In My Mailbox (18)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. It's a post where we talk about the books we received during the week either for review, from the bookstore or anywhere else.

This week was a good book week. I didn't actually receive any books for review (though I am expecting some in the near future) but I did buy quite a few. I hadn't actually bought that many books in quite a while but this week I just felt the need to go to the bookstore on my way home from school almost every other day. And then Chapters had a 15% off promotion this weekend so combined with my regular 10%, how could I pass that up?

So here's what I got In My Mailbox this week!

Bought:

- Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales - I'm really looking forward to reading this one. Lately I've been reading a lot more contemporary books and I find myself enjoying them a lot. It's just such a refreshing change sometimes to read something that isn't filled with paranormal creatures. And of course I've heard plenty of good things about this book so that just makes me want to read it more.

- Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen - This book just sounds absolutely adorable, plus I love the idea of the story sort of taking place in two different time periods, those actually tend to be some of my favorite books. Plus the author has a new book coming out in the new year so I thought I would read this one in preparation for the upcoming book.

- If I Tell by Janet Gurtler - This is another contemporary book that just looks great. I've heard great things about the book and its author and I look forward to being able to see what it's all about for myself. Hopefully it will be as good as everyone has been saying that it is.

- Past Perfect by Leila Sales - Another book by Leila Sales and from what I hear, this one is even better than Mostly Good Girls. I can't wait to read it and just see what it's all about. And from the summary there seems to be some sort of historical element to the story so I just know that I will probably love this book.

- Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I have been hearing how amazing this book is for the longest time and now I finally get to read it myself. I absolutely cannot wait to see what it's all about and decide for myself if it's really as amazing as everyone says it is. Hopefully I'll be able to to dive in to it soon.

So that's all that I got in my mailbox this week (though it was really all from the bookstore). I'm really excited to jump right in to all these wonderful looking books and hopefully that will happen quite soon. Let me know what you got in your mailbox in the comments and I'll be sure to come check it out!

New Covers Galore! - Take Two

Last week I had a post featuring book covers that had recently been revealed. Once again, a large number of covers have been revealed this week (and a few that I didn't include last week) and I decided to again feature them all in one handy post. Why wouldn't I do a post just about absolutely gorgeous covers...it's not like people judge books by their covers right?

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate
January 2012


I'll admit it now, I haven't actually read any of Lauren Kate's books but I have loved all the covers for them. There is just something about those covers and I don't really know how to explain it.

Destined by Aprilynne Pike

April 2012

The Wings series is another series that I have yet to read but I just love the covers. I would honestly not be above getting these covers as posters because they are just gorgeous. If the books are as great as the covers (and as everyone says they are) I would probably love this series.

The Selection by Kiera Cass
April 2012


I absolutely love this cover. The dress, the girl wearing the dress, and the mirrors that make it so you see everything over and over again. This cover is just plain gorgeous. I just hope the story, which sounds fantastic, will be as great as the cover.

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

April 2012


I only just recently found out about this book but it sounds absolutely great. The cover is relatively simple but I really like the way it is done with some of the people facing forward while others are walking away.

Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London

May 2012

So maybe I should have called this post "Covers with girls wearing dresses" because it is definitely a recurring theme in covers lately. But moving on, I really like this cover though I don't really know how it fits in with the story. I'll just have to wait for next May and see.

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

May 2012


And it's another cover featuring a girl wearing a dress! In all honestly it is starting to be overdone but in this case I really like that the dress is different. It's tight instead of big and flowy and just  that is a nice change. Plus the red and black just screams evil in my opinion.

Surrender by Elana Johnson
June 2012


This is the companion novel to Possession which came out earlier this year. I love the simplicity of the cover and the bird stuck in the glass jar. And if it's like Possession, the cover will be all shimmery which will make it that much prettier in person.

Arise by Tara Hudson 

June 2012

Arise is the sequel to Hereafter which came out earlier this year. I love how the two cover are closely related and how in this case, the girl wearing a dress is totally appropriate as it's part of the story. Plus where the girl is standing is also really relevant to the story.

A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young
June 2012


So I haven't read A Need So Beautiful, the first book in this series, but I just wanted to feature this cover because it's just so pretty. And I like the bluish-purple colour in the cover.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

June 2012


This cover could honestly not be more gorgeous, at this point I don't even care what the story is about. And if the final cover ends up being foily or shimmery it will just make it even more gorgeous.

Rapture by Lauren Kate
June 2012


Another Lauren Kate cover. Like I said, I haven't read any of the books in this series but I have always admired the covers from affar. This one definitely follows the same idea as the other covers which is always nice as far as covers are concerned.

So these are the new covers that I have seen popping up this week. Like I've already said, I should have named this post something about covers featuring girls wearing dresses because that is definitely a recurring theme, especially with these particular covers. But while it may be something that is starting to be overdone, it definitely doesn't take away from the fact that all of these covers are absolutely gorgeous. 

2012 Debut Author Challenge and Sophomore Reading Challenge

Just like this year, next year I am planning on participating in The Story Siren's Debut Author Challenge. This year was my first year participating and I really enjoyed it, especially discovering all these new authors that I wouldn't otherwise have necessarily paid attention to.

This year my goal was to read 15 books for the challenge (which I have achieved and even have time to read more). So since this is a number I find manageable on top of school and work, that will be my goal again this year. After looking through all the debuts coming out next year, here is my tentative list for 2012.

- Everneath Brodi Ashton

- Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss

- Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

- Cinder by Marissa Meyer

- The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

- The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

- Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

- Slide by Jill Hathaway

- Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

- Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

- The Selection by Kiera Cass

- Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

- Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

- Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

This list is likely to change as the year moves forward but hopefully I will get to read all of these because they all sound really great.

Next year, and for the first time, Chick Loves Lit will be hosting the Sophomore Reading Challenge. Basically this challenge is similar to the DAC, but it means by participating you will be reading author's sophomore (or second) books. I thought this was a great idea, as I will be reading a lot of second books next year, many of them from the same authors I read for the DAC this year. So it just seemed logical to participate. 

The minimum number of books to read is 10, and so far my list is at 14. Though it will most likely increase as I read a few more debut books this year. So here is my tentative list of sophomore books for 2012:

- Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

- Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

- Seven Clues to Winning You by Kristin Walker

- Insurgent by Veronica Roth

- Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh

- Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

- Arise by Tara Hudson

- Embers and Echoes by Karsten Knight

- The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney

- Fever by Lauren DeStefano

- The Disenchantments  by Nina LaCour

- The Right & The Real by Joelle Anthony

- The Lies That Bind by Lisa & Laura Roecker

- Never Enough by Denise Jaden

So these are two challenges I am planning on participating next year, and depending on how much time I have and the offers out there I may take part in more. As it is, I am really excited for these two.

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where book bloggers showcase books they are looking forward to. What I plan on doing for the next few weeks is to talk about the books that are coming out at the beginning of next year from different publishers. This week I will be showcasing  January 2012 releases coming from Simon & Schuster. So here are the books I'm looking forward to.

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

January 3rd, 2012

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been. 

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life...and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done. 

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last.... 

This books just sounds great and I love the way that Sarah Ockler writes. I also really love contemporary books but in this day where almost everything is paranormal they are getting hard to find. So when I find one that sounds as good at this one I can't help but be excited to read it.

The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

January 3rd, 2012

After spending six hundred years on earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world’s riches, but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to swap bodies with other humans, jumping from one vessel to the next, taking the human’s life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she’s done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again. 

Then sixteen-year-old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she’s inhabiting—and falls for the human boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she’s his again, and every moment she stays, she’s putting herself and the people she’s grown to care for in great danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that’s eluded her for centuries: true love?

This book sounds really awesome and sort of reminds me of Alyson Noël's Immortals series which I really enjoyed (though I have yet to read the final book). I love that recently there have been more books that deal with alchemy, and I really enjoy reading them so I'm really looking forward to reading this one.

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

January 3rd, 2012 

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother. 

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.  

Ghost stories! I love ghost stories! And there definitely aren't enough of them. At least if there are I'm  not finding them and am totally missing out on reading them. Anyways, this book sounds really good though I haven't really heard much about it. At any rate, I'm really excited for the release of this book.

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss

January 3rd, 2012

Phillip's sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him for a group of douchebags. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment...and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that. 

But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back. 

As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?

It's a contemporary book. And the main character is a boy. How awesome is that? Based on that alone, I would pick this book out because there just aren't enough books that feature boys as main characters. But there's also the premise that sounds really interesting and the book has a really cool title so what can really go wrong here?

So these are the Simon & Schuster titles coming up in January that I am looking forward too. And they all come out on the same day. Let's just say the bookstore will make a lot of money off of me when January comes around. Now if only I could just wake up tomorrow morning and have it be January I would be happy.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Release Date: September 29, 2011

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor—steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

This book was nothing if not absolutely adorable. It was also a book I had been looking forward to reading since I read the last page of Anna and the French Kiss earlier this year. And if at all possible, I loved Lola and the Boy Next Door even more. Stephanie Perkins definitely knows how to write those perfect romance stories.

Lola Nolan has always known how to stand out in a crowd and she even likes it. Her goal is to never wear the same outfit twice and the crazier the look the better. But the clothes are really the only crazy part of Lola, she's a good friend and daughter and knows what she wants in life. And the most perfect part of it all is her older, rocker boyfriend who drives her dads crazy. But then the Bell twins move back in next door and Lola's world threatens to fall apart. Not so much because of Calliope, but because it means that Cricket Alexander Bell is also back in her life. Now Lola isn't so sure about a lot of things, mainly whether or not she is with the right boy. And the more she spends time with Cricket, the more Lola realizes those feelings she thought she'd gotten over are still right there. Because who could be more perfect for Lola than the boy next door?

I don't even know how to begin putting my feelings for this book into words. So I will apologize now if this review starts turning into just me saying "OMG this book was amazing" over and over again. But now that I've established that this book was amazing, I will try to be a little more eloquent. Lola and the Boy Next Door was an absolutely adorable story. Everything about it was spot on and nothing felt too cliché or overdone. It was just the perfect story. Stephanie Perkins has definitely found the perfect formula for writing a fantastic book and Lola and the Boy Next Door was exactly that. It was the perfect balance of romance, drama and humor. I just absolutely loved it.

Lola was pure awesomeness. I loved her right from page one and with every page I read I loved her even more. There was just this endearing quality about her. I felt her joy, her laughter and her sadness. She really couldn't have felt more real to me. And Cricket. I think I may have fallen in love with him. He was also quite possibly the best male character in a book ever. I don't think I can actually put into words how much I love Cricket. I also don't think it would have been possible for me not to fall in love with him. He just had this way about him, and nerdy boys are just the best. So of course I was rooting for Cricket the whole way through. What I loved was how Stephanie Perkins also included Anna and St. Clair into the story. It was great to see what happened to them.

The words fantastic and amazing don't even begin to describe the awesomeness that was Lola and the Boy Next Door. Stephanie Perkins once again wrote a brilliant book and I absolutely cannot wait for the next one.