Waiting on Wednesday #156: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and The Call of Death by R.J. Garcia

Hello everyone! "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that is hosted by Breaking the Spine and the purpose of this event is that we spotlight upcoming releases of books that we are excited for!  This will also tie into Wishful Ending's Can't Wait Wednesday post!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

The Starless Sea

By: Erin Morgenstern

Expected Publication Date: November 5th, 2019 

Buy on:  Goodreads  //  Book Depository 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world--a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues--a bee, a key, and a sword--that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library, hidden far below the surface of the earth. What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians--it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also those who are intent on its destruction. Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly-soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose--in both the mysterious book and in his own life.

I haven't read "The Night Circus" yet, but I've been seeing this book around and I've been hearing lots of good things about this book!  Now, I'm more excited to read this book!

The Call of Death

By: R.J. Garcia

Expected Publication: November 5th, 2019 

Buy on: Goodreads // Amazon

Fourteen-year-old Hannah Priestly crashes into a terrifying future. She wakes up in her dorm room now knowing the name of an infamous serial killer, Norman Biggs. He will attack her in the future unless she and her three male friends can change fate.

Hannah is an obsessive-compulsive California girl dropped off at an English boarding school by her celebrity mother. Hannah has difficulty understanding algebra, let alone her increasingly dark visions. Rory Veer is Hannah’s smart, easy-going and romantically challenged friend and school crush. When Norman Biggs unexpectedly appears in Rory’s reality, terror is set in motion. It is Rory who must acknowledge a past he has denied if the mystery is to be unraveled.

Ooooh! A book about a girl having visions about a terrifying serial killer!  Sounds interesting and unique!

So, what upcoming books are you looking forward to?  Please respond below!

Waiting on Wednesday #155: A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy and Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon

Hello everyone! "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that is hosted by Breaking the Spine and the purpose of this event is that we spotlight upcoming releases of books that we are excited for!  This will also tie into Wishful Ending's Can't Wait Wednesday post!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

A River of Royal Blood

By: Amanda Joy

Expected Publication Date: October 29th, 2019 

Buy on:  Goodreads  //  Book Depository 

An enthralling debut perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone set in a North African-inspired fantasy world where two sisters must fight to the death to win the crown.

Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of marrow and blood--a dark and terrible magick that hasn't been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Its last known practitioner was Queen Raina, who toppled the native khimaer royalty and massacred thousands, including her own sister, eight generations ago, thus beginning the Rival Heir tradition. Living in Raina's long and dark shadow, Eva must now face her older sister, Isa, in a battle to the death if she hopes to ascend to the Ivory Throne--because in the Queendom of Myre only the strongest, most ruthless rulers survive.

When Eva is attacked by an assassin just weeks before the battle with her sister, she discovers there is more to the attempt on her life than meets the eye--and it isn't just her sister who wants to see her dead. As tensions escalate, Eva is forced to turn to a fey instructor of mythic proportions and a mysterious and handsome khimaer prince for help in growing her magick into something to fear. Because despite the love she still has for her sister, Eva will have to choose: Isa's death or her own.

A River of Royal Blood is an enthralling debut set in a lush North African inspired fantasy world that subtly but powerfully challenges our notions of power, history, and identity.

Oooh! Two sisters who are forced to fight each other to the death?  Sounds interesting!

Gravemaidens

By: Kelly Coon

Expected Publication: October 29th, 2019 

Buy on: Goodreads // Book Depository

The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land's greatest honor...and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.

In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.

When Alu's ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.

But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.

Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.

A Kingdom that is secretly killing innocent people?  This sounds really interesting!

So, what upcoming books are you looking forward to?  Please respond below!

[GUEST POST] How to Write a Children's Book by Melisa Marzett

How to write a children's book? You need to come up with an original story, put bright characters in it, and add more exciting events to their lives. It seems that to do so, some imagination and the ability to coherently build a narrative are enough. But vivid imagination and the ability to articulate your thoughts in a complicated way is far from all that a beginner needs. He (or she) still has a lot to learn, and exciting and useful books for future writers will come in handy.

Bird by Bird, written by Anne Lamott is a cult work on writing from an accomplished writer. “Bird” will be useful for those who want to put into words, but have no idea where to start. The book will appeal not only to children's writers but also to everyone who is going to create for an adult audience. And even to journalists, copywriters, bloggers, marketing specialists - anyone who has to write a lot.

Lamotte is a US-respected author. Her bibliography contains seven fiction novels and about a dozen works in the non-fiction genre. Many of Ann's works have become bestsellers. In Bird after Bird, which has been 20 years old since its first publication, she is witty about the craft of writing. You will learn about the realities of the life of a writer, consisting of creative crises, envy, and battles with the editor and publisher for each paragraph.

If you ask what to begin with, first of all, you need to brainstorm. A good idea would be to reread some of your favorite children's books to get inspired, but you need to try to come up with something of your own; otherwise, it is going to be a copypaste. Find a story that matches your interests and opportunities.

Then, the most pleasant thing in writing children's books is the unlimited imagination. You can come up with anything you want. The sky is the limit. Please write about a talking mongoose or a man with a dog head and three legs, and no one will blame you for the nonsense!

As precisely as possible, define the age of your target audience! For instance, young children love fairy tales with simple plots and texts based on wordplay, poems, and sayings. At the same time, older children want to see a more complex plot and do not like it when the writer talks to them as if they were small.

And, at last, make a plan for your book`s story. There should be a conflict if it is a good story. But first, write (or draw) an outline of your story to define the beginning, the middle, and the end and to figure out how the characters interact. The scheme may be as follows:

• Description of the character, the way s/he looks like and the environment;
• A twist;
• A culmination (what is going to happen when the main character faces the problem);
• The solution to the problem and subsequent events.

Something special. There must be something special about your book, which would make it different from others and memorable for a reader. Follow the rhythm, who knows, maybe someone is going to read your story aloud. Your sense of humor or words you made up can be special about it.
The end! Do not forget that there has to be the end of every children's book.

About the author

Melisa Marzett loves children and loves to write. Currently working as a freelance writer for Academic Revision Companies, she writes articles on a variety of subjects. Also, she is an active person when it comes to sports and animal rights.

Waiting on Wednesday #154: Kill Me Once, Kill Me Twice by Clara Kensie and The Light at the Bottom of the World by London Shah

Hello everyone! "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that is hosted by Breaking the Spine and the purpose of this event is that we spotlight upcoming releases of books that we are excited for!  This will also tie into Wishful Ending's Can't Wait Wednesday post!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Kill Me Once, Kill Me Twice

By: Clara Kensie

Expected Publication Date: October 22nd, 2019 

Buy on:  Goodreads  //  Book Depository 

Lily Summerhays remembers how she died in each of her past lives.
Ever Abrams does too.
Lily is reckless and fearless.
Ever is cautious and follows the rules.
Lily wants to leave boring, rural Ryland and explore the world.
Ever wants to stay in quiet, safe Ryland for the rest of her life.
Lily was killed eighteen years ago while trying to solve her friend’s murder.
Ever is Lily reborn, and now she will have to break every rule and face every fear to find Lily's killer—before he kills her twice.

From Clara Kensie, author of the RITA® award-winning Deception So series and the critically-acclaimed Aftermath, comes KILL ME ONCE, KILL ME TWICE: a dual-timeline, dual-romance, dual-mystery/thriller with a touch of magical realism for fans of The Walls Around Us and Vanishing Girls.

Hmmm...a murder mystery about finding out who killed who?  Call me intrigued!

The Light at the Bottom of the World

By: London Shah

Expected Publication: October 29th, 2019 

Buy on: Goodreads // Book Depository

Hope had abandoned them to the wrath of all the waters.

At the end of the twenty-first century, the world has changed dramatically, but life continues one thousand feet below the ocean's surface. In Great Britain, sea creatures swim among the ruins of Big Ben and the Tower of London, and citizens waver between fear and hope; fear of what lurks in the abyss, and hope that humanity will soon discover a way to reclaim the Earth.

Meanwhile, sixteen-year-old Leyla McQueen has her own problems to deal with. Her father's been arrested, accused of taking advantage of victims of the Seasickness-a debilitating malaise that consumes people,often claiming their lives. But Leyla knows he's innocent, and all she's interested in is getting him back so that their lives can return to normal.

When she's picked to race in the action-packed London Submersible Marathon, Leyla gets the chance to secure his freedom; the Prime Minister promises the champion whatever their heart desires. The race takes an unexpected turn, though, and presents her with an opportunity she never wanted: Leyla must venture outside of London for the first time in her life, to find and rescue her father herself.

Now, she'll have to brave the unfathomable waters and defy a corrupt government determined to keep its secrets, all the while dealing with a secretive, hotheaded companion she never asked for in the first place. If she fails, or falls prey to her own fears, she risks capture–and her father might be lost forever.

Oooh!  A story where a girl tries to rescue her father! Sounds like an interesting story! And awesome cover!

So, what upcoming books are you looking forward to?  Please respond below!

[ARC REVIEW] Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett (@PutnamBooks , @byjanbrett)

Title:  Gingerbread Christmas

Author:  Jan Brett

Genre:  Children's / Humor / Family / Christmas

Year Published: 2016

Year Read:  2019

Publisher:  G.P. Putnam's Sons

Source:  eARC (Edelweiss)

Content Rating:  Ages 4+ (Nothing Objectionable)

Buy on:  Amazon  //  Book Depository 

I would like to thank Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a bit familiar with Jan Brett’s “Gingerbread Baby” series and I was actually surprised that Edelweiss had a copy of the sequel “Gingerbread Christmas!”  Since the Christmas holidays is around the corner, I figured that I might pick up a Christmas read and this was quite a cute book to read!

The Gingerbread Baby is back and this time, he wants to start a musical band to play with in the Christmas Festival.  So, his friend Matti decided to bake the Gingerbread Baby a Gingerbread Band and the band ended up performing at the Christmas Festival.  Everything was going fine for the band until the children started noticing how tasty the band smelled and this causes the audience to try and get at the band.

Can the Gingerbread Baby and his band get out of being eaten during Christmas?

Read this book to find out!

Wow!  Jan Brett has one again created a wonderful story about the Gingerbread Baby and I found myself enjoying this book immensely!  I loved the fact that the Gingerbread Baby wanted to start a band to play with at the Christmas Festival and it was interesting seeing how the Gingerbread Baby would escape from being eaten on Christmas since he is a…well, you know…a gingerbread cookie.  I also loved the Gingerbread Baby’s relationship with Matti as Matti seems to be the only human being who does not want to eat the Gingerbread Baby.  Jan Brett’s artwork is beautiful as always as all of the characters look so realistic!  I also loved how colorful the artwork is, especially of the images of the Gingerbread Baby and his Gingerbread Band!

Overall, “Gingerbread Christmas” is a truly cute read that would be perfect for the Christmas season!  I would recommend this book to children ages four and up since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.

You might also like:

• A Gingerbread Christmas by Tim Raglin and Eric Metaxas

• The Tale of the Tiger Slippers by Jan Brett

• Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett

Waiting on Wednesday #153: Fireborne by Rosaria Munda and Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters by Emily Roberson

Hello everyone! "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that is hosted by Breaking the Spine and the purpose of this event is that we spotlight upcoming releases of books that we are excited for!  This will also tie into Wishful Ending's Can't Wait Wednesday post!

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

Fireborne

By: Rosaria Munda

Expected Publication Date: October 15h, 2019 

Buy on:  Goodreads  //  Book Depository 

Game of Thrones meets Red Rising in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance... and dragons.

Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone—even the lowborn—a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.

Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he’s come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.

From debut author Rosaria Munda comes a gripping adventure that calls into question which matters most: the family you were born into, or the one you’ve chosen.

Oooh!  Game of Thrones meets Red Rising!  Sounds like an interesting premise!

Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters

By: Emily Roberson

Expected Publication: October 20th, 2019 

Buy on: Goodreads // Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Ariadne’s whole life is curated and shared with the world. Her royal family’s entertainment empire is beloved by the tabloids, all over social media, and the hottest thing on television. The biggest moneymaker? The Labyrinth Contest, a TV extravaganza in which Ariadne leads fourteen teens into a maze to kill a monster. To win means endless glory; to lose means death. In ten seasons, no one has ever won.

When the gorgeous, mysterious Theseus arrives at the competition and asks Ariadne to help him to victory, she doesn’t expect to fall for him. He might be acting interested in her just to boost ratings. Their chemistry is undeniable, though, and she can help him survive. If he wins, the contest would end for good. But if she helps him, she doesn’t just endanger her family’s empire―the monster would have to die. And for Ariadne, his life might be the only one worth saving.

Ariadne’s every move is watched by the public and predestined by the gods, so how can she find a way to forge her own destiny and save the people she loves?

Hmmm...a contest where people die if they fight monsters?  Sounds like "The Hunger Games" meets Greek Mythology and this definitely sounds like a book right up my alley!

So, what upcoming books are you looking forward to?  Please respond below!