Sunday, August 30, 2009

In My Mailbox (16)

In My Mailbox is inspired by Alea and memefied by Kristi. Check out Kristi's post to see more people's IMM posts for this week!

The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor
(HarperTeen / ARC / Feb. 2010)

Before he died, Melissa’s father told her about stars. He told her that the brightest stars weren’t always the most beautiful—that if people took the time to look at the smaller stars, if they looked with a telescope at the true essence of the star, they would find real beauty. But even though Melissa knows that beauty isn’t only skin deep, the people around her don’t seem to feel that way. There’s her gorgeous sister Ashley who will barely acknowledge Melissa at school, there's her best friend Ryan, who may be falling in love with the sophisticated Courtney, and there’s Melissa’s mother who’s dating someone new, someone who Melissa knows will never be able to replace her father.

To make sure she doesn’t lose her father completely, Melissa spends her time trying to piece together the last of his secrets and completing a journal her father began—one about love and relationships and the remarkable ways people find one another. But when tragedy strikes, Melissa has to start living and loving in the present, as she realizes that being beautiful on the outside doesn't mean you can't be beautiful on the inside.


Sarah from Blue Slip Media has been raving about this ever since she first contacted me, and so I'm ecstatic to have received an ARC--and this early before publication, too!

Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji
(NAL Trade / PB / May 5, 2009)

In a middle-class neighborhood of Iran's sprawling capital city, 17-year-old Pasha Shahed spends the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best friend Ahmed, joking around one minute and asking burning questions about life the next. He also hides a secret love for his beautiful neighbor Zari, who has been betrothed since birth to another man. But the bliss of Pasha and Zari's stolen time together is shattered when Pasha unwittingly acts as a beacon for the Shah's secret police. The violent consequences awaken him to the reality of living under a powerful despot, and lead Zari to make a shocking choice...


I've heard nothing but good things about this book since it came out in May, so I'm honored to have the opportunity to review it. Thank you!

Ripley's Believe It or Not: Seeing is Believing!
(Ripley Publishing / HB / Aug. 4, 2009)

Following hot on the heels of last year's best-selling edition, "Ripley's Believe it or Not 2009" offers a whole new feast of bizarre facts, fiends and freaks -all guaranteed to fascinate, surprise and amaze. Stare in wonder at the man who swallowed a solid steel sword underwater; gasp at the pelican who ate a pigeon; and, marvel at the man who swam down the Amazon, dodging piranhas, pirates and whirlpools. Illustrated throughout with extraordinary colour photographs, this fascinating book is a must-have for anyone intrigued by the stranger aspects of our planet and its inhabitants.

Yeah, yeah, I don't read much nonfiction, but strange-but-true facts are one of my weaknesses, hehe. Plus, my boyfriend will probably be very happy to help me review this. :) Thanks, Carolina!

Hate List by Jennifer Brown
(Little, Brown / ARC / Sept. 1, 2009)

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.


Came for a Traveling to Teens tour. Yay!!! I've wanted to read this for so long.


Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 1: The Scepter of the Ancients by Derek Landy
(HarperCollins / PB / reprint May 2009)
Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 3: The Faceless Ones by Derek Landy
(HarperCollins / HB / Sept. 1, 2009)

Summary for Book 1: Stephanie led a pretty quiet existence until her uncle died. Not only did he leave her his mansion, he left her a new best friend—Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton detective (sorry, a supernatural skeleton detective)—who waltzes into her life for keeps. Now she's acquiring magical powers, endangering her life to fight evil, and trading snappy comebacks with something without a body.

So much for her quiet existence.

Stephanie's big job is to find the Scepter of the Ancients—a weapon capable of destroying anyone and anything—before the evil Faceless Ones steal it for themselves. She just has to defeat a bunch of ghouls, kick the butts of a clan of vampires, and hide her powers from the entire world (oh, and her parents).

No worries. She's got a bunch of bones on her side.


I've been curious about this series ever since I first heard about it several months ago. Aren't the reprints gorgeous? Thank you, John Michael and HarperCollins!

The Sky Always Hears Me, and the Hills Don't Mind by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
(Flux / PB / Sept. 1, 2009)

Sixteen-year-old Morgan lives in a hick town in the middle of Nebraska. College is two years away. Her mom was killed in a car accident when she was three, her dad drinks, and her stepmom is a non-entity. Her boyfriend Derek is boring and her coworker Rob has a very cute butt that she can't stop staring at. Then there's the kiss she shared with her classmate Tessa...

But when Morgan discovers that the one person in the world she trusted most has kept a devastating secret from her, Morgan must redefine her life and herself.


I've been wanting to read this ever since I found it and featured it as one of my Waiting on Wednesday picks. I'm reading it right now and it is awesome. Thank you, Kirstin and Courtney at Flux!

Awakening Consciousness: A Girl's Guide! by Robin Marvel
(Loving Healing Press / PB / Nov. 2008)

Awakening Consciousness is a workbook designed to encourage spiritual growth on a path of self awareness. The fun hands-on exercises in this motivating, easy to use workbook are for girls of all ages and will encourage great exploration into universal Awareness. In this book you will:
  • Exercise your seven chakras
  • Learn about crystals
  • Discover how to keep a healthy aura
  • Explore your inner self
  • Practice learning the pendulum
  • Create your own future
  • Try aromatherapy with easy to do, fun crafts

  • Like I said earlier, I don't read much nonfiction, but I accepted this for review because this is exactly the type of book I would've read when I was in middle school, lol.

    Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti
    (EgmontUSA / ARC / Sept. 22, 2009)

    Meet the Bellweather family: Spider, a 14-year-old boy who surrounds himself and his family with dangerous--very dangerous--endangered animals; Ninda, a 13-year-old self-righteous do-gooder whose good deeds somehow always end in disaster; the 9-year-old triplets Spike, Brick, and Sassy, who speak to one another in Loud and Strong Voices; their hapless parents who only contribute to the chaos; and their wonderful, buttoned-up, and organized butler, Tristan Benway, who tells the tale of his attempted escape from the endangered alligators, scientific experiments run amok, smuggled-in circus performers, and general mayhem of the Bellweather family.

    I'm rediscovering my love for all things middle grade, and this seems like it will be a ton of fun. Thanks, Beth!

    Bought this week:

    None (need money for college books *cries*)

    From swaps:

    A College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer
    Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
    Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks
    How to Steal a Car by Pete Hautman

    From the library:

    After by Amy Efaw
    Hollywood is Like High School With Money by Zoey Dean
    When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

    So all in all, I had an extremely happy week book-wise, hehe. What about you?

    28 comments:

    1. Wow you had an amazing week. Can't wait to read The Life of Glass and The Hate List. They look so good. Happy reading.

      ReplyDelete
    2. THE SKY ALWAYS HEARS ME AND THE HILLS DON'T MIND sounds like a great book!!!

      So does The Life of Glass. I'm hoping to go to Jennifer Brown's signing on the 2nd and get her book!

      ReplyDelete
    3. I'm curious about Hate List. I want to know what people think about it.. Great week! Happy reading!

      ReplyDelete
    4. Great books this week!
      I can't wait 2 read HATE LIST & the life of glass.

      ReplyDelete
    5. So jealous you got The Hate List. It sounds really good! You're going to LOVE When You Reach Me. It is completely amazing!

      ReplyDelete
    6. I really want to read The Sky Always Hears Me and After. happy reading!

      ReplyDelete
    7. I've heard that The Hate List is an interesting book, but it looks a little intense. Happy reading!

      ReplyDelete
    8. The Sky Alyways Hears Me looks really good! The Hate List too! Happy reading!

      ReplyDelete
    9. Ooh I really want to read The Sky Always Hears Me and The Life Of Glass. Enjoy all your great books. =]

      ReplyDelete
    10. Great books this week! The Life of Glass and The Sky Always Hears Me, and the Hills Don't Mind both sound awesome. And I've been dying to read After! Happy reading!

      ReplyDelete
    11. I want to read The Rooftops of Tehran also! Lots of good books! Enjoy!
      My In My Mailbox is up Here

      ReplyDelete
    12. Sounds lke a *very* happy week! I'm starting to really like the sound of The Sky Always Hears Me and Hate List.

      ReplyDelete
    13. Wow what a list! The Live of Glass sounds awesome. Can't wait to hear a reveiw.

      ReplyDelete
    14. Wow what a list! The Live of Glass sounds awesome. Can't wait to hear a reveiw.

      ReplyDelete
    15. Awesome books, I just bought The Hate List, so I can't wait to read it :) Happy Reading!

      -Eleni

      ReplyDelete
    16. The Skulduggery Pleasant books do look better with the new covers. The other ones looked a bit childish--wonder if they're hoping to attract an older audience with these?

      ReplyDelete
    17. I really want to read The Hate List! Enjoy :)

      ReplyDelete
    18. Great week! The Life of Glass sounds amazing!

      ReplyDelete
    19. I haven't heard of Life of Glass - I'll have to add that to the wish list. I randomly got the Skulduggery Pleasant books in the mail a little while ago and I'm curious about them too.

      ReplyDelete
    20. Congrats on a great book week. Since I saw the cover to a Life a Glass I have been jonesing for it. The cover looks amazing and its premise engaging.

      Enjoy your reads :)

      ReplyDelete
    21. I gotta disagree on the Skullduggery reprints. I think some of my boys will be put off by those girly looking fantasy covers. Of course, for me, they would actually encourage me to pick them up! Do you already have book 2?

      The Bellweathers book sounds good. I will be on the look out for that one!

      ReplyDelete
    22. Great books! Have a good time reading. :)

      ReplyDelete
    23. I'm so jealous! The Hate List looks great.

      ReplyDelete
    24. OOOH! I would go crazy for Life of Glass. Congratulations on a great week!

      ReplyDelete
    25. What a wonderful week of books! I have "Hatelist" and I need to start it. Love to know what you think!

      Plus, I'm so glad I finally came across your blog!

      Thanks for having me!

      xoxo AMY (Park-Avenue Princess)

      ReplyDelete
    26. Great books this week. The Life of Glass and The Sky Always Hears Me sound really good.

      Happy Reading!

      ReplyDelete
    27. I'm waiting on the Life of Glass to come in the mail and Hate List looks really good. You received some really good books this week!

      ReplyDelete
    28. I hate Steph cos she got The Life Of Glass already. You have to tell me if you love that book okay? :)

      ReplyDelete

    Hello! I'm so excited to read what you have to say. Due to high amounts of spam, I'm forced to disabled anonymous comments for the time being. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes, and I hope you can understand and still appreciate the content here!

    LinkWithin

    Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...