Sunday, October 09, 2011

In My Mailbox 38

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...


The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan - Mae Crawford’s always thought of herself as in control, but in the last few weeks her life has changed. Her younger brother, Jamie, suddenly has magical powers, and she’s even more unsettled when she realizes that Gerald, the new leader of the Obsidian Circle, is trying to persuade Jamie to join the magicians. Even worse… Jamie hasn’t told Mae a thing about any of it. Mae turns to brothers Nick and Alan to help her rescue Jamie, but they are in danger from Gerald themselves because he wants to steal Nick's powers. Will Mae be able to find a way to save everyone she cares about from the power-hungry magician's carefully laid trap?

Recently I posted a call for swapping some of the books I had lying around for some of the books my lovely blog readers had lying around. And through that, I swapped with Lyndsey from Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book Reviews for this, the second book in the Demon series by Sarah Rees Brennan. I'm really excited about it. I read The Demon's Lexicon for my Paranormal Month (the ongoing themed month for October!) and I *loved* it, so cannot wait to see where the story will go next. Thanks so much for this Lyndsey :)


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Beauty Queens by Libba Bray - The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.


I was thrilled to see this book listed on ReadItSwapIt. I've been dying to read it for awhile, especially after I read and LOVED another of Libba Bray's other books, Going Bovine.


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Angel Fire by LA Weatherly - This is the thrilling second chapter in the electrifying "Angel Trilogy". Angels will never be seen in the same way again. Gorgeous, charismatic Alex has the courage and skill of a trained Angel Killer. Unique, dazzling Willow has the beauty and power that comes with being half-angel. As the power of the malevolent Church of Angels grows, now it's up to Alex and Willow to train a new team of Angel Killers. Willow soon finds her half-angel identity met with hostility by some of the other AKs, while privately, she must wrestle with the knowledge that her father, Raziel, is a depraved, evil angel. However, while life in the AK training camp is tough, at least Alex and Willow are together. But when Alex discovers that the death of his brother and fellow Angel-Killer, Jake, was linked to a secret CIA mission to defeat the angels, he is forced to leave the camp to complete his brother's work... without Willow. Alex promised Willow he would never leave her, but with the fate of the human race at stake, destiny has ruled that Alex and Willow must be parted once more..

Angel, the first book in this series, absolutely blew me away, so as soon as I saw Angel Fire in the shops, I instantly snapped it up. Hurrah.


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Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt - According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object—an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas—it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking—er, focusing on—Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.


I've been reading some really great reviews of this book. It sounds really cute and fun and I don't want to miss out.


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The Stuff of Nightmares by Malorie Blackman - Kyle has always been afraid of things, especially dying. But when he gets on the train that is taking him and his class on a school trip, he has no idea how close to Death he is going to come. Death enters the train and Kyle moves with him, past his friends, who are frozen in time, in life-or-death situations. Kyle finds that he can pick up on their deepest, darkest fears - real things that have happened to them, or may happen in the future, and sometimes their surreal nightmares too.

Kyle realises that he isn't the only one who has buried fears and, more importantly, he now burns with the desire to live, and to live without fear. But will Death release him?

I was doing one of my regular charity shop wanders, when I stumbled across a few different books that I'd been wanting to read but hadn't ever come across the books before. This and the following two books all fit in nicely with November's themed month, which will be celebrating British authors.


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Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve - Fever Crumb is a girl who has been adopted and raised by Dr. Crumb, a member of the order of Engineers, where she serves as apprentice. In a time and place where women are not seen as reasonable creatures, Fever is an anomaly, the only female to serve in the order. Soon though, she must say goodbye to Dr. Crumb-nearly the only person she's ever known-to assist archeologist Kit Solent on a top-secret project. As her work begins, Fever is plagued by memories that are not her own and Kit seems to have a particular interest in finding out what they are. Fever has also been singled out by city-dwellers who declare her part Scriven. The Scriveners, not human, ruled the city some years ago but were hunted down and killed in a victorious uprising by the people. If there are any remaining Scriven, they are to be eliminated. All Fever knows is what she's been told: that she is an orphan. Is Fever a Scriven? Whose memories does she hold? Is the mystery of Fever, adopted daughter of Dr. Crumb, the key to the secret that lies at the heart of London? Haunting, arresting, and astonishingly original, Fever Crumb will delight and surprise readers at every fast-paced, breathless turn.

Why have I not read this book already? I LOVED Mortal Engines, and the thought of a prequel to the story makes me utterly excited. I really hope this book lives up to my very high expectations.


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Big Woo by Susie Day - Ta-da! My blog of lolarious brilliance has escaped from the internets. Into a book! BIG WOO! Omg behold my interestingness. But don't read it, tiny children. It is full of rudey bits and lameassery. AND SHOUTING IN CAPSLOCK which is bad for you, obvs.

Oh, I love Susie Day! Every day should be a Susie Day :) Earlier in the year I read Girl Meets Cake and it was such a wonderful, happy-making book that I knew I desperately wanted to pick up Big Woo. I would have full price for this one as I haven't seen it around anywhere. What a lucky find, I've already read it and just as I expected - I loved it.



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Verity Fibbs by Cathy Brett - Reality can never quite compare with the online world of Demon Streets for Verity. There she gets to learn new demon fighting skills and have fun. In reality she goes to school to learn useless skills and her fashion designer mother, Saffron Fibbs, is operating punishment by chores (for a small boy related misdemeanor). As ethical is the new black when it comes to fashion, Verity's mum's recycled fashion venture is the hottest thing ever and she has to go to New York to publicize it giving Verity three days of total freedom! But someone else is just as keen to see Saffron Fibbs leave home and when V and her friends find themselves on the wrong side of a very unethical enemy it seems that her online gaming skills might be the only thing between her and a very real Game Over...

I've been curious about Cathy Brett for awhile now, and jumped at the chance to read and review one of her books!


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Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
- Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.
Now the law has finally caught up with Rose--for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.
But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back . . . and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?
Join Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Lissa in LAST SACRIFICE, the epic, unforgettable finale to Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling VAMPIRE ACADEMY series.

I'm still on my mission to track down copies of all the books in the Vampire Academy series. I swapped for this final book in the series, though I'm still missing the fifth book - Spirit Bound.

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And that's it for me. Have you read any of these books? Where should I start? What books did you buy/recieve this week?

24 comments:

  1. I am really looking forward to reading Verity Fibbs! I think Cathy is AMAZING!

    Have you noticed in increase in YA books in the charity shops lately? I hadn't but you seem to have found some gems and I may have to do a bit of a trawl.

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  2. I hope you enjoy Beauty Queens, it was me you swapped with!

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  3. Wow you've got some awesome books this week! The one's I'd be most excited about are Sean Griswold's Head, Fever Crumb (though I've only read the first Mortal Engines book so far), and Big Woo.

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  4. Man, Last Sacrifice is good! And I really want to read Beauty Queens very badly. I'll be looking out for your review.

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  5. Looking forward to British authors month in November - the month I am moving back to the UK - what great timing you have!

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  6. I've heard great reviews of Beauty Queen it sounds pretty amusing. Great haul!

    Giselle
    Xpresso Reads

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  7. Great Haul! Beauty Queens looks amazing!! Happy Reading and enjoy all your books!

    Idris
    In My Mailbox

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  8. I really want to read Beauty Queens. It sounds so different from everything I normally read.

    Good luck with getting Spirit Bound!

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  9. Another week and more amazing books! Have fun reading all of your new editions! :)

    Come visit my IMM!

    Amanda
    Hippies, Beauty, and Books. Oh My!

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  10. Great books this week! I can't wait to pick up Angle fire. I loved the first book. I also love Libba Bray so I'm interested to see what you think of Beauty Queens. Enjoy :)

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  11. Loved Beauty Queend and Sean Griswold's Head! Enjoy both! :)

    -Meredith

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  12. Sean Griswold's Head is HILARIOUS and adorable!! I hope you love it!

    Here's what I received in my mailbox this week :)

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  13. I liked Beauty Queens, but I can't say I loved it. Anywho, enjoy your awesome reads!

    Stop by my IMM

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  14. Wow lot's of great books. Hope you enjoy all of them...especially Angel Fire! Thanks for sharing and once again great haul this week.

    Check out my IMM:
    http://seeitorreadit.blogspot.com/2011/10/in-my-mailbox-2.html

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  15. OHHH definitely start with Vampire Academy. That series is amazing! But beware, once you start you'll get sucked in and have to get the rest of the books =)
    My IMM
    Kristan @ Lost Amongst the Shelves

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  16. The stuff of nightmares is brilliant! It's one of Malorie's that not many people have read but I really advise it!

    Happy reading!
    Steffikins

    http://steffikins.blogspot.com/2011/10/imm-13-250911-081011.html?m=0

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  17. ooo Demon's Covenant is AAAAAMAZING

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  18. Some fantastic books :)

    I'm also looking forward to reading "Beauty Queen" and finishing Vampire Academy series.

    This is my "MM this week.

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  19. Vivienne - Hearing that makes ME even more excited to read it :) And there's not much in the way of YA in the charity shops around here, sadly. But there ARE lots of charity shops and the occasional gem.

    Lesley - Sorry! I should have linked you, but I'd completely forgotten your name and was too lazy to look it up :( Thank you though!

    Jenni - I think Mortal Engines is the best book in the series, though I did carry on and read the next two (but not the last one, I don't think) and I'm really looking forward to the prequel. Think I'll be saving SGH for Love month!

    Sophie - I still need Spirit Bound though! And to read Blood Promise. But I'm very excited.

    Anna - I aim to please :)

    Giselle - I really hope that I love it as much as I loved Going Bovine!

    Idris - It certainly sounds it :)

    theprettybooks - Thank you! And I hope I enjoy Beauty Queens as much as I think I will.

    Amanda - Thank you!

    The Library Owl - I really loved Angel as well, so there's pretty high expectations for Angel Fire! :)

    Meredith - I hope I do, thanks :)

    Tara - What a great recommendation, thank you :)

    Hafsah - I hope I do, thank you :)

    Jaskirat - Thank you so much!

    Kristan - I've read the first three so far, so I have the last three to go..

    Steffikins - I'd noticed that there weren't too many reviews of it on GoodReads, I wonder why.

    Laura - YAY! I'm glad to hear it as I ADORED Demon's Lexicon.

    Angelica Joy - Happy reading to you :)

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  20. I haven't read any of these books, but I want to! Especially Angelfire and Sean Griswold's Head... Happy reading!

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  21. Sorry I'm late! Wow, what great books. I love Susie Day books too! I also love Lindsey Leavitt books. And I'm listening to Beauty Queens on audio right now. I've been listening for months, actually - is the paperback really huge? I think the audiobook is about 16 hours long. It's lots of fun, though, and I don't really want it to end!
    Happy happy reading!

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  22. Great mailbox! I really want to read the Cathy Brett books too! :D

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  23. Luisa - Beauty Queens IS pretty big. I have the hardback and I think it'll be one of those books that I put off for awhile for being chunky but one that I think I'll really enjoy :)

    Raimy - It looks really interesting, I'm very curious about it :)

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