Monday: Books in the Mail

Yeah, I've finally remembered to post this on a Monday! Busy mailbox last week with review copies plus I received my very first order from Bookdepository.

I got an amazing deal on these books since I pre-ordered I got them for 50% off which came to $6.04 CDN each and of course free shipping so my total was $24.16 CDN for four books! Once I got the message the books were shipping they arrived within a week for the UK!

From Bloomsbury US:

The bodies are discovered on New Year's Day, sixteen dead in the freshly fallen snow. The adults lie stiff in a semicircle; the children, in pajamas and overcoats, are curled at their feet.
When he hears the news, Commissaire André Schweigen knows who to call: Dominique Carpentier, the Judge, also known as the "sect hunter." Carpentier sweeps into the investigation in thick glasses and red gloves, and together the Commissaire and the Judge begin searching for clues in a nearby chalet. Among the decorations and unwrapped presents of a seemingly ordinary holiday, they find a leather-bound book, filled with mysterious code, containing maps of the stars. The book of the Faith leads them to the Composer, Friedrich Grosz, who is connected in some way to every one of the dead. Following his trail, Carpentier, Schweigen, and the Judge's assistant, Gaëlle, are drawn into a world of complex family ties, seductive music, and ancient cosmic beliefs.
Hurtling breathlessly through the vineyards of Southern France to the gabled houses of LĂ¼beck, Germany, through cathedrals, opera houses, museums, and the cobbled streets of an Alpine village, this ferocious new novel is a metaphysical mystery of astonishing verve and power. (US) - (Canada)

From Harper Collins Canada:

For seven years, Alison Arngrim played a wretched, scheming, selfish, lying, manipulative brat on one of TV history's most beloved series. Though millions of Little House on the Prairie viewers hated Nellie Oleson and her evil antics, Arngrim grew to love her character—and the freedom and confidence Nellie inspired in her.

In Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, Arngrim describes growing up in Hollywood with her eccentric parents: Thor Arngrim, a talent manager to Liberace and others, whose appetite for publicity was insatiable, and legendary voice actress Norma MacMillan, who played both Gumby and Casper the Friendly Ghost. She recalls her most cherished and often wickedly funny moments behind the scenes of Little House: Michael Landon's "unsaintly" habit of not wearing underwear; how she and Melissa Gilbert (who played her TV nemesis, Laura Ingalls) became best friends and accidentally got drunk on rum cakes at 7-Eleven; and the only time she and Katherine MacGregor (who played Nellie's mom) appeared in public in costume, provoking a posse of elementary schoolgirls to attack them.

Arngrim relays all this and more with biting wit, but she also bravely recounts her life's challenges: her struggle to survive a history of traumatic abuse, depression, and paralyzing shyness; the "secret" her father kept from her for twenty years; and the devastating loss of her "Little House husband" and best friend, Steve Tracy, to AIDS, which inspired her second career in social and political activism. Arngrim describes how Nellie Oleson taught her to be bold, daring, and determined, and how she is eternally grateful to have had the biggest little bitch on the prairie to show her the way. (US) - (Canada)

While searching for the cause behind the sinking of several ships, Modo and Octavia sail to the exact coordinates of the attacks. Is it a sea monster? Or something else? They aren't alone in their pursuit: the beautiful and mysterious French agent Colette has been researching this phenomenon for some time.

Upon reaching the site, Modo and Octavia's ship is rammed, and Modo is plunged into the icy sea... and disappears from sight. As he faces certain death, Modo is saved by a most unlikely underwater rescuer and discovers the mechanical truth behind the attacks. But the Clockwork Guild closes in. How will he get back to the surface? (US) - (Canada)

From the author:


Thirteen-year-old Grace already has too much going on -- grieving over her father’s mysterious death, dealing with her distraught mother’s erratic parenting, and evading her creepy nosy neighbour, Mr. Stuckless, just for starters. She and her friends Fred, Mai Ling, and Jeeter like to get away from it all by hunting for fossils near their secret hideaway, the abandoned mine they've nicknamed The Black Hole. But when Grace receives a strange note regarding her father’s death, it sets off a chain of events that sees Grace and her friends turning into detectives to solve the mystery behind his suspicious disappearance. As the clues and suspects start piling up and the investigation becomes more and more dangerous, Grace and her friends find themselves racing against time through treacherous sinkholes and abandoned mine shafts to figure out what really happened to her father. (US) - (Canada)

From Candlewick Press:

This is the hilarious third book in the "Tales from the Five Kingdoms" series which began with the popular "The Robe of Skulls" and features many of the same much-loved characters. It is a fine day for dwarf watching - at least that is what Gracie Gillypott and Prince Marcus think when they set out, quite unaware that Princess Marigold of Dreghorn has set her sights on Marcus, and decided to 'follow him to the ends of the earth' - fan, frilly petticoats and all.All is not well; the dwarves are overworked and underpaid, having been expected to produce extra gold for wedding crowns for the wedding of Fedora and Prince Tertius; to deal with the problem, the Chief of Works sends for a couple of trolls who have an agenda of their own - to find a princess for their leader, who believes True Love will melt his heart of glass. Gracie is mistaken for a princess, Marigold gets in everyone's way, Gubble is forced to make a terrible choice...but fortunately Marlon and Alf are there to save the day. (US) - (Canada)

Now in paperback — Idiosyncratic collages by the acclaimed Sara Fanelli and a clever, authentic translation make this slipcased PINOCCHIO a must-have for collectors of all ages.

To be a real boy — that is the heart's desire of the little wooden puppet carved by the old and sprightly Geppeto. Naughty, mischevious, and bold, Pinocchio sets off on adventures and gets into trouble — but to achieve his desire, he will have to face many challenges and learn some very important lessons. Emma Rose's superb new translation is matched by Fanelli's playful illustrations in this unique edition of Carlo Collodi's 1883 classic. (US) - (Canada)

First published in 1726, Jonathan Swift's classic adventure story has long been a favorite with adults and children alike. This magnificent edition contains all of Gulliver's extraordinary voyages. Travel to Lilliput, land of the small, and Brobdingnag, land of giants; to Laputa, where inhabitants need to be hit on the head with sticks to remind them to talk; to Glubbdubdrib, island of ghosts and magicians; and finally, to the kingdom of the Houyhnhnms, where horses rule over humans.

Award-winning author Martin Jenkins has skillfully abridged the original novel, remaining true to its tone and humor while making it accessible to younger readers. He is brilliantly assisted by Kate Greenaway Medalist Chris Riddell, who brings to life the people, creatures, and kingdoms of Swift's searing imagination in wonderful panoramic detail. A tour de force of illustration and design, this is a peerless introduction to one of the most popular stories in the English language. (US) - (Canada)

A mundane life takes a strange and magical turn in this rich gothic fantasy told with vivid black-and-white art — a graphic novel perfect for a Halloween night. As he twists the key and slowly creeps into the grand mansion left to him in his father's will, Salem Brownstone has an eerie feeling that his world is about to change. First there's the appearance of a beguiling contortionist from Dr. Kinoshita's Circus of Unearthly Delights . . . then a crystal ball . . . then an attack by the sinister Shadow Boys. It seems the father that Salem never knew was actually a powerful magician, and the son has inherited his dark legacy — and an unfinished battle for life or death. With intriguing echoes of Tim Burton, Edward Gorey, H. P. Lovecraft, and Aubrey Beardsley, this album-format, beautifully cloth-bound graphic novel forges a mesmerizing style all its own. (US) - (Canada)

Bought from Bookdepository.com

When recently-orphaned Barnaby Gaunt is sent to stay with his uncle on a beautiful remote island off the coast of Canada, he is all set to have the perfect summer holiday. Except for one small problem: his uncle is trying to kill him. Heir to a ten-million-dollar fortune, Barnaby tries to tell everyone and anyone that his uncle is after his inheritance, but no one will believe him. That is, until he tells the only other child on the island, Christie, who concludes that there is only one way to stop his demonic uncle: Barnaby will just have to kill him first. With the unexpected help of One-Ear, the aged cougar who has tormented the island for years, Christie and Barnaby hatch a fool-proof plan. Playful, dark and witty, "Let's Kill Uncle" is a surprising tale of two ordinary children who conspire to execute an extraordinary murder - and get away with it. (US) - (Canada)

The war is now in its third year and although nothing can dent the unwavering patriotism of Henrietta and her friends, everyone in the Devonshire village has their anxious moments. Henrietta takes up weeding and plays the triangle in the local orchestra to take her mind off things; the indomitable Lady B, now in her late seventies, partakes in endless fund-raising events to distract herself from thoughts of life without elastic; and, Faith, the village flirt, finds herself amongst the charming company of the American GIs. With the war nearing its end, hope seems to lie just around the corner and as this spirited community muddle through, Lady B vows to make their friendships outlast the hardship that brought them together. (US) - (Canada)

Reigning over a social merry-go-round of dinners and parties, Mrs Ames is the undisputed queen bee of Riseborough. That is, until vivacious new villager Mrs Evans catches the eye of both her son and her husband. Not content with captivating the men in her life, 'that wonderful creature' Mrs Evans becomes not just rival to Mrs Ames' marriage, but rival to her village throne. When the whole of Riseborough is invited to Mrs Evans' masked costume party, action must be taken. As the date looms, the irrepressible Mrs Ames resolves to seize the chance to win back her position, and thus, her man. (US) - (Canada)

Mrs Harris is a salt-of-the-earth London charlady who cheerfully cleans the houses of the rich. One day, when tidying Lady Dant's wardrobe, she comes across the most beautiful thing she has ever seen in her life - a Dior dress. In all the years of her drab and humble existence, she's never seen anything as magical as the dress before her and she's never wanted anything as much before. Determined to make her dream come true, Mrs Harris scrimps, saves and slaves away until one day, after three long, uncomplaining years, she finally has enough money to go to Paris. When she arrives at the House of Dior, Mrs Harris has little idea of how her life is about to be turned upside down and how many other lives she will transform forever. Always kind, always cheery and always winsome, the indomitable Mrs Harris takes Paris by storm and learns one of life's greatest lessons along the way. This treasure from the 1950s introduces the irrepressible Mrs Harris, part charlady, part fairy-godmother, whose adventures take her from her humble London roots to the heights of glamour. (Canada)

Comments

  1. What a great selection of books! I think my kids would like The Fossil Hunter book.

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  2. What a great mix of books!

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  3. The Strange Case of the Composer and the Judge sounds like a good read, I hope you enjoy it.

    Don't you just love The Book Depository?! :)

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  4. I would love to read the Prairie book. I have always wondered about that Nellie Olson.

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  5. Comments on this thread are not working for some reason! So I'll add them manually.

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  6. From Mystic:

    What a fabulous mix of books. I love the mystery murders (they sound wonderful and I love the Paul Gallico (which I've tried to get and failed!) and E F Benson and Joyce Dennys. I am envious, truly I am!

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  7. From Jenny N.:

    I love the book depository. They always have nice deals on books. Happy reading all your new books!

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  8. From Mystica

    This morning I noted down your Duncker book and believe it or not it was available in one of the sister libraries so I will get it tomorrow. I am so happy because such a recent publication does not normally come to Melbourne libraries so soon.

    I thought I commented on your post this morning but it has not got posted?

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  9. From diaryofaneccentric:

    Awesome! So many attractive covers, I wouldn't know where to start.

    Check out my mailbox

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  10. Blogger is having global commenting issues at the moment so any further comments I will not attempt to publish thus erasing them from the system. They still come to my mailbox though and are waiting to be moderated as long as I don't try to publish them.

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  11. The Alison Arngrim books looks wonderful. I downloaded a sample onto the Kindle, and almost burned dinner reading it. I have soooo much to read right now, so I had to hold off buying the whole thing. BUT, I wish that she would do an audio version of this with her narrating. THAT would be wonderful.

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