In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren to share with everyone the books they bought, borrowed, or received for review.

For Review

Between by Cyndi Tefft

Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard

Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera

Purchased

 

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

The Twilight Saga: Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

But I Love Him by Amanda Grace

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Free on the Nook

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Ravenwild by Peter J. Plasse

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

 Returning home from another grueling shift of E.R. work, Dr. Blake Lee Strong comes across a downed motorcyclist and stops to help, but little does he know that his world and that of his family will soon be turned upside down. Duped into being transported to another planet called Inam'Ra, Dr. Strong and his family are thrust into a medieval world populated by Trolls, Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves, Humans and other alien beings. An epic odyssey begins as the Strong family fights for not only their own survival, but also for the continued existence of the citizens of Ravenwild.

My Thoughts:
Ravenwild is the story of a magical planet called Inam’Ra, the inhabitants who live there, including the humans, trolls, dwarfs, gnomes, and elves, and a modern family from Connecticut. One day, a wizard who calls himself Hemlock Simpleton from the country of Ravenwild visits the Strong family, parents Blake and Jessica, and their children Orie, Stephanie, and Jacqueline, and explains to them how the people of Ravenwild need their help to survive. The people and creatures of Inam’Ra have been at war with each other for a very long time.  The wizard explains that the country is in grave danger, the fighting is getting worse, and without the Strong’s help, the citizens of Ravenwild will lose, and most likely will become extinct.

Before the Strong family can decided what they are going to, Stephanie meets Erik Fairman, the Prince of Ravenwild, who promises her that if she goes with him back to his country, no harm will come to her. Stephanie decides to trusts him and leaves with him. Her parents follow her to bring her home, followed by Orie and Jacqueline. Thus begins the epic adventure that is Ravenwild.

The Strong family is spread out throughout the country trying to survive and bring their family back together. At every turn they are faced with some sort of danger, and at the same time they need to fight to protect themselves and the country of Ravenwild.

We are introduced to so many different characters in Ravenwild and they are all interesting and each bring something to the story. First off, each member of the Strong family had a unique personality. I loved how connected they were. I also enjoyed the character of the Troll Emperor Malance Venomisis. He was so evil, that it was awesome! I also enjoyed reading the histories and backgrounds of the different species. I thought it brought something special to the story.

Since there were so many different characters and storylines, sometimes the story was a little hard to follow-and at 494 pages, you know there’s going to be a lot of information given! The story was also told in so many different points of views that we got to see both sides-the good and the bad, which was pretty cool! 

The writing is very descriptive that as a reader, you really felt that you were right there in the heart of the story. Adding to the story were illustrations of the characters and scenes. Not only were the drawings beautifully done, but they brought the book to a whole new level. I hope in the second book, there are even more drawings to enjoy!

Overall, I thought this was a great start to a fantasy series. Ravenwild is an epic journey that takes the reader to a world completely different from our own.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself onboard a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamour of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship-- she's on the Titanic!

Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century?

My Thoughts:
The Time-Traveling Fashionista is an adorable, quick read when you are in the mood for something light and fluffy. The story is about 12 year old, Louise who is obsessed with the fashions of past decades. When she gets an exclusive invitation to attend the “Traveling Fashionista Vintage Sale”, she is overjoyed and completely within her element. At the sale she tries on this beautiful vintage pink dress and is then transported to a cruse ship in the year 1912! Everyone in the past believes she is the famous and rich actress, Alice Baxter. Embracing her inner self, Louise is having the greatest time in the past. She gets to meet a bunch of interesting people and she gets to wear gorgeous dresses! When she learns she is actually on the doomed cruise line, the Titanic, she will do anything possible to save as many people as she can.

I immediately felt connected to Louise. I am not as obsessed as her, but I love the clothes of past decades! I would give anything to actually wear a corset and puffy dress from the colonial era or a dress from the 1940’s. What made this book especially cool, was anytime an outfit was described, there was a beautiful illustration accompanying it. I believe these drawings really brought a lot to the story, and it is what drew me to this book in the first place.

Again, I think this book is perfect if you are in the mood for something light and simple. It won’t take long to read, and it will leave you with happy feelings!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

My Thoughts:
I’m one of those people that WILL judge a book by its cover. I’m kind of snotty like that. When I’m at the bookstore looking for a book to buy I only pick up books that 1. Someone told me was good, or 2. If I think the cover is pretty. Every time I was in Target I would skip right over Water for Elephants because 1. I hadn’t really heard anything about it and 2. I thought the cover was ugly. As soon as I saw the movie tie-in edition, I knew I was going to read it! I thought the new cover design was beautiful! Despite the ugly first cover, Water for Elephants should not be missed! It is a beautifully written story with a lot of heart and soul.  The prologue will completely captivate you and you will be hooked from page one!

The story begins with a 90 year old, who also could be 93, he doesn’t actually remember how old he is, named Jacob Jankowski. Jacob is your typical old man. He’s seen too much in his life to give a crap what people say and think. From the first line Jacob spoke, I knew I loved him. He was sarcastic and funny, but also sad and lonely. His wife died a few years before, and his children and grandchildren only visit him in the nursing home for a few hours on Sunday. All Jacob has left are his memories of working for a circus when he was 23 years old (Rob Pattinson played young Jacob in the movie and it was wonderful having to picture him as Jacob. It was a beautiful sight!).

At 23, Jacob is about to graduate veterinary school and go on to work for his father caring for animals. When his parents die in a car accident, he learns that his parents left him with no money and the bank repossessed their home (it takes place during the depression, and the Jankowski’s were struggling along with everyone else). Jacob, having no where to turn, jumps unto a moving train and in this moment his life will change forever.

Water for Elephants has an amazing cast of characters that all bring something to the story. Jacob meets the beautiful, Marlena, her charming, but sadistic husband, August, as well as many others that all shape Jacob’s life one way or another. Even the animals play a huge role in his life!

I think my favorite part of this story was the last few pages. Not because it was over, but everything came together so beautifully. We last see Jacob as his 90 or 93 year old self, and you will not be disappointed on how his life will turn out.

Water for Elephants is a must read! I just hope the movie will do this amazing book justice!

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

My Thoughts:
Let’s start by saying that I LOVED Unearthly! I thought it was very original. I enjoyed the writing, the plot, and the characters! What made Unearthly different from other paranormal YA books is that the main character, Clara, already knew she was part angel. She has known for many years. It was refreshing reading a book where the first half of it isn’t spent having the protagonist figure out who he or she really is.

For Clara, and others who are half-angel, she has a Purpose that must be fulfilled. When Clara realizes her purpose is to save a boy from dying in a forest fire, her mother, who is also part angel, moves the family to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Here, Clara will fulfill her Purpose. Being the new girl is hard enough, but now she has to befriend the boy she is supposed to save, and try not to act like a complete loser in her new school.

Clara was an awesome protagonist! She might be a quarter angel, but she was still an insecure, “normal” teenager. Add the boy she has to save, Christian, and her new friends, Wendy, Tucker, and Angela, and you truly have a great group of characters! There was also a love triangle forming between Clara, Tucker, and Christian. I’m usually not a fan of the love triangle dynamic, but this one is very interesting! Clara is faced with an impossible decision towards the end. Should she choose her Purpose, or do what her heart tells her. It was probably one of the most nerve racking things I have ever read!

I enjoyed everything about Cynthia Hand’s angelic world. I loved reading her take on angels and their backgrounds! I can not wait until the second installment. I have a feeling this series is only going to get better!  
Also, how gorgeous is the cover! I loved it, and it is what first drew me to this book.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Thoughts:
I bought my copy of City of Fallen Angels (CoFA) at 9am the morning it came out at Barnes & Noble. Despite having work for the next 8 hours, I had finished the book by 1 am. I physically was not able to put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen to my favorite team of shadowhunters! Cassandra Clare has delivered another amazing book in The Mortal Instruments series and I can not wait to see what else she has in store for us!

There is not one character in all of Clare’s book that I am not obsessed with! I really care for every single one of them, even the bad ones! Everyone has such depth and personality. I was surprised at how much Simon transformed from a nerdy, Clary-obsessed, adorable nerd to a strong, brave, honest, adorable nerd, who now happens to be a vampire! I loved Simon! He just got to me so much more in CoFA. I hated seeing him struggle with his new-found vampire status, but I have to say he was kind of bad-ass. No matter what changes happened to him, he would not hurt the people he loved. What I didn’t like was that he was with Maia and Isabelle at the same time. I thought it was out of character for him.

I also hated to see how much Jace struggles in this book. Jace might act like the sarcastic jerk who doesn’t let anything bother him, but he is dealing with a lot of crap from his past and it is hard for him to let people in. Jace deals with his problems by himself, which makes everything worse. He keeps pushing Clary away, so not to hurt her. I have to say though, that was getting kind of old. Just friggen talk to her about your problems already!! Now add what happened to Jace at the end of CoFA, and I really have no idea what’s going to happen to him. I really hope he can get through this with everything intact, but I highly doubt it.

Speaking of other characters, I loved Alec and Magnus in this one! I’m glad Alec is finally able to accept who he really is and I thought it was adorable how jealous he was of Magnus’s past. We even learned a little bit about what makes Isabelle tick. I liked learning more about her and seeing what is underneath.

I am a much bigger fan of The Infernal Devices series, so I loved when Will was mentioned and really enjoyed learning more about Camille. I loved her in Clockwork Angel, but not so much in this one. CoFA just made me that much more excited for Clockwork Prince!!

Either way, this is a series that is not to be missed. There are plot curves everywhere and it is such a fantastic book, that I might have to read the first three again, just so I could be apart of the world Clare has created!

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
July 12, 2011

In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr
May 17, 2011


The New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series delivers her first novel for adults, a story about the living, the dead, and a curse that binds them.

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you."

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place--and the man--she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D--a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk

Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

Janie Gorman wants to be normal. The problem with that: she’s not. She’s smart and creative and a little bit funky. She’s also an unwilling player in her parents’ modern-hippy, let’s-live-on-a-goat-farm experiment (regretfully, instigated by a younger, much more enthusiastic Janie). This, to put it simply, is not helping Janie reach that “normal target.” She has to milk goats every day…and endure her mother’s pseudo celebrity in the homemade-life, crunchy mom blogosphere. Goodbye the days of frozen lasagna and suburban living, hello crazy long bus ride to high school and total isolation--and hovering embarrassments of all kinds. The fresh baked bread is good…the threat of homemade jeans, not so much.

It would be nice to go back to that old suburban life…or some grown up, high school version of it, complete with nice, normal boyfriends who wear crew neck sweaters and like social studies. So, what’s wrong with normal? Well, kind of everything. She knows that, of course, why else would she learn bass and join Jam Band, how else would she know to idolize infamous wild-child and high school senior Emma (her best friend Sarah’s older sister), why else would she get arrested while doing a school project on a local freedom school (jail was not part of the assignment). And, why else would she kind of be falling in "like" with a boy named Monster—yes, that is his real name. Janie was going for normal, but she missed her mark by about ten miles…and we mean that as a compliment. 

Frances O’Roark Dowell’s fierce humor and keen eye make her YA debut literary and wise. In the spirit of John Green and E. Lockhart, Dowell’s relatable, quirky characters and clever, fluid writing prove that growing up gets complicated…and normal is WAY overrated.

My Thoughts:

I kept going back and forth debating with myself if I should read this book. The story didn’t seem that interesting to me, but I kept hearing some really good things about it. I finally decided to just read it!. It’s only 210 pages, so if I hated it, I wouldn’t waste that much time on it. Well, I loved it! I had it finished in a few hours. I thought it was such a great, cute, coming if age story, and I’m really glad I decided to read it!

Ten Miles Past Normal is about Janie, who, when she was younger convinced her parents to move to the countryside and start a goat farm. Now she’s a freshman is high school, and living on a farm, with the possibility of going to school with goat poop on your shoe (Yes, that has happened to her!) just isn’t cool. All Janie wants in life is to be a normal teenage girl. It’s hard to be normal when you’re the only one is your school who lives on farm and your mom is mini-celebrity because she blogs about farm and family life. My favorite character would have to be Monster. He was sweet, fun, and just so real! I loved the scenes that Monster was in. I would have liked to learn more about him though.

There was also a historical component to the book which I loved. Janie and her best friend Sarah had to do a class project and choose The Civil Right Movement. The girls learn that there town played a large part in the movement and taught local men and women how to read and write. Some of the locals were even arrested and attacked by the Klan because of it. Through this assignment, the girls learned a lot about themselves. I liked watching Janie grow as a character. She realizes that being normal is overrated (It totally is!) which is something that, I think, is very hard for teenagers to grasp.

Ten Miles Past Normal is a short, entertaining read and I would highly recommend it!

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren to share with everyone the books they bought, borrowed, or received for review.

For Review

Ravenwild by Peter J. Plasse

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Purchased

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Borrowed

10 Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Other Words For Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

The Rumpus Book Club

The Convert by Deborah Baker

I hope everyone had an awesome book week too!!

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth?

This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.

And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

My Thoughts:
I’ve heard nothing but good things about Clarity, from debut author Kim Harrington, so I was really excited when I got this book from my public library. I thought the story was original, fast-paced, and I absolutely loved some of the one-liners that were said!

Clarity “Clare” Fern, her brother, Perry, and her mom all have special gifts. Clare can touch an object and see specific visions about things that have happened in the past. Her brother can talk to the dead, and her mother can hear your thoughts. When a girl is murdered in her small town of Eastport, MA, Clare uses her special gift to find out what happened. When her brother becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, Clare will do whatever she has to do to clear his name.

I loved Clare, absolutely loved her! She was smart, brave, and hilarious! She had me cracking up throughout the book. Come to think of it, I really loved all of the characters. They all brought something special to the story. I especially loved Gabriel. He’s the new kid in town whose father is the lead detective on the case. At some points, Gabriel was very mean to Clare, usually for no reason but to be a douche, which I was getting annoyed at, but once I found out what his story was, I ended up falling for him a little.

Besides the great characters, the plot was absolutely captivating! From the first page I was hooked! I had no clue who the murderer was, and I was very surprised at the ending!

This is a book I definitely would recommend! You will not be able to put it down!

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Love Story by Jennifer Echols
July 19, 2011

Erin Blackwell is headed to college in New York City to study creative writing and earn a living as a romance novelist. Her grandmother has other plans: she approves of the college, but she wants Erin to major in business and then come back home to Kentucky to run the family’s famous racehorse farm. There is no way Erin will agree. Studying in New York and writing her way into a career is her escape from the farm and the family tragedy that happened there. So Erin’s grandmother decides Erin really will live life as a starving artist. She takes Erin’s future job running the farm, her inheritance, even her college tuition, and gives them all to Hunter Allen.

Hunter has lived on the farm for years. He’s Erin’s age, he’s the stable boy, and he’s the romantic dream of every girl in her high school. But he was involved in the family tragedy. Erin has always given him a wide berth. And he’s a slick opportunist. She’s furious that he fooled her grandmother into giving him Erin’s birthright and sending him to Erin’s college.

At least she’s free of him in her creative writing class. So she pens a story that has haunted her lately, in which the horse farm heiress at the very first Kentucky Derby starts a forbidden affair with the lowly stable boy. Unfortunately for her, the day she’s sharing this story with her New York classmates, Hunter walks in. He’s switching to her class. And after reading about himself in Erin’s story, he writes his own sexy assignments that lure Erin into dangerous fantasies about what could have been between them, and what might be.

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
August 16, 2011


Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

My Thoughts:
When I picked up Going Too Far in the bookstore I read the synopsis and I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it. I only decided to read it because I really enjoyed Forget You. I am so happy that I gave Going Too Far a chance!

Meg is 17 years old and about to graduate from high school. She doesn’t get close to people, doesn’t make plans, and uses sex as a defense mechanism. One night she gets arrested by Officer After, and as punishment, she is forced to ride along with him during his shift for a week.  Officer John After is 19 years old, hot, and a great cop! He stays in the small town he grew up in to protect the people, especially the teenagers in his town from hurting themselves and others. John was a great character. There was a lot too him, and I think by the end of the story, we really got a sense of who he is! Meg is also a character who is not who she appears to be. Both John and Meg have had things in their past that had made them who they are today. They had excellent chemistry and such a complex relationship and I enjoyed watching them heal together!

Going Too Far is not your average fluffy and sweet teen love story. There is a lot more to it. At some points, John and Meg pissed each other off so much, I didn’t think they would ever be friends again.

Jennifer Echols’ writing is addicting and I can’t wait to get my hands on her other books!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

It's been three years since the devastating accident ... three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Julliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

My Thoughts:
I received Where She Went from NetGalley and I was super excited! I had just finished If I Stay a few nights before and was itching to read Adam’s story. At first I thought If I Stay ended on a positive note (well, as much of a positive note as it can) and I didn’t think a sequel was necessary. But after reading Where She Went, I would definitely not call it a sequel. I think Adam’s story needed to be told, and I am so glad it was! I finished Where She Went within a day and I honestly don’t think anything I say or write will give this beautiful story justice. Where She Went was fantastically written and I really want to give Gayle Forman a big hug for writing it! If you haven’t read If I Stay, I strongly suggest you do, if only to be able to read Where She Went.

Where She Went begins three years after the events in If I Stay. Adam and Mia are no longer together, and Adam is a big time rock star. He is also depressed, lonely, and angry. He is definitely not the same Adam we all fell in love with. Told in the present tense, as well as flashbacks, we see the events that led Adam to the point he is now. Also, at the beginning of every other chapter, we get snippets of Adam’s lyrics. They were also beautiful and touching! You can really feel Adam’s anger in the lyrics. I wish Shooting Star was a real band, I would totally buy their CD!

Adam, alone and walking around NYC sees Mia again and they end up spending the night walking around the city together. Through flashbacks we see her family again, and we learn just how much the tragedy changed him. I really thought Adam and Mia were going to stay together after the accident. As much as I hoped they would, after reading Where She Went I understand the reasons they didn’t. I also feel the way that Mia did deal with the tragedy was very realistic.

Forman has an excellent way with her words, and the reader can feel everything that the characters can. That is why I love these books! She made Adam so raw, that my heart was breaking for him throughout the entire novel. As with If I Stay, I was crying at the end of Where She Went. The ending was so perfect! As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again! Just writing this review makes me want to read it again!

Here is the book trailer for Where She Went:

Where She Went releases April 5^th and I think everyone should go out and buy it!!

In My Mailbox (7)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren to share with everyone the books they bought, borrowed, or received for review.

For Review:

  The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross (I am so excited for this one!!)

Bought

 Betrayal by Mayandree Michel ($.99 on the nook!)

In the Arms of Stone Angels by Jordan Dane

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Borrowed

 Clarity by Kim Harrington

I hope everyone had an awesome book week!!

Red Glove by Holly Black

Summary Provided by 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.

My Thoughts:
I was so excited when I got Red Glove from GalleyGrab that I did a little dance with my hands in front of my computer.  I loved White Cat so much and I heard that Red Glove was even better! This book totally exceeded my expectations! Holly Black is a fantastic writer and she has created a world full of suspense, excitement, and originality!

The story picked up a few months after the events of White Cat. Cassel has found out he is a transformation worker, and is trying to figure out how to use this new found “gift” and come to terms with the things he did, even if he doesn’t remember what those things are. He’s also figuring out how to deal with Lila, the girl he has been in love with forever, who now loves him back thanks to his mother, an emotion worker, working Lila into loving him. Not only that, but Cassel soon finds out that the FBI wants him to work for them on one side of the law, while mob boss, Zacharov, also wants Cassel under his payroll.  

I love Cassel. Love, love, love him! His one-liners completely crack me up. Cassel was born into a crime family, forced to work cons (and had his memories erased by his lovely brothers after doing so), and wants nothing more than to just be a normal boy with normal teenage problems. Cassel is in such a bad predicament and I felt for him through the entire story. I had no idea where Black was going to take him, but I loved where he ended up! I really felt that we learned a lot more about who Cassel is, maybe that is because Cassel is also learning who he is. He’s trying to be a better person and protect his family, but everyone is making this so hard for him. I really am surprised Cassel was able to stay calm and rational through the whole thing. I think I was freaking out more then he was! Out of the other characters, we see a lot more of Lila, Sam, and Daneca, with each one bringing more to the story!

There were so many different plot twists that whenever I thought I finally figured something out, it ended up going in a completely different direction! I loved that! My only issue with Red Glove was that it ended, which kept me wanting so much more!

I just want to share my favorite quote from the entire book. It’s from Chapter 1, so it isn’t spoiling anything.
            Cassel to his mom: “You want me to look homeless, desperate, but also kind of fabulous?”

Red Glove officially releases on April 5^th. I think everyone should go out and buy it! This is a book that is not to be missed!