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Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Waiting On Wednesday: Penguin Spring 2017 Catalog

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

This week, I've chosen to feature a few picks from the Penguin Spring 2017 Catalog:

Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis
Date: April 11, 2017
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Khosa is Given to the Sea, a girl born to be fed to the water, her flesh preventing a wave like the one that destroyed the Kingdom of Stille in days of old. But before she’s allowed to dance – an uncontrollable twitching of the limbs that will carry her to the shore in a frenzy – she must produce an heir. Yet the thought of human touch sends shudders down her spine that not even the sound of the tide can match.
Vincent is third in line to inherit his throne, royalty in a kingdom where the old linger and the young inherit only boredom. When Khosa arrives without an heir he knows his father will ensure she fulfills her duty, at whatever cost. Torn between protecting the throne he will someday fill, and the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is at odds with his heart.
Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race whose dwindling magic grows weaker as the island country fades. Animals cease to bear young, creatures of the sea take to the land, and the Pietra – fierce fighters who destroyed the Indiri a generation before – are now marching from their stony shores for the twin’s adopted homeland, Stille.
Witt leads the Pietra, their army the only family he has ever known. The stone shores harbor a secret, a growing threat that will envelop the entire land – and he will conquer every speck of soil to ensure the survival of his people.
The tides are turning in Stille, where royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the rising sea calls for its Given.

I kind of don't know what to make of the premise of Given to the Sea... but I am undeniably intrigued by Khosa's strange affliction. I'll have to keep an eye out for early reviews to see how Given to the Sea is being received!


Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz
Date: April 11, 2017
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1777. Albany, New York.
As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.
Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

Sadly, I have not yet had the fortune of witnessing the wildly popular musical Hamilton. However, I can't help but be curious about the upcoming Alex & Eliza, which is hoping no doubt to capitalize on Hamilton's popularity. Again, I'll be on the lookout for early reviews!


Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
Date: May 16, 2017
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The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.
Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the ranks of the Black Clan, determined to track down the person responsible for the target on her back. But she's quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, his best friend Okami. Still believing her to be a boy, Ranmaru and Okami eventually warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she's ever known.

Beautiful cover + inspired by Mulan = GIMME!! And it helps that I've heard good things about Renee Ahdieh's prior series, The Wrath and the Dawn. So surely Flame in the Mist is bound to be amazing, right?!


How about you? Are you waiting on any of these Penguin Spring 2017 reads? Are there any upcoming books from the Penguin Spring 2017 Catalog that I didn't include here that you feel I should add to my list?

20 comments :

  1. I have an ARC of Given to the Sea and am looking forward to reading it. Nice choices this week.

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  2. Good choices! Added both the first and third book to Goodreads :)

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  3. I'm looking forward to Given to the Sea. I will wait for reviews on Flame in the Mist (gorgeous cover) since I didn't enjoy her first duology nearly as much as other readers.

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    1. Ah yes, now I recall that the reviews were maybe a bit mixed for The Wrath and the Dawn.

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  4. Great choices! I just added Alex & Eliza to my TBR.

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    1. Heh cool, always happy to add to an ever-growing TBR.

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  5. I haven't read either of McGinnis' or Ahdieh's books but I've got Given to the Sea and Flame in the Mist on my wishlist. Both of them have such eye-catching covers. I had no idea that Flame in the Mist was inspired by Mulan so now I'm even more excited to read it.

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  6. Given to the Sea sounds SO odd. Haha- I think it could be good though. I am curious about it. I haven't read any of Ahdieh's other books, but I would like to. I've heard she has a way with words.

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    1. Heh, yeah "odd" can go either way, either cool or too weird to grasp.

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  7. Flame in the Mist has been on my list for some time but this Given to the Sea is new to me and it looks amazing! My WoW

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  8. I had featured Flame in the Mist a few weeks ago and I'm really excited for that book too!

    Here’s my WoW!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  9. I have an arc of Alex & Eliza. So far I haven't clicked with any of this author's books but I'm hoping this is the one that works for me.

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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    1. I've never read anything by her myself. I hope it works for you too!

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  10. Lovely choices Aylee :D I hope you will love all three books. <3 Hugs. I don't really think any of them are for me :\ But they sure are gorgeous :)

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  11. Haven't heard of Given to the Sea but it looks really good! Flame in the Mist is one I've had my eye on. Good picks!

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  12. I love that Flame in the Mist is based around Mulan - love that whole story. :)

    -Lauren

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  13. Flame in the Mist? DEFINITELY ♥ I will forever read Ahdieh now!! Given to the Sea sounds very intriguing as well!! I have yet to see Hamilton either...I'm not into musicals all that much but I do feel like I'm missing out at this point lol.

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