Saturday, December 26, 2009

In My Mailbox (19)

IMM is a weekly meme that explores the contents of one's mailbox. IMM was started by Kristi at The Story Siren. All links and descriptions are from Amazon.

For Review:

Random Magic by Sasha Soren
(PB/December 2009/Beach Books, LLC)

When absent-minded Professor Random misplaces the main character from Alice in Wonderland, young Henry Witherspoon must book-jump to fetch Alice before chaos theory kicks in and the world vanishes. Along the way he meets Winnie Flapjack, a wit-cracking doodle witch with nothing to her name but a magic feather and a plan. Such as it is. Henry and Winnie brave the Dark Queen, whatwolves, pirates, Struths, and fluttersmoths, Priscilla and Charybdis, obnoxiously cheerful vampires, Baron Samedi, a nine-dimensional cat, and one perpetually inebriated Muse to rescue Alice and save the world by tea time.

I received this as part of a blog tour from Other Shelf Tours. Thanks!


Metamorphosis: Junior Year by Betsy Franco, drawings by Tom Franco
(HC/October 2009/Candlewick)

Life. Love. Death. Identity. Ovid’s got a lot on his mind, and he pours it all — as confessions, observations, narrative poems, and drawings — into the pages of a notebook. Inspired by his namesake, he wryly records his classmates’ dramas as modern-day Roman mythology. There’s Sophie and Caleb, the Psyche and Cupid of cyber-couples; poetic Paula, who pursues filmmaker Franny like Apollo chasing Daphne; and graphic novelist Duwayne, a Proserpina shuttling between divorced parents. Meanwhile, Ovid hides his own Olympian struggles: his meth addict sister Thena has run off, leaving him with a suffocating home life and a disturbing secret. In her striking YA debut, Betsy Franco introduces an expressive soul with a heartbreakingly authentic voice. Fantastical ink illustrations by her son Tom Franco enhance the intimate tone, delving deep into one intriguing teen’s imagination.


A Pearl Among Princes by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
(HC/September 2009/Dial)

Welcome to the island where princes learn to be charming.

Gracepearl Coal is the cook’s daughter on Miramore, the island all princes visit for their summer program in the Charming Arts. Each year, the princes-in-training arrive on gallant seacraft, guided by captains trained to navigate the island’s treacherous waters. Passage on one of these boats is the only method to leave the island—thus betrothal to a royal is the only way for Pearl to find her far-off destiny, the one that’s started haunting her dreams. Luckily, this year’s crop of princes include some promising prospects, but how will Pearl leave behind her ailing father or—hardest of all—marry a boy other than her long-time beloved, Mackree . . . who now finds it too painful to even speak to her?


The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger
(HC/November 2009/Simon & Schuster)

You are more than you think you are.

That is the anonymous message that Beth Michaels receives right before she starts seeing things. Not just a slept-through my-alarm-clock, late-for-homeroom, haven't had-my-caffeine-fix kind of seeing things. It all starts with some dots, annoying pink dots that pop up on and over her mom and her best friend's face. But then things get out of control and Beth is seeing people's pasts, their fears, their secrets, their desires. The images are coming at Beth in hi-def streaming video and she can't stop it. Everyone thinks she's crazy and she's pretty sure she agrees with them. But crazy doesn't explain the gold envelopes that have started arriving, containing seeing keys and mysterious tarot cards. To Beth, it all seems too weird to be true. You are more than you think you are? But here's the thing: What if she is?


Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher
(HC/October 2009/Delacorte Press)

Logan Witherspoon recently discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student breezes through the halls of his small-town high school. Sage Hendricks befriends Logan at a time when he no longer trusts or believes in people. Sage has been homeschooled for a number of years and her parents have forbidden her to date anyone, but she won’t tell Logan why. One day, Logan acts on his growing feelings for Sage. Moments later, he wishes he never had. Sage finally discloses her big secret: she’s actually a boy. Enraged, frightened, and feeling betrayed, Logan lashes out at Sage and disowns her. But once Logan comes to terms with what happened, he reaches out to Sage in an attempt to understand her situation. But Logan has no idea how rocky the road back to friendship will be.


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

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

I received this book and the four before it from Teensreadtoo.com for review. Thanks!

From Contests:
Austenland by Shannon Hale
Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange

Thanks so much to Cecelia of Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia for sending these my way!

I had a great week. What about you?

9 comments:

  1. Yay, great books! I really want to read The Seven Rays!

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  2. Great haul. Metemorphis looks great.

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  3. Oh my goodness what an awesome selection of books. Looking forward to your review of Metamorphosis. It sounds amazing!

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  4. Metamorphosis sounds great... enjoy!

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  5. Your books look wonderful! Enjoy your reads!

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  6. That's a completely amazing mailbox! I'd happily read any of those, but especially Random Magic and The Seven Rays. Hope you enjoy!

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  7. Great books! Almost Perfect is my kind of book. I'll have to run and get that one!

    Here's what I got this week! http://bookielaura.blogspot.com/2009/12/book-haul-christmas-edition.html

    Have a great and safe New Year!

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  8. I just started listening to The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger on audio and it's fantastic!

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  9. Nice picks. I need to learn more about A Pearl Among Princes.

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