In My Mailbox #28

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

I haven't done an IMM in an age, but this week I came into possession of a) an Amazon gift voucher and b) a reasonably large sum of money. Of course, I spent them both on books and I'm really excited about the ones I got. There's also a book I got a couple of months ago and some really great stuff from NetGalley.

Bought:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young  

I bought this a couple of months ago at an event in London and was lucky enough to get a signed copy. 

Dream School by Blake Nelson

I read Girl as a teen and loved it, but I never even knew there was a sequel. As soon as I found out about it, I had to read it.

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

This has been getting great reviews and just sounds creepy and wonderful.

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

I bought this book for Tim Riggins. As soon as I heard a character was based on him, I knew I had to read this.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Yes!

 From NetGalley:

 Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

Thank you to Bloomsbury UK, Harlequin UK and Angry Robot.

In My Mailbox #27

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren.


Bought:

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats
When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle
Rich Boys by Jenny O'Connell
The Book of Luke by Jenny O'Connell


Kindle Purchases:

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik 
The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted 


From NetGalley:

  
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Blackwood by Gwenda Bond
The Selection by Kiera Cass


Thank you, Harlequin UK, Angry Robot and HarperCollins UK.

In My Mailbox #26

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

These are actually my books from the last two weeks and I got some great ones.

Hardbacks:

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard 

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Both of these books I have already read and reviewed here and here. I just loved them both so much, I wanted physical copies, as well as the ebook (Wanderlove) and audiobook (Lips Touch: Three Times) versions I already have.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Everything I've heard suggests that this book is going to be high on 'best of' lists for 2012. I'm reading it asap and am expecting great things.

Kindle ebooks:

 

Kick by Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman

This is currently free on Kindle. I've been looking for an opportunity to read Myers's work.

Undone by Brooke Taylor 

This book has been on my TBR list forever. It's currently available for $1.99 on Kindle.

Audiobook:

The Girl with the Mermaid Hair by Delia Ephron

I downloaded this with my latest Audible credit. A huge selling point was that it's narrated by Sarah Drew, who I still remember fondly as Hannah in Everwood.

What did you get this week?

In My Mailbox #25

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository. 

I have been really lazy in 2012 and this is the first time I've bothered to do an IMM this year. The novelty wore off of a lot of blogging memes, but I'm ready to make the effort again. What I've felt really guilty about is that I haven't been calling attention to the books I've received via NetGalley and I feel like announcing them is part of the deal. So this week's IMM is a special NetGalley edition, where I shine a spotlight on the books I've received in the past few months (and haven't already reviewed).

From NetGalley:

A Tale of Two Proms by Cara Lockwood

This is the fourth book in the Bard Academy series. I've only read the first, but have copies of all the others and they are very quick, fluffy reads, so I won't have any problem whizzing through them all in a weekend.

The Dread by Gail Z. Martin

I requested this book without realising it was a sequel, which is a shame, as I love epic fantasy and wanted to read this one straightaway. However, I have now managed to find a copy of the first book, The Sworn, at my local library and am looking forward to trying these books.

Happy Families by Tanita S. Davis

This is due to be published next month. I've been wanting to read Davis' book Mare's War, so when Happy Families was available on NetGalley, I saw it as a good way to try the author's work.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Confession: I haven't read The Demon's Lexicon series. I really want to; I've heard nothing but good things, but I haven't as yet. However, I follow Brennan on Twitter and she's hilarious; I really like her personality (and her commentary on The Vampire Diaries!) so I'm confident I will like her books, too. Unspoken isn't out until September, so I'm planning to squeeze in reading The Demon's Lexicon trilogy before then.

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

I was a huge, huge fan of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants books and they really remind me of a particular time in my life. I'm actually really nervous about this book, which reunites the characters ten years later, as I don't want to be disappointed and I've stayed away from reviews so I'm not influenced by other opinions and can make up my own mind.

In My Mailbox #24

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository UK. 

I treated myself this week (actually, I treated myself last week, but the package got held up and only arrived a few days ago). I decided to finally ignore the cost and focus on the pretty and buy myself the complete hardcover boxset for The Wolves of Mercy Falls series:

The Wolves of Mercy Falls Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater
The only one I haven't read yet is Forever, which I am saving for the day I go on Christmas break. I don't usually buy hardcovers because of cost/size and because some books might not be released in hardback, leaving you with a mis-matched set. But when a trilogy is perfectly matching, and the covers are so pretty, and all the books are written in different-coloured ink, well, that combination of factors proved impossible to resist.


Did you treat yourself this week?

In My Mailbox #23

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository UK.

I've had a really hectic few weeks at work, but nothing makes me feel right again like new books. This week I got:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater 
Maggie Stiefvater came to London and I was lucky enough to attend the event, hear her talk about her writing and get her signature on my newly-purchased copy of her latest novel.

Fracture by Megan Miranda 
The icing on the cake of the Maggie Stiefvater event? Every attendee was giving a free ARC of this book, which is a 2012 YA debut. Guess I can get a head start on The Story Siren's next challenge.


Hope everybody else had a good week in books!

In My Mailbox #22

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository UK.

From NetGalley:

Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey

Despite historical fiction being one of my favourite genres, I find myself not having read any for months! This book can remedy that and if there's any historical figure who's going to attract me back into the genre, it's Marie Antoinette.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh 

I've had an eye on reading this for a while and now NetGalley has given me the opportunity. The Victorian language of flowers is something I've always been interested in, so a novel set around that really appeals to me. 

Now to see what you all got this week! 

In My Mailbox #21

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository UK.

So...what do I do when I'm overloaded with books and feel like I'll never read them all? Why, get even more books, of course! Ugh, I have a disease and I need help.

Bought:

Delirium by Lauren Oliver 
I mentioned once that I feel like everyone has read Lauren Oliver but me. I hope to rectify that shortly.

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
I've been wanting to read this since the beginning of the year and it's being sold very cheaply at the moment. I couldn't resist.

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade by Maryrose Wood
I read the first book more than a year ago and I made this sequel the subject of a Waiting on Wednesday post. However, I confess to remembering very little about what was good about the first book or why I liked it, so I decided it was time to jog my memory.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
I'm a big Lois Lowry fan (although in my day, it was the Anastasia books I loved, not The Giver, which everybody else seems to rave about but I never read) and this is one of her books I haven't come across before. And it's so small, it's not going to add much weight to my TBR pile.


From NetGalley:

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel 

Yay, I got approved! I've been dying to read this and I'm starting it next, no question about it. 

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

It's the subtitle "A Novel of Magic Most Foul" that made me want to read this book. Magic Most Foul? Ooh, I'm in.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard 

I've been seeing reviews for this for a long time, so I didn't realise that it was still a long way away from being officially published. A book about a teenage traveller absolutely appeals to me and all the advanced buzz makes me optimistic that this will be a great read.

Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen by Donna Gephart 

This is a middle-grade/children's novel, which I don't normally read, but this just looked so darn cute.

The Queen's Lady by Eve Edwards

This is the second book in the Lacey Chronicles, which means I really have to get a move on and read the first one.

So quite a big load this week for me! What did you get?

In My Mailbox #20

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository UK.

I got my lost my NetGalley cherry this week and received my first book for review:

Crave by Melissa Darnell
I know it's vampires (again) but making the protagonist a female vamp is still quite rare in YA. I'm interested in what the author does with this premise.


I also received a book in a swap with ReadItSwapIt:

The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin
I first saw a review for this about a year ago and remembered the title. I didn't realise until I received this copy that it's written by the same authors of Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance (which I haven't read but have heard a lot about, whereas I've heard very little about this one). I'm intrigued that this book has a teenage boy with Asperger's, who's a fan of Kirsty Maccoll - I hope it'll be good enough to recommend to my students with Asperger's and, well, I like Kirsty Maccoll, too.

In My Mailbox #19

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to the Book Depository UK.

Only one book this week, but what a book!

Won:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
A huge, huge thank you to Liza from Reading with ABC for this prize. How great is she and how lucky am I?


Hope you were all lucky this week, too!

In My Mailbox #18

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

Not much to report this week. I bought one book and got another for free.

Bought:

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
I'm intrigued by a Jack the Ripper story and this was the only one of this week's great releases that came in an easily affordable paperback. It made me feel a little better as I'll have to wait a little to buy some others that I really want to.

Free e-Book:

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
This was temporarily available to download for free (although it looks like that's expired now). I still need to finish reading The Luxe series, but I'm glad I got this while I could.


Looking forward to seeing what you got this week!

In My Mailbox #17

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren.

Here's what I got this week:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor 

Guys, you cannot even imagine how much I wanted to scream when I saw this. As you will see from the Amazon link, this is not even published in the UK until the 29th and I found it in a secondhand bookshop on Tuesday. It's not an ARC either; it's a finished copy. I suppose the practical explanation is that somebody who works in bookselling got an early copy and donated it, but I prefer the idea that blogger gods are out there, smiling on us.

Die for Me by Amy Plum 
From a swap with Read It Swap It. This is a 2011 debut and I've heard some good things. Like it's set in Paris, which I love.

Heist Society by Ally Carter
It wasn't all good news this past week; I was disappointed because Ally Carter did 2 book signings in London and I learned about the first too late and then couldn't make the second. So I was upset I didn't get to meet her, but I did buy myself a signed copy of this book from the bookseller afterward, to make myself feel better.


And my final piece of good luck:

Perception by Heather Cashman
I won the Kindle edition of this book from Book Crook Liza. I'm so excited to read it; it's been getting great reviews. Thank you again, Liza! 


So...did the blogger gods smile on you this week?

In My Mailbox #16

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren.

I bought my first purchases for my Kindle this week, plus borrowed some library books.


Kindle purchases:

 

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston 

I've been wanting to start this series for ages. Faeries, Shakespeare and some of the prettiest covers around.

She Smells the Dead by E. J. Stevens 

I've only seen 1 or 2 reviews for this book, but I've always remembered it because of the crazy title. It's very cheap on Kindle, so I'm willing to give it a try.

Library books:

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs 

My first YA mermaid story!

The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip 

This has had great reviews and sounds deliciously creepy.

What's in your IMM this week?

In My Mailbox #15

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren.

 
I'm cheating  a bit this week, because I technically didn't get any new books. What I got this week was a Kindle (finally!) and I just wanted a chance to show it off.
  
Isn't it neat?
 

I haven't purchased anything for it yet, but I did get a bunch of free classics: Dickens, Austen, etc.

Hope you all got something good this week!

In My Mailbox #14

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. All links go to Amazon UK.

I got some great books at the library this week. Even I was surprised at the fantastic books that were available. I got:

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Roadtrip fun! Can't wait to read this one.

Corsets & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances by Various Authors

Everyone knows Steampunk is the new 'thing' and this collection of short stories seems like a good way to get into it. It's also a good way to be introduced to some of these authors: Maria V. Snyder, Caitlin Kittredge, Dia Reeves and others.

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

This is a 2011 debut and looks good!

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

I almost screamed when I saw this. I'm a huge fan of the Jessica Darling series and although I know this is very different, I'm hoping to love it, too.

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

I've heard so much about this; I really just have to read it myself and see what I think.

Oh, and - before I forget - I did actually buy a book this week:

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

It's for a bookclub!

That's everything! What did you all get this week?

In My Mailbox #13

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. All links go to Amazon UK.

3 books this week: 1 did arrive in my mailbox, the other 2 I picked up at the library.

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

I swapped my copy of Beauty Queens for this one at ReadItSwapIt. It went on my wishlist a while ago, after reading some good reviews.

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
A 2011 debut in the UK and therefore eligible for the challenge.

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
I'm aware of the TV series but I was unaware it was based on a book. I saw this in the library and the premise interested me, so I thought I'd give it a try.


Looking forward to seeing all of your IMMs this week! That's it for me.

In My Mailbox #12

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. All links go to Amazon UK.

Here are the books that I got this week:


Bought:

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
I never buy hardbacks normally and even though I was desperate to read this, I was prepared to wait for a more affordable paperback. However, Forever Young Adult is starting a book club and Beauty Queens is the first pick. I wanted to join in enough to pony up the cash.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Wither is a book that I did wait for; I've had this paperback edition pre-ordered for months and now it's finally here! The cover is so gorgeous; I keep looking at it.

Rites of Spring (Break) by Diana Peterfreund
The 3rd book in the Secret Society Girl series. It has one of the most lovable main characters I've ever read; I'm so glad I discovered Diana Peterfreund (even if I was a little late).


Borrowed:

I honestly tried to avoid taking out more library books, but when they have so many that I want, what's a girl to do?

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
A 2011 debut that's been on my wishlist all year.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
This is also part of the 2011 Debut Author challenge.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
This book was on my mind this week because I read it was banned! A school in Missouri removed it from its library and curriculum, so of course that just made me want to read it. I figured the universe felt the same way when I happened to see it on the library shelf.


So that's what I got. What about the rest of you?

In My Mailbox #11

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. All links go to Amazon UK.


I'm finally free! I finished work on Friday and now I have 6 weeks of glorious freedom ahead of me. So what did I do to celebrate? Get a cartload of books to keep me in reading material the whole summer, of course!


Bought/Swapped:

Raising Demons: A Hex Hall Novel by Rachel Hawkins
I read the first book only a couple of weeks ago, so I felt very lucky to stumble upon this second-hand copy.

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
From a swap from ReadItSwapIt.


Borrowed:

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Everybody has gone crazy for this book - of course, I had to grab it when I got the chance.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Another 2011 debut that I've read nothing but positive reviews for.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
I said I'd read this before the movie came out and it's out in a few weeks, so I've really got to get a move on.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
I loved the TV series.

Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal
I have fond memories of the original series.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
I actually don't know much about this one; I picked it up because I recognised it as a 2011 debut and I'm participating in the challenge.

The Summer I Turned Pretty and It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
To be honest, I just picked these up because they had 'summer' in the titles and I was just that buzzed about it being summer.


That's it! A summer of reading now awaits!

In My Mailbox #10

This is my tenth IMM? Wow, time flies.

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. All links go to Amazon UK.

All my books are library books this week, but these were some great finds.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Ian Edginton and Ian Culbard
I'd never heard of this but it's a graphic novel adaptation of Wilde's novel, which is one of my all-time favourites. I'm looking forward to seeing what the new writer and artist do with the story.

Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan
A collection of 10 short stories by the author of Tender Morsels. I love the cover; it's so deliciously creepy.

Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce
I've been looking for this for so long! This bind-up of all the Alanna novels is out of print in the UK; you can only buy each book individually. The poor librarian had to go all the way into the basement to find it for me in the reserve stock. But I'm so happy to have it.

That's it for me! I'm on a book buying ban until August, as many books I'm dying to read are released then. So my only source of books is the library, but I can hardly complain when I'm finding such good books there!

In My Mailbox #9

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. All links go to Amazon UK.

I have kind of a motley crew of books this week.

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook
I saw this at the library and had to grab it. I'm a massive fan of Davies-era Doctor Who and this tells the behind-the-scenes story. Just the briefest skim-through showed me this was gonna be a great read and I can't wait to start it.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I picked this up at the free book stand we have at work. I'm going to the Canary Islands in a few weeks and I'm looking for some light beach reads to take with me.

Rumours by Anna Godbersen
Another potential beach read that I found at the library. I actually read the first Luxe book at the beach last year, so might as well make it a tradition!

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
I was really glad to get a copy of this at ReadItSwapIt, because it's out of print in the UK. I've seen this book recommended on a couple of sites, most notably Steph Su Reads and after watching TV's Game of Thrones, I've really felt like tackling some high fantasy in my reading.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
This was also on the free book stand at work and I loved the BBC series, so I thought, why not try it?