Mailbox Monday, Sept 19

Since I've seriously scaled back on my reviews (and then, frankly, stopped doing pretty much any not associated with a tour, le sigh!), I've not got gotten as many unsolicited copies any more. It bums me out from a blogger perspective, in that it's one big indication that I'm not as active here as I should be, but on the other hand, I'm grateful I don't have to deal with the clutter of books I probably won't read.

I'm still a bit free with my requests for e-book ARCs, however, and I have been chewing through a handful of those this year. Here are some recent arrivals on this Mailbox Monday. What have you gotten? Any of these appeal to you?

Print Copies


Ebook Copies



Kate Howard, The Ornatrix
Sara Flannery Murphy, The Possessions
Laurie Notaro, Crossing the Horizon



Aprilynne Pike, Glitter
Cherie Priest, The Family Plot

Comments

  1. I did just the opposite - I'm only doing a few blog tours and the rest I read on my own schedule. It got to be too much pressure to read/post by a certain date. If I get an unsolicited book I'll read it if it interests me or I'll spotlight and run a giveaway or I'll donate it to the little free library in my neighborhood (if it's a finished copy). I guess what I'm saying is it's nice we can set our own limits and then enjoy reading! Nice to land on your blog today :)

    ReplyDelete

  2. Nice mailbox. Gorgeous covers.

    I haven't been doing too many tours. I am excited about unsolicited books unless it is one that I really won't read. I have been pretty lucky, though. Most of my unsolicited books are books that I have enjoyed.

    Have a wonderful week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Mailbox Monday

    ReplyDelete

  3. I like the list you do have here. They look like good reads. I hope that you find more time for blogging. I miss seeing those posts in my email.

    ReplyDelete

  4. Nice mailbox. I miss your reviews though!

    ReplyDelete

  5. Great mailbox! I'm really intrigued by Glitter. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete

  6. Yep, the lesser number has a silver lining. I've stopped using Netgalley so no more books from there, no tours either, but I've had a few print copies I'm excited about, particularly the latest Peirene.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where They Bury You by Steven W. Kohlhagen

Image
Title:Where They Bury You
Author: Steven W. Kohlhagen

Genre: Fiction (Historical / 1860s / New Mexico / Civil War / Native Americans / Kit Carson / Historical Figures Fictionalized / Con Artists / Theft)
Publisher/Publication Date: Sunstone Press (9/2/2013)
Source:JKS Communications

Rating: Liked.
Did I finish?: I did -- raced through it!
One-sentence summary: A handful of gamblers try to make a big score in 1860s New Mexico and Arizona, at a time when the region is torn up with conflict and war.
Reading Challenges:E-book, Historical Fiction

Do I like the cover?: You know what? I do. I thought I didn't, but when I viewed the image full size, the textured background, the 'Western' font, and the silhouettes actually appeal to me.

First line: I'll be damned.

Buy, Borrow, or Avoid?: Borrow or buy if you like Westerns, the Southwest as a setting, or want a look at a wild and tempestuous time in US history.

Why did I get this book?: I've always been a bit curious about Kit Carson …
Read more

Book Review: Kitchen Table Tarot by Melissa Cynova

Image
This book reignited my love for tarot.

I bought my first tarot deck at 16 or so, and have been passionate about tarot since then. But after twenty years of reading (and heavily collecting), I found I wasn't turning to my cards as much. Partially it was being pregnant, and then having a kid -- many, many things in my life slowed down -- but a good deal of it was feeling in a rut and at a dead end. I 'knew' the cards, as much as I could, but I wasn't using my decks regularly or reading for anyone -- including myself.

On a whim, I requested this book via NetGalley, and to my surprise, actually read the e-book galley cover to cover -- yes, including every page for every card. Cynova -- popularly known online as Little Fox Tarot -- has a wonderfully down-to-earth and accessible attitude that immediately drew me in, and her every thought on tarot and reading (or card slinging) is approachable, welcoming, and realistic.

From the first page, Cynova's personality comes thr…
Read more

Book Review: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Image
First line: Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.

I had to grit my teeth to get through this book. (All 209 pages.)

I'm ashamed to admit this since a surprising number of folks online and in person have cited this novella as one of their favorite books, but I found everything about this brief read to be agonizing -- the plot, the narrative style, the characters -- it and I just did not connect.

I went in expecting to love this book given its reputation and subject matter. Achebe depicts the story of a Nigeria broken by white colonialism; our hero is deeply flawed and stubbornly committed, living in a world with problems triply complicated by the unnecessary influence of white colonizers. Achebe's narrative style is straight-forward and clear, even as he articulates a world deeply foreign to modern audiences.

I suspect I didn't understand this book; I'm also not a huge fan of tragedies (I loathe Hamlet) so Okonkwo as a character didn'…
Read more