Waiting on Wednesday: Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: August 29th 2017 by Sourcebooks Fire

There are various reviews roaming the internet about this book.  I don’t think any had an issue with representation though, so I decided to give this book a try.  The first chapter was amazing!  Then it took a step back and did character introductions and a bit of world building, but then we were thrown right into the competition.  Non-stop action, revelations, and exploring genderfluid as an accepted form of identification.  While this story may not be new territory (think Hunger Games and Throne of Glass), I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the characters presented.

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Dragons of Nova by Elise Kova

Hardcover, 488 pages

Expected publication: July 11th 2017 by Keymaster Press

I plan on reading the first book during my upcoming vacation, so that when I get back, I’ll be ready to read my pre-order of this one!!  I’m also excited about the pre-order swag/incentives that the author is offering here.  Also, the cover art for both books are absolutely gorgeous!

Summary:

Cvareh returns home to his sky world of Nova with the genius crafter Arianna as his temperamental guest. The mercurial inventor possesses all the Xin family needs to turn the tides of a centuries-old power struggle, but the secrets she harbors must be earned with trust — hard to come by for Ari, especially when it comes to Dragons. On Nova, Ari finds herself closer to exacting vengeance against the traitor who killed everything — and everyone – she once loved. But before Ari can complete her campaign of revenge, the Crimson Court exposes her shadowed past and reveals something even more dangerous sparking between her and Cvareh.

While Nova is embroiled in blood sport and political games, the rebels on Loom prepare for an all-out assault on their Dragon oppressors. Florence unexpectedly finds herself at the forefront of change, as her unique blend of skills — and quick-shooting accuracy — makes her a force to be reckoned with. For the future of her world, she vows vengeance against the Dragons.

Before the rebellion can rise, though, the Guilds must fall.

Waiting on Wednesday: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

Hardcover, 480 pages

Expected publication: February 6th 2018 by Random House Books for Young Readers

So, there were several cover reveals yesterday, and this was one of my favorites!!  Not just because Tamora Pierce is all of my all-time favorite authors, but now that it has a cover, it makes the release seem more real!  After being pushed back several times, Tempests and Slaughter will finally be released in February, and how awesome is that cover art?!  Have you been waiting as long as I, or are you new to Tamora Pierce’s Tortall Universe?

Summary:

Arram. Varice. Ozorne. In the first book in the Numair Chronicles, three student mages are bound by fate . . . fated for trouble.

Arram Draper is a boy on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram begins to realize that one day soon he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.

In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies.

Waiting on Wednesday: Heroine Worship by Sarah Kuhn

Expected publication: July 4th 2017 by DAW

After loving the first book (check out my review here!), I was so excited to learn that a sequel was coming out this year.  The cover is just as detailed and amazing as the first one, and it sounds just as fun.  Definitely check this series out, if you haven’t already 🙂

Summary:

Once upon a time, Aveda Jupiter (aka Annie Chang) was demon-infested San Francisco’s most beloved superheroine, a beacon of hope and strength and really awesome outfits. But all that changed the day she agreed to share the spotlight with her best friend and former assistant Evie Tanaka—who’s now a badass, fire-wielding superheroine in her own right. They were supposed to be a dynamic duo, but more and more, Aveda finds herself shoved into the sidekick role. Where, it must be said, she is not at all comfortable.

It doesn’t help that Aveda’s finally being forced to deal with fallout from her diva behavior—and the fact that she’s been a less than stellar friend to Evie. Or that Scott Cameron—the man Aveda’s loved for nearly a decade—is suddenly giving her the cold shoulder after what seemed to be some promising steps toward friendship. Or that the city has been demon-free for three months in the wake of Evie and Aveda’s apocalypse-preventing battle against the evil forces of the Otherworld, leaving Aveda without the one thing she craves most in life: a mission.

All of this is causing Aveda’s burning sense of heroic purpose—the thing that’s guided her all these years—to falter.

In short, Aveda Jupiter is having an identity crisis.

When Evie gets engaged and drafts Aveda as her maid-of-honor, Aveda finally sees a chance to reclaim her sense of self and sets out on a single-minded mission to make sure Evie has the most epic wedding ever. But when a mysterious, unseen supernatural evil rises up and starts attacking brides-to-be, Aveda must summon both her superheroine and best friend mojo to take down the enemy and make sure Evie’s wedding goes off without a hitch—or see both her city and her most important friendship destroyed forever.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

Hardcover, 512 pages

Expected publication: July 18th 2017 by Simon Pulse

There’s so much about this book that looks interesting and exciting!  I mean, that cover, it’s gorgeous and mysterious!  Also, it sounds like a fun mix of history and fantasy.  Oh, and did I mention magical artifacts and an ancient book?!?  Really, I was sold as soon as the book was mentioned.  Hopefully, that bodes well for the story 🙂

Don’t forget to check out the ongoing street team/contest run by the author over here!

Summary:

Stop the Magician.
Steal the book.
Save the future.

In modern day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King

Paperback, 300 pages

Expected publication: June 1st 2017 by Skyscape

Such a compelling read that I had to finish it in a day. I couldn’t get myself to put it down for very long!  It was also refreshing to visit a different culture than that of European origin or inspiration.  I love fantasy books that use knights and dragons and lush forests, but it’s also fun to visit the desert.  Drawing on Sumerian mythology and desert nation cultures, King did a great job of blending magic and intrigue into a maturation and finding-self tale.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: May 30th 2017 by Scholastic Press

Today’s second Waiting on Wednesday comes to you because I had already featured Dragon’s Green a couple months ago.  Oops!  So instead of deleting it, I decided to just share a second title that I’m excited for that comes out at the end of the month.  I’m so far behind on my May reading (I haven’t even finished ACOWAR yet!), so I don’t think I’ll get this one read for review before it’s release date.  BUT, I am super excited about the premise and really hope I can get back to it after I catch up with June.  So many good books to read, and no time to read them. LOL

Summary:

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn into the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

In the first book of a remarkable duology, Sara B. Larson sets the stage for her reimagining of Swan Lake — a lush romance packed with betrayal, intrigue, magic, and adventure.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dragon’s Green by Scarlett Thomas

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: May 30th 2017 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Waiting on Wednesday: The Sand Warrior by Mark Siegel

Hardcover, Graphic Novel

Expected publication: May 2nd 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers

I ran out of time to read this one before it publishes, but I still wanted to share it with all of you.  This full-color graphic novel features a diverse group of children and fun-sounding magic.  It’s still definitely on my TBR!

Summary:

The Five Worlds are on the brink of extinction unless five ancient and mysterious beacons are lit. When war erupts, three unlikely heroes will discover there’s more to themselves and more to their worlds than meets the eye. . . .
The clumsiest student at the Sand Dancer Academy, Oona Lee is a fighter with a destiny bigger than she could ever imagine.
A boy from the poorest slums, An Tzu has a surprising gift and a knack for getting out of sticky situations.
Star athlete Jax Amboy is beloved by an entire galaxy, but what good is that when he has no real friends?
When these three kids are forced to team up on an epic quest, it will take not one, not two, but 5 WORLDS to contain all the magic and adventure!