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 3rd-April 9th that I have pre-ordered.

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Black Heart by Holly Black will be released in the U.S. on April 3, 2012 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order in all formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, the print edition is 304 pages.

Black Heart is the third book in the Curse Workers series by author Holly Black.

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I am so excited that this third book in the Curse Workers series is releasing on Tuesday. I feel like it’s been ages since I read Red Glove and I can’t wait to get back into this dark and gritty world that Holly Black created. And I can’t wait for more Cassel Sharpe.

As I’ve already spotlighted Black Heart for my Book Watch post a few ago, I won’t go on nearly as long as I might otherwise have. But I will say that I am incredibly curious to see if Cassel will be able to put his past behind him and “be good.” I have a feeling that he might have been able to, but I don’t think his past will let him, as I doubt it wants to stay in the past.

I am dying to find out if Cassel gives in to the Feds and does what I think they’re asking him to do. And I’m ever hopeful that he will be able to find the answers he needs so that his life won’t hang in the balance and neither will his heart.

Immortal City by Scott Speer will be released in the U.S. on April 3, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, the print edition is 368 pages.

Immortal City is one of the books that can be chosen for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi at TheStorySiren.com and is one of my twenty original picks.

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When I first saw Immortal City in the publisher’s catalog I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. While I didn’t get a review copy, I did get one through a trade, but I wasn’t able to move it to the top of the pile before release date.

I love stories about Angels and this one about Jackson Godspeed sounds like it will be exciting and a lot of fun. I love the idea that these angels’ lives are mirroring some sort of celebrity reality in Los Angeles but with the added element of a murder mystery.

I can’t wait to find out what the threat is to the Angels and I’m curious to see just how Maddy plans to save Jackson or if she’ll be able to. And I really hope to read it this month because it sounds like a perfectly heavenly distraction.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers will be released in the U.S. on April 3, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, the print edition is 560 pages.

Grave Mercy is the first book in the His Fair Assassin series by author Robin LaFevers.

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I was absolutely thrilled when I received an advance copy of Grave Mercy from the publisher through the Shelf Awareness newsletter. Between the setting, the writing – yes I took a sneak peek – and the plot, I was completely intrigued. But it was the tagline that completely lured me in - “Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?”

I’ve already started reading it and it’s every bit as captivating as I expected. But I do have the finished copy pre-ordered to download to my Kindle on Tuesday and I can’t wait to have this as part of my permanent collection.

I am dying to find out just how the story ends, whether Ismae will be the assassin Death expects her to be and just how she’ll hold up at the high court in Brittany. The author’s writing style has an absolutely beautiful flow, I already love Ismae and I can’t wait to finish.

Fear by Michael Grant will be released in the U.S. on April 3, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to pre-order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, the print edition is 528 pages.

Fear is the fifth book in the Gone series by author Michael Grant. The sixth book in the series, Light, is slated for release in 2013.

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I haven’t yet read the first four books in the series, but I own them all and decided to pre-order this next book, Fear. A couple years ago a friend told me that I must read this series, that it would absolutely be one that I’d enjoy, so I took her word for it and bought the books.

And while I haven’t yet had the chance to read them, I definitely plan on it. I think she thought I’d love the idea of a society where one day the adults just disappear. Which may have been true at one time, though now that I am one…. But she said the story was fast-paced and riveting so I can’t wait to check them out.

According to the description, in this installment in the series there’s a new enemy - fear. I can’t wait to catch up on the series to find out just what that means for the characters and the world.

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In last week’s Book Watch RTW post it seems I forgot to include a book that was releasing that I was very much anticipating. Because I only searched my pre-orders for March, I missed this book that released on April 1st. So I thought I’d add it to this week’s post…

Above by Leah Bobet was released in the U.S. on April 1, 2012 in hardcover and eBook formats. It is currently available to order online in both formats at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, the print edition is 368 pages.

Above is one of the books that can be chosen for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Kristi at TheStorySiren.com and is one of my twenty original picks.

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I first discovered Above when I was looking for books for the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. The characters and the world sounded just a bit different from the books I typically read and so I chose this as one of my picks and added it to my pre-orders when it was available to do so.

I am excited to meet Ariel, find out just why she has bee’s wings, learn what her ability is, and see what life is like in Safe. But I’m also curious to meet all the characters, two of whom have really interesting abilities – one with the ability to talk to ghosts and the other who can shoot lightning from their fingers.

I can’t wait to find out what the mystery is behind Safe and whether Matthew will be able to protect Ariel from their enemies. This book sounds really exciting and I definitely plan on reading this next month.

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While there aren’t too many new books releasing this week, four of them are books I want to read right now and the other is one I want to read the entire series of. Which makes this so not a slow week.

And with the week of April 24th looming, which has a ton of new releases I’m just dying to read, I hope to catch up on most of these before then.

Last week I missed a few books I had pre-ordered when creating my post. One I discovered at the last second, one I discovered after the fact and added in as an update and one that surprised me over the weekend when it downloaded to my Kindle. So I really hope I’m not missing anything this week.

But I guess I’ll find out when the books either download to my Kindle or show up in my mailbox tomorrow.

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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!

Black Heart by Holly Black will be released in the U.S. on April 3, 2012 in hardcover, audio and eBook formats.

It is currently available to pre-order online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble in all formats.

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, the print edition is 304 pages.

Black Heart is the third book in the Curse Workers series by author Holly Black.

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Do I really need to explain why Black Heart is THE book to watch this week for me? Well, just in case you didn’t know, I am a huge fangirl of this series. HUGE. And I have been going through withdrawal for the past year.

I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since I last got a peek at one of my favorite male characters in YA fiction. Cassel Sharpe is amazing. He’s just so amazing. And this series is unbelievable. It’s gritty and dark and totally noir-ish. I love the curse workers… okay, maybe not all the curse workers, but their powers are awesome.

I sadly did not get an early copy to read, though I did put in a request, or I would have dropped everything to read it. But I’m so super glad that the wait is over in less than a month. I am counting the days. And if I could hold my breath until then I totally would.

While I’m devastated that the cover isn’t the one that was originally planned, as I loved that cover, I will be getting it for my Kindle so I’m sure I’ll survive. But those covers, while not matchy-matchy, really evoked the feeling of how I imagined the stories to be.

I did take a peek at the description a few months back when the wait got to be too much and it made me even more desperate to find out just what Cassel Sharpe was going to be asked to do. This boy has been trying so hard to stay on the side of right but everyone wants him to side with wrong and I’m curious to see just who wins out.

I never know what to expect from author Holly Black, aside from amazing writing and stories I love. But I have no idea where she plans on taking this story or just what she’ll do to her characters.

I am a little bit afraid for Cassel, and am especially worried he’ll be in for heartbreak and betrayal. I really hope that’s not the case, but those curse workers aren’t the most trustworthy sort.

While there are two other books I am dying to read that are releasing on April 3rd, Black Heart is undoubtedly my most anticipated book releasing that week and a book that I just had to put in the spotlight.

And if you’re like me and just can’t wait either, here is a small excerpt from Chapter One from Holly Black’s Tumblr.

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Book Trailer

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Places to Stalk

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About the Book

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Other Amazing Books to Watch

Here are two other amazing books releasing on April 3rd:

Immortal City by Scott Speer

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

There are books that you fall in love with, that leave you breathless and sobbing your eyes out. Books that take your heart and stomp on it, leaving you completely destroyed.

Then there are books that steal your heart. These bookish thieves take but do not destroy, leaving you forever captivated by their charms and always begging for more.

These are the books that are the source of our undying crushes. The ones that leave us sighing, with a small smile that is just for them. We give our hearts to these books and would follow them to the very ends of the earth. Some of them make us do just that, and we follow, oh so willingly.

A crush may be a fragile thing, but we certainly have room for many. I know I’ve crushed on hundreds of books in my lifetime and I’ll crush on many, many more. They say crushes are harmless, after all, so what’s wrong with having just a few…or a few more?

Here are a few books that I’m crushing on big time

Die for Me by Amy Plum is a new crush. I’ve just met this book and already I’m infatuated. Sure, I was little bit infatuated before I actually read it, but now “I Heart Revenants” too!

Why I’m crushing: Paris, love before all, mad swordfighting skills, and one hot revenant…maybe two.

Wildefire by Karsten Knight is a fairly long-standing crush for me. I crushed on it when I saw the cover and I became slightly obsessed after it arrived in my mailbox. I devoured this book and went back for seconds.

Why I’m crushing: Kick a** heroine, to-die-for writing, wicked cool gods and goddesses, one killer ending, and just a dash mountain of sarcasm thrown in to keep things interesting.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton became a crush the second I saw the cover. It became a mad crush the moment I started reading. Just so freaking awesome. Definitely appeals to my darker nature.

Why I’m crushing: Dark and disturbing, mesmerizing, macabre, poetic, do I really need to say more? Okay, how about dark magic performed in a cemetery.

Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a new crush, but it really is just an extension of my existing crush. You see, I have been crushing on Half-Blood since I read its description ages ago, but once I got my hot little hands on this bad boy, I was all over it… And it was all over for me.

Why I’m crushing: Action, action, action. A chase, daimons, demi-gods, oh yeah, and did I say action? And one heroine with some pretty bad taste in music. What’s not to love?

Red Glove by Holly Black is an ongoing crush. It came into being when I read White Cat a few months ago. It continued right on through this second book in the series. And I am so hoping for a gloveless society. Curse Workers rule!

Why I’m crushing: Con artists, curse workers, mystery, and the only gloved hero I will ever love – Cassel Sharpe.

Illusions by Aprilynne Pike is an old crush that started with Wings. A three book crush is a pretty fierce thing and is now walking that fine line between crush and stalking. If this series lasts too much longer I’ll have to find some new crazed fan-dom category for this.

Why I’m crushing: Super sweet, one swoonworthy faery, one insanely cruel love triangle, and a slew of evil trolls. All ingredients that make up the perfect fairytale.

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready is a year-long crush that started with Shade. I still consider this crushworthy although it borders on those “tear your heart out” books I mentioned earlier. We’ll see where things go with Shine to see if this falls off the Crush List and onto Heartbreak Row.

Why I’m crushing: Undying love, a naughty heroine, a mystery, the river scene, and a love triangle verging on a square. And who could forget those Keeley’s – no wonder Aura is having such a tough time.

Sirensong by Jenna Black is another three book crush. This series just gave me the warm and fuzzies right from the start. I couldn’t help but fall in love. And my cover love is almost as intense as my book crush.

Why I’m crushing: Danger, thrills, an adventure through Faerie, and more than one hottie to choose from. And, oooh, the return of the Erlking makes my heart go pitter-patter.

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So, these are just a few books from my slightly eclectic crush list. Who says I have to only be obsessed with just one type of book? This is only the tip of a very large iceberg and by next month I’m sure I’ll have quite a few more to add.

Do you crush on books?

What makes a book crushworthy for you?

I would love to know!

I will tally up the entries and run them through Random tomorrow (Saturday) and announce the winner here on the blog in the evening.

Thank you everyone for entering and for visiting my blog. I wish you all good luck!

AND THE WINNER IS…

Congratulations Caitlin!

You have 48 hours to claim your prize or I will be forced to choose another winner.

Thank you everyone for entering. I will be offloading my remaining 6 books in the weeks to come.

UPDATED with actual photos of books for giveaway

I was going to wait until I hit 250 followers but my office looks like its own little bookstore and I plan on heading to the RT book fair on Saturday, so…

I was lucky enough to attend the Holly Black and Cassandra Clare book signing at Barnes & Noble and got an extra set of signed books from the amazing Holly Black for giveaway.

That’s right, one copy of White Cat (hardcover) and one copy of Red Glove (hardcover).

Photos are now above!I haven’t taken pics of the signature page, but I will upload them onto this post tomorrow. (In White Cat, she draws a really cute cat!)

If you know nothing about the series, feel free to check out reviews of both books on my site, or check out the author’s blog, which is listed in my Blog Roll in the sidebar. The author is one of my favorite writers and just as spectacular in person. I’m giving away her books to spread the word. She rocks!

Also, as I ended up getting all my personal CoFA books signed by Cassandra Clare, I should have one more signed CoFA (if Barnes & Nobles ever delivers the ones I’ve pre-ordered.) And IF that book arrives unharmed, then I will include that in this giveaway.

UPDATE: This giveaway DOES include one of the City of Fallen Angels Barnes & Noble Limited Signed Editions.

All books will go to one winner.

See the form for rules and to enter. Good luck!

There are so many amazing books out there – released or soon-to-be-released – that have certain passages that just captivate.

Here are just a few of those that caught my attention in the past month.

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Sadly I had to skip a few books with amazing passages as the passages or quotes I’d want to use would give away too much. The teasers below are just meant to tease. Never to spoil.

It feels like I read this book a lifetime ago rather than just three weeks ago. This is one of my favorite passages. As always non-spoilery. I had included a part of this passage in my review, but the full passage is just so much more beautiful.

There were just so many really amazing passages to choose from, but I’ve tried to choose one that stuck out that doesn’t give anything away.

I could only choose one and I wanted it different from the one I put in my review. But really, I could have practically reprinted the entire book as almost every single passage was amazing. So, I opted to choose one that just resonated with me for a long while after reading this book. It still does.

I’ve used this quote in my review, but I still say it’s my favorite one from the book. And I’ve since purchased the finished copy so I can confirm that this quote did make it in. Yay!

Yes, this one is in my review, and it’s short and to the point, but could you imagine Tamani saying anything better than this to Laurel?

I couldn’t choose between the two. One creepy and one a line any girl would love to hear from a boy she likes.

How can you not want to read this book with passages like this one?