In My Mailbox (Week of March 25th)

For review:
Love and Haight by Susan Carlton
Black City by Elizabeth Richard
The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Shadow and Bones by Leigh Bardugo
Cold Fury by TM Goeglein
No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz
The Implosion of Aggie Winchester or The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin
The Right & The Real by Joelle Anthony

Bought:
Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson 

Guest Post from Marni Bates on Music

I love music. So I am very excited to share a post about how music affects writing. Marni Bates has written the books Marni(about her struggle with trichotillomania) and Awkward(about Mackenize who becomes internet famous). Both were amazing. So I am excited to share this post. I hope you enjoy. 
I love finding music that fits my novels! And when I stumble across a song that connects to my life, I listen to is obsessively. So here's my playlist for Awkward: Starz in Their Eyes ~ Just Jack. This song definitely inspired me to write Awkward because it's about the way people can manipulate you when you reach a certain level of notoriety. I definitely see Mackenzie as someone with stars in her eyes when her YouTube video garners four million hits.

Solo Impala (Take the Money and Run) ~ The Fashion. I couldn't resist referencing The Fashion in the book. I love the sense of energy and urgency in this song. I think a part of Mackenzie wants to take the money her newly acquired fame could bring and run. But beyond that . . . this song really has nothing to do with the book. I just love it.  

Sideways ~ Let's Go Sailing Okay, I always think about Mackenzie and Logan when I hear this song and not in a happy, bubbly way but in an I'm-about-to-bawl-my-eyes-out way. I listened to it on repeat when Kenzie finally figures out that she likes Logan . . . and thinks that he's back together with Chelsea.

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart ~ Wilco Another heartbreak song. I always pictured Mackenzie listening to this during quiet moments on the bus with ReadySet and Corey. (Spoiler alert! It comes up in Jane's book, Invisible.)

The Show ~ Lenka I think this song encapsulates Awkward so well! Here's a sampling of the lyrics: I'm just a little bit caught in the middle Life is a maze and love is a riddle. I don't know where to go, can't do it alone. I've tried. And I don't know why . . . It fit the story so well that I used it in my homemade book trailer.

Overboard ~ Ingrid Michaelson I almost used this song for the book trailer. In fact, I was tempted to use almost every single Ingrid Michaelson song. If you haven't listened to her, you should remedy that immediately. Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles provide the soundtrack to my life. Both of them have wonderful songs with clever lyrics. In fact . . .

Gonna Get Over You ~ Sara Bareilles (or "Uncharted." It's so hard to pick just one song!) I think of this as Mackenzie's victory song when she finally realizes that she doesn't have to spend her life fearing the Notables. It's also her anti-Patrick song. Love it! (Spoiler alert! If things hadn't worked out with Logan, I think Mackenzie would have listened to this song and pulled herself back together. It wouldn't have been easy, but she's a strong girl. Although I'm still glad she didn't have to do it!)

A Million Ways (to be Cruel) ~OK Go I totally geeked out when Awkward readers asked me if ReadySet was modeled on OK Go. The answer: yes! If you guessed this, you win major bragging rights! I've been an OK Go fan for years so I guess it was only natural for them to spring to mind when I started to create my fictional rock band. Naming them ReadySet was an intentional homage . . . and I'm thrilled that people picked up on it! For those of you unfamiliar with their work: YouTube the following: Here it Goes Again, White Knuckles, and This Too Shall Pass. You won't be disappointed!

I think A Million Ways to be Cruel might be the most fitting for Chelsea Halloway (the reigning Notable queen, Mackenzie's nemesis, and the main protagonist of book four). She knows exactly how to use people's weaknesses to her advantage but she still hasn't figured out how to battle her own insecurities. There might be a million ways to be cruel but what Chelsea will have to face is a lot harder than high school! Hmm . . . I think Get Over It and You're So Damn Hot might be fitting for Chelsea too! I've got it! Chelsea's song is The World Should Revolve Around Me by Little Jackie! Sorry, I tend to focus solely on music for my work in progress. Which is actually calling my name . . . Bye!

 ~Marni

Winners

The Winner of Black City was Jessy.  Now Alicia.
The Winner of Love? Maybe was Kat T. Now Grace R.
Please email or respond me if you won in the next 48 hours. Thanks to everyone that entered.

Awkward by Marni Bates

Source: Publisher 
Mackenzie Wellesley has spent her life avoiding the spotlight. At Smith High, she's the awkward junior people only notice when they need help with homework. Until she sends a burly football player flying with her massive backpack and makes a disastrous - not to mention unwelcome - attempt at CPR. Before the day is out, the whole fiasco explodes on YouTube. And then the strangest thing happens. Suddenly, Mackenzie is an Internet sensation, with four million hits and counting. Sucked into a whirlwind of rock stars, paparazzi, and free designer clothes, she even catches the eye of the most popular guy at school. And that's when life gets really interesting...
I am a very awkwardly social person and I could relate to a lot that Mackenzie did or said. She was a really fun and sweet character that remained down to earth in every situation. I also like Corey and Jane. They seemed like amazing friends and supported her as she tried to figure out what to do. Logan is a popular guy that Mackenzie tutored. He was really nice and a generally good person that I instantly liked. The plot is very quick and funny. I enjoyed reading it, in the midst of  preparing finals and writing papers, which is definitely saying something. It is a little predictable in a few ways, but not predictable in other ways. I still enjoyed it. Bates' writing is clever and funny and she can definitely create a good story. I recommend this to anyone that wants a cute and fun read with characters that are easy to relate to, while with fantastic writing. I am really excited to read her next book.

Cover Reveal for Black City by Elizabeth Richard and some more extras

Have you ever wanted to read a book from the description? Well, I definitely have. Black City comes out from Penguin in November. Here is a summary: 

A dark ande tender postapocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war
In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths. 

Want to learn more about the book, well I have chapter one to share with you. Hope you enjoy it: 

1.

ASH

An air raid siren wails in the distance, alerting Black City citizens to lock their doors and turn out the lights. They don’t want to be out in the dark alone. They might meet something dangerous. Something like me.

I head under the canal bridge and wait for the girl, taking a packet of Sentry-regulation smokes from my back pocket and sparking up. The nicotine courses through my veins, making them throb with adrenaline; the sensation is almost like a pulse . . . almost.

Footsteps approach the bridge, and a short girl with straggly black hair appears from the shadows, dressed in men’s work boots, tight black trousers and a tailcoat made from a patchwork of clashing fabrics. Her hazel eyes gaze up into mine. She’s brave. Not many cherry-poppers have the courage to look me in the eyes. She hands me an old playing card with two hearts on it, one red, one black. It’s my calling card. It seemed an appropriate choice; that’s what I’m selling her after all, an illusion of love. I slip it into the pocket of my dark green military jacket.

“You’re late,” I say. “Last thing I need is to be caught out here after curfew by a Tracker. They’re just begging for a reason to throw me in jail.”

“Sorry, they’ve put up extra checkpoints, stopping everyone. There’s tanks everywhere!” she babbles. “I guess they can’t be too careful with the Sentry Emissary back in the city, what with the boundary negotiations with the Legion and—”

“You paid Beetle?” I interrupt.

The girl nods.

“Terms and conditions,” I say. “No refunds. You don’t enjoy it, you puke, you freak—not my problem, okay?”

She nods again.

“You pregnant?” She blushes furiously. “I’ll take that as a no. It may cause drowsiness, so don’t drive or operate any heavy machinery.” She smiles at this, and I grin. They always like that. “And no repeats for at least two weeks, all right? I mean it.”

“That all?”

“No kissing. Strictly business, okay?”

She seems a little disappointed by this, but I don’t like to mix business with pleasure. She shyly unbuttons the collar of her coat, revealing her slim, pale neck. Hunger grips my stomach at the sight.

“What do I do?” she asks.

“Lean back,” I say.

She obeys like a good girl. I place a hand against the wall and slip my other hand between her thighs, gently easing her legs apart. Touching her doesn’t turn me on, but I groan like it does, knowing she’ll enjoy that. They all do, even the guys—it’s why they come to me instead of the Haze dens. I slide my body between her thighs so we’re face-to-face. Her shallow breaths are warm against my cool skin.

“Relax, okay? It’s more enjoyable if you relax.”

“My heart’s pounding a mile a minute.” She gives a nervous laugh.

“Can’t say I know how that feels,” I admit.

She tentatively presses a hand against my chest, and her eyes widen. “So it’s true, then? You don’t have a heart?”

“I have a heart,” I growl, shoving her hard against the wall. It just doesn’t beat.

A small tear snakes down her cheek, her thin lips trembling.

“Sshhh, it’s okay, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” I gently wipe her tear away. “Forgive me?”

She nods, then tilts her head to one side, exposing the smooth whiteness of her neck. The poison sacs behind my fangs swell with venom.

Focus, Ash. Don’t blow your load.

I lean toward her, pressing my lips against the soft flesh on her neck, just below her ear. Her pulse flutters under my lips, and I nearly lose it. I begin to nibble on the flesh, tickling the tiny hairs on her neck with my tongue, making them wet with my saliva.

“Do it,” she whispers.

So much for foreplay. I sink my fangs into her jugular. Hot blood spills over my tongue, making my taste buds burst with its sticky sweetness. Man, I love the newbies; they always taste the best. She sighs as my venom enters her bloodstream. I wait for the Haze to take effect before I start to drink from her. That’s the bonus of Haze; my clients get high from me, and I get high from them by drinking their drugged blood. It’s win-win.

A sour, bitter flavor suddenly floods my mouth, and I gag, leaping back.

“What the—” I spit up blood.

The girl stares at me with glazed eyes, blood trickling down the two puncture wounds in her neck.

“Everything’s sparkling,” she says dreamily.

“Didn’t Beetle tell you I don’t take clients on meds?”

She lurches toward me, and I grab her before she falls into the water.

“I love you,” she slurs, trying to kiss me.

I shove her, hard. She falls back against the wall and slides to the floor. Her eyes roll back into her head, and she begins to spasm, white foam bubbling out the corners of her mouth.

“No, no, no! Wake up.” I kneel down and shake her, panic rushing through me.

The girl jerks, her boots leaving black scuff marks on the cobblestones. Fragg! This is why I don’t take clients on meds. You can never tell how they’re going to react to the Haze. I shrug off my jacket and place it under her head.

A Sentry tank rolls over the bridge, and I shut my eyes and wait for it to pass. Even though the war is officially over, I still get chills at that sound. Wherever they went, Death followed. I had a few close scrapes during the war. During those days, the fact that I was a legal citizen and half human didn’t mean much to them. If you weren’t 100 percent human, you were the enemy. Every day was a fight for survival. Not much has improved since then; I’m still the enemy in most people’s eyes. All they can see is the Darkling in me. The tank turns down Bleak Street toward the Sentry Emissary’s headquarters.

The girl groans. It’s too dangerous here; I have to go. I could just leave her . . . No, that’s not an option, but I can’t take her to the hospital. I’d get in so much trouble.

Beetle!

I peer down the canal. A yellow barge is moored about one hundred feet away. The lights are off. Where is he? He’s meant to be my wingman; that’s why I came to the bridge in the first place. Can this get any wor—

An explosion of pain bursts inside my chest, and I clutch a hand over my lifeless heart. I sense someone behind me and turn.

A girl stands by the entranceway, lit by the headlamps of a passing truck. In the fleeting light, I catch a glimpse of cornflower-blue eyes flicking between me and the Hazer writhing on the ground.

Her gaze finally fixes on me.

I fall back, struck down, as the pain in my chest blooms again.

Shivers run through my body, rushing toward a single point in my chest. There’s a spark of electricity and then:

A flutter. 

 I can't wait to read this book. It happens that I also have the cover of the book. Want to take a look?

 I think that it is really epic and I am so excited for this book. Penguin Books for Young Reader is kind enough to offer a galley to someone that comments below. Leave what you think of the cover or chapter one in the comments by March 8th, along with your email address. One of the winners of the Galley will win a drawing that is of one the main characters (Similar to the style below). It will be drawn by the author and personalized. Each one will be unique and original. 

Lastly, here is a bit about the author:

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist and debut author, who spent her early career writing for videogame publications such as CUBE, P2 and GamesTM,and now works as a website editor. Previously, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls. She won the Jane Hayward Young Journalist of the Year award for her feature on girls in the games industry, and was named 'Editor's Choice' in the industry trade magazine, MCV. 

Elizabeth Richards lives in Buckinghamshire, England and can be found online at www.theredpenofdoom.wordpress.com

Remember to leave a comment below and best of luck.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly event hosted at The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s topic:

Top 10 Books We’d Quickly Save If Our House Was Going To Be Abducted By Aliens (or any other natural disaster…)

1. My engraved bible: I was given this book after I was baptized and even though my fate isn't as strong as it used to be. I remember getting presented it when I was thirteen and feeling a magical connection to it. Every time, I open it, it reminds me of Bible School and Church Camp that made up the first fourteen years of my life.
2. My hardback copies of the Harry Potter: I have read these books several times and the story means the world to me. There is also the fact that this set of books are the books that I read the story from the first time and I would be so sad to love those memories.
3. Before I Die by Jenny Downham: This book has a lot of personal significance and means a lot to me. I would be so sad to lose the very different memories that surround this book.
4. All of my John Green Books: I really love these books and they are all signed. I love the connection that I have formed to the characters and the plot inside of the story.
5. My Dr. Suess books: There were some of the first books that I was able to read by myself. My siblings shared this with me and it is a type of bond that I don't want to forget.
6. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (All  of the copies): I have an arc and a finished copy. My name appears in both of them, which means a lot to me. I would feel so depressed if these were to disappear, because the finished copy is signed and it means a lot to me.
7.  The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen: I adore Sarah Dessen and would want at least one of her books. This copy is also signed and a gift from a great friend of mine. I would feel horrid if I lost it.
8. Feed by MT Anderson: This was the first of many books that I earned from my library for reading twenty hours over the summer. I love the story and it also has a few letters written on the flap by mom, when she thought that I was going to die. That obviously means the world to me.
9. My Scott Westerfeld books: The books are all signed and have memories implanted in them. Like cutting in a signing line, because you have crutches again. They are also funny and smart books that would distract me.
10. My photo albums: These pictures span twenty years of bad haircuts, poor fashion choices, and friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. I would be so depressed to have my memorable moments disappear. 
I would probably shove my bookshelf of signed book out of my room, because this doesn't even cover half of the books that mean a lot to me.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Source: Bought
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 
 Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 
 Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.
Hazel is a brilliant character that I understood way to well. I have been chronically sick for five years, and while it is a totally different disease. I have felt the sense of impending doom that Hazel has. I also understood what it meant to be a professional sick teen, because I lived it for two years. Green captured this aspect perfectly. I found it hard to read at times, because the emotions still exist in me from those experiences. Augustus was amazing. He was witty and funny. I loved his personality. At times, there language seemed a bit dense, but after further thought, it fit the character in a immensely fantastic way. The parents were also involved in the book, which is something I love in Young Adult Fiction and definitely added to the story. The characters were amazing and made this book even more lovely.
The plot of the book was amazing. While it dealt with being sick, it also dealt with the miracle that is life. I loved the sense of adventure and humor that were tangled between ever single aspect of this book. I have been a fan of John Green for several years and was really excited for his new novel. His writing was just as magical and extraordinary. He captured the essence that exist when you are between being dead and healthy. A lot that he wrote, is something that I have thought or felt at some point since getting sick. There were a few small medical things that seemed wrong from my experiences in the last five years. At the same time, John Green's writing is executed in a beautiful matter that I couldn't help adoring this book. I highly recommend that you read this book as soon as possible. This story is full of emotions that will clutch your heart, long after you have finished it. It is one of my favorite books that I have read in a long time.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Source: Publisher
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine
 —despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? 
Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? 
 For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.
Delaney is an amazing character. She has dealt with a lot and still remains an awesome and truly unique character. I liked that it included Delaney's struggle to accept what happened and recovering. Decker was another awesome character. He really cared about Delaney and was a very caring and genuine character. Troy enchanted me at first and I found his complex character to be  very interesting.
The plot of this book was awesome. There were a few parts in the book that were a bit slow, but were made up by the exploration of death and what it can do to the people that it touches. I loved the concept of this book. It was mostly contemporary, but the mix of paranormal elements. Both parts blended well together. Fracture had sparks of originality and I found it to be a captivating story. Miranda's writing created a great voice for Delaney, that told a spectacular and original story. I recommend this book to someone that wants a unique and amazing book. It would appeal to fans of Sarah Dessen and Sarah Ockler.

Giveaway: Love? Maybe by Heather Helper

I have a copy of Love? Maybe by Heather Helper for giveaway. Here is a summary:
This spring Dial, a division of Penguin Young Readers, is pleased to publish a swoon-worthy story of young love in LOVE? MAYBE by Heather Hepler  Award-winning author Heather Hepler intertwines romance with baking in this charming tale of a young girl who must face her insecurities about love when a string of valentines from a secret admirer goes straight to her heart. Just because Piper’s birthday happens to fall on Valentine’s Day does not mean she’s obsessed with romance. In fact, after watching her father and her stepfather both walk out on her mom, she’s a self-professed cynic who doesn’t believe in true love at all. That’s why she made “consternation hearts” for the candy store where she works, with expressions like “buzz off’ and “no way.” But this year, her friend Jillian has a plan to help everyone find a little love by Valentine’s Day – even Piper. Valentine’s Day just got a whole lot more complicated. 
Heather Hepler, acclaimed author of The Cupcake Queen, Jars of Glass, Dream Factory, and Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, delights with this sweet combination of dreamy romance and wholesome fun sure to establish her as the perfect Susane Colasanti or Sarah Dessen for the younger set.
I found Helper's The Cupcake Queen to be very cute. So I am excited to read this book. If you want to enter this giveaway, fill out the form below and follow the terms and conditions.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Source: Publisher 
Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles. 
A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

There are books that with you for a long time, I found The Probability of Miracles to be one of those books. I could relate to Cam, so much. We had a lot of the same interests. I admired the sarcasm and bravery that she had in the situation that she was in. The sick parts of the book were easy for me to relate to and I understood where she was coming from. The list that Cam had, reminded me of Tessa from Before I Die by Jenny Downham, which is one of my favorite books. I also liked that Wendy included Cam's culture as a celebration of life, especially as she explores  polynesian dance.

Perry, Cam's Sister, has the optimism that I wished that I could have at times. Her belief in miracles is so amazing. I also loved her belief in unicorns. Her mom never gave up and the strength that she had, reminded me of my mom. The humor that her Nana had, was amazing and I loved the strength that she added to the story. Asher was a great character, he has experienced so much tragedy and is stuck dealing with a cracked mirror of his past life. There are many other characters that I adored, each character had their own voices and personality.
The plot of The Probability of Miracles is magical. Even thought this book is full of sadness, Wendy Wunder captures a story that is full of hope and a celebration of life. It is also one of those books that you will be thinking of, even after the book has ended and that you will continue to want to know more. I can't wait to read another book from Wunder, because this book was immensely wonderful and captured everything that I love. I recommend that you read this book as soon as possible. It