In My Mailbox (3)

LINGER

The Wolves of Mercy Falls

by Maggie Stiefvater

ARC (Available July 20, 2010)

The sequel to Shiver follows the story of Grace and the wolves of Mercy Falls. Maggie says: "It's about after. What happens after you discover there are werewolves in the wood, after you've fallen in love for the first time, after you've lost what you think you can't live without, after you've become someone you can't live with."

ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod (Book #4)

by Heather Brewer

ARC (Available February 9th, 2010)

The penultimate chapter in the thrilling vampire series!
Things have taken a darker turn for the half-human teenager with an appetite for blood. Joss, a vampire slayer and Vlad’s former friend, has moved back to Bathory. A mysterious and powerful new vampire, Dorian, appears with a shocking secret and an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad’s blood. And Vlad’s arch enemy, D’Ablo, has a sinister plan to eliminate Vlad once and for all. With death threatening from every angle, Vlad will have to use every ounce of his skill and training to survive, but nothing can prepare him for what awaits him in the end.

~Angel

Happy Holidays!

Whatever you celebrate -- have a great holiday, everybody!


~Angel

Wanting on Wednesday: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

The sequel to Wondrous Strange..

Book Description:

Faerie can't lie . . . or can they?

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt. Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power. Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with wondrous strange.

Angel's Thoughts:

I love Lesley Livingston, and loved the idea of Wondrous Strange. Besides -- who wouldn't want that GORGEOUS book!

~Angel

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

I’ve got to say, I am 100% addicted to these books, and have been for some time now. I decided to wait to post my review until AFTER I finally got to finish City of Glass, the third book in the series. If it wasn’t for the fact my mother took off with my copy of City of Glass before I had the chance to read it, I would’ve had it finished quite some time back. I finished it not too long ago, but never got around to posting my review of the series thus far.

City of Bones:

It has been a long time since a book has captured me quite like the Harry Potter books did, and I believe the only other book series to come close was the Vampire Kisses series. But when I began City of Bones, I knew I had fallen in love again.
In City of Bones, we are introduced to the concept that there are, in fact, real creatures and monsters and angels. We come to know some of the most amazing characters I’ve ever read -- some of which are Clary, Jace, and Simon. Clary stumbles upon a world she’d never imagined could exist, and her life changes forever. Especially when there’s a handsome yet mysterious (not to mention egotistical) Shadowhunter named Jace, who instantly clashes with Clary’s best friend, Simon, who has been in love with Clary for years.
I really hated putting City of Bones down, and once I finished it, I immediately arranged to go to Borders, which is an hour and something away, to purchase City of Ashes.

City of Ashes:

I always fear the books that come after the first, especially if I really loved the first book. Luckily for me, City of Ashes did not disappoint.
Clary’s story continues as she learns more about the world of the Shadowhunters -- the world she had never existed before her very eyes. You see more into the fascinating world created so skillfully by Cassandra Clare, and learn about all the different creatures that are out there.
Really, there isn’t a lot of detail I can add about City of Ashes with spoiling anything. But I will say the end of this book is the kind of cliffhanger that makes you ache to read the next book. Unfortunately for me, when I finished City of Ashes, City of Glass had yet to be published.

City of Glass:

Though it wasn’t that much of a wait, I was still eager to pick up my copy of City of Glass when I finally got the chance. If it weren’t for an arc I had to read at the time, I would’ve dove into it immediately. So, of course, my mom ran off with City of Glass, because she had borrowed the first two from me.
But when I finally got to read City of Glass -- I could not stop. I was so hooked, I read at every single free moment I could manage. I’d stay up late and wake up early. And it was all worth it, every single page. I laughed, I cried, and I felt like the series was being done justice. One of my biggest peeves is when characters stop being themselves to be whatever the author wants them to be. I was very pleased Cassandra Clare hasn’t turned out to be one of those authors.

Now, with City of Fallen Angels in the works, plus a new series in the same universe, The Infernal Devices (the first book is The Clockwork Angel) coming out in the future -- I expect a great deal from Cassandra Clare and her writing. I hope to see more fantastic books that I can’t put down, books that capture me just like Harry Potter did, from Ms. Clare.
With Christmas just around the corner, I recommend this series for the avid reader in your life. I’ve never recommended it to someone who didn’t love it, so far.

~Angel

Top Five Choices for Christmas Gifts

I figured since my comback week was Christmas week, I'd start things off for those of you that are last minute shoppers -- my Top Five Choices for Books that make AWESOME Christmas presents. Now, anyone can copy and paste the bestsellers out there just because that's something they know a lot of people buy. But I went through and picked some of my favorite novels that I consider worthy of Bestseller status and wrote why I thought they'd be great.

These are in no particular order, so don't assume I'm rating them according to which is my favorite:

1. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink -- This book is the start to what I feel will be a spectacular series. It's filled with mystery, love, and lyrical writing, and is sure to be a favorite of anyone that reads it.

2. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King -- One of my favorite books of all time. Perfect for those that love a good adventure. Filled with Irish history, pirates, dogs, and a world full of other things I love -- this book is even loved by boyfriends. (Mine is reading it right now and loves it!)

3. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone and Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert -- Okay, this is TWO books, but really -- I couldn't choose between the two. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is perfect for the punk rockers of your life, as well as anyone else. And Ballads of Suburbia is just about the most perfect book you could ask for -- it fills you with hope, makes you ball your eyes out, and really breaks your heart when you finish because you just want to keep reading. Stephanie Kuehnert is one of my favorite authors of all time. And that is REALLY saying something.

4. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb -- This book really haunted me. The writing is beautiful, and the idea is very original. It might be my favorite book of all time, if not one of my top favorites. Either way -- this book is an ideal gift for anyone in your life.

And, last but not least --

5. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev -- A FANTASTIC book, perfect for the theatre lovers in your life. It's another example of an ideal blend -- adventure, love, humor, heartbreak, and hope. I'm dying to read the next book in the series -- and so will whoever you give this book to.

Hoepfully, this helps you in your quest for last minute gifts for that avid reader in your life!

~Angel