Back from Holidays and New Books in

I'm back from my holidays in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, and finally I had time to stop. Yesterday I had to go to Lisbon (3-hour train trip) just to do an English test for a job interview. That was done in 30 minutes. Finally a day to rest! (I usually need holidays to recover from the holidays :S) 

I was waiting for some books to arrive, and today, finally, came the last one. A jibe from the mailman as well. He says I need a bigger mailbox, industrial size. I have to agree.

Sunny Beach, view from the Swimming Pool

So, first the holidays. I went to a resort in the Black Sea, where there is not much to do besides beach, sun, pool and reading. So I read a lot.

I finished Perdido Street Station (reviewed), and started on the books that won the What should I take with me in Holiday Poll. I started with Brother Grimm, which was fast (440 pages is 2 days :D). Then came Watership Down, that took me awhile (or at least felt like it - it was just 3 days). I started The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy on the day of my return, and finished it on the plane (still with another 3 hours of flight ahead of me - and no paper to write a review in). When I got the chance to go to my cabin luggage I picked up Across the Nightingale Floor, and finished it yesterday, on my trip to Lisbon.

I still have reviews to write for the last three books, though. The only book left from that poll to read is The Beginning Place, which I started today!


And today I received the book I won on the Book Lovers Inc. 450 followers Giveaway. Thanks so much for this book!

This week I also received 3 books that I bought (no mooched books, those came all before I went on holiday). And with 2 of the books came bookmarks (I love bookmarks, although I rarely used them)

Sojourn by R. A. Salvatore, the Graphic Novel - I already have books 1, 2 and 4 on the Legend of Drizzt Graphic Novel series. This one seemed to be out of stock everywhere, so I got it second hand.

The City & The City by China Miéville - I bought it while I was still reading Perdido Street Station (and realised that I still had one Bookdepository voucher to use and I had to so before going on holidays - so I bought this one and Palimpsest while waiting for the plane in the airport). It has been nominated (and won) a lot of prizes this year, including the Hugo, Arthur C. Clarke and Locus awards.

Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente - This one had been stalking me for a while, popping up everywhere, and it was nominated to a few awards (losing the Hugo and Locus to China Miéville), so I decided to give it a try.

Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch - The book I won! It has a great cover and the blurb says:

Katherine "Kitty" Katt joins forces with gorgeous aliens to protect the Earth, kick evil enemy butt, and save the day...

Looks like a fast and fun read.