Part 2-New Releases Oct. 1-7 and Reader's Choice Contest

Holy book release, Batman. There were fifty (!) new titles coming out this week, so that made it time for a double Reader’s Choice contest. The first half of the release list was posted on Monday (scroll down if you  missed it), and the second half is below. I'll give away one book of your choice from EACH list--international, as always. So get ready, and start making your wish list!

Serpent’s Kiss, by Thea Harrison

(Oct. 4, Berkley)

Recently, Vampire Queen Carling’s power has become erratic, forcing her followers to flee. Wyr sentinel Rune is drawn to the ailing queen and decides to help find a cure for the serpent’s kiss—the vampyric disease that’s killing her. With their desire for each other escalating they will have to rely on each other if they have any hope of surviving. Third in the Elder Races series. PNR

Visions of Skyfire, by Regan Hastings

(Oct. 4, Signet)

Teresa Santiago has awakened her abilities to summon lightning but is unable to control her power—or her attraction to Rune, her Eternal protector and destined partner. Now, Teresa and Rune must locate a missing artifact of unimaginable power before it unleashes the forces of darkness on the world. But with enemies both mortal and magical on their trail, Teresa and Rune discover that only through sacrifice will love conquer all. Second in the Awakening series. PNR

In Memories We Fear, by Barb Hendee

(Oct. 4, Roc)

Eleisha Clevon lives a quiet life in Portland, Ore.—for a vampire. She has learned to feed without killing humans and to train others of her kind. Now, a series of killings in England point to a new—and feral—vampire. Eleisha, Philip, and Wade travel to London to make contact with the terrified creature, to offer him sanctuary and stop the bloodshed. But the vampire they find is not what they expected. UF

Infidel, by Kameron Hurley

(Oct. 4, Night Shade)

Nyx is a bodyguard in Mustallah, the capital city of Nasheen. The centuries-long holy war between Nasheen and Chenja is taking its toll, with shortages and rationing causing the queen to lose power and popularity. While protecting the daughter of a Ras Tiegan diplomat, Nyx is attacked by a group of assassins. Nyx survives, but begins to suffer from a strange, debilitating condition that nobody can identify. Caught up in a whirlwind of intrigue involving Bel Dam Assassins plotting against the Queen, Nyx must learn who the rouge Bel Dam is, and find a cure for her illness, while avoiding the wrath of the queen she is trying to protect. F

Changes, by Mercedes Lackey

(Oct. 4, DAW)

In this coming-of-age story, the orphan Magpie pursues his quest for his parents’ identity while discovering another hidden talent and being trained by the King's Own Herald as an undercover agent for Valdemar. Shy Bardic Trainee Lena has to face her famous but uncaring father, one of Valdemar's most renowned Bards. And Healing Trainee Bear must struggle against his disapproving parents, who are pressuring Bear to quit the Healers’ Collegium because he lacks the magical Healing Gift. Book three in the Collegium Chronicles. F

Z: Zombie Stories, edited by J.M. Lassen

(Oct. 4, Night Shade)

When the zombie apocalypse comes, it’s not just those crusty old folks who will struggle against the undead, it’s young people. What happens when you come of age during the zombie apocalypse? Z: Zombie Stories has the answer to that question. Features some of the hottest zombie fiction of the last two decades, from authors including Kelly Link, Jonathan Maberry, Catherynne M. Valente, Scott Nicholson, Scott Edelman, and others. YA

Much Ado About Vampires, by Katie MacAlister

(Oct. 4, Signet)

Corazon Ferreira is a jaded woman. Turns out she was a vampire’s mate in a past life. And no matter how distractingly gorgeous he is, she just can’t get the image of him killing someone out of her head. But when her life depends on him, Corazon’s going to have to stop overthinking things, and start trusting her heart. PNR

Dark Vengeance 1: Summer, Fall, by Jeff Mariotte

(Oct. 4, Simon Pulse)

When a gorgeous stranger seeks refuge at Kerry’s summer-share house, she knows her life is about to change. Daniel Blessing is mysterious and charismatic—and on the run from a powerful witch named Season. Kerry and her friends don’t believe in witches and spells, but Kerry can’t help believing Daniel, and falling for him. But falling for Daniel pulls her into a feud his family has been waging for generations—a feud of passion, magic, and revenge. YA

Down These Strange Streets, by George R.R. Martin

& Gardner Dozois (Oct. 4, Ace)

In this all-new collection of urban fantasy stories, editors Martin and Dozois explore the places where mystery waits at the end of every alley and where the things that go bump in the night have something to fear. Includes stories by New York Times bestselling authors Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs, Diana Gabaldon, Simon R. Green, S. M. Stirling, and Carrie Vaughn, as well as tales by Glen Cook, Bradley Denton, M.L.N. Hanover, Conn Iggulden, Laurie R. King, Joe R. Lansdale, John Maddox Roberts, Steven Saylor, Melinda Snodgrass, and Lisa Tuttle. UF

The Apothecary, by Maile Meloy

(Oct. 4, Putnam Juvenile)

It’s 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows, a fascinating boy who’s not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin’s father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary’s sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies. YA

The Inquisitor’s Apprentice, by Chris Moriarty

(Oct. 4, Harcourt Children’s)

The day Sacha found out he could see witches was the worst day of his life. Being an Inquisitor is no job for a nice Jewish boy. But when the police learn that Sacha Kessler can see witches, he’s apprenticed to the department’s star Inquisitor, Maximillian Wolf. Their mission is to stop magical crime. And New York at the beginning of the twentieth century is a magical melting pot where each ethnic group has its own brand of homegrown witchcraft, and magical gangs rule the streets from Hell’s Kitchen to Chinatown. YA

Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion, by Janet Mullany

(Oct. 4, William Morrow)

It is 1810, and the Damned are out of favor—banished from polite society. Jane Austen’s old undead friends have become new neighbors, raising hell in her tranquil village just in time to interrupt Jane’s work on what will be her masterpiece. Suddenly Jane’s niece is flirting dangerously with vampires, and a formerly respectable spinster friend has discovered the forbidden joys of intimate congress with the Damned (and is borrowing Jane’s precious silk stockings for her assignations). Writing is simply impossible now. Second in the Immortal Jane Austen series. UF

Dead Mann Walking, by Stefan Petrucha

(Oct. 4, Roc)

After Hessius Mann was convicted of his wife’s murder, suppressed evidence came to light and the verdict was overturned—too bad he was already executed. But thanks to the miracles of modern science Hessius was brought back to life. Sort of. Now that he’s joined the ranks of Fort Hammer’s pulse-challenged population, Hessius attempts to make a “living” as a private investigator. But when a missing persons case leads to a few zombies cut to pieces, Hessius starts thinking that someone’s giving him the run-around—and it’s not like he's in any condition to make a quick getaway. First in the Hessius Mann series. UF

Haunting Embrace, by Erin Quinn

(Oct. 4, Berkley)

Within Meaghan Ballagh surges the blood of a sorceress whose ancient love for a druid ended in treachery. When Meaghan is thrust into the past, she feels the desire between the sorceress and the handsome druid once again rise inside her. To survive, she must piece together the history of the woman who haunts her and the man who needs her. Fourth in the Mists of Ireland series. PNR

Survivors, by James Wesley Rawles

(Oct. 4, Atria)

In this followup to Patriots, James Wesley, Rawles tells the story of a group of people who must rise above incredible odds if they are to survive the collapse of the world we live in. America is in the thrall of a full-scale socioeconomic breakdown. The stock market plummets, hyperinflation destroys the value of the dollar, and the population, unprepared for hardship, panics. Practically overnight, the high technology infrastructure and chains of supply collapse and wholesale rioting and looting grip every city. Law enforcement, transportation, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies are all in the past now, as the country staggers beneath its own weight. Lawless bands of killers roam the countryside, leaving devastation in their wake and now that the government is gone, the Constitution is at stake. Who will carry on? SF

Vamparazzi, by Laura Resnick

(Oct. 4, DAW)

Playing a scantily clad vampire victim in an off-Broadway play, struggling actress Esther Diamond now may be the target of someone who claims to be a genuine bloodsucker. Fourth in the Esther Diamond series. UF

The Unquiet, by J.D. Robb, Mary Blayney,

Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan,

Mary Kay McComas (Oct. 4, Jove)

Five authors, five stories. From J.D. Robb: Eve and Roarke return to investigate a series of murders connected to a brilliant young surgeon. From Mary Blayney:A shopkeeper’s solitude is complicated by a magic coin, a daring rogue, and dreams of her late husband. From Patricia Gaffney:A lonely woman and a hotline psychic turn their connection to the other side into an unexpected romance. From Ruth Ryan Langan: The shattered soul of an angry spirit imprisoned in a Scottish manor house could be a young widow’s only salvation. From Mary Kay McComas:A young ghost eases his brother’s pain and guilt by inviting him into the dreams of an imaginative author of children’s books. PNR

Radiant Desire, by Inara Scott

(Oct. 4, Entangled)

Kaia Verde is one of the four Faerie Handmaids of Zafira, Queen of the Fey. To redress an ancient wrong done to Zafira by a human king, the Handmaids make sport of mortal men, seducing and humiliating them. When Kaia sets out to seduce Garrett Jameson, but ends up being the one surrendering to pleasure, Zafira is furious. Kaia’s punishment is simple: make Garrett fall in love with her by the summer solstice, then break his heart, or face eternity without her wings—or her soul. Eventually, she discovers losing her wings may be a far easier price to pay than losing her heart. PNR

The Lost Angel, by Javier Sierra

(Oct. 4, Atria)

In approximately 72 hours, a little-known Middle Eastern terrorist group plans to bring about the end of the world. Convinced they are the descendants of angels, they believe they are on the verge of at last being returned to heaven. Central to their plan is the kidnapping of Martin Faber, an undercover American scientist whose research has led him to an extraordinary secret. Martin’s only hope for survival is his young wife, Julia Alvarez—a woman born with a rare psychic gift. But she must find the courage to save her husband, all while running from religious extremists and clandestine government agencies. UF

A Werewolf in the North Woods,

by Vicki Lewis Thompson (Oct. 4, Signet)

When Abby Maddox’s grandfather swears he saw Bigfoot in the woods behind his Portland, Ore., home, his neighbors decide to bring in a prominent anthropologist to prove him wrong. Rather than see her grandpa made a laughingstock, Abby sets out to send the professor packing...until she sees how hot he is. Roark Wallace can't risk having tourists comb the woods for Bigfoot, not with a local pack of werewolves to protect. When Roark meets Abby, sparks fly. But can he pursue this fiery redhead without compromising his pack? Second in the Wild About You series. PNR

Blood Eternal, by Marie Treanor

(Oct. 4, Signet)

Despite the growing passion that unites them, all is not well between Elizabeth and Saloman. She refuses to follow him as he builds his influence among the human population and consolidates his rule over the vampire world. A shocking revolt is just the latest crisis that's call him away.  But under Saloman's regime, vampires have become less concerned with secrecy. And after he joins forces with vampire hunters, Elizabeth begins to understand the inevitable collision of the two worlds. She could be a conduit between humanity and the undead-is she can manage to play both sides and stay alive. Third in the Awakened by Blood series. UF

Frail, by Joan Frances Turner

(Oct. 4, Ace)

Being human is a disadvantage in post-apocalyptic America. Now that the Feeding Plague has swept through human and zombie societies, it seems like everyone is an “ex” these days. Ex-human. Ex- zombie. Except for Amy. She’s the only human survivor from her town—a frail. And if the feral dogs, the flesh-eating exes, and the elements don’t get her, she just may discover how this all began. Because in this America, life is what you make it. Second in the Dust series. SF

A Beautiful Friendship, by David Weber

(Oct. 4, Baen)

Stephanie Harrington absolutely hates being confined inside her family’s compound on the pioneer planet of Sphinx, a frontier wilderness world populated by dangerous native animals that could easily tear a human to bits and pieces. Yet Stephanie is a young woman determined to make discoveries—and the biggest discovery of all awaits her: an intelligent alien species. Treecats are creatures that resemble a cross between a bobcat and a lemur (but with six legs and much more deadly claws). Not only are they fully sentient, they are also telepathic, and able to bond with certain gifted humans such as the genetically-enhanced Stephanie. But Stephanie’s find, and her first-of-its-kind bond with a treecat, brings on a new torrent of danger. An assortment of highly-placed enemies with galactic-sized wealth at stake is determined to make sure that the planet of Sphinx remains entirely in human hands—even if this means the extermination of another thinking species. YA

Variant, by Robison Wells

(Oct. 4, HarperTeen)

Benson Fisher thought a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life. He was wrong. Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive. Where breaking the rules equals death.  But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death. YA

See anything you want? 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. As always, four 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. Now….go!