The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes

When Esti Legard starts theater school on Cariba, she's determined to step out of the shadow of her late father, a famous Shakespearean actor. But on an island rife with superstition, Esti can't escape the darkness. In the black of the theater, an alluring phantom voice known only as Alan becomes her brilliant drama tutor, while in the light of day Esti struggles to resist her magnetic attraction to Rafe, the local bad boy. Toppled sets, frightening rumors of jumbee ghosts, and brewing tropical storms culminate in a tantalizingly spooky finale where romance sizzles and truths are unmasked. Laced with eerie mystery and the lush scenery of the West Indies, this modern Phantom is perfect for readers who like their love stories served with spine-tingling suspense

.I really enjoyed 99% of this book. I really liked Esti, I loved seeing her try so let her actress side out of her fathers death, and her struggle to establish herself away from her home. One thing that I did not like about this book was the relationship between Rafe and Esti, I liked them in theory but I felt like in execution they were a little bland. I also hated how Rafe called her babe, I HATE guys who call girls "babe", but overall Rafe was a good character, I just wish he would have been rounded out more.

The tension in book was great, I couldn't wait for Esti to discover who the "voice" was and where he came from, but I did find Alan a little creepy. It also kind of bothered me that Esti didn't find him more creepy, I mean who would honestly not think a 25 year old hanging around a theater full of teenagers wasn't creepy? I suppose that as we read on and learned more Alan was more tolerable, but I also like him less, it was kind of a love-hate relationship.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book, it's a good high-tension romance that leaves you satisfied, if not a little sad.

In My Mailbox

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

From the Library:

 City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

So freaking excited to read this one!!!! why did I wait so long to start this series???

 Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Unicorn Tapestry! Also it's a 2011 Debut, so I'm excited to read it :)

 XVI by Julia Karr

I'm excited to read this one, sounds like a really cool dystopian novel.

Won:

 

Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Sounds like a fun coming of age story, excited to read it.

What did you get in YOUR mailbox this week?

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.
Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

I really loved this book! I thought Jacinda was a great Main Character, she was obviously sad about having to leave behind her Draki community but she wasn't overly whiny about it, I was so glad (I hate overly whiny characters). I thought her relationship with Will was great, at times their interactions were overly cheesy but that was okay with me. The only thing I didn't like about their relationship was the back and forth Jacinda went through, I mean either talk to him or don't!

One of my favorite interactions that Jacinda had though was with her sister, their relationship is so love/hate, and it really brought the more human aspect in early on for me. Speaking of  Jacindas family.... I did not like her mom AT ALL! She just seemed so cold-hearted to me, I understand that she thought she was doing what was best for her daughter but come one!

The plot of this novel was great, I loved the "dragons can turn into humans" plotline, although Jacindas descriptions of herself when she was a dragon confused me, why did she still have hair? I also loved that each Draki had a special gift, and that Jacindas gift was so unique, even though it's the power most commonly linked to dragons. I'm hoping the next book gives us more insight into the Draki culture and history.

A great fantasy/love story, I can't wait to see what happens next with Will and Jacinda!

Demonglass by Racehl Hawkins

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH!!!!!!! ha ha sorry for the slight freak out but oh my goodness I love it.

I think the main reason I love these books is because I love Sophie. She's so sarcastic, fun, and slightly ditsy at times but not in the way that makes you go "oh my gosh shut up you stupid girl!" I love that Sophie can make the scary situations she gets into funny, but shes also a great thinker. I think i have a fictional girl-crush on Sophie. Archer and Sophie well, I've loved them since Hex Hall and I was glad we got to see more of him in this book (although what he's doing I'm not going to say). A nice surprise in this book though were the characters of Cal and Sophie's dad. They were both talked about in Hex Hall but we really got to know them in Demonglass, I really hope to see more of them in the next book.

I love the rhythm of this series.Hawkins spends exactly the right amount of time describing the things you want to hear about and making the parts the could be boring more interesting. The humor in this book is amazing. I laughed out loud multiple times.

Not sure if I can wait until 2012 for the sequel, ahh please come soon!

In My Mailbox

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

From the Library:

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

I've heard lots of good things about this series. I'm excited to read it.

A touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

This one sounds interesting although i've heard mixed reviews. Hoping its not the usual angel plotline.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

I'm so excited to read this one!! I loved Hex Hall and I can't wait to read the next installment!

Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

I've been wanting to read this series for awhile, the plot really intrigues me.

Rival by Sara Bennet Wealer

I really like the sound of this book and I love the cover, the colors are gorgeous in person.

This was a great week for me, what did you get in your mailbox?

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

I expected not to like this book. I'm not really a fan of the whole "angel" phase the YA world is going through right now, however I was surprised to find that I completely loved this book!

First of all I'm very glad that they started out with Clara already knowing she's an angel, I think I would have been really bored if the first half of the book consisted of the same whiny "I'm Different" speech. The whole "purpose" concept was great, the idea that Clara's whole life revolved around this one task, this one boy, was so intriguing. I also really loved the love story in this book, it was simple but in an awesome way. I know for sure what team I'll be on if a love triangle develops (although I'm a big fan of Clara for not swaying towards the boy she did not previously say she was in love with).

I loved Clara's character, she felt exactly like a normal girl to me, well besides the occasional flying. As I said before I really liked that she knew what she wanted. She never made me think she was a typical stupid teenage girl, even though she did have a teenage girl crush. My two favorite characters in this novel though had to be Tucker and Wendy. Tucker was just such a sweetie and Wendy was such a good friend (although I did love the little bit of sauciness we saw in her, I wanted to shout GO WENDY!).

I'm impatiently waiting on the next book in the series! Definitely make sure to check out this fantastic 2011 Debut!

In My Mailbox

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

From the Library:

The Jumbee by Pamela Keyes

This one sounds interesting, I like the tropical feel the cover and description give.

The Visconti House by Elsbeth Edgar

I like the whole "creepy old house aspect", also it's a 2011 debut.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Super excited to read this one, it sounds fantastic!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?