Book Watch: Releasing This Week #182

Below are the (mostly) YA books releasing this week that I am spotlighting for my “Book Watch: Releasing This Week” post.

These are books for the week of June 24th-June 30th that I have pre-ordered.

THE THINGS YOU KISS GOODBYE by Leslie Connor will be released in the U.S. on June 24, 2014 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in all formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Katherine Tegen Books, the print edition is 368 pages.

I can’t wait for THE THINGS YOU KISS GOODBYE to download to my Kindle on Monday Midnight. It looks like the perfect summer read – both romantic and heartbreaking. And as I’m hooked on contemporary stories at the moment, its release couldn’t have come at a better time.

I’m curious about what tragedy strikes Bettina and why it means she’ll have to tell her family the truth about her Cowboy. I’m curious about why Brady changes when school starts back up. And I’m curious about who Bettina chooses to be with and what happens if she chooses the boy her family won’t approve of.

I was drawn to this story because of its cover, but even more so the title. So I can’t wait to find out what things Bettina will have to kiss goodbye. Hopefully I’ll be able to sneak this one onto the pile this week. If not, I’ll definitely be reading it over the long Fourth of July weekend.

Description…

Bettina Vasilis can hardly believe it when basketball star Brady Cullen asks her out, and she just about faints when her strict father actually approves of him.

But when school starts up again, Brady changes. What happened to the sweet boy she fell in love with? Then she meets a smoldering guy in his twenties, and this “cowboy” is everything Brady is not—gentle, caring, and interested in getting to know the real Bettina.

Bettina knows that breaking up with Brady would mean giving up her freedom—and that it would be inappropriate for anything to happen between her and Cowboy. Still, she can’t help that she longs for the scent of his auto shop whenever she’s anywhere else.

When tragedy strikes, Bettina must tell her family the truth—and kiss goodbye the things she thought she knew about herself and the men in her life.

Leslie Connor has written a lyrical, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about family, romance, and the immense power of love.

THE STEPSISTER’S TALE by Tracy Barrett will be released in the U.S. on June 24, 2014 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in all formats at AMAZON and in hardcover and eBook formats at BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by Harlequin Teen, the print edition is 272 pages.

I got the chance to read THE STEPSISTER’S TALE a little bit early and I loved it. So I can’t wait for the finished copy to download to my Kindle this week. It was such a wonderful reimagining of the classic fairytale and I absolutely adored Jane Montjoy.

As I have read it and plan to post a review on Tuesday I won’t ramble on about it here except to say that it was a quick read at under 300 pages, I loved that the story was seen through the eldest stepsister’s eyes and that it posited that not everything from the original tale was as it seemed.

While I won’t be reading it when it lands on my Kindle this week, I plan to read it again in the future. So I just had to buy a copy for my collection.

Description…

What really happened after the clock struck midnight?

Jane Montjoy is tired of being a lady. She’s tired of pretending to live up to the standards of her mother’s noble family-especially now that the family’s wealth is gone and their stately mansion has fallen to ruin. It’s hard enough that she must tend to the animals and find a way to feed her mother and her little sister each day. Jane’s burden only gets worse after her mother returns from a trip to town with a new stepfather and stepsister in tow. Despite the family’s struggle to prepare for the long winter ahead, Jane’s stepfather remains determined to give his beautiful but spoiled child her every desire.

When her stepfather suddenly dies, leaving nothing but debts and a bereaved daughter behind, it seems to Jane that her family is destined for eternal unhappiness. But a mysterious boy from the woods and an invitation to a royal ball are certain to change her fate…

From the handsome prince to the evil stepsister, nothing is quite as it seems in Tracy Barrett’s stunning retelling of the classic Cinderella tale.

IN THE END by Demitria Lunetta will be released in the U.S. on June 24, 2014 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in all formats at AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE.

Published by HarperTeen, the print edition is 448 pages.

IN THE END is the second, and final, book in Author Demitria Lunetta’s In the After series.

I am super excited that IN THE END releases this week and that it will be added to my collection on Tuesday. While I haven’t yet read the first book in the series, I definitely plan on reading it and this sequel back to back in the next couple of weeks.

I am not going to read the description for this book, as I still haven’t met Amy and Baby. I haven’t gotten to know just how vicious “Them” are. And I haven’t visited New Hope.

But I just know I’m going to love this series the description for the first book calls “thrilling” and “unforgettable” with “horrifying twists of fate.” I have a feeling I won’t be able to put it down.

Description…

The thrilling conclusion to In the After, the survival story of Amy and Baby, set in a near future where Earth has been overrun by vicious, predatory creatures.

It’s been three months since Amy escaped New Hope, and she’s been surviving on her own, like she did in the After. Until one day, her former fellow Guardian’s voice rings out in her earpiece. And in a desperate tone, Kay utters the four words Amy had hoped she would never hear: Dr. Reynolds has Baby.

Now it’s a race against time, for Baby is in imminent danger, her life threatened by the malevolent doctor who had helped start the end of the world. In order to save Baby, Amy must make her way to Fort Black, a prison-turned-survivor-colony, where she will need to find Ken, Kay’s brother. He alone holds the key to Baby’s survival.

One small slip-up on this quest could spark a downward spiral that would not only cost Baby and Amy their lives, but threaten the very survival of the people in the After.

Other Books of Note

DROWNED (Drowned #1) by Nichola Reilly

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

Coe is one of the few remaining teenagers on the island of Tides. Deformed and weak, she is constantly reminded that in a world where dry land dwindles at every high tide, she is not welcome. The only bright spot in her harsh and difficult life is the strong, capable Tiam—but love has long ago been forgotten by her society. The only priority is survival.

Until the day their King falls ill, leaving no male heir to take his place. Unrest grows, and for reasons Coe cannot comprehend, she is invited into the privileged circle of royal aides. She soon learns that the dying royal is keeping a secret that will change their world forever.

Is there an escape from the horrific nightmare that their island home has become? Coe must race to find the answers and save the people she cares about, before their world and everything they know is lost to the waters.

AWKWARDLY EVER AFTER (Smith High #4) by Marni Bates

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: K-Teen

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

It’s prom season at Smith High School and love is in the air. . .for some people.

Melanie Morris knows she shouldn’t keep flirting with her best friend’s brother, Dylan Wellesley, even though the last thing she feels is “sisterly” around the cute soon-to-be freshman. But attending prom with somebody else might mean losing him for good. . .

Isobel Peters accepts the fact that she’s a huge geek, but she never expected renowned player, Spencer King, would want to get his hands on. . .her reputation. What begins as a bargain could turn into something real–or a Notable disaster!

Corey O’Neal is dating the boy of his dreams, rockstar Timothy Goff. But it isn’t easy to trade in anonymity for instant celebrity status, especially now that swarms of protesters want them both banned from prom. Dating Prince Charming in real life is a whole lot harder than it sounds in fairytales.

Happily ever after? Try awkwardly ever after!

DEFECTOR (Variants #2) by Susanne Winnacker

Pub. Date: June 26, 2014

Publisher: Razorbill

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

Tessa has finally made peace with her life as a Variant. She and long-time love Alec are officially a couple, and for the first time, she has everything she wants.

But the air is tense at FEA headquarters. An agent has disappeared, and rogue variant organization Abel’s Army is likely the culprit.

When Tessa is summoned for her second mission, she is unexpectedly launched into a massive conspiracy. Her best friend Holly is kidnapped and Tessa knows it was meant to be her. But who is after her? And more importantly, why?

When the FEA’s efforts to rescue Holly don’t yield any results, Tessa takes matters into her own hands. Desperate to save her friend and uncover the mystery behind Abel’s Army, Tessa launches her own investigation—but nothing could prepare her for what she finds. Everyone in her life is harboring secrets: Alec, her estranged mother, even the father she never knew.

The truth will take her out on the road and out of her comfort zone, with danger lurking everywhere. Summoning all of her courage and strength, Tessa must decide who can be trusted and what is worth fighting for—even if it means going against the life she thought she wanted. Her final decision will leave readers breathless.

LICENSE TO SPILL (Pretenders #2) by Lisi Harrison

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Poppy

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

Three girls, two guys, five secret journals.

The five most popular students at Noble High have secrets to hide; secrets they wrote down in their journals. Now one of their own exposes the private entries…

When our parents were growing up they were encouraged to make mistakes. That’s how they learned. But us? Our mistakes go viral. There is no delete button on the Internet. What kind of future do we have if we can’t escape our embarrassing pasts? I must come off as quite the hypocrite; complaining about our overexposed lives in a book of secret journals I have leaked. But these pages hold proof of how this pressure affects the “best” of us… so until the heat’s turned down, keep reading.

COMPLICIT by Stephanie Kuehn

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister to juvenile detention for burning down their neighbor’s fancy horse barn. The whole town did. Because Crazy Cate Henry used to be a nice girl. Until she did a lot of bad things. Like drinking. And stealing. And lying. Like playing weird mind games in the woods with other children. Like making sure she always got her way. Or else.

But today Cate got out. And now she’s coming back for Jamie.

Because more than anything, Cate Henry needs her little brother to know the truth about their past. A truth she’s kept hidden for years. A truth she’s not supposed to tell.

Trust nothing and no one as you race toward the explosive conclusion of this gripping psychological thriller from the William C. Morris Award-winning author of Charm & Strange.

SUMMONED (Redemption’s Heir #1) by Anne M. Pillsworth

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Tor Teen

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

When the Elder Gods extend an invitation, be wary of the strings attached

While browsing in a rare book store in Arkham, Sean finds an occult book with an ad seeking an apprentice sorcerer, from a newspaper dated March 21, 1895. Even more intriguing, the ad specifically requests applicants reply by email.

Sean’s always been interested in magic, particularly the Lovecraftian dark mythology. Against his best friend Edna’s (“call-me-Eddy-or-else”) advice, he decides to answer the ad, figuring it’s a clever hoax, but hoping that it won’t be. The advertiser, Reverend Redemption Orne, claims to be a master of the occult born more than 300 years ago. To prove his legitimacy, Orne gives Sean instructions to summon a harmless but useful familiar—but Sean’s ceremony takes a dark turn, and he instead accidentally beckons a bloodthirsty servant to the Cthulhu Mythos god Nyarlathotep. The ritual is preemptively broken, and now Sean must find and bind the servitor, before it grows too strong to contain. But strange things are already happening in the town of Arkham….

FOLLOWERS by Anna Davies

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Point

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

To tweet or not to tweet . . . what a deadly question.

When Briana loses out on a starring role in the school’s production of Hamlet, she reluctantly agrees to be the drama department’s “social media director” and starts tweeting half-hearted updates. She barely has any followers, so when someone hacks her twitter account, Briana can’t muster the energy to stop it. After all, tweets like “Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark . . . and a body’s rotting in the theater” are obviously a joke.

But then a body IS discovered in the theater: Briana’s rival. Suddenly, what seemed like a prank turns deadly serious. To everyone’s horror, the grisly tweets continue . . . and the body count starts to rise.

There’s no other explanation; someone is live-tweeting murders on campus.

With the school in chaos and the police unable to find the culprit, it’s up to Briana to unmask the psycho-tweeter before the carnage reaches Shakespearian proportions . . . or she becomes the next victim.

THE HANGMAN’S REVOLUTION (W.A.R.P. #2) by Eoin Colfer

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

Young FBI agent Chevie Savano arrives back in modern-day London after a time-trip to the Victorian age, to find the present very different from the one she left. Europe is being run by a Facsist movement known as the Boxites, who control their territory through intimidation and terror.

Chevie’s memories come back to her in fragments, and just as she is learning about the WARP program from Professor Charles Smart, inventor of the time machine, he is killed by secret service police. Now they are after Chevie, too, but she escapes–into the past. She finds Riley, who is being pursued by futuristic soldiers, and saves him.

Working together again, it is up to Chevie and Riley to find the enigmatic Colonel Clayton Box, who is intent on escalating his power, and stop him before he can launch missiles at the capitals of Europe.

DEADWOOD by Kell Andrews

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

There’s something evil in Deadwood Park.

Martin Cruz hates his rotten new town. Then he gets a message from a tree telling him it’s cursed — and so is he. It’s not just any tree. It’s the Spirit Tree, the ancient beech the high school football team carves to commemorate the home opener. And every year they lose.

But the curse is no game, and it gets worse. Businesses fail. Trees topple like dominos. Sinkholes open up in the streets, swallowing cars and buildings. Even people begin to fade, drained of life.

Martin teams up with know-it-all soccer star Hannah Vaughan. Together they must heal the tree, or be stuck in Deadwood Park at the mercy of the psycho who cursed it.

TWISTED by Jo Gibson

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: K-Teen

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

My Bloody Valentine

It’s Valentine’s Day, and everyone at Hamilton High is excited about the big dance. Six girls are competing to be Queen of Hearts. Unfortunately, someone is taking aim at the contestants–and it’s not Cupid. Unless Cupid is a deranged killer with a sharp knife and a deadly message. Be mine. . .or else.

The Séance

There’s nothing like a killer party on Halloween–especially when it’s in a secluded lodge in the woods. But when Jennifer Larkin’s friends insist on holding a seance–in spite of the warnings of a local psychic–it’s anything but a game. For the spirits are vengeful. The partiers are prisoners. And no one gets out of here alive. . .

Slay Bells

The new Crossroads Mall is the place to shop this Christmas. So when a snowstorm traps Diana Connelly and her friends inside, they don’t even mind staying the night. Until the accidents start to happen. And Diana’s friends begin to die. One by one. Naughty or nice. ‘Tis the season. . .to be murdered.

BEHIND THE SCENES by Dahlia Adler

Pub. Date: June 24, 2014

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Find it: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Description:

High school senior Ally Duncan’s best friend may be the Vanessa Park – star of TV’s hottest new teen drama – but Ally’s not interested in following in her BFF’s Hollywood footsteps. In fact, the only thing Ally’s ever really wanted is to go to Columbia and study abroad in Paris. But when her father’s mounting medical bills threaten to stop her dream in its tracks, Ally nabs a position as Van’s on-set assistant to get the cash she needs.

Spending the extra time with Van turns out to be fun, and getting to know her sexy co-star Liam is an added bonus. But when the actors’ publicist arranges for Van and Liam to “date” for the tabloids just after he and Ally share their first kiss, Ally will have to decide exactly what role she’s capable of playing in their world of make believe. If she can’t play by Hollywood’s rules, she may lose her best friend, her dream future, and her first shot at love.

Other Releases

Previously published books now available in eBook format…

GONE by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson (first published in 2007)

DUMB LOVE by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson (first published in 2005)

HOLDUP by Terri Fields (first published in 2009)

THE GUARDIAN by Joyce Sweeney (first published in 2009)

HEADLOCK by Joyce Sweeney (first published in 2006)

HEAD CASE by Sarah Aronson (first published in 2007)

CAPTIVES by Tom Pow (first published in 2006)

WHAT ERIKA WANTS by Bruce Clements (first published in 2005)

HOW YA LIKE ME NOW by Brendan Halpin (first published in 2007)

COSMOS COYOTE AND WILLIAM THE NICE by Jim Heynen (first published in 2000)

SPACER AND RAT by Margaret Bechard (first published in 2005)

THE SPY WHO TOTALLY HAD A CRUSH ON ME (Spy Goddess #3) by Michael P. Spradlin (first published in 2011)

Thankfully it’s another quiet week for releases this week as my book budget is just a little bit tight this month due to some IRL expenses. But, I will be adding DEFECTOR to my collection as I loved the first book in that series, IMPOSTOR. So although I only have three books pre-ordered, I will be adding four books to the collection this week.

And as I have so many books already in my collection that I’m dying to catch up on, it’s nice to have a quieter week every now and then.

Of course it’s entirely possible that I missed a bunch of releases in this post. So I’ll have to wait and see what actually downloads this week. But hopefully not too many more books.

Anyway… I will definitely be reading THE THINGS YOU KISS GOODBYE and IN THE END in the next few weeks and I will be reading DEFECTOR really soon, too. So even though it was a quiet week, there are some awesome-sounding books to dive into and I can’t wait.

As it’s such a gorgeous day out today, I’m going to try and find somewhere I can relax and read in the sun… once I finish a couple of posts I need to finish for the blog. And if it’s as amazing a day where you are, I hope you’re out doing something fun or relaxing with a fantastic book.

But whether the weather is perfect or it isn’t, I hope that your day is an awesome one and that one of the books releasing this week is a title you’ve been waiting for and that you’ll be adding to your collection this week.