In My Mailbox (Just Received) September 5, 2011

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren wherein we share our recent acquisitions of books and bookish items whether received by mail, borrowed or purchased.  It helps all of us to keep abreast of what's new, what's potentially hot, and adds to our must-have lists as we visit one another, building virtual relationships among other like-minded book lovers.

Last week I received:

Hawaiian Sunrise to Sunset: a middle school counsellor's diary of a working day

by Randall Ng

"Tough Love is Real Love

You might think that living in Hawaii and working with kids all day sounds like Paradise.  But the reality of working as a middle school counsellor, servicing kids in a low-income neighbourhood, is very different. Told as the story of a typical working day, Hawaiian Sunrise to Sunset gives an inspiring, eye-opening, and sobering view into the life of a man who has dedicated all his resources to making children's lives better.  Randall Ng's students run the gamut from gifted to gang members, from at-risk to motivated; from safe in loving families to abused by parents and caregivers.  Randall knows that to make a difference in the lives of these kids, he has to go above and beyond the call of duty, and he has to think outside the box.  Randall transcends the typical role of school counsellor, as he visits students at home, confronts them and their parents with the truth, finds wildly creative solutions to problems with no easy answer, and steps in as father figure to children who have never known a reliable and caring authority.  Suprising, shocking, fascinating, and untimely deeply redemptive, this book shows what tough love looks like, and what it can accomplish in the lives of children at risk."

Off to Class:  Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World

by Susan Hughes

"When you think about going to school, what do you imagine?  Odds are, it's not a cave, or a boat, or a train platform.  But there are schools in caves and on boats and train platforms.  There are green schools and mobile schools and even schools that unschool.  There's a whole world of incredible and unusual schools out there!

Meet students from around the world.  Hear from them how the most amazing thing about these schools isn't their locations, or what they're made of, or what they look like.  It's how they create ways to ensure that the kids living there can go off to class.  These stories aren't just inspiring, they'll help you think about school and the world in a whole new way."

Schools are a common theme this week.  Elementary, junior and high school students returned to school this week here in Edmonton, while University and most colleges begin classes next week.  Coincidental timing of the arrival of these two books in the mail?  Most likely, but odd, isn't it?

Live Life Aggressively:  What Self-Help Gurus SHOULD Be Telling You

by Mike Mahler

"...Self-help books are so focused on making you feel good about yourself, that they fail to help you be honest with yourself.  Without brutal honesty you will never move forward.  Without a strong sense of purpose, and passion, you will never persevere through the inevitable plethora of hard times that are coming your way in life."  

Does this sound abrasive to you?  This method is so unusual for a self-help book that I just had to read it!  Stay tuned to see what I think and feel about this one.

Now.... a fun one that I won from Luanne at A Bookworm's World.....

Crunch Time 

by Diane Mott Davidson

"Colarado caterer Goldy Schulz cooks up big trouble as she tries to help her longtime friend and fellow chef Yolanda Garcia.  When the rental house shared by Yolanda and her irrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, the pair move in with cop-turn-PI Ernest McLeod.  But then Ernest is shot dead and his house is set on fire, nearly killing Goldy, Yolanda, Ferdinanda, and nine beagle puppies that Ernest had recently rescued from a puppy mill........

Filled with danger as well as laughs, wonderful food, and scrumptious recipes, Crunch Time is a delicious indulgence sure to satisfy all of Goldy's fans."

Saving Faith
by David Baldacci
(I received this copy from my sister)


"Not far from Washington, D.C., in a wooded area of Northern Virginia, a small house at the end of a gravel road serves a secret purpose.  With its sophisticated security apparatus and hidden miniaturized camera, it is being used by the FBI to interview on of the most important witnesses the agency has ever had, a young woman with an incredible story to tell.  But a few people know about the secret meeting.  And for them, a violent drama is about to begin.


One man--a local private investigator named Lee Adams--has come to the house on the orders of his client.  Another man, a hired killer, stakes out the house on orders from his powerful paymasters.  And the witness, Faith Lockhart, is coming to tell the FBI everything she knows about the powerful lobbyist with whom she has worked, a man who manipulates U.S. government policy and who, in the process, made some very dangerous enemies........


...searing and utterly suspenseful."

What's In Your Mailbox?  I love to hear from all of you so please don't be shy to share a comment and a link to your IMM post.

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It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  I just started a new job....guess where?  Well, I am not going to name names, but I am working in a bookstore and loving it!  So, my time here is limited, but I get to be surrounded by books each day!  How's that for a bookaholic's dream come true?  ;P

This week I am reading:

Little Princes by Conor Grennan

The First Gardener by Denise Hildreth Jones

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

Last week I finished:
Conversations with a Moonflower
Still Alice
and The Map of True Places
You may read the reviews by clicking on the title of each book.

Next up...

more reading of the same books on my currently reading list.........

What are you reading?