Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 11: “Dreamstrider” by Lindsay Smith

September 2, 2015August 27, 2015 / saraletourneau / 5 Comments

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming book releases that I’m looking forward to. My WOW postings won’t be weekly, but they’ll come on Wednesdays when my blogging schedule is open and when I add a yet-to-be-published book to my wishlist.

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith. I admit that I haven’t read Lindsay’s work in the past; she’s written a couple YA historical fantasies (Sekret and Skandal) set in Cold War era Russia. Both sound interesting – but this one. WHOA. The premise reminds me of Claire North’s Touch (which I want to read at some point) and the Leonardo di Caprio film “Inception” (LOVE that movie!). Not to mention the cover is eye-catching and unique. If you’re a fan of fantasies with political intrigue and a dystopian edge, maybe Dreamstrider might pique your interest, too.

Dreamstrider
Lindsay Smith
Fantasy / Young Adult
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / Goodreads

Synopsis:

A high-concept, fantastical espionage novel set in a world where dreams are the ultimate form of political intelligence.

Livia is a dreamstrider. She can inhabit a subject’s body while they are sleeping and, for a short time, move around in their skin. She uses her talent to work as a spy for the Barstadt Empire. But her partner, Brandt, has lately become distant, and when Marez comes to join their team from a neighboring kingdom, he offers Livia the option of a life she had never dared to imagine. Livia knows of no other dreamstriders who have survived the pull of Nightmare. So only she understands the stakes when a plot against the Empire emerges that threatens to consume both the dreaming world and the waking one with misery and rage.

A richly conceived world full of political intrigue and fantastical dream sequences, at its heart Dreamstrider is about a girl who is struggling to live up to the potential before her.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to Dreamstrider?

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 10: “This Monstrous Thing” by Mackenzi Lee

August 12, 2015August 10, 2015 / saraletourneau / 16 Comments

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on This Monstrous Thing, the debut novel by Mackenzi Lee. Frankenstein-ish stories usually don’t appeal to me, but that was before I read Mackenzi’s recent interview at EM Castellan’s blog. Her answers sing with intelligence, passion, and personality; and I was immediately drawn to her blended love of historical fiction and fantasy. You know what really seized my attention, though? Mackenzi lives in Boston, and works at Porter Square Books in Cambridge! So I’m happy to support a writer who lives near me. And between the suspenseful blurb and the brilliant, ominous cover, I’m excited to see what This Monstrous Thing is all about when it’s released next month.

This Monstrous Thing
Mackenzi Lee
Historical Fantasy / Steampunk / Young Adult
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / Goodreads

Synopsis:

In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.

His brother, Oliver—dead.

His sweetheart, Mary—gone.

His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.

Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.

But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.

Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay…

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to This Monstrous Thing?

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 9: “The Fifth Season” by N.K. Jemisin

July 22, 2015July 20, 2015 / saraletourneau / 13 Comments

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on The Fifth Season, the upcoming new novel by fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin. Like Aliette de Bodard two weeks ago, I haven’t read any of Jemisin’s previous stories. But I’ve sorely been meaning to. Half a dozen fantasy readers have recommended her work over the past year, and now might be a good time, thanks to The Fifth Season.

What makes this a special WoW pick is that Jemisin is teaching a world-building class at this year’s Writer’s Digest Conference. I was already planning on attending the conference when her session was announced – and my jaw dropped when I saw the announcement. It feels weird to be ecstatic about attending a writing workshop by a fantasy writer I’ve never read before… But I can’t miss this!! And I know from past experience that session instructors often have their books on sale during conferences where they’re teaching. Maybe The Fifth Season might be available that weekend, along with Jemisin’s other books. 😉

The Fifth Season (The Broken Stone, Book #1)
N.K. Jemisin
Fantasy
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / Goodreads

Synopsis:

This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze — the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization’s bedrock for a thousand years — collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman’s vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She’ll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to The Fifth Season?

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 8: “The House of Shattered Wings” by Aliette de Bodard

July 8, 2015July 8, 2015 / saraletourneau / 10 Comments

I haven’t done one of these in a while… and I’m going out on a limb by picking Aliette de Bodard’s The House of Shattered Wings. By that, I mean that I haven’t read de Bodard’s work before. Nor have I heard of her until this year. And then, because I follow Roc Books on Facebook, the blurb and cover for The House of Shattered Wings popped up in my news feed a couple months ago. Wow. The story sounds incredible, and the artwork takes my breath away. So I’m seriously considering checking it out. Has anyone else read de Bodard’s novels? Which ones would you recommend?

The House of Shattered Wings
Aliette de Bodard
Fantasy
Publication Date: August 18, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Multi-award winning author Aliette de Bodard, brings her story of the War in Heaven to Paris, igniting the City of Light in a fantasy of divine power and deep conspiracy…

In the late Twentieth Century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins. The Great Magicians’ War left a trail of devastation in its wake. The Grand Magasins have been reduced to piles of debris, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine has turned black with ashes and rubble and the remnants of the spells that tore the city apart. But those that survived still retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital.

Once the most powerful and formidable, House Silverspires now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls.

Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin. They may be Silverspires’ salvation—or the architects of its last, irreversible fall. And if Silverspires falls, so may the city itself.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to The House of Shattered Wings?

EDIT: Comment enabled! Sorry about that. *blushes*

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 7: “Siren’s Fury” by Mary Weber

May 6, 2015April 24, 2015 / saraletourneau / 15 Comments

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on Siren’s Fury, the second installment of the Storm Siren Trilogy by Mary Weber. Her debut novel Storm Siren was entertaining and gritty, thanks to its use of elemental magic, unique characters, and resonant themes that were perfect for a YA audience. Part of me is still reeling from the ending, too. Not many YA fantasies take a gamble like Weber did in Storm Siren (if you read the book, you know what I’m talking about); and since it both gutted me and convinced me that I NEED to read the sequel as soon as it comes out, that gamble paid off. From the sounds of the blurb below, Siren’s Fury could be a wild, steampunk-flavored ride. But it also confirms my worst fears about Storm Siren‘s last scene. 😦 This might be a tough read… But the cover’s purdy, wouldn’t you agree?

Siren’s Fury (Storm Siren Trilogy, Book #2)
Mary Weber
Fantasy / Young Adult
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / Goodreads

Synopsis:

“I thrust my hand toward the sky as my voice begs the Elemental inside me to waken and rise. But it’s no use. The curse I’ve spent my entire life abhorring—the thing I trained so hard to control—no longer exists.”

Nym has saved Faelen only to discover that Draewulf stole everything she valued. Now he’s destroyed her Elemental storm-summoning ability as well.

When Nym sneaks off with a host of delegates to Bron, Lord Myles offers her the chance for a new kind of power and the whispered hope that it may do more than simply defeat the monster she loathes. But the secrets the Bron people have kept concealed, along with the horrors Draewulf has developed, may require more than simply harnessing a darker ability.

They may require who she is.

Set against the stark metallic backdrop of the Bron kingdom, Nym is faced with the chance to change the future.

Or was that Draewulf’s plan for her all along?

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to Siren’s Fury?

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 6: “The Wrath and the Dawn” by Renee Ahdieh

April 8, 2015April 8, 2015 / saraletourneau / 22 Comments

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on The Wrath and the Dawn, the debut novel by Renee Ahdieh. I learned about Renee and her book from Amy Trueblood’s Writer Odyssey Wednesday series at Chasing The Crazies last November. (Click here for Renee’s article.) When I read the words “a re-imagining of The Arabian Nights,” my first thought was, “What?! I MUST read this!!” I have no idea if The Wrath and the Dawn is going to be more of a historical fantasy with little to no magical elements or an Aladdin-esque high fantasy (which would be awesome!). Either way, this sounds like something I might enjoy. YA fantasy fans who are looking for more cultural diversity in their reading should put this on their wishlist, too.

The Wrath and the Dawn
Renee Ahdieh
Fairy Tale Retelling / Fantasy / Young Adult
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch: She’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems, and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to The Wrath and the Dawn?

EDIT: Comments have now been enabled. Sorry about that!

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 5: “Defiant” by Karina Sumner-Smith

March 25, 2015March 23, 2015 / saraletourneau / 8 Comments

These Waiting on Wednesday posts are going to come “furiously” over the next few weeks, since a number of 2015 releases I’m looking forward to are coming out this spring. 😉

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on Defiant, the second installment in Karina Sumner-Smith‘s Tower Trilogy. The first book (and Sumner-Smith’s debut) Radiant was one of my favorite reads of 2014. Mostly because of the world that Sumner-Smith has created: It’s a fantastic mix of futuristic / dystopian science fiction with magic, ghosts, and night-walkers – all things I’ve never seen together in one book yet make complete sense here. Plus, I really enjoyed the friendship that developed between Xhea and Shai. So I’m excited to see how the world expands (or rather, starts crumbling to pieces) as Xhea learns more about her magic and the powers that be start coming after the heroines again. This series is worth checking out if genre-bending speculative fiction sparks your interest.

Defiant (Towers Trilogy, Book #2)
Karina Sumner-Smith
Fantasy / Science Fiction / Dystopian
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Once, Xhea’s wants were simple: enough to eat, safety in the underground, and the hit of bright payment to transform her gray-cast world into color. But in the aftermath of her rescue of the Radiant ghost Shai, she realizes the life she had known is gone forever.

In the two months since her fall from the City, Xhea has hidden in skyscraper Edren, sheltered and attempting to heal. But soon even she must face the troubling truth that she might never walk again. Shai, ever faithful, has stayed by her side—but the ghost’s very presence has sent untold fortunes into Edren’s coffers and dangerously unbalanced the Lower City’s political balance.

War is brewing. Beyond Edren’s walls, the other skyscrapers have heard tell of the Radiant ghost and the power she holds. Rumors, too, speak of the girl who sees ghosts who might be the key to controlling that power. Soon, assassins stalk the skyscrapers’ darkened corridors while armies gather in the streets. But Shai’s magic is not the only prize—nor the only power that could change everything. At last, Xhea begins to learn of her strange dark magic, and why even whispers of its presence are enough to make the Lower City elite tremble in fear.

Together, Xhea and Shai may have the power to stop a war—or become a weapon great enough to bring the City to its knees. That is, if the magic doesn’t destroy them first.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to Defiant?

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 4: “An Ember In The Ashes” by Sabaa Tahir

March 11, 2015March 10, 2015 / saraletourneau / 11 Comments

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on An Ember In The Ashes, the debut novel by Sabaa Tahir. This YA fantasy has been getting TONS of buzz over the past several months; and while I’m often wary about such hype, I hope this one meets my expectations. It sounds incredibly epic, and more like a historical low fantasy than a high fantasy. The world is based on ancient Rome; and with slavery and a military empire involved, this could be a brutal read. I’m waiting to read a few reviews before I go ahead and pre-order An Ember In The Ashes… But I might have already caved to the bloody, heart-breaking ride it promises. 😉

An Ember In The Ashes
Sabaa Tahir
Fantasy / Young Adult
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING I TELL EVERY SLAVE.

THE RESISTANCE HAS TRIED TO PENETRATE THIS SCHOOL COUNTLESS TIMES. I HAVE DISCOVERED IT EVERY TIME.

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE RESISTANCE, IF YOU CONTACT THEM, IF YOU THINK OF CONTACTING THEM, I WILL KNOW.

AND I WILL DESTROY YOU.

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.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to An Ember In The Ashes?

Waiting On Wednesday, Vol. 3: “Shadow Scale” by Rachel Hartman

January 7, 2015March 5, 2015 / saraletourneau / 10 Comments

It’s going to be a quiet week here at the blog. After immersing myself in novel-writing land for a few days, I’m now focusing on finishing new articles for DIY MFA and A Bibliophile’s Reverie. So, it’s a good week to sneak in a Waiting On Wednesday!

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on Rachel Hartman’s Shadow Scale, which comes out in March. I read Hartman’s first novel Seraphina in November and enjoyed its whimsical blend of humor, well-rounded characters, musicality, and original dragon lore and culture. From the sounds of Shadow Scale‘s blurb below, it’s going to pick up right where Seraphina left off as our heroine goes off to find others of her kind (half-dragon, half-human). It may mean that certain supporting characters from Seraphina might not appear this time – yet I’m sure Hartman will give us plenty of reasons to be endeared to the new “cast members” who join Seraphina’s journey.

Shadow Scale
Rachel Hartman
Fantasy / Young Adult
Publication Date: March 10, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself—for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways.

As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she’s held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny?

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to Shadow Scale?

Waiting On Wednesday Vol. 2: “Rebel Queen” by Michelle Moran

December 10, 2014December 10, 2014 / saraletourneau / 6 Comments

This Wednesday, I’m waiting on Michelle Moran’s Rebel Queen, which is due out next March. Historical fiction is my second-favorite literary genre after fantasy; and while my tastes in time period and setting are fairly open, I’m partial to exploring more exotic cultures. Moran’s first three novels – Nefertiti, The Heretic Queen, and Cleopatra’s Daughter – focused on ancient Egypt. I’ve read the two latter titles and enjoyed them both immensely. Both heroines (Nefertari in The Heretic Queen, and Selene in Cleopatra’s Daughter) learn to navigate their circumstances using their individuals strengths and with courage, integrity, and resolve. Moran has published two other novels since her Egyptian trio – but I’m more excited for Rebel Queen than I was for the others, and for two reasons. First, a HUGE case of coverlove! Isn’t the cover art gorgeous?? And second, a chance to stamp my literary passport to India for the first time!

NOTE: As of today, Goodreads still lists Rebel Queen under its original title, The Last Queen of India. (Now that I think about it, I actually prefer the original title over the official one.)

Rebel Queen
Michelle Moran
Historical Fiction
Publication Date: March 3, 2015
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

From the internationally bestselling author of Nefertiti and Cleopatra’s Daughter comes the breathtaking story of Queen Lakshmi—India’s Joan of Arc—who against all odds defied the mighty British invasion to defend her beloved kingdom.

When the British Empire sets its sights on India in the mid-nineteenth century, it expects a quick and easy conquest. India is fractured and divided into kingdoms, each independent and wary of one another, seemingly no match for the might of the English. But when they arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, the British army is met with a surprising challenge.

Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies—one male and one female—and rides into battle, determined to protect her country and her people. Although her soldiers may not appear at first to be formidable against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi refuses to back down from the empire determined to take away the land she loves.

Told from the unexpected perspective of Sita—Queen Lakshmi’s most favored companion and most trusted soldier in the all-female army—Rebel Queen shines a light on a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction. In the tradition of her bestselling novel, Nefertiti, and through her strong, independent heroines fighting to make their way in a male dominated world, Michelle Moran brings nineteenth-century India to rich, vibrant life.

What book(s) are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you also looking forward to Rebel Queen?