Waiting on Wednesday (142): Stitch Head by Guy Bass

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

Stitch Head (Capstone Young Readers: Stitch Head)
Author: Guy Bass
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Publish Date: February 1, 2013
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Publisher's Description
In the maze-like dungeons of Castle Grotteskew, the frightfully insane Professor Erasmus conducts his bizarre experiments on living things. His very first creation has long been forgotten - a small, almost-human creature, known only as Stitch Head. Poor Stitch Head has spent years vying for attention amongst a menagerie of freakish monsters. When a traveling circus ringmaster, Fulbert Freakfinder, promises to make him a star, Stitch Head wonders whether there is another life for him. But first he has to catch the professor's latest creation - a monstrous three-armed creature that's just smashed its way to freedom...

*Why I want to read this: A look inside the book has me oohing and aahing over the artwork and the storyline sounds like some freaky fun! - Jessica

Check out some of the images from the book below:

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Waiting on Wednesday (141): Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

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

Dreams and Shadows: A Novel
Author: C. Robert Cargill
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publish Date: February 26, 2013
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Publisher's Description 
There is another world than our own, as close and intimate as a kiss, as terrifying and haunting as nightmares, a realm where fairies and djinns, changelings and angels all the stuff of which dreams are made is real . . . and where magic awaits in the shadows, just a hidden step away. Between this realm and that other lies a veil, a gossamer web that muddles the vision of mortal man and keeps him from seeing what is all around him. Sometimes, someone pierces that protective veil. But one glimpse of this world can forever transform lives. Just ask Ewan and Colby . . .

Once upon the time, the pair were once bold explorers and youthful denizens of this magical realm, until they left that world behind them. Now, Ewan is a musician living in Austin, and has just met the girl he wants to marry. Colby is still coping with he consequences of an innocent childhood wish that haunts him all these years later. While their time in the Limestone Kingdom is little more than a distant memory, this supernatural world has never forgotten them. And in a world where angels relax on rooftops, whiskey-swilling genies and foul-mouthed wizards argue metaphysics, and monsters in the dark feed on fear, both will learn that fate can never be outrun.

*Why I want to read this: The characters and the story sound just a little bit off, which is extremely appealing to me.  "Foul-mouthed wizards argue metaphysics" - this I have to read! - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (140): The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielsen

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

The Runaway King: Book 2 of the Ascendance Trilogy (The Ascendance Triology)
Author: Jennifer Nielsen

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publish Date: March 1, 2013

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Publisher's Description
A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster The False Prince!
 
Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?

The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King! 

*Why I want to read this: I adored the first book in the series and have been waiting for the follow-up to continue the adventure! - Jessica  (Read my review of The False Prince.)

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Waiting on Wednesday (139): The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington

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

The Dead and Buried
Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Point
Publish Date: January 1, 2013
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Publisher's Description
A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . .

But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things.

Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house . . . is haunted.

Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school -- until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets.

But is one of them a murderer?

*Why I want to read this: There aren't enough YA mysteries and thrillers out there for me, so I'm keen on new ones whenever I hear about them.  Through in some paranormal activity and it goes to the top of my list! - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (138): The Tell-Tale Start by Gordon McAlpine

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

The Misadventures of Edgar & Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Start
Author: Gordon McAlpine
Illustrator: Sam Zuppardi
Publisher: Viking Children's
Publish Date: January 10, 2013
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Publisher's Description
 Meet Edgar and Allan Poe -- twelve-year-old identical twins, the great-great-great-great-grandnephews of Edgar Allan Poe. They look and act so much alike that they're almost one mischievous, prank-playing boy in two bodies. When their beloved black cat, Roderick Usher, is kidnapped and transported to the Midwest, Edgar and Allan convince their guardians that it's time for a road trip. Along the way, mayhem and mystery ensue, as well as deeper questions: What is the boys' telepathic connection? Is Edgar Allan Poe himself reaching out to them from the Great Beyond? And why has a mad scientist been spying on the Poe family for years?

With a mix of literary humor, mystery, a little quantum physics, and fun extras like fortune cookie messages, letters in code, license plate clues -- and playful illustrations thoughout -- this series opener is a perfect choice for smart, funny tweens who love the Time Warp Trio, Roald Dahl, and Lemony Snicket.

*Why I want to read this? Descendents of Edgar Allan Poe, telepathy, literary humor, illustrations, and mystery all make this a fun must-read for me. - Jessica

Check out one of Sam Zuppardi's illustrations of Edgar and Allan from his website:
 
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Waiting on Wednesday (137): City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

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

City of Dark Magic: A Novel
Author: Magnus Flyte
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publish Date: November 27, 2012
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Publisher's Description 
Cosmically fast-paced and wildly imaginative, this debut novel is a perfect potion of magic and suspense.

Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it’s whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.

 Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved,” she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

City of Dark Magic could be called a rom-com paranormal suspense novel—or it could simply be called one of the most entertaining novels of the year. 

*Why I want to read this: Can I just list things the book contains? Prague, music, tantric sex, a dwarf, a prince, mystery...I want it! Here's hoping I get a review copy of this one. - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (136): Slated by Teri Terry

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

Slated
Author: Teri Terry
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Publish Date: January 24, 2013
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Publisher's Description 
Kyla has been Slated—her memory and personality erased as punishment for committing a crime she can’t remember. The government has taught her how to walk and talk again, given her a new identity and a new family, and told her to be grateful for this second chance that she doesn’t deserve. It’s also her last chance—because they’ll be watching to make sure she plays by their rules.

As Kyla adjusts to her new life, she’s plagued by fear. Who is she, really? And if only criminals are slated, why are so many innocent people disappearing? Kyla is torn between the need to know more and her instinct for self-preservation. She knows a dangerous game is being played with her life, and she can’t let anyone see her make the wrong move . . . but who can she trust when everyone is a stranger?

Debut author Teri Terry has written a brilliantly compelling, original and thought-provoking novel about an uncomfortably plausible future.

*Why I want to read this: This one sounds like it has a good mystery to it. - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (135): Nameless

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

Nameless: A Tale of Beauty and Madness (Tales of Beauty and Madness)
Author: Lili St. Crow
Publisher: Razorbill
Publish Date: April 4, 2013
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Publisher's Description
When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.

Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.

New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow thrilled legions of fans with her dark paranormal series Strange Angels. Now she has crafted an evocative update of Snow White, set in a vividly imagined world and populated by unforgettable new characters.

*Why I want to read this: This sounds like a fabulous version of Snow White! - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (134): Shards and Ashes by Multiple Authors

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

Shards and Ashes
Author: Nine of them!  See below.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: February 19, 2013
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Publisher's Description 
Gripping original stories of dystopian worlds from nine New York Times bestselling authors, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong

The world is gone, destroyed by human, ecological, or supernatural causes. Survivors dodge chemical warfare and cruel gods; they travel the reaches of space and inhabit underground caverns. Their enemies are disease, corrupt corporations, and one another; their resources are few, and their courage is tested.

Powerful original dystopian tales from nine bestselling authors offer bleak insight, prophetic visions, and precious glimmers of light among the shards and ashes of a ruined world.
 
Kelley Armstrong
Rachel Caine
Kami Garcia
Nancy Holder
Melissa Marr
Beth Revis
Veronica Roth
Carrie Ryan
Margaret Stohl

*Why I want to read this: Did you see the list of authors that have stories in this book?  I've read something from all but one (and her book is on my bookshelf TBR) and love them all! - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (133): City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

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

City of a Thousand Dolls
Author: Miriam Forster
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: February 5, 2013
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Publisher's Description  
The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives.

 Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.

*Why I want to read this:  A murder mystery set in a mysterious place called the City of a Thousand Dolls.  Reading about girls who get put to work in interesting careers appeals to me. - Jessica

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Waiting on Wednesday (132): Asunder (Incarnate) by Jodi Meadows

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


Asunder (Incarnate)
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Date: January 29, 2013
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Publisher's Description 
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

*Why I want to read this: The ending of the first book in the Newsoul series has left me wanting to know more! - Jessica (Read my review on Incarnate here.)

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Waiting on Wednesday (131): The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 
The Cadet of Tildor

Author: Alex Lidell
Publisher: Dial
Publish Date: January 10, 2013
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Publisher's Description 
Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.

There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

*Why I want to read this: Wait, what?  Illegal gladiator games in the midst of everything else going on.  Seriously.  Why wouldn't you pick this one up? - Jessica

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