Hot New Titles
Welcome to Hot New Titles with new releases including Starglass, Of Beast and Beauty, A Darkness Strange and Lovely, and Undercurrent by Paul Blackwell. Cover reveals include Pawn by Aimee Carter, Three by Kriston Simmons, Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano and These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. Boooooookkkkkssss!
Hot New Titles is Cuddlebuggery’s weekly post for YA releases and cover reveals. Don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook for all the cover reveals throughout the week and more fun. Clicking the covers takes you to the book’s GoodReads page. As always, we thank Stories and Sweeties, who compiles great lists of new releases and hosts monthly New Releases Giveaways! And thank you to Christina from Reader of Fictions, for keeping us in the know for the newest cover reveals! For all the latest book world news and book blogging gossip, check out our weekly Monday feature, Buzz Worthy News.
New Releases
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Starglass by Phoebe North
Goodreads|Purchase
Terra has never known anything but life aboard the Asherah, a city-within-a-spaceship that left Earth five hundred years ago in search of refuge. At sixteen, working a job that doesn’t interest her, and living with a grieving father who only notices her when he’s yelling, Terra is sure that there has to be more to life than what she’s got.
But when she inadvertently witnesses the captain’s guard murdering an innocent man, Terra is suddenly thrust into the dark world beneath her ship’s idyllic surface. As she’s drawn into a secret rebellion determined to restore power to the people, Terra discovers that her choices may determine life or death for the people she cares most about. With mere months to go before landing on the long-promised planet, Terra has to make the decision of a lifetime–one that will determine the fate of her people.
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Of Beast and Beauty
Goodreads|Purchase
In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret…
In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.
Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.
As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.
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A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard
Goodreads|Purchase
Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.
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Undercurrent by Paul Blackwell
Goodreads|Purchase
Quiet studious Callum Harris tumbles over the waterfall in a new town. He wakes up in a hospital bed and everything has changed. His brother is no longer a hot jock, but paralyzed and bedridden at home; Callum is a jock and a bully. In this twisted new version of the life Callum knew, his former best friend isn’t the only one trying to kill him.
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OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
Goodreads|Purchase
In this raw and relatable romance, Bea learns that some things just can’t be controlled.
When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again.
But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic… and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a lot about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed.
Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down…and she might end up breaking her own heart.
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The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith
Goodreads|Purchase
From the creator of the Escape from Furnace series, a ferocious epic of supernatural terror, perfect for Stephen King fans
Imagine if one day, without warning, the entire human race turns against you, if every person you know, every person you meet becomes a bloodthirsty, mindless savage . . . That’s the horrifying reality for Cal, Brick, and Daisy. Friends, family, even moms and dads, are out to get them. Their world has the Fury. It will not rest until they are dead.
In Alexander Gordon Smith’s adrenaline-fueled saga, Cal and the others must uncover the truth about what is happening before it destroys them all. But survival comes at a cost. In their search for answers, what they discover will launch them into battle with an enemy of unimaginable power.
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Contaminated by Em Garner
Goodreads|Purchase
After the Contamination—an epidemic caused by the super-trendy diet drink ThinPro that turned ordinary citizens into violent, uncontrollable creatures—the government rounded up the “Connies” to protect the remaining population. Now, two years later, the rehabilitated are being allowed home, complete with shock collars that will either control, or kill, them.
Velvet Ellis has struggled to care for her ten-year-old sister since her parents were taken in the round up. When she finds her mother in one of the “Kennels,” Velvet resolves to do whatever it takes to put her family back together. But the danger isn’t over. It’s beginning all over again…
Gritty and grabbing, Velvet is a harrowing, emotionally charged novel for fans of Carrie Ryan and The Walking Dead.
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A Really Awesome Mess by Trisha Cook and Brendan Halpin
Goodreads|Purchase
A hint of Recovery Road, a sample of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and a cut of Juno. A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves.
Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy.
Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin’s summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents’ divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.
Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog– and Emmy definitely doesn’t. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.
Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends.
A funny, sad, and remarkable story, A Really Awesome Mess is a journey of friendship and self-discovery that teen readers will surely sign up for.
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Extremities by David Lubar
Goodreads|Purchase
Master of the macabre David Lubar turns his attention to dark and twisted tales for teens with Extremities: Stories of Death, Murder, and Revenge
A group of high school girls takes revenge on their sadistic gym teacher in the most fitting way possible. Two stowaways find themselves on a ship for the dead. An ancient predator stalks the wrong victim. Here are thirteen tales of death, murder, and revenge from the fertile and febrile imagination of master storyteller David Lubar—his first story collection for the teen audience.
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Cover Reveals
Pawn by Aimee Carter
Goodreads|Purchase
YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There’s only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed
and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that’s not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she’s only beginning to understand.
Previously titled Masked.
Three by Kristen Simmons
Goodreads|Purchase
Ember Miller and Chase Jennings are ready to stop running. After weeks spent in hiding as two of the Bureau of Reformation’s most wanted criminals, they have finally arrived at the safe house, where they hope to live a peaceful and quiet existence—but all that’s left is smoking ruins.
Devastated by the demolition of their last hope, Ember and Chase follow the one thing left to them—tracks leading away from the wreckage. The only sign that there may have been survivors.
Because of their high profiles, they know they can’t stay out in the open for long. They take shelter in the wilderness and amid the ruins of abandoned cities as they follow the tracks down the coast, eventually finding refugees from the destroyed safe house. Among them is someone from Chase’s past—someone he thought he’d never see again.
Banding together, they search for a place to hide, aiming for a settlement a few of them have heard about… a settlement that is rumored to house the nebulous organization known as Three. The very group that has provided Ember with a tiny ray of hope ever since she was first forced on the run.
Three is responsible for the huge network of underground safe houses and resistance groups across the country. And they may offer Ember her only chance to tell the world her story—and to fight back.
The Life Beyond by Susanne Winnacker
Goodreads|Purchase
Sherry’s dad is infected with the rabies mutation and his only chance at survival lies beyond the deadly fence separating the country: the antidote produced in the labs on the other side. And Sherry isn’t the only one who hopes to save a loved one; Joshua wants nothing more than to have his sister back, but after years as a Weeper she might already be beyond saving. Together with Tyler and Rachel, they set out on what might very well be a suicide mission.
Soon they realize that life beyond the fence is nothing like they had hoped it would be.
As they struggle to survive against brutal military forces, their strength won’t be the only thing put to test. Can love survive in a hopeless world?
Secret by Brigid Kemmerer
Goodreads|Purchase
Nowhere is safe. Not even home…
Nick Merrick is stretched to the breaking point.
Keep his grades sky-high or he’ll never escape his hometown.
Keep his brother’s business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.
Keep the secret of where he’s going in the evenings from his own twin—-or he’ll lose his family.
Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who’s supposed to be his “girlfriend’s” partner.
Of course there’s also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers.
There’s a storm coming. From all sides. And then some.
Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?
The Queen’s Choice by Cayla Kluver
Goodreads|Purchase
A young fae girl sets out on a daunting quest in the human world to find the estranged son and heir to the faerie realm’s dying queen, when she is attacked by human hunters and her wings are cut off, making her return home impossible.
NIL by Lynne Matson
Goodreads|Purchase
On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.
Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.
Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.
International Cover Versions
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Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
Goodreads|Purchase
On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan’s older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.
Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.
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US Cover
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Cuddlebuggery Cover of the Week:
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Australian Cover:
These Broken Stars
Goodreads|Purchase
It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.
Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.
The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.
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US Cover
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LenaMarsteller
The Queen’s Choice looks really cool! I liked the original cover of Perfect Ruin but oh well.
KatKennedy
LenaMarsteller Queen’s Choice does, doesn’t it! It was a mistake of mine, I misnamed the section. The Perfect Ruin cover is still a thing, that’s just the UK version.
LenaMarsteller
KatKennedy LenaMarsteller oh ok…. I like the US version then 😀
Lori L Clark
Great list! Undercurrent really piques my interest for some reason! 🙂 Thank you for the post!
KatKennedy
Lori L Clark Hmmm… I hadn’t thought about it much. What about it piques your interest?
Lori L Clark
KatKennedy Lori L Clark I think maybe because it’s told from a male POV? Maybe. 🙂
MeliRobles
I can’t wait for Pawn by Aimee Carter, I loved her Goddess Test series, so I know this one will be a good one. The cover is cool but not what I expected it to be, not completely eye catching.
These broken stars new cover is gorgeous, better than the original although quite similar.
Ah, so many books!
KatKennedy
MeliRobles You know, I wasn’t a big fan of her Goddess Test series, but I was waiting for her to write something different, so I’d love to give this one a go.
SnugglyOranges
Whaaaaat? Why would they redesign Perfect Ruin?? 🙁 I like the new one too but the old was so asdfjkl; awesome. Sadface.
KatKennedy
SnugglyOranges My mistake, it wasn’t a redesign, it was an international cover.
anothernovelread
Wow, I think I like the Australian version of the These Broken Stars cover better. It’s interesting that they only decided to change the typography, but it does make a difference, doesn’t it?
KatKennedy
anothernovelread Yeah! I really, really like it. But then, the image is just so gorgeous, it’s hard to go wrong.
Christina @ Christina Reads YA
I may be the only person in the entire blogosphere who does not like the These Broken Stars cover. I’m a huge fan of the text change… but still not a fan of the image. The Perfect Ruin cover looks a bit weird too, since it’s like she’s staring at the floating island. It’s a conglomerate of pretty colors and images but together, I’m not sure they work.