“Waiting on” Wednesday | Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Breaking the Spine created this feature – ‘Waiting on’ Wednesday, where bloggers could gush about their most coveted upcoming release. Here’s mine:

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king’s marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.

Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Publication date: November 8th

Admittedly I wasn’t a huge fan of The Lunar Chronicles. The pacing of the series was way off for me, and characterization felt all but forgotten by the end of the series. Having said that, I think there were a lot of good ideas in there, and I’m interested to see what the author can do within the limitations of a standalone. I’m really looking forward to this one!