In My Mailbox [37]

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Sirenshowcasing what great stuff one got that week (usually goods pertaining to books). And this week I got:

~Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (for review). This one doesn't come out until October, but it's already been generating a fair bit of great buzz. Featured it for last week's Waiting on Wednesday post, actually. Sounds awesome, looking forward to it.

~What If? magazine (2 contributor's copies). I sent in some photography awhile ago, but I wasn't aware that one of my photos actually got chosen to be published in the Summer 2010 issue, so it was definitely pretty exciting to find out by seeing the copies in my mailbox, all rolled and snug.

~Harry Potter trading card. This was actually a prize from Swagbucks, and if you haven't signed up already, you should definitely go do it now. :) (Preferably from this link.)

~And I stopped by the library today, and borrowed an actual YA book, which I haven't done in ages. I actually wasn't really planning on getting anything initially, but then I spotted Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson at the last minute and got that.

Kind of a funny story actually - I've been meaning to read this for a long time now, pretty much since before its release. Which was back in March of 2009. When I first started Lucid Conspiracy, that was about when Wintergirls was getting a ton of great buzz around the blogosphere. And it took me until now to finally get on it. Wooow. Definitely doesn't feel like it's been over a year already. A very severe case of tempus fugit.

So there you have it - the contents of my mailbox (& otherwise). How about you, what was in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox [32]

This week was quite brilliant, if I do say so myself. The very epitome of quality over quantity. First I got Caragh O'Brien's Birthmarked, which I have been super-super-excited about. (Pretty much devoured it - expect a review soon :) Thanks!

And then I also got an ARC of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (which I featured for WoW awhile back) from a contest hosted by the awesome Tina over at Fantastic Book Review. She also tossed in bookmarks of The Iron King (signed!) by Julie Kagawa, who's also very sweet, and Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus. Thanks for the awesome stuff, Tina!

So there you have it - my week, as told by my mailbox. Your turn - what was in your mailbox this week?

*In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Brightly Woven Review

Brightly Woven - Alexandra Bracken
*March 23rd, 2010 EgmontUSA

When Wayland North brings rain to a region that's been dry for over ten years, he's promised anything he'd like as a reward. He chooses the village elder's daughter, sixteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabel, who is a skilled weaver and has an unusual knack for repairing his magical cloaks. Though Sydelle has dreamt of escaping her home, she's hurt that her parents relinquish her so freely and finds herself awed and afraid of the slightly ragtag wizard who is unlike any of the men of magic in the tales she's heard. Still, she is drawn to this mysterious man who is fiercely protective of her and so reluctant to share his own past.

The pair rushes toward the capital, intent to stop an imminent war, pursued by Reuel Dorwan (a dark wizard who has taken a keen interest in Sydelle) and plagued by unusually wild weather. But the sudden earthquakes and freak snowstorms may not be a coincidence. As Sydelle discovers North's dark secret and the reason for his interest in her and learns to master her own mysterious power, it becomes increasingly clear that the fate of the kingdom rests in her fingertips. She will either be a savior, weaving together the frayed bonds between Saldorra and Auster, or the disastrous force that destroys both kingdoms forever.

It's like Alexandra Bracken is a wizard who has infused Brightly Woven with a certain majestic magic.

To be honest, I haven't read a lot of fantasy recently. Since the pandemic a few years ago where [the genre] became commercialized to the point of repetitive "epic journeys" with preposterously named characters and overtly pompous language, for the most part I found solace in science fiction and contemporary, paranormal and mystery - just about anything else. However, when I heard about Brightly Woven and saw its pretty cover¹, I must admit, my interest was piqued.

I'm pleased to report that I was not disappointed by my foray into fantasy once again. There's some sort of very magnetic - an almost charismatic - quality to Brightly Woven. It's a very cute story with lots of sweet moments, lots of action-packed moments. In terms of world-building, Bracken has painted - or woven, if you prefer ;) - a bright and vivid picture. It's familiar enough that we can relate to it, but simultaneously exotic enough that it stimulates the imagination to remain firmly planted in the fantasy realm.

Sydelle is also quite the leading lady. The story Bracken has sketched around her is an intriguing one to unravel, for sure. Unfortunately, characterization [of her, North, the antagonist, etc.] sort of fell through and wasn't quite as strong as it should've been. It would've been nice to see to a little more depth, a little more development to them and their relationships so that less suspension of disbelief would've been needed.

The "journey" of Brightly Woven is pretty remarkable, and it's great to see the characters embark on it. Plot-wise and diction-wise, it felt like there were moments of inconsistency and again, could've been stronger.

And yet - in spite of all this - there's just something about Brightly Woven that really draws [you] in. Once the slightly incredible beginning is past and the story really starts, this is one book that's immensely hard to put down.

Seriously - Alex Bracken must be a wizard of some sort because Brightly Woven is a magical read, one of the top ones of the year thus far.

¹I actually prefer the cover on the ARC over the one on the finished copy. It's the same image, but I personally find the more vivid and brighter colours of the ARC more eye-catching than that of the finalized one. Here's an image of the original colours, in case anyone wanted to compare.

Goodreads | Alex Bracken | IndieBound

The Unwritten Rule Review

The Unwritten Rule - Elizabeth Scott
*March 16th, 2010 Simon Pulse

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like your best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

Elizabeth Scott's The Unwritten Rule uses written words fluidly and gracefully to weave an achingly beautiful contemporary coming-of-age story.

It's like Scott has an extra sense when it comes to chronicling the tale. The little tidbits of back-story are incorporated into the present-day occurrences perfectly to maximize the effect of them. One of the great things about YA is that oftentimes, they deal with situations that affect today's youth directly, situations that they may experience. Liking your best friend's boyfriend is a tricky situation, regardless of context, but it is something that does happen. Scott tackled this issue head-on and masterfully in The Unwritten Rule, in a way that everyone can understand and relate to.

Which brings me to my next point: credibility. Sarah was brilliantly developed, and it was amazing to see her transition from someone who felt almost inferior, to someone who was willing to stand up for herself and live her life the way she deserved to. Very inspiring journey. The thing is, usually real-life doesn't have one clear protagonist. There are always reasons, and motivations, behind everything, everyone. Scott portrays that in a very real way here. Brianna really comes alive as a real person, because of the context surrounding her character.

Length-wise, The Unwritten Rule is pretty perfectly proportioned; it's a prime example of "start at the beginning, and finish when you get to the end [of the story]." I suppose that technically it could have been a little longer in order to incorporate a little more of [the characters'] lives outside of the primary plot line. At this age, things like college apps, SAT preparations, etc. could have factored in a little too, but that's fairly minor, and it didn't really detract from the story much.

One measure of a novel's success is its ability to make its audience feel, to evoke emotion, to thrust those words off the page and fling them at the readers so that they react. With The Unwritten Rule, this has been done. The emotions come alive, you can empathize with the characters, feel indignance on their behalf, have pride in their decisions. And that's a pretty cool thing, because it draws you into the story.

With realistic characters, fluid writing and a dash of panache, Elizabeth Scott's The Unwritten Rule is a touching exploration of one major unwritten rule.

Goodreads | Indiebound | Elizabeth Scott

All Unquiet Things Review

All Unquiet Things - Anna Jarzab
*January 12th, 2010 Delacorte

Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

Anna Jarzab's brilliant debut All Unquiet Things is anything but quiet. With gorgeous writing, an interesting premise and original plot, this is one tome that speaks volumes.

At its core, All Unquiet Things is a contemporary mystery story of sorts. And that's great to see in today's YA market. Even more impressive is the fact that it's a finely woven mystery. It's got just the right amount of twist that actually takes some effort to figure out even for those that are usually able to predict endings fairly well.

The format of the way the story told really augments its effectiveness. The going back and forth (chronologically) and changing perspectives offers different perspectives and insights, which also aids to further draw the reader in. One slight thing would be that the voices of Audrey and Neily could have been a little more distinct, as at times it did seem a little difficult to differentiate. Nevertheless, Jarzab's got an awesome writing style and beautiful phrasing.

Carly, Neily, Audrey, Cass... All Unquiet Things is chockful of interesting and intriguing characters. The content matter is also on a different level - Carly knew "secrets that got her killed" (Jarzab synopsis). The situations encountered by the characters are heart-poundingly dangerous with very severe consequences. That definitely adds a level of action and adventure to the story.

With varied characters, an intriguing mystery plot and beautiful writing, All Unquiet Things is bound to be a hit.

Anna Jarzab | IndieBound | Goodreads

Have you reviewed All Unquiet Things as well? Drop a link below.

Bad Girls Don't Die Review

Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender

Alexis Warren thought her life was a typical kind of dysfunctional - her parents have marriage troubles, she's having a hard time finding her niche in high school, and her thirteen-year-old sister Kasey has a creepy doll obsession.

After a bonding session with her little sister, Alexis's life sprials from typical dysfunctional to mysteriously dangerous. Kasey's erratic and unpredicatable behaviour is starting to get seriously freaky - random eye colour changes, odd old-fashioned laguage usage, and not remembering events. And why is the house acting so glitchy too?

Alexis wants to blieve it's all in her head, but when the inexplicable events turn life-threatening, Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey; but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

In Bad Girls Don't Die, Katie Alender has spun a chilling tale. Alexis is an intriguing character - seemingly sterotypical at first, but after delving into her personality and throughout the course of the novel, she's animated, unique, and defies classification. A spunky rebel with pink hair and a flair for photography, her snarky and at times slightly sarcastic tone provides an amusing narration.

"To me, taking digital pictures is like finding something. But working with film is like making something." - Alexis Warren (Alender 88, ARC edition).

I don't know, Alexis - being one who works mainly in digital, I'd say that with post-processing and whatnot, digital photography can be making something too. ;) Alexis holds appeal, drawing in the reader with her quirky imperfections, making her all that more realistic. (That, and the fact that I've had pinkish/red hair at one point too.) In fact, I kind of wish I had the guts to go around sticking bumper stickers on the teachers' cars in the lot as well.

Overall, characterization throughout the novel was consistently beautifully done. Megan, Kasey, her parents - all hold attributes that we can all probably relate to, on some level at least. Carter is dreamy and a geniunely nice guy - the kind which [female] readers will definitely wish they knew, and [male] readers would want to be. Alender's impeccable skill in characterization definitely comes to light upon closer inspection of how her characters seem to fit the typical sterotypes at first - the cheerleader, the rebel misfits, the overachieving nice guy - but as the story progresses they come out of the woodwork and show how they transcend these flat classifications.

Personally I would have liked to see a big more sha-bam in the argument advertised in the teaser on the back of the book, a little more action in the climax, and a little more development in Carter and Alexis's relationship, but Bad Girls Don't Die manages to take on enough of a timeless quality that it's pretty much negligible.

Now, Bad Girls Don't Die - ghost story, right? Wrong. It's that, but it's also so much more. Sure, because of that paranormal aspect there are things involved that can't be avoided; but Alender has managed to put a unique spin on it through plot twists and beautiful characterization. Diction choice was well done, and credible. So what else is Bad Girls Don't Die? Well, it's definitely chockful of mystery. And this is definitely a well woven one - it keeps you guessing and tosses in red herrings - all in a setting that could very well be next-door.

With great flow, beautiful characterization and intriguing mystery, Bad Girls Don't Die is definitely an April release to be checked out. If you scare easily, unless you plan on finishing the novel in its entireity, I suggest not starting late at night. Whoosh. The book transcends classification as much as its characters transcend sterotypes - a brilliant debut for Alender.

*Bad Girls Don't Die will be released by Hyperion on April 21st, 2009.

In My Mailbox [4]

Inspired by Alea and created by Kristi ...

The Received
Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender
For review
Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?
*ARC - Release Date: April 21, 2009 - Hyperion

The Bought
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
Pretty self-explanatory - I'm sure most of you have already heard about this.

Well, I finally broke down and bought this. I'm glad I did; even the HB price was definitely worth it. Really looking forward to the sequel.

Pseudo-review here.







The Chrysalids - John Wyndham
The Chyrsalids is set in the future after a devastating global nuclear war. David, the young hero of the novel, lives in a tight-knit community of religious and genetic fundamentalists, always on the alert for any deviation from the norm of God’s creation. Abnormal plants are publicly burned, with much singing of hymns. Abnormal humans (who are not really human) are also condemned to destruction—unless they succeed in fleeing to the Fringes, that Wild Country where, as the authorities say, nothing is reliable and the devil does his work. David grows up ringed by admonitions: KEEP PURE THE STOCK OF THE LORD; WATCH THOU FOR THE MUTANT.

At first he does not question. Then, however, he realizes that the he too is out of the ordinary, in possession of a power that could doom him to death or introduce h im to a new, hitherto unimagined world of freedom.


Anthem - Ayn Rand

Rand's protagonist, Equality 7-2521, describes a surreal world of faceless, nameless drones who "exist through, by and for our brothers who are the State. Amen." Alone, this daring young man defies the will of the ruling councils and discovers the forbidden freedoms that prevailed during the Unmentionable Times. In other words, he finds and celebrates the power of the self. In doing so, he becomes the prototypical Rand hero—a bold risk-taker who shuns conformity and unabashedly embraces egoism.


What did you haul in this week?