Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers
His Fair Assassin #1

At the age of seventeen, Ismae has already had a rough life. Her mother tried to abort her and Ismae was left with a scar that runs from her left shoulder to her right hip. - Her father had given her to an arranged marriage to a pig farmer. He is abusive.

Ismae is saved by a priest who takes her to a convent, St. Mortain. Ismae discovers that she is the daughter of Mortain, the god of Death.
At the convent, she is trained as one of his handmaidens.

In order to protect Brittany from war, Ismae is taken to the high courts by Gavriel Duval. There, she pretends to be his mistress to learn about the treason.

Release Date: April 3
                                                          ARC Received from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Spell Bound - Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound - Rachel Hawkins
Hex Hall #3

Sophie's powers are gone. They were taken by the Prodigium Council. She's landed at the Brannick Compound where she first believes she's in danger. Soon, she discovers that the Brannicks are family. Her mother is Brannick.

Sophie knows the battle between those with powers is no where near over.

She and her other classmates are mysteriously sucked back to Hex Hall against their will. There they are going to be trained for the use of their powers.

Chopsticks - Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral

Chopsticks - Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral

Told in scrapbook, IMs, YouTube videos.

Gloria "Glory" Fleming has disappeared. She is missing from the rest home where she was being treated for exhaustion.

Glory was the hailed as "the Brecht of the Piano" before her father took her on a tour through Europe. She became tired. She'd slip and play Chopsticks in the middle of a performance.

Most of all, she missed Frank, her boyfriend. Frank was living a completely different life without Glory. His grades suffered. he gets in fights and is eventually kicked out of school.

Opposites attract.

Rivals - Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur

Rivals - Lauren Kunze & Rina Onur

Callie Andrews, her roommates, friends, acquaintance, boyfriends, etc are now in their 2nd semester at Harvard. Things aren't much better.

Callie must find compromise between time with her friends, work, society demands with the Hasty Pudding club, Clint - the perfect boyfriend, Gregory - the possibly could have been perfect boyfriend, and classes.

That's a lot for a young freshman.


This is book #3 in The Ivy series.
Book #4 (Scandal) - Release date: December 18




This series is my guilty pleasure. As a middle school librarian, I read 100% YA Lit. What I buy usually goes into my school library. This series does not. It's about college age students and a bit too mature for my readers.

Purity - Jackson Pearce

Purity  - Jackson Pearce

"A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order. "

While on her death bed, Shelby's mother made her promise things:
   1. to listen to her father.
   2. love as much as possible
   3. live without restraint

Fast forward into Shelby's high school years. She lives by the promises she made. Sometimes, what her father doesn't know is for the best.

Shelby's father decides to join the planning committee for the annual Princess Ball. During the Ball, fathers vow to help their daughters live a pure life. Daughters vow to live a pure life. No drinking. No drugs. No bad behavior. No sex.

This throws a wrench in Shelby's promises to her mother. Is it possible to keep her promises and make the vow?

Shelby decides that she must lose her virginity before the vows. In her mind, this is the only way to keep both.



ARC received from Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 24, 2012

In My Mailbox - Week of March 19

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Check out the post to see what others received in their mailbox. 

Received from Publishers

  

Purity (ARC)- Jackson Pearce

It's Our Prom (So Deal With It) (ARC) - Julie Anne Peters

 

Wonder Show(ARC) - Hannah Barnaby

Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls (ARC) - Mary Downing Hahn

 

Chronal Engine (ARC) - Greg Leitich Smith

Island of Thieves (ARC)- Josh Lacey

 

Grave Mercy (ARC)- Robin LaFevers

Will Work fro Prom Dress - Aimee Ferris

Purchased

 

The Savage Grace - Bree Despain

Seeing Cinderella  - Jenny Lundquist

  

Spell Bound  - Rachel Hawkins

The Watch That Ends the Night - Allan Wolf

Rivals  - Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

A Breath of Eyre - Eve Marie Mont

A Breath of Eyre - Eve Marie Mont

Emma Townsend is writing a paper on her favorite book, Jane Eyre, when she is struck by lightning. While she's in a coma, she is transported into the world of Jane Eyre. She's Jane and the people in her life are now the characters in the book.

Emma must choose between the world of Jane Eyre and her world.

ARC received from publisher.
Release date: March 27, 2012

May B - Caroline Starr Rose

May B  - Caroline Starr Rose

May has just been sent to live 15 miles away from her family to help out the neighbors. Pa says it's just until Christmas.

May doesn't question it, but would certainly rather be at home. The family that she has been sent to live with is anything but welcoming. The woman of the house eventually leaves and her husband goes after her. Four days pass and May realizes that they are not coming back.

It's winter. The roof leeks. There's a blizzard. May is determined to find her way home.

Curveball - Jordan Sonnenblick

Curveball (The Year I Lost My Grip) - Jordan Sonnenblick

Peter Friedman knew the minute he threw the last pitch in the game that it would be his last. The pain was too much to bare.

Peter is left to figure out how to spend his time now that baseball is no longer an option. One day while out taking pictures of eagles, his grandfather gives him thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment.
Peters problem is solved.

While taking a photography class in school, Peter discovers his talent as a sports photographer...and the girl flirting with him.

Unfortunately, Peter's grandfather has issues of his own.

Fever - Lauren DeStefano

Fever - Lauren DeStefano
Book #2 - The Chemical Garden Trilogy

Rhine and Gabriel are on the run. She is determined to find her brother Rowan.

Their first stop lands them in a carnival of sorts. The madam ringmaster keeps her harem of girls to entertain gentlemen callers. She even finds a way to get Rhine and Gabriel to entertain.

Once away from the carnival, they do find their way to Manhattan. Only to discover that her father-in-law, Vaughn, is hot on their trail.

In My Mailbox - Week of March 4

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that is hosted by The Story Siren.Check out the post to see what others received this week.

  

The Catastrophic History of You and Me -  Jess Rothenberg

Double - Jenny Valentine

    

Fever - Lauren DeStefano

Radiate - Marley Gibson

Hidden - Helen Frost

Hidden - Helen Frost

At a young age, Wren was abducted. She was left in the car while her mother went in to pay for gas and buy a soda. West took the car not knowing that Wren was in it.

Wren spent two days in the Monson's garage. Darra, West's daughter knew Wren had to be somewhere inside, but never found Wren before she disappeared.

Years later, when the girls are fourteen they both attend the same camp. They recognize each others names.

Can they come to terms with how the past changed their lives forever?

Flyaway - Helen Landalf

Flyaway - Helen Landalf

Stevie Calhoun has been left home alone again. Her mother hasn't been back for days. This is nothing new, and nothing to worry about for Stevie, until her Aunt Mindy gets involved.

Mindy swoops in and forces Stevie to move in with her. Stevie has to adjust to her perfect aunts ways.

Along the way, Stevie discovers some secrets about her mother that she finds shocking. She comes to care for abandoned birds and a guy named Alan.

My Big Mouth - Peter Hannan

My Big Mouth (10 Songs I Wrote that Almost Got Me Killed) - Peter Hannan

Davis Delaware is the new kid in school. No, he's not from Delaware.

Immediately, Davis knows who the campus bully is and makes note to stay invisible. Unfortunately, Davis' existence is made known when he accidentally hits Gerald "the Butcher" Boggs in the face with a dodge ball.  Also unfortunate is that Davis has a crush on Molly. Molly likes to suck face with Gerald.

Davis, Molly, and Edwin start a band called The Amazing Dweebs and are on top of the school social ladder. Davis is king of the school and the Butcher isn't too happy about it.

SPOT Logo

The Spirit of Texas Reading Program has a logo!

Dead to You - Lisa McMann

Dead to You  - Lisa McMann

Ethan was abducted when he was seven. At the age of sixteen, he's being reunited with his family. Everything can go back to normal. Right?

In just the short amount of time that Ethan has been back, he's fallen for Cami, the girl next door. His little sister, "the replacement child," and he have a special bond.

Ethan's brother Blake doesn't believe it's really Ethan. Ethan can't remember anything before the time he willingly got into a strangers van. Blake's studying genetics, and things aren't adding up for Ethan to belong to this family. 

Although the family attends counseling, nothing can prepare them for what happens.

Croak - Gina Damico

Croak - Gina Damico

Lexi Bartleby is sixteen seems to stay in trouble. Most recently, she punched a guy at school. After that, her parents send her off to live with her Uncle Mort in Croak.

Lexi immediately learns that Uncle Mort has an unusual job. He's a grim reaper. Lexi is there to learn the family business.

Lexi and the other juniors notice that there are strange deaths happening. People are dying with without a cause of death. The only thing they have in common is white eyes.

There's a mystery to be solved. The juniors are up for the task, but it doesn't come without a price.

Rock On - Denise Vega

Rock On - Denise Vega

Rock On A Story of Guitars, Gigs, Girls, and a Brother (Not Necessarily in that Order)

High school sophomore, Orion, Ori, Taylor is the lead guitarist/songwriter for a band (to be named at a later date). They are entered into a Battle of the Bands, but must find a bass player before then.

Ori just coming into his own, no longer living in the shadow of his older brother Del.

Enter Del. Back from college because he lost his lacrosse scholarship due to grades. Ori and Del unwillinging enter into a little brotherly competition. Sibling rivalry anyone?

Ori's got to keep it together for the band's sake.

Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood

Cate and her sisters are witches. If the Brotherhood finds out, they will be sent away.

Within six months, Cate must decide what she will do with her life. Will she marry her childhood friend or Finn Barasta or join the Sisterhood?
Before she can make that decision, she must find her mother's diary. It should have all the answers that Cate is looking for.

Answers that lead Cate and her sisters into danger. Could they be the sisters in the prophesy? Are they the ones that can take over the Brotherhood?

Cracked - K.M. Walton

Cracked - K.M. Walton

Victor is living a lonely life. He has no friends. His parents ignore him. His only confidant is his dog. When she dies, Victor feels that he has nothing to live for. A bottle of pills is his answer.

Bull is abused by his grandfather and mother. He takes his anger out on Victor. One night while his drunken grandfather is beating him, Bull takes action with a gun and accidentally shoots himself.

The boys find themselves as roommates in a psych ward. Can they ever find a way to forget the past and move on?

The Gathering Storm - Robin Bridges

The Gathering Storm - Robin Bridges

Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, can raise the dead. This is not something that she wants known to those around her. It's not a gift. Certainly not in 1888 Russia. 


Katerina lives in a time when darkness surrounds Russia. Evil forces and men are returning to power and she's caught up in it. 

Katerina is inexplicably attracted to Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro. He's also been said to be a vampire raising into power on his eighteenth birthday. 


She wants to be a doctor in a time when women aren't allowed to work. She's been raised to be a member of high society. Now, she must choose to embrace her talents and help the royal family or turn her back on them.