Waiting On Wednesday (15): Penguin Spring 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.

Is anyone else tired of winter and excited for spring to finally get here? I know I am - not just for the weather to change, but also for the great books that will be released in the springtime. This week, I've chosen a few picks from the Penguin Spring 2012 Catalog:

A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink

Date: March 20, 2012

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel. 

I love the combination of paranormal plus historical fantasy. Also, because I've read a lot of not so great angel stories, I'm eager to have my mind changed about them and I'm hopeful that A Temptation of Angels can accomplish that!

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Date: June 14, 2012

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive? 

Ever since reading Anna and the French Kiss last year, I've been opening my mind to the possibility that maybe contemporary romance isn't as bad as I thought it was. Maybe it can even be kind of amazing? And I'm thinking My Life Next Door might be kind of amazing too.

Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn

Date: June 14, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Violet loves reading manga and wearing scarves made from kimono fabric, so she’s thrilled that her father’s new painting commission means a summer trip to Japan. But what starts as an exotic vacation quickly turns into a dangerous treasure hunt.
Her father’s client, the wealthy Yamada family, is the victim of a high-profile art robbery. Someone has stolen van Gogh sketches from the Yamadas’ Seattle mansion, and is holding them hostage until the Yamadas can produce the corresponding van Gogh painting.
The problem is that nobody knows where this painting is hidden, and until they find it, all of their lives are in danger. Violet’s search for the missing van Gogh takes her from the Seattle Art Museum, to the yakuza-infested streets of Tokyo, to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery deepens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust.
But she knows one thing: she has to find the painting and the criminals—before it’s too late.

Ever since reading and loving White Cat, I've been really into the heist/con concept in novels. It takes a considerable amount of intelligence in an author to pull off a considerably good heist and mystery, and I'm hopeful Diana Renn will deliver in Tokyo Heist. Plus, I love Tokyo as a setting!

The Vindico by Wesley King

Date: June 14, 2012

Led by the sinister Baron, the Vindico are a group of super villains who have been fighting against the League of Heroes for as long as they can remember. The Vindico kidnap a group of teenagers and train them to be the next generation. Mysteriously arriving at the Baron’s mansion together, James, Lana, Hayden, Emily and Sam are forced to train with their mentors and given powers beyond their wildest dreams.

While struggling to uncover the motives of this evil group, the teens learn to trust each other and even form friendships. They plan to rebel against their mentors as soon as they are deemed ready to fight against the League of Heroes, but then they learn things may not be as cut-and-dry as they seem: both in their new roles and in their outside lives.

The Vindico sounds super fun! I adore superhero stories. I also love multiple narrators, but I think it's pretty tricky to get it done right, so hopefully Wesley King can pull off having distinct voices in all of his characters.


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