Friday, September 26, 2014

Books releasing September 30

 It's a great week for books... looking forward to Sacrifice, The Queen of Zombie Hearts and more!!  This is going to be an abbreviated post as there has been a loss in my family and I don't have time for a full post- these are the new books (previously unreleased.)  
Happy Reading!!


The Queen of Zombie Hearts (B&N Exclusive Edition) (White Rabbit Chronicles Series #3) by Gena Showalter: Book Cover Sacrifice (Brigid Kemmerer's Elemental Series #5) by Brigid Kemmerer: Book Cover  Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer: Book Cover  Party Games (Fear Street Series) by R. L. Stine: Book Cover    Between the Stars and Sky by David James: Book Cover  Famous Last Words  Love Is the Drug  Winterspell  Complete Nothing   Unmarked (Legion Series #2) by Kami Garcia: Book Cover  Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley: Book Cover


 

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Books Releasing September 23, 2014

Fall is definitely here!  Not only is apparent by the leaves changing and the cooler weather, but also by the abundance of new books releasing!  I'm looking forward to most of the ones shown with overviews.  Happy Reading!!!


Unmade, book 3 of the Lynburn Legacy trilogy by Sarah Rees Brennan

Unmade (Lynburn Legacy Series #3)"A modern, magical twist on the Gothic romance and girl detective genres, the Lynburn Legacy books will appeal to fans of both Beautiful Creatures and the Mortal Instruments series.

Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.
Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.
As coauthor with Cassandra Clare of the bestselling Bane Chronicles, Sarah Rees Brennan has mastered the art of the page-turner. This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end."  ~overview from bn.com


Messenger of Fear, book 1 in the Messenger of Fear series by Michael Grant
Messenger of Fear
"Mara wakes in a field of dead grass, a heavy mist pressing down on her. She is terrified, afraid that she is dead.
There is a boy in that mist, a beautiful young man dressed in black and able to move effortlessly through space and time. He is the Messenger of Fear.
The Messenger sees the darkness in human hearts. He sees the evils done: the destructive lies, the cruelty, the bullying, the violence. And if the world does not bring justice to those who do evil, the Messenger will. He offers the wicked a game. If they win, they go free. If they lose, they will live their greatest fear. Either way, their sanity will be challenged.
It is a world of fair but harsh justice. Of retribution and redemption. And mystery. Why was Mara chosen to be the Messenger's apprentice? What has she done to deserve this terrible fate? She won't find out until three of the wicked receive justice. And when she does, she will be shattered.
Told through compelling stories that are masterfully intertwined, Messenger of Fear is about the terrible choices that people make in life. Michael Grant, author of the New York Times bestselling Gone series, has created a powerful and brilliant narrative that examines the nature of good and evil in every human."  ~overview from bn.com


In a Handful of Dust, sequel to Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
In a Handful of Dust"The only thing bigger than the world is fear.

Lucy's life by the pond has always been full. She has water and friends, laughter and the love of her adoptive mother, Lynn, who has made sure that Lucy's childhood was very different from her own. Yet it seems Lucy's future is settled already—a house, a man, children, and a water source—and anything more than life by the pond is beyond reach.

When disease burns through their community, the once life-saving water of the pond might be the source of what's killing them now. Rumors of desalinization plants in California have lingered in Lynn's mind, and the prospect of a "normal" life for Lucy sets the two of them on an epic journey west to face new dangers: hunger, mountains, deserts, betrayal, and the perils of a world so vast that Lucy fears she could be lost forever, only to disappear in a handful of dust.

In this companion to Not a Drop to Drink, Mindy McGinnis thrillingly combines the heart-swelling hope of a journey, the challenges of establishing your own place in the world, and the gripping physical danger of nature in a futuristic frontier."  ~overview from bn.com
 

Firebug, book 1 in the Firebug series by Lish McBride

Firebug"Ava can start fires with her mind . . . but is it a blessing or a curse? 
Ava is a firebug—she can start fires with her mind. Which would all be well and good if she weren't caught in a deadly contract with the Coterie, a magical mafia. She's one of their main hit men . . . and she doesn't like it one bit. Not least because her mother's death was ordered by Venus—who is now her boss.

 When Venus asks Ava to kill a family friend, Ava rebels. She knows very well that you can't say no to the Coterie and expect to get away with it, though, so she and her friends hit the road, trying desperately to think of a way out of the mess they find themselves in. Preferably keeping the murder to a minimum."  ~overview from goodreads.com


Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Afterworlds (B&N Exclusive Edition)
"Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings…

Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most." ~overview from goodreads.com


On a Clear Day by Walter Dean Myers

On a Clear Day"Young heroes decide that they are not too young or too powerless to change their world in this gripping, futuristic young adult novel by the New York Times bestselling author of the Printz Award–winning Monster.

It is 2035. Teens, armed only with their ideals, must wage war on the power elite.
Dahlia is a Low Gater: a sheep in a storm, struggling to survive completely on her own. The Gaters live in closed safe communities, protected from the Sturmers, mercenary thugs. And the C-8, a consortium of giant companies, control global access to finance, media, food, water, and energy resources—and they are only getting bigger and even more cutthroat. Dahlia, a computer whiz, joins forces with an ex-rocker, an ex-con, a chess prodigy, an ex-athlete, and a soldier wannabe. Their goal: to sabotage the C-8. But how will Sayeed, warlord and terrorist, fit into the equation?"  ~overview from bn.com


Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Salt & Storm"A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.

Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for." ~overview from goodreads.com


More new releases this week in Hardcover

The Bodies We Wear  Remember Me  Survival Colony 9  Tabula Rasa  Skink--No Surrender
                                             Tape  Adrenaline Crush


Releasing in Trade Paperback this week

United We Spy by Ally Carter: Book Cover  Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson: Book Cover  Shadows by Robin McKinley: Book Cover  Reality Boy by A.S. King: Book Cover 
     4.45 stars (12,883 ratings)        4.13 stars (35,391 ratings)         3.64 stars (7,633 ratings)                 3.94 stars (3,793 ratings)

 The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer: Book Cover   The Paradox of Vertical Flight by Emil Ostrovski: Book Cover   Paradox by A. J. Paquette: Book Cover  Task Force (Recon Team Angel #2) by Brian Falkner: Book Cover
      3.12 stars (3,104 ratings)          3.61 stars (284 ratings)               3.55 stars (137 ratings)              4.11 stars (35 ratings) 

Ratings were as of 9/21/2014 and obtained from goodreads.com 
  


Sunday, September 14, 2014

Books Releasing September 16, 2014

The Perilous SeaThe Perilous Sea, book 2 of the Elemental Trilogy by Sherry Thomas
My favorite cover of the week!!

"After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.
Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that throws into question everything he believed about their mission. Faced with this revelation, Iolanthe struggles to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—or forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.
Sherry Thomas brings her trademark blend of dazzling magic, heartbreaking romance, and exciting action in this striking sequel to The Burning Sky."  ~overview from bn.com
  

Infinite Wave, book 2 of the 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey

The Infinite Sea (5th Wave Series #2)"'The hugely anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The 5th Wave, hailed by Justin Cronin as “wildly entertaining.'
For Cassie Sullivan and the rest of Earth’s remaining human survivors, the situation was already desperate when the 5th Wave hit. It’s about to get worse.  No one yet knows the depths to which Earth’s conquerors—the Others—will sink in order to rid the Earth of the human infestation, nor have they guessed the heights to which the human spirit can reach. Characters introduced in Book One will come to the fore—and others will face the ultimate test.  Readers will watch in awe as the Others give their answer to Cassie’s defiance."  ~overview from bn.com


Hunt for Jade Dragon (Michael Vey Series #4) by Richard Paul Evans: Book CoverHunt for Jade Dragon, book 4 of the Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans

"Michael, Taylor, Ostin and the rest of the Electroclan head to China in search of a girl who may have discovered why Michael and his friends became electric. Her name is Lin Julung, or Jade Dragon, and she’s a child prodigy with an IQ higher than Einstein’s—and Ostin’s.
But Hatch gets to her first, and the Elgen are holding her prisoner in their Taiwan Starxource plant. Now the Voice wants Michael and the Electroclan to go to Taiwan and free her before Hatch can realize his dreams of an army of electric children.  The hunt for Jade Dragon is on, and it’s a race against time!"  ~overview from bn.com

Made for You by Melissa Marr  

Made for You by Melissa Marr: Book Cover"When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.
For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling."  ~overview from goodreads.com


BlackbirdBlackbird by Anna Carey

"You don't know who you are. But they do.  You wake up on the subway tracks in Los Angeles with no memory of who you are. A backpack is at your feet. Inside is a fresh set of clothes, one thousand dollars in cash, a phone number, and the instructions Do not call the police.
As you try to figure out your identity, the questions swirl. What is your name? How did you get here? What is the meaning of the tattoo on your wrist of a blackbird and the code FNV02198? There is only one thing you know for sure: people are trying to kill you." ~overview from bn.com


The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien: Book CoverVault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

"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 ridges 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."  ~overview from bn.com


Ashes to Ashes (Burn for Burn Series #3) by Jenny Han: Book Cover Ashes to Ashes, final book of the Burn for Burn trilogy by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

"They only meant to right the wrongs. It was about getting even. Burn for burn.
But the fire they lit kept raging…Reeve ended up hurt, then Rennie ended up dead.
Everything will turn to ash if they don’t stop what they started. But now that Mary knows the truth about what happened to her, will she want to?
Secrets drew Lillia, Kat, and Mary together. The truth might tear them apart." ~overview from bn.com



Also out this week

Day 21 by Kass Morgan: Book Cover I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: Book Cover     Jackaby by William Ritter: Book Cover  Wildlife by Fiona Wood: Book Cover 
 Being Audrey Hepburn by Mitchell Kriegman: Book Cover  Sway by Kat Spears: Book Cover

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Books releasing September 9, 2014

There are so many books being published on September 9 that I listed only books that are brand new (hardcover) and even then, the ones that seemed like really good reads.  So happy reading!!!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Rites of Passage by Joy N Hensley
My unexpected find and great read of the week!


Rites of PassageMy review on goodreads:

"I saw the cover of this as I was putting books away Friday and it just kept grabbing my attention.  I loved the simplicity of the cover and the pink in the title, so I made a rare hardcover book purchase. And it was worth it!

This is not your average coming of age story involving a boarding school and it's not the typical story of a girl trying to beat the odds.

Nope... Sam is a hardheaded, fierce, independent character. Fighting not only to make her career Army officer father proud of her but to complete the last dare one of her brothers gave her before he died- to be one of the first female cadets at the elite Denmark Military Academy. To say she's not wanted there is an understatement, add who her father is and that her brother is the Cadet Colonel and the desire of others to see her quit is elevated through the roof.

It's a story of fighting for what she wants to the point she'll sacrifice everything- peace of mind, sleep, being pain free. A secret society runs more at the academy than anyone realizes, and it's almost too late when they do. It's got fantastic relationship dynamics between Sam and Drill Sergeant Stamm, chaos in her relationships with Kelly, the other girls and her family- well they are just dysfunctional as hell! Add hazing that will take your breath away and characters you can't figure out whose side they're on, and it gives the book a great pace, especially past the 1/2 mark. In the end- just how far is she willing to go to fight for not only what's right but for the future of the females at this academy- will she survive or quit the academy?"


Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White


Illusions of Fate'"I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have." 

"Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray."  ~overview from goodreads.com


 The Caller, final book of the Shadowfell Trilogy by Juliet Marillier

The Caller "In the final book in this gripping, romantic fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Robin McKinley, Kristin Cashore, and Shannon Hale, Neryn’s band of rebels reach their climactic confrontation with the king. The stunning conclusion to the story that began with Shadowfell and Raven Flight is full of romance, intrigue, magic, and adventure.

Just one year ago, Neryn had nothing but a canny skill she barely understood and a faint dream that the legendary rebel base of Shadowfell might be real. Now she is the rebels’ secret weapon, and their greatest hope for survival, in the fast-approaching ambush of King Keldec at Summerfort.

The fate of Alban itself is in her hands. But to be ready for the bloody battle that lies ahead, Neryn must first seek out two more fey Guardians to receive their tutelage. Meanwhile, her beloved, Flint, has been pushed to his breaking point as a spy in the king’s court—and is arousing suspicion in all the wrong quarters.

At stake lies freedom for the people of Alban, a life free from hiding for the Good Folk—and a chance for Flint and Neryn to finally be together."  ~overview from bn.com


 Winterkill by Kate A Boorman
 
Winterkill "Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next."  ~overview from bn.com




Blood of My Blood, final book of the I Hunt Killers Trilogy by Barry Lyga

Blood of My Blood (I Hunt Killers Series #3)"Jazz Dent has been shot and left to die in New York City. His girlfriend Connie is in the clutches of Jazz's serial killer father, Billy. And his best friend Howie is bleeding to death on the floor of Jazz's own home in tiny Lobo's Nod. Somehow, these three must rise above the horrors their lives have become and find a way to come together in pursuit of Billy. But then Jazz crosses a line he's never crossed before, and soon the entire country is wondering: "Like father, like son?" Who is the true monster?
The chase is on, and beyond Billy there lurks something much, much worse. Prepare to meet...the Crow King."  ~overview from bn.com




Of Monsters and MadnessOf Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday

"A romantic, historical retelling of classic Gothic horror featuring Edgar Allan Poe and his character Annabel Lee, from a New York Times best-selling author.
Annabel Lee is summoned from Siam to live with her father in 1820's Philadelphia shortly after her mother's death, but an unconventional upbringing makes her repugnant to her angry, secretive father.
Annabel becomes infatuated with her father's assistant Allan, who dabbles in writing when he's not helping with medical advancements. But in darker hours, when she's not to be roaming the house, she encounters the devilish assistant Edgar, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Allan, and who others insist doesn't exist.
A rash of murders across Philadelphia, coupled with her father's strange behavior, leads Annabel to satisfy her curiosity and uncover a terrible truth: Edgar and Allan are two halves of the same person - and they are about to make the crimes detailed in Allan's stories come to life. Unless Annabel stops them."  ~overview from bn.com



 Haze, book 2 of The Rephaim by Paula Weston
Haze: The Rephaim, Book 2"Gaby Winters' life used to be pretty normal. She lived with her best friend. She worked in a library. She was slowly getting over the death of her twin brother, Jude. And then Rafa came looking for her.

     With him, her blood-soaked nightmares stopped. But now they are reality. She is one of the Rephaim - a wingless half angel, descended from the Fallen. Demons exist and they are hunting her.

     She knows she's alive when she's meant to be dead. And that means maybe Jude is too. So why isn't she out there looking for him?"
~ overview from bn.com
Shadows, book 1 also come out in paperback Sept 9.



Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire
Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire: Book Cover     
A fantasy set in Tsarist Russia.

"Elena Rudina lives in the impoverished Russian countryside. Her father has been dead for years. One of her brothers has been conscripted into the Tsar’s army, the other taken as a servant in the house of the local landowner. Her mother is dying, slowly, in their tiny cabin. And there is no food. But then a train arrives in the village, a train carrying untold wealth, a cornucopia of food, and a noble family destined to visit the Tsar in Saint Petersburg — a family that includes Ekaterina, a girl of Elena’s age. When the two girls’ lives collide, an adventure is set in motion, an escapade that includes mistaken identity, a monk locked in a tower, a prince traveling incognito, and — in a starring role only Gregory Maguire could have conjured — Baba Yaga, witch of Russian folklore, in her ambulatory house perched on chicken legs."  ~ overview from goodreads.com