Turetsky recently took some time to answer a few questions from Book Equals about her book, including her inspiration, some of the challenges she faced, her writing process and more.

What inspired you to write “The Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board The Titanic”?

Bianca Turetsky: The idea came to me a few years ago after visiting this amazing vintage shop in New Haven CT, called Fashionista Vintage and Variety. It’s owned by these two fabulous women, Todd and Nancy, who know everything and anything about vintage clothing. I tried on this pink party dress that belonged to a Mrs. Baxter from Newport Rhode Island, and I couldn’t help but wonder what her life was like, what the last gala or fancy event was that she wore this to. Was she in love? Was she happy? And how in a way, her memory was being preserved through this garment.

What was the most challenging part of writing “The Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board The Titanic”?

Bianca Turetsky: The research. Even though it’s fiction, I really wanted to make the book as historically accurate as possible and there is a glut of information about the Titanic. (And for someone who is easily distracted this is both a good and a bad thing!) Almost everyone who Louise meets on the ship was actually there, and I tried to stay as true to their characters as I could. It’s a big responsibility putting words in people’s mouths!

What was the most fun part of writing “The Time-Traveling Fashionista on Board The Titanic”?

Bianca Turetsky: The most fun part was getting to see the gorgeous illustrations Sandra Suy created from my text. It’s funny, I’ve never met her in person (she lives in Barcelona, Spain) but after seeing her whimsical drawings and the way she interpreted my text I felt like she knew me so well, because they were just like I imagined and hoped they would be.

What is your writing process like?

Bianca Turetsky: I write in the mornings at home. I like the mornings because my mind is clear and I’m still half in a dream world, which is particularly helpful when writing a fantasy novel. I’ve tried so many times to be one of those writers who works in a coffee shop, (it seems so much more writerly and romantic!), but I’m too nosy. I end up eavesdropping on other people’s conversations and drinking too many lattes instead of writing my book. I also make sure to write every day, even on the weekends. It’s a good habit to get into, and now it feels strange if I miss a day.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you are currently working on?

Bianca Turetsky: I am currently working on the 3rd book in the Time-Traveling Fashionista series. I’m just in the beginning stages but it’s been a lot of fun already. I’ve gotten to meet with an archaeologist for this one!

What book have you read recently you would recommend people read?

Bianca Turetsky: “You Are What You Wear” by Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner was a really great read. I’m a bit of an armchair psychologist myself, and I of course am obsessed with fashion, so this is an interesting fusion of both. It’s amazing how much you can learn about someone by going through their closet!

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Muffy Morrigan, whom you may know from her wonderful reviews here at Book Equals, has released a brand new fantasy book called The Sail Weaver set in a futuristic world of space exploration, rediscovered magic and a new age of tall ships.

Here is the official synopsis:

Tristan is the most talented Weaver the Guild has produced. Since he was a child and started his training to become a Weaver of the great sails of the Navy’s galactic ships, he’s had no idea what fate had planned for him. Then came the Winged Victory, the largest ship ever built, and he is given the task of Weaving her magical sails.

With a unique bond and friendship with the Dragon Fenfyr and in the face of hostile politics, prejudice and the threat of invasion by a horrifying enemy known as the Vermin, Tristan sets out on an unexpected adventure and discovers all is not as it seems. There are forces who want to win against the Vermin no matter what the cost. Struggling against enemies from within and without, Tristan and his companions fight to save the Winged Victory and the last hope of survival for humanity.

Muffy recently took some time to answer a few questions about The Sail Weaver, which has gotten us really excited about it. She talks about her inspiration, her writing process, her future books and more. Enjoy the interview and don’t forget that you can get your very own copy of The Sail Weaver on Amazon.

How would you describe the book to somebody who doesn’t know anything about it?

Muffy Morrigan: A friend described it as Star Wars mixed with Harry Potter and Master and Commander. That’s not a bad description in a lot of ways, it is a blend of classic science fiction and fantasy with dragons and Tall Ships.

What inspired you to write The Sail Weaver?

Muffy Morrigan: It’s the book I have been wanting to write forever I think. I’ve dabbled in science fiction for most of my life–I finished my first full length science fiction novel when I was fifteen, and I always loved the idea of blending in magic in a future of high tech. A few years ago, I spotted a contest that required the blending of classic sci-fi and fantasy and The Sail Weaver was born. I wrote the prologue, then set it aside, but it wouldn’t let me go. I loved the idea of it so much I had to write it.

What was the most challenging part of writing “The Sail Weaver”?

Muffy Morrigan: The most challenging part was keeping the world I’d created feeling solid. I want the reader to feel like they are there and they know these people and places. It had to feel real and solid as our day to day world.

What was the most fun part of writing “The Sail Weaver”?

Muffy Morrigan: Playing in the world of 18th/ early 19th Century Tall Ships with dragons and magic–all the while keeping it true to a world of the future.

What is it about fantasy that appeals to you?

Muffy Morrigan: I love the idea that there are worlds that we can’t see, that are there, just waiting for us to discover. For so long, fantasy has been trapped in an almost medieval setting and I love that the worlds of Urban fantasy and other are pulling the ideas of epic fantasy into the present–and future. I think it’s creating something that’s new, and writing it in such a way that it becomes reality for the reader–at least while they are reading the book

What is your writing process like?

Muffy Morrigan: I tend to sketch out the basics of a story in my head. Where it begins, where it ends, then start fleshing it out. I tend to write wherever the story goes. What I mean is, sometimes a character will go in an entirely different route than I originally intended but when I look back over the story it’s obvious it should have been that way all along. I do set goals for myself—generally a certain number of words a day or a chapter, or even a combination of both. I try and write every day. If I am working on a novel and it just won’t go anywhere—and that happens—I will write something else. I see it like a musical instrument that I have to practice every day.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you are currently working on?

Muffy Morrigan: I do! I am diving into the world of the Custodes Noctis again with book four, The Berserkers. I’m really excited about this one! It really delves into some interesting mythology about the berserker legends and some interesting archaeological finds. I know that sounds a little dry, but it’s not, this adventure will push the Emrys Brothers and their friends to the breaking point.

What book have you read recently you would recommend people read?

Muffy Morrigan: While working on The Sail Weaver, I reread the entire Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. They are such marvelous books, everyone should read them. I also read The Well of Stars by Michael Tresca, and Echoes of Avalon by Adam Copeland. I am working my way through a pile of books that I’ve put aside while I was writing. Reading fiction while writing is sometimes difficult, so I stick to research. Although, I am reading the Sagas of the Icelanders (for the Berserkers) and they are wonderful.

Author Alex Adams’ first novel White Horse is definitely not what you would expect for its title. There is no white horse in it, instead we find our protagonist, thirty-year-old Zoe, living in a world where the most of the population has been wiped by a plague called “White Horse.”

Now that I have your attention, let me continue by saying that the book is also a love story as Zoe is on a quest to reunite with her lover, Nick, who has fled to Greece. Adams alternates chapters between Zoe’s life pre and post-apocalypse as we slowly start to understand what happened. And this is only the beginning. White Horse is the first book in a trilogy.

Author Alex Adams recently took some time to answer a few questions about White Horse, including the inspiration behind it and a small tease as to what we can expect from book two, Red Horse. You can purchase your own copy of White Horse on Amazon.

What inspired you to write “White Horse”?

Alex Adams: It’s more of a “who,” actually. Two years ago I was busy writing funny stories that were going nowhere fast. I needed a shake up, something to push me in a new direction. My boyfriend and I both enjoy mythology, tales of heroes and their struggles and triumphs, so I decided to whip up a short story to entertain him, loosely based on the story of Pandora’s box–something darker and as far from funny as it gets. A scene or two in, the story quickly evolved and it became clear this short story was supposed to be a novel. So I went with it.

What was the most challenging part of writing “White Horse”?

Alex Adams: Probably working out the logistics. Zoe covers a massive amount of distance during the duration of her story, so I spent a lot of time at Google Maps, figuring out her path, feasible walking times, and geographical landmarks. Sometimes the landscape wouldn’t do what I wanted, so it was easier for the story to change, rather than fudge it.

What was the most fun part of writing “White Horse”?

Alex Adams: Every part of the puzzle had its charm, but I loved the work that began when that first draft was nailed down. Digging in and tinkering with sentences until they’re pitch perfect (at least to me) is enjoyable. Yes, the actual writing was fun, but I really love the polishing. It’s satisfying.

Can you tease what we can expect in Book 2 of “White Horse”?

Alex Adams: Let me say up front that Red Horse isn’t a Zoe and Nick book, though readers will definitely be meeting them again in books two and three. Red Horse belongs to Emma, a radio talk-show host in City One, a dystopian society, crudely built on Cuba’s bones. Medical research is king. Asking questions carries a death sentence. Emma has lost her husband, child, and brother to City One’s primary law. But this new society is slowly dissolving into an (un) civil war.

What is your writing process like?

Alex Adams: I’m not much of a planner. I start with a first line, a character in a particular situation, and then everything flows from there. Usually I’ll have an end point in mind (White Horse‘s ending, for example, is almost exactly as I envisioned) and work toward that, but I remain flexible and let the story go whichever way feels right. If I get stuck it’s because I’ve pushed something the wrong way.
I do try to nail my prose in the first draft where possible. Throwing everything at the page in the first draft doesn’t really work for me. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m lazy or fussy. But by the time I get to The End there never needs to be a complete overhaul. It’s just fiddling.

What book have you read recently you would recommend people read?

Alex Adams: This is a tough call because I’ve been reading lots of good, satisfying books lately, across several genres. But I’m going with Daniel O’Malley’s The Rook. It was just…fun. It’s an interesting book: there’s no romance, not even a glimpse of it, which tends to be rare in Urban Fantasy. But there’s so much going on that lovers of love stories won’t miss it.
Also, I just started Karen Thompson Walker’s The Age of Miracles and I can already tell this is something special. I can’t wait to see where this one is going; I think it’s going to be huge this summer.

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As part of the blog tour, Book Equals is bringing you an excerpt from chapter 1 of the book and a Q&A with the author himself. Make sure you visit BookTrib for links to all previous and future excerpts in the scavenger hunt which will help you gather the entire first chapter of THEMINEFIELDS by its end on April 30th.

So without further ado, you can find our excerpt and Q&A below. Enjoy!

Excerpt:

Then, he drew in his fingers, turned his wrist, and gave me a quick thumbs-down, as if to say, “My dear son, it’s over.” That day he looked at me with such tenderness. That day I was not the brute, as he once called me. I seemed only to be his beloved Sam.

Q&A with Author Steven C. Eisner:

What inspired you to write THEMINEFIELDS?

Steven C. Eisner: It’s loosely based on my life. And when I realized, and who would have ‘thunk’ that my life could have possibly taken a turn to be considered , tragically Shakespearean, I knew I had something here and I went to work.

What was the most fun part of writing the book?

Steven C. Eisner: I got great pleasure reliving my most formative years in the business at Doyle Dane Bernbach when that agency was riding the tiger in with such self-assurance and fortitude and not falling off. To save their life. Just turning one astonishingly good work and turning head at every turn! There will never be another agency quite like it.

What was the most challenging part of writing the book?

Steven C. Eisner: When all hell broke loose in my protagonist’s life at times it felt like I was writing about a wicked car crash that evolved in excruciatingly slow motion until I figured out I could splash some needed humor into all the darkness which I did. That’s when writing through this period grew brighter. Humor is a wonderful tonic.

Do you have plans to write another book?

Steven C. Eisner: The sequel is coming together and the thoughts are delicious.

What is your writing process like?

Steven C. Eisner: Up early. Start writing by six. Write hard for five hours. Fresh stuff. Take a three mile walk. Edit in the afternoon. That’s my pattern when I’m really at it. And then of course there is the Russian Standard or Dewar’s & soda when I’m in need of further inspiration.

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There are not only lots of YA novels coming out this week, but most of them are sequels, which is bound to make fans of the series very happy. I’m not really looking forward to any of the books this week because I haven’t read the first ones in the series, but if you are looking for a fun chick lit book, Kelly reviewed How to Eat a Cupcake and really liked it.

Out of Sight, Out of Time (Gallagher Girls Series #5) by Ally Carter
(Order on Amazon)

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan–an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders Series #2) by Brandon Mull
(Order on Amazon)

After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.
Meanwhile, Rachel and the others have discovered new enemies—as well as new abilities that could turn the tide of the entire quest. And as soon as Jason succeeds in crossing over to Lyrian, he’s in more danger than ever. Once the group reunites, they strive to convince their most-needed ally to join the war and form a rebellion strong enough to triumph over Maldor. At the center of it all, Jason and Rachel realize what roles they’re meant to play—and the answers are as surprising as they are gripping.

Spell Bound (Hex Hall Series #3) by Rachel Hawkins
(Order on Amazon)

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Infamous (Chronicles of Nick Series #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
(Order on Amazon)

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick’s saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume…

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about.

Even himself.

Moonsong (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters #2) by L.J. Smith
(Order on Amazon)

Evil never dies. . . .

After escaping the horrors of the Dark Dimension, Elena can′t wait to attend Dalcrest College, the beautiful ivy-covered campus where her parents met. Life with Stefan is better than ever, and even Damon seems genuinely changed and is getting along with everyone. But moving away from Fell′s Church doesn′t mean she and her friends are free from danger. When students start to disappear from campus, suddenly every new acquaintance is a potential enemy.

Then Elena uncovers a long-hidden secret, one that shocks her to the core, and realizes tragedy may be unavoidable.

The Savage Grace (Dark Divine Series #3) by Bree Despain
(Order on Amazon)

A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan’s death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace’s shoulders.

The final installment in The Dark Divine trilogy brings Daniel and Grace’s love story to a breathtaking conclusion.

How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue
(Order on Amazon)

Funny, free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated, ambitious Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clair’s housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia’s San Francisco mansion and they forged a bond that only two little girls who know nothing of class differences and scholarships could—until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.

A decade later, Annie is now a talented, if underpaid, pastry chef who bakes to fill the void left in her heart by her mother’s death. Julia, a successful businesswoman, is tormented by a painful secret that could jeopardize her engagement to the man she loves. When a chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, they must overcome past hurts and a mysterious saboteur or risk losing their fledgling business and any chance of healing their fractured friendship.

Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green
(Order on Amazon)

Andi has spent much of her adult life looking for the perfect man, and at thirty-seven, she’s finally found him. Ethan–divorced with two daughters, Emily and Sophia–is a devoted father and even better husband. Always hoping one day she would be a mother, Andi embraces the girls like they were her own. But in Emily’s eyes, Andi is an obstacle to her father’s love, and Emily will do whatever it takes to break her down. When the dynamics between the two escalate, they threaten everything Andi believes about love, family, and motherhood—leaving both women standing at a crossroad in their lives…and in their hearts.

An American Spy by Olen Steinhauer
(Order on Amazon)

In Olen Steinhauer’s bestseller The Tourist, reluctant CIA agent Milo Weaver uncovered a conspiracy linking the Chinese government to the highest reaches of the American intelligence community, including his own Department of Tourism—the most clandestine department in the Company. The shocking blowback arrived in the Hammett Award–winning The Nearest Exit when the Department of Tourism was almost completely wiped out as the result of an even more insidious plot.

Following on the heels of these two spectacular novels comes An American Spy, Olen Steinhauer’s most stunning thriller yet. With only a handful of “tourists”—CIA-trained assassins—left, Weaver would like to move on and use this as an opportunity to regain a normal life, a life focused on his family. His former boss in the CIA, Alan Drummond, can’t let it go. When Alan uses one of Milo’s compromised aliases to travel to London and then disappears, calling all kinds of attention to his actions, Milo can’t help but go in search of him.

Worse still, it’s beginning to look as if Tourism’s enemies are gearing up for a final, fatal blow.

With An American Spy, Olen Steinhauer, by far the best espionage writer in a generation, delivers a searing international thriller that will settle once and for all who is pulling the strings and who is being played.

Here they are, some of the book releases you can look forward to this week. I am curious about Illuminate this week, but there are a few other books that have beautiful covers including Everlasting, Embrace and Illuminate. Any book spark your interest this week?

The Dead of Night (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Series #3) by Peter Lerangis
(Order on Amazon)

The third book in the CAHILLS VS. VESPERS series, the follow up to the worldwide bestseller THE 39 CLUES.

The Vespers have crossed a line. Amy and Dan were devastated when the Vespers kidnapped seven Cahills around the world, holding them hostage until Amy and Dan delivered an impossible ransom. But at least the hostages were Cahills – members of the world’s most powerful family, trained to face all odds.

Now the Vespers have gone too far. They’ve kidnapped Atticus, an innocent 11 year old boy and Dan’s only friend. Now Dan and Amy are in the struggle of their lives. Because if they can’t outwit the Vespers, the unthinkable will happen . . . Atticus will die.

When Maidens Mourn (Sebastian St. Cyr Series #7) by C. S. Harris
(Order on Amazon)

When Gabrielle Tennyson is murdered, aristocratic investigator Sebastian St. Cyr and his new reluctant bride, the fiercely independent Hero Jarvis, find themselves involved in an intrigue concerning the myth of King Arthur, Camelot, and a future poet laureate.

Everlasting (Kissed by an Angel #5) by Elizabeth Chandler
(Order on Amazon)

Ivy should be ecstatic that her formerly-dead boyfriend Tristan is back on earth with her, but the life of a fallen angel is never easy. Tristan has been cast down in the body of a murderer, and the police are after him. Now, there’s only one way that he and Ivy can be together: they must clear him of the murder.

But when it becomes clear that there are darker forces at work, and Tristan and Ivy are still paying the price for Ivy’s miraculous survival of the car crash, these starcrossed lovers have more at stake than ever before. And one of them may not be alive much longer….

Chasing Midnight (Doc Ford Series #19) by Randy Wayne White
(Order on Amazon)

“It began peacefully enough, on one of Florida’s private islands.”

At a reception hosted by a notorious Russian black marketeer, Doc Ford uses darkness, and his friend Tomlinson, as cover to get an underwater look at the billionaire’s yacht. By the time Ford surfaces, everything has changed.

Environmental extremists have taken control of the island. Or are they thugs hired by the Russian’s competitors? Whatever the motive, they have herded everyone together and threatened to kill one hostage every hour until midnight unless their demands are met-at which point they will just blow everybody up.

Electronic jammers make communications with the outside world impossible. The only hope of avoiding terrible consequences: The militants do not know Ford’s capabilities, or that he is still on the loose. But that situation won’t last for long . . . and the clock is ticking.

Illusion by Frank Peretti
(Order on Amazon)

A stunning new thriller from the father of Christian fiction—a grieving husband encounters a teen identical to his dead wife…in face, name, and magical skills.Dane and Mandy Collins have been a popular magic act for close to 30 years. In their late fifties, they plan to retire but their plans are devastated by a fiery car wreck. Dane awakens in a hospital and learns that Mandy is dead. As he reflects on their life together and how they first met at a magic show, we see nineteen-year-old Mandy in a flashback:
Mandy and two friends are visiting a county fair in Idaho when they happen upon a theater where a magician will be doing a show in an hour. While waiting to see the show, young Mandy appears to falls asleep, then awakes abruptly. She fell asleep in 1970; it is now 2010. Distraught, she is picked up by security personnel. She winds up in a mental hospital, where no one is sure who she is or where she came from.?

Mandy escapes from the hospital. Alone, penniless, and mystified by her circumstances, she takes shelter with a charitable family and begins eking out a dime by performing magic for anyone who will stop, watch, and leave a tip. She winds up doing a weekly magic act at a local coffeehouse.

A friend tells Dane there’s an act he ought to see. Dane has retired but agrees to watch the girl perform. He is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot readily explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this nineteen-year-old who is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met some forty years earlier.

When Mandy and Dane reunite, they must decide what their future is…and uncover the conspiracy behind their meeting; the strange, supernatural bent to Mandy’s magic; and who is following them.?

Balthazar (Evernight Series) by Claudia Gray
(Order on Amazon)

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye…just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own.

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.

Poison Flower (Jane Whitefield Series #7) by Thomas Perry
(Order on Amazon)

Poison Flower, the seventh novel in Thomas Perry’s celebrated Jane Whitefield series, opens as Jane spirits James Shelby, a man unjustly convicted of his wife’s murder, out of the heavily guarded criminal court building in downtown Los Angeles. But the price of Shelby’s freedom is high. Within minutes, men posing as police officers kidnap Jane and, when she tries to escape, shoot her.Jane’s captors are employees of the man who really killed Shelby’s wife. He believes he won’t be safe until Shelby is dead, and his men will do anything to force Jane to reveal Shelby’s hiding place. But Jane endures their torment, and is willing to die rather than betray Shelby. Jane manages to escape but she is alone, wounded, thousands of miles from home with no money and no identification, hunted by the police as well as her captors. She must rejoin Shelby, reach his sister before the hunters do, and get them both to safety.In this unrelenting, breathtaking cross-country battle, Jane survives by relying on the traditions of her Seneca ancestors. When at last Jane turns to fight, her enemies face a cunning and ferocious warrior who has one weapon that they don’t.

Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison
(Order on Amazon)

From Kathryn Harrison, one of America’s most admired literary voices, comes a gorgeously written, enthralling novel set in the final days of Russia’s Romanov Empire.

St. Petersburg, 1917. After Rasputin’s body is pulled from the icy waters of the Neva River, his eighteen-year-old daughter, Masha, is sent to live at the imperial palace with Tsar Nikolay and his family—including the headstrong Prince Alyosha. Desperately hoping that Masha has inherited Rasputin’s miraculous healing powers, Tsarina Alexandra asks her to tend to Aloysha, who suffers from hemophilia, a blood disease that keeps the boy confined to his sickbed, lest a simple scrape or bump prove fatal.

Two months after Masha arrives at the palace, the tsar is forced to abdicate, and Bolsheviks place the royal family under house arrest. As Russia descends into civil war, Masha and Alyosha grieve the loss of their former lives, finding solace in each other’s company. To escape the confinement of the palace, they tell stories—some embellished and some entirely imagined—about Nikolay and Alexandra’s courtship, Rasputin’s many exploits, and the wild and wonderful country on the brink of an irrevocable transformation. In the worlds of their imagination, the weak become strong, legend becomes fact, and a future that will never come to pass feels close at hand.

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
(Order on Amazon)

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Illuminate: A Gilded Wings Novel, Book One by Aimee Agresti
(Order on Amazon)

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

The Last Good Man by A.J. Kazinski
(Order on Amazon)

Reminiscent of Dan Brown, this major Danish bestselling and award-winning novel centers around the mysterious murders of “good” men and women around the world, and the Danish detective who must solve the riddle—before he becomes the next victim.In Jewish scripture, there is a legend: There are thirty-six righteous people on earth. The thirty-six protect us. Without them, humanity would perish. But the thirty-six do not know they are the chosen ones.
In Beijing, a monk collapses in his chamber, dead. A fiery mark—a tattoo? a burn?—spreads across his back and down his spine. In Mumbai, a beloved economist, a man who served the poor, dies suddenly. His corpse reveals the same symbol. Similar deaths are reported around the world—the victims all humanitarians, all with the same death mark. In Venice, an enterprising Italian policeman links the deaths, tracing the evidence. Who is killing good people around the world?

In Copenhagen, police are preparing for a world climate summit when they receive the Interpol alert. The task falls to veteran detective Niels Bentzon: Find the “good people” of Denmark and warn them. But Bentzon is a man who is trained to see the worst in humanity, not the good. One by one, people are crossed off his list. He senses their secrets and wrongdoings.

Just as Bentzon is ready to give up, he meets Hannah Lund, a brilliant astrophysicist mourning the death of her son and the implosion of her marriage. With Hannah’s help, Bentzon begins to piece together the puzzle of these far-flung deaths. A pattern emerges. It is, they realize, a perfectly executed plan of murder. There have been thirty-four deaths—two more to come if the legend is true. According to the pattern, Bentzon and Hannah can predict the time and place of the final two murders. The deaths will occur in Venice and Copenhagen. And the time is now.

Fair Game (Alpha and Omega Series #3) by Patricia Briggs
(Order on Amazon)

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can’t afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father’s dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack’s help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer’s sights…

The Thief (Isaac Bell Series #5) by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott
(Order on Amazon)

On the ocean liner “Mauretania,” two European scientists with a dramatic new invention are barely rescued from abduction by the Van Dorn Detective Agency’s intrepid chief investigator, Isaac Bell. Unfortunately, they are not so lucky the second time. The thugs attack again-and this time one of the scientists dies. What are they holding that is so precious? Only something that will revolutionize business and popular culture-and perhaps something more.

For war clouds are looming, and a ruthless espionage agent has spotted a priceless opportunity to give the Germans an edge. It is up to Isaac Bell to figure out who he is, what he is up to, and stop him. But he may already be too late . . . and the future of the world may just hang in the balance.

There are quite a few books to be excited about this week including Anne Rice’s The Wolf Gift, Wonder by R. J. Palacio, Alex Finn’s Bewitching, James Patterson’s Private Games, and tons more. It’s going to be a busy week reading. Which books are you excited about this week?

The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice
(Order on Amazon)

A whole new world—modern, sleek, high-tech, and at its center, a story as old and compelling as history—the making of a werewolf, re-imagined and re-invented as only Anne Rice, teller of mesmerizing tales, conjurer extraordinaire of other realms, could create it.

The time is the present.

The place, the rugged coast of northern California. A bluff high above the Pacific. A grand mansion full of beauty and tantalizing history set against a towering redwood forest.

A young reporter on assignment from the San Francisco Observer. . . an older woman, welcoming him into her magnificent, historic family home that he has been sent to write about and that she must sell with some urgency . . . A chance encounter between two unlikely people . . . an idyllic night—shattered by horrific unimaginable violence. . .The young man inexplicably attacked—bitten—by a beast he cannot see in the rural darkness . . . A violent episode that sets in motion a terrifying yet seductive transformation as the young man, caught between ecstasy and horror, between embracing who he is evolving into and fearing who—what—he will become, soon experiences the thrill of the wolf gift.

As he resists the paradoxical pleasure and enthrallment of his wolfen savagery and delights in the power and (surprising) capacity for good, he is caught up in a strange and dangerous rescue and is desperately hunted as “the Man Wolf,” by authorities, the media and scientists (evidence of DNA threaten to reveal his dual existence). . . As a new and profound love enfolds him, questions emerge that propel him deeper into his mysterious new world: questions of why and how he has been given this gift; of its true nature and the curious but satisfying pull towards goodness; of the profound realization that there are others like him who may be watching—guardian creatures who have existed throughout time and may possess ancient secrets and alchemical knowledge and throughout it all, the search for salvation for a soul tormented by a new realm of temptations, and the fraught, exhilarating journey, still to come, of being and becoming, fully, both wolf and man.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio
(Order on Amazon)

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

Bewitching: The Kendra Chronicles by Alex Flinn
(Order on Amazon)

Bewitching can be a beast. . . .

Once, I put a curse on a beastly and arrogant high school boy. That one turned out all right. Others didn’t.

I go to a new school now—one where no one knows that I should have graduated long ago. I’m not still here because I’m stupid; I just don’t age.

You see, I’m immortal. And I pretty much know everything after hundreds of years—except for when to take my powers and butt out.

I want to help, but things just go awry in ways I could never predict. Like when I tried to free some children from a gingerbread house and ended up being hanged. After I came back from the dead (immortal, remember?), I tried to play matchmaker for a French prince and ended up banished from France forever. And that little mermaid I found in the Titanic lifeboat? I don’t even want to think about it.

Now a girl named Emma needs me. I probably shouldn’t get involved, but her gorgeous stepsister is conniving to the core. I think I have just the thing to fix that girl—and it isn’t an enchanted pumpkin. Although you never know what will happen when I start . . . bewitching.

Private Games by James Patterson
(Order on Amazon)

Private, the world’s most renowned investigation firm, has been commissioned to provide security for the 2012 Olympic games in London. Its agents are the smartest, fastest, and most technologically advanced in the world, and 400 of them have been transferred to London to protect over 10,000 competitors who represent more than 200 countries.

The opening ceremony is still hours away when Private investigator and single father of twins, Nigel Steele, is called to the scene of a ruthless murder. A high-ranking member of the games’ organizing committee and his mistress have been killed. It’s clear that it wasn’t a crime of passion, but one of precise calculation and execution.

Newspaper reporter Karen Pope receives a letter from a person who calls himself Cronus, claiming responsibility for the murders. He also proclaims that he will restore the Olympics to their ancient glory and will destroy all who have corrupted the games with lies, cheating, and greed. Karen immediately hires Private to examine the letter, and she and Nigel uncover a criminal genius who won’t stop until he’s ended the games for good.

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
(Order on Amazon)

I’ve lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her ‘happy ever after’ begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents… she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

Robert Ludlum’s The Janson Command by Robert Ludlum and Paul Garrison
(Order on Amazon)

Reformed from his days of as a covert operative and assassin for the US government, Paul Janson has a new mission and a new partner. Working independently with highly-skilled sharpshooter Jessica Kincaid, Janson only takes operations he believes contributes to the world’s greater good. When his latest job rescuing a doctor abducted in international waters by African pirates goes haywire, Janson realizes he’s caught in the middle of something much bigger.

Quest for the Secret Keeper (Oracles of Delphi Keep Series #3) by Victoria Laurie
(Order on Amazon)

Delphi Keep is awash in activity, and for Ian, Theo, and Carl, their safe haven might be nearing its end. The Royal Navy has taken the keep to use as a hospital and the tunnels running under the keep and the castle are ideal to set up a central communications outpost for the approaching war. The earl is happy to help the effort, but now the keep is no longer safe for the orphans and they must be evacuated to his winter residence.
Ian, Theo, and Carl know that if they’re sent away, they’ll no longer be protected. But more important than their safety is deciphering the third prophecy. All clues point to a quest. The orphans don’t know where they must go, but they know they must rescue the Secret Keeper.
To do that, however, they need to work out who this Secret Keeper is. And what, exactly are the secrets he’s keeping?

The Nightmare Garden (Iron Codex Series #2) by Caitlin Kittredge
(Order on Amazon)

Everything Aoife thought she knew about the world was a lie. There is no Necrovirus. And Aoife isn’t going to succumb to madness because of a latent strain—she will lose her faculties because she is allergic to iron. Aoife isn’t human. She is a changeling—half human and half from the land of Thorn. And time is running out for her.

When Aoife destroyed the Lovecraft engine she released the monsters from the Thorn Lands into the Iron Lands and now she must find a way to seal the gates and reverse the destruction she’s ravaged on the world that’s about to poison her.

That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor by Anne Sebba
(Order on Amazon)

One of Britain’s most distinguished biographers turns her focus on one of the most vilified woman of the last century. Historian Anne Sebba has written the first full biography of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, by a woman which attempts to understand this fascinating and enigmatic American divorcee who nearly became Queen of England. ‘That woman’, as she was referred to by the Queen Mother, became a hate figure for allegedly ensnaring a British king. Born in 1895 in Baltimore, Bessiewallis Warfield endured an impoverished and comparatively obscure childhood which inflamed a burning desire to rise above her circumstances. Neither beautiful nor brilliant, and no longer young, she nevertheless became one of the most talked about women of her generation, and inspired such deep love and adoration in Edward VIII that even giving up a throne and an empire for her was not enough to prove his total devotion. Wallis lived by her wit and her wits, while both her apparent and alleged moral transgressions added to her aura and dazzle. Accused of Fascist sympathies, having Nazi lovers and learning bizarre sexual techniques in China, she was the subject of widespread gossip and fascination that has only increased with the years. In death, the Duchess became a symbol of empowerment and a style icon, a woman whose unequivocal aim was to win in the game of life. Based on new archives and material recently made available, this scrupulously researched biography re evaluates the role of politicians in the 1930s, sheds new light on the character and motivations of this powerful, charismatic and complex woman, and questions was this really the romantic love story of the century?

Oath of Office by Michael Palmer
(Order on Amazon)

What if a well respected doctor inexplicably goes on a murderous rampage?

When Dr. John Meacham goes on a shooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients are killed in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself.

The blame falls on Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Meacham years before as a counselor after John’s medical license had been revoked for drug addiction. Lou knew that John was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and fought hard for his license to be restored. After hearing the news of the violent outburst, Lou is in shock like everyone else, but mostly he’s incredulous. And when he begins to look into it further, the terrifying evidence he finds takes him down a path to an unspeakable conspiracy that seems to lead directly to the White House and those in the highest positions of power.

There are quite a few YA releases this week along with a few sequels for series including The Lying Game, The Mockingbirds, Erec Rex, and more. Which ones are you most excited for?

The Lost Goddess: A Novel by Tom Knox
(Order on Amazon)

In the silent caves beneath France, young archaeologist Julia Kerrigan unearths an ancient skull-with a hole bored through the forehead. After she reveals her discovery, her mentor is brutally murdered. Deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia, photographer Jake Thurby is offered a mysterious assignment by a beautiful Cambodian lawyer who is investigating finds at the two-thousand-year-old Plain of Jars-finds that shadowy forces want kept secret.

From the temples of Angkor Wat and the wild streets of Bangkok to the prehistoric caves in Western Europe, what links Jake’s and Julia’s discoveries is a strange, demonic woman whose unquenchable thirst for vengeance-and the horrors she seeks to avenge- are truly shocking.

Readers have become enthralled by Knox’s vivid blend of buccaneering modern adventure, gothic horror, and grand intellectual puzzles. “The Lost Goddess” is his most exciting novel to date.

Two Truths and a Lie (The Lying Game Series #3) by Sara Shepard
(Order on Amazon)

Sutton Mercer watches from the afterlife as her long-lost twin, Emma Paxton, takes over her identity to solve her murder. But after ruling out her early leads, Emma still hasn’t found Sutton’s killer. A lot of people wanted her dead—but one name keeps popping up: Thayer Vega. When the gorgeous and mysterious Thayer returns to town, Emma has to move fast to figure out whether he’s back for revenge…or if he already got it.

Set in a town where friends can turn into dangerous enemies and everyone harbors dark secrets, The Lying Game is a juicy new series that fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series—and the hit ABC Family show—will love.

The Secret of Ashona (Erec Rex, #5) by Kaza Kingsley
(Order on Amazon)

Erec Rex might still become king—but the closer he gets, the more dangerous his tasks become.Given his romance brewing with Bethany, the discovery that his siblings are secretly king and queen of the Fairy world, and the knowledge that the Stain brothers are growing more and more underhanded, Erec Rex isn’t exactly in an ideal state of mind to face his next two tasks. He will need to lean on his friends more than ever to complete what could be the most terrifying challenge he has ever faced….

The Rivals (The Mockingbirds #2) by Daisy Whitney
(Order on Amazon)

When Alex Patrick was assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school wouldn’t do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy that’s been given to her, she’s now dealing with a case unlike any the Mockingbirds have seen before.

It isn’t rape. It isn’t bullying. It isn’t hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don’t add up, and each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most: her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.

As Alex unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about herself than she ever expected.

Kill Shot (Mitch Rapp Series #12)by Vince Flynn
(Order on Amazon)

In the year since the CIA trained and then unleashed him, Mitch Rapp has been steadily working his way through a list of men, bullet by bullet. With each swift and untraceable kill, the tangled network of monsters responsible for the slaughter of 270 civilians in the Pan Am Lockerbie attack become increasingly aware that someone is hunting them. Rapp is given his next target, and finds the man asleep in his bed in Paris. In the split second it takes the bullet to leave Rapp’s silenced pistol, the trap is sprung and he finds himself in the fight of his life.

The next morning, nine bodies are discovered in one of Paris’s finest hotels–among them the Libyan oil minister. Back in Washington the finger-pointing begins in earnest as no one wants any part in what has become an international crisis and potential embarrassment for the CIA. Rapp’s handlers have only one choice–deny any responsibility for the incident and pray that their newest secret weapon stays that way.

Rapp must avoid capture or die quietly. One person in the group, however, is not prone to leaving such important things to chance. Rapp has become a liability, and Stan Hurley will not allow Rapp to be taken alive by the French authorities, even if it means killing him. Operating on his own and outside the control of his handlers, it will soon become clear that nothing is more dangerous than a wounded and cornered Mitch Rapp.

In Flynn’s newest page-turner, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been as Mitch Rapp embarks on the journey that will turn him into America’s most deadly asset. The nonstop action in this shockingly realistic political thriller will keep your pulse pounding till the very end.

Catch Me (Detective D. D. Warren Series #6) by Lisa Gardner
(Order on Amazon)

In “New York Times” bestselling author Lisa Gardner’s latest D.D. Warren thriller, the relentless Boston investigator must solve a coldly calculated murder–before it happens.

“In four days, someone is going to kill me . . . ”

Detective D. D. Warren is hard to surprise. But a lone woman outside D.D.’s latest crime scene shocks her with a remarkable proposition: Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant believes she will be murdered in four days. And she wants Boston’s top detective to handle the death investigation.

“It will be up close and personal. No evidence of forced entry, no sign of struggle.”
Charlie tells a chilling story: Each year at 8:00 p.m. on January 21st, a woman has died. The victims have been childhood best friends from a small town in New Hampshire; the motive remains unknown. Now only one friend, Charlie, remains to count down her final hours.

But as D.D. quickly learns, Charlie Grant doesn’t plan on going down without a fight. By her own admission, the girl can outshoot, outfight, and outrun anyone in Boston. Which begs the question, is Charlie the next victim, or the perfect perpetrator? As D.D. tracks a vigilante gunman who is killing pedophiles in Boston, she must also delve into the murders of Charlie’s friends, racing to find answers before the next gruesome January 21 anniversary. Is Charlie truly in danger, or is she hiding a secret that may turn out to be the biggest threat of all?

“In four days, someone is going to kill me. But the son of a bitch has gotta catch me first. “

Left for Dead by J. A. Jance
(Order on Amazon)

When Santa Cruz County deputy sheriff Jose Reyes, Ali’s classmate from the Arizona Police Academy, is gunned down and left to die, he is at first assumed to be an innocent victim of the drug wars escalating across the border. But the crime scene investigation shows there’s much more to it than that, and soon he and his pregnant wife, Teresa, both fall under suspicion of wrongdoing.Ali owes Reyes a debt of gratitude for the help he gave her years earlier when she was dealing with a troubled friend. When she’s summoned to his bedside at Physicians Medical Center in Tucson, it’s impossible for her to turn away. And knowing Reyes as well as she does, Ali finds it hard to believe that he’s become mixed up in the drug trade, despite evidence to the contrary. Upon arriving at the hospital, Ali finds that her good friend, Sister Anselm, is there, too—working as a patient advocate on behalf of another seriously injured victim, an unidentified young woman presumed to be an illegal border crosser, who was raped and savagely beaten.Ali becomes determined to seek justice in both cases and secure safety for both victims. Together with Sister Anselm and a conscientious officer who won’t let the case drop despite pressure from above, Ali digs for clues to find the true culprits.

City of Dragons: Volume Three of the Rain Wilds Chronicles by Robin Hobb
(Order on Amazon)

Once, dragons ruled the Rain Wilds, tended by privileged human servants known as Elderlings. But a series of cataclysmic eruptions nearly drove these magnificent creatures to extinction. Born weak and deformed, the last of their kind had one hope for survival: to return to their ancient city of Kelsingra. Accompanied by a disparate crew of untested young keepers, the dragons embarked on a harsh journey into the unknown along the toxic Rain Wild River. Battling starvation, a hostile climate, and treacherous enemies, dragons and humans began to forge magical connections, bonds that have wrought astonishing transformations for them all. And though Kelsingra is finally near, their odyssey has only begun.

Because of the swollen waters of the Rain Wild River, the lost city can be reached only by flight—a test of endurance and skill beyond the stunted dragons’ strength. Venturing across the swift-running river in tiny boats, the dragon scholar Alise and a handful of keepers discover a world far different from anything they have ever known or imagined. Immense, ornate structures of black stone veined with silver and lifelike stone statues line the silent, eerily empty streets. Yet what are the whispers they hear, the shadows of voices and bursts of light that flutter and are gone? And why do they feel as if eyes are watching them?

The dragons must plumb the depths of their ancestral memories to help them take flight and unlock the secrets buried in Kelsingra. But enemies driven by greed and dark desires are approaching. Time is running out, not only for the dragons but for their human keepers as well.

No Mark upon Her (Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Series #14) by Deborah Crombie
(Order on Amazon)

New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie makes her mark with this absorbing, finely hued tale of suspense—a deeply atmospheric and twisting mystery full of deadly secrets, salacious lies, and unexpected betrayals involving the mysterious drowning of a Met detective—an accomplished rower—on the Thames.

When a K9 search-and-rescue team discovers a woman’s body tangled up with debris in the river, Scotland Yard superintendent Duncan Kincaid finds himself heading an investigation fraught with complications. The victim, Rebecca Meredith, was a talented but difficult woman with many admirers—and just as many enemies. An Olympic contender on the verge of a controversial comeback, she was also a high-ranking detective with the Met—a fact that raises a host of political and ethical issues in an already sensitive case.

To further complicate the situation, a separate investigation, led by Detective Inspector Gemma James, Kincaid’s wife, soon reveals a disturbing—and possibly related—series of crimes, widening the field of suspects. But when someone tries to kill the search-and-rescue team member who found Rebecca’s body, the case becomes even more complex and dangerous, involving powerful interests with tentacles that reach deep into the heart of the Met itself.

Surrounded by enemies with friendly faces, pressured to find answers quickly while protecting the Yard at all costs, his career and reputation on the line, Kincaid must race to catch the killer before more innocent lives are lost—including his own.

Hello everyone,

You might have noticed something different about us today and no, we didn’t get a haircut.

As of today, Daemon’s Books is now “Book Equals.” (http://www.bookequals.com)

Wow, right?

Now, you probably have a lot of questions about this change so we compiled a brief FAQ to answer your most pressing questions.

Why are you changing your name?

About a year ago, we started to feel that our name no longer represented who we truly were. So we started to think about a different name that would reflect our identity in an authentic way. And that is how Book Equals was born.

What is the philosophy behind Film Equals?

We believe in a very simple ideal:

All opinions and tastes are equal.

What does that mean?

We want Book Equals to be a welcoming and safe environment for all movie lovers where you can experience, discuss and share your passion for your favorite movies.

It means that whether you like a goold ol’ thriller or a YA dystopian novel, your taste or opinion of that show is as important as anyone else’s.

What is going to be different going forward?

At first, aside from the name and the URL of the site, not much. We will still continue to provide entertaining and engaging content. So expect the same regular dose of fantastic articles.

What can I do to help?

Your help is going to be crucial. Here is a non-exhaustive list of actions you can take to help us:

What’s next?

We hope that our new name and philosophy will lead us to a great adventure and that you’ll join us for the ride.

Now it’s your turn. Leave us a comment below telling us what TV Equals to you?

Thank you for all your support!

The Book Equals Team

Wings of the Wicked (Angelfire Series #2) by Courtney Allison Moulton
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay.

Midnight in Austenland: A Novel by Shannon Hale
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests’ Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn’t sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside’s mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte’s heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen’s world. How could it not turn out right in the end?

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Defending Jacob by William Landay
(Order on Amazon)

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

Home Front by Kristin Hannah
(Order on Amazon)

In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war.

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost….

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life—children, careers, bills, chores—even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own—for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart–he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone–but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

Lenobia’s Vow: A House of Night Novella by P. C. Cast
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

The second in the enthralling new mini-series of novellas from the #1 bestselling authors of the House of Night, Lenobia’s Vow tells the gripping story behind the House of Night’s enigmatic riding instructor – and one of Zoey’s closest allies against evil

The House of Night is an international publishing sensation; with almost 12 million books in print, and an incredible 120 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, the series has taken the world by storm. Now, the excitement continues as the Cast mother-daughter duo shares the back stories of a few of the House of Night’s most important – and mysterious – characters. The second of the House of Night Novellas brings us Lenobia, the strong, beautiful horseback riding instructor, who guides Zoey through some of her darkest hours, and has a dark secret buried in her own past…

In a small southern town at the turn of the century, young Lenobia is developing into a beautiful young woman with ideas of her own. But when she is Marked as a fledgling vampyre, her world turns upside down, and she is drawn to the musical streets of New Orleans. There, she learns of the city’s dark underbelly, ruled by powerful black magic. As Lenobia experiences her first love – and loss – and discovers a passion for horses to sustain her, she must come face-to-face with Darkness itself. And she may not escape without scars.

The Fear Index by Robert Harris
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

A chilling contemporary thriller from Robert Harris set in the competitive world of high finance.

Dr Max Hoffman is a legend. A physicist once employed on the Large Hadron Collider, he now uses a revolutionary and highly secret system of computer algorithms to trade on the world’s financial markets. None of his rivals is sure how he does it, but somehow Hoffman’s hedge fund — built around the standard measure of market volatility: the VIX or “Fear Index” — generates astonishing returns for his investors.

Late one night, in his house beside Lake Geneva, an intruder disturbs Hoffman and his wife while they are asleep. This terrifying moment is the start of Robert Harris’s new novel — a story just as compelling and timely as his most recent contemporary thriller, The Ghost. Over the next 48 hours, as the markets edge towards another great crash, Hoffman’s world disintegrates. But who is trying to destroy him?

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones
Available January 31, 2012 (Order on Amazon)

Charley Davidson—grim reaper extraordinaire, private investigator . . . meh—is practicing her profession under the influence, caffeine and copious amounts of it, due to an extreme desire to induce insomnia. Every time she closes her eyes, Reyes Farrow, the part-human, part-supermodel son of Satan, is there. Only thing is, he’s a tad peeved. She did bind for all eternity, so it’s hard blame him. But 13 days without a wink is bound to bring out the crazy in a girl. So, when a man hires her to find his wife, Charley accepts the job with one goal in mind: Put the man behind bars, and not the wet kind. She can sense the guilt waft off him and vows to find the woman’s body and prove he’s a murderer.

In the meantime, Reyes is back in prison and none too happy about it . . . so Charley thinks, until she is carjacked by the dark-haired rake, who swears the very man he went to prison for killing is not only alive, but close by. And he wants Charley to find him.

While a visit to her old friend Rocket sheds no light on Reyes’s situation, Charley finds out the man’s wife is still alive and time is running out. Finding her before she dies would be a miracle, but she has to try. Together with the help of a fashion-impaired receptionist named Cookie, Charley sets out to bring the bad guys to justice. She just hopes Reyes is not one of them. And that she’s not hallucinating from her self-induced bout with insomnia.