So Many Awesome New Releases, So Little Time!

April 24 is a huge release day and there are tons of books out today that I am very excited about! Here are only a few of the many new books out today:

The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
The Temptation by Alisa Valdes
Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott
Eve of Destruction by Patrick Carman
Blood Born by Jamie Manning

Have you read any of these? How were they? What books being released today are you excited about?

Book Review: Storm

Title: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 353 pages
Genre: Paranormal
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary: Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they have more power than you dream.

Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all. The storm is coming . ..

When I first read the summary for Storm by Brigid Kemmerer, I really, really hoped it was going to be good. It had all the ingredients for a fantastic paranormal story, namely hot boys with cool super powers and I simply could not wait to read it. I’m happy to tell you that Storm delivered and then some! Think The Outsiders with the Merrick boys being like the Curtis brothers but having the ability to control the elements. Yes guys, it’s like that!

When our main character, Becca, sees Chris Merrick being beaten up by two older boys, she steps in to help him and inadvertently becomes caught up in an ongoing feud involving the Merricks and some other families in their town.

I started reading Storm expecting very cool paranormal elements and I got them. Chris controls water and Kemmerer does an awesome job describing how he communicates with his element. This book focuses on Chris so we learn the most about his ability but we do get to see his brothers use their powers as well. What I did not expect were some subplots in story involving sexual assault and bullying. The issues were handled well and made the story more rounded.

Becca is a strong main character who has made some poor decisions but is doing her best to deal with them. Chris, the youngest brother (think Ponyboy) is a likable male lead. There is a love triangle involving new boy Hunter (don’t worry, it’s well done), so technically, Storm actually has five swoon worthy boys instead of four.

While I don’t have brothers myself, I can’t help but think that Brigid Kemmerer captures the conflicts and issues that come up among brothers, especially when an older brother is the one doing the parenting. I don’t usually like bad boys but Gabriel (who controls fire) is my favorite brother in all his hot headed, rude, snarky, jerky glory. I’m so happy that the next book in the series, Spark, will focus on him. 

Storm is very fast paced, filled with a lot of action and awesome paranormal elements. I raced through this book and cannot wait to read Spark which thankfully comes out in September. Even though Storm does not end with a cliffhanger, it’s the type of book that makes you want to read the sequel as soon as you are done with the first! This is a great start to an exciting new series and Kemmerer is definitely one to watch.

Content: Kissing, sexual discussions, heavy profanity, underage drinking and violence. Due to the issues of sexual assault and the nature of the bullying, I would recommend this book to older/more mature teens and adults.

My Rating: Really Good!

Upcoming YA Books by Authors Know for Writing for Adults

I’ve noticed that quite a few established authors who are known for writing books geared toward adult audiences are coming out with YA novels over the next few months. This is not surprising considering that the YA market is booming right now and these writers obviously have talent and name recognition so I guess this is the next step for them.

Recently, I’ve read the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep and Partials by Dan Wells – all books that I have loved and both authors started out writing books for adults. While I’m not sure if the authors’ experience helped or hurt them in the YA market, the books are very good. Here is a look at some upcoming releases that I think look interesting.

Title: Changeling by Philippa Gregory

Release Date: May 29, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Dark myths, medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance populate the pages of the first-ever teen series from #1 bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl.

Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days. 

Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can’t inherit any of her father’s estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape. Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq.

The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon. The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs.

It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing.

With Philippa Gregory’s trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

Title: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Title: The Arcana Chronicles: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
Release Date: Oct. 2, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

Title: Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Release Date: Oct. 2, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Things get turned upside down for sophomore Lorelei MacAlister when the Angel of Death starts high school in her small town. What she doesn’t know is that she has been slated to die. It’s simply her time. And Death has been sent to do the deed. But when he touches her, when he peers into her eyes and reaches into her heart, he realizes she is more than what he was led to believe, and he disobeys his orders. He brings her back from the brink of death when he was supposed to push her into it. Because of this, he gets trapped on this plane. And that’s when all hell breaks loose. Literally.

I am extremely excited about Changeling, cautiously optimistic about The Arcana Chronicles and Between the Lines and not sure about Death and the Girl Next Door (even though I love the cover!). Are you planning on reading any of these books? Do you think the experience these authors have will pay off in the YA market?

Book Review: The Accidental Bride

Title: The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction

Goodreads Summary: Two high-school sweethearts, a wedding reenactment, and one absent-minded preacher. Is it a recipe for disaster or a chance for a new beginning?

Shay Brandenberger is a survivor. She's lived through a crazy childhood, a failed marriage, and single parenthood-with her confidence intact.

 But not for long. Because when Shay participates in her town's Founder's Day wedding reenactment, she finds herself face-to-face with the one man who takes her breath away and leaves her weak in the knees: Travis McCoy.

Travis is back in town after years way on the rodeo circuit. His one regret in life is breaking Shay's heart when they were high-school sweethearts. He's determined to get it right this time.

So when their Founder's Day "marriage" is accidentally made official, Travis seizes the day. Can Shay put aside her pride to let Travis help her, or will their accidental marriage be dissolved before it can begin?

As much as I like Christian fiction, cowboy stories are not my thing so reading The Accidental Bride was stepping way out of my comfort zone. Apparently, I need to go out there more often because this book was really good!

The novel is set in breathtaking Montana and Denise Hunter does a great job of taking you to the beautiful, wide open spaces in the book. While it’s hard to imagine how a couple could accidentally get married, this is fiction, I went with it and it worked. 

There is a lot of really good tension between our main characters Shay and Travis. Shay suffered horrible heartbreak and humiliation after Travis left her at the altar and more humiliation after the man she ended marrying (on the rebound) leaves her as well. As a character, Shay is very likable. She is a woman who is struggling financially and emotionally but strives to make a good life for her daughter and herself. Travis, on the other hand, had nothing but success since leaving Shay and even though she is ridiculously tough on him when he comes back into her life, it’s hard to feel sorry for him. I did end up liking Travis a lot and rooting for these characters to be together.

The Accidental Bride is a sweet, contemporary romance about second chances and forgiveness. The novel is the second in the Big Sky Romance series but I read it as a stand alone and it worked just fine. I recommend this one to anyone who likes a really good love story.

Content: Kissing and implied sex.

My Rating: Really Good!

Winners!

Congrats to Lisa Smith who won the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza, Kimberly Lim who won the Galahad series and Kelly Grant who won the signed ARC of Partials! All winners were chosen by Random.org and have been contacted. The Kindle Fire giveaway and the finished copy of The Immortal Rules giveaway are still going on so make sure you enter. Congrats to all the winners and thank you to everyone who participated!

Interview with R.J. Larson, Author of Prophet

I am very happy to welcome R.J. Larson, author of the new Christian fantasy novel, Prophet. Welcome to the blog, R.J.!

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre. Visit her on her blog or on Twitter.

How did you come up with the idea for Prophet?

I woke up one morning, about two years ago, after a brief dream of a young woman in a dark chamber trying to make a difficult, dangerous decision. In the dream, I also saw a glowing piece of vinewood. I’m used to vivid dreams and figured this one would fade as my day progressed. Instead, the young woman soon had a name, Ela. Furthermore, I was hearing voices. Dialogue between Ela and her Creator…Ela being asked by the Infinite to become His prophet, and Ela agreeing. The catch? As she agrees, Ela knows she will die young, because all of Parne’s prophets die young. Indeed, the elders of Parne warn, “A silver-haired prophet has failed.”

I was so drawn to Ela’s story, and her Creator’s words…they were impossible to ignore.

How did you decide to write fantasy?

I never expected to write fantasy. My favorite research topics are ancient history, Biblical history, medieval history, and the 1800’s. I was working on an 1890’s novel when Ela’s story hit me, and I did NOT want to abandon my fictional Victorian-era family for some “out-there” fantasy epic. I love fantasy, but to write it? No, not me.

I resisted the notion for days. Weeks, actually. Until I realized that my Biblical and early medieval studies played right into building Ela’s world. Moreover, Ela refused to leave me in peace. She was so persistent that I knew I’d be unable to finish my cherished Victorian novel if I didn’t clear Ela’s story from my thoughts. I finally emailed my agent, explained the situation, and begged permission to write fantasy—a genre my agent doesn’t usually handle. Thankfully, my dear agent humored me and agreed to present Ela’s story to publishers. 

Where did you get the inspiration for the characters?

Ela, of course, showed up on her own. The Infinite—her beloved Creator, and ours—was also in the plotline from day one. As I wrote, and consulted the scriptures to research Prophet, the other characters each stepped into place, so real, so vivid, I felt as if I’d been watching a movie. The most difficult part of the whole process was finding time to pour the book from my thoughts into my computer. I work almost full time, so I wrote on my two days off per week.

Which character from the book is your favorite?

Ela. I loved her strength and dedication to her calling as the Infinite’s prophet. However, Kien and Pet were close seconds!

Can you tell us a little about your road to publication?

My husband is an editor, and my sister-in-law is an editor and a writer. I’ve been a book fanatic since learning to read at age five, so writing is natural to me. I wrote a few short devotionals for my sister-in-law, Kathi Macias, and gradually built my writing resume.

I’ve had a number of works published, devotionals and Biblicals, but Prophet is my debut in the fantasy arena. Fantasy! I cannot believe it’s true. *Pinches self.*

Do you read the same genre as you write? What are you currently reading?

I do read fantasy, but I also read many other types of books. My latest read is a cookbook—crockpot recipes! (I depend on my crockpot to cook dinner while I’m writing. I had to buy a new one while I was writing this series.) I’m also reading The Hobbit, and I am eagerly awaiting Donita K. Paul’s next book, Realmwalker!!!

What other projects are you working on at this time?

After working full time and writing on my days off for the past two years, I’m taking a brief break. Currently, I’m awaiting edits for Judge, the sequel to Prophet! I admit I am looking forward to visiting with Ela’s counterpart, Kien, again—he’s been fun to write. I do have two fantasy plots running through my brain right now, but I’m also tempted to return to my 1890’s book. I miss those characters as well. Once you write a story and meet your characters, they become almost family, and it is difficult to ignore them. J

Thank you R.J.!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Prophet by R.J. Larson

Release Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Genre: Christian Fantasy
Buy: Amazon, B&N, Christian Book

Goodreads Summary: Ela Roeh of Parne doesn't understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She's undignified and bad-tempered, and at age seventeen she's much too young. In addition, no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as Parne's elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite's prophet, Ela knows she will die young.

Yet she can't imagine living without Him. Determined to hear the Infinite's voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite's word to a nation torn apart by war. There she meets a young ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela battles how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite.

Waiting on Wednesday: Splintered

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: Splintered by A.G. Howard

Publisher: Amulet Books
Publish Date: Jan. 1, 2013
Genre: Fantasy

Goodreads Summary: For sixteen years, Alyssa Gardner has lived with the stigma of being descended from Alice Liddell -- the real life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's famed novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But cruel jokes about dormice and tea parties can’t compare to the fact that Alyssa hears the whispers of bugs and flowers ... the same quirk which sent her mother to a mental institution years before.

When her mother takes a turn for the worse and the whispers grow too strong for Alyssa to bear, she seeks the origins of their family curse. A set of heirlooms and a moth tied to an unusual website lead Alyssa and her gorgeous best friend / secret crush, Jeb, down the rabbit hole into the real Wonderland, a place more twisted and eerie than Lewis Carroll ever let on.

There, creepy counterparts of the original fairytale crew reveal the purpose for Alyssa’s journey, and unless she fixes the things her great-great-great grandmother Alice put wrong, Wonderland will have her head.

Why am I waiting on Splintered? The cover is so gorgeously creepy and perfect for a story involving Alice in Wonderland! The summary sounds awesome and fantastical. I can’t wait to read this! What books are you waiting on?