by Kay | Nov 9, 2013 | Book Haul |
Feed my Reader is my excuse to highlight my latest e-book additions a-la Showcase Sunday/Stacking the Shelves/Mailbox Monday. This week I’ve got a tonne of gorgeous YA novels… and a cookbook!
Scorched (Scorched #1) by Mari Mancusi – Goodreads
I really, really, really wanted a copy of this when I went to BEA – but tragically they were out by the time I got round to meet the publishers! I cannot wait to get to this one! … DRAGONS!
Starling (Starling #1) by Lesley Livingston – Goodreads
I haven’t read any of Lesley’s books, though I have quite a few. This one stars a FENCER so, yeah, I had to have it.
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis – Goodreads
I’ve been lusting after this book for a while! Love that this is a standalone YA dystopia.
Inhuman (Fetch #1) by Kat Falls – Goodreads
I had this in a Waiting on Wednesday quite a while ago as I loved Kat Falls’ Dark Life. Still not a big fan of the cover, even though they’ve changed it from the ARC.
Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1) by Katie McGarry – Goodreads
I read both Dare You To and Crash Into You – and loved them to bits. I had to get the first book to complete the set!
Make It Vegan with Isa Chandra Moskowitz – free download here
I love Isa’s cookbooks, so nabbed this immediately when I saw it was available for free!
That’s all for now – let me know if you have any of these and what you think!
by Kay | Apr 17, 2013 | Weekly Feature |
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that are being eagerly anticipated.
Inhuman (Fetch #1) by Kat FallsGoodreads – Sci-Fi YA – October 1st 2013 by Scholastic
In a world ravaged by mutation, a teenage girl must travel into the forbidden Savage Zone to recover lost artifacts or her father’s life is forfeit.
America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.
Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.
Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.
Thoughts: I absolutely loved Kat Falls’ Dark Life and was always rather sad that she didn’t get more attention. Seriously, people: it was a pretty great book. I’d been saving the follow-up to Dark Life for a rainy day, as I wasn’t sure when we’d hear from Kat again. Now I get to read it!
Inhuman is giving me lots of Pure (Julianna Baggott) vibes – which I totally love. Also, the idea of mutated human beings was a topic she explored really well in Dark Life, so I am sure she can pull it off again.
Not in love with the cover though!
by Kay | Nov 29, 2011 | List-o-pia, Weekly Feature |
Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish): 10 books on my winter TBR pile. This year, I am going to finish the Debut Author Challenge. Come Hell or high water, I will succeed. That means I need to get 6 more debut books off my TBR shelves before the end of the year! And once I’m done with those I am going to get to those fabulous sequels that somehow I never have time for.
The Debut 2011 Authors:
1. Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton – I’ve heard nothing but brilliant things about Tessa’s work, so I fully expect Blood Magic to live up to the hype it has gotten. So much so that I even bought this book in hardback!
2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand – I’ve read reviews of Unearthly written by people who usually dislike YA PNR, especially the type with angels! So, I am sure I am going to love it.
3. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini – I’ll be honest, I’m not that excited about Starcrossed… am I off my head for being skeptical?
4. Die for Me by Amy Plum – Oh, Paris. I am expecting Phantom of the Opera and fully expect to get it!
5. Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton – Another urban fantasy author breaks into the YA market! I love it when adult authors write for YA audiences, so I expect very good things from Kelly.
6. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs – This book is stunning and yet utterly disturbing. I simply can’t imagine not adoring it.
The YA sequels I have been longing to read:
7. Muse by Rebecca Lim – I adore Rebecca’s Mercy series (read my reviews of Mercy and Exile) and cannot wait to start this. If it weren’t for the Debut Author priorities, I would be all over this book right now!
8. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater – I KNOW. How could I not have read this book?? I really really really adore this series, and I cannot wait to start Forever… no, really!
9. Defiance by Lili St. Crow – It makes me sad and excited to know that this series is complete – can’t wait to see what violence Dru has been up to!
10. Rip Tide by Kat Falls – I absolutely adored Dark Life, which unfortunately didn’t get the praise it deserved. Still, cannot wait to start on the sequel! (Btw, make sure you buy the US version of this book. The UK cover is something awful!)
by Kay | Sep 20, 2011 | News |
Book Notes is a regular feature at Dead Book Darling highlighting bookish news, curiosities and gossip spotted across the blogosphere. May the drama be with you…
De-Gay YA
When I heard the news that a well-respected agency tried to get two authors to “de-gay” their YA novel, I can’t say I was shocked. In fact, what surprised me was that the authors had come out and told their story to the mainstream press. I am sure this kind of thing goes on all the time, we just never hear about it… And just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, the agency came out denying everything. Which is certainly a new crisis management technique! Aja gives you the full scoop (and a very healthy rant) in her article in The Mary Sue. Read it!
New author deals
In other, less terrifying news, there have been some pretty brilliant new deals signed between authors and their publishers. Here are the ones I am particularly excited about:
- Historical Fiction writer Phillipa Gregory has signed with Simon and Schuster to write 4 YA Historical Fiction novels. The first will be published in summer 2012. I’ve never read any of Gregory’s work, but it is exciting to have her in the genre! More on Dark Faerie Tales.
- Dark Life author Kat Falls will be publishing a dystopian romance trilogy with Scholastic. The first book, The Fetch, will be out in autumn 2012. I loved Dark Life, so I am really looking forward to what else Kat comes up with. More on Presenting Lenore.
- One of my favourite authors, Ann Aguirre, will be publishing an all-new science fiction trilogy with Ace. The books have been pitched as “prison break – in space”, so needless to say that I am desperate to read them! They’ll be out in autumn 2013. More on Ann Aguirre’s website.
- Rag & Bones is a new YA anthology, edited by Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt, that will feature a whole bunch of my favourite authors. Among them: Kelley Armstrong! It is being published in 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (World). More on Tez Says.
New Covers
There are always new stunning and not-so-stunning covers coming out. But these are the ones that have really caught my eye:
- Illuminate by Aimee Agresti – I know, another red dress. But the summary for this book is just so intriguing!
- Insurgent by Veronica Roth – I haven’t read Divergent and I really never planned to… but this cover is just so lovely! I am really tempted to pick up the first book in the series now!
- The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellsion – No idea what this is about, but I find the cover gorgeously spooky. It’s Dexter meets butterflies…
- Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – This cover is so spooky! Maybe I am developing a new love for somewhat terrifying things, because I just find this cover amazing.
- If I Die by Rachel Vincent – I have but one word: F-I-E-R-C-E.
UK Signings!
Some big names are coming to the UK. Some seriously, seriously big names! I really hope y’all can make some of these great signings:
- Christopher Paolini will be at Forbidden Planet on Wednesday 28 September! Christopher Paolini will be signing the first three volumes of The Inheritance Cycle at the Forbidden Planet Megastore. The signing is a lead-up to the publication of the final book in the cycle. I tried to read Christopher’s books, but they aren’t for me. Even still, I find the story of his publication extremely inspiring! For more information about this signing, see the Forbidden Planet website.
- Erin Morgenstern, author of the highly anticipated The Night Circus will be discussing her fin-de-siècle fantasia of magic and mischief at Foyles in Bristol, Monday 10 October. I have been dying to read this book – so it’s extremely exciting that the author is coming to the UK! Read more here.
- Peter F. Hamilton will be signing his short story collection Manhattan in Reverse at the Forbidden Planet Megastore on Thursday 6 October. While I haven’t had the chance to read any of Peter’s works yet, he is an absolute rock star in the SF genre!More details on the Forbidden Planet website.
- Christopher Priest, the multiple award-winning fantasy/SF/horror author will be at London Foyles not once, but twice! He’ll be in the Gallery discussing his career and new book, The Islanders, on 29 September. Read more here. And then he’ll be back for the “House of Fear” event along with Sarah Pinborough and Paul Meloy. Read more here.
- Moira Young and Philip Reeve will be doing a joint chat in Guildhall, Bath on Sunday, 25 September. Tickets are £5, but I am sure the event will be unforgettable! More information is available on the Waterstones website.
The waters of the Avon…
And last but not least, Oxford Dictionaires has a great new online test for you all…
How Shakespearean are you? You just stick a bit of your own writing into a box, and they give you a verdict. Apparently my English is 81 percent Shakespearean. “The waters of the Avon almost lap at your feet.”
Give it a go!
by Kay | Jul 31, 2011 | News |
So the last time I did one of these posts was in August… 2010! Where does the time go exactly? Anyhow, this August is packed with some fabulous new releases – some of which I will literally start as soon as I get them out of the mailbox. If you want a few more comprehensive lists of August releases, check out Tor’s Fiction Affliction posts for Paranormal Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Urban Fantasy/PNR releases, Tez Says for a list of August releases, and Literary Escapism’s gigantic list of upcoming release dates.
Two Books by Two Rebels
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab – August 2nd (US)
Possess by Gretchen McNeil – August 23rd (US)
Both of these books are by YA Rebels. I’ve loved their channel since they started up at the beginning of 2010 – especially videos by Gretchen and Victoria. So excited that I will finally be able to get my hands on their books!
Two Books I Won’t be Able to Read
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead – August 23rd (US) August 25th (UK)
I’ll be buying these as soon as they come out – but I won’t be reading them for a while! I still haven’t finished the Vampire Academy series, which I want to start before I get to the sequel series. And then there is the Jax series, which I love too much to read (I am saving them for rainy days).
Two New Series by Two Great Rachels
Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent – August 23rd (US) September 1st (UK)
Working Stiff by Rachel Caine – August 2nd (US) October 31st (UK)
These Rachels are demi-Gods in the Urban Fantasy world, so it is super exciting to be getting some fresh new series from them! (Although I should probably complete their other books first…)
Two Books I Pre-ordered Months Ago!
Rip Tide by Kat Falls – August 1st (US) August 4th (UK)
These books are radically different from each other, but I really really
really can’t wait to read them!
Rip Tide is the sequel to the fabulous
Dark Life, and
Chain Reaction is the last
Perfect Chemistry novel. I expect wonders from both of them!
