Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday currently is on tour, and this month’s host is Avis from she reads and reads.
I’ve been busy and exhausted, and I was lazy about posting my new books. This is what I added to my shelves over the past couple of weeks:
Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace, from HarperCollins (which was accompanied by a lovely tote bag with a quote from one of the Betsy-Tacy books)
Emily Webster, an orphan living with her grandfather, is not like the other girls her age in Deep Valley, Minnesota. After graduation, she longs to join the Crowd and go off to college — but she can’t leave her grandfather alone at home. Resigning herself to a “lost winter,” Emily nonetheless throws herself into a new program of study and a growing interest in the local Syrian community, and when she meets a handsome new teacher at the high school, Emily gains more than she ever dreamed possible.
Maud Hart Lovelace’s only young adult stand-alone novel, Emily of Deep Valley is considered by fans of her beloved Betsy-Tacy series to be one of the author’s finest works. (publisher’s summary)
Carney’s House Party and Winona’s Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace, from HarperCollins:
Carney’s House Party: In the summer of 1911, Caroline “Carney” Sibley is home from college and looking forward to hosting a monthlong house party — catching up with the old Crowd, including her friend Betsy Ray, and introducing them to her Vassar classmate Isobel Porteous. Romance is in the air with the return of Carney’s high school sweetheart, Larry Humphreys, for whom she’s pined all these years. Will she like him as well as she once did? Or with the exasperating Sam Hutchinson turn her head?
Winona’s Pony Cart: More than anything in the world, Winona Root wants a pony for her eighth birthday. Despite her father’s insistence that it’s out of the question, she’s wishing so hard that she’s sure she’ll get one — at least, that’s what she tells her friends Betsy, Tacy, and Tib… (publisher’s summary)
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, from a book swap at the Baltimore Book Festival
The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon — when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach — an “outlander” — in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord…1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life…and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire…and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. (publisher’s summary)
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, from a book swap at the Baltimore Book Festival
Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated won the Guardian First Book Award in 2002. It tells the story of a young man who goes to the Ukraine in search of the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis. He is aided in his quest by a blind old man, a randy guide dog and a very, very bad translator. It is funny, moving and gripping, and we guarantee you won’t have read anything quite like it before. (publisher’s summary)
101 Things I Learned in Culinary School by Louis Eguaras with Matthew Frederick, contest win from Metroreader
Written by a seasoned chef, this indispensable resource provides essential advice to culinary students, chefs and chefs-in-training, and anyone interested in the culinary world. Each two-page layout is illustrated and illuminates an important industry topic — using humor, statistics, or real-life examples to drive the point home. You’ll find yourself dwelling on each page, as the lessons behind the lessons take root. It’s like getting a culinary school degree in 202 pages! (publisher’s summary)
You Can’t Scare Me (Goosebumps) by R.L. Stine, from Scholastic
Courtney is a total show-off. She thinks she’s so brave, and she’s always making Eddie and his friends look like wimps. But Eddie’s had enough. He’s going to scare Courtney once and for all. And he’s just come up with the perfect plan. He’s going to lure her down to Muddy Creek. Courtney believes that silly rumor about Mud Monsters that live in the creek.
Too bad Eddie doesn’t believe the rumor. Because it just might be true… (publisher’s summary)
Slappy New Year! (Goosebumps HorrorLand #18) by R.L. Stine, from Scholastic
Ray Gordon loves to scare his younger brother, Brandon. It’s not hard considering Brandon is terrified of everything — loud noises, roller coasters, and especially the wooden dummy, Slappy, that Ray got from Jonathan Chiller’s HorrorLand gift shop.
In order to throw his big New Year’s Eve party, Ray’s parents make him promise to leave Brandon alone. But strainge, mean-spirited things keep happening to his little brother, and Slappy always seems to be around for it. Could those words Ray read aloud actually have brought the dummy to life? (publisher’s summary)
Dragonart Evolution: How to Draw Everything Dragon by J “NeonDragon” Peffer, from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations Inc. (The Girl already has drawn a picture to include with her review!)
…It’s everything you need to draw any type of dragon — from enormous, ancient beasts with broken scales and fractured horns, to sleek, sinuous creatures with leathery skin and fancy frills. So steel your heart, prepare your trusty inking pen, and venture forth, brave artist…unleash the ferocious, extraordinary, original creations that dwell within your fiery imaginings! (publisher’s summary)
How to Raise a Dinosaur by Natasha Wing and Pablo Bernasconi, from Running Press Book Publishers
Learn the responsibilities required to care for a pet — even if that pet is a dinosaur! With dino-bites and imaginative lift-the-flaps throughout, kids will never grow tired of this extraordinary dinosaur novelty book! (publisher’s summary)
Disclosure: I am an Amazon associate.
© 2010 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
Wow! Wonderful mailbox, Anna. I think you’ll enjoy Outlander which I read recently. I’d love to read the two books by Maud Hart Lovelace (having finally read a few of the Betsy-Tacy books). And 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School sounds like a book I’d enjoy.
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Oh, another Outlander newbie! Can’t wait to see what you think. This series took over my weekends for a few weeks as I devoured them. They are the books that I pimp to friends, acquaintances and perfect strangers the most!
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Wow Anna, can I swap mine with yours. I hope you enjoy your books, I hope you post pics of the tote you received too!
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Looks like you got some good books. Wish I could be reading today! It’s raining…how appropriate.
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I read the “Culinary school” book – neat little resource!
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Nice week in books! You and The Girl should have fun with the Goosebumps books this month!
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Wow, you got some great books, and I’ll be watching for your reviews!
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Emily of Deep Valley sounds intriguing…love the cover!
I’ve been meaning to dive into the Outlander series. Hope you enjoy all of your books.
Here’s my Monday:
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Good ones! Hope you enjoy all of of those!
Right now, I am not reading anything. Massive slump!
Here is my Monday post!
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Makes me wonder if I ever will read Outlander…what am I afraid of, I have read huge fantasy books so that shouldn’t be a prob
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Be careful – the Outlander series is incredibly addictive but totally worth it! 🙂
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That’s quite a variety. I hope you and The Girl enjoy them.
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The Lovelace covers are gorgeous. I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve visited your blog. I’m so bad, I miss it!
Here’s my Monday.
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Quite the broad range of books! Enjoy!!
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I’ve been a fan of Diana Gabaldon since Outlander was first published. Enjoy your books!
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I have Outlander here too but haven’t read it yet. Everyone raves about it. I hear the series is very addicting!
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You are going to LOVE Outlander. I have most of her books but that was the one that kick started my obsession with Jamie 🙂 Hmmm maybe should read this one again… ahhhh…
Great books and love the covers for Goosebumps series. Very fitting with Halloween being around the corner… Boo! 😉
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Glad you received your book from my site — hope you enjoy it!
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Can’t wait to hear what you think of Emily and Carney and Winona!
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How cool! My In My Mailbox also had a lot of good boy’s books picked up by my Bebe Boy James!
If you haven’t read “Outlander” yet, you are in for a treat … you’ll be wanting to run out and buy the rest of the books right away!
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I want to read Everything is Illuminated but I’m still on the fence abt reading Outlander.
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I’ve never read a Diana Gabaldon book…I’ve been told I need to fix this. Enjoy your new books, and have a great week!
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Thank you all for visiting my mailbox!
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