New Book Releases for October 2017

Here are my book picks for October 2017. There is a great range. Can’t wait to get reading. Click on covers for more information and reviews.

Children’s Fiction

Leaf – Sandra Dieckmann – Flying Eye Books – Published 3 October 2017

Crow saw it first. A strange white creature, carried upon the dark waves towards the shore…. When a polar bear arrives unexpectedly in the woods, the animals fear and avoid him, suspecting him to be dangerous – and his habit of collecting leaves only adds to their distrust. Then one day, they watch as he attempts to fly over the water with wings made of colorful leaves…just trying to go home.

Children’s Fiction: Picture Books – Animals

The Trials of Morrigan Crow – Jessica Townsend – Nevermoor #1 – Hachette – Published 31 October 2017

Morrigan Crow is a cursed child, doomed to die on the last night of the age, Eventide. But before she can meet her untimely end, she is whisked away by the strange and colourful Jupiter North, who takes her to a magical, secret city called Nevermoor. Here she discovers that Jupiter has put forward her name as a candidate for the illustrious Wundrous Society – but to gain entry she must first pass four trials. However, Morrigan soon realises that while the other competitors each have a special talent (from dragon riding to magical singing), she herself does not (being cursed doesn’t count). Morrigan must discover her talent and pass each trial if she is to stay in Nevermoor.

Children’s Fiction: Fantasy

Young Adult Fiction

A Messy, Beautiful Life – Sara Jade Alan – Entangled Teen – Published 2 October 2017

Life is funny sometimes. And not always the ha, ha kind. Like that one time where a hot guy tried to kiss me and I fell. Down. Hard. And then found out I had cancer. 

I’m trying to be strong for my friends and my mom.

And I’m trying so hard to be “just friends” with that hot guy, even though he seems to want so much more. But I won’t do that to him. He’s been through this before with his family, and I’m not going to let him watch me die.  So, I tell myself: Smile Ellie. Be funny Ellie. Don’t cry Ellie, because once I start, I might not stop.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary

Wild Beauty – Anna-Marie McLemore – Feiwel & Friends – Published 3 October 2017

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.

Young adult fiction – Fantasy

Satellite – Nick Lake – Knopf Books for Young Readers – Published 3 October 2017

Moon 2 is a space station that orbits approximately 250 miles above Earth. It travels 17,500 miles an hour, making one full orbit every ninety minutes. It’s also the only home that fifteen-year-old Leo and two other teens have ever known.

Born and raised on Moon 2, Leo and the twins, Orion and Libra, are finally old enough and strong enough to endure the dangerous trip to Earth. They’ve been “parented” by teams of astronauts since birth and have run countless drills to ready themselves for every conceivable difficulty they might face on the flight. 

Young adult fiction: Science-fiction

Devils & Thieves – Jennifer Rush – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers – Published 3 October 2017

Eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael has grown up surrounded by magic in the quiet town of Hawthorne, New York. In her world, magic users are called “kindled,” and Jemmie would count herself among them if only she could cast a simple spell without completely falling apart. It doesn’t help that she was also recently snubbed by Crowe, the dangerous and enigmatic leader of the Black Devils kindled motorcycle gang and the unofficial head of their turf.
Young adult fiction: Fantasy

Far From The Tree – Robin Benway – HarperTeen – Published 3 October 2017

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.

But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—

Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary

Never Apart – Romily Bernard – Entangled Teen – Published 3 October 2017

Every five days, Grace Freeman dies. Each time, she wakes in the same inescapable nightmare, falling from parallel world to parallel world, each life slightly different than her first. She’s never alone, though, because Ander Hale is always with her. No matter what Grace’s life is like or where Ander is, they always find each other. 

But, no matter how far they run, Finn always finds them.

This Fall is different. Worse. Ander doesn’t remember Grace, but Finn is still coming for them. Grace has to find a way to stop him alone. But stopping Finn means confronting her past. What if every memory of the boy she loves never happened? What if Finn is actually trying to save her? And what if the never-ending nightmare is hiding something so much worse…

Young adult fiction: Contemporary.

Things I’m Seeing Without You – Peter Bognanni – Dial Books – Published 3 October

Tess Fowler has dropped out of school in the wake of her boyfriend’s suicide, her grief and depression overwhelming. Sure, she only met Jonah once but all their online conversations in the past months were no less real or effecting than any face-to-face relationship. She loved him and his death has left her shaken. With nowhere else to go, she turns up on her father’s doorstep. In the following weeks, Tess begins to help her father run his funeral business and meets new people who change her life in ways she never saw coming.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary.

The Last Namsara – Kristen Ciccarelli – Iskari #1 – HarperTeen – Published 3 October 2017

Asha is the deadly and feared Iskari. She hunts dragons for her father, the king, but secretly yearns to tell the forbidden stories that give the dragons more power and once caused the destruction of her city. But with the date of her arranged marriage to the cruel and loathsome Commandant Jarek drawing near, Asha knows her only chance of escape would be retrieving the head of the greatest and oldest dragon. But when her brother returns home with a group of their people’s enemies, and a slave boy crosses boundaries and offers Asha the first signs of trust and affection she has experienced in years, Asha knows that her life, her whole world, is about to change dramatically.

Young adult fiction: Fantasy

Last Star Burning – Caitlin Sangster – Simon Pulse – Published 10 October 2017

Sev is branded with the mark of a criminal—a star burned into her hand. That’s the penalty for being the daughter of the woman who betrayed their entire nation.

Now her mother’s body is displayed above Traitor’s Arch, kept in a paralyzed half sleep by the same plague that destroyed the rest of the world. And as further punishment, Sev is forced to do hard labor to prove that she’s more valuable alive than dead.

When the government blames Sev for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city or face the chopping block. Unimaginable dangers lurk outside the city walls, and Sev’s only hope of survival lies with the most unlikely person—Howl, the chairman’s son.

Young adult fiction: Science-fiction – Post-apocalyptic

This Darkness Mine – Mindy McGinnis – Katherine Tegen Books – Published 10 October 2017
Sasha discovers that her by-the-book life began by ending another’s: the twin sister she absorbed in the womb. But that doesn’t explain the gaps of missing time in her practice schedule or the memories she has of things she certainly never did with Isaac. As Sasha loses her much-cherished control, her life—and heart—become more entangled with Isaac. Armed with the knowledge that her heart might not be hers alone, Sasha must decide what she’s willing to do—and who she’s willing to hurt—to take it back.

Young adult fiction: Thriller

The Nowhere Girls – Amy Reed – Simon Pulse – Published 10 October 2017
Three girls spark revolution at their high school when they create The Nowhere Girls – a group that protests their school’s misogynist culture in defence of one of their previous classmates who was brutally raped.
Young adult fiction: Contemporary
Dare Mighty Things – Heather Kaczynski – HarperTeen – Published 10 October 2017
Cassandra knows she was born for something great – it’s expected of a child who was one of the first genetically engineered babies. When she is offered a place in a competition for a highly secretive NASA mission, Cass jumps at the opportunity. Leaving her family behind, Cass spends the next few months being tested to her limits and trying to outclass the other competitors. But no amount of physical or mental aptitude can prepare her for the challenges she will face, including making friends amongst her competitors. But the greatest challenge will be revealed if she makes it to the top spot and discovers what this mission aims to achieve.
Young adult fiction: Science-fiction

The First To Know – Abigail Johnson – Harlequin Teen Australia – 23 October 2017 (Aus) [Nov – US]

Dana Fields’s father never knew his parents. When Dana secretly does a DNA test for her dad, hoping to find him some distant relatives for his birthday, her entire world implodes. Instead of a few third cousins, Dana discovers a half-brother her age whose very existence means her parent’s happy marriage is a lie.

Young adult fiction: Contemporary

Meant To Be – Julie Halpern- Feiwel & Friends – Published 24 October 2017

In a world where the names of MTBs—”meant to be” mates—appear on the body at age eighteen, a girl must decide whether to believe the phenomenon or follow her heart in this YA novel.
It started happening a few years ago: the names of MTBs—”meant to be” mates—appeared emblazoned on the skin at age eighteen. Agatha’s best friend has embraced the phenomenon and is head over heels in love with her MTB. But Ag isn’t so sure. As she searches the interwebs for her MTB (who has a common name, no less) she finds herself falling for a co-worker at the local amusement park. Is he a better match? What does Agatha really want in a mate, and moreover, what does she want for herself?

Young adult fiction: Contemporary

The Glass Spare – Lauren DeStefano – Balzer+Bray – Published 24 October 2017
Wil is the fourth child and only daughter of the king of Arrod, the third spare, hidden from the world and unneeded except as a spy for her father and an errand carrier for her brothers. When Wil discovers strange powers, the ability to turn living things into glass and precious jewels, she is shocked but quickly warms to the sense of power it gives her. Until, in a moment of pride and independence, her gift quickly displays itself as a curse, killing one that she dearly loves and separating her from her family. On the run, exiled from her home, she meets another cursed royal, also exiled from his kingdom. Prince Loom demands Wil’s help and in return says he will help her find the man who can answer her questions.
Young adult fiction: Fantasy

Christian Fiction

Dangerous Illusions – Irene Hannon – Code of Honor #1 – Revell – Published 3 October 2017

Trish Bailey is on overload trying to deal with a demanding job, an ailing mother, and a healing heart. When a series of unsettling memory lapses leads to a tragic death–and puts Trish under police scrutiny–her world is once again thrown into turmoil.

Detective Colin Flynn isn’t certain what to think of the facts he uncovers during his investigation. Did Trish simply make a terrible mistake or is there more to the case than meets the eye? As he searches for answers, disturbing information begins to emerge–and if the forces at work are as evil as he suspects, the situation isn’t just dangerous . . . it’s deadly.

 Christian fiction – Mystery-thriller

Blind Spot – Dani Pettrey – Chesapeake Valor #3 – Bethany House Publishers – Published 3 October 2017

Declan Grey, FBI agent, knows in his gut that there is more to be uncovered about the boat he caught smuggling drugs and humans into the USA. But he is surprised when he is paired with Tanner Shaw, a recent FBI recruit and someone well versed in working with the immigrant population, to work the case, and even more surprised when she agrees with his assessment of imminent danger. Their proximity as they work the case allows them both to examine their growing feelings as they race against the clock to prevent what appears to be a planned terrorist attack.

Christian fiction – Mystery-thriller.

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck – Bethany Turner – Revell – Published 3 October 2017

Steamy romance writer Sarah Hollenbecks career is at its peak, but reconciling her writing with her newfound faith proves more difficult than she imaginedand falling for her pastor doesn’t make things any easier.
Christian fiction: Contemporary

 

←September 2017 New Releases