Frozen: Review

Synopsis:

The Heists were only the beginning.

Gray Weathersby escaped from the primitive town of Claysoot expecting to find answers, but what he discovered shook him to the core: A ruthless dictator with absolute power. An army of young soldiers blinded by lies. And a growing rebellion determined to fight back.

Now Gray has joined a team of rebels on a harsh, icy journey in search of allies who can help them set things right. But in a world built on lies, Gray must constantly question whether any ally—or enemy—is truly what they seem…

***

Taken is straightforward. Saving, joining the rebellion, finding answers, fighting. Frozen is more complicated than that. Suspense is high in the air. The group doesn't know whether their enemies are actually their enemies, or their allies really their allies. After they discovered the Forged soldiers Frank made in Taken, the group is taken aback by shock multiple times because of betrayal. As much as the whole thing irritates me because the rebellion group is damaged, I'm impressed by how well Erin Bowman hide all those Forged soldiers. But then again, Gray is quite a bighead when it comes to observing other people, and it's no wonder that he doesn't discover those people in a short time.

Speaking of Gray, we have to talk about the characters. The relationship between them is more messed-up then in Taken. It's so freaking annoying because I'm tired of them fighting each other out of reasons that I can't even begin to imagine. I don't hate fighting, personally. But the arguments in Frozen makes my head hurt and exhausted. Their personality is also a big problem. It is not significant in Taken but now it's as bright as a beacon. They're so cranky and stiff that I just can't help but groan. I hate to say it, because the plot is so much better, but the characters are a big letdown.

And actually, now I remember to mention one flaw in the plot. Despite those betrayals, the mission to find people in AmWest is actually very easy. Almost too easy. I'm not sure whether this is a set-up for later events in the third book, but it makes me agape, like how the heck can this be so easy? I wish this is not all of the story, because I'm sure I will not be impressed.

Generally, Frozen is a better story than Taken. But I guess character improvement is needed. Imminently. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Stolen: Review

Synopsis:

Before Gray Weathersby uncovered the truth about Claysoot and the Laicos Project, a girl named Bree came of age in the coastal settlement of Saltwater—and made her own surprising journey to the world beyond its borders. In Stolen, discover the story of Bree’s life before she was Snatched from her home, before she joined the rebellion, and before she met a boy named Gray…

***

It's probably one of those books where I read it and I feel nothing about it. I was originally pretty interested in Bree's story, because in Taken she's pretty tough and she seems like she's gone over some hard stuff. But... Stolen kind of crashes my hope for a nice story. There's just nothing unimaginable about Bree's story. Sure, there's a guy she hurts over for, because of the same stuff that Gray and the others has to go over, but it's just... it's just nothing dynamic or like that. While I kind of feel bad for Bree, I feel nothing otherwise. I guess the novella doesn't do it for me.

Rating: 5/10

Cover Reveal: Stolen by Erin Bowman

Although Taken might not be my favorite novel, I'm quite interested in Bree's past. So here it is, a novella set before the events in Taken, centering Bree.

Synopsis:

Before Gray Weathersby uncovered the truth about Claysoot and the Laicos Project, a girl named Bree came of age in the coastal settlement of Saltwater—and made her own surprising journey to the world beyond its borders. In Stolen, discover the story of Bree’s life before she was Snatched from her home, before she joined the rebellion, and before she met a boy named Gray…

***

Expected Publication: February 4, 2014

Cover Reveal: Frozen by Erin Bowman

Yep, the cover is here. I plan on reading the whole series even though this is not one of my favorite dystopian series.

Here's the cover:

Synopsis:

The Heists were only the beginning.

Gray Weathersby escaped from the primitive town of Claysoot expecting to find answers, but what he discovered shook him to the core: A ruthless dictator with absolute power. An army of young soldiers blinded by lies. And a growing rebellion determined to fight back.

Now Gray has joined a team of rebels on a harsh, icy journey in search of allies who can help them set things right. But in a world built on lies, Gray must constantly question whether any ally—or enemy—is truly what they seem…

***

Well, um, the cover is real nice just like the first one. I wonder if the book is as nice as the cover...

Frozen will be released on April 15, 2014 

Name, Cover Reveal

Names and covers. Always and forever my favorite. And we have a bunch of awesome things here:

1. Cover Reveal: The Runaway Queen (The Bane Chronicles Part 2) by Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson

Now I know what Cassie means by "The Bane Chronicles' cover will be a combination of a little bit of each cover"! And really gorgeous hand... for a warlock XD

 Synopsis:

Magnus Bane has a royal role in the French Revolution—if the angry mobs don’t spoil his spells. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

While in France, immortal warlock Magnus Bane finds himself attempting to rescue the royal family from the horrors of the French Revolution—after being roped into this mess by a most attractive count. Naturally, the daring escape calls for invisible air balloons…

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, The Runaway Queen, is written by Maureen Johnson and Cassandra Clare.

The Runaway Queen will be released on May 21, 2013

***

2. Name Reveal: Taken #2 by Erin Bowman

Actually I just see the name by accident. But then, it's a nice name. Although I wonder what that means... here's it:

Frozen

Interesting...
 
Frozen will be released in 2014 (no more accurate information about the release day, sorry)

***

3. Name Reveal: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3 by Laini Taylor

The popular sequel of Days of Blood and Starlight finally has a name. Truth to be told, I'm quite pissed when I found out this book isn't released until April 2014. But finally the name is here and... aww, it is a beautiful name:

Dreams of Gods and Monsters

See that? This is surely one of my favorite book names in this year! Does that mean angels and demons can co-exist without constantly irking each other? Because that will be the best news for not just Karou and Akiva, but also us!

And just for a tease, here's the not-so-much-of-a-cover cover with the book's name on it:

I have a feeling this will be a gorgeous cover! I wonder who will be behind the words (probably Karou) and how he/she will dress...

***

The nicest part of hell breaks loose today...

Taken: Review

Synopsis:

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

***

I thoroughly enjoy this book, despite all the reviews that say bad things about the book. I won't say I literally fall in love with this dystopian book unlike some others. There are flaws. Some are major ones to be exact. But generally it is an entertaining book and I think you guys should give it a chance even after you read those reviews.

Why I decided to read this book:  

Simple. The Heist is what caught my eye at the first place. I mean, the whole Heist thing sounds like some mythical phenomenon when this book is supposed to be a dystopian novel. There are truckloads of secrets behind the Heist, and they are no fantasy stuff there. They sound fascinating and that's why I think I should read this book.

The plot:

To my surprise, the plot of this book stretches out really far. Not the too-far-to-be-from-this-book kind of far. But fast paced. I suppose it's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Yes, I love the fast-paced plot and the excitement that brought along. But I feel like there's something off about the plot. It's just too simple despite the twists. And there's one major flaw. I don't know if you think as I do, but I think it's too predictable for me. Much to my relief, the storyline of the book is based on the adventure of Gray and nothing is too dramatic for me to handle.

The characters:

Gray is a generally lively character. I give him that credit. He's reckless, headstrong, and all the personalities that a main character of a dystopian world should have. But sometimes I think he's just too reckless that it gets a little annoying. And sometimes he gets really flat and emotionless about things. That's a tad bit confusing, and that's not exactly good for the plot.

My favorite character is probably Bree. Like Gray, she's a really lively character, unlike all the other ones. Which, to my disappointment, are flat. She's really brave. I'm sad that there's not much about Bree in this book. I want to know more about her. She's an interesting character.

***

I probably will read the second book because I can't wait for the plot twists and how the story will go.

Rating: 7.5/10

Gonna Read: April

April, besides March, is the craziest month of the year 'cuz I've got tons of books to read in April / in order to prepare to read books in April.

1. Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself. 

Expected Publication: April 9th, 2013 (Although I really hope they will release it early :D)

***

2. Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5) by C.C. Hunter

Kylie Galen's life hasn't been the same since her world was turned upside-down in Born at Midnight, Shadow Falls #1, and now an epic conclusion to her journey—not to mention a tough choice between two guys!—is brewing in Chosen at Nightfall:

When Kylie Galen left Shadow Falls, she thought it was the hardest decision of her life. Heartbroken and separated from everyone she loves, she has to embrace her abilities and what it means to be a chameleon. But as Kylie's journey comes to a close, she must return to the camp that started it all...and she must finally chose between the two boys who love her. The werewolf who broke her heart when he chose his pack over her, and the half-fae who ran from their intense attraction before they ever really had a chance. For Kylie, everything will finally be revealed and nothing will ever be the same.

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013 

(Actually, I haven't even read Born at Midnight yet. But of course I'm planning to read it sometime in the future)

***

3. Darkness, Kindled (Fire Spirits #4) by Samantha Young

Ari Johnson wishes adjusting to living with her boyfriend was her only source of excitement and anxiety.
She wishes a lot of things.
But then wishing was what got her here in the first place.

Ari chose to be a Guild Hunter. She wanted to stalk dangerous Jinn and destroy them before they could harm innocent people. But now that Ari is a member of The Guild, she finds herself in the impossible position of hunting her ex-best friend – human-turned-dangerous sorcerer, Charlie Creagh. As Ari struggles to come to terms with her duty, an ancient Jinn and his companion want revenge on her for using the command of the Seal against them; the White King refuses to give up on his quest to resurrect Lilif, and Asmodeus isn’t done toying with her.

When Ari can take no more, rushing to the Sultan Azazil’s side to demand of him the favor he owes her, the events she sets in motion will not only alter everyone’s lives, it will kindle a darkness that will shake the realms to their very core.

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013

(I have I hopes on Smokeless Fire, but I haven't got time. Actually I need to prepare for my exams... AGAIN)

***

4. Taken (Taken #1) by Erin Bowman

 
There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Expected Publication: April 16th, 2013

(I have a feeling I will be reading this before I even read Born at Midnight and Smokeless Fire)

***

5. What Really Happened in Peru (The Bane Chronicles Part 1) by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan 

 
Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices know that Magnus Bane is banned from Peru—and now they can find out why. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

There are good reasons Peru is off-limits to Magnus Bane. Follow Magnus’s Peruvian escapades as he drags his fellow warlocks Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss into trouble, learns several instruments (which he plays shockingly), dances (which he does shockingly), and disgraces his host nation by doing something unspeakable to the Nazca Lines.

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, What Really Happened in Peru, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Expected Publication: April 16th, 2013 (Aww I'm so gonna read this once it's released)

***

6. Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy #2) by Wendy Higgins

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Expected Publication: April 30th, 2013 

(Again, I haven't even read Sweet Evil yet, but I think I will read it soon enough)

***

7. Oath Bound (Unbound #3) by Rachel Vincent

  The Tower Syndicate will fall...

The secret daughter of the head of an infamous Skilled crime family, Sera Brandt has hidden her past, her potential and especially her powers. But when a tragedy strikes her other family, Sera needs justice. And the only way to get it is to reveal her heritage–including a rare Skill–and take the reins of the Tower Syndicate from her cunning and malicious aunt.

If he can figure out how...

Kristopher Daniels might have the answer. He's fought the syndicate to protect his sisters, but he'd never realized just how close to the new heir he needed to get....

And if they can survive

Neither is used to trusting. But there's something between them that can't be ignored. And so Sera is on the run with a man she can't figure out, a target on her back and the new knowledge of just how powerful she really is....

Expected Publication: April 30th, 2013 

(I just read Blood Bound and I haven't got time to read Shadow Bound yet...)

***

8. Unbreakable (Unraveling #2) by Elizabeth Norris

 Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013 (I have really high hopes on this one :D)

***

9. The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass 

 The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013

(I'm also planning to read The Selection, although I have a feeling that it will be super weird. Not the bad kind, obviously, since The Selection has a high rating)

 

Gonna Read: March and April

Time for some craziness as we approach March and April!

March:

1. Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis:

Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

Expected Publication: March 19th, 2013

***

2. With All My Soul (Soul Screamers #7) by Rachel Vincent)

Synopsis:

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America? It's time to kick some hellion butt...

After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.

But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has....

Expected Publication: March 19th, 2013
 
***

3. Undone (Unraveling #1.5) by Elizabeth Norris

Synopsis:

Before the accident. Before their universes collided. Before they fell in love.

Riveting and romantic, Undone: An Unraveling Novella contains three short stories set in the world of Unraveling, the first book in the gripping sci-fi duology by Elizabeth Norris.

Before Ben Michaels saved Janelle Tenner’s life, Janelle saved Ben when he stumbled through an interuniverse portal into a completely new world. That day, he fell in love with the girl of his dreams. And he never forgot her.

Through three stories told from Ben’s point of view, learn how Ben and his friends discovered their ability to travel between worlds, how Ben first met Janelle, and how he pined for her for years before he actually got the chance to meet her, save her life, and capture her heart. And find out what happens to Ben between the cliff-hanger conclusion to Unraveling and the beginning of its heart-stopping sequel, Unbreakable.

Expected Publication: March 5th, 2013

***

4. Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis:

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Expected Publication: March 5th, 2013 
 
(See my review of Requiem here: http://smoking-hot-books.blogspot.com/2013/02/requiem-arc-review.html)

***

5. Raven (Delirium #2.5) by Lauren Oliver

Synopsis:

This captivating 50-page digital-original story set in the world of Lauren Oliver’s New York Times bestselling Delirium series focuses on Raven, the fiery leader of a rebel group in the Wilds.

As a teenager, Raven made the split-second decision to flee across the border to the Wilds, compelled to save an abandoned newborn—a baby girl left for dead and already blue from the cold. When she and the baby are taken in by a band of rebels, Raven finds herself an outsider within a tight-knit group. The only other newcomer is an untrustworthy boy known as the Thief until he finally earns himself a new name: Tack.

Now she and Tack are inseparable, committed to each other, the fledgling rebellion, and a future together. But as they both take center stage in the fight, Raven must decide whether the dangers of the revolution are worth risking her dreams of a peaceful life with Tack.

As her story hurtles back and forth between past and present, Raven transforms from a scared girl newly arrived in the Wilds to the tough leader who helps Lena save former Deliria-Free poster boy Julian Fineman from a death sentence. Whatever the original mission may have been, Raven abides by a conviction that she believes to her core: You always return for the people you love.

By turns surprising, revelatory, and poignant, Raven’s story enriches the Delirium world and resonates with a voice that is as vulnerable as it is strong.

Expected Publication: March 5th, 2013

***

6. Wait For You by J. Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Synopsis:

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Expected Publication: March 4th, 2013

_________________________

April:

1. Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Synopsis:

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

Expected Publication: April 9th, 2013  

***

2. Darkness, Kindled (Fire Spirits #4) by Samantha Young

Synopsis:

Ari Johnson wishes adjusting to living with her boyfriend was her only source of excitement and anxiety.
She wishes a lot of things.
But then wishing was what got her here in the first place.

Ari chose to be a Guild Hunter. She wanted to stalk dangerous Jinn and destroy them before they could harm innocent people. But now that Ari is a member of The Guild, she finds herself in the impossible position of hunting her ex-best friend – human-turned-dangerous sorcerer, Charlie Creagh. As Ari struggles to come to terms with her duty, an ancient Jinn and his companion want revenge on her for using the command of the Seal against them; the White King refuses to give up on his quest to resurrect Lilif, and Asmodeus isn’t done toying with her.

When Ari can take no more, rushing to the Sultan Azazil’s side to demand of him the favor he owes her, the events she sets in motion will not only alter everyone’s lives, it will kindle a darkness that will shake the realms to their very core.

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013

***

3. Die For Her (Revenants #2.5) by Amy Plum

Synopsis:

Set in the romantic and death-defying world of the international bestselling Die for Me trilogy, this digital original novella follows Jules, a brooding, immortal French artist who has fallen in love with his best friend’s girlfriend.

Jules Marchenoir is a revenant-an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save human lives. He’s spent the better part of the last century flirting his way through Paris, but when he met Kate Mercier, the heroine from Amy Plum’s Die for Me trilogy, he knew his afterlife had changed forever and he had found the love of his life. Until Kate fell for his best friend, Vincent. Now Jules is faced with an impossible decision: choosing between his loyal friend and a love truly worth dying for.

Expected Publication: April 2nd, 2013 
 
***

4. The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:

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.

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013

*** 

5. Taken (Taken #1) by Erin Bowman

Synopsis:

There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends…and he’s gone.

They call it the Heist.

Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.

Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?

Expected Publication: April 16th, 2013

*** 

6. Unbreakable (Unraveling #2) by Elizabeth Norris

Synopsis:

Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she’ll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but life is finally starting to resume some kind of normalcy. Until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human trafficking ring, kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths—and Ben is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn’t turn himself over within five days.

And when Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger. Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they’re lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she’s in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013

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7. Oath Bound (Unbound #3) by Rachel Vincent

 Synopsis:

The Tower Syndicate will fall...

The secret daughter of the head of an infamous Skilled crime family, Sera Brandt has hidden her past, her potential and especially her powers. But when a tragedy strikes her other family, Sera needs justice. And the only way to get it is to reveal her heritage–including a rare Skill–and take the reins of the Tower Syndicate from her cunning and malicious aunt.

If he can figure out how...

Kristopher Daniels might have the answer. He's fought the syndicate to protect his sisters, but he'd never realized just how close to the new heir he needed to get....

And if they can survive

Neither is used to trusting. But there's something between them that can't be ignored. And so Sera is on the run with a man she can't figure out, a target on her back and the new knowledge of just how powerful she really is....

Expected Publication: April 30th, 2013

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8. Sweet Peril (The Sweet Trilogy) by Wendy Higgins

Synopsis:

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Expected Publication: April 30th, 2013

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9. What Really Happened In Peru (The Bane Chronicles #1 Part 1) by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis:

Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices know that Magnus Bane is banned from Peru—and now they can find out why. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

There are good reasons Peru is off-limits to Magnus Bane. Follow Magnus’s Peruvian escapades as he drags his fellow warlocks Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss into trouble, learns several instruments (which he plays shockingly), dances (which he does shockingly), and disgraces his host nation by doing something unspeakable to the Nazca Lines.

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, What Really Happened in Peru, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Expected Publication: April 16th, 2013

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10. The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

Synopsis:

In America Singer’s world, a bride is chosen for the prince through an elaborate televised competition. In the second book of the Selection series, America is one of only six girls left in the running. But is it Prince Maxon—and life as the queen—she wants? Or is it Aspen, her first love?

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013 
 
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11. Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)

Synopsis:

Kylie Galen's life hasn't been the same since her world was turned upside-down in Born at Midnight, Shadow Falls #1, and now an epic conclusion to her journey—not to mention a tough choice between two guys!—is brewing in Chosen at Nightfall:

When Kylie Galen left Shadow Falls, she thought it was the hardest decision of her life. Heartbroken and separated from everyone she loves, she has to embrace her abilities and what it means to be a chameleon. But as Kylie's journey comes to a close, she must return to the camp that started it all...and she must finally chose between the two boys who love her. The werewolf who broke her heart when he chose his pack over her, and the half-fae who ran from their intense attraction before they ever really had a chance. For Kylie, everything will finally be revealed and nothing will ever be the same.

Expected Publication: April 23rd, 2013