In My Mailbox (1)

I've seen In My Mailbox around for quite some time and never seemed to get organized enough to do it.  This week, I'm admitting that organization isn't for everyone and I'm going to do this anyway.

So, for those unfamiliar with IMM, this is a weekly meme started by The Story Siren to showcase what books you've received.  You can do this on whatever time table you like - Weekly, Monthly, Daily, Bi-Weekly... whatever floats your boat.  Because there are a lot of book bloggers (myself included) that get a lot of great books that we don't always have time to read.  It's a way to let the world know that these great books are out there and that we want to read them... eventually.  For more information about IMM, click on the picture above to be taken to The Story Siren's page.

Now, on for the good parts... the books!

Received in the Mail - Contest Books

All of the above books were received in the Goodreads.com First Reads program.

Received in the mail for review

This is the first time I've ever been solicited to review a book, and I'm pretty excited about it!  I haven't had a chance to pick it up and read it yet (I'm trying to get some library books out the door before they go back unread), but expect it soon.

Received Contributor Copy

I'm listed on Goodreads.com as an author!  Or I will be, once my application to connect the Amber DiTullio on this book with my Goodreads profile.  It hadn't really hit me until I saw my name listed under authors.  Can I stop for a *squee*?

This book is independently published and contains essays written by members of the LJ Idol Community on Livejournal.  What is LJ Idol?  Part writing contest, part reality show with twists and turns.  It is currently in it's 8th season.  I contributed (under adpaz) but had to bow out early because of real life issues.  The writing is always superb and the entries will make you laugh, cry, think and shake your head.  And probably a lot more.

eBooks purchased from Amazon.com (links are for my Amazon Affiliate Program)

Several of these, as you can probably tell, were books purchased for my kids.  I need to do a lot of reviews and ratings for these!

Books checked out from the Library

We had my eldest's first State Pokemon Tournament yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to browse as much as usual.  These three will (hopefully) help feed my graphics novel need for a few days.

If you've read any of these books before, I'd love to hear what you have to say about them in comments!  With the sheer number of books that I have, it's sometimes difficult to decide where to go next, so recommendations are a plus!

Review: Girl vs Ghost

Girl vs Ghost by Kate McMurry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Isabel Lindley has always followed her best friend, Tripp, whenever Tripp found a new interest. But when Tripp's interest in witchcraft ends up giving Isabel a ghost of her own, she just wants out. But it doesn't look like things are going to be too easy - until she, Tripp and the Ghost Boy can figure out who he is and then help him go to the Light. Or something.

This was a book that I won through the Goodreads First Reads giveaways and, thus far, it has become my favorite read of the almost 30 books I've received. (Ok, so it's only the third one that I've read, but I really enjoyed it.) The authors are able to mix just the right amount of humor, paranormal and teenaged-reality into the book that it had me not wanting to close the covers until I'd finished it.

Each of the four main characters (Isabel, Tripp, Marc - the "ghost boy" and Parker, Tripp's nemesis) are people I could easily imagine having been in my high school. They are a bit on the stereo-typical side - the weird girl with the wild hair, the serious, driven geek, the haughty rich boy and the gorgeous latino boy. But they characters seemed to work well together and made me anxious to read more. I could also have seen myself being friends with a couple of girls like Isabel and Tripp when I was in school.

I loved the sniping between Marc and Isabel throughout, with them only realizing at the end that maybe they don't want to be separated from one another. And then wondering if it was too late.

The story kept a good pace through-out, none of it seeming to drag anywhere. The authors brought the reader along, teasing out bits and pieces of what happened to Marc and why and, in the end, slammed them with something they probably hadn't seen coming (at least, I didn't). I'll admit that I was having flashbacks to the Charmed episode, "Dead Man Dating", thinking that Isabel was going to fall in love with a ghost that would have to leave her. Instead, I was very satisfied to read the ending.

The paranormal portions weren't too spooky, though the things on the backs of the students at the school were a bit freaky (basically, ghosts that hadn't crossed over but instead stayed and became bitter, bringing out the worst in the people they latch on to). I'm far from an expert in witchcraft (much of what I know is media based) but things seemed plausible. And the reason for Parker and Tripp's spellings messing each other up seemed like a wonderful way to draw everyone into this sticky wicket.

The authors included the first chapter of the next book, Witch vs Wizard in the back of this one, and it's got me jonsing for the next one to come out. It will be out at some point this year, though I'm not sure when. This is one that, if I can't manage to get a copy through winning it, I will definitely buy. Because I can't wait to see what happens with these four next.



View all my reviews

Review: Level Up

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Do you follow your dream or your family's? That is the question that Dennis Ouyang is asking himself as he debates his future. His father had wanted him to be a doctor - specifically, a gastroenterologist. But Dennis has a love, and a talent, for video games. At a major crossroads in his life, four angels come into his life to guide him along the straight and narrow. Sometimes sweet, sometimes terrifying, they want to make sure that Dennis fulfills his destiny.

This is not Gene Luen Yang and Thien Pham's first graphic novel. They gained critical acclaim with their previous graphic novel, American Born Chinese (which is on my TBR list). But it is definitely a fantastic look at balancing the desires of our families with the desires of ourselves.

I'll admit that this gave me a glimpse into a life that is incredibly foreign to me. My parents had always wanted me to do what made me happy, and I've found myself doing the same with my boys. So to have a parent basically mapping out the future of their child seems wrong. It always had. But reading through this, seeing the bits of the why's behind the push by Dennis' father for his son to be a doctor. This book was more than just entertainment for me. It was also an enlightening book.

The artwork is much cruder than anything I find within the pages of a DC comic, but it fit well with the story of a kid obsessed with video games. For all that the black line artwork isn't masterful, it tells the story that it needs to. It made the story feel more like a boy telling his story rather than a piece of fiction. And I liked that.

The story itself was a wonderful journey, from the first moment Dennis saw a Pac-Man machine until the last panel where he showed what he can do. My heart broke when Dennis gave away his gaming systems. I wanted to smack him up along side the head when he was clueless. And the angels... they scared me pretty bad sometimes as well.

This is definitely one of the best non-super hero graphic novels I've read in a long time. While not a favorite of the level of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, it's still a wonderful read and a must for any geek grappling between what they should do and what they want to do.

*Note: This book was won in the Goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway. I received a copy of this book without requirement of reviewing it, but I'm glad to be able to do so anyway.



View all my reviews

Review: The Case of the Diamond Dog Collar: A First Kids Mystery

The Case of the Diamond Dog Collar: A First Kids Mystery by Martha Freeman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



When First Kids Cammie and Tessa receive a diamond dog collar for the First Dog, Holligan, they know the huge diamonds can't be real? Can they? When one diamond, then the whole collar disappears, the girls think something may be up. Especially when it comes on the heals of the disappearance of a large diamond from the nation that the collar was originally sent from. That's when they put on their detecting hats and search the White House grounds to find out the truth behind Holligan's new collar.

The Case of the Diamond Dog Collar was actually the first book I won through Goodreads' First Reads giveaway program. Since I love books of all shapes and sizes, I was excited to receive it. Originally, I planned on reading it to the boys, but as the holidays got more hectic and Teddy wanted me to start reading The 39 Clues, I decided that it was time to read it on my own.

I wish I hadn't let so much time pass, because I was doing myself a disservice. Being a relatively short chapter book, it was a quick read for me. But it was a read full of humor and surprise. I found the enthusiasm of impulsive fashionista Tessa infectious. I loved the more sensible approach that Cammie had toward the whole thing. Seeing the girls' reaction to their grandmother's budding love affair made me smile. And I loved the fact that it isn't their dad that's the president, but their mom. Seeing the father as the stay-at-home parent (or kind of close to it) was a nice change of pace for most of the kids books that I read.

The characters weren't quite as fleshed out as you would have seen in a more adult book, but it didn't bother me too much. Even without the depth that I expect from the longer novels I read, these characters definitely had some depth, character and personality. There are some of the adults that get short-shrift (the girls' parents, their Aunt Jen) but since the story centers around the girls, their dog and their cousin, Nick, they were the ones that should have had more weight to them.

The character that stole the book, though, was Hooligan. I love reading about animals that are big, fun, play-piles. And that's what Hooligan is. He's got a bunch of enthusiasm and love and is the kind of dog I'd love to see running around the White House lawns.

I also enjoyed the inside look at the Private White House. I don't know for certain if that is how life is in the White House, but it's something that I could easily imagine it being. The map that Ms Freeman included at the back of the book, detailing the White House grounds, and the afterword that she included talking about the White House, was a nice bit of educational inclusion that I love to find in books to share with my kids.

All in all, the flaws I found in this book were minor and it's a book that I look forward to sharing with my boys as they get older.



View all my reviews

Review: People Who Don't Know Me Think I'm Somebody

People Who Don't Know Me Think I'm Somebody by Mike Parish

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



People Who Don't Know Me Think I'm Somebody is another win from GoodReads First reads. By the title, I wasn't sure what to expect of it - depression poetry? Existentialism? Randomness? Well, it was a bit closer to the last.

But what it wasn't, at least by my definition, was poetry. Instead, it seemed more like random thoughts, posts to Twitter or Facebook, brief glimpses into the mind of the reader. As I read the thoughts written, I had the feeling that I was reading the thoughts of teenager, dealing with the crap that becoming an adult throws at him every day.

While it hit far of the mark of what I was expecting, it was an interesting read for what it was. I like to look into the thoughts of others and these brief, sentence or two bits, gave me a nice view into Parish's head at the time he wrote them. It had very much a sense of immediacy, as some of the portions talked about his desire to publish these bits of "poetry".

I also must applaud Mr Parish for the way he sent this. Like a few other reviewers have commented, he used the booklet (white paper, saddle-stitched) itself as the envelope. My address was written clearly on the back and the pages were held closed with a clear sticker. While some may have received theirs damaged because of this, mine came in pristine condition.

In closing, I'd say that if you were looking for poetry, look for something else. But if you like to glance into the mind of someone else in small bites at a time, check it out.



View all my reviews

Review: for she, who kept the other alphabet

for she, who kept the other alphabet by Pablo D'Stair

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The title of this folio is what caught my attention. I'd never heard of the author or of his poetry, but this title was intriguing. So I entered to win a copy and did, here on GoodReads.

I received the folio yesterday. As advertised, it was a small booklet with each stanza of the poem on a new page. The paper it was printed on was a darker cream and the overall booklet was very stark.

The poetry itself is free verse and very meta. It's not one that I "got" on a first read through, but one that I suspect will take on more meaning the more I read it. It's one, I think, that needs to be chewed over slowly rather than taken in a large bite and gobbled down whole.

I hope to give it a more thorough review in a week or so when I read it again with fresh eyes.



View all my reviews

Review: Little Shoes

Little Shoes by Amy Sansome

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Two shoes, Finn and Maya, live inside a dark box at a shoe store. Their whole world is that box until one day, a little girl comes and opens the lid. Then they find a whole new world outside, with different sensations and different experiences. Oh, how their lives will change.

Little Shoes was another book that I picked up for free on Kindle. As much as my Kindle is mineallmine, I do want to share some books with my boys on it. So I went looking for freebies. And this was the first one I came across.

It wasn't the best children's book I've read to my boys, nor was it the worst. But it's one that I don't think my boys are going to be asking for more regularly. It doesn't seem to flow as well as many of the other books do, and some of the images that it brought to my mind, at least, were disturbing (the feeling of someone's foot sliding into Finn... shudder). I was also slightly annoyed at the author for having it be natural for Maya to recognize a mirror and then preen in it, all because she was a little girl.

Still, it did have a few redeeming qualities. It was a good look at change in your environment and trying to figure out the answers (though I'm still not sure how the shoes came up with some of the answers they did). I did enjoy the last line as well - "And Finn added, "Yes, and it's our new home." - because it feels... comfortable, I guess. The thought of a new home for anyone is just a warm-fuzzy.

The artwork was cute, with very big eyes and round faces. The colors are bright and vibrant. In eBook format, though, it doesn't seem to mesh too well. There will be a page or two of text, then a single page of a picture. It wasn't bad, but sometimes it threw off the rhythm of the story. Still, they were enjoyable to look at.

As I said above, it's not a bad book, but it's not phenomenal either. At free, I'd suggest checking it out yourself and see what you think.



View all my reviews

Review: Dragonsaurus

Dragonsaurus by Sharlene Alexander

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



When a little egg rolls down from the mountain, an unusual creature emerges at the bottom. Is it a fish, like the first creature he sees? Or a snake like the second? The problems the creature has moving like either points toward no. But when an eagle flies by and tells the creature to follow him, it is only then that she finds where she belongs.

I picked this up as an eBook freebie through my Kindle, thinking to have something new to read to my kids. Pete is dinosaur crazy, so reading anything involving dinosaurs would be a big hit. But I didn't know just how much I would enjoy the story.

Yes, I had to suspend my disbelief a little to think that a dragon and a T-Rex would mate, but if I can believe in a T-Rex living with a family of pteronadons (Dinosaur Train), then pairing a dragon and a dinosaur wasn't too much of a stretch.

Peter stayed engrossed through every sentence, curious about this little creature and what it would be. He pointed out various things he saw in the pictures with excitement. And, even better, when we were finished, he wanted to hear it again.

Being a children's book, it is an incredibly quick read. And while I would have liked to have seen some parts of it go into a little more depth (such as the creature following a few more animals in it's search for who it was), I could understand that being a side-point to the story rather than the main part.

The illustrations were nicely done - not too childish, yet not too elaborate for young minds and attention spans either. It's also not an illustration heavy book, so each one has the job of telling a bit more, and it does that beautifully.

There is also an important lesson in here - whether the writer intended it or not. You are who you are, and that is very special. Your parents don't have to be the same (in the "real" world, they don't both have to be the same race, the same religion or - dare I say it - the same sex) to love you and think you're special. And if you try to be someone that you aren't, something will always get in the way of making it feel "right".

If you have little ones that love dinosaurs or dragons, I highly recommend picking this one up and reading it to them. Because I think it's a story they'll enjoy.



View all my reviews

Won books

I love Goodreads, not just because it's a great place to meet like minded book-fiends, but also because they host a LOT of giveaways.  Because I have such a varied tastes in books, I find myself entering just about every giveaway they host. And I've been pretty lucky when it comes to winning things.  (Well, about a 2% return rate, but considering the number of people that request these various books, that's not a bad ratio.)  I'm dedicating 2012 to reading the books that I've won through Goodreads and other locations.

I'm not sure yet which books I'm going to start with, but here's the full list... all 25 of them.

Won from The Book Vixen


 (received)

Won from Cami's Books




   (received)

Won from Goodreads.com



 (received)






 (received - comes out January 24, 2012)



 (received)



 (received)



 (received - comes out January 10, 2012)



 (received)



 (received - comes out January 10, 2012)



 (received)



 (received)



 (received)



 (received)



 (received)







 (comes out January 24, 2012)







 (comes out January 10, 2012)


for she, who kept the other alphabet by Pablo D'Stair (part of a folio series that is only given away, not sold.





 (released January 3, 2012)







People Who Don't Know Me Think I'm Somebody by Mike Parish (a book of poetry initially released as digital media)


So there's quite a bit of reading in my future... not counting any other books I may win.  I can't wait.