In My Mailbox (6.5)

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't get the chance to post a video with my Ginger Best Friend, Heather Marie, but I had a surprisingly busy easter this year. HAPPY BELATED ELISEASTER! (which is a dorky word combo my cousin invented this year). So here is my first IMM done all by my lonesome.

This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

IMM is where you can showcase all your goods. This week...

Bought:

White Oleander by Janet Fitch

Slayed by Amanda Marrone 

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Soulless by Christopher Golden

Revealers by Amanda Marrone

For Review

South of Salem by Janni Nell

Ultraviolet by R.J Anderson

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

What's in your mailbox this week?

CALLING ALL READERS

This is a call to arms from all you fellow bloggers and readers. Here is my mission for you. I've been itching to find a real good vamp novel and/or series lately. 

I'm talking bad vamps. Vampires that kill and suck blood and kill innocent people. I want a dark, haunting story. Although i do happen to dig the ever so popular vampire-boy-falls-in-love-with-mortal-girl-they-live-happily-ever-after story... it's time for a change. 

Do you have any suggestions for me? I would love to know your opinion!

In My Mailbox (6) VLOG TO COME!

Heather here! Just thought i'd post a quick picture of the books i bought this week, just in case Elise and I can't get together for an IMM video today! So keep your eyes peeled for our next VLOG!

This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

IMM is where you can showcase all your goods. This week...

Bought:

The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Meridian by Amber Kizer

The Poison Eaters by Holly Black

TRUE BLOOD SEASON ONE

   

For Review:

Blood of the Maple by Dana Marie Bell

The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

What's in your mailbox this week?

uhm...HELP PLEASE?!

Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon:
The story of two very different women, one mortal, one mermaid, and the clash between worlds best kept apart... It is a cold day at the end of the world when a young woman, a princess in hiding, looks out across a Northern sea and sees something she could not have seen. It looks...it can't be. It looks like a mermaid's tail. And, as she looks more closely, she sees that the mermaid is dragging a drowning sailor in her arms. Because, only hours before, another princess, the daughter of the sea queen, has decided to risk everything and take a look at the world above the sea: the world of mortals. And there she finds a storm, a shipwreck, a sailor, and sets in train events which will change both women's worlds forever.

Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon: 
Lil is an old woman who spends her days shelving rare books in a tiny Manhattan bookstore and lonely nights at home in her apartment. But Lil has an intriguing secret. Tucked and bound behind her back are white feathery wings–the only key to who she once was: the fairy godmother responsible for getting Cinderella to the ball to unite with her Prince Charming. But on that fateful night, something went terribly and beautifully wrong. Lil allowed herself the unthinkable: to feel the emotions of human beings and fall in love with the prince herself, going to the ball in place of Cinderella in her exquisitely gorgeous human guise. For her unforgivable mistake, she was banished to live among humans, far from her fairy sisters and their magical underwater world. But then one day she meets Veronica–a young, fair-skinned, flame-haired East Village beauty with a love of all things vintage and a penchant for falling in love with the wrong men–and suddenly it becomes clear to Lil that she’s been given a chance at redemption. If she can find a soul mate for Veronica, she may right her wrong and return to the fairy world she so deeply longs for. . .

So I was wandering the shelves today and I stumbled upon some books that look really reaLLY REALLYYYY good. Mermaid and Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon. I read the synopsis on the back and they both sound right up my alley. I have been talking about fairy tales a lot lately and these reinvented classics with a twist may be just what I am looking for... also the Mermaid cover is to DIE FOR. Seriously one of the prettiest covers I have ever seen. Have any of you read either one of these? What did ya think?

A Day in the Life of a Borders Employee

Yes, that is right... a book blogger actually works at a book store, shocking. Since we all share the same obsession passion for books, I figured it would be kinda fun to show you guys around my store and talk about what I love (and what totally annoys me) about working at Borders!

Break Room!!

I have always been that type that hopped from job to job, because I could never find a job that didn't get boring. I got hired in November 2009 for seasonal but they kept on because they love me so darn much. Even though shelving and alphabetizing can be mindless, it soothes me and has become my favorite task at el-borders. The people are the best and of course being surrounded by books helps! So this post is gonna have a lot of pictures so i'm gonna try to keep the chatter minimal, but everyone knows that is near impossible for me ;)I kinda went overboard and took like 40 pictures at work today but I figured since some of you shop there it probably doesn't look any different than the one near you. This right hurr is my saving grace and the place I go to scream... THE BREAK ROOM! Really plain and harsh lighting, but we have popsicles in our freezer!

Sweet Bargain Picks!

Dusty Stock Room

Okay so this next place is our dirty stock room. I mean it looks all tidy but it is so frickin dusty and it smells like old people. Here is where I hide when we are super busy and I unpack boxes and put them on those cart thingies. This is where some of my best dancing takes place. Borders is pretty much famous for our kick-ass bargain books. There is such a wide variety of books that are actually new and so worth the bargain. Here is some bargain YA books we have, some good picks! I'm quite outspoken and I am known to get heated very easily but you would be utterly shocked with how well I keep my cool with some customers. If you have worked in customer service you know that people can suck. I'm not gonna sit here and be like "ooohh i love my customers, they are all so sweet" cause that is a flat out lie. Now with the customers who are the bees knees, I connect so quick with them and I have spent literally hours with a single customer just talking about books. It really is great when I can have a long convo with a customer. Now there are the customers that drive me nuts. Like the ones who ask questions that the answers are obviously right there on the sign, ex. "So is it buy one get one for every book in the store?" "No Sir, for selected titles only." And after I relay this information they literally get mad at me and huff and puff about how our advertising sucks and we need to be more clear and not lead people on...

It says selected titles on this ad...

YOU CRAZY

I AM NOT HAPPY

One of my fav custos would be the ones who pull me away from another customer ranting and raving about how this book isn't where it is supposed to be, that the computer is a liar, that we are crazy and when we arrive the book is exactly where it is supposed to be and it is more than half the time on a display of some sort. Then I am required to give you this look, which is my YOU CRAZY look. The customers that make me really angry are the ones who blatantly disregard the closing announcements. Even though they are fully aware it is after close they stand around and make a bigger mess and waste our time. I am then obliged to give you this look which is my I AM NOT HAPPY look. Even though there are some things that get me down, I LOVE working at Borders. It is a fun atmosphere and I love what I sell, so I am good at it ;) Quickly before I peace out, everyone if you dont have your plus cards. I'd get them now. Its a 20 dollar charge usually but this month you get 10 dollar border bucks back in may and a coupon booklet worth over $100, the first coup in the book is 10 off your next purchase and its 10% off the purchase when signing up, so BOOM that right there is a paid for membership. If you buy a lot it really is worth the purchase. So for you Borders Fans I hope you enjoyed this little post. Next time you're shopping strike up a convo with a worker, I know they would love to chit chat. Okay readers, what is your favorite thing about Borders? I wanna hear em'!

FOLLOW FRIDAY!

Follow Friday is hosted by parajunkee.com!

"Do you have anyone you can discuss books with in real life? Tell us about him/her."

What a fantastic question. The answer to this is ABSOLUTELY YES. The one person who shares more passion then i do for reading is my best friend, and newly joined partner in LOVE LIFE AND READING.  That person is Elise. For the longest time, even before i started blogging, Elise and I would discuss books constantly. After reading a really great book i would always run and tell her YOU NEED TO PICK UP THIS BOOK. You'd be a big dummie if you didn't do so. The fact that i get to now share the blogging experience with her as well has sky rocketed our book talk. I'm pretty sure that all conversation.. 24/7... is book or blog related. 

Who do you discuss books with?

REVIEW: Dead to the World (Sookie Stackhouse #4)

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
Pages: 291- US Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Ace
Published:May 3rd, 2005
My Rating: 4.5/5
Book Summary: When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, she doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire--but now he's a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life.




My Thoughts:
I am the type who reads two books at once, always have been. So my regular routine now is that I read one YA book and a Sookie Stackhouse novel. Laugh all you want TrueBlood haters, but these books are so much fun! People always get pissed about books becoming shows (I am one of them) but the series is so different from the books that it is like two completely different stories. Of course book trumps show, always. 


Sookie is pretty much my favorite heroine of the moment. Her down home southern sass and her ability to politely insult someone is a breath of fresh air. I am so tired of these weepy, weak heroines who pine after their lovers. Sookie, having broken up with Bill, stumbles upon a naked Eric sprinting down the road to her house. Pause for montage of  Alexander Skarsgard's butt... Oh Eric Northman. She offers him shelter only to find he has no memory. I know, so many possibilities as to where this story could go! I loved how drastic Eric's personality change was after his memory was swiped, I must admit I became a tiny bit smitten with him. 


This one is definitely close to being my favorite. I love how each book introduces new supernatural characters and I was utterly psyched it was witches this time!  The first thing that sparked my attention in paranormal fiction was my interest in witches. I really enjoyed the witch community she built, her take on their powers and how they run their empire was very original. This book is a must if you are a Sookie fan! I read #5 already and I'm on to #6. More Sookie Reviews to come!!!!

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. --goodreads.com

Release Date: May 10, 2011
from Feiwel and Friends Publishing

I am a total nerd when it comes to high fantasy. Bring on dragons, the fae, and a journey and i am all over it. These are the types of stories you can really lose yourself in... bring yourself to an entirely new world with entirely new beings and creatures. I am absolutely naming this book HEATHER'S MOST ANTICIPATED READ OF 2011. Whoa. Did i just say that? I totally did. Cannot wait to see where Valente takes us in this awesome new series.

REVIEW: Devoured

Devoured by Amanda Marrone
Pages: 304- US Paperback Edition
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: September 22nd, 2009
My Rating: 3/5
Book Summary: Megan’s twin sister Remy died in an accident nine years ago, and she’s been haunting her ever since. Knowing how crazy that sounds, Megan keeps this secret to herself and tries to lead a normal life. But when she takes a summer job at Land of Enchantment to keep an eye on her new boyfriend and his lovesick best friend, Samantha, she meets fellow employee Luke who can see Remy, too. Things get even twistier because Megan’s new friend Ari is sporting a massive crush on Luke, who seems to be developing a massive crush on Megan…making for a love triangle that’s positively possessed. Megan wants to keep her distance from Luke, but when Remy’s visions get crazy violent; she knows she needs his help. Because someone’s definitely in danger...the only question is who?


My Thoughts:
        Okay, first of all, First Review post and I am super excited! (Imagine Jazz Hands) Okay so here we go! I read Devoured in about 2 and a half days, which is my average when I am working, and I must say I am kind of struggling in what exactly I should say. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it (hence the 3 rating). I recently reconnected with Amanda Marrone, after reading her chilling Uninvited many years ago and I still love her writing. She knows exactly how to write from a teenager’s point of view, I was highly impressed with how realistic the dialogue was between Megan and her mother.


When I read, if I can’t emotionally connect or feel sympathetic for the main character in the first chapter then I’m ruined for the rest of the book and I develop this negative attitude towards the character and can’t feel sorry for her.  Unfortunately, that is what happened with Megan. Within the first couple pages of me getting to know her, I found her dry and uninteresting. One upside of Megan that I did enjoy was her totally obvious disdain for her boyfriend’s friend, Samantha, which I found hilarious.  Everyone has experienced the threat of opposite sex friendship in relationships, and Amanda Marrone got the emotions on point.

The saving grace in the story which is what turned my whole opinion around is what drew me to the book in the first place, the plot. Don’t get me wrong, I love all paranormal books but my absolute weakness is a great ghost story. Megan’s interaction with her dead twin sister, Remy, just about broke my heart. With a few simple words, Amanda Marrone showcased Megan’s torture in losing her sister and her obvious frustration/confusion on why her sister is still roaming the earth. The parts where Remy appeared to Megan chilled me to the point where I caught myself sinking down in my bed and further under my covers.

So if you are like me a crave a great ghost story and dig Amanda Marrone, I’d say you should go ahead and read it. It’s a quick read and overall a decent story. I might have not connected with Megan or any of the other characters but I still enjoyed the suspense and got spooked at the ghost parts, which is really all I need to satisfy my ghost craving. Oh also I forgot, there are some pretty awesome references to the classic fairy tale, Snow White, which is a fav of mine. I love fairy tales and incorporating them into modern day books is something I am all about. If only there were more…

REVIEW: The Sky is Everywhere

Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Pages: 288-US Paperback Edition
Publisher: Penguin Group
Released: March 9, 2010
My Rating: 5/5
Book Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding. 


My Thoughts: 
Talk about a heart-wrenching, stuck in your brain, take over your thoughts, can't let it go story. Let me just throw this out there so you can all get an understanding on just how emotional this book was... i have never once cried in a novel. Have i felt deeply saddened? Yes. But shed a tear? No-until The Sky is Everywhere came along. I was a mess at the end of this book. My heart was heavy and i didn't know how to carry on throughout the day bearing all these emotions that Nelson gave me through her words. 


I really cannot even begin to describe to you how gorgeous the writing in this story is. Every sentence is filled with utter heartbreak. You could feel every single drop of emotion that Lennie was feeling while coping with her sister's death. Losing a family member is terrible as it is, let alone that family member also being your best friend. Two people gone in one death. 


Jandy Nelson really shows us how even in some of life's hardest struggles, there is always a light at the end of that dark tunnel. She showcases how powerful true and raw emotion really is. 

Big Deal Post

I have a pretty big announcement ladies and gents, we at (i.e. meaning me) Love Life and Reading will be having some pretty big changes around here. I've decided to take on a partner in crime and have my book obsessed best friend join the blog. Don't worry, you'll like her.... most of the time. 

Introducing: 

Elise. 

Pst. That's us. another pst.. that's me with super short hair.

Note from Elise: "Hey guys super excited to start blogging and get to know each and every one of you. I've always loved reading and now i get to turn that into a freaking sweet hobby! I'm really looking forward to my first review and getting your feedback."

REVIEW: Evernight

Evernight by Claudia Gray 

Pages: 327-US Paperback Edition
Publisher: Harper Teen
Released: June 1, 2008
My Rating: 3.5/5
Book Summary: At eerily Gothic Evernight Academy, the other students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. When she meets handsome, brooding Lucas, he warns her to be careful-even when it comes to caring about him. But the connection between them can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart... and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed. 


My Thoughts: 
I've been sitting here staring at my computer screen for probably a good 10 minutes now, trying to figure out how i actually feel about this book . There were parts that i absolutely loved, and some parts i definitely could have done without. The book had me pretty intrigued.. but that didn't start until about half way through. There was something about it that really got under my skin. Maybe it was the overused tell tale fate of boy meets girl, girl falls in love after one day. I feel like Bianca and Lucas really lacked a sense of getting to know each other even the slightest bit. 


However, even though the first half of the story was a bit cliche, and yes a bit overdone... after pushing myself past the 180 page or so mark, i really began to take interest. Why is that you ask? Right now i'm going to use the 'na-na-na-boo-boo i'm not telling you' line. But trust me with this, you really shouldn't find out. Be forewarned though, i advise reading this book when you're not in a public place. People will think you're strange for gasping out loud and rambling sentence after sentence about how you had no clue this twist would happen. 


Gray's writing is what really made a pretty cool story, even cooler. She really knows how to make the movie screen that is your mind play. The description she gives, and the way she writes it really is fantastic. From page one i was Bianca, and Evernight Academy was my world. 


And oh yeah, Bianca ends up being a pretty big badass. Whoops, i'm saying too much already. Go with faith on this read. You shouldn't be disappointed. 

Teaser Tuesday-The Sky is Everywhere

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read*

*Open to a random page*

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page*

*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)*

*Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!*

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

pg. 42

"He rests the flower on my leg and I feel the brush of his fingers through my jeans. The brown bag is empty now. He hands it to me, and then we're quiet, just listening to the wind rustle around us and watching the sun filter through the redwoods in impossibly thick foggy rays just like in children's drawings."

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

In My Mailbox(4)

So over the last week or so, i've taken a slight hiatus. But now i'm back and it's going to be better than ever! This IMM post is going to be a combination of the last 2 weeks. Enjoy!

This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

IMM is where you can showcase all your goods. This week...

Bought:

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

If I Stay by Gayle Forman 

Entwined by Heather Dixon

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Gifted:

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland
+some sweet swag!

(received from Jennifer at extremereaderbookreviews.blogspot.com) 

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

(recieved from Lisa at www.paperdreams.scarlettmoon.org)

*You both seriously rock! Don't forget to check out this awesome, wonderful ladies blogs!*

What'd you get in your mailbox this week?