"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill atBreaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault? 


Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams. 

Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams will be out May 1, 2012. What books are you eagerly awaiting? 

ALA Day 3! The last and final day!

Hello lovelies!

Are your eyes bugging out from all the pictures from yesterday? Don't worry if they are, mine are doing the exact same thing! But, like, times a million! haha

The 4th day of ALA finally arrived, and it was my most anticipated day I had been waiting and waiting for! Why you ask? The last day is when the publishers give EVERYTHING away! They bring arc's to give out, but they always have a finished copy for display. Example, if a book is coming out in March, they have arcs to give out to the public and a finished copy to show. Which you can snag on the last day! :)

Instead of carting them all back, they gave them all away! Who can blame them? I personally would NOT want to take them all back either! Fortunately for me, they don't either!

Saturday I spent some time planning out my attak *coughs* I mean plan. I knew what time each publisher was going to start getting rid of everything and made my list of what I wanted. I dragged myself, and my roomies, out of bed promptly at 6! By 8:30 we were at the convention sight and in line waiting for the doors to open! Boy did we have an incredibly successful day! I can't wait to show you what I got. So let's get started!

First up are some arc's I was able to snag. I didn't think it was possible but I managed to get quite a few that I wasn't able to get on the other days!

I was most excited about Springsweet ( gorgeous cover!!! ) and slide!

These were gone FAST! I was bummed that I wasn't able to get a copy. I  met a sweet blogger named Rose who waited in line at the Harper Teen booth for the giveaway and gave me this! I was so excited I squealed and gave her a HUGE hug! 

Another beautiful arc that eluded me! It went fast and they were GONE by the time I arrived Saturday. One of the girls working there was so sweet, and told me they normally take the display of this one back with them but I could have it! Like a sweet heart she saved it for me! :)

These covers are both so gorgeous and I've been dying to read them both. I was able to get a finished copy of these! Eeek!

I was able to get the only finished copies of The Disenchantments and Born Wicked! Eeek! Look for these to hit the stores sometime next month. They are GORGEOUS!!!

I was so excited about the sequel to XVI and got the only finished copy! I also grabbed Unearthly, I meant to get a finished copy of Hallowed but I took the wrong one. haha I didn't have this one, and since it's the first in the series I think I made a really good mistake! haha

4 more finished copies!

So excited to finally get a finished copy of Ingenue to sit next to Vixen! I was suprised that they didn't have any of Diva, I was eager cover in person! But hopefully soon!

I snagged finished copies of Hourglass, Legend, Timeless and Shatter Me, as well as Born Wicked and The Disenchantments. But...you already knew that, didn't you?

I was so excited about getting a finished copy of this! There were no arcs made so this totally made my day! I started reading it on the ride home and it is AMAZING!!!

It comes out next month so make sure to check it out!

Since I was lucky enough to get an arc of The Savage Grace before I even left for ALA ( which I'm glad I did because they didn't have it there!) I wanted to get the first 2. I was able to get finished copies, so now they can sit and look beautiful on the shelf next to my signed copy of Savage Grace! :)

A couple more finished copies. I LOVED Stay and I have the first Siren book, so of course I needed the second!

As I was making this post I realized I am missing a couple of bags I got today. I didn't unpack everything, so it seems I left a few of today's bags in the car. lol So those are missing for now, but they will be in the ALA IMM, which will be later this week, and obviously, very, very long!

It was finally time to go home, after another long and extremely successful day at ALA! As much as I loved the convention, I was exhausted, and sore from head to toe, and to be honest, ready for my very own bed!

We made our way to the car with the day's loot, and desperately tried to make everything fit! Keep in mind there were 3 of us, so between us all we had a LOT of stuff! Needless to say most of my stuff had to ride in the car beside me!

My new backseat roadtrip buddies were amazing and kept me entertained for the 6 hour drive home!

As much fun as I had, I am so glad to FINALLY be back home. I had a BLAST at ALA Mid Winter 2012. I met some really great people, and had a fantastic time!

I hope you all had a fabulous Monday!

XOXO

ALA Day 1 and 2!

So for years I have been hearing about ALA. But let's be honest, I can't afford to travel across the country to go to it every year, much less one year! So this year I was very fortunate that it was coming to Texas. Eeek! So I hoped in the car with my posse, also known as my mother and sister! 

For TWO entire days before the convention, I did not sleep! I squealed like a child and generally got on EVERYONE'S nerves! No joke! 

I missed the first day of the convention, it was only open for 2 hours so I figured no biggie. Apparently quite a few arcs I was extremely looking forward to got wiped out in those measly 2 hours. ACK! Oh well, cest la vi! 

After sitting in the car for 6 hours,  Dallas bound, we finally arrived at the convention center. After 2 days of no sleep, being up sick all night the night before, and a 6 hour car drive I was ready to stretch my legs and hit some booths!

First off, pre trip. I had to prepare.Everything from clothes, shoes and makeup to something EXTREMELY important...NAILS! They had to be PERFECT! So in honor of ALA I did thiis!

They were a HUGE hit at the convention! Authors oohed and ahhed over them! I got stopped so many times about these. They were so fun! YouTube it people!

Next up, as soon as we stepped out of the car where we parked 2 streets over, I spotted this. A John Green Fault In Our Stars bus! That meant he had to be close right? *squints*

 Day 2 of ALA and MY first day at the convention. This is my haul my first day there. Not too bad if you ask me! A few books I was looking for escaped me. But I got loads of books I was really excited about!

 These are the ones I was most excited about! I know i know! It's sideways...but I'm tired! lol So sorry guys!

So now I'll show you a few books I got the first day. Just a few of the ones I was super excited about! ;) So let the Books With Pretty Covers officially BEGIN!

 Squeee!!!!

 More books with pretty covers!

 LOVE the cover for Of Poseidon and so excited about Thumped, the sequel to Bumped!

  LOVE the covers to both of these and I can't wait to read them both!

More pretty covers and books that sounds amazing!

Yay for a finished hardback of The Faerie Ring! I haven't read it so now I totally have the chance!

I think this is the one I am MOST excited about and I'm having a hard time not tearing into as I write this!

Last but not least I am a HUGE Lauren Myracle fan. So I squeed like a little girl when I found out she was coming. I stalked her booth and was the first person in line. I will pre warn you the picture is not right side up, again, I am exhausted. I also look like crap,  no sleep for 2 days, 6hr car ride, and being sick etc. So...forgive my face!

But I got a very pretty shiny, autographed hardback copy of Shine which is AMAZING! So go read it now if you haven't already!

So now I was finally making my way over to the hotel to check in. Yep folks, after 2 days of no sleep and a night of being sick, I drove 6 hours straight to the convention site w/o ever stopping to check in at the hotel or freshen up! So now, FINALLY, back at the hotel, staring at all my lovely books and ready for my second day at ALA! Are you ready to see more books? Here we go!

The day 2 stack is definately much smaller. But I am TOTALLY fine with that! I think I have more books than I will ever be able to read this year! And yes, that is a Legend button and TWO Matched/Crossed posters! Eeek!

 I also went to a YA panel which was wonderful! I listened to these 3 wonderful woman, and another author ( again, I'm tired and can't remember her name) Got all of these books as free complimentary gifts, and I got them all signed 2! The last one, Halflings I got signed to my friend Amy and I hope she loves it! :)

Don't get too excited folks! While I already have a copy of Born Wicked I was trying desperately to get ahold of extra's for Amy and Loretta, two good friends who have been DYING for a copy. Unfortunately the box of Born Wicked never made it to the confrence. And yes, Bitterblue was there. But blogger's started lining up at 9 am for it and they weren't giving it away until 5 pm! I personally was not about to sit there and wait on ONE book for that long and miss out on all the other wonderful things going on. So instead I snagged catalogs with the gorgeous book covers on them! I LOVE looking at catalogs with all the upcoming books, and these were so gorgeous I couldn't resist!

This is just various swag I picked up along the way!

Super cute books and matching bag. Couldn't help myself! Again, sorry its not right side up! I'm too tired to edit lol

My mother was lovely and managed to snag quite a few YA books I didn't get. This is just a small sampling of what she got for me. Have I ever mentioned how much I <3 my mom and how cool she is! I mean, the woman wears converse to work with her dress pants! Gotta love her!

I LOVE my Little Brown bag! My mom was totally jealous, but they didn't have many of these little babies to give away so I was quite lucky to get it!

I was really excited to get a copy of this one! I think I got one of the last 5 they had there!

I snagged these today and I'm really excited about them all. But probably mostly excited for a physical arc of Supergirl Mixtapesk, and not just a netgalley of it. And folks, its even CUTER in real life!

 Well that's it for me folks! I am tired, and sore. Every bone in my body aches,, from my neck and shoulders, to my toes and right back up to my ribs! Yep, even my RIBS hurt! ACK! So I am going to go pop an advil and hit the sack.

Stop back by mid week for a full IMM ALA style! I hope you all had a fantastic week and as always Happy Reading!

XOXO

In My Mailbox (12)

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you all had a fantastical weekend! I am having a blast at ALA! I am tired and every bone in my body hurts from lugging around bags full of books. Literally! Even my rib cage hurts! :0 Tomorrow is the last day and I will soon be home. YAY! How I miss my bed!

I haven't done an IMM in 2 weeks. Life has been crazy hectic and I've been sick as well. Unfortunately I have lots to show you but my books are in a bit of disarray at the moment. When we built our house, I chose my bedroom because it was supposed to have 2 sets of built in book cases. In our haste to move in, we just shoved my desk into an alcove and a bought book case into the other. Through the years, and the blogging, it wasn't working anymore. So last weekend I said bye bye to the desk and went book case supply shopping with my Pops at Home Depot. Unfortunately we didn't have time to start building, as life seems to have gotten in the way. So all of my lovely books are in boxes piled in the living room where I date not even try to go through. 

So in the meantime you shall just have to look at what I got this week in the mail. I have one last day at ALA tomorrow and then I make my journey home. I should have an ALA vlog up Tuesday or Wednessday. Lots of friends have been asking so I will post it. But beware it WILL be long!

Now on to the books!

First up, Egmont sent me a book in the mail, and it totally made my week! Things could only go up from here!

 Then I opened it up and found out it was autographed to me! Squeee!!

Then I got Dead To You by Lisa McMann which I devoured in ONE sitting. It was AMAZING and my review is already posted.  So go read it because this is a MUST READ!

THen my lovely friend Amy sent me this amazing package! I LOVE dystopians so she sent me an audio book of Legend and some awesome Incarnate swag. Thanks Amy! I love you bunches!!!

Then my lovely friend Loretta who is sweet as pie gifted me an ebook of The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan which I have been dying to read! Thanks so much Loretta! Your a doll! :)

I also got a copy of The Rook along with a temporary tatoo. I believ this came from Little Brown possible...who knows. It's late, I'm tired and my books are at home! lol 

When I get home and life gets back in order,  or my bookshelves anyways...I'll post a more accurate IMM and hopefully a blog and my usual stills. In the meantime I'd LOVE to hear what you got in YOUR mailbox this week. Make sure you leave me a comment. I LOVE to check them out. Don't forget to stalk my blog this week for a special edition ALA IMM vlog!

In the meantime, Happy Reading!

XOXO

Another Author Crosses Over Into YA

Hello Lovelies!

I'm sure like me, ya'll have been fans of YA books for many years. And if your like me, you never quite outgrew them! As the popularity of Young Adult books grows the audience has changed quite a bit. YA isn't just for teens anymore. It's for anyone who loves to read!

I think many popular series that were made into box office hits were what got the attention of youth and adults alike! Adults who couldn't get enough picked up the books and then sought out what else the YA genre had to offer, and soon they were hooked!

As the popularity for YA books has exploded many Adult fiction authors have crossed over and created books and even new series for Young Adults. Among the growing list of authors crossing over is Candace Bushnell, Kathy Reichs, John Grisham and many more!

Another hugely sucessful and uber popular adult fiction author is crossing over and joining the ranks of the YA authors. Jodi Picoult. Squee! Contemporary fans rejoice!

Jodi Picoult has written some really amazing books many of which have been turned into movies. So imagine my excitment when I heard she will co-writing a YA book calle Between The Lines which will debut on June 26th 2012.

I love the cover and the story sounds amazing! I will for sure be stalking the stores when this book comes out!

What about you? Will you be checking out this book when it hits the shelves? I know I will!

Dead To You

Dead To You  by Lisa McMann
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 256
Format: ARC
Source: OWN
Interest : YA Contemporay
Challenge: 2012 Reading Challenge, 2012 YA Contemporary Challenge
Buy The Book: Amazon

A page-turning realistic novel with a shocking twist from bestselling author Lisa McMann.


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...

Surprisingly I have never picked up a Lisa McMann book before, that is until Dead To You arrived at my door. Boy have I been missing out! Lisa did an incredible job with this novel. It was mind blowing amazing and easily a big time contender for my favorite book of 2012! Which is saying a whole lot, considering we aren't very far into the year!

Dead To You is the story of Ethan DeWilde. When he was 6 years old he got into a car with total strangers and was abducted, sending not only himself but also his family, into a total nightmarish whirlwind. 9 years later, after scouring the internet in search of his family, Ethan finally finds his way back home. Unfortunately for Ethan and his family, his return isn't quite the happy ending he was hoping for. Unable to remember anything that happened before he was abducted, Ethan is searching for answers to his many questions. Will he uncover something that he wished had stayed hidden?

The author did such an amazing job of weaving the story together along with the character development and all of the raw emotion of what these character's are feeling. I could feel his parent's heartbreak from the loss of their son, and the shock of his return. Their struggle in how to best handle the situation while getting to know their son all over again, without neglecting their other two children. I felt Blake's jealousy when suddenly his long lost brother returns and gains the attention of everyone around them. There was definitely some major middle sibling issues Blake was dealing with, and at times I wanted to reach my hand through the pages and slap some sense into him. I even felt for little Gracie as she struggles to get to know a brother she never met or even knew she had!

Mostly though, my heart ached for Ethan. I cried for the little boy who was taken from his family and far from home. I wanted to hug the young man who no one trust, and who everyone blames for getting in that car in the first place. His struggles with adjusting to his new life and his family were compelling. I felt like I wanted to protect him from all of the anxiety plaguing him.

The ending left me completely and utterly breathless. I couldn't move, or even breathe! I just sat there in shock, completely speechless. This book really blew me away!

Dead To You is a masterfully written journey into the life of a young man who is simply trying to find his way home. This book was so amazing I devoured it in one sitting and I now want to run out to the store and buy up every Lisa McMann book ever written. Make sure you grab a copy for yourself when this one hits the stores. Trust me, you will not regret it!

Waiting On Wednesday (7)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill atBreaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad’s whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she’s Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she’s the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.


In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating . . . and illegal. Here she’s got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she’s ever seen.


But on the insde, Ayla is still Annie.


So when she’s offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?


The choice isn’t as simple as you think.

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire will be out July 10, 2012. What books are you eagerly awaiting?