Stacking the Shelves

Hey everyone! It's been forever since I've posted and I apologize. Work has been hectic and very time consuming so I haven't had a ton of time on my hands, but I'm hoping to start posting regularly again because I have a ton of amazing books to read!

These books are from the past few weeks. I went to two different signings, one for Emmy Layborne and the other for the Fierce Reads tour with Caragh O'Brien, Laigh Bardugo, Gennifer Albin, and Marie Rutkoski, and was able to get a bunch of books signed!

Bought from The Strand in NYC:

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

Velveteen by Daniel Marks

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass

Traded/Borrowed from Lili @ Lili Reflections:

Sanctum by Sarah Fine

Easy by Tammara Webber

Gifted/Traded with Nicole @ Paperback Princess

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (signed)

Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Attended Emmy Laybourne Signing:

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

For Review:

Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

Level 2 by Lenore Applehans

Won from Marissa Meyer:

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

This was the most amazing surprise ever! I won a flag design contest held by Marissa Meyer and my flag was her choice as the "author's pick". It took me forever to design and draw the flag but it was well worth it because this is a signed and annotated copy of Scarlet which means I have a ton of Marissa's notes in the margins of this book. It's amazing!!!

Tell me what you all got this week and be sure to leave a link so I can check out your posts!

Stacking the Shelves

OK I haven't done one of these in FOREVER (I'm talking months here) so I actually have a ton more books to show, but for the sake of space, time, and my sanity, I'm just going to show you guys my most recent books. Please check out Tynga's Stacking the Shelves post while you're at it!

Bought:

52 Reasons to Hate my Father by Jessica Brody

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

For Review:

Splintered by A.G. Howard

The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

                                                  

Swapped:

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle

Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

1 Year Blogoversary Giveaway

Happy Birthday Lost Amongst the Shelves!

Lost Amongst the Shelves is celebrating its FIRST BLOGOVERSARY! I'm officially a year into this crazy obsessive blog and I couldn't be happier with where things are going. To say thank you to all my wonderful followers I am putting together a BOX-O-BOOKS for you!

I don't know what exactly is going to be included, but I plan to update with some fun pictures. How this will work is for every milestone of 50 new followers (if that occurs) I'll update the blog with a picture of a book that'll be in the box you could win. Make sure to come and check back! (So the more who enter the more books you could win!)

I have some great books along with some book swag that will definitely be up for grabs with this giveaway. I will also give a second winner the choice of a book (valued $15 or less) from the Book Depository so my international friends can enter too!

US only:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

International/US:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

You must be 13 years or older to enter either giveaway. 

The Box-O-Books giveaway is for US shipping only/ TBD is for International or US Shipping (please make sure that TBD ships to your country). 

The giveaways will run until October 13, 2012 when 1 winner for each prize will be chosen and have 48 hours to respond to my email, otherwise an alternate winner will be chosen. 

I am not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items. 

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is the meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It features a new blog every week along with a book related question to promote blogs and new followers. I'm not sure what the question is exactly, if its read and loved or read and didn't like so I'm answering both...

What is the best cover of a book you read and didn't like?

It would probably be the cover for Entwined by Heather Dixon. I think the cover is absolutely gorgeous and would hang it on the wall as beautiful book art, but the story itself just didn't do it for me. It was a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses and just lacked the spark or pizzaz to make it stand out. If you're going to retell a fairy tale you need to do something AMAZING to make it stand out, otherwise its just going to be the original plot with a different cover and title.

What is the best cover of a book you read and loved?

This one was so much harder to answer because so many of my favorite books have such gorgeous covers! I think some of my favorites would be...

Dirty Little Secret

Dirty Little Secret is a meme hosted by the lovely ladies at Under the Covers! I haven't participated in such a long time (I'm a total slacker) but to go along with the Book Confessions from this week's TTT I've joined in on this week's discussion:

Book Abuse! What's the worse thing you've done to a book.

I'm definitely a reformed book abuser. I'm so ashamed to say that I used to dog-ear pages and bend the spines of my books. I was lazy and normally lost any store bought book mark, but now I use whatever is in sight to mark my pages- receipts, post it notes, business cards- you name it I've probably used it. 

More recently though, I accidentally almost destroyed my copy of Defiance by C.J. Redwine. During the summer my favorite spot to read is at my pool in any sort of float so I can work on my tan and TBR list. This normally results in some pages being smudged with tanning oil or frayed edges of covers from my hands being wet, but nothing too substantial. However, while reading Defiance I accidentally dropped the book into the float with me! I recovered quickly, but not before the edges of all the pages got soaked. The book dried, but now its really lumpy and crinkly, but still readable!

Cover Reveal: Slated by Teri Terry

Slated (Slated #1) by Terri Terry

Published: May 3, 2012 by Orchard Books

Pages: 448

My Review

Here is the new US version of Slated's cover. Its similar to the UK version, except it has the added city sky line at the bottom. I personally like the UK version a little more for its simplicity which relates really well to the book. 

I received Slated for review back in May and was floored by this book and gave it a resounding 5 star review. It's incredibly written with such thought provoking and original story lines that will engross any reader. I loved the concept of this book, Kyla was an amazing MC, and I'm desperate for its sequel Fractured which is expected to be released in May of 2013. 

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Title: Something Strange and Deadly
Author: Susan Dennard
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #2
Published: July 24, 2012 by Harper Collins
Rating:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

A Copy of this Book was Provided by the Publisher for Review

My Review:

Something Strange and Deadly tells the thrilling tale of a zombie outbreak during the Victorian time period of Philadelphia integrating a cool mixture of the walking dead and proper etiquette. Eleanor is a teenage girl burdened with the responsibilities of taking over her household after her brother strangely disappears and her mother overspends the families diminishing funds. While dodging unwanted suitors and trying to keep her family afloat, Eleanor makes it her purpose to find out what has happened to her brother and how the newly undead zombies are involved.

Eleanor's character was fiercely independent and quite a rebel for her time period, which I adored. I love the strong female protagonist, especially those with vulnerabilities. For Eleanor its her loyalty to her family and need to protect them. It made her easy to relate to and enjoyable to read. Even better...she's not a swooner and doesn't fall all over her suitors.

The premise of the story reminded me a lot of Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel. The charm and propriety of the Victorian Era meets the grittiness and horror of a zombie invasion. Its a very thrilling concept that I believe Dennard was able to deliver. The majority of the book was shrouded in mystery after Eleanor's mother hosts a seance party with local socialites in an attempt to impress while contacting her late husband. Instead, a shadow monster is released who wreaks all sorts of havoc on Eleanor and her peers. I loved the introduction of the Shadow Hunters and their part throughout the story. They were the life of the book, especially witty and sarcastic Daniel who definitely knows how to challenge Eleanor. The feistiness in their budding relationship was perfectly done!

The balance of romance and action in this book was also impeccable. There were some great adrenaline scenes and some twists in the story line that kept the mystery surrounding Eleanor's brother's disappearance alive. There wasn't an overwhelming amount of romance, which hopefully means that Dennard is building up the romantic tension for the reader in future books! I also felt the zombies could have been a bit scarier, they weren't the gory flesh eating zombies I was initially picturing, but more like mindless corpses who felt more robotic than zombified. However, the ending of the book definitely kicks up the thrill factor and leaves the door wide open for this series.