In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren. It's our opportunity to get a peek into what books everyone is receiving for review, borrowing from libraries, buying in bookshops and download onto eReaders.

First the good stuff:

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak
Yes, I gave away another copy of The Book Thief!  I always have to have a copy on my shelf for the next person who asks me what they should read. Duh!

MONEYBALL by Michael Lewis (W.W. Norton and Co; April 2004; Paperback)
I got this book primarily for The Man, since he likes to read non-fiction, and he's a baseball guy.  Besides, we have to lead by example - no seeing the movie until you've read the book first!

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis (Razorbill; November 2011; Paperback)
I have been wanting to read this book forever, but when it showed up on Kami Garcia's YA Dystopian Recommendations list, I couldn't wait any longer!

FROMMER'S ITALY 2012 (John Wiley & Sons; Oct. 2011)
I know I could find everything I needed and then some on the Frommer's website, but there is something so satisfying about taking out a pencil, highlighter or red pen and marking up a guidebook with notes of all the things you want to see.  I'm getting ready for my fantasy vacation in Italy, hopefully to occur in 2014, the year in which I will reach a milestone birthday. 

Now, the REALLY good stuff!!

THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM by Christopher Healy, Pictures by Todd Harris (Walden Pond Press; 5/1/12; ages 8-12)
When I read the synopsis for HERO'S GUIDE, I immediately thought what a great animated movie it could be! This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! 

Prince Liam, Prince Frederic, Prince Duncan, and Prince Gustav.  You've never heard of them, have you?  These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as "Prince Charming." but all of this is about to change.  Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms.  Now, it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

 THE BILLIONAIRE'S CURSE (The Archer Legacy - Book One) by Richard Newsome (Walden Pond Press; April 2011; Paperback; Ages 8-12)
The third and final book in this trilogy, THE MASK OF DESTINY, is due to hit bookstores in May 2012.  I thought the premise of this middle grade trilogy sounded so cool, I wanted to start at the beginning with Book One.  Looks good!