With the help of Rafflecopter I am happy to announce the winner of a copy of Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan is:
Sam Bella(email address starting sambella10@...)
Congratulations Sam! You should have already received an email from me asking for your address so please make sure you look out for it. If I don't hear back from you within 48 hours then a new winner will be chosen. Your prize will be sent out by my contact at Walker so you'll need to give permission for me to forward your address to them.
With the help of Rafflecopter I am also excited to announce the 10 winners of a copy of Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts are:
Sarah(You didn't leave your email address so I have sent you a message on Twitter)
Congratulations to you all! You should have already received an email from me asking for your addresses so please make sure you look out for it. If I don't hear back from you within 48 hours then a new winner will be chosen. Your prize will be sent out by my contact at Templar so you'll need to give permission for me to forward your address to them.
I'd like to say a massive thank you to Walker and Templarfor allowing me to host these giveaways for them.
I thought it would be fun to start spotlighting new releases that different publishers have coming up over the next few months for us to look forward to. I'm constantly looking for new books to add to my wish list and thought it would be a nice way of spreading the bookish love with other bloggers. So stepping into the spotlight today we have . . .
Back in December I was lucky enough to be invited to an event hosted by Walker to talk about some of their 2012 Undercover releases. I'll talk more about the event at the end of this post but first I want to showcase some of the titles they mentioned - they have some very exciting books coming out this year! If you'd like more information check out the Walker website or their Under Cover Reads blog.
5th of January:
First we have a new thriller from author Tim Wynn-Jones called Blink & Caution. I have this one on my to read pile and it sounds fab so hopefully I'll get my review posted soon. You can visit Tim Wynn-Jones' website for more information.
Two street kids get tangled in a plot over their heads - and risk an unexpected connection - in this heart-pounding thriller by Tim Wynne-Jones.
Boy, did Blink get off on the wrong floor. All he wanted was to steal some breakfast for his empty belly, but instead he stumbled upon a fake kidnapping and a mobile phone dropped by an "abducted" CEO, giving Blink a link to his perfect blonde daughter. Now Blink is on the run, but it'll be OK as long as he's smart enough to stay in the game and keep Captain Panic locked in his hold. Enter a girl named Caution. As in Caution: Watch Your Step. She's also on the run, from a drug-dealer boyfriend and from a nightmare in her past that won't let her go. When she spies Blink at the bus station, Caution can see he's an easy mark. But there's something about this naïve, skinny street punk, whom she only wanted to rob, that tugs at her heart, a heart she thought deserved not to feel. Charged with suspense and intrigue, this taut novel trails two deeply compelling characters as they forge a blackmail scheme that is foolhardy at best, disastrous at worst - along with a fated, tender partnership that will offer them each a rare chance for redemption.
2nd of February:
I've already read Edward Hogan's debut YA novel Daylight Saving (read my review here) and it's definitely a story I'd recommend picking up. If you're in the UK don't forget to enter my current giveaway for the chance to win a copy!
When Daniel Lever accompanies his dad to the Leisure World Holiday Complex, his expectations are low. But then he sees a mysterious girl by the fake lake and everything changes. Lexi is funny and smart, but why does she have wounds that get worse each time they meet? And is her watch really going backwards?
As the end of British Summer Time approaches, Daniel has to act quickly. Their souls depend on it.
Another February release is Girl, Stolen by April Henry which sounds like it is going to be a gripping read. I just realised that I've already read one of this authors adult books called Hand of Fate that she co wrote with Lis Wiehl (read my review here). I enjoyed Hand of Fate and I have a feeling that Girl, Stolen will be just as good. Visit April Henry's website for more information.
How do you escape when you can't see the way out?
Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mother fills her prescription. Before Cheyenne realizes what has happened, the car is being stolen from the car park. Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia – she is also blind. Griffin, the teenage driver, hadn't meant to kidnap her – he was just stealing a car for the gang. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of Nike, everything changes – now there's a reason to keep her. Will Cheyenne be able to survive this harrowing ordeal, and escape? And if so, at what price?
Now this next book is one that I'm really excited about, I didn't think it was published until April but according to Amazon UK it's already shipping. I absolutely loved Peter Cocks' debut novel Long Reach when I read it last year (my review is posted here) so I can't wait to read the sequel Body Blow! Visit Peter Cocks' website for more information about the series.
Once you're in the business, there's no going back...
Eddie Savage is hiding out in the West Midlands after his near-fatal shooting during the Kelly affair. But while the physical wounds are fading, the emotional scars are taking longer to heal. And when Eddie finds himself heading for the south of Spain with an unlikely travelling companion, it is as if, by some magnetic force, he is being drawn back into the criminal underworld. Tommy Kelly may be safely locked up back at home, but on the Costa del Sol the Kelly organization is still alive.
1st of March:
Kill You Last is a new thriller from Todd Strasser and has been described as having the glamour of Gossip Girl and the suspense of James Patterson. Check out Todd Strasser's website for more information.
Local model wanted: must be tall, gorgeous ... and not afraid to die.
Are you dying to be famous...? It seems that every girl in Soundview wants to be a model, singer or actress. They all need super-glam photos for agents and scouts - which works out perfectly for Shelby's photographer dad. He makes a fortune taking pictures of these wannabes ... until the girls start to disappear and he is accused of murder. Shelby knows her dad is innocent and is determined to prove it, and that means finding the real killer.
3rd of May:
May sees the release of The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald. I don't read a lot of contemporary YA but I know that this is one that Carly from Writing from the Tub was really excited about. Visit Abby McDonald's website for more information.
They've spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that's all about to change. Popular Bliss has the perfect boyfriend, the perfect prom dress - and now the perfect case for revenge after finding her best friend and boyfriend making out in the back of a limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn't be caught dead at the prom, yet (due to her mother's ultimatum) here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, wondering whether boot camp might have been the better choice. And shy, studious, uber-planner Meg, ready to stop being a wallflower and start experiencing life firsthand, never counted on her date's standing her up and leaving her idling in the car park outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald's hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls on one crazy night.
7th of June:
The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina is another one I'm really excited about, I love fantasy stories and I think this is going to be a fabulous read. Please note that the UK cover isn't available yet so the cover pictured is the US version - I'll post the UK one as soon as I can. Visit Meg Medina's blog for more information.
A poignant and passionate tale about the risks people will take for a new and better life, and the sacrifices they will make to protect the ones they love.
On the night Sonia Ocampo is born, the village folk of Tres Montes survive the most horrific storm they have ever seen. Immediately they believe Sonia must possess a special gift to heal and protect. But after a young boy dies despite her prayers, sixteen-year-old Sonia is filled with shame and a sense of utter powerlessness. The hundreds of tiny gold symbols pinned to her shawl now only seem like empty, superstitious charms. At once she longs to escape a life built on lies. With the help of her aunt, Sonia takes a train to the city to begin a post in the household of a wealthy woman. Perhaps all their fortunes will now improve? However, a short time later Sonia hears the devastating news that her brother has gone missing from the village. It is not the first time a young man has disappeared in the region, and everyone knows all too well what his fate may be. Sonia must now risk absolutely everything to find him, and find a way to bring him home.
5th of July:
I think Zoe Marriott's new novel FrostFire has to be one of my most anticipated 2012 novels - I can't wait to get my hands on this one! I absolutely adore Zoe's writing, I loved The Swan Kingdom (read my review here) but was blown away by Shadows on the Moon (read my review here) which was definitely one of my favourite books of 2011. If FrostFire hadn't already been at the top of my wish list then this cover would have put it there for sure, Zoe seems to be really lucky with the fabulous covers that Walker create for her! Check out Zoe Marriott's website for more information.
Frost has left her homeland to travel to the neighbouring country of Ruan in the hope of finding a deity she believes will rid her of a curse: at the sight of her own blood, a berserker rage in the form of a wolf overtakes her and kills everyone within reach. On her journey, Frost meets Luca and Arian, two members of the Ruan military force sworn to protect the country's borders from neighbouring rebel fighters. Over the coming months, under Luca's guidance, Frost learns to overcome the Wolf within. She also begins to fall in love with Luca - while Arian falls for her.
2nd of August:
Last but not least we have the fourth book in Cynthia Leitich Smith's Tantalize series Diabolical. This is another one of those series that I've heard fantastic things about but haven't actually started reading yet. I have been told that each of the stories works as a stand alone book but there is some cross over with the characters. I can't bring myself to read books out of order though so I'm going to have to pick up a copy of Tantalize soon! Check out Cynthia Leitich Smith's website for more information.
When "slipped" angel Zachary and his werewolf pal Kieren are summoned under suspicious circumstances to a mysterious New England boarding school, they quickly find themselves in a hellish lock-down with an intriguing assortment of secretive, hand-picked "students." Plagued by demon dogs, hallucinatory wall décor, a sadistic instructor, and a legendary fire-breathing monster, will they somehow manage to escape? Or will the devil have his due? Best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith unites heroes from the previous three novels in the Tantalize Series - including Zachary's girl, Miranda, and Kieren's love, Quincie - along with a fascinating cast of all-new characters for a suspenseful, action-packed clash between the forces of heaven and hell.
So Walker have some pretty exciting books coming out this year don't you think? Which ones are you most excited about?
I briefly mentioned the Undercover event at the top of my post, along with getting to find out a bit more about all these fabulous books we were also spoilt with lots of delicious cakes. It was really interesting to find out a bit more about the process behind the cover design for Daylight Saving and the highlight was getting to meet Edward Hogan!
We had a fab time and I'd like to say a massive thanks to everyone at Walker for organising it for us!
When Daniel Lever accompanies his dad to the Leisure World Holiday Complex, his expectations are low. But then he sees a mysterious girl by the fake lake and everything changes. Lexi is funny and smart, but why does she have wounds that get worse each time they meet? And is her watch really going backwards?
As the end of British Summer Time approaches, Daniel has to act quickly. Their souls depend on it.
Review:
When Daniel is taken to Leisure World by his father it really is his worst nightmare rather than an ideal fun family holiday. Overweight and unfit Daniel isn't a fan of sports and isn't looking forward to days full of tennis, cycling and swimming. After meeting Lexi things start to change, he is drawn to this mysterious girl and wants to uncover her secrets. What caused her injuries and why do they get worse every time he sees her? Is there any way he can protect her from something that has already happened?
On the surface Daylight Saving is a ghost story but underneath that Edward Hogan explores issues of family connections, alcholism and self confidence. Daniel is a character who is easy to relate to, he isn't your typical handsome hero but he has an inner strength that shines through as the story progresses. We get to see him grow from an unsure and shy teenager into a brave and confident young man and it was a pleasure to see the changes in him. Although Daniel's main goal is to try and help Lexi he learns a lot about himself and this helps him come to terms with the separation of his parents. His relationship with his father also changes a great deal as events bring them closer together than they've been in a long time.
I really enjoyed the way the author has made use of the extra hour given at the end of British Summer Time as such an important part of the story. I don't think I've seen time used in quite the same way before and it added an interesting dimension to the story. You are aware that this hour is going to have a big impact on both Daniel and Lexi but you have no idea how things will work out. I also really liked the Leisure World setting, I've never been to Centre Parcs but it had a similar feel to family holidays spent at Butlins which brought back some fun memories. The setting is like an extra character in the story and nothing about it is quite what it first seems, instead of being a family friendly location it has quite a sinister feel to it.
The story moves along at a good pace making Daylight Saving a fast and fun read. There are plenty of twists to the story and it takes you in a direction you won't be expecting. An enjoyable YA debut from Edward Hogan that has made me curious about his adult books and has me looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.
Source: Received from Walker in exchange for an honest review
Other reviews of this book: YA Yeah Yeah
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
To celebrate the release of Edward Hogan's YA debut novel Daylight Saving on the 2nd of February I thought I'd share the trailer with you here. I've already read the book and really enjoyed it so watch out for my review which will be posted later today. Thanks to the lovely people at Walker I also have a copy of Daylight Saving to give to one lucky UK winner!
When Daniel Lever accompanies his dad to the Leisure World Holiday Complex, his expectations are low. But then he sees a mysterious girl by the fake lake and everything changes. Lexi is funny and smart, but why does she have wounds that get worse each time they meet? And is her watch really going backwards?
As the end of British Summer Time approaches, Daniel has to act quickly. Their souls depend on it.
Just in case you didn't see the animated book cover when I posted it last year here it is again (this cover is awesome - I could spend far too long playing with it! Make sure you move your cursor over the cover to get the full effect):
Giveaway Details:
Now how would you like the chance to win a copy of Daylight Saving?
Courtesy of Walker I have a UK paperback of Daylight Saving to giveaway to 1 lucky UK winner.
The winner's prize will be sent out directly by my contact at Walker so the winner must give me permission to pass their address on.
The winner will be chosen at random from all entries received.
To enter please use the rafflecopter below to confirm that you are a UK resident, there are optional extra entries for following or tweeting about the giveaway but these are not required to enter.
The giveaway will close at 12:01am EST on the 3rd of March 2012 and the winner will be contacted soon afterwards. You will have 48 hours to reply to me with your address or a new winner will be chosen.
I thought it would be fun to start spotlighting new releases that different publishers have coming up over the next few months for us to look forward to. I'm constantly looking for new books to add to my wish list and thought it would be a nice way of spreading the bookish love with other bloggers. So stepping into the spotlight today we have . . .
Walker publish a fab selection of YA books and today I'm going to be showcasing quite a few books you can already get your hands on along with a December release that pretty much everyone I know is already incredibly excited about! If you'd like more information check out the Walker website or their Under Cover Reads blog.
First up we have the 4th book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series City of Fallen Angels. I only started reading this series recently but I loved the first two books City of Bones and City of Ashes (click on the links to read my reviews) and am very excited about the next couple of books. You can find out more about the series at Cassandra Clare's website or on the Mortal Instruments website.
Love, blood, betrayal and revenge - the stakes are higher than ever in the fourth book in the international bestselling Mortal Instruments sequence.
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend. But nothing comes without a price. Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. And when Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.
If you haven't started the Mortal Instruments series yet then now is an ideal time to pick up the box set of the first 3 books.
A gorgeous box set of the first three books in the Mortal Instruments series. Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City - and the dangers of forbidden love.
If you're a fan of the Mortal Instruments series you've probably already read Clockwork Angel, the first book in Cassandra Clare's prequel Infernal Devices series. I have a copy of this one but need to catch up with the Mortal Instruments books before I start reading it. Clockwork Prince, the second book in the Infernal Devices series is being released on the 6th of December and I know a lot of people who are already incredibly excited about it. You can find out more on the Infernal Devices website.
Second in the New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series set in Victorian London. Still reeling from her terrifying confrontation with the Magister and her brother's betrayal, Tessa Gray is drawn ever deeper into the Shadowhunter's dark underworld of demons and danger. In a desperate attempt to help her friends, Tessa tries to uncover the truth about the Magister and learns that he blames the Shadowhunters for the murder of his parents nearly a half century ago. But who were his parents, and why did the Shadowhunters kill them? Determined to unravel the secrets of his past, Tessa, Will and Jem journey to mist-shrouded Yorkshire, only to encounter corrupt Shadowhunters more intent on burying the past than finding the Magister - a past that holds the key not only to the enemy's motivations and weakness, but to the secret of what Tessa really is and what she was born to do. Meanwhile, Tessa's feelings for Jem and Will are growing more complicated, and soon she is forced to acknowledge that any choice she makes will either save the Shadowhunters of London - or end them for ever.
In case you haven't already seen it here is the Clockwork Angel trailer:
A book that I've been really excited about since I first heard of it is the Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant. This includes short stories written by some fantastic authors - Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Cory Doctorow, Shawn Cheng, Ysabeau Wilce, Delia Sherman, Elizabeth Knox, Kelly Link, Garth Nix, Christopher Rowe, Kathleen Jennings, Dylan Horrocks, Holly Black and M. T. Anderson and I can't wait to read it.
In the first major YA steampunk anthology, fourteen top storytellers push the genre's mix of sci-fi, fantasy, history, and adventure in fascinating new directions.
Imagine an alternate universe where romance and technology reign. Where tinkerers and dreamers craft and re-craft a world of automatons, clockworks, calculating machines, and other marvels that never were. Here, fourteen masters of speculative fiction, including two graphic storytellers, embrace the steampunk genre's established themes and refashion them in surprising ways and settings as diverse as Appalachia, Ancient Rome, future Australia, and alternate California. The result is an anthology that defies its genre even as it defines it.
The next book I'm going to mention is Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith, this is the third book in the Tantalize series which is another series that looks great but I haven't got around to starting yet. If you've read any of the books in the series (Tantalize, Eternal or of course Blessed) I'd love to know what you think of them. Check out Cynthia Leitich Smith's website if you'd like more information.
Quincie Morris, teen restaurateur and neophyte vampire, is in the fight of her life. Even as she adjusts to her new appetites, she must clear her best friend and true love, the hybrid-werewolf Kieren, of murder charges; thwart the apocalyptic ambitions of Bradley Sanguini, the seductive vampire-chef who "blessed" her; and keep her dead parents' restaurant up and running. She hires a more homespun chef and adds the preternaturally beautiful Zachary to her waiting staff. But with hundreds of new vampires on the rise and Bradley off assuming the powers of Dracula Prime, Zachary soon reveals his true nature - and a flaming sword - and they hit the road to staunch the bloodshed before it's too late. Even if they save the world, will there be time left to salvage Quincie's soul?
Here is the trailer for Blessed:
Another book that is already available is Paradise by Joanna Nadin, this isn't the kind of book I would usually pick up but I'm very curious about it. If you've read it already I'd love to read your review so please leave me a link in the comments. If you'd like more information check out Joanna Nadin's website.
An emotionally compelling teen novel from Joanna Nadin - twice nominated Queen of Teen - featuring romance and family mystery through three generations of mother and daughters.
Can Billie find the truth? When sixteen year old Billie Paradise inherits her grandmother's house, it's a fairytale come true. She and her family move from their rented flat in London to start a new life by the sea. Maybe Billie can even find the father she's never met. But moving back to her mum's childhood home uncovers long-buried secrets and Billie soon discovers that people may die, but the past lives for ever.
Here is the trailer for Paradise:
If you like thrillers then Wish You Were Here by Todd Strasser is going to be just your kind of read, you can find out more at the author's website.
A glossy high-school crime thriller from a bestselling American author.
A blogger is listing the kids who should die; a killer is picking them off one at a time. In the small American town of Soundview, someone is blogging about the local high school kids, and the comments aren't kind. But are the posts cruel taunts or vicious threats? Then seventeen-year-old Lucy Cunningham goes missing after a night out, and the hunt is on to catch a killer.
There isn't a trailer for Wish You Were Dead but if you like the look of this book then you should probably look at some of Todd Strasser's other books like this one, Blood on My Hands:
I'm really curious about this next book Cold Hands, Warm Heart by Jill Wolfson. I think this will be quite a heart wrenching read but I'm going to have to pick up a copy.
The lives of two teenage girls become literally connected after 14-year-old Amanda unexpectedly dies during a gymnastics meet and Dani receives Amanda's heart.
Fourteen-year-old Amanda is a competitive gymnast, sleek-muscled and in perfect health. Fifteen-year-old Dani was born with her heart on the wrong side of her body; she's been in and out of hospital all her life. The two girls don't know each other - and never will. Yet their lives are about to collide. Amanda suffers a haematoma - a blood clot - during a gymnastics competition, and dies. The donation of her heart means renewed life for Dani and several other donor recipients. A fascinating and unputdownable story on an important and topical issue.
Have a look at the Cold Hands, Warm Heart trailer & let me know what you think, it's really made me want to read the book:
The last book I'm going to mention is a debut YA novel by Edward Hogan called Daylight Saving. This isn't going to be available until February 2012 but I couldn't resist sharing this really cool animated version of the cover that is also a count down clock for the release date:
Isn't it fab? Make sure you move your mouse cursor over the image to see the water ripple! There isn't a lot of information for this one yet but here is the description from Goodreads:
This is a brilliant thriller ghost story by a new name in teenage fiction. When Daniel Lever is dragged to Leisure World Holiday Complex for some "time away" with his depressed dad, his expectations are low. Daniel is overweight, he hates sport, and his father has brought along his beloved tomato plant. But soon Daniel spots a girl swimming in the fake lake. Lexi is elegant and smart, but very mysterious. Why are her bruises getting worse each time she and Daniel meet? And is her watch really ticking backwards? A dark figure stalks the pair, and as British summer time approaches, Daniel has to act quickly. Their souls depend on it.
So what do you think of Walker's autumn line up? Have you read any of these yet? Which of these books are you most looking forward to?
