Highlights / Lowlights: RACING SAVANNAH, FATES, CRUEL BEAUTY

Title: Racing Savannah
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Released: December 2013
Series: companion novel, Hundred Oaks #4
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…

Highlights: Kenneally's novels are easy to breeze through in a single day. The romance is sweet, if a little frustrating a times. Having an athletic narrator who desires nothing more than to become a horse jockey is awesome - I love how Kenneally usually portrays girls who love sports, especially since those girls tend to become overlooked in literature. The romance is incredibly well done and adorably endearing. I really loved Savannah's family life too - it's a bit complicated, but at the end of the day, they try to be there for each other. 

Lowlights: I'm starting to think I have some sort of character issue with Kenneally's writing style, because while I do enjoy her stories, I never fully connect to the characters or storylines. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5).

Title: Fates
Author: Lanie Bross (aka Lee Bross)
Released: February 2014
Series: Fates #1
Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 336
Publisher: Delacorte
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Great Hall

One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people's fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she is falling all over again--this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die. In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?

Highlights: Bross's debut exudes creative ideas, and I never quite knew what to expect from Fates because of it. The alternate worlds presented are fascinating, dangerous, and highly captivating. Corinthe's journey was especially intense and exciting, and I loved learning more about her unusual life / history as a Fate. Bross's take on mythology is familiar, yet deviates enough to generate interest. 

Lowlights: I think this story was a bit too ambitious, to the point where everything became slightly confusing. The third person narration distanced me from the two narrators too much, to the point where I hardly cared about either one of them. And I definitely did not believe their romantic connection, which built too quickly (especially considering Corinthe keeps trying to kill Lucas).

Rating: The Great Hall (3.5 out of 5).

Title: Cruel Beauty
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Released: January 2014
Series: ?
Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 342
Publisher: Balzar + Bray
Format: e-ARC
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Highlights: Trained from birth to kill her world's most powerful being? That's an awesome concept, and Nyx's fierce personality didn't disappoint. Nyx is a complicated heroine, who strong, scared, determined, and displays moments of anger and selfishness that remind the reader of the unfairness to her situation. The writing is lush and flows easily from one word to the next. I can honestly say this is the more creative retellings I've ever read. I was never entirely sure where this story was going to end up, and I loved how Cruel Beauty kept me curious and intrigued - which is exactly what I want a book to do.

Lowlights: I wasn't completely sold on the ending or the romance. 

Rating: The Royal Library, Bottom Shelf (low 4 out of 5).

RACING SAVANNAH Pre-Order Gift Campaign

From Sourcebooks....

They're from two different worlds, but Savannah isn't exactly one to follow to rules...get the next contemporary novel from blockbuster YA novelist Miranda Kenneally: RACING SAVANNAH!

Right before her senior year, Savannah's father whisks the family off to Tennessee to work as head groom at fancy Cedar Hill Farms. Savannah finally sees it as the perfect opportunity to earn extra money as an exercise rider - no matter how many others don't want a girl around the barn. But she's also caught the eye of Jack Goodwin, the owner's son. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries. With her dream of becoming a jockey, Savannah is not going to let someone tell her a girl is't tough enough to race. Sure, it's dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack. 

We’ve put together a fun campaign to thank readers for pre-ordering: send us your proof of pre-order and we’ll send you this fabulous horseshoe key chain!

A Gift for You, for Pre-Ordering RACING SAVANNAH by Miranda Kenneally

We have a special offer for U.S. and Canada YA fans for the release of RACING SAVANNAH by Miranda Kenneally in stores in a little over three weeks! If you pre-order the book, we will send you an exclusive horseshoe key chain—perfect for any busy teen on the go! You have until December 2 or until quantities run out. 

Here’s how to get your charm:
1. Pre-order the book (print or eBook) through any retailer (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, your local independent bookseller/Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Hastings, etc.)

2. Email your proof of purchase (receipt or picture of the receipt) to teenfire@sourcebooks.com. Put “Racing Savannah Pre-Order” in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your home address (US & Canada only please) so we can send you the horseshoe key chain! If you’ve already pre-ordered this book—not a problem! Send us your receipt!

3. You will get an email back confirming when the items have been sent out.

4. Enjoy Racing Savannah when it comes out in December!


Optional: take a pic of you and your horseshoe key chain and share it with Miranda Kenneally or Sourcebooks Fire on Twitter! You can find Miranda @mirandakennealy and Sourcebooks Fire @sourcebooksfire.