In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted byThe Story Siren and is a post for bloggers to share what books they've received to review, bought, won, borrowed or were gifted.
Happy Easter! Sorry if I sound off, I have a cold.
Have you ever bought a book BECAUSE of a bad review?
This is hilarious because it just happened two weeks ago.
I was looking through books that would be coming out soon and realized Fifty Shades of Grey was going to be out in paperback soon. I had heard a lot of blogger buzz about the book but had not really read reviews for the book. Once on Goodreads I was amazed at what some of the negative reviewers had said about the book, so I had to find out for myself immediately how it was. I went right to Amazon and bought Fifty Shades of Grey. When I finished that I had to know what happened next, I ended up buying the series and enjoying it. This series may not be for everyone, but I liked it.
What about you? What negative review made you buy a book?
Happy Hopping,
I have been really excited about this post ever since I read my friend Ron's review of Fire Baptized over at Stories of my life. I am so excited to get the chance Fire Baptized to y’all. I can’t wait to read it myself. Well, enough from me…
Who Should I Choose?
Three ways to successfully execute a love triangle
One of the big controversies of urban fantasy novels is that they usually have two or more love interests. Some readers will only buy books with love triangles. Others detest them.
I am a great fan of love triangles, but I have found some stories with horrific executions. After reading hundreds of urban fantasy novels, I’ve come up with three ways to successfully execute a love triangle.
1- NO LOSERS ALLOWED!
Unfortunately, both guys can’t have the heroine, but there should be a positive ending for the loser. I hate novels that leave the defeated love interest empty-handed. Therefore, the author should give the loser his own possibility of love. Great examples of this are the Twilight series and the Patricia Briggs’s Mercedes Thompson series.
2- HUMBLE HEROINE
The heroine can’t gloat and/or mistreat her multiple love interests. She should be conflicted about having two gorgeous men. Then we, the readers, won’t want to beat the lucky female with a bat. Rachel Vincent’s Werecat series is a great example of the humble heroine.
3- IMPERFECT HEROES
Neither guy should be absolutely perfect. If one was totally awesome and the other a jerk, then the decision would be too easy. Each hero should have an equal amount of positive and negative qualities. The Sookie Stackhouse series is a great example of equally flawed heroes. My own attempt at executing the perfect love triangle.
My novel Fire Baptized’s is a supernatural mystery in a dark, gritty world. There is a love triangle, but it definitely doesn’t drown out the mystery or fantasy world . After my main character Lanore stumbles upon a murder and catches the killer’s attention, she gets assistance from her ex-boyfriend MeShack and new mysterious friend Zulu. Both gorgeous guys are complicated heroes that are deserving of Lanore’s love. Throughout the book, she struggles with her feelings for both men and eventually makes a decision.
Title: Fire Baptized Author: Kenya Wright Paperback: 276 pages Publisher: Dragonfairy Press Release Date: January 28, 2012 ISBN-10: 0985023007 ISBN-13: 978-0985023003 KindlePaperbackGoodreads
Since the 1970’s humans have forced supernaturals to live in caged cities. Silver brands embedded in their foreheads identify them by species: a full moon for Vampires, a crescent moon for Shifters, a pair of wings for Fairies, and the list goes on, for each supernatural species has been tagged and categorized by humans.
Lanore Vesta is marked with a silver X, the brand of Mixbreeds, second-class citizens shunned by society. She stays to herself, revealing her ability to create fire only during emergencies. All she wants to do is graduate college and stop having to steal to survive. But when she stumbles upon a murder in progress, she catches the attention of a supernatural killer. Now all she wants is to stop finding dead bodies in her apartment.
Enlisting help from her Were-cheetah ex-boyfriend Meshach and a new mysterious friend named Zulu, she is steered through the habitat’s raunchy nightlife. But their presence sometimes proves to be more burden than help, as they fight for her attention.
While the corpses pile up, and the scent of blood fills the air, Lanore is left wondering: will she find the psycho or die trying?
About the Author:
Kenya Wright always knew she would be famous since the ripe old age of six when she sung the Michael Jackson thriller song in her bathroom mirror. She has tried her hand at many things from enlisting in the Navy for six years as a Persian-Farsi linguist to being a nude model at an art university.
However, writing has been the only constant love in her life.
So here we are Kenya is publishing her first book, Fire Baptized, the urban fantasy novel she always wanted to read. This novel is the first book in a series.
Will she succeed? Of course.
For she has been coined The Urban Fantasy Queen, the Super Iconic Writer of this Age, The Lyrical Genius of Our Generation. Granted, these are all terms coined by her, within the private walls of her bathroom as she still sings the Michael Jackson thriller song.
Kenya Wright currently resides in Miami with her three amazing, overactive children, a supportive, gorgeous husband, and three cool black cats that refuse to stop sleeping on Kenya’s head at night.
Title: Grave Mercy Author: R.L. LaFevers Hardcover: 560 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children Release Date: April 3, 2012 ISBN-10: 054762834X ISBN-13: 978-0547628349 GoodreadsAmazon
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?(Goodreads)
In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.
In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.
But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself....
With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world.(Goodreads)
Title: Black Heart Author: Holly Black Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books Release Date: April 3, 2012 ISBN-10: 1442403462 ISBN-13: 978-1442403468 GoodreadsAmazon
Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.
But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.(Goodreads)
Title: Immortal City Author: Scott Speer Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Razorbill Release Date: April 3, 2012 ISBN-10: 1595145060 ISBN-13: 978-1595145062 GoodreadsAmazon
Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect--everyone except for Madison Montgomery.
Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.
Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat … and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.(Goodreads)
Title: I Hunt Killers Author: Barry Lyga Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Release Date: April 3, 2012 ISBN-10: 0316125849 ISBN-13: 978-0316125840 GoodreadsAmazon
What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?
Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.
But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.
And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.
In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?(Goodreads)
So… do you plan on snatching any of these books up today? Is anything new to you?
Happy Bookday!!!
To all the author that have books out this week.
Manga Monday was turned into a meme by the awesome Alison Can Read!
*I warn you now there may be spoilers…it’s hard with manga.
Title: Kimi Ni Todoke Author: Karuho Shiina Paperback: 216 pages Publisher: VIZ Media LLC Release Date: August 4, 2009 ISBN-10: 1421527553 ISBN-13: 978-1421527550 GoodreadsAmazon
R to L (Japanese Style). Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine...for a horror movie. With her jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor, she's often mistaken for Sadako, the haunting character from Ringu. Unbeknownst to but a few, behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. Shy and pure of heart, she just wants to make friends. But when Kazehaya, the most popular boy in class, befriends her, she's sure to make more than just that--she's about to make some enemies too!(Goodreads)
Review
I had seen Kimi Ni Todoke reviewed at a few blogs I love and everyone that reviewed it seemed to really enjoy it, so I had to see what all the fuss was about.
I had never read contemporary manga before, but after reading the synopses I was sure I was going to love this. I mean the female lead has no friends, because she looks to0 much like the scary girl from “The Ring”…Manga makes anything possible:)
Kuronuma is so incredibly shy she hasn't given anyone the opportunity to see how great she is, so everyone at school continues to be afraid of her because of the way she looks and the way she acts. I really felt for Kuronuma because all she wants is some friends, but she really has no idea of how to reach out to people.
Kazehaya is Mr. Popular! Everyone wants to be his friend and most of the girls want to be even more. Kazehaya reaches out to Kuronuma and befriends her, after that all kinds of things start to happen. I want to say a lot more right here, but I am going to stop before I just tell you what happened.
I love how Karuho Shiina got all the awkwardness of high school right in the pages of this manga. I also found it refreshing that this was about creating friendships not getting a boyfriend. I really enjoyed Kimi Ni Todoke and I hope to read many more volumes.
Happy reading,
Awesome! Reread worthy.
Recommended For
Teen and up: I don’t remember anything anyone would get upset about. Totally fun, go read it:)
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