Countdown: April 2013

The saying might be that April showers bring May flowers, but apparently it also brings a heck of a lot of good books.  You guys are very familiar with my love of countdowns here on the blog and there's no way that's going to change anytime soon, certainly not in 2013!  So now that the new year is here, my excitement level for 2013 new releases has gone through the roof.  I've got my January list, and I'm trying to stick to my plan.  I'll keep reading at lease one or two of the books that are already on my shelf that haven't been read yet before I purchase a new book.  So two older ones for everyone new one I buy is the way this game is played.  So far so good!  If you guys don't see a book you're looking forward to on one of my countdowns you know what to do...post a comment, send me an email, you name it, it works as long as you don't hold back and keep the great future releases a secret!  Let us know, I'm always on the lookout for a few more titles to add to my TBR list!

Countdown Pick #1:  Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland (04/02/2013)

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

I hate that February is so far away, four months seems like a very long time, but I can't imagine if the release date was even further away because I'm already on the edge of my seat ready to crack this one open and see what Ireland is going to bring to the table.  Definitely a debut I'm looking forward to!

Countdown Pick #2:  Stung by Bethany Wiggins (04/02/2013)

There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

This is normally one those books that I would steer clear of strictly because it deals with some kind of bug or insect that bites.  Nope not usually the type of thing I want anything to do with, because I'm a HUGE wimp when it comes to anything that's creepy or crawly.  But I wanted to check out the book's description and despite the fact that people are being "stung" I can't seem to write this one off just yet.  I've got to check it out for myself and hopefully I won't regret it half way through or be plagued by insect related nightmares after I start reading.

Countdown Pick #3:  My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi (04/01/2013)

WHAT NOW?

Lucy just had the worst week ever. Seriously, mega bad. And suddenly, it’s all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a whole new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of.

And now her life will never be the same. Now, how will she be able to have a boyfriend? What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family? Now, every moment is a precious gift. She never thought being positive could be so negative. But now, everything’s different…because now she’s living with HIV.

I think we've all made choices and decisions where afterwards your stomach drops, your mind goes crazy and you have no idea why you did what you did, and what you'll have to do next.  I can't say that I've ever had to go through something like Lucy has to go through in this future release, but I'm already sympathizing with her situation and I'm eager to see how she handles her what life is throwing at her.  This one is sure to be an emotional ride.

Countdown Pick #4:  Breath (Riders of the Apocalypse, #4) by Jackie Morse Kessler (04/16/2013)

Contrary to popular belief, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just harbingers of doom—they actually keep life in balance. But what happens when their leader and creator, Death, becomes suicidal?

Before the first living thing drew its first gasping breath, he was there. He has watched humanity for millennia. And he has finally decided that humanity is not worth the price he has paid time and again. When Death himself gives up on life, a teenager named Xander Atwood is the world’s only hope. But Xander bears a secret, one that may bring about the end of everything.

This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.

This is a series that I unfortunately fell out of touch with and need to correct that error in judgement as soon as possible.  Kessler has a way of writing that really hits home and makes it nearly impossible for the reader not to become invested immediately upon reading the first page.  The first book in this series forced me to take breaks in between reading because I found myself very emotional and overwhelmed.  It's also a book that has stayed with me for a long time since.  I need to catch up on the other two installments before I check this one out, but I am both looking forward to reading and finishing the series and also sad to see that it's coming to and end.  Very bittersweet.

Countdown Pick #5:  If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin (04/01/2013)

If He Had Been With Me tells the romantic history of a teen girl and her childhood best friend leading up to his tragic car accident in which the passenger seat was occupied by another girl.

Sometimes I guess a lengthy description is not needed for a future release because here we have a one line teaser and it's already more than enough to have me wanting to read this future title with a passion. I hate that it already sounds as if there's no chance for a happy ending, but I can't resist the urge to know what happened exactly, and what this girl thinks could have been different or could have been prevented if she had been able to switch places with another girl at the time.  I'm looking forward to reading this one to find out.

Countdown: Fave Authors, Sequels and great Series' Edition

I don't know about you but when I find myself falling in love with a book or an author's writing I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, the next installment, or any other work that the author's written. So in 2011 here are just a few that fit into that category.

Countdown Pick #1: Shadowspell (Fairiewalker #2) by Jenna Black (1/4/2011)

On top of spending most of her time in a bunkerlike safe house and having her dates hijacked by a formidable Fae bodyguard, Faeriewalker Dana Hathaway is in for some more bad news: the Erlking and his pack of murderous minions known as the Wild Hunt have descended upon Avalon. With his homicidal appetite and immortal powers, the Erlking has long been the nightmare of the Fae realm. 

A fragile treaty with the Faerie Queen, sealed with a mysterious spell, is the one thing that keeps him from hunting unchecked in Avalon, the only place on Earth where humans and Fae live together. Which means Dana’s in trouble, since it’s common knowledge that the Faerie Queen wants her – and her rare Faeriewalker powers – dead. The smoldering, sexy Erlking’s got his sights set on Dana, but does he only seek to kill her, or does he have something much darker in mind?


Glimmerglass became an instant favorite of mine and all I want to do is get my hands on a copy of this book, the second installment in the Fairiewalker series, and curl up in a comfy chair with a hot posset (I was lucky enough to get the actual recipe from Black) and not get up until I've finished it...unless of course I need to make a second hot posset. Our favorite girl, Dana now knows she's special and she's working on getting a handle on her new status among the fey and all of Avalon. With the Erlking making an entrance in this book and setting his sights on Dana (of course) I can't wait to see what his angle is and what he's really after? Does he just want to use Dana for his possibly nefarious purposes or could there be more to it? Knowing Black's creativity, readers are sure to be in a for a wild ride.

Countdown Pick #2: Lemniscate (Angel Star #2) by Jennifer Murgia (3/21/2011)

For Teagan, these last few months have been heaven on earth - especially now that Garreth, her boyfriend and guardian angel, is earthbound. But perhaps Garreth is becoming a little more human than either of them expected.
Now, Teagan must realize that her world is once again about to shift, as she questions the faith she held in others against those once considered enemies.


In this continuation of Angel Star, Lemniscate will draw you even deeper into the world of dark and light as Teagan realizes the angel who could possibly save them all is the one angel she feared the most.

The second book in the Angel Star series made the countdown, why you ask? Two reasons. One, I adore all things Jennifer Murgia. I've had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with her and she couldn't be nicer, not to mention the fact that she's a fantastic writer. And two, because I simply fell in love with her characters in Angel Star and can't wait to see what happens to them all next! Muria had be rooting for Teagan, swooning over Garreth, and kind of scared of everything they had working against them. I'm anxious to see how Teagan and Garreth's relationship is going, I'm crossing my fingers for bliss...but I'm not going to hold my breath. I'm sure there are lots of obstacles ahead, bumps in the road and plenty of bad heading their way in the form of a familiar dark angel. Don't break my heart Jennifer!

Countdown Pick #3: Starstruck by Cyn Balog (7/12/2011)

Gwendolyn "Dough" X doesn't think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires, and the other kids at her New Jersey high school don't seem to know that she exists. Thank the stars for her longtime boyfriend, Philip P. Wishman—or "Wish." He moved away to California three years ago, when they were 13, but then professed his love for her via e-mail, and he's been her long-distance BF ever since. 

At the beginning of her junior year, though, Wish e-mails that he's moving back to Jersey. Great, right? Well, except that Dough has gained about 70 pounds since the last time Wish saw her, while Wish—according to his Facebook photos—has morphed into a blonde god. Convinced that she'll be headed for Dumpsville the minute Wish lays eyes on her, Dough delays their meeting as long as she possibly can.

But when she sees Wish at school, something amazing happens. He looks at Dough like she's just as gorgeous as he is. But Wish is acting a little weird, obsessed with the sun and freaked out by rain. And the creepy new guy working at the bakery, Christian, is convinced that there's more to Wish's good looks than just healthy eating and lots of sun. He tells Dough that a mark on Wish's neck marks him as a member of the Luminati—an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives. Is Wish and Dough's love meant to be—or are they star-crossed?

This made the countdown because I am definitely a member of the Cyn Balog fan club. She's a ton of fun to hang out with, her stories catch you, hook, line and sinker. Not to mention each of her books always keep me wanting more, more, more. So when I heard about this one, there was no hesitation, I couldn't wait to put it on my wish list. It sounds like a coming of age story about a girl who slowly learns who she is and what is really important. Cyn has a way of taking common story lines and drastically turning them upside down and inside out in the most wonderful ways. Just when you think you know what will happen or what to expect around the next curve, she throws you for a loop and surprises you with an outcome that leaves you reeling. In her previous books, like Fairy Tale, and Sleepless, I always thought I knew how I wanted them to end (but I was never right) and then Cyn would write the ending in a way that I never would have expected and of course it was ten times better than I dared to hope for.

Countdown Pick #4: Fins Are Forever (Fins #2) by Tera Lynn Childs (6/28/2011)

On Lily Sanderson’s eighteenth birthday she’ll become just a girl—still a mergirl, true, but signing the renunciation will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being-human thing once and for all.

Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, the waves start to get rough. Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form, when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily’s former crush, Brody?

The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up—Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?

TLC's series' are fun, light reads. I flew through her Oh.My.Gods. series and the first installment in the Fins series, Forgive My Fins, and I'm really looking forward to her quick pace and fun plots. Plus, who doesn't love mermaids? There aren't too many series out on the shelves at the moment that feature this particular paranormal/fantastical creature, and a change is nice every once in a while. There sounds like there's going to be a lot going on in this one and I don't think anyone will want to miss a moment of it. Lily and Quince are together but lots will be thrown in their path, but will they be able to power through? Will it be too much for these two new love birds, and end up tearing the two of them apart? I hope not, Lily put Quince through so much the last time around that I'd hate to see him get hurt all over again, especially after the two of them finally got what they wanted...or did they? I'm sure planning on devouring this one the first chance I get to find out for myself if true love conquers all.

Countdown Pick #5: Stolen Nights (Vampire Queen #2) by Rebecca Maizel (3/15/2011)

Lenah Beaudonte should be dead. But having sacrificed herself to save another, she finds herself awakening with strange powers that are neither vampire nor human - and a new enemy on her trail. In her vampire life, Lenah had thought that being human was all she ever wanted; but the human heart suffers pain, heartbreak and loss. With her new powers growing and the dark force of the Nex after her soul, Lenah faces a choice: between the mortal love of gorgeous Justin, whose passion fed her human soul, and taking a different path to become the mistress of her own destiny, wherever that may lead ...

While I love a good change, I've always been a sucker for a good vampire story and this trilogy pulled me right in. Maizel sold me after I found myself heartbroken after only the first two chapters in her first installment in the Vampire Queen series, Infinite Days. The way I see it...any author who has me so invested in the characters before I even get a good way into the book that I'm having an emotional overload by chapter two is a great one in my eyes. I'll probably be in tears by page two this time around. Here's hoping it lives up to the fabulous first installment. Maizel and the publishing house aren't giving out too many details about this one but I can only imagine greatness is in store. So as much as I'm itching to hear where this one will take readers, I'm even more excited to get my hands on the actual thing!

Countdown Pick #6: Rage (The Horsemen of the Apocalypse #2) by Jackie Morse Kessler (4/18/2011)

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different. That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control. A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation,Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world. 

Jackie's first book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series, and her YA debut, Hunger really gave me pause. She talks about real issues, topics that usually are avoided or are just not as common among young adult literature, and subjects that scare me, but at the same time she does an amazing job bringing these issues to every reader's attention. I'm looking forward to what she brings next. Hunger was all about finding balance in yourself, in life and in everything around you. This time Jackie has readers learning the value of control. After the major affect she had on me with her first installment in the series, I can only imagine how powerful this second installment is sure to be for me, and for all her readers.

Stay tuned for another edition of the countdown and more fantastic reads to look forward to in 2011!

Author Interview: Jackie Morse Kessler

Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)

Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.

I am so very excited that Jackie was able to stop by and chat with us about her upcoming book, HUNGER (Horsemen of the Apocalypse, #1) and I can't wait to see what you guys think....

Katelyn: Can you tell us a little bit about HUNGER and the writing process you went through. It is such an emotional and powerful book, how did you handle writing a book with such important and sensitive issues like eating disorders?

JMK:  HUNGER is about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new avatar of Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I’d wanted to write this book for years, but I kept putting it off because I was writing other books and stories, and because I was afraid that no one would want to read such a book. It wasn’t until I had lunch with my agent back in October 2008 and told her the idea that I thought I should write the book. Actually, that’s all because of my agent. She said to me, “And why haven’t you written this book yet???” I said, “Because no one wants to read a book about eating disorders,” and she replied, “Are you crazy???” **grins** She was extremely encouraging, so I took a break from writing a contracted book that was due in February and started thinking about HUNGER. Four weeks later, I had the draft done.

Yeah, it was a fast draft. But then, it’s a very short book — and it had been brewing for about ten years. Once I figured out who the main character was, and what the purpose of the Horsemen were, everything just came pouring out. It was extremely cathartic. I didn’t plot it; I wrote this one completely by the seat of my pants. But then, like I said, I’d had ten years to figure out the story!

Katelyn:  Balance is such a large theme in HUNGER, how did you manage to convey the idea of balance in everyone's lives without it seeming like you were standing on a soap box. Where did the inspiration come from for Lisa's symbol as Famine to be the scales?

JMK:  The scales is straight from the Book of Revelations: “And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.” [Revelations 6:5] A pair of balances is a set of scales. I call it a balance, as well as the Scales, in the book. And of course, scales are extremely important if you’re anorexic. Everything about the situation really called for balance to be necessary — starting with “balance” being another name for “scales.”

As for conveying the idea of balance...well, Death is very inspirational, isn’t he? **smiles** I’m glad the notion came through without it feeling like I was standing on a soapbox.

Katelyn:  This book had no sugar coating and you didn't gloss anything over. I know I had difficulty with certain scenes in this book but at the same time I can't imagine the book without them. Why did you decide to write this story in such a graphic manner?

JMK:  One of the things that upsets me greatly is how eating disorders are glamorized in the media, especially in magazines. I can’t tell you how many times I’d see a magazine that would scream on the cover, [CELEBRITY NAME] IS ANOREXIC!!! And then in the actual article, it would tell you how the celebrity goes about her day, what she eats, how much she exercises, how little she weighs, and how successful she is despite the anorexia. Ugh. That’s not focusing on how devastating eating disorders are. So it was very important to me to strip away any glamour when Lisa and Tammy are in the throes of their disorders.

**stands on soapbox** Eating disorders suck!!! **steps off of soapbox**

Katelyn:  I recently learned there will be three more books in this series, is that correct? Can you tell us a little bit about them? Will they connect with the others or are they stand alones?

JMK:  Yes! **throws confetti** Each book is meant to stand alone, but if you read all of the books, you’ll see some hints of what is to come. For example, some information in HUNGER foreshadows something that will happen in RAGE, which will be coming out in spring 2011. That second book is about a teen girl who self-injures, who becomes the new avatar of War. The third and fourth books will focus on Pestilence and Death, respectively. I’m currently working on the third book, LOSS, right now.

Katelyn:  I must say that Death was one of my favorite characters (and I never thought I would say that), but how did you decide to give him Kurt Cobain like characteristics?

JMK:  **laughs** You know, I wish I knew! I wasn’t even into Nirvana when I started writing HUNGER. But Death simply had to look exactly like Kurt Cobain. It was just one of those Athena moments, when the character springs fully formed out of the author’s head. Maybe I was influenced somehow, somewhere, but darned if I know how or where. But now, whenever I hear Nirvana, I feel like my Muse is speaking to me. 

This is cool: My crit partner, Heather Brewer, got to read HUNGER very early, so she knew what Death looks like. Last year, she gave me a present at Dragon*Con: a small paperweight statue of Kurt Cobain, shoulders-up, with a skull for a face. It was PERFECT. **grins**

And you know...Death is one of my favorite characters too. We get to see more of him in RAGE.

Katelyn:  Some of the proceeds from Hunger sales will be going to the National Eating Disorders Association, can you tell us a little about that?

JMK:  Because this is such a personal issue for me, I wanted to do something to help others who are trying to educate people about what eating disorders are, and what they’re not. NEDA is a terrific organization, and I’m happy to donate a portion of proceeds to it.

I just want to say thank again Jackie for stopping by, I really enjoyed HUNGER and can't wait for the next books in the series to come out!  If you guys haven't had the chance to read my review of HUNGER, you can check it out here, mark you calendars and make sure you check it out when it hits the shelves in October!

ARC Tour & Review: Hunger (Riders of the Apocalypse, #1) by Jackie Morse Kessler

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?


The best way I can describe this book is by saying that this was a very difficult and tough read. I enjoyed the spin Jackie Morse Kessler used in Hunger, giving Lisa the job responsibilities of Famine, but underneath this, no reader will be able to forget that there is a very serious issue at stake. Kessler allowed readers to be passengers along for the ride during Lisa's struggle with her eating disorder and the consequences that have been the result of her actions.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this novel, but I enjoyed reading it (or at least as much as one can) with a topic as heartbreaking as this one. I found myself feeling extremely naive and ignorant when presented with some of the information presented to me in Hunger. I know this is a work of fiction, but Kessler does say in her acknowledgments at the end of the book that although this is a work of fiction, she makes it clear that this situation and many like it are not make believe. Many people out there suffer from these diseases and so many need help and assistance from people they can trust. I will say that as informative as this was for me, there was one point about half-way through that after reading I was not sure I'd be able to make it to the end. It was an incredibly vivid and emotional scene and it was devastating to witness/read. So I took a break but then decided that I couldn't let myself put this book aside forever, so I kept reading.

I think Kessler has a wonderful writing technique and is doing a great and very brave thing by not only writing this novel and putting it out there, but for trying to reach people through Hunger, in order to help educate everyone with this story. There is help out there for those individuals with eating disorders and hopefully they'll be able to see there is light at the end of the tunnel, and help for those who want and need it. For people like me, I was humbled after reading this book because of my ignorance on these issues and problems, and I'm thankful to have had the chance to read Kessler's work. I look forward to reading more of her work and can only hope that her voice reaches far and wide with Hunger.

I gave Hunger (Riders of the Apocalypse, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!