Waiting on Wednesday (117)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

We are all huge fans of The Elemental Series and can't wait to read Michael's story.  And this cover?  Swoon!  

Title: Sacrifice

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Publication Date: September 30, 2014

Publisher: Kensington Teen

One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick is used to pressure. 

He’s the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it out for his family, and he’s all that stands in the way. 

His girlfriend, Hannah, gets that. She’s got a kid of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could end her life without a moment’s notice. 

But there are people who have had enough of Michael’s defiance, his family’s “bad luck.” Before he knows it, Michael’s enemies have turned into the Merricks’ enemies, and they’re armed for war. 

They’re not interested in surrender. But Michael isn’t the white flag type anyway. There will be blood on the ground tonight…

Title: The Wonder of All Things

Author:  Jason Motts

Publication Date: September 30, 2014

Publisher: Mira

From critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author Jason Mott comes a spellbinding tale of love, sacrifice and the power of miracles. 

On an ordinary day, at an air show like that in any small town across the country, a plane crashes into a crowd of spectators, killing and injuring dozens. But when the dust clears, a thirteen-year-old girl named Ava is found huddled beneath a pocket of rubble with her best friend, Wash. He is injured and bleeding, and when Ava places her hands over him, his wounds miraculously disappear. Ava has a unique gift: she can heal others of their physical ailments. Until the air show tragedy, her gift was a secret. But now the whole world knows, and suddenly Ava is thrust into the spotlight. People from all over the globe begin flocking to her small town, looking for healing and eager to glimpse the wonder of a miracle. But Ava's unusual ability comes at a great cost, her own health, and as she grows weaker with each healing, Ava begins searching for an escape. Wash agrees to help Ava, but little does she know he has his own secret he's been harboring, and soon Ava finds herself having to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice in order to save the one she loves most.(

Awkwardly Ever After by Marni Bates

***

From Kensington:

It's prom season at Smith High School and love is in the air. . .for some people.

Melanie Morris knows she shouldn't keep flirting with her best friend's brother, Dylan Wellesley, even though the last thing she feels is "sisterly" around the cute soon-to-be freshman. But attending prom with somebody else might mean losing him for good. . .

Isobel Peters accepts the fact that she's a huge geek, but she never expected renowned player, Spencer King, would want to get his hands on. . .her reputation. What begins as a bargain could turn into something real--or a Notable disaster!

Corey O'Neal is dating the boy of his dreams, rockstar Timothy Goff. But it isn't easy to trade in anonymity for instant celebrity status, especially now that swarms of protesters want them both banned from prom. Dating Prince Charming in real life is a whole lot harder than it sounds in fairytales.

Happily ever after? Try awkwardly ever after!

The Bad:

There were just a couple little things that got in the way of my loving the final installation… Awkwardly was told through multiple POVs, which I love, but because of it, there were times when the transitions were abrupt and a little jarring. Also, Corey and Tim's drama seemed rushed to the finish line. I needed it fleshed out a little more, but also because I love Corey & Tim!

The Good:

Thank god that's over, now we can get on to the awesome in Awkwardly! 

First Melanie and Dylan – seriously, how cute are these two? Poor Melanie can't open up about her traumatic home life and all she wants is to lean on Dylan. But Dylan is off limits – the girl code says "thou shall not lust after your friends little brother" especially when said little brother is still in junior high. But Dylan's survived his own drama and is strong enough to help Melanie and just might benefit from Melanie's TLC when his long lost, jerkface dad makes a reappearance. These two will give you a toothache they are so sweet!

Isobel and Spencer are our bad boy and girl who are just too ridiculous to admit that they might be great together. The fro-yo shop scene is awesome!

And finally Corey and Tim. Sigh. Corey's been bullied and tormented for refusing to hide who he is, but his reward is the dreamy boy-band rocker Tim. But while it's hard to be openly gay in high school, it's an entirely different story to come out with Tim and the ensuing chaos of being thrust into the international news cycles with paparazzi watching your every move. They are really put to the test when the school decrees that the two boys cannot attend prom together. Corey just wants to spend some alone time with his boyfriend, not be a poster child for bullying and discrimination. Tim's mad as hell and willing to use all his influence to fight for their rights. Can Corey and Tim survive prom?

Besides feeling a little rushed with Corey and Tim and the crazy POV transitions, Awkwardly is fantastic. If you guys haven't read this series you should! It's all about a group of socially awkward and hilarious students at Smith High trying to find their places in the world, and hopefully a little love and acceptance along the way. This series is perfect for a little laugh out loud light reading!

~Shel

Secret (The Elementals #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

****

From KTeen:

Keep his brother's business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.  

Keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his own twin - or he'll lose his family.

Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dance who's supposed to be his "girlfriend's" partner.

Of course there's also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers.

There's a storm coming.  From all sides.  And then some.  

Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?

God, I love this series so much.  Nick's story is heartbreaking.  He's keeping a secret from his family because of fear of their reaction, fear of rejection and a fear of disappointing his family by not playing the role in which he has cast himself.  Watching Nick come to terms with himself and finding the strength to be himself, all while dealing with the ever present threats of being an Elemental, was fantastic.  I loved Secret.  I love all the Merrick boys.  At the end of each of the books I always think that Michael (the eldest Merrick) needs a hug, but he deserves such a huge hug after Secret!  

I will be honest.  I'm terrified for the last book Sacrifice.  I fear that it will require a box of kleenex and an entire month to recover!  And check out the hottie on the cover!

~Shel

Cover Reveal: Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer

OMG!  I love the Elemental Series by Brigid Kemmerer and am thrilled to be a part of the cover reveal for Sacrifice!!!!!  Check this out!!

Love this cover so much!  Michael is so swoon-worthy!  And check out the Australian cover!

Sacrifice: Book 5 in the Elemental Series

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.

Michael Merrick is used to pressure.

He’s the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control 

Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it out for 

his family, and he’s all that stands in the way.

His girlfriend, Hannah, gets that. She’s got a kid of her own, and a job as a firefighter 

that could end her life without a moment’s notice.

But there are people who have had enough of Michael’s defiance, his family’s “bad 

luck.” Before he knows it, Michael’s enemies have turned into the Merricks’ enemies, 

and they’re armed for war.

They’re not interested in surrender. But Michael isn’t the white flag type anyway. 

There will be blood on the ground tonight…


If you haven't read this series yet, you are missing out!  

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17149158-sacrifice

Brigid Kemmerer website: http://www.brigidkemmerer.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrigidKemmererWrites?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrigidKemmerer 


Amazon link to Elemental Series: 
http://www.amazon.com/Brigid-Kemmerer/e/B005IB0MTA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1391773518&sr=8-2-ent

Barnes & Noble link to Elemental Series: 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/brigid-kemmerer/3072647

Book Depository:
 http://www.bookdepository.com/searchsearchTerm=brigid+kemmerer&search=Find+book

iBooks:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/storm/id495681634?mt=11

IndieBound:

http://www.indiebound.org/search/apachesolr_searchauthor_filter=Kemmerer%2C+Brigid

Invisible by Marni Bates

*** 1/2

From KTeen:

It's not easy being best friends with a celebrity...

I'm invisible at my high school and I'm fine with it.  It's kind of inevitable with a name like Jane Smith.  But when the school newspaper staff insisted that I write a cover story, I decided to find out just how much scandal one geeky girl could uncover.

Except I never expected to find myself starting a fistfight, auditioning for the school's Romeo and Juliet musical, running away with a Romeo of my own, befriending the most popular girl in school, or trying to avoid one very cute photographer, who makes it impossible to be invisible...

I admit, Decked With Holly remains my favorite in this series, but Invisible was a cute, fun read that had me laughing out loud.  Jane is a very typical teen in her reactions to the troubles with her friends.  And while the situations in the books exaggerated and unbelievable, the reactions and characters stay true to themselves.  

I will admit that I was puzzled by Jane's attraction to Scott, who spends most of the book acting like a complete jerk and is openly hostile.  The only thing that makes him remotely redeemable (aside from being cute), is that he challenges Jane where everyone else coddles her.  Still, this wasn't enough for me to actually like or root for him.

If you haven't started this series yet, definitely pick it up for your fun, light reading requirements.  The next in the series, Notable adds a little mystery to the mix and I cannot wait to see how the Queen of the Notables handles life in Cambodia.  Notable is available October 29, 2013.

~Shel

Spartan Frost (Mythos Academy Novella) by Jennifer Estep

****


From KTeen:

I'm Logan Quinn, the deadliest Spartan warrior at Mythos Academy.  At least I was - until the day I almost killed Gwen Frost.

Professor Metis and Nickamedes say that I'm fine, that Loki and the Reapers don't have a hold on me anymore, but I can't risk it.  I can't risk hurting Gwen again.  So I'm leaving Mythos and going somewhere far, far away.

I know Gwen wonders what's happening to me, whether I'm safe.  I can't tell her, but this is my story...

Anyone who reads the blog knows that I am a huge fan of this series.  What i loved most about Spartan Frost was that it is told from Logan's point of view and after what he went through in Crimson Frost, it was awesome to get inside his head.

So, if you are looking for something to hold you over until Midnight Frost releases at the end of July, grab Spartan Frost.  It ends on a cliff-hanger, so feel free to tell Jennifer Estep that it was just mean, I did!

~Shel

Breathless: An Elemental Novella by Brigid Kemmerer

****

Breathless is a novella intended to drive us absolutely insane while we wait for Spirit.  Breathless gives us an inside look at Nick Merrick, hottie extraordinaire, math genius and all around great guy, who just happens to control an element.  Air to be precise.  

In Spark, we saw Nick use his awesome powers to save himself and Layne (girlfriend of Nick's fiery twin brother, Gabriel).  In Breathless, Nick is looking for his own place to belong and, like his brothers Chris and Gabriel before him, his identity as something other than an Elemental.  

At 53 pages, Breathless is far too short and definitely left me wanting more.  I hope we get to see more of Nick's struggles and story in Spirit. 

AND coming on May 28th get Spirit!!!

~Shel 

Decked With Holly by Marni Bates

***1/2

From Kensington Teen:

Holly Dayton is about to go way out of her comfort zone…

Spending Christmas vacation on a cruise with her two cousins from hell isn’t Holly’s idea of a good time. And when in a moment of seasick-fueled desperation she lurches into an open suite—she’s greeted with an eyeful of pepper spray. The culprit? A gorgeous guy calling himself Nick. But when Holly goes to make her exit, she gets the shock of her life: a corridor crammed with screaming teenage fans. Because Nick just happens to be Dominic Wyatt, drummer for ReadySet—one of the hottest bands in America.

Suddenly rumors are swirling, and Holly’s face is captured on countless phones and plastered all over the Internet. But the band can’t risk a scandal destroying their family-friendly image, so Dominic convinces Holly to be his fake girlfriend—just for two weeks. How bad could it be to be fauxmantically involved with one of the cutest rockstars on the planet? Holly’s about to find out…

 

Decked With Holly is a very Cinderella story, complete with a wicked step-mother, horrible step-sisters and loveable orphan Holly.  In our story, Holly lost her parents as a baby and was raised by her aging, but loving grandfather.  Holly’s wicked step-mother is actually her Aunt and her female cousins play the role of the step-sisters.  And they are completely horrible people lacking any redeeming qualities.   And while Grandpa is old, there’s no excuse for him not telling his daughter and granddaughters to shut the hell up.  And the other men/guys in the book all sit silently by while the Aunt and cousins put the meanest of “mean girls” to shame.  Our rock star Nick isn’t exactly charming, but he is a modern day prince as the drummer in an uber-popular boy band.    

Decked With Holly is hilarious, which I wan't expecting.  I haven’t giggled that much during a book since Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich.  While the supporting characters are exaggerated, Holly and Dominic feel surprisingly honest in their one-on-one interactions.  I enjoyed Decked With Holly and think it should be on everyone’s holiday reading list this year.  I haven’t read Bates’ debut Awkward, but I am definitely going to pick it up. 

~Shel

Otherkin by Nina Berry

**1/2

From Kensington (KTeen):

I thought I knew myself. Then I met Caleb.

Dez is a good girl who does as she’s told and tries not to be noticed. Then she rescues a boy from a cage, and he tells her secrets about herself. Now inside her burns a darkness that will transform her.

Everything is about to change—and neither Caleb, nor the Otherkin, nor those who hunt them, are prepared for what Dez will unleash.

The Bad:
I didn't feel like the characters in Otherkin were fully formed, more outlines than developed characters.  Dez didn't seem nearly freaked out enough about suddenly becoming a tiger and being thrust into a world of shifters and magic.  Her reaction was quite minimal and accepting.  I'm fairly confident this is meant to be a series, so perhaps we will see more depth in Dez, Caleb and their friends and foes. 

The Good:
Otherkin is an interesting story and I admit to being a little fascinated by the foreshadowing of what is to come for Dez and who she will turn out to be and finding out what Caleb's role in her destiny will be.  Fans of Nightshade and other paranormal/shapeshifter romance will find this to be an enjoyable read without the heavy emotional toll that often felt in this genre.  A decent debut for Nina Berry and I look forward to discovering what she does next.

~Shel

Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop

Woohoo!  Today we are starting the Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop!  I love the 4th of July - not just because I am a huge constitutional nerd (which I am), but because it is just a celebration filled with fun, friends and great food.  No gifts to worry about, no icky winter weather - just good times all around.

So, we are celebrating our freedom to read!  The Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop is sponsored by Mundie Moms and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer -  A huge thanks for bringing us all together for this fantastic giveaway.

You all know the drill, fill out the rafflecopter form below.  Sorry, this giveaway is for U.S. shipping addresses only.  The rest of the rules can be found in the terms & conditions below.  

For our giveaway, we are giving away two books Bel has loved!  First up:

 

Everyone has secrets.
Even best friends.

Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the ‘L’, a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it’s directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn’t pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through the din, “Run, Mo!”

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend’s murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo—quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo—will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she’ll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys—protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?

AND

Constance started to keen as the air around us began to thrash and twist, the caustic scent of ozone burning my nose. As I watched, her dark gold hair began to lift and kink into knots. “I’m here. It’ll be okay.”It was the last thing I said before my best friend’s little sister went supernova in the second-floor girls’ bathroom, taking me with her.

A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend’s murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved ones safe. But the magic – and the Chicago Mob – have other plans.

Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help – and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she’s dreamed of and the one she’s destined for.

So, go forth and enter to win fabulous prizes!  There are approximately 200 blogs participating in this hop, so check out the others on the linky below.  Good luck!

~Shel

a Rafflecopter giveaway