IMM - OVERLOAD!

Well, I had a bang-up week for sure...but much of that was due to books that I had pre-ordered or purchased along the way! But I did get my hands on some amazing reads via giveaways from Goodreads and a few friends that wanted to pass a great read along :)

With no further adieu...


GIVEAWAY WINNERS:

Pao by Kerry Young (I wanted to include the book summary since this is her first novel and it sounds really good!)

As a young boy, Pao comes to Jamaica in the wake of the Chinese Civil War and rises to become the Godfather of Kingston's bustling Chinatown. Pao needs to take care of some dirty business, but he is no Don Corleone. The rackets he runs are small-time, and the protection he provides necessary, given the minority status of the Chinese in Jamaica. Pao, in fact, is a sensitive guy in a wise guy role that doesn't quite fit. Often mystified by all that he must take care of, Pao invariably turns to Sun Tzu's Art of War. The juxtaposition of the weighty, aphoristic words of the ancient Chinese sage, with the tricky criminal and romantic predicaments Pao must negotiate builds the basis of the novel's great charm.

A tale of post-colonial Jamaica from a unique and politically potent perspective, Pao moves from the last days of British rule through periods of unrest at social and economic inequality, through tides of change that will bring about Rastafarianism and the Back to Africa Movement. Pao is an utterly beguiling, unforgettable novel of race, class and creed, love and ambition, and a country in the throes of tumultuous change.

Kerry Young was born in Kingston, Jamaica, to a Chinese-African mother and a Chinese father-a businessman in Kingston's shadow economy who provided inspiration for Pao. Young moved to England in 1965 at the age of ten. She earned her MA in creative writing at Nottingham Trent University. This is her first novel.

I won When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley, Coming Up For Air by Patti Callahan Henry, In Bed With a Highlander (Highlander #1) by Maya Banks, and Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free by John Ferling. Keep in mind, these were over the period of a couple of weeks - I just received them all this week!

BORROWED BOOKS:

I borrowed two books from friends this week: The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. I asked for this book because I read it as required reading before 8th grade and I am dying to re-read and see how much I remember and forgot!
I borrowed Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper this week too - a friend at book club had just finished reading it and highly recommended it so I snagged it to read :)

BOOKCLUB BOOKS:

Super excited to receive these in the mail, I ordered them all because they are the Virginia Reader's Choice books for 2011-2012 and my 6th grade book club will be reading them:

1. Bystander. James Preller, Felwel & Friends, 2009.
2. Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. James Swanson, Scholastic, 2009.
3. The Leanin’ Dog. K.A. Nuzum, HarperCollins, 2008.
4. Mockingbird. Kathryn Erskine, Penguin Young Readers Group, 2010.
5. Out of My Mind. Sharon Draper, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing,
2010.
6. Pop. Gordon Korman, HarperCollins, 2009.
7. The Rock and the River. Kekla Magoon, Simon & Schuster Children’s
Publishing,, 2009.
8. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Tom Angleberger, Abrams, Harry N.,
Inc., 2010.
9. Ways to Live Forever. Sally Nicholls, Scholastic Inc., 2011.
10. When the Whistle Blows. Fran Cannon Slayton, Penguin Group, 2009.

BARGAIN BOOKS:

I was able to really snag some great reads from the bargain bin from Barnes and Noble - can you believe that I got 9 books for $27.00? AWESOME!

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ORDERED AND PRE-ORDERED:

And finally, I saved the best for last...I had some titles that I really wanted and finally got.

So that's my haul for the week...what was in your mailbox?