If you're like me and you've been in a bit of a paranormal funk as of late, you're probably searching for the next gem that'll break you out of that mold. From what I can see, it looks like 2015 is going to have a bit of a resurgence of amazing young adult paranormal novels that, I truly hope, will break the previous mold that was set by the likes of Twilight, etcetera. Here's hoping!

Title: The Stars Never Rise
Author: Rachel Vincent (Twitter)
Publisher: Delacorte
Publish Date: June 9, 2015
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 368

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

In all truth, I've read only a handful of urban fantasy novels. With a twist of paranormal activity and what seems like a pretty badass protagonist, you'd best believe that The Stars Never Rise is hot on my must-read list though. There's something awesomely different about this one - perhaps it's the exorcisms and demons that remind me a bit of Supernatural (still the world's best show, kids) - and I'm loving it. I must read this one. I must read it now. 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.

Fairy tales are my jam, people. There's something about reading those stories that we read when we were little and seeing them come to life in all new ways that really gets the literary lover in me going. I like to think, too, that the magic is still alive, so seeing them portrayed in new ways, new lights and new times gives me great joy. Plus, something about it is just a beautiful breath of fresh air. Colour me sold on all fairy tale retellings.

Title: A Wicked Thing
Author: Rhiannon Thomas (Twitter)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: February 24, 2015
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 352

One hundred years after falling asleep, Princess Aurora wakes up to the kiss of a handsome prince and a broken kingdom that has been dreaming of her return. All the books say that she should be living happily ever after. But as Aurora understands all too well, the truth is nothing like the fairytale.

Her family is long dead. Her “true love” is a kind stranger. And her whole life has been planned out by political foes while she slept. Everyone expects Aurora to marry her betrothed and restore magic and peace to the kingdom before revolution tears it apart. But after a lifetime spent locked in a tower for her own safety, Aurora longs for the freedom to make her own choices. When she meets a handsome rebel, he tempts her to abandon everything for a different kind of life.

As Aurora struggles to make sense of her new world, she begins to fear that the curse has left its mark on her, a fiery and dangerous thing that might be as wicked as the witch who once ensnared her. With her wedding day drawing near, Aurora must make the ultimate decision on how to save her kingdom: marry the prince or run.

First of all, this book is releasing on my birthday, so it has to be amazing. Second of all, Sleeping Beauty was by far my favourite fairy tale growing up, as evidenced by my watching Maleficent three times. There's something about the idea of a Sleeping Beauty that wants a little bit more; an Aurora that might put her own needs first above her own kingdom. I'm intrigued, and I'm totally in love with this cover (even despite hating the pretty girls in dresses trend). Sign me up, people! I'm sold! 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.

It seems like the darker the story, the better these days. I swear that doesn't reflect on my character though! There's just something about books with a little edge, a little extra oomph and a touch of the sinister that really grasp my attention…if only because they really stand out in a myriad of young adult novels. Plus, who can resist a twist on history? That's right. You can't.

Title: The Cure for Dreaming
Author: Cat Winters (Twitter)
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publish Date: October 14, 2014
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 368

Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud.

These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women.

Suffragists? A stubborn young girl that's silenced through hypnotism? Colour me utterly intrigued. Ever since we suffered through a hypnotist at my senior prom, I've been pretty convinced that hypnotism is possible, but to what extent? This novel seems to present a curious combination of my favourites…history, eerie details and a touch of dark fantasy. Now, here's hoping that this novel turns out to be just as mesmerizing as its delicious cover. 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.

I can tell you right now that I'm not sure whether this is just the case of the pretty cover, but I'm all over science fiction…especially if it looks like this novel I've chosen today. I've said from day on on this blog though that sci-fi is my jam. Throw in a parallel universe, and you've got me hooked. Is it just me, or could this genre be the next big thing for YA?! 

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You
Author: Claudia Gray (Twitter)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: November 4, 2014
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Pages: 368

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

I think that the reason this science fiction novel, in particular, appeals to me is because of the underlying theme of humanity that spills over from the synopsis alone. So often, sci-fi relies on its mind-bending plot twists to keep readers entertained, while A Thousand Pieces of You asks readers to feel Marguerite's journey to avenge her father, as well as find herself. I'm really hoping that this one ends up breaking that unfortunate mold of pretty covers with flat middles…so, fingers crossed! 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.

Fantasy is the type of genre that, in theory, I should love impartially, but I find myself borderline too picky most of the time. It's very hit or miss with me, but when it does manage to hit, it hits hard. I've been on the lookout lately for an awesome fantasy novel to crave…and I think I might have found it. Only problem? The release date. 

Title: The Orphan Queen
Author: Jodi Meadows (Twitter)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Date: March 10, 2015
Genre: YA, High Fantasy
Pages: 400

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities. She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Yes. Freaking. Please. It sounds like The Orphan Queen has everything that I want in a fantasy novel - romance, power, magic and a whole lot of adventure to boot. Plus, Wilhelmina sounds like the type of protagonist that I could totally root for, especially if their adventures are dangerous and threaten their loyalties. Clearly, this is the type of fantasy book that I long for, and I'll be eagerly anticipating its release…forever. 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.

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.

If I've mentioned it once, I've mentioned it a million times. Thrillers, horrors and mysteries are my thing, people. If a novel has some sort of gripping, dark action, or terror in its synopsis, colour me hooked. From my vantage point, there are a bunch more on the market this year, too, so I'm in luck!

Title: Blackbird
Author: Anna Carey (Twitter)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: September 16, 2014
Genre: YA, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 256

A girl wakes up on the train tracks, a subway car barreling down on her. With only minutes to react, she hunches down and the train speeds over her. She doesn’t remember her name, where she is, or how she got there. She has a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist of a blackbird inside a box, letters and numbers printed just below: FNV02198. There is only one thing she knows for sure: people are trying to kill her.

On the run for her life, she tries to untangle who she is and what happened to the girl she used to be. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be. But the truth is more disturbing than she ever imagined.

The Maze Runner series meets Code Name Verity, Blackbird is relentless and action-packed, filled with surprising twists.

There are a few things about this one that have me absolutely hooked. First of all, to see a second person POV doesn't happen too often, and knowing that I enjoy Anna Carey's writing style gives me hope that it will be done well, too. Second, there's something cryptic, dark and terrifying about this synopsis that's just detailed enough to capture my attention, but just vague enough to keep me salivating for more. I'm sold on this one. 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.

I feel like I swore up and down this past year that the dystopian genre was dead, but there are still a few books that absolutely blew me away and had me begging for more. One such author, Mindy McGinnis, wrote one of my all-time favourite dystopians, Not a Drop to Drink, and I've wanted more since the very last page of that book. Can you believe dreams do come true?!

Title: In a Handful of Dust

Author: Mindy McGinnis (Twitter)

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publish Date: September 23, 2014

Genre: YA, Dystopian

Pages: 384

Lucy’s life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy’s childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy’s future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything beyond their life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what’s killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn’s mind, and the prospect of a “normal” life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

While I loved reading the story of Lynn in this novel's predecessor, I'm also pretty darn eager to see how the story works from Lucy's point of view. There was a raw power in Not a Drop to Drink that was painful, hopeless and distraught - very dystopian - that I really hope carries through into this novel. It made the first book remarkable, so I'm excited to see that this isn't a cut-and-dried sequel...rather a new point of view. Also, I must have this cover. Stat. 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.

Sci-fi and fantasy seem to be the genres for me lately, as evidenced by the massive number of posts about it on this blog as of late. It seems as though authors are taking more and more risks - giving readers the opportunity to become invested in the unique worlds they've created and offering them a chance to like a genre they might have otherwise not. I have a feeling it's going to continue to take off with books like this, too! (And yes, it's on Netgalley!)

Title: Otherbound

Author: Corinne Duyvis (Twitter)

Publisher: Amulet

Publish Date: June 17, 2014

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Fantasy

Pages: 400

Amara is never alone. Not when she's protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they're fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she's punished, ordered around, or neglected. She can't be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.

Nolan longs for a life uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he's yanked from his Arizona town into Amara's mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He's spent years as a powerless observer of Amara's life. Amara has no idea . . . until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious.

All Amara and Nolan want is to be free of each other. But Nolan's breakthrough has dangerous consequences. Now, they'll have to work together to survive--and discover the truth about their connection.

There's something about this one (and it's not just that drool-worthy cover, that makes me need to read this one ASAP. I love when authors cross genres and give us themes and characters we haven't quite anticipated. Most of all though, I really love how very different this book sounds...and since I snagged it on Netgalley, I absolutely cannot wait to pick it up and give it a go! 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.

I'm sorry I've been a bit of a sporadic blogger lately, kids. Morning sickness has dug its crafty, horrible claws into me, and I have to say that I've been pretty much an invalid. I'm working to get back on track though, and I'm hoping that, since this is the worst of it, things will go back to normal soon! So, without further ado...

Title: The Unhappening of Genesis Lee

Author: Shallee McArthur (Twitter)

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Publish Date: November 4, 2014

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi

Pages: 352

Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything. As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically-enhanced humans—Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve memories perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.

Anyone could be next. Which is why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims that they’ve not only met, but that Gena knows who the thief is.

The problem is, Gena doesn’t remember Kalan, she doesn’t remember seeing the thief, and she doesn’t know why she’s forgetting things— or how much else she might forget. As growing tensions between Mementi and ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they have to solve the mystery fast.

Science fiction will always be my one true literary love. From superhuman strength, to mind control, to endless and unlimited power sources, there's just so much to draw from and create with. The Unhappening of Genesis Lee sounds like the type of story that dominated my childhood - and that I'm hoping to pass onto my future children. Full of mystery, supernatural abilities and the struggle between good and evil...I hope this book lives up because it sounds like the perfect fit for me!

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

Title: The Jewel
Author: Amy Ewing (Twitter)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: September 2, 2014
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 304

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty––because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence...and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

While I admit that the dystopian genre is really quite tiring to me these days, I can't help but be utterly captivated by the synopsis of The Jewel. Combining a story of the "haves" and "have nots" with a forbidden romance and a broken, horrible world is usually the perfect combination for me. I must say that this cover looks like a bit of a cross between The Winner's Curse and The Selection, but it also sounds like it  might just be fitting for this novel. Here's hoping that a dystopian novel can still surprise me in the best possible way! 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: Breaking Butterflies
Author: M. Anjelais
Publisher: Chicken House
Publish Date: April 3, 2014
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 352

The closest he will ever come to happiness is when he's hurting her. Will she let him? A beautiful and twisted story of first love and innocence lost--written when the author was just eighteen.

Sphinxie and Cadence. Promised to each other in childhood. Drawn together again as teens. Sphinxie is sweet, compassionate, and plain. Cadence is brilliant, charismatic. Damaged. And diseased. When they were kids, he scarred her with a knife. Now, as his illness progresses, he becomes increasingly demanding. She wants to be loyal--but fears for her life. Only the ultimate sacrifice will give this love an ending.

There is something wrong with me. I have an addiction to the hard-hitting, powerful and often gruesome stories within the bounds of contemporary fiction because they are often the most intense and thought-provoking stories. Breaking Butterflies sounds like an emotional rollercoaster of feels, plus the psychological aspect of it is dangerously alluring. This could very well be one incredibly powerful novel...that I absolutely must read. 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: Far From You
Author: Tess Sharpe (Twitter)
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publish Date: April 8, 2014
Genre: YA, Mystery
Pages: 384

Sophie Winters nearly died. Twice. The first time, she's fourteen, and escapes a near-fatal car accident with scars, a bum leg, and an addiction to Oxy that'll take years to kick.

The second time, she's seventeen, and it's no accident. Sophie and her best friend Mina are confronted by a masked man in the woods. Sophie survives, but Mina is not so lucky. When the cops deem Mina's murder a drug deal gone wrong, casting partial blame on Sophie, no one will believe the truth: Sophie has been clean for months, and it was Mina who led her into the woods that night for a meeting shrouded in mystery.

After a forced stint in rehab, Sophie returns home to a chilly new reality. Mina's brother won't speak to her, her parents fear she'll relapse, old friends have become enemies, and Sophie has to learn how to live without her other half. To make matters worse, no one is looking in the right places and Sophie must search for Mina's murderer on her own. But with every step, Sophie comes closer to revealing all: about herself, about Mina and about the secret they shared

I've been on a mystery kick this year. I knew I wanted to challenge myself with contemporary novels, but I didn't know that the mystery genre would captivate me so much this year. There's something about these twists and turns that keep me up at night and keep me guessing though, and I'm excited to see the genre more prevalent than ever in YA. This sounds just dark and twisty enough to captivate me completely. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

Title: This Side of Salvation
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready (Twitter)
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publish Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 384

Everyone mourns differently. When his older brother was killed, David got angry. As in, fist-meets-someone-else’s-face furious. But his parents? They got religious. David’s still figuring out his relationship with a higher power, but there’s one thing he does know for sure: The closer he gets to new-girl Bailey, the better, brighter, happier, more he feels.

Then his parents start cutting all their worldly ties in to prepare for the Rush, the divine moment when the faithful will be whisked off to Heaven…and they want David to do the same. David’s torn. There’s a big difference between living in the moment and giving up his best friend, varsity baseball, and Bailey—especially Bailey—in hope of salvation.

But when he comes home late from prom, and late for the Rush, to find that his parents have vanished, David is in more trouble than he ever could have imagined...

I've been dying to read a really strong contemporary novel from a male POV for a long time, and I have to say that this couldn't have come at a better time! I absolutely love powerful themes of family, religion and self-discovery, and it really seems as though this novel might just be the trifecta. Plus, the author is a proven powerhouse storyteller, so how can you go wrong with that? I'm definitely excited to get my hands on this. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

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

Title: Prisoner of Night and Fog

Author: Anne Blankman (Twitter)

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Publish Date: April 22, 2014

Genre: YA, Historical Fiction

Pages: 416

In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet. Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler. And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

I'm always on the lookout for a good historical fiction novel, and I've found that some of the most powerful books I've ever been read have been through this time period and the holocaust. I love the idea of a girl inside the horrors that engulfed Nazi Germany and, if it's done well, it could be a really profound read. I really hope that the romance balances the rest of the storyline well. Fingers crossed, right? What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

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

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for…

Title: The Vanishing Season

Author: Jodi Lynn Anderson (Twitter)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publish Date: July 1, 2014

Genre: YA, Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 256

Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.

The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town. I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.

All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig. I am looking for the things that are buried.

It's no secret that I love me a good mystery and, frankly, the creepier, the better. There's something about disappearances in novels that always haunts me and draws me in, so The Vanishing Season fits the bill perfectly. Plus, we're promised danger, intrigue, love, betrayal and a mystery that might just make our heads spin. How in the world am I supposed to pass something like that up? Oh, and it doesn't  hurt that the cover is absolutely gorgeous. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for…

Title: Half Bad

Author: Sally Green 

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Publish Date: March 4, 2014

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Pages: 416

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

In the tradition of Patrick Ness and Markus Zusak, Half Bad is a gripping tale of alienation and the indomitable will to survive, a story that will grab hold of you and not let go until the very last page.

I think I mentioned once upon a time that I would love to read more books about witches. Half Bad is a little (okay, a lot) different than any witch book I've ever read, as well, which intrigues me immensely, and I'm a huge fan of the minimalist cover art. The starkness of it terrifies me. I also think that the story sounds realistic in a fantastical way, offering true-to-life elements that really bring a paranormal story to life. Needless to say, I'm excited. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for…

Title: Silver

Author: Chris Wooding 

Publisher: Scholastic

Publish Date: March 25, 2014

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Pages: 320

Paul is the new kid at Mortingham Boarding Academy, and he has a dark secret. Caitlyn admires Paul from afar and resents that he only has eyes for Erika. Erika thinks that she and Caitlyn are best friends, but she's wrong. Adam is a bully with a major chip on his shoulder. Mark is outgrowing his old friends but doesn't know how to make new ones.

In a few short hours, none of this will matter. Without warning, a horrifying infection will spread across the school grounds, and a group of students with little in common will find themselves barricaded in a classroom, fighting for their lives. Some will live. Some will die. And then it will get even worse.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of horror - when it's done well, that is, and it seems as though there's a new crop of authors marketing such materials to the YA audience. Colour me absolutely thrilled. Silver sounds like one of those novels that's going to create the perfect marriage of sci-fi and horror, machines and humanity and a race for survival. All those things speak to me, and I have to admit that I'm absolutely, completely smitten with the idea of this story. Does that make me a sadist? Masochist? Either way, I'm okay with it. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. As always, there are some amazing upcoming books, but this week I'm particularly excited for…

Title: Torn Away

Author: Jennifer Brown (Twitter)

Publisher: Little, Brown BYR

Publish Date: May 6, 2014

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Pages: 288

Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives -- but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she's never considered before -- one in which her mother wasn't perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that's something no tornado can touch.

There are few contemporary novels that have made it onto my all-time favourites list, and there are probably far fewer authors that have made it onto that same list for me. Jennifer Brown, however, is definitely up there on the top of my list, so you'd better believe I have my eye on all her new and upcoming releases. Torn Away strikes me as one of those books that's going to make you work to find happiness, and you guys know how I like my contemps dark, rich and real. Needless to say, I can't wait. What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?