Here is the latest update for the Books to Watch list.  Ilsa Bick’s Ashes reminds me of Wild Cards, which is one of my favorite series.  The Last Chemical Garden sounds amazing.  I love the premise. You can view my previous Books to Watch posts here.

1. Ilsa Bick’s ASHES, which begins when an electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky, killing the vast majority of the world population and zapping every electronic device.  Everyone still alive has changed considerably– some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh), in a significant deal.

Today’s “Feature Friday” is The Shadow Keepers Series by J. K. Beck a.k.a. Julie Kenner.  When Blood Calls is the first book in the series and is scheduled to be released on September 28, 2010.  The second book in the series is called When Pleasure Rules and is scheduled to be released in November 2010.  No blurb yet for the third novel, When Wicked Rules, which will hit shelves in December 2010. I’m really glad that I discovered this series.  It sounds really amazing and I’ve been in the mood lately to discover a new vampire paranormal series.  I love the sexy cover art as well.  I will be adding When Blood Calls to my Debut Paranormal Romance Challenge because it’s a new series.  Stay tuned for more details this weekend.

You can visit Ms. Beck around the web here: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Synopsis (Product Description):

Sara Constantine is one of the country’s most tenacious prosecuting attorneys—and she’s just secured a well-earned promotion. At first she’s thrilled. Then she finds out her new job involves prosecuting vampires and werewolves. And nothing prepares Sara for the shock she receives when she meets the first defendant she’ll be trying to put away: Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy.

When Lucius Dragos kisses the beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s only hoping to blend into the crowd and avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s following…and planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss to secure his cover ignites into a fierce hunger that leads to an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows Sara will do whatever it takes to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not the monster she thinks he is. And that might mean making the greatest sacrifice a vampire can make.

Synopsis (Product Description):

Seven innocents have been brutally murdered on the streets of Los Angeles, yet the Shadow Alliance has no suspects and no leads. And as more bodies are discovered, the age-old feud between the vampires and werewolves threatens to explode and turn the city into a living nightmare.

With her back to the wall, Lissa Monroe—a strong-willed, ravishingly beautiful succubus who entices men to surrender their souls—agrees to go undercover for the Alliance. Her mission: infiltrate the mind of werewolf leader Vincent Rand, a ferociously alluring enemy who has a powerful hold over her. Lissa has never lost control of her deepest desires, but Rand is an impenetrable paradox, a principled soldier who fears nothing—except perhaps the darkness of his own past. As the city of Angels teeters on the brink of apocalypse, these two adversaries must join together to have even the slimmest chance of surviving a more lethal enemy hidden in plain sight.

EW’s Shelf Life unveiled the cover for Clockwork Angel, which is the first book in Cassandra Clare’s new Infernal Devices series.  The new series will be a companion series to her Mortal Instruments trilogy.  You can read an excerpt here.  The book is scheduled to be released on August 31, 2010.

You can visit Cassandra around the web here: Book Site | Website | Blog | Twitter

Synopsis (Product Description):

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Andrea Cremer unveiled the cover art for her debut young adult novel, Nightshade.  The book is scheduled to be released on October 14, 2010.  I wish that I had a bigger image for the cover because it’s ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.  The second book in the Nightshade series is Wolfsbane, which will be released in 2011.  You can view the trailer here.

Visit Andrea around the web here: Website | Blog | Twitter

Synopsis (Product Description):

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack’s world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches’ War that surrounds them all.

Nancy Holder unveiled the cover art for Crusade, which is the first book in her new series with Debbie Viguie. The book is scheduled to be released on September 21, 2010.  I think the cover art is amazing.  No blurb yet for the book.  You can view the Wicked series Facebook Fan Page here.

You can visit Nancy around the web here: Website

and visit Debbie around the web here: Website

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

Forgive My Fins, by Tera Lynn Childs is scheduled to be released on June 1, 2010.  I’m not sure if this will be a series,  but it sounds really good.  I love the premise and I’m really interested in the mythology.  The cover is simply stunning.

You can visit Tera around the web here: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Synopsis (Product Description):

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

A Prolific Blogger is one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.

1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers.  Spread some love!
2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.
3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to this post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.
4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky, so that we all can get to know the other winners. (Click here for the Mr. Linky page.)

I received this very special award from Nikki over at Ramblings of a Bibliophile.

I’m passing this award on to the following lovely blogs:

1. All Things Urban Fantasy

2. SciFiGuy

3. Literary Escapism

4. Fantasy Dreamer’s Ramblings

5. Babbling About Books, and More

6. Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

7. Over The Edge Book Reviews

8. Peace Love & Pat

9. Sidhe Vicious Reviews

10. Unbound

11. Wicked Walker

12. Tez Says

13. Escape Between The Pages

14. Lovin’ Me Some Romance

I received this really cool award from JAD over at Cafe Pearl.

Seven things about myself:

1. I’m an only child.

2. In an effort to be more adventurous, I’ve agreed to go white water rafting and sky diving with friends.  I’m already regretting both, but I want to face my two biggest fears.  Deep water and heights.

3. My favorite color used to be blue, but now it’s purple.  Not sure why I made the change.

4. My favorite movie genre is horror.  I will watch any and all things related to horror.  If you haven’t seen The Crazies yet – RUN out to see it.  It’s a very good movie.

5. I used to write Buffyverse fan fiction.  Pretty lame, huh?  A few of my friends have pulled me into Supernatural fan fiction.  Wincest has become a guilty pleasure of mine.

6. One of my favorite graphic novel series is The Walking Dead.  Crossed is also really good.

7. I love to wear and buy lots of jewelry from Judith Jack.

Want to know more tidbits about me? You can click here and here to find out more.

I’m passing this award on to 15 blogs that I really enjoy:

1. Book Bound

2. Fantasy Debut

3. Fantasy Dreamer’s Ramblings

4. Kindle Vixen

5. La Femme Readers

6. Literary Escapism

7. Loose Knickers and Window Lickers

8. Mindful Musings

9. Babbling About Books, and More

10. Lurv a la Mode

11. Parajunkee’s View

12. Paranormal Haven

13. SciFiGuy

14. The Book Lush

15. Wicked Little Pixie

• You can go here to sign-up for this challenge.
• You can post your reviews for this challenge here.
• Use the Mr. Linky Widget below to link your completed list of books once you make a post on your blog.
• You can leave a comment with your completed list if you don’t have a blog.