New in Blue -- Five Great Books for MAILBOX MONDAY

 

MAILBOX MONDAY

In a moment of social media serendipity, as I gathered these books on my desk to start my Mailbox Monday post, a friend tagged me on Instagram for a #bluestackchallenge. I didn't know that was a thing and, at that very moment, I was doing it. Crazy!

What new books came into your house last week? Or lately? I haven't done a Mailbox Monday post in a few weeks. In the meantime, these books have drifted my way. 

The Mediterranean Wall by Haitian author Louis-Philippe Dalembert, translated from French by Marjolijn de Jager, launches June 15 from Shaffner Press and is available for pre-order. 

This rich and compelling novel tells the story of three women fleeing their homelands -- Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria. They are thrown together aboard a dilapidated refugee boat in the Mediterranean Sea, trying to get to Europe. 

Shoal Water by Kip Robinson Greenthal won the 2020 Landmark Prize for fiction. The prize is publication by Homebound Publications, although I didn't realize that it is not coming out until this fall. I jumped the gun a bit. You can pre-order now! 

Shoal Water is the story of Kate and her husband who move from New York City to a fishing village in Nova Scotia and open a book store. Navigating the new community is trickier than imagined and Kate must confront ghosts of the past -- metaphorical and literal -- in this beautiful debut novel.

Spin: A Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story by Peter Zheutlin, comes out next week from Pegasus Books.

In the 1890s, Annie Londonderry became "the first woman to cycle around the world" and a newspaper sensation. Spin is the historical fiction account of her adventures, written by author Peter Zheutlin, who is also her great-grand-nephew. Spin is a fun summer read for adult and YA fans of historic fiction.

Life in a Cold Climate: Nancy Mitford; The Biography by Laura Thompson (2019, Pegasus Books). 

This one isn't new, but it's new to me. I love Nancy Mitford's novels and, like so many others, am fascinated by the Mitford sisters. I can't wait to read this biography and learn more!

The Dive: The Untold Story of the World's Deepest Submarine Rescue by Stephen McGinty. The subtitle really says it all. This is the true story of the race to save two men trapped in a broken submarine on the ocean floor. I admit it is not a book for me. But I swear my husband could SMELL IT in the house. The man who cannot find a 22-pound turkey in the refrigerator found this one book in a stack of books in a house with thousands of books. He's so excited!

Judging by how fast my husband tore The Dive from my hands, I'd say it's a good bet for Father's Day (June 20). It launches June 8, so if you pre-order it will get here in plenty of time.

Join other book lovers on Mailbox Monday to share the books that came into your house last week. Visit the Mailbox Monday website to find links to all the participants' posts and read more about Books that Caught our Eye.

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and Martha of Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf. They are looking for a third host. If you are interested, check out the Mailbox Monday website for details.