What's new next week?

Once
by Anna Carey
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: When you're being hunted, who can you trust?

For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.

But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.

Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past—and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together—but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

In this breathless sequel to Eve, Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

Just for Fins
by Tera Lynn Childs
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mer kingdom of Thalassinia, she knew she couldn't just coast along in the current. But since she's spent the last couple of years on land, Lily's not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, who tells her his kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem. They'll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Lily has to lead the way, even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms.

Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can't get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and her human boyfriend, Quince, after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave!

In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people and for the humans she loves.

Team Human
by Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally. They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might regret for all eternity!

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious and touching.

Acclaimed authors Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan team up to create a witty and poignant story of cool vampires, warm friendships, and the changes that test the bonds of love.

Dark Companion
by Marta Acosta
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.

They are.

The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….

Dark Destiny
by M. J. Putney
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: Tory and her friends are celebrating the success of a second mission to aid WWII Britain when an urgent summons calls them back to their own time: Napoleon is on the brink of invading England. Can a handful of young mages stop an army? In desperation, Merlin’s Irregulars ask Rebecca Weiss, an untrained telepath from 1940, to come back to 1804 and change Napoleon’s mind before it’s too late. As Tory and Allarde make a commitment that will cost him his inheritance, Rebecca promises to do what she can to stop Napoleon even though she is unsure of her magical abilities. But Tory and her friends saved the Weiss family from Nazi imprisonment, and Rebecca will risk anything, even her life and her budding relationship with Nick Rainford, to repay them. A daring mission takes Tory and Rebecca and their friends into the heart of the Army of Boulogne, where Napoleon is plotting invasion. But while their success may save England, they must still face the bittersweet consequences of their decisions when they return home.

Tin Swift
by Devon Monk
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: IN STEAM AGE AMERICA, MEN, MONSTERS, MACHINES, AND MAGIC BATTLE TO CLAIM THE SAME SCRAP OF EARTH AND SKY. IN THIS CHAOS, ONE MAN FIGHTS TO HOLD ON TO HIS HUMANITY—AND HIS HONOR…

Life on the frontier is full of deceit and danger, but bounty hunter Cedar Hunt is a man whose word is his bond. Cursed with becoming a beast every full moon, Cedar once believed his destiny was to be alone. But now, Cedar finds himself saddled with a group of refugees, including the brother he once thought lost.

Keeping his companions alive is proving to be no easy task, in part because of the promise he made to the unpredictable Madder brothers—three miners who know the secret mechanisms of the Strange. To fulfill his pledge, Cedar must hunt a powerful weapon known as the Holder—a search that takes him deep into the savage underbelly of the young country and high into the killing glim-field skies defended by desperate men and deadly ships.

But the battles he faces are just a glimmer of a growing war stirring the country. To keep his word Cedar must navigate betrayal, lies, and treacherous alliances, risking everything to save the lives of those he has come to hold dear…

Night Seeker
by Yasmine Galenorn
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the dark Fae to harness their magic, only to create a demonic enemy more powerful than they could have imagined. Now, the Vampiric Fae are on the move, hunting anyone in their path. As the war with the vampires ratchets up, Myst, Queen of the Indigo Court, enshrouds New Forest in her chilling grasp.

Cicely Waters, owl shifter and Wind Witch, has rescued the Fae Prince Grieve at a great cost. Their reunion has lost them the allegiance of the Summer Queen--and the tolerance of the vampires. In desperation they turn to the Consortium for help. Now, to regain the good will of Lainule, they must dare to enter the heart of Myst's realm. But as Cicely and Grieve embark on their search for the heartstone of Summer, Winter is already wreaking her terrifying revenge.

Grave Memory
by Kalayna Price
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.
But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a string of suicides occur in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shades have no memory of the days leading up to their brutal endings, so despite the very public apparent suicides, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why do the shades lack the memory of their deaths? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

Dead of Night
by Lynn Viehl
Expected Publish Date:
July 3, 2012

Publisher's summary: I brought his hand to my heart. Whenever we touched, our heartbeats changed rhythm, as they did now, until they beat together in sync. “I love all of you, Jesse.”

Catlyn Youngblood has a secret life. Despite being a natural-born vampire hunter like her two older brothers, Cat has fallen for Jesse—an ageless boy from a centuries-old vampire clan.

Cat’s job cataloguing rare texts at a bookstore allows her to meet with Jesse alone every night. But when girls who look disturbingly similar to Cat start disappearing from town, Cat and Jesse discover frightening clues to their whereabouts within the book collection. Together, they must stop a crazed man from realizing a dark scheme that could claim Cat’s life.

What's new this week?

Before I Wake
by Rachel Vincent
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: I died on a Thursday--killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.
The good news? He didn't get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life....

A Want so Wicked
by Suzanne Young
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: Elise is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until the day she wakes up in a desert park with no idea who she is.

After that episode, her life takes a bizarre turn. She's experiencing unexpected flashes of insight into people's lives—people she's never met before. Strangers frighten her with warnings about the approaching Shadows. And although Elise has never had a boyfriend, she suddenly finds herself torn between two handsome but very different young men: Abe, the charming bad boy whose effect on her both seduces and frightens her, and the mysterious Harlin, who's new to town but with whom Elise feels an urgent, elemental connection—almost as if they are soul mates.

Now Elise begins to question everything about her life. Why do these guys both want her so desperately? What are the Shadows? Why does the name Charlotte inspire a terrifying familiarity? And who is Elise, really?

Spell Bound
by Kelley Armstrong
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: Savannah Levine is all grown up. As a witch endowed with an array of spells, she is also a force to be reckoned with. As a paranormal investigator she is finally coming into her own. But her last case tore a family apart, and Savannah swore she’d give up her powers to fix the mess she helped create. Someone—or something—must have been listening.

Powerless and on the run from witch-hunting assassins, Savannah stumbles upon a gathering storm that threatens the very existence of the Otherworld. The danger is real, and Savannah must somehow join forces with old friends like Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, and Hope to face their world’s greatest threat—and one that just might come from within.

Darkness Devours
by Keri Arthur
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: New York Times bestselling author Keri Arthur has been hailed for her “smart, sexy”* urban fantasy novels. Now, she continues her Dark Angels series set in the realm of danger and desire known as the Guardian World… Half-werewolf, half-Aedh Risa Jones can enter the realm between life and death, and she can see the Reapers who collect the souls of the dead. Now, she is using her gifts—and the investigative know-how of a man who broke her heart—to find a cabal searching for the power to control time, reality, and fate. And this is besides her work for the Vampire Council, half of whom want her dead. But for now the Council needs her alive. Someone is killing blood-whore addicted vampires, and Risa must find the guilty party. If she succeeds, she may finally convince the council to lift the execution order on her life. But before she succeeds, she must first survive…

Blackhearted Betrayal
by Kasey Mackenzie
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: From the acclaimed author of Green-Eyed Envy comes a tumultuous tale of unrest among the Furies...

As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator, Riss Holloway has been responsible for solving any crimes committed by or against supernaturals. But now she’s taking a leave of absence from the Boston PD and heading home--to focus on her duties as a Fury: like assisting her mother with an unsettling friction brewing in the Sisterhood, a faction of Furies sworn to serve all the Deities equally. These days, someone is playing favorites, drawing Riss into a tumultuous civil war embroiling every god and goddess. What was once a precept, to stand as a united whole policing arcanekind for millennia, has been divided by something Riss never imagined—and choosing sides could be the most dangerous move she’s ever made.

The Amanda Project: Unraveled
by Amanda Valentino, Cathleen Davitt Bell
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: Amanda will be found only if she wants to be.

When Hal, Callie, and Nia first met Amanda Valentino, they had no idea their lives were about to change. But Zoe did. Zoe knew exactly the kind of effect Amanda would have on Endeavor High because, a long time ago and far away, Zoe and Amanda had been friends.

As Zoe and the other guides follow Amanda's trail on a wild scavenger hunt, they learn that the real reason Amanda chose them is rooted in their pasts, tied up with a sinister program their parents went through. They've each developed strange abilities as a result, but even as they master these powers, the same people who are searching for Amanda are circling closer and closer. . . .

Now it is a race against time to find Amanda—before their pursuers find them.

Blackwatch
by Jenna Burtenshaw
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: Deliver Kate Winters and be spared.”

Kate is the one person gifted enough to work the magic held in the ancient book of Wintercraft. And everyone wants her, either to lock her up or to use her as the ultimate weapon. Her rare power is being able to walk freely through the veil between life and death, and she cannot control it.

Hunted by the Blackwatch—the elite assassins of the enemy—and by her own people, Kate flees deep into tunnels beneath the graveyard city. And she is still inextricably linked to the murderer and traitor Silas Dane, who has crossed the ocean and walked straight into the enemy's hands.

As the Blackwatch closes in, Kate and Silas will face terrors that only they can keep from destroying Albion. And time is running out.

Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price.

Bound
by Erica O'Rourke
Expected Publish Date:
June 26, 2012

Publisher's summary: “I beat you. Twice. No magic, and I still beat you. And that was when I didn’t know what I was doing.” I smiled, cold as the winter sky outside. “Imagine what I’m capable of now.”

Mo Fitzgerald has made her choice: A life in Chicago. A future with Colin. To leave behind the enigmatic Luc and the world of the Arcs. But every decision she’s made, from avenging her best friend’s death to protecting the people she loves, has come at a terrible price.

As her father returns from prison and the Seraphim regroup, war breaks out in both her worlds. And Mo isn’t the only one with secrets to hide and choices to make. The more she struggles to keep her magic and mortal lives separate, the deadlier the consequences. In the end, Mo must risk everything – her life, her heart, her future—or lose it all.

Burn Mark Tour Stop

Publisher's summary: In a modern world where witches are hunted down and burned at the stake, two lives intersect. Glory is from a family of witches, and is desperate to develop her 'Fae' powers and become a witch herself, though witch-activity carries a threat of being burned at the stake. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition with a privileged life very different from the witches he is being trained to prosecute. And then one day, both Glory and Lucas develop the Fae. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together.

About the author: Laura Powell spent most of her childhood with her nose in a book. She went on to study Classics at Bristol and Oxford, and then spent five years working in the editorial departments of both adult and children's publishers. Laura is the author of two thrillers for teen readers, Game of Triumphs and Master of Misrule.




My comments: Doesn't that sound awesome? Unfortunately I haven't read this one yet, but I purchased the finished copy at ALA because I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Impatiently Waiting! Dualed by Elsie Chapman

Expected publish date:
February 26, 2013

Publisher's Summary: The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Impatiently Waiting! Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Expected publish date:
January 29, 2013

Summary from the author's website:
DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

What's New?

Soulbound
by Heather Brewer
Expected Publish Date:
June 19, 2012

Summary: Tril is a world where Barrons and Healers are Bound to each other: Barrons fight and Healers cure their Barrons' wounds in the ongoing war with the evil Graplar King. Seventeen-year-old Kaya was born a Healer, but she wants to fight. In Tril, and at Shadow Academy, where she is sent to learn to heal, it is against Protocol for Healers to fight. So Kaya must learn in secret. Enter two young men: One charming, rule-following Barron who becomes Bound to Kaya and whose life she must protect at all costs. And one with a mysterious past who seems bent on making Kaya's life as difficult as possible. Kaya asks both to train her, but only one will, and the consequences will change their lives forever.

Burn Mark
by Laura Powell
Expected Publish Date:
June 19, 2012

Publisher's Summary: Glory is from a family of witches and lives beyond the law. She is desperate to develop her powers and become a witch herself. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition - the witches' mortal enemy - and his privileged life is very different to the forbidden world that he lives alongside.

And then on the same day, it hits them both. Glory and Lucas develop the Fae - the mark of the witch. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not . . .

Blood Moon
by Alyxandra Harvey
Expected Publish Date:
June 19, 2012

Publisher's Summary: When the vampire tribes convene for the rare Blood Moon ceremonies, Solange’s fight with her feral nature, a mysterious stranger, family secrets and forbidden magic put all of the Drakes in danger. And when Nicholas Drake is torn between saving his little sister, Solange, or his girlfriend Lucy, who will he choose?

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dannard

Publisher’s Summary: There's something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia. . . . Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.

Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she's just read in the newspaper:

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor . . . from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she'll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

My Take: The moment I saw the cover of Something Strange and Deadly and read the summary, I was more than eager to read this book. So the moment I got a copy in mail, I was more than eager to pick it up and start reading it right away. And now that I’ve read Something Strange and Deadly, I have to say that I’m in between liking it, and really liking it.

In the very beginning of this book there is a pretty awesome scene that has Eleanor (the protagonist) coming face-to-face for the first time with one of the Dead…and it delivers a mysterious message to her. Dun, dun, duhhhhn!!! (LOL…that sounded better in my head than after I typed it out!) And, at that moment, I was really intrigued by the story. But beginning almost right after that scene I had a really hard time getting into this book. I tried to rack my brain as to why I was struggling so much while reading this story. At first, I thought it was maybe just the time-era when the story was written. But then I realized that I love a lot of books written in the era of the 19th century. So now I’m left here thinking that maybe I was just feeling like I was reading a book without any paranormal elements to it. I guess the Dead and the ghosts that actually were in the story, weren’t in it enough for me…even though “they” are what this story is all about. Does that even make sense? Otherwise, the story was really good! There were a couple twists that I put together pretty quickly, but there was one twist that totally caught me by surprise!

As for the characters, I really like Eleanor! She is a really good protagonist, especially coming from that era in time. There’s also a character named Jie, who’s introduced a little bit later in the book who was probably one of my faves! Best of all, Daniel is an awesome love interest! Mysterious, smart, dangerous…I could go on and on!

So, basically, in Something Strange and Deadly you can find an awesome female protagonist in the 19th century era, a hottie boy who is off limits, with zombies and ghosts added into the mix! Does that sound like something you want to read?

Impatiently Waiting! Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Expected publish date:
September 4, 2012

Publisher's Summary: In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures—if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father—and every other witch there—fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

From Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series and Graveminder, comes a brand-new tale of lush secrets, dark love, and the struggle to forge one's own destiny.


♥♥♥♥♥

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Queen of Swords Blog Tour ~ Teaser & Giveaway!

About Katee: Katee Robert learned to tell stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her favorites then were the rather epic adventures of The Three Bears, but at age twelve she discovered romance novels and never looked back. Now living in Eastern Washington, she spends her time—in between ogling men’s goodies and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse—writing speculative romance novels.


Mindy: Favorite movie?
Katee: The Princess Bride

Mindy: Phobia?
Katee: Dolls, clowns, and spiders

Mindy: Boxers or briefs? (LOL)
Katee: Boxer-briefs. Those things were designed with temptation in mind.

Mindy: Facebook or Twitter?
Katee: Twitter

Mindy: Most visited online website?
Katee: Facebook LOL

Mindy: Kindle or Nook?
Katee: Nook

Mindy: Dumbledore or Obi-Wan Kenobi?
Katee: Dumbledore

Mindy: Preferred weapon?
Katee: ASP baton

Mindy: Favorite youtube video?
Katee: Anything by Garfunkel and Oates

Here is a video for your pleasure!
Mindy: Outdoors or indoors?
Katee: Indoors unless there’s a lake

Mindy: Superman or Spiderman?
Katee: Damn, can I pick neither? Spiderman :P (she actually prefers Gambit lol)

Mindy: Favorite show when you were a kid?
Katee: Power Rangers

Mindy: Which would you be willing to kiss; scares you the most; and willing to ally with in an apocalypse?
A. Alien
B. Vampire
C. Werewolf
D. Zombie
E. Faery
Katee: Willing to kiss an alien (maybe I’d get superpowers Empowered-style), totally terrified of zombies, and I’d love a werewolf with me when the world ends—built in killer and cuddler.

When the cards tell Ophelia Leoni she's supposed to marry the Prince of Hansarda, the gunrunner grits her teeth and boards the starship that comes for her. It doesn't matter if the ship's commander is the gorgeous stranger she just spent a wild, drunken night with. As a Diviner, she’s painfully aware the cards don't lie. Ever.

Boone O’Keirna knows Ophelia is trouble the second he sees the way she moves. Not about to let the deadly little hellcat marry his sadistic half-brother, Boone pretends to be the Prince’s emissary and kidnaps Ophelia. Too bad they can’t be in the same room without him wanting to throw her out an airlock–or into bed.

Even as they fight each other–and their explosive attraction–Ophelia and Boone sense something is wrong. Too much is going their way. Soon, they realize while the cards may never lie, the truth is sometimes hidden between them...and the future king of Hansarda is not one to take defeat lying down.

Buy Queen of Swords NOW!
Amazon ★ B&N ★ Book Depository


Queen of Swords Teaser
“Attacking the captain is generally considered a killing offense.” “So kill me.” Each breath rubbed her chest against his, the friction causing her body to respond in unforgivable ways. Even so pissed she couldn’t see straight, she still wanted him.

From the look on his face, he knew it, too. A mocking smile pulled at the edges of his lips. “I can think of a much better punishment.” Before Ophelia could respond, he kissed her. The feeling of his lips on hers shocked her so much, she opened to him. Or that was what she told herself when his tongue danced along hers, drawing a moan from her throat.



Queen of Swords Tour Stops!
June 4: Hooked on Books
June 5: A Life Bound By Books
June 6: For What it’s Worth
June 7: Tater’s Tall Tales
June 8: Book Brats
June 9: Two Chicks On Books
June 10: What the Cat Read
June 11: Debbie’s World of Books
June 12: Magical Urban Fantasy Reads ****Release Day****
June 13: Fiktshun After Dark
June 14: Winterhaven Books
June 15: Bibliognome
June 16: Kindle Fever
June 17: The Book Goddess
June 18: My 5 Monkeys
June 19: Shortie Says

What's available next week?

The Golden Lily
by Richelle Mead
Expected Publish Date:
June 12, 2012

Publisher's Summary: Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students - children of the wealthy and powerful - carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Rapture
by Lauren Kate
Expected Publish Date:
June 12, 2012

Publisher's Summary: RAPTURE, the fourth & final FALLEN novel, is the Lauren Kate book the world has been waiting for.

The sky is dark with wings. . . .
Like sand through an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again. Yet together they face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen. For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now is the only one that truly matters. In the fight for Luce, who will win? The astonishing conclusion to the FALLEN series. Heaven can’t wait any longer.

Ripple
by Mandy Hubbard
Expected Publish Date:
June 14 2012

Publisher's Summary: Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

The Serpent's Kiss
by Melissa de la Cruz
Expected Publish Date:
June 12 2012

Publisher's Summary: Things have settled down considerably on the off-the-map Long Island town of North Hampton for the Beauchamp family-Joanna and her daughters, bookish Ingrid and wild-child Freya. With the centuries-old restriction against practicing magic lifted, casting spells, mixing potions, and curing troubled souls has never felt so good for the three immortal witches. That is, until everything gets turned upside down when Freya's twin brother, Fryr, returns from Limbo with shocking news-that it was none other than Freya's fiancé, Killian Gardiner, who set up Fryr's downfall. The worst part? Freya is worried Fryr might be right.

As Freya hopes to prove Killian's innocence while keeping her brother from exacting revenge on the man she loves, her sister Ingrid has her own problems. Matt Noble, a handsome and charming police detective, has won her heart. But can romance work between a virgin witch and a mortal who doesn't believe in magic? Things get even more complicated when Matt becomes entangled in a complicated investigation, and the magical creatures at the center of it come to Ingrid for help, forcing her to make a difficult choice.

To top it off, a dead spirit is trying to make contact with matriarch Joanna-but does it mean harm or warn to the witches? All hell breaks loose at the family reunion at Thanksgiving and mayhem ensues, but when the culprit behind Fryr's imprisonment is finally revealed, is it already too late to stanch the poison released from the serpent's kiss?

For Darkness Shows the Stars
by Diana Peterfreund
Expected Publish Date:
June 12 2012

Publisher's Summary: It’s been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong decimated humanity, causing the Reduction and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed technology.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago she refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. In those years the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jump-starting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret that could change their world...or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Lies Beneath
by Anne Greenwood Brown
Expected Publish Date:
June 12 2012

Publisher's Summary: Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Timepiece
by Myra McEntire
Expected Publish Date:
June 12 2012

Publisher's Summary: Kaleb Ballard was never supposed to be able to see ripples—cracks in time. Are Kaleb’s powers expanding, or is something very wrong? Before Kaleb can find out, Jonathan Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, reappears. Why is he back, and what, or whom, does he want?

In the wake of Landers’s return, the Hourglass organization is offered an ultimatum by a mysterious man. Either they find Landers and the research he has stolen on people who might carry the time gene, or time will be altered—with devastating results for the people Kaleb loves most.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their extraordinary powers to find Landers. But where do they even start? And when? Even if they succeed, just finding him may not be enough. . . .

Queen of Swords
by Katee Robert
Expected Publish Date:
June 12 2012

Publisher's Summary: When the cards tell Ophelia Leoni she's supposed to marry the Prince of Hansarda, the gunrunner grits her teeth and boards the starship that comes for her. It doesn't matter if the ship's commander is the gorgeous stranger she just spent a wild, drunken night with. As a Diviner, she’s painfully aware the cards don't lie. Ever.

Boone O’Keirna knows Ophelia is trouble the second he sees the way she moves. Not about to let the deadly little hellcat marry his sadistic half-brother, Boone pretends to be the Prince’s emissary and kidnaps Ophelia. Too bad they can’t be in the same room without him wanting to throw her out an airlock–or into bed.

Even as they fight each other–and their explosive attraction–Ophelia and Boone sense something is wrong. Too much is going their way. Soon, they realize while the cards may never lie, the truth is sometimes hidden between them...and the future king of Hansarda is not one to take defeat lying down.

The Taken
by Vicki Pettersson
Expected Publish Date:
June 12 2012

Publisher's Summary: Griffin Shaw used to be a PI, but that was back when gumshoes hoofed the streets . . . and he was still alive. Fifty years later, he's an angel, but that doesn't make him a saint. One small mistake has altered fate, and now he's been dumped back onto the mortal mudflat to collect another soul—Katherine "Kit" Craig, a journalist whose latest investigation is about to get her clipped.

Bucking heavenly orders, Grif refuses to let the sable-haired siren come to harm. Besides, protecting her offers a chance to solve the mystery of his own unsolved murder—and dole out some overdue payback for the death of his beloved wife, Evie.

Joining forces, Kit and Grif's search for answers leads beyond the blinding lights of the Strip into the dark heart of an evil conspiracy. But a ruthless killer determined to destroy them isn't Grif's biggest threat. His growing attraction to Kit could cost them both their lives, along with the answer to the haunting question of his long afterlife . . .