Cover Lover – 5 New Titles

Another day, another raiding of the new covers over at Goodreads. Looks like just five caught my eye this time around, and I am seeing a blue theme. This first one is the cover for the second book in Gail Carriger‘s newly released Finishing School series, Curtsies and Conspiracies. It will be released on November 5th.

Numero deux is from the upcoming 12th book in Carrie Vaughn‘s Kitty Norville series, Kitty in the Underworld. It will be out on July 30th.

And still withe the blue. The third book in Darynda Jones‘ Darklight series is called Death and the Girl He Loves, and it will be available on October 8th.

I haven’t actually heard much about this one, but I am working under the assumption that The Coldest Girl in Cold Town from Holly Black is YA, and that is about all I know. It will be hitting the shelves on September 17th.

The final one for this post is pretty, but then so are the rest of the covers in Keri Arthur‘s Dark Angels series. Darkness Unmasked will be released on June 4th.

Cover Lover – 7 New Titles

Meh, maybe I should have said new-ish for the titles.  This is sort of a mixed bag post, to say the least.  This first one is from a favorite of mine, Cynthia Eden.  Avenging Angel is the fourth (and apparently final) book in her Fallen series, and it is due out on May 28th.

This next cover is from the Noon Onyx series by Jill Archer.  Fiery Edge of Steel is the title of the second book, and it will be available on May 28th, as well.  I get a real video-game vibe from this one.

I have been seeing this next one popping up everywhere lately.  Carniepunk is an anthology featuring a number of top writers, including Rachel Caine, Jennifer Estep, and Rob Thurman.  It will be released on July 30th.

Well, I have to admit that this cover for Darynda Jones‘ Fifth Grave Past the Light isn’t quite what I expected.  Maybe it is because I loved the reaper outfits on the previous covers, but this one doesn’t live up to the rest of the series for me.  In fact, it actually gives me a young adult vibe.  Anyways, it will be hitting the shelves on July 9th.

On the young adult side of things, Replica is a new one coming from Jenna Black on July 16th.  I am not sure as yet if this is a stand alone title, or the first book in a series.

Melissa West‘s first book, Gravity, has only recently been released, but the cover for the second book is now out.  Hover will be hitting the shelves next August 6th.

And this final one is from Aprilynne Pike.  She is starting up a new series called Earthbound next July, with the first book also being called Earthbound.

Did any of these ones catch your eye?  Are you a bit disappointed in the Fifth Grave cover like I am (I do so love those reaper outfits), or do you think it is a nice change is style?

Random Updates…

Wow, hard to believe, but this is actually post number 1001.  Way back on August 11th, 2009 I started with a Cover Lover post that featured Nalini Singh‘s Archangel’s Kiss.  I think I checked every five minutes for the next few days to see if anyone had actually viewed it…such a nerd.  So, forward a few years, and things haven’t really changed.  Things have expanded a bit, and the look has changed a few times, but other than that things are pretty much still the same (and I am still a nerd).

On the site side of things, I have updated all of the Series Reading List pages, so all of the book lists are as up-to-date as I could get them.  I took the opportunity to finally work on the long neglected Completed Series List page, as well.  There are some that I think are finished that I didn’t add, since I couldn’t find official word that they were in fact over.  I will be keeping an eye on them, but if you see any that I missed feel free to give me a shout.  Also, WordPress decided to play with the way that the code for linking to a specific spot on a page was worded, which meant that all of those “Blah Blah reading list HERE” links no longer worked.  I do believe that I got that dealt with as well (each one had to be redone individually, so I hope I didn’t miss any).

On the Character Guide front, I added one a couple weeks back for Kresley Cole‘s Arcana Chronicles (speaking of which, it looks like book two, Endless Knight, will not be out until next October).  I also got Thea Harrison‘s Elder Races guide up to date and added the info for Lord’s Fall, and I am almost done the rough copy for the last two Darynda Jones Charley Davidson books.  That one should be FINALLY updated by the middle of this week.  That just leaves me Archangel’s Storm and a Mythos Academy book to get caught up.  Yay.

There are a few newbies to add to the New Release pages, as well…

• It looks like Linda Poitevin will release another Grigori Legacy book in 2013, this one called Sins of the Righteous.
• Also due next year is the third book in Adrian Phoenix‘s Hoodoo series, Black Moon Mojo.
• The second book in Jamie Quaid‘s new Saturn’s Daughter series, Damn Him to Hell, will be released on June 25th.
• There will be another Anna Strong book from Jeanne C. Stein coming out on August 27th.  Right now, the title is TBA.
• Awaken the Damned is the title of the third League of Guardians book from Juliana Stone, and it will be released on June 25th.
• Alpha Pack book number four from J.D. Tyler, Hunter’s Heart, will be released on September 3rd.
• You will be able to get a new Kitty Norville book from Carrie Vaughn on July 30th.  This new one will be called Kitty in the Underworld.
• Looks like there is also another Lupi book from Eileen Wilks in the works, as well.  Ritual Magic, Lupi #10, will be out next on August 6th.
• Eternal Sin is the title of the 6th Mark of the Vampire book from Laura Wright.  Look for it next November.

Pick of the Week…

There are quite a few books hitting the shelves this week, but I have to say my pick of the week would have to be Darynda Jones‘ Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet.  It is a good, solid series with great characters, humor, and mystery.  I am looking forward to diving into this one, for sure.

Synopsis…

Sometimes being the grim reaper really is that. Grim. And since Charley’s last case went so awry, she has taken a couple months off to wallow in the wonders of self-pity. But when a woman shows up on her doorstep convinced someone is trying to kill her, Charley has to force herself to rise above. Or at least get dressed. She quickly realizes something is amiss when everyone the woman knows swears she’s insane. The more they refute the woman’s story, the more Charley believes it.

In the meantime, the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, has been cleared of all charges. He is out of prison and out of Charley’s life, as per her wishes and several perfectly timed death threats. But his absence has put a serious crimp in her sex life. While there are other things to consider, like the fact that the city of Albuquerque has been taken hostage by an arsonist, Charley is having a difficult time staying away. Especially when it looks like Reyes may be involved. Just when life was returning to normal, Charley is thrust back into the world of crime, punishment, and the devil in blue jeans.

The Charley Davidson reading list can be found HERE.

What was your biggie for this week?  Are you diving headfirst into Iced, or did something else catch your eye?

Who Did You Love – Jones, Showalter or Cole?

In the past few weeks, there has been some books that I was majorly looking forward to getting my hands on.  Three of them came from highly successful, established PNR authors who branched out into young adult fiction with much anticipated new series.  Darynda Jones started Darklight,  Gena Showalter gave us The White Rabbit Chronicles, and Kresley Cole debuted the Arcana Chronicles.  Well, I was wondering what everyone thought of them?  I don’t review, but here is a quick comparison of how they shaped up  for me…

Darynda Jones‘ Death and the Girl Next Door.

Hm.  This one is a bit tricky.  It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t love it, either.  It was a quick, easy read with a few unexpected twists and turns along the way, but for the most part there just wasn’t much that stood out.  I liked the characters, the moments of humor, and the fact that this one really did have a different take on things, but there just seemed to be something missing.  Maybe I was expecting Charley Davidson Jr., maybe I was just in a reading slump, but I had a hard time getting involved in this one.  And the cover didn’t work for me, which is shallow but true.  I will be getting the next book, sure, but it won’t be something that I mug the mailman to get my hands on.

Gena Showalter‘s Alice in Zombieland.

For some reason, my interest in this one really spiked just before it was released.  I had been all about Poison Princess, but then this one sort of caught my attention and held on.  When I did finally get my hands on it, I was pleasantly surprised.  Like Gena’s trademark Lords of the Underworld, there was a lot of action, banter and humor mixed with danger and loss, and it did work.  I liked the originality of the storyline, the characters, and the potential directions the future books could take.  You could tell when you were reading that it was a Gena book.  Now, I can be hit or miss with the Lords, but this one worked well for me.  Looking forward to the next one.

Kresley Cole‘s Poison Princess.

Kresley is one of my two favorite authors, so to say I was excited for this is an understatement.  But then, I started to have doubts.  How can someone who writes the HOT so well tone things down for a YA book?  What would be lost in the translation?  Turns out that for me, nothing was lost, and she did a great job in crossing over.  It is not a light book – in fact, things are pretty much dire with no way to go but down, but Cole pulls it off beautifully.  I loved this one.  It was totally unique, with great characters and storyline and almost infinite possibilities.  I can honestly say I have no clue what will happen next, but it will be big.  Very big.  I did see reviews where some readers had a problem with the characters, especially Jackson, but I loved him.  I didn’t mind the whiskey flask or the hot temper – I figure he was exactly what was needed for them to survive.  I do wonder if there is more to him than just luck can explain, though.  By far my favorite of the three.

So, who else dove into these three new young adult series?  Did you have a favorite?  Did any of them miss the mark for you, or will you be first in line for the second book of them all?

This and That…

It is time again for me to post the random stuff that came my way over the last few days.  There have been a few updates, and a couple of little site changes point out.

• Originally, Ilona Andrews‘ next Kate book, now titled Magic Rises, had been scheduled for end of February.  There has been quite a push-back, however, and it is now showing up as a July release.  That sucks, but it is guaranteed to be worth the wait.
• For my fellow Jennifer L. Armentrout fans, there is a bit of good news.  Really good news.  There will be a stand-alone (at least stand alone for now) Lux spin-off book titled Obsession.  The hero will be…wait for it…an Arum.  Didn’t see that one coming.  Goodreads shows it as a March 2013 release.
• Somehow I missed it, but the next In Death book from J.D. Robb will be released next February.  Calculated in Death is the title, and I have no clue how I will ever, ever get this series read.  Seriously, it makes the Dark-Hunter mountain look tiny in comparison.
• The second book from Pamela Palmer‘s new Vamp City series has a title and a release date.  A Kiss of Blood will be hitting the shelves on June 25th.
• Darynda Jones‘ Charley Davidson #5, Fifth Grave Past the Light, is now available for preorder.  It will be released next July.
• Oooh, almost forgot.  I found the blurb for the next Pride book from Shelly Laurenston, Wolf with Benefits.  Looks like it is Ricky Lee’s turn (I was so hoping)…

          Ricky Lee has no plans of getting serious about anyone, but he will protect Toni Jean-Louis Parker. Not just because he’s been hired to do so, but because it’s the right thing to do. And if that means traveling around the country with one complicated She-jackal, dealing with chocolate-eating wild dogs, instigating trouble between his brothers, and having the most amazing sex he’s ever had…well, who said his job didn’t have perks?

Toni doesn’t know how she keeps getting herself into these situations. But even she has to admit there’s something about Ricky Lee Reed that she finds kind of interesting…and downright sexy. Now they just have to survive long enough to figure out if what they have is worth fighting for…

On the “business” side of things, I have been playing around with a couple of things on site…

• I have changed the monthly new release pages just a bit, so that the headings are…less ugly, I guess…and the adult releases are headed in blue, young adult in green.  Made it a bit easier to keep track of, I guess.
• Keep an eye on the new release pages, since there is a crap-load to add over the coming days (er, weeks.  Who am I kidding?).
• Also, the monthly new release pages have been updated to reflect the latest available covers and blurbs available as of a couple of days ago.  And I noticed that there have been a lot of release dates changed, so that will be addressed shortly as well.
• I am still way, way behind on Character Guides, but I do have a plan.  I am aiming to have the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning finished before the release of Iced, but not sure I can make it.  Charley Davidson #3 still has to be redone, hopefully by the end of the month, too.  Archangel’s Storm hasn’t been forgotten, but I am trying to get the series done that have new releases coming up soon done first.
• I have a guide done for Gena Showalter‘s Alice in Zombieland, and I am starting Kresley Cole‘s Poison Princess as we speak.  They should both be upped by next week.  It is so much easier to start a guide from the beginning of a series, rather than going back and having to redo 10 books to get caught up.

I think that is about it.  Looks like right now I am going to focus on updating the Guides and the new releases, then correcting the wonky release dates, then the series reading list section and completed series pages, roughly in that order.  And then the author pages.  And then the site background and giveaway banners…well, you get the idea.  As always, if you can think of any suggestions or improvements, give a shout through the Contact Me page.

New Series Alert…

That time again.  This is a big week for some much anticipated new series…and it looks like one of those weeks where you get too many books in to know where to start reading.  Terry Spear starts a new Jaguar shifter series this week with the release of Savage Hunger.  It is nice to see her branching out from her wolf shifter series.

Synopsis…

In the heat of the jungle, jaguars are clawed, dangerous, and hungry for love. With hopes of overcoming night terrors and thanking the man who saved her life, Kathleen McKnight returns to the Amazon. A jaguar at heart, Connor Anderson doesn’t just protect her, but wants to claim her for his own.

The Jaguar Series reading list is HERE.

This second one comes from Jacqueline Carey and is called Dark Currents.  It is book one of the Agent of Hel series.

Synopsis…

Dark Currents is set in a small Midwestern resort town where paranormal tourism is a booming business. Daisy Johanssen, an incubus’ daughter raised by a loving single mom, is the liaison between the eldritch community and mundane authorities.

Most of the time that doesn’t entail anything more challenging than retrieving stolen goods from a puckish pickpocket or tracking down a tourist led astray by a will-o’-the-wisp, but when a young man drowns in an apparent accident that’s not what it seems, Daisy’s job turns deadly earnest.

Agent of Hel reading list is HERE.

This one takes the award for most disturbing cover-model outfit on a male.  Lord, I still keep staring at that shirt…thing.  Anyways, Revelation is the first book of The Seven Signs series from Erica Hayes.

Synopsis…

Blind faith is for fools. That’s what Dr. Morgan Sterling believes. And she’s going to prove it by curing the zombie plague ravaging her city’s slums. She’s certain it’s not a sign of the End of Days, but a nasty disease — until an angel appears in her morgue in a flash of glory.

Luniel is not just a fallen angel. He’s a powerful warrior sworn to fight evil in hopes of a chance at redemption. He’s after the demon princes who are stealing the seven vials of holy wrath which, when perverted, will unleash eternal hell on earth.

To stop the plague, Luniel needs Morgan’s help, and her faith. But Morgan believes science is their salvation. If the zombie plague is a demonic curse — and if Luniel is true — he’ll have to prove it. Even if he loses his heart to true love or his soul to Hell…

The Seven Signs reading list is HERE.

Oddly enough, both books one and two of the Sunwalker Saga are being released this week.  Previously released in e-format, Shia MacLeod‘s Kissed by Darkness and Kissed by Fire make their print debuts tomorrow.

Synopsis…

Danger is always on the menu for Morgan Bailey, a sexy and street-smart bounty hunter, who prowls the dark underworld of Portland, Oregon hunting creatures of the night. Morgan’s never met a vampire she couldn’t dust or a demon she couldn’t kill until she’s hired to destroy a new kind of mystical threat: the Sunwalker.

A powerful immortal once believed myth, the Sunwalker carries with him an ancient secret which, if left unchecked, will destroy Morgan’s world. Pursued by a passionate Templar Knight and the target of the local vampire clans, an ancient power is awakened within her, unlike anything she’s ever known. Morgan must uncover the truth behind her mission and about herself, before the Darkness lurking inside swallows her whole.

The Sunwalker Saga reading list is HERE.

There are a couple of new Young Adults hitting the shelves, as well.  First off is the much anticipated (by me, anyways) Poison Princess, the first book of the Arcana Chronicles series by Kresley Cole.

Synopsis…

Poison Princess centers on 16-year-old Evangeline “Evie” Greene, a privileged teenager from Louisiana. When an apocalyptic event decimates her hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes the hallucinations she’d been having for the past year 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. As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophecy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens have been chosen to re-enact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side.

The Arcana Chronicles page is HERE.

I loved the cover for this one right from the start.  Sarah Crossan‘s Breathe, the first book of the Breathe series, will be released tomorrow.

Synopsis…

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . .

The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

ALINA
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

QUINN
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

BEA
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

The Breathe reading list is HERE.

And finally, this last one comes from Darynda Jones.  The popular author of the Charley Davidson series is branching out to young adult with the release of Death and the Girl Next Door.  It is the first book of the Darklight series.

Synopsis…

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.

The Darklight reading list can be found HERE.

Ok.  Is everyone going to be as busy as me trying to cram in all of the new books this week?  I just got last week’s load, so I am in book horder heaven.  Or hell, depending on how you look at it.

Random Updates…

I have been updating the new release pages over the last week or so, and there were a few things that popped up worth noting…

• Kate Daniels 6 now officially has a name, and any info on an upcoming Ilona Andrews‘ book is a good thing.  Magic Rises will be released next July.
• It looks like the next Morganville Vampire book from Rachel Caine will be called Fall of Night, and it will be released in hardcover on May 7th.
• Jean Johnson will be writing what appears to be a spin-off of her Sons of Destiny series.  This one is called Guardians of Destiny, and the first book is The Tower, which should be released on June 4th.
• Kady Cross will release the third book of her Steampunk Chronicles series, The Girl With The Iron Touch, on June 1st.
• Looks like the Zombies are back.  White Trash Zombie Apocalypse, the third book of Diana Rowland‘s White Trash Zombies series, will be released early next year.
• Book number 22 (if I remember correctly) of Laurell K. Hamilton‘s Anita Blake series will be called Affliction.  Look for it in hardcover on June 4th.
• The next Yasmine Galenorn Indigo Court book, Night Vision, will be coming out on July 2nd.
• Book two of Kris DeLake‘s Assassin’s Guild series, Killer Rivals, will be released on July 1st.
• Donna Grant will have at least four more titles in her Dark Warriors series.  Midnight’s Kiss will be out on June 4th, and Midnight’s Captive will be out June 25th, with two more to follow later in the year.
• Alexandra Ivy‘s new series, called The Sentinels, will start off with a novella in the anthology Predatory.  It also features Nina Bangs, Dianne Duvall and Hannah Jayne, and it is due out on May 7th.
• The third book of Jessica Shirvington‘s The Violet Eden Chronicles, Emblaze, will be out on March 1st.
• Cold Copper is the title of the next Age of Steam novel from Devon Monk, and it will be on the shelves on July 2nd.

I finished my third read of the second Darynda Jones Charley Davidson book, Second Grave on the Left, and I will update the character guide for it by tomorrow night.  I had read both books two and three once for enjoyment, and then once for the guides.  Then I deleted all of the notes I had made, so this is actually round three.  I want to have them updated by the time Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet hits the shelves on October 30th.  Also, the Thea Harrison novella Hunter’s Season (I hate e-books) slipped by me, and that will be added to the Elder Races guide within the next couple of days, as well.  WordPress has been bitchy and not updating properly, so I had to take a bit of a break.  That will hopefully get back to normal tomorrow.

From the Author Pages

While updating the author pages last night, there are a couple of tidbits that came my way…

• There has been a slight change in title for the fifth Charley Davidson book from Darynda Jones.  Looks like Fifth Grave Off the Beaten Path will now be called Fifth Grave Past the Light.
• Cynthia Eden has a new e-book novella release that I had no idea about.  Bleed for Me has the potential to expand into a new series called Loved by Gods, if the interest is there.
• This isn’t so much an update as a personal plea – please, please don’t let the heroine of Kresley Cole‘s MacRieve (Uilleam’s story) be that hideously repulsive Doctor that had the hots for Aiden on the Island.  I get the vibe that she didn’t really die, and she needs to.  Stat.
• I like reading Ilona Andrews‘ blog.  They tend to say things as they are, good or bad.  For a while, it seemed like The Edge series was ending with the release of Steel’s Edge on November 27th.  Looks like it might get a second coming at some point down the line, but for now they will be  focusing pretty exclusively on Kate and Kate World books for the next year and a half (not that that can be called a bad thing.  At all).   So, the schedule from next year on will look something like Kate Daniels #6, Kate Daniels World #2 (Jim and Dali), Kate Daniels #7.  If there is demand for Andrea and Raphael’s story to continue (and of course there will be), it will probably fall after Kate #7.  They are also not locked into ending Kate Daniels at #7 books, so there is the potential for even more books, story permitting.  All of this is great news, but I was surprised that there was no firm plans for a Gunmetal Magic sequel.
• and finally, the pre-order links for Gena Showalter‘s second Angels of the Dark book, Beauty Awakened, are up on Amazon – along with the blurb…

          His name is Koldo. He is scarred, powerful, his control legendary-and he lives only for vengeance, determined to punish the angel who viciously removed his wings. But if he yields to the forces of hatred, he will be kicked from the  heavens, eternally damned. 

She is his last hope. Nicola Lane was born with a defective heart, yet this fragile human shows surprising strength as demons stalk her every move, determined to end her. She is the key to Koldo’s deliverance…and his downfall. Though he fights duty, destiny and his first addictive taste of desire, his toughest battle will be the one for Nicola’s life-even if he has to sacrifice his own….

Beauty Awakened will be released on February 26th.

Zombies, the Apocalypse…and High School?

Jennifer Estep did it.  Sherrilyn Kenyon did, too.  So did Ann Aguirre and Sophie Jordan.  All of them are successful authors of adult PNR or UF who made the jump to the ever-growing Young Adult market, with either spin-off series from their existing worlds, or entirely new series.  Jennifer is heading into book four of the Mythos Academy series, and Sherrilyn Kenyon recently released her third Chronicles of Nick book.  This got me thinking about some of the other authors taking the plunge into Young Adult in the coming months, and got me wondering…

Will you follow a favorite author when they change genres?  Which ones are you most excited for, or will you bother at all?

To be fair, Gena Showalter has in fact had previous experience with young adult (she has had a few stand alone titles, and the Intertwined series), but she is mostly known for her Lords of the Underworld and Alien Huntress books.  Her young adult series White Rabbit Chronicles kicks off this September with the release of Alice in Zombieland.

Synopsis…

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

Now, Showalter best buddy Kresley Cole also has her own “Chronicles” starting up this year.  The Arcana Chronicles, based on the Tarot deck, will start with the release of The Poison Princess on October 2nd.

Synopsis…

Sixteen-year-old Evie Greene thought her horrific apocalyptic hallucinations were a sign that she was slowly losing her mind. But when her visions come true, decimating the world around her and killing everyone she loves, Evie is forced to accept that she was seeing the future.

Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she turns to wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate, the gorgeous and dangerous Jackson Deveaux for help. As Jackson and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have got the same call and discover that Evie is not the only one with special powers. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and as the battle between good and evil intensifies, it is not always clear who is on which side…

Now, this next one is a bit tricky.  Karen Marie Moning has said that the Dani O’Malley books (set in the same world as her super-popular Fever series) “uneasily straddles the line between adult and young adult”.  Iced is the first of three books, due out on October 30th.

Synopsis…

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Darynda Jones only started her popular Charley Davidson series last year, but already her fun and quirky style has translated into a great read.  However, she is turning some of her attention to the young adult market with upcoming Darklight series.  Death and the Girl Next Door is due out on October 2nd of this year.

Synopsis…

Ten years ago, Lorelei’s parents disappeared without a trace.  Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home.  For Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be.  Until the day the school’s designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it,  standing outside her house in the dark, night after night.  Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school.  Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity.  What does Jared know about her parents?  Why does Cameron tell Jared he can’t have Lorelei?  And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?

I had almost forgotten about this one.  Gail Carriger, author of the Parasol Protectorate series, keeps her Steampunk world alive with a four book spin-off series called The Finishing School.  Book one, Etiquette & Espionage, hits the shelves on February 13th of next year.

Synopsis…

It’s one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It’s quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother’s existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea–and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right–but it’s a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine’s certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries.  Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

So, which side of the coin do you fall on?