L.R. Lam's Blog, page 15

Books Read in June

So late, but here are the books I read last month!

1. Broken Harbour – Tana French

In Broken Harbour, a ghost estate outside Dublin – half-built, half-abandoned – two children and their father are dead. Their mother is on her way to intensive care. Mick Kennedy is given the case because he is Murder Squad’s star detective.

2. If I Was Your Girl – Meredith Russo

Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school in Lambertville, Tennessee. Like any other girl, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret. There’s a reason why she transferred schools for her senior year, and why she’s determined not to get too close to anyone.

And then she meets Grant Everett. Grant is unlike anyone she’s ever met—open, honest, kind—and Amanda can’t help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself…including her past. But she’s terrified that once she tells Grant the truth, he won’t be able to see past it.

Because the secret that Amanda’s been keeping? It’s that she used to be Andrew.

3. The Heiress Effect – Courtney Milan

Miss Jane Fairfield can’t do anything right. When she’s in company, she always says the wrong thing—and rather too much of it. No matter how costly they are, her gowns fall on the unfortunate side of fashion. Even her immense dowry can’t save her from being an object of derision.

And that’s precisely what she wants. She’ll do anything, even risk humiliation, if it means she can stay unmarried and keep her sister safe.

Mr. Oliver Marshall has to do everything right. He’s the bastard son of a duke, raised in humble circumstances—and he intends to give voice and power to the common people. If he makes one false step, he’ll never get the chance to accomplish anything. He doesn’t need to come to the rescue of the wrong woman. He certainly doesn’t need to fall in love with her. But there’s something about the lovely, courageous Jane that he can’t resist…even though it could mean the ruin of them both.

4. Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World – Anne Jamison

What is fanfiction, and what is it not? Why does fanfiction matter? And what makes it so important to the future of literature?

Fic is a groundbreaking exploration of the history and culture of fan writing and what it means for the way we think about reading, writing, and authorship. It’s a story about literature, community, and technology—about what stories are being told, who’s telling them, how, and why.

With provocative discussions from both professional and fan writers, on subjects from Star Trek to The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Harry Potter, Twilight, and beyond, Fic sheds light on the widely misunderstood world(s) of fanfiction—not only how fanfiction is transforming the literary landscape, but how it already has.

Fic features a foreword by Lev Grossman (author of The Magicians) and interviews with Jonathan Lethem, Doug Wright, and Eurydice (Vivean Dean).

5. Shadow Scale – Rachel Hartman

The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself—for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways.

As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she’s held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny?

6. Through the Woods – Emily Carroll

‘It came from the woods. Most strange things do.’

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there…

7. I Let You Go – Clare Mackintosh

In a split second, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . .

 

 

Total in 2016 so far: 51

Tracking my Reading:

Character diversity: If I Was Your Girl: Trans MC and secondary character; Shadow Scale: several disabled or POC secondary characters, a trans secondary character

Books by POC, queer, or disabled writers (as far as I know): If I Was Your Girl, The Heiress Effect, Through the Woods

Books by female writers: Broken Harbour, If I Was Your Girl, The Heiress Effect, Fic, Shadow Scale, Through the Woods, I Let you Go (all female authors this month)

Books by people I know: none, really

Nonfiction: Fic

 

False Hearts Launch Roundup

I meant to break this up into smaller posts, but between travel and a novel deadline, time very much got away from me. So here’s a few photos from the various events I’ve done for False Hearts!

1. Storycon in Glasgow

On June 10th and 11th, I went down to Glasgow to appear on two panels each day for Storycon, a convention aimed specifically at teens. The panels I did each day were representation in fiction and another on fan fiction. Both times I was accompanied by fellow Team Mushens writer Taran Matharu, NYT bestselling author of The Novice & The Inquisition. On the 12th, I also did three radio interviews at the Glasgow BBC building.

Looking very serious.

After a long day of speaking to great teens, a well-deserved pint.

 

2. Aberdeen Waterstones Launch

June 15th was my local launch at the Waterstones on Union Street. That night we had apocalyptic weather, but despite that there was still a great turnout, which I really appreciated. Waterstones did a great job setting everything up and I felt much more confident than the past two launches I did there. My mom was there in the front row, crying and taking  (blurry) photos. My publisher also sent along flowers, which was a nice surprise!

 

3. Books dot Con (online)

No photos of this, but the videos of the panels are still online if you search on Youtube. Bonus sighting of my cats! I really enjoyed doing an online convention and hope more crop up. The nice thing about them is they’re more affordable for both authors and attendees, and they can have an international reach.

4. Goldsboro Stock signing

I flew down to London on the 21st to spend a few days with my friend Kim Curran and also meet my friend Erica, who flew out from California for her customary summer visit. On the 24th, I met one of my publicists, Hayley Steed of EDPR, and I signed 100 copies of False Hearts for Goldsboro Books, which was fun! Erica became my official photographer. Thanks, Erica.

5. Forbidden Planet Launch

We had a brief break after signing at Goldsboro and had a drink, then we wandered along to Forbidden Planet for the official London launch of False Hearts. I signed some pre-orders and then did a reading, answered a few questions, and did a signing. It was mostly people I didn’t know, which was quite exciting. Thanks to everyone who came out!

The US and UK editions side by side

Evidently I look a lot like my grandmother in this photo

Reading from False Hearts

Hugging my books because I have no chill

Signing!

Dinner with my editor, one of my publicists, Craig, Kim Curran, and Erica

6. Super Relaxed Fantasy Club

I had a few days’ break from events and did some sightseeing around London. On the 28th, I was a guest at Super Relaxed Fantasy Club with fellow authors Paul Cornell and Sara Jayne Townsend. It was, as expected, a relaxed event! My reading seemed to go down well, and I signed a few copies afterwards. Many thanks to Den Patrick and Jen Williams for organising.

7. Waterstones Argyle Street

I returned from London late on the 29th, managed to have one night at home, and was up early the next morning to head back down to Glasgow for an event at Waterstones Argyle Street, which was a well-run event by bookseller D Francis.

Cuddling my book

Signing leftover stock

After returning from Glasgow, I had a non-False Hearts-related up to Findhorn for a friends’ hen do. Though I desperately wanted to be at home by this point, I had a nice time spending time with friends and taking a walk to the beautiful beach before heading home.

8. BBC Radio 2 Book Club.

I had one whole day at home and then flew back down to London go to on the radio! Beforehand, I hung out with author L.D. Lapinski and we went to the British Museum and ate pancakes the size of our heads.

After that, I met my publicist Emma Draude before wandering over to the BBC building. I was pretty nervous at this point, but everyone there was incredibly nice and walked me through everything. I brought a copy of Itch for Simon Mayo to sign, and he very kindly gave me a copy of Blame (out now!).

So now my mini tour is over. I came back and frantically finished editing Masquerade, which is now back in the hands of my editors. And so now life is ever-so-slightly calmer, and I get to spend more time with my cats again.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped me organise these events and everyone who came to them. I really appreciate your support!

False Hearts is a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Selection

If you’ve bought or seen the UK edition of False Hearts in stores, you may have noticed the Radio 2 Book Club sticker on it. I can now officially announce that it’s the next book club pick and I’ll be interviewed on the radio by Simon Mayo on July 4th during Drivetime, at 6 pm.

Press release at The Reading Agency. 

False Hearts‘ entry on the BBC website. 

It’s very exciting! I’m very thankful to Simon Mayo, the BBC, The Reading Agency, and the librarians who helped to select the book.

Also, Shadowplay is on sale for 99p this month, which I keep forgetting to mention on here. That means you can buy my first two books for £3.98. Pantomime and Shadowplay have been taken off US Kindle for the moment for reasons. I’m hoping they’ll be back sooner rather than later.

Tonight I’m having a very informal meetup at 6.30 pm at Waterstones Piccadilly for a few bloggers who can’t make my event tomorrow, so others are welcome to come to have False Hearts signed. However, if you can, please come to my Forbidden Planet Megastore signing tomorrow at 6 pm! I’ll be doing a Q&A, a reading, and a signing. On the 28th, I have an event at the Super Relaxed Fantasy Club with Paul Cornell and Sara Jayne Townsend.

And I think that’s it!

Various Things

Whew, so launch week has settled down somewhat, though it’s about to pick up again!

Last Wednesday was the Aberdeen launch of False Hearts! I’ll write a blog post about it soon.

This week down in London I have a few events:

June 24th: Forbidden Planet signing, London Megastore, 6.30 pm.

June 28th: Super Relaxed Fantasy Book Club, London, 6.30 pm.

Would be lovely to see you there if you’re in London! Also, if you’d like to order a signed, stamped, and numbered first edition hardcover, they’re available at Goldsboro Books & Forbidden Planet.

Yesterday and today I’m doing Books dot Con, an online convention accessible from everywhere there is an internet connection. So far I appeared on panels about Blended Genres and Gender and Sexuality, which you can view now on Youtube. Brief bonus appearance of my cat, Mowgli. Tonight at 8 pm GMT I have my last panel, on Research: From Worldbuilding to Historical Accuracy. The full schedule of the con is here. I’ve really enjoyed doing it and it’s a great opportunity to be able to interact with readers from around the world. It’s also affordable–the convention is free, but there’s an optional tip jar if you’d like to buy us a coffee in thanks.

A few more nice reviews for False Hearts have appeared:

“An intriguing and fast-paced tale.”

– Heat

“A chilling read that will have you gripped from page one . . . A must read.”

– Woman’s Own

“This is an original, riveting, multi-layered, suspenseful page-turner with vivid character development that is flawlessly executed throughout. You will be sucked in from the very first words.”

– Romantic Times (Top Pick)

“Its unusual sister protagonists and speculative science elements seem ripped from the best episode of Orphan Black you’ve never seen. [. . .] Fast-paced and full of intrigue from start to finish [. . .] [False Hearts] is a high-wire act, and Lam pulls it off brilliantly, playing each sister at her own game and doling out backstory with masterful timing. Like Taema, you’ll hardly have a chance to catch your breath.”

– Barnes & Noble

“False Hearts does exactly what it says on the tin—it’s a near-future crime thriller featuring psychoactive drugs, dreamscapes, corruption, futurist technology and power struggles. It’s also about two young women who are bound by love just as tightly, as strongly as they were once by shared flesh. This is the story of them re-discovering each other, and in doing so, understanding more about themselves too.”

– tor.com

As ever, if you’ve picked up the book already, I’d really appreciate a review on vendor sites like Amazon, B&N, Waterstones, etc. And if you haven’t picked it up, perhaps give it a try?

 

 

False Hearts is Out in the World!

Today is False Hearts‘ UK release day, so that means it’s now out on both sides of the pond.

This book really means a lot to me. Selling it revitalised my career after a few setbacks, and it changed my life. False Hearts was the most fun I had writing a book. Taema and Tila were characters that really found their way under my skin, and I’m excited to for readers to get to know them.

As with any book release, you, the readers, have so much power to help a book be noticed among all the many stories out there to read. My publisher has done an excellent job with marketing, but after that initial push, it’s word of mouth that really keeps a book alive. I’d be so grateful if you’d consider picking up a copy (online or in a store–doesn’t matter) or borrowing it from your local library. If you don’t see it at your local bookstore or library, if you request it, they can order it in. Leaving reviews on sites such as Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, Book Depository, Chapters or Waterstones is all very very helpful for any author. A lot of algorithms start promoting the book to other readers after a certain number of reviews. They can be super short: “liked it,” “it was OK.” Once I even had a review that said “5 stars – product arrived as described.” Whoo!

Otherwise, just telling people you know who might be interested in the book is also so helpful. That’s the main challenge is letting people know the book exists in the hope the blurb and cover interests them enough to pick it up!

Eternal thanks to everyone who’s read, reviewed, and told others about False Hearts. A round of applause to my amazing publishers, Pan Macmillan and Tor/Forge, including Bella Pagan, freelance editor/agent Julie Crisp, US editor Marco Palmieri, Phoebe Taylor, Neil Lang for the UK design, and Jamie Stafford-Hill for the US design. A giant thank you to my publicists: Emma Draude, Hayley Steed, everyone at EDPR, and to Alexis Saarela in the US. More thanks to Juliet Mushens, my amazing agent. And just…thank you everyone. I feel very emotional today. The book sold two years ago and now it’s on the shelves, looking lovely, hoping to find some homes.

I’ll put a bunch of information about the book below:

UK cover copy:

To save her twin, she must take her identity

One night Tila stumbles home, terrified and covered in blood. She’s then arrested for murder, the first by a civilian in decades. The San Francisco police suspect involvement with Verve, a powerful drug, and offer her twin sister Taema a chilling deal. Taema must assume Tila’s identity and gather information to bring down the drug syndicate. The police may then let her sister live. However, Taema’s investigation raises ghosts from the twins’ past.

The sisters were raised by a cult, which banned modern medicine – yet as conjoined twins, they needed life-saving surgery to replace their failing heart. And with help from co-conspirators, they escaped. Taema now discovers the Tila has found links between the cult and the city’s criminal underworld. The twins were once unable to keep secrets, but will learn the true cost of lies.

US cover copy:

near-future thriller of underworld intrigue, murder, mistaken identity, shared dreams, and next-generation biotechnology.

Twin sisters Taema and Tila, conjoined until the age of sixteen, are in their midtwenties when they’re drawn into a deadly battle for control of a drug that facilitates a disturbing form of lucid dreaming.

One night Tila stumbles home, terrified and covered in blood. She’s arrested for murder, the first homicide by a civilian in decades. The San Francisco police suspect involvement with Verve, an illicit narcotic that allows violent minds to enact their darkest desires in a terrifying dreamscape, and they offer her twin, Taema, a chilling deal. If Taema assumes Tila’s identity and obtains the information needed to take down the city’s drug syndicate, the police may let her sister live. But Taema’s investigation stir up ghosts from the twins’ past.

Raised in the closed cult of Mana’s Heart and denied access to modern technology, Taema and Tila dared to dream of a life beyond the walls of the compound. When the heart they shared began to fail, the twins escaped to San Francisco, where they were surgically separated and given new artificial hearts. From then on they pursued lives beyond anything they could have potentially imagined.

But that freedom comes with a price; once unable to keep secrets from each other, Taema and Tila learn the true cost of lies.

Purchase links:

Goldsboro (signed first edition) / Forbidden Planet (signed first edition) / Indiebound / Book Depository / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Powells / Booksamillion / Waterstones / Fishpond / Kobo / iBooks / Hive

The audiobook is available on Audible and iTunes.

Read the prologue and chapter one on the Tor/Forge blog!

Read the tie-in free short story, “Through the Eyes of a Bluebird” on tor.com!

Add on: Goodreads / Booklikes / Shelfari

Praise:

Romantic Times Top Pick for June

Wired’s Summer Reads List

io9’s Summer Reads List

Trade:

“Lam expertly explores themes of identity, totalitarian governments, cults, mind control, and familial love.”

– Publishers Weekly

“Its vision of the future is seductively terrifying.”

– SFX

“An intriguing and fast-paced tale.”

– Heat

“A chilling read that will have you gripped from page one . . . A must read.”

– Woman’s Own

“A strong sci-fi thriller.”

– SciFiNow

“Laura has been slowly building her name up in the publishing world the last few years. But it’s False Hearts that is likely to get her worldwide recognition. This novel fits in between the genres of a thriller and a sci-fi and is likely to be a hit within the UK [. . .] A truly great read from a great writer.”

– Starburst

“This is an original, riveting, multi-layered, suspenseful page-turner with vivid character development that is flawlessly executed throughout. You will be sucked in from the very first words.”

– Romantic Times (Top Pick)

“Fast-paced and full of intrigue from start to finish [. . .] [False Hearts] is a high-wire act, and Lam pulls it off brilliantly, playing each sister at her own game and doling out backstory with masterful timing. Like Taema, you’ll hardly have a chance to catch your breath.”

– Barnes & Noble

“False Hearts does exactly what it says on the tin—it’s a near-future crime thriller featuring psychoactive drugs, dreamscapes, corruption, futurist technology and power struggles. It’s also about two young women who are bound by love just as tightly, as strongly as they were once by shared flesh. This is the story of them re-discovering each other, and in doing so, understanding more about themselves too.”

– tor.com

Authors:

“A strong debut from someone who’s clearly got what it takes.”

– Peter F. Hamilton, bestselling author of the Commonwealth saga

“False Hearts is that rarest of things – a fast-paced thriller with tons of heart and soul. Set in a chillingly believable future, it’s bursting with original concepts and unforgettable characters. I defy anyone to put it down.”

– Sarah Lotz, author of The Three

“I thoroughly enjoyed it, from its explosive beginning right through to a very satisfying end. This is very much a character-driven piece, and although the story is of twins, it is really Taema’s tale. I can happily say False Heartshas been the highlight of my year’s reading so far.”

– James Oswald, author of the Inspector McLean series

“Gorgeous prose, vividly rendered characters, and a story that moves like a ballistic missile.”

– Wesley Chu, author of Time Salvager and the Tao series.

“A taut futuristic thriller, set in a San Francisco where everybody is beautiful… and nobody is exceptional. Two unusual sisters are caught in a war for control of a society that quietly suffocates its outsiders, rebels, and the damaged. Taema and Tila are all three, and their strange past and unique bond make False Hearts a difficult book to put down.”

– A. M. Dellamonica, author of Child of a Hidden Sea

“A multi-layered, suspenseful thriller, False Hearts explores themes of identity and power in a breakneck plot that keeps the pages turning.”

– Ilana C. Myer, author of Last Song Before Night

“Riveting and genuinely moving.” ­­

– F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of the Repairman Jack series

“An ingenious premise, and Laura Lam executes it flawlessly. Gritty and wise, your own pulse will be racing as you get caught up in this exciting tale.” ­­

– Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award­ winning author of Red Planet Blues

 

Monthly Roundup: May 2016

This is late, but whew has this month been intense so far.

Last month:

Writing:

Last month I finished editing Shattered Minds, read through it for typos, re-proofed Pantomime, did an online 2 week screenwriting course through FutureLearn/The University of East Anglia, and wrote a lot of guest posts for False Hearts promotion. It worked out to around 15,486 of new prose and 10,718 of nonfiction for a monthly total of 26,204 and a yearly subtotal of 145,559 words.

Travel & Life:

I went to Edinburgh at the start of the month to see my friend Elizabeth May. I also went to Kemnay in Aberdeenshire for a school visit. Otherwise I didn’t travel anywhere. Last month was very much about clearing the decks and getting ready for the book launch. Things are still a bit uncertain as to whether or not we’re moving. Uncertainty is difficult!

Plans for next month:

Well, this month is already almost half over, so I’ll save this for the next roundup, really. Short answer: do all the things.

June Events

Waterstones in Crewe! Photo by Anna.

False Hearts now releases THIS MONTH! Ahh! It’s also already started appearing in some Waterstones around the county. I’m fine. Totally fine.*breathes into a paper bag*

I’ll be doing some events this month:

June 11th & 12th: StoryCon 2016, Glasgow, Scotland. This is a con specifically for teens, and I’ll be on some panels about representation in fiction and another about fanfiction. Fellow Team Mushens author Taran Matharu will be there too!

June 13th: While I’m in Glasgow I’ll be recording some radio interviews to go around local stations in the UK. More details here later.

June 15th: Aberdeen Waterstones False Hearts Launch, Aberdeen, Scotland. This is my local launch! It kicks off at half six. I will probably have brownies and cupcakes, if that is also tempting. If you can make it, please mark that you’re going on the Facebook page and also book a place through Waterstones so they can make sure to have enough chairs and book copies for everyone.

June 19th & 20th: Books dot Con, online worldwide. I wanted to have something so readers who don’t live near me can still interact, and Diana Sousa planned this online con and invited me, so it’s perfect! I’ll be on several panels and doing a workshop–check the schedule for full details and see you there?

June 24th: Forbidden Planet signing, London Megastore. Earlier in the day on the 24th I’ll also be doing a stock signing at Goldsboro Books, but I don’t think that’s an event as such. In the evening, I’ll be doing a reading, Q&A and signing at Forbidden Planet.

June 28th: Super Relaxed Fantasy Book Club, London. SRFC is a monthly meetup of readers and writers in London at the Grange Hotel. I’ll be reading from False Hearts and hanging out.

June 30th: Waterstones Argyle Street, Glasgow. I’ll be doing an event here. Come! Get a book signed! I’ll also be stamping and numbering copies up to 1000.

This is all I have for now, but more events might appear later. If so, I’ll put them on the Visits & Events page.

Books Read in May

1. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet – Becky Chambers

Somewhere within our crowded sky, a crew of wormhole builders hops from planet to planet, on their way to the job of a lifetime. To the galaxy at large, humanity is a minor species, and one patched-up construction vessel is a mere speck on the starchart. This is an everyday sort of ship, just trying to get from here to there.

But all voyages leave their mark, and even the most ordinary of people have stories worth telling. A young Martian woman, hoping the vastness of space will put some distance between herself and the life she‘s left behind. An alien pilot, navigating life without her own kind. A pacifist captain, awaiting the return of a loved one at war.

Set against a backdrop of curious cultures and distant worlds, this episodic tale weaves together the adventures of nine eclectic characters, each on a journey of their own.

2. Shards of Honor (Vorkosigan Saga #1) – Lois McMaster Bujold

Cordelia Naismith and her survey crew are attacked by Barrayars, mutineers against ship commander Aral Vorkosigan. Aral and Cordelia learn what honor means to the other, admire cultural differences, escape dangers.

3. The Days of Tao – Wesley Chu

Cameron Tan wouldn’t have even been in Greece if he hadn’t gotten a ‘D’ in Art History.

Instead of spending the summer after college completing his training as a Prophus operative, he’s doing a study abroad program in Greece, enjoying a normal life – spending time with friends and getting teased about his crush on a classmate.

Then the emergency notification comes in: a Prophus agent with vital information needs immediate extraction, and Cameron is the only agent on the ground, responsible for getting the other agent and data out of the country. The Prophus are relying on him to uncomplicate things.

Easy.

Easy, except the rival Genjix have declared all-out war against the Prophus, which means Greece is about to be a very dangerous place. And the agent isn’t the only person relying on Cameron to get them safely out of the country – his friends from the study abroad program are, too. Cameron knows a good agent would leave them to fend for themselves. He also knows a good person wouldn’t. Suddenly, things aren’t easy at all.

The Days of Tao is the latest in the popular Tao series from award-winning author, Wesley Chu. Following after The Rebirths of Tao, this novella carries on the fast-moving and fun tone of the series.

4. The Rise of Io – Wesley Chu

Ella Patel – thief, con-artist and smuggler – is in the wrong place at the wrong time. One night, on the border of a demilitarized zone run by the body-swapping alien invaders, she happens upon a man and woman being chased by a group of assailants. The man freezes, leaving the woman to fight off five attackers at once, before succumbing. As she dies, to both Ella and the man’s surprise, the sparkling light that rises from the woman enters Ella, instead of the man. She soon realizes she’s been inhabited by Io, a low-ranking Quasing who was involved in some of the worst decisions in history. Now Ella must now help the alien presence to complete her mission and investigate a rash of murders in the border states that maintain the frail peace.

With the Prophus assigned to help her seemingly wanting to stab her in the back, and the enemy Genjix hunting her, Ella must also deal with Io’s annoying inferiority complex. To top it all off, Ella thinks the damn alien voice in her head is trying to get her killed. And if you can’t trust the voices in your head, who can you trust?

5. The Sisters – Claire Douglas

One lied. One died.

When one sister dies, the other must go to desperate lengths to survive. Haunted by her twin sister’s death, Abi is making a fresh start in Bath. But when she meets twins Bea and Ben, she is quickly drawn into their privileged and unsettling circle.

When one sister lies, she must protect her secret at all costs. As Abi tries to keep up with the demands of her fickle friends, strange things start to happen – precious letters go missing and threatening messages are left in her room. Is this the work of the beautiful and capricious Bea? Or is Abi willing to go to any lengths to get attention? When the truth outs, will either sister survive?

6. Champion (Legend #3) – Marie Lu

He is a Legend. She is a Prodigy. Who will be Champion?

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position.

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything.

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

7. The Duchess War (Brothers Sinister #1) – Courtney Milan

Sometimes love is an accident. This time, it’s a strategy.

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly–so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don’t get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention.

But that is precisely what she gets.

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he’s up to, he realizes there is more to than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he’s determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match…

8. Seraphina (Seraphina #1) – Rachel Hartman (re-read)

In her New York Times bestselling and Morris Award-winning debut, Rachel Hartman introduces mathematical dragons in an alternative-medieval world to fantasy and science-fiction readers of all ages. Eragon-author Christopher Paolini calls them, “Some of the most interesting dragons I’ve read in fantasy.”

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

I also read Shattered Minds after my edit and re-proofed Pantomime, but I don’t think I’ll count them.

Total in 2016 so far: 44

Tracking my Reading:

Character diversity: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet: diversity EVERYWHERE; The Days of Tao: POC lead and lots of secondary character diversity (SCD); The Rise of Io; POC lead and SCD; The Sisters: lead is an identical twin and has mental health issues; Champion: one of the leads is part-Mongolian and disabled, SCD, Seraphina: SCD, dragons read as neuroatypical, some part-dragons are disabled, some POC.

Books by POC, queer, or disabled writers (as far as I know): The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, The Days of Tao, The Rise of Io, Champion, The Duchess War

Books by female writers: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, Shards of Honor, The Sisters, Champion, The Duchess War, Seraphina

Books by people I know: The Days of Tao, The Rise of Io

Nonfiction: none

Friday Photo: June 3rd, 2016 + Links

Less than two weeks until False Hearts is out! Less than two weeks! Ahhh! *runs around*

Yesterday, I was all set to edit in the cafe when my laptop decided not to turn on. Normally, I’d have Craig fix it, but he was in an exam until the early afternoon, so I decided to pop into town to distract myself from how annoyed I was. I walked down Union Street, idly wondering if they’d put up a poster or something for my Waterstones launch. Turns out I had a whole window! I stood there with my mouth open, amazed. They did a great job–I love the strip at the bottom of the window with the title and name. I’m looking forward to launching the book on the 15th! (6.30 pm at the Union Street Waterstones. More details here)

Since we’re gearing up to launch, I have a few links from this week:

I have an interview with SciFiNow Magazine: Laura Lam On False Hearts, Micah Grey and Sci-fi Siblings

False Hearts appears on io9’s list of 18 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books You Should Add to your Bookshelves This June. Considering the initial spark of the idea for False Hearts came from reading an io9 article, this tickles me.

False Hearts received a nice review in Starburst Magazine: “Laura has been slowly building her name up in the publishing world the last few years. But it’s False Hearts that is likely to get her worldwide recognition. This novel fits in between the genres of a thriller and a sci-fi and is likely to be a hit within the UK [. . .] A truly great read from a great writer.”

Wired Magazine lists False Hearts on This Summer’s 14 Must-Read Books, saying “to summarize: twins, cults, drugs, and dream-murder. If you don’t think that’s the most perfect recipe for a summer read, just go knit alone in a corner or something.”

Kirkus Reviews also put it on their list of The Must-Read Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror Books Available in June

Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow has a giveaway for the UK edition of False Hearts and also put up a lovely review: “My love for this book goes beyond what’s on its pages [. . .]  There’s no flailing or squeeing here. Just a heartfelt recommendation. You need this book in your life.”

And that’s all the self-promo I can handle today. Back to editing Masquerade!

#ReadProud in June

Author and blogger Julie Ember has started the #ReadProud challenge for June, which is Pride month. Full details are on her site so head on over to see how to participate. Basically, you try to read one or two LGBTQIA YA books per week and post reviews and then you’re entered to win a giftcard. There are four weeks but more than one category per week, which gives you a lot of choice.

I’m going for the silver level, or one book per week, because June is going to be very busy. My tentative reading plan:

Week 1: Trans YA: If I Was Your Girl – Meredith Russo

Week 2: Lesbian Speculative: The Abyss Surrounds Us – Emily Skrutskie

Week 3: Authors of Colour: The Summer Prince – Alayah Dawn Johnson OR Lesbian Contemporary: Out on Good Behavior – Dahlia Adler

Week 4: Gay YA: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Benjamin Alire Sáenz OR Simon VS The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

A lot of these are books I’ve been meaning to read for ages, so I love having an excuse to bump them up the list.

Gay YA has a master list of lots of books to choose from.

My books Pantomime & Shadowplay are eligible for week 4 category B (Micah is intersex, bi, genderfluid, and the genre is speculative) and maybe some others. I’d love for more reviews and for some new readers to find them, so please consider giving them a whirl if you haven’t already! False Hearts also has bi protagonists, but it’s not technically YA.

Looking forward to diving in!