Books read in 2012

Ah, 2012! Here's where I shall be keeping track of the books I read during 2012 - I will putting this link in my sidebar so you can return at any time to see how I'm getting on, if you so wish. (and I can't imagine why you would want to!)

My goal is to read between 200-225, hopefully clearing out the books already on my shelves, but we shall see. I'd also like to possibly read 75 books by British authors! Wish me luck :)

Books read in 2011

January

1. Heart of Stone by ML Welsh*
2. India Dark by Kirsty Murray
3. Saving Daisy by Phil Earle*
4. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner
5. As I Wake by Elizabet Scott
6. Slide by Jill Hathaway
7. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
8. Kiss Date Love Hate by Luisa Plaja*
9. Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate
10. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
11. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
12. Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar
13. The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg
14. Empress of the World by Sara Ryan
15. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
16. Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt
17. Legend by Marie Lu

Total: 17

YA books: 17

Sent for review: 10
Books by British authors: 3

In My Mailbox 46

Welcome to another edition of In My Mailbox. IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren in which bloggers get the chance to share with their readers the books that have recently come into their possession. I really love this meme and I look forward to seeing all my favourite blogger's books each week. Thank you to Kristi for hosting something that is such fun!

Here are the books that I acquired this week...


Fated by Sarah Alderson - What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

One of my favourite things about last week's blogger brunch was meeting one of my favourite book bloggers, Kirsty from The Overflowing Library. Not least because she brought me this fab new book by Sarah Alderson! I LOVED Hunting Lila and I'm hoping to love Fated just as much!

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Firelight by Sophie Jordan - A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Kirsty also gave me this book. Dragons. I'm really curious to see how this one works out!

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Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts - Four teenagers on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found. THE DARK INSIDE is a stunning, cinematic thriller: 28 DAYS LATER meets THE ROAD.

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…. Now it’s our turn.

Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even worse is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, hooking on to weakness, turning the unwary into hunters, killers, crazies.

Mason: His mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground. Everyone he knows is killed.

Aries: A school bus, an aftershock and a crash. Pulled out of the wreckage by a mysterious stranger, she’s about to discover a world changed forever.

Clementine: An emergency meeting at the town hall that descends into murderous chaos. Outside the rest of their community encircle with weapons. How can those you trust turn into savage strangers?

Michael: A brutal road rage incident. When the police arrive on the scene they gun down the guilty and turn on the by-standing crowd. Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad?

I'd left a comment on Sarah's blog (Feeling Fictional) saying how much I wanted to read this book, so when we both ended up at Random House last weekend, she brought it along for me. Isn't she sweet?

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The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney - Donna Underwood is in deep trouble.An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey. The Wood Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get ready for all hell - quite literally - to break loose...

Yay! The sequel to The Iron Witch. Navin was my favourite character in this series and I'm looking forward to returning to this story and to these characters!

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Now Is The Time For Running by Michael Williams - Just down the road from their families, Deo and his friends play soccer in the dusty fields of Zimbabwe, cheered on by Deo's older brother, Innocent. It is a day like any other . . . until the soldiers arrive and Deo and Innocent are forced to run for their lives, fleeing the wreckage of their village for the distant promise of safe haven. Along the way, they face the prejudice and poverty that await refugees everywhere, and must rely on the kindness of people they meet to make it through. But when tragedy strikes, Deo's love of soccer is all he has left. Can he use that gift to find hope once more?

Relevant, timely, and accessibly written, Now Is the Time For Running is a staggering story of survival that follows Deo and his mentally handicapped older brother on a transformative journey that will stick with readers long after the last page.

This book was picked up at the fab Random House blogger's brunch last weekend. It sounds like it'll be interesting to read, but also a little sad and beautiful. I'm very much looking forward to this one.

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Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - "Two young women become unlikely best friends during WWII, until one is captured by the Gestapo.

Only in wartime could a stalwart lass from Manchester rub shoulders with a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a special operations executive. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted to each other.

But then a vital mission goes wrong, and one of the friends has to bail out of a faulty plane over France. She is captured by the Gestapo and becomes a prisoner of war. The story begins in "Verity's" own words, as she writes her account for her captors. Truth or lies? Honour or betrayal? Everything they've ever believed in is put to the test..."


Code Name Verityis the story of two young women from totally different backgrounds who are thrown together during World War II.

Elizabeth Wein is a member of the Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots. She was awarded the Scottish Aero Club's Watson Cup for best student pilot in 2003 and it was her love of flying that partly inspired the idea for Code Name Verity.

This one sounds very interesting! I have a fascination with WWII stories and I love the idea of these two strong women and their friendship.

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Oliver Twisted by JD Sharpe and Charles Dickens - “FLESH, the woe-begotten moaned at Oliver, baring teeth which were ragged and black.

“FLESH,” came another moan, and he turned to see two more woe-begottens behind. They began to shuffle towards him, barefoot – toes blue from cold, arms outstretched.

The world according to Oliver Twisted is simple. Vampyres feed on the defenceless. Orphans are sacrificed to hungry gods. And if a woe-begotten catches your scent it will hunt you for ever. When a talking corpse reveals that Oliver will find his destiny in London, he sets out to seek the truth. Even if it means losing his soul.

I'll be taking a quick break during Love month in order to sneak in a review of this book as well as a guest post on the Oliver Twisted blog tour! I'm really quite looking forward to it :)

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Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik - Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

This is a last minute addition to my Love month pile. It's another modern YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I think it'll fun and quick to read :)

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So that's it for me this week. As this is the last weekend before February starts, I will not be doing another In My Mailbox until March. All of February will be a celebration of romance and relationships as I kick off my now annual Love Month proceedings. Come and join the fun! There'll be lots of reviews, posts and giveaways.

Have you read any of these books? Suggestions for where to start?

Fluttering Butterflies is 6 today!

No big fanfare or huge giveaways for this year's blogiversary, I'm afraid (lots of giveaways for Love month though!). Still, I thought it only right that I mark the occasion in some small way.

Fluttering Butterflies has been active and running for a full six years. I'm daily amazed and delighted at the support and friendship that has popped up through writing this blog. I've met some wonderful people, had some amazing opportunities and read many, many great books.

I really hope that Fluttering Butterflies is around for many more years to come. Thank you so much for reading and commenting! This blog has changed my life in a really great way and it's all down to you my lovely blog readers. So thank you!

REVIEW: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I'd seen reviews of Unearthly by Cynthia Hand around for awhile, mostly positive, but I'd never had that much interest in reading it. I figured angels are probably my least favourite paranormal creature to read about. It was only when a fellow blogger gave it a glowing recommendation before Christmas that I really began to consider it. What helped it along is the gorgeous cover and the idea of the sequel, Hallowed, being released in January. I picked up a copy the following day.

I'm so glad that I gave this book a chance! All those positive reviews I've seen? They're so true! To the book blogger who doesn't read paranormal but loves Unearthly and recommended it to me? Hurrah for you. Thank you for encouraging me to read this book. I was immediately swept away into Clara's head and finding out more about her part-angel abilities and especially about her purpose.

Clara has recently learned that she is part-angel. Which means angel wings and the ability to fly, if she can ever master it. It means being better than most people at a lot of things, speed, strength, knowledge - especially of languages. And most importantly, being part angel means having a purpose. A reason for being, something important like saving somebody or giving a message.

These purposes are only shown to Clara in flashes. She must piece together their meaning on her own and it means moving her family from California to Wyoming in order to fulfill Clara's destiny. Following the flashes leads Clara to a forest fire and to a boy, Christian. Clara is intent on doing everything possible to save this boy of her dreams. But when she starts having feelings for a different boy altogether, it really puts Clara in a difficult spot. Does she follow her purpose or does she follow her heart?

I'll be the first person to admit to being sick of love triangles. They seem to be everywhere and I know a lot of people groan audibly at the thought of another one. But I'm so intrigued about the love triangle within Unearthly! I really cannot wait to find out where this is going. Initially, I thought Christian, the boy who is at the heart of Clara's purpose, was an all right guy, if a little dull. And as the book goes on, he became more and more surprising. But then there's Tucker! I can't help but feel warm and fuzzy about the wonderful, wonderful way in which Clara and Tucker's relationship progresses. There's actual friendship involved here and you can really feel how much their love is based on spending so much time together, getting to know each other. I love witnessing such relationship.

I thought this book did an excellent job of creating a new world of part-angels with different abilities and choices and mythology. Despite not being so keen on angels before starting Unearthly, I was fascinated by the research Clara does to learn more about her kind. I also loved the themes of good and evil and also this terrible choice Clara has to make between following the destiny laid out before her and following how her heart feels.

Random House Blogger's Brunch event report

Oh folks, I don't even know where to start with this event report! It was so lovely to be invited to the Random House Blogger's Brunch - there was great company, great books and definitely some great cakes. I was so hugely excited about going that I managed to get the offices that I managed to get there a full HOUR early. Yes, I am that keen. And for good reason, Random House have some AMAZING books lined up this year.

When we first sat down and I was to able to flip through through the information about the books we'd be hearing about today, I found myself thinking 'ooh, the cover of that is GORGEOUS, but I'm not sure if the book's for me' or 'Intriguing title! but I have so many books to read, will this really be one of them?' because at the moment, I'm really trying to be picky about the books I read so that I don't get swamped with review books and become stressed or panicked. So I was trying to be reasonable and be discerning.

And then the editors and publicists started talking about what all these books are about and why they loved them and how they felt reading the different books, and I admit that I was won over by almost all of them. Because everyone who spoke seemed so passionate and enthusiastic about these books that I felt like I needed to read these books in order to feel the same excitement that they did. I love it when that happens. Here are some of the books that were discussed:


Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate - I've already read this one *feels virtuous* and what's better, I managed to snag an extra copy of the book in order to giveaway as part of my Love Month celebration in February! It's a collection of four connected short stories with characters from the Fallen series, which take place on Valentine's Day in medieval England. It is VERY sweet and sad and romantic. It is a perfect book to read for Valentine's Day, or any day for that matter as we are all DYING to read Rapture, which is out in June. (Roland's story made me well up, Arriane's story made me weep!)


Wonder by RJ Palacio - Wonder has such great buzz on Twitter and on blogs and while I'd of it before last weekend, I was never DYING to read it like I am right now. I'm absolutely kicking myself for not diving into this book immediately. I'm sure that it is a book that I will love and will be persuading all of you to read it as well, when it's published mid-February!


The Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers - This book is out in March in paperback. I did have a copy of this, but I passed it along to my guest reviewer, Kulsuma, who read and enjoyed it, I believe. A collection of short stories and flash fiction which tends to head into darker territory. Look out for Kulsuma's review!


Starters by Lissa Price - I'm already excited about this one. It's a really great sounding dystopian novel and there's been lots of buzz already. I'm definitely looking forward it. It's a creepy cover and an interesting premise. Published 15th of March!


Vixen by Jillian Larkin - I've had a proof of Vixen for a little while now. It sounds utterly fun, set in the 20s. This debut novel has been described as Gossip Girl meets Chicago, and that description alone makes me smile. I think I need a good, fun read and this sounds perfect.


Itch by Simon Mayo - OK, here's where things start to get a little bit embarassing. I don't know who Simon Mayo is. Someone from RH said 'Yes, it is THAT Simon Mayo' and from that I took it to mean that Simon Mayo is a name that most people would recognise ... unless that person were me.

Regardless of that fact, I love the sound of this book. My 6 year old son is on the edge of becoming a science geek and this book really sounds like something he'd love when he's older and something I'll love right now. It's supposed to be this action-packed book with an Alex Rider type feel to it, but involving actual sciencey things instead of unrealistic and unbelieveable Bond/Rider gadgets. Published the 1st of March, I'm marking that down on my calendar.


Black Arts by Prentice and Weil - This book is set in Elizabethan London and tells a story about pickpockets and shows off all the dirt and grime of living in London at this time. The Globe Theatre plays a huge part in the story, which makes me happy, and I'm really interested to see where the story goes, especially as there elements of fantasy thrown into this adventure story! Published 5th of April.


Struck by Jennifer Bosworth - Well, Struck seems pretty exciting, doesn't it? It's a book that a lot of bloggers had heard of beforehand and already seemed dying to read. I'd seen the cover and it looked great, but I admit I didn't know anything about it beforehand. But after hearing that it's about a girl who is addicted to be struck by lightning and that somehow this ability for lightening to strike is at the core of saving the entire world ... yeah, I can see why people are excited. I'm excited too! Coming to you 10th of May.


Now Is the Time For Running by Michael Williams - When I first came into the Random House building, I did see this table full of books meant for us bloggers. You should have seen the stampede that occurred when the talk was over and we were allowed at the free books. I snatched a few books up, but there was this book just in the corner and I was desperate to get my hands on a copy. Luckily Carly was in a better position and was able to grab copies for the both of us! Very excited. I love the sound of it. It feels like it'll be very emotional, about two footall-mad brothers who go on this dangerous journey to safety.


The Seeing by Diana Hendry - What was great about hearing about these books from the RH editors and publicists were all the great details and facts learned about the authors. For this book, we were told a bit about the author's own experiences being nearly blind growing up and how she uses that in order to tell this story about two girls causing a world of trouble and problems post-WWII. I'm definitely excited for this book.


Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb - I'm not such a fan of historical novels in general, and with this cover, I thought Witchstruck might be a book I'd pass on. That thought process didn't last long as the Random House ladies really sold it to me. With a great female main character with witchy abilities in a Tudor setting caught between a marriage proposal with the local witch catcher and a hot Spanish guy. I found myself wanting this book more and more, especially after everything said about it! Published 5th of July.


GRYMM by Keith Austin - Yeah, Grymm sounds like a fun book. Twisted and dark, but definitely fun. A horror story about this weird little town where your nightmares come true. Published in July, this book is for Darren Shan and Spooks fans. It's got a great cover, featuring the town butcher and just the whole premise of this book makes me smile. Horror books, I like them. And I certainly don't read enough of them! :)


Seraphina by Rachel Hartman - Here's an interesting sounding book. A fantasy book which focuses on solving a murder and keeping the peace, where one girl is stuck in the middle of it all. Here's another mash-up comparison for you: Eragon meets Game of Thrones with a female twist.


The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne - A new John Boyne book! This one sounds like it's going to be incredibly sweet. We were able to see a few of the illustrations for the book done by Oliver Jeffers (whose picture books both me and my children adore) and the story of the book just sounds so much fun. About a boy who is born able to float. And this story tells of his journey floating around the world trying to make it back to his family. Aww.


Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton - I absolutely ADORED Blood Magic when I read it last year. Seriously loved it. So much so that I continued reading the book even though we had company over and it was very rude of me. But I didn't care, I couldn't stop reading. So I'm thrilled that the sequel will be published this year. Thrilled! End of August you cannot get here soon enough.


Spy for the Queen of Scots by Theresa Breslin - For absolutely ages I always said the same tired thing - 'historical fiction is just not for me' and then I read Prisoner of the Inquisition last year and some other equally wonderful historical books and now I'm finally at a place where I can admit that me and historical fiction can definitely work well together, provided it's the right author and the right story. And I think Theresa Breslin is definitely the right author and I'm hoping this is the right story! Published in August.


Turf by John Lucas - One of the publicists asked me during the brunch part of the day which book I was most excited about (actually, several of the publicists asked this and I got all flustered and probably mumbled something incoherent. I'm not good at being put on the spot, I needed more time to THINK!) and once I was able to think about it, I decided that it's Turf. Mostly because I read a book about gangs when I was little (Durango Street by Frank Bonham) and it was so different from the books I'd normally read and I was left reexamining my own thoughts about the subject. And also because a close family member was involved in gangs when I was a lot younger. This person made huge mistakes but really turned their life around and is now in a position to help teenagers and young people from making the same mistakes. So, Turf is a book about gangs in London and making the right choices and it really sounds like something I'd enjoy reading.


Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney - This new book by Karen Mahoney is for a new series away from The Iron Witch and The Wood Queen (which is out soon! I got a copy of it) is being described as 'Vampire Academy meets Skins' which makes me think 'ooh!' It's one I shall be looking out for! (Also? The Wood Queen! I loved Nav!)


Fire City by Bali Rai - Bali Rai is one of those authors that I've been very curious about. I've not yet read any of his books yet, but I'd like to. And his new book sounds like something entirely different than anything else he's written, and I'm intrigued! Taking place in Fire City, where demons rule and some humans who haven't allied themselves with the demons are left to fend for themselves. It sounds dark and fantastic.


On the Day I Died by Candace Fleming - I love the sound of this one, and it's being published in time for Halloween! This one's about a boy stumbling across a cemetery for dead teenagers, who appear as ghosts all of which want to tell their stories. I love ghost stories and especially reading them around Halloween time, don't you?


Also, Where She Went by Gayle Forman and Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie will be out in paperback this (both of which I enjoyed!), and there will be a new Spook's book by Joseph Delaney (which I didn't listen about very closely and I've only read the first book so far and would like to read the entire series!).

Followed by this, the lovely ladies of Random House and us bloggers had some yummy drinks and homemade cakes! Amongst the minglers were three of the authors whose books are being published this year: Victoria Lamb (Witchstruck), Bali Rai (Fire City) and John Lucas (Turf). It was so great to chat with everyone. I don't often get a chance to talk books with people, especially YA, so the whole day just felt amazing.

I know a bunch of bloggers left Random House to go to another bookish event, but a lot of us ended up at the pub next door and carried on talking books! Pictured above:

Sammee from I Want to Read That
Kirsty from The Overflowing Library
Sarah from Feeling Fictional
Carly from Writing From the Tub
Non from Catnip (who didn't go to RH but joined us at the pub!)
Caroline from Portrait of a Woman
Jo from Once upon a Bookcase

REVIEW: A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton

A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton is the exciting sequel to Darkness Beomes Her. It's this great story that combines paranormal creatures with Greek mythology set in New Orleans. I really wasn't sure what to expect when I started the series, but I've been hugely surprised and delighted to be so swept away into the story and the characters!

A Beautiful Evil begins shortly after the events of Darkness Becomes Her. Our main character, Ari, is trying to deal with the fall-out of the battle between her and Athena, in which her friend Violet has been captured. Ari wants nothing more than to be prepared as quickly as possible, both with knowledge and also phsyical training in order to go up against Athena again. The thought of her father or Violet suffering under the imprisonment of Athena makes her furious.

So with the help of the other New 2 folks and the somewhat elusive Sebastian, Ari gets her wish. But battling a Greek goddess is pretty dangerous, even with Ari's special abilities. Ari still doesn't have all the information she needs or the ability to use her gift, but she has great attitude and determination going for her! I love the way I was so fully sucked into this story and this series. I loved the bits of mythology we're able to pick up, learning more about things like Pandora's Box and also more about Ari's new roommates.

The story never goes in the way in which I expected and all the twists in the storyline had me on the edge of my seat. It's a very exciting and adventurous and I was left at the end desperately wanting more. There were so many questions I'd like answered, about Ari's father and the choices he has made. I want to know more about Sebastian and Violet and I can definitely see the action being explosive as the battle between gods and monsters continues in the next book! Bring it on.

REVIEW: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

I really liked The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker! Right from the very first page, the story and the characters really grabbed me, especially the main character, Sherry. I found it really interesting seeing this new world from her perspective, seeing the way in which her family copes and watching as Sherry adjusts to this new environment. And at the same time, the beginning of each chapter is laid out as a snippet of the other life, the one that Sherry used to lead.

A life that no longer exists, as for the past 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days, Sherry and her family have been living in a bunker away from the world and away from the disease that has swept across Los Angeles. It began as a strain of rabies which has turned its victims into Weepers - deadly monsters whose aim it is to hunt and kill.

When Sherry's family is forced out of the bunker when their food runs out, Sherry is confronted with a whole new world. A Los Angeles that is nearly empty and lifeless. And as she sees sunlight and rain for the first time, Sherry also has to deal with the fact that her father has been captured and the only person that can help save him is Joshua, a troubled boy on a mission to destroy every last Weeper.

I really enjoyed this story, I found Sherry and Joshua to be interesting characters who I wanted to find out more about. I found this population-free LA to be an image that has stayed with me, the Weepers to be suitably horrifying and creepy and dangerous. And while at times, things felt a little convenient - in that Sherry meets this bad-ass Weeper killer at the exact right moment who happens to also live with a knowledgeable scientist who knows plenty about the rabies epidemic and is able to answer questions about Weepers - I was still able to move past that quickly and connect to the story. I liked the tenuous beginning to this relationship between Sherry and Joshua, I found it to be quite sweet. There was plenty of danger and edge-of-my-seat action that had me furiously turning the pages!

The ending to The Other Life is especially surprising and makes me feel very differently about everything. This is a fun and interesting debut novel and a good start to a new zombie series!

In my mailbox 45

I have to apologise now for the sheer amount of books in this post. I'm thinking positive thoughts to all of you who make it to the end.

Welcome to another edition of In My Mailbox. IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren in which bloggers get the chance to share with their readers the books that have recently come into their possession. I really love this meme and I look forward to seeing all my favourite blogger's books each week. Thank you to Kristi for hosting something that is such fun!

Here are the books that I acquired this week...


Starters by Lissa Price - The first in a futuristic thriller series featuring a dangerously vain society where youth is coveted at an impossible price, and one girl has the ability to bring it all crumbling down.

I am very excited about this book! I went to a blogger event at Random House yesterday, where we heard more about this book and I am even more excited to read it now! I'm sure I'll be talking about this book quite soon. I'm looking forward to it.

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Stones For My Father by Trilby Kent - Corlie Roux’s farm life in South Africa is not easy: the Transvaal is beautiful, but it is also a harsh place where the heat can be so intense that the very raindrops sizzle. When her beloved father dies, she is left with a mother who is as devoted to her sons as she is cruel to her daughter. Despite this, Corlie finds solace in her friend, Sipho, and in Africa itself and in the stories she conjures for her brothers.

But Corlie’s world is about to vanish: the British are invading and driving Boer families like hers from their farms. Some escape into the bush to fight the enemy. The unlucky ones are rounded up and sent to internment camps.

Will Corlie’s resilience and devotion to her country sustain her through the suffering and squalor she finds in the camp at Kroonstad? That may depend on a soldier from faraway Canada and on inner resources Corlie never dreamed she had….

This book sounds like it covers some really interesting ground and I am very keen to read it!

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Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale - When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

Katie Dale was featured on the blog last year and ever since, I have been dying to get my hands on a copy of her book! Hurrah, that has been accomplished! Now to read it :)

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Empress of the World by Sara Ryan - Nicola Lancaster is spending eight weeks at the Siegel Institute Summer Program for Gifted Youth, a hothouse of smart, articulate, intense teenagers. She soon falls in with Katrina (Manic Computer Chick), Isaac (Nice-Guy-Despite-Himself), Kevin (Inarticulate Composer) . . . and Battle. Battle Hall Davies is a beautiful blonde dancer, and everything Nic isn't. The two become friends-and then, startlingly, more than friends. What do you do when you think you're attracted to guys, and then you meet a girl who steals your heart?

Just as last week I acquired A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner because of the fabulous review by Caroline of Portrait of A Woman, in the same wonderful theme week, she featured a review of Empress of the World and I was very taken up by it. So much so, that it arrived this week! I'm hoping to get to it for Love Month.

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The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg - Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

This book arrived this week and I was so excited about it that it's the book I'm currently reading. So far, I'm loving all the pop culture references and the cheese jokes!

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Legend by Marie Lu - The United States is gone, along with its flooded coasts. North America's two warring nations, the western Republic and the eastern Colonies, have reached a breaking point. In the midst of this broken continent and dark new world are two teenagers who will go down in history....

Born into the slums of Los Angeles, fifteen-year old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. A mysterious boy with no recorded image or fingerprints. A boy who should no longer exist. A boy who watches over his family until one evening, when the plague patrols mark his family's door with an X--the sign of plague infection. A death sentence for any family too poor to afford the antidote. Desperate, Day has no choice; he must steal it.

Born to an elite family in Los Angeles' wealthy Ruby sector, fifteen-year old June is the Republic's most promising prodigy. A superintelligent girl destined for great things in the country's highest military circles. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country--until the day her brother Metias is murdered while on patrol during a break-in at the plague hospital.

Only one person could be responsible.

Day.

And now it's June's mission to hunt him down.

The truth they'll uncover will become legend.

Ooh. I've been excited about this one for awhile! I'm so intrigued.

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Girl Meets Boy - What do guys and girls really think? Twelve of the most dynamic and engaging YA authors writing today team up for this one-of-a-kind collection of "he said/she said" stories-he tells it from the guy's point of view, she tells it from the girl's. These are stories of love and heartbreak. There's the good-looking jock who falls for a dangerous girl, and the flipside, the toxic girl who never learned to be loved; the basketball star and the artistic (and shorter) boy she never knew she wanted; the gay boy looking for love online and the girl who could help make it happen. Each story in this unforgettable collection teaches us that relationships are complicated-because there are two sides to every story.

Here's another book I thought sounded absolutely perfect for Love month, with the very he said/she said structure of the book. Sounds like a bit of fun!

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Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt - Seventeen-year-old high school senior Shannon Card needs money. And lots of it. She's been admitted to Wellesley, but her dad just lost his job, and somehow she has to come up with a year of tuition herself. But Shannon's dream of making big bucks waitressing at the local casino, the Collosio, disappears faster than a gambler's lucky streak. Her boss is a tyrant, her coworker is nuts, and her chances of balancing a tray full of drinks while wearing high-heeled shoes are slim to none. Worse, time is running out, and Shannon hasn't made even half the money she'd hoped.

When Shannon receives a mysterious invitation to join Aces Up, a secret network of highly talented college poker players, at first she thinks No way. She has enough to worry about: keeping her job, winning the coveted math scholarship at school, and tutoring her secret crush, Max. But when Shannon musters up the nerve to kiss Max and he doesn't react at all, the allure of Aces Up and its sexy eighteen-year-old leader, Cole, is suddenly too powerful to ignore.

Soon Shannon's caught up in a web of lies and deceit that makes worrying about tuition money or a high school crush seem like kid stuff. Still, when the money's this good, is the fear of getting caught reason enough to fold?

This fun, sexy, recession-proof story is a bubbly summer read with surprising depth—great for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.

I do love Lauren Barnholdt. I've only only read two of her books (Two Way Street and One Night That Changes Everything) but with just those two book I've become a real fan. I'm hoping to enjoy this book just as much! (for Love month again!)

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Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Can you see a bit of a theme with this week's books? Last year's Love month saw a review for Anna and the French Kiss and it just didn't seem right not to include the new book by Stephanie Perkins. I'm DYING to read this book.

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A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley - A summer of friendship, romance, and songs in major chords. . .

CHARLIE DUSKIN loves music, and she knows she's good at it. But she only sings when she's alone, on the moonlit porch or in the back room at Old Gus's Secondhand Record and CD Store. Charlie's mom and grandmother have both died, and this summer she's visiting her grandpa in the country, surrounded by ghosts and grieving family, and serving burgers to the local kids at the milk bar. She's got her iPod, her guitar, and all her recording equipment, but she wants more: A friend. A dad who notices her. The chance to show Dave Robbie that she's not entirely unspectacular.

ROSE BUTLER lives next door to Charlie's grandfather and spends her days watching cars pass on the freeway and hanging out with her troublemaker boyfriend. She loves Luke but can't wait to leave their small country town. And she's figured out a way: she's won a scholarship to a science school in the city, and now she has to convince her parents to let her go. This is where Charlie comes in. Charlie, who lives in the city, and whom Rose has ignored for years. Charlie, who just might be Rose's ticket out.

Told in alternating voices and filled with music, friendship, and romance, Charlie and Rose's "little wanting song" is about the kind of longing that begins as a heavy ache but ultimately makes us feel hopeful and wonderfully alive.

Here's another book that I picked up mostly due to another book blogger's review! I say mostly because I've also just read the brilliant Graffiti Moon by the same author and was keen to read more by her. Very much looking forward to this one!

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Reckoning by Lili St. Crow - Nobody expected Dru Anderson to survive this long. Not Graves. Not Christophe. Not even Dru. She's battled killer zombies, jealous djamphirs, and bloodthirsty suckers straight out of her worst nightmares. But now that Dru has bloomed into a full-fledged svetocha - rare, beautiful, and toxic to all vampires - the worst is yet to come.

Because getting out alive is going to cost more than she's ever imagined. And in the end, is survival really worth the sacrifice?

I really, really adore the Strange Angels series. It's fabulous and I've been excited to read this book, but I find it strange that I haven't been able to find it in any of my local bookshops?

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Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti - Erin and Lani are best friends - and total opposites when it comes to everything, including boys. But then Erin starts dating Jason, and when Lani meets him, sparks fly. Lani is a loyal friend to Erin, but when junior year ends and Erin goes to camp for the summer, she leaves Lani behind...with Jason. Will Lani be able to put her friendship with Erin first, or will she be tempted by the guy who may just be her soul mate?

Can I just say right here and now that I'm a HUGE fan of Susane Colasanti's? Because I so am. I love her books. And while I'm not a huge fan of stories involving crushing on your best friend's boyfriend, I will still read and be excited by anything this author writes. This is another book for Love month!

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Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley - Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .

When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

This week has really been a great week for purchasing books that have been recommended to me by other book bloggers! I bought this one after I saw it on Mostly Reading YA's Debut Summer event! It sounds really sweet.

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Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally - What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

I've been seeing reviews of this around everywhere as (I think?) it was on Netgalley. I sadly missed out on that, but didn't want to miss out entirely!

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My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent - Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does.

Demon's breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

I have some serious catching up to do on the Soul Screamers series! This is the third book, and I do have the fourth and fifth lined up on my shelves waiting for me.

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Scars by Cheryl Rainfield - Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

This book has been on my wishlist for absolutely ages, as will any book about self-harm that I hear has been discussed in a sensitive manner. It's something I've dealt with personally so it can be a difficult subject matter to read, but I felt like it was time.

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Struts and Frets by Jon Skovron - Told in a voice that’s honest, urgent, and hilarious, Struts & Frets will resonate not only with teenage musicians but with anyone who ever sat up all night listening to a favorite album, wondering if they’d ever find their place in the world.

Music is in Sammy’s blood. His grandfather was a jazz musician, and Sammy’s indie rock band could be huge one day—if they don’t self-destruct first. Winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands would justify all the band’s compromises and reassure Sammy that his life’s dream could become a reality. But practices are hard to schedule when Sammy’s grandfather is sick and getting worse, his mother is too busy to help either of them, and his best friend may want to be his girlfriend.

When everything in Sammy’s life seems to be headed for major catastrophe, will his music be enough to keep him together?

Here's a book that I picked up solely on the blog tour posts that cropped up recently! They really do work, ha! :)

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And holy crap, that is all. I've decided to not show you the books I picked up over the weekend from the Random House blogger brunch, but I felt like this lot was more than enough to share!

Where should I start? Which books did you get?

REVIEW: To Be A Cat by Matt Haig

Guest review by Kulsuma from sunshine and stardust

I was so excited to read To Be A Cat by Matt Haig and fortunately, it lived up to all my expectations. To Be A Cat ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for a book that’s funny, action-packed and full of furry animals. The story takes place over a couple of days and features rapid chase scenes, amazing transformations and life-changing epiphanies. What more can one ask for? To Be A Cat was a really fantastic story; I finished it in one sitting.

Barney’s life is not going well. He’s being bullied by a horrible boy called Gavin Needle. Mrs Whipmire, the mean head teacher is constantly picking on him for things he didn’t even do and there’s been no sign of his dad for months. On top of all that, his mum’s always rushed off her feet. All this leads Barney to wish for an easier life- like a cat’s. Soon, Barney gets his wish, but will he live to regret it?

Though this story takes place over a couple of days, Barney learns a lot about himself in that short time. He learns so many important life lessons such as to be careful for what you wish for. Barney quickly realises that to be a cat isn’t as great as he’d thought it would be- certainly not with Mrs Whipmire and Gavin Needle on his tail!

This book was really suspenseful. People aren’t who you think they are.

To Be A Cat by Matt Haig had loads of great twists and turns. Children will love this book because it is full of humour, action and interesting interludes from the author. I was laughing throughout the story and I believe everyone will enjoy it immensely. I wholly recommend To Be A Cat. You must read it to find out if cats really do have nine lives.

Fun review, thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

I was so thrilled to win a signed copy of The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa in a Twitter competition! I'm such a huge fan of the Iron Fey series and I was desperate to read this final installment told from the point of view of icy Prince Ash!

And while I do love a good journey story, especially one that took us to the Edge of the World as did The Iron Knight, and however much I loved Ash and Grimalkin and Puck, I found this story to be lacking something. I can't quite put my finger on it. I really enjoyed it, and I flew through the pages just as addictively as I have the previous three books in the series. It just wasn't as emotionally impactful as the previous books.

While it can be pretty heartbreaking in places as Ash struggles with his choices and his decisions as he's making this epic journey to the edge of Nevernever in order to prove himself worthy of a soul in order to return to Meghan in the Iron realm as her knight, I didn't feel as though Ash's struggles well enough. However, there was still much to love in this book.

What I did love very much, is seeing the world through Ash's eyes. I loved finding out more about his past including his relationship with Ariella and the friendship between Ash and Puck before her death. I found myself lapping up every single detail about Ash before we met him in The Iron King. Even (especially?) when he reveals more about the things he did in the Winter Court, in order to please his Queen and to keep up with the politics. The fey and people he killed without a care and how easily he toyed with human emotions made him more real to me, seeing how flawed he is as an individual.

I also really enjoyed the evolving relationship Ash has with Puck. I was really happy to see him let go of some of that anger and resentment over what happened with Ariella so very long ago. And throughout all these tough decisions and personal development, there is still a great deal of action and excitement as Ash and Puck travel together, meeting some new characters and old and battle against mythical creatures.

All in all, an enjoyable end to what has been one of my favourite recent series! My long-standing crush on Prince Ash remains intact.

Stacks of books

It is that time of year again! Where instead of concentrating all my time on THIS stack of books...

...and instead will be focusing on THESE books:


Don't they look intimidating? I guess some of you might not know that I am studying for a degree in Psychology? Mostly because I don't discuss it very much on this blog. But I have been studying psychology for awhile now and as I'm doing a part-time degree, I am now halfway finished. I have this year's course to finish as well as two third level courses to finish. It is a lot of work and takes a fair bit of my time and concentration in order to do well.

This year's course (Biological pyschology: exploring the brain) is particularly stressful for me. It is the course I've been least looking forward to as it combines a subject I really enjoy (psychology, obviously!) with a subject that I find terrifying (biology). I don't have a strong background in sciences, and I worry that this course will be the undoing of me. Which is why I've made it my goal this year to really work hard on it. I am determined to ace this course despite being rather afraid of it.

I did know well in advance that I would struggle with this course, which is why I've tried to plan ahead, get some reviews prepared in advance, spread out some of my review load to guest reviewers (thank you so much Carrie, Kulsuma and Jenni!) and hopefully it will be enough. I do have a lot of review books already in my possession, I have a lot of review coming my way in the near future and I will do my best to juggle everything.

One thing that I try to keep in the back of my mind is that one of my goals for this year is to 'be kind to myself' and in this instance I feel like I need to remind myself not to put myself under too much pressure to do everything. Besides being a reader and a blogger, I am also a student, a wife and most importantly a mother.

So wish me luck! I feel like I'll need it this year.