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Waiting on Wednesday - September 19, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To join in, share the book or books that you are currently drooling over as you await their release and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. The gorgeous badge above is brought to us by Lindsay at The Violet Hour!

The torture of all tortures is having to wait on the next book in a favorite series. This is one of the hardest for me. Well, it and the 2014 release date for City of Heavenly Fire....When I think of that, March 2013 doesn't seem to far away!

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Hardcover

Expected publication: March 19th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

 From Goodreads,

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Paperback, 341 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight. But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

 The first thing you will love about this book are the characters. Emma is an awesome, sarcastic character that I easily relate to. Her snide look at things in life is hilarious and I found myself laughing several times at her antics. Then she meets Brendan...and their meeting is pretty stereotypical of course, love at first sight. However, there is an interesting twist to this romance. Instead of the female bringing the issues into the relationship, it is the male. Brendan brings his family's past into them mix and it pretty much blows up from there. Angelique is the glue that holds this book together. Her distinctive style  and personality single-handedly keeps an excellent focus on what needs to be done. Then she uses her own methods of fixing it... Love it, I want to see more of her!
On top of this, school is absolutely miserable for everyone. Anthony and his little followers do not discriminate with who they torture, they simply do it to all. He is a good "evil, crazy" bad guy, but even after the final scene I feel like it all could have been umped up a lot more.The book keeps a steady pace of events and should keep your interest till the end. The grand finale was ok, but it could have been better. The interesting turn of events there had me confused at first. After a quick re-read I think it worked out the best it could have with all things considered. I would definitely recommend this book to others, it is completely worth it.

Review: Rapture by Lauren Kate

Rapture by Lauren Kate

Hardcover, 448 pages

Published June 12th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Source: NetGalley, ARC
Buy the book:  Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

RAPTURE, the fourth & final FALLEN novel, is the Lauren Kate book the world has been waiting for.

The sky is dark with wings. . . .

Like sand through an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the angels fell to earth.

Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again. Yet together they face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed.

And suddenly Luce knows what must happen. For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now is the only one that truly matters. In the fight for Luce, who will win?

The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.

The series had really been hit or miss with me. The first book was ok, the following two were simply "eh, I've come this far, might as well continue on..." Now, I am glad I did. After all that these characters have been through, they realize there is always hope in humanity.
The story picks up where it left off in Passion. It takes a little bit for it to pick up, but their traveling to find the place where the angels fell does help speed things up. Here lies the obstacles that they have to deal with and forces that they have to eradicate. The journey with this was heartbreaking but yet invigorating. The plot line with Daniel, Luce, and Heaven becomes really interesting in this book. Kate had always before just alluded to certain aspects, but this time we get to learn more about how our heroes ended up the way they did. Kate's take on Heaven and the inner workings for it is not really conventional to what I know, but I do like it. For this story it fit well.
The sacrifices with Luce and Daniel are extreme. We lose friends and foes in this book, no one is safe. However, this helps everyone grow in many ways. They take it in stride and strive on to meet their goal..and sometimes their doom. The ending. Ah, the ending. The price for happiness can be extreme in reality, let alone in their fictional world. Here it is no different. These characters literally have faced Heaven and Hell to fix things...and those left standing have a few surprises and decisions to make. Overall, I enjoyed the book and the solid ending it was for this series. It will probably not be on my top favorite series of all time, but it is definitely one that you should consider if you are given the chance to.

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Paperback, 296 pages

Published March 27th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

Source: NetGalley, ARC
Buy the book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

KATE WINTERS HAS WON IMMORTALITY.

BUT IF SHE WANTS A LIFE WITH HENRY IN THE UNDERWORLD, SHE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

 Yep, Kate did it! She's won immortality and is set to be the Queen of the Underworld. Or so she thought. 

Kate and Henry are now married, but that's where the pleasantries end. Henry had redeemed himself a little at the end of Goddess Test, but now he completely goes off the deep end. His issues cause a great deal of problems and situations as the plot develops. He just can't let go of the past. Trust and communication are simply not the virtues in their relationship and it begins their downfall. Kate is left fighting to salvage their lives and futures. Aside from the obvious "out of reality" aspects, their relationship is actually quite believable and could happen in real life. 
The book provides a fast-paced journey through the characters trials and tribulations. I loved the banter between the different sets of characters. The quips kept the relationships between everyone from failing at times. The romance is a very small part of the equation. It keeps kindling the fiery plot the Carter methodically weaves. Everything explodes when Kate realizes she needs the one person that causes her so much pain with Henry, Persephone. I admire Kate's guts and determination, she holds her head high and pushes through. This ride keeps you guessing...and then lets you drop off a cliff at the end. Literally. Be warned, friends. This is a page turner and then drops the "cliffhanger bomb" directly on your head!