MONDAY FROM THE INTERIOR: MAILBOX MONDAY & WHAT ARE YOU READING? — JAN. 14

Welcome to another week of bookish fun.  Join in with those who celebrate Mailbox Monday, hosted in January by Lori’s Reading Corner; and What Are You Reading?, hosted by Book Journey.

MAILBOX MONDAY:

My actual mailbox had only one book in it:  a contest win from My Reader’s Block.  I also received a review book download for Sparky; and I purchased an e-book to feed Sparky, as well.

Here’s my list!

1.  Messenger of Truth, by Jacqueline Winspear (from My Reader’s Block)

Sue Feder/Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery Award Nominee

London, 1931. On the night before the opening of his new and much-anticipated exhibition at a famed Mayfair gallery, Nicholas Bassington-Hope falls to his death. The police declare it an accident, but the dead man’s twin sister, Georgina, isn’t convinced. When the authorities refuse to conduct further investigations, Georgina takes matters into her own hands, seeking out a fellow graduate from Girton College: Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator.The case soon takes Maisie to the desolate beaches of Dungeness in Kent, as well as the sinister underbelly of the city’s art world. She again uncovers the dark legacy of the Great War in a society struggling to recollect itself in difficult times. But to solve the mystery of the artist’s death, she will have to remain steady as the forces behind his death come out of the shadows to silence her.Jacqueline Winspear delivers another vivid, thrilling, and utterly unique episode in the life of Maisie Dobbs.

2.  The Eighth Wonder (e-book), by Kimberly Young (Review Book for Blog Tour on 2/28/12)

“Nicole Benson is a self-made woman. She put herself through school, sacrificing marriage and children for her career. In the summer of 1997, at the age of 35, she finally graduated with a Ph.D. from NYU, but her life is thrust into chaos when her father, the only person she’s ever leaned on emotionally, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. After fifteen years in New York City, Nicole leaves everything and everyone she knows to teach for a year in Bradford, Pennsylvania to be close to her father in nearby Buffalo. Now, trapped in tiny Bradford, she has never felt more alone in her life. . . until she meets Tom Ryan.At 44, Tom represents what Nicole longs to be: settled, secure, and clear about his purpose and direction in life. Emotionally scarred, he and his wife of 23 years survived the death of their daughter to leukemia. Tom and Nicole’s story begins as a journey of self-discovery for both of them but turns to bittersweet tragedy when their friendship becomes love. Nicole risks offering what she has never given before, her heart; and Tom has never felt happier or more conflicted when he falls in love for the second time in his life. Their lives become intertwined and changed forever when they both must face the most difficult decision of their lives.”

3.   Kinsey & Me (e-book), by Sue Grafton

In 1982, Sue Grafton introduced us to Kinsey Millhone. Thirty years later, Kinsey is an established international icon and Sue, a number-one bestselling author. To mark this anniversary year, Sue has given us stories that reveal Kinsey’s origins and Sue’s past.“I’ve come to believe that Grafton is not only the most talented woman writing crime fiction today but also that, regardless of gender, her Millhone books are among the five or six best series any American has ever written.”—Patrick Anderson, The Washington PostKinsey and Me has two parts: The nine Kinsey stories (1986-93), each a gem of detection; and the And Me stories, written in the decade after Grafton’s mother died. Together, they show just how much of Kinsey is a distillation of her creator’s past even as they reveal a child who, free of parental interventions, read everything and roamed everywhere. But the dark side of such freedom was that very parental distance.

The same unique voice and witty insights readers fell in love with in A Is for Alibi permeate the Kinsey stories. Those in the And Me section trace a remarkable voyage, from anger to understanding, from pain to forgiveness. They take us into a troubled family, dysfunctional as most families are, each in their own way, but Grafton’s telling is sensitive, delicate, and ultimately, loving. Enriching the way we see Kinsey and know Sue, these stories are deeply affecting.

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WHAT ARE YOU READING?

Welcome to our second It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading?of the New Year.In light of the plans (or resolutions) that I have made, I have been turning away review books that didn’t spark my enthusiasm.I don’t know how long I’ll manage to stay the course, but I do hope that, at the very least, I’ll keep my reading manageable.I made some changes on some of my blog sites this week….over at Creative Journey, I am sporting a new theme, with a new look.

Curl up and Read has an even more drastic new look.  I tried to retain some of what I loved about the old look, like the three columns.  There aren’t that many three-column themes available, and some don’t work for me.  But check it out!

In the past week, I’ve been spending time with family, including my youngest grandson, who turned ten last weekend, and one of my granddaughters.

What else is happening on the blogs?

As something that says New Year to me, I did a post about Recharging My Batteries:  Or What Gets My Juices Flowing.

Then I hopped over to Snow Sparks, for another post about “recharging”:  Friday Sparks:  What Ignites Your Day?

My Saturday Sample excerpted from Interior Designs, with Unexpected Connections.

Just now, I posted Creative Updates:  Easing Into It.

 

Read and Reviewed-Click Titles for Reviews:

1.  A Thousand Pardons, by Jonathan Dee

2.  Elly in Bloom (e-book), by Colleen Oakes

3.  Don’t Let Me Die in a Motel 6 (e-book), by Amy Wolf

4.   I.O.U. Sex (e-book), by Sandra Nachlinger & Sandra Allen

What’s Up Next? (Click Titles/Covers for More Info)

1.  That Old Cape Magic, by Richard Russo (Another one from Mt. TBR)

2.  The Eighth Wonder (e-book), by Kimberly Young (For Blog Tour Stop on 2/28/13)

3.  The Carrie Diaries, by Candace Bushnell (Also from Mt. TBR)

Last week, I tried a new trick for me.  Listed only three books to read…and ended up reading four.  Not wanting to jinx it, I’m not even going to mention the possible fourth book!

Hope you all have a great week, and stop by to share your thoughts.