In My Mailbox #16

This meme is hosted by The Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea, Pop Culture Junkie.

Before I start with my mailbox this week, I just want to say a huge THANKS to everyone who contributed to yesterday's discussion. I have lots to think about and I'm going to produce a few blogging objectives to keep me on the cheerful road. My cheerful-o-meter rates me at 100% this morning!

Now to the all important mailbox. I did buy two copies of Sea Glass on Monday but I'm not including those because I think most of you know about the contest and the signing. Otherwise, I have four books which is still quite a lot for one week but not unmanageable.

Bought:
The Girl with the Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
I'm going to be reading this for the staff book group. The cover is so beautiful. I have high hopes that I might actually enjoy this adult book.

Summary from Goodreads.com:
Strange things are happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St Hauda's Land. Unusual winged creatures flit around icy bogland; albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed woods; jellyfish glow in the ocean's depths… and Ida MacLaird is slowly turning into glass.



A mysterious and frightening metamorphosis has befallen Ida – she is slowly turning into glass, from the feet up. She returns to St Hauda's Land, where she believes the glass first took hold, in search of a cure.


Midas Crook is a young loner, who has lived on the islands his entire life. When he meets Ida, something about her sad, defiant spirit pierces his emotional defences. As Midas helps Ida come to terms with her affliction, she gradually unpicks the knots of his heart, and they begin to fall in love…

For review:

Lex Trent Versus The Gods by Alex Bell (Headline Publishing 4th Feb 2010 UK)

This is a UK YA debut. Alex has written adult novels for Gollancz. When I was contacted about reviewing it, I said "yes but I have a bit of a backlog and it might take me a while to get to it" and the publisher didn't mind at all. (Note to self: this is a very good way to take the pressure off).

Summary from Amazon:
Law student Lex Trent’s world is inhabited by fearsome magicians, ageing crones and a menagerie of Gods and Goddesses. And while Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he’s always enjoyed a challenge – which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar ‘The Shadowman’ who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.



But Lex’s luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds? Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory – all things that Lex is quite keen on – he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he’s certainly got good experience of cheating.

Mission Telemark by Miranda Mitchison (Walker Books 4th Jan 2010 UK)
 

Again a British YA debut novel so I'm willing to give this a try. I have a proof but it has the most amazing illustrations inside it. I was not expecting that at all.

 
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (Walker Books 9th March 2010 UK)
 

Summary from Amazon:
Norway, December 1942.



Following the German occupation of the power plant at Vemork in southern Norway, the British government has become aware that Hitler is trying to find a way to use the heavy water it produces to make a nuclear weapon. One mission to destroy the power plant has already failed and time is running out. Now the Allies' fate rests in the hands of four teenagers - Jakob, Freddie, Ase and Lars - who must survive for weeks in the freezing conditions of the Hardanger Plateau before they launch a sabotage attempt that will decide the course of the war.


Stuck-in paper inserts bring to life the wartime experiences of these special Special Agents, from digging snow holes and butchering reindeer, to combat knives and behaviour under torture.

This is a debut novel as well although it isn't a British author.

Summary from Goodreads.com:
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey



dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in


town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

So that's me. Any thoughts on my mailbox?
Oh and I'm going to work out the winners of Ondine today too!
Happy Sunday!
The Bookette