In My Mailbox (36)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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Here are the books I got from the last two weeks:

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1. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

2. The Return Of The Native by Thomas Hardy

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3. Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch

4. A Visit From The Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

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5. Scorch Trials by James Dashner
6. A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

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While I haven't read as much over the past few weeks and my book blogging is virtually non-existent but I have picked up a few fantastic books. The Scorch Trials was high up on my wish list because I devoured and loved The Maze Runner. I already have The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes but I wanted to read them in order so I finally picked up A Study In Scarlet. Jamrach's Menagerie and A Visit from the Goon Squad are highly hyped books because of the Richard and Judy Book Club and The TV book club (respectively) and they both sound like amazing reads. I picked up another of Hardy's works after loving Far From The Madding Crowd a couple of months ago and was added to my favourites along with Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Finally there's The Final Empire which proved irresistible after I read a glowing review at Booking In Heels. I got all these books in the 3 for 2 offer at W H Smith's along with an extra 20% off! I can't wait to get stuck into all of these books and here's hoping that my blogging and book reviews pick up :)

In My Mailbox (35)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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I got five books this week (well, from the last two weeks):

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1. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

2. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

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3. Shadows On The Moon by Zoe Marriott

4. Anglefire by L. A. Weatherly
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5. Lies by Michael Grant

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I loved Maggie Stiefvater's 'Wolves of Mercy Falls' trilogy so I had to pick up her latest story :) I have yet to read Gone and Hunger (which I have and hope to get round to soon) but Lies was in the buy one get one for a pound offer at Waterstones so I picked it up along with 'The Scorpio Races'. The 'Vampire Academy' series is one of my favourite series and intially I wasn't that excited for 'Bloodlines' because I was satisfied with the ending for Vampire Academy but the more I read about it the more I wanted to recapture that excitement I had with Rose's adventures. I also picked up 'Angelfire' because I loved the prequel 'Angel' and finally I picked up 'Shadows on the Moon' to complete the three for two offer at W. H. Smith's and also because I remember reading a glowing review over at Fluttering Butterflies and getting excited for it. So those are my books for this week's In My Mailbox. Let me know if any of you have read and enjoyed them :)

Looking Back : October 2011

I read seven books this October:

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1. Fire by Kristin Cashore

2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

3. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

4. The Name Of The Star by Maureen Johnson

5. Rivers Of London by Ben Aaronvitch

6. Grace Williams Says It Loud by Emma Henderson

7. The Periodic Table by Primo Levi

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A slightly slower reading month this October. However I have a good excuse as I started a new job this month and have been getting settled in. It's just a temporary Christmas job for the moment but I am enjoying it. Anyway on to the books! I finally got around to reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and it was amazing. It definitely lived up to the hype and I'm looking forward to continuing with the trilogy and seeing the new movie this December. Fire and The Periodic Table were my favourites of the month though. I loved Cashore's first novel, Graceling, so I was pretty sure that I would at least like Fire but I didn't expect to like it even more than Graceling :) The Periodic Table managed to put a soul into science with the fantastically moving life story of a chemist.

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Grace Williams Says It Loud was another moving story and very inspiring and hopefully I will put up a review for it soon. Rivers Of London was also a good read with a very original plot. I have a review up for it if you want to check it out. The Name Of The Star was a spooky and atmospheric read and whilst I didn't love it as much as Johnson's other works it still had an interesting premise which she managed to pull off. Finally I re-read Prisoner of Azkaban which I still adore. I think I liked Chamber of Secrets a little bit more, which I read last month, but you can't not enjoy Harry Potter's adventures. I'm looking forward to re-reading Goblet Of Fire this Novemeber as it was my favourite of the series and it'll be interesting to see if that still holds true.

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Over half of the books I read this week were borrowed from the library. I'm starting to try and check out books form the library more now because I'm starting to run out of space for my books (well you could say I run out a while back and have just become more ingenious with storing them). I really enjoy scanning the shelves and spotting books I wouldn't normally pick up and finding I love them. I hope you all had a great reading month too!

In My Mailbox (34)

In My Mailbos is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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I got four books this week:

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1. The Night Circus by Eric Morgenstern

2. The Woman In Black by Susan Hill

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3. The Language Of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
4. The Particular Sadness Of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

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I've been walking past The Night Circus for weeks now and every time I do I pick it up but then put it back down again. I eventually caved though and realised I just had to let by curiosity takes its course. I've heard great things about it! I also picked up The Woman In Black this week; mainly becasue of the upcoming Daniel Radcliffe film based on the book which looks awesome and creepy. I've also decided that this is the book I'm going to read for Halloween this year. The Language of Flowers and The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake are books I've been drawn to for weeks as well and I finally picked them up. Not only that but one of my favourite youtubers (CuriosityRocks) gave great reviews on them :) What di you get this week?

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously coloured - fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green - and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

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Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

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I loved Graceling and I'm so thrilled that Fire was even better!

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Fire is the only remaining half-human, half-monster left in the Dells. Her immense beauty and mind powers are what set her apart in a world where the people are suspicious and terrified of her but can't help being drawn to her. But unlike the monsters in this dangerous world, Fire is adamant that her powers will not be used for harm or deceitfulness in the same way her father used them.

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I loved that we are still linked to the world of Graceling in Fire, with the Dells in the same world as the Seven Kingdoms. The people of The Seven Kingdoms are completely unaware that there is another Kingdom not that far away that is full of deadly monsters in the same way the Dells are unaware that there is a place where there are people with different coloured eyes that possess extraordinary powers and are known as Gracelings. Both are deadly and fraught with dangers and risks but at the heart is the same drive for freedom and independence that our heroines strive for.

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Fire is an extraordinary character. She only uses her powers for her own survival. She evokes this sense of respect and admiration for her. All she wants is a simple life; learning and playing music and hunting with her best friend Archer but she has to constantly be on the alert and keep her dazzling hair under wraps for fear she will be recognized and attacked by other monsters or even obsessed and jealous people. She never acts like she is more deserving or better than anyone else and realises that the emotions and feelings of everybody else are as valid as her own. So not only is she starkly powerful, she is also a very human heroine.

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Another character that I loved was Brigan. He has this roguish charm about him that makes him instantly attractive. He is brave and courageous in the face of an impending war in The Seven Kingdoms and has the same values as Fire. The romance between Fire and Brigan is touching and passionate without being over the top and all absorbing. At first Brigan judges Fire before he has a chance to get to know her because of his previous encounters with her father, Cansrel, and he has a preconceived stereotype of all monsters and as a result is unwilling to show Fire any kindness at first. However, he slowly allows his guard and mental wall to crumble when he understands that Fire isn't like her father and doesn't want to harm anyone.

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What amazed me though was how Kristin Cashore made Archer a likable character. He thinks way too much of himself and he's also a complete rake and yet he has this vulnerability about him that makes you want to comfort him, especially when he realises that he will never get the one and only thing he truly cares about. Cashore's ability to create utterly believable and likable characters is astounding. You really care what happens to them. She is also able to create totally evil characters. This comes in the form of the disturbing and malicious Leck who we were introduced to in Graceling. This time you find out about his early years and he once again plays an integral part in the story.

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I couldn't recommend Fire highly enough. With an intricate plot, fantastic world building with a complex political structure and history, and beautiful and vivid descriptions it makes for a very addictive and satisfying read. I can't wait for the next companion novel called Bitterblue!

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Random Passage: "There is nothing unnatural in this world," he said. "An unnatural thing is a thing that could never happen in nature. I happened. I am natural and the things I want are natural. The power of your mind, and your beauty, even when you've been drugged in the bottom of a boat for two weeks, covered in grime with your face purple and green - your unnatural beauty is natural. Nature is horrifying."

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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I got two books this week:

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1. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins

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I'm so excited for these books! I loved Anna and the French Kiss and I've been waiting all year for the release of Lola and the Boy Next Door and I'm so happy I've got a chance to read it now. Only problem is, I'm now anticipating Isla and the Happily Ever After. Never satisfied! Also, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is another hotly anticipated book that has been hyped to the heavens and I'm so excited to read it and only hope it's as good as everybody says it is :-)

Top Ten Tuesdays

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks list is:

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Top Ten Books I wish I could read again for the first time

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1.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling - I'm guessing this one is present on almost every list this week. My favourite Harry Potter is Goblet of Fire but I would still without a doubt would love to read Deathly Hallows for the first time again. It brings the whole series together and finally answered the ultimate question of who would win, Harry or Voldemort?

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2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - The ending to this one was completely unexpected and a total shocker. Not once did I ever guess the final revelation and I would love to be left amazed and speechless again after such an amazing ending.

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3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - My favourite of all of Austen's work. To read the romance and growing tensions between Elizabeth and Darcy for the first time would be awesome.

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4. The High Lord by Trudi Canavan - The third and final installment in Canavan's Black Magician trilogy was the best in my opinion. We finally get to see what happens to Sonea!

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5. Paper Towns by John Green - This was the first John Green novel I read and it's still my favourite. I loved Margo's character and the exploration of her state of mind about the society she lives in.

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6. Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier - A fantastic atmospheric story that reminded me of Jane Eyre but is amazing in its own right. I actually got this book from the real Jamaica Inn in Cornwall :) (Although sadly it is more of a tourist trap now).

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7. Northern Lights by Philip Pullman - This is the first in the His Darkest Materials trilogy. We are introduced to Lyra and her wonderful daemon Pantalaimon and the magical and dangerous world they live in.

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8. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - My favourite of The Vampire Academy series. The chemistry between Rose and Dimitri is sizzling. The story ends on a massive cliffhanger that leaves you gasping at what just happened.

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9. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - An epic and sweeping story. Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler are fascinating characters and the chemistry between them is so frustrating but equally special.

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10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I think this one might be a given on most lists as well. The completely captivating and action packed start to the trilogy only left me wanting more. It was nothing like I'd ever read before.

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This is the first time I've took part in this meme and I really enjoyed it! It has brought back so many memories from the books I have read and loved. I can't wait to re-read them all now!