In My Mailbox #54

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.


I wanted to do a vlog this week, but of course, my camera wouldn't work because technology hates me. So I filmed it with my brother's camera. And I thought it turned out pretty good. Until I tried watching it on the computer and found out that the sound quality is terrible. Terrible. There are parts where you can't even understand what I'm saying. But because I'd filmed it already and everything, I decided to upload it anyways. I'm sorry about the terrible sound quality, and I totally understand if you don't make it through the whole video - I probably wouldn't either. I'm hoping I'll get my camera fixed soon, because doing another video with my this camera would be pointless. So I don't know how I soon I'll be able to do another vlog.


Again, sorry about the poor quality, but here's the video!

Won (thanks to MaryAnn from Chapter by Chapter):

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Amazon | Goodreads)

Wither by Lauren DeStefano (Amazon | Goodreads)

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker (Amazon | Goodreads)

Bought:

The Summer of Firsts and Lasts by Terra Elan McVoy (Amazon | Goodreads)

Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser (Amazon | Goodreads)

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #53

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.


I was planning on doing another vlog this week (the last one was lots of fun, even if editing took ages), but I only got one physical book. I go three ebooks, though, so I thought I'd just show you those three and keep the physical book for an IMM vlog next week.


NetGalley:


Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Four girls. One magical, and possibly dangerous Italian summer. Family mysteries, ancient castles, long hot nights of dancing under the stars . . . and, of course, plenty of gorgeous Italian boys!

I wasn't looking forward to this one much (because of the cover and title, mainly), but from what Katie from Katie's Book Blog said in one of her TotallyBooksessed vlogs, I figured this book will be more about the "family mysteries," which sounds more interesting to me than the romance aspect, so I hope she's right!





The Opposite of Hallelujah by Anna Jarzab
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.
Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.

I really liked Anna Jarzab's All Unquiet Things, and this one looks creepy in the best way, so I'm very excited to read it!


GalleyGrab:

Never Enough by Denise Jaden
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Loann’s always wanted to be popular and pretty like her sister, Claire. So when Claire’s ex-boyfriend starts flirting with her, Loann is willing to do whatever it takes to feel special…even if that means betraying her sister.
But as Loann slips inside Claire’s world, she discovers that everything is not as it seems. Claire’s quest for perfection is all-consuming, and comes at a dangerous price. As Claire increasingly withdraws from friends and family, Loann struggles to understand her and make amends. Can she heal their relationship—and her sister—before it’s too late?

I've been looking forward to this one for ages - it just sounds perfect for me!


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #52 (my first vlog!)

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.


This week, I finally did it! I got in front of the camera and made a vlog! I think it turned out pretty well, except for my incapability of staying in the middle of the picture, and my excessive use of "umm" and "so, yeah." Editing this video took forever, so I'm not sure whether I'll be able to devote that much time to an IMM vlog every week, but I'll try, since making the vlog turned out to be kind of fun, after I got over the nerves and the weird feeling I was talking to myself. So, take it away, vlog-me!






Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay (thank you to Kate at Ex Libris!)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

In My Mailbox #51

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.


Bought:

When You Open Your Eyes by Cecily Conway
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Tessa is in love with Lucien, the son of a European diplomat. He's French and sexy and artistic. With him, she realizes how naive and American she is, and just how alive she can feel.
But Tessa’s father forbids her to see Lucien. So they meet in secret, which makes their relationship feel all the more exciting.
The harder Tessa falls for Lucien, the more volatile he becomes. Suddenly it’s not just their relationship that’s breaking the rules—Lucien knows no boundaries. And Tessa must figure out how far she’ll go for Lucien…before there is no turning back.

I haven't heard all that much about this one, but it sounds great, right up my alley!


We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
(Amazon | Goodreads)

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

This series is so cute and fun, and I'm excited to read the last installment!


Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?

I can't believe I've never read an A.S. King book. I've heard so many amazing things about her books, especially this one, so I hope I'll like it as much as everyone else did!


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #50

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.


Bought:





Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

(Amazon | Goodreads)

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin.
When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their badlands town.
Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal.

I loved Kirsten Hubbard's Wanderlove, so I'm really excited to finally read her debut!

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

(Amazon | Goodreads)

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen--with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

I've been really into mysteries lately, and this one has been on my wishlist for ages, so I finally got around to buying a copy this week!




Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run.
Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface-not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died. With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again.

I alread finished this one and loved it - one of the best mysteries I've ever read!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #49

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.

NetGalley:

The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond
(Amazon | Goodreads)

The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she’s never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he’s Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. Brigitta hopes he’ll hide far away from her. But Trent wouldn’t be the only missing person. Since her grandparents both died, Brigitta has felt lost—especially with her dad refusing to talk about them. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie’s fantasy to be true. But as she comes to know him, Brigitta realizes she wants more than an idol. And she may not get to choose.

This one just sounds like so much fun!

Nothing Special (Stupid Fast #2) by Geoff Herbach
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Felton Reinstein thought he had it all-a great girlfriend, an athletic scholarship in the bag, and football friends he could totally count on. Wrong! Like an elephant storming a house of cards, it all comes crashing down. And it's Felton's fault. Turns out his little brother has taken an impromptu road trip to Florida (aka desperate flight from all the talented people) to make a bid for stardom (aka fronting a hotel rock band with escapees from a retirement community). What's a big brother to do but help pick up the pieces, even if it means giving up all the status, all the glory and once again facing a life of nothing special.

I loved Stupid Fast, so I'm super-excited for a sequel!

While He Was Away by Karen Schreck
(Amazon | Goodreads)

When Penna Weaver’s boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she’s left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing. She knows in her heart he will come home— but will he be the same boy she fell in love with?

I'm so, so excited to read this one. I'm loving all the war-/PTSD-themed books releasing this year, and While He Was Away sounds amazing, right up my alley!

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time.

The Summer My Life Began sounds like another cute summer read!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #48

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.

NetGalley:

Before You Go by James Preller
(Amazon | Goodreads)

The summer before his senior year, Jude (yes, he’s named after the Beatles song) gets his first job, falls in love for the first time, and starts to break away from his parents. Jude’s house is kept dark; no one talks much—it’s been that way since his little sister drowned in a swimming pool when Jude was supposed to be watching her. He was watching her. He looked away for just a moment. He was only nine years old. And he’s never truly grieved for her, or for the emotional deaths of his parents, who refuse to talk about what happened. Seven years later, Jude is finally, finally starting to live. Really live. And then life spins out of control. Again.
Acclaimed author James Preller explores life, death, love, faith, and resilience in a story that will grip readers from the book’s dramatic first few pages to its emotional end.

Before You Go sounds right up my alley - I'm so excited to read it!



The Night She Disappeared by April Henry
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also works part time as a delivery girl at Pete’s Pizza. One night, Kayla—another delivery girl—goes missing. To her horror, Gabie learns that the supposed kidnapper had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Gabie can’t move beyond the fact that Kayla’s fate was really meant for her, and she becomes obsessed with finding Kayla. She teams up with Drew, who also works at Pete’s. Together, they set out to prove that Kayla isn’t dead—and to find her before she is.

I don't know why, but I've been really into mysteries lately, so The Night She Disappeared should be a good read for me right now!

All These Lives by Sarah Wylie
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

The cover for this one is gorgeous, and I love the whole idea for the story!


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #47

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.

Bought:

The Fine Art of Truth and Dare by Melissa Jensen
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that’s just fine by her. She’s got her friends— the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She’s got her art— and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it’s hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they’re dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

This one just looks like so much fun!

Bunheads by Sophie Flack
(Amazon | Goodreads)

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.
But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life?

Bunheads has been on my wishlist for ages, and I finally got around to buying a copy this week.

NetGalley:

Kiss the Morning Star by Elissa Janine Hoole
(Amazon | Goodreads)

The summer after high-school graduation, a year after her mother’s tragic death, Anna has no plans – beyond her need to put a lot of miles between herself and the past. With forever friend Kat, a battered copy of Kerouac’s DHARMA BUMS, and a car with a dodgy oil filter, the girls set out on an epic road trip across the USA. Maybe somewhere along the way they’ll prove or disprove the existence of God. Maybe they’ll even get laid . . .
It’s a journey both outward and inward. Through the Badlands and encounters with predatory men and buffalo. A crazy bus ride to Mexico with a bunch of hymn-singing missionaries. Facing death, naked in the forest with an enraged grizzly bear . . . Gradually, Anna realizes that this is a voyage of discovery into her own self, her own silent pain – and into the tangled history that she and Kat share. What is love? What is sexual identity? And how do you find a way forward into a new future – a way to declare openly and without fear all that lies within you?

I didn't even know this one was on NetGalley until I saw it in someone's IMM last week, and then I immediately searched NetGalley and requested it. (For some reason, it's not classified as YA, so that's why I didn't see it before.) Anyways, I'm so excited for Kiss the Morning Star - grief and a road trip; what more could you want?

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #46

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.

Bought:

Choker by Elizabeth Woods
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.
Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in. But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

This one has been on my wishlist for ages, and the release of the paperback gave me a push and made me finally get around to buying a copy. I hope I'll love it as much as everyone else did!

Shine by Lauren Myracle
(Amazon | Goodreads)

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

I really liked the Internet Girls series by Lauren Myracle (even though it's been a while since I read them), and I'm excited to read another one of her books!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
(Amazon | Goodreads)

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

*hides in corner* I know, not having read The Hunger Games means I should be exiled from the world of YA lovers, and I'm sorry! I don't know why, I just never got around to buying it, until now. I'll have to read it soon to experience its amazing-ness for myself.


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #45

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.


NetGalley/from publisher:

This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
(Amazon | Goodreads)

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

I love Courtney Summers, so I'm really excited to read her newest novel! I hope I'll like it even though it's not contemps...


Bought:

In Too Deep by Amanda Grace
(Amazon | Goodreads)

I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Wellesley. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That’s how rumors of rape started.
Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone’s on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger—forcing me to make a terrible choice.

I loved Amanda Grace's But I Love Him, and In Too Deep sounds just as amazing!

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.  In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

I know, I'm the last person on earth to read The Mockingbirds. Everyone has said it's amazing, so I'm sure I'll love it too!


I also got some awesome swag for Holly Cupala's Don't Breathe a Word - I'll include some of that in a giveaway soon!


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox #44

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.


GalleyGrab:



Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Charlotte and Oliver have been friends forever. She knows that he, Abe, and Trip consider her to be one of the guys, and she likes it that way. She likes being the friend who keeps them all together. Likes offering a girl's perspective on their love lives. Likes being the behind-the-scenes wordsmith who writes all the lyrics for the boys' band. Char has a house full of stepsisters and a past full of backstabbing (female) ex-best friends, so for her, being friends with boys is refreshingly drama-free...until it isn't any more.
When a new boy enters the scene and makes Char feel like, well, a total girl...and two of her other friends have a falling out that may or may not be related to one of them deciding he possibly wants to be more than friends with Char...being friends with all these boys suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.

I love reading about boy-girl friendships - there definitely aren't enough of them in contemporary YA! Being Friends With Boys sounds great, and I've heard a lot of good things about the author.


NetGalley:



Ferocity Summer by Alissa Grosso
(Amazon | Goodreads)

It’s the hottest summer on record in New Jersey and soon Scilla Davis must stand trial for her involvement in a deadly speedboat accident. With the possibility of conviction looming, life seems empty, unreal, and utterly hopeless. Watching her best friend Willow destroy herself with drugs and booze is especially painful. Yet Scilla can’t manage to wrest Willow—or herself—from a path of self-destruction.
With a new drug called Ferocity sweeping the nation, an FBI agent is eager to make a bust. He offers Scilla a way out of this nightmare. But is she willing to betray her own drugdealing boyfriend?

Ferocity Summer sounds amazing, right up my alley!

See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
(Amazon | Goodreads)

Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her: Mom (when she's not meditating) helps Dad run the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school; and Holden pretends that Mom and Dad and everyone else doesn't know he's gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. Then there's Charlie: three years old, a "surprise" baby, the center of everyone's world. He's devoted to Fern, but he's annoying, too, always getting his way, always dirty, always commanding attention. If it wasn't for Ran, Fern's calm and positive best friend, there'd be nowhere to turn. Ran's mantra, "All will be well," is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it's true. But then tragedy strikes- and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same.

I love Jo Knowles, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one, even though it sounds more like MG than YA.


What did you get this week?