Galley Grab!

It's been a while since I've done one of these, but they're lots of fun (at least I think so) so I'll try to remember to do them more often (especially now--Alie and I have just started meeting with our reps for the fall season which means they bring lots of new galleys for us. Yay!)

On with the freebies...

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

This was originally self-published, but it got such great attention that it got picked up by HarperCollins; they'll be releasing the spiffed-up version in August (you can read about it in this article by the Boston Globe). The Lace Reader, set in Salem, is the story of Towner Whitney, a woman who has a complicated relationship with her family--women known to be lace readers (those who can read a person's destiny through examining a piece of lace) and known to be a bit removed from the norms of society. Towner had left Salem under difficult circumstances, but is compelled back after her beloved Aunt Eva goes missing. The ensuing drama forces Towner to come to terms with her family, her past, and her gifts (and has a kicker of an ending). You can find out a lot more here.

I read The Lace Reader a couple of months ago and really liked it--a great read with an intricate plot and interesting characters. Though it's described as a mystery, it isn't really...to me it's more of an exploration of abuse and loss and family. I especially recommend it to all the Jodi Picoult fans out there.

Wake Up: A Life of the Buddha by Jack Kerouac

Wake Up is a biography of the Buddha that Kerouac wrote in the '50s as he was developing a fascination with Buddhism. I gave a copy of this to Ric as he's both in charge of our Eastern Religion section and a fan of Kerouac (Scripture of the Golden Eternity is a particular recommendation of his), but I have another copy for you as well!

And finally, Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Be a hero to your kids and have them be the envy of their friends by giving the an advance copy of the new Artemis Fowl book, the sixth book in Colfer's series about a teenage genius of dubious moral character and the alternate world he discovers filled with fairies, trolls, and the like. (for ages ten and up

If you'd like any of these, just leave me a comment with your first name and I'll put it on hold for you behind the register!