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The DARK METROPOLIS is a city that brings to mind the devil-may-care excesses and menace of Berlin between the wars. Here, corruption and vice are rampant, disappearances warrant only a shrug from the authorities.... and people who die don't always stay dead.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder is struggling to stay afloat. By day she nurses her ill mother, by night she works at the decadent Telephone Club. Unlike most other girls at the club, Thea refuses to go out with men and accept favors to supplement her wages, so she is barely able to make ends meet. When her best friend at work, Nan, stops showing up, Thea is the only one who is alarmed and tries to find her.

Thea's search for her friend leads her to a strangely attractive silver-haired boy whose touch is a gift, and a curse. Together, the two will uncover nightmarish secrets about how the city is really run. Secrets that some rich and influential people will do anything to keep hidden. 
 
Drawing on influences as diverse as Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Cabaret and Sabriel, this is a dark 1920's fairy tale; haunting, romantic and suspenseful. 

Jackie Dolamore is the author of the awesome fantasies MAGIC UNDER GLASS, BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY, and MAGIC UNDER STONE -- but I personally think that THE DARK METROPOLIS is her most daring and sophisticated book yet. 

PW: Dolamore brings the elements of her complex storyline together with flair, and an extended climax provides closure and reveals new sides to the characters. Heroes, villains, and those somewhere in between all have strong motives.

Booklist: Dolamore builds an intriguing fantasy world, vaguely reminiscent of a war-ravaged twentieth-century Europe with the glitz of the Gilded Age, old-country magic, and an underground dystopian flair.

You can buy the book at Oblong, through IndieBound, from Powells, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or anywhere fine books are sold.

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When Olwen Nia Evans learns that her family is moving from San Francisco to Wales to fulfill her great-grandmother's dying wish, she starts having strange and vivid dreams about her family's past. But nothing she sees in her dreams of the old country--the people, the places--makes any sense. Could it all be the result of an overactive imagination . . . or could everything she's been told about her ancestors be a lie? 

Once in Wales, she meets Gareth Lewis, a boy plagued by dreams of his own--visions he can't shake after meeting a ghost among the misty cairns along the Welsh seaside. . . A ghost named Olwen Nia Evans.

Sarah Jamila Stevenson's third book is an extremely evocative and enchanting ghost story set in Wales. It is not the kind of supershiny blockbuster where some overly-beautiful teen has to wear black leather and save the world or overthrow the government . . . it is a smaller story. The type of story that will be more likely to whisper into your brain and get under your skin, with characters you'll think about long after you've closed the book. 

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Ahoy! I've been a bit off the grid for a couple of weeks because I was traveling for the Bologna Book Fair and a mini-Vacay (followed immediately by being ridiculously ill - Boo!) -- but I'm pretty much back at my desk, at least MOST of my brain present now. And so I can bring you the latest from the New Release files:

THE GRUDGE KEEPER by Mara Rockliff, illustrations by Eliza Wheeler, new from Peachtree!

Cornelius the Grudge Keeper is a little old man who collects all the peeves, snits, huffs and imbroglios the people of his village stir up against one another. He stores them all in the nooks and crannies of his crooked cottage, until one day . . . . well, I'll let you read about it yourself. Suffice to say, this picture book is funny, whimsical, and has the look and feel of a modern classic. The heightened language makes it a total delight to read aloud and the beautiful images are worth taking the time to pore over.

I call the GRUDGE KEEPER "The Little Picture Book that Could." It had a long, long path to publication. How long? Let's put it this way, it was originally submitted to publishers before I was even an agent. It sold in Summer of 2010, which I remember distinctly because I negotiated the contract in the passenger seat of my car, driving through Nebraska on a road-trip move from SF to NY. We finally got lucky enough to get the PERFECT illustrator in another ABLA client, Eliza Wheeler, in 2012 (which was JUST before her picture book MISS MAPLE'S SEEDS debut'ed on the NYT bestseller list and she rocketed to fame with the illustrations to Holly Black's Newbery Honor book DOLL BONES -- so great timing, Peachtree!) -- and now, here we are, at long last, I can brag about it to the world!

You can get your own copy at your local independent bookstore, at MY local independent bookstore, at Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, Amazon, or wherever fine picture books are sold. :-)

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I'm so proud of this debut novel from Miriam Forster. It's a murder mystery set in a fantastical world that reminds me a bit of Tamora Pierce, a bit of Jacqueline Carey... it's just so good, and Miriam is a new talent to watch.

About the book: Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a little girl. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. She makes her way as Matron's errand girl, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow.

Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city's handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die. Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls' deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls--but also her life.

See the official Book Trailer (which I have to say is RAD)

A great interview with Miriam on the Cynsations blog

For more information about Miriam and her work:
http://msforster.blogspot.com


--

"Forster makes a strong debut with a fresh South Asian inspired fantasy/mystery crossover...Forster's well-crafted story and confident prose are rich, packed with small details that immerse readers in her sumptuously imagined world." -- From the Publishers Weekly starred review

"With fantastic world building and a wonderful heroine, City of a Thousand Dolls intrigued me from the first page."--Cindy Pon, author of Silver Phoenix
 
"A fantastical murder mystery with a creative premise, heart-pounding pacing, and characters with secrets to keep."--Cinda Williams Chima, author of best-selling The Exiled Queen

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And yet more amazing book release news! Wooo! Welcome to the world BLACKWOOD by Gwenda Bond.
             

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.

BUY THE BOOK at Oblong, IndieBound, Book Depository, Amazon, BandN, or wherever fine books are sold.

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It's pub day for BUTTER from Erin Jade Lange. This book is unforgettable.

A lonely 423-pound boy everyone calls “Butter” is about to make history. This New Year's Eve, he’s going to eat himself to death live on the Internet – and everyone will watch.

When he makes this announcement online, he expects pity, insults, or possibly sheer indifference. Instead, his classmates become morbid cheerleaders for his deadly plan. When that encouragement tips the scales into popularity, Butter has a reason to live. But if he doesn’t go through with his plan, he’ll lose everything.

BUTTER has the relentless immediacy of THIRTEEN REASONS WHY (talk about a ticking clock!), but the keen observations and dark humor of the main character keep the book from becoming grim. I think that the thing that freaked me out most about BUTTER was that I could identify so well with both the bullied... and the bullies. And though I was disturbed by some of the content, I found myself thinking about the book long after I'd turned the last page.

Buy the book from Oblong,  Changing Hands, IndieBound, Book Depository,  Amazon, BandN, or wherever fine books are sold.

BUTTER is a New Voices pick for 2012:

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This one is arriving on shelves tomorrow from our friends at Feiwel and Friends. So keep your eyes peeled, mateys!

Are you brave enough—
and bold enough—
for the adventure of your life?

The award-winning author and illustrator team of Eric A. Kimmel and Andrew Glass introduce a new generation of readers to a magnificent and memorable retelling of Herman Melville’s masterpiece, Moby Dick.

Buy the book at Oblong,  Powells, Amazon, BandN or wherever fine books are sold.


"Kimmel make[s] this classic accessible to young readers.”--Publishers Weekly

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About THE UNNATURALISTS by Tiffany Trent - out today from Simon&Shuster:

The streets of New London teem with a strange and wonderful bustle. Mechanical carriages glide down streets lit by the flicker of everlanterns, thanks to myth–the refined essence of magical beasts, and the resource that keeps the engines of the Empire moving.  But myth is in ever more limited supply as the last of the magical beasts are killed for it, and New Londoners are becoming desperate.

Vespa Nyx is a privileged young scholar with a penchant for jam pies and mischief. She spends her days cataloguing and studying creatures in the museum, and has no desire to follow her aunt's advice and start looking for a husband. She also may be New London’s sole surviving witch.

Syrus Reed is an outcast Tinker having an extraordinary run of bad luck. He hasn't a coin to his name, his family has been killed and he is being hunted to become a refinery slave.  His only way out may be to find a witch.  

These two are about to find their fates wound more tightly in the gears of deception and intrigue than they could ever imagine...

Review Quotes:

BUY THE UNNATURALISTS at: Your Local Independent Bookseller, My Local Independent Bookseller,  B&N,  Book Depository, Powells.com, Amazon, OR WHEREVER FINE BOOKS ARE SOLD.

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D IS FOR DRAMA by Jo Whittemore - Aug 7, Simon & Schuster

A lead role means lots of drama in this sparkling story of one tween's efforts to shine in the spotlight. 

Sunny Kim is done with one-line roles at Carnegie Arts Academy--she's ready for the lead. But even after a summer of studying with an acting coach, Sunny doesn't snag the role of Mary Poppins in her school's upcoming production.

Unfortunately, her entire family mistakenly thinks otherwise, including her former-actress mother.
Desperate for a solution, Sunny convinces her theater adviser to let her produce a one-woman show. But when the rest of her friends find out--the friends that never seem to make the playbill either--they all want to join in. Before long, Sunny is knee-deep in curtains, catfights, and chorus lines as her one-woman work turns into a staging of the hit musical "Wicked." And when a terrible misunderstanding pits the entire cast against Sunny, can the show--and Sunny's future acting career--be saved in time for opening night?

Jo is a master at writing "tween slapstick with heart." Her books really are laugh-out-loud funny, but with a core of sweetness rather than meanness. They're a delight. But they are also not dumb. After all, Sunny is dealing with something serious. Are the directors passing her over for leads because she is Korean-American, or because she isn't talented enough? What about the heavy kid, or the klutzy kid, or the "weird" kid... is it discrimination or just chance that they don't get lead roles? Will they always be "Villager #2" or "Tree"?  Sunny and her friends are determined to take the reins of their own destiny and not let anyone else define them, and I love that.

D IS FOR DRAMA will find a place in the heart of anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit in (which... is almost everyone, right?) and it is sure to please the young drama lover in your life.

Buy at Your Local Independent Bookseller - Powells - Oblong Books - Book Depository - Barnes&Noble - Amazon .... or wherever fine books are sold.

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MARTY McGUIRE is one of my favorite young ladies of fiction. (Though she'd hate being called a "young lady", I am pretty sure!) She's an extremely bright and funny third-grader who is not afraid to speak her mind or march to the beat of her own drum.

For sure, she would much rather catch bullfrogs in the mud and play scientist than wear floofy pink gowns and play princess. So in her first adventure, named after her, Marty was horrified to discover she'd been cast as the lead in her class production of THE FROG PRINCESS. She tried to back out of it, but couldn't... so instead, she made the role her own in a most unusual way, with wild results. 

I LOVE THIS BOOK.

And guess what?

Marty is back!

About MARTY McGUIRE DIGS WORMS!:

Marty McGuire's third-grade class has a special assignment: Save the Earth! Even more exciting, the best project wins a special award. Marty's pretty sure her classmates' ideas won't stand a chance against her plan to turn the garbage from the school cafeteria into fertilizer. All she needs is a little help from her teammate and best friend, Annie--and the worms in her grandma's garden.

But it turns out that worms are awfully SLOW eaters. And when the critters escape, the whole class starts grumbling. Can Marty save the Earth without losing her friends?

Marty is just as hilarious and irrepressible as ever in this latest installment. Kate Messner just seems to have an unfailing ear for kid dialogue, and Brian Floca's illustrations are a delight.


"Floca’s cheery black-and-white illustrations match the upbeat theme of the tale... Marty’s first-person commentary, sometimes just a tiny bit sarcastic, splendidly conveys the eroding innocence of middle-graders. A quick, amusing read with an easily digestible environmental message; it is a perfect match for its young intended audience." -- Kirkus on MMDW, Starred Review

Learn more about Kate Messner on her website.


Visit Brian Floca on the web.

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MAGIC UNDER STONE by Jaclyn Dolamore - Bloomsbury - YA Fantasy

Nimira is a fierce and passionate former chorus girl. Erris is a faerie prince trapped in the body of a clockwork man. For these star-crossed lovers there can be no happily ever after until Erris is freed from the clockwork form in which his soul is trapped. And so they go in search of the sorcerer Ordoria Valdana, hoping he will know how to grant Erris real life again. When they learn that Valdana has mysteriously vanished, Nimira decides to take matters into her own hands-and begins to study the sorcerer's spell books in secret. Yet even as she begins to understand the power and limitations of sorcery, it becomes clear that freeing Erris will bring danger--if not out-and-out war--as factions within the faerie world are prepared to stop at nothing to prevent him from regaining the throne.

This is a gorgeous sequel to MAGIC UNDER GLASS, but newcomers to the story are sure to be as utterly enchanted by Nimira and Erris's tale as fans of the first book. (And if you HAVEN'T read the first book yet, for goodness' sake get on it - it's in paperback now, you can't afford NOT to read it!)

Buy MAGIC UNDER STONE here, or at your local independent bookstore.

Buy MAGIC UNDER GLASS in paperback here, or at your local independent bookstore.

EYE OF THE STORM by Kate Messner - Bloomsbury - Middle Grade Thriller
In the not-too-distant future, huge tornadoes and monster storms have become a part of everyday life. Sent to spend the summer in the heart of storm country with her meteorological engineer father, Jaden Meggs is surprised at the strides her father's company StormSafe has made with custom shelters that keep wealthy families secure in even the worst of storms.

At her exclusive summer science camp, Eye On Tomorrow, Jaden meets Alex, a boy whose passion for science matches hers. Together, they discover that her father's company is steering storms away from the expensive neighborhoods and toward the organic farming communities that are in competition with his bio-engineered food company, NatureMade. Jaden must confront her father, but when she does, she uncovers a terrifying family secret and must call on both her scientific knowledge and her strength to save the people she loves.

For middle graders (aged 9-12) who are perhaps not QUITE ready for the blood-and-guts teen thrillers but want some pulse-pounding action of their own, Eye of the Storm is a fantastic choice. Boys or girls who are interested in science will also appreciate the "whys" and "hows" of this world, because the book is really smart. But also REALLY exciting. !!!

Buy EYE OF THE STORM here, or at your local independent bookstore.

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