In My Mailbox (14)

What is "In My Mailbox"?In My Mailbox is a weekly meme. What is a meme, you ask. The simple description is  "an idea that spreads quickly." Usually the creator of the meme asks for other people to participate and ultimately link back to the person that started the meme. Memes shouldn't be confused with "features." There are some features that are somewhat exclusive to certain blogs, be courteous and don't steal content.

The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.  Here's what I got this week, how about you? And  while your commenting, won't you be a follower too? Here's what I got  this week:

Won:

From Urban Fantasy Investigations

I got a $10 book from The Book Depository so I picked

From The Mod Podge Bookshelf

From Library Thing and a special thanks to Chris Tusa, I won, and for review:

From The Thoughts of a Book Junky

Bought for myself:

and because the bookstore I happened to walk into today was closing, and today was their last day, everything was packed in boxes and reduced. She told me I could go through the boxes and pick what I wanted so here's what I bought for GIVEAWAYS!

Review: Here Lies Bridget

Here Lies Bridget

by

Paige Harbison

After reading Here Lies Bridget I had to have a few days to really process it. I have seen many other opinions about this book being judged only by Bridget's vulgar attitude. When people read a book, the whole book really needs to be taken into perspective. Not just the character. I found myself at the end with tears streaming down my cheeks. I certainly never expected Here Lies Bridget to touch me in such a way, but it has. I have known someone like Bridget and I think that's what some of these readers are missing. I've had that connection.

Bridget's so used to getting her way and now things aren't. She doesn't care who she takes out-takes down-and gets in trouble, as long as she comes out on top. The odd thing is-everybody has always loved Bridget! She's always been the ringleader. Little Miss Popular. Meredith, Bridget's step-mother even plans parties for her to have just to get Bridget to like her, but Bridget can't stand Meredith no matter how hard Meredith tries. Everybody has always flocked to Bridget.

It didn't all happen at once. It happened over a period of time. Everything just slowly started falling apart. Bridget's whole life, crumbling around her. Days didn't seem to have value anymore. Nobody seemed the same. Nobody followed Bridget's rules. Everyone ignored her at lunch, no guys where calling to ask her out, and her friends always seemed too busy for her now. She seemed to now be the third wheel. And then it happens. All the lying finally catches up to her. Furious, Bridget leaves school and jumps in her car only to drive as fast as she can. Thinking to herself as she's driving, they would miss me if I'm gone, if I wreck they would come to my funeral and really weep and mourn me!

Let's just say she gets her chance at what she wants as well as an eye opener.

4/5 stars. 219 pages. Published by Harlequin Teen 2011. Received from Netgalley.

Review: The Stoker Sisters

The Stoker Sisters

by

Kailin Gow

The first in the series, Kailin has taken a touch of Dracula and mixed it into The Stoker Sisters, creating a rather unique tale.

In Dorset England 1818, at the lovely and well known Stoker Manor lived Sadie and Alexis. Many came to visit and stay up until the mysterious fire. When the fire happened, Sadie didn't have a choice, she either died, or became a vampire. Alexis on the other hand, walked in on what was happening and begged to be turned.

Now, present day, living together in California, Sadie enrolls in school. Sadie is the one who wants to keep human. She's the younger of the two. Alexis on the other hand, is constantly trying to outdo Sadie. Take it one step further. Sadie meets Keegan and Alexis decides that's her new goal, except that there's secrets about Keegan that the Sisters don't know. And when someone from the past shows up, things really turn interesting!

4 out of 5 stars. 264 pages. Published by The Edge 2010. Purchased at Amazon

In My Mailbox (13)

What is "In My Mailbox"?In My Mailbox is a weekly meme. What is a meme, you ask. The simple description is  "an idea that spreads quickly." Usually the creator of the meme asks for other people to participate and ultimately link back to the person that started the meme. Memes shouldn't be confused with "features." There are some features that are somewhat exclusive to certain blogs, be courteous and don't steal content.

The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.  Here's what I got this week, how about you? And  while your commenting, won't you be a follower too? Here's what I got  this week:

I won from Teens Read and Write

 I bought:

What did you get this week???

Follow Friday

This weeks question:

                                                Who do you cheer for?

I cheer for my children! I am their biggest fan!



Review: The Water Wars

The Water Wars

by

Cameron Stacher

I must say this one is quite different in the YA world. Nonetheless, quite creative! Full of action! Certainly not a dull moment! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! I could see this one being a movie.

Based on an apocalyptic world, where water is rare and treated the most valuable of all things. People get sick and die often, get captured, sold by criminals, etc.

Vera and Will do most everything together, but on a day when Vera was alone, waiting for the bus, she noticed a boy. How oddly he was drinking from a cup as if it was a casual thing. Then, he did the unthinkable, the illegal. He poured the last few drops on the ground. Intrigued, Vera walked over to meet him. He seemed as if he wanted attention. He Introduced himself as Kai.

Vera knew he was different. He wasn't like other people. He said his father was a driller. That meant money. And he didn't have to go to school. They would meet every morning at the bus stop. The bus would take away Vera and Will, a limo escorting away Kai, along with a bodyguard. Kai would come to often dinner too.

There's something special about Kai though. He can locate water with his nose. An extremely rare ability. Finally, one day  when Will wasn't there, Kai took Vera to a small stream. Real running water!

The next morning, Kai wasn't at the bus stop. After school Vera and Will decided something must be wrong. It must have to do with Kai showing her the stream. They head to Kai's house only to find it trashed and abandoned. On their way out they almost get caught by Government Officials. Government Officials also looking for Kai. So if the Government didn't take him, who did? Vera must find out! And the real journey begins!

4 out of 5 stars. 256 pages. Published by Sourcebooks. Purchased at Amazon

Winner of Dreaming of Books Giveaway!

My Giveaway was a "choose your own book" giveaway.

The WINNER chose

CONGRATULATIONS!

Kate Hensel

Follower Love Giveaway Hop February 8th to 13th

Review: Wicked Woods

Wicked Woods

by

Kailin Gow

Best series yet! Huge props to Kailin! I have been waiting for Wicked Woods since late spring 2010. So yes, I had quite a wait! I must say it was well worth it!

Briony recently lost her parents and younger brother along with her uncle. Sadly, this all happened at the same time. They all seem to have disappeared in the woods. Nobody has been able to find them. No trace. No signs. No clues. Just.....gone.

Now, Briony has no choice but to live with her aunt Sophie at the inn she runs. Nervous and on edge, she has no choice but to pack up and move in with someone she feels a burden to.

Late one night, a knock at the door stirs them out of sleep. Sophie manages to beat Briony to the door. It's a soft spoken couple wanting a place to stay. Briony notices how young and well dressed they are. How odd for such small town. Sophie quite rudely tells them they have no room for them and they must leave. Once gone, Sophie explains that they aren't what they seem. Not to trust them.

What Briony has now learned has put her on edge. All through school the next day she can't seem to concentrate because of what she's learned. Can't believe its real. She decides she's being a little too over dramatic and letting her nerves get the best of her and needs to just relax, but when she leaves school later that's when it happens. She gets attacked by someone

 something when she let her guard down. Briony jumped in the car and took off, still shaken up. She was driving a little too fast, causing her to wreck. Now, Briony is surrounded by wolves. Out of nowhere, someone comes out of the woods and offers to take her to town. Fallon is his name. And quite cute too!

In school the next day, Fallon is there! He says he's new! But there's something about his eyes. And what's the deal with those wolves yesterday?

5 out of 5 stars. 234 pages Published by The Edge Books Purchased at Amazon 

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop!

This giveaway is about YOU!

Therefore, I have decided to let YOU choose what book you want to win!

Just pick any book under $15 from Amazon.

• Open to EVERYBODY
• For an extra entry, tweet about it, and make sure it states book of choice.
• If you prefer hardback or paperback please state that when filling out the form.
• You Must be a follower.

Enter HERE

And don't forget to visit all the other wonderful bloggers to see what they're giving away!

http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=56855

Review: Once a Witch

Once a Witch

by

Carolyn MacCullough

Tamsin Greene was told that she was going to be special. Apparently her family had lied to her because she wasn't. She only seems to be ordinary. Everyone else in her family has special powers of some sort. She comes from a magical line of witches. If only she could be like her older sister, Rowena. So, when she happens to be mistaken for her and asked for her help, she jumps at the chance instead of admitting to her lack of talent. She goes to her childhood friend Gabriel for help. Only thing is-the stranger isn't who he seems to be, and Rowena seems to be acting really strange too. When Tamsin finally lets her family know whats happened, her family now lets her in on the secret they've kept from her all these years. The secret they've hidden to protect her. 

4 out of 5 stars. 292 pages. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Purchased at Amazon 

Review: Wintergirls

Wintergirls

by

Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia and Cassie were best friends. Had been ever since Lia moved in across the street. Late one night they decided to have a contest goal. They were going to do it together. Not against each other. They were going to see who could be the skinniest. They wanted to be thin together.

Not realizing that food fuels the body, Lia was driving with Cassie by her side stuck like glue! They did everything together! The only difference was, Lia chose not to eat, where Cassie liked to binge. There was a truck in front of them that Lia had seen but didn't comprehend to stop-therefore, rear-ending. Since the girls were taken to the hospital and examined, they were noted as malnourished.

Lia had to go to a rehabilitation center to gain weight and learn to eat right. Cassie's parents made her go to therapy as well. As far as Lia is concerned, therapy brainwashed Cassie because now Cassie sees Lia as the enemy. For six months now, Cassie has refused to talk to Lia. That is until one weekend. Cassie called and Lia decided not to answer. Why should she? She's spend the last six months trying to talk to her old friend only to get snubbed. Cassie called

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.

                        20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33. 

times. Cassie apologized. She said she was sorry for for not talking to Lia and ignoring her all this time. Begged her to pick up the phone. When Lia wakes up on Monday, getting ready for school, her stepmother Jennifer tells her that Cassie was found dead in a motel room. Lia acts as if it doesn't bother her. She wants to believe it doesn't bother her. All that keeps running through her mind now is how many times she called...and what she possibly went through. She must find out.

5 out of 5 stars. 278 pages. Published by Speak, an imprint of Penguin Group 2010. Purchased at Amazon

Review: She Smells the Dead

She Smells the Dead

by

E.J. Stevens

Where do I begin? I regretfully say that I believe the cover of this book is the best thing it has going for it, and what a beautiful cover it is!

Yuki has the ability to smell dead people in need of her help. Each ghost has their own unique smell and in this case, Jackson Green, smells like vinegar. Eww! Poor Yuki! (There's reasoning behind the vinegar smell.) Mr. Green needs Yuki's help finding certain documents that have suddenly came up missing.

Emma and Calvin are Yuki's best friends. They know about Yuki and how she has a rare ability. They both help her when she needs it, but while she's working on this case, Yuki and Calvin start growing closer until Calvin asks her to be his girlfriend. She has the major hots for him so of course she says YES!

Yuki starts suspecting Mr. Greens wife of murdering him and has found his documents that were missing. She speaks to him and gets Mr. Greens opinion on things before she takes action.

Calvin has now started acting funny and Yuki doesn't know why. Is he avoiding her? Does he not like her? She holds out for awhile and when he still doesn't come around she goes to find out on her own. Calvin is hiding his own secrets from Yuki.

I feel like there are way too many stories inside of this story. It was going in a good direction-stopped-forgotten about-picked back up later-very scatter brained. Is this a love story? A story about Calvin's identity? Or is it about Yuki working with the dead? Yes, it could've been about all three, but it wasn't. It was three mini books in one.

2 out of 5 stars. 168 pages. Published by Sacred Oaks Press 2010. Purchased at Amazon 

In My Mailbox (12)

What is "In My Mailbox"?In My Mailbox is a weekly meme. What is a meme, you ask. The simple description is  "an idea that spreads quickly." Usually the creator of the meme asks for other people to participate and ultimately link back to the person that started the meme. Memes shouldn't be confused with "features." There are some features that are somewhat exclusive to certain blogs, be courteous and don't steal content.

The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.  Here's what I got this week, how about you? And  while your commenting, won't you be a follower too? Here's what I got  this week:

For Review:

Bought:

And some sweet swag from Ivy Reads:

What did you get this week?

2011 YA Reading Challenge

Here are the rules:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.  Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the linky below.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge - Read 12 Young Adult novels.

--The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge - Read 20 Young Adult novels.

--The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge - Read 40 Young Adult novels.

--The Mega size YA Reading Challenge - Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

3. Audio, eBooks, paper, re-reads all count.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. The Challenge starts on January 1, 2024 and goes until December 31, 2011.

I think I'm doing the Mega sizeYA Reading Challenge! Why not go big!

On My Wishlist (1)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too.

This is my first time participating, so I am only doing one book this week, and it's the book I can't seem to find now! At first I didn't get it because the price was a little too high, but now they have stopped production, making it even harder to find! My Pic:

The sensitive, gifted but troubled young Matthew cannot get to grip with everyday life. He turns against his parents, whose separation leaves him shuttling back and forth between homes. Estranged from his peers, and clumsy with girls, he has difficulty in making friends, and achingly yearns for a girl with whom to share his body and mind.

After Matthew's suicide events take a turn Matthew would have wanted during his life. His estranged parents are brought together by the devastating pain of losing their son, and Matthew mysteriously starts to communicate with the bright and beautiful Sophie.

Could these hereafter contacts with Sophie be linked to the top secret research in robotics Matthew carried out for the British Government?

100 Book Reading Challenge!

I am so excited to announce that I will be participating in Book Chick City's 100 Books In a Year Reading Challenge 2011!

Can I do it? I sure hope so! I also have a counter on Goodreads set up as well! Wish me luck, and come join the fun!

http://www.bookchickcity.com/



Review: Ruined

Ruined

by

Paula Morris

Rebecca and her father lived in a small apartment smack-dab in the middle of New York. She loved everything about her life, up until her dad told her that he had to go to China for a few months on business so she had to stay with her aunt in Louisiana.

Rebecca's now thinking it's the end of the world! Louisiana is nothing like New York! (Me-I would love it!) And when she gets there, she realizes she's right! Her aunt has weird voodoo looking stuff all over the walls, and her cousin even has a monkey skull in her room! This is sooo not New York! And school-Ha! We won't even go there! Of course, there's a place where Rebecca is told not to hang out at too and that's the cemetery, right across the street.

Late one night, Rebecca goes into the cemetery (of course, because she was told to keep out) and ends up meeting a girl named Lizette. She's very curious about Lizette and seeks to know more, but there's things that Lizette knows about Rebecca that even Rebecca doesn't know...

4 out of 5 stars. 309 pages. Published by Point, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. 2009. Purchased at Rose's Bookhouse

Review: Bliss

Bliss

by

Lauren Myracle

Not quite what I expected. Some of the pages I also felt where wasted with Andy Griffith quotes that could've at least had something to do with the story! We also had a little Charles Manson play just for fun?!

 Bliss' parents are hippies but she doesn't want to be called one. They decide they can't take care of her anymore so they pawn her off on grandmother. (very strict by the way) Bliss meets Sandy and feels sorry for her in a sense and becomes friends with her. Over time things get stranger and stranger.

 Meanwhile, there's Sarah Lynn. EVERYBODY wants to be Sarah Lynn. She was the one that was supposed to she Bliss the ropes when she first started going to the new school, but Sarah Lynn didn't have time for the new hippie girl, so Sarah Lynn pawned her off onto Sandy because anybody will do anything for Sarah Lynn!!!

As Sandy's fetish's with Sarah Lynn get weirder and weirder and Sarah Lynn actually starts seeming to be an ok person, becoming friends with Bliss, Bliss decides to not be friends with Sandy anymore. BIG MISTAKE!

3 out of 5 stars. 436 pages. Published by Amulet Books in 2008. Purchased at Barnes and Noble

New Years Celebration Giveaway Winners!

Thank you all so much for entering! I hope you all have a great year this year! I  now have the winners!

The winner of The Forest of Hands and Teeth:

Damla

The winner of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove:

Lexie@BookBug

Congratulations to the both of you!

Review: Black Swan Rising

Black Swan Rising

by

Lee Carroll

I was extremely enthusiastic to begin my wonderful reading journey to meet and learn the world of Garet James. The New York City jewelery designer. Jewelery designer you say? No action there, sounds kinda lame right?! Yes, it does, I know, but I was dying to read this book!

Garet James would argue with you that she was NOT an artist! She was just a creator of many things! Garet and her father lived in the back of their store due to the poor economy. Her father also sold paintings in their shop. He knew many artists (some dead some still living) but his connections still weren't helping to pay the bills.

Garets mother passed away when she was younger, but had left her a beautiful signet ring with a rising swan set inside of it. Not only was it so very dear to her because her mother had given it to her, but because she had never seen another like it.

It was raining and so mysteriously foggy (why does this weird fog keep coming from nowhere) so Garet, trying to get out of the nasty mess, tucks away into the nearest shop she comes to. She stumbles into an odd antiques shop (that she's realized she's never noticed before) and meets the shopkeeper, John Dee.  Quite an interesting man he is! John notices her ring and shows her a silver box that is sealed. Its has a crest of the swan just like Garets! He tells her she can have the box if only she can get it open...that's where all the magic begins...

This is a fast paced book full of urban fantasy. Not quite what I was looking for but well written. There is not a slow part in the book so it will not leave you dragging, it is full of interesting characters and an interesting storyline, it just wasn't for me.

3 out of 5 stars. 396 pages. Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC 2010.

Purchased at Amazon 



In My Mailbox (11)

What is "In My Mailbox"?In My Mailbox is a weekly meme. What is a meme, you ask. The simple description is  "an idea that spreads quickly." Usually the creator of the meme asks for other people to participate and ultimately link back to the person that started the meme. Memes shouldn't be confused with "features." There are some features that are somewhat exclusive to certain blogs, be courteous and don't steal content.

The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.  Here's what I got this week, how about you? And  while your commenting, won't you be a follower too? Here's what I got  this week: