Waiting on Wednesday #123

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

I Can't wait for:

The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursioun by Chris McCoy

Just a few days before prom, Bennett pulls off something he never imagined possible: his dream girl, Sophie, agrees to be his date. Moments afterward, however, he watches Sophie get abducted by aliens in the middle of the New Mexico desert.

Faced with a dateless prom (and likely kidnapping charges), Bennett does the only thing he can think of: he catches a ride into outer space with a band of extraterrestrial musicians to bring her back.

Can he navigate alien concert venues, an extraterrestrial reality show, and the band's outlandish egos to rescue his date in time for the big dance? Fans of King Dork and Winger won't want to miss this!

Sometimes I need a little crazy stupid funny and this looks like the right medicine. It draws me in with the cover, the name, and the crazy summary. So yes I can't wait to check this book out.

Review: Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes

Title: Anatomy of a Misfit
Author: Andrea Portes
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publishing Date: September 2nd 2014
Pages: 336
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audio

  

Fall’s buzzed-about, in-house favorite.
Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?
Anatomy of a Misfit is Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika — from laughter to tears, and everything in between.

I was really looking forward to this one. The summary really intrigued me. The cover an the title are so very cute and inviting. For me that is where the lovely ended. I really really wanted to like this one but I had to many issues with the story. The writing was pretty good and the characters weren't bad but I just couldn't get past some pretty heavy stuff in my book to enjoy the read. I struggled had with my rating and I decided to give it what I did because there were a few things I liked and a few giggles here and there but I couldn't give it higher because of the things I didn't like I really really didn't like. I will explain.. 

Anika (cool name I love it) has had a bit of interesting life. She is struggling a bit with who she is and who she wants to be. She is a follower of a mean girl because she is 3rd most popular and doesn't want to lose her ranking. Sophomore year and everything changes for her. The nerd from freshman year is back and he isn't so much a nerd anymore, he's changed, cooler clothes, better style, cuter, refined, but his status doesn't change, he is still known as a loser. Anika likes him but has to see him in secret. Then things get really difficult when the popular everyone wants to be with guy asks her out. Things get all mucked up and just go downhill from there. 

So I will start with what I liked. I liked the characters for the most part, they had their issues. I felt they were pretty dumb but also funny and lively. Anika was very witty and snarky and I liked her. I also liked her best friend. She seemed pretty nice but was really confused on many things. She sure wasn't that bright. Logan and Jared were okay. Both had issues to make them a bad guy more than once. Hated Becky, but I think that was the point. When all is said and done lots of cliche characters but with unique voices. 

The other thing I really liked was the way the author let the reader know from the very beginning there was going to be a very substantial climax. Every few chapters we went back to Anika pedaling fast to something she thought she would be late for. Pedaling fast, it was intense and it was just known something serious was coming. Just didn't know what until the very end. That was pretty cool.

The story I think was off to a good start. I liked the writing style and I liked the pacing. I liked what the story was about, what was being said... What I didn't like was the bashing, the strong opinions towards political views and that everyone was over the top messed up. There wasn't any good in the book. I need good to outweigh the bad. Let me explain all these points. 

There are some things that fit well in stories and may exercise the opinion of the author. I am fine with that but when I feel that it is hatred towards those who have different opinions or opinions of beliefs whether it be religious, lifestyle, or political, are so overbearing that its all I notice, I can't handle that. Everyone has their opinions and beliefs and I don't have to agree with them to enjoy the story, this book however was a bit too overbearing and made it hard for me to understand the story. I am not going to go into what the bashing and strong opinions were about because that is not where I am going. I just felt it was too much.

My other main issue is the bad. Everyone is messed up.... Not just a little messed up but way messed up. Nothing good about them. Anika is the best out of the entire group and she thinks she is spider soup on the inside she doesn't think there is any good in her. Well that is because everyone you know is screwed up. Again not going into too much detail but it was enough to say really can't we have one family or one teen that has it together. Not everyone in this world is screwed up. 

On a minor note. Not sure why this is classified and talked about as a humorous book.There were some funny parts and I didn't mind that it wasn't a comedy. By the description I thought I was going into a light quirky humorous read and it was very dark read. Very deep and tough to get through. 

It was just too much in my face about things I didn't need in my face. It outweighed my enjoyment of the story. I think some will like it but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. 

Website- http://andreaportes.wordpress.com/about/ 

Genre Definition and Recommendation #75

Genre Definition and Recommendation is a feature where I will define a genre and a sub-genre definition and the make some recommendations.  

Suspense/Thriller- Definition found on Wikipedia

Suspense is a feeling of pleasurable fascination and excitement mixed with apprehension, tension, and anxiety developed from an unpredictable, mysterious, and rousing source of entertainment. The term most often refers to an audience's perceptions in a dramatic work.

Mystery fiction Definition found on Wikipedia 

Mystery fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective - either professional or amateur - investigates a crime, often murder.

My Recommendations: 

Made For You by Melissa Marr

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

Truth or Dare by Jacqueline Green 

  

When a simple round of truth or dare spins out of control, three girls find it’s no longer a party game. It’s do or die.

It all started on a whim: the game was a way for Tenley Reed to reclaim her popularity, a chance for perfect Caitlin “Angel” Thomas to prove she’s more than her Harvard application. Loner Sydney Morgan wasn’t even there; she was hiding behind her camera like usual. But when all three start receiving mysterious dares long after the party has ended, they’re forced to play along—or risk exposing their darkest secrets.

How far will Tenley, Caitlin and Sydney go to keep the truth from surfacing? And who’s behind this twisted game?

Set against the backdrop of Echo Bay, an isolated beach town haunted by misfortune, Truth or Dare is a highly charged debut that will keep readers in suspense from beginning to end.

What Do you Recommend? 

Review: Made For You by Melissa Marr

Title:  Made For You 

Author: Melissa Marr

Publisher: Harper Collins
Publishing Date:  September 16th 2014 

Pages: 368
Genre:  YA Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audio

  

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

I was so very excited when I saw this book. For some reason I knew nothing about it until just a couple of weeks before it released so I didn't have to wait long to read it. Then I found it on audio and I really went crazy. Melissa Marr is by far one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint me with this new book, new genre, new world. This book was less fantasy and more contemporary, a little different than I am used to from this wonderful author, but it didn't change my love for her writing. The story was amazing too and of course her character development rocks. Yes this was a spectacularly creepy read for me and I loved every moment of it. 

Eva lives in a small southern town. There are elite families and she belongs to one of the most powerful families. She dates who she things she should due to her status, she isn't really in love with him or even really likes him more than a friend. He best friend is an outsider and a true friend but the rest of her followers are that only followers. Eva had another best friend growing up but a few years back their friendship resolved and he went off the deep end. Other than the normal small town gossip and expectations her life is pretty good, until the night she gets hit by a car, a hit and run. Now she sees visions of peoples deaths whether it be near or far, her friends are in danger and someone is out to get her. Life just got difficult.. oh and through it all her boyfriend jets (sort of) and her long lost best friend comes back into the picture. 



I loved this book. I loved the characters, the story, the writing, the southern feel, the suspense and thrills, I loved the romance, it was all just awesome.

I love a well written suspense thriller. That is why I was so excited about Melissa Marr writing a suspense thriller. I already knew I loved her writing and character building so I was all over it. The book held up to my expectations and more. It was written extremely well and it was extremely creepy. Just the way I like them. The creep factor was off the scales with this book. The story is written in 3 POVs and one of them happens to belong to the killer/stalker/crazy oh so crazy dude. He completely scared me, gave me the heebie jeebies, yes he was totally disturbing.  For a bad guy he rocked. Completely believable and just nuts!

The bad guy wasn't the only awesome character. I loved the main gal, Eva, her best friend Grace, and of course the love interest Nate. They were just all awesome. Eva is a pretty responsible character, very trusting, very loved, does well in school, popular. and seems to have a great head on her shoulders. She was a bit naive at times, but only because she was sheltered and grew up in a small town. She's never had a reason to doubt her life or think she would be in danger.

Grace rocked. She was a true best friend and I never once doubted her loyalty. She was by Eva's side every step of the way and would have done anything for her. Nate was a great one too. He came into the story with very little known about him except he turned from a sweet kid to a bad boy and no longer cared to speak with Eva.. Well when he came back, it was complete heart and soul. He never wavered or left her side. He was a bit stubborn at times but he got over it.

The romance was fast but good. Nate and Eva known each other for years, since they were little. When they forgive and forget they are all in and it turns to romance quick, I should say the romance comes out quick. It was apparent from the very beginning they have had feelings for each other for a very long time. It just took a near tragedy to bring them back together. I loved the two together and would love to see more of them but alas, this is a stand alone.

The suspense in this book was off the charts. I was on the edge of my seat many many times. They mystery was also great, I only figured it out at the very last moment before it was revealed. I had my ideas but of course Melissa Marr is a genius and didn't want us to figure it out until she let the cat out of the bag herself.

The writing style fit the book perfect. It read more like a contemporary thriller but it did have a bit of paranormal in the story with the death visions. They played a somewhat important role but were never explained. She just inherited them from her near death experience or her great big noggin bump. The idea of it was never explored so it didn't feel like a fantasy, paranormal, or sci-fi read.

So in a nutshell, or not so much a nutshell it was awesome, spectacular, stunning, thrilling, wondrous, marvelous, extreme, intense, fantastic, oh I could so go on. If you like a great suspense thriller. Grab this one. I don't think it will disappoint you, it didn't me.

I think I said all that needs to be said but just in case I didn't get my point across. I am head over heels, completely insane, in heart stopping love with this book. 

Melissa Marr

URL - https://www.goodreads.com/melissa_marr

Website- http://www.melissa-marr.com/

Twitter Username - melissa_marr

Waiting on Wednesday #122

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

I Can't wait for:

All The Rage by Courtney Summers 

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous.But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now—but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

Courtney Summers does a great job mixing realistic fiction in with other genres, in this case it looks to be a mystery thriller. One of my favorite genres. This one looks pretty darn good and I can't wait to get my hands on it.