Saturday, May 20, 2017

The Massive Spring Book Haul (Part 3)


Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. I get to show off all the books I’ve gotten recently. I’ve acquired an insane number of books in the past few months. I’m going to show them to you in batches so that neither of us gets overwhelmed.





Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


Fifteen-year-old Kambili’s world is circumscribed by the high walls and frangipani trees of her family compound. Her wealthy Catholic father, under whose shadow Kambili lives, while generous and politically active in the community, is repressive and fanatically religious at home. 
When Nigeria begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili’s father sends her and her brother away to stay with their aunt, a University professor, whose house is noisy and full of laughter. There, Kambili and her brother discover a life and love beyond the confines of their father’s authority. The visit will lift the silence from their world and, in time, give rise to devotion and defiance that reveal themselves in profound and unexpected ways.





The Lottery and Other Stories – Shirley Jackson


The Lottery, one of the most terrifying stories written in this century, created a sensation when it was first published in The New Yorker. "Powerful and haunting," and "nights of unrest" were typical reader responses. This collection, the only one to appear during Shirley Jackson's lifetime, unites "The Lottery" with twenty-four equally unusual stories. Together they demonstrate Jackson's remarkable range—from the hilarious to the truly horrible—and power as a storyteller.





Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: And Other Lessons From The Crematory – Caitlin Doughty


Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty—a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre—took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life’s work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both living and very dead), Caitlin learned to navigate the secretive culture of those who care for the deceased.





Company Of Liars: A Novel Of The Plague – Karen Maitland


The year is 1348. The Black Plague grips the country. In a world ruled by faith and fear, nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running inexorably toward them. 
Each member of this motley company has a story to tell. From Camelot, the relic-seller who will become the group's leader, to Cygnus, the one-armed storyteller . . . from the strange, silent child called Narigorm to a painter and his pregnant wife, each has a secret. None is what they seem. And one among them conceals the darkest secret of all—propelling these liars to a destiny they never saw coming.





The Stranger Beside Me – Ann Rule


Ann Rule was a writer working on the biggest story of her life, tracking down a brutal mass-murderer. Little did she know that Ted Bundy, her close friend, was the savage slayer she was hunting.




Wow, I got some morbid books. Have you read any of these? What did you think?






10 comments:

  1. I like the sound of the Shirley Jackson and 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes' books. Especially the latter, I've always thought that working in the funeral trade would be fascinating.

    Cait @ Click's Clan

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  2. Great haul!! I am interested in The Lottery. Hope you enjoy all of these!!

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  3. I have a couple of Ann Rule books-this one and the one about the Green River killer. They're both big books which I keep putting off, compared to my normal reads!

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  4. That's a very nice haul, AJ, The Stranger Beside Me sounds very creepy!
    Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading.
    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

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  5. Morbid is ok. I've seen lots of people like Smoke Gets in Your Eyes so it must be good.

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  6. Great Spring haul, I've read almost all of Anne Rule's books, except one, Practice to Deceive, which I have on my shelf and hopefully I can get to it soon. I hope you enjoy all your new reads. Have a wonderful day.

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  7. I think Company of Liars might be really interesting... the Black Plague? Yeeek.

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  8. Hi AJ - what a wonderful selection ... I'd love to read Purple Hibiscus ... and the others too - definitely ones to remember ... thanks for listing for us - cheers Hilary

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  9. The subtitle makes "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" a hilarious title. And the Anne Rice book is my only venture into true crime, in about ninth grade. I hated and loved it, and it kept me from EVER picking up the cute guys hitchhiking near the high school by my friend's house. Purple Hibiscus sounds terrific, and I'm happy for you that you got a plague book!

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  10. I loved Smoke Gets in Your Eyes! I didn't expect to but I just thought it was really well done. I can't wait to see what you think of all of your new reads.

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