WWW (36) and Waiting on Wednesday (April 17th, 2013): CROWN OF MIDNIGHT by Sarah J. Maas and A DARKNESS STRANGE AND LOVELY by Susan Dennard

W. W. W. Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading a great blog that I subscribe to. Here's how it works... Each Wednesday I will answer the following questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you'll read next?

I've been a really slow reader lately, so I haven't had much to share.  With Spring upon us, I've had loads of work to do in my garden, softball season for my girls, and have had to go to wok on top of it.  Reading has, sadly, not been super-high on the priorities list.  That said, I've recently read some amazing books, so I had to take the time to do this week's WWW...

What are you currently reading?

The Rules by Stacey Kade~ So far, this one's pretty good.  It's intriguing, and there are enough questions that I'm turning the pages at a pretty good clip.  Stay tuned.  It releases next week, so my review will be up soon.

Dear Life, You Suck by Scott Blagden~ This one is shaping up to be quite funny.  I've just started it, so I can't give a solid opinion just yet, but I have a good feeling about it.




What did you recently finish reading?

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo~ OMG, ya'll!  This book is freaking amazing!  If you liked Shadow and Bone, you are in for a serious treat!  If you haven't read Shadow and Bone, well, I just feel sorry for you.

The Program by Suzanne Young~ As a fan of her other books, I was really eager to read this one.  It was good, but not as good as I had hoped it would be.  Look for my review this week or next.

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch~ Another win.  I was blown away by the range of emotions this book evoked.  If you are a fan of issue-driven Contemporary YA, this is a must-read.  Check out my review HERE.

Mind Games by Kiersten White~ Again, an author whose prior stuff I've loved.  This one, just okay for me.  It was good enough that I will read book number two, but I wasn't blown away like I had expected to be.  Read my full review HERE.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare~ All I can say is... TEARS!  What a beautiful, unexpected, and bittersweet ending.  As soon as I can think of it without tearing up, I will post my review.

Jane Austen Goes to Hollywood by Abby McDonald~ A cute, modern retelling of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. An easy, fast day and a half read that was perfect after the tears of Clockwork Princess.  Full review to come.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys~ Um.  This was a book club pick that I would have otherwise never read.  Can I just say?  Effing AMAZING!  Thank you to whomever chose this for April, because I adored it!  Review coming soon.

What do you think you'll read next?

Icons by Margaret Stohl~ I'm so excited to read this.  I can't wait to see what she can do without Beautiful Creatures writing partner, Kami Garcia.  Plus, she's so amazingly nice, and this book seems pretty dark, so I'm intrigued!  It releases May 7th, so look for a review next week or so.

Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy~ I've professed my adoration of Terra's writing before, so I'm, of course, excited to read this.  It' a stretch from her standard YA Contemporary fare though, so I'm doubly excited!  Stay tuned.  It also releases May 7th, and I will probably do a signed giveaway with my review.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is another fun blog event. Hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, this event gives us a chance to talk about the books we anxiously await the release of. Since there is ALWAYS a looooooong list of books I'm waiting on (I actually keep a spreadsheet), I figured this is one that I MUST do.

I'm giving you not one, but two WoW books today.  I will call it The BFFs Edition, since the authors of my two featured books are buds.  I had the opportunity to meet both this past summer at DBF, and they were both so great, and since I loved each of their debuts, I am SO waiting on their book number twos!  So without further ado...

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

An assassin’s loyalties are always in doubt.

But her heart never wavers. 

After a year of hard labor in the Salt Mines of Endovier, eighteen-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien has won the king's contest to become the new royal assassin. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown – a secret she hides from even her most intimate confidantes.

Keeping up the deadly charade—while pretending to do the king's bidding—will test her in frightening new ways, especially when she's given a task that could jeopardize everything she's come to care for. And there are far more dangerous forces gathering on the horizon -- forces that threaten to destroy her entire world, and will surely force Celaena to make a choice. 

Where do the assassin’s loyalties lie, and who is she most willing to fight for?

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Publication Date: August 27th, 2013

My Expected Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I adored the first installment of this series, Throne of Glass, and have eagerly been awaiting the next.  I will undoubtedly be begging someone for an advance copy of Crown of Midnight, because August is far too far away for me.  I need me some more Celaena NOW.  Read my review of Throne of Glass HERE.

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Publisher:  HarperTeen

Publication Date:  July 23rd, 2013

My Expected Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

I really enjoyed book one in this series, Something Strange and Deadly, and expect I will enjoy book number two even more now that all the pesky set-up is done.  You just can't go wrong with steampunk, zombies, and mysterious hotties.  This one releases on my daughter's birthday so I will have to celebrate by buying myself a finished copy (because I fully intend to beg, borrow, or steal an advance copy), because that cover is absolutely to die for, and I need to have it on my shelf.  Read my review of Something Strange and Deadly HERE.

So that was my BFFs Edition of Waiting On Wednesday!  What are you Waiting On?  Leave your link, so I can check it out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me!  This week is a rewind week, which means we can pick any past topic.  Since this is my favorite meme, and since I've missed many, many weeks, I am really happy to go back and choose one!  For my rewind, I chose...

Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most

Because of my extremely short attention span, my list of books that I recommend is in a constant state of flux.  Much of it depends on what I've read recently that has stayed with me, and who I am talking to, but there are definitely a few stand-outs that are always on it!

*In no particular order.*

1.  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell~  This is my all-time favorite book, and my most highly recommended classic.  Of course, it's not a book that everyone is going to enjoy, but if I'm asked what my favorite book is, this is always my answer.

2.  Every Day by David Levithan~  This was my favorite book of 2012, and my second favorite book of all time.  It's a book that has stayed with me because it was just THAT beautiful.  When I'm asked what the one book I think EVERYONE should read is, this is it.  It's perfection.  Read my review HERE.

3.  Graceling by Kristin Cashore~  Whenever I come across a lover of High Fantasy, I gush about this book.  I can't say enough.  I liked Fire and Bitterblue too, but Graceling is still my favorite.  Some other, more recent HF novels I love and recommend are Shadow and Bone (read my review HERE) and its upcoming sequel, Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (read my review HERE), and Touch of Power (read my review HERE) and Scent of Magic (read my review HERE) by Maria V. Snyder.

4.  Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin~  Another all-time favorite.  This is what I hope the afterlife is like.  I love the world and the story, and it's a quick enough read that I feel comfortable suggesting it to even t most reluctant reader.

5.  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews~  This is my favorite funny book to recommend.  I was so thrilled when it won the 2012 Cybil Award for Young-Adult Fiction!  It was well deserved!  Read my review HERE.

6.  Shine by Lauren Myracle~  This was my favorite book of 2011, and for very good reason. As far as books that deal with the tough stuff go, there is no shortage of great ones.  There are so many great authors who write about the issues facing today's teens; You have Ellen Hopkins, who in my opinion, is the reigning Queen of Issues Your Parents Don't Want To Acknowledge, John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Amy Reed, and Jennifer Brown, to name a few.  Shine stood out to me because Lauren Myracle is not an author who typically writes the heavy stuff.  She's usually witty and funny and light, so Shine took me by surprise, and really stayed with me like few other books have.  Read my review HERE.

7.  If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman~ I read each of these books in one sitting, and they both made me cry for different reasons.  These two books are my go-to books for girls who are looking for Contemporary Romance with an edge.  Read my review of Where She Went HERE.

8.  The Fault In Our Stars by John Green~ This is my most recommended tearjearker.  I, along with a few other people on our committee, fought to keep this on my daughter's middle school's 2013 summer reading list for rising 7th and 8th graders, because it belongs in the hands of kids that age.  It is such a beautifully written story, but at the same time full of humor that today's kids can relate to.  Another book I think everyone should read.  Read my review HERE.

9.  Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys~ I just finished this one the other day, but I've already been spreading the word.  I immediately handed it to my (almost) 12 year old daughter when I finished it, and then sent an email to her middle school media specialist to see if it was too late to get it put on the summer reading list.  The funny thing is, I had no intention of reading it because I generally dislike Historical Fiction, but my book club was reading it, so I reluctantly did too.  I. LOVED. IT.  It was fabulous.  If you haven't read it, do it now!

10.  The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare~ I just finished the final installment, Clockwork Princess, and the tears!  If someone wants to dig into a series, this is the one I'm going to suggest.  I've enjoyed The Mortal Instruments, so far, but The Infernal Devices is head and shoulders above it.  If you are a Paranormal fan, a Historical Fiction fan, a Steampunk Fan, or a fan of epic love stories, these books are must-reads!  Read my review of Clockwork Prince HERE, and look for my review of Clockwork Princess in the upcoming days.

So- there are my Top Ten Books I Recommend the Most.  It could change tomorrow (although based on what I'm reading right now, that is unlikely), but for now...  Do we share any recommendations?  Do you have anything to add? What topic did you rewind to?  Leave your link with your comment so I can check your Top Ten out!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors On My Auto-Buy List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me! This week's topic was a difficult one. On one hand, I have my authors who I would buy and read ANYTHING they've written. They have written enough books that I've loved, that I know this to be true. One the other hand, there are the authors who have only written one or two books, and I think they would be on this list, but I would need to read more to be sure. That said, I am going to cheat a little and have TWO lists...

YA Litwit's Top Ten Authors On My Auto-Buy List

1.  Neal Shusterman~  I am a total fangirl, and have read all of his books, and loved them all.  He is brilliant, and his books make you think, which I love.  If you haven't read his books yet, get on it!  (Read my review of Everfound HERE and my Banned Book Showcase featuring Unwind HERE.)  Favorite Book/Series:  The Skinjacker Trilogy

2.  Ellen Hopkins~  I love the way Ellen writes, and I don't just mean her style.  Yes, I love that she writes all of her books in verse, but I also love her n0-holds-barred attitude about subject matter.  Ellen puts the tough stuff out there, and doesn't apologize for the fact that she makes it so you can't ignore certain issues.  (Read my review of Perfect HERE and my Banned Author Showcase, featuring Ellen, HERE.)  Favorite Book/Series:  Impulse/Perfect 

3.  David Levithan~  I have SO much love for David Levithan and his books.  His wit and humor make it possible for him to write about relationships in a very real way, and his books just stand out because of it.   Favorite Book:  Every Day (Read my review HERE.)

4.  John Green~  This is the guy who made me see contemporary YA as something to love, instead of page after page of angst-ridden, whiny, teenagers.  He gets the minds of teens, and manages to show us that they are so much more complex than we realize.  (Read my reviews of Paper Towns HERE and The Fault In Our Stars HERE.)  Favorite Book:  Looking For Alaska

5.  Libba Bray~  Such a fantastic writer, and I don't say this lightly.  Libba has written several different genres now, and she has done them all exceptionally well.  She is imaginative, funny, and witty, and I would read anything by her.  Favorite Book:  (tie) The Diviners (read my review HERE) and Beauty Queens (Read my review HERE).

6.  Cassandra Clare~  I think I would read the phone book if she wrote it!  I have not been disappointed in anything she's written.  I know she has only written one world so far, but I just have a good feeling in my gut. (Read my reviews of City of Fallen Angels HERE, City of Lost Souls HERE, and Clockwork Prince HERE.)   Favorite Book/Series:  The Infernal Devices (but don't make me chose which book!)

7.  Holly Black~  Holly Black has an impressively warped imagination, and I LOVE it!  I love her KidLit and her YA.  She is just a dazzling talent in the sea of mediocrity that is publishing! (This, of course, could be said of ANY of the authors on this list. Duh.)  I have read The Spiderwick Chronicles with all three of my children, and am eagerly awaiting the day when I can appropriately introduce my 11 year old daughter to her YA.  Can't wait to read Doll Bones with the three of them!   (Read my reviews of White Cat HERE, Red Glove HERE, Black Heart HERE, and The Poison Eaters HERE.) Favorite Book/Series:  The Curse Workers trilogy

8.  Gabrielle Zevin~  I have been a tremendous fan of Gabrielle's since I read Elsewhere, one of my all-time favorite books.  I don't know why, but that book left an indelible impression on me.  I truly wish that Elsewhere is what our afterlife will be like, because the idea of it is perfection.  After reading that, I had to put my hands on her other books, and although they are all very different from Elsewhere, and one another, they are still awesome in their own rite.  (Read my review of All These Things I've Done HERE.)  Favorite Book:  Elsewhere

9.  Lauren Oliver~  Much like Gabrielle Zevin, Lauren can write any genre.  Her debut, Before I Fall, is more of a Contemporary read, while the Delirium trilogy is definitely a Dystopian.  The Spindlers and Liesl & Po, her two MG books, are very fantastical.  Lauren's intelligence and warm personality shine through in her writing, and make me want to devour everything she puts on a page.  She also happens to be my 8 year old son's  very close 2nd favorite, behind Roald Dahl (someone who I think is a HUGE honor to be put in the same class with).  Favorite Book:  The Spindlers (Read my review HERE.)

10.  Jackson Pearce~  I have all of Jackson's books proudly displayed on my shelf because I totally love her, but it's not just about the fabulous writing with Jackson; It's about the whole package.  She's an Atlantan, for starters.  Then there are her hilarious YouTube videos (check out her channel HERE) and tumblr posts (check out her page HERE), in which she talks about books and writing, but also about loads of other stuff.  She is the best.  Sure, the books are the number one reason she's on this list.  I love them.  But it's always awesome when there's more.  (Read my reviews of Sisters Red HERE, Sweetly HERE, Fathomless HERE, and Purity HERE.)  Favorite Book:  Purity

Runners Up

(in no particular order; click the title for me review)

~Stephanie Perkins (Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door)

~Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Peeps, Leviathan, Behemoth, etc.)

~Victoria Schwab (The Near Witch, The Archived)

~Claire LaZebnik (Epic Fail, The Trouble With Flirting)

~Maureen Johnson (The Name of the Star, The Madness Underneath, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, The Key to the Golden Firebird, etc.)

~Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed In Blood, Girl of Nightmares)

~Kody Keplinger (DUFF, Shut Out, A Midsummer's Nightmare)

~Terra Elan McVoy (Being Friends With Boys, After the Kiss, Pure, The Summer of Firsts and Lasts)

~Myra McEntire (Hourglass, Timepiece)

~Beth Revis (Across the Universe, A Million Suns, Shades of Earth)

~Maria V. Snyder (Poison Study, Touch of Power, Scent of Magic, Inside Out, etc.)

~Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall, Demonglass, Spell Bound)

~Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Days of Blood & Starlight, Blackbringer, etc.)

~Lauren Myracle (Shine, ttyl, ttfn, Bliss, Rhymes with Witches etc.)

Now, I know I have forgotten a BUNCH of authors I love, but I don't want this (already) fangirly post to go on forever and ever.  I love books, and that means I love authors...  I have WAY too many books that I haven't even read yet, which means I have a ridiculous Auto-Buy list already!  Who do you think I left out?  Do we share any?  Am I a total cheater by having such a long list of runners-up?  I ADORE comments, so let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Romances

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new Top Ten list topic is posted and book bloggers fill in their own choices. I'm a list girl (as in, I don't function without them), so I thought this would be a good choice for me!  Now, it has been awhile since I've posted any memes because my time has been really stretched since I went back to work for the first time in 11 years, but I'm getting better at the time-management thing, and working back into a groove.  That said, I felt like this was a great week to pick 'Top Ten Tuesday' back up, because I just love this week's topic (which is funny because I'm really not the gushy, romantic type, and I absolutely DETEST Valentine's Day), so here goes...

YA Litwit's Top Ten Favorite Literary Romances

1.  Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell~ Gone With the Wind is my all-time favorite book.  I've read it at least a half dozen times, and will undoubtedly read it many more, and the biggest reason I love it so much is the relationship between Scarlett and Rhett.  He is also my #1 book boyfriend.

2.  Mia and Adam from If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman~ I have so much love for this couple!  The ups and downs, and the way things come full-circle.  It was amazing to me how intensely the emotions could be portrayed on paper, and between two people so young. I cried big, ugly tears during both books, for different reasons, but I was always rooting for them to end up together.  Read my review of Where She Went HERE.

3.  Wanderer (Wanda) and Ian from The Host by Stephenie Meyer~ I know there are a lot of Twilight haters out there, but believe me, The Host is a different book, and if you didn't know better, you would swear it was written by a different author.  I loved The Host, and one the main reasons I did was that the relationship between these two characters was built on so much more than the mutual attraction that is the foundation of most YA romances.  They really had to get to know one another intimately in order to fall in love, and it took time and patience, and the experience of reading their growth as a couple was that much more rich because of it.

4.  Avry and Kerrick from Touch of Power and Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder~ This is a relatively new series, and one that hasn't gotten tons of attention, but let me tell you, it is amazing (especially if you are a Fantasy fan).  That said, the romance between these two is great.  No insta-love here, and that makes me happy.  Plus, Kerrick is sexy as hell.  Read my review of Touch of Power HERE and Scent of Magic HERE.

5.  Karou and Akiva from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor~ It pains me that I haven't gotten a chance to read the sequel to this book, Days of Blood and Starlight, because I loved this book, and Karou and Akiva had so much to do with that.  If ever there was a pair of starcrossed lovers!  Wow! Will they come back together after the terrible truths that the first book revealed at the end?  Some of you know, but please don't tell me....  Read my review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone HERE.

6.  Katsa and Po from Graceling and Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore~ Love these books so much (and I know Fire is part of the trilogy, but Katsa and Po aren't much more than mentioned).  I adore Katsa, and Po is just...  Katsa is one lucky lady, because it is so evident in all that he does, that Po absolutely adores her with all he has.  It is also quite clear, although in Katsa's rather cool way, that she feels the same.  It's so easy to overdo the romantic element in a story, and Kristin gets it just right.

7.  Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, etc. by L.M. Montgomery~  Gilbert Blythe was my very first book boyfriend at the tender age of nine.  I thought he was the perfect boy.  He accepted Anne for who she was, and was just adorable in my imagination.  Add to that the innocence that is so lacking in today's world (and even in the world on nine-year-old me), and I was completely enamored.  Anne and Gilbert's relationship is one that created an almost impossible standard for any boy in my real life to live up to.  36 year old me still swoons a little for Gilbert.

8.  Lena and Ethan from The Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl~ Another starcrossed couple who I adore.  How anyone could even dare to compare them to Edward and Bella, I don't know.  I only pray that the Beautiful Creatures movie stacks up well to the book, and that the on-screen chemistry between the leads is even close to as electrifying as it was in my imagination.  I'm sad that this series is over, but I'm sure both authors have other great romances up their sleeves...  Read my reviews of Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness HERE.

9.  Tessa and Will and/or Tessa and Jem from The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare~  I have never been so conflicted over a love triangle.  Usually I LOATHE them, and in a way this one is no exception, but the difference here is that I also love this one.  I could see Tessa with either of them, so I guess it will come down to how Clockwork Princess pans out.  Read my review of Clockwork Prince HERE.

10.  Magnus and Alec from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare~ I think most would feature Clary and Jace on this list, and don't get me wrong, I love them, but Magnus and Alec hold my heart for this series.  Cassie Clare can write romance, because I think she gets human emotion, whether it's hetero or not, love is love...  I adore this couple and I truly hope they end up together forever. Read my review of City of Fallen Angels HERE, and my review of City of Lost Souls HERE.

Runners-Up

(because I just could NOT leave these ones out)

Izzy and Simon from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
Ana and Sam from Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (REVIEW)
Anna and St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Lola and Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (REVIEW)
Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Emerson and Michael from Hourglass (REVIEW) and Timepiece (REVIEW)by Myra McEntire

So... These are my Top Ten (err... 17) Favorite Literary Romances.  Are there ones that you believe should be on this list?  Do you agree with any (or all) of mine?  Do tell!

**Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a hardcover copy of NOBODY and a paperback copy of EVERY OTHER DAY, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, by clicking HERE!! Ends Sunday, February 17th. USA/Canada**