I have a little-known fact for all of you. From the time I was three to about 15 years old, I did ballet, and that's a big reason I picked today's WoW book. I was in The Nutcracker for three years in a row, and every single time I was a little soldier. No floaty dresses for this girl, obviously, which is why I quit ballet (I was a jealous one), but I digress. There's something atmospheric about this book that has me lusting after it hardcore.

Title: Winterspell

Author: Claire Legrand (Twitter)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR

Publish Date: September 30, 2014

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Pages: 464

The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince . . . but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer. Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, her father abducted--by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they're to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets--and a need she can't define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed--if she leaves at all.

Okay, now if that doesn't sound original (and amazing), then I'm a monkey's uncle. Seriously, I've yet to read a paranormal novel that involves a Nutcracker theme with horror, curse-filled backstory, so colour me endlessly intrigued! Plus, that cover has me absolutely lusting over it because it looks so very wicked. Obviously, this is a must-have and a must-read on my list. I'm counting the days. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature from Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Falls the Shadow
Author: Stefanie Gaither (Twitter)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Publish Date: September 16, 2014
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Mystery
Pages: 352

When Cate Benson was twelve, her sister died. Two hours after the funeral, they picked up Violet’s replacement, and it was like nothing had ever happened. Because Cate’s parents are among those who decided to grant their children a sort of immortality—by cloning them at birth. So this new Violet has the same smile. The same laugh. That same perfect face. Thanks to advancements in mind-uploading technology, she even has all the same memories as the girl she replaced. She also might have murdered the most popular girl in school.

Or at least, that’s what the paparazzi and crazy anti-cloning protesters want everyone to think: that clones are violent, unpredictable monsters. Cate is used to hearing all that, though. She’s used to standing up for her sister too, and she’s determined to prove her innocence now—at whatever the cost. But the deeper she digs for the truth, the further Cate's carefully-constructed life begins to unravel, unveiling a world filled with copies and lies, where nothing and no one—not even her sister— is completely what they seem.

I'm all about sci-fi this year, or so it seems. The stories just seem to be getting more quirky, more edgy and far more dangerous, which excites me because I obviously like the twisted tales. There's something about cloning that seems inherently wrong - and terrifying - to me, and a novel that explores the potential negative ramifications of it seems like a gold mine of possibilities. Plus, that cover is going to haunt my dreams. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature from Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Choker
Author: Elizabeth Woods
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Publish Date: January 4, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 241
Source: Personal Copy

Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.

Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

Choker is one of those novels that is going to either find ardent fans of the story, or those ardently opposed to it. As most of my readers know, I enjoy dark stories. There is something to be said about the depth of them. It's almost as though in these dark, lurking and brooding stories, we can actually find out the most about ourselves and human nature because we're forced to rely on all of our senses, rather than simply listening to intuition. This novel, however, I must say elicited some pretty strong feelings on my part, as it really is a no-holds-barred take on psychology, pain and loss. Elizabeth Woods offers up some fantastic (and disturbing) storytelling that will keep you awake and thinking for hours - days, even - to come.

I think the strongest attribute of Choker was the writing style. Ms. Woods doesn't just tell us what is happening to Cara, Ethan, Zoe and the secondary characters. Rather, she paints us a vivid, graphic picture of what's happening, all the while keeping us guessing with hairpin turns and plot twists throughout. I'll admit that I completely guessed the outcome of the story, and that lessened my shock as we neared the climax of the novel, but it didn't take away from the graphic storytelling. Choker doesn't shy away from bordering on the uncomfortable. It embraces that darkness and, despite a pretty pink cover, this novel truly reaches those depths of the human condition. I had a few issues with some of the glaring plot holes, such as the absentee parents, which I felt really detracted from the plausibility of the end revelation. I feel if these missing links had been included, the novel might have worked a bit better for me.

Overall, Choker was a well-written, expertly-crafted and extremely disturbing story. Even though I guessed it, I was still immensely uncomfortable with the outcome, and I think that's a testament to the author's ability to make us feel something in the end. I give this book a high 3.5 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction, mysteries and thrillers.

Title: Two Lies and a Spy
Author: Kat Carlton (Twitter)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publish Date: September 3, 2013
Genre: YA, Mystery
Pages: 256
Source: Publisher

When sixteen-year-old Kari’s dad sends her an unexpected text, she and her brother immediately go into hiding. Because when your parents are superspies and your dad declares a Code Black, it can only mean something bad. Very bad.

Kari soon discovers that her parents have been disavowed and declared traitors, and she’s determined to clear their names. Breaking into the Agency seems like a reasonable plan, especially with the help of a team that includes her longtime crush, Luke, as well as her two best friends—an expert hacker with attitude and a master martial artist—and Luke’s popular, vindictive twin sister. Oh, and a new guy, who’s as cute as he is complicated...

Kari's life isn't so black and white. With parents who work as top-level spies, she's learned to live her life in varying shades of grey because nothing is really ever quite what it seems. But a Code Black changes everything. Once her father declares it, she knows that something is really wrong, and she knows that she must do anything (and everything) she can to help her parents clear their names. The life of a spy is difficult though, and adding a teenage crush on top if it can only make things more crazy.

It's time for a confession. I have a thing for mysteries. Whether they be books, shows, films...whatever...I love them. What I really love though, is a mystery that is well thought out, well executed and engaging throughout. Two Lies and a Spy offers the young adult crowd all that and more.   Author, Kat Carlton, has given readers a lovable and fiercely independent protagonist in whom we find a heroine worthy of our praise. Twists, turns and young love abounds, making this book a heck of a ride.

For some reason, despite the lack of hype for Two Lies and a Spy, this premise immediately spoke to me, and I knew I had to get my paws on it. I was right, too. Kari was such a fantastic protagonist, and I loved that we were given a strong, empowering girl to follow on this mysterious journey. Perhaps the most endearing quality that I found in her was that, unlike so many other YA characters, Kari actually took the time to think things through before executing her plan, for the most part. She did make one recurring error that irked me a bit, but at the same time, she's a teen under extreme duress, so I can find it believable. On top of Kari's amazing character though, we're also given a host of secondary characters, each of whom is complete with a full set of character traits and a character arc of their own. The thought that went into the this, as well as the interactions between Kari and the other characters of the novel including, but not limited to Luke and Evan, really served to heighten this mystery experience. The one downfall I saw coming was a bit of a love triangle starting to emerge - you all know how I feel about those. Frankly, I find it to be a crutch. If a girl likes a guy, dang it. Stick to that. Give us something legitimate to build upon. However, it was luckily just a minor hiccup, and the story kept spiraling us further along. The mystery element was, at times, far fetched, but it was fun, and it definitely surprised me near the end, which is something not too many mystery books can do. The story wraps up nicely, despite a cliffhanger ending, and I felt satisfied and intrigued. 

Overall, Two Lies and a Spy was a fun, fast and engaging book. While it might fly under the radar for some, it's great read, and I definitely want to continue on Kari's journey. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I recommend this book to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Guys, I am SO excited to share with you today a book that I recently read and absolutely adored! For those of you who've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of thrillers, and when an action-packed, well-developed story hits my reading radar, you'd better believe I want to share it with all of my amazing readers. I'll be posting my review for the book this coming Thursday, but until then, here's a little bit about the book...plus a chance for two people to win!

Title: Two Lies and a Spy

Author: Kat Carlton (Facebook)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publish Date: September 3, 2013

Genre: YA, Thriller

Pages: 256

When sixteen-year-old Kari’s dad sends her an unexpected text, she and her brother immediately go into hiding. Because when your parents are superspies and your dad declares a Code Black, it can only mean something bad. Very bad.

Kari soon discovers that her parents have been disavowed and declared traitors, and she’s determined to clear their names. Breaking into the Agency seems like a reasonable plan, especially with the help of a team that includes her longtime crush, Luke, as well as her two best friends—an expert hacker with attitude and a master martial artist—and Luke’s popular, vindictive twin sister. Oh, and a new guy, who’s as cute as he is complicated...

Doesn't that sound amazing?! I really enjoyed it, and I just know you will, too. The wonderful folks at Simon & Schuster have afforded me the opportunity to provide two (2) lucky readers to win a finished copy of Two Lies and a Spy. This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only and ends promptly at midnight on September 9, 2013. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter to enter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Title: Burn for Burn
Author: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Publish Date: September 18, 2012
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Lillia, Kat and Mary have been through teenage hell and back. Literally. Each, in their own way, has been wronged by those friends they thought they could trust the most. Rather than wanting to curl up in a ball and block out the world though, these girls want revenge. They want to get even, and for them, payback really is a bitch. But revenge isn’t clean. It’s messy business and there are always casualties in the process. Through all the plotting, scheming and planning the perfect revenge, they must make sure to watch their own backs because life is about to get a whole lot messier.

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure I wanted to read Burn for Burn when I first saw the synopsis. It seemed like your run of the mill, trite and oddly overplayed highschool drama and, frankly, that’s the part of contemporary fiction that makes me want to gauge my own eyeballs out. I digress. Burn for Burn pleasantly surprised me though, adding rich layers of depth to a story that could have otherwise fallen horribly flat. Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian give us three very distinct and different characters, complete with their own mess of baggage to truck around through the novel. Through thoughtful and precise storytelling, we watch as the girls spin their webs of lies and deceit – if only to achieve the perfect art of revenge. And trust me…it’s truly an art.

There is so much about Burn for Burn that I loved. The way these girls plotted and schemed was brilliant (and terrifying) to watch. They wanted revenge at pretty much any and all costs. Written through alternating perspectives, we’re allowed an inside glimpse into Lillia, Kat and Mary’s minds, and we’re given the chance to understand exactly what warped them into the girls they are today. At times, I felt like the self-discovery within their respective chapters was a bit tedious, but it also lent a very tangible air, giving them more vulnerability and likeability. Slowly but surely, we’re enveloped in the messy world of Burn for Burn where revenge really is an art form. These girls are twisty and cruel and bitterly angry, but it makes the story real, and it makes it far easier to access some semblance of emotion for them. I was surprised by a slight paranormal turn of events nearing the end of the story, which threw me for a loop for a while, but it was well-played in terms of the plotline. I definitely related to Kat and Mary’s reasoning better because I felt Lillia was a bit weak compared to the other two girls, but overall, they balanced quite well. My one real bone to pick with Burn for Burn is that it ended so dang abruptly. Guys, you know how I feel about crash-landing endings, and this is one of those. I felt like we wound all the way up, and then the story dropped off the face of the earth which, unfortunately, left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

Overall though, Burn for Burn was a solid, guilty-pleasure sort of read. I can’t say it was the deepest, but it was definitely fast-paced, and it was a quick read that, for the most part, I really enjoyed. I give it a very strong 3.5 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary and touches of paranormal.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.