Waiting on Wednesday #29

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.
It's a weekly meme about upcoming books we're excited about!

Camelot Burning

(Metal & Lace #1)

by Kathryn Rose

Publication Date: May 8, 2014

From Goodreads:

By day, Vivienne is Guinevere's lady-in-waiting. By night, she's Merlin's secret apprentice, indulging in the new mechanical arts and science of alchemy. It's a preferred distraction from Camelot's gossipy nobility, roguish knights, and Lancelot's athletic new squire, Marcus, who will follow in all knights' footsteps by taking a rather inconvenient vow of chastity.

More than anything, Vivienne longs to escape Camelot for a future that wouldn't include needlework or marriage to a boorish lord or dandy. But when King Arthur's sorceress sister, Morgan le Fay, threatens Camelot, Vivienne must stay to help Merlin build a steam-powered weapon to defeat the dark magic machine Morgan will set upon the castle. Because if Camelot falls, Morgan would be that much closer to finding the elusive Holy Grail. Time is running out and Morgan draws near, and if Vivienne doesn't have Merlin's weapon ready soon, lives would pay the price, including that of Marcus, the only one fast enough to activate it on the battlefield.

Why I'm Excited:

I've always loved the Arthurian legends, and anything based on them immediately catches my eye. I don't like many Arthurian retellings, but I'm always willing to give them a try. Camelot Burning sounds especially intriguing because it sounds like it has a bit of a steampunk flair mixed in with the medieval magic. This is a unique blend that could either work surprisingly well - or ruin the entire story. I'm wary of Marcus, because he will inevitably become a love interest for Vivienne - especially if she's trying to escape marriage to a boorish noble. Happens every time in fiction. But we'll see.

Born of Deception

(Born of Illusion #2)

by Teri Brown

Publication Date: June 10, 2014

From Goodreads:

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society of people like her psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group's members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone with the society itself - or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished/ Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim - or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Why I'm Excited:

I loved Born of Illusion. It was one of those surprising reads of 2013; one that I wasn't expecting a great deal from, but got a load in return. I loved the characters and the setting and the writing; it was all terrific. It didn't need a sequel, but I'm all right with one. London being one of my favorite cities to set historical novels in, Born of Deception sounds equally awesome! But I do have some concerns. I don't like the fact that it sounds like Cole and Anna hit a rough spot in their relationship. While realistic, these always feel like forced tension in novels, and ultimately can make the protagonist look flighty and silly. I'm also not a fan of returning villains, and I'm worried that Dr. Boyle may be a disappointment. Still, I have relatively high hopes for Born of Deception.