Chey's First IMM!

In My Mailbox is something that this awesome possum, The Story Siren, came up with about a bajillion years ago (Or maybe in 2008.  Same thing).  I'm finally hopping onto the book blog bandwagon, so I'd love to be able to share what books I buy as well.  Here are some of the books I'll be getting around to reading shortly.  Excited pants!




 Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver                                                             
"What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would  you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing."  


I just have to say...I love it already and I haven't read anything more than the summary.  Yes, I know it came out a while ago.  I've been wanting it and I just decided to get it now because Lauren Oliver's other book, Delirium just came out this past February and I wanted that one too.  Normally I don't care for hardcover books, but something tells me that these books are worth it.




 Delirium by Lauren Oliver

"Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured.   A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. 

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love."

Sounds AMAZING, right?  Dystopian novels are really popular now and this particular summary really struck me.  Of course, you should have seen Delirium coming as soon as I posted about Before I Fall.  I honestly don't know which one I want to read first.  The story just sounds insane...in a good way.  Think about it- what if life was actually like this?  Yet again, I'm sure hardcover = worth it.                                            


 Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along.  With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between immortal and those that have fallen- and when it comes to choosing the sides, the wrong choice will cost her life."

I have to admit, I barely knew anything about this book other than seeing it in other IMM posts.  The main reason I got it was because it was on sale.  And what's not to love about a cheap book?  Okay, okay...I have gotten cheap books that I wish I hadn't *cough*NewMoan*cough*, but that doesn't seem like the case here.  At least it has an interesting plot.  Fantasy is always good, as well....plus, look at that half naked dude on the cover!  Wowie.

(This cover was such a pain in the butt to put up, so I'm sorry it doesn't look perfect like the others.  I just gave up.  Haha)

 If I Stay by Gayle Forman
"In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands."

Isn't that description all you need to make you want to buy the book?  Again, this was another sale book I just bought because I saw that other bloggers had read it and I'm really glad I got a chance to pick it up.  It definitely sounds like the kind of thing I'd be into.

 It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

"Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life -- getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job -- Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That's when things start to get crazy.

At his new school, Craig realizes that he's just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping -- until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, isolated from the crushing pressures of school and friends, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a moving tale about depression, that's definitely a funny story."

What can I say?  I like it already.  I'm a big sucker for books and movies involving mental institutions.  (I hope I'm not the only one!)  I promised myself that I'd definitely read the book before the movie.  It was like discipline.  "Cheyenne, if you do not read that book before you see the movie, go to your room and don't come out!"  Ahhh, well, I didn't end up finding it at Half Price Books (Maybe you should know.  I'm usually broke, making me a cheapskate....or frugal, if that's what you want to call it) and I put it off.  And put it off longer.  And finally, I ended up seeing the movie before I was actually able to get the book, but I finally got it on sale (yes!) and I'm really looking forward to reading this book as well.


Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

"Colie expects the worst when she's sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt Mira while her mother, queen of the television infomercial, tours Europe. Always an outcast -- first for being fat and then for being "easy" -- Colie has no friends at home and doesn't expect to find any in Colby, North Carolina. But then she lands a job at the Last Chance Cafe and meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel, best friends with a loving yet volatile relationship. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see herself in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along"
Alright, so the entire reason I was interested in this is because the main character is a former fat girl who still thinks of herself as fat.  Being a bigger girl, myself, I understand how much harm it can do when people talk about you for years.  Sarah Dessen books are great for female teen readers because she always tip-toes across subjects most teenagers can relate to.  

  Wanted by Sara Shepard

 "In Rosewood, majestic estates sprawl for acres, and Tiffany toggle bracelets dangle from every girl's wrist. But not all that glitters is gold, and the town harbors secrets darker than anyone could imagine—like the truth about what really happened the night Alison DiLaurentis went missing. . . .

Back in middle school, Ali plucked Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer from obscurity and turned them into the beautiful, popular girls everyone wanted to be. Ali was the best friend they ever had. But she also made them do terrible things and taunted them with their worst secrets. Now, three years later, all their questions about Ali have finally been answered and they can put this awful chapter of their lives behind them. Or so they think.

Not every story has a happy ending, especially when four pretty little liars have done so many wicked things. In the dramatic conclusion of Sara Shepard's bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer could get everything they've ever wanted—unless A has one more horrifying twist in store."

Seriously, what's not to love about Pretty Little Liars?  The show got me hooked from the moment I watched the first commercial.  Never having missed an episode, I decided that it was time to check out these books.  I flew through each one within a day or two a piece, not because they're short, but because they're just too hard to put down.  Unexpectedly, the tv show and the books are barely comparable.  I really like it that way because it's like you're following two completely different stories.  Highly recommended series.  I can't wait to crack the case everyone's been buzzing over.  Who is A?  

 XVI by Julia Karr                                    

"Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer."


Out of all the books I've listed, this is the one I'm most excited about.  I don't think I have much more to say than that.  It's just very sad to think of sixteen year old girls being forced into doing something, especially if they don't want to.

                                 And last but not least...

                     The House of Night Boxed Set                    
                     by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

"The House of Night is a thrilling, New York Times bestselling book series that follows 16-year-old Zoey Redbird as she is “Marked” by a vampyre tracker and begins to undergo the “Change” into an actual vampyre. She has to leave her family in Broken Arrow, OK, and move into the House of Night, a boarding school for other fledgling vampyres like her.

 It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. Although Zoey has awesome new powers, it’s hard to fit in when everyone knows you’re “special.” As Zoey tries to make new friends and maybe find a hot boyfriend (or two), she comes up against all kinds of evil, from the perfect-looking, super-popular girl with not-so-faultless plans, to the mysterious deaths happening at the House of Night and all over Tulsa. Things at the House of Night are not always what they seem. Can Zoey find the courage deep within herself to find the truth and embrace her destiny?"  

Alright, so yes- I am a vampire fan.  I'm not crazy about them like some individuals, but I like a good vampire series from time to time.  I know that in a way, this series and the Vampire Academy books are similar and that many people have said that they prefer that one over this, I decided to give the first four books a try.  I am afraid of the story dragging on, which is why I didn't get the next...four?  How many are there to this series, anyways?  Haha.  But come on!  It totally sounds like Hogwarts for vampires. 

Alright, so there was my first In My Mailbox.  How did I do?  Completely and utterly horrible?  Yes, I thought so!  Thanks for being so honest.  ^_^  Anyways, have a lovely rest of the week and I hope to make some more posts very soon!