Thursday, December 19, 2019

Book Haul: Santa Came Early


Welcome to Stacking the Shelves and Mailbox Monday, where I get to show off the books I’ve gotten recently. It’s not even Christmas yet, and I’ve already gotten a bunch of new books. Oops. “The more the merrier” can be applied to books, right, not just to holiday parties?








Santa Came Early









This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki




Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.


















Berserker by Emmy Laybourne (Berserker #1)



Her brother Stieg swears their powers are a gift from the old gods, but Hanne Hemstad knows she is truly cursed. It's not Stieg's fault that their father is dead, their mother has left, and their brother Knut has been accused of a crime he didn't commit.

No, the fault lies with Hanne and her inability to control her murderous "gift." She is a Berserker. When someone she loves is threatened, she flies into a killing state. The siblings must leave Norway for the American frontier or risk being brought to justice.

Aided by a young cowboy who agrees to be their guide, Hanne and her siblings use their powers to survive the perilous trail, where blizzards, wild animals, and vicious bounty hunters await.













The Hunger by Alma Katsu



Tamsen Donner must be a witch. That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the pioneers to the brink of madness. They cannot escape the feeling that someone—or something—is stalking them. Whether it was a curse from the beautiful Tamsen, the choice to follow a disastrous experimental route West, or just plain bad luck—the 90 men, women, and children of the Donner Party are at the brink of one of the deadliest and most disastrous western adventures in American history.

While the ill-fated group struggles to survive in the treacherous mountain conditions—searing heat that turns the sand into bubbling stew; snows that freeze the oxen where they stand—evil begins to grow around them, and within them. As members of the party begin to disappear, they must ask themselves, "What if there is something waiting in the mountains? Something disturbing and diseased . . . and very hungry?"












Nevermoor: The Trials Of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Nevermoor #1)



Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks—and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart—an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests—or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.












Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh (Editor)



Whether it is basketball dreams, family fiascoes, first crushes, or new neighborhoods, this bold anthology—written by the best children’s authors—celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us.



















Have you read any of these? What did you think?





22 comments:

  1. I haven't read any of these, but I have read non-fiction accounts of the Donner Party and their troubles. Merry Christmas!

    www.thepulpitandthepen.com

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  2. I haven't read any of these but they all sound like great reads! Happy reading!

    Stacy Renee @ LazyDayLit

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  3. I loved Nevermoor, it's so much fun and so imaginative, a really great middle grade. The Hunger is also an entertaining one. Hope you enjoy these!

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  4. I read Nevermoor and it was a decent read but I was disappointed by the magic since it seems not like magic at all. I didn't care for the vampire - like he's so random and I just don't see why he's even there at all. There was one gross out little description that just stands out so much that I thought the author was trying to make the book more hardcore or scary or something but it was unnecessary to me. But I hope you'll enjoy it more than me because tons of people love it.

    Have a lovely day.

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  5. I haven't read any of these but they all sound really good. Hope you enjoy them!

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  6. I haven't read any of these, but The Hunger and This One Summer both sound good (for drastically different reasons).

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  7. I think I have Berserker, because my daughter liked Laybourne. I hope these are all hits for you

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  8. Books are never a bad thing! I'd be interested to hear what you think of The Hunger!

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  9. I liked This One Summer. I own Nevermoor, and I need to read that one soon!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  10. I am so excited that I am responsible for 2 of these!! I am still in love with The Hunger, and I NEED to read the sequel to Berseker. OH if you like it, we could read the sequel together!!

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  11. I've seen a few bad reviews of The Hunger and don't personally plan to read it. I hope you enjoy it though. Sadly no Santa coming to my house so I'll need to treat myself in the New Year sales!

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  12. I haven't read any of these so far but the Hunger seems good! Enjoy AJ!

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  13. What an interesting selection of books! I haven't read any of them, but I'll have an eye out for them now. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Ahh this is a great haul! I haven't read any of these, but heard great things about This one Summer. Hope you'll love all of these :)

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  15. I really liked Berserker and Flying Lessons. This One Summer was just okay for me. The Hunger sounds like an AJ book for sure, and I hadn't heard of Nevermoor, but now I'm thinking it would be a good classroom addition!

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  16. I have not read any of these, so I will be looking out for your thoughts on them. 👍✨

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  17. You must have been good this year! This One Summer and Flying Lessons stand out to me.

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  18. Books are a wonderful Christmas present! And yes, I agree: the more the merrier.
    Hunger looks like a good choice for horror. (Shudder.)
    Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!

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  19. I absolutely loved Alma Katsu's book! I hope you enjoy it too...

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  20. I have not heard of any of these, but I hope you enjoy them all!

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  21. This One Summer and Nevermoor are such good reads. I hope you'll enjoy them. And I'd like to read Hunger. I've heard good stuff about it.

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