Stacking the Shelves #41

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which we feature all the book goodness that we received, borrowed or purchased during the previous week. All links are to Goodreads.

Hello gorgeous people!! Again, two weeks have passed before I got to do another STS... I've been crazy busy at work and I leave on a business trip next week too.  Anyway, I'm trying to limit the books I'm getting since BEA is fast approaching.  I do have some books that I got at the Annapolis Book Fair last week (see all about that here).

Purchased (Physical Books)

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood - I always wanted to read this one and since Ms. Spotswood was at the aforementioned book festival I got it just in time.  

Misfit by Jon Skovron - Ditto (er, except that Mr. Skovron was there too :)

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell - I've heard wonderful things about this author and I couldn't resist the price.

The Fulfillment by LaVyrle Spencer - I adore LaVyrle, her books are so beautiful.  I read this one years ago, but I didn't have my own copy.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman -  I liked her Green Angel series and this cover is both creepy and beautiful; I couldn't help myself!

I got the last three books at the used book sale at the Annapolis Book Festival for $1 each!

Purchased (or Free) for Kindle 

All the Paths of Shadows by Frank Tuttle - I love steampunk and this one looks awesome!

Blameless by Gail Carriger - This is book #3 of the Parasol Proctectorate series and it's amazing!  

Heartless by Gail Carriger - Book #3 of the series. I already finished both :)

Kismetology by Jaimie Admans - This one is a freebie and it looks so sweet.

Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry - I loved Pushing the Limits and this is a short novella (#1.5).

One More Day by Aprilynne Pike - This is also a novella from Pike's Life After Theft series (I've yet to read it)

Audible

Timeless by Gail Carriger - I got book #5 in the series in audio book since I'll be traveling next week and I can listen on the plane. 

For Review

The first two books in the series are a gift from the wonderful Hannah from The Irish Banana.  Thanks my friend!

If I Should Die by Amy Plum - I cannot wait to read this one, it's definitely going with me on the trip!

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting - I need to read book #3 before this one, but I can't wait to see what Violet's gotten herself into this time.

Ink by Amanda Sun - This cover is stunning! Thank you to Harlequin Teen.

The Legend of Blue Eyes by B. Kristin McMichael - The author contacted my to review this one. Not only does it sounds good, but this cover is to die for. Thanks!

What's stacking your shelves this week?  Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Books to Read in a Day

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

My interpretation of this week's Top Ten is books that I've read that were hard to put down, or that I actually read in one day and they have a manageable length (no use of adding a 400+ page book to the list, right?)

1. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday - Love this book! It's funny, short and great.

2.  The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter - I really enjoy this book (the sequel is not as good, but I have faith in the series ;)

3.  Breathe by Abbi Glines -  I literally devoured this book.

4.  Green Angel / Green Witch by Alice Hoffman - These are very short books, but with a lot of punch.  They have been recently re-published as one book titled Green Heart. 

5. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa - I love the Iron Fey series and I love Ash even more.  Reading a book from his point of view was an incredible experience. 

6.  Die for Me by Amy Plum - I don't think I actually read this book in a day, but it was close.  I really love it!

7.  Clarity by Kim Harrington - Another quick and very good read!

8.  Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - I adore this book, it's so funny, light and full of awesome.

9.  Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder - This is the first book that I read written in verse and I love both the book and the experience.

10.  Soulless by Gail Carriger - I don't know why I haven't read any more books from this series (not YA, btw) because I couldn't put this book down!

How about you?  What is in your Top Ten this week?

In My Mailbox #25

I had a slow week, and I did order some books, but haven't received them yet.

Library

Green Witch by Alice Hoffman - The sequel to Green Angel.  A small gem of a book, review coming soon.

Abandon by Meg Cabot - Believe it or not this is the first book by Meg Cabot that I will read (er, listen since it's an audiobook).

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong - I already stated listening to this audiobook and so far, so good.  I did love her Darkest Powers series.

Kindle

Darkest Powers Bonus Pack by Kelly Armstrong (link to Amazon) - These are three stories that accompany the Darkest Powers series. Should be good, right?

Forbidden by Megan Curd - I saw this book in another blog and promptly got it for my Kindle.  It looks so good!

What is in your mailbox this week?

IMM is a weekly meme inspired by Alea at the Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by the wonderful Kristi at The Story Siren.  All links are to Goodreads

Review: Green Witch by Alice Hoffman (Green Angel #2)

Title: Green Witch by Alice Hoffman
Published: March 1st 2010 by Scholastic Press
Source: Library
Grade Rate: A

In this powerful, lovely sequel to GREEN ANGEL, Green must learn the stories of a number of "witches" and free her true soul mate from a prison as she grapples with life, love, and loss in a post-disaster world.

My Review

Green Angel (see my review here) is a short book full of prose and pain and self-discovery and I was looking forward to the sequel as soon as I finished it.  Green Witch was not a disappointment.

Green Witch starts were the first book ended and it has to do with renewal, hope and the faith that something better will come.  It explains better the tragedy that happened in the first book (I was never quite clear on what happened, only that it involved a fire) and it made better sense to me now.  Green is such a lovely character.  She is honest to a fault and thought to be a witch by the villagers, just because she is different. 

In this book we get to visit some of the same characters and we get introduced to others.  The “enchanted” or “witches” are women with a tales of tragedy that changed their lives in a permanent way.  They learned to cope with their loss and pain the only way they knew how.  Green tells their story.  She becomes a writer and a scribe for everyone that has a story to tell, I loved that she was able to provide some closure to these people that were forever changed by loss.

I also enjoyed that we get to see Diamond and that the story had a happy ending.  The writing is flawless, lyrical, whimsical, and full of feeling.  I loved both books.

About the cover – The Green Witch is beautiful in the inside as well as the outside.

Review: Green Angel by Alice Hoffman (Green Angel #1)

Title: Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Published: May 1st 2004 by Scholastic 
Source: Library
Grade rate: A

Left on her own when her family is lost in a terrible disaster, fifteen-year-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past.  Struggling to survive physically and emotionally in a place where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden.  But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she’d once been as she inks ravens and bats into her skin.  It is only through a series of mysterious encounters with a ghostly white dog and a mute boy that Green relearns the lesson of love and begins to heal as she tells her own story.

My Review

Green Angel is the first book by Alice Hoffman that I have ever read and I regret not finding her sooner.  This short little book is, in short, a gem.
 

When Green loses her family, she loses herself as well.  Her sister Aurora and Green are opposites in everything and they both seem to almost have mystical powers.  As the land heals itself, Green is slowly healed by the power of love, friendship, and duty.  She has the help of a neighbor, a few animals, and of Diamond, a young man in search for his family.  The book is about re-discovery, renewal, growth and grief.

The plot is beautiful in both its simplicity and in the way it’s carried out.  Alice Hoffman is a masterful writer that knows how to build lovely sentences that entices the reader to feel.  I will certainly pick more of her books as soon as I have the chance. 

Green Angel is a short, striking and poignant book that I really enjoyed and I plan to go to the library soon and pick up Green Witch its sequel.

About the cover: I love the cover, the birds, the roses, the books, everything in it represented in the book itself.   

In My Mailbox #22

IMM is a weekly meme inspired by Alea at the Pop Culture Junkie and hosted by the wonderful Kristi at The Story Siren.  All links are to Goodreads

From the Library

The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson - I am dying to read the sequel to The Adoration of Jenna Fox as I it was a thought provoking book.


Bunheads by Sophie Flack - Isn't this a gorgeous cover?  Sound really good too.


Green Angel by Alice Hoffman - I remember seeing this book around in a few blog a while ago and I picked it up when I saw it in the library.

Kindle

Unveiled by Trisha Wolfe - I saw a review for this novelette in a blog this week (sorry I can't remember who you are!) and it sounded really good.  It is free in Amazon now.

For Review

Feyland: The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp - I am very excited about this book.  Come back to Reading with ABC in December 19th for a guest post by Ms. Sharp and a giveaway of Feyland (eBook).

What is in your mailbox this week?