In My Mailbox (13), or Author/Publisher Appreciation

Yes, you could probably tell that I haven't done an IMM post in a long time. Two months, to be exact. I stopped because, after a while, it wasn't fun anymore. It took a lot of time, and I was always left feeling empty after reading everyone's posts, and I'm not even sure why.

However, I am now reinstating IMM on an irregular basis to give thanks to authors and publishers who have been wonderful in offering their books for review. I won't include books I got in swap, and very little of what I bought (because that would just make things all the more confusing), but I will list the books that I borrowed from the library, to show support for the library! Hehe. Here goes!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

(Little, Brown / Dec. 1, 2009)

A Southern town with dark secrets... a cursed family... a doomed romance. Sounds... delicious! And the cover is beautiful, of course. I featured it on one of my Waiting on Wednesday posts. Sooo excited to read it. Thank you, Kami, Margie, Cecilia, and Little Brown!

Initiation by Susan Fine

(Flux / May 2009)

A middle-school, minority student at a prep school filled with the usual amount of snobbish and dangerous prep students. Written by a Deb! Thank you, Susan!

And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman

(Point / July 1, 2009)

A teenage girl's mother goes missing, and she is sent to live with her two very different aunts in NYC. However, she can't shake off the feeling that her mother may still be out there, and in danger...

Have I already said how much I enjoyed this book? No? Well, read my review, in which I talk all about why I enjoyed it and why I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel. Also look out for an author interview and giveaway soon. Thank you, Sheila Marie!

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

(Henry Holt & Co. / May 12, 2009)

An 11-year-old girl talks about what it's like to grow up in rural Texas at the turn of the twentieth century. This book has received numerous awards and recommendations, and it reminds me a bit of the Little House on the Prairie books, which I loved. Thank you, Henry Holt & Co., and Sarah from Blue Slip Media!

Ghost Huntress, Book 1: The Awakening by Marley Gibson

(Sandpiper / May 4, 2009)

A girl discovers her ghost-fighting powers and uses technology to get rid of ghosts in her new town. I've been seeing mixed reviews of this, and am curious to find out what I'd think of it. Thank you again, Sarah!

 

Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors

(Walker Books / July 21, 2009)

An angel comes into a girl's life and wishes to grant her deepest desire... only she doesn't know what it is herself. Besides, she's got bigger things to worry about--such as how her grandmother's coffeehouse is going to stay open. (See my review here.)

Oathbreaker: Assassin's Apprentice, Part I by S. R. Vaught and J. B. Redmond

(Bloomsbury / May 12, 2009)

Two boys discover their role in helping right the corruption that is pillaging their world.

The above two were from Bloomsbury for review. Thank you, Anna!

The Rapture by Liz Jensen

(Doubleday / Aug. 11, 2009)

Touted as a cross between Girl, Interrupted and The Dead Zone, this is a story about a girl, incarcerated for murdering her mother, but perhaps responsible for upcoming natural and geological disasters. A Shelf Awareness find. Thank you, Doubleday!

Constellation Chronicles: The Lost Civilization of Aries by Vincent Lowry

(Mill City Press / Dec. 1, 2008)

A UFO crash-lands in New Mexico, and a young man is thrust into a strange new world. From Bostick Communications. Thank you, Vincent.

Across the Pond by Storyheart

(Xlibris / Sept. 2008)

Transatlantic romance. Another Bostick offering. Thank you, Storyheart.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

(Simon & Schuster / Oct. 13, 2009)

Patch is dangerous, devious, irresistibly sexy... and not of this world. And Nora Grey is about to fall for him.

This book has been one of the upcoming releases I'm most looking forward to ever since I found it and featured it as a Waiting on Wednesday pick. And wow! This is an incredibly tantalizing story. I couldn't put it down, and when I finished, I had to go back and reread some of my favorite parts! My review will be posted closer to the publication date soon, by order of special arrangements with Becca, but it's up on Goodreads if you stalk find me there. Thank you SO much, Becca and Patricka!

Ash by Malinda Lo

(Little, Brown / Sept. 1, 2009)

A lesbian retelling of Cinderella and one of my most anticipated Waiting on Wednesday picks...need I say more? Malinda was wonderful enough to offer me one of her remaining ARCs, and words cannot express how much I'm looking forward to reading this. Thank you, thank you, Malinda!

David Inside Out by Lee Bantle

(Henry Holt & Co. / May 12, 2009)

When David falls for another guy on the track team, he does everything he can to try to suppress his "inappropriate" feelings. I've been reading some brilliant GLBTQ lit recently (most notably being Sprout by Dale Peck--review here and an interview with Dale here). Therefore, I am excited to read this book. Thanks for the opportunity, Lee!

Meridian by Amber Kizer

(Delacorte / Aug. 11, 2009)

Meridian Sozu is a freaky combination of half-angel and half-human, causing inexplicable links to deaths all her life. She learns that her responsibility is to help people die, so that their half-dead souls will not be used for sinister purposes.

A total surprise when this one came in the mail. Total. Okay, maybe once, long ago, I mentioned on my blog that Meridian was on my wishlist... and then Amber did this for me?? Thank you thank you thank you, Amber! My mouth fell open when I saw this, seriously. :)

 

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

(EgmontUSA / Oct. 13, 2009)

Sara is new at Anton High, and decides to reinvent herself by lying about her past. But when a classmate starts to dig up old history, Sara may be in trouble...

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

(EgmontUSA / Sept. 8, 2009)

Andrew is grossly overweight, and that's only one of the reasons he doesn't fit in at school. But he decides to try and belong somewhere... by trying out for the football team.

Wow! I'm so excited to get these from EgmontUSA, whose line launches this fall with some spectacular titles. Thank you so much, Stephanie!

 

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

(Harlequin Teen / Aug. 1, 2009)

Kaylee has the unfortunate compulsion to scream whenever someone near her is about to die. It's cutting into her ability to have a normal social life, but when classmates start dying off, Kaylee's sucked into the horrifying mystery.

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

(Harlequin Teen / Sept. 1, 2009)

Aden has four souls living inside him. It's confusing and crazy, but then he meets a girl who can quiet the turmoil within him. Only problem is, he's not good for her.

These books came from a website promotional offering. They sound delicious. I secretly enjoy romance novels, so I'm intrigued to see how Harlequin will write for teens. Thanks, Harlequin Teen!

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

(Atria / July 14, 2009)

From what I gather from online synopses and the book jacket, this book is basically about two friends who fall out of friendship but then are drawn back together due to some circumstances. This one was a surprise, and originally I thought I would have to read Jennifer's previous books to understand this, but it turns out this is a stand-alone novel, which is good right about now. Sounds good! I'm going to read it soon.

Also got the following from the library:

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta

Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian

Girl Stays in the Picture by Melissa de la Cruz

Highway to Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

I probably missed some along the weeks or so, especially if I've already read and reviewed them. If that's the case, sorry about that! The next time I do an IMM post it will be a lot better, since it won't be a two-months' buildup, hehe. How 'bout that?