Below are the YA books coming out this week that I am spotlighting for my “Book Watch: Releasing This Week” post.

These are books for the week of August 28th-September 3rd that I had and have pre-ordered.

Embers & Echoes by Karsten Knight was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, the print edition is 480 pages.

Embers & Echoes is the second book in the Wildefire series by the author. The third and final book in the trilogy, Afterglow, is slated for release in 2013.

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I had Embers & Echoes pre-ordered from the second it was made available for eBook download. And I also pre-ordered a copy of the hardcover because I just had to see if it was every bit as gorgeous in real life as it seemed online.

While I had the chance to read it early. Twice. I know I’ll be reading this book again and again and it will be so much easier on my Kindle. And as I have read and reviewed it, I can’t speculate as to what might be happening with Ash as she leaves her life in California behind for an adventure in Miami, because I already know. But I can say that this Polynesian Volcano goddess does not have an easy road ahead.

There are battles. There is danger. There is heartbreak. And there is page after page of captivating story that makes me wish I could pick it right back up again.

Speechless by Hannah Harrington was released on August 28, 2012 in the U.S. in paperback and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Harlequin TEEN, the print edition is 288 pages.

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Speechless is the second book of Hannah Harrington’s that I’ve pre-ordered. And while I still haven’t had a chance to read Saving June, I couldn’t resist putting her next book on my list of books to buy.

This book sounds incredible. I can’t wait to meet Chelsea Knot and find out if she’ll be able to stick with the vow of silence she’s taken. I am curious to learn just how tough it will be for her to keep silent in the face of the “ridicule” and attacks she has to endure. And I really want to know if she’ll be able to forgive herself for the part she played in almost getting someone killed.

I’m not sure when I’ll get to read this sequel, but I’m hoping to be able to add it to the pile this fall. Because I’ve been dying to read a book by this author as I’ve heard such amazing things about her writing. And because this story sounds fascinating and possibly heartbreaking.

Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available online to order in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers the print edition is 448 pges.

Enshadowed is the sequel to author Kelly Creagh’s Nevermore.

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I think I’ve talked about Enshadowed enough. I’ve had it pre-ordered since early 2011. It was my only remaining pre-order for 2011, in fact. And it’s finally been released. Which means I will be devouring it as soon as I finish my current read.

I have missed Varen and Isobel. I have been dying to find out what will happen to him. Things were left in a dark and haunting place. And I want to see if they’ll get even darker or if there is any possibility for a happy ending.

I have no idea if this is the final book in the series or if there is more to come. And I don’t want to know. Because I have got to read this book right now. Even if it means after this long, long wait that I will have to say goodbye to the characters and story forever.

I loved the connection the author made with Poe in her first book and I can’t wait to see just how much Poe and his stories play a role in this sequel. I probably will miss many of the more subtle connections, but I am looking forward to trying to discover them all. Which will hopefully be in a day or two.

The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers, the print edition is 432 pages.

The Blood Keeper is the second book in author Tessa Gratton’s The Blood Journals series.

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The Blood Keeper is another book I’ve had pre-ordered for the longest time. I fell head over heels in love with Blood Magic last year and was dying to get to read more from author Tessa Gratton. She is a gorgeous writer and has such a beautiful, poetic way with words that make her stories just cling to me.

I love the dark aspect to her stories and can’t wait to see how the darkness blends with the beauty in this one. I’m excited to meet Mab and to see just how blood magic affects her life. And I really excited to find out whether any of the characters from that first book make an appearance in this one.

The Blood Keeper is another book that I hope to read this week. I don’t think I can wait any longer than that to find out what happens with Mab and Will and the “dangerous force” that is seeking “its own dark power.”

Isolation by Dan Wells was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in eBook format only. It is currently available to order online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins, the print length is 75 pages.

Isolation is a prequel novella in the author’s Partials series.

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While I have not yet read Partials, I just had to pre-order Dan Wells’ novella Isolation. I’ve been in love with the covers for these books and I’ve been dying to dive into Partials for awhile now. Especially as I’ve heard such amazing things about it from a few bloggers I know.

I can’t wait to see what life is like in this novella set long before the events in Partials, when the world was in a war of isolation and energy was at a premium. I’m super curious to find out how the author handles the power struggle of the various nations and where “ambition far outstrip[s] its foresight.”

And I am excited to meet Heron and see just what she discovers on her mission into enemy territory. I’m still debating whether to read this prior to reading Partials or if I should just wait and read the books in the order the author intended.

Starling by Lesley Livingston was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by HarperTeen, the print edition is 352 pages.

Starling is the first book in a new series of the same name by author Lesley Livingston.

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I have been a huge fan of author Lesley Livingston for the longest time. I feel in love with her Wondrous Strange series long before I started blogging and I’ve been desperately waiting for Once Every Never to be available for the Kindle.

So when I heard that she had a book called Starling coming out I instantly added it to my list of books to buy. And while I did get an early copy through a trade, I didn’t get a chance to read it. But I will be reading my eBook copy very, very soon. Possibly as soon as I finish this post….

I was tormented by the quote in the description - ”Love is just the beginning… of the end.” Absolutely, maddeningly cruel. In the best possible way.

I can’t wait to meet Mason Starling. and I can’t wait to see Fenn again, as I am dying to find out why he’s lost his memory and whether he’ll get it back. I am so intrigued by the promise of Norse mythology and I am excited about the fact that this book has both “sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.”

Waiting any longer to read this book is just not an option.

Defiance by C.J. Redwine was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available online to order in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins, the print edition is 416 pages.

Defiance is the first book in a new series of the same name by the author.

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I have been fascinated by this book ever since I saw its cover and title. I added Defiance to my list of pre-orders in part because of cover love, in part from the promise of what the story would hold based upon its title and in part because the main character can “deftly wield a sword.”

I hope to be able to read this book very, very soon. I want to see what’s going on in Baalboden. I want to meet Rachel Adams. And I definitely want to meet Logan McEntire. But most of all I can’t wait to see what happens as they “battle their way through the Wasteland.”

This story sounds epic. The main character sounds fiery. The protagonist sounds swoon-worthy. And any book with monsters, assassins, romance and heartbreak is one I am sure to enjoy.

Don’t Tun Around by Michelle Gagnon was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by HarperCollins, the print edition is 320 pages.

Don’t Turn Around is the first book in author Michelle Gagnon’s PERSEFoNE Trilogy.

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I first learned about Don’t Turn Around just before the Authors Are Rockstars Tour and instantly added it to my pre-orders. I loved the sound of this world from the moment I read the description.

Intrigue. Hackers. Mystery. Amnesia. Danger. And romance.

Yes, this book has just about everything I love. And as I haven’t read anything quite like it in YA before, I’m excited to meet the characters and see just how the author presents the story. I’m very curious to see just what secrets they hold and whether they’ll be able to find the answers they need before it’s too late.

While I know I won’t get the chance to read it this week, I am really hoping to read it mid-September.

The Iron Legends by Julie Kagawa was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in paperback and ebook formats. It is currently available online to order in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Harlequin Teen, the print edition is 304 pages.

The Iron Legends is the bind-up of three former eBook only novellas, Winter’s Passage, Summer’s Crossing, and Iron’s Prophecy.

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I love that all three short eBook novellas are contained in a bind-up. I pre-ordered The Iron Legends in ebook format although I have the first two…possibly all three… stories already as eBooks. But I love that I’ll be able to read all three without having to search for them on my Kindle.

And I love that this has a little something extra something called the “Guide to the Iron Fey.”

I’ve read Winter’s Passage and Summer’s Crossing but I still have to read Iron’s Prophecy. So I will be reading it from this eBook bind-up versus trying to track it down wherever it lives on my eReader.

Julie Kagawa wrote such a delightful series with her Iron Fey books. And while I still haven’t been able to say goodbye to the series, I am glad that I have yet another peek into the world with the Guide, which I will be checking out next weekend.

Erasing Time by C.J. Hill was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, the print edition is 368 pages.

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Erasing Time is yet another book I pre-ordered based on cover and title before even checking out the description. I was fascinated with the idea of erasing time and so curious to see what that meant in context with the story that I just had to buy it no matter what the description might say.

And then I checked that out too and was even more curious to read this book. The idea of waking up four hundred years in the future is terrifying. And to a world that exists under domes, where the language spoken is hardly recognizable, is even more frightening.

I can’t wait to meet Taylor and Sheridan and find out how they manage to survive in this futuristic world. And I’m very interested to learn more about Echo and find out just what secrets he holds.

This story promises heartbreak and “adrenaline-injected chases” and I can’t wait to read all about it.

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins, the print edition is 432 pages.

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The Lost Girl sounded so unbelievably heartbreaking I just had to add it to my list of pre-orders. The idea of the story – a girl created to replace someone else in the event of their death – is both chilling and just so very sad.

Just reading the description and I already feel my heart aching for Eva and for Amarra’s family. I can’t imagine what Eva’s life must have been like just knowing she could be ripped from her home at any moment and be forced to step into someone else’s life and play the part of them for the rest of her life.

I am so curious to see what choice Eva will make – stay an echo or become an original. And I’m so interested in finding out more about Eva, what it was like to have to study Amarra and then have to become her, and just how this story will end.

This sounds like an incredible debut novel and one I cannot wait to get the chance to read. Hopefully I’ll have the time to sneak it in early this fall.

Inbetween by Tara Fuller was released in the U.S. on August 28, 2012 in paperback and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Entangled Teen, the print edition is 400 pages.

Inbetween is the first book in a new series entitled Kissed by Death by author Tara Fuller.

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I had the chance to read Inbetween just a little bit early, but I did not get the chance to finish it. I’m so glad that I pre-ordered the eBook as it will be much easier to read the finished eBook version.

This story has romance and reapers, a good boy, a bad boy, a good girl and an evil one. It’s sweet and fun and I am very curious to find out what I missed between where I left off and where the story ended. Yes, I took a peek.

I don’t want to say too much more as I might completely, and very unintentionally, spoil the ending. But I will definitely be picking this book back up to catch up with all that stuff inbetween.

Silver by Talia Vance will be released in the U.S. on September 1, 2012 (thought it’s official release date is September 8, 2012) in paperback and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Flux, the print edition is 386 pages.

Silver is the first book in author Talia Vance’s Bandia series. The second book in the series, Gold, is slated for release in 2013.

***

Oh my gosh I can’t wait until Silver downloads to my Kindle this weekend. I absolutely loved this book from the moment I met it. I had no idea I would. It took me completely by surprise. And it was an absolutely awesome one at that.

I didn’t discover this book because of its cover – but it’s a gorgeous cover. I’d heard of the author for quite awhile on Twitter, but I hadn’t realized that Silver was her book and that it was coming out in September. Not until I was invited on the tour.

So, yes, I decided to read it early. Yes, I’ve written my review. Yes, I completely and totally loved it and am now suffering the long wait until Gold is released next fall…2013 that is.

I cannot pretend to guess what might happen in this book because I know exactly what happens. And I didn’t forget one single moment of action, romance, nail-biting suspense or heartbreak.

And I could never forget how easily I connected with the story and the beautiful and enchanting writing that was used to deliver it. Writing such as this, from a quote included in the description - ”As I step into the room, a silver flash blurs my vision. Before I can take a breath, the world falls away.”

Oh I may have just sighed again. And I may just have to re-read this book the moment it downloads next weekend. Because I still haven’t lost that connection with Brianna, Blake or Austin and I’m not sure I’m ready to let go just yet.

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UPDATE: I apparently have yet another book pre-ordered this week that hadn’t been included on my post earlier today….

Iron’s Prophecy (The Iron Fey #4.5) by Julie Kagawa

Pub. Date: September 1, 2012

Published by: Harlequin TEEN

(Amazon, Barnes & Noble)

I KNEW I couldn’t possibly have missed Iron Prophecy’s release! I knew I owned, and read, the first two novellas in the bind-up, but I wasn’t sure about this one. Well, clearly, since it hadn’t been previously released, it couldn’t possibly live anywhere on my Kindle.

And while I already have this eBook included as part of the bind-up, I still plan on purchasing this short novella separately. Why not, right?

END OF UPDATE

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I had thirteen fourteen books pre-ordered – not nine or ten as I’d thought! Twelve of which have already downloaded and which are vying for my attention on my Kindle. Fortunately I’ve already read a couple of them, though I want to read both of those again. But not counting those potential re-reads, that still means books in the double digits are being added to my TBR pile. And I don’t even want to think about what this quantity of books is doing to my wallet.

Especially since next week there are a ton of new releases, too.

I have been waiting a very long time to read quite a few of these books, some of which I’m sad that I didn’t get the chance to read early like I’d wanted to. And others I didn’t have the opportunity to read in advance, but am dying to read this week. I really hope I’ll have that chance. But that remains TBD.

As always, I would love to hear what you’re hoping to add to your collection this week!

And if you have any great suggestions of “must read” books to buy that are releasing this week, please let me know!

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They’re back! For those times when you just need a short break from reading.

Here, for your viewing pleasure, are a few amazing book trailers for just some of the books releasing in August, a peek at a few of those coming out in September and beyond, a look back at those we may have missed, and a glimpse at an author talking about their book.

While I may have already included a few of those August trailers in the June/July peeks, some were just too good not to repost.

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Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Release date: August 7, 2012

(cosproductions)

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Rift by Andrea Cremer

Release date: August 7, 2012

(PenguinYoungReaders)

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Wake by Amanda Hocking

Release date: August 7, 2012

(AuthorAmandaHocking)

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Release date: August 7, 2012

(bloomsburykids)

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Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Release date: August 7, 2012

(heatheranastasiu)

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Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release date: August 14, 2012

(VLCPhotoProductions)

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And because I just had to…

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release date: May 8, 2012

(VLCPhotoProductions)

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The Kill Order by James Dashner

Release date: August 14, 2012

(RandomBooks)

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Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Release date: August 21, 2012

(hellogiggles)

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The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

Release date: August 21, 2012

(HarperTeen)

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Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto

Release date: August 21, 2012

(MacmillanChildrens)

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Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Release date: August 28, 2012

(HarperTeen)

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Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon

Release date: August 28, 2012

(HarperTeen)

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Erasing Time by CJ Hill

Release date: August 28, 2012

(azwriter1) - unofficial trailer (?)

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The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Release date: August 28, 2012

(SanguMandanna)

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Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Release date: August 28, 2012

(harlequinbooks)

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For just a peek at what’s coming in September and beyond….

Outpost by Ann Aguirre

Release date: September 4, 2012

(fiercereads)

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Origin by Jessica Khoury

Release date: September 4, 2012

(PenguinYoungReaders)

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Entice by Jessica Shirvington

Release date: September 4, 2012

(cosproductions)

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Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

Release date: September 4, 2012

(HarperTeen)

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Because it is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin

Release date: September 18, 2012

(MacmillanChildrens)

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Venom by Fiona Paul

Release date: October 30, 2012

(PenguinYoungReaders)

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Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Release date: January 15, 2013

(SimonSchusterVideos) – Level 2 Cover Reveal

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And for a look back at one or two we may have missed….

The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse

Release date: July 10, 2012

(Lisa M. Stasse)

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Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Release date: July 10, 2012

(RandomBooks)

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Here’s what one author is saying…

False Memory by Dan Krokos

Release date: August 14, 2012

(hyperionteens) – the author talks about his recently released book

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We hope you enjoyed the lovely distractions. Stay tuned…we’ll be back with our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.

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Below are the YA books coming out this week that I am spotlighting for my “Book Watch: Releasing This Week” post.

These are books for the week of April 19th-April 25th that I have pre-ordered.

Defiance is the fourth book in the Strange Angels series by Lili St. Crow. It will be released in the U.S. on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 in paperback and eBook formats.

It is currently available for pre-order from Amazon and Barnes & Noble in both formats.

Published by Razorbill, a division of the Penguin Group, the print edition is 259 pages.

I have had this book on my watch list for awhile and continued to check back week after week until I could pre-order it for my Kindle. I love the author’s writing and her young adult series has me hooked. And, of all the books in this series, this one has my favorite cover.

I am slightly ashamed to admit that I haven’t yet read the third book in the series, Jealousy, as I started to read it and discovered that I definitely needed to go back and re-read the first two books as I felt a bit lost. Although I have a clear memory of the characters and the major events, some of the minor details slipped my mind and I didn’t want to lose anything important by reading it without having all details firmly in place.

Of course I ended up reading the description for this book, which I will not put here, as it does have spoilers. Drat! But this definitely sounds like an exciting adventure filled with danger for Dru, so I am going to attempt a four book read-a-thon soon so that I can get all caught up.

Book trailer for Defiance: (Definitely has that kick a**, hard-edge background music which fits the story perfectly)

The Coven’s Daughter is the debut young adult novel for author Lucy Jago. It will be released in the U.S. on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 in hardcover format and was previously published in the UK in May 2010 by Bloomsbury under the title Montacute House.

It is currently available for pre-order from Amazon and Barnes & Noble in hardcover format only.

Published by Hyperion Books for Children, the print edition is 256 pages.

The Coven’s Daughter is one of the books that can be chosen for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi at TheStorySiren.com.

Although I don’t have this book on pre-order since it’s not yet available in eBook format, I am expecting to receive an advance copy this week that I acquired through a trade. I am always looking for new debut author’s to discover and the description I’d read made this sound like something I’d be interested in.

It is certainly something different from what I’ve been reading lately and at only two hundred and fifty plus pages it looks to be a quick read. The story is set in Elizabethan times in the 1500′s and promises “[w]itchcraft, politics and religious ambition” which sound like a very dangerous mix. Plus, apparently Montacute House is a real place, which I had not known when I first added this book to my TBR pile. Check out the details here on the author’s website.

I can’t wait to take a peek at this book and I’m so glad they re-titled it for an American audience. I would definitely have passed it by with the UK title as it immediately conjured up a vision of Dickens’ Bleak House which I can say – loved it, but been there, done that and not ready for a third read.

The first chapter of The Coven’s Daughter is available to read on the author’s website, HERE.

The Goddess Test is the debut novel for Aimée Carter. It is scheduled for release in the U.S. on April 19, 2011 in paperback and eBook formats. It is available for pre-order online in both formats at Amazon and in paperback at Barnes & Noble.

Published by Harlequin TEEN the print edition is 304 pages.

The Goddess Test is one of the books that can be chosen for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi at TheStorySiren.com.

I’ve already spotlighted this for my Book Watch post so I won’t go into endless detail here. Also, I’ve recently finished reading this book and it’s as amazing as everyone has been saying and since my review will be up soon – either on release date on the 19th or the wider distribution date on the 26th – I don’t want to reveal too much here. But this is definitely not a book to miss.

Even before I read it, this was on my watch list, but I only just added it as a pre-order because it wasn’t available for the Kindle until very recently.

As with most books I read based on advance copies, I wonder just how different the finished copy is and hope I get a chance to re-read it soon.

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz will be released in the U.S. on April 19, 2011 in paperback and eBook formats. It is available for pre-order online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble in both formats.

Published by Simon Pulse, a division of Simon & Schuster, the print edition is 288 pages.

This was another book that had a lot of buzz so I decided to pre-order it quite awhile ago. I then noticed it on Simon & Schuster’s Galley Grab program and downloaded it to read and review. I’m in the middle of reading this book as I write this post, so I’m trying not to let my opinion after-the-fact influence why I wanted to purchase this book in the first place.

Aside from what I heard about Invincible Summer through the blogosphere, I am a huge fan of contemporary YA fiction – almost as much as paranormal YA stories – and I wanted to check out this book, written by a young author, to see what her viewpoint and style are. I hadn’t yet read anything by the author, so I thought this would be a great introduction.

I like summer stories, and ones that take place over time as the characters grow and change always appeal to me. The author mentions that her stories tackle familial relationships, which are also always of interest. So I knew before even starting to read the eARC that I’d definitely want this one for my collection.

I haven’t seen a trailer, but the author talks a bit about Invincible Summer in this video from Simon & Schuster:

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Thankfully – for both my wallet and my TBR pile – this is another fairly quiet week for releases. It seems that HarperTeen is waiting for April 26th to release a slew of new “must reads,” so I have a bit more time to catch up on my reading.

As always, I would love to hear what you’re hoping to add to your collection this week!

And please let me know if I missed purchasing something that is a “must read.”

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They’re back! For those times when you just need a short break from reading. Here, for your viewing pleasure, are a few amazing book trailers for just some of the upcoming books releasing this April.

April 5th is a HUGE day for releases!

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Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer

Release date: April 5, 2011

(HarperTeen)

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Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Release date: April 5, 2011

(Penguin Young Readers)

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Red Glove by Holly Black

Release date: April 5, 2011

(Simon & Schuster) This is a White Cat trailer which teases Red Glove

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City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Release date: April 5, 2011

(VLC Photo Productions) This is the CoFA teaser trailer

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Plague by Michael Grant

Release date: April 5, 2011

(HarperTeen)

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The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Release date: April 12, 2011

(Book Lounge)

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Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Release date: April 12, 2011

(Macmillan Childrens)

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Defiance by Lili St. Crow

Release date: April 19, 2011

(Penguin Young Readers) – I love this trailer!

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Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Release date: April 26, 2011

(HarperTeen) Author discusses Bumped – not a book trailer but had to include!

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Abandon by Meg Cabot

Release date: April 26, 2011

(Meggin Cabot) Author discussed Abandon – not a book trailer but had to include, too!

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We hope you enjoyed the lovely distractions. Stay tuned…we’ll be back with our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.

Read More