13 New Covers (Brady, Gay, Gordon, Jones, Malley, Maverick, Peacock, Pearce, Rowland, Souders, Williams)

[REVIEW] Tsunami Blue – Gayle Ann Williams

Gayle Ann Williams
Tsunami Blue
Dorchester Love Spell (US: 30th March 2010)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Blue was in Thailand when the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami killed her parents and twin brother, and many others. After that, her uncle raised her in the San Juan Islands, teaching her to become a killing machine as that would ensure her survival in a dangerous world where pirate Runners murderously reign over the seas – and any land they come across.

It’s 2023, and Blue has been taking to the airwaves to broadcast when she senses upcoming tsunamis. When a person washes ashore, he’s barely alive. Blue rescues him, before she discovers that Gabriel Black is a Runner. Or “was”. Gabriel claims he wants to save Blue from those who want to hold Blue hostage to keep her psychic gift to themselves, but she doesn’t know if she trusts him.

The story’s a bit episodic at first, but that soon changes. When Blue hits Vancouver, the tension and plot really step up, with high stakes, cage fighting, and plenty more deadly encounters in store. There are numerous opportunities for Blue and/or Gabriel to die, and that they survive it all really tests one’s suspension of disbelief.

The world-building is eerily realistic, though my scant lack of altitude knowledge makes it a little baffling. I would’ve assumed the islands would be underwater, instead of Seattle, but that’s my un-intelligence talking. As well as the San Juan Islands, countless packets of Starbucks Christmas Blend have also survived, and they’re name-checked so often here that the coffee company really should sell this book in their stores. Or at least send the author some free Christmas Blend 😉

Adding “New” to a place name to remind readers that a story is set in the future? Not cool! In real life, there’s a state named New South Wales; it is not near Wales. There’s a country named New Caledonia; it is not near Caledonia (which I’ve heard is another name for Scotland). Get it yet? These places aren’t just the same spots with an added “New” to their names; they’re located elsewhere in the world.

I blame the Futurama effect of adding “New” to the same cities to remind audiences that it’s futuristic. Since then, I’ve seen “New Chicago” in two different book series, and here we have “New Vancouver”. Writers, please don’t do this.

Tsunami Blue is a fun, quick read, and I like it a lot more than this review may suggest. (I’m in a bad mood today.)

April 2010 Releases

Done with March 2010 Releases? Here are April 2010 Releases. To look into the future, check Reading Wishlist.

March 2010 Releases

Done with February 2010 Releases? Here are the March 2010 Releases. To look further into the future, check my Reading Wishlist.

Adult Releases – 2010 & Beyond

Since I listed YA Releases yesterday, it’s only fair that I list the adult ones today. Only I don’t like using the term “adult” – makes the books sound skeevy. They may BE skeevy, but we don’t have to advertise them that way 😉

Disclaimer: Does not include every title, stuff I’ve already read isn’t included, only listing them if I have release dates, may be reprints and international editions, etc… Check my Reading Wishlist for more titles.

MARIO ACEVEDO – Werewolf Smackdown – 24 Feb 2010/9 Mar 2010/15 Feb 2011
ANN AGUIRRE – Hell Fire – 6 Apr 2010/10 Jun 2010
ANN AGUIRRE – Killbox – Sep 2010
ANN AGUIRRE – Shady Lady – 1 Aug 2011
KATHERINE ALLRED – Close Contact – 5 May 2010/25 May 2010
JENNIFER ARMINTROUT – American Vampire – Dec 2010
KELLEY ARMSTRONG – Tales of the Otherworld – 13 Apr 2010
KELLEY ARMSTRONG – Waking the Witch – 3 Aug 2010/5 Aug 2010
KERI ARTHUR – Moon Sworn – 25 May 2010/3 Jun 2010
KERI ARTHUR – Mercy Burns – 7 Oct 2010/28 Dec 2010
ANYA BAST – Wicked Enchantment – 5 Jan 2010/18 Mar 2010
ANYA BAST – Cruel Enchantment – Sep 2010
ANYA BAST – Jeweled – Nov 2010
JES BATTIS – Inhuman Resources – 25 May 2010
LAURA BICKLE – Embers – 30 Mar 2010/31 May 2010
LAURA BICKLE – Sparks – 31 Aug 2010
KYLIE CHAN – Earth to Hell – 1 Jan 2010
CAROLYN CRANE – Mind Games – 23 Mar 2010
SARA CREASY – Song of Scarabaeus – 7 Apr 2010/27 Apr 2010
SARA CREASY – Children of Scarabaeus – 15 Nov 2010
SEAN CUMMINGS – Shade Fright – 1 Mar 2010
LAUREN DANE – Coming Undone – 5 Jan 2010
LAUREN DANE – Insatiable – 6 Jul 2010
LAUREN DANE – Inside Out – Nov 2010
CLAIRE DELACROIX – Rebel – 1 Oct 2010
LORI DEVOTI – Amazon Queen – 27 Apr 2010/28 Jun 2010
KELLY GAY – The Darkest Edge of Dawn – 31 Aug 2010
MIRA GRANT – Feed – 27 Apr 2010/3 Jun 2010
LAURELL K. HAMILTON – Flirt – 2 Feb 2010
KIM HARRISON – Black Magic Sanction – 10 Feb 2010/23 Feb 2010/29 Apr 2010
MEGAN HART – Switch – 1 Jan 2010
MEGAN HART – Naked – Jul 2010
MEGAN HART – Selfish Is the Heart – Oct 2010
MEGAN HART – Somewhere Only We Know – Jan 2011
MEGAN HART – Collide – Jul 2011
ERICA HAYES – Shadowglass – 2 Mar 2010
MARK HENRY – Battle of the Network Zombies – 23 Feb 2010/2 Mar 2010
JEANNIE HOLMES – Blood Law – 22 Jun 2010
KERRIE HUGHES (ed.) – Chicks Kick Ass – 2011
STACIA KANE – Unholy Ghosts – 25 May 2010/27 May 2010
STACIA KANE – Unholy Magic – 22 Jun 2010
STACIA KANE – City of Ghosts – 27 Jul 2010
CAITLIN KITTREDGE – Daemon’s Mark – 2 Mar 2010/25 May 2010/28 Jun 2010
RICHELLE MEAD – Succubus Shadows – 18 Mar 2010/30 Mar 2010
RICHELLE MEAD – Iron Crowned – Jan 2011
TRACEY O’HARA – Death’s Sweet Embrace – 15 Aug 2010
TRACEY O’HARA – Sin’s Dark Caress – 15 Aug 2011
VICKI PETTERSSON – Cheat the Grave – 8 Jun 2010
STEVEN POLANSKY – The Bradbury Report – 6 Apr 2010/3 Mar 2011
KAT RICHARDSON – Labyrinth – 3 Aug 2010/5 Aug 2010
DIANA ROWLAND – Blood of the Demon – 23 Feb 2010
JERI SMITH-READY – Bring On the Night – 27 Jul 2010
JEFF SOMERS – The Terminal State – 5 Aug 2010
K. A. STEWART – A Devil in the Details – 6 Jul 2010
LESLIE TENTLER – Midnight Caller – Feb 2011
RACHEL VINCENT – Shift – 19 Feb 2010/1 Mar 2010
JOSS WARE – Beyond the Night – 12 Jan 2010
JOSS WARE – Embrace the Night Eternal – 9 Feb 2010
JOSS WARE – Abandon the Night – 3 Feb 2010/9 Mar 2010
SKYLER WHITE – And Falling Fly – 2 Mar 2010
SKYLER WHITE – In Dreams Begin – Dec 2010
ALAYNA WILLIAMS – Dark Oracle – 25 May 2010
GAYLE ANN WILLIAMS – Tsunami Blue – 1 Apr 2010

[COVER ART] Laurell K. Hamilton’s DIVINE MISDEMEANORS (AU), & Gayle Ann Williams’s TSUNAMI BLUE (US)

Australian cover for Laurell K. Hamilton’s Divine Misdemeanors, and US cover for Gayle Ann Williams’s Tsunami Blue – I’ve been wanting this book for ages, but we have to wait until April 2010 😉