In My Mailbox (March 13th-19th 2011)

Well last week might have been a bit light on the books but this week sure was busy. I'm going to need a new bookshelf and another day in the week if this keeps up.

{For Review}

 

Separate Kingdoms: Stories by Valerie Laken (ARC) (TLC Tours)

The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus by Sonya Sones (TLC Tours)

A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer (TLC Tours)

The Pun Also Rises by John Pollack (TLC Tours)

Wrecker by Summer Wood (TLC Tours)

 

Just when I was starting to worry I wouldn't have enough time to read books before their tour dates, a whole batch arrived. I've already ready The Hunchback which is very different from the YA Sones is associated with but it is also written in verse which I enjoyed. A Fierce Radiance is a huge novel, which sometimes intimidates me especially when I am reading on a deadline, but the topic- a historical novel set during a time when penicillin is just being invented- was too interesting to turn down. Wrecker also looks wonderful, Wood was inspired by her experiences fostering children, and The Pun Also Rises (a non-fiction about language) and Separate Kingdoms (short stories) should also be great.

Nice Recovery by Susan Juby (Penguin Canada)
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (ARC) (Penguin Canada)
Better Living Through Plastic Explosives: Stories by Zsuzsi Gartner (ARC) (Penguin Canada)
Mockingbird by Kathryn Eksine (Penguin Canada)
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (Penguin Canada)
Anatomy of a Disappearance by Hisham Matar (ARC) (Penguin Canada)

I got a wonderful batch from Penguin Canada, four in the young adult department and they all look great especially Nice Recovery which is actually a memoir, and Mockingbird which won the National Book Award. I've only read one Dessen before so I am definitely curious to read this one. The other two are for upcoming Penguin Canada book tours and they both look really interesting as well.

Origami Dove by Susan Musgrave (Random House Canada)
Folk by Jacob McArthur Mooney (Random House Canada)
Small Mechanics by Lorna Crozier (Random House Canada) 
Is by Anne Simpson (Random House Canada)
Huntress by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown Books for Younger Readers)
The Poetry of Rilke Translated by Edward Snow (D&M Publishers Inc)
Violets of March by Sarah Jio (Author)

Four books of poetry from Random House Canada that I'm really excited to feature during April for National Poetry Month, including Is which I read the day it arrived. One thing I realized when the books arrived is that I actually also just received Small Beneath The Sky, Crozier's memoir, about two weeks ago. I also got a fifth book of poetry, the biggest collection to date of poetry by Rilke who is one of my favourites. It's cool because it features the original text on the left side and the translation on the right. Jio asked me about reviewing her upcoming debut Violets of March and it sounded lovely so I said yes, but that was a couple months ago and I basically forgot until the gorgeous book arrived in the mail which was a happy surprise. Huntress is a novel I am definitely curious about, I liked certain aspects of Ash, Lo's debut, better than others, so I'm hoping that in this companion novel Lo focuses on her strengths.

{Bought/Gift}

In A Perfect World by Laura Kasischke
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

After loving The Raising by Kasischke I decided to spurge- okay it was a great deal- on her second most recent novel. I look forward to picking it up soon. The Oscar Wilde is a classic clothbound from Penguin as a thank you for appearing in their most recent Canadian newsletter. It was pretty cool to be their featured blogger, but also exciting to have the opportunity to pick any book published by them to receive as a thank you. Well thank you Penguin Canada, as Dorian Gray is one of my favourite books ever and even though I already own my copy is battered from lending it and I love having this gorgeous edition to hold onto permanently.

Overall, a very busy week but one filled with exciting and wonderful books I can't wait to read. How was your mailbox this week? Also, how do you like my new format for dividing up and talking about the books? I rambled a bit more than usual this week but I thought it would be a nice way to give a preview of the wonderful books I'll be reading soon.