Waiting on Wednesday

Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi



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




Summary:

It's been four years since Donna Parisi's father passed away, but it might as well have been four days. Donna makes conversation and goes through the motion, but she hasn't really gotten on with life. She's not close with anyone, she doesn't have a boyfriend and she's going to college at the local university with a major that her mother picked. But one day Donna has an epiphany. She wants to work with dead people. She wants to help people say goodbye and she wants to learn to love a whole person--body and soul. She wants to live her life and be exceptional...at loving, at grieving and at embalming and cremating,too. Even as she makes the decision, things start to change. Donna makes friends with the charismatic new student, Liz. She notices the boy, Charlie, at her table and realizes that maybe he's been noticing her, too. And she begins to forgive the rest of her family for living their lives while she's been busy moping.

Jennifer Violi's gentle, moving story of a girl who finds a life in the midst of death will appeal to any reader who's felt stuck and found inspiration in an unexpected place.


Well.... if you can't say anything else, at least you can say it's unique!
If you visit please leave the link to your WOW so I can return the visit :)

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Summary:
         When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.



A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.


While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.


Review:
    This is one of those books that can be summed up by its cover: Strong. The cover is fierce. You know who I think Ellie would get along with? Rose from the Vampire Academy. Hate to say it, but if a battle ever came in between Rose and Ellie, Ellie would win. She is in the running to be my favorite butt-kicking girl right in between Katniss Everdeen, and Katsa.

She wins on sarcasm. I loved the sarcastic banter going on between Will and Ellie. I also liked the other things going on between them...
Will is just about the perfect love interest for Ellie. Dark and moody IS hot. Will proves that. It was fun seeing Ellie try to force him out of his shell. And in turn, Will trying to make Ellie every reaper's nightmare.

I would recommend Angelfire to fans of the Vampire Academy, Hunger Games, Graceling, and Nightshade.

Artichokes Heart by Suzanne Supplee

Stars: 3.5

Summary from Goodreads:

 When she is almost sixteen years old, Rosemary decides she is sick of being overweight, mocked at school and at Heavenly Hair--her mother's beauty salon--and feeling out of control, and as she slowly loses weight, she realizes that she is able to cope with her mother's cancer, having a boyfriend for the first time, and discovering that other people's lives are not as perfect as they seem from the outside.




Review:
I was left with mixed feelings on the book. I wanted to love it. I did feel touched by it, but...
Some things were unbelievable. Like, Rosie's and Kyle's relationship. All Rosie seemed to be thinking was: Why would Kyle pick me? I'm so fat and ugly. I bet if I sat on a whale it would sink.... must try out this theory.... OMG I LOVE KYLE!!!
And Kyle says: You're so beautiful, and so smart. I will do ANYTHING for you.
I didn't feel a spark. I don't care if your attraction is that you both love to frolic among meadows or whatever. AT LEAST IT'S A SPARK. It feels their relationship was based on Rosie insecurities.
The good points:
I think Rosie's battle to lose weight is realistically portrayed. Before the book, I had no idea what some one with weight problems actually thought about that. The issue about weight never stuck out to me. I have friends struggling with weight, but except for the occasional comment about bathing suit season, they don't talk about it. I assumed they don't care that much.
If you can get past the flaky relationships and the slow writing, I would recommend this book.

Waiting on Wednesday

WOW is hosted at Breaking the Spine.

http://www.gaiaphage.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=38 is an inteview with the author.



I may have used this book before, but... I DON'T CARE! I am in love with these series. LOVE.
So, I've heard some one's having a baby. And the waters running out. And (more obviously) THIS BOOK HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A PLAGUE!
I'm drooling over the cover right now, in case you want to know....
TWO MORE WEEKS.
APRIL 5.
FOREVER.