Waiting on Wednesday: In Another Time by Caroline Leech

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: In Another Time

Author: Caroline Leech

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Love is worth the fight

It’s 1942, and Maisie McCall is in the Scottish Highlands doing her bit for the war effort as a Women’s Timber Corps lumberjill. Maisie relishes her newfound independence and her growing friendships—especially with the enigmatic John Lindsay.

As Maisie and John work side-by-side felling trees, Maisie can’t help but feel like their friendship has the spark of something more to it. And yet every time she gets close to him, John pulls away. It’s not until Maisie rescues John from a terrible logging accident that he begins to open up to her about the truth of his past, and the pain he’s been hiding.

Suddenly everything is more complicated than Maisie expected. And as she helps John untangle his shattered history, she must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart to help heal his. But in a world devastated by war, love might be the only thing left that can begin to heal what’s broken. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

A love story set in 1942? Heck yeah, I'm there. I can't wait to see if Maisie and John's romance meets my high expectations. Luckily this one hits shelves in a few weeks, so we don't have to be too patient!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: The Other Side of Lost

Author: Jessi Kirby

Release Date: August 7, 2018

Girl Online meets Wild in this emotionally charged story of girl who takes to the wilderness to rediscover herself and escape the superficial persona she created on social media.

Mari Turner’s life is perfect. That is, at least to her thousands of followers who have helped her become an internet starlet. But when she breaks down and posts a video confessing she’s been living a lie—that she isn’t the happy, in-love, inspirational online personality she’s been trying so hard to portray—it goes viral and she receives major backlash. To get away from it all, she makes an impulsive decision: to hike the entire John Muir trail. Mari and her late cousin, Bri, were supposed to do it together, to celebrate their shared eighteenth birthday. But that was before Mari got so wrapped up in her online world that she shut anyone out who questioned its worth—like Bri.

With Bri’s boots and trail diary, a heart full of regret, and a group of strangers that she meets along the way, Mari tries to navigate the difficult terrain of the hike. But the true challenge lies within, as she searches for the way back to the girl she fears may be too lost to find: herself. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

I'll admit that the cover was what first drew me to the August release, but after reading the summary, I realized that this book sounds right up my alley. I love stories of surviving in the wilderness and hiking, as well as tales of self-discovery. Count me in for this upcoming novel.

Waiting On Wednesday: The Last Best Story by Maggie Lehrman

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: The Last Best Story

Author: Maggie Lehrman

Release Date: August 7, 2018

Rose Regnero was a star reporter for her high school paper, destined for a career in journalism, when she abruptly quit two months ago, leaving behind her very-nearly-sort-of-boyfriend and editor-in-chief, Grant. Now she is trying to be normal at her senior prom, with a new boy and new interests, and isn’t looking back.

Grant was totally blindsided when Rose walked away from the Gazette. After all, they’d dedicated their lives to it for the past four years, had even planned on majoring in journalism together at Northwestern—which is why Grant is determined to entice Rose back. But whether it’s really to the paper or to him he’s not entirely sure.

When an alarm is set off at prom and the school goes on lockdown, Grant discovers that someone is loose in the building with a gun. But Rose, caught outside of the gym, knows differently. Will her instincts for a good story win out against her resolve to leave Grant and the paper behind? (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

Just look at that adorable cover! Everything about this one sounds wonderful, from the storyline to the characters. Gimme gimme gimme.

Waiting On Wednesday: The Truth Lies Here by Lindsey Klingele

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: The Truth Lies Here

Author: Lindsey Klingele

Release Date: August 21, 2018

In small town Michigan, Penny, an aspiring journalist, teams up with the nerdy boy-next-door and the town’s star quarterback to find her conspiracy theorist father after he goes missing and several other townspeople turn up dead in the woods.

The deeper she digs, the weirder things start to get. Townspeople repeat the same phrases—verbatim. Men in black suits stroll around Main Street. Chunks of her memory go missing. Pretty soon, Penny’s research leads her to the long-ago meteorite crash in Bone Lake’s woods, and she’s going to have to reconsider her definition of “real” if she wants answers... (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

1. The main girl is an aspiring journalist.
2. Conspiracy theories!!
3. Long ago meteorite crash. Come on, we have to find out what that's about.

Waiting On Wednesday: Nine by Zach Hines

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Nine

Author: Zach Hines 

Release Date: August 7, 2018

In an alternate world startlingly close to our own, humans have nine lives—and they can’t wait to burn straight through them.

As you shed lives, you shed your awkward phases: one death is equal to one physical and mental upgrade. Julian’s friends are obsessed with the idea of burning lives, but Julian is determined to stay on his first for as long as he can. His mother, the ultimate cautionary tale, burned through her first eight in just a few years, and Julian has no intention of succumbing to the debilitating rebirth sickness that she inflicted on herself.

But the regime has death incentives aimed at controlling overpopulation, and Julian realizes that he’s going to have to burn at some point—especially when he becomes a target for Nicholas, the manipulative leader of the Burners, the school’s suicide club. And when Julian eventually succumbs, he uncovers suspicious gaps in the rebirth system that may explain exactly why his mother went so far down the rabbit hole years ago. Along with a group of student dissenters, Julian sets out to find answers and is soon on the verge of exposing the greatest conspiracy ever unleashed on the world.

He has just eight more lives to uncover the brutal truth. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

So I guess we're playing on the whole "cats have nine lives" thing here? Not sure, but it sounds pretty cool, and definitely unlike many of the other novels I tend to pick up.

Notes from My Captivity by Kathy Parks

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Notes from My Captivity

Author: Kathy Parks

Release Date: July 10, 2018

Girl meets boy… and the family holding her hostage.

Adrienne Cahill cares about three things: getting into a great college; becoming a revered journalist like her idol, Sydney Declay; and making her late father proud of her.

So when Adrienne is offered the chance to write an article that will get her into her dream school and debunk her foolishly optimistic stepfather Dan’s claim—no, belief—that a legendary family of hermits is living in the Siberian wilderness, there’s no question that she’s going to fly across the world.

After all, it is the trip of a lifetime.

But the Russian terrain is even less forgiving than Adrienne. And when disaster strikes, nothing—not the flirtatious guide or her stepdad’s obsessively detailed preparations—can protect Adrienne from the sheer force of nature. Now, Adrienne’s being held captive by the family she was convinced didn’t exist, and her best hope for escape is to act like she cares about befriending them, even if it means wooing the youngest son. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

Holy heck, have you ever read a synopsis quite like that one? And that cover is wonderful. Sign me up for a trip to Russia via this upcoming release.

Waiting on Wednesday: Zen and Gone

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Zen and Gone

Author: Emily France

Release Date: July 3, 2018

Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Essence McKree feels older than any seventeen-year-old she knows. Ever since weed was legalized, Mom has been working in a pot shop, high more often than not. Lately it’s been up to Essa to care for her nine-year-old sister, Puck.

When Essa meets Oliver—a brainy indoor type, in town for the summer—she is cautious at first, distrustful of the tourist crowd and suspicious of Oliver’s mysterious past in Chicago. But Puck is charmed and pushes Essa toward him. Soon Essa finds herself showing Oliver the Boulder she has forgotten: the mountain parties, the long hikes…and at Oliver’s urging, the exploration of Buddhism at the local zendo.

When Oliver agrees to accompany Essa on a three-day survival game in the Rocky Mountains, she feels a lightness she hasn’t known in a long time. Then she discovers that Puck has stowed away and followed them into the wilderness. After spending a night stuck in a mountain storm, Essa wakes to find Puck missing. Now Essa must rely on her newfound spiritual strength if she is to save her sister’s life, and ultimately her own. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

First of all, that cover is absolutely gorgeous! Just the type of simple but colorful image I like to see. Secondly, I adore stories about finding yourself in the wilderness. I've never really read a book about a Buddhist main character, but I'm interested to see what I think of the portrayal.

Waiting On Wednesday: Wild Blue Wonder by Carlie Sorosiak

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Wild Blue Wonder

Author: Carlie Sorosiak

Release Date: June 26, 2018

There are two monsters in this story. One of them is me.

Ask anyone in Winship, Maine, and they’ll tell you the summer camp Quinn’s family owns is a magical place. Paper wishes hang from the ceiling. Blueberries grow in the dead of winter. According to local legend, a sea monster even lurks off the coast. Mostly, there’s just a feeling that something extraordinary could happen there.

Like Quinn falling in love with her best friend, Dylan.

After the accident, the magic drained from Quinn’s life. Now Dylan is gone, the camp is a lonely place, and Quinn knows it’s her fault.

But the new boy in town, Alexander, doesn’t see her as the monster she believes herself to be. As Quinn lets herself open up again, she begins to understand the truth about love, loss, and monsters—real and imagined. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

I read Birds Fly Back last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I'm definitely going to give Sorosiak's next novel a shot. Plus, I seriously love the cover's design, and we all know I'm addicted to judging books by their covers.

Waiting on Wednesday: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Grace and Fury

Author: Tracy Banghart

Release Date: July 24, 2018

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace–someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir’s eye, it’s Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

Not sure I'm in love with this cover, but the synopsis definitely caught my attention. What can I say? I'm a sucker for sister tales.

Waiting on Wednesday: These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: These Rebel Waves

Author: Sara Raasch

Release Date: August 7, 2018

Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray’s new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice—but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.

Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island’s magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat’s abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian—but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.

Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray’s forbidden magic. When Ben’s father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid’s fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country—or if he’s building his own pyre.

As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decide who they really are... and what they are willing to become for peace. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

I have been waiting for this one for AGES. I grew up binge-watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and now I'm ready to see pirates on the page. Plus, I enjoyed Sara Raasch's other novels, so I'm hoping she'll bring her A-game with this newest release. August can't come soon enough!

Waiting on Wednesday: Little Do We Know

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Little Do We Know

Author: Tamara Ireland Stone

Release Date: June 5, 2018

Next-door neighbors and ex-best friends Hannah and Emory haven’t spoken in months. But their paths cross unexpectedly when, one night, Hannah finds Emory’s boyfriend, Luke, doubled over in his car outside her house. The paramedics rush him to the hospital, and for three minutes, Luke is clinically dead. And then he isn’t.

As Luke struggles to understand why he lived, he turns first to Emory for comfort, and then to Hannah for an explanation through her strong faith. With Hannah’s help, Luke records a video about his experience, and suddenly his video goes viral, thrusting him into the limelight while Emory watches helplessly, unsure of where his new experiences leave their relationship. But when a devastating secret comes to light, all three must reexamine the things they hold true.

In alternating chapters, a skeptic and a believer piece together the story of the close relationship they lost and the boy caught somewhere in the middle. New York Times best-selling author Tamara Ireland Stone deftly crafts a moving portrait that examines the intricacies of faith, love, and friendship. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

This one sounds like a real tear jerker, as well as a moving story. Plus, look at that cover! It's simply too cute to pass up. Look for this one shelves in less than a week.

Waiting on Wednesday: Listen to Your Heart

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Listen to Your Heart

Author: Kasie West

Release Date: May 29, 2018

Talking to other people isn't Kate Bailey's favorite activity. She'd much rather be out on the lake, soaking up the solitude and sunshine. So when her best friend, Alana, convinces Kate to join their high school's podcast, Kate is not expecting to be chosen as the host. Now she'll have to answer calls and give advice on the air? Impossible.

But to Kate's surprise, she turns out to be pretty good at the hosting gig. Then the podcast gets in a call from an anonymous guy, asking for advice about his unnamed crush. Kate is pretty sure that the caller is gorgeous Diego Martinez, and even surer that the girl in question is Alana. Kate is excited for her friend ... until Kate herself starts to develop feelings for Diego. Suddenly, Kate finds that while doling out wisdom to others may be easy, asking for help is tougher than it looks, and following your own advice is even harder.

Kasie West's adorable story of secrets, love, and friendship is sure to win over hearts everywhere. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

This one comes out just as summer begins, and it couldn't be more perfect! Sunshine on the lake and podcasts? Plus some romance? It's like this book was written just for me.

Waiting on Wednesday: Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Summer of Salt

Author: Katrina Leno

Release Date: June 5 2018

A magic passed down through generations . . .

Georgina Fernweh waits with growing impatience for the tingle of magic in her fingers—magic that has been passed down through every woman in her family. Her twin sister, Mary, already shows an ability to defy gravity. But with their eighteenth birthday looming at the end of this summer, Georgina fears her gift will never come.

An island where strange things happen...

No one on the island of By-the-Sea would ever call the Fernwehs what they really are, but if you need the odd bit of help—say, a sleeping aid concocted by moonlight—they are the ones to ask.

No one questions the weather, as moody and erratic as a summer storm.

No one questions the (allegedly) three-hundred-year-old bird who comes to roost on the island every year.

A summer that will become legend...

When tragedy strikes, what made the Fernweh women special suddenly casts them in suspicion. Over the course of her last summer on the island—a summer of storms, of love, of salt—Georgina will learn the truth about magic, in all its many forms. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

I love everything about the sound of this one. The cover is to die-for, the synopsis is totally intriguing, and it comes out in just a few weeks. Definitely pumped to get my hands on a copy ASAP.

Waiting On Wednesday: Out of the Blue

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Out of the Blue

Author: Sophie Cameron

Release Date: May 15, 2018

Sometimes, I imagine alternate endings to the story: last-minute miracles, touches of magic. I picture how things might have gone, if I wasn’t there. If I’d left just a few minutes later. If I hadn’t been alone. It doesn’t make any difference. One way or another, the crash always comes.

Ten days after Jaya Mackenzie’s mum dies, angels start falling from the sky. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived.

Hysteria mounting with every Being that drops, Jaya’s father uproots the family to Edinburgh intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can’t stand this obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother’s sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she’s determined to stay out of it.

When her best friend disappears and her father’s mania spirals, things hit rock bottom and it’s at that moment something extraordinary happens: An angel lands right at Jaya’s feet, and it’s alive. Finally she is forced to acknowledge just how significant these celestial beings are.

Set against the backdrop of the frenzied Edinburgh festival, OUT OF THE BLUE tackles questions of grief and guilt and fear over who we really are. But it’s also about love and acceptance and finding your place in this world as angels drop out of another. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

I absolutely adore Edinburgh, so I'm excited to see some descriptions of that magical city. Throw in some angels and I'm totally ready for this one. Thank goodness it hits shelves in less than a week!

Waiting on Wednesday: Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for! Here's mine for the week.

Title: Furyborn  

Author: Claire Legrand 

Release Date: May 22, 2018

The stunningly original, must-read fantasy of 2018 follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it.

When assassins ambush her best friend, the crown prince, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing her ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. The only people who should possess this extraordinary power are a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven trials to test her magic. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.

A thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a mere fairy tale to bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora. When the Undying Empire conquered her kingdom, she embraced violence to keep her family alive. Now, she believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes without a trace, along with countless other women in their city. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain on a dangerous mission and discovers that the evil at the heart of the empire is more terrible than she ever imagined.

As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world--and of each other. (taken from goodreads.com)

Why I Need It: 

Back in January, I listed this as one of my most highly-anticipated novels of 2018, and I stand by that label. The cross-generational plotline, epic cover design, and promise of badass assassins all immediately garnered my attention. Thankfully, we are now only a few weeks away from the release date! I'll finally be able to find out if Furyborn meets my high expectations.