~Mailbox Monday~

I got 2 books on Saturday...not in the mail, I bought them. Of course, I felt very guilty, because my TBR stack is totally out of control! Hubby and I went to a store called Ollies...they just opened one here. It is a big discount store, kind of like Big Lots. Well, wouldn't you know it, they had books. And I HAD to browse the books. AND of course there were a couple that I could not resist. Hey! I will get around to reading them some time, just like all of my others, that I dust off on a weekly basis! I got:

Re-Constructing Natalie by Laura Jensen Walker~ "Natalie Moore is about to lose what little cleavage she had. She'll shave her head. Leave her church. Fall for a man in scrubs. Learn to tap, and flash a room full of women. Natalie needs to know with or without her breasts she is more than the sum of her parts."~

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson~ FROM AMAZON.COM~Socially inept Tyler Miller thinks his senior year of high school is going to be a year like no other. After being sentenced to a summer of character building physical labor following a graffiti prank, his reputation at school receives a boost, as do his muscles. Enter super-popular Bethany Milbury, sister of his tormentor, Chip, and daughter of his father's boss. Tyler's newfound physique has attracted her interest and infuriated Chip, leading to ongoing conflicts at school. Likewise, Tyler's inability to meet his volatile father's demands to be an asset, not a liability adds increasing tension. All too quickly, Tyler's life spirals out of control. In the wake of an incident at a wild party that Bethany has invited him to attend, he is left feeling completely isolated at school and alienated at home, a victim of twisted perception. Tyler must tackle the complex issues of integrity, personal responsibility, and identity on his own as he struggles to understand what it means to be a man. His once humorous voice now only conveys naked vulnerability. With gripping scenes and a rousing ending, Anderson authentically portrays Tyler's emotional instability as he contemplates darker and darker solutions to his situation. Readers will rejoice in Tyler's proclamation, I'm not the problem here…I'm tired of feeling like I am. Teenage concerns with sex, alcohol, grades, and family are all tackled with honesty and candor. Once again, Anderson's taut, confident writing will cause this story to linger long after the book is set down.–Erin Schirota, Bronxville Public Library, NY

What was in your mailbox today?