Countdown: 2012 Releases (21)

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.

That's the plan anyways and hopefully I'll have some down time as well in between all the fun festivities lined up to squeeze in a book or two on a night in, curled up on my couch unwinding from all the craziness! That's definitely my idea of how to spend a quite night in on the weekend. I'm all for getting together with friends and family, but lately with all the weddings I've been going to and the festivities that go along side by side with those weddings, I'm definitely not lacking in the quality time I'm spending with my loved ones. So when I get the chance to stay in, for right now, I'm taking advantage of those opportunities as often as I can and with a good book in mind!

Countdown Pick #1: The Innocents (The Innocents, #1) by Lili Peloquin (10/2012)

Two sisters fight to belong in a town built on secrets and lies in this romantic new YA series.

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and
Charlie.
Friends didn’t.
Boys couldn’t.
Their family falling apart never would.
Until they get to Serenity Point.

The Innocents is the first in a new series of young adult novels that weaves a saga of nail-biting drama, breathless romance, and gothic mystery.

While this title does not have an actual date for it's release scheduled that I could find, we're looking at being able to expect this title to hit the shelves in October, and I'm hopeful it will be early October at that. How much fun does this series' opener sound? I'm a sucker for a good series, mostly because it means that I'm not forced to say goodbye when I turn the last and final page of the book, which is a good thing in my opinion. Some standalones are perfect just the way they are, but I'm partial to series for the obvious reasons.

Countdown Pick #2: The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors (08/21/2012)

Emmeline Thistle has always had a mysterious bond with cows, beginning on the night of her birth, when the local bovines saved the infant cast aside to die in the forest. But Emmeline was unaware that this bond has also given her a magical ability to transform milk into chocolate, a very valuable gift in a kingdom where chocolate is more rare and more precious than gold or jewels. Then one day Owen Oak, a dairyman’s son, teaches Emmeline to churn milk into butter—and instead she creates a delicious chocolate confection that immediately makes her a target for every greedy, power-hungry person in the kingdom of Anglund. Only Owen loves Emmeline for who she truly is, not her magical skill. But is his love enough to save her from the danger all around her?

In a departure from her contemporary teen romances, Suzanne Selfors crafts an irresistible re-imagined fairy tale that will tempt readers with a delicious story of love that is sweeter than the richest chocolate.

I will admit I found the premise of this book a little strange and somewhat comical at first glance. But I can also say I'm a fan of any world where an author makes it fact that chocolate is more precious than gold and gems, don't you think? After I got over my presumptions of the comical nature behind my first impression, and I took a closer look, I was drawn right back in to this title. I'm loving the romantic elements that seem to be woven into the plot and am hopeful that readers will get a happy ending for these characters when all is said and done.

Countdown Pick #3: Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1) by Morgan Rhodes (12/11/2012)

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects’ lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

How these four characters will be intertwined is anyone's guess, but what readers can tell immediately is that it will be one heck of a ride and a crazy adventure throughout the entire process. I love a story set with a backdrop like the one described here. There's something romantic in the poetic sense of the word, where warriors fight for their people and injustice isn't tolerated but instead is the cause of many a revolution.

Countdown Pick #4: Incarnation by Emma Cornwall (09/18/2012)

Lucy Weston tracks down the novelist Bram Stroker in her search to reveal the dark force who made her a vampire—and regain her humanity in the process.

In the steampunk world of Victorian London, Lucy Weston, a character in Dracula, seeks out Bram Stoker to discover why he deliberately lied about her in his popular novel. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she tracks the creature who transformed her from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme.

Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy battles her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she makes a choice that illuminates for her—and for us—the true nature of what it means to be human.

How cool does this one sound? I'm digging the idea that someone goes after Bram Stoker himself for falsifying the account of his Dracula. I'm also intrigued by the idea that this character has a bone to pick with Dracula as well and isn't afraid, apparently, to go after him as well for turning her into a vampire as well. Sounds like it could have it's moments of intense action as well as mystery and intrigue as well.

Countdown Pick #5: Want by Stephanie Lawton (06/07/2012)

Julianne counts the days until she can pack her bags and leave her old-money, tradition-bound Southern town where appearance is everything and secrecy is a way of life. A piano virtuoso, she dreams of attending a prestigious music school in Boston. Failure is not an option, so she enlists the help of New England Conservatory graduate Isaac Laroche.

Julianne can’t understand why Isaac suddenly gave up Boston’s music scene to return to the South. He doesn’t know her life depends on escaping it before she inherits her mother’s madness. Isaac knows he must resist his attraction to a student ten years his junior, but loneliness and jealousy threaten his resolve.

Their indiscretion at a Mardi Gras ball—the pinnacle event for Mobile’s elite—forces their present wants and needs to collide with sins of the past.

Will Julianne accept the help she’s offered and get everything she ever wanted, or will she self-destruct and take Isaac down with her?

This one sounds juicy doesn't it? I can't wait to see what this one brings to the table! I'll admit that I'm intrigued with the relationship the author describes between the main character, Julianne, and her mentor of sorts, Isaac, who is so much older than her. Age might not pose such an obstacle at some point in life, but when we're talking about a girl Julianne's age, an obstacle is definitely what I'd call it. Definitely something I want to look into and see how it all pans out. If you're interested, there's a contest going on over at Goodreads, for a chance to win a copy for yourself. So head on over and check it out!

Countdown: 2012 Releases (9)

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: Immortal City (Immortal City, #1) by Scott Speer (04/03/2012)

L.A. Candy meets the mystery and romance of Fallen in this sensational debut

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He’s days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone’s obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect—everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy’s the one girl in Angel City who doesn’t breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn’t recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson’s scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi—and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels’ wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat ... and this time it’s up to Maddy to save Jackson.

This one sounds like so much fun! I was drawn to it by the cover admittedly and anything with Angels is usually a pretty big temptation that is almost impossible to resist but check it out...Angels are among us and apparently more famous than celebrities. Not sure how Speer will paint this completely crazy and yet alluring picture, but I'm anxious to see what he's got in mind. The idea that Angels are followed around like movie stars and people compete and go to crazy lengths to get the more popular Angel to watch over them sounds ridiculous but also wildly creative and sure to be an enjoyable ride. So hopefully Maddy can pull this one off and manage to save Jackson because this one sounds like too much fun to miss out on.

Countdown Pick #2: Keep Holding on by Susane Colasanti (06/14/2012)

Chew.
Swallow.
Chew.
Swallow.
Don't look up.
Lunch is the worst, but there's no safe place at school for Noelle. Keeping her mortifying home life a secret and trying to ignore the kids who make her life miserable are Noelle's survival strategies. Her emotionally distant boyfriend, Matt, isn't the one she really wants to be with. But there's no way she could ever be with Julian Porter.

When Julian starts talking to her, Noelle is terrified. It seems safer to stay with Matt than risk a broken heart. But when the bullying of a friend goes too far, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself - and for everything that makes her keep holding on.

This one sounds like a tough but very moving read if you ask me. Everyone has either been picked on themselves growing up or seen it happen. It's awful and unfortunately something that will likely never go away. So while this might not be a very upbeat sort of story, hopefully it will be a moving one with a message to take away after the final pages are read. Although we're not read into what kind of family situation Noelle is dealing with, it obviously doesn't sound good and the idea that she has that to deal with on top of everything else is a tough pill to swallow. I can only hope that she gets a happy ending well deserved.

Countdown Pick #3: Once (Eve, #2) by Anna Carey (07/03/2012)

Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love?

Brimming with danger and star-crossed romance, and featuring a vivid dystopian landscape, this electrifying follow-up to Eve, which bestselling author Lauren Kate called “a gripping, unforgettable adventure—and a fresh look at what it means to love” is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes adventure of The Hunger Games and the irresistible love story of Romeo and Juliet.

I can't even describe how much I wish I had this upcoming release in my hands this very second! When I finished Eve, I couldn't believe the way Carey decided to end it and I was crushed! It literally pained me that I wouldn't know what happened next until the second installment came out and I wasn't sure when that was going to be. But even now, July is so far away and all I want is to know what's going to happen with Eve and Caleb and if they'll be able to be together, and find their much deserved happily ever after. And I must say this synopsis has shocked me, I can't believe after all that work Eve is going to end up in the City of Sand after all! How that's going to work out I have no clue but it is sure to be a crazy adventure in the making and once again I can already see myself on the edge of my seat dying to know what happens next!

Countdown Pick #4: The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols ( 12/06/2011)

Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken.

Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend?

OK OK, I know this isn't a 2012 release but I love Echols' writing so much that I couldn't resist, and it's not out until December so technically it's countdown worthy, but not a 2012 release. So please excuse the sneak in on my part, but who isn't excited about this one huh? Another Echols release and of course romance is involved. This one sounds a bit tricky but Echols has a way of writing so that her readers are with her every step of the way and so invested in her characters that if things don't work out well we're all devastated. So fingers crossed Gemma gets her act together and figures this whole sticky situation out so everyone gets their wish. Obviously that's a lot easier said than done but I'm hoping Echols works her magic and makes it happen for us.

Countdown Pick #5: Wake (Watersong, #1) by Amanda Hocking (08/21/2012)

Lose yourself in the magic of Watersong, an unforgettable new series about two sisters who nearly lose their lives - and their loves - when they fall under the spell of three beautiful but deadly sirens.

First in a four-book paranormal romance YA series from bestselling author, Amanda Hocking.

I can only say that 2012 is really starting to look up for me in the reading department. I can't believe how many releases are coming out from my favorite authors. Of course I'm excited to read some debuts and books by authors that are previously unknown to me, but there's something special about future releases coming out by an author you already know you love and can't get enough of. So when I saw that Amanda Hocking is not only coming out with one new series in the new year, but TWO, I was beyond ecstatic! I can't believe my luck. Once again I can only hope that her new releases and series' will be just as good and loved as much as her My Blood Approves series, but I can't see it turning out any other way. So jump on the bandwagon with me and get excited because Hocking is sure going to deliver in 2012.