The Goodness That Friday Brought!

As I was running horribly late for work on Friday morning, with a boss who is terribly understanding, but also a great instigator, I was surprised to find a box of books outside my front door. The shipment from Barnes and Noble that I ordered with my $50 dollar gift card I received for my birthday was unexpectedly early. I ordered the books on the 26th of September and they were scheduled to ship on the 19th of October. In my rush to get to work on time I struggled with the idea of going back inside and ripping open the box just to see my pretty new books in person! Instead I grabbed the box and quickly shoved it into my bag and started my trek to work.

I want to mention now that I'm a bit...humbled by the idea that no one at work found it surprising that I showed up with a box of books from BN. Apparently this is completely expected behavior from the office'Thesaurus' as they call me. (I would like to note here that the word they actually mean to use is Dictionary but I don't have the heart to tell them...)

The books that I received today are pictured above. I'm excited that I finally have a place I can set up books to take pictures of when I receive them. Usually I take the picture on my bedspread, which I love, but is a bit...gaudy.

I received two books that I have previously read. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett is my all time favorite book. I swear by it every time. I think I'm up to 3 or 4 times that I've read it completely, and there are countless numbers of times that I'll go back and reread my favorite parts to friends because they just have to hear this one scene (I need to admit that this is an act I go through really just for myself. I couldn't care less if my friends are listening.) I have a tendency to give away my copy of Good Omens to needy friends. Anytime a friend says "I'd like to read a book...something different" I grab my copy and say "Here, I'll just buy another one." I need to stock up!

I've also previously read Lamb by Christopher Moore and quickly got rid of my first copy on Paperbackswap. Two or three days later I was kicking myself because I already wanted to read it again! It's taken me about a year and half to pick up another copy, but after my Mom said she was going to read an e-book of it, I had to get a copy so that maybe we could read it at similar times. I'm looking forward to rereading both of these books soon.

I also ordered The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha which I read about a while back in the Chicago Tribune. I'm very excited to read this book, as I saw many mixed reviews on Good Reads and think that it's right up my alley. I'm already intrigued by all the secrets that apparently come out in the end of the book!

Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder is the third in the Poison Study books. I have taken my sweet sweet time to finish this series. I loved the first one, and while the second, Magic Study fell a bit flat at the end for me, I really want to see what happens with the main character and where her next journey will take me. I love a certain character in this series very much, and have a huge huge crush on him, I think this is part of what keeps me going (with the series that is).

The last book of the Birthday Order was Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr. I'd never heard of the book before and now I can't even remember how I clicked on it. What grabbed my attention was the quote from Eleanor Herman (one of my favorite non-fiction writer's) that says

" A fascinating journey through thousands of years of the world's most dangerous job--being a queen!"

I have enjoyed both of the books that I've read by Herman and own a third, so if she says the book is alright then I am more than willing to give it a go. Though I've only read a few paragraphs so far, I am already loving this book. There are so many extras that it's almost like a fun little activity book! The art in the book is amazing and interesting. A coworker even pointed out that there are paper dolls to be cut out (And instructions on how to NOT deface the book but still get your paper dolls). I'm looking forward to see if Kris Waldherr can give me any new information that I didn't learn from Ms. Herman herself.

Amongst the books in the picture above is one that did not come today and was not ordered through BN. That would be Broken Birds by Jeannette Katzir. This is the story of her childhood being raised by parents who were both Holocaust Survivors. If this sounds interesting to you, I'd keep an eye on my blog for a bit, because it might just end up in a giveaway!!

The only problem with the outpouring of books that have showed up on my doorstep this week? That would be that I am still reading another book that is taking me a while and I am torn between putting it down or using these new books as a reward for finishing!