Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

First line: I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going [...]

Initial thoughts: This book caught my eye months ago and I immediately added it to my wishlist and patiently waited for it to be released, but color me surprised (and excited) when the kind Sarah from Scholastic sent me my very own ARC.

I read the first few chapters instantly and so far, the writing is lovely. There’s an ethereal quality to it that I think I’m going to enjoy. And from those first few pages, I can already tell it’s going to be a take no prisoners, sweet and tragic type of book. Needless to say, I can’t wait to finish it.

(Though I am a little worried because the early reviews mention tears and needing tissue…)

Book description:

the cold.

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf–her wolf–watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn’t know why.

the heat.

Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace…until now.

the shiver.

For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it’s spoken, it cannot be denied. Same must fight to stay human–and Grace must fight to keep him–even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

Book Details: 400 pages; Scholastic Press; Pub. August 1, 2009

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here are the latest arrivals: The Hollow by Jessica Verday and Ash by Malinda Lo

The Hollow

544 pages; Simon Pulse; Pub. Sept. 1, 2009

First line: It was funny. At a time like this, I wasn’t supposed to be thinking […] *

Description:

When Abbey’s best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead?and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen’s funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey’s life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he’s the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again…but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen’s betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

Ash

272 pages; Brown Young Readers; Pub. Sept. 1, 2009

First line: Aisling’s mother died at midsummer.

Description:

Pushed into indentured servitude for her stepmother in the City to pay off her father’s debts, Ash is consumed with grief. She misses her family and her happy life at the edge of the Wood where old magic used to linger in the air like fairy breath. Her only joy comes from the brief, stolen walks in the woods with the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean. Ash’s single, unspoken hope is that someday he might steal her away, as fairies are said to do.

But on the day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, from Kaisa she learns the art of the hunt, how to ride and track. Their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, but it grows and changes, and with it, Ash reawakens her capacity for love—and her desire to live.

Entrancing and romantic, Ash is an empowering retelling of Cinderella about choosing life and love over solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

I was so excited when these books arrived (both on the same day no less) because it means I have a couple more books to add to the RIP IV reading pool. The Hollow immediately went on my Want List^™ when I first read about it during a Waiting on Wednesday round. Plus, Ash will be my first foray into (contemporary) GLBT reading (I think…I can’t recall any other title off the top of my head, but I may have read something in high school) and I’m anxious to see how it’s done.

* I’m trying something new with the first line; rather than printing only the first full sentence, I’m only going to include the first line as printed in the book.

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford

First line: Goebbels materialized on the back patio, right before we moved to Baltimore, and started chewing threw the wicker loveseat.

Initial thoughts: Frankly, I’m not sure what to think, all I know is that this book has me immensely curious. It sounds adorable in a strange sort of way—an anti-romance teen novel. I’m looking forward to seeing boys and girls can have a (realistically) close platonic relationship in the literary world.

Of course, since I don’t know what exactly to expect, I’m keeping my mind open.

Book description:

New to town, Bea is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. You know the type: very cheery, very friendly, very average. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet observer who hasn’t made a new friend since third grade. He’s not a big fan of people in general…but he’s willing to make an exception for her. Maybe.

Bea and Jonah are not going to have a friendship like other people have a friendship, where it’s all based on gossip and parties and what everybody else thinks.Instead, their friendship comes from truth-bound conversations, shared secrets, daring stunts, and late-night calls to the same old-timer radio show. They help each other and hurt each other, push away and hold close. It’s not romance, exactly–but it’s definitely love. And it means more to them than either one can ever really know…

Book Details: 288 pages; Scholastic Press; Pub. October 1, 2009

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: Hannah by Kathryn Lasky

First line: They say the sea makes some people sick.

Initial thoughts: I already know what Hannah is. I won’t mention it because it might be a spoiler (assuming the hints aren’t enough), I’m not sure. But Hannah is something I used to draw almost ceaselessly when I was younger. They fascinated me to no end and in some wild moments of make-believe I imagined I was one. And if I were completely honest, I’d admit that they still fascinate me.

So in case it wasn’t gathered from my previous ramblings, when this book arrived I squealed like a little girl and am looking forward to submerging myself in Hannah’s world.

Book description:

Hannah wants to be normal, but she’s not. The sea calls to her, and she can see a delicate tracing of scales on her legs. Billowing waves soothe her, but flat land makes her sick. She knows there’s something wild in her that’s different, wrong–and deeply thrilling.

Only one person seems to know who–or what–Hannah is. He’s a guest in the house where she works as a scullery girl, and his fascinated gaze follows her. She doesn’t understand his terrifying allure, or her longing. But even as the mystery deepens, Hannah is sure of one thing. A sea change is coming.

Book Details: 308 pages; Scholastic Inc.; Pub. September 1, 2009

Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here are the latest arrivals: The Fairy-Tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm Book 1) and The Unusual Suspects (Sisters Grimm Book 2) by Michael Buckley

First line: I’m going to die of boredom here, Sabrina Grimm thought as she looked out the train window at Ferryport Landing, New York.

Book description:

For Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, life hasn’t been a fairy tale. After the mysterious disappearance of their parents, the sisters are sent to live with their grandmother—a woman they believed was dead! Granny Relda reveals that the girls have two famous ancestors, the Brothers Grimm, whose classic book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files of magical mischief. Now the girls must take on the family responsibility of being fairy-tale detectives. Their first case? A roller-coaster ride of an adventure to stop a giant from destroying their new hometown.

First line: “Let’s get this party started, already!” Sabrina complained under her breath as she rubbed the charley horse in her leg.

Book description:

For Sabrina Grimm, living in a community of fairy-tale characters means always being ready for trouble. And something is definitely wrong at her new school. The adults seem too angry, the kids seem too sleepy, and the gym teacher likes dodgeball way too much. Of course, her little sister, Daphne, is having the time of her life. (Who wouldn’t with Snow White for a teacher—she’s do good with little people!) But when Sabrina’s teacher, Mr. Grumpner, is found dangling in a giant spider web, even sunny Daphne’s convinced Ferryport Landing Elementary has a monster problem. Can the Sisters Grimm solve the crime?

Initial thoughts: I must admit that these two books were impulse buys more than anything else.

Since I was a kid, I’ve adored fairytales. Even now I can see Grimm’s Complete Fairytales sitting on my bookshelf—it never wanders too far away from me because sometimes I like to crack it open and read whenever I need a break. (By the way, it’s the original fairytales. In my version, the wicked queen in Snow White had to dance in red-hot iron shoes until she dropped dead. Bet you won’t see that in a Disney movie anytime soon.)

Back on track…when I saw that it was a new spin on a classic, I couldn’t resist. Especially since it had a Girl Power! spin to it. In reading these books, I hope to return to a fun part of my childhood where adventure awaited around every corner.