Saturday 13 February 2010

In My Mailbox (20)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. Check out her awesome YA reviews.

So many books this week, I'm amazed!

For Review:
Desperate Measures by Laura SummersDesperate Measures by Laura Summers (sorry for small image)

Vicky and Rhianna are twins but they couldn’t be more different.
For their fourteenth birthday, Vicky wants a card from the hottest boy in school. Rhianna, brain-damaged at birth, wants a Furby. Instead, they get a nasty shock – their foster parents can’t cope and it looks as if Vicky and Rhianna and their younger brother Jamie will have to be split up.

How can they stay together? Desperate times call for desperate measures . . .
From Piccadilly Press


The Worst of Me by Kate Le VannThe Worst of Me by Kate Le Vann

Cassidy has been feeling unsettled and adrift, but things look up when she meets an older boy called Jonah. She loves spending time with him and his friends, flattered to be included in their discussions. Jonah is sweet and sensitive and she’s never felt so happy.

But then Cassidy hears disturbing news about Jonah which shakes her trust in him and makes her question her own judgement. If you love someone, how far should you go to overlook their faults?


My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn MurrayMy So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

"I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my Uggs..." Meet Lucy Shaw. She's not your average fifteen year old - for a start, she's dead. And as if being a ghost wasn't bad enough, she's also trapped haunting the men's toilets on Carnaby Street. So when a lighting engineer called Jeremy walks in and she realises he can see and hear her, she isn't about to let him walk out of her afterlife. Not least until he's updated her on what's happening in her beloved soaps. With Jeremy's help, Lucy escapes the toilet and is soon meeting up with other ghosts, including the perpetually enraged Hep and the snogtastic Ryan. But when Jeremy suggests Lucy track down the man who murdered her, things go down hill. Can Lucy face up to the events of that terrible night? And what will it cost her if she does?
A wonderful debut novel which, as well as being laugh-out-loud funny, is full of insights, compassion, and love.
From Amazon UK


Shadow Kiss by Richelle MeadShadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy and Rose is close to graduation, but since making her first Strigoi kills, things haven't felt quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all . . . might be seeing ghosts. Consumed by her forbidden love with her tutor Dimitri and protecting her best friend, the Moroi princess Lissa, Rose is in no state to see the deadly threat that will change her entire world - and make her choose between the two people she loves most. From Amazon UK


Blood Promise by Richelle MeadBlood Promise by Richelle Mead

WARNING! This blurb will spoil Shadow Kiss! Don’t read it (like I did) if you don’t want to be spoiled!
How far will Rose go to keep a promise? The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of many. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them - including Dimitri. He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most? From Amazon UK (You have NO IDEA how annoyed I am that I actually read this blurb. Stupid, stupid Jo!)


Percy Jackson and the Lightning Theif by Rick RiordanPercy Jackson and the Lightning Theif by Rick Riordan

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive. This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea. Can Percy find the lightning bolt before a fully-fledged war of the Gods erupts? From Amazon UK


Striker Boy by Jonny ZuckerStriker Boy by Jonny Zucker

Nat has grown up travelling around the world with his Dad. He's played football everywhere they've lived and honed his skills on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Now they are settling back at home in England. Then at a community day at his favourite football team, Hatton Rovers, currently struggling at the bottom of the Premiership, Nat's talent is spotted by the club's scout. To his and his father's amazement, he finds himself talking to the manager about a place on the first team squad. There is just the little detail of his age - he's big for 13 but surely they can't get away with him posing as a 16-year-old, the minimum age for a professional player? But the club's veteran striker takes an immediate dislike to Nat and warns him off trying to get a place on the team. Nat's suspicions are aroused and soon he begins to think there is something more to Hatton Rovers' poor performance, and a local reporter begins to have suspicions about Nat. What seems like every boy's dream is quickly confronted by the tough reality of the world of professional football in this superbly exciting thriller. From Amazon UK


Uglies by Scott WesterfeldUglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally lives in a world where your sixteenth birthday brings aesthetic perfection: an operation which erases all your flaws, transforming you from an 'Ugly' into a 'Pretty'. She is on the eve of this important event, and cannot wait for her life to change. As well as guaranteeing supermodel looks, life as a Pretty seems to revolve around having a good time. But then she meets Shay, who is also fifteen - but with a very different outlook on life. Shay isn't sure she wants to be Pretty and plans to escape to a community in the forest - the Rusty Ruins - where Uglies go to escape ' turning'. Tally won't be persuaded to join her, as this would involve sacrificing everything she's ever wanted for a lot of uncertainty. When she is taken in for questioning on her birthday, however, Tally gets sent to the Ruins anyway - against her will. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she could ever imagine: find her friend Shay and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. What she discovers in the Ruins reveals that there is nothing 'pretty' about the transformations...And the choice Tally makes will change her world forever. From Amazon UK


Pretties by Scott WesterfeldPretties by Scott Westerfeld

Tally has finally become 'pretty'. Her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are cool, her boyfriend is totally gorgeous, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted. But beneath all the fun - the non-stop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom - is a nagging feeling that something is very wrong. Something important. And sure enough, when a message from Tally's 'ugly' past arrives, the fun stops cold. Now Tally has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life... From Amazon UK


Specials by Scott WesterfeldSpecials by Scott Westerfeld

"Special Circumstances" - These words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a rebellious Ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumour - frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary...Now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the Uglies down and the Pretties stupid. The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember...most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more. Still, it's easy to tune that out - until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: carry out the mission she's programmed to complete, or listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat telling her that something's wrong...Either way, Tally's world will never be the same. From Amazon UK


Blue Bloods by Melissa de la CruzBlue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz - I've already got a proof of this to review, but now a full copy too!

They're Young, Fabulous and Fanged...And they rule Manhattan from the trendy uptown clubs to the downtown boutiques. Fifteen-year-old Schuyler Van Alen has never quite fit in at her exclusive prep school ? she's more of a vintage than a Versace girl ? but all that's about to change...Because Schuyler has just found out she's a Blue Blood. The Blue Bloods are the city's glamorous ? and secret ? vampire elite. They're young, beautiful and powerful. But now they're being murdered. And Schuyler must find out who ? or what ? is behind it before she's next. From Amazon UK


Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin MillarLonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar

As teenage werewolf Kalix MacRinnalch is pursued through the streets of London by murderous hunters, her sister, the Werewolf Enchantress, is busy designing clothes for the Fire Queen. Meanwhile, in the Scottish Highlands, the MacRinnalch Clan is plotting and feuding after the head of the clan suddenly dies intestate. As the court intrigue threatens to explode in all-out civil war, the competing factions determine that Kalix is the swing vote necessary to assume leadership of the clan. Unfortunately, Kalix isn't really into clan politics - laudanum's more her thing. But what's even more unfortunate is that Kalix is the reason the head of the clan ended up dead, which is why she's now on the run in London... From Amazon UK


Won from Fiercebook:

The Splendour FallsThe Splendour Falls

Sylvie Davies is a ballerina who can't dance. A broken leg ended her career, but what broke her heart was her father's death, and what's breaking her spirit is her mother's remarriage. Still reeling Sylvie is shipped off to stay with relatives in the back of beyond. Or so she thinks, in fact she ends up in a town rich with her family's history ...and as it turns out her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys she can't stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, is the expected choice. But handsome and mysterious Rhys has a hold on her that she doesn't quite understand. Then Sylvie starts seeing things - a girl by the lake and a man with dark unseeing eyes peering in through the window ...Sylvie's lost nearly everything - is she starting to lose her mind as well? From Amazon UK


Bought:

shift by rachel vincentShift by Rachel Vincent - which will be reviewed on Ink and Paper.

TROUBLE IS IN THE AIR...

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy. Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option…
From RachelVincent.com


ETA: Bought from Oxfam shop today.

Succubus Heat bu Richelle MeadSuccubus Heat bu Richelle Mead - will also be reviewed on Ink and Paper (once I have the others in the series - I bought it from my Oxfam Shop as I'm going to the signing on Friday)

Georgina Kincaid has been a bad, bad succubus...which should be a good thing. But she's in a foul mood after breaking up with her boyfriend Seth and has been so wicked that uber-demon Jerome decides to 'outsource' Georgina to a rival - and have her spy for him in the process. Then Jerome is kidnapped, and all immortals under his control mysteriously lose their powers. With her life-sucking ability gone, Georgina finds herself caught up in a sinister plot. Is she the only one who can stop all Hell breaking loose? From Amazon UK


Wicked by Gregory MaguireWicked by Gregory Maguire - adult or YA? Anyone know?

An astonishingly rich re-creation of the land of Oz, this book retells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Taking readers past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Gregory Maguire just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature. From Amazon UK


Let's Get Lost by Sarra ManningLet's Get Lost by Sarra Manning

Some girls are born to be bad...Isabel is one of them. Her friends are terrified of her, her teachers can't get through to her...her family doesn't understand her. And that's just the way she likes it. See, when no one can get near you, no one will know what keeps you awake at night, what you're afraid of, what has broken your heart...But then Isabel meets the enigmatic Smith, who can see right through her act. Bit by bit he chips away at her armour, and though she fights hard to keep hold of her cool, and her secrets, Isabel's falling for him, and coming apart at the seams when she does...A poignant, sometimes dark, and utterly heart-breaking novel, told with all the author's trademark wit and sharp observation... From Amazon UK


Can you imagine just how happy I am right now?

17 comments:

  1. That is an ace week! I bought Stray by Rachel Vincent, and am hoping I like it, then I can read the rest of the series.

    LOVE the new Westerfeld covers too. They are amazing!

    Enjoy them all :)

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  2. Wow you've had a great week :o) I'll be looking forward to reading all your reviews! Hope you enjoy them all

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  3. You had a great week for books! The Lightning Thief is terrific. Desperate Measures, The Worst of Me, and The Splendour Falls sound quite intriguing, too. I am looking forward to your reviews.

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  4. Shift!
    I'm jealous I pre-oredered my copy but it's not here yet =(

    I'm sure you'll love Shadow Kiss|! It's my favorite book ^^

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  5. Read Shift and I am in love!! dude!! it is so so awesome, got my copy last Thursday!!

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  6. Wow! Great week - looking forward to your review for My so-called Afterlife - sounds ace! Hope you enjoy them all:)

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  7. Great books you got this week. There are some really interesting titles there. I love the Uglies trilogy. Hope you enjoy reading all your books.

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  8. Jenny - You are going to LOVE the Shifters series! It is one of my favourites ever! I adore it so much! I really hope you like it!

    Thank you! I love the Uglies series covers, they're so cool! Bold and beautiful! I love them!

    Sarah - Thank you! I hope I end up with some positive reviews for you!

    Stephanie - Cheers, I'm looking forward to reading them all! Again, I hope I have some positive reviews for you!

    Tynga - For some reason, we've got copies of Shift early in the UK. I'm so excited to read it! :D

    I'm reading Shadow Kiss right now, and I love it! This series is just brilliant!

    Carla - Oooooh! I am SO excited to read it! But I have so many books at the mo that I want to read RIGHT NOW, it's hard! I have a feeling it may be a little while before I actually get to Shift :(

    Sammee - Thank you! MSCA does sound really good! I can't wait to read it. Hope I have a positive review for you!

    Rebecca - Cheers! I'm really looking forward to the Uglies series, they sound amazing, and I've heard such great things!

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  9. Looks like you had an amazing book week. I really enjoyed Blue Bloods and The Lightning Thief and I've heard good things about Scott Westerfeld and the Vampire Academy series. I have a friend who is currently reading Wicked-she and her husband are going to see the musical. Have you seen it?

    I hope you enjoy all your books. Which one will you read first?

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  10. Ohh, thanks for the thumbs up for Blue Bloods and Percy Jackson! I'm looking forward to them both! I love the VA series, it's great - and Shadow is the first book I'm reading! Almost done :) I have seen the musical of Wicked, it's brilliant! I absolutely loved it! One of my favourites! Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  11. the cover art for both of the first two is so beautiful!

    i would say Wicked is adult. and it is an excellent read!

    happy reading!

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  12. Wow awesome week! =D Lots of great books! My So-Called Afterlife looks good!

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  13. Wow, these all have fab covers! I need to get my butt in gear and start reading both the Uglies and Shifter series. So many books, so little time! Happy reading. :)

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  14. The Little Reader - I agree, the first two covers are very eye catching! Not sure I actually like them though, I have seen prettier.
    Ahh, thank you! I know which blog to review Wicked on now, cheers!

    Kate - Cheers! Oh, it looks really good, I can't wait to read it!

    Nikki - Thank you! Oh, the Shifters is an amazing series, I absolutely love it! I'm excited to read the Uglies series, I've heard such great things about it! :)

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  15. WOW....there are some books on here that I would love to read. Well done. Here's Mine

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  16. Cheers! I'm really looking forward to reading pretty much all of them!

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