In My Mailbox!

  In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY BY JILL ALEXANDER
(Paperback - Aug 31, 2010)

This year, Austin Gray is going to wave to the crowd from the hood of a shiny pickup truck in the annual No-Jesus Christmas Parade, and finally show the town bully that she’s got what it takes to be the Sweetheart of Prosper County! Austin will do almost anything to become Sweetheart, including joining the Future Farmers of America and raising an animal—a rooster with an attitude named Charles Dickens. She has lots of support: her oldest friend, Maribel, her new FFA friends (including the reigning Sweetheart and a very cute cowboy), a mysterious Cajun outcast, and an evangelical Elvis impersonator. But will her momma ever stop being overprotective, and start letting Austin live her own life?

 

PARADISE BY JILL ALEXANDER 

(Hardcover - Jul 5, 2011)

Paisley Tillery is the drummer for a country rock band. If they can make it to the stage at the Texapalooza music fest, then Paisley will be closer to her dream of a career in music and a ticket out of her small Texas town. Drumming and music are what Paisley has always wanted. Until the band gets a new lead singer, the boy from Paradise, Texas. With Paradise in her life, what Paisley wants, and what she needs, complicate her dreams coming true.

I'm so excited to read these two books, especially Paradise. It reminds me a bit of the movie Country Strong, which I have also been wanting to check out! Since I don't have a whole slew of books to share this week, I thought I'd mention two awesome books I read--

SEA BY HEIDI KLING (June 10, 2010)

Still haunted by nightmares of her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father’s relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder—something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother’s plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn’t do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward. But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn’t think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.

A compelling summer romance, Sea marks the arrival of a stunning new voice in YA.

What took me so long to read this? I laughed, I cried and I closed the book with a sigh of contentment. It was everything I wanted it to be and so much more! I feel like Sea doesn't get enough promo spotlight time, and it's such a worthy book. If you have a chance, be sure and check it out!

IF I STAY BY GAYLE FORMAN

A critically acclaimed novel that will change the way you look at life, love, and family.

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

This was a book that is now in my all-time favorite handful of books. It's the type that makes others that come after pale in comparison because your heart is still with the other book, the one you just finished but can't stop thinking about.  I felt like Mia's family was my own and I loved every single one of them, from her brother Teddy (makes me choked up just to write that name) to her stoic, thoughtful Gramps, they will always be with me. I can't wait to read Where She Went, but it has so much to live up to for me...so now, I'm a little afraid. What did you guys think?

Hope everyone had a great week. Happy Reading!