Book Haul: A Package and Some Library Books

I got a lovely little package in the mail the other day. I’m so glad it finally arrived because I’ve been watching out for it for weeks:

That, my friends, is Elizabeth Fama’s Monstrous Beauty in its re-designed hardcover glory. I think it’s looks beautiful but I may be biased. It’s bound to make me happy because this is the first bookish package that I’ve received here in Singapore (went straight to our mailbox, didn’t have to pick it up from the post office like I used to do back in Manila). Plus, there’s a beautiful message inside:

I can’t wait to read it! I went out to have lunch with friends today and yesterday and since both malls that I visited had bookstores inside, I checked them out. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to buy anything because I found the books to be pricey. I should probably sign up so I could get a 10% discount. So I headed over to the library to see if anything catches my fancy (something always does):

I would have borrowed more if I haven’t maxed out the borrow limit of 8 books. Here’s what I grabbed:

Fury by Shirley Marr
Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Yay Aussie YA books available in Singapore libraries! Looking forward to finally reading Fury, I’ve had that in my wishlist for a while. Crazy Beautiful is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I’m always curious about those. Pretty good weekend in terms of books. What about you, what books did you get this week?

Book Haul: Send Off

Hello there, blogosphere! How’s everyone doing? I’ve been super busy the past couple of days but I wanted to squeeze in a book haul post before leaving (this will probably be my last blog post from Manila). First, I got this lovely little book from my good friend Chris:

Thanks for the surprise, Chris! Looking forward to reading it. Next, I got a package from another good friend, Celina:

Thanks for sending these right before I left, Celina! I already have a copy of EWein’s The Winter Prince but it’s a really old paperback and I wanted a better edition. I’ve heard good things about Among Others by Jo Walton so I’m excited to read it. Last but not the least is a copy of Tibak Rising: Activism in the Days of Martial Law edited by Ferdinand C. Llanes:

A collection of essays written about those who fought against Martial Law in the Philippines. I have a contribution in this book, something that I wrote back when I was in school about my dad. If this seems like the kind of book you’d enjoy reading, I hope you pick up a copy in local bookstores.

That’s it for me. Will try to post another update when I have some free time! Maybe I can talk about books I’ve managed to include in my luggage. What about you, what books have you received recently?

Book Haul: An ARC, Ebooks and Postcards

Time for another Book Haul post! It’s been raining the past couple of days here in Manila so the weather’s perfect for curling up in bed with a good book. I was pretty bummed when I requested Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass over at NetGalley and got denied because I kept hearing good things about it. Luckily, my good friend Janice volunteered to send her extra review copy:

I was pleasantly surprised that the package arrived after only two weeks. Thank you so much for sending it, Janice! And for the pretty For Darkness Shows the Stars bookmark – that’s another book that I’m planning to read soon. I’m also looking forward to reading these ebooks:

Easy by Tammara Webber
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Adorkable by Sarra Manning
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

I also received a couple of postcards this week so I thought I might as well include them here instead of coming up with another post. Here’s the first stash:

The grumpy kid in the upper left is from fellow Filipino book blogger Chris of Ficsation, she sent it from Japan. The Miss Saigon postcard is from Vietnam, a friend sent it while on vacation. The one at the bottom is from my postcard pen pal Steph from Korea. These postcards are making me want to visit the countries where they came from! Would love to go to Japan, Vietnam and Korea someday.

These two are from author Elizabeth Fama and they’re related to her upcoming novel, Monstrous Beauty:

Thank you for the lovely postcards, ladies! What about you, got any books or postcards recently?

Book Haul: Hazel Osmond

I got home yesterday and there were two postcards and a package waiting for me:

The postcard on the left is from a fellow Postcrosser, she said she chose that design for me because she couldn’t get philatelic stamps. The postcard on the right is from a friend of mine from Hangzhou, China. Wondering what’s inside the package? Check it out:

It’s a copy of The First Time I Saw Your Face by Hazel Osmond! I thoroughly enjoyed Hazel Osmond’s debut novel, Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe, and I’m really looking forward to reading this one. And look, it’s a signed copy:

Thank you, Hazel, for sending a copy of your latest novel. What about the rest of you, got any snail mail lately?

Book Haul: A Book and a Magazine

It’s been two weeks since my last Book Haul post. I think that’s a good thing because I’m trying to be good by not buying books while there are still so many on my TBR pile. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised when I got home last Friday and there was a Book Depository package waiting for me. I haven’t ordered any books recently so I knew it had to be a gift. Turns out, my friend Heidi of Bunbury in the Stacks (now on WordPress yay!) sent me a book:

Thank you so much for this, Heidi! It’s always nice to get something in the mail, more so if it’s a book. I was also able to grab copies of Kwentillion when I dropped by the bookstore this weekend:

I’ve started reading it and I’m really liking it so far! Still trying to decide if I’ll post a review when I’m done but you can check out my Goodreads status updates if you want to know what I think of the stories. That’s it for me this week! Writing this post has made me realize that my nails don’t look like that anymore – hmm, maybe I can do a Shoot That Book post tomorrow to show them. What about the rest of you, got any books or goodies this week?

Book Haul: End of May Edition

Hello everyone! How are you all doing? Sorry I haven’t been around much, this week has been pretty busy for me and I’m really looking forward to the weekend. I haven’t even had a chance to go through my Google Reader (currently has 457 unread items) so I also apologize for not leaving comments on your posts. Anyway, I thought I’d update you guys with some of the things that I’ve received in the mail. First is a package from Australia, sent by the lovely Reynje who also blogs over at The Midnight Garden:

Thank you so much for this, Rey! Love the Polaroid note card that you included in the package. I was pleasantly surprised when you offered to send it because I haven’t read any of Jessi Kirby’s novels and I’m really curious about them. Also, I think the cover looks pretty. This shot doesn’t do it justice because of the flash so I’ll try to feature it in a Shoot That Book post sometime.

Aside from sending me postcards from Scotland, EWein (one of my favorite authors) also sent book plates that I could stick to my copies of her books:

Yay, when I stick these in my copies that would essentially make them signed copies, right? Thanks EWein! Got any nice things in the mail lately?

Book Haul: Guys, Girls and Postcards

Remember my post about Mina V. Esguerra’s latest book? I won a copy of it! Got the package from Mina last Friday:

That Kind of Guy by Mina V. Esguerra
Lucas ♥ shirt (Lucas is the swoon-worthy main character in Fairy Tale Fail)

Thank you so much for this, Mina! I already finished reading That Kind of Guy this weekend and I hope to review it soon. I had lunch and dinner with friends in Fort last Saturday so I was able to squeeze in a visit to Fully Booked’s branch there:

I used the last of the gift certificates (GCs) that I received for my birthday and I’m kind of sad that I don’t have bookstore GCs anymore but yay, new books:

Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairly in a Ship of Her Own Making by Cat Valente
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines
Will Barnet book of postcards

All three of these books were the last pieces left so I felt like I was meant to get them! I’m sure I’m not the only one who rationalizes book purchases that way. I’ve been wanting a copy of Girl in the Arena for a while now so I decided to grab it while it’s still available. I’ve also heard good things about Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland and I love that it has chapter illustrations:

So I’m not even familiar with Will Barnet’s work but I decided to buy the postcard book because I went through the artwork and I liked what I saw. It contains 30 postcards but I don’t think I’ll be sending them out anytime soon.

It was a pretty good weekend, book-wise. Also went out for dinner last night with the family – our Mother’s Day treat for my mom. Belated Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! How was your weekend? Were you able to buy any books?

In My Mailbox: Belated Birthday Edition

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. This meme is about books that you received or bought during the week.

When I got home from work today, I saw a postcard and a mysterious package waiting for me:

The postcard is from the Netherlands and features Miffy, a popular children’s book character over there. So cute that it’s a card based on a book. And the sender also used a Postcrossing stamp:

When I opened the package, I found belated birthday gifts from my good friend Celina:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Two hardcovers from my wishlist. Maraming salamat, Celina! Looking forward to reading these. What about you, got any books or postcards this week?

In My Mailbox: Mid-March Edition

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. This meme is about books that you received or bought during the week.

I was surprised when I already got the packages from my latest Book Depository purchase because it only took three weeks for them to arrive and they all got here at the same time.

Want to see what’s inside those packages? Here you go:

The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne
Northlander by Meg Burden
The King Commands by Meg Burden
Postcards from Ladybird

You might be wondering what that manly chest is doing in my IMM post. I don’t usually read historical romances but I made an exception for Joanna Bourne’s novels when I saw a Sounisian recommend them. I enjoyed reading them, which is why I’m looking forward to her latest. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that Meg Burden’s novels came in trade paperback format instead of mass market. And yes, that’s another postcard set! I’m going to do a Postcard Love update once I’ve taken pictures of those Ladybird cards. Speaking of postcards, got this lovely Sarajevo one from Maja of The Nocturnal Library:

Thanks Maja! I also met up with my college friends for a joint celebration (my birthday isn’t until the end of the month though) and these are the early birthday presents that I received:

Trese graphic novels by Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo: Murder On Balete Drive, Unreported Murders, Mass Murders, Last Seen After Midnight
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Fully Booked gift cards
Muji notebook and colored pens

So I had a pretty great week in terms of books acquired. Can’t wait to read all of these. What about you, what books did you get in your mailbox?

In My Mailbox: February 29

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. This meme is about books that you received or bought during the week.

Woohoo, our super slow internet connection at home (we’ve been having problems with our provider) finally let me post something on the blog! I haven’t done an In My Mailbox post in a while but since I received books the past few days, I thought it would be a good idea to consolidate everything into one post. It’s always nice to get something in the mail, isn’t it? Even if it’s just a postcard. So imagine my delight when I got several packages. Last week, I got Book Depository packages and some postcards:

Inside the packages are my Postcards from Puffin set and my physical copy of Code Name Verity:

Then I got another package from the lovely Michelle of See Michelle Read:

Thank you, Michelle. I knew you were sending me a copy of Whiskey Road but I was pleasantly surprised by all the goodies that you included. Love the Valentine’s card and the Julie James bookmarks. Last but certainly not the least, I got a package from one of my favorite authors today:

It’s the Aussie edition of The Piper’s Son! Ahhh, it looks even better in person. I’ve been wanting to grab a copy of this because of the gorgeous cover. I also can’t wait to read The Gorgon in the Gully. I have a feeling reading about Jonah Griggs’ little brother will make me want to reread Jellicoe Road. What’s even better is both books are signed:

THANK YOU so much, Melina Marchetta! I will treasure these books and put them in the highly prized section of my bookshelf, maybe next to my signed copies of Megan Whalen Turner’s books? What about the rest of you, what books and goodies did you get this week?

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Edited to add: got another package and postcard in the mail today! Yay, my pre-ordered copy of Sarra Manning’s latest adult title, Nine Uses for an Ex-Boyfriend, finally arrived. The awesome bookish anime postcard is from fellow postcard+book lover Alexa. Thank you, Alexa!