In My Mailbox: 10

It's time for In My Mailbox! I really love this meme. The purpose of it is to share the books we've received this week. It's hosted by The Story Siren, who inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. Here's what I got this week.

I didn't buy anything this week; it's all from the library. All links take you to the Borders website, except the last one, which takes you to Amazon.

The Day I Killed James: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Ash: Malinda Lo

I Am Number Four: Pittacus Lore (check out my review here)

Shiver: Maggie Stiefvater

City of Bones: Cassandra Clare

The New American Revolution: Tammy Bruce

The Facebook Effect: David Kirkpatrick

Table for Five: Susan Wiggs

Decorative Embroidery: Mary Norden

I'm actually most excited to read The Facebook Effect. Social networking and social psychology fascinate me, so I'm expecting this book to be awesome. I got the embroidery book to get ideas for Christmas presents, because I've decided to make Christmas gifts for my friends this year instead of buying them.

And one other thing I bought from Amazon that I am super-excited about, even though it has nothing to do with books:

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation The Complete Sixth Season

I am seriously addicted to CSI. It's the best show EVER. It hasn't actually arrived yet, since it just shipped a couple days ago, but I couldn't wait until next week's IMM to post about it. I am beyond excited for it to come in.

So that was my week. What did you get?

Review: I Am Number Four

Title: I Am Number Four
Author: Pittacus Lore
Publisher: Harper
Pages: 440

Summary (from Good Reads): Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books--but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

-----

I Am Number Four has gotten so much hype lately that I was really excited to read it. I had heard a lot of good things about it, so my expectations were really high. Unfortunately, the book didn't even come close to meeting my expectations.

Honestly, there's wasn't much I liked about I Am Number Four. I thought it started out good. It captured my attention, and I thought I was going to enjoy it. But as I got more and more into the story, I started liking it less and less.

The story is overdone. The plot really isn't that original. Two different races of aliens come to earth after a war on one of their planets, Lorien, destroys Lorien. The Loriens are here to hide; their enemy is here to hunt them and to destroy earth. That's not exactly a plot that has never been done before.

Conveniently, Number Four (who goes by John Smith, which is also pretty unoriginal), makes friends and enemies at his new school. His main enemy is the captain of the football team, Mark, who dated Sarah until she dumped him. Sarah, a former cheerleader, has gone from being a somewhat bad girl to a good girl who is into photography instead of cheerleading. And she takes an interest in Number Four, which is, of course, why Mark hates him. Number Four falls just as much in love with Sarah as she does with him. And to top it off, Number Four is also lucky enough to make a best friend, Sam. . .who is obsessed with aliens, convinced his dad was abducted by aliens.

The problem with the characters it that they're stock characters, completely stereotypical and one-dimensional. There wasn't anything that was very interesting about them. Because they didn't have much of a personality, it was hard to like them. I think the one interesting thing about any of the characters was that Sam wore his dad's glasses, despite having perfect vision, because he hoped that someday, he would be able to see what his dad saw through the glasses (and what he really wanted to see was the aliens who he thinks he abducted his father). Even that wasn't too original, though.

The writing also wasn't original. This book was so full of cliches and cheesy scenes, especially the fight scenes between Number Four and Mark, and Number Four's and Sarah's romance. From the beginning, Mark and Number Four hate each other. Mark throws meatballs at Number Four and Sam in the school cafeteria. Number Four basically tells Mark that he better leave Number Four alone. . .or else. Later, when Sarah, Number Four, Sam, and Sarah's friend Emily go on a haunted hayride, Mark and his football buddies cross paths with Number Four again, this time because of a setup Mark plans. The fight scene that ensues borders on ridiculous, with lines like, ""You guys are making it too easy for me" and "Now's your last chance." I really hated these scenes. I couldn't wait for them to be over.

I didn't like Sarah's and Number Four's romance, either. I expect a lot of people will, but I couldn't stand it. It's also cheesy and full of cliches. Number Four tells Sarah at one point that as long as he is around, she will always be safe. How many times has that line been used? I understand the purpose of the romance, which is that Number Four has, for the first time, formed a real connected with someone, which raises the stakes for everything and makes it so that he wants to stop running from the Mogadorians who are hunting him. Still, I wish there had been no romantic aspect. I think the same thing could have been accomplished simply with Number Four making friends like Sam, and not having a girlfriend.

Overall, I didn't enjoy I Am Number Four nearly as much as I hoped I would. I can see how it would be appealing to a lot of people, but for me, it just didn't do it. I thought about buying this book, but now I'm really glad I got it from the library instead. I don't plan on reading the rest of the series.

Rating: 2/5

Review: Hate List

Title: Hate List

Author: Jennifer Brown

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Pages: 405

Summary: (From Good Reads) Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shooting because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

-----

I love Hate List. Jennifer Brown is amazing. School shootings fascinate me (especially Columbine), which was why I wanted to read Hate List. I was not disappointed.

I'm glad Hate List was about the aftermath of the shooting, instead of being about the events that led up to the shooting, with the shooting being the climax. Reading about Valerie and her attempts to recover and move on was really interesting. It was really hard for me to like Valerie at times. Even though she lost her boyfriend, who killed himself after the shooting, and even though she became a social outcast because of her relationship with the shooter and her assumed involvement in the shooting, I felt like she spent too much time feeling sorry for herself. She didn't fully realize how the shooting affected other people, including her parents and little brother. I thought she was selfish. Still, I really enjoyed her journey to recovery. I liked it that the person whose life she saved reached out to Valerie, and that they formed a friendship. I love it that Jennifer Brown, shows a popular girl, Jessica, as compassionate and kind, when popular girls are often depicted as "mean girls" in YA fiction. Of course, Jessica was a mean girl once, teasing Val and calling her names like "Sister Death," but the shooting changed her, and Brown did a terrific job showing Jessica's transformation. Val's transformation throughout the novel was also wonderful.

I also really liked the ending. I don't want to give away how it ended, but I thought the ending was perfect. Hate List is a beautiful debut, and I can't wait to read Jennifer Brown's next book, Bitter End.

Rating: 4.5/5

In My Mailbox: 9

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. Each week, we share the books we bought, received for review, swapped, got at the library, etc.

I had a slow week. I'm still working my way through my huge pile of library books and books that I purchased within the last year, so I only got one book this week from the library:

I'm really looking forward to this one. I've heard a lot of great things about it, so I should be reading it soon. I've got a few reviews to write, too, though. . . as always, I'm behind on reviews, probably because I post things so sporadically.

So, that's what I got this week. What did you get?

Review: Need

Title: Need
Author: Carrie Jones
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Pages: 306

Summary (from book jacket): Zara White suspects a freaky guy is semi-stalking her. She memorizes phobias and chants them when she's nervous. And, okay, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But moving to a shivery Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix--so her mom says.

Except, this new plan of getting way to help Zara stay sane? Yeah, not working. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's imagination. He's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right--not human--in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs are pointing to Zara.

-----

Five reasons why Need is better than Twilight:

1. Pixies and shape shifters (tigers, wolves, eagles and bears, oh my!) are much more interesting than wolves and vampires.

2. Zara, unlike Bella, is a fighter. Example: When Edward leaves, Bella freaks out. She throws a huge pity party for herself. She's depressed all the times, she jumps of cliffs, she abandons the few friends she had (except Jacob). When Nick disappears, Zara also freaks out--but instead of feeling sorry for herself, she decides to get him back. She doesn't like it, but she's not afraid to kill pixies. Can you imagine Bella trying to kill anything?

3. Zara is more interesting than Bella. Bella really doesn't have much of a personality. Zara does. She has interests and passions, like running and Amnesty International. She's well-rounded. Bella pretty much just cares about Edward.

4. Unlike the characters in Twilight, who have answers for everything, the characters in Need only have answers for some things, and what they don't know, they research. I much prefer characters who don't know everything to those who do.

5. Overall, Need is ore well-written than Twilight.

Okay, so I'm not a Twilight fan. But I adore the Need series. I wasn't really sure what to expect when I started reading it. It's another series that I had not idea what it was bout when I decided to read it. I didn't even know it was a series at first. I just liked the cover.

I love it that Zara lists phobias as a way to calm herself down. I also love it that she lists interesting phobias: mnemophobia (fear of memories), philophobia (fear of falling in love or being love), pogonophobia (fear of facial hair, mostly beards), vitricophobia (fear of a stepfather). I love it that the phobias she lists are ones she has or has had at some point in time.

I love the Stephen King references. Stephen King is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I loved all the references that dealt with him.

I love it that although there are twists and turns, they don't come as a complete shock, but they're also not completely predictable, either. They're nice little surprises that are justified, instead of easy ways out of situations. I hate it when an author uses some crazy, unexpected twist to get out of a situation or to end a novel, just because she doesn't know what else to do, because those twists are never justified (I have a specific author in mind, but I won't say who). Carrie Jones has mastered the art of using twists and turns to create suspense and enhance a plot.

I am a huge fan of Carrie Jones and this series. I can't wait for the third book, Entice, to come out (and yeah, I'm glossing over Captivate, which is just as awesome as Need, because I don't have much to say about it other than it's awesome).

Rating: 4/5

In My Mailbox: 8

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. In this meme, we share the books we received for review, purchased, got at the library, and so on, and anyone can participate.

So, last week, I said I wasn't going to get any more books from the library or buy any books until I finished reading the seven books I purchased over a year ago. That didn't exactly work out as planned. Several of the books I had on hold at the library came in, and I ended up buying two books. This time, when I say no more until I finish reading the books I bought over a year ago, I mean it! (I think. . . .)

Here's what I got from the library:

Wasteland: Francesca Block

Marked: P.C. Cast

Hate List: Jennifer Brown

Evermore: Alyson Noel

Captivate: Carrie Jones

Wicked Lovely: Melissa Marr

7 Souls: Barnabas Miller & Jordan Orlando

Fat Vampire: Adam Rex

And I bought:

Twenty Boy Summer: Sarah Ockler

Losing Faith: Denise Jaden

These are going to keep me busy for a while! I love having so many things to read. It's so much better than not knowing what I'm going to read next. What did you get this week?

Kelly

Review: Rampant

Title: Rampant

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 402

Summary: (from www.borders.com) Astrid has always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But after one attacks her boyfriend--ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom--Astrid must head to Rome to become a unicorn hunter.

-----

Oh. My. Goodness. Can there possibly be anything better than unicorns, battles and romance? Rampant blew me away. I love unicorns. They're my favorite mythological animal, so when I heard about Rampant, I knew I had to read it.

I love the plot. Killer unicorns and girls training to become unicorn hunters in Rome is awesome. Throw in a romantic subplot, betrayal and friendship, and it's nearly perfect. I thought Rampant was slow at times, but overall, it was engaging. It was hard to put down. And as I side note, I love the "pet" unicorn, Bonegrinder. I thought she was adorable.

The characters were fabulous. I loved Cory, her passion and beliefs in unicorns and becoming a unicorn hunter, and how, despite the resistance she faces, she is unwavering in her beliefs. I love the relationship between Astrid and her cousin Philippa (Phil for short). Even though they have their differences, they love each other and protect each other as best as they can. Plus, Phil gives Astrid cute nicknames, like Asterisk, Asteroid and Astroturf.

There are so many memorable scenes in Rampant, but my favorite was when Astrid tried to seduce Giovanni, her boyfriend, in the hopes that it would save her from becoming a unicorn hunter (unicorn hunters have to be virgins). It was pretty sensual, but it was tasteful. And, like the rest of the book, it was wonderfully written.

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of the sequel. Ascendant.

Rating: 4/5

New This Week: October 12

I'm going to try to start posting several new releases (probably only hardcover releases) each week, picked at random. Here's what's new this week:

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia
Elixir by Hilary Duff
Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

There were other titles I wanted to include, but I was having trouble formatting the pictures, so I'm just going to stick with those four. Hopefully, next week I'll have figured out the formatting so that I can post more than that.

And, am I the only one who's excited for Elixir? I don't normally like it when celebrities write fiction (love Lauren Conrad, not a fan of her books), but I like Hilary Duff, I love the cover of her book and yeah, I want it. But maybe that's just me. :)

Musing Mondays

Musing Mondays is hosted by Should Be Reading. Today's question:

In regards to books, reading, the publishing industry, etc... What are you most grateful for? Why? Have you ever done anything to tangibly show your appreciation?

I love this question. If it weren't for books and the publishing industry, I wouldn't have a job. I'm a substitute librarian, and no books/publishing industry = no library = me out of a job. So, that is the thing I am most grateful for. I adore my job. Books are my biggest passion, and have been since I was a kid. I'm actually working on the customer service side of the libraries in my town (in other words, I don't actually work with books that much; a lot of my job is office work and answering customer phone calls and e-mails), but before that, I was working at the library I've been going to as a kid (then they transferred me to customer service). Next fall, I'm going to Kent State University so I can get my master's in library science. I have the best job in the world, and I am so lucky to be doing what I love.

Other things I'm grateful for: the ability to read, everyone who works in the book industry (the writers, the editors, the publishers, the librarians, the associates at bookstores, everyone else who works at bookstores, jacket artists, and so on), other readers, other bloggers, everyone who has encouraged my love of reading, writing and librarianship. . . . And the list goes on. There is so much to be thankful for when it comes to books.

Finally, how do I show my appreciation? Buying books is a big one, because if no one purchased books, the publishing industry would fall apart. Using my library is another, because without customers, the library would also fall apart (and again, I'd be out of a job). Reading and reviewing books, on my blog, but also by talking to my friends and family about what I'm reading (since they don't read my blog). Recommending books and authors. And sharing books. I've shared a lot of the books I've read with my mom, and the ones I don't want to keep get passed to my sister, one of my cousins and two of my aunts (we are constantly swapping books, and I love it!). I've also donated dozens of books to my library. And pursuing librarianship is another huge way I show my appreciation. Libraries and librarians don't get the credit they deserve for all the things they do for their communities.

Kelly

Review: CSI: Binding Ties

Title: CSI: Binding Ties

Author: Max Allan Collins
Publisher: Pocket Star Books

Pages: 285

Summary (from Amazon): Ten years ago, Las Vegas was terrorized by "CASt"--a vicious serial killer responsible for nearly half a dozen brutal murders, and who tested the mettle of the LVPD's new Captain, Jim Brass. After a two-year spree, CASt suddenly disappeared and has not been heard from...until now. Gil Grissom and his CSI team are called in to investigate a homicide that perfectly fits the notorious criminal's modus operandi. But all hell breaks loose when a reporter made famous by the original cases receives a letter from someone claiming to to be CASt--and who says he has nothing to do with the latest slaying.

Now the CSIs must stop someone who may be a copycat killer from striking again....even as a murderer from the past continues to evade capture, and isn't taking too kindly to rivals....

-----

I can tell you exactly how many books I've read that have actually frightened me: two. The first time I read Stephen King's IT, I had trouble sleeping. I've read Helter Skelter four times. It terrified me the first time I read it and scared me the other three times I read. I've read dozens of horror novels, true crime books, mysteries, and so on, and those are the only two that have scared me. The point? I don't scare easily. But now I have another book that scared me when I read it: Binding Ties.

I think the only reason Binding Ties creeped me out as much as it did is because it's about a serial killer, and what serial killer isn't creepy? As if one serial killer isn't bad enough, the copycat serial killer makes the book even creepier. The original, who killed middle-aged, overweight men and cut their forefingers off (as souvenirs, but also for a more important reason, which I won't say because it would be a spoiler). When the copycat killer takes credit for being the original CASt when new murders occur, the original killer resurfaces, and he is very, very angry that someone else is claiming to be him. (Side note: I can't remember what CASt stands for, although I do remember that the "St" was for strangle. I wish I had written down what it stands for, but of course I didn't, and of course it was a library book and I had to return it, so I can't even look it up now.)

The original killer resurfacing because of a copycat killer and starting up his old activities was awesome. The copycat added another dimension to the plot. If you're familiar with the TV show, you'll know that in a lot of the episodes, the CSIs will divide up and work on two different cases. The same is true for the books, but in Binding Ties, the Gil Grissom and his team only focused on the CASt killer and his copycat, which allowed the plot to be more fully developed than the plots of the other CSI books. I also love it that Max Allan Collins writes the characters in a way that's true to the characters of the show. There are so many great lines in the book that sound exactly like something the characters would say on the show. Also like the show, the books have cynical humor, creating the balance between light moments and the less-than-pleasant moments of the books.

Binding Ties is a really fun read. Even though it creeped me about beyond belief, it was a fun kind of scared, the kind that leaves you exhilarated and wanting more, like when you have to go through a haunted house for a second time just because it was so awesome the first time.

Rating: 4/5

In My Mailbox: 7

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, who was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. The purpose of IMM is to share the books we received this week.

I only received two books from the library this week, Need, by Carrie Jones, and Rampant, by Diana Peterfreund. I'm really excited about both. I would've gotten more this week, but I have seven book that I purchased over a year ago and still have not read, so I've decided to finish reading those before I buy anything else or get a bunch of library books.

What did you get this week?

Kelly

Review: Two-Way Street

Title: Two-Way Street

Author: Lauren Barnholdt

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 288

Summary (from Good Reads): There are two sides to every breakup. This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation. Then Jordan dumps Courtney--for a girl he met on the Internet. It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la--this is Courtney pretending not to care. But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot. Turns out, he's got a secret or two he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other.

-----

Two-Way Street was really cute. The reason why Jordan broke up with Courtney is really predictable, but that didn't bother me. I loved the little fights Courtney and Jordan had on their road trip. It starts on day one of the trip, when Jordan shows up late to Courtney's house, putting them behind on Courtney's strict itinerary. On top of that, Jordan wants to stop for breakfast, which would put them even further behind. Courtney, of course, freaks out. She's really anal about the itinerary she's planned for the trip, and she refuses to stray from the schedule more than they have just by Jordan being late to pick her up. In that respect, she almost reminded me of myself, because I can get that way about scheduled activities.

They also fight about music--Jordan likes rap, Courtney likes country, and they hate each other's choice in music. They don't just fight about the type of music they're listening to; they also fight about the volume, especially when one of them is talking on the phone to someone else.

Which leads to the third thing they fight about: cell phone etiquette. I love it all, because the fights are believable, and they show us a lot about the characters' personalities.

Despite all the fighting, there are some tender moments, like the flashback to Courtney and Jordan's first date, and when Courtney gets food poisoning  during the road trip and Jordan takes care of her (which was my favorite part of the book). The flashbacks in the story were great. They were the perfect way to learn about how Jordan and Courtney met, how they started dating, and how they got to where they are during the road trip.

I won't give away the ending, but I will say this about it: even though it was also predictable, I was happy with it.

Rating: 3/5

An awesome giveaway! (Or two?)

Mary at Sparkling Reviews is hosting an awesome giveaway. She's going to give away a box of books once she hits 220 followers. For details, head over to her site. The contest ends on October 14 at 11:59 pm, so be sure to check it out!

And speaking of giveaways. . .

I'm holding one, too. Mine's a 50 follower giveaway: once I hit 50 followers, someone will win a copy of Lauren Barnholdt's Two-Way Street (which I've read but haven't reviewed yet, but keep your eye out, because I will).

I won't have a deadline until I've reached 50 followers, but as soon as I decide on a deadline, I'll post it. Unfortunately, my giveaway is not open internationally (I wish it could be, and in the future, I hope to have international giveaways). Since I don't know how to make a fancy entry form, just post a comment here and you'll be entered.

Kelly

Waiting on Wednesday: Moonglass

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

My WW this week:

Moonglass, by Jessi Kirby. She's a 2011 debut author, and the book is due to be published next summer.

Synopsis (from Jessi's site, www.jessikirby.com):

A contemporary YA novel about a girl who, years after her mother's death, gets a fresh start in a new seaside town. She seems to be outrunning the past, but discovers that the sea glass she wears around her neck is not just a token of her mother's memory but a connection to the very stretch of water she now calls hom

I love the cover, the plot. . . . I can't wait until this comes out! What are you waiting for this week?

Kelly

Teaser Tuesday: 3

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading. To participate:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two "teaser" sentences from anywhere on that page.
• Remember: Be careful not to include spoilers! (Don't give too much away--you don't want to ruin it for others.)
• Share the title and author of the book, too, that way others can add it to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

So, I know I'm a day late on this, but I was tied up watching The Biggest Loser--one of my few TV addictions--last night. Here's my teaser for the week.

"'Besides...it isn't like we haven't noticed that more of us are passing away than usual.' Catherine's eyes tightened, but she kept her voice casual. 'You think so?'."

Forgive me if I did a horrible job with the punctuation on that. The teasers are from CSI: Grave Matters, by Max Allan Collins, on page 51.

Kelly

Review: Oh. My. Gods.

Title: Oh. My. Gods.

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Publisher: Dutton Children's Books

Pages: 264

Summary (from Good Reads): When Phoebe's mom returns from Greece with a new husband and moves them to an island in the Aegean, Phoebe's plans for her senior year and track season are ancient history. Now she must attend the uber exclusive academy, where admission depends on pedigree, namely, ancestry from Zeus, Hera, and other Greek gods. That's right, they're real, not myth, and their teen descendants are like the classical heroes--supersmart and superbeautiful with a few superpowers. And now they're on her track team! Armed with only with her Nikes and the will to win, Phoeboe races to find her place among the gods.

-----

Oh. My. Gods. was really cute. I don't know much about mythology, and I haven't read much mythological fiction (except for The Lightning Thief). What I really loved about Oh. My. Gods. was that it's about a teenage girl dealing with typical teenage problems. . .even if those problems are slightly enhanced by supernatural powers. I liked it that the conflicts aren't about the gods, or about Phoebe having to fight the gods (the way The Lightning Thief is). Phoebe having human problems, instead of having to do something like fight the gods, made it easier to relate to her. She's thrown into a world she's completely unfamiliar with, on an island she's never heard of, and she can't even talk to her best friends about it, because telling them the truth about what's going on  would compromise everyone's safety. On top of that, she has to deal with a stepsister she hates, a crush who goes from being a jerk to being nice to being a jerk, a new friend who hates Phoebe's crush, and the pressure to do well in school and cross country so she can get a scholarship to USC. Of course, some of these conflicts involve supernatural powers--like when Phoebe's crush, Griffin, uses his powers to knot Phoebe's shoelaces together during cross country practice--and they add the perfect humorous touch to the book. The situations were great, and it was so easy to relate to Phoebe as the outsider in her new school, because most of us go through similar issues. I really liked Phoebe, and I wanted her to succeed, not just in school and cross country, but also socially. The story was believable, which I think can be hard to do when dealing with mythology and creating a world that isn't 100 percent real. Childs did a masterful job of creating a mythological world that co-exists with the "real" world.

I liked Oh. My. Gods. more than I expected to. It was fun and interesting and overall great read.

Rating: 4/5

Musing Mondays

Musing Mondays is a fantastic weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out her blog for more details.

Today's question: What's your favorite "cozy" book--and, by that, I'm meaning "curl-up-on-a-cold-day comfort read"? Or, if you don't have a particular book, what genre do you most feel like reading when the weather starts to turn colder?

I have to say, this is not an easy question for me to answer. Autumn is my favorite season. Winter is my second favorite. For me, there is nothing better curling up in bed with a good book and a cup of hot apple cider (or hot tea or hot chocolate, depending on what I'm in the mood for). Sometimes, whatever I'm reading at the moment will do. Other times, I go back to my old favorites (and no, I can never pick just one): The Outsiders, which is my all-time favorite book; Stephen King novels (especially Christine and the Dark Tower series); and I read a lot of poetry (Ted Kooser is my favorite; Edgar Allan Poe is also awesome).

So, there you have it. On a cold day, you'll find me reading whatever it is I was already in the middle of, The Outsiders, Stephen King, or poetry.

Kelly

Movie: I Am Number Four

So, guys. Just a quick post. I was poking around the Internet Movie Database, and guess what I found?

I Am Number Four is being made into a movie!

I'm sure many of you are already aware of this, but I wasn't until just now, and even though I haven't read I Am Number Four yet, I'm excited it's being made into a movie. I love it that more and more YA books are being adapted to film. From what I can tell, I Am Number Four will be released next year.

Also, I'm hearing rumors about The Hunger Games being adapted for film, too, which would be super-awesome.

In My Mailbox: 6

Welcome to In My Mailbox! It's a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we share the books we received for review, purchased, won, checked out the library, etc.

Before I jump into what I got this week, I'd like to go on (what I hope will be) a brief tangent.

I know a lot of the books I post for In My Mailbox aren't new releases or upcoming releases. The majority of them aren't. The same is true for most of the books I review. Maybe that defeats the purposing of having a book blog, because in every blog I read or have read, people are posting reviews about new and upcoming releases, they're getting those books for review, they're buying new releases, and so on.

Here's the thing: I haven't been reading YA fiction as long as most other bloggers have. There are tons of new releases and upcoming releases that I'm excited for, but because I haven't been reading YA fiction for very long, that means there are also dozens and dozens of older books that I am just as excited to read. In a way, I feel like I'm trying to play catch up, and read things that other bloggers have blogged about, months, if not years ago, or that I've found when I'm browsing the library or bookstore. While I'll try to post about newer titles and upcoming titles, they probably won't make up the majority of my posts. The thing about blogging is, for me, the community. None of my friends read nearly as much as I do (if at all), and the most they read when it comes to YA fiction is Harry Potter and Twilight. That's a big reason why I turned to blogging: because there are tons of people who read the same things I do and enjoy discussing what they're read and whatnot, and I like to be able to talk about books with those people.

I"m not apologizing for not posting about newer and upcoming titles as much as everyone else, but sometimes I wonder if it gets frustrating to read posts about books that are "old news," so to speak, so I just wanted to let you know why I blog about older titles more often than newer titles.

Anyway, onto my In My Mailbox this week.

From the library:

• CSI: Binding Ties, by Max Allan Collins
• Looking for Alaska, by John Green
• Oh. My. Gods., by Tera Lynn Childs
• All Hallows' Eve: 13 Stories, by Vivian Vande Velde
• Accomplice, by Eireann Corrigan
• CSI: Body of Evidence, by Max Allan Collins (not pictured)
• CSI: Double Dealer, by Max Allan Collins (not pictured)
• The Unwritten Rule, by Elizabeth Scott (not pictured)

So, CSI is one of my favorite shows. I'm completely addicted to it, which is why I'm now working my way through the book series. They're fun to read, but definitely not as good as the show.

Gifts:

• The Piano Teacher, by Janice Y. K. Lee

The Piano Teacher isn't a teen book, and it's not something I would normally read. It's historical fiction, about World War II. My grandparents bought it for me for my birthday. I've actually never heard of it before, but the cover is pretty, and it sounds like it might be interesting. I'm thinking about posting a review on it once I've finished it, but I'm not sure yet.

I also got two Borders gift cards as birthday presents, so I hope to have some fun stuff to post about in the next few weeks.

That's all I got this week. What did you get?

Kelly