Authors and Publishers, I am happy to receive ARCs and published children's, middle grade, and YA books for review. When I finish it, I will review it. If you need the review posted in a certain time period, please let me know and I will move it to the top of the stack. Please note: my reviews are honest, but they are my opinion. If you don't want that, please don't ask. Email Me for reviews.
I am pleased to say that Rodeo Houston has come and gone for another year! Not that I don't enjoy my volunteer time out there, because I do, it's just that it takes SO much of my time, that reading and blogging get put on the back burner. I'm glad to be back in the blogging world and am anxious to share with you many of the books that I've been receiving for review.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Publication: April 5th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry
from Goodreads:Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.
That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.
When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?
Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.
I received an ARC of this title in the mail and I'm anxious to read it as I loved White Cat, the first book in the series.
It's been a LONG time since I last posted a Mailbox Monday. Welcome to my weekly post about the books I receive in the mail. This is my favorite meme of the week, as I get to share what came into my house as well as learn about new books by checking out what others got. Mailbox Monday was started by Marcia at The Printed Page. She has since turned it into a blog tour. For all the details, go here. If you'd like to join in, head over and link your own mailbox. Make sure you visit some of the other linked bloggers as that's what makes this so much fun!
I didn't get much last week, as the holidays are usually slow as far as book getting goes. Here's what did come in:
Teenie, by Christopher Grant - received from Random House
High school freshman Martine (Teenie for short) is a good student, with a bright future ahead of her. She's desperate to be accepted into a prestigious study abroad program in Spain so that she can see what life is like beyond the streets of Brooklyn. She wouldn't mind escaping from her strict (though lovable) parents for awhile either. But when the captain of the basketball team starts to pay attention to her after she's pined away for him for months and Cherise, her best friend, meets a guy online, Teenie's mind is on anything but her schoolwork. Teenie's longtime crush isn't what he seemed to be, nor is her best friend's online love. Can Teenie get her act together in time to save her friendship with Cherise, save her grade point average so that she can study in Spain, and save herself from a potentially dangerous relationship?
Blood Red Road (ARC), by Moira Young. Received from Simon & Schuster
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back. Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
If you've been following my blog for any length of time, you'll know that I don't usually do book challenges. It's not because I don't like them or don't get inspired by them, it's just that I don't usually complete them and that makes me feel guilty. I feel like I've not finished something I started, and that's not like me.
But...There's always a but isn't there? I've been on Twitter a lot in the last week, thanks to summer vacation, and I've added many new book titles to the TBR pile, blogs to the reader, and friends on Twitter. I've also been able to reconnect with some great blogging buddies that I have missed due to the busyness of the school year with my new job. That being said, I was on Twitter this morning and happened to see a post from @jodipicoult raving about a book: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Having just gotten that book last week, I replied that I would have to move it to the top of the TBR pile based on her recommendation. Well, what do you know? @BookingMama or Julie of is hosting a challenge that involves just that book, and she tweeted that I should join. So, here I am writing an introductory post to join the 2010 EW Summer Books Challenge that I probably won't finish. No, wait, I will because it's not an all or nothing book challenge. This I can do! Besides, I already have some of the books. Here are the details:
Read any or all of the books on Entertainment Weekly's 18 Books We Can't Wait to Read this Summer list. You have the rest of the summer to do it because the challenge ends on September 6th. It started on May 1st, so if you read any of these from then to now, they would count for the challenge. The best part about this challenge is that it allows you to read at your own pace and not feel stressed about reading ALL the books. Here are the levels of the challenge, just like swim lessons when you were a kid.
Levels:
1-3 Books: Polliwog
4-6 Books: Guppy
7-9 Books: Minnow
10-12 Books: Fish
13-15 Books: Flying Fish
16-18 Books: Shark
The books are listed below, and if I only read the ones I have in my TBR pile, then I will officially be a Polliwog. But...There it is again, the inevitable but. I have it on good authority that So Cold the River is fabulous, so I'll be picking that one up to read and therefore, I will be going for Guppy status!
