Thanks for joining me for Mailbox Monday! I am so pleased to host in December because it just adds to my general giddiness this festive time of year.
MM was created by Marcia, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring event (details here). Marcia is looking for someone to take over tour organizing duties. Many people have volunteered, but I don't know that there is a final plan for 2014.
MY THEME THIS WEEK: BOOKS AS GIFTS (GIVING)
Will you give books as gifts this year? Which ones? Please share!
MY GIFT BOOKS: My gift book of choice this year is Things We Set on Fire by Deborah Reed. This latest novel from Deborah Reed is an aching but beautiful family story that you can get lost in. Perfect for anyone who likes mother/daughter themes or books by Anne Taylor, Barbara Kingsolver, Anita Shreve or other popular but substantive women authors.
Of course, there are plenty of men and a few women on my list who wouldn't read a mother/daughter story, no matter how excellent, on pain of death. They'll get a lump of coal. And a copy of Harry Dolan's new mystery, The Last Dead Girl.
MY BOOKS: I did get a couple of new books for myself this week. They are completely different from each other, but both look very good:
Worthy Brown's Daughter by Phillip Margolin. Available now for pre-order; released January 21.
Margolin writes fast-paced contemporary thrillers like his hugely popular Gone, But Not Forgotten and the recent best seller, Capitol Murder.
Worthy Brown's Daughter is a departure for Margolin -- it's a historical drama set in 19th-Century Oregon involving a freed slave trying to rescue his 15-year-old daughter. There is still a murder, a complicated plot, and all the exciting twists and turns readers expect from a Margolin thriller.
The Art of Selling Real Estate by Patricia Cliff.
Cliff offers timely, practical advice for real estate sellers, whether seasoned professionals or newcomers.
While focusing on real estate, Cliff's book is a guide for anyone in sales, with her goal to show how to make yourself indispensable to any transaction by being a consistent, authentic, remarkable deliverer of a high level of personalized service.
YOUR BOOKS
What books came into your house last week? Leave your link below or in a comment. If you don't have a blog but want to play along, leave a comment listing your new books.
Hi Gilion,
ReplyDeleteRelatives on my side of the family don't really seem to read for enjoyment at all, so no books required there this Christmas ... I must have definitely been the odd one out!
Hubbies family on the other hand, are all avid readers and generally get all the books I have read and finished with, so no new books required there either!
Guess that just leaves me to enjoy at least two of your recommendations this week. I love the sound of the Deborah Reed book and 'Worthy Brown's Daughter' sounds like such a departure from Phillip Margolin's usual style of writing, which I enjoy, that I am tempted to try it, just to see how well his style is adapted to this new genre.
Thanks for an interesting post and for being such a well organised host ... sure we can't tempt you into hosting MM permanently??
Yvonne
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ReplyDeleteI'll be wrapping some books for our granddaughter (2 years old). I may wrap one for me :) I want to get Alice McDermott's newest in hardcover.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new books and thanks for hosting MM!
ReplyDeleteYou have several books that look appealing...Things We Set on Fire looks like one I'd enjoy.
ReplyDeleteYes to book giving! I have already bought books for gifts this year. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed some of Phillip Mongolin titles in the past.
Enjoy your reading.
Some good books! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteEntering this meme for the first time for December. Thank you for such an interesting post.
ReplyDeleteThe Last Dead Girl sounds quite full on, definitely the opposite end of the spectrum from the mother-daughter theme.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great cover on the real estate book!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for hosting :)
The premise of Margolin's book caught my eye even though the book cover does nothing for me. Enjoy your reading week!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting MM. It looks like you've selected some great books. I purchased The One and Only Ivan for my niece for Christmas. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteWe got the name of a 17 year old boy off an Angel Tree. He didn't ask for books but he's getting some along with the items on his wish list. :) Enjoy your new books!
ReplyDeleteThe Art of Selling Real Estate does look like a useful book....one of these days we might need it.
ReplyDeleteHarvee
Book Dilettante
Love your Mailbox Monday photo. So festive.
ReplyDeleteNo on giving books for gifts. I just share with others all year long. They borrow from Elizabeth's Library. :)
GREAT post as always...enjoy your books.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
I get a lot of books for others for Christmas. My kids all get things I think they'll enjoy (this is harder now that they're older) and my husband gets books from the list he makes but I also try to find at least one he hasn't asked for that will be a hit. And of course, when I go to the bookstore for them, I inevitably come out with books for myself too. Merry, merry, ho ho ho. ;-)
ReplyDelete"Worthy Brown's Daughter" sounds exciting.
ReplyDeleteI just received one new book this week: "Why Read the Classics?" by Italo Calvino but I have so many I need to read AND visited the library, so one is already more than I really needed.
Marianne from Let's Read
I hope you enjoy your new reads.
ReplyDeletehttp://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2013/12/mailbox-monday_9.html
Your book list looks interesting . . . I'll have to check them out :)
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