What's New? Stacking the Shelves

When I stopped participating in "In My Mailbox," I didn't search for a replacement meme. I just posted "What's New?" each week for fun. But I kind of missed the camaraderie of participating in a book haul meme. I learned about Stacking the Shelves from Kathy Martin's blog, Ms. Martin Teaches Media and decided that in this new year and with this new blogging platform, I will post my weekly book addiction to Tynga's meme, Stacking the Shelves.

Bought:

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander. Unabridged audiobook on 4 compact discs, 4 hours, 58 minutes. Read by the author. Simon & Schuster Audio, January, 2013. 9781442363038.

Publisher synopsis: A boy joins a theatrical troupe of goblins to find his missing brother.

In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared.

Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river.

This accessible, atmospheric fantasy takes a gentle look at love, loss, and family while delivering a fast-paced adventure that is sure to satisfy. 

Butter by Erin Jade Lange. 296 p. Bloomsbury USA, September, 2012. 9781599907802.

Publisher synopsis: A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death—live on the Internet—and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn’t go through with his plans?
With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen’s battle with himself.  

Looking forward to see what you stacked your shelves with.