In My Mailbox: May 19, 2013

In My Mailbox has a new home at The Mod Podge Bookshelf. IMM is a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A blurb about the move can be found here.




From NetGalley:


Plague in the Mirror
by Deborah Noyes

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, audiobook
Pages: 272
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Expected release date: June 11, 2013
Suggested tags: young adult, paranormal, time travel



From Goodreads:

"In a sensual paranormal romance, a teen girl’s doppelgänger from 1348 Florence lures her into the past in hopes of exacting a deadly trade.

It was meant to be a diversion — a summer in Florence with her best friend, Liam, and his travel-writer mom, doing historical research between breaks for gelato. A chance to forget that back in Vermont, May’s parents, and all semblance of safety, were breaking up. But when May wakes one night sensing someone in her room, only to find her ghostly twin staring back at her, normalcy becomes a distant memory. And when later she follows the menacing Cristofana through a portale to fourteenth-century Florence, May never expects to find safety in the eyes of Marco, a soulful painter who awakens in her a burning desire and makes her feel truly seen. The wily Cristofana wants nothing less of May than to inhabit each other’s lives, but with the Black Death ravaging Old Florence, can May’s longing for Marco’s touch be anything but madness? Lush with atmosphere both passionate and eerie, this evocative tale follows a girl on the brink of womanhood as she dares to transcend the familiar — and discovers her sensual power."

Travels with Gannon and Wyatt: Botswana
Patti Wheeler & Keith Hemstreet

Available as: hardcover
Pages: 160
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
Expected release date: May 28, 2013
Suggested tags: middle grade, adventure



From Goodreads:

"When Gannon and Wyatt arrive in Botswana for an African safari, they find themselves tangled up in much more than a family vacation. After receiving word that a poacher has shot and wounded a lioness, they set off into the wild in the hopes of saving the mother and her cubs before the poacher finishes the job. While on this amazing journey, they encounter Africa’s Big Five - elephants, rhinos, cape buffalos, leopards, and lions?only to discover that the most dangerous predator in the African bush is not the king of beasts, but man himself.

In the tradition of the historic journals kept by explorers such as Lewis and Clark, Dr. David Livingstone, and Captain James Cook comes the adventure series Travels with Gannon and Wyatt. From Africa to the South Pacific, these twin brothers have traveled the world. You never know what they will encounter as they venture into the wild, but one thing is certain - wherever Gannon and Wyatt go, adventure is their constant companion.

You can find Gannon and Wyatt’s blog, photographs, and video footage from their real-life expeditions at travelswithgannonandwyatt.com."

From Goodreads First Reads:


The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 480
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release date: May 7, 2013
Suggested tags: young adult, dystopia, science fiction



First in The 5th Wave series. From Goodreads:

"The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up."

In My Mailbox: July 22, 2012

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From NetGalley:


The Infects
by Sean Beaudoin

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 384
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release date: September 25, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, horror, zombies



From Goodreads:

"A feast for the brain, this gory and genuinely hilarious take on zombie culture simultaneously skewers, pays tribute to, and elevates the horror genre.

Seventeen-year-old Nero is stuck in the wilderness with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents on an "Inward Trek." As if that weren’t bad enough, his counselors have turned into flesh-eating maniacs overnight and are now chowing down on his fellow miscreants. As in any classic monster flick worth its salted popcorn, plentiful carnage sends survivors rabbiting into the woods while the mindless horde of "infects" shambles, moans, and drools behind. Of course, these kids have seen zombie movies. They generate "Zombie Rules" almost as quickly as cheeky remarks, but attitude alone can’t keep the biters back. Serving up a cast of irreverent, slightly twisted characters, an unexpected villain, and an ending you won’t see coming, here is a savvy tale that that’s a delight to read — whether you’re a rabid zombie fan or freshly bitten — and an incisive commentary on the evil that lurks within each of us."

Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls
by Tellulah Darling

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 244
Publisher: Te Da Media
Release date: October 17, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, realistic fiction, contemporary



From Goodreads:

"Why the hell can’t chicks be more like guys?

That question plagues high school senior Sam Cruz. Sam is perfectly happy being a player. He just wishes girls wouldn’t change the game from sex to relationships. It makes him look like an asshole. But when Sam’s best friend, Ally Klinger, gets dumped, she begs him to transform her into someone who can screw around then screw off. No risk of heartbreak that way. It’s Sam’s chance to create the perfect female AND cheer up his best friend. Armed with Sam’s Three Step Guide to Backseat Success, Ally gets the game better than Sam thought she would and before long, Sam has his wish: the female version of himself. Too bad it’s driving him nuts. Told from Sam’s and Ally's alternating POVs, Sam Cruz’s Infallible Guide to Getting Girls is a fast-paced romantic comedy that follows these teens as they navigate the minefield of sex, love, and friendship.

This book contains strong language, drinking, euphemisms, and lots of 'bow chicka wow wow.' "

Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes
by various authors

Available as: paperback
Pages: unknown
Publisher: Month9Books
Release date: October 16, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, short stories, fairy tales



From Goodreads:

"In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young."

In My Mailbox: July 15, 2012

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From the bookstore:

My Barnes & Noble 40% off YA paranormal romance order is here!! :D


Seven Tears Into the Sea
by Terri Farley

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 288
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication date: May 11, 2010
Suggested tags: young adult, paranormal, mermaids



From Goodreads:

"Beckon the sea,

I'll come to thee....

Shed seven tears,

perchance seven years....

At the age of ten, Gwen Cooke had a strange encounter with a boy with dark, slightly tilted eyes. He came to her on the beach, whispered strange words in her ear, and then disappeared. Shortly thereafter, her family moved away from their seaside home and Gwen never saw the boy again.

Now seventeen, Gwen is returning to her childhood home. Her nana asked her to come. But Gwen knows it's time to go back for another reason: She yearns for the sea. Perhaps the sea itself is calling to her. Perhaps the memory of the boy and his haunting words are drawing her back to the place they met. Perhaps it's time for her to face her destiny."

Soul Screamers Vol. 1: My Soul to Lose • My Soul to Take • My Soul to Save
by Rachel Vincent

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 570
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: November 22, 2011
Suggested tags: young adult, paranormal, romance



Includes a prequel novella and books 1 and 2 in the Soul Screamers series. From Goodreads:

"It starts with a scream….

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's compelling Soul Screamers series keeps getting better—here, for the first time, the original stories are compiled into one special volume….

My Soul to Lose
—The prequel: never before in print!—Kaylee is just your average girl shopping at the mall with friends—until a terrified scream bursts from her that cannot be stopped. Taken to a hospital ward, will she be able to save her mind—and her life?

My Soul to Take
She's always felt different, but now Kaylee discovers why. The screams that cannot be denied mean that someone near her will die—and she can never save them. Because saving one life means taking another….

My Soul to Save
Going on dates with her boyfriend is still new to Kaylee. But when the singer of the band they're seeing dies onstage and Kaylee doesn't scream, she knows something crazy is going on. Soon she discovers souls can indeed be sold…."

Starcrossed
by Josephine Angelini

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 487
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release date: May 31, 2011
Suggested tags: young adult, paranormal, mythology



First in the Starcrossed series. From Goodreads:

"Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention.

Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy that the Three Fates insist on repeating over and over again throughout history. Like her namesake, Helen of Troy, she’s destined to start a war by falling in love. But even though Lucas and Helen can see their own star-crossed destiny, they’re still powerfully attracted to each other. Will they give up their personal happiness for the greater good, or risk it all to be together?"

In My Mailbox #10

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From NetGalley:


Reckless Heart
by Amy Clipston

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 272
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: April 17, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, Christian fiction, Amish



My Amish fascination continues... this time in YA! Yes!! :)

From Goodreads:

"Slipping. Lydia Bontrager's youngest sister is frighteningly ill, and as a good Amish daughter, it falls to Lydia to care for her siblings and keep the household running, in addition to working as a teacher's assistant and helping part time at her grandmother's bakery. Succumbing to stress, Lydia gives in to one wild night and returns home drunk. The secret of that mistake leaves Lydia feeling even more restless and confused, especially when Joshua, the only boy she's ever loved, becomes increasingly distant. When a non-Amish boy moves in nearby, Lydia finds someone who understands her, but the community is convinced Lydia is becoming too reckless. With the pressures at home and her sister's worsening condition, a splintering relationship with Joshua, and her own growing questions over what is right, Lydia could lose everything that she's ever held close."

Sorcery & Cecelia or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot
by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

Available as: Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 324
Publisher: Open Road Young Readers
Publication date: May 22, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, fantasy, historical fiction



This book was originally published years earlier, but it's now available in ebook form. It's been on my to-read list for quite a while so I'm really excited that I'm getting the chance to read it now!

First in the Cecelia and Kate series. From Goodreads:

"A great deal is happening in London and the country this season. For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There's also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he's not doing a very good job of it--so just what are his intentions?) And then there's Oliver. Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is. Clearly, magic is a deadly and dangerous business. And the girls might be in fear for their lives . . . if only they weren't having so much fun!"

Temptation
by Karen Ann Hopkins

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 383
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: June 26, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, romance, contemporary



What's this? Another Amish YA? :D

First in the Temptation series. From Goodreads:

"Your heart misleads you. That's what my friends and family say. But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy. But it won't be. Because he's Amish. And I'm not."

What I Didn't Say
by Keary Taylor

Available as: Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 326
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication date: April 30, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, romance, contemporary



This sounds like a very sweet romance. I can't wait to read it! The small island setting has me intrigued, too.

From Goodreads:

"Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat.

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it."

In My Mailbox #9

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From NetGalley:


The Loners
by Lex Thomas

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 416
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release date: July 10, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, dystopia



I'm a big fan of YA survival stories; anything along the lines of Lord of the Flies or The Hunger Games is right up my alley. So I'm really looking forward to this one - sounds dark and intense!

First in the Quarantine series. From Goodreads:

"It was just another ordinary day at McKinley High—until a massive explosion devastated the school. When loner David Thorpe tried to help his English teacher to safety, the teacher convulsed and died right in front of him. And that was just the beginning.

A year later, McKinley has descended into chaos. All the students are infected with a virus that makes them deadly to adults. The school is under military quarantine. The teachers are gone. Violent gangs have formed based on high school social cliques. Without a gang, you’re as good as dead. And David has no gang. It’s just him and his little brother, Will, against the whole school.

In this frighteningly dark and captivating novel, Lex Thomas locks readers inside a school where kids don’t fight to be popular, they fight to stay alive."

Whispers from the Grave
by Leslie Rule

Available as: Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: unknown
Publisher: Andrews McMeel
Publication date: April 3, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, paranormal, ghosts



A ghost story with "murder, deception, and sinister experiments" - what more could you ask for?

From Goodreads:

"The similarities between Jenna and Rita were uncanny. They looked and acted exactly alike. Each was experiencing the thrill of first love. Each was empowered with a gift of the supernatural. And each harbored dark secrets. Jenna and Rita could have been sisters. Except for one thing . . . Rita was murdered over a century ago.

Out of the yellowed pages of her diary, Rita's frightening legacy is reborn. But the more Jenna reads of Rita's spellbinding past--of murder, deception, and sinister experiments--the more she fears her own future. Because Rita's history is repeating itself, moment by horrifying moment. And Jenna has to live it."

BEA BUZZ BOOKS: Excerpts From Over 30 Top Fall 2012
Titles
by various authors

Available as: ebook
Pages: unknown
Publisher: Publishers Lunch
Publication date: May 18, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, sampler



I'm really excited to flip through this one! Excerpts from lots of upcoming 2012 books, including YA!

From Goodreads:

"BEA in an eBook. Start reading exclusive excerpts from over 30 top Fall titles featured at the BookExpo America convention right now. Enjoy new work from Junot Díaz, Mark Helprin, Rhoda Janzen, Barbara Kingsolver, Jessica Khoury, Dennis Lehane, J.R. Moehringer, Neil Young, and many others in the free BEA BUZZ BOOKS from Publishers Lunch."

BEA BUZZ BOOKS excerpts from upcoming 2012 YA books include:

From the library:

The Book of the Maidservant
by Rebecca Barnhouse

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 236
Publisher: Random House
Publication date: October 27, 2009
Suggested tags: middle grade, historical fiction, adventure



I was really intrigued by the fact that this was based off the first autobiography in English, told from the maidservant's point of view. So far it's wonderfully written and quite interesting!

From Goodreads:

"Johanna is a servant girl to Dame Margery Kempe, a renowned medieval holy woman. Dame Margery feels the suffering the Virgin Mary felt for her son but cares little for the misery she sees every day. When she announces that Johanna will accompany her on a pilgrimage to Rome, the suffering truly begins. After walking all day, Johanna must fetch water, wash clothes, and cook for the entire party of pilgrims. Then arguing breaks out between Dame Margery and the other travelers, and Johanna is caught in the middle. As the fighting escalates, Dame Margery turns her back on the whole group, including Johanna. Abandoned in a foreign land where she doesn’t even speak the language, the young maidservant must find her own way to Rome.

Inspired by the fifteenth-century text The Book of Margery Kempe, the first autobiography in English, debut novelist Rebecca Barnhouse chronicles Johanna’s painful journey through fear, anger, and physical hardship to ultimate redemption."

In My Mailbox #8

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From Goodreads First Reads:


Keeping the Castle
by Patrice Kindl

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 224
Publisher: Viking Childrens Books
Release date: June 14, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fiction, romance



YA "literary champagne"? Well, I'm intrigued. :)

From Goodreads:

"Seventeen-year-old Althea is the sole support of her entire family, and she must marry well. But there are few wealthy suitors--or suitors of any kind--in their small Yorkshire town of Lesser Hoo. Then, the young and attractive (and very rich) Lord Boring arrives, and Althea sets her plans in motion. There's only one problem; his friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks keeps getting in the way. And, as it turns out, Fredericks has his own set of plans . . . This witty take on the classic Regency--Patrice Kindl's first novel in a decade--is like literary champagne!"

From NetGalley:


Blackwood
by Gwenda Bond

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 416
Publisher: Strange Chemistry (Angry Robot)
Release date: September 4, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, paranormal, romance



I've been fascinated by Roanoke since I first learned about it in grade school. Can't wait to see what Bond does with it!

From Goodreads:

"On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island's most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can't dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America's oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance."

Code Name Verity
by Elizabeth Wein

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 327
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Publication date: May 15, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fiction



This sounds so good. I have a feeling I'll cry, though.

From Goodreads:

"Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy?"

In My Mailbox #7

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From Goodreads First Reads:


Tiger Lily
by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 304
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release date: July 3, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, fantasy, retellings



A retelling of Peter Pan, focusing on Tiger Lily? Oh my goodness. SWOON.

From Goodreads:

"Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart."

From the bookstore:

Cleopatra's Daughter
by Michelle Moran

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 448
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Publication date: July 13, 2010
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fiction, Egypt



Not sure if this is YA or Adult historical fiction, but it is indeed historical fiction, in Egypt, around the time of Cleopatra, so either way I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it.

From Goodreads:

"The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony’s revengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two– the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander–survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian’s sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts."

Moloka'i
by Alan Brennert

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 384
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: October 4, 2004
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fiction, 19th century



Also not sure if this is actually YA or Adult, but it's been on my to-read list for a long time, and I got it on sale. :D

From Goodreads:

"This richly imagined novel, set in Hawai'i more than a century ago, is an extraordinary epic of a little-known time and place---and a deeply moving testament to the resiliency of the human spirit.

Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Here her life is supposed to end---but instead she discovers it is only just beginning."

From the library:

Entwined
by Heather Dixon

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 480
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication date: March 29, 2011
Suggested tags: young adult, fairy tales, retellings



A retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses that I got on CD for my commute to work. So far, I'm torn - great writing, weak plot.

From Goodreads:

"Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it’s taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He’s trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation. Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest. But there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late."

In My Mailbox #6

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From NetGalley:


Kill Me Softly
by Sarah Cross

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 314
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release date: April 10, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, fantasy, fairy tales



Oh, how I love a fairy tale retelling. Can't wait to see how the tales are retold in this one!

From Goodreads:

"Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns."

The Last Song
by Eva Wiseman

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 225
Publisher: Tundra
Release date: April 10, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fiction



I love YA historical fiction, and I find the Spanish Inquisition to be darkly fascinating, so I'm really excited to read this.

From Goodreads:

"Spain had been one of the world’s most tolerant societies for eight hundred years, but that way of life was wiped out by the Inquisition. Isabel’s family feels safe from the terrors, torture, and burnings. After all, her father is a respected physician in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. Isabel was raised as a Catholic and doesn’t know that her family’s Jewish roots may be a death sentence. When her father is arrested by Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor, she makes a desperate plan to save his life – and her own.

Once again, master storyteller Eva Wiseman brings history to life in this riveting and tragic novel."

The Peculiars
by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Available as: hardcover
Pages: 354
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release date: May 1, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, fantasy, steampunk



A while ago, I pointed this book out as a juicy debut that I was looking forward to reading... and now I get to read it early! :D

From Goodreads:

"On her 18th birthday, Lena Mattacascar decides to search for her father, who disappeared into the northern wilderness of Scree when Lena was young. Scree is inhabited by Peculiars, people whose unusual characteristics make them unacceptable to modern society. Lena wonders if her father is the source of her own extraordinary characteristics and if she, too, is Peculiar. On the train she meets a young librarian, Jimson Quiggley, who is traveling to a town on the edge of Scree to work in the home and library of the inventor Mr. Beasley. The train is stopped by men being chased by the handsome young marshal Thomas Saltre. When Saltre learns who Lena’s father is, he convinces her to spy on Mr. Beasley and the strange folk who disappear into his home, Zephyr House. A daring escape in an aerocopter leads Lena into the wilds of Scree to confront her deepest fears."

In My Mailbox: March 25, 2012

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From NetGalley:


Death by Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked
by Mary Miley Theobald

Available as: paperback
Pages: 144
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release date: June 5, 2012
Suggested tags: non-fiction, history



I have such a weakness for books about American history. The quirky little facts in the description had me clicking "request" on NetGalley before I could think twice!

From Goodreads:

"Every day stories from American history that are not true are repeated in museums and classrooms across the country. Some are outright fabrications; others contain a kernel of truth that has been embellished over the years. Collaborating with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Mary Miley Theobald has uncovered the truth behind many widely repeated myth-understandings in our history in Death by Petticoat including:

* Hat makers really were driven mad. They were poisoned by the mercury used in making hats from furs. Their symptoms included hallucinations, tremors, and twitching, which looked like insanity to people of the 17th and 18th centuries--and the phrase "mad as a hatter" came about.

* The idea that portrait painters gave discounts if their subjects posed with one hand inside the vest (so they didn't have to paint fingers and leading to the saying that something "costs an arm and a leg") is strictly myth. It isn't likely that Napoleon, King George III, or George Washington were concerned about getting a discount from their portrait painters.

Pregnant women secluded themselves indoors, uneven stairs were made to trip up burglars, people bathed once a year, women had tiny waists, apprenticeships lasted seven years--Death by Petticoat reveals the truth about these hysterical historical myth-understandings."

Radiate
by Marley Gibson

Available as: paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 395
Publisher: Graphia
Release date: April 3, 2012
Suggested tags: young adult, realistic fiction



I read a lot of books by Lurlene McDaniel when I was younger, and from the description Radiate seems to have a similar feeling. I'm really looking forward to reading this one.

From Goodreads:

"Hayley Matthews is determined to be the best cheerleader she can. She works hard and pushes herself 110% all the time. Then Hayley finds a lump on her leg. The diagnosis is cancer. The prognosis is unclear. She could lose her leg. Or maybe her life. At first Haley is scared, terrified. In an instant, everything she’s worked for seems out of reach. But Haley is strong. She’s going to fight this disease. She will not let it take her life or her dreams."

From the bookstore:


The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story
by Mary Downing Hahn

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 144
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date: April 20, 1989
Suggested tags: middle grade, paranormal, ghosts



I mentioned in another post that this was my favorite book in my younger days and that I needed to find a copy for myself. Guess what - I found it! (And for only $5!) This totally made my week! :)

From Goodreads:

"When Ashley discovers a turn-of-the-century doll it is just the first of several puzzling events that lead her through the hedge and into a twilight past where she meets Louise, an ailing child whose beloved doll has mysteriously disappeared."

In My Mailbox: March 18, 2012

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way to highlight the books you receive every week (or so). A full explanation and rules can be found here.




From NetGalley:

Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life
by Nancy Sleeth

Available as: paperback
Pages: 272
Publisher: Tyndale House
Release date: April 1, 2012
Suggested tags: non-fiction, religion, Amish



I don't know where my fascination with the Amish culture and way of life came from, but I've had it for as long as I can remember. So needless to say, I'm really excited I get to read this book, and I'm hoping I'll learn from it some ways I can make my life a little slower, simpler, and more sustainable too.

From Goodreads:

"Have you ever stopped to think, "Maybe the Amish are on to something"? Look around. We tweet while we drive, we talk while we text, and we surf the Internet until we fall asleep. We are essentially plugged in and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rather than mastering technology, we have allowed technology to master us. We are an exhausted nation. No one has enough time, everyone feels stressed out, and our kids spend more hours staring at a screen each week than they do playing outside. It's time to simplify our lives, make faith and family the focal point, and recapture the lost art of simple living. Building on the basic principles of Amish life, Nancy Sleeth shows readers how making conscious choices to limit (and in some cases eliminate) technology's hold on our lives and getting back to basics can help us lead calmer, more focused, less harried lives that result in stronger, deeper relationships with our families, friends, and God."

For Review:

Little Miss Bronte &
Little Master Carroll
by Jennifer Adams & Alison Oliver

Available as: board books
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
Publication date: March 1, 2012
Suggested tags: childrens


I was offered these adorable board books for review, and since Charlotte Bronte is one of my favorite authors and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of my favorite books, I just could not pass them up. How cute are they?? I couldn't resist a quick flip through them as soon as the box arrived - the illustrations are beautiful!

From Goodreads:

"With the perennial popularity of classic writers like Charlotte Bronte and Lewis Carroll, Baby Lit is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar's Alison Oliver, Little Miss Bronte and Little Master Carroll are a must for every savvy parent's nursery library."