The Dragon of Despair is M.I.A

It doesn't happen very often, thank God, but when it does it can ruin your reading experience.  Yes, that fabulous foible known as lost mail.

Waaay way back on the 24th March I ordered two out of print (OOP) books that I desperately need to continue on with the Firekeeper Saga series by Jane Lindskold.  I own the first two books, ordered books 3 and 4, and bought book 6 brand new (with book 5 on my wishlist).  Everything went as expected, order was confirmed through AbeBooks.com, and I sat back as I waited to get my books.  And arrive it did, well the first book, Wolf Captured, anyway.  Exactly on the due date of 22 April. 

Fast forward nearly another month, and I'm still waiting for the postie to bring this hardcover book to my door!  Finally - having annoyed my trusty post-lady enough - I decided to find out what I could from the UK seller.  Fired off an email, and within 24 hours I had a reply... just not the one I'd hoped for.

Since it has been more than 10 days since they posted the item, and it's soooooo overdue, they can only conclude that the package has been 'lost in transit'.  WTF?!  They refunded my money without any questions - not that I'd even asked for one in my query - I just wish postage was included in refund as that was way more than the book cost!

So that's that.

My only hope is that it turns up one day.  Perhaps it's held up in customs, or has just been misplaced as I haven't been able to find another copy of the book that's in good or better condition and still affordable and I can't read the other 3 books until after I read this one.  Oh, and before you ask, yes I have looked for a copy at both my current library, as well as my old library, and no one has a copy!  I've been trying to inter-library loan (ILL), but it's not a popular book.

The frustrations of ordering online.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, my lovelies, that I may read this book yet ;-D

Until next time,

 

Mystery of the late book order solved!

 

Just a quick update as 2 boxes arrived in the mail just a few minutes ago... however one of them - the late Book Outlet box - had been violated by Australian Customs!  Yes, that's right my lovelies.  Customs has deprived me of a true unboxing as what arrived on my doorstep was a battered box held together with sticky tape and extra stickers ;-D

I know that for the security of the country items are screened, x-rayed, sniff tested by dogs, blah, blah, blah.  But I really don't like it when my books arrive in even a slightly battered condition (mainly around the top/bottom of the spine as you can see).   There is nothing I can do about this however -  but if they'd been truly damaged though?... grrrr

On a happier note, the second box was from Book Depository and contained a boxed set of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness (US Hardcover!) that I've been lusting over for ages now.  It arrived in perfect condition, nestled amongst the new chunky bubble wrap they're using, and I've already put them up on my shelves to be admired by all {grin}.  Now I just have to find room for the other new books on my already cramped shelves.

I'll have better pics up when I review them, so watch out for them in the near future ;-D

 

Lazy Dayz

I'm having a lazy day today.  Yesterday was a nightmare at the shopping centre.  I spent too much on clothes that I didn't really need... but they were soooo cute, and there were rude people and screaming children everywhere.

So today, I'm going to just lounge around, read a book, maybe play a little bit of AOM (Age of Mythology) and then check out our local deposit library.  Fingers crossed that my parcel is going to be in today's post.  I've been waiting for ages for them.  Still have about 3 or 4 left, but after waiting 2 weeks for them I no longer stalk the postie to see if he puts something in the mailbox :P

I'm going to finish my work on the computer, make up a batch of chilli-con carne and then settle down with either my Kylie Chan series, or start re-reading JD Robb so that when Fantasy in Death hits the shelves, then I'll be up to date.

Thought that I'd add a little pic of my cat.  She's such a pain in the butt about being outside.  Because of all the wildlife around our house, our cats are strictly indoors, unless on their leases.  Yes, you read it right, leashes.  They have an enclosed courtyard to mooch in, but leave a door open accidentally, and this little grey ghost is out the door like a shot, and the rolls around on the bricks outside the back door.  She strops herself along the bricks.  It's kinda cute, but trying to catch her later is not so cute.  It's a good thing that she's a total lap cat :)

Happy Reading