Stacking the Shelves: Untamed by A.G. Howard

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, be it physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in a physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Tynga publishes her post each Saturday, so be sure to link up your posts and check out what books others have added to their shelves that week.

From the Library

Untamed by A.G. Howard

Goodreads Overview:

A post-Ensnared collection of three stories—available in both print and e-versions.

Alyssa Gardner went down the rabbit hole and took control of her destiny. She survived the battle for Wonderland and the battle for her heart. In this collection of three novellas, join Alyssa and her family as they look back at their memories of Wonderland. 

In Six Impossible Things, Alyssa recalls the most precious moments of her life after Ensnared, and the role magic plays in preserving the happiness of those she loves. Alyssa’s mother reminisces about her own time in Wonderland and rescuing the man who would become her husband in The Boy in the Web. And Morpheus delves into Jeb’s memories of the events of Splintered in The Moth in the Mirror, available in print for the first time.

This collection expands upon Ensnared's epilogue, and includes some deleted scenes to provide a “director’s cut” glimpse into the past and futures of our favorite Splintered characters.

Waiting on Wednesday: A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  You can also check out Can't-Wait Wednesday hosted by Wishful Endings.

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

Release Date: September 5, 2017

I saw this on one of last weeks WoW posts and thought this sounded like an interesting read.  I haven't read Our Chemical Hearts, so I should probably check that one out in the meantime.

Goodreads Overview:

From the author of Our Chemical Hearts comes the hilarious, reality-bending tale of two outsiders facing their greatest fears about life and love one debilitating phobia at a time.

Ever since Esther Solar's grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther's father is agoraphobic and hasn't left the basement in six years, her twin brother can t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.

The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them. 

Esther doesn't know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces, and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares. 

Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn't counted on: love.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dream Fall by Amy Plum

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  You can also check out Can't-Wait Wednesday hosted by Wishful Endings.

Dream Fall by Amy Plum

Release Date: September 7, 2017

I'm currently reading Amy Plum's most recent release, Until the Beginning, and decided to share Dream Fall this week.  This book appears to be considerably different from her previous books, but I have enjoyed all of her others and will definitely give this one a try.

Goodreads Overview:

Cata Cordova suffers from such debilitating insomnia that she agreed to take part in an experimental new procedure. She thought things couldn’t get any worse...but she was terribly wrong.

Soon after the experiment begins, there’s a malfunction with the lab equipment, and Cata and six other teen patients are plunged into a shared dreamworld with no memory of how they got there. Even worse, they come to the chilling realization that they are trapped in a place where their worst nightmares have come to life. Hunted by creatures from their darkest imaginations and tormented by secrets they’d rather keep buried, Cata and the others will be forced to band together to face their biggest fears. And if they can’t find a way to defeat their dreams, they will never wake up.

Review: The 6th Target by James Patterson

The 6th Target is the sixth book in the Women's Murder Club (WMC) series.  In this installment Lindsay Boxer, a San Francisco homicide detective, is called to the scene of a shooting on a ferry boat.  Four people are dead and one of the members of the WMC is seriously injured.  There are a slew of witnesses, but the shooter manages to escape.  

Lindsay is also investigating a series of incidents that have occurred in Cindy Thomas's apartment building.  Cindy is a reporter for the local newspaper and one of the four members of the WMC.  She got a great deal on this new apartment, but she is beginning to wonder if this move was a big mistake. 

There is a third case that develops when a child prodigy is abducted along with her nanny at a local park.  The family is very wealthy, so Lindsay assumes a ransom note will soon follow, but the kidnappers never make contact with the police or the family.  When Lindsay discovers this isn't the first incident involving a gifted child and a nanny, she begins to connect the dots.

District attorney Yuki Castellano is called in to prosecute the ferry shooter.  With video footage of the shooting clearly showing the defendant in action, this should be a slam dunk case.  She even has a number of witnesses who can clearly identify the defendant, but she knows she will need to proceed with caution.  She is up against a high profile defense attorney who will leave no stone unturned.

This was another great addition to the series.  I love seeing how the characters evolve and how their combined talents can solve some of the toughest crimes.  The books are action packed and relatively fast reads, but this series is still a major commitment.  There are currently sixteen books available and I'm sure there are more to come.  

Waiting on Wednesday: Snow Lane by Josephine Angelini

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  You can also check out Can't-Wait Wednesday hosted by Wishful Endings.

Snow Lane by Josephine (Josie) Angelini

Release Date: January 2, 2018

I have been a fan of Josie's since reading her Starcrossed series, which I would highly recommend if you haven't read it.  She just posted on her blog about her upcoming release Snow Lane, which is based upon true stories from her childhood, but it is still a work of fiction.  Like the character in this book, Josie is from a large family.  She was the youngest of eight children and was encouraged by her husband, agent, and editor to share some of her hilarious family stories.  Snow Lane sounds more contemporary than her other books, so I am definitely intrigued.  

Overview:

Fifth grader Annie is just like every other girl in her small suburban town. 

Except she’s starting to realize that she isn’t.

Annie is the youngest of nine children. Instead of condemned to the lowest spot on the totem pole, she wants to carve out place for herself in the world. But it’s hard to find your destiny when the only thing you’re good at is being cheerful. Annie is learning that it’s difficult to be Annie, period, and not just because her clothes are worn-out hand-me-downs, and she suffers from a crippling case of dyslexia, but also because there are secrets in her life no one in her family is willing to face.

Snow Lane is a story about a resilient girl who, in spite of many hardships, can still find light in the darkest of places.

Review: Bitter Pill by Stacey Kade

Bitter Pill is one of Stacey's earlier releases that was published using the name Stacey Klemstein in 2008.  The book was edited and re-released in 2013 under Stacey Kade.

Rennie Harlow grew up in a small town and moved to Chicago after high school.  She graduated from college, got married, and had a great job.  Life was moving along smoothly until she discovered her husband was having an affair with his paralegal.  She moved back to her hometown and is now living in the apartment above her mother's garage while working as a freelance writer for the local paper.  As if being divorced and returning home isn't scandal enough, trouble constantly surfaces around her.  She has discovered not one, but three dead bodies over the past year and the townspeople are definitely talking.  

At the beginning of this book she finds the body of the local pharmacist.  She arrived early that morning to pick up her mother's medication and became concerned when the store was still dark and Doc Hallacy didn't open the door promptly at 8:00 a.m., which has been his routine for as long as she can remember.  As an investigative reporter she takes it upon herself to assist the attractive young sheriff, Jake Bristol, with the investigation.  Not only does she need to clear her name, but the first hand knowledge will make for a great story in the paper.

This is a light and sometimes humorous murder mystery.  Rennie isn't a skilled investigator, but she is personable and people feel comfortable talking to her.  She also has great intuition and can think outside the box.  That is why Bristol allows her to unofficially assist with the investigation and often invites her along to watch how people respond in various situations.  Being young and naive she finds herself in some dangerous situations and doesn't always interpret the clues correctly.  Especially when the warnings are directed at her.

I have enjoyed all of Stacey's book, but I would have to list this one towards the top.  738 Days is probably my favorite with Bitter Pill a close second.  I would recommend this book to any reader and not just someone looking for a mystery.  I flew through this book in only a couple of days and was definitely surprised by the ending.  It wasn't at all predictable and was highly entertaining from start to finish.

Review: Elegy by Tara Hudson

Elegy is the third and final book in the Hereafter series.  I was fortunate to pick up an ARC at the 2013 RT convention.  I kept meaning to read it, but for some reason it never made it to the top of my TBR list even though I read the first two books immediately after they were released.  As part of my 2017 New Year's Bookish Goals I decided it was time to complete some of the series I started in previous years, but never got around to finishing.  My goal was to complete 5 series, but I have already finished 7 with the conclusion of this book.

The Hereafter series is about a ghost named Amelia who is trapped between the "light" and "darkness"...AKA heaven and hell.  There are "Seers" who are humans with the ability to see ghosts.  Joshua is a seer, but he is also a boy Amelia saved from a tragic accident, which results in their ability to physically touch each other.  (Amelia ordinarily can't touch humans without passing through them.)  This is definitely a bonus since Amelia and Joshua have been dating the entire series.  They would like nothing more than to continue their happy existence forever, but the Demons from the Netherwold will not stop until they claim Amelia.

When she refuses to turn herself over, the Demons decide it is time to take matters into their own hands.  When the violence begins to strike a little too close to home, Amelia is forced to make a decision.  She formulates a plan and solicits the help of some unlikely candidates to hopefully end the evil once and for all.

I thought Tara did a excellent job of tying up all of the loose ends in this series, but I was shocked by the lack of detail at the very end.  We can see how things end at the present time, but there are far reaching implications that are never mentioned.  There was an epilogue which tried to soften the ending, but it doesn't really accomplish what most readers were likely hoping for.  A short story or a an additional chapter set well into the future would have been the icing on the cake for me.

Review: Ensnared by A.G. Howard

Ensnared is the third and final book in the Splintered series and picks up a month or so after Unhinged ended.  Alyssa needs to figure out a way to save Wonderland from the destruction Queen Red cast upon it.  Without the help of Jeb, Morpheus or her Mother she must enter the looking-glass-world to rescue the people she loves most.  If she can complete this first mission, she plans on defeating Queen Red once and for all and taking her rightful place on the throne.

The love triangle between Jeb, Alyssa, and Morpheus plays an even larger part in this book .  Love triangles aren't usually ideal, but it was an essential part of this story.  The two guys bring out the best in Alyssa in both her human and netherling worlds.  I have been on Team Morpheus since reading Unhinged, but I gained a greater appreciation for Jeb the longer he and Morpheus worked together.  I don't want to give away how this situation plays out, so I will simply say it wasn't at all what I was expecting.  

I was very satisfied with the conclusion of this series.  The magical elements and mutant creatures contained in AnyElsewhere provide the perfect backdrop for this twisted tale.  There is plenty of danger and action mixed with the two love stories to keep the pages turning.  All of the characters have grown by leaps and bounds since the beginning of this series.  It was great to see them working together to reach a common goal.  I would have preferred a bit more detail in the Epilogue, which I was pleased to discover is likely provided in Untamed, the collection of short stories released after Ensnared.  I have already added it to my TBR list and hope to get to it soon.

Waiting on Wednesday: What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.  You can also check out Can't-Wait Wednesday hosted by Wishful Endings.

What To Say Next By Julie Buxbaum
Release Date: July 11, 2017

I have been seeing this book a lot lately and added it to my TBR list a couple of weeks ago.  I thought the cover was cute and summery, but it sounds like the topic is anything but.  I'm interested in seeing how this "unlikely friendship" develops.   

Goodreads Overview:

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her. 

When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?