Now Available for US Pre-Order

All are US publication dates. (NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

NOW AVAILABLE
Janet Edwards: PERILOUS: Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Janet Edwards: DEFENDER: Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Janet Edwards: HURRICANE: Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Janet Edwards: BORDERLINE: Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Janet Edwards: ARRAY 2781: Kindle Edition
Carrie Jones: ALMOST DEAD: Kindle Edition & Paperback
Beth Revis: THE FUTURE COLLECTION: Kindle Edition & Paperback

NOW AVAILABLE FOR US PRE-ORDER
Kelley Armstrong: HIGH JINX: 7th December 2021: Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Kelley Armstrong: GODDESS OF SUMMER LOVE: 18th January 2022: Kindle Edition
Kelley Armstrong: A TURN OF THE TIDE: 4th October 2022: Kindle Edition
Chris Beckett: TOMORROW: 1st May 2022 (KE & HC out now): Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell: SUNS WILL RISE: 16th August 2022 (KE & HC out now): Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Simone Buchholz (translated by Rachel Ward): RIVER CLYDE: 1st July 2022: Paperback
Abigail Dean: GIRL A: 1st February 2022 (KE & HC out now): Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Tess Gerritsen: LISTEN TO ME: 5th July 2022: Kindle Edition & Hardcover
Zakiya Dalila Harris: THE OTHER BLACK GIRL: 7th June 2022: Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
L. A. Larkin: THE SAFE PLACE: 9th November 2021: Kindle Edition & Paperback
Marissa Meyer: CURSED: 8th November 2022: Kindle Edition
Daniel O’Malley: BLITZ: 4th October 2022: Kindle Edition
Cherie Priest: GRAVE RESERVATIONS: 19th July 2022 (KE & HC out now): Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Allie Reynolds: SHIVER: 28th December 2021 (KE & HC out now): Kindle Edition & Hardcover & Paperback
Allie Reynolds THE SWELL: 14th June 2022: Kindle Edition & Hardcover
Karin Slaughter: GIRL, FORGOTTEN: 2nd August 2022: Kindle Edition & Hardcover

[REVIEW] Shiver – Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater
Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 1)
Scholastic (US: 1st August 2009; UK: 5th October 2009)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Sam Roth is struggling to remain in human form. When winter comes, he’ll change into a wolf and stay that way forever. After six years, Grace Brisbane has finally connected with him, and she can’t stand to let him go. And so begins a final desperate attempt to find a cure.

Maggie Stiefvater has put enormous thought into her werewolves, eclipsing in my mind Kelley Armstrong’s, who’ve been my mainstay for so long. The romance doesn’t work for me, and neither does the poetry, but I’m left-brained and clearly not creative.

Also, what is up with all the shoddy parenting? After what happened to Grace as a child, her parents should’ve glued themselves to her – it’s the logical reaction. Instead, they pull further away. A plot device to get the adults out of the picture so Grace and Sam can sleep together every night? And Grace goes on about how her parents just don’t want to be with her, but when her mother reaches out to her, Grace rejects her and sticks with Sam. She claims it’s too little too late, but her mum was trying to meet her halfway, and Grace just stuck up her nose. If you want attention, don’t be a bitch when you finally get it – just take what you can get.

As for Sam’s parents…it’s heartbreaking, of course. As for his adopted family of wolves…there’s some effed-up shiz there. Why he became a werewolf. How his irises have been yellow since birth (Logical Brain says no). Shelby – jealous wannabe-lover plots just don’t work for me; too over the top. Paul’s an intriguing character, though, and I’d like to learn more about the latest batch of wolves.

Isabel’s parents have issues, too. Her dad is a trigger happy gun nut, as are others in Mercy Falls, including Grace’s dad. I’m very anti-guns, or at least against citizens who use them, and this novel does nothing to dispel the stereotype/myth that America’s gun laws are rather free-range. Isabel’s mum works in a clinic for the disadvantaged, and there clearly isn’t any security going on in there.

The characters may not ring true, and some things seem rather convenient, but there’s no denying that Shiver is one hell of a page-turner, an addictive read. Linger‘s July release can’t come soon enough.

October 2009 Releases

Done buying September 2009 Releases? Now time for October’s list, with books from the US, Canada, UK and Australia. As always, I don’t include anything – just the ones I’ve heard of and am interested in. Covers and release dates are subject to change, so if I’m wrong, blame my sources 😉

August 2009 Releases

Done buying July Releases? Now onto August – here are my choice picks from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. As always, I don’t list EVERYTHING in the UF or futuristic genres – I’ll leave that to other bloggers. Instead, I just choose the ones I think are worthy. And yes, I play favourites 😉 Keep an eye on Reading Wishlist for release dates further into the future.

No purchase links as yet for Melanie Nilles’s Starfire Angels or Lexxie Couper’s Death, the Vamp and His Brother, but keep an eye on the authors’ websites and blogs.

NOTE: I own Kat Richardson’s Underground, and Rachel Vincent’s Pride, but haven’t read them yet.

NOTE: I have reviewed Rachel Vincent’s My Soul to Take, and Tracey O’hara’s Night’s Cold Kiss.

All other books listed here I’d be happy to read and review. If you’re willing to post a hard copy out to me in Australia, send me an email.

Yay for Maggie Stiefvater

From Publishers Weekly: Abby Ranger and David Levithan at Scholastic prevailed in a multiple-round auction for world rights to Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver in a two-book deal with Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown. This YA novel describes the first love between a 16-year-old girl and a mysterious boy who spends his winters as a wolf and is fighting to stay human as the temperature drops. The 26-year-old Stiefvater has a YA novel, Lament, just out from Flux, with a sequel to follow. Shiver will be published in fall 2009.

Yay, Maggie! 🙂