(Belated) Books for September

Well, September totally escaped me.  (I’ll probably get to the end of December and be like “what happened to 2017…”.)  Here were the new releases in September that I wanted to get (and mostly got)

Stephanie Burgis’s SNOWSPELLED (fantasy romance): I’ve a couple of Stephanie Burgis’s books on my TBR pile, but haven’t quite gotten around to them yet.  However, I convinced myself that I could make time for a (long-ish) novella and wasn’t disappointed – SNOWSPELLED is a satisfying alt-historical fantasy romance, with some clever reworking of historical romance tropes.  It’s the first in a series, and I’m definitely picking up the next one.

In nineteenth-century Angland, magic is reserved for gentlemen while ladies attend to the more practical business of politics. But Cassandra Harwood has never followed the rules…

Four months ago, Cassandra Harwood was the first woman magician in Angland, and she was betrothed to the brilliant, intense love of her life.

Now Cassandra is trapped in a snowbound house party deep in the elven dales, surrounded by bickering gentleman magicians, manipulative lady politicians, her own interfering family members, and, worst of all, her infuriatingly stubborn ex-fiancé, who refuses to understand that she’s given him up for his own good.

But the greatest danger of all lies outside the manor in the falling snow, where a powerful and malevolent elf-lord lurks…and Cassandra lost all of her own magic four months ago.

To save herself, Cassandra will have to discover exactly what inner powers she still possesses – and risk everything to win a new kind of happiness.

A witty and sparkling romantic fantasy novella that opens a brand-new series for adults from the author of Kat, Incorrigible, Masks and Shadows and Congress of Secrets.

Out now

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Seanan McGuire’s THE BRIGHTEST FELL (urban fantasy): Once upon a time, I’d haunt the bookstores a couple of weeks before release date, hoping to stumble across an early copy of the latest Toby Daye book.  While this isn’t necessarily the case anymore, this is still one of my favourite UF series, and Seanan McGuire has delivered another solid installment for the longtime reader.

For once, everything in October “Toby” Daye’s life seems to be going right. There have been no murders or declarations of war for her to deal with, and apart from the looming specter of her Fetch planning her bachelorette party, she’s had no real problems for days. Maybe things are getting better.

Maybe not.

Because suddenly Toby’s mother, Amandine the Liar, appears on her doorstep and demands that Toby find her missing sister, August. But August has been missing for over a hundred years and there are no leads to follow. And Toby really doesn’t owe her mother any favors.

Then Amandine starts taking hostages, and refusal ceases to be an option.

Out now

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Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry’s TEMPORARY (contemporary romance): I’m a bit off contemp romance at the moment, but this collaboration sounds great and is going on my to-buy list.

The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen is the one who can ruin everything…

The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants.

And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.

I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful — pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to.

But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.

And it works–if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can’t afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose.

Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo…

Out now

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Kristin Cashore’s JANE, UNLIMITED (fantasy?): According to Goodreads, this is YA fantasy/mystery – who knows?  The blurb leaves it pretty ambiguous.  Anyway, Kristin Cashore has written some of my favourite YA fantasy books, and a new book from her is always a cause for celebration.

If you could change your story, would you?

Jane has lived a mostly ordinary life, raised by her recently deceased aunt Magnolia, whom she counted on to turn life into an adventure. Without Aunt Magnolia, Jane is directionless. Then an old acquaintance, the glamorous and capricious Kiran Thrash, blows back into Jane’s life and invites her to a gala at the Thrashes’ extravagant island mansion called Tu Reviens. Jane remembers her aunt telling her: “If anyone ever invites you to Tu Reviens, promise me that you’ll go.”

What Jane doesn’t know is that at Tu Reviens her story will change; the house will offer her five choices that could ultimately determine the course of her untethered life. But every choice comes with a price. She might fall in love, she might lose her life, she might come face-to-face with herself. At Tu Reviens, anything is possible.

Out now

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Catherine Asaro’s THE BRONZE SKIES (SF): I’ve been a fan of Catherine Asaro’s Skolian books since forever, though I didn’t really care for the first in this spin-off series (possibly because it was a revised and extended version of an older novella, and it showed).  I’m glad to report I enjoyed this one better – while not quite vintage Asaro, it had strong worldbuilding and the mystery kept me absorbed.

Major Bhaajan achieved the impossible. Born Undercity, the slums below the City of Cries on the planet Raylicon, she broke free to become a military officer with Imperial Space Command. Now retired from military duty, she works as a private investigator on retainer to the Majda Family.

Hired by The Ruby Pharaoh herself, Major Bhaajan is tasked with finding a killer. But this is no ordinary murderer. The Ruby Pharaoh witnessed a Jagernaut cut down Assembly Councilor Tap Benton—which shouldn’t have been possible. The Jagernauts are the elite of the elite soldiers in the Imperial Space Command. What’s more, the spinal node implanted in all Jagernauts should have prevented the murder. But the Ruby Pharaoh is sure of what she saw, and she has reason to believe that the Jagernaut will kill again.

Now, Major Bhaajan must hunt down a killer before it is too late. To do so, she must return to the one place on Raylicon she knows best: Undercity.

Out now

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Jodi Taylor’s WHITE SILENCE (suspense): I discovered Jodi Taylor last year, pretty much raced through her backlist, and am now snapping up her new releases, even when it’s branded a “supernatural thriller”, which isn’t exactly my thing.  This one’s waiting for me on my Kindle.

“I don’t know who I am. I don’t know what I am.” 

Elizabeth Cage is a child when she discovers that there are things in this world that only she can see. But she doesn’t want to see them and she definitely doesn’t want them to see her.

What is a curse to Elizabeth is a gift to others – a very valuable gift they want to control.

When her husband dies, Elizabeth’s world descends into a nightmare. But as she tries to piece her life back together, she discovers that not everything is as it seems.

Alone in a strange and frightening world, she’s a vulnerable target to forces beyond her control.

And she knows that she can’t trust anyone…

White Silence is a twisty supernatural thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Out now

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And my maybes:

• While I adored Stephanie Perkins’s super-charming YA romance novels, her newest, THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, reads too much like horror for my liking – I am so not a horror fan.
• I’ve never read Marie Lu before, but I’ve heard good things and WARCROSS sounds right up my alley.
• I’m trying to stop buying short story collections, but Leigh Bardugo’s THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS is proving hard to resist.

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Recent Reading + Links

I can admit when I’m wrong and this is one of those times.

Some time back, Rachel Bach‘s new SF trilogy started making the rounds with some rather positive buzz.  Me… well, I kind of sniffed and said I read her debut fantasy novel (as Rachel Aaron) and wasn’t massively impressed.

But Nathan, and Jan, and Hils kept on talking up this series, and when I spotted the first book in my library, I caved and picked FORTUNE’S PAWN off the shelf.  And this is really me surfacing briefly from the third book to say that umm… everyone else was right, and this is a brilliant fast-paced space opera (with a fairly solid romance subplot – that can make or break the deal for me) and a protagonist that just grabbed me from the first chapter.  Lots of fun and if you’re in the mood for a SF, this would fit the bill quite nicely.

There is a silver lining to every cloud – the whole trilogy is now out, so I’ve been able to dive straight into the next book as soon as I’ve finished one.  I love my Kindle.

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Elsewhere, Meljean Brook‘s serial, THE KRAKEN KING, is being released – I’m determinedly avoiding all the (positive) reviews as I’m holding out for the full novel.  Mainly because I don’t think I’m a serial girl at heart (I rambled on a bit about my experience with reading John Scalzi‘s THE HUMAN DIVISION serial a while back), but I’ve been liking her various posts, especially this one about what actually constitutes a cliffhanger.  There was some discussion about narrative turning points – I said I thought they were cliffhangers, which I detest (as you may be aware!).

So interestingly (to me) and coincidentally, the first of the Rachel Bach trilogy ended with one of those turning points – and that didn’t annoy me that much.  I’m thinking that it was because I had the second book bought and downloaded onto my Kindle, so I didn’t have to wait to find out the outcome, plus regardless of that event *trying to be vague here*, I’d want to know what happens next.

FWIW, I didn’t care for the twist, but then I don’t really care for that kind of twist in general *trying to be even vaguer*.

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And two final links with less commentary:

I really liked this post by Liz de Jager @ tor.com on how she (and her agent) sold her debut novel (the book itself also sounds very interesting and I’m looking forward to its release).

Totally non-newsy, but I came across Kristin Cashore‘s cover gallery, with all her international covers – I’ve always loved the more commonly-seen US and UK covers, but enjoyed looking at the very different interpretations across the board.  Especially the Japanese cover for GRACELING (about one-fifth of the way down) and the German ones.

Quick Links

Big news (or at least for Baen ebook readers) – Baen’s moving to Amazon (and potentially other third parties) as a distribution platform for the ebooks as of the 15th.

I have mixed feelings about this.  I’ve posted previously about how much I love their current ebook distribution model – ebooks released 2 weeks before the official street date, DRM-free, and for $6 even if it’s a hardback release (and potentially even cheaper if you buy as part of a bundle).  On the other hand, this model was always aimed to encourage ebook adoption, and now that ereaders are taking off in a big way, it makes monetary sense for Baen (and their authors) to move to a distribution system that gives them the widest audience.

I’ve not seen anything about release date changes (i.e. whether it will now tie-in with the official street date), but they will stay DRM-free.  Prices will rise (hardbacks from $6 to $10), so buy now is the message if you’re planning on any Baen ebook purchases.  Bundles stay, but will be on sale for a limited time period (i.e. pre-sale only).  E-ARCs also stay (though I’ve never bought any).

More info @ Baen’s Bar (logon required).  It kind of feels like the end of an era – I remember my very first ebook was from Baen (Catherine Asaro‘s RUBY DICE, because I’m sure you really want to know), and I was so on the fence as to whether ebooks would work for me.  Ha.

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Diana Peterfreund responds to a claim that the cover of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS was white-washed (spoiler: it’s not).  It’s a measured response and worth reading.  And I was totally oblivious to the fact FOR DARKNESS was set in New Zealand. *blinks* It makes so much sense in retrospect.

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Jo Walton‘s insightful posts at Tor.com are a must-read for me – she either makes me think about old favourites from a different perspective or introduces me to books that sound right up my street.  Here’s the former – her take on Lois McMaster Bujold‘s CAPTAIN VORPATRIL’S ALLIANCE as well as a comparison between Aral and Miles.

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Patrick Rothfuss is running his annual Worldbuilders fundraiser for Heifer International – a chance to win books AND support a good cause.

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A snippet of Patricia Briggs’ upcoming novel FROST BURNED on her forum – it feels like a very long time since we’ve last seen Mercy.

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Sarah Rees Brennan has announced she’s doing a retelling of A TALE OF TWO CITIES.  This could be amazing.  I mean, seriously amazing.

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Kristin Cashore posted about how BITTERBLUE (very slowly) took shape.  I’m impressed.  Also, I can’t believe she actually wrote the story out by hand.  Several times.  And that her writing was still legible by the end.

(Late) Linkage

I came across some links which I thought I had posted previously, but obviously hadn’t – so slightly out-of-date but still interesting (to me, anyway!):

• I went on a Georgette Heyer glom when I first discovered her several years ago (I know, and I call myself a romance fan).  I enjoyed reading Mari Hess’s analysis of DEVIL’S CUB at tor.com – it’s one of my favourite Heyers.  She quotes from the most memorable scene in the book, IMO (spoiler warning, if you haven’t read the book already).
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• Kate Forsyth interviews Juliet Marillier, with a bit about her latest book, FLAME OF SEVENWATERS.  Also, another Q&A about the book at Writers Unboxed – definitely worth reading if you’ve read FLAME as she talks about the writing process and challenges as well as the story itself.
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• A transcript of the Sirens panel Women who Run with Wolves and Dance with Dragons @ Rachel Manija Brown’s LJ – it sounds as though it was an interesting discussion on companion animals in fantasy.  I was so into Mercedes Lackey‘s Valdemar books when I was a teen and was (ahem) kind of obsessed with the Companions.  I also dipped in and out of Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books, but I was more into her Tower & Hive books.  Anyone remember Rowan and her family?  I’ve no idea how those books would hold up to a re-read now, but ah, good memories.
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• I mentioned that I got into Kevin Hearne‘s Iron Druid UF books recently – here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how the Iron Druid covers were pulled together @ Suvudu.  The covers have always caught my attention, and now that I’ve read about the attention to detail, I’m not surprised.
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• A NYT interview with Kristin Cashore – forgive the fact it dates back to July.  I’m guessing this was when BITTERBLUE was released.

Random Linkage

I’m looking forward to Eileen Wilks‘ October release MORTAL TIES, the latest in her World of the Lupi series, and this short story about Rule whetted my appetite nicely.  It’s part of Literary Escapism’s School’s In series, and there are quite a few other authors participating.

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Kristin Cashore posted about her editor starting up her own imprint at Penguin:

Penguin Young Readers Group has announced the formation of Kathy Dawson Books, an imprint that will focus on “emotionally driven” middle grade and young adult fiction across a variety of genres.

It sounds interesting (a winter 2014 launch though) – equally interesting (if not more!) is the mention of Kristin Cashore working on a contemporary novel.

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I enjoyed reading Andrea K Höst‘s guest posts on classic mysteries at The Readventurer – her first post was on Agatha Christie books and the second on other classic mystery authors.  I’ve probably read every single Christie published (and multiple times too), but found the second post useful – she highlights less well-known (at least to me!) authors and provides pointers on where to start.

Re Agatha Christie, I loved Hercule Poirot from the start, but found the Miss Marple books a bit slow and boring when I first read them.  They’ve grown on me during re-reads though (maybe they weren’t for impatient teens), and Miss Marple’s now my favourite Christie detective.  As for the rest, I find Tommy and Tuppence engaging, don’t really get on with Ariadne Oliver (which is kind of amusing because she appears to be based on Agatha Christie herself), and really like the two Parker Pyne and Mr Quin short story collections.

Do you have any favourite Christies?

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This is very late, but Ilona Andrews posted the cover for the UK edition of GUNMETAL MAGIC.  They’re self-publishing the UK edition from what I gather (I can’t believe that UK publishers don’t want this series).

I’ve already bought the US edition, so probably won’t buy this when it comes out (though I am kind of torn on this – I want to support their UK sales, but don’t see the point of paying twice for a book). But I do like their image of Andrea – I think she looks harder than the model on the US cover, more ready to do battle and take you down.

 

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Finally, it’s hardly a secret that I’ve fallen for Tammara Webber‘s books recently (I gulped down her Between the Lines series after I finished EASY).  She posted her last rejection letter for the first Between the Lines book – the last because that’s when she decided to take the leap and self-publish.

It made me wonder how many fantastic books are out there unpublished because they’ve not found an agent (or publisher) who believed in them.  This whole e-publishing thing has opened up a new world.

Catching Up

I’m back!  Well, not that I was actually away, though it may have appeared to be the case – I’ve just been spending way too much time watching tennis.  And with the Olympics coming up, I suspect this rather infrequent posting schedule is set to continue for a while.  Bear with me.

Not very many things have caught my eye around the internets recently – though a free Archers Beach story by Sharon Lee @ Splinter Universe was one of them.  I haven’t read it yet, but as I really enjoyed CAROUSEL TIDES, which was set in the same universe, I’m expecting to like it.  And also looking forward to the upcoming sequels.

I also liked this interview with Kristin Cashore @ Helen Lowe’s blog – she talks more about BITTERBLUE, and there are some excellent questions and equally fantastic answers.

And as for what I’ve been reading – I finished Lisa Shearin‘s Raine Benares fantasy series.  Confession: I stalled a few years ago in the middle (or so I thought) of the third book, but as the sixth and final book in the series had just been released, I wanted to know how it ended and decided to re-visit the book that had been giving me trouble.  So I dived back into THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS and was surprised to find out that I had actually stopped in the second chapter.  I could have sworn I was much further in.  Oh well.

I’ll get around to posting reviews eventually, but while the books were generally an easy read, they wouldn’t be a re-read for me.  I’ve been pondering why I’ve failed to connect with the series – it has a lot of things going for it, not least the modern urban fantasy-like take on the traditional sword-and-sorcery fantasy genre.  I think it probably boils down to what I see as lack of character growth or development in Raine.  Five books in, and she’s still in the same place mentally (generally long-winded internal debate around the lines of “arrrghhh, I’ll be evil and corrupted forevermore if I use the Sarghred’s powers” followed by “but I have to protect the weak and defenceless” – major paraphrasing but you get the idea) as she was in the first books.  At least the dreaded love triangle was resolved in the fourth book.

I also read Veronica Roth‘s DIVERGENT (SF YA), primarily because of all the hype around the release of the second book.   I can see why it’s getting a lot of attention, and I was certainly fascinated by her dystopian world.  Ultimately though, the story fizzled out for me towards the end – I wasn’t invested enough in the main characters and the romance felt a bit forced to me.  I’ll probably get around to reading the sequel, but am in no rush.

So a pretty quiet couple of weeks when it comes to reading – I’ve not fallen in love with any new books, but haven’t hated any either.  What about you – any recs or rants?

Links of Interest

I nearly missed a typo and the post title was almost Kinks of Interest – which may have attracted more attention admittedly.  LINKS to items that have caught my attention recently:

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Courtney Milan put up a post about royalties received from her self-published v. traditionally published novellas so far – fascinating reading.  Ebooks have completely changed the publishing landscape from where it was a few years ago.

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Congratulations to Mary Jo Putney on her marriage – I loved her wedding post and pictures @ Word Wenches.

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Kristin Cashore answers some BITTERBLUE questions on her blog – be warned as there are spoilers about GRACELING, but I definitely appreciate the thought she put into the answers.

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John Scalzi puts up a thought-provoking post about straight white males and umm… privilege – having just read (and loved) Ernest Cline‘s READY PLAYER ONE, it was an interesting (and timely to me) analogy he chose to use (and comments are worth reading too).

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Sourcebooks’ Discover a New Love is doing a cover vote for the re-release of Patricia Rice‘s MUST BE MAGIC historical romance – both options based on very different concepts.  I’m not massively keen on either (the elements in the non-traditional option don’t feel cohesive enough, while the more period version is on the boring side), but if pushed, would probably go for the second.

Speaking of Discover a New Love, has anyone signed up for their monthly subscription package?  I was briefly tempted, but not all their books would be available to international readers, and I wasn’t sure if the more limited selection would work for me.

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Meljean Brook has had a website redesign and is giving away ten copies of THE IRON DUKE (UK edition) to celebrate (and for feedback on the new website) – I read this earlier in the year and was completely caught up in the world she created.

She’s also put up the UK cover for the third book, RIVETED, which is out later this year – I love.  I’m really pleased these books are being released in the UK as well.

Books for May

It doesn’t feel like May, does it?  Partly because it has been the gloomiest April ever, weather-wise, and I swear it still feels as though it’s winter.  Maybe it’ll stop raining in time for the Olympics.

But new releases always cheer me up – here are the ones I’m reading in May.

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Kristin Cashore‘s BITTERBLUE (fantasy): This is the final book in Kristin Cashore’s loosely-connected trilogy, and well, I loved it.  The reception has not been all positive – there appears to be a healthy mix of opinions on this book, but for me, it was the sort of story that held me completely enthralled.  Ms Cashore’s also put up some pre-BITTERBLUE letters on her blog (warning: spoilers for the first book GRACELING), which was a nice bonus!

Blurb:

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

Out now (excerpt)

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Charlaine Harris‘s DEADLOCKED (urban fantasy): The penultimate Sookie Stackhouse book, IIRC.  I’ve not felt the urge to run out and buy it yet – I’ve been holding off and waiting for reviews, and to be honest, it’s looking like the library for me.  Still, it is a Sookie book, so I’ll end up reading it eventually.

Blurb:

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Out now (excerpt)

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Jordan Castillo Price‘s MNEVERMIND 1: THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY (m/m romance): Jordan Castillo Price is an autobuy author for me. I’ve no idea what this book is about, but I know it’ll be good.

Blurb:

Every day, Daniel Schroeder breaks his father’s heart.

While forgetting your problems won’t solve them, it does seem like it would make life a heck of a lot easier. Daniel thought so once. Now he knows better. He and Big Dan have always been close, which makes it all the more difficult to break the daily news: the last five years were nothing like his father remembers.

They’re both professionals in the memory field—they even run their own memory palace. So shouldn’t they be able to figure out a way to overwrite the persistent false memory that’s wreaking havoc on both of their lives? Daniel thought he was holding it together, but the situation seems to be sliding out of control. Now even his own equipment has turned against him, reminding him he hasn’t had a date in ages by taunting him with flashes of an elusive man in black that only he can see.

Is it some quirk of the circuitry, or is Daniel headed down the same path to fantasy-land as his old man?

Out now (excerpt)

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Carla Kelly‘s MARRIAGE OF MERCY (historical romance): It’s been a while since I’ve read a full-length Carla Kelly novel.  Or a newly-released one, come to that – I’ve been reading her re-released short story backlist mostly.  The author hates the title and wanted it called CHOOSING ROB INMAN – I’ve seen worse titles!

Blurb:

MARRYING THE WRONG GROOM… From riches to rags, Grace has had to swallow her pride and get a job as a baker.

But everything changes when she’s the beneficiary of a surprise inheritance. Her benefactor’s deal comes with a catch: give up her life of toil and live in luxury only if she marries his illegitimate son, a prisoner of war. It’s an offer she can’t afford to refuse. But her husband-to-be is dying, and he begs her to take one of his men instead-to marry purely out of mercy….

A marriage of convenience with a complete stranger…Could this arrangement ever work?

Out May 22 (excerpt)

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Lynn Flewelling‘s CASKET OF SOULS (fantasy): It has been a while since the last Nightrunner book, so I’m looking forward to this new one.  I remember when I read the first few books, and gay protagonists were such a ground-breaking concept – now, (almost) no one blinks.  Progress.  And she tells a good story.

Blurb:

More than the dissolute noblemen they appear to be, Alec and Seregil are skillful spies, dedicated to serving queen and country. But when they stumble across evidence of a plot pitting Queen Phoria against Princess Klia, the two Nightrunners will find their loyalties torn as never before. Even at the best of times, the royal court at Rhíminee is a serpents’ nest of intrigue, but with the war against Plenimar going badly, treason simmers just below the surface.

And that’s not all that poses a threat: A mysterious plague is spreading through the crowded streets of the city, striking young and old alike. Now, as panic mounts and the body count rises, hidden secrets emerge. And as Seregil and Alec are about to learn, conspiracies and plagues have one thing in common: The cure can be as deadly as the disease.

Out May 29 (excerpt)

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Nalini Singh‘s TANGLE OF NEED (paranormal romance): I’ll be honest – I’m not quite sure anything could top last year’s KISS OF SNOW, so I have much lower expectations this time around.  Also, cover-wise?  Not entirely sure what they were thinking when it came to the US cover.  Granted, the UK cover is a bit on the bland side, but I much prefer it to the US one – too much going on there!

Blurb:

Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past–one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another.

For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.

Their coming together is an inferno…and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.

Out May 29 (excerpt)

And that’s it for me – any others on your radar?

Around the Web

A whole heap of links that I’ve been meaning to post for ages…

From Kristin Cashore‘s blog, the Japanese cover of “Graceling” (too cute) and if you scroll right down to the bottom… I’m so hoping that is what I think it is!

Only of interest if you live in East London (so yes, possibly rather limited), but a branch of Foyles will be opening in the new Westfield Stratford City shopping mall later this year.

Orbit UK has bought the rights to Kevin Hearne‘s Iron Druid trilogy – Nath has totally piqued my curiosity about these books, so yay for UK releases.

Sharon Lee & Steve Miller have a free Liaden short story up on Baen’s website, “Intelligent Design” – I am very much looking forward to their new book “Ghost Ship”. And it is now available for purchase although the official release date is 1 August!  This may actually get me out of my reading slump (I’ve no idea what happened because June was a great reading month, but I’ve read close to zero books in July so far).

Anyway, I digress.  Back to clearing out my list of links:

Not just the new cover for Patricia Briggs‘ “Fair Game” (I heart Anna & Charles – January can’t come soon enough), but also a behind-the-scenes type post from the cover artist, Dan dos Santos.

Karen Chance is one of my favourite UF authors – here’s an interview with her at Book Lovers Inc.

And finally, Angie and Holly loved Linda Gillard‘s “House of Silence” – here’s an interview with the author talking about the self-publishing story behind the book.  I’ll be honest – I didn’t love HoS as much as Angie and Holly did, but it was probably more to do with the mood I was in than the book itself.

Around the Web

Random author linkage:

• Interview with Diana Gabaldon on the Orion Books (her UK publisher) website – nothing very new, except she does say she has plans to write a couple of contemporary crime novels until the name DJ Gabaldon at some point
   
• Kristin Cashore talks about limitations when writing fantasy, specifically referencing “Graceling” – it’s interesting behind-the-scenes stuff
   
• A guest post by Sharon Shinn on Odd Shots – two things I loved: (1) That she’s going to be in an anthology with Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, and Ilona Andrews (that is a dream line-up!); and (2) her description of her books as “… fantasy/sf books wrapped around romances…”, what a perfect description!