MONDAY MEMES: MAILBOX & WHAT ARE YOU READING? — MAY 30

LET'S READ!

Welcome to another Monday Memes event.  Mailbox Monday is hosted through May by Mari Reads.

What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila, of Book Journey.

MAILBOX MONDAY:

This past week, I received one review book and downloaded an e-book for Sparky, my Kindle.

1.  Sherry & Narcotics, by Nina-Marie Gardner (from publisher)

“Told through emails, text messages, and emotionally intimate scenes, the book is a stylistically daring character study. Readers who enjoy dark contemporary fiction will find much to savor in this novel.–Carly Thompson, Library Journal

“Sherry & Narcotics” is a raw, immersive debut. Nina-Marie Gardner is uncannily good at depicting the wantonly self-destructive behavior of a young woman who should know better.

-Howard County Times

2.  Modern Women (e-book), by Ruth Harris

MODERN WOMEN—and the men in their lives. They laughed. They cried. They did their best. But would they live happily ever after?Lincky Desmond: With beauty, brains and money, she married Mr. Right—only to risk it all for Mr. Wrong.
Elly McGrath: She was loyal and idealistic but when faced with the ultimate betrayal, would she be able to stand up for herself?
Jane Gresh: Bawdy, outrageous and determined not to be ignored, she managed to shock the entire country.
Owen Casals: Handsome, successful, magnetic. He would marry one, betray another and make one of them very, very rich.

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WHAT ARE YOU READING?

This past week has been full of lively blogging events, such as the Armchair BEA.  My posts are at Curl up and Read.

Because I was feeling restless, and Bloggiesta had not yet arrived, I went ahead and did a Blog Makeover Here. 

And let’s not forget the reading.  Here are the books I read and reviewed – click the titles for reviews.

1.  Once Upon a Time There Was You, by Elizabeth Berg

2.  Save Me (e-book), by Lisa Scottoline

3.  Drinking:  A Love Story, by Caroline Knapp

4.  Exposure (e-book), by Therese Fowler

What’s Up Next?

1.  A Pug’s Tale, by Alison Pace (from author)

“A charming mystery-lite with abundant personality.”
-Publishers Weekly

“Pace is the alpha writer of feel-good, girl-in-the-city-with-dog novels….a winningly affectionate tribute to art, love, New York City, and pugs.” -Booklist

2.  Mini Shopaholic, by Sophie Kinsella

The follow-up to Kinsella’s Shopaholic & Baby (2007) finds Becky and Luke Brandon’s daughter, Minnie, hitting the terrible twos. More than a handful for Becky, Minnie is already picking up on some of her mother’s bad habits, particularly when it comes to shopping. With frequent cries of “Miiiiine!” Minnie is the embodiment of the voice in Becky’s head that won’t let her say no to bargain buys and designer clothes….

3.  Getting the Pretty Back, by Molly Ringwald (a contest win)

“[A] woman’s dream bible: It is about finding inner beauty when you are no longer 16…. Ringwald truly wants women to feel admired and confident at any age, and her passion comes across as clearly (and quirkily) as it did in her teen movie years.” (The Daily Beast )

“She’s not afraid to dish….Ringwald shares the secrets of what has worked well in her life….[She sheds] light on who she’s become off-camera, and that person has a lot of good advice to share.” (San Francisco Chronicle )

4.  The Bird Sisters (e-book), by Rebecca Rasmussen

Rasmussen’s debut novel begins like a typical coming-of-age story, but reveals itself to be a singular portrayal of familial sacrifice and loss. As elderly women, sisters Twiss and Milly live alone in the house where they grew up in Spring Green, Wis. They spend their days tending to injured birds and roaming their land, lost in memories. For Milly, there is the constant reminder of what could have been. Twiss spent her childhood happily trailing behind their golf-pro father, but Milly dreamed about a family and children that never happened. There was hope for a young Milly, until an accident strips their father of his golfing abilities and sets in motion a series of events that rips apart the already unstable family. Dad retreats to the barn, and mom bemoans her choice to marry for love, leaving behind her wealthy family; a cousin who was thought to be a friend becomes an unexpected rival; and the sisters are left with only each other. As young women, and as old ones, they learn that their relationship is rewarding, but not without consequence. Achingly authentic and almost completely character driven, the story of the sisters depicts the endlessly binding ties of family….

So that’s it for this week.  I think I have much to look forward to…what about the rest of you?  Come on by and share….