Category: Speculative

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer


Title: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release Date: June 5, 2010

ISBN: 978-0316125581

Size: 192 pages, 6×9, hardback

Genre: Political Thriller

This book is not eligible for a Whitney Award.

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

The Hidden Sun by J. Lloyd Morgan


Title: The Hidden Sun

Author: J. Lloyd Morgan

Publisher: Eloquent Books

Release Date: May 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-1609114374

Size: 328 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

The kingdom of Bariwon is at a crossroads. Ever since Eliana was born, she has been primed to become the kingdom’s leader. But she is not to rule Bariwon alone. A contest of sorts, called the Shoginoc, is to be held when Eliana turns twenty one. The victor gains the right to marry Eliana and become king of Bariwon. Rumor has it that the favorite to win the Shoginoc is Daimh, son of malevolent Governor Abrecan. However, Eliana has fallen in love with her personal guardian, Rinan. She is torn between renouncing her title to be with the man she loves or marrying to keep the kingdom out of the hands of those who would rule it unjustly. A plan is hatched to keep her in power while allowing her to marry Rinan, but little does she know the impact this deception will have on everyone in Bariwon for years to come.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George


Title: Princess of Glass

Author: Jessica Day George

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books

Release Date: May 25, 2010

ISBN: 978-1599904788

Size: 272 pages, hardcover

Genre: YA Fantasy

Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other’s countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It’s got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

Star Scout Rising by Gary Darby

Title: Star Scout Rising

Author: Gary Darby

Publisher: Kayto Communications Inc

Release Date: May 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-0982301722

Size: 557 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Speculative

From the last frontier, Space. A must-have, out of this world adventure! Star Scout Rising, First Trail by Gary Darby is a thoughtful, awe-inspiring, and spine-tingling Sci-Fi mystery that follows a young man named Del Baldura during his quest for knowledge, truth, and discovery in the distant future of human and alien kind. This story has it all superb background, surprises, mystery, love, futuristic technological possibilities, bizarre life forms, and a hero trying to make sense of his duty and loyalty, his current leadership responsibilities, and his search for truth about part of his and his family’s history.

Flecks of Gold by Alicia Buck


Title: Flecks of Gold

Author: Alicia Buck

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Release Date: May 8, 2010

ISBN: 978-1599553894

Size: 288 pages, 6×9, paperback

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

“Mary,” she gasped, I turned and saw Kelson gripping Mom’s arm fiercely. “Go! Get help,” she said. Kelson tried to reach past her to grab me, but Mom twisted, hampering his movements.

He grabbed her tightly about the waist, her armes locked to her sides. “Fine, one then. I’ll be back for you later, Mary Margaret.” There was a flash of blue pattern, then blinding light. I looked away, shielding my eyes. When I looked back, both Mom and Kelson were gone.

Mary’s life has always been pretty normal–aside from the fact that her mom cycles through relationsips like she’s changing channels on the TV. But when one more bad break-up forces them to start over in another new town, Mary realizes that maybe this place won’t be like all the others. There’s something different about one of her new classmates, and it’s not just the fact that he’s incredibly cute.

What Mary doesn’t know is that her attraction to Kelson isn’t exactly…natural. And when Kelson suddenly kidnaps Mary’s mom and takes her to his home world, Mary will have to rescue her by relying on something she never knew existed–magic.

The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum


Title: The Golden Spiral

Author: Lisa Mangum

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Release Date: May 10, 2010

ISBN: 978-1606416358

Size: 432 pages, hardcover

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Series: The Hourglass Door (#1)

His eyes. His touch. His kiss. Dante was unlike anyone Abby had ever met. Now he’s gone, and Abby will do anything to get him back . . .

The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Abby knows that Dante, as a Master of Time, is the only one who can stop them from destroying time itself. She also knows that he will need her help. But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby’s worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically.

As Abby’s world fractures around her, she must face a terrible truth: either Dante didn’t make it through the door, or he is lost forever. So with Dante’s blueprints in hand, she begins construction on a new door, a new time machine that will either save Dante or doom him.

With each new change that ripples into her present, Abby’s life continues to spiral out of control. Her relationships with Jason, Natalie, and even her family are threatened to the breaking point and beyond. Zo’s power is greater than Abby ever imagined, but as she struggles to free Dante, she receives help from an unexpected and unlikely ally. The bank is eroding. The barriers are thinning. And time is running out.

Trapped by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen


Title: Trapped

Author: Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

Publisher: Walnut Springs Press

Release Date: April 29, 2010

ISBN: 978-1935217640

Size: 293 pages, 6×9, paperback

Genre: Fantasy

Read Chapter 1

A forged letter, a golden vial, an ancient curse…

Her expression remained somber, but excitement crept into her voice. You are the Firstborn She…You must go to them.

You want me to act as bait?

Not bait, Emi. A spy. Our Trojan horse.

When Emi Warrin wakes one night to find a thief in her mother’s house, she has no idea the intruder has planted a trap—a mysterious letter that will change her life forever. Lured to the Austrian Alps with Daniel, the man she loves, Emi is thrown into a perilous, mafia-like world of feuding families and a devastating curse that spans generations. As the Firstborn She—the only firstborn female in hundreds of years—only Emi can free her family from the curse that will soon afflict her as well. But for Emi to break the curse, she must delve into evil designs.

As Emi struggles to understand her destiny as the Firstborn She, she learns that everything isn’t as it seems and that all choices have consequences. Can Emi break the curse before it’s too late?

Spells by Aprilynne Pike


Title: Spells

Author: Aprilynne Pike

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: May 4, 2010

ISBN: 978-0061668067

Size: 368 pages, Hardcover

Genre: YA Fantasy

Series: Wings

“I can’t just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I cant ‘steal’ you away. I just have to wait and hope that, someday, you’ll ask,” Tamani said.

“And if I don’t?” Laurel said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Then I guess I’ll be waiting forever.”

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger–and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

The Princess and the Snowbird by Mette Ivie Harrison


Title: The Princess and the Snowbird

Author: Mette Ivie Harrison

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: May 4, 2010

ISBN: 978-0061553172

Size: 240 pages, hardcover

Genre: YA Fantasy

Series: The Princess and the Hound; The Princess and the Bear

She is the headstrong daughter of the hound and the bear, heir to all her royal parents’ magic and able to transform at will into any animal she wishes.

He is an outcast, a boy without magic, determined to make his way in the forest beholden to no one.

Though Liva and Jens are as different as night and day, from the time their paths first cross they are irresistibly drawn to one another. Each wrestles with demons: Liva with the responsibility that comes with the vast magic she’s inherited, Jens with the haunting memories he’s left behind. Separately, they keep a lookout for each other and for the immense snowbird whose appearances signify a dark event on the horizon.

When a terrible threat surfaces, Liva and Jens set out in an attempt to protect all they hold dear. Much is at stake—for while their failure could spell an end to all magic, their success could bring them together at last.

Penitence by Jennifer Laurens


Title: Penitence (book 2)

Author: Jennifer Laurens

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing

Release Date: April 29, 2010

ISBN: 978-1933963839

Size: 322 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: YA Romantic Fantasy

Series: Heavenly

Read excerpt here.

View trailer here.

Seeing good and evil spirits is a gift Zoe guards with her life.

Despite her guardian angel’s disappearance, Zoe forces herself to accept that she still has a purpose—but how does she carry the weight of her brother’s drug abuse, the hardship of living with an autistic sister, and a best friend who’s obsessed with a guy who only wants Zoe?
She’s never felt more alone.

When a mysterious spirit appears, Zoe thinks she has a new guardian angel. Instead, her brother’s addiction worsens, her parents are on the brink of separation, and her best friend tries to kill her. The spirit she thinks is her new guardian isn’t there to protect her: he’s out to destroy her family and seize Zoe’s soul. . . for Hell.

Will Matthias’ return mean that he is Zoe’s guardian angel again? Or is their love the reason the jaws of Hell now gape open?

Chase the Wind by Clover Autrey


Title: Chase the Wind

Author: Clover Autrey

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: May 21, 2010
(available now from publisher)

ISBN:978-1601541321

Size: 242 pages, 5×8, softcover

Genre: Speculative

Series: Upon Eagle’s Light

Read an excerpt.

Eagle Assassins are poisoning the leadership of the Pagona Forces, yet Kinalan refuses to believe that there is no hope for his brother, the General. When the Eaglekin Matron insists that she knows of a cure in the far mountains, Kinalan grasps onto it even though he’ll have to rely on one of the Eaglekins he despises to be his guide.

Though Santil has never been on a horse, sheer will and a desire to prove the Eaglekins innocence give her the resolve to go on. Together, Santil and Kinalan will have to ride like the wind to get the cure. If a cure even exists.

One Enchanted Evening by Lynn Kurland


Title: One Enchanted Evening

Author: Lynn Kurland

Publisher: Jove

Release Date: April 27, 2010

ISBN: 978-0515147919

Size: 384 pages, 4×6, softcover

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Montgomery de Piaget attracts responsibilities like blossoms lure bees. Where other knights have bonny brides, laughing children, and noble quests, he has the task of rebuilding the most dilapidated castle in all of England. A bit of magic might aid him—if only he still believed in that sort of thing.

When Pippa Alexander is invited to England to provide costumes for an upscale party, she jumps at the chance to showcase her own line of fairy-tale inspired designs. Not even her older sister’s decision to act as Fairy Queen crushes Pippa’s hope that this time, she’ll wind up wearing the glass slippers. Not that she believes in fairy tales, or magic that whispers along the hallways of an honest-to-goodness medieval castle…

But the castle is full of more than cobwebs, and danger lurks in unexpected places. And only time will tell if Montgomery and Pippa can overcome both to find their own happily every after . . .

The Keys of the Kingdom by Chad Daybell


Title: The Keys of the Kingdom (Standing in Holy Places, Vol. 4)

Author: Chad Daybell

Publisher: Spring Creek

Release Date: April 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-1932898910

Size: 178 pages

Genre: Speculative

Series: The Great Gathering (v1), The Celestial City (v2), The Rise of Zion (v3)

As New Jerusalem becomes established and the Second Coming seems imminent, several crucial events remain to be completed before the Millennium is ushered in. The two apostles called by the LDS prophet have arrived in Jerusalem, where they must defend the city against the approaching Coalition armies.

Meanwhile, many Saints are returning to their hometowns following World War III in an effort to establish Cities of Light across the American continent. However, the seven plagues prophesied in the Book of Revelation have begun, signaling the beginning of a showdown between good and evil that threatens to engulf the world.

Queen in Exile by Donna Hatch


Title: Queen in Exile

Author: Donna Hatch

Publisher: Walnut Springs Press

Release Date: April, 2010

ISBN: 978-1935217633

Size: 373 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Read an excerpt.

Rumors of war hang over Princess Jeniah’s peaceful country of Arden, a land that shuns both magic and warfare. Following a lifelong dream, Jeniah forms a telpathic bond with a revered creature called a chayim, who is prophesied to save her kingdom. But when a Darborian knight comes upon Jeniah with her chayim, he sees only a vicious monster about to devour a maiden, and he slays the beast.

Devastated by the loss of her chayim, and fearing that her own magic is evil, Jeniah doubts her destiny. When an enemy invades Arden City, they slaughter the people, storm the castle, and execute the entire royal family except the princess. Rescued by the knight who slew her chayim, Jeniah is now heir to the throne of Arden and the only hope for freeing her people from tyranny.

On the run and hunted by enemy soldiers, Jeniah must place her life and the fate of her kingdom in the hands of this trained killer. Torn between embracing her destiny as queen of Arden, and her love for a mere knight, she must ultimately rely on her magic to save herself and her people from death and tyranny.

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells


Title: I Am Not a Serial Killer

Author: Dan Wells

Publisher: Headline

Release Date: March 30, 2010

ISBN: 978-0765327826

Size: 272 pages, 5.5×8.5, softcover

Genre: Speculative

This book is not eligible for a Whitney Award in 2010. It was previously released in the UK and is a 2009 Whitney finalist.

John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it.

He’s spent his life doing his best not to live up to his potential.

He’s obsessed with serial killers, but really doesn’t want to become one. So for his own sake, and the safety of those around him, he lives by rigid rules he’s written for himself, practicing normal life as if it were a private religion that could save him from damnation.

Dead bodies are normal to John. He likes them, actually. They don’t demand or expect the empathy he’s unable to offer. Perhaps that’s what gives him the objectivity to recognize that there’s something different about the body the police have just found behind the Wash-n-Dry Laundromat—and to appreciate what that difference means.

Now, for the first time, John has to confront a danger outside himself, a threat he can’t control, a menace to everything and everyone he would love, if only he could.

Dan Wells’s debut novel is the first volume of a trilogy that will keep you awake and then haunt your dreams.

Book #2, Mr. Monster, has been released in the UK. It will be released in the US in October.

The Mark by M.R. Bunderson


Title: The Mark

Author: M.R. Bunderson

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Release Date: March 8, 2010

ISBN: 978-1599553511

Size: 288 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Speculative

It’s a secret that’s been hiding in plain sight. Tori’s just your average teenager, or so she’s always thought. But one day she discovers that what seemed like an ordinary birthmark on her wrist is really a set of tiny strange-looking symbols. And when Tori meets others with the same mark, they soon realize they’ll need to work together to save their real homeland an ancient culture that’s been hidden for centuries. Now Tori and her friends must find their way home, master their newfound powers, and save the land they are destined to rule. Filled with fantasy, suspense, and romance, The Mark is a spellbinding thrill ride you won’t want to put down.

The Thorn by Daron D. Fraley


Title: The Thorn

Author: Daron D. Fraley

Publisher: Valor Publishing Group

Release Date: March 16, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-935546-11-5

Size: 300 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

Three tribes are at war on the planet Gan, unaware that the sign of Christ’s birth on an unknown world – Earth – is about to appear in the heavens.

During a bloody skirmish with Gideonite troops, Jonathan of Daniel spares Pekah, a young enemy soldier, gaining his trust forever. These two distant brothers from estranged tribes covenant with each other to end the war being waged by a self-proclaimed emperor, and soon discover the intentions of a far more dangerous foe named Rezon – a sinister general bent on ruling those he can bring into subjection and destroying all others.

In the end, Pekah’s selfless bravery is the means by which all the tribes are united. But there are dissenters, and Rezon escapes a well-deserved fate. When the promised heavenly signs appear, will there be peace at last, or will the malefactors once again threaten the safety of them all?

The Sapphire Flute by Karen E. Hoover


Title: The Sapphire Flute (Book 1 of The Wolfchild Saga)

Author: Karen E. Hoover

Publisher: Valor Publishing Group

Release Date: March 16, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-935546-07-8

Size: 370 pages, hardcover

Genre: YA Fantasy

It has been 3,000 years since a white mage has been seen upon Rasann.

In the midst of a volcanic eruption miles outside of her village, Ember discovers she can see magic and change the appearance of things at will. Against her mother’s wishes, she leaves for the mage trials only to be kidnapped before arriving. In trying to escape, she discovers she has inherited her father’s secret–a secret that places her in direct conflict with her father’s greatest enemy.

At the same time, Kayla is given guardianship of the sapphire flute and told not to play it. The evil mage C’Tan has been searching for it for decades and the sound alone is enough to call her. For the flute to be truly safe, Kayla must find its birthplace in the mountains high above Javak. The girls’ paths are set on a collision course…a course that C’Tan is determined to prevent at all costs.

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells


Title: Mr. Monster

Author: Dan Wells

Publisher: Headline Publishing Group

Release Date: March 4, 2010

ISBN: 978-0755348824

Size: 288 pages, 5×7.75″, softcover

Genre: Speculative/Horror

Series: I Am Not a Serial Killer (v1)

Coming to the U.S. via TOR in October 2010.

John Wayne Cleaver has always known he has a dark side but he’s fought hard to oppress it and live a normal life – separating John from Mr Monster to survive. But after confronting and destroying the vicious killer that was terrorizing his town, his inner monster is getting stronger and harder to contain.

And now more bodies are being discovered…

With the police failing to catch Clayton County’s second serial killer John is going to have to use his secret knowledge of the first demon-killer to trap the second…but will he be able to avoid suspicion falling on him, and, in the face of extreme horrors, will he be able to restrain Mr Monster?

Secret of the Dragon by Weis & Hickman


Title: Secret of the Dragon (Dragonships of Vindras #2)

Author: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Publisher: TOR

Release Date: March 16, 2010

ISBN: 978-0765319746

Size: 400 pages, hardcover

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Bones of the Dragon (v1)

New gods are challenging the old high god, Torval, for rulership of the world. The only way to stop these brash interlopers lies with the five Bones of the Vektia Dragons—the five primal dragons hidden away by the dragon goddess, Vindrash, during the creation of the world. Without these dragons, one of the new gods, Aelon, cannot seize power. The only hope of the Vindrasi lies in finding the dragon bones before the followers of Aelon can use them to destroy the old gods. But the Vindrasi gods have a traitor in their midst…

In the land of mortals, Raegar, a Vindraisi turned Aelon warrior-priest, searches for the spirit bones. The gods have a champion of their own—Skylan Ivorson, sea-raider and high chief of the Vindrasi clans, and sworn enemy to Raegar. But Skylan is a prisoner on his own ship. The ship’s dragon, Kahg, has vanished and some believe he is dead. Skylan and his people are taken as captives to Sinaria, where they must fight in a game known as the Para Dix. The fates of men and gods and are dragons are rushing headlong to destruction. Skylan can stop the calamity, but only if he discovers the secret of the dragon.

Branded (Fall of Angels) by Keary Taylor

Jessica’s had the nightmares for as long as she can remember. Nightmares of being judged for people who have died, of being branded by the angels. Her friends and family think she’s a crazy because of it all. Yet she carries the mark of the condemned, seared into the back of her neck, and hides it and herself away from the world.

But when two men she can’t ignore enter her life everything changes, including the nightmares. The two of them couldn’t be more different. She will do anything to be with one of them. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. But one of the two has set events into motion what will pull her toward her own judgment and turn her into the object of her greatest fear.

Read excerpt   View trailer

Title: Branded (Fall of Angels, Book 1)

Author: Keary Taylor

Publisher: CreateSpace/Self

Release Date: March 4, 2010

ISBN: 978-1450572378

Size: 374 pages, 5.5 x 8.5, softcover

Genre: Paranormal


The Canticle Kingdom by Michael D. Young


Title: The Canticle Kingdom

Author: Michael D. Young

Publisher: Bonneville Books (CFI)

Release Date: February 8, 2010

ISBN: 978-1599553627

Size: 256 pages, 6×9, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

Read Chapter 1

It seemed like ages since Kate’s father went off to war, and she is eager to thank him for the beautiful German music box he sent for her birthday. But when it starts playing a strange, new melody and Kate vanishes into thin air, Captain Edison is willing to do anything to rescue his little girl.

When the Canticle Kingdom is attacked and the queen falls deathly ill, Joann, a young blacksmith’s apprentice, learns a terrible secret – the kingdom is contained entirely within a music box in another world.. With the help pf his friends, Johann races to bring aid from that other world in an effort to stop the dark power that threatens to destroy them all.

Enter a beautiful world full of magic, danger, loyalty, and bravery in The Canticle Kingdom, and discover that even the most ordinary objects and people might be hiding something truly wonderful inside.

A Tapesty of Spells by Lynn Kurland

Title: A Tapestry of Spells (The Nine Kingdoms, v. 4)

Author: Lynn Kurland

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Release Date: January 5, 2010

ISBN: 978-0425232132

Size: 368 pages, 5.5×8, softcover

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Star of the Morning (v1), The Mage’s Daughter (v2),  Princess of the Sword (v3)

Return to the world of the Nine Kingdoms with New York Times bestselling author Lynn Kurland as a new evil, and a new passion, emerges.

Sarah’s brother has embraced the dark arts, vowing to destroy the Nine Kingdoms, and she doesn’t have the power to stop him. Now she must risk everything to thwart his plans, even though she fears the quest will reveal the secret she’s kept all her life.

After seeing his entire family slain by magic, Ruithneadh swore never to use his power again. But when Sarah pleads for his help, he’s thrust back into a life of enchantments and peril, and a quest capable of unraveling the entire fabric of the Nine Kingdoms.

Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card


Title: Hidden Empire

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publisher: TOR

Release Date: December 22, 2009

ISBN: 978-0765320049

Size: 336 pages, hardcover

Genre: Speculative

Series: Empire (v1)

The war of words between right and left collapsed into a shooting war, and raged between the high-technology weapons on each side, devastating cities and overrunning the countryside.

At the close of Empire, political scientist and government adviser Averell Torrent had maneuvered himself into the presidency of the United States. And now that he has complete power at home, he plans to expand American imperial power around the world.

Opportunity comes quickly. There’s a deadly new plague in Africa, and it is devastating the countryside and cities. President Torrent declares American solidarity with the victims, but places all of Africa in quarantine until a vaccine is found or the disease burns itself out. And he sends Captain Bartholomew Coleman, Cole to his friends, to run the relief operations and protect the American scientists working on identifying the virus. If Cole and his team can avoid dying of the plague, or being cut down by the weapons of fearful African nations, they might do some good. Or they might be out of the way for good.