In my Mailbox #3

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at the Story Siren.


The first book I recieved this week was.........

Wait for it.........

Rattled by Lisa Harrington

You can read my review here.


My second book this week was..........

Fall From Grace by Charles Benoit

Let me tell you, this book was amazing. There is a giveaway for this book on Goodreads, and if I was you, I'd enter. It was an amazing contemporary. Cover does not do it Justice. This book will be released on May 8th, 2012, and my review will be up on May 2nd, 2012.




Well. That was rather short.

Rattled by Lisa Harrington

What to say. Well. Let's start with this. Wow. I never expected that from, well, that. The story started out kind of juvenile/lowergrade, then advanced in the middle to be kind of a hardcore mystery book. What I mean is, it was slow until the last half of the book. In the last half of the book it was kind of bang, bang, bang, in the way of serious events. It will keep you guessing, and none of your guesses will be right. Lydia and Jilly's relationship grows in the book, from never talking to sometimes hanging out. Lydia is not really a filled out character, if you know what I mean. The dreaded 21/2  dimensional characters. The ultimate put down in a book. All in all, it was pretty good.

Here's the Blurb:

Fifteen-year-old Lydia, resigned to a boring summer, is thrilled when Megan and her totally hot brother, Sam, move in across the street. But their rude and hostile mother, Mrs. Swicker, is strangely protective, and does everything she can to stop Lydia and her older sister, Jilly, from getting anywhere near her kids.
One day Lydia accidentally stumbles across something very puzzling in the Swickers' basement. Determined to find some answers, Lydia enlists the help of Jilly. But the further they investigate, the more bizarre the discoveries.
Lydia's suspicions about Mrs. Swicker are mounting, but she has no idea what a twisted, dangerous secret she has uncovered until it's too late.

         I give this Book Three Stars.This book was from a giveaway hosted by Anna at Literary Exploration. Visit her here.

Kiss in the Dark(Scarlett Wakefield #3) by Lauren Henderson

Just one more to go! I can't wait. I never saw the ending of this book coming. Never. Scarlett Wakefield is Brilliant. Wow. Check it out.

Here's the Blurb:

With Dan McAndrews's murder finally behind her, Scarlett has high hopes for a fresh start at Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the elite English boarding school her grandmother runs. Unfortunately, those hopes are dashed when her nemesis, the infamous Plum Saybourne, is transferred to the school. Plum wastes no time turning Scarlett’s impressionable classmates against her.

Scarlett has dealt with Plum’s nasty schemes before, and she can handle her archenemy very nicely, thank you—until Plum sets her sights on Scarlett’s best friend, Taylor, and new boyfriend, Jase. Then Scarlett is more than willing to fight for what’s rightfully hers.

Things only get worse after Scarlett becomes entangled in a mysterious death on campus. Scarlett is compelled to investigate because she wants to protect someone close to her. She never imagines that she’ll uncover secrets related to her parents’ fatal accident so many years ago. . .

                     I give this Book Three Stars.

In Retrospect #3 To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker

In Restrospect is a meme hosted by The Book Babe, here at Books to Love(And Read!). When you reread a book, your thoughts about the book probably change, maybe not dramatically, but a little bit. An In Retrospect is when this happens.

First off, I think that James and Anna are great characters. Anna is a very strong female protoganist, and James, well, he's everything that romance novels try to achieve. Not saying this is a romance, but, ya know, it kind of is. In a very YA way.

            I give this Book Three Stars.

                     

In my Mailbox #2

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at the Story Siren.

Well, I'm a few days too late this week, but the show must go on.

The first book I recieved was.......

Northanger Alibi by Jenni James

And because I know you are all so envious, I've posted a link to my review here.


The Second Book was......

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

I know. I said I hated it. I take it all back. Here is the difference between a paperback and an ebook.
Here's the link to my Review. And here is the link to my In Retrospect.


The Third book was.......

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

It was awesome. When is the sequel coming out, again? No set date. Man it sucks to be me.

The Fourth book was........

Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! *Happy Dance*


Last, but not least, was........

To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker

Oh, Come on. You know How I feel. *Swoon*

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

Why is Kate Brian thankful to not have seven brothers? I always wanted brothers. I don't know any of mine. Anyways, McGowan. What a great last name. Fitting for seven hotties, huh? Ok. This book is told through first person narration, yet the character refers to herself as 'Megan'. Odd, no?The story is extremely cute, and sweet. A lot of the characters in it shouldn't exist, because you never get to see them. Finn is great, but he doesn't appear until the middle of the story. The first half of the book is kind of Evan this, Evan that.(Very annoying.) I think about hot guys a lot, but come on. I know its not all rainbows and butterflies. Maybe for some people it is, but for others, Nada. It has just occured to me that I sound like a Speed Talker. Stopping Now.

Here's the Blurb:

When she was nine, Megan Meade met a group of terrible, mean, Popsicle-goo-covered boys, the sons of her father's friend -- the McGowan boys. Now, seven years later, Megan's army doctor parents are shipping off to Korea and Megan is being sent to live with the little monsters, who are older now and quite different than she remembered them.
Living in a house with seven boys will give Megan, who has never even been kissed, the perfect opportunity to learn everything there is to know about boys. And she'll send all her notes to her best friend, Tracy, in...
Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

Observation #1: Being an army brat sucks. Except that this is definitely a better alternative to moving to Korea. Observation #2: Forget evil, laughing, little monsters. These guys have been touched by the Abercrombie gods. They are a blur of toned, suntanned perfection.
Observation #3: I need a lock on my door. STAT.
Observation #4: Three words: six-pack abs.
Observation #5: Do not even get me started on the state of the bathroom. I'm thinking of calling in a hazmat team. Seriously.
Observation #6: These boys know how to make enemies. Big time.
Megan Meade will have to juggle a new school, a new family, a new crush -- on the boy next door, as in next bedroom door -- and a new life. Will she survive the McGowan boys?




          

                          I give this Book Three Stars.

In Retrospect #2 Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

In Restrospect is a meme hosted by The Book Babe, here at Books to Love(And Read!). When you reread a book, your thoughts about the book probably change, maybe not dramatically, but a little bit. An In Retrospect is when this happens.

I Love you, Sam Henry. And J.J. And Carter. All you footballies. Catching Jordan may just be right up there with The Duff. I am positive I was smiling like a retard while reading this. You could also hear some very appreciative snickering coming from my direction.(Well deserved snickering, of course.) I take it all back. The ending did not ruin it. Seriously. I can't keep myself from coming back to these books.


                         I give this Book Four Stars. Love that cover.

Northanger Alibi(The Jane Austen Diaries #2) by Jenni James

Here is what I have to say. Awwww......... I'm such a dork. Anywho, Awww....... It's just so cute! I like Tony and Claire. A lot. Jaden is a.......dare I say it? Fine. I'll spell it. A-S-S. Ok. Sorry to all who were offended by my outburst. Claire has the most hilarious ideas! And the dating Ritual? *Insert Laugh* Ya. Totally something my parents would have done. But their version would have come with guns. Wait. What am I saying? It does come with guns. So. Back to the Book. It comes with a lot of Twilight references.(Ya. I can't stand Twilight.) Anyways, in spite of heinous Twilight references, it was very fresh and funny. Perfect for my mood today.

Here's the Blurb:

The Russo family and Seattle, WA are no match for Claire Hart and her savvy knowledge of all things vampire related. Thanks to her obsession with the Twilight series, if there is anyone who would know a vampire when she saw one, it's Claire. And she's positive totally hot Tony Russo is a vampire--she just has to prove it. In this modern retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, follow Claire's hilarious journey on her first summer adventure away from home, where she learns everything isn't what it seems, and that in some instances, reality is way better than anything she'd ever find in a book.

                       I give this Book Three Stars.

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Great, Beautiful, Romantic, Fluff. And you know I love fluff. I like Will. He seems like such a sweet, caring guy. Who wouldn't like him? I like Kate too. I always get confused in these first person narrations because nobody ever refers to themselves by their first name. Seriously. I never remember the narrators name. They (Will and Kate) kind of have a love/hate relationship through most of the book, and I just think thats hilarious. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm sadistic(or is it Maschoist?) at heart. Totally Kidding. I love the books where they hate each other, then *surprise, surprise* they suddenly like each other. There's a fine line between love and hate.

Here's the Blurb:

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast.

Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them...

                        I give this book Three Stars.

Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David

Ok. Honesty is the best policy. I hated Lia until halfway through the book. She was selfish, and to be honest, a total brat. Once I've started a book though, it'd take a tsunami to get me to put it down. So I soldiered on. I pat myself on the back for that good choice. Lia grows so much in this book, that she was almost a different person in the end. Not gonna lie, I definitely like the end result ten times better. Jack seems like he'd be a Sweetheart. Really. Shazia though, I bet she'd be one tough chick. Raf was wierd. Seriously. Bordering on creepy. He kind of seemed like a druggie for the first half. Ya know, never looks awake, passed out on bed and won't wake up, that sort of thing. Anywho, the ending was Hilarious.

Here's the Blurb:


Think winning the jackpot will solve all your problems?
Life's hard for Lia. Her mum is a nag, her sister a pain and the gorgeous but mysterious Raf seems immune to her charms. When Lia wins £8 million on the lottery, though, suddenly everything is different.
But will Lia's millions create more problems than they solve?
Firstly, a resentful gang of girls at school set up a 'We Hate Lia Latimer' Facebook group . . . that soon has fans in the thousands. Her friend Shazia can't have anything to do with Lia's new-found fortune, believing gambling to be immoral. The mum of her other best friend, Jack, is threatening to sue Lia for what she believes to be his share of the winnings. Raf's behaviour is getting stranger and stranger, and Lia can't help but wonder whether there's something to the school rumours that he's not . . . well, human.
And when her sister Natalie goes missing, Lia begins to wonder if a millionaire lifestyle is all it's cracked up to be. . .

                 I give this Book Three Stars. I won it on Library Thing!

In my Mailbox #1

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kirsti, over at the Story Siren.

This week,(My first week! Woot woot!) I recieved only two books. The First was, wait for it,

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

This was the last book from Sage's giveaway, and I really think she was saving the best for last. You can read my thought's on this amazing book here.


The second one was

Lia's guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David

I won this book from a giveaway on Library Thing. I'm sure all you bookie's out there are familiar with Library Thing. This book came with a Spring catalog for the publishing company.

Well. That was fun!

In Retrospect #1 The Duff by Kody Keplinger

In Restrospect is a meme hosted by The Book Babe, here at Books to Love(And Read!). When you reread a book, your thoughts about the book probably change, maybe not dramatically, but a little bit. An In Retrospect is when this happens. I reread my books a lot, so this should happen often.


When reading this book again, all I could really think about was how much I love Bianca and Wesley, and how Kody Keplinger bases a lot of her books off classic books and plays. The Duff is based after Wuthering Heights, with a bit of The Scarlet Letter, and Shut Out is based after Lysistrata, the greek play.(I hope I don't have to tell you what A Midsummer's Nightmare is based after). And it's okay that she writes like this because, honestly, she's a genius. She adds so many of her own ideas, and her own voice to her writing, that you would never know that she got some of her inspiration from old, dusty books. And believe me, this book is not one you'll be forgetting soon. Bianca's voice will come back to you some day.

                        I give this Book Four Stars.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

A tale about life, filled with magic. Josey and Adam are both well written, believable characters. Chloe and Della Lee are great, too. What really makes this story enchanting though, is the beautiful way all the points of view in the stroy seem to come together, and the way that it's obviously magic, without stretching too far the boundaries of realism. This is the only writer I've seen (so far) who can do this in every book without seeming too forced. Josie and Adam's relationship progresses subtly and slowly, and that's part of what makes this book a winner. No Rush. They're great together in a way that doesn't need to be defined.

Here's the Blurb:


Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother’s house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night…. Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis—and two parts fairy godmother…

Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey’s clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she’s going to change Josey’s life—because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee’s tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.

Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and—most amazing of all—has a close connection to Josey’s longtime crush.

As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time—even for her. It seems that Della Lee’s work is done, and it’s time for her to move on. But the truth about where she’s going, why she showed up in the first place—and what Chloe has to do with it all—is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey’ s fast-changing life.

Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love—and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.


                                 I give this Book Three Stars.

The Dark Divine(The Dark Divine #1) by Bree Despain

I Love Grace and Daniel. Daniel's darkness is this insane, extreme thing that he so badly wants to stop, but at the same time to encourage it. Grace seems to be the light side of things, yet at the end you realize that she has plenty of her own darkness too. I really wasn't expecting to like this book, because, Hello? How many of these paranormal books are worth reading these days(Twilight)? I'm sure I've just insulted half of you reading this. Sorry. Can't change my stubborn mind 'bout nothing.

Here's the Blurb:

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

   I give this Book Three Stars. This is the Last from Sage.Visit her Here.

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Trust your Instincts. Iain's a creep. He's not a creep. He's a creep. What the Flip? Haven just can't seem to make up her mind on whether or not to trust Iain. I don't blame her. He does some bad stuff, then some good stuff. I think that he has no idea who he is. He annoys me immensely. Haven annoys me too. The only character I really like in this book? Well, that'd be Beau. Cause any guy whos accent can be identified with "Thick Southern Drawl" is obviously someplace country, and ain't afraid to show it. And guess what? Beau is the least appearing main character. It sucks. The best character appears the least in the entire book! I just wanna hit Haven for always making assumptions!(Sorry, I'm on a new subject now.) She isn't ever right in her mind!(Or real life for that matter.) This book had an Intriguing premise, and a good start, but I was severely dissapointed. It didn't even explain the signifigance of the Snake swallowing it's Tail!

Here's the Blurb:

Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then, an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is and who she was.
In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

                      I give this Book Two Stars. It's from Sage.Visit her Here.

 

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

It was amazing. Vivid imagery, great characters and a terrific storyline, all from Hellisen's mind. She has created a world so full of magic and danger, that you wish you had been there to see it's creation. Felicita is an amazing character, but her thoughts skip around so much that she might be mistaken for an insane person in our world, but she fits perfectly in hers. I really would have liked to have read a bit in Dash's mind though, to see what his thoughts were like. The plot had so many twists and turns, I could barely keep my head on straight! I wish I had enough imagination to have wrote this. It is one stunning YA debut.

Here's the Blurb:


After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend, Ilven, kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind. Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic. Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.  

          
 I give this Book Four Stars. Sage is the Greatest.Visit Her Here.
                     Look at that cover. Isn't it Creepy/Gorgeous?

Kisses and Lies(Scarlett Wakefield #2) by Lauren Henderson

Note: To my readers, my computer has died, so my posting will be a little sporadic until I get a new one.

I'm so glad Scarlett finally figured it out! I'm still reading the next one though, because I want to find out what happens to Scarlett next. I mean, Jase Barnes and Callum? Awesome. I've got to find out what happens.(Yes. I know. I'm repeating myself.) It's just that cool. Crap Dang. I have been reduced to a sniveling fangirl. Ok. Moving on. I like Scarlett. She's got that cool name, and even though I hate Scarlett O'Hara, I will admit to loving the name. Scarlett's character really has depth in a way that I haven't seen very often. Reading in her Point of View, well it's amazing. I can actually imagine all of this stuff happening. Does anybody else watch a movie in thier mind while they read? You know how in some murder mysteries, you don't identify with any of the characters? Or worse yet, you identify with the bad guy? Well this one's not like that.(Unless it is for you. No Judging.) You should read this series.

Here's the Blurb:

After discovering that someone saw what looked like Dan’s emergency EpiPen in A-lister Plum’s designer handbag, Scarlett and her tough American sidekick, Taylor, sneak into a posh London nightclub, where Plum has a private table. Scarlett is stunned to discover a piece of evidence that might implicate another girl in Plum’s exclusive circle, Lucy Raleigh. Which means Scarlett must cast a wider net in order to catch the right suspect.

Back at school, groundskeeper Jase is hoping to take Scarlett’s mind off her troubles with some heart-stopping kisses. Scarlett can’t help but feel guilty for indulging in romantic rendezvous when she should be hunting down Dan’s killer. However, once Scarlett finds out how Lucy is connected to Dan, she knows she must drop everything and travel to the McAndrew estate in Scotland to hunt for more clues. But when she arrives, Scarlett becomes the target of a dangerous hunt herself.


  I give this Book Four Stars. Sage is Awesome.Visit Her Here.

The Giveaway's are here!

I've mostly blogged about books before, so I'm kind of excited to blog about something else.(I know. I'm a huge dork. Laugh. Get over it.) What I'm blogging about today is..........ta-da! A book contest!Now Amanda at Stuck in Ya Books is hosting a box giveaway, where she puts a whole bunch of books in a box, and sends them off to one lucky person. Who wants to win? Wait! Stop! Too Loud! Uuuugh. My ears are ringing. If you would like to win you should just mosey down yonder to Amanda's site.

http://lovesbooksreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/march-madness-giveaway.html

Also, Crazy Katie, down at Call me Crazy reviews, is hosting a Blogoversary bash! She's got tons of swag, so you better head down there too.

http://justcallmebookworm.blogspot.com/2012/02/call-me-crazys-blogoversary-bash.html

Over at Book Nerd Reviews there is a giveaway hosted by Melissa. It is your choice out of Four Books.
The Fault in Our Stars, Born Wicked, Article 5, and A Million Suns.

http://booknerdreviews.com/2012/03/march-2012-giveaway/

And Here is one more. It ends on March 9th, so be quick about it. It is hosted by the Yakety Yaks(There Yak is seriously cute).

http://www.yaketyyaks.com/2012/02/gracie-and-lisa-t-bergren-have-a-chat-and-river-of-time-series-giveaway/#comment-185


                      Lot's of Love,
                    The Book Babe

Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1) by Josephine Angelini

I love the cover. Honestly. I just wanted to get that off my chest. So. The Book. I really like Hector. I know. He's not one of the main characters. So what? I also like that Lucas is related to Hector, because in Troy he was his brother. Helen has some pretty funny thoughts and is very likeable as a character. So, should you find this in your TBR pile in the future, I hope you pick this first.(Unless of course, you see a better book.)

Here's the Blurb:


How do you defy destiny?


Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.


As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.
        


                           

I give this Book Three Stars.