Chapter 1

Aluna swam towards the abandoned outpost, her heart pounding, her breathing necklace pulsing at her throat. She kicked her legs harder, wishing it were tomorrow. Wishing she already had her tail. With a tail, she could speed through the water, fast as a dolphin.

Goldenfins and shiny-blues darted out of her way. Most of the sun’s light was gobbled up by the ocean above her, but she could still see every frond of kelp, every sprout of rainbow coral, every pair of eyes hidden deep in a hidey-hole. The ancients had blessed the Kampii with everything they needed to survive underwater: powerful tails, thick bones and tough skin, adaptable vision, breathing necklaces…everything except the ability to fix their own tech when it started to fail.

“Hurry up,” she called to Hoku. The thick ocean swallowed the sound, but the tiny artifact in her throat sent her words directly to the artifacts in Hoku’s ears…despite the fact that he was trailing ten meters behind her.

“I’m swimming as fast as I can,” Hoku said. “You know, there might be a reason the outpost is forbidden. Maybe it’s overrun with Deepfell.”

“Deepfell don’t hunt this far into the shallows,” she said, hoping she was right. They’d both be fishfood if she wasn’t.

Excerpt copyright © 2012 Jenn Reese

About the book:

Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is at risk. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubborn and bold enough to face the terrors of land to search for way to save their people. But can Aluna’s warrior spirit and Hoku’s tech-savvy keep them safe? Set in a world where overcrowding has led humans to adapt — growing tails to live under the ocean or wings to live on mountains — here is a ride through a future where greed and cruelty have gone unchecked, but the loyalty of friends remains true.

What people are saying:

“…a thrilling sci-fi adventure. Imaginative and riveting.”—Kirkus

“Action-seeking readers should enjoy the many revelations, twists, and hand-to-claw battle sequences, and fierce, take-charge Aluna is the kind of heroine who is easy to get behind.”—Publishers Weekly

Released: February 14, 2012

About the author:

Jenn Reese writes science fiction and fantasy adventure stories for readers of all ages. She has published short stories online and in various anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning Paper Cities. Her first novel, Jade Tiger, is an action-adventure kung fu romance for teens and adults. She’s currently at work on more Above World books for Candlewick Press. She lives in Los Angeles where she studies martial arts, plays video games, and dreams of rain. Visit her at www.jennreese.com.

Chapter 1

Our mother was a witch, too, but she hid it better.

I miss her.

Not a single day goes by that I don’t wish for her guidance. Especially about my sisters.

Tess runs ahead of me, heading for the rose garden–our sanctuary, our one safe place. Her slippers slide on the cobblestones, the hood of her gray cloak falling to reveal blonde curls. I glance back at the house. It’s against the Brothers’ stricture for girls to go out of doors uncloaked, and running isn’t considered ladylike. But we’re concealed from the house by tall hedges. Tess is safe.

For now.

She waits ahead, kicking at the dead leaves beneath a maple. “I hate autumn,” she complains, biting at her lip with pearly teeth. “It feels so sad.”

“I like it.” There’s something invigorating in the crisp September air, the searing blue skies, the interplay of orange and scarlet and gold. The Brotherhood would probably ban autumn if they could. It’s too beautiful. Too sensuous.

Excerpt copyright © 2012 Jessica Spotswood

About the book:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

What people are saying:

“Spotswood has re-imagined history, entwined with magic and the struggle for power, in a tale so captivating you don’t want it to end. The Cahill sisters are heroines to be reckoned with!” –Andrea Cremer

“The feminist undertones, the descriptions of sumptuous dresses, the dangerous, secretive magic wielding: Born Wicked is like a sizzling, more fun version of The Witch of Blackbird Pond.”–Romantic Times

Released: February 7, 2012

About the author:

Jessica Spotswood lives in Washington, DC with her playwright husband and a cuddly cat named Monkey. She’s never happier than when she’s immersed in a good story, and swoony kissing scenes are her favorite. You can visit her at www.jessicaspotswood.com.

BETH and Ryan were holding hands. It was enough to risk a formal citation for indecency, and they knew better, but I didn’t say anything. Curfew rounds wouldn’t begin for another two hours, and freedom was stolen in moments like these.

“Slow down, Ember,” Ryan called.

Instead I walked faster, pulling away from our pack.

“Leave her alone,” I heard Beth whisper. My face heated as I realized how I must look: not like a conscientious friend who was minding her own business, but like a bitter third wheel who couldn’t stand seeing other couples happy. Which wasn’t true— mostly.

 Sheepishly, I fell into step beside Beth.

My best friend was tall for a girl, with an explosion of dark freckles centered at her nose and a cap of squiggly red hair that was untamable on chilly days like this one. She traded Ryan’s arm for mine— which, if I was honest, did make me feel a little safer— and without a word, we danced on our tiptoes around the massive cracks in the sidewalk, just like we’d done since the fourth grade.

When the concrete path succumbed to gravel, I raised the front of my too-long khaki skirt so the hem didn’t drag in the dust. I hated this skirt. The matching button- up top was so boxy and stiff that it made even busty Beth look fl at as an ironing board. School uniforms were part of President Scarboro’s new Moral Statute—one of many that had taken effect after the War—mandating that appearances comply with gender roles. I didn’t know what gender they’d been aiming for with this outfit. Clearly it wasn’t female.

Excerpt copyright © 2012 Kristen Simmons

About the book:

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.

In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs—like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes—and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

What people are saying:

“Kristen Simmons’ Article 5 is a gripping, atmospheric story of survival. Alongside a fierce depiction of oppressive government, Simmons has created a bleak portrait of an America lost. I could hardly put it down. Ember Miller and Chase Jennings can be my post-apocalyptic wingmen anytime.”—Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood

“Subversion. Defiance. Desperate, struggling humanity in the face of state-sponsored tyranny. This book was engrossing, unpredictable and thoroughly REAL. Loved it.”–Jay Kristoff, author of Stormdancer

“Fast-paced, emotional and nail-bitingingly intense, Article 5 gripped me from page one and didn’t let me go once.”--Parajunkee.com

“There are only a few books that managed to keep me up at night this year, and ARTICLE 5 is one of them. A MUST read for any fan of the dystopian genre…even if you are not, it’s a must read anyways.”–Book Reader Addicts

Released: January 31, 2012

About the author:

Kristen Simmons has a master’s degree in social work and is an advocate for mental health. She lives with her husband Jason and their precious greyhound Rudy in Tampa, Florida. Visit her at www.kristensimmonsbooks.com.

Giveaway:

Kristen has been kind enough to contribute a copy of Article 5 for a giveaway!

Just comment on this post to enter.

For extra entries:

-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].

-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].

Please list your extra entries in the comments.

The contest is open in the US only, and ends on February 22nd at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!

The winner of Freefall by Mindi Scott is:

Sharon Morse!

The winner of A Closer Look by Karen DelleCava is:

Cindy!

The winner of The Boy Project by Kami Kinard is:

Anne E. Johnson!

The winner of May B. by Caroline Starr Rose is:

Terry Johnson!

The winner of The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges is:

Christy McGuire!

Congrats to all the winners! And now a brief presentation on how pandas are made:

New York County, Municipal Jurisdiction

Manhattan, July 31, 1880

New York City Police Record: Case File 1306

To whoever should have the misfortune to review this closed—but still unresolved—case, I extend my condo­lences. I tell you truly that all persons involved have been insufferably odd.

All we know directly of Miss Natalie Stewart, disap­peared at age seventeen, is what you will read here in what was left behind as an absurd testimonial.

Herein you shall find pertinent newspaper articles enclosed by Miss Stewart regarding Lord Denbury and his infamous portrait. There are also letters from involved parties.

I am left to conclude that everyone involved is a certifi­able lunatic. Should you wish to indulge yourself and read a young lady’s foolish reveries on such highly improbable events, so be it. Should you believe any of it, I hope you have no business with the New York Police Department now or in the future.

Regards,

Sergeant James Patt

Excerpt copyright © 2011 Leanna Renee Hieber

About the book:

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1880. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart’s latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing… Lord Denbury’s soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

What people are saying:

“You’ll love it if you love murder mysteries with a supernatural twist… the story is so different from other fantasy novels that have been coming out recently. This chilling tale will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very last page!”–Seventeen Magazine

“Hieber applies some real imagination to the story…A good romp with effective suspense.”–Kirkus

“This smart novel will have wide appeal.”–Shelf Awareness

“A hypnotic web of suspense and romance…”–Booklist

Released: November 8, 2011

About the author:

Leanna Renee Hieber graduated with a BFA in Theatre from Miami University, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted works of 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays such as Favorite Lady have been produced around the country.

Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in her Strangely Beautiful series, landed on Barnes & Noble’s bestseller lists, won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book), and has been optioned for adaptation into a musical theatre production currently in development. Foreign rights have been sold to Poland and Thailand. DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, hit the Kid’s/YA INDIE NEXT LIST as a recommended title by the American Booksellers Association. Foreign rights have been sold to China (Complex translation, via Taiwan) and Turkey.

Leanna’s short fiction has been featured in anthologies Candle In the Attic Window and the upcoming Willful Impropriety: Tales of Society and Scandal and the upcoming Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (TOR). A member of performers unions AEA, AFTRA and SAG, Leanna works often in film and television and lives in New York City with her real life hero and their beloved rescued lab rabbit. You can visit her at http://leannareneehieber.com.

1. A Tangled Family

It was his own grandmother who fed Henri-Pierre to the Cabinet of Earths, long ago when he was only four. Don’t misunderstand! It happened like this:

They were dark and cold, the first days of 1944 in Paris, and between the winter and the war, everything was bad. There was never quite enough to eat, and the rooms they lived in were never really warm, but when the electric lights winked out, Henri-Pierre and his grandmother lit a candle and huddled around its friendly yellow glow, feeling almost comfortable despite everything.

“Hands are for making things,” she told him. Her own were slim and nimble and had magic in them that could turn an odd end of wood into anything you asked for: a tiger, a salamander, a tiny ship with paper sails. Once upon a time those hands had helped make the Cabinet, and the Cabinet was maybe the most beautiful thing in the world, with the mysterious bottles glimmering behind its glass front.

“What do we keep in our bottles, little one? she asked him sometimes, and he would make the wrongest of guesses, just to hear her laugh: “Lemonade! Water! Tea!”

“Not in our bottles,” his grandmother would say (their own private joke), and she would lean forward and whisper the secret into his ear:

“In our bottles we keep Time.”

So Henri-Pierre knew what Time must look like: black grains of earth, straining like something hungry against the bottle glass.

Excerpt copyright © 2012 Anne Nesbet

About the book:

On their first day in Paris, Maya and her little brother, James, find themselves caught up in some very old magic. Houses with bronze salamanders for door handles, statues that look too much like Maya’s own worried face, a man wearing sunglasses to hide his radiant purple eyes–nothing is what it seems. And what does all that magic want from Maya? With the help of a friendly boy named Valko, Maya discovers surprises hidden in her family tree–grandmothers who walked in magic, a cousin so unremarkable she’s actually hard to see, and a terrible family habit of betraying one’s brother. To save her own brother, Maya must take on the magical underworld of Paris . . . before it is too late.

What people are saying:

“A-shimmer with magic”–Horn Book

“Charmingly creepy”–Kirkus

“Evocative prose and a confident narrative voice”–Publishers Weekly

“Readers will be swept along by the novel’s swift pace”–Shelf Awareness

“A unique, interesting fantasy with just enough suspense to keep readers turning the pages into the night”–VOYA

“Reading this book is like discovering a treasure box full of rare and wonderful things. If you open it, you’ll find a brave and good-hearted girl hero, the mysterious streets of Paris, and a magical cabinet full of life itself. The writing is luminous and absolutely compelling. It’s the best thing I’ve read in a long, long time.”–Sarah Prineas, author of The Magic Thief

Released: January 3, 2011

About the author:

Anne Nesbet teaches film and Russian literature at the University of California, Berkeley.  She lives near San Francisco with her husband, several daughters, and one irrepressible dog. You can visit her at www.annenesbet.com.

My Family’s Summerhouse

 

My mother

 

doesn’t understand

that this

 

is a summerhouse

(meant to be lived in

only during the summer.)

 

It is almost Labor Day.

 

Next week,

I’ll start my sophomore year

at Oyster River High School

in Durham, New Hampshire,

 

because she doesn’t have the courage

to go home

to Boise, Idaho.

Excerpt copyright © 2011 Sarah Tregay

 About the book:

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “vacation” has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.

But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?

What people are saying:

“The author does a terrific job of keeping the plot moving by using poetry to her advantage. Reluctant readers will appreciate the brevity while poetic souls will appreciate the format.”–School Library Journal, Starred Review

“A verse novel with real depth to accompany all that white space.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The formal variety of Tregay’s poems creates an immediacy that should maintain readers’ interest and sympathy for Marcie. With multiple shredded relationships and friendships, there’s more than enough angst to go around, as Marcie rages against the decisions her parents have made, as well as her own.”—Publisher’s Weekly

“Although the words are simple, the themes of Love and Leftovers are not.”—VOYA

“Amazing. The most delicious love story I’ve read in ages.”–Lauren Myracle, New York Times bestselling author of SHINE

Released: December 27, 2011

About the author:

Sarah Tregay is a graphic designer. When she isn’t jotting down poems at stoplights, Sarah can be found hanging out with her “little sister” from Big Brothers Big Sisters. She lives in Eagle, Idaho, with her husband, two Boston terriers, and an Appaloosa named Mr. Pots. You can visit her at www.sarahtregay.com.

CHAPTER ONE

 Fall 1888, Saint Petersburg, Russia

An afternoon spent solving quadratic equations would have been infinitely more pleasant. I smelled like a salad. Cucumber slices for soothing puffy eyes. Blackberry vinegar for brightening dull skin. Goat’s milk and honey for softening rough hands. I politely declined when my cousin offered a pinch of her goose lard and pomegranate facial cream.

It was Friday afternoon and our lessons had been cancelled at the Smolny Institute so everyone could prepare for the ball. Because dressing up like a doll was much more important than studying literature or learning arithmetic.

Matrimony. That was the true mission of the Smolny Institute for Young Noble Maidens. It was nothing more than a meat market for Russia’s nobility, where princes from all across Europe sent their daughters, intending them to marry off well. So there I sat, Katerina Alexandra Maria von Holstein-Gottorp, Duchess of Oldenburg. Great-great-granddaughter of Empress Josephine on my mother’s side, great-great-great-granddaughter of Katerina the Great on my father’s side. Princess of the Royal Blood. Royal meat for sale. I would have rather been dead.

Once I told Maman I wanted to attend medical school and work at one of Papa’s hospitals in Saint Petersburg or Moscow. I always accompanied her to the Oldenburg Children’s Hospital when she made her charity visits at Christmas and Easter. I thought it would be wonderful to take care of sick children and discover cures for diseases. But Maman was horrified at the idea.

“What man would marry a doctor?” she asked, not bothering to wait for an answer. “What a foolish notion!”

Excerpt copyright © 2011 Robin Bridges

About the book:

A royal court steeped in magic.

A dark prince with a hideous plan.

A young girl with a forbidden power.

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888

As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

What people are saying:

“Bridges could become a worthy successor to Libba Bray with this historical fantasy. Her lush settings, secret rituals, and paranormal creatures make for an atmospheric political adventure… Katiya is a strong female hero whose further adventures are worth following.”–Voya

“An atmospheric and complicated vampire tale that’s worth the effort of reading it.”–Kirkus

“An imaginative, complex blend of history and magic.”–Publishers Weekly

 Released: January 10, 2012

About the author:

By day, Robin is a mild-mannered writer of fantasy and paranormal fiction for young adults. By night, she is a pediatric nurse. Robin lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband, one soon-to-be teenager, and two slobbery mastiffs. She likes playing video games and watching Jane Austen movies. THE GATHERING STORM is her first novel. You can visit her at www.robinbridges.com.

Giveaway:

Robin has been kind enough to contribute a signed copy of The Gathering Storm!

Just comment on this post to enter.

For extra entries:

-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].

-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].

Please list your extra entries in the comments.

The contest is open in the US and Canada, and ends on January 26th at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!

]]> http://www.firstpagepanda.com/2012/01/first-page-and-giveaway-the-gathering-storm/feed/ 18 http://www.firstpagepanda.com/2012/01/first-page-and-giveaway-may-b/ http://www.firstpagepanda.com/2012/01/first-page-and-giveaway-may-b/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:42 +0000 annastan http://www.firstpagepanda.com/?p=564 Win an ARC of May B! Details at the end of this post.

1

I won’t go.

“It’s for the best,” Ma says,
yanking to braid my hair,
trying to make something of what’s left.

Ma and Pa want me to leave
and live with strangers.

I won’t go.

Excerpt copyright © 2011 Caroline Starr Rose

About the book:

Mavis Elizabeth Betterly, or May B. as she is known, is helping out on a neighbor’s Kansas prairie homestead, “Just until Christmas,” says her Pa. Twelve-year-old May wants to contribute, but it’s hard to be separated from her family by fifteen long, unfamiliar miles.

Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned to the oncoming winter, trapped all alone in a tiny snow-covered sod house without any way to let her family know and no neighbors to turn to. In her solitude, she wavers between relishing her freedom and succumbing to utter despair, while trying to survive in the harshest conditions. Her physical struggle to first withstand and then to escape her prison is matched by tormenting memories of her failures at school. Only a very strong girl will be able to stand up to both and emerge alive and well.

In this debut novel written in gripping verse, Caroline Starr Rose has given readers a new heroine to root for, one who never, ever gives up.

What people are saying:

“Heroes come in all sizes, and my newest hero is a pint-sized girl called May B. Armed with only her book, a broom, and a lot of sheer grit, May B. faces the terrors of school, winter, and the west Kansas prairie. Caroline Starr Rose tells May’s story in simple, moving verse that captures the joy of family, the gloomy isolation of a dirt soddy, and the determination of one scared but indomitable young person. May B. is a girl you’ll be proud to know.”–Karen Cushman, author of The Midwife’s Apprentice (winner of the Newbery Medal) and Catherine, Called Birdy (Newbery Honor book)

“May B’s incredible adventure gripped me right from the beginning. You can almost hear — and feel — the cold prairie winds of Kansas whipping through the pages of Caroline Starr Rose’s impressive first novel.”–Deborah Hopkinson, author of Band of Angels and Girl Wonder (Jane Addams Award honor books)

“In language as stark and beautiful as the Kansas prairie, Caroline Starr Rose offers a tale of survival. With nothing sugar coated, and everything surprising, readers will fall into the story and connect to May B.’s resilient and humble character. A great antidote to the hooked-up, plugged in age.”–Kelly Easton, author of The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes and Hiroshima Dreams, and Hamline University Professor in the MFA Writing for Children and Young Adults program

“The language that streams through this book is timeless, transcendent, and graced with lyric spark, moving, always, the consequential story along. I listen for rhythms in the books I read, and I found them aplenty here. I look for heart, and found that, too—abundant and dear. Special books fit themselves into special places, and May B. has a new home here on my shelves.”–Beth Kephart, author of Dangerous Neighbors and The Heart is not a Size, and National Book Award Finalist.

 Released: January 10, 2012

About the author:

Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. As a girl she danced ballet, raced through books, composed poetry on an ancient typewriter, and put on magic shows in a homemade cape. She’s taught both social studies and English in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. In her classroom she worked to instill in her students a passion for books, the freedom to experiment with words, and a curiosity about the past.

Caroline has recently returned to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she lives with her husband and two sons. You can visit her at www.carolinestarrrose.com.

Giveaway:

Caroline has been kind enough to contribute an ARC of May B for a giveaway!

Just comment on this post to enter.

For extra entries:

-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].

-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].

Please list your extra entries in the comments.

The contest is open in the US and Canada, and ends on January 25th at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!