Can't Wait Wednesday #21: A Bunch of New Books I Can't Wait For!

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.  Okay, so I'm going out on a limb this week, there are a BUNCH of new books I'm eager for.  And I just kinda want to share them ALL today.  So, fasten your seat belts, and hopefully you'll find at least one in my list below that you'll want to add to your own TBR.

The Empress (The Diabolic #2) by S.J. Kincaid:
I really liked the first one, and while I thought it definitely ended well, I could see that I wanted more info.  So I'm excited there will be more.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The thrilling sequel to S.J. Kincaid’s New York Times bestselling novel, The Diabolic that TeenVogue.com called “the perfect kind of high-pressure adventure.”

It’s a new day in the Empire. Tyrus has ascended to the throne with Nemesis by his side and now they can find a new way forward—one where they don’t have to hide or scheme or kill. One where creatures like Nemesis will be given worth and recognition, where science and information can be shared with everyone and not just the elite.

But having power isn’t the same thing as keeping it, and change isn’t always welcome. The ruling class, the Grandiloquy, has held control over planets and systems for centuries—and they are plotting to stop this teenage Emperor and Nemesis, who is considered nothing more than a creature and certainly not worthy of being Empress.

Nemesis will protect Tyrus at any cost. He is the love of her life, and they are partners in this new beginning. But she cannot protect him by being the killing machine she once was. She will have to prove the humanity that she’s found inside herself to the whole Empire—or she and Tyrus may lose more than just the throne. But if proving her humanity means that she and Tyrus must do inhuman things, is the fight worth the cost of winning it?

Between the Blade and the Heart (Valkyrie #1) by Amanda Hocking:

I am a huge fan of Amanda Hocking.  I loved her Trylle series so much. This one sounds just as good.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Valkyries have one great responsibility: to return immortals to the afterlife by slaying them. As a Valkyrie, Malin has always known that the balance of the world rests on her ability to carry out orders. But when Malin discovers that her mother spared the life of an immortal who was destined to die, her world is thrown into chaos. 

Malin not only wrestles with the knowledge that her mother might not be who she thought—she’s also thrust into the path of a gorgeous blue eyed guy named Asher who needs her help slaying the rogue immortal who destroyed his family. The balance of the world is at stake. And, as Asher competes with Malin’s ex for her love and loyalty, so is her heart.  

Pacifica by Kristen Simmons:
I really enjoyed her book The Glass Arrow.  And this one sounds just as good!  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:  

Pacifica, an all-new stand-alone, near-future adventure from the critically acclaimed author of Article 5 and Metaltown.

Marin is cosario royalty, a pirate like her father and his father before him. Sailing the ocean to chase adventure is in her blood. But these days no one cares that the island town her people call home is named after her grandfather. They have a new leader, one who promises an end to their hunger – and one who thinks that girls are meant for the kitchen or the brothel. Marin knows she's meant for more than that, and with the sudden influx of weapons on the island, and rumors of a pending deal with the enemy oil nation in her wake, she knows a big score to gain the council's favor is the only way to save her people, and herself.

Ross lives a life of privilege. As the president's son he wants for nothing, but he longs for a life of adventure. On a dare, he convinces his best friend Adam to sneak out to the Docks, the site of local race riots between the poor Shorlings and the upper class. But when Adam is arrested along with the other Shorlings, and not even the president is willing to find him, Ross finds himself taking matters into his own hands. He journeys back into the Docks, ready to make deals with anyone, even a beautiful pirate, if it means Adam's safe return.

When Marin and Ross meet in dangerous Shoreling territory he sees a way to get his friend back and she sees her ticket home. The ransom a president’s son would command could feed her people for years and restore her family’s legacy. But somewhere in the middle of the ocean, Marin must decide if her heart can handle handing over the only person who has ever seen her as more than a pirate.  

Strange Star by Emma Carroll:
Now, this actually was published in 2016, but Delacorte Books for Young Readers also has it scheduled for next year, so I'm definitely intrigued!  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

They were coming tonight to tell ghost stories. 'A tale to freeze the blood,' was the only rule. Switzerland, 1816. On a stormy summer night, Lord Byron and his guests are gathered round the fire.

Felix, their serving boy, can't wait to hear their creepy tales.

Yet real life is about to take a chilling turn - more chilling than any tale.

Frantic pounding at the front door reveals a stranger, a girl covered in the most unusual scars.

She claims to be looking for her sister, supposedly snatched from England by a woman called Mary Shelley.

Someone else has followed her here too, she says. And the girl is terrified. This breathtaking new book from Emma Carroll, the critically-acclaimed author of Frost Hollow Hall, The Girl Who Walked On Air, In Darkling Wood and The Snow Sister, is a deliciously creepy story inspired by the creation of Frankenstein, and is brought to life by a leading talent in children's literature.   

Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner:
I have really started to enjoy books about cosplay/comic-con types of stories.  And this one sounds like a really good one.  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Soon-to-be senior Cameron hopes to complete her costume portfolio away from the online abuse she has endured since winning a cosplay contest dressed as a character from a game she's never played. Unfortunately, the only comic shop in her new town—her main destination for character reference—is staffed, by a dudebro who challenges every girl who comes into the shop.
 
At her twin brother's suggestion, Cameron borrows a set of his clothes and uses her costuming experience to waltz into the shop as Boy Cameron, where she is shocked at how easily she's accepted into the nerd inner sanctum. Before she can say "Demogorgon," Cameron finds herself drafted into a D&D campaign alongside the dudebro; a friendly (almost flirtatiously so) clerk; a handsome Dungeon Master, and her brother Cooper, dragged along for good measure.
 
But as her "secret identity" gets more and more entrenched, Cameron's portfolio falls by the wayside—and her feelings for her DM threaten to make a complicated situation more precarious. Cosplay, comic shops, and college applications collide in this geek-girl anthem from You're Welcome, Universe author Whitney Gardner, complete with fully illustrated comic pages from Gardner herself.  

Check Me Out by Becca Wilhite: 
A not YA read that I'm very excited for.  It fits in with my being a librarian!  Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Greta loves her job as assistant librarian. She loves her best friend, Will, the high school civics teacher and debate coach. She even loves her mother despite her obvious disappointment that Greta is still single.

Then she meets Mac in the poetry section of the library, and she is smitten. Mac is heart-stoppingly gorgeous and showers her with affection, poetic text messages, and free hot chocolate at the local café where he works. The only problem is that he seems to be a different person in his texts than in his face-to-face conversation.

When the Franklin Library is threatened with closure, Greta leaps into action. She arranges for a "battle of the bands" book jam, hosts a book signing by a famous author, and finally, stages a protest that raises more than a few eyebrows.

Through it all, she slowly realizes that it is Will, not Mac, who she turns to for support and encouragement. Mac has the looks; Will has the heart. How can she choose between them?

Check Me Out is a contemporary romance--with just a hint of Cyrano de Bergerac--that reminds us that it is what's on the inside that matters most. 

So, anything up there spark your curiosity?  What book are you anxiously awaiting this week?