Waiting on Wednesday #8: One Past Midnight + Dissonance

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are just waiting to have our hands on!

Title: One Past Midnight
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Publication: Walker Childrens/Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Expected Release Date: July 22nd 2014
Pre-order or buy on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

SYNOPSIS:

Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.

Until now, that is... 

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking?

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS also known as THE EMBRACE SERIES, stand alone novel, BETWEEN THE LIVES and has an exciting new duology called DISRUPTION on the way in 2014.

An entrepreneur, author, and mother living in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is also a 2011 & 2012 finalist for Cosmopolitan’s annual Fun, Fearless Female Award. She’s also one of the lucky few who met the love of her life at age seventeen: Matt Shirvington, a former Olympian and current sports broadcaster for Foxtel and Fox Sports. Married for twleve years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica knows her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels.

Title: Dissonance

Author: Erica O'Rourke

Publication: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Expected Release Date: July 22nd 2014

Pre-order it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

SYNOPSIS:
Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

I write books about girls who make their own fate and fall for boys they shouldn't.

I live outside Chicago. I like to travel but I'll never really leave this city. 

I prefer cookies to cake (even cupcakes), television to movies, and autumn to all the other seasons.

I like sushi, naps, coffee, and driving stick shift. 

I hate fish, emoticons, bridges, and talking about myself.

Look at those beautiful covers too! Ack! Check out more books to look forward to next week! Thanks Misfit Booknerds!

{Blog Tour}: ARC Review: Fan Art by Sarah Tregay + Giveaway

Title: Fan Art

Author: Sarah Tregay
Publication: June 17th 2014, Katherine Tegen Books
Format: ARC,
Source: From the author! Thank you Sarah!
Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indie Bound | Kobo | iBooks | National Book Store / FullyBooked (PH)

SYNOPSIS:

Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.

As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?

This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.

Misfit Review: 
* I was given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.

There are new possibilities whenever I read stories about guy on guy relationships. Jamie is gay, who has just come out  to his family but can never do so in his school or community. Being gay as many would know, is subject to taunts and threats. Jamie would rather not go through that.

At night I dream we live in a David Levithan novel
a world set to music and lit like Broadway---
each moment deep, magical, and underscored by
the simple and profound, like a Beatle's
song.

I was never one to get away from a story such as Fan Art since I am a huge fan of David Levithan. Fan Art captures the struggles of bout and the joys of coming out in the simplest of ways. Jamie is not really an intriguing character to begin with for he laid it out in the first place for the readers to know who he was. He's sweet, caring and scared that changes to how he interacts with everyone will jeopardize his humanity and his friendship with Mason, whom he fell in love with.

I did not just check out my besfriend, did I?

Oh Mason, Darren Criss inspired Mason. He's adorable. You really can't tell much about him except that he's an amazingly kind friend. He has his flaws which grabbed me but I felt that Mason was not much of a character to grasp fully and cuddle forever.

Eden squeezes my hand back and says, "Sometimes I wish things weren't so complex."
"Like, so I wouldn't have to come out? Yeah."
"Like,if people didn't care if love was love."
"Love is love."

The real relationship I really had a connection to was Eden's and Jamie's. Having two people talk about their gender preference and their hesitation to fully let go of their walls, struck me. It was easy to just read everything. I felt like I was part of their conversations. It was humorous and sad at the same time. Eden with her bluntness and Jamie with his reservations made me think at times while reading that they were perfect for each other. "I WANT THEM TOGETHER SO BAD", was the thought that ran through my head as I read their parts. I laughed so hard too. Their relationship in the book brought a sunshine I wanted to be under in.

While there is the lightness in the theme, there was also the apparent negativity towards one of the major themes of the books which is "being openly gay". I wanted to smack the characters so badly but in the corner of my mind, I understood that the topic at hand was still so fragile even in a place like USA, which, as many believe is a liberated country. Queer people are subject to bullying and some of the characters like Lia and Nick are either disgusted or humored by the idea of someone being gay.

Sarah Tregay has touched a theme that is both intriguing and in so many ways, so familiar to others. The story is a lighter take on the theme since I've noticed that some protagonists either feel defeated and suicidal or just too desperate to be noticed. I enjoyed how it was not plot-twisty. It was plain and simple, straight to the point and I appreciated it. It wasn't boring at all and it didn't leave me hanging. There are times though that I had to pause every 10 pages to keep myself sane.

Tregay's writing style is pure and sweet and the incorporation of poems were absolutely raw and honest that every teenager who may stumble upon this novel will relate to it.

Fan Art is fluffy, honest and a small force that can uplift anyone's spirits. It is for everyone. Grab it. You will not regret it.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Raised without television, Sarah started writing her own middle grade novels after she had read all of the ones in the library. She later discovered YA books, but never did make it to the adult section. When she's not jotting down poems at stoplights, she can be found hanging out with her "little sister" from Big Brothers Big Sisters or stressing over performance classes at a model horse show.

She has both a Bachelors and Masters of Fine Art in graphic design, and her obsession with typography and layout naturally translates into formatting poetry on the page.

She lives in Eagle, Idaho with her husband, two Boston Terriers, and an appaloosa named Mr. Pots.

{Book Blitz} Excerpt + Giveaway: Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune

Title: Coral & Bone
Author: Tiffany Daune
Publication: July 7th 2014, Jester Ink Press
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Buy it on: Amazon

SYNOPSIS:

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame. 

Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all.

EXCERPT 

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

I write stories about magick, love and dark creatures lurking in the shadows. When I'm not lost in Edit Land you can find me reading a book from my towering TBR pile or at the movie theater nibbling licorice. I don't have a lucky number, but my favorite time is 11:11. I completely believe that the fortunes found inside cookies will come true and that you must be careful when wishing on stars. I live on an island, so if you want to visit you'll need a boat, and if you want to survive the passage, be sure to bring candy for the mermaids.

Keep posted on more book tours here at the blog! Thanks XpressoBookTours! And thank you Misfit Booknerds for all your wonderful support!

Waiting on Wednesday #7: Midnight Thief + FOUR: A Divergent Story Collection

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are just waiting to have our hands on!

Title: Midnight Thief (Midnight Thief #1)
Author: Livia Blackburne
Publication: Disney-Hyperion
Expected Release Date: July 8th 2014
Pre-order it on: Amazon | Barnes And Noble | Indie Bound | iBooks | Kobo

SYNOPSIS: 

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.

But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.

When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

1. I write fantasy. Most often YA fantasy, but sometimes I branch out.

2. I was born in Taiwan, raised in Albuqurque, and spent my twenties in Boston, where I studied biochemistry at Harvard and neuroscience at MIT.

3. I started my debut novel Midnight Thief in high school, because writing a novel was the only way I could get out of the mandatory camping requirement. I finished about 60 pages. They were 60 awful, awful pages.

4. I finished Midnight Thief 12 years later, because writing a novel was the only way I could keep my sanity while conducting my doctoral research. This time, I got to 370 pages, and they were much less awful than the initial 60.

5. I write a blog about psychology and neuroscience for writers. You can check it out here.

6. Like every good Asian kid, I played the piano as a child. I don’t do that as much anymore, but I still love to sing and dance.

7. I’m horrible at any sports that involve fast moving projectiles, and I dislike most sports that involve highly repetitive movements (running, swimming, biking, etc.). This leaves basically dancing and martial arts.

8. When I wanted sweets as a child, my mother would give me one M&M. I thought that was normal, and to this day, have very low tolerance for sweets. One bite of chocolate bar, half a scoop of ice cream is about all I can take.

9. If I had to choose one author with the biggest influence on my reading and writing development, it would be Tamora Pierce.

10. Some of my favorite books: Graceling by Kristen Cashore, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Plain Kate by Erin Bow, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.

Title: Four: A Divergent Story Collection

Author: Veronica Roth

Publication: Katherine Tegen Books

Expected Release Date: July 8th 2014

Pre-order it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Indie Bound | iBooks | The Book Depository

SYNOPSIS:  

Two years before Beatrice Prior made her choice, the sixteen-year-old son of Abnegation’s faction leader did the same. Tobias’s transfer to Dauntless is a chance to begin again. Here, he will not be called the name his parents gave him. Here, he will not let fear turn him into a cowering child.

Newly christened “Four,” he discovers during initiation that he will succeed in Dauntless. Initiation is only the beginning, though; Four must claim his place in the Dauntless hierarchy. His decisions will affect future initiates as well as uncover secrets that could threaten his own future—and the future of the entire faction system.

Two years later, Four is poised to take action, but the course is still unclear. The first new initiate who jumps into the net might change all that. With her, the way to righting their world might become clear. With her, it might become possible to be Tobias once again.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth comes a companion volume to the worldwide bestselling divergent series, told from the per-spective of the immensely popular character Tobias. The four pieces included here—The Transfer, The Initiate, The Son, and The Traitor—plus three additional exclusive scenes, give readers an electrifying glimpse into the history and heart of Tobias, and set the stage for the epic saga of the Divergent trilogy.

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Veronica Roth is from a Chicago suburb. She studied creative writing at Northwestern University, and wrote DIVERGENT (Katherine Tegen Books, May 2011) and INSURGENT (May 2012). The third and final book in The Divergent Trilogy, ALLEGIANT, will come out on October 22, 2013. In the meantime she will spend endless hours browsing Wikipedia in her pajamas as she eats corn flakes. (Or some other kind of bland breakfast cereal.)

Keep tuned in for more amazing reads to wait for! Check out posts every Wednesday! Thank you Misfit Booknerds!

The Midnight Garden's Summer Giveaway

Summer vacation is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year and spending the summer with your friends, family and awesome piles of books, is what sets your summer vacation apart from the rest! 

This May, The girls at The Midnight Garden are hosting a giveaway with four (4) books:  

(Click on the photo)

Their contest is open to US or Canadian citizens.Those outside these countries are welcome to join as long as they have a US or Canada address they can forward it to.

The Midnight Garden's Summer Giveaway will end May 30, 2014. 

Thanks to The Midnight Garden girls, especially Miss Wendy Darling for giving me the opportunity to share this giveaway! 

Follow Miss Wendy on Twitter: @MissWendyD

Stay tuned to more giveaways and also my very own Misfit Giveaways, okay? Okay.