Publisher Spotlight: Faber & Faber - February - April 2012

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.  I'm not sure how regular the posts will be yet but I have quite a few lined up already and we'll see how things go over the next few months.  So in the spotlight today we have . . .

Today I'm going to talk about the YA titles that Faber & Faber are publishing in the next couple of months. They all look fab & I can't wait to read them!  Check out the Faber & Faber website for more information.

February the 2nd:

First up we have Pulse by Tricia Rayburn that was actually released in the UK a couple of days ago.  The story was released in the US last summer with the title Undercurrent and is the sequel to Tricia's book Siren.  I read Siren last year and absolutely loved it (read my review here) so I can't wait to find out what happens next in Pulse, I'll be picking this one up soon so keep an eye out for my review.  Visit Tricia Rayburn's website for more information.

The Siren Trilogy is back and this time the threat of danger is even greater and more unexpected…

Siren was the first gripping instalment in this refreshingly intelligent and original trilogy. It captured the imagination of paranormal romance fans everywhere and was a complete sensation among YA/Teen fiction bloggers. Pulse is the eagerly anticipated second novel that promises to be darker and even more deadly.

Nothing has been normal since seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands learned that her sister Justine was murdered by sirens - femme fatales of the watery depths - and that everything she believed about herself and her family was a lie.

Vanessa has to uncover the truth about the untamed paranormal force threatening the lives of those around her. No one is safe, and now that the Winter Harbor sirens have returned and are seeking revenge Vanessa must face up to her past and accept that she is just like her enemies - every bit as alluring and every bit as dangerous. By discovering who she really is she may be able to stop the sirens from their sinister intentions. Although, if Simon discovers who –or what – Vanessa is hiding she could possibly lose him forever… It’s a risk she has to take.

March the 1st:

Next I want to talk about Natasha Farrant's debut YA novel The Things We Did For Love.  This sounds like a heart breaking but beautiful story and I'm looking forward to giving it a try.  Visit Natasha Farrant's website for more information.

Resistance. Heartbreak. Betrayal. An unforgettable young adult novel set in occupied France during World War II

Inspired by true events, The Things We Did for Love follows the journey of Arianne, a young girl surviving a war she doesn’t truly understand whilst falling headily in love for the first time with Luc, a boy from her childhood who has returned as a young man to the village after five years away.

While war is raging and the German forces are closing in on them they are torn between cooperating to save themselves or putting up resistance and entering unknown danger. Luc wants to prove he is a man and help fight against the threat to their lives, however Arianne will do anything to make Luc stay. Unfortunately, the dangers aren’t all dressed in uniform and Romy, who has loved Arianne all the time that Luc has been away, takes his chance to remove his rival, at any cost…

How far will they go to protect what they believe in? And what will they do for love?

April the 5th:

Last but not least we have Alexander Gordon Smith's newest release The Fury.  This is the first book in what looks set to be an action packed series that is sure to appeal to fans of the author's Furnace series.  Visit Alexander Gordon Smith's website for more information.

Imagine if one day, without warning, the entire human race turns against you.
Every single person you meet becomes a bloodthirsty, mindless savage, hell-bent on killing you - and only you.
Friends, family, even your mum and dad, will turn on you. They will murder you.
And when they have, they will go back to their lives as if nothing has happened.
The world has the Fury.
It will not rest until you are dead.

Cal, Brick and Daisy are three ordinary teenagers whose lives suddenly take a terrifying turn for the worst. They begin to trigger a reaction in everybody they meet, that makes friends and strangers alike want to tear them to pieces. These victims of the Fury - the ones that survive - manage to locate each other. But just when they think they have found a place to hide from the world, some of them begin to change . . . They must fight to uncover the truth about the Fury before it's too late.

But it is a truth that will destroy everything they know about life and death.

So what do you think of the new Faber & Faber titles?  Which ones are you most looking forward to reading?

Review: Siren - Tricia Rayburn

Something deadly waits beneath the waves off Winter Harbor, and this summer, no one's safe.

Timid seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands has always had her sister Justine to protect her.  Until Justine is found dead near their holiday home and her boyfriend Caleb goes missing.

Looking for answers, Vanessa finds solace in Simon, Caleb's handsome brother.  But time is running out as more men disappear, their bodies washed ashore grinning from ear-to-ear.

As Vanessa delves deeper into Winter Harbor's murky past she discovers that nothing is what it seems.  Not even her.  And only she may have the power to stop this.

Will she find the courage to face up to what she really is - before Simon becomes the next victim?

Siren Trilogy:
Siren
Undercurrent (US release date July 2011, UK release date not known at this time)
I was unable to find a name for the 3rd book in the trilogy

Visit Tricia Rayburn's website for more information

Review:
Vanessa is timid and shy, the complete opposite of her daredevil, fun loving sister Justine but they have always been close and Justine has always protected and looked out for Vanessa.  When Justine dies after what is assumed to be a tragic accident Vanessa can't help but be suspicious of the circumstances of her sister's death.  Vanessa is determined to get to the bottom of what happened and the first person she wants to speak to is Justine's boyfriend Caleb. When she finds out that Caleb is missing so she turns to his brother Simon for help but the more digging they do the more it looks like she never really knew her sister at all.  With more bodies appearing every day it is up to Vanessa and Simon to investigate and try and stop whatever is happening before they end up as victims themselves.  Nothing is what it seems and the secrets Vanessa discovers will change her life forever.

Siren is one of those books that I picked up expecting to enjoy but had no idea just how much I would love.  I loved the characters, the mythology, the mystery, in fact Siren ticked just about every box and kept me captivated enough to stay up all night reading.  If you're looking for something a bit different in the YA paranormal genre you can't go far wrong with this one, I just hope I don't have to wait too long before I can read the rest of the series!

Vanessa is a very easy character to relate to, she is very shy and scares easily but has always had her big sister Justine to protect her and make her feel safe.  After Justine dies it would have been easy for Vanessa to stay at home with her parents and try to ignore her doubts about what caused her sister's death but she is determined to do the right thing and find out what really happened.  We get to see big changes in Vanessa as she faces her fears head on and learns that she can cope living on her own. 

Simon is another character you can't help but like - he is a science geek but very cute with it and you can tell how much he cares for both Vanessa and his brother Caleb.  I loved the romance between Simon and Vanessa, they have been friends forever so they have a real connection and I always enjoy a good friends to lovers romance.

I don't want to say too much about the mystery surrounding the deaths at Winter Harbor and the mythology Tricia Rayburn has created because I don't want to give any spoilers.  All I'm going to say is that the story is fast paced and full of twists and turns and will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I've not come across many YA books about sirens but I think this one will be hard to beat and I can't wait to get my hands on Undercurrent.

Source: Received from Faber & Faber in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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.