In My Mailbox #1

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where you can talk about the books you bought or received this week.

So this week I got...

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
(Amazon / Goodreads)

I didn't tecnically get this in my mailbox, I borrowed it from a friend after (finally!) seeing the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 movie, but whatever. Remember the story Luna's dad told Harry, Ron and Hermione, "The Tale of Three Brothers"? When my friend told me there was an actual book with this story and other wizard-fairy tales by J.K. Rowling, I knew I had to borrow it. And Dumbledore comments on all of the fairy tales, which is great because, well, Dumbledore is awesome!

It looks really cute - in the front it says the stories were translated from the original Runes by Hermione Granger. Even though the book is really short (around a 100 pages, I think), this seems like a great way to revisit the Harry Potter series.

I also got...

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

The four girls who starred in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Tibby, Bee, Lena, and Carmen - find themselves wrapped up in a summer of unexpected surprises. After Bee finds out that five years' worth of Grandma's letters to her have been kept secret, she leaves for Alabama on a mission to connect with her past, which also means dealing with her mom's death. Meanwhile, Tibby's decided to attend a filmmaking workshop in Virginia (she's getting a perspective on Bailey's death), and Carmen's at home, screwing up her mom's dating life and then putting it back together. And as for Lena, well, she's busy getting over Kostos -- that is, until he shows up for a surprise visit. But despite whatever happens to this foursome, the Pants find their way into the hands of one of them at just the right time.

This is another one I didn't technically get in my mailbox; I borrowed it from - drumroll, please - my mom. Weird, right? I'm always trying to get her to read the books I read because, well, I want everyone to read what I read so I can talk about it to them, but this series she found all on her own. She read the first Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books and loved it, so I read it, too. I didn't think it was that great - pretty cute, but nothing special - but considering this book's already in my house, I'll probably read it anyways.

...and...

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

To me, this plot seems pretty average - not terrible, but not a totally original idea, either -  but I've heard great things about Courtney Summers, so I'll give this one a try!

...and...

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

After losing her best friend, Ingrid, to suicide, Caitlin is completely immobilized. Unable to function, and refusing to visit a therapist, she begins the long journey to wellness alone. During this year of heart-wrenching, raw emotion, Caitlin finds Ingrid's journal, which not only reveals her descent into irreversible depression, but also serves as Caitlin's vehicle for renewed hope in the future. The book is written with honesty, revealing one's pain after the loss of a loved one. Caitlin learns, with the help of new friends and her parents, that there is life after Ingrid.

This book has been on my wishlist for quite a while already. It seems right up my alley and has gotten some great reviews, so I'm really excited to finally read this one.

So, what's in your mailbox this week?