Waiting On Wednesday ... White Rabbit

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

Rufus Holt is having the worst night of his life. It begins with the reappearance of his ex-boyfriend, Sebastian—the guy who stomped his heart out like a spent cigarette. Just as Rufus is getting ready to move on, Sebastian turns up out of the blue, saying they need to "talk." Things couldn’t get much worse, right?

But then Rufus gets a call from his sister April, begging for help. And then he and Sebastian find her, drenched in blood and holding a knife, beside the dead body of her boyfriend, Fox Whitney.

April swears she didn’t kill Fox—but Rufus knows her too well to believe she’s telling him the whole truth. April has something he needs, though, and her price is his help. Now, with no one to trust but the boy he wants to hate yet can’t stop loving, Rufus has one night to prove his sister’s innocence…or die trying.

I really enjoyed reading Caleb Roehrig's first book, and I cannot wait to see what he in store for us with his second. It sounds like there is going to be a fantastic mystery at the heart of this story which makes me all the more eager to read it.

The wait for this one is pretty long, it doesn't come out until April of next year. However, if you have read Caleb's first novel, Last Seen Leaving, I recommend you do so to help ease the wait.

Expected release date - April 24, 2018

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig
Release Date -  October 4, 2016

Publisher Website - Raincoast Books
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 336 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Flynn's girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?

Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can't answer, and her friends are telling stories that don't add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January's boyfriend, he must know something.

But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.

I am a sucker for anything that is touted as a YA Gone Girl. I've heard this one pitched this way many times and knew I needed to pick it up. That initial comparison may have been what prompted me to pick this novel up, but Caleb Roehrig crafted something worth devouring all on its own.

The splashy hook of a missing girlfriend, questions that the main character cannot answer, and a whole lot of drama create a tense atmosphere right from the beginning. There comes a point where the mystery takes over and you simply must know what happened to January. A well crafted mystery is gripping and demands you turn the pages as fast as you can read them, and that was definitely the case with Last Seen Leaving.

As much as it is an exploration of the secrets people keep from us, it is also about the ones we keep from others. Flynn has secrets of his own, and things he is grappling with. This secondary storyline, which often feels like the main story at times, was just as gripping. Flynn's voice is so vivid and authentic that you care about him and his happiness. You care about everything he is going through and dealing with. There is a theme of accepting yourself the thrums through a lot of Flynn's story. This element feels like the more pressing and important part of the story. I could have read an entire novel about Flynn's journey of self discovery and acceptance and it would have been just as gripping.

January is an all consuming presence. This may be told in Flynn's point of view but I feel that we get to know her very well. She's as complex as the mystery that surrounds her disappearance and that made for an even richer mystery. Each new reveal, each kernel of truth, worked to change my mind about her character. It was impressive that she was not just a plot device, or a footnote in the mystery. She resonated more than that and it was largely due to the care in which she was crafted.

There is a darkness within these pages and this story. It deals with a lot of heavy topics without lessening them or failing to see them through. It allowed this darkness to increase the stakes and tension within the story. It kept me, as a reader, on my toes and ensured that I was kept in suspense until the final reveals. I sometimes find the ending of stories to be a let down. There is a sense of them not living up to what I built up in my head but this particular story delivered.

A twisty read that has a satisfying mystery at its core. If you're a fan of mystery novels I recommend picking this one up. It's smart, filled with characters that keep your interest, and, surprisingly, offers a message of self acceptance that shines brightly through the murkiest parts of this mystery. 

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews)

Some fun things from Raincoast arrived before I left for ALA! I'll be sharing anything that came while I was away (along with my ALA haul) next weekend!

I also ordered myself a mug from Society6. It was from the Book Worm Boutique shop and I love it so much. It's a must get for any fangirl. Excited to have some tea or hot chocolate in it once it cools down a bit!

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff (goodreads)
Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig (goodreads)

A huge thank you to the lovely people at Raincoast for these! I cannot wait to read both of them.

What bookish items made their way into your mailbox this week?

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!