In My Mailbox (Oct. 22rd)

Hey guys!

How's your week been? I hope that the book fairy has been kind to you. ;) :D :P I'm sure I'll find out soon when I drop by to say hello. :)

I thought this week was going to be quiet, but it has ended up anything but. I've had quite a few surprises in the last seven days. Maybe not "I got a new kindle!" level surprises, but still ... Some very awesome books just the same. :)

First up are the two totally awesome books that I got approved for through NetGalley:

This one caught me completely off guard. I woke up on Tuesday morning, 100% intending to order a copy of Dearly, Departed off of Amazon. I decided to check my e-mail first to see if I had any important messages.

Good thing that I did because an e-mail was waiting for me and telling me that I could download it from NetGalley. So now it's sitting on my kindle and waiting not-so-patiently for me to be ready to read it.

Odds are that I will still end up buying a physical copy of this book -- provided that I love it -- since the cover is totally beautiful. But I want to take a moment to give my heartfelt thanks to the lovely people at Random House. This is the second time they have given me the opportunity to read something I've totally been dying to get my hands on. :)

And then a couple days later I get an e-mail that I have been approved to read and review Between the Sea and Sky, which is another book that has really grabbed my interest and that I am totally dying to check out.

It never fails to amaze me when someone says "Yes!" to me about anything with regards to my blog. I always figure the worst someone can tell me is "No", which keeps me from being afraid to ask things, but "Yes!" always feels so awesome. I hope that I never lose sight of that.

But anyway, I'm rambling. And there is more...

I've had this file on my computer for a while now, but I feel it is only appropriate for me to take a moment to thank Michelle Madow for sending me a copy of her lovely book, Remembrance. I am reading it right now and I am really enjoying it.

I am also extremely excited about this because I am going to be part of the Remembrance book tour next month. Michelle will be dropping by my blog on November 14th, so make sure that you mark your calenders. :D I will do my best to ask some interesting questions. And as usual, I will see whether my guest would like to ask us all a question of her own. :)

And here is Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase. She will also be visiting my blog for a tour next month. Be sure to drop by on November 10th. She is being a great sport and letting me interview her, plus she is offering to let one of my readers win an e-book copy of Mortal Obligation for their own enjoyment.

I'm doing my best to be careful how much I say about this book because my review will not be up until she visits. But I will say this: You don't want to miss out. :D How's the for (probably a bit too blunt? ;) ) foreshadowing?

But now, let me show you what just arrived today. (Okay, it probably arrived yesterday and no one told me! Gah!) I've been waiting on these for a few weeks and I am very excited to finally have them in my hands...

A few weeks ago, Jenny over at The Party Pony had a giveaway for some totally fabulous ARCs and I was picked as the winner. I seem to recall writing a Waiting on Wednesday post about Grave Mercy that night. ;) (By the way, the labeling says this is *not* the final cover design. I know some people had some *thoughts* on the cover. ;) )

I would like to take a moment to thank Jenny for these two lovely new books that I will get to enjoy. And now I will take a moment to squee for a good ten seconds since these are the first physical ARCs I have received. *ahem!* Now that that's done...

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare
by Melissa Jensen
Expected Publication: February 16th, 2012.

(Okay, that's totally hilarious. It's releasing on my birthday?)

Summary: (from GoodReads)

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

I love contemporary YA, especially cute contemporary romance stories. So this looks like it should be a great fit for me. Odds are I will be giving my thoughts on this at some point in November since I am taking part in Just Contemporary and this will fit in great there.

Grave Mercy

by R.L. LaFevers

Expected Publication: March 7th, 2012

Summary: (from GoodReads)

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Okay... Do we really need me to go over all of the awesome in this book again? Yes? Okay! Ismae sounds like she is going to be a kick-ass heroine. The premise for this book sounds totally brilliant. And how on earth was I suppose to resist wanting a book where the main character is referred to as the Handmaiden of Death? I absolutely cannot wait to read this. I am very, very excited! 

This Week's Question: I just reached 150 followers, so there is going to be a giveaway starting soon. What would you guys like to win?

While You're Here:

-- Sign up for the Keeping It Real Reading Challenge!

-- Read this week's Saturday Spotlight where I interview Marie from Ramblings of a Daydreamer!

-- Cast your votes for the Bleeding Hearts Awards! (Last Night! Ends tomorrow at noon!)

Thanks so much for dropping by my blog! I hope that this week has been good to you. Have a great day! :)