Waiting on Wednesday (3): Becky & Randi

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for book bloggers to highlight the books we are anxiously awaiting!

Today, Randi is waiting on:

Amber House

by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed,  & Larkin Reed

Publication date: October 1st, 2012

Summary from Goodreads: "I was sixteen the first time my grandmother died . . ."

Sarah Parsons has never been to Amber House, the grand Maryland estate that's been in her family for three centuries. She's never wandered its hedge maze or explored its secret attics; she's never danced in its ballroom, or hunted for the diamonds said to be hidden in its walls.

But as Sarah, her brother, and their icy mother settle into Amber House, she finds herself drawn to both handsome Richard, who introduces her to a world of wealth and privilege, and intriguing Jackson, who dares her to find the diamonds. She discovers she can see visions of the mansion’s history—like her mother as a young girl, unimaginably warm and happy, or the cruel sea captain who lost the jewels long ago. Piece by piece, she uncovers the secrets of Amber House: its ancient crimes, and its fresh betrayals.

Where are the diamonds? Who caused her mother’s unhappiness? And what tragic act still echoes through Amber House? Sarah needs answers soon. Because when her visions threaten the person she holds most dear, she must untangle the web of the past before it traps them all forever.

Why I'm waiting anxiously: First off, that cover? So lovely! I love the hedge maze and it really sets the tone for the story, giving it that Gothic, spooky feel. Crime, betrayal, family estate, mystery and intrigue? Yes, please! I love that more Gothic novels seem to be popping up in YA, as it's one of my favorite subgenres of horror in adult and classic fiction. 

Today, Becky is waiting on:

City of A Thousand Dolls

by Miriam Forster

Publication date: February 5th, 2013

Summary from Goodreads:                                                         Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

      Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.


Why I'm waiting anxiously: I was drawn in by the cover, of course, as I always am.  I also think this sounds like a really unique world, and hopefully one that will be described with lots of setting.  One of my biggest pet peeves for a book is when I can't picture the world.  This story looks like it will have a strong, active,  intelligent heroine and a touch of romance. Just what I like!