In My Mailbox (64)

Since I am guessing IMM doesn't link up anymore, due to The Story Siren, no longer being an active blog (correct me if I'm wrong) I will now link to Stacking The Shelves. But for my OCD purposes, I will still be calling it In My Mailbox. 
Hosted By... Tynga Reviews

In My Mailbox (60)

NetGalley

Wish You Were Italian By Kristen Rae

(Bloomsbury USA)

The Rules for Breaking By Ashley Elston

(Disney-Hyperion)

Gluten Free Breakfast, Brunch & Beyond By Linda J. Amendt

(The Taunton Press Inc.)

Won

The Girl With The Iron Touch By Kady Cross (#3)

(Harlequin and Goodreads)

My Review

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Will Make You Swoon

1. The Vampire Academy Series

by Richelle Mead

The swoon worthy factor of the first book is what made me immediately purchase the rest of the series!

2. Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Usually, Where She Went gets tied up together with If I Stay and although, If I Stay has swoon worthy moments. Where She Went is about Adams eternal love for Mia and something about that makes it swoony to me.

3. Shadow and Bone By Leigh Bardugo

You WILL fall in love with the Darkling and you know you shouldn't but you will. It is irresistible!!!

4. Twilight Series By Stephenie Meyer

A good percentage of you know exactly what I am talking about... because even when you are skeptical about the series, you end up getting caught up and reading them ALL...

5. Blue Bloods Series By Melissa De La Cruz

Forbidden love, bonded soul mates and essential love that lasts an eternity.

6. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side By Beth Fantaskey

Ignore the Fact that most of these books involve Vampires, but really this book is SO good and the romance will definitely hook you in.

7. The Girl In The Steel Corset By Kady Cross

Finley, Jack Dandy and a Duke, DAYUM. 

8. Anna and The French Kiss By Stephanie Perkins

Even though I prefer Lola and the Boy Next Door, nothing can beat finding love in Paris.

9. Very Valentine By Adriana Trigiani

New York and Italy. Oh that is love in a nutshell.

10. The Princess Diaries Series by Meg Cabot

Oh yes, this series grew on me and watching Mia grow up and explore relationships and find the right relationship makes it realistic and again.. swoon worthy. 

Speaking of Books that Make you Swoon... Head over to My Ultimate Book Crush Showdown and vote for the Book Crushes that make you swoon... Click Here.

The Girl With The Iron Touch (Steampunk Chronicles #3)

Summary:

"When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives. With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin. Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine. To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has...."

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series! I love how each series has focused on different characters, but still been able to focus on the other as well. This time we really learn more about Emily, and we add a new member to the group (kinda) Mila. Someone I wish we saw more of was Jasper... So, I am a little curious what will be going on with his character. Cross really has master the give a little and take a little aspect of writing. Giving me something I want, then taunting me with the next book. Also, so far in the series, there hasn't been a book I hated and she hasn't done anything to make me hate the characters or plot line either. Which I can't say about a lot of other series I have read lately. My only complaint is I wish the books were just a LITTLE longer, I want to see a tad more character development. Oh and THANK YOU for more Jack Dandy. I missed him in The Girl in the Clockwork Collar.

Overall, Cross knocked it out of the park again. I am always enraptured in the series and I highly recommend you read it, if you have yet to do so.

In My Mailbox (52)

and Stacking The Shelves (2)

For Review 

(netgalley)

Gift

Free EGalleys

 This book has been on my Wish List forever, and is written by my Uncle's friend and takes place in my hometown. 

Les Miserables By Victor Hugo

The Girl In The Clockwork Collar (Book #2, Steampunk Chronicles)

Summary:

"In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. 
Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. 
One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens."

Plot: The Girl In The Clockwork Collar picks up right where The Girl in the Steel Corset ends. It has the same flow and excitement and romantic interests are Book 1, while still being a different book. It also prepares you for the plot line of Book 3.

Characters: Finley, Griffin, Sam and Emily are generally the same; The Girl In The Clockwork Collar is more about Jasper and his backround. Which was nice, since he was a charming Character in Book 1, it was nice to get know him better.

Pros: A True Steampunk Mystery Novel. A great sequel and awesome love triangles.

Cons: I felt their needed to be a little more of New York or something in it. I just felt it was missing something. A little too much repetition of some lines through out the book.

Final Thoughts: I was jumping for glee when I received an E-Galley of this book. I finished reading The Girl In The Steel Corset not too long ago, and was in LOVE! So, I was very happy to begin reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar and taken right back into their world. I highly recommend this book and this series to people who love either Historical Fiction, Steampunk, Mystery and Paranormal Books, because Kady Cross mixes them really really well!

The Girl In The Steel Corset Comes Out May 29th, 2012! 

(Thank You Very Much To Harlequin and Net Galley)

In My Mailbox (34) - The Monday Edition

Hosted By The Story Siren

For Review

The Long Way Home By Karen McQuestion 

(Thank You Karen!!!)

The Girl In The Clockwork Collar By Kady Cross (e-book)

(Thank You Net Galley/Harlequin Teen)

From The Library

Beauty Queens By Libba Bray

Rash By Pete Hautman

Will Grayson Will Grayson By John Green and David Levithan

The Fault In Our Stars By John Green

Uncommon Criminals By Ally Carter

Red Glove By Holly Black

City of Bones By Cassandra Clare

Photos from Saturday at the LA Book Festival

(when Libba Realizes I am Taking a Photo of them)

 (and Then Begins Posing for me!)

Want Want Want Wednesday (29)

Born Wicked By Jessica Spotswood

"Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave. 
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. 
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other."

First Off, I am TOTALLY in love with the cover and second, the summary of this book is beyond amazing. Right up my ally, and from what everyone is telling me, this book lives up to what the cover promises!

The Girl In The Clockwork Collar  By Kady Cross

"In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. 
Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. 
One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens. "

I finish reading The Girl in the Steel Corset only a few weeks ago, and fell in love with it! By far, one of my favorite reads and was hoping I wouldn't have to wait long to reading Book Two in the series. Low and Behold, Book Two was right around the corner and now all I want to do is get my grubby little hands on it!!!

Out of Sight Out of Time By Ally Carter

"The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home. 
Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer. "

I have yet to read Book Four in this Series "Only The Good Spy Young". However, this is a series I adore and have so far loved all of Ally Carter's work. I was hoping to be able to go to a book signing she is having in the Bay Area this coming week but it didn't work out.

VLog Review - The Girl In The Steel Corset

Want Want Want Wednesday (10)

The Girl in The Steel Corset By Kady Cross

I will admit I had some interest in this book when I first saw it making the YA blogger rounds, and yes.. I probably would of eventually picked the book out and read it.. mainly due to the cool name and beautiful cover... I feel The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo/Rumors/A Great and Terrible Beauty vibe just from the cover and title. However it was until I read this review on The Brazen Bookworm . That I was sold on the book and its whole plot!  Seriously, go take a looksy at that review and say you are not interested in reading this book!

 A Reliable Wife By Robert Goolrick

I have wanted to read A Reliable Wife since I saw the woman next to me at the nail salon reading the book and raving about it! and with a summary like this one I am not surprised.. Sounds right up my ally. 

"Set in 1907 Wisconsin, Goolrick's fiction debut (after a memoir, The End of the World as We Know It) gets off to a slow, stylized start, but eventually generates some real suspense. When Catherine Land, who's survived a traumatic early life by using her wits and sexuality as weapons, happens on a newspaper ad from a well-to-do businessman in need of a "reliable wife," she invents a plan to benefit from his riches and his need. Her new husband, Ralph Truitt, discovers she's deceived him the moment she arrives in his remote hometown. Driven by a complex mix of emotions and simple animal attraction, he marries her anyway. After the wedding, Catherine helps Ralph search for his estranged son and, despite growing misgivings, begins to poison him with small doses of arsenic. Ralph sickens but doesn't die, and their story unfolds in ways neither they nor the reader expect. This darkly nuanced psychological tale builds to a strong and satisfying close."

The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives By Sarah Strohmeyer

I think of this book as Desperate Housewives Meet Stepford Wives with a slightly darker twist. I feel it would most definitely be a fun read and maybe even great for a female friendly book club. Overall I feel this book has a waspy taste to it and I think I will like it!