Waiting on Wednesday: The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons {53}

Title: The Glass Arrow
Author: Kristen Simmons
Release date: February 10, 2015

From the author of Article 5 comes the haunting tale of a girl on the run from the men who hunt her, men who want to auction off breeding rights to the highest bidder.

In a world where females are scarce and are hunted, then bought and sold at market for their breeding rights, 15-year old Aya has learned how to hide. With a ragtag bunch of other women and girls, she has successfully avoided capture and eked out a nomadic but free existence in the mountains. But when Aya’s luck runs out and she’s caught by a group of businessmen on a hunting expedition, fighting to survive takes on a whole new meaning.

I read elsewhere this is supposed to be The Handmaid's Tale meets Blood Red Road, which sounds awesome! And I quite like the cover. :)

So what are you guys waiting on this week? :)

Teaser Tuesday: Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3) by Susan Dennard {79}

Title: Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3) 
Author: Susan Dennard

Release date: July 22, 2014
Pages: 400

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.

My teaser, from 20% in the egalley:

"The Dead are everywhere."

"Then command me to fight them." He shoved into a jog--and pulled me with him. All around us, chunks of marble hit the ground.

"No," I shouted. "We need to save our strength for the true enemy." He did not argue, and as we raced back to the entrance, I felt a single thought pulse from Oliver's mind into mine.

Finally I know how to find the Old Man.

This is such a fun series! I love the zombies in this setting, and will definitely enjoy seeing how the trilogy ends. :)

I'll be visiting around and visiting back, so leave me links to your teasers! :) Happy Tuesday!

Review: Reboot by Amy Tintera

Release date: May 7, 2013
Author info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 365
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher provided for review
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

I love dystopians, but I've definitely felt a bit of exhaustion with the genre. That is likely why I never picked this up when it originally came out, and really why I was reluctant to read it even when I got copies of both Reboot and Rebel, its sequel. Sometimes I need to smack myself for not picking things up sooner, though, and this is one of those cases, y'all. Reboot is action-packed, original, wholly enjoyable, and a great debut that makes me terribly excited to see what its sequel holds.

Wren 178 is a really interesting narrator, because she has a cool progression. It's a big difference between the voice you read in the first pages is vastly different from that at the end of the book. At the beginning, she's cold and ruthless, taking down humans without regret. You see flickers of emotions, anger mostly, but Wren represses them. But as she opens up to Callum and allows herself to feel things aside from anger and pain, Wren is a whole new person.

I also really liked the kind of power reversal of Wren and Callum's relationship. Yes, the same kind of thing happens in other books, but Reboot does a really good job of making each powerful in their own way. It's simply that Wren, the girl, is physically strong. It never undermines Callum or what he can do and his personality, but instead makes them equal in their relationship. I liked it. A lot.

I seriously enjoyed Reboot. It's so filled with action and has some really sweet moments between Wren and Callum. In some ways I'm sad I didn't read it closer to its release, but in other ways I'm so pleased to have the sequel sitting on my shelf so I can read it immediately.

About the author:

Amy Tintera grew up in Texas and now lives in Los Angeles, California. She has degrees in journalism and film and can usually be found staring into space, dreaming up ways to make her characters run for their lives.

Stacking the Shelves {76}

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to share the books we've bought, been gifted, or received for review!

How was everybody's week? Mine's been good! :) School is chugging along, and each and every day is closer to being done! It's starting to feel weird, too, but I'm happy about that. :) Nothing exciting going on at all, either, just looking at and applying for jobs. There's not much available right now, but I'm checking diligently. 

For review:

Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and Cracklin' Cornbread by Mary Jane Hathaway
I couldn't help myself. It sounds adorable, and I LOVE Persuasion! Captain Wentworth? Swoon.

A big, big thanks to Howard Books for this! :)

Purchased:

Boomerang by Noelle August

A recap of the week here on Paper Cuts:
Monday - Review: The Truth About You and Me by Amanda Grace
Tuesday - Teaser Tuesday: The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand
Thursday - Review: Born of Deception (Born of Illusion #2) by Teri Brown
Friday - Review: Unwept by Tracy & Laura Hickman

Books I read this week:
Reboot by Amy Tintera
Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly #2) by Susan Dennard
Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3) by Susan Dennard

I'm currently reading:
Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen

So that's been my week! Another slow week! I actually read more books this week than I took in, which is a change. :) A good one, though I did buy a couple that just haven't come in... :D Have a lovely Sunday and a fabulous week!

Review: Unwept by Tracy Hickman & Laura Hickman

Release date: July 1, 2014
Author info: Website | Twitter
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 272
Format: Egalley
Source: Publisher provided through Netgalley
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Gamin, Maine, is a remote seaside town where everyone seems to know Ellis Harkington better than she knows herself—but she doesn’t remember any of them.

Unknown events have robbed Ellis of her memory. Concerned individuals, who purport to be her friends and loved ones, insist that she simply needs to recuperate, that her memories may return in time, but refuse to divulge what has brought her to this state. For her own sake, so they say.

Ellis finds herself adrift in a town of ominous mysteries, cryptic hints, and disturbingly familiar strangers. The Nightbirds, a clique of fashionable young men and women, claim her as one of their own, but who among them can she truly trust? And what of the phantom suitor who visits her in her dreams? Is he a memory, a figment of her imagination, or a living nightmare beyond rational explanation?

Only her lost past hold the answers she seeks—if she can uncover its secrets before she fall prey to an unearthly killer.

I was immediately intrigued by Unwept. Between it's lovely cover and mysterious synopsis that promises murder and small town secrets, how could I not be? It's a rather short first book in a new series that looks like it'll get even better as it goes on, as well.

The simple fact that Ellis has no memories whatsoever makes for a fascinating read. Never does it feel like things are being held back, and learning the true nature of Gamin alongside Ellis is addicting. I found myself quickly turning the (metaphorical) pages, making guess after guess about Gamin and its residents--and never coming close. Even after finishing the novel, I'm not quite solid on it, but I think that's kind of the point. Despite an explanation, I've still got loads of questions, questions that must wait to be answered.

The pace is, especially considering that it's pretty short, astonishingly slow-feeling, without being frustratingly so. At the close of each chapter, something new has been uncovered, so you're always kept on your toes. And it really works. Unwept is very gothic and creepy, without ever really being scary--though there are a couple of horror-movie worthy visuals.

My real complaint is that it feels so much like a series setup. You get the explanation, but it's leave you with more questions than answers. You know who's been killing, but it does little to resolve the book's conflict. We know who Ellis is and where she came from, but the book really just cuts off at the end. There's very little satisfaction in finishing Unwept, and that's what bothered me. I wanted to put it down and sigh, having read an interesting book, but I was left feeling unsatisfied. It's an interesting setup, certainly one I've never seen before, that I'm very interested in, and I enjoyed  reading the novel, but I just think the story needs some feeling of completion, even if there are large threads leading to the next book.

Nonetheless, Unwept is a fascinating read that will keep you guessing and leave shivers down your spine, and a promising start to the series.

About the authors:

TRACY HICKMAN and LAURA HICKMAN have been publishing game designs, books, and stories for over thirty-five years. In addition, Tracy is a New York Times bestselling coauthor of many novels, including the original Dragonlance Chronicles, Dragonlance Legends, Rose of the Prophet, and Darksword trilogies as well as the seven-book Deathgate Cycle. Tracy and Laura live in Utah.

Review: Born of Deception (Born of Illusion #2) by Teri Brown

Release date: June 10, 2014
Author info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 336
Format: Egalley
Source: Publisher provided through Edelweiss
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

After finishing and so enjoying Born of Illusion, I was desperately eager to dive into Born of Deception, chomping at the bit to see what happens to Anna and Cole when they head into London. And I was not disappointed! There's just something about these books--maybe it's the writing, maybe it's the characters, maybe it's the setting or subject (or all of the above!)--that just grabs me and makes me love them, despite any problems I might have.

Just as in the first book, the world of Jazz Age London is brought to life so vividly and delightfully that it's just fun seeing where Anna goes all day, who she meets, what she wears. But we're also treated to an even more developed world of the supernatural in Anna's day. In heading to London, Anna meets everyone else in the Society, a cast of Sensitives that ranges vastly in talents and personalities. In addition to the other Sensitives, there's a variety of characters in the tour with Anna, most intriguingly a very handsome American cowboy and a world-famous singer. These characters only serve to enrich and diversify the story.

Of course, there's a new mystery in coming to London. Someone is attacking--and even killing--Sensitives, and it looks like they're after Anna. And while I found the mystery rather predictable (I called who the bad guy was very soon), that didn't change that it was fun following Cole and Anna as they tried to decipher the clues and stop the killing. While there's thread of connection to the first book's, the baddie in this is quite different, and much scarier.

The only thing I found frustrating was that the love triangle addition here was unnecessary. I mean, I understood the appeal of the guy, but it would have been simple to make him a friend, wholly and completely. Anna and Cole flip flop from love to jealousy constantly, and all I wanted was for them to be happy, just for a little while, and just to talk to one another. They're so cute and perfect, why couldn't I just be given a little time to love them?

Born of Deception is a sequel that I found to be just as much fun as the first. While the romantic storyline was frustrating, it could never overshadow the fabulous writing, interesting and varied characters, fascinating subject, and seriously fun time period. Born of Illusion and Born of Deception are definitely among my favorite reads of the year.

About the author:

Well behaved women rarely make history. Teri Brown lived that quote way before she ever even heard it. The two things she is most proud of, (besides her children), is that she jumped out of an airplane once and she beat the original Legend of Zelda video game. She is a novel writer, head banger, pet keeper, math hater, cocktail drinker, booty shaker, book reader, city slicker, food fixer, French kisser, rule breaker, wine sipper and word scribbler. She loves her husband, kitties and chocolate.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand {52}

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
Release date: February 10, 2015

There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone--a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.

I LOVE Cynthia Hand, so I'll read anything from her. This sounds really good, too, so it's a one-two punch. Woo! :)

So what are you guys waiting on this week? :)