Another stellar week of news from the YA world. Here’s our round-up of the highlights:
* Lauren DeStefano announced via Twitter this week that book 2 in The Chemical Garden Trilogy will be Fever, in stores February 2012! And now you can read a sneak peek at the official website, plus see the “placeholder” for the cover (to be revealed in July).
* Hollywood Crush unveiled the gorgeous cover for Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick, the third (and possibly final) book in her Hush, Hush series, along with an excerpt:
He closed the distance between us, and just when I thought he’d drawn me against him, he stopped, holding himself in check. I exhaled, trying not to cry. He leaned his elbow on the doorjamb, just above my ear. He smelled so devastatingly familiar, soap and spice, the heady scent bringing back a rush of memories so pleasurable, it only made the current moment that much more difficult to bear. I was seized by the desire to touch him. To trace my hands over his skin, to feel his arms tighten securely around me. I wanted him to nuzzle my neck, his whisper to tickle my ear as he said private words that belonged only to me. I wanted him near, so near, with no thought of letting go.
“This isn’t over,” I said. “After everything we’ve been through, you don’t get the right to brush me off. I’m not letting you off that easily.” I wasn’t sure if it was a threat, my last stab at defiance, or irrational words spoken straight from my splintered heart.
“I want to protect you,” Patch said quietly.
Read the rest & grab the countdown widget here!
* Our friends at Walden Pond Press are hosting an exciting contest for anyone ages 9-14. Here are the details:
To celebrate the release of M.P. Kozlowsky’s debut novel Juniper Berry, Walden Pond Press is inviting all writers aged 9-14 to write their own tales of terror and temptation in at least 500 words. One grand prize winner will receive an iPad, a library of Walden Pond Press eBook, paperback and hardcover novels, and his or her story published online at walden.com. Author M.P. Kozlowsky will select the winner. To learn more: www.walden.com/win/juniperberry.
* You can also now check out the book trailer for Divergent by Veronica Roth, which just so happens to be our book of the month:
* And here’s the new book trailer for Passion by Lauren Kate, third book in the Fallen series:
* Maggie Stiefvater unveiled the trailer for Forever, the final book in her Wolves of Mercy Falls Series:
* Several new, high-res photos from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 were released this week. (And check out the desktop wallpapers we made, too!) Click on the thumbnails to view full-size:
* In other movie adaptation news, actress Saoirse Ronan has been cast as Melanie Stryder/Wanderer in The Host, based on Stephenie Meyer’s non-Twilight novel. If you haven’t read The Host, it’s a really engaging sci-fi read!
* Voting for the 2011 MTV Movie Awards is now open, and some of our favorite book-to-movie adaptations are up for awards, including The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Voting is open through June 4th.
* And speaking of MTV … their Hollywood Crush blog just celebrated Dystopian Week, highlighting some of our favorite books in YA (and one of the hottest trends, too). Yours truly even wrote a guest post about the upcoming novel Blood Red Road:
Set to hit store shelves on June 7, this book raises the bar when it comes to the genre. Not only will it satisfy the cravings of “Hunger Games” fans, but it is—dare I say—better than “The Hunger Games.” Yes, blasphemy for a “Hunger Games” fan to say so, but it’s undeniable. This book will blow you away.
That’s because “Blood Red Road” simply delivers. The story, the writing, the characters and the narrative voice are stunning and completely original, setting this book apart from the crowd of dystopian novels.
Novel Novice 
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