Waiting On Wednesday: This Golden Flame (Emily Victoria)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: This Golden Flame

Author: Emily Victoria

Release Date: February 2, 2021
Publisher: Inkyard Press

Summary:

Flee across the sun-and-shadow islands of Eratia, where runes have the power to unleash monsters…

Seven years ago, Karis was forced to become an acolyte for the Scriptorium, the rune scholars who rule Eratia. For centuries, these Scriptmasters have sought the key to reanimating the country’s fearsome automaton army, and anyone they deem unable to help them achieve their goal is sent away…including Karis’s brother, Matthias.

Then Karis discovers a unique human-sized automaton and unintentionally wakes him up. Intelligent, with a conscience of his own, Alix has no idea why he was created. Or why his father—Eratia’s greatest traitor—once tried to destroy the automatons.

Upon learning Matthias is being held by the Scriptorium’s sinister leader, Alix and Karis set out to rescue him and uncover the truth about Alix’s past. But when Karis is faced with an unthinkable choice, betraying everyone she cares about may be her only desperate chance to save their world.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It:  Asexual female MC + sentient male automaton + script magic = a me book, no question!

What book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: A Deadly Education (Naomi Novik)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: A Deadly Education

Author: Naomi Novik

Release Date: September 29, 2020
Publisher: Del Rey

Summary:

Lesson One of the Scholomance

Learning has never been this deadly

A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) — until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere. El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: A deadly magic school in which the school does the actual teaching? This is absolutely a me book.

What book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: Cast in Firelight (Dana Swift)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Cast in Firelight

Author: Dana Swift

Release Date: November 17, 2020
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Summary:

The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.

Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.

Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.

Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: A rivals-to-lovers fantasy with secret identities and tons of magic, one of which is color-coded? I am SO in.

So what book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: The Language of Ghosts (Heather Fawcett)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: The Language of Ghosts

Author: Heather Fawcett

Release Date: September 8, 2020
Publisher: Balzer & Bray (HarperCollins)

Summary:

The Penderwicks meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this thrilling middle grade fantasy adventure about a trio of royal siblings who unlock a long-forgotten magical language in their bid to reclaim their stolen throne—from Ember and the Ice Dragons author Heather Fawcett. Perfect for fans of Kelly Barnhill and Robert Beatty.

Forced into exile on an enchanted, moving island, ex-princess Noa Marchena has two missions: reclaim her family’s stolen throne and ensure that the dark powers her older brother, Julian, possesses don’t go to his head in the process. But between babysitting her annoying little sister, Mite, and keeping an eye on the cake-loving sea monster that guards the moving island, Noa has her hands full.

When the siblings learn that their enemies are searching for a weapon capable of defeating Julian—whose legendary spell weaving is feared throughout the kingdom—once and for all, they vow to get to it first. To everyone’s surprise, the key to victory turns out to be a long-lost magical language—and only Noa can speak it.

But what if by helping her brother, Noa ends up losing him?

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: I was immediately snagged by the gorgeous cover, and after the fantastical summary with its cake-loving sea monster and long-lost magical language I am eager to lay eyes on this imaginative read!

So what book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: Defy or Defend (Gail Carriger)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Defy or Defend
Series: Delightfully Deadly #2

Author: Gail Carriger

Release Date: May 3, 2020
Publisher: Gail Carriger LLC

Summary:

A vampire hive descending into madness. A beautiful spy with a sparkly plan. The bodyguard who must keep them from killing each other.

New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Gail Carriger brings you a charming story of love, espionage, and Gothic makeovers set in her popular Parasolverse.

SPY

Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, code name Honey Bee, is the War Office's best and most decorative fixer. She's sweet and chipper, but oddly stealthy, and surprisingly effective given the right incentives.

VERSUS KNIGHT

Sir Crispin Bontwee was knighted for his military service, but instead of retiring, he secretly went to work for the War Office. Mostly he enjoys his job, except when he must safeguard the Honey Bee.

Neither one is a vampire expert, but when the Nottingham Hive goes badly Goth, only Dimity can stop their darkness from turning bloody. And only Crispin can stop an enthusiastic Dimity from death by vampire.

In a battle for survival (and wallpaper), Dimity must learn that not all that sparkles is good, while Cris discovers he likes honey a lot more than he thought.

Spinning off from the Finishing School series, featuring deadly ladies of quality, this story stands alone, but chronologically follows Poison or Protect before the start of the Parasol Protectorate Series. It's Cold Comfort Farm meets Queer Eye meets What We Do In The Shadows from the hilarious author of the Parasol Protectorate books, perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Jodi Taylor, or Meljean Brook.

Delicate Sensibilities?

Contains fraternizing vampires and one very curious young lady, who asks about seduction, sometimes in detail but mostly in retrospect. May also involve excessive use of velvet, melodramatic poetry, and the strategic application of interpretive ballet.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Dimity was such a delightful sidekick in the Finishing School series, so I'm excited for her to finally feature in her own story! Also loving the vibrant green cover.

So what book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: Burn (Patrick Ness)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Burn

Author: Patrick Ness

Release Date: June 2, 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary:

On a cold Sunday evening in early 1957, Sarah Dewhurst waited with her father in the parking lot of the Chevron gas station for the dragon he’d hired to help on the farm…

Sarah Dewhurst and her father, outcasts in their little town of Frome, Washington, are forced to hire a dragon to work their farm, something only the poorest of the poor ever have to resort to.

The dragon, Kazimir, has more to him than meets the eye, though. Sarah can’t help but be curious about him, an animal who supposedly doesn’t have a soul, but who is seemingly intent on keeping her safe.

Because the dragon knows something she doesn’t. He has arrived at the farm with a prophecy on his mind. A prophecy that involves a deadly assassin, a cult of dragon worshippers, two FBI agents in hot pursuit—and somehow, Sarah Dewhurst herself.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: I'm usually not one for dragons but I'm a sucker for protective creatures, and the story sounds uniquely fascinating! Add to it an assassin, a cult, and a Washington setting and I am seriously sold.

So what book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting On Wednesday: Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch (Julie Abe)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch

Author: Julie Abe

Release Date: August 1, 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown BYR

Summary:

A charming new middle-grade fantasy adventure, about a young witch whose pinch of magic just might be more than enough, perfect for fans of Kiki's Delivery Service and Aru Shah and the End of Time.

Sometimes all you need is a pinch of magic...

Eva Evergreen is determined to earn the rank of Novice Witch before she turns thirteen years old. If she doesn't, she'll lose her magic forever. For most young witches and wizards, it's a simple enough test:

ONE: Help your town, do good all around.
TWO: Live there for one moon, don't leave too soon.
THREE: Fly home by broomstick, the easiest of tricks.

The only problem? Eva only has a pinch of magic. She summons heads of cabbage instead of flowers and gets a sunburn instead of calling down rain. And to add insult to injury, whenever she overuses her magic, she falls asleep.

When she lands on the tranquil coastal town of Auteri, the residents expect a powerful witch, not a semi-magical girl. So Eva comes up with a plan: set up a magical repair shop to aid Auteri and prove she's worthy. She may have more blood than magic, but her "semi-magical fixes" repair the lives of the townspeople in ways they never could have imagined. Only, Eva's bit of magic may not be enough when the biggest magical storm in history threatens the town she's grown to love. Eva must conjure up all of the magic, bravery, and cleverness she can muster or Auteri and her dreams of becoming a witch will wash away with the storm.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Misbehaving magic is one of my favorite tropes, and I adored Kiki's Delivery Service - sounds like just my kind of read! 

So what book are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Moment of Truth (Kasie West)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Moment of Truth

Author: Kasie West

Release Date: March 3, 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen

Summary:

(formerly titled Hearts, Heroes, and Heath Hall)

At sixteen, Hannah Moore knows exactly who she is—a swimmer who will earn a scholarship to college. Totally worth all the hard work, even if her aching shoulders don’t agree. So when a guy dressed as Hollywood’s latest action hero, Heath Hall, crashes her swim meet, she isn’t amused. Instead, she’s determined to make sure he doesn’t bother her again. Only she’s not sure exactly who he is.

The swim meet isn’t the first event the imposter has interrupted, but a little digging turns up a surprising number of people who could be Heath Hall, including Hannah’s ex-boyfriend and her best friend’s crush. She soon finds herself getting caught up in the mysterious world of the fake Heath Hall.

As Hannah gets closer to uncovering the masked boy’s identity she also discovers some uncomfortable truths about herself—like she might resent the long shadow her late brother has cast over her family, that she isn’t as happy as she pretends to be with her life choices… and that she is falling for the last guy she ever thought she would like.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Unmasking an event-crashing action hero: such fun! Also it's a Kasie West story (phasers set to auto-buy) so I know I'll be in for a quick read with great banter and a sweet romance. 

So what book are you waiting on?

Reviews That Might Interest: 

By Your Side by Kasie West

On the Fence by Kasie West
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Waiting on Wednesday: What I Like About You (Marisa Kanter)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: What I Like About You

Author: Marisa Kanter

Release Date: April 7, 2020
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR

Summary:

Can a love triangle have only two people in it? Online, it can…but in the real world, it's more complicated. In this debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson, Marisa Kanter hilariously and poignantly explores what happens when internet friends turn into IRL crushes.

Is it still a love triangle if there are only two people in it?

There are a million things that Halle Levitt likes about her online best friend, Nash.

He’s an incredibly talented graphic novelist. He loves books almost as much as she does. And she never has to deal with the awkwardness of seeing him in real life. They can talk about anything…

Except who she really is.

Because online, Halle isn’t Halle—she’s Kels, the enigmatically cool creator of One True Pastry, a YA book blog that pairs epic custom cupcakes with covers and reviews. Kels has everything Halle doesn’t: friends, a growing platform, tons of confidence, and Nash.

That is, until Halle arrives to spend senior year in Gramps’s small town and finds herself face-to-face with real, human, not-behind-a-screen Nash. Nash, who is somehow everywhere she goes—in her classes, at the bakery, even at synagogue.

Nash who has no idea she’s actually Kels.

If Halle tells him who she is, it will ruin the non-awkward magic of their digital friendship. Not telling him though, means it can never be anything more. Because while she starts to fall for Nash as Halle…he’s in love with Kels.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: (1) A love triangle with only two people, (2) a main character who is a fellow book blogger, and (3) a bakery? That's what I call a love triangle of a story!

So what book are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday: Tweet Cute (Emma Lord)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Tweet Cute

Author: Emma Lord

Release Date: January 21, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books

Summary:

A fresh, irresistible rom-com from debut author Emma Lord about the chances we take, the paths life can lead us on, and how love can be found in the opposite place you expected.

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: How does a teen romantic comedy involving a Twitter war and grilled cheese - and MCs named Pepper and Jack - not sound like a deliciously fun read?

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: Nameless Queen (Rebecca McLaughlin)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Nameless Queen

Series: standalone
Author: Rebecca McLaughlin

Release Date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Crown Books FYR

Summary:

One girl must make a name for herself--or die trying --in this royal fantasy where an unknown peasant becomes the ultimate ruler. But how long can she keep the crown if everyone wants her dead? Perfect for fans of Furyborn, Red Queen, and Everless.

Everyone expected the king's daughter would inherit the throne. No one expected me. 

It shouldn't even be possible. I'm Nameless, a class of citizens so disrespected, we don't even get names. Heck, dozens of us have been going missing for months and no one seems to care.

But there's no denying the tattoo emblazoned on my arm. I am to be queen. In a palace where the corridors are more dangerous than the streets, though, how could I possibly rule? And what will become of the Nameless if I don't?

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: This has a more unusual twist to it that really intrigues me! I'm especially interested in the "palace where the corridors are more dangerous than the streets" - hoping they mean it literally instead of just politically (assassins ftw)!

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: RETICENCE (Gail Carriger)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Reticence

Series: The Custard Protocol #4
Author: Gail Carriger

Release Date: August 6, 2019
Publisher: Orbit

Summary:

Bookish and proper Percival Tunstell finds himself out of his depth when floating cities, spirited plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion to NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger's Custard Protocol series.

Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and her best friend are building themselves a family of misfits aboard their airship, the Spotted Custard. Of course, he'd never admit that he belongs among them. He's always been on the outside - dispassionate, aloof, and hatless. But accidental spies, a trip to Japan, and one smart and beautiful doctor may have him renegotiating his whole philosophy on life.

Except hats. He's done with hats. Thank you very much.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: The Custard Protocol completes with Percy at the forefront in what is set to be a finish of flamboyant proportions!! I adored his and sister Prim's first POV book, Competence (see review here), and am seriously excited for the promised wedding - this book is going to be epic fun!

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: RAGE (Cora Carmack)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Rage

Series: Stormheart #2
Author: Cora Carmack

Release Date: August 27, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen

Summary:

Princess or adventurer.

Duty or freedom.

Her Kingdom or the Stormhunter she loves.

If Aurora knows anything, it's that choices have consequences. To set things right, she joins a growing revolution on the streets of Pavan. 

In disguise as the rebel Roar, she puts her knowledge of the palace to use to aid the rebellion. But the Rage season is at its peak and not a day passes without the skies raining down destruction. Yet these storms are different—they churn with darkness, and attack with a will that’s desperate and violent. 

This feels like more than rage. 

It feels like war.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: The wait is finally almost up! I really enjoyed Roar's solid writing and unique storm magic (see review here) and have been looking forward to continuing Rora's story since an early April 2017 read. I even applied for the author's street team this year, I'm that excited! If you love fantasy and romance and haven't yet given Roar a try, I definitely recommend you do (purchase links in my review).

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: HONOR BOUND (Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Honor Bound

Series: Honors #2
Author: Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Release Date: February 19, 2019
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:

Savvy criminal turned skilled Leviathan pilot Zara Cole finds new friends and clashes with bitter enemies in the second book of this action-packed series from New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre that’s perfect for fans of The 100 and The Fifth Wave.

Zara Cole was a thief back on Earth, but she’s been recently upgraded to intergalactic fugitive. On the run after a bloody battle in a covert war that she never expected to be fighting, Zara, her co-pilot Beatriz, and their Leviathan ship Nadim barely escaped the carnage with their lives.

Now Zara and her crew of Honors need a safe haven, far from the creatures who want to annihilate them. But they’ll have to settle for the Sliver: a wild, dangerous warren of alien criminals. The secrets of the Sliver may have the power to turn the tide of the war they left behind—but in the wrong direction.

Soon Zara will have to make a choice: run from the ultimate evil—or stand and fight.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Honor Among Thieves came the closest to being that book written just for me and is one of my favorite reads (and re-reads) of all time (you can check out my review here), so needless to say I'm desperate to get my hands on this exciting sequel!! 

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats & Piracy (Mackenzi Lee)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats & Piracy

Author: Mackenzi Lee

Release Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:

Felicity Montague is through with pretending she prefers society parties to books about bone setting—or that she’s not smarter than most people she knows, or that she cares about anything more than her dream of becoming a doctor.

A year after an accidentally whirlwind tour of Europe, which she spent evading highwaymen and pirates with her brother Monty, Felicity has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of Callum Doyle, a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh; and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

But then a small window of hope opens. Doctor Alexander Platt, an eccentric physician that Felicity idolizes, is looking for research assistants, and Felicity is sure that someone as forward thinking as her hero would be willing to take her on. However, Platt is in Germany, preparing to wed Felicity’s estranged childhood friend Johanna. Not only is Felicity reluctant to opening old wounds, she also has no money to make the trip.

Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid. In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that will lead her from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: As a lady of the Ace persuasion, I'm extremely eager to lay hands on this beauty with its Asexual main character! I've also heard great things about the author's delightful character and storytelling skills. Can't wait!

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: Daughter of the Siren Queen (Tricia Levenseller)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Daughter of the Siren Queen

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Release Date: February 27, 2018
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Summary:

The capable, confident, and occasionally ruthless heroine of Daughter of the Pirate King is back in this action-packed sequel that promises rousing high seas adventures and the perfect dash of magic.

Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

In Daughter of the Siren Queen, Tricia Levenseller brings together the perfect mix of thrilling action, tense battle scenes, and a heart-pounding romance.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: I'm typically not much for pirates but I thoroughly enjoyed Daughter of the Pirate King and so can't wait to continue kick-ass Alosa's adventures in this sequel!!

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: Pitch Dark (Courtney Alameda)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Pitch Dark

Author: Courtney Alameda

Release Date: February 20, 2018
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Summary:

Tuck Durante is a shipraider, combing space for Earth artifacts from a war that ended 500 years ago. When his parents' ship crashes in the dead zone and the crew goes missing, Tuck hires a ragtag rescue team.

Meanwhile, curator Lana Gray is fighting to keep the US PANAM John Muir—and the remnants of its crew—alive. Their space capsule housing Yosemite National Park was hijacked. The hijacking turned ninety-five percent of her crew into nightmarish creatures called mourners who flay, dismember, or decapitate with nothing more than sharp-pitched shrieks.

Now, despite their differences, Lana, Tuck, and their crews must work together to save the John Muir. In space, nobody can hear you scream...but on the John Muir, the screams are the last thing you'll hear.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: It rather astonishes me that I haven't featured this title before as I've been awaiting it since it's announcement in February 2015! Although I'm typically not much for horror I thoroughly enjoyed Courtney's debut, Shutter (check out my review here), and now with her foray into space (my favorite setting) I'm eager to finally get my hands on this chilling read!

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: Heart of Iron (Ashley Poston) & Honor Among Thieves (Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week I have TWO pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" teen sci-fis from HarperCollins!

Title: Heart of Iron

Author: Ashley Poston

Release Date: February 27, 2018
Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers. But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize. He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

What they find in a lost corner of the universe will change all their lives—and unearth dangerous secrets. But when a darkness from Ana’s past returns, she must face an impossible choice: does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves?

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: With a young "scoundrel and outlaw" female lead and sentient android sidekick (my catnip), what's not to look forward to? It's also supposed to be an Anastasia retelling, so of course I'm desperate to get my hands on this beauty!

Title: Honor Among Thieves

Author: Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Release Date: February 13, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:

Zara Cole has been in and out of New Detroit’s rehab facilities for treatment of her antisocial disorder. There’s no adjusting Zara’s attitude, though. A painful past has made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in the Zone instead moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan–a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned to along with fellow Honor Beatriz, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time, along with a devotion she’s never experienced before. Yet nothing—not her Honors training or her street smarts—could have prepared her for the dark, dangerous truths that lurk behind the glitter of starlight.

Honor Among Thieves is the first book in a daring new sci-fi series by bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Two words: sentient spaceship!! Ever since I discovered Anne McCaffrey's The Ship Who Sang I've been impatiently waiting for an updated teen version. "Exploring the outer reaches of the universe" is also my favorite sci-fi premise, so I'm eager to read it ASAP!

So what book(s) are you waiting on?

WoW: Black Light Express (Philip Reeve)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Black Light Express

Author: Philip Reeve

Release Date: August 1, 2017
Publisher: Switch Press

Summary:

With superb world building, gripping action, and ruthless political intrigue, Black Light Express delivers a breathtaking adventure into the darkest depths of space and is sure to please sci-fi fans and foes alike. 

At the edge of the Great Network, a small-time thief and an android girl ride aboard a sentient train. They hurtle toward the unknown, ready to see what lies beyond the end of the universe. But Zen Starling and Nova leave behind worlds on the brink of chaos. Old rulers are dead, and now young Threnody Noon sits precariously on the throne. Unrest spreads like a virus, a rival corporate family grows hungry for power, and the once tranquil Empire seems bound for railwar and ruin. Watching everything are the Guardians--the mysterious god-like AIs to whom people of the Network offer their prayers and praises. But even gods have secrets. Secrets the so-called benevolent deities would do anything to keep hidden deep within the farthest reaches of existence. 

Return to the exciting sci-fi world of Philip Reeve in this sequel to Railhead, which received three starred reviews and was praised by Publishers Weekly as a thrilling and imaginative escapade.

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: I prayed for a sequel, and here it is! Railhead blew me away with its imaginative universe and effortless diversity (see my review here), so I look forward to more of the same in this continuation of Zen, Nova, & Threnody's adventures!

So what book are you waiting on?

WoW: Murder, Magic, and What We Wore (Kelly Jones)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blogging event in which one spotlights an upcoming release they are eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Title: Murder, Magic, and What We Wore

Author: Kelly Jones

Release Date: September 19, 2017
Publisher: Knopf (Random House)

Summary:

The year is 1818, the city is London, and 16-year-old Annis Whitworth has just learned that her father is dead and all his money is missing. And so, of course, she decides to become a spy.

Annis always suspected that her father was himself a spy, and following in his footsteps to unmask his killer makes perfect sense. Alas, it does not make sense to England’s current spymasters—not even when Annis reveals that she has the rare magical ability to sew glamours: garments that can disguise the wearer completely.

Well, if the spies are too pigheaded to take on a young woman of quality, then Annis will take them on. And so she crafts a new double life for herself. Miss Annis Whitworth will appear to live a quiet life in a country cottage with her aunt, and Annis-in-disguise as Madame Martine, glamour artist, will open a magical dressmaking shop. That way she can earn a living, maintain her social standing, and, in her spare time, follow the coded clues her father left behind and unmask his killer.

It can’t be any harder than navigating the London social season, can it?

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Why I'm Looking Forward To It: Confession: I'm not actually waiting on this one because the wonderful people at Random House sent me an early copy and I devoured it over the weekend. It was such a marvelous and magical read though that I wanted to be sure to put it on everyone's radar as soon as possible, especially fans of Gail Carriger and Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories series! If you enjoy Regency fashion, espionage, and alternate history magic, then I highly recommend you add Murder, Magic, and What We Wore to your TBR list at once and be on the lookout for it this September!

So what book are you waiting on?