres that appeal to you?

I'm a true romance fan. So that's my primary. But Mystery/Thrillers are my biggest second fav.

I'm very appreciative that Emi allowed me to ask the silliest questions in the history of blogging. She was absolutely patient and as a blogger with a small following, I can honestly say thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I will be posting my review on After Dark later today! There may even be a giveaway to go along with it :)

Emi can be found at:

http://www.emigayle.com/blog/

http://twitter.com/emijgayle

http://www.facebook.com/EmiGayle

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5421861.Emi_Gayle