Mailbox Monday, August 20

This week's Mailbox Monday (hosted in August at 5 Minutes for Books) is a lovely want-to-spread-them-around-me pile of arrivals -- some serious eye-candy. To learn more about any book, click on a cover and the link will automatically open in a new tab/window.

What did you get?  Have any of these?

For Review















Comments

  1. bermudaonionAugust 19, 2012 at 9:36 AM

    Oh man, you won't know where to start. I just read Wallflower in Bloom - it's really cute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:05 PM

      It looks sweet and fun -- not my usual genre, but I'm trying to expand!

      Delete
  2. Her Royal OrangenessAugust 19, 2012 at 9:50 AM

    I am so jealous that you have a copy of "The Beautiful Indifference"! I've had it on my wishlist for over a year but haven't been able to find anywhere to purchase it for much less than $20 (and I never spend that much on a book). I hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:06 PM

      I'm super excited to dig in -- I've been growing an interest in short fic -- and the cover of her volume is stunning.

      Delete
  3. Diana LeighAugust 19, 2012 at 10:01 AM

    Wow! I'm impressed with your book haul! I have the first 5 books from Susan Carroll's The Dark Queen series in my TBR pile. I didn't know the series would continue after that - guess I have some catching up to do... ;)

    Enjoy your books!
    Diana - My Mailbox Post

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:06 PM

      I'm a bit apprehensive as I hadn't read the previous five novels so we'll see how lost I get!

      Delete
  4. Melissa @ Confessions of an Avid ReaderAugust 19, 2012 at 10:17 AM

    There are a number of books on your list that I'll be watching out for your reviews on. I hope they are all fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:06 PM

      Melissa -- thanks -- I'm super excited to dig in. (I have to restrain myself for the ones that come out in 2013!)

      Delete
  5. Ellie WarrenAugust 19, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    Vampires in the Lemon Grove has me intrigued.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:07 PM

      I'm excited to see she's returned to short fiction -- folks have raved more about that than her novel.

      Delete
  6. Harvee LauAugust 19, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    You really got a handful last week! Eye candy for sure. Before the rain looks like a terrific book that I should read! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:07 PM

      Harvee -- I'm reviewing Before the Rain on Wednesday -- it's a pretty interesting memoir so far!

      Delete
  7. JessieAugust 19, 2012 at 10:52 AM

    I have heard so many good things about Meljean Brook's novels. I also love the author, so I hope her books live up to her internet persona.
    Also? The Archived? Looks so so good! Jealous!
    We're already talked about how fantastic Abide with Me looks so I will be eagerly awaiting your thoughts on it. Wuthering Heights in modern day Afghanistan? Yes, please!

    I got The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland from NG, but I still need to read the first one! I do love the covers for both of those books. So unique and pretty.

    Very awesome haul, Audra!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AudraAugust 20, 2012 at 4:08 PM

      I'm a tiiiiiiny bit nervous about tackling Meljean Brook's first novel, The Iron Duke, since it's got this rape-y vibe, apparently, but otherwise, everyone thinks her series is stellar. I'm quite excited.

      I am literally drooling over Abide With Me -- I cannot, cannot wait for it.

      Delete
  8. Julie K. RoseAugust 19, 2012 at 12:26 PM

    Wow, the cover of The Salt God's Daughter is gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sam (Tiny Library)August 19, 2012 at 12:28 PM

    So jealous about The Mirrored World! Skeleton Women looks interesting too...

    ReplyDelete
  10. JennaAugust 19, 2012 at 4:19 PM

    Lucky!! These look awesome. I am particularly interested in about 7 of these, but they look great. Also, great looking covers.

    ReplyDelete
  11. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaAugust 19, 2012 at 8:15 PM

    The covers are all fabulous. So looking forward to My Brilliant Friend - love that author's writing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. MysticaAugust 19, 2012 at 11:01 PM

    What an amazing selection of books. Enjoy them all.

    ReplyDelete
  13. SerenaAugust 20, 2012 at 5:47 AM

    I have skeleton women as well. Enjoy all these amazing looking books.

    ReplyDelete
  14. bookspersonallyAugust 20, 2012 at 7:43 AM

    These look gorgeous. The cover for Salt God's Daughter is very, very intriguing .... is that a new Karen Russell? But I did not even get to Swamplandia yet, how can this be, lol ;D.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Reading RamboAugust 20, 2012 at 11:02 AM

    Whaaaat? There's another book after The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland? This is excellent to hear. The covers for that apparent series are kickass.

    ReplyDelete
  16. ZibileeAugust 20, 2012 at 4:04 PM

    Oh, these are fabulous new arrivals! I am excited that you will get the chance to read these! Some of the titles are new to me, and some I will be reading as well. Exceptionally nice mailbox today, Audra!

    ReplyDelete
  17. RyanAugust 20, 2012 at 7:37 PM

    Hope you are enjoying your staycation. Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnnaAugust 22, 2012 at 6:15 PM

    I can't wait to hear what you think about The Mirrored World (I'm on that tour, too) and Abide With Me, in particular. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  19. StephTheBookwormAugust 22, 2012 at 8:34 PM

    Wallflower in Bloom is on my wishlist. I also saw The Guest Book at the library and thought it sounded really cute! Enjoy!! :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Flashes of War by Katey Schultz

Image
Title:Flashes of War
Author: Katey Schultz

Genre: Fiction (Contemporary / Soldiers / War / Iraq / Afghanistan / Short Stories / PTSD / Military Families / Non-Combatants)
Publisher/Publication Date: Loyola University's Apprentice House (5/2013)
Source:MindBuck Media

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did, in a single morning.
One-sentence summary: Thirty-one short stories about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the soldiers, the survivors, and the citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan responding to the violence.

Do I like the cover?: I do -- it's simple and sparse. As many of the stories have the POV of someone young, the use of the toy soldier is smart, I think.

I'm reminded of...: Tara L. Masih

First line: Now there's waiting to get deployed and there's waiting to get shot at., from 'The Waiting: Part I'

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy, especially if you're interested in stories about the military and those impacted by war.

Why did I get this book?: Curiosi…
Read more

Historical Novel Society 2013 Conference: Gushing & a Story

Image
I'm back from both my work conference and the Historical Novel Society's 2013 Conference.

I had an amazing time.

Some off-the-top-of-my-head points:

I rode in the same van as Diana Gabaldon on the way to the conference, and me and my fellow shuttle-mates all tried to play it super cool.  Gabaldon was incredibly gracious. Amy of Passages to the Past and Historical Novel Virtual Book Tours and Heather of The Maiden's Court are as fabu as one would expect and I'm grateful that they were my con buddies! (Also, how crazy is it that I had to go to Florida to meet Heather, who lives, like, 40 minutes away from me!?!)got to meet bloggers like Meg of A Bookish Affair and reviewer/author/GoodReads friend Jane Steenevery author I met was adorable, gracious, enthusiastic, collegial, sweet, and supportive, not just of each other, but of the aspiring writers, bloggers, readers, and fanshad the head spinning experience of people gasping when they met me!the panels were fun and intere…
Read more

Book Review: The Changeling by Victor LaValle

Image
First line: This fairy tale begins in 1968 during a garbage strike.

Holy expletive, this book was intense!

A quarter of the way in, I told my wife this was American Gods by way of Laura Lippman, and now that I've finished, I stand by that description. This is a family mystery, a domestic thriller, a supernatural mindfuck.

Perfect for Halloween and the creepy autumn days around it.

This was my book club's October read, and I inhaled it in about three days. All of us who read it loved it, although pretty much none of us expected some of the elements -- although it varied which plot point or character surprised us.

Apollo Kagwa loves books and stories; his parents' courtship, which opens the novel, has the magic of a fairy tale. His own marriage seems similarly fantastic, from his unusual courtship to his mesmerising wife Emma. But the pressure of a new baby takes a toll on all of them, especially when Emma becomes convinced their baby isn't really their baby. The famili…
Read more

The Printmaker’s Daughter by Katherine Govier

Image
Title:The Printmaker’s Daughter
Author: Katherine Govier

Genre: Fiction (Japan / 19th century / Printmaking / Calligraphy)
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper Perennial (11/22/2011)
Source:TLC Book Tours

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did.
One-sentence summary: A young woman with exceptional artistic talent subsumes herself out of loyalty to her father.
Reading Challenges:Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: I don't think so. It's sort of ambigu-Japanese without telling us anything about the story, plus I think there's something odd about the woman's arm, like it was accidentally Photoshopped out. It's...spindly. (I vastly prefer the Canadian version.)

I'm reminded of...: Tracy Chevalier, Arthur Golden

First line: "Hey, you! You with the big chin! Oei!

Do... I love/hate novels about forgotten women artists?: YES. I wish more hist fic would taken on these fabulous forgotten figures, rather than churning out more Tudor-fic. I hate them only because it frustrat…
Read more