In My Mailbox *3*

Okay so, I didn't get to check the computer last night and I kinda forgot, so! I am going to do IMM a bit late...meaning today. And just to let you guys know, I am going out of town Thursday, my mom has to go the the doctor in Nashville and that's about 3 hours away, so I will be gone until probably Friday or Saturday. I don't know if I will have internet or not, so I will just have to see when I get there!

I should have my review for The Young City up in a day or two, so look for that because the book was amazing!

Now, on with In My Mailbox!

This week wasn't too bad, I got 4 books.

• Secret Society by Tom Dolby (which I am about half way through already and so far, I am liking it. It's imagery is really detailed, so that's kind of giving me odd "secret" dreams, so that's a bit weird, but whatever)!
• ...By Daphne by Carmen Catalina
• Breathe the Sky by Chandra Prasad
• Duchess of Death by Richard Hack (which is a biography of Agatha Christie. I don't know about some, but despite the fact that most [not all] biographies seem to bore me to death, this one looks rather interesting. And I love Agatha Christie, so that helps)

Well there's what I got this week, anything in there that interests you?

XOXO

In My Mailbox *2*

Okays, so it's been a bit of a slow week this week, and it being a holiday week and all, I didn't actually get any books in the mail, but not to fret my dears! I was at the store and every so often they do this LOVELY thing when they have an excess of books and they put them on sale for usually 1-5 dollars and I can almost ALWAYS find something there so I bought a few there and a couple I found at Borders on sale too! And just so you know, some of these I just got because I like the covers, heard about the authors before, or whatever, so let me know if you have read/what you think about any of these. Here we go:

• Girls Dinner Club by Jessie Elliot
• She's So Money by Cherry Cheva
• The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
• The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold
• The Queen's Bastard by Robin Maxwell
• Blood Lies by Daniel Kalla
• Unexpected Blessings by Barbara Taylor Bradford

There is one more that I am probably MOST excited about that I got, and I couldn't get a ARC copy, but I broke one of my main rules which is that I don't do E-Books and that kind of thing, UNLESS they are something major that I really REALLY want; but for this I made an exception. And now that I built the anticipation (at least I hope I have!) the book is...

The Siren by Kiera Cass!!!
I have been hearing about this book for months now, because I watch The Twicurls on YouTube and if you don't know who they are, you must check them out, I'll post a link (http://www.youtube.com/user/TwiCurls) Their names are Liz and Kiera and they are adorable and absolutely hilarious! Kiera has her book coming out soon and is now about 2 months (or so) pregnant and now she is even more beautiful than before! And Liz is a beautiful, budding musician, who has a gorgeous voice and someone who's CD I will probably end up buying someday (when she puts one out). They do skits and really amusing stuff and they are just fantastic girls, and I can't wait to start Kiera book. I didn't mean to go all promotional and all that on you guys, but I couldn't help it. These are two fantastic girls that everybody should check out. And you can read the first chapter of The Siren at http://kieracass.webs.com/writing.htm and if you subscribe to her mailing list, she will send you the second chapter!

Tell me your thoughts and the question I pose today is: What book (or books) coming up are you excited for?

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

Author: Mary Rodgers
Release Date: April 7, 2009 (Originally 1972)
Category: Contemporary
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I don’t know about anyone else, but whenever I hear the words Freaky and Friday, I automatically think back to Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis circa 2003. But this is a different Freaky Friday, the original, the better of the two in my opinion (I know there was another movie version in the 70s, but I’ve not seen it in years, and don’t remember much about it besides Jodie Foster). This is the story of Annabel and Ellen Andrews, and Annabel needing to learn her lesson.

I will tell you now, don’t expect the same exact story as the movie that you’ve probably seen at some point in your life; expect the same premise, but a better story. Annabel is the stereotypical 13 year old girl she’s loud, bossy and negative, hates her family and teachers, but loves her friends and annoying her brother. Annabel is a highly amusing narrator and she sees things like most kids do, i.e. better than adults give them credit for.

Annabel wakes up as her mother, gets dressed, fixes breakfast, sends Ben, aka Ape Face, and Annabel off to school, and then goes through her day in her mother’s body. Dealing with all kinds of issues throughout the day, from the neighbor boy saying he loves her, losing both the kids, the police thinking she’s crazy, and husband’s unexpected clients as guests, she handles it well…at first. Not only does she have a wild ride, dealing with things her mother normally would have to deal with she also has a school meeting to attend…about herself. She finds things that she probably needed to hear, but things that hurt to hear, and that’s where the lesson really starts to set in.

The majority of the story is told from Annabel’s perspective, while she is in her mother’s body and that actually helps the humor even more, take this little gem for instance: “Well in case you’re interested, a mouthful of heart is something like a mouthful of captured frog, and a mind in turmoil simply means all the blood un your body rushes around in your head, leaving you icy cold from the neck down. As for “butterflies in the stomach,” there is no such thing. They are June bugs.” You’ll have to read the book to find out the context there, but there are plenty more humorous moments between the 175 pages that make up this book.

This is a quick read, but one I definitely recommend. It’s funny and somewhat realistic, not in the whole switching bodies with your mother aspect, but in the way this family interacts with one another. I know that despite the length and the material that make up this adorable story, even I learned something about myself and I think everyone could take something away from this book, kids and parents alike. The whole 1972 copyright may throw some people off, but don’t let it; it’s a story that is still relevant today and probably will continue to be for as long as there are 13 year old girls with mothers and little brothers especially.

Update! And just randomness!

Hey guys!
Well I know I promised a review of WInter Wood by Steven Augaurde, but that's not going to happen. I tried, I mean I REALLY tried with this book, but I just couldn't do it. It's not that it was badly written (it was actually written quite well) or anything, it was just the story itself. I couldn't read it. I think I made it like page 62-ish, but I couldn't make it past that. I didn't know it was the THIRD book in a trilogy I'd never heard of before, let along read, or whether it's because I couldn't grasps what these chacters had to do with one another. Either way, this is NOT a stand alone book at all. I was so bored and confused by the time I made it as far as I did that I simply couldn't go on, and that my friends' is somehting I haven't done since school (The Red Badge of Courage and The Scarlett Letter were the only two books this has EVER happened with). But not to worry!

I did however mange to finish Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers in about two hours last night and got the review written and sent into TRT and once that is posted there, I will also post it here. I was planning on starting Freaky Monday by Mary Rodgers & Heather Hach today, but it wasn't such a great day for me personally, so I will start it tomorrow. I should start posting more now, so that's good! I still don't think I will post every single day, but I will try to post much more often than I have been.

Now I pose a question for all you lovelies! How do you simply waste you time? I don't mean reading and the like, I mean to you play meaningless video games or anything like that. If so what do you play?

Personally, I play Free Realms
I am Loreli Moonbeam in game.

And I've also been spending quite a bit of time on ourWorld.
That is me! And if you guys click there and sign up and play, it helps me out too! (You know you want too, and thanks in advance)!

So those are a couple ways I waste my time, her lately it's been on ourWorld, but yea. And don't worry, both game are family friendly and have mods to make sure they stay that way. It's just fun and wa time waster. So.
How do you waste your time?

XOXO,
Samantha

In My Mailbox

Hey guys! I'm probably not going to do this every week, that is unless I get something every week. But anyways, since this is my first one, I am going to include the books I've gotten lately! So here we go...

• Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
• Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley
• Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
• Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
• Freaky Monday by Mary Rodgers and Heather Hach
• The Young City by James Bow
• Erec Rex: The Dragon's Eye by Kaza Kingsley
• Erec Rex: The Monsters of Otherness by Kaza Kingsley
• Erec Rex: The Search for Truth by Kaza Kingsley
• Winter Wood by Steve Augaurde

Okay so that's what I've gotten lately, which basically means that's the stuff I've recieved in the last 3 to 4 weeks. Right now I am TRYING to read Winter Wood, but what I didn't know before I got it was that it is the third in a series that I had never even heard of, much less read before. It's confusing, and I'm having a major issue getting into it, but I am trying. Anyways, as long as time permitting, I will have the review for it up, as soon as I can. I am really hoping that it gets better as I go, so wish me luck! Later guys!

XOXO

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Author: Carrie Ryan

Release Date: March 10, 2009

Category: Paranormal/Fantasy

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mary lives in a world that is set in stone; there are things you just know and things that you just shouldn’t wonder about. Some things are simple, true, and have been for as long as anyone knows:
1. The Guardians will always protect
2. The Sisterhood is always right.
3. The Unconsecrated are always there, and always trying to break through.

Mary has spent her entire life surrounded by these infected shells of people, some of which were her friends, family, neighbors, etc. They attack the fences, crave human flesh, and moan the most chilling sound you’ve ever heard. Think of every zombie movie you’ve ever saw, and combine all those creepy figures into one and that’s the image that goes through my mind when I think of the Unconsecrated. Now imagine living in a lone village, smack in the middle of a forest that is full of these “people” with only chain link fences and the armed Guardians to protect you. This is Mary’s life.

The Sisterhood controls the knowledge; they control what everyone else knows about the world outside the fence, and what everyone doesn’t know. Mary dreams of life outside the fence, of life at the other end of the gate that leads to the path, the only path that leads to and from the village, the path that no one has ever been allowed to go down. Slowly everything Mary has ever known starts falling apart one by one; the Sisterhood has secrets and Mary learns things that she was never supposed to know.

One day the fences are breached, the Unconsecrated descend upon the village, upon the only lives these people have ever known. The village is in chaos, there’s only one safe place to go, and it’s forbidden. Now Mary has some choices to make: Will she stay in her village and fight for it or will she save herself and the people she can and take the path? Will she choose the one she loves or the one that loves her? Will she find out if there is life outside a village and a forest that is surrounded by so much death and constant danger?

This is such an amazing book! I am having trouble putting how much I actually love this book into words outside of a fangirl scream “OMG”! I am also tickled purple (not pink, pink is too girly and not exciting enough!) to find out from Carrieryan.com that there is not only a sequel called The Tossed-Dead Waves that will come out Spring of 2010, but there will be a THIRD (!!!!!!) book that will come out Spring of 2011. And the possibility of a movie, because Seven Star Pictures (which is a new company, but they are doing K-11, with Kristen Stewart and Nikki Reed), and it is listed on their website as an “Upcoming Film”. This is such an amazing read, as I have already said, but it chilling, gripping, it has just enough romance to satisfy someone, without overwhelming the horror, and the hope that the story employs. It’s such a dark and terrifying tale, but at the same time it’s extremely beautiful and hopeful; and that mix is just what the doctor ordered.

Update, Knowing, and Up!

Hey guys!

It's been a little over a week or so since I posted my review on Bloodhound, and I know I haven't been around much, but in that time I have been keeping busy (sorry nothing majorly blog worthy, i.e. working, then got sick, then caught up on some BFF time with my best friend). But I did manage to read a book, only one, but still! I read The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

And I will have my review on that up shortly. I have to work tomorrow so maybe Wednesday lol. Anyone that works in retail (as I do) knows that it generally wipes you out, so shoot for Wednesday.

In other news though. Last week I went to the movies...twice. Once was at what we call the $1 movies, which is actually $2 now (it used to be $1, but as times have changed, so has the price) and they usually show movies that are out of the major theaters, but not on DVD yet. So we went and saw Knowing. For all who don't remember that one, it's the Nicolas Cage movie where they open a time capsule from 50 years before, and they find the page full of numbers that correspond to major disasters in the world, and he tries to be the hero (as Nicolas Cage does in all his movies). Anyways it was good, it was odd, it was a stretch of the imagination. Most younger audiences probably would care for it, and depending on how much younger probably wouldn't understand it (no offence to anyone, it just takes a knowledge of some things that aren't really taught until later in school, unless you study independently). And if you are easily offended when it comes to religion, then it's not the movie for you (it takes different aspects of the whole apocalypse and creation stories from different religions and combines then)But in any case, I would recommend renting it. But it's not something I would personally buy.

Now the second movie we went to see was by far superior to Knowing. We went to see Up! Another one of Pixar's masterpieces, and OMG! I loved it! I think we have all either seen, heard, or read something about Up, so I will skip the whole summary thing and get right to my thoughts. I love, love, love it! I generally love Pixar's movies in the first place, but this movie has cemented itself as my third favorite Pixar movie (The first being Finding Nemo and the second being Toy Story). The characters were so adorable and funny, the animation is just awesome, and the dialogue is HI-larious! But I do feel that I must say that after the first 15 or so minutes, it did leave me a bit depressed, but that was quickly rectified. I also think that if you are taking a young child to see it, that they at least know that people do not live forever, and that people do eventually pass away (there was a young child in my theater that apparently didn't know this, and since most younger children have no concept of whispering , we all had to listen to her repeatedly ask about what happened, why, etc. and that can be quite distracting and unfair to other the other people in the theater) Now this is a movie I not only recommend buying (once it comes out on DVD), but I also recommend seeing it in theaters. It is one of those movies that has something for everyone!

I know this is kinda long...sorrys! But as long as I still have your attention (I hope), then I will tell you guys what I got this week in terms of books! By the way, the reason I don't do the weekly "In My Mailbox" posts like most bloggers' do, is because, well I don't always get new books every week lol. But...I could start doing it for the weeks I do actually get books...hmmm. I don't know. Maybes, I will peruse the thought and see what I can come up with.

This week I got four books!

1. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen
2. Winter Wood by Steve Augarde
3. Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
4. Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley

So for my next book I will be reading Winter Wood, since that it a review book. It's a bit long, but I have a couple days off this week and so I should have some time to get some reading done. Well I think I have rambled long enough, and it's almost 5 AM so I better try to sleep a little bit. Bye bye guys!

Samantha

*Edit* June 16, 2009
I know I said I would have The Forest of Hands and Teeth review up by last Wednesday....but I sorry. I haven't had a chance to get it done yet. My aunt and cousin came in from NY and that only happens like once a year, so I haven't had much time at home, much less near the computer. I am hoping to get it up tomorrow night (I mean it this time!) I have to take my sister to the doctor in the morning, so it will be when I get home. Thanks for your paitence guys!