Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Mailbox Monday


Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

I received a lot in the mail this past week, but I technically didn't BUY anything...although a few of my books are from my joining the Doubleday Book Club...AGAIN!

So....

In the mail:


The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent--won from Bookin' with Bingo (Thanks again, Karen)

Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.

Kathleen Kent is a tenth generation descendent of Martha Carrier. She paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England, but also of one family's deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution.


Powers by John B. Olson--Early Review win from Library Thing

“Bury me standing. I must be buried standing.”

Powers, the follow-up to John Olson’s Shade (“a must-read for those who enjoy Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti” —Publishers Weekly), introduces a sheltered Gypsy girl named Mariutza. Her grandfather utters a mysterious last request before dying in her arms after being shot by ten cloaked men.

Those same men die before her eyes, but strange powers continue to pursue Mari through the swamps of southern Louisiana where she has always hidden from “the Badness.”

The whole world seems to join in the chase—helicopters, soldiers, government agents, and the police are all trying to kill her. Mari’s only hope of survival is to find Jaazaniah the Prophet, the mythical hero of her grandfather’s bedtime stories. But she has never been outside the swamp or known other humans besides her grandfather and one teacher. How can this lone girl survive the bewildering world of men long enough to find a prophet who might not even exist? (from Amazon)


The next three books I received from Doubleday Book Club as part of my introductory package:


Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change.Not all of those who are chosen do.It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.


The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol will once again feature Dan Brown's unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon.

'The Lost Symbol is a brilliant and compelling thriller. Dan Brown's prodigious talent for storytelling, infused with history, codes and intrigue, is on full display in this new book. This is one of the most anticipated publications in recent history, and it was well worth the wait,' said Sonny Mehta, Chairman and Editor in Chief of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

Brown's longtime editor, Jason Kaufman, Vice President and Executive Editor at Doubleday said, 'Nothing ever is as it first appears in a Dan Brown novel. This book's narrative takes place in a twelve-hour period, and from the first page, Dan's readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Robert Langdon through a masterful and unexpected new landscape. The Lost Symbol is full of surprises.'

"This novel has been a strange and wonderful journey," said Brown. "Weaving five years of research into the story's twelve-hour timeframe was an exhilarating challenge. Robert Langdon's life clearly moves a lot faster than mine."


The Stephen King Library Desk Calendar 2010

Stephen King’s work plays a major role in entertaining, delighting, inspiring, and scaring the pants right off of us. Our exclusive Stephen King Library Desk Calendar 2010 is packed with essays, odd details, trivia, and games—365 chances to journey into Stephen King’s sinister universe. This year’s calendar is full of excerpts from The Shining, articles from the professionals he has influenced, and even information on how to make your own animal topiary. Plus, you can test your SK skills with the "Who Played the Baddie?" and "Match the Opening Line with the King Story" quizzes. Filled with information about his novels, films and comic book adaptations, this desk calendar is destined to become an instant classic. (from Doubleday Book Club)



Matchless: A Christmas Story by Gregory Maguire--from BOMC2 (monthly book club)

When it was first translated from Danish and published in England in the mid-nineteenth century, audiences likely interpreted the Little Match Girl's dying visions of lights and a grandmother in heaven as metaphors of religious salvation. Maguire's new piece, entitled "Matchless," re-illuminates Andersen's classic, using his storytelling magic to rekindle Andersen's original intentions, and to suggest transcendence, the permanence of spirit, and the continuity that links the living and the dead.


This next bunch of goodies I bought from Amazon with my gift card win from Park Avenue Princess' "Never Slow Dance with a Zombie" Twitter contest...the Grand Prize! A special thanks again to Amy and E. Van Lowe!



Never Slow Dance with a Zombie by E. Van Lowe

Principal Taft's 3 Simple Rules for Surviving a Zombie Uprising:

Rule #1: While in the halls, walk slowly and wear a vacant expression on your face. Zombies won't attack other zombies.

Rule #2: Never travel alone. Move in packs. Follow the crowd. Zombies detest blatant displays of individuality.

Rule #3: If a zombie should attack, do not run. Instead, throw raw steak at to him. Zombies love raw meat. This display of kindness will go a long way.

On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, most important, have boyfriends. Three years later, they haven't accomplished a thing!

Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky Principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize that this is the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. All they have to do is stay alive...


Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace - or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.


The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.


Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black

Welcome to
the realm of
very scary
faeries!

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.

Newcomer Holly Black's enormously powerful voice weaves teen angst, riveting romance, and capriciously diabolical faerie folk into an enthralling, engaging, altogether original reading experience.

AND two Christmas CDs!


The incomparable Tori Amos--Midwinter Graces (you should see the photography artwork in this CD...breathtaking!) This is a CD/DVD combo!

After nearly two decades writing and recording some of her generation's most emotionally powerful music, Tori Amos will release her first seasonal album, Midwinter Graces, on November 10 via Universal Republic Records. A follow up to Tori's critically acclaimed studio album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, Midwinter Graces will find Tori reworking and expanding on classic carols as well as developing some of her very own seasonal tracks. Midwinter Graces is an album that has been in the making for the past 40 years. Raised in the Baltimore area under the watchful eye of her Methodist minister father, Tori grew up playing holiday carols at Sunday services and Christmas Day celebrations in her father's church. These were the songs that gave a young Tori her first taste of music, and now almost 40 years later Tori gets her own chance to reimagine classics like "What Child, Nowell" and "Star of Wonder." Tori will also add her own bittersweet bliss to the season with original tracks like "Pink and Glitter" and "Our New Year." (from Amazon)


The Sounds of Christmas 2009--from my friend Ken Kessler, who runs Sounds of Christmas internet radio and now has his own record label.  Featuring a song from Ken's wife (and my friend) author Lisa Kessler (song is Christmas Vacation!) Click here to check out Ken's site and listen to Christmas music online (FREE)!

The Sounds of Christmas 2009 is a fantastic collection of Christmas music, featuring everything from songs specifically recorded for this CD to a twenty-five year old fan club Christmas song from Huey Lewis and the News!

The CD also features Richard Marx, Dennis DeYoung and Stephen Bishop (with a special exclusive version of his original Rock Little Reindeer). And don't miss the amazing version of Winter Wonderland by Hayseed Dixie (with a Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin)!

The Sounds of Christmas also features William Shatner and his performance of Good King Wenceslas! Plus, proceeds from the purchase of this CD will go to benefit William Shatner's Hollywood Charity Horseshow, which benefits disabled, disadvantaged and special needs children. (from Amazon)


So what exciting items did you have waiting for you in your mailbox?

Happy Reading (and Listening)!


(all synopses are from Fantastic Fiction unless otherwise noted)

9 comments:

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. It means so much.

I apologize for word verification, but as soon as I changed the settings from only users with Google accounts, I started receiving a ton of spam comments...within one hour of changing the settings. The bots are on high alert apparently.

  1. Dang! Impressive haul last week! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I so want to read The Heretic's Daughter. I like the cover of Tithe. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh I loved The Summoning!!! And lucky for you the second book, The Awakening, is already out too! :)

    I hope you enjoy The Sounds of Christmas 2009!!! :) Thanks for helping us get the word out!!!

    Have a great Thanksgiving!!!

    Lisa :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. OOh I loved Tithe. I have also read Holly Black's Valiant too and that was good.

    Your blog is looking lovely and Christmassy.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a fantastic mailbox. The Summoning is terrific and I'm so jealous of The Lost Symbol.

    ReplyDelete
  6. These all look great Michelle. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. You got a ton of great books to keep you busy.
    I love the new blog look, awesome

    The Heretic's Daughter was really well-written

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a great web log. I spend hours on the net reading blogs, about tons of various subjects. I have to first of all give praise to whoever created your theme and second of all to you for writing what i can only describe as an fabulous article. I honestly believe there is a skill to writing articles that only very few posses and honestly you got it. The combining of demonstrative and upper-class content is by all odds super rare with the astronomic amount of blogs on the cyberspace.

    ReplyDelete
- See more at: http://www.techtrickhome.com/2013/02/show-comment-box-above-comments-on.html#sthash.TjHz2Px9.dpuf
- See more at: http://www.techtrickhome.com/2013/02/show-comment-box-above-comments-on.html#sthash.TjHz2Px9.dpuf