Stacking The Shelves / Showcase Sunday #55

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Showcase Sunday is Hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea and they both give bloggers the opportunity to share the books they have received in the past week.
 

This week I received a few fantastic review books and I also had a trip to London on Saturday which I came back from with loads of books. Unlike last week entirely YA haul this weeks books have a lot more variety. Please let me know what you think I should read first. As usual if you click on the book cover you will be taken to the Amazon page for that book.

I am now regularly using Instagram to share books, cats and a few random bits of life and you can expect giveaways coming up in the future. Come and follow me -

http://instagram.com/lauramaycarter/

For Review

Paperback

 

Yesterday I went to an event at Harper Voyager for The Fire Sermon and as well as it just being generally fantastic we got a goodie bag of the following books - The Fire Sermon, Half A King, Bird Box and Game Of Thrones. This week I received through the post Crow Moon from Quercus Books and Seven Days from Eve Ainsworth. Thank you to all who sent me books!

 

 

Gifts / Swap

Two lovely bloggers (Debbie @ Snuggling On The Sofa and Michelle @ Much Loved Books) brought me these lovelies to the Harper Voyager event.

 

 

Bought

 

Paperback

 

I've been meaning to read this for a while and I stumbled across it in Foyles. I hope it is a great read :)

 

 

What do you think of these books? Feel free to leave links to your own weekly haul posts in the comments.

Hot New Releases: December 24th - January 6th

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! A couple of amazing books released over the holiday period so here as a round up of some of the biggest releases of the last 2 weeks.

We can only include books that we are aware of! If you have an upcoming release please let us know over email, facebook or twitter for the chance to see it included in the weekly round up. We are also always happy to hear about any free or discounted books :D

Young Adult

Two boys. Two secrets.

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

AJ Flynn has just failed all but one of his GCSEs, and his future is looking far from rosy. So when he is offered a junior position at a London law firm he hopes his life is about to change - but he could never have imagined by how much.

Tidying up the archive one day, AJ finds an old key, mysteriously labelled with his name and date of birth - and he becomes determined to find the door that fits the key. And so begins an amazing journey to a very real and tangible past - 1830, to be precise - where the streets of modern Clerkenwell are replaced with cobbles and carts, and the law can be twisted to suit a villain's means. Although life in 1830 is cheap, AJ and his friends quickly find that their own lives have much more value. They've gone from sad youth statistics to young men with purpose - and at the heart of everything lies a crime that only they can solve. But with enemies all around, can they unravel the mysteries of the past, before it unravels them?

A fast-paced mystery novel by one of the country's finest writers, THE DOOR THAT LED TO WHERE will delight, surprise and mesmerise all those who read it.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

EMPIRE is the follow-up to CONQUEST in the epic Chronicles of the Invaders trilogy by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard. As captivating as Pittacus Lore's I AM NUMBER FOUR; as vividly realised as Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT.

She is the trophy of a civilization at war with itself.

He is its rebel captive.

Separated by millions of light years, they will fight to be united.

And they will risk everything to make their world - all worlds - right again.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car.

Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.

All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.

Award-winning author Nick Lake proves his skills as a master storyteller in this heart-pounding new novel. This emotionally charged thrill ride leads to a shocking ending that will have readers flipping back to the beginning.  

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK


 New Adult & Adult

Sometimes secrets kill. Maybe slowly, maybe painfully. Maybe all at once.

Melissa smiles. She flirts. She jokes. But she never shows her scars. Eight months after tragedy ripped her from her closest friend, Melissa is broken. Inside her grows a tumor, fed by grief, rage, and the painful memory of a single forbidden kiss.

Javier has scars of his own: a bullet wound, and the memory of a cousin shot in the heart. Life in the States was supposed to be a new beginning, but a boy obsessed by vengeance has no time for the American dream. To honor his familia, Javier joins the gang who set up his cousin's murder. The entrance price is blood. Death is the only escape.

These two broken souls could make each other whole again - or be shattered forever. Our time will come. And we'll be ready.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

Two brothers. One impossible choice

From the moment her suspicions are confirmed, Lily knows she’s screwed. What the hell is a nineteen year old with no future going to do with a baby? She can barely take care of herself. She needs help.

In walks Sloan McClain, the only man Lily has ever truly wanted — and the brother of the boy whose baby she’s carrying. While Lily expects a great number of outcomes when she tells Sloan her news, him proposing marriage and asking her to keep the baby is not one of them, especially not when she has every intention of giving the baby a better future by giving it the home she can’t.

Having spent the majority of his life protecting his brother from the bone-breaking fists of their father, Sloan is no stranger to hardship, loss and abandonment. He has learned long ago never to rely on anyone to take care of what was his, and that baby is his. He isn’t about to let Lily give away his family, nor can he allow that child to destroy the future he has built for Cole. His only option: marry the mother and claim the baby as his.

But no secret ever stays hidden forever.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

Jaxon is the guy she’s supposed to avoid.

K.C. is the girl he won’t let get away....

K. C. Carter has always followed the rules—until this year, when a mistake leaves her the talk of her college campus and her carefully arranged life comes crashing to a halt. Now she’s stuck in her small hometown for the summer to complete her court-ordered community service, and to make matters worse, trouble is living right next door.

Jaxon Trent is the worst kind of temptation and exactly what K.C. was supposed to stay away from in high school. But he never forgot her. She was the one girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day and the only one to ever say no. Fate has brought K.C. back into his life—except what he thought was a great twist of luck turns out to be too close for comfort. As the bond between them grows, he discovers that convincing K.C. to get out from her mother’s shadow is hard, but revealing the darkest parts of his soul is nearly impossible.…

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.
Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

My name is Benjamin Dorsey. You know my mom and dad's story. You know Kylie's parents' story. You even know Kylie's story.

You don't know mine, yet.

You don't know what a broken heart is until you've loved someone your whole life, only to have her slip through your fingers because you waited too long. That's heartbreak. That's regret. And how do you live with that? How do you go through the motions when she's there as a reminder of what you lost, of what you could have had but were too damn chicken to go after? I couldn't. So I left.

That's right, I ran away. I found myself across the continent, playing minor league football. I mean, at least I still had football, right?

Nope. That got taken away from me too. A career-ending injury left me down-and-out, scraping the bottom of the barrel, hating myself and hating life. And then I met Cheyenne Leveaux, my physical therapist, who became my one and only friend, the one bright light in the darkness of my messed up life.

But of course nothing is ever simple, or easy.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

After graduating from Bowler University, the last place Cam Ruiz ever expected to find himself is his hometown. A bad job as a bouncer and worry over his mom’s health make living in Paradise anything but. There’s only one thing that can make his return any harder—running into the only girl he’s ever loved.

Tate Ellison made a mistake when she was eighteen, one that cost her the best thing she’s ever had. She’s always hoped the regret of losing Cam would fade over time. Too bad it’s only grown. She took comfort in the fact she’d never have to face him again, so his presence in Paradise throws her for a loop.

The pull between them is instant and when the truth of what happened years ago tumbles out, they share a mind-blowing kiss...which leads to more. But the past has a way of repeating itself. When all the cards are on the table, Cam and Tate must decide what they are willing to do to make it last.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

With shades of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and Game of Thrones, debut author Pierce Brown’s genre-defying epic Red Rising hit the ground running and wasted no time becoming a sensation. Golden Son continues the stunning saga of Darrow, a rebel forged by tragedy, battling to lead his oppressed people to freedom from the overlords of a brutal elitist future built on lies. Now fully embedded among the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his work to bring down Society from within. A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown’s continuing status as one of fiction’s most exciting new voices.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

***

They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs.

Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David's willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And he's willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Cover Reveal - The Wicked We Have Done (UK Version)

So you may remember that back in September I helped reveal the US cover for one of my most anticipated 2014 releases - NA dystopian novel The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian. Today I am excited to be revealing the cover for the UK version and having read this book a few weeks ago I can say that it is as utterly amazing as the cover would have you expect and 100% worth reading.

The Wicked We Have Done releases March 18th from Headline in the UK and InterMix (Penguin) in the US.

The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian

Synopsis

With elements of horror, thriller and romance THE WICKED WE HAVE DONE is perfect for readers who enjoyed Suzanne Collins and are looking for the next big thing...

Once a sinner, always a sinner...

Twenty-two-year-old Evalyn Ibarra had taken the normality of her life for granted, until the moment everything changed. Now, convicted of a horrifying crime, she will be one of the first to experience a new kind of punishment.

In the darkness of the Compass Room - an experimental prison - the morality of convicts will be tested, and they will be punished according to their performance. In order to stay alive, Evalyn must relive the events of the fateful day that has brought her here.

Consumed by her own struggle, she never expects to make friends amongst her fellow inmates, let alone fall in love. But in this new and terrifying world, such allegiances are dangerous - because no one will escape unharmed.

Pre-order it now! Amazon UK | Amazon

Add it to goodreads

About the Author

Sarah grew up in the foothills of Yosemite, where she learned to fish, hike, and climb trees. She also had a soft spot for video games and fantasy novels, rounding her out to be perfectly equal parts of wilderness princess and super nerd.

Inspired by Carolyn Keene, Tolkien, and J.K.Rowling, she wanted to be a writer since she was eight. Her first attempted book was about twins who found a secret portal to another world in their basement. Between this creation and her first finished novel twelve years later, she dabbled in fanfiction and horror stories.

Sarah worked as a barista at Starbucks while studying at Fresno State, receiving her B.A. in English Education in 2010 and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2013. She was lucky enough to score a TAship during graduate school and teach fiction for a semester.

Now, Sarah is working on the sequel to her new adult speculative thriller, THE WICKED WE HAVE DONE. She’s liberal, queer, Christian, and madly in love with her husband. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to be all of those things at once.

Her works are represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. 

Twitter | Goodreads | Website | Facebook

Stacking The Shelves / Showcase Sunday #48

Showcase Sunday is hosted by Vicky @Books, Biscuits, and Tea and Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and they both give bloggers the opportunity to share the books they have received in the past week.

 

So I havent done a Stacking the Shelves post for 2 weeks so this one is HUGE. As usual if you click on the book cover you will be taken to the books Amazon page (or goodreads if it isn't yet on amazon).

 

Review

I got so many books for review over the past 2 weeks! Several of the paperbacks were from a Random House UK blogger event and the rest all arrived through my letterbox making that lovely sound of a book arriving.

Thank you to RHCP UK, Orion, Hot Key Books, Turnaround, Mira INK and Elle Davis.

 

Paperbacks

 

 

 

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Designed for Perfection by Elle Davis

Echo Boy by Matt Haig (Signed)

Far From You by Tess Sharp

 Looking For JJ by Anne Cassidy

 Finding Jennifer Jones by Anne Cassidy

 The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow

 These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman

 Bird by Crystal Chan

 Running Girl by Simon Mason

 The Name on Your Wrist by Helen Hiorns

 

 Ebooks

 

 

Eye of the Soul by Terri Rochenski

Every Second With You by Terri Rochenski

Defining Destiny by Deanna Chase

So Damn Beautiful by L.J. Kennedy

Kissing Midnight by Laura Bradely Rede

 

NetGalley

The two Jennifer Ashley books were great and The Wicked We Have done was utterly, completely, unbeatably amazing :D

 

The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian  

Feral Heat by Jennifer Ashley

Wild Wolf by Jennifer Ashley

 

Freebies

 

 

Girl With Guitar by Casey Quinn

Summer Of My Secret Angel by Anna Katmore

The Woodlands by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

A Dark Kiss Of Rapture by Sylvia Day

After The Moon Sets by Reba Taylor

 Broken Silence by Natasha Preston

Down The Rabbit Hole by Charlotte Abel

Give Me Reason by Zoey Derrick

Hidden by Megg Jensen

Silence by Natasha Preston

Bought

Paperback

 

 

The Uprising by Lisa M. Stasse

Breathe by Abbi Glines

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Entice by Jessica Shirvington

 

Ebook

 

(These are picture links to amazon as usual)

 

I have read most of these already and all were very good :)

 

 

So what do you think? Have you read or want to read any of these books? Feel free to link to your own Stacking The Shelves or similar post in the comments.