In My Mailbox {6}

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they’ve received in the past week. They can be from stores, contests, tours, publishers, libraries, borrowed books from friends, and the list goes on! It's just a way of showing off the books you received in the past week and making sure they're featured on the blog.

So, you can still see some of my stash from last week's IMM, including Lady of the Rivers which barely made it in the photo so I positioned it nicely in this week's image, too.

• Signed Bloodspell and swag by Amalie Howard (won in giveaway from author)
• ARC Legend by Marie Lu (from Penguin Canada)
• Signed Witch Song by Amber Argyle x2 (purchased. Get excited for a giveaway...)
• ARC Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (from Harper Collins Canada)
• Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (purchased from Amazon)
• Glimmersong by Jenna Black (purchased from Amazon)
• Alcestis by Katharine Beutner (from Soho Press for review)
• Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready (purchased from bookstore)

When I picked up Shade, I also bought myself a small present: a Little Mermaid bookmark :) I haven't been using them much but I think I should be, so I decided to try it out as a small investment.

E-Books:

• Drink, Slay, Love by Sara Beth Durst (from S&S Galley Grab)
• The Iron Daugter by Julie Kagawa (purchased from Amazon-Kindle)
• The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa (purchased from Amazon-Kindle)
• Liesel & Po by Lauren Oliver (NetGalley)
• The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees (NetGalley)
• Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (NetGalley)
• Variant by Robison Wells (NetGalley)
• Firelight by Sophie Jordan (purchased from Amazon-Kindle)

Definitely a good week in terms of books! There are so many of these that I'm excited about- thank you to authors and publishers I received these from!

Bloodlines

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Razorbill/Penguin
ISBN13: 9781595143174

5/5 Stars!

Goodreads Synopsis:
When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

I have a small disclaimer to add first:
I have never read Vampire Academy. Or anything by Richelle Mead for that matter.

So, Bloodlines was my very first taste of this living and breathing world created by Mead.

Bloodlines didn't disappointed me at all, even though I was wary of reading it since I hadn't read VA and I'm not into vampires that much. But I can happily say that I am HOOKED. I won't speak for those who are VA fans, but for those unfamiliar with VA or Mead, Bloodlines is the perfect introduction. You want to meet this book and be best friends with it.

Sydney was the perfect main character. I don't think I have ever related more to a character than I did with her. Mead writes her story excellently, and I was fascinated by this alchemist trying to fit in, but not fit in too much with vampires who are trying to blend in with humans. I actually enjoyed reading about the alchemists more than the vampires, because it offered such a unique and refreshing perspective.

The relationships in the book are executed to perfection. Your heart literally breaks watching Sydney struggle with the expectations thrust upon her, and in particular the strain between herself and her father. I was annoyed at first when she would obsess over not being small enough until you realize why she feels that why- and then I just melted completely. No one should ever have to go through that, but at times haven't we all felt like no matter what we do it'll never be enough?

Other reviewers have commented that there's no romance in Bloodlines. And... that's pretty much true. Sydney doesn't have a love plot, but that's amazing in and of itself! Bloodlines wants its relationships to develop gradually. With time. I can't remember the last time I read a YA book that did this; which of course means that if it ever actually reaches that point, the romance will just be THAT much better since we've been (im)patiently waiting for it. ;)

And...I don't think I have a single bad thing to say about this book. I truly loved it and I could honestly sit here and rave about it if you'd let me.

HUGE thank you to Penguin Canada for providing me with an ARC for the upcoming Bloodlines blog tour! The tour will be stopping at Esther's Ever After on September 13th!

Descended by Blood

Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace
Release Date: August 26, 2011
Accendo Press

3.5/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

Descended by Blood kind of gave me a Twilight love triangle vibe, but without the werewolves. That's just to say that this is a book with a lot of focus on the romance department, and if you enjoy that then this is an interesting, fun read.

Brooke was a great character, and Angeline Kace did a wonderful job peeling back the different layers of her. One of my favourite things about Brooke was that she didn't spend all of her time brooding, and wasn't the typical emo teenage girl. She's bubbly and she's fun! She gets together with her best friend, and they cry and giggle and make you feel all nostalgic for some of your own girl time. But there's some real pain stemming from some very real issues there as well.

In particular, Brooke's relationship with her father was done very well. I like reading about dysfunctional families when they're dealt with properly and given the type of attention they deserve.

Now, I really hated her relationship with Jaren. He really, totally, completely SUCKS. I felt constantly annoyed by him; somehow he's okay with her freakishly killing someone in his house, but as soon as she turns out to be a vampire he bails? Um, no. Killing is (or should be) fairly traumatic. The transitions in atmosphere also weren't really there. One minute every thing would be fine then -BAM- there would be a near death occurence and then they'd just go right back to normal. And reading the action scenes felt a bit lacking for more action described through the writing.

I really like the story behind the book, especially all the vampire politics. The fantasy in it is intriguing too, but I really hope that in the future books the characters will be a bit more serious about the events going on. Mirko is a perfect example of what I would like to see: he's fun and plays around a lot, but he's serious when he needs to be. (Pssst... he's so much better than Jaren!) I didn't see that coming from the other characters too much, which detracted from the story a bit for me. But it's still a good debut from Kace, and for those who enjoy the vampire trend going on right now this one is worth picking up to read.

ARC e-book received from author for me to read and write an honest review on it. Thank you, Angeline!

She also sent me the book trailer, which I'm embedding below for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy! :)

Follow & Friend Friday ~ 08/19

Every Friday,  Parajunkee hosts Follow my Book Blog Friday! So welcome to another stop on this hop!

It's fairly simple- follow the hosting blog, the feature blog, and then use the links to discover new blogs to follow! And if someone follows you, be kind and follow back! It's a fun way to find new bloggers to read :)

Featured Blogger for this week is Belle Books

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

Okay, confession: for a long time I've had this dream of really making a difference. I study political science for a reason: I'm not sure exactly WHAT I'd do, but I'd love to accomplish something. I wouldn't want to be in something as tragic as The Hunger Games (as much as I love it), because at the same time I don't think I could handle that much tragedy. Same reason I wouldn't want to be in a romance book- I can't handle that emotional rollercoaster ride. Maybe something more like Wither by Lauren DeStefano and Rhine?

Or you know who else I really loved? Sydney from Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. I loved her, because I felt like I related to her so well. Almost like she WAS me. So there you go- an uninteresting fact about me. ;)

P.S. If you're looking for a fabulous new series to get in to, check out my current giveaway for a copy of Marianne de Pierres' Burn Bright (Night Creatures #1)! CLICK HERE

The Iron King

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Released: February 1, 2010
HarlequinTEEN
ISBN13: 9780373210084

4/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Wow, so how come it took me so long to start reading this series?!

The Iron King is an enticing introduction to the world of The Iron Fey. Kagawa's execution is brilliant as she lures both Meghan and her readers in to a frightening, curious world of fae and other fantasy creatures. Nothing is as it seems, and your perception of faeries comes completely undone to become something new and delightfully different. Although Kagawa sticks close to the more traditional idea of faeries than our contemporary idea of Tinker Bell (thankfully)!

The beginning of The Iron King is delightfully creepy, and works well as a set up to the rest of the novel. I really enjoyed reading about Meghan and Puck's friendship; I just really liked Puck as a character, right down to his one liners that were so bad they were funny. He's such a quirky, multi-faceted character! But before you even ask, right now I'm Team Ash simply because I didn't get a romantic vibe from the relationship between Meghan and Puck. Yet. But I haven't finished the series yet, either!

Ash is wonderful in his own way, he's like the antithesis to Puck. And that's probably what makes them both so interesting, is how different they are yet I still love how very real they feel. Everyone in The Iron King is flawed as a character, and that makes them come alive. Now that being said, I actually didn't like Meghan that much. I really disliked her at the beginning because she came across as such a whiny brat complaining about not having one pair of nice jeans. I think she does begin a more mature development as the story progresses though, and hopefully that continues throughout the other books.

One of my favourite things about The Iron King is how illusionary everything felt, as if it was a mirage almost. You can't be too sure of anything, particularly the characters Meghan encounters. There really isn't a clear cut "bad guy" and nothing's entirely black and white. Seriously, talk about depth in a YA novel.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the technology bit yet. It seemed a bit silly as it played out in the first book, but I'm optimistic about it as a theme for the series as a whole. It's definitely a unique and interesting idea.

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
Released: July 21, 2011
Razorbill/Penguin
ISBN13: 9781595144232

3.5/4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

All these new YA books based off mythology are making me swoon with excitement! There are so many out there, based off of different mythological persons, creatures, stories, etc. and they're told in such uniquely different ways.

Ripple is about Lexi, a girl cursed with being a siren. Hubbard does a fantastic job using a popular, current theme and making it her own. Lexi's curse is fascinating and the mythology Hubbard uses is just wonderful.

My disappointment with this book was the pacing and development- it was too fast. Like taking a ride on a runaway train, when you just want to enjoy the scenery. Lexi's romantic relationships unfold so quickly, that they came off forced more than anything (although one of them was understandably so). And Erik as a character was just flat and empty- there was nothing substantial to him, although the idea behind him was enticing. But to be honest, the pacing really took away from the story as a whole and left me wanting much more than was there.

However, Ripple is a book about far more than just a teenage siren with a curse to break. At the root of the story is the tragic and unfortunate death of Lexi's boyfriend, Steven, and how Lexi tries to cope with her grief. The richest relationships in the book were those between Lexi and Cole, and Lexi and Sienna, as they all tried to come to terms with Steven's death and the impact it had on each other.

Furthermore, Hubbard carves out the curse of sirens to cumulate in one large issue for them, as they seem to crave true love beyond anything else. The heartbreak Lexi feels and her desire for something more than the abandonment and deaths surround her is just stunning.

Sienna and Lexi's relationship is a kind of real life friendship, and the consequences of their actions are devastating- but perfectly applied by Hubbard.

Smile - it's Wednesday!

see this lovely picture? It was made by Lindsay at The Violet Hour. Thank you for sharing it!)

Jill @  Breaking the Spine hosts weekly "Waiting on Wednesday" for books that haven't been released yet but we are anxious for!

This week, I'm anxiously awaiting the release of Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton. I really, really love reading Greek myths retold, or antying with mytholigical elements and this cover is just SO beautiful! One of my favourites that I've seen this year.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

MizB @ Should Be Reading hosts WWW Wednesdays... it's super easy to play along and join in!
Just answer these three questions:

What are you currently reading?

Right now, I'm in the middle of the Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I LOVE it, and yes, it has taken me this long to get into the series!

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished reading Ripple by Mandy Hubbard (review will be up today, promise!!) and before that I finally got around to reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (which was sent to me as a gift). So glad I read that one!

What do you think I'll read next?

Well... right now the plan is to read my ARC of Legend by Marie Lu next, and then continue with the Iron Fey series. But my plans always seem to change, haha!

That's it for me this week, but please comment and send me the link to your Wednesday post! I promise to read it (I love seeing what others are sharing!) and try to comment on something :)