In My Mailbox – Weekend Edition #2 March 6, 2011

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It originated in November 2008 as a way to share with other readers and bloggers what books were received, bought, won, etc each week and has evolved ever since. It still informs readers each Sunday of the books Kristi obtained over the course of the week only now the books are creatively shared via her web vlog.

To learn more details about IMM, its history and how to participate, please visit Kristi at The Story Siren:

http://www.thestorysiren.com/p/in-my-mailbox.html

For my weekly version of In My Mailbox, I’ve decided to do a recap of all the books that have come into my home and my hands – some via snail Mail, the Internet, Book Store, Library, Raffles, Giveaways, Authors and Publishing Houses. I read paperback books; borrow hardcover novels; scroll through e-books with my ereader, The Novel, and I listen to audio books. As you can imagine, I might not get to all the books that come into my possession each week, so be on the lookout for their reviews on my blog and if there is one (or two) in particular that you want to learn more about, read a review or find where you can obtain your own copy, please contact me at cgraceh at gmail dot com and I will do my best to respond to your request in a timely fashion.

This was another big week book-wise (I guess this meme is opening my eyes to how many nooks I actually buy or maybe I’m buying more books so that I will have some great reads to feature…yeah that’s it…wink wink!) I had to go to Borders again after Friday’s announcement that their bankruptcy book blowout increased from 20 to 25% of all books in the store; I went to a library sale close to my work; I received a book in the mail from Paper Back Swap; I received a book in the mail from Canada that I won from chick lit blog, Novel Escapes; I used one of my free credits on Amazon’s audio book web site, Audible to download a paranormal chick lit debut and last but certainly NOT least, I was approached by a fabulous chick lit author to read her latest release and received it as an e-book.

Lip Gloss and Literature presents….the books in my mailbox this week:

Two Borders Bargains...I almost bought this hardcover novel last time I visited Borders’ closeout sale. Eyeing the last copy on the shelf, I couldn’t resist adding it to my basket…

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.  As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

For more on Stephanie Perkins and her high-rated 2011 chick lit teen debut visit:

http://www.stephanieperkins.com

And because I can never leave a bookstore without looking at the writing reference section…

The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Novelists by Andrew McAleer

This title focuses on the behaviors necessary to succeed in the dog-eat-dog world of fiction writing by asking successful authors how they practice their craft. Readers will learn how to adopt those habits on their quest to become novelists. The book will inspire, nourish, and provide the needed kick in the pants to turn the wannabes into doers! The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Novelists is full of "aha" experiences as the reader uncovers the collected wisdom from the cream of today's fiction writers.

What better way to pass a half hour’s time than to head to the local library and check out what new books they’ve added to their basement sale? For a whopping $3.00 I brought home…

Fourplay by Jane Moore

Jo Miles has a nice London home, a lawyer husband, two lovely children, and a thriving part-time career as an interior decorator. In the world of contemporary women's fiction, she's clearly due for some kind of disaster. In Fourplay, disaster comes as divorce. Jo's husband leaves her for a creature Jo comes to refer to as "the Cliché," a 23-year-old blond secretary. After hubby's departure, Fourplay becomes an extended bout of frog-kissing as Jo, clearly much too saucy and adorable for a lifetime of singleness, entertains four different suitors. Sean is an irresistible cameraman, about whose sexual proclivities we hear far too much; Martin is a millionaire record exec; Conor is a steadfast old friend; and Jeff, her ex, of course comes crawling back. Throughout, Jo is supported and nurtured by her chubby, hilarious, less adorable best friend Rosie. On the whole, the book is ridden with clichés, but here's the funny thing: those very stereotypes make Fourplay a pleasant--even a compulsive--read. We know all will be right for Jo; we know Rosie will never let her down, yet never be prettier than her, either; we know true love will descend on all like a wet, inevitable London fog.

I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson

Delightfully smart and heartbreakingly poignant, Allison Pearson’s smash debut novel has exploded onto bestseller lists as “The national anthem for working mothers.” Hedge-fund manager, wife, and mother of two, Kate Reddy manages to juggle nine currencies in five time zones and keep in step with the Teletubbies. But when she finds herself awake at 1:37 a.m. in a panic over the need to produce a homemade pie for her daughter’s school, she has to admit her life has become unrecognizable. With panache, wisdom, and uproarious wit, I Don’t Know How She Does It brilliantly dramatizes the dilemma of every working mom.

I can’t tell you my excitement when I opened an email to receive the message “Your wish has been granted” from Paperbackswap, indicating that a debut release from one Disney-fame teen celeb, was being sent to me and it arrived this week!

Elixir by Hilary Duff

Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. The daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington DC politician, she has grown to be a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world. But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, Clea’s photos begin to feature eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful man—a man she has never seen before.
When fate brings Clea and this man together, she is stunned by the immediate and powerful connection she feels with him. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance, and they discover the centuries old truth behind their intense bond. Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fates, together they race against time to unravel their pasts in order to save their lives—and their futures.

Another great surprise and 2010 debut – a recent win from fellow chick lit aficionados’ blog, Novel Escapes arrived in the “post”…

Single in the City by Michele Gorman

What happens when you take one 26 year old American, add to one 2,000 year old city, add a big dose of culture clash and stir?
Hannah Cumming and the population of London are about to find out.
How is Hannah to know that there's a special technique to crossing the street or riding a bus, or that words like tomato will elicit snide elocution lessons from the locals? Hannah lands alone in London only to find that she is totally ill-equipped to live there. Not that a complete lack of forethought has ever stopped her before. She charges headlong into London life, perplexing its residents with continual faux pas and cultural misunderstandings in her pursuit of a new life, new love and sense of herself.

For my listening pleasure and maybe a good scare (if I’m lucky), I downloaded another debut I’ve been eagerly anticipating after seeing ad upon ad all in various hot spots…

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) by Darynda Jones

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

Finally, one of the highlights of my weekend came, again, in the form of a surprise email Friday night (what would I do without modern technology? Really??) requesting my review of an author’s latest novel in the chick lit genre from the author herself!...

How I Learned to Love the Walrus by Beth Orsoff

In an age of cynicism, is it possible to become an idealist?
When Los Angeles publicist Sydney Green convinces her boss to let her produce a documentary for the Save the Walrus Foundation, the only one Sydney Green is interested in saving is herself. The walruses are merely a means to improving her career and her love life, and not necessarily in that order. Sydney would’ve killed the project the second she learned she’d be the one having to spend a month in rural Alaska if it had been for any other client. But for rising star and sometimes boyfriend Blake McKinley, no sacrifice is ever too great.
But a funny thing happens on the way to the Arctic. A gregarious walrus pup, a cantankerous scientist, an Australian sex goddess, a Star Wars obsessed six-year-old, and friends and nemeses both past and present rock Sydney Green’s well-ordered world. Soon Sydney is forced to choose between doing what’s easy and doing what’s right.

And that wraps up all the shopping, winning, receiving, and mailing book extravaganza for the week at Lip Gloss and Literature…what’s in your mailbox???

Tackle it Tuesday - Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad

Sugar and Spice (L.A. Candy #3) by Lauren Conrad

I read the first two books in the L.A. Candy series almost immediately upon their release, in 2009 and 2010. Actually, to be more accurate, I listened to both L.A. Candy and Sweet Little Lies and they went by really fast. When the third and final installment came out, I was only able to obtain an e-book copy via my local library’s media site, Overdrive. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to reading it and was really into it, the lending copy I had borrowed expired out of my Digital Library and I was stuck…back on the waiting list for the next copy…after approx. two weeks and another book I finished along the way…I was finally able to download the e-book, Sugar and Spice.  I was elated to find out that the application on my phone that I used to read Sugar and Spice had actually held my spot in the e-book during the entire waiting period when I had no access to it. (God, I love modern technology!)

Needless to say, Sugar and Spice (LA Candy Series #3) by Lauren Conrad makes for the perfect pick for my first Tackle it Tuesday. Tackle it Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Tasha at Book Obsessed at http://book-obsessed.blogspot.com/. Tackle It Tuesday is a play off of a similar meme of the same name hosted by Janice and Susan at 5 Minutes for Mom.

At the Book Obsessed version of the meme, the idea is to "tackle" books that have been sitting on your shelves collecting dust waiting to be read. Or to "tackle" those you’ve started, but yet to finish because life has gotten in the way. It’s also a way to help encourage Blogger interaction, which is always a plus.

For more, great Daily Meme ideas visit:

http://thedailymeme.com/

This was the first of the L.A. Candy series books that I did not listen to but I still liked it just about the same. In fact, it was a close tie between the first one, L.A. Candy and this last book, Sugar and Spice, as far as which one I liked best. I have a feeling that reading it might have been just the thing to push it over the edge towards being the more favorable of the two – after looking back on the series. As much as I love reality TV queen, Lauren Conrad, I did not find her audio narration of Book 1, L.A. Candy to be one of the Young Adult series. By book 2, I assume LC had proven her right as an “author” and a more established narrator, Cassandra Campbell, took over as the voice of the series, creating a more varied and articulated drama. So in Book 3, Sugar and Spice, I had to use my own imagination to infer the conversations and interactions as they occurred, which, to me, usually makes for a very vivid and satisfying story in its own right, allowing the voices of characters to be open and

Overall, I was really happy with the way the three-part story wrapped up. It didn't seem to end too abruptly nor did it tie up every loose end, allowing the transition and flow of events to seem natural and purposeful. In Sugar and Spice, readers arrive back where we left off on the set of L.A. Candy and in this final season, Jane and Scarlett seem to take on opposite roles as far as their perspectives on the L.A. Candy reality show and their relationships with its producer, Trevor, go. Scarlett has made an agreement with Trevor to become more complacent with the expectations of the show, no matter how incredulous, exaggerated or at times, just blatantly, untrue. In contrast, Jane, who was historically the more agreeable of the two L.A. Candy pop stars, becomes the renegade of the show after stumbling upon a notebook belonging to Trevor. The notebook reveals all his "plans" for their upcoming shows, a devious and twisted play-by-play of all the maneuvers and tactics Trevor intends to use to pit the L.A. Candy stars against one another to increase viewer ratings. The more Jane reads the notebook, the more she vows not to allow herself to be a pawn in Trevor's sick game of her life. She tries to stay one step ahead of him at every scene but as always, the nastiest of Trevor’s tricks are only present in his mind, and even Jane, who has the "other team's playbook" can't prevent or even foresee everything that is about to happen on the set and in her life.

Like the other L.A. Candy novels, Sugar and Spice “spices” things up by throwing in a few added characters to its cast of regulars, this time in the form of Madison Parker's baby sister. Sophie Parker quickly reveals that she’s a girl who knows exactly what she wants and will stop at nothing and for nobody to make sure she gets it. Jane and the other girls are taken aback by this super-mini-me version of Madison and soon realize she might not be who they think she is.

          This final novel in Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy series proves once and for all that reality TV is full of all the drama, excitement and rehearsal that we expect of it now. Her series makes readers wonder how much of LC's life actually paralleled that of which we saw on TV and it may open the eyes of some fans to the reality of reality TV. This was a quick, yet enjoyable read. I’d recommend to any fan of Lauren Conrad, MTV’s reality TV series and teen/young adult lit. Bring this book to the beach!

 3 STARS

Teaser Tuesday - Privilege (Privilege Series #1) by Kate Brian

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“I like gray. I feel gray,” Ariana told her, staring straight ahead as they walked.

Privilege (Privilege Series #1) by Kate Brian; Unabridged audio book edition, Narrated by Justine Eyre; (Beginning of the book – sorry no page number available)

            I am excited to share with everyone my first Teaser Tuesday (TT), hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading,  and picked out this dark and fitting quote from Chick Lit Teen novel and audio book, Privilege by Kate Brian.

In Privilege, Ariana Osgood has been sentenced to 20 years to life for the brutal killing of a male classmate but she is determined to get out. Used to the ritz and glamour of a much more posh society than that of a criminal’s, Ariana is determined not to live the rest of her days behind the bars of the Brenda T Trumbull penitentiary for women, especially over what she considers to be “one little mistake”. She has been plotting and planning her escape since her first day in her cell and dreaming with her cell mate, Kaitlynn about what they would do together if they ever got out. Run the streets of Paris? Italy? New York? California? Ariana will stop at nothing to see the light of day again; will she ever get out?

            I’m only about 2 hours into this 6 and a half hour audio book, and I’m already hooked! I can’t wait to find out what Ariana might say or do next. Great main character with a strong lead and a sweet Southern accent to fool everyone who gets in her path….well, almost everyone….

            Check back for my review on Goodreads and here, on my blog, once I complete the audio book in its entirety.

For more great teasers, check out Should Be Reading's linky for all the daily quotes.