strange and random happenstance

Death in St. Petersburg by Tasha Alexander
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"After the final curtain of Swan Lake, an animated crowd exits the Mariinsky theatre brimming with excitement from the night’s performance. But outside the scene is somber. A ballerina’s body lies face down in the snow, blood splattered like rose petals over the costume of the Swan Queen. The crowd is silenced by a single cry― “Nemetseva is dead!”

Amongst the theatergoers is Lady Emily, accompanying her dashing husband Colin in Russia on assignment from the Crown. But it soon becomes clear that Colin isn’t the only one with work to do. When the dead ballerina’s aristocratic lover comes begging for justice, Emily must apply her own set of skills to discover the rising star’s murderer. Her investigation takes her on a dance across the stage of Tsarist Russia, from the opulence of the Winter Palace, to the modest flats of ex-ballerinas and the locked attics of political radicals. A mysterious dancer in white follows closely behind, making waves through St. Petersburg with her surprise performances and trail of red scarves. Is it the sweet Katenka, Nemetseva’s childhood friend and favorite rival? The ghost of the murdered étoile herself? Or, something even more sinister?"

Lady Emily and St. Petersburg! Can you think of a better fit for Tasha's character?

Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The first book in a classic Golden Age mystery series perfect for fans of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.

When Mordecai Tremaine arrives at the country retreat of one Benedict Grame on Christmas Eve, he discovers that the revelries are in full swing in the sleepy village of Sherbroome―but so too are tensions amongst the assortment of guests.

When midnight strikes, the partygoers discover that presents aren't the only things nestled under the tree...there's a dead body too. A dead body that bears a striking resemblance to Father Christmas. With the snow falling and suspicions flying, it's up to Mordecai to sniff out the culprit―and prevent anyone else from getting murder for Christmas.

Murder for Christmas is a festive mystery for the holiday season: mulled wine, mince pies... and murder."

The holidays and murder just go together so well... 

Nine Lessons by Nicola Upson
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Called to the peaceful wooded churchyard of St-John’s-at-Hampstead, Detective Chief Inspector Archie Penrose faces one of the most audacious and unusual murders of his career. The body of the church’s organist is found in an opened grave, together with a photograph of a manor house and a cryptic note. The image leads Archie to Cambridge, where the crisp autumn air has brought with it bustling life to the ancient university and town.

Mystery author Josephine Tey and Archie's lover Bridget Foley have each recently settled in Cambridge, though both women are not equally happy to see him. One has concealed an important secret from Archie which now threatens to come to light. Meanwhile, the change of seasons has also brought with it a series of vicious attacks against women in town, spreading fear and suspicion through the community.

Soon, another body is revealed, and in the shadow of King’s College Chapel, Archie uncovers a connection twenty-five years old which haunted both victims―as well as some of their living companions. As Archie and Josephine each grapple with savage malefactors intent on making their victims pay, they must race to stop another attack in this beautifully written, intricately plotted mystery."

This week is ALL about the cover lust. WANT!

Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson
Published by: Penguin Classics
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Paperback, 208 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For the first time in one volume, a collection of Shirley Jackson’s scariest stories, with a foreword by PEN/Hemingway Award winner Ottessa Moshfegh.

After the publication of her short story “The Lottery” in the New Yorker in 1948 received an unprecedented amount of attention, Shirley Jackson was quickly established as a master horror storyteller. This collection of classic and newly reprinted stories provides readers with more of her unsettling, dark tales, including the “The Possibility of Evil” and “The Summer People.” In these deliciously dark stories, the daily commute turns into a nightmarish game of hide and seek, the loving wife hides homicidal thoughts and the concerned citizen might just be an infamous serial killer. In the haunting world of Shirley Jackson, nothing is as it seems and nowhere is safe, from the city streets to the crumbling country pile, and from the small-town apartment to the dark, dark woods. There’s something sinister in suburbia.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators."

October should just be renamed Shirley Jackson.

Ghosts of Empire by George Mann
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the aftermath of the events seen in Ghosts of Karnak, and with the political climate somewhat eased, Gabriel takes Ginny to London by airship to recuperate. But he isn’t counting on coming face-to-face with a man who claims to embody the spirit of Albion itself, sinister forces gathering in the London Underground and an old ally – the British spy, Peter Rutherford – who could desperately use his help."

How long have I had this preordered? Since before it had a release date!

Sorcery for Beginners by Matt Harry
Published by: Inkshares
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Paperback, 300 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Five-hundred years ago, sorcery began to fade from the world. As technology prevailed, combustion engines and computers replaced enchanted plows and spell books. Real magicians were hunted almost to extinction. Science became the primary system of belief, and the secrets of spell-casting were forgotten. That is... until now.

Sorcery for Beginners is no fantasy or fairy tale. Written by arcane arts preservationist and elite mage Euphemia Whitmore (along with her ordinary civilian aide Matt Harry), this book is a how-to manual for returning magic to an uninspired world. It's also the story of Owen Macready, a seemingly average 13-year-old who finds himself drawn into a centuries-long war when he uses sorcery to take on a school bully. Owen's spell casting attracts the attention of a ruthless millionaire and a secret society of anti-magic mercenaries, all of whom wish to use Sorcery for Beginners to alter the course of world history forever."

Do you have shivers? Because I have shivers. And hopefully not just because I'm really cold...

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Here is a thing everyone wants:

A miracle.

Here is a thing everyone fears:

What it takes to get one.

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado, is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect."

Right now, I'd take any kind of miracle. 

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Published by: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship."

If the protagonist isn't all about the Terry Pratchett love I'm calling foul on this title. Yes, I KNOW Terry Pratchett doesn't hold the patent on the "Turtles All the Way Down" saying, but he should! It's implied that he has ownership of it.

Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power  by Mariko Tamaki
Published by: Amulet Books
Publication Date: October 10th, 2017
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Welcome to Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. The five scouts of Roanoke cabin—Jo, April, Molly, Mal, and Ripley—love their summers at camp. They get to hang out with their best friends, earn Lumberjane scout badges, annoy their no-nonsense counselor Jen . . . and go on supernatural adventures. That last one? A pretty normal occurrence at Miss Qiunzella’s, where the woods contain endless mysteries.

Today is no exception. When challenge-loving April leads the girls on a hike up the TALLEST mountain they’ve ever seen, things don’t go quite as planned. For one, they didn’t expect to trespass into the lands of the ancient Cloud People, and did anyone happen to read those ominous signs some unknown person posted at the bottom of the mountain? Also, unicorns.

This hilarious, rollicking adventure series brings the beloved Lumberjanes characters into a novel format with brand-new adventures."

Firstly, if they just got an editor to check all the typos I'll be happier than I am reading the comics. BUT there's a big secondly... no Noelle Stevenson!?! For shame!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: George Mann, John Green, Josephine Tey, Lumberjanes, Maggie Stiefvater, Matt Harry, Murder for Christmas, Nicola Upson, Noelle Stevenson, Shirley Jackson, Sorcery for Beginners, Tasha Alexander, Terry Pratchett

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 26th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore."

I seriously have all the previous books signed and yet I have yet to read them, while everyone I know tells me I have to read them... perhaps I should read them?

Murder the the 42nd Street Library by Con Lehane
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: April 26th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"This first book in an irresistible new series introduces librarian and reluctant sleuth Raymond Ambler, a doggedly curious fellow who uncovers murderous secrets hidden behind the majestic marble façade of New York City’s landmark 42nd Street Library.

Murder at the 42nd Street Library follows Ambler and his partners in crime-solving as they track down a killer, shining a light on the dark deeds and secret relationships that are hidden deep inside the famous flagship building at the corner of 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

In their search for the reasons behind the murder, Ambler and his crew uncover sinister, and profoundly disturbing, relationships among the scholars studying in the iconic library. Included among the players are a celebrated mystery writer who has donated his papers to the library’s crime fiction collection; that writer’s long-missing daughter, a prominent New York society woman with a hidden past, and more than one of Ambler’s colleagues at the library. Shocking revelations lead inexorably to the traumatic events that follow―the reading room will never be the same."

OK, yes, part of this is my love of NY, part of this is my love of a good murder mystery. But combining the two? Yeah, totally for me! PS, adore this library!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Con Lehane, Library, Maggie Stiefvater, Murder at the 42nd Street Library, Mystery, New York, New York Public Library, The Raven Cycle, The Raven King, Tuesday Tomorrow

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella
Published by: The Dial Press
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella returns to her beloved Shopaholic series with Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) newly arrived in Hollywood and starry-eyed. She and her two-year-old daughter, Minnie, have relocated to L.A. to join Becky’s husband, Luke, who is there to handle PR for famous actress Sage Seymour. Becky can’t wait to start living the A-list lifestyle, complete with celebrity sightings, yoga retreats, and shopping trips to Rodeo Drive. But she really hopes to become a personal stylist—Sage’s personal stylist—if only Luke would set up an introduction. Then, unexpectedly, Becky is offered the chance to dress Sage’s archrival, and though things become a bit more complicated, it’s a dream come true!

Red carpet premieres, velvet ropes, paparazzi clamoring for attention—suddenly Becky has everything she’s ever wanted.

Or does she?"

Who am I kidding... no matter how much I hate this series I going to still read this...

Ever After High: Once Upon a Time by Shannon Hale
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Read these exclusive introductions to all your favorite characters to find out what their lives are like at home! A new chapter is about to begin at Ever After High, and all the students are preparing to start their Legacy Year. In just a few weeks it will be Legacy Day when they will sign the Storybook of Legends and commit to live out their fairy-tale destiny, repeating the famous stories of their parents.

This volume collects together for the first time 12 short tales, including five BRAND-NEW stories. For the first time, find out what Dexter and Darling Charming, Cedar Wood, Lizzie Hearts and Kitty Cheshire were doing just before school started. This collection also includes the stories of Apple White, Raven Queen, Madeline Hatter, Briar Beauty, Ashlynn Ella and Hunter Hunstman, and the fairy tale The Tale of Two Sisters, which were previously only available online.

Don't miss this Once Upon a Time special edition of enchanting stories by bestselling and Newbery honor-winning author Shannon Hale."

The lazy person in my rejoices that all those short stories I was trying to keep up with (emphasis on trying) are finally combined into one book!

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The third installment in the mesmerizing series from the irrepressible, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.

Mothers can disappear.

Visions can mislead.

Certainties can unravel.

In a starred review, THE BULLETIN called THE DREAM THIEVES, the previous book in The Raven Cycle, "a complex web of magical intrigue and heart-stopping action." Now, with BLUE LILY, LILY BLUE, the web becomes even more complex, snaring readers at every turn."

Yeah new Stiefvater! So glad I got to see her when she came to Madison this past summer!

The Pierced Heart by Lynn Shepherd
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The shadow of Bram Stoker’s Dracula looms large over the darkest mystery yet faced by Victorian detective Charles Maddox—as the acclaimed author of The Solitary House and A Fatal Likeness once again pays homage to a literary classic, in a chilling tale of superstition, dangerous science, and shocking secrets.

When an Austrian nobleman offers a substantial donation to the University of Oxford, Charles Maddox is called on to investigate the generous benefactor. It is a decidedly mundane task for the increasingly renowned criminal investigator, but Maddox welcomes the chance to trade London’s teeming streets for the comforts of a castle in the Viennese countryside. Comfort, however, is in short supply once Maddox steps onto foreign soil—and into the company of the mysterious Baron Von Reisenberg.

A man of impeccable breeding, the Baron is nonetheless the subject of frightened whispers and macabre legends. Though Maddox isn’t one to entertain supernatural beliefs, the dank halls and foreboding shadows of the castle begin to haunt his sleep with nightmares. But in the light of day the veteran detective can find no evidence of the sinister—until a series of disturbing incidents prove him gravely mistaken and thrust him into a harrowing quest to expose whatever evil lurks behind the locked doors of the Baron’s secretive domain. After a terrifying encounter nearly costs him his sanity, Maddox is forced to return home defeated—and still pursued by the horror he’s unearthed.

Owing to a string of gruesome murders committed by an elusive predator branded the Vampire, London is on the verge of widespread panic. But there’s little doubt in Maddox’s mind who is responsible. And whether his enemy proves merely mortal—or something more—Maddox must finally end the monstrous affair . . . before more innocent blood is spilled."

"Shadow of Bram Stoker" and I'm sold that easy!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Blue Lily Lily Blue, Ever After High, Lynn Shepherd, Maggie Stiefvater, One Upon a Time, Shannon Hale, Shopaholic, Shopaholic to the Stars, Sophie Kinsella, The Pierced Heart, The Raven Cycle

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
Published by: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 356 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there's no one more qualified to investigate. Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don't unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they'll become the next victims."

I quite literally cannot say how stoked (haha) I am for this book. Ever since Colleen first started talking about it however long ago it was (it felt really long ago because I'm impatient) I've had this on the top of my "To Be Read" list. Finally!

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The second installment in the all-new series from the masterful, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after..."

Everyone I know, even the author Robin LaFevers, has been talking about how good the first book in this new series by Stiefvater is... guess I should get around to it then. 

United We Spy by Ally Carter
Published by: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle's elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie-and her country-forever.

Get ready for the Gallagher Girls' most astounding adventure yet as Ally Carter's New York Times best-selling series comes to breathtaking conclusion that will have readers racing to the last page."

Here's hoping for a satisfying conclusion!

The Taming of the Tights by Louise Rennison
Published by: HarperTeen
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Gadzooks! It's another term at Dother Hall for Tallulah and her mates. But can they keep their minds on the arts with all those boys about...After the thing-that-will-never-be-mentioned last term, Tallulah is keen to put all thoughts of Cain behind her. But that seems like that the last thing he wants. Their performing arts college may have been saved by Honey's mystery benefactor, but for how long is anyone's guess. So will Tallulah finally get to wear those golden slippers of applause or will Dr Lightowler swoop down on her glory days? And with Seth and Flossie forever snogging, Vaisey and Jack loved-up and Phil and Jo fondly biffing each other can Tallulah resist the call of her wild boy? Don your craziest tights and Irish dance your way to some surprising and hilariously unexpected answers..."

So, yeah, I didn't really like the second book and so I'm not super hyped about this one... will I read it? Yeah, probably. Also, why have the last two books been parodies of Shakespearean titles and the first a Bronte parody... switch it up on this one maybe, at least that's my feeling. But then again, who listens to me... because if they did, Louise Rennison would be doing an adult series a la Adrian Mole...

Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 128 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"I bought the milk," said my father. "I walked out of the corner shop, and heard a noise like this: T h u m m t h u m m. I looked up and saw a huge silver disc hovering in the air above Marshall Road."

"Hullo," I said to myself. "That's not something you see every day. And then something odd happened."

Find out just how odd things get in this hilarious story of time travel and breakfast cereal, expertly told by Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Skottie Young."

So, originally, I was kind of "meh" about this book, but then I saw Neil Gaiman in July and he read some of it aloud, and now it's like the book I'm most excited about, well, most excited to share with my Dad for all his heroics of making sure we never ran out of milk over the years.

Deadly Heat by Richard Castle
Published by: Hyperion
Publication Date: September 17th, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook race to stop a deadly threat from Heat's past as well as an all-too-present serial killer, in Richard Castle's follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Frozen Heat.

Determined to find justice for her mother, top NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat continues to pursue the elusive former CIA station chief who ordered her execution more than a decade ago. For the hunt, Nikki teams once again with her romantic partner, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Jameson Rook, and their quest for the old spy and the motive behind the past murder unearths an alarming terror plot, which is anything but ancient history. It is lethal. It is now. And it has already entered its countdown phase.

Complicating Heat's mission to bring the rogue spy to justice and thwart the looming terror event, a serial killer begins menacing the Twentieth Precinct, and her homicide squad is under pressure to stop him, and soon. Known for his chilling stealth, the diabolical murderer not only singles out Nikki as the exclusive recipient of his taunting messages, he names her as his next victim."

SO glad the magenta cover won out over the lizard like one.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ally Carter, Bram Stoker, Colleen Gleason, Fortunately the Milk, Louise Rennison, Maggie Stiefvater, Neil Gaiman, Richard Castle, Robin LaFevers, Sherlock Holmes, Tallulah Casey, The Clockwork Scarab

Skagboys by Irvine Welsh
Published by: W.W. Norton and Company
Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 544 Pages
To Buy

The offical patter:
"Prequel to the best-selling phenomenon Trainspotting, this exhilarating and moving novel shows how Welsh’s colorful miscreants first went wrong.

Marked by Irvine Welsh’s scabrous humor and raw Scottish vernacular, Skagboys transports us to 1980s Edinburgh, where the Trainspotting crew is just getting started. Mark Renton has it all: the first in his family to attend university, he has a pretty girlfriend and a great social life. But when economic uncertainties and family problems intervene, Rent succumbs to the defeatism—not to mention the drug use—that has taken hold in Edinburgh’s tougher quarters. His friends are responding according to personality. Laid off, Spud Murphy is paralyzed in the face of long-term unemployment. Sick Boy, supreme manipulator of the opposite sex, is scamming and hustling for money and drugs. And meanwhile, psycho Franco Begbie is scaring the hell out of everyone. Darkly humorous, Skagboys gives a gritty and gripping portrait of a time, not unlike ours, when money was scarce, unemployment was high, and drugs seemed the answer."

So Welsh is finally delivering on the more Trainspotting, this time with a prequel. Not sure if I want to read it, loved the movie, but the book Trainspotting kind of traumatized me.

Beautiful Lies by Clare Clark
Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The offical patter:
"London 1887. For Maribel Campbell Lowe, the beautiful bohemian wife of a maverick politician, it is the year to make something of herself. A self-proclaimed Chilean heiress educated in Paris, she is torn between poetry and the new art of photography. But it is soon plain that Maribel’s choices are not so simple. As her husband’s career hangs by a thread, her real past, and the family she abandoned, come back to haunt them both. When the notorious newspaper editor Alfred Webster begins to take an uncommon interest in Maribel, she fears he will not only destroy Edward’s career but both of their reputations.
Inspired by the true story of a politician’s wife who lived a double life for decades, Beautiful Lies is set in a time that, fraught with economic uncertainty and tabloid scandal-mongering, uncannily presages our own."

True story, blah, blah, blah, sounds awesome, true or not!

Hiss and Hers by M.C. Beaton
Published by: Minotaur
Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The offical patter:
"If only the bossy, beloved Agatha Raisin were as lucky at finding the right man as she is at catching killers in M. C. Beaton's New York Times bestselling mystery series

Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of everyone's favorite sleuth, M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin is as feisty as ever—armed with her famous wit and biting sense of humor. This time, though, there's some biting of a whole other sort going on. Agatha has fallen head over heels in love—again. This time, she has her eye on the local gardener, George Marston, but so do other women in their little Cotswold village. Shamelessly determined, Agatha will do anything to get her man—including footing the bill for a charity ball just for the chance to dance with him. And then George doesn't even show up. Only partly deterred, Agatha goes looking for him, and finds his dead body in a compost heap. Murder is definitely afoot, but this killer chose no ordinary weapon: A poisonous snake delivered the fatal strike.

Rising to the occasion, Agatha rallies her little detective agency to find the killer, only to learn that George had quite a complicated love life. But murderously complicated? Well, if she can't have George, at least Agatha can have the satisfaction of confronting the other women and solving the crime. With Hiss & Hers, once again, "M. C. Beaton has a foolproof plot for the village mystery" (The New York Times Book Review) in the irresistible adventures of the irrepressible Agatha."

This one's for my mom. The biggest M.C. Beaton fan I know.

The Diviners by Libba Bray
Published by: Little Brown
Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The offical patter:
"Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first."

New Libba Bray, yeah! Hope there's some seances, then extra yeah!

The Raven by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: September 18th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The offical patter:
"It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before."

This sounds AWESOME! Also, ravens are cool.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Agatha Raisin, Clare Clark, Hiss and Hers, Irvine Welsh, Libba Bray, M.C. Beaton, Maggie Stiefvater, Skagboys, Trainspotting

A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: July 12th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 1040 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Dubbed “the American Tolkien” by Time magazine, George R. R. Martin has earned international acclaim for his monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers the fifth book in his spellbinding landmark series--as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a foothold in a fragmented empire.

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again--beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has three times three thousand enemies, and many have set out to find her. Yet, as they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.

To the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone--a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, will face his greatest challenge yet. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.

And from all corners, bitter conflicts soon reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all. . . ."

FINALLY! I remember sitting in out local Borders (now closed) in November of 2005 and George R. R. Martin saying, oh, it will only be 6 months till the second half of the new book will be done... flash forward 6 long hard years. I'm hoping it can live up to the hype, I'm hoping he can live to finish this series, but mainly I'm hoping I never have to wait  6 years again.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 12th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater. In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in."

Hey, another series everyone raves about which I waited long enough to start so that I'll already have the final book waiting for me.

Blood Work by Kim Harrison
Published by: Del Ray
Publication Date: July 12th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 176 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"When Ivy met Rachel, the result wasn’t exactly love at first sight. Sparks flew as the living vampire and the stubborn witch learned what it meant to be partners. Now Kim Harrison, the acclaimed author of Pale Demon and Black Magic Sanction, turns back the clock to tell the tale—in an original full-color graphic novel.

Hot-as-hell, tough-as-nails detective Ivy Tamwood has been demoted from homicide down to lowly street-crime detail. As if rousting trolls and policing pixies instead of catching killers wasn’t bad enough, she’s also been saddled with a newbie partner who’s an earth witch. It’s enough to make any living vampire bare her fangs. But when a coven of murderous witches begins preying on werewolves, Rachel Morgan quickly proves she’s a good witch who knows how to be a badass.

Together, Ivy and Rachel hit the mean streets to deal swift justice to the evil element among Cincinnati’s supernatural set. But there’s more to their partnership than they realize—and more blood and black magic in their future than they bargained for."

I'm kind of really digging this Graphic Novels that are original stories set in some of my favorite Urban Fantasy series. Here we have one set in Kim Harrison's world of The Hollows.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Dance with Dragons, Blood Work, Forever, George R.R. Martin, Kin Harrison, Maggie Stiefvater, The Hollows

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 13th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget."

Guess what books release has been moved up a week? Guess who's freaking out? Everyone in the blogisphere that is! Yeah for publishers!

Johannes Cabal the Detective by Jonathan L. Howard
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: July 13th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"In this genre-twisting novel, infamous necromancer Johannes Cabal, after beating the Devil and being reunited with his soul, leads us on another raucous journey in a little-known corner of the world. This time he's on the run from the local government.

Stealing the identity of a minor bureaucrat, Cabal takes passage on the Princess Hortense, a passenger aeroship that is leaving the country. The deception seems perfect, and Cabal looks forward to a quiet trip and a clean escape, until he comes face-to-face with Leonie Barrow, an enemy from the old days who could blow his cover. But when a fellow passenger throws himself to his death, or at least that is how it appears, Cabal begins to investigate out of curiosity. His minor efforts result in a vicious attempt on his own life--and then the gloves..."

I know I shouldn't be swayed by covers, but... pretty, me want!

Cleopatara's Daughter by Michelle Moran
Published by: Three Rivers Press
Publication Date: July 13th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony's vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian's sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian's family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra's Daughter. Recounted in Selene's youthful..."

Again, I don't know how you freaks who are able to survive waiting for paperback releases... but if you are, new Michelle Moran in paperback, which you should be dying for ever since my Michelle Moran Week last year!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Cleopatra's Daughter, Johannes Cabel, Jonathan L. Howard, Linger, Maggie Stiefvater, Michelle Moran, Shiver

Thank you all for entering my giveaways! I really, truly wish I could give you all something, but never fear, if you didn't win this month, perhaps the next! So onto the winners of the Horde Giveaway!

Prize 1: $25 gift card to Amazon.com goes to Sarij!
Prize 2: The Reckoning, Darkest Powers Book 3 by Kelley Armstrong The Book Pixie Briana!
Prize 3: Shiver ARC by Maggie Stiefvater Bkobsessed17!
Prize 4: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater Bunny B!

All winners have been notified, so books will shortly be in the mail!

Now onto the Jane in June prize, a lovely Giclee print based on artwork by none other than me! You know you want it! So let's see who's getting it... drum roll as Random.org tabulates all the numbers to reveal: Allison, the first poster! See sometimes being first does work to your advantage!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 3 comments  

Labels: Giclee, Giveaway, Jane in June, Kelley Armstrong, Linger, Maggie Stiefvater, Mega Horde, Random.org, Shiver, The Reckoning

As you may have noticed... 250 was hit while I was out on the town in Chicago yesterday and that means, another prize!!! I'm adding, Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. So make sure you enter, today, midnight, that's the end. What will you win?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 1:49 PM 1 comments  

Labels: Chicago, Giveaway, Linger, Maggie Stiefvater, Mega Horde

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 20th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Preorder

The official patter:
"In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget."

Ok, so you probably notice that this book isn't coming out till midsummer... but you want it now you say? Well... Maggie Stiefvater is running a little giveaway over on her blog! But not just her book is up! How about Sisters Red!?! That's easily as exciting! So, enough from me, I'm sure you have been inundated with information from every blog in the sphere jumping for joy over this heartfelt Valentine from a great author. Just remember, the contest is only open till next Sunday!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 3:04 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Giveaway, Linger, Maggie Stiefvater, Scholastic, Shiver, Sisters Red