In My Mailbox 6

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) - Michael Scott

The Alchemyst is a contemporary fantasy which opens in modern day San Francisco when brother and sister, Josh and Sophie discover that the owner of the bookstore where Josh works is the immortal French alchemist, Nicholas Flamel. Flamel and his wife, Perenelle, are the guardians of the Book of Abraham which they have protected for centuries. This is a collection of the most powerful spells in the world. When Dr John Dee discovers the Flamels' whereabouts, he attacks and snatches the book. Josh and Sophie intervene to help Flamel, but now they too are being hunted by Dee and creatures that predate humanity.

The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) - Michael Scott

After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenell is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is teeming with enemies. Nicollo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He’s after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenell. For every day spent without the Book of Abraham the Mage, they age one year—their magic becoming weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophesy is becoming more and more clear.It’s time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic: Fire Magic. And there’s only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel’s old student, the Comte de Saint-Germain—alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world’s only hope—if they don’t turn on each other first.

Note: I didn't read this summary at all, just copied and pasted it. The Alchemyst is turning out to be pretty good and I don't want any spoilers.

Bloodhound (The Legend of Beka Cooper, Book 2) - Tamora Pierce

Beka Cooper is finally a Dog—a full-fledged member of the Provost’s Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus’s streets. But there’s unrest in Tortall’s capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won’t let anything—or anyone—jeopardize her mission. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won’t be enough for Beka be her usual “terrier” self. She’ll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals—to be a Bloodhound. . . .

Note: I am NOT going to read this before I read Terrier.

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X - James Patterson

Patterson jumps on the superheroes bandwagon with contributor Ledwidge and delivers the adventures of Daniel X, a superpowered alien whose mission is to defend Earth from more malignant, threatening aliens. In his first adventure, listeners hear the typical origin story (parents killed by the most vile alien on Earth), his early adventures (growing up on his own with amazing powers) and his first real step into manhood (facing off against another alien). The story throws in a few interesting twists, but isn't particularly dynamic as superhero narratives go. The production is sparsely sprinkled with sound effects, which work quite well and add to the story, but there is a lack of consistency to their execution. However, Milo Ventimiglia makes it worth the listen. His timing and inflection match perfectly with Daniel, the first-person protagonist. He sounds youthful enough to be believable as Daniel and easily transitions to other character voices within the story.

Note: I've read many good reviews about James Patterson's books and played some of the computer games based on them, so it's time for me to actually find out what the hype is all about.

All reviews from Amazon unless stated.

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Disclaimer: Credit for the implementation of IMM posts go to Kristi of The Story Siren and Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Credit goes, and will always go, to them, for this and future IMM posts. I take no credit for this meme, and future IMM posts wouldn't exist without them both. It should be taken note of that I won't be writing this for every IMM post. That does not mean that I am taking credit for it. It just means that I'm just too lazy to write it down.