2021 Challenge Wrap Up

I was feeling quite ambitious at the start of the year and signed up for five challenges. This post summarizes how I fared. Unfortunately, I am behind in posting reviews and so did not quite meet that commitment for each of these challenges. Any missing reviews will be posted in the near future. 

I knew before 2020 was over that I wanted to take part in a historical fiction challenge, and so when I saw mention of the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Marg, the The Intrepid Reader I knew I had to jump on board. As with many of my other challenges, this one was quite broad in the types of books I could read for it, which is always good for a mood reader like me. I signed up to do the Victorian level which meant reading five (5) historical fiction books, but changed it mid-year to the Medieval level, committing to read fifteen (15) historical fiction books.  Here is my list of the books I read for the challenge: 

1. The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

2. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder (#1) by T.A. Willberg

3. The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose #3) by Charlaine Harris

4. The Arrangement (Plainclothes Tootsie #1) by M. Ravenel

5. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner*

6. The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba (Cuba Saga #4) by Chanel Cleeton

7. A Peculiar Combination (Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver*

8. Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng

9. Murder in the East End (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #4) by Jennifer Ashley*

10. Death at the Crystal Palace (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #5) by Jennifer Ashley*

11. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

12. The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke (2021)*

13. The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women by Nancy Marie Brown*

14. Down a Dark River (Inspector Corravan #1 by Karen Odden*

15. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson*

I also took part in the 2021 Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Shelleyrae of Book'd Out. I enjoy nonfiction, but sometimes need a little extra push to read it. I signed up for the Nonfiction Nibbler level and planned to read six (6) nonfiction books over the course of the year. I admit it was a bit of a struggle , especially as a mood reader who found it easier to pick up a fiction book to read. I am slowly making my way through one book in particular I had hoped to read for this challenge before the end of the year but have a feeling I will be carrying it into the new year with me. I was still able to fit another one in though just in time.

1. Becoming by Michelle Obama*

2. Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind by Sue Black*

3. I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel*

4. The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women by Nancy Marie Brown*

5. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson*

6. Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson*

I upped the ante a bit with the 2021 Poetry Challenge hosted by Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit this year with a goal to read three (3) books of poetry, which I raised to seven (7) mid-year. Although it isn't a part of the challenge, I also was hoping to put my subscription to Poetry Magazine to use by sharing about some of the stand out poems I discovered there. I did not quite manage the second part, but I feel satisfied with the books I did read. What I read:

1. What Mothers Withhold by Elizabeth Kropf

2. Passiflora by Kathy Davis

3. From the Inside: The Inner Soul of a Young Poet by Thanvi Voruganti

4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo*

5. Anything That Happens by Cheryl Wilder

6. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson*

7. Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson*

This year's Clean Out Your E-Reader Challenge (COYER) hosted by Michelle and Berls of Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life was a year long challenge, although divided into seasons and also included a community component. 

The Winter COYER Challenge (January & February) followed the more strict COYER rules: for books to count toward the challenge, they had to be in electronic format (e-books or audiobooks). Books read had to be free or nearly free. This included review books and books under $2 (audiobooks under $5). My goal was to read four (4) books for Winter COYER:

1. One by One by Ruth Ware

2. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder (#1) by T.A. Willberg

3. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

4. A Glimmer of Death (#1) by Valerie Wilson Wesley

5. The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose #3) by Charlaine Harris

6 The Wedding Date (The Wedding Date #1) by Jasmine Guillory

7. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

The Spring COYER Challenge (March - June) had similar rules to the Winter COYER, only not only did e-books and audiobooks count, but also physical books. My goal was to read twelve (12) books for Spring COYER: 

 

1. The Gilded Ones (Deathless #1) by Namina Forna

2. The Arrangement (Plainclothes Tootsie #1) by M. Ravenel

3. The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville

4. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner*

5. Arsenic and Adobo  (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1) by Mia P. Manansala 

6. The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba (Cuba Saga #4) by Chanel Cleeton

7. The Borrow a Bookshop Holiday by Kiley Dunbar*

8. Shadowed Steel (Heirs of Chicagoland #3) by Chloe Neill

9. Angel of the Overpass (Ghost Roads #3) by Seanan McGuire

10. Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

11. A Peculiar Combination (Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver*

12. Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng

13.  Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind by Sue Black*

14.  Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (The Rajes #1) by Sonali Dev*

15. The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley*

16. Murder in the East End (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #4) by Jennifer Ashley*

The Summer COYER Challenge (July through September) took a more relaxed, anything goes approach. I decided against making a numeric goal this time around and instead decided to give myself plenty of wiggle room and not set any hard and fast rules. My plan was to continue clearing out some of the books on my e-reader, including ARCs, catch up on a couple of favorite series, and read at least three nonfiction books. Mostly, I wanted to have fun with my reading. In the end I did not read any nonfiction books sadly, but I did fit in some ARC and series reading. That has to count for something, right? 

1.  Death at the Crystal Palace (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #5) by Jennifer Ashley*

2. I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel*

3. The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine*

4. Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Rosselle Lim*

5. A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows #4) by Kim Harrison*

6. Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge*

7. Be My Ghost (A Haunted Haven Mystery #1) by Carol J. Perry*

8. For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5) by Kim Harrison*

9. Witches Get Stitches (Stay a Spell #3) by Juliette Cross*

10. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

The Fall COYER Challenge (October through December) brought a tightening of the rules--but just a bit. Format and price did not matter but the books had to fall into the Scavenger Hunt List categories (unlimited books per category). My goal was to read five books that met the scavenger hunt list requirements. I think I did well with this one.

1. A Spindle Splintered (Fractured Fables #1) by Alix E. Harrow* ~ 7. Retells a fairytale or 19. a book by an author I previously gave 5 stars

2. The Ex Hex (#1) by Erin Sterling* ~ 4. Cartoonish Cover

3. Cackle by Rachel Harrison* ~ 22. One word title

4. The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6) by Kim Harrison* ~ 28. Strong female protagonist

5.  The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women by Nancy Marie Brown ~ 17. Nonfiction

6. Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings (Mrs. Claus #1) by Liz Ireland ~ 6. Christmas theme

7. Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 4  by Kamome Shrahama & Stephen Kohler, translator* ~ 10. Manga

8. Down a Dark River (Inspector Corravan #1 by Karen Odden* ~ 15. book with a male protagonist

9. Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson* ~ 36. An author with three names

I added the Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge hosted by Carol of Carol's Notebook at the last minute because I had to sign up for a mystery challenge if I was participating in reading challenges for the year. I took on the Amateur Sleuth level, reading between 5 to 15 mysteries and upped the stakes mid-year to the Detective level, to read between 16 to 25 mysteries. I liked that the challenge allowed for a broad range of subgenres.

1. One by One by Ruth Ware 

2. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder (#1) by T.A. Willberg

3. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

4.A Glimmer of Death (#1) by Valerie Wilson Wesley

5. The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose #3) by Charlaine Harris

6. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins 

7. The Arrangement (Plainclothes Tootsie #1) by M. Ravenel

8. Arsenic and Adobo  (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1) by Mia P. Manansala

9. Shadowed Steel (Heirs of Chicagoland #3) by Chloe Neill*

10. Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

11. A Peculiar Combination (Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver*

13. Murder in the East End (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #4) by Jennifer Ashley*

14. Death at the Crystal Palace (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #5) by Jennifer Ashley*

15. The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine*

16. Be My Ghost (A Haunted Haven Mystery #1) by Carol J. Perry*

17. The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows #2) by Kim Harrison*

18. Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows #3) by Kim Harrison*

19. A Fistful of Charms (The Hollows #4) by Kim Harrison*

20. For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5) by Kim Harrison*

21. The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows #6) by Kim Harrison*

22. The Lighthouse Witches C.J. Cooke*

23. In the Company of Witches (Evenfall Witches B&B #1) by Auralee Wallace*

24. Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings (Mrs. Claus #1) by Liz Ireland*

25. Down a Dark River (Inspector Corravan #1) by Karen Odden*

Did you have any reading goals this year? What reading challenges did you take on? How did you fare?  

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© 2021, 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.

Weekly Mews: Is It October Already? (Please Vote in October's TBR List 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.

As part of my monthly wrap up, I am linking up to Nicole of Feed Your Addiction's Monthly Wrap-Up Post and Stacking the Shelves hosted by and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. 

In reading . . . 

Then

I recently finished reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, about three women working at Bletchley Park during World War II, which was really good. I found myself doing a little research as I was reading, matching truth with fiction--out of pure curiosity (and not for spoilers as my husband claims).

Now

I have made more headway with Nancy Marie Brown's The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women. It has been slow going, but I am finding it interesting. I just started reading The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling, which I have heard is laugh out loud funny. I could use that right about now! 

Next

I am really looking forward to reading Alix E. Harrow's The Spindle Splintered, the first in her Fractured Fables series, and think I will be picking that up next. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by the same author is one of my favorite books. 

What I Have Been Watching

More Grimm. I am in the middle of season 4 now. I was not sure I liked the direction the show has taken early in the season, but it's growing on me. Rosalee remains my favorite character. New Amsterdam and The Masked Singer are both back and so my family and I have been keeping up with those shows via Hulu. Just one more episode of Ted Lasso to go this season. It's such a good show. 

Off the Blog

I still cannot quite believe it is October already. I think my brain is still back in September. My family and I seem to have found our fall rhythm more or less. Mouse and I both had dentist appointments recently and I am in the process of having a crown replaced. My TMJ Syndrome has flared up again and that on top of a 10 year old crown did not go together well, I guess. Mouse got to train under a visiting master ballet instructor this past week at her studio, and he gave them quite the workout. Nutcracker rehearsals are going well. My work is as busy as ever--even busier, really. We have had quite a few people absent due to illness, which has only increased everyone else's workload. The weather has been up and down. We had a really pleasant week and now the heat is back. I am already seeing Halloween decorations going up in the neighborhood. I do love the autumn season. 

 Surprise flowers from my husband celebrating the 

30th anniversary of when we became a couple. 

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

New to the Shelves

Recent e-book purchase with reward points: 

The Last Graduate (The Scolomance #2) by Naomi Novik

Recent bookstore purchases (thanks, Mom, for the gift card!): 

The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Have you read any of these books? What books did you add to your TBR this past month? 

Monthly Wrap Up

Here is what I finished reading in September:

• For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5) by Kim Harrison
• Witches Get Stitches (Stay a Spell #3) by Juliette Cross
• The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

After my blogging break in August, I have been easing back in. My new work schedule does not allow for much time for myself, which means my blogging time has been impacted. It is a work in progress. My reading suffered this month too. I have not had the best of luck focusing long on a book.

How did your September shape up? Do you have a favorite among the books you read?

Challenge Progress:

•  Historical Fiction Reading Challenge ~ 11/15
• Nonfiction Reader Challenge ~ 3/6    
• Poetry Challenge ~ 5/7     
• Summer COYER ~ See Below
• Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge ~ 20/20

The Summer COYER Challenge is where everything goes, with no limits and no conditions. I did not set a numeric goal, although I did hope to read more nonfiction during that time, as well as continue to try to catch up on some of my series and ARC reading. While I did not read nearly as much as I would have liked, I did not fare too badly. I just wish I had done better with the nonfiction part.

• Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross
• The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
• Death at the Crystal Palance (Kat Holloway Below Stairs #5) by Jennifer Ashley
• I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel
• The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine
• Vanessa's Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Rosselle Lim
• A Fist Full of Charms (The Hollows #4 by Kim Harrison
• Strange Beasts in China by Yan Ge
• Be My Ghost (A Haunted Haven Mystery #1) by Carol J. Perry
• For a Few Demons More (The Hollows #5 by Kim Harrison

With October comes the start of the Fall COYER Challenge (October through December). In this challenge, the rules are tightening back up a bit. Format and price do not matter but the books have to meet one of the Scavenger Hunt List categories (unlimited books per category). My goal is to read five books that met the scavenger hunt list requirements. Looking over the categories, I do not think that will be too hard. The goal, as always, is to have fun with my reading. 

For those participating in reading challenges this year, how you are doing? Are there any challenges you are struggling with? Which ones are you doing well in?

Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read 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 take a poll as to which you think I should read. I will read the winner that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

October always puts me in the mood for witchy reads (okay, so I am always in the mood for witchy reads) and these three are on my immediate TBR pile. Help me choose, please! They all sound so good! 

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

Two sisters go missing on a remote Scottish island. Twenty years later, one is found--but she's still the same age as when she disappeared. The secrets of witches have reached across the centuries in this chilling Gothic thriller from the author of the acclaimed The Nesting.

When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it's an opportunity to start over with her three daughters--Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.

Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers--except she's still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she'll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn't realize just how much the truth will change her. [Goodreads Summary]

In the Company of Witches (Evenfall Witches B&B #1) by Auralee Wallace

When a guest dies in the B&B she helps her aunts run, a young witch must rely on some good old-fashioned investigating to clear her aunt's name in this magical and charming new cozy mystery.

For four hundred years, the Warren witches have used their magic to quietly help the citizens of the sleepy New England town of Evenfall thrive. There's never been a problem they couldn't handle. But then Constance Graves--a local known for being argumentative and demanding--dies while staying at the bed and breakfast Brynn Warren maintains with her aunts. At first, it seems like an accident...but it soon becomes clear that there's something more sinister at work, and Aunt Nora is shaping up to be the prime suspect.

There's nothing Brynn wants more than to prove Nora's innocence, and it hurts her to know that even two years ago that might have been easier. Brynn, after all, is a witch of the dead--a witch who can commune with ghosts. Ghosts never remember much about their deaths, but Constance might remember something about her life that would help crack the case. But Brynn hasn't used her powers since her husband died, and isn't even sure she still can. Brynn will just have to hope that her aunts' magic and her own investigative skills will lead her to answers--and maybe back to the gift she once thought herself ready to give up forever. [Goodreads Summary]

Cackle by Rachel Harrison

All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.

Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she?[Goodreads Summary]

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

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© 2021, 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.

Bookish Mewsings: Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng / The Memory Collectors by Kate Neville

The train that was delivering Junie to Trout River was just pulling out of the station and gathering speed, and already the compartment was filling up with cigarette smoke and the gregarious sound of sunflower seeds being cracked open. [opening of Swimming Back to Trout River]

Swimming Back to Trout River by Linda Rui Feng
Simon & Schuster, 2011
Fiction/Historical; 271 pgs
Source: Complimentary copy of the novel provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Swimming Back to Trout River opens with Cassia and her five year old daughter Junie traveling to Trout River where Junie will live with her paternal grandparents. Junie settles into life there, and, when learning at age 10 that her father plans to return for her, Junie despairs at the idea of leaving her grandparents and the only home she remembers. Momo, Junie's father, dreams of the day he can reunite his family, both his daughter and estranged wife, and give his daughter a better life than she could have in China.

The author then takes the reader back in time, introducing Junie's parents, Cassia and Momo, more fully, as well as Momo's university friend Dawn. We get a glimpse into their childhoods and also how they met and what life was like for them during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, including the violence and oppression by the Red Guard, which changed all three of their lives irrevocably. They each faced hardships and heartbreak that would continue to impact them for years to come.

Dawn was the one who introduced Momo to the magic and power of music during their university years. The two had a falling out over the course their lives should take, but their love for music would stay with them always. Music is a theme that runs throughout the novel, whether it be a violin concerto or the melodic sounds of every day background noise. Cassia appears later in Momo's life, when he is working as an engineer and she a nurse. He falls for her right away, she more reluctantly. They give birth to a beautiful daughter, a daughter without legs, who they name Junie.

As Junie is being raised by her grandparents in China during the 1980's, riding on a wooden horse with wheels and ever curious about everything around her, the reader finds Dawn, Momo and Cassia in the United States, trying to make their own ways in the world. The author brings us a novel with hope at its center, amidst grief and loss, pain and suffering. The relationships between the characters as well as with themselves are central to the novel. It wasn't surprising to learn the author Linda Rui Feng is also a poet. Her writing is beautiful. 

The novel got off to a slow start for me, admittedly, but I was soon lost in the lives of the characters and felt a part of their world. While Junie's story is an integral part of the novel, I was most drawn to her parents' story and that of Dawn's during the time of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. I felt for each of them at various parts in the novel, angry on their behalf and wishing and wanting more for each of them while hoping for the best--that they would find their peace. I wanted that so much for each of them. There is a twist near the end that has left me a bit unsettled. I wish the author had gone in another direction, but it is her story to tell, not mine. Overall, I found Swimming Back to Trout River a worthwhile read. If you are prone to crying like I am, have a box of tissue handy. 

Challenges Met: 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge & Spring COYER Challenge 

*                         *                         *

The air beneath Evelyn's paper mask is hot and damp, and even though a shaft of sunlight from the open barn door reveals sawdust swirling in the air, she pulls the mask up to her forehead and allows herself a breath of cool air.  ~ Opening of The Memory Collectors

The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville
Atria Books, 2021
Fiction/Magical Realism; 400 pgs

Source: Complimentary copy of the novel provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Imagine being able to hold an object and feel the emotions left behind by its previous owner. That is what it is like for Ev and Harriet. Ev has always felt this ability was a curse. It could destroy lives. As a result, she prefers to live without many belongings around her, moves frequently, and when searching for items to sell at Vancouver's Chinatown market, she will only sell items that give off positive or neutral emotions, not wanting to out any more negativity out there than already exists. She knows all too well what that negativity can do and how much it can hurt. While Ev is still at the beginning of her life, Harriet is at the end. She too can feel the emotions of the objects she collects, but instead of letting go, she holds onto them. Her apartment is full, her neighbors getting sick from the overabundance of emotions leaking from Harriet's home. 

When Harriet meets Ev, she knows the time has come to see her dream realized. Although reluctant, Ev agrees to help, desperate for money, and hoping Harriet might help her learn to control her ability better. The two women set out to create a museum of memory, one in which visitors will find their emotional wounds healed. When Ev's sister enters the picture, the fragile balance the two women have found begins to shift and they are all forced to face the past as old secrets come back to haunt them. 

While not a fast-paced read, more the type of book a reader will want to take their time to read and savor, I did find it hard to put down once I got into it. Both Ev and Harriet are clearly in pain, lonely souls, trying to survive in a world that often overwhelms them. Ev has a lot of edges and given her past, it is understandable. She and her sister grew up in foster care and because of her gift, Ev does not like to get close to anyone. Harriet has her own secrets she's kept buried and at the same time is very needy. It makes the two women's relationship contentious at times. While I never fully connected with either Ev or Harriet, I still felt for and rooted for them. My favorite character of all was Owen. I liked him instantly and continued to throughout the novel. He and Ev had built a sort of friendship since they were both scavengers. He is also an artist and I love that Harriet took him in to help with her project. He seems to bring a balance between Ev and Harriet. 

The Memory Collectors was not quite the book I expected it to be. The relationships between the characters play an important part, of course, but there is also mystery that I had not expected--at least not as it played out. Both Ev and Harriet need each other to help the other learn how to come to terms with and control their abilities. As Ev had learned as a child, the gift could be a dangerous thing. 

I liked the concept behind Ev and Harriet's ability to sense emotion of objects. It plays nicely into Marie Kondo's notion of throwing out items that don't bring a person joy on the surface of it. I couldn't help but think of my mom's last visit when we were talking about downsizing and what my brother and I might like to have of hers. We talked about how those items that hold memories are the most valuable to us. And memories are closely wrapped in feeling.  After finishing The Memory Collectors, I found myself holding certain items I picked up a little longer just to see if I could pick up any feelings from them. 

Challenge Met: Spring COYER Challenge

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© 2021, 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.

Bookish Mewsings: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

It is the absolute shittiest day for a walk. ~ Opening of The Wife Upstairs

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

St. Martin's Press, 2021

Crime Fiction/Thriller; 304 pgs

Source: NetGalley

This novel was every bit the enjoyable read as everyone told me it would be. It was the winner of my February 2021 poll, and it did not disappoint. Touted as a modern Jane Eyre re-telling with a twist, The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins certainly has several parallels to the original Charlotte Bronte novel, but it is also a very different novel that stands well on its own--so you don't have to be a fan or to have read the Classic to appreciate and enjoy The Wife Upstairs. 

Jane Bell grew up in foster care and is trying to escape her past. She has a plan and she is determined to do what it takes to get what she wants. She has found her way into the Thornfield Estates in Alabama, a wealthy gated community, where she walks dogs for the bored housewives who have better things to do--like shop and plan charity events. No one notices the little things that disappear when Jane is around--an earring here or there, perhaps a watch or a bracelet. And no one ever questions whether Jane is who she says she is. 

Jane finds exactly what she is looking for when she runs into the recently widowed Eddie Rochester--or rather, he almost runs into her with his car. Eddie is everything Jane wants. Rich, single, and available. The two hit it off immediately and one thing leads to another. Jane's plan is working perfectly. But she is haunted by the memory of Bea, Eddie's wife, who seemed almost too good to be true, a rags to riches story, well-liked and well-loved. And then there are the questions surrounding her disappearance and death. She and her friend had died in a boating accident. It was an accident, right? 

I know I am not supposed to like any of the characters--they all are rather pretentious and self-centered, but I could not help but like Jane. Perhaps it was sympathy for all she'd been through as a child, but I also liked her grit and perseverance. There was a naivety about her, just the same. Especially when you stand her up next to the charming and polish of other characters in the novel. I also kind of liked Eddie, ever so charming and yet not quite hiding a strong approach-with-caution vibe underneath it all.  

I did not want want to put this novel down; it was such a fun read. It doesn't take itself too seriously either, which I think is part of its charm. Even when I suspected the direction the novel would go, whether I was right or wrong, I enjoyed finding out every step of the way. And I loved the ending. I was not sure how everything would turn out, but it felt right for the story Hawkins was telling us. 

Challenges Met:  Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge & Winter COYER

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© 2021, 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.

Bookish Mewsings: The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris & The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

I sat at the table in my cabin, my sister's letter in my hand, and read it for the third time. ~ Opening of Russian Cage

The Russian Cage (Gunnie Rose #3) by Charlaine Harris

Gallery/Saga Press, 2021

Fantasy; 304 pgs

Source: NetGalley

Charlaine Harris's The Russian Cage is the third book in her Gunnie Rose urban fantasy series, set in or around the 1930's in an alternate history. It has a definite Western feel to it. The United States fell apart during the early 1900's after the worst flu epidemic the world had ever seen along with a period of depression. What was once California and Oregon is now a part of the Holy Russian Empire, the place the Romanov family fled to during the revolution. It is the last place Lizbeth wants to go, but when a letter from her sister arrives with a hidden message that Lizbeth's friend Prince Eli Savarov has been arrested, Lizbeth does not hesitate to make her way to San Diego to find out what is going on--and what she can do about it. 

The Holy Russian Empire appears to be the most advanced and wealthy of the various regions of the former U.S. readers of the series have encountered so far. Lizbeth feels out of her element, not used to the luxuries and protocols of the area. She's not at all happy having to give up carrying her guns when out and about and has little patience for the formalities of interacting with society and royalty. She is not really sure who she can trust but knows she is limited without help. She turns to her sister and an old acquaintance. 

I loved the first novel, An Easy Death, but this one is probably my favorite of the three books in the series. Lizbeth proves yet again how strong, smart and resourceful she is even when completely out of her element. She has good instincts which rarely let her down. The Russian Cage gives readers a closer look into Eli's family and the role Grigori's (magic users) hold in the Holy Russian Empire. We also get to know Felicia, Lizbeth's sister a bit more, although it is obvious there is still a lot to uncover there. She's attending school in San Diego, learning to master her Grigori abilities. 

The world building in this series is well done and interesting, from the history to the cultural and social aspects. Like the other books in the series, The Russian Cage is full of action and adventure and was an entertaining read. I had no idea what direction the story was going to take and just went along for the ride. I highly recommend reading this series in order as each one builds on the other. I enjoy spending time with Eli and Lizbeth and hope this won't be the last I see of them. 

Challenges Met:  Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge & Winter COYER &  2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Alexa Monroe walked into the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco that Thursday night wearing her favorite red heels, jittery from coffee, and with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne in her purse. ~ opening line of The Wedding Date

The Wedding Date (The Wedding Date #1) by Jasmine Guillory

Berkley, 2018

Romance; 320 pgs

Source: NetGalley

On her way to a celebratory evening with her sister, Alexa Monroe gets stuck in the hotel elevator with the rather attractive Drew Nichols. Their harmless flirting turns into Alexa's promise to attend not only the wedding of Drew's ex-girlfriend, but also the rehearsal dinner the night before. What could it hurt, Alexa wonders. A fake date quickly turns into a fake boyfriend/girlfriend situation. 

There is no denying the chemistry between Alexa and Drew, both physically and otherwise. They feel at ease with each other and enjoy spending time with one another. They had planned for their date to only last the weekend of the wedding, but neither is quite ready to say goodbye when the time comes. The only catch? Alexa lives in Berkeley where she works as the mayor's chief of staff and Drew is a pediatrician in Los Angeles. Where there is a will, there is a way, and thanks to frequent flyer miles and probably hefty savings accounts, the two take turns flying back and forth to visit with each other on the occasional weekends. 

As their feelings grow for each other, they both know they must end their relationship before they get too attached. For Alexa, it is the fear of falling in love and wanting more than Drew is willing to give. He made it clear he wasn't relationship material right from the start. For Drew, he does not want to break Alexa's heart, knowing that is exactly what will happen if they continue to see each other. 

It's a common trope, sure, but the characters and the magic Jasmine Guillory works to tell their story is what makes this such an entertaining romance. I found Alexa to be an extremely relatable character. I loved her charm and dedication to her work. She's clearly a smart and capable woman. Drew is easy to like as well. They both have some great supportive friends too who not only call them out when necessary but also comfort them when they most need it.

I appreciated the side stories that each character was struggling with and how they came together for each other, whether it was the diagnosis of one of Drew's young patients and how to help the boy's mother or Alexa wanting to start a project for helping at-risk teens (we need more programs like this!). 

I also really liked how Jasmine Guillory approached the interracial relationship aspects of the novel. Romance novels are expected to have that Happily Ever After or For Now ending, but it does not mean they cannot tackle more serious topics. The author does not beat anyone over the head with the challenges a couple might face, merely a mention here or there in a very natural-to-the-novel way. As simple as Alexa asking Drew if she will be the only Black person in the room, for example, or having that conversation about privilege in terms of how a Black teen is treated compared to a White teen in the same situation. These are conversations we need to see and engage in more. 

After reading Royal Holiday, the 4th book in the series last year, I was not expecting as many bedroom scenes as there were in The Wedding Date, admittedly. The Royal Holiday wasn't without, mind you, but it was significantly less in that regard. Not that I am complaining. Two different novels. Four very different characters. 

I am always curious as to how long distance relationships in romance novels will be resolved in the end. Who will have to give up what? I know, I know. It isn't about what they are leaving behind but rather what they are gaining. My mind still goes there though. I am happy to say The Wedding Date had a very satisfactory ending in that regard. 

Overall, I found The Wedding Date to be a delight to read. I was smiling just about the entire time I was reading it. Except maybe when I was crying in the sadder moments. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Challenge Met: Winter COYER

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© 2021, 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.