In My Mailbox

The weeks go very quickly at the moment and it's Sunday again and I get to tell you about the books I acquired this week and how excited I am to read them. And again I'd like to thank the Story Siren and Alea of Pop Culture Junkie, the blogs where this meme started.

1. Epoch by Timothy Carter
Summary: In his 14 years, Vincent Drear has been sure of a few of things. First, the world is going to end. And until it does, he has two jobs: saving souls and protesting movies about boy wizards. But Vincent wonders if there’s more to life than this. His suspicions are confirmed when he finds an elf at his school science fair. Vincent’s excitement fades, though, as the elf informs him that his family’s religion is right about one thing: the end of the world is coming — in 48 hours!

Vincent can’t save the world. His only hope is to get his family off Earth before demons wipe out everything, paving the way for a new epoch. Timothy Carter combines humor, fantasy, sci/fi, and satire into a novel that is the missing link between The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Left Behind. The end has come. But the fun has just begun.

2. Viola in Reel Life by Adrianna Trigiana
3 reasons why Viola knows she'll never survive her first year at boarding school
-she has to leave behind her best friend, Andrew
-she has to replace Andrew with 3 new roommates who actually seem to like it there
-There is South Bend, Indiana, which feels about as far away from her hometown of Brooklyn, New York, as you can get


3. Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
Summary: When Cassie was little, her grandmother told her a story about her mother, who made a deal with the polar bear king and was imprisoned by trolls. Now that she is 18 and determined to become an arctic researcher, Cassie knows the story was just a nice way of saying her mother had died. But everything in Cassie's life changes when she meets a mysterious polar bear and realizes that the fairy tale could be true - her mother might be alive. So she makes her own deal with the polar bear king. bring my mother home and I will be your bride. But what will her bargain cost Cassie?

All three look fabulous. Epoch first of course. So that's what was in my mailbox this week. What was in yours?

Video of Sarah Dessen talking about Along for the Ride

As many of you may know, Sarah Dessen's new book, Along for the Ride, has just come out and I wanted to post this video of her talking about her inspiration for the book.



Yet another on my ever growing TBR pile.

The Amanda Project - Review

My colleague, Adriana, thoroughly enjoyed this book so I'm posting her review for all to see.

The Amanda Project by Stella Lennon

Callie is a member of the “I girls”, the popular, pretty, wealthy, snobby and like-named clones, who many wish they could be. But she breaks formation to socialize with Amanda, the kind of girl who believes in the power of totems; sits out late at night to watch the stars; leaves strange notes with thousands of dollars in them lying around to help a friend; and most surprisingly to Callie, leads what appears to be a double- or a triple- life.

When Amanda disappears after drawing a mural on the vice-principal’s car, Callie discovers that Amanda had two other “special guides”-- a cute artist named Hal, and a girl named Nia, a total “social nobody” (according to the “I girls”). The threesome set off to search for Amanda tracking clues she’s left in her wake and forging a strong friendship in the process.

The Amanda Project is the first in an interactive eight-book series that allows readers to post art or stories, or to give theories as to Amanda whereabouts and what she could be up to. The author may then choose to use these ideas for later books in the series. For girls who like adventure and mystery coupled with their romance, I suggest you make this book one of your own projects.

What is your book personality quiz

I saw this quiz over at Reverie Book Reviews and knew I had take the test (of course I did) and then post it. If you want to see what your book personality is click here. You come out either as an Involved Reader, an Exacting Reader, a Serial Reader, or an Eclectic Reader.

Apparently I'm an Eclectic Reader. But I think I'm a little of all four. What about you?

In My Mailbox

Monday again - a bit late in the day but it is Memorial Day - and I get to tell you about the books I acquired this week and how excited I am to read them. And again I'd like to thank the Story Siren and Alea of Pop Culture Junkie, the blogs where this meme started.

1. Faery Rebels by RJ Anderson
Summary: Forget everything you think you know about faeries...Creatures full of magic and whimsy? Not in the Oakenwyld. Not anymore.

Deep inside the great Oak lies a dying faery realm, bursting with secrets instead of magic. Long ago the faeries mysteriously lost their magic. Robbed of their powers, they have become selfish and dull-witted. Now their numbers are dwindling and their very survival is at stake.

Only one young faery — Knife — is determined to find out where her people's magic has gone and try to get it back. Unlike her sisters, Knife is fierce and independent. She's not afraid of anything — not the vicious crows, the strict Faery Queen, or the fascinating humans living nearby. But when Knife disobeys the Faery Queen and befriends a human named Paul, her quest becomes more dangerous than she realizes. Can Knife trust Paul to help, or has she brought the faeries even closer to the brink of destruction?

2. The Everafter by Amy Huntley
Summary: Madison Stanton doesn’t know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this — she is dead. And alone in a vast, dark space. The only company Maddy has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things she lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that, with these artifacts, she can reexperience — and even change — moments from her life.
Her first kiss.
A trip to Disney World.
Her sister’s wedding.
A disastrous sleepover.
In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and frightening truths about her life — and death.

3. Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block
Summary: The object of envy and desire, Charlotte Emerson seems to have the perfect life: no parents, beautiful clothes, a mansion perched atop the jagged cliffs of the Pacific Palisades.

But she's been dead for almost a century. And now she might get a second chance at life.

Such great books. So hard to know where to start.
So that's my mailbox. What was in yours?

The Lightning Thief Movie

So I had no idea they were making a movie of The Lightning Thief. But apparently they are. Here's the cast list:

Pierce Brosnan as Chiron

Rosario Dawson as Persephone

Kevin McKidd as Poseidon

Uma Thurman as Medusa

Sean Bean as Zeus

Steve Coogan as Hades

Catherine Keene as Sally Jackson

Melina Kanakaredes as Athena

Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson

Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth Chase

Jake Abel as Luke

Chelan Simmons as Silena Beauregard

Erica Cerra as Hera

Brandon T. Jackson as Grover Underwood

Serinda Swan as Aphrodite

Stefanie von Pfetten as Demeter


This is Logan Lerman who is playing Percy Jacson. So, what do you think of the casting? I must say I like Steve Coogan as Hades!

DJ MacHale

Last week I was lucky enough to meet DJ MacHale, author of the wonderful Pendragon series of books, who was utterly charming.

I didn't know that aside from writing he also writes and produces TV shows. He's been affiliated with shows such as Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Ghostwriter, and Flight 29 Down. He also filmed a series about Encyclopedia Brown. And he told a wonderful story about the one that got away. Apparently while auditioning for the lead female in Criss Cross he couldn't decide between two actresses. One was far more talented, he said. The other looked far more Hollywood. They cast Rachel Blanchard. The other actress was Kate Winslet!

Here is video footage I took of him talking about Book 10 of the Pendragon series, The Soldiers of Halla. Made me want to go back to the series that I left somewhere in the middle.

Richelle Mead talking about Blood Promise

I've been talking about the Vampire Academy series so much that there can be no doubt how much I have enjoyed them and how eager I am to read Blood Promise.

And here's video footage I took of Richelle Mead talking about Blood Promise (she's only just given the OK to post it!)

Can't wait!

More New Moon news

Well, Robert Pattinson recently talked to Risky Biz Blog about his thoughts on New Moon and how he has committed to making Breaking Dawn.

When asked how the script for New Moon differs from the book, he said:

"It kind of plays relatively close to it. I would still describe it as being a sort of supporting role (to Bella's story). I think it would have been a bit cheesy if it had just stayed as a voiceover part as my character is a voice in her head in the second book. They've shot these hallucination bits of the film. You're playing a figment of Bella's imagination and I was trying to do it in a really 2-D kind of way. I hope it doesn't come out flat and boring (laughs)."

Interesting. He's filming Remember Me next and says "It's going to be helped by that [Twilight]. I just hope when people go and see it, they don't say, "Edward wouldn't do that." That's not going to be good!"

And, of course, there's the poster. Had to include it. Ran into it on a friend's facebook page of all places!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvaster - Review

I've decided to combine my Waiting for Wednesday post (hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine) with my review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Because if there is a book to wait for, to pine for, it's this book.

I turned to Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater’s second novel, with a frisson of excitement. I loved Lament, cheered for it, sold it, talked about it, promoted it. And this is far, far from any werewolf tale I’ve ever read - no changes as the full moon approaches, no silver bullets, but a peek into another world, which is dangerous, different, and utterly enchanting.

Sam lives part of every year as a wolf – in the winter. As it gets warmer, he turns back into a human. As he gets older, however, he stays human for less and less time. Eventually he will remain a wolf. But in both forms he watches Grace, the girl who sits on her swing and returns his gaze, who does not understand why she’s filled with a longing for what she sees as “her” yellow-eyed wolf. But when Sam is shot he’s forced back into human form and turns to Grace for help. The gap has been broached and now they can get to know each other until, of course, they fall into each other's arms. But their time together is so short. And the question then becomes: what are they willing to do for the chance of more time together?

Told by her two main characters in alternating chapters, you get to understand both of them, root for them, and sense their growing attachment to each other. Occasionally you fall into a book, fall in love, and find it hard to come back. This is such a book. It’s a romance to remember, to savor – perfect, poetic, passionate, intense, all encompassing, and, naturally, heartbreaking. Shiver with the excitement of such a find. Fall under its spell – I did.

Maggie Stiefvater is a rising star in the world of teen literature. I just wish she could write faster!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a new meme hosted By Jenn at Should be Reading.

Rules ARE:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
Please avoid spoilers!

And this week, as I keep saying, I'm reading The Sorceress by Michael Scott. And I love it. Can't put it down type of love it. So here's my teaser:

"Many Elders have called for your destruction," Bastet continued in a deep growl.
The sentence shocked Dee into silence. "But I have served the Dark Elders loyally. I have done so for centuries," he argued plaintively.
"Your methods are crude, antiquated," the cat-headed Elder went on. Consider Machiavelli: he is a scalpel, neat and precise; you are a broadsword, crude and blundering. You once almost burned this very city to the ground. Your creatures killed a million humani in Ireland. One hundred and thirty thousand died in Tokyo. And despite this loss of life, you still failed to secure the Flamels."

Now back to the Flamels, London, and Gilgamesh.

In My Mailbox

Monday again and I can tell you about the books I acquired this week and how excited I am to read them (VERY!. This all started on the Story Siren's blog, and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie (thanks) so go there to find out more.

My week:
1. The Sorceress by Michael Scott
And oh, I've been waiting for this. I am such a fan of this series. Already started it. Already better than The Magician (and I loved The Magician). New editor apparently (and it shows!)

Nicholas Flamel's heart almost broke as he watched his beloved Paris crumble before him. The city was destroyed by Dee and Machiavelli, but Flamel played his own role in the destruction. Sophie and Josh Newman show every sign of being the twins of prophecy, and Flamel had to protect them and the pages from the Dark Elders.

But Nicholas grows weaker with each passing day. Perenelle is still trapped in Alcatraz, and now that Scatty has gone missing, the group is without protection. Except for Clarent—the twin sword to Excalibur. But Clarent’s power is unthinkable, its evil making it nearly impossible to use without its darkness seeping into the soul of whoever wields it.

If he hopes to defeat Dee, Nicholas must find an Elder who can teach Josh and Sophie the third elemental magic—Water Magic. The problem? The only one who can do that is Gilgamesh, and he is quite, quite insane.


2. Fire by Kristin Cashore
Follow up to Graceling (Note to self: push Graceling to the top of my TBR pile...)

She is the last of her kind...

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don’t need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven’t, you’ll be dying to read it next.

3. Zombie Queen of Newbury High by Amanda Ashby

Quiet, unpopular, non-cheerleading Mia is blissfully happy. She is dating super hot football god Rob, and he actually likes her and asked her to prom! Enter Samantha—cheerleading goddess and miss popularity— who starts making a move for Rob. With prom in a few days, Mia needs to act fast. So she turns to her best friend, Candice, and decides to do a love spell on Rob. Unfortunately, she ends up inflicting a zombie virus onto her whole class, making herself their leader! At first she is flattered that everyone is treating her like a queen. But then zombie hunter Chase explains they are actually fattening her up, because in a few days, Mia will be the first course in their new diet. She’s sure she and Chase can figure something out, but she suggests that no one wear white to prom, because things could get very messy.

4. Lips Touch by Laini Taylor
Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:

Goblin Fruit:In Victorian times, goblin men offered young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's girls?

Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Hatchling: Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue and her small safe life begins to unravel. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?

All sound so good. Want to just cast everything else aside and read.
So that's what was in my mailbox. What was in yours?

Wings by Aprilynne Pike - Review

There are a lot of YA titles around at the moment dealing with the faerie world, most fabulous and well written, some more mundane and unoriginal. This welcome new addition to the oevre is different, nicely written, and oddly believable.

Laurel is a solitary girl who has been homeschooled for most of her life (oh, and was left on her parents doorstep in a basket as a baby). But when her parents decide to move, they also decide Laurel should go to high school. All these changes are difficult enough – new town, new school, new friends – but then she finds a growth on her back, and freaks. Things only get worse when the bump turns into a blossom of some kind and she has to bind and wrap it just to go out in public. She turns to her new friend David for help and together they analyze this growth.

Her parents are hoping to sell their old house to a man Laurel finds rather sinister for no reason she can understand. But on a trip back to the old house she runs into an unusual guy called Tamani, who helps to explain this growth on her back, who she really is, and why she’s so important.

Although slow to start, the pace picks up quickly, the characters vivid and likeable, the danger palpable, and the love triangle works (although, as ever, there never seems to really be any contest! But that probably says so much more about me than the book…). Oh, and I think this is written for a younger audience than Twilight.

More about the Twilight publishing schedule

The fall schedule for the Twilight saga publishing program has just been announced. In addition to a movie tie-in for New Moon, the house will publish a limited special-edition hardcover of Breaking Dawn, along with four journals featuring the cover art from the entire series (packaged in a tin).

The Breaking Dawn special edition will feature a DVD of the Breaking Dawn Concert Series, including a performance by Blue October’s Justin Furstenfeld and a conversation between Stephenie Meyer and Furstenfeld. It goes on sale August 4, the same day the publisher will release a trade paperback edition of Eclipse.

On October 6 a New Moon Collector’s Edition, slipcased with a ribbon bookmark and cloth cover will be released as well as a New Moon: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion.

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti - Review

The Good Thief is not a teen book but is so good, and so appropriate for teen readers, that I wanted to review it here. I know - unlike most of the books I usually read - but so very worth it. Especially for those of you who like to lose yourselves in historical fiction.

Ren is rescued from the orphanage in which he grew up one day by a man claiming to be his brother. But Benjamin Nab is no ordinary man and leads him to a life of adventure filled with grave robbers, drunken school teachers, mousetrap girls, dwarves, petty criminals, and a friendly giant.

Dickensian in feel, every detail is vivid, every character stands out and you want to lose yourself in this world where the thief is the good guy, a hidden past can suddenly be both a prison and an escape, and where the dead are not always dead. It is surprising, unusual, and a book to be treasured.

63rd Annual Edgar Award Winners

Do you like and read mysteries? The 63rd annual Edgar Awards were given out on April 30 by the Mystery Writers of America.


The award for Best Juvenile went to The Postcard by Tony Abbott

The prize for Best Young Adult went to Paper Towns by John Green

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a new meme hosted By Jenn at Should be Reading.

Rules ARE:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
Please avoid spoilers!

Today I'm reading Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog (and, yes, my arc still says Fairy Lust)

"Yes, I think it means she's not going to let you stand in her way. No matter what Cameron says." He's so close that I can smell Cam's scent on his jersey, and it's hard not to lean into him. "She knows that you are the one thing that would make Cam stay in this world.If you're gone, he will have no reason to stay here."

What do you think?
And what are you reading?

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox lets you peek into the contents of my mailbox on a weekly basis and see what books I've acquired this week. This all started on the Story Siren's blog, and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie, two really great blogs you should check out. And such a good idea for a meme. Thanks.

This week - sigh - I got great books. I am a very lucky girl. Three books that all look fabulous, really fabulous, one that I've been asking and asking for (thank you Antonia).

1. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
From the back cover:
All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

Nothing, nothing like her Gemma Doyle series but I love her writing and it sounds wonderful don't you think?

2. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
From the back cover: When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

3. Bite Me! by Melissa Francis
From the back cover:
AJ Ashe isn't your typical 17 year old vampire - as if there is such a thing. Her ex-boyfriend-whom she's still totally in love with-is now her stepbrother. A former classmate-who, um,she may or may not have turned into a vampire-is stalking her. And now, apparently the fate of humankind lies in her little dead hands. Whatever happened to the good old days when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

I simply don't know where to start this week (and yes, I do have to finish Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog first)

What did you get?

Rick Riordan

Are you a fan of the Percy Jackson series?

I was lucky enough to meet Rick Riordan on Saturday when he visited Kepler's to talk about The Last Olympian, the last volume in the Percy Jackson series. What a charming man. You should have seen the crowd - 600 easily! And apparently he's turning to the Egyptian gods next. Can't wait.

Richelle Mead

I was lucky enough to meet the lovely Richelle Mead yesterday at her book signing at Kepler's where she talked about her Vampire Academy series and the inspiration behind the series. Of course we all wanted to talk about Dimitri and the new book Blood Promise. But Richelle said that her publishers don't want her to talk about it yet (so I have a video languishing on my computer that I'm not able to share yet!)

Richelle had this with her - from a fan. Isn't it great?

Anyway, here's video of Richelle talking about her Vampire Academy series:


And here she is talking about the inspiration behind the books


And we have to wait until August for Blood Promise. August! AND they are changing the covers of the books (whew!)

Waiting for Wednesday

This meme is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and lets you know which books we are just desperate to get hold of.

This week, because I've just devoured and loved Shiver (review soon) I of course wanted to write about Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater - the book I now want to get my hands on more than anything else. Sigh.

Product description: In this mesmerizing sequel to Lament, music prodigy James Morgan and his best friend, Deirdre, join a private conservatory for musicians. James' musical talent attracts Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. Composing beautiful music together unexpectedly leads to mutual admiration and love. Haunted by fiery visions of death, James realizes that Deirdre and Nuala are being hunted by the Fey and plunges into a soul-scorching battle with the Queen of the Fey to save their lives.

Sigh. So hard to wait. What are you waiting for?

Teaser Tuesday - Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Teaser Tuesday is a new meme hosted By Jenn at Should be Reading.

Rules ARE:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
Please avoid spoilers!

As I moved about the moved about the kitchen, Grace shadowed me, her fingers finding my elbow and her palm brushing along my back, finding excuses to touch me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her staring unabashedly at me when she thought I wouldn't notice. It was as though I had never changed; as though I still gazed at her from the woods and she still sat on her tire swing and watched me with admiring eyes.

This book is SO good so far.

What do you think?

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - A Review

I have a confession. I often don’t follow a series to its conclusion. So often I lose interest in a world or a collection of characters. But not this series as it seems to be getting better and better and is really one of the best vampire series around.

So what do you do when you start to see ghosts? Do you tell anyone? Your best friend? Your mentor and crush? Or do you wonder about your sanity. This is the predicament in which we find Rose – she starts to see Mason’s ghost. Then she finds out that Victor Dashkov is about to go on trial but she and Lissa are not invited to testify. The Guardians are being tested in the field and Rose and Lissa are split up. Only Adrian seems to suspect there is anything between her and Dimitri. Oh, and it appears Strigoi vampires and humans are teaming up to attack the Moroi. No wonder she’s seeing ghosts!

Trying not to include any spoilers in this review, I want to say that although I would never have wanted this ending, I’m so impressed that the author actually took the story where it had to go. The omens were there, seeds sown long ago, and you read the book shouting “NO!” It made me cry; of course it made me cry. It made me late for work. It broke my heart. Yet it also made me admire Ms Mead’s storytelling abilities and her very wonderful character, Rose, who is everything a heroine should be: strong, beautiful, loyal, tough, independent (hear that, Ms Meyer?) and can take anyone in a fight.

Do I really have to wait until August to read Blood Promise? Really?

And for anyone in the Bay Area who is reading this, don't forget that Richelle Mead is visiting Kepler's tomorrow, May 6th, at 4.00. Oh, I'm hoping she'll be dropping hints about Blood Promise...will let you know!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox lets you peek into the contents of my mailbox on a weekly basis and see what books I've acquired this week. This all started on the Story Siren's blog, and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie, two really great blogs you should check out.

And this week I was very very excited. Because the first book I got (and am nearly finished - already) was
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.
I loved loved loved Lament, interviewed Maggie soon after I finished Lament. And have been eagerly awaiting Ballad - and Shiver. So just couldn't wait to start (thank you Antonia)
Product description: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

What can I say? So far, it's hard to put down, it's made me cry, and it's beautiful. Review to follow.

The Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
Already out in the UK it's due out in the US in September.
Product description: Bilquis SanGreal grew up knowing she would have to make sacrifices to be in the Knights Templar. Sacrifices like losing her mother to the Templar's ongoing battle against the Unholy; sacrifices like trading her childhood in for relentless training; sacrifices that keep her completely isolated from the world of a normal teen girl. Billi's lone wolf status is challenged when her childhood friend, Kay, returns from his psychic training in Jerusalem. Kay manages to stir things up quickly - he's gorgeous, arrogant, and wants slide right back into his old place in Billi's life. Billi is skeptical, but interested, until she meets Michael - an ethereally handsome guy who seems to understand her like no one before him, and effortlessly stakes a claim in her heart.

But in a moment of bravado, Kay uses the last of the Templar's treasures, King Solomon's cursed mirror, and drawing the attention of one of the most dangerous of the Templars' enemies-The Angel of Death. Only with the mirror can the dark angel unleash his full powers, and now that he's heard the call of the mirror, he'll stop at nothing to get it. To save London from catastrophe, Billi will have to make sacrifices greater than she'd ever imagined.

Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson
From the back cover: This collection tells five tales of creatures who live and die by fire, tales of the present day and the prehistoric past; a tale of a confrontation in a haunted graveyard, and of the firespace where only dragons can survive, of a boy who is claimed by fire, of a young man who chases the fireworm through dark tunnels of dream, and of the long history of the Phoenix.

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
From the back cover: In Feyland, all fairies with born with unique magical abilities. Zaria, at 12, became one of the most powerful fairies ever. But she is earth-struck when sneaking through a secret doorway to the human world. But when she is seen her exposire puts all of Feyland at risk. And Zaria must then try to fix the mess she's made on earth. Will she use her new powers wisely?

All sound great. Must get back to Shiver!

AS King's Competiton

AS King, author of the very wonderful Dust of 100 Dogs, is hosting a competition on her blog. Click here for more details.

Challenge: Write a story (beginning, middle & end) that is 100 words or less.

Rule #1 = The story must begin with this line: "Janet didn't like him."

Rule #2 = The story must end with this line: "As the creature lifted into the dark sky, she could see it dangling from his talons." (No, your story does not have to include a monkey, as pictured to the left. Thinking outside the box is encouraged.)

BONUS ENTRIES: You can increase your chances of winning by posting about this contest on your blog or on your facebook page--or even on Twitter.

WINNING:
#1 - Best story gets a signed copy of The Dust of 100 Dogs and a VOG. (Very Odd Gift)
#2 - The runners up will then be tossed into a hat (with bonus point entries) and two more winners will be picked.

* First pick = A signed copy of The Dust of 100 Dogs and a VOG.
* Second pick = A VOG Care Package.

How to Enter: Leave you answer and an email address in the comment trail on her blog.

Deadline: Monday May 4th, 11:59pm EDT.* Tomorrow. So enter as soon as you can!

I loved this book.

Director chosen for Eclipse

After much speculation, David Slade (Hard Candy; 30 Days of Night) has just been chosen to direct the next movie in the Twilight series, Eclipse, scheduled for release on June 30, 2010.

And there’s an Internet rumor that Breaking Dawn has been greenlighted and will begin production in spring 2010 (though Summit Entertainment denies the report). I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of talk about this in the weeks to come. Click here for original article.