Part II: April 3-10 New Releases & Reader's Choice Contest

Ready for another onslaught of new releases for this week? Did you realize that spring is the biggest release season for most publishers? (You do now!) So…let’s get to it. The usual giveaway info at the end of the post and—and as usual, international entries welcome.

Mesmerized, by Lauren Dane (April 5, Berkley)

Andrei Solace delivers death on silent feet as an assassin for the Phantom Corps. Mercenary Piper Roundtree thought she was over him. But against the backdrop of an impending war, their passion is rekindled. Now the lovers must join forces- in more ways than one-to save the Known Universe before the Imperialist enemy hurls it into irreversible chaos. Second in the Phantom Corps series.

Mona Lisa Eclipsing, by Sunny (April 5, Berkley)

Roberto, a jaguar-shifter of mixed Monère heritage, arrives in Cozumel to kill a rival. But he finds a more valuable prize in Mona Lisa, a Monère who's lost her memory and can be manipulated into believing anything-no matter how dark or dangerous. Seventh in the Children of the Moon series.

Navarro’s Promise, by Lora Leigh (April 5, Berkley)

The breed guaranteed Mica no harm would come to her, but they never allowed for her sensual fascination with Navarro, or his unstoppable need to claim her as his mate, in both body and soul. Twenty-fourth in the Breeds series.

Plague, by Michael Grant (April 5, Katherine Tegen)

It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. Gone. They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.  But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape—or even survive—life in the FAYZ. Fourth in the Gone series.

Rage, by Jackie Morse Kessler (April 4, Graphia)

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was different. That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control. Second in the Riders' Quartet series.

Red Glove, by Holly Black

(April 5, Margaret K. McElderry)

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

Red Mortal, by Diedre Knight (April 5, Signet)

Leonidas has long led his fellow immortal warriors in battle with quiet, unyielding strength. But when Daphne, Oracle of Delphi, confesses to having loved him from afar, Leo finds his stoic shell breaking away. Just as their love ignites, Daphne's half-brother Ares strips Leonidas of his immortality. Now, it's just a matter of time before Leonidas is taken from her-unless they can find a way to challenge Ares together. Fourth in the Gods of Midnight series.

Shady Lady, by Ann Aguirre (April 5, Roc)

Whenever Corine Solomon touches an object, she immediately knows its history. Now in Mexico, she's running her pawnshop and trying to get a handle on her strange new powers, for she might need them. And soon. Then former ally Kel Ferguson walks through her door. Heavily muscled and tattooed, Kel looks like a convict but calls himself a holy warrior. This time, he carries a warning for Corine: the Montoya cartel is coming for her—but they don't just pack automatic weapons. The Montoyas use warlocks, shamans, voodoo priests—anything to terminate trouble. And Corine has become enemy number one.Third in the Corine Solomon series.

The Shining City, by Fiona Patton (April 5, Daw)

With the three children of prophecy—the seers Spar and Graize, and the warrior Brax—now grown, and the young God Hisar ready to stake his claim to a place in the pantheon of Anavatan, a time of chaos and change is fast approaching. For only if sworn enemies Spar and Graize can come together as Hisar's priests will the God stand any chance of surviving the coming battles with both the hungry spirits seeking to devour him, and the war with the mortal invasion fleet, which is even now sailing for Anavatan. Book three of the Warriors of Estavia series.

Starfire, by Kate Douglas (April 5, Zebra)

The women of Lemuria are still in chains. The daughter of an enslaved warrior, brutally attacked by a vicious guard, Selyn has survived—barely. Beaten and terrified, she must overcome her fear and trust her life to the only man who can help her: Dawson Buck, one from Earth who has crossed through the portal, a gifted healer. His skills and knowledge renew her body and strengthen her spirit—and awaken a compelling passion she has never known. Third in the Demonslayers series. 

Tatterdemalion, by Anah Crow

and Dianne Fox (April 5, Samhain)

Lindsay Carrington is a prisoner of his life—first in the mundane world, then in the military testing facility where his parents sent him to have his magic dissected, studied and “fixed.” When he finally escapes, freedom comes at great cost. The man who rescues him from near death in a dark alley is far from a savior. He’s a feral mage nearly as broken as Lindsay himself. Dane knows better than to argue with the wind that summoned him to Lindsay’s rescue, but playing nursemaid isn’t the role he envisioned for himself in the battle to end the human campaign to control his people.

Teeth: Vampire Tales, edited by Ellen Datlow

and Terri Windling (April 5, HarperCollins)

Sink your teeth into these bite-sized tales exploring the intersections among the living, dead, and undead. Features stories by Genevieve Valentine, Steve Berman, Christopher Barzak, Neil Gaiman, Delia Sherman, Garth Nix, Suzy McKee Charnes, Kaaron Warren, Cecil Castellucci, Jeffrey Ford, Nathan Ballingrud, Kathe Koja, Catherynne M. Valente, Melissa Marr, Ellen Kushner, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Lucius Shepard, Emma Bull, and Tanith Lee.

Through her Eyes, by Jennifer Archer

(April 5, HarperTeen)

Sixteen-year-old Tansy Piper moves with her grandfather and her mother, a horror writer, to the setting of her mother's next book—a secluded house outside a tiny, desolate West Texas town. Lonely and upset over the move, Tansy escapes into her photography and the dark, seductive poems she finds hidden in the cellar, both of which lure her into the mind and world of a mysterious, troubled young man who died sixty years earlier.

Two Lives in Waltz Time,

by Vivien Dean (April 5, Samhain)

Maddy and Cash work together at a prestigious NYC museum, but not amicably. Charismatic, confident, sexy as hell, Cash seems determined to get under Maddy’s skin. A painting’s arrival provides a welcome distraction—until a fleeting touch flings them out of their workshop and into the 1940s nightclub portrayed on the canvas. They’re dressed to kill. So are the mobsters and molls surrounding them. As they race to unravel the spell that traps them, they discover the only safe place is Cash’s bed. On that fragile foundation, they forge a trust that just might grow into something lasting.

An Uninvited Ghost, by E.J. Copperman (April 5, Berkley)

Alison and her resident gumshoe ghost are on their next case when the deceased Scott MacFarlane floats in worried that he accidentally killed a prominent local woman. Turns out she's still alive...that is, of course, until she's murdered in Alison's house. Now, between the demands of her guests and the arrival of a reality television crew, Alison must find the killer before she sees reality from the other side. Second in the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series.

Vampire Dragon, by Annette Blair (April 5, Berkley)

One the run from the mob, Bronte McBride needs the kind of protection that only the mysterious and handsome bodyguard Darkwyn—a former Roman warrior turned dragon—can give her. But Bronte's secrets could endanger both of them. Third in the Works Like Magick series.

The View from the Imperium,

by Jody Lynn Nye (April 5, Baen)

P. G. Wodehouse meets space opera as Ensign Thomas Innes Loche Kinago, fresh from the Academy, is given his first command. A crumb from the upper crust, he’s eager to uphold the traditions of his family, and in particular, his mother, a distinguished Admiral of the Imperium. Of course, he’s aware of the importance of always having simply smashing tailored uniforms on hand, and having his camera ready to record memorable moments for his scrapbook. In the meantime, a charismatic leader has arisen who seems able to control the minds of anyone he meets, and may be on his way to taking over the entire galaxy. Can Kinago’s aristocratic bearing and unbridled snobbery stand up to such a challenge?

Vowed in Shadows, by Jessa Slade (April 5, Signet)

Once a righteous missionary man, Jonah Walker now endures immortality with nothing but a body built for battle and a heart set on retribution. But his last devastating fight left him wounded beyond healing—and his only chance for redemption lies with a fallen woman whose passion burns through the shadows. Third in the Marked Souls series.

Warprize, by Elizabeth A. Vaughan (April 5, Berkley)

The daughter of a Warrior King, Lara was trained as a healer, helping both friend and foe. And when the enemy warlord agrees to cease hostilities in exchange for Lara, she agrees to become the Warprize. First novel, back in print, with new intro, bonus short story and letter from the author. Next book in Chronicles in the Warland series, Warcry, will release in May 2011.

Wasteland, by Crystal Jordan, Eden Bradley,

Lilli Feisty, and R.G. Alexander (April 5, Samhain)

The Wanderer: Kadira fights her unexpected need for Ezra with all her strength. But the more she resists, the more he seems to like it. The Breeder: Captured to breed with Nitara, Akaash plots a daring escape that holds a slim chance to free them both from the Temple. The Priestess: On a journey to an ancient city, Xian unexpectedly falls for her guard, Hel—and for a battered stranger they find along the way. The Whore: Bryn escapes the Brothel aboard a pirate ship. In the arms of Captain Xander and his lover, Hawke, she finds true freedom.

WWW: Wonder, by Robert J. Sawyer (April 5, Ace)

Webmind―the vast consciousness that spontaneously emerged from the infrastructure of the World Wide Web—has proven its worth to humanity by aiding in everything from curing cancer to easing international tensions. But the brass at the Pentagon see Webmind as a threat that needs to be eliminated.  Caitlin Decter, the once-blind sixteen-year-old math genius who discovered and bonded with Webmind, wants desperately to protect her friend. And if she doesn't act, everything—Webmind included—may come crashing down.

Okay, enough already! Which one do you most want to win? Just leave a comment for one entry, extra entries for blog follow +1, Twitter follow +1 @Suzanne_Johnson, and a Tweet or RT of the contest. Go forth and comment.