Waiting On Wednesday: ADVENTURE ISLAND by Helen Moss

So here's the thing: I'm nearly 26 and quite excited about a new adventure series that's coming out soon, targeted at like 8 to 12 years. Pretty damn weird, right? But allow me to explain.

When I was like 9 to 13 years old, there was this writer called ENID BLYTON (legend!), who pretty much rocked my world. I absolutely adored her Famous Five and Barney Mysteries series (the only two that were translated into my native language) and I would read them over and over and over again, especially during summer holidays. I loved all their adventures and I just had a blast reading those books back then - they were totally THE books of my childhood!

I guess I never really got over them, heh ... The other day I learned that there's this new series coming out, called Adventure Island, which sounds just like Enid Blyton wrote it! And the covers are similar too! (Ooooh, what a coincidence, innit, haha.) My inner child just got so excited at the sound of these - I mean, I would've LOVED this like 15 years ago! Where were these books when I needed them?! Instead I had to resort to reading Enid Blyton over & over again, ha. It was fun and stuff, but got a bit less exciting eventually since I knew damn well what was going to happen, which kind of ruins the whole point.

Aaaaanyway! If YOU too used to be a massive Enid Blyton fan, then you'll probably get a bit excited about these books too - here they are!

Book 1: The Mystery of the Whistling Caves
When Scott and Jack Carter have to stay with their great aunt for the summer they steel themselves for the most boring holiday ever. But then they meet Emily Wild and her loveable dog, Drift. Emily shows them the lighthouse, the castle - and the amazing whistling caves. Legend has it that when the caves stop whistling the castle will be attacked - and that's exactly what happens! Priceless treasures are stolen and Emily and the boys are determined to investigate. But how was the treasure smuggled out of the castle? Why did the caves stop whistling? And can the friends solve the mystery in time to catch the thief?

Book 2: The Mystery of the Midnight Ghost
When Scott , Jack and Emily hear that a film is being made at the nearby manor house they can't resist going to watch. But when the glamorous star of the film vanishes the friends realize they have a new mystery to solve! Has the star been kidnapped by a crazed fan? Could she have run off with her boyfriend? Or did she venture into the manor's attic at midnight and fall foul of the legendary ghost that haunts the old house?

Book 3: The Mystery of the Hidden Gold
A game of hide and seek in the old Castle Key lighthouse during a violent thunder storm leads to an amazing discovery - a tattered old treasure map! Scott, Jack and Emily can't wait to search for the hidden gold but first they must solve the clues to uncover its secret hiding place. And someone else is after the gold too - someone who doesn't plan to let anyone get in their way! Can our heroes figure out the map, outwit their enemy and find the hidden treasure?

Book 4: The Mystery of the Missing Masterpiece
When thieves raid the house of a neighbour, Emily, Jack and Scott are ready to investigate. But, strangely, the neighbour doesn't seem to want the thieves to be caught! The burglars didn't escape with much this time but could the raid be connected to a much older crime involving millions of pounds? The friends begin to uncover the truth, but are they leading themselves into serious danger? Mystery, menace and adventure await in the fourth book of this gripping new series!

Book 5: The Mystery of the Cursed Ruby
The circus comes to town, full of conjurors, clowns, tightrope walkers and trapeze artists. But dark secrets lurk beneath the sawdust and spangles - secrets that are part of a dangerous mystery that might prove impossible to solve!

Book 6: The Mystery of the Vanishing Skeleton
A string of unusual crimes hits Castle Key and the chief suspect seems to be a skeleton! Scott, Jack, Emily and Drift the dog immediately start investigating, but nothing about the mystery makes sense. Will the friends finally be defeated by this baffling mix of crimes and the mysterious culprit, or can they uncover the sinister secret that connects them all?

The Adventure Island books will be published in pairs every month: the first two come out in July, then two in August and two in September this year.

I know, I know, all these sound rather childish and I have no business being excited at nearly 26, buuuuut I just have a soft spot for Blyton-like adventures - she just made my childhood magical and I'm sure you understand if you used to enjoy her books. ;)

Soooo tell me - any more Enid Blyton fans in the house? :)

Waiting On Wednesday: ESCAPE by Barbara Delinsky

Emily Aulenbach is 32, a lawyer married to a lawyer, living and working in Manhattan. An idealist, she had once dreamed of representing victims of corporate abuse, and signed on with a firm that promised this, but it hasn't worked out. She spends her days in a cubicle, surrounded by lawyers in other cubicles, talking on the phone with people sickened by tainted bottled water. Her firm is being paid by the bottler to minimize claims.

Convinced that she is betraying her dreams, she has looked into changing firms, but no one is hiring. She wakes up each morning dreading her work.

And it isn't only work. It's her sister, her friends, even her husband James, with whom she doesn't connect the way she used to. Her relationships are superficial and rushed. She connects to three things – her computer, her BlackBerry, and her watch.

One particularly difficult Friday, she realizes that her life is all wrong. Uncharacteristically acting on impulse, she leaves work early, goes home, packs her bag, and takes off. As she gropes toward the future, though, she finds herself going back – back to the small New Hampshire town where she had last been unequivocably happy and carefree. If she were to map out her life, this was the spot where she had made her first wrong turn.

Escape is the story of the dreams we have and the heart-breaking task of giving up the parts that don't work, salvaging those that do, and creating new dreams for what lies ahead.

Whoa, doesn't this just sound SO good? I absolutely love the sound and the look of this one. It comes out in hardback on July 5th and you best believe I'll be reading it immediately.

Also, while we're on the subject of Barbara Delinsky, can we also do a quick COVER WIN / FAIL? Here are my two cents ...

I am LOVING the new paperback cover for her previous book, Not My Daughter! I didn't like the original hardcover cover AT ALL - it's just boooooring and a bit of a cliché, no? The new cover is a definite improvement - it looks fresh and interesting! And while teenage pregnancy is a subject that I do not want to read about (*shudder*), I'd still buy this book for the cover alone! Job well done, publishers!

Waiting on Wednesday: THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern

The book that I'm featuring today, THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern, was all the rage at this year's London Book Fair and that's where I learnt about it. It was impossible to miss since it was hugely promoted - the cover was mounted up on the stand, there was a table covered in black & white promo leaflets (gorgeous, I have one in front of me right now, maybe I'll scan it if anyone's interested) and the publisher even enlisted circus performers to promote the book (quite fitting, isn't it?). You can see a picture of them here or watch a clip here. I only saw the Tall Woman, who was walking around and handing out these leaflets, but sadly I didn't take a picture or film a quick video since I was in a hurry.

Here's what the book is about:

In 1886 a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, the Cirque des Rêves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire. There are contortionists, performing cats, carousels and illusionists – all the trappings of an ordinary circus. But this is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice. The circus seems almost to cast a spell over its aficionados, who call themselves the rêveurs – the dreamers. And who is the sinister man in the grey suit who watches over it all? Behind the scenes a dangerous game is being played out by two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who, at the behest of their masters, are forced to test the very limits of the imagination – and of love.

A feast for the senses, a fin-de-siècle fantasia of magic and mischief, and the most original love story since The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Night Circus is an extraordinary blend of fantasy and reality. It will dazzle readers young and old with its virtuoso performance, and who knows, they might not want to leave the world it creates.

The leaflet thingy says this is "the most magical novel you'll read this year" and the book is "set to be the publishing sensation of 2011". I can't wait to see if it lives up to all this massive hype!

The first thing that really caught my eye was the stunning UK cover that was posted above the Random House stand. I also found the US cover so you can compare them below. Sorry about the low quality of the UK cover - that's literally a bit of a pic I took of the stand and I couldn't find a HQ UK cover anywhere online.

Which one do YOU prefer?

Personally, I quite like the US one, but on the other hand, I'm head over heels in love with the UK one - isn't it stunning?! I love love love it and the cover alone would make me buy this book, regardless of the summary.

The book comes out in September - 13th in the US and 15th in the UK! Can't wait!

Lastly, here's the trailer for the book!

Waiting on Wednesday: California Dreamers

This week I decided to feature Belinda Jones's upcoming book CALIFORNIA DREAMERS, which comes out on 21st July 2011. I've been looking forward to it ever since I read the summary!

Ever wished you could make-over your life?

Make-up artist Stella is an expert at helping other people change their images, but when it comes to transforming herself, she doesn't even know where to start.

So when her new friend, glamorous Hollywood actress Marina Ray, summons her a movie set in California, Stella can't resist the chance to start afresh - it is the land of sunshine and opportunity after all!

But are they really friends or does Marina have an ulterior motive? What is the secret that both women are hiding about the nautical (but nice) men in their lives? And what will it take to really make both of their California dreams come true?

In a Pacific Coast journey that takes in Los Angeles, the world's most romantic ranch and California's very own castle in the sky - this story of friendship, long-distance love, kissing (and making up) is the perfect escapist read.

Fabulous, isn't it? I haven't read any of Belinda Jones's previous books, but I've been told they're fantastic so I'm definitely planning to!

I was particularly looking forward to this one because Jones's previous cover was absolutely gorgeous (I've discussed it here) so I hoped the publishers would follow the same trend ... but sadly it appears they won't.
The cover featured above is by no means official, but it was listed in the latest Hodder catalogue so it's definitely legit, I'm just not sure if it's the final one. Well, this one isn't bad or anything, but it sure has NOTHING on the Living La Vida Loca cover, which was just mindblowing.

Anyway, the story sounds great so I'll definitely be reading this one asap!

Waiting On Wednesday: ROYAL WEDDING FEVER

As we all know, Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married in a few months (BIG WHOOP?) and the world has gone gaga over their upcoming wedding, which resulted in several royal-wedding-themed books too! Most of them are non-fiction about the couple itself, but there a couple of authors who have been inspired by this event and have decided to use it for a fictional story ... Below are two examples, which both sound FANTASTIC (espesh the first one) and I can't wait to read them, although I'm honestly not that into royal wedding - I guess I'm more interested in what goes on behind the scenes, which is exactly what the books provide, yay. :)

TO MARRY A PRINCE
by Sophie Page
[26th April 2011]

One night is about to change Bella’s life for ever…

Bella Greenwood isn’t a fairytale girl. If pushed, she’d probably tell you that her perfect wedding would involve a handful of close friends and family. But as she’s never met anyone she’d like to marry, it’s a moot point.

Until, in a midnight garden, Bella is helped out of an embarrassing situation by a tall, dark, handsome man with laughing eyes. And suddenly her life changes for ever, because the man is the world’s most eligible bachelor: Prince Richard, heir to the throne.

Richard sweeps her off her feet, and before she knows it they’re engaged. Which is when Bella’s problems really begin. Suddenly she is public property, and as if it isn’t enough to have her every move watched – while also learning to curtsy and negotiating the etiquette of how to address her future mother-in-law – she soon finds herself embroiled in bridesmaid politics, a right royal hen night, and a wedding dress controversy that causes a national scandal…

Can this ordinary girl survive the preparations for her very own Royal Wedding?

[OMG, this sounds SO GOOD! The cover's a bit noring though - I mean, where's the tiara?!]

KATE'S WEDDING
by Chrissie Manby
[31st March 2011]

Thirty-nine-year-old Kate had almost given up on love when she met her fiancé. Now she's planning for the wedding she never dreamed she'd have. But things seem to be slipping out of her control.

Diana, born on the day of the 1981 Royal Wedding, never doubted that one day she would find her prince. Newly engaged, and with daddy's credit card in her grasp, she's in full Bridezilla mode.

Against the backdrop of the other couple getting married in April 2011, both women prepare for the most important day of their lives. But will each bride get her perfect day? Or will it all become a right royal fiasco?

So, what do you think? Anyone else guilty of a bit of royal wedding fever? :)

Waiting On Wednesday: RUBY RED by Kerstin Gier

I came across this title a week ago when I noticed the series in German in an Austrian bookshop. I thought it seemed really cute and when I looked it up, I was SO excited to hear that it's being published in English too because I really wanted to read it, but my German is rubbish, heh.

So yeah, I'm over the moon that this series is being translated into English and I cannot wait to read it!

RUBY RED
by Kerstin Gier
[10th May 2011]

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era! Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon, the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Doesn't it just sound awesome?! :)

Waiting On Wednesday: The Time-Travelling Fashionista

Goodness gracious, it's been a while, eh?! :( Due to my hectic life, I just can't seem to muster enough time or energy to be creative or productive online and I hate it. I have a few reviews drafted, but they're just not finished yet so I have to work on that ... Meanwhile, please enjoy this latest installment of WOW - it's for a book that I've been looking forward to for ages, and now that I've finally seen the cover and the summary, I'm even more excited about it! How amazing does this look & sound?! :)

THE TRAVELLING FASHIONISTA
by Bianca Turetsky
[5 April 2011]

When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself onboard a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamour of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship -- she's on the Titanic!

Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century?

Waiting On Wednesday: New Amy Huberman!!!

You might remember that I read this book called Hello, Heartbreak a while ago that I *really* enjoyed and I was over the moon when I learned that the author, Amy Huberman, has a new book coming out in 2011!!! Are you excited? I sure as hell am!

I'm afraid I find the cover a bit meh, but I do appreciate the ice skates. I'm really liking the title though and the plot sounds great - gimme gimme gimme! :D

I WISHED FOR YOU
by Amy Huberman
[9 June 2011]

The eagerly awaited funny, stylish and romantic follow-up to the No 1 bestselling Hello, Heartbreak

When you put your heart into it, anything's possible …

Annie has cornered the market in quirky style, but her love of all things fashion is not exactly fulfilled by her job: styling well-to-do ladies who have way more money than fashion sense.

At least her love-life is perky, although she's not getting misty-eyed at the idea of walking down the aisle. Which is more than a bit of a problem when she sees her boyfriend about to go down on one knee.

Into her muddled-up life comes silver-haired Sylvia - vintage clothing queen, ex-Hollywood costume lady and one hell of a woman. Sylvia has seen it all and done it all. She tells Annie that the secret of happiness is to discover your heart wish. Now, if only Annie can work out what her heart's greatest wish really is …

Waiting On Wednesday: Two amazing 2011 chick lit releases!

From what I've seen so far, 2011 will be the year of fantastic chick lit books and here are the first two I've decided to spotlight in this meme, with the rest to follow in the next few weeks ...

LIZZY HARRISON LOSES CONTROL
by Pippa Wright
[4 March 2011]

'Have you ever noticed that the modern romantic heroine can be, not to put too fine a point on it, a bit useless?'
Lizzy Harrison has everything under control. Lizzy Harrison isn't a romantic heroine. Not even close. She doesn't have a cat, owns no more shoes than the average person, and is in no way hopelessly scatty and disorganised. In fact her life is in perfect order, and that's just how she likes it.
Okay, so she hasn't met the right man yet, but she really doesn't have the time what with her busy job in PR and her packed schedule of improving activities. Her diary is planned months in advance and she's determined that nothing spontaneous will force its way into her life...hasn't she?
But when her best friend Lulu questions her need for control, Lizzy starts to wonder if she needs to let go a little. So when she's thrown into the arms of her boss' number one client, notorious comedian (and love-rat) Randy Jones, she reluctantly relaxes her hold on routine.
Lizzy Harrison is about to find out that losing control could win her more than she had ever imagined.

FAKING IT
by Charlotte Kymberley
[17 February 2011]

It’s not you, it’s me - That’s the cowardly text message that Katie receives from Jack, her actor boyfriend of three years, when he dumps her. And things go from bad to worse when photos of Jack canoodling with a famous size-zero actress are splashed across every gossip magazine and tabloid soon after. Just how much humiliation can a girl take?
With the paparazzi camped out on her doorstep, Katie decides to preserve what’s left of her dignity. So she agrees to become her PR colleagues’ next project. They will make her over (hair, teeth, clothes, Botox, boobs – the works) and turn her into an instant celebrity in order to win back her ex and show the world that an ordinary girl can rival a beautiful bimbo.
But will a new life in the limelight be everything Katie dreamt of? Can she make it in the cut-throat world of the beautiful, rich and famous? Is Jack worth all the hassle or is there someone else out there who might love Katie just the way she is?

Ooh, I am LOVING the sound of both of these! But that's just a taste of what's in store for chick lit in 2011. I'm excited - are you? :)

Waiting On Wednesday: The copycat edition!

Sadly, I haven't done this meme in a while due to all the crazyness that's been my life lately, but to get back on the scene I decided to do it a bit differently this time - I picked my favourite three WoW picks that were featured on the blogs I follow. This way I discovered three completely new books and I love the sound of each and every one of them, woohoo!

The Vespertine
by Saundra Mitchell
[March 7th, 2011]
>>> spotted @ ~*Loves to Read*~

The summer of 1889 is the one between childhood and womanhood for Amelia van den Broek—and thankfully, she’s not spending it at home in rural Maine. She’s been sent to Baltimore to stay with her stylish cousin, Zora, who will show her all the pleasures of city life and help her find a suitable man to marry.

With diversions ranging from archery in the park to dazzling balls and hints of forbidden romance, Victorian Baltimore is more exciting than Amelia imagined. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. Newly dubbed "Maine’s Own Mystic", Amelia is suddenly quite in demand.

However, her attraction to Nathaniel, an artist who is decidedly outside of Zora's circle, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. And while she has no trouble seeing the futures of others, she cannot predict whether Nathaniel will remain in hers.

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia's world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

Yay, this one is set in my favourite period of time and it sounds so mysterious!

Falling in Love with English Boys
by Melissa Jensen
[23 December 2010]

>>> spotted @ The Fiction Enthusiast

Sixteen-year-old Catherine Vernon has been stranded in London for the summer, no friends, no ex-boyfriend Adam the Scum (good riddance!), and absolutely nothing to do but blog about her misery to her friends back home. Desperate for something, anything, to do in London while her (s)mother's off researching boring historical things, Cat starts reading the 1815 diary of Katherine Percival her mom gives her, and finds the similarities between their lives to be oddly close. But where Katherine has the whirls of the society, the parties and the gossip over who is engaged to who, Cat's only got some really excellent English chocolate. Then she meets William Percival, the uber-hot descendant of Katherine, and things start looking up ...

Ooh, yes, I love me some English boys always & forever! :D

Fractured: Happily Never After
by Joanna Karaplis
[1 November 2010]
>>> spotted @ Oh My Books!

Everyone knows a fairytale or two. They’re the kind of stories that seem to stick with you. Maybe it’s the magic. Maybe it’s the handsome prince. Or maybe they’re just the absolute perfect place to lose yourself for a little while.

But what would happen if Snow White were around today? Would Cinderella still need a fairy godmother? And would the Little Mermaid show up on YouTube?

Joanna Karaplis has put an unexpected spin on Snow White, Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid; she’s quietly fractured the stories and then reassembled them for the 21st Century. So, while there may not be a whole lot of horse-drawn carriages and magic potions, you can be sure that there will be at least one evil witch and maybe even a handsome prince (or two)…

How intriguing and I love the cover!

Waiting On Wednesday: VIXEN by Jillian Larkin/Lila Fine

Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It's a dangerous combination.

Every girl wants what she can't have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle - and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she's engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago's most powerful families, Gloria's party days are over before they've even begun . . . or are they?

Clara Knowles, Gloria's goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch - but Clara isn't as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she'll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

Lorraine Dyer, Gloria's social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria's shadow. When Lorraine's envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone's going to be very sorry. . . .

From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

Ooh, I am SO excited about this book! Being a fan of the 1920s, I can't wait to get a copy as I just love the cover and the description! It comes out on 14th December 2010 and I just know this will be the beginning of another fab series!

It sounds a quite a bit like Bright Young Things, the new series by Anna Godbersen, which I am also ridiculously excited about! The first reviews are surfacing and people are saying it's even better than the Luxe series - how's that possible?! I can't wait to find out!

Looks like winter 2010 is all about the flappers, woohoo! :)

Waiting On Wednesday: Oh, be still, my flaming heart!

My today's two picks don't really sound like my type of reads, mostly because they seem to be about Old People in their forties and I'm really not into that sort of thing. However, I don't think I'll be able to resist buying these books mostly because the covers are OH SO GORGEOUS that I have the urge to own them and stare at them in admiration!

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
by Veronica Henry
[21st October 2010]

Delilah Rafferty has lived out her tempestuous marriage to hell-raiser Raf in the full glare of the media spotlight. Now, from the luxurious comfort of her beautiful kitchen, Delilah is planning her birthday party, a night that will see a star-studded gathering of friends and family celebrate in traditional Rafferty style. But she has more on her mind than just invitations... Raf has been offered a part in a movie he can't refuse. But will that mean he'll succumb to the temptations he's struggled so hard to resist for the last ten years - beautiful women and too much wine? And Delilah's three daughters, Coco, Violet and Tyger, are building careers of their own, only too aware that the press are waiting for them to slip up. For although the Rafferty girls might look like angels, they are only human. As with all families, there are secrets and rivalries bubbling away, and on one gloriously starry night, it's all going to come spilling out This is your invitation to a birthday party of the year...

FAIRYTALE ENDING
by Gigi Levangie
[25th November 2010]

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful woman called Cynthia, queen of glittering Manhattan, who had everything she could ever want. Including a handsome king, otherwise known as her husband, sexy Jack Powers, wealthiest man in New York, and apparently devoted to wife and family.

But wait a minute, isn’t that a wicked witch in the distance? Cynthia’s just discovered her husband’s playing away with beautiful TV anchor Lara Sizemore, who’s head over heels in love with Jack. Now she has to decide whether her fairytale is worth trying to save…

Will they all live happily ever after - or can only one person have a true Fairytale Ending?

Hmm, two women with long hair in pretty dress standing on a balcony ... Do you see a pattern here? :p

Nevertheless, these covers are simply BEAUUUUTIFUL, don't you think? :)
(Although I won't be surprised if you choose to call them 'tacky', hehe!)

Waiting On Wednesday: Two intriguing October chick lit books!

Today I'm waiting on two intriguing chick lit reads that both come out in October. They both have a bit of a mystery going on and I quite like that!

DOWN TO EARTH
by Melanie Rose
[14 October 2010]

When Michaela Anderson signs up for a parachute jump she gets more than a case of vertigo… Suffering last-minute panic, Michaela’s three colleagues go first. But just as she takes her leap of faith, an almighty gale blows up from nowhere. When she returns to the ground, she finds the airfield deserted, her car gone and the seasons mysteriously changed. Posters nearby proclaim Michaela to have been missing for the last six and a half years…
But Michaela is determined to find out the truth. Was she kidnapped? Is she now suffering amnesia, or has something even more extraordinary occurred?
With the help of handsome pilot Matt, Michaela sets out to find the truth. And what she discovers rocks everything she has ever believed in to the core…
A magical tale that will enchant and enthral fans of Cecelia Ahern and Sophie Kinsella.

Lovely cover, a mystery and a handsome pilot? I'm sold! :)

A MOMENT LIKE FOREVER
by Martina Reilly
[7 October 2010]

Andrea and Lexi thought they would be best friends for ever. Through thick and thin, growing pains and wild nights out, they were inseparable. But it was their biggest adventure that was to tear them apart: travelling through Australia, Andrea and Lexi are involved in a catastrophic accident. Andrea is left scarred but her best friend is nowhere to be found. What happened to Lexi?
Two years later, Andy’s scar means she’s too scared to go out into the real world. Instead, she spends her time with her grumpy cat Baz and her hopeless boss Alistair. And Lexi still hasn’t been in touch. When Andy’s sister needs somewhere to stay, bringing her boyfriend and all their dramas with them, Andy realises she’s been hiding for too long. Just because she’s keeping some home truths buried doesn’t mean they’ll stay that way . . .

Ooh, I do wonder what ever happened to Lexi ... I guess I'll just have to read the book to find out! :)

Waiting On Wednesday: FALL OF GIANTS by Ken Follet

You may have heard of Ken Follet's upcoming massive book which will be epic and published in like a bajillion countries on the same date, 28th September? No? I heard the news a while ago, but didn't really pay much attention to it as I haven't read anything by Ken Follet and wasn't really planning to -- until I've actually read the synopsis for this book and it sounds amazing! I'm not sure if I'll buy the hardback or wait for the paperback (oh, the dilemma!), but this is definitely on my wishlist!

FALL OF GIANTS
by Ken Follet
[28th September 2010]

Fall of Giants is a magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in the Century trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families – American, German, Russian, English and Welsh – as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women’s suffrage.

Thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man’s world in the Welsh mining pits…Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson’s White House…two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription and revolution…Billy’s sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German Embassy in London….

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty.

As always with Ken, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

In future volumes of the Century trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the twentieth century, changing themselves – and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Ken brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.

Waiting On Wednesday: THE SECRET SOCIETY OF THE PINK CRYSTAL BALL

I came across this book a while ago and I instantly developed a crush on it - the title, the cover and the plot just scream FUN and CUTE, don't you think?

THE SECRET SOCIETY
OF THE PINK CRYSTAL BALL
by Risa Green
[14 September 2010]

In a world where nothing is certain, a little magic couldn't hurt...right?

When Erin Channing's favorite aunt dies, Erin is bequeathed a pink crystal ball and a set of weird instructions. Granted, Aunt Kiki (aka Aunt Kooky) always lived "outside the box." But now Erin and her two best friends are convinced that the pink crystal ball holds the key to their future-or at least the key to getting dates...

Consider Your Fate to Be Sealed . . .
* Absolute knowledge is not unlimited; let the planets be your guide to the number.
* There are sixteen ways to die, but four of them you will never see.
* The future belongs to you alone. Other voices will be disappointed.
* One rotation is as far as you can see. Only uncertainty lies beyond.

Oooh, intriguing! :)

ps: OMG, I hit 500 followers today! *does happy dance* Wow, that's amazing - THANK YOU SO MUCH to all the awesome people who bothered to click the Follow button, I really appreciate it and you're all stars! xoxo :)))

Waiting On Wednesday: Historical books with beautiful covers!

Last week I spotlighted a historical novel with a really beautiful cover and I figured I might as well keep this trend going - wonderful covers really brighten up your day, don't you think? :)

So here they are - two upcoming releases from a new publisher called Choc Lit! They're both brilliant-sounding historical reads and they both have absolutely breathtaking covers - see for yourself below!

TRADE WINDS
by Christina Courtenay
[30 September 2010]

Marriage of convenience or a love for life?
It's 1732 in Gothenburg, Sweden, and strong-willed Jess van Sandt knows only too well that it s a man's world. She believes she's being swindled out of her inheritance by her stepfather and she's determined to stop it.
When help appears in the unlikely form of handsome Scotsman Killian Kinross, himself disinherited by his grandfather, Jess finds herself both intrigued and infuriated by him. In an attempt to recover her fortune, she proposes a marriage of convenience.
Then Killian is offered the chance of a lifetime with the Swedish East India Company's Expedition and he's determined that nothing will stand in his way, not even his new bride. He sets sail on a daring voyage to the Far East, believing he's put his feelings and past behind him. But the journey doesn't quite work out as he expects...

THE SILVER LOCKET
by Margaret James
[1 November 2010]

If life is cheap, how much is love worth?
It's 1914 and young Rose Courtenay has a decision to make. Please her wealthy parents by marrying the man of their choice - or play her part in the war effort? The chance to escape proves irresistible and Rose becomes a nurse.
Working in France, she meets Lieutenant Alex Denham, a dark figure from her past. He's the last man in the world she'd get involved with - especially now he's married. But in wartime nothing is as it seems.
Alex's marriage is a sham and Rose is the only woman he's ever wanted. As he recovers from his wounds, he sets out to win her trust. His gift of a silver locket is a far cry from the luxuries she's left behind. What value will she put on his love?

What do you think? :)

Waiting On Wednesday: THE JEWEL OF ST PETERSBURG

THE JEWEL OF ST PETERSBURG
by Kate Furnivall
[11 Novemer 2010]

Love and courage, revenge and heartache in the last days of the Romanov empire . . .
Russia, 1910. Young Valentina Ivanova charms St Petersburg's aristocracy with her classic Russian beauty and her talent as a pianist. She scandalises society when she begins a romance with Jens Friis, a Danish engineer. He brings to her life a passion and an intimacy she has never known.
Unbending in their opposition, her parents push her into a loveless engagement with a Russian count. Valentina struggles for independence and to protect her young sister from the tumult sweeping the city, as Russia is bound for rebellion. The Tsar, the Duma and the Bolsheviks are at each other's throats.
Valentina is forced to make a choice that changes her life for ever ...

It's been ages since I featured a historical book in this meme so I decided to fix that today! I really like the sound of this and I adore the cover - I can't wait for this one!

Waiting On Wednesday: MINI SHOPAHOLIC!!!

As some of you may know, I love Sophie Kinsella's books with my heart and soul and she is, without a doubt, my favourite author - I've read all her works and adored each and every one of them! So why have I waited this long this long to feature this book here, you might ask??? Well, I was just waiting for the US cover to finally be released, which happened last week on Kinsella's website - I noticed it shortly I posted my WOW last week and then I had to wait the whole week for this post, torture! Anyway, now we can finally compare the two covers - and without further ado, here they are in all their glory ...

Soooo tell me, which one do you prefer?
I have to say I was rather pleasantly surprised by the US cover - it's just so nice and clean and too cute, whereas the UK one looks lovely and all, but a tad ... busy? Plus it certainly doesn't stand out as much as the other one so I just might have to get myself the US edition ... I haven't quite decided yet, but for now the US cover gets my vote, which is quite unusual indeed - but just look at it, it's too cute!
Both editions of this CHICK LIT BOOK OF THE YEAR will be out in SEPTEMBER 2010!

But regardless of the cover, we all know that this will be another mindblowingly FANTASTIC and utterly HILARIOUS read - after all, Ms Kinsella hasn't been crowned the Queen of Wit Lit for nothing! :D

Anyway, yes, this is guaranteed to be another fab installment in the magnificent Shopaholic series! I've had a chance to read the first chapter, which is set in a toy shop, and it honestly had me in tears and that's no exaggeration. My boyfriend can confirm that I was pretty much ROTFLMAO - Minnie (aka Becky's daughter in case you've been living under a rock!) is just priceless! I cannot wait to read the whole thing - you can read the plot summary below, but you all probably know it by heart anyway! I mean, how could somebody not be excited about this book?!

Nothing comes between Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) and her bargains. Neither act of God nor budget crunch can shatter her dreams of wall-to-wall Prada. Every milestone in her well-shopped life (travel, long-lost sister, marriage, pregnancy) inspires new vistas to explore in the name of retail therapy. But now she faces her greatest little challenge yet: Becky’s two-year-old daughter, Minnie.

While motherhood has been everything Becky dreamed it would be—Baby Dior, Little Marc Jacobs, and Dolce & Gabbana for toddlers—adorable Minnie is wreaking havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. Her favorite word is “MINE!” and her penchant for Balenciaga bags, Chanel sunglasses, and online purchases has no rival under age five.

Becky is at her wits end. On top of this, she and her husband Luke are still living with her parents. Thankfully it appears house buying attempt number four is a go! Until a huge financial crisis causes panic everywhere, and nobody wants to shop—not Becky’s personal shopping clientele, not her friends, nobody. And with Luke in the doldrums, it’s time for Becky to step in—with a party: A surprise birthday party for Luke (on a budget) is the perfect antidote to everyone’s woes. At first.

Will Becky manage to keep the party of the year a surprise? Can she hire jugglers, fire-eaters, and acrobats at a discount? Will enlisting the help of Luke’s unflappable assistant to convince him to have another baby realize her dream of matching pom-poms? Will Minnie find a new outlet for her energetic and spirited nature (perhaps one with sixty percent markdowns)? She is, after all, a chip off the old shopping block. And everyone knows a committed shopper always finds a way.

Please excuse me while I take a moment to do a happy dance and jump and squeee - all the excitement is just too much to take! Can't you just tell that this book will be made of so much AWESOME!

You can also get a taste of the fabulousness that's in store for us by watching the clip below - it shows Ms Kinsella (nee Wickham) reading a hilarious ketchup extract from the book - featuring Becky and Luke and Suze and Tarquin and Minniiiiiieeeeee!

I absolutely love it - too hilarious for words as always! :D

ps: Excuse all the gushing, but it appears that I am unable to make a Kinsella related post without gushing all over the place. You know you can't blame me - and if you think you can, then you probably haven't read anything this amazing woman has written, which is your loss and you're missing out, ha! :p Honestly, Sophie Kinsella just rocks my socks off!

Waiting On Wednesday: Two book bloggers getting published!

While reading other people's blogs, I've noticed that quite a lot of book bloggers aspire to become writers themselves and I suppose this is hardly surprising since we all love books so much! :) Well, dreams have come true for two of the most popular book bloggers out there, Chelsea @ The Page Flipper and Steph Bowe @ Hey! Teenager of the Year, whose YA debut novels (RAE and GIRL SAVES BOY respectively) will be published in August this year - how exciting?! Well, done ladies! I can't wait to read your books and I wish you both lots of success as authors! :)

You can read more about the debuts below. Feel free to click on the covers to access the relevant Goodreads pages.

RAE: My True Story of Fear, Anxiety and Social Phobia
by Chelsea Rae Swigget
[2nd August 2010]

When you're fourteen and trying to deal with the highs, lows, traumas, and humiliations that go along with being a high school freshman, having severe anxiety can become all consuming. Chelsea Rae Swiggett's anxiety has affected every area of her life—school, family, friendships, and romance—ultimately pushing her to lose her voice, withdrawal from everyday life and school, and develop an eating disorder.

The sounds of planes flying overhead could spark a panic attack and something as simple as being called on in class could push her over the edge, convinced that everyone was judging her, mocking her. Faking sickness so she could stay home became her only solution, since she'd rather do anything than face the reality of what happened behind the school's double doors. Rae tells a story all-too-many teens today relate to—what it feels like to see the world through a lens of constant debilitating fear, anxiety, and stress.

GIRL SAVES BOY
by Steph Bowe
[30th August 2010]

The first time we met, Jewel Valentine saved my life.

Isn’t it enough having your very own terminal disease, without your mother dying? Or your father dating your Art teacher?

No wonder Sacha Thomas ends up in the lake that Saturday evening…

But the real question is: how does he end up in love with Jewel Valentine?

With the help of quirky teenage prodigies Little Al and True Grisham, Sacha and Jewel have a crazy adventure, with a little lobster emancipation along the way.

But Sacha’s running out of time, and Jewel has secrets of her own.

Girl Saves Boy is a hugely talented debut novel, funny and sad, silly and wise. It’s a story of life, death, love… and garden gnomes.

Don't you just love the sound of these two novels? :)

Waiting On Wednesday: Two new Sara Shepard books!

I haven't read anything by Sara Shepard yet (blasphemy, I know!), but in my defence, I am planning on watching the Pretty Little Liars TV series (someday) and I own a copy of her adult novel (All the Things We Didn't Say), which I also love the sound of!

I really need to get more acquainted with this author and luckily she has two new books coming out in the upcoming months (one YA and one adult) - and I am very excited about both! I especially love the sound of the first one and the cover of the second one is goooorgeous, don't you think?

THE LYING GAME
by Sara Shepard
[18 January 2011]

New York Times bestselling author Sara Shepard’s new series weaves a mystery of long-lost twins, mistaken identities, a duplicitous circle of friends, and cold-blooded murder. Combining juicy plot lines, to-die-for lifestyles, a tangled web of friendship and romance, magnetic characters, and sharp-witted narration from the afterlife, The Lying Game is an alluring cross between Pretty Little Liars and The Lovely Bones.

Foster kid Emma Paxton has only just discovered Sutton Mercer, the wealthy twin sister she never knew she had, when Sutton drops off the face of the earth, asking Emma to cover for her at home, school, and with her friends—just for a few days. At first Emma enjoys trying on her sister’s fabulous life: her fiercely loyal friends, her adoring boyfriend, her close-knit family. But as Emma is drawn deeper into Sutton’s world she finds the friends are not so fabulous, the boyfriend is not who she wants to be with, and the family is clinging to long-buried secrets and a veneer of functionality. And worst of all, Sutton may not be coming back. In fact, someone may have made sure she never could…and that someone knows Emma is not who she claims to be. Emma will need all her wits to survive The Lying Game.

EVERYTHING WE EVER WANTED
by Sara Shepard
[30 September 2010]

How do you choose between your family and your history? Emotional and compelling storytelling from Sara Shepard, author of All the Things We Didn’t Say.

A late-night phone call on a Sunday evening rarely brings good news. So when Sylvie, a recently-widowed mother of two, receives a call from the head teacher of the school she's on the board of, she knows it won't be something she wants to hear. The school was founded by her grandfather, and she's inherited everything he strived to build up - a reputation, a heritage, the school and the grand old family house. And with this inheritance comes responsibility.

So when her son Scott is whispered to be involved in a scandal that led to the death of one of the boys he coaches at the school, it throws the family into chaos: Sylvie has to decide between her loyalty to the school that has been part of her family legacy for years and her son who she feels wants nothing to do with her. She starts spying on the dead boy's father, making an unlikely connection.

Sara Shepard's compelling new novel tells how hard it can be to really, truly connect to people, how making quick, easy judgments can come back to haunt you, and how the life you always planned for - and always dreamed of - often doesn't always turn out the way you imagined at all…

What do you think?
And have you read anything by this author yet?