3 4 5 S.R. Johannes

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Bookanistas - In Love with Harlequin

So I have soooooo many books I'm trying to get through. Since the Bookanistas has taken flight, we all are swamped with books!

Good thing right?

Not so much when you read so many books you like!

Here are a few series from Harlequin Teen that you might want to check out or continue....

Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa
Iron King, Iron Daughter and Iron Queen. Even a little novella called Winter's Passage fills in a few holes. Iron Queen is the newest with a release date of Feb 2011.

MY NAME IS MEGAN CHASE. I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it. THIS TIME, THERE WILL BE NO TURNING BACK.

Megan is much stronger in this book.  This series is amazing, fast paced with a love triangle and a few twists.  If you loved the 1st one, you will like this. If you haven't read the first one - go back, it's worth it.

Soul Screamers Series by Rachel Vincent
My Soul to Steal is the most recent one released in Jan 2011. It's so hard to review a series because I don't want to give anything away.

High school junior Kaylee Cavanaugh is trying to balance her normal life with a newly discovered, terrifying ability to make life-and-death decisions—literally. Kaylee is a banshee, complete with an uncontrollable scream that rips from her when someone near her is about to die. And the more people she saves, the harder it becomes to guard her own soul from things that go bump in the Netherworld.

Kaylee's thoughts and emotions in this book were so real and insightful. In the end, I felt she made some good decisions and I was proud of her. Oh yes, and then there is Todd :) Another great trio. Sabine is completely terrifying as a mara, a Nightmare-giver who feeds on fear. I would read them in order. I think the mystery builds and clues are dropped along the way.

One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen

It’s taken a long time for me to feel like a normal teenager. But now that I’m settled in a new school, where people know me as more than Charlotte Silver of the infamous Silver family paranormal investigators, it feels like everything is falling into place. And what better way to be normal than to go on a date with a popular football star like Harris Abbott? After all, it’s not as if Noah is anything more than a friend... But my new life takes a disturbing turn when Harris brings me to a party and we play a game called One Hundred Candles. It seems like harmless, ghostly fun. Until spirits unleashed by the game start showing up at school. Now my friends and family are in very real danger, and the door that I’ve opened into another realm may yield deadly consequences.

This is the second book in the One Hundred Candles series featuring Charlotte Silver by Mara Purnhagen. You can find the first book, Past Midnight, at local retailers and online.

I have never heard of the one hundred candle game (ritual?). Pretty cool.

This book is better than the first. Pacy and focuses on the ghost hunter part. I like that this is not a book about a teen who is estranged from her family and likes the "bad" guy. The parents are kinda cool in this book and the love is not the core thing. The ghost story is scary and the mystery is intriguing.

Outside In by Maria Snyder

Again, this is a series. Just like in Inside Out, the plot in was thrilling, suspenseful, and unique filled with twists I never saw coming. The first book is around a rebellion, the second is about a war. Snyder is not afraid to kill off characters so you can never feel safe getting attached to just one.
Outside In is a dystopian novel where people live ‘inside’ this giant cube that floats around in Outer Space, with a specific course and timing for destination. Trella is back. Only instead of after just winning the fight between the pop cops and the uppers, she finds the Committee wasn't the best way to go and has to step back in a lead.

ME? A LEADER? Okay, I did prove that there’s more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion—between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we’re free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again—while still touching base with Riley, of course. He’s the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there’s outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

Check out the other Bookanista reviews:

Katie Anderson raves about THE LIAR SOCIETY

Christine Fonseca applauds Michelle McLean's HOMEWORK HELPERS: TERM PAPERS AND ESSAYS with Signed Book Giveaway

Carrie Harris celebrates THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE

Jen Hayley lauds DELIRIUM

Elana Johnson recommends Michelle McLean's HOMEWORK HELPERS: TERM PAPERS AND ESSAYS with Giveaway

Jessi Kirby admires MATCHED

Myra McEntire gives some cover love for THE LIAR SOCIETY

Shannon Messenger
commends THE LIAR SOCIETY with an ARC Giveaway

Carolina Valdez Miller salutes XVI with Signed Book Giveaway

Megan Miranda gives some love to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

Lisa and Laura do a happy dance for Beth Revis

Shana Silver cheers for HERE LIES BRIDGET

Scott Tracey acclaims DIVERGENT

Bethany Wiggins praises Michelle McLean's HOMEWORK HELPERS: TERM PAPERS AND ESSAYS

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

ARC Winners

Hey guys -

So sorry I have not announced these yet.

We got snowed in last week. And with kids being home (for the whole week!) and Internet being iffy. I didn't get to the Arc contest.

Here are the winners (chosen by random number generator):
  1. S. Kyle Davis
  2. Riv Re
  3. Shallee
  4. Addictedtolife
  5. ♥ttlyoverit17♥♪
  6. Amber Cuadra
  7. Shoshana
  8. Jenna Wallace
  9. Mariska
  10. Kristin Rae
  11. Mim
  12. Sara B. Larson
  13. Mrs. DeRaps
  14. Grace
  15. Cinette
  16. J. Ro
  17. Meradeth
  18. Kailia Sage
  19. Spav
  20. Shelly B
Please email me your address at sjohannes@bilaninc.com and tell me if you would like YA, MG or Adult. I will send you a list to choose from. First come first serve! (US only)

If I do not hear from you by end of day on Friday - I will choose another name. hey - it's only fair! :)

Congratulations!

Also - here is a hint of what is coming up: Get your paragraph query ready! :) 4- 5 sentences.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Bookanistas - Harcourt Winners


I've been reading that I wanted to mention. These books are from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt which has got some great stuff coming out.

Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton (Nov 2010)


I saw this book back at BEA but didnt get a copy (BOO!). This book is backdropped against Celtic myths about goblins and the Travelers who fight them. Teagan's life is perfect until Finn shows up. He talks about goblins and about being born to fight all goblin-kind. And it's a good thing because the goblins are coming.

Teagan is a strong character with real aspirations. She works at a zoo in Chicago (so did I!). Her BFF Abby is adoreable and gives a glimpse into the life of a real Italian family. And then there's Finn: a cue boy, a fighter, and yes, has a sexy Irish accent. Kind of a modern day Lord of the Rings .

Always a Witch (Sequel to Once a Witch) by Carolyn MacCullough


The adventures continue in the sequel. More time
travel, talents, spy work, and evil Knights. The plot centers on two family of witches, and every witch has their own talent. Tamsin power is that she's immune to all other talents and can take other peoples talents. Nice!

Tamsin is back to prevent her family from being destroyed by Alistair Knight. Tamsin has no choice but to travel back to the 19th century and infiltrate the Knight's ranks. She must rely on her Talent and New York City smarts to defeat the Knight's once and for all. I love that this story does not revolve around Tasmin's relationship with Gabriel.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell (Mar 2011)

The Vespertine is set in 1889 Baltimore where Amelia is sent to find a suitable husband. There, meets Zora and develops her power to foresee the future. When one of her darkest premonitions comes to pass, people start to wonder if Amelia see the events or cause them.
This is a beautiful Victorian era story - haunting yet romantic. A perfect mix of supernatural and historical fiction. I adored Amelia and Nathaniel. And I must say, I never saw the twists coming. The setting is it's own complicated character. 

For those of you who read Saundra's first novel, Shadowed Summer, will not be disappointed!


Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (May 2011)



There is no reason for Maddie to leave her home. She can go to school online. Talk to her friends online. Watch tv shows, the news, and even read books online. Maddie has been content living her life in the digital world. Until, she meets Justin.

Justin likes being with people and shows Maddie that the best things in life aren't behind a computer screen. Maddie falls in love with Justin, even though her father, the founder of Digital School, forbids it. The book ended in action.

I can tell the author is not fond of the computer era based on Justin's dialogue. And I can see the fear of computers taking over. We are definitely moving towards a world where computers become an interface between everything and human contact is slowly extinguished. That is scary after reading this book.

Check out the other Bookanista reviews this week:

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Happy Launch Day! Across the Universe by Beth Revis!

As most of you know, us Southerns are pretty much shut down due to six inches of snow.

We never get snow so basically we are all trapped inside - killing each other, renting movies, and eating junk.

But......

I'm poking my head out of the snow for a minute to wish my good friend Beth Revis a wonderful launch day today.

I met Beth online a couple years ago way before we had agents. When we each probably had less than 10 followers and a dream. I loved meeting her finally in person this fall for drinks and am happy to see her day finally here after all the struggles and hard work.

Across the Universe is hitting the stores and everyone needs to go get this book. I got an ARC early last fall and loved the whole creativity and world building around this book.

As the spaceship Godspeed travels toward a new earth, the lives of 100 cryogenically frozen settlers hang in the balance after someone endeavors to quietly murder them. The other passengers aboard the ship have never known life outside its walls and are enslaved by the machinations of Eldest, their tyrannical leader, who divides them into three distinct classes. When Amy, a frozen settler from earth, survives being thawed in a murder attempt, she immediately bonds with Elder, Godspeed's lone teen and future leader. Amy’s individuality, her rebellion, and her fierce desire for freedom, inspire Elder to act on his own doubts and defy Eldest--his mentor and keeper--with shocking results.
The book's web site launches today so go check out the space ship blueprints! So cool.

Or check out all the stuff going on at Beth's site.

Happy Book Bday Beth! Can't wait to see you soar to the stars - at Godspeed :)

Ill announce all the ARC winners later this week after I dig myself out of the ice.