In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created and hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers share would books they have gathered over the week.

Tiffany's Mailbox:

Won:

This beauty came without warning, I had no idea I even won a copy. Thank you, St. Martin's Press!

I've been trying to get my hands on this book for over a year now, and thanks to Goodreads I finally have a copy! Thanks Goodreads and Random House!

Picked this up with my buzz bucks from Random Buzzers. If you haven't joined, you should! You earn buzz bucks for commenting, taking surveys and simply adding reviews! Then use those bucks to shop their store.

Thank you to Cari from Cari's Book Blog and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. This looks like such a fun read!

I finally got my hands on this book after way too long. Just look at that cover, gorgeous! Huge thanks to Brandileigh from Blkosiner's Book Blog and Candlewick Press for this bundle of awesomeness :)

Bought:

What came for you this week?

On My Wish List (5)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Tiffany's Wish List:

Title: Hourglass

Author: Myra McEntire

Publication Date: June 14, 2011

From Goodreads:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

This is crazy ridiculous. I can't believe I forgot all about this book! I spent months trying to win this book and never did, then completely forgot about it. What is wrong with me? I *LOVE* this cover, it's probably one of my favorite of the year. I just saw the newly released cover image of Timepiece, the second book in this series and it is just as gorgeous. I may even like it more. I am now back on a mission to get my hands on Hourglass!

What's on your wish list?

Review: What My Mother Doesn't Know

Title: What My Mother Doesn't Know

Author: Sonya Sones

Publication Date: October 1, 2001

From Goodreads:

My name is Sophie.

This book is about me.

It tells

the heart-stoppingly riveting story

of my first love.

And also of my second.

And, okay, my third love too.

It's not that I'm boy crazy.

It's just that even though

I'm almost fifteen

it's like

my mind

and my body

and my heart

just don't seem to be able to agree

on anything.

My Thoughts:

:::Warning::: Contains spoilers!

This is the second book I have read by Sonya Sones. The first, The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus, was also the first novel written in verse that I ever read. I wasn't sure I liked the idea at first, but I quickly grew to love it. This book is also written in verse, which I think adds to the story. It cuts out all of the "filler" of a book, leaving you only the good parts and what you need to know. There's nothing I hate more than a book that drags on and on and never gets to the point.

What My Mother Doesn't Know is the story of 14 year old Sophie as she navigates her way through her first relationships with boys. Even though Sophie's boyfriend Dylan is ridiculously hot in her eyes, she can't help herself from daydreaming about Murphy, the school's nerd.

While it doesn't feel like it, this is quite a heavy read that addresses many issues that teens have to go through. Sex, peer pressure, and the stress of popularity among others. Even though I am 30 years old (31 next month, how is that possible?) I still was able to connect with Sophie. Her parents are constantly fighting and her mother suffers from depression just as my mother does. Just like Sophie, I never knew what to expect. One minute her mother is laughing and perfectly happy, the next she has locked herself in the basement for three days and hasn't spoken a word to her. I know what it is like to live this way and it is very, very hard.

As if that isn't stressful enough, Sophie decides to break up with Dylan when she runs into Murphy outside of school and starts spending more time with him. She realizes there is a lot more to him and they finally start dating. But of course, dating Murphy means jeopardizing her popularity and she struggles to make the decision to stay with him and deal with whatever comes or to break it off before it is too late. This is just another example of the decisions teenagers have to face everyday. When we get older we realize it never really mattered, but it is a huge deal in high school.

Overall, I really liked this book. I read it in just a little over an hour. This writing style lets you easily breeze right through it. It really made me think about how we as people treat those who don't necessarily fit our definition of "normal" or "popular" and how we don't always see them for who they really are. I also have to mention that this is one of the top ten most banned/challenged books. I'm really not sure why. While there are sexual situations, it is not obscene. There may be a small amount of foul language, but I honestly don't remember any.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know, which is told from Murphy's perspective.

Buy it here: Amazon BN.com

Gratitude for Great Books

Beth Revis, the awesome author of Across The Universe and A Million Suns, has put together this excellent contest in which we, the book-loving bloggers, give thanks for that special book that changed our lives. In order to enter, go check out the giveaway post here, and then create your own post to give thanks.


Books have been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have read an obscene amount of books in my lifetime, and it all started with this:

The BFG by Roald Dahl

I know some of you are probably wondering why I would pick a book like this, and not something like Harry Potter or Twilight, which seem to be big favorites. Here is why:

Growing up in my family was hard. Very hard. When I was around six or seven, my parents got divorced. I know this happens to people everyday all over the world, but it was different in my family. My mother suffers from depression, she has since before I was born. It wasn't a happy marriage to begin with but the divorce just pushed her over the edge. I can't tell you how scary it is for a child to listen to their parent tell you over and over again how much they wish they were dead. There is no way to know this unless you live it, and I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Everyday was a new day to mess up. You never knew what could set her off and what she would do. I remember having a fight with her before school one morning and being so worried about what was going to happen and crying so hard that the principal had to call my mom so I could make sure she was ok. I have heard the "I was about to kill myself but then your brother knocked on the bathroom door" story so many times that I have lost count. Honestly, I am surprised that my siblings and I are as functional as we are.

Things have gotten better though. She is on some good medication that seems to work most of the time, and we have a pretty good relationship. Am I over everything that happened? Probably not all the way, but I'm working on it and I try not to think about it. I love my mom, crazy or not.

Anyway, I was in second grade when my parents starting having their major issues. I was an extremely shy kid (still am) and for whatever reason my teacher took a liking to me. She read us this book, The BFG, about an orphan girl who is kidnapped in the middle of the night by a giant. A friendly giant. She is taken away from the horrible orphanage that she lives in and becomes friends with this giant and they have great adventures. I was hooked. I would always daydream about being taken away from all the drama at home and live out my happily ever after. Of course that wasn't going to happen, but in a way it was possible. That is when I realized that every book was an escape, a chance to live a different life. Since that moment, I have never been without a book by my side.

So I am thankful for The BFG by Roald Dahl for helping me get through one of the hardest times in my life.

And even though I don't know where you are and haven't seen you in over twenty years, I am so very thankful to you Mrs. Batchelder. Thank you for choosing me as your favorite and for all the extra attention you gave me whether you knew I needed it or not. But most of all, thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of books.

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

What I'm waiting on:

Title: What She Left Behind

Author: Tracy Bilen

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

From Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Sara and her mom are running away from home. But not until tomorrow. Tonight there’s one last dinner with Dad, who still asks why her dead brother is late for dinner.
Sara’s mom says to meet her at the Dairy Dream. Then she never shows up. And everything in the suitcase Sara had packed has been put away. Neatly. Like her dad would do.
Where is Sara’s mom? Will Sara find her before it’s too late?

Do I really have to wait until May? I want this book now!!!

What are you impatiently waiting on?

Review: Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Title: Ashfall

Author: Mike Mullin

Publication Date: October 11, 2011

From Goodreads:

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

My Thoughts:

How to describe Ashfall... Awesome? Scary? Intense? All of those things. I'm not going to go deep into the story line because I think you get the basic idea from the Goodreads synopsis. Instead, I'll just get right to the point. This book scared the crap out of me.

My biggest fear in life (besides Michael Myers, who haunts my dreams nightly) is that some major natural disaster, or even war, is going to completely change this world I live in. Yes, I know things like this happen everyday, but not here in my little hole of a state New Hampshire. Do we have tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes? Sure, but they are tiny and harmless compared to everywhere else in the world. We also live in a pretty small area and away from major cities, so the likelihood of a terror attack is slim. Even the thought of something so huge happening is enough to make me have a panic attack. Not because I am afraid for myself, but because I have two kids. How could I ever, EVER keep them safe? Maybe there is a little extra paranoia in my brain passed down from my mom (thanks Mumsy!) but I really do stress out just thinking about these things. Had I not started my family before 9/11, I can honestly say that I never would have had children because of it.

Ashfall is all of those things that keep me up at night. When the supervolcano erupts, everything changes. There is little food or water, people are panicking. People are doing things they never could have imagined themselves ever having to do. Alex was home alone when it erupts and is desperate to reach his family who are 100 miles away. We follow him on his journey through the ash and snow, fighting the elements and other obstacles along the way. There is rape, murder, and even a little romance.

What I liked best about Ashfall is that it is told from the male point of view. Out of all the dystopian type books I have been reading, this is the first I have read from a male. Most of the time, if we hear from a male, there are alternating chapters between him and the female protagonist. Don't get me wrong, I usually love this type of setup, but it was refreshing to read his thoughts and see how a boy would deal in these situations without having to switch mind sets. Especially from a teenage boy, since this is as close as I will ever come to being one lol.

I recommend Ashfall to basically anyone who loves a good read, especially those who love dystopian and YA. You won't be disappointed. I will definitely be picking up the second book in this series on release day!

Buy your own copy here: Amazon or BN.com

*I received this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any way. All views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Teaser Tuesday (5)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from:

Dearly Departed

by Lia Habel

"The world stopped for an instant, and I felt my recently eaten breakfast pool in my stomach.

What could have cut me there?" pg.115