Saturday, November 22, 2014

The Sunday Post...November 23, 2014

I'm participating in The Sunday Post by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog. 

This was a busier week than normal.  I got some great reads and I'm super excited about them.  I hope you see something below that interests you!

 In the Mail:

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan....Bacon. McDonalds. Cinnabon. Hot Pockets. Kale. Stand-up New York Times bestselling book Dad is Fat to hear him riff on fatherhood but now, in his second book, he will give them what they really crave—hundreds of pages of his thoughts on all things culinary(ish). Insights such as: why he believes coconut water was invented to get people to stop drinking coconut water, why pretzel bread is #3 on his most important inventions of humankind (behind the wheel and the computer), and the answer to the age-old question “which animal is more delicious: the pig, the cow, or the bacon cheeseburger?”  I'm super excited about this book, I loved, "Dad is Fat", and I hope this will be just as funny. 


From Edelweiss:  

Hyacinth Girls by Lauren Frankel...."Thirteen year old Callie is accused of bullying at school, but Rebecca knows the kind and gentle girlshe’s raised is innocent. While Callie is eventually exonerated, threatening notes from her alleged victim, Robyn, begin to surface, and as the notes become suicidal, Rebecca is determined to save the unbalanced Robyn. As Rebecca navigates school disapproval and mean moms while trying to comfort Callie and help Robyn, she recalls her own intense betrayals and best-friendships at that age. Then, her failure to understand those closest to her led to losing them forever, and she’s determined that this story will end differently. But Rebecca has failed to understand what is really happening in Callie’s life, and now Callie is in terrible danger.

This raw and beautiful story investigates the intensity of adolescent emotions and the complex identity of a teenage girl. Hyacinth Girls looks unflinchingly at how cruelty exists in all of us, and how our worst impulses can sometimes estrange us from ourselves - or save us."

This has received comparisons to "Reconstructing Amelia", which I loved.  The inner working of the teen girls mind can be as chilling as any horror story.


The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos...."In all her life, Eustacia “Taisy” Cleary has given her
heart to only three men: her first love, Ben Ransom; her twin brother, Marcus; and Wilson Cleary—professor, inventor, philanderer, self-made millionaire, brilliant man, breathtaking jerk: her father.

Seventeen years ago, Wilson ditched his first family for Caroline, a beautiful young sculptor. In all that time, Taisy’s family has seen Wilson, Caroline, and their daughter Willow only once.

Why then, is Wilson calling Taisy now, inviting her for an extended visit, encouraging her to meet her pretty sister—a teenager who views her with jealousy, mistrust, and grudging admiration? Why, now, does Wilson want Taisy to help him write his memoir?

Told in alternating voices—Taisy’s strong, unsparing observations and Willow’s naive, heartbreakingly earnest yearnings—The Precious One is an unforgettable novel of family secrets, lost love, and dangerous obsession, a captivating tale with the deep characterization, piercing emotional resonance, and heartfelt insight that are the hallmarks of Marisa de los Santos’s beloved works."

I couldn't put Love Walked In down, so I'm really looking forward to this.

From Net Galley:

The Half Brother by Holly Lecraw....When Charlie Garrett arrives as a young teacher at the shabby-
yet-genteel Abbott School, he finds a world steeped in privilege and tradition. Fresh out of college and barely older than the students he teaches, Charlie longs to leave his complicated southern childhood behind and find his place in the rarefied world of Abbottsford. Before long, he is drawn to May Bankhead, the daughter of the legendary school chaplain; but when he discovers he cannot be with her, he forces himself to break her heart, and she leaves Abbott, €”he believes forever. He hunkers down in his house in the foothills of Massachusetts, thinking his sacrifice has contained the damage, and controlled their fates.
But nearly a decade later, his peace is shattered when his golden-boy half brother, Nick, comes to Abbott to teach, €”and May returns as a teacher as well. Students and teachers alike are drawn by Nick'€™s magnetism, and even May falls under his spell; when Charlie pushes his brother and his first love together, with what he believes are the best of intentions, a love triangle ensues that is haunted by desire, regret, and a long-buried mystery.
With wisdom and emotional generosity, LeCraw takes us through a year that transforms both the teachers and students of Abbott forever. Skillfully plotted, lyrical, and ambitious, The Half Brother is a powerful examination of family, loyalty, and love.

I love boarding school books.  I don't know why.  But I do.


Up and In by Deborah Disney....Maria and Joe have saved every available penny to give their
daughters Kate and Sarah the best education possible, which to them means attending the most exclusive girls school in the state. But when Kate befriends the spoilt and moody Mirabella, Maria finds herself thrust into a high society of champagne-swilling mother-istas she hasn't budgeted for. Saturday morning netball is no longer a fun mother-daughter outing, but a minefield of social politics.
While the increasingly neurotic Maria struggles to negotiate the school mum hierarchy, Joe quietly battles a midlife crisis and Kate attempts to grow up as gracefully as possible (without having her life ruined by embarrassing parents).
For every woman who has ever felt she may be wearing the wrong shoes, this is a book that will remind you - you're not alone.
Can't wait to read this since I frequently feel like I'm wearing the wrong shoes.


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4 comments:

  1. Nice haul :) Seems like everyone's been pretty busy this week.
    I love the sound of Up and In.
    Cora @ Tea Party Princess

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  2. I am curious about the Half Brother. Fantastic haul this week Marcee. I followed you via Bloglovin. Goggle Friend Connect doesn't really work anymore. Have a fantastic week!

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  3. Very nice collection of books. The Half Brother sounds intriguing and takes place in the south. Always on the lookout for that.
    Here's my Sunday Post - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/11/23/whats-new-on-my-bookshelf-86-and-the-sunday-post/

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  4. Good to know about Google Connect. I'll have to add the bloglovin button. I'm anxious to start the Half-Brother!

    ReplyDelete

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