Tag Archives: literature
New Book Smell – July, 2012
For Any Book Worm
The Investigation: A Novel – Philippe Claudel (July 10)
The Investigator – a normal man as ordinary as any other – arrives in Town. He has been assigned to look into a string of suicides that have occurred at the Enterprise. But his train is delayed, the weather gets worse, and the Investigator is becoming impatient. As he grows more tired, cold, and confused, he can’t help shake the feeling that he is being watched. This story plays with the more surreal points of human existence in a way that would make Kafka proud.
For the Big Kids
Purple Daze – Sherry Shahan (July 31)
Introducing a verse novel, one that explores what it means to be a high school student living in suburban LA in 1965. In an age where our young minds are trying to find voice, here they will find echoes of the same. Not only does Purple Daze explore the universal themes of teen life, love, sex, and friendship, but it touches on race, riot, and war too—highly relevant to today’s ever-shifting and turbulent culture.
For Magicians and Astronauts
Batman: Earth One – Geoff Johns, Gary Frank (July 10)
A reimagined beginning for the Dark Knight, Earth One explores the boy before the bat. Young Bruce’s thirst for vengeance transforms him into something fierce, and no one can stop him. The timing for this graphic novel is perfect, especially for when you’re waiting in line for The Dark Knight Rises, coming out on July 20th.
For Romantics
The Great Escape – Susan Elizabeth Phillips (July 10)
Lucy, daughter of a former president, has been nothing if not perfect about upholding the family’s image…until now. Escaping from her own wedding on the back of a beat-up motorcycle with an obscene man is the one thing she could do to upset that. Lucy finds herself physically and mentally in unknown territory as she tries to figure out her own life as well as her new love’s. Can she learn to distance herself from her upbringing? And how does one get to know a man who reveals nothing about himself and only paints an ugly picture on the surface?
For Thrill-Seekers
I, Michael Bennett – James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge (July 9)
After detective Michael Bennett sends a Mexican crime lord to jail, he decides it’s time for a relaxing escape to an old family cabin. But the town he remembers and the town in which he arrives now are far from similar, and what’s worse: steel bars aren’t holding back his recent prisoner’s wrath back in NYC. Can Michael keep his family safe in one town while fighting to protect New York from an uprising?
New Book Smell – June, 2012
For Any Book Worm
The Bellwether Revivals – Benjamin Wood (June 14)
Oscar Lowe, a young nursing home assistant, feels alone amid the crowd of college students. But he soon falls for beautiful, brainy Iris, a medical student, and finds himself swept up into her quirky world, specifically when it comes to family. Iris’s brother, Eden, is emotionally detached and believes that he can heal people by the power of music, and he’s willing to go to devastating lengths just to prove it. Can Oscar and Iris determine Eden’s next move before things take a turn for the worse?
For the Big Kids
Swimming to Elba -Silvia Avallone (June 14)
For Anna and Francesca, leaving childhood is an exciting time. New curves and more passionate imaginations have taken over, and there’s nothing the girls want to do more than to headlong into womanhood. But after a stunning blow to their friendship, the girls separate only to find their sexuality taking them down roads they never thought they would travel.
For Dark and Stormy Nights
The Mammoth Book of Body Horror – Paul Kane, Marie O’Regan (June 26)
A truly gripping selection of horror stories, this book features classics from noted writers like Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, Christopher Fowler, and Neil Gaiman, just to name a few. This collection will surely chill your blood and it is recommended that you read it with the lights on!
For Magicians and Astronauts
Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas – John Scalzi (June 5)
Andrew Dahl is thrilled to be a new recruit for the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. However, he soon learns that there are three rules that constantly seem to run their missions:
1)Every mission involves some confrontation with hostile aliens.
2)During these missions, the captain, chief science officer, and handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive.
3)One low-ranked crew member bites it.
Needless to say, these low-ranking crew members–including Andrew–try their best to not get picked for these missions. But then Andrew finds some crucial information that completely transforms his coworkers’ understanding of what these missions are really all about.
For a Good Laugh
Death by Petticoat – Mary Miley Theobald (June 5)
Think you know American history? Think again! The weird “facts” we thought were true–all that nonsense about hatters getting mad off mercury, woman had teeny-tiny waists, people bathed once a year–are exposed in this laugh-out-loud collection of debunked myths and legends.
For Memoir Maniacs
Yes, Chef – Marcus Samuelsson (June 26)
Renouned chef Marcus Samuelsson shares the rags-to-riches story of his life. It starts with his humble beginnings as a young boy orphaned through tuberculosis and soon leads us on a journey of adoption, new cultural surroundings, and a whole lot of chicken-cooking. From early on, there was no doubt what Marcus would be when he grew up.
For Romantics
Monarch Beach – Anita Hughes (June 19)
Amanda’s lost her exotic husband to another woman and it’s now time for her to heal. She knows she needs an escape and decides to do so through a lovely beach vacation. The relaxing atmosphere seems like just what she needs…until she is approached by an older divorcee who gives her all of his attention. Is this the opportunity to move on she so desperately wants and needs?
For Sherlocks
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn (June 5)
When Nick’s wife, Amy, disappears on their 5th wedding anniversary, all fingers point to him as the killer. And with dangerous daydreams filling his head, he can’t blame them. But as tensions rise and new secrets come to surface, Nick finds it harder and harder to prove his innocence, even with the help of his twin sister, Margo, who stands by his side.
For Thrill-Seekers
The Tattooist – Louise Black (June 1)
Xanthe has her abusive past-master’s name spanning the space between her shoulder blades. Japanese student Yoshiko feels too old for her spider web tattoo. Zairah is a trainee lawyer who now sees herself fiercer than the Mickey Mouse on her hip makes her feel. These three women, each with a tattoo representative of a past life, are ready to move on.
Fabrice is an alluring tattooist with the ability to cover their old markings with exquisite new ones, all the while carving barely-noticeable marks in their minds. All of the women become victims to his artful snare; only one can guess his true intentions.
New Book Smell – March, 2012
For Any Book Worm
The House of the Wind: A Novel – Titania Hardie (March 6)
Tuscany, 2007 – After the death of her fiancé, Maddie Moretti arrives on the order of her fiery Italian grandmother in order to heal. There she is entranced by the mystery of the House of the Wind–a ruined villa devastated in the legendary storm on the Eve of St. Agnes.
Tuscany, 1347 – Mia, grieving the loss of her mother, lives in silence with her aunt. A couple seeks refuge one night, and though visitors are not uncommon, there is something very mysterious about the young woman who is reluctant to give her name.
This Casa al Vento–House of the Wind–links Maddie and Mia over time as they search for clues to the unknown woman’s identity and the reason why she was able to escape the ruins of the House of the Wind unscathed that Eve of St. Agnes.
For the Big Kids
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews (March 1)
Greg enters his senior year socially invisible to all except his best friend, Earl. They spend their days making movies; they’re terrible, and they know it, but they’re not for anyone other than themselves.
Then they meet Rachel. She’s undergoing treatment for leukemia, and (through his mother’s suggestion) Greg befriends her. But when Rachel decides to stop her treatments and Greg and Earl make her a movie, Greg’s invisibility must fade so he can take a stand.
For Magicians and Astronauts
The Games – Ted Kosmatka (March 13)
Silas Williams, geneticist extraordinaire, is tasked with preparing the U.S. entry for the Olympic Gladiator competition–a ruthless sport that pits genetically engineered fighters against each other. One rule: no human DNA can be added in the mix.
Desperate for an edge, Silas’s boss experiments with a supercomputer to design an unbeatable creature. But the end result is too surreal, too horrifying, too intelligent. With the aid of Vedonia João, the beautiful xenobiologist, Silas races to understand the being that was created…but the truth may be too terrible to handle.
For a Good Laugh
Please God Let it Be Herpes: A Heartfelt Quest For Love and Companionship – Carlos Kotkin (March 6)
Carlos Kotkin (humorist-writer-mammal) has experienced more than his fair share of romantic snafus—from high school crushes to Playboy; from yogis to an STD host; from the flakes to the deaf and sometimes just plain dumb. This is by no means a normal journey of a lonely heart, but it is definitely one that will leave readers in stitches…and maybe wanting to get tested.
For History Buffs
Hell Above Earth: The Incredible True Story of an American WWII Bomber Commander and the Copilot Ordered to Kill Him - Stephen Frater (March 13)
Captain Werner Goering was one of the US military’s best pilots. He was also the nephew of Herman Goering, head of the Luftwaffe and Hitler’s right-hand man. When Werner became a bomber commander in 1942, J. Edgar Hoover issued a top-secret command to protect America’s military: should Werner’s plane go down over Nazi territory, someone would be in the cockpit to shoot the captain dead. After a nationwide search, Jack Rencher was chosen as that second man in the cockpit. What the military did not expect—and what makes this true tale so riveting—was that Werner and Jack would become friends as they battled up in the fiery skies of Nazi Europe.
For Memoir Maniacs
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail – Cheryl Strayed (March 20)
Cheryl Strayed was only twenty-two years old when her world came crumbling down around her. Her mother died, her family broke apart, and finally her marriage was destroyed. After four years of trying to deal with it all, she decided to do something with her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail—from the Mojave Desert through California and up to Washington State—all alone. Eleven hundred miles of snakes and bears, burning heat and record-breaking snowstorms, and beauty and healing loneliness—Cheryl wonderfully captures the journey of finding the strong-willed woman inside and, ultimately, finds a way to heal.
For Romantics
In the Flesh – Portia Da Costa (March 20)
Beatrice Weatherly’s womanly reputation is on the line: her nude photographs—a means to appease her now ex-fiance—are the talk of the town. And as if that wasn’t enough, Beatrice’s brother is quickly running them into debt. But one powerful gentleman finds himself entranced by Beatrice’s figure and hands her a proposition: be his servant for a month in exchange for enough money to pay off her brother’s debt.
Beatrice is determined to not let Edward Ellsworth Richie get the best of her, but can she appease the roguish man’s appetite?
For Thrill-Seekers
Three A.M. – Steven John (March 27)
Thomas Vale has spent the last fifteen years in a city covered in mist. There was a time long ago, when he was a fresh army recruit, when he believed the line between right and wrong was steady and strong. But then the sickness came, along with his orders: herd the healthy into the city and shoot the infected. They were then cut off to all but the arrival of the gray mist.
Thomas begins to wonder why he even bothers waking up in the morning. Then Rebecca Ayers enters his life, and the answers she brings along with her may just be too much.
New Book Smell – February, 2012
Welcome to the first installment of New Book Smell! Here you’ll find some upcoming books that have been hand-picked for your literary pleasure. While only a handful have made it onto this month’s list, this will be an expanding project that will keep your fingers itching to turn crisp new pages all year long!
For Any Book Worm
No One is Here Except All of Us – Ramona Ausubel (Feb. 2, 2012)
In 1939, Jewish community in Romania feels the darkness of war surrounding them. Through the suggestion of one of its children and a stranger, the village decides to turn towards their imaginations and reinvent their lives. Jobs, families, and lovers are swapped to create a new world, one that escapes the horrors of reality. But when the young girl grows up, can she find the strength to return from their make-believe land to save her family?
Lone Wolf – Jodi Picoult (Feb. 28, 2012)
International Best-Seller author Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper) once again weaves a story wrought with some of the most difficult situations that life can bring–and there is no easy way out. After a horrible accident leaves his sister, Cara, injured and his father brain-dead, estranged son Edward Warren returns home after his self-prescribed exile to Thailand. Edward decides that it is time to cut off life support and donate his father’s organs, but are his decisions those of a dutiful son or of a vengeful man who cannot forgive his father?
For the Big Kids
Various Positions – Martha Schabas (Feb. 14, 2012)
The only time Georgia finds herself relieved of all the drama and hormones that come with being fourteen years old is when she dances. And when she’s accepted into a premier dance school, she revels in the idea of being the star pupil. But Georgia finds herself sprinting headlong into very adult situations. Is her teacher more than just a mentor? Is it right to hope so? And is it okay to sacrifice her morals and health to find out?
For Dark and Stormy Nights
The Wolf Gift – Anne Rice (Feb. 14, 2012)
Book shelves have been absolutely saturated with vampire blood and werewolf fur for the past few years, but Anne Rice has decided it’s time to have a go herself. And just in time for Valentine’s Day! But Rice hasn’t completely returned to grim-and-gore after her latest dabbling in angelic spiritualism; while her take on the werewolf legend leaves her protagonist hunted by society and haunted by his own fears, he finds himself initiated into a world of what seems to be an ancient race of guardian creatures. Can the “Man Wolf” accept his new transformation as a gift more than a curse?
For Magicians and Warriors
The Scar – Sergey and Marina Dyachenko (Feb. 28, 2012)
The first translation of a 1997 Russian novel, The Scar is a long-awaited arrival for English readers worldwide. It follows the downfall of Egert Soll, a member of the elite guard with an ego to boot. After killing an innocent student in a duel, he is approached by The Wanderer who leaves him scarred and cursed with cowardice. Egert can’t escape this crippling change in his personality–even too frightened of the thought of suicide–and yet he finds himself forced into the company of the murdered student’s own fiancée. This is a story that works beyond the world of fantasy and will therefore be a good story for even those who tend to avoid the genre.
For a Good Laugh
The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten.: The Tweets of Steve Martin – Steve Martin (Feb. 20, 2012)
That loveable comedian who has always made us laugh over the years has broken through the social networking scene. Steve Martin now has 1.4 million+ followers on Twitter, and now anyone can enjoy the hilarious wit he has concentrated into 140 characters. This collection is a great collector’s item for all fans, on- or offline!
For Sherlocks
Private Games - James Patterson (Feb. 13, 2012)
London, England. Summer, 2012. The Olympics are about to begin and the world’s most renowned investigation firm, Private, are called in to provide top-notch security during the games. But soon before the opening ceremonies, a man is murdered and the killer promises to restore the games back to their ancient glory. Though in peak physical, mental, and technological condition, can Private’s agents stand up to this criminal genius before it’s too late?
Nothing from NBS is guaranteed to become best-sellers, but they have been carefully chosen because they represent something new and exciting for their author and/or genre. If you would like to suggest new releases for next month, please send them to emilynorthey@unwoundmag.com.
Special Interview with Legend’s Marie Lu
Today, we’re pleased to present to you something very rare and special. Unwound Magazine was given the great opportunity to interview Marie Lu (27), author of the new dystopian YA novel, Legend.
The flooded coast of former Los Angeles. Two warring nations of North
America—the Republic and the Colonies.Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country, she is being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles.
Born into the slums of the Republic’s Lake Sector, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother is murdered. And Day becomes the prime suspect. Now, caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival while June tries desperately to avenge her brother’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together and the sinister lengths their country will go to in order to keep its secrets.”
(Synopsis from LegendTheSeries.com)
Lu has been recognized over the past year as having the potential to become the next Rowling or Meyer, even before the release of her first novel. Legend‘s potential has been recognized with other “YA Novel Giant” contenders, such as Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, whose movie trailer was recently released. And now with the support of movie producer Wyck Godfrey (who also produced the Twilight movies), Lu’s first book may also be a box office hit in the future.
But it’s not the potential celebrity status that Legend may bring that makes Lu so special; her approachability and kindness has not wavered since first stepping in the spotlight, and her artistic eagerness is an entirely relatable trait for other beginning writers. She has shared her publishing journey with her fans, freely giving advice and how-to’s for aspiring authors. But most importantly, she has shown as much dedication to the happiness of her fans as she has her work–and that is a rare and admirable quality not often seen attached to noteworthy names.
My time talking to Lu has been a complete and utter pleasure, and I hope the Unwound community appreciates and enjoys the following interview as much as I we did. Marie’s book is available now online or at a major bookstore near you!
UM: Thank you and welcome, Marie! First, tell us a little about yourself and how you got into writing.
ML: I remember stapling together my very first “book” when I was five, and getting serious about novel writing when I was fourteen. It’s something I’ve always done, long before I even realized that a person could actually get published. I think the longest I’ve ever gone without writing any kind of fiction is four months.
UM: What kinds of things influence your writing? From what kind of resources do you pull?
ML: Everything influences me–life, traveling, people, movies, art, etc. For Legend in particular, I was inspired one afternoon while watching the movie version of Les Miserables, and then by a map I saw online of what the world would look like if the oceans rose 100 meters. I think inspiration just sort of hits you whenever you least expect it, and it can come from anywhere.
UM: What makes Legend a different kind of story from other books of its kind? How does the YA community (and/or the dystopian novel community) seem to be reacting to its impending arrival?
ML: I hope that Legend is a book that encourages readers to open their eyes to the society around them, to not take everything at face value, and to seek out the truth in their lives. That’s a big theme running through the novel, even though I hadn’t put it in there intentionally. As for the YA community–it is by far one of the best communities I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone is extremely encouraging toward one another, and I’ve gotten nothing but support.
UM: The book’s early concepts seem vastly different from its final product, first appearing to be more fantasy than dystopian, but Day’s character remained a driving force. What influenced you along the way to change, and what made you keep other elements?
ML: When I was in high school, I wrote a fantasy novel called The Glass Sonata that starred a young boy criminal named Day. That novel actually did get an agent and went on submission to publishers, but ultimately didn’t sell. That was probably for the best, because in looking back, it could have used some work! However, I still loved that main character. I really wanted a chance to put Day back into a novel, and find the right story for him. When I thought of the concept for Legend, I knew that this sci-fi world was a perfect fit for him. And that’s how he managed to make his way into Legend!
UM: So what about Day’s character inspired you to find that “perfect fit” for him? Why is his character so important to you to hold onto him through different stories?
ML: I’m not sure why Day stuck so much in my head. I think I’ve always been really attracted to fictional characters who are roguish and mischievous, characters that stay optimistic in spite of all the darkness in their lives.
UM: If you could go back to the beginning and write Legend all over again, what would you change?
ML: If it were up to me, I could probably edit my books until the end of time and still not be absolutely satisfied with them! But I do think that Legend is as good as I could have made it at the time I wrote it, and now I’m putting all my energy into making Legend 2 as good as I can. Hopefully I’m improving along the way!
UM: This being your first published novel, how would you describe your experience so far? How are you handling all of the attention from the media?
ML: The experience so far has been absolutely surreal! I still can’t quite believe that it’s all happening, and sometimes I have to pinch myself to remember that this is actually real. The media has been amazing. I’m by nature a rather shy person, but this experience is really training me to come out of my shell.
UM: Your book is being printed in other languages, too. How does it feel knowing that the international community will be reading your work?
ML: I remember squealing when we got our first international deal. It’s just amazing to know that so many people in the world will get to have access to Legend.
UM: Though it’s true that those living outside of the U.S. are fairly familiar with our country’s politics and history, do you think that they will have trouble visualizing Legend’s future America?
ML: The America in Legend is drastically different from modern-day America, and hopefully this means that Legend‘s America will feel every bit as strange to international readers as it will to U.S. readers.
UM: Do you think there are any tough politics or ideas in this new idea of America that you think can be applied to today’s world? What do you think will be your audience’s response to your vision of a possible future?
ML: Oh yes–I do think people will see some parallels between Legend‘s world and the state of our current United States, as well as the world at large. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, the middle class is dying out. Europe’s debt crisis, the U.S.’s troubled economy, the uprisings in the Arab nations….these are all examples of real-world turmoil that is very familiar in the Legend universe.
UM: Many sources have listed you in the running for being the next big YA author now that Harry Potter and Twilight are wrapping up. What are your thoughts on that?
ML: My reaction is always stunned amazement that I even get to be mentioned in the same sentence. I’m completely honored and very scared by it, because I’m not sure anyone can really fill the shoes of Harry Potter or Twilight or The Hunger Games. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that readers will enjoy Legend when it finally comes out!
UM: Here’s a big step in the future for Legend: it’s the M-word—movie! You’ve got a movie deal! That’s amazing news, and you found out a while before Legend was even released. You must have been very excited!
ML: Thank you so much! I didn’t even know to dream about a movie deal because it seemed so impossible, and I still can’t quite believe it.
UM: Got a dream cast in mind?
ML: I’m not sure who I would cast as the characters, but CBS Films and Temple Hill are so passionate about the book and I have absolute faith that whoever they ultimately cast in the roles will be the right fit.
UM: After Legend hits the shelves, what’s next? What can we expect for you as an author in the next year?
ML: Legend is a trilogy and one book will be released every year, so Book 2 will come out in 2012 and Book 3 will be out in 2013. After that, I’m not sure yet! I do have a new idea that I fiddle with when I’m not working on Legend‘s sequels, but that one is still in very early stages of development.
UM: Do we get any hints on what this new idea is all about?
ML: Haha–sorry, I can’t say much about the new ideas I’m working on after Legend, but I’m definitely excited about them and hopefully readers will be too!
UM: Oh well, at least we tried! Anyway, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. It’s truly an honor. We’re very excited for you and your book, and I can’t wait to see how it’s received by your readers!
ML: Thank you so much! It was such a pleasure!
We hope you enjoyed this special interview! Don’t forget: pick up your order of Legend online or at any major bookstore today, and you can also find out more about Marie Lu and Legend at marielu.org and legendtheseries.com.
