Can't-Wait Wednesday #17: Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Shadowsong

by S. Jae-Jones

Publication Date: February 6, 2018

Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her.

When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands?

I can't believe I haven't featured Shadowsong before now! It is easily my most anticipated book of 2018. I'm hoping to get my hands on a copy very soon and seriously hoping it doesn't disappoint!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #16: Unearthed by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Unearthed

by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Publication Date: January 9, 2017

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race...

I loved the Starbound Trilogy by these two authors, so when I saw this one I knew I had to have it! I've seen some mixed reviews, but I definitely plan to grab it as soon as possible!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #15: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The City of Brass

by S.A. Chakraborty

Publication Date: November 14, 2017

Step into The City of Brass, the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty—an imaginative alchemy of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings, and One Thousand and One Nights, in which the future of a magical Middle Eastern kingdom rests in the hands of a clever and defiant young con artist with miraculous healing gifts

Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass--a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for... 

I just heard about this book this week and I'm definitely intrigued! I love mythology books and The Golem and the Jinni was fantastic! I'll definitely be picking this up as soon as I can!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Weekly Recap: 10/15 - 10/21

TRACY'S HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG

Happy Sunday!! This week has been pretty boring and I'm not necessarily complaining. My oldest puppy is back to normal after her allergic reaction scare! The youngest still has a cough after 20 days on antibiotics so it's back to the vet next week to see if all is well (apparently he may have a residual cough from the bronchitis forever?). I met up with Amber from Du Livre on Friday at Epcot and spent some time in the World Showcase! ALA was discussed and I found out June is in New Orleans! I may be going to that one! I also finished watching Breaking Bad, finally. Now I'm in search of something new to watch. Any suggestions?

NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

Nothing new this week!

THIS WEEK I READ

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MC'S HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG
Happy weekend, everyone. Thank you all so much for your kind words and condolences last week. This week has been really long. I visited the house I grew up in one last time because it has been sold. Then I had a wake and funeral to go to as well. It was a very long and sad week. I also found out I need to get some snazzy new reading glasses...and I might need different glasses for distance, too. Hooray! (Haha not really.) This weekend I am off to a big party in New York City. I don't know if I have it in me to party right now, but I'm going to try. It is an absolutely GORGEOUS weekend up here, so I'm looking forward to doing some exploring and maybe stopping in some bookshops!

NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK

Nothing new this week!

THIS WEEK I READ

 

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Monday DNF audiobook review of Jane, Unlimited
I featured The Becoming of Noah Shaw for Can't-Wait Wednesday
Thursday graphic novel review of ApocalyptiGirl
On Friday I shared my Fall 2017 anti-haul

UPCOMING REVIEWS

 

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We're linking up to Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post!

Can't-Wait Wednesday #14: The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The Becoming of Noah Shaw

by Michelle Hodkin 

Publication Date: November 7, 2017

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.

And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

I know everyone alive has already posted this book, but I can't wait! I loved the Mara Dyer series so much and, while I never expected another book in the series, I am SO excited to read this one! Noah Shaw was such an incredible character that I can't imagine a book all about him being anything but amazing!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #13: Alone by Cyn Balog

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Alone

by Cyn Balog

Publication Date: November 1, 2017

When her mom inherits an old, crumbling mansion, Seda’s almost excited to spend the summer there. The grounds are beautiful and it’s fun to explore the sprawling house with its creepy rooms and secret passages. Except now her mom wants to renovate, rather than sell the estate—which means they're not going back to the city…or Seda's friends and school.

As the days grow shorter, Seda is filled with dread. They’re about to be cut off from the outside world, and she’s not sure she can handle the solitude or the darkness it brings out in her.

Then a group of teens get stranded near the mansion during a blizzard. Seda has no choice but to offer them shelter, even though she knows danger lurks in the dilapidated mansion—and in herself. And as the snow continues to fall, what Seda fears most is about to become her reality…

HORROR! I am always looking for an amazing book that will really scare me and this one sounds really good! I haven't seen much hype for Alone, but I definitely plan to read it. Here's hoping it's as good as it sounds!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #12: Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Whichwood

by Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: November 14, 2017

A new adventure about a girl who is fated to wash the bodies of the dead in this companion to Furthermore.

Our story begins on a frosty night…

Laylee can barely remember the happier times before her beloved mother died. Before her father, driven by grief, lost his wits (and his way). Before she was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. It’s become easy to forget and easier still to ignore the way her hands are stiffening and turning silver, just like her hair, and her own ever-increasing loneliness and fear.

But soon, a pair of familiar strangers appears, and Laylee’s world is turned upside down as she rediscovers color, magic, and the healing power of friendship. 

I am SO excited for this companion novel to Furthermore! I absolutely adored Furthermore, and I have been waiting to read Whichwood for what feels like forever. I really love middle grade stories, and I can't wait to get lost in Tahereh Mafi's beautiful writing again. I'm looking forward to going on another adventure with her characters. I'm going to devour this book the second I get my hands on it!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #11: Winter Glass by Lexa Hillyer

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Winter Glass

by Lexa Hillyer

Publication Date: April 10, 2017

A curse comes undone. A kingdom shatters. But some bonds can’t be broken.

Princess Aurora, torn from the dream world, plots to assassinate the faerie queen Malfleur, only to confront temptations she never expected. Isabelle, meanwhile, opens her heart to Prince William as they attempt to unite their kingdoms and wage war against Malfleur’s army. But when the appearance of an unbreakable glass slipper prompts Isabelle to discover more about her lineage, her true identity begins to take shape and her legacy becomes as clear as ice.

Devoted half-sisters Isabelle and Aurora will grapple with their understanding of love and loyalty as they face a threat even greater than that of the evil queen—the threat of losing each other forever. 

Last year I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Spindle Fire and fell in love with it! Unfortunately, this means I have to wait for literally ever to read book two and now I'm dying because LOOK AT THIS COVER! I'm so excited to see how this story continues!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #10: The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The Afterlife of Holly Chase

by Cynthia Hand

Publication Date: October 24, 2017

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn't.

And then she died.

Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change...

I hadn't even heard of this book when it arrived on my doorstep, but the cover got my attention right away. It's so simple, but so gorgeous! And the story looks so intriguing, too. A Christmas Carol retelling with a Scrooge who was warned to change and didn't listen? Sign me up! This looks like a perfect read for a chilly fall evening with a cup of tea. Can't wait!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #9: The Devils You Know by M.C. Atwood

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The Devils You Know

by M.C. Atwood Publication Date: October 3, 2017

Plenty of legends surround the infamous Boulder House in Whispering Bluffs, Wisconsin, but nobody takes them seriously. Certainly nobody believes that the original owner, Maxwell Cartwright Jr., cursed its construction—or that a murder of crows died upon its completion, their carcasses turning the land black. If anyone did believe it all, there’s no way River Red High would offer a field trip there for the senior class.

Five very different seniors on the trip—Violet, Paul, Ashley, Dylan, and Gretchen—have reasons beyond school spirit for not ditching the trip. When they’re separated from the group, they discover that what lies within Boulder House is far more horrifying than any local folklore. To survive, they’ll have to band together in ways they never could have imagined and ultimately confront the truths of their darkest selves.

I am ALWAYS looking for a good horror read, but especially around Halloween and would you look at that perfect release date? And that perfect cover? How about that synopsis?? I am SO here for a fantastic new haunted house story! I can't wait to get my hands on The Devils You Know!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #8: Warcross by Marie Lu

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Warcross

by Marie Lu Publication Date: September 12, 2017

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths.

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.

In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

Who's shocked to see this on a can't-wait post? No? Okay, so I know everyone is excited for this book but it's almost here and I couldn't resist putting this gorgeous book on my blog before it's release date! This book is giving me some Ready Player One vibes, so here's hoping I love this more than that one!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #7: The Glass Spare by Lauren Destefano

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The Glass Spare

by Lauren Destefano Publication Date: October 24, 2017

A banished princess.
A deadly curse.
A kingdom at war.

Wil Heidle, the only daughter of the king of the world’s wealthiest nation, has grown up in the shadows. Kept hidden from the world in order to serve as a spy for her father—whose obsession with building his empire is causing a war—Wil wants nothing more than to explore the world beyond her kingdom, if only her father would give her the chance.

Until one night Wil is attacked, and she discovers a dangerous secret. Her touch turns people into gemstone. At first Wil is horrified—but as she tests its limits, she’s drawn more and more to the strange and volatile ability. When it leads to tragedy, Wil is forced to face the destructive power within her and finally leave her home to seek the truth and a cure.

But finding the key to her redemption puts her in the path of a cursed prince who has his own ideas for what to do with her power.

With a world on the brink of war and a power of ultimate destruction, can Wil find a way to help the kingdom that’s turned its back on her, or will she betray her past and her family forever?

This book is SO PRETTY and it sounds SO GOOD! There are a lot of books on my anticipated list for the second half of this year, but this is near the top. I really need to pick up more books by this author!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #6: Origin by Dan Brown

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Origin

by Dan Brown Publication Date: October 3, 2017

Bilbao, Spain 

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.

I'm going to be honest - I haven't even read the synopsis. Even right now with it right above where I'm typing, I haven't read it. And I won't read it. Because 1) I haven't been let down by a Dan Brown book yet, 2) I've been waiting FOUR YEARS for this book, and 3) I want to be surprised! Judge me all you want, but this is easily one of my most anticipated books of this year!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #5: That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

That Inevitable Victorian Thing

by E.K. Johnston Publication Date: October 3, 2017

Set in a near-future world where the British Empire never fell and the United States never rose, That Inevitable Victorian Thing is a novel of love, duty, and the small moments that can change people and the world.

Victoria-Margaret is the crown princess of the empire, a direct descendent of Victoria I, the queen who changed the course of history two centuries earlier. The imperial practice of genetically arranged matchmaking will soon guide Margaret into a politically advantageous marriage like her mother before her, but before she does her duty, she'll have one summer incognito in a far corner of empire. In Toronto, she meets Helena Marcus, daughter of one of the empire's greatest placement geneticists, and August Callaghan, the heir apparent to a powerful shipping firm currently besieged by American pirates. In a summer of high-society debutante balls, politically charged tea parties, and romantic country dances, Margaret, Helena, and August discover they share an unusual bond and maybe a one in a million chance to have what they want and to change the world in the process —just like the first Queen Victoria.

While I'll totally admit I've never read anything by E.K. Johnston, this book has me all kinds of hyped! The cover, the synopsis... the whole thing! Has anyone managed to snag a copy yet?

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't Wait Wednesday #4: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The Hazel Wood

by Melissa Albert Publication Date: January 30, 2018

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: Her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother's stories are set. Alice's only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother's tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong. 

The Hazel Wood has been on my radar for awhile now, but now that there's a cover I am getting excited!! I'm hoping to have a copy in hand soon because I am DYING to read this one!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't Wait Wednesday #3: Even the Darkest Stars

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett Publication Date: September 5, 2017

Set in a fictional Himalayan kingdom, this is the story of a girl enlisted by a legendary explorer to help him climb the kingdom’s deadliest mountain – only to discover that his true mission may threaten her whole world.

Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the emperor’s royal explorers, the elite climbers tasked with mapping the wintry, mountainous Empire and spying on its enemies. She knows she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance.

But everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer every known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzin—not her older sister, Lusha, as everyone had expected—for his next expedition. This is Kamzin’s chance to prove herself—even though River’s mission to retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor means cimbing Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Then, Lusha sets off on her own mission to Raksha with a rival explorer, and Kamzin must decide what’s most important to her: protecting her sister from the countless perils of the climb or beating her to the summit.

The challenges of climbing Raksha are unlike anything Kamzin expected—or prepared for—with avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and other dangers at every turn. And as dark secrets are revealed, Kamzin must unravel the truth about their mission and her companions—while surviving the deadliest climb she has ever faced. 

This book sounds so many kinds of awesome!! Not to mention the cover is stunning! I'm so excited to get my hands on this - did you see that there are ghosts??

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #2: Bad Romance

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios Publication Date: June 13, 2017

Grace wants out. Out of her house, where her stepfather wields fear like a weapon and her mother makes her scrub imaginary dirt off the floors. Out of her California town, too small to contain her big city dreams. Out of her life, and into the role of Parisian artist, New York director—anything but scared and alone.

Enter Gavin: charming, talented, adored. Controlling. Dangerous. When Grace and Gavin fall in love, Grace is sure it's too good to be true. She has no idea their relationship will become a prison she's unable to escape.

Deeply affecting and unflinchingly honest, this is a story about spiraling into darkness—and emerging into the light again.

You may know that I don't usually read contemporary fiction. I surprised even myself by adding this to my TBR list! But the concept of Bad Romance speaks to me on a personal level and I will definitely be grabbing this one the second I have a chance!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.

Can't-Wait Wednesday #1: The Hummingbird Heart

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is:

The Hummingbird Heart by A.G. Howard Publication Date: August 15, 2017

Set 19 years after The Architect of Song.

Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she's determined to escape finishing school along with everyone's efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing but a friend?

As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can't allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family's resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.

A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives. 

I loved The Architect of Song SO MUCH when I read it last year! I'll admit I'm a little hesitant about this 19 years later story, I still very much want to give this one a chance too!

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Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Wishful Endings.
This meme is based on Waiting-on Wednesday, which went inactive last year.