Countdown: 2012 Releases (1)

You guys know the drill by now...I'm always on the lookout for new finds and exciting new reads and below are just a few that I've come across lately. With how busy everyone gets if I don't write the titles down immediately I'll never be able to remember them later when I'm ready to download a new book to my kindle, or in the store wondering which shelf to look through first. So by posting these countdowns I give myself one more place to look when I need to be reminded of the titles I'm looking forward to.

And as always if you guys hear of any that you haven't seen me post let me know. Like I said, I only have so much time to search for future reads on my own, and to be honest, the majority of my favorite titles I owe to friends/bloggers/author recommendations. So leave a comment, shoot me an email, etc... if there are any books or authors you think I should have on my radar.

Countdown Pick #1: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1) by Julie Kagawa (04/24/2012)

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

Who doesn't love Kagawa's books? I mean come on, The Iron Fey series was chalk full of fantastic writing, interesting characters, suspense, humor and of course romance. So now that Kagawa is branching away from the Fae, and moving on to vampires, I can't wait to see where this series will go and what kind of crazy ride she takes us on this time. I know I'm not the only reader with this title on their countdown radar and TBR lists. And while this is just a teaser cover, I'll be on the lookout for the real deal in the future and will post the announcement as soon as I get wind of the reveal.

Countdown Pick #2: Dead To You by Lisa McMann (02/07/2012)

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

While this one grabbed my attention it scares me even more. The whole idea around this book and it's characters is sad, terrifying and almost impossible to imagine or even try to begin to comprehend. I'm not sure how much fun this one will be to read, but I value McMann's writing and her attempt at such a serious and devastating situation is sure to be done with the utmost talent and consideration. It's sure to be emotional and hard to get through at times, but I can only say that with McMann's ability to speak to her readers, this could be a story that everyone should read.

Countdown Pick #3: Starling (Starling, #1) by Lesley Livingston (2012)

"Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling. 
Not too much to go on with this one huh? But I do know that the Bourne series rocked and I love paranormal elements. So these are two very promising starting points as far as teasers go. I'm also going to admit that any movie or book revolving around crime families are ones that I'm always tempted to see and read and usually end up loving. You name it, The Godfather trilogy (obviously), Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, loved them all. They're scary, violent, and tension always runs high, but I can't ever get enough of them.


Countdown Pick #4: Slide by Jill Hathaway (03/27/2012)

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

What a cool idea, right? Someone with the ability to dip into other people's minds while everyone is none the wiser? I get that it might be just as much of a curse as it could be considered a gift given the nature of this book's plot, but I still think it sounds like a really neat idea. I can't imagine how Hathaway is going to play this one out, but it sure sounds like it'll be an exciting journey to see how it unfolds.


Countdown Pick #5: Above by Leah Bobet (04/01/2012)

Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her bee's wings falling away. They live in Safe, an underground refuge for those fleeing the city Above--like Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingers.

But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above. As Matthew unravels the mystery of Safe's history and the shadows' attack, he realizes he must find a way to remake his home--not just for himself, but for Ariel, who needs him more than ever before.

This one's got me totally excited! It sounds like X-Men don't you think? I'll admit that while my dad I'm sure was hoping for a boy and instead got two daughters, decided to pawn some of his guy hobbies off on me. For example: comics. So I did collect and read my fair share, and my favorite quickly became the X-Men series and all spin offs related. Yep, I'm a dork and I'm OK with that. So while I was younger I always seemed to gravitate and still do it would seem, to the same elements. Bobet's characters and their super powers sound like fun to me. The world of Above, however, does not. I'll be rooting for these characters as soon as it hits the shelves.