strange and random happenstance: The Killing

Spirit Animals Book 4: Fire and Ice by Shannon Hale
Published by: Scholastic Inc.
Publication Date: June 24th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The adventure continues in this fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series.

Strange things are happening at the frozen edge of the world. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have crisscrossed Erdas in their quest to stop the ruthless Conquerors. Only the four of them, supported by the gifts of their legendary spirit animals, have the power to defeat an evil takeover.

While chasing down a lead in the cold North, the heroes arrive at a quiet village where not everything is as it seems. Rooting the truth out of this deceptively beautiful place won't be easy-and the team is already out of time.

The Conquerors are right behind them."

Seriously, I love Shannon Hale so much that I'm going to read all the previous books in this series by other authors just so I can read hers! Of course, they're written by other fabulous authors, so that doesn't hurt...

Secrets of the Manor: Beth's Story, 1914 by Adele Whitby
Published by: Simon Spotlight
Publication Date: June 24th, 2014
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Find out what secrets lurk within the walls of Chatswood Manor in this in this first book of a historical fiction mystery series that explores a family’s secrets throughout generations.

The Chatswood family tree has many branches—and even more secrets. It’s the summer of 1914 in England, and Beth Etheridge, great-granddaughter of the original Elizabeth Chatswood, can’t wait for her twelfth birthday to arrive. That’s when she’ll receive her family’s heirloom “Elizabeth” necklace: one half of a heart encrusted with beautiful sapphires. (The companion necklace, encrusted with rubies, will be given to Beth’s American cousin and pen pal, Kate, later in the series.) But when family from France visits Chatswood Manor for the occasion and another family heirloom goes missing, Beth finds herself on a quest to clear the name of her lady’s maid and friend, Shannon. Her search for answers leads her to a hidden diary with clues to a much larger family mystery that dates back generations. What secrets are hidden away in Chatswood Manor?"

This is a new series that is basically Downton Abbey for 8-12 year olds. How excited am I to read this? Oh, very very much thank you! Ring for Carson to bring in your copy!

Chu's First Day of School by Neil Gaiman
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: June 24th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A brand-new picture book adventure about the New York Times bestselling panda named Chu from Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Adam Rex!

Chu, the adorable panda with a great big sneeze, is heading off for his first day of school, and he's nervous. He hopes the other boys and girls will be nice. Will they like him? What will happen at school? And will Chu do what he does best?

Chu's First Day of School is a perfect read-aloud story about the universal experience of starting school."

Ok, so yes, I did find the first book lame, but then again, I'm not the target 4-8 year olds, so I'm all for this book if it will convert young readers to Gaiman... though I'd wait till they were older to introduce them to American Gods...

Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: June 24th, 2014
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The seventeenth installment of the beloved New York Times bestselling series that boasts more than 600,000 books in print.

The last four books in Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano series have leapfrogged their way up the New York Times bestseller list, perfectly positioning Angelica’s Smile to ascend to even greater heights.

A rash of burglaries has got Inspector Salvo Montalbano stumped. The criminals are so brazen that their leader, the anonymous Mr. Z, starts sending the Sicilian inspector menacing letters. Among those burgled is the young and beautiful Angelica Cosulich, who reminds the inspector of the love-interest in Ludovico Ariosto’s chivalric romance, Orlando Furioso. Besotted by Angelica’s charms, Montalbano imagines himself back in the medieval world of jousts and battles. But when one of the burglars turns up dead, Montalbano must snap out of his fantasy and unmask his challenger."

Love this series, but not loving this cover art... just ick. Usually they are so awesome.

The Killing: Uncommon Denominator by Karen Dionne
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: June 24th, 2014
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"When firefighters respond to a suspected meth explosion at a trailer park, they discover a man’s body, unburned but with terrible head wounds. Meanwhile, another man is discovered in a shipping container at the Port of Seattle, shot execution-style. For Homicide Detective Sarah Linden, two cases soon become one, and she must unravel a complex web of addiction, greed, and betrayal to reveal the killer."

Ok, yes I'm interesting in this, yes I'm kind of addicted to The Killing... but not getting to watch Joel Kinnaman... maybe he'd come by and read it to me?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments

Labels: Adele Whitby, Andrea Camilleri, Chu's First Day of School, Downton Abbey, Joel Kinnaman, Neil Gaiman, Secrets of the Manor, Shannon Hale, Spirit Animals, The Killing

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 11th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from a stalker. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s stalker is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart."

A new Mercy book two years in a row!?! Be still my heart!

The Edge of the Water by Elizabeth George
Published by: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: March 11th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A mysterious girl who won’t speak; a coal black seal named Nera that returns to the same place very year; a bitter feud of unknown origin—strange things are happening on Whidbey Island, and Becca King, is drawn into the maelstrom of events.

But Becca, first met in The Edge of Nowhere, has her own secrets to hide. Still on the run from her criminal stepfather, Becca is living in a secret location. Even Derric, the Ugandan orphan with whom Becca shares a close, romantic relationship, can’t be allowed to know her whereabouts. As secrets of past and present are revealed, Becca becomes aware of her growing paranormal powers, and events build to a shocking climax anticipated by no one.

Acclaimed author Elizabeth George brings her extraordinary talents to this intriguing story that blends mystery and myth."

The Killing has kind of got me addicted to islands where weird things happen...

The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: March 11th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
To Buy

The official patter: "From the author of the New York Times bestseller Juliet comes a mesmerizing novel about a young scholar who risks her reputation—and her life—on a thrilling journey to prove that the legendary warrior women known as the Amazons actually existed.

Oxford lecturer Diana Morgan is an expert on Greek mythology. Her obsession with the Amazons started in childhood when her eccentric grandmother claimed to be one herself—before vanishing without a trace. Diana’s colleagues shake their heads at her Amazon fixation. But then a mysterious, well-financed foundation makes Diana an offer she cannot refuse.

Traveling to North Africa, Diana teams up with Nick Barran, an enigmatic Middle Eastern guide, and begins deciphering an unusual inscription on the wall of a recently unearthed temple. There she discovers the name of the first Amazon queen, Myrina, who crossed the Mediterranean in a heroic attempt to liberate her kidnapped sisters from Greek pirates, only to become embroiled in the most famous conflict of the ancient world—the Trojan War. Taking their cue from the inscription, Diana and Nick set out to find the fabled treasure that Myrina and her Amazon sisters salvaged from the embattled city of Troy so long ago. Diana doesn’t know the nature of the treasure, but she does know that someone is shadowing her, and that Nick has a sinister agenda of his own. With danger lurking at every turn, and unsure of whom to trust, Diana finds herself on a daring and dangerous quest for truth that will forever change her world.

Sweeping from England to North Africa to Greece and the ruins of ancient Troy, and navigating between present and past, The Lost Sisterhood is a breathtaking, passionate adventure of two women on parallel journeys, separated by time, who must fight to keep the lives and legacy of the Amazons from being lost forever."

One of my book buddies really loved her first book and this one looks pretty dang awesome too.