Just Sitting Here...Waitin' on Wednesday #3

Life has been quite hectic around my neck of the woods.  I hope that after the dust settles from the move that my posts will return to normal.  I am very happy that I have found the time to post my WOW!

Title:  Crossed  (Matched #2)
Author:  Allie Condie
Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile
Release Date:  November 1, 2011
In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.   -Goodreads



     I am chomping at the bit for this one.  I can not wait to find out how different life is going to be for Cassia in the Outer Provinces.  I also want to find out of she finds Ky and if they will be together or not.  The first book was so good.  (Warm blanket from the dryer and freshly baked chocolate chip cookie GOOD)  YUMM!

Just in case you missed it...
Title:  Matched  (Matched  #1)
Author:  Allie Condie
Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile
In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.   -Goodreads
 


Indie Author Spotlight: "Mocked By Faith" Is No Tease...

Title:  Mocked By Faith
 Author:  Michele A. Richard
Format:  Kindle E-book
Length:  221 pages
Publisher:  The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
Age Range:  Adult
Rating:  4.5 stars

For Alexia Cross and Justin McNear, things are not what they seem. Both were born and raised in hidden, gated communities. A place where time virtually stands still and marriages are arranged by parents before a child’s 18th birthday.

Alexia is destined to be her community’s first spinster. In a last ditch effort, a husband is found. The only complication? He has no idea he has been betrothed. Will his history of dating outsiders help or hinder his relationship with his future wife?

Justin McNear searched outside his church for the woman of his dreams. Returning home after failing, he knows he needs to rectify his life and his faith. Can a woman he’s never met make him whole again? 


Will this couple end up mocked by their own faith? Follow Alexia and Justin through the trials and tribulations of finding, falling, and surviving each other's love. It’s never easy saying “I do” to someone you don’t know.   -Goodreads


Destined?
      Alexia Cross and Justine McNear live in a world where serving God means loving each other and the children that they are bound by their faith and a marriage contract to produce.  The problem with this seemingly simple scenario is they don't know each other.  Their marriage and the life that they are expected to lead following it; is not one planned by lovers who have spent years nurturing a maturing love based in friendship and mutual respect.
Their union is one forged by their parents and their faith and involves two people who are unsure of themselves, each other, and the world.
     Readers will fall in love with Alexia and Justin as they journey with them through the ups and downs of this heartfelt read.  Though the concepts of a "closed society" and "arranged marriage" may seem foreign in today's society; the trials and tests of faith they face are universal.
   
Virginity, Marriage, and Passion...Oh My!
      When beginning this book, one might assume it to be a YA genred  read.  This could not be further from the truth.  Though the characters are young; the situations in which they find themselves are definitely adult.  Authoress Michele Richard takes allows her audience to take an unflinching look at the real-world value of maintaining one's virginity and the passion and desire that the sacred bonds of marriage can foster.  This story is proof that married people can and do have GREAT SEX!

Together We Grow and the More We Know
     The story really starts to find it's feet when Justin and Alexia are forced to face and confront their mistakes, fears, and insecurities.  This is where we see them grow as individuals and as a couple.  Though this dynamic is most closely examined in the relationship between the two main characters; it is present throughout the stories of supporting characters story-wide.  

Final Thoughts
     This story is about so much more than can be effectively related in this one review.   Michele Richard has managed to craft a story that gives each reader his or her own kaleidoscopic view of the picture she has so skillfully created.  For this reviewer this book was a testament to the power of faith, love, forgiveness, and the freedom of truth. 
  
'And the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.  Mark 10:8


And Now...A Few Words From the Authoress: 
Michele A. Richard 




1. Where did the inspiration for "Mocked by Faith" come from?

Strangely enough it just popped into my head in the freezer section. I
looked up at an elderly couple and just wondered what it would be like to
marry someone you didn't know. I have actually met a lovely woman who had
her marriage arranged and has been with husband for over forty years.


2. Did you model Justin after any certain person.
No, he was a combination of different characteristics I'd been attracted
to in my youth. I've always loved darker hair with dark blue eyes. I guess
he sort of looks like a young Tom Brady with blue eyes.

3.  Would you consider this book to be YA?  Why or why not?
No, definitely not. The marital sex cancels that out. My first book was,
and even though it was about teen pregnancy, it doesn't reveal the steps
needed to procreate.


4.  What is your opinion of arranged marriages?

I think its important to respect a persons belief in it. If that makes
sense. If I'd been raised to believe in it I would. I think it is right
for some and not for others.

5.  What would you say is the message that you are trying to convey to
your readers in "Mocked by Faith"?


To respect other's choices and ways of life. Just because you don't
believe in it doesn't give you the right to disrespect their beliefs. From
Mahatma Gandhi to Stephenie Meyers, many have said "Live and Let Live"
It's a motto I've always followed and believe more people should.



WTF Are You Reading would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Michele Richard for granting this site the honor of reviewing such a wonderful work.
  
Thank you for allowing us to help you touch the world!






Just Sitting Here...Waitin' on Wednesday #2

I know that I'm late...but I am waiting on so many titles, it was almost impossible to decide.
That and I just found out that my new apartment is ready to be moved into!  YAY!
O.K.  Back to the books!
 Title:  Inheritance  (Inheritance #4)
Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher:  Random House
Release Date:  November 8, 2011
Not so very long ago, Eragon Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider, was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.
Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.
The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaƫsia? And if so, at what cost?
This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.


     I have been waiting for this book for so long that I have read the other 3 twice.  I want it...I want it...I want it!  Before I'm eligible for Social Security would be great people!

Teaser Tuesday #1 !!!!!! You Want It?

Welcome to my version of 
Teaser Tuesday
a
weekly
Meme
hosted 
by
Miz. B
@


My Teaser:
"She chose a room that had empty rooms on either side  The door frame splintered
as she forced the lock.
Damn!
How long was it going to take her to get used to the power
of her new vampire body."

pg.  170  Sacrifice  Laura J Burns, Melinda Metz
Estimated Release Date 9-20-11











Here Me Roar About "Wildcat Fireflies"

Title:  Wildcat Fireflies (Fenestra #2)
Author:  Amber Kizer
Format:  Audible Audiobook
Length:  13hrs. 44mins.
Publisher:  Audible Inc.
Age Range:  Late Teen/Adult
Rating: 4 Stars


Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—the half-human, half-angel link between the living and the dead. She has the dark responsibility of helping souls transition safely into the afterlife. If people die without the help of a Fenestra, their souls are left vulnerable to be stolen by the Aternocti, a dark band of forces who disrupt the balance of good and evil in the world and cause chaos.
Having recently lost her beloved Auntie—the woman who showed her what it meant to be a Fenestra—Meridian has hit the road with Tens, her love and sworn protector, in hopes of finding another Fenestra. Their search leads them to Indiana, where Juliet, a responsible and loving teenager, works tirelessly in the nursing home where she and several other foster kids are housed. Surrounded by death, Juliet struggles to make a loving home for the younger kids, and to protect them from the violent whims of their foster mother. But she is struggling against forces she can't understand . . . and even as she feels a pull toward the dying, their sickness seems to infect her, weighing her down. . . .
Will Meri and Tens find Juliet in time to save her from a life of misery and illness? And will Meri and Tens' own romance weather the storms of new discoveries?   -Goodreads

     Meridian and Tens are at it again and the stakes are even higher.  They are on the trail of a fledgeling Fenestra and they have to find her before the Aternocti, or she and her gifts will be lost forever.


You Know What?
     This was a rather difficult review to write due to the sheer volume of new storyline, character introductions, and the almost complete departure from the foundation laid in the first book.
Though this is supposed to be a continuation of Meridian's story; she and Tens get lost in the shuffle after Juliet is introduced.
This is not to say that Juliet's story is not a good one.  It grabs the heart in it's Annie-esque clutches (insert chorus of "Hard Knock Life" here) and holds on for dear life.  The problem lies in the fact  that Juliet's story should itself be a book.  She has her own Aternocti, guardian angel, protector, and a human oppressor to boot.  (Oh yeah...she even has her own version of Costus.  A very pissed off cat named Minerva.)  Add to this the whole missing mother situation and and all the dying old people.  See...book right?
Truthfully, if it were not for the  steamy 'almost sex scenes' a la Meridian and Tens; one could almost forget they exist.  

If You Build It...?
The beginning and middle of this book are so emotionally intense that by the end the reader is begging for the "and they lived happily ever after release".  Do you get it?   Well...sorta.  The last part of this story is happy yes...story...not so much.  
Amber Kizer  falls victim to the "I gotta make my deadline so let me explain" ending.  This is the ending that 'tells' the reader how things turn out  in a couple of sentences at the end of the book.
"Storytelling be damned!  This bow is getting tied!"

And Finally!
      All things considered, this is a good book.  Though it has some issues that keep it just shy of perfection; it is worthy of a read.  The direction of this book leaves the road wide open for a fantastic journey in the next.  This reviewer will be there for every step...will you?



Audiobook Review
Khristine Hvam delivers a wonderful performance in this heart-tugging read.  She did a wonderful job in bringing all of the characters to life and her vocal interpretations of each persona were original and distinct.  Here again is a rising star in the realm of audiobooks.

In My Mailbox #2





In My Mailbox is a lovely MEME
from the coolest blog on the planet!

Here are just a few of the goodies that I got!
Lookie...Lookie!

Audiobooks
Title:  Shelter ( A Mickey Bolitar Novel)
Author:   Harlen Coban
Source:  Orange County Library Digital Collection

Title:  Switch
Author:  Tish Cohen
Source:  Orange County Digital Collection

Title:  So B. It
Author:  Sarah Weeks
Source:  Orange County Digital Library

Books:

Title:  Reckless
Author:  Cornelia Funke
Source:  ARC - Little Brown and Co.

Title:  Shut Out
Author:  Cody Keplinger
Source:  ARC- Little Brown and Co.


Epub Books:

Title:  Texas Gothic
Author:  Rosemary Clement Moore
Source:  Orange County Digital Library


*Please support your local library*

Where else can you get free books
legally without having to sleep
with the publishers?

Memorial Tribute Post: Ground Zero

I have decided not to post a review today.  Instead I wanted to send out my deepest wishes of love and hope for those affected in so many ways by the events of this date 10 years ago.

Ground Zero

 Eyes see you now only through lenses blurred slightly by the haze of time and tears.
Arms no longer hold you,
though  heart and mind strain futilely to bear your weight.
Dreams once dreamt in color,
have faded ashen grey.
Words of love and comfort replaced by sirens in the wind.

Can you hear the thing we've told ourselves of all the work we've done?
Wounds we've healed and bridges built to unify.
We lie.

It's in the dark, when left alone to stew and ruminate,
after the sheet is pulled and festering cankers of hate and loss allowed to breathe,
that we come to know that you are gone,
and we are living "ground zero".

Frishawn Rasheed




WTF Did I Miss?? #1: Shelf Candy #1 9-2-11

     Because my beloved Blogger  only archives posts that appear on my main page; my dear readers may miss the yummy bits that I post on other pages.  In an effort to prevent such travesties and because I really, really, LOVE you.  I have created WTF Did I Miss?

This week's offering:
You Know You Want Some...Shelf Candy #1 for 9-2-11


Shelf Candy is a fabulous Meme brought to you by the wonderful bloggers at
This is my chance to show you all of the delicious cover art that I hope to have decorating 
my shelves in the near future.
Book Title:
My Life As a White Trash Zombie

Author:
Diana Rowland

My Thought:
This is a really kick-ass cover!
"Hey, I'm tryin' to be a girl here...damn it!


Enjoy!



Madly In Love With "Meridian"

Title:  Meridian (Fenestra #1)
Author:  Amber Kizer
Format:  Audible Audiobook
Length:  8hrs. 4mins.
Publisher:  Audible Inc.
Age Range:  Late Teen/Adult
Rating:  4.5 Stars


Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.
Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate's tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home and Meridian's body explodes in pain.
Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she's a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt's house in Revelation, Colorado. It's there that she learns that she is a Fenestra ; the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

     This books is a welcome breath of fresh air in the realm of Angelic YA.  Meridian is such an easy character to love and the injustice of her plight as "teen reaper walking" just ties one's heart-strings in knots.
      The author does such a good job in presenting Meridian as "the relative/girl out back" that by the time she is sent away; readers are almost grateful for the change and bursting with hope that she will find that companionship and answers that she needs.

Show Me the Light
"Auntie" Meridian is too cool for words.  She may be 106, but that doesn't mean that this angel won't spit fire if you get in her way.  She is the heart of this story.  She is the antithesis of the "absent parent" dynamic that is a thorn in the side of YA.  She is there to guide and support our unlikely heroine through many of the life changing moments of this novel.

"Tens" is too cool. Major kudos to Ms. Kizer for leaving their blossoming relationship to simmer in the background, while more important relationships were allowed to take center-stage.  His role as protector allows him to be the strong male, without undermining Meridian's girl power.

"Costus" is Tens assistant in fur although this wolf seems to spend more time getting Meridian out of the dire situations that pepper her existence.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sozu" the last people on the love list.  There was so mush more that they could have done to make Meridian more comfortable in her own skin.  It seems that instead they took the "we prayed that it would never come to this approach."  They loved her from a distance; hence the "relative out back" reference.  

Hiding In the Dark
"The Aternocti" are the anti-Fenestra.  Where the Fenstra usher souls into the light.  The Aternocti steal souls for hell.  To top it off, they would like nothing better than to see all Fenestra dead.

Reverand Perimo is an Aternocti in the guise of a minister to a small Christianesque sect known as "The Church of Forging Purity".  This is no church.  This is just a way for him and his henchmen to control the minds of the town and use the people to fight Meridian and her cause.

Thoughts
This book is about so much more than good vs. evil.  It is about the enduring and transformative power of love. Whether it be the love of family, community, a mate, or a wolf; love has the power to build courage, create purpose, and transcend death.  Though this is a YA read, the subject matter is very serious and could have been very emotionally draining if it were not for the superlative conveyance of respect for life in all of it's stages that resounds throughout this story.

Audiobook Review
Khristine Hvam delivers a wonderful performance in this heart-tugging read.  She did a wonderful job in bringing all of the characters to life and her vocal interpretations of each persona were original and distinct.  Here again is a rising star in the realm of audiobooks.

Just Sitting Here...Waitin' on Wednesday

I hope that all of you are safe, warm, and dry on what has turned out to be the Wednesday of every duck's dreams here.  There has been nothing but RAIN here and it looks as though we are in for more!  Anybody know where a girl can get a good deal on a canoe?  No?  Oh well...back to the books!

 Title:  Frail (Dust #2)

Author:  Joan Frances Turner
Publisher:  Ace
Release Date:  October 4, 2011


Being human is a disadvantage in post-apocalyptic America...
Now that the Feeding Plague has swept through human and zombie societies, it seems like everyone is an "ex" these days. Ex-human. Ex- zombie. Except for Amy, that is. She's the only human survivor from her town-a frail. And if the feral dogs, the flesh-eating exes, and the elements don't get her, she just may discover how this all began. Because in this America, life is what you make it...

     In the words of  Veruca Salt a la Willie Wonka fame.  "I WANT IT NOW!"  
I read the first in the saga, and I really want to know where this book goes.  I mean, so much happened with the first ghoulish tribe  that one would think there would be no more...right?
If this is all just a little over your head, (like the water is outside right now) or you just need a good zombie read with a girlie twist read this.