Friday, April 3, 2009

I'm Back... and With More Books

The girl and I returned from the thrilling suburbs of Cincinnati yesterday afternoon. We had a great time visiting my sister and her family, and this year the kids played together better than ever. There was little time for reading and while I'm enjoying both books I brought very much, I only read a total of around 175 pages on the whole trip. I'm still dreaming of that reading vacation too, Nan! Thanks so much to everyone for your well wishes. I was peeking in to see what everyone was up to while I was gone, but I still have over 150 posts to read in my bloglines account. Since I cannot offer any reviews today, I thought I'd share the books that have made their way into my home lately.



Here are some ARCs and review copies that I've received lately. The Blue Notebook looks to be an important but devastating account of child prostitutes in India. Secrets to Happiness on the other hand looks like and easy, breezy read. I'm intrigued by The Lace Makers of Glenmara and it's Ireland-set, cozy-seeming storyline. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane is probably the nicest looking ARC I've ever seen - they're not kidding about a major marketing campaign, and finally I was thrilled to open up the envelope containing Lisa See's newest book, Shanghai Girls. I adored Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and have recommended it often.



Here are a few used/swapped/new books. Judith Lennox is somewhat of a comfort author to me, so I was happy to obtain The Winter House. Consequences of Sin is one that I just keep reading about on various blogs (Iliana? Danielle?) so I picked up a used copy along with another Ruth Rendell mystery. Cocina de la Familia is a Mexican-American cookbook that came from Paperbackswap - nice!



I'm really intrigued by this book, The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart. It's part of the 'Barnes and Noble Library of Essential Reading' that I'd never noticed before. The Circular Staircase is described as a 'popular 1908 thriller' complete with a 'feisty spinster' and a 'disastrous summer house rental'. Has anyone heard of this author or read this?


I thought I was done. But UPS showed up today and delivered these.



Tessa Kiros' Falling Cloudberries is gorgeous. Gorgeous! Thanks to Librarything's Early Reviewer program for that one. And finally, The Walking People, described as an old fashioned novel (yeah!) that fans of Meave Binchy are sure to love (another plus) in the tradition of The Memory Keeper's Daughter (hmmm). This one looks great actually, like something I'd enjoy.

So, I have my reading cut out for me.

I have brown rice in the oven in my newly painted kitchen (thanks hubby) and am off to devour my new cookbooks. Have a great weekend - I'll be stopping by!

36 comments:

Cath said...

I love the sound of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. Not published until June I see. I shall have to write myself a note. Wonderful stacks!

Literary Feline said...

I have a copy of The Blue Notebook to try out too and am expecting a copy of Shanghai Girls. The other titles sound good too . . . So tempting.

I hope you enjoy all of your new books, Tara!

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip and and a lovely stack of books to welcome you home. I haven't read any of these, so will be interested in your thoughts.

Anonymous said...

That's quite a stack of books to welcome you home...enjoy!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you had a good time. I'll be interested to know what you think of The Physick Book - I frantically want to read that one!

bermudaonion said...

Wow! You got some good ones.

Bonnie said...

It must have been fun to come home to find all of these books waiting!
The Falling Cloudberries is a gorgeous cover. I tried to get that one from LT Early Reviewers. I was picked for Shanghai Girls and it will be second copy as I have one already. Enjoy your books!

avisannschild said...

Wow, what a fabulous pile of books! The Falling Cloudberries looks scrummy!

I'm so behind on my blog reading that I didn't even realize you were gone!

Bybee said...

Nice work, Tara. You do us all proud.

Tara said...

Cath, doesn't it sound intriguing! I hope the insides are as good as the outside promise. Thanks!

Literary Feline, did they send everyone on their list a copy of The Blue Notebook? Interesting, the marketing on this one. I hope you get your Shanghai Girls. Thank you!

adevotedreader, thank you, it was nice to come home to.

softdrink, I know!!

Jennysbooks, thank you - it looks great, doesn't it??

bermudaonion, I think so too!

Red lady-Bonnie, I have well over 100 cookbooks in my LT library - and I have a copy of this author's other book - perhaps that helped match me with Falling Cloudberries. The nice thing is, it's a nice hardcover book that I will use again and again. Too bad about the second copy of Shanghai Girls!

avisannschild, Isn't it gorgeous! That's cranberry sorbet on the cover.

Bybee, thank you very much!

JoAnn said...

Welcome home! How nice to come back to a freshly painted kitchen!
Falling Cloudberries looks beautiful.

Les said...

Welcome back!! I understand the lack of reading while on vacation. I always think I'll be able to read 2-3 books, but I'm lucky if I get 2-3 chapters finished. Need to spend a couple of weeks in a cabin near a lake with no other distractions than paddling around in a canoe and listening to the loons cry.

Chrisbookarama said...

Falling Cloudberries looks good enough to eat!

Carrie K said...

Nice haul! I'd like a reading/knitting vacation myself.
Sounds like you had fun!

Danielle said...

Glad to hear you had a nice time on your break! You have some lovely piles of books to come home to! You must have some great contacts when it comes to AREs--I'm envious as I see several there that I want to read (but I have plenty of books to keep me busy until they come out!). I had heard of Mary Roberts Rinehart, but I had never gotten around to reading her. I figured she would be one of those authors who was OOP, but I'm glad B&N has at least one of her books in print. I really liked that Rendell (it's a much simpler, straightforward novel than her Vine books, but still excellent). Enjoy your goodies! Oh, and I loved Consequences of Sin and can't wait until her new one is out.

Karen said...

Tessa Kiros' books are simply devine aren't they?? I received her latest one, Venezia for Christmas and it is beautiful too.

Laura Essendine said...

Judith Lennox is wonderful and, I believe, so little known in America.

I came across her with Footprints In The Sand and have been a huge fan since - although I prefer her earlier books, including Winter House.

After I read The Shadow Child I wrote her a letter via her publishers and she sent me the sweetest email back, guaranteeing a fan for live.

So glad she's made it to your side of the Atlantic.

Other great Brits are Penny Vincenzi, Maeve Binchy and Kate Saunders whose stories are very different but they all roll along.

Laura Essendine
The Accidental Guru Blog

Tara said...

JoAnn, thank you! It was nice, but I didn't mention how frustrated my husband was with all the trim. Glad I missed that part.

Les, thanks! That is exactly what I do. Hopefully your cabin idea could become a reality as the girl gets older.

Chris, it is outstanding looking!

Carrie K, thanks! It was a nice time.

Danielle, I don't know - I think I've just been lucky lately - my cup runneth over. I've been collecting Rendell mysteries, but have yet to read one. Must get to that soon!

Karen, they are! I am drooling over Venezia, it hasn't been released here yet, but I am hopeful.

Laura, hello, and thank you for stopping by. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure she has made it over here - all the copies of her books I have are UK or Canadian releases, which is too bad, I think she'd do well here. I'm going to check out the other titles you mentioned.

Staci said...

All of those look fantastic!! What a great thing to come home to!! I can't wait for your reviews!! Are you going to have a book sale anytime soon? :)

Anonymous said...

wow! what a selection. i'm so eager to read the new lisa see book--i loved 'snowflower...'. can't wait to see how you like it!

Bree said...

What an awesome collection of new books to devourer. Lucky girl!

Ti said...

I just love book stack pics. You've got some good ones there.

Karen said...

Hi Tara - I just wanted to let you know that I have passed on an award to you on my blog!

Melissa said...

The Blue Notebook sounds so good!

Nan said...

So, if I go away will Tom paint our kitchen? Or maybe your fella would come here? :<) I couldn't read a book about girl prostitutes if it were the only book left on earth.

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I'm so jealous of all the great books; I love your blog!

J.L. Danger said...

welcome home!

LisaMM said...

Wow, nice welcome back, huh?? Falling Cloudberries is really pretty, love that cover. I'm reading Shanghai Girls now (love it). It's quite different from Snowflower though, but really good so far.

Tara said...

Staci, I think so too! I really should have a booksale! I'm thinking about bringing some books to work - you can get rid of anything there!

booklineandsinker, I am too!

Bree, thanks!

Ti, I love them too.

Karen, thank you!

Melissa, it really does, doesn't it?

Nan, I'm guessing by how irritated he was with me on the phone the day he painted he will not come there...quote was "do you know how much trim there is in this kitchen????you should be doing this!! I know you couldn't read that book.

Diane, thank you! That is so nice of you to say.

J.Danger, it's always good to come home.

LisaMM, totally! I cannot wait for your Shanghai Girls review!

Fyrefly said...

Isn't The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane nice? I got it last week, and something about the fold-over back cover and the cover art in general just screams "READ ME!"

zetor said...

'The Lacemakers 'appeals to me. My daughter has Falling Cloudberries and loves it.

Anna said...

We got a lot of the same books. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on them.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Iliana said...

So good to see you back Tara! Sounds like you and the girl had a great time and look at all those books :)

I am so glad to see Consequences of Sin on your stack. Danielle and I have both liked that book and it reminds me a bit of Maisie Dobbs so I hope you'll enjoy it.

Now I need to check on that Mary Roberts Rinehart book... sounds creepy good :)

Tara said...

Fyrefly, it is so nice! And fancy! Yes, that foldover cover is a nice touch, lookswise, but where are we going to put it while we are reading? Hmm.

Zetor, thanks for stopping by. So glad to hear praise of Falling Cloudberries.

Anna, me too!

Iliana, I hope to enjoy Consequences of Sin too, since I like Maisie so much. The Rinehart book sounds like one you'd like!

Lisa said...

Oh, I love the cover of the Circular Staircase. I've never noticed this Barnes and Noble edition series.

Tara said...

Lisa, I hadn't noticed this B&N series, either. This one was just tucked in with the rest of the mysteries.