In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a post where I tell you the books that I received this week either by buying them from the bookstore, going to the library or from my mailbox. In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea and turned into a meme by Kristi.

Here are the majority of the books that I've gotten since my little hiatus.

For Review:
Adaptation by Malinda Lo
Altered by Jennifer Rush
Return to Me by Justina Chen
Sneak by Evan Angler
The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Bought:
At the End by John Hennessy
The Goddess Hunt by Aimée Carter
Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
One Second After by William R. Forstchen

Bought for College:
On Beauty and Being Just by Elaine Scarry
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Northanger Abby by Jane Austen
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Atonement by Ian McEwan

Contest Saturday

Here are some contests that are currently going on right now in the blogosphere that are book related. Click the links to enter them. I will try to hold my own contest each month.

Enter my giveaway of a copy of The Center of the Universe: Yep, That Would Be Me HERE. 

Win a copy of Exposure and The Namesake HERE. Ends 1/8

Win a copy of Empty by K.M. Walton HERE. Ends 1/14

Win a copy of Release HERE. Ends 1/18

Win a copy of The Farm HERE. Ends 1/18

Win any book from The Book Depository HERE. Ends 1/25

Win two books from a list HERE. Ends 1/31

Win a copy of Salvation HERE. Ends 1/31

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Title: Temptation
Author: Karen Ann Hopkins
Publisher: Harlequin
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 77% or C+
Buy It: Amazon

Your heart misleads you. That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah. And he loves me. We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms. It should be ROSE & NOAH forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish. And I'm not.

My Thoughts::
I always get myself into books like this that revolve around an impossible romance that destined to not work out from the start. I hardly ever enjoy books like these, but I can't resist them. I hold out hope that each one will be different. And this one WAS different, which made the outcome a little bit better than usual.

At least with this book about an impossible romance, it had a few things on its side. First, the impossibleness of it all was caused by realistic factors that we don't see a lot of in fiction, very varied social constructs. In this case an famish person trying to date a non-Amish person. Second was that this was very refreshing compared to the usual conundrum faced in these types of teen romance books (Human in love with non-human (VAMPIRE)).

Unfortunately there were also plenty of things that I didn't like. I know all books aren't supposed to be realistic, but it still bothers me when they aren't and it is obvious that they aren't trying to be unrealistic. Whenever characters fall in love so fast it bothers me. There was no factor in the book that made this seem reasonable at all. It was rushed and because of that I didn't care that much if they ended up together. In fact, since it didn't seem real at all I got annoyed by Rose and Noah because whenever they didn't get to be together it was very tantrum like. I wasn't rooting for them because THEM didn't exist to me.

The shocking reality parts of the novel are what I enjoyed reading the most. The difference between the Amish and myself was startling. Not in a bad way of course, just...very different. And of course seeing how difficult it would be for Noah and Rose to be together with their varying beliefs, family pressures, and lifestyles.

Overall I enjoyed reading this book because it brought new information into my thoughts but it definitely had some downsides that almost overpowered the positive.

Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop

See the rest of the Giveaways HERE.

I signed up on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

My Giveaway:: I am giving away a copy of The Center of the Universe: Yep, That Would Be Me by Anita Liberty! Here's the summary:

Welcome to the story of my life. Well, at least the story of my junior and senior years of high school. It's a profound, touching, and hilarious (if I do say so myself) tale told through cunning poems, revelatory diary entries, perspicacious (look it up) word definitions, shrewd bits of advice, and off-the-cuff (but brilliant) insights.

You'll probably relate to a lot of it. Especially the parts about hating my parents, never feeling cool enough, failing my first attempt at the SATs, having an incredibly romantic (but one-sided) relationship with the coolest guy in school, and getting hexed by my ex-best friend who became a Wiccan. 

And if you can't relate? Well, step to the back of that humongous line. You'll probably be right behind my family. If you're lucky, my mom'll bring snacks.

How can I be who I am and who my family wants me to be when the person I am wouldn't be caught dead with the person my family wants me to be?

To Enter:: Fill out THIS FORM by 1/10

**Winner will be announced on 1/11  and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

+3 Entries for being a blog follower!