Best Books for 2008

Almost 175,000 new book titles are published every year, but only a handful create enough advance buzz to create instant demand. With the final installment of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series dropping last year, the publishing industry is depending on vampires, romance and Odd Thomas to keep the industry afloat. The most anticipated new books of 2008 include a wide variety of styles and subjects.

Chosen-PC and Kristin Cast, March 4, St Martin's Griffin, 320 pages, $8.95
Chosen is the third book in the popular young adult "House of Night " Series. The Casts follow the story of vampyre fledgling Zoey Redbird in a world where humans and vamps live side by side. In the third installment, vampyres are turning up dead and Zoey has to navigate the social pitfalls of having three boyfriends and find out what or who is killing the vampyres.

Strangers in Death- JD Robb, February 19, Putnam Adult, 368 pages, $25.95
The incredible prolific Nora Roberts releases the 26^th book in her "In Death" series under her pseudonym JD Robb. Set in the year 2060, Strangers in Death follows Lieutenant Eve Dallas as she investigates the salacious death of Thomas Anders. Clues point in all directions and Eve is left to determine if the death was a kinky accident, a crime of passion or a planned assassination. Roberts will also release Tribute on July 8.

The Final Warning: A Maximum Ride Novel- James Patterson, March 17, Little, Brown and Company, 272 pages, $20.00
Hollywood's favorite novelist is back with The Final Warning, a young adult novel that follows a young girl with the ability to fly. She must not only save herself from being the subject of scientific experiments, she must also save the world. Patterson also has several books written with co-authors on the 2008 release schedule, including Sunday's at Tiffany's with Gabrielle Charbonnet on April 28 and The Dangerous Days of Daniel X with Michael Ledwidge on July 21.

Dawn's Awakening- Lora Leigh, February 5, February 5, Berkley, 304 pages $7.99
Dawn Daniels was created in a lab where she was considered the runt until she was freed and allowed control of her own life. As a Breed Enforcer, she is assigned to protect the man who will become her mate. Leigh is one of the most popular writers in the red-hot erotic romance subgenre.

Odd Hours- Dean Koontz, May 20, Bantam Books, 400 pages $27.00
Odd Hours is the fourth in Koontz's popular "Odd Thomas" series. Odd Thomas secret from, who has his own website, is a young man who sees ghosts, bodachs, creatures that feed on pain and attract Odd Thomas to violent situations, and other other malevolent spirits. He sometimes helps the local police chief with his investigations, but his "gift" is still a secret to most people, but it still manages to get him into some hairy situations.

Many of the most anticipated books of 2008 include elements of fantasy and science fiction, despite being categorized as suspense, romance or mainstream fiction.