Wish List Wednesday - Number Sixty-Seven

So I think this is what they’re calling a New Adult novel – a novel based around a MC who’s late teens and early 20s. I have to admit that I’m really intrigued by these novels and this one has gained my interest.

Eternal Starling

Written by: Angela Corbett

Released: December 6, 2011 by Pendrell Publishing

Summary: A love so strong, even eternity can’t separate them.

Evie Starling has lived a relatively uneventful life hanging out with friends, gossiping about boys, and driving her 1966 Mustang. All of that changes when she moves to Gunnison, Colorado, to start college and meets two mysterious men.

For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie—but they each have their own reasons for wanting to be with her. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was. Soon, Evie finds herself in the middle of an age-old battle between the Amaranthine Society—the soul protectors, and the Daevos Resistance—the soul destroyers. With a past she doesn’t understand, and a future rife with danger, Evie has to decide who she can trust. But Alex and Emil aren’t the only ones who want Evie, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.

First off, Evie is driving my dream car – especially if it’s a convertible. But this novel sounds like something that I’ll definitely have to read and very soon since its release date is next week! I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of the soul and whether it’s a real thing that people possess, whether it’s some part of the brain, or if it’s just something that’s been made up. I love reading novels where the soul comes into play and I hope that this one doesn’t disappoint!

Top Ten Tuesday (12)

Soooo... I have way too many books currently on my TBR – a lot of which are sitting prettily on my shelf – so this list wasn’t all that hard to think up. Of course, if I listed all the books that I wanted to read this winter you would be here for quite a while reading and would most likely give up and stop reading. So I decided to list only the books which are sitting on my shelf and I hope to use in the 2012 TR challenge (once I’m able to sign up for it. my internet isn’t fast enough in order to do so).

In no particular order those books are;

1. The Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer.
Now that I have all the pretty, pretty paperback covers I can properly dive into this series with gusto. I read the first novel a while ago from the library and they only had the second one on audio book so I tried but failed to get more of the Jacky story.

2. The Private series (and last Privilege novel) by Kate Brian
Another series that I have in its entirety and haven’t been able to read through. This will happen soon!

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Let the hailstorm begin. I can’t believe that I have yet to read this one!

4. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
I read and loved her first four Sisterhood novels when they first came out and I really want to know how it all really ends.

5. Ten Things Wd Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
This just looks like a great contemporary novel and it’s just sitting on my shelf.

6. Anything by Sarah DessenI’ve only read one book of hers and I want more! Due to my dives into used book stores I’ve collected quite a few of her novels!

7. The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
I absolutely loved I Am Number Four last year when I read it and I need to know what happens to Four and Six next!

8. Novels by Rick RiordanI’ve only read his Percy Jackson series and now I really want to read his Heroes of Olympus and Kane Chronicles novels.

9. Abandon by Meg Cabot
I love Cabot’s books and I have no idea why I haven’t read this one yet.

10. Sisters Red and Sweetly by Jackson Pierce
Fairy tale retellings are my favourite and I need to get around to reading these.

Ok, I cheated and listed way more than 10 books – but you can see where my entire TBR predicament comes from! I’ve made my Goodreads challenge this year already to read 125 books so next year with these ones on my list I hope to read more than that!
As always, check out The Broke and the Bookish for more Top Ten fun!

Leader of the Pack

Raised by Wolves

Written by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Released: June 8, 2010 by EgmontUSA

Summary: Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Oh this review is way overdue. I mean, I read this amazing novel back in September! It’s almost December – that just shows you how backed up my need to review pile is.

I was able to get a signed finished copy of Trial by Fire while at BEA this past May and it gave me the kick I needed to get myself a copy of this novel so that I could read them in order. I was able to find a paperback copy at The Strand (which I need to get back to ASAP because that book store is amazing) but soon realized that paperback wouldn’t cut it (bookworm OCD being what it is with matching covers) so I got a hardcover copy from The Book Depository and quickly started to read.

I loved this novel. I loved the characters, I’m a sucker for werewolves, and it was just an all-over amazing novel.

Bryn is an amazing voice to read about and follow. Her need for separation is something that is easily understood but at the same time you see that she needs something more in her life as well. Then in comes Chase and her entire world is upended and everything that she knows changes.

From the very beginning you’re thrown into the world of the pack, the life of Bryn, and non-stop action. You get several plot twists, different plot lines, and a culmination of events at the climax that just about makes your heart stop beating.

This was the first novel of Barnes’ that I have read and it definitely won’t be the last. I can’t wait for the third novel in this series, Taken by Storm to come out next May. I’m giving this novel an 8.5/10!

Ps: Can I have a best friend like Devon? I would love to have a big burly guy who also has a penchant for show tunes as a bestie. Also, I would want Lake to teach me how to hustle pool!

Life is a Masquerade, My Friend

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Written by: Stephanie Perkins

Released: September 29, 2011 by Dutton

Summary: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

I don’t think that I will ever be able to convey the amount of love that I have for this novel so I’m not even going to try because I’ll just end up talking in circles. Seriously, this is the type of book that I wanted to start reading all over again as soon as I finished the last page. I loved it even more than Anna and the French Kiss and I loved that book a lot!

Lola is such a strongly voiced character who you just can’t help but love. You follow her through this amazing journey of self discovery and first love and it’s so hard to tear your eyes away from the pages of her story.

And can I just quickly mention Cricket? Where can I find a Cricket of my own? I would love a guy who would let me paint his nails blue and who would cross between houses on a ladder just to get to me. Yeah, he’s also a genius and super beyond sweet. Please, someone find me a guy like this. It can be my Christmas gift, ok?

This is a novel that I’m going to be passing along for years to come, just like it was passed on to me (Thanks again Brenna!!!).

Lola is the type of novel that you really just have to experience for yourself so rush out and buy, borrow, or – well don’t steal it but you get what I mean. I give it a 10/10!

Love, love, love!

The Hail Mary Pass

Catching Jordan

Written by: Miranda Kenneally

Released: December 1, 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Summary: What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

I was a little sceptical that I would like this novel. I know nothing about football (hell, nothing about sports) and I’ll admit that I was a little worried that I would be left wondering what the hell the characters were talking about.

Well, I had nothing to fear.

Sure, there were sports analogies and sport talk but it was done in a way that I wasn’t left scratching my head. No, this is an amazingly well written contemporary novel that has roots in love, family, and friendship (as well as football).

Jordan is the type of girl who I think I would have been incredibly intimidated of in high school. The girl is written as being pretty (though I think that it’s in that modest way which means she’s gorgeous) and an all-state footballer who has no sense of guys other than being one of them. Plus she’s a regular Amazon woman. I would have cowered in fear that she would body check me into a locker and then laugh at my hair. But, that’s simply not the case. Jordan is as clueless as anyone when it comes to the fine art of boys (as in dating them) and it was sweet reading about her trip into the deep end. Plus, the girl knows no bounds when it comes to the art of conversation. I loved how blunt she was and how no topic seemed to be taboo. Hell, the girl comes right out and talks about her sex life to a fellow female classmate – not someone who’s a close friend either – as if it’s no big deal. I chuckled at that scene and shook my head.

This novel isn’t just about first love or football, it’s about going after what you really want. Jordan wants nothing more than to play college-level football for Alabama and she’s bound and determined to make it happen. But this novel is also about realizing when you need to bend and maybe try something new and strange in order to get what you really want.

Whether you’re a sports fan or not this is an amazing novel. In this novel I have found a new literary crush in Sam Henry and I’m just about to pre-order my very own copy of this book from The Book Depository. I’m giving it a 9/10 and a high recommendation for you to read it if you want a good contemporary novel.

I received my copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.