In My Mailbox - 9 October

In My Mailbox is a concept of the lovely Kristi from The Story Siren and Alea from Pop Culture Junkie. All titles are linked to their Goodreads pages for publisher information, release dates and reviews - all summaries are the Goodreads versions.

This list does not reflect my week's arrivals, in fact this is several weeks worth.  Thank you to those who gifted me with books that they adore and those they wish me to review.

Japan: What has Adele been doing?

As some of you are aware I am teaching in Japan this year.  I've just entered my tenth month of living in a country where I didn't speak the language, knew little about the culture and its people. Two of those three things has changed.  (Hint - I am an awesome pointer.)

For those of you that haven't seen a slice of my life....here's a gander.  (Prepare for an onslaught of photos.)

Interview - Lucy Christopher (Stolen) on Contemporary YA

Last week I posted a series of interviews with contemporary YA authors revolving their thoughts on the current state of young adult literature. Today I am going to add to those opinions by welcoming another author to Persnickety Snark.

Lucy Christopher burst onto the YA scene last year with the fantastically involving and confronting Stolen.  It has continued to win people (and awards) over with its vivid depiction of the Australian desert and the two characters that are linked in a troubling way.

Now onto Lucy's thoughts on the genre...

Friday Night Lights - Season 5 (Video)

A year ago I was in a bit of a state. My favourite television show, Friday Night Lights, wasn't being watched by enough bloggers (or anyone else really). Season four was about to start and no one really cared.  Despite a small (but exceedingly loyal) audience the show managed to creep in an additional two seasons to round out the series. After season five finished ... the show would be over.

Review - The Deadly Sister / Eliot Schrefer

Abby Goodwin is sure her sister Tabitha isn't a murderer. But her parents don't agree. Her friends don't agree. And the cops definitely don't agree. Tabitha is a drop-out, a stoner, a girl who's obsessed with her tutor, Clyde Andrews...until he ends up dead. Tabitha runs away, and leaves Abby following the trail of clues. Each piece of evidence points to Tabitha, but it also appears that Clyde had secrets of his own. And enemies. Like his brother, who Abby becomes involved with...until he falls under suspicion.

Is Abby getting closer to finding the true murderer? Or is someone leading her down a twisted false path?

Review - (SPOILERS) Schrefer's novel should be retitled 'An Exercise in Frustration' due to its lack of teen girl authenticity, poorly formulated plot line and clanger of an ending.  Its entire existence serves to make the concluding note somewhat valid and extremely underwhelming.