Monday, March 28, 2011

Mailbox Monday March 28



Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists! Mailbox Monday was started by Marcia at the Printed Page. Mailbox Monday is now on tour and this month's host is Laura at I'm Booking It. Thank you Laura for hosting this month.

I have three new books this week, all e-books for my Nook. Two were books I saw on other blogs. I saw so many amazing reviews for Between Shades of Gray so I had to have it. I also saw someone had downloaded Millie's Fling for free so I downloaded that too. The covers on Jill Mansell's book are so fun looking and since I had never read any of her books I decided to check her out. One thing led to another and before I knew it I had three new books, all in a matter of minutes. Kind of fun!

I am going to try and visit and comment this week. Last week I discovered after typing many comments that wordpress comments weren't publishing. I hope this week things will go smoothly. Sorry about the different book cover sizes here today. I seem to be having issues of epic proportions today on the computer. It's Monday!




Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.




Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.

Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive 'ship of fools'. It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.




Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

He's the best thing that ever happened to her. He's also the worst. He's Millie's Fling.

From one of the premiere contemporary authors in the UK, here is a fun and romantic tale that proves the road to matchmaking hilarity is paved with good intentions.

Bestselling novelist Orla Hart owes her life to her friend Millie Brady, whose rotten boyfriend has just left her. So Orla invites Millie to Cornwall, where Millie looks forward to a summer without any dating whatsoever. But Orla envisions Millie as the heroine of her next novel and decides to find Millie the man of her dreams. Except the two women have drastically different ideas about what kind of guy that should be.

With Orla and Millie working at cross-purposes, and a dashing but bewildered hero stuck in the middle, the summer will turn out to be unforgettable for all concerned...

What wonderful books made their way into your home?

26 comments:

  1. I think that I would love all three of these.

    Great set of books.

    Happy reading

    jules

    ReplyDelete
  2. You got great books! Between Shades of Gray sounds good. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  3. All three really do sound good. Our book club read Water For Elephants, but I didn't end up reading it... still need to grab it and read away! I also downloaded the Mansell book... but I need to get an ereader! LOL

    Here's my Mailbox! ~ Wendi

    ReplyDelete
  4. How fun to get free books on your Nook! Enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've read two of these and I really really want the third one Between Shades of Gray. You have had a good week! Am thinking I shoud reread Water for Elephants before the movie comes out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've read Between Shades of Gray and Water for Elephants and they're both fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've heard amazing things Between Shades Gray.

    I really enjoyed Water for Elephants and Jill Mansell is a huge hit with my friend Mrs Q. She compares it to Coronation Street series and loves it.

    Enjoy the reads :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Shades of Gray sounds interesting, will be on the lookout for your review. Love your mailbox!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That's the danger of owning a Nook: it's way too easy to buy too many books!! Water For Elephants is one of my favorites, but I don't know about the movie. I hope they get it right. Everyone is loving Shades of Grey and it sounds so good. Great Mailbox this week!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Those all look really good! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great books! I'm very curious about them all...Jill Mansell is an author I want to check out.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love Jill Mansell, it's good chicklit- full of drama and unexpected twists. Water for Elephants is also a favorite. Between Shades of Grey is on my wishlist!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I also downloaded the Jill Mansell. At least I think I did. I should check...

    My book club had to drag me (kicking and screaming all the way) into reading Water for Elephants. I can't remember why, but I really liked it. That's why I like being in my book clubs.

    I've also been hearing amazing things about Between Shades of Gray, but I haven't bought it yet.

    Enjoy your reading, and thanks for participating in Mailbox Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I really need to read Water for Elephants! It's just one of those books I've put aside for a rainy day because I know I'm going to enjoy it. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm afraid I have little self-control when it comes to buying ebooks. There are worse vices though, right? Enjoy your reading this week!

    PS I was frustrated with commenting last week as well. I have a WP blog so I knew something was awry but they did get it fixed fairly fast.

    ReplyDelete
  16. very nice selection! i also have 'shades of gray' in my mailbox monday post and read 'water for elephants' a few years back. ebooks are dangerous for me--i almost forget i'm spending money because i shop from the comfort of my chair or bed!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Water for Elephants and Between Shades of Grey are two books I would love to have myself! enjoy the reading.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have Between Shades of Gray & am going to be reading it soon. Looking forward to your review!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Those free downloads are great--the perfect excuse for an e-reader. Have you tried NetGalley?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ohhhh.....I think I must read Between Shades of Gray--I bet it is captivating for sure.
    My Kindle does the same thing to me..one minute I am getting a free book, the next minute I find I have just purchased 2 more! ;)
    *smiles*

    ReplyDelete
  21. I would be happy with any of these three books. Enjoy your reading.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Fantastic mailbox!! I just started Between Shades of Gray today and I am already hooked. Also...I love, love, LOVED Water for Elephants. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I don't usually do chick-lit but Millie's Fling sounds really good!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I read Water for Elephants several years ago and liked it. I don't like Robert Pattison though and I'm not sure I can sit through another film with him in it!

    Between Shades of Gray has been on my radar. I'll look forward to your review.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Enjoy your reads! I really want to read Water for Elephants. I must get that one soon!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Enjoy your books. I loved Water for Elephants.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments so please feel free to leave them!