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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday: Random House Summer 2012 Catalog

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking The Spine in which an upcoming, eagerly anticipated release is highlighted on the blog.

This week, I've chosen to feature a few picks from the Random House Summer 2012 Catalog:

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Date: July 10, 2012
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Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.
In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

Dragons! Wait - how are they able to "[fold] themselves into human shape" and "attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers"?! That sounds hella weird. And it is for that reason that I am curious about Seraphina.


Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier
Date: September 11, 2011
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Its name is spoken only in whispers, if the people of Alban dare to speak it at all: Shadowfell. The training ground for rebels seeking to free their land from the grip of the tyrannical king is so shrouded in mystery that most believe it to be a myth.
But for Neryn, Shadowfell's existence is her only hope. She is penniless, orphaned, and utterly alone - and concealing a treacherous magical power that will warrant her immediate enslavement should it be revealed. She finds hope of allies in the Good Folk, fey beings whom she must pretend she cannot see and who taunt her with chatter of prophecies and tests, and in a striking, mysterious stranger, who saves her from certain death but whose motives remain unclear. She knows she should not trust anyone with her plans, but something within her longs to confide in him.
Will Neryn be forced to make the dangerous journey alone? She must reach Shadowfell, not only to avenge her family and salvage her own life, but to rescue Alban itself.

This Juliet Marillier person seems to be a favourite author among many people - so maybe it's time I read one of her books! Shadowfell has a ton of things going for it: magic, prophecies, a mysterious stranger, and a dangerous journey. Time to get excited now!


Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Date: September 11, 2012
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Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

I'm not sure why I have never read anything by Sarah Rees Brennan despite being a major fan of her Harry Potter fanfiction back in the day and despite the fact that I know her to be an incredibly humourous and talented author. I'm looking forward to finally reading her published work starting with Unspoken, which sounds like an excellent gothic mystery!


How about you? Are you waiting on any of these Random House Summer 2012 reads? Are there any upcoming books from the Random House Summer 2012 Catalog that I didn't include here that you feel I should add to my list?

52 comments :

  1. I have an ARC of Seraphina and as soon as I read the plot description, I immediately began reading the book. It's a very different take on dragons and the world-building and writing style are so rich in detail. I'm sure you'll be loving it! I'm also really looking forward to Unspoken as well. Great WoW picks! :)

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    1. Nice to know! It really does sound SO interesting and unique. I don't read enough dragon books even though I love them.

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  2. All of these look really interesting, especially Seraphina.
    Thanks for sharing :)

    Jennifer @ Dream Reads

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  3. I'm excited for all of these. I have Seraphine from Netgalley and can't wait to start it. A bookseller told me it was fabulous.

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    1. Good to know! Because I've been hearing mixed things...

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  4. I saw you marked Seraphine on GR. Looks awesome. All of these do! Great selections!!

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  5. Seraphina is AMAZING!! I hope that you love it as much as I did, so much action and intriguing story line!


    -Kate
    My Waiting on Wedesday

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  6. Definitely waiting on Unspoken. Lol. I so love your blog title! And that banner is so CUTE! Awesome WoW!=D

    Drop by my WoW?

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  7. I just heard of Seraphina a few weeks ago and immediately put it on my TBR list - dragons?? That's something we don't see much of, and it seems so good! And same with Unspoken, I saw a lot of that when it went up on NetGalley and loved the premise. Great picks!

    My WoW | Giveaway

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    1. I know! Dragons really are the coolest thing ever. So it's surprising we don't see more of them. Perhaps if Seraphina does well, that will clue in the publishers that we want more? One can hope.

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  8. I haven't heard of Seraphina before, it sounds interesting! I will add it to my TBR. So, thanks for sharing! :)


    My WoW Post :)

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  9. So many people seem to be super excited about Seraphina, and I have to admit that if that wasn't the case, I probably wouldn't have looked at it twice. v_v

    Patricia // My WOW

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    1. Oh no? The cover and blurb don't draw you in? I don't know, I kind of like them.

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  10. I can't wait to get started on Unspoken, it sounds really good!

    Our WoW is at Book Sake. –Jessica

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  11. I have an ARC of Unspoken and am anxiously awaiting an ARC for Shadowfell. I love Juliet Marillier and can't wait to get started on her book! Seraphine looks intriguing as well. I'm not THAT fond of the cover, but it's definitely unique!

    Check out my WOW post.

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    1. Ah, I see. Another person who isn't a fan of the Seraphine cover. I can understand that. It certainly appeals to me though. And more Juliet Marillier love, yay!

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  12. I have Seraphina from NetGalley, but I don't really like it so far.. But I do look forward to the other two books, especially Juliet Marillier. I adore her.

    http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com/2012/04/waiting-on-wednesday-11-lara-avery.html

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    1. Humm, more mixed opinions about Seraphine. But everyone seems to be unanimous in their love for Juliet Marilier.

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  13. They look really good. Digging the cover of Seraphina :)
    Never really read any thing with dragons. So curious on that one..

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    1. Yay, someone who agrees with me on the cover, haha.

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  14. Seraphina - yum! Reminds me of a really interesting fantasy novel, a mix of Sabriel, Harry Potter and others. :D Unspoken is awesome too. Great choices!

    Aleksandra and her WoW

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    1. Yeah, me too! I really need to read more fantasy.

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  15. Shadowfell looks soooo good. So do the other two choices.

    My WoW

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  16. I love the sound of Unspoken and I'm a sucker for silhouette covers.

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  17. great choices. my wow http://jennreneeread.blogspot.com/2012/04/waiting-on-wednesday-13-smart-girls-get.html

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  18. Unspoken sounds great...and I love the cover!

    Fabulous choices, Aylee! :)

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  19. Seraphina sounds cool... I love dragons! And I am soooo excited for Unspoken. :)

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  20. Great choices, Unspoken caught my eye.

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/04/waiting-on-wednesday_25.html

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  21. Great picks, Random House seems to have a lot of interesting books coming out soon. Can't wait for Unspoken!!

    My WoW

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  22. I cannot wait for Seraphina! Usually fantasy isn't so much my thing, but this one sounds way too good to miss. I love how you are highlighting different publisher catalogs, you're helping make my "must have" list ridiculously long!

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    1. Thanks, it seemed like an obvious thing to do, honestly! Strangely, fantasy is my thing but I don't read a ton of it.

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  23. Whoa Seraphina sounds so cool! I wonder how dragons fold themselves into humans too, are they still scale-y?! I'm really excited for Unspoken too, I remember thinking the cover for it was so pretty. I didn't know the author wrote HP fanfic though!

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    1. Exactly, are the scaley or are they human like completely? Either way, it's weird.

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  24. You are KILLING me, Aylee! My to-read shelf is groaning...

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  25. I do love dragon books!
    My WoW

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  26. Oh, these three books look awesome, and I actually usually love Juliet Marillier's books! So I'm excited!! :D

    Great picks :D

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  27. I haven't read anything of Brennan's either so I'd love to give Unspoken a try. And I've heard Marillier is a great adult fantasy author which is why I'm really excited about her YA debut. We need more fantasies!

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    1. Yes! It's taking me a long while to admit to this, but I think I'm finally tired of the dystopian craze. I'll finish Pandemonium, and then Insurgent, and then I plan on taking a break for awhile.

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  28. The cover of Shadowfell totally sucked me in! That one definitely looks good!

    Check out my Waiting on Wednesday Post

    Happy Reading!
    Megan (new follower!)

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  29. I absolutely love the sound of Seraphina, it sounds so unique and the cover looks gorgeous ! I really can't wait for this one too :)

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  30. I have an eARC of Seraphina, but I haven't read it yet. I can't wait to start it, though. The other two sound really good, too!

    My WoW

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  31. Already had Unspoken on my list, can't wait for it!! But just added the other two, they all sound magical!!

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  32. I haven't read anything by Sarah Rees Brennan either, but Unspoken sounds awesome!

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  33. Oh they all sound so good. I'm drawn most to the dragon book..though lots of people have been hyping up Unspoken.

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  34. YES to Seraphina! It sounds amazing!!!

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  35. The description to Seraphina is super intriguing! Sounds very unique and fresh! Plus I love the cover, like an old-fashioned ink print. The detail in the buildings is beautiful!

    Thanks for sharing! :)


    Lauren @ Hughes Reviews

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    1. I love the cover too, but it kind of seems like we are in the minority.

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