Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books (formerly 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 I am thrilled to be your host for March! Don’t forget to leave the link to your Mailbox Monday post in the Linky below.
Here’s what I received:
The Far Side of the Sky by Daniel Kalla, from publicist Diane Saarinen for an upcoming blog tour (Amazon/IndieBound)
On the eve of the Second World War, a Jewish family’s final hope lies across the world, in Shanghai.
November 9, 1938 — Kristallnacht — the Nazis unleash a night of terror for Jews all across Germany. Meanwhile, the Japanese Imperial Army rampages through China and tightens its stranglehold on Shanghai, a city that becomes the last haven for thousands of desperate European Jews.
Dr. Franz Adler, a renowned surgeon, is swept up in the wave of anti-Semitic violence and flees to Shanghai with his daughter. At a refugee hospital, Franz meets an enigmatic nurse, Soon Yi “Sunny” Mah. The chemistry between them is intense and immediate, but Sunny’s life is shattered when a drunken Japanese sailor murders her father.
The danger escalates for Shanghai’s Jews as the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Facing starvation and disease, Franz struggles to keep the refugee hospital open and protect his family from a terrible fate.
The Far Side of the Sky focuses on a short but extraordinary period of Chinese, Japanese, and Jewish history when cultures converged and heroic sacrifices were part of the everyday quest for survival (publisher’s summary)
Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal, from Serena, who had an extra copy (Thanks!) (Amazon/IndieBound)
London, 1940. Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her college class and possesses all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. Her indefatigable spirit and remarkable gifts for codebreaking, though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of clearance she could never have imagined—and opportunities she will not let pass. In troubled, deadly times, with air-raid sirens sending multitudes underground, access to the War Rooms also exposes Maggie to the machinations of a menacing faction determined to do whatever it takes to change the course of history.
Ensnared in a web of spies, murder, and intrigue, Maggie must work quickly to balance her duty to King and Country with her chances for survival. And when she unravels a mystery that points toward her own family’s hidden secrets, she’ll discover that her quick wits are all that stand between an assassin’s murderous plan and Churchill himself.
In this daring debut, Susan Elia MacNeal blends meticulous research on the era, psychological insight into Winston Churchill, and the creation of a riveting main character, Maggie Hope, into a spectacularly crafted novel. (publisher’s summary)
Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg, unsolicited from Scholastic (Amazon/IndieBound)
Emme has long lived in her best friend Sophie’s shadow. She writes songs, and Sophie sings them. It’s always been like this, and feels like it always will be.
Sophie will stop at nothing to be a star. Even if it means using her best friend and picking up a trophy boyfriend, Carter.
Carter is a victim of a particular Hollywood curse: He’s a former child star. Now all he wants is a normal life. But being normal is about as hard for him as being famous.
Ethan has his own issues — a darkness in his head that he just can’t shake. He’s managed to sabotage every relationship he’s ever been in. Emme’s the only girl he’s ever really respected…but he’s not sure what to do about that.
Emme, Sophie, Carter, and Ethan are all students at a performing arts school, where talent is the norm and fame is the goal. But sometimes, being in the spotlight isn’t as important as the people you’re sharing it with — as the four of them are going to find out in Elizabeth Eulberg’s excellent new novel, which is about the auditions life puts us through every day, both big and small. (publisher’s summary)
What books did you add to your shelves recently?
Disclosure: I am an IndieBound affiliate and an Amazon associate.
© 2012 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
I really want Mr. Churchill’s Secretary, it sounds so good. The other two are new to me and sound like winners as well. Good mailbox. Happy Reading and thanks for hosting.(I think I boobooed and added my name twice on Mr. Linky-sorry)
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Hi Anna,
Thanks for taking up the challenge and hosting for March.
Both your first two books sound great, although both authors are unknown to me.
I am not usually drawn to war-time stories, however both of those are heading straight on my list to read.
‘Take A Bow’ doesn’t really sound as though it would interest me too much, but I hope that you enjoy all your great finds this week.
Have a good week
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Take a Bow doesn’t interest me much either, but my daughter is excited to read and review it. 🙂
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They all sound so very good. Each in a completely different kind of way. Different eras different people. Such good reading.
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Interesting mailbox! I hadn’t heard of Take a Bow but I’ll have to check it out. Enjoy your books!
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I’ve heard of the first two books. I seem to be reading more historical fiction lately. Mr. Churchill’s Secretary sounds good.
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Wow these all look great, Anna! I hope you enjoy them.
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Those books sound great! Hope you enjoy them all! 🙂
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One of these looks familiar, lol
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Yes, thanks! 🙂
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They all look good to me! I didn’t realize Elizabeth Eulberg has a new book out – I’ll have to look for that.
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Mr Churchill’s Secretary looks good – I love WW2 novels and this sounds like an interesting angle. Hope you enjoy your reads 🙂
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Love the cover for The Far Side of the Sky. Hope you enjoy all these books 🙂
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I think they all look good! Thanks for hosting MM this month.
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Mr. Churchill’s Secretary sounds like a story I would enjoy. I look forward to your thoughts on it.
Thanks for hosting MM!
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Thank you for hosting MM this month. I love this meme even though it keeps adding to “hopefully in my lifetime tbr list” lol. Your books are all “new to me”. Enjoy!!
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It’s awesome that you’re the host for March…yay, Anna!
The Far Side of the Sky sounds intense and riveting! It also sounds different than most other WW II novels, although you’ve read a lot more than I have so maybe you’ve read about the SHanghai connection already. Still, this book sounds very interesting :o)
How erustrating to be so smart and yet, because of your gender you don’t have a choice of jobs. Maggie sounds like an intriguing woman and her work for Churchill really interesting…and a little scary! Love that there’s a mystery involving her family, that could impact Churchill too, in the midst of all this. This sounds like an intense and absorbig book. I hope it is!
Enjoy these new books, Anna…I’m looking forward to your thoughts about them!
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I haven’t read too much about the Pacific Theater of WWII, and I definitely didn’t know about the Jews in Shanghai, so I’m really looking forward to reading it.
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I also think the Mr. Churchill’s Secretary looks very interesting (well, the book looks interesting anyway! ;). Thanks for hosting MM this month!
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Maggie in Mr. Churchill’s Secretary sounds like a great character. Enjoy all three new books!
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That first book looks wonderful and I am looking forward to comparing notes with you on Mr. Churchill’s Secretary.
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Great mailbox Anna! The Far Side of the Sky sounds great. Enjoy!
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Great summaries, all of them. But I’m moved by Mr Churchill’s Secretary.
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Thanks for hosting! It is always a treat to visit your blog.
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Thank you for hosting this month, Anna! Your new books seem like perfect choices for you. I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
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I love the cover for The Far Side of the Sky! Enjoy your new books 🙂
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[…] Visit Anna today to get links to other readers’ mailboxes. […]
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They look good 🙂 happy reading!
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Fantastic mailbox! all of them have lovely covers. Happy reading 🙂
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Looks like you had a great week! All of your books sound interesting and I like the covers too. Thanks for hosting this month! 🙂
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Great books you received in the mail. Hope you enjoy them!
Thanks for hosting this month. 🙂
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I’m in LOVE with the covers of the first two…so want to read Churchill’s Secretary book!! Sorry about just getting here!! Life has been busy!! 😀
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No worries! I’ve been having to fit blog reading in between a heap load of other stuff, myself. 🙂
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The Far Side of the Sky sounds fantastic!
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You always get interesting sounding books. Enjoy!
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The Far Side of the Sky and Mr. Churchill’s Secretary sound pretty irresistable to me! I hope you enjoy all three!
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Thank you all for stopping by my mailbox and for participating last week!
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