Waiting on Wednesday: The Shadow Prince + The Winner's Curse [2014 Edition]

*waves* Hello! So, it's been two months since I last participated in Waiting on Wednesday. I can't believe it's been two months! Anyway, for this week's WOW, I'm featuring 2014 releases. I've been so out of the loop lately that I did Goodreads-research last Monday. Here are some of the titles that caught my attention:

Book Description:

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Date of Publication: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

In the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Cassandra Clare comes this brilliant, unputdownable, star-crossed romance about the curse of winning.

Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music.Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart

Why I chose this:

It's been a long time since I read a historical novel. I just miss the old world vibe of it. To be honest, what really caught my attention was the gorgeous cover. Then the plot: sort of like a two-worlds-apart forbidden romance. Plus it's fantasy, a genre very close to my heart.

Book Description:

The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain
Date of Publication: March 11th 2014
Publisher: Egmont

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

Why I chose this:

Back when I started blogging in 2010, Bree Despain's book, The Dark Divine, was one of the very first books I blogged about. I'm just so happy to see that she has new series! Plus, this is mythology-related and you all know I'm a sucker for that.

What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Leave your links below!