New Releases April 1-6 and Reader's Choice C*ontest

First, I'm over at the Tor/Forge Blog today, talking about being seduced by the pirate Jean Lafitte. If you have time, sail on over and comment! You can find it HERE.


Yes, it’s another INSANE week in the world of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, sci fi and YA and all the other spec genres. I think the paranormal romance releases this week are especially interesting.

What do you want to read? Leave a comment and tell me, and I’ll draw one name to win his or her choice. International, as always. And if the book is in a series you haven’t started, you can always pick the first one in the series instead.

The Lingering Dead (Jackie Rutledge, Book 3), by J.N. Duncan (April 1, Kensington)

Jackie Rutledge has faced down everything from the darkest sorcery to uber-vengeful revenants. But heading up the Bureau’s special paranormal unit is presenting unexpected challenges. Handling otherworldly egos and politics has never come easy to this loner agent. And opening up to her sexy vampire lover, Nick, is as unnerving as her unwanted new ability to slip between the realms of the living and the dead. Now an insidious power holding helpless ghosts in thrall is using any means necessary to discredit Jackie and split her team apart for good. The only chance she has means baiting the terrifying Deadworld being stalking her dreams.

Above, by Leah Bobet (April 1, Arthur A. Levine)

Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her bee’s wings falling away. They live in Safe, an underground refuge for those fleeing the city Above—like Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingers. But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above. As Matthew unravels the mystery of Safe’s history and the shadows’ attack, he realizes he must find a way to remake his home—not just for himself, but for Ariel. Young Adult.

After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, by Nancy Kress (April 1, Tachyon)

The year is 2035. After ecological disasters nearly destroyed the Earth, 26 survivors are trapped by an alien race in a sterile enclosure known as the Shell. Fifteen-year-old Pete is one of the Six—children born deformed or sterile and raised in the Shell. As the survivors grow sick and die, Pete and the Six struggle to put aside their anger at the alien Tesslies in order to find the means to rebuild the earth together. Their only hope lies within brief time-portals into the recent past, where they bring back children to replenish their gene pool. Meanwhile, in 2013, a brilliant mathematician works with the FBI to solve a series of inexplicable kidnappings. Suddenly her predictive algorithms begin to reveal more than just criminal activity.

The Slayer (The Legend Chronicles, Book 2), by Theresa Meyers (April 1, Zebra)

Brothers Winchester, Remington, and Colt know the legends—they were trained from childhood to destroy demon predators, wielding the latest steam-powered gadgetry. It’s a devil of a job. But sometimes your fate chooses you…Winn Jackson isn’t interested in hunting nightmares across the Wild West. Unlike his rakehell brothers, Winn believes in rules. As sheriff of Bodie, California, he only shoots lawbreakers. Until he rescues the Contessa Drossenburg, Alexandra Porter, a lady with all the elegance of the Old World—grace, beauty and class. And fangs. Alexandra isn’t just some bloodsucking damsel in distress. She’s on a mission to save her people—and she’s certain Winn’s family legacy is the only way.

Moonblood (Tales of Goldstone Wood, Book 3), by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (April 1, Bethany House)

Desperate to regain the trust of his kingdom, Prince Lionheart reluctantly banishes his faithful servant and only friend, Rose Red. Now she is lost in the hidden realm of Arpiar, held captive by her evil goblin father, King Vahe. Vowing to redeem himself, Lionheart plunges into the mysterious Goldstone Wood, seeking Rose Red. In strange other worlds, Lionheart must face a lyrical yet lethal tiger, a fallen unicorn, and a goblin horde on his quest to rescue the girl he betrayed. With the Night of Moonblood fast approaching, when King Vahe seeks to wake the Dragon's sleeping children, Lionheart must discover whether or not his heart contains courage before it’s too late for Rose Red and all those he loves.

Devil’s Punch (Corine Solomon, Book 4), by Ann Aguirre (April 3, Roc)

Corine Solomon can touch any object and learn its history. But right now, she’s trying to rebuild her pawnshop and her life despite her being marked as a witch. When demons from her past kidnap her best friend, Corine puts everything on hold to save her.

Magic Unchained (Nightkeepers, Book 7), by Jessica Andersen (April 3, Signet)

Cara Liu is determined to unite the forces under her leadership but when Nightkeeper Sven enters the scene, Cara has trouble separating her duty to her people from her desire for her ex-lover. Their secret affair will not only jeopardize a tenuous alliance among the Nightkeepers, but it also distracts them from a danger within their own ranks.

Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans (Glory St. Clair, Book 8), by Gerry Bartlett (April 3, Berkley)

Someone is eating for two. Full-figured vampire Glory St. Clair thinks things are finally going her way. She's no longer possessed by a demon, the legions of hell aren’t on her tail, and her love life is heating up since she managed to reconnect with her maker and longtime lover, Jeremy Blade. But when a pregnant demon shows up on her doorstep, Glory knows everything is about to go to hell. Alesa is claiming the baby is Rafe’s, conceived while she was inhabiting Glory’s body. A clever trap? Or could it be true?

Black Heart (Curse Workers, Book 3), by Holly Black (April 3, Margaret K. McElderry)

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy. But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. Young Adult.

Lessons After Dark, by Isabel Cooper (April 3, Sourcebooks Casablanca)

For years, Gareth St. John put his supernatural talent for healing in service to the British Army. Now he’s the doctor at a very unusual new school that helps people with special “talents” learn how to hone their abilities. Olivia Brightmore became a fake medium to support herself after her husband died, but she never expected to discover real magic as the school’s newest teacher. Olivia tries to keep the handsome doctor at arm’s length, but she can’t resist the urge to get under his skin.

Crystalfire (Demonslayers, Book 4), by Kate Douglas (April 3, Zebra)

The Demon King still lives, stronger than ever, devouring souls in search of immortality. Against him stands the scholar Taron, a newly minted warrior of Lemuria, and Willow, a woman of unearthly loveliness, born of mist… Taron must pass through the waterfall of molten gold that shields the secret portal to his land. His brilliant mind and the speaking sword called CrystalFire are his weapons against evil. But nothing can protect him from the power of love.

The Road of Danger (Lt. Leary/RCN, Book 9), by David Drake (April 3, Baen)

Captain Daniel Leary with his friend and spy, Officer Adele Mundy, are sent to a quiet sector to carry out an easy task: helping the local admiral put down a coup before it takes place. But then the jealous admiral gets rid of them by sending them off on a wild goose chase to a sector where commerce is king and business is carried out by extortion and gunfights. With anarchy and rebellion in the air, a rogue intelligence officer plots the war that will destroy civilization and enlists the help of a brute whom even torturers couldn’t stomach. And, of course, it’s up to Leary and Mundy to put a stop to the madness.

Dog and Dragon (Dragon’s Ring, Book 2), by Dave Freer (April 3, Baen)

A wry and clever heroine coming into her magical powers is flung into the midst of power struggles and momentous battles in a world where her coming may be the answer to a long-awaited prophecy of liberation from tyrannical rulers. Lyonesse: a world formed with a magic so deep that it takes a true king to hold its parts in balance, yet there is no king on the throne. Young Meb, flung from her dragon-ruled homeland in another plane of existence into Lyonesse, doesn’t think she’s been called to be any kind of Defender. And she certainly isn’t happy when she’s immediately embroiled in the deadly power plots of the local royals. But Meb also happens to be an adept at the universe-folding skill of Planomancy, trained by a world-walking troubleshooter of the multiverse, the great Dragon Fionn himself –a dragon who is desperately searching for Meb, whom he’s come to love. Accompanying Fionn is Dileas, Meb’s pet and the most loyal magic sheep dog in a thousand universes.

Fear (Gone, Book 5), by Michael Grant (April 3, Katherine Tegen)

Despite the hunger, despite the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new existence they’ve built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear. Young Adult.

The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Book 1), by Lynda Hilburn (April 3, SilverOak)

Kismet Knight, a brainy Denver-based psychologist with a stalled career and a nonexistent love life, is about to have her world rocked. Not only does her newest patient, Midnight, long to become a vampire, but the teenager insists a coven of the undead hangs out at a local goth club. The always-rational Kismet dismisses Midnight’s claims as the delusions of an attention-starved girl—until bodies start turning up drained of blood and the hottest self-proclaimed vampire ever to walk the face of the earth enters her office. Revised and expanded from 2007 U.K. release.

So You Created a Wormhole: The Time Traveler’s Guide to Time Travel, by Phil Hornshaw and Nick Hurwitch (April 3, Berkley)

From H.G. Wells to Einstein to Marty McFly, people have been fascinated by the possibilities of time travel. But novice travelers should learn the do’s and don’t’s before taking the plunge through the fabric of space-time. This handy guide offers essential knowledge for visiting any era, past, future, or otherwise, including: why wormholes are the safest way to travel; what to say (and not to say) when you meet your past or future self; how to befriend a dinosaur; and avoiding “spaghettification” (this is not a cooking term, but an awful way to die).

Untouched, by Sara Humphreys (April 3, Sourcebooks Casablanca)

The Amoveo are shape-shifting animal clans who live secretly among humans and must find their predestined soul mate while avoiding the enemy that seeks to destroy them all. Beautiful plus-size model Kerry Smithson appears to have it all, but inside she harbors a crippling secret and avoids all physical contact. Until she encounters Dante Coltari, an Amoveo shifter. In her, he believes he has finally found his life mate. But how does he convince her...and keep her safe?

Vengeance, by Ian Irvine (April 3, Little, Brown)

Twelve years ago, two children witnessed a murder that still haunts them as adults. Tali watched as they killed her mother and she has sworn revenge. Even though she is a slave. Rix watched as his parents murdered a woman for reasons he still doesn’t understand. Haunted by this scene, wracked by guilt, he must find a way to live with his family’s dark secret. When a chance meeting brings the two together, everything starts to come undone. The secrets of an entire kingdom are uncovered and a villain out of legend returns to throw the realm into chaos. U.S. release.

Alien Diplomacy (Katherine “Kitty” Katt, Book 5), by Gini Koch (April 3, Daw)

Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion’s Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same.

Grave Mercy, by R.L. LaFevers (April 3, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully underprepared not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. How can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? First in a new series. Young Adult.

The Haunted, by Bentley Little (April 3, Signet)

The Perry family’s new house is perfect—except for the weird behavior of the neighbors and that odd smell coming from a dark corner in the basement. Pity no one warned the family about the house. Now it’s too late. Because the darkness at the bottom of the basement stairs is rising.

Magic Without Mercy (Allie Beckstrom, Book 8), by Devon Monk (April 3, Roc)

Allison Beckstrom’s talent for tracking spells has put her up against some of the darkest elements in the world of magic. But now, magic itself has been poisoned, and Allie’s undead father may have left the only cure in the hands of a madman.

Sacre Bleu, by Christopher Moore (April 3, William Morrow)

A “Comedy d’Art” from the author of Lamb, Fool, and Bite Me, Moore’s Sacre Bleu is part mystery, part history (sort of), and part love story, following a young baker-painter as he joins the dapper Henri Toulouse-Lautrec on a quest to unravel the mystery behind the supposed “suicide” of Vincent van Gogh.

Enraptured (Eternal Guardians, Book 4), by Elisabeth Naughton (April 3, Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Orpheus may have joined the elite protectors known as Eternal Guardians, but they’ve never trusted whose side he’s really on. And the half-daemon couldn’t care less. Orpheus has only one goal: rescue his brother from the Underworld. He’s not expecting a woman to get in the way, especially not one sent by Zeus to seduce, entrap, and then ultimately destroy him. A woman who will dredge up a past he doesn’t remember, a love that once condemned him, and a dark and deadly secret as old as the Eternal Guardians themselves.

Triggers, by Robert J. Sawyer (April 3, Ace)

On the eve of a secret military operation, an assassin’s bullet strikes President Seth Jerrison. He is rushed to the hospital, where surgeons struggle to save his life. At the same hospital, researcher Ranjip Singh is experimenting with a device that can erase traumatic memories. Then a terrorist bomb detonates. In the operating room, the president suffers cardiac arrest. He has a near-death experience-but the memories that flash through Jerrison’s mind are not “his” memories. It quickly becomes clear that the electromagnetic pulse generated by the bomb amplified and scrambled Dr. Singh’s equipment, allowing a random group of people to access one another’s minds. And now one of those people has access to the president’s memories—including classified information regarding the upcoming military mission, which, if revealed, could cost countless lives. But the task of determining who has switched memories with whom is a daunting one—particularly when some of the people involved have reason to lie.

The Marked (Delacroix Academy, Book 2), by Inara Scott (April 3, Hyperion)

All of her life, Dancia Lewis has wanted to use her powers for good. And now that she’s learned the truth about Delcroix Academy—and herself—she might just get the chance. But being part of Delcroix’s top secret Program isn’t anything like Dancia expected. She has to ask herself: what happens to the Talented kids who refuse to pledge their loyalty? And why did her friend Jack run away rather than join? Dancia’s boyfriend Cam insists they need the help of every Talented student to defend Delcroix from dangerous enemies outside their gates. But Dancia has to wonder: what if Delcroix’s most frightening enemies come from within? Young  Adult.

The Shape of Desire, by Sharon Shinn (April 3, Ace)

For fifteen years Maria Devane has been desperately, passionately in love with Dante Romano. But despite loving him with all of her heart and soul, Maria knows Dante can never give all of himself back—at least not all the time. Every month, Dante shifts shape, becoming a wild animal. During those times, he wanders far and wide, leaving Maria alone. He can’t choose when he shifts, the transition is often abrupt and, as he gets older, the time he spends in human form is gradually decreasing. Since the beginning, Maria has kept his secret. But when a string of brutal attacks occur in local parks during the times when Dante is in animal form, Maria is forced to consider whether the lies she’s been telling about her life have turned into lies she’s telling herself.

Banner of the Damned, by Sherwood Smith (April 3, Daw)

Princess Lasva is about to be named heir to her childless sister, the queen. But, when the queen finally bears an heir, Lasva’s future is shattered. Grief-stricken, she leaves her country of Colend and falls into the arms of Prince Ivandred of Marloven Hesea. When the sensational news makes its way to Lasva’s sister, the queen worries for her at the hands of the Marlovens, whose king’s mage is in league with the magical land of Norsunder, considered by Colendi to be their enemy. The queen orders Emras, a scribe, to guard Lasva. But it may be too late—Lasva is already deeply involved with the Marlovens and their magic.

Immortal City, by Scott Speer (April 3, Razorbill)

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He’s days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone’s obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect—everyone except for Madison Montgomery, who ends up with the power needed to save the Angels, and Jackson, from a dangerous serial killer. Young Adult.

Caine’s Law (Overworld, Book 4), by Matthew Stover (April 3, Del Rey)

Caine is washed up and hung out to dry, a crippled husk kept isolated and restrained by the studio that exploited him. Now they have dragged him back for one last deal. But Caine has other plans. Those plans take him back to Overworld, the alternate reality where gods are real and magic is the ultimate weapon. There, in a violent odyssey through time and space, Caine will face the demons of his past, find true love, and just possibly destroy the universe. Hey, it’s a crappy job, but somebody’s got to do it.

Bloodright (Blood Moon Trilogy, Book 2), by Karin Tabke (April 3, Berkley)

After years of waiting, Lycan Alpha Lucien Mondragon is poised to take revenge on his brother, Rafael, by killing Rafael’s life mate, the Lycan/Slayer half-breed Falon—but he cannot complete the kill. Instead of ending her life, Lucien defiantly marks Falon as his own. Though terrified by the savage Lucien, Falon finds herself drawn to him. Torn between the love she has for Rafael and the hunger she holds for Lucien, the will of Falon’s heart will lead her to her destined life mate–but it may also doom the brothers and the Lycan race to extinction.

Savage Awakening, by J.D. Tyler (April 3, Signet)

A group of former Navy SEALS, the Alpha Pack is a top-secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers combating the greatest dangers in the world. But sometimes those dangers are more intimate than they bargained for. After a mission goes wrong, Aric Savage is taken prisoner. Half-dead and despairing, he makes a stunning discovery: his Pack mate Micah Chase, who was reported dead, is a fellow captive. LAPD officer and Psy Dreamwalker Rowan Chase has one priority: her brother Micah’s recovery. But when Aric’s life is endangered, Rowan must ask herself what she’s willing to sacrifice in the name of love, for the man fated to be her Bondmate.

The Thirteenth Sacrifice, by Debbie Viguie (April 3, Signet)

When young women start dying, Boston cop Samantha Ryan is the perfect person to investigate, for only she knows what the archais symbol carved into their flesh means. The last in a long line of ruthless witches, she grew up in a coven seduced by power and greed. And now she’s sure that bad witches have returned to Salem. Reluctantly, Samantha goes undercover—into a town obsessed with black magic, into her terrifying past, and into the dark, newly awakened heart of evil. A Witch Hunter novel.

Summoning, by Carol Wolf (April 3, Night Shade)

The World Snake is coming, devourer of Thrace and Atlantis... and the only one standing in its way is Amber, a sixteen-year-old runaway, recently arrived in Los Angeles. Amber is more than just a girl with a stolen ID and an attitude; she is a daughter of the wolf-kind, a shapeshifter able to change forms at will. One night, as Amber prowls the Hollywood Hills in wolf form, she stumbles onto an occult ceremony, interrupting the ritual. As a result, Amber finds herself the unwilling mistress of a handsome demonic servant, Richard. Appearing as a fair youth of eighteen years, Richard is a demon accidentally summoned, then captured, by Dr. John Dee, court magician to Queen Elizabeth I. All hell is about to break loose, and Amber and Richard are going to need allies to stop the Eater of Souls and save a city on the edge of disaster.

Let Them Eat Stake (Vampire Chef, Book 2), by Sarah Zettel (April 3, Signet)

It’s a dream for a “Vampire Chef”—cater the high-profile wedding of a 200-year-old vampire and a wealthy witch. So why did celebrity chef Oscar Simmons walk away from this gig? Charlotte agrees to take his place, even though she knows this event, thrown by power-hungry vampires and witches, could make (or break) her career, her restaurant, and her life. But when Simmons turns up dead, the groom’s family starts vanishing, and the police start asking pointed questions, Charlotte fears she may have picked the wrong wedding to stake her reputation on.

Sword & Blood: The Vampire Musketeers, by Sarah Marques (April 4, Prime)

In a world where vampires have taken every humble chapel, defiled every grand cathedral, subdued most nations, and treated every human as cattle, Dumas’ hero musketeers rise to a greater challenge than they ever met in their original adventures. Athos has spent a decade fighting vampires in the king’s musketeers. He never expected to see his wife again—he’d discovered Charlotte was a vampiric servant, hanged and left for dead ten years before—yet it is she who turns Athos into a vampire. Or does she?

As always, four entries possible: +1 for comment to tell me what book (any book) you want, +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow @Suzanne_Johnson, and +1 for a Tweet or RT about the contest. This contest is international. Contests end at midnight CDT U.S., and winners are announced on Sunday’s blog. It’s the responsibility of the winner to contact me with their mailing info. Books unclaimed after a month will go into a general giveaway pile.

Now….go!