In my Mailbox #4

Even though it's only the beginning of the week, I have already had a rather lovely collection of books make their way through my door! So I thought I should share them immediately, rather than wait until the end of the week!



The first two books I received were orders from Amazon:


Matched by Ally Condle
Waterstone's synopsis:
On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her Match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. Except he's not. In Cassia's society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that's when her whole world begins to unravel...

I'd been unable to decide for a while whether or not I actually wanted this one. I've decided to give it a shot though - you don't know if you like something until you try it, right? A few friends have also been telling me how good it is, so I'm trusting their judgement!

Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson
Waterstone's synopsis:
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her. Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori - the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

The premise of this novel really intrigues me - what more can I say? It sounds like a wonderful mixture of the supernatural with a unique spin on the 'murder mystery' plot. What isn't there to be excited about with this one?! I just hope it lives up to expectations!

The other two I received in the post are review copies from newbooks magazine:

Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington
Waterstone's synopsis:
Alice Bliss is fifteen. She's smart, funny, and clever. Not afraid to stand up for the things she believes in. She also idolises her father and, when he leaves home to fight a war she doesn't believe in, Alice is distraught. She and her mother negotiate his absence as best they can - waiting impatiently for his letters, throwing themselves into school and work respectively, bickering intermittently and, in Alice's case, falling for the boy next door - but then they're told that he's missing in action and have to face up to the fact that he may never return. Telling a story of love and loss, of grief and growing up, of family and friendship, "Alice Bliss" is a powerful, poignant portrayal of a young girl facing up to the unthinkable. "Compassionate and intelligent, "Alice Bliss" combines strong storytelling and a rich emotional core". (Jenny Downham, author of "Before I Die".) "A powerful and richly delineated novel". (Sarah Blake, bestselling author of "The Postmistress"). "Heartbreaking yet edged with promise, "Alice Bliss" explores the wounds of war, love, and family bonds while illuminating the strength of a young girl's spirit. A stunning debut". (Beth Hoffman, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Saving CeeCee Honeycutt").

I am particularly looking forward to reading this one - it's been on my wishlist for ages, so to receive it as a review copy was wonderful! When I applied to be a newbooks magazine reviewer, I wasn't told which books I would initially be receiving to review, so I'm really happy that one of them is a book that was on my wishlist! Having read a few pages earlier out uncontrolled excitement, it's looking like it will be a wonderful read!
To download a sample of the novel from Waterstones, click here.

My Hollywood by Mona Simpson
Waterstone's synopsis:
A wonderfully provocative and appealing novel, from the much-loved author of "Anywhere But Here", her first in ten years. It tells the story of two women whose lives entwine and unfold behind the glittery surface of Hollywood. Claire, a composer and a new mother, comes to LA so her husband can follow his passion for writing television comedy. Suddenly the marriageoonce a genuine 50/50 arrangementochanges, with Paul working long hours and Claire left at home with a baby, William, whom she adores but has no idea how to care for. Lola, a fifty-two-year-old mother of five who is working in America to pay for her own children's higher education back in the Philippines, becomes their nanny. Lola stabilizes the rocky household and soon other parents try to lure her away. What she sacrifices to stay with Claire and 'Williamo' remains her own closely guarded secret. In a novel at turns satirical and heartbreaking, where mothers' modern ideas are given practical overhauls by nannies, we meet Lola's vast network of fellow caregivers, each with her own story to tell. We see the upstairs competition for the best nanny and the downstairs competition for the best deal, and are forced to ask whether it is possible to buy love for our children and what that transaction costs us all. We look into two contemporary marriagesoone in America and one in the Philippinesoand witness their endangerment, despite the best of intentions. "My Hollywood" is a tender, witty, and resonant novel that provides the profound pleasures readers have come to expect from Mona Simpson, here writing at the height of her powers.

This is the second review copy that I received from newbooks, and it's one I've not heard of before. It's not necessarily my usual kind of book, but I always say I am willing to try anything, so I'll give it a shot - I'm sure I'll be pleasantly surprised by it! One of my favourite books of all time was a book that I read for my book club a couple of years ago, and I honestly thought I'd hate it, so there is still a chance for this one.