Waiting on Wednesday (167): THE MIRROR KING

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THE MIRROR KING by Jodi Meadows

April 5th, 2016 from Katherine Tegen Books

Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies.

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right.


HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.

I thought THE ORPHAN QUEEN was a fun book, so I'm very curious to see how it all ends (and also, I cannot believe this is a duology! I thought for sure it was a trilogy, but at least that means everything will be wrapped up in this book).

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (166): WHEN WE COLLIDED

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WHEN WE COLLIDED by Emery Lord

April 5th, 2016 from Bloomsbury

Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart and Jandy Nelson, When We Collided is a powerful story of two teens whose love is put to the test by forces beyond their control.

Emery Lord has been killing it when it comes to YA contemp, so this one is high on my wishlist. She writes her characters so authentically, and the emotions just jump off the page. Very excited for this book!

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday (163): BLACKHEARTS

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Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

February 9th, 2016

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything. This is their story.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

PIRATES! YES! Especially curious since it's an origin story. I've always been a fan of pirate narratives (hence my current obsession with Starz's Black Sails), so I'm very excited for Castroman's story.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (155): THE NOVICE

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THE NOVICE by Taran Matharu
May 5th, 2015 from Feiwel & Friends

When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.

As the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.

Sounds like a fascinating story! And I quite like the slight Throne of Glass vibe the cover is giving off...I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this book next year. 

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday (153): THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

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THE DEVIL YOU KNOW by Trish Doller

June 2nd, 2015 from Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Eighteen-year-old Arcadia Wells just wants to live up to her namesake. She wants adventure.

Cadie, as everyone calls her, is a recent high school graduate, who lives in a tiny Florida town with her dad and four-year-old brother. Since her mom died three years ago, Cadie's spent most of her time working in her dad's grocery store, going to school, taking care of the household, and raising her little brother. Then, one night, Cadie goes to a campfire party at the state park where she meets a couple of cute guys who are on a road trip. They invite her to accompany them—just the adventure she's been craving. But what starts out as a fun, sexy trip turns frightening when she discovers that one of the boys is not at all the wholesome boy she fell for

I will read anything by Trish Doller - her work is always honest and outstanding, so I am incredibly excited for this book! The wait for this novel is going to be so frustrating.... 

What are you waiting on? 

WoW (152): A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC

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A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab

February 24th, 2015 from Tor Books

From V.E. Schwab, the critically acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure, thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.

Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands.

There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London...but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, who first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving trickier than they hoped.

I read VICIOUS in August, and loved it so much. I'm excited to see what Schwab's next adult novel will be like! It sounds fascinating.

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday (150): I AM HER REVENGE

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I AM HER REVENGE by Meredith Moore

April 7th, 2015 from Razorbill

She can be anyone you want her to be. Vivian was raised with one purpose in life: to exact revenge on behalf of her mother. Manipulative and cruel, Mother has deprived Vivian not only of a childhood, but of an original identity. With an endless arsenal of enticing personalities at her disposal, Vivian is a veritable weapon of deception.

And she can destroy anyone. When it’s time to strike, she enrolls in a boarding school on the English moors, where she will zero in on her target: sweet and innocent Ben, the son of the man who broke Mother’s heart twenty years ago.

Anyone…except for the woman who created her.With every secret she uncovers, Vivian comes one step closer to learning who she really is. But the more she learns about herself, the more dangerous this cat and mouse game becomes. Because Mother will stop at nothing to make sure the truth dies with her.

SO EXCITED! I've been reading Meredith Moore's blog for quite some time, so I'm incredibly curious about her debut. It sounds intriguing! 

Waiting on Wednesday (147): AN EMBER IN THE ASHES

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An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

April 28th, 2015 from Razorbill

Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier— and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

Vow your blood and body to the empire.

Keep your heart for yourself.

I was sold at "epic fantasy," because I'm a sucker for epic fantasy novels. This book sounds fantastic, and I love the cover. Why can't it be April?!

What are you waiting on this week? 

Waiting on Wednesday (146): VANISHING GIRLS & ATLANTIA

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Atlantia by Ally Condie

October 28, 2014 from Dutton Children's

Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

Sounds fascinating. I enjoy Condie's writing style - very fluid and poetic - so I'm excited for her newest work!

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

March 3rd, 2015 from HarperCollins

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

New Lauren Oliver book? I'M SOLD.


What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (145): THIS SHATTERED WORLD

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This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

December 23rd, 2014 from Disney Hyperion

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

The stunning second novel in the Starbound trilogy is an unforgettable story of love and forgiveness in a world torn apart by war.

SO excited for this book! The first book surprised me with how good of a story it was, and I have high hopes for this novel. I wish the release date was closer.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (144): WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS

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What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott

March 31st, 2015 from Point

An unputdownable thriller with twists and turns the reader won't see coming, from YA talent Kieran Scott.

It's a beautiful, sunny day. Callie Velasquez holds hands with her boyfriend Jeremy as they follow Callie's new BFFs Penelope and Lissa up the trail. The four friends are embarking on a camping trip -- a trip that immediately goes awry. They lose their way on the trail, and encounter a charismatic stranger with questionable motives. And when Callie stumbles upon a dead body, it becomes clear that the danger that lies in the woods is deadlier than she could have ever imagined. Tensions mount and friendships are tested as these teenagers try to survive the most sinister of circumstances.

I practically grew up reading Scott's Private series (written under the name Kate Brian), and those books were full of drama, murder mysteries, and shocking cliffhangers. So I'm curious to see what Scott will do with this book! Sounds like it will be an excellent thriller!

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (140): WINTERKILL

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WINTERKILL by Kate A. Boorman
September 9th, 2014 from Abrams/Amulet

Emmeline knows the woods outside her settlement are forbidden. The mysterious enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters.

Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent. When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's a rare opportunity to wash the family stain clean--even if she has eyes for another. But before she is forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her out to the woods, where she finds a path she can't help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the settlement will kill to protect. Her grandmother went down that path and paid the price.

If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

I love the sound of this story - if there's a secret, I'm in! Also, I have to take a moment to appreciate the awesome title font, it looks incredible.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (139): THE VAULT OF DREAMERS

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THE VAULT OF DREAMERS by Caragh M. O'Brien
September 16th 2014 from Roaring Brook Press

From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success: every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

I'm very curious to know more about this story - it sounds so fascinating! Love the clean, crisp cover design, too.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (138): Chasing Power

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CHASING POWER by Sarah Beth Durst

October 14th, 2014 from Bloomsbury

Lies, secrets, and magic — three things that define Kayla's life.

Sixteen-year-old Kayla plans to spend her summer hanging out on the beach in Santa Barbara and stealing whatever she wants, whenever she wants it. Born with the ability to move things with her mind — things like credit cards, diamond rings, and buttons on cash registers — she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up a safety net, enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again. Well, that, and the thrill of using her secret talents.

But her summer plans change when she's caught stealing by a boy named Daniel — a boy who needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Daniel has a talent of his own. He can teleport, appearing anywhere in the world in an instant, but he lies as easily as he travels. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel's kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family — and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive... or survive.

I adore Sarah Beth Durst's novels - they're always highly imaginative and unique, so I'm excited for CHASING POWER! It sounds fabulous, and I love the cover. 

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday (137): NEARLY GONE

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NEARLY GONE by ELLE COSIMANO

March 25th, 2014 from Kathy Dawson Books

Bones meets Fringe in a big, dark, scary, brilliantly-plotted urban thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.

Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance. . . on her.

Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

I'm a huge mystery fan, so I've had my eye on this one for quite some time...excited for the release next week! 

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday (136): RUIN & RISING

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RUIN AND RISING by LEIGH BARDUGO

June 17th, 2014 from Henry Holt & Co. 

The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

Excuse me while I freak out. SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK!!

*waits impatiently for June 17th*

*glares at calendar*

Well, I'm sure the wait will be worth it!

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday (135): STRAY

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Stray by Elissa Sussman

October 7th, 2014 from Greenwillow

Epic and provocative, STRAY is an original fairy tale in which magic is a curse that only women bear and society is dictated by a strict religious doctrine called The Path.

Princess Aislynn knows all about the curse. Its magic is a part of her, like her awkward nose and thin fingers. It’s also something she can’t control. And girls who can’t control their abilities have a tendency to disappear. So for her own protection, Aislynn is sworn into the order of Fairy Godmothers where she must spend the rest of her life chaste and devoted to serving another royal family.

Tasked with tending to the sweet, but sheltered Princess Linnea, Aislynn also finds a reluctant friend in the palace gardener, Thackery, who makes no secret of his disdain for her former life. The more time they spend together, though, the more she begins to doubt the rules she has observed so obediently. As Aislynn’s feelings threaten to undo the sacred vows she has taken, she risks not only her own life but Linnea’s as well. With the princess engaged to a devoted follower of The Path, there are some who would do anything to keep Aislynn from straying.

I was sold at "original fairy tale." This book sounds very intriguing!

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (134): Snow Like Ashes

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Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

October 14th 2014 from Balzer + Bray

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Sara Raasch’s debut fantasy is a lightning-fast tale of loyalty, love, and finding one’s destiny.

I'm very interested in this novel, it sounds like a story I'll love! Plus, that cover is fabulous.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (133): I'll Give You The Sun

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I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

September 16th, 2014 from Dial BYR

A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, and loss, for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell.

Jude and her brother, Noah, are incredibly close twins. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude surfs and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and divisive ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as an unpredictable new mentor. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant, fully alive, from the critically acclaimed author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

SO EXCITED for this book! I loved Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere (seriously, folks, that novel is incredible), and have been impatiently waiting for her next release. 

What are you waiting on? 

Waiting on Wednesday: EMPIRE OF SHADOWS

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EMPIRE OF SHADOWS by Miriam Forster

November 4th, 2014 from HarperTeen

Cast out of her family three years ago, Mara turned to the only place that would take her—a school where students train to protect others. But Mara is stunned when guarding a noble girl in the Empire’s capital turns out to be more dangerous than she could’ve imagined. More shocking still, she finds the boy she thought she had lost forever outside the gates of her new home.

Mara knew her life in the dizzying Imperial city would hold dangers. How could she have known that her heart, as well as her life, would be at stake?

Empire of Shadows will take readers on a spellbinding journey into the world Miriam Forster first introduced in City of a Thousand Dolls—a world with a divided society, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and deeply laid conspiracies.

I really enjoyed Forster's first novel, so I'm thrilled to see a companion novel to CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS. And look at that cover! Very eye-catching. 

What are you waiting on?