Good morning, and welcome to the fabulous Monday Memes: Mailbox Monday, hosted this month by Let Them Read Books; and It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Book Journey.
MAILBOX MONDAY:
This week, I received THREE books, which is exciting for me; especially since I often go weeks with nothing and have to resort to the bargain table books so I won’t feel sad…LOL.
Two books came from Amazon Vine and the third was an author review book.
1) The Other Family, by Joanna Trollope (Amazon Vine)
From Amazon: An unexpected line in a will leads to complications and new beginnings in Trollope’s eminently readable latest (after Friday Nights).
2) Mary Ann in Autumn, by Armistead Maupin (Amazon Vine)
A blurb: Twenty years after leaving her husband and child in San Francisco to pursue a television career in New York City, calamities drive fifty-seven-year-old Mary Ann Singleton to return to the city and her oldest friend as she tries to put her life back together.
3) Miss Hildreth Wore Brown, by Olivia deBelle Byrd (From Author)
A Tidbit: “With Miss Hildreth Wore Brown, Olivia deBelle Byrd proves that she is the real thing—an authentic Southern Belle with stories galore. I can’t wait to give this hilarious and heartwarming book to all my sweet friends.”
—CASSANDRA KING, author of The Same Sweet Girls
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IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING?
This past week has been filled with all kinds of events, some of which I describe in my Sunday Salon post.
One of those events was the creation of a writing blog, dedicated to the process and the journey. That blog is called Snow Chronicles: A Writer’s Journey. I also created a corresponding Facebook “like” page.
As for my reading week, here’s what I accomplished.
Books Read & Reviewed (Click Title for Review):
1) Solomon’s Oak, by Jo-Ann Mapson
2) Garnethill, by Denise Mina
Still Reading:
1) South of Broad, by Pat Conroy
What’s Up Next:
Elizabeth, by J. Randy Taraborrelli
This book has been on my stacks for awhile, just waiting for one of those weeks when I could properly savor it. Well, I’ve decided that this is the week!
Here’s an Amazon Booklist Review:
The breathtaking photograph on this book’s cover makes it clear why no one will ever forget Elizabeth Taylor. And if her sheer beauty isn’t enough, there are the details of her wild, flamboyant, and excruciatingly painful life. Taraborrelli, known for his unauthorized biographies of such celebrities as Diana Ross and Princess Grace, has done his research (or from his acknowledgments, his researchers have done their research). Certainly, there are what seem like fresh tibits of information here from a wide variety of surprising sources–family friends, guests at the Taylor-Nicky Hilton wedding (her first), and even Debbie Reynolds, from whom Elizabeth stole Eddie Fisher. But the saga of Elizabeth Taylor is practically myth at this point, so it’s hard to add anything new except around the edges. Moreover, Taylor has written two autobiographies of her own, and without the cooperation of so many key figures–Taylor herself, her children, Sybil Burton–Taraborrelli isn’t able to generate any insider feel to his account. (He does thank Taylor for not actively deterring people from speaking to him.) Still, despite all those built-in shortcomings, it’s hard not to keep turning pages when the story you’re reading is so filled with larger-than-life loves, scandals, tragedies, and, of course, stars, stars, stars. As with Lee Server’s recent Ava Gardner (2006), Taraborrelli’s take on Liz reminds us what movie stardom is all about. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
So that’s my week. I hope to visit a lot of blogs and find out what everyone else is reading. Hope you’ll do the same and visit mine here.
Your mailbox books all sound good. Enjoy!
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Thanks, Mary…I had been looking at the Mary Ann in Autumn book in the bookstore a couple weeks before I got the Amazon Vine list and found it on it. Talk about serendipity.
I’ve heard good things about it and also about the others. Thanks for stopping by.
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I really laughed my heart out when I read Miss Hildreth wore Brown. Enjoy the moments since it is a fun read. Can’t wait to hear what you think next 🙂
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I’m glad to hear that, P. K. I love reading books that make me laugh. Thanks for stopping by.
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I did not know that Joanna Trollope had put out a new book!
My own mailbox is up. Please do come visit.
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Yes, I was happy to see that when the Amazon Vine newsletter came…I haven’t read one of her books in awhile. Thanks for stopping by, Mystica.
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It is always interesting to see what you read! We read in such different genres. That biography of Elizabeth Taylor looks interesting though. She was something of an icon of my childhood. Happy reading!
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Yes, I have been waiting for awhile to read this one, knowing it would take some time to read (I want to savor it!).
Thanks for stopping by, Kathy.
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I love the cover of Miss Hildreth Wore Brown. Looks like you got some great books! Happy reading!
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Yes, Kate, I agree…it’s fabulous! I’m excited about all of my books. Thanks for stopping by.
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The Liz Taylor one looks interesting.
Here is mine
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Thanks, Bluestocking…I’ve been salivating over that book for a long while, as it’s been on my stacks for ages.
Glad you could stop by.
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Great book selections this week! I’m so happy I made it to your blog before you visited mine for once (HA) :).
Have a wonderful week Laurel!
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Oh, me too, Mari; it’s much easier visiting from the “comments” instead of the Linky.
Hope you have a great week.
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Miss Hildreth Wore Brown made me open my tired eyes! It looks great! Your other new ones look good too! Elizabeth .. gosh! look at how gorgeous she was! Enjoy them all! I’m off to read your new reviews!
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I have read other “Elizabeth” books, but this one sounds more comprehensive. I can’t wait to delve into Miss Hildreth, too, but that will probably be next week. Thanks for stopping by, Julie.
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Interesting mailbox and books that are new to me. Which is why this is my favorite meme.
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Oh, I love it too, Leslie, and it forever takes away the sting of Mondays to have such treasures to behold. Thanks for stopping by.
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I love the cover of Elizabeth, and the fact that her violet eyes are so prominent. I imagine this will be an very interesting read since she has had such an amazing life. Have a great week!
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I’m looking forward to it, Jan, and yes, those eyes are compelling. Thanks for stopping by, and happy blogoversary.
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All 3 of these books look great Laurel; hoping you enjoy them all.
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Yes, Diane, I couldn’t believe my good fortune this week. Like Christmas…Oh, it almost is!
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week.
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Nice to have a smiling mailbox 🙂
Have a wonderful week and happy reading!
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Thanks, Teddyree…it does feel like the mailbox is smiling when it delivers up such goodies. I think I have some more coming today or tomorrow!
Glad you could stop by.
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The Other Family looks so good! I’m sure my mother would love the Elizabeth Taylor book. Happy reading!
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Thanks, Kathy…I do look forward to all of these books. Sometimes, the Amazon Vine list has just what I need, or an author of a book I’ve been noticing sends me a copy.
Glad you could stop by.
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Those sound really good, Laurel. I hope you enjoy them all. How are you liking South of Broad?
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Oh, I’m loving it, Kaye. I wasn’t sure how it would go, since some reviewers didn’t think it was up to his usual talents. But so far, so good. Thanks for stopping by.
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Hi Laurel,
I have read a number of Joanna Trollope’s books, and liked them all. I also liked Tales of the City — I’ll be interested to see what you think of Mary Ann in Autumn.
The book you received from the author, Miss Hildreth wore Brown sounds really good.
Hope you enjoy all your books!
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Oh, thanks for stopping by, The Book Girl. I haven’t read the other books in the Tales of the City series, but I’m guessing that they’ll be so awesome that we don’t have to read them in order.
But I’m sure I’ll go back and read the rest.
I’m also looking forward to the Miss Hildreth book…I’ve read that it’s hilarious. I haven’t read a Joanna Trollope book in awhile, but I recall enjoying what I read.
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Happy reading! My mailbox is at The Crowded Leaf.
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Thanks for stopping by, Alayne…I see you have changed your blog theme, too.
Don’t you love this new one a lot?
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I have some Pat Conroy coming up here in the next few weeks, looking forward to reading him as I haven’t had the experience yet =)
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Thanks for visiting, Lydia. I realized that I’ve only read one other Conroy book…The Prince of Tides.
Hope you have a great week.
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I haven’t been following Joanna Trollope recently so I didn’t know she had a new book. I used to read every new book by her but she somehow fell outside my radar. Hope you’ll enjoy it – I’m sure you’ll let us know.
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Thanks for stopping by, Judith. I only knew about this new one from the Amazon Vine newsletter. I’m eager to read it.
Have a great week.
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The Elizabeth Taylor book looks so good! Especially since I don’t really know that much about her.
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I’m looking forward to it, Alyce, even though I’ve read other books about her. It’s been awhile, though.
Thanks for stopping by.
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I received for review Out of Touch by Brandon Tietz from the author.
Twenty-four-year-old Aidin, a wealthy socialite and self-proclaimed “club god,” lives a magazine life based on decadence and excess that includes drugs, sex, and gourmet food. It’s a life based on surfaces in a place where the surface is all that matters. His therapist later describes him as a materialistic drug addict bent on promiscuity with self-esteem and identity issues.One morning, after a night of heavy partying, Aidin awakes completely vacant of any sensation. He can’t feel temperature. He can’t feel pressure. He can’t feel anything. After a near-fatal stint in denial, he seeks the help of Dr. Paradies, a therapist whose methods are far from conventional. She provides him with a new addiction in the form of a life list–a litany of activities to accomplish. As Aidin completes his list, he discovers talents he never knew he possessed, such as the ability to quickly learn new languages, an IQ off the charts, and amazing physical stamina.With these new discoveries, he questions his doctor’s intentions. When Aidin digs for the truth, will he slip back into his addictive habits? Or is there truly a conspiracy underway, as he suspects? The answer forces him to make a life-altering decision.
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Ooh, this one sounds fabulous! I’ll be curious to know more about it after you’ve read it.
Thanks for visiting, Mary Ann.
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What a great bunch of books! I’ve got Mary Ann in Autumn on my wish list – even though I haven’t read all of the earlier books in the saga. And I might just have to break down and put that Liz Taylor book on the list, too! Looks pretty irresistible.
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Oh, I know what you mean about all the other books in the series…I’m really going to have to read them.
Thanks for stopping by, Joy.
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Miss Hildreth Wore Brown sounds really good. Enjoy!
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I agree…it really caught my attention, Anna. Thanks for stopping by.
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Miss Hildreth and The Other Family both sound like books I would like. I hope all you new books are good reads.
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Thanks, Beth…I’m glad you could stop by. I’m looking forward to them all.
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Hey, I saw Miss Hildreth Wore Brown at Gautamy Tripany’s too!
Here’s what I’m reading. Didn’t get around to a Sunday Salon and resorted to the Monday What are you reading meme 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by, Gnoegnoe…I’ll click on over your way…enjoy your reading.
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Enjoy the books!
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Thanks, Carol…hope you’re having a great week, too.
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Elizabeth was such a stunning beauty!!! I hope you’re enjoying South of Broad??? Great books this week!
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Yes, wasn’t she? Even when she was going through her “heavier” stages, her face was always gorgeous.
Thanks for stopping by, Staci, and I’m loving South of Broad.
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Another mailbox that received Miss H. Looks like a cute book. Are you liking South of Broad?
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I can’t believe how much that Miss H book is showing up everywhere, and I’ve heard such good things about it.
I’m loving South of Broad, Nise, and thanks for stopping by.
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Don’t you just love getting books in the mail? I hope you enjoy your new ones!
Denise Mina is an author I’ve been wanting to try. I’ve heard such great things about her books.
I hope you have a great week!
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Thanks for visiting, Literary Feline. I actually enjoyed Garnethill better than Deception, but they were both good.
Yes, I absolutely feel like it’s Christmas whenever I get books in the mail.
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I haven’t visisted Mary Ann, Michael, and all their other friends in years. I may have to revisit those books.
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I really must start from the first one and check them all out. I’m always amazed at how many great books are out there that I haven’t yet tried…
Thanks for visiting, Ryan.
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Looks like you’ve got some good books coming up! Hope your week is a good one
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Thanks for stopping by, Helen…I’m looking forward to my reading week.
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I want to check out Miss Hildreth! Gosh, that cover of Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous! Thank you for participating in Mailbox Monday! I’m so happy to be hosting this month!
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Thanks, Lady Q…I always enjoy the weeks when books arrive in the mail. It’s like Christmas…
I agree that the Miss Hildreth book looks great….and I’m glad you stopped by today.
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