Suicide Reviews: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

  

Synopsis: It's been one year since it happened - when Paige Hancock's first boyfriend dies in a swimming accident. After shutting out everyone except her family and three best friends, Paige has decided it's finally time to rejoin the real world...and she has a plan:

1. Date a boy. Her old crush Ryan Chase is the perfect path to normalcy.

2. Attend parties: With her friends by her side, doable.

3. Join a club: Simple, it's high school after all. 

4. Travel: Well, a girl can dream.

5. Swim: Terrifying. Yet possible?

The new Paige feels ready for anything, but when Ryan's sweet, nerdy cousin Max moves to town and recruits Paige for the QuizBowl team (of all things!), her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Starting over isn't easy, but Paige knows the scariest things are usually the most difficult. Can she face her fears and finally open herself up to life and love again?

Date Published: March 31, 2015

Published By: Bloomsbury

Number of Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. When I first started reading it I thought it was kind of predictable and Paige kind of annoyed me at first. I thought she was too concerned with being cool and of what other people thought of her. But then I remembered - that is exactly what it's like when you're in high school! You want to fit in and be well-liked so of course you want to be perceived as cool. Thankfully, Paige ends up letting her inner nerd shine through towards the end of the book.

I loved all of the other characters in the book. Paige's three best friends are well-rounded and fully fleshed out - different while still being recognizable as typical teenage girls. They all have their own personal lives and are not just there to be foils for Paige. I'm always pleased to see realistic representations of female friendships - sometimes they argue, or even fight but at the end of the day, they're always there for each other. 

Of course my favourite character was Max, Paige's love interest. But more than just a love interest, an actual fully-realized character in his own right. He's a nerdy, introverted guy who'd rather read than play sports - my dream guy, basically. I love how the relationship between Paige and Max develops throughout the story - they start out as friends and it takes a while for Paige to realizes that she actually has feelings for him. Just when it seems they're about to connect, disaster strikes and I was left seriously wondering if they would work things out.

I won't spoil it for you - but suffice it to say I was happy with the way things ended.

This isn't just a cute YA romance - it also deals with serious issues of loss and how to cope with it. It has some incredibly emotional moments. I even found myself tearing up at some points! (WHY ARE MY EYES LEAKING?) Even though the book has these heartbreaking moments, the overall tone of the book is inspirational. After I finished reading it, I found myself with a big stupid grin on my face and the urge to Try New Things! The Start of Me and You is one of my favourites now and deserves to be widely read.

This isn't Typical YA. This is YA at its best. 

Suicide Reviews: The Siren by Kiera Cass

  

Synopsis: Years ago, Kahlen was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay her debt, she has served as a Siren ever since, using her voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Kahlen can kill, she can't resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again. 

Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude...until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. And though she can't talk to him, they soon forge a connection neither of them can deny...and Kahlen doesn't want to. 

Falling in love with a human breaks all the Ocean's rules, and if the Ocean discovers Kahlen's feelings, she'll be forced leave Akinli for good. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart.

Date Published: January 26, 2016

Published By: HarperTeen

Number of Pages: 336

Rating: 3/5

The Siren reads like a modern-day fairy tale that definitely has a bit of a Little Mermaid vibe. Having never read Kiera Cass's Selection series, I didn't really know what to expect reading this book. While I thought some parts were interesting and liked it for the most part, The Siren suffers from Typical YA Syndrome*. 

Kahlen is your Typical YA Heroine - she doesn't have much in the way of an actual personality except for the fact that she's obedient and knows how to dance the jitterbug. She'd much rather stay home and read than go out and party. Oh, and she yearns to fall in love and get married. Like, that's her goal in life. She looks at bridal magazines and fantasizes about what her wedding cake might look like. I'm sorry but after reading about other kickass YA heroines who can fall in love and still have other interests and motivations, the wedding-obsessed girl just doesn't do it for me. 

Then you have Akinli, your Typical YA Love Interest. He's kind, understanding, respectful, romantic, (not to mention cute!) - basically he's Manic Pixie Dream Boy 101. The moments between Kahlen and Akinli are very sweet and nice - but not very swoon-worthy. I just didn't feel like they had a lot of chemistry. And it doesn't help that they spend most of the book apart. They only spend a few days together in total and yet they are OMG SO IN LOVE! WE'RE, LIKE, SOUL MATES, GUYS. 

Here's what I liked - I liked the mythology in the book. The Ocean is this living, self-aware force that turns young girls into Sirens so they can lure people to their death so that the Ocean can survive. It's not really made clear why the Ocean needs to drown humans to sustain Herself but, still, it's a cool idea. 

I also liked the deep friendships that Kahlen formed with the other Sirens. Here, we see a group of girls that love each other and support each other through the years they are together. They don't always get along and sometimes conflict with each other but they care for each other as sisters, and it shows. So yay for Kiera Cass for portraying strong female friendships!

I felt the ending was a little rushed and it all felt too easy. There wasn't a lot of conflict and the climax was kind of 'ho-hum.' In short, it was a Typical YA Ending. 

You might enjoy The Siren if you're a fan of Kiera Cass's other books and/or like mermaid stories. If you're sick of Typical YA, skip it. 

*To me, a Typical YA Book is competently written and I might even enjoy it, but it is usually average and nothing about the story is original. 

Suicide Reviews: The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1) by Rick Yancey

 

Synopsis: After the 1st Wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th Wave, just one rule applies: trust no one.

Now it's the dawn of the 5th Wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother - or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. 

From award-winning author Rick Yancey comes a gripping epic of catastrophic loss, unthinkable odds, and unflinching courage.

Date Published: May 7, 2013

Published By: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 457

Rating: 5/5

I am so glad this book lived up to the hype. Even though I'm excited for the upcoming film adaptation, I know it will only pale in comparison to this epic sci-fi tale of survival and resilience. 

From the very first page I was sucked into the story. I plowed through the first hundred pages without looking up, and when I did, it was like waking from an incredibly vivid dream. I actually had to remind myself that aliens hadn't invaded the planet in reality (at least not yet.) That type of realism for such a fantastical story is awe-inspiring. It made me think that if aliens did invade our planet, it would happen exactly as it did in The 5th Wave.

I loved all of the characters and the complex, ever-shifting dynamics between them. The relationship between Cassie and Evan Walker is particularly intriguing. I won't spoil anything, but I did figure out what eventually happens between them long before it actually happened. Of course, this may have been because I saw the trailer for the movie, and guessed the twist from there. (Come on, movie trailers, could you be any more obvious?)  

The aliens in this book are some of my favorite that I've ever come across in science fiction. Of course, I'll always have a soft spot for sexy aliens, like Daemon Black from the Lux series, but, man, do I love me some evil, destructive aliens hell-bent on world domination. The structure Yancey uses to describe the invasion with the different Waves is masterful - both chilling and completely convincing. 

The 5th Wave is exactly the kind of post-apocalyptic alien-invasion story I've been looking for. I can't believe it's taken me this long to read it. This book isn't just for young adult sci-fi fans - adult readers will love it too. 

The 5th Wave Movie Trailer 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2016

 

There are so many good books coming out in 2016, it's hard to narrow it down to just ten but I did my best! Tell me what books you're most looking forward to in 2016!

1.) Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

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Release Date: February 2

I fell in love with the Lunar Chronicles this year and was so sad to see it end. That's why I am so excited for this collection of short stories! 

2.) Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard

Release Date: February 9

I've yet to read Red Queen but this is a series I definitely want to be caught up on. I've heard a lot of good things about it so I hope it lives up to the hype!

3.) The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire #1) by C.J. Redwine

Release Date: February 16

All I know about this book is that it is a Snow White retelling and that there is some sort of dragon huntsman(!) in it. I cannot wait for this one!

4.) Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 8

I've only read City of Bones and that was a few years ago so I know I have a lot of reading to catch up on when it comes to Cassandra Clare but I always collect her books as they are released. Lady Midnight will be no exception. That cover is exquisite!

5.) The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski

Release Date: March 29

Another series I haven't started yet but will definitely be catching up on before the third and final book is released. So many people have been raving about this series and I'm dying to know what all of the fuss is about. (I'm really glad they settled that whole kerfuffle about the cover changes and I'll be able to have a matching set!)

6.) Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy #3) by Sally Green

Release Date: March 29

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN NATHAN AND GABRIEL!

7.) In the Labyrinth of Drakes (Memoir by Lady Trent #4) by Marie Brennan

Release Date: April 5

This series is about dragons and has some of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. But I haven't read the other books in the series yet! I'm hoping to get around to it this year. 

8.) Soldier (Talon #3) by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 26

Yet another series about dragons that I haven't started. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH ME?

9.) A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: May 3

A Court of Thorns and Roses was one of my favorite reads of 2015 and quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. Right after I finished it, I staggered around the house shouting 'NEED MORE! MUST HAVE MORE BOOK! Needless to say, this is my MOST ANTICIPATED book of 2016. 

10.) The Last Star (The 5th Wave #3) by Rick Yancey

Release Date: May 24

I have a feeling this already-popular series will gain even more attention with the upcoming release of the film adaptation. The first one is still on my TBR list but I will definitely be reading it before I go see the movie.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original tag created by The Broke and the Bookish. Go check them out!

On the Nature of True Love: Inspired by The Fault in Our Stars

A bit spoilery. Maybe read TFIOS before reading this.

I recently reread The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It is one of the most popular YA novels in recent years and is destined to become a classic. It is funny and heartbreaking and it is one of my favorite books of all time. But there is one part in the book that bothers me. It is when Isaac has just been dumped by his girlfriend and is talking to Hazel about true love:

' "I kept saying 'always' to her today, 'always always always,' and she just kept talking over me and not saying it back. It was like I was already gone, you know? 'Always' was a promise! How can you just break the promise?"

     "Sometimes people don't understand the promise they're making when they make them," I said.

     Isaac shot me a look. "Right, of course. But you keep the promise anyway. That's what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway. Don't you believe in true love?"

     I didn't answer. I didn't have an answer. But I thought that if true love did exist, that was a pretty good definition of it. ' p. 60-61

'Love is keeping the promise anyway.'

When I read this part, I always think to myself, 'Um, no. No. Not even close.'

I can understand that some young people might think that this is a good definition of true love but when you think about it, it's actually a pretty poor one. 

Isaac's definition of true love isn't really about love at all. Isaac only says this because he wants his ex-girlfriend to have kept her promise to him. He feels that she owes it to him. I believe that true, unconditional love isn't about wanting anything from the other person. It isn't about holding them hostage because they made promises that they are unable to keep. Love is about accepting someone for who they are; it's about letting them go if they decide to walk away. Real love is nonjudgmental and contains no selfish wanting and no expectations. 

It is very clear that neither Isaac nor Monica know what true love is. Hazel's relationship with Augustus is closer to what true love really is. She's there for him until the very end, no matter how sick he gets. I suppose that's the point of the book. Isaac tries to define what true love is with words, while Hazel and Gus actually demonstrate it. 

So here's my definition of true love: 'Love is loving the person no matter what, even when they break their promise to you.'

So what do you think, my fellow bookworms? Do you agree with Isaac's definition? With mine? Totally disagree with both and have your own definition of true love? Let me know in the comments! 

Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

Synopsis: Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...But for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving. 

     Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. 

     Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let it go. She doesn't want to. Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

     For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

This book is for every fangirl (and boy) who has ever walked the earth. It is for everyone who has read or written fanfiction and one point in their life. It is for the people who ship their favorite characters together in a book or on a TV show. (Sherlock/John all the way). It is for anyone who has had to explain what shipping is to their less nerdy peers. I am guilty of all of the above. 

I loved this book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it even made me swoon at certain points. I can really relate with Cath; she's bookish and shy and terrified of the future. But what really makes her standout is her love of Simon Snow. (The Simon Snow series is fictional and a reference to the Harry Potter series.) Cath's enthusiasm is so infectious that you almost wish the Simon Snow series was real. There are little snippets of the books and Cath's fanfiction throughout the book and Rainbow Rowell just makes it seem so real. 

Fangirls are often a derided group. We are portrayed as hysterical, obsessive, screaming nutcases with no life outside of our particular fandom. In some cases I suppose that's true. I, personally, would never want one fandom to completely take over my life. Besides I belong to too many fandoms to completely immerse myself in just one: I'm a Potterhead, a Fannibal, a Sherlockian (and a Cumberbitch), as well as a fan of the Hunger Games. (Do Hunger Games fans have a name for themselves? Tributes? That doesn't seem right...)

The point is that enthusiasm for something, especially a girl's enthusiasm for something is regarded as trivial. Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl says the opposite. Fangirls should be proud of what they enjoy in whatever form they enjoy it in whether that's reading or writing fanfiction, cosplaying, making fan art, etc. But it also carries the important message that there is life outside of the fandom and we fangirls should try to enjoy it, too.

Book Review: The Deepest Night (The Sweetest Dark #2) by Shana Abe

 

Synopsis: It's 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England's southern coast. While she's always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drakon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities. 

    As war hits Britain's shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort - and to keep Lora near - Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her - bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

     Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drakon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

     With Armand at her side, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission - one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.

Shana Abe delivers another enchanting romance without sacrificing plot. I loved the previous book but The Deepest Night is better in almost every way - there is breathtaking romance, thrilling adventure, and gorgeous, lush prose that I practically salivate over.

I love the whole 'quest' aspect to this story - Lora and Armand must set out on a journey to rescue Armand's brother, Aubrey, a fighter pilot now captive in a German prison camp. The last hundred pages or so are chock-full of exciting, dangerous moments - Lora and Armand fight German soldiers on the ground, get chased by German fighter planes, and almost get captured (by Germans.) 

I love that there are so many more 'dragon scenes' in this book: Lora flies with Armand across the English channel, and Turns to dragon to fight the soldiers, etc. The transition between Lora's human form and her dragon form never feels jarring or unnatural - it all flows so well that it never feels weird to read parts where Lora refers to 'my wings' or 'my tail.' This is due to Shana Abe's impeccable world-building. She makes the fantasy of the Drakon come to life. 

The romance is so much better than the one in the last book. Without spoiling the previous book, it just feels like Lora is paired with the right guy - while at the same time never forgetting the one she lost - and that's one of the interesting struggles she faces. 

Lora is so badass in this book, it's almost frightening. Armand, too, grows as a character in leaps and bounds. I love how it's never just Armand saving Lora or Lora rescuing Armand - they save each other throughout the whole book.

I cannot recommend The Sweetest Dark series enough. READ THEM!

(The third book has not been published yet. It's listed on Goodreads as 'expected 2014' but it still doesn't have a title or a fixed release date. Hopefully late 2014/early 2015? I need to read the third book now!)

Book Review: The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark #1) by Shana Abe

 

Synopsis: Lora Jones has always known she's different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora's been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she's far more that what she seems.

     England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England's southern coast. Iverson's eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets will open her eyes and forever change her destiny. 

     Jesse is the school's groundskeeper - a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she's only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves. 

The Sweetest Dark is a sort of companion/sequel YA series to Shana Abe's Drakon series. You don't have to read the Drakon series to enjoy The Sweetest Dark but you'll pick up on all of the hints of the previous series that Abe has scattered throughout. 

I loved this book just as much as I loved the previous series. It's full of adventure and romance and magic and is written in such gorgeous prose that you will want to slow down and savor every single word. You will also want to tear through it to find out how it ends.

Lora is one of my favorite YA heroines of all time and it's a shame that more people don't know about these books. It is so refreshing to read about a powerful female heroine that is strong and tough and doesn't let people walk all over her. She knows how to hold her own. Something else I love about her is that she's kind of a bitch, when she needs to be. She's always got a cutting remark on hand for the snobby, bullying girls she's forced to mingle with at Iverson. But she can also be vulnerable; she's hiding a lot of pain and trauma behind that tough exterior. She is just so well-rounded and real. 

Being a YA novel, this book suffers from the familiar love-triangle trope that, in my opinion, is getting a little tired. But I'm glad to say that Abe pulls it off in this book by making it a little bit more complicated than 'two boys drool over one girl and she can't decide between them.' Lora is sure whom she wants to be with - or at least she thinks she is. Without giving too much away, Shana Abe shows in her book that love is messy and complicated and, sometimes, we don't get the happy ending we want. 

I will say that my favorite of the two love interests is Armand. He definitely plays the part of the bad boy at first - drinking, reckless driving, a ladies' man. But it is slowly revealed that there is more to him and I love the relationship that evolves between Armand and Lora.

If you love romance mingled with magic and dragons, you will love this series. I think any YA fan will love this series. If you've read this book or the preceding Drakon series, let me know what you think in the comments!

Reading Wish List: August 2014

August 5

1. Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: Edie Kramer, who attends an elite academy, seeks vengeance on her cruel classmates. To do that, she seeks the help of the powerful and mysterious Kian.

Anticipation Factor: 6/10. The possibility of a horror/romance novel is definitely intriguing. And I just love the creepily beautiful cover.

2. Of Metal and Wishes (Of Metal and Wishes #1) by Sarah Fine

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: Wen seeks vengeance on the men who torment her by turning to a ghost for help. But being protected by a supernatural spirit may have been more than she bargained for.
Anticipation Factor: 5/10. I feel like this book has a really cool premise but I am not dying to read it. Maybe it can wait until Halloween?

3. The Magician's Land (The Magicians #3) by Lev Grossman

Genre: Fantasy
What It's About: This is the final book in Grossman's Magicians trilogy, which has been described as Harry Potter/Chronicles of Narnia for adults.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I have not yet read the first two books but I am really excited to delve into this series now that all the books are published.

4. The Widow's House (The Dagger and the Coin #4) by Daniel Abraham

Genre: Fantasy
What It's About: Wars are waged in this fourth installment in Daniel Abraham's critically acclaimed fantasy series.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. Another series I have not yet had a chance to read but am planning to in the next few months or so.

5. The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco

Genre: Young Adult Horror
What It's About: A ghost girl avenges her brutal death at the hands of a murderer by hunting down and killing other child killers. But when a mysterious boy moves into town, her death will never be the same.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. August seems to be a good month for YA horror fiction, a genre I am always on the lookout for. I love the creepy cover and the fact that the book is based on a Japanese ghost story.

6. What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: A book that details the psychology of what goes on in our heads when we read. Fully illustrated.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. What bookworm doesn't love to read books about books and reading?

7. The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: Documents the global takeover of Korean pop culture. Did someone say 'Gangnam Style?'
Anticipation Factor: 3/10. It sounds like an interesting read but I can wait for it.

8. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Genre: Non Fiction/Essays
What It's About: Roxane Gay shares her views on politics, pop culture, and what it means to be a feminist in today's world.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. I'm always looking to expand my feminist horizons and am ashamed to say that I have not yet read any of Roxane Gay's work. This book should be a good introduction.

9. Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks

Genre: Historical Fiction
What It's About: Catherine Lemay is a young archaeologist heading to Montana to hopefully rescue some historical artifacts from a predicted flood. There she meets John H, one of the West's last true cowboys - and living a fugitive life in a canyon.
Anticipation Factor: 3/10. Honestly, I put this book on my list because of that gorgeous cover. I'm sure I'll read it one day. 

10. The End of Absence: Reclaiming What We've Lost in a World of Constant Connection by Michael Harris

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: An exploration into our increasingly digitally-centered lives - and what we're missing out on when we're constantly staring at our iPhones.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. I think a book like this is very important in our world right now. We crave constant distraction and because of this we are losing the ability to be present, to be content by ourselves, to be silent. This book could be the wake-up call that people need - including me.

11. Soldier Girls: The Battles of Three Women at Home and at War by Helen Thorpe

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: Follows three female soldiers over twelve years as they face devastating struggles - both at war and at home.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. We need more stories about female soldiers in our culture, both fiction and non fiction. I'm hoping this book starts a new trend of telling the stories of those who are too often ignored and unacknowledged.

12. Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone #1) by Lori M. Lee

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What It's About: Kai has the ability to manipulate the threads of time. She must keep her ability a secret to stay alive. But when her beloved brother Reev goes missing, she will risk discovery to find the only family she's ever known.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. This sounds like the start to a fun new fantasy series and it's already got a 4.5/5 rating on Goodreads.

13. I Was the Cat by Paul Tobin, Benjamin Dewey

Genre: Graphic Novel
What It's About: A cat tells his fascinating (and disturbing) story about how he's manipulated the state of the world over several lifetimes to Allison, a young journalist.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. I love cats! Especially talking, morally ambiguous cats!

August 12

14. Sisters' Fate (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #3) by Jessica Spotswood

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: A trio of young witch sisters is battling the evil, murderous Brotherhood - all the while facing a chilling prophecy that says one Sister will take the life of another.

Anticipation Factor: 5/10. I've heard good things about this paranormal trilogy but have yet to pick up the first book.

15. Between the Spark and the Burn (Between #2) by April Genevieve Tucholke

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: The conclusion to Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea where Violet searches for the missing River West Redding.
Anticipation Factor: 3/10. Again, another series that I have not started. My TBR list is now in the thousands and I'm not even exaggerating. 

16. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

Genre: Literary Fiction
What It's About: Tsukuru Tazaki doesn't know what happened when his four best friends from school suddenly all announced to him that they no longer wanted to see him. Years later, a woman named Sara helps him to find out what really happened.
Anticipation Factor: 10/10. NEW MURAKAMI! I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!

17. The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy/Mystery
What It's About: A young man named A. inherits Axton House from an previously unknown relative. With his mute companion, Niamh, he explores the spooky secrets of the estate.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. This book is being compared to the works of Neil Gaiman.

18. The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction
What It's About: Street artist Addison Stone's violent death sends shock waves through her community. Interviews with her friends and family shed light on what really happened to her.
Anticipation Factor: 5/10.

19. Small Blessings by Martha Woodroof 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
What It's About: An unfulfilled English professor living a quiet life is shocked to find out that a son he never knew about is on his way to meet him.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. Judging by the cover, this promises to be one of those delightful bookish novels.

20. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

Genre: Historical Fiction
What It's About: Tells the incredible story of Dorrigo Evans, a man who has traveled to some of the grimmest places on earth - and who is haunted by a past love affair.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I love sinking my teeth into a sweeping historical novel and this one has been getting fantastic reviews.

August 19

21. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

Genre: Literary Fiction/Humor
What It's About: An epistolary novel that tells the tale of one frustrated Creative Writing Professor whose belief in one of his talented students is not shared by those around him.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. Reading this novel is bound to make me nostalgic for my old Creative Writing class and all the wonderful people I met there.

22. One Kick (Kick Lanagan #1) by Chelsea Cain

Genre: Thriller/Mystery
What It's About: Kick Lannigan was abducted at the age of six and disappeared with her kidnapper for six years. Now 21, Kick has worked hard to make sure she is no one's victim ever again.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. 

23. We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas

Genre: Historical Fiction
What It's About: A family saga spanning generations about an American family struggling throughout the tumultuous 20th century.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. 

24. Blackout by Tim Curran

Genre: Science Fiction
What It's About: Aliens with long black tentacles descend upon the earth and snatch people into the sky.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I love that cover depicting the alien's tentacles. I can't wait to add this to my collection.

August 26

25. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
What It's About: A possible romance is budding between two creative writing students - and the entire story is told from fourteen different perspectives, including a squirrel's.
Anticipation Factor: 10/10. If I buy just one book in the month of August, it will be this one. The premise of this novel particularly appeals to me because I met my current boyfriend in my Creative Writing class.

26. Feral by Holly Schindler 

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

What It's About: Claire Cain must unravel a disturbing mystery when she discovers the body of a fellow student surrounded by feral cats.

Anticipation Factor: 7/10. Because cats!

27. Rumble by Ellen Hopkins

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
What It's About: A horrific accident leaves eighteen-year old Matt Turner questioning everything about his life and what he believes - or doesn't believe - in.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I've heard wonderful things about Ellen Hopkins' books.

28. Deliverance (Defiance #3) by C.J. Redwine

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What It's About: The final novel in this dystopian fantasy series.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. Add this to the growing list of series that I have not read yet. I've heard this series being compared to Graceling, which I love.

29. Amity by Micol Ostow

Genre: Young Adult Horror
What It's About: A YA retelling of The Amityville Horror
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. I love that so many horror novels are coming out this month and Amity has been compared to the works of Stephen King.

30. Lock In by John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction
What It's About: In the near future, a new virus leaves 1% of those infected 'locked in' - awake and aware but completely paralyzed.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. Looking forward to reading this original sci-fi story. 

31. Last of the Independents (A Michael Drayton Mystery #1) by Sam Wiebe

Genre: Mystery/Crime Fiction
What It's About: A private investigator based in Vancouver is hired to find the missing son of a merchant.
Anticipation Factor: 5/10. Had to include this book, as it's based in Vancouver, Canada, my hometown. But it's also supposed to be a gripping read.

Release dates are subject to change.