Waiting on Wednesday: Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Release Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown, & Company

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed "Daughter of Smoke and Bone," Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was declared a "must read" by Entertainment Weekly, was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon.com, and The New York Times called it "a breath-catching romantic fantasy."

Why am I waiting for this book? Well firstly--HOLY QUEEN OF CLIFF HANGERS, Daughter of Smoke and Bone!! I can't even... I don't even... Okay, Kelsey, DEEP BREATHS. The ending of the last book was like a big ol' smack in the face so naturally I am seeking VENGEANCE in the form of the sequel! (Sorry for so many caps but this is AN ALL CAPS KIND OF BOOK)!

Photo credit Rachel Manija
from 2011 Sirens Conference!

Ridiculously quotable and incredibly crafted writing aside, Laini Taylor is an absolute doll. No seriously, she is. I went to a conference with her last fall and it was such a joy to have here there! And she brought her family (see right), who is equally as cute and now all I want in life is to be their daughter's nanny or something so I can hang out with the three of them constantly. Another reason you should read this book? Her daughter's name is Clementine Pie, and she is the CUTEST (and yes, you have my solemn promise that if you name your child Clemintine Pie, I will read your novel too!)

And for all of you who haven't read Daughter of Smoke and Bone, FEEL SHAME, and let that shame guide you to the nearest bookstore asap (the audible is good too). Now run free, my readers, and read the heck out of your Wednesdays!

What are y'all waiting for?

Book to Movie Trailer: The Host by Stephanie Meyers

Hi all! For those of you who have not yet seen this, I bring you the movie trailer for Stephanie Meyer's The Host, which premiered at the midnight Hunger Games showings last Thursday.

I must admit, I was pretty disappointed by this trailer. Personally, I think it resembles a book trailer more than it does a movie one. I'm ambivalent about the Twilight series, but I really loved The Host, so was very much looking forward to seeing this adaptation (fun fact: I almost worked on it!). However, this trailer, which is..... well let us not mince words, this trailer is pretty awful, does not seem to bode well for the upcoming film.

The good news? This is only the first of many trailers to come. The movie isn't released for another year so there's plenty of time to get it right. I am curious to see how they will adapt this book, which lives primarily in the thoughts of The Wanderer, into a film. (I suspect a lot of flashbacks.) I am completely baffled by the choice of Diane Kruger as the psychotically agressive Seeker, but to be fair, I only know her as Helen of Troy. Clearly there are a lot of tricky decisions that are going to have to get made, and I think this is going to be a tough film to pull off, but we'll just have to wait and see!

What do you all think? Did you like the book? Are you excited for the film?

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 256
Format: Audiobook*
Source: Purchased
Challenges: Audiobook Challenge

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

The title? Brilliant. The cover? Brilliant. The book? ALSO Brilliant. I had been excited for months to read this one, but when it was released I was too afraid to pick it up. This book had been teasing me for months, drawing me in with its siren call and promises, telling me it could fill the gaping hole that's left between Stephanie Perkins novels. And y'all, those are big promises. Promises that I wasn't sure my siren book friend could keep. But fortunately, these sirens are apparently not the same as Odysseus's sirens, because I got all I wanted and more.

This book takes place over the course of a 24 hour period. Penning a complex, natural romance that can come to a boil in 24 hours is a seriously challenging task, and Jennifer E. Smith conquers it. Hadley is a broody, dramatic teenager that manages not to overstep the line into obnoxious. Oliver is an adorable and funny British bloke (swoon) that I am pretty sure any reader would love to date. Excuse the creepy factor, but I would love to keep a mini-Oliver in a jar that I could open every time I got a little sad. He could cheer me up with his silly jokes and accent, and I could give him little Oliver-hugs because he's so adorable. But second to that option is reading the book, in which we get to watch something very real build between him and Hadley among their innocuous chit-chat and the deeper, harder conversations.

While the core story is between Hadley and Oliver, there is actually a lot else happening in the tale that both ties them together and pulls them apart. We get to meet Hadley's father and step-mother to be (whom she's never met), in addition to a cast of other characters, all of whom were fleshed out and added bursts of life to the narrative. The craft in this story was incredible. I would be crying one minute, laughing the next, cringing at something awkward the next. I can recall at least one moment where I was doing all three simultaneously. I don't want to spoil anything, but some of the scenes between Andrew (the dad) and Hadley, or Charlotte (the step-mom) and Hadley, were extremely difficult and touching, and those made the book for me as much as the parts with Oliver.

My only complaint: I took a flight the day after reading this and there was no Oliver or cute British boy!!! My flight was just the regular variety of suck. I feel scammed.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a book about love and family. I jumped into a world and story that was vivid and honest and charming. The characters, the dialogue, and the pacing are all crafted with extreme care and skill, and I love the premise of how much life could change if you happen to be four minutes late. This book has definitely entered my pile of favorite contemporary romances, right next to Anna and the French Kiss. I give it 5 out of 5 Stars and I would highly suggest picking up your own copy as soon as possible.

*Audiobook Note*

I'm super-dooper picky about accents in audiobooks, but I was very pleased with Casey Halloway's versatility on this one. The only downside of listening to this one is that it's so good, you might have to pull over to laugh or cry at different points if you are driving (I did).

Slush Sleuth's Rating:

Book Trailer: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Release Date: September 5, 2011
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 273

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The DUFF(Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.

In celebration of the release of Shut Out (in stores yesterday!) Kody Keplinger is hosting a massive giveaway. Enter until September 10th at midnight EST! For more information, visit here, and good luck all!




Among others, one of my college majors is Theatre, so I have a lot of familiarity with Lysistrata. In fact, I would potentially go as far as to say Lysistrata conned me into dating. I had an okay time at first, but things degenerated quickly and ended in an unfriendly breakup. We don't ignore each other in passing, but we definitely don't hang out anymore. Shut Out being the younger, cooler cousin of Lysistrata, I feel it would be unfair of me to hate it on sight, but there is some justified wariness at the genetic connection.

That being said, I definitely plan on reading Kody Keplinger's sophomore novel (click here to read my review of her first novel, The DUFF), and I am excited to find out how she characterizes some of these old, very parodied characters into modern, relatable teens. Did anyone buy the book yesterday? What did you think?

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF(Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

Release Date: September 11, 2010
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 288
Format: Old ARC
Source: Friend

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the DUFF,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

The DUFF is one of those books that I had been eagerly anticipating long before it came out--the title alone was enough to get me on board--but for one reason or another I never actually managed to read it once it did.

Immediately after finishing this book, I wasn't entirely sure that I had liked it. There were things I wish had been further explored, things that bothered me, things I wanted fleshed out.... but despite those immediate reactions, this book is one that has stuck with me. I finished it a couple of weeks ago, and despite having read multiple books since, I spend a disproportionate time reflecting on The DUFF.

Wesley Rush is one of the most crushable males I've encountered in fiction in a while, which might play into a large part of the novel's success. I liked him better than I liked Bianca, but I can also see what prompted his interest in her. The relationship is a funny one... in certain ways it moves crazy fast, in others you get to see them build up to it. I don't have any problem with the unconventional way in which it started, in fact, I admired Bianca's comfort in her own skin when she was around him--it made her beautiful to me as a reader too.

I liked that Kody never fully describes Bianca. You get a little description, but not enough to piece together an entire person, and I think that's kind of the point. Despite the preface of the story being based on the fact that she is "ugly," the story doesn't hinge on her actual appearance at all... but I'll leave you to read this and see what I mean for yourself.

I liked Bianca's fiesty personality and her willingness to stand up for herself, though even my hardened ears were overwhelmed at the sheer immensity of her bad language. I loved the complexity of the family dynamic, even if it was horrifying. The book is in many ways tragic; it chronicles the misguided and repeated failures of her parents despite their good intentions. I wanted to hate both her mother and her father, but their love for their daughter was so evident that it was hard to damn them, though easy to reproach them.

The friendship between the three girls was my least favorite part. It felt so shallow. Would a good friend drag you to a club week after week, only to leave you in the corner feeling annoyed and miserable? Not to say that Bianca doesn't do her fair share of isolating herself from her friends but... I guess that was the problem. I couldn't tell why either party liked the other. This improved marginally by the end, but I would have liked even more development. The author is clearly capable, because she succeeded in finding that depth with Wesley and Bianca.

All in all, the characters in this book are very flawed. It makes them frustrating, but it also makes them familiar. Don't go into this book expecting to like everyone, but expect to have an engrossing read about people who will--for better or for worse--stay with you for a while. Kody Keplinger has some beautiful, entirely-quotable moments, and some revelations that may seem obvious, but they clearly aren't obvious enough if we still need to be reminded. I stayed up until 6:00 AM to polish this book off, something even the best novels have not gotten me to do for a while, earning The DUFF 3 out of 5 Stars.

As for the covers, I was curious what you all think (both people who have and have not read the story). The one at the top is the one that was published on the hardcover, and the one below it the original cover that went out with the ARCs. As someone who was reading a hand-me-down ARC, I had the second. Aesthetically, I prefer the top one, but I think that the second better emblematizes the book. Between bubblegum and blue eyeshadow, this DUFF looks much perkier than the Bianca Piper readers will come to know, so I think it would have been more faithful to the book to keep the original cover... Agree? Disagree?

Slush Sleuth's Rating: