It's Monday! What Are You Reading? / Mailbox Monday

It's Monday! What are you reading?

Ah, Monday, Monday! Did you check out my new round-up of Movember-themed bookmarks yet? You better! I think mustaches are quite fun (probably because I'm not the one growing one)! :)

The past week has been busy on all fronts. But thankfully I finally got a little caught up with my reviews! 

I've read:

Memoirs of a Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks

This is such a sweet and unusual read, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did!

I've reviewed:

Black Boogiemen by Tallis Piaget

An intense read about instigating change in black America.

Eight Girls Taking Pictures by Whitney Otto

I'm sort of in love with this one. One of my favourite reads for the year!

I am wrapping up:

Keeping Score by Marc Brackett

Wait for the review this week! This relationship quiz book is so much fun!

Check out some excepts or read Marc Brackett's guest post.

I'm currently reading:

The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveny

I've started and stopped this one so many times I am embarrassed to admit it. I won this in a giveaway and even did a Friday 56/Book Beginnings post way back in June. Now I am actually reading it, I wonder why I got so distracted. I'm liking it so far!

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Mailbox Monday

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin

I haven't had any new books lately. But I did get a PDF* for this one because I found the synopsis so intriguing. It deals with the impact of Oscar Wilde's conviction on a small town in Nevada. I was also having quite some fun chatting with the author over email on this one!

Don't forget to check out my Friday 56/Book Beginnings post. Plus I am hosting Paulette Mahurin's guest post and giveaway within the week ... so don't forget to watch out for this one 

(I don't have an e-reader, so I will need to see if I can actually pull this one off by reading on the computer screen. Wish me luck!)

Great reading all around! If you have a post up, leave your link as I'd love to visit. Have a great week!

It's Monday! What are you reading? / Mailbox Monday (5)

Mailbox Monday

I've had a recent flood of books (evidence: past post) and I've neglected to mention just one new book in the house. I won Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks in yet another giveaway and recently, I was thrilled to see this among the popular nominees in Goodreads Choice Awards. I really luck out on those giveaways!

I have a few more reviews to churn out before I'm totally caught up. Though I did put up my thoughts about The Curiosity of School by Zander Sherman as Id had that on the backburner for ages because I didn't quite finish the book. But thought to get the review out sooner rather than letting it languish in half-finishedness (if that's even a word!)

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It's Monday! What are you reading?

I was hoping to get two books read last week but it didn't pan out. 

I actually made short work of Colin Fischer and really enjoyed it. Touted to be like The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night Time as the main character, Colin, has Asperger's syndrome ... but it only vaguely reminded me of it. It has a very personal touch, and we even get a peek into Colin's diary entries.

I'm starting with Tallis Piaget's Black Boogiemen this week. I am mentally preparing myself for this one because it seems like a very intense read. I don't know if I'm up for intense reading at the moment. But let's see. Usually a few pages in, I can get pretty engrossed.

What about you? Any new reading material? What are you reading next?

Mailbox Monday (4)

I've been horrible at keeping up with my Mailbox Monday posts so I'm doing a quick round-up here! I'm so behind that I've done Friday 56/Book Beginnings posts with some really great snippets already, and I even have guest posts for two of them! I've read a few but no reviews are up yet, so wait for those.

Black Boogiemen by Tallis Piaget

Guest Post - My Kim Kardashian Epiphany | Friday 56/Book Beginnings

The Curiosity of School by Zander Sherman Friday 56/Book Beginnings

Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz
Friday 56/Book Beginnings

American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar
Friday 56/Book Beginnings

Keeping Score by Marc Brackett 
Guest Post - Taking the Long View | Friday 56/Book Beginnings

I'll Seize the Day Tomorrow by Jonathan Goldstein
Friday 56/Book Beginnings

Mailbox Monday (3)

The Secret Sense of Wildflower by Susan Gabriel

[Book Depository | Amazon-Kindle edition | Amazon-Paperback]

Mailbox Monday time! This month is hosted by Mrs. Q: Book Addict and this is my third post. And here's what was in the mail this week. The author offered it up for review and with that gorgeous cover, interesting synopsis, and already some good reviews, I decided to go for it. 

Synopsis: Set in 1940s Appalachia, The Secret Sense of Wildflower tells the story of Louisa May "Wildflower" McAllister whose life has been shaped around the recent death of her beloved father in a sawmill accident. While her mother hardens in her grief, Wildflower and her three sisters must cope with their loss themselves, as well as with the demands of daily survival. Despite these hardships, Wildflower has a resilience that is forged with humor, a love of the land, and an endless supply of questions to God. When Johnny Monroe, the town's teenage ne'er-do-well, sets his sights on Wildflower, she must draw on the strength of her relations, both living and dead, to deal with his threat.

With prose as lush and colorful as the American South, The Secret Sense of Wildflower is powerful and poignant, brimming with energy and angst, humor and hope. In its ability to create a truly original Southern voice, The Secret Sense of Wildflower establishes Gabriel as a thoughtful and powerful Southern writer.

Wanna check out my past Mailbox Mondays?

Mailbox Monday (2)

Week 2 for me ... I received two really great books this week, both of which I'll be reviewing. Have any of you read these? Check out  My first Mailbox Monday!

A Lovely, Indecent Departure by Steven Lee Gilbert [Book Depository | Amazon]:
The riveting and emotionally-charged debut from a promising new voice in literary thrillers, and a captivating story about a mother’s love and desperation set amidst the heart wrenching landscape of child custody.

The Last Policeman: A Novel by Ben Winters [Book Depository | Amazon]:

What’s the point in solving murders if we’re all going to die soon, anyway? Detective Hank Palace has faced this question ever since asteroid 2011GV1 hovered into view. There’s no chance left. No hope. Just six precious months until impact. The Last Policeman presents a fascinating portrait of a pre-apocalyptic United States. The economy spirals downward while crops rot in the fields. Churches and synagogues are packed. People all over the world are walking off the job—but not Hank Palace. He’s investigating a death by hanging in a city that sees a dozen suicides every week—except this one feels suspicious, and Palace is the only cop who cares.

My first Mailbox Monday!

Aside from the meme Bookmark Monday, I've decided to join in on Mailbox Monday so I could show you some of new titles that I have in my TBR pile:

• The Deception of Livvy Higgs by Donna Morrissey (an ARC, won through Goodreads)
• Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann (another ARC, won through Goodreads)
• On Celestial Music by Rick Moody
• The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan
• Ad Man by Jeffrey Zygmont (I reviewed his book I am Bill Gates' Dog)
• The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveny (check out my Friday 56/Book Beginnings post of this one)

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have, so say hi and leave a link to your post!