Waiting on Wednesday #45: "Warcross" by Marie Lu

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Warcross"

Author: Marie Lu

Expected Publication: September 12, 2017

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

 

While I have yet to finish a series by Marie Lu (because I'm a trash human), I have absolutely loved all of her books. I'm fascinated by the idea of a virtual world and can't wait to see how everything plays out. Plus I've only heard great reviews!
 

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Waiting on Wdnesday #44: "Glitter" by Aprilynne Pike

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 


Title: "Glitter"
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Expected Publication: October 25, 2016
 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it’s the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life.

Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.
When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.
Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.
But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.

 
I haven't read anything by this author yet, but it sounds so good! A girl sells drugs to get out of an arranged marriage? Why not! Plus I'm super excited for the Versailles setting! It's so opulent and over the top.
 

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Waiting on Wednesday #43: "Bound by Blood and Sand" by Becky Allen

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 


Title: "Bound by Blood and Sand"
Author: Becky Allen
Expected Publication: October 11, 2016

Jae is a slave in a dying desert world.

Once verdant with water from a magical Well, the land is drying up, and no one remembers the magic needed to keep the water flowing. If a new source isn’t found soon, the people will perish. Jae doesn’t mind, in a way. By law, she is bound by a curse to obey every order given her, no matter how vile. At least in death, she’ll be free.

Lord Elan’s family rules the fading realm. He comes to the estate where Jae works, searching for the hidden magic needed to replenish the Well, but it’s Jae who finds it, and she who must wield it. Desperate to save his realm, Elan begs her to use it to locate the Well.

But why would a slave—abused, beaten, and treated as less than human—want to save the system that shackles her? Jae would rather see the world burn.

Though revenge clouds her vision, she agrees to help if the kingdom’s slaves are freed. Then Elan’s father arrives. The ruler’s cruelty knows no limits. He is determined that the class system will not change—and that Jae will remain a slave forever.

A slave girl who gains magic and, instead of using it to punish those who have hurt her, she decides to use it to help other slaves? A terrible ruler? I want it. Plus, I smell a forbidden romance, and I tend to be a sucker for those.
 

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Waiting on Wednesday #42: "Gemina" by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Gemina"

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Expected Publication: October 18, 2016 

The highly anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that critics are calling “out-of-this-world awesome.”
 
Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.
Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.
But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.
Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

While I didn't love Illuminae as much as everyone else seemed to, I still really liked it. I'm really excited to get to know these new characters, and I'm hoping to see some of the characters from the first book make an appearance as well!

 

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Waiting on Wednesday #41: "Nemesis" by Anna Banks

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Nemesis

Author: Anna Banks

Expected Publication: October 4, 2016

 

The princess didn't expect to fall in love--with her nemesis.

Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king's servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Sepora's gift could save Tarik's kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs?

I really liked Anna Banks Syrena Legacy trilogy, so I was excited to find out that she was writing another series. I'm hoping that the writing is much better than the cover... 

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Waiting on Wednesday #40: "A Shadow Bright and Burning" by Jessica Cluess

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "A Shadow Bright and Burning"

Author: Jessica Cluess

Expected Publication: September 20, 2016

I am Henrietta Howel.
The first female sorcerer in hundreds of years.
The prophesied one.
Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers.

Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.

But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves? I've been anticipating this book for almost the past year. The moment I read the synopsis, I knew I had to have it. It's like Victorian X-Men! I love when authors incorporate paranormal elements into historical settings! It's a totally different way to look at that era.
 

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Waiting on Wednesday #39: "Crooked Kingdom" by Leigh Bardugo

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Crooked Kingdom"

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Expected Publication: September 27, 2016

 

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

After the ending of Six of Crows, I've been incredibly desperate for this book. Is Inej ok? What will happen to Nina? Can Wylan be fixed? And can Kaz finally open himself up? I need to know! *flings self onto bed*

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Waiting on Wednesday #38: "Empire of Storms" by Sarah J. Maas

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Empire of Storms"

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Expected Publication: September 6, 2016

 

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

Waiting on Wednesday #37: "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Strange the Dreamer"

Author: Laini Taylor

Expected Publication: September 27, 2016

Strange the Dreamer is the story of:

the aftermath of a war between gods and men
a mysterious city stripped of its name
a mythic hero with blood on his hands
a young librarian with a singular dream
a girl every bit as perilous as she is imperiled
alchemy and blood candy, nightmares and godspawn, moths and monsters, friendship and treachery, love and carnage.

Welcome to Weep.

So... the blurb doesn't really make sense, but at the same time it sounds pretty cool. I have no clue what to expect, but that's kind of how things were when I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone. But the cover is gorgeous and I love the colors and the tear down the middle. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what it's like! 

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Waiting on Wednesday #36: "Furthermore" by Tahereh Mafi

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

 

Title: "Furthermore"

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Expected Publication: August 30, 2016

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it’s been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she’s about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she’ll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit—and with a liar by her side in land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.

I feel like I've been waiting for this book for forever. For the longest time it was just a title and small synopsis, with no information as to when it might be published. And maybe the wait felt longer because Ignite Me was released and I needed more of Tahereh Mafi's writing to help fill the void in my chest that was left by Juliette, Warner, and Kenji. But there's now a date and a beautiful cover, so now I can finally count down the days! 

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Waiting on Wednesday #35: "Torn" by Jennifer L. Armentrout

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: "Torn"

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Expected Publication: July 19, 2016

Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same.

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her.

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him?

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in on Ivy, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

I don't think I'm emotionally and mentally prepared for this book. With the ending of Wicked, I'm terrified to know how all of that will affect everything, especially Ivy and Ren's relationship. Please don't break my heart! Plus this is one of the few paranormal/fantasy NA books that I know about, so any suggestions would be great! 

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Waiting on Wednesday #34: "Crystal Crowned" by Elise Kova

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "Crystal Crowned"

Author: Elise Kova

Expected Publication: July 12, 2016

Long live Solaris.

One bloodthirsty ruler has been overthrown by another, casting the shadow of death over the Solaris Empire. Vhalla Yarl stands upon the stage of fate, prepared to do battle one final time. Fragile alliances will be tested and new bonds will be formed as the world is reshaped. She fights as the champion of peace, but when the night is darkest will she be able to pay the price of a new dawn?

I've only read Air Awakens, but I hope to catch up and read Fire Falling and Earth's End pretty soon. I absolutely loved the characters and the world-building, and can't wait to see what happens to Vhalla next! I've heard so many great things!

 

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Waiting on Wednesday #33: "This Savage Song" by Victoria Schwab

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "This Savage Song"
Author: Victoria Schwab
Expected Publication: July 5, 2016

There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

I haven't read any of Victoria Schwab's books yet, but I plan to read ADSOF soon. Everyone seems to love her books, so I can't wait to finally dive into them! I love how creepy this sounds, and how there's a huge good vs. evil conflict. I do enjoy evil characters. ☺

 

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Waiting on Wednesday #32: "And I Darken" by Kiersten White

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "And I Darken"

Author: Kiersten White

Expected Publication: June 28, 2016

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

I LOVED Kiersten White's Paranormalcy trilogy, and when I heard that she was publishing a historical fantasy series, I knew I had to have it. I don't know too much about Vlad the Impaler, but I can't wait to see him rewritten as a young woman. I think that definitely changes things, as people don't typically think young noblewomen can be vicious and brutal. But I love that. I've heard mostly positive things, but I have heard of a few points to it that I don't like too much. But I guess I'll have to read it to find out what I think! 

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Waiting on Wednesday #31: "Ivory and Bone" by Julie Eshbaugh

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: "Ivory and Bone"

Author: Julie Eshbaugh

Expected Publication: June 7, 2016

A prehistoric fantasy—with allusions to Pride and Prejudice.

Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless—and nearly grave—mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives.

As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo—Kol doesn’t know which—had been planning all along.

This book sounds really fascinating with it being set in prehistoric times. I've never heard of any books, let alone YA, that are set in that era. So I think that will be a really interesting setting. However, I've never read Pride and Prejudice, nor have I seen the movie, so I feel like I should probably look it up on CliffsNotes or something. I've seen some mixed reviews, but I'm excited non-the-less! 

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Waiting on Wednesday #30: "My Lady Jane" by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

Title: "My Lady Jane"

Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Publication Date: June 7, 2016

For fans of The Princess Bride comes the comical, fantastical, romantical, (not) entirely true story of Lady Jane Grey.

Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger—and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that’s the least of Jane’s problems. She’s about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.

I absolutely love all of these authors (they've all made me get emotional while reading their books), so they can't go wrong together! I don't know too much about Lady Jane Grey, so I feel like I should do some research before reading.

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Waiting on Wednesday #29: "Rebel of the Sands" by Alwyn Hamilton

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 


Title: "Rebel of the Sands"
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Publication Date: March 8, 2016 

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

I've heard so many great things about this book and the idea of combining magic, fantasy, and Western together sounds interesting. Fortunately it's being released next week so I don't have to wait too long.

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