This Week's New Releases

It's that time again. This summer is flying past and I continue to find new additions to the TBR pile. Do you know that next month we'll start seeing holiday releases? Speaking of holidays, I'm already seeing Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations and candy in the stores! I resisted the temptation of candy corn purely on principle. I can't think about Halloween when people are still wearing swimsuits!

First up is the latest from a long time favorite author. Susan Elizabeth Phillips aka SEP, is back to her fan favorite Chicago Stars series with the eighth installment. I'm hoping I like it more than her last release, Heroes Are My Weakness. Confession time: I couldn't finish Heroes. The heroine having conversations with her puppets? It didn't work for me at all.

First Star I See Tonight
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Contemporary Romance
Chicago Stars Series/Book 8

A star quarterback and a feisty detective play for keeps in this sporty, sexy, sassy novel—a long-awaited new entry in the beloved, award-winning, New York Times bestselling author’s fan-favorite Chicago Stars football series.

Piper Dove is a woman with a dream—to become the best detective in the city of Chicago. First job? Trail former Chicago Stars quarterback, Cooper Graham. Problem? Graham’s spotted her, and he’s not happy.

Which is why a good detective needs to think on her feet. “The fact is...I’m your stalker. Not full-out barmy. Just...mildly unhinged.”

Piper soon finds herself working for Graham himself, although not as the bodyguard he refuses to admit he so desperately needs. Instead, he’s hired her to keep an eye on the employees at his exclusive new nightclub. But Coop’s life might be in danger, and Piper’s determined to protect him, whether he wants it or not. (Hint: Not!) If only she weren’t also dealing with a bevy of Middle Eastern princesses, a Pakistani servant girl yearning for freedom, a teenager who just wants to fit in, and an elderly neighbor demanding Piper find her very dead husband.

And then there’s Cooper Graham himself, a legendary sports hero who always gets what he wants—even if what he wants is a feisty detective hell bent on proving she’s as tough as he is.

From the bustling streets of Chicago to a windswept lighthouse on Lake Superior to the glistening waters of Biscayne Bay, two people who can’t stand to lose will test themselves and each other to discover what matters most.

Next is a release containing four new novellas, not previously published, by Nalini Singh. These four stories take place in her Psy-Changeling world. I've gotten a little behind on this series but I do remember Dorian. Curious to read his story.

Wild Embrace
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
Psy-Changeling Series/Book 15.5

Echo of Silence
In a deep-sea station, Tazia Nerif has found her life’s work as an engineer, keeping things running smoothly. But she wants nothing more than to break down the barrier of silence between her and her telekinetic Psy station commander...

Dorian
A changeling who can never shift lives a life of quiet frustration—until he learns how to let his leopard come out and play...

Partners in Persuasion
Still raw from being burned by a dominant female, wolf changeling Felix will never again risk being a plaything. But for dominant leopard Dezi, he’s the most fascinating man she’s ever met. She just has to convince this gun-shy wolf that he can trust the dangerous cat who wants to take a slow, sexy bite out of him…

Flirtation of Fate
Seven years ago, Kenji broke Garnet’s heart. Now the wolf packmates have to investigate the shocking murder of one of their own. And the more Kenji sees of the woman Garnet has become, the deeper he begins to fall once more. But even his primal instincts are no match for the dark secret he carries...

This blurb had me hooked! The time period is uncommon, add in the alternate world politics and magic and this could be a favorite!

Breath of Earth
Beth Cato
Fantasy/Historical
Breath of Earth Series/Book 1

After the Earth’s power is suddenly left unprotected, a young geomancer must rely on her unique magical powers to survive in in this fresh fantasy series from the author of acclaimed The Clockwork Dagger.

In an alternate 1906, the United States and Japan have forged a powerful confederation—the Unified Pacific—in an attempt to dominate the world. Their first target is a vulnerable China. In San Francisco, headstrong Ingrid Carmichael is assisting a group of powerful geomancer Wardens who have no idea of the depth of her power—or that she is the only woman to possess such skills.

When assassins kill the Wardens, Ingrid and her mentor are protected by her incredible magic. But the pair is far from safe. Without its full force of guardian geomancers, the city is on the brink of a cataclysmic earthquake that will expose Earth’s powers to masterminds determined to control the energy for their own dark ends. The danger escalates when Chinese refugees, preparing to fight the encroaching American and Japanese, fracture the uneasy alliance between the Pacific allies, transforming the city into a veritable powder keg. And the slightest tremor will set it off. . . .

Forced on the run, Ingrid makes some shocking discoveries about herself. Her powerful magic has grown even more fearsome . . . and she may be the fulcrum on which the balance of world power rests.

The next is the second in the series. No, have not read the first, but... you know. I have it on the TBR pile. :)  I am surprised at the Kindle price of $10.99 but hardcover and paperback are less? Odd.

Abbi Glines
Under the Lights
Contemporary Romance/Young Adult
Field Party Series/Book 2

Willa can’t erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she’s on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that’s all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn’t care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception—and he understands the girl she’s become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love…even if it means losing each other forever.

This last one is young adult and could prove to be a good read but also a hard one to read given the heroine's diagnosis. This is not something I've ever seen portrayed in fictional writing. I can only imagine that it will be sad, like "Fault in Our Stars" sad but hopefully still good.

100 Days
Nicole McInnes
Young Adult/Contemporary

Agnes doesn't know it, but she only has one hundred days left to live. When she was just a baby, she was diagnosed with Progeria, a rare disease that causes her body to age at roughly ten times the normal rate. Now nearly sixteen years old, Agnes has already exceeded her life expectancy. 

Moira has been Agnes's best friend and protector since they were in elementary school. Due to her disorder, Agnes is still physically small, but Moira is big. Too big for her own liking. So big that people call her names. With her goth makeup and all-black clothes, Moira acts like she doesn't care. But she does. 

Boone was friends with both girls in the past, but that was a long time ago—before he did the thing that turned Agnes and Moira against him, before his dad died, before his mom got too sad to leave the house.

An unexpected event brings Agnes and Moira back together with Boone, but when romantic feelings start to develop, the trio’s friendship is put to the test.

This Week's New Releases

End of June and the summer is already flying by. This week there are a some familiar authors as well as a couple of new-to-me authors.

If you have any you'd like to add to the list, please leave the info in the comments. :)

Two girls, one who is blind, on a road trip. I'm liking the premise a lot! There will most likely be a boy or two somewhere in the mix. I'm kind of hoping not. I'd like to see the focus on the girls and their bond of best friends.

Run
Kody Keplinger
Young Adult/Contemporary

Bo Dickinson is a girl with a wild reputation, a deadbeat dad, and a mama who's not exactly sober most of the time. Everyone in town knows the Dickinsons are a bad lot, but Bo doesn't care what anyone thinks.

Agnes Atwood has never gone on a date, never even stayed out past ten, and never broken any of her parents' overbearing rules. Rules that are meant to protect their legally blind daughter -- protect her from what, Agnes isn't quite sure.

Despite everything, Bo and Agnes become best friends. And it's the sort of friendship that runs truer and deeper than anything else.

So when Bo shows up in the middle of the night, with police sirens wailing in the distance, desperate to get out of town, Agnes doesn't hesitate to take off with her. But running away and not getting caught will require stealing a car, tracking down Bo's dad, staying ahead of the authorities, and -- worst of all -- confronting some ugly secrets.

A new series from Jill Shalvis! She's been a favorite author of mine for years so it's a happy day whenever she has a book coming out. And this new series has a heroine who is a boat captain and hero who is a hottie. Can't ask for more!



Sweet Little Lies
Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance
Heartbreaker Bay/Book 1

Choose the one guy you can’t have...

As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas—the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she’s in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.

Fall For Him - Hard...

Pub owner Finn O’Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don’t ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast. 

And then tell him the truth. 

Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it’s what she wishes for at the historic fountain that’s supposed to grant her heart’s desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story—because Pru’s been keeping a secret that could change everything...

It's been a while since I read anything from Christine Feehan. I've read many of her Dark series novels and Ghost Walker series. I enjoyed both series but haven't kept up. This is a new series with elements of magic.

Shadow Rider
Christine Feehan
Paranormal Romance
Shadow/Book 1

Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.

While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…

With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...

I like the not-so-sweet princess. I wonder how brutal she will be? And who she will be more loyal to - her brother or her love interest? The author has said the trilogy is loosely based on the story of Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula. The big difference is that Vlad is a girl in this story.

And I Darken
Kiersten White
Young Adult/Paranormal/Historical
The Conquerors Saga/Book 1

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. 

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

ARC Review: The Eternity Cure

The Eternity Cure
Julie Kagawa
Young Adult/Paranormal/Dystopian
Blood of Eden/Book 2
Harlequin Teen/ April 30, 2013

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren.  The call of blood leads her back to the beginning - New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally. 

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she's never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

The second book in Julie Kagawa's dark vampire dystopian series takes up not long after where the first book ended.  Allie is searching for her sire, Kanin, and she's afraid of what she might find.   The reader is given background on the characters and the plot but I didn't feel it was enough to skip the first book.  Instead, I'd suggest reading The Immortal Rules, book one, to give you a better understanding of the characters and the world.  Plus, it's a really good book!

Allie has this deep sense of loyalty that I swear is going to get her killed someday!  You can't help but admire her but I also wonder if her recently lost humanity is at the root of her loyalty.  She doesn't view human as mere food sources and still tries to defend them when necessary.  She's certainly different than most of the vampires in this series.

The plot leads Allie into dangerous situations which is par for the course in the world she inhabits.  She may well be at the top of the food chain but she's still a newbie when it comes to the vampire hierarchy.  There is action but Allie also becomes involved in vampire politics which while somewhat interesting, tended to slow the plot down.

The book ends on a cliffhanger that left me wanting the next book now!  It looks like things will be getting more intense and more desperate for Allie as this series progresses.

Rating: B

Blood of Eden Series ~

Dawn of Eden (novella prequel)
The Immortal Rules
The Eternity Cure
The Forever Song (spring 2014, tentative)

Review: Forever

Forever
Maggie Stiefvater
Young Adult Paranormal
Wolves of Mercy Falls/Book 3
Scholastic/July 12, 2011

*Spoilers for previous books*

From the inside cover ~

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

The final installment to this fascinating trilogy. When I started reading Forever I had a difficult time getting into it, knowing it was the last time I would read about these characters. (I'm still hoping for more books). I read a few pages then put it down. Once I did finally allow myself to read it, it went very quickly. There are some slow points to the story when I couldn't help but think "come on guys, you don't have much time" since that bastard Tom Culpepper was on the hunt again. But other than a few slow moments, the story arc continued, giving Grace and Sam a sort of happy ending.

Sam is holding on, barely. He's lost without Grace and he doesn't know when he'll see her again, if he'll see her again. Their positions have shifted with Grace the wolf and Sam the possibly cured human. Sam is questioning his position in life. He no longer has the pack to give him that sense of place but being human without Grace has left him adrift. I liked that Sam didn't slide easily into his human role but struggles with it. If he had made the adjustment easily, it would have lessened the importance of his wolf. Sam's wolf is still with him, under the surface, dormant until the right trigger occurs.

Grace is not the girl we first met in Shiver. She still has some of the same characteristics but she has also made some changes, and not just the fury kind. She's becoming less concerned with what her parents think of her and with trying to please them. She's always been portrayed as being mature for her age but now she's taken that maturity and used it to help herself and the people closest to her. I like how she's become the adult Grace and left the insecure Grace behind.

Cole is playing mad scientist, turning Beck's house into his chaotic lab. Cole's experiments are dangerous with possible fatal outcomes. Cole uses himself as the guinea pig with his usual recklessness. He's not this pampered rock star anymore but has morphed into a man driven by desperation to find the cause of the werewolf virus. I loved when Cole was on the page. He could be harsh and impulsive but it didn't come from being self-centered but rather from his need to know and to prove to his father that he could do this, could be more than a irresponsible rock star. Cole definitely brought a much needed edge to the story.

Isabel is the only one of the main four characters that is not a werewolf. That doesn't mean that she doesn't play an important role in the lives of Sam, Grace and Cole. She's still has an odd relationship with Cole. In another world where things were normal, they might have dated but in the world of Mercy Falls there is not room for normal. Still, I liked Isabel's role and how she finally stopped worrying about the consequences of her actions, how it would affect her, and did the right thing.

We learn more about Cole and Sam's backgrounds and what got them to this point in their lives. We also learn more of both of their relationships with Beck and how each saw Beck. There is something similar to sibling rivalry between these two when it comes to Beck. I found the dynamics of the four (Sam, Grace, Cole & Isabel) interesting in how they worked together towards a single purpose, setting aside any distrust or hurt they might have felt. It made the story far more interesting than having them cheerfully working together towards that goal.

As this is the final book in the trilogy, it didn't have that feeling of finality. It felt more like the end of a season, with a long wait until the return. I hope there are more books about these characters, there are certainly more stories to be told about them. I would say Forever gave us a for now ending with the potential for more.

Rating: B+

Books in the Trilogy

Shiver
Linger
Forever

Review: Wake

Title: Wake
Author: Lisa McMann
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal
Series: Wake Trilogy/Book 1
Published: March 2008

From the back cover ~

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

It didn't take me long to get into Janie's story. Being a teen isn't always easy. There's high school to deal with and the cliques and drama that always seems to go with it. For Janie she's got an added twist to her life - she unwillingly slips into other peoples dreams. While she's in the dream she suffers paralysis and convulsions in real life. In the dream, she experiences what is happening from an observer's point of view. She desperately tries to hide her unusual ability because she knows it will freak people out - it freaks her out!

Janie's home life is far from ideal. Her father is gone and her mother is a drunk. Janie basically takes care of herself and sometimes even takes care of her mother. They survive on welfare until Janie is old enough to get a job. She works as much as she can to save for college. All through her childhood she suffers from the teasing of her classmates because she is poor. Janie wants so badly to get away to college and make a better life for herself. I couldn't help but like Janie and feel for her in the horrible situation she finds herself in. As far as teens go, she's responsible and likable, given the way she's been brought up she could have easily gone down a very different path.

I liked the way McMann portrayed the teens and their attitudes, the difficulties of being a teen and their home lives. She gives them realistic situations amid the abnormal that is Janie's "curse". Janie tries to be normal but there's just no chance given what she has to live with day in and day out. She can't stop people from dreaming so she must try to build a buffer around her whenever possible. This isn't easy in high school where it's common for kids to fall asleep.

As time passes Janie does what she can to stop herself from experiences others dreams. It's the beginning of senior year and Janie is busy making plans for after high school. She meets up with an old acquaintance who has become someone she can't help but notice. Cabel is from Janie's neighborhood and has a similar background of low income and lack of parental guidance. He's paying more attention to Janie and trying to get to know her better. She finds herself attracted to Cabel and it turns out she could really use a friend. Their relationship starts out rocky and goes through some difficult times but in the end they come to rely and trust each other.

I was able to get Wake from the library. If I had to buy it, well I wouldn't. Which is sad because it is a good story but at $15.99 retail for a hardcover that comes in at just over 200 pages, I wouldn't be able to justify the cost. I also got Fade (book 2) from the library and enjoyed it as well (review to come). I will get the third book, Gone, from the library as well. I do wish the publisher had chosen to release these books in paperback but I'm sure they had their reasons.

Ms. McMann and details about her novels can be found on her website.

Rating: B+

Supernatural Weekend...

I started watching Supernatural when it first premiered in 2005. I watched it because of Jared Padalecki. I had been watching Gilmore Girls and seeing ads for Jared's new show, decided to give it a go. So I watched and fell for these two brothers (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles)who were funny smartasses and knew how to kick demon ass. Sadly, I haven't been watching now for the last couple of years.

I'm not sure why I stopped watching but ever since I started reading Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series I've been thinking about Sam and Dean Winchester. Then the promos for the new season started and grabbed my interest. That's why I've been playing catch up with watching the series on DVD. The new season starts this Thursday.

Aside from the brothers and their relationship I also love the music. Dean is the brother who loves old cars and classic rock 'n roll and heavy metal - my kind of music. :) The show's play list really sets the mood and can work as a commentary to what's happening in the episode. The other thing I like is the creepiness and sometimes plain old grossness of the show. And the various hotel rooms the brothers end up in. Some of those can be quite scary too. :)


In Everybody Loves a Clown (season 2, episode 2) Sam and Dean become carnival workers and hunt down a killer clown. Anyone who says clowns are funny and harmless should watch this episode. Clowns totally creep me out!

While poking around at YouTube for more Sam and Dean goodness I came across Supernatural fan July83rose(http://www.youtube.com/user/July83rose)who has put together some great Supernatural bloopers and videos. You should really check them out.


I probably won't get completely caught up on all four seasons before season 5 starts on Thursday but I'm having fun getting to know these brothers again.