Books Releasing December 15

Well, this has to be the quietest week for the year- 1 release.  So I'll post it, and some of my favorite Teen/YAbooks of the year.  This list is the one that comes to mind... if I think on it, well it's frightening how long that list would be!

The Lost, book 5 and the final book of the Witch and Wizard series by James Patterson

Whit and Wisty Allgood have fought and defeated their world's most pernicious threats: the evil dictator, The One Who Is The One, as well as his wicked father and son. But just as the heroic witch and wizard start to settle into their new roles in governance, a deadly crime wave grips their city, with all signs pointing to a magical mastermind every bit as powerful and heartless as The One. Now the siblings find themselves persecuted as the city turns against all magic users, and questioning everything, including each other--and, for the first time, their abilities. Can they confront the citizens' growing hostility and their own doubts in time to face the new enemy barreling toward their gates?
James Patterson brings the Witch & Wizard saga to a head by exposing the nature of power-and what it means for the heroes that have it.

I can't really choose a numerical order- I loved all of these books for different reasons!

For Fantasy:
The Kiss of Deception, Remnant Chronicles book 1 by Mary Pearson

I love the way she presents the Prince and the Assassin- you totally have to pay attention to the clues in order to figure out which one is which.  And since the Assassin is there to kill her, it pays to figure it out early!
This book was my favorite of the summer, between May and the first of September!
I read the ARC of The Heart of Betrayal, book #2, and it was amazing!  Just how far is she willing to go-what is she willing to sacrifice for the one she loves?  And just what are the guys in her life willing to do to keep her. 

For Epic Fantasy

Heir of Fire, Throne of Glass book 3 by Sarah J Maas

This book has a different pace than one and two.  It's got a great steady pace and there is so much going on!  Introduction to a new land, new characters, great romance, tons of action and a perfect-set-up to book four, which should be out Fall 2015.  This series is so incredible that I think I will always pick up her books when first published- hardcover or softcover.

For Dystopian
Pawn, Blackcoat Rebellion book 1 by Aimee' Carter

Kitty has 30 seconds to decide if she wants to remain a III and continue to sell herself into prostitution or take her assignment thousands of miles from home, or become a VII with no questions ask.  She takes the VII not realizing just how much she'd have to sacrifice- everything- much less all she'd have to learn, do and accomplish to stay alive.  
Captive, book 2, is out now and was a great read as well. 

For Fantasy, based on/off of a Fairy Tale

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

This is the story of Aurora, Sleeping Beauty's daughter.  She's a warrior and ready to take back her kingdom.  But she's no average mortal, she's been fairy blessed with the gifts of bravery, enhanced strength, mercy and what's more of a curse- takes the ability of free will from any boy who kisses her.  Disguised as a boy to begin gathering her army can she beat back the ogre queen's army and save her brother or is it a fight fated to be lost.

For Fantasy setting, Witches and world travel

Trial by Fire, Trial by Fire book 1 by Josephine Angelini

In this world in todays Salem, Lily has horrible allergies that keep her from living the life of an average teenager.  And when the guy she's crushed on forever betrays her, she's humiliated in front of a party, she goes off by herself and wishes she could disappear.  When she hears a voice asking her if she'd leave, it doesn't take much for her to say yes.

Now she's in an alternate Salem.   Seemingly a fantasy setting, with advanced technology and all she knows is she comes face-to-face with herself from this world, Lillian.  Here Lillian is dying and she needs Lily.  After explaining it all, Lily runs, having no idea the adventures that would unfold.  They look alike, genetically are identical, and Lillian is not a beloved person in this world.  Can Lily manage to prove, repeatedly, that she's not Lillian and stay alive.  Will she be able to hold her own against the witch and magic she's up against.  You'll have to read it to see!

 

Best Final Book of Series

In Elemental Magic

Sacrifice, Elemental book #5 by Brigid Kemmerer

This may be the last book, at least for now.  And it's Michael's story.  His parents died and he's all that's left holding his family together, and his brothers are all underage.  Keeping Social Services away means toeing the line and keeping all of it, including his brothers, together.  One mishap with his earth magic puts them on the radar of an Elemental Guide- one whose purpose is to destroy them all.  And it all starts to fall apart.  As things degrade even further, can they pull it together, not only as a family but as an elemental unit to defeat the enemy?  Awesome book!!!

In Dystopian

The One, Selection book 3 by Kiera Cass

Finally!!  A final book in a trilogy that I loved!  I hated Mockingjay, won't touch Allegiant...but this book, it restores my faith in final books!  The competition has increased greatly inside and the tension is skyrocketing outside and it's only now that she realizes what she wants and it's a tough fight to get it.  This series is such a beloved one that there are actually more books to come!! The Queen, a novella, was released awhile ago and The Heir, book 4, is due out 5/5/15.  

In Mythology

Killer Frost, Mythos Academy book 6 by Jennifer Estep

Champion to a goddess, wielding a talking sword and a magic that gives her history (of both people and things) makes Gwen Frost a worthy adversary, but Loki, he's about as fierce as it gets.  She doubts that she can beat him until the one she loves is in extreme danger, and that gives her an edge that pushes her to put forth everything she has, even at the cost of herself.  And while I was sad to see this series end, it was a worthy close to a great series.

In Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

City of Heavenly Fire, The Mortal Instruments book 6 by Cassandra Clare

Betrayals, traveling into realms unknown, danger, action-adventure, romance and everything you could ask for makes it into this final book.  Don't be sad, for avid fans The Bane Chronicles was just published and Lady Midnight, book 1 of The Dark Artifices, a series that takes place five years later, has an approximate date of September 2015.

Books Releasing December 9

Great mix of books this week- from fantasy to fiction to romance- there's something for everyone!  I'm really looking forward to reading Gathering Darkness and I thoroughly enjoyed Princess of Thorns!  Happy Reading!

Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay   (4 stars- really enjoyed this book!)

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm’s fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.
Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora’s throne ten years ago.
Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it’s too late? Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love? 

Gathering Darkness, book 3 of The Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes

 

Love, vengeance, and greed spark a deadly quest for magic in the third book of the Falling Kingdoms series

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred—the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic. . . .

THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia’s overpowering magic—all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia’s powers to unveil the Kindred.

The only certainty in these dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica...but fate can be fickle when magic is involved.

Note:  At least 3 more books to come out through 2017

Note #2:  Already in the local Barnes & Noble here

 

Zodiac, book 1 of the Zodiac series by Romina Russell 

 

At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….
Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancrian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Embark on a dazzling journey with ZODIAC, the first novel in an epic sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy series set in a galaxy inspired by the astrological signs.

Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

"Take The Princess Diaries and add magic, murder and mystery, and you've got SUSPICION. A delightful read!"--Amy Plum, author of the of the international bestselling Die For Me series 

“There’s something hidden in the maze.”

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.  For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.
  Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

Gasp, book 3 and conclusion to the Vision series by Lisa McMann

The visions aren’t stopping, and neither is the danger in this series conclusion from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.

After narrowly surviving two harrowing tragedies, Jules now fully understands the importance of the visions that she and those around her are experiencing. She’s convinced that if the vision curse passed from her to Sawyer after she saved him, then it must now have passed from Sawyer to one of the people he saved.

That means it’s up to Jules to figure out which of the school shooting survivors is now suffering from visions of another crisis. And once she realizes who it is, she has to convince that survivor that this isn’t all crazy—that the images are of something real. Something imminent.

As the danger escalates in this conclusion to the Visions series, Jules wonders if she’ll finally find out why and how this is happening—before it’s too late to prevent disaster.

For Real by Alison Cherry

From Alison Cherry, author of Red, a novel PW declares “sparkles with wit,” comes a terrific new book about two sisters and one big question: how do you know who’s for real?

No parents. No limits. No clue what they’re in for.

Shy, cautious Claire has always been in her confident older sister’s shadow. While Miranda’s life is jam-packed with exciting people and whirlwind adventures, Claire gets her thrills vicariously by watching people live large on reality television.

When Miranda discovers her boyfriend, Samir, cheating on her just after her college graduation, it’s Claire who comes up with the perfect plan. They’ll outshine Miranda’s fame-obsessed ex while having an amazing summer by competing on Around the World, a race around the globe for a million bucks. Revenge + sisterly bonding = awesome.

But the show has a twist, and Claire is stunned to find herself in the middle of a reality-show romance that may be just for the cameras. This summer could end up being the highlight of her life . . . or an epic fail forever captured on film. In a world where drama is currency and manipulation is standard, how can you tell what’s for real?

No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, takes care of her baby nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend, Devon's, house.

But when Amber learns about an audition at a prestigious arts school, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon's older brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out. The more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she's such a good girl after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family's world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between "good" and "bad," there's a whole world of possibilities.

Now That You're Here, part 1 of the Duplexity series by Amy Nichols

In a parallel universe, the classic bad boy falls for the class science geek.
  One minute Danny was running from the cops, and the next, he jolted awake in an unfamiliar body—his own, but different. Somehow, he’s crossed into a parallel universe. Now his friends are his enemies, his parents are long dead, and studious Eevee is not the mysterious femme fatale he once kissed back home. Then again, this Eevee—a girl who’d rather land an internship at NASA than a date to the prom—may be his only hope of getting home.
  Eevee tells herself she’s only helping him in the name of quantum physics, but there’s something undeniably fascinating about this boy from another dimension . . . a boy who makes her question who she is, and who she might be in another place and time.
  And, coming soon, Duplexity, Part II: While You Were Gone flips this story on its head and tells the tale of the alternate Danny and the alternate Eevee, living in Danny’s parallel world.

 

Little White Lies by Katie Dale

 

Fans of Pretty Little Liars will be ensnared in this tale of deceit. Christian is hiding terrible secrets from his girlfriend, Lou. But Lou has told lies as well. What if their accidental meeting wasn’t an accident?
The first time Lou meets mysterious Christian, she knows he is The One. But Christian is hiding a terrible secret. Why does he clam up every time Lou asks about his past? Why doesn’t he have any family photos, and why does he dye his blond hair black? When Christian’s house goes up in flames, his tires are slashed, and he flees for his life, Lou insists on going with him. But as Christian’s secret is unveiled in front of the whole world, it seems everything he’s ever told Lou is a lie. Can what the media are saying about him really be true? Should Lou trust him? Or is she in grave danger?

 

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas

 

Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe's Day

5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market

4) Crashing a cart into a customer's car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi

3) Trying to rock the "drowned rat" look after being caught in a snowstorm

2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)

1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees— of stealing upwards of $10,000

Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe's list of Top Ten Best Moments.

 

 

 

Books Releasing December 2

Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving holiday!!  To start off the last month of the year we have several series coming to a conclusion, including The Pretty Little Liars.  The ones I'm really waiting on will be out next week- stay tuned!

Vicious, the 16th and final book of the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania, reporters are lined up outside the historic courthouse, typing furiously at their iPhones with freshly manicured nails. Because the trial of the century is happening right here in Rosewood: the four pretty little liars have been accused of killing Alison DiLaurentis. Only Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily know that they’ve been framed. Ali is still out there, laughing as she watches the girls go down for her murder. But when your nickname includes the word “liar,” no one believes you’re telling the truth. . . . 

Aria tries to run away from it all but finds that life on the lam is even harder than life as a liar. Spencer gets in touch with someone who can help her disappear—but when a guy from her past reemerges, Spencer no longer knows what she wants. Hanna decides that she’ll hear wedding bells chime before she serves time. And in the face of prison, Emily does something truly drastic—something that will change her friends’ lives forever.

As the trial goes on and the outcome looks grim, the girls are in their darkest hour yet. But maybe they can finally figure out how to beat Ali at her own game. Because once upon a time, she was just a pretty little liar too.

Note:  This is already out at our Barnes & Noble

Valley of Fires, third and final book of A Conquered Earth series by J. Barton Mitchell

Earth has been conquered by an alien race known as the Assembly. The human adult population is gone, having succumbed to the Tone—a powerful, telepathic super-signal broadcast across the planet that reduces them to a state of complete subservience once they reach their early twenties. Which means that there is one group left to resist: Children. In Valley of Fires the trio of heroes -Holt, Mira, and Zoey- are forced apart to accomplish individual quests if they are to have any hope of uniting what remains of Earth's disparate survivors against its alien invaders.

Mira ventures west to bargain with Van Cleef, the enigmatic leader of North America's most infamous resistance group. But Van Cleef has his own plans to end the conflict, a destructive solution that might actually work...but at a horrible cost. Meanwhile, Holt travels with Ravan and Avril back to the one place he swore he would never return: Faust, the sprawling and dangerous desert city of the Menagerie pirate guild. He goes not only to resolve his issues with Tiberius, its tyrannical leader, but to enlist the Menagerie in the fight to save Zoey. Except Tiberius has his own problems. Factions within the Menagerie are splintering, and word of rebellion is beginning to spread. If Holt wants the Menagerie's help, he might have to help his greatest enemy in exchange.

Traveling separate paths with little hope of safety or reunion, Holt and Mira bring this thrilling, genre-bending series to an utterly unforgettable close.

Seduction, third and final book of The Legacy series by Molly Cochran

The Darkness follows Katy to Paris in the final book in New York Times bestselling author Molly Cochran’s Legacy trilogy, rife with paranormal witchcraft and romance.

 Katy can’t stand the fact that her boyfriend, Peter, has changed so much since his wealthy uncle Jeremiah took him under his wing. In a fit of rebellion, she flies to Paris to attend cooking school. Lonely, she visits a schoolmate, Fabienne, who lives in a beautiful mansion in Paris. But it’s Peter who answers the door.

Katy is devastated that Peter is in Paris—on business for his uncle, he claims—and didn’t tell her. Soon Katy is wrapped up in the mysteries of the strange house, which is occupied by only beautiful, shallow people. And they don’t seem to age. Then an accidental trip through the underground passages of Paris leads Katy to the discovery of an ancient book that just might hold the secrets to the mansion…

 Boundary, book 2 of The Books of Eva by Heather Terrell

After surviving the Hunger Games-like Testing, Eva becomes the Aerie’s first female Archon. The second installment of the Books of Eva continue the harrowing struggle between past and present, Aerie and Boundary.

Eva is the first Maiden in Aerie history to train as an Archon: a sacred leader of the New North. All eyes are watching as she prepares to uncover the Relics of the evil past. Wounds remain, both from the harrowing Testing and the murder of her brother, Eamon, but she has learned to feign grace. And although she is betrothed to Jasper, she still finds herself drawn to Lukas, a Boundary dweller and former servant who may know who killed her twin brother.

Her relationship with Lukas is forbidden. And his conviction that she is the Angakkuq, a mystical figure destined to destroy the Aerie, is even more dangerous. On her very first Archon expedition, she uncovers the Genesis, the legendary ship that brought the Founders to the New North; its contents threaten the fragile balance between the Aerie and the Boundary. Eva’s world is shattered, but she may be the only one—as both Archon and Angakkuq—who can prevent a war that will annihilate their entire civilization.

 

Ravencliffe, book 2 of The Blythewood series by Carol Goodman

Avaline Hall is no ordinary girl. 

She’s a student at Blythewood Academy, an elite boarding school that trains young women to defend human society from the shadowy forces that live among us.  After the devastating events of her first year at Blythewood, Ava is eager to reunite with her friends—and with Raven, the compelling but elusive winged boy who makes her pulse race. She soon discovers, though, that the sinister Judicus van Drood hasn’t finished wreaking havoc on Blythewood—and wants to use Ava and her classmates to attack a much bigger target.

Ava’s the only one with any hope of stopping van Drood. But to scuttle his plans, she must reveal her deepest secret to everyone at Blythewood. What’s she willing to sacrifice to do what’s right—her school?  Her love?  Or her life?

The Boy with the Hidden name, book 2 of the Otherworld series by Skylar Dorset

"Benedict Le Fay will betray you. And then he will die."

Betrayal and death—not quite the prophecy Selkie wanted about her first love. A half-faerie princess with a price on her head, Selkie Stewart just wants a little normal in her life. Not another crazy prophecy. Besides, she and Ben are a team. They're the two most wanted individuals in the Otherworld, and fated to bring down the Seelie Fairie Court and put an end to their reign of terror. Nothing can come between them.  Until Ben leaves.  And the sun goes out.
And the chiming bells deafen all of Boston.

The Seelies are coming. And only Selkie can stop them from destroying the world.

Song of the Slums by Richard Harlan

An absorbing tale of fame, changing fortunes, and music, set in an alternative Victorian world, from the striking creator of Worldshaker

What if they'd invented rock 'n roll way back in the 19th century? What if it could take over the world and change the course of history? In the slums of Brummingham, the outcast gangs are making a new kind of music, with pounding rhythms and wild guitars. Astor Vance has been trained in refined classical music. But when her life plummets from riches to rags, the only way she can survive is to play the music the slum gangs want. Charismatic Verrol, once her servant, is now her partner in crime—and he could be so much more if only he'd come clean about his mysterious past.

Rebels by Accident by Patricia Dunn

Mariam Just Wants to Fit In.

That's not easy when she's the only Egyptian at her high school and her parents are super traditional. So when she sneaks into a party that gets busted, Mariam knows she's in trouble...big trouble.

Convinced she needs more discipline and to reconnect with her roots, Mariam's parents send her to Cairo to stay with her grandmother, her sittu.

But Marian's strict sittu and the country of her heritage are nothing like she imagined, challenging everything Mariam once believed.

As Mariam searches for the courage to be true to herself, a teen named Asmaa calls on the people of Egypt to protest their president. The country is on the brink of revolution—and now, in her own way, so is Mariam.

 Diamond Boy by Michael Williams

My father says that a journey should always change your life in some way. Well, when you have nothing, I suppose a journey promises everything.

"Diamonds for everyone." That's what fifteen-year-old Patson Moyo hears when his family arrives in the Marange diamond fields. Soon Patson is working in the mines along with four friends, pooling their profits for a chance at a better life. Each of them hopes to find a girazi, a priceless stone that could change their circumstances forever. But when the government's soldiers come to Marange, Patson's world is shattered.

Set against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's brutal recent history, Diamond Boy is the story of a young man who succumbs to greed but finds his way out through a transformative journey to South Africa in search of his missing sister, in search of freedom, and in search of himself.

New in paperback (previously released in hardcover)

                             

Rereleased

                                

                                                       

New Books Releasing Thanksgiving week

Not to much out this week- definitely give Captive a chance (Pawn is book1.)

Hope y'all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!

Happy Reading!

Captive, book two of The Blackcoat Rebellion series by Aimee Carter

The truth can set her free

For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, in a hostile meritocracy on the verge of revolution, Kitty sees her frustration grow as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoat rebels she is secretly supporting keep her in the dark more than ever.

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape.

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

 Girl Online, debut novel by Zoe Sugg (Zoella)

From YouTube sensation Zoella comes a debut coming-of-age novel that perfectly captures what it means to grow up and fall in love in today’s digital world. Girl Online is the first book to be published by Keywords Press, an imprint under Simon & Schuster dedicated to today’s digital stars.

I have this dream that, secretly, all teenage girls feel exactly like me. And maybe one day, when we realize that we all feel the same, we can all stop pretending we’re something we’re not. That would be awesome. But until that day, I’m going to keep it real on this blog and keep it unreal in “real” life.

Penny has a secret.

Under the alias GirlOnline, Penny blogs her hidden feelings about friendship, boys, high school drama, her quirky family, and the panic attacks that have begun to take over her life. When things go from bad to worse at school, her parents accept an opportunity to whisk the family away for Christmas at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. There, she meets Noah, a gorgeous, guitar-strumming American. Suddenly Penny is falling in love—and capturing every moment she spends with “Brooklyn Boy” on her blog.

But Noah has a secret, too, one that threatens to ruin Penny’s cover—and her closest friendship—forever.

Misdirected by Ali Berman

 

Misdirected is the story of fifteen-year-old Ben, who moves to a small conservative Colorado town where his atheism seems to be the only thing about him that matters to everyone. His classmates bully him for not fitting in, his teachers don’t understand him, and with his brother serving in Iraq and his sister away at college with problems of her own, Ben is left on his own to figure things out. Being a teen is tricky to navigate when you’re an outsider, and Ben struggles to find his place without compromising who he is. He rebels against his teachers, he argues with his classmates, and he rejects what others believe, bringing the reader with him on his enlightening journey as he learns the value of challenging accepted beliefs—including his own.

The Door in the Mountain, book 1 by Caitlin Sweet

The Greece of The Door in the Mountain (Book 1 of a two-part series) is a place where children are marked by gods and goddesses; a place where a manipulative, bitter princess named Ariadne devises a mountain prison for her hated half-brother, where a boy named Icarus tries, and fails, to fly, and a slave girl changes the paths of all their lives forever. 

The Celestine Sword, book 2 in The Intro to The Terratir Saga

She found the perfect boyfriend in a land of wonder and enchantment. To find him again, Lauren Marriott is going back to the mysterious world of Terratir, but instead of being a dream come true, it turns into a nightmare of demonic proportions.

Zach Marriott will now take his rightful place as the last and only Ancient in the land of Terratir… or so he thinks. One crisis after another threatens to distract him. Will he be able to save himself, let alone the magical realm he has come to love?

Lauren and Zach are once again immersed in the perilous world of the Warlord, only this time, the Warlord isn't the problem. Something worse awaits them—something terrifying and indestructible. They must make a choice… slay their most-beloved friend or risk the destruction of the world of Terratir by a monster made flesh.

Books Releasing November 18

This is the smallest selection of new releases since summer.   That means I can delve into my monstrously deep TBR list for great reads for my birthday!!  Great news:  new releases pick up a great deal the week of December 2.  Hope y'all are having a great November!

 

I Wish, book 1 of the Wish series by Elizabeth Langston

What Lacey needs is a miracle. What she gets is a genie--with rules.

Lacey Linden is hiding the truth of her life--a depressed mom, a crumbling house, and bills too big to pay. While her high school classmates see a girl with a ready smile and good grades, Lacey spends her evenings seeking ways to save her family. On a get-cash-quick trip to the flea market, Lacey stumbles over a music box that seemingly begs her to take it home. She does, only to find that it's inhabited by a gorgeous genie. He offers her a month of wishes, one per day, but there's a catch. Each wish must be humanly possible.

Grant belongs to a league of supernatural beings, dedicated to serving humans in need. After two years of fulfilling the boring wishes of conventional teens, he is one assignment away from promotion to a challenging new role with more daring cases. Yet his month with Lacey is everything that he expects and nothing like he imagines. Lacey and Grant soon discover that the most difficult task of all might be saying goodbye.

Stolen, book 2 of The Heart of Dread series by Melissa de la Cruz

Who is Eliza Wesson?

Months after Nat and Wes said good-bye on the shores of the Blue, Nat is learning how to control and use her new power. She and her drakon are the last of their kind—and she’s risked her life for their reunion. When she receives a mysterious distress call, she races to help, soliciting the guidance of her new friend, the beautiful and aloof Faix Lazaved of the Blue.

Still heartbroken over losing Nat, Wes is racing cars on a New Vegas racetrack while his team is scattered and lost. When he finds out that his sister, Eliza, is being held in the golden domes of El Dorado, he does what he’s best at—running to her side—and gambles on luck to see him through one more time.

Magic, romance, and danger collide as Nat and Wes become entangled in a dark new adventure that leads right to the heart of the mystery of their frozen, broken world. They soon discover that the answer to both their quests lies in the same question: Who is Eliza Wesson—what is she capable of, and why was she stolen from her family so long ago?

 

Theseus and the Minotaur by Graeme Davis, Jose Pena (Illustrator) Osprey Publishing Myths and Legends series #12

Graeme Davis draws upon the classic sources to retell the great myths and legends of Theseus, the founder-king of Athens, and backs this narrative with a factual examination of the myth, its variations, and its development over time. Replete with both classical and modern illustrations, this book is a concise exploration of one of the most enduring myths of Ancient Greece.

Even before Theseus descended into the labyrinth to face the Minotaur, he was already a famous hero and a veteran of many battles. The son of a man, a woman, and the god Poseidon, he'd journey far across Ancient Greece, fighting numerous monsters including the Periphetes 'the clubber', the Crymmyon Sow, and the insane demigod, Procrustes 'the stretcher'. He also survived several assassination attempts, including one by Medea, the famous witch-wife of Jason.

Despite these adventures, it was on Crete that Theseus faced his greatest challenge. Taking the place of a sacrificial tribute to the king of Crete, Theseus used his wits and charm to convince the princess Ariadne and the famous inventor Daedalus to help him defeat the dreaded Minotaur, a hideous combination of man and bull that lived in a labrythine dungeon.

 

Books Releasing November 11

 A week with a great mix of genres.  Another couple of series are ending, the Bane Chronicles is finally released in book format; a few historical books, a few mythological, with a dragon tossed in for good measure!  I admit, I'm intrigued by The Book of Ivy..we'll have to see!  Happy Reading

Renegade, book 3 and the conclusion to the Elemental series by Antony John

Thom and his fellow colonists are in danger of paying the ultimate price to secure their homeland in this last book of the Elemental trilogy. After the shocking discovery that his mother is still alive and on Roanoke, Thom is determined to return to that island. However, the island is still under pirate control, and a mysterious boy in possession of a dangerous element appears. With the help of an unlikely ally and the newly discovered ability to combine elements, Thom must summon the full extent of his power to end this battle for their home once and for all.  Packed with adventure, mystery, and romance, the gripping conclusion to the series that began with Elemental and Firenbrand is perfect for fans of Ship Breaker and Divergent. 

Hidden Monster, book 1 of The Monsters Among Us series by Amanda Strong

"For seventeen-year-old Samantha Campbell, running back woods trails usually means freedom from her less-than-perfect life. That is, until the day a morning run turns into a living nightmare. When Samantha wakes up to find herself bound to a dirty, pinstriped mattress, she realizes she’s anything but free. With a masked abductor repeatedly injecting her arm with an unknown substance while holding her captive, Samantha tries in vain to find out what he wants, but he refuses to speak. Until the day he breaks his silence and his twisted words are worse than what she’d imagined. He promises her one day she will fall in love with him but the best part will be that she won't know who he is... until it's too late.
Finding herself freed from captivity, with her captor still at large, Samantha is on guard against everything and everyone around her. Unfortunately, walling up her heart proves difficult when eighteen-year-old Blake Knightley moves in next door. When Samantha starts experiencing strange changes within her, she realizes her captor may have left her more damaged than she originally thought. Now she must turn to Blake for help in order to unearth the truth behind the monster who started this all... or risk experiencing worse things than just falling in love." ~overview from goodreads.com

 

The Book of Ivy, book 1 of the Book of Ivy series by Amy Engel

What would you kill for?

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and return the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

This Shattered World, book 2 in the Starbound Trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. His sister died in the original uprising against the powerful corporate conglomerate that rules Avon with an iron fist. These corporations make their fortune by terraforming uninhabitable planets across the universe and recruiting colonists to make the planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage against the military occupying his home, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape base together, caught between two sides in a senseless war.  The stunning second novel in the Starbound trilogy is an unforgettable story of love and forgiveness in a world torn apart by war.

Stranger by Sherwood Smith and Rachel Manija Brown

Many generations ago, a mysterious cataclysm struck the world. Governments collapsed and people scattered, to rebuild where they could. A mutation, "the Change,” arose, granting some people unique powers. Though the area once called Los Angeles retains its cultural diversity, its technological marvels have faded into legend. "Las Anclas" now resembles a Wild West frontier town… where the Sheriff possesses superhuman strength, the doctor can warp time to heal his patients, and the distant ruins of an ancient city bristle with deadly crystalline trees that take their jewel-like colors from the clothes of the people they killed.

Teenage prospector Ross Juarez’s best find ever – an ancient book he doesn’t know how to read – nearly costs him his life when a bounty hunter is set on him to kill him and steal the book. Ross barely makes it to Las Anclas, bringing with him a precious artifact, a power no one has ever had before, and a whole lot of trouble.

Revolution, book 3 and conclusion to the Replica trilogy by Jenna Black

In Revolution, Nadia Lake and Nate Hayes find themselves at the center of a horrifying conspiracy in the action-packed finale of Jenna Black’s SF romance series that began with Replica.  Paxco has a new ruler.  Dorothy Hayes claims to be the secret daughter of the recently-assassinated Chairman. She also claims that Nate Hayes, the true heir and her supposed brother, was the one who murdered their father.  

Nate and his best friend, Nadia Lake, are the only ones who know the truth about what really happened to the Chairman, and more importantly, the truth about Dorothy.  But with Dorothy in power, Nate and Nadia know their days are numbered. They have nowhere to run except the Basement, Paxco’s perilous and lawless slums. But Dorothy is far from content with driving her enemies into hiding.

She wants them dead." 

Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices can get to know warlock Magnus Bane like never before in this collection of New York Times bestselling tales, in print for the first time with an exclusive new story and illustrated material.

This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices.

Originally released one-by-one as e-only short stories by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan, this compilation presents all ten together in print for the first time and includes a never-before-seen eleventh tale, as well as new illustrated material.

 The Halcyon Bird, book 2 of The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer

For fans of Lauren Kate and Cassandra Clare, a romance with a paranormal streak.  Mia has settled into her life with the Della Torres — Milan's premier demon-catching family, accompanying them to exorcisms and even learning some way to be useful in the family trade. Then Bernardo comes into her life, handsome, well-mannered, someone who makes her forget her impossible crush on Emilio, her cousin. But always lurking in the background is the demon who possessed Mia once before, and who has not given up on possessing her again—this time for good.

The Name of the Blade by Zoe Marriott

Ancient Japanese gods and monsters are unleashed on modern-day London in this first book of an epic trilogy from acclaimed fantasy writer Zoë Marriott.

When Mio sneaks the family’s katana — a priceless ancestral sword —from her parents’ attic, she just wants to spice up a costume. But the katana is much more than a dusty antique. Awakening the power within the sword unleashes a terrible, ancient evil onto the streets of unsuspecting London. But it also releases Shinobu, a fearless warrior boy, from the depths of time. He helps to protect Mio — and steals her heart. With creatures straight out of Japanese myths stalking her and her friends, Mio realizes that if she cannot keep the sword safe and learn to control its legendary powers, she will lose not only her own life...but the love of a lifetime.

 Also released this week