Monday, November 21, 2011

Mailbox Monday

November's host for Mailbox Monday is Marcia. Join in and share the new books which arrived for you last week. Last week just (2) new books arrived, but I was SO VERY excited by both of them.

Simon and Schuster sent my the unabridged audiobook version of Stephen Kings new book, 11/22/63. (I started this one and it is terrific so far).
Description
On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination—a thousand page tour de force.

Following his massively successful novel Under the Dome, King sweeps readers back in time to another moment—a real life moment—when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history.

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

A tribute to a simpler era and a devastating exercise in escalating suspense, 11/22/63 is Stephen King at his epic best. 


The Magical Christmas Horse, by Mary Higgins Clark was actually sent to me by the very talented painter/illustrator Wendell Minor. The illustrations are lovely. I've so enjoyed his childrens books in  the past.

Description

Johnny's wish had come true. His family would be visiting his grandparents for Christmas. His grandparents lived in an old house in New England where his father had been born. The family together, the smells of the cookies baking, the snowy Christmas tree farm with trees of so many shapes and sizes, and most of all the wooden horse he had told his brother Liam about would make this the best Christmas ever. In his grandparents' attic Johnny finds many treasures, but the wooden horse he remembered so well is missing. How can Johnny make his brother's Christmas wish come true?


Beloved and internationally bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark's loving story together with Wendell Minor's captivating paintings make The Magical Christmas Horse a book that captures the true heart of Christmas and one that families will make part of their Christmas tradition year after year.

27 comments:

  1. I didn't even know Mary Higgins Clark did children's books - those illustrations look beautiful.

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  2. These look great - the Magical Christmas Horse looks especially charming. Happy reading!

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  3. These look great - the Magical Christmas Horse looks especially charming. Happy reading!

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  4. The King book is ready for me at the library. So excited!

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  5. I'm halfway through the audiobook of 11/22/63. I thought being such a huge book it might drag in spots, but not at all. It's hard to stop listening.

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  6. I have Uncle Stevie's book but it won't convert to read on my Nook or my iPad, only on my Mac! It's driving me nuts, I really want to dive into it!

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  7. Everyone is so excited about the King book! It's all I have been hearing about for weeks! I hope that you enjoy it!

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  8. I haven't read anything written by King. I try to stay away from his books and movies... they haunt me! :)

    That said... I hope you enjoy this book.

    Have a wonderful week!

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  9. I'm very excited to read the new King book, but it's going to have to wait until March. I plan to put it on my iPad for my flights to and from Kauai! Should help pass the time, don't you think?

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  10. My book club's talking about reading 11/22/63, so I'll be watching for your review.

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  11. Woohoo, I just got it to download onto my iPad and am reading away! Just twenty pages (or screens?) in and I am hooked!

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  12. I'm really curious about the new Stephen King, especially since it sounds a lot different from what he usually writes. Can't wait for your thoughts!

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  13. The Magical Christmas Horse looks beautiful! I did a double take when I saw it was a children's book written by Mary Higgins Clark. I didn't know she wrote children's book. I'll keep an eye out for it.

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  14. Very cool that you got the Stephen King audio. I'm curious to see what everyone thinks of that book (but usually chicken out and don't read his books).

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  15. I am so excited by the new King novel, it's on my Christmas list! I am glad you are enjoying it so far and look forward to your review :)

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  16. I really want to read the new Stephen King book but I'll admit the size scares me a bit!

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  17. Those sound like great books, definitely on my reading list, thanks so much.

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  18. I too did not know that Mary Higgins Clarks did Childrens books - we learn something new everyday!

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  19. i'm currently on a mystery/thriller high right now so you'll have to let me know how these books go.

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  20. I've seen the hardcover version of 11/22/63, and it's a chunkster! I can't even guess how many hours it is on audio. I'd be scared for that reason alone!

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  21. Stephen King's new book sounds soooo good!! I just heard about it last night on a podcast.

    Can't wait to hear what you think of it -

    Sue

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  22. The King book looks really good. Enjoy!

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  23. Wow … awesome to get the new King book! I bet it is long though! Can't wait to see what you think.

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  24. Both of these books sound like departures for their authors. Hope you enjoy them!

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  25. I didn't know Mary Higgins Clark did children's books.

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  26. Great mailbox. I'm looking forward to your review of King's latest. I have not read any of his books in a long time.

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  27. I love Stephen King and can't wait to read this new book. I think I'll download it to my iPad, though, so I can read it on my flight to Hawaii. I've heard nothing but great things about it!

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