I usually try and report on the books I receive on the last day of the month, but I'm not posting on Friday, so I thought I'd share what I have, today:

20 Something Manifesto: Quarter Lifers Speak Out About Who They Are What They Want and How to Get It and 20 Something, 20 Everything: A Quarter-Life Woman's Guide to Balance and Direction by Christine Hassler

When I was working at ReadBoston I shared my office with this fabulous young woman who had just graduated from college. We became good friends and I became privy to a lot of the turmoil she faced in those first few years on her own. I totally recall having this discussion with her about what an intense time of life your early 20's are and how we don't pay much attention to them culturally. Often, we don't acknowledge this crazy transition because let's face it, we're supposed to be having fun, right? I remember telling her about how hard my 20's were and how much I loved my 30's in contrast. I wish I had had these books to share with her. Balance and direction are key to that crucial coming-of-age time. Most of us make it, but it doesn't have to be so stressful. I'm happy to say… she's almost 30 now, got her master's in education, completed her first year of teaching this year, and getting married this summer! Awwwww.

Chill by Deborah Reber (On a similar note, stress-management for the younger set. Really useful information and IMHO a really important subject.)

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Getting a lot of hype and it really does look good! Terrorism, the Department of Homeland Security, and a teenager bound and determined to hack his way to justice.)

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks (I like the cover. It seems straight forward: Old friends reunite one night and things don't go so well. Soon after, a girl goes missing and each of them is considered a suspect.)

Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel (After finally breaking into the popular crowd at school, Colby is yanked out of her element and sent off to Greece for the summer. ) Sounds good to me.

Tales From the Brother Grimm, Adapted by Mazan, Cecile Chicault, and Phillip Petit (A Classics Illustrated graphic novel from Papercutz, featuring: 'Hansel and Gretel', 'The Devil and the Three Golden Hairs', and 'The Valiant Little Tailor'.)

Fashion 101: A Crash Course in Clothing by Erica Stalder (A super fun and historic examination of clothes and fashion for teens…and me.)

This month I received a really diverse collection of books. There are a few that really stick out but I am backed-up right now with some great already-started material. I fear I won't get to them for a few weeks. Ugh. My list continues to grow. So little time… I've really been trying to be Zen about my reading — remembering that I don't have to read everything right now. Life is good and what a glorious burden — too many interesting wonderful books to read? Here's a glimpse of what has come my way this month.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley (What it's like to want to be popular so badly you'll pursue it even after you've died? This looks really cute and fun. I really like the packaging.)

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers (First published in 1988, Fallen Angels tells the story of one young boy serving in Vietnam. A special anniversary edition is out now.)

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers (Apropos, the sequel to Fallen Angels 20 years later takes place in Iraq.)

Thief by Brian James (Modern-day Oliver Twist meets Cassavetes' 'Gloria'? Kind of.)

It's Easy Being Green by Emma Sleeth (Written by a teen, "One Student's Guide to Serving God and Saving the Planet." Great suggestions but definitely not for your favorite atheist.)

DeathNote (1-6) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata (Surprise! I liked this a lot. I posted about it a few weeks back.)

The Final Warning by James Patterson (Known for his adult books and one of the most famous and best-selling authors ever, Patterson writes the Maximum Ride novels for young adults — sort of. They're marketed as a book for readers "ten to one hundred and ten." What does that mean? I think it supposed to mean 'James Patterson' without sex or swearing.

In the Small by Michael Hague (Graphic novel about what seems to be the end of the world.The natural order of things are reversed for the human survivors as they become the hunted race. Not my thing, but interesting premise.)

This month I received a really diverse collection of books. There are a few that really stick out but I am backed-up right now with some great already-started material. I fear I won't get to them for a few weeks. Ugh. My list continues to grow. So little time… I've really been trying to be Zen about my reading — remembering that I don't have to read everything right now. Life is good and what a glorious burden — too many interesting wonderful books to read? Here's a glimpse of what has come my way this month.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley (What it's like to want to be popular so badly you'll pursue it even after you've died? This looks really cute and fun. I really like the packaging.)

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers (First published in 1988, Fallen Angels tells the story of one young boy serving in Vietnam. A special anniversary edition is out now.)

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers (Apropos, the sequel to Fallen Angels 20 years later takes place in Iraq.)

Thief by Brian James (Modern-day Oliver Twist meets Cassavetes' 'Gloria'? Kind of.)

It's Easy Being Green by Emma Sleeth (Written by a teen, "One Student's Guide to Serving God and Saving the Planet." Great suggestions but definitely not for your favorite atheist.)

DeathNote (1-6) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata (Surprise! I liked this a lot. I posted about it a few weeks back.)

The Final Warning by James Patterson (Known for his adult books and one of the most famous and best-selling authors ever, Patterson writes the Maximum Ride novels for young adults — sort of. They're marketed as a book for readers "ten to one hundred and ten." What does that mean? I think it supposed to mean 'James Patterson' without sex or swearing.

In the Small by Michael Hague (Graphic novel about what seems to be the end of the world.The natural order of things are reversed for the human survivors as they become the hunted race. Not my thing, but interesting premise.)

Today I received an email very politely wondering if I had received Magic in the Mirrorstone, sent to me a few weeks ago. I did, and because it wasn't with my other books from this month, I failed to include it yesterday in our Me & My Mailbox feature. I hate it when I blame things like this on my unassuming, innocent two and a half year old son, but honestly, he often takes things and puts them where he thinks they belong. Case in point: my car keys in the laundry. (That was a fun morning.) Anyhow, I found and recovered the book unharmed from under the bathroom sink.

I am loath to leave out a title that not only looks wonderful but expands our coverage for its fantasy genre. Magic in the Mirrorstone is a collection of 15 fantasy stories written by some of the top fantasy authors writing today. They represent a broad scope of subject and style by showcasing unique but related voices. I especially liked 'Lights, Camera, Action" by Cecil Castelucci. Really simple premise, but refreshing and sweet in the writing and delivery.

Anthologies and collections of all sorts are great because they offer a sampling of a specific writer or genre. Reading a short story or a series of like short stories is a great way to encourage readers to get outside their comfort zone. Try something different. Experiment. Some of the first science-fiction I ever read was in a huge paperback collection that I found in a hostel in Greece. I don't remember the title, but my favorite was something written by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I'll admit, I was alone and lonely and had nothing else in English to read, but it totally exposed me to something I would never have chosen on my own. It really captured my interest and I read it cover to cover. Not only was science-fiction totally off my radar at the time, I wouldn't have known where to start if I was interested. A happy accident but a good example of how collections can turn us on to new things. Magic in the Moonstone is similar and would be a great fantasy-starter book for the novice as well as the seasoned fan.

This is the second post in a regular Ypulse Books feature I'm calling Me & My Mailbox (you can check out last month's post here). Each month I will do a run-down of what I've received and what looks interesting. In a nutshell, here's what it looks like on the floor of my 'lil office.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson (The letter on the back cover is really cute and totally drew me in…reading it as we speak. Out in May.)

Read My Lips by Teri Brown (A real gossip girl is born when it's discovered that a deaf, new-girl-in-school is able to read lips.)

Hershey Herself by Cecelia Gallante (A tween book about domestic violence, so why does the cover look so…fun?)

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Heavy. A sort of suicide "note" audio chain letter that spurs thirteen stories that are inter-related.)

After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson (Penguin's done a ton of cool promotion with this book like including a behind-the-book CD Sampler.) Here's a Fuse #8 review.

Snap 2 It! by Sondra Clark (Instructions on staying positive for tweens.)

77 Creative Ways Kids Can Serve also by Sondra Clark (Why not 78? Just kidding. This looks like a nice reference for a school library.)

Twelve Long Months by Brian Molloy (A gay 'Felicity' perhaps? Cool. The letter accompanying this book described it as a novel about, "boys who love boys, and the girls who love them….")

Violet By Design by Melissa Walker (I recently posted about Violet on the Runway…this is #2. Way more fun than "America's Next Top Model.")

The Upper Class by Hobson Brown, Taylor Matern, and Caroline Says (As fluff goes, it's fun. I get it, but I'm seriously starting to worry. What do these kinds of books say about what we as a community (writers and readers) understand and want understood about the real issues of class?)