Waiting on Wednesday 05/01/2013

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

This week I am waiting on two awesome titles: 

Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey which I've read each and every book to this point &

a new book called Shadows by Robin McKinley which, to me, sounds extremely appealing!

James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, has managed to get out of Hell, renounce his title as the new Lucifer, and settle back into life in LA. But he's not out of trouble yet. Somewhere along the way he misplaced the Qomrama Om Ya, a weapon from the banished older gods who are also searching for their lost power.
The hunt leads Stark to an abandoned shopping mall-a multi-story copy of LA-infested with Lurkers and wretched bottomfeeding Sub Rosa families, squatters who have formed tight tribes to guard their tiny patches of this fake LA. Somewhere in the kill zone of the former mall is a dead man with the answers Stark needs. All Stark has to do is find the dead man, get back out alive, and outrun some angry old gods-and a few killers-on his tail.

Expected publication: July 15th 2013 by Harper Voyager 

A compelling and inventive modern fantasy by the master of the genre
Maggie knows something’s off about Val, her mom’s new boyfriend. Not only is he from the Old World, but he’s accompanied by huge, jagged shadows that dart and slither around him. He must be practicing some sort of illegal magic. Oldworld still uses magic, but in Newworld the magic-carrying gene was disabled two generations ago, back when Maggie's great-grandmother was a notable magician. But that was a long time ago. Then Maggie meets Casimir, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. He's from Oldworld too—and he's heard of Maggie's stepfather, and has a guess about Val's shadows. Maggie doesn't want to know . . . until earth-shattering events force her to depend not only on Casimir's knowledge of magic, but on Val and his shadows. And perhaps on her own heritage.
Continually surprising readers with magical twists and turns, Shadows features a memorable heroine, intriguing world-building and a fascinating blend of contemporary fantasy and science fiction.

Expected publication: September 26th 2013 by Nancy Paulsen Books