Category Archives: Sean Cummings

[REVIEW] Poltergeeks – Sean Cummings

Sean Cummings
Poltergeeks (Poltergeeks, Book 1)
Strange Chemistry (US & CA: 2nd October 2012; UK: 4th October 2012)
Buy (US Kindle Edition) Buy (US Paperback) Buy (UK Kindle Edition) Buy (UK Paperback) Buy (CA Kindle Edition) Buy (CA Paperback) Buy (Worldwide)

This is not a bad book. It’s firmly 2.5 stars, and whilst in earlier times I would’ve rounded that up to 3, I’m a grumpy old woman now so I’m rounding it down to 2.

This is a wonderfully unpretentious novel – it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and seems presented as an escapist read, and that’s fair enough. Still, escapism can be difficult to achieve: It has to be light enough to distract the reader from their personal troubles, but with enough heart to actually connect with the reader. And I didn’t connect with Poltergeeks at all.

Admittedly, magic is not my favourite part of urban fantasy, but I figure that’s only because I haven’t read the kind of magic that would best suit my logical/scientific inclinations. That’s no reason for me to blacklist all novels featuring magic, so I am willing to try instead of giving up completely.

And yes, apathy is often a symptom of my mental illness, but I felt pretty good around the time that I read this (and that’s continued since then – so far, so good).

So Poltergeeks is squarely middling territory for me: I didn’t particular like it, but I didn’t particular dislike it, either.

Reportedly these two Poltergeeks books aren’t selling as well as the author’s self-published adult novels. And I don’t really think that has anything to do with this duology being traditionally published (by the now-closed Strange Chemistry) and young adult. Maybe it’s just that this book doesn’t really appeal.

That said I still plan to read the sequel, Student Bodies. After all, maybe it is my fault for failing to connect with Poltergeeks, and it’s only fair to give a second chance.

Now Available for US Pre-Order

Cassie Alexander: THE HUNTED: 1st October 2014: Buy (US)
Sean Cummings: THE NORTH (paperback): 29th September 2014: Buy (US)
Katelyn Detweiler: IMMACULATE: 26th May 2015: Buy (US)
Jenny Martin: TRACKED: 5th May 2015: Buy (US)
Stephanie Oakes: THE SECRET LIES OF MINNOW BLY: 9th June 2015: Buy (US)
Beth Revis: THE BODY ELECTRIC (Special Edition) (paperback): 6th October 2014: Buy (US)
Carrie Ryan: DAUGHTER OF DEEP SILENCE: 2nd June 2015: Buy (US)
Anna Schumacher: END TIMES (paperback): 5th May 2015: Buy (US)
Anna Schumacher: CHILDREN OF THE EARTH: 2nd June 2015: Buy (US)
Jessica Spotswood: SISTERS’ FATE (paperback): 5th May 2015: Buy (US)
Danielle Vega: THE MERCILESS (paperback): 9th June 2015: Buy (US)
Danielle Vega: SURVIVE THE NIGHT: 7th July 2015: Buy (US)

30th September 2014 Releases

Happy Release Day to:

S. A. Bodeen
The Fallout (Compound, Book 2)
Macmillan Square Fish (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Eli and his family lived in an underground shelter they called the Compound for six years. They thought they were the only survivors of a nuclear attack, but when Eli learned that it was all a twisted experiment orchestrated by his tech-visionary father, he broke the family out. His father died trying to keep them imprisoned. Now, the family must readjust to life in the real world. Their ordeal has made them so famous, they must stay in hiding – everyone from fatalists preparing for doomsday to the tabloid media wants a piece of them. Even worse, their father’s former adviser continues to control the company Eli and his twin brother are the heirs of. As Eli tries to determine who the family can trust, he learns the nightmare of the Compound – and his father’s experiment – might not be over.

Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, Book 1)
Scholastic (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Deluxe foil edition. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before – and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire (Hunger Games, Book 2)
Scholastic (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Deluxe foil edition. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumours of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay (Hunger Games, Book 3)
Scholastic (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Deluxe foil edition or movie tie-in edition. Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived. But her home has been destroyed. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding… The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay – no matter what the personal cost.

Sean Cummings
The North
Bloor Street Books (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA)

Sixteen-year-old David Simmons is on a mission to save his eight-year-old sister. In a smouldering world infested with walking cadavers, the survivors of Simmons infantry reserve unit are going hatches down in a pair of armoured personnel carriers and everyone knows that it’s only a matter of time until their fuel runs dry. There’s a weak short wave radio signal from a place called Sanctuary Base and it’s supposed to be zombie-free. But there’s more than a thousand miles to cover, a biting, unforgiving cold, armed survivalists, legions of the living dead and someone called SUNRAY. They’re outgunned, outnumbered and out of time.

Alaya Dawn Johnson
Love is the Drug
Scholastic Arthur A. Levine (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Emily Bird was raised not to ask questions. She has perfect hair, the perfect boyfriend, and a perfect Ivy-League future. But a chance meeting with Roosevelt David, a homeland security agent, at a party for Washington DC’s elite leads to Bird waking up in a hospital, days later, with no memory of the end of the night. Meanwhile, the world has fallen apart: A deadly flu virus is sweeping the nation, forcing quarantines, curfews, even martial law. And Roosevelt is certain that Bird knows something. Something about the virus – something about her parents’ top secret scientific work – something she shouldn’t know. The only one Bird can trust is Coffee, a quiet, outsider genius who deals drugs to their classmates and is a firm believer in conspiracy theories. And he believes in Bird. But as Bird and Coffee dig deeper into what really happened that night, Bird finds that she might know more than she remembers. And what she knows could unleash the biggest government scandal in US history.

Dawn Metcalf
Invisible (Twixt, Book 2)
Harlequin Teen (US: 30th September 2014)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Joy Malone wants it all – power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt forever. Her choice is balanced on a scalpel’s edge and the consequences will be more life-altering than anyone can guess.

October 2014 Releases

Done with September 2014 Releases? Here are October 2014 Releases. For future releases, check Reading Wishlist. NOTE: The images and formatting don’t show up properly through Feedly, so click the title of this post to view it on WordPress.

Continue reading

Now Available for US Pre-Order

Madeline Ashby: reV: 5th May 2015: Buy (US)
Chris Beckett: MARCHER: 15th August 2014: Buy (US)
Chris Beckett: MOTHER OF EDEN: 12th May 2015: Buy (US)
Laura Bickle: THE RAVEN KING: 24th March 2015: Buy (US)
Jillian Cantor: SEARCHING FOR SKY (paperback): 5th May 2015: Buy (US)
Naomi Clark: THE BEAST OF BIRCH HILL: 21st August 2014: Buy (US)
Kady Cross: THE GIRL WITH THE WINDUP HEART (paperback): 31st March 2015: Buy (US)
Kady Cross: SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT: 31st March 2015: Buy (US)
Sean Cummings: THE NORTH: 6th October 2014: Buy (US)
Bree Despain: THE ETERNITY KEY: 12th May 2015: Buy (US)
Kat Falls: INHUMAN (paperback): 31st March 2015: Buy (US)
Tracey Garvis Graves: CHERISH (paperback): 28th October 2014: Buy (US)
Megan Hart: VANILLA: 28th April 2015: Buy (US)
Lisa Heathfield: SEED: 10th March 2015: Buy (US)
Kristi Helvig: BURN OUT (paperback): 12th May 2015: Buy (US)
Darynda Jones: SEVENTH GRAVE AND NO BODY (paperback): 5th May 2015: Buy (US)
Darynda Jones: EIGHTH GRAVE AFTER DARK: 19th May 2015: Buy (US)
Karen Kincy: STORMS OF LAZARUS (paperback): 12th August 2014): Buy (US)
Beth Revis: THE BODY ELECTRIC (standard edition only): 6th October 2014: Buy (US)
Jennifer Rush: BETRAYED: 26th August 2014: Buy (AU)
Carrie Ryan: A GAME OF FIRSTS: 19th August 2014: Buy (US)
Tiffany Schmidt: HOLD ME LIKE A BREATH: 19th May 2015: Buy (US)
Eve Silver: PUSH (paperback): 12th May 2015: Buy (US)
Paul G. Tremblay: A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS: 12th May 2015: Buy (US)
Skyler White: STRONGEST CONJURATION: 27th August 2014: Buy (US)

17th September 2013 Releases

Happy Release Day to:

Kelley Armstrong, Christopher Golden, David Liss, & Jonathan Maberry
Four Summoner’s Tales (Anthology)
Simon & Schuster Gallery (US & CA: 17th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

What if the dead could be summoned from their graves – for a price? What if a quartet of storytellers took a stab at this deceptively simple idea – on a date? The answers lie here, as these writers accept the challenge and rise to the occasion – in four ways. It’s all in the execution…

Sean Cummings
Student Bodies (Poltergeeks, Book 2)
Strange Chemistry (US: 17th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Whoever said being a teenage witch would be easy? For fifteen-year-old Julie Richardson and the city’s resident protector from supernatural evil, the Left Hand Path doesn’t give a damn if you’ve found true love for the first time in your life. There’s someone lurking the halls of Crescent Ridge High School with enough malice to unleash an epidemic of Soul Worms – supernatural larvae that feed on the very fabric of a victim’s humanity. After witnessing the death of one of the most popular kids at school, Julie and über-genius boyfriend Marcus find themselves in a race against time to find out who is behind the attacks. All the evidence points to a horrifying plot at the City Weir during the Winter Solstice; the place where icy waters of the Bow River and a thunderous spillway will mean the deaths of more than a hundred of Julie’s classmates. If she has any hope of saving their lives, she’ll need a little help from a coven of white witches and an Aboriginal mage whose snarky attitude is matched only by her magical prowess.

Tracey Garvis Graves
Covet
Penguin Dutton (US: 17th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Chris and Claire Canton’s marriage is on life support. Downsized during the recession and out of work for a year, Chris copes by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire. When he’s offered a position that will keep him away from home four nights a week, he dismisses Claire’s concern that time apart could be the one thing their fragile union can’t weather. Their suburban life may look idyllic on the outside, but Claire has never felt so disconnected from Chris, or so lonely. Local police officer Daniel Rush used to have it all, but now he goes home to an empty house every night. He pulls Claire over during a routine traffic stop, and they run into each other again at the 4th of July parade. When Claire is hired to do some graphic design work for the police department, her friendship with Daniel grows, and soon they’re spending hours together. Claire loves the way Daniel makes her feel, and the way his face lights up when she walks into the room. Daniel knows that Claire’s marital status means their relationship will never be anything other than platonic. But it doesn’t take long before Claire and Daniel are in way over their heads and skating close to the line that Claire has sworn she’ll never cross.

Kelly Keaton
The Wicked Within (Gods & Monsters, Book 3)
Simon & Schuster Pulse (US & CA: 17th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Having temporarily defeated Athena, Ari races to break the gorgon curse that has plagued the women in her family for centuries. Her one lead sends her on a quest for the Hands of Zeus, an ancient relic last seen in the charge of New 2’s ruling elite, the Novem. But if there is one thing that Athena desires as much as revenge, it’s the Hands of Zeus – and Athena always gets what she wants. Before either can locate the Hands, the statue goes missing, and a trail of blood follows those who once protected the relic’s secrets. Ari knows that her city, her friends, Sebastian – her life – depend upon her finding the statue before Athena. And with rumours an ancient power is on the rise that may not be her only concern…

Maggie Stiefvater
The Dream Thieves (Raven Cycle, Book 2)
Scholastic (US: 17th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…

Kat Zhang
Once We Were (Hybrid Chronicles, Book 2)
HarperCollins (US: 17th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away. Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion. Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

September 2013 Releases

Done with August 2013 Releases? Here are September 2013 Releases. For future releases, check Reading Wishlist.

Continue reading

[GUEST BLOG] Sean Cummings on Writing STUDENT BODIES

This is a stop of the official Student Bodies tour schedule. Here you will find a guest post by Sean Cummings, and information on his books.

When I set off to write the sequel to Poltergeeks I had a very clear idea of what I intended because there has always been three books in my head and the second one needed to be the big jump into dark and terrifying waters. Where Poltergeek was light and cheery and quite funny, I’d always intended for Student Bodies to make readers of book one go “holy #@*! this is intense!” That was probably the biggest challenge, too, because I’m generally not a very “dark and terrible” kind of guy – ask my wife, she’ll tell you!

There is some seriously bleak stuff in Student Bodies and I wanted to do something that dealt with enthrallment from the get-go. At the same time I wanted to really ramp things up in terms of the tension between teenage daughter and her mother, so this book has a significant amount of that. Where Julie’s mother was in a coma for most of book one, in book two, she’s front and center and you get to really see the nature of their relationship.

You know, writing YA is a challenge because at least this author sometimes struggles with making the voice sound unique and genuine. At the same time, I’m mindful of the fact that 55% of YA readers aren’t teens at all – they’re grown ups. The challenge for an author, I think, is to keep in mind the age group you are supposed to be writing for – it does beg the question, though: if the majority of your readers aren’t the demographic that’s supposed to be reading it – is it really YA at all?

I struggle with that sometimes – I know I did when writing Student Bodies because there’s some seriously sad and hopeless stuff going on in the book. I’m tackling bullying head-on in this one – a bullied kid is central to the entire plot. Without the bullied teen there wouldn’t be a book at all, frankly. And as I wrote it, I kept thinking: is this genuine? Am I going to get skewered by the adults who are reading this because of what Marcus says about adults “not getting bullying at all”?

It’s a challenge to an author – I finally decided to say “the heck with it” and focus on the plot. I’m mindful there are always people who aren’t going to fall in love with the book – that’s cool. I’ve decided to remain true to my characters and true to the outline – what we have in the way of a finished product is a far more thrilling book than the first, some wild new characters, more hints about Julie’s past and an ending I guarantee that nobody is going to see coming.

So – do give Student Bodies a read, won’t you? It’s kick-ass Canadian urban fantasy with a twist!

Sean Cummings
Poltergeeks (Poltergeeks, Book 1)
Angry Robot Strange Chemistry (US & CA: 2nd October 2012; UK: 4th October 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it’s pretty obvious to Julie there’s a supernatural connection. In fact, there’s a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie’s high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it’s a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won’t just lose her mother’s soul, she’ll lose her mother’s life.

Sean Cummings
Student Bodies (Poltergeeks, Book 2)
Angry Robot Strange Chemistry (US & CA: 3rd September 2013; UK: 5th September 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

For fifteen-year-old Julie Richardson and the city’s resident protector from supernatural evil, the Left Hand Path doesn’t give a damn if you’ve found true love for the first time in your life. There’s someone lurking the halls of Crescent Ridge High School with enough malice to unleash an epidemic of Soul Worms – supernatural larvae that feed on the very fabric of a victim’s humanity. After witnessing the death of one of the most popular kids at school, Julie and über-genius boyfriend Marcus find themselves in a race against time to find out who is behind the attacks. All the evidence points to a horrifying plot at the City Weir during the Winter Solstice; the place where icy waters of the Bow River and a thunderous spillway will mean the deaths of more than a hundred of Julie’s classmates. If she has any hope of saving their lives, she’ll need a little help from a coven of white witches and an Aboriginal mage whose snarky attitude is matched only by her magical prowess.

Sean Cummings
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Pinterest

7 New Covers (Anderson, Arthur, Cummings, Despain, Hall, Miller, Williams)

Continue reading

Happy Canada Day!

It’s July 1st, and you know what that means…Happy Canada Day! Here are some books by Canadian authors on my wishlist – perhaps they’re on yours, too:

R. J. ANDERSON Quicksilver
KELLEY ARMSTRONG Thirteen/13 Forbidden Omens Wild Justice Sea of Shadows
JES BATTIS Bleeding Out
MEGAN CREWE The Lives We Lost The Worlds We Make
SEAN CUMMINGS Poltergeeks Student Bodies
KATHLEEN PEACOCK Thornhill
CHERYL RAINFIELD Parallel Visions Stained
MICHELLE ROWEN Bloodlust Countdown
EVE SILVER Rush
AMANDA SUN Ink