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 Lady Q from Let Them Read Books.
Here’s what I added to my shelves:
The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon, from Penguin
In the spirit of Sarah Waters and Geraldine Brooks, a dramatic mystery about love, secrets, and discovery in post-World War I London.
Still haunted by the death of her brother, James, in the Great War, Evelyn Gifford is completely unprepared when a young nurse named Meredith and her six-year-old son appear on the Giffords’ doorstep one night. The child, Meredith claims, is James’s, conceived in a battlefield hospital shortly before his death. The grief-stricken Giffords welcome the child, who is the spitting image of James. But Evelyn, a struggling attorney, must now support her entire family on her salary — at a time when work for women lawyers is almost nonexistent.
Suddenly a new case falls into Evelyn’s lap: seemingly hopeless, it’s been abandoned by her male coworkers. The accused, Stephen Wheeler — a veteran charged with murdering his young wife — is almost certain to die on the gallows. Evelyn is approached by a dashing lawyer, Nicholas Thorne, who offers to help her prove Wheeler’s innocence. She agrees, even though she is needled by Thorne’s moneyed background and old-fashioned attitudes. Evelyn suspects her client is truly innocent, just as she suspects there is more to the story of her “nephew” than meets the eye… (publisher’s summary)
The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney, from Meier
In July 1943, as World War II rattles Europe, Ben McCarthy (returning narrator of Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show) meets an enigmatic woman — Miss Begley, the sharp-witted matchmaker of Kenmare — and a powerful friendship begins. Miss Begley helps Ben rebuild himself after the savage loss of his beloved wife, and he stands by her as she nervously makes a match for herself — with Charles Miller, an impressive U.S. officer. Miller tests Miss Begley’s infatuation by sending her on a dangerous errand into enemy terrain. Exploiting the freedom of movement granted to citizens of neutral Ireland, she and Ben snatch a man the Americans need ahead of D-Day. The adventure changes many lives, draws Ben and Miss Begley into ever deeper commitments, and hammers home a harsh lesson of war: the neutrality of one’s own country doesn’t secure the neutrality of one’s soul. (publisher’s summary)
The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman, bought at the library sale for 50 cents
After their zoo was bombed, Polish zookeepers Jan and Antonina Żabiński managed to save over three hundred people from the Nazis by hiding refugees in the empty animal cages. With animal names for these “guests,” and human names for the animals, it’s no wonder that the zoo’s code name became “The House Under a Crazy Star.”
Best-selling naturalist and acclaimed storyteller Diane Ackerman combines extensive research and an exuberant writing style to re-create this fascinating, forgotten, true-life story — sharing Antonina’s life as “the zookeeper’s wife,” while examining the disturbing obsessions at the core of Nazism. (publisher’s summary)
Open House by Jill Mansell, bought at the library sale for 50 cents
Nell O’Driscoll’s known Marcus Kilburton for years — according to her diary, she even had a crush on him as a teenager. When he decides to open Kilburton Castle to the public, Nell takes a job as his assistant — and soon sparks are flying between them. But is Nell free to pursue Marcus, when part of her past refuses to let go?
The world fell apart for her best friend, Hetty Brewster, when her husband Tony abandoned Hetty and their teenage daughter for a bitchy but successful writer. Now the press is full of stories about the frumpy, boring wife losing out to a younger, slimmer model. But Hetty’s about to get her chance for sweet revenge — if she can stop being nice long enough to take it! (publisher’s summary)
What books did you add to your shelves recently?
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.
Your mailbox is spectacular. I hadn’t heard of The Zookeeper’s wife and this book shows what extraordinary lengths people will go to survive. The Delaney book is also in a lot of Mailboxes this week! The cover of the Crimson Room is gorgeous and Jill Mansel is the ideal read right now! At 50 cts you have got bargains!
My mailbox is also posted.
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That’s why I’m addicted to the library sales! 😉
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Wow, the first cover is just so GORGEOUS! Awesome books, enjoy 🙂
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Thanks, Veens!
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I’ve thought about picking up The Zookeeper’s Wife for years; I’ll be eager to hear what you think of it.
Happy reading!
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Thanks, Beth. Not sure when I’ll get to it, but check out the WWII book reviews page on War Through the Generations for links to other reviews.
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Sadly my mailbox was empty last week but I think yours was full of good books. I’m looking forward to hearing about the new Delaney book!
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We all need slow weeks, at least if we’re talking review copies. I loved Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, so I can’t wait for The Matchmaker.
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Anna, you got some terrific books this week. Mansell’s books are always good for a laugh. Crimson Rooms sounds wonderful. I received The Matchmaker of Kenmare. Have a wonderful week and happy reading!
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Thanks, Kaye! I’ll keep an eye out for your review of The Matchmaker.
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I really enjoyed The Zookeeper’s Wife, but it was at times, painfully detailed. enjoy your new books.
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I’ve heard that the book goes overboard on detail, but at 50 cents, I couldn’t help myself.
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I hope you’ll let me borrow these two — The Matchmaker of Kenmare by Frank Delaney and Open House by Jill Mansell — when you are done with them.
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Of course!
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Oh, these all look good, but I’m especially intrigued by Open House.
Here’s my Monday:
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I was so excited to find a new-to-me Mansell book at the library sale!
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Omg, I am so so sosososo jealous about the McMahon! I read The Rose of Sebastapol and adored it — in fact, it’s on my top 10 of 2010 (which I’m posting in about a half hour). Her newest sounds divine!
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The Crimson Rooms came out in 2009, but the paperback is due to be released next month. If I like it, I’ll add The Rose of Sebastapol to my TBR.
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The Crimson Rooms sounds wonderful — had not heard about that one before 🙂
And you can’t go wrong with Frank Delaney!
Hope you enjoy all your books.
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Thanks! I’ve only read one of Delaney’s novels (Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show) but I absolutely loved it.
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I bet The Matchmaker of Kenmare is fabulous! Enjoy your new books!
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Thanks, Kathy! I sure hope so.
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All these are very interesting books! Adding to my tbr list!
Here is my Monday: Mailbox/Whereabouts post!
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Happy reading, Gautami!
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Yay on all of your books last week, but especially the Jill Mansell! I have almost all of her books (I’m going for the full collection!) and I loved “Open House”.
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I’d like to collect them all, too. Glad to hear Open House is enjoyable.
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The Zookeeper’s Wife looks good! Happy reading! My mailbox is at The Crowded Leaf.
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Thanks, Alayne!
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ok your library sells the best books. And cool, an author with my last name 🙂
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Sadly, my library doesn’t sell much of anything. Serena’s library rocks, though. 😉
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I received for review The Job by Craig Davis from the author.
Joe B. enjoys the sweet life as a vice president at a huge conglomerate, Universal Whirligig. But along with the Big Boss’ favor, he has also gained the notice of a bitter human resources manager, Luci Fernandez. Hateful of any success but her own, Luci manages to get him demoted to the mail room! A rollicking comedy of errors follows as Joe B. tries to figure out what’s happened to him, and attempts to get a meeting with the Big Boss. Joe B.’s great expectations have taken a dickens of a twist. His family is forced to make a series of hard adjustments, and he gets only lame comforts from a string of the worst friends anyone could have. Will he finally track down the cause of his frustrations? Or will he only learn a lesson about what it is to be the boss, and that what is apparent is often only a shadow of a greater ongoing good? “The Job: Based on a True Story (I Mean, This is Bound to Have Happened Somewhere) is a modern parable of ancient troubles and truths.
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Happy reading, Mary Ann!
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Wonderful “mailbox”, Anna. They all sound good, but The Zookeeper’s Wife and Open House have most captured my interest.
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Thanks, Suko! Hopefully I’ll have a chance to read those in the coming year.
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The Crimson Rooms sounds very good. I’ll watch for your review on it. Enjoy!
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Thanks, Beth! I’ll be reviewing it the first week of January, and keep an eye out for a giveaway!
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Great stuff Anna! I have Delaney’s book as well – it sounds great. After reading one of Mansell’s I definitely want to read more – this one sounds good. The Crimson Rooms sounds really good as well – love the cover on it. Happy Reading.
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Thanks, Dar! I’ll keep an eye out for your review of The Matchmaker.
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What a great list of books. The Crimson Rooms catches my eye the most. Enjoy them all!
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Thanks, Carol!
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The Crimson Rooms sounds wonderful! I love historical fiction, and always love to read about an intelligent female protagonist doing and accomplishing outside of the ‘accepted norms’. The Zookeeper’s Wife sounds like one that I need to get on my shelves asap; I have such an affinity for people who follow their humanity and put themselves at risk for others. Enjoy them all!
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Thanks, Julie! I’m looking forward to reading both of them.
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Ooh, The Crimson Rooms sounds great! Enjoy your new books!
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Thanks, Avis!
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I’m in love with all of them!!! Enjoy!
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Thanks, Staci!
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Great mailbox hun. The Crimson Rooms sounds especially interesting. Enjoy.
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Thanks, Naida!
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I bought The Zookeeper’s Wife last month and can’t wait to read it. Aah, anything with WW2 in it catches my eye, and this one really has a strong premise.Enjoy your books!
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I’m all about WWII books, too. Looking forward to your thoughts on The Zookeeper’s Wife!
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THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE has been on my ‘list’ for a while … I’ll look for your review … enjoy!
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I hope I have time to read it in the new year!
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