Shoved Through My Mailslot #5

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at a Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

Last week: Mail

I entered in a contest Zoraida Córdova had awhile ago, but she decided to postpone it until she was less busy, so she sent everyone who had already entered a book. I selected Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs, because I've been wanting to read it since it came out, but have been waiting for the paperback, as it wasn't high on my want list.

Last week: Bought

I honestly don't remember when I got Changeling, but I bought it Walmart because it just came out and I wanted to read it.

I picked up The Magnolia League at Barnes & Noble Tuesday. I was in there for about an hour, just staring at different books, trying to decide which one to bring home. Finally, I chose The Magnolia League because that what I originally went for.

I went to my local second-hand bookstore Tuesday and got Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder, The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges, Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, Frostbite by Richelle Mead, Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund, and Under the Rose by Diana Peterfreund. I'm especially excited about finding Princess Academy and Frostbite. PA because I had the original cover paperback when I was younger, and it got lost when I moved. I loved it, and have been wanting a replacement ever since Ms. Hale announced a sequel. The Frostbite I bought today is the with the old cover, which I've been wanting to collect ever since I found Vampire Kisses books 2&3 with their original covers.

I was at Michael's Craft Store when I found this journal on clearance. I just absolutely love Paris and the Eiffel Tower, so I had to get it.

I found Huntress in paperback at Barnes & Nobles a couple days before it's release, so I had to get it.

On Sunday I went to B&N again, and bought Ill Wind. I've wanted to read the Weather Warden books ever since I read the WW short story that was in the Chicks Kick Butt anthology.

This week: Mail

Nothing in the mail.

This week: Bought

  

I went to the Fierce Reads event in Lansing on Friday (recap will be up soon), and got Shadow and Bone and Struck. I got them as well as my copy of Of Poseidon signed, but I'll show the signatures in my next 'Signed My Heart' post.

I went to B&N on Saturday, and picked up For Darkness Shows the Stars. I've been waiting for this for awhile, and finally it came out.

I had a pretty big book haul these past two weeks, gained 16 books.

What did you get shoved through your mailslot in the past two weeks?

Blog News

First, I want to say I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much more than WWW Wednesdays and Shoved Through My Mailslot these past couple weeks. I've been really busy with my new job, and hopefully things will calm down soon, but until then it'll be a little quiet around here. I'm going to try and build up a queue on my days off, so if it is awhile before I can start posting regularly the blog won't be completely silent. I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to start scheduling the queue, as I tend to write posts then save them as drafts, and come back to them later with a fresh mind. Like with this post, I started it about a week ago, and just keep coming back to it. I've now started to ramble, so on to the next order of business.

Another thing that's going on, at the end of the month, is a feature called Under-Cover Thursdays. Erika over at One A Day Y.A. started Under-Cover Sundays on her blog last year and is graciously allowing me to tweak that a bit and start the feature here. What's going to happen is the third Thursday of every month will be Under-Cover Thursday, where I'll "share that extra-special touch publishers sometimes put into a book, under the dust jacket of a hard cover.*" Basically, I'll show you what little embossing (is that the right word?) things that publishers put on some hardcovers. I'm not really sure how else to describe it without pictures, so make note that Under-Cover Thursdays will be on the 21st this month, if you want to see my fabulous description in pictures.

I'm also going to start posting reviews, though probably not very often as I don't write reviews for most of the books I read. I am trying to write more in-depth reviews, so hopefully I'll feel more inclined to review if I feel my reviews are actually reviews, and not just 3-4 sentances of gushing. (Wow, I just said 'review' 6 times. And I'm going to say it once more :D) My reviews will be title 'Book Thoughts'. So watch out for that.

One last thing I wanted to talk about was the read-a-thons I'll be in. You may have noticed a couple read-a-thon buttons in my sidebar, and clicking on them will take you to the sign-up page. I'll be posting my participation post a few days before each one begins, and those will include the books I plan on reading.

I think that's everything I needed to say right now. Hope you all have a good week!


* Quote from One A Day Y.A.'s Under-Cover Sunday posts

Shoved Through My Mailslot #4

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at a Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

6 weeks ago: Mail

  

In my STMM #2 post, I showcased a copy of Nightspell I received, but for some reason I didn't include the bookmarks I got along with it. I'm not really sure how I managed to completely forget them (I didn't even take a pic!), but I did, so here they are now.

Last week: Mail

I ordered Immortal Hearts over the weekend, and it arrived on Thursday. I started it Sunday and was able to finish it early on Monday. It was REALLY good.

Last week: Bought

I bought Gilt on Tuesday. Haven't read it yet, but I'm very interested in historical novels, so I hope to soon.

This week: Mail

I didn't get anything in the mail this week :(

This week: Bought

On Wednesday I went to B&N and bought Darkness Before Dawn. I'm reading it now, and I love it!

So it was a very slow two weeks, I'm hoping it will pick up in the next ones.

What did you get shoved through your mailslot in the past two weeks?

Weekend Read-a-thon Wrap-Up

So, this post is a little late, but I've been super busy. Because of the busyness I only read just over ¾ of a book. My plan was to finish Black Dawn by the time the read-a-thon started, but that didn't happen, I was only able to make it ½ through. Once I finished BD on Saturday, I started Trial by Fire, which I only got a third of the way through before time was up. I'm very disappointed by this read-a-thon's results, especially considering I still have to finish Trial by Fire. *sigh* I hope the next read-a-thon goes better.

Shoved Through My Mailslot #3

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at a Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

Last week: Mail

I ordered Black Dawn the week before, and it came on Wednesday. It's number 12 in the series, and I've decided to not put the descriptions anymore because it makes the post wayyyyyy to long, sorry.

  

City of Lost Souls was released on Tuesday, and my pre-order finally came on Friday. The second copy is for my friend's birthday present. I also ordered Lost Voices by Sarah Porter, and it arrived on Friday as well.

Blood Red Road came Saturday from Zoraida Córdova. I entered in a contest she had a bit ago, and I was one of the winners.

Last week: Bought

Bought Shiver on Thursday, not really sure why, but I had a coupon to B&N and I couldn't decide on anything, so I was just like "eenie meenie miny mo".

This week: Mail

  

I ordered Knife and Arrow from The Book Depository awhile ago, and they finally came on Monday. I first heard about these books through *Street-Angel on deviantART.

Awhile ago there was an Obsidian blog tour or something, and if you pre-ordered the new Obsidian paperback (above), then emailed proof of purchase, you qualified for signed swag (shown here).

This week: Bought

When I went to B&N on Friday I saw Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, and just HAD to get it, even though it doesn't officially release until Tuesday.

That's it for this STMM. I got a lot more mail than I was expecting, and bought a lot less than usual. Hmmm. . .

What did you get shoved through your mailslot in the past two weeks?

Weekend Read-a-thon [May 19-20]

So as I said in this post I'm going to have a read-a-thon this weekend. It will be from 10:30am on Saturday till 10:30pm on Sunday. As like last time updates will be on my goodreads & twitter accounts. The books I plan to read are . . .

1. Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter
2. Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
3. Mistwood by Leah Cypess

I'm shooting for 3 books, though I don't think I'll get through them all. This list is all based on if I am able to finish City of Lost Souls and Black Dawn by the weekend. So hopefully by Monday I'll have finished at least 4 books. *crosses fingers and toes*

Reading Slumps & Read-a-thons

I've found myself in a bit of a reading slump lately. I have to keep reminding myself whenever I have downtime to read, otherwise I would be on my computer all the time. The good thing is that it's not as bad as one of my previous ones. I was barely reading at all, taking 2-3 weeks to finish a book instead of 2-3 days.

To try and get out of this slump I think I'm going to have another Weekend Read-a-thon. This weekend I might be visiting my aunt for Mother's Day, so the read-a-thon will be next weekend, May 19-20. Early next week I'll make an official post about it.

I don't really know what else to say, but this post feels unfinished. Hmmm . . . now I've forgotten what I was going to type, so have a good weekend!

Shoved Through My Mailslot #2

Shoved Through My Mailslot is a bi-weekly meme here at a Book Lover's Ramblings, it's purpose is to showcase all the books (or bookish items) I got in the mail or bought over a two week period.

Last week: Mail

I received The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa from HarlequinTEEN, which I won in a giveaway through Ashley Suzanne. I was so excited, I still am, when I got the email saying I won, and when I opened the package I squealed with joy. My cousin looked at me like I was a giant dork, especially when I kept smiling like this ➝ :D And I absolutely LOVE this cover! I love the bloody tear, and shiny parts (they look gray in the pic). Take a look at the synopsis and tell me you wouldn't squeeee!, too.

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.   

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

  

I also got a copy of Nightspell from the author, Leah Cypess, for review (she even signed it to me!). In celebration of the Nightspell paperback release, which is May 29, Leah is hosting a small review-only blog tour, and I'll be participating over at my other blog, Paranormal Book Nook. I think this cover is gorgeous, too! Summary is below.

Here be ghosts, the maps said, and that was all.

In this haunted kingdom, ghosts linger--not just in the deepest forests or the darkest caverns, but alongside the living, as part of a twisted palace court that revels all night and sleeps through the daylight hours.

Darri's sister was trapped in this place of fear and shadows as a child. And now Darri has a chance to save her sister . . . if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. But nothing is simple in this eerie kingdom--not her sister, who has changed beyond recognition; not her plan, which will be thrown off track almost at once; and not the undead prince, who seems more alive than anyone else.

In a court seething with the desire for vengeance, Darri holds the key to the balance between life and death. Can her warrior heart withstand the most wrenching choice of all?

Last week: Bought

  

The Selection by Kiera Cass came out on Tuesday, and I was able to pick it up Thursday! This is one of those rare books, for me at least, where I first saw the cover and was like, "I have to read this book! I don't care what it's about, it must be mine!" and then I read the description (below), which made me want it even more. The 2nd pic is of the inside cover, which I think is just too pretty to go without a pic of it's own.

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.  

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Another book I got on Thursday was Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross. What really made me pay attention to this book was the cover, I love bloody white roses, and then I found out it was retelling of a bunch of different fairytales, and I absolutely love fairytales and retellings of them. Check out the description below.

Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

Trial by Fire is yet another book I picked up Thursday. Ever since I read Raised by Wolves back in March, I have been very impatiently waiting for Trial by Fire to come out in paperback, which, thankfully, it did on Tuesday. I'm not gonna post the synopsis, because I think it is a bit spoilery for Raised by Wolves.