In My Mailbox (July 15)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren. Here's what I got this week:



All links go to Goodreads

Books Mentioned:
Bitter End by Jennifer Brown
Hush by Donna Jo Napoli
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot
7 Clues to Winning You by Kristin Walker
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
Won from Epic Reads: A Midsummer Tights Dream by Lousie Rennison

Books, books, books (aka All These Pretty Books Got Released While I Was Away)

Since I've been M.I.A., a ton of great books have been released...sadly my TBR pile is gigantic. Honestly, I would take a photo but it would just show how far behind I fell when I changed jobs. SO, I'm going to post the books I can't wait to read (even though they've all be released already), and post a little blurb about why I'm excited.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Okay, so there are a few awesome things about this book. 1. It's inspired by Persuasion by Jane Austen. I think it's safe to say everyone knows my deep love of all things Jane. 2. It's by Diana Peterfreund. Her two series have cemented her in my list of "most awesome favorite super fantastic I'll read everything she ever writes ever" writers.

Published by Balzer + Bray

 
Timepiece by Myra McEntire

I really enjoyed Hourglass, the first in the series. The logical next step would be to grab this one, and after reading the synopsis I had an "OMG" moment. So, clearly I need to find out what is going to happen to Emerson! Bonus: It has a lovely cover.

Published by EgmontUSA

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

It's now out in paperback...so I really have no excuse. This one looks a bit darker than the other books that I've read by her, and I'm excited to see how she does with it (my guess, quite well). Potentially about sirens, Greek mythological creatures. This one is definitely on my list.

Published by Razorbill


Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

I really enjoyed The Lonely Hearts Club, I thought it was funny and cute. That's basically what I'm hoping for from this one. Eulberg tends to deliver with laughs for me, and this one seems like it might be nice for the end of summer when I'm stressing to hand in my final paper (ever!).

Published by Point

So, about that TBR pile...it means that I will be reviewing mostly older books for a while. Who knows, maybe people will happens upon books that they missed when they were first released. If not, perhaps it will spark some conversation/debate here in the comments. Speaking of reviews, I feel like I need to revamp them. So, I'll probably be trying out something new, I'm just not sure if it will be something that you can see (i.e formatting) or it will be on my end in the planning stages.

I think I might actually try vlogging about the books I've got stacked up in my TBR pile. If I can handle  watching a video of myself counseling I can totally watch myself talk about books, right? Right?!

In My Mailbox (October 10)

Happy 10/10/10!

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week:

Bought:

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret. (From Goodreads)



Won:
Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left R...more Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend’s powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and her hope of becoming a scientist seems to be nothing but an impossible dream.

So when she’s given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and use her skills as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she? At Gordian headquarters deep in France, Astrid begins to question everything she had believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns or saving unicorns from the world? (From Goodreads)

Waiting on Wednesday (July 21)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This weekly meme shares the upcoming books that I'm most excited about.

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left R...more Now a fully trained unicorn hunter, Astrid Llewelyn is learning that she can’t solve all her problems with a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend has left Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend’s powers are mysteriously disintegrating, and her hope of becoming a scientist seems to be nothing but an impossible dream.

So when she’s given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and use her skills as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she wants—or can she? At Gordian headquarters deep in France, Astrid begins to question everything she had believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and—most of all—her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns or saving unicorns from the world?

Published by HarperTeen
Release Date: September 28, 2010

Book Review: Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

The sparkly, innocent creatures of lore are a myth. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. And they can only be killed by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great. Fortunately, unicorns have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years. Or not. Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend in the woods — thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to prom — Astrid learns that unicorns are real and dangerous, and she has a family legacy to uphold. Her mother packs her off to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries. However, at the cloisters, all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to — perhaps most dangerously of all — her growing attraction to a handsome art student... and a relationship that could jeopardize everything.

When I first heard about this book, I had no idea that is was set in the present day, but it
was definitely the type of book I needed as a pick-me-up from the mid-semester drag. The story was unique (killer unicorns, enough said), and I'm now eagerly anticipating the sequel.

Plot: After Astrid is forced by her mother to move to the cloisters, in Italy, to train as a unicorn hunter, she's confronted with danger, romance, and questions about her heritage. Her new roommate, Cory, is hell bent on destroying all unicorns, and despite all of the lore, no one really seems to know what to expect. Of course, this all changes over the course of the book. We learn more about who the hunters were, why Cory has a particular hatred toward the creatures, and just how dangerous hunting can be. Astrid also has run-ins with a unicorn, Bucephalus, who has some historical ties to Alexander the Great (so, you can imagine how much I loved that aspect).

One thing that I love about Peterfreund is that her work is never predictable. The story never dragged, and I was on the edge of my seat.

Characters:Astrid's growth over the course of the book felt very real, and at various points in the story I sympathized with her. Overall, she was an intriguing character that I look forward to reading more about.

One of the many great things about Peterfruend's writing is how strong her female characters are. In this book, as well as her other series, the women break free from gender stereotypes. Astrid, Phil, and Amy (from her other series) portray strength, knowledge, and power. I could rave about this particular aspect of her writing all day, and it's a characteristic that I really appreciate in YA lit.

Rampant
By Diana Peterfreund
Published by HarperTeen
416 Pages
Rating: A-

Teaser Tuesday (November 10)

What is teaser tuesday? It's a meme hosted by Should Be Reading and here are the rules:
Grab your current read...
Open to a random page
Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on the page
Don't include spoilers

"I was covered in mud and blood, and Grace was getting stitches in her forehead by Gordian technicians in the room next door. 'I want to come home.'"

Rampant, page 186, by Diana Peterfreund

In My Mailbox (September 12)

In my mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren, who was inspired by Pop Culture Junkie. Here are the books I got this week...

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy (won from Living Your Five)
(ARC/Published by Egmont USA/April 13, 2010)

When the Prom Queen becomes your fairy godmother… Sixteen year old outsider, Jess Parker, gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join a secret society of popular girls dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. The Cinderella Society guides all new recruits through its top secret ultimate life makeover. It’s all part of preparing them to face down the Wickeds and win. Determined not to let the Cindys down, Jess dives in with a passion. Finally, a chance to belong and show the world what she’s made of. … be careful what you wish for.

(How cute is that cover!)

Goddess Boot Camp by Tera Lynn Childs (won from Living Your Five)

Phoebe, who recently discovered she’s a descendant of Nike (the goddess, not the shoe), is finding that supernatural powers come with a crazy learning curve. Her stepfather, headmaster of the Academy for descendants of the Greek gods, has enrolled her at Dynamotheos Development Camp—aka Goddess Boot Camp—with a bunch of ten-year-olds for the summer. Embarrassing as that is, hopefully it’ll help her gain control over her powers in time to pass the test of the gods, continue training hard enough to qualify for the Pythian Games, and enjoy her godly boyfriend, Griffin, all while avoiding the ultimate mistake of accidentally misusing powers.

It’s another fast-paced myth-inspired heroine’s quest that’s sure to bring out the goddess in anyone.

(I loved the first book)

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

The sparkly, innocent creatures of lore are a myth. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. And they can only be killed by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great. Fortunately, unicorns have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years. Or not. Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend in the woods — thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to prom — Astrid learns that unicorns are real and dangerous, and she has a family legacy to uphold. Her mother packs her off to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries. However, at the cloisters, all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to — perhaps most dangerously of all — her growing attraction to a handsome art student... and a relationship that could jeopardize everything.

How to Catch and Keep a Vampire by Diana Laurence
(Advanced Copy/Published by Sellers Publishing/October 23, 2009)

Discover the Secret of the Red Satin Ribbon . . .In How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful, author Diana Laurence explores the romantic fascination we mortals have for the undead. Why do perfectly normal people fall for such sinister beings? And more importantly, what should we do about it when we do? Diana Laurence knows. With loads of personal experience to draw upon, Laurence does everything from explaining the attraction to blood-drinkers, to sharing what red satin signifies to them. In this book, she has created a road map to show readers how a vampire relationship can be achieved and conducted in harmony with everyday existence.
(I thought this seemed like a funny read, especially with the current vampire craze)

My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel (won from Tales of Whimsy)
Alexandrine Marit is a witch in mortal danger. An evil mage craves the powerful, mysterious talisman that supplies her magic, and the only person who can keep her safe is a dark and dangerous fiend called Xia. With his fierce animosity toward witches, he's hardly the ideal bodyguard. Yet as days turn into nights, she can't deny the white-hot passion between them.

Xia hates witches. They enslave and mercilessly kill his kind. But he's been ordered to protect Alexandrine, who, to his surprise, has a spirit he admires and a body he longs to possess. With the mage and his henchmen closing in, Alexandrine and her protector must trust the passion that can unite them...or risk losing everything to the enemies who can destroy them both.

(Sounds a little scandalous!)

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Waiting on Wednesday (May 27)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's basically the books that haven't been released yet, but that I'm pining for.


Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Forget everything you ever know about unicorns.

The sparkly, innocent creatures of lore are a myth. Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. And they can only be killed by virgin descendants of Alexander the Great.

Fortunately, unicorns have been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.

Or not.

Astrid Llewelyn has always scoffed ather eccentric mother’s stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend in the woods – thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to prom – Astrid learns that unicorns are real and dangerous, and she has a family legacy to uphold. Her mother packs her off to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.

However, at the cloisters, all is not what is seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to – perhaps most dangerously of all – her growing attraction to a handsome art student… and a relationship that could jeopardize everything.

I'm still getting over the fact that Peterfreund's other series (Secret Society Girl) has ended. At least this new book, the first in a series, gives me a little something to look forward to.

Release Date - August 25, 2009
Published by HarperCollins