In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren
Borrowed:
A light week over here, but that's okay. I haven't been reading as fast as usual so I need some time to catch up. I can't wait to see what everyone else has gotten this week!
September 30, 2012
September 26, 2012
Top Ten Tuesday (20)
Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
Okay, apparently I'm the worst because I forgot to post this yesterday. I blame lack of sleep and having some sort of semblance of a social life for once. Oh well, here it is anyway.
This week's topic is
Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished
I think I'm only going to go with five this week. I don't really like to start series' unless I have the ability and desire to finish them all at once. If I start them without being able to finish I generally forget what has happened by the time the next book makes it's way to my hands and then I have to reread.
1. The Mortal Instruments - Cassandra Clare
I powered through the first three very enjoyable books in this series, but then I needed to take a break and kind of escape from that world for a bit. I haven't had the chance to get back to them yet.
2. The Wolves of Mercy Falls - Maggie Steifvater
I loved the first book in this series. It was a different take on werewolf mythology. I thought the second book, though, was just a whole lot of set up for the third. I understand it was necessary, but it also didn't make for a great second installment. I haven't made my way back to the third book yet, but I hope that it makes the second one worth it.
3. Bumped/Thumped - Megan McCafferty
I wanted to love Bumped. I love Megan McCafferty's Jess Darling series and I had such high hopes for Bumped, but it just didn't work for me. I haven't been able to face Thumped yet to see if it makes it any better in my eyes.
4. The Gallagher Girls series - Ally Carter
I meant to read the latest Gallagher Girl book when it came out, but it just slipped through the cracks.
5. The Embrace series - Jessica Shirvington
I have no excuse here. I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I was DYING for the second one. I got it at BEA and I still haven't read it. I've been so slacking on my BEA reading, it's not even funny. I've read exactly one book that I came home with so far. I need to get to this one asap.
September 24, 2012
In My Mailbox (19)
In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren
Hey everybody! Hope you're all doing well. I've been gone for the ENTIRE summer and I've missed a whole bunch. It's been kind of unexpectedly busy over here, but I'm back now and ready to jump into a regular blogging schedule. (I hope!)
Bought:
I went to another signing at Oblong Books last week. It's a little bit of a drive, but I love that store. The events (all two that I've been to so far) are always well organized, the staff is great, and I just love the feel of an independent bookstore. Of course, these signings always result in my coming home with way more books that I need/have room for.
Bonus:
After the signing, the staff at Oblong dragged out boxes of ARCs that they had and said that we could all go through them to see if we wanted anything. I managed to snag a copy of Speechless, which I've been looking forward to reading ever since I saw the amazingly simple cover that the finished copies have.
July 15, 2012
In My Mailbox (18)
In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren
On my nook:
Bought:
Okay, I was a crazy person this week. I've been trying, pretty successfully, since Book Expo to not buy anything. Then I found out about a freaking awesome signing going on not too far from me (an hour and a half is not that far, right?) at Oblong Books. Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, and Sarah Rees Brennan? Hell yes, I'm totally there. I had an amazing time. The staff of Oblong was awesome, doing a little YA book talk beforehand, a whole lot of raffles, and letting us line up in the store when it started raining. It was great seeing Holly Black again and telling her (again) how much I love the Curseworkers books. Sarah Rees Brennan and I talked about The Vampire Diaries for a little bit (which was so awesome! And she is totally on Team Alcoholic Vampire Slayer with me. Love it!) It was also amazing to meet Cassandra Clare in a smallish setting and get to chat with her.
July 4, 2012
Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
Author: Megan Bostic
Pages: 200
Publisher: HMH Children's Books
From goodreads.com:
I had the dream again. The one where I’m running. I don’t know what from or where to, but I’m scared, terrified really.
Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.
It’s probably hopeless.
But he has to try.
Oh lord, this book. What can I say about this book? I liked the concept. Cancer kid (Austin) goes on a road trip to say goodbye to the people that have been a part of his life. He brings along his best friend Kaylee as wheel man and unrequited crush on this journey. That's about all I enjoyed about it. It was so, so preachy. Austin was all 'let me fix all your problems with a single conversation' even though they were deep rooted emotional problems that would take years (probably in therapy) to overcome. It was just not believable. He came off as unlikeable.
The other major problem I had with the book was that there were too many issues. Drugs, rape, divorce and reuniting of parents, eating disorders, a many years long feud between mother and daughter, abusive relationships - all in a 200 page book. AND they were all solved because Austin came in and dropped a little bit of outsider knowledge on them. I don't think so. It felt way too rushed and, once again, unbelievable.
I have to say, I am one who enjoys sad books. I don't shy away from books where a main character most likely dies. Also, I really like best friend love stories, which this has. I am a prime candidate to like this book and I didn't, so I can't in good conscience recommend it to anyone else.
June 22, 2012
The Curseworkers Series by Holly Black
I was lucky enough to meet Holly Black at Book Expo a few weeks ago and I got the chance to tell her how much I loved her Curseworkers series. I'm amazed that I was even able to get anything coherent out because I just love these book so effing much and I never thought I'd get the chance to meet Holly Black and tell her that. In lieu of a real review of this series (it would've just devolved into 'I love this series asdfjkl;zxvnm!!!!' anyway) I've decided to do a little list to try and gather my thoughts on what I love so much. So here we go...
Five Things I Love About Holly Black's Curseworkers Series
(In no particular order.)
1. Cassel Sharpe - This boy has one completely effed up life and yet he's one of the best narrators I've ever encountered. Ever.
2. The fact that Cassel opens up his world to Sam and Daneca. Boy was a loner with a capital L when these books started, but these two wormed their way into Cassel's heart and now he'd do anything for them. They've become family.
3. Blowback - I love that there are consequences - physical consequences - for using magic.
4. The amulets - They're the only thing that can absorb the magic totally, without causing any blowback. They can look like a fancy necklace, a piece of gravel, or anything in between. They protect you from being worked, but only once and it's hard to tell the real from the fake, unless you know where to get them.
5. The Lila situation - I don't want to spoil anything, because these books are so freaking awesome you should experience them for yourself, so just know that this story is flawless. Holy messed up shit Batman!
Please please please, if you haven't already, look for these books and read them. I've recommended them to anyone who asks for a new teen book to read. You won't be sorry!
June 19, 2012
Top Ten Tuesday (19)
Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic is
Top Ten Books On My Summer To Be Read List
Now, I just went back to the TTT with my spring to be read list and I've only gotten through 3 of those so far. I hope the summer list fares better than that. I've also themed this list and the theme is...
SUMMER
Okay, I know that's not very inventive, but I've been reading summer books for months. Now that it's finally summer I can enjoy them the right way, sitting outside with a lemonade and nothing to do.
1. Unbreak My Heart - Melissa C. Walker
2. Reunited - Hilary Weisman Graham
3. Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler
4. Moonglass - Jessi Kirby
5. A Midsummer's Nightmare - Kody Keplinger
6. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick
7. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour - Morgan Matson (reread)
8. Past Perfect - Leila Sales
9. The Summer of Firsts and Lasts - Terra Elan McVoy
10. Girl at Sea - Maureen Johnson
June 14, 2012
BEA in pictures
We actually got the last four tickets to meet Molly Ringwald which was awesome because, hello, it's Molly effing Ringwald.
The Children's Book and Author Breakfast was amazing. All the speeches were so great. I think John Green's was my favorite though - about how books don't need to be messed with to compete with the new technologies (and Angry Birds). That books engage the reader in a different way than the other entertainment mediums and we shouldn't be trying to emulate those because books already do the job they're meant to and they do it well. He really hit some points that are exactly what I think about technology and reading and it was awesome to hear from someone else.
Sarah Maas (Throne of Glass) who is probably the nicest person ever. I ran into her a few times that week and she was just so awesome. I'm so glad I got to her signing early because the line was unbelievably long!
Maureen Johnson. In the next line I waited in after this I started reading The Name of the Star and I didn't want to put it down.
Libba Bray. Talk about a long freaking line. It was so worth it though, she was awesome!
Oh, this? This is my new best friend HOLLY FREAKING BLACK. There was a super secret (I mean, I'm pretty sure it wasn't actually super secret, but it felt like it) Holly Black signing with Ellen Kushner for Welcome to Bordertown. By the time we got there they were out of books, but we did not care at all. My goal was to tell Holly Black how much I love The Curseworkers series. Mission accomplished. Also, we took this awesome picture. So yeah, life made.
Alexandra Bracken, whose tumblr I've followed for over a year now (and I told her so when I met her). I really like her and I've been dying to read The Darkest Minds since she announced it.
Siobhan Vivian & Jenny Han. Very awesome ladies who gave me sunblock. Apparently Siobhan Vivian is from very near where I am from, that was cool to find out.
Kirstie Alley, whose line we found by accident and hopped on. She was super nice and I told her I loved her on Dancing with the Stars.
One of my favorite signings that I didn't get a picture of was Diana Peterfreund. I finally got to tell her how much I love the Secret Society Girl series and that I have re-read it every summer since 2007.
To sum it up, BEA was exhausting and amazing. I met some amazing authors and bloggers (I met Anna from Anna Reads and Katherine from The Lady Critic's Library, both of them awesome. I've followed their blogs for a while now and it was very cool to meet them in person.) I'm so glad I had the chance to go, and I'm very much looking forward to going again next year.
June 12, 2012
Top Ten Tuesday (18)
Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic:
Top Ten Books I'd Recommend As Good Beach Reads
I am Captain I Take the Wrong Books to the Beach. I read Deathly Hallows at the beach for the first time and I sobbed into the sand. (In my defense, my friends planned a shore weekend when DH came out and I had to read it. I'm pretty sure I ignored them a whole lot that weekend.) I think the problem is that I take whatever I'm in the middle of with me rather than go for overall feeling. Oh well, here goes nothing...
1. Rites of Spring (Break) - Diana Peterfreund
(Note - This is the third in a series, so start at the beginning. Hell, bring all of them with you. Secret Society Girl, Under the Rose, and Tap & Gown. You won't regret it!)
2. Wanderlove - Kristin Hubbard
This just has such a great summer-y I'll-go-where-ever-my-life-takes-me spirit.
3. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour - Morgan Matson
Road trip!
4. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han
Summer house!
5. Playing Hurt - Holly Schindler
Hot boy at a resort!
6. Sometimes It Happens - Lauren Barnholdt
This one bounces back and forth between the first day of school and the summer before it.
7. Two Way Street - Lauren Barnholdt
Road trip! With an ex-boyfriend!
8. Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) - Sarah Mylnowski
This isn't technically a summer book, but the no parents situation and poor decision making reminds me of summer.
9. Along For the Ride - Sarah Dessen
Beachy town! Hot boy!
10. The Disenchantments - Nina LaCour
Road trip! Rock band! Feeeeeeelings!
It turns out that beach reads to me are summer themed. And contemporary. Hope you enjoyed them and I can't wait to see everyone else's lists!
June 11, 2012
In My Mailbox: BEA edition!
Warning: this is going to be a giant post. I went to BEA last week and had the best time ever. I love being surrounded by book people. I met some awesome authors and bloggers and got a crap ton of books. I had my sister as a guide and no idea what I was getting into. It was really an overwhelming experience, but I loved it and I can't wait to go back next year! So, I'm going to break down this IMM by day.
Day One (Tuesday):
City's Son - Tom Pollock (signed!)
The Spindlers - Lauren Oliver (signed!)
Level 2 - Lenore Appelhans(signed!)
Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys (signed!)
Out of the Easy - Ruta Sepetys
Black City - Elizabeth Richards
Time Between Us - Tamara Ireland Stone
The Diviners - Libba Bray
Partials - Dan Wells (signed!)
Sun of Apollo - Darab Lawyer
The Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken
Confessions of a Murder Suspect - James Patterson
When It Happens To You - Molly Ringwald (signed!)
Feedback - Robison Wells
Glass Heart - Amy Garvey
Because It Is My Blood - Gabrielle Zevin (signed!)
Beta - Rachel Cohn
What's Left of Me - Kat Zhang (signed!)
Rules of Civility - Amor Towles (signed!)
Jepp Who Defied the Stars - Katherine Marsh
The brown case is a Lemony Snickett thing they gave away. It has an advance chapter of the next book, a calendar, some soap, a pen...very awesome stuff.
Day Two (Wednesday):
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
Princess Academy, Palace of Stone - Shannon Hale
The Butterfly Clues - Kate Ellison (signed!)
The Future We Left Behind - Mike A. Lancaster
The Demon Catchers of Milan - Kat Beyer
Chanel Bonfire - Wendy Lawless
I Funny - James Patterson
The Immortal Rules - Julie Kagawa (signed!)
Shadows - Ilsa J. Bick
Beta - Rachel Cohn (signed!)
Lone Bean - Chudney Ross (signed!)
A Mutiny in Time - James Dashner (signed!)
The Diviners - Libba Bray (signed!)
Every Day - David Levithan
Throne of Glass - Sarah Maas (signed!)
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern (signed!)
For Darkness Shows the Stars - Diana Peterfreund (signed!)
Falling Kingdoms - Morgan Rhodes
Bootlicker - Steve Piacente (signed!)
In a Glass Grimmly - Adam Gidwitz
The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson (signed!)
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone (with a Days of Blood and Starlight preview!)- Laini Taylor
Altered - Jennifer Rush
Fathomless - Jackson Pierce
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The Land of Stories - Chris Colfer
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The Land of Stories - Chris Colfer
Day Three (Thursday):
Gold - Chris Cleave
Every Day - David Levithan (signed!)
Starry River of the Sky - Grace Lin
Soho Teen Spring 2012 Sampler
Nothing Special - Geoff Herbach
34 Pieces of Us - Carmen Rodriguez (signed!)
The Theory of Everything - J.J. Johnson (signed!)
Burn for Burn - Sioban Vivian & Jenny Han (signed!)
Ferocity Summer - Alissa Grasso (signed!)
The Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken (signed!)
Entice - Jessica Shirvington
Skylark - Meagan Spooner (signed!)
Fathomless - Jackson Pierce (signed!)
Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein
The Hollow City - Dan Wells
The Curiosities - Maggie Steifvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff (signed!)
So, yeah, I had a busy week. Oh! And then only one day after Book Expo what do I get in the mail but ANOTHER BOOK!
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So, yeah, I had a busy week. Oh! And then only one day after Book Expo what do I get in the mail but ANOTHER BOOK!
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Seraphina - Rachel Hartman
I really have to thank all the publishers and everyone involved in Book Expo for such a great time and all these great books that I got last week.
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