In My Mailbox 8/5/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren and where bloggers share what books have made it into their homes this week. All descriptions from Goodreads.

I had another great book week this week so I'm very happy :D Here's what I got:

Flawless by Lara Chapmen

(thank you to the lovely people at Bloomsbury UK for sending me this for review)

The rather
unique cover!

Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?

This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.I read this one as soon as I got and it as amazing! My review should be coming sometime in the next few weeks.

 

I read this one as soon as I got it and it was amazing! My review should be coming sometime in the next few weeks.

 

Between Shades Of Grey by Ruta Sepetys (won)

 

In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp. All is lost.

Lina fights for life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive.

It is a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

Thank you very much to Leanna @ Daisy Chain Book Reviews for hosting this giveaway and for Penguin for providing the giveaway copies. I've heard so many fantastic things about this one and I love war set books so I'm excited about reading it.

White Crow by Markus Sedgewick (library)

 

A modern gothic thriller about what awaits us after death - angels or the devil.

 

This really isn't the type of book I would normally read (it looks scary!) but I'm working through the Carnegie Medal 2011 Shortlist with my school book club and the author is coming to my school this Friday. So I can't meet him without having read one of his books....

 

 

 

Books from Vickie @ Coma Calm's Corner

 

Coma Calm very generously held a competition for 3 UK bloggers to receive books she would like to give away to free her bookshelves and I'm lucky to be one of them- thank you so much for doing this! Here are the books I chose that she sent me:

 

Troubadour by Mary Hoffman

 

A story of persecution and poetry, love and war set in 13th century Southern France. As crusaders sweep through the country, destroying all those who do not follow their religion, Bertrand risks his life to warn others of the invasion. As a troubadour, Bertrand can travel without suspicion from castle to castle, passing word about the coming danger. In the meantime Elinor, a young noblewoman, in love with Bertrand, leaves her comfortable home and family and becomes a troubadour herself. Danger encircles them both, as the rising tide of bloodshed threatens the fabric of the society in which they live.

 

Historical fiction- yay!

 

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

 

2097 is a transformed world. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97 percent of the male population, devastating every world system from governments to sports teams, and causing both universal and unimaginable grief. In the face of such massive despair, women were forced to take over control of the planet—and in doing so they eliminated all of Earth's most pressing issues. Poverty, crime, warfare, hunger . . . all gone.

 

It sounds like an intriguing dystopian :)

 

The Prophecy Of The Gems by Flavia Bujor

The Prophecy of the Stones tells the story of three teenage girls-Jade, Opal, and Amber-who are chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Although strangers, they must learn to trust one another with their lives as they embark on an epic journey, armed only with magical stones. They must leave their families and friends to battle fierce enemies in a magical land called Fairytale, where evil is unknown.In a parallel world, a young girl named Joa fights for her life in a hospital in Paris. While she is dreaming, she is transported to a magical realm where the three young heroines fight a spectacular battle. Their success or failure will determine the fate of Fairytale . . . and Joa's survival.

This one was written by a fifteen year old so I'm fascinated to see what it's like the and I love a good fairy tale like story.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?