In My Mailbox 27: YA Roundup

In what is called a lazy man's week, or known as a month's worth of books.

• Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Neilson
• A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker
• Libyrinth by Pearl North
• Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
• Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
• Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
• Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
• Zeta or Omega? by Kate Harmon
• Swoon by Nina Malkin (The last time I read a few chapters and returned it.)
• The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
• Prism by Faye & Aliza Kellerman (A mother-daughter team)
• Ruined by Paula Morris

In other news, YA Roundup (a website for the promotion of debut YA/MG authors) is recruiting new bloggers who'd love to host a week for the debut authors, including but not limited to The Tenners and Class of 2k10.

What it involves:
A review, character and author interviews, giveaways, guest posts, excerpts etc. As the blogger in charge of the week, you'll get to read the book first and promote it during the book launch. You can choose any book you'd love to promote (a list would be helpful) as long as it hsn't been assigned to another blogger. You'll get exclusive content to post on your blog, the authors get publicity. It would help if you had a copy of the book beforehand, but it's not necessary of course. It would be a major plus, as well as management skills. Bloggers who apply should have been book blogging for at least a year. Interested? Leave a comment. :)

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 there might be times where 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.

How Amy Brecount White fell in love

For my guest post Liyana asked me to write about how I fell in love with my husband. So here’s the story of one of the most important moments in our relationship.

It was the fall semester of our junior year in college, and we were both living in London for a semester of study abroad. Pete and I had been dating for about six months. Part of our education was travel, so we had a week off and decided to head to Wales and Ireland. We had a fabulous weekend hiking and climbing castle ruins in the lovely, historic Welsh countryside for a few days together, and then I was supposed to meet up with my roommate in Ireland. He was headed to Dublin to do some pub hopping with his buddies.

Now remember, this is before cell phones existed in any meaningful way, so no one had one. No one. Meeting up with anyone in a foreign country took a lot of planning and more than the luck of the Irish. My roommate, Susie, was taking a boat across the channel after a weekend in France, and I was supposed to meet her at a small port in the southwest part of Ireland. I waited and waited on the appointed day for Suz, but no boat. The next day I explored the area by myself and then went back to meet the boat at the same time. It never showed. (She’d read the schedule wrong, and that boat only ran twice a week.)

So there I was, all alone and on the verge of panic. I had no way to know if Susie was ever coming, and I was lonely. Pete and I had said that if we missed our friends, we’d try to find each other in a small town called Youghal, that’s pronounced like a southern American would say “y’all.” I ran back to my bed and breakfast, packed up, and hopped on the next bus going west to try to find him.

Unfortunately, it was one of those local buses that stopped in every single village along the way. While it was excellent people watching, my hopes kept sinking down, down. I was positive he was off somewhere, laughing and having a pint of Guinness with his friends. Why would he risk going off somewhere when I might not even show? I must have sat on that bus for six hours getting more and more freaked out. Where would I stay tonight? What was I was going to do for the next five days of my vacation all alone? I didn’t know how to find anyone I knew. ):

My heart was pounding in my ears as I read the sign for the village of Youghal. It was late and entirely dark outside. My face pressed to the window. I muttered a prayer: “Dear God, Please let him be here … please.” I was on the verge of tears, because the faces were all unfamiliar.

Then I recognized his long legs in jeans and his navy down coat before the bus stopped completely. He was scouring the windows of my bus, the last bus of that day, worried but hopeful, too. I waved at him like a maniac and ran off that bus and toward him. I have never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life. He had ditched the certainty of his friends to find me. His arms wrapped me up, and I knew I could trust him with my heart.

Liyana also asked me what our special flower is. That’s changed through the years, because love changes and grows. Right now it’s the dogwood, a lovely blooming tree that’s one of my favorites here in Virginia. In the language of flowers, dogwood means “love undiminished by adversity.” After many years of marriage, we’ve had our share of ups and downs, but I still believe I can trust him with my heart.

Thanks so much for having me, Liyana!

No, thank YOU Amy for sharing with us one of your most precious memories. I don't know about you, but when I read and like a writer's normal everyday writing, I know I'm going to like his/her book. Here are the rules of the Spread the Flower Love Blog Tour. LiyanaLand's flower is the sweet alyssum, which means 'worth beyond beauty'. It's the second picture, and it's gorgeous, but not as gorgeous as the dogwood (last picture)! To know more about Amy, her husband, flowers and of course, FORGET HER NOT, head on over to:
Website
Twitter: @AmyBrecountWhit

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

Title: The Titan's Curse	Loved it	Graded
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Elements: Greek mythology
Series: Book 3 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

When the goddess Artemis goes missing, she is believed to have been kidnapped. And now it's up to Percy and his friends to find out what happened. Who is powerful enough to kidnap a goddess?

They must find Artemis before the winter solstice, when her influence on the Olympian Council could swing an important vote on the war with the Titans. Not only that, but first Percy will have to solve the mystery of a rare monster that Artemis was hunting when she disappeared -- a monster rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus forever.

We finally get to meet Thalia, daughter of Zeus and Annabeth's 'older sister' and other best friend Before Percy. There's two stages in Annabeth's life: Before Percy and After Percy. There's also another two major periods in Camp Half Blood: Before Thalia Turned Into A Pine Tree Thalia (BTTIAPT) and After Thalia Turned Into A Pine Tree (ATTIAPT).

Annabeth's life was great BP and BTTIAPT, and it got steadily worse AP and ATTIAPT. I kid, but it seems that way doesn't it? Percy and Thalia have a rocky relationship, not just because of Annabeth, but because of the prophecy. Thalia was turned into a pine tree before she turned sixteen. And as her sixteenth birthday approaches... well, it doesn't make for a good topic of conversation.

Percy: O hai. I'm the one who's been prophesied to either make or break Olympus.
Thalia: O reli. Me too.
Percy: No wai. It's me. I don't want the job, but it's about me.
Thalia: I iz in your base, stealin yur profesi.
Percy: ...
Thalia: I turns 16 before yous, so hah.
Percy: Dam.
Grover: I can haz tin can?

On a mission to save two half bloods, Annabeth is kidnapped and without her there to buffer their relationship... well, things could be worse. Percy and Thalia make a great team. I am so loving Thalia! She's thoroughly kickass, and not what I expected. I like.

A lot of things happen in THE TITAN'S CURSE, which shouldn't really surprise me since Rick Riordan wrote it, but it still did. That man has a way with words. Somehow this is the one Percy Jackson book that I keep forgetting about, both the title and the plot. I'm not sure why since the series gets better with every book and every character introduced. The events in THE TITAN'S CURSE is a catalyst for many things to come, and well, you shouldn't miss it.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Title: The Sea of Monsters	Loved it	Graded
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Elements: Greek mythology
Series: Book 2 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

When Thalia’s tree is mysteriously poisoned, the magical borders of Camp Half-Blood begin to fail. Now Percy and his friends have just days to find the only magic item powerful to save the camp before it is overrun by monsters. The catch: they must sail into the Sea of Monsters to find it.

Along the way, Percy must stage a daring rescue operation to save his old friend Grover, and he learns a terrible secret about his own family, which makes him question whether being the son of Poseidon is an honor or a curse.

In this wonderful sequel to THE LIGHTNING THIEF, Percy and co have to find the Golden Fleece to save Thalia's tree, which was poisoned by Luke the Traitor. Conveniently, Grover has been searching for Pan, and he's stuck at the Sea of Islands, which is where the Golden Fleece is located.

We get to know more about Annabeth, Luke and Thalia's past. Luke has become the general of Kronos' army, which is higher than I thought he'd be. Apparently he's important to Kronos, and with Annabeth's crush on Luke, you know someday she'll have to choose between Percy and Luke. We also get to know more about Poseidon's wandering ways, and Percy finds out that he has a half brother!

I keep thinking Annabeth as Percy's guide rather than an actual character, but she's really grown on me as more than just a love interest for Percy. The same goes for Chiron and the other characters. Mr D. is his usual annoying self, and his character was given more room to shine as Chiron was kicked out of Camp Half Blood after being suspected of poisoning Thalia's tree.

For all of Percy's musings, he's a good brother to Tyson, who's a Cyclops and not very smart. I like how there's non stop action and not a lot of introspection on Percy's part. As a narrator, Percy is reliable and his quips keep the tone lighthearted despite the urgency of the situation. Rick Riordan gives us fun tidbits about the modern world. My favourite has got to be about how franchises come about.

I had only one expectation before reading SEA OF MONSTERS and that was for the quality to surpass or at least be the same as THE LIGHTNING THIEF and while it didn't do that, it came very close. The ending promises of more conflict and characters to come and I'm looking forward to finding out more about Thalia as Annabeth's past collides with her present. Wonder how Percy's going to cope with a bit of rivalry?

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Title: The Lightning Thief	Loved it	Graded
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Elements: Greek mythology
Series: Book 1 of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

What if the gods of Olympus were alive in the 21st Century? What if they still fell in love with mortals and had children who might become great heroes — like Theseus, Jason and Hercules?

What if you were one of those children?

Such is the discovery that launches twelve-year-old Percy Jackson on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction – Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.

Greek mythology has always been a favourite of mine, and I enjoyed THE LIGHTNING THIEF a lot. I came across this series a few years back, and I'm glad I didn't read it then because I wouldn't have appreciated it as much then! THE LIGHTNING THIEF was action driven, with characters going places where I have only dreamed of. I loved how Rick Riordan incorporated Greek mythology into the 21st century. The idea of the mist that veils the gods, monsters etc from humans' eyes was so simple, yet so effective!

Poor Percy is stuck in school when we first met him. He's been shuffled from school to school ever since he started, and this year is no different. Percy always thought of this as his rotten luck, along with his ADHD and dyslexia, but then bam! A Fury attacks him, his best friend Grover turns out to be a satyr, his mom is killed by a Minotaur and he finds out that he's a demigod who's father is Poseidon, and he's being sent off to camp with other demigods! *gulps down air* Man, I don't know about you, but all that info overload in 24 hours would have driven me nuts. Lucky for Percy, he's much more level headed than me. And there's still a hundred more pages and 4 more books to go, so you know Percy is going to deal just fine with his new life.

I loved the origin of how the Percy Jackson series came about. To sum it up, it's for Haley, Rick Riordan's son who has dyslexia and ADHD. Haley is an aspiring author, so kudos to him! It just goes to show that... conditions (?) don't make the person, but only what the person choose to make of himself. Something like that. I suck at pretty, insightful sayings.

At Camp Half Blood, he meets his old Latin teacher who turns out to be a centaur and pretty, deadly Annabeth, daughter of Athena. The kids in the camp are half bloods, with their parents being sibling or in the case of the Big Three (Poseidon, Zeus and Hades) uncles to those siblings. Which means that all of them are cousins. From Percy being an only child, he has all these cousins. And it was ick, but imagine if he and Annabeth got together. We're talking an actual MORTAL INSTRUMENTS situation here. I bet you never thought of that!

Sometimes when I pause and restart a book, I have to read the preceding pages to get back into the story. But with THE LIGHTNING THIEF, there's no such thing. The scenes are distinctive, the writing flows smoothly and the jokes are tasteful. The plot grows by leaps and bounds, and the introduction of all the characters and monsters are not overwhelming. By the end of the book, I almost smacked myself in the head because the ending was just so obvious, and yet I didn't figure it out! Such is Rick Riordan's writing. I love this series and I'm diving back in. Can't say more about it. Enjoy!

Movie Review: Spoiler alert! I watched Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief with Tian. It's the second time I'm watching it in three days, and that's a bit too much goodness in such a short span of time. I loved the movie, with its (albeit shortened and much less complex) storyline, special effects, all star cast and the gorgeous scenery of the places I definitely want to visit. Percy Jackson tour, anyone? Some of the jokes practically wrote themselves (like when Percy goes "Heads up." after beheading Medusa) but other than that they were funneh.

My favourite part has got to be when they were in the Lotus Hotel and Casino. It was GREAT to see the actors go wild. The explanation was lame ("It was the lair of the lotus eaters, from ancient times.") and it was apparent that the script writers made that up. It just wasn't up to Rick Riordan's quality.

Edited: So I was informed by Rose that there is such a thing called the lotus eaters. I like the modern twist, and the explanation doesn't seem THAT lame or convenient now.

The storyline was almost simplistic when you compare it to the book. I rather like that the movie distinguished itself that way, because (Harry Potter reference oh no!) then you don't have a bunch of plot lines that seem to go nowhere and plot holes that litter the screen. I'm looking at you, HP 5 and 6. I got lost while watching those two movies, even though I've read the books many times. Wth? However, it would have been nice if they added the Kronos storyline, which would make crossing over into the second movie more like another chapter in Percy's life, rather than just another movie about Percy. I also particularly loved how they blamed the weather effects global warming on the gods.

As for how they introduced ADHD and dyslexia into the plot, I don't know how they could have done it better but boy, was it rough. I choose to think of it as a lovely tribute to Rick Riordan's son, Haley, who has both ADHD and dyslexia, and is one of the main reasons why Percy Jackson ws invented. One thing that I thought could be improved was Percy's relevance as Poseidon's son. The movie didn't show what a big deal being one of the Big Three's son, but they did show that Poseidon loved Percy aww blubber blubber blubber. It irked me, because even though I understood the need for some lovey dovey family moment, I thought it rang a bit false. Because Poseidon is a god, and he has many, many children, and to think that he favours Percy over the others... well, obviously it happens, but blech. Another thing that irked slightly was the obvious product placement. Oh, hello Apple iPod touch and Ford truck! It brought the LOLs when some irritating, smart mouthed geek coughed "Product placement!" loudly and the theater laughed instead if stoning said person for interrupting the movie. Thank god they knew of product placement, and thank god they had a sense of humour. Phew! If not, said irritating, smart mouthed geek wouldn't be here clattering on the keyboard.

The main leads did a great job. Dreamy Logan Lerman was fantastic as Percy Jackson, but I didn't expect any less what with his repertoire of big blockbuster movies like Number 23 and Gamer. I first noticed him as the all too iconic Simon in Gamer... advertisements. Unfortunately, I haven't watched the movie so I have no idea if he's any good in it. Or in any of the other movies he acted in. But mark my words: Logan Lerman's bound for great things.

The chemistry between him and Annabeth, played by Alexandra Daddario (whose name I tried to pronounce, but instead likened to Dugtrio from Pokemon. If you're reading this, sorry Alexandra!) seemed slightly forced. It was more on Alexandra's part. The poolside scene was supposed to be intimate and full of sexual tension, but it was awkward rather than exciting. How do I know this? I only realised it was supposed to be such a scene, until AFTER the scene. She just seems to have more of a friendly stranger vibe as compared to a love interest vibe. In this movie, the main characters are about 16 or so? So get any thought of "sexual tension" and "twelve year olds" out of your brain. Don't even put it in the same sentence, like I did.

Brandon T. Jackson was the comic relief guy. I don't know about you; on one hand I loved his performance and the light heartedness he brought to the movie, but on the other, I'm tired of seeing African African guys as the comic relief. Why not give him a bigger job THAN the comic relief? Hopefully we'll see more of him and Grover as the series progresses. Pierce Brosnan played the Dumbledore to Percy's Harry. I would have loved to have seen more of the other adult cast. Their involvement was seriously underplayed, and their appearances seemed more like cameos.

Overall, I'll be giving a 4/5 for the movie. I enjoyed it tremendously, and I'll be enjoying it again when the DVD comes out.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Title: Incarceron	Loved it	Graded
Author: Catherine Fisher
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder Children's Book
Elements: -
Series: Book 1 of a duo

Incarceron – a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology – a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber – chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here.

In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison – a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists. But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device – a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn’s escape is born ...

The story is shifted between two point of views, Finn and Claudia. One inside, one outside. There are mini cliffhangers at the end of each POV, and after a while they lose their impact, because obviously not every cliffhanger is a cliffhanger. However, I was pleasantly surprised when things finally came to a head. The climax of the story was possible and quite likely to happen, but Catherine Fisher masterfully craft it such that it came not at the worst of times (which seems to be when everything happens).

Each chapter starts off with a play on long known legends, one of which gave me the laughs. Catherine Fisher gave a whole new perspective to the long known legend of Eve falling from Paradise after consuming the apple.

I enjoyed INCARCERON thoroughly. Readers can really see how Claudia learns to be more responsible, more accepting of her position as daughter of the Warden of Incarceron with her loyal tutor Jared by her side. Finn didn't grow as much as Claudia did. He is ever the eternal optimist when it comes to the Outside, but quite a pessimist when it comes to everything else. At times, his unswerving loyalty to his blood brother was astonishing yet understandable. Living in a place called Incarceron where the future literally merges with the past, the horrors are unlimitless. I just wish that we could have gotten to know more about the supporting characters. You know there's something wrong when you don't even care that one of them died.

This is a journey in story-telling readers should try. It has multiple twists and plots that make you wonder how Catherine Fisher managed to imagine all this at the age of 14. It just goes to show that age is no limit to creativity.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side	Loved it	Graded
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Graphia
Elements: Vampires
Series: Stand alone

The undead can really screw up your senior year.

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn't fit into Jessica Packwood's senior year "get-a-life" plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth - and he's her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess.

But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war - and save Lucius's soul from eternal destruction.

How can I review this book without gushing? I can't, so I won't even try.

JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE is one of the best YA books I've read in a long time. It made me laugh out loud since the first page, and I'm not sure if it's because I've been looking forward to reading it since last year. I found it wholly addictive and pleasureable. If a book could make you feel pleasantly full, this is it.

There was a hint of danger that wasn't full explored until the second half, but fully balanced the lighthearted humour in the first half. Some parts made me mourn with Jessica, yet laugh the next paragraph. Those times, I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry or laugh. It was so bittersweet.

Lucius is not like some All's Well Ends Well comedy's vampire prince, prince in name only, a prince with all the pros and non of the cons of ruling a nation, or clan in this case. He's not the dangerous playboy prince who looks forward to his next conquest, but always falls in love with the 'ugly' MC despite his will.

Lucius had his responsibilities and he took them seriously. He was smart (especially in Literature!), chivalrous and loyal to a fault. I warmed up to both Lucius and Jessica fast as they got to know more about each other. Jessica is rightly skeptical and fearful of this stranger who comes out of nowhere, thinks that he's a vampire and stalks her all in the name of a marriage pact.

Despite herself, Jessica is soon attracted to him. Rational, smart Jessica found it impossible to believe Lucius, but learnt that there's more that maths and little Lebanon County. Lucius acted more like a normal American teenager as the story went on, but abruptly changed when the situation got dire.

The changes were subtle, but they were most apparent in the letters that he wrote to his bloodthirsty uncle. They gave me a look into his psyche and his motivations. His language slowly turned from formal stand offish exchange student to the informal impertinence that us teenagers talk in. He got more human as time went on, and it's due to the love and kindness he got from Jessica's family that was lacking in his life in Romania. Their love story soon blossomed into one that was so full of torment that I'm sure I sound like a sadist when I say that I liked it. It was a stark contrast to the lighthearted, snappy banter they had at the start.

Of course, none of this would have happened without Beth Fantaskey's writing. (Don't you just love her name? She seems born to write fantasy.) JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE gave me the same feeling I had when reading Sophie Kinsella's CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET.* This is one of the rare books that I will continually be amazed by. Every time I reread it, I'm going to find every little nuance that I hadn't the time before. I really grew to love and care about Lucius and Jessica. The range of emotions that was portrayed was outstanding.

JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE (It's quite tiring typing out the full title. I'm copying and pasting from now on.) showed that there were more things to vampires than the blood. And if you took out all the vampiric elements from the story, there's a love story that can stand by itself. It's not just a story about their love, but a story about the awakening of a princess.

Like Lucius said,

"Why is every­one so obsessed with the blood? There's so much more."

The supporting cast was believable, if a bit two dimensional in some cases. I don't think that's a fault, because if those characters came to life, they'd really be two dimensional. One of the things that irked me about Jessica's parents was how supportive they had been for most of the book, and yet when things got tough, they changed their minds. Even though it was for good reason, I thought it was too little, too late and unnecessary. Tsk, parents!

I'm going to stop typing now. There's so much to write about the depth and breadth of the story and characters, and this is already the longest review I've written. And I haven't even gotten to some of the best bits. I'd love to read more of how Lucius and Jessica rule their clans, and I'm really excited to find out more in the sequel that Beth is writing. I hope it comes to fruition! The tone will definitely be different than JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE and attached to my excitement is the fear that the sequel might not live up to my expectations, but I'm looking forward to it.

I'm going to review Jessica and Lucius's wedding another day, because that deserves a review of its own. Isn't the cover gorgeous? I love that this book has this ridiculous long and funky title. It really captures my attention.

Fun fact: There's this nice guy called Jacob who's also fighting for Jessica's affection. Sounds familiar? No, he's not a werewolf. I didn't even realise that he was called Jacob until Jessica's uncle called him that. JACOB, WHY DID YOU LEAVE BELLA? Move your ass back to Forks!

Pssst! Pssst! What do you think of a forum? For JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE. I don't have a lot of experiences with forums, but it's be a great place for discussion, fans to meet and all things JSTDOTDS.

*I read CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET after almost a year of waiting. Good things definitely come to those who wait a long time.

In My Mailbox 26: Swag Pack

Here's (are?) the swag that I've gotten this past year as a book blogger. Swag is quite important to me because then I remember more about the authors and their books. Also, it doesn't hurt that they're so generous and that I'll be giving away an assortment of this swag to a lucky commenter in this month's comment contest. You're automatically entered once you comment here. ;]]

Shadow Hills bookmarks, signed and unsigned
Shadow Hills magnetic buttons and pins
Postcard and a booklet from the Tudors (? I think.)
Leaving Gee's Bend bookmark (which was ran over by a car in the parking lot and thus has a cool rough texture)
Postcard from Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
SEA bookmarks, signed and unsigned
Boy Toy postcard
The Dark Divine bookmarks
The Dark Divine stickers
The Iron King bookmarks, signed and unsigned
Signed, personalised bookplate from Cindy Pon
Dancing With Ana, Presenting Lenore, Leaving Gee's Bend, Mundie Moms cards
Erin Nicholas author pens
Erin Nicholas bookmarks
Academy 7 postcard
Class of 2k10 postcards
Shannon Delany postcards
Bitten by Books bookmarks
The Cinderella Society signed bookmark
Disneyland swag from Erin (♥)
Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief mini posters I grabbed from the library
Glad Vlad decal (I wish there was a smiley for that)
Wolves calender from Shannon Delany
Rise of Renegade X bookmarks, signed (not in picture because some doofus misplaced it. *beats self up*)
More The Dark Divine swag (not in picture)
A signed bookmark of Beth Fantaskey's Jessica's Guide to Dating on The Dark Side (which I am kicking myself for misplacing, gahh!)
and others which are in the picture but I didn't name, and some others which I'm hunting down to put in my 'Book Blogger' drawer.

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 there might be times where 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.

In My Mailbox 25

Eyes Like Stars ARC and Perchance to Dream ARC

Just yesterday I was telling Mel that good things come to those who wait. Apparently, I waited long enough. :P I'm quite scared to read PERCHANCE TO DREAM just in case it ruins my perception of EYES LIKE STARS, but if you don't try, you don't know, right?!

Look at how different they are. The ARC for Eyes Like Stars was basic, with a thin paper cardboard cover which is not at all appealing. Now compare it to the breathtaking glossy cover of the ARC for Perchance to Dream. These ARCs serve the same purpose, for reviewers to review it and create more buzz before the official publication date. But look at the difference!

Lisa Mantchev was a writer whose debut was Eyes Like Stars. Perhaps they weren't confident of Eyes Like Star's draw then. It seems that they are much more confident of Lisa's writing now, as they should!

Added: Lisa said that all Feiwel&Friends' ARC covers had the same generic look up to last year. That might be true, but I like my explanation better.

I'm quite curious as to why Eyes Like Stars is an Unsung YA. I'm definitely not the only one who thinks that it's wonderful.The rave reviews for Eyes Like Stars have been pouring in non stop.

Once, you could read the reviews on Amazon, but now... well, that's a different matter entirely. (Hey Amazon, it's hard for me to say this because I love you. But you are hurting Lisa, who is one of my favourite authors ever, and hurting me too. As a consumer, I WANT to buy books at Amazon. As a fan, I WANT to buy Lisa's books. So Amazon not selling MacMillan's books = Amazon not selling Lisa's books = ME VERY UNHAPPY, even though I'm all for cheaper books and would NOT pay more than US$10 or SG$10 for an ebook. On that part, I'm on Amazon' side. On the not selling Lisa's book part, I'm on Lisa's side.)

Added: Oh hello! Perchance to Dream is back up on Amazon. You can pre-order it here.

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 there might be times where 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.

The Magician by Michael Scott

Title: The Magician	Loved it	Graded
Author: Michael Scott
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Delacorte
Elements: Alchemy
Series: Book 2 of a series

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. Nicolo 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.

I thought the Magician was more entertaining than the Alchemyst. There was more action, more conflict, more magic, more suspense.

Just.. more.

There weren't many historical and magical creatures coming to life moments, so I was glad for that part.

It was shocking (I need a new vocab) to see the lengths Josh went to just to be equal to Sophie. While Michael Scott's writing didn't make me feel devastated, it did give me a WTF moment. The quest for power is never true, so it'll be interesting to see him and Sophie fight among themselves in the next few books.

I got to see more of Perenelle this time around. She's equally, if not more, powerful as Flamel, and it was nice to see that my views of her being a useless partner being dashed so thoroughly! If it ever came to a fight, I think I'll side with Perenelle, thank you very much.

Waiting on Wednesday 7

Fun fact: Eyes Like Stars was published on 7/7/09.

Perchance to Dream: Thèâtre Illuminata Book Two
From the critically acclaimed author of Eyes Like Stars

We are such stuff as dreams are made on.

Act Two, Scene One

Growing up in the enchanted Thèâtre Illuminata, Beatrice Shakespeare Smith learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts, but she didn’t know that she, too, had magic. Now, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales, and determined to follow her stars. She is ready for the outside world.

Enter BERTIE AND COMPANY

But the outside world soon proves more topsy-turvy than any stage production. Bertie can make things happen by writing them, but outside the protective walls of the Thèâtre, nothing goes as planned. And her magic cannot help her make a decision between—

Nate: Her suave and swashbuckling pirate, now in mortal peril.

Ariel: A brooding, yet seductive, air spirit whose true motives remain unclear.

When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

Wow. Just... wow.

Watch it till the end. Everything looks different from another point of view, doesn't it?

8th Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Title: 8th Grade Superzero	Loved it	Graded
Author: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Elements: -
Series: Stand alone

Ever since a deeply unfortunate incident earlier this year, Reggie's been known as "Pukey" McKnight at his high-intensity Brooklyn middle school. He wants to turn his image around, but he has other things on his mind as well: his father, who's out of a job; his best friends, Ruthie and Joe C.; his former best friend Donovan, who's now become a jerk; and of course, the beautiful Mialonie. The elections for school president are coming up, but with his notorious nickname and "nothing" social status, Reggie wouldn't stand a chance, if he even had the courage to run.

Then Reggie gets involved with a local homeless shelter, the Olive Branch. Haunted by two of the clients there--George, a once-proud man now living on the streets, and Charlie, a six-year-old kid who becomes his official "Little Buddy"--he begins to think about making a difference, both in the world and at school. Pukey for President? It can happen . . . if he starts believing.

At times, I wonder why grades are assigned for books. This is one such time. Eighth Grade Superzero is a book that's great for both MG and adult readers. Reggie was a lovable character, a typical boy trying to make his way through school with his two best friends.

His most defining moment in school was the puking incident. Reggie has the potential to be one of the most annoying characters ever written, with his beliefs and actions, but Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich wrote him in such a way so as to be irritatingly endearing instead of just plain annoying.

My favourite character was oddly Ruthie. She was the heart of the story for me. From the start, it was obvious what was going to happen with her and Reggie. To type this is not even a spoiler! Ruthie's smart mouthed and she preaches about Doing The Right Thing. She's a feminist in the making, and she'll either grow up to be a one of those socially, environmentally conscious mob leaders or more likely, a Very Important Person who Does and Changes Things. I can't wait for Ruthie's book.

This is not just a coming of age story, but a tale about social responsibility (I love that phrase, it sounds so serious and well-meaning), faith and racial tension that manages not to sound preachy.