In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This was quite the eventful week for acquiring books. Last weekend my husband and I went to Tennessee as an anniversary getaway and to visit Julie. We had a blast and while we were there Julie took me to this awesome used bookstore. I made a mental note before we went in that I was only going to buy books from the bargain section and so I came out of there with The Secret Life of Bees, Under the Tuscan Sun, and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

As soon as I saw Fried Green Tomatoes I knew I had to get it because my book club mentioned reading that and having our discussion at The Irondale Cafe (The Origninal Whistle Stop), because how can you not live in the same city as the famous cafe and not discuss the book there?

Julie also let me borrow her copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris since that's my book club's June pick. Thanks Julie!

Lastly, I FINALLY was able to get Kristina McBride's debut book, The Tension of Opposites. On our way home from Tennessee, I asked my husband if we could stop at Books-A-Million to see if they had it on the shelf early..they did not. That wasn't a big deal and was to be expected but I went back on Tuesday and when I couldn't find it, I asked about it. Turns out neither the title or the author's name were even listed in the computer!

I decided that Thursday was going to be spent calling various bookstores in the area until I found a copy because, yes, I was THAT excited to read this book. Luckily my second call proved successful and although they didn't have it in the store, Little Professor said they could get it for me by the next afternoon. Thanks to Little Professor, I can spend part of my Memorial Day reading Kristina's book.

What books did you receive this past week? Have you read any of the ones I got?

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the last day to enter to win a signed copy of Lindsey Leavitt's Princess for Hire.

Happy Reading/Memorial Day!

In My Mailbox (12)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and all you have to do is post about what books you received that week by mail, library, or store.

This past week was another where I didn't get much. The reason being is I'm trying to avoid buying a lot until I can get a good bit of my TBR list of books I already own knocked out.

This week I bought another copy of Princess for Hire since I went Lindsey Leavitt's signing. Since I already owned my own signed copy, I'll be giving this away. If you're interested in entering to win it, click here.

Before the signing started, I got to spend about 10-15 minutes chatting with Lindsey and during our conversation she said I needed to read Sherman Alexie's book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian so I told her if they had it in stock I'd buy it and next thing I know the bookstore worker ran off and found it for me.

So that's all I got my hands on this week, what did you get?

Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris

Dead in the Family is the tenth book in Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse series and I really don't know where to start with this. 

Basically, this book is post Fae War and Sookie is hoping things kind of die down (no pun intended) but that goes out the window when 1. her Fairy cousin Claude requests to live with her, 2. Eric's maker and uncontrollable vampire brother come for a visit, 3. Bill is sick with silver poisoning, 4. the Weres are facing registration by the government to keep up with them, and 5. Sookie has been informed by some Weres that there is a strange Fairy smell in her woods that is not her cousin Claude.

Although the above summary kind of makes it seem like a lot happens, to me it seemed like nothing happened. This book was just OK and I was kind of disappointed in it since I've been waiting to read this since last May. 

Someone from my online book club said it best and I have to agree that either Charlaine is running out of steam with these books or this was just one of those books that is there solely to set up the next one. 

I've been a fan of Eric from the beginning and I hated how weak he was in this book and I also am not too fond of the Fae storyline. I really hope she shifts away from that in future books and goes back to focusing mostly on the Vampires and Weres.

Flashback Friday (7)

Flashback Friday was started by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf and is a chance to share with others books that you loved as a kid or teenager.

What can I say about Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs? I loved this book because what kid wouldn't like ice cream falling from the sky and a giant pancake closing school? When I first saw that the movie for this was coming out, I looked at my husband and told him we had to see it. You can imagine my shock when his response was "what's it about?" and that led me to find out he'd never read this as a kid. My mission was to find my copy buried in a box at my mom's house and show him what he'd been missing as a child, but alas, I couldn't find it.

We did see the movie and the hubs and I liked it but it wasn't as awesome as I remember the book being. Did you ever read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs when you were a kid?

Cracked Up To Be - Courtney Summers

Parker Fadley has a secret and her life is no longer perfect. After being put on suicide watch by her parents and school, the former perfect cheerleading captain, distinguished honor roll member, and girlfriend of the most popular boy in school has purposefully distanced herself from all of these things. All Parker wants is to be left alone and not feel anything, but when the new kid, Jake, takes an interest in her and starts asking questions, she finds herself feeling again. Does Parker really want to be left alone or is it just her bit?

After reading Some Girls Are a few weeks ago by Courtney Summers, I just had to read Cracked Up To Be. I liked this book but not to the degree that I liked Some Girls Are. I'm glad I read it though and I liked how Courtney shared Parker's secret. She didn't come outright and say what happened and you find out bits of the story all the way through the book. The more of the story I got I decided it had to be one of two things and one of my theory's ended up being right.

I found Jake somewhat annoying at parts because he just kept pushing Parker to answer questions and a lot of the time her character just seemed forced. Part of me can't help but think that maybe that was how she was supposed to be though because of the accidental suicide and just wanting someone to take the extra effort to get behind what changed her.

Overall, I didn't love this book as much as I hoped I would but I really did like it and am glad I read it. If you haven't read it, you should at least do so once because it's definitely worth that.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June by Robin Benway

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you're eagerly anticipating.

Released August 3, 2010

Just from reading the description of this book, I already think I'm going to like it. Plus, after watching Jessica talk about Robin Benway in her vlog maked me want to read something by her, so I set out to see if she had anything coming out this year and found this book. I really like that it's about sisters who are close and their interaction. A lot of time when you deal with siblings in a book, one is always a background character so I'm really excited about this book now.

From Goodreads:

Three sisters, three extraordinary, life-changing powers!

I hugged my sisters and they fit against my sides like two jigsaw pieces that would never fit anywhere else. I couldn’t imagine ever letting them go again, like releasing them would be to surrender the best parts of myself.

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

Princess for Hire Giveaway

After I found out that Lindsey Leavitt was finally able to schedule a book signing in town before she moved across the country, I knew I had to go. Yes, I know I went to her Huntsville signing but she was just so dang likable that when I mentioned on her facebook fan page that I kind of wanted to go, she said I should and how could I say no?

I was able to drag my mom and my mother-in-law along with me and when my mom asked if I had a book I told her I did but that I had already gotten it signed. Of course, you can't go to a book signing without getting a book signed, right? Right. So what was a girl to do..oh wait, yup, buy another copy to give away!

So I bring you another giveaway for Princess for Hire. All you have to do is fill out the form and wait until I announce the winner on Tuesday, June 1st.

Same rules apply as before: 48 hours to respond to my "winner winner, chicken dinner" e-mail or it will go to the next person, you must be a follower, winner will be picked through random.org, and the giveaway will end Monday, May 31st at 11:59 CST.

The Reckoning - Kelley Armstrong

I have officially finished the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. My library seemed to be taking forever with my hold on The Reckoning, so when I was out last week and saw it at Target, I immediately picked it up and put it in my cart.

After running from the Edison Group and finally making it to their destination, Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori are now at a safe house with Andrew, a friend of Derek and Simon's dad, with a group that has been watching the Edison Group's activities.

Now that there's proof that the Edison Group is messing with stuff they shouldn't, plans of taking them down are starting to be made. The only problem is, not everyone believes what the kids are telling them. While at the safe house, Chloe accompanies Derek outside one night to be with him in case he changes, and while they're outside there is an attack by two werewolves and that's when they realize that someone that they're supposed to be trusting is really working against them. Can they find out who it is before it's too late? Will they go along with the plan to go back to Edison House to rescue traitors Rae and Chloe's Aunt Lauren? Or will they try to escape for a third time and rescue them on their own?

I'm so glad I ended up buying this book because even though I'm sad it's over, I'm happy that I got to find out what happened. I am honestly very pleased with what went on in this book and how it ended and I loved that whether Kelley decides to do another series of books, it's an ending that will allow her to go either way.