In My Mailbox #18

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

I'm getting back in the game this week. Since I've stop reviewing for awhile, I'm no longer receiving ARCs or Galleys. :( However, I did splurge on some awesome holiday sales. :)

Library

Legacy by Calya Kluver

Allegiance by Calya Kluver

Sacrifice by Calya Kluver

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Darkfall by Janice Hardy

Bought

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

The Liar Society: You're Only As Good As Your Last Lie by Lisa & Laura Roecker

The Liar Society: The Lies That Bind by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Crash by Nicole Williams

Clash by Nicole Williams

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Disappeared

If you are checking out this blog, I'm impressed. I pretty much disappeared for about 9 months with no explanation or apology. So, here goes.

I'm sorry.

I had some unexpected things happen in my personal life that required immediate attention. I can't tell you how many times I thought, "Gosh, I really need to write a blog post to let everyone know I'll be gone for awhile." 

Yeah, that never happened.

The longer it took me to find time to write a post, the easier it was to just let it slide. After a few months, I kinda figured readers already realized I had stopped blogging (and tweeting) for a bit, so I just couldn't muster up the time and energy to put out an official post. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if I would return to blogging at all. 

So, now that a few things are straightened out, I'm tentatively dipping my toe back in the water. I'm still super busy with my new post doc (I graduated!) and studying for my licensing exam (ugh). Plus, I've begun to realize I need to spend a little more time attending to other areas of my life. This blog was initially only intended to give me an extra hobby while I was away for a year on internship, but I came it like it a lot more than I expected. 

Going forward, here's the plan: I will continue avidly reading YA (yes!), but not quite at the same feverish rate as before. I will also provide as many book reviews and twitter recommendations as I can weave into my hectic schedule. However, that means the blog and twitter will certainly not be updated at a "book of the day" speed. More like, "book of the week," and possibly less around holidays, exam time, etc. 

Basically, I want to get back into reading, reviewing, blogging, and tweeting, but I'm still testing out how much time I reasonably have to do so. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on the blog, and talking to me on twitter. I am so utterly grateful for this online YA book community.

Teaser Tuesday: Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel

Title: Red Heart Tattoo
Author: Lurlene McDaniel
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (July 24, 2012)
Source: NetGalley

From GoodReads:

At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.

Lurlene McDaniel's signature expertise and finesse in dealing with issues of violence, death, and physical as well as emotional trauma in the lives of teens is immediate and heartrending.

I was so excited to see Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel offered on NetGalley. Combining a physically and psychologically traumatizing event with a romantic storyline is like literature gold to me, if done well. Let me tell you, she did this really, really well.

First, I want to clarify that the book is by no means focused on the romance. The bombing takes full focus with the lead up and aftermath being explored from multiple viewpoints. Add in all the drama of teenage life into these characters and you've got a rich story full of everything, which includes romance. 

I've never read a novel by Lurlene McDaniel before, so I wasn't sure what to expect from her craft. I was pleased with the amount of depth present in the story, particularly because there were so many characters and viewpoints to juggle. As usual, I'm drawn to the troubled teen character, so I immediately gravitated to Roth and his experiences. Lucky for me, he had a prominent role in the story. 

This story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Obviously, seeing as the major storyline involves a school bombing, there is a lot of tragedy and loss present. The heartwarming aspects come from certain individual's reactions to the event. It would be difficult not to be touched by the way the community comes together and supports each other. Beautiful.

If I could've changed anything--and this is real nitpicky, based on personal preference--I would have wanted to get a little bit deeper into the experiences into a few of the main characters. I completely understand that this would have been difficult to do, particularly because there were multiple viewpoints presented, but it's my personal preference. For me, I'd rather get into the deep psychological and emotional experiences of one or two characters than a full look at several characters. That said, I really like the way this was done. It seems like it was important to McDaniels to present the community as a whole (by showing multiple viewpoints) rather than to keep a focus on one or two people.

Overall, Red Heart Tattoo was a super quick read and a very touching story. I'm so glad to have read it.

Final thoughts: Buy it. 

Teaser Tuesday: First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky

Title: First Comes Love

Author: Katie Kacvinsky

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (May 8, 2012)

Source: ATW ARC Tours

From GoodReads:

Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl always searching for what's next, seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving and besides, opposites attract. What starts as friendship, turns into admiration, respect and caring, until finally these two lone souls find they are truly in love with each other. But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they're going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you're sorry.

It's hard for me to come up with a good description for First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky. Clearly, the book is about two characters falling in love, but it's so much more than a romance. In fact, I would even say the romance isn't the most important part of the book. It's really more about two characters getting to know each other and themselves.

Gray is a loner. An outsider. He wasn't always this way, but life took a detour when tragedy struck his family. Now, he's used to staying in the shadows, hoping no one will pay too much attention. But Dylan does. She notices everything, including Gray. Her mission: to find out what he's hiding from.

This tender story is told from alternative POVs of Gray and Dylan. In this way, we get to see the slow changes in Gray as he steps out of his comfort zone and back into real life. Also, we see Dylan's motivations and her quirky views on how to live day to day. I enjoyed both voices and how it made perfect sense that this pair would come together.

What I loved most about this story is that it took it past first love. Yes, it's great when love happens, but that's not the end of the story. Love continues and grows, but it also struggles. Love isn't always that hard to find, but it can be hard to keep. I really appreciated that First Comes Love took the readers on a journey that explores what love is and what a person is willing to give up in order to keep it.

First Comes Love is tender, heartfelt, and uplifting. The characters have depth and the story covers many aspects of life, love, friendship, and family. It's a beautiful love story, that is simultaneously, fun, silly, sweet, raw, and heartbreaking. If you're looking for a scorching, sexy romance, I wouldn't recommend picking this up, but if you're looking for a deeply written story you can emotionally connect to, check this one out.


Final thoughts: Borrow or buy. 

Teaser Tuesday: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title: Masque of the Red Death

Author: Bethany Griffin

Publisher: Greenwillow Books (April 24, 2012)

Source: ATW ARC Tours

From GoodReads:

Everything is in ruins. 

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them. 

So what does Araby Worth have to live for? 

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all. 

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. 

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin is based on the short story by Edgar Allen Poe. There have been several reimaginings of stories lately, mostly focused on ancient Greek myths, but this reimagining is quite different. It is very true to the original story, with the same character names, description of the illness, etc. It's almost as if Griffin plopped her novel into Poe's short story, found a new protagonist and expended it to novel length. Yes, it is in Griffin's own style and yes, there are some differences, but it's the most true-to-original reimagining I've read. That said, it's also highly original because Griffin came up with a novel length story based off a 20 page short story.

As anyone who has read dystopians can tell you, living in a bleak world has varying and drastic impact on the people still alive. It brings out the best in some and the worst in others. At the beginning of the story, Araby is as bleak as the world around her. She doesn't much care for life, but can't bring herself to death either...at least, not intentionally. She certainly takes risks that may kill her and does so without batting an eye. The transition from her state of numbness to one that has energy and a will to live is very gradual. The circumstances in the story lead to small changes that grow naturally. This aspect of the book was very well handled.

Personally, I loved reading about the different characters and learning their secrets. Everybody has secrets and those secrets define key moments in the story. I adored Will pretty much from the very beginning. He was a wonderful counterpart to Araby, the very antithesis of her careless nature. Elliot was intriguing as well. I didn't know what to make of him at first and honestly, I still don't, though I've grown to like him much more. The secrets these two hold are key for the climax of the story.

Every other notable person in the story has a secret as well. As we discover these secrets, it makes the characters more human and more sympathetic. I think of Araby's parents in particular when I say this. They may not be the best parents in the world, but they live in the same debilitating world as Araby with the same struggles.

I'll warn you that Masque of the Red Death will have a sequel, so the ending is not 100 percent complete. I found it satisfying enough, though I'm eager to read more.

Final thoughts: Borrow or buy, just make sure you read it. 

Teaser Tuesday: Slide by Jill Hathaway

Title: Slide

Author: Jill Hathaway

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (March 27, 2012)

Source: ATW ARC Tours

From GoodReads:

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. 

Slide by Jill Hathaway is an interesting book. Technically, the plot deals with something that could be considered paranormal (sliding into someone else's body...sounds paranormal to me), but actually, it reads more contemporary. Now, if you're not a fan of contemporary, but you're a fan of paranormal, you'd still probably enjoy this. Actually, if you're a fan of either genre, you'd probably enjoy it.

I really liked reading Slide. Lately, I've read a lot of books not in my usual genre that were good, but not great. I've had to take breaks while reading them because they didn't hold my attention well enough. I'm pleased that this wasn't my experience with Slide. It felt out of my genre because of the contemporary feel, but it was a very intriguing, quick read. I actually finished it in one sitting.

Besides Vee's unique ability, the story was captivating because of the characters and the mystery. All along, we're trying to figure out several things at once. First, the murder is unsettling and Vee is desperately trying to figure out who did it. Second, Rollins is being more distant. Vee doesn't know why and doesn't know how to fix their relationship. Third, there's this new boy Zane that is attractive and brimming with secrets. And that's all I'm going to say, but there's even more mysterious behaviors from other characters.

Trying to piece together these mysteries and figure out which ones fit together and which are unrelated definitely kept my attention throughout the story. I thought Hathaway's choices as far as what to include in the web of interrelated actions and what to cast off as separate was well thought out. Bits you think might be connected aren't, and things you didn't think would be connected are. It's good. I was able to figure some of the things out (in general, not all the details) but there was enough surprise to keep me intrigued.

Overall, Slide was an intriguing, fast read that I'd recommend to anyone who reads the summary and thinks they might be interested. Content wise, it's not for everyone, but that's why you should read the summary first.

Final thoughts:  Buy or borrow. 

Review: Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore

Title: Magic Under Stone

Author: Jaclyn Dolamore

Publisher: Bloomsbury US Children's (February 28, 2012)

Source: Netgalley

***Warning: This review contains spoilers from Magic Under Glass. Click here to check out my review of Magic Under Glass on the YA Literature Review Blog.***

From GoodReads:

For star-crossed lovers Nimira and Erris, there can be no happily ever after until Erris is freed from the clockwork form in which his soul is trapped. And so they go in search of the sorcerer Ordorio Valdana, hoping he will know how to grant Erris real life again. When they learn that Valdana has mysteriously vanished, it's not long before Nimira decides to take matters into her own hands—and begins to study the sorcerer's spell books in secret. Yet even as she begins to understand the power and limitations of sorcery, it becomes clear that freeing Erris will bring danger—if not out-and-out war—as factions within the faerie world are prepared to stop at nothing to prevent him from regaining the throne.

Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore is another book that I have been highly anticipating. I absolutely adored the enchanting Magic Under Glass and could not wait to continue Erris and Nimira's story. 

At the end of Magic Under Glass, I felt like the adventure was just beginning for Erris and Nimira. It was just as much a beginning as an ending. Idealistically, I always hope for a happily ever after, even though I know that there needs to be some conflict for the story. What I enjoyed about Magic Under Stone is that there is conflict -- conflict that should've been obvious, but I hadn't even thought of -- between Erris and Nimira, but their feelings for each other are still very clear. Erris struggles with living inside a clockwork body, while Nimira frets over how this has impacted him and if she made the right decision in trying to save him this way. It creates a wonderful and believable tension between them without creating a complete rift. With so many romances turning into love triangles, it's always refreshing when it doesn't. Both characters have very realistic reactions to an inconceivable problem.

Dolamore did a fantastic job blending all the stories of the characters we met in Magic Under Glass, while also introducing new characters and stories. Of all the new characters, my favorite was Ifra, the jinn. He has a complex and tragic story, just as Erris does, and his journey makes me feel for him. Magic Under Stone is told in third person and there are chapters that focus on Ifra's perspective. His story is very important to Nimira and Erris's, but was also very touching on its own. I would love to read more about him and I was always eager to see his chapters.

What sets Magic Under Stone apart from other fantasy books about faeries is the style of the writing. The pacing and the style is so unique, I can only describe it as enchanting. When thinking about all that happens in Magic Under Stone, I am surprised at how leisurely the pace felt. There was definitely urgency to continue reading to find out what happened, but the writing itself wasn't urgent. While having a complex plot and many character stories, the novel was woven together so well, that it felt simple, easy, and natural.

Magic Under Stone ends similarly to Magic Under Glass. There is a conclusion to the specific plot points in the book, but a new adventure is just beginning. I absolutely can't wait to read the third edition of this series.

Final thoughts: Buy it.