Mailbox Monday: December 6

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at The Printed Page, is on a blog tour! Last month's host was Julie @ Knitting and Sundries, and she did a fantastic job, and Rose City Reader kicks off 2011.

Mailbox Monday is one of my favorite memes, and I am delighted to be hosting, especially during my favorite time of the year! I'll be putting the posts up on Sunday afternoons for all you early birds!

Only one book for me this week, but it's one with a lot of buzz:

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

ARC from Razorbill/Penguin. To be released January 11, 2011.

A Story of Love, Murder, and Madness

Aboard an Enormous Spaceship Bound for the Future

Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed. She expects to wake up on a new planet, 300 years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed's scheduled landing, Amy's cryo chamber is unplugged, and she is nearly killed.

Now, Amy is caught inside an enclosed world where nothing makes sense. Godspeed's passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader, and Elder, his rebellious and brilliant teenage heir.

Amy desperately wants to trust Elder. But should she? All she knows is that she must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets before whoever woke her tries to kill again.

Sounds pretty awesome, doesn't it? I was psyched to get this one. The cover is gorgeous and the inside covers have blueprint drawings of the ship. I wanted to read the first chapter right away to see what to expect, and it was very intense! I had to keep reading and I'm about halfway through. It is very different, which is good, but it's also rather strange, which is not so good. It's got a great plot, though, and I'm hooked so we'll see how it goes!

Don't forget to check out my Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway!

Since I anticipate my Mailbox to be on the lean side this month (at least until after Christmas :), I'm fattening it up by sharing the goodies I'm baking this month. I always have baked goods on hand in December! This is an old recipe of my mom's and it's one of my favorite homemeade cookies and I made them this morning while watching ESPN NFL Sunday Countdown.

Chunky Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

1 and 1/4 cups flour
1/2-teaspoon baking soda
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon cinnamon
1 and 1/2 sticks (3/4-cup) softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12-oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, sugars, and peanut butter in large bowl on medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chips and peanuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are set and golden but centers are still soft. Let stand for 4 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. Makes 3 and 1/2 dozen cookies. I've found 8.5 minutes is optimal bake time in my oven.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!