In My Mailbox

Hosted by The Story Siren

This week was a really good week for me, in terms of acquiring new books to read!

I went a little crazy on Netgalley this week because I saw so many amazing titles that I wanted to read, so here's what I got:

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

I've heard such amazing things about this book so I was very happy when I got approved for this!

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

I fell in love with Harrington's writing style after Saving June and I hope I love this book just as much as her debut.

Painted Blind by Michelle A. Hansen

I'm a total sucker for greek myth retellings... and the Psyche and Eros story is one of my favorites!

The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan

"On remote Rollrock Island, men go to sea to make their livings--and to catch their wives. 

The witch Misskaella knows the way of drawing a girl from the heart of a seal, of luring the beauty out of the beast. And for a price a man may buy himself a lovely sea-wife. He may have and hold and keep her. And he will tell himself that he is her master. But from his first look into those wide, questioning, liquid eyes, he will be just as transformed as she. He will be equally ensnared. And the witch will have her true payment. 
Margo Lanagan weaves an extraordinary tale of desire, despair, and transformation. With devastatingly beautiful prose, she reveals characters capable of unspeakable cruelty, but also unspoken love."Sounds good, huh?

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Alright. Let's see what the fuss is about...

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

 Umm, pirates + assassins + a kickbutt heroine....

Yes, please!

Palace of Stone (Princess Academy #2) by Shannon Hale

You better believe I jumped up and down and squealed when I got approved for this--I loved Princess Academy so I can't wait to see where this book goes!

Rape Girl by Alina Klein

This book tackles a pretty tough issue, but every review I've read has been singing praises of this book so I can't wait to read it for myself!

Two and Twenty Dark Tales anthology

"Dark retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes"

Dark Star by Bethany Frenette

A book about a girl whose mom is a superhero... O_o

The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

LOVE the cover. Not yet sure about the concept: a girl who can turn milk into chocolate...

The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer

The synopsis sounded too cool to resist.

And now, the book I bought this week:

Fire by Kristin Cashore

This is my favorite book in the Graceling Realm series so I just had to go out and get my own copy. (And hopefully, I will have reviews of all three books up soon). 

Gargantuan haul, I know! These books are definitely going to keep me occupied for the coming weeks--on top of the books I still need to finish!!
So what did you acquire any new books this week? Link me up or just comment below--I just love hearing about book hauls! :)

Feature and Follow #8 + TGIF

Follow Friday is a really fun way to make new blogger friends and promote your blog in the process! This weekly meme is hosted byAlison Can Read and Parajunkee. 

This week's question:

Do your reading habits change based on your mood? Do you read a certain genre if you are feeling depressed or happy?

Not really. Most of the time reading automatically puts me in a good mood, regardless of the book. It doesn't really matter what mood I'm in, I will usually reach for whatever book I was going to read next anyways.

Although, I will confess that in moments of masochism, I sometimes pick up Clockwork Prince and read a few chapters of that.... but nnnnnggh.

BAD IDEA.

It always leaves me like this:

Who's ready for the weekend?? I know I am! Ginger @ GReads  

has created this super fun meme that poses a bookish question to be answered each week.

This week's questions:

Unexpected books: Which books did you have reservations about reading, but ended up loving once you did?

Oooh I actually have a couple for this!

Before I Fall
At first, I didn't think I'd like reading about a mean girl who has to live the same day over and over and over again.... but then I read it and
AKLDFHALKDFJ.
SO. GOOD.
I completely fell in love with the characters and Lauren Oliver's beautiful writing style.

Cinder
I saw "cyborg Cinderella" and was like: "mehhhhh"
Plus I'm usually not into futuristic novels.
But this one.... ohmygoodness YOU GUYS.
Possibly my favorite Cinderella retelling ever!

Anna and the French Kiss
Don't tell me you didn't think the cover was cheesy.

Vampire Academy
I first picked this book up around the time when vampire novels were EVERYWHERE and I was pretty doubtful about the concept of this story.
And then I read it.
And I went through the whole series in a matter of weeks!

Review: Destined

Destined 

By Jessie Harrell

Published November 17th 2011 by Mae Day Publishing

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined

Rating: 2 stars

I like Greek myths. A lot.

And I really really enjoy many retellings of them. (I mean, I make it no secret that I’m absolutely crazy about the Percy Jackson books…)

But this book was somewhat of a let-down for me.

The Psyche and Eros myth is one of my favorites, but I just didn’t enjoy this retelling of it.

The ironic part is that I probably didn’t like it so much because it was written so much like an actual Greek myth.

Here’s the thing: Greek myths? Pure awesomeness. You get your epic battles, famous heroes, and all sorts of juicy scandals. But what you don’t get very often (hardly ever, really) is character depth.

You rarely get to really know a character—get inside their head and understand their thoughts. And that’s totally understandable because so man ystories were passed down orally, and let’s face it, you can’t make an oral story last hours and hours just to give a character some relatable-ness. In fact, it’s pretty much expected that many Greek mythological beings are flat characters.

This is why I usually like retellings—because the author can give the gods/goddesses/satyrs/nymphs/etc. real personalities. Make them relatable.

Unfortunately, I did not get this in Destined.

The characters were all very much one dimensional and I could not relate to any of them at all. Which, to be fair, may have been the author’s goal—retelling the story in a very traditional way. If it is, then bravo, Jessie Harrell, you have done a spectacular job.

I, personally, just didn’t really like this style of storytelling.

Eros starts off as an arrogant, privileged, snobbish god. Which he was  supposed to be, because when he fell in love with Psyche, it’s literally like he had an entire personality makeover! He was head-over-heels in love with the girl, always worrying about her, trying constantly to make her happy, etc.—thinking about someone other than himself, for once.

While Eros, god of Love, didn’t exactly make me swoon in the book, he was okay. He did some sweet things... I didn’t exactly not like him.

I just had no idea what he saw in Psyche.

Let’s just say it’s pretty apparent that magic was used for him to be that infatuated with her.

Psyche was supposed to be this beautiful (check!), selfless (check-ish!), all-around wonderful human being (okaaaaay….). But most of the time, she just really got on my nerves.  

Psyche was very naïve and easily influenced by just about everyone. She had no trouble jumping to awful conclusions about one of her friends, or Eros—believing him to be some monster that was readying her for dinner, when in fact, all signs pointed to exactly the opposite! It’s also quite evident that she’s been spoiled. Case in point: when she prepares to go on the journey that will placate Aphrodite and hopefully get Eros’s forgiveness, the first thing she does is go home and take a nice, hot bath and eat some awesome desserts.

O_O   REALLY, Psyche? Really?

To be fair, I did want to be inside the character’s head…

I just really did not like what was inside Psyche’s cranium.

While this book really was not up my alley, I must admit that it stayed extremely true to the myth. It even took place in ancient Greece! (But, really, that just made it all the more awkward when the characters talked in a contemporary vernacular….) The story followed pretty much exactly what happened in the actual myth, just retelling it in a more modern, teen-oriented way.

If you like Greek myths/retellings, then this book might really interest you. Or it might not. I really do think it’s a personal preference kind of thing. For me, it just didn't work.

Versatile Blogger Award

Awww, getting a blogger award just has a way of making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I would like to thank Sarah @ Lace and Lavender so much for nominating me for this award!

So here are the rules:
1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
2. Let the nominated bloggers know that they have been nominated for this award.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Thanks the blogger who has nominated you.
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your post.

My 7 random facts:
1. I love nutella sandwiches
2. I'm kind of addicted to Tumblr right now
3. I think hamsters are adorable...
4. I could literally spend an entire day in a Barnes and Noble
5. I don't particularly like my signature (alas, I am not one of those people who can whip up a classy, pretty-looking signature with a flick of the wrist...)
6. I prefer winter to summer
7. I can't handle scary movies. No joke! I once watched I Know What You Did Last Summer when I was younger and I had nightmares for a week!

Blogs I'm nominating for the Versatile Blogger Award:
1. A Bookworm Belle
2. Books are my Reality
3. Sandee Loves Books
4. Quixotically Uncharted

5. AJ Arndt Books Blog

6. Bookworm in Love

7. Blog of a Bookaholic

8. Library of a Book Witch

9. Somewhere Only We Know
10. Book Doll
11. Story Bound
12. BookSmartie
13. Book Matters
14. Book Nerd
15. Cupcakes and Literature

Weigh In Wednesday

Weigh In Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Lauren @ Epilogue and features a question each week for bloggers to share their opinions on.

Today's topic:

Edward vs. Jacob 

Oh gosh, the eternal question of the broody, sexy vampire versus the best friend werewolf! 

Well, while I was reading the Twilight series, I'll admit I was definitely rooting for Edward. I found Jacob a tad annoying at times, especially in Eclipse....

However, in terms of the movie, I have to admit I'd go for Jacob because let's face it, Jacob was waaaay hotter in the movie than Edward!

Or maybe that was just me.

What about YOU? Who do you prefer??

My Book Boyfriend- Leo/Poet

Check out the intro post here!

A while back, I read and reviewed Cath Crowley's Graffiti Moon which I LOVED.
And I may or may not have fallen in love with each and every character..... so I've done a previous post on one character, Ed, but Leo also stole a bit of my heart too so it's only fair that I share his awesomeness with you guys!

"Leopold Green"

• lives with his gran
• his previous relationship with a girl named Emma ended really badly, and made him hesitant to start a new relationships
• is a graffiti artist nicknamed "Poet"

"Leo's screaming good-looking, that's for sure. Five fingers to the power of ten. Tall, with a shaved head, soft eyes, and a tattoo."

His hand moves across the wall, signing our name. he always writes them the same way. His, then mine, in a font he calls Phantasm.
Poet.
Shadow.

Remember Love
Remember
Love doesn't make the world go round
Sex makes it spin for a second or two
If you're lucky
So do chips, sausage rolls, and girls in short skirts
Remember
Love
Lays its fingers on your heart
And holds it
Underwater
Remember that
When the next girl smiles

Favorite line from a poem?
         there's a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out
         -Charles Bukowski


"I was writing poetry. I owe Malcolm because I want to write poetry. You got attacked in the park for poetry." It's like once Leo starts saying poetry, he can't stop. "Mainly I work with free verse. I did a haiku last week though. 'I am in deep trouble / I owe lots and lots of cash / Malcolm will kill me.'"


"The general consensus seems to be that we're losers," I say.
"Well, we're not. Can you believe no one's offered to help is?"
"It's eighty-six degrees, and the city's going crazy. Would you help two guys push a pink van?"
"Yeah," he says, "I would."
"Yeah, you would," I agree. "You're a good guy, Leo."

Waiting on Wednesday #25

WoW is an awesome weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine

That Time I Joined the Circus by J. J. Howard

Publication: 2013 by Scholastic Point

A music-obsessed, slightly snarky New York City girl, Lexi is on her own. After making a huge mistake—and facing a terrible tragedy— Lexi has no choice but to track down her long-absent mother. Rumor has it that Lexi’s mom is somewhere in Florida with a traveling circus.

When Lexi arrives at her new, three-ring reality, her mom isn’t there…but her destiny might be. Surrounded by tigers, elephants, and trapeze artists, Lexi finds some surprising friends and an even more surprising chance at true love. She even lucks into a spot as the circus’s fortune teller, reading tarot cards and making predictions.

But then Lexi’s ex-best friend from home shows up, and suddenly it’s Lexi’s own future that’s thrown into question… 

With humor, wisdom, and a dazzlingly fresh voice, this debut reminds us of the magic of circus tents, city lights, first kisses, last heartaches, and the importance of an excellent playlist.

Not gonna lie, with this book, it was definitely cover love at first sight. However, the synopsis is what really sold me and made me put this on my TBR list. Life in the circus? How cool is that?!

What are you guys waiting on??