Countdown: 2012 Releases (15)

Great books are scheduled to hit the shelves this summer for sure!

I can't believe how many great titles are coming out and how badly I want to read them all. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage to fit everything in, but I'm crossing my fingers I'll find a way. With a great holiday weekend behind us, I'm definitely in need of some downtime and reading is the perfect cure, and an easy way to relax and unwind.

That's the plan anyways and these are just a few of the titles I'm hoping will help me relax and enjoy the few moments of quiet that come in between (sometimes rarely) all the craziness that goes on around me!

Countdown Pick #1: Run the Game by Jason Myers (06/12/2012)

In this gritty novel from the author of Exit Here and Dead End, love is a high-priced and dangerous game: Play or be played.

Alexander didn’t believe in love at first sight until he met Patti. She’s the kind of girl you hear about in songs: gorgeous, feisty, and dangerous. Being with Patti is better than any high, and he can’t live without her. But Alexander’s not the only one who wants to be with Patti. Burke ruthlessly takes what he wants and will kill to protect what is his. And he won’t let Patti go without a fight. If Patti and Alexander are going to be together, their love will come at a steep price. Because some promises are meant to be broken, and not all debts can be paid in cash….

This does not sound like a title that I would normally call my cup of tea, but for some reason, when I read the description listed, I couldn't imagine passing this one by. So I've added it to my list and I'm hoping that I won't regret it. The whole idea behind this book is one that scares me to no end, and I'm worried that it might turn out to be a little too intense for me to get through. But I also can't help but be curious as to how things will work our for Alexander and Patti and I haven't even cracked the cover yet. Definitely a good sign, would you say?

Countdown Pick #2: Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard (06/14/2012)

"In the tradition of John Knowles's A Separate Peace."--Publisher Weekly, Starred
"One of the best young adult books I've read in years."--Pat Conroy
William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist

At the beginning of his junior year at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex is devastated when he fails to save a drowning friend. When questioned, Alex and his friend Glenn, who was also at the river, begin weaving their web of lies. Plagued by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind Moby-Dick. Caught in the web with Alex and Glenn is their English teacher, Miss Dovecott, fresh out of Princeton, who suspects there's more to what happened at the river when she perceives guilt in Alex's writing for class. She also sees poetic talent in Alex, which she encourages. As Alex responds to her attention, he discovers his true voice, one that goes against the boarding school bravado that Glenn embraces. When Glenn becomes convinced that Miss Dovecott is out to get them, Alex must choose between them.

Talk about your high levels of anxiety! But I do enjoy a great mystery every once in a while. And this one sounds like it's got all the right ingredients to leave me guessing until the very end. I'm curious to see how the teacher will play into this story and how crazy things may get. I'm already wondering what really happened at the river and how their friend ended up drowning...was it accidental or not? Only time will tell, but luckily this release date is not too far away.

Countdown Pick #3: Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt (07/12/2012)

This novel opens on the first day of Hannah’s senior year, but the story really starts on the last day of her junior year. That’s when Hannah not only gets dumped by her boyfriend, Sebastian, but she also finds out her best friend, Ava, is going to be gone for the entire summer. But Ava’s boyfriend, Noah, is definitely around—and such a good guy that he snags Hannah a job at the diner where he works. Hannah and Noah move from coworkers, to friends….and one night, to something more.

Now it’s back to school, where Hannah will see Sebastian, Ava, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, Hannah will learn a lot about love, friendship…and herself.

The cover kind of drew my attention on this one and for a strange reason. The girl on the cover actually looks a lot like someone I know and I honestly found myself doing a double take to see if it was really her. I was thinking my friend would have some explaining to do, but that wasn't the case. Despite my reasons, once I had take a look at this title's description, I was interested. And this one sounds juicy but also like it'll have a somewhat tear jerker element to it. All in all it's one I want to check out for myself.

Countdown Pick #4: The Rise of Nine (The Lorien Legacies, #3) by Pittacus Lore (08/21/2012)

It all began with nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorians—who scattered on Earth and went into hiding. They look like ordinary teenagers, but they have extraordinary skills. The Mogadorians killed Number One, Number Two, and Number Three. They tried to kill Number Four ... and failed.

Number Four (aka John Smith) has now teamed up with Number Nine, while Six has gone off to find the others. With the Mogadorians hot on their trail and time running out, they must find a way to come together, before it's too late. Power in numbers will save them all.

I'm just a fan of this series without a doubt. I was sad to see that the movie version of the first book didn't do all that well in the theaters because I was really hoping to see the rest of the series made into a movie as well. But regardless, the books are still holding my attention and making me feel like not all science fiction is out of my comfort zone after all. Not normally the genre I sway towards, this series had me holding my breath from the very beginning and I'm curious to see where the series will take readers next.

Countdown Pick #5: The Kill Order (Maze Runner, # 0.5) by James Dashner (08/14/2012)

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares seared the earth and mankind fell to disease. "The Kill Order" tells the story of that fall.

“The prequel is something that has churned in my mind since before "The Maze Runner" was even complete. It's been hard to keep it a secret! I'm excited to finally share the news and I can't wait for my readers to see how it all began," shared author James Dashner.

Now I've had the series opener on my shelf since around when it first hit the shelves and I've yet to read it. I know, I know, this is terrible! But when I saw this title would be coming out this Summer, I knew it was a sign. I decided to hold off just a little bit longer before I started the series so that I could read this title first. I figured I'd start off with the prequel and then dive right into the series. That sounds like a solid plan don't you think? It's what I've got and I'm going to go with it. For those of you who haven't been slacking like myself and have made your way through this series, how was it? It is everything everyone says? Will it live up to all the hype I keep hearing about?