In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves uncovering a lifetime of secrets. Secrets that could destroy everything.

Lia and Alice don’t know who they can trust.

They just know they can’t trust each other.

I get the impression this one is a little dark and twisted, which matches my mood exactly right now. (Okay, my mood most of the time). I also love the way that the summary intrigues without giving anything away. I’ve only read a few pages so far, and I’m enthralled already.

Genesis - Bernard Beckett
The island Republic has emerged from a ruined world. Its citizens are safe but not free. They live in enforced isolation - approaching planes are gunned down, refugees shot on sight - until a man named Adam Forde rescues a girl from the sea and changes history forever. That history is fourteen-year-old Anaximander’s specialist subject. In a darkened room she sits facing three Examiners and a gruelling four-hour examination. The subject is close to her heart: Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. If she passes, she’ll be admitted into The Academy - the elite institution that runs her utopian society.

Already read and reviewed here, this book is one-of-a-kind. I picked it up because I’m a major fan of speculative fiction, but it kind of transcends genres. It’s a thing of beauty, people!

The Bermudez Triangle - Maureen Johnson

Nina, Mel and Avery: best friends. The Bermudez Triangle - Nina Bermudez at its heart.

But then Nina goes away for the summer and everything changes. A party leads to a kiss leads to… Avery and Mel. And Nina. It used to be a triangle, but now three’s a crowd.

I’m going to be doing some posts on ‘challenged’ books later this month, and The Bermudez Triangle is one of the books I’ll be looking at. I’ve heard a lot about it, and I’ve also read some interesting interviews with Maureen Johnson about whether or not it’s okay to consider books ‘adult’ just because they feature LGBT relationships. She sounds like the kind of writer I should have already checked out. Plus, sometimes I need a non-speculative, non-fantasy book in my TBR pile. There’s a real world out there that’s plenty interesting too.

Devil’s Kiss - Sarwat Chadda

Billi SanGreal is facing her Ordeal. The last test before her initiation. But she hadn’t expected this. Not killing a little kid. Billi is determined to follow her father into The Order and protect the masses from the Unholy. From the thousands of evil, tortured souls that prey on humanity. Billi is fifteen. Is a life of brutal fighting and deadly combat really what she wants? Or is temptation threatening to lead her astray…

I’m a little late on this one, since it’s been out here in the UK for some time. But recently I discovered the author’s blog, and suddenly I was wondering why I haven’t read this yet. Plus, he’s a Londoner. His author bio says that ‘There’s nothing he enjoys more than getting lost in its ancient paths and alleyways, and it’s on these streets that Billi SanGreal was born. Who needs fantasy worlds when you’ve a city like this?’