WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (15)

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer By Michelle Hodkin

Release September 27, 2011

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

This has been a book that has been getting a lot of early buzz on several websites. It sounds very interesting. A mysterious accident, lost memory, love. What is there not to like. I have high hopes for this one and I hope it can live up to it.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (14)

Dead To You By Lisa McMann

Release February 7, 2012

Simon Pulse

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

I was lucky enough to interview Lisa McMann for the blog and review Cryer's Cross as well. I loved the book and Lisa was so great for doing the interview. The link for Cryer's Cross book review is here and the link for the interview is here for those who'd like to check it out. I came across her upcoming book titled Dead To You and I have to say the cover and title is eye carching. Dead To You has an erie ring to it and after reading the synopsis I knew I had to read this book. So it is on my wish list for sure.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (13)

Beautiful Chaos By Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (Caster Chronicles #3)

Release October 18, 2011

Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Synopsis from (Goodreads): Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected - and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What - or who - will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena - and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself - forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

I have loved this series thus far because of the amazing writing and great story written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. So it is only natural that I CANNOT wait until Beautiful Chaos is released to get more of the Caster Chronicles series.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (12)

Enthralled Edited by Melissa Marr & Kelley Armstrong

Release September 20, 2011

Publisher Harper Collins

Paranormal Anthology containing:

Giovanni’s Farewell by Claudia Gray 
Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan 
IV League by Margaret Stohl 
Red Run by Kami Garcia 
Things About Love by Jackson Pearce 
Niederwald by Rachel Vincent 
Merely Mortal by Melissa Marr 
Facing Facts by Kelley Armstrong 
Let’s Get This Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan 
Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready 
Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting 
Leaving by Ally Condie 
At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday 
Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson 
The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 
Automatic by Rachel Caine

Love the authors in this anthology and love the paranormal fantasy genre. This is a no brainer.. can't wait till it's release.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (11)

Wildwood By Colin Meloy, Illustrated By Carson Ellis (Wildwood Trilogy #1)

Release August 30, 2011

Publisher Balzer + Bray

Synopsis (from Goodreads): The first book in the epic middle-grade fantasy series full of magic, wonder, and danger—nothing less than an American Narnia—from Colin Meloy, lead singer of the highly celebrated band the Decemberists, and Carson Ellis, the acclaimed illustrator of the New York Times bestselling The Mysterious Benedict Society.

I have heard some amazing early buzz for this book. The illustrations are beautiful and the book is getting comparisons to The Chronicles of Narnia (one of my personal favourites). A comparison like that definitely has me hooked. Can't wait to read it.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (10)

The Hollow By Jessica Verday (The Hollow #1)

Release Date September 1, 2009

Publisher Simon Pulse

Synopsis (from Goodreads): When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

This is the first in The Hollow series by Jessica Verday. I have not had the opportunity to read this one. I first came across this book after seeing a beautiful trailer for the novel and ever since then I've been hoping to get my hands on it.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (9)

Delirium By Lauren Oliver (Delirium Trilogy)

Release Date February 1, 2011

Publisher HarperTeen

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Sounds amazing right. I am really excited about this book because I've heard that Lauren Oliver is a really good writer. She is the author of Before I Fall which I'm told was fantastic. The synopsis sounds intriguing and the concept entirely new. I hope to get my hands on it really soon.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (8)

Wither By Lauren DeStefano (Book 1 Chemical Garden Trilogy)

Release Date March 22, 2011

Publisher Simon & Schuster

Synopsis (from Goodreads): When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home. 

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

This one sounds fantastic! I have heard Wither on the lips of some people and it caught my attention. I am certainly curious to see if it is as good as it sounds. Definitely anticipating it, and can't wait to read it.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (7)

The Gathering By Kelley Armstrong

Release Date April 12, 2011

Publisher Harper Collins

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.
 
When I first came across this title I was struck by the beautiful cover. I'm a sucker for a great book cover and when there is an equally amazing story.. that's the best. From the synopsis The Gathering seems to offer a great story. There is something erie and mysterious going on in this small town and I wonder if it has anything to do with the medical research being conducted, and also I wonder what the paw-print birthmark means for our heroine Maya. Interesting! I will have to read and find out. Furthermore, I have been to Vancouver Island (which is so beautiful it will leave you breathless) and such a place being the backdrop for The Gathering is a definite plus. This book has all the elements to make a great story and I hope I'm lucky enough to get the chance to read it.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (6)

Prom and Prejudice By Elizabeth Eulberg

Release Date January 11, 2011

Publisher Point

Synopsis (from Goodreads): After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be — especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.

Lizzie is happy about her friend’s burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise.

I am always in the mood for a light and fun read and Prom & Prejudice seems to offer just that. I am a HUGE fan of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, and it will be exciting to see a modern retelling of such a classic.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (5)

The Revenant By Sonia Gensler

Release Date June 14, 2011

Published By Knopf Books for Young Readers

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Synopsis from Goodreads: When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.

Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . . .

I am always in for a good ghost story but I never seem to come across one that appeals to me. The Revenant by Sonia Gensler is one such ghost story that has caught my attention. I am not new to the concept of "the revenant' which means ghost or animated corpse in early folklore so it will be interesting to see how this concept factors in to the overall story. There seems to be the element of mystery as well which is exciting. Overall very intriguing.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (4)

Anna and the French Kiss By Stephanie Perkins

Release Date December 2, 2010

Published By Dutton

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris — until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss? Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

Anna and the French Kiss is a debut for Stephanie Perkins. I have heard so many great early reviews for this book that I must say that I am counting down the days to it's release. The premise is not entirely new but it's said the writing is well done and the characters are superb. It sounds like a charming book and I'm hopeful that it will live up to its expectation. We'll see.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (3)

Pathfinder By Orson Scott Card

Release Date November 23, 2010

Published By Simon Pulse

Synopsis (from Amazon): A powerful secret. A dangerous path. Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg's strange talent for seeing the paths of people's pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him--secrets about Rigg's own past, his identity, and his destiny.

And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain. Rigg’s birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent…or forfeit control of his destiny.

I have not read any of Orson Scott Cards books but this one sounded very interesting. From the synopsis It looks like it will be an adventurous story. Wouldn't we all like to have the ability to see our past and change it? Overall, Pathfinder sounds very interesting and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (2)

Beautiful Darkness By Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Release Date October 12 2010

Published By Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. 

Sometimes life-ending. 

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

I read and loved Beautiful Creatures which was the first book in the Caster Chronicles series. I am glad to say that the wait is finally over with the recent release of Beautiful Darkness, the sequel to Beautiful Creatures. Things were ended in uncertainty in the first book (for all of you who read it and know what I'm talking about) and so it will be interesting to see how the story develops. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl did such an amazing job with the first book that I spent most of the last months counting down to the release of Beautiful Darkness. I can't wait to hit the bookstore and get my hands on this one.

WISH LIST WEDNESDAY (1)

Matched Ally Condie

Release Date November 30 2010

Published by Dutton Children Books

Synopsis (from Goodreads): In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion. 

Matched by Ally Condie is one of the books shrouded in buzz. I read the synopsis and I have to say that It peaked my interest as well. I am recently finished reading The Hunger Games (which I loved) and this book shares some similarities with it. So, in the least I will definitely be waiting to get my copy of Matched and see what all the buzz is about.