Sooo, I pretty much played with Photoshop all day, and I think I got most of the site looking like I wanted. I really wanted to change things to a more text-and-grunge look, but still keep the same colors. I still have a bit more to do, but not quite sure how to do it (things like changed the menu link colors). So far, there is the new background, new text-y header, and new little “cover coming soon” icons for the release pages. Of course, that made me think that the monthly banners no longer match, but I can’t figure out what else to do with them.
Anyways, the point of all of this is that I was wondering what you thought about the very bottom of the blog, where I added four sections to display the covers of “Coming Soon” books. Does it work? Does it look strange? Do you like the reminder of what is coming up, or do you just prefer it blank like it was? I am not quite sure about the metal frames, but just the covers themselves looked unfinished somehow. What do you think – keep or don’t bother?
This is a bit of a different Cover Lover post. All three of the covers from the upcoming The Baskerville Affair from Emma Jane Holloway have been made public. Book one will be called A Study in Silks, and it will be released on September 24th.
It will be followed bybook two, called A Study in Darkness, on October 29th.
And will wrap up on November 26th with the release of A Study in Ashes.
And Lynn Viehl also has a double-header posting today. The first two covers from her upcoming Disenchanted & Co. e-book series have been released. Her Ladyship’s Curse will be released on August 12th.
Rebecca Zanetti starts a new e-series this July with the release of Forgotten Sins. This one gives me a Ghostwalkers vibe, with soldiers enhanced with special abilities.
The fourth book from Kristen Callihan‘s Darkest London series, Shadowdance, will be released on December 17th.
And the final cover for today’s post comes from Tessa Adams and her Lone Star Witch series. Flamebound will be released on December 3rd.
I had absolutely no idea that yet another version of Dracula was being done, this time as a series for NBC slated to air this fall. Usually, the thought of something like this would make me shudder, since usually the cheese/camp factor can be pretty high, but I found myself not rolling my eyes through this recently released trailer. Some gore, some raunch, some action – doesn’t actually look all that bad. Jonathan Rhys Meyers can chew some scenery, but he does bring a certain something to this type of role. Here’s hoping that Dracula does’t, uh, (I want so badly to type suck, but that is just wrong. So is bite), disappoint. Yes. That.
Thoughts? I do love me the True Blood and Vampire Diaries, so it sounds like my thing, but Victorian Era stuff usually annoys me after a while. Anyone else giving this a look when it gets started this fall?
Middle of the month is notoriously quiet lately from a new release stand-point, and this month is no exception. There is only one new YA series heading our way this week, coming from Rachel Hawkins. School Spirits is the first book of her Hex Hall Spin-Off series.
Synopsis…
Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy’s mom decides they need to take a break.
Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who’s always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.
Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?
Is this one on your radar? I haven’t heard much about the Hex Hall series, to be honest, so not sure about this one either.
I have a different relationship with Shana Abe‘s Drakon books. I loved the first one, but things were hit and miss for me for the next four. So when it came time to decide if I was going to try her new YA spin-off series, I was a bit up in the air. I have been limiting my blind buys, especially since I found myself less than impressed with quite a few of the young adult titles I have bought lately. Long story short, I finally broke down and ordered The Sweetest Dark, still not expecting much.
I was wrong.
The Sweetest Dark was a total surprise. It is a quiet story, if that makes any sense – very character driven, without a ton of action and conflict, and very different from many of the YA novels out there. The tone was more mature, and while there is the dreaded love triangle it is like no other love triangle I have ever read, and it wasn’t the focus of the story. It reads more like a fantasy with romantic elements, if anything.
The story revolves around Eleanor Jones. Since the moment she was found wandering the streets as a child, with no memory of who she was or where she came from, she has known she was different. Raised in a harsh, cold London orphanage in the early 1900′s, life was not easy for Lora. Not only did she have to learn to survive having no one and nothing to call her own, she also had to learn how to hide the unique abilities that set her apart from everyone else. When the first World War threatens London, Lora finds herself sent as a charity case to a prestigious boarding school on England’s coast. This new world is filled with the daughters of the wealthy and privileged, neither of which describes Lora, and she is not allowed to forget that she does not belong.
It is here, at this school, that Lora meets two very different boys with secrets of their own. Sweet, quiet and unassuming Jesse holds the answers that Lora has been searching for her whole life, while rich, brash Armand struggles with demons of his own. The three of them are drawn together almost by fate, and while you never are in doubt about who Lora loves, you are left guessing right up to the end about how things will turn out for them. And let’s just say, I didn’t see that ending coming.
I thought that The Sweetest Dark was very well written, with great characters that didn’t feel overdone or stereo-typical, and I was very pleased with how Shana Abe re-worked her Drakon world for a new time and place. This was my first YA set during this time, and the looming threat of WWI made for a great atmosphere. I do have to say, it stood out in the ever-growing sea of paranormal YA.
God, I can ramble. Basically, what I am trying to say is that The Sweetest Dark was different, well written, and I liked it. It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely caught my attention and didn’t let go. Has anyone else tried this new series, or do you have it on your radar? It makes for a nice change of pace, and a great break from the same old, same old. Now, I just have to wait for August to get my hands on the second book, The Deepest Night. And believe me, I have no hesitation this time around.
There seems to be a lot going on in the PNR/UF movie side of things in the last couple of days, both good and bad. This is just a quick round-up of what I have been seeing lately…
Well, first off, the big cover reveal for Veronica Roth‘s third Divergent book, Allegiant, took place this morning. Much hoopla was involved. Also Ryan Seacrest. That one still makes me shake my head, but dude looks like he would go to the opening of an envelope if it bought him some attention. Anyways, Allegiant will look like so when it hits the shelves on October 22nd.
Also from the Divergent-verse, it seems that things are looking like a go for the sequel, Insurgent. A screenwriter has been chosen, and things are progressing. With the amount of hype surrounding pretty much every aspect of this series, I am not surprised, but it is still good to get confirmation. I actually got excited when I saw a picture that included Theo James‘ (Four’s) forehead. In my defense, there is also an ear. Nerd.
Aaand, it seems that there being a second Mortal Instruments movie is a sure thing, since City of Ashes has just been greenlit. The director of the first movie, Harold Zwart, will be returning, and production will start this fall. Yes! My fear is always that the studios go into these movies with half a commitment, and take a wait and see attitude (for example, will there be a second Beautiful Creatures movie? Never heard anything more). At least this shows faith in the product. Nice.
Filming starts for the Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters at the end of this month. All of the stars are in rigorous training right now to get into fighting shape, and author Richelle Mead has been very pleased with what she has seen so far. According to a chat she recently did, she said that all of the important stuff from the books has made the translation to the script, and that things are looking good. Olga Kurylenko has just been cast as Headmistress Kirova – I did picture the Kirova as an old hag, not a Bond Girl, but that could work, too.
It seems, on a less positive note, that Fox has passed on the Delirium pilot starring Emma Roberts. Based on the Lauren Oliver trilogy of the same name, the cast had been very active trying to drum up fan support, but it was still not enough to get Fox to bite.
The Selection from Keira Cass seems to be up in the air, too. The first pilot was passed on last season by the CW, but it was given a second chance with a new cast and new focus. And that new focus is way, way heavy on the sex/intrigue. According to an article in The Examiner…
The Hunger Games influence is still very very strong in this show — but they’ve given it a heavy injection of Game of Thrones as well. There’s a lot of sex and raunchiness, even by The CW’s standards, and tons and tons of cynicism. Everybody is plotting against everybody else, everybody is making alliances and cutting deals and nobody trusts anybody. Mostly it’s a chance to see Tony Head play a king again, so soon after Merlin.
Kiera Cass stated herself in a Tweet that it is everything the article stated – and more – and that the way things are going, an R rating wouldn’t be strong enough. Huh. Didn’t see that coming.
And finally, the trailer for the upcoming Ender’s Game has been making the rounds. Now, I have to admit, I know nothing about this. It wasn’t even on my radar, but I have seen much love directed its way on the other blogs, so I thought the least I could do was post the trailer.
Looks like everyone else is doing all the work for me today, since Amber made yet another great find. Looks like Lara Adrian will be releasing The Midnight Breed Series Companion – soon. It will be available in e-format on May 29th, and in print format on June 26th. Lara posted the info over on her Facebook page, and teases that the companion will also contain the story of Gideon and Savannah. That is worth the price of the book alone. Mmm, Glyphs…
I am a sucker for the official guides and companions. I might never look at them, but I have got to have them. I almost wish this was in trade paperback size, though, so I could line it up with the hardcovers.
Things have been really quiet on The Breeds front, with Lora Leigh seemingly concentrating on her many, many other series. The Breeds is my guilty pleasure – even with the crap editing, storyline inconsistencies, and predictable storylines, I dive in and don’t come up for air until it is done. I might roll my eyes the whole time, but I still can’t wait for the next one.
So, as I am updating the author pages today (finally), I didn’t plan to see anything new. But, there it was. It looks like the next Breeds book will be released next February 4th…in hardcover. Hopefully that means that the editing issues will addressed with the format change. Oh, and the hero? Title pretty much says it all…
Nice. I am surprised by the jump to hardcover, especially this far into the series and with its history of issues. Still, I will take what I can get. Although if I remember correctly, a previous book was listed as a hardcover release and was then changed back to paperback. I will be keeping an eye out either way.
I preface any post I write about a favorite author by saying that I am a huge fan, and I haven’t made any secret of my love for Jennifer L. Armentrout‘s work. Amber gave me a shout that the cover and blurb had been released for the upcoming Arum novel, Obsession. It is a spin-off of her Lux series, but unfortunately at this point it is only scheduled for e-release. It will be released on May 31st through Entangled’s new Covet line.
Synopsis…
He’s arrogant, domineering, and… To. Die. For.
Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.
Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something… unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.
Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable—breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?
I am looking very forward to this one, especially since the Arum have never been seen as anything other than evil in the Lux books. It will be fun to get the story from the other side.
Sooo, a bit earlier today Pallavi (hey Pallavi) sent over word that a German fan had gotten ahold of an early copy of Charlaine Harris‘ final Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Ever After. And, to put it mildly – They. Were. Not. Pleased.
Looks like said reader, in their blind rage, then proceeded to leak the ending online. Being the nosy beast I am, I went snooping and boy, was Pallavi right. The response to Dead Ever After is brutal. I mean truly, truly, epically brutal. I was half horrified, half amused reading the absolutely scathing reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads, since the “fans” held nothing back. Let’s just say that the first two books of the series are sitting on Mount TBR, and I am now in no hurry to get to them. At all.
As much as I laughed reading the reviews, it did make me sad at the same time (even though I haven’t read the books, I am a True Blood fan so I know basic storyline and characters). I really do hate to see a series go out like this – especially since it is one that for many is considered a staple of the PNR/UF genre. Even those who have never picked up one of “our” books often knows Charlaine Harris/Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood. This series was one of the first to bring Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy mainstream, and to go out leaving fans rabidly angry and resentful is a loss all around.
Have you seen any other books draw a similar reaction? I seem to remember something about a Dianne Sylvan book that got readers pretty fired up, and I do know from personal experience that Christine Feehan‘s Dark Predator left a lot of people unhappy and confused (starting with Moi). Has there ever been a book that has actually turned you against a series you followed, or even turned you against the author (like some of the reviewers for Dead Ever After who have vowed to never go near a Charlaine Harris book again)?
Sooo, I pretty much played with Photoshop all day, and I think I got most of the site looking like I wanted. I really wanted to change things to a more text-and-grunge look, but still keep the same colors. I still have a bit more to do, but not quite sure how to do it (things like changed the menu link colors). So far, there is the new background, new text-y header, and new little “cover coming soon” icons for the release pages. Of course, that made me think that the monthly banners no longer match, but I can’t figure out what else to do with them.
