Waiting on Wednesday: Cold Spell (Fairytale Retellings #4) by Jackson Pearce

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.

We all know by now how much I enjoy a good retelling & Jackson Pearce is the queen of these! With her 4th installment in the loosely connected Fairytale Retellings series Cold Spell is sure to make an impression on its November 5 arrival.

Kai and Ginny grew up together–best friends since they could toddle around their building’s rooftop rose garden. Now they’re seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.

But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora–a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.

If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved–and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him?

Jackson Pearce, author of the acclaimed SISTERS RED and FATHOMLESS, has returned with a unique vision of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” one about power and redemption, failure and hope, and the true meaning of strength.

From Goodreads

This is a bit different of a story as it's not necessarily one of the more well-known fairy tales. It has been done in countless versions in many cultures, but the most recent adaptation will come from Disney in the form of its upcoming movie Frozen. Something tells me though that Ms. Pearce's book will be better than anything Disney could dream up. 

Do you know The Snow Queen story? Have you read other fairytale retellings? What are you waiting on this week?

Autographed Giveaway & Cover Reveal from Amy Helmes & Kim Askew!

Authors Kim Askew and Amy Helmes are excited to offer a sneak peak at the third book in their “Twisted Lit” series of Shakespeare-inspired YA novels. I was fortunate enough to score an interview with these incredibly talented women in December. Be sure to check that out for more inside scoop on what they're cooking up next. This time around, they’ve put their unique spin on Romeo & Juliet. Published by Merit Press, Anyone But You will be released in January, and is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Powell’s. (None of these are affiliate links as I do not participate in those programs.)

Anyone But You: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (Book #3 in the Twisted Lit series) by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Summary:

Two Italian restaurants, both alike in dignity, in Chicago’s Little Italy where we lay our scene... After her family’s struggling eatery, Cap’s, falls prey to another of the Monte clan’s vicious and destructive pranks, sixteen-year-old Gigi Caputo finds herself courting danger during a clandestine encounter with Roman Monte, the very boy whose relatives have brought her family such grief. When the daughter and son of these two warring factions fall for each other, their quest to mend this bitter family feud turns out to be a recipe for disaster.

Their story is irrevocably linked to the summer of 1933, when two twelve-year-olds, Benny and Nick, hop the turnstile at the Chicago World’s Fair. While enjoying some of the fair’s legendary amusements, Nick has a “love at first sight” encounter with Stella, a young girl who unintentionally causes a lasting rift between the two boyhood pals. Deftly winding its way through past and present day, this modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet has much to do with hate — but more with love.

http://twistedlitbooks.com/

Now on to the giveaway! Since I really loved Tempestuous these lovely ladies have agreed to let me giveaway an autographed copy of it to one of you lovely readers! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win. Must be 13 years or old & have a US mailing address.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday: Through the Zombie Glass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2) by Gena Showalter

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.

Many of you may remember how much I enjoyed Alice in Zombieland from last year. Well I'm in for a treat, and so are the rest of the zombie reimagining fans, because Through the Zombie Glass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2) by Gena Showalter is coming out September 24! While I'm not sure how many books we'll get in the series, I for one intend on enjoying as many as she is willing to write! Obviously spoilers for book one below!

Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home. After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

From Goodreads

How does that sound for "different"? I must admit that I was quite skeptical that this could be pulled off, let alone done well, but Gena has a serious talent. I'm drawn to the characters & very interested in the unique group dynamics that the slayers represent. Mostly though I really want to know what the summary is talking about when it mentions mirrors & Ali losing her mind. That is definitely not something that can happen when there are flesh-eating zombies trying to kill you all the time.

Are you excited about this next installment? Have you read the first one? What are you waiting on this week?

June Genreflecting: Review: Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma's stories about Briar Rose. But a promise Rebecca makes to her dying grandmother will lead her on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma's astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose. A journey that will lead her to unspeakable brutality and horror. But also to redemption and hope.
From Goodreads
What grandmother doesn't tell fairy tales to her grandchildren? Gemma is a natural storyteller, but she only ever tells the same story, the exact same way every time. Briar Rose, or as most people know her Sleeping Beauty, is a familiar tale about love, loss, and rallying your strength after the loss. For Rebecca's whole life she's heard Gemma tell the tale. She's heard it so much that she even knows it by heart, including the part where Gemma swears she is the girl in the tale. Rebecca makes the promise to discover the truth behind the story to her dying grandmother. The adventure that ensues is one that no one could have foreseen.
Told in alternating chapters of present day situations and Gemma's version of the fairy tale, Briar Rose is sorrowful, but important book about survivors. Being the descendants of Polish Jews, you can't expect that everyone made it out of the Holocaust alive, but the truth is even more shocking than that. Since we don't know the grandmother's version of the fairy tale from the beginning, we learn it as we move through the story so that we can piece the whole puzzle together.
Expertly researching and written, this book is a testament to Holocaust fiction. It was a unique twist on an otherwise dark story. That's not to say there aren't some dark portions to the tale, but it was considerably less than I was expecting with something of this nature. What really drew me in was the hidden truth. There are so many clues and so many directions they point in that even the characters are overwhelmed, but they are fairly easily navigated & accounted for until the complete truth is clear. 
As for the fantasy element, this was no where near a normal fantasy. It falls under the fairy tale retelling section, but just barely. The whole premise is based around the Briar Rose story and while true life does mirror the fairy tale, it takes until the end of the story for us to really see that. Normally in retellings you get the sense of deja vu or something that automatically reminds you of the original tale. That being said, it still counts and is a special version of a retelling. You can't go into it thinking you're going to get a regular story, but what you get is so much more.
Be sure to come back next Friday when I review Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore and host a giveaway!

Waiting on Wednesday: A Midsummer Night's Scream by R.L. Stine

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.

I am so excited for today's book! R.L. Stine is one of the authors that I loved to read as a kid. Luckily, I won a copy of this book through a giveaway during Armchair BEA. His newest book A Midsummer Night's Scream is set for a July 2 release and as soon as I'm done with it I plan on sending it to my sister since she's just a large a fan of Shakespeare and R.L. Stine as I am! Read the synopsis and enjoy!

Get ready for laughter to turn into screams in R.L. Stine's re-imagining of Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Everyone knows that Mayhem Manor is cursed. After production on the horror film was stopped due to a series of mysterious deaths, it became a Hollywood legend--which makes it perfect for Claire and her family. If they can successfully finish the film, it should be enough to save their ailing movie studio.

Sure, the old haunted house is creepy, and strange stuff has been happening, but this is Claire's chance. Her chance to become the movie star she's always dreamed and her chance to finally convince her friend Jake that she is girlfriend material. Of course, the fact that Jake thinks he's in love with her best friend, Delia, who is crushing hard on Jake's friend Shawn, who insists on following Claire around, could be a problem, but Claire is sure she can figure it out. After all, the course of true love never did run smooth.

But once shooting starts, "creepy and strange" morph into "bloody and deadly," as the lines between film and reality begin to blur...

From Goodreads

Being one of my favorite plays almost guaranteed this book a spot near the top of my TBR pile, add in the re-imagined element and I was sold! This looks to be equal parts horrifying and fun. Knowing Stine, it'll be just the right amount of scary. Are you excited for this one? Do you have any Stine favorites?

Exposure (Twisted Lit #2) by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes review

Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! 

In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. 

Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs?

From Goodreads

Skye has mostly coasted through high school on the fringe of every social group. She knows who to talk to & who to avoid in order to make as few waves as possible. Having spent the majority of her high school years in the art room's darkroom developing photos the "old way" while pining after her could-have-been-her-boyfriend acquaintance Craig, Skye never really got to know much about anything outside of her own little world.

All of that changes when she is suddenly thrust into the middle of a tragic accident. While not directly involved, she knows the truth about what happened that night at the party. Even worse, she knows that she should do something about it, but her paralyzing fear of doing the wrong thing prevents her from not only doing what's right, but doing what could have saved them all.

We all know I am a big fan of retellings. See my previous love of Jackson Pearce or Stacey Jay's work. This one is another great book to add to that list. While it says "Twisted Lit #2" that's just a loose relation for the other books. Kind of like Jackson Pearce's. If you've read the other books, great, you'll have a more in depth understanding of the relationships. If you haven't read the other books, no biggie, it's not necessary at all!

These women have done a fabulous job in updating the story of Macbeth for the new generation. They seamlessly blended the language of Shakespeare with modern vocabulary. This book strikes a fine balance between the story we all know (and some of us love) and the one that they are presently telling.

The characters are terrific updates to the classical characters. My personal favorites are the three native Alaskan girls as the three witches. I also loved how these characters seemed to embody the original characters not just in their behavior, but in their speech and physicality as well.

The tempo of the book is just right so that you can fully appreciate the work that went into creating this multi-faceted dream of a Shakespearean retelling. I never felt like it was too wordy or that not enough was going on, so it was a fairly quick and enjoyable read.

Please give it a shot! I'll have my review of Tempestuous (Twisted Lit #1) up in a few days. I can't wait to tell you about that one too!

Waiting on Wednesday: Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2) by Stacey Jay

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.



I absolutely devoured Juliet Immortal. Talk about your retellings! Even better, up next is Romeo Redeemed (Juliet Immortal #2) by Stacey Jay set for an October 9 debut. It looks like it is promising to be every bit as consuming as the first.

 All will be revealed for fans who have breathlessly awaited the sizzling sequel to Juliet Immortal. This time Romeo takes center stage and gets one chance, and one chance only, to redeem himself.

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.

From Goodreads

It looks like Romeo is going to get a taste of his own medicine (haha, bad pun) in the form of a new love interest. There is so much potential for where she could take this that I don't even know where to begin. What I do know is that I will be the first in line at the library to snag this one.

What are you waiting on this week? 

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice "Please call me Ali" Bell lives under unusual circumstances. Despite being a teenager, she's never been kissed, never been on a date, & can go toe to toe with her dad in a sparring match. Sounds a bit off, no? That's because Ali's dad is convinced that there are monsters that only come out at night to prey off the living, so in order to keep his father safe he has forearmed them with tactical maneuvers,  keeps them locked in their home after nightfall & paces their house until daylight. Ali's always thought her dad was off his rocker, until her birthday. That night changed her world in the time it would have taken her to blow out her candles.

Now an orphan, living with her grandparents, & transferring to her parents' old high school, Ali is just trying to make it through life day by day. Of course life has other plans when it forces her to collide with Cole Holland. A mysterious rebel with a notorious temper, Cole can't seem to keep away from Ali. But his intentions may not be as sinister as Ali fears, but they do involve the monsters.

This was a masterful retelling of a classic book. There are some great elements from Alice in Wonderland incorporated into this book, while still allowing Zombieland to stand on its own. Ali is a unique young woman that I thoroughly enjoyed following around throughout her misadventures. Her tone & emotional reactions to everything she experiences allows a serious look into how a "normal" person might actually respond to such unbelievable circumstances.

Her relationships are quite central to her storyline. The progression of these relationships (family, friends, & lovers) not only helps move the story along, but also highlights Ali's state of mind & perception. While I must admit that Cole & Kat's mood swings nearly gave me whiplash a few times, for the most part they are understandable. There are also quite a few characters to keep up with. While I think the core will remain at about 7, many more are mentioned by name & turn up quite often.

Having only read a few of her adult works (and none of her other YA works) I don't have a lot to compare with this book. Needless to say, I thoroughly devoured it! Gena's ability to manipulate a scene & evoke specific emotions/reactions to certain events creates an uncanny world for the reader to explore. I was especially intrigued by the zombie mythology. It's definitely one of the more unique descriptions I've heard for their existence & I refuse to give it away because the scene in which it is revealed is so fantastic that I would hate for you to miss out on that kind of excitement & bewilderment.

Short version: you need to read this book. Even if you're not a big fan of zombies, they play more of a background role to that of Ali & her friends. Just give it a shot.

Waiting on Wednesday: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

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.

I am not the biggest fan of zombies. I've tried several different versions of zombies (Generation Dead, Feed, etc) and while I seem to favor the "survivalist scenario" version of them, this book was different. It wasn't quite survivalist, but Ali definitely kicks some major butt! (My review is coming tomorrow, so be sure to check back.) Meanwhile, feast your peepers on the blurb for the highly anticipated September 25 release of Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter.

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….


I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

From Goodreads

I love how this book seems to combine elements of the traditional "Alice" story with zombies & romance. I promise you, this book is every bit as alluring as it promises!

What awesomeness are you waiting on this week? 

Fathomless (Fairytale Retellings #3) by Jackson Pearce review

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

From Goodreads

Celia doesn't really know how to be herself. She has always just been one third of the triplet set in the Reynolds family. With a long-dead mother, a father with Alzheimer's & much older brothers, Celia has always felt rather isolated. Add to that the fact that she & her sisters share extra-sensory powers & you've got a recipe for a more-frustrated-than-usual teenager.

Lo is just a sea girl. She has been one for quite some time & doesn't really remember who she was before she became Lo. In a way she doesn't mind, but on the other hand she really can't shake the desire to know her past. The old ones say you can recover your soul & go back to being a land girl if you convince a boy to fall in love with you and then drown him.

In walks Jude, the answer to both girls' desires. He's rebellious enough to encourage Celia to find her own voice & caring enough to become caught in Lo's snare when he falls off the pier. And with his involvement the two girls meet & share in their mutual distress.

Jackson Pearce is one heck of a writer. Written with all the flare, attitude, & reverence as her other two books in the fairytale retellings series (Sisters Red & Sweetly) Fathomless has earned its stripes. I've mentioned before that I am not a fan of mermaid stories & that still holds true; but this book was about so much more than a mermaid that I could suspense my aversion. Lo & Celia contrast just enough to strike a fine balance between their stories. One girl can't seem to shake everyone else's past while the other has the need to chase her own past.

Through in a rather self-assured, yet compassionate young guy (Jude) and you've got a great recipe for conflict. It was amazing to watch the two girls have their own experiences with him that overlapped just enough that neither one caught sight of the other. I enjoyed how their stories flowed from one to the other & was enough more surprised by how much I enjoyed Lo's alternate personality. Now that's something you have to read the book to fully appreciate.

All in all I wouldn't change a thing about this continuation of the series. After having finished the book, I was rather excited to sit back & place the information gathered in this story alongside the information gathered form the other stories. An intricate & complex world is being developed & I sincerely hope that when the series "ends" we get to see all those clues come into play together.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fathomless (Fairytale Retellings #3) by Jackson Pearce

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.

It's no secret that I LOVE Jackson Pearce's fairytale retellings. Between Sisters Red & Sweetly, I absolutely cannot wait for Fathomless (Fairytale Retellings #3) to be release on September 4. As my birthday is on the 8th, I will be picking this one up as a birthday gift to myself. Check out the awesome summary below!

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

From Goodreads 

I'm really excited to see Celia in this one. I love that the Reynolds kids are a binding agent in these books, but this is the first time we've met a gal from the family. I'm not the biggest fan of mermaids, even though I tried a few of those popular books last year. I have a feeling though that Ms. Pearce will bring what is necessary to grasp my attention.

What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

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.

Words do not fully encompass the desire that I harbor for the October 11th release of Mette Ivie Harrison's Tris & Izzie. This book is one that I absolutely must buy to go on the shelf with my other "modern retellings." Of all the love stories ever written, I truly think this one to be one of my favorites. Close behind it is A Midsummer Night's Dream, but Tristan and Isolde is such a mesmerizing tale, along the lines of Arthur & Guinevere, that I am helpless to resist.

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

From Goodreads

I believe another drool-factor to be the cover. I could definitely see this posted up on my wall. There are very few book covers I could look at day after day, but this is definitely one of the ones I would choose to look at all the time. Let's hope it lives up to my desires! What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fortune of Carmen Navarro

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.

The Fortune of Carmen Navarro by Jen Bryant is set to be released November 9th. This style of retelling famous stories has caught on quickly with me & being that I studied Carmen by Prosper Mérimée in French, in France, I think this one will be a big hit with me. I hope you all are enjoying this retelling resurgence as much as me.

Carmen Navarro rings up customers at the Quikmart, bored to tears. It’s a job, and she needs it. But Carmen’s true love is music: she dropped out of high school to sing with the Gypsy Lovers and land a recording contract, someday.

Just a few miles away, Ryan Sweeney hunches over his books, a studious cadet with his eye on West Point. There’s not a single girl at the Valley Forge Military Academy, and that’s fine by him.

But when Ryan, on a day pass from campus, spots Carmen, with her shining black hair and snake tattoo, his pulse quickens. Carmen, who normally rolls her eyes at the stiff Academy soldados, can tell this one is different. She slips him a note: “Come hear my band.” A romance begins, unlikely, passionate . . . and quickly imbalanced. In an enthralling narrative of obsessive love, the novel builds to a stunning close.

Inspired by the novella and opera Carmen, Jen Bryant creates a strong-minded and alluring heroine in this contemporary tale of tragic love.

From Goodreads

How tantalizing does that sound? Even if it wasn't based on the famous novella, I think this storyline would still have attracted my attention. I'm hoping Jen Bryant can be as magical in her future endeavors. What are you waiting on this week?

Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings #1) by Jackson Pearce

Scarlett and Rosie March are hunters. They eat, sleep, and breath hunting. We're not talking about rabbits & ducks; these girls hunt Fenris, wolves. These monsters take on men's forms to lure in young girls who they devour. After a horrific Fenris attack that left Scarlett horribly scarred with an eye patch & their grandmother dead, the girls began training with the Pa Reynolds, their neighborhood woodsmen. Growing up with Pa Reynolds's son Silas, the girls do their duty to protect their homeland.

When another wolf ambles by looking for the Potential, all three teen's senses are on alert. They decide to move to the city in search of better luck tracking the Potential & taking down the wolf population in the process. But Rosie isn't really in to it all. Silas, who has just returned from a year long hiatus in San Francisco, can see it in her eyes and encourages her to explore other activities. Rosie discovers that not only does she enjoy these other activities, but she actually has an aptitude for something besides throwing daggers. Scarlett is determined to put a stop to the turning of the Potential. Silas is torn between his heart's desire & his duty.

One thing is for sure, none of these three will ever be the same & the Fenris don't stand a chance against them united.

This was an interesting twist on the Little Red Riding Hood tale. This time though, Little Red Riding Hood doesn't necessarily need the woodsman to save her. These girls are tough and determined. They are presented as two parts of the same heart which is very understandable given their traumatic experience as children. Put together they really would make a dynamic person, but as two individuals they can't possibly remain together forever. Silas really is just there to throw hormones into the mix. I feel like he didn't really add much to the story other than being a catalyst for Rosie & acting as eye candy.

The Fenris were an interesting group. They really were wolf-possessed men with no souls instead of a traditional werewolf. That was an unexpected element as it made the Little Red Riding Hood background make more sense. I really liked the mythology behind the Potential and how the wolves sought him & found it quite enchanting.

Jackson Pearce is really onto something with this kind of storyline and I look forward to her future works as they seem to be heading down the fables & fairy tales path.

Waiting on Wednesday: Anxious Hearts

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's selection is Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw and is set to be released May 1, 2010 by Amulet Books.

“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”

Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.

A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited.

From Goodreads

I am a sucker for good poetry and "Evangeline" is one of those good ones. It is a beautiful epic poem from the mid-19th century. This story has great potential just because it comes from a great source. Granted, even in the synopsis, it's called a "loose retelling" I still think there is hope. I really enjoyed the film Tristan + Isolde and it was a "loose retelling" of one version of their story. The premise of this book looks promising and I hope I can get my hands on a copy.

So, what are you waiting on?