In My Mailbox (10/12 to 10/17)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and Alea from Pop Culture Junkie. If you want more details, click here. In My Mailbox explores all the books that I get in a week, whether it's in the mail, borrowed from a friend, borrowed from the library, or bought from a bookstore.

Not a very exciting week, but oh well. (:

Recived:

The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech (Hardcover/ HarperCollins/ September 2009)

Peoples are strange!

The things they are doing and saying—sometimes they make no sense. Did their brains fall out of their heads? And why so much saying, so much talking all the time day and night, all those words spilling out of those mouths? Why so much? Why don't they be quiet?

In the ancient stone tower of the Casa Rosa, in a tiny village high in the Swiss Alps, life for one angel has been the same, well, for as long as she (or he?) can remember. Until Zola arrives, a determined American girl who wears three skirts all at once. For neighbors who have been longtime enemies, children who have been lost, and villagers who have been sleepily living their lives: hold on. Zola and the angel are about to collide. Figs start flying, dogs start arfing, and the whole village begins to wake up. Zola is a girl with a mission. And our angel has been without one—till now.

This hilarious and endearing novel by Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech reminds us that magic is found in the most ordinary acts of kindness.


The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard (Paperback/ Viking Juvenile/ January 2010)

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?

Bought:

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz (Hardback/ Hyperion Book/ October 2009)

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

Young, fanged, and fabulous, Melissa de la Cruz's vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the Blue Bloods series.

-Lexi(:

FTC: All links and excerpts are from Amazon.com. I am NOT getting paid to link to them.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Pub Date: October 2009

Summary: What happens when you believe in miracles then everything changes?

Samara Taylor used to believe in a lot of things, miracles being one of them.

A pastor’s family is always supposed to be perfect and love God.

Sam knows all too well though, that her family isn’t close to that.

Her father’s a pastor but that doesn’t make her family perfect or God loving in any way.

Sam’s mother is currently in rehab after there’s an incident with a DUI.

Her father on the other hand, is interested in everything but his family.

His congregation knows nothing about Sam’s family.

But when there’s a local tragedy, it seems to overlap with the personal one going in within Sam.

A young girl is kidnapped and no one knows how to save her.

Someone has to stop the community from falling apart during a time where everyone needs each other.

Sam’s been worn down, she doesn’t know how to keep believe in miracles and God.

Her last thread of faith is being to unravel right in front of her eyes.

Rating: 4 Stars

Review: Sara Zarr is really an amazing author. I fall in love with her all over again once I read another book written by her. As soon as I found out she was writing Once Was Lost, I couldn't wait to read it. Story of a Girl was the first book I ever read by Sara and it really made me believe that an author gets how teenagers can be. Once Was Lost was such a powerful book that dealt with a lot of different issues. I personally believe that some authors don't tackle some hard issues going on in our society, but I think that Sara Zarr does. In everyone of her books she reminds us not to forget to believe and Once Was Lost definitely made that a bigger point that other books. It was so hard for me to up down this books because I wanted to know what was going to happen to Sam and her family so bad. All you wanted to do was help Sam through everything, she was a very well written characters. As was all of the other characters that played a part in this novel, but Sam was probably my favorite. I'm really happy that I had the chance to read this book. Everyone should really read this book, it's really amazing. I can't wait for Sara Zarr's next book!

-Lexi (:

FTC: I received this book from Little, Brown and Company.

Cirque du Freak/ The Vampire Assistant Movie Giveaway

It's been awhile since I've had a giveaway, huh?
This one should be a fun one. (:

Do you love to be scared? Then don't miss the terrifying adventure that begins when Darren and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the CIRQUE DU FREAK, a wonderfully bizarre and creepy freak show. Brace yourself for thrills and chills as the boys witness a parade of grotesque creatures and face their deepest fears by entering the darkest world of the vampire. In the blood-curdling tradition of Anne Rice and Stephen King, CIRQUE DU FREAK will have you shrieking for the next horror show!

The Vampire's Assistant movie, will be released October 23, 2009. It's based on the Cirque du Freak novels by Darren Shan. I haven't ever read the books, but after watching the movie trailer, I think I just might.

Here's the Movie Synopsis:

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

There will to Two (2) very luck winners for this contest.
They will receive:

Cirque du Freak book Set
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant Locker Mirror



Visit the Official Website:
http://vampiresassistant.net/

Join the Vampire's Assistant Facebook Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/TheVampiresAssistant

CIRQUE DU FREAK has been rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned - Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13) for sequences of intense supernatural violence and action, disturbing images, thematic elements and some language.

This Giveaway will end on October 21st, so it's running for 2 weeks.

You must leave a comment below with your email address to be entered.

If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email address in a comment, you can email it to me. am.ernsberger@hotmail.com

Shipping Guidelines:
The Vampire’s Assistant giveaway is open to legal US residents who are at least 13 years of age as of October 1st. Prizing is only available to United States mailing address only. (International readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)

+4 Being a follower/subscriber of my blog
+2 Becoming one
+2 For each time you link to this contest from sidebar, facebook, myspace, twitter. ( Though with twitter please add @alexislovesyouu to your link, so I can track them easier, thanks!)
+5 For making a post on your blog about this contest
+5 For voting for your favorite Cirque du Freak t-shirt

Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen

Pub Date: October 2009

Summary: Sara Black is losing a balancing act at the most elite school in Boston.

Anton High isn’t your usual high school.

Most students can’t get in after freshman year.

But if you’re like Sara and your father is the janitor, you have no problem getting in.

No one knows her past; she can be whoever she wants.

Sara Black can reinvent herself like never before.

Everything Sara has been running from almost disappears.

She can pretend that her mother didn’t run off with her science teacher.

That maybe her father’s OCD will soon be under control.

When Sara has a slip of the tongue, students think she’s from London.

London, England that is.

But really, she's just a normal girl from Lundon, Massachusetts.

Sara Black has to learn the hard way that some little lies can come back to haunt
you.

Especially when one of the most popular girls at school is out to get you.

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars

Review: I really enjoyed reading Little Black Lies. I loved the story line and the plot, they were so unique. It had romance, father-daughter relationship, friendship, adventure, finding yourself, divorce, and even illnesses. I think everyone could relate to something in this book. Sara was a very interesting character, very complex but yet oh so likable. You really wanted to be her friend and you understood, somewhat, of where she was coming from. Sara was definitely the character that really pulled you in from the very beginning. All of the characters were actually very well written, as was the way they all interacted. A reader could tell from almost the beginning of the book that Sara's relationship with her father was very stressed. She really wanted her father's battle with OCD to be over with, she wanted him to get the help that she knew he needed. A part of Sara though, did blame her mother for causing her father's illness to come back. But the end of this novel you can really see the journey Sara Black took to try to find herself and make sense of everything in her life. I really enjoyed reading Little Black Lies, and with a tittle like that how could you not?

-Lexi (:

In My Mailbox (9/28 to 10/3)

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren and Alea from Pop Culture Junkie. If you want more details, click here. In My Mailbox explores all the books that I get in a week, whether it's in the mail, borrowed from a friend, borrowed from the library, or bought from a bookstore.

Recived:

How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity by Various Authors (Hardback/ October 2009/ HarperTeen)

A girl thought to be a boy steals her sister's skirt, while a boy thought to be a girl refuses to wear a cornflower blue dress. One boy's love of a soldier leads to the death of a stranger. The present takes a bittersweet journey into the past when a man revisits the summer school where he had "an accidental romance." And a forgotten mother writes a poignant letter to the teenage daughter she hasn't seen for fourteen years.

Poised between the past and the future are the stories of now. In nontraditional narratives, short stories, and brief graphics, tales of anticipation and regret, eagerness and confusion present distinctively modern views of love, sexuality, and gender identification. Together, they reflect the vibrant possibilities available for young people learning to love others—and themselves—in today's multifaceted and quickly changing world.

Never Bite a Boy on the First Date by Tamara Summers (Paperback/ September 2009/ HarperTeen)

I've got a few issues:
I'm a vampire now.
One of my classmates was found dead, with telltale fang marks.
I didn't do it! (really!)
Nobody believes me, so . . .
I'm going to have to find the real killer. I've already got three suspects. (three very cute suspects.)
One more problem: I am seriously falling for one of them . . . but what if he's the killer?

Bought:

The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold (Paperback/ September 2008/ Bay Back Books)

A woman steps over the line into the unthinkable in this brilliant, powerful, and unforgettable new novel by the author of The Lovely Bones and Lucky.


For years Helen Knightly has given her life to others: to her haunted mother, to her enigmatic father, to her husband and now grown children. When she finally crosses a terrible boundary, her life comes rushing in at her in a way she never could have imagined. Unfolding over the next twenty-four hours, this searing, fast-paced novel explores the complex ties between mothers and daughters, wives and lovers, the meaning of devotion, and the line between love and hate. It is a challenging, moving, gripping story, written with the fluidity and strength of voice that only Alice Sebold can bring to the page.

-Lexi (: