In My Mailbox (January 31)

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...

From the library:
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels has come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Along with his partner, Chuck Aule, he sets out to find an escaped patient.

But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems.And neither is Teddy Daniels.

Is he there to find a missing patient? Or has he been sent to look into rumors of Ashecliffe's radical approach to psychiatry? An approach that may include drug experimentation, hideous surgical trials, and lethal countermoves in the shadow war against Soviet brainwashing ...

The closer Teddy and Chuck get to the truth, the more elusive it becomes, and the more they begin to believe that they may never leave Shutter Island.

Because someone is trying to drive them insane ...

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson is finding his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any normal friends. But things don't stay quiet for long.

Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders that protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia. Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: The Bermuda Triangle.

Together with his friends, Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family, one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

Book Review: The Peculiar Superpowers of Eleanor Armstrong by K.A. Schloegel

Teenage writer Eleanor Armstrong tells the story of her life as a collection of Facebook-esque entries interspersed with the chapters of the novel she is writing. She starts out writing a nice, quiet high school romance, depicting the love triangle between ultra-hip and smart Sarah – who is really just Eleanor with great hair, her geeky pal Marky – who is Eleanor’s pal in real life too, and popular jock Brandon – a character based on a boy who once spoke to Eleanor. But to her dismay, the novel turns to horror after zombies attack the school and kill Brandon. You know, just the usual “Boy meets girl. Boy turns into zombie. Zombie-boy loses girl. Zombie-boy gets girl.” Huh? Write what you know, Eleanor’s teacher tells her. And what she knows is a high school teeming with bored kids who will prey upon each other, can be kind, cruel, fall in love, or anything in between just to relieve the tedium of their existence. In other words, a school full of zombies. So Eleanor goes with it. Zombie attacks abound, both in her novel and her real life as an overlooked teenager with peculiar superpowers.

Eleanor isn't popular, she doesn't think she's pretty, nor does she think the guy of her dreams, Elijah, will ever look twice at her. Sarah, the character Eleanor creates for her zombie novel, is everything Eleanor wishes she could be. Of course, the reader sees that they're more alike than Eleanor realizes.

I think that one of the reasons I enjoyed this book so much was because it was so easy to relate to Eleanor. She's forced to deal with an unrequited crush, the possibility of losing her best guy-friend to another girl, and family problems on top of that. In my opinion, these are fairly typical teen issues. Even if the ones I mentioned don't apply to you, personally, I'm sure you can empathize with what her.

The aspect I most enjoyed about this book was the way the chapters were set up. The reader gets a portion of the zombie story being written by Eleanor, and then a blog entry (or two) discussing her life. I particularly enjoyed the way Eleanor left notes within the chapters for her teacher. While this happened rarely, I thought it showed Eleanor's sass, which I always appreciate in a character. The blog entries were another great way to allow readers get to know her character. These entries consisted of the things happening around her, and allowed the reader to learn more about Eleanor, Marky, and reveal the true character of the popular jock Elijah.

The only thing I could have asked for was a small story line being discussed a bit more. Without spoiling who the characters are, the book briefly discusses the topic of teacher-student relationships. I would have liked to have seen more of the psychological repercussions of that. Aside from that, I enjoyed the book, and will be looking forward to reading more from Schloegel.

The Peculiar Superpowers of Eleanor Armstrong: A Zombie Love Story
By K.A. Schloegel
Published by BookSurge Publishing
324 Pages
Rating: B

Waiting on Wednesday (January 27)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I can't wait for them.

Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
I’d love a cup of coffee. I wish she knew how pretty she was. I wish I could drop this kid in the dryer sometimes. I just want her to be happy. I hope she didn’t find out what Ben said about her. I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin…

Joy is used to hearing Whispers. She’s used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people’s deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for good, to make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people’s lives—especially Joy’s—miserable. Still, when Joy Hears Jessica whisper: I want to kill my Hearing dead, and kill me too if that’s what it takes, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car and running away with a boy she barely knows—a boy who may have a dark secret of his own. (From Goodreads)

Published by Balzer & Bray
Release Date: April 27, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (January 26)

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

"He remembered lots of little things about life-eating, clothes, studying, playing, general images of the makeup of the world. But any detail that would fill in the picture to create a true and complete memory had been earsed somehow."

-The Maze Runner, page 33, by James Dashner

In My Mailbox (January 24)

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...

Nothing new this week, but I did just start reading The Maze Runner by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

What did you get this week?

Book Review: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

At the start of the story, Nim is working for next to nothing in a run-down theater that's frequented by unsavory men. After she's invited to sing for the wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry, her life drastically changes. She's given nice clothes, good food, and even a maid, Linza, to wait on her. I really like Nim as a character. She was courageous, and she was determined to find out the truth behind the automaton, and how Hollin came to own him.

I really enjoyed the book, particularly Hollin's story. While the book was obviously focused on Nim, I was suspicious of Hollin at the start. Without giving too much away about his character, I wasn't sure what his true intentions were until I learned more about his history, and how magic hadn't always helped him.

I do wish that the story had been longer. Once I got to the last 50 pages, I was wondering how the story was going to wrap itself up so quickly. While I think that Dolamore did a good job tying up most of the loose ends, I did wish that the story had been a little longer. On the other hand, it did leave room open for a sequel.

Magic Under Glass
By Jaclyn Dolamore
Published by Bloomsbury
240 Pages
Rating: B+

*Update: One of the comments informed me that Bloomsbury has withdrawn the cover. I think that shows the power of readers, who pointed out that the character in the book is described as "dark skinned", but the cover didn't fit that description.

Waiting on Wednesday (January 20)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I can't wait for them.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

(From Goodreads)

Published by HarperTeen
Release Date: March 16, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (January 19)

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

"There were whispers about Away-the territory on the other side of the Line. There were whispers about the Others."

-The Line, Page 1, by Teri Hall

*This quote is from the ARC edition, and is subject to change.

In My Mailbox (January 17)

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 Line by Teri Hall

An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

(Synopsis from Goodreads)

What did you get this week?

Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

Part of Around the World Tours
I'm also trying to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible.

Lately, I've been hearing whispers that angels are the new vampires, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Of course, then I actually read Fallen, and my opinion changed slightly. It took me a while, about 100 pages, to get into the story. This was mostly chapters introducing the characters, and Luce adjusting to Sword & Cross. Once the book picked up, however, I finished it in a few hours. Of course, I had to know what was going to happen to Luce and Daniel! Of course, I knew some of the major plot points before I read the book (I read a few reviews and ignored some spoiler warnings). Nevertheless, the book still had some surprises in store for me.

I actually enjoyed Luce as a character. I think that she could have easily become the whiney damsel in distress. Kate did a great job of ensuring that her lead character remained strong, even after she uncovered her past (I probably would have be freaked out beyond all reason at that point). I thought I'd also briefly mention Daniel, the mysterious-yet-attractive character. I think that Kate could have easily let the reader know too much about Daniel, but he kept his secret for majority of the book. Plus, there was a love triangle! I won't say what characters were involved, but I hadn't read about it in any of the reviews. It was the little surprises like that, and a certain character's hidden motives, that made me feel like it was still worth reading the book after discovering the ending.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Plus, the cover is amazing. Obviously the cover doesn't change my rating, but I just want to take time to point out how pretty it is. I'll be looking forward to Book 2, and more from Kate.

Fallen
By Lauren Kate
Published by Delacorte Press
452 Pages
Rating: B+

Waiting on Wednesday (January 13)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I can't wait for them.

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal (Cover isn't available yet)

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia knows her role in life. But everything changes when she learns, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess–a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city, her best friend, Kiernan, and the only life she’s ever known.

While struggling with her new peasant life, Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins–long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control. Returning to the city to seek answers, she instead uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor’s history forever.

Published by EgmontUSA
Release Date: May 11, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (January 12)

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

"So the take-away lesson is humility. I can't take on other people's burdens"

-The Peculiar Superpowers of Eleanor Armstrong, page 30, by K.A. Schloegel

*I'm not a huge fan of the cover, but I'm really enjoying the way the chapters are set up. Expect to hear more about that in the upcoming review.

In My Mailbox (January 10)

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...

Fallen by Lauren Kate (Review coming soon)
There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her. Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.


Hottie by Jonathan Bernstein

Alison Cole’s got it all: She’s gorgeous, dating a steamy surfer boy, and has just been crowned Beverly Hills High Freshman Class President. Then during a special “symmetry” surgery, a lightning bolt zaps her, and Alison instantly transforms into Hottie—that is, a totally sizzling superhero with the power to shoot fire from her fingers!

Shunned as a Pyro-Freak, Alison must adopt dorky David Eels as her crime-fighting sidekick. Worse, she’s falling for the one guy who wants to “extinguish” her forever, Junior Class President of Cuteness— and wannabe firefighter—T. Hull. But she doesn’t realize that a supervillain’s lurking. . . .

Has Hottie met her match?

What did you get this week?

Book Review: Hottie by Jonathan Bernstein

Alison Cole’s got it all: She’s gorgeous, dating a steamy surfer boy, and has just been crowned Beverly Hills High Freshman Class President. Then during a special “symmetry” surgery, a lightning bolt zaps her, and Alison instantly transforms into Hottie—that is, a totally sizzling superhero with the power to shoot fire from her fingers!

Shunned as a Pyro-Freak, Alison must adopt dorky David Eels as her crime-fighting sidekick. Worse, she’s falling for the one guy who wants to “extinguish” her forever, Junior Class President of Cuteness— and wannabe firefighter—T. Hull. But she doesn’t realize that a supervillain’s lurking. . . .

Has Hottie met her match?

I was drawn to this book because of the unique sound of the premise. I couldn't think of any stories that focus on a female teen superhero (can you?), and jumped at the chance to read it. The fact that being a superhero helped to increase Alison's confidence, and allowed her to meet people who supported her growth, made the book even better.

I should point out that it's fairly obvious who the villain is in the story, but the predictability didn't really detract from the fun of the story.

Although I grew to like Alison over the course of the book, I wasn't really sure whether I was going to connect with her character. Plus, I was worried that she wouldn't show any emotional growth. She started off with great (or so she thought) friends, popularity, and she's just been elected class president. In my opinion, most high schools girls (not all, mind you) would be extremely jealous of Alison's current situation. It soon became obvious that, despite all of the aforementioned positive aspects of her life, Alison had self-esteem problems, a scummy boyfriend, and an evil stepmother. Eventually I did connect with her, although I wish that there had been more points where she showed a bit more depth of character.

The one question I had regarding this book involved Alison's plastic surgery. If a girl is under 18 doesn't she need to have written permission, or a parent/guardian present? What kind of doctor would preform surgery on a girl who may not have even finished growing/puberty/etc (ok, a greedy one).

Overall a fun, and fairly quick read.

Hottie
By Jonathan Bernstein
Published by Razorbill
320 Pages
Rating: B-

What I'm Reading

I'll be posting a review tomorrow, but it seems like lately I haven't had much time to get reviews done (shame on me).

Upcoming Reviews:
Hottie by Jonathan Bernstein
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

Currently Reading:
Fallen by Lauren Kate
The Peculiar Superpowers of Eleanor Armstrong: A Zombie Love Story by K. A. Schloegel

Waiting on Wednesday (January 6)

This was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Basically, these books haven't been released yet, but I can't wait for them.

A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

This is a colourful, action-packed Victorian detective novel centred around the exploits of 'agent' Mary Quinn. At a young age, Mary is rescued from the gallows by a woman masquerading as a prison warden. She is taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school, Mary learns, is a front for a private investigation agency and, at 17, she is taken on as an agent. In her new role she is catapulted into the family home of the Thorolds to investigate the shady business dealings of Mr Thorold.

Published by Walker Books Ltd.
Release Date: April 6, 2009






Today is also my birthday! So, I'm off to celebrate

Teaser Tuesday (December 5)

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

"You don't even know my eyes are green. I know everything about you."

-Hottie, Page 67, by Jonathan Bernstein

2010 Debut Author Challenge

The 2010 Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren You don't have to be a blogger to join the challenge, read the information post here

Here are my 14 choices for the challenge, although knowing me, I'll probably change them over the course of the year (Edit: I definitely added/exchanged titles). I've also included the release dates for each book.

Firespell by Chloe Neill (January 5) Reviewed Here
The Line by Teri Hall (March 4) - Reviewed Here
Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White (March 2) - Reviewed Here
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (March 2) - Reviewed Here
A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee (March 9) - Reviewed Here
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (March 16) - Reviewed Here
Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis (April 27) - Reviewed Here
The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell (May 11) - Reviewed Here
I Now Pronounce You Someone Else (June 1) - Reviewed Here
Firelight by Sophie Jordan (September 7) - Reviewed Here
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (September 21) - Reviewed Here
Matched by Ally Condie (November 30) - Reviewed Here

In My Mailbox (January 3rd)

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 Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse—Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

I thought that I should read it before the movie comes out in February.

What did you get this week?

Book Review: Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman

Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town working at the library and lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one—her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning—Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.

Part of 1 ARC Tours

Breathing made me mourn summer. I started the book in the middle of the first big snowstorm of the winter, and the description made me wish that I could go lay out in the sun.

I really enjoyed the way the story dealt with teen love. It didn't treat it like "puppy love" (a phrase my parents use to describe teen love), and it felt very real. Savannah, though immature and naive at times, cares very deeply about Jackson. I felt particularly bad for Savannah during the portion of the book where she was separated from Jackson. It seems like there was a new weight on her shoulders, and it effected all the other parts of her life.

My main issue with the book was a completely personal one. I had trouble getting through the heavy southern dialect. I don't mind if the characters don't use perfect English, because most people don't. I did, however, feel like this book used more of this language than was necessary. I will point out that some people loved this aspect of the book. I'm completely personal, so don't let this turn you off from the book completely.

Breathing
By Cheryl Renee Herbsman
Published by Viking Juvenile
265 Pages
Rating: C

Contest Winners!

Hopefully everyone had a safe, and happy new year. Now, it's time to announce the winners of my 200 followers contest.

1st Prize: Ari from Reading in Color

2nd Prize: Stephanie from A Bookful of Thoughts

3rd Prize: Alyssa from The Shady Glade
Thanks to everyone who entered!