Happy Book Birthday, POINTE!

Brace yourselves, people. Brandy Colbert's Pointe comes out today!

Theo is better now.

She’s eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend, Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper, Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.

Donovan isn’t talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she didn’t do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she’s been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.

I am so thrilled to get the chance to welcome this book into the world. It's beautifully written, hard-hitting, and has some of the most realistically flawed teenage characters I've ever read. Pointe deals with some tough issues, including anorexia and molestation. Yet it never feels sensational or over the top. Readers will cheer for every one of Theo's hard-earned revelations and hold their breath as her long-buried secrets threaten her carefully constructed life and her hopes for a future as a professional dancer.

19 year-old ballerina Michaela DePrince, making the spectacular look easy. Seriously, HOW DO BALLERINAS DO THIS? Photo source: Teen Vogue

This is truly one of the finest contemporary books you'll read all year, if not ever.

I'll leave you with some more images of Theo's favorite thing in the entire world.

Theo always rides the subway to ballet class in the city. Source: http://www.pinterest.com/chantelrenee21/live-laugh-dance/

She has been taking ballet ever since she was tiny. Source: http://www.dance.net/topic/6177744/1/Ballet-Beginners/Oh-no-first-BALLET-CLASS-Ultimate-guide-for-beginners.html

If Black Swan didn't convince you ballet will completely destroy your feet, Pointe will. Source: http://pointeperfect.hubpages.com/hub/Does-Pointe-Shoe-Fit-Really-Matter

What Theo wants more than anything is to dance professionally. Source: The Washington Post

Professional ballerina Misty Copeland. Source: Huffington Post

Dancers from the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Source: DanceTabs

Going pro is incredibly demanding. Source: KnightArts.org

It takes hours and hours of practice each week. Source: Education Update

A good pianist is crucial, especially if he's hot and slightly mysterious. Source: The Performer's Warehouse

Michaela DePrince again. This girl is badass, people. You should read about her. Source: http://marinaharss.com/tag/dance-theatre-of-harlem/

Sorry, I couldn't resist the optical illusion dancer. Is she spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise?

 Now you're curious about the person behind this amazing book, right? Here she is. . .

Photo by Jessie Weinberg

Brandy Colbert was born and raised in the Ozarks—more specifically, Springfield, Missouri—and earned a bachelors degree in journalism from Missouri State University. She worked as an editor for several national magazines and currently works as a copy editor for both books and magazines. She is represented by Tina Wexler at ICM Partners.


Yay, Brandy! Yay, Pointe! All of us at the Thirteeners are so excited this book is out in the world now.

Happy book birthday to SALVAGE!

We're so excited here at Friday the Thirteeners because today is the publication day for Alexandra Duncan's debut, SALVAGE! Here's a little about this sci-fi feminist book, which explores choice, agency, rebellion, and family:

Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated, conservative deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean. This is a sweeping and harrowing novel about a girl who can't read or write or even withstand the forces of gravity. What choices will she make? How will she build a future on an earth ravaged by climate change?

SALVAGE was named a 2014 Indies Introduce Pick by the American Booksellers Association, and will appeal to fans of Margaret Atwood and Beth Revis.

Kirkus Reviews said "Duncan's settings and diction are vivid," and that "haunting, colorful environments distinguish this debut novel about a girl fighting for survival in the far future."

Feminism, family, and rebellion, all set in a thrilling sci-fi novel? We're absolutely sold!

Congratulations, Alexa! We're so proud of you and can't wait for everyone to read your amazing book!

SALVAGE is available from HarperCollins' Greenwillow Books, and if you'd like to pick up a copy (which we highly advise!) you can purchase from the following places:

Malaprop's

Spellbound

Barnes & Noble

Indiebound 

Amazon 

Book Depository

And here's more about Alexandra, our friend and author of the fabulous SALVAGE:

Alexandra Duncan is a writer and librarian. Her short fiction has been published in several Year's Best

Photo by Kristi Hedberg

Science Fiction & Fantasy anthologies and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Her first novel, Salvage, is available now from Greenwillow Books. She loves anything that gets her hands dirty—pie-baking, leatherworking, gardening, drawing, and rolling sushi. Alexandra lives with her husband and two monstrous, furry cats in the mountains of Western North Carolina. You can find out more about her at alexandra-duncan.com.

Get Ready to be BLINDSIDED!!!

Wow--it's a big week for us here at the Thirteeners. We got to celebrate the awesome release of WARRIOR (by Ellen Oh) on Tuesday, and now here it is Thursday and we get to celebrate another sequel:

Yep--it's BLINDSIDED, the sequel to TRANSPARENT, by the ever fabulous Natalie Whipple!!!!! (I know--I can't believe we already get to read it either. Hooray for less than a year waits!)

If that adorable cover doesn't already have you dying to get your hands on a copy, here's the official summary from goodreads:

Three months after Fiona escapes from her father's syndicate, all seems well in her tiny town of Madison, Arizona. She and Seth are happy together - apart from the teensy fact of Fiona being jealous that Seth can see through her invisibility - and her family and friends are safe. But when the local syndicate and even the Army show up, it's clear there's more going on in town than she could ever imagine. It seems like these huge powers are interested in the old Radiasure factory - could they be reproducing the infamous drug that caused mutations? - and everyone suspects Fiona of knowing more than she should. As Fiona and her friends try to cover their tracks, they discover that they do have some dangerous knowledge. Though at first determined to stop anyone from remaking Radiasure, Fiona learns a secret that could change everything, including her invisibility. Torn between her own desires and the greater good, Fiona might be too blindsided to see the real villain coming

AHHH--ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS I AM??????????????????????????????????????????????????

If you want to get your hands on a copy, here's some handy links:

amazon

The Book Depository

And if you would like to order a SIGNED copy, you can call and order one from the King's English--but you'll want to act fast on that one. The launch party is tonight!

The King's English
801-484-9100

HAPPY BOOKDAY, Natalie! 

A WARRIOR has arrived!

Do you guys know what today is????????

Yes, it *is* the last day of 2013 and New Years Eve and all that jazz--but even more exciting than that: IT'S WARRIOR'S RELEASE DAY!!!!

Yes--that's right. The awesome sequel to PROPHECY is finally hitting stores today (side note: holy crap--I can't believe our group has now reached the point of sequels. Seriously, WHERE does time go?) And if that gorgeous cover doesn't already have you desperate to read, here's the official summary from goodreads:

First an outcast, now a hero. 

But her fight rages on. 

Kira, the yellow-eyed demon slayer who fiercely protected her kingdom—and the crown prince—has been proclaimed the Dragon Musado of the prophecy. With the defeated the evil shaman. 

But it wasn’t enough.

Hansong is in chaos. The Demon Lord’s minions have infiltrated the city, treason is brewing among the military ranks, and Kira is buried by the overwhelming loss of her parents. She’s also plagued by the annoying feelings that blossom whenever she’s around Jaewon. But she is determined that nothing will stop her from finding the second treasure needed to fulfill the Dragon King’s prophecy. Not even the army of half-breed demons hot on their trail. If only she could learn to trust others… 

Her father always said one person can change the world. Will it be Kira?

Sounds epic, right? And if you are as eager as we all are to get your hands on a copy, here's a few handy links to help:

amazon

barnes & noble

books-a-million

Indiebound

The Book Depository

HAPPY BOOKDAY, Ellen! 

And happy shopping to everyone else. We'll see you in 2014!!!

Happy Birthday RELIC!

We Thirteeners are so excited today because it's the release of Renee Collins' book, RELIC! This book is so fantastic we can't wait for everyone else to be able to read it, too. Read this summary and you'll see why.

After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive the best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.

Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.

Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.

Guys...THIS BOOK! Maggie is amazing and strong in the face of so much adversity. And the setting is fresh, visual and alive. Old west, cowboys, mesas and magic? YES PLEASE! 

Here are some visuals that remind me of the feel of RELIC to get everyone in the mood. 

Cowboys...yum, k?

Old West Saloons!

Cowboys IN Saloons!

Wealthy relic barons...

And HORSES!

And, we really can't emphasize this enough...

hot cowboys!

Who ride horses!

And are oh so clean...yeah...yum.

All of this, AND MAGIC. So yeah...you need to get this book now! You can buy it at any of these links.

Relic on Indiebound / Barnes & Noble / Amazon

And just one more cowboy image to leave you with...

You are welcome.

Huge congratulations to Renee and Relic! We're so happy for you!

Happy Birthday DEVIL!

Us Thirteeners are very excited today, because April Tucholke's BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA is finally on shelves! *blasts off confetti cannon*

You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Guys, THIS BOOK! I read it in one of its earliest form (April and I (Erin) have been critique partners since we were both unagented and chasing a dream), and even then DEVIL blew me away. The morally ambiguous characters! The gorgeous, visceral prose. The copious amounts of Creepy. And let's not forget the haunting gothic setting.

A crumbling estate...

set against an angry sea...

bordered by train tracks and tunnels...

and a sprawling graveyard.

All of which only become creepier after River rents Violet's guest house. Yes, River. With his crooked smile, and mischievous ways, and sexy swagger.

  

River, who Violet can't help loving even when she knows she shouldn't. 

Go grab your copy today! Just make sure you keep the light on while reading.

Congratulations, April! We couldn't be happier for you!

DUALED. This is it. This is the day.

DUALED.
Elsie Chapman.
Today.

Check out what Publishers Weekly said about Elsie's dead awesome dystopian-with-a-twist YA: 

“Stylish, frenetic, and violent, Chapman’s debut is the textual equivalent of a Quentin Tarantino movie.” 

And in homage to that gorgeous quote, I give you the below:

There is no frying pan scene in DUALED, but if there had been it would have gone like this.

Pg. 142?

West plus swords.

How West and Chord relax after a long day of Alt hunting.




I flew through this book. Intense. Gritty. Perfect. And to top it off there's a tree house. I have a thing for tree houses.

Happy debut day, Elsie. I wish you and your book all the gosh darn luck in the world. Not that you'll need it.

-April

Where to find DUALED:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

Where to find Elsie:

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