Waiting on Wednesday {82}: Soundless

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Soundless.

Soundless

by Richelle Mead

Publication date: November 17, 2015



From Goodreads:

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

#FinallyFriday {1}: Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army

Finally Friday is a meme started by me (Jessica, aka @coffeelvnmom) and J from @life_love_fandoms. This week's I-finally-read-this-waiting-on-Wednesday-book is: Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army. 

(This review was originally posted 2/24/15.) I'm a sucker for WWII survival stories, especially when they're YA. And yet... it's been weeks since I finished Mr. Rauch's memoir, and I'm *still* not sure what to say. You think you know what it must have been like after learning about WWII so many times in school or watching movies or doing reports or reading books about it, but you don't. Not really. Nothing can prepare you for how atrocious things got on both sides of the warfront as the war continued. Nothing can prepare you for the emotional turmoil anyone put through war has to go through. Especially when you read true recounts down to specific details (like killing a few hundred lice every night just before going to bed, for instance--and this was one of the lesser horrific ones). It breaks you. 

Most stories about WWII have to do with survivors *not* on the side of Hitler. What makes Unlikely Warrior: AJSIHA so different is that, amidst the chaos of war and death and prejudice, Georg was not a survivor of a camp, or a Jew in hiding, but a Jewish soldier, forced to fight on Hitler's side doing something he didn't even believe in. 

As you go with young Georg on his journey, reading letters his mother saved, seeing photos of family, and looking at illustrations he drew back in that day, you feel for him. You want to sit with Georg, hug his past self, and tell him everything'll be okay. And what broke me after going on that journey with him was the fact that he's no longer here to reach out to. 

I am so, so grateful for being given a chance to read this book. So glad that, even after so many decades, Mr. Rauch finally chose to tell his story. I'm also incredibly grateful for his wife, Phyllis Rauch, for translating it into English; and to Farrar, Straus, & Giroux for getting Mr. Rauch's book to more readers.

This is a good read, guys, and worth every single minute.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | iBooks | Goodreads 

Waiting on Wednesday {81}: Instructions for the End of the World

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Instructions for the End of the World.

Instructions for the End of the World

by Jamie Kain

Publication date: December 8, 2015



From Goodreads:

He prepared their family for every natural disaster known to man—except for the one that struck.

When Nicole Reed’s father forces her family to move to a remote area of the Sierra Foothills, one without any modern conveniences, it's too much too handle for her mother, who abandons them in the middle of the night. Heading out to track her down, Nicole’s father leaves her in charge of taking care of the house and her younger sister, Izzy. For a while, Nicole is doing just fine running things on her own. But then the food begins to run out, the pipes crack, and forest fires start slowly inching their way closer every day. Wolf, a handsome boy from the neighboring community, offers to help her when she needs it most, but when she starts to develop feelings for him, feelings she knows she will never be allowed to act on once her father returns, she must make a decision. With her family falling apart, will she choose to continue preparing for tomorrow’s disasters, or will she take a chance and really start living for today?

Instructions for the End of the World is a gripping, young adult novel that explores family, friendship, and love in the midst of the most difficult and dangerous circumstances.

@Readergirlz' #RocktheDrop is TODAY!

 

It's here! I *so* look forward to ReaderGirlz' annual Rock the Drop. It's such a great way to spread the #booklove! :) This year I'm dropping a pretty decent amount of books, which is also exciting. And, since it's a weekday, most of my drops will happen after 3:30 (though a few are conveniently being dropped throughout the day, locally *cough* high schools *cough*).

So make sure to be alert as you go about your day today... you just might come across a book that's been dropped! Finders, keepers, ya'll! :)

Waiting on Wednesday {80}: We'll Never Be Apart

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: We'll Never Be Apart.

We'll Never Be Apart

by Emiko Jean

Publication date: October 6th, 2015



From Goodreads:

Murder.

Fire.

Revenge.

That's all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths.

Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story? Nothing is as it seems in this edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller from the debut author Emiko Jean.

This week's writerly news

This week's news and reminders real quick:

* Rock the Drop is next Thursday. More info, HERE.

* In honor of TWIST being released this week (I haven't gotten my review up yet... OOPS... coming soon), I thought I'd share Madi's review of the first book in the time-travel duology, LOOP. It'll totally get you in the mood to read TWIST. :D (Find on Amazon | Goodreads)

* If you participated in YASH, I hope you had FUN! :D I'll be contacting the winner of my exclusive audiobook giveaway this weekend. 

* I'm getting close to 500 likes on Facebook and 500 followers on Instagram. Five is my favorite number, so I'm thinking of doing some sort of fun giveaway when I reach 500 on both. What do ya think? :)

* Don't forget this month's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE is going strong and we updated the US giveaway. On top of a paperback *and* swag, Katie's made a Kindle cover that the winner gets to customize with their favorite quote. Check it out and enter the Rafflecopter for both the US and INTL giveaway, HERE. 

Okay I'm off. Lots to do, and only the weekend to do it! Have a blessed one, my friends!

Waiting on Wednesday {79}: Scarlett Undercover

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Scarlett Undercover.

Scarlett Undercover

by Jennifer Latham

Publication date: May 19th, 2015



From Goodreads:

A voice-driven mystery perfect for fans of Veronica Mars.
Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic, kick-butt, Muslim American heroine, ready to take on crime in her hometown of Las Almas. When a new case finds the private eye caught up in a centuries-old battle of evil genies and ancient curses, Scarlett discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks -- and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father's murder.

Jennifer Latham delivers a compelling story and a character to remember in this one-of-a-kind debut novel.

April's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE #giveaway: UNBREATHABLE by @HafsahFaizal

Enter to win the bottom Kindle
cover with a quote of your choice!

After a month off due to... life... we're back with April's #JLBgivesawayanINDIE giveaway and photo-a-day challenge! This month's indie is UNBREATHABLE by the beautiful Hafsah Laziaf of IceyBooks and IceyDesigns. This lady is a triple threat, guys. She designs, she writes, she draws, she is a gamer, she has a big heart, she runs an amazing book blog... whoops... that's way more than three things, isn't it? ;)  Well anyway. Her book is unique and it's what you call a "space opera", and I know you guys are going to LOVE it.

About UNBREATHABLE:

One hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was destroyed, and the remaining humans fled to the dusty red planet of Jutaire, where the only oxygen is manufactured, food is scarce, and death strikes often.

When Lissa's father discovers Earth still exists, she accidentally inhales the toxic air of Jutaire, and in one breath, discovers she isn't quite human.

Her father hangs for his discovery, and Lissa knows the Chancellors will come for her, for she saw the Earth that night too. With nothing to lose, she sets out to expose the truth. It isn't long before she meets Julian, a beautiful boy who can breathe the toxic air like she can - and shows her that the Jute, the original inhabitants of the planet, are more tangled in their lives than she knows.

But the Chancellors are only pawns in a greater game - one where the Jute control everything. Worse, the Jute plan to leave Jutaire for Earth, but to get there, they need her. And they'll stop at nothing until Lissa is in their clutches, even if they kill every human in the process.

The race for Earth has begun.

Unbreathable is a tale of love, redemption, and sacrifice, and one girl's struggle to find her place in a world where she doesn't belong. Add to Goodreads

See? Doesn't it sound incredible? I'll be sharing the Rafflecopter below, but first, here's this month's photo-a-day challenge. It was a lot of fun coming up with challenges that were UNBREATHABLE-themed. (Remember, you don't *have* to participate in the photo-a-day challenge to win the Rafflecopter giveaway, but we'll be choosing two random challenge participants on Insta/Twitter and giving them something UNBREATHABLE-ish just for playing.) So share the below challenge, take those photos, use the hashtag #JLBgivesawayanINDIE on Twitter and/or Instagram, make sure to tag us so we *see* them, and have fun! (The photos can be bookish, but feel free to interpret the challenge word however you like.)

And now for the Rafflecopters! :D

Remember the photo you saw of the two Kindle covers at the beginning of the post? Well the uber-talented Katie Smith made those! The pink one is with a quote from UNBREATHABLE in unavailable, but the one above is up for grabs and she will personalize it with a quote of your choice! 

US giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Plus, I decided to do one that's INTERNATIONAL:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Woo! Spread the word, ya'll! :)

Spring 2015 YA SCAVENGER HUNT (#YASH) + exclusive #giveaway

It's #YASH time! Woo hoo! Welcome to the SPRING '15 YA SCAVENGER HUNT. On this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each participating YA author, you also get their favorite number. Add up the numbers, and enter the total for a chance to win a major prize. Every team will have a winner, and that winner will receive at least one book from each author on that team! This means there are EIGHT SEPARATE GRAND PRIZES of at least 20 books in each grand prize!!!! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only last until noon PST on Sunday, April 5th!

A few quick things: If you get lost for some reason, no worries--just go to this link: YA Scavenger Hunt: Stuck? Each team AND all of the authors are listed there, so you can pick up where you left off--easy peasy! :) And, if you've never done this before but would love to participate, check out YA Scavenger Hunt: How to Hunt.

Directions: Somewhere below, you'll see that I’ve listed my favorite number (in pink). Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on TEAM PINK, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).

Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally. Anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by April 5th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

Here are the books up for grabs for #TeamIndie/Team PINK:

And now... *drum roll please* I'd like to introduce you to...

WOMAN OF HONOR, by Nicole Zoltack! 

WOMAN OF HONOR is the first book in a YA fantasy trilogy.

Aislinn of Bairbhe dreams of becoming a lady knight to honor the death of her fallen brother. To her mother's horror, King Patrick grants Aislinn's wish. 

Despite the mockery of the other pages and the disdain of Prince Caelen, who also trains to be a knight, Aislinn commits herself to her training and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. 

Through the years, Aislinn and Caelen grow from sparring classmates to good friends. Honor, bravery, and yes, love are worth fighting for even when they both know that someday Caelen will have to marry for the sake of the kingdom. Buy WOMAN OF HONOR

WOMAN OF HONOR is told only from Aislinn's POV, but there's a certain other character who wants to share some thoughts in his POV. Take it away, Prince Caelan!

***

He wasn't sure when it happened. The fire in her eyes, the stubbornness in her jaw, the determination, the drive… All those years ago when his father had agreed for a probationary period for not one but two girls, Caelan had thought it merely a gesture to appease them, that there was no way either would muster up enough strength or brains to be able to continue on in their training.

He had been wrong.

At first, Aislinn had been closed off, almost too focused on learning everything. Being a knight, well training to become one, it formed a brotherhood, a bond, and she wouldn't be able to stay away like that.

A part of him wanted him to be the one to reach out and help her, but he couldn't. That fire and stubbornness, it drew him to her, and he couldn't have that. For years now, he knew he would have to marry for the sake of Arnhem. The last thing he could do was lose his heart to someone he could never be with.

But when Geoffrey started to spout bad poetry to her, Caelan couldn't help himself. He cornered her in the library. And he had kissed her.

She pushed him aside and ran away. All of his life had been chosen for him. This, and this alone, he would do as he wished. His heart deserved a little bit of happiness.

But would she let him kiss her again? He could only hope so.

***

Connect with Nicole at these 5 places: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | blog | Amazon 


And now, for the Rafflecopter! In celebration of YASH, I'm giving away FOUR audiobooks and a $5 Amazon gift card! Enter the exclusive YASH giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For the next stop on the hunt, visit Cady Vance's blog, HERE. 

To check out the other seven teams, go HERE.

Cozenage 2 title reveal (squeeeeee)

Here it is: the title of the companion novel to Pity Isn't An Option (Cozenage, #1) is The Words We Thought Were True (Cozenage, #2)! I am so stinking excited about this, and can't wait for it to come out this fall! Woohoo! 

So... what do you think? Feel free to add it to your Goodreads TBR shelf, HERE (cover and blurb to come soon).

Oh by the way, my YASH (YA Scavenger Hunt) bonus content tomorrow will be a letter written after Pity Isn't An Option ends and right before The Words We Thought Were True begins, so make sure to check out Team Pink/Indie! :)

Thanks for sharing in my excitement with me! 

Waiting on Wednesday {78}: Noble Warrior

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Noble Warrior.

Noble Warrior

by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Publication date: July 21, 2015



From Goodreads:

After placing teenage mixed martial arts phenom McCutcheon Daniels and his mother and sister in the Witness Relocation Program,the FBI comes to realize they have a unique asset on their hands. Recruited to help the FBI, McCutcheon finds himself hunting bad guys. But when he discovers that the notorious Priests have targeted Kaitlyn-the girl he loves and was forced to leave behind-as a way to seek revenge on the Daniels family, MD convinces the FBI to send him right into the belly of the beast: Jenkells State Penitentiary where the mob boss of Detroit is serving time. Yet in his universe where up is down, McCutcheon ends up disavowed by the government and left to rot in one of America's most notorious prisons. It's there here connects with his father and discovers the truth about his circumstances. McCutcheon, a trained urban warrior, escapes and sets out for revenge on those who betrayed him and his family.