In My Mailbox (5.2.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Head over there to see what everyone else received this week!

I received Whiter than Snow by Sandra Dallas this week for review. Here's a summary from Goodreads:

From The New York Times bestselling author of Prayers for Sale comes the moving and powerful story of a small town after a devastating avalanche, and the life changing effects it has on the people who live there.

Whiter Than Snow opens in 1920, on a spring afternoon in Swandyke, a small town near Colorado’s Tenmile Range. Just moments after four o’clock, a large split of snow separates from Jubilee Mountain high above the tiny hamlet and hurtles down the rocky slope, enveloping everything in its path including nine young children who are walking home from school. But only four children survive. Whiter Than Snow takes you into the lives of each of these families: There’s Lucy and Dolly Patch—two sisters, long estranged by a shocking betrayal. Joe Cobb, Swandyke’s only black resident, whose love for his daughter Jane forces him to flee Alabama. There’s Grace Foote, who hides secrets and scandal that belies her genteel façade. And Minder Evans, a civil war veteran who considers his cowardice his greatest sin. Finally, there’s Essie Snowball, born Esther Schnable to conservative Jewish parents, but who now works as a prostitute and hides her child’s parentage from all the world.

Ultimately, each story serves as an allegory to the greater theme of the novel by echoing that fate, chance, and perhaps even divine providence, are all woven into the fabric of everyday life. And it’s through each character’s defining moment in his or her past that the reader understands how each child has become its parent’s purpose for living. In the end, it’s a novel of forgiveness, redemption, survival, faith and family.

That's it for me this week!

In My Mailbox (4.25.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Head over there to see what everyone else received this week!

These books actually came to me over the last couple of weeks, but since I haven't done an In My Mailbox post in a while, I thought I'd post about them now. I received two books in the mail, and I'm really excited about both of them!

I received a copy of Fireworks over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff from the publisher. I've been wanting to read this one, since I've seem some great reviews of it. Here's a summary, from Goodreads:

Lily was married for just days before her husband was sent abroad to fight in WWII. Now, he and the other soldiers are returning, and the small town of Toccoa, Georgia plans a big celebration. But a handsome and kind Italian immigrant, responsible for the elaborate fireworks display the town commissioned captures Lily's heart and soul. Torn between duty to society and her husband, and a poor, passionate man who might be her only true love--Lily must choose between a love she never knew and a commitment she'd already made.

The second book I received is The Postmistress by Sarah Blake, which I won from a giveaway hosted by Stacy at A Novel Source. I've been wanting to read this one ever since I first heard what it's about, so I'm so glad to have won a copy. Thanks Stacy! Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Filled with stunning parallels to today's world, The Postmistress is a sweeping novel about the loss of innocence of two extraordinary women-and of two countries torn apart by war.

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. In London, American radio gal Frankie Bard is working with Edward R. Murrow, reporting on the Blitz. One night in a bomb shelter, she meets a doctor from Cape Cod with a letter in his pocket, a letter Frankie vows to deliver when she returns from Germany and France, where she is to record the stories of war refugees desperately trying to escape.

The residents of Franklin think the war can't touch them- but as Frankie's radio broadcasts air, some know that the war is indeed coming. And when Frankie arrives at their doorstep, the two stories collide in a way no one could have foreseen. 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.

In My Mailbox (3.28.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Head over there to see what everyone else received this week!

I've put myself on library probation, and actually ended up returning a couple of  books unread this week, which I hate to do but feel like is necessary. Regardless, a few books arrived in my mailbox this week, all of which I'm really excited to get to.

I won a copy of Still Alice by Lisa Genova from Kay at My Random Acts of Reading. Thanks so much Kay!! Here's the blurb from the back of the book:

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life--and her relationship with her family and the world--forever.

At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early onset Alzheimer's disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People.

Having had a family member die of Alzheimer's, this is a book that I think is really important for me to read and I'm glad to finally get my hands on a copy! 

Keeping the Feast by Paula Butterini arrived this week from Bookmooch. I've been wanting to read this one since the first reviews came out - I'm really developing a taste for foodie memoirs, and this one sounds like a really inspiring read! Here's a summary from Goodreads:

A story of food and love, injury and healing, Keeping the Feast is the triumphant memoir of one couple's nourishment and restoration in Italy after a period of tragedy, and the extraordinary sustaining powers of food, family, and friendship.

Paula and John met in Italy, fell in love, and four years later, married in Rome. But less than a month after the wedding, tragedy struck. They had transferred from their Italian paradise to Warsaw and while reporting on an uprising in Romania, John was shot and nearly killed by sniper fire. Although he recovered from his physical wounds in less than a year, the process of healing had just begun. Unable to regain his equilibrium, he sank into a deep sadness that reverberated throughout their relationship. It was the abrupt end of what they'd known together, and the beginning of a new phase of life neither had planned for. All of a sudden, Paula was forced to reexamine her marriage, her husband, and herself.

I also received a copy Guest House by Barbara K. Richardson for review from Anne Staszalek at The Book Report Network. The first chapter is available online at the author's website, and after reading that I decided this was a book I definitely want to read. Here's the blurb from the back cover:

Driving home from work on a summer afternoon, Melba Burns witnesses a nightmare collision. She abandons her car, quits her job, and stops driving. The wreck ends Melba's desire for success at any cost; she retreats into her beloved old farmhouse yearning for a simpler peace. But peace has never met Melba's stunning to roommate JoLee Garry, a magnet for messes and trouble. JoLee brings a series of unexpected guests who transform Melba's solo life into something different, darker, and richer.

Finally, I also received a copy of Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden for review from the author. I heard great things about her previous novel, Sugar, so I'm looking forward to reading her latest novel. Here's the blurb from the back cover:

Glorious is set against the backdrops of the Jim Crow South, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Civil Rights era. Blending fact and fiction, Glorious is the story of Easter Venetta Bartlett, a fictional Harlem Renaissance writer whose tumultuous path to success, ruin, and ultimately revival offers a candid and true portrait of the American experience in all its beauty and cruelty.

It is a novel informed by the question that is the title of Langston Hughes's famous poem:  What happens to a dream deferred? Based on years of research, this heart-wrenching fictional account is given added resonance by factual events coupled with real and imagined larger-than-life characters. Glorious is an audacious exploration into the nature of self-hatred, love, possession, ego, betrayal, and, finally, redemption.

In My Mailbox (3.14.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

I (hopefully) have learned my lesson about library requests. (What am I saying? I'll never learn my lesson...) So, nothing from the library this week, but I did receive a copy of Mrs. Somebody Somebody by Tracy Winn courtesy of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

That's it for this week... looking forward to seeing what arrived for everyone else!

In My Mailbox (3.7.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Eurg, I think I may need to temporarily place a moratorium on library requests. I had five books come in this week, in addition to the five from last week! This may not seem like a lot to those amazing readers to read a book a day, but I'm lucky if I get through 2 or 3 books a week. I'm so excited about these though, so without further ado, here's what came in from the library this week:

• Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez:  I've been intrigued by this one ever since I first heard about it, so I was so excited when my request finally came in! This one is due back in a week, so expect a review sometime soon!
• Nefertiti by Michelle Moran:  I decided that, despite all the other reading I want to do, I simply could not wait any longer before picking something else up by Michelle Moran. I absolutely loved The Heretic Queen, so I have high expectations for this one!
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford:  This is another one that I've heard nothing but good things about and was super ecstatic when I found out my library request had finally arrived. Can't wait!
• What the World Will Look Like when All the Water Leaves Us by Laura Van Den Berg:  I've always had a patience problem when it comes to short story collections - I lose interest midway through because there's no overarching plot to keep me invested. However, lately I've been thinking I should give short stories another try, and when I heard about this one from Heather at Book Addiction it sounded too good to pass up!
• Don Quixote by Cervantes:  I've always wanted to read this, and since it's on the list of books for the Gilmore Girls Reading Challenge I finally have an impetus to get through this 1000+ page monster. I have a feeling this is going to be a long-term project...

I also received Enlightened Sexism by Susan J. Douglass courtesy of Goodreads First Reads program:

Now here comes the dilemma... what to read first??

In My Mailbox (2.28.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This week I felt the effects of my library request-a-thon from last weekend - now I'm hoping I can read everything before they're all due back! I've decided to start including links to goodreads so you can get a better idea of what these books are about by clicking on the covers - let me know if you like it!

Here's what I got from the library:

• Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy:  The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds:  I'd been wanting to read this one for a while, so when my requested copy finally came in, I immediately started reading it, and finished it within only a few hours! Review coming soon
• The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood:  I've been seeing a lot of reviews of Atwood's newer books lately and I felt like it was time to pick up something else by her (the last thing I'd read was The Handmaid's Tale, years ad years ago), so when I saw this one it sounded like something I would like. It also comes recommended by Paula Butterini, author of Keeping the Feast, via Rosie's Riveters which is hosted by Aarti at Booklust.
• The Arrival by Shaun Tan:  I saw this book reviewed on a couple of blogs a while ago and it sounded really good, so I decided to give it a try. This is my first-ever try with a graphic novel book (if this can even be called that - there are no words, just pictures), so we'll see how it goes!
• Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond:  I sometimes stalk Pioneer Woman's blog for recipes, so when I heard (from her blog, as it so happens) that she had published a cookbook, I knew I had to try it. This might not get reviewed for a few weeks - need to try out some of the recipes first! You can find Ree's blog here.
• The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England:  A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer:  I requested this one after seeing a great review by Jen at Devourer of Books, and it sounds exactly like something I'd enjoy!

I also discovered bookmooch this week - and I've already mooched my first book. Yay!

• Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates:  Book Snob has been reading her way through Yates' works lately, so I decided I needed to read something by him. I chose Revolutionary Road because I've already seen the movie, so it's fitting that I should read the book it was based on.

In My Mailbox (2.21.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

I'm so impressed with myself, I actually managed to read all three of the library books that I checked out last week, so now I'm ready for something new! Luckily, I had some more library requests come in on Friday:

• The Night Counter by Alia Yunis: This is another one that I can't quite remember where I heard about it, but it's about a multi-generational Lebanese family living in the U.S. as the matriarch is trying to get her affairs in order before she dies - I've already finished this one so look out for a review in the coming days!
• Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien:  This is my first book for the Vietnam War Challenge - I need to get a move on on all of my challenges! I'm excited to read it, as I remember really enjoying O'Brien's writing in The Things they Carried.
• Saffron Dreams by Shaila M. Abdullah: I saw a couple of great reviews for this last month, so hopefully it will be a good read!

That's it for this week. I really need to keep better track of where I hear about books, so I can give better credit in these posts! Hope everyone else got great books this week as well!

In My Mailbox (2.14.10)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  I had three of my library requests come in this week:

 

• Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus:   I read the Nanny Diaries a long time ago, and I remember liking the movie, so I'm interested to see what a sequel has to offer.
• The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum:  I'm reading this for the Gilmore Girls Reading Challenge, and because I always wanted to read it but never got around to it - I loved the movie growing up. I didn't realize it when I requested it from the library, but I ended up getting the annotated version, which is humungous, so it seems a bit daunting right now!
• Confessions of Noa Weber by Gail Hareven:  I can't remember how I found this book, but I have a minor obsession with Israeli literature, so I'm excited to read it.

That's all for this week - I managed to avoid the President's Day coupons (so far, anyway), which I'm proud of. Hopefully I'll have a review for Nanny Returns up this week, as I only have it on a 7-day loan from the library!

In My Mailbox (1.31.10)

 In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Wander over to her blog to participate!

This week a couple of my library requests finally came in:

 

• Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella:  The Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella is my favorite comfort read/guilty pleasure, and I've enjoyed her other books as well. This one has been on my TBR list for a while because I'm a little skeptical of the ghost element in the book (not really my thing, although I have been reading a lot of ghost-ish stories this month), but I love Kinsella so I'm willing to give it a chance.
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett:  I've read so many good things about this book, I'm excited to finally get to read it! Hopefully I can read it fast though... I could only check it out for a week :/
• So Easy by Ellie Krieger:  I requested this one after reading a great review here at Beth Fish Reads. I flipped through the recipes and there are a bunch I want to try, so I may review this in a couple of weeks after I've had some time to test out some of the recipes.

 

•  I received this in the mail this week from a giveaway over at Nonsuch Book. Looks really interesting!

 That's it! Looks like I'll be reading The Help this week, since it's due back so soon.

In My Mailbox (1.24.10)

This week I decided to do the meme In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, since I did actually borrow/buy a slew of books this week (yay three-day weekends + coupons!).

First, two of my hold requests from the library came in:

• Roses by Leila Meacham:  I'm about 25 pages into this one, and it's not really grabbing my attention yet. Trying to decide whether it's worth it to continue reading it right now, or to return it and try again when I'm more in the mood for reading a family saga.
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck:  I've read this already, but it's one of my favorite books and I'm really excited that the classic reads book club is reading it for their first book! I'm not sure if I actually am going to reread the entire thing (as my TBR pile is otherwise tempting me right now), but I might reread parts of it so I can follow along the discussion.

In addition to the library, I also got a little coupon happy at the bookstore over MLK Jr. weekend:

• Dear John by Nicholas Sparks:  I got this one because I love love love the movie trailer and needed to read the book. I've already read & reviewed it here. Now I can't wait to see the movie!
• The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran:  I haven't read anything by Michelle Moran yet, but I skimmed the first chapter or so in the bookstore and it looks like it will be right up my alley!
• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters:  I've heard so many good things about Sarah Waters lately, I couldn't resist picking this one up. So excited to read it!

 I also have a ton of pending requests at the library right now, and knowing my luck they'll probably all come in at the same exact time, but for now this is what's at the top of my TBR pile.