Who Killed |These Girls? by Beverly Lowry

Who Killed |These Girls? by Beverly Lowry

Release Date - October 11, 2016

Publisher Website - Penguin Random House 
Publisher Social Media - Twitter

Pages - 528 pages
My Rating - 3/5
**purchased**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

On December 6, 1991, the naked, bound-and-gagged bodies of four girls--each one shot in the head--were found in an "I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!" shop in Austin, Texas. Grief, shock, and horror spread out from their families and friends to overtake the city itself. Though all branches of law enforcement were brought to bear, the investigation was often misdirected, and after eight years only two men (then teenagers) were tried; moreover, their subsequent convictions were eventually overturned, and Austin PD detectives are still working on what is now a very cold case. Over the decades, the story has grown to include DNA technology, false confessions, and other developments facing crime and punishment in contemporary life, but this story belongs to the scores of people involved, and from them Lowry has fashioned a riveting saga that reads like a Russian novel, comprehensive and thoroughly engrossing

Anyone who follows unsolved crimes has most likely heard about the murders that happened at the 'I Can't Believe It's Yogurt' shop. A shocking crime that changed the people of Austin, Texas. This book book focuses on what led to this horrific crime being unsolved.

The first thing that should be highlighted about this book is the care that was taken to give each of the victims a voice. Page space is spent giving the readers a chance to get to know who these young women were. We learn things about each of them and also see how much life they still had yet to live. The author hammers home the potential these girls never got to grow in to.

There are a lot of details within these pages. It is well researched and presented in an unbiased way. I appreciated the 'just the facts' approach. There are other elements sprinkled in like the obvious sympathy for the parents of the victims, frustration at some of the missteps made by police, and concern over the way the accused were treated. It is just balanced by fair and sourced information.

A majority of the book focuses on the young men who were convicted of the crime and eventually had their convictions overturned. There are many who feel these young men were wrongfully convicted and that the real murderers are still just there. There are, however, people who feel that they are guilty and that the convictions being overturned is the miscarriage of justice. It reads like all the information is being presented and it is not hard to see why the convictions were overturned. It is an all too familiar story and one especially not helped by the condition of the crime scene.

I would recommend this to anyone who knows very little about this case. Fair warning that the details of the crime are horrific. The boom does not glorify those details but does not shy away from presenting the facts either. It gives a thorough overview of all of the details including the court cases. It is a haunting case that you cannot help but desperately hope gets solved. The victims, and their families, deserve justice after all this time.

Waiting On Wednesday (the delayed version)- Faith: Taking Flight

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This post is obviously being posted on the wrong day seeing as how it is Thursday today, BUT I did not share it on the regular Wednesday due to the holiday and still wanted to share my pick for this week.

This week's pick is Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin', comes the first in a two-book origin story of Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from the Valiant Entertainment comics.

Faith Herbert is a pretty regular teen. When she's not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, she's volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove.

So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. Of course, there's also that small matter of recently discovering she can fly….

When the fictional world of The Grove crashes into Faith's reality as the show relocates to her town, she can't believe it when TV heroine Dakota Ash takes a romantic interest in her.

But her fandom-fueled daydreams aren't enough to distract Faith from the fact that first animals, then people, have begun to vanish from the town. Only Faith seems able to connect the dots to a new designer drug infiltrating her high school.

But when her investigation puts the people she loves in danger, she will have to confront her hidden past and use her newfound gifts—risking everything to save her friends and beloved town.

I love superhero stories. It is no secret that I love the Marvel movies, and routinely check out anything superhero related that comes out on television or in books. Julie Murphy's newest caught my attention because Faith sounds like such a unique superhero while still holding on to the tropes that define the genre. I am excited to discover her origin story and trust Julie Murphy to write something fun.

This is perfectly timed as a summer release as this is certain to be a fun pool side read.

Expected release date - July 7, 2020

2014 Most Anticipated - The Merciless

The next (and last) pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is one whose synopsis chilled me the second I read it. Danielle Vega's The Merciless takes exorcism and mixes them with highschool Shiver, right?!

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and you'll be as desperate to get your hands on it as I am.

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next. . . .

In this chilling debut, Danielle Vega delivers blood-curdling suspense and terror on every page. By the shockingly twisted end, readers will be faced with the most haunting question of all: Is there evil in all of us?

NEED IT NOW! If this is not enough to make you want to get your hands on this title, perhaps Danielle's Q & A will give you that extra push.

1. Describe The Merciless in three words

Blood. Sacrifice. Secrets.

2. How would you describe the narrator (or main character) of this book? 

I only need one word for this--lonely. Sofia Flores is an army brat whose mother is constantly dragging her to new cities. She'd be the first to tell you that making new friends is a challenge (and finding a boyfriend is borderline impossible.) So when three gorgeous, popular girls at her new school start acting friendly, Sofia's excited--so excited she overlooks the creepier parts of their personalities. Like how their smiles never seem to reach their eyes. And that they're all obsessed with Brooklyn Stevens--an edgy, hipster girl who's pretty strange herself.  

By the time Sofia realizes who the girls she's become friends with actually are it's much, much too late. 

3. Are you able to share a secret about one of the characters, the world, something that inspired something about the world/characters?

ALL of my characters have secrets. We're talking big, juicy secrets. The kind you can never say out loud if you want your friends to stay your friends. But giving away their secrets would spoil the fun so, instead, I'll give away one of my own. It's the reason I wanted to write horror stories in the first place. 

You know those urban legends you tell around a campfire? The ones you know aren't real because they always happened to someone's cousin's friend's brother? Well I happen to know that one of them is 100% factual. I know because it happened to my mom when she was a teenager. 

My mom had been sleeping over at her friend Debbie's house when they noticed something on the ceiling they were certain hadn't been there the night before: two tiny, little holes drilled into the plaster.

My mom and Debbie freaked out. Wouldn't you? Turns out the attic was directly above Debbie's room, and they got it in their heads that some crazed psycho killer had drilled the holes in the ceiling to watch them sleep. They told Debbie's parents but, of course, they came up with some nonsense parent explanation for what happened. Like maybe the ceiling was cracked or something? Or maybe the holes had been there all along. My mom and Debbie weren't convinced, but it was better than the alternative. Debbie's parents plastered up the holes and, after a week or so, everyone forgot about the whole thing. 

Then, a few months later, my mom was staying the night again. She and Debbie had just turned off the light and crawled into bed when they heard something. A kind of scratching noise coming from the ceiling. They immediately remembered the holes they'd found during their last sleepover, and leapt out of bed and ran for Debbie's parents. Together, the four of them crept up to the attic to see who was there. 

But the attic was empty. The only thing they found was the tiny spot on the floor where someone had started drilling a new hole. 

Now, my mom and Debbie were totally freaked. This just proved that someone was up there! But Debbie's parent's insisted the plaster was just caving in and told the girls to go to bed--they'd fix it in the morning. So Debbie and my mom crawled back into bed, but they couldn't sleep. They stared up at the ceiling, terrified, until finally--

"Someone needs to check under the bed," Debbie said. My mom immediately realized she was right. Neither of them would be able to sleep until they knew there wasn't a killer hiding beneath them. The girls played a quick game of rock, paper, scissors to see who would do it. My mom lost, so she crouched down on her hands and knees and peered into the darkness. 

There was something there. My mom reached forward, and pulled out an old shoebox. She took off the lid... 

Inside, she found a drill covered in fresh plaster.

4. This book revolves around girls attempting an exorcism. What kind of research did you do for this aspect of the book?

Let's just say I hope the police never look at my Google search history! I started by digging into all of the creepiest, strangest rituals of traditional exorcisms. But my characters are teenage girls, not priests, so traditional wasn't going to cut it. I had to get more creative than that. In the end, I researched everything from the most vile forms of torture (both mental and physical) to how to perform a bathroom baptism and what's the most delicious thing to eat late at night. Now I know lots of creepy things: like how to break someone's knee cap, that you can drown in a bathroom sink, and caramel corn dipped in Nutella is absolutely heavenly. 

5. What 2014 release are you most looking forward to?

Hands down it's Dreams of Gods and Monsters, by Laini Taylor. My heart will not rest until I know what happens to Karou and Akiva and Zuzana and Mic.

A huge thank you to Danielle for taking the time to answer them! This title is one of the ones I am desperate to get my hands on as soon as possible. The answer to question number 3 is terrifying. I wouldn't sleep for a long time! VERY creepy. It gives me even higher hopes that The Merciless will be terrifying.

If you want to learn more, check out the author's twitter, or the publisher's website for more information.

The Merciless will be in stores August 7, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are available at some retailers if you want to take advantage of that.

Amazon

Chapters

Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or just flail over how much you want to read this too. Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to these Question and Answers as they'll help).

2014 Most Anticipated - Dorothy Must Die

The next pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is a novel that is already gaining tons of advance buzz. Danielle Paige is twisting the yellow brick road and making Dorothy evil in Dorothy Must Die!

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and you'll be wanting to be get your hands on this one, immediately!

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

I need this...like yesterday! This is exactly the kind of twist I want in my re-tellings. I've read the chapter sampler and was immediately hooked, and I can't wait to read the rest. Anyone else super excited to see The Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man as Dorothy's henchmen? So excited.

Instead of doing a Q and A to highlight this pick, I am going to review the e-novella 'No Place Like Oz'.

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No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige
Release Date – November 12, 2013
Publisher Website –  HarperCollins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader
Pages - 196 pages
My Rating- 4.5/5
**purchased**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In this digital original novella, Dorothy travels back to Oz to reunite with old friends, but her story may not have a happy ending. No Place Like Oz is a prequel to the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

After returning to Kansas, Dorothy Gale has realized that the dreary fields of Kansas don’t compare to the vibrant landscapes of Oz. And although she’s happy to be reunited with Aunt Em, she misses her friends from the yellow brick road. But most of all, Dorothy misses the fame and the adventure. In Kansas she’s just another prairie girl, but in Oz she was a hero. So Dorothy is willing to do anything to get back, because there really is no place like Oz. But returning to the land she left comes at a price, and after Dorothy is through with it, Oz will never be the same.

Perfect for fans of Alex Flinn, Marissa Meyer, and Gregory Maguire, No Place Like Oz is a dark reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Building off of its rich mythology, Danielle Paige creates an edgy, thrilling story for teens that chronicles the rise and fall of one of the literature’s most beloved characters. This digital original novella is a prequel that sets the stage for the forthcoming novel Dorothy Must Die.

There's no place like home, or so they say. For Dorothy, you really can't go home again. This e-novella has the task of taking a beloved heroine, and turning that idea on it's head.... and it succeeds wonderfully. No Place Like Oz shows the potential for wickedness in everyone, and that sometimes fate plays a hand in making our choices for us.

No Place Like Oz immediately sets the tone of this series. Fun. It's going to be filled with larger than life characters, fantastical places, and basically retain that magical feeling of Oz. It also creates another expectation - detailed plot. The e-novella gives us enough hints, foreshadowing, and set up to indicate a much more intricate plot that I expected.

Dorothy's narration of the book allows us to see the spiral from an uncomfortable vantage point. We see how it starts, slowly at first. She's no longer satisfied with Kansas, and her Aunt and Uncle's farm. She wants more. She becomes sullen, and quick tempered. What makes her progression more chilling is that Dorothy remains Dorothy. Everything feels in character, and she's not twisted into something unrecognizable. It makes what happens all the more compelling.

As the novel escalates to it's breathless ending it feels like a crescendo is building. You know something horrible is coming, you know something bad is going to happen. You, however, can't turn the pages fast enough. Watching Dorothy's descent is both uncomfortable and fascinating. When the end does come, and the dust has settled, Dorothy will forever be changed by what happens. Oz will forever be changed.

Adding to the delicious taunts and teases is that hint that all might not be what it appears. With Oz, you're prompted to 'ignore the man behind the curtain' and this novel let's you know that there is much more at work here than I expected. I am very much looking forward to the unraveling of events, and illumination on things that are briefly touched upon in this novella.

No Place Like Oz offers just the right amount of tease to dazzle, and provides just enough to make sure it's readers are clamoring for Dorothy Must Die come April. A magical look at wickedness in the most unexpected places, and how sometimes you just can't go home again.

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If you want to learn more, check out the publisher's website for more information.

Dorothy Must Die will be in stores April 1, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are up and here are few places you can pre-order currently.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Chapters

You can already get the e-novella No Place Like Oz at the follow

Kobo
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or let me know if you plan on taking this trip down the yellow brick road.  Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to the Question and Answers from previous picks as they'll help).

2014 Most Anticipated - The Vanishing Season

The next pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is a novel by one of my favourite authors. Her writing is hauntingly beautiful, and I may have fangirled over getting to 'interview' her. The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson.

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and you'll be running to add it to your 'to be read' list!

Girls started vanishing in the fall, and now winter's come to lay a white sheet over the horror. Door County, it seems, is swallowing the young, right into its very dirt. From beneath the house on Water Street, I've watched the danger swell.

The residents know me as the noises in the house at night, the creaking on the stairs. I'm the reflection behind them in the glass, the feeling of fear in the cellar. I'm tied—it seems—to this house, this street, this town.

I'm tied to Maggie and Pauline, though I don't know why. I think it's because death is coming for one of them, or both.

All I know is that the present and the past are piling up, and I am here to dig.I am looking for the things that are buried.

From bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson comes a friendship story bound in snow and starlight, a haunting mystery of love, betrayal, redemption, and the moments that we leave behind.

I need this...like yesterday! The narrator is a ghost. This is immediately awesome. I can't wait to get my hands. I fully intend to read this all in one day with a glass of wine!

As mentioned, I got the chance to ask Jodi a few questions.

1. Describe The Vanishing Season in three words.

Snowy. Ghost. Mystery.

2. From the synopsis it appears that a ghost or spirit of some kind narrates the novel. An intriguing and not usually done premise. What inspired this idea? Did the character come to you first, or did the idea of a ghost narrator inspire you to create the character? 

I love “outsider” narrators, like Nick in The Great Gatsby. I love the perspective of someone looking in on someone else’s story…and what their interest and concern says about them. In The Vanishing Season, though, the narrator is more involved than it first seems – that’s part of the mystery. The ghost idea came a bit later than the idea for the original characters (which were inspired by a Neko Case song called Margaret Vs. Pauline). I just love ghosts – and so that found its way in. It fit into this other idea that was there from the beginning: that moments can last forever. The ghost has the ability to visit the past and see those moments. 

3. Are you able to share a secret about one of the characters, the world, something that inspired something about the world/characters?

I love settings and I usually start a story because I want to capture the feeling of a place. For Tiger Lily, it was Costa Rica…in this case it was Door County, Wisconsin. I first visited there in the winter – there’s something so haunting and cool about a summer tourism destination when it’s mostly empty. It was so stark and cold and beautiful. 

4. What sort of research did you need to do for this novel, if any?

I did a fair amount of research on Door County history, especially nautical history. Not that I used a lot of it in any technical way, but I wanted to have a good sense of that. I also went back and visited again – work was a great excuse! 

5. What 2014 release are you most excited for?

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick. Her writing is beautiful.

A huge thank you to Jodi for taking the time to answer these questions. I love the entire notion of an 'outsider' narrator. Someone who is on the outside looking in. Interesting, and I can't wait.

If you want to learn more, check out the author's website, or the publisher's website for more information.

The Vanishing Season will be in stores July 1, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are up and here are few places you can pre-order currently.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or let me know if you've read Jodi's previous books, especially Tiger Lily. Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to these Question and Answers as they'll help).

2014 Most Anticipated - The Fall

The next pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is a novel by one of my favourite authors. Bethany Griffin's next novel, The Fall, sounds amazing.

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and you'll be as desperate to read it as I am

Madeline Usher is doomed.

She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down? The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher.

Give me this now! RIGHT NOW! There is not a cover available yet, but needless to say, I WANT IT! I am very much looking forward to anything about this novel, and can not wait for 2014 to provide all the details.

Bethany kindly took the time to answer a few questions about the novel.

1 Please describe The Fall in 3 words

Creepy, Dark, gothic

2 Edgar Allen Poe seems to inspire you. What about this particular story inspired you to write The Fall?

The Fall of the House of Usher is my favorite Poe story. It starts with two pages of Poe's unnamed narrator getting the nerve to enter the house...and once inside, the twins with the terribly heightened senses, their madness and relationship...Madeline Usher has no voice in Poe's story. So, I wanted to give her a voice. Plus a dark haunted house, is my favorite sort of setting!

3 What do you think would happen if Araby Worth met Madeline Usher? (if such a thing were possible)

Because Madeline is cursed with a family malady that changes her consciousness, she probably wouldn't approve highly of Araby's use of drugs, but she would probably understand Araby's grief better than anyone, since Madeline is very close to her own twin brother, Roderick. They would probably have some basic understanding for one another, but their lives are so completely different that it might make it hard for them to truly communicate.

4 Are you able to share a secret about one of the characters, the world, something that inspired something about the world/characters?

Well, the most mysterious character is the house itself. It's connected to the family, "house of Usher" but also IS the House of Usher. A weird dichotomy. Madeline's big questions revolve around ...what does the house want, is it good or bad, is it looking out for her or holding her prisoner. Or could it be doing both?

5 What 2014 release are you looking forward to?

The Treatment by Suzanne Young. 

A huge thank you to Bethany for taking the time to answer these questions. This title is one of the ones I am desperate to get my hands on as soon as possible.

If you want to learn more, check out the author's website, or the publisher's website for more information.

The Fall will be in stores Fall 2014. Pre-orders for this title are not available yet, but be sure to add it to your Goodreads so that you'll remember to pre-order when it becomes available.

Let me know in the comments what you think of the synopsis, or let me know if you've read Bethany's previous books. Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to these Question and Answers as they'll help).

2014 Most Anticipated - Winterspell

The next pick on my 2014 Most Anticipated list is one that immediately grabbed me by it's synopsis. Claire Legrand's Winterspell is going to offer a twisty retelling of The Nutcracker and I can't wait. Helping with the anticipation is that there is no cover yet! Counting down the days until we have one (I expect awesomeness)

Just check out this Goodreads synopsis and tell me you don't want it NOW

The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince . . . but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, her father abducted--by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they're to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets--and a need she can't define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed--if she leaves at all.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

AMAZING RIGHT?! I want to read this IMMEDIATELY. If you, like me, can't wait to get your hands on this check out the awesome Q and A with Claire below. She even provided some musical inspiration.

1 Describe Winterspell in three words.

Nutcracker gets twisted.

2 What about the Nutcracker inspired you to write this story?

I've always loved the ballet, ever since I was a little girl -- loved, loved, LOVED to the point of obsession. My favorite production is by the Pacific Northwest Ballet, which was made into a motion picture in the 80s. It's strange and darkly whimsical, much like the original fairy tale, and much more interesting to me than most productions, which are far too sweet and harmless for my liking. But even my favorite production left me with unanswered questions about these characters, the worlds they inhabit, their motivations, their histories. By writing Winterspell I was able to expand upon this world I love so much, as well as bring these characters to life in a way that made sense to me and satisfied my lingering questions.

3 Are you able to share a secret about one of the characters, the world, something that inspired something about the world/characters?

I can do all three! Briefly, though. Don't want to give too much away yet. ;)

A secret about a character: In the ballet, the character of the Sugar Plum Fairy always seemed unnecessary to me, besides giving one of the principal ballerinas something to do. My frustration with her inspired the creation of a particularly dangerous, glamorous character in Winterspell. Rest assured, she has a lot to do in this book, and she does it bloodily -- while looking damn good (and she'll be the first to tell you that).

A secret about the world: There are two worlds in Winterspell -- one is 1899 New York City, and one is the land of Cane. I have written several fairy tales about the origin, history, inhabitants, and creatures of Cane, and I'll be sharing them with you next year, before the book's release!

Something that inspired me while writing: Listening to music helps me create -- characters, worlds, plot. One of my biggest inspirations for the general aesthetic of Cane was Paul Haslinger's score for Underworld, the first movie in the cheesy-but-undeniably-awesome series of vampire-vs-werewolves films. You can listen to one of the tracks below. I used this music a LOT when writing fight scenes, descriptive paragraphs, and big set pieces.

4 For fans of the Nutcracker, can they expect to see some of the iconic elements, or is it more a loosely based interpretation? 

Fans of The Nutcracker will absolutely see nods to the ballet in Winterspell! Sometimes the references are blatant, and sometimes they're more subtle, but all of them should please those familiar with the ballet. As a fan myself, I certainly had a lot of fun writing them! But never fear -- those less familiar with the ballet won't feel left out in the slightest.

5 What 2014 release are you most looking forward to?

Without a doubt, Laini Taylor's Dreams of Gods and Monsters. I'm OBSESSED with that series, and with Taylor's writing in general. This is probably my favorite YA series of all time, and I just know the finale will blow me away . . . and probably also leave my heart in pieces, but that's just how I like it. ;)

A huge thank you to Claire for taking the time to answer these questions. This title is high up on my MUST read list, and the Q and A certainly increased my desire to get my hands on this one! Love the musical inspiration.

If you want to learn more, check out the author's website, or the publisher's website for more information.

Winterspell will be in stores September 2, 2014. Pre-orders for this title are not available yet, but be sure to add it to your Goodreads so that you'll remember to pre-order when it becomes available.

Let me know in the comments what you think of the cover, the synopsis, or what twists you expect this story to take! Are you a fan of the ballet? Also, check back soon for a contest where you could win one of my featured titles (be sure to pay attention to these Question and Answers as they'll help).

2014 Most Anticipated - Raincoast Books

Today I have the lovely ladies from Raincoast Books offering up their selections for Most Anticipated Reads of 2014! I love this post style, and look how adorable they are! Huge thank you to them for taking the time to do this, and for making it so much fun! Enjoy their bookish conversation (I sure did).

5 Most Anticipated Titles of Winter 2014

CRYSTAL ALLEN: Hi Melissa!

MELISSA PELLEGRIN: Hi Crystal!

CA: I'm so excited that Kathy asked us to be a part of her 2014 Most Anticipated Event!

MP: I know, me too!

CA:  There are so many great books coming out in 2014! It's hard to pick just 5. Should we concentrate on Winter 2014?

MP: Ahh, yes there are! It's so hard to choose. Focusing only on Winter 2014 titles should definitely help us narrow it down.

CA: Agreed. So what is your number 1 book for Winter 2014?

MP: I think I'm going to have to go with Love Letters to the Dead. Such a beautifully written book!

CA: I just finished reading it last night! It was so good. I'm in complete agreement.

About Love Letters to the Dead:

It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more -- though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family.

It was one of those books that you want to last forever. So readable, gut wrenchingly emotional... but not to the point that it leaves you depressed and unable to function.

MP: Yes I love that--"gut wrenchingly emotional." That is precisely how it reads. But you're right; you aren't crushed by grief in the end. The author, Ava Dellaira, does a fantastic job of writing about Laurel's emotions and how she is dealing—or not dealing—with her sister's death. I also loved that the letters began by addressing the celebrities that May loved the most.

CA: Ava Dellaira is a superstar. I can't wait to read what she writes next. She was the screenwriter for The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She showed the manuscript of Love Letters to Stephen Chbosky who fell in love with it (like we did) and was instrumental in getting the book published.

One of my favorite things about this book was how the main character, Laurel, chose who she wrote to based on what was going on in her life and where she needed to find strength. For example if she was trying to be brave she wrote to Amelia Earhart and if she was angry at her mother she wrote to Judy Garland. I also loved Laurel's emotional growth from the beginning of the book to the end and how she slowly began to open up and show more of herself the more letters she wrote. She had so much guilt over her sister’s death and it was interesting to watch Laurel slowly reveal how her sister died and what Laurel's involvement was the further the book progressed.

MP: Yes I completely agree! I'm so in love with this book. It is such a compelling read and it just makes you feel so many emotions, but in a good way. I couldn't put it down, and I actually read it all in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this one. Also, the cover is gorgeous!

CA: Ok... Book 2. What do you think? The Winner's Curse?

Another book with a gorgeous cover and a fabulous story.

MP: Yes, definitely! This is the first in a brilliant new series. And it seems to already be garnering a bit of buzz, which I think is well deserved.

Here’s a little bit about the book:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.  

As a general's daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.  Arin's eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him-with unexpected consequences. It's not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.  But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.  Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

I absolutely loved The Winner's Curse. Our awesome Sales & Marketing Assistant (and fellow YA lover) Megan and I have been gushing over this book. It is the first in a series set in a sort of alternate world, one where slavery still exists. The writing is great and keeps you interested from the very start. There's romance, danger, betrayal—all the good stuff! And I'm already desperately waiting for the next book so I can find out what happens next. Definitely one to look out for!

CA: It's on my "Christmas Reading Pile". I loved that a fight almost broke out between West Coast and East Coast bloggers over the limited amount of ARC's we received for this one. Megan has great book taste so I trust her when she says a book is great.

MP: I don't think you'll be disappointed with it!

CA: I think we need to throw a Canadian author in the mix for Book 3. Janet Gurtler for #16ThingsIThoughtWereTrue?

MP: Yes! We love Janet. She's such a lovely author to work with. I'm really excited about this new book because it's a road trip novel, and I always love to read about road trips.

CA: Road trip novels are great. Especially for spring break. 3 things have me excited about this book.

1. It's Janet Gurtler... and I love her.

2. They took a new cover treatment approach which I think is really fun.

3. The book is filled with social media references. Hashtags, text messages and tweets galore. Pretty fun.

A little bit about #16ThingsIThoughtWereTrue:

Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue. When Morgan's mom gets sick, it's hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one-until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn't as far away as she thought? Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue. Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan's getting to know the real Adam, and he's actually pretty sweet? in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone? 5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue. With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She's not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend? and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can't imagine living without.

MP: Ah, yes I completely agree! I also love that the cover is different from her other books. The social media that is incorporated in the book is also a really cool idea. I think (and hope!) people will enjoy this one.

We're already up to three out of five books! I know it's hard to choose, but what would be your next choice?

CA: My next choice is actually a really easy one. I'm sure everyone reading this who knows the Raincoast list is sitting there yelling at their screen "What about Cress?!?!?!" Yep. Cress the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series is coming out in February. That would definitely be my number 4 pick.

MP: Cress! Definitely needs to be on the list. And I have also had the opportunity to read this one. It's just as awesome as the others! We're able to see all the characters we love and they're as great as ever. Marissa Meyer does a fantastic job of switching between the characters and giving us just the right amount of each.

CA: Marissa came to Vancouver when Cinder first came out and I was lucky enough to get to spend a couple of days with her. She and her husband were both so lovely. It's really nice when the author is as great as the books are.

Here’s a brief synopsis:

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from invading Earth. Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she's just received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she'd ever expected.

Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

That last sentence is so great. Girl power!

MP: For sure! Love that.

CA: Ok... now THIS is the hard one. What is your choice for book 5?

MP: I think I'm going to have to go with Going Over by Beth Kephart. This is a book from Chronicle Books that we are all really looking forward to! It's actually our Raincoast Book Club pick for December.

Megan read this one and loved it! She says that it has an awesome, strong protagonist who is also rebellious and a bit of a punk. It's a Romeo and Juliet-esque love story with the Berlin Wall separating the two teens. The writing is really poetic, and lovely. She said that it reads very literary but in a good way, and it's full of drama and suspense.

Here's an actual synopsis for it:

It is February 1983, and Berlin is a divided city with a miles-long barricade separating east from west. But the city isn't the only thing that is divided. Ada lives among the rebels, punkers, and immigrants of Kreuzberg in West Berlin. Stefan lives in East Berlin, in a faceless apartment bunker of Friedrichshain. Bound by love and separated by circumstance, their only chance for a life together lies in a high-risk escape. But will Stefan find the courage to leap? Or will forces beyondhis control stand in his way? National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart presents a story of daring and sacrifice, and love that will not wait.

Basically, it sounds great and I can't wait to read it for our book club!

CA: Ooooh. That is a great pick. I can't wait to read it for our book club. I think I have to pick a different book for my 5th choice though. This book has a soft spot in my heart. Landline by Rainbow Rowell is coming out this winter. I was lucky enough to get to spend a couple of days with Rainbow while she was in Toronto touring for Fangirl. I read Landline as a pdf on my Kobo while I was there. It was the coolest experience ever. I got to chat with Rainbow about the book as I was reading it. The book is an adult novel but I think anyone who enjoyed her YA books will enjoy this one as well. Her novels have such great YA/Adult crossover appeal.

Here’s a bit about the book:

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble and that it has been for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply -- but that almost seems besides the point now.

Two days before they're supposed to visit Neal's family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can't go. She's a TV writer, and something's come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her, but she doesn't expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her. When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she's finally ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It's not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she's been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . . Is that what she's supposed to do? Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

MP: Oh, that is a great pick too. I love Rainbow! Such a great writer. I also loved Landline, and you’re definitely right—if people loved her YA books, I think they’ll also love this one. I’m still jealous that you met her! So I forgive you for disagreeing with me ;)

CA: Great bookie chat Melissa!

MP: Same to you Crystal! Thanks so much Kathy for having us. We’ve had a great (albeit difficult) time choosing the books we’re most excited about.

CA: Yes, thank you Kathy! If you want to talk books on Twitter, you can follow me at @sewcreativeblog or Raincoast at @RaincoastBooks.

Penguin Canada's 2014 Most Anticipated

Today I have Vikki, a Young Adult Marketing Manger, offering up her 2014 Must Read Picks from Penguin
 .

All of her choices sound awesome, and it's no secret that I want to read Rebel Belle immediately.

RULE OF THREE by Eric Walters

When a mysterious virus knocks out the electricity and computer systems, Adam’s sleepy suburb is thrown into chaos. This book starts with a bang and never lets up. I found myself wondering what I would do in Adam’s situation, and I ended the book with a few more survival tricks up my sleeve. This is a survival story that will appeal to lovers of dystopian adventure and anyone who has asked themselves the question, “What if…”

BLUES FOR ZOEY by Robert Paul Weston

After reading this contemporary love story, I have a bit of a crush on Kaz Barrett. He may think he’s an ordinary teenager, but his love for cool odd-ball Zoe, his concern for his mysteriously ill mother, and his sweet way with his little sister make him a standout book boyfriend. Part love story, party mystery novel, this latest offering from award-winning Canuck writer Robert Paul Weston was a refreshing take on first (and second) love.

THIS STAR WON’T GO OUT by Esther Earl

John Green fans around the world know Esther Earl as the girl who inspired Hazel in TFIOS. This Star Won’t Go Out is a collection of Esther’s sketches, journals, and musings, accompanied by essays and photographs from her friends and family. You will laugh, cry, and be grateful that you got a glimpse into the world of this magnificent person.  

A MAD WICKED FOLLY by Sharon Biggs Waller

Imagine if Sybil from Downton Abbey starred in her own YA novel and you get the gist of A MAD WICKED FOLLY. After posing nude for an art class, Vicky is sent back to England where she is expected to marry well and forget all about her dreams of being an artist. But Vicky won’t give up on her ambitions, and a fateful encounter with the suffragettes and a handsome young police officer opens a whole new world of possibilities. This historical novel feels contemporary and relevant, offering astounding facts and details about the struggle for the women’s vote.  

REBEL BELLE by Rachel Hawkins

This book is being hailed as Buffy goes to Cotillion, and that’s a perfect description. When Queen of the Debutantes Harper Price discovers she is a Paladin, sworn to protect none other than irritating school paper reporter David, much danger and hilarity ensues. You don’t have to love paranormal books to enjoy this clever, funny book that has it’s tongue firmly in cheek. 

Which if these amazing sounding titles do you want to get your hands on? Let me know in the comments. A huge thanks to Vikki for taking the time to share her picks with me!