Saturday, December 01, 2018

Sunday Mews: Happy December & December 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.  



Happy December! I have my holiday cards almost ready for mailing, our tree still isn't up (haven't  found the time!) nor our Christmas lights, half of the Christmas shopping is done, and The Nutcracker is in two weeks. I know this time of year is busy for most of you as well as we make our way towards the end of the year. It always comes so quickly! I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season!

New to My Shelves: 

I broke down and used one of my birthday gift cards and picked up these gems which had been on my wish list for a long while:

The Accidental Alchemist (An Accidental Alchemist Mystery, #1) by Gigi Pandian

Mind Games (The Disillusionists, #1) by Carolyn Crane


The Unleashing (Call of Crows, #1) by Shelly Laurenston


Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal, #1) by Zen Cho

A Grave Calling (Bodies of Evidence, #1) by Wendy Roberts
A Grave Search (Bodies of Evidence, #2) by Wendy Roberts


The Palace Job (Rogues of the Republic, #1) by Patrick Weekes (for my husband)

What I Am Reading: I have not started a new book yet after finishing my last one. I will be diving back into War and Peace and Les Misérables most likely though. This is the final month for both read-alongs. I was thinking maybe one of my holiday-themed reads might be in order. Something that is good for a distracted mind to focus on.

What I Am Watching: I was able to take a week off from work over my daughter's Thanksgiving school break, and so took the opportunity to see the new Grinch movie. Mouse and I both enjoyed it. We also saw Wreck It Ralph Breaks the Internet (my husband was able to come with us to see this one). I asked Mouse which she liked better (or if she liked them both the same),  and she did not hesitate by naming Wreck It Ralph Breaks the Internet. When I asked her what she liked about it, I was surprised by her answer. I expected something like "when Vanellope meets the princesses" or "when Vanellope steals Shank's car". Instead, she said it was because the movie made her feel a wide range of emotions--"happy and sad and happy all over again"--I guess she really is my daughter (even if she does not like peanut butter).

Off the Blog: November got off to such a rough start: the mas shooting at a nightclub, deadly wildfires which later led to flooding toward the end of the month. Add in all the busy with The Nutcracker and the rehearsals. My mother-in-law's surgery went well the middle of the month, and we drove up to visit her, my father-in-law and brother-in-law for Thanksgiving. My mother-in-law was moved to a rehab center during our visit and was released home Friday. It will be a long recovery process, but she's feeling very positive. My own mother made the 8 hour drive down for a quick visit for my great aunt's 90th birthday celebration this weekend. She will be returning home soon and then will be back in a couple weeks for a longer visit, this time bringing her furry companion, Allie. We are all curious to see how our kitten does with a dog in the house. I did a bit of fall cleaning in Mouse's room and other various areas she's taken over in the house while on vacation. It was quite the chore, and I feel so accomplished!

 I dumped her bins on our kitchen table as I sorted the stuff in them, separating out donations,throw-aways, and organizing what we were going to keep. This is just a taste of the battle I faced.

 The table after I was nearly finished. 

Much better.

Here is what I finished reading in November:
  • The Secret Language of Cats by Susanne Schötz
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum
  • Bells, Spells, and Murder by Carol J. Perry
November was another poor showing for me numbers wise.  To be fair, I did manage to stay on target for both of my year long read-along books, War and Peace and Les Misérables. I even got ahead in Les Misérables. I imagine it will be much the same this next month as I am determined to finish both before the year is out. Although maybe taking on two big classic chunksters at once was not the wisest idea, I have no regrets. I have enjoyed both quite a bit. Even my blogging and blog visiting suffered this month. It is a very busy time for my family, and add in the holidays, well, I suppose it was a given. At least I managed to finish my November TBR List poll winner. It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to going back and reading the earlier books in the series. And I finally got my daughter to give The Wizard of Oz a try on our drive north for Thanksgiving. We listened to the audio version and everyone enjoyed it.


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

*

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 considered not doing a poll this month given everything going on and how little time I will likely have on the computer this month, but this is one of my favorite features, and I just can't help myself. Going through my TBR piles, these are the three that immediately popped out at me: all short and on the lighter side. (And aren't the covers pretty?)


A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews
A Courtship of Convenience

Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion—or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things.

A Last Chance for Love

But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.
[Goodreads Summary]

Wishing Cross Station by February Grace
"Don’t stay a moment longer than you have to. Don’t say too much. Don’t pollute the timeline."

When nineteen-year-old college library page Keigan Wainwright is sent to pick up a private donation of books for the school’s collection, he has no idea where one of those books will take him, or what it will take from him.

Retracing a powerful man’s footsteps through the past, Keigan finds himself caught in the same dangerous trap: falling in love with a woman he was never meant to know, and uncertain he will ever find his way home. [Goodreads Summary]






A Brazen Curiosity (Beatrice Hyde-Clare Mysteries, #1) by Lynn Messina
Twenty-six-year-old Beatrice Hyde-Clare is far too shy to investigate the suspicious death of a fellow guest in the Lake District. A spinster who lives on the sufferance of her relatives, she would certainly not presume to search the rooms of her host's son and his friend looking for evidence. Reared in the twin virtues of deference and docility, she would absolutely never think to question the imperious Duke of Kesgrave about anything, let alone how he chose to represent the incident to the local constable.

And yet when she stumbles upon the bludgeoned corpse of poor Mr. Otley in the deserted library of the Skeffingtons' country house, that's exactly what she does. [Goodreads Summary]


Have you read any of these? Which one do you think I should read this month?





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.

30 comments:

  1. Ooh Mind Games looks fun! And go you on Christmas shopping! Haven't even started here haha! Glad to hear your mother-in-law's surgery went well.

    I voted for A Brazen Curiosity as that one sounds fun. :)

    Have a great start to December!

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    1. Greg - I wish I could remember who recommended Mind Games to me. It's been on my wish list so long that I was glad to move it to my actual TBR stack. I can't wait to read it. I hope you have gotten some of your holiday shopping done. I still have a handful of gift cards I want to get for Mouse's teacher and dance instructors--maybe a few more stocking stuffers--and then I'll be done. Just in time, probably. LOL

      Thank you for voting! I am looking forward to reading A Brazen Curiosity.

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  2. Our isn't up yet either. Hopefully this week!
    The new Grinch movies looks so fun. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
    Glad to hear your mother in-laws surgery went well. I hope she is recovering as hoped.
    A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews looks and sounds great. So I voted for that one. ;)
    Have a great week and happy reading!

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    1. Maureen - I just saw your Christmas tree! It's lovely! My mother-in-law is doing well after her surgery. She is glad to be home finally. I am not sure when we will get a chance to visit with her again, but hopefully not before too long. Thank you for voting! I am eager to try A Holiday by Gaslight!

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  3. I LOVE the covers for Accidental Alchemist, Wishing Cross Station, and A Brazen Curiosity (which has a Cinderella vibe for some reason). I hope all the books are as good as their covers!

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    1. Eustacia - Aren't those covers gorgeous? I love them all too. :-) I am not sure I will get to them all this month, but that is my goal. :-)

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  4. Sometimes it seems we get so caught up in the prep we barely enjoy Christmas, doesn't it? Our tree is up but I haven't even started on the cards and have done very little shopping. I have no idea what to buy my husband and son.

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    1. Kathy - I know what you mean. There is so much build up to the holiday, and then it is here and gone so quickly. I think I like the anticipation and preparation part the best. Haha. I overdid it with Mouse again this year. I told myself I wouldn't and then I did. Oh well.

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  5. Didn't you do well with organising Mouse's room? I like your approach and I think I might borrow the same idea for the grandchildren's main room. They have grown up with a wallop and they mostly don't play with any of their toys anymore... It sounds like you are very organised. I haven't done ANY of those things! Have a good week, Wendy:)

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    1. Sarah - I feel like I climbed Mt. Everest by organizing all of Mouse's things. I wish I could say they were still so well organized today . . . She's seven and still doesn't quite understand putting things away in their proper places. Someday I hope the lesson sinks in. LOL

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  6. Hope you find the time to finish yuor Christmas decorations soon. I wanted to take my nephew to the Grinch movie, hopefully that will happen soon. Have a good week and happy holidays!

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    1. Marti - Thank you. We finally were able to decorate yesterday. We made hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, put up our tree and outdoor lights, and all the other holiday decorations. :-) Now my house is in the spirit too! I hope you and your nephew were able to see The Grinch movie--or well soon! Happy Holidays to you too.

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  7. I am curious about Mind Games. I'm impressed with your organization of Mouse's room. It looks fabulous!

    Yes, November was definitely a stressful month for a lot of us, and let's hope for better days ahead.

    Have a great week, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Laurel-Rain - I think she and I did a good job with her room. It would be nice if it lasted. Haha. I hope you have a great December!

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  8. I voted for Wishing Cross Station although all three books sound really good! :)

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    1. Lark - Thank you for voting, Lark! Although that one didn't win, it came close! I would like to finally get to it this month.

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  9. You had such a busy month but so glad to hear you were able to take a week off to enjoy time with family. I don't know what happened to November but I'm ready for this month and hopefully getting back on track with reading and everything. Good job on the organization!

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    1. Iliana - It was a nice little break, even if we were on the go for most of it.

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  10. I voted for Holiday in Gaslight because I would love to see what you think since it didn't work for me.

    Organizing my daughters room is like torture! I totally feel your pain with all that little stuff!

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    1. Michelle - Thank you for voting! I do hope I enjoy it more than you did, but we'll see. :-)

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  11. I love this time of the year for its festivities and the weather, even if it means things are gonna be hectic. And you seem to have had a great month, Yay to that!


    Gayathri @ Elgee Writes

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  12. What a busy month you had! Filled with sadness and melancholy but also some holiday spirit and family time.

    I haven't read any of your books but I want to check out a couple of them further. I voted for one of your books to read, but honestly I hadn't read of any of them, but think all will be a good read for you!

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    1. Rita - I should just accept that this busy-ness is my new normal. Haha. I just hope we have some lighter days ahead in terms of everything going on.

      Thank you for voting! Since they are all short, I may try to read them all. After having just finished War and Peace though, I'm feeling a bit burnt out on reading . . .

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  13. Our table is a collect-all for everything. It's such a struggle to keep it neat. I honestly hate turning on the news nowadays. Hope you get to enjoy the holiday season.

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    1. Barb - Our table tends to hold that role in our household as well too. Although the photo above was worse than usual since I dumped three of my daughter's toy basket/bins on the table so I could sort through everything and try to organize them better. I told her it's up to her to keep them organized from now on, but she's only seven, so I know how that will turn out. :-S

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  14. I haven't read any but LOVE so many of the covers :D And way to go with the organizing! There's nothing like that particular sense of accomplishment :D Most importantly--I hope your mom-in-law heals well and quickly! Speaking of which--how's your mom feeling?

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    1. Donna Marie - I really like all these covers too. Oh, yes, that sense of accomplishment when I finished with all my daughter's toys (especially the tiny ones) was huge. LOL My mom is doing well, thank you for asking. She just found out she is going to need hip replacement surgery, which she hopes to get done in late March. It will keep her off her feet for quite a while, I'm afraid.

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  15. I really enjoyed Mind Games by Carolyn Crane and the whole series, I've read all of it. I'm also a big fan of The Sorcerer to the Crown and just got the eARC for the second book The True Queen this week.

    I'm busy with my own war on sorting/throwing/donating. It's a slow process. I hope I'll get faster as I progress.

    Enjoy your books! Anne - Books of My Heart

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    1. Anne - I am glad to hear you enjoy Crane's series. It sounds like something I will really enjoy. And I can't wait to finally read The Sorcerer to the Crown. Good luck with your war on sorting/throwing/donating. Sometimes I think it is a never ending process!

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