The Nerd's Word #16: Waiting On Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr + Swooning Over Rift by Andrea Cremer

"Waiting On" 

A book I cannot wait to get my hands on.
hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine 

Carnival of Souls

by Melissa Marr

Expected publication: September 4th 2012 by HarperCollins 

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and "Graveminder," comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.

The Wicked Lovely series was just amazing. It's filled with so much darkness and danger. The last book in the series, Darkest Mercy, blew me away. I wasn't happy with who ended up with who, though. But it has the kind of drama I need in a book. That's why Melissa Marr is one of my favorite authors.

Swoon:

Lines and/or scenes from a book that made me swoon. 

hosted by the girls at YA Bound

This week's swoon comes from Rift, Andrea Cremer's latest book.

“Barrow.” She grabbed his wrist, closing her other hand over his fist. She placed their joined hands against the damp skin above her breastbone. “I—”

She wanted to tell him that her lips were still warm from his kiss. That her body craved more than the skimming caresses he’d barely given it. Ember stood looking up at him, clutching his fist to her chest, unsure how to voice the tumult of revelations that filled her mind.

He returned her gaze, freeing his hand but only to twine his fingers through hers. They stared at each other, breathing hard, neither of them speaking. His other hand came up to stroke her cheek. Then he slid his fingers to the nape of her neck, drawing her close. She lifted her face, lips parting to welcome his kiss once more.