Waiting on Wednesday - 138

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to see what new books are going to be released soon.

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different-that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practise witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne.

With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice.

The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy. (from GoodReads)

Well I can never turn away a book about the Tudors, so it looks like I'll be reading this! Luckily it sounds very exciting. Witchstruck will be released September 24, 2013.

Top Ten Tuesday - 83

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Favorite Covers of Books I've Read

1. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray



2. Across the Universe by Beth Revis





3. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly













4. Wither by Lauren DeStefano















5. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting















6. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare



7. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen



8. Matched by Ally Condie














9. The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells













10. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Waiting on Wednesday - 137

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for readers and bloggers to see what new books are going to be coming out.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent. (from GoodReads)

This cover was just revealed and it looks awesome! I'm really looking forward to see how this ends, and especially the new movie for Divergent!

Top Ten Tuesday - 82

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

1. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
I read this in my ninth grade global studies class because it's about a young boy growing up in Apartheid in South Africa. Mark lived in poverty surrounded by racism, disease, abuse and other horrible things. Luckily the story has a relatively happy ending.

2. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
This should be on everyone's list because many people have read it. For those who don't know it's about keeping rape a secret.

3. Easy by Tammara Weber
This is similar to Speak but the main character is a victim of attempted rape.

4. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Forbidden is such a good book but it's about incest between a brother and a sister. By the end you'll be rooting for them to get together.

5. Illegal by Bettina Restrepo
This isn't my favorite book ever but it's about illegal immigration.

6. Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
Only the strong of heart should read this book because it's about the sexual abuse of a little boy. Pretty much every Jodi Picoult book could be on this list, though.

7. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
This was such a hard read too! It's about a girl who was kidnapped when she was younger and has been abused by her captor for years.

8. Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara
Wren suffers from depression after her boyfriend is killed in a car accident.

9. If I Lie by Corrine Jackson
Quinn is accused of cheating on her Marine boyfriend, which is the ultimate sin in a military town. Also deals with homophobia.

10. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Twenty Boy Summer deals with the death of a secret boyfriend.

Waiting on Wednesday - 136

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to see what new books are going to be released.

He's Gone by Deb Caletti

“What do you think happened to your husband, Mrs. Keller?”

The Sunday morning starts like any other, aside from the slight hangover. Dani Keller wakes up on her Seattle houseboat, a headache building behind her eyes from the wine she drank at a party the night before. But on this particular Sunday morning, she’s surprised to see that her husband, Ian, is not home. As the hours pass, Dani fills her day with small things. But still, Ian does not return. Irritation shifts to worry, worry slides almost imperceptibly into panic. And then, like a relentless blackness, the terrible realization hits Dani: He’s gone.

As the police work methodically through all the logical explanations—he’s hurt, he’s run off, he’s been killed—Dani searches frantically for a clue as to whether Ian is in fact dead or alive. And, slowly, she unpacks their relationship, holding each moment up to the light: from its intense, adulterous beginning, to the grandeur of their new love, to the difficulties of forever. She examines all the sins she can—and cannot—remember. As the days pass, Dani will plumb the depths of her conscience, turning over and revealing the darkest of her secrets in order to discover the hard truth—about herself, her husband, and their lives together. (from GoodReads)

I love Deb Caletti but this book is an adult novel! So I hope it will be just as good as her YA books. He's Gone will be released May 14, 2013.

Top Ten Tuesday - 81

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Books To Read When You Need Something Light and Fun

1. Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
This is one of my favorite books because it's so funny! I remember trying not to laugh out loud as I was reading this in public.

2. V is For Virgin by Kelly Oram
This book is awesome because it's so cute! Val starts a campaign to get students to think seriously about sex and sexuality, as she's seduced by a real ladies' man!

3. Freshmen Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin
Even though it's been a long time since I was a freshmen in high school, I could still relate to all the shenanigans that Kelsey and her friends get into, though I think she got into a lot more trouble than I did!

4. How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler
I read this so long ago, but I remember how the main character decided to do things that would make her unpopular, but then everyone started copying her. It was so funny.

5. Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
This is another book that I read a long time ago, but it was an adorable summer romance read!

6. Serial Hottie by Kelly Oram
I'm repeating authors on here, but I don't care. The protagonist thinks her hot new neighbor is a serial killer. It makes for some awkward encounters, but it's hilarious.

7. Past Perfect by Leila Sales
This book has more of a story compared to Mostly Good Girls but I still loved it! Chelsea works at Revolutionary War reenactment village (like Williamsburg).

8. Secrets of My Hollywood Life Jen Calonita
Such a fun read if you're interested in Hollywood stars and how they live.

9. Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita
I reread this book every summer because I love it so much! Sam is a camp counselor at an overnight camp and there's even a summer romance.

10. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Scarlett lives in her family's hotel in NYC and gets herself into shenanigans as well. The book is complete with a fun cast of characters.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Summary:
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend attention.

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling...(from GoodReads)

Review:
I was really excited to read Shut Out because I love the concept! I wanted to see how this hook-up strike would go and I think it's super cool how Kody Keplinger incorporated her inspiration into the book (it's a slight retelling of the Greek play Lysistrata).

I think Kody Keplinger is a wonderful writer, which is especially impressive given how young she is! I think she's around my age which is crazy. But pretty awesome, too! The dialogue was realistic, which is always important in YA. I liked how the girls banded together in order to stop the feud (which is pretty ridiculous, if you ask me). Lissa becomes the leader and I really enjoyed her character. She just felt so real and  multi-dimensional: she has anxiety and OCD tendencies, but she's also super smart and sweet.

The romance with Cash Sterling (ok, what kind of name is that?) was very hot and steamy and obviously everyone was rooting for them to be together. Randy didn't seem too bad in the beginning, but than you realize that Cash is the much better choice.

My favorite part of Shut Out was the girl power and feminism. I liked the message that girls shouldn't be defined by their sexuality and that these double standards between men and women are ridiculous. Seeing that in YA was awesome and I hope the readers get a lot out of this theme.

Overall, I enjoyed Shut Out and loved the concept! I'm actually considering reading Lysistrata now!

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: Christmas gift

2011/Poppy/273 pages.