Pubsicle #8
Flavor of the week : Harper Collins Bavarian Espresso Supreme
Pubsicle is a weekly meme that combines our two favorite things – ice cream and books. We hand the reigns over to some of our awesome publishers as they highlight what upcoming releases they’re excited about.
Unearthly (Unearthly, Book 1) by Cynthia Hand
A riveting tale full of supernatural powers, forbidden romance, and the choice between fulfilling your destiny or following your heart.
Clara has known she was part-angel ever since she turned fourteen two years ago, but only now is her Purpose – the crucial rite of passage for every part-angel – becoming clear to her. Clara’s Purpose leads her family to Wyoming, where, amidst terrifying scenes of a bush inferno, she finds the boy of her visions, Christian.
Clara discovers that her Purpose is only a small part of a titanic struggle between angels and their destructive counterparts, the Black Wings. And when the fire of her visions erupts and both Christian and Tucker are in danger, who will she choose to save?
‘Cynthia Hand has brilliantly spun the magic of Angel Mythology into a modern world of romance and suspense…one of the most addictive books I’ve read’ —Richelle Mead, author of the Vampire Academy Series
Release Date: January 1, 2011 (Australia) ; January 4, 2011 (US)
Cynthia Hand’s debut YA novel, Unearthly, is scheduled for simultaneous publication in the US and Australia. The author grew up in southeast Idaho and now lives in southern California with her husband and son. She teaches creative writing at Pepperdine University.
Website:
Reviews:
Bloodlust (The Vampire Diaries: Stefan’s Diaries #2) by Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, L.J. Smith
In the electrifying continuation of Stefan’s Diaries, fans of the hit television show The Vampire Diaries will finally learn about Stefan and Damon Salvatore’s first days as vampires and the love triangle that would turn loving brothers into deadly enemies.
When Stefan Salvatore’s first love turned him into a vampire, his world—and his soul—were destroyed. Now he and his brother, Damon, must flee their hometown, where they risk being discovered . . . and killed.
The brothers head to New Orleans, looking for a safe haven. But the city is more dangerous than they ever imagined, full of other vampires—and vampire hunters. Will Stefan’s eternal life be forever damned?
Based on the popular GO! TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith and the TV series developed by Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec
Release date: January 1, 2011
Website:
Savvy Chic by Anna Johnson
Fun, fulfilling, and frugally fabulous, here’s your indispensable guide to five-star elegance on a one-star budget.
A collection of the secrets of survivalist glamour lavishly illustrated by the author -
Sangria from oranges and cheap red wine. Ways to wear a man’s tuxedo and make it couture. The three hour cup of Russian caravan tea at the Plaza, and the starched Chinatown two dollar pillowcase with five-star style.
This book is not about saving, hoarding, sheltering, or even particularly revering money. Anna Johnson, is not inherently thrifty in any way – she is not a teabag squeezer or a penny pincher. And yet, she’s figured out how, with a little savvy and forethought, one can enjoy the finer things and live well on much, much less.
Anna’s practical yet poetic philosophy runs throughout: money is the heartbeat of life but it is hardly the soul. By tapping into our own inventiveness we can live richly without so many of the props. Adorned with Anna’s gorgeous full-color illustrations, SAVVY CHIC is the savvy source for any woman looking to save money without skimping on style.
Release date: December 1, 2010
Anna Johnson is a freelance writer, artist and the author of the top-selling THREE BLACK SKIRTS AND HANDBAGS. She has written for publications including ELLE, CONDE NAST TRAVLER, IN STYLE, VANITY FAIR, VOGUE, THE GUARDIAN and THE DAILY TELEGRAPH. She lives between Sydney and New York with her son.
Visit Harper Collins Australia at www.harpercollins.com.au , Harper Collins Australia Facebook, Harper Collins Australia Twitter
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Mercy – Rebecca Lim (Mercy, Book 1)
“As an angel exiled from heaven and doomed to return repeatedly to Earth, Mercy is never sure whose life and body she will share each time. And her mind is filled with the desperate pleas of her beloved, Luc, who can only approach her in her dreams.
In Paradise, Mercy meets Ryan, whose sister was kidnapped two years ago and is now presumed dead. When another girl disappears, Mercy and Ryan know they must act before time runs out. But a host of angels are out for Mercy′s blood and they won′t rest until they find her and punish her — for a crime she doesn′t remember committing …”
In amongst the growing number of young adult novels based around angels – particularly the exiled kind, comes Mercy by Rebecca Lim. When there are quite a few books based on a similar topic, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd, or in this case, the bookshelf.
Mercy combines the concept of exiled angels with a forbidden and intriguing romance and adds a twist – a mysterious kidnapping.
When Mercy (in the form of an angelic soul) wakes up on a school bus, now bound in a body belonging to a girl named Carmen, she must immediately adjust and carry on as Carmen would’ve, while also trying to figure out why this time she has been placed in this particular body.
This is one of many times this has happened, since her exile (for a crime she’s unable to remember) she has been moved from body to body, life to life, many times, only remembering a few details from the previous host and doomed to do so indefinitely.
This punishment not only keeps her away from her true form but also from her love, Luc, whom she only sees very briefly in her dreams, only long enough to give her cryptic advice. If all this wasn’t enough she’s also being hunted by an angelic band of eight brothers, who only have one intent: to kill.
When she arrives in the town of Paradise, as part of the school’s choir as their star soprano, she discovers the family she’s boarding with is still harboring the pain of their shattered past when their teenage daughter, Lauren, was abducted from her bedroom two years ago. All believe her to be dead, except her twin brother Ryan. Together, Mercy and Ryan conduct their own search and rescue, determined to get Lauren back.
The story is artfully written and the plotline in Mercy is amazingly layered. Not only are we learning about the events unfolding for Mercy/Carmen in the human world, but we also get glimpses into her past as an angel and her relationship with Luc. Though the main focus is on the human life, it only makes our curiosity about her angelic one grow.
The combination of murder mystery with the paranormal was great and made the story feel very original. I was glad the identity of the kidnapper wasn’t apparent till the very end, allowing the feeling of suspense to carry through the whole book.
As the first in a trilogy (each book has an AMAZINGLY beautiful cover) Mercy is a fantastic start. The story will captivate you and definitely makes us curious enough to put Exile (book two) high on our list of books we’re looking forward to for 2011.
Pages: 280
Publication Date: November 2010
Publisher: Harper Collins
Challenge: n/a
Rating: : 
Teaser Quote: “If I get too comfortable, I will wake one morning and everything around me will have shifted overnight. All I knew? I know no longer. And all I had? Vanished in an instant. There’s nothing I can keep with me that will stay.
I must always re-establish ties.
I must tread carefulle or give myself away.
I must survive.
I must keep moving, but I don’t know why.”
Cover of the Week #15
**Last one for 2010!!
You should never judge a book by its cover.
Sure….but they never said we couldn’t admire them. Cover of the Week pays homage to the beautiful and eye catching graphics that grace the covers of our young adult titles.
This week’s cover of the week goes to Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
Release Date: February 2011
When It Happens – Susan Colasanti
At the start of her senior year in high school, Sara wants two things: to get into a top college and to find true love.Tobey also wants two things for his senior year: to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love with him. However, a popular jock named Dave moves in on Sara first. But Tobey’s quirky wit and big blue eyes are hard for Sara to ignore. Plus, he gets the little things that matter to her. Can a slacker rock-star wannabe win the heart of a pretty class brain like Sara?
Hilariously and movingly told through Tobey and Sara’s authentic voices, Susane Colasanti’s debut novel sizzles in its portrayal of two young people searching for The One.
Sara has two goals this year: get into her college of choice and score herself a very hot boyfriend. The first one should be pretty easy, since she’s super smart and has been working her booty off. When it comes to the second goal, though, Sara isn’t totally sure she can pull it off.
Enter Dave – new kid at school and totally hot property. When he starts casting his eye Sara’s way, she can’t believe her luck.
Tobey, also can’t believe his – his bad luck, that is. His two goals this year are to take his band to the next professional level, and score Sara as his girl. So when Dave beats him to the punch, Tobey enters serious boy moping mode. Tobey doesn’t understand why such a cool chick like Sara would be interested in a douche like Dave, but he doesn’t have the guts to ask her. He doesn’t have the guts to really even talk to her, which is probably why he missed out on dating her in the first place.
But then something changes. He watches Sara and Dave incessantly, and Tobey knows that Sara isn’t really happy dating Dave. He enlists the help of Sara’s friend, and before you know it, Tobey has Sara falling all over the place for him.
Being with Dave really isn’t all Sara thought it would be anyway. He’s boring, and really, she just doesn’t feel that spark. All of a sudden, Tobey is everywhere she is, and he’s all she can think about. Everything about Tobey feels right and everything about Dave feels wrong.
Tobey and Sara both feel the same way: they just can’t pass up the chance to feel something real, something honest. But is being with each other worth it? When you think you’ve found your soul mate, shouldn’t it be easy?
As Tobey and Sara learn, nothing about love is easy. Especially the real, honest-to-God kind.
I’ve read a couple of Susan Colosanti books before and absolutely adored them, and while Tobey and Sara’s story is indeed high up there on the cute meter, When It Happens wasn’t a real page turner for me. I just wasn’t feeling their love in the way I wanted to. I do, however, thing the younger YA readers will really dig this one. Sara’s innocence and drive to be a good person is inspiring, and she’s really a great role model for young girls. Tobey’s honesty and silly teenage lust is adorable, and the girls will really dig him.
If you’re looking for heart breaking romance, then this isn’t the book for you, but if you’re looking for something light and entertaining, then it sure might be. I’ll let you decide…
Pages: 310
Publication date: 2006
Rating::
Teaser quote: “Then Sara looks right at me, catching me off guard. I am instantaneously transformed into this sweating, heart-pounding freak. I am no longer Tobey Beller. It’s weird that I am still able to speak in this condition.”
Book of the Month
