Waiting on Wednesday: Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon

Waiting on Wednesday was hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that I'm eagerly anticipating. This also ties with Can't-Wait Wednesday hosted by Wishful Endings.

Gravemaidens
Gravemaidens #1
Kelly Coon
Publication Date: October 29, 2019 Genre: YA Fantasy

The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land's greatest honor...and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.

In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.

When Alu's ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.

But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.

Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.

Gravemaidens' cover is one of those cover art that I would put up on display. There's something of a softness and vintage about it that just makes me stare at it for some time.