At Mailbox Monday, we encourage participants to not only share the books they received, but also to check out the books received by others. Each week, our team is sharing with you a few Books That Caught Our Eye from that week’s Mailbox Monday.
I hope you have all found some new books in this week’s posts to add to your end of year wish lists!
We encourage you to share the books that caught your eye in the comments.
EMMA:
Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura
found at vvb32reads
Seven students are avoiding going to school, hiding in their darkened bedrooms, unable to face their family and friends, until the moment they discover a portal into another world that offers temporary escape from their stressful lives. Passing through a glowing mirror, they gather in a magnificent castle which becomes their playground and refuge during school hours. The students are tasked with locating a key, hidden somewhere in the castle, that will allow whoever finds it to be granted one wish.
At this moment, the castle will vanish, along with all memories they may have of their adventure. If they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm every afternoon, they will be eaten by the keeper of the castle, an easily provoked and shrill creature named the Wolf Queen.
Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and a generous warmth, Lonely Castle in the Mirror shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others. Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot, this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability.
It will be perfect for next Japanese Literature Challenge (January-March 2023)”
Honeymooners at a posh resort receive an ominous warning with deadly consequences in the latest gripping, twisty psychological thriller from New York Times bestselling author Sophie Hannah.
Jane and William are enjoying their honeymoon at an exclusive couples-only resort…
…until Jane receives a chilling note warning her to “Beware of the couple at the table nearest to yours.” At dinner that night, five other couples are present, and none of their tables is any nearer or farther away than any of the others. It’s almost as if someone has set the scene in order to make the warning note meaningless–but why would anyone do that?
Jane has no idea.
But someone in this dining room will be dead before breakfast, and all the evidence will suggest that no one there that night could have possibly committed the crime.
But I haven’t read any of this series, and this is already #11! It’s high time to catch up!”
Christmas Past by Brian Earl
found at Carstairs Considers.
Behind every Christmas tradition is a story — usually, a forgotten one. Each year, as we decorate a tree, build a gingerbread house, and get ready for a visit from St. Nicholas, we’re continuing generations-old narratives, while being largely unaware of their starting chapters. But knowing how these traditions began adds a new level of depth to our Christmas spirit, as well as an arsenal of anecdotes to share at Christmas parties.
Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday’s Traditions reveals the surprising, quirky, mysterious, and sometimes horrifying stories behind the most wonderful time of the year. With 26 short chapters, it’s a festive, digestible Advent calendar of a book.
Covering traditions ancient and modern, Christmas Past is filled with stories of happy accidents, cultural histories, criminal capers (including tomb raiders and con artists), and hidden connections between Christmas and broader social, economic, and technological influences. How did the invention of plate glass forever change the Christmas season? What common Christmas item helped introduce fine art to the masses? Why do Americans typically spike their eggnog with rum, rather than the traditional brandy? And speaking of booze, does using the phrase “Merry Christmas” mark you as a drunken reveler?
Christmas Past answers all of those questions, and many more.
“I celebrate the original ‘reason for the season’,
but I’d like to know the history of the many Christmas traditions.”
Shadows We Remain by Mose J. Gingerich,
found at Bookshelf Journeys.
Private investigator Bruce Ellsworth is familiar with the Amish.
In his previous job as Sheriff in Castleton, Illinois, he was occasionally summoned to the nearby Amish community of Caroline Creek to solve a minor disagreement.
But when an Amish family arrives at his office seeking help in finding their missing son, Bruce quickly finds himself caught up in a tangled web of FBI informants, Mafiosos, and secret societies that threaten to upend his whole world – and possibly get him killed.
“I like stories about the Amish and this Christian thriller sounds like a good story.”
What books caught your eye this week?
Mailbox Monday 