Sequels!

I read so many books, and it seems like the majority of them are the first in a series. I don't have the time, patience, or interest to read all of these series all the way through, but here are some upcoming installments in trilogies/quintets/sagas that I am excited for.

Under Wildwood (Wildwood #2)- Colin Meloy

I don't think I reviewed the first book, written by the lead singer of The Decemberists and illustrated by his wife, Carson Ellis, but I did love it. Talking animals, adventure, SAT words and ever so slightly morbid tendencies. Hurrah!

This 560 page tome will hit shelves September 25th.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente (Fairlyand #2)

Regular readers may recall me waxing lyrical about the first book, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. I've been waiting for this sequel since I closed that first installment. September has returned to fairyland and her friends the Wyverary (half wyvern, half library) and Gleam, because her (September's) Shadow Self has run amuck. I cannot wait for this book, but apparently I will have to, at least until October 2nd. *sigh*

Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2) by Laini Taylor

Eeeeeeeeeeee! Daughter of Smoke and Bone rocketed up to a spot very high up on my list of All Time Favorite Books, so I am so excited for the sequel. I don't want to even put a summary for this one in case it ruins something from the first book. If you are looking for some truly spectacular dark urban fiction, do yourself a favor and pick up these gorgeous books.

Seriously, the covers? How could anyone resist? Hurry up and read the first before Blood and Starlight flies onto (and off) shelves November 6th.

Flame of Sevenwaters (Sevenwaters #6) by Juliet Marillier

I am cautiously excited for this one. I feel that most authors I read are pretty consistent in terms of quality (of course some books are better than others with any author, but usally in a pretty small range). Marillier on the other hand, is a bit of a wildcard. The first two books in this series had a profound impact on my life as a reader. Daughter of the Forest and Son of the Shadows are most of why I love, love LOVE Celtic fiction/culture/beliefs, herbalism, folklore, and historical fiction told over generations, and I think Marillier's tone of writing certainly encouraged my love of magic realism, and the blend of the domestic and fantastic that I crave (and find in other books, like Diana Gabaldon's amazing Outlander series).

That being said, her other books range from enchanting (Wildwood Dancing), to still really great (Wolfskin) to "yeah, ok, that was pretty good" (Foxmask, The Dark Mirror), to "arghhh when will this get good??" (Heart's Blood. Answer: never). Even the Sevenwaters series fluctuates. The third, Children of the Prophecy, was pretty solid, and I really liked the fourth, Heir to Sevenwaters, but the fifth, despite a potentially fascinating heroine and excellent setting was just kind of blah.

Anyway, I'm loving the cover and I haven't given up hope that this will be a return to Marillier magic at its finest. Either way I'll find out sometime after November 6th.

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What's on my hold list?

Hey guys. I thought I'd post a preview of some of the books I'm waiting for. If anyone has read any of these so far, feel free to chime in with your thoughts!

Dare Me by Megan Abbott

Cheerleading. Popularity. Competition. Intrigue. Suicide. Mystery.

Not my usual fare, necessarily, but who could resist that cover and reviews that call it "a fight club among cheerleaders" and that cover? I'm thinking it might be a bit more like The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler than Pretty Little Liars, but we shall see.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

I've loved Brennan's work on Team Human, and her contributions to anthologies like A Visitor's Guide to Mystic Falls and The Girl Who Was on Fire. Now she's got a new novel all to herself, including promising bits like a small English town named Sorry-in-the-Vale, a sinister manor complete with Strange Goings On, and a general Gothic feel. Hurray!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I haven't read Stiefvater's famous Wolves of Mercy Falls series (I'm sure you're familiar with the gorgeous cover of the first: it's called Shiver and it's mostly white with blue leaves. More exciting than it sounds, actually). That said, I've heard great things. This one sounds really promising too: a girl with a clairvoyant mother, the mysterious Raven Boys, a prophecy/mystery- yes please!

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories

Hey look, it's Yovanoff and Stiefvater again, plus someone I've never heard of but is probably very good too! Apparently, these three authors have a site called  merryfates.com where they have posted more than 250 stories since 2008. This book is a collection of some, including these three:

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream)

Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron

Another anthology, this one with a witchy theme and contributions from authors including Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait for this one. Look at that cover!

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Above

Above by Leah Bobet

Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her bee’s wings falling away. They live in Safe, an underground refuge for those fleeing the city Above—like Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingers.

But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above. As Matthew unravels the mystery of Safe’s history and the shadows’ attack, he realizes he must find a way to remake his home—not just for himself, but for Ariel, who needs him more than ever before. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

If you're into urban fantasy by authors like Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Charles DeLint, and Laini Taylor (Daughter of Smoke and Bone)  I would recommend you give this one a try. It has lots of elements I love from those authors- unique language, a dark/rich/strange setting filled with fairytale creatures alongside street kids, and moments of genuine horror.

Ariel, the bee-winged girl on the cover, is not the protagonist, which was slighlty disappointing. But that's ok, as it means this isn't the paranormal romance I had been kind of expecting from the summary, and Matthew is a good, somewhat meta narrator (he's the Teller, the keeper of stories for his people, so a great deal of the book has to do with the nature of stories we tell each other and ourselves). Also, I kind of wish this book had been called Safe, since so much time is spent on what that means. Eh, quibbles.

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In My Mailbox (#18)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren where bloggers can share the books they've received over the week (for review, from the library, bought, traded for, etc.).

For review from NetGalley:
The second in a truly action packed zombie series where true love overcomes death.

Won from Goodreads:
Girl from Campus News crew investigating a secret society at school.

Checked out from the library:

Kid abused by dad who is a judge. Leaves home, worried for his mom's safety. His ex has a secret.

Injured football star's ex-girlfriend goes missing, makes national news. He decides to find her.

Bought:
A is in a different body every day. He never stays in the same one. But then he falls in love with one boy's girlfriend and must figure out how to stay his current body.

What's in your mailbox this week?


 

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Seraphina

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

I really liked this one- not quite as much as I had been hoping to from a lot of the hype and glowing reviews on Goodreads, but it was still a really well-done high fantasy in an alternate setting, with dragons. This is definitely for fans of political intrigue, as court machinations, secret plots and assassins abound. I would also recommend it to fans of Patricia McKillip. Seraphina has that combination of glittering prose and rich settings that seem to hold you at a little bit of a distance that I've noticed in McKillip's books. That being said, there are some standout characters here, including Seraphina's uncle and cantankerous music master. The more I read the more I liked, and I am very excited to read the next installment.

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Gearing Up to Get an Agent: Meet and Greet

The first week for GUTGAA is upon us! If you an aspiring author who wants a critique partner, a chance to polish your pitch, or a chance to get picked up by an agent, the month of September is Gearing Up to Get an Agent over at DeanaBarnhart.blogspot.com. The Meet and Greet post is first on the agenda, so here's mine!

Mini-Bio:
I'm a fifth year high school English teacher (don't worry, I don't tend to correct people's grammar unless it's a formal occasion). I live in Oklahoma (and no, we don't live in teepees or ride horses to work) and wish the Thunder could have won the NBA finals against the Heat. But life goes on.

I have an awesome husband who coaches lacrosse. My favorite color is purple, and I'm a military brat, proud Air Force daughter, Navy sister, and Navy daughter-in-law. My favorite place to live was Okinawa, Japan. If I'm not writing, I'm reading YA or blogging.

Here are a few more things about me:

-Where do you write?

I write in my computer room/spare bedroom on the desktop computer. There's nice light from the window there.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?

A mini-fridge that I used to have in college. Now it's our soda fridge:)

-Favorite time to write?

Mid-afternoon, sometimes all the way until 3 AM.

-Drink of choice while writing?

Water...wow, maybe I should pick a new drink.

-When writing, do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?

Writing is the only thing I do that doesn't require music to complete. If I'm cleaning, exercising, getting ready in the morning, I HAVE to have music.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?

My latest completed manuscript came from a dream. My most recent unfinished manuscript was actually inspired by a really cool friend's stories about her hilarious roommates and their shenanigans when trying to make ends meet.

-What's your most valuable writing tip?

Take out extra words. Don't use two words for something you can express with one.

 

I'd love to hop to your blog and read your answers, so leave me a comment! 

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The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School by Alexandra Robbins

When school lunchroom doors open, hungry students rush in, searching for tables where they wouldn't be outsiders. Of course, in middle school and high school, almost everyone is an outsider: the nerds, the new girls, the band geeks, the loners; even the "popular" cheerleaders. 

Alexandra Robbins' The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth takes us inside the hallways of real schools to show us how shifting cliques and permanent marginalization affect children. Following individual students over the course of a year, she tracks the plight and possibilities of self-confessed nerds, freaks, punks, Goths, and weirdos. Her central message is heartening: Our increasingly homogenized society ultimately needs and welcomes the cafeteria fringe. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

This should be required reading for all teens, parents, and teachers. There are so many great ideas to take away from this book: the things that make you a "geek" are actually strengths that will become more valuable as life goes on, appearances are deceiving, how double-edged popularity is, the dangerously subtle ways bullying happens, how important support networks are, and that things do get better. This book takes turns being informative, fascinating, heart-breaking and inspirational, and is full of practical advice to teens and those who live/work with them.

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