Waiting on Wednesday - Miracle

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we just can't wait to get our sticky fingers on.

Title: Miracle
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads

Megan survived the plane crash—but can she survive the aftermath? An intense, emotional novel from the author of The Unwritten Rule and Between Here and Forever.

Megan is a miracle. At least, that’s what everyone says. Having survived a plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Megan knows she should be grateful just to be alive. But the truth is, she doesn’t feel like a miracle. In fact, she doesn’t feel anything at all. Then memories from the crash start coming back.

Scared and alone, Megan doesn’t know whom to turn to. Her entire community seems unable—or maybe unwilling—to see her as anything but Miracle Megan. Everyone except for Joe, the beautiful boy next door with a tragic past and secrets of his own. All Megan wants is for her life to get back to normal, but the harder she tries to live up to everyone’s expectations, the worse she feels. And this time, she may be falling too fast to be saved....

We here at Paranormal Wastelands ADORE Elizabeth Scott! We know she has the power to make something as emotional as a plane crash into something uplifting and brilliant. And because of that we are clearing the runways as we chant:

Must have NOWS!

We needs it!!

We wants it!!

We can't lives without it!!

Now that you've heard what our CAN'T WAIT book is... What's yours? Drop us a comment so we can find out what has you on pins and needles.

As I Wake

Title: As I Wake
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Published: September 15th 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

This book was AWESOME!!!

I have NEVER EVER EVER read anything like it and I loved it!!

In the beginning I kind of thought this book was going to be written in verse (with the way things are worded) but once you get to the middle it totally makes sense and made me love the book even more.

I totally recommend this book!! Super loves!

The Plot:
Ava wakes up in a room that isn't her own. She is surrounded by people she has met but not in this world. She's not the Ava everyone thinks she is. They all think she has lost her memory but Ava starts to remember... it's not her memories... it's her world.

The characters:
Ava: Main character who the story is told by. She can't remember who she is but knows that the woman who says she is her Mom is not her real Mom. She keeps having flashbacks of a harder time in an attic watching a boy and taking notes.

Jane: Ava's Mom... or is she? Wants Ava to remember who she is... as long as the person she remember is HER Ava.

Clementine: One of Jane's neighbors who works at the hospital where Ava is getting tests done to figure out where her memory has gone to. Keeps saying little cryptic things to Ava. Is she trying to remind her of something?

Ethan: Ava loves him. This Ava has met him before. Why doesn't she feel the same way she used to. Is he the same boy? Or is she not the same girl?

Morgan: The boy from the attic. The boy from Ava's memories. Or is it dreams? He wants her to come home. Ava thought she was home.

Olivia, Greer, and Sophy: Ava's best friends from school who this Ava can remember but differently.

What did this book remind me of?
It kind of reminded me of Quantum Leap, Fringe, X-Files, and a bit of Eerie Indiana. If you like Sci-fi and a good mystery then this book is for you!

Boy or Girl?
Well, I personally think that a girl would like this book more but that's only because boy's don't tend to read too many books with girl heroines. But I really think that if this book was to land in the right boy's hands then he would love it. He just has to give it a try.

Lyrical?
Zomg!! This book is soo lyrical!! If you like lyrical books or verse books or books full of metaphors then this book is for you!! It's brilliant!

Would you like a sequel?
Yes please!! Or a pre-quel!! Either one I would be fine with. I'm sure this book is meant to stand alone but there are so many things that could be added. WANTS MORE!!

What was the most interesting part of the book?
Mainly the flashbacks. I loved learning what Ava was remembering from her time as herself and not the girl everyone thinks she is.

Would you buy this book?
Tough question. I got this book from the library and it took me about 5 or 6 hours to read. It's a real easy book which I love but i don't know if I could spend $20 on it. I could see spending say $6 on it. Maybe rent it from the library first and then see what you think. I personally wouldn't spend that kind of cash on it. But don't take my word for it... I'm cheap.

The Cover:
The cover, while very pretty and extremely cool, kind of confuses me. If you look at it, it is clearly AVA, but what is she doing? Is her head exploding? Is she catching things on fire? Is she vaporizing? None of that happens. So, what is it? I figure it's her having her memories from when she sleeps. Not shifting, literally, but more metaphysical... maybe? Or perhaps it's her shadow (you'll understand that later). For those of you who have read the book... what did you think?

Parents Guide:
No descriptive hanky panky in this book but there are 2 scenes or really sentences that talk about masturbation. It's not descriptive at all. Beavis and Butt-head would do worse ;P. I think an 8th grader would be fine with this book.

What I took from this book:
No matter what... you are always going to be the same person. You might have different mannerisms but they can't take the YOU out of yourself.

Overall:
This book is great! I enjoyed it! Not a dull minute!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we just can't wait to get our sticky fingers on.


Title: As I Wake
Author: Elizabeth Scott Published: September 15, 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads
Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.


We here at Paranormal Wastelands are super mondo excited about this book. Elizabeth Scott is such a fantastic writer and zomg when she writes those intense books because it just makes us squee

Must have NOWS! We needs it!!
We wants it!!
We can't lives without it!!

Now that you've heard what our CAN'T WAIT book is... What's yours? Drop us a comment so we can find out what has you on pins and needles.

 

While your here check out our upcoming Halloween event & Blog Hop, Zompacolypse 2011, and join in on the fun!

Love You - Hate you - Miss You

Title: Love You Hate You Miss You
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Published: 2009
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Get this, I'm supposed to be starting a journal about "my journey." Please. I can see it now: Dear Diary, As I'm set adrift on this crazy sea called "life" . . . I don't think so.

It's been seventy-five days. Amy's sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her.

And she's really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia's gone now, and she doesn't want to talk about it. They wouldn't get it, anyway. They wouldn't understand what it feels like to have your best friend ripped away from you.

They wouldn't understand what it feels like to know it's your fault.

Amy's shrink thinks it would help to start a diary. Instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia.

But as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past wasn't as perfect as she thought it was—and the present deserves a chance too.

Well, you should by now.



But am I a picky pick when it comes to one of my favorite authors? Will I lie and say I loved a book just because I liked the majority?



The answer....



I will not LIE!



I did not dig this book at all. I didn't feel like I connected with the characters and quite frankly wasn't interested in what was going to happen next. I like how it was written (as if a teenager was really talking) but I just didn't FEEL it. I wanted to but... MEH... whatareyagonnado?



Not a book I would recommend but at least it was short.

Between Here and Forever

Title: Between Here and Forever
Author: Elizabeth Scott

Published: May 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...



I super loved this book! And I don't say that very often so you know you can trust me ;)

(note: I wouldn't trust her on everything. She cheats at put put golf)

When I got the feel of this story all I could think of was that this was a modern "Sleeping Beauty".

Abby's sister Tess WAS the bees knees. Every boy wanted to date her and all her friends wanted to be her. Mom and Dad uber loved her and Abby... well, Abby just wanted to get away from being Tess's sister for a while and just be Abby. Then on New Years Day her sister Tess gets into a car accident and lands into a coma. Now, Abby is on a mission to wake up her sister. It seems like just like before she's stuck back in Tess's shadow but this time its even harder because she's asleep.

Every day Abby visits her sister. Talks to her. Alerts the nurses and badgers the doctors when she sees the slightest movements in her eyes. And then one day she meets a boy who she thinks will have the power to wake her sister. A beautiful boy with a beautiful voice who works in the gift shop at the hospital. She convinces the boy to come up and talk to the Sleeping Beauty... and to Abby's surprise... Tess's eyes move once he speaks. We go from there on Abby's adventure in trying to wake her sister, learns about life, and realizes she is more than just a shadow of a sister in a coma.

The Characters:
Easy to love! There were a ton of times where I laughed out loud. I haven't had a book do that to me in ages. Abby almost reminded me of myself which is probably why I liked it so much. She didn't dig super model girls, was kinda pushy, and a little naive. In my opinion... that made the book for me. Super loves! I actually would have hung out with this character. There aren't many characters in books out there that I would say that about.

The Plot:
Very original and just when you think you have everything figured out they slam you with a twisty turn that will leave you thinking.

The Parents:
This book is NOT done in modern YA fashion because the parents are throughout the story. Loved that. That made the story a bit more real. And because this doesn't have any werewolf hunk a monks running around I thought it was necessary (we don't need the 'rents around when there's a wolf on the prowl hahahs)

The Cover:
This is the part that I don't get. There is no where in the story where a girl is holding a sunflower in the grass on a sunny day. Actaully this story takes place in the cooler months... so I don't get the cover at all. I probably would have made it a cracked unicorn figurine (you'll understand why after you read it)

Age Appropriate:
There isn't much cussing in this book. Nothing too off the wall. There is also not too much WOAH WOAH WOAH SHUT YOUR EYES kind of stuff. These topics are brought up but they are discussed in a fashion that will not damage your child. Think After School Special. We need more of that. I think any girl 12 and up would do fine reading this book.

The Author:
I freaking uber loves her. I've read "Living Dead Girl" and loved every minute of it and after reading this book I can't wait to read more. Elizabeth Scott is now one of my favorite authors.

A great read that will leave you wanting more...because the way it ended WILL leave you wanting more and screaming Sequel. Fingers Crossed!