waiting on wednesday: Everfound by Neal Shusterman

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's meant to spotlight upcoming releases that we're looking forward to. 

I am so excited for Everfound, the last in the Skinjacker trilogy by Neal Shusterman. I LOVE Shusterman. And I love the Skinjacker books. They are CRAZY. When Everwild ended, everything was so topsy-turvey and insane! I can't wait to find out what happens next. Though I am a little worried because Shusterman can't be trusted to be nice to his characters.

Anyway, comes out next month! yippy! I've been waiting a year and a half for this.

Also, did you see that there's going to be an Unwind #2 called Unwholly? Next year sometime. Freakin excited. So double yippy for Shusterman!

Saturday Snapshot: La Push Washington

Saturday Snapshot is a meme hosted by Alyce over at At Home With Books. I'm so excited to participate today, for the first time!

The picture I wanted to share if from a few years ago. In August 2008 my sister and I went to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Mostly to visit Forks and La Push because of Twilight, but we did other things while we were there. It was one of the most fun vacations I have been on. It was awesome.

Anyway, this is a picture I took from the side of the road on our way to La Push to visit First Beach (where we crashed someone's bonfire and roasted marshmellows with them).  

In My Mailbox (12)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristy at The Story Siren. Link up and join.

This week I hit up the library book sale. I love used books, as least if they're in good condition.

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Trickster's Choice Tamora Pierce

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

I also went to Barnes and Noble. Went a little crazy. I went in for ONE book that they didn't have and came out with four that I hadn't planned on. I've read Once a Witch, but the other three I haven't. I'm excited about them...just not sure when I'll get to read them.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Eon by Alison Goodman 

Prophecy of Sisters by Michelle Zink

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Disney also sent me a book. Yay! Thanks Disney.

Red Moon Rising by Peter Moore

Over all it was a really good book week.

in my mailbox (11)

I got a lot of really awesome books this week at the ALA midwinter conference. These are a few that I'm super excited about. My camera is being a pain so these were taken with my phone--not the best pics.

Corsets and Clockwork Story Collection

Lost and Found by Shaun Tan

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

(so excited! I love Dessen)

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

(I'm a huge Marchetta fan. Loved saving Francesca and Jellico Road)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Back When You Were Easier To Love by Emily Wing Smith

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

(such a beautiful looking book-and it's just an arc)

Like Maderine by Kristen Hubbard

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

(huge harvey fan here)

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

(yay! yay! yay!)

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

(already read, massively in love with this book)

Nightspell by Leah Cypress

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

(I own The Ghost and the Goth but haven't read it yet, now I must so I can read this one!)

The very last day of the conference most of the publishers sell or giveaway their hardcover and paperback display copies. Half of these I bought for $5 each, the other half I got for free. If I'd had more cash with me, I probably would have bought more. It's an addiction.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

(I need to read this!)

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

(loved this book-beautiful writing and touching story)

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

(need to read this one, too!)

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

(loved this book!)

Nightshade by Andrea

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe

(this book intrigues me lots...must read)

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

(love this book. Can't wait for the next)

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John 

in my mailbox is a meme hosted by kristy at The Story Siren



waiting on wednesday (6)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Visit her site to hook up.

I am so excited for Sarah Addison Allen's new book, The Peach Keeper. It comes out March 22. Yay!


When Willa Jackson's marriage to her college sweatheart crumbles, she returns to Walls of Water, the town where she grew up and where her family still lives. While struggling to find her place in a town that's no longer her true home, Willa uncovers a family feud that runs so deep it has caused two sisters not to speak for six decades, and finds a strangely secretive man who may be exactly what she needs.

Though Allen isn't a YA author, don't hold that against her. Her books are wonderful--I LOVE them. They're romantic and magical and amazing. I highly recommend her previous books. I can't make up my mind on which I like best, The Sugar Queen (though I don't like the paperback cover) or Garden Spells. It's usually the one I've read most recently. And I really enjoyed The Girl Who Chased the Moon.

Teaser Tuesday (9)

My teaser today is from Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark & Grimm.

"Before I go on, a word of warning: Grimm's stories--the ones that weren't changed for little kids--are violent and bloody. And what you're going to hear now, the one true tale in The Tales of Grimm, is as violent and bloody as you can imagine. Really. So if such things bother you, we should probably stop now"


blurb from goodreads:
Brooklyn schoolteacher Adam Gidwitz offers imaginative new slants on children's classics in this new collection inspired by nine Grimm Brothers fairy tales. Never before have Hansel and Gretel had an adventure like this!

blurb from me:
the above is a lame blurb. So let me try: the book follows twins, Hansel and Gretel, through years of wandering through different (fairy tales) countries, looking for decent parents. Interestingly enough, parents aren't usually good in Grimm. Though they do find good people who help them on their way. There is a lot of blood and violence, but the wonderful author that Gidwitz is, he gives plenty of interruptions in the narrative to warn us off from continuing.

Okay, that was a lame blurb, too. But the book is fun! (and gory and interesting and wonderful)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

In My Mailbox (9)

I have written 11250 words in the past three days on my nano novel. My mind is jelly, which is a definite indicator that it's time for bed.

But first, a post! A post? Yes, a post! An In My Mailbox post! I haven't posted a IMM in weeks and weeks!!! Okay, so only five weeks, but that is still a long time! Which means it is now time to share every book I've gotten for the past little while! yay! (see--jelly. I totally warned you! You should see my nano words...they're getting stupider the longer this month lasts) (and what's with all the exclamations?)

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

WON! Whoo Hoo!!!

I get emails from publishers at work that let me know new books that are coming out. Sometimes they have ARCs they give away to the first so many people who sent an email back to them. That is how I won:

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey (which I loved! Review forthcoming...just as soon as I get it written)

Tiger's Curse by Collen Houck (fun. review also forthcoming...I just have to write it) (and isn't it an awesome cover? really like it)

 I also got a package at work a few weeks ago which was a total surprise. I have no idea why or how I got it, but inside was:

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull. With a bag. Totally awesome.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (it was like they had extras so they just threw it in. Which I am okay with. Thank you Simon and Schuster!)

Bought

I went to my local second-hand store and bought (for a grand total of $1.50):

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (it's even a signed copy)

that's it for me.

What's in your mailbox?

As I was writing this post I had the distinct thought, "I need to remember to count up all these words." CRAZY! I'm glad November is almost over.

booking through thursday

Today's question for btt is:

I’ve seen many bloggers say that what draws them to certain books or authors is good writing, and what causes them to stop reading a certain book or author is bad writing. What constitutes good writing and bad writing to you?

More than the words used, it's the story the words tell.

I like fast paced plot with quick descriptions of people and places. Too much description bores me. To little, and I feel like I'm reading a list of actions, not a story that flows. Which also bores me. A good plot can cover up a lot of cliches and repetitions and whatever else for me.

No matter how beautiful the prose or flowing the writing, if the plot has holes or unrealistic characters, that's what I consider bad writing.

And though slow plot isn't bad writing, I usually stop reading when it becomes a chore.

waiting on wednesday (5)

Today I am waiting for December 21. The day when Alyxandra Harvey's third installment of the Drake Chronicles is released. Eeek! I loved the first two in the series, Hearts at Stake and Blood Feud. Though Hearts at Stake is my favorite. Humorous, and such nice kissing scenes.

Anyway, Out for Blood is about:
Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends—or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

I like the cover, but I'm actually a fan of the UK covers more than the US. Especially the UK cover for Blood Feud. What do you think?

US       UK

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

in my mailbox (8)

 Welcome to In My Mailbox! this is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Over the past few weeks I've gotten a few books and here they are.

For review at kissthebook.blogspot.com (a review blog for school librarians)

 Strings Attached by Judy Blundell
Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt
Hush by Eishes Chayil
Not that Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian 

From the library book sale:

 Platinum by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen 

I also got two books from netgalley which I am excited about

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard. I really enjoyed this one. And Deliruim by Lauren Oliver

And then I bought the Lost Hero from when I went to the Rich Riordan signing this past week.

And that's it for me. What's in your mailbox?

teaser tuesday (7) -- platinum

Time for another teaser on Tuesday! hosted by MizB at should be reading

This one comes from Platinum by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

blurb: When beautiful and popular high school student Lilah realizes she has "the Sight," a mystical ability to see things others cannot, she resolves to use her special powers to prevent a tragedy.

"The easiest way to keep one secret was to let another piece of information slip, and the last thing either of us needed was for Fuchsia, whose mouth was roughly the size of Montana, to figure out that it had taken more than boob, nose, and dye jobs for Tracy to land her ex-boyfriend (the second-hottest guy in our school) in the first place. If secrets were currency in the high school world, boys were more or less Gold cards." pg 14

teaser tuesday (6)--living hell

teaser tuesday is a meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

my teaser today is from Living Hell by Catherine Jinks


"Mum applied more pressure to my hand. Dad's arm tightened around my shoulders...
Prepare for impact in E minus ten seconds.
I saw Dad reach across me with his free hand.
...nine...
Mum's free hand met his.
...eight...
There was dead silence.
...seven..."
             pg 59

info from goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Cheney has been enjoying a perfectly planned life aboard the ark ship Plexus with his friends and family. But when the ship passes through a mysterious energy stream, his peaceful world is changed forever. Suddenly, he's in the middle of an all-out war.

teaser tuesday (6) -- the eternal ones

This weeks teaser is from The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

blurb: Seventeen-year-old Haven Moore leaves East Tennessee to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she meets playboy Iain Morrow, whose fate may be tied to hers through a series of past lives.

"I've been seeing the same thing off and on for a few weeks now. I can't seem to stop the visions anymore. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not even sure that I want to." pg 12

teaser tuesday is a meme hosted by MizB at Should by Reading

in my mailbox (7)

This week I bought a few books from our library sale shelves.

Amazing Grace by Megan Shull (which I have not read)

Golden by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (which I have read and really enjoyed)

Then this past Friday I went to a librarian conference in Park City, UT. James Dashner spoke to us and all attendees got a paperback copy of The Maze Runner for FREE (I think of Adam Sandler saying that).

I also bought two books while at the conference

Annexed by Sharon Dogar (which I am so EXCITED about)

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (which I read for the first time about eleven years ago and haven't read since)

And that is my week in books. What's in your mailbox?

meme from the story siren

in my mailbox (6)

This week I only got two new books:

Neal Shusterman's Bruiser from my friend Jaye as a late house warming gift. Yay! I LOVE this book.

and

If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I bought this one because I love it but also because I'm not a fan of the paperback cover so I wanted to buy it in hardcover while I still could.

Aren't they beautiful and blue? Yay for new books!

In My Mailbox is a meme from The Story Siren.

What's in your mailbox?

book blogger hop! (3)

Book Blogger Hop is a meme from crazy-for-books. This weekend's question is:

When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

I don't write the review until I'm done with the entire book. I don't even really think about a review until I've finished the book. I'm still getting used to reviewing books, it's only been a few months! Once I'm done it's smart for me to write the review asap so that its all fresh in my mind. And it's usually good for me to sit on the review for a few days before I post it. It gives me a chance to really solidfy my thoughts and change or add to the review. Many times it takes a few days for my thoughts on a book to solidify. And I don't write reviews for every book I read. Sometimes I just have nothing to share.

booking through thursday (4)

booking through thrusday is a weekly meme hosted over at booking through thursday. This weeks question is:

What are you reading right now? What made you choose it? Are you enjoying it? Would you recommend it?

I am reading Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi.

Utah has a state book award for teens and children called the Beehive Award. This year I am on the committee to decide on the top ten book for teens to vote on in the 2011-2012 year. (I can hardly believe I'm thinking of 2012 already. eek!) Teens decide the winner. Ship Breaker is on the list of 70 books the committee has picked and I am reading it see if I think it should be one of the top 10. Many people read the books, I'm just one of them. (Can I just say I'm super excited to be on this committee? So much fun!)

I'm only on page 60 right now. I'm enjoying it.

Recommend? Yes. It is amazingly well written. Super original world building depicting a rather bleak future in America's Gulf Coast. I am excited to find out where it's going!

in my mailbox (5)

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. I'm too tired to actually type out what the books are and link them to somewhere cooler, so the pics will have to do.


Bought
I went a little wild at bookcloseouts.com at the beginning of the month and the books finally came! With shipping and everything, each book cost just under $2 each. I was happy.

I also stopped by my friendly neighborhood secondhand store, DI, and picked up a few books for $.50 to $1 a book. Sweet!

Mailbox

I actually got books in the mail that I didn't buy. Doesn't happen often.

I won What's Your Status and Top 8 by KatieFinn from Stacked. I don't even remember entering, but I won!

And that is all. I've practically filled up a whole nother shelf. I'm running out of room, which is a fun problem to have.

Until next week!

booking through thursday (3)--day and night

Do you divide your books into day and night reads?

How do you decide?

I've tried to split up my books by time/location, but it just doesn't work for me. For a while I had a book at work that I read during lunch and a book at home that I read at home, but usually one overtakes the other. If the one at work is wonderful, I usually take it home with me. If the one from home is fantastic, I usually read that one during lunch. Since I finish a book in 1-3 days  (unless I find it less than steller it might take me longer since I'll usually start a different book) it seems pointless to read more than one at a time.

So, in a round about way, my answer is No. I don't have night and day books. I have one, maybe two books, that I take with me everywhere and read whenever I get the chance.

I was talking to a teen volunteer at the library a few months ago and he had a different book for practically every location/time of day: at school, walking to/from school, afternoon, at night, ect. He was reading 4-5 books at at time. I was astounded and rather impressed. I couldn't do that.

meme from booking through thursday

teaser tuesday (5)

This week's teaser comes from things i know about love by Kate le Vann.

"If you're ready for another recap of the 'Things I Know' list, you'll have to wait, because I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LOVE."
pg 59

TEASER TUESDAY is a meme from should be reading. To join in:
Grab your current read

Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!