Waiting on Wednesday #52 + WWW Wednesday #22

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

Slaves of Socorro

(Brotherband Chronicles #4)

by John Flanagan

Publication Date: July 15, 2014

From Goodreads:

Hal and his fellow Herons have returned home to Skandia after defeating the pirate captain Zavac and reclaiming Skandia's most prized artifact, the Andomal. With their honor restored, the Herons turn to a new mission: tracking down an old rival turned bitter enemy. Tursgud - leader of the Shark Brotherhood and Hal's constant opponent - has turned from a bullying youth into a pirate and slave trader. After Tursgud captures twelve Araluen villagers to sell as slaves, the Heron crew sails into action. . . .with the help of one of Araluen's finest Rangers!

Why I'm Excited

It's the fourth book in the Brotherband Chronicles!! That's reason enough to be excited! Despite a lot of flaws, I do really and truly love John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series - and the Brotherband Chronicles has been equally enjoyable. I do hope he never stops writing any time soon, because I will always love his books. Even if he makes mistakes like putting a female Ranger into the mix. ;-)

The Kiss of Deception

(The Remnant Chronicles #1)

by Mary E. Pearson

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

From Goodreads:

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia's life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight - but she doesn't - and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom - to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive - and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets - even as she finds herself falling in love.

Why I'm Excited

It sounds interesting and fairy tale-ish. Two things that I always love. Yes, it sounds like it will mostly focus on romance, but I kind of get the feeling that maybe in this book, I'll be fine with it.

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies. . . .a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas - and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government's murderous programs put her - and her loved ones - in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her

I literally just started reading this book, so I'm not very far in and therefore cannot say much about my impression of it. Other than it should be fun, like it predecessor. I only hope Tomas and Cia don't start fighting all of the time.

What have you read recently?

Seventeen-year-old Violet Dancey has been left at home in Mississippi with a laudanum-addicted stepmother and love-crazed stepsister while her father fights in the war - a war that has already claimed her twin brother.

When she comes across a severely injured Union soldier lying in an abandoned lodge deep in the woods, things begin to change. Thomas is the enemy - one of the men who might have killed her own brother - and yet she's drawn to him. But Violet isn't Thomas's only visitor; someone has been tending to his wounds - keeping him alive - and it becomes chillingly clear that this care hasn't been out of compassion.

Against the dangers of war and ominous powers of voodoo, Violet must fight to protect her home and the people she loves.

I gave this book 4/5 strawberries. Strands of Bronze and Gold - a retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale - is my favorite out of the books Jane Nickerson has written, simply because the world was so vibrant and the villain was soooooooooo creepy. But The Mirk and Midnight Hour is my favorite retelling of Tam Lin. Unlike a lot of people, Tam Lin has actually never been my favorite ballad. I like it well enough, but wouldn't rank it among one of my favvies. But this retelling was just so awesome. The Author blended the traditional elements of the ballad together so well, and the voodoo was creepy, and it was just amazing.

What do you plan on reading next?

Nancy Kington, daughter of a rich merchant, suddenly orphaned when her father dies, is sent to live on her family's plantation in Jamaica. Disgusted by the treatment of the slaves and her brother's willingness to marry her off, she and one of the slaves, Minerva, run away and join a band of pirates. For both girls the pirate life is their only chance for freedom in a society where both are treated like property, rather than individuals. Together they go in search of adventure, love, and a new life that breaks all restrictions of gender, race, and position. Told through Nancy's writings, their adventures will appeal to readers across the spectrum and around the world.

This will actually be a re-read for me. I first read this when it came out, a long, long time ago, it seems. I hated it. I bought it for $1.00 a few months back, so I decided that I needed to read it again soon, and see if my opinion has changed. This is my TBR jar pick for this month!