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Showing posts with label Cassandra Clare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cassandra Clare. Show all posts

Friday, January 10, 2020

Top 10 Week! Books I'm looking Forward to in 2020





The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games 0) by Suzanne CollinsGenre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance)
Expected Publication: May 19, 2020
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pre-order here!


The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will revisit the world of Panem sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Tenth Hunger Games.
Check out my review of the first book in this trilogy!


One of Us is Next (One of Us is Lying #2) 
by Karen M. McManus 

Expected Publication:  January 7, 2020
Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers
Pre-order here!


The highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller everyone is talking about, One of Us Is Lying! There's a new mystery to solve at Bayview High, and there's a whole new set of rules.

Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this.

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.

Until now.

This time it's not an app, though—it's a game.

Truth or Dare.

Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark.

Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.

But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection.

Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there's a whole new set of rules.
Check out my review of the first book in this series!


Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance)
Expected Publication: March 3, 2020
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pre-order here!


Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.
Check out my review another book by this author!


Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi 
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance/Dystopian)
Expected Publication: March 31, 2020
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pre-order here!


The explosive finale to the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Shatter Me series.

Juliette Ferrars.

Ella Sommers.

Which is the truth and which is the lie?

Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.

The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on.
Check out my review of the first book in this series!


Chasing Cassandra (The Ravenels #6) by Lisa Kleypas
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Romance)
Expected Publication: February 18, 2020
Publisher: Avon
Pre-order here!


Everything has a price...

Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give.

Everything except her...

Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win.

When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride:

Never underestimate a Ravenel.

The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun...
Check out my review of the first book in this series!

Every Breath (Music, Love and Other Miseries #3) by C.J. Burright
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Expected Publication: February 2020
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Pre-order here!


She wants the full fairy tale. He’s no prince offering a happily ever after. True love may have met its match this time…

True love. Happily ever after. The full-meal-deal fairy tale. Glamour girl Gia Hellman almost had it all, until death stole the love of her life. Two years and a string of dead-end hook ups later, she’s through fooling around. Love will be hers again, and sexy, one-night-only lawyer Ian O’Conner doesn’t fit into the equation. No matter how charming or tempting, he’s neither knight nor prince, and she’s done kissing frogs.

Prestige. Power. A pristine reputation. Ian O’Conner allows nothing to derail his goal of becoming the next partner in the most distinguished firm in town, not even Gia, the curvy vixen in sparkles and pink stilettos who haunts his fantasies. With a past full of long-buried secrets, he never breaks his rule of one night. But when the case to propel Ian to the top requires working with Gia—and then a slip up results in a fake engagement—keeping his distance may be the trial of his life.

As the passion between them builds and rules break one by one, Ian must decide between protecting a secret that could destroy him or risking it all for Gia’s dream of happily ever after. If only Ian believed in fairy tale endings…
Check out my review of the first book in this trilogy!

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Fiction / Romance)
Expected Publication: April 7, 2020
Publisher: Atria Books
Pre-order here!


In this fresh and hilarious historical rom-com, an estranged husband and wife in Regency England feign accidents and illness in an attempt to gain attention—and maybe just win each other back in the process.

Five years ago, Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley met, fell in love, and got married. Four years ago, they had a fight to end all fights, and have barely spoken since.

Their once-passionate love match has been reduced to one of cold, detached politeness. But when Violet receives a letter that James has been thrown from his horse and rendered unconscious at their country estate, she races to be by his side—only to discover him alive and well at a tavern, and completely unaware of her concern. She’s outraged. He’s confused. And the distance between them has never been more apparent.

Wanting to teach her estranged husband a lesson, Violet decides to feign an illness of her own. James quickly sees through it, but he decides to play along in an ever-escalating game of manipulation, featuring actors masquerading as doctors, threats of Swiss sanitariums, faux mistresses—and a lot of flirtation between a husband and wife who might not hate each other as much as they thought. Will the two be able to overcome four years of hurt or will they continue to deny the spark between them?

With charm, wit, and heart in spades, To Have and to Hoax is a fresh and eminently entertaining romantic comedy—perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Julia Quinn.

Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Expected Publication: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Order here!


One girl must make a name for herself--or die trying --in this royal fantasy where an unknown peasant becomes the ultimate ruler. But how long can she keep the crown if everyone wants her dead? Perfect for fans of Furyborn, Red Queen, and Everless.

Everyone expected the king's daughter would inherit the throne. No one expected me.

It shouldn't even be possible. I'm Nameless, a class of citizens so disrespected, we don't even get names. Heck, dozens of us have been going missing for months and no one seems to care.

But there's no denying the tattoo emblazoned on my arm. I am queen. In a palace where the corridors are more dangerous the streets, though, how could I possibly rule? And what will become of the Nameless if I don't?

he Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Expected Publication: March 24, 2020
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pre-order here!


Carey Douglas has worked for home remodeling and design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for nearly a decade. A country girl at heart, Carey started in their first store at sixteen, and—more than anyone would suspect—has helped them build an empire. With a new show and a book about to launch, the Tripps are on the verge of superstardom. There’s only one problem: America’s favorite couple can’t stand each other.

James McCann, MIT graduate and engineering genius, was originally hired as a structural engineer, but the job isn’t all he thought it’d be. The last straw? Both he and Carey must go on book tour with the Tripps and keep the wheels from falling off the proverbial bus.

Unfortunately, neither of them is in any position to quit. Carey needs health insurance, and James has been promised the role of a lifetime if he can just keep the couple on track for a few more weeks. While road-tripping with the Tripps up the West Coast, Carey and James vow to work together to keep their bosses’ secrets hidden, and their own jobs secure. But if they stop playing along—and start playing for keeps—they may have the chance to build something beautiful together…

From the “hilariously zany and heartfelt” (Booklist) Christina Lauren comes a romantic comedy that proves if it’s broke, you might as well fix it.

From the New York Times bestselling author behind the “joyful, warm, touching” (Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author) The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.
Check out my review of another book by these authors!


Empire of the Vampire (Empire of the Vampire #1) by Jay Kristoff 
Genre: Adult Fiction (Paranormal)
Expected Publication: September 3, 2020
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pre-order here!


Twenty-seven years have passed since the last sunrise, and for almost three decades, the creatures of the night have walked the day without fear. Once, humanity fought bravely against the coldblood legions, but now, we exist only in a few scattered settlements—tiny sparks of light in a growing sea of darkness.

Gabriel de León is the last of the Silversaints, a holy order dedicated to defending realm and church, now utterly destroyed. Imprisoned for the murder of the vampiric king, Gabriel is charged with telling the story of his life.

His tale spans years, from his youth in the monastery of San Michel, to the forbidden love that spelled his undoing, and the betrayal that saw his order annihilated. Most importantly, Gabriel will tell of his discovery of the Grail—the legendary cup prophesied to bring an end to the eternal night.

But the Grail was no simple chalice; it was a smart-mouthed teenage urchin named Dior. Their journey with a band of unlikely allies would see Dior and Gabriel forge an unbreakable bond, and set the broken paragon on a road to redemption.

But now, the Grail is shattered. And with the cup of the Savior destroyed and the last Silversaint awaiting execution, what can bring an end to this unholy empire?

Top Ten Week!!!

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Book Review: Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare




Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: May 23, 2017
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

Lord of Shadows is the second book in the Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare. I don't know what's going on, but after enjoying the first book, this one was such a disappointment. First of all, we're given many different character view points. I have no idea why nor did I have interest in some of these characters. Whenever something of interest started happening, we'd jump to someone else's perspective, then someone else's, and by the time it all came back around, my interest in their situation was long gone and replaced with aggravation. This happened a few times. Some view points were definitely needed, while other characters added absolutely nothing to the story other than an increase in word count. They were written like they were main characters, but they weren't all main character material. 

There were multiple love triangles and squares, yes squares, going one, and some characters fell into more than one triangle. I think some may turn into parabatai, because that bond is an intense love too. I can see how the emotions would be confusing, but holy angsty love triangles Batman! Sometimes less is more. (Actually, that phrase applies to much of this book.) I don't feel invested in many of the characters or any of the couples at this point. Even Emma and Julian fell flat during this book. Emma's reasoning for not being honest with Julian was pointless. Plus, I feel like I've read a similar story before with Clary and Jace.

There were many moments that seemed to drag on and on. This is such a long book already, and it needs substance, not fluff. I'm all about a long book, but make it a good one with a good plot. Where was the plot anyway? Did I miss it? It looks like we may be fighting the start of a Shadowhunter run Totalitarian type government, but aside from that, I'm not sure what was supposed to be going on here. Something would happen and I'd think, "Here it is. This is what we're waiting for." Then something else would happen to negate it or someone would die, and that ended whatever I thought was starting. Instead, everything revolved mostly around angst. Whatever the first book had, this book lost every bit of it.

I feel like some of the characters are trying to set us up for another series or trilogy as well. Is that a good thing? After reading this book, I'm really not sure.



Have you read the first book in this trilogy yet?

Check out my reviews of a few books from the Mortal Instruments series!


Have you read the Infernal Devices Series yet? I LOVED this trilogy! Check out my reviews!


author
Cassandra Clare was born overseas and spent her early years traveling around the world with her family and several trunks of fantasy books. Cassandra worked for several years as an entertainment journalist for the Hollywood Reporter before turning her attention to fiction. She is the author of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments trilogy and a New York Times bestseller. Cassandra lives with her fiance and their two cats in Massachusetts.

To learn more about Cassandra Clare and her books, visit her website and blog.You can also find her on GoodreadsFacebook, and Twitter.


Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Teaser Tuesday! Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare




Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare


“I am so ready to hunt down those tiny adorable creatures and give them what for,” said Emma. “SO READY.”

“Emma . . .”

“I may even tie bows on their heads.”

“We have to interrogate them.”

“Can I get a selfie with one of them first?”

“Eat your toast, Emma.” 


Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Top 10 Week! Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2017




How can a girl pick just 10?!?! I mean seriously!

Requiem (Reverie #3) by Lauren E. Rico
Genre: New Adult
(Dark Contemporary Romance/Psychological Thriller)
Date Published: March 1, 2017
Publisher: Harmony House Productions
Pre-Order Here!


Matthew and Julia Ayers are happy at last, settled in their new home with their son and flourishing musical careers. And with Jeremy Corrigan playing in an orchestra halfway across the country, they finally feel a sense of peace and security.

That is exactly what Jeremy is counting on.

Enraged when he is caught in a compromising situation, he refocuses his energies on the people he holds responsible for his languishing career. Believing that "There is an art to destroying a life," he sets out with cool determination to destroy those who have betrayed him. 

No one is safe from his wrath

The eternal struggle between good and evil play out with horrifying consequences in REQUIEM. 



Perfect (Flawed #2) by Cecelia Ahern
Genre: Young Adult (Dystopian)
Date Published: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Macmillan’s Feiwel and Friends imprint has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Cecelia Ahern’s debut YA books, Flawed and its sequel, Perfect, due out in summer 2016 and summer 2017, respectively.

Sort of like The Scarlet Letter meets Divergent, Flawed and Perfect are set in a future society where perfection is valued above humanity and "flawed" people who commit acts of disobedience or rebellion are branded with an F.





Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: May 23, 2017
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Sunny Los Angeles can be a dark place indeed in Cassandra Clare’s Lord of Shadows, the sequel to the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Lady Midnight.

Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?

And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the
Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late.



The Rise of Miss Notley (Tanglewood #2) 
by Rachael Anderson 
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Romance)
Date Expected:  February 2017
Publisher:  HEA Publishing
Not available for pre-order yet.

To escape an undesirable match, Miss Notley must give up her riches for rags.

When Miss Coralynn Notley’s father barters her off to the first titled gentleman to come along, she realizes she must flee her home or be forced to wed a despicable man. Driven by desperation, she applies for the position of housekeeper at Tanglewood Manor, the home of the handsome Mr. Jonathan Ludlow.

The moment Jonathan sees Miss Notley, he is intrigued. She is far too young and inexperienced for the position, yet there is something about her that that inspires a certain hope within him. Does he dare offer her the position of housekeeper or will doing so result in catastrophe?

The Rise of Miss Notley is the delightful tale of a mysterious gentleman and a determined young woman, caught together in a web so tangled it begs the question: Will they ever get out?



RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance/Re-telling)
Date Expected:   January 10, 2017
Publisher:  Amulet Books

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera. 

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.


Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Date Expected:   March 28, 2017
Publisher:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Strange the Dreamer is the story of: 

the aftermath of a war between gods and men
a mysterious city stripped of its name
a mythic hero with blood on his hands
a young librarian with a singular dream
a girl every bit as perilous as she is imperiled
alchemy and blood candy, nightmares and godspawn, moths and monsters, friendship and treachery, love and carnage.

Welcome to Weep. 


Princess Dracula by John Patrick Kennedy
Genre: Adult Fiction (Fantasy)
Date Expected: January 17, 2017
Publisher:  Kindle Press

Princess Dracula: Old legend, new blood.

What if you had power …and no idea how to use it? Ruxandra was raised in a convent, and taught everything she needed to know to be the perfect nobleman's wife. But when her father, Vlad Dracula, comes for her on her 18th birthday, securing her marriage is not what he has in mind. What happens instead grants her inhuman power at the cost of unbearable loneliness. Now, alone and terrified of what she has become, Ruxandra must learn to control her bloodlust…before she destroys what’s left of her.


Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Date Expected: January 31, 2017
Publisher:  Flatiron Books

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .
Welcome, welcome to Caraval—Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.


Poison's Kiss by Breeana Shields
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance/ Mythology)
Date Expected: January 10, 2017
Publisher:  Random House Books for Young Readers

A teenage assassin kills with a single kiss until she is ordered to kill the one boy she loves. This commercial YA fantasy is romantic and addictive like-- a poison kiss-- and will thrill fans of Sarah J. Maas and Victoria Aveyard.

Marinda has kissed dozens of boys. They all die afterward. It s a miserable life, but being a visha kanya a poison maiden is what she was created to do. Marinda serves the Raja by dispatching his enemies with only her lips as a weapon.

Until now, the men she was ordered to kiss have been strangers, enemies of the kingdom. Then she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows too well to be convinced he needs to die. She begins to question who she s really working for. And that is a thread that, once pulled, will unravel more than she can afford to lose.

This rich, surprising, and accessible debut is based in Indian folklore and delivers a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.



The Valiant by Lesley Livingston
Genre: Young Adult (Historical Fiction)
Date Expected: February 14, 2017
Publisher:  HarperCollins Canada

The youngest daughter of a proud Celtic king, Fallon has always lived in the shadow of her older sister Sorcha's legendary reputation as a warrior. But when Fallon was a young child, the armies of Julius Caesar invaded the island of Britain and her beloved older sister was killed in battle.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her rightful place in her father's royal war band. But she never gets the chance. Instead, Fallon is captured by a band of ruthless brigands who sell her to an exclusive training school for female gladiators—and its most influential patron is none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, Fallon's worst enemy, the man who destroyed her family, might be her only hope of survival.

Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, chilling threats and the dangerous attention of Caesar himself to survive the deadly fights that take place both in and out of the arena—and claim her place in history among the Valiant.
❤❤❤❤
This is how I'm getting around the whole 'only pick 10' thing. There are some books coming up without covers and/or blurbs yet, but you know what?? I've read the previous books by these authors and I NEED more!!! Sooo... Here they are! (Fingers crossed that they're all coming out in 2017, because I won't be able to wait longer!!)


BOOKS WITH UNRELEASED BOOK COVERS/BLURBS: