Waiting on Wednesday: The Art of Falling

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine. It let us spotlight books that haven't been released, but that we can't wait for. This week we've picked The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft  which is scheduled to be released on January 28th, 2014.

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One wrong step could send her over the edge.

All Penny has ever wanted to do is dance—and when that chance is taken from her, it pushes her to the brink of despair, from which she might never return. When she wakes up after a traumatic fall, bruised and battered but miraculously alive, Penny must confront the memories that have haunted her for years, using her love of movement to pick up the pieces of her shattered life.

Kathryn Craft’s lyrical debut novel is a masterful portrayal of a young woman trying to come to terms with her body and the artistic world that has repeatedly rejected her. The Art of Falling expresses the beauty of movement, the stasis of despair, and the unlimited possibilities that come with a new beginning. 

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We can't wait to read this one for a ton of reason. The cover is gorgeous, first of all. And the story sounds intriguing. Also, our very own Michaela is a very dedicated dancer, so whenever books come along about dancer's going after their dreams and facing hardships comes along, our interests are always piqued.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?
Let us know in the comments below!

Review: The Night Circus

The Night Circus 
Erin Morgenstern 
387pages (Hardcover) 
Doubleday 
Goodreads - Amazon  - Barnes&Noble

Blurb: 
  
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart. 

Review: 

This book was fairly big a while back, but only recently did I realize that my library had a copy and I got it right away. And I'm so glad I did.

There are a few things that I really loved about this book. The first thing, the obvious thing, was the story. I didn't get exactly what I expected when I opened this book. I was expecting s story about two people who were performing with each other, trying to outdo the other with pretty displays of sparks and small illusions. I got so much more. The story was so deep. I didn't realize how many people would be involved, how the circus would actually work, or how much I would support both of the characters. It was heart-wrenching knowing that it couldn't end well, but still hoping it would anyway.

I also enjoyed Erin's writing insanely. Everything seemed so eloquent and the descriptions were beautiful. All I wanted through the whole book was to be able to really experience the circus, in real life. Every single tent, exhibit, or show that was described crept into my brain until I could almost feel it. They were all so real to me, and I could perfectly imagine every one. The descriptions were beautiful, the characters were perfectly written out, and every scene pulled me in.

I don't feel like I can gush a whole lot about this one without giving away details and ruining some of the surprises for readers, so I'll just let it be known that I think everyone should read this book, if only because of how gorgeous the writing was.

I'm giving this book a hangover level of 5 out of 5.

Want to purchase the book? Check out the links at the top!

Nerdy Knowledge #2

A Bookworm? 

We've all been called it: a bookworm. Many of us call ourselves bookworms too. I mean, one of our favorite blogs is called Bewitched Bookworms. But, do we actually know what a bookworm is? Does it mean we read a lot? Is it a bad thing? A good thing? We've wanted to now what exactly this term means, and now we're gonna share it.

Literal Definition: 

Bookworm: A person unusually devoted to reading and study. 

In Other Words: 

A bookworm is someone who spends a lot of time reading and/or studying. In our personal opinion, being called a bookworm isn't a bad thing. We feel that people should be proud that they read more than the average.  

     Shout it out to the world, let people know who you truly are. There's no reason to be ashamed. You never know how many friends you could make by admitting that you are a bookworm. Keep on reading, friends.

Waiting on Wednesday: Adrenaline Rush

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine. It let us spotlight books that haven't been released, but that we can't wait for. This week I've picked Adrenaline Rush by Cindy M. Hogan, which is scheduled to be released sometime late October (the 20th according to Amazon and the 26th according to Goodreads).

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A madman with a mission is kidnapping groups of thrill-seeking high school seniors across the country, and it’s up to Christy to stop him.

To do so, she must take on a fearless alter ego and infiltrate a group of adrenaline junkies bent on pushing life to the limit. Death-defying stunts are only the beginning: two groups fit the profile, and Christy must discover the real target before it’s too late.

If she chooses the wrong group, more people will disappear. But choosing right puts her as the prime target—with no guarantee that she’ll get out alive.

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I can't wait to read this one! I heard about it a while back and I really loved the cover. I've always enjoyed books about teens doing undercover and government-type jobs too. Those novels keep me entertained and interested. I also really like the idea of the adrenaline junkies, and I'm wondering how that will fit into the storyline.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Let us know in the comments below!

Waiting on Wednesday: Teardrop

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine. It let us spotlight books that haven't been released, but that we can't wait for. This week I've picked Teardrop by Lauren Kate, which is scheduled to be released on October 22nd, 2013.

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Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before.

But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined.

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I've read a few books by Lauren Kate, consisting of some of her Fallen series. (Although I'm not all caught up and still need to finish the series.) I really enjoyed the first few books that I read and I love the synopsis for this book. The story idea is so intriguing and it sounds really new and fresh. Also, it comes out the day after my birthday!

So what are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Let us know in the comments below!

Review: The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle 
Jeannette Walls
Paperback 288 pages
Scribner
Goodreads - Amazon  - Barnes&Noble

Blurb:  

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn’t stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an “excitement addict.” Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town—and the family—Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents’ betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.


Review: 

Firstly, I probably would have never picked out this book on my own. I was assigned to read Jeannette's memoir for my English class.Secondly, I like this book more than I ever thought I would. It's not only interesting because it's a story, it's interesting because it's Jeannette's life. Her real actual childhood. 

The memoir starts with Jeannette telling readers about how she lives now, then it switches to her childhood, to her first memory. Jeannette's story involves many subject, like alcoholism and neglect. Did she really consider it neglect though? She never tells readers that she does, but that she loves her parents very much. The Walls family moves around a lot but Jeannette and her siblings don't seem to mind.  But settling in one place makes the kids a little uncomfortable. Childhood is never easy, and this book highlights that point.

When I was reading this I couldn't help but think of how I would have reacted if this was how I grew up. Would I have done that same thing as Jeannette or done something differently? Jeannette's story really gives light to what it's like to grow up in poverty and making the best out of everything. I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it to anyone that likes a good read and doesn't mind non-fiction stories. 

Overall, I give The Glass Castle a level 4 hangover. 

Want to purchase the book? Check out the links at the top!

Waiting on Wednesday: Sick

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine. It let us spotlight books that haven't been released, but that we can't wait for. This week I've picked Sick by Tom Leveen, which is scheduled to be released on October 1st, 2013.

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Breakfast Club meets The Walking Dead as a group of unlikely allies tries to survive a deadly outbreak.

Brian and his friends are not part of the cool crowd. They’re the misfits and the troublemakers—the ones who jump their high school’s fence to skip class regularly. So when a deadly virus breaks out, they’re the only ones with a chance of surviving.

The virus turns Brian’s classmates and teachers into bloodthirsty attackers who don’t die easily. The whole school goes on lockdown, but Brian and his best friend, Chad, are safe (and stuck) in the theater department—far from Brian’s sister, Kenzie, and his ex-girlfriend with a panic attack problem, Laura. Brian and Chad, along with some of the theater kids Brian had never given the time of day before, decide to find the girls and bring them to the safety of the theater. But it won’t be easy, and it will test everything they thought they knew about themselves and their classmates.

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I'm really excited to read this one for a few reasons. The cover really drew me in because I love black and red color schemes. However, the part that really got me interested was the first bit of the blurb. I love both Breakfast Club and The Walking Dead, so I hope this story holds true to what it says, because if it does, I'll probably love it.

What are you waiting on this week?

Let us know in the comments below, or leave a link to your own post.