In My Mailbox - 7 June

In My Mailbox

is brought to you by

Siren / Junkie Productions

Bought:
Rebel Angels - Libba Bray
Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain. . . . The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship. But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma’s willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother’s greatest friend–and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.

The first title in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy didn't live up to the hype for me but by all accounts this second one will answer many of the questions I have. I am looking forward to seeing what is actually going on and hopefully more about Gemma's mother.

Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr
Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.

Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.

The tattoo does bring changes; not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . . .

I have a faerie addiction - I needed to get my hands on this title asap as I have just completed Wicked Lovely. That being said, I know I am going to have to order Fragile Eternity in from the States and that's going to be $36 (no, I am NOT kidding). So much pleasure for so much wallet pain.

Library:
The Off Season - Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Life is looking up for D.J. Schwenk. She's in eleventh grade, finally. After a rocky summer, she's reconnecting in a big way with her best friend, Amber. She's got kind of a thing going with Brian Nelson, who's cute and popular and smart but seems to like her anyway. And then there's the fact she's starting for the Red Bend High School football team—the first girl linebacker in northern Wisconsin, probably. Which just shows you can't predict the future. As autumn progresses, D.J. struggles to understand Amber, Schwenk Farm, her relationship with Brian, and most of all her family. As a whole herd of trouble comes her way, she discovers she's a lot stronger than she—or anyone—ever thought. This hilarious, heartbreaking and triumphant sequel to the critically acclaimed Dairy Queen takes D.J. and all the Schwenks from Labor Day to a Thanksgiving football game that you will never forget.

If I could aspire to write like anyone, it would be Catherine G Murdock. Her DJ Schwenk books are so charming, so funny and yet so much about overcoming obstacles in a completely honest, no frills way. Review coming soon.

Shug - Jenny Han
Annemarie Wilcox, or Shug as her family calls her, is beginning to think there's nothing worse than being twelve. She's too tall, too freckled, and way too flat-chested. Shug is sure that there's not one good or amazing thing about her. And now she has to start junior high, where the friends she counts most dear aren't acting so dear anymore -- especially Mark, the boy she's known her whole life through. Life is growing up all around her, and all Shug wants is for things to be like they used to be. How is a person supposed to prepare for what happens tomorrow when there's just no figuring out today?

You know life's bad when you chest is flat! Okay that was some healthy sarcasm but this book kept coming up on my radar so I think I am supposed to read it.

Review Copies:
A Ghost in My Suitcase - Gabrielle Wang
The flute music stops, and my breath catches in my throat. Silence falls like a veil. Then I hear something - no, I feel it in my chest. 'Steady yourself,' Por Por whispers. 'It's here . . . '
When Celeste travels to China to visit her grandmother, she uncovers an incredible family secret. And with this secret comes danger and adventure.If Celeste is to save her family and friends, she must learn to harness her rare and powerful gift as a ghost-hunter. . .

Intrigue and some supernatural elements - my kind of book.

Little Bird - Penni Russon
Everything I know about love I learned in one short year. Somehow I'd coasted along all my life and then I fell in love twice, bam bam, just like that, and it left my heart spinning...Ruby-lee is cynical about love; after all, she's watched her sister Shandra call off her wedding three times a week. But when Shandra volunteers her to babysit her friend's seven month old baby, Ruby-lee discovers just what love means. First she's overcome by powerful feelings for tiny Maisy, then she starts spending time with Maisy's dad, Spence. She even begins to imagine a future together, as a family. But where will Ruby-lee's fantasies lead? And what sort of trouble could they get her into? When it looks like Ruby-lee might lose everything, she has to discover what love truly is to find her own heart.

LOVE this cover. Really excited to read another of the Girlfriend titles.

What Supergirl Did Next - Thalia Kalkipsakis
'I was very clear about my future from here - first, nail my floor routine; next, qualify for the state squad, and finally, compete at the Australian Championships. It was all so sharp - my path lit with a spotlight that put everything else in dreary shadows.'Jade is a girl who knows what she wants. She knows how to get it too. But when a knee injury interrupts her plans, she feels lost and unsure. It's a bad time to get her annoyed. When a sexist remark gets her blood boiling, Jade thinks she's found something to fight for. If she sets up a race to prove that girls aren't soft, then maybe she'll also prove to herself that she can still find The Zone. But will her single-minded approach to proving her point win her the race, and the boy? Or will she learn that maybe - just maybe - winning isn't everything?

I loathe the title of this book but I think I am prejudiced as I loathed the previous title written by this author. I have to admit that the summary doesn't fill me with hope. I will try to regain some objectivity.

The Fury in the Fire - Henning Mankell
'I learned to see the future in the flames. Fire is mysterious and unpredictable; it warms and it causes pain. And sometimes it is full of fury.'Sofia's first love was Armando - the Moonboy who appeared to her one night, taking off his clothes so she could mend them. She had learned to sew in the hospital, ten years ago, after a terrible landmine accident. Now Sofia and Armando have little children, and while Sofia supports her family in the village, Armando works in the city and comes home on weekends. Life is hard, but things become much worse when, one Saturday, Armando does not return. With her baby on her back, Sofia makes her way to town, and when she discovers what Armando is doing, she is shaken to her very core. Now Sofia must summon all her strength and courage to face the danger that lies ahead.

This is the third in the Sofia trilogy and I have not read the previous two. I am excited to read it though as I haven't read many titles that take place in Africa.

Thanks for sharing in the joys that I have received through various means. Having finally searched out my local library, I can see myself getting more and more and more titles. Happy reading this week!