Notable New Book Releases | March 3 - March 9

These are the new book releases that caught my eye this week:

Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver
March 5th 2013 by HarperTeen

Spoiler Alert if you have not read the first two books in the Delirium series

This exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy is a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion.

---

The Nightmare Affair (The Arkwell Academy #1)
by Mindee Arnett
March 5th 2013 by Tor Teen


Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli's dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

---

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
March 7th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile


First came the storms.
Then came the Fever.
And the Wall.

After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct…but in reality, a new primitive society has been born.

Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader’s newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally. Brought together by chance, kept together by danger, Fen and Daniel navigate the wasteland of Orleans. In the end, they are each other’s last hope for survival.

Sherri L. Smith delivers an expertly crafted story about a fierce heroine whose powerful voice and firm determination will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

---

The Culling (The Torch Keeper #1)
by Steven dos Santos
March 8th 2013 by Flux

Recruitment Day is here...if you fail, a loved one will die

For Lucian “Lucky” Spark, Recruitment Day means the Establishment, a totalitarian government, will force him to become one of five Recruits competing to join the ruthless Imposer task force. Each Recruit participates in increasingly difficult and violent military training for a chance to advance to the next level. Those who fail must choose an “Incentive”—a family member—to be brutally killed. If Lucky fails, he’ll have to choose death for his only living relative: Cole, his four-year-old brother.

Lucky will do everything he can to keep his brother alive, even if it means sacrificing the lives of other Recruits’ loved ones. What Lucky isn’t prepared for is his undeniable attraction to the handsome, rebellious Digory Tycho. While Lucky and Digory train together, their relationship grows. But daring to care for another Recruit in a world where love is used as the ultimate weapon is extremely dangerous. As Lucky soon learns, the consequences can be deadly...

---

The Murmurings by Carly Anne West
Published March 5th 2013 by Simon Pulse

Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….

---

Discussion:
Where you excited about any new releases this week? Which ones? Where you excited about any that didn't make my list? Did you get a chance to start any of your favorite new releases?

Additional Topics of Interest:
Notable New Book Releases | Feb. 24 - March 2
Waiting on Wednesday | Requiem by Lauren Oliver
Notable New Book Releases | Feb. 10 - Feb. 16

Waiting on Wednesday | Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes

This post is being shared as part of Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday.

This week I am pining for Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes. Expected publication: July 2nd 2013 by Berkley Trade.

After a virus claimed nearly the entire global population, the world changed. The United States splintered into fifty walled cities where the surviving citizens clustered to start over. The Company, which ended the plague by bringing a life-saving vaccine back from the future, controls everything. They ration the scant food and supplies through a lottery system, mandate daily doses of virus suppressant, and even monitor future timelines to stop crimes before they can be committed.

Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.

When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined… and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever.

I love the premise of bringing a vaccine back from the future. If a virus completely decimated the globe, it seems plausible that The Company would take total control after bringing back the vaccine. Viral Nation could be an awesome read. (And a dog!)

Are you dying to read any books that aren't out yet? What books are you pining for this week? Let me know in the comments (or leave me a link!).

Book Review | Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines

Ex-Heroes is the first book in Peter Clines's Ex-Heroes series.

Stealth. Gorgon. Regenerator. Cerberus. Zzzap. The Mighty Dragon. They were heroes, using their superhuman abilities to make Los Angeles a better place.

Then the plague of living death spread around the globe. Billions died, civilization fell, and the city of angels was left a desolate zombie wasteland.

Now, a year later, the Mighty Dragon and his companions protect a last few thousand survivors in their film-studio-turned-fortress, the Mount. Scarred and traumatized by the horrors they’ve endured, the heroes fight the armies of ravenous ex-humans at their citadel’s gates, lead teams out to scavenge for supplies—and struggle to be the symbols of strength and hope the survivors so desperately need.

But the hungry ex-humans aren’t the only threats the heroes face. Former allies, their powers and psyches hideously twisted, lurk in the city’s ruins. And just a few miles away, another group is slowly amassing power . . . led by an enemy with the most terrifying ability of all.

Peter Clines's books are damn fun. After reading 14, I knew I had to see what Clines would do with superheroes and zombies. I was not disappointed.

I'm starting to find I enjoy superhero books. I read Raymond Rose's The Fire Inside a couple of years ago, and I really enjoyed it. I've been wanting some more superhero action. I didn't dream they would be fighting zombies. Win!

There are two things I want when I'm reading a zombie book: science and something new. Ex-Heroes has both. I was surprised and so pleased to find an adequate connection between the superheroes and the zombies. There was also a lot of just plain zombie fun, too.

If you aren't sick of zombies yet and you want something fun to read, Ex-Heroes will provide you with some good entertainment.

7/10: Recommended Read

Discussion:
So let me hear it - are you still loving the zombies or have you had enough? As for superheroes, if you've read a superhero book you loved, I'd love to have some recommendations.

Currently Reading | Tripwire by Lee Child

My Currently Reading posts are shared as part of Book Journey's It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I finished reading Peter Clines's Ex-Heroes last week. It was a superhero vs. zombie book and a whole lot of fun. I also read Stalking You Now by Jeff Strand which was a miss for me, but my Goodreads friends loved it.

Then I entered into the dreaded reading funk! Oh, how I hate those. I've been pulling books off my shelf and going through my Kindle files and nothing feels right. I finally decided I would read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making only to find out I don't actually own it.

Thank goodness for the Jack Reacher series. Until I pull myself out of this funk, I'm reading book 3 (Tripwire) of the series.

One more thing about The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland..., my library only has the sequel. Why would they do that? You would think they would have ordered the first one as well if they were going to order the series. Unfortunately I don't have access to very good libraries here. I actually pay to use a library in a nearby town. How sad is that? I pay to use a library.

So I hope all is well with you! I look forward to hearing what you are reading this week. Either let me know in the comments or link me to a post.

Discussion:
What are you reading this week? Do you have an awesome library in your town? I get so jealous when I see great library loot posts.

Storybook Sunday | Dr. Seuss Edition

Storybook Sunday is where I talk about what I'm reading with my kids. It's the lighter side of Book Den.

Yesterday was Dr. Seuss's birthday. We are big fans of Dr. Seuss at our house, and it has become a tradition to read all of our Dr. Seuss books during the week of his birthday. Our old daycare provider used to do this each year and it stuck!

We have several books that are not written by Dr. Seuss but are part of the Dr. Seuss library. We make sure to read those books as well.

These are the books we read during the week:



There are quite a few Dr. Seuss books we don't own. My three year old has fallen in love with The Lorax movie so I was pretty bummed this week that we don't own a copy of The Lorax book. I definitely need to remedy that!

Discussion:
Are you a fan of Dr. Seuss? What are your favorite Dr. Seuss books?