Books I'm looking forward to in 2018

I love the start of a new year because there are so many wonderful new books to look forward to.  Here are just a few of my most hotly anticipated titles for the first half of 2018.

A Spoonful of Murder by Robin Stevens

Published by Puffin on 8th February

When Hazel Wong's beloved grandfather passes away, Daisy Wells is all too happy to accompany her friend (and Detective Society Vice President) to Hazel's family estate in beautiful, bustling Hong Kong. But when they arrive they discover something they didn't expect: there's a new member of the Wong family. Daisy and Hazel think baby Teddy is enough to deal with, but as always the girls are never far from a mystery. Tragedy strikes very close to home, and this time Hazel isn't just the detective. She's been framed for murder!

The girls must work together like never before, confronting dangerous gangs, mysterious suspects and sinister private detectives to solve the murder and clear Hazel's name - before it's too late . . .

The Prophecy by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published by Hodder on 8th March

The end has come.
Old gods will fall.
New ones will rise...
and Seth and Josie will need more than love to survive the final battle that could not only destroy them, but the world as they know it.

 

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Published by Orchard Books on 27th March

 

After Maddie's Secret Service dad takes a bullet for the president, he takes Maddie somewhere he thinks they'll be safe - far away from the White House and the president's son, Logan.

But when Logan comes to Alaska, so does the danger.

If there's one thing Alaska has taught Maddie, it's how to survive. And now her best friend's life depends on it ...  

 

 

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

Published by Bloomsbury on 1st May

 

Feyre, Rhys and their companions are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it a hard-earned reprieve. Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated - scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

 

 

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Published by Gollancz on 8th February

 

In the opulent world of Orléans, the people are born grey and damned, and only a Belle's powers can make them beautiful.  Camellia Beauregard wants to be the favourite Belle - the one chosen by the queen to tend to the royal family.

 

But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favourite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that her powers may be far greater - and far darker - than she ever imagined.

When the queen asks Camellia to break the rules she lives by to save the ailing princess, she faces an impossible decision: protect herself and the way of the Belles, or risk her own life, and change the world forever.
 

 

Are you looking forward to any of these too?

 

Which books do you have on your wishlist for 2018?

 

Hotly Anticipated Reads 2013: Simon and Schuster

Simon and Schuster never fail to disappoint with their stunning book releases and 2013 is no exception with lots of amazing titles being published.  Here are just a few of the ones that I'm hotly anticipating (January - June).

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist!

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff, published 1st January

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor's peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian's ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah's just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn't there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realises that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life - and it's up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

Burning Bright by Sophie McKenzie, published 5th January

Four months have passed and River and Flynn are still going strong. But things are not perfect. Flynn continues to fly into unprovoked rages, and when River tells her mum, she is banned from seeing him. Fighting to stay together, they end up being torn apart. Is it all over for River and Flynn?

Everbound by Brodi Ashton, published 14th February

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

Everafter by Elizabeth Chandler, published 11th April

It seems the odds are forever against Ivy and her fallen angel. Tristan is still trapped in the body of an accused murderer, and as the two star-crossed lovers try to clear his name, they must battle the dark forces that would keep them apart and destroy them both. The danger is especially great for Tristan since, as a fallen angel, death would mean losing his soul. It’s up to Ivy to save the one she loves and, hopefully, find a way for the two of the them to be together…for all eternity.

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda, published 1st May

For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast... and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other... if they can only stay alive.

As well as all of these, there's also the sequel to Kathleen Peacock's 'Deadly Hemlock' and Rebecca Serle's 'When You Were Mine' to look forward to, along with a whole host of New Adult titles.

Comment and let me know which books you're most looking forward to in 2013!

Hotly Anticipated Reads 2013: Macmillan Children's Books

Macmillan are one of my favourite publishers and I always look forward to seeing what new books they have out each year.  There's always plenty to get excited about!  Plus they are the UK home of Meg Cabot whose books I absolutely adore.

Here's a selection of some of the titles they have in store for us lucky readers in 2013!

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist

Vortex by Julie Cross, published 3rd January

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, allthat changes when Holly—the girl he altered history to save—re-enters his life. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents find themselves under attack and on the run.

One Crow Alone by S.D. Crockett, published 31st January

The long, bitter winters are getting worse, and a state of emergency has been declared across Europe. In Poland, the villagers are subject to frequent power cuts and fuel shortages. After the death of her grandmother and the evacuation of her village, fifteen-year-old Magda joins forces with the arrogant, handsome Ivan and smuggles her way onto a truck bound for London - where she hopes to find her mother. But London, when they reach it, is a nightmarish world, far from welcoming. Riots are commonplace and the growing chaos is exploited by criminals and terrorists alike. Magda's mother is not to be found, and as the lost girl struggles to come to terms with her changing situation, she eventually becomes friends with a rag-tag group of travellers planning a new home and future. They will need all the cunning and know-how they possess as they realise that the frozen wilderness of Britain has become just as lawless as the city.

Unremembered by Jessica Brody, published 14th March

Sixteen-year-old Jena is the only survivor of an explosion on a plane. She wakes up in hospital to find that she has no memory. The only clue to her identity is a mysterious boy who claims she was part of a top-secret science experiment. The only adult she trusts insists that she shouldn’t believe anything that anybody tells her. In a tense and pacy novel exploding with intrigue and action, Jena must work out who she is and where she came from. Eventually she will learn that the only thing worse than forgetting her past is remembering it.

Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin, published 11th April

Reluctant heir of a Mafia boss. Star-crossed lover. Paparazzi darling. Hitman’s target. Anya Balanchine’s amazing story continues in the second part of the Birthright trilogy.

Abandon: Underworld by Meg Cabot, published 25th April

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.  Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.  And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

Goddess by Josephine Angelini, published 6th June

She must rise, or they will fall . . . Helen's powers are increasing—and so is the distance between her and her mortal friends. To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a dangerous traitor is lurking among them, and all fingers point to Orion. Still unsure whether she loves him or Lucas, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, or risk all-out war.

Comment and let me know which books you're most looking forward to in 2013!

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2013: Egmont's Electric Monkey

Egmont is the publisher of one of my absolute favourite books, 'Forgotten' by Cat Patrick. They have some stellar titles lined up for 2013 (January-June) under their imprint Electric Monkey (although I'm still gutted that they aren't publishing the last book in Cynthia Hand's trilogy), so here's a selection of the ones which I'm most eagerly anticipating for next year.

All links go to Goodreads where you can add all of these books to your wishlist!

* Finished cover art may not be available yet for all titles

From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, published 7th January

KYLIE: MEXICO WHAT? I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY, and is this a wedding band on my finger.

MAX: It all started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics. Okay, it was kind of hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded in Tijuana. With less than twenty-four hours before graduation. Awesome.

WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring their passports across the border -- but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.

LILY: I just walked in on my boyfriend, Max Langston, canoodling with Kylie Flores, freak of the century. Still, I can't completely hold it against him. He NEEDS me. It's even clearer now. And I'm not giving him up without a fight.

Survive by Alex Morel, published in February

Jane is on a plane on her way home to Montclair, New Jersey, from a mental hospital. She is about to kill herself. Just before she can swallow a lethal dose of pills, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black. Jane wakes up amidst piles of wreckage and charred bodies on a snowy mountaintop. There is only one other survivor: a boy named Paul, who inspires Jane to want to fight for her life for the first time.

Jane and Paul scale icy slopes and huddle together for warmth at night, forging an intense emotional bond. But the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive.

Skinny by Donna Cooner, published 4th February

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it.

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

Finding Cherokee Brown by Siobhan Curham, published 7th March

His lips touched mine and for one split second the whole world stopped. Then every cell in my body fizzed into life...When I decided to write a book about my life I thought I'd have to make loads of stuff up. I mean, who wants to read about someone like me? But as soon as I started writing, the weirdest thing happened. I found out I wasn't who I thought I was. And I stopped being scared. Then everything went crazy! Best of all, I discovered that when you finally decide to be brave it's like waving a wand over your life - the most magical things can happen...

By Any Other Name by Laura Jarratt, published 1st April

Nobody can know the truth - her life depends on it. I picked up the book and thumbed through the pages. Names in alphabetical order, names with meanings, names I knew, names I'd never heard of. How to pick? Nothing that would stand out, nothing that would link me to the past - those were the instructions. The past. As if everything that had gone before this moment was buried already. Holly is fifteen years old, but she's only been "Holly" for a matter of months. Because of something that happened, she and her family have had to enter witness protection and have all assumed new identities. All, that is, except her sister Katie, who is autistic. Starting at a new school mid-term is hard enough at the best of times, and Holly has no clue who she is any more. Lonely and angry, she reaches out to friends - new and old. But one wrong move will put all their lives in danger...

Light by Michael Grant, published in April

It’s been more than a year since every person over the age of fourteen disappeared from the town of Perdido Beach, California. In that time, countless battles have been fought: Battles against hunger and lies and plagues and worse, battles of good against evil, and kid against kid. Allegiances have been won, lost, betrayed, and won again; ideologies have been shattered and created anew, and the kids of the FAYZ have begun to believe that their new society is the only life they’ll ever know. But now that the Darkness has found a way to be reborn, the tenuous existence they‘ve established is likely to be shattered for good. Will the kids of Perdido Beach even survive?

The Originals by Cat Patrick, published 6th May

I glance at the three baby portraits. I feel a familiar prickling on the back of my neck. Because I know there's another picture somewhere - and the baby in that photo looks identical to the babies on the wall. Somewhere, there's a photo of the Original. Ella and I look like sisters: triplets, you might think. But that's not what we are at all. We are clones in hiding. We split our lives and exist as one person in the outside world. And we've always been happy. But now I've fallen head-over-heels in love...and that changes everything. Because, to let love in, I need to be allowed to be Me.

Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn, published 3rd June

 'Don't. Please don't say my name. You have no idea who I really am.' No one really knows who Andrew Winston Winters is. Least of all himself. He is part Win, a lonely teenager exiled to a remote boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts the whole world out, no matter the cost, because his darkest fear is of himself...of the wolfish predator within. But he's also part Drew, the angry boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who, one fateful summer, was part of something so terrible it came close to destroying him.

Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics by Ellie Phillips, published 3rd June

Sadie Nathanson's back - with more style and tangles than ever before. "Mrs Nellist came in for her cut and colour while Auntie and Tiffany were out the back having a coffee, leaving me to sweep up, and that's kind of where everything got really ugly. It was the hairstyle that Mrs Nellist never knew she wanted. That's all it was about. I don't know why everyone had to go so completely hysterical about it, but that's my family for you." Sadie Nathanson is back! After sorting out exactly who she is, she now feels ready to tackle who she is going to be! With hair as her focus, Sadie decides to enter a major hairdressing competition - though she has her work cut out for her when she gets fired from her Saturday job in Auntie Lilah's salon. And if that's not bad enough, it turns out there are yet still more surprises in store Dadwise...

 

Comment and let me know which titles you're most looking forward to in 2013!

Hotly Anticipated Reads 2013: Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury are one of my favourite publishers because of the fantastic range of books that they offer to readers.  There's everything from historical fiction to the paranormal.  I'm always excited to see what new authors they sign and what titles they are set to publish.

Here are a selection of some of the amazing titles they have lined up for 2013 (January-June).

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist!

Hysteria by Megan Miranda, published 14 February

Mallory's life is falling apart. Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear ...When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips. Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black, published 14th February

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you’re close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner’s heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly - and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school - the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister’s shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances - she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead - and the burning forces about to be unleashed .

Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey, published 14th February

In the thrilling conclusion of the Drake Chronicles, love and loyalties will be tested … and proven once and for all.

Can Solange find her way back home again? And can she do it in time to save everyone she loves from the vampire civil war, hunter attack, and each other?

Because not everyone can survive the prophecy… maybe not even her.

Hidden by Marianne Curley, published 14th March

Ebony has always known that she is different. Her violet eyes mark her out, and her protective parents have kept her in a gorgeous valley, home-schooled, safe from everything - almost as if she's being hidden. But she's changing: glowing, getting more and more beautiful, and stronger than anyone knows. Ebony can't stay hidden for ever, and when she meets complicated, intense Jordan, something explodes inside her - something that can be seen from the heavens; something that changes everything. Ebony is a stolen angel, concealed on Earth. Now the heavens have found her, they want her back.

Witch Fire by Laura Powell, published 11th April

Lucas and Glory are hard at work in WICA (Witchkind Intelligence and Covert Affairs). As part of their training, they learn more about the witch-terrorist organization Endor. It is believed that Endor has infiltrated a boarding school for young witches in Switzerland, so WICA sends their two youngest agents--Lucas and Glory--to the school undercover. There, they learn more about an experimental brain implant that blocks the power of the fae. It's a dangerous procedure...more so than they could ever have imagined.

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Mary Hooper, published 9th May

Kitty is living a happy, carefree life as a dairymaid in the countryside. The grand family she is employed by looks after her well, and she loves her trade, caring for the gentle cows and working in the cool, calm dairy. And then, of course, there is Will, the river man who she thinks is very fond of her, and indeed she is of him. Surely he will ask her to marry him soon?



Regency Witches by Alyxandra Harvey, published 6th June

In 1804, three cousins with an unknown family lineage of witchcraft awake to their magical powers; beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, they must navigate the new underworld now open to them, learn to control their new talents, and unravel the secret of one cousin’s mother’s illness, all the while evading fortune seekers, marriage proposals, and a dangerous killer murdering young debutantes.

Transcendence by CJ Omololu, published 6th June

When a visit to the Tower of London triggers an overwhelmingly real vision of a beheading that occurred centuries before, Cole Ryan fears she is losing her mind. A mysterious boy, Griffon Hall, comes to her aid, but the intensity of their immediate connection seems to open the floodgate of memories even wider.

As their feelings grow, Griffon reveals their common bond as members of the Akhet—an elite group of people who can remember past lives and use their collected wisdom for the good of the world. But not all Akhet are altruistic, and a rogue is after Cole to avenge their shared past. Now in extreme danger, Cole must piece together clues from many lifetimes. What she finds could ruin her chance at a future with Griffon, but risking his love may be the only way to save them both.

Comment and let me know which books you're most looking forward to in 2013!

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2013: Quercus

Quercus published one of my favourite books of 2012, 'Shattered Dreams' by Ellie James, so I'm immensely looking forward to the sequel which is out next year.

Here are some of the other amazing titles they have lined up for 2013 (January-June).

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist!

Broken Illusions by Ellie James, published 3rd January

It’s Mardi Gras, but for sixteen-year-old Trinity, this is no time for celebration. Another girl has gone missing. And Trinity is seeing things – terrible things.  Tormented by visions she can’t explain, Trinity embarks on a dark journey to understand her abilities, convinced this is the only way to prevent the things she sees from coming true.

But as the line between reality and illusion becomes blurred, everyone who loves Trinity begins to fear for her sanity, and, ultimately, for her life ...  

Burning For Revenge by John Marsden, published 3rd January

Ellie and her friends are more determined than ever to make an impact on the enemy. But the constant fighting is beginning to take its toll on the group. Kevin is suffering an emotional breakdown, and the friendship that has kept the gang together for so long is under strain.

Undone by Cat Clarke, published 31st January

Jem Halliday is in love with her gay best friend. Not exactly ideal, but she's learning to live with it. Then the unspeakable happens. Kai is outed online ... and he kills himself.

Jem knows nothing she can say or do will bring him back. But she wants to know who was responsible. And she wants to take them down.

Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick, published 28th February

Jenna is sweet sixteen, the age when a girl is supposed to find her prince.  Instead she finds Mr Anderson – intelligent, handsome, married Mr Anderson, who just happens to be her chemistry teacher. With a dark past and a difficult family, Jenna is just happy to have someone to protect her, to worry about her, to love her. But should she be suspicious of Mr Anderson’s reputation for helping ‘damaged’ students?  Why is the most popular girl in school suddenly jealous of her? And where is Mr Anderson’s wife?

This is a love story that breaks all the rules, but that won’t stop it breaking your heart.

Don't Look Back by S.B. Hayes, published 28th March

Sinead has been taunted by her manipulative brother Patrick all her life. Now he is missing. But he hasn’t stopped messing with her.  Compelled to search for him by her overbearing mother, Sinead discovers a trail of sinister clues which she knows Patrick has left for her. They lead her to Benedict House: a place where time stands still and nothing is as it seems.

Linked by Imogen Howson, published 6th June

For years, Elissa has suffered nightmarish visions and unexplained bruises. Finally, she’s promised a cure, and an operation is scheduled. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the truth: she’s seeing the world through another girl’s eyes. A world filled with wires, machines and pain. Elissa follows her visions, only to find a battered, broken girl. A girl who looks exactly like her. A twin she never knew existed.

Elissa and Lin go on the run, but even after changing their looks and clothes, they’re barely a step ahead of the government agents who are ruthlessly tracking them down. For Lin and Elissa are too valuable to let go, and the dark truth at the heart of it all is too shocking to risk exposing ...

 

Comment and let me know which books you are most looking forward to in 2013! 

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2012: Macmillan Children's Books

Macmillan have published some of my favourite books this year, including the amazing 'Dark Inside' by Jeyn Roberts which definitely makes my top ten. They're also home to Alyson Noel and Meg Cabot, both of whom are among my favourite authors.  Alyson Noel's new series Soul Seekers, is going to be published by Macmillan in 2012 which is also very exciting. 

I'm really pleased to welcome to the blog today, Sally and Lauren, who are both Publicity Managers for Macmillan Children's Books and who are going to talk about some of the books they're especially excited to be publishing in the first half of next year. 

All links go to Goodreads where you can add these books to your wishlist too!

Final cover artwork isn't available yet for all these titles but will be added as soon as I have it.


Tempest by Julie Cross, published on 5th January 2012

Sally says "a great combination of action and romance from an exciting debut author Julie Cross. I can't say too much without giving things away but I loved the characters, Jackson's a narrator I really connected with and hearing things from the male point of view, I felt, made a refreshing change."

Jackson Meyer is hiding a secret. He can time-travel. But he doesn't know how he does it, how to control it or what it means. When Jackson, and his girlfriend Holly, find themselves in fatal danger, Jackson panics and catapaults himself two years into his past, further than he's ever managed before, and this time he can't find a way back to the future. All the rules of time-travel he's experienced so far have been broken and Jackson has no choice but to pretend to be his younger self whilst he figures out a solution. Jackson is tearing himself apart with guilt and frustration, wondering if Holly survived. He's also become the target of an unknown enemy force and it seems even his dad is lying to him. Jackson is racing against time to save the girl he loves, but to do that he must first discover the truth about his family and himself. And stay alive.

After the Snow by S.D. Crockett, published February 2012

Lauren says "Sophie Crockett is an astounding new voice in YA fiction. Although it would be easy to refer to this novel as 'dystopian', Sophie has created a world not so very far-removed from our own. It is a future as plausible as it is disturbing, which will ignite lively debate amongst its readership."

Separated from his family, ‘straggler’ kid Willo is lost and alone in the barren landscape of the new ice age. Now, with only the dog-spirit inside his head to guide him, Willo must embark on an icy journey of survival, adventure and friendship.

Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend by Cora Harrison, published February 2012

A little mystery is so becoming in a hero, don't you think?

Jane wants to meet a hero worthy of her extraordinary imagination: a gentleman who is dashing and daring and handsome and brave; who can dance like a viscount and duel like a king. Jane and Jenny are whiling away the season in Bath and there are plenty of dances, rumours and scandals to entertain them. But a good reputation, once lost, is gone forever; and Jane is in danger of becoming the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

Mice by Gordon Reece, published February 2012

Shelley and her mother are ‘mice:’ timid, nervous and obliging. The fragile peace of their remote countryside existence is shattered when someone breaks into their cottage. In the shocking event that follow, Shelley begins to wonder if she and her mother are mice after all. And if not mice, then what are they?

The Demon Trappers: Forgiven by Jana Oliver, published on 3rd February 2012

Wanted by both the forces of Heaven and Hell,17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne is on the run. Armageddon might be closer than anyone thinks, but with an angelic bargain on one side and a deal with the devil on the other, it’s all Riley can do to stay alive, let alone save the world…

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin, published April 2012

Lauren says "This is the book Zevin fans have been waiting for and she does not let us down. It is gripping and brilliantly written. She is a writer head and shoulders above her contemporaries."

Anya is a member of a notorious New York crime family, so when her violent ex-boyfriend is poisoned, suspicion naturally falls on her. Only the District Attorney believes she is innocent, but her freedom has a price: stay away from his son Win. Anya is finding Win hard to resist, but by getting involved with him she risks the wrath of the law on one side, and the mafia on the other…

Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari, published April 2012

Sally says "follow up to the amazing Artichoke Hearts, I couldn't wait hear more of Mira. Sita Brahmachari vividly brings India to life and her characters draw you in convincingly to their emotional journeys, I became so caught up this breathtaking and beautiful story."

Fourteen year-old Mira Levenson travels to India to meet her family and is quickly swept into a sweltering, chaotic world – full of new sights, smells and deeply buried secrets. Nothing is as she imagined it. Mira faithfully writes to her boyfriend, Jidé, but there’s one person she doesn’t mention. From the moment Mira meets Janu she feels a potent connection and he becomes her guide through the vibrant and often dangerous streets of Kolkata. As her time in India draws to an end, Mira is determined to uncover the truth about her family and she must also make a decision that will break someone's heart . .

Underworld by Meg Cabot, published May 2012

To escape the clutches of the vengeful Furies, Pierce Oliveria has gone to live with John Hayden in the dark Underworld between Heaven and Hell. But when she discovers that her family is in danger, she knows she must get out. Pierce has escaped from John once before. This time, she may not be so lucky…

The Prince Who Walked With Lions by Elizabeth Laird, published May 2012

Sally says "Liz Laird truly brings the unique and fascinating story true story of Alamayu, the Abyssinian prince, to life - a captivating and emotional read"

The British Army is circling the stronghold of the King of Abyssinia. Under orders from Queen Victoria, its mission is to rescue the British Envoy, held prisoner.  Watching with terror and awe is the king's young son, Alamayu. He knows that his father is as brave as a lion, but how on earth can he and his warriors stand against the well-equipped foreigners? As battle rages, everything that Alamayu fears comes to pass. The fighting is cruel and efficient. By the time it is over, Alamayu is left without parents, throne or friends.

In a misguided attempt to care for him, the British take Alamayu to England. There he is befriended by the queen herself and enrolled in Rugby College to become a 'proper' English gentleman. What the English see as an honour is, to this lonely Ethiopian prince, a horror.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini, published May 2012

This is the US cover of Dreamless.

As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.

As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more

What's Up With Jody Barton by Hayley Long, published June 2012

Lauren says "Hayley Long is Judy Blume for the Glee generation. More than any other writer in this genre, she pitches her teen references absolutely right; one minute she will have you laughing, the next weeping. The twist in this story will leave readers reeling and desperate for more".

Me and my sister are twins. She's Jolene and I'm Jody. We've both got brown hair, we're both left-handed and we both have these weirdly long little toes which make us look like long-toed mutants. But apart from that, I'd say we're fairly different. Well, actually, we're a lot different ...It's hard enough being one half of the world's least identical twins, without both of you falling for the same guy. Jolene's turned flirting into a fine art, but Jody? Not so much. And as if a twinny love triangle wasn't messy enough ...there's something nobody knows about Jody Barton. Something BIG.

Soul Seekers: Fated by Alyson Noel, published June 2012

Strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, glowing people appear from nowhere. Worried that Daire's having a breakdown, her mother sends her to stay with the grandmother she's never met, who lives on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico.There Daire crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes.

Her grandmother recognizes Daire's episodes for what they are - a call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, a person who can navigate between the living and the dead. Guided by her grandmother, Daire must be quick to learn how to harness her powers, because Dace's brother is an evil shape-shifter, out to steal them.

Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and discover whether Dace is the guy she's meant to be with . . . or if he's allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2012: Egmont

Egmont published my absolute favourite book of 2011, 'Forgotten' by Cat Patrick.  They have some stellar titles lined up for 2012 so here's a small selection of titles which I am eagerly anticipating for next year.

All links go to Goodreads where you can add all of these books to your wishlist too!

Final cover art for all these titles is not yet available but I will add it as soon as I have it.

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand, published in January 2012

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

The Haunting of Tabitha Grey by Vanessa Curtis, published in March 2012

I've just moved into a creepy old manor house with my family. And it feels like the house is waiting for something. I can't explain all the things that are happening here. The maids I hear sobbing...The old ladies that stand in the hall. The cold breath of...Life? Death? I don't know. I can't tell Dad or Mum. But least I've got my little brother Ben to talk to. This is a ghost story unlike any other...It will leave you chilled to the very last page.

1.4 by Mike Lancaster, published in May 2012

It's a brave new world. In the far future, people no longer know what to believe...Did Kyle Straker ever exist? Or were his prophecies of human upgrades nothing more than a hoax? Peter Vincent is nearly 16, and has never thought about the things that Strakerites believe. His father - David Vincent, creator of the artificial bees that saved the world's crops - made sure of that. When the Strakerites pronounce that another upgrade is imminent, Peter starts to uncover a conspiracy amongst the leaders of the establishment, a conspiracy that puts him into direct conflict with his father. But it's not a good idea to pick a fight with someone who controls all the artificial bees in the world.

Pop! by Catherine Bruton, published in June 2012

Billy Elliot meets the X-Factor meets Shameless!  I reckon we need a plan that's so massive it'll change our lives forever...The first round of auditions was a bit mad. All these wannabe popstars sitting around trying to look wacky/soulful/tragic (delete as appropriate) to catch the attention of the TV cameras. At least we had a cracking back story. The story of me, Agnes, Jimmy and baby Alfie too; the tears, the tragedy, the broken homes and feuding families, the star-crossed lovers. And only some of it was made up. If I say so myself, it was genius: a sure-fire golden ticket to stratospheric stardom. Or at least that was the plan...

Revived by Cat Patrick, published in July 2012

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.

This is US version of the cover, as the UK cover art hasn't been revealed yet.

2012 also sees the launch of Egmont's new imprint Electric Monkey which will be publishing some amazing books in the new year, including 'BZRK' by Michael Grant, 'Oliver Twisted' by JD Sharpe and 'Code Name Verity' by Elizabeth Wein.  Keep an eye out for all of those plus many more too!

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2012: Simon & Schuster

Simon & Schuster are publishing some of my most hotly anticipated books for 2012.  They always offer such a brilliant range of titles by some really fantastic authors which made it incredibly difficult to pick just a small selection for this feature.  I wanted to include them all!  I'm going to be stalking my local bookshop for all of these.

All links go to Goodreads where you can add them to your wishlist too!

Fated by Sarah Alderson, published on 5th January 2012

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

Smoulder by Brenna, published on 5th January 2012

Being the youngest daughter of the Devil has never been easy. Daphne's father has no time for her, her mother no interest, and her status in the upper echelon separates her from the working-class demons that populate Lucifer's metropolis. When her brother and only confidante goes missing, life in the restrictive city of Pandemonium becomes intolerable. Now, in an attempt to find him, Daphne sets out for Earth - and finds it larger and more chaotic than she imagined: a dazzling expanse of noise, dirt and random violence. Despite her bewilderment, she navigates the mortal world with growing fascination, gaining an ally when she saves a dying boy from her father's minions.

For Truman Flynn, the last year has been one long downward spiral, but when Daphne arrives just in time to save his life, he finds himself unexpectedly glad to have another chance. Together, Daphne and Truman go in search of her brother, braving the hazards of Las Vegas and the perils of first love, even as it becomes increasingly clear that her brother might have had a secret and compelling reason for leaving. Lucifer's agents aren't the only creatures on the prowl, and Daphne soon finds herself the target of a plan to rid the world of demons for good. Now she must evade a demon-eating monster, rescue her brother from an angelic zealot, and save the boy she loves from his greatest enemy - himself.

The Medusa Project: Hit Squad by Sophie McKenzie, published on 5th January 2012

Fourteen years ago, scientist William Fox implanted four babies with the Medusa gene - a gene for psychic aibilities. Fox's experiment left a legacy: four teenagers, each with their own distinct and special skill. These four teens were originally brought together to form crime-fighting force, The Medusa Project.

Now the team is due to be disbanded and the teenagers sent to separate locations. But Nico, Ketty, Ed and Dylan are determined to investigate claims that a drug conveying the same powers as the Medusa gene has been developed.

Joined by new friends Cal and Amy, who also have the gene, the four set off on their most dangerous mission yet... 

Everneath by Brodi Ashton, published on 2nd February 2012

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton, published on 21st February 2012

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, published on 1st March 2012

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

 

It can.

 

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

 

There is.

 

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

 

She's wrong.

Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready, published on 7th June 2012

No other love has burned so bright.

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced that she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart.