Showing posts with label Strange Chemistry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strange Chemistry. Show all posts

27 November 2012

TRAILER TUESDAY #6: THE LOST PRINCE, BROKEN AND DANCE OF SHADOWS

The purpose of my weekly trailer teasers is to highlight some fab books (and/or their related movies). Here are this week's trailers:

First up, isn't actually the trailer for a book, but I couldn't resist showing you. It is actually a trailer showing the behind the scenes of how the cover for The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa was made. It will be published by Mira Ink in January 2013. It's absolutely amazing what some people can do on Photoshop. Take a look:

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.



*****
Yesterday, the trailer A.E. Rought's Broken was unveiled (thanks to The Pewter Wolf for bringing it to my attention). Based on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this looks set to be an interesting modern retelling. It will be published by Strange Chemistry on 8th January 2013.

A string of suspicious deaths near a small Michigan town ends with a fall that claims the life of Emma Gentry's boyfriend, Daniel. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She and Daniel had been made for each other, complete only when they were together. Now she restlessly wanders the town in the late Fall gloom, haunting the cemetery and its white-marbled tombs, feeling Daniel everywhere, his spectre in the moonlight and the fog.

When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned widowed surgeon, she's intrigued despite herself. He's an enigma, melting into shadows, preferring to keep to himself. But he is as drawn to her as she is to him. He is strangely... familiar. From the way he knows how to open her locker when it sticks, to the nickname she shared only with Daniel, even his hazel eyes with brown flecks are just like Daniel's.

The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there's something very wrong with Alex Franks. And when Emma stumbles across a grotesque and terrifying menagerie of mangled but living animals within the walls of the Franks' estate, creatures she surely knows must have died from their injuries, she knows.



*****

Having just read this next book, I was excited to excited to hear that the book trailer for Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black, was revealed on MTV's Hollywood Crush blog last week. Dance of Shadows will be published by Bloomsbury in February 2013.

One step into passion. Two steps into danger. Three steps and there's no going back...

Vanessa Adler isn't so sure she really belongs at the School of American Ballet. But dance runs in her family. It's been a part of life for as long as she can remember. Her grandmother and mother were prima ballerinas, and her older sister Margaret was, too. That is, until Margaret mysteriously disappeared from school three years ago. Vanessa is heir to the family's gift and the only person who can fulfill her sister's destiny. She has no choice.

But she never could have guessed how dangerous the school is. The infamous choreographer, one in which the school's dancers - prized for their beauty, grace, and discipline - become pawns in a world of darkness...
For extracts from Margaret's diary, fabulous giveaways and inside information about the book, become a Facebook fan today!

You can read my review for Dance of Shadows here, or you can watch the trailer below.


15 November 2012

REVIEW: KATYA'S WORLD

Author: Jonathan L. Howard
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 6th November 2012
Genre: Science fiction
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

The distant and unloved colony world of Russalka has no land, only the raging sea. No clear skies, only the endless storm clouds. Beneath the waves, the people live in pressurised environments and take what they need from the boundless ocean. It is a hard life, but it is theirs and they fought a war against Earth to protect it. But wars leave wounds that never quite heal, and secrets that never quite lie silent.
Katya Kuriakova doesn’t care much about ancient history like that, though. She is making her first submarine voyage as crew; the first nice, simple journey of what she expects to be a nice, simple career.
There is nothing nice and simple about the deep black waters of Russalka, however; soon she will encounter pirates and war criminals, see death and tragedy at first hand, and realise that her world’s future lies on the narrowest of knife edges. For in the crushing depths lies a sleeping monster, an abomination of unknown origin, and when it wakes, it will seek out and kill every single person on the planet. (Goodreads)


Katya, despite being only 15, was an extremely practical and logical young girl at the start of her navigation career. As her first job veered extremely off-course, she was able to come up with solutions to life threatening situations that even experienced war veterans weren’t able to think of. She was also very forthright and stubborn, refusing to be left behind from any dangerous missions on multiple occasions, despite the risks. All of these things made me like her a lot. She had smarts and balls!

The setting for the story is primarily underwater on a variety of different submarines. Russalka is a planet that has absolutely no land mass, forcing the inhabitants from earth to live under water, on submarines, on ships or on water platforms. This makes for a very interesting setting as the threats are different to normal sci-fi/YA, the obstacles characters face are very different, and because of this I found the story really engaging.

Outlaw Kane was a most secretive and mysterious character. He often withheld important information from the other characters and at best talked cryptically. I did expect certain things to be revealed about his past and links to Russalka, but never got any of this. I don’t know why but I expected more revelations and big surprises lurking in his past. I guess if this is the start of a series, there may be more revelations later on. Despite the fact that he has had a shady past, I couldn’t help but like him. I knew deep down he was a good man by the way he looked out for and protected Katya.

Although the current inhabitants of Russalka are long ago descendants of earth, specifically Russians, they have lost their sense of heritage and ancestry and formed a completely new identity and society for themselves. I liked seeing how a group of people from the same socio-economic and cultural group now lived without any earth history to go by. Even on Russalka, a people united against earth, they still managed to have their own factions and groups, and I thought that Jonathan L. Howard’s writing managed to subtly explore human nature and behaviour without overpowering the plot.

Katya’s World is an underwater, action packed adventure with a strong lead character and amazing space setting.

Rating: 4*

7 November 2012

COVER REVEAL: EMILIE AND THE HOLLOW WORLD

The cover art for Martha Wells' forthcoming book Emilie and the Hollow World has been released. And it is looking pretty cool.

Emilie and the Hollow World will be released by Strange Chemistry in April 2013.

I love the map imagery and the steampunk feel it has. It makes me think of Phileas Fog! I'm so excited to read this :D In case you are too, here is the 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.


The cover art was produced by studio amazing15.

What are your thoughts? Love the cover?


25 October 2012

REVIEW: PANTOMIME

Author: Laura Lam
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 7th February 2013
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide. Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

The rich setting for Pantomime encompasses elements of magic, fantasy and historical Victorian period. Ellada has all the finery of the rich upper class, contrasted against the poor and the beggars. Whereas Gene has all the luxuries of the rich, she still suffers from the restrictive traditions and formalities and from the burdens of a mother that wants her to marry well and be like every other girl coming of age. 

Then there is the circus; a whole different world in itself. As soon as you start reading Pantomime you are thrown into the Circus of Magic. I loved reading about what circus life is really like behind all the glitz and magic. There were so many different personalities and characters like the 'freaks' and clowns, and whilst I expected them to be like a big family I didn't quite expect the dark and sinister 'hazing' that Micah received when he started there.

The magical element in the story is Vestige and the mysterious Penglass domes. I wasn't really sure what exactly Vestige was, although it had a steampunk feel to it. I'm hoping that the world building and magic is explored in more detail in subsequent books, as there is so much potential for this to develop into something beautifully complex and colourful. Whilst this book focused more on the characters and their development, I would really love to find out more about the different countries and their dwindling magic.

What makes Pantomime different from so many other books out there is the big twist in the story. Actually I think there are two surprises. One I picked up on fairly early into the plot, as there were some little hints floating around. But the other I hadn't quite guessed, although it made sense when I found out. I can't tell you what these twists are, because it would completely spoil the story. But I will say that Pantomime will get you thinking, it will open your mind, and hopefully remind people that no matter what our differences everyone deserves to live their life how they want to, with freedom, equality, and respect. I also really admire Laura Lam for writing a book that dares to pick such a unique and slightly taboo topic and write it with really sensitivity.

Pantomime is a dark, gritty world where all the fun of the fair can turn sinister at any time.

Rating: 4*

5 October 2012

REVIEW: THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 4th October 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. (Goodreads)


Ananna is gruff, tough and most certainly rough around the edges. But as a pirate's daughter that has grown up aboard a pirate ship, who can blame her. She's not the sort of girl that I would want to meet in a dark alley, and to start I didn't take an instant liking to her. But she very quickly grew on me, as she  wouldn't take stick from anyone. I loved the way she could stand up for herself, fight her way out of a situation and give as good as she got. And despite her stubborn and coarse nature, she seemed to develop a little soft spot for the assassin sent to kill her.

I loved that Naji and Ananna were bound together by an Impossible Curse. There’s something very fairytale and romantic about the idea, and the fact that they had to remain within a certain proximity of each other meant they were forced to spend time together and get on to some degree. Although Naji was completely blind to Ananna and her feelings and also very reticent about sharing anything, I could see why Ananna might start to fall for him. Because Naji is an assassin that wears black clothes to cover his entire body and face, he has this dark, mysterious appeal. His scarred face gives him a vulnerable and self-depreciating quality.

The story is set in some magical, exotic and rugged places, from deserts, the ocean and a magical jungle on an unusual floating island. These different places add to the action and the plot and give the story a really mystical air. I'm really intrigued to see where Ananna and Naji might visit next and I really hope it's some where new, different and special.

Plot-wise, the story starts with Ananna running away and very soon after sees her and Naji set off on a journey fraught with danger and adventure. There is dark magic mixed in and strange women from other worlds. Like Ananna I didn't know who could be trusted, and coupled with being on the run this made Anannna's situation seem very scary. She seemed to relish a lot of this danger though, getting involved in the action whenever she could.

A slight pet peeve for me was Anannna’s use of incorrect grammar, to make her speech more colloquial and pirate-esque. She regularly used double negatives even when she intended for the end result to be negative. I'm not know sure why this bothered me so much, it just did. Despite this, I still really enjoyed   this book.

The Assassin’s Curse is a pirate fantasy bursting with romance, action and adventure.

Rating: 4*

21 September 2012

REVIEW: POLTERGEEKS

Author: Sean Cummings
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: October 2012
Genre: MG & YA
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.


Sean Cummings writing style was the first thing that grabbed me when I started reading. It flows naturally, and perfectly encompasses Julie's character including her sassiness, wit and outspoken teen voice. It reads so naturally like a teenager that I instantly got a sense of what Julie's personality was like and I loved her.

Although I guessed pretty much from the outset what was coming at the end, I'm not sure if this was down to my extra good guessing abilities or easy to read plot/characters. Despite this there were still a few twists and surprises that threw me so that I still enjoyed the ending, and the plot overall was energetic and action packed. The premise behind the story has so much potential and I can see Julie getting into a whole host of adventures, or misadventures, in future books and I think it would work so well as a TV series.

The magical elements bring the story to life, with the grimoire passed down to Julie, her mother's collection of unusual smelling concoctions, the shadowcull legacy and don't forget a bit of grave digging.

After Julie, I liked Marcus the best. Because he provides the 'reasonable' and scientific perspective. He tries to fit magic into science and his understanding of the physical world, remains a little sceptical, but also makes steps to believing some of the crazy things that are happening around him.

Although it hadn't really crossed my mind at the time, Non at Catnip, pointed out how well the content and style for Poltergeeks would be appropriate for a younger Middle Grade age range. I think younger audiences would really relate to Julie, the confusing situation she is in with Marcus and their changing relationship. Although she's not popular in school, she is quirky, quick-witted and completely herself. For young girls I think she shines as a role model.

Poltergeeks is a sassy, funny, and thrilling YA debut.

Rating: 4*

20 September 2012

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: SEAN CUMMINGS ON POLTERGEEKS

Today I am really excited to have author Sean Cummings joining me on the blog to kindly answer a few questions about his new YA novel Poltergeeks. You can read my review tomorrow here on the blog or you can head on over to Amazon to grab yourself a copy. Be sure to check the bottom of the post for links!

How would you describe Poltergeeks to a potential reader?
A supernatural action movie in book form with spills, thrills, fantastic characters and angsty teen romance thrown in for good measure.

What sparked the ideas for this new book?
I’d be lying if Buffy wasn’t one of the inspirational points for POLTERGEEKS. Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series is a massive inspiration in the colourful characters and multiple sub plots. But mostly, I think the primary inspiration came from a desire to write a solid urban fantasy for teens as opposed to a paranormal romance. There’s been a blurring of the lines between paranormal romance and UF, so I really wanted to write something with a strong central character who is focused on working the mystery and saving the day.

Photo by David Marc Anderson
Poltergeists and the paranormal feature heavily in Poltergeeks. Did you need to carry out any research to help you write the book, and if so, what did you research?
I watched the best ghost movie ever made, Poltergeist. I actually went to the theaters to see it 30 years ago and it’s still a damned scary movie after all these years. I spent a bit of time online watching YouTube videos of poltergeist activity (most of which is fake, but cool nonetheless) and I researched the reasons why paranormal investigators think that poltergeists exist.

The other books you’ve written, like Unseen World, have been aimed more at adult audiences. What led you to write about Julie a teenage girl, and for a younger audience?
Believe it or not, I wanted to see if I could do it. That’s been my personal driver when it comes to writing – to see if I can actually pull off writing a story that is believable and enjoyable. When I started writing POLTERGEEKS, I didn’t have an agent. Little did I realize at the time that my story would be the little manuscript that could. I found an agent thanks to this book and I found a publisher with distribution all over the world. My first three books were with Snowbooks – you don’t need an agent to submit, but you do with Angry Robot.

Who was your favourite character to develop and write for in Poltergeeks?
Betty – end of story. She’s a bit amoral and a very colourful character. When you have a character with no moral code other than an understanding of good vs evil, you get to write in a no-holds barred kind of way. So I really wanted a character who’d leap off the page in her eccentricities – Betty wears a garish leopard skin outfit – she looks like someone you’d see in an ad for a 1958 Chevrolet. She’s larger than life and fun as hell to write.

Julie is a very sassy character – did you enjoy writing from her perspective?
There’s a certain amount of snark required of all protagonists in urban fantasy.  There’s a bit of the happy warrior/self-deprecating hero in those kinds of characters. Julie is a great character because she is utterly fearless in the face of impossible odds but she’s terrified of losing those people closest to her. She’s a little bit doomed, but I think all UF protagonists are a little bit doomed in their own way. She’s strong, she’s sassy, she’s not at all afraid to unleash hell on earth to defeat the bad guy. She’s also vulnerable in the way that all teenagers are vulnerable.

If you were to 'sell' Poltergeeks using a single quote or line from the book, what would you choose?
“I’m a girl. I’m a witch. I’m a Shadowcull. Someone is going to pay.”

As a self proclaimed ‘comic book geek’, do you see yourself ever producing your own comic book?
I’ve never really thought about it. If I were to do it, I’d probably want to do a graphic novel that is very bleak and disturbing and filled with non-stop action so, you know, zombies. I do love zombies.

Which authors, characters or comic books inspired you when you were growing up?
When I was a teen there was no Young Adult genre. So we all read Stephen King or John Saul. King is the starting point for all good novels where we’re asking the reader to suspend belief for a few hundred pages. THE STAND is at the epicenter of this, I think. But anyone who wants to write something creepy where young people are involved needs to read John Saul’s earlier works like “When the Wind Blows” or “Comes the Blind Fury”.

If you could be a superhero what would your special powers be?
Flight and the ability to cause things to explode with just a thought. 

What can we expect next from Sean Cummings?
The sequel to POLTERGEEKS has been submitted to my editor at Strange Chemistry. It’s called STUDENT BODIES and it’s a much darker book.  My agent is shopping an adult UF called TIM REAPER and I do hope it finds a publisher because it’s a thrilling read with a great central character who is even more amoral than Betty in POLTERGEEKS. I have to do revisions for an apocalyptic YA novel I’ve written called THE NORTH.


Thank you so much Sean for taking time to answer my questions! If you would like more information on Sean or his first YA book Poltergeeks which will be published on October 4th 2012 by Strange Chemistry, you can find it here: 

6 September 2012

STRANGE CHEMISTRY GOODY BAG GIVEAWAY

Picture of the goody bag
Following the lovely launch of Strange Chemistry, I was lucky enough to get an extra goody bag to offer to 1 UK resident as a giveaway.

The giveaway prize includes:
  • Strange Chemistry reusable bag
  • ARC of The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Clare Rose
  • ARC of Blackwood by Gwenda Bond
  • 3 postcards
  • USB with ePubs of Strange Chemistry launch titles, and an excerpt from Broken by AE Rought 
  • 1 unicorn pencil topper/rubber
  • Bottle of pirate bubbles

Unfortunately due to postage, I'm only offering this as a UK giveaway. You can enter below until Friday 21st September 2012. On 22nd September I will contact the winner and you will have 2 days to reply, otherwise the giveaway will be offered to another entrant.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 September 2012

REVIEW: BLACKWOOD

Author: Gwenda Bond
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 6th September 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other. (Goodreads)


In Blackwood, Gwenda Bond has taken a seed of truth from history and created something mysterious, alchemical and dark. Roanoke is a tiny little island with a real past - 114 people went missing back when America was first being explored, and in Blackwood, 114 people mysteriously disappear again. I loved this concept of taking elements of history and a mystery from real life and turning into a modern day story.

The way aspects of the backstory and history fitted together with the present day did however confuse me a little. I wasn't 100% certain what the strange gun really did, or where the people actually disappeared to. The writing style was also a little halting as the character point of view changed with chapters from Miranda to Phillips, slowing down the flow, and I did struggle in the last third of the story as the pace slowed down.

Miranda was the island's resident 'freak', and her father was the town drunk. They came from a long line of Blackwood's, each shunned as their ancestors were. The family curse placed on her would probably overwhelm most people. But Miranda was determined and unstoppable. Together with Phillips, who has his own reputation, Miranda and Phillips were an unlikely but interesting pair to solve the Island's mystery.

At first Phillips comes across as pure bad boy. He steals his parent's car, sneaks off campus, and breaks into buildings. But as I got to understand him more, I realised he was caring, reliable, and trusting. I would have liked to have known more about why Phillips liked Miranda. I know he does, I know that he feels some affinity with her, but I wanted him to spell out what he liked about her. For me that would have made his feelings more tangible and real, rather than something that just existed.

Dee, the famous alchemist, is linked into the story as the master behind the history of the island. What made him into the bad guy for me was the fact that he inhabited someone else's body (I won't say who) which was rather gross. He was very creepy and sinister character, making him a perfect bad guy to the story.

Blackwood is a dark and interesting fusion of historical and modern day alchemy, mystery and magic.

Rating: 3.5*

26 August 2012

STRANGE CHEMISTRY LAUNCHES


I'm so excited that Strange Chemistry has finally launched. Strange Chemistry, as a 'younger sister' to Angry Robot, will publish modern young adult science fiction, fantasy and everything in between. They have an amazing lineup of authors and new titles coming out, some of whom we heard readings from at the launch earlier this week. The launch itself was a huge success and a very promising start to a wonderful imprint - not only did the books grab your attention, but the popping candy in test tubes certainly got me bubbling with excitement! Keep you eyes peeled on My Book Journey for a Strange Chemistry goody bag giveaway coming soon!

Below are the burbs for the first 5 books to be released, and you can read extracts of these titles on Strange Chemistry's website.

Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke - tbp October 2012
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.


Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings - tbp October 2012
15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.
In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.



Blackwood by Gwenda Bond - tbp September 2012
On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.
Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.
Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.


Shift by Kim Curran - tbp September 2012
When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he's not so average after all. He's a 'Shifter'. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he's ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.



Katya's World by Jonathan L. Howard - tbp November 2012
The distant and unloved colony world of Russalka has no land, only the raging sea. No clear skies, only the endless storm clouds. Beneath the waves, the people live in pressurised environments and take what they need from the boundless ocean. It is a hard life, but it is theirs and they fought a war against Earth to protect it. But wars leave wounds that never quite heal, and secrets that never quite lie silent.
Katya Kuriakova doesn’t care much about ancient history like that, though. She is making her first submarine voyage as crew; the first nice, simple journey of what she expects to be a nice, simple career.
There is nothing nice and simple about the deep black waters of Russalka, however; soon she will encounter pirates and war criminals, see death and tragedy at first hand, and realise that her world’s future lies on the narrowest of knife edges. For in the crushing depths lies a sleeping monster, an abomination of unknown origin, and when it wakes, it will seek out and kill every single person on the planet.


Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for Strange Chemistry's other titles which will be released in 2013:

Broken by AE Rought
The Holders by Julien Scott
Pantomime by Laura Lam


18 July 2012

EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL & ARC GIVEAWAY: BROKEN

Today I am really pleased to be part of the exclusive cover reveal for Strange Chemistry's January 2013 title BROKEN by A.E. Rought:

Imagine a modern spin on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where a young couple’s undying love and the grief of a father pushed beyond sanity could spell the destruction of them all.

A string of suspicious deaths near a small Michigan town ends with a fall that claims the life of Emma Gentry’s boyfriend, Daniel. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She and Daniel had been made for each other, complete only when they were together. Now she restlessly wanders the town in the late Fall gloom, haunting the cemetary and its white-marbled tombs, feeling Daniel everywhere, his spectre in the moonlight and the fog.

When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned widowed surgeon, she’s intrigued despite herself. He’s an enigma, melting into shadows, preferring to keep to himself. But he is as drawn to her as she is to him. He is strangely…familiar. From the way he knows how to open her locker when it sticks, to the nickname she shared only with Daniel, even his hazel eyes with brown flecks are just like Daniel’s. The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there’s something very wrong with Alex Franks.

And when Emma stumbles across a grotesque and terrifying menagerie of mangled but living animals within the walls of the Franks’ estate, creatures she surely knows must have died from their injuries, she knows.

What do you think of the cover? I love the colours and the gothic feel to it! It perfectly fits the synopsis for the book.

Broken will be simultaneously released in paper and ebook versions in January 2013, which seems like a long way away! To make the wait even more tantalising here is my favourite snippet from Broken picked out by Ann the author.

       A heavy breath escapes me, and if he wasn’t holding me so close, I might melt and pour from this dress. 
     Alex clings to me like I may honestly be a fairytale princess and when he lets go, I’m going to disappear. He pulls off one glove, tingles following his bare hand as it glides over the curve of my back, up my neck to tangle in my curls. He guides my head to his chest. Thunder rumbles in his heartbeat, and his electric surge slicks over my skin like warm oil. 
     Neither of us speak. Words have less meaning than time in his arms. 
    “There’s so much I want to say,” he whispers in my ear. I press my fingers to his lips. My heart jolts when Alex kisses them. Then he curls them in his gloved hand and holds my hand pressed above his heart. “Feel that? It doesn’t beat for me, Emma.”

Gah, I can't wait to read it! If like me you can't wait to get your hands on a copy, enter below to win an ARC of Broken - UK entrants only sorry. (Please note: the giveaway deadline is 1st August 2012, and the winning ARC will be available a few weeks after this.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway