Thursday, February 9, 2012

Author Interview & Giveaway - Antony John!



After I gushed to my sister about how much Katelyn (my daughter) and I loved the book FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB by Antony John, she introduced us via email.  That girl knows ALL the best people, I swear!  Antony very graciously agreed to do an author interview as well as a giveaway for a signed ARC for my blog - here's how it works:

1 - for one entry for the signed ARC, simply comment on this interview and tell me your favorite band and how they've moved you. :)

2 - for a second entry for the signed ARC, hop on over to Antony John's facebook and 'LIKE' his page, I'll be keeping track!  Here's the link: 

3 - the contest runs from today through midnight on Friday, February 17, 2012.  The winner will be chosen and announced on Saturday, February 18, 2012.

Now, on to the interview!


You've had a lot of interesting jobs, which one (besides writing) was your favorite? (While my jobs weren't as cool as yours, my favorites were Skate Guard and Fudge Queen - although that sounds a bit dirty!)

I’d have to say that my favorite was teaching undergraduate and graduate music courses—geeky, I know—just because it allowed me to indulge my obsession with music without people pointing at me and making crazy faces.

But I also loved being a chauffeur in Switzerland. Waking up every morning and watching the sunrise over the snowcapped mountains was a sublime experience. I wish everyone had the chance to do it for a few months.

How did you research Piper's character in FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB?  I mean, since she's deaf and you had to learn about the community and the culture. (Katelyn and I are both in ASL classes, so the book was doubly fun for us)

As soon as I decided to write from the point of view of a deaf teen, I knew I needed to do a TON of research. So I started by reading books from the library, watching DVDs, and browsing websites, etc. Then I sat in on an ASL class to get a feel for signing, and interviewed an audiologist about the latest hearing aid and cochlear implant technology. Finally, I befriended two deaf people (one teen, one adult) who kindly chatted about their experiences growing up deaf and also critiqued drafts of the manuscript for me. It was invaluable. I could never have written this book without all the support.

In FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB: the scenes where the kids talk about Jimmy Hendrix and Kurt Cobain brought tears to my eyes.  Who are your favorite musicians? (we're going with the Beatles to start with!)

I’m so glad you enjoyed those scenes. I have to admit that, going into the book, I was kind of skeptical of the whole hero worship thing that surrounds both men. But reading biographies of them really changed my perception of who they were. And visiting their homes brought everything into focus. My appreciation for both Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain grew along with Piper’s.

In terms of what I like . . . yes, the Beatles are right up there, along with The Rolling Stones. But like a lot of people these days, I have pretty eclectic tastes. The last three songs on the mix I’m currently listening to were: “People are strange” by The Doors, “Sk8ter Boi” by Avril Lavigne, and “La jument de Michao” by Nolwenn Leroy. I doubt that many of your readers have all three of those on their iPods.  (I'd love to know if anyone actually does!  Katelyn has the first two, but not the third.)

Tell us about THOU SHALT NOT ROAD TRIP coming out this Spring?  It's not a subject matter I've seen approached much in YA, I'm really looking forward to it!

THOU SHALT NOT ROAD TRIP is the story of a 16-year-old boy who writes a spiritual self-help book that becomes a bestseller. When his publisher sends him on a promotional tour along Route 66, things start to get crazy, especially when a former crush hitches a ride.

The reason I wrote it is because I love road trips, and the idea that a literal journey can also be a metaphorical journey. I also wanted to write something in the same vein as FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB, which balances serious and humorous elements. Finally, Route 66 runs through St. Louis, and I figured it was about time I set a book (partly) in my adopted hometown. (There aren’t enough YA novels set in St. Louis, in my opinion!)

I hear you've been super busy and you also have a series called ELEMENTAL coming out in the Fall of 2012.  Can you tell us about that too?

Yes, I’m crazy excited about ELEMENTAL. It’s my first foray into fantasy, but I feel like I accomplished everything I set out to do, which is really cool because it’s an ambitious project. Anyway, here’s the cover copy, which pretty much sums up what it’s all about:

Sixteen-year-old Thomas has always been an outsider. The first child born without the power of an Element—earth, water, wind or fire—he has little to offer his tiny, remote Outer Banks colony. Or so the Guardians would have him believe.

In the wake of an unforeseen storm, desperate pirates kidnap the Guardians, intent on claiming the island as their own. Caught between the plague-ridden mainland and the advancing pirates, Thomas and his friends fight for survival in the battered remains of a mysterious abandoned settlement. But the secrets they unearth will turn Thomas’ world upside-down, and bring to light not only a treacherous past but also a future more dangerous than he can possibly imagine.

What is your favorite food?

That’d have to be a tie between Thai (no pun intended) and Italian. I cook way more of the latter because it’s easy and quick, but a good Thai meal just rocks my world. Actually, eating in general rocks my world. I eat a lot.

Who is your favorite YA author?  Your favorite other author?

Oh wow, it’s SO hard to pick a favorite. There are literally dozens of YA authors around at the moment whose work I completely adore. I truly believe we’re in a golden age of YA novels, where no matter what genre you prefer (contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, etc), you are spoiled for choice.

That being said, I have a particular obsession with Meg Rosoff’s books. Her debut, HOW I LIVE NOW, just blew me away when I read it, and every book since has confirmed my suspicion that she’s a complete genius.

I’d also like to give a BFF charm to Heather Brewer (whose work you know rather well, I think J), for not only writing scintillating books and being so supportive of other authors, but for using her influence to bring attention to the huge problem of bullying in schools. It’s easy as an author to get caught up in your own head and forget that your audience (teens) faces real issues every day. Heather never forgets, and her minions love her for it.

You've done so much already, what is one thing you'd really love to do?

There are a gazillion things I want to do. I still have several continents to visit, and I need to learn to cook properly, amongst other things. But one thing near the top of the list is . . . *cue drum roll* . . . dunking a basketball. Okay, I know that sounds lame, but I’ve come so close without ever quite making it. Now I think my time may be up.

Failing that, a yearlong round-the-world trip with my family would be rather awesome. Unlikely, but awesome.

Did you ever think that you would be this popular and famous? 

Uh, well, that kind of implies that I’m famous, which I’m definitely not. However, I will admit that I could never have imagined how successful FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB would be. It’s sort of like The Little Engine That Could, because it continues to grow in popularity long after it was released. It truly is a word-of-mouth success story, and you can never anticipate that as an author. You just have to be grateful and hope that readers will follow you as you explore new topics (THOU SHALT NOT ROAD TRIP) and genres (ELEMENTAL).

Does your family still live in the UK?  What do they think of your success?

They do live in the UK, and they love seeing what I’m up to these days. I was blessed with enormously supportive parents who pretty much told me to do what I loved, as long as I worked hard at it. So they took great pride in seeing me pursue a career as a composer, and now they take pride in what I’ve done as an author. It’s also a fantastic talking point at family gatherings!


Thanks for having me along today, Dawn, and a big hello to your readers!


Thanks so much, Antony, for a lovely interview!  Readers - you can find Antony online at Antony John


Monday, February 6, 2012

Books Out This Week February 6 - 12, 2012

DJ Rising by Lovve Maia
Release Date:  February 6, 2012

From Goodreads: 
The first thing I hear is music. The first thing I've always heard is music.

Meet Marley, an unassuming high school junior who breathes in music like oxygen. In between caring for his heroin-addicted mother, and keeping his scholarship at a fancy prep school, he dreams of becoming a professional DJ.
When chance lands Marley his first real DJ job, his career as "DJ Ice" suddenly skyrockets. But when heart-rending disaster at home brings Marley crashing back down to earth, he is torn between obligation and following his dreams.

 The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
Release Date:  February 6, 2012

From Goodreads: 
When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn't do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that's been given to her, she's now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.
It isn't rape. It isn't bullying. It isn't hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don't add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.
As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

 Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer & Peter Lerangis
Release Date:  February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:  Ben has always had it pretty easy--with no acting experience, he landed the lead in his high school musical, and he's dating the prettiest girl in school. Haunted by memories of 9/11, he makes the decision to enlist in the army--with devastating consequences. Somehow nobody ever thought Ben would be one of the soldiers affected, but after his convoy gets caught in an explosion, Ben is in a coma for two months. When he wakes up, he doesn't know where he is, and he doesn't remember anything about his old life. His family and friends mourn what they see as a loss, but Ben perseveres. Although he will never be the person he once was, this is the story of his struggle and transformation.

 The One that I Want by Jennifer Echols
Release Date: February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:  Gemma can't believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma's heartbroken.
Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max's friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can't help thinking that Max likes her back--it's just too bad he's already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend's boyfriend?

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Release Date:  February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.
But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative Aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.
Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.

 Dead to You by Lisa McMann
Release Date:  February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:  Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...



 Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) by Jessica Spotswood
Release Date:  February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:"Blessed with a gift..."cursed" with a secret."
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship - or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood - not even from each other.

 Two Truths and a Lie (The Lying Games #3) by Sara Shepard
Release Date:  February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:  Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin, Emma Paxton, takes over her identity to solve her murder. But after ruling out her early leads, Emma still hasn’t found Sutton’s killer. A lot of people wanted her dead—but one name keeps popping up: Thayer Vega. When the gorgeous and mysterious Thayer returns to town, Emma has to move fast to figure out whether he’s back for revenge…or if he already got it.

 

 Vengeance Born (Light Blade #1) by Kylie Griffin
Release Date:  February 7, 2012

From Goodreads:There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born...
Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na'Reish King, longs for more than her tormented life among her father's people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she's gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy...
With the Na'Reish vastly outnumbering them, Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, knows the future of humankind depends on him alone. Incursions into human territory and raids for blood-slaves by the Na'Reish Horde have increased. As Chosen-leader, he faces the task of stopping the demons-and convincing the Council of aging Light Blade warriors that change is necessary for survival.
When Annika learns Kalan is a prisoner in her father's dungeon, her dream of escape seems within reach. She agrees to free him in exchange for his protection once they reach human territory. Now, marked for death for helping him, Annika must learn to trust Kalan as they face not only the perilous journey to the border but enemies within the Council-and discover a shocking truth that could throw the human race into civil war...

 In Too Deep by Amanda Grace & Mandy Hubbard
Release Date: February 8, 2012

From Goodreads:  I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Wellesley. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That's how rumors of rape started.
Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone's on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger--forcing me to make a terrible choice.

Pure (Pure #1) by Julianna Baggott
Release Date:  February 8, 2012

From Goodreads:We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

  The Wood Queen (Iron Witch #2) by Karen Mahoney
Release Date:  February 8, 2012
From Goodreads:  Donna Underwood is in deep trouble.An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey. The Wood Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get ready for all hell - quite literally - to break loose...
 
 

Friday, February 3, 2012

Do you see what I see?

Demon Trapping 101 with Jana Oliver, 
author of THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER


Thursday, February 2, 2012

Retro Demonology & The Demon Trapper's Daugher by Jana Oliver

 Retro Demonology by Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date:  December 17, 2010
ebook

This is a cute little prequel to THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER.  In it you meet Riley who is an apprentice Demon Trapper.  Her dad is a Master and he has sent her out on a job alone. 

This is an alternate world of course, demons have gotten access to Earth and roam free causing anything from small chaos to death.  Riley is only allowed to go on Class One assignments right now.  Some people can't understand or even stand the thought that the world has gone in a different direction and they have chosen an era to live in.  The couple Riley goes to help have chosen the 70's.  The result is hilarious!  This quick little story made me want to read the series.

 Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date:  February 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0312614782
Pages:  368

Set in 2018 in Atlanta, GA, the world is overrun by demons and Riley lives in a hot-zone.  Her dad, Paul, is a famous Master Demon Trapper and Riley is determined to be one too. 

I did want a little more back story than what I got between this one and the short story I read first.  For instance: How did the world end up being overrun by demons?  How did Paul get into the business? Maybe all of those questions will be answered as we move into the series.

Riley is seventeen, goes to school, apprentices at demon trapping, is a bit harsh at times, but comes off as realistic.  I like her! 

Beck, her dad's partner, is a little older than Riley, comes off as pretty smart about what he does but is reckless about it too, he's protective of Riley and seems more complex than he puts out there.

The demons are classifieds from Ones, which are pretty harmless to Fives, which are killers.  The ones are things like Biblio's, they like to destroy books and then there are the ones like ravens, they collect shiny things - they're basically harmless and kind of cute.

Harper is the Master trainer that Riley ends up getting assigned to.  He's mean, drunk, arrogant and doesn't hesitate to slap his trainees.  Yet, there's something there that makes me think we're going to learn more about him and he's going to come out as a better person.

I really like this series so far, it's a bit gritty and realistic and the characters are complex.                                                

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Dream Dark and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl


Dream Dark (Caster Chronicles #2.5)                     Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)
Publisher: Little, Brown Books                               Publisher:  Little, Brown Books
ebook                                                                         ISBN: 978-0316123525
Date: August 2, 2011                                               Date: October 18, 2011
                                                                                  Pages: 528

Dream Dark

When Link followed Ethan to help him rescue Lena, he never dreamed what could happen to him.  In a fight with John Breed, the Incubus, Link was bitten.  He then became some sort of hybrid Incubus.  Or as he likes to call himself "The Linkubus".

While Link is now grossed out by his mom's cooking, having to endure testing for steroids and getting a lecture on the birds & bees...it does have an upside...Link is finally a chick magnet!  With the help an an ex-Incubus, Link is learning how to handle it all and maybe even figure out how to keep Ridley. I mean, we all know Ridley loves him no matter what - she's just a spoiled brat.

This is an awesome little story to bridge the gap and tide us all over!


Beautiful Dark

Lena claimed herself and Ethan's having nightmares again.  The Caster's can't use their magic correctly, the heat is unbearable (even for the South!), and there's swarms of locusts.

The characters, as always, go out of their way to charm readers.  Ethan Wate is a Southern boy through-and-through.  It was interesting to see Ethan's thoughts on his friendship with Liv and how John Breed fits into all of it.  He's definitely a match for Lena, who has matured nicely into a steady young woman. Ridley is her usual bad-tempered self, but you can see glimpses of the girl she could be.  Link - funny, goofy Link!

I did not expect the ending.  Seeing Amma break down was terrible, she's been such a stanchion of the stories.  I think that made me cry more than anything else that happened.  Yes, the Caster Chronicles always make me cry...I love them for that!

I can't wait for the next installment!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Ganymede by Cherie Priest

Ganymede by Cherie Priest
Publisher:  Tor Books
Release Daet:  September 27, 2011
ISBN:  978-0765329462
Pages:  352


The gist of the story is that there's a submarine that the confederate supporters need to get out of New Orleans - this is an alternate universe story.  Josephine, owner of a bordello, recruits an old flame to pilot it out.  There's Texans, Voodoo Queens, Zombies and Pirates. 

With all that going on, why did I get so bored?  It wasn't the writing, Ms. Priest is descriptive and her writing flows easily.  It was mostly the characters.

I couldn't bring myself to care about Josephine.  I wanted to, she's a strong single woman running a bordello in New Orleans, dealing with all the mean Texans and helping the Confederates - what's not to like?  But Josephine just came across as a cold fish.  If Josephine and her old flame, Andan Cly, had such a big love affair, why isn't there more tension between them?  I mean, we actually hear more about their relationship through Cly's thoughts than through Josephine.

There's also very little conflict between the characters - the mainly African-American rebels didn't bat an eye when Josephine brought a mainly White group into their hideout.  Seriously?  Then, when one character turns out to be transsexual, it is presented in a awkward way and then just put aside as if to say 'Oh. I see. Well, carry on.'  I was confused as to why the character had to be outed at all.  I mean, did GANYMEDE need some LGBT-ness?  What was up with that?  It made no sense to the story.

The Voodoo Queen seemed as if she were simply a delivery tool.  There was no way to get from A to B, so she was tucked in to be a bridge.

Overall, the storyline was good, the writing is fabulous, but the characters left much to be desired.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Books Out This Week: January 30 - February 5, 2012

Home Front by Kristin Hannah
Release Date:  January 31, 2012

From Goodreads: 
All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .
Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, careers, bills, chores---even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own---for everything that matters to his family.

 Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delaney
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads:  The sensational fourth novel in the 13 to Life series sees Jessica and the Rusakuvas fighting to overcome one of their biggest challenges yet--the possibility of a cure for lycanthropy.   With the threat of the mafia seemingly gone and the company's headquarters in Junction destroyed, Pietr Rusakova is adjusting to being a normal teen and Jess is realizing normalcy may not be what she wanted after all. But both Jess and Cat know the truth--that normal can't be taken for granted. Their precious cure isn't permanent--and when a new danger stalks into their small town, Alexi decides he must overcome his issues with the mother who abandoned him to be raised by wolves and make a brand new deal to save his adopted family.

 The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestley
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads:  Michael Vyner recalls a terrible story, one that happened to him. One that would be unbelievable if it weren't true! Michael's parents are dead and he imagines that he will stay with the kindly lawyer, executor of his parents' will ...Until he is invited to spend Christmas with his guardian in a large and desolate country house. His arrival on the first night suggests something is not quite right when he sees a woman out in the frozen mists, standing alone in the marshes. But little can prepare him for the solitude of the house itself as he is kept from his guardian and finds himself spending the Christmas holiday wandering the silent corridors of the house seeking distraction. But lonely doesn't mean alone, as Michael soon realises that the house and its grounds harbour many secrets, dead and alive, and Michael is set the task of unravelling some of the darkest secrets of all.

 New Girl by Paige Harbison
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads:  They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

 Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads: 
NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

 Tangled (Torn #2) by Erica O'Rourke
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads:  Constance started to keen as the air around us began to thrash and twist, the caustic scent of ozone burning my nose. As I watched, her dark gold hair began to lift and kink into knots.

“I’m here. It’ll be okay.” It was the last thing I said before my best friend’s little sister went supernova in the second-floor girls’ bathroom, taking me with her.

A month ago, Mo Fitzgerald risked her life to stop an ancient prophecy and avenge her best friend's murder. Now, she only wants to keep her loved ones safe. But the magic—and the Chicago Mob—have other plans.

Mysterious, green-eyed Luc is back, asking for help—and a second chance. Colin, her strongest protector, is hiding a shocking secret. And inside Constance, the magic is about to go terribly wrong. Tangled in a web of love and betrayal, Mo must choose between the life she's dreamed of and the one she's destined for.

 Sadie Walker is Stranded: The Dead are Closing in by Madeleine Roux
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads:  MONTHS AGO THE WORLD ENDED…

…when an unknown virus spread throughout North America and then the world, killing millions of people. However, that is where the horror only started. The dead began to rise and when they rose they had an insatiable appetite for the living. A new hell had been unleashed on earth and the fight for survival had just begun.

Sadie Walker is one of the survivors in this new world. Living in north Seattle behind barrier that keep the living in and the dead out, she trying to get back to a normal life, while raising her eight-year-old nephew, if anyone even knows what “normal” is anymore. Then everything goes sideways when Shane is kidnapped by a group of black market thieves and they bring down a crucial barrier in the city while trying to escape, and flood the city with the walking dead. After rescuing her nephew, Sadie and Shane escape Seattle on the last remaining boat, along with other survivors. However, now they must face the complete chaos of a world filled with flesh eating zombies and humans who are playing with a whole new rule book when it comes to survival in their journey to find a new place that they can call home.

 Lenobia's Vow (House of Night Novellas #2) by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Release Date: January 31, 2012


From Goodreads:  The second of the House of Night Novellas brings us Lenobia, the strong, beautiful horseback riding instructor, who guides Zoey through some of her darkest hours, and has a dark secret buried in her own past...
In a small southern town at the turn of the century, young Lenobia is developing into a beautiful young woman with ideas of her own. But when she is Marked as a fledgling vampyre, her world turns upside down, and she is drawn to the musical streets of New Orleans. There, she learns of the city’s dark underbelly, ruled by powerful black magic. As Lenobia experiences her first love – and loss – and discovers a passion for horses to sustain her, she must come face-to-face with Darkness itself. And she may not escape without scars.

 Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmonds
Release Date:  January 31, 2012


From Goodreads: 
New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

 Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton
Release Date: January 31, 2012

From Goodreads: 
Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

 The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark
Release Date:  January 31, 2012

From Goodreads:  A few “sexy” bullet points about Jay: • He is in love with a cheerleader named Cameo “Appearance” Parnell • He is forever losing “Love-15” to tennis-playing goddess Caroline Richardson • He rocks a touché array of pop-culture references, jokes, and puns • His family-life cookie is about to crumble. Live vicariously through Jay as he faces off against his mortal enemy, gets awkward around his dream girl(s), loses his marbles in a Bermudian love triangle, watches his parents’ relationship implode, and, finally, learns to get real and be himself(ish).

 The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin
Release Date:  February 1, 2012

From Goodreads:  CUT meets HATCHET in this lacerating debut about girls, knives, and redemption.The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area stretches across two million acres in northern Idaho. In its heart sits the Alice Marshall School, where fifty teenage girls come to escape their histories and themselves.Lida Wallace has tried to negate herself in every way possible. At Alice Marshall, she meets Elsa Boone, a fierce native Idahoan; Jules, who seems too healthy to belong at the school; and Gia Longchamps, whose glamour entrances the entire camp. As the girls prepare for a wilderness trek, Lida is both thrilled and terrified to be chosen as Gia's friend. But everyone has their secrets--their "Things" they try to protect; and when those come out, the knives do as well.

 Angelina's Secret by Lisa J. Rogers
Release Date:  February 1, 2012

From Goodreads:  As a child, Angelina spent years in counseling learning that Josie, her imaginary friend, wasn't real, but it turns out her childhood friend wasn't imaginary after all.

Now Angelina has to accept she's either (A) crazy or (B) able to see ghosts. Wanting to believe in her sanity, she chooses (B) and welcomes Josie back into her life. But even Josie can't help her deal with Shelly, the spirit of a confused teenager, and things go very, very wrong.  When Angelina finds herself in a psychiatric hospital, she faces a choice: she can spend the rest of her life pretending to be someone she isn't, or she can embrace who she is and take a chance that she may never get to go home.

 Susanna Loves London by Mary Hogan
Release Date:  February 1, 2012

From Goodreads:  After covering New York's Fashion Week, Susanna says goodbye to hometown NYC and hello, London in attempt to makenot Francesca, her snooty arch-nemesis, not her crush on the boy in the local deli, and definitely not the fact that the bright lights of the city seem very far away from the small Kent village where she's staying. Hilarious, heart-warming, and totally fabulous, Susanna is in London and loving it!


 The Other Life by Susanna Winnacker
Release Date:  February 1, 2012

From Goodreads:  3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world

Sherry has lived with her family in a sealed bunker since things went wrong up above. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find a world of devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage, mutant killers.

When Sherry's dad is snatched, she joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers.

But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all?

 Hollow Pike by James Dawson
Release Date:  February 2, 2012

From Goodreads:  Something wicked this way comes... She thought she'd be safe in the country, but you can't escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she's being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn't believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn't believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you're alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps.


 Harbinger by Sara Etienne
Release Date:  February 2, 2012

From Goodreads:  When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.
But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.
Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

 Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson
Release Date:  February 2, 2012


From Goodreads:  Laurel Daneau has moved on to a new life, in a new town, but inside she’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved mother and grandmother after Hurricane Katrina washed away their home. Laurel’s new life is going well, with a new best friend, a place on the cheerleading squad and T-Boom, co-captain of the basketball team, for a boyfriend. Yet Laurel is haunted by voices and memories from her past.
When T-Boom introduces Laurel to meth, she immediately falls under its spell, loving the way it erases, even if only briefly, her past. But as she becomes alienated from her friends and family, she becomes a shell of her former self, and longs to be whole again. With help from an artist named Moses and her friend Kaylee, she’s able to begin to rewrite her story and start to move on from her addiction.

 This One Time with Julia by David Lampson
Release Date:  February 2, 2012

From Goodreads:  After Joe’s parents died, he stopped growing up. He doesn’t know where his money comes from. His diet consists primarily of cheeseburgers from McDonald’s. He plays basketball on the level of
a pro, but he has only ever played on the streets.
Then his brother disappears, and Julia shows up. Joe falls in love with Julia as quickly as his twin brother, Alvin, did. And like Alvin did before him, he runs away with Julia to her parents’ hotel. There, he’s so blinded by her seductive, dysfunctional family that he can’t see the truth of his brother’s disappearance
… until he accidentally stumbles upon Alvin’s killer.

 Advent by James Treadwell
Release Date:  February 2, 2012

From Goodreads: 
For centuries it has been locked away Lost beneath the sea Warded from earth, air, water, fire, spirits, thought and sight. But now magic is rising to the world once more. And a boy called Gavin, who thinks only that he is a city kid with parents who hate him, and knows only that he sees things no one else will believe, is boarding a train, alone, to Cornwall. When he arrives, there is no one there to meet him.