‘Stars And Smoke’ by Marie Lu Cover Reveal

On September 30, revealed through Twitter was the cover to #1NYT Bestselling author Marie Lu’s YA action-thriller Stars And Smoke, slated for a Spring 2023 release!

Winter Young is a superstar who soon becomes a secret agent to infiltrate a criminal tycoon’s inner circle, the cunning, charismatic pop star is joined by the youngest spy in the covert ops organization The Panacea Group, Sydney Cossette, who poses as his bodyguard. As the mission brings them both closer together, they may become the biggest heroes the organization’s ever seen, if they can survive each other.

In her initial tweet, Lu confirmed the novel is to be a standalone, along the veins of Mission Impossible and The Hating Game.

Cover illustrator is Jessica Cruickshank and art director is Aurora Parlagreco.

Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoon worthy assets to a whole new arena…Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off—only he won’t be on his own.

Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter’s charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit there’s more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea’s unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes—and maybe even more—if they can survive each other first.

Stars And Smoke by Marie Lu is set to be released April 4, 2023!

‘Legend’ To Be Adapted As A TV Series

On November 18, Deadline exclusively reported that Marie Lu’s 2011 NYT Bestselling YA Dystopian novel Legend, has been optioned by Bound Entertainment to bring the novel to television.

Lu is collaborating with Lindsay Sturman (known for projects such as Supergirl and Teen Wolf), alongside Bound Entertainment’s Samuel Yeunju Ha and Jamie Lai who will serve as executive producers.

According to her Instagram post from November 18, she’s been working on the pilot script during “all of this fall” and has been able to get “back in the heads of Day and June, getting to explore their universe from an entirely new angle.”

Lu’s dystopian is set in a futuristic United States where 15-year-old prodigy June has grown up for success in the highest military circles and 15-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. One day when June’s brother Metias is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect, June goes undercover to avenge him. However, when the two race to achieve their own goals and find themselves colliding, they’ll uncover sinister truths about their country.

Legend has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Bound Entertainment, the Korean-based entertainment studio, is focused on sharing stories from and about the Asian diaspora and also optioned Stacy Lee’s ‘The Downstairs Girl‘ earlier this year.

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal.

But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

The Legend Series by Marie Lu is out now!

Steelstriker by Marie Lu Cover Reveal

On March 15, Fierce Reads revealed the cover to Marie Lu’s upcoming Skyhunter sequel titled Steelstriker!

Skyhunter is set in a far future following an elite group of fighters trained to stop mutant war beasts.

Set in the Karensa Federation, Talin alongside her mother found asylum there, and know of the Federation’s brutality.

Striker Talin then learns of a prisoner brought to the front and wonders whether he is a spy or the weapon that will save the one of the last free nations of Mara.

Steelstriker is set to be the finale in the Skyhunter duology, which will be released during Fall 2021!

Cover artists include Aurora Parlagreco and Marnov Studios.

Marie Lu is #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Legend Series, Warcross duology, The Young Elites Series, and The Kingdom Of Back.

In a world broken by war, a team of young warriors is willing to sacrifice everything to save what they love.

The Karensa Federation has conquered a dozen countries, leaving Mara as one of the last free nations in the world. Refugees flee to its borders to escape a fate worse than death—transformation into mutant war beasts known as Ghosts, creatures the Federation then sends to attack Mara.

The legendary Strikers, Mara’s elite fighting force, are trained to stop them. But as the number of Ghosts grows and Karensa closes in, defeat seems inevitable.

Still, one Striker refuses to give up hope.

Robbed of her voice and home, Talin Kanami knows firsthand the brutality of the Federation. Their cruelty forced her and her mother to seek asylum in a country that considers their people repugnant. She finds comfort only with a handful of fellow Strikers who have pledged their lives to one another and who are determined to push Karensa back at all costs.

When a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? Or could he be the weapon that will save them all?

Steelstriker by Marie Lu is set to be released September 28, 2021!

Marie Lu’s Warcross Optioned As A TV Series!

On September 10, it was announced that Marie Lu’s Warcross was optioned for a television series with Bruna Papandrea’s ‘Made Up Stories’ and producer John Cameron attached.

Warcross follows a young hacker by the name of Emika Chen whose struggling to survive, but does so by making a profit hunting down players who bet on the worldwide phenomenon ‘Warcross.’ After hacking herself into the game’s biggest tournament, she quickly rises to fame catching the attention of the creator Hideo Tanaka who recruits her as a spy to track down an elusive hacker, but in doing so uncovers a mischievous plot along the way.

Through Variety it was mentioned that executive producers have also been confirmed with the project. Steve Hutensky, Casey Haver, alongside Adam Lash and Cori Uchida, the latter two who’ve also been attached to write the series. Janice Park will also be producing and Cameron is set to direct the pilot.

It was also stated that Lu will be an executive producer.

“As a massive fan of so many of the stories that Bruna Papandrea, Made Up Stories, and John Cameron have produced, I am delighted and deeply honored to have ‘Warcross’ in their talented hands. They are masters of their craft in every way; every story they have brought to life has been done with exquisite care. I can’t wait to collaborate and see them work their magic on Emika, Hideo, and the world of ‘Warcross,’” said Lu, according to Variety.

Papandera’s projects include HBO’s Big Little Lies to a 2019 zombie-horror comedy titled Little Monsters. Lash and Uchida have worked on projects such as Altered Carbon and Reprisal. Cameron is an award-winning producer whose known for the FX series Fargo and Legion.

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 Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. 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.

Warcross by Marie Lu is out now!

Skyhunter by Marie Lu Cover Reveal

As of May 28, #1 New York Times Bestselling author Marie Lu, revealed the cover for her anticipated 2020 release Skyhunter through her Twitter.

When asked where Skyhunter is set, Lu mentioned in a following tweet “It’s technically set far in the future, but in a regressed world built on top of the ruins of a long-gone, more advanced society…”

She also stated that she’s still figuring out whether the book will be part of a trilogy or duology.

Skyhunter has been pitched as novel “laced with adrenaline and nonstop action, [Lu] creates an immersive world broken by war where danger waits around every corner and loyalty is life…”

The cover was designed by Aurora Parlagreco.

Marie Lu is the author of the Legend Series, Warcross duology, The Young Elites Series and more recently, The Kingdom Of Back.

The Karensa Federation has conquered a dozen countries, leaving Mara as one of the last free nations in the world. Refugees flee to its borders to escape a fate worse than death―transformation into mutant war beasts known as Ghosts, creatures the Federation then sends to attack Mara.

The legendary Strikers, Mara’s elite fighting force, are trained to stop these monsters. But as the number of Ghosts grows and Karensa closes in, defeat seems inevitable.

Still, one Striker refuses to give up hope.

Robbed of her voice and home, Talin Kanami knows firsthand the brutality of the Federation. Their cruelty forced her and her mother to seek asylum in a country that finds their people repugnant. She finds comfort only with a handful of fellow Strikers who have pledged their lives to one another, soldiers determined to push Karensa back at all costs.

After another devastating battle, Mara seems ready to fall. But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? Or could he be the weapon that will save them all?

Skyhunter by Marie Lu is set to be released September 29, 2020!

Young Adult Fall Book Tours 2019!

This fall you can expect to see some amazing authors on tour! Will these beloved and debut authors be coming to a city near you?

Today on The Booked Shelf I’ll be sharing 3 publisher tour schedules for you to plan out your fall and hopefully see one of these authors at an event!

Fierce Reads

With anticipated releases such as Marie Lu’s Rebel and the finale to Marissa Meyer’s Renegades series, you can check out both of these authors on tour:

Marie Lu’s tour for Rebel includes cities such as Boise, St. Paul, Brookline & Coral Gables. Her first tour stop will be in San Francisco at Books Inc. Opera Plaza, on October 1!

Stops for Marissa Meyer are to promote Anarchy and her tour will include cities like Denver, Portland, Tacoma, and even Canada! Full schedule can be found here!

Next, there’ll also be a Fierce Reads 2019 Fall Tour! Which will include authors such as L.L. Mckinney, alongside debut authors Sara Faring, Katy Rose Pool and Margaret Owen! This tour will start at the end of September!

Their stops will include bookstores such as Parnassus Books, Anderson’s Bookshop and more!

Little Brown Books For Young Readers (The NOVL)

Holly Black will be going on tour to promote the final book in her Folk Of The Air series, The Queen Of Nothing!

The full schedule was revealed via Entertainment Weekly on August 29! States include Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Texas, New York and more!

Her tour tour will be begin in mid-November! Also, don’t miss out on the exclusive Indie Bookstore pre-order campaign, more info can be found here!

Tor Teen

During the month of September, you can find these authors on tour from the publisher Tor Books:

Cora Carmack, Mark Oshiro, Jillian Boehme, and Lauren Shippen!

From contemporary, fantasy, and sc-fi, there’s Tor authors from many different genres headed on tour!

A couple authors will have 1 tour stop (Oshiro & Boehme) while others will have up to 5 stops across the US (Carmack & Shippen).

Will you be seeing any of these authors on tour?

Marie Lu Tour Dates For Rebel

Revealed exclusively via Hypable on July 19, were the tour dates for Marie Lu’s upcoming return and finale to her Legend Series, Rebel!

Set 10 years after the Legend Trilogy, Eden is eager to escape his brother’s shadow. He soon finds himself tangled in the dark side of Ross City and caught in a web of trouble. Day quickly calls upon an old friend to help save his brother as a looming danger weaves its way into their lives.

Lu is set to embark on an eight-city tour with stops featuring: San Francisco, St. Paul, New York, and Los Angeles!

“Revisiting Day and June after all these years was a strange and nostalgic experience. They sound different now, [like] teens who’d grown up just as I had grown up in the years since I first wrote about them. Eden, who in many ways is the heart of this story, was an entirely new mind to explore, and I loved discovering how this gentle little boy I’d first created in 2009 becomes a young man…”

marie lu via hypable

The article also shared that readers can expect Lu’s “signature cocktail of pain and passion…”

Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel. 

With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.

Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.

A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe―even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.

As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . .

Rebel by Marie Lu is set to be released October 1, 2019!

The Kingdom Of Back by Marie Lu Cover Reveal

On June 28, Entertainment Weekly revealed the cover to Marie Lu’s first historical fantasy novel, The Kingdom Of Back.

Lu’s novel The Kingdom Of Back, is “about a musical prodigy and the dangerous lengths she’ll go to make history remember her. And it isn’t just any musical prodigy: Her heroine, Nannerl, is Mozart’s sister…”

” [The Kingdom Of Back] is a standalone historical fiction, which is different from what I’m used to and has been an intimidating experience. It’s a book about Wolfgang Mozart and his sister, Nannerl. Not a lot of people know about Nannerl, but she was a very accomplished pianist and composer and toured with Wolfgang. The book is about their adventures when they were younger, with some fantasy elements. It’s a huge departure for me and has required a heavier amount of research than past books…”

4 Questions for marie lu via Publishers weekly (september 2018)

Alongside the cover reveal (designed by David Curtis), EW also revealed an exclusive excerpt from The Kingdom Of Back!

The Kingdom Of Back Official Cover via Entertainment Weekly

Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish: to be remembered forever.

But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she’ll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age; her tyrannical father has made that much clear. And as Nannerl’s hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true. But his help may cost her everything.

The Kingdom Of Back by Marie Lu is set to be released March 3, 2020!