Saturday, April 04, 2009

April 2009 New Releases

Finally April!!! I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to April! LOL :P Just soooo many high anticipated (at least by me) books coming out!! But first, let me share this:


Isn't it gorgeous?!? I love the colors! As you can see, this is the cover for Sea Glass, the second in Ms Snyder's new trilogy... and guess what? The release date is September 2009!!! Woohoo, the wait won't be too long!!

All right, unto the new releases now...


Paradise Valley by Robyn Carr
(Mira - April 01)

Marine corporal Rick Sudder is home early from Iraq—his tour ended abruptly on the battlefield. The carefree boy is gone, replaced by a man who believes his future is as bleak as his mirror image. But can the passion and commitment of a young woman who has never given up on him mend his broken body and shattered heart?

As the people of Virgin River rally around Rick, another recent arrival tests the tightly knit mountain town's famous welcoming spirit. Dan Brady has a questionable past, and he's looking for a place to start over. He'd like it to be Virgin River…if he can find a way in. But he never expects to find it in the arms of a woman who was as much an outcast as himself.

For a favorite son returned from war and an outsider looking for a home, Virgin River offers them a chance to make peace with the men they once were…and to find the dreams they thought they'd lost.

LOL, so this one doesn't need any explaining right? Last in the second successful Virgin River trilogy by Robyn Carr. I bet there will be more in the future, but that's it for now :) To tell the truth, I already got and read this book :P Review to come very soon.


The Warrior by Sharon Sala
(Mira - April 01)
John Nightwalker is a strong, rugged Native American soldier who has seen many battles. While hunting down an old enemy, he crosses paths with Alicia Ponte. On the run from her father—a powerful arms manufacturer—Alicia seeks to expose her father's traitorous crimes of selling weapons to our enemies in Iraq. But Richard Ponte will do anything to stay below the radar…even if it means killing his own daughter.

Drawn to the mystery that surrounds Alicia, John feels compelled to protect her. Together they travel through the beautiful yet brutal Arizona desert to uncover deadly truths and bring her father to justice. But their journey is about to take an unexpected turn…one that goes deep into the past.

Ms Sala is an auto-buy for me :) I love her books. The word that comes to mind is emotional. Although I'm a fan, I have to say that there's a little something putting me off from this book and it's the fact that the hero is a Native American. I have nothing against Native American hero per se; however, I'm afraid this book will be too similar to other books written by Ms Sala featuring a Native Amercian hero. For example, The Healer, released last year, was very similar to Legend written under her other pen name Dinah McCall. Let's hope that I'm wrong and just over-worrying and that Ms Sala will surprise me :)


Rewriting Monday by Jodi Thomas
(Berkley - April 07)

Reporter Pepper Malone moved to Bailey, Texas, after a news story nearly got her killed. Now she wants to be left alone to do her job in relative peace and quiet. But when the newspaper's staff is targeted by a madman with a grudge against the media, Pepper is drawn back into the public eye - and into the arms of the paper's handsome owner.

After reading Twisted Creek, I've become an unconditional fan of Ms Thomas' contemporary romances :) I'm really looking forward this one, although I'm not sure whether or not it is actually connected to Twisted Creek. Either way, I like the blurb and the cover... and I'm currently trying to hunt it down in the bookstore... So far, I haven't been lucky though :(


White Star by Elizabeth Vaughan
(Berkley - April 07)
The Lady High Priestess Evelyn, known as Evie to her friends, is a healer, dedicated to using her magic in the service of the goddess to aid others and give strength where it is needed. Orrin Blackheart couldn't be more different. With his black armour, a black name and a blacker reputation, he's been feared and hated in equal parts. So on his defeat and capture in battle, the Goddesses insistence that Evie saves him from a death sentence astonishes them both - as does the growing attraction between them. But in saving Orrin Evie condemns herself to a prohibition on her magic and a penance posting on the edges of the land, while to retain his salvation Orrin must battle a spreading plague across the land. Fate clearly has plans for them both - but to fulfill them, both must survive the perils ahead.

It's Ms Elizabeth Vaughan. Author of the Warland Chronicles... so of course I want it :) Yes, I was disappointed in Dagger Star, but I still have high hope for this one :) I'm curious about Orrin and Evie's relationship :) I like it when the two characters come from opposing sides :)


Tempted at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro
(Berkley - April 07)

To stir public interest in her vampire romance novel, Lady Emily Stapleford stages nighttime vampire appearances. Overnight, London is abuzz with the sightings. Now she'd be guaranteed success, if it wasn't for mysterious Logan Jennsen, who's onto Emily's duplicity.

Hmmmm, this is the last book in the series. That's why it is still on my list of books to look forward to. However, I'm not expecting too much because of the last book, Seduced at Midnight. Plus, the back blurb sounds so so only ^_^;


Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
(RoC - April 07)
Harry Dresden, professional wizard, has done his best to keep his nose clean where the White Council of Wizards is concerned. Even so, his past misdeeds have cast a constant shadow of suspicion over him in the eyes of the Wardens, those wizards responsible for enforcing the Laws of Magic. Now Dresden finds himself faced with a nightmarish dilemma: Morgan, formerly his chief persecutor among the Warden, has been wrongly accused of treason against the White Council - and has come to Harry for help. Dresden faces a daunting task: clear Morgan's name while simultaneously hiding him from the Wardens and the supernatural bounty hunters sent to find him, discovering the identity of the true turncoat and, of course, avoiding accusations of treachery of his own. A single mistake may mean that heads - quite literally - will roll. And one of them could be his own...

Ooooooohhhhhh!!! Okay, I've become a fan of this series and the back blurb just sounds too good!!! I'm sure this one will be hilarious! Now, I know some of the bookstores have received, but I've already pre-ordered. So I need to restrain myself from rushing to the bookstore to buy it. Shouldn't be too difficult right at that price, 32$ (hardcover).


The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
(Double Day Canada - April 28)

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl - someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment - not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends - a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

LOL, another one of my favorite authors :) Second in the Darkest Powers trilogy, this takes place in the Otherworld world :)It's for YA, but pretty interesting :) I'm actually hoping for a cross-over in the future...


Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
(Mira - April 28)
Untrained. Untested. Unleashed. With her unique magical abilities, Opal has always felt unsure of her place at Sitia's magic academy. But when the Stormdancer clan needs help, Opal's knowledge makes her the perfect choice - until the mission goes awry. Pulling her powers in unfamiliar directions, Opal finds herself tapping into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. Now Opal must deal with plotters out to destroy the Stormdancer clan, as well as a traitor in their midst. With danger and deception rising around her, will Opal's untested abilities destroy her - or save them all?

LOL, what can I say, it's like they all plan to have my favorite authors release in the same month :)Okay, so I'm running out of things to say except that... well it's Maria V Snyder!! LOL :P I read the excerpt a long time ago and I liked it :) I think this is going to be very interesting and we get to visit another region/country :P


Visions in White by Nora Roberts
(Berkley - April 28)

Childhood friends Mackensie, Parker, Laurel and Emmeline have formed a very successful wedding planning business together but, despite helping thousands of happy couples to organise the biggest day of their lives, all four women are unlucky in love. Photographer Mackensie Elliott has suffered a tough childhood and has a bad relationship with her mother, which makes her wary of commitment. But when she meets Carter Macguire, she can't stop herself falling for him, although his ex girlfriend is prepared to play dirty to keep him. Mackensie soon realises she has to put her past demons to rest in order to find lasting love...

All right, so instead of a trilogy, seems like Ms Roberts is now writing quartet :P I'm going to give this a try, sounds like good :) My only caveat is that this is going to be trade-size, sigh. I'll give this one a try and see if it's worth to get the other books or not :P


Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
(Mira - April 28)
Knitting and life. They're both about beginnings—and endings. That’s why it makes sense for Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle’s Blossom Street, to offer a class called Knit to Quit. It’s for people who want to quit something—or someone!—and start a new phase of their lives.

First to join is Phoebe Rylander. She recently ended her engagement to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of faithful, and she’s trying to get over him. Then there’s Alix Turner. She and her husband, Jordan, want a baby, which means she has to quit smoking. And Bryan Hutchinson joins the class because he needs a way to deal with the stress of running his family’s business—not to mention the lawsuit brought against him by an unscrupulous lawyer.

Life can be as complicated as a knitting pattern. Just ask Anne Marie Roche. She and her adopted daughter, Ellen, finally have the happiness they wished for. And then a stranger comes to her bookstore asking questions.

Or ask Lydia herself. Not only is she coping with her increasingly frail mother, but she and Brad have unexpectedly become foster parents to an angry, defiant twelve-year-old.

But as Lydia already knows, when life gets difficult and your stitches are snarled, your friends can always help!

I'm actually unsure about this release date... some says April 28 and others, May 1st. All right, granted, there's not much of a difference between the dates, right LOL. Especially since this one will probably show up early in bookstore :P Anyway, I really like this series... and I'm soooo glad that we're going to see Alix again and catch up with her life :)

See, April is going to be a great month :) Kind of funny though that the month is divided into two batches of releases :P But here's my reasoning. I'll buy all the books coming out in the beginning of the month and then, will have time to read them before getting the second wave :P Plus, it's going to give me time to save a bit of money, since the late releases are all trade-sizes or hardcovers :(

So Happy April reading!!