Waiting on Wednesday: The Stepsister's Tale, The Vault of Dreamers, and Don't Touch

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and features books that we just can't wait to get our hands on!

Yep, I *am* back on the blog again! My first year of grad school is finally done, and now I am home and able to catch my breath, relax, read, and catch up on what's been going on in the blogosphere over the last, oh, 10 months or so (anyone want to clue me in?)

There are apparently a lot of upcoming books I need to get familiar with. Here are a few that I'm looking forward to:


The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett

Goodreads' description:

"What really happened after the clock struck midnight?

Jane Montjoy is tired of being a lady. She's tired of pretending to live up to the standards of her mother's noble family-especially now that the family's wealth is gone and their stately mansion has fallen to ruin. It's hard enough that she must tend to the animals and find a way to feed her mother and her little sister each day. Jane's burden only gets worse after her mother returns from a trip to town with a new stepfather and stepsister in tow. Despite the family's struggle to prepare for the long winter ahead, Jane's stepfather remains determined to give his beautiful but spoiled child her every desire.

When her stepfather suddenly dies, leaving nothing but debts and a bereaved daughter behind, it seems to Jane that her family is destined for eternal unhappiness. But a mysterious boy from the woods and an invitation to a royal ball are certain to change her fate...

From the handsome prince to the evil stepsister, nothing is quite as it seems in Tracy Barrett's stunning retelling of the classic Cinderella tale."


I've read Tracy Barrett's Anna of Byzantium several times, although I was not as thrilled with her book Dark of the Moon. Cinderella is not my favourite fairy tale, but as a rule I do like fairy tales generally and I'm interested to see what Tracy Barrett does with one of the best known ones.


The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

Goodreads' description:

"From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there."


I enjoyed Birthmarked (*cough* need to catch up on that series, along with a billion other ones *cough*) and I am drawn to psychological thrillers. Not the biggest fan of "reality TV show" premises but it sounds like there's more to it than that, so I'm hoping the secret of the Forge School is something good...


Don't Touch by Rachel M. Wilson

Goodreads' description:


"A powerful story of a girl who is afraid to touch another person’s skin, until the boy auditioning for Hamlet opposite her Ophelia gives her a reason to overcome her fears.

Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Touch another person’s skin, and Dad’s gone for good.

Caddie can’t stop thinking that if she keeps from touching another person’s skin, her parents might get back together... which is why she wears full-length gloves to school and covers every inch of her skin.

It seems harmless at first, but Caddie’s obsession soon threatens her ambitions as an actress. She desperately wants to play Ophelia in her school’s production of Hamlet. But that would mean touching Peter, who’s auditioning for the title role—and kissing him. Part of Caddie would love nothing more than to kiss Peter—but the other part isn't sure she's brave enough to let herself fall.

Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson, this debut novel from Rachel M. Wilson is a moving story of a talented girl who's fighting an increasingly severe anxiety disorder, and the friends and family who stand by her."

I'm always on the lookout for more YA books about mental health issues, so I'm happy to see another one tackling OCD. It seems like there are more of those these days than there used to be – perhaps awareness about OCD is increasing? In any case, I'm hopeful that it provides an accurate representation of OCD as well as a compelling storyline. Also, the cover is simple but effective, with the black gloves underscoring Caddie's challenges. 

What books are you waiting for?