Weekly Mews: Christmas Loot & A Happy New Year (Vote in my January 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. As well as Book Photo Sunday, hosted by the sweet Ronyell of Rabbit Ears Book Blog in which participants post photos of their own books.

Happy New Year! I hope 2018 has gotten off a great start for you all. Mouse ended up staying up the entire night, her first time watching the ball drop at midnight. In past years, we have celebrated East Coast time (9 p.m. our time), and been well asleep by midnight. You can bet she slept in late the morning after. New Year's Eve night, we stayed up and played Just Dance, enjoyed chocolate fudge sundaes, banged our pots and pans at the stroke of midnight, and toasted in the new year with apple cranberry sparkling cider. Did you do anything special to bring in the new year?

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New to My Shelves: 

Books Mouse Received for Christmas:

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey

A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel

Hats Off to You! by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Dog On a Frog? by Kes and Claire Gray and Jim Field

Farm Animals

The Shy Little Kitten

The Poky Little Puppy

When I Grow Up: Sally Ride

Teensy Weensy Animals

Cinderella in the City

Katie Fry Private Eye: The Lost Kitten

A Unicorn Named Sparkle by Amy Young

Mama, Will I Be Yours Forever by Anna Pignataro

Ladybug Girl Says Goodnight by David Samon and Jacky Davis

Ladybug Girl Ready for Snow by David Samon and Jacky Davis

Emma is on the Air: Big News! by Ida Siegal

Nancy Clancy: Soccer Mania by Jane O'Conner, illustrated by Robin Press Glasser

Books my husband received for Christmas:

The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, 

and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, 

and Major Event in the Original Magic Kingdom by Chris Strodder

Significant Zero: Heroes, Villians, And The Fight For Art and Soul in Video Games by Walt Williams

Disney War by James B. Stewart

Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe

Book I Received For Christmas:

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

TV Series I Received For Christmas:

The Magicians, Seasons 1 & 2

Doctor Who, Season 8

Christmas Gift Card Purchases:

Bedtime for Batman by Ethen Beavers

The Thank You Book by Mo Willems

You by Sandra Magsamen

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek, illustrated by Christine Roussey

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie Dao

Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks

Recent E-Book Purchases (sale!):

Snap Judgment by Marcia Clark
The Witch's Market by Mingmei Yip

White Hot by Ilona Andrews

Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

What I Am Reading: I am racing through Betrayed by Karen E. Olson at the moment, and expect to finish this weekend. It's the third book in her Black Hat Thriller series, and it has me on the edge of my seat. I am also now all caught up for the Les Misérables read-along. I have a feeling my problem will be not jumping too far ahead given how short the chapters have been so far.

What I Am Listening To: I haven't yet jumped back into The Couple Next Door since I left off before the holidays, but I plan to do that Monday on my short commute to work. I am anxious to dive back in. It's very good so far.

What I Am Watching: This week my daughter has been in control of the television. We recently watched Radio Rebel, Labyrinth, The Great Fairy Rescue, Pirate Fairy, Secret of the Wings, and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. We have plans to see Coco today. I hear it's really good.

What I Am Worried About: My mom has her second surgery the end of this coming week. Please keep her in your prayers and thoughts.

What I Am Looking Forward To: I am also look forward to the new year, sort of. On the global front, I have big concerns, but in my personal life, I am looking forward to seeing what the new year holds. I got started on my bullet journal (bujo, I guess it's called for short?), and am looking forward to applying that to my life. I had a little too much fun putting it together, although it's nothing fancy. I used a smaller journal than I probably should have, but it was one I had handy. Do any of you bullet journal? How is it working for you?

What I Am Grateful For:  My mom's help and presence these past three weeks. My daughter's cheerful spirit. Good books and cuddles from my cat.

This Week In Reading Mews:

• Books Read in 2017
• 2017 First Sentences of Books Read
• 2017 Last Sentences of Books Read (*Spoiler Warning*)
• 2017: A Year in Review
• Tuesday Favorites: Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward to In 2018
• 2018 Witches and Witchcraft Reading Challenge
• 2018 Discussion Post Challenges & A Les Misérables Read-Along
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (Betrayed & 50/50: The Best and Worst Reads of December)

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

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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 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). 

Are you ready to help me decide what to read next? This is my third year participating in My TBR List, and I am excited to see which books you choose for me this year. All three of this month's TBR selections are on my list for the #COYER Winter Switch Challenge. I am in the mood for a fantasy novel and thought these three sounded especially good. Magic, the fae and dragons? Who can resist? How to choose?!

 Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1) by Melissa Marr

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens. 

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. 

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires. 

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. 

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale. [Goodreads Summary]

 Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.
And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything. [Goodreads Summary]

His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire #1) by Naomi Novik

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. [Goodreads Summary]

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

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

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© 2018, Wendy Runyon of 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.

Reading Challenges Wrap Up Post

Whew! I made it with just a few days left in the year to spare. For a second there I was afraid I might not make it. My final challenge of the year was the War Through the Generations: WWII Challenge hosted by Anna and Serena. I committed to reading 5 books for the challenge. My original list included four of the listed books. That's not bad considering how poorly I stuck to lists this year.

1. Zoo Station by David Downing
2. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
3. The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies
4. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The number of World War II related books out there is astronomical. I could probably devote an entire year to reading the books I own but have yet to read on the topic. Of all the wars, it is the one I seem to be the most drawn to. I liked all of the books I read for this challenge, some more than others. My only regret is that I didn't read more of a variety. My stand out favorite was The Book Thief which I nearly didn't read, except for the prompting of several fellow readers.

Thank you to Serena and Anny for hosting the War Through the Generations: WWII Challenge this year!

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If a person drops out of a challenge but completes the challenge before the deadline, can that person claim a victory? I eagerly entered Annie's What's in a Name Challenge in January of this year, confident that I could read six books, each one fitting into a specific category. By September, however, I was feeling the pressure and decided to drop several challenges, including this one. Reviewing my reading list so far this year, I discovered that I have, in fact, read a book for each category (yes, being dead is a medical condition; it's just not one a person can be cured of. )

I read the following books for this challenge:
A book with a "profession" in its title - In the Wake of the Boatman by Jonathan Scott Fuqua
A book with a "time of day" in its title - Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandell
A book with a "relative" in its title - Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
A book with a "body part" in its title - Probable Claws by Clea Simon
A book with a "building" in its title - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
A book with a "medical condition" in its title - Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn

I enjoyed each of the books I read for this challenge and would gladly read more by any of the authors. Many thanks to Annie for hosting the What's in a Name Challenge!

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All together, I signed up for 16 challenges this year. Of those 15, I completed 7 with one continuing on into the next year. Alas, it was not a year for reading challenges.

Challenges Completed:
50 Books for Our Times Project
2009 Pub Challenge
ARC Challenge
Chunkster Challenge
New Authors Challenge
War Through the Generations: WWII Challenge
What's in a Name Challenge

Incomplete Challenges:
1st in a Series Challenge - 9/12
2nds Challenge - 8/12
Buy One Book and Read It Challenge 8/12
Classic Challenge 2009 - 0/4
Cozy Mystery Challenge - 4/6
Nonfiction Challenge - 1/5
TBR Challenge - 6/12
Themed Challenge 1/4

Continuing Challenge:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge - I have read all books in the series but a recently published short story collection

[edited to add 50 Books for Our Times Project. Thanks to Florinda for the reminder!]

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of 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.

Review: Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden

One put a .45 pistol to his head and pulled the trigger. Belk heard the hammer snap and at that point didn't care. He begged them to remove the handcuffs. His hands had turned a faint blue and the pain was intense.

Finally, one of them loosed the cuffs. He was taken to another room in the basement and tied with nylon ropes hand and foot to a straight-backed wooden chair. He was untied only to eat and use the toilet. This is how he spent the Christmas holidays. [pg 266-267]

Guests of the Ayatollah, The Iran Hostage Crisis: The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam by Mark Bowden

Grove Press, 2006
Nonfiction; 704 pgs

From the back of the book: On November 4, 1979, a group of radical Islamic students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Inspired by the Ayatollah Khomeini, they hoped to stage a three-day sit-in protest of the American decision to allow the exiled shah to enter the United States for medical treatment. But these modest peaceful aims were overwhelmed by something much more sinister. The students took sixty-six Americans hostage, kept the majority of them for 444 days in a conflict that riveted and changed the world.

Mark Bowden tells the sweeping story of this watershed moment in American history, America's first showdown with Islamic fundamentalism, through the eyes of those who lived it, on both sides of the crisis.

I was six years old when Iranian students raided the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Sixty-six hostages were taken in all. The planned three day protest turned into a 444 day nightmare. I cast my very first vote (albeit unofficial) for President Jimmy Carter that following year. I vaguely remember he wasn't the popular choice, but even then I had a tendency to want to fight for the underdog. I was completely oblivious to the events that surrounded his final year in office and what would be the last straw in what turned the majority of Americans against him at the polls.

The Iran Hostage Crisis became a pivotal moment in world history, especially for the United States. Americans would take to the streets in outrage while Iranians rallied in support of their fellow countrymen for taking on "the Great Satan". Iranians had good cause to be furious with the American government who had blatantly interfered with the leadership in Iran years before, knocking aside the Iranian people's favored leader for one the Americans felt served the U.S. interests better. The American favored shah was an oppressive and cruel leader. The tyrant was eventually overthrown and forced out of the country, leaving Iran in the middle of a revolution, different factions vying for power. When the shah was admitted into the U.S. for medical treatment, it was as if the Americans were flipping the Iranians the bird.

One particular group, a group of students calling themselves Muslim Students Following the Iman's Line wanted to make a statement and plotted to take over the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The sixty-six Americans hostages were all accused of being spies. In reality, only three of the hostages were CIA agents and none of them had viable contacts within Iran, and therefore, had not really been doing any spying at all. The turmoil in the country made that next to impossible. None of the evidence uncovered during the search of the embassy and the hostages living quarters supported the students assertions that the Americans wanted to assassinate the Ayatollah or do anything other than routine foreign embassy staff weren't also doing, and yet they persisted in their beliefs and acted accordingly.

Each of the hostages responded to captivity in their own ways; some were cooperative and tried to make friends with their captors, faith grew stronger for a couple, while others became rebellious and did what they could to torment their captors in their limited capacity. There were escape attempts and attempted suicides. It was a very difficult time for the hostages. Fourteen would be let go before the 444 days were up, leaving 52. Despite denials by the student captors of torture and that the hostages were treated well, that was not always the case. The hostages discovered that many of their captors were uneducated in terms of world events and were zealots to their cause.

The American government's decision to allow the shah into the U.S. had been the catalyst that sparked the takeover, but it fed flames that had already been simmering under the surface. The challenges the U.S. government faced in dealing with the situation seemed nearly insurmountable. The demands of Ayatollah Khomeini and the students were not ones the American government wanted to meet, and yet Carter and his administration were willing to make some concessions, even against their better judgment if it meant to return of the hostages. However, the leadership in Iran was unstable and the figureheads the U.S. government were trying to work with on a diplomatic level held no real power. Going in with force would most likely result in the death of the hostages, something the Carter administration wanted to avoid.

A rescue attempt was a long shot and a last resort. If anyone could do it, it would be the newly formed Delta Force, a unit of specially trained men, the best of the best. They trained for months, looking at all possibilities. Getting into and out of Iran, and most especially the land locked Tehran, would be one of the biggest hurdles. Those assigned to the mission knew that there would likely be causalities.

Mark Bowden set out to put the stories of both the captors and the hostages together for the book, Guests of the Ayatollah, as well as those in the military and government. Readers are also offered a glimpse at the reactions and thoughts of the families of the hostages. The author does an amazing job of piecing the crisis together and does so in a way that makes it accessible to the reader. Even knowing how the situation played out, I was still caught in the suspense of the moment as I read. Keeping the hostages straight was a bit of a challenge at first, but I eventually had a clear picture of who those featured in the book were.

I selected Guests of the Ayatollah as my pick for the 50 Books for Our Times Project not just because I had a copy sitting in my TBR collection, but also because of its relevance today. Today's Iran is under the control of some of the very people who were involved with the Iran Hostage Crisis thirty years ago. When the U.S. embassy in Tehran was overtaken by those Islamic students, it put events in motion that would solidify the fundamentalists' position in power. It gave Ayatollah Khomeini and his followers the ammunition they needed to step in and take the reins.

Not all the students were happy with the result. They went into the situation full of dreams of an Islamic utopia; strike down America and gain their freedom from Western oppression. They hadn't anticipated that their actions would unleash something much darker than they ever imagined. Not everyone feels that way, however. Some still believe in the current government of Iran and find comfort in the strict religious laws and controls.

The crisis in Tehran was not just limited to Iran. The cry of the people, the anger towards America, was felt by many in the Middle East. American foreign policy had not always been on the up and up and had offended many. This was the first time America faced off with militant Islam, especially in such a public setting. It was also one of the first times that television played a vital role shaping a major historical event.

Western influence is but a part of what the growing fundamentalist Islamic movement is fighting against, however. It is steeped in ideology and tradition, fighting against the inevitable change that comes with the passing of time and a world that is becoming more interconnected and dependent on each other.

For its part, the U.S. got a wake-up call from the experience.

Despite past transgressions by the American government, the taking of the U.S. embassy in Tehran and the holding and treatment of the hostages was against the law and unethical. It was wrong, and it would come to have a negative impact on Iran in the long run. While the students and Iran celebrated a victory at the time and still try to portray it as such, more was lost than won by everyone during that crisis. The effects still reverberate today.

Earlier this year saw uprisings and protests in and outside of Iran which have not been seen in a long time. There are many people who are tired of the autocratic rule of the current ruler, Ali Khamenei, fed up with the oppression and direction their country has gone. Khamenei, just as his predecessors, uses his power to silence those who speak out against him. It is still too early to tell if the current outrage will be a catalyst for change or if, like previous attempts, it will be stamped out by those currently in power.

Guests of the Ayatollah deals with an event in history that is a defining moment for not only the United States, but also for Iran and the rest of the Middle East. Its impact is still being felt today. So, to answer My Friend Amy's question, yes, this is a book of our time.

The book is over 700 pages long and covers a lot of ground, including going into detail about the Americans' captivity. Sometimes big books like this could do with a little extra editing, but I never felt that way with this one. I have kept my review of this book relatively short and spoiler free, leaving out many great discussion points. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy reading nonfiction and who want to understand and stay on top of current events.

Rating: (Very Good)

Source: I bought this book at a Borders store in May of 2007. I purposefully waited for the paperback version to be released so I wouldn't have to tote the ginormous hardback around.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of 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.

Review: The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White

Melanie, I heard again, and I pressed the receiver closer to my ear, fighting the impulse to hang up. The voice was soft and airy and most likely female, assuming it was even human.

"Hello? Who is this?"

The black hole began to pop and crackle, erupting something vile and unholy through the telephone line. I held the phone away from me, then slammed it down. But not before I'd heard the voice again. I am coming for you, Melanie. I am coming for what is mine. [ pg 35]

The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White
New American Library, 2009
Fiction; 335 pgs

Source: Many thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for the copy of this book and the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.

Rainy days seem to be particularly perfect for a ghost story, and so what better time to dive into The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White than a stormy evening? I first met Melanie Middleton a year ago, when I read The House on Tradd Street, when she inherited an old house and met true crime author Jack Trenholm. A realist and practical minded person, Melanie tried her hardest for years to ignore the voices of the dead who were speaking to her, but events in her life have made that impossible.

Melanie finds herself in the middle of another mystery, this one involving her own family. After 33 years, the mother that abandoned her as a child has returned and is seeking to re-buy the family home. That is not all Melanie's mother is after, however. A vengeful ghost is growing more powerful and is targeting Melanie and her family. Neither Melanie nor her mother could stand up to the ghost alone, but perhaps together they might be able to. The search to uncover the identity of the ghost and the ghost's rage reveal family secrets long kept buried.

The Girl on Legare Street is the kind of book I enjoy curling up with when I am looking for something light and suspenseful. There is a lot I like about the book. The author's writing style flows smoothly and I just love the Southern setting, especially being able to step inside these grand old houses, rich in history--not to mention the ghosts. The mystery itself intrigued me as family secrets and history often do. I've long been interested in genealogy, tracing my family tree and learning about the lives of my ancestors. Melanie's ancestry is rich in the area's history and I looked forward to uncovering each clue to the family's past as the story unfolded.

Melanie is as infuriating as ever. She's extremely stubborn and there were times in the book when I wanted to shake her and tell her to get over it, especially when it came to Jack. As she did in the previous book, she continues to fight her attraction to Jack Trenholm who is finishing up his book on the mystery surrounding the house on Tradd Street and helping her with her current predicament. Melanie's had to deal with a lot in her life, having been abandoned by her mother at a young age and then living with an alcoholic father. Trust does not come easy for her nor does relinquishing control. She's worked hard to be successful in her career as a realtor and to reach the point she is at currently in her life. Underneath her tough exterior, lies a more vulnerable, softer side to Melanie. Even for the times that Melanie may grate on my nerves, I do like her. She has spunk and a good head on her shoulders--at least when it comes to things other than men. And, in the end, she does the right thing.

Melanie has all her defenses up when her mother returns to her life, but as the ghost of her grandmother has tried to tell her, "we are not what we seem", so her mother's reason for leaving all those years ago may not be as cut and dry as Melanie believes. Her mother has her own secrets. Melanie and her mother have a lot of healing to do if they are to have any sort of relationship. While Melanie's relationship with Jack never seems to go anywhere, her relationship with her mother does in fact evolve over the course of the book. I could see the subtle changes in Melanie's relationship with her mother, as well as in her mother and father's relationship, the two of them having been estranged for a number of years as well.

I enjoyed my time with The Girl on Legare Street overall, even if I quickly grew tired of the back and forth between Melanie and Jack. My interest in ghost stories has increased in the last year or so and the world Karen White has created is good for a quick fix.

Rating: (Good)


You can learn more about Karen White and her books, including The Girl on Legare Street, on the author's website. Be sure and check the TLC Book Tours website for a list of Karen White's other tour stops!

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of 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.

Review: When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge

For a small moment, I thought maybe seeing the great heron was worth it. But then I saw Pater's face as he saw me, panicked and running into camp, and I wished I could take that thought back. [pg 19]

When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge
NAL Accent, 2009
Fiction; 322 pgs
Source: Review copy provided by Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting.


The seeds of a story can come from anywhere: a conversation overheard, the sound of a train rolling by, our own life experiences or even a story heard in the news. Jennie Shortridge was inspired by the true life story of a Vietnam Veteran and his daughter who had been living in the woods for a number of years. The daughter was healthy and well-adjusted, home schooled by her father. They had lived in the wooded park for four years, living off the land. Shortridge's wonderings about their life began to spin together into what would become the novel When She Flew.

After completing When She Flew, I just had to know more about the real life father and daughter who had lived in Forest Park near Portland, if only to know they were okay. While Shortridge's story is very much her own, echoes of Frank and Ruth's story, the real life father and daughter pair, can be seen.

Ray is an Iraqi veteran, disabled and down on his luck. Unable to find work, Ray and his daughter, Lindy, take refuge in the forest of a park in Columbia, Oregon where they end up living for years. One fateful day as Lindy follows a heron, she wanders too far from home and a couple of bird watchers catch sight of her. Her quiet little world is suddenly upended.

Police Officer Jessica Villareal is one of the officers assigned to search the woods for the girl. Recent violent crimes against children have the police force on high alert. They fear for her safety and only want to ensure she is alright. Jess's interest in the girl is twofold, both as a cop and as a mother. She has always played by the rules, tried to do her best on the job and for her daughter. Approaching 40, divorced, and estranged from her daughter who has a child of her own, Jess is doubting herself, doubting the choices she has made throughout her life.

Jess and her colleagues are shocked at what they find in the forest. Ray and Lindy seem happy and strongly connected, and Jess soon realizes that separating them could be the worst thing that could happen to the pair. Her fellow officers and superior do not agree and Jess must make a choice: break up a family or risk her own career to stand up for what she believes is right?

It took me a few pages to warm up to Jess, but I saw that more as a positive than a negative--it fit the character's personality. Jess is the kind of person who does not know how to let people get close to her. On the job especially, she is the consummate professional. And yet underneath that tough exterior lies someone who is has a good heart, but is also lonely and sad. Jess has had to wear a hard shell much of her life, both as a child and as a mother. In trying to protect her daughter she only alienated her more, creating a strain that Jess longed to heal but unsure how. She feels it even more now that she has a grandchild. Her relationship with her own mother is not an easy one and has not been since the death of her father, who died when Jess was a child.

I especially liked the voice of Lindy, the 13 year old girl who had been living in the forest with her father. She seemed so innocent and yet wise beyond her years. She is perceptive and smart. Her father encourages her and loves her, and it shows. It is through her eyes that the reader understands why Lindy and her father are living in the forest and just how strong the bond is between them. My heart ached at the thought of the two of them being separated.

Ray himself is a complicated character. He is a disabled war veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. His life has not been an easy one and he bears a lot of guilt. He clearly loves his daughter and wants to do right by her. What he thinks is right, however, may not be what others think is right.

Having read and enjoyed Love and Biology and the Center of the Universe, I looked forward to reading When She Flew. And Jennie Shortridge proves yet again that she has a talent for creating characters that are real in every way but flesh. They are flawed and vulnerable and yet strong and capable. I longed for a happy ending for all the characters, hoping they would find peace. I cared about each of them that much. And I truly hated to see the novel end. Days after finishing the book, I still wonder what Ray and Lindy are up to.

It's not just the characters themselves though that draw me to Shortridge's novels. She tackles the many sides of relationships, putting them under a microscope. The parent/child relationship is one we can all relate to in some way, each of us having parents, some of us having children. Jess's struggles with her own mother mirror those she has with her daughter in some respects. The anger and blame. The self-doubts. The events in the novel prove to be a turning point in their relationships, just as it is for Ray and Lindy. My only complaint is that I wish more time could have been spent on Jess and her daughter, especially near the end. The resolution to their story seemed to come too easily. Even so, that's minor compared to my enjoyment of the book overall.

On a more social scale, When She Flew brings into light the issue of the U.S. war veterans and homelessness as well as those with disabilities and mental health issues, particularly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And what of homelessness of parents with children? Shortridge puts human faces to terms and labels we all hear so frequently in the media and our everyday lives.

When She Flew deals with heavy topics but Shortridge's writing is like sitting down with a friend for an afternoon meal. The story flows across the pages and I lost track of time as I read. The novel is both thought provoking and entertaining. Definitely worth reading.

Now to remember to set the book near my purse Monday morning so I'll remember to take it with me. I think this is one my boss will really like as well.

Rating: (Very Good)

Check out the author's website for more information about her books.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of 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.

Reviews: Prime Time & Face Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Mira, 2009
Crime Fiction; 280 pgs
Source: Book provided by Nancy Berland Public Relations, Inc. for review.
Rating: (Very Good)


Journalism in its written form has always interested me. Maybe I feel a kinship still from my days of working on the middle school newspaper or when I was a part-time receptionist for a small town newspaper one summer during college (it was my favorite job right after working in the university library). Some of my favorite crime fiction authors were journalists, Michael Connelly and Karen E. Olson, for example. And so when I was offered the opportunity to try television's investigative reporter Hank Ryan Phillippi's series, I admit to being more than curious. Going into the series, I honestly did not know much about what went on behind the scenes of a local news station. I couldn't wait to find out--even if it was through fiction.

Between the hot flashes, the hangover and all the spam on my computer, there's no way I'll get anything done before eight o'clock this morning. I came in early to get ahead and already I'm behind. [pg 7, Prime Time]

Charlie McNally is a 46 year old award winning investigative reporter in Boston. In a career where your face and age can mean everything, Charlie has to prove herself at every turn in an already extremely competitive field. Once she has caught the scent of a good story she is dogged in her research and will risk life and limb to get it. She has a top notch producer by her side who is with her at every turn.

In Prime Time, Charlie must come up with a big story for November sweeps or risk losing her job to someone younger who they only have to pay half as much. A possible story falls into their laps when a widow agrees to do an interview with the news station after news of her missing husband's death comes out. It isn't until that interview that Charlie learns the deceased had sent her an e-mail seeking her help before his death. Two other people received the same e-mail, a private school literature teacher and another man who no one seems to know. Meanwhile, Charlie begins looking closer at the spam that is filling her e-mail in-box. Some of the spam is different than the rest. The further Charlie gets in her investigation, the more it looks like something shady is going on in the corporate world--and it involves a lot of money and possibly murder.

The author takes the reader behind the scenes of the news stations: touching on the deadlines, station politics, and the attempt to balance ratings with journalism. Charlie knows some of the assignments she is given can be exploitative, but it is clear that Charlie has integrity. I loved reading about Franklin and Charlie in action as they put what seemed like random information together and began piecing it together. The final outcome was satisfying.

Prime Time gets Ryan's series off to a running start. It is an entertaining and a quick read. Charlie's sense of humor adds to the levity of the crime at hand and a little romance completes the package.

Author Hank Phillippi Ryan picks up again with Charlotte McNally in Face Time. Summer sweeps are fast approaching and Charlie and her producer Franklin think they may have their next big story. A woman who confessed to killing her husband three years before may actually be innocent. New evidence uncovered suggests as much; however, Charlie has her work cut out for her when the woman she is trying to get out of prison is not willing to cooperate with her investigation. What does she have to hide? Is she trying to protect her daughter who had been the only other one in the home at the time of murder? Adding to that complication is the fact that the prosecuting attorney, now the Attorney General, who put the woman behind bars is running for governor. If it comes to light that his investigation was at all corrupted, it could mean the end of his political career. Charlie's curiosity and determination to get her story earn her as many enemies as it does friends. The more she digs, the more bodies turn up, and it looks like Charlie herself may be a target.

It's statistically impossible that my mother is always right, so why doesn't she seem to know it? [pg 7, Face Time]

As an aside to the main story line involving the murder investigation, the author also touches on the topic of mother/daughter relationships. Charlie has a good but sometimes strained relationship with her mother who never seems quite satisfied with her daughter's lifestyle. She finds that looking at her own relationship with her mother can be helpful to her investigation of the story, trying to understand the dynamics between the mother who is had been convicted of murdering her husband and the daughter. In a different kind of mother/daughter relationship, Charlie meets her boyfriend's 8-year-old daughter for the first time. Finding a way to connect to the girl proves to be a bit of a challenge.

In the second novel in the series, Charlie continues to struggle with the fact that she is getting older in a job where being young is an asset. Her mother has just had cosmetic surgery and Charlie wonders if perhaps she should too. The author paints a realistic impression of what it must be like for women in the television field.

I wasn't as enamored with Face Time as I was with the first book in the series, perhaps because the story was a tad predictable. That said, there are still enough twists that kept me on my toes, and I enjoyed getting to know Charlie even more. I just love Franklin and do hope to see more of him in the books to come.

Both Prime Time and Face Time can be read as stand alones or as a series. Prime Time offers more of a introduction to the main characters and their relationships than Face Time, and so it might be a good idea to start there if you are a reader who likes to follow the character back-stories in chronological order. However, the author did a very good job of not revealing the mystery from the first book in the second (it was touched on, but in vague terms), so if you are concerned about spoilers, don't be.


Face Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Mira, 2009
Crime Fiction; 280 pgs
Source: Book provided by Nancy Berland Public Relations, Inc. for review.
Rating: (Good +)

Stay tuned because I will be reviewing Air Time and Drive Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan!

Check out the author's website for more information about her books.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of 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 Salon: The One in Which I Quit a Few Challenges

It is one of those mornings that feels and looks too nice to stay indoors. The sun is shining bright in a deep blue sky, only one or two small clouds in sight. It's not even 70F degrees out. Perhaps this means the 100 degree weather is behind us for now. I won't count it out yet. Summer has a tendency to fight to stay until the very end in Southern California. She does not give up easily.

I received the questions from my BBAW interview partner this weekend and am hoping to spend some time today answering those. I did not get the chance to work on my blog like I had planned yesterday, and so I may do that today as well. It goes without saying that I hope to visit many of your lovely blogs today.

My reading has fallen into its predictable pace, which means I have not been reading nearly as much as I would like. Those snatches of time when I read seem to be few and far between. I currently am reading Ru Freeman's A Disobedient Girl. The novel, set in Sri Lanka, follows the lives of two very different women, Biso and Latha. It has been described as both a "beautiful and hearbreaking novel." I hope to step into Biso and Latha's lives more today, perhaps making more headway than I have been able to so far.

The setting of Freeman's novel is what first made me decide to read it. I am drawn to books set in foreign locales, especially ones I do not know much about. Sri Lanka stands out for me for another reason as well. I once had a pen pal from Sri Lanka. He was actually living in Saudi Arabia at the time I wrote to him, but he often wrote about his home and family in Sri Lanka. I wish now I had held onto those letters.

It is quite a coincidence that Carrie from Books and Movies would post about her decision to drop out of a few of her challenges this week. She weighed whether she would be able to complete certain challenges by the end of the year versus her current reading obligations and decided to drop three challenges. For about a month now, I have been considering the same thing for the very same reason. In fact, I was trying to decide if I wanted to make a big announcement or go out quietly.

Last year I made the decision to stay in the challenges I knew I would not complete on the off chance that I might anyway. This time I am going to go ahead and drop out early. Looking over the numbers, there are a few challenges I keep telling myself I might be able to slip a few more books in. But am I really being honest with myself or is it wishful thinking? After going back and forth with myself, I am dropping out of the majority of the challenges I am in, hanging on to only two which I have not yet completed. This was not an easy decision to make. I hate giving up on anything. At the same time, it will be one less obligation on my plate. And right now, that's the priority.

I do not feel guilt about dropping out of the challenges. They are meant to be fun. Sometimes our reading has a mind of its own and takes us in directions other than where we originally intended to go. I appreciate all the hard work the challenge hosts put into their challenges and wish all of the participants the best of luck.

(Note: I am behind on posting reviews and updating lists. While the below numbers are accurate to my knowledge, it may not be reflected in my sidebar or on the challenge posts themselves as of yet.)

Challenges I Am Saying Goodbye To:
What's in a Name Challenge - 3/6
Themed Challenge 1/4 (deadline passed)
TBR Challenge - 4/12
Classic Challenge 2009 - 0/4
Cozy Mystery Challenge - 4/6
Nonfiction Challenge - 1/5
1st in a Series Challenge - 6/12
2nds Challenge - 3/12
Buy One Book and Read It Challenge 5/12

Challenges Continuing or Completed:
War Through the Generations: WWII Challenge - 3/5
Chunkster Challenge - 2/3
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge - Technically I have completed this one. I am keeping this open, however, in case the author publishes a new book in the series before the challenge deadline.
Herding Cats II - I met the minimum requirement for this one--the pre-challenge phase, which is all that was required.
2009 Pub Challenge - Completed (update and summary pending)
ARC Challenge - Completed 1st & 2nd tier (update and summary pending)
New Authors Challenge - Completed (update and summary pending)


This Week In Reading Mews:

Reviews Posted:
The Promised World by Lisa Tucker (Interview with Author)
The Glass Devil by Helene Tursten

Currently Reading:
A Disobedient Wife by Ru Freeman

New Additions to my TBR collection (over last few weeks) :
Ritual by Mo Hayder (giveaway win ~ many thanks to Melody of Melody's Reading Corner)
Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran (from the author for review)
The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl (TLC Book Tour)
Hardball by Sara Paretsky (from the publisher for review)
Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan (from publicist for review)
Face Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan (from publicist for review)
Air Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan (from publicist for review)
Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein (bought at discount table at B&N)
Into That Darkness by Gitta Sereny (recommended by Sandy Nawrot of You've GOTTA Read This!)
The Impostor's Daughter by Laurie Sandell (giveaway win ~ many thanks to Suzanne from Chick with Books)

Other Posts of Interest This Week:
Monday at the Movies: District 9 & A Bit of the Outdoors
Random Fun. Not So Bookish Thoughts. Well, Mostly Not.

Coming Attractions:
At the Movies: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Review of Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same by Mattox Roesch
Guest Post by Author Clea Simon: In Defense of Leisurely Lit
Review of Shades of Grey by Clea Simon

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of 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.

Review: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

We have been lost to each other for so long.
My name means nothing to you. My memory is dust. [except from prologue]


The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Picador, 1997
Fiction (Historical); 321 pgs


Synopsis from the Publisher:

Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood—the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah—the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.

Occasionally I come across a book I know I will read again. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is one such book.

I admit I was really hung up on the whole "biblical" side of the story before beginning my reading, and that was a bit off putting. As much as I love to explore religions of all kinds and their histories, reading a book about biblical figures isn’t exactly my cup of tea. Even with the reassurances of friends and fellow bloggers that I had nothing to worry about, I still hesitated. I dragged my feet and even considered not reading it just yet. But I voted for the book in a group read and it would not look very good if I did not at least give it a try. And, of course, just like everyone said, I had nothing to worry about.

I loved the prologue. It is one of those that grabbed my attention from the very first moment. I was sure I would love the book. As I continued on, however, I became disillusioned. The story itself was interesting, including the history of Dinah’s family, in particular that of her mothers and how they came to be with her father, Jacob. It was written in the style of a story being told to the next generation—the exact atmosphere the author was most likely hoping to achieve. And yet, I found my attention wandering. I wanted to be a part of the story, rather than just having it told to me (I blame that more on my mood than on the book itself). Not to mention I wanted to get to know Dinah. Her family history was interesting and all, but I wanted to know more about Dinah.

I can pinpoint the exact moment when the book completely won be over—when I knew I might end up loving it after all. It was about page 161 when Dinah was left behind by her family to serve her grandmother, Rebecca, in Mamre.

Despite my reservations about the biblical aspects of the novel, I couldn't help but think of the Bible stories I was raised on as I read; and I wish I'd remembered them a little more clearly. Throughout the early part of the novel, I repeatedly flipped back to the family tree at the beginning of the book, making sure I remembered who belonged to who and how they were all connected.

What drew me most to the story was the strength of the women and the joy and care they took in their traditions and beliefs. Even though they lived in a patriarchal society, their rituals and traditions were empowering. It was a time when a girl becoming a woman was celebrated; whereas the day would eventually come when it was something to hide and be seen as a curse. There was one moment in the novel in which Jacob learns of the women’s rituals surrounding a girl’s first menses. He becomes angry and violent. I couldn’t help but feel very sad at that point. It was a foreshadowing of what would come—not in the book so much, but in reality—such traditions eventually died out in many cultures and were no longer reveled in. Just as how the stories, once passed down from mother to daughter, seemingly became the realm of men. Or at least, their stories became the ones heard and repeated most often.

Dinah had a relatively happy childhood, but her adulthood was a difficult one, no thanks to two of her brothers. I most enjoyed the time we spent in Egypt together, although it was not always the happiest of times. It was during the second half of the book that I really felt I got to know Dinah, and became a part of her world. I cried with her and took joy in the happy moments. She truly is an admirable character and I am glad I got the chance to know her in The Red Tent.

The Red Tent reminded me a bit of one of my favorite novels: Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon. The two are very different books, of course, but they both feature strong female characters and touch on similar issues that women faced in our history as well as on a spiritual level.

By the time I finished the last chapter of the book, I felt satisfied. There is so much more I could say about this book. It is full of nuances I have not even begun to touch here. Even with those moments when I doubted the book would live up to my expectations, I can truly say this is a book well worth reading.

Rating: (Very Good)

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: 2nds Challenge

To learn more about the author, Anita Diamant, and her books, visit her website.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.