In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly MeMe hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers share what they've gotten in their mailboxes this week.

Bought:

A Tale of Two Pretties by Lisi Harrison

*sob* It's the last book! Yes I know these books are cheesy but I love them! I can't believe there will be no more books. I guess now I'll have to find another middle school drama to love.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly MeMe hosted by Breaking the Spine where you share one of the books you are currently waiting on.

 
The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater
In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.



Release Date: July 12th, 2011

I cannot wait! I don't know how this series is going to turn out, usually I have some sort of clue but I really don't at all for this novel. Also I love Maggie's writing, it's so beautiful, like poetry, definitely one to pick up as soon as it comes out!

What are you waiting on this week?

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

This book was a really quick and compelling read for me. I couldn't put it down! We start off with Alona dying and that sets the pace for the entire novel.

I really enjoyed Alona and Will as the main characters. Alona, while slightly annoying, definitely had a softer side which we saw almost right away (am I the only one that wanted to cry for her in the beginning?). Alona and Wills relationship was the fun mocking kind that has you snorting at their banter.

Although this book has some lighter elements there were a few serious topics brought up, I think those are what made the novel so interesting for me. I only wished we had gotten better insight on the topic of Wills dad, maybe in the next book?

A quick fun read, maybe not the best if your looking for a lot of depth but great for a few laughs and some good emotions.

Plot: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Ending: 4/5

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting an epic sci-fi romance with a little bit of adventure thrown in. What I got was a ton of action and mystery with a little bit of romance.

I found the lack of romance a bit disappointing. I feel like the description of this novel made it seem like Amy and Elder we're a sci-fi Bella and Edward however I felt that they were more friends than anything. Yes, Revis made Elders interest in Amy very clear but I don't think it really went beyond that. I'm hoping that a romance will develop in the next book in the trilogy.

I did however love the action of this novel. I thought that the plot was amazing, and the mystery very intriguing. It's definitely got a Dystopian quality to it. I also liked how we had a knowledgable view of the ship from Elders perspective and a newer possilby more realistic view from Amys. How much do I love dual-perspectives?

Great action packed book if not lacking a bit in romance. Awesome characters you can get lost in and a beautiful cover. A 2011 debut worth picking up.

Cover: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Ending: 3/5

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly MeMe hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers share what they got to read this week.

From the Library:

Dash & Lilys book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Sounds like a fun romance which i'm always up for.

 

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

This book sounds delicious, I can't wait to read it!



What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for the past year, he doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Colorado. When he meets Kiara Westford, a good girl totally unlike any of the girls he's usually drawn to, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she's too good for him. But will he put his pride aside when he realizes that being with Kiara might finally allow him to be his true self?

Oh Simone Elkeles, how do you do it?

I can't get enough of these Fuentes brothers. Although Carlos is definitely more annoying than Alex I think I might have liked him a little better, what can I say, I love a little cockiness. His relationship with Kiara was fun to watch develop, and yes it annoyed me a bit at times, I almost wanted to scream KISS ALREADY! However I thought that the suspense made it even better and more realistic with the characters personalities, Kiara doesn't seem like the type to throw herself at a guy in the first five minutes, at least not to me. Another one of the characters that I loved was Tuck, sure he wasn't in it often, but when he was he was a scene stealer for me, almost everything he said made me laugh. I'm a strong supporter of the sassy gay best friend.

The one thing that I thought could have been better with this book would be the development of Carlos's gang background. We got a little bit of it but I feel like there could have been more, a little extra stuffing to the gang storyline would have taken this book up an extra notch for me.

If you loved Perfect Chemistry you'll most likely love this book, I can't wait for the third book to some out, the idea of a bad girl instead of a bad boy really excites me.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Ending: 4/5
Cover 5/5 (how hot is that cover? It's amazing, definitely one of the best covers I've seen)

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.

She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back… and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you?

This is one of those series that sucks you in. Personally I became almost obsessed with the characters, I cried when they cried, I laughed when they laughed, it was almost unhealthy.

This book. The final book. Wow. It definitely did not disappoint me. Rose, oh Rose shes just so AWESOME! No one can kick butt like that girl, and her love for her friends, well it makes her even more awesome.

I'm so glad that the book ended the way it did, it was perfect. Having such a great ending made the blow of the series ending a little lighter (although I have heard some rumors about a spin off series?). I did see one of the twists coming, but the rest of them I definitely didn't.

I don't want to say anything else about this novel because I don't want to ruin it. All I have to say is just read it!  Even if you think your sick of vampire books, your not! I promise it wont disappoint!

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Ending: 5/5
Cover: 5/5

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly MeMe hosted by The Story Siren where book bloggers share what they've got for reading this week.

Won:
This week I received three books that I won from a giveway at The Mortals Library which is one of the blogs I follow.

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda howells

I've actually read this one, a good book, although not what I was expecting.



Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moutlon

I'm really excited to read this one, sounds like an action packed adventure! (maybe slightly like the Maximum Ride series?)

 

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Part supernatural mystery part love story, all yay!!

From the Library:

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Freaking. Out. I have no doubt it will be amazing. If you haven't read this series start. Right now.

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

I loved book one, I'm super excited to read about another Fuentes brother.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Excited to read this one, I find the whole "frozen in time" thing very interesting.



What's in your mailbox?



The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

 
After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own:
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.
Now, in a brand-new series from blockbuster best-selling author Rick Riordan, fans return to the world of Camp Half-Blood. Here, a new group of heroes will inherit a quest. But to survive the journey, they’ll need the help of some familiar demigods.

How much do I love Rick Riordan? SO MUCH!

The three main characters of this book are Piper, Jason, and Leo. The story is told in alternating chapters from each characters point of view. Usually with a changing point of view I pick out one I like best but I didn't do that with this book. I loved all of the characters point of views equally, however the one that frustrated me the most was probably Jasons, I just wanted to figure out the mystery surrounding his life SO BAD! Oh man, was I way off.

I also really loved how Riordan brought back old characters (yay Annabeth!). I expected this book to be set a decade or so after the Percy Jackson series ended but it's only a year after the final Percy Jackson book. I think it's going to be really interesting to see how much Riordan really incorporates the old characters in the story-line.

The plot! Oh my goodness how does Rick Riordan come up with these amazing ideas? I loved the whole mystery shrouding Jason and how we got to see a different side of a few of the demi-god cabins. It's cool to see some gods in a new light and to see new gods in action.

Super excited for the next book! If you love Greek Mythology and action, definitely check these books out, especially if you enjoyed the Percy Jackson series.

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Ending: 3/5
Cover: 4/5

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

This book was not what i was expecting. The synopsis really didn't do it justice for me.

I really loved this book. Sometimes it can be hard to relate to male characters but I didn't have that problem with Ethan. He was so...... well he was just the boy you always wish you could fall in love with. I really liked how his relationship with Lena developed over time it made them seem like average teens (although they were anything but). Lena herself was great, it was great how the authors made someone so powerful into a normal teenager girl, with the same insecurities as everyone else.

Another thing I loved about this novel was the history aspect of it. I loved the little glimpses into the civil war and a look at the southern side of the conflict. The history combined with the magic really made this book for me. A lot of the time I can see where books are going but that didn't happen for me with this book, there were surprises in every page!

This novel is a very unique one, it has typical plot lines found in many YA novels but with a twist. Definitely a novel you should read.

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
Ending:4/5

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly MeMe hosted by Should be Reading where you share a few sentences from the book your currently reading. This week my teaser is from Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

"A sudden surge of pain. Her voice was growing quieter now. I stumbled, grabbing onto the shoulder of the robed guest next to me. All I did was touch him and the pain, Lena's pain, flowed through me and into him."

I'm LOVING this book so far! Super exciting!

What's teasing you this week?