Mailbox Monday (1)

I got a big batch this week (bought, mooched, and borrowed) and I have already read some of them!

The Bought

I found a lot of books at bargain prices at Booksale and National Bookstore this week:

A History of London by Robert Gray
The Middle Ages by Morris Bishop
Thornfield Hall: Jane Eyre's Hidden Story by Emma Tennant
The Sixth Wife: A Novel by Suzannah Dunn
In Maremma: Life and a House in Southern Tuscany by David Leavitt and Mark Mitchell
What I Believe by Norma Fox Mazer
Plan B by Jenny O'Connell
A Certain Age by Rebbecca Ray

...and I finally found another copy of The Lost Chronicles: The Official Companion Book with Bonus DVD! I saw this several years ago at another secondhand bookstore. It was in excellent condition with the DVD intact, but I made a rash (and wrong) decision not to get it. I very much regretted that move. So I was really excited to find another copy at Booksale for only Php 140. It has mild shelf wear but still looks great, but what's super awesome is the DVD is still sealed inside! Yay!

I lovelovelove Doulos, but I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of Christian fiction and non-fiction, which mainly what was sold at the floating bookstore. So I was really glad to find The Literature Lover's Companion, an index of authors and their works, and The Little Princesses: The Story of the Queen's Childhood by Marion Crawford, a memoir and account by "Crawfie", Queen Elizabeth II's governess.

The other three books are Christian fiction romance and historical titles. I would never have bought them if not for my dad having a wet Php 200 bill, which he didn't want to keep in his wallet. So he gave it to me and I used it to buy these books. A Lady of Hidden Intent by Tracie Peterson and A Daughters Inheritance by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller were picked at random, but Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren was picked because I liked the cover. I have read one Christian historical romance book before, A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist and it wasn't bad. So let's see how it goes with these three books.

My favorite buy at the floating bookstore was Doulos: The Story of a Remarkable Ship. I really love what they do and admire these volunteers who bring knowledge, help, and hope to every city they visit. This little book features historical facts of the ship, what these people do on the Doulos, and stories from the crew.

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The Mooched








The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind by Beppe Severgnini

Finally I will be able to read some Terry Pratchett (thanks, Mia!). I'm saving The Shadow of the Wind for a certain mood. And La Bella Figura is another addition to my growing Italy-love book collection (thanks, CZ!).

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The Borrowed

A bunch of borrowed books this week:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
A Is for Atticus: Baby Names from Great Books by Lorilee Craker
It's a Mall World After All by Janette Rallison

I have never read any of Neil Gaiman's books before, except the first third of Neverwhere. I don't think Gaiman is my cup of tea, but I am now willing to try him again after I found out that my sister has these two books that I could borrow. I do not like creepy covers, but I will read these books anyway.

My sister lent me two more books, a baby names book and a little chick lit. A is for Atticus is very, very interesting because all of the baby names are from great literary works. Another book I borrowed from her is Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me. My sister didn't like the book, but I got it anyway. (I finished it already and I didn't like it too.)

And the last book borrowed is It's a Mall World After All. I'm not too fond of the cover or the title, but since I had an evening free and I wanted something quick to read I borrowed this from the pile of books that were on their way to public library the following day.

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Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.