8th January 2013 Releases

Happy Release Day to:

Andrea Cremer
Rift (Nightshade Prequels, Book 1)
Penguin Speak (US & CA: 8th January 2013); Hachette Little, Brown Atom (UK & AU: 8th January 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Ember has always known that she owed her life to a mysterious order of Knights who saved her as a baby. The same order of Knights who called her best friend to service, leaving her behind to play the dutiful daughter. But shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Alistair returns. Although he seems altered – shadowed and brooding – Ember places her trust in him, knowing that he’s her one chance to escape. Little does she know what danger lies ahead. For this is a tumultuous time, and Ember will soon be caught up in an age-old struggle between darkness and light. Neither she, nor her heart, can possibly survive unscathed.

Andrea Cremer
Rise (Nightshade Prequels, Book 2)
Penguin Philomel (US & CA: 8th January 2013); Hachette Little, Brown Atom (UK & AU: 8th January 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Everything Conatus stands for is at risk. Hoping to gather enough resistance to save their order, Ember and Barrow attempt a desperate escape. But fate offers little mercy. When their mission is exposed, the couple face relentless pursuit by the supernatural horrors that act on the commands of Eira’s ally: the mysterious Bosque Mar. A shocking revelation forces Ember out of hiding, sending her back into the heart of dark magic at Tearmunn keep, where she must convince her old friend Alistair of her love or face dire consequences. Ember’s deception offers the only chance for the resistance to succeed, but what she discovers in the shadows beneath the keep will shatter her world and bring about the Witches’ War.

Richelle Mead
The Golden Lily (Bloodlines, Book 2)
Penguin (US & CA: 8th January 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets – and human lives. Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California – tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist. But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age-old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi – the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that – special, magical, powerful – that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else – someone forbidden to her. When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she’s supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she’s been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her. Should she trust the Alchemists – or her heart?

Veronica Rossi
Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky, Book 2)
HarperCollins (US: 8th January 2013); Hachette Little, Brown Atom (UK: 8th January 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
It’s been months since Aria learned of her mother’s death. Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him. Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It’s a moment they’ve been longing for with countless expectations. And it’s a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first. Then it slips away. The Tides don’t take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry’s control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Kristen Simmons
Article 5 (Article 5, Book 1)
Macmillan Tor (US: 8th January 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned. The Bill of Rights has been revoked and replaced with the Moral Statutes. There are no more police – instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behaviour – instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don’t come back. Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different. Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Brenna Yovanoff
Paper Valentine
Penguin (US & CA: 8th January 2013)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls. For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness. With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realises that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life – and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

January 2013 Releases

Done with December 2012 Releases? Here are January 2013 Releases. For future releases, check Reading Wishlist.

7th August 2012 Releases

Happy Release Day to:

Maya Banks & Lauren Dane
Cherished (Anthology)
Penguin Berkley (US & CA: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
EXILED BY MAYA BANKS: Enticed to the island paradise where an enigmatic prince is living in exile, beautiful, virginal Talia is introduced to a world of forbidden pleasure where the prince’s every whim is fulfilled and her fantasies are rendered in exquisite detail. But when the prince is summoned back to fulfil his duty to his struggling country, reality is thrust upon Talia all too soon. She returns home, heartbroken, convinced she was a passing fancy for an idle ruler and his most trusted men. Until the day they arrive on her doorstep, determined to have her back where she belongs. SWAY BY LAUREN DANE: Levi Warner is an established, older man – wealthy, powerful, and above all, respectable. Then Levi meets Daisy, an uninhibited 24-year-old dance instructor and artist, not exactly the kind of woman Levi is accustomed to. But the young, free spirit brings out something in him he only experienced in fantasies. When their scorching affair turns into something unexpectedly deeper, Levi finds himself torn between preserving his reputation, and exploring a wilder and much more satisfying kind of life.

Kira Brady
Hearts of Darkness (Deadglass, Book 1)
Kensington Zebra (US: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Nurse Kayla Friday has dedicated her life to science and reason. But for her, Seattle is a place of eerie loss and fragmented, frightening memories. And now the only clue to her sister’s murder reveals a secret battle between two ancient mythologies…and puts Kayla in the sights of lethally-sexy werewolf mercenary Hart. He’ll do whatever it takes to obtain the key to the Gate of the Land of the Dead and free what’s left of his soul. But seducing the determined Kayla is putting them at the mercy of powerful desires neither can control. And as the clock ticks down to hellish catastrophe, the untested bond between Kayla and Hart may lead to the ultimate sacrifice.

Rachel Caine
Two Weeks’ Notice (Revivalist, Book 2)
Penguin Roc (US & CA: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
After dying and being revived with the experimental drug Returne, Bryn Davis is theoretically free to live her unlife – with regular doses to keep her going. But Bryn knows that the government has every intention of keeping a tight lid on Pharmadene’s life-altering discovery, no matter the cost. Thankfully, some things have changed for the better; her job at the rechristened Davis Funeral Home is keeping her busy and her fragile romance with Patrick McCallister is blossoming – thanks in part to their combined efforts in forming a support group for Returne addicts. But when some of the group members suddenly disappear, Bryn wonders if the government is methodically removing a threat to their security, or if some unknown enemy has decided to run the zombies into the ground…

Andrea Cremer
Rift (Nightshade Prequel, Book 1)
Penguin Philomel (US & CA: 7th August 2012); Hachette Atom (UK: 7th August 2012; AU: August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Ember has always known that she owed her life to a mysterious order of Knights who saved her as a baby. The same order of Knights who called her best friend to service, leaving her behind to play the dutiful daughter. But shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Alistair returns. Although he seems altered – shadowed and broodin – Ember places her trust in him, knowing that he’s her one chance to escape. Little does she know what danger lies ahead. For this is a tumultuous time and Ember will soon be caught up in an age-old struggle between darkness and light. Neither she, nor her heart, can possibly survive unscathed.

Jackson Pearce
Sweetly
Hachette Little, Brown (US: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
As a child, Gretchen’s twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch’s forest threatening to make them disappear too. Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They’re invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who moulds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion. Life seems idyllic, and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past – until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn’t gone – it’s lurking in the forest, preying on girls after Live Oak’s infamous chocolate festival each year, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet, the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is. Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

Kat Richardson
Seawitch (Greywalker, Book 7)
Penguin Roc (US & CA: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died – for two minutes. Now Harper is a Greywalker, treading the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she’s discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of “strange” cases. A quarter century ago, the Seawitch cruised away from her dock and disappeared with everyone on board. Now, the boat has mysteriously returned to her old berth in Seattle and the insurance company has hired Harper to find out what happened. But Harper is not the only one investigating. Seattle Police Detective Rey Solis is a good cop, albeit one who isn’t comfortable with the creepy cases that always seem to end up in Harper’s lap. As they explore the abandoned vessel, Harper and Solis discover a cabin containing symbols drawn in human blood, revealing the ghost ship’s grave history. As Solis focuses on the possible murder of a passenger’s wife, Harper’s investigation leads her to a powerful being who may be responsible for the disappearance of the Seawitch’s passengers and crew. And while their searches lead Harper and Solis in different directions, they will need to put aside their differences to solve a deadly mystery twenty-five years in the making…

Trisha Telep (ed.)
The Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance (Anthology)
Perseus Running Press (US: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Sexy, romantic, and…dead? Ghost romance offers a perfect blend of popular forms of contemporary romance: paranormal, time travel, fantasy, and a mix of modern-day and historical.

Jessica Verday
The Hidden (The Hollow, Book 3)
Simon & Schuster Pulse (US & CA: 7th August 2012)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)
Abbey knows that Caspian is her destiny. Theirs is a bond that transcends even death. But as Abbey finally learns the full truth about the dark fate that links her to Caspian and ties them both to the town of Sleepy Hollow, she suddenly has some very hard choices to make. Caspian may be the love of her life, but is that love worth dying for?

August 2012 Releases

Done with July 2012 Releases? Here are August 2012 Releases. Fur future releases, check Reading Wishlist.

6 New Covers (Cremer, Destefano, Forster, Kittredge, Kristoff, Marr)

[GUEST POST] Andrea Cremer’s Writing Process

Tez says: This post comes courtesy of Andrea Cremer and Hachette Australia. For more info about Andrea’s books, scroll to the end of the post.

When asked about my writing process I’m always a bit befuddled, as I am when I’m asked where I get the inspiration for my stories. My writing process is spontaneous rather than methodical, and rather than requiring meticulous plotting and planning I need creative flexibility in my stories. When I’m seized by an idea or a character, I write in long bursts. I love spending entire days writing and losing myself in the world of the story.

I rarely get writer’s block because I don’t write in chronological order; thus, if I get stuck in a particular scene I simply jump to another point in the story and begin writing anew. The change usually shakes whatever obstacle was inhibiting my writing lose and I can go on without too much of a delay. The creation of my novels is very much like putting together the pieces of a puzzle, rather than following a clearly marked path (I don’t like outlines!) I don’t plan what will happen in a story, I need to let the characters lead me.

That said I tend to know the overarching story of a series before I begin writing. I knew how Bloodrose would end when I was just beginning to write Nightshade. What I didn’t know was how I would get there, what would happen to the characters along the way, and how they would be changed by the journey.

Like the writing itself, the ideas for my books arise at unexpected moments and usually involve a character or characters playing out a scene in my head. The story starts with characters the writing becomes a process of me trying to understand what’s happening in their lives. Based on the problems they face, their hopes and fears, a world emerges to fill the pages.

I don’t need be in a particular place to write, or write only at a specific time. I write wherever I can, whenever I can. I’m not a morning person, so I do my best writing after I’m well-bolstered by coffee. Music inspires me, and I find it particularly helpful when I’m drafting a manuscript. I create playlists for all of my books and when I’m listening to those songs I am transported into the world that I’m writing.

I’ve learned that I can’t force my writing. I have to let the story carry me, unfolding as it will, but it’s that dream-like state when the book takes over that I love the most about being an author.

11 New Covers (Caine, Condie, Cremer, Crossan, Edwards, Jay, Kincy, Lindqvist, Mancusi, Preble)