Waiting On Wednesday (#11): My "Not My Normal 'Brain Melting' Vampire Stuff" List

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it's a weekly meme all about the books that are coming out soon that we really can't wait to read.

 

This is my list of what I Waitin' for.  I've decided that it's my "Out of My Comfort Zone" list... actually, not true.  More like my "Not My Normal 'Brain Melting' Vampire Stuff", as my aunt so 'lovingly' calls it.  So, maybe you'll see something...

 

 

A Small Free Kiss in the Dark

By: Glenda Millard

Published: 1st May 2011

Published By: Templar
Found: On Amazon

 

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Two young boys, an old tramp, a beautiful teenage dancer, and the girl's baby--ragtag survivors of a sudden war--form a fragile family, hiding out in the ruins of an amusement park. As they scavenge for good, diapers, and baby formula, they must stay out of sight of vicious gangs and lawless soldiers. At first they rely on Billy, the only adult in the group. But as civil life deteriorates, Billy starts to fall apart. Skip, who is barely into his teens, must take over and lead them on a search for sanctuary. This complex and haunting exploration of life on the edge and what it takes to triumph over adversity is a story about the indomitable nature of hope.

Wow, this sounds amazing.  Admittedly, it's a reprint...  But...  Incredible, incredible, incredible!  Haunting...

 

 

 

 

Tell Us We're Home

By: Marina Budhos

Published: 3rd May 2011

Published By: Atheneum BooksFound: On Amazon

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Jaya, Maria, and Lola are just like the other eighth-grade girls in the wealthy suburb of Meadowbrook, New Jersey. They want to go to the spring dance, they love spending time with their best friends after school, sharing frappÉs and complaining about the other kids. But there’s one big difference: all three are daughters of maids and nannies. And they go to school with the very same kids whose families their mothers work for.

That difference grows even bigger—and more painful—when Jaya’s mother is accused of theft and Jaya’s small, fragile world collapses.

When tensions about immigrants start to erupt, fracturing this perfect, serene suburb, all three girls are tested, as outsiders—and as friends. Each of them must learn to find a place for themselves in a town that barely notices they exist.

Marina Budhos gives us a heartbreaking and eye-opening story of friendship, belonging, and finding the way home.

"When you lose your best friends and you're a stranger in your own town, how do you begin to belong?"  I love the line, it really drew me in.  And the blurb sounds amazing, really amazing.  Plus, the cover is really quite pretty... not that I'm judging the book by its cover, of course... :)  I do prefer the hardback copy though... -->

The Ivy

Series: The Ivy, Book One

By: Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur

Published: 3rd May 2011

Published By: HarperCollins Children's Books
Found: On Goodreads

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Congratulations! You have been admitted to the most prestigious university in the world. Now what are you going to do?
Callie Andrews may not have money or connections or the right clothes, and she may have way too many complications in her love life, what with:
Gregory
the guy she loves to hate ...
Evan
the guy she'd love to forget ...
Clint
the guy she'd love to love ...
and Matt
the guy she really should love ...
all vying for her attention.
But she has three fantastic roommates (best friends or her worst nightmare?) and a wholesome California-girl reputation (oops) and brains and beauty and big, big dreams.
Will it be enough to help her survive freshman year at Harvard?

So, this isn't my normal kind of book, as it doesn't have a paranormal in sight, but it does look really good.  Plus, once more, gorgeous cover!  I really need to stop that...

Compromised

By: Heidi Ayarbe

Published: 3rd May 2011

Published By: Harper Teen
Found: On Amazon: where else?

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Maya's life has always been chaotic. Living with a con-man dad, she's spent half her life on the run. Whenever her father's schemes go wrong, Maya finds a scientific way to fix it. But when her dad ends up in prison and foster care fails, Maya grasps at her last possible hope of a home: a long-lost aunt, who may not even exist.

So Maya formulates a plan, and with her wits, two unlikely allies, and twenty dollars in her pocket, she sets off in search of this aunt, navigating the unpredictable four hundred miles from Reno to Boise. Life on the streets, though, becomes a struggle for survival—those scientific laws Maya has relied on her whole life just don't apply. And with each passing day, Maya's definitions of right and wrong are turned upside down when she's confronted with the realities and dangers of life as a runaway. She can't help but wonder if trying to find her aunt—and some semblance of stability—is worth the harrowing journey or if she should compromise and find a way to survive on her own.

I've seen great reviews of this one, and it does sound absolutely amazing.  It's won an award as well, I think...

Compulsion

By: Heidi Ayarbe

Published: 3rd May 2011

Published By: Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
Found: On Amazon

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Today has to be perfect.
Magic.
I look at the clock.
10:14 am.
Ten fourteen. One plus one is two plus four is six plus ten is sixteen minus one is fifteen minus two is thirteen. OK.
I turn from the clock and walk into the hallway. "Ready.”
Saturday will be the third state soccer championship in a row for Jake Martin. Three. A good number. Prime. With Jake on the field, Carson City High can’t lose, because Jake has the magic: a self-created protection generated by his obsession with prime numbers. It’s the magic that has every top soccer university recruiting Jake, the magic that keeps his family safe, and the magic that suppresses his anxiety attacks. But the magic is Jake’s prison, because getting it means his compulsions take over nearly every aspect of his life.
Jake’s convinced the magic will be permanent after Saturday, the perfect day, when every prime has converged. Once the game is over, he won’t have to rely on his sister, Kasey, to concoct excuses for his odd rituals. His dad will stop treating him like he is some freak. Maybe he’ll even make a friend other than Luc.
But what if it doesn’t work?
What if the numbers never go away?
Acclaimed author Heidi Ayarbe has created an honest and riveting portrait of a teen struggling with obsessive compulsive disorder in this courageous and breathtaking novel.

This looks so incredible it's untrue.  The whole idea of the "magic" being a prison, and OCD is something I've never come across, and I really want to try it.  Amazing.

Flawless

By: Lara Chapman

Published: 3rd May 2011

Published By: Bloomsbury Publishing
Found: On Amazon

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.
On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?
This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.

Looks good and like it has a strong message.  Plus, I've seen lots of postive reviews!

Ok, so that was my "Not My Normal 'Brain Melting' Vampire Stuff" List.  Full of none-brain-melting stuff.  Sort of...  Ah well.

What are you waiting for?