YA I Can't Wait to Read in 2017!

So, before I get back to the business of review writing, I thought I'd do a little 2017 book preview of sorts. Today, I'm focusing on Young Adult Fiction. I've narrowed this list down to ten books (which wasn't at all easy, let me tell you!) I hope you enjoy my picks and find some books to add to your 2017 reading list! 

Books listed in order of release date, since I'm chicken and couldn't list them in order of preference, don't you know.

*****

Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse 

Release date: March 7th 2017

Sophia has seven days left in Tokyo before she moves back to the States. Seven days to say good-bye to the electric city, her wild best friend, and the boy she’s harbored a semi-secret crush on for years. Seven perfect days…until Jamie Foster-Collins moves back to Japan and ruins everything.

Jamie and Sophia have a history of heartbreak, and the last thing Sophia wants is for him to steal her leaving thunder with his stupid arriving thunder. Yet as the week counts down, the relationships she thought were stable begin to explode around her. And Jamie is the one who helps her pick up the pieces. Sophia is forced to admit she may have misjudged Jamie, but can their seven short days of Tokyo adventures end in anything but good-bye?

*****

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

Release date: May 2nd 2017

Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

*****

Girlhood by Cat Clarke

Release date: May 4th 2017

Real, compulsive and intense: Cat Clarke is the queen of emotional suspense. For fans of E Lockhart, Lisa Williamson, Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn

Harper has tried to forget the past and fit in at expensive boarding school Brodick Academy. But she can't escape guilt of her twin sister's Izzy's death, and her own part in it.

But new girl Kirsty seems to understand Harper. She has lost a sister too. Harper finally feels secure. She finally feels...loved. As if she can grow beyond the person she was when Izzy died.

Then Kirsty's behaviour becomes more erratic. Why is her life a perfect mirror of Harper's? And why is she so obsessed with Harper's dead sister?

A darkly compulsive story about love, death, and growing up under the shadow of grief.

*****

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

Release date: May 16th 2017

Lucy Hansson was ready for a perfect summer with her boyfriend, working at her childhood Bible camp on the lake. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, Lucy falters—in faith, in love, and in her ability to cope. When her boyfriend “pauses” their relationship and her summer job switches to a different camp—one for troubled kids—Lucy isn’t sure how much more she can handle. Attempting to accept a new normal, Lucy slowly regains footing among her vibrant, diverse coworkers, Sundays with her mom, and a crush on a fellow counselor. But when long-hidden family secrets emerge, can Lucy set aside her problems and discover what grace really means?

*****

Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Release date: June 6th 2017

As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen's thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.

Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that's why she's cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm's length. But Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged, now that he's met the one girl he really wants.

Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself. 

*****

The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

Release date: June 27th 2017

I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever…

*****

Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland

Release date: July 11th 2017

A Prep School Girl with a Hollywood Dream

Becca Harrington is a reject. After being rebuffed by every college on her list, she needs a fresh start, so she packs up everything and moves to LA, giving herself one year to land an acting gig or kill herself trying. 

Unfortunately, not everything turns out as planned, and after a few grueling months, LA is looking like the worst idea ever. As hard as she tries, Becca can’t land an agent, she's running out of cash, and her mom is hounding her to apply to more schools. In an act of desperation, Becca and her friend Marisol start posting short videos online—with the help of their adorable filmmaker neighbor, Raj—and the videos catch the attention of a TV producer. Could this be it? Her big break? Or will she have to move back home with nothing but some bad head shots and a monstrous credit-card bill? 

Becca may not get the Hollywood ending she was hoping for, but perhaps she’ll learn there’s more than one way to achieve her dream.

Readers will love every page of this funny, romantic, aspirational, and ultimately triumphant novel about a girl who just wants to make it on her own.

*****

I See London, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski

Release date: July 11th 2017

Nineteen-year-old Sydney has the perfect summer mapped out. She’s spending the next four and half weeks travelling through Europe with her childhood best friend Leela. Their plans include Eiffel-Tower-Selfies, eating cocco gelato, and making out with très hot strangers. Her plans do not include Leela’s cheating ex-boyfriend showing up on the flight to London, falling for the cheating ex-boyfriend’s très-hot friend, monitoring her mother’s spiraling mental health via texts, or feeling like the rope in a friendship tug of war. 

In this hilarious and unforgettable adventure, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski tells the story of a girl learning to navigate secret romances, thorny relationships, and the London Tube. As Sydney zigzags through Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy and France, she must learn when to hold on, when to keep moving, and when to jump into the Riviera….wearing only her polka dot underpants.

*****

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

Release date: Autumn 2017

A YA horror novel in the vein of the movie Scream in which a cadre of high school students are being stalked and attacked by a mysterious killer with no obvious motive.

*****

Untitled (The Shaw Confessions #1) by Michelle Hodkin

Release date: TBC

What happens after happily ever after? By the end of the Mara Dyer Trilogy, Noah Shaw and Mara Dyer discovered their world-changing abilities along with their love for each other. In the first book of The Shaw Confessions, Noah’s father is murdered, and Noah inherits unimaginable riches, terrible knowledge, and the chance to find other people like himself. But as Noah and Mara begin their global search, they’ll discover that they have very different goals: Noah wants peace. Mara wants power. When the girl of your dreams turns the world into a nightmare, what do you choose? The girl or the world? 

*****

Mini Reviews: Little Lies by Liane Moriarty | The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke | The Lie by C.L. Taylor | The Sleeper by Emily Barr

The second book I’ve read by popular Australian author Liane Moriarty, following on from 2013’s The Husband’s Secret, Little Lies released to much acclaim in 2014.  Admittedly, this one has been on my bookshelf since I received it for review way back then, but I finally got around to reading it in anticipation of its TV adaptation, which is coming to the small screen in February 2017. The last thing I need is another TV show, I know, but the cast for this one is stellar (Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley), so I’ll definitely check it out.

Little Lies revolves around a trio of friends, mothers with young children, and we know right from the off that some tragedy has befallen them. What that tragedy is, and who it affects, unfolds over the course of the story. It’s a compelling read, light-hearted and funny at times, serious and disturbing at others.  Moriarty’s characters are always uniquely well-drawn and her signature engaging style makes this a book worth curling up with.

Adult Fiction. Rating: 4/5.

Up Next From Liane Moriarty:  No upcoming releases on the horizon just yet, but Truly Madly Guilty released in 2016.

*****

A 2015 release from one of my UKYA favourites, Cat Clarke, The Lost and the Found tells the story of Faith and her older sister Laurel, who was abducted when she was six, resulting in a high-profile , headline-dominating missing persons case. Years later, Faith’s life is just starting to return to normal. She’s got good friends, she’s getting serious with her boyfriend, and overall her life is going pretty well. Of course she’d love if her sister returned, but Laurel’s disappearance is no longer something that preoccupies Faith’s every waking moment.

One day, right out of the blue, Laurel does come back.  Faith is initially overjoyed to have her sister back in her life, and the two work hard on re-forming the bond they once shared. However things are not the same as they used to be.  With Laurel’s return, Faith’s life is once again turned upside down, and soon it becomes clear to Faith, that her life was a whole lot better without Laurel in it.  Faith begins to have dark thoughts towards her sister; dark, suspicious thoughts that lead her to the conclusion that maybe Laurel is not all that she seems. But is this just plain jealously on Faith’s part? Or is there something more to it?

The Lost and the Found is a riveting read with a heartbreaking conclusion. Read this if you enjoyed The Missing on BBC One and Now You See Me by Emma Haughton.

Young Adult Fiction. Rating: 4/5.

Up next from Cat Clarke: Girlhood releases May 2017.

*****

On finishing this book I noted in my Goodreads reminder-to-self to describe it as Mean Girls on speed meets Alex Garland's  The Beach if I ever got around to reviewing. So, there you go.  That's C.L. Taylor's The Lie in a nutshell, but let me expand  on that just a bit. 

 Take four friends who love to hate each other and send them to a retreat in Nepal. What do you get? A recipe for disaster, that’s what. Ah, toxic friendships, one of my favourite subjects. I’ve read a lot of books about toxic friendships, and let me tell you, the toxic friendships in this book are right up there with the worst of them. Take protagonist Emma and posh-girl Daisy, for instance. These two are, for all intents and purposes, best friends. It soon becomes clear though, that their friendship only works when it’s going Daisy’s way, by which I mean, their friendship only works when Daisy gets the guy.   Daisy is a truly awful character – and the rest of the girls are not much better. I didn’t even feel sorry for them when they ended up at a retreat run by a guy called Isaac, who I pegged for a Charles Manson type right from the off. *Shudders*

What happens at the retreat is a mystery that unfolds over the course of the book, but we do know that five years later, Daisy is no longer around (Yay!) and Emma is so traumatised by the events surrounding her disappearance that she’s changed her name to Jane, and is now living a quiet life back in the UK where she works at an animal sanctuary. It’s a quiet life, that is, until her past, as pasts tend to, comes back to haunt her.

A fast-paced page-turner, The Lie by C.L. Taylor is a mystery wrapped in a horror, wrapped in, you guessed it, a lie.   This one is perfect for fans of  The Long Fall by Julia Crouch  and Alex Garland’s The Beach.

Adult Fiction. Rating: 3.5/5

Up next from C.L. Taylor: The Escape releases April 2017.

*****

To her friends and family, Lara Finch’s life is perfect. She lives an idyllic life in Cornwall with her husband, Sam, a man who truly loves her. Problem is, Lara is bored. She never wanted this life of hers. That was all Sam’s idea.  So, when she’s offered a job in London, Lara jumps at the opportunity to escape.  Working in London will mean taking the sleeper train twice a week, and Lara is fine with that. After all, everybody needs some alone time now and again. And Sam is the clingy type. He may be her husband, but sometimes, all Lara wants to do is shake him off.

You’d probably hate Lara if you met her.

You’ll hate her even more when I tell you that soon after she befriends a male passenger on the sleeper train she starts sleeping with him, and soon after that, he turns up dead. Lara is the prime suspect, but our gone girl is nowhere to be found. And it’s left to poor old Sam to clear up the mess his duplicitous wife has left behind.

The Sleeper gets off to a great start, but after the main event, the narration switches from the compelling Lara to her acquaintance Iris (a character we barely know) and I feel that Barr made a misstep here. There were other characters in this book that could have carried the story far better than Iris, and it shows, because as the book progresses Barr relies on some far-fetched and often pretty crazy twists to carry the story to its conclusion.

Still, the first half of the book is a gem.

Adult Fiction: Rating 3.5/5.

Up next from Emily Barr: Barr’s debut YA The One Memory of Flora Banks releases January 2017.

******

Stacking the Shelves - New Books This Week!

Stacking The Shelves is hosted at Tynga's Reviews.


Here's a round up of the books I've received for review in the past few weeks. Let me know your thoughts in comments!

Click on Book Titles for more info!

Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton (Proof)

Tagline: We were inseparable. Until the day she killed my sons.

Edgewater by Courtney Sheinmel

Described as a YA Grey Gardens - can't wait to read!

The Lie by C.L. Taylor - won this in a Twitter giveaway!

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten 

Gone Girl meets Thirteen Reasons Why.

Air (Blue #2) by Lisa Glass

Arianne will be reviewing this follow-up to last summer's very popular Blue.

The  Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke

I'm a big fan of Cat Clarke's books - can't wait to read this one.

The Blue by Lucy Clarke

One of my go-to authors for great summer reads full of intrigue.

Netgalley Finds

First and Then by Emma Mills

Tonight the Streets are Ours by Leila Sales

The Daughter's Secret by Eva Hollan

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

*****

UKYA Round-Up: Best of 2014 and What to Watch Out For in 2015!

Another day, another best of list!

2014 was a great year for UKYA with a lot of great titles from authors established and debut hitting the scene. Here's a round up of some of the best UKYA of 2014 along with some great UKYA titles you should check out next year.

Carry On Reading!

UKYA BEST OF 2014

Lobsters by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison -- This was my personal favourite UKYA of the year  and one of the biggest hits on the UKYA scene last summer. Lobsters is all about first times, fun, friendships and festivals and is laugh out loud funny at every turn –right down to the often cringe-worthy nitty gritty as is the wonderful way of UKYA. This is one book guaranteed to give you a good time! >>Read my review of Lobsters.

The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss -- The Year of the Rat caused some enormous buzz on the UKYA scene both pre and post release. Heck, it's still making waves here, there and everywhere. Last week, I was sent a copy of the paperback along with a pack of tissues for all the tears I'll cry when I read this book.  Here's what Arianne had to say about The Year of the Rat: " Raw and honest, this heart-breaking tale of loss and anger is one of the most unique and compelling novels I’ve read so far this year." >>Read Arianne's review of The Year of The Rat.

Trouble by Non Pratt -- I've yet to read this one, although it is on my TBR and I hope to get to it very soon. Meanwhile, Arianne has it covered, and if you missed her review of Trouble earlier today, here's what she had to say about Non Pratt's buzzworthy debut novel: "I’d like to start by saying this: in future, if anyone ever needs a definition of classic UKYA, I’ll be handing them a copy of Trouble by Non Pratt. It’s sharp, funny, blunt and devastatingly engaging. It reels you in and doesn’t let go." >>Read Arianne's review of  Trouble by Non Pratt.

Salvage by Keren David -- OK, so, Arianne has not stopped talking about this book since she read it way back at the beginning of the year. I'm serious. She talks about this book almost as much as she talks about her crush on those Braxton brothers from Home & Away. #BraxtonsForever Anyway, Arianne labeled this book "better than chocolate" and we really wanted to see that quote on the cover of the paperback. Instead, the publisher went with 'Heart-rending' from Bliss magazine. Personally I prefer 'Better than Chocolate'. What do you think?  >>Read Arianne's review of Salvage by Keren David.

A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke -- If Cat Clarke's Undone left me a sobbing wreck (maybe I'm exaggerating - just a little, though) then A Kiss in the Dark made my jaw hit the floor. That twist. I'm still in shock now and I read this book back in March or April. Cat Clarke's books are always a bit of a treat. I said it in my review of this book, and I'll say it again: YA doesn't get much better than this. >> Read my review of A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke.

-- These are in no particular order by the way, but if you're wondering Lobsters was my personal fave UKYA of 2014 while I think it's a safe bet that Arianne loved Salvage the most. 

We both read lots of other great UKYA books in 2014. I couldn't include EVERYTHING in this quick round-up but if you hit the UKYA tab at the end of this post you'll find lots more great books to check out!

UKYA - TITLES FOR YOUR 2015 WISH LIST

Now, onto what's in store for 2015. I've narrowed this down to five titles, because, let's face it, if I didn't I could be here ALL NIGHT typing this thing up. There are so many awesome UKYA titles coming your (and my) way in 2015. The titles I've picked are five of my most wanted UKYA in 2015. You should check out >>THIS LIST>> if you want to see all the other brilliant UKYA titles that are releasing next year. (Also, vote for your faves while you're there!)

>>Clicking on book titles will lead you to Goodreads where you can read about each book in greater detail. 

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich  -- Part-psychological thriller, part-urban legend featuring a ruined school, twin sisters and a lost diary. I want this book NOW!! Seriously this sounds like such a 'me' book and I cannot wait to read it. Goodreads doesn't list a release date for this one, but Amazon says it'll be out in August 2015. August! Argh! I have a long wait ahead of me!

The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke -- A new book from Cat Clarke is always a cause for celebration and The Lost and the Found which 'marks a new direction for Cat,' according to the press release - is a taut psychological thriller. Nothing better than a taut psychological thriller, is what I say. This one is out in May 2015 according to Amazon.

For Holly by Tanya Byrne -- This book sounds wicked - wicked as in wicked evil and twisted. Ha! So, we've got this girl, Lola Durand who hates her stepmother and it sounds like she's going to TAKE. HER. DOWN. How?  Lola knows her stepmother's secret. And she's going to share it. I can't wait to find out what it is! Share, Lola, Share. June 2015 for this.

This is Not a Love Story by Keren David -- Well, after all of Arianne's 'Better than Chocolate' talk regarding Salvage, I just had to include Keren David's new book on this list. Also, this book sounds pretty damn awesome. This is Not a Love Story has an Amsterdam setting, features a grieving girl called Kitty, and two enigmatic boys, both with their secrets, called Ethan and Theo. Broken hearts or a happy ever after? You'll have to wait until May 2015 to find out. 

Conspiracy Girl by Sarah Alderson -- Two things guaranteed to be in every Sarah Alderson novel: A action-packed plot and the hottest guy you've ever encountered in a YA book. It's true: Sarah Alderson writes some of the hottest book boys around. And the hottest make-out scenes. Her foray into NA with  Come Back to Me (writing as Mila Gray) was a favourite of mine last summer, and I cannot wait to check this one out - and meet Finn Carter - "hacker, rule breaker, player" - reads the blurb. This one is out in February 2015 so not too long a wait. Also, it's on Netgalley for anyone who wants to go grab!

2014 was a great year for UKYA and 2015 is shaping up to be just as good- if not better.

I'd love to hear all about the UKYA you loved in 2014 (feel free to include Irish YA too!)

And let me know what UKYA you can't wait to read in 2015. Who knows, I might find some more books to add to my UKYA wish list!

*****

Book Review: A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke.

Product details:
Publisher: Quercus.
Paperback, 384  pages.
Release date: April 3rd 2014.
Rating:  4 out of 5.
Ages: 14+
Source: Received from publisher for review.

When Alex meets Kate the attraction is instant.

Alex is funny, good-looking, and a little shy – everything that Kate wants in a boyfriend.

Alex can’t help falling for Kate, who is pretty, charming and maybe just a little naive…

But one of them is hiding a secret, and as their love blossoms, it threatens to ruin not just their relationship, but their lives.

Intense and gripping, A Kiss in the Dark is another page-turning winner from Cat Clarke. Filled to the brim with love, lies, secrets and heartache, Clarke’s latest offering demands to be read in one-sitting, thanks to its timely subject matter and jaw-dropping plot twists and turns.  I’ve said this before of Cat Clarke’s books, and after reading A Kiss in the Dark, my thoughts remain the same: YA doesn’t get much better than this.

Alex and Kate are virtual strangers. Actually, scratch that. Virtually these two know each other pretty well, having met on an internet forum where they’ve chatted on an off for a while. Tonight is the night that they get to meet in person. And it goes well. It goes really well. Both Alex and Kate are a little shy, a little innocent, a little unsure-footed in the ways of romance. Kate has an overprotective mother which has rendered her naïve to the ways of the world, while Alex is the sweet, sensitive type; his only concession to typical boyish behavior, a love of skateboarding.  Together, Alex and Kate are a perfect fit. And soon, they are inseparable.

What follows could be a simple, sweet tale of first love; and A Kiss in the Dark is certainly a sweet love story in parts. But. This is Cat Clarke, so, you just know there’s going to be a twist in the tale. And, this twist, when it happens is not just any little old twist. Oh, no. It’s big. I’m staying far, far away from spoiler territory here, so I’ll say is, Bravo, Cat Clarke, Bravo! Now, that is how you write a twist.

A Kiss in the Dark is one of those books that’s quite difficult to review without spoiling the big reveal. 1. Because the reveal comes along very early in the story and 2. Because once you’ve read A Kiss in the Dark, you’re just going to want to talk to everyone about the twist. I will say that before reading A Kiss in the Dark I had very little knowledge of what the book was about past the ‘first love’ and ‘a big secret’ both of which are mentioned in the blurb. But Cat Clarke’s books are on my auto-read list for a number of reasons. Her books hook you immediately. And I mean immediately. I picked up both Undone and A Kiss in the Dark meaning to read just a few chapters and ended up binge-reading both all in one sitting. In the future I’ll be sure to clear a couple hours for a Cat Clarke release. Clarke also writes great characters; characters that are realistic and relatable – characters you can really identify with and root for.

Interestingly enough, though I can’t mention what it is, I saw a documentary on the very subject matter dealt with in A Kiss in the Dark a year or two ago. At the time I was left uncomfortable and intrigued in equal amounts, so make of that what you will. I will say that the documentary in question (which was based on real life A Kiss in the Dark incidents) went a lot further than Clarke does in this book. Of course, that’s entirely understandable since Clarke is working within the boundaries of YA. It also would have made for a much darker read and entirely reconstructed the motives of her character if she had ‘gone there.’

That too, would have been interesting to see.

In fact, maybe because of the heart-wrenching twist at the end of Undone, I was expecting similar here, but instead Clarke takes A Kiss in the Dark in a different direction, changing the narration late on in the book. It makes sense in a way, but for me the narration change was quite abrupt, and at that point I was very invested in the original narration. I felt the story lost a little of its momentum here. Also, at this point, I kept on expecting a killer twist right at the end. But that’s not what this book is all about.  I am too fond of my killer twists at times, it’s true.

A timely tale of relationships in the age of the internet, of self-acceptance, of adversity, honesty and of love against the odds, A Kiss in the Dark kept me hooked from start to finish, and is yet another great read from Cat Clarke. I’m counting down the days to her next book already!

 

Tweet why you want a signed competition copy of Cat Clarke’s A Kiss in the Dark between the 31^st March and 4pm on 4^th April. Make sure you @Cat_Clarke & include the #AKITD to be in with a chance of winning. The winner will be announced on Friday 4^th at 4:30pm. Good luck.

Delightful Debutantes Revisited: Catching up with Cat Clarke!

Hi, Cat. It’s been a while since we last spoke on the blog (way back in 2010 to be exact – right around the release of your debut novel Entangled). Since then, you’ve written more great books! What’s been your best author or fan experience to date and how has your writing life changed since those early days?

What a great question! I think my best author experience was at the Salon du Livre de Jeunesse in Paris late last year. It’s this huge children’s book fair, filled with people who are crazy about books. I got to meet so many lovely fans and bloggers – it was kind of overwhelming. I was signing books for so long I got cramp in my wrist – that’s NEVER happened before! I think for the first time in my career I almost felt like a real author. (ALMOST!)

As for my writing life, well it hasn’t changed all that much. I’m faster at writing now, which is just as well, because deadlines are a big feature in my life! Oh, and I now have two dogs to distract me from my work. Weirdly, I’ve managed to be more productive since getting the dogs. All that walking in the park has turned out to be very valuable thinking time!

I recently read A Kiss in the Dark and my jaw literally dropped within chapters. You know how to surprise your readers, huh! And you know how to write a great plot twist. Undone totally made me cry, by the way. Now I want to know what books have shocked you and made you cry (or maybe both!)

Thank you so much. I do like to try to surprise readers whenever I can! It’s quite rare for books to shock me, but one that did recently was The Fault in Our Stars. I can’t say why, but it also made me cry. A lot. That’s probably the most I’ve cried when reading a book. Another recent read that made me cry (and laugh out loud) was A Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson. I seem to be reading a lot of tear-jerking books recently!

Cat Clarke writes great books!

Of all the characters you’ve written, do you have a particular favourite? Who can you imagine yourself hanging out with in real life? Are there any characters you would like to revisit in the future?

I have a bit of soft spot for Jack from Torn and Kai from Undone. I think they would both be fun to hang out with. They’d probably get on really well, actually! I quite like Alex from A Kiss in the Dark too. If I was looking for a drinking buddy, I’d probably give Grace from Entangled a call… which I might end up regretting.

As for revisiting a character, I get asked a lot about Sasha from Undone. A lot of people seem really keen to know how things turn out for her. I don’t think I’ll ever write her story though… but never say never!

Since we last talked UKYA has really grown in popularity. What are some of your favourite UKYA books? Also, if you’ve read any upcoming UKYA releases you think everyone needs to read, please share.

My absolute favourite UKYA novel has to be Looking for JJ, by Anne Cassidy. I loved it so much I’m almost too scared to read the sequel, Finding Jennifer Jones, which has just been released.

The UKYA book I’m most looking forward to this year is Say Her Name by James Dawson. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but it will be top of my TBR pile as soon as I can get my grubby little hands on a copy.

Finally, I hear your next book is a psychological thriller called Safe and Sound. It’s no secret that I love a good psychological thriller (and I bet this one will be all kinds of twisty!) Tell me more!

I’m finishing the first draft as we speak! I’m really excited about this book. I’ve been able to explore some things that really fascinate me, so I’ve really enjoyed writing it. Weirdly enough the writing of this book has been a lot less angsty than usual, even though there’s a fair bit of angst in the story!

Thank you so much for having me on your blog!

*********

Thanks for the great catch up, Cat! I can't wait to read Safe and Sound! 

Tweet why you want a signed competition copy of Cat Clarke’s A Kiss in the Dark between the 31^st March and 4pm on 4^th April. Make sure you @Cat_Clarke & include the #AKITD to be in with a chance of winning. The winner will be announced on Friday 4^th at 4:30pm. Good luck.

Read All About It: News, Deals and Cover Reveals from Lauren Oliver, Becca Fitzpatrick, Gretchen McNeil, Cat Clarke & More!

Here's a round up of the latest book news, deals and some cover reveals that I've discovered over the past month or so.  It's also basically a digest of all the exciting news stories that come my way and which I've mostly already posted on my twitter and Facebook feeds, so if you want up-to-the-minute book news and you don't want to have to wait around for me to type this up, you can follow me on those sites!

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Rooms by Lauren Oliver || Release date: September 2014

The New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy makes her brilliant adult debut with this mesmerizing story in the tradition of The Lovely Bones, Her Fearful Symmetry, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane—a tale of family, ghosts, secrets, and mystery, in which the lives of the living and the dead intersect in shocking, surprising, and moving ways

Wealthy Richard Walker has just died, leaving behind his country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His estranged family—bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna—have arrived for their inheritance.

But the Walkers are not alone. Prim Alice and the cynical Sandra, long dead former residents bound to the house, linger within its claustrophobic walls. Jostling for space, memory, and supremacy, they observe the family, trading barbs and reminiscences about their past lives. Though their voices cannot be heard, Alice and Sandra speak through the house itself—in the hiss of the radiator, a creak in the stairs, the dimming of a light bulb.

The living and dead are each haunted by painful truths that will soon surface with explosive force. When a new ghost appears, and Trenton begins to communicate with her, the spirit and human worlds collide—with cataclysmic results.

Elegantly constructed and brilliantly paced, Rooms is an enticing and imaginative ghost story and a searing family drama that is as haunting as it is resonant.

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 Conversion by Katherine Howe || Release date: July 2014

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane comes a chilling mystery—Prep meets The Crucible.

It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.

First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.

Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .

Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?

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Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick || Release date: October 2014
*Cover Exclusively Revealed at Entertainment Weekly*

Sometimes danger is hard to see... until it’s too late.

Britt Pfeiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants—but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

In exchange for her life, Britt agrees to guide the men off the mountain. As they set off, Britt knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there... and in uncovering this, she may become the killer’s next target.

But nothing is as it seems in the mountains, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

BLACK ICE is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick’s riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous…

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Book Deals, Book Deals, Book Deals....

Sapphire Skies by Becca Fitzpatrick

17-year-old Stella Gordon lives with her mother in a lovely country manor near Philadelphia’s ‘old money’ Main Line. But one fateful night, Stella’s life is shattered by a single gunshot. Stella witnesses a crime, forcing her into the U.S. Federal Witness Protection Program to testify against the perpetrator—a crime boss named Danny Bolando.

Stella is whisked away to the sleepy town of Thunder Basin, Nebraska, and forced to start life over as someone else. She soon meets Chet Falconer, her boyishly handsome ranch hand neighbor, who swears he’s going to have her wearing cowgirl boots and riding horses before the summer’s over. While Chet’s flirting is a welcome distraction from her miserable plight, Stella is most certainly not into cowboys, and she lets him know it. But deep down, and against her better judgment, Stella can’t help but feel she’s falling under Chet’s spell.

Unfortunately, she also has to deal with Dusty Falconer, Chet’s hotheaded and rule-breaking younger brother whom Stella feels an unwanted but irresistible attraction to. As the hot Nebraskan summer wears on, Stella tries to settle into her new life.

But when she receives a threatening message on her doorstep, she fears she might never outrun her past. Is it possible she’s not as safe in small town Nebraska as the authorities would have her believe?

Expected publication: 2015. 

Safe and Sound by Cat Clarke 

Quercus have signed a major new two-book deal with Cat Clarke, author of YA novels Entangled, Torn and Undone.

Safe and Sound, publishing in spring 2015, is a taut psychological thriller, and marks a new direction for Clarke. It is about a girl whose young sister was abducted and returns to the family as a teenager.

Roisin Heycock, Publishing Director, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Julia Churchill at AM Heath. 

Roisin Heycock says: ‘We are very excited about Cat’s new novel. She excels at suspense and ambivalent characters and has clearly enjoyed working these into a thriller narrative, to brilliant effect. Cat’s writing is both subtle and utterly compelling and we believe she is going from strength to strength.’

Between Us and the Moon by Rebecca Maizel

Jocelyn Davies at HarperTeen has acquired Rebecca Maizel's Between Us and the Moon, a contemporary YA romance about a self-proclaimed science nerd who, over the course of one summer, falls for an older boy and learns that there's more to life than what can be seen through a telescope, and more to herself than equations and experiments, along with a second contemporary YA standalone. The first book's projected pub date is summer 2015; Margaret Riley King at William Morris Endeavor held the auction for North American rights. 

 Edgewater by Courtney Sheinmel

Tamar Brazis at Abrams/Amulet acquired world English rights to Courtney Sheinmel's Edgewater, billed as a “YA Grey Gardens,” about a teen who lives in squalor in a crumbling mansion on Long Island and subsists on a mysterious trust fund – but who stands to lose everything when the secrets, lies, and scandals of the people around her are revealed. Publication is planned for fall 2015; Laura Dail of the Laura Dail Literary Agency was the agent. 

 The Law of Loving Others by Kate Axelrod

Rebecca Kilman at Razorbill acquired world rights to The Law of Loving Others, a YA novel by debut author Kate Axelrod. Emma returns home from boarding school to find that her mother is having a schizophrenic breakdown, and her boyfriend pulls away when she needs him most. Emma mingles newfound freedoms with the devastating implications of her mother's illness. The book is set for publication in January 2015; Melissa Flashman at Trident Media Agency did the deal. 

Shuffle, Repeat by Jen Klein

Michelle Nagler at Random House has acquired Jen Klein's Shuffle, Repeat, a contemporary romance in the vein of When Harry Met Sally, if Harry were a loner teen girl and Sally were the popular boy forced to drive her to school every day. When their epic battle over the music playlist develops into friendship and eventually love, no one is more surprised than these two opposites. Chelsea Eberly will edit, for publication in spring 2016. Lisa Gallagher at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates brokered the deal for world rights.

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More Book Covers of Awesome...

No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown || Release date: December 2014

Jaye Brown's NO PLACE TO FALL, about a young girl's dreams of escaping a small town and dysfunctional family to pursue her love of song, to Sarah Dotts Barley at Harper Teen, in a two-book deal, by Alexandra Machinist at Janklow & Nesbit (World English):

Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.

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Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot || Release date: October 2014 

When Julia Buchanan enrolls at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do... or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden … until now. 

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Get Even by Gretchen McNeil || Release date: September 2014 

Follows the secretive exploits of four high school juniors - Kitty, Olivia, Margot and Bree - at an exclusive Catholic prep school.

To all outward appearances, the girls barely know each other. At best, they don't move in the same social circles; at worst, they're overtly hostile.

Margot Mejia – academically ranked number two in her class, Margot is a focused overachiever bound for the Ivy League.

Kitty Li – captain of the California state and national champion varsity girls' volleyball team, she's been recruited by a dozen colleges and has dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Olivia Hayes – popular star of the drama program, she's been voted "most eligible bachelorette" two years running in the high school yearbook and has an almost lethal combination of beauty and charm.

Bree Deringer – outcast, misfit and the kind of girl you don't want to meet in a dark alley, the stop sign red-haired punk is a constant thorn in the side of teachers and school administrators alike.

Different goals, different friends, different lives, but the girls share a secret no one would ever guess. They are members of Don't Get Mad, a society specializing in seeking revenge for fellow students who have been silently victimized by their peers. Each girl has her own reason for joining the group, her own set of demons to assuage by evening the score for someone else. And though school administration is desperate to find out who is behind the DGM "events", the girls have managed to keep their secret well hidden.

That is until one of their targets – a douchebag senior who took advantage of a drunk underclassman during a house party, videotaped it on his phone, and posted it on YouTube – turns up dead, and DGM is implicated in the murder.

Now the girls don't know who to trust, and as their tenuous alliance begins to crumble, the secrets they've hidden for so long might be their ultimate undoing. 

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The Bodies We Wear by Jeyn Roberts || Release date: September 2014 

People say when you take Heam, your body momentarily dies and you catch a glimpse of heaven. Faye was only eleven when dealers forced Heam on her and her best friend, Christian. But Faye didn’t glimpse heaven—she saw hell. And Christian died.

Now Faye spends her days hiding her secret from the kids at school, and her nights training to take revenge on the men who destroyed her life and murdered her best friend. But life never goes according to plan. When a mysterious young man named Chael appears, Faye’s life suddenly gets a lot more complicated. Love and death. Will Faye overcome her desires or will revenge consume her? 

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All Lined Up by Cora Carmack || Release date: May 2014 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.

When your dad is a coaching legend in Texas high school football, your life isn’t your own. That’s why Dallas Cole can’t wait to get to Rusk University and finally get out of her father’s shadow. But when he makes the jump to college ball—at her school no less—it’s déjà vu all over again.

Now, half the team (and all their groupies) avoid her like the plague, convinced she’ll tattle to her notoriously hardass father about a frat party or a bent curfew. The other half just wants to use her to get closer to the coach.

And then there’s Carson McClain, the supremely hot, newly transferred second-string quarterback. Oblivious of her identity, he approaches her at a party, and for once in her life Dallas decides to kiss first and ask questions later.

While the heat between them is undeniable, Dallas and Carson have more than a few issues to tackle. He’s a football player with a lot to prove. She’s the coach’s daughter who just wants a life of her own. How can they possibly win when they’ve both got so much to lose? 

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Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover || Release date: March 2014 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

US Cover

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Phew! And that is it for this month's round-up. I could have kept going with the covers, but I decided to stop right where I was before things got out of hand! So many good books featured this time round. I'm very excited to read Conversion by Katherine Howe. I think that one sounds AMAZING. Unfortunately I was declined on Netgalley. Hate when that happens! 

Edgewater also sounds AMAZING. I love anything Grey Gardens. Can't wait to get my hands on that one. Also, LOVE the sound of Even in Paradise.

Let me know your favourites in comments! 

Oh, and new Cat Clarke. Super duper excited! 

 

Please note that book covers may not be final and may be subject to change.  Additional sources:  PW Children's Bookshelf, Entertainment Weekly, The Bookseller, Edelweiss & Goodreads.