Saturday, November 03, 2018

Sunday Mews: Wrapping Up October & My November TBR List Poll

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by the wonderful Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking to Stacking the Shelves hosted by the great Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. I am linking up to Nicole of Feed Your Addiction's Monthly Wrap-Up Post, where any book bloggers who write monthly wrap-up posts can link up and visit other bloggers to see what they have been reading.  



October was over in a blink. I feel like the month was just starting, and then it was Halloween. November is already looking like it will follow a similar path. The trimester is coming to an end, and Mouse has a five day weekend coming up, what with teacher conferences and Veteran's Day. Then the week after that, she is off for Thanksgiving break. I still have not heard whether I am approved for time off  that week (fingers crossed!), and so there may be some last minute running around to arrange for child care. My mother-in-law is scheduled to have triple bypass surgery on the 13th of November, and my mom will be driving down for a brief visit at the end of the month for my great aunt's 90th birthday celebration. Mouse's Nutcracker rehearsals have kicked into high gear with just over a month before performance time, and Girl Scouts is keeping us busy as well. I think Mouse might be coming down with a cold-although I'm hoping it is just allergies. None of us can afford to get sick any time soon.


New to My Shelves: 

Ghost of a Chance (Chintz 'n China, #1) by Yasmine Galenorn

Hex Marks the Spot (Drop Dead Witchy, #1) by Ani Gonzalez

Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb

Fan the Flames (Search & Rescue, #2) by Katie Ruggle


What I Am Reading: I am about half way through The Secret Language of Cats: How to Understand Your Cat for a Better, Happier Relationship by Susanne Schötz. (My cats are probably wondering why I am following them around all the time now encouraging them to "talk.")

What I Am Watching: I finally listened to Greg of Book Haven and began watching Riverdale. I am in the middle of the second season, I believe. I am enjoying to so far, although it has certainly taken some twists I did not see coming. I also started Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix, and am loving it. I mean, witches. That says it all, doesn't it?

Several of us from the dance studio will be going to see The Nutcracker and the Four Realms this weekend. Have any of you seen it yet? What did you think?

Off the Blog: As I mentioned above, October went by so fast.  Mouse and I spend a lot of time at the dance studio, between dance classes and rehearsals. We have had a few Girl Scout events scattered in here and there as well. Work has been crazy busy as it often is this time of year. On top of my regular work, I am in charge of putting together the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year holiday schedules for our 24 hour operation, which means making time to figure out the logistics of making sure there is enough staff coverage to let as many employees possible get the time off they would like around those dates. Thank goodness for flexible staff willing to make comprises!

We stretched out Halloween for about a week. We did manage to make it to the pumpkin patch, although it was a close call what with everything else we had going on. Since the dance studio allowed the dancers to dress up for a week before Halloween, Mouse was able to put some of her old costumes to use. She and I attended her Fall Festival event at the school, which was a lot of fun. We did go trick-or-treating Halloween night. Although our small street does not really get into it, the next streets over go all out. People were out in their driveways with fires going as they passed out candy to the passersby. It was quite crowded as it always is, but everyone seems to enjoy themselves.








Here is what I finished reading in October:
  • The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
  • The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace
  • The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel by Alyssa Palombo
  • Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
It was another slow reading month for me. I have pretty much accepted the fact that the rest of the year will follow a similar pattern, especially if I am to finish my two biggest reads of the year, Tolstoy's War and Peace and Hugo's Les Misérables. I finished October on a high note with both, being all caught up with the read-along schedules. This past month, both books saw the death of significant characters. Another one is coming soon in Les Misérables, and I am dreading it. I hope I am in a safe place when I get to that moment.

Magic Slays was by far my favorite book read this past month--it was so nice to jump back into the Kate Daniel's series again. I did enjoy my other reading as well. I wanted to re-visit The Legend of Sleepy Hollow before diving into Palombo's novel and am glad I did.  I knew some of the complaints about The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel going in, and actually wasn't bothered by them. The second half of the book was definitely better than the first. While I think The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One will not be to everyone's taste because of the subject matter, I found it to be a very powerful  collection of poetry and am so glad to have read it. I think Lovelace's voice is one that echoes that of many women in the United States today.

This Past October In Reading Mews:

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your October? Do you have anything planned for this month?

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Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

My TBR List is a meme hosted by the awesome Michelle at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Sunday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month, and my review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 




I am in the mood for something Christmas-y. It is long over do. Here are my top three choices, and I could really use your help in deciding what to read next. Which sounds the best to you?


Murder in Her Stocking by G.A. McKevett ~ Hair certainly was bigger in the '80's. Even mine.  Sounds like trouble found its way to McGill, including murder. This sounds like it will be entertaining.
As the Moonlight Magnolia Agency revisits old memories on Christmas Eve, Granny Reid takes the reins back thirty years to the 1980s--back when she went by Stella, everyone's hair was bigger, and sweaters were colorful disasters. But murder never went out of style . . .

Christmas has arrived in sleepy McGill, Georgia, but holiday cheer can't keep temperamental Stella Reid from swinging a rolling pin at anyone who crosses her bad side--and this season, there are plenty. First an anonymous grinch vandalizes a celebrated nativity display. Far worse, the scandalous Prissy Carr is found dead in an alley behind a tavern. With police puzzled over the murder, Stella decides to stir the local gossip pot for clues on the culprit's identity . . .

Turns out Prissy held a prominent spot on the naughty list, and suspects pile up like presents on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, the more progress Stella makes, the more fears she must confront. With a neighbor in peril and the futures of her beloved grandchildren at risk, Stella must somehow set everything straight and bring a cunning criminal to justice before December 25th . . .
[Goodreads Summary]

A Coldwater Warm Hearts Christmas by Lexi Eddings ~  I cannot resist a bookworm heroine.  I love a good holiday romance, and this one sounds like it will be fun.
It’s hard to be the new girl in town, especially around the holidays. But when the town is Coldwater Cove, Oklahoma, there are plenty of folks willing to welcome you—and lovingly meddle in your life . . .

High school English teacher Angie Holloway has been in this little Ozark hamlet for a few years, but she still feels like an outsider. And with no family of her own and single to boot, she’s rusty when it comes to opening her heart. Nevertheless, she’s been drafted to direct the annual Christmas pageant—whether she likes it or not. As for her assistant, that job’s been handed to Seth Parker. He may be smoking hot, but the brawny construction engineer is definitely not her type. After all, she loves literature, he “reads” blueprints . . .

While Angie tries to put a new spin on the show, and Seth tries to tolerate her correcting his grammar, they both resist the locals who insist on pushing them together. But when Seth finds her copy of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility—marked up with her revealing comments—he can’t resist trying to romance her using his newfound knowledge. And Angie is surprised to find that this big, handsome lug can read her like a storybook hero . . .
[Goodreads Summary]

Bells, Spells, and Murder by Carol J. Perry ~ A little murder around the holidays, psychic visions, and cat as a sidekick makes this a tempting choice!
Someone’s spreading deadly holiday cheer through Salem, Mass . . .

Lee Barrett has landed her dream job at Salem’s WICH-TV. As the new field reporter, she’ll be covering events live as they’re unfolding. Next on her holiday checklist is an interview with the beloved chairman of a popular walking tour through Salem’s historic districts. But it may be his ghost walking this snowy Noel season after Lee finds him murdered in his stately offices, bloody Santa hat askew.

With her police detective boyfriend working the case and a witch’s brew of suspects—including some bell-ringing Santas—Lee chases down leads aided and abetted by her wise cat O’Ryan and some unsettling psychic visions of her own. When a revealing clue leads to another dead body, not even a monster blizzard can stop Lee from inching closer to the truth . . . and a scoop that could spell her own demise this killer Christmas.
[Goodreads Summary]




Thank you for voting! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!


© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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26 comments:

  1. Your books look interesting...and I hope the triple bypass goes well.

    My month's reading was much slower than previous ones...and I'm thinking that my change of pace is probably due to all the Amazon Prime shows and movies I have been binge-watching.

    Enjoy your November.

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  2. Omg! Those are some awesome Halloween houses. I saw so many inflatables in people's yards this year. Including some that had the air pump directly connected so that it could deflate overnight. Even one with a gigantic cat but it's butt to the air-Naughty kitty...lol

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  3. I hope everything goes well for you, and prayers and best wishes to your mother- in-law. I hope her surgery goes well.

    The Secret Language of Cats sounds fun! And yay Riverdale!! I'm glad you're watching. I thought S2 got a little out there at times, and I'm not a big fan of all the Hiram Lodge subplots, but on balance it's a fun show. :) And S3 is pretty awesome so far.

    I'm really curious about the Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel as I heard it was a retelling or a revisit of Sleepy Hollow. I've heard mixed things, so I'm glad to hear you liked it.

    I voted Murder in her Stocking partly because I love that cover. :)

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  4. Wow.. It sounds like you've been really busy and November sounds kind of crazy too. I hope you'll still have time for a little reading. ;)
    I love the looks of those Halloween decorations. I wish it was bigger here in The Netherlands. But it gets bigger every year.. So maybe one day.. :D
    Have a great week and Happy Reading!

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  5. Glad you all had a great time, those pictures are great!
    I need to get back to watching Riverdale

    I voted for Bells, Spells and Murder because that cover is awesome! :)

    Have a great week, Wendy! Happy Reading! ox

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  6. Hex Marks The Spot sounds fun, that's going on my wishlist. Fingers crossed for the cold to stay away and for your leave to be approved!
    Those Halloween pics look amazing!

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  7. I love the cover of Daughters in the Lake!

    Voted for A Coldwater Warm Hearts Christmas because of the cover too!

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  8. I hope your mother-in-law's operation goes smoothly and that during the next month, you do find a chance to get some down-time. That sounds like a crazily hectic schedule! In the meantime, I hope the coming week is a relatively restful one in order to regather...

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  9. Wishing you all some good health then :) it is truly a busy season. Those decorations in the photos look amazing - you can't see any of that here cause we don't really celebrate Halloween :)

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  10. Thoughts and prayers for your mother-in-law. I haven't tried Riverdale, but it will make a good binge for the coming months. I'm reading Lyndsay Faye's The Gods of Gotham right now. Omg, she's good! Thankfully, I have more of her books in store. Liked Jane Steele a lot, loved The Paragon Hotel!

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  11. Oooh that's so cool a book to better understand cats! I used to have cats before becoming allergic and that's true that they are mysterious LOL Now it seems that Halloween was big in your town!

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  12. Wow, November sounds like it’s going to be busy. I love that people get so into Halloween. We have a few houses in our neighborhood that go all-out for Christmas. Halloween seems to be less popular. I hope you have a good month!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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  13. The year is flying by! It sounds like your November will be jam packed. I hope your mother-in-law gets through her surgery with flying colors.

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  14. Wow, that's so cool about Halloween!
    sherry @ fundinmental Sunday Memes

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  15. I feel the 2018 just began and the NYE was yesterday. Just thinking about the speed at which the time flies gives me anxiety. Have a great week ahead!

    Gayathri @ Elgee Writes

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  16. The halloween decor looks so great. It isn't really a thing here but we had two-three houses in the street that decorated for Halloween.

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  17. Those are great pictures! Going all out indeed! Take a breath and enjoy what you can of your rest time, Wendy. Bet The Nutcracker will be wonderful! Best wishes to your mother-in-law on her surgery and hope you guys get to enjoy your Mom a bit as well. Take care.

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  18. Wow those Halloween decorations are awesome! I hope you will get your time off in November so you can enjoy a bit of extra free time. I know I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving so I can have extra time and hopefully catch up on reading. I've really fallen behind on books too. Wishing all the best to your MIL during her surgery!

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  19. I think the most common sentiment I've heard today is how fast October flew by. It really did. Those Halloween decorations are so great.

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  20. This is such a busy time of year. I hope your mother in law does well with her surgery. It would be really nice if you can get off for the holidays. I am taking the week of Thanksgiving off and am looking forward to it. Love the Halloween pics! Have a great week!

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  21. I hope November will be a smoother and a less hectic month for you, Wendy. Wishing your MIL all the best in her surgery.

    And those Halloween decorations look awesome. Have to admire their creativity and their efforts. Hope you've a great week, Wendy!

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  22. Man, you sure are reading some tomes! I love the pictures - thanks for sharing. I have managed to get some reading done but time is flying with the holidays and everything. Glad you guys were able to work in some fun. Hope you manage to get some time off. Sounds like it's much deserved!

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  23. wow, I love the Halloween photos. Awesome. Yes the weeks and months are flying by. I hope everything goes well for your MIL.

    I want to read the Katie Ruggle book. I enjoy her. I had NO idea there were Granny Reid books. I read the ones about the grandaughter cop turned PI. Anne - Books of My Heart

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  24. Thanks for sharing all the fun Halloween pictures. I always enjoy the homes that have lights best. We have a neighbor that builds elaborate sets for his skeleton crew (he has 8). This year, he built an ambulance complete with flashing lights and had patients, doctors, nurses, and EMTs rushing a victim into the rescue vehicle. Hope everything is going well for you and your family.

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  25. Thank you all for visiting and for your wonderful comments! Thank you too for voting! I apologize for the group response--things have just been so busy. My mother-in-law's surgery went well. She's still in the hospital, but hopefully will be able to leave in a few days. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!

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  26. LOVE all those Halloween decorations---your neighborhood sounds like a really fun place to trick or treat! Glad to hear your MIL is doing well after her surgery!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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