Oh for the Love of Books {37}

Last week I received a package from my momma filled with three books that had come to my house in Canada. She kindly sent them to me here in Ireland and although I thought I knew about all the books I would be getting (Saving June by Hannah Harrington and Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer) I was very surprised when I opened the box and found a third book I hadn't ordered myself and had no idea was coming along for the ride across the pond. 

I've heard so many great things about John Green's last few books and knew that this was an author I wanted to spend time reading, well his new book has gotten great reviews since it's released and I was very happy indeed to find a copy of my very own nestled within the package. 

A very nice surprise, although I still have no idea where the book came from!

I knew my mom couldn't possibly have bought it for me, she wouldn't have known to get it and I never once mentioned it to her. I also know I didn't order it, so I'm thinking the book fairy's brought me a little gift!

Can't wait to dive into this one.

 The Fault in our Stars by John Green

What's in your mailbox this week?

Oh for the Love of Books {36}

This week from Thursday to Saturday, Trinity College had a massive used book sale where students and staff could browse the rows and rows of tables and collect cheap books. 

I went with a few friends on Friday and walked away with a number of great purchases, all for a low low price of 6 euro :)

First off is a book by Cecelia Ahern. Made famous after PS I Love You was adapted into a movie, Ahern has tons of books out, but one in particular was strongly recommended by my friend Chelsey at Chels and a Book. She loves Ahern's books and has friend all but PS I Love You interestingly enough. When I saw this book packed between several others and saw that it was only 1 euro I grabbed it. 

 Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

Next were two highly acclaimed books that I've heard loads about over the past year. They both came out several years ago, but for some reason I've heard a lot about them recently. I was reluctant to read both because of the content of each - heavy topics to tackle - but figured that with the books each being so well priced I might as well pick them up and read them eventually. 

 Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Last but not least was a book I've been wanting to pick up in stores for months. William Trevor is a beloved Irish author and you hear so much about him here. I've read several of his short stories but never one of his novels. This one I have heard nothing but good things about so I'm very excited to read it.

Love and Summer by William Trevor

What's in your mailbox this week?

Oh for the Love of Books {35}

Some great books this week. I'm still working my way through 1 of 2 from last week and Clockwork Prince so it may be a little while longer before I can read any of these, but I love just having them to glorify my shelf :)

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

 Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Legend by Marie Lu

The book below came very highly recommended by my friend Chelsey over at Chels and a Book. She absolutely loved it and was thoroughly creeped out by it, which of course made me want to read it immediately.

 Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

What's in your mailbox this week?

Oh for the Love of Books {34}

I'm so excited about the books I got this week!

ARC copies of the next two books in Amanda Stevens's Graveyard Queen series. 

I read her first book in the series The Restorer last summer and adored it!

read my review here

 The Kingdom (book 2) by Amanda Stevens

to be released: March 27th, 2012

The Prophet (book 3) by Amanda Stevens

to be released: April 24th, 2012

If you haven't yet read the first book I seriously recommend you go out and get your hands on a copy - like now! The book is chilling, haunting, romantic and heart-wrenching written with beautiful prose. 

Loved every minute I spent with book 1. 

What's in your mailbox this week?

Oh for the Love of Books {33}

 

Only one book for me this week. 

 

Over a month ago I decided to try my luck and sign up for the chance to win a free ARC copy of the third book in Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series, Bloodrose. 

Penguin Books' teen imprint Razorbill offers chances to get ARC copies of select books so I applied for a few. I promptly forgot that I had signed up for the book thinking I'd never get one - I think they only offer 10 in total so out of everyone who applied, really what were the chances?!

Well, my mom and I were skyping the other day and she randomly pulled out a package I'd received a month ago. Obviously the book is already out and the ARC copy is rather moot at this point, but I was still very excited to have gotten a copy. I never win anything :) **happy dance**

I haven't started the series yet, I hear it's are very good, although from reviews I've read of the third book I'm a bit weary about starting a series that may not end the way I hope it will! Ahh well, I'll read them anyway since I already have book 1 on my shelf waiting to be picked up. 

What's in your mailbox this week?

Oh for the Love of Books {32}

Only one book this week, from Netgalley. 

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Number two in the Spellbound series. 

I have to say I was really surprised when I realized that a second book had come out. I read Spellbound through netgalley as an early review and really enjoyed it, but the end seemed to lean towards a stand alone. I'm interested to see where these characters are going next and what kind of story the author will weave.

Oh for the Love of Books {31}

I'm so excited about the great books I got this week!

Can't wait to start them all :)

 Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

What it's your mailbox?

Oh for the Love of Books {30}

I took a break over the holidays and wasn't posting much to the blog since my mom was visiting he here in Ireland and most of our days were taken up with touring and various Irish adventures. 

I did happen to find the time to peruse a few bookstores and make so purchases. 

So, now that Christmas and New Years have passed, I'm back to posting and ready to update on the great books I received over the holidays. 

First, I ordered several books from amazon.co.uk

 A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

My mom and I saw the movie while she was here and I loved it. I was the main reason that finally pushed me to start reading what I've heard is an amazing series. 

then,

 A few romances to keep it light

 Seven Secrets of Seduction by Anne Mallory

How the Marquess was Won by Julie Anne Long

Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare

Then, on a rainy day I took my mom book store browsing and we both came away with purchases. So much for the browsing part - the deals were great so we each picked a few goodies. 

 The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

By two Irish authors -

Colm Toibin is one of my favourites and one of my main subjects of study for my minor in Irish Studies was the period of Northern Irish Troubles. I was so interested to see what Toibin had experienced and record in his book and when I saw that it was severely reduced in price I picked it up. 

The second book by Hugo Hamilton is an acclaimed memoir here in Ireland and has recently been adapted for the stage. It tells the story of a young Hugo living in 1950's Dublin, the son of an Irish father and German mother and raised in a home where Irish and German were both spoken but English was forbidden.

 The Speckled People by Hugo Hamilton

Bad Blood by Colm Toibin

Finally, on one of my mom's last days here in Dublin we went to an antiquarian book shop. They have so many hidden treasures and so many we could never hope to afford, like first edition copies of Jane Eyre and James Joyce classics. It was unbelievable to be able to walk along the bookshelves discovering rare and prized books. 

I found a first edition copy of one of my favourite memoirs Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt. 

The second book is one my mom bought me as a gift. 

I have a great love of Irish literature and the plays especially hit home for me. One of my favourite playwrights is John Millington Synge who wrote several beautiful plays during the literary revival and was a co-founder of the Abbey Theater along with Yeats. His play Riders to the Sea is one of my all time favourites and when I found a copy of the the play along with two others bound in old leather and printed here in Dublin in 1911 I had to have it. 

Oh for the Love of Books {29}

So, I actually received these two books last weekend, but they were sent to my home in Canada and my mom is bringing them to me here in Ireland when she arrives for Christmas. She showed me the covers over skype though because I was especially desperate to see the Clockwork Prince cover and extras that came with the first edition copy :)

Can't wait to actually have these two in my hands. They will both be nice reads to round of my year of great books!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Oh for the Love of Books {28}

hosted by kristi@thestorysiren

This week in books:

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

I think the only Marchetta book I have left of her contemporary novels. 

Love her work!

Oh for the Love of Books {27}

hosted by kristi@thestorysiren

I got some great books this week, starting with a package I received from my darling back home - Chelsey of Chels and a Book. She sent me a care package to remember things about home while I'm here in Ireland and it finally came after being delayed several weeks! But it was shipped to me via boat and for some reason that makes me feel more special :p

 First off she sent me an ARC copy of The Taker by Alma Katsu. It is now out in stores, but I was happy to get a copy. The premise sounds super cool and right up my alley.

Next, I am a big fan of Sarah Dessen's and Chels knows this very well. So, although I already had a copy of Dessen's latest, Chelsey made a special trip to the Eaton Center in September where Dessen was doing a signing and made sure to get a book signed especially for me!
Apparently, Sarah took extra time to make sure and spell my name right :p

Lastly, On Thursday one of my professor - who is also a prominent Agent in Dublin took us on a tour of two literary press's Lilliput Press and Liberties Press as well as the National Print Museum and a printing press. The trip was a great one and at our last stop, Liberties Press the publisher offered us all a take home gift. There were four piles of their recent releases staked on the table and this is the one I chose to take home with me.

 Who is Lily Murphy? She has platinum-blonde hair but dark eyes; she was born in New York to the daughter of a ballet dancer, but educated in England, and now she is a restaurant critic in Dublin. In Sustenance, we journey into Lily?s world of sumptuous meals, but also into her troubled past, where the dinner table was heavy with menace. And we meet Nicholas Savage, the brilliant chef with whom she falls in love, but who, like Lily, harbours a dark secret. In scenes from Dublin to Belfast, Paris to Nice, and London to New York, Lily?s world of restaurants, and her milieu of eccentric friends, lovers and the occasional enemy, is vividly portrayed. This is a mouth-watering novel, full of passion, pathos and startling descriptions of food, while also exploring the mysterious realms of the heart and mind.

Lilliput Press was gorgeous on the inside. Nestled away in an older neighbourhood on the North side of Dublin, the Press has been in business since 1984 and the publisher Antony Farrell lives in a flat right above the Press. When you walk inside, the first thing you see are walls covered in old bookshelves, piled high with the Press's prized possessions. The building itself is brick with outward facing windows and and old squeaky door. It looks like an old home refurbished to house the publishing world inside and is just the coziest place to curl up with a good book. 

What a treat!