Recap 4/23 to 4/29

In case you missed anything, here's a recap of what was posted Saturday, April 23rd through Friday, April 29th. 

Reviews

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Firelight by Sophie Jordan

(Click on the links to go to my reviews)

Memes

Waiting on Wednesday

Features

Discussion: Give Me That Book!

Book features that make me say YES PLEASE!

Review Comparison Submissions: You Choose!

Still open

Guest Post: When I'm Not Reading

What's Your Status?

A meme created by Zakiya from Butterfly Feet Walking on Life where we recap our reading week. Feel free to visit her site and link up your own What's Your Status Posts. Here's how my week went:

Finished

Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
(Click on the link to go to Goodreads)

Meh. Not what I was hoping it would be. Review to come.

Currently Reading

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken   
Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

(Click on the link to go to Goodreads)

Best reading week ever!

Did Not Finish

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Page 100 of 289

Eh, I was disappointed. There wasn't anything outright bad about it, but it was lacking that spark for me. I'm not sure why, maybe the third person narration, but I had a difficult time connecting with Jill (the MC). Her fencing was interesting, but only so much. I got zero warm fuzzies when it came to her sort of but not really there (at least not when I left off) romance with one of the pirates. Honestly, that was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to read the book. The blurb said something about "salty kisses" and I was really hoping for some but, no, nothing. I didn't even care about either of the characters to care if they got together or not.

The other thing that annoyed me was that this was supposed to be a time travel book, and while she does travel back in time, none of the "time travel features" that I love so much were really there. She barely even acknowledges that she traveled back in time, she doesn't do any funny "you don't belong here" things, and I don't know, it just never really seemed to matter much.

There really wasn't much happening either. I mean, these are supposed to be pirates, right? 100 pages in and all they'd done was non-violently intimidate a ship into handing over their cargo. Whoopdedo. I'm sure the action picked up later on, but I just didn't really feel like sticking with it to find out. I didn't care what happened. So disappointing. I even WoW-ed this book. Sierra (or as I like to think of her, one of my Book Soulmates) wrote a review on her blog Yearning to Read that perfectly states everything I felt about the book...and she actually finished it.

 

Miss anything last week? Click here to read a Recap. 

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Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Button from Bewitched Bookworms.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we all feature upcoming books we're eagerly anticipating.

I've altered things a little to include one book that hasn't come out yet and one but that has already been published but I still haven't gotten around to reading yet.

Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Release Date:  March 15, 2011

Only one week away!

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 304

Goodreads Page

From Goodreads: 

When Jill finds a rusty sword tip on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued—and little expects it will transport her through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Will a dark enchantment, salty kisses, and a duel with an evil pirate captain leave her stranded in the eighteenth century forever?

Drawing on piratical lore and historical fact, Carrie Vaughn creates a vivid world of swaying masts and swelling seas, where blood magic overrules the laws of nature, romance is in the air, and death can come at the single slip of a sword.

Oh my gosh, time travel, romance, and pirates? YESGIVEMETHEBOOK!!! Hello salty kisses! I love the sound of this book. I’m curious to see how much historical fact is in this book, and if I’ll be able to separate fact from fiction.

I'm going to read this for a few of my challenges:

• YA Historical Fiction Challenge
• Most Awaited YA Releases

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A. S. King

Release Date:  January 13, 2009

Publisher: Flux

Pages: 320

Goodreads Page

From Goodreads:


In the late seventeenth century, famed teenage pirate Emer Morrisey was on the cusp of escaping the pirate life with her one true love and unfathomable riches when she was slain and cursed with "the dust of one hundred dogs," dooming her to one hundred lives as a dog before returning to a human body-with her memories intact.

Now she's a contemporary American teenager and all she needs is a shovel and a ride to Jamaica.

 

What can I say, I love a good pirate story! I’m really intrigued by the curse and how her lives as dogs will play into the book. I’m also hoping for maybe some funny scenes as she adjusts to life as a contemporary teenager while still retaining her memories (and goals) as pirate after treasure. From the description alone, my heart is already breaking at the idea of her losing her one true love. Or does she? This book sounds like nothing I’ve ever read before. Have any of you read it? What did you think?

This book will qualify for the following challenges:

• Wish I'd Read That Challenge
• YA Historical Fiction Challenge (maybe?)

 While you are waiting for your books, you can
click here for a chance to win Waterfall by Lisa Bergren!

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Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we all feature upcoming books we're eagerly anticipating.

I've altered things a little to include one book that hasn't come out yet and one but that has already been published but I still haven't gotten around to reading yet.

The cute WoW button comes from Bewitched Bookworms.

Shattered Souls, by Mary Lindsey
Release Date: December 8, 2011
Publisher: Philomel/Penguin
Pages: n/a

(Above publication information from Goodreads)
Author's Page 
Goodreads Page

From Goodreads:

A dark and dangerous forbidden love story about a Speaker who helps lingering ghosts pass to the spirit world and the Protector who has pledged to server her.

Click here to watch the video trailer. 

That's a pretty short description, so I'm not really sure what to expect from this one. Still, how wrong can you go with a "dark and dangerous forbidden love story"? Except, actually, now that I think about it this sounds a lot like Amber Kizer's Meridian, which I actually didn't love. Oh well, I'm still interested. Plus, ahem, look at that cover.

I'm pretty sure this book would qualify for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge and the Morbid Romantica Challenge.

Voices of Dragons, by Carrie Vaughn
Release Date: March 1, 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages:309

(Above publication information from Goodreads)
Author's Page 
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

From Goodreads:

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity's deepest fears: dragons.
Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she's breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she'd rather have an adventure than follow the rules.When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, the rules are abruptly shattered, and a secret friendship grows between them.

But suspicion and terror are the legacy of human and dragon inter actions, and the fragile truce that has maintained peace between the species is unraveling. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

Honestly, I'm drawn to this one by the cover and the fact that there are dragons in it. I'm a little disappointed that there doesn't seem to be even a little bit of romance, and I'm a little wary at the idea of a more modern setting. Still, there's dragons. And that cover. I've also heard some pretty good things, so I would like to give it a try. As a bonus, this one will fit in well with the Wish I'd Read That Challenge (read books you wish you've read but haven't yet).

While you are waiting for your books, you can learn 

How to Customize a Comment Form Message! 

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