Monday, December 27, 2010

Mailbox Monday - December 27th

Mailbox Monday's December host is:  Lady Q @ Let Them Read Books.

 
Mailbox Monday is an opportunity to share the books that arrive by mail at your house during the previous week. Here is what I received:
 
 
  •  The Wishing Trees; John Shors (sent by author) - Almost a year after the death of his wife, Kate, former high-tech executive Ian finds a letter that will change his life. It contains Kate's final wish-a plea for him to take their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie, on a trip across Asia, through the countries they had planned to visit to celebrate their fifteenth anniversary.

    Eager to honor the woman they loved, Ian and Mattie embark on an epic journey that retraces the early days of Ian's relationship with Kate. Along the way, Ian and Mattie leave paper "wishes" in ancient trees as symbols of their connection to Kate and their dreams for the future. Through incredible landscapes and inspiring people, Ian and Mattie are greeted with miracles large and small. And as they celebrate what Kate meant to them, they begin to find their way back to each other, discovering that healing is possible and love endures-lessons that Kate hoped to show them all along... 
  • A Lonely Death; Charles Todd (Shelf Awareness-William Morrow) -
    A breathtaking blend of psychological complexity, haunting atmosphere, compelling twists, and impressive detail, the novels in the Ian Rutledge mystery series have garnered their author widespread acclaim and numerous honors and awards. At the heart of the series is the compelling Scotland Yard detective inspector Ian Rutledge, a veteran of the Great War who understands all too well the darkness that lies within men's souls.
     Now three men have been murdered in a Sussex village, and Scotland Yard has been called in. It's a baffling case. The victims are soldiers who survived the horrors of World War I only to meet a ghastly end in the quiet English countryside two years later. Each had been garroted, with small ID discs left in their mouths.
    But even Scotland Yard's presence doesn't deter this vicious and clever killer. Shortly after Inspector Ian Rutledge arrives, a fourth soldier is found dead. With few clues to go on and the pressure building, Rutledge must gamble everything—his job, his reputation, and even his life—to find answers.
  • The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay; Siddhath Dhanvant Shanghvi (purchase) - In this intense exploration of modern Bombay, photographer Karan Seth gets an assignment to capture the essence of the city, beginning with finding the reclusive pianist, Samar Arora, who opted out of a promising career at 25 after three years of stunning successes . Along the way Karan, new to the city, rockets into the nebulous world of privilege, power, and money as he forms an unlikely friendship with Samar, connects with Bollywood stunner Zaira, and has a torrid affair with married artist Rhea Dalal. When a tragedy rips the friends apart, they each must re-examine their values and desires in the harsh light of political realities with the potential to destroy them all. Shanghvi's second novel (after The Last Song of Dusk) successfully exposes the complex, emerging world of new India, flush with wealth and mesmerized by celebrity. Despite prose that tips toward overwritten, the well-developed characters and a plot that evokes Bollywood cinema itself make for an affecting tale. Shanghvi finds the beauty and the ugliness in the megacity, and readers will be turning pages until the end. 
Hope you received some great books as well.

30 comments:

  1. Enjoy your new books, Diane. The Wishing Trees interests me most at this point.

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  2. My husband and children are huge fans of Bollywood movies-maybe they would enjoy this novel. Enjoy these new titles-the first one sounds very interesting and the second one a little too creepy for me. I'm a wuss.

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  3. Very interesting and widely varied books! It will be interesting to read these.

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  4. Very interesting and widely varied books! It will be interesting to read these.

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  5. I really want to read the John Shors book!

    Enjoy your loot!

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  6. The Wishing Tree looks exciting. I hope you enjoy all your books!

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  7. The Wishing Trees sounds wonderful!! Thanks for linking up to Mailbox Monday! Happy reading!

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  8. Oh, I hope you enjoy your new books. The Wishing Trees is one I've had my eye on.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  9. The Wishing Trees sounds interesting, enjoy your books Diane!

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  10. I have read amazing things about The Lost Flamingos of Bombay and I hope that you enjoy it! I hope you enjoy all your new reads actually, and I look forward to hearing more about them!

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  11. Enjoy the new additions and hope you had a great Christmas!

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  12. The Wishing Trees! GAH! I forgot I had that one! I really enjoyed John Shors first book, I have to get tot his one soon!

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  13. The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay is on my TBR list -- it looks really good! Enjoy your books!

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  14. I received for review The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson from Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways.

    "I asked the sailor what an Elephant looked like; he replied that it was like nothing on earth."

    England, 1766: After a long voyage from the East Indies, a ship docks in Bristol, England, and rumor quickly spreads about its unusual cargo—some say a mermaid is on board. A crowd forms, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creature. One crate after another is unpacked: a zebra, a leopard, and a baboon. There's no mermaid, but in the final two crates is something almost as magical—a pair of young elephants, in poor health but alive.

    Seeing a unique opportunity, a wealthy sugar merchant purchases the elephants for his country estate and turns their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. Tom's family has long cared for horses, but an elephant is something different altogether. It takes time for Tom and the elephants to understand one another, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond is formed.

    The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and the two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them.

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  15. They all sound good but in particular the last one! Hope you enjoy them and I'll be looking forward to your reviews.

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  16. I think The Wishing Tree sounds like a wonderfull heart-warming and touching story. Ihave it on my list!

    A Lonely Death and The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay sound interesting. I look forward to your thoughts on them!

    Enjoy your new books!
    ~ Amy

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  17. The Wishing Trees is on my wish list. I hear it is very good.

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  18. What a variety to choose from!! Wishing you days to get lost in one of those great books!!

    Happy Holidays!

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  19. The first 2 books sound like something I would like..will wait for yourr reviews. Hope you had a great snowed in day today!!!

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  20. I'm liking The Wishing Tree..that is one I want to read in 2011!! Enjoy!

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  21. A Lonely Death sounds like a book I'd read. The title is just so, well, sad -- but after reading the synopsis, I think I'll add it to my MEGA TBR.

    Charlie
    Bitsy Bling Books

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  22. The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay has been on my radar but I haven't gotten around to actually ordering it. Will have to look into the other titles and await your reviews!

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  23. I have been wanting to buy that last book :)

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  24. Great books! I really enjoyed The Wishing Trees.

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  25. I've heard good things about The Wishing Trees. I hope you enjoy all of your books!

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  26. "The Wishing Trees" has been on my wish list for a while- I can't wait to read your review!

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  27. Mmmm, A Lonely Death sounds really interesting, I may have to check it out. Can't wait to read your review of it :)

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