Read These Next!

A post-apocalyptic, dystopian thriller and love story, which includes the three titles Pure, Fuse, and Burn.

Pure

Pure Trilogy, Book #1

by Julianna Baggott

Available Now

Find it on:  Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------------------------------------------

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

Earth has been conquered. An alien race known as the Assembly has abducted the adult population, leaving its young to fend for themselves. Here, three young people begin a precarious journey through a dangerous, post-apocalyptic landscape. 

Midnight City

Conquered Earth Series, Book #1

by David MacInnis Gill

Available Now

Find it on:  Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------------------------------------------

Holt Hawkins is a bounty hunter, and his current target is Mira Toombs, an infamous treasure seeker with a price on her head. It's not long before Holt bags his prey, but their instant connection isn't something he bargained for. Neither is the Assembly ship that crash-lands near them shortly after. Venturing inside, Holt finds a young girl who remembers nothing except her name: Zoey.

As the three make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, they encounter young freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and the amazing powers that Zoey is beginning to exhibit. Powers that suggest she, as impossible as it seems, may just be the key to stopping the Assembly once and for all.

Midnight City is the breathtaking first book of the Conquered Earth series.

Readers are swept away to a red planet and a dark future, where terraforming has created a futuristic frontier, where scavengers, bandits, and mercenaries eke out a living terrorizing the innocent. 

Black Hole Sun

Hell's Cross Series, Book #1

by David MacInnis Gill

Available Now

Read an Excerpt

Find it on:  Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------------------------------------------

Mars stinks

It’s hot. The air reeks of burning fuel; the rivers and lakes seethe with sulfur. In the shadows, evil men plot terror and beasts hunt the innocent. Out on the barren crags of the terraformed planet, there is nowhere to hide. No one to heed a call for help.

No one, except Durango, and he is playing the cards he was dealt. And it’s not a good hand.

He’s lost his family.

He’s lost his crew.

And he’s got the scars to prove it.

You don’t want to mess with Durango.

Durango will take on any mission—as long as it is dangerous, impossible, and hopeless, and as long as it pays enough for him and his crew to get by. Fortunately for Durango, he also has Mimi, a symbiotic nano-implant, to keep him on the straight and narrow, as well as a crew of loyal soldiers. Because he’s going to need everything he’s got for his latest mission—defending a rag-tag clan of helpless miners from a ravenous horde of feral cannibals and their enigmatic but brutal leader, who is hellbent on taking out the miners, and Durango along with them.

UPDATE!!!! Dark Age by Pierce Brown

Dark Age 

Red Rising, Book #4

by Pierce Brown

On Sale Date: August 11, 2018 
NEW! On Sale Date: February 12, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-0425285947

Publisher: Del Rey

Pages: 480

Find it on:  Amazon, Goodreads

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.

For a decade Darrow led a revolution against the corrupt color-coded society. Now, outlawed by the very Republic he founded, he wages rogue war on Mercury in the hopes that he can still salvage the dream of Eo. But as he leaves death and destruction in his wake, is he still the hero who broke the chains. Or will another legend rise to take his place.

Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile, has returned to the Core. Determined to bring peace back to mankind at the edge of his sword, he must overcome or unite the treacherous Gold families of the Core and face down Darrow over the skies of war-torn Mercury.

But theirs are not the only fates hanging in the balance.

On Luna, Mustang, Sovereign of the Republic, campaigns to unite the republic behind her husband. Beset by political and criminal enemies, can she outwit her opponents in time to save him?

Once a Red refugee, young Lyria stands accused of treason, and her only hope is a desperate escape with unlikely new allies.

Abducted by a new threat to the Republic, the Children of Darrow, Mustang, and Sevro must trust in a thief for their salvation- and Ephraim must look to them for a chance at redemption.
As allies shift, break, and reform- and power is seized, lost, and reclaimed- every player is at risk in a game of conquest that could turn the Rising into a new Dark Age.

Story Locale: Space: future
Series Overview: RED RISING: Darrow, a lowly Red, leads a revolution to upend a color-coded Society ruled by the nefarious Gold overlords. He infiltrates their secret schools and warring families, rending Society asunder from within using the very tools of Gold oppression and hegemony. Fighting against an overwhelming enemy with the help of newfound friends and loved-ones Darrow’s efforts are finally rewarded with open revolution, as the Rising emerges from the shadows to break the chains and live for more.

Cover Revealed: Warcross by Marie Lu

Warcross

Warcross, Book #1

by Marie Lu
Coming October 3, 2017

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13: 978-0399547966
Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

Read an exclusive excerpt on EW.com

------------------------------------------

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths.

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

Amazing Covers Revealed: Before She Ignites, One Dark Throne, Into the Bright Unknown & Ringer

Before She Ignites

Fallen Isles Trilogy, Book #1

by Jodi Meadows

Coming 09/26/17

ISBN-13: 978-0062469403 // Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books // Pages: 400 pages

Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------

Before

Mira Minkoba is the Hopebearer. Since the day she was born, she’s been told she’s special. Important. Perfect. She’s known across the Fallen Isles not just for her beauty, but for the Mira Treaty named after her, a peace agreement which united the seven islands against their enemies on the mainland.

But Mira has never felt as perfect as everyone says. She counts compulsively. She struggles with crippling anxiety. And she’s far too interested in dragons for a girl of her station.

After

Then Mira discovers an explosive secret that challenges everything she and the Treaty stand for. Betrayed by the very people she spent her life serving, Mira is sentenced to the Pit–the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. There, a cruel guard would do anything to discover the secret she would die to protect.

No longer beholden to those who betrayed her, Mira must learn to survive on her own and unearth the dark truths about the Fallen Isles–and herself–before her very world begins to collapse.

Jodi Meadows’s new Fallen Isles series blazes with endangered magic, slow-burn romance, and inner fire.

New fantasy trilogy about a girl stripped from her political family and imprisoned, her fellow inmates who know more than they say, and a dangerous secret about illegal dragon trafficking that might be her only hope of escape.

One Dark Throne

Three Dark Crowns Duology, Book #2

by Kendare Blake

Coming 09/19/17

ISBN-13: 978-0062385468 // Publisher: HarperTeen  // Pages: 320

Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

---------------------------------

THE BATTLE FOR THE CROWN HAS BEGUN, BUT WHICH OF THE THREE SISTERS WILL PREVAIL?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

Into the Bright Unknown

The Gold Seer Trilogy, Book #3

by Rae Carson

Coming 10/10/17

ISBN-13: 978-0062242976

Publisher: Greenwillow

Hardcover: 432 pages
Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------------

The stunning conclusion to Rae Carson’s New York Times–bestselling Gold Seer trilogy, which Publishers Weekly in a starred review called “Simply terrific.” A historical fantasy brimming with magic, romance, and adventure—perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sarah Maas, and Westworld.

Leah Westfall, her fiancé Jefferson, and her friends have become rich in the California Territory, thanks to Lee’s magical ability to sense precious gold. But their fortune has made them a target, and when a dangerous billionaire sets out to destroy them, Lee and her friends decide they’ve had enough—they will fight back with all their power and talents. Lee’s magic is continuing to strengthen and grow, but someone is on to her—someone who might have a bit of magic herself. The stakes are higher than ever as Lee and her friends hatch a daring scheme that could alter the California landscape forever. With a distinctive young heroine and a unique interpretation of American history, Into the Bright Unknown strikes a rich vein of romance, magic, and adventure, bringing the Gold Seer Trilogy to its epic conclusion. Includes a map and an author’s note.

Ringer

Replica Series, Book #2

by Lauren Oliver 

Coming 10/03/17

ISBN-13: 978-0062394194

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 672

Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

----------------

Like its ambitious companion novel, Replica, this far-reaching novel by powerhouse bestselling author Lauren Oliver digs deep into questions of how to be a human being in a world where humanity cannot be taken for granted.

In the world outside the Haven Institute, Lyra and Caelum are finding it hard to be human—and neither of them knows where they belong or who they can trust. When Caelum leaves without warning to pursue the dream of a place he belongs, Lyra follows him, convinced that together they will hunt down a cure for the illness that’s slowly consuming her mind. But what they uncover is a shocking connection to their past—even as their future seems in danger of collapsing.

After discovering the uncomfortable truth about her connection to the Haven Institute, Gemma struggles to return to her normal life. But when she learns that her controlling and powerful father has new plans for Lyra and Caelum, Gemma and her boyfriend, Pete, leave in the middle of the night to warn them of the danger they face.When an untimely accident derails them, they are mistaken for the escaped replicas and seized by strangers hired to capture them. The Haven Institute wasn’t destroyed after all, and now Gemma is the one behind the walls.

Lyra’s and Gemma’s stories can be read separately—with either story first—or in alternating chapters, but no matter which way you turn the book, the two distinct stories combine into one breathtaking experience for both heroines and readers alike.

Cover Revealed: Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

iron gold

Iron Gold Trilogy, Book #1

by Pierce Brown

COMING August 22, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-0425285916

Publisher: Del Rey 

Pages: 480

Find it on: Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------------------------

When you break the chains, what do you unleash?

The new trilogy takes place after the end of Morning Star and will center on the consequences of the hero’s actions as well as on those folks now living and growing up in a landscape that’s had its ruling order shattered.

"ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What inspired you to write a new trilogy?

PIERCE BROWN: To be honest, I was curious. Not just about what happens to an empire once it has been broken, but what rises from the ashes. What happens to rebels once they take on the mantle of rule. Authority is a pressure cooker of responsibility that twists and hardens. Darrow and Mustang will learn it was easier to throw proverbial Molotov cocktails than it is to govern ten billion souls.

The book picks up 10 years later, correct? What’s the state of the galaxy?

Yes. And the solar system is in turmoil. The new Solar Republic, led by Darrow and Mustang, has replaced the Society on Mars, Earth, and Luna, and is locked in an existential struggle with the remaining Golds of the Core. A decade-long peace still exists between the Republic and the Golds of the Rim worlds, but something stirs in the darkness out beyond the asteroid belt.

How will Darrow and Mustang factor into this new story — or not?

Both will be integral characters. They’re barely into their mid-30s, so I’d wager they have a few more tricks up their sleeves.

How is this trilogy similar to the types of grand space-hopping stories you established in Red Rising, and how is it notably different?

It has the firefights and midnight duels and blood feuds, but many of the characters are not wrecking balls like Darrow. They must use other means to achieve their goals. Not everyone can blast through the bridge viewport of a Dreadnought, after all…"

--from EW.com interview with Pierce Brown 

Cover Love & now available for pre-order! WANT by Cindy Pon

Want

by Cindy Pon

Coming 06/13/17

ISBN-13: 978-1481489225 // Publisher: Simon Pulse // Pages: 304

Find it on Amazon, Goodreads

-------------------------------

Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. The rich wear special suits, protecting them from the pollution and viruses that plague the city, while those without suffer illness and early deaths. Frustrated by his city’s corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things, no matter the cost.

With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.

Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is, or destroying his own heart?

Cover Revealed for Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Carve the Mark 

Carve the Mark Duology, Book One

by Veronica Roth 

Coming January 17, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-0062348630 // Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books  // Pages: 528

Find it on Amazon, Goodreads

Read an exclusive excerpt on EW.com

-------------------

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not — their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuve, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive — no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive — or to destroy one another.

Fans of Star Wars and Divergent will revel in internationally bestselling author Veronica Roth’s stunning new science-fiction fantasy series.

Cover Revealed: Almost Girl by Amalie Howard

ALMOST GIRL
by Amalie Howard
Coming 01/07/14
ISBN-13: 978-1908844804
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Find it on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads
------------------------
Seventeen-year-old Riven is as tough as they come. Coming from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, she has to be. There’s no room for softness, no room for emotion, no room for mistakes. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes, a parallel universe to Earth. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.

Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows. Riven isn’t prepared for the beauty of a world that is unlike her own in so many ways. Nor is she prepared to feel something more than indifference for the very target she seeks. Caden is nothing like Cale, but he makes something in her come alive, igniting a spark deep down that goes against every cell in her body. For the first time in her life, Riven isn’t sure about her purpose, about her calling. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide whether Caden is simply a target or whether he is something more.

Faced with hideous reanimated Vector soldiers from her own world with agendas of their own, as well as an unexpected reunion with a sister who despises her, it is a race against time to bring Caden back to Neospes. But things aren’t always as they seem, and Riven will have to search for truth. Family betrayals and royal coups are only the tip of the iceberg. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?

Cover Reveal & Cover Redux: Starbreaker & Starglass by Phoebe North

STARBREAK
Starglass, Book Two
by Phoebe North
Coming 07/15/14
ISBN-13: 978-1442459564
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Pages:
Find it on Amazon, Goodreads
-------------------------------
The Asherah has finally reached Zehava, the long-promised planet. There, Terra finds harsh conditions and a familiar foe—Aleksandra Wolff, leader of her ship’s rebel forces. Terra and Aleksandra first lock horns with each other . . . but soon realize they face a much more dangerous enemy in violent alien beasts—and alien hunters.

Then Terra finally discovers Vadix. The boy who has haunted her dreams may be their key to survival—but his own dark past has yet to be revealed. And when Aleksandra gets humanity expelled from the planet, it’s up to Terra, with Vadix by her side, to unite her people—and to forge an alliance with the alien hosts, who want nothing more than to see humanity gone forever.

Ok so this cover is beyond wonderful, I want to travel with this heroine, I want to wear Aleksandra outfit and say what's up to Vadix. Then there's the small matter of the 100% improvement of the STARGLASS redo, isn't it pretty?!:

STARGLASS
Starglass, Book One
by Phoebe North
Paperback Coming in 2014
Hardcover Available Now
ISBN-13: 978-1442459533
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Pages: 448
Amazon, B&N, Goodreads
SDCL customers can order a copy here.
-------------------------------
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.

What I'm Excited About: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

THE HERE AND NOW
by Ann Brashares
Coming 04/08/14
ISBN-13: 978-038573600
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 256
Find it on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads
-----------------------------
Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

Thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking, The Here and Now is a twenty-first-century take on an impossible romance. Ann Brashares’ first novel for teens since The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Meet seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. But everything changes when she falls for Ethan Jarves. 

These Broken Stars by Aimee Kaufman & Megan Spooner

THESE BROKEN STARS
Untitled Trilogy, Book One
by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner
Coming 12/10/13
ISBN-13: 978-1423171027
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Pages: 384
Find it on Amazon, Goodreads
--------------
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.

It must be said that this book was an experience, one that I will always treasure and repeatedly try to duplicate it. But now knowing ALL, I cannot imagine how. I cried people, tears! It helped that I listened to the same song on repeat, it make every word, every action seem like this bittersweet and fragile thing- and damned it, it was!

I needed this book to live up to it's promise, it was a loooong wait for it's publication. And it delievered on every front, epic, intimate, imaginative, and simple all at one. These two characters were alive for me as I read the book. And I was so angry with Lilac, but only because I was overwhelmed with Tarver- his character was made to be loved. Once Lilac pushed passed her fears, I fell so hard for her too. The battle between them in the beginning made everything bigger later. I won't say anything more, except that I am looking forward to the rest of this trilogy and wondering if my heart can take anymore hurt from it. This novel is beyond people, beyond! 

Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell

MIDNIGHT CITY

Conquered Earth, Book One

by J. Barton Mitchell

Available Now!

ISBN-13: 978-1250009074

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, Pages: 384

Read An Excerpt, and here!

Available at Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

-----------------------------------------

Lord of the Flies meets War of the Worlds in J. Barton Mitchell's alien-invaded post-apocalyptic world where two teens and a young girl with amazing powers must stop the aliens’ mysterious plan

Earth has been conquered by an alien race known as the Assembly. The human adult population is gone, having succumbed to the Tone---a powerful, telepathic super-signal broadcast across the planet that reduces them to a state of complete subservience. But the Tone has one critical flaw. It only affects the population once they reach their early twenties, which means that there is one group left to resist: Children.

Holt Hawkins is a bounty hunter, and his current target is Mira Toombs, an infamous treasure seeker with a price on her head. It’s not long before Holt bags his prey, but their instant connection isn’t something he bargained for. Neither is the Assembly ship that crash-lands near them shortly after. Venturing inside, Holt finds a young girl who remembers nothing except her name: Zoey.

As the three make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, they encounter young freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and the amazing powers that Zoey is beginning to exhibit. Powers that suggest she, as impossible as it seems, may just be the key to stopping the Assembly once and for all.

Midnight City is the breathtaking first book of the Conquered Earth series.

Concept art by Evan Cagle

IB Teen's Review of Midnight City:

This story is Epic.
Being comprised of an alchemical mix of sci-fi, action, dystopia, romance, and just enough fantasy that Midnight City really marries these genres into elegantly fashioned storytelling gold. Each facet of this story is minutely thought out, imagined, and painted on each page. You see each apocalyptic landscape, and you feel the mechanical horror of the invading alien forces. The action is almost constant, but it would be incongruous to the world they live in to have a quiet moment last for any great length. This world is a savage danger-filled gauntlet that its inhabitants must traverse for daily survival.

Our conquered blue planet is nothing like you know it now. It is more reminiscent of some alien landscape than anything we would recognize today. This post-apocalyptic setting is filled with newly created monsters of all kinds. And most survivors are split into gangs who are at war with each other just as much as they war with the alien invaders.

Strange Lands

Most interestingly, the invasion and conquering of Earth brought the creation of both The Strange Lands and the Midnight City metropolis. One is a place where the laws of science and logic have new meaning, a place that is still cloaked in mystery and is seemingly magical. The other being Midnight City, which feels like it is built on a game-like principle where points are attached to everything, and the hierarchy and value of each citizen is predicated on the point value earned by the individual or gang. You are constantly playing this often bloody and never-ending game for points and privilege.

Midnight City's massive chalk board score wall.

On the road, the characters cover a lot of ground, letting the readers see the varied vistas Barton has created in cinematic proportions. And the characters mirror the setting they inhabit. Holt is from above ground and he reads like he really belongs in a movie, in a game, or in a place where awesome resides- a place like this book! His kick-ass-ness is such that when referencing him, you have to use all caps when spelling the word HERO. He is a character that does the impossible to survive. He has an enduring spirit, who has been molded and hardened by toll the invasion has cost him. He believes in his capabilities, and he is steadfast in his formula for survival: don't let anyone in, and always calculate the odds. Sure he bends his own rules, but his adaptability is a part of that crazy knack of his to survive.

Mira is like Midnight City; complex, mysterious, and having a Rubik's Cube-like mix of skills and agenda. She could be the most talented Freebooter, and is possibly the most elusive target for a bounty hunter like Holt to tract down, but she has this laser focus on the things she believes she HAS to do that trip her up. She plays big, and her success is as massive as her failures are catastrophic.

None of the characters (save for Max!) fully has all cards on the table. There are still some major twists that will be thrown into the tenuous mix of their success and survival. It makes speculation on what can happen in book two rather exciting to contemplate.

Midnight City is a tale of nearly inescapable danger, a multi-POV storytelling experience that allows readers to see a truer version of the characters and their world. Putting this book down for sleep was a strategic move on my part to make the experience last longer. J. Barton Mitchell is my newest hero, wherever his mind takes us, I will follow. This was a riveting nail-biter, and is the kind of story that will stay with me for a long time. The wait for book two will be endless.

Cover Reveal: The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

THE POWER OF SIX
Lorien Legacies Book Two
by Pittacus Lore
Coming 08/23/11
ISBN-13: 9780061974557
from HarperCollins
------------------
“I can feel it in my bones that he is one of us. And I know somehow, that I must find him.”

That's all there is for now on this book more information will come soon enough. If you haven't read book one, I Am Number Four, you should seriously look into picking up a copy. This is an exciting series that I feel has only just scratched the surface of all the power, mystery, action, and it's own mythology.  Here is an excerpt from an interview with the author done by Entertainment Weekly:

"EW: ...I’m assuming since you’re using the present tense that the war continues.


PL: Yes, the war is ongoing. We are writing the books a year or two behind the actual events.


EW: Gotcha. So you’re currently working on the sequel, which covers events that happened last year?


PL: We are writing another book right now, yes, called The Power of Six.


EW: Is Number Four in that one?


PL: Number Four is in it too. It’s the next battle in the war, the first two have been fought. The third is being fought right now...." --from EW.com interview of Pitticus Lore.

Watch the movie trailer for I Am Number Four here.