Waiting on Wednesday #21

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Omens 

by Kelley Armstrong 

Expected publication: August 20th 2013 by Sphere

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home, and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her. 

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

Add to Goodreads 

**I can't wait to read this book, it sounds very interesting! What are you guys waiting to read? Leave me a comment below or your WoW link :) Thanks!

Review: A Night To Forget by Jessica Wood

A Night To Forget 
by Jessica Wood
Released Date: June 20th 2013 by ERH Press
Series: Emma's Story #1
Page: 126
View/Purchase: Goodreads, Amazon

What happens in Cancun doesn’t always stay in Cancun.

When Emma Anderson and her friends decided to spend their senior year Spring Break in Cancun, she expected some crazy memories to end their final college days. What Emma didn’t expect was to meet Brandon Fisher. Tall and sexy, with dimples that would make any girl swoon, Brandon Fisher was literally the man of Emma’s dreams. She couldn't quite believe that this stranger, who seduced her every night in her dreams, actually existed.

After serendipitously bumping into each other, Emma could not resist Brandon’s pull and spent an unforgettable night with him. Passing it off as a spring break fling, Emma never expected to see Brandon again. But when she started her first day at her new job a few months later, there he was. The only problem was, Brandon didn’t even remember her.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

My Review:

*ARC provided by Netgalley*

A Night to Forget was one of those books that immediately grabbed my attention when I read the premise of the story. It's definitely your typical summer read with a twist. As a college student, Emma Anderson was not expecting her spring break of senior year to be eventful, other than graduating and moving to San Francisco. But everything changes when she started having wild dreams of a handsome stranger. What she didn't know was that her dreams were about to become reality, when she meets the handsome stranger that had haunted her dreams while vacationing in Cancun. A series of strange events happened during their meeting and it is then that she spends time with him. Her vacation ends up in a good note, but everything comes crashing down when she sees him again months later in her job. 

I really have mixed feelings about this book in general. The book in itself is very well-written. But my biggest issue was how everything comes together in the end. I think the overall idea is great, but it needed more details and scenes to make it perfect. I really liked Emma's character, but there wasn't much of a development in her throughout the story. Although we don't get to read much of Brandon, the way he is described makes him perfect for this type of story. I would have liked to see more of him though. I really liked Emma's friends, they are supportive and very relatable. I had fun reading their little scenes. Both Emma and Brandon have a connection that pulls them together, but it felt too rushed for me and the ending was such a cliffhanger! I finished reading it and thought to myself “That's it?!?” I thought there was going to be more. I don't think I've ever read a book that ends with a cliffhanger before. I for one wasn't a fan of the way it ended. Would I recommend it? Sure, if you like a quick book that ends so abruptly. Other than that, I would say move on to another book if I were you.

My Rating:

                                                                                                                                 

ARC Review: What Happens Between Friends by Beth Andrews

What Happens Between Friends
by Beth Andrews
Released Date: August 6th 2013 by Harlequin
Series: In Shady Grove #2
Pages: 384
View/Purchase: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N

Friends...with benefits? For Sadie Nixon, life is one big adventure with something new around the corner. And anytime she needs a break, she can always rely on James Montesano-the best guy she knows. This time when she arrives in Shady Grove, however, something is different. There's a little extra between her and James that has them crossing the line of friendship into one steamy, no-holds-barred night. 

Afterward, no matter how hard she tries, Sadie can't erase the memories of James that way. He's so hot, so tempting.... But his life is here and hers isn't. She needs his friendship, but she doesn't do commitment. So where does that leave them? Suddenly what happens between friends is more complicated than ever!
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

My Review:

*ARC provided by Netgalley*

What Happens Between Friends is a story about Sadie and James and how their friendships ends up turning into something more. When Sadie Nixon comes back to the small town of Shady Grove for Jame's birthday, she wasn't expecting to see a new James. On the other hand, James has always been there for Sadie. He feels protective towards her and he'll do anything to make her happy. But he is holding a secret; a secret that can either hurt him or turn in his favor. From the beginning to the very end, I was compelled to read the story, it was definitely romantic yet frustrating. I liked Sadie's character, she is carefree and independent. Jame is lovable, smart, caring and sweet. He is the character that will do anything to make sure someone like Sadie is save and protected. They both have problems with their families, and they have to learn how to move past that so they can move on. Although it was frustrating to see Sadie turn away from James whenever he started to get close to her, she ultimately had to decide whether her goals were more important than what he has always wanted the most. The author does a really good job with the story and it ties perfectly fine in the end. I enjoyed reading the book and I hope to read more from the author.

My Rating: