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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Waiting On Wednesday: Macmillan 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 Macmillan Summer 2012 Catalog:

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
Date: August 7, 2012
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It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.
Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.
Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Okay, so don't kill me, but I haven't actually read Anna Dressed in Blood yet, despite all the rave reviews. I just know I will absolutely adore it though - the tone, Cas, Anna, everything. So I'm going to do my best to read it soon so that I can get to Girl of Nightmares right away.


Courtship & Curses by Marissa Doyle
Date: August 7, 2012
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Sophie’s entrance into London society isn’t what she thought it would be: Mama isn’t there to guide her, Papa is buried in his work fighting Napoleon, and Sophie’s newly acquired limp keeps her from dancing at any of those glittering balls. If it weren’t for her shopping escapades with her new French friend Amélie and a flirtation with the dashing Lord Woodbridge, she would think this season a complete disaster.
But when someone uses magic to attack Papa the night of Sophie’s first ball, her problems escalate, especially when it becomes clear that all the members of the War Cabinet are being targeted. Can she catch the culprit and keep her own magic powers hidden long enough to win herself a match?

I love me some historical fantasy - when it's done well, that is. I'll admit, I've read quite a few misses when it comes to the historical fantasy genre, but I have high hopes that Courtship & Curses will be different.


The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Date: August 21, 2012
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Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.
And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.

Ooh, okay so I'm all for a good ol' intense survivor story. Granted, they tend to make me pretty stressed, but I love seeing how a character makes it through such an event with only a few supplies. I have high hopes for The Raft!


Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Date: September 4, 2012
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Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.
Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

I have yet to have read a mermaid book and I think it's because I have yet to have been truly enticed into reading one. Finally though, the early buzz surrounding Monstrous Beauty has got me interested in reading a mermaid book for the first time.


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

47 comments :

  1. Looking forward to Girl of Nightmares. Anna Dressed in Blood is one of my faves! Courtship & Courses looks good!

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  2. Out of your picks, I'm most excited for Girl of Nightmares. I'm really looking forward to seeing what will happen to Anna and Cas next in the sequel... and the covers are pure perfection for the books! Great WoW picks, Aylee! :)

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  3. I'm dying for Girl of Nightmares. Can't wait to see if Cas finds Anna. I read The Raft and it was decent. A quick read with a little twist. I can't wait to read Monstrous Beauty.
    My WOW

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    1. Sorry my internet is tripping. Delete all those extra comments :-)

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    2. No problem :) Good to hear that about The Raft.

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  4. The Raft sounds promising :) & I just LOVE your banner!

    Check out my Waiting on Wednesday :)
    Tabby @Insightful Minds & IM Design Studio

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  5. I'm dying for The Girl of Nightmares, obv! I miss Cas and Anna, and Aylee- you HAVE to read Anna soon! Monstrous Beauty looks awesome- I haven't read a mermaid book yet, either, it's some weird prejudice I have towards...uh...half-fish. Not sure I'll survive The Raft, and Courtship and Curses I'll do well to stay away from. Me and historical fantasy have a long history of seething hate.

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    1. I know, I know, I'm getting there! Hopefully...

      haha, too bad to hear about your dislike of mermaids and historical fantasy. I hope one day you will come across one that'll hopefully change your mind!

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  6. Ohh, did they change the cover for Monstrous Beauty? This one looks better than the first one! And I am especially looking forward to read The Girl of Nightmares since Anna is scarily good! Great picks :)

    Check out my WoW picks this week!

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  7. You have some fantastic picks this week! I haven't read Anna Dressed in Blood but it is my book club book pick for August so at least once I have read it then I can read the sequel straight away!

    The Raft also sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing :)

    Claire Reads WoW

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    1. Good plan! I would like to read it right before the sequel comes out too.

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  8. Definitely looking forward to The Raft! I've got a weird Surviver/Cast Away mashup goin on in my head , so I'm looking forward to seeing what actually happens haha. Great picks!

    My WoW | Giveaway

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  9. Ooooo ... These all look like awesome books. My WoW

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  10. I REALLY want the Raft, the cover is really eye catching!

    ComaCalm's WoW Giveaway

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  11. Oh hey, your banner is cute!!!
    I think I might have to add Courtship and Curses in my TBR. Like seriously. That blurb is very persuasive indeed. :)

    My Waiting on Wednesday!

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  12. Courtship and curses sounds good :) I love historical books !
    I haven't read Anna dressed in blog but I've read good reviews about it !

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  13. I really really need to read Anna Dressed in Blood. Am I the only person who haven't read it, yet? XD

    My WoW

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  14. Yes to all of these especially Girl of Nightmares!

    Our WoW is at Book Sake. –Jessica

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  15. I'm going to read Anna Dressed in Blood this week and The Raft looks really interesting. Added it to my TBR. Nice picks!

    What I'm reading

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  16. I gotta try Kendare Blake. And I love the Raft cover. I get anxious for her safety just looking at the cover.

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  17. I've read maybe two mermaid books? I just can't seem to get myself excited about them, but I do often...sometimes...okay, not really...wonder about that mermaid book Stephanie Meyer was rumored to be writing. And I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't read Anna Dressed in Blood yet. But I do own it, so that a step in the right direction. Yay me.

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    1. haha, no I am a big fan of off topic rambling. I am also - a bit - curious about SM's mermaid book. But it's been so long since she mentioned it that I've kind of lost interest, to be honest.

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  18. Great choices, Courtship Curses caught my eye.

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/06/waiting-on-wednesday.html

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  19. The Raft looks interesting.

    My WOW: breathofbooks.blogspot.com

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  20. Oh wow great picks, I have Monstrous Beauty and The Raft from NG. So I'm going to get the opportunity to read and review those books. I actually have a physical copy of Anna Dressed in Blood. I won it! But..... guess what? I've not read it yet either! As for the historical fantasy book, never heard of that one, I'm going to wait tell you read it and if you like it I'll give it a try.

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    1. Heh, I guess I was in the same boat as you with Blood Red Road, having won that one and then taken forever to read it even after all the rave reviews. It's tough fitting everything in and working around a schedule though!

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  21. Raft is on my list. So is Anna Dressed in Blood, and the sequel, simply because the covers are so eye-catching I'm going to have to try them, even though I don't like ghost stories.

    This week, I am waiting on The Shapershifter's Secret.

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    1. I'm not a huge ghost fan either, but the covers, combined with the rave reviews, have won me over!

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  22. I cannot wait for Girl of Nightmares! I loved Anna Dressed in Blood. The Raft sounds pretty interesting too. :)
    My W.O.W.

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  23. I haven't read Anna Dressed in Blood either, but it sounds amazing and I'm sure I'll really enjoy it as well. The sequel's cover is too awesome though.

    I hadn't heard of The Raft. Sounds intense, but oh so good. Thanks for sharing.

    -lauren

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  24. Courtship and Curses sounds tasty- thanks for mentioning it!

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  25. I'm so excited for Girl of Nightmares!! You should read Anna closer to Girl of Nightmares' street date so you can just dive right in. I've also heard Monstrous Beauty was excellent. I haven't heard of the other two but I love it when historical fantasy is done right too.

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    1. Yeah, I was thinking the same about Anna. I can be pretty impatient when it comes to books!

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  26. Ooh great picks! I definitely need to check these out.

    ~Danica Page
    Taking It One Page at a Time

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  27. I think I got Monstrous Beauty, but I haven't read it yet.
    And The Girl of Nightmares looks and sounds awesome ;D

    Great picks!

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  28. Gah!! Girl of Nightmares is the one book that I'm going to be dying of jealousy if people come back from BEA with it!! I want it so much! First book was just amazing. Think I need to do a reread of it soon. :)

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  29. Great picks Aylee :) !! I love the sound of all these books and I look forward to read some reviews on them to see if they're as good as their premise !!

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  30. *nods* yup, I want to read all of these :)

    LOVED Anna Dressed in Blood and definitely looking forward to the sequel. I loved Bewitching Season but I heard some not so hot things about Betraying Season and now I'm not sure where to place my hopes for Courtship and Curses. But I still want to try it. I love survival books, even though I'm super picky about them, so I'm approaching The Raft with guarded hope. I like how Gothic Monstrous Beauty sounds. Hope they're worth the wait! :)

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