MONDAY FROM THE INTERIOR: MAILBOX MONDAY & WHAT ARE YOU READING? — JAN. 30

Welcome to another Monday from the Interior, in which we share about the books we received in the mail (or bought), and talk about our bookish week, past and future.

Mailbox Monday is hosted through January by Alyce, At Home With Books; and What Are You Reading? is led by Sheila, at Book Journey.

MAILBOX MONDAY

After a week without anything, I was delighted with my mailbox this week.

I received two review books in the mail and one for Sparky, my Kindle; I received a book I preordered and purchased.

1.  How to Eat a Cupcake, by Meg Donohue (Amazon Vine)

Free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clairs’ housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia’s San Francisco mansion and they forged a bond that only two little girls oblivious to class differences could—until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.

A decade later, Annie bakes to fill the void left in her heart by her mother’s death, and a painful secret jeopardizes Julia’s engagement to the man she loves. A chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, but when a mysterious saboteur opens up old wounds, they must finally face the truth about their past or risk losing everything.

2.  Rainshadow Road, Lisa Kleypas (Amazon Vine)

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington.  She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal:  her fiancé Kevin has left her.  His new lover is Lucy’s own sister.   Lucy’s bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life.   Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy’s parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to “romance” Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life—even after being broken—can be made into something new and beautiful.

3.  The Long Drunk (e-book), by Eric Coyote (From Author)

Inspired by Chandler, Steinbeck, and Quentin Tarantino, THE LONG DRUNK tells the story of a homeless alcoholic who must solve a cold-case murder in order to save his best friend’s life. Set in the gutters, bars, and alleys of Venice, California, this darkly comic crime/detective saga is filled with sex, violence, booze, and plenty of foul street talk. It is hard-boiled, heartbreaking, gritty as hell, and thoroughly immerses the reader in the squalid yet resourceful underworld of the down-and-out. By juxtaposing the cruel realities of life on the street with the obscene wealth of the Hollywood elite, Coyote has created a ultra noir masterpiece for the ages. THE LONG DRUNK will leave you crying, laughing, and begging for more.

4.  First, Best and Only, by Barbara Delinsky

A passionate tale of love, tragedy and forgiveness by a best-selling author – Marni Lange was just seventeen when she fell passionately in love with the irresistibly sexy Brian Webster. Then a tragic accident tore them apart. Fourteen years later, Marni is now a successful businesswoman, about to appear on the cover of a national magazine – and come face-to-face with the world-famous photographer profiling her . . . Brian Webster. As Marni struggles with her attraction to the man who haunts her past, is she now brave enough to follow her heart and fight for what matters most? 

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WHAT ARE YOU READING?

In this featured meme, we have the opportunity to share about the past week, in blogging and reading and to also spotlight the books we’re planning to read next.

Here are the past week’s posts/reviews:

THE CREATIVE JOURNEY – BLOGS, BOOKS & PHOTOS

ON SEEING THE FOREST

I HAVE “MILES TO GO”

EXAMINING OUR DEFINING MOMENTS

SURROUNDED BY COZINESS

DESIGN IS IN THE DETAILS-OR RATIONALIZING 101

Review:  Quick and the Thread, The – Amanda Lee –

Review:  One Day at a Time – Danielle Steel

Review:  Diana:  In Pursuit of Love – Andrew Morton

Review:   Mudbound (e-book) – Hillary Jordan

We had a lot of rain, so it was a perfect time to curl up and read, or to post on my blogs.

What’s Up Next?

1.  Atonement, by Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan’s symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness provides all the satisfaction of a brilliant narrative and the provocation we have come to expect from this master of English prose.

On a hot summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a moment’s flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant and Cecilia’s childhood friend. But Briony’s incomplete grasp of adult motives together with her precocious literary gifts brings about a crime that will change all their lives. As it follows that crime’s repercussions through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century, Atonement engages the reader on every conceivable level, with an ease and authority that mark it as a genuine masterpiece.

2.  The Importance of Being Kennedy, by Laurie Graham

From the fictitious diary of the equally fictitious Kennedy nanny comes an inside look into the early years of the dynasty—with all the juicy bits intact.

Newly arrived from Ireland, Nora Brennan finds a position as nursery maid to the Kennedys of Brookline, Massachusetts—and lands at the heart of American history. In charge of nine children practically from the minute they’re born—including Joe Jr., Jack, Bobby, Teddy, vivacious “Kick,” and tragic Rosemary—she sees the boys coached at their father’s knee to believe everything they’ll ever want in life can be bought. She sees the girls trained by mother Rose to be good Catholic wives. With her sharp eye and her quiet common sense, Nora is the perfect candidate to report on an empire in the making. Then World War II changes everything.

3.  Jonathan’s Story, by Julia London

From New York Times bestselling author Julia London comes the passionate, suspenseful novel based on Guiding Light, the 2007 Emmy Award-winning daytime drama.

When his true love Tammy Winslow died saving his life, Jonathan Randall had only one reason left for existing: his baby daughter Sarah. But Sarah’s great-grandfather, powerful millionaire Alan Spaulding, was obsessed with bringing her up himself. Faking his death, Jonathan fled Springfield, leaving only his mother Reva Shayne aware he and Sarah were still alive.

After being on the run for months, Jonathan comes to the sleepy town of Tourmaline, California, with no intention of staying. But ten-month-old Sarah seems strangely happy here, and Jonathan himself feels an inexplicable pull toward the town. It’s almost as if Tammy’s ghost were whispering to him that he should stay for a while. But life is hard for a bad boy trying to turn good, until a local young woman comes into his life.

Aubrey Cross isn’t quite sure what attracts her to this stranger in Tourmaline. Perhaps it’s his dark good looks; perhaps it’s because she too has always felt as if she doesn’t belong in Tourmaline, even though her father is the popular town sheriff. Aubrey alone knows that this pillar of the community is in reality a sadistic abuser.

And, of course, with a past like Jonathan’s, it’s no surprise that life doesn’t stay peaceful in Tourmaline for long. Sheriff Zeke Cross is sure there are some secrets buried, and he’s not going to rest until he uncovers them. Can Reva protect Jonathan and Sarah before they’re discovered by the dangerous Alan Spaulding?

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All three books are from my TBR stacks.  I’ll happily whittle away at the numbers there; hopefully before the year’s end, I’ll have totally wiped out those Old TBRs.

What are you reading this week?  What came in your mailbox?  Hope you’ll come on by and share.