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Twenty-two new urban fantasy titles make their way onto the shelves in May, leading with Deadlocked, what might be the penultimate volume in Charlaine Harris’s popular Sookie Stackhouse series (aka Southern Vampires). Other popular series add to their tallies in May—the Morganville Vampires releases its twelfth title, for example—while a couple of series come to a close. Jeri Smith-Ready’s Shine concludes her Shade Trilogy, while Last Rite brings Lisa Desrochers’ Personal Demons series to conclusion.

Fiction Affliction details releases in science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and “genre-benders.” Keep track of them all here.

WEEK ONE

Black Dawn (Morganville Vampires, Book 12), by Rachel Caine (May 1, NAL)

In Last Breath, the rain brought a new and dire threat to Morganville and its vampires… their ancient enemies, the draug. Now, the vampires are fighting a losing war, and it will fall to the residents of the Glass House—Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire—to take the fight to an enemy who threatens to destroy the town, forever. Young Adult.

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 12), by Charlaine Harris (May 1, Ace)

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Under Suspicion (Underworld Detection Agency, Book 3), by Hannah Jayne (May 1, Kensington)

Being a human immune to magic helped Sophie Lawson get promoted. It’s also made her a major, very reluctant player in a game that stretches beyond even the Underworld. Having handsome buttoned-down Englishman Will as her new guardian is one tempting blessing, especially since sexy fallen angel Alex is mysteriously MIA lately. But as a frightening number of demons start disappearing around the city, Sophie suspects that an Armageddon-level prophecy is about to become everyone’s nightmare. And her investigation is testing her bravery—and Will’s unexpected vulnerability—in ways neither could predict. Now Sophie and Will are fast running out of time as an unstoppable evil prepares to lay waste to demons and humans alike.

Life Guards in the Hamptons (A Willow Tate Novel), by Celia Jerome (May 1, DAW)

No description available.

Body and Soul (The Ghost and the Goth, Book 3), by Stacey Kade (May 1, Hyperion)

I’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily—or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am. I need out of this mess. Now.Will and I have been looking for a solution, one that would separate me from Lily without killing her. But it’s not going well. Then, when it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, we run into Misty, my former best friend and boyfriend-stealer extraordinaire, who claims she’s being haunted—by me. Young Adult.

Sparks Fly (Light Dragons, Book 3), by Katie MacAlister (May 1, Signet)

The First Dragon has Ysolde de Bouchier in his sights, demandingshe right past wrongs. So, with the help of some familiar friends, Ysolde sets into motion an elaborate plan that will have repercussions throughout the mortal and immortal worlds. But when a member of her family is held hostage, no one is safe from the fire of her rage.

Silence, by Michelle Sagara (May 1, Daw)

Emma Hall is a high school student whose first (and only) boyfriend died in the summer in a car accident—before the book starts. Nathan was almost her entire world, and she’s now left with the bits and pieces of life that weren’t Nathan—her friends, school, her mother. She spends far too much time in the cemetery at Nathan’s grave, because it’s quiet there and she doesn’t have to make excuses for how she feels, or how she doesn’t feel. She doesn’t expect to meet people in the cemetery, but one night she does, and as a result of that disturbing meeting, she begins to see things she’s never seen, and to hear things that no one else hears. Young Adult.

Shine, by Jeri Smith-Ready (May 1, Simon Pulse)

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past. As the first in a generation to see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves…even if that means betraying her own heart. Young Adult.

Powers, by James A. Burton (May 2, Prime)

Albert Johannson lives off the grid. He’s forgotten more than he remembers about his past, but those snippets he’s retained tell him two things: he’s lived a long, looong time and he doesn’t trust anyone, particularly gods. He’s not any too fond of demons either, particularly the one that materializes in his kitchen wanting to hire him for a special mission. It’s as deadly to cross a demon as to deal with him, so Albert reluctantly agrees to investigate, putting him in the path of a prickly arson detective named Melissa el Hajj with trust issues of her own. 

 

WEEK TWO

Underworld (Abandon, Book 2), by Meg Cabot (May 8, Point)

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead.Not this time. But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey. Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance—on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves. Young Adult.

Last Rite (Personal Demons, Book 3), by Lisa Desrochers (May 8, Tor Teen)

In this final installment of Personal Demons series, the battle between Heaven and Hell has become critical, and Frannie Cavanaugh is right at the center of it. With the help of the powerful angel Gabe and demon-turned-mortal Luc, Frannie has been able to stay one step ahead of the forces of Hell. But when the demons killed Frannie’s best friend and destroyed her brother, they raised the stakes. If Frannie wants to keep her family and friends safe, she knows she has no choice but to go on the run.But what happens when you can’t outrun Hell…or trust the ones you love? Young Adult.

As Dead As It Gets (Bad Girls Don’t Die, Book 3), by Katie Alender (May 15, Hyperion)

It’s been three months since Alexis helplessly witnessed Lydia Small’s violent death, and all she wants is for her life to return to normal.But normal people don’t see decaying bodies haunting photographs. Normal people don’t have to deal with regular intrusions from Lydia’s angry ghost, sometimes escalating to terrifying attacks.At first, it seems that Lydia wants revenge on Alexis alone. But a girl from school disappears one night, and Alexis spots one of Lydia’s signature yellow roses lying on the girl’s dresser the next day. Soon, it becomes clear that several of Alexis’s friends are in danger, and that she’s the only person who can save them. Young Adult.

 

WEEK THREE

Nightshifted, by Cassie Alexander (May 22, St. Martin’s)

Nursing school prepared Edie Spence for a lot of things. Burn victims? No problem. Severed limbs? Piece of cake. Vampires? No way in hell. But as the newest nurse on Y4, the secret ward hidden in the bowels of County Hospital, Edie has her hands full with every paranormal patient you can imagine—from vamps and were-things to zombies and beyond. Edie’s just trying to learn the ropes so she can get through her latest shift unscathed.  But when a vampire servant turns to dust under her watch, all hell breaks loose. Now she’s haunted by the man’s dying words—Save Anna—and before she knows it, she’s on a mission to rescue some poor girl from the undead. Which involves crashing a vampire den, falling for a zombie, and fighting for her soul. Grey’s Anatomy was never like this. First in a new series.

Dark Kiss, by Michelle Rowen (May 22, Harlequin Teen)

I don’t do dangerous. Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha—that’s me. But I just couldn’t pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me…something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It’s like part of me is missing and I don’t know if I can get it back. Then there’s Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he’s keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he’s what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. First in a new series. Young Adult.

Dark Magic, by James Swain (May 22, Tor)

Peter Warlock is a magician with a dark secret. Every night, he amazes audiences at his private theater in New York, where he performs feats that boggle the imagination. But his day job is just a cover for his otherworldly pursuits: Peter is a member of an underground group of psychics who gaze into the future to help prevent crimes. No one, not even his live-in girlfriend, knows the truth about Peter—until the séance when he foresees an unspeakable act of violence that will devastate the city. As Peter and his friends rush to prevent tragedy, Peter discovers that a shadowy cult of evil psychics, the Order of Astrum, know all about his abilities. They are hunting him and his fellow psychics down, one by one, determined to silence them forever.

Dog Days, by Elsa Watson (May 22, Tor)

In Elsa Watson’s Dog Days, struggling café owner Jessica Sheldon volunteered to be the chairperson of Woofinstock, Madrona’s annual dog festival, to overcome her reputation as “number one dog hater” in her dog-crazy Northwestern town. Determined to prove her dog-loving credentials, Jessica rescues Zoe, a stray white German shepherd— and in the process the two are struck by lightning. Jessica wakes to discover paws where her feet should be, and watches in horror as her body staggers around the town square…. Zoe and Jessica have switched bodies. Learning to live as a dog is difficult enough, but Jessica’s real worry is saving her café from financial ruin. To complicate matters, she’s falling hard for Max, the town veterinarian. It’s clear that Zoe is thrilled to live life on “human terms,” thoroughly relishing all of the fun and food Woofinstock has to offer. But Zoe is also anxious to use her new human skills to find her missing family—who may not want her back. And Jessica needs to confront a complicated figure from her past before she can move on with her life. Jessica and Zoe will need to learn from each other to set things right, and possibly find acceptance and love in the bargain.

 

WEEK FOUR

Bleeding Out (OSI, Book 5), by Jes Battis (May 29, Ace)

While on leave from the Occult Special Investigations squad, Tess Corday is busy grappling with her own personal mysteries. She’s searching for the truth about her demonic heritage, dealing with the effects her unauthorized drug investigation are having on her relationship with her undead boyfriend—and now there’s a murder. This is not the vacation Tess was hoping for.

Dark Frost (Mythos Academy, Book 3), by Jennifer Estep (May 29, Kensington) 

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. Young Adult.

Cursed (Alex Verus, Book 2), by Benedict Jacka (May 29, Ace)

Since his second sight made him infamous for defeating powerful dark mages, Alex has been keeping his head down. But now he’s discovered the resurgence of a forbidden ritual. Someone is harvesting the life-force of magical creatures—destroying them in the process. And draining humans is next on the agenda. Hired to investigate, Alex realizes that not everyone on the Council wants him delving any deeper. Struggling to distinguish ally from enemy, he finds himself the target of those who would risk their own sanity for power.U.S. release.

Darkness Before Dawn, by J.A. London (May 29, HarperTeen)

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters. Young Adult.

All Spell Breaks Loose (Raine Benares, Book 6), by Lisa Shearin (May 29, Ace)

My name is Raine Benares—and it sucks to be me. The Saghred, a soul-stealing stone that has given me unlimited power, has been stolen by a goblin prince, and with it went my magic. The Saghred is in the goblin capital of Regor, in the hands of Sarad Nukpana, who’s on the verge of becoming the most powerful mage ever—just as soon as I’m dead.Because Sarad can’t use the stone while I’m alive. Incentive enough to plan a little trip to Regor with a small band of good friends, not-so-good friends, and outright enemies. All we need to do is destroy the Saghred, kill Sarad, and put a renegade prince on the throne. Did I mention I’ll be doing this without magic?

Strangeness and Charm (The Courts of the Feyre, Book 3), by Mike Shevdon (May 29, Angry Robot)

Alex has been saved from the fate that awaited her in Bedlam, but in freeing her, Niall has released others of their kind into the population—half-breed fey who have been mistreated, abused and tortured by the institution that was supposed to help them. Now, as Warder, he must find them and persuade them to swap their newfound liberty for security in the courts. But is the price of sanctuary to swap one cage for another?


Author Suzanne Johnson is a book geek with a fondness for a good dystopia. Her Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, which began with the release of Royal Street, is set in New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. Find Suzanne on Twitter.

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Suzanne Johnson

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Urban fantasy author with a new series, set in immediate post-Katrina New Orleans, starting with ROYAL STREET on April 10, 2012, from Tor Books. Urban fantasy author with a new series, set in immediate post-Katrina New Orleans, starting with ROYAL STREET on April 10, 2012, from Tor Books.
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