Reading Roundup

All of you now know that I am VERY happily employed at HarperCollins Publishers, which means I have two little bits of information to add before getting to December’s Reading Roundup.

Disclaimer #1: All opinions on this blog are my own and not representative of HarperCollins.

Disclaimer #2: That being said, the majority of the books I’m reading nowadays are published by HC.  And that may not always be clear.  But keep in mind that I may be biased, as I do have a personal stake in the success of certain books and the company.  That isn’t to say, though, that I will fabricate a good review on a HC book if it’s bad, because HC publishes SUCH good books it’s unlikely there will be a so-so one.  And if you check out the New York Times’ Bestseller list, several HC books are always there, and that’s part of what drew me to the company. 

So yeah, just keep those two things in mind as you continue to read the blog.

Once in a Full Moon (ARC 1/11) by Ellen Schreiber

Ellen Schreiber is the author of the bestselling Vampire Kisses series; her new book begins a series about werewolves.  And one of the most appealing aspects to her writing is that although they’re paranormal romances about violent creatures, the stories themselves are blood and gore free.  It’s fluffy and refreshing rather than moody and disconcerting.  And the cover to Once in a Full Moon is breathtaking.

 

Shade's Children by Garth Nix

This book was first published in 1998 as a sci-fi book for adults.  Yet HC sees the possibility to jump on the YA dystopian bandwagon and republish it with a new look.  Since I helped write the flap copy (the blurb on the back of the book), I needed to know what the book was about.  As I’ve said before, sci-fi isn’t a genre that I like, and it’s true that this book has a lot of sci-fi elements.  Yet, the characters were strongly portrayed and there were fantasy elements (they have special powers) that were intriguing and something a non-sci-fi lover could grasp on to. 

 

Angelfire (ARC 3/11) by Courtney Allison Moulton

I’m really excited about this debut novel.  It’s a paranormal romance about angels and demons…but so much more.  When Ellie discovers tidbits of truth about her past- turns out there’s about two millennia of it- she has to confront what she knows about God and fallen angels and demons…especially when she discovers that her love interest/tutor, Will, is one of them.  She must fight the creatures who stalk the Grim, even if she doesn’t yet know who she really is or how she fits into the larger universal plan.  Angelfire has made it onto lots of blogger’s “Books I’m looking forward to in 2011” lists, so grab a copy as soon as you can!

Old Habits: After Ink Exchange (ebook 1/11) by Melissa Marr

This is a short story eBook available to readers eager to read more about the world in which Wicked Lovely and Melissa Marr’s other bestselling novels are set.  Her world-building is fantastic, and this will help tide readers over until her next books are published.

Immortal by Gillian Shields

When Evie is sent to a historic boarding school in the moors, she has to deal with far more than snotty girls and harsh mistresses; there’s a secretive boy that she meets by moonlight, a potentially deranged student, and the mystery of Evie’s past.  When all three collide, Evie realizes she is in danger…but discovering the truth about what happened centuries ago is the only way to make it right.  Followed by Betrayal and Eternal, Immortal reminded me of a contemporary, lighter Rebel Angel by Libba Bray.  Great for anyone who (like me) enjoys slightly gothic boarding school stories.

           

What My Mother Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones

This book was recommended to me because I was also reading a manuscript for an upcoming novel-in-verse, and I had never read one before.  This one is excellent; it was a quick (about one hour) and exciting read.  Great for those who are reluctant to read poetry because the story itself is so vivid, you forget…until Sones does something so brilliant with the formatting or language, you appreciate it all over again.

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

I was so excited to read this book; it’s a paranormal romance about mermaids.  And I LOVE mermaids.  Mermaids never really caught on fire like vampires, werewolves and then angel/demons, but just a little while ago a bunch of mermaid books suddenly were on the market.  This one is a light, fluffy read told from the point of view of a mermaid who spends much of her time on land in order to understand her mother’s people and snag a mermate.  I look forward to seeing what happens to Lily and her choice in the sequel, Fins Forever.

The Fire Opal by Regina McBride

I picked this book up because it was on one of HC editor’s shelves and every time I walked by it caught my eye.  Turns out, this wasn’t my favorite book ever; every time the character was confused I was really confused, too.  Yet the use of Celtic mythology was interesting, as was the creative ice barge setting in the last third of the novel.

Plus five manuscripts for exciting books in HC’s future.  I know you’ll hear more about them later.