Waiting on Wednesday

All her world's a stage.
Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She's not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.
Until now.

Welcome to the Theatre Illuminata, where the characters of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Theatre by The Book--an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family--and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

I know we're on a fairy kick, but really? Shakespeare and fairies together is a bookworm's dream come true. That cover is also utterly fantastic. We're waiting on this one with bated breath (Note: that is the correct spelling of bated). The Bard and his characters come to life, and that certainly can't be bad. Shakespeare said "All the world's a stage," which just means that everything is really a story, and this is one I don't want to miss.

Fragile Eternity

Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.

In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.

from harperteen.com

Beth says 5 stars...

I was so excited about the release of this book. I loved both Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, and really hoped that this one would be no different. Thankfully, it wasn't. This book continued to delve deeper into the world of the faery courts. I loved how Marr ratcheted up the intrigue and complexities in the book. The old relationships between all of the existing characters deepened and new ones were formed, but all of them impacted the courts. Every single decision made had consequences, and I have a feeling that not all of them have come out yet. My only (minor) issue with the book was that Ash was a bit annoying at times. I mean seriously, she can't possibly be that clueless. I definitely liked her more in Wicked Lovely when she relied less on others. That said, the other characters were all fantastic. Niall is amazing, and just keeps getting more interesting. I also enjoyed watching Donia develop more. I've read that Marr thinks of this as Seth's book, and I can understand why. Seth really becomes a rich character, and his choices send the plot reeling constantly. Marr's writing is amazing, as always, and the plot was full of the unexpected. I couldn't predict many of the plot twists, but enjoyed them immensely. My least favorite part was the ending. It's a cliff-hanger, and I can't wait to read the next book!

Nathan says 5 stars...

I've been waiting on this book for a while, and it was the finale of my spring book trifecta (City of Glass and Bloodhound being the first two). It certainly was worth the wait. With Fragile Eternity, Marr only cemented her place within my list of favorite authors. Her prose is often quirky, but really fresh at the same time. The detail she uses is impeccable, particularly when describing the faery courts. The story is well-paced and fraught with energy. For me though, the most beautiful thing in a Marr novel is the character interaction. Each of the players is already amazing, but their relationships and encounters seems so real. Beth and I had the same problem with the novel. The strong, independent Aislinn we met in Wicked Lovely seems to be have diminished into a helpless maiden. I want to see her back in form soon. Niall is perhaps the most captivating character-he is downright intriguing. This novel seems more like a setup for another book rather than an independent piece, but that's okay because it means more Melissa Marr. Things look dark for our lovely (and wicked) characters at the end of the book, so drama seems sure to ensue in future volumes. I personally can't wait.

The Book of Dreams

Dana Faolan, the spunky half-faerie heroine of The Light-Bearer’s Daughter, the third book in The Chronicles, has been using her access to the land of Faerie to escape the troubles of being a teenager in a new town. But a dark, mysterious enemy is determined to sever the two worlds forever, thus dooming both. It will take all of Dana’s bravery and resourcefulness, plus the help of friends old and new, to save her two homes, especially when it becomes clear that the answer lies in an act of terrible sacrifice.

from amazon.com

Nathan says 5 stars...
If you like fairy folklore, then you must read this book. O.R. Melling is genius. The depth in this book speak of years and years of research. If it's been a while since you've read the other books in the The Chronicles of Faerie, it may take a few seconds to adjust, because all the characters are back for this epic finale. Melling's characters seem so utterly real, which is a spectacular feat considering the fantastical backdrop. Dana's struggle is so fascinating, and as a reader I really felt for her. Melling's prose is lush, yet fun. There is no want for drama or action. The ending may be a little sudden for some, but I thought it was appropriately bittersweet. This is a definite must-read, and it has a shiny cover. (Who doesn't love a shiny cover?)

The Summoning

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

from amazon.com

Beth says 4.5 Stars...

I've had fantastic luck with books lately. There have been so many good ones, and The Summoning was no exception. I thought this was a cool take on paranormal phenomena (I used a big word!). The way ghosts and the like were portrayed was very different, and it worked. All of the characters were really interesting. I liked Chloe, but think that as the main character she could use some more development. I loved not knowing who was good, or what anyone wanted. The mystery of what's going on with both the kids and adults was intriguing. I just kept wanting to know more, and still do! Some of the revelations at the end completely caught me off guard. The plot was interesting, but got rather slow a few times. However, it rebounded in no time and started moving quickly again. I'm really anxious to get to read the next book in the series! Overall, I thought this book was interesting and a really enjoyable read. I think I found a new series!

Waiting on Wednesday

Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.

But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.

If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane.

from bn.com

We are really excited for this one. Michael Scott's writing is spot-on and his character's are hilarious and relatable. His plot's are fast and fun, while still having ample character development. We really hope to be devouring this one soon.

The Hunger Games

COULD YOU SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN, IN THE WILD, WITH EVERYONE FIGHTING AGAINST YOU?

Twenty- four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

from scholastic.com

Beth says 5 Stars...

This book was amazing! I'd read another book by Suzanne Collins before, and thought that it was just okay. This one grabbed my attention from page 1 and refused to let me go. I was thrown into the world of Katniss, engrossed in her story. The new vision of the world was just believable enough to feel real. I loved the originality in the way that the story was told; the writing brought everything to life. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, instead I felt like I was experiencing the Games with Katniss. I found Katniss to be a fascinating character. I was constantly amazed by what she did. Her depth and complexity was beautiful, and something I just loved. She was so fiercely loyal to those she loved, yet not completely hardened by her life. Besides Katniss, the other characters were phenomenal as well. I found it interesting to see the changes in the characters as the Games went on, or for some the lack of change. Additionally, the plot was great. It moved along at a breakneck pace like a roller coaster that you never want to leave. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Aurelia

An impressive debut, equal parts commercial appeal and literary prowess. Princess Aurelia is next in line to rule the kingdom of Tyralt, but she would rather be one of the common folk, free to learn and roam and . . . not marry the next tyrannical prince that comes courting. Naturally, the king wants Aurelia to marry for political power. Aurelia wants to marry for love. And someone in the kingdom wants her . . . dead. Assigned to investigate and protect Aurelia is Robert, the son of the king’s former royal spy and one of Aurelia’s oldest friends. As Aurelia and Robert slowly uncover clues as to who is threatening her, their friendship turns to romance. With everything possible on the line—her life, her kingdom, her heart—Aurelia is forced to take matters into her own hands, no matter the cost.

from amazon.com

Beth says 4.5 Stars...
First of all, this cover is beautiful! It inspired an episode of pretty cover oohing. Thankfully the book lived up to the cover. I really enjoyed Aurelia's character. She was fierce and driven, qualities that I love. She had to come to terms with her role in the kingdom and where her loyalties lie. I thought that her relationships with the rest of her family members were fascinating, but my favorite was her relationship with Robert. Robert was, simply put, great. He had an amazing depth of character, and was interesting to read about. I definitely enjoyed the intrigue aspect of the plot, and felt that it kept things interesting. I must say that I thought I had it figured out, but was totally wrong. I love it when that happens! Osterlund was able to create a world that was both familiar from history, yet different at the same time. It wasn't so far removed that it became inaccessible, but it was different enough to be fresh. I think that Osterlund is an author that I look forward to reading more of in the future. I really enjoyed this book and found it to be engaging and interesting.