Saturday 16 January 2010

In My Mailbox (16)

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

I got a fair few today!

For Review:

Need by Carrie JonesNeed by Carrie Jones

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect Facebook friends. It’s little wonder, since she’s had a fairly rough life. Her father left when she was a baby, her stepfather just died and her mother’s almost given up – in fact, she’s sent her to live with her grandmother in cold and sleepy Maine to ‘keep Zara safe’. Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother just can’t cope.

Zara’s wrong. The man she sees everywhere – the tall, creepy guy who points at her from the side of the road – is not a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie. But not the cute, sweet kind with little wings. Maine’s got a whole assortment of unbelievable creatures. And they seem to need something – something from Zara.
From Bloomsbury.com


My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra HarveyMy Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey

The Blakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer. From Amazon UK


No and Me by Delphine de ViganNo and Me by Delphine de Vigan (adult cover rather than the YA – I can’t find YA cover)

Lou Bertignac has an IQ of 160 and a good friend in class rebel Lucas. At home her father puts a brave face on things but cries in secret in the bathroom, while her mother rarely speaks and hardly ever leaves the house. To escape this desolate world, Lou goes often to Gare d'Austerlitz to see the big emotions in the smiles and tears of arrival and departure. But there she also sees the homeless, meets a girl called No, only a few years older than herself, and decides to make homelessness the topic of her class presentation. Bit by bit, Lou and No become friends until, the project over, No disappears. Heartbroken, Lou asks her parents the unaskable question and her parents say: Yes, No can come to live with them. So Lou goes down into the underworld of Paris's street people to bring her friend up to the light of a home and family life, she thinks. From Amazon UK


Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn DolamoreMagic 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. From Amazon UK


Drawing with Light by Julia GreenDrawing with Light by Julia Green

Kat and Emily have grown up without their mother for almost as long as they can remember. And now Dad is with Cassy and they all muddle along together well enough - even though they are living in a cramped caravan while their new house is being renovated. Then Cassy and Dad tell them that Cassy is pregnant, and everything seems to shift. Emily feels a new urge to find her own mother. How could she have left them the way she did? Never writing to them? Not communicating with them? And as Emily begins her search, not knowing what she will find, she is at the same time embarking on a new relationship of her own, that of her romance with Seb. This is an evocative and finely drawn novel about family relationships, in particular that of mother and daughter, and the shifting emotions of a teenager trying to make sense of her family and her world. From Amazon UK


The Puzzle Ring by Kate ForsythThe Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth

Hannah Rose Brown is twelve years old when she finds out that her family is cursed. Desperate to find the truth about her father's disappearance, she travels to her ancestral home in Scotland, and discover a chain of dark secrets that plunge her into different worlds, timeframes and dangers... Another magical historical novel from the author of THE GYPSY CROWN From Amazon UK


ETA: I was determined not to buy any books today, but I caved. The first needed to be bought as the author, Anthony McGowan, was my teacher in my Writing for Children class, and I bought Sweet as I've already reviewed Sugar Rush.

Hellbent by Anthony McGowanHellbent by Anthony McGowan

Sent to Hell for typical teenage misdemeanours, Conor is surprised to find that it's not all pitchforks and leaping flames. But an eternity in a fusty cave full of philosophy books and obscure classical music is actually worse. Then Conor realizes that his personal version of Hell might be someone else's idea of Heaven - and vice versa. He sets out on a filthy, funny and forbidden journey to search for his opposite number, accompanied by his repulsive pet dog, a depressed cross-dressing Viking and a stumpy devil called Clarence. What he sees is disgusting and what he discovers is shocking, but oddly enough Conor learns a hell of a lot about life - now that he's dead!


Sweet by Julia BurchillSweet by Julia Burchill

‘Some people tread water all their lives. Not me – I’m gonna make a big splash.'

Maria Sweet, aka Sugar, is back. Her husband's done a runner taking their daughter with him, but at least she has a plan: get a job, get some cash and get the hell out of Brighton. And somewhere out there in the big bad world is Kim Lewis, who might just be the Love of Sugar’s Life. Sugar’s landed herself a stint as a model for local fashion designers Agnew & Bagshawe. But when she discovers they’ve exploited her,she’s hell-bent on vengeance and that can only lead to chaos . . .

Sugar is as defiant and outrageous as ever in this riotous sequel to SUGAR RUSH, Burchill’s bestselling teen novel.


Won:

I won some The Book Finder Swag from The Sweet Bonjour.

I'm a fairly happy girl! So excited to read some of these!

24 comments:

  1. Ooh the new Julia Green - nice! I'll have to get that one. I got The Puzzle Ring too, I love the cover!

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  2. Amazing week! I'm hoping to read Need at some point (have read lots of positive reviews) and Magic Under Glass. Cool to see that you got The Puzzle Ring too, I was really excited when that landed on my doormat this week! I hadn't heard of Drawing With Light but I love the premise and the cover.

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  3. Wow, great mailbox this week! Lucky girl.

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  4. That's fun, I got all of those too! They arrived today and I was so surprised and very very excited. I'm thinking Bloomsbury may well be my favourite publisher! Do you have a date for your Puzzle Ring review? Mine is February 1st!

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  5. Wowie, you got lots :) I've read Breathing Underwater by Julia Green and liked it so I think I'll have to read Drawing with Light too :)

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  6. Wow, all these books sound amazing! Can't wait to read your reviews! :)

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  7. I liked Need and Hearts At Stake (US title for Love Lies Bleeding). Magic Under Glass is in my TBR pile and moving toward the top. The Puzzle Ring sounds really good. I'll have to watch for it. Happy reading!

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  8. Great selection! I really want to read Need & My Love Lies Bleeding but the others look good too :o) Looking forward to your reviews!

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  9. Jenny - I'm looking forward to reading them both! The Puzzle Ring has such a cool cover!

    Lauren - Thank you! I am SO looking forward to Need and Magic Under Glass! And The Puzzle Ring and Drawing with Light both look so good!

    Boof - Cheers!

    Becky - Ohh, awesome! I don't have a date for The Puzzle Ring; I have so many review books for February, I told Kate, and she said it's fine, but that the first week in Feb is free, if I can manage it. I'll just have to try! Bloomsbury is pretty good, mine arrived yesterday, I didn't know I was going to get so many!

    Sasha - I did get a fair few, I was surprised! I've not read anything by Julia Green, but it's great to hear you liked one of her books, makes me excited for this one!

    Steff - Thank you! Hopefully I'll have some positive reviews for you!

    Kathy - Thank you! I'm really looking forward to Need, My Love Lies Bleeding.. all of them! I'm in for some happy weeks of reading! :)

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  10. Sarah - Thank you! I'm looking forward to those both too!

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  11. Hellbent looks pretty entertaining. I can't wait to see what you think of it!

    The Puzzle Ring is also a book I want to read. You got some cool-looking books this week!

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  12. I love the sound of Hellbent! It sounded really good when Anthony read out a excerpt during class. I've been wanting to read it for ages.
    The Puzzle Ring does sound great! I'm really looking forward to reading them all!

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  13. you got some great books this week :) here's what i got

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  14. I will be looking forward to reading your review of Magic under glass... if this the UK cover? I read it actually just finished it, But I wont post a review until wednesday.

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  15. Great books you got this week. Need and Hellbent are both really good. Hope you enjoy reading all your books.

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  16. Cindy - Thank you! I'll check yours out in a bit :)

    CI - It is the UK cover of Magic Under Glass. I'm really looking forward to reading it! I look forward to reading your review too!

    Rebecca - Cheers! I look forward to reading them all! :)

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  17. I have, Need - I am excited to read it and see your thoughts on it!

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  18. I am excited to read it too! It sounds so good!

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  19. God! I NEED Need! About the others... I've never heard of, so... I can't tell you anything. Hope you enjoy all of them though!

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  20. Thank you! Need looks SO good! I can't wait to read it! :)

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  21. Great books! I'm loving all of the colors. Need is on my tbr pile too!

    Here's what I got this week: http://bookielaura.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-my-mailbox-1-17-10.html

    Have a great week!

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  22. Thanks! I'm looking forward to reading them all! I'll check your post out now :)

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  23. Need and My Love Lies Bleeding are both amazing. I think you're going to love them!

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  24. Ohh, awesome, thank you! I'm so looking forward to reading them!

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