Cover Lover – 7 New Titles

Today is the usual day for my pick of the week post, but since I didn’t have one it looks like it is cover lover time, instead. For this post, there are seven newbies that I found between Goodreads and Amazon.com. Here goes…I enjoyed Amanda Carlson‘s first Jessica McClain book, and now it looks like the cover is out for the third, Cold Blooded, which will be released on October 8th.

This next one is actually the paperback cover for Karen Marie Moning‘s Iced, which will be released later this year. I was disappointed in this one, since the hardcover art was amazing, and this one gave me a home-made vibe. I am just finishing up Shadowfever, and then Iced is after that. Can’t wait.

And number three is from Molly Harper‘s Naked Werewolf series. How to Run with a Naked Werewolf will be released on December 31st.

Looks like Jaye Wells has a new series starting up early next year. Dirty Magic will be the first book of The Prospero’s War. I am going to have to look into this one a bit more.

And Kate Locke‘s next Immortal Empire book, Long Live the Queen, will be released on November 12th.

These next two are young adult titles. Got to say, this next one is not the most thrilling cover I have ever seen, but Erased is the second book from Jennifer Rush‘s new series.

And this last one is from Kami Garcia‘s upcoming series, The Legion. Unbreakable will be released on October 1st.

Defying Expectations…

Every once in a while, with this little hobby we all share, I get surprised. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes not so much. If you are like me, you go into a book with certain…expectations. But in the last couple of weeks I have come across a few books that totally did not go the way I had planned.

I have made it a goal of mine to read whatever books I have that are being adapted into movies before they actually come out.  I want to be one of those people that sit in the theater and say loudly “it did not happen like that in the book!” (Not really, those people are annoying, but I will be thinking it).  To that end, I tackled both the four books of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl‘s The Caster Chronicles, and Stephenie Meyer‘s The Host.

So, The Caster Chronicles.  I went into these just knowing that they were a sure thing for me.  They are everything that I usually love in a story, so of course they can’t miss.  Except…they sort of did. They hit all the right notes, but I found myself struggling to stay involved with the story, the world, the characters, the whole works. But every time I decided to give up (and there were a few) and move on, things would pick up enough to make me want to read more. I obviously didn’t love the Caster Chronicles, but I didn’t hate them either. I skimmed way more than I should have, and ended up on the ambivalent side. I spent a good portion of my reading time telling myself that I really should be enjoying it way more than I was, until I finally just admitted that despite some good points (I did like several characters, and it did have a bit of a different vibe to it), that it just didn’t live up to my expectations. I can’t see the film being a monster, Hunger Games/Twilight sized hit, since it is just so darn angsty and slooooow, but I have been wrong before.

Now, The Host was not on my radar. At all. It is completely not my thing, since I have never been a bit sci-fi fan, and the fact that it seemed to be considered Twilight’s poor relation didn’t help. Seeing the trailer for the upcoming movie, and the fact that the hardcover was on sale for $8, I sneered, rolled my eyes, and ordered it. To say that I bought it with low expectations is quite the understatement, and I fully planned on skimming through the first little bit before bed and then giving to a friend that enjoys sci-fi. My half hour “skim” session turned into me reading straight through until 8:00 the next morning, anxious to find out how it all ends. It is a quiet, odd little love story that I couldn’t put down, and made me a bit ashamed that I was so determined that I wouldn’t like it. I do have to say that I wonder how well it will translate to the screen since so much of the story is internal between Melanie/Wanda, but I do know I will be the first in line with my ticket to find out.

What books have defied your expectations recently?  Anything you should’ve loved but didn’t, or did you find one that you surprisingly couldn’t put down?

Reading Roundup…

I am trying to make it a point to write a couple of lines about the books that I read, partly to either vent or gush without committing to a full review, but mostly so I can jog my memory later on about what I thought of previous books in a series.  Right now, I am trying to target Mount TBR shelf by shelf, so that means I have been on a young adult kick – with varying degrees of success.  Slight spoilers might be included…

Beautiful Darkness – This is the second book from Kami Garcia‘s Caster Chronicles series, and I am determined to get the books finished before the movie is released on Valentine’s Day.  I enjoyed the first book, but really struggled with this one.  Most of my problems came with my intense annoyance with Lena.  Although she had been through a rough time, her angst was over the top and started to grate on my nerves.  She completely did not deserve Ethan’s devotion, and I was so hoping he would give her the kick to the curb her self-pity deserved.  My second problem – you know this super-secret world that exists along-side our own?  Well, it was pretty much a secret to absolutely no one.  I swear that there weren’t too many characters left in the story that didn’t end up wandering around those “secret” tunnels.  I enjoyed the storyline development, and most of the supporting characters, but for the most part it felt like a let-down from the first book.  I have higher hopes for Beautiful Chaos.

Indigo Awakening – As the first book of a new series from author Jordan Dane, Indigo Awakening seemed right up my alley.  I love a good super-powered human story, and this one seem to fit the bill.  And it should have.  But for some reason I just couldn’t get involved in this one at all.  It seemed to make all the right moves, but there wasn’t any depth to the characters, I couldn’t get into the storyline, and I never felt any connection to the characters.  Was it bad?  Not really.  I did manage to skim though to the end, but I have absolutely no interest in finding out what happens in the rest of the series.  In fact, I forgot the storyline as I was reading, and that is not a good thing.

Elixir – One of my favorite things about Jennifer L. Armentrout‘s work is that even her e-novellas are released in print format, and Elixir was no exception.  Taking place immediately after Pure, it is told from Aiden’s point of view.  This one is a short read, but it is pivotal for the series.  But it also made me enjoy the entire Covenant series in a whole new way, surprisingly.  See, I was a total Seth girl, and I while I liked Aiden I didn’t quite feel the same connection for him that I did for the other characters.  He seemed a bit too removed, and while he seemed like a truly good guy he just didn’t grab me the way Seth did.  Well, this little story turned that around.  I liked Aiden, liked the depths this story brought to his character, and now I can see what the attraction is.

Opal – Another great one from Jennifer L. Armentrout, this time from her Lux series.  This one is one of my favorite young adult series, and this story continued that.  There are a lot of developments in terms of overall storyline, character development, and a cliff-hanger ending that I didn’t expect.  Now, I just need to get my hands on Dawson’s story, Shadows, to fill in some of the gaps.  Can’t wait for the next one.

Random Updates…

Still doing the updating of the series reading list section (and also the finished series page), and I did come across a little bit more info for this post.  Did you know…

• The Beautiful Creatures movie has just finished wrapping filming, but it looks like Kami Garcia will have another project coming to the big screen – one that hasn’t even been published yet.  Unbreakable, the first book in her upcoming The Legion series, is in development as we speak.  The book will be released sometime next year.
• The third book of J.T. Geissinger‘s Night Prowler series, Rapture’s Edge, will be out on July 9th.
• Donna Grant‘s Dark Warriors series will continue on through the end of 2013.  Midnight’s Temptation (book 7) will be out next November, and it will be followed by Midnight’s Promise (book 8) the following month.
• There is good news for fans of the Hex Hall series from Rachel Hawkins.  There will be a spin off series called, well, the Hex-Hall Spin off series, starting up sometime next year.  The first book will be called School Spirits.
• The third Sentinels of New Orleans book from Suzanne Johnson, Elysian Fields, will be released on August 13th.
• August 8th will be the release date for the second Aether Chronicles book from Suzanne Lazear, Charmed Vengeance.
• There has been a lot of buzz about Sarah J. Maas‘ Throne of Glass, and it looks like the as-yet untitled second book will be released next September 12th.
• Another one that seemed to be very well received was Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney.  Well, the second book, Hunting the Dark, has been pushed back to a 2014 release.
• Seanan McGuire will be writing one October Daye book a year through 2016.  The Chimes at Midnight will be out next September, The Winter Long will be released in 2014, A Red Rose Chain will follow in 2015, and Once Broken Faith will only be out in 2016.
• I did my nerdy little squeal when I saw that the fourth Bloodlines novel from Richelle Mead will be called The Fiery Heart.  The only release info was that it would be out sometime next year.  Boo.

That’s it.  Back to the updating, which I hope to have done by the end of next week.  Hopefully.

New Series Alerts…

Looks like all the action this week is happening on the young adult side of things.  There are two new series getting started…and two new series winding up.  This first new one is Dark Star from Bethany Frenette, from the Dark Star series.

Synopsis…

Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey notto feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human—something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.

Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers—livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape.  And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.

To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight.

When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything—and everyone—she loves.

The Dark Star reading list is HERE.

Also getting a start this week is Julie Kagawa‘s Iron Fey spin off series, Call of the Forgotten.  The first book is called The Lost Prince.

Synopsis…

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten reading list is HERE.

And there are two series also winding down this week.  Finale is the fourth and final book of the Hush, Hush series from Becca Fitzpatrick.

Synopsis…

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean that they will always be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. But now they face their biggest challenge. Can their love survive a seemingly insurmountable divide. And in the end, will there be enough trust left to rebuild what has been broken? The lines are drawn – but which sides are they on?

The Hush, Hush reading list can be found HERE.

And then we have Beautiful Redemption from Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  While this is the final book in the series, it is not the last we will be seeing from this world, since the movie adaptation will be hitting the theatres next February 13th.

Synopsis…

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan’s return, vowing to do whatever it takes — even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

The Caster Chronicles reading list can be found HERE.

So, what have you been waiting for this week?  Both the Hush, Hush and the Caster Chronicles series are waving from Mount TBR.  Story of my life…

Cover Lover – 15 New Titles

I actually got a bit of work done last night, and the release dates on the Monthly New Release pages have all been updated.  There were some that were pushed back a week, some a month, and some a whole year, so keep an eye out if there was something you really had your heart set on having.  The Yearly Summaries pages will be updated shortly, as well.  Also, there is a Character Guide up for the recent Gena Showalter book Alice in Zombieland, if anyone needs it.  It can be found in Gena’s section, listed above in the drop down menu.

While I was updating, I came across some new covers – good and bad, most of which came from Goodreads.  I haven’t done many cover posts the last couple of weeks, but looks like this monster will make up for it.  This first one is from J.D. Robb and her In Death series.  Calculated in Death is a February 26th release.

I found this one last week, then promptly forgot to post it.  Agave Kiss, a Corine Solomon novel from Ann Aguirre, is due out on March 5th.

I loved the cover for the first Angels of the Dark book by Gena Showalter, but this one is a bit on the dull side for me.  Beauty Awakened, which is Koldo’s story, will be out on February 26th.

Number four is from Meljean Brook‘s Guardian series (from what I understand, it is the final book).  Guardian Demon is due out on May 7th.

It looks like there is a historical vampire book on the horizon from author Brooklyn Ann.  Bite Me, Your Grace is due out on April 1st.

Ashlyn Chase starts up a new series next year with the release of Flirting Under a Full Moon.  It is due out on April 1st.

The Bannon and Clare series from Lilith Saintcrow continues with the release of The Red Plague Affair on May 21st.

It looks like another series is coming to its end.  Nicole Peeler‘s Jane True series will wrap up next May with the release of Tempest Reborn.

This one is from Kristen Painter and her House of Commare series.  Last Blood is due out next spring.

Now, on to the young adult covers.  As most of you know, Hollywood has gone back to the young adult fiction pool and decided to turn Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl‘s Beautiful Creatures into a movie, due out next year.  They are also re-releasing the book with an all new cover featuring the movie cast.  Looks good, though.

Shannon Dittemore‘s third Angel Eyes book looks a bit more dramatic than the first two covers.  Dark Halo is due out next summer.

Er, no.  NO.  This one is from Bethany Griffin and her Masque of the Red Death series.  Dance of the Red Death is due out on April 23rd.  Not quite sure what to say about this one, other than it doesn’t work for me, at all.

Almost done.  Shards and Ashes is a February 19th anthology featuring Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Veronica Roth, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Shadows of Glass is the second book from Kassy Taylor‘s Ashes trilogy, due out on July 23rd.

This last one is from my personal favorite, Jennifer L. Armentrout.  Apollyon is the fourth novel of her Covenant series, and it is scheduled for release in the middle of next year.

Beautiful Creatures Trailer…

The sheer volume of books staring at me from Mount TBR is…vexing.  I have so many plans, and yet the buggers seem to multiply while I am not looking.  Another series I have been meaning to get to is Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  I had heard rumblings of a movie being filmed, but I was still surprised to see the trailer posted today over at Page to Premier Network.  This one looks a bit darker than I expected…and yes, I must get going on the books before the movie comes out.  I am so predictable.

 

Is this one on anyone’s radar, or are you as in the dark about it as moi? I have heard the endless usual chatter about the cast not “fitting” the characters in the book, but that usually works itself out.  Now we just need to get the trailer for next year’s other big adaptation, The Mortal Instruments, and see if they have somehow tamed Lily Collins’ eyebrows.

This and That

Things have been a bit on the quiet side around here for a few days.  Between working extra and just a info lull, I didn’t have much to post.  The downside is that things are not as up to date as I would like.  So, tomorrow is updating day.   Yep.  I plan on one whole day of nothing but blogging.  Not everyone’s idea of fun, but I can’t wait.  Love it.  The plan is to add the almost 100 new book release dates I have found, update the covers and blurbs, and add something like 20 new authors to the the Series Reading Lists pages.  And, if there is time, I have to update the Mythos Academy Character Guide to include the info from the last book, Kiss of Frost.

I did find a couple of little tidbits on my hunt for new info, however.

• Shea Berkley will have two more Keepers of Life books coming out.  The Lost Prince will be released this coming August, and The Bastard King will follow in August of 2013.
• March 2013 will see the release of the third Kristen Callihan Darkest London book, this one called Winterblaze.
• Megan Crewe‘s second Fallen World book will be called The Lives We Lost, and should be available next January.
• For the followers of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl‘s Caster Chronicles, the title of the fourth book has now been revealed.  Beautiful Redemption will be released on October 23rd.
• The fourth (and supposedly final) The Edge book from Ilona Andrews will be called Steel’s Edge.  Look for it on November 27th.
• Tes Hilaire‘s second Paladin Warriors book will be called Deliver Me From Temptation.  It is due out on December 4th.
• A Savage Hunger is the title of the first book in a new jaguar shifter series from Terry Spear, and it should be available on October 1st.

Updates…

Only a couple of little changes to the site this go round.

• First off, the Elder Races Character Guide has been updated to include the recently released e-book, True Colors, from author Thea Harrison.
• Since we have officially rung in 2012, I deleted all of the monthly new release pages for 2011.  However, I did leave the yearly summary alone, just in case anyone needs a reference.  We probably don’t need that one, either, but I figure it won’t hurt.  The 2013 monthly release pages will be done up over the coming months.
• The Author and Series reading lists are being worked on a bit at a time.  I believe I am now done through the I – J page.

And I have been updating the new release pages, as well.  These are some that I have added…

• 2013 will see the release of the fourth Dark Angels book from Keri Arthur, this one called Darkness Hunts.
• Yasmine Galenorn is going to be busy.  There are no official release dates, as yet, but books 4 and5 of the Indigo Court series will be called Night Vision and Night’s End, respectively.  On the Otherworld side of things, number 13 will be called Haunted Moon, and it will be followed by Autumn Whispers and Crimson Veil.
• A new series from Kami Garcia will also be getting a start in 2013.  Unbreakable is the first book of the Legion series – and the movie rights have already been sold.  It will be followed by Unbound in 2014.
• Erica Hayes will also start up a new series at the end of 2012.  Revelation is the first book of the Seven Signs series, and it will be followed by Redemption in 2013.
• The second book of Meg Cabot‘s Abandon series, Underworld, will be released on May 8th.
• The second book of Kimberly Frost‘s Etherlin series, All that Falls, is due out on June 5th.
• I was so excited to add this one, even though word came out a while ago.  September will see the release of the fifth Guild Hunter book from Nalini Singh.  Archangel’s Storm will feature spymaster Jason.
• March 6th will see the release of another Geared for Pleasure, the first book in the new Elemental Steam Steampunk series from Rachel Grace.
• and Melissa de la Cruz‘s second Beauchamp Family book, Serpent’s Kiss, is going to be released on June 12th.

From Page to Screen…

From Harry Potter to Twilight to Hunger Games, pretty much every time I turn around now I hear about a new one of “my” books being somehow adapted for the screen, be it motion picture or television.  I was looking at my Young Adult books, and pretty much every second book is in some stage of movie development.  I am a faithful fan of The Vampire Diaries, just bought the Blu-rays for True Blood, and just might have to get into Game of Thrones.  I can’t wait for the last two Twilight movies, and I plan a marathon of all the Harry Potters when the last one comes out next month.  So, I started digging a bit to see what else is on the horizon for paranormal/urban fantasy adaptations.  Man, I can’t believe just how many there are, and I am sure that I haven’t even scratched the surface…

I am pretty sure there is no one left alive who doesn’t know that Suzanne Collins‘ Hunger Games Trilogy will be heading to the big screen.  It is in the post-production stage right now, and is scheduled for a March 2013 release, and it will star Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland, among others.  The first one hasn’t even opened yet, but the second movie, Catching Fire, has already been given a release date of November 22nd, 2013.  And, like Twilight and Harry Potter before it, there is even a rumor that book three, Mockingjay, may actually be split into two movies.

There have been rumors for quite a while about Cassandra Clare‘s Mortal Instruments series being made into a movie, but things are definitely a go now.  It is in the pre-production stage, but principle casting is taking place. So far Lily Collins is confirmed for Clary, and for a while it looked like Alex Pettyfer was going to be Jace.  However, it appears that Jamie Campbell Bower has won the role.  Filming will begin in January, and it is thought to be a late 2012 release.

Now, there was some big news recently on the adult book front, as well.  Prolific author Sherrilyn Kenyon has not one, but TWO deals in the works.  She will partner with Amber Entertainment to produce a movie based on her Chronicles of Nick series, starting with the first book, Infinity.  And if that isn’t enough, there is also plans for a tv series based on her signature Dark-Hunter series.  Very little info is known as yet about either project.

Around the same time the Kenyon news came out, it was also announced that Dreamworks is looking to develop its own fantasy franchise starting with all five books of Karen Marie Moning‘s Fever series.  This is not the first time these MacKayla Lane books have been optioned, as it was originally a 20th Century Fox property.  This sounds promising, however.

For the last year or so, I have seen references to a Diana Gabaldon Outlander movie.  As of late last year, it was still in the “in development” stage, with both Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler rumored to be attached to the starring roles.  Right now, it is the script stage, but it is being listed as a late 2012 release.  I could totally work with Gerry, but Heigl?  Meh.

Getting bored yet?  There is a ton more to go.  For the last couple of years, there have been whispers of a Richelle Mead Vampire Academy movie (or movies).  It seemed like momentum would be building, and then just sort of…vanish.  Looks like things are back on track (as of now), since this is being shopped as a 2013 release.  No clue on whether it is to be considered a one-off movie, or the beginning of a series (what with there being six books in total).  Here’s hoping things work out this time around.

Following on the huge success of Twilight, Stephenie Meyer is going back to the movies with her other, more adult sci-fi series.  The Host, which will be hitting the theaters on March 29th, 2013, is the first book of the series of the same name.  At least, Meyer has outlined two subsequent books, titled The Soul and The Seeker.  Dianna Agron, Luke Wilson, Shiloh Fernandez, and Ian Sommerhalder (yes!  Please?) all auditioned for various roles, but the only confirmed actor is Saoirse Ronan (Hanna), who will be starring as Melanie Stryder.

It looks like Kiersten White‘s trilogy, starting with Paranormalcy (followed by Supernaturally and finally Endlessly), is also a go.  It was actually optioned before it was even published, and the first time director is Ray Kay (yep, really), known for directing music videos from the likes of Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga.

It was only a matter of time before the next two were given the movie treatment.  First up is Fallen, from author Lauren Kate.  Disney Pictures picked up the rights for Fallen, plus the expected three books to follow, in the middle of last year.  Casting is going on now, and as of even last month rumor was pointing to actress Lucy Hale playing Lucinda Price.  Meanwhile, Maggie Stiefvater‘s Wolves of Mercy Falls series (starting with Shiver), has been optioned by Warner Brothers.  Not much info is available on this one as yet, but Entertainment Weekly did point to it as one of the upcoming adaptations to keep an eye out for.

We will have a bit of a wait for this one, but Veronica Roth‘s dystopian trilogy, starting with Divergent, will be coming to the screen sometime in 2015.  There is little info available as yet, since things are in the very early stages, but on the book front the second title will be Insurgent, and should be available next May.

2013 will also see the release of Incarceron.  Based on the Catherine Fisher series, it is supposedly set to star Twilight’s Taylor Lautner in the role of Finn, a prisoner of Incarceron who knows nothing of the outside world.

And buzz is building about Matched.  Based on the first of three books from Ally Condie, Matched is also still in the early stages.  Movie rights were picked up by Disney, and things are now listed as being “in development”.

There is also talk about the Trylle Trilogy from self-publishing star Amanda Hocking, Beautiful Creatures from Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and the House of Night series from P.C. Cast all being in various stages of development, along with Firelight from Sophie Jordan and Delirium from Lauren Oliver.  But things can change quickly, as shown by Melissa Marr‘s Wicked Lovely.  Two months after Kimberly Peirce was tapped to direct, things just sort of…went away.  It is now in the process of being shopped around, so things are back to square one.

So, even though Harry Potter has ended, and Twilight is nearing the finish line, it looks like we will have no shortage of adaptations to keep us running to the theaters for a long, long time.