Waiting on Wednesday {133}: Caraval

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

Caraval

by Stephanie Garber

Publication date: January 31st, 2017

From Goodreads:

Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their ruthless father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

Then, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation to Caraval finally arrives. So, Tella enlists a mysterious sailor’s help to whisk Scarlett away to this year’s show. But as soon as the trio arrives, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nonetheless soon becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with her sister, with Legend, and with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Waiting on Wednesday {132}: We are Still Tornados

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 Are Still Tornados.

We Are Still Tornados

by Michael Kun and Susan Mullen

Publication date: November 1, 2016

From Goodreads:

Growing up across the street from each other, Scott and Cath have been best friends their entire lives. Cath would help Scott with his English homework, he would make her mix tapes (it's the 80's after all), and any fight they had would be forgotten over TV and cookies. But now they've graduated high school and Cath is off to college while Scott is at home pursuing his musical dreams.

During their first year apart, Scott and Cath's letters help them understand heartache, annoying roommates, family drama and the pressure to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives. And through it all, they realize that the only person they want to turn to is each other. But does that mean they should be more than friends? The only thing that's clear is that change is an inescapable part of growing up. And the friends who help us navigate it share an unshakable bond.

This funny yet deeply moving book--set to an awesome 80's soundtrack--captures all the beautiful confusion and emotional intensity we find on the verge of adulthood...and first love.

Waiting on Wednesday {131}: Our Chemical Hearts

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

Our Chemical Hearts

By Krystal Sutherland

Publication date: October 4, 2016

From Goodreads:

Henry Page has never been in love. He fancies himself a hopeless romantic, but the slo-mo, heart palpitating, can't-eat-can't-sleep kind of love that he's been hoping for just hasn't been in the cards for him—at least not yet. Instead, he's been happy to focus on his grades, on getting into a semi-decent college and finally becoming editor of his school newspaper. Then Grace Town walks into his first period class on the third Tuesday of senior year and he knows everything's about to change.

Grace isn't who Henry pictured as his dream girl—she walks with a cane, wears oversized boys' clothes, and rarely seems to shower. But when Grace and Henry are both chosen to edit the school paper, he quickly finds himself falling for her. It's obvious there's something broken about Grace, but it seems to make her even more beautiful to Henry, and he wants nothing more than to help her put the pieces back together again. And yet, this isn't your average story of boy meets girl. Krystal Sutherland's brilliant debut is equal parts wit and heartbreak, a potent reminder of the bittersweet bliss that is first love.

Waiting on Wednesday {130}: SPINDLE (A Thousand Nights, #2)

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

Spindle

By E.K. Johnston

Publication date: December 6, 2016

From Goodreads:

The world is made safe by a woman...but it is a very big world.

It has been generations since the Storyteller Queen drove the demon out of her husband and saved her country from fire and blood. Her family has prospered beyond the borders of their village, and two new kingdoms have sprouted on either side of the mountains where the demons are kept prisoner by bright iron, and by the creatures the Storyteller Queen made to keep them contained.

But the prison is crumbling. Through years of careful manipulation, a demon has regained her power. She has made one kingdom strong and brought the other to its knees, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. When a princess is born, the demon is ready with the final blow: a curse that will cost the princess her very soul, or force her to destroy her own people to save her life.

The threads of magic are tightly spun, binding princess and exiled spinners into a desperate plot to break the curse before the demon can become a queen of men. But the web of power is dangerously tangled--and they may not see the true pattern until it is unspooled.

#TopTenTuesday: Top 10 TV Shows I Wish Hadn't Been Cancelled

It's been a while since I blogged. (Since before summer started, I think. Yeah, I know. That's pretty bad.) Since a lot has been going on, I've been focusing on the proper/best ways to spend my time. But when I saw this week's TtT theme (TV)--thanks The Broke and The Bookish!!!--I had to jump on board, because who doesn't want to share some of their favorite shows? I've even linked each show to IMDB for your convenience. :D (Pretty sure many of you will not have heard of at least a few of these--feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.)

(in no particular order)

1.  Kidnapped

Lovemuffin and I were really into this show. You never knew what was going to happen, and each show led you a little closer to figuring out why someone was... kidnapped. (Surprise!) And then, the show just... stopped at the end of season uno. Season ones love us, but seasons two tend to hate us. BOO.

HEY KID. I SURE HOPE YOU WERE FOUND.

2.  Hellcats

Aly Michalka? Ashely Tisdale? And a bunch of other great people? It was a) college, not high school b) cheerleading and c) so much dang drama that I could. not. get enough. I still mourn the loss of this one every once in a while. :( And if you're keeping track, this is show number two I liked that was cancelled after one season.

(Good news! You can watch Hellcats season one at CW's Seed.)

3.  Lie to Me

This entire premise was great. I felt like I learned something every episode! Being able to tell whether people are lying based on body language? Perfect! Plus the actors were A+. Lovemuffin and I loved Tim Roth, I LOVE Kelli Williams, and the cast was lovely and, as usual, we didn't know we were watching the last season and didn't have time to prepare ourselves.  :(

4.  October Road

This show ended after... two seasons. It had a GREAT cast (Bryan Greenberg as Nick, Laura Prepon, Evan Jones, and so many other wonderful people), and here was the premise:

An author returns to his hometown to face the people whom he based his book on.

I MEAN.

Drama + author + great cast + small town = a Jonathan Tropper book--oh wait, there is that, but this was supposed to equal OCTOBER ROAD.

I don't know how many people even know about this one. But still.

My birthday is coming up. I say this because this post has reminded me how much I need a DVD set.

5.  Journeyman

Yes. Journeyman. Allow me to introduce you:

1)  KEVIN McKIDD

2)  TIME TRAVEL

3)  THE ABILITY TO FIX THINGS IN THE PAST TO HELP PEOPLE

4) KEVIN McKIDD

5) TIME TRAVEL

6) FAMILY DRAMA

It took a few episodes to get into this one, but then, I was STUCK. Remember that whole, season-two-hates-us thing? I may not have come across this show until recently (it came out in 2007), but I AM SO UPSET that it ended after one season. In fact, the fans were so upset at the time, that they PETITIONED for this one season to be put on DVD. (It still hasn't been. Thinking I found the motherload of someone's collection, I, uh, accidentally ordered shady copies. OOPS.)

(Would Kevin still have been on Grey's, had this done well? Or would this show have still been going on? Who knows!)

6.  About a Boy

First things first: MINNIE DRIVER!

Also: Based on a Book (which was also a movie!)

Also also: great neighbor guy who makes bad choices but is totes (mostly) there for neighbor kid! What's not to like?

2 seasons; then whack. (TV executive people you are very, very mean.)

7.  The Finder

An Iraq war vet suffers a brain injury that triggers the ability to see connections between seemingly unrelated events, objects or people.

This wasn't one of my favorite favorites, but I was starting to get into it when it was axed. Maybe one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much was because of Geoff Stults (*cough* October Road alumni *cough*). Ask me how many seasons it got??? ONE.

8.  Boston Public

People forget about this show. Yes, it was created by David E. Kelly., the same guy who created the more famous Boston Legal (and The Practice, and Ally McBeal...) But this one, I felt, had more heart. Plus a wonderful cast. (Seriously. Go to that little link up there and check out all of the great peeps. I'll wait.) And great episodes. And it was in high school but you didn't feel like YOU were a student.

Was I a little more attached to this show because I went into labor whilst watching it? Mayyyybe. Regardless, after four seasons, I was sad to see it go.

9.  Las Vegas

Sometimes it takes me a while to warm up to people shows. This was yet another one of those. But once I did (JOSH DUHAMEL!), I got all into the drama, and then (TOM SELLECK!!), suddenly, everything stopped.

What the what, NBC?

10.  Life as We Know It

ONE FREAKING SEASON.

Okay, yes, I'm being a little dramatic, especially since...

Confession: I've never even seen this. I found out about it years ago and have been kicking myself in the pants ever since for having no idea that it existed. You've got Missy Peregrym (Stick It, Rookie Blue), Sean Faris (so many things, but my absolute fave is Forever Strong--oh, did I mention he was the inspiration for Rowan in the Flora series? I did? Well anyway...), and DELL Chris Lowell (*cough* Private Practice *cough*), and that's only the beginning.

Add this to my list of how-the-heck-am-I-gonna-get-hold-of-this (WHAT? It's on DVD now???) because I suddenly feel like Veruca Salt.



So... have you seen any of these? Were you sad to see them go, too? Feel free to share your sob stories in the comments.