In My Mailbox (20)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Yaaay! I just got back from the library, which was mysteriously closed yesterday. Anyways, I have tons of cool books to show you all. Feast your eyes.

A Good And Happy Child by Justin Evans
George Davies can't bring himself to hold his newborn son. After months of accepting his lame excuses and strange behaviour, his wife has had enough. She demands that he see a therapist, and George, desperate to save his unraveling marriage and redeem himself as a father and husband, reluctantly agrees. As he delves into his childhood memories, he begins to recall things he hasn't thought of in twenty years. Events, people, and strange situations come rushing back. The odd, rambling letters his father sent home before he died. A boy who appeared one night when George was lonely, then told him secrets he didn't want to know. But when a mysterious murder is revealed, remembering the past becomes the only way George can protect himself - and his young family. - From back cover

Family Sold Separately by Kate Long
On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Katherine has a complete lack of friends, a pudgy figure, and one extremely eccentric, nearly blind grandmother name Poll. Since Katherine's father died and her mother disappeared, Poll is Katherine's only family. And not only does Poll buy all of Katherine's clothes, but she forbids her to leave the house unless it's absolutely necessary. Would a chance to go to Oxford count? But the bigger question is: How can Katherine abandon her grandma?
- From back cover

The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby
The child of poor farmers, La Mennulara became a maid for a well-to-do local family when she was only a girl; by dint of hard work and intelligence, she became the indispensable administrator of the family’s affairs. Still, she was a mere servant, and now (as this story begins) she is dead. As the details unfold about this mysterious woman, The Almond Picker assumes the witty suspense of a thriller, the emotional power of a love story, and the evocative atmosphere of a historical novel. Set in Sicily in the 1960s, a violent, complicated society in the midst of tumultuous change, The Almond Picker is the story of a woman who negotiated for her freedom as no one else dared. - From Goodreads

The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano
After 20 years in the Federal Witness Protection Program (WITSEC) and eight aliases, Melody Grace McCartney hardly knows who she is. On the run since she and her parents stumbled on a gruesome murder by mobster Tony Bovaro when she was six years old, Grace saw WITSEC’s promised protection fail her mother and father when they were killed 12 years later. Now she feigns personal danger to be relocated just because she’s bored and wants a change. But before her new case officer can move her from suburban Maryland to rural Wisconsin, Tony’s son, Jonathan, tracks her down to present an alternative: protection from his family and a life of more safety and freedom than she has ever known. While federal officials pressure her to stay in WITSEC and show her Jonathan’s violent side, her attraction to him grows, and she must decide a course for the rest of her life. -From Goodreads

The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner
In a crumbling apartment building in post-Soviet Russia, there’s a ghost who won’t keep quiet. Mircha fell from the roof and was never properly buried, so he sticks around to heckle the living: his wife, Azade; Olga, a disillusioned translator/censor for a military newspaper; Yuri, an army veteran who always wears an aviator’s helmet; and Tanya. Tanya carries a notebook wherever she goes, recording her observations and her dreams of finding love and escaping her job at the All-Russia All-Cosmopolitan Museum, a place which holds a fantastic and terrible collection of art knockoffs created using the tools at hand, from foam to chewing gum, Popsicle sticks to tomato juice. When the museum’s director hears of a mysterious American group seeking to fund art in Russia, it looks like she might get her chance at a better life, if she can only convince them of the collection’s worth.
-From Goodreads

Don't these sound fantastic? And they were all random finds, too. I tried to take out some of the books you guys suggested to me in Sunday's post, but couldn't find them. Oh well - these will keep me entertained!

In My Mailbox (19)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I just came back from this used book store that I recently discovered. Actually, I've seen it on the corner of the street before, but never ventured inside! I'm glad I finally did, because I found three books for just over fifteen dollars that sound so good.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book - a beautiful volume of fairytales. She is taken in by the dockmaster and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-first birthday, they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and very little to go on, "Nell" sets out to trace her real identity. But it's not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell's death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. - From back of book

Fixing Shadows by Susan Barrett
On the night the Duchess of Fainhope is delivered of the baby whose head the future of the title rests, her governess, Miss Mantilla, secretly gives birth to an illegitimate son of her own. But the noble heir who will secure his mother's status does not survive the night, while the other, nameless boy survives. So a swap is arranged: the dead child for the living. The two women are locked into a pact that will seal their own fates, and that of the Duchess's empire. - From back of book

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
Thirteen-year-old Matilda lives on a copper-rich tropical island that has been shattered by war, from which the teachers have fled along with everyone else. Only one white man chooses to stay behind - the eccentric Mr. Watts, object of much curiosity and scorn. He sweeps out the ruined schoolhouse and steps in to teach the children when there is no one else, and his only lessons consist of reading from his battered copy of Great Expectations, a book by his friend Mr. Dickens. - From back of book

I can't wait to get started on these books! Have you read them yourself? Did you like them? And, as always, feel free to leave a link to your own IMM post.

In My Mailbox (18)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I know, I know - I'm just a tad late with my IMM post this week! But after finishing Murder on the Orient Express, I literally had no books to read. What a tragedy! So yesterday I made a trip to the library and picked up these gems.

Petropolis by Anya Ulinich
Sasha Goldberg is the ultimate outsider: she's a chubby, biracial Jewish girl from the Siberian town of Asbestos 2. Her father takes off for the Unites States, and leaves Sasha to navigate adolescence in a bleak apartment block with her overbearing mother. At fourteen Sasha falls in love with an art school dropout who lives inside a concrete pipe in the town dump. Following her heart gets her into trouble at home, so she flees Russia as a mail-order bride and lands in suburban Arizona. Then, Sasha abandons her Red Lobster-loving fiance and embarks on a misadventure-filled journey across American in search of her father. - From back of book

Broken by Daniel Clay
Skunk Cunningham has a loving dad, an absent mother, and a brother who plays more Xbox than is good for him. She has a crush on her teacher, Mr. Jeffries, and fond feelings for Mrs. Buckley, who lives across the street and always has time for her questions. But Skunk also has the neighbours from hell: the five Oswald girls and their thuggish dad, Bob, are vicious bullies whose reign of terror extends unchallenged over their otherwise quiet suburban square.
- From back of book

River's Edge by Marie Bostwick
After the death of her mother, Elise Braun travels to the United States to start a new life. Her father only wants to save his daughter from the impending war in her native Germany - and the horrors of the new Nazi regime. But Elise can only feel a sense of abandonment and resentment toward the one man who is supposed to protect her. An accomplished pianist, music has become her only solace from the lonliness and loss that makes it so difficult for her to love or trust anyone... - From back of book

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous, The House on Mango Street tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, whose neighborhood is one of harsh realities and harsh beatuy. Esperanza doesn't want to belong - not to her rundown neighborhood, and not to the low expectations the world has for her. Esperenza's story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing for herself what she will become.
- From back of book

The Silver Needle Murder by Laura Childs
Theodosia Browning and the sraff of Indigo Tea Shop are feeling the heat, and not just because it's August. The Charleston Film Festival has brought them a busy week of catering jobs - and first up is the opening night gala at the historic Belvedere Theatre. But the festival starts off with a bang when famous director Jordan Cole is shot on his way to the podium and the entire audience witnesses his death silhouetted across the scrim.
- From back of book

Now that I have a good suppply of books, I can get some quality reading done. Have you heard of or read any of these books? I'd love to hear about it!

In My Mailbox (17)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Yesterday, I made a rare trip to the book store. I usually get my books from the library, but I had this sudden urge to buy more Agatha Christie books for my collection at home. So, I did! Here's what I got.

Murder on the Orient Express
by Agatha ChristieEn route to Paris, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot has booked winter passage on the fabled Orient Express. Among the assortment of fellow passengers, one wealthy American holds a unique distinction: He has been found dead of multiple stab wounds in the night compartment of the Calais coach. By dawn, thirteen travelers, each bearing a secret, will find themselves suspect in the most ingenious crime Poirot has ever solved...

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
by Agatha ChristieA widow's suicide has stirred suspicion and dreadful rumors - of blackmail, and of a secret lover named Roger Ackroyd, who was stabbed to death in his study. And there are rumors that his neighbour, Hercule Poirot, doesn't have a clue who did it.

I haven't read a Christie book in a while, and I've been craving a good, solid mystery. I saw the movie version of Murder on the Orient Express, so I kind of know what happens. But that was a long time ago, and plus - I want to read the book version. As for the other one, I don't know much about it except that it's one of her most famous books. I can't wait to get started!

What's in your mailbox? Feel free to leave a link so I can come visit!

In My Mailbox (16)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Hey! This week I have two awesome books to show you all. I had them on hold from the library and they just came in yesterday. I'm way too excited to read them.

The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness:
Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then one day, the bombs begin to explode... - From back of book


Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan:
Tender Morsels is a dark and vivid story, set in two worlds and worrying at the border between them. Liga lives modestly in her own personal heaven, given to her by natural magic in exchange for her earthly life. Her two daughters, gentle Branza and curious Urdda, grow up in this soft world, protected from the violence and prejudice that harmed their mother. But the real world cannot be denied forever - magicked men and wild bears break down the borders of Liga's refuge. Now, having known heaven, how will these three women survive in a world where beauty and brutality lie side by side? - From back of book

I really loved The Knife of Never Letting Go, and I've heard that The Ask and the Answer is a great follow-up. As for Tender Morsels, all I can say is that I'm curious. I have next to no knowledge about what the story is actually about, so I'm going into this one with no expectations. Let's hope it's a success!

What's in your mailbox? Please feel free to leave a link so I can come visit.

In My Mailbox (15)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Hello everyone! I decided to do my IMM post this week even though I said I was taking time off to (ugh) study. But I have two great books that I wanted to show off, so here goes.

Florence & Giles by John Harding:

1891. In a remote and crumbling New England mansion, 12-year-old orphan Florence is neglected by her guardian uncle and banned from reading. Left to her own devices she devours books in secret and talks to herself - and narrates this, her story - in a unique language of her own invention. By night, she sleepwalks the corridors like one of the old house's many ghosts and is troubled by a recurrent dream in which a mysterious woman appears to threaten her younger brother Giles. Sometimes Florence doesn't sleepwalk at all, but simply pretends to so she can roam at will and search the house for clues to her own baffling past.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman:
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones. Stay true to her first love - music - even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends. Then, one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

So, those are the books that will keep me company this week. Have you read any of them? Did you enjoy them? I'd love to hear about it!

In My Mailbox (14)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Only one new book this week - it's one that I saw on another blog and reserved it from the library right away! The plot sounds fantastic so I'm pretty excited to get started on it.

Life as we Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer: When Miranda first hears the warnings that a meteor is headed on a collision path with the moon, they just sound like an excuse for extra homework. But her disbelief turns to fear in a split second as the entire world witnesses a lunar impact that knocks the moon closer in orbit, catastrophically altering the earth's climate. Everthing in Miranda's life fades away as supermarkets run out of food, gas goes up in price, and school is closed indefinitely. But what Miranda and her family don't realise is that the worst is yet to come.

Doesn't that sound cool? I also can't wait to start it because it's told in diary format, which is always interesting in a book. Have you read Life as we Knew It? What did you think? Also, feel free to leave a link to your IMM post so I can come visit.

In My Mailbox (13)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I only have one new book this week (It was hard, but I refrained from going to the library) and it's a great one. Marce from Tea Time With Marce was too kind. All of the sudden she decided to buy some of her followers a book, just to say thanks. I thought that was very, very sweet of her! So this is the book that she bought me, and I can't tell you how excited I am to read it.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood:
Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey - with the help of the green-eyed children of Crake - through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride (from back of book).

You guys are probably tired of seeing me read Margaret Atwood books, but I can't resist not reading Oryx and Crake. I didn't know this, but it's the prequel to her newest book, "The Year of the Flood". What's in your mailbox this week? Feel free to leave a link so I can come visit.

In My Mailbox (12)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Yesterday I visited the library to pick up some books that I reserved. They're all books that I read about on other blogs and have wanted to read for such a long time. Well, I have them now and can't wait to get started.

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran:
The winds of change are blowing through Thebes. A devastating palace fire has killed the Eighteenth Dynasty's royal family - all with the exception of Nefertari, the niece of the reviled former queen, Nefertiti. The girl's deceased family has been branded as heretical, and no one in Egypt will speak their names. Nefertari is pushed aside, an unimportant princess left to run wild in the palace. But this changes when she is taken under the wing of the Pharaoh's aunt, then brought to the Temple of Hathor, where she is educated in a manner befitting a future queen (From back of book).

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness:
Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown. But Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. There is no quiet, no privacy, no room for secrets. Or is there? Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee - whose thoughts Todd can hear, too, whether he wants to or not - stumble upon an area of complete silence. Which is impossible (From back of book).

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson:
From her first moment in Merryweather High, Melinda Sordino knows she's an outcast. She busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops - a major infraction in high-school society - so her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't know glare at her. She retreats into her head, where the lies and hypocrisies of high school stand in stark relief to her own silence, making her all the more mute. But it's not so comfortable in her head, either - there's something banging around in there that she doesn't want to think about. Try as she might to avoid it, it won't go away, until there is a painful confrontation (From back of book).

Yay, yay, yay! Don't those sound amazing? I'm sure many of you have read them, so let me know if you enjoyed them. Also, feel free to leave a link to your IMM post so I can come visit.

In My Mailbox (11)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

After going days without visiting the library, I finally went today! I found some books that sound great, and I'm excited to show them to you all. Here they are:

Atlas of Unknowns by Tania James:
In the wake of their mother's mysterious death, Linno and Anju are raised in Kerala by their father Melvin. When Anju wins a scholarship to a prestigious school in America, she seizes the opportunity, even though it means betraying her sister. Meanwhile, back in Kerala, Linno is undergoing a transformation of her own, rejecting the wealthy suitor whom her father has chosen. When Anju goes missing, Linno comes up with a scheme to procure a visa so that she can travel to America to search for her sister (From back of book).

The Tent by Margaret Atwood:
The Tent is Margaret Atwood's highly imaginative new collection of mini-fictions. These vintage Atwoodian tales - monologues, pretend histories and autobiographies, animal fables, and condensed science fictions - speak to a broad range of subjects, reflecting the times we live in with deadly accuracy and knife-edge precision (From back of book).

Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus:
Working in a world where a college degree qualifies her to make photocopies and color-coordinate file folders, twenty-four-year-old Girl is struggling to keep up with the essential trinity of food, shelter, and student loans. So when she finally lands the job of her dreams, she ignores her misgivings and concentrates on getting the job done... whatever that may be (From back of book).

Snapped by Pamela Klaffke:
At the helm of must-read Snap magazine, veteran style guru Sara B. has had the job - and joy - for the past fifteen years of eviscerating the city's fashion victims in her legendary DOs and DON'Ts photo spread. Fueled by alcohol, nicotine and self-loathing, Sara launches into a cringeworthy but often comic series of blowups - personal, professional and private - that culminate in an epiphany. That she, the arbiter of taste, has made her living by cutting people down... and somehow she's got to make amends (From back of book).

As you can see, I couldn't resist getting another Atwood out! But this time it's a collection of short stories, so that should be different. Have you read any of these? Did you like them? Also, feel free to post a link to your IMM post and I'll come check it out.

In My Mailbox (10)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Once again, I didn't get that many news books this week. But, I did buy a couple for three dollars at this discount book store. They're both written by authors that I simply adore, so I'm excited to start them!

Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood:
Joan Foster is the bored wife of a myopic ban-the-bomber. She takes off overnight as Canada's new superpoet, pens lurid gothics on the sly, attracts a blackmailing reporter, skids cheerfully in and out of menacing plots, hair-raising traps, and passionate trysts, and lands dead and well in Terremoto, Italy (from back cover).

Curtain by Agatha Christie:
Both Poirot and Great Styles have seen better days - but despite being crippled with arthritis, there is nothing wrong with the detective's 'little grey cells'. However, when Poirot brands one of the seemingly harmless guests as a five-time murderer, some people have their doubts. But Poirot alone knows he must prevent a sixth murder before the curtain falls... (from back cover).

After reading the summary of Lady Oracle, I can officially say that I'm clueless in terms of the plot. It's Atwood, though, so it's bound to be a good read. As for the Christie book - I'm in the mood for a good, solid mystery. Hopefully these two books will be enjoyable! What's in your mailbox? Feel free to leave a link so I can come visit.

In My Mailbox (9)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I only have one new book to show you all this week! Actually, it's not really new - I've had it sitting around for a while. But, I haven't talked about it yet so I figured I'd showcase it this week for my IMM post.

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
For two years before she left Iran in 1997, Nafisi gathered seven young women at her house every Thursday morning to read and discuss forbidden works of Western literature. They were all former students whom she had taught at university. Some came from conservative and religious families, others were progressive and secular; several had spent time in jail. They were shy and uncomfortable at first, unaccustomed to being asked to speak their minds, but soon they began to open up and to speak more freely, not only about the novels they were reading but also about themselves, their dreams and disappointments. (From Goodreads)

So that's the book that I'm about to start reading! My review of Daughters of Fortune should be up tomorrow. What's in your mailbox? Feel free to leave a link.

In My Mailbox (8)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I didn't get many new books this week, but that's because I already have a few that I want to finish up first. But I did receive a book in the mail that I won in a giveaway over at Bookalicious Ramblings:

Daughters of Fortune by Tara Hyland:
William Melville's daughters are heiresses to the world's most exclusive fashion dynasty. Beautiful and rich, they are envied by all. But behind the glittering facade of their lives, each girl hides a dark secret that threatens to tear their family apart. As each of them seeks to carve out her own destiny, they face difficult choices which will take them in wildly different directions.


Is it just me or does that sound really good? I can't tell you how excited I am to start this one. What did you get this week? Feel free to leave a link so I can come visit!

In My Mailbox (7)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I didn't get many new books this week, but I'm still excited to start these. Both of the books are written by authors that I've previously read and enjoyed, so that's a plus.

Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill:
There were Canes in Canada before the United States erupted into civil war. Their roots are deep, their legacy is rich, but Langston Cane V knows little of his heritage. He is thirty-eight, divorced, and childless and has just been fired for sabotaging a government official's speech.

The eldest son of a white mother and prominent black father, Langston feels more acutely than ever the burden of his illustrious family name and his racially mixed heritage. To be black in a white society is hard enough; to be half-black, half-white is to have no identity at all. Or so Langston believes. After a run-in with his father, Langston takes off for his feisty aunt's house in Baltimore, where he embarks on a remarkable quest for his family's past. (From Goodreads)

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini:
This is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan's last thirty years, from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding, that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives, the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness, are inextricable from the history playing out around them. (From Goodreads)

I immensely enjoyed the other books I've read by these authors, so I hope I'll feel the same way about these. Have you read Any Known Blood or A Thousand Splendid Suns? Let me know what you think! Also, feel free to leave a link to your IMM post so I can see what you got this week.

In My Mailbox (6)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately, and have been discovering many great books that I've never seen or heard of before. In the past few weeks there have been three that I was extra interested in, so I went straight to my library's website and put them on hold.

I picked them up a few days ago and cannot wait to get started. Those three books are the ones that I will be featuring on my IMM post this week! I appologize to whoever reviewed these books, because I totally forget what blogs I saw these on. Huge thanks to whoever you are! On with the show:

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta: Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Marham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. In this absorbing story, nothing is as it seems and every clue cleads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, and the maddening Jonah Griggs who knows her better than she thinks he does.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch: Astrid is the only child of a single mother, Ingrid, a brilliant, obsessed poet who wields her luminous beauty to itimidate and manipulate men. Deranged by rejection, Ingrid murders a man and is sentenced to life in prison. White Oleander is the unforgettable story of Astrid's journey through a series of foster homes and her efforts to find a place for herself in impossible circumstances.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell: When Evie's father returned home from World War II, the family fell back into its normal life pretty quickly. But Joe Spooner brought more back with him than war stories. When movie-star handsome Peter Coleridge, a young ex-GI shows up, Evie is suddenly caught in a complicated web of lies that she only slowly recognizes. She finds herself falling for Peter, ignoring the secrets that surround him... until a tragedy occurs that shatters her familly and breaks her life in two.

My reading pile keeps getting taller and taller, but I can't help it when I discover new books! Thanks again to whoever posted about these books on their blogs - I can't wait to get started.

In My Mailbox (5)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I literally just came back from the good ol' library with some new finds that I'm dying to read. Here's what I got today:

The Beach House by Jane Green: Nan is a free spirit you couldn't care less what people think. But when her neighbors are away, she decides to rent out the rooms in their house to make a bit of extra cash. Slowly people start to fill the home with noice, laughter and tears. But as the house comes alive again, an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside down.

(I've read on many blogs that Jane Green is supposed to be a great author, so I'm excited to see what I think of her. Can't wait to start this one!)

The Sisterhood by Emily Barr: I've always felt something was missing. And then I found out I had a sister I never knew existed. I had to meet her. My plan was to get to know her before telling her our secret. But this isn't how I imagined it. I don't feel in control any more. Liz has been looking at me strangely, asking awkward questions. Does she suspect something?

(I can't seem to find a summary of this book anywhere, but that little blurb on the back cover really caught my attention. I'm very curious as to what this book is about. It sounds intriguing!)

The Proof is in the Pudding by Melinda Wells: Della's agreed to be on the panel for the Celebrity Cook-Off Charity Gala. But before the judges have a chance to sample the delights, food columnist and gold-digging playboy Keith Ingram is found dead. And one of Della's closest friends, LAPD Lieutenant John O' Hara, is the prime suspect!

(I love this cozy mystery series! I've read the previous two books and am so happy I found this sitting on the shelves.)

Those are my finds for this week, which should keep me occupied for a while! Once I'm done with The Postmistress I'll start on this pile. What did you get? Leave a link in the comments and I'll come visit you!

In My Mailbox (4)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

This week was a pretty average week in terms of the new books I got. There's only two new ones (both of which I borrowed from someone), but they sound very emotional. Here they are!

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay: Journalist Julia Jarmond is assigned to write an article about the Vel' d'Div' roundup which happened in Paris in July 1942. This was the day when Sarah, a ten year old girl, was brutally arrested along with her family by the French police. As Julia researches this topic, she begins to uncover this girl's life and a trail of long-hidden family secrets.

(I'm borrowing this book from a friend. She highly recommended it and said it almost made her cry! Yes... that's what I like. We'll see how this goes!)

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake: On the eve of the United States's entrance into World War II in 1940, Iris James, the postmistress of Franklin, a small town on Cape Cod, does the unthinkable: She doesn't deliver a letter. The Postmistress is an unforgettable tale of the secrets we must bear, or bury. It is about what happens to love during wartime, when those we cherish leave. And how every story - of love or war - is about looking left when we should have been looking right. - Goodreads

(I'm not sure how this sounds, to be honest. I'm not one who normally enjoys war novels, but I'm not going to judge this before I start reading. Let's hope it's good!)

And that sums up my new reading material, which I'll start once I'm done the stuff from last week. What's in your mailbox? Feel free to leave a link in the comments so I can come visit you!

In My Mailbox (3)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

Oh, I'm so excited this week! I paid a visit to the bookstore yesterday and found some great-sounding books that I'm anxious to read. Hooray for the discount book section! I also borrowed one from a friend. My TBR pile is very hefty now, but I have a week off from school so hopefully I'll get to make a dent.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane: In the year 1954, Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate an unexplained disappearance. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somwhere on this barren island, but nothing is remotely what it seems.

(I saw the movie a while ago and I totally loved it! I've heard the book is excellent, so I'm dying to read it. I just wish I knew about it before I saw the movie!)

Googlewhack Adventure by Dave Gorman: Fuelled by a lust for life and a desperate desire to do anything except what he's supposed to be doing, Dave Gorman falls under the spell of an addictive internet word game - googlewhacking. Dave travels three times around the world in less than three months, visiting four continents and the unlikeliest cast of real-life oddballs you'll ever meet.

(This is the book I borrowed from my friend! It seems like a very entertaining read, so we'll see how it goes.)

Queen Mum by Kate Long: Ally lives with her husband, Tom, and her son, Ben. Next door live Juno and her husband with their two gorgeous teenage daughters, Pascal and Sophie. But Juno has suddenly made a surprising decision; she has signed up for Queen Mum, a reality-TV show. For two weeks she will live with another family in another town, while her opposite number will be moving in next door to Ally.

(This is the book I picked up for $5! It was cheap, so why not? Hopefully I'll enjoy it, although I've never heard of it before.)

I really want to start reading this new pile of books, but I've got to finish my library material first. On Friday I finished A Table by the Window but haven't gotten the chance to post my review yet. It should be up tomorrow! What's in your mailbox this week?

In My Mailbox (2)

Hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, In My Mailbox is where you share the recent books you've bought/received/taken out from the library.

I finally went to the library yesterday (which I've been meaning to do for a while) and found some really interesting books. Here they are!

Book of Clouds by Chloe Aridjis: Chloe Aridjis's haunting debut novel is a masterfully wrought tale of a young woman adrift in Berlin, where a string of fateful encounters lead to romance, violence, and, ultimately, revelation. Chloe guides us through Berlin with wit and compassion, and shows why cities, like people, cannot outrun their pasts.


Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood: This is the story of Elaine Risley, a controversial painter who returns to Toronto, the city of her youth, for a retrospective of her art. Elaine must come to terms with her own identity as a daughter, a lover, an artist, and a woman - but above all she must seek release from her haunting memories.


A Table by the Window by Lawana Blackwell: Carler Reed has survived a troubled childhood. Her newfound comfortable routine as an adult begins to unravel one morning when a private investigator brings her the news of a substantial inheritance - including a house in Mississippi. She soon realizes she has found the kind of life she always desired - but it's more than she bargained for when a mysterious murder threatens her happiness.

Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs: It's tea for two hundred at the annual historic homes garden party. And Theodosia, as event caterer, is busy serving steaming teas and blackberry scones. But the sweet smell of success turns to suspense when an esteemed guest is found dead - his hand clutching an empty teacup.

Blood Orange Brewing by Laura Childs: When social darling Delaine Dish throws a lavish benefit for the restoration of a run-down Victorian home, Theodosia Browning donates tea and treats from her Indigo Tea Shop. But the grand unveiling of Theo's spread proves a gruesome scene when a beloved local politico falls dead with a jagged piece of metal in his neck. Her investigation will lead her into places darker than the blackest tea...

I'm super excited to tackle this pile of books! I took the advice of Christina from Reading Extensively and found some Laura Childs books. While I was doing that, I came across some other great-sounding books. Since I just finished reading two mystery novels, I started reading Book of Clouds for a change of genre. It's very different so far, but I can tell it'll be good. So, what did you get?