Saturday, July 02, 2022

Weekly Mews: Hanging In There (Help Me Choose My Next Read--Vote in My July TBR Poll)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  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 It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. 



Can I have a do-over for 2022? Or maybe a fast forward to a part of the year that will not suck. It has been a very trying time for my family--and for the U.S. for that matter. I admit my reading and blogging has suffered quite a bit as a result. Nothing much is holding my interest for long. I am just taking one day at a time.


Reading Now

I currently am reading Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes as well as Ever After (The Hollows, #11) by Kim Harrison. 


What are you reading right now? 

Up Next

I could use your help in choosing my next read. These three recently caught my eye as I was browsing through my e-reader. Which one do you think I should read next? 


Enchanting Sarah Greenberg
by Jennifer Inglis

Food critic Sarah Greenberg is a normal thirty-nine-year-old content with her ordinary life. In fact, the only real excitement she has is the occasional hand she lends at her family's Chicago magic shop.

Until one day when the ordinary becomes extraordinary and a simple introduction to her boyfriend's teenage daughter unearths a family trait long dormant in Sarah.

Without even trying, she can do magic.

Her newfound, though late-blooming abilities make her part of a world she never imaged and her family's long lineage of Magycians unravels Sarah's world. 

But when she discovers her family’s store is danger of being taken away by an old acquaintance named Zondra Bex, Sarah is forced to face an enemy more skilled and decades older than she.

Sarah must learn to develop her skills to protect her family from a foe that wants to wield the power embedded in the store’s location and rule the Magyckal world. But will embracing her newly discovered abilities eradicate everything she believed herself to be?

Part rom-com, part
The Dresden Files with a dash of Jewish mythology, Enchanting Sarah Greenberg is a funny, fantastical look into a woman’s struggle to find herself, believe in herself, and prove to everyone that she is extraordinary in her own way. [Goodreads Summary]


Grave Reservations
(The Booking Agents #1) by Cherie Priest

A psychic travel agent and a Seattle PD detective solve a murder in this quirky mystery in the vein of Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files and Charlaine Harris’s Aurora Teagarden series.

Meet Leda Foley: devoted friend, struggling travel agent, and inconsistent psychic. When Leda, sole proprietor of Foley's Flights of Fancy, impulsively re-books Seattle PD detective Grady Merritt’s flight, her life changes in ways she couldn’t have predicted.

After watching his original plane blow up from the safety of the airport, Grady realizes that Leda’s special abilities could help him with a cold case he just can’t crack.

Despite her scattershot premonitions, she agrees for a secret reason: her fiancé’s murder remains unsolved. Leda’s psychic abilities couldn’t help the case several years before, but she’s been honing her skills and drawing a crowd at her favorite bar’s open-mic nights, where she performs Klairvoyant Karaoke—singing whatever song comes to mind when she holds people’s personal effects. Now joined by a rag-tag group of bar patrons and pals alike, Leda and Grady set out to catch a killer—and learn how the two cases that haunt them have more in common than they ever suspected. 
[Goodreads Summary]


Bait and Witch
(Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #1) by Angela M. Sanders

Librarian Josie Way moved to small-town Oregon to lay low. Instead, thanks to newfound magic abilities—and a killer on the loose—she’s leapt out of the frying pan and into a cauldron of trouble . . .

Josie Way loved working among the Library of Congress’s leather-scented stacks—until she uncovered corruption and made herself a target. As Wilfred, Oregon’s new librarian, Josie can stay undercover until the case goes to court. But life in this little town isn’t as subdued as she expected. The library, housed in a a Victorian mansion, is slated to be bulldozed. Still digesting the news that her safe haven is about to become scrap lumber, Josie discovers a body in the woods . . .

Almost as shocking, Josie learns that she’s descended from a long line of witches—and her powers have suddenly sprung to life. With help from a spoiled alley cat who just may be her familiar, Josie’s thumbing through a catalog of suspects, hoping she can conjure a way to save her library—and her life. . .
[Goodreads Summary]



Thank you for voting! What will you be reading next?

My TBR List is 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 let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 


New to the Shelves

Mouse and I added more books to our bookshelves in June.  Let's take a look!


Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee
Hicotea (Nightlights #2) by Lorena Alvarez Gomez
Sleepless Domain - Book One: The Price of Magic Vol. 1 by Mary Cagle


Fevered Star (Between Earth and Sky, #2) by Rebecca Roanhorse
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson


Mapmakers and the Lost Magic by Cameron Chittock, illustrated by Amanda Castillo 
 The Legend of Brightblade by Ethan M. Aldridge 
 The Dream Book: A Young Person's Guide to Understanding Dreams by Patricia Garfield 
 Girl Giant and the Monkey King (Girl Giant and the Monkey King #1) by Van Hoang


Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes
Falling by T.J. Newman


Trouble with the Cursed (The Hollows, #16) by Kim Harrison
and a fitting quote from her second book in the series, The Good, the Bad and the Undead
as a dedication in her latest novel:


What new books made it onto your shelf recently? 


I hope you have a great week and month of July! Let me know what you have been reading!



© 2022, 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.

48 comments:

  1. I am in Melbourne in freezing weather (freezing in comparison to Sri Lanka). I am playing catch up with all the books I can devour from the local library. The latest books are always on loan somewhere but I am making do with so many choices available is a lot of hide and seek and lots of pleasure.

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    1. Mystica - I am glad you are in Melbourne--even if it's freezing. :-) Enjoy your reading and your time with family!

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  2. I hope things get better for you. And the US!

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  3. I voted for your next book. I hope you enjoy which ever one wins.

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    1. Mark - Thank you for voting! I don't think I can go wrong with any of those three. :-)

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  4. I agree that this year feels a bit ugh, especially with the Supreme Court rulings. I fear for our future.

    I thought Black Cake was a good read, but Falling is especially good.

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    1. Helen - It's not looking very promising . . . I am glad you enjoyed both Black Cake and Falling. I remember when Falling first came out and it got so much praise from bloggers. I really look forward to reading it.

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  5. I agree with you! The US political situation is indeed dire, what with the repeated cancellation of popular democracy and rule by majority. The rest of the world is also in trouble. I wrote a long rant about it last week:
    https://maefood.blogspot.com/2022/06/whats-wrong-with-world.html

    best... mae

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    1. Mae - It's all very concerning. It doesn't give one much hope.

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  6. It's been a rough year for my family, too. I don't think we can have a do-over, but how about starting new today? I'm hoping to try.

    I voted in your poll, but I think any of the choices would make for a good read. I am eager to hear your thoughts on Black Cake.

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    1. Deb - Unfortunately, starting over today didn't work either. Not for the last few months. Maybe tomorrow? Thank you for voting! I look forward to reading Black Cake. Hopefully I will get my reading mojo back soon.

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  7. All the books sound good, but I picked Grave Reservations.

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    1. Bonnie - Thank you for voting! I am looking forward to reading Grave Reservations. :-)

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  8. It's been quite the year for our family too... And I'm simultaneously disappointed, angry, and scared about our country's direction. At least I have hope that things for our family are looking like they're headed in the right direction. Wish I could say the same for the US.

    TBR list voting was HARD, I think I would enjoy all 3. I ended up voting for the Grave Reservations. I hope you enjoy whichever wins.

    Have a good week :)

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    1. Berls - It's all very concerning and disappointing. I am so glad Dante is starting ABA this next week and things are looking up for you. That is good news!

      Thank you for voting! :-)

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  9. I hope things get better for you soon.

    I found it very difficult to pick one of those three, they all sounded excellent!

    Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
    My post:
    https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/07/03/sunday-post-38/

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    1. Emily - Thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing which one wins. They all sound like they will be perfect for what I need right now.

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  10. You're reading some good stuff and it's great to see you here. Yes this year is still hard and politics are very bad. We have to just do what we can. I hope things are better for you with a holiday rest.

    Anne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post

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  11. Some great bookshelf additions in your stacks! I added Pandora's Jar and Falling to my list - they sound totally fascinating. I picked Grave Reservations for my voting :)
    https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/sunday-post-5

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    1. Terrie - Thank you for voting! I hope you enjoy both Pandora's Jar and Falling if you read them. I've heard good things about both.

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  12. I'm sorry 2022 has been such a hard year for you and your family. I hope everything gets better for you soon. {{{hugs}}}

    My Sunday Post

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    1. Thank you, Jenni Elyse! I hope so too. Good luck with your move!

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  13. I hope things get better for you and your family. And this country too! Very frustrating, to say the least. I voted for Bait and Witch. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my wishlist. I love witchy cozies. Take care. ♥

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    1. Diana - Thank you and thank you for voting too! Witchy cozies are my favorite. :-)

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  14. It has been a tough year. So sorry that you have had so much to be stressed about. I keep thinking that I'll get over the worry and the stress and frustrations and then something else comes along. Maybe a do-over for a couple of years for me. There have been good things, but...you know what I mean. OK, I voted for Grave Reservations because I have that one checked out of the library right now. Need to get to it soon. I've been on one of my 'library binge' times. Everything looks like something I should try. Take care, Wendy. Seriously, take care and big hugs!

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    1. Kay - I try to focus on the positive, but lately it seems like the negative is just too overwhelming at times. Thank you for voting! Grave Reservations does sound good. :-)

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  15. It has been a tough year in so many ways... sure hope things take a turn for the better soon. I just hear an interview with the author of Black Cake last night and it made me want to give the book a try. Hope the week ahead is a good one for you.

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    1. JoAnn - Thank you. I sure hope so. I've been eyeing Black Cake in the store since it came out and finally decided that must mean I should add it to my TBR pile. It does sound good.

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  16. I had to vote for Grave Reservations because I really liked that book. And I hope this week, and this month go better for you and your family. Hang in there! :D

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    1. Lark - Thank you for voting! It's been a rough week but we are hanging in there.

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  17. Yeah, it has been a less than ideal year. You are a bit ahead of me in the Kim Harrison series. I planned to read Ever After in June but life happened. I picked Bait and Witch so I hope that is a good one. I hope that you have a wonderful week, Wendy!

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    1. Carole - I hope you are able to get to Ever After soon. I am enjoying it but having a hard time focusing on any book. It's a bit frustrating. Thank you for voting!

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  18. It's been a rough week. Well, month, as you say. Taking it one day at a time is probably the best, healthiest thing to do when things are tough. I hope things get better for your family soon... and for the US, though it's harder to see how that can happen.

    Enchanting looks like so much fun! And Bait and Witch sounded entertaining, too. Light, humorous books are a great way to go when things are tough in the real world. I hope they bring you joy, or at least a few hours of smiles.

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    1. Lark - Thank you for your kind words. And thank you for voting. I think any of these three will be good to pick up and read right now.

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  19. I hear you about the US. I'm just calling it Gilead now. And I liked dead Silence- I hope you're liking it too. I feel like I haven't been to visit in ages. I hope you are well!!!

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    1. Greg - It feels like it is going in that direction, doesn't it? I am enjoying Dead Silence, although it's a bit too dark for me to read for long right now. Any other time, I would be racing through it, I'm sure.

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  20. Fellow cat lover here! And new to your lovely blog.
    It's just so overwhelming re: what's been going on in US. It just makes everything feel so stressful but I'm hoping that things will get better day by day, and wish you and your family the best 💖

    On your poll I voted for Bait and Witch, it just looks like the perfect thing to read right now. And cats.

    So happy that you have both Black Cake and Séance Tea Party on your shelves. Been meaning to read those for some time!

    Cheers and love from myself and Olivia 🐾

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    1. Sara - Thank you for visiting! It's nice to meet you and Olivia. :-) My daughter picked out Séance Tea Party last time we were at the bookstore, but I definitely plan to borrow it from her when she's done with it. It does sound good. Thank you for voting! I can't resist a book with a cat on the cover either.

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  21. We thought 2022 would be the year we were done with Covid and went back to normal but it seems like 2022 is just as full of surprises as 2020 and 2021...

    I voted for Enchanting, but mostly for the cover - all three books sound great!

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    1. Eustacia - Yes, it seems never ending sometimes. I love the cover of Enchanting Sarah Greenberg too. Thank you for voting!

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  22. I picked Grave Reservations. It sounds good to me. I hope you enjoy whatever book you read next.

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  23. It's been a tough year for everybody, especially with so many things happening right now around the world. :( I hope things get better for you and your family, Wendy. I voted for Grave Reservations as it has an interesting premise. Have a great week ahead!

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  24. I missed this post last week, Wendy. I know what you mean. I don't get in a reading slump often, but it does happen. I didn't vote this time and I am not familiar with any of the books you selected. I hope you begin to feel more like yourself and get your mojo back.

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