First off, let's get the No, Duh selections out of the way. As in, The Howling Boy. Duhhhhh. Just One Day. Duh. Isla and the Happily Ever After. Duh. Dracomachia. Double duh. More Than This. All duhs in the history of duhs. We (and the rest of you) will be elbowing each other out of the way for those new books. But what other release dates do we have circled on our calendars?
Goodreads Synopsis: The first book in an exciting YA trilogy, this is the story of two best friends on the verge of a terrifying divide when they begin to encounter a cast of strange and mythical characters. Set against the lush, magical backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, two inseparable best friends who have grown up like sisters—the charismatic, mercurial, and beautiful Aurora and the devoted, soulful, watchful narrator—find their bond challenged for the first time ever when a mysterious and gifted musician named Jack comes between them. Suddenly, each girl must decide what matters most: friendship, or love. What both girls don’t know is that the stakes are even higher than either of them could have imagined. They’re not the only ones who have noticed Jack’s gift; his music has awakened an ancient evil—and a world both above and below which may not be mythical at all. The real and the mystical; the romantic and the heartbreaking all begin to swirl together, carrying the two on journey that is both enthralling and terrifying. And it’s up to the narrator to protect the people she loves—if she can.
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Noelle: Anyone who read my review of The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke, knew The Pirate's Wish was going to show up here. With all the setup out of the way, the sequel has promise of being even better than the first book. I'm dying to get my hands on it. (Strange Chemistry: June 4, 2013)
Goodreads Synopsis: After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach. Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.
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Maggie: My first choice doesn't have a cover but it at least has a title. My second choice has neither, but anyone who's read Angelfall by Susan Ee has been waiting with bated breath for news of the sequel. Fall 2013. It's on. (Amazon Children's Publishing)
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Noelle: Who didn't add Daisy Whitney's When You Were Here to their to-read list at that original "Where She Went meets Lost in Translation" blurb? (Little, Brown: June 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see. Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore. When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harijuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.
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Maggie: This one doesn't have a cover either. However, it already has an award. Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts won the 2012 Text Prize. Text publishes some of our favorite authors, like Leanne Hall (winner of the 2009 Text Prize), Vikki Wakefield, and Paula Weston, so I have high expectations for Zac and Mia. (Text: August 2013)
Text synopsis: Zac and Mia opens in an oncology ward in Perth, where 17-year-old Zac is recovering from a bone marrow transplant for leukaemia. He and Mia, the ‘newbie’ patient in the room next door, begin a friendship via Facebook, letters and messages passed through one of the nurses — but out of hospital things are a lot more complicated. Written with great humour, Zac and Mia is a realistic novel about being a young person in extraordinary circumstances.
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Noelle: I feel like I've had my eye on this next book for-ev-er. But never fear! The release date of Bruised by Sarah Skilton is finally near! (Amulet/Abrams: March 5, 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: When Imogen, a sixteen-year-old black belt in Tae Kwon Do, freezes during a holdup at a local diner, the gunman is shot and killed by the police, and she blames herself for his death. Before the shooting, she believed that her black belt made her stronger than everyone else -- more responsible, more capable. But now her sense of self has been challenged and she must rebuild her life, a process that includes redefining her relationship with her family and navigating first love with the boy who was at the diner with her during the shootout. With action, romance, and a complex heroine, Bruised introduces a vibrant new voice to the young adult world -- full of dark humor and hard truths.
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Maggie: I just came across this on Alpha Reader's Most Anticipated Books of 2013 list and the word basketball immediately jumped out at me. (Go Spurs Go!) Canary by Rachele Alpine has "destroy me" potential. (Medallion Press: August 28, 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone.
Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete.
But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. Although she knows she should speak out, her dad’s vehemently against it and so, like a canary sent into a mine to test toxicity levels and protect miners, Kate alone breathes the poisonous secrets to protect her dad and the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes.
Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse.
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Noelle: A Psychological YA Thriller by Lucy Christopher?! Where do I sign? The Killing Woods can't be released soon enough for me. (Chicken House Ltd: March 5, 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: Emily’s dad is accused of murdering a teenage girl. Emily is sure he is innocent, but what happened that night in the woods behind their house where she used to play as a child? Determined to find out, she seeks out Damon Hillary the enigmatic boyfriend of the murdered girl. He also knows these woods. Maybe they could help each other. But he’s got secrets of his own about games that are played in the dark.
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Maggie: Lili Wilkinson x stage magicians x a bunny named Warren. Need I say more? (Okay, technically I can't say more since there isn't much information and the book isn't even listed on goodreads yet.) But a picture is worth a thousand words. Look at this cover! I got the cover off Lili's website and according to her Twitter, The Zigzag Effect will be released April 2013. (I'm assuming by Allen & Unwin.)
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Noelle: You all know I love Martha Wells so her first official YA fantasy release, Emilie & the Hollow World is getting an automatic spot on this list. (Strange Chemistry: April 2, 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: While running away from home for reasons that are eminently defensible, Emilie’s plans to stow away on the steamship Merry Bell and reach her cousin in the big city go awry, landing her on the wrong ship and at the beginning of a fantastic adventure. Taken under the protection of Lady Marlende, Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use the aether currents and an experimental engine, and with the assistance of Lord Engal, journey to the interior of the planet in search of Marlende’s missing father. With the ship damaged on arrival, they attempt to traverse the strange lands on their quest. But when evidence points to sabotage and they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with the strange race of the sea-lands, Emilie has to make some challenging decisions and take daring action if they are ever to reach the surface world again.
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Maggie: I started off 2012 by reading Mercy Thompson. All of Mercy Thompson. I thought it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with urban fantasy, but honestly, I haven't liked another series nearly as much. Luckily, Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7) by Patricia Briggs will be released in 2013. Hauptman. Swoon. (Orbit: March 5, 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: Shapeshifter Mercy Thompson's life is calming down, at least enough that she can focus on mundane matters like Black Friday sales. But on her return, Mercy is unable to contact her mate, Alpha Adam Hauptman, or the other members of their pack. All she knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam's disappearance may be related - and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from the most unlikely of allies: the vampire seethe.
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Noelle: My urban fantasy pick for 2013 has to be Haze by Paula Weston. As we mentioned above, Text Publishing authors are basically an auto-buy for us at this point and Paula Weston and Shadows was one of my favorite new discoveries of 2012. I can't wait to see what comes next!
This being a sequel and all, I'll play it safe and just link to the Goodreads synopsis. Don't want to accidentally spoil anything for those still waiting for the US release of Shadows.
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Maggie: Whoever said you shouldn't judge books by their covers said it to make books that didn't have THIS cover feel better. Seriously, just look at Girl Defective by Simmone Howell. This cover kicks so much ass. It's already my favorite cover of 2013. The title and description just add to the anticipation. (Pan Macmillan Australia: March 1, 2013)
Goodreads synopsis: We, the Martin family, were like inverse superheroes, marked by our defects. Dad was addicted to beer and bootlegs. Gully had "social difficulties" that manifested in his wearing a pig snout mask 24-7. I was surface clean but underneath a weird hormonal stew was simmering...
It's summer in St Kilda. Fifteen-year-old Sky is looking forward to great records and nefarious activities with Nancy, her older, wilder friend. Her brother – Super Agent Gully – is on a mission to unmask the degenerate who bricked the shop window. Bill the Patriarch seems content to drink while the shop slides into bankruptcy. A poster of a mysterious girl and her connection to Luke, the tragi-hot new employee sends Sky on an exploration into the dark heart of the suburb. Love is strange. Family Rules. In between there are teenage messes, rock star spawn, violent fangirls, creepy old guys and accidents waiting to happen. If the world truly is going to hell in a hand-basket then at least the soundtrack is kicking. Sky Martin is Girl Defective: funny, real and dark at the edges.
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Noelle: I loved Split and am beyond intrigued by the hybrid graphic novel/prose format of Swati Avasthi's latest book Chasing Shadows (August 6, 2013). It's killing me that there's no cover art available yet. *grabby hands*
Goodreads Synopsis: College-bound Holly, Corey, and Savitri plan to make their last summer together count between reading comic books and free running (a sport that blends gymnastics with running through an urban landscape). But a bullet changes everything: Corey is dead; Savitri wants revenge, and Holly withdraws into a world of her own making, where she can rescue Corey from Death himself. As Holly disappears into a realm beyond Savitri’s reach, Savitri must decide how far she'll go to rescue Holly. Written as a hybrid between graphic novel and prose, Chasing Shadows is about how we let go of people we love.
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Maggie: For my final book, I'm pulling out my tie-dyed Rayanne Graff "duh squared" card. Noelle and I already mentioned it above, but I have to mention it again because it is unquestionably my most anticipated book of 2013. Howling Boy. Cath Crowley. Duh squared. Like with my other choices, details are few and far between, but here's one from Cath that should make the lack of cover more bearable. (Pan Macmillan Australia: September 2013)
Noelle: Um, duh.
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So there you have it! There's nothing like starting off a new year with an exciting new to-read list! What are you looking forward to reading in 2013?
