Waiting on Wednesday - February 29, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

There have been so many fantastic cover reveals in the past week that I wasn't quite sure as to what I wanted to pick for my Waiting on Wednesday post this week.  I decided that this week calls for a 3 part WoW, just so I can fit in as many fantastic books as I possibly can.

Pick number 1 is the follow-up to one of my favorite 2012 debuts.  Lucky for me, its release date has been announced as October 9, 2012, so I won't have a year-long wait on my hands.

The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges
Coming October 9, 2012 from Random House Children's Books

From Goodreads:

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.

Why I'm waiting on it: I simply adored The Gathering Storm and am beyond ready to see what other adventures Katerina has in store.

 
My second pick is the third book in a series, the last two of which I devoured voraciously.  With a release date of October 2, my October to-read list grows even further.

Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien
Coming October 2, 2012 from Roaring Brook Press

From Goodreads:

Gaia Stone has challenged the ruthless regime of the Enclave, she's crossed a terrible wasteland to live in Sylum and even adapted to their strange new ways. But now she faces her biggest challenge ever: leading the people of Sylum back to the Enclave in the hopes that they can find a way to peacefully co-exist. The Enclave has grown even more cruel in the time they've been away, and now Gaia has the added burden of feeling responsible for the safety of the former residents of Sylum as well as her own. Gaia's always been strong-minded, but is she willing to pay the price of being a leader? And what if what's at stake is her and Leon's future?

Why I'm waiting on it: I read both Birthmarked and Prized within a 48 hour period.  These books are one of my most favorite dystopian series and I can't wait to read more.

  
My third and final pick is a 2012 debut.  Not only does the plot sound awesome, the cover is absolutely gorgeous!

Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Coming August 28, 2012 from Balzer+Bray

From Goodreads:

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Why I'm waiting on it: That plot description has me completely sold.  I can't wait to get my hands on this book.  It already has a home on my "books I would dance a jig for" list.