In my mailbox (31)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

It is a great way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library.

You may or may not have noticed that I did not post an IMM last week. Although it's sad not to receive any new books it also means that I'm doing awesome at my quest to buy less books. My new motto will be: Less is more! 

That means that I will not buy as many books but perhaps pricier ones, for example hardbacks, that I really really want to have. This week though, I have gotten myself some paperbacks that I really really wanted. I am also a bit OCD'd about my books, so if I've started a series in one format I have to get all of them in that format. So there'll be some paperbacks featured too.

Bought:

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

I totally loved the first novel about the Fuentes brothers (Perfect Chemistry), and though I've heard that this one isn't supposed to be as good I'm still totally psyched to read it.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I've read so many good things about this one and feel like I've waited forever for the paperback with this pretty cover to be released. Totally look forward to it.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this for some time. Not because it didn't seem great, but because its plot reminded me so much of The Hunger Games, and I though perhaps that they'd be too similar. But as time went on and I decided to get it anyway, because the reviews have been so raving.

And some work items...

And as I suspect you know, Christmas is just around the corner so I ordered some German Christmas goodies from buch.de for work. You may not know, but I am a German teacher and so of course I need to spread the Christmas spirit German style. (I actually cheated and had some Stollen last week...)

Weihnachten in Deutschland (Christmas in Germany) - CD

This is a compilation of common German Christmas Carols, obviously a must when creating holiday spirit German style. Myself I really like Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann.

Weihnachten mit Astrid Lindgren 2 (Christmas with Astrid Lindgren) - DVD

Believe me, I am fully aware that Astrid Lindgren is not German. She is Swedish! But what can be more Christmasy than Astrid Lindgren, I mean really? The answer to that is probably nothing! So this DVD contains Christmas and winter clips from "The Children of the Noisy Village" - my favorite - and also from "Life on Seacrow Island" synchronized in German.

Warten auf Weihnachten (Waiting for Christmas) - Book

A collection of short stories or excerpts from longer books all centered around Christmas, obviously also written in German. Also for teaching purposes.

How about you, what did you receive this week?

In my mailbox (30)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

It is a great way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. 

I didn't post any IMM last week because I wasn't at home but at my in-laws' celebrating All Hallows' Eve. And then I didn't get that much to share either. This week is a totally different story. Perhaps not that much in numbers but in content.

Bought:

 

 Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

I doubt these books need any presentation. I finished Anna in just a few short days and of course loved it. Review coming up soon. I am yet to decided whether to jump right into Lola or save it for a rainy day when I know I'll need a pick-me-up. I just like knowing that I have great novels in front of me.

How was your book week?

In my mailbox (29)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

It is a great way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. 

Bought:

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

This cover may look pretty in this picture, but it is soooo much prettier in person. All shiny and nice. I pre-ordered it a long time ago, but was a bit surprised though, when I found it in my mailbox this week. You see, according to The Book Depository (where I ordered it from), it wasn't to be released until November 1,and as far as I can tell it's still October and it most definitely was when it arrived on Wednesday. Oh well, I'm not complaining. Just the tagline from goodreads makes me want to sink my teeth into it: "The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

In my mailbox (28)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

It is a great way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. 

Bought:

Blå dalia (Blue Dahlia) by Nora Roberts

Svart ros (Black Rose) by Nora Roberts

Röd lilja (Red Lily) by Nora Roberts

Before I first read Twilight and discovered the whole YA scene and after I stopped reading children's and middle school books like the twins of Sweet Valley High I mainly read books for adult because there no other types of books to be found in Sweden at the time. Nowadays, YA is superbig here too and many teenagers even read English books. Yay! That was not the case ten years ago though. So technically, me, my mom and my two older sisters read the same books and the same authors. 

One of these authors was Nora Roberts and I can still appreciate her from time to time, especially her "paranormal trilogies", for example I've read the Key  Trilogy and the Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy. I borrowed the first novel in this so-called In the Garden Trilogy (Blue Dahlia) from my mother-in-law a few years ago and liked it. So where there was a three-for-two grab I decided go get the whole Trilogy. Sometimes I just need some Nora Roberts in-between all my YA.

And by the way, aren't the Swedish covers just so much prettier? They almost always are when Nora Roberts in concerned, for some reason.

Did you get something good this week?

In my mailbox (26)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

It is a great way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. 

All links go to Goood reads. 

Bought:

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

The other day I found myself if pursuit of books with some romantic and/or sexual tension, you know the kind that makes your stomach full of butterflies. I've felt that missing from many books I've read lately. The Personal Demons series might be what I'm looking for, according to many reviews I've found. Any thoughts on these books?

In my mailbox (25)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren and is a way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. All links go to Gooodreads. 

Gifted:

Epic fail by Claire LaZebnik

This was sent as a RAK in August by Sara @ Just Another Story and due to some problems with the mail it finally arrived this Friday. Thanks so much Sara! It seems so good! A modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, I can hardly wait to sink my teeth into it. 

Bought:

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles 

This book has gotten many great reviews and it does sound like a great read. What more reasons do you need? 

Soul Thief by Jana Oliver 

I would've preferred to get the UK version (called Forbidden) because it is so much prettier and I am obviously very shallow... but then I had the first book in the US version and shallow me wants the books to match.  

And also bought... 

Criminal Minds Season 3 (5-disc set) 

I am well aware of the fact that Criminal Minds is not a novel but a television series. For someone who says that she's not into crime stories and police work I've found myself totally obsessed with this series during the summer. And I do have an every so slight crush on Dr Spencer Reid. I always did like a nerd! 

What was in your mailboxes? 

In my mailbox (24)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren and is a way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. All links go to Goodreads.

Bought:

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

I've read some great reviews on this paranormal novel and I do love boarding school novels/movies. Maybe because there hardly are any in this part of the world.

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Also one of them pre-ordered books that arrived this week. Around the time that I pre-ordered it, I read loads and loads of raging reviews but lately I have come across a few not so great as well, so I guess I'm just gonna have to see for myself.

How was your week?

In my mailbox (23)

This week my mailbox has been sadly empty - of books that is. Otherwise I have gotten loads of great things. Like my new driver's license with my new name on it, a new credit card with my name on it and my first paycheck (although the money of course goes directly into my bank account) from my new job.

But books - none, zilch, zero, nada. I'm hoping for a better week next time.

In my mailbox (22)

 In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren and is a way for everyone to share their new books with the world: bought, gifted, won, borrowed or from the library. All links go to Goodreads.

Bought:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I only got one book this week, but then again, what a book! Another book that I pre-ordered ages ago but that finally found its way home to me. I realize I might be the last one on earth who hasn't read this book yet, but then I have something to look forward to. *swoon*

In my mailbox (20)

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

Links go to The Book Depository.

Bought:

 Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

 

 The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk

 What was in your mailboxes?

In my mailbox (19)

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

Links go to The Book Depository.

Bought:

 Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen

When I took a course Classic English Literature at the university, as a part of my teaching degree, we read great classics of the English language from Shakespeare's Macbeth and Aphra Behn's Oroonoko to F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and of course Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I absolutely adored P&P, as did most of my female co-students but rather few of the males. I later made the somewhat fatal mistake of lending my copy to a friend, who took the same course about a year later. She then in turn, lent it to a friend of hers and I got it back in an awful state. 

Then I stumbled upon these new releases of a few of Jane's novels (two more coming out soon) and I really like them. The design of the covers is very well-executed and they will no doubt appeal to new young readers, but I feel that perhaps the summaries on the back deludes these said readers as they make the novels into something they're not. One might easily think that dark supernatural forces are at work to keep Lizzie and Mr Darcy apart, judging for the summary. I do hope that new generations will love Jane anyway though. I know I do.

 
 

Misguided Angels by Melissa de la Cruz

I actually got this novel a few weeks ago, but I've forgotten to include it here. I got a Price Drop Alert e-mail from The Book Depository that the price of this had been lowered. To €2.97! (Sadly, the price is already back up, but I managed to the one before that). Although I have not yet read any of the four previous books in the series (they're standing in my bookshelf though), at that price I couldn't resist this one. Some of these days, maybe I should actually read the first installment...

What was in your mailbox?

In my mailbox (18): German edition

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

There will be no links whatsoever this week.

Since I arrived home late yesterday, I did not have the time nor energy to do an IMM, so this week's will be a late one, but nonetheless an In My Mailbox. A German edition, since the honeymoon was spent in Germany, save a few hours in Salzburg, Austria.

Gifted: 

 

Der Mann, der lächelte by Henning Mankell

Die Rückkehr des Tanzlehrers by Henning Mankell

I visited my host family, where I lived for three weeks eight years ago as part of an exchange program, and they were kind enough to give me some crime novels in German. In fact, the author Henning Mankell is Swedish but he's very popular in Germany, as are many Scandinavian crime authors. Even though he is Swedish, I have never read any of his novels but it will be interesting to do so in German.

Bought:

 

In Wahrheit wird viel mehr gelogen by Kerstin Gier

Über den grünen Klee geküsst by Jana Seidel

I don't know what it is with German books for women but they almost always are very pink. German women (or perhaps publishers..?) must really love the color. I have read one novel by Kerstin Gier before and I really like it so why not try another one. I'm not familiar with Jana Seidel, but the story seems sweet enough and neither the plot or the language too complicated.

 

 

 Bayerns Märchenschlösser für Kinder by Sylvia Riedmayer

A bookmark featuring Schloss Neuschwanstein

Ever since I visited Schloss Neuschwanstein (the beautiful castle on the bookmark) in 2003, I've been mildly obsessed with this beautiful and romantic fairytale castle and the man who bought it, romantic albeit somewhat crazy king Ludwig II of Bavaria. A man living in a fairytale world of this own creating remarkable and beautiful castles. I think for a while I almost had a little crush on him, although him being crazy and well... most importantly dead for a rather long time. This is just the right book to entertain this crush and the love of his castles.

In my mailbox (17)

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

Links go to The Book Depository.

Bought:

  

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer 

I've never read anything by this author and almost no reviews of the book either, but from its summary, it seems like a nice and light read. And the parallels to Jane Austen's Emma makes it a must-read.

Forgive my Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

I've been looking forward to reading this one after having read so many great reviews! It seems fun and romantic and a real summer read! I'm so glad I waited to get this cover because I just like it so much more. Just too bad now that I have to wait for a long time to get the paperback version of the sequel in this version...

What was in your mailbox this week?

In my mailbox (16)

   In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

Links go to The Book Depository.

I apologize for the immensely crappy picture this week, but I seem to have forgotten my good camera at our new house so I had to dig up my old crappy one in order to give you an IMM today. Once again, I payed a visit to my local library, though this time not wandering aimlessly around the shelves trying to find something but rather having browsed through the library catalog before going, which increased the success rate.

From the library:

 

 Ful (original title: Uglies) by Scott Westerfeld 

The Swedish title 'Ful' is an adjective meaning 'Ugly'. The reviews of this series have been a bit divergent, but I find the idea rather intriguing. And I do like me some good dystopia.

Mycket mer än du tror (original title: Along for the ride) by Sarah Dessen

The Swedish title translates into 'Much more than you know'. I understand it is hard to fathom but I am actually a Sarah Dessen virgin. I have never read a single book by her but I thought it time to do so, so when I found this novel in the library catalog I grabbed it. It seems like the perfect summer read.

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

This is actually the Swedish translation of the novel, although they've decided to keep the original English title. I've been with Carrie and the girls for many years now, and still watch my shoe-box DVD collection of all episodes over and over. I am thrilled to meet Carrie as a teenager. Even my fiancé is interested in reading this book, since he watched SATC with me all the time.

What was in your mailbox this week?

In my mailbox (15)

  In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. Links go to The Book Depository.

 Bought:

I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you by Ally Carter

I have read mixed reviews of this series but I still decided to get it anyway. Party because they sounded like that lighthearted read you need sometimes and partly because I love these covers by Orchard books. Anyone read these?

NetGalley:

Ward Against Death by Melanie Card

I got my first ever NetGalley! Yay! And a good one too! Well, at least a galley that I saw on someone else's IMM (sorry forgot who) and got interested in. If it's good or not, I won't know until I read it. But it sure sounds great!

What was in your mailbox this week?

In mailbox (13): Library edition

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to The Book Depository (except for one).

I constantly nag about being jealous of other people having such great libraries with so many new books in them, and complaining about my own local library so I thought I should pay it a visit to see if I was right or not. My local library is rather small, more of a branch of a larger library about 20 or so kilometers (or 12,4 miles) away, so well, my expectations were somewhat low: So here's IMM: Library edition.

From the library: 

Själakistan by Ann Rosman

First up is a Swedish novel by an author called Ann Rosman. The name of her novel roughly translates to "Coffin of souls" and is a crime story. I've read her debut, again freely translated, "The daughter of the lighthouse keeper", which I found exciting enough. In Sweden, summer time is crime story time. The good people of Sweden are crazy about their crime writers, especially their female ones although some men have become rather successful writing crime stories as well, such as Stieg Larsson. So why crime and summer? It's basically because the Swedes read in their holiday when they have time, and they usually have holiday in the summer. Thus summer equals crime.

De utvalda: tankeläsaren (original title: Graceling) by Kristin Cashore

Another book that I came across in the library was this Swedish translation of Kristin Cashore's Graceling. I've been looking at it before, the English version that is, so when I found it I decided to grab it.

Om jag stannar (original title: If I Stay) by Gayle Forman

När jag lät dig gå (original title: Where She Went) by Gale Forman

They had "Where she went", only the Swedish translation of it, on display in the youth section (uHce) of the library and I recognized the name of the author. When I also found "If I stay" on the actual shelf I decided to grab them both. After all, I have read good things about these novels in the blogosphere.

So, what's the verdict? Well, it wasn't a great selection, but not too shabby either. Just sad that I've now got a considerable proportion of my library's all newly published YA books at home right now.

There is one thing that I don't like about library books - the binding. What usually makes me want to read a book is either a darn great review or a wicked cover. And a cover does not only consist of the front cover but also the spine. I get that the library bindings are there to help protect the books, but it destroys so much of their appeal. When I was little and spent a lot of time in the library I almost always chose books with their original spines still intact, because they looked more interesting to me. Just compare the purple spine to the others; isn't it a lot more appealing?

In my mailbox (12)

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to The Book Depository.


 Bought:

  

Herz auf Sendung by Anna Goerz 
(Heart on the air)

I was in Germany last weekend, thankfully without contacting EHEC I might add, and since I've been known to read books in German for time to time, I decided to get a book while on vacation. I picked up this novel in the supermarket despite never having heard of it, but it seems like a sweet and hopefully funny summer read about a girl who's had the worst luck in men and then falls in love with the moderator of the island radio on the German island of Sylt. Could this be the man she's been waiting for?

What did you get this week?

In my mailbox (11)

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. 

All links go to The Book Depository. 

Now that I look back on them I realize that my few latest IMM:s have all been nicely color-coordinated. Totally unintentional, I might add. This one is blue-ish in tone, whereas the last one was brighter and more yellow-beige-ish and the one previous to that black and red themed (at least the back of "The Ghost and the Goth").I wonder what color next week will bring... green?

Bought:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I've read many good reviews of this novel and I look forward to reading it. I did prefer the hardback cover though, but paperback is much more practical to bring on the bus or train or someplace else than the comfort of my own home. I usually read more away from home than I actually do at home.

I am number four by Pittacus Lore

I saw the movie trailer on Apple and was immediately interested in the movie, and when I learned it was a novel I was even more intrigued to read that. When I heard about the manner in which this novel was created and published though, I felt less declined to read it. But then my curiosity took over and I got it anyway.

Tiger's curse by Colleen Houck

Deciding to get this novel was an impulse purchase based partly on the pretty cover and the unique sounding premise plus I've read some good reviews about it. I'm very curious about this. And on the upside: if I like it the sequel is released in only a matter of days.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox (10)

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to The Book Depository. 

 Bought:

 Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

I've heard some great things about this one and what could make a better light summer read than a road trip across the US..?

Corsets and Clockwork edited by Trisha Telep

Short stories actually really aren't my thing, so I'm not entirely sure why I got this one. Perhaps it will surprise me though.

In My Mailbox (9)

 In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren. All links go to The Book Depository. 

(Except for one this time that comes from a Swedish online bookstore)

 Bought:

Die For Me by Amy Plum

I pre-ordered this book as early as February and finally it arrived. 

I've been dying to read this and it is just so pretty to look at. 

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Another pre-order that I ordered because I felt like a light read. 

Plus I've read some good reviews.

Vampyrer by Anna Höglund

This is a Swedish book and I do believe that most of you, although perhaps not speaking Swedish, still understand the title which obviously translates into 'Vampires'. It is something as perhaps unusual as a dissertation from a Swedish university on vampires from a cultural and literary perspective. It discusses the development in vampire lore over the centuries and the role of the vampire and the vampire fiction in human society, just to mention a few things. Sounds very interesting. I have just started the introduction, but it's not exactly a novel one would read from cover to cover but rather a chapter here and there.

What did you get this week?