Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version of Aladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

This new series...this was made for ME!! LOL! I looooove Disney movies, so having a series where the story is told in a new and different way has me all sorts of excited!! I can't wait to see what happens in this one and the books to come! Come on Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid!! :D And after putting together the info for this one, I learned that she is the author of my most fave fairy tale retelling ever under a pseudonym!!

TITLE: A Whole New World
AUTHOR: Liz Braswell
PUBLISHER: Disney Press
GENRE: Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2015 

Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.

So here we have another fairy tale retelling! Totally not planned either as I had to revise my other pick today because it apparently is now coming out in May 2016 instead of October of this year! SOB!! :( But this one sounds awesome! I have no idea what fairy tale it's supposed to be retelling because none are ringing any bells. But still, I must reads it! (And yes using improper English was intended there! I may have my degree in English, but when it comes to my preciouses I can not remember to use proper English in all the glory of the books! And yeah, this rambling has gotten away with me too! LOL!)

TITLE: Dark Shimmer
AUTHOR: Donna Jo Napoli
PUBLISHER: Wendy Lamb Books
GENRE: Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: September 8, 2015

Mini Review--Forsaken by S.J. Harper

Join Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.
She protected him. He loved her.
They can trust one another with their lives, but what about their hearts?

Special Agent Emma Monroe is a Fallen Siren seeking redemption. Thousands of years ago, she was banished from Mount Olympus by Zeus and cursed by Demeter for failing to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades. Now she’s working for the FBI, seeking salvation while searching for and finding the missing. Her partner, Zack Armstrong, is a werewolf with a grievance of his own.

The former Black Ops sniper who once carried out a string of questionable assignments is atoning for his past. Ironically, Zack’s just discovered an important piece of his past has been magically wiped from his memory—an affair with Emma. It doesn’t matter she used the spell to save his life, that’s something he’ll never know. With trust eroded and love overshadowed by betrayal the only thing holding them together is the job.

When the son of multi-billionaire Roger Maitlan is kidnapped and his babysitter murdered in cold blood, Emma and Zack travel to New York to work the case. They go undercover, infiltrating a playground of private dungeons where those who are rich and powerful can live out fantasies without consequence. What they find is a conspiracy born of a twisted mind and fueled by greed. The clock is ticking. Will Zack and Emma be able to find the missing boy and their way back to one another?

I received this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


I love the Fallen Siren series written by S.J. Harper--the writing duo that comprises of Jeanne C. Stein and Samantha Sommerby! Forsaken takes place right after the events of Reckoning, and as you might recall, things didn't end happily there.

Zack and Emma are going to NYC to help in a kidnapping case, one involving a child. Though things between them are still very tense. And unhappy. Zack has learned that Emma has taken away some of his memories of them and he's pissed. Naturally. Emma still won't tell him the why of it all and that just further drives the wedge between them. But for now, they pushed that aside. A child is missing and that's not something they're going to let sit idly by.

Zack and Emma work with the task force in NYC and try to uncover what happened to the missing boy and who could possibly have taken him. The father happens to be a billionaire and has his own dark secrets, ones that are catching up with him.

As they work together on this case, old tensions still run high between then. Emma is forever trying to redeem herself to Demeter for what she let happen all those years ago. After all, redemption can just be a rescue away. As is her motto for life! I truly hope to see that happen to her by the end of the series but only time will tell!

The Fallen Siren series is definitely one of unique variety! Greek mythology twisted in, and naturally some good ol' paranormals, and mystery solving! The mysteries are always intense, no matter how big or small as the novels and novellas will show you! This is a fast paced and remarkable series that every paranormal fan should read!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

What's the Word? DISNEY MOVIES in the Works!

Ever since Maleficent became a big hit, Disney's been working on more live action films. Because once a hit, always a hit, right? I still haven't seen Cinderella either!

But speaking of Cinderella, apparently on Disney's list, is a story about a particular prince who we rarely see! Who's that you ask! Why Cinderella's Prince Charming's brother! Whether older or younger has yet to be said! 

I think that might be an interesting take on the Cinderella story, yet not being about Cinderella. It's a whole new character, because really, did PC have a brother? Apparently he did and he also never could live up to PC's good name!

Not much is being said, not even a release date. But it's still early! But they did list the lineup of movies to come, my favorite and most anticipated being the first one:

Beauty and the Beast
Mulan
Pinocchio
The Jungle Book
Dumbo
Tink--which I hadn't previously known! Another Tinkerbell movie?! But live action! I'm in!
Maleficent 2--wasn't positive on that one, but it's apparently true! Though I do wonder, what could it be about?
Winnie the Pooh--so many animal movies! I'll be curious to see how these pan out!


Here's the link to the article I read on Yahoo, but it will take you to another website where it was initially published.

Review--The Given by Vicki Pettersson

New York Times bestselling author Vicki Pettersson continues her breakout new supernatural noir mystery series as a fallen angel and a reporter team up to stop a drug cartel

After learning his wife survived the attack that killed him fifty years earlier, angel/PI Griffin Shaw is determined to find Evelyn Shaw, no matter the cost. Yet his obsession comes at a price. Grif has had to give up his burgeoning love for reporter Katherine "Kit" Craig, the woman who made life worth living again, and dedicate himself to finding one he no longer knows.

Yet when Grif is attacked again, it becomes clear that there are forces in both the mortal and heavenly realm who'd rather see him dead than unearth the well-buried secrets of his past. If he's to survive his second go-round on the Surface, Grif will have to convince Kit to reunite with him professionally, and help uncover decades of police corruption, risking both their lives... and testing the limits to what one angel is really willing to give for love.

Finally read the conclusion to Vicki Pettersson's Celestial Blues trilogy and what an ending! I was expecting something of epic proportions with The Given, because it's a given with the final book! (LOL!) And Vicki definitely did not disappoint!

It's been six months since Grif and Kit split, so to speak. Learning that his beloved wife Evie is still alive, kind of put a crimp between them. Plus the things Sarge told Kit also was a factor. Things are a mess. Though, Grif still likes to keep an eye on Kit, as you saw from my teaser! It's not until Sarge comes to him, quite literally falling apart with an incredible offer. Kit's life is in danger and if he doesn't act quit, she will die. But the catch is that he has to go back in time by a few days, he must save her and solve his own decades long murder and also put a stop to the problems going about in the now. There's a lot to do and little time to be doing it. Grif's time on Earth is almost up, indefinitely.

Since it's been a long while since I last read the first two books, it took a bit of getting used to things again, but luckily not much needed to be remembered in detail. Vicki does a remarkable job of recapping the important facts and it sets us off on the new course.

When Grif was murdered, he was framed for things he didn't do. There were lies, diamonds, and all sorts of players involved. The mystery stretched pretty far back. And there was naturally a whopper of a shocker at the end! I'd like to say I saw it coming, I so didn't see it coming! But I love having that shock factor! To be so totally and utterly blown away by said revelation. It leaves you staggering and going omg!! Repeatedly!

The pacing to this one was great! There's always more than one mystery to solve, such as who killed Kit's father all those years ago. We finally get resolution to that as well! Pretty much every mystery or question that needed answering is answered in this epic finale!

I love the world here! Vicki did a tremendous job! Kit is still the go to Rockabilly girl and I love that about her! She's so fresh and unique. You almost forget what time you're in, and that's not a bad thing! I loved that Grif comes from Kit's favorite time period! It just makes them a perfect couple! And yet, fate is trying to tear them apart! 

The Given is basically the perfect series ender! It has everything you want to see in a finale and I have quite enjoyed the series! Vicki is one of my favorite authors and I am happy to say that I have read all her books now since I've already read her newest release, Swerve, which releases today! My review can be found in my archives! And that was one thrilling read as well! Needless to say, if you haven't read any of Vicki Pettersson's books yet, you really need to remedy that! 

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Here are the rules:
 
1. Grab your current read      
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc

"This isn't Twilight, and I'm not your Bella. If I catch you stalking me again I'll pray so hard that your boss in the Everlast will have no choice but to listen. God knows that feathered beast owes me." p. 33

TITLE: The Given
AUTHOR: Vicki Pettersson
PUBLISHER: Harper Voyager
GENRE: Paranormal Noir 
RELEASE DATE: May 27, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Hyped Books I've Never Read

*in no particular order

1. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins--yeah...this one never grabbed my interest. Sorry peeps.

2. CITY OF BONES by Cassandra Clare--I think I tried reading this series once but never got through this first book. Another series just not for me.

3. THE DEAD GIRLS' DANCE by Rachel Caine--a series I was so excited for when I first heard about it, but I've never been able to read it. I think when I read a sampler I just wasn't wowed so never read the first one in its entirety.

4. RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard--seen lots of great reviews on this one! I have never read it...but I PLAN TO! It's been bought, recorded into my TBR queue and is waiting to be read! LOL!

5. AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir--pretty much exactly what I said above!

6. THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh--see above! ;)

7. REBEL BELLE by Rachel Hawkins--have yet to start this amazing series! Hear good things and it's yet another hyped series I have yet to start, but do own! So I just need more TIME!! ;)

8. THE RETURN by Jennifer L. Armentrout--I suck. I LOOOOOVE Jennifer Armentrout's books but I still haven't read this one! All her books are hyped for sure! Once again, I own it, but I need time! Review books keep popping in just as I finish the first stack of them! LOL!

9. CRIMSON BOUND by Rosamund Hodge--this is an author to keep an eye on if you love fairy tale retellings! LOVED Cruel Beauty and read soo many great reviews on this one! Again, I own, just haven't read it yet.

10. THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater--have heard amazing things about this one over the years. Haven't read it but have read her Wolves of Mercy series and loved that! So I did pick this one up last year, but still haven't read it! Sigh...anyone got a pause button on time yet? LOL!

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking (ARC)--Review to come at a later date

Led Astray by Kelley Armstrong (ARC)--Review to come at a later date

Reviews That Were Posted:

 Swerve by Vicki Pettersson (ARC) (4.5 stars)

Wicked Embers by Keri Arthur (ARC) (4.5 stars)

Movie Reviews:

Jurassic World (5 stars)

Inside Out (4 stars)

Currently Reading:

The Given by Vicki Pettersson

What I Plan to Read this Week:

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson--though I'm technically still waiting for it to arrive! LOL! But it'll get here tomorrow! HUZZAH!

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Waiting on Wednesday

Random Thursday

Follow Friday

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves

This weekly meme is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!

I finally had a mild week! Whew! What was upsetting was getting a B&N coupon and not being able to find anything! But I still have TODAY! I might go to another store or scope out more things online! Never fear! I will use at least my member coupon! LOL!


Basically I got two books for review this week and I'm excited about both of them:

 Forsaken by S.J. Harper

Dead Upon a Time by Elizabeth Paulson (ARC)

THANK YOU Samantha Sommersby, & Rockstar Book Tours!

What did you get?

MOVIE REVIEW--Inside Out

So yesterday I finally saw Inside Out and what a movie! I love Disney and Pixar is Disney, so I usually see their films. But not always. Inside Out looked very cute though. Prior to going, I read an article talking about how there's a lack of female characters in Pixar films. That or they tend to be outnumbered by males and that they aren't usually the or a main character. But since there are a slew of Disney Princess movies, it does seem only fair that boys get more lead roles in these movies!

Here, is very different, the emotions are inside a little girl named Riley. And basically these emotions "run" her. There's Joy, who's sort of the one in charge, as she was the first emotion to form when Riley was a baby, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear! 

It was very cute, we get to see Riley grow up and how the emotions took over for whatever situation. Memories would form into little orbs and can be revisited. Their color denotes what kind of memory it is, you can see what are the more popular memories by seeing that.

Then one day in Riley's mind, there was a bit of an accident, Sadness knocked out Riley's core memories which help to shape her personality, and then suddenly Sadness and Joy find themselves out of Riley's mind headquarters and lost in the maze-like hall that houses her memories. They will have to work together to get back to headquarters and help Riley through her difficult time. For without Joy and Sadness, it's up to Fear, Disgust, and Anger to get Riley through these times and naturally, that doesn't make things easy for her.

This was a cute movie. I liked the emotions and felt for Sadness. Having to be sad all the time has to be hard. Yet, she does rather well with the route she's given. Joy, who's used to being in charge and running things will have to learn to work with Sadness. The end results are surprising, and naturally happy!

Like with all Pixar films, one can find hidden Easter Eggs if you look hard enough. But this time, it was rather hard! Even with the hints I gotten from the article, I never really found any. Though I did wonder about one, since I never saw its possible movie. Or there's wondering what hint we saw for the next Pixar film. Which is a dinosaur...I can't remember if I saw that one either! LOL! I did catch a few that were mention, such as seeing Carl and Ellie in one of Riley's memories, and let me tell you that was a feat in and of itself! There were sooo many memory spheres and trying to focus on all of them individually isn't easy!

Other than a bit of dragging, pace wise, in the middle, the movie was entertaining throughout! I liked when we got to see inside Riley's parents' heads as well. Seeing who's in charge there was interesting. And be sure to stay for the beginning portion of the credits for there's more people's heads to see! I especially liked seeing the dog's and cat's head! Those were hysterical!

Being a Disney fan, I can't recommend any Disney animated movie enough! Pixar included! So if you're looking for a laugh and don't mind some serious stuff too, then I totally recommend seeing this one!



Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Follow Friday

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list  

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: What is the first book you remember reading? – Bookish Findings 

MY ANSWER: Oh pickles. I can't remember what the first book ever was. Books I grew up reading endlessly as a child were the Berenstain Bears books and some large Disney ones that were basically all my favorite Disney movies in book format!

Sorry for the tiny picture, but wanted to show the book I was referring to. Sadly Goodreads only had a small one. Amazon was no help either.

But if we want to talk first book that got me into reading, or more precisely, Paranormal reading, well I will share with you the book I love to mention:

Yup! Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. I'm pretty sure I read Amelia's first book, In the Forests of the Night first, and while I did like that one. It was Demon in My View that I totally fell in love with vampires! Perhaps I was a bit spoiled with the heroine being named Jessica, but that truly made the enjoyment all the more better! And it was probably after this one that my mind started spinning with ideas and the dream of being a writer was born!

 

Random Thursday

You all might know, one of my all time favorite movies is JAWS! And since the movie just celebrated its 40th Anniversary last month, I stumbled upon an article that had some amazing new to me facts! So for the month of July, I am going to share them with you!

Once again, I plan to share the article with you all in bullet points. Copying and pasting because once again, some of these details are so fine and important that I won't be able to reword them. I'll share the article link at the end of the month. But just know that Brian Raftery is the writer of said article. So all the credit goes to him!

• Benchley considered dozens of titles for his novel — including Leviathan Rising, Dreadful Silence, Dark White, and The Edge of Gloom — before settling on Jaws at the last minute. “No one knows what [Jaws] means,” the author later joked, “but at least it’s short.” 
• Producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown spent $150,000 for the film rights to Jaws, and agreed to allow Benchley to take a few stabs at the screenplay. His versions were never used, but he remained involved with the production: In a letter to Zanuck in 1974, he described an early script of Jaws — which depicted the shark as a rogue, “world-girdling maniac” out for blood — as an “insane farce.”
• Jaws had sold 5.5 million copies by the time the movie debuted, but there was at least one non-fan among the cast. “Jaws was not a novel,” Robert Shaw once told a reporter. “It was a story written by a committee, a piece of s—.” 
• Numerous storylines from Benchley’s novel were jettisoned from the script, including a romance between Elaine Brody and Hooper; Mayor Larry Vaughn’s financial problems and dealings with the Mafia; and Hooper’s death during the final Orca expedition. 
• At one point during preproduction, Spielberg wrote his own draft of Jaws; his version introduces Quint at a movie theater in Amity, where he’s watching the 1956 film adaptation of Moby-Dick, and guffawing throughout: “People get up and start leaving the theater until he’s all alone in the theater,” Spielberg later explained, “and [Quint’s] laughter can be heard right down the street.” 

 

Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy.
"You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified."

Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.

Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.

Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini!

WANT IT WANT IT NEED IT NEED IT! GIMMEEEEEE NOOOOOWWWWW!!! 

Ahem. I so can't wait to read this one. ;)

TITLE: Firewalker
AUTHOR: Josephine Angelini
PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends
GENRE: Paranormal YA
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2015

Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required—those more common to predatory animals than to man.

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows...and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare…

Love this series! Though I still need to read the latest one! I swear, I am forever behind by 1 book in nearly all my series!

TITLE: Archangel's Enigma
AUTHOR: Nalini Singh
PUBLISHER: Berkley Sensation
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2015