So, what’s in my mailbox you ask? Well, check out the image to the left. As you can see, last week, my bf and I were sifting through a literal sea of packages. Well, that and making calls to various companies to get the packages delivered when we’d be around. It’s been so busy in fact that I have barely had the chance to play around with the pink Sony eReader that I won from a contest for promoting Cheryl Rainfield’s Scars recently – travesty I know!
First to arrive was Nonna’s Book of Mysteries is a novel set in Medici era Italy, which is the 1st in a series of 4 novels. Before you say…”oh…historical,” you might want to know that I’m expecting it to be girl power all the way. The main character is a young woman, who wants to become a painter’s apprentice when such roles would never be thought fit for women. Keep a look out for the review and an interview with the author Mary Osborne to be posted on May 31st and June 5th respectively.
If you haven’t yet heard of the next five authors, you’re missing out. Jill Murray’s Rhythm And Blues is a Canadian YA comedy about a girl looking “for fame, love and a sense of her place in the world.” The main character is a young break dancer, who gets recruited to be part of a girl group and finds that everything she knows changes. In one package, I received Lucy Christopher’s Stolen, which I’m reading now, and a historical novel called A Curse Dark As Gold, for which Elizabeth C. Bunce won the William C. Morris Debut award. Bunce’s retelling of Rumpelstiltskin is something I’m aching to read. In addition, Sarah Darer Littman’s third book (second YA novel) called Life, After deals with a terrorist attack in Argentina – look for this review in July, and the book that everyone’s been talking about Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater. You can bet that the day when all 5 of these books arrived was one with plenty of squeeing!
Finally, on Friday, four separate packages arrived: Stephanie Meyer’s The Host, which I won in contest awhile back, was the first to arrive. Yes, it is the one with the extra chapters in case you were wondering. Next was the ARC of the 2nd book in the Possessions series, The Evil Within: A Possessions Novel
. I’m really looking forward to reading Nancy Holder’s novel (and the 1st installment) as I’m sure it will fulfill the Gothic horror hype it’s been getting. Next is a new ARC called BAMBOO PEOPLE
by Mitali Perkins, which is a boy novel set in the political landscape of modern-day Burma. Last, but definitely not least is what looks to be a light MG ARC called My Fake Boyfriend Is Better Than Yours
. This new book by Kristina Springer doesn’t come out till the end of August, so I might hold off on reviewing it for awhile.
Let me know if any of these books peak your interest as I might consider having some giveaways, additional interviews and maybe even a blog tour if you want to see one. Most of these books you can preorder or even buy them outright just by clicking on the link. 
Melissa has always been a voracious reader of fiction and has an M.A. in English Literature to prove it. Like many other adults, she got caught up in the young adult crossover fiction phenomenon. Now, one of her great joys comes from sharing her love of YA lit on this popular review site. Come with expectations of intellect, magic, and honest reviews, and you won’t be disappointed.
