Countdown: Missed Titles (5)

While trying to get back into the swing of things on the blog after my crazy, wedding filled Summer, I of course decided to bring back the countdowns.  They're some of my favorites posts to prepare and doing the research on them is always exciting because I seem to always end up pleasantly surprised by how many titles out there that I end up wanting to read in the worst possible way.

So while I've got a huge list already compiled of all the great titles coming out in 2013, I wanted to come back and start first by featuring some reads that I somehow missed in the past year or two.  I'm always both upset and excited to find titles that somehow went under my radar.  Upset because I already feel like I'm behind, and have possibly missed out on great reading experiences, but also excited to finally come across them so that I'll have the chance to make up for lost time and dive right into these intriguing reads.  So here's the start to the missing titles countdown.  Since these have been on the shelves for a while now, if you see any that you've read or heard anything about, let me know and give me your opinion....should I rush them to the top of my TBR pile, or possibly hold off???


Countdown Pick #1:  Shadows (Lux, #0.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Different is the word that comes to mind with this title.  I've always been a paranormal fan, but I'll admit that readers run into the same types of characters throughout the genre on repeat, and while I'm always impressed by how authors seem to be able to create new spins on old tales, it's still nice to change things up every once in a while.  A story surrounding aliens would be just that for me.  A change of pace, a new spin, which ever way you put it I'm looking forward to checking this series out to see if change turns out to be a very good thing.

Countdown Pick #2:  The Dig (Zoe and Zeus Trilogy, #1) by Audrey Hart

Zoe Calder has always been an outsider. Stashed away in boarding schools since her parents died, Zoe buries herself in the study of ancient worlds. Her greatest thrill is spending her summers with her archaeologist aunt and uncle on digs around the world. And one day, while investigating a newly unearthed temple in Crete, Zoe discovers a luminous artifact that transports her to ancient Greece.

As Zoe quickly learns, the Olympian Gods are real, living people—humans with mysterious powers… Powers that Zoe quickly realizes she has come to possess, as well. However, when the people of ancient Greece mistake Zoe for an Olympian, the Gods must restore the balance of the ancient world… No matter what.

Zoe is forced to play a confusing and dangerous game as Hera rallies the gods against her—all except for Zeus, the beautiful, winged young god who risks everything to save her.

Out of time and out of her element, teenager Zoe Calder finds herself in ancient Greece, battling against the power of the Olympians and the vengeance of a scorned goddess—all for the strange and mysterious boy she has come to love.

A little spin on Greek and Roman mythology anyone?  I've always been a fan of Greek and Roman mythology, and just like I enjoy retellings of my favorite classic titles, new twists on mythology falls into the same category for me.  I'm curious to see Zeus as the good guy in this one.  Most stories paint him and Hera both as the (not necessarily evil) not so nice guy.  Throw a little of romance into this mix and you can sign me up for sure.

Countdown Pick #3:  Dragonfly by Julia Golding

Princess Taoshira of the Blue Crescent Islands is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil of Gerfal. And he's not too pleased, either. She is used to a life of discipline, ritual, and splendor. He is used to hunting and carousing. They hate each other on sight. But both of their countries are under threat from a fearsome warlord, and the only chance of peace is to form an alliance. 

When Tashi and Ram are kidnapped, they fear there's no escape--from their kidnappers or from each other. Can they put aside their differences long enough to survive ambush, unarmed combat, brainwashing, and imprisonment? And will the people they meet on their adventure--including a circus strongman, a daring rebel leader, a sinister master of spies, and the best female fighter they have ever seen--help them or betray them to the enemy?

Yes!  This kind of storyline reminds of something Maria V. Snyder would put out there and with her being one of my favorite authors, that's a huge compliment.  I can't wait to see what this author can bring to the table.

Countdown Pick #4:  Red by Kait Nolan

Every fairy tale has a dark side... 

Elodie Rose has a secret. Any day, she’ll become a wolf and succumb to the violence that’s cursed her family for centuries. For seventeen years she’s hidden who and what she is. But now someone knows the truth and is determined to exterminate her family line. Living on borrowed time in the midst of this dangerous game of hide and seek, the last thing Elodie needs to do is fall in love. But Sawyer is determined to protect her, and the brooding, angry boy is more than what he seems. Can they outsmart a madman? And if they survive, will they find a way to beat the curse for good?

So with the talk of fairy tales and the images on this cover I'm going to make the jump to think that maybe this is a new twist on Little Red Riding Hood, but since when does Red turn into a wolf?  I'm anxious to see how Nolan has this all panning out.  As this title was her YA debut I'm always curious to see how authors make the transition from one audience to another.

Countdown Pick #5:  Meant To Be (The Saving Angels, #1) by Tiffany King

Krista Miller feels like she has lived her entire life in a glass box with her every emotion on display. She can’t help feeling like a defect as her sensitivities have made her socially inept and without any real friends; the one exception being the boy that visits her each night in her dreams. 

Krista’s emotions are put to the test when a move to California triggers a devastating change to her fantasy world. The nightly comfort that the boy provides has now become a recurring nightmare as he is taken from her by an unseen force.

Struggling to appear normal, Krista enrolls in a new school and finds it to be nothing like she thought. Her new life is sent spiraling out of control from a strange connection with a boy, Mark, who claims to know all her secrets. 

As Krista begins to explore the emotions that Mark evokes in her, secrets about their mysterious past and their predestined purpose threatens to separate them just when they have found each other.

After getting excited based on only the book's description, I went in search of other readers' reviews where this title was concerned.  It seems to be a general consensus that this book is one everyone should read.  It's said to be imaginative, creative, a wild ride and one that many readers finished in one day after not being able to put it down.  How can you resist adding a title to your TBR after hearing such wonderful praise like that right?  I can't so I've added it to my list and am looking forward to seeing if the writing lives up to the praise.