Waiting on Wednesday: Trafficked by Kim Purcell

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm not really focused on books too much because we just got the news that we got approved for our apartment. My husband & I have been separated (by 800 miles) & living with family since May 2010. This apartment will mark the first time we've gotten to live together, alone, since then. I think I have sufficient reason to be distracted. :D

Anywhoodle, this week I'm most intrigued by the February 16th release of Trafficked by Kim Purcell. While the storyline itself has been "ripped from the headlines" this is a first for this kind of story in the YA genre (that I'm aware of). Read on for the details.

Hannah believes she's being brought from Moldova to Los Angeles to become a nanny for a Russian family. But her American dream quickly spirals into a nightmare. The Platonovs force Hannah to work sixteen-hour days, won't let her leave the house, and seem to have a lot of secrets - from Hannah and from each other. Stranded in a foreign land with false documents, no money, and nobody who can help her, Hannah must find a way to save herself from her new status as a modern-day slave or risk losing the one thing she has left: her life.

From Goodreads

How absolutely terrifying would that be? In the US alone there are between 14,500 & 17,500 people trafficked in annually (CNN). While this is sure to be a harrowing story, not all trafficked individuals are "fortunate" enough to end up in Hannah's circumstance. I have a feeling that this book will be a tough one to read, not just because of the subject matter, but also because of how I think the writing will be stylized. Either way, I'm up for the challenge. Who's with me?

Also, I just found an interesting (and kind of scary story) about the amount of prostitution & sex trafficking for major sporting events. There are several organizations trying to raise awareness about this travesty. Read the original article.

What are you waiting on this week?

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) by Ally Carter review

WARNING: Spoilers for Heist Society may follow this banner. Read at your own risk. Thanks! :)

Kat only thought she could leave her life of crime behind her. After having lead the crew who robbed the Henley, Kat has been on a thieving spree. She has traveled all over the world to reclaim items, long since stolen, to their rightful owners. Now she's being asked to step it up a notch. She's supposed to steal the cursed Cleopatra Emerald, one of the 2 largest emeralds known to man, for the woman whose family actually discovered it.

There are only a few problems with the task. The emerald is cursed, no one has seen it in over 30 years, it's cursed, the "victim" isn't the most trustworthy client, oh and did I mention the emerald is cursed?! Kat & her team of wonder bandits, yes that does include the dashing Hale, are on the hunt & pulling out every trick in the book they know to set the record straight.

But they are just pawns in the biggest con of all...

Three words describe how I feel about this book: NO FREAKING WAY!!! Ally Carter outdoes herself in this roller coaster sequel to the fabulous Heist Society. Every single thing that I enjoyed about the first book is replicated with precision in this next book. The quips & barbs between characters are spot on & enjoyable in a way that I don't think will ever get old. Most marvelous of all the experiences in this book are the cons themselves. Not only are the names amusing & quite telling, but the descriptions of who would do what (and why it won't work) are what make them truly memorable.

We pick back up with Kat after a whirlwind stealing tour of some of the most pricey cities in the world & see her struggling with her emotions. She not too sure how she feels about herself & her role in this plan, but she does know that she's good at what she does. As long as she is on the move she can ignore everything else & lose herself in the work. The one thing she can't ever seem to ignore though is Hale.

And Hale doesn't really know how to reach Kat. He's only mostly one of the team (being that he was originally a mark to be stolen from) and doesn't always know the ins and outs of the business. There are rules & protocols that he wasn't raised with, but he's a quick learner & when he sets his sights on something, he is very driven.

The settings as always were magnificent & full of splendid details that really bring the story to life. Because naturally expensive things tend to live in resplendent locations. If you've enjoyed Heist Society or even Carter's Gallagher Girls series, then Uncommon Criminals is just the next natural step on the road of awesome! Who's with me?!

Book graciously provided by Disney Hyperion.