Waiting on Wednesday was started by Breaking the Spine and serves to showcase those pesky books that aren’t released yet, but that we’re eagerly awaiting! This week, my WoW is…

Title: Twisted (Intertwined #3)
Author: Gena Showalter
Published: 30 August, 2011 by Harlequin Teen

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN STONE HAS HAD A HELL OF A WEEK. HE’S BEEN:
Tortured by angry witches.
Hypnotized by a vengeful faery.
Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence.
And, oh, yeah. Killed – twice.
His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he’s never felt more out of control. There’s a darkness within him, something taking over… changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last. Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker – just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened. Life couldn’t get any worse. Could it?

I love the cover for this, but that’s not why I’m waiting on it. The first two books, Intertwined and Unraveled were a whole lot of fun, full of vampires, werewolves, faeries and witches, so you’re certainly not lacking in the paranormal department. The point of difference though is that Aden’s head is home to four other souls with special abilities: Seeing the future, Time travelling, Raising the dead and Possessing other people. Amongst all of that, romances ensue and trouble comes looking.

What are you waiting on? Feel free to link me up and I’ll check yours out!

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours or publishers!

• The Twilight Saga: Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer (purchased)
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (purchased)
• Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (purchased)
• Oliver Nocturne: Blood Ties by Kevin Emerson (library)
• Conspiracy 365: February by Gabrielle Lord (library)
• Unnatural by Michael Griffo (purchased)
• The Morganville Vampires Vol III: Lord of Misrule & Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine (purchased)

So these are the books I’ve bought & borrowed out this week. I read Hush, Hush a few weeks ago from my local library and loved it but they didn’t have Crescendo so I decided to get them both online. I found the shiny hardbacks cheap on AmazonUK so I quickly snapped them up. My copy of Unnatural arrived looking like the front corner had gotten wet in the post (it was dry when it arrived, but warped), but I couldn’t be bothered sending it back to the UK and waiting for a replacement to get to me so I guess I’ll just live with it (plus I’ve read it now. see my review). Another Morganville bind-up arrived this week as well, I really have to get back to reading them soon. If only I didn’t have university textbooks to read as well.

Link up to your mailbox and I’ll be sure to check it out!

Title: Unnatural (Archangel Academy #1)
Author: Michael Griffo
Published: February, 2011 by K Teen (Kensington)
Pages: 480
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…

Final Thoughts:
Slow to start, but stick with it and you’ll be greatly rewarded. Michael and Ronan will keep you glued to the pages. Full of snarky vampires, apathetic mothers and controlling fathers, Unnatural comes as a fresh breath in the vampire/boarding school genre.

Title: Alpha (The Shifters #6)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Published: October, 2010 by Mira
Pages: 472
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder and treason. Yeah, we’ve been busy. But now it’s time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother’s death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council. It’s not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I’m heading for a final showdown that can—that will—change everything forever. A showdown I’m not sure I’m ready for. But life never waits until you’re ready.

Final Thoughts:
Wow, this book had my emotions all over the place. In the middle of an all-out war Faythe just can’t catch a break. It’s one of those tense reads where if something can go wrong, it will. And aside from her Pride problems, her love life isn’t much better. Torn between two guys (oh the pain of it) and with Calvin Malone well and truly on the bus to power hungry crazy town, Faythe’s life is one colossal mess.

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Breaking the Spine and serves to showcase those pesky books that aren’t released yet, but that we’re eagerly awaiting! This week, my WoW is…

Title: The Demon’s Surrender (The Demon’s Lexicon #3)
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Published: June, 2011 by Simon & Schuster

The Goblin Market has always been the centre of Sin’s world. She’s a dancer and a performer, secure in her place. But now the Market is at war with the magicians, and Sin’s place is in danger. Keeping secrets from the market she loves, struggling with a friend who has become a rival, Sin is thrown together with the Ryves brothers, Nick and Alan – whom she’s always despised. But Alan has been marked by a magician, to be tortured as the magician pleases, and as Sin watches Alan struggle to protect the demon brother he loves, she begins to see both brothers in a new light. But how far will brother go to save brother – and what will it cost them all?

This is my most anticipated book for the year. I can’t decide which cover I like better. The UK one has the burning city, but the US cover has Alan. I’ll probably end up buying both. The first two books, The Demon’s Lexicon and The Demon’s Covenant were two of my favourite books, they left me begging for more, you can never have enough Nick. The wait for The Demon’s Surrender is paining me. Luckily Sarah Rees Brennan has been posting little snippets and short stories on her livejournal to keep us satisfied until June.

What are you waiting on? Feel free to link me up and I’ll check yours out!

Title: Shift (The Shifters #5)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Published: March, 2010 by Mira
Pages: 441
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy. Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways. As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe. With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option…

Final Thoughts:
Oh my god. That’s pretty much the feeling I was left with throughout this book. Rachel Vincent is definitely not one who shies away from killing off her characters or maybe just dismembering them. The personal struggles come hard and fast. No one is safe. The internal war that has been building steadily throughout the series is coming to a peak. I’m left in awe of Calvin Malone’s sheer evilness. It’s brilliant.

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours or publishers!

• Stefan’s Diaries Vol III: The Craving by Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec (purchased)
• Defiance by Lili St. Crow (purchased)
• Agent 21 by Chris Ryan (purchased)
• Forsaken by Jana Oliver (purchased)
• Mercy by Rebecca Lim (purchased)
• Exile by Rebecca Lim (purchased)
• The Morganville Vampires Vol II: Midnight Alley & Feast Of Fools by Rachel Caine (purchased)

So these are the books I’ve bought in my first week of blogging. I finally received my copy of the second Morganville bind-up, so I’m going to be reading that soon. Firstly, I have to finish my last two library books (Shift and Alpha by Rachel Vincent) as they’re due back very soon. I really love the colours and design on the covers of Mercy and Exile by Australian author Rebecca Lim, they looked so good in store that I had to get them both straight away, hopefully the story stacks up.

Link up to your mailbox and I’ll be sure to check it out!