Just Around the Corner: Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

(The Blurb)

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra is raised merely to sacrifice herself someday to ensure her people's vitality. In the desert outside, Gem, a mutant boy, fights to keep his people from starvation. Neither dreams that together they could return balance to their world. Isra, a Smooth Skin, bound by magical covenant to the city of Yuan, wants to help the Banished people of her city, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits the blind princess believes she also possesses. One night, Gem is captured while trying to steal the city's enchanted roses, and he becomes Isra's beastly prisoner from the desert. But when Isra enlists the aid of Gem to help her grow herbs that will prevent mutation, she discovers just how human he is, and she begins to question everything she's been raised to believe. As dark secrets from the past are revealed and Isra's sight returned, she will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

This is to be released July 23, 2013 by publisher Delacorte Press.

So I know this is more than around the corner, but this just sounds bananas (that means crazy friggin awesome). I love a good fairytale retelling and this just sounds so promising!!! Link to amazon.com below:

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay @ Amazon.com

.......What I've Purchased This Week........:

Stung by Bethany Wiggins

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

The book cover's and publishers blurb are below:
(Click the links above to go to Amazon.com)


There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

(this sounded way too exciting and I can't wait to read it, review will come shortly...)

and ALSO:

Fans of Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush will relish this intense paranormal love story featuring Romeo and Juliet, literary history's most tragic couple, who meet again, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies.
The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume."
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

(Okay I've been eyeballing this one for, like, 2 months now and finally decided to buy it to give it a try so far not disappointed. Stacey Jay does a fantastic job of creating a fresh new take on one of the most tragic love stories of all time, but that's all I can say now full review to come soon! Yay!)