In My Mailbox (07) - The Christmas edition

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.


Now, I know I haven't been around much. I've been busy with life, NaNoWriMo, mental issues and reading. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things with the New Year.
So, without further ado, here's my Christmas haul!
Sorry for the crap picture quality. I took the picture on my phone.

-  Spectyr by Phillippa Ballantine

- The Hidden Goddess by M.K. Hobson
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon vol 1 by Naoko Takeuchi
- Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
- Ashling by Isobelle Carmody
- The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
- Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
- Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
- Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
- Tales from the Tower vol 1 & 2 by Carmody & McNab
- Harry Potter 1-7 by J.K. Rowling

What did you get in your mailboxes for Christmas? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments

In My Mailbox (06)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.

I've been having an awesome week in terms of books. I got a few good books in the mail, and then I bought a few books that were on sale.

Library:

 From top to bottom:

-Evernight by Claudia Gray; I've been hearing a lot about this series, both good and bad, so I thought I might check it out.

- Wolf Blood by N.M. Browne; This looks pretty cool. It's set in the first century AD and about Celts being invaded by Romans. And I'm guessing it has werewolves in it? Awesome.

- Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schultz; I'm not sure what to expect of this book. I've heard both good and bad things. *fingers crossed*

- All I Ever Wanted by Vikki Wakefield; This looks... interesting. I look forward to diving into it. Plus, it's Aussie, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be great.

- Anything Goes by Lucy Moore; For NaNoWriMo this year, I'm writing a book set in the 1920's, and this seems to be the only book my library has on the topic of flappers. Pretty much research, but it looks like it'll be fun.

- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; I've heard ridiculously good things about this book, so I'm really looking forward to this.

Bought:

 - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin; I was really excited for this book, until the bad reviews came rushing in. Now I'm slightly wary about it. *fingers crossed*

- The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor; I'd been anticipating this book all year, and as soon as it found its way onto my doorstep, I started reading it. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Be on the lookout for a review on it soon. (also, I LOVE the cover. It's so pretty and shiny in the light, and fades in the darkness. Brilliant!)

- Chapter after Chapter by Heather Sellers; I'm in need of some books on the craft of writing, and this looked pretty intriguing. Plus, it was a nice price, which is amazing, since books (and non-fiction books at  that!) are expensive here in Australia.

- Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu; I'd been looking forward to this book for ages. I flicked through it when I first got it, and man, it has such beautiful pictures. I really can't wait to start this.

- The Incendiary's Trail by James McCreet; I got this from a discount book store (for any Melbournians out there, it's where the Angus & Robertson used to be on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth street. Check it out), where each book was $5. And, it looks pretty cool.

- Android Karenina by Tolstoy and Winters; I've never tried the redone classics, so I figured this might be a good time to start them.

- Zombie Apocalypse! created by Stephen Jones; I love zombies. And this looks cool as. It's told from a whole bunch of different forms of media, which is pretty awesome. I'm interested to see how it unfolds.

- The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien; I'm a massive Tolkien fan, but I never bought this book because it was always so overpriced. Well, I finally got it from the discount book store, and I can't wait to read it.

- Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies by Deborah Halverson; Once again, I'm in need of books on writing, and this looks like the best to learn the bare bones of the craft.

Now, this last one isn't quite new. I got it a few weeks ago, but I still feel that I ought to mention it. It's the cause for my lack of posting lately.

Meet the newest member of my family: Layla. She's a white German Shepherd and an adorable little fluffball who just loves sleeping in cute and interesting positions. :)

What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments

In My Mailbox (05)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week. 

I had a fantastic mailbox this week. I'm so excited for all the books I got, and have no idea what to start first. Have a look and tell me in the comments what you think I should start with. :)

Bought:

From top to bottom:

-The Drowning City by Amanda Downum; Pirates, thieves and necromancers? Man, this sounds like my kind of book!

- Ganymede by Cherie Priest; Can I just say 'AHHHHHHHHHH'? I love Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century series, and I'm so super excited to dig into the newest installment.

- The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson; So, I've been seeing talk about this book for a while, and apparently it has something to do with Jack the Ripper? That sounds like my cup of tea.

- Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres; I still haven't read the first book, even though i own it, and it's signed, so maybe now that I have the second, I'll have more incentive to read it. Apparently it's great.

- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins; OH MY GOSH, I am so excited for this. I really loved Anna, and have high expectations for this one.

- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern; I've heard mixed reviews about this one, so I'm curious to check it out. Here's hoping I'll like it. *fingers crossed*

Won:

- Sisters Red by Jackson pearce; I won this from Jackson Pearce's #sweetly day. I kind of almost screamed when the postie came to drop it off. Thank you so much, Jackson!!! 

Library:

 - Special A by Maki Minami; I love manga, and I love discovering new manga. Has anyone read this series before? If so, what do you think of it?

- Love in Complete Sentences by Mary E. Mitchell; This looks... interesting. It's not usually what I go for, but I'm willing to try new things.

-Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep; I've been hearing talk about this series for a while now, and I really want to see what the fuss is about. Is this just another fad, or something worth reading?

- The Fear by Charlie Higson; This is the third book in the Enemy series, and OH MY GOSH, I am so excited to read this. The last two books kept me gnawing at my nails from the suspense. Seriously, guys, if you haven't read the first two books, do it immediately.

-Fables, vol 12: The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham; Man, this series is such a ride. I'm depressed that I'm slowly catching up to the current issues. Waiting a year or more for each volume is so not appealing. *sighs*

- Jack of Fables, vol 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape by Bill Billingham; This is a spin-off series from Fables, so I'm sort of excited to start this. I want as much Fables as I can get my hands on.

What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments.

* Don't forget to enter my Dark Angel giveaway. It's international, and is open for only 6 more days.

In My Mailbox (04)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.

My mailbox was quite lovely this week. I received an abundance of library books (of course), a couple of books from The Book Depository, and something that really surprised me.

Mail:

 From top to bottom:

- Geist by Philippa Ballantine; I love fantasy, and the cover is so amazing. It's done by the same guy who did the cover for the Theatre Illuminata series, Jason Chan

- The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey; I'd begun this book earlier in the year, but it was from the library, and I had to give it back half-read. But it was good enough for me to want to buy.

- Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington; This was a lovely gift from Hachette, as part of their reviewing program for Date a Book. I'd read and reviewed the first  book here on my blog, Embrace and have the second book waiting to have its review written up. Good series, and I'm so happy to have an early-release copy.

Library:

 From top to bottom:

- Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton; Man, I've really been digging this series. I'm in a sort of smutty paranormal romance mood, so this is right up my alley.

- All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin; I've been hearing interesting things about this book, and the premise is intriguing. Can't wait to check it out.

- Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen; I'd read the first book earlier this year as part of my ABC Challenge, and I'm really interested in historicals set in the 1920's.

- Act of Faith by Kelly Gardiner; I really really really love historicals. And the premise looks interesting.

-Possess by Gretchen McNeil; Man, I've been waiting impatiently for this book for ages. It looks so creepy and awesome. So can't wait to dig in to this.

- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh; This book has been on my radar for ages. I'm so ecstatic to finally be able to have it in my hands. So so so can't wait to read this one.

- Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures Volume One by Laurell K. Hamilton &; Oooh, a graphic novel. I love graphic novels so much, and am ridiculously happy that popular urban fantasy series are getting turned into graphic novels.

- Fables: War and Pieces by Bill Willingham; This is the 11th volume of the Fables series, and man, I'm so excited to read this. The series has been a massive ride, and I totally recommend it to everyone.

So, that's it for my mailbox.
What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments.

In My Mailbox (03)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.

I know, I know, I haven't been too active lately. And I don't really have a reason. I guess I'm just really lazy.
But! I promise to be more active. In fact, I have several posts queued up for the next week and a bit.

I haven't been getting too many books in the last few weeks. I went to a Maggie Stiefvater signing a couple of weeks ago, and got some books signed. And I've been taking advantage of the new releases in my library.
So without further ado, here is my mailbox:

Bought:

- The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell; I love zombies, so I had to snatch this up.

- Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (signed!); I haven't read Linger yet, but I just can't have an unfinished series sitting on my shelves. Bonus: I got it signed! EEEEEeeeek!

- Lament and  Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater (signed as well); Well, I wasn't about to pass up a chance to get more books signed by Maggie. I also got my copies of Shiver and Linger signed, which makes me very happy.

In case anyone cares, here's a picture of myself with Maggie. Excuse my goofy smile. I get nervous when in the presence of anyone who manages to get published. Can I just say that Maggie is actually hilarious, and she should become a stand-up comedian? 

Library:

 From top to bottom:

- Supernaturally by Kiersten White; I really liked Paranormalcy, but I'm a bit hesitant in starting this.

- Alaska by Sue Saliba; I didn't quite like Sue's previous book, Something in the World Called Love, but I'm hoping this will be better. Plus, she's Aussie, so I want to check out all the talent.

- The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter; It's finally published in Australia, with a really weird new cover. I've been waiting to read this book for ages, and I'm not really expecting it to be good, since a lot of people whose opinions I trust seem to have ill opinions of it.

- Stravaganza: City of Masks by Mary Hoffman; Just something I picked up off the shelves in my poorly understocked library (all the other books had to be brought in from other branches)

- Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart; I've been hearing fantastic things about this book, but the poorly photoshopped cover is really putting me off.

- Bloodspell by Amalie Howard; I have no idea what to expect, but it looks and sounds really interesting. Hoping it's good.

- Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton; So, this is the third member of the Merry Sisters of Fate, and since I disliked Brenna Yovanoff's novel, and I wasn't much of a fan of Shiver, I'm hoping that third time's the charm. 

- The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan; It's so sad that Madigan is no longer with us. I'm interested in reading this book. I love mermaids, and wish there were more of them in fiction.

What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments.

In My Mailbox (02)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.

I've had a lovely mailbox this week. And now that I've finished unpacking my books and organised my shelves, I have somewhere to put my new babies.

From bottom to top:

- Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev; I finally got this from The Book Depository. The cover is just so amazing. I can't wait to read it.

- Dark Angel by Eden Maguire; I got one copy from Hachette for review (thank  you!!) and another copy, I won from a comp that Hachette was hosting, so sometime in the future, I'll be giving it away.

- Beautiful Dead, 1-4 by Eden Maguire; Also won these from the Hachette comp. I was so happy when I saw the box on my front porch.


I also got a lot of bookmarks, which will most likely be a part of a future giveaway. Swag! Yay!

Yep, that IS a signed The Near Witch bookmark. Thank you, Victoria Schwab for sending it to me.

The other bookmarks are courtesy of Dymocks.

What did you get in you mailboxes this week? What do you think of the books I got? Feel free to leave your links in the comments.

In My Mailbox (01)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where bloggers showcase the books they received over the week.

I've been pretty busy this week, moving house and all, but I still got a few things in my mailbox. Since I'm still in the unpacking stage, and can't find anything, I can't use my camera, so you'll just have to make do with pictures that I find off the internet.

Bought:

- The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

- Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

- Witch Song by Amber Argyle

- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

My mailbox was very nice to me this week. All of these books, I've been lusting over. While I'm not too big a fan of Shiver / Linger, I bought the books because Maggie will be touring Australia in a couple of weeks, and that's a big deal. No one awesome ever goes to Australia.
With Miss Peregrine's, I'd been lusting over it for ages, since it's a creepy book (as proven by the ridiculously creepy pictures), and I LOVE weird and creepy things. 
And the other two books I had pre-ordered because, well, the covers looked pretty. Can you blame me? I'm pretty excited to read The Near Witch. I've tried to make room for it on my teetering to-read pile.

What did you all get in your mailboxes?