Latest Acquisitions (March And April 2013)
Posted 12th April 2013
Category: Acquisitions Genres: N/A
10 Comments
I’m in a bit of a crazy state at the moment, still working out how many books I can accept for review without overturning the balance with my own books and posting on other topics. But I’m getting there. Anyway, here are the books I’ve welcomed to my pile for varying reasons.
Andrew Blackman: A Virtual Love – This is likely to come as no surprise seeing as I photographed my copy for my post on Andrew’s book launch. I ought to say, however, that I haven’t been given this book for review.
Andrew Blackman: On The Holloway Road – Ditto the above.
F Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby – I told my mum I’d prefer not to have an Easter egg this year as I’ve cut down on the amount of chocolate I eat. I said I’d love a tin of artichokes instead (tried them for the first time a few months ago and fell in love). She knocked on my door with this book instead. How she knew I wanted a copy I don’t know. I actually tend to buy Vintage Classics, but this version from Alma Books is beautiful.
Jeanne Ray: Calling Invisible Women – I loved the premise of this. In Britain there’s been a few articles recently on how ageist the media is, for example on talent shows expert judges with a few wrinkles get replaced by younger models. The idea of a book that looks at this invisibility that’s been discussed is very appealing.
Jeanne Ray: Julie And Romeo – A retelling, a classic, and one of the most famous romances. Each would be reason enough.
Kate Atkinson: Life After Life – I’m trying very hard not to get my expectations up too high for this one, because whilst I wanted it because people have been saying it’s magnificent, I am aware that I’ve read a couple of books on a similar theme (Before Ever After and to a lesser extent Before I Fall) so it might not seem so new to me. Nevertheless it sounds so good, and I’m yet to read Atkinson’s work, so here I am, as it were.
Kieran Shields: The Truth Of All Things – I was intrigued by the use of religion in this thriller.
Kimberly Derting: Dead Silence – I’ve read and enjoyed the previous three books in this series, which starts with The Body Finder, so you can imagine I’m looking forward to this one a lot.
Maryanne O’Hara: Cascade – It sometimes seems everyone’s read this already; and they’ve reviewed it positively. I had to take up the offer.
Paulo Coelho: Manuscript Found In Accra – I haven’t read nearly enough of this author’s books since an old friend lent me The Alchemist.
Tanya Byrne: Follow Me Down – This arrived unexpected (but to great excitement) in the mail. I’ve been wanting to read this author’s work for ages.
I’m working on a backlog at the moment, so it’s likely next month(s) won’t be as long a list as this one. It must be said that I’m incredibly excited about a lot of these books, and fully intend to take part in the readathon later this month because I’m ever aware of my slowness as a reader. Well, as long as my boyfriend doesn’t mind – the constant issue of Saturdays being our day together.
What books have you bought/received/borrowed recently?
April 12, 2013, 6:43 am
MOst of them look great!
But I have to say that I’m fed up with Paulo Coelho. Once you read one of his books, you have read them all. So if it is your first o second time, it’s not a problem, but then you’ll see…
The same has happened to me recently with Isabel Allende: I think I read the same book again and again.
About Follow me down… Is not the cover a copy of Patrick Rothfuss cover? It is really similar, but “worse”!
April 12, 2013, 9:43 am
This is a really exciting mixture of books Charlie. I look forward to seeing what you think of them. I won a full set of those beautiful Alma Books editions of Fitzgerald’s work. I am really looking forward to reading them.
I have been downloading quite a bit too my kindle again! I also found a couple of finds in a rummage in a local charity shop. My post about them all is scheduled for Monday.
April 12, 2013, 11:24 am
Oh what a lovely haul! I love everything Fitzgeraldish including The Great Gatsby and there are lots of new biographies out so I am in heaven! I keep on hovering over Life after Life as I am a big fan of Kate Atkinson – I gather this one is very different to her other novels but I am v attracted by the concept – I won’t hold out much longer!
April 12, 2013, 3:26 pm
What a great stack of new books :) I’ll be looking forward to your reviews of these, especially Calling Invisible Women!
Enjoy your new reads :)
April 12, 2013, 4:39 pm
I hope you enjoy Cascade as much as I did! I adore that cover of The Great Gatsby!
April 12, 2013, 6:06 pm
Gatsby <3 Good choice :) absolutely love this book, It was the beginning of my love for the Lost Generation.
I look forward to seeing how you find Coelho, I've only managed to read The Alchemist and Veronica Decides to Die – couldn't get into any of the others. I think I am too cynical.
April 12, 2013, 9:59 pm
What a great selection of books! I finished reading Life After Life a few days ago and loved it, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And the Alma Books version of The Great Gatsby looks beautiful – much nicer than the edition I have!
April 16, 2013, 6:02 pm
Lists like this are always dangerous for me. Too much temptation. :-)
The movie trailer for The Great Gatsby looks good. It makes me want to reread the book as it’s been so long–and much of what’s in the trailer I don’t remember from the book. My husband’s read just about all of Fitzgerald’s work except for The Great Gatsby. I wonder if he’ll try to read the book before he sees the movie.
I have a friend who loves Jeanne Ray. I thought maybe I’d read something by her, but her bibliography doesn’t look familiar.
Enjoy!
April 25, 2013, 11:05 am
Kim: Exactly. I think this is the sort of book where high expectations could definitely stop it being so successful.
Isi: That’s true, there is a lot of similarity with Coelho’s work. This new one is very short, I’ve just finished it, and I’ll be honest and say I’m not sure how long he would have needed to work on it because so much is taken from other books (Biblical content, and the book is in the style of Plato). I think it’s the way he presents his thoughts that makes it successful, similar to how life coaches teach their clients – the ideas are obvious, really, but it’s the way they say them that makes you think.
Jessica: I thought I remembered you winning them :) They are lovely, aren’t they? I have to say I’m liking the relative shortness of Gatsby. Having read your post, you did get some brilliant books!
Teresa: Although I’m not very familiar with his life, I love that there’s a book about Zelda, too. I’m reading Gatsby now and trying to work out where he might have been influenced by his own life. Getting Life After Life was pretty much my own version of your holding out :)
Jennifer: I’ve read Julie And Romeo now, and from the few ideas in that I think Calling Invisible Women is going to be very interesting, possibly the sort of book that begs for discussion.
Audra: It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? I’m really looking forward to Cascade, your review was one of the ones that got me interested :)
Alice: I’m liking it a lot, though always thought Gatsby would be the narrator, so it’s been different than I’d expected. I’ve read those Coelho, and Eleven Minutes. I think I’m starting to think similarly to Isi, there is a lot of repetition.
Helen: You’ve read it? I look forward to your review if you decide to write about it :) Yes, the Alma is particularly nice, and similarly to you, nicer than the one I had planned to get.
Literary Feline: It does look like it’ll be a good movie. I’m excited about Carey Mulligan playing Daisy; I only vaguely remember her in P&P but I saw her on a chat-show several months ago and it looks a good actor-character match. Interesting your husband read all but! Is it worry that it won’t live up to expectations, “rebellion”, or just interest? Jeanne Ray is good, my experience so far is that she writes light, sort of an older woman’s (60+) chick-lit (I say so far as I’ve a second book to read).
10 Comments
Comments closed
April 12, 2013, 1:59 am
I’m excited about Life After Life too, although also trying not to expect too much of it in case it is not quite as perfect as everyone says.