In My Mailbox -36- and the Smart Chicks Kick It in Brampton!

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren every Sunday. In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that lets everyone see what books you have received or bought that week.

For Review

1. Dust City - Robert Paul Weston

2. Virals - Kathy Reichs

3. Knight Angels: Book of Revenge - Abra Ebner

4. Freefall - Anna Levine

Many thanks goes to Vimala from Penguin Canada, Abra Ebner, Anna Levine, and The Teen Book Scene for the books I received for review this (and last) week. 

Bought

1. Take Me There - Carolee Dean (signed)*

2. Rogue Angel: The Dragon's Mark - Alex Archer

3. As Lie the Dead - Kelly Meding

4. Ransom - Lois Duncan

5. Shadow Hills - Anastasia Hopcus (signed)*

6. Split - Swati Avasthi* (ARC given to me by Kari from A Good Addiction, did not buy it.)

7. The Van Alen Legacy - Melissa de la Cruz (signed)

8. Girl Stays in the Picture - Melissa de la Cruz (signed)

9. Radiant Shadows - Melissa Marr (signed)

10. Nevermore - Kelly Creagh

11. Whisper - Phoebe Kitanidis (signed)*

12. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins*

13. Sleepless - Cyn Balog*

14. Stranded - J.T. Dutton*

15. Immortal Beloved - Cate Tiernan

*All books denoted with an asterisk were given or purchased from Kari of A Good Addiction. She was kind enough to get a few books signed for me. In that regard, thank you very much Kari! I can't wait to read the books, thank you for mailing them out! (Isn't she awesome??) :D

Swag

Firelight swag courtesy of Sophie Jordan for her street team. I'll be handing these out around here and giving some away on the blog. :) 

Speaking of Firelight, Sophie Jordan has a contest up and running on her website. She has a TON of books up for grabs, so you should definitely check it out! You can find the contest here.

Smart Chicks Kick It in Brampton!

I was super happy that I could go to this event! I brought my bag o' books, my camera, and my fiance. He helped hold the books, and also took some pictures! Thank you Duane, you were a very patient man during that looong wait in line. :D I would LOVE to thank all of the authors for being there! It was a pleasure to meet you all! In order of appearance, Margaret Stohl, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Melissa de la Cruz, Jeri Smith-Ready, Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, and Alyson Noel. Kami was listed on the roster of attending authors, but unfortunately she wasn't able to be there. I hope you are feeling better soon Kami! :) 

Chatting with Margie.

Chatting with Jen, Melissa and Jeri. Spent too much time chatting with them so I couldn't say too much to Melissa Marr. Especially didn't get to say that I LOVE Seth (and all of her books!) :(

Yes, the books you see on the table are all mine. :) I was bad, Kelley signed 4 of my books instead of the limit of 3. ;) Thank you Kelley!

Didn't get a chance to talk to Alyson either, though she signed Radiance for me. They were pushing us through quickly so the authors wouldn't be late to the Teen Read Awards ceremony! Duane also mentioned that he didn't get a good picture of Alyson... I didn't realize that meant I didn't have any other pictures of her! :( I like her hair though! :)

Other news?

Anyway, I think that is it for me this week... all of the current contests on the blog are listed on the sidebar. The Wind Warrior giveaway names will be drawn in the next few days and passed along to Cynthia. (I will be getting mailing addresses at that time in the event that any of the people who entered on my blog win one of her grand prizes.) She will then compile the 5 names picked from each blog and will announce the grand prize winners. Good luck everyone! :) 

That's what I received in my mailbox this week, what did you get in yours? 

The Van Alen Legacy - Melissa De La Cruz

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Schuyler has made her choice. She has forsaken Jack for Oliver, choosing human over vampire. But old loves die hard. . . . And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind.

Young vampires unite in this highly anticipated fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series.

Title: The Van Alen Legacy

Author: Melissa De La Cruz

Genre: Young Adult, Vampires,

Publisher: Disney, Hyperion Books

My Rating: 4/5

Finally, a book well worth the wait. The storyline is engaging and flows fluidly through each chapter. This book starts off a year after the ending of the last book, and it gives the characters time to get over the fresh shock of all that had happened in the previous novel. It was fast-paced and the narrator changed every chapter so you would be switching perspectives quickly. I found that there was major growth in Mimi's character, and she's not the shallow little rich girl anymore. Sure there are times when she reverts to her previous 'lifestyle' but it is more so when she is out of her element. I loved the exploration of Bliss's character and I can't wait to find out what happens next with her. Schuyler has her own issues to deal with, her humanity at odds with her evolving vampiric nature. It definitely isn't an easy time for any of these characters, but I just enjoyed how they handled everything that has been thrown at them.

I loved the overall story that was being portrayed through this book, but found that the explanation of the "Van Alen Legacy" was too condensed. I found it wasn't explained particularly well and begs for re-reading of said passage. Otherwise, the book was excellent, and was decidedly much better than it's predecessors. All in all, a great follow up for this series.

This book counts toward the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge hosted over at J. Kaye's/Home Girl's book blog.

Revelations - Melissa De La Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question: is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.
When an ancient place of power is threatened in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high, the battle is bloody, and through it all, Schuyler is torn between duty and passion, love and freedom.

Title: Revelations
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Genre: Young Adult, Vampire Fiction
Publisher: Disney, Hyperion Books
My Rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed this book. We finally get some answers to questions that were asked in the first two books. I find that though there are (finally) answers, there are now more questions as well. There is a little confusion what with the narrative jumping from Schuyler, to Mimi, to Bliss, and back again, but it also helped tell the full story. I was thoroughly engrossed in the book, but when I got to the end, I was let down a bit--in the sense that I was hoping for a bigger, more drawn out battle scene. I'm fine with it as it is, but I just wanted... more. I think that this book is definitely far superior to the first one, and in most respects is better than the second one as well. Melissa is in her element now. I'm glad I picked up the series, and look forward to reading the next book in the series, The Van Alen Legacy.


This book counts toward the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge over at J. Kaye's book blog.

Masquerade - Melissa De La Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help--her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly under way for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city's wealthy, powerful, and unhuman--a true Blue Blood affair.
But it's at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire's destiny.
Rich with glamour, attitude, and vampire lore, this second installment in the Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.

Title: Masquerade
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Genre: Young Adult, Vampire Fiction
Publisher: Hyperion
My Rating: 4/5

This book was infinitely better than the first one! The story grabbed me right from the get-go and it didn't let up. The masquerade after-party was only the beginning. We get to meet Schuyler's grandfather, Lawrence, and we get to meet another key player. I really like Bliss's character (as well as Oliver's and Schuyler's) and can't wait to see how she evolves. We are left with some mystery pertaining to her character. At the end of the book a bomb-shell is dropped and I can't wait to see what happens next in respect to the comment! I'm trying to keep my reviews spoiler-free, so it feels like I'm talking in code at times! I really enjoyed this book though, and think that though the first one was "meh" this one was definitely well worth the read.


This book counts toward the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge over at J. Kaye's book blog.

Blue Bloods - Melissa De La Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen has never fit in at Duchesne, her prestigious New York City private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes to the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates. But when she turns fifteen, Schuyler's life changes dramatically. The death of a popular schoolmate haunts her in unexpected ways. And strangest of all, Jack Force, the most popular boy in school, is showing a sudden interest in her.
Once an outcast, Schuyler is thrust into Manhattan's most exclusive social circle. Its members are the powerful, the wealthy, and--as Schuyler soon discovers--the unhuman. They are Blue Bloods, an ancient group of vampires, and for centuries they've been invincible. Now something is preying on this elite group, and Schuyler wants to find out the truth. But is she the most vulnerable of them all?

Title: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Genre: Young Adult, Vampire Fiction
Publisher: Hyperion Paperbacks
My Rating: 3/5

I'm on the fence with this one. I really enjoyed the "vampire world" that Melissa has created. I really thought it was a unique spin on it, and I liked how it gave another variable for the lost colony of Roanoke. I liked Schuyler and Oliver, and Bliss... I'm on the fence about some of the other characters though. If the characters had been fleshed out more, they would have been excellent, but with all of the world building going on I can see why she (Melissa) focused on that more so than on the individual characters. The high-roller lifestyle of course comes with designer clothing, but it bogged the actual story down. I was kept busy reading about designer apparel (which I could care less about) and all I wanted was to read more about what was happening, who was the bad guy, how could they stop him/her, what are Blue Bloods really? etc etc. (You get the picture.) :) However... the further I got into this book, the more I enjoyed it, I was immersed in it, and then bam! That was the last page... and I'm really curious to see what's going to happen next. Luckily, I have a copy of Masquerade from the library. (I'm already 45 pages into it.) All in all, this was a good story, though there were parts that you could get bogged down in, but stick with it, it gets better, and leaves you wanting more! (Okay, so maybe as I'm typing this, I'm not as on the fence as I thought I was...) :).


This book counts toward the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge over at J. Kaye's book blog.