Musings of a Bookish Kitty: February 2020

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Can't Wait to Read Wednesday: The Garden of Evening Mists/The Henna Artist/A Murderous Relation/Darling Rose Gold

The Old(er)

I have an embarrassing number of unread books sitting on the shelves in my personal library. Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight and discuss those neglected books in her Books from the Backlog feature. After all, even those older books need a bit of love! Not to mention it is reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!

The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (2011)

Malaya, 1951. Yun Ling Teoh, the scarred lone survivor of a brutal Japanese wartime camp, seeks solace among the jungle-fringed tea plantations of Cameron Highlands. There she discovers Yugiri, the only Japanese garden in Malaya, and its owner and creator, the enigmatic Aritomo, exiled former gardener of the emperor of Japan. Despite her hatred of the Japanese, Yun Ling seeks to engage Aritomo to create a garden in memory of her sister, who died in the camp. Aritomo refuses but agrees to accept Yun Ling as his apprentice “until the monsoon comes.” Then she can design a garden for herself.

As the months pass, Yun Ling finds herself intimately drawn to the gardener and his art, while all around them a communist guerilla war rages. But the Garden of Evening Mists remains a place of mystery. Who is Aritomo and how did he come to leave Japan? And is the real story of how Yun Ling managed to survive the war perhaps the darkest secret of all? [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: This book landed on my TBR shelves a few years ago after I read a review by fellow blogger Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit. I have read a number of World War II related books over the years, and while I find myself growing more picky about which ones I pick up, this one still appeals to me given its themes and how different it is from other World War fiction I have read.

Have you read The Garden of Evening Mists? If so what did you think? Does this sound like something you would enjoy reading?

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

Release Date: March 3, 2020 by Mira

Lakshmi Shastri has spent years carving out a life for herself as a henna artist after fleeing her abusive husband and backward rural village for the Rajasthan capital. Well-versed in apothecary and the miraculous properties of herbs, her services (the effects of which are far more than just aesthetic) are highly sought after by upper-caste women, and Lakshmi’s success brings her within inches from her, and her country’s, ultimate goal: total independence. That is, until the past she has so desperately tried to run from comes knocking at her door... [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: Overcoming one's past can be quite the struggle, and sometimes it follows us no matter how hard we try to escape it. I am already rooting for Lakshmi and want her to have the future she deserves.

A Murderous Relation (Veronica Speedwell #5) by Deanna Raybourn

Release Date: March 10, 2020 by Berkley

Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian colleague Stoker are asked by Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk to help with a potential scandal so explosive it threatens to rock the monarchy. Prince Albert Victor is a regular visitor to the most exclusive private club in London, known as the Club de l'Etoile, and the proprietess, Madame Aurore, has received an expensive gift that can be traced back to the prince. Lady Wellie would like Veronica and Stoker to retrieve the jewel from the club before scandal can break.

Worse yet, London is gripped by hysteria in the autumn of 1888, terrorized by what would become the most notorious and elusive serial killer in history, Jack the Ripper--and Lady Wellie suspects the prince may be responsible.

Veronica and Stoker reluctantly agree to go undercover at Madame Aurore's high class brothel, where another body soon turns up. Many secrets are swirling around Veronica and the royal family--and it's up to Veronica and Stoker to find the truth, before it's too late for all of them. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I have yet to read any of the books in this series, but this is a good reminder that I need to. I cannot believe book five is coming out already. I have some catching up to do. From the time period to the great things I have heard about this historical mystery series, I just know I will love it.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

Release Date: March 3, 2020 by Berkley

Mothers never forget. Daughters never forgive.

In her compulsive, sharply-drawn debut, Stephanie Wrobel peels back the layers of the most complicated of mother-daughter relationships.

For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.

Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.

After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.

Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she's forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.

Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling...

And she's waited such a long time for her mother to come home. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: Not too long ago there was a news story about a woman who suffered from Munchhausen Syndrome by Proxy, subjecting her daughter to medical tests and surgeries and the like, convincing everyone her daughter was seriously ill. When I read the description of this novel, I immediately thought of that story. I can't resist a straight from the headlines thriller.

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

© 2020, 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.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Six Degrees of Separation: Fleishman is in Trouble to The Maltese Falcon

Six Degrees of Separation is a monthly link-up hosted by Kate of Books Are My Favourite and Best in which our lovely host chooses a book and participants take it from there: creating a chain of books, each connected to the one before. Seeing where we end up is half the fun!

This month's featured title is Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, a novel about a 40-something year old man who is at the top of his game. Divorced, a successful career, kids on the weekends, and women at his beck and call. But now his ex-wife has disappeared, and he is forced to take a hard look at his life.

Fleishman was able to line up a different hook-up every night through a dating app. Which made me think of Lost in Geeklandia (Geeklandia #1) by E.J. Russell, a novel about an introverted computer engineer who has created the perfect matchmaking program. An investigative reporter is determined to prove the program is a scam and save his previously damaged reputation. This was a fun romance that reminded me of the movie How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.

Like Daniel Shaw, the reporter in Lost in Geeklandia, Coleridge Taylor is a down on his luck reporter, kicked off his beat, and desperate to regain his reputation in Last Words (Coleridge Taylor Mystery #1) by Rich Zahradnik, which is is set in New York City, 1973. Zahradnik captures the time period so well as his character follows a lead that takes him to the streets with the homeless community to the filthy rich. This is one of my favorite mysteries series.

Last Words' Taylor lost his brother in the Vietnam War. Tatjana Soli's The Lotus Eaters is set in Vietnam during the war, also in 1975, about an American photojournalist who has fallen in love with a Vietnamese man. The Lotus Eaters is one of my all-time favorite novels: beautiful, dark, and thought provoking.

Another novel with a flower in the title is Mercedes Lackey's The Fire Rose. San Francisco in the early 1900’s is the perfect backdrop for this Beauty and the Beast re-telling. Women have their place in society but are making definite movement towards beginning their struggle for equality. Rose is a woman who has never been content in a traditional role, wanting to get a doctorate and stand on her own two feet. She wears glasses, thinks herself rather plain and is a bookworm. The perfect heroine for this book.

Perhaps then it would seem an odd jump to go from a character like Rose to one like Samuel Spade in The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, Spade being a quintessential ladies' man. The novel is also set in San Francisco, although a few years in the future. Spade is a private investigator who takes on a case to find a woman's missing sister--only nothing goes as planned. I can see why so many mystery authors have been influenced by Dashiell Hammett's writings, including this classic.

Following a chain from a troubled man who relies on a dating app to get women; a reporter determined to write an exposé on a new matchmaking app; another newsman trying to repair his tattered reputation who lost his brother in the Vietnam War; to a photojournalist who has captured so much of the Vietnam War on film and struggles with where she fits in. And from there we go to San Francisco where a woman determines she must uncover the real reason behind her employer's secrecy and secluded lifestyle leading us then to a private investigator whose search for his client's sister turns into a search for a jewel-encrusted bird. From Fleishman is in Trouble to The Maltese Falcon.

Did you participate in this month's Six Degrees of Separation?

March's chain will begin with Wolfe Island by Lucy Treloar.

I hope you will join in and give it a try!

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Where Is Your Bookmark?

After a pleasant but busy holiday weekend, somehow we all ended up getting sick. I am currently fighting some sort of bug and feeling pretty miserable. I also hurt my dominant hand somehow, and it is making doing even the simplest things difficult at the moment.

Reading wise, I am enjoying Alma Katsu's The Deep at the moment. Since I shared excerpts from it last week, I thought I would share a bit of the book my daughter and I just finished tonight, Big News! (Emma is on the Air #1) by Ida Siegal with you this time around.

WNBC reporter Ida Siegal makes her debut as a chapter book author with a hilarious look at one girl's journey into journalism, mystery-solving, and fame -- or at least two out of those three!

This is Emma Perez, and I'm ON THE AIR!

"Today at lunch, my friend Javier found a slimy worm in his hamburger. It was extra gross! Now everyone wants to know how the worm got in there. Someone might even get in trouble! The school needs my famous reporter skills to solve the case!"

Emma Perez has been looking for some big news to help her become a famous reporter. Javier's wormburger is perfect-people need to know what happened! Emma is ready to find witnesses, gather clues, and file her report. [Goodreads Summary]

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

If you have to do a chore, you might as well set the table. That's my chore. It's better than cleaning your room, scrubbing the toilet, or worse . . . changing your baby sister's diaper trash can! Yuck. Plus, when you set the table, you can practice being famous.

My thoughts: She has a point. Not to mention setting the table can go pretty quickly as far as chores go. Of course, anything is better than scrubbing toilets. Or mopping floors. I hate mopping floors.

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

"Why aren't you girls eating your lunches?" she asked.

"Miss Thompson, there's no time to eat today," I said, panting a little.

My thoughts: Emma is in the middle of her investigation and doesn't have much time to question her witnesses. It is clear Emma has a one track mind when she's on a story.

My daughter really enjoyed reading Big News! and would like to read more in the series, which makes this book a winner in my mind. We both liked Emma as a character, and I appreciated the added bonus of having a character who speaks Spanish as well as English.

Have you read this book or one of the books in the series? If so, what did you think? What are you reading at the moment?

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

What is your go-to recommendation for someone who doesn’t read often? (submitted by Amanda @ Give Me Coffee and Books)

I honestly do not have a go-to recommendation in a situation like this. I try to find out what the person may like to read when they do read and come up with similar books they might like. Or if it is a person who does not really know what type of book they might like, I might try to match a book with their movie or television taste--or perhaps something that fits with an interest of theirs--and go from there. I would definitely recommend the person stop reading if they are not enjoying the book. There is nothing that kills enjoyment of reading like reading something one is not interested in! Especially for the reluctant or infrequent reader.

Do you have a go-to recommendation for someone who doesn't read often?

Everyone has a favorite and then we also have something we dislike. Like a coin, there are two sides to every question. Each week, Carrie at The Butterfly Reads and Laura from Blue Eye Books ask participants to list what they like and don't like about that week's topic.

This week's topic is Favorite/Least Favorite Paranormal or Fantasy Novel of 2019

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow was my favorite historical fantasy novel of 2019 hands down.

It was not that I did not enjoy it, but I did struggle with Karen Lord's Unraveling, which I read this past year. I liked it okay, but did not love it.

Every Tuesday Heidi at Rainy Day Rambling hosts Tell Me Something Tuesday, leading a discussion about a topic of her choice. As you can see though, it is not Tuesday, but Friday. But I wanted to play along just the same.

Who are some of the recent debut/ new to me authors that impressed you?

I began the year with Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles, which I really enjoyed, and I am eager to read more of her work. Circe is high on my wish list.

But I have to say the real stand out for me so far this year is Nic Stone, another new to me author, whose Dear Martin won my February TBR List Poll. It has been compared to Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give, which I also loved, and is just as powerful. Both books involve police shootings of young black men, but each narrative tells its own story, touching on similar and also different themes that are very relevant today in the U.S. I wish everyone would read Dear Martin. It gives voice to a much needed perspective that is all too often silenced or ignored.

Who are some new to you authors that have impressed you recently?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Can't Wait to Read Wednesday: The Ghost Map/In Five Years/Havenfall/The Forgotten Home Child

The Old(er)

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson (2006)

From Steven Johnson, the dynamic thinker routinely compared to James Gleick, Dava Sobel, and Malcolm Gladwell, The Ghost Map is a riveting page-turner about a real-life historical hero, Dr. John Snow. It's the summer of 1854, and London is just emerging as one of the first modern cities in the world. But lacking the infrastructure--garbage removal, clean water, sewers--necessary to support its rapidly expanding population, the city has become the perfect breeding ground for a terrifying disease no one knows how to cure. As the cholera outbreak takes hold, a physician and a local curate are spurred to action--and ultimately solve the most pressing medical riddle of their time. In a triumph of multidisciplinary thinking, Johnson illuminates the intertwined histories and inter-connectedness of the spread of disease, contagion theory, the rise of cities, and the nature of scientific inquiry, offering both a riveting history and a powerful explanation of how it has shaped the world we live in. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: While I do not read a lot of nonfiction, there is the occasional nonfiction novel that catches my fancy. This was one of them.

Have you read The Ghost Map? Does it sounds like something you might like to read?

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Release Date: March 10, 2020 by Atria Books

Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.

That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.

Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: Well, I want to know what happens and what it all means for Dannie! Did she have some sort of vision or jump into the future? What changed within that five year period to change her future so dramatically, if that is in fact what happened? I need to know!

Havenfall (Havenfall #1) by Sara Holland

Release Date: March 3, 2020 by Bloomsbury YA

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it--at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds--each with their own magic--together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie's brother. It's where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it's where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens--a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She'll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she's letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie--no one can be trusted, and no one is safe . . . [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I am spoiled by Ilona Andrews' The Innkeeper Chronicles and admit it was the idea of the Inn of Havenfall and Maddie's position as innkeeper that first attracted me to this novel. I realize it will be completely different and I am perfectly okay with that. This sounds like it will be a fun read--a mix of fantasy and mystery.

The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham

Release Date: March 3, 2020 by Simon & Schuster

2018

At ninety-seven years old, Winnifred Ellis knows she doesn’t have much time left, and it is almost a relief to realize that once she is gone, the truth about her shameful past will die with her. But when her great-grandson Jamie, the spitting image of her dear late husband, asks about his family tree, Winnifred can’t lie any longer, even if it means breaking a promise she made so long ago...

1936

Fifteen-year-old Winny has never known a real home. After running away from an abusive stepfather, she falls in with Mary, Jack, and their ragtag group of friends roaming the streets of Liverpool. When the children are caught stealing food, Winny and Mary are left in Dr. Barnardo’s Barkingside Home for Girls, a local home for orphans and forgotten children found in the city’s slums. At Barkingside, Winny learns she will soon join other boys and girls in a faraway place called Canada, where families and better lives await them.

But Winny’s hopes are dashed when she is separated from her friends and sent to live with a family that has no use for another daughter. Instead, they have paid for an indentured servant to work on their farm. Faced with this harsh new reality, Winny clings to the belief that she will someday find her friends again.

Inspired by true events, The Forgotten Home Child is a moving and heartbreaking novel about place, belonging, and family—the one we make for ourselves and its enduring power to draw us home. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I do love historical fiction and this particular story sounds like it is one well worth reading--and that needs to be shared. A story of a child who survives against all odds . . .

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Where Is Your Bookmark? The Deep & My Favorite Genre(s)

What are you up to this Friday? It has been a relatively quiet week here, which has been so very nice! I had a day off from work this week and was able to get some much needed stuff done around the house. I admit my blogging motivation has been next to null though. At least I have been reading, right?

Last night I finished reading Nic Stone's Dear Martin, which I wish I could put in everyone's hands to read. Thank you again to all who voted for the book as my February read! I started reading The Deep by Alma Katsu today during my lunch break at work and thought I would share an excerpt or three with you today.

Someone, or something, is haunting the ship. That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the passengers of the Titanic from the moment they set sail. The Titanic's passengers expected to enjoy an experience befitting the much-heralded ship's maiden voyage, but instead, amid mysterious disappearances and sudden deaths, find themselves in an eerie, unsettling twilight zone. While some of the guests and crew shrug off strange occurrences, several--including maid Annie Hebbley, guest Mark Fletcher, and millionaires Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim--are convinced there's something more sinister going on. And then disaster strikes.

Years later, Annie, having survived that fateful night, has attempted to put her life back together by going to work as a nurse on the sixth sailing of the Britannic, newly refitted as a hospital ship to support British forces fighting World War I. When she happens across an unconscious Mark, now a soldier, she is at first thrilled and relieved to learn that he too survived the tragic night four years earlier. But soon his presence awakens deep-buried feelings and secrets, forcing her to reckon with the demons of her past--as they both discover that the terror may not yet be over.

Featuring an ensemble cast of characters and effortlessly combining the supernatural with the height of historical disaster, The Deep is an exploration of love and destiny, desire and innocence, and, above all, a quest to understand how our choices can lead us inexorably toward our doom. [Goodreads Summary]

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

From the prologue:

For a moment, the falling feels like something else entirely--like a brief, wild glimpse of freedom.

But the surface comes too soon, shattering against her skin--a pane of glass--knocking the air out of her lungs.

My thoughts: I can feel her falling and the harsh reality as she hits the water from the way Katsu describes this scene and in the text that follows. I was hooked right from the start. Who is she? What is happening? I have lots of questions!

From Chapter One:

October 1916Morninggate Asylum, Liverpool

She is not mad.

My thoughts: An interesting first sentence given the location mentioned in the chapter heading, isn't it? But then, during that time period, it was not unusual for women to be in asylums for a host of reasons, not necessarily because they were mentally ill. I continue to be all kinds of curious.

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

No one could know what had happened last night. Which meant that, once she'd managed to pull herself back up the servants' stairwell, dripping wet, she'd returned quietly to her rooms, stropped down, wrapped the soaking nightgown in a pillowcase, donned an overcoat (plain brown wool, it was an effective disguise), then sneaked back out and threw the incriminating bundle over the railing watching it disappear into the black of the night and sea.

My thoughts: I am only on chapter two so far, but peeking ahead, I came across this gem at 56% of the novel. I am not sure who this is, sneaking around, but I am very curious as to what she has been up to and what she is trying to hide.

What do you think? Does this sound like something you would like to read?

Which genre do you like the most? (submitted by Shahnila @ Untiereaders)

I hate this question. Not because it is a bad question, but because it is like asking me to name my favorite book or color. I enjoy reading a wide variety of books--and I like to mix it up to keep things interesting, but these tend to be my go to genres:

historical mysteries
cozy mysteries
romantic suspense
domestic thrillers
urban fantasy
paranormal/supernatural romance
historical fiction
heart-wrenching fiction

To make it even better? A cross-genre mix!

I mentioned to my husband how hard it is for me to pick just one favorite, and he put it better than I possibly could: "Historical mystery romance set during World War I or II." He forgot to add witches and werewolves to the mix. And maybe a dragon. In outer space.

Which genre do you like the most?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

Sunday, February 09, 2020

Weekly Mewsings: Song of Achilles & The Secret Chapter/February's TBR List Poll Winner

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by 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 The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where participants discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics.

What I Am Reading: Last night I finished reading Jennifer J. Chow's upcoming Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, a cozy mystery featuring a pet groomer trying to get her business off the ground and her super intelligent (and sassy) cat, Marshmallow. It was a fun start to a new series, I look forward to following. Early last week, I began reading an essay anthology called Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves edited by Glory Edim for those moments I have just a spot of time to read. It is so good!

Mouse and I are reading the 6th book in the Ivy + Bean series, Doomed to Dance by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall. Mouse was a bit disappointed at first that Ivy and Bean hate ballet given how much Mouse enjoys it, but I think the book has engaged her enough that she is able to look past that fact for the time being.

What I Am Watching: My family watched the first couple episodes of the new Masked Singer season. It's one of Mouse's favorites. I checked out the new 911 Lonestar television show, which is a spin off of 911, a drama about first responders. Despite the new Lonestar show being set in Austin, Texas, the opening scene of the premiere episode was filmed locally, and so I was curious how it turned out.

This morning we watched The Lion King remake--finally. It was amazingly well done, but very dark. Was the original this dark? I haven't seen that one in a while. I hated the scene in which Simba's dad dies. It was too much. My daughter left the room when I warned her it was coming up. I do not think that is a movie we will re-watch often.

Off the Blog: I have had hardly any time to get online and do any blogging or visiting other blogs. I hope to remedy that a bit this week. Show rehearsals are well under way, and cookie sales got off to a good start. Work has been busy, which is pretty much the norm this time of year.

My father was a king and the son of kings. ~ Opening of The Song of Achilles

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Ecco, 2011
Fantasy; 378 pgs
Source: Purchased

This past summer I had read a couple of reviews about The Song of Achilles and added it to my TBR pile. It was my first book finished this year, and what a book it was. Set in ancient Greece, the times of gods and heroes, the novel is narrated by a young prince, Patroclus, who has never been able to meet his father's expectations. He is exiled from his father's kingdom and sent to live and train in another court, that of King Peleus, father of Achilles. For all his awkwardness and seemingly ordinariness, Patroclus does not know why Prince Achilles, son of a king and sea goddess Thetis, would take an interest in him, but he does. Patroclus and Achilles share a special bond that only grows as they train, learning the art of war and medicine and eventually go off to war to try to save the kidnapped Helen of Sparta.

Madeline Miller's writing is exquisite and the story she weaves around the mythical Achilles and Patroclus is not only engaging, but extremely moving as well. Patroclus is easy to relate to, both compassionate and thoughtful. I felt pulled into his story and that of Achilles, their romance and their heartbreak, as well as their coming of age. It's a time in which the gods can be kind or cruel, taking sides and feel slighted and take revenge, and where the fate of humankind can be determined on a whim. Mankind is no less cruel--the things men do out of greed for riches and power, for the sake of their own egos.

I did not always like the choices Achilles made, finding him at times too big on ego, but I suppose if I had been told all my life that I was the best fighter ever (and literally was), destined to be a hero, and the son of a king and a goddess, I might act that way too. Patroclus kept him grounded. I managed to get through most of the book without tears, but the end . . . There were lots of tears.

My father took a Greek mythology class in college when I was a child, and it sparked my own interest in the subject with all the stories he would share. The Song of Achilles leads up to the events in Homer's The Illiad, a book I have yet to read, but I did read The Odyssey, which made a big impression on me. I do not think it is necessary to have much knowledge of Greek mythology or Homer's tales to read and enjoy The Song of Achilles, although it certainly wouldn't hurt and might even add to one's appreciation of her re-telling of the ancient myths.

Recommended? Absolutely! If you enjoy stories with a mix of adventure, fantasy, warfare, coming of age, and romance, give this one a try.

The Secret Chapter (The Invisible Library #6) by Genevieve Cogman

Ace, 2020
Fantasy; 346 pgs

The Invisible Library series is one of my favorites, and I was eager to dive into the latest book as soon as I could. Genevieve Cogman has crafted an intricate multi-dimensional world filled with supernatural beings, including fae and dragons, and, of course, our favorite magical Librarians. As the Library's representative lead for the treaty between the fae and dragons, Irene, knows how tenuous the situation is during its early days. When word comes that the world she spent much of her school years is in danger, she will do just about anything it takes to save it. Joined by her ever faithful companion, Kai, Irene finds herself in a very precarious position. In order to save the world she grew up in, she must steal a painting for the nefarious fae, Mr. Nemo. He's put together an unlikely team of fae and dragons, plus Irene, to carry out the heist. They all must walk a fine line of not breaching the treaty and yet stealing their prize. Not knowing their team members, Kai and Irene are not sure who to trust, and soon it becomes apparent that the theft faces quite a few obstacles. Not to mention the political aspects that come in to play to avoid breaching the treaty.

As with every book in the series, The Secret Chapter is full of nonstop action and colorful and unique characters. Irene is as clever and resourceful as ever. And I just adore Kai. With each book I feel like we get to know more about each of the main characters' backgrounds--and that of the world they live in. I am fascinated by the origins of the dragons. And I definitely want to know more about Irene's hidden past. Each book gets better and better, and I cannot wait to see where Cogman will take me next.

My thoughts on the other books in the series:

The Invisible Library (Invisible Library #1) (2015)

The Masked City (Invisible Library #2) (2016)

The Burning Page (Invisible Library #3)(2016)

The Lost Plot (Invisible Library #4) (2018)

The Mortal Word (Invisible Library, #5) (2018)

Recommended? A must read historical fantasy series--but read in order preferably. Each book builds on the one before.

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week?

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 Saturday 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).

With twenty of you weighing in, there were an equal amount of votes for both Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay. The winner, Dear Martin by Nic Stone, got double the votes! That's quite a win! Thank you again to everyone who voted. I am eager to dive into Dear Martin today, especially after hearing how much so many of you recommended it.

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.
Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack. [Goodreads Summary]

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

Tuesday, February 04, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday: Burglars Can't Be Choosers/The Unspoken Name/The Grace Kelly Dress/Pies Before Guys

The Old(er)

Burglars Can't Be Choosers (Bernie Rhodenbarr #1) by Lawrence Block (Harper Torch, 1977)

Bernie Rhodenbarr is a personable chap, a good neighbor, a passable poker player. His chosen profession, however, might not sit well with some. Bernie is a burglar, a good one, effortlessly lifting valuables from the not-so-well-protected abodes of well-to-do New Yorkers like a modern-day Robin Hood. (The poor, as Bernie would be the first to tell you, alas, have nothing worth stealing.)

He's not perfect, however; he occasionally makes mistakes. Like accepting a paid assignment from a total stranger to retrieve a particular item from a rich man's apartment. Like still being there when the cops arrive. Like having a freshly slain corpse lying in the next room, and no proof that Bernie isn't the killer.

Now he's really got his hands full, having to locate the true perpetrator while somehow eluding the police -- a dirty job indeed, but if Bernie doesn't do it, who will? [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: This is actually my husband's book, but it's also on my TBR shelf because I want to read it as well. A bit of a different hero in a mystery. Sounds like fun!

Have you read this book or tried the series? If so, what did you think? Does it sounds like something you would enjoy?

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates #1) by A.K. Larkwood

Release Date: February 11, 2020 by Tor

A. K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is a stunning debut fantasy about an orc priestess turned wizard's assassin.
What if you knew how and when you will die?
Csorwe does—she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.
But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.
But Csorwe will soon learn—gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: There's that word again. "assassin." How can I resist that? Csorwe sounds like an interesting character in a complicated position.

The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz

Release Date: March 3, 2020 by Graydon House Books

Two years after Grace Kelly’s royal wedding, her iconic dress is still all the rage in Paris—and one replica, and the secrets it carries, will inspire three generations of women to forge their own paths in life and in love.

Paris, 1958: Rose, a seamstress at a fashionable atelier, has been entrusted with sewing a Grace Kelly—look-alike gown for a wealthy bride-to-be. But when, against better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with the bride’s handsome brother, Rose must make an impossible choice, one that could put all she’s worked for at risk: love, security and of course, the dress.

Sixty years later, tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname “Rocky,” has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there’s just one problem: Rocky doesn’t want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn’t her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan’s heart. But what she doesn’t know is why Joan insists on the dress—or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother’s life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.

As the lives of these three women come together in surprising ways, the revelation of the dress’s history collides with long-buried family heartaches. And in the lead-up to Rocky’s wedding, they’ll have to confront the past before they can embrace the beautiful possibilities of the future. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I love these dual time line historical novels, this one centered around a dress. Romance, heartache, and family secrets . . . I cannot wait to dive into this one.

Pies before Guys (Pie Town Mystery #4) by Kirsten Weiss

Release Date: February 25, 2020 by Kensington

Val’s crime-solving club digs into a piping hot new case!

A poetry slam at a bakery? Why not! Even though Pie Town proprietor Val Harris would rather be spending time with her newfound half-brother, she knows her employee, Abril, is beyond excited to be hosting the event. Especially since it stars the apple pie of Abril’s eye, poet and professor Michael Starke. But the evening ends on a sour note when Professor Starke is found murdered mere moments after being accused of plagiarism.

Just like that, Pie Town is at the center of another criminal inquiry. At Abril’s request—and much to Detective Carmichael’s consternation—Val and Charlene decide to investigate Starke’s death. But the case is as tough as an overworked crust and the Baker Street Bakers are only coming up with scraps. If they don’t pinch the cultured killer soon, Pie Town’s reputation could crumble. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: A crime-solving club? A poetry slam? Pies? I haven't yet tried this series, but I do know I enjoy Kirsten Weiss's mysteries. I can't wait to read this one!

Do any of these titles interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

Linkbar

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Sunday, February 09, 2020

Tuesday, February 04, 2020