New Releases Oct. 23-31 and Reader's Choice Contest

After a quiet couple of weeks, it’s time to rock a big stack of new releases! See what’s coming out this week in science fiction, urban fantasy, fantasy, paranormal romance, and YA paranormals, then decide which one you’d most like to read and just say so—you might win a copy. As always, Reader’s Choice is an international giveaway, so take a deep breath, get out your list-making supplies, and dig in.


First, ,though, you can earn an extra chance to win this week by, when you leave here, heading over to the fabulous Book Chick City blog and leaving a comment. This is the first time my Royal Street heroine, DJ Jaco, has written a blog and she wants some friends to show up! Click HERE to go (I'll also provide a link at the bottom of the new releases list). So...go!

The Real Werewives of Vampire County,

by Alexandra Ivy, Angie Fox,

Jess Haines, Tami Dane (Oct. 25, Kensington)

A quartet of scandals and secrets, with “Where Darkness Lives” by Alexandra Ivy; “Murder on Mysteria Lane” by Angie Fox; “What’s Yours is Mine” by Jess Haines; and “Werewolves in Chic Clothing” by Tami Dane. The suburbs will never be the same. PNR

Darkness Rising, by Keri Arthur

(Oct. 25, Dell)

Risa will go to any lengths to avenge her mother’s murder—even if it means making a pact with the most evil vampire she’s ever met. Lethal and powerful, Madeline Hunter is leader of the vampire council and will put her resources behind finding the killer—for a price. Someone—or something—is targeting the elders of the local council, cursing the immortal vampires to rapidly age, sink into madness, and die. Risa must track down the vengeful being responsible. But not even the great Madeline Hunter may be able to protect her from the shadowy forces that desire nothing less than Risa’s destruction. New in the Dark Angels series. UF

King’s War, by Maurice Broaddus

(Oct. 25, Angry Robot)

King has been betrayed, but he has no time to lick his wounds—he has to draw his people together to fight the ultimate foe in this conclusion to the Knights of Breton Court trilogy. U.S. release. UF

Destined, by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

(Oct. 25, St. Martin’s Griffin)

The forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa’s House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx’s gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow. But is Zoey really safe? Ninth in the House of Night series. YA

Blue Dragon, by Kylie Chan

(Oct. 25, Harper Voyager)

When Emma’s relatives come to visit, they are freaked out by what they learn—Emma’s beloved, John Chen, is a 3,000-year-old Chinese god. Not only that, John is becoming weaker by the day. Demons pursue him relentlessly, hoping to use Emma and his child, Simone, as bargaining tools against him. Emma battles to defend Simone as John’s energy is drained by the effort of both living in the mortal world and protecting them. U.S. release. Third in the Dark Heavens series. UF

Crave, by Melissa Darnell

(Oct. 25, Harlequin)

Savannah Colbert has been shunned all her life by the kids of the Clann. And when she undergoes some drastic changes after a strange illness, Savannah learns secrets about the group and about herself—dangerous secrets. For the Clann are powerful magic users, and Savannah herself is half Clann and half vampire—a forbidden, unheard of combination. Falling for Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman isn't just a bad idea—it could be deadly if anyone finds out. YA

Master of the House of Darts,

by Aliette de Bodard (Oct. 25, Angry Robot)

The year is Three Rabbit, and the storm is coming. The coronation war for the new Emperor has just ended in a failure, the armies retreating with a mere forty prisoners of war—not near enough sacrifices to ensure the favor of the gods. When one of those prisoners of war dies of a magical illness, ACATL, High Priest for the Dead, is summoned to investigate. Third in the Obsidian and Blood series. F

The Night Eternal, by Guillermo del Toro

and Chuck Hogan (Oct. 25, William Morrow)

The Night Eternal begins where The Strain and The Fall left off: with the last remnants of humankind enslaved by the vampire masters in a world forever shrouded by nuclear winter. Still, a small band of the living fights on in the shadows, in the final book of the dark fantasy trilogy that Newsweek says is “good enough to make us break that vow to swear off vampire stories.” Final book in the Strain trilogy. UF

Between the Sea and the Sky,

by Jaclyn Dolamore (Oct. 25, Bloomsbury)

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren—the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship—and ignite their emotions. YA

Kultus, by Richard Ford

(Oct. 25, Solaris)

Thaddeus Blaklok—mercenary, demonist, bastard and thug-for-hire—is pressed into retrieving a mysterious key for his clandestine benefactors. Little does he know that other parties seek to secure this artefact for their own nefarious ends and soon he is pursued by brutal cultists, bloodthirsty gangsters, deadly mercenaries and hell-spawned monsters, all bent on stopping him by any means necessary. UF

Adam, by Jacquelyn Frank

(Oct. 25, Zebra)

From their first tantalizing touch, Jasmine knows he is different. What other lover could unlock her tight control, flood vampire senses jaded by a lifetime of decadent self indulgence? Centuries ago, when he disappeared without a trace, she had given up hope of ever fulfilling the promise of incomparable passion. But here he is, against the very laws of nature, ready to bring down their most vicious enemy, ready to bring her blood to the boiling point. Sixth in the Nightwalkers series. PNR

The Hollows Insider, by Kim Harrison

(Oct. 25, Harper Voyager)

Welcome to the Hollows—Kim Harrison’s shadow world of vampires, pixies, demons—and one unstoppable bounty hunter witch named Rachel Morgan. The Hollows Insider is a guide through the dark mysteries of this grimly twisted Cincinnati—featuring maps and illustrations, spells and character profiles, and much more, including an all-new Rachel Morgan short story. UF

Claimed by Pleasure, by Jaymie Holland

(Oct. 25, St. Martin’s)

Alexi O’Brien is pissed and will stop at nothing to locate her missing twin. Even when Alexi is abducted into a beautiful and highly sensual world, Alexi is determined to escape and resume her search for her sister—even though the dark and dangerous man who captured her excites her in unimaginable ways. King Darronn prefers his women submissive. His future queen is anything but. Whatever it takes, Darronn intends to convince the fiery and spirited Alexi that her body, heart, and soul belong to him. PNR

Mirror Maze, by Michaele Jordan

(Oct. 25, Pyr)

Jacob Aldridge is still devastated by the death of his fiancee when he suddenly encounters her doppelganger. Livia Aram's uncanny resemblance to the late Rhoda Carothers so transcends coincidence that Jacob becomes obsessed with her. The intensity of his passion terrifies her until her compassion is roused by his desperate plight. A demon is stalking him, a succubus-like entity that feeds on human pain and desire. With the help of Jacob's sister, Cecily, and Livia's guardian, the mysterious Dr. Chang, can they overcome the demon before all is lost? UF

The Iron Knight, by Julie Kagawa

(Oct. 25, Harlequin Teen)

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl. Fourth in the Iron Fey series. YA

The Third Section, by Jasper Kent

(Oct. 25, Pyr)

Russia 1855. After forty years of peace in Europe, war rages. In the Crimea, the city of Sevastopol is besieged. In the north, Saint Petersburg is blockaded. As their country grows weaker, a brother and sister, each unaware of the other's existence, must come to terms with the legacy left them by their father. In Moscow, Tamara uncovers a brutal murder and discovers that it is not the first in a sequence of similar crimes carried out by a killer who has stalked the city since 1812. And in Sevastopol, Dmitry faces not only the combined armies of Britain and France, but must also make a stand against creatures his father had thought buried beneath the earth thirty years before. Third in the Danilov Quintet series. F

The Clone Redemption, by Steven L. Kent

(Oct. 25, Ace)

Earth, 2516 A.D.: The Unified Authority has spread human colonies across the Milky Way, keeping strict order with a powerful military made up almost entirely of clones. But now the clones have formed their own empire, and they aim to keep it...no matter who they must defeat. Seventh in the Rogue Clone series. SF

Dragon Mound, by Richard A. Knaak

(Oct. 25, Sea Lion)

More than two centuries ago, the three kingdoms of Rundin, Wallmyre, and Tepis banded together at the urging of the wizard Paulo Centuros to combat the ambitions of the sorcerer-king, Novaris. Although they were triumphant and the forces of the sorcerer-king were scattered, Novaris himself was not to be found. Uncertain as to whether their foe was dead, the wizard sent forth the knight Evan Wytherling on a quest to seek the truth about Novaris, no matter how long it took. Still alive despite the great passage of time and the dark forces he has confronted during his fruitless search, Evan returns to the scene of the climactic battle and discovers that the truth may have been under his nose all this time. F

Fenrir, by M.D. Lachlan

(Oct. 25, Pyr)

The Vikings are laying siege to Paris. As the houses on the banks of the Seine burn, a debate rages in the Cathedral on the walled island of the city proper. The situation is hopeless. The Vikings want the Count’s sister, in return they will spare the rest of the city. Can the Count really have ambitions to be Emperor of the Franks if he doesn't do everything he can to save his people? Can he call himself a man if he doesn't do everything he can to save his sister? His conscience demands one thing, the demands of state another. The Count and the church are relying on the living saint, the blind and crippled Jehan of St Germain, to enlist the aid of God and resolve the situation for them. But the Vikings have their own gods. And outside their camp a terrifying brother and sister, priests of Odin, have their own agenda. An agenda of darkness and madness. And in the shadows a wolfman lurks. Second in the Craw Trilogy. U.S. release. F

Devlishly Hot, by Kathy Love

(Oct. 25, Brava)

Annie Lou Riddle had a plan: Move to New York City. Break into the fashion industry. Work her way to the top. Nowhere in that scenario did she expect to accidentally sell her soul in exchange for a job at Hot! Magazine. Demons, it seems, aren't big on letting mortals off the hook. Now Annie is stuck working as assistant/personal slave to Finola White—diva extraordinaire, and glamorous she-devil. PNR

Dead of Night, by Jonathan Maberry

(Oct. 25, St. Martin’s Griffin)

A prison doctor injects a condemned serial killer with a formula designed to keep his consciousness awake while his body rots in the grave. But all drugs have unforeseen side-effects. Before he could be buried, the killer wakes up. Hungry. Infected. Contagious. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang…but a bite. UF

Scored, by Lauren McLaughlin

(Oct. 25, Random House/Young Readers)

Set in the future when teenagers are monitored via camera and their recorded actions and confessions plugged into a computer program that determines their ability to succeed. All kids are given a “score” that determines their future potential. Scored's reluctant heroine is Imani, a girl whose high score is brought down when her best friend’s score plummets. Where do you draw the line between doing what feels morally right and what can mean your future? YA

Trance, by Kelly Meding

(Oct. 25, Pocket)

Fifteen years ago, Teresa “Trance” West was a skilled telepath and a proud member of the Ranger Corps. But ever since the Rangers were inexplicably rendered powerless at the climax of the devastating Meta War, she’s bounced from one dead-end job to another. Now her powers have reappeared just as mysteriously as they vanished— only they’re transformed and more potent than ever. And they’re threatening to destroy her. UF

Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow,

by Daniel Nayeri (Oct. 25, Candlewick)

A quartet of novellas written entirely on an iPhone. Straw House: A Western set in a land where a rancher grows soulless humans and a farmer grows living toys. Wood House: Plunges the reader into a future where reality and technology blend imperceptibly, and a teenage girl must race to save the world from a nano-revolution that a corporation calls “ReCreation Day.” Brick House: A squad of “wish police” and a team of unlikely detectives. Blow: A comedic love story told by none other than Death himself, a handsome and charismatic hero who may steal your heart in more ways than one. YA

Flesh and Blood, by Kristen Painter

(Oct. 25, Orbit)

With the ring of sorrows still missing and the covenant between othernaturals and mortals broken, Chrysabelle and Malkolm’s problems are just beginning. Chrysabelle still owes Malkolm for his help, but fulfilling that debt means returning to Corvinestri, the hidden vampire city neither of them is welcome in. The discovery that Chrysabelle has a brother could mean reneging on her promise to Malkolm, something that might make him angry enough to loose the beast living inside him. Second in the House of Comarre series. UF

Ecstasy Untamed, by Pamela Palmer

(Oct. 25, Avon)

Shattered by recent nightmarish events, Hawke feels his bond with his animal spirit weakening—and once it breaks, he’s finished. The arrival of Faith sends his life spinning even further out of control, for although she delights him and enflames his deepest primal passions, she’s promised to Maxim, the newest Feral Warrior. Though gravely damaged, Hawke is the only one who can end Faith’s slavery and protect the Feral Warriors from Maxim’s evil designs. Sixth in the Feral Warriors series. PNR

Extinction Agenda, by Marcus Pelegrimas

(Oct. 25, Harper Voyager)

The human race is under siege—with shapeshifters, vampires, and half-blood werewolves freely prowling the streets of the world’s cities—and Full Bloods about to descend en masse from the dark wilderness. The police and the military are helpless, and only the Skinners can forestall the tactical nuke strikes the Army has planned as a last resort. Skinners, partners, lovers, Paige Strobel and Cole Warnecki know Armageddon is at hand, and seek a union with the mysterious European blood hunters, the Gypsy Amriany, as a final, desperate means to preventing the monster apocalypse. The final book in the Skinners series. UF

Mastiff, by Tamora Pierce

(Oct. 25, Random House)

Beka and her friends will face their greatest and most important challenge ever when the young heir to the kingdom vanishes. They will be sent out of Corus on a trail that appears and disappears, following a twisting road throughout Tortall. It will be her greatest Hunt—if she can survive the very powerful people who do not want her to succeed in her goal. Third in the Beka Cooper series. YA

The Jewel of the Kalderash, by Marie Rutkoski

(Oct. 25, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Upon arriving in the Romany homeland to deliver the Mercator Globes, Petra Kronos, Tomik, and Neel formulate a plan to save Petra’s father, who has been transformed into a Gray Man. But when a long-held secret is revealed, Neel finds himself bound to his country. The friends are quickly swept up in an epic battle for power. Thrones are at stake. Spies are afoot. Murder is common. Worst of all, Prince Rodolfo is close to becoming emperor, and ruling half of Europe. Third in the Kronos Chronicles series. F

Angel Town, by Lilith Saintcrow

(Oct. 25, Orbit)

Jill Kismet is back from the grave in the final book of Lilith Saintcrow’s urban fantasy series. She wakes up in her own grave. She doesn’t know who put her there, she doesn’t know where she is, and she has no friends or family. She only knows two things: She has a job to do: cleansing the night of evil. And she knows her name. Sixth in the Jill Kismet series. UF

The Bite Before Christmas, by Lynsay Sands

and Jeaniene Frost (Oct. 25, William Morrow)

In Lynsay Sands’ “The Gift,” Katricia Argeneau knows grey-eyed cop Teddy Brunswick is her life mate. She just needs to convince him they belong together, and being snowbound in a secluded cabin will make this a Christmas neither will forget. It's “Home for the Holidays” in Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, but this Christmas, an evil vampire and long-buried family secrets will threaten to take a bite out of their holiday cheer. PNR

Kris Longknife: Daring, by Mike Shepherd

(Oct. 25, Ace)

Lieutenant Commander Kris Longknife leads a reconnaissance mission of the vast uncharted regions of space. No one, least of all Kris, expects to find a hostile alien starship. Now, she must determine the extent of the alien threat—and whether to start an interstellar war. Ninth in the Kris Longknife series. SF

The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters: Phantom,

by L.J. Smith (Oct. 25, HarperTeen)

The past is never far. Elena Gilbert and her friends saved Fell’s Church from evil spirits bent on destroying it, but the town’s freedom came at a price: Damon Salvatore’s life. Damon’s death changes everything. He and his vampire brother, Stefan, had been locked in a vicious battle for Elena’s heart. Now that he’s gone, Elena and Stefan can finally be together. So why can’t Elena stop dreaming of Damon? YA

Beauty Dates the Beast, by Jessica Sims

(Oct. 25, Pocket)

WANTED: Single human female to join charming, wealthy, single male were-cougar for a night of romantic fun—and maybe more. Me: The tall, sensuous, open-minded leader of my clan. You: A deliciously curvy virgin who’s intimately familiar with what goes bump in the night. Prefer a woman who’s open to exploring her animal nature. Interest in nighttime walks through the woods a plus. My turn-ons include protecting you from the worst the supernatural world has to offer. Ready for an adventure? Give me a call. Vampires and doppelgangers need not apply. PNR

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, edited by Chris Van Allsburg

(Oct. 25, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

An inspired collection of short stories based on the original illustrations of Chris Van Allsburg in The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, originally published in 1984, featuring work by Sherman Alexie, M.T. Anderson, Kate DiCamillo, Cory Doctorow, Jules Feiffer, Stephen King, Tabitha King, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Walter Dean Myers, Linda Sue Park, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka, Lemony Snicket, and Chris Van Allsburg himself. YA

Solaris Rising: The New Solaris Book of Science Fiction,

edited by Ian Whates (Oct. 25, Solaris)

Solaris Rising is the first in a new series of anthologies to feature all-original short stories. Authors in this volume include Peter F. Hamilton, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Baxter, Paul di Filippo, Adam Roberts, Lavie Tidhar, Ian Watson, Ken MacLeod, Mike Resnick, Tricia Sullivan, Eric Brown, and Steve Rasnic Tem. SF

The Shadow Reader, by Sandy Williams

(Oct. 25, Ace)

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. A Houston college student, McKenzie has worked for the fae king for years, tracking rebels who would claim the Realm. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden. But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce rebel leader, who tells her dark truths about the Court. Time is running out, and McKenzie must decide whom to trust and where she stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war. UF

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade, by Maryrose Wood

(Oct. 25, Balzer + Bray)

A dark, gothic tale of romance… and murder. The latest book in the grippingly dark series, The Poison Diaries. Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure. Second in the Poison Diaries series. YA

The Kingdom of Gods, by N.K. Jemisin

(Oct. 27, Orbit)

For two thousand years the Arameri family has ruled the world by enslaving the very gods that created mortalkind. Now the gods are free, and the Arameri’s ruthless grip is slipping. Yet they are all that stands between peace and world-spanning, unending war. Shahar, last scion of the family, must choose her loyalties. She yearns to trust Sieh, the godling she loves. Yet her duty as Arameri heir is to uphold the family’s interests, even if that means using and destroying everyone she cares for. The conclusion to the Inheritance Trilogy. F

The Curse of Four, by Caitlin Kittredge

(Oct. 31, Subterranean)

Jack Winter used to be a bad man, but he left black magic and wickedness behind him for a simpler life exorcising ghosts in London. Then Fiona Hannigan, the girl he abandoned to a life of depraved sorcery, turns up murdered, and it’s not long before Jack finds himself accused of the crime, along with three other slayings. Someone is hunting London’s black magicians—and they’ve decided Jack is going to pay the price. Running from the police and pursued by his own ghosts, Jack must go back to the supernatural underworld he left behind to find who wanted Fiona dead, who framed him for the deed and why the spirit of Aleister Crowley is turning up in his living room. An original novella in the Black London series. UF

See anything you want? My wish list and TBR piles have gotten ridiculous! So…International Reader’s Choice―you tell me. Just a note: if you like a title but it isn’t the first in a series, you can always request the first in that series instead. This time, FIVE entries possible and please include your e-mail: +1 for comment, +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow @Suzanne_Johnson, and +1 for a Tweet or RT about the contest. An extra entry if you head over to Book Chick City and comment on my guest blog here. Now...go!