Monthly Archives: December 2016

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Looking forward to 2017: Anticipated YA Books

Hello gentle reader,

On this blog I’ve already mentioned five YA releases I’m looking forward to reading in 2017: CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber, THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE by Mackenzi Lee, TRAITOR TO THE THRONE by Alwyn Hamilton, SHIMMER AND BURN by Mary Taranta and GILDED CAGE by Vic James.

Today I’m adding seven books to this list, in no particular order:

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A CONJURING OF LIGHT by V.E. Schwab (SHADES OF MAGIC #3)

Release date: 21st February 2017 by Tor Books

Blurb: London’s fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike.

Why it’s on my TBR list: I loved the first two books in this Fantasy trilogy and I can’t wait for the final instalment!

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STRANGE THE DREAMER by Laini Taylor (STRANGE THE DREAMER #1)

Release date: 28th March 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Blurb:

Strange the Dreamer is the story of:

the aftermath of a war between gods and men

a mysterious city stripped of its name

a mythic hero with blood on his hands

a young librarian with a singular dream

a girl every bit as perilous as she is imperiled

alchemy and blood candy, nightmares and godspawn, moths and monsters, friendship and treachery, love and carnage.

Welcome to Weep.

Why it’s on my TBR list: I enjoyed Laini Taylor’s first trilogy and I loved her short story THE GIRL WHO WOKE THE DREAMER. I’m curious to read this new series.

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BLOOD ROSE REBELLION by Rosalyn Eves (BLOOD ROSE REBELLION #1)

Release date: 28th March 2017 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Blurb: The thrilling first book in a YA fantasy trilogy for fans of Red Queen. In a world where social prestige derives from a trifecta of blood, money, and magic, one girl has the ability to break the spell that holds the social order in place.

Why it’s on my TBR list: I’m always on the lookout for YA Fantasy debuts and this one sounds intriguing.

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YORK or THE SHADOW CIPHER by Laura Ruby (YORK #1)

Release date: 16th May 2017 by Walden Pond Press

Blurb: New York, a puzzle (laid into the city) that’s never been solved, three teens determined to solve it, and at the end of it – a treasure beyond all imagining.

Why it’s on my TBR list: It’s about a treasure hunt in New York and it’s written by Laura Ruby. That’s enough for me.

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THE VALIANT by Lesley Livingston

Release date: 14th February 2017 by HarperCollins Canada

Blurb: In Ancient Rome, the youngest daughter of a proud Celtic king is captured and sold to a training school for female gladiators—and its most influential patron is none other than Julius Caesar himself.

Why it’s on my TBR list: I’m really not sure about the blurb but I can’t resist a story set in Ancient Rome.

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THICK AS THIEVES by Megan Whalen Turner (THE QUEEN’S THIEF #5)

Release date: 16th May 2017 by Greenwillow Books

Blurb: Kamet, a secretary and slave to his Mede master, has the ambition and the means to become one of the most powerful people in the Empire. But with a whispered warning the future he envisioned is wrenched away, and he is forced onto a very different path. Set in the world of the Queen’s Thief, this epic adventure sees an ordinary hero take on an extraordinary mission.

Why it’s on my TBR list: BECAUSE THE QUEEN’S THIEF IS MY FAVOURITE SERIES OF ALL TIMES AND HERE IS A NEW INSTALMENT AT LAST. I can’t wait.

theendofoz

THE END OF OZ by Danielle Paige (DOROTHY MUST DIE #4)

Release date: 14th March 2017 by HarperCollins

Blurb: Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to save Kansas and make Oz a free land once more.

Why it’s on my TBR list: I enjoyed the first three books in the series and I’m curious to find out how it all ends.

What about you? Which books are you looking forward to reading in 2017? Feel free to leave me a comment below!

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A Writer in the Spotlight – Stacey Lee

A Writer In The Spotlight Logo

Hello gentle reader,

You may recall THE SECRET OF A HEART NOTE by Stacey Lee was featured in one of my Waiting On Wednesday posts a few months back. Since then, I’ve been able to read an ARC of this book and I’m delighted to report it was as good as I hoped. It comes out on 27th December and I strongly suggest you preorder it!

And today I’m pleased to welcome Stacey again on this blog for an interview. Hope you enjoy!

My interview (3rd December 2016)

Stacey Lee

Your first two books were Historical novels, but THE SECRET OF A HEART NOTE is a Contemporary novel. Was the genre switch intentional? Or did you just write the story you wanted at the time? 

Definitely not intentional! I wrote about something that I love — scents! And the story that came out was set in modern day, though there is definitely an overlay of ‘history.’ Mim comes from a long lineage of aromateurs descended from the Queen of Sheba, and one of the things she struggles with is balancing the life of ordinary teen with the burden of being the last aromateur left in the world. I’m not sure it fits neatly into one category or another so I just like to call it ‘contemporary with a hint of magic.’ 

Mim is an Aromateur. Can you explain how you came up with this amazing and unique concept? 

Natural perfumery, the art of combining real botanicals (as opposed to lab created) into harmonious combinations is a passion of mine. Plants are complex, sentient ‘beings,’ each with their own history and use profile. Using plants for love potions is not a new idea, but I wanted to bring a modern, almost scientific sensibility to this practice.

What type of research did you have to do for this story?  

In addition to smelling hundreds of plants, I visited several gardens of ‘ancients,’ including plants that have been around since the Ice Age. I spent a bit of time at Strybing Botanical Garden in the San Francisco Golden Gate Park, which is where a key scene takes place, as well as Point Lobos, near Monterey, California, the sight of the surfing scene. 

Secret of a Heart Note

My favorite scene in the book is when Mim goes “surfing” with Court. Is surfing one of your hobbies too? 

Surfing was on my bucket list. I finally checked it off two summers ago in Hawaii. Everything was going well, until I wiped out, and the board glanced off my forehead, leaving me with a big bump and a black eye. So, I guess won’t be doing that again!

Can you talk about what you’re working on right now?

I’m working on my third historical, DEAR MISS SWEETIE, about a Chinese girl in 1890 Atlanta who becomes the pseudonymous author of a wildly popular advice column, and who attempts to use her power of the pen to change the course of a trial of a black man accused of assaulting a white woman.

Finally, do you have any reading recommendations? Recent reads that stood out? 

I loved Traci Chee’s THE READER, as well as Roshani Chokshi’s THE STAR TOUCHED QUEEN. For an unusual sci-fi, I also enjoyed Parker Peevyhouse’s WHERE FUTURES END. Currently, I’m reading Padma Venkatraman’s CLIMBING THE STAIRS, and it’s wonderful.

Thanks for the interview, Stacey!

You can add THE SECRET OF A HEART NOTE on Goodreads.

And check out Stacey’s Twitter for an awesome giveaway!