In My Mailbox

I splurged a little this past week. I usually wait to find books for cheap or try to borrow them instead in order to save money, but I just REALLY wanted to buy a few books. So I did! I had a coupon so I ordered The Pledge by Kimberly Derting because I have been making myself wait to buy it but I just couldn't wait anymore! Not with the sequel coming out relatively soon. Then me and Del went to Barnes and Noble (our most favorite hang out spot ever). She told me to pick up all the books I wanted so that we could sit and figure out which ones to buy. So I did. By the time I was done I had two huge stacks in my arms while she had one large stack, most of them being mine. We took a good half hour or so to read the synopses, look at the beautiful covers, talk about what we've heard from others about each book, and to figure out if I could borrow any of them from others or the library. Once it was all said and done, I ended up with Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw and Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Swofford Nielsen. Apparently I was in an adventurous mood that day! So thank you to The Story Siren for hosting this lovely meme and we would love to hear what you got in your mailboxes this past week! And in my opinion, if you haven't checked out any of these books yet, you seriously need to. I started reading the beginning of each one and they are all VERY well-written and look like they'll be amaszing!! Otherwise, have a happy Sunday everyone!

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Goodreads Summary:
In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw

Goodreads Summary:
The Night of Souls—when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest—is only days away.

Albion is at war . . . and losing.

The wardens have descended, kidnapping innocent citizens for their army, but looking for one in particular.

And fifteen-year-old Kate Winters has just raised a blackbird from the dead.

As her home is torn apart by the wardens, Kate's discovery that she is one of the Skilled—the rare people who can cross the veil between life and death—makes her the most hunted person in all of Albion. Only she can unlock the secrets of Wintercraft, the ancient book of dangerous knowledge. Captured and taken to the graveyard city of Fume—with its secret tunnels and underground villages, and where her own parents met their deaths ten years ago—Kate must harness her extraordinary powers to save herself, her country, and the two men she cares for most. And she'll make a pact with a murderer to do it.

Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price.

Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Swofford Nielsen

Goodreads Summary:
Long ago, Stone Mages were revered in Lyria. They were men and women who could use powerful tradestones to harness their unique gifts of wind, rain, and earth to help those around them. But war with the Southern realm has threatened the mages with extinction. The truth about the tradestones has been lost, and the remaining magic is dwindling. When Princess Ivy, the beloved daughter of the king, is abducted, it seems that all hope for Lyria is lost as well. But when an unlikely group of loyal subjects embarks on a dangerous journey to the far-distant Fringe, the hope of restoring crown and kingdom is renewed. Among the group is Simon, a fool with wisdom beyond his years; Gilda, a nonmagical witch; Burr, a young thief; and Merrick, a jaded sea captain. Their quest will test their courage, their strength, and their friendship. But at the Fringe, they encounter a truth that will change everything they thought they knew about themselves, and this small band of heroes must embrace the power that is their birthright and stand together as Stone Mages of Lyria.