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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

WoW: The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden

My TBR list is always growing and I thought it would be fun to share my anticipation for those books with all of you. This is not my own original meme; it belongs to Breaking the Spine. It specifically spotlights upcoming releases. As it implies in the title, I'll be posting this meme on Wednesdays. Please feel free to comment and let me know what books you guys are waiting on as well!



The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Publisher: Del Rey Books/Random House
Expected Pub. Date: January 17th 2017
Buy it: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
A young woman’s family is threatened by forces both real and fantastical in this debut novel inspired by Russian fairy tales.

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, a stranger with piercing blue eyes presents a new father with a gift - a precious jewel on a delicate chain, intended for his young daughter. Uncertain of its meaning, Pytor hides the gift away and Vasya grows up a wild, willful girl, to the chagrin of her family. But when mysterious forces threaten the happiness of their village, Vasya discovers that, armed only with the necklace, she may be the only one who can keep the darkness at bay.

Anytime, you want a pitch a book to me, you just have to open up with, "It's a Russian fantasy" and I'll be like this:


What makes me even more excited for The Bear and The Nightingale is actually the author's bio. The fact that she spent time in Russia, and that this story is based on an actual girl she knew. That sounds amazing, I love it when stories find an author like this.



I'm just a kid from Texas, but I had spent nearly two years living in Moscow, off and on, by the time I graduated Middlebury college, degree in hand in the spring of 2011. Between the snow in Russia and the snow in Vermont (look up Middlebury College, ok?) I was frozen stiff, and had managed to burn away all my ambition. All of it. So, lacking better ideas I went off to go work on a farm in Hawaii. To FIND MYSELF, you know? If you like sun, don't mind tents, and are ok eating a lot of papayas, I recommend this step.

While there, considerably bored (picking Macadmia nuts might be very zen, but it's not very interesting) I started writing a book. I set it in Russia because I had spent a lot of time there, and because there was Ukrainian family at the farm next to mine whose daughter was named Vasilisa. They called her Vasya. She had green eyes and she and I would chase chickens among the avocado trees. She became my heroine, and so my story started. I didn't know how to write a book. I thought it would be a cool thing to do. I just kept on haphazardly stringing events together. I had so much fun. Early drafts were terrible. There's a chapter posted in my extras. Don't laugh.

Connect with Katherine: Website | Twitter | Instagram | FB | Pinterest

What do you guys think of this one? Have you heard of it?  Is it on your TBR already? I'd love to know ^_^

12 comments:

  1. Did someone say Russian fairytales? I'm in! Hope you love this one!
    my WOW

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  2. I saw this as someone else's WoW and thought of you! XD

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  3. I love books based on fairy tales, especially when they are ones I'm not familiar with. Thanks so much for sharing, I'm off to add this to my Goodreads TBR! Thanks for visiting my WOW earlier!

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    1. So do I! Hopefully we both love this one ^_^

      And thank you for visiting mine!

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  4. This is the first time that I have heard of this one and I am very intrigued! I definitely need more Russian fairy tale in my life. Rushing over to Goodreads right now! :)

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    1. There needs to be more Russian fairy tales! I'm so excited for this one and I hope we both love it ^_^

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  5. I had seen this pretty cover before but this is the first time I've read the synopsis! OMG NEEEEED. Sounds like all the things I love :D Thanks for posting this one, Brittany!

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  6. Ohhhh. That cover is pretty :D Love it. <3 I hope you will end up loving this book sweetie :) Happy reading. <3

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