You guys! I’m so excited to be able to finally shout some things from the rooftops. This is going to be an amazing year in publishing, and a lot of people I love and respect are being published for the first time. Some of those were people I learned from when this blog was brand new, back when I was an even bigger bumbling idiot than I am now. Others are people who were learning along with me from the wonderful authors who were kind enough to share their knowledge here on Adventures. Still others are folks I am just now meeting on OneFour Kidlit as I start my “debut” year. I am thrilled to be able to share this year with each and every one of them.
ADVENTURES ALUMS AND FRIENDS GIVEAWAYS
These Broken Starsby Meagan Spooner & Amie Kaufman
Hardcover Giveaway
Disney-Hyperion
It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.
Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.
A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about These Broken Stars?
Meg: I’d have to say my favorite thing about THESE BROKEN STARS is the alternating points of view. It was my favorite part of writing it, definitely. I loved opening up the document to see what Amie had written, because sometimes she’d go places I didn’t expect. And often, I’d get to see Tarver’s perspective on something I’d just written from Lilac’s point of view, which was tremendous fun. I think the dual POV is also my favorite thing about it as a finished book, from a reader’s perspective. I love that you get to see both sides of this tense relationship as it changes and develops over the course of the book, and that you can understand where both characters are coming from. I think it makes their relationship all the more hard-won, and satisfying.
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White Hot Kiss
by Jennifer L Armentrout
Paperback Giveaway
Harlequin Teen
Released 2/25/2014
One kiss could be the last
Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she’s anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.
Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.
Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul.
But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about White Hot Kiss?
Roth has a tattoo of a snake that comes off his snake. The snake is named Bambi. 🙂
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Run to You: First Sight
by Clara Kensie
Digital Giveaway
Harlequin Teen
Released 2/1/2014
Part One in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
Sarah Spencer has a secret: her real name is Tessa Carson, and to stay alive, she can tell no one the truth about her psychically gifted family and the danger they are running from. As the new girl in the latest of countless schools, she also runs from her attraction to Tristan Walker—after all, she can’t even tell him her real name. But Tristan won’t be put off by a few secrets. Not even dangerous ones that might rip Tessa from his arms before they even kiss…
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Run to You: First Sight?
Besides the romance, my favorite thing about RUN TO YOU is seeing people’s reactions to the huge plot twists.
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Run to You: Second Glance
by Clara Kensie
Digital Giveaway
Harlequin Teen
Released 2/8/2014
Part Two in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
Tessa Carson has unlocked her heart and her secrets to Tristan Walker—but Tristan has secrets of his own, and his might just mean the end of Tessa’s family. Unaware, Tessa embraces falling in love and being herself for the first time since she was attacked when she was only eight years old. But secrets can’t be run from forever, and sometimes love is too good to be true…
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* * * *

Run to You: Third Charm
by Clara Kensie
Giveaway
Harlequin Teen
Released 2/15/2014
Part Three in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger…
Betrayed, heartbroken, and determined to save her family, Tessa Carson refuses to give in to Tristan Walker’s pleas for forgiveness. But her own awakening psychic gift won’t let her rest until she uncovers the truth about her family and her past. And Tristan is the only one who can help her sift through the secrets to find the truth hidden in all the lies…
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* * *
Awakened in the prison of her adolescent body, she finds a new master in possession of the opal that binds her. But seventeen-year-old Jered is unlike any she’s seen. His kindness makes Leela yearn to trust again, to allow herself a glimmer of hope.
Could Jered be strong enough to free her from the curse of the Binding Stone?
INTRODUCING YOUNG ADULT DEBUTS FROM OneFour Kidlit
ROSAMUND HODGE is a new acquaintance from OneFour Kidlit, and while I’ve been very remiss at meeting all those wonderful people while I’ve been in my editing cave and traveling, I’m going to go ahead and use Rosamund as a guinea pig to introduce you all to the fabulousness and talent that you have in store for you this year. One lucky winner will get to take home her amazing book.
Cruel Beauty
by Rosamund Hodge
Hardcover Giveaway
Balzer + Bray
Released 1/28/2014
Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl’s journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.
Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.
As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Cruel Beauty?
My favorite part of Cruel Beauty is that the heroine, Nyx, is not a nice person. She’s angry. She’s jealous. And though she tries to do the right thing, sometimes she’s honestly cruel.
When I was a teenager, I struggled a lot with my temper. So I sympathized with every Mean Girl character I ever read about, even the really awful ones you were supposed to hate, because I felt like I was pretty awful too sometimes. And I was desperate for stories about girls like me. When I started writing Cruel Beauty, I was determined to create a heroine who was genuinely ugly inside—who would sometimes say or do awful things—and who still got to fall in love, and tell her own story, and become a hero.
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MORE YOUNG ADULT OneFour Kidlit NOVELS
The rest of these novels are coming out in January and February from debut authors. The list is incredible and varied, so there’s something here for everyone. Check them out! And come back on the last Sunday each month to check out the next installment of upcoming books!
No Surrender Soldier
by Christine Kohler
Hardcover
Merit Press
Released 1/1/2014
A young man, an old soldier , and a terrible injustice. Should the punishment be death?
Growing up on Guam in 1972, fifteen-year-old Kiko is beset by worries: He’s never kissed a girl, and he thinks it’s possible he never will. The popular guys get all the attention, but the worst part is that Kiko has serious problems at home. His older brother is missing in Vietnam; his grandfather is losing it to dementia; he just learned that his mother was raped in World War II by a Japanese soldier. It all comes together when he discovers an old man, a Japanese soldier, hiding in the jungle behind his house. It’s not the same man who raped his mother, but, in his rage, Kiko cares only about protecting his family and avenging his mom – no matter what it takes. And so, a shy, peaceable boy begins to plan a murder. But how far will Kiko go to prove to himself that he’s a man ? Based on a historical incident, No Surrender Soldier is the story of a boy grappling with ancient questions of courage and manhood before he can move on.
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Salt
by Danielle Ellison
Kindle Edition
Entangled: Teen
Released 1/1/2014
Penelope is a witch, part of a secret society protecting humans from demon attacks. But when she was a child, a demon killed her parents—and stole her magic. Since then, she’s been pretending to be something she’s not, using her sister’s magic to hide her own loss, to prevent being sent away.
When she’s finally given the chance to join the elite demon-hunting force, Penelope thinks that will finally change. With her sister’s help, she can squeeze through the tests and get access to the information she needs to find “her” demon. To take back what was stolen.
Then she meets Carter. He’s cute, smart, and she can borrow his magic, too. He knows her secret—but he also has one of his own.
Suddenly, Penelope’s impossible quest becomes far more complicated. Because Carter’s not telling her everything, and it’s starting to seem like the demons have their own agenda…and they’re far too interested in her.
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Where You’ll Find Me
by Erin Fletcher
Kindle Edition
Entangled: Teen
Released 1/1/2014
When Hanley Helton discovers a boy living in her garage, she knows she should kick him out. But Nate is too charming to be dangerous. He just needs a place to get away, which Hanley understands. Her own escape methods (vodka, black hair dye, and pretending the past didn’t happen) are more traditional, but who is she to judge?
Nate doesn’t tell her why he’s in her garage, and she doesn’t tell him what she’s running from. Soon, Hanley’s trading her late-night escapades for all-night conversations and stolen kisses. But when Nate’s recognized as the missing teen from the news, Hanley isn’t sure which is worse: that she’s harboring a fugitive, or that she’s in love with one.
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The Promise of Amazing
by Robin Constantine
Hardcover
Balzer + Bray
Released 1/2/2014
Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who’s always done what she’s supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.
Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.
One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.
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Fake ID
by Lamar Giles
Hardcover
Amistad
Released 1/21/2014
Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight…
My name isn’t really Nick Pearson.
I shouldn’t tell you where I’m from or why my family moved to Stepton, Virginia.
I shouldn’t tell you who I really am, or my hair, eye, and skin color.
And I definitely shouldn’t tell you about my friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy he was about to uncover when he died—right after I moved to town. About how I had to choose between solving his murder with his hot sister, Reya, and “staying low-key” like the Program has taught me. About how moving to Stepon changed my life forever.
But I’m going to.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about FAKE ID?
My favorite thing about FAKE ID are the two leads, Nick and Reya. An African-American boy and a Latina girl teaming up to solve a mystery. They appeal to me so much because they are like the people I grew up with. They represent a world I’m used to seeing (multi-colored/cultural) in real life, but have rarely seen in the pages of books (or on TV and movie screens) throughout the years. There’s a certain homogeny in YA fiction (or maybe just fiction) that tends to exclude people who aren’t the default, widely accepted protagonist. Growing up among the excluded, and wondering quite frequently and painfully why only certain people–those who looked nothing like me–could be heroes in the tales I loved, well, it sucked.
So, I’m super excited to present characters who don’t fit the mold. If somewhere there’s a kid who picks up my book, and breathes easy because he or she gets to read a story about people who seem a little more familiar than what they’re used to in other books, then my dreams have come true. And further, should I have children one day, and they get to read books that are more diverse and inclusive than what has been the norm, I can proudly say I (with some help from Nick and Reya) did my part to change the status quo, so they wouldn’t know the pain of exclusivity I felt growing up.
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A Mad, Wicked Folly
by Sharon Biggs Waller
Hardcover
Viking Juvenile
Released 1/23/2014
Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?
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Faking Normal
by Courtney C. Stevens
Hardcover
HarperTeen
Released 2/25/2014
An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.
Alexi Littrell hasn’t told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.
When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in “the Kool-Aid Kid,” who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.
A searing, poignant book, Faking Normal is the extraordinary debut novel from an exciting new author-Courtney C. Stevens.
Author Question: What is your favorite thing about Faking Normal?
Hmm. That’s a tough question because Faking Normal hits on so many levels for me. I believe it’s the book I was meant to write, and there’s some triumph in the fact that I ever wrote the first sentence. But my favorite part is the character of Bodee.
He’s very real to me, and I’m thankful for him. I suppose that sounds funny or a little crazy to anyone who isn’t an author. When I was writing Faking Normal, I re-experienced so much personal healing through his character. Characters, while they obviously come from the writer’s brain, don’t often manifest like a personal creation, but rather as their own entity. Bodee waltz into my life, and as he reintroduced himself, I wrote down everything he told me, everything he said that was true about me and others who have experienced pain.
Faking Normal is fiction, but I tried to be true to pain, but also to hope. Bodee is dressed in hope and speaks with healing. And I believe for every pain in the world, there is a Bodee. He will always be the boy who loved Alexi anyway, and that’s a powerful message in my own life.
One of my favorite musicians (Andrew Peterson) has a line in his song Lay Me Down that I come back to all the time. He says,
“And all of the death that ever was,
if you set it next to life
Well, I believe it would barely fill a cup.”
Pain is the common denominator of the human experience. See, the tricky thing about pain is that we all have it, but we rarely share it. What if we did? What if we chose vulnerability over shame? What if we chose honesty over secrets? What if we chose to channel our brave instead of letting fear rule us? That’s what Bodee does. He decides to tell Alexi his story, his pain, and that makes all the difference.
I’d like to be a Bodee.
And if you have pain, I hope you find your Bodee.
(If you’re interested in how Bodee became Bodee, check out The Blue-Haired Boy, a Harper Impulse story that releases 3/4/14.)
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