Posted March 17, 2015 by Carmel in Fresh Meat / 12 Comments
Urban Fantasy:
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Bayou Blues (Genie McQueen #1)
by Sierra Dean
Urban Fantasy
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]When your sister has saved the world, you have a lot to live up to.
Genie McQueen thought she’d seen it all after helping her big sister Secret stop the Apocalypse. The dead walked, New York City burned, and things nearly went to hell in a hand basket. After it was all over, the world knew about vampires and werewolves, and Genie’s life would never be the same.
But now, three years later, someone doesn’t want werewolves or any supernatural creatures to live alongside humans. A new anti-werewolf church with a charismatic leader and a cult-like following has declared open season on Genie’s whole species. When a member of her pack is kidnapped, she decides it’s time to stop going with the flow and to step up and fight for her people.
Tagging along for the ride is a handsome troublemaker, Wilder Shaw, a pack outsider who just wants to save his brother, but will leave Genie’s head spinning in the process.
Equally troubling are the ghosts of her past she can’t quite shake, the nightmarish figures who haunt her even when she’s wide awake, and a dark magic inside her she hasn’t yet learned to tame.
Things are about to get messy in the bayou.[/learn_more] |
Paranormal Romance:
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Night’s Blaze Part 2 (Dark Kings #5)
by Donna Grant
Paranormal Romance
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]He was virile, persuasive, and masculine. His rugged good looks turned heads, but in a suit, he looked dashing and powerful. A combination no woman culd ignore. And he was sitting next to her. Lily wanted to run her fingers through his long, dark brown waves and pull his head down for a kiss. And if he didn’t quit looking at her as if he wanted to take her right there, she just might.
Lily Ross is taking the first step in building a new life for herself. Still reeling from a relationship that nearly broke her spirit, Lily is wary of her attraction to brawny, brooding Rhys. The passion burning so brightly between them is a potent temptation, but any entanglement is destined to end in disaster. Yet when a spectre from Lily’s past threatens their growing bond, Rhys is forced to choose with his heart, or lose this woman who has become his one chance at salvation…[/learn_more] |
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The Darkling Lord (Court of Annwyn #4)
by Shona Husk
Paranormal Romance
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]A darkling with a lust for power…Henry Saint shouldn’t exist. Every year on his birthday, he kills someone and takes their soul so that he may live another year. He is a darkling, not fairy… but not human either. Yet he is bound by the laws of both worlds. With a new King on the throne of Annwyn and the mortal world trying to rebuild after plagues killed so many, Henry seizes the opportunity to carve out a place of his own. He wants Detroit.
A spy without a soul…Darah was Felan’s spy before he became King of Annwyn. Now he has one last mission for her. He wants her to join the darkling’s Court and discover what Henry’s endgame is. No one trusts the Banished when they gather in great numbers. As Darah gets drawn into Henry’s world she realizes he can give her the one thing she could never find in Annwyn—love. But is love worth betraying her King?[/learn_more] |
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The Witch of Painted Sorrows
by M.J. Rose
Paranormal Romance
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Possession. Power. Passion. New York Times bestselling novelist M. J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.
Sandrine Salome flees New York for her grandmother’s Paris mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds there is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires.
Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten—her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend, and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.
This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love, and witchery.[/learn_more] |
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Firestorm Forever (Dragonfire #11)
by Deborah Cooke
Paranormal Romance
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]This flame will burn for all time…
Three key firestorms mark the culmination of the Dragon’s Tail Wars, pitting the dragon shifters known as the Pyr against the evil Slayers. The Slayers have struck a blow against mankind, in bringing a pestilence from the ancient world, which is spreading like wildfire through the human world. Sloane Forbes, the Apothecary of the Pyr, knows it is his duty to find the cure, but the solution is elusive, his beautiful neighbor is distracting, and time is running out.
In moving to a remote farm in the California hills, Samantha Wilcox has left her demanding career behind by choice and on principle. It’s too painful to remember her own failures as both mother and physician, and not a point of pride that she fell short of the measure, so she’s determined to start fresh. She’s going to live differently, following her instincts and savoring life’s pleasures—like the hot sex with no commitment offered by her mysterious, sexy neighbor. He’s no more of an herb farmer than she is a tarot card reader, but Samantha is determined to keep their illusions intact—at least until she discovers not that Sloane’s one of the Pyr, the dragon shifters are responsible for the epidemic that stole her son’s life. When the firestorm sparks between these estranged lovers, can Samantha resist its dangerous attraction on principle alone? As Slayers and Pyr gather for the final battle, can Samantha and Sloane work together to save the world and build themselves—and their respective kinds—a future?[/learn_more] |
Science Fiction / Fantasy:
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The Curse Keepers Collection
by Denise Grover Swank
Fantasy
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]The Curse Keepers series, now offered in a single collection containing the full text of all three novels and three prequel novellas, plus:
• An all-new introduction by the author, Denise Grover Swank
• All six works presented in the author’s preferred reading order
The wall between our world and a world full of vengeful spirits has protected humanity for more than four hundred years…and it’s about to come crashing down. In New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank’s epic paranormal romance series, the Curse Keepers, two reluctant yet brave heroes are all that stand between the world’s survival and its total destruction.
The Curse Keepers (Book 1)
A descendent of two legendary spirit banishers from the Lost Colony of Roanoke, Ellie Lancaster dismisses her Curse Keeper role as part of a harmless fairy tale—until she meets the handsome and infuriating Collin Dailey, a fellow Curse Keeper, and realizes they must fulfill their destinies in order to save the world from vengeful spirits.
This Place Is Death (Curse Keepers Secret Book 1)
In this intriguing prequel to the Curse Keepers series, Roanoke colonist Ananias Dare, his expectant wife, and their friend Manteo realize that their settlement faces a sinister force much more evil than the natives who threaten their lives—and their only hope for survival may leave them with hell to pay.
The Curse Breakers (Book 2)
With passion threatening to consume both her and Collin, Ellie must fight the unleashed demons tormenting her. But when she finds herself abandoned, she embarks on a terrifying journey to claim the mark of the god Ahone and finish what the Curse Keepers began in order to prevent hell on earth.
This Changes Everything (Curse Keepers Secret Book 2)
Ellie Dare Lancaster may be only eight years old, but she already knows about her future as a Curse Keeper—and once an unholy force is accidentally summoned, bringing terrible evil into her home, the young Ellie becomes part of the newest generation caught up in the war between the gods of good and evil.
The Curse Defiers (Book 3)
The gate between the human and spirit worlds is open, and only Ellie and Collin can stop the trail of death and destruction—but first, they have to break free from their tangled web of treachery, jealousy, and lies in order to choose their own destinies, even if that means defying the gods themselves.
This Is Your Destiny (Curse Keepers Secret Book 3)
Collin feels trapped by his job, his debt, and especially his destiny as a Curse Keeper. But when the fearsome god Ahone reaches out to him with a tempting offer, it may be the key to Collin’s liberation…if he can survive the ensuing confrontation with his deadly counterpart.[/learn_more] |
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Crystal Keepers (Five Kingdoms #3)
by Brandon Mull
Fantasy
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Trapped in a world where magic is powerful and dreams are real, Cole continues his quest in book three of a “fanciful, action-packed adventure” series (Publishers Weekly, starred review), from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series.
Cole Randolph ventures to a new kingdom as he continues his search for his friends—and also pursues his quest to mend what has gone awry with the magic in The Outskirts. Can he overcome the challenges ahead, or will he be stranded forever in a world between reality and imagination?[/learn_more] |
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The Mermaid’s Child
by Jo Baker
Fantasy
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| [learn_more caption=”Book Description”]In this fantastical novel, the acclaimed author of Longbourn brings us the magical story of a young girl in search of her mother…who just might be a mermaid. Malin has always been different, and when her father dies, leaving her alone, her choice is clear: stay, and remain an outsider forever, or leave in search of the mythical inheritance she is certain awaits her. Apprenticed to a series of strange and wonderful characters, Malin embarks on a grueling journey that crosses oceans and continents—from the high seas to desert plains—and leads to a discovery that she could never have expected. Beautifully written and hauntingly strange, The Mermaid’s Child is a remarkable piece of storytelling, and an utterly unique work of fantasy from literary star Jo Baker.[/learn_more] |
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Reluctantly Charmed
by Ellie O’Neill
Fantasy
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]In the spirit of Cecelia Ahearn and Regina McBride, a lighthearted and relatable debut novel about an advertising copywriter who upends her ordinary life and captures the attention of the world after publishing a seven-part treatise on the existence of fairies.
Kate McDaid thought that going to the reading of her great-great-aunt’s will would be just another non-event in her ordinary life. A junior copywriter at an advertising agency in Dublin, she was used to spending her days wrangling clients, over-indulging in chocolatey products, and whiling away nights at the pub with her best friends, using her trusty bicycle to get around town. Instead, Kate finds out that the will and her aunt (also known as the Red Witch of Knocknamee) dictates that Kate must publish a series of strange poems called “The Seven Steps” under her own name in order to inherit the rest of her aunt’s estate.
And those poems? They’re a mysterious treatise on the importance and existence of fairies…
Kate decides to publish the Steps on a friend’s website, thinking that the low traffic on the site would let her posts go unnoticed. She never could have imagined that in a matter of days, she would find herself a local celebrity with her own group of devotees and the target of a mysterious and glamorous newspaper reporter. Even Dublin’s rock-and-roll sweetheart—and Kate’s onetime fling—writes a song inspired by the Steps.
While the Steps strike a chord across Ireland and the world, Kate takes the message to heart. But as the tone of each Step moves from free-spirited to sinister, Kate must decide if she will go through with publishing all seven Steps—or protect humankind from an ancient evil.
Infused with just enough magic and everyday familiarity that anyone can relate to, this fantastic debut is a page-turner with the perfect mix of humor and mystery.[/learn_more] |
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Prudence (The Custard Protocol #1)
by Gail Carriger
Science Fiction / Steampunk
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Introducing the Custard Protocol series, in which Alexia Maccon’s daughter Prudence travels to India on behalf of Queen, country…and the perfect pot of tea.
When Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama (“Rue” to her friends) is bequeathed an unexpected dirigible, she does what any sensible female under similar circumstances would do — she christens it the Spotted Custard and floats off to India.
Soon, she stumbles upon a plot involving local dissidents, a kidnapped brigadier’s wife, and some awfully familiar Scottish werewolves. Faced with a dire crisis (and an embarrassing lack of bloomers), Rue must rely on her good breeding — and her metanatural abilities — to get to the bottom of it all…[/learn_more] |
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The Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl
by Leigh Statham
Science Fiction / Steampunk
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| [learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Lady Marguerite lives a life most 17th century French girls can only dream of: Money, designer dresses, suitors and a secure future. Except, she suspects her heart may be falling for her best friend Claude, a common smithie in the family’s steam forge. When Claude leaves for New France in search of a better life, Marguerite decides to follow him and test her suspicions of love. Only the trip proves to be more harrowing than she anticipated. Love, adventure and restitution await her, if she can survive the voyage.[/learn_more] |
Young Adult:
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Duplicity
by N.K. Traver
Young Adult
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]A computer-hacking teen. The girl who wants to save him. And a rogue mirror reflection that might be the death of them both.
In private, seventeen-year-old Brandon hacks bank accounts just for the thrill of it. In public, he looks like any other tattooed bad boy with a fast car and devil-may-care attitude. He should know: he’s worked hard to maintain that façade. With inattentive parents who move constantly from city to city, he’s learned not to get tangled up in things like friends and relationships. So he’ll just keep living like a machine, all gears and wires.
Then two things shatter his carefully-built image: Emma, the kind, stubborn girl who insists on looking beneath the surface – and the small matter of a mirror reflection that starts moving by itself. Not only does Brandon’s reflection have a mind of its own, but it seems to be grooming him for something—washing the dye from his hair, yanking out his piercings, swapping his black shirts for … pastels. Then it tells him: it thinks it can live his life better, and it’s preparing to trade places.
And when it pulls Brandon through the looking-glass, not only will he need all his ill-gotten hacking skills to escape, but he’s going to have to face some hard truths about who he’s become. Otherwise he’ll be stuck in a digital hell until he’s old and gray, and no one will even know he’s gone.[/learn_more] |
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The Lost Herondale
(Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy #2)
by Cassandra Clare & Robin Wasserman
Young Adult
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| [learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Simon learns the worst crime a Shadowhunter can commit: desertion of their comrades. In the early nineteenth century, Tobias Herondale abandoned his fellow Shadowhunters in the heat of battle and left them to die. His life was forfeit, but Tobias never returned, and the Clave claimed his wife’s life in exchange for Tobias’s. Simon and his fellow students are shocked to learn of this brutality, especially when it is revealed the woman was pregnant. But what if the child survived…could there be a lost Herondale line out in the world today?[/learn_more] |
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Harmonic (Dissonance #1.5)
by Erica O’Rourke
Young Adult
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Del’s older sister can also walk between worlds, but her loyalties are uniquely tested in this original enovella set in the inventive world of Dissonance.
Addison Sullivan, Del’s older sister, has always been considered a model Walker—but her reputation within the Consort has been tainted by her grandfather’s betrayal and her sister’s recklessness. She is desperate to regain her position within the Consort and equally desperate to keep Del from spiraling out of control after losing the boy she loves.
The Consort offers Addie a chance to redeem herself: if she can track down the Free Walkers her grandfather knew twenty years ago, they’ll fast-track her apprenticeship and put her in charge of her own team. Addie asks a former classmate and crush, Laurel, a Consort historian, for help. As they work together, Addie’s feelings for Laurel resurface, but she’s too afraid to act. Same-sex relationships aren’t expressly forbidden by the Consort, but she fears that a relationship with Laurel would be viewed as yet another mark against her.
While she is fighting her feelings for Laurel, troubling details start emerging during their investigation…details that paint Addie’s family in a sinister light. Will she reveal what she’s learned to the Consort, or try to protect her family?
This enovella is set in the time between Dissonance and Resonance.[/learn_more] |
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A Chase of Prey (A Shade of Vampire #11)
by Bella Forrest
Young Adult
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| [learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Derek and Sofia return in the 11th book of the million-bestselling A Shade of Vampire series![/learn_more] |
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Ash
by Shani Petroff & Darci Manley
Young Adult / Dystopian
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Destiny is pre-determined. It is strictly monitored. It is unchangeable.
Or is it?
Madden’s life is a whirlwind of privilege and perks. Born into the elite Purple ring, she is fated to be a Minister of the Seven. Although her position comes with the burden of great responsibility, she’s nothing if not confident in her future. After all, Destiny Specialists have determined how she will fulfill her life’s purpose, and they are never wrong.
Her classmate Dax, an Ash, is clinging to the opposite end of the spectrum. While everyone around her knows what destiny awaits them, Dax’s fate is…missing. Isolated and ignored, she refuses to let her lack of status define her.
After a stunning twist of fate, Dax and Madden’s paths intertwine in ways neither could have possibly imagined. The two are forced to question their own past, present and future as they realize who they are is not necessarily who they were meant to be.
ASH, the first book in the Destined series, is an unforgettable journey into an alternate future which will leave readers wondering just how much we can control our own fate.
Destiny is calling. Will you fight for yours?[/learn_more] |
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Thor’s Serpents (The Blackwell Pages #3)
by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr
Middle Grade / Fantasy
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[learn_more caption=”Book Description”]Thirteen-year-olds Matt, Laurie, and Fen have beaten near-impossible odds to assemble their fellow descendants of the Norse Gods and complete epic quests. Their biggest challenge lies ahead: battling the fierce monsters working to bring about the apocalypse.
But when they learn that Matt must fight the Midgard Serpent alone and Fen and Laurie are pulled in other directions, the friends realize they can’t take every step of this journey together. Matt, Laurie, and Fen will each have to fight their own battles to survive, to be true to themselves, and to one another – with nothing less than the fate of the world hanging in the balance.[/learn_more] |
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Tags: Fresh Meat, March 2015
Lots of yummy looking books coming out that I haven’t heard of. 🙂
Stormi recently posted…Audioreview of Shadowfever
Adding The Witch of Painted Sorrows to my wish list. I have a weakness for anything paranormal set in Paris!
E.J. Stevens recently posted…Paranormal Road Trip: Destination Kingsholme, Faerie with C.T. Adams
I thought I had nothing preordered this week, but I do! The Shadowhunters novella! *goes to check Kindle*
Pili recently posted…It’s nearly time for LIARS INC! Interview with Paula Stokes!!
I don’t recognize many of the books out this week Carmel, I feel out of the loop! I do look forward to the new Gail Carriger series, I so enjoy her sense of humor:) I still need to finish both of her other series though! I’m so far behind. O.o
Thanks for posting these!
kindlemom1 recently posted…Review: Sea of Stars by Amy A. Bartol
Only book I’m familiar with this week is Prudence and it was soooo awesome!
Mogsy recently posted…Book Review: Prudence by Gail Carriger
So many goodies this week!
Aurian recently posted…Leslie Meier – Mistletoe Murder
Some of these are new to me authors. Looks like I have to get busy reading. It’s been a while since I read a Donna Grant book and I liked her books. Might be a good time to pick another one up.
Mary Kirkland recently posted…Review: Bobbi Jean’s 2pc Silicone Tong Set and Bonus Silicone Spatula.
Oh, I really love the cover for Prudence. Thanks for sharing!
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
Oh I didn’t know about the dissonance novella! Woot! Gotta grab it, thanks 🙂
Berls recently posted…When Authors Just Stop?
Not that some of these don’t look good, but there’s nothing I can’t live without this week. Thank goodness! 😉
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Teaser Tuesday ~ #60
The only ones I want to read from those is Bayou Blues and The Witch of Painted Sorrows… Ok… I already read Bayou Blues and loved it!! By the way, I’m sorry you didn’t have a nice end…. I think yours was worst than mine. 🙂
BookaholicCat recently posted…Blog Tour – Excerpt & Giveaway: Taken by a Dragon by Felicity Heaton