Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

After a long week of Gage snot, fevers and coughing, I was more than a little excited to receive a surprise box from Meryl L Moss Media Relations. I must have entered a Summer in the City Essentials giveaway somewhere and won without knowing it.  Look what I got.

Avenge Me by Maisey Yates

TEN YEARS AGO ONE DEVASTATING NIGHT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR AUSTIN, HUNTER AND ALEX. NOW THEY MUST EACH PLAY THEIR PART IN THE REVENGE AGAINST THE ONE MAN WHO RUINED IT ALL. 

And lots of other goodies, makeup by NYX, lotion by Juice Beauty, hair products by NYM brands, Aromaflage botanical perfume and bug repellent and two Gold Grenade kissing elixirs.  Lots of fun stuff. I’ve already tried the makeup and loved it!

What arrived in your mailbox this week?

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I received one box this week, but it was a doozy.  The awesome Jill (of Rhapsody in Books fame) sent Gage and I a box of beautiful kids books.  So generous. Thank you, Jill!

All descriptions taken from Goodreads.

King for a Day by Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Christiane Kromer

Basant is here, with feasts and parties to celebrate the arrival of spring. But what Malik is looking forward to most is doing battle from his rooftop with Falcon, the special kite he has built for speed. Today is Malik’s chance to be the best kite fighter, the king of Basant.

In two fierce battles, Malik takes down the kites flown by the bully next door. Then Malik moves on, guiding Falcon into leaps, swirls, and dives, slashing strings and plucking kites from the sky. By the end of the day, Malik has a big pile of captured kites. He is the king! But then the bully reappears, trying to take a kite from a girl in the alley below. With a sudden act of kingly generosity, Malik finds the perfect way to help the girl.

This lively, contemporary story introduces readers to a centuries-old festival and the traditional sport of kite fighting, and to a spirited, determined young boy who masters the sport while finding his own way to face and overcome life’s challenges.

The Bedtime Book for Dogs by Bruce Littlefield, illustrated by Paul S Heath

THE BEDTIME BOOK FOR DOGS is a charming story about a dog who decides that he’d rather walk to the park by himself than wait for his human companion-and discovers that all of his usual activities aren’t as much fun without a good friend to share them with. This is an adorably packaged book with illustrations by Paul Heath that makes a perfect gift for dog lovers of all ages, with words dogs will understand and kids will want to read again and again.

It’s a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree, art by Betsy Snyder

Part glittery counting book, part endearing daddy-daughter story! A favorite childhood activity—catching fireflies—glows from the pages of this story, plus counting. Lilting rhymes chronicle a little girl’s capture and release of fireflies, one by one, capped off by a collection of fascinating firefly facts.

Desmond and the Very Mean Word by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams, illustrated by AG Ford

Based on a true story from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s childhood in South Africa, Desmond and the Very Mean Word reveals the power of words and the secret of forgiveness.

When Desmond takes his new bicycle out for a ride through his neighborhood, his pride and joy turn to hurt and anger when a group of boys shout a very mean word at him. He first responds by shouting an insult, but soon discovers that fighting back with mean words doesn’t make him feel any better. With the help of kindly Father Trevor, Desmond comes to understand his conflicted feelings and see that all people deserve compassion, whether or not they say they are sorry. Brought to vivid life in A. G. Ford’s energetic illustrations, this heartfelt, relatable story conveys timeless wisdom about how to handle bullying and angry feelings, while seeing the good in everyone.

The Sandman:The Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie by William Joyce

The Man in the Moon has a problem.

Most nights, he beams down at the children of Earth, providing them with an inextinguishable nightlight that keeps nightmares at bay. But what happens when it’s foggy or cloudy? When the moon is less than full and bright? Who will keep the children safe at night? 

He needs a helper! And he’s spied just the fellow: a sleepy little guy named Sanderson Macsnoozie (Sandy, for short), who might be perfect…if only the Man in the Moon can get him to wake up.

 

So what arrived in your mailbox this week?

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Gage’s first week off from school has left me terribly behind in my blog hopping.  He starts camp a few hours a day on Tuesday so maybe I can catch up with you all this week!

received from HarperCollins, a 24 Hour Read-a-Thon win!

The Cutting Season by Attica Locke

Just after dawn, Caren walks the grounds of Belle Vie, the historic plantation house in Louisiana that she has managed for four years. Today she sees nothing unusual, apart from some ground that has been dug up by the fence bordering the sugar cane fields. Assuming an animal has been out after dark, she asks the gardener to tidy it up. Not long afterwards, he calls her to say it’s something else. Something terrible. A dead body. At a distance, she missed her. The girl, the dirt and the blood. Now she has police on site, an investigation in progress, and a member of staff no one can track down. And Caren keeps uncovering things she will wish she didn’t know. As she’s drawn into the dead girl’s story, she makes shattering discoveries about the future of Belle Vie, the secrets of its past, and sees, more clearly than ever, that Belle Vie, its beauty, is not to be trusted. 

Picked up these two at independent bookstore, Visible Voice Books in Tremont.  I heard author Debra Chwast and her son, Seth, speak at a luncheon last year about his journey through art and I’m excited about reading about their story.

An Unexpected Life: A Mother and Son’s Story of Love, Determination, Autism, and Art by Debra Chwast

Diagnosed with severe autism as a toddler, Seth Chwast seemed trapped in his own insular universe. His family endured anguish, sought countless therapies, and almost gave up hope. Then, at age 20, Seth took a painting class, and everything changed. Miraculously, he revealed an innate ability to create amazing artworks that reflect his own unique perspective and gave him a voice he had never had.
 Written by Seth’s mother, Debra, An Unexpected Life tells the story of their long difficult path, and her determination to help her son. Although Seth cannot safely cross the street alone, he is an icon for anyone who has been in a hopeless situation and then triumphs. More than simply a memoir, this visually breathtaking volume is infused with hope, inspiration, and art.

Brotherly Love by Pete Dexter

Left an orphan when the car his father, a powerful Philly union boss, is driving careens out of control, Peter Flood tries to distance himself from the family business while his cousin, Michael, enters the world of crime. 

surprises sent from Red Feather Productions

Stillwell by Michael Phillip Cash

Paul Russo’s wife just died. While trying to get his family’s life back in order, Paul is being tormented by a demon who is holding his wife’s spirit hostage on the other side. His fate is intertwined with an old haunted mansion on the north shore of Long Island called Stillwell Manor. Paul must find clues dating back hundreds of years to set his wife’s soul free.

The Hanging Tree by Michael Phillip Cash

The Hanging Tree. Set amid the eerie backdrop of Long Island, an area famously steeped in old legend, two young would-be lovers contemplate their future while visits from those who have come before them reveal the lure of fate…and the power of free will. At seventeen years old, Arielle’s relationship with her parents is slowly deteriorating. Angry and defiant, she is at a loss on how to cope with the tumultuous situation in which she finds herself. Arielle’s only comfort is Chad, an eighteen-year-old young man who seems to truly understand her struggles.

I Want to Do Yoga Too by Carole P Roman

Hallie and her mother go to the yoga studio. Hallie wants to join her mom’s yoga class, but she isn’t allowed. She complains to the babysitter, who gently guides her through four yoga poses. Hallie learns that not only is yoga easy, but fun as well.

If You Were Me and Lived in Australia by Carole P Roman

 Among the topics that are introduced in this journey to Australia are the unusual indigenous animals, the extraordinary Great Barrier Reef, the currency, the beloved game of cricket and the national holiday, Australia Day, as well as the special nicknames people have for one another and the curious taste sensation, Vegemite. 

 

So, did you get anything fun in your mailbox this week?