In My Mailbox (week 8)

IN MY MAILBOX

*Hosted by The Story Siren, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie*

WON:

The Ex-Games by Jennifer Echols
* won from Sarah's Random Musings *

Brace yourself for the battle of the exes...
Hayden and Nick used to be a hot item, but their brief affair ended with a highly publicized breakup. Now the two are "just friends," excluding the occasional flirtation.
When Hayden wins the girls' division of a local snowboarding competition, Nick is unimpressed, claiming that Hayden wouldn't have a chance against a guy. Hayden calls Nick's bluff and challenges him to a head-to-head boarding contest. Their mutual friends quickly take sides, the girls on Hayden's and the boys on Nick's, making for an all-out battle of the sexes.
This friendly competition is bound to get heated - and they might end up igniting some old flames.



Wild Heart by Lori Brighton
* Won from First Reads@Goodreads *

Leo Roberts is next in line for an earldom and the power and fortune that come with it, but he is uncultured, unrefined--and completely untamed. . .until governess Ella Finch arrives upon the scene. Can so young and inexperienced a woman tutor him in the manners and mores of his class? Leo's mysterious past has rendered him an outsider, too wild for polite society. But he finds her innocence most intriguing. . .

What manner of man he may be, Ella does not know. Yet he fascinates her and she must know more. Capturing Leo's reckless heart is about to free her in ways she never dreamed of. . .and his sensual touch releases the deepest yearnings of her body and soul. . .



Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
* Won from Frankie Writes *

Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.


The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
* Won from Frankie Writes *

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

From the Library:

Chosen by P.C Cast
Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampire Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series”, in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before.




Untamed by P. C. Cast
Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

Hunted by P.C Cast
The good news: Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer. The bad news: Ancient evil with the face of an angel has been let loose – that and various other nasties (whose faces aren’t so angelic). Grandma Redbird is in trouble. Heath is in trouble. The House of Night is in trouble. Okay, let’s face it – Zoey’s whole world is in trouble! But when the trouble comes from a being who appears to be beauty personified, will the world believe it? Especially when only a teenager and a group of misfits are the only ones who really understand the danger he brings. Will Zoey have the strength and wisdom to reveal the truth? Especially when, in the House of Night, the truth is often hard to come by…

Tempted by P. C. Cast
Zoey needs a break after some serious excitement. Sadly, the House of Night school for vampyres doesn't feature breaks on its curriculum - even for a High Priestess in training and her gang. Plus juggling three guys is no stress reliever, especially when one is a sexy Warrior so into protecting Zoey that he's sensing her emotions. Wider stresses lurk too, and the dark force in Tulsa's tunnels is spreading. Could Stevie Rae be responsible for more than a group of misfit fledglings? And Aphrodite's visions warn Zoey to stay away from the immortal Kalona and his dark allure - but they also show that only Zoey can stop him. She's not exactly keen to meet up, but if Zoey doesn't go to Kalona he'll exact a fiery vengeance on those closest to her. She just has to find the courage to do what's necessary, or everything that's important to her will be destroyed.

So, lots of books for me this week :) I want to thank Sarah, Lori and Frankie for having awesome contests, and for shipping the books all the way to Sweden. I'm reading The Ex-Games right now, and I'm loving it so far! Can't wait to read my other contest wins :)
I saw that my library just bought the House of Night series, so after reading the two first books I decided to give the rest of the series a try!

Book Review: Dead To The World

Title: Dead To The World
Series: Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse (Book 4)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Published: 2005

When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, she doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire--but now he's a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life. . .

My Review: Poor Sookie Stackhouse. As if breaking up with her cheating boyfriend, being caught up in the vampires business, and worrying about her financial troubles wasn't enough! Now she has to take care of Eric, who suffers from amnesia, while worrying about her brother who has gone missing.
Plus it looks like Bon Temps attracts supernatural beings, the place is teeming not only out of vampires and shape shifters, but also werewolves, witches and even a fairy! And as usual, Sookie is caught in between. . .

If you liked the previous books in the Sookie Stackhouse series, you will like this one too. And if you are a fan of Eric Northman, you will definitely enjoy this one!

Rating: 4 of 5

Previous books in this series:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead

Vampire of the Week

Vampire of the Week is a semi-weekly feature on my blog. For more information, go here. To see previous VoW's click here.

And this week's Vampire of the Week is. . .

Adrian Ivashkov!

Adrian is a royal Moroi, specialized in spirit. He first turned up in Frostbite, the second Vampire Academy book, and has been a regular character since then.

Why does Adrian deserve to be Vampire of the Week?

When we first got to know Adrian, he was the ultimate badboy. He was sarcastic, flirtatious, and numbed the effects of spirit use with drinking and chain smoking.

During the latest VA book however (Blood Promise) we got to see a whole different side of Adrian. He was kind, caring, generous and acting more responsible and matured. But he still had the personality traits we love so much - he's irony and sarcasm.

If Vampire Academy were made into a movie, who would you like to see playing Adrian?

Ed Westwick? (Photo Above)

Ian Somerhalder?

Matt Lanter?Bradley James?
or someone else?

Waiting on Wednesday (2/24)

Title: My Invisible Boyfriend
Author: Susie Day
Release Date: April 1st, 2010

Heidi has the perfect solution to her popularity problems - a fake boyfriend. She's even made him an Internet profile that makes him look like a motorcycle-riding, poetry reading bad boy. *swoon* Heidi's friends are so impressed they start emailing Heidi's fake boyfriend with their problems . . . including their problems with Heidi.

As if that weren't bad enough, a delicious and possibly single person called "A Real Boy" emails Heidi to say he knows the truth. Can Heidi escape from her world wide web of lies? Or will her chance at romance disappear faster than you can type gtg?

Sounds like a really cute and fun book! :)

* Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. *

Book Review: The Vampire's Assistant

Title: The Vampire's Assistant
Series: Cirque de Freak (Book 2)
Author: Darren Shan
Published: 2000

Darren Shan was just an ordinary schoolboy - until his visit to the Cirque Du Freak. Now, as he struggles with his new life as a Vampire's Assistant, he tries desperately to resist the one temptation that sickens him, the one thing that can keep him alive. But destiny is calling... the Wolf Man is waiting.

The Vampire's Assistant is, with it's close to 200 pages, a quick and light read for tweens and younger teenagers.

This book was written in 2000, but it feels a lot older than that. First I thought this story was set in the early 1900s, since that's when traveling circuses, bearding ladies and fortune tellers were common. But then Darren talked about computers and video games, so I guess the story is set in present time, after all.

One thing that annoyed me while reading this book was that a lot of the chapters ended with "If I only had known about the catastrophe about to happen, then I wouldn't have done that", or something along those lines. Then the next chapter ended with the same sentence, without us getting any closer to the catastasis. . .

I will rate this book 2.5 out of 5, but I think younger teenagers will enjoy it far more than I did!

Rating: 2.5 of 5
Fan(g) Girl

Cover Combat: Gone by Michael Grant

I do not know about you, but I do judge books by their covers.
In Cover Combat I compare US covers with the Swedish covers of the same books, to see which covers I like the most!

This week the covers of Gone by Michael Grant are being judged.

US Covers:



Swedish Gone Cover:

Which cover do you prefer?

At first look I preferred the US cover over the Swedish one. But the Swedish cover is growing on me, and I'm liking it more and more. I think the kids on the Swedish cover look deserted and lonely - which fits the story perfectly.
Which cover do you like the most?

In My Mailbox (week 7)

IN MY MAILBOX

*Hosted by The Story Siren, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie*

Bought:

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

How far will Rose go to keep her promise?

The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them. . . including Dimitri.

He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

I bought this book about a month ago, and you can't believe how happy I got when it finally arrived this week! Review coming soon!

Contests Around the Blogosphere

Here are some great INTERNATIONAL contests I've discovered recently:

# Book Lover's Prize Bucket Contest @ Shooting Stars Mag
The exact content of the Prize Bucket is a secret, but there will be at least a book and some swag! Ends February 28th.

# 400 Followers Giveaway @ In Which a Girl Reads!
Win a book of your choice! Ends March 6th.

# 350 Followers Giveaway @ Larissa's Life.
Currently 4 winners! Ends March 15th.

# 150 Followers Contest @ A Life Bound By Books!
1st place winner: $15 to shop for at the Book Depository, 2nd place winner: $10 to shop for! Ends March 15th.

# Win two signed books by Aubrey Mace @ Fire and Ice.
Contest ends March 18th!

# 49 Followers Contest @ Storywings!
Storywings is having an awesome contest where you can win your choice(s) from a long list of great books! There are currently five winners, and for every 50 followers, she will add a new winner. Ends March 19th.

# All Things Urban Fantasy is celebrating 300 and 400 Followers!
She's giving away The Mercy Thompson series and The Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs.


Great contests, huh? If you decide to enter I wish you all good luck! :)

Fun-Post Friday: Book Questionnaire

This is a bookish questionnaire I saw on a blog a few weeks ago (can't remember which blog). Anyway, here's the questions and my answers:


01: What author do you own the most books by?
Meg Cabot (8 books)
02: What book do you own the most copies of?
Hush, Hush (2), Boys That Bite (2). I used to have to copies of The Devil Wears Prada.
03: Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Nope. I didn't even notice.
04: What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Dude. Many! (Read my previous post for a few of my crushes!)
05: What book have you read the most times in your life?
Probably by When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot. I must have read it at least 10 times.
06: What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Maybe The Body in the Basement by Norah McClintock.
07: What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
Suppressed!
08: What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
09: If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
I don't think you should force anyone to read a particular book. They might not like it (tip for all teachers out there: The books you choose are boring!)
10: Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for 'Literature?
Astrid Lindgren. Everyone in Sweden is pissed of because she never won it!
11: What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
Vampire Academy series.
12: What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
Don't know.
13: Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
Gaah, I think I had a great answer for this one (seriously), but know the memories of my dream have faded away. . .
14: What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?
I'm denying that I'm an adult now.
15: What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
I usually forget those kind of books!
16: What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you’ve seen?
A Midsummer Night's Dream
17: Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
I hate French, so Russians!
18: Roth or Updike?
Am I supposed to know them?
19: David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
Dave is a bad nickname for David
20: Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
Milton's a cute name on a dog.
21: Austen or Eliot?
Is Eliot a girl name or a boy name? Or both?!
22: What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
Umm, did you read my answers for the previous questions? Oh, you missed them? Well, my answers for question 24-27 might give you another clue!
23: What is your favorite novel?
Too hard! I can't choose one!
24: Play?
I'm not a big fan of plays.
25: Poem?
Errr, none!
26; Essay?
None.
27: Short story?
This is getting boring!
28: Work of nonfiction?
Biographies.
29: Who is your favorite writer?
Probably Meg Cabot, she's been a favorite of mine for a long time. She can't write bad books.
30: Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
The work of Nobel Prize winners is usually quite overrated. (Not that I have read all their books, but people usually say so. May have something to do with answer #10)
31: What is your desert island book?
Oh, I'm so glad you asked! I have this special book in a box with the label "Desert Island Book" on it! Haven't opened the box yet though, cause I haven't been to a deserted island yet.
32: And… what are you reading right now?
I have know. . . oh, I actually know the answer to this question! Or, wait. . . is it a trick question?


Okay, okay, I admit it, I was a bit tired when I did this questionnaire. Don't take anything I said too serious! Do this on your own blog if you want to! :)

My favorite literary couples!

In honor of Valentine's Day I'm posting my favorite couples from YA Literature!

Rose & Dimitri from Vampire Academy
She's a quick witted and quick hitting guardian-to-be. He's her mentor and one of the best guardians in the world. Together, they are one bad-ass couple.


Alejandro & Brittany from Perfect Chemistry
Everyone thinks that she is a rich, beautiful and spoiled bitch, but under the beautiful surface, she is a not-so-confident girl with more than one problem.
Everyone judges him as a dangerous criminal gang member from the wrong side of the tracks, no one knows that he is determined to get out and away from his criminal lifestyle. Together - they might have Perfect Chemistry.


Camden & Maya from She's So Money
He is funny, laid-back, and the most popular guy in school. She is working hard; trying to keep up her straight A:s in school, and waiting tables at her parents' restaurang at night. When she suddenly ends up in acute cash trouble, they are forced to work together. As their business gets more and more illegal, their feelings for each other grow . . .


Rashel & Quinn from The Chosen (Night World #5)
She is a vampire hunter, determined to kill all vampires. He is a vampire who kills humans.
When they meet, it's love at first sight . . .


Jez & Morgead from Huntress (Night World #7)
Constantly challenging each other for the leader position of their vampire gang, they are both surprised to discover that their feelings for each other might have developed from hate to . . . love.


Jess & Rob from 1-800-Where-R-U?
She's "lightning girl". He's on probation. She plays the flute, he's reparing motorcycles. They're from different parts of the city - and in detention together.

I've noticed that not a lot of people have read this series. Big mistake! I love this series, and I love Jess & Rob. Here's a little tease (from MegCabot.com) that hopefully will make you read this series!

" "Hey, sailor," I said. "Give a girl a ride?"

He just gave me his trademark Don't-mess-with-me frown, then popped open the box on the back of his bike where he kept the spare helmet.

"Get on," was he said, as he held the helmet out to me.

Like I needed an invitation. I snatched up the helmet, jammed it onto place (trying not to think about my sweaty hair) then wrapped my arms around his waist and said, "Put the pedal to the metal, dude."

He gave me one last, half-disgusted, half-amused look, then put his own helmet back on. And we were off."

Gaah! I love these books! I love Rob! :)


* I also love Nicolette & Jared from Top Ten Reasons For an Unworn Prom Dress, Ian & Wanderer from The Host, Claire & Shane from Morganville Vampires, and probably many more I can't think of right now! *

Please, please, please tell me your favorite literary couples, I would love to hear who your favorites are! And then head over to Dark Faerie Tales where you can tell her the same thing - and at the same time entering her awesome Valentine's Day Book Massacre! Details below:


Welcome to Dark Faerie Tales first Valentine’s Day Book Massacre!

Tell us your Top 3 romantic couples or What’s your favorite love story? Why?

1 Grand Prize Winner (5 Books)

1 First Place Winner (4 Books)

1 Second Place Winner (3 Books)

1 Third Place Winner (2 Book)

Giveaway ends Sunday, February 21st at 11:59 PM EST

Waiting on Wednesday (2/17)

Title: Strange Fate
Series: Night World (Book 10)
Author: L. J. Smith
Release Date: April 6, 2010

Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters -- they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World.

Sarah Strange's life was what you might call ordinary. Then her mother died.

Now Sarah has visions -- visions of a place where dragons darken the sky and a young girl is fighting to survive.

When Sarah confides in her best friends, Mal and Kierlan, about the devastation in her dreams, she discovers that her friends are not what they seem. They are part of the Night World -- and they believe Sarah has a special role in their world. And if Sarah's visions are any indication of the impending danger and destruction, there is no time to lose. . .

The Apocalypse has finally come—and even the Wild Powers see only one way to stop it. This is an epic volume, which stars all the most beloved Night Worlders from the other books. Be prepared, though, because seven go on a mission to save the world . . . and only two come back.

After more than 10 years of waiting, the tenth and final book of the Night World series is finally being released in April! Can't wait to read this one to see how the story ends! :)

What book are you waiting for this week?

Book Review: Club Dead

Title: Club Dead
Series: Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries (Book 3)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Published: 2003

Things between cocktail waitress Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill seem to be going excellently (apart from the small matter of him being undead) until he leaves town for a while. A long while. Bill's sinister boss Eric has an idea of where to find him, whisking her off to Jackson, Mississippi to mingle with the under-underworld at Club Dead. When she finally catches up with the errant vampire, he is in big trouble and caught in an act of serious betrayal. This raises serious doubts as to whether she should save him or start sharpening a few stakes of her own ...

My Review:
As usual, when you read a Sookie Stackhouse book, you have one brave and practical heroin, a few guys lusting over her, and some mysteries for them to solve.

This book wasn't as action-packed as the first book in this series, but there were a few mysteries that kept you guessing.

Sookie, as a character, is growing on me, and I find her more and more likeable. She is polite, practical, and has a clear opinion about what's wrong and right. And did she show some attitude in the end of the book! :)

Rating: 4 of 5

Previous books in this series:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas

In My Mailbox (week 6)

IN MY MAILBOX

*Hosted by The Story Siren, inspired by Pop Culture Junkie

This is what I got in my mailbox this week (also known as the week I raided my local library):

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris
Dead To the World by Charlaine Harris
Dead As a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris
The Vampire's Assistant (Cirque Du Freak, #2) by Darren Shan
Tunnels of Blood (Cirque Du Freak, #3) by Darren Shan
Gone by Michael Grant
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

All From the Library!

What did you get this week?

Contests around the Blogosphere

Want to win a book in time for Valentine's Day? Well, go ahead and enter these contests I've discovered! (But hurry, some of them ends tomorrow)

# Win the Demon's Lexicon, Liar and Paper Towns @ Hey! Teenager of the Year. Steph is celebrating her birthday and 500 followers! Contest ends February 14th.

# Win a signed copy of Forget-Her-Nots! Head over to Amy Brecount White's blog and enter her Love Flower Poetry Contest! Ends February 14th.

# Win a signed copy of Vinyl Princess @ Library Lounge Lizard!
Contest ends February 22nd!

# January/February contest at Once Upon a Book Blog.
Win a January/February release of your choice! Ends February 28th.

# Go enter the Undercover Book Lover's Birthday Bash Contest!! Win 10 March releases, Contest ends March 10th!

Cover Combat: The Hunger Games

Since the cover and title of the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy was releaved yesterday, I thought it would be fun to compare the US and Swedish covers of the Hunger Games books!

Here are the US covers for The Hunger Games, Catching Fire & Mockingjay:



And here are the first two Swedish covers (the third cover is obviously not revealed yet):



Which covers do you like the most?

I really prefer the American covers. They're simple, colorful and eye-catching. The Swedish covers, well they do look kind of creepy - but so are the books! ;)
And the girl, I guess it's Katniss, looks kind of dead!

Vampire of the Week

Vampire of the Week is a semi-weekly feature on my blog. For more information, go here.

And this week's Vampire of the Week is. . .

. . . Josef Kostan from Moonlight!

Josef Kostan (a.k.a. Charles Fitzgerald) is a 400 year-old vampire living in Los Angeles, and he is Mick's mentor and friend. Little is known about Josef's background. He stated that he was 4 in 1603 which means he was born in 1599 and is currently 409 years old. He has stated that he was once chased by an 'angry torch-bearing mob' in his past and has also stated that he did very unforgivable things when he was first turned, which he described as "going completely insane." Nowadays Josef is a businessman who does not stint himself in luxuries, from an expensive house to the company of numerous beautiful women who are more than happy to sate his desire for blood.

Josef's personality is laid back and easy going. He's sarcastic and witty, a play boy and Mick St. John's best friend. He's a hedge funder and CEO of Kostan Industries. He, unlike Mick, doesn't get his blood from the morgue but fresh from the vein. He's not ashamed of what he is and doesn't see the need to hide the fact that he kills people. Although he comes off as an uncaring, sarcastic play boy, it's all just for show. Josef is actually very caring underneath the mask he wears.

Josef: "Hey, you have a soft spot for the mortal ones. A fascination with all the charming things they do while listening to the tick tick tick of their own looming demise, that's fine, that's good. Everyone needs a hobby."

Josef Kostan is played by Jason Dohring. Jason was born in Ohio, USA in 1982, and is mostly known for playing the part of Logan Echolls in the TV-show Veronica Mars.