Weekly Mews: Hello, February! (A Look At What I Have Been Reading & This Month'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.

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

January was one of those months that was achingly slow for some but flew by for me. I cannot believe it is already February. Since I last shared my weekly mews, my life has been mostly about work (it has been terribly busy and there were some difficult days--come-home-and-hug-my-daughter tight type days). 

My mom, Mouse, husband, and I visited The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture and took in the beautiful artwork there. We also went to see a local kids' theater group put on their elite performance of Disney's Descendants, which was very well done. Mouse had taken their junior class this past summer/fall and performed in a less formal version of the musical last October.  She enjoyed seeing some of the older kids who helped in her class perform on stage. Mouse also got to attend a pirate dinner theater with her Girl Scout troop. It was part of their council's annual cookie season rally. Her troop was one of a few in our district to win the #Blingyourride contest. The girls went all out decorating the outside of the truck they used to pick up all the Girl Scout cookies last weekend, kicking off the official start of the cookie season.

February will be a busy month for us. Work, of course. My in-laws are in town this weekend for a late holiday gift exchange since they weren't able to make it for Christmas in December.  And next weekend cookie booths open--so you can guess where we'll be just about every weekend after that. At least until cookie season ends.

Earlier this week, I finished reading Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer. It is officially on my list of books to reference back to. I am close to finishing Clara Coulson's Speaker of the Lost, an urban fantasy novel about two FBI agents working on  a special supernatural task force to solve a murder. 

Next up, I will be reading Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (#3) by Elle Cosimano, I loved the first two books and keep hearing great things about the third in the series. After that, well, I could use your help!

My TBR List is hosted by the awesome Michelle  at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

Help me choose my next TBR List read! Initially I was thinking romance, but I am more in the mood for a cozy historical mystery. All of these qualify in most of my reading challenges this year. Which of these three books do you think I should read next? Have you read any of them? 

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway Mysteries #6) Jennifer Ashley

A stranger who appears on Kat's doorstep turns out to be one Charlotte Bristow, legal wife of Joe Bristow, the man Kat once believed herself married to—who she thought died at sea twelve years ago. Kat is jolted by Charlotte’s claims that not only was Joe murdered, but he had amassed a small fortune before he died. Charlotte makes the cook an offer she cannot refuse—if Kat can discover the identity of Joe's murderer, Charlotte will give her a share of the fortune Joe left behind.

With the help of Daniel McAdam, her attractive and charismatic confidante, Kat plunges into her own past to investigate. When it becomes apparent that the case of Joe’s death goes far deeper than simple, opportunistic theft, Kat and Daniel's relationship is put to the test, and Kat herself comes under scrutiny as her connection to Joe is uncovered. She must race to catch the real killer before she loses her job and possibly her life. [Goodreads Summary]

The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern

Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.

It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail.

As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her. [Goodreads Summary]

A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn

London, 1887. At the Curiosity Club, a ladies-only establishment for daring and intrepid women, Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell meets the mysterious Lady Sundridge, who begs her to take on an impossible task--saving society art patron Miles Ramsforth from execution. Ramsforth, accused of the brutal murder of his mistress, Artemisia, will face the hangman's noose in a week's time if the real killer is not found.

But Lady Sundridge is not all that she seems, and unmasking her true identity is only the first of many secrets Veronica must uncover. Together with her natural-historian colleague, Stoker, Veronica races against time to find the true murderer. From a Bohemian artists' colony to a royal palace to a subterranean grotto with a decadent history, the investigation proves to be a very perilous undertaking indeed.... [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting!

February brings to rain,

thaws the frozen lake again.

~ excerpt from "The Months" by Sara Coleridge

I have fallen a little behind in my nightly poetry reading and need to play catch up. I did, however, recently read a poetry collection I thought I would share about today.

Poetry is often about feelings for me. Find me. keep me. by Renaada Williams (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2022; 128 pgs) truly is raw and emotional. Through her poetry, she invites readers to share some of her most intimate thoughts and experiences. The poet delves deeply into themes such as sexuality, racial identity, overcoming trauma, and mental health challenges in a very genuine way. 

There is one poem about self-care which I especially liked. Self-care comes in all forms, including waiting to start tomorrow.  I think my favorite section though was "two americas". There is one section where Renaada Williams writes:

Black be pure. Black be joy. Black be scared. Black be laughter. Black be struggle. Black be happiness. Black be journey. Black be lonely. Black be gold. Black is painful. Black is beautiful. 

She goes on like this, naming different characteristics, ending with "Black be resilient" repeated over and over again, capturing the beauty and empowerment in her words. It is especially meaningful given the two Americas she is writing about in this section as she calls out racism. As a white person, my experiences may not be the same, but I could feel her passion and the truth in her words.

I highlighted quite a bit in this collection--too much to share here--but here are some of my favorite excerpts: 

blood splattered

painted on every branch of our family tree

thunderstorms

thicker than

saws to set me free [excerpt from "two americas", find her. keep her.]

and 

i am 

a gift

a token

they welcomed me my laughter

my entertainment my pain

my movement

but ask me

to leave my roots at the door.  [excerpt from "two americas", find her. keep her.]

and also

I got better at hiding the scars

a hopeless dove without her wings don't believe

anything or anyone

making you feel unworthy even if it's yourself! [excerpt from "records of self-discovery", find her. keep her.]

Heart-wrenching, thought-provoking and inspirational are all words I would use to describe this collection.

Let's talk about Guts by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic, 2019; 144 pgs). My daughter swears I plucked Guts off her shelf on my own, but I feel certain she told me she wanted me to read it. It doesn't really matter whose memory is the most accurate. Mouse and I  have enjoyed every graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier we've read. Mouse wasn't always so into reading, and I have Raina and her book Smile to thank for igniting that spark in her. After reading it the first time, she immediately started reading it again. Then would go on to read it multiple times after that as well. I went out and found every graphic novel like Smile I could find, wanting to see her love for reading continue and grow. She loves graphic novels and manga, and also has come to love and enjoy reading other types of books. She once told me the bigger the book the better--"because the story lasts longer." 

I'm venturing into Mouse's Corner with all this Mouse talk, aren't I? Back to Guts. Guts is the third book in the author's Smile series (the second being Sisters). The series is actually a graphic memoir, based on the author's real life. In this particular installment, Raina is struggling with school issues, worries about food and friendships, and oncoming puberty. Things many of us can relate to. I could see my daughter in the pages of the book, which makes sense given they are of a similar age (I think Raina is slightly younger in this memoir).

Guts also touches on mental health concerns, anxiety in particular. Something just about everyone deals with at some point in their life to one degree or another. Raina has suffered with anxiety most of her life. This book was a good opportunity for me to talk with my daughter about our personal struggles with anxiety, and how well we could relate to Raina. I appreciated the way the author normalized getting help for anxiety, including seeing a therapist. Something that I wish more books for children would do. Little Raina is such a sweetheart and I wanted to give her a hug more than once. I have great admiration for the author and am grateful she is sharing her story with young readers (and us older ones too). 

Mouse recently read Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson, the first in a series, about a 13 year old girl with the the power of foreseeing death. It is not the most useful of skills. Or so she thinks up until she meets a boy who is in town looking for his missing brother and the monster that killed their parents. All I can get out of Mouse so far about the book is that "it was very good." I could hear her complaining to her grandmother as they walked up the path to our front door the other afternoon about how she has to wait until October for the second book to come up. I know what that's like all too well . . . 

Mouse is now reading The Keeper by Guadalupe García McCall. It is the story of two siblings, James and Ava, who recently moved with their family from Texas to Oregon. They are both learning to adjust to their new home when James begins finding mysterious letters signed by someone calling themselves The Keeper. The grown-ups think this is just another of the kids' pranks, but Ava and James know otherwise. They believe it's tied to stories of other children who had gone missing in the past and decide to investigate for themselves, afraid they might be the next victims. 

 

My favorite local independent bookstore is having to move after their lease was not extended. They were given a month's notice, which was then extended to two months after public outcry. That is still not a lot of time to find a new location and pack up and move--not to mention the expense of it all. The property management company says it wants to move in a new direction, but there has been speculation that it has something to do with the store's focus on LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC authors and literature, and their hosting drag queen story hours. Whatever the reason, it is sad news for the community. The owner and her staff are confident that they will find a new and better home, and, in the meantime, will continue their many book clubs, author events, and maintain their online store.  

I imagine my family and I will be visiting there again this month and next to show our support. On our last visit, this is what we added to our shelves: 

New to My Shelves

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

This Is Not a Personal Statement by Tracy Badua

New to Mouse's Shelves

Out of My Heart (Out of My Mind #2) by Sharon M. Draper

Magus of the Library, Vol. 1 by Mitsu Izumi, translated by Stephen Kohler

Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 2 by Bisco Hatori

Cursed Princess Club, Vol. 1 by LambCat

Recent E-Book Purchases

Night Angels by Weina Dai Randel

The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson

What new books made it onto your shelf recently? 

I am continuing to make my way through Grey's Anatomy and have even gotten my husband and daughter interested on occasion. I am up to season 12. Wanting something a little different but not willing to leave Shondaland just yet, I started rewatching the first season of How To Get Away With Murder. I forgot how well written that show is. I am only about three episodes in right now.

My daughter expressed an interest in watching The X-Files the other day and so my husband popped in the first DVD. We have watched the first two episodes so far. My husband remembers the show like yesterday. Me, not so much. I think I remember later episodes more so.

We also recently saw the first episode of Poker Face, which is about a woman who has an uncanny ability to know when people are lying. She uses her skills to solve crimes while on the run from people who want her dead. 

As a family, we have started rewatching our old Harry Potter DVDs at my daughter's request and are up to the fourth film. This is one of those instances where one struggles with liking the art but not the artist. We do not agree or support the author of the books in her beliefs, but we have long loved the magic of the Harry Potter series.

What have you watched recently?

This Past Week In Reading Mews

• Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Covers of 2022 (of books I read)
• Can't Wait to Read Wednesday: The Love Scribe / The Writing Retreat / When the Moon Turns Blue / Wolf Hall
• Where Is Your Bookmark: A Peek into Speaker of the Lost, Rereading & My Childhood Favorites

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have up to and what you are reading!

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© 2023, 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: Nightlights / The Okay Witch / Book Love

Nightlights (#1) by Lorena Alvarez Gomez

Nobrow Press, 2017

Fantasy/Middle Grade/Graphic Novel; 60 pgs

This one took me some thinking about and a couple of readings, before I fully appreciated it. My problem is I have a tendency to race through graphic novels, and this is one in which the story is more fully told in the artwork--which is gorgeous and vibrant, at times whimsical or eerie, and so imaginative. 

Nightlights in the story of a girl names Sandy who loves to draw. She would much rather draw than do just about anything else. Her drawings come to life when she puts pen to paper, and she creates worlds only she seems to appreciate. One day, a mysterious girl appears who takes an immediate interest in Sandy's art. She is the first person to tell Sandy how much she likes it. Sandy is so excited that someone has finally recognized her art and sees how important it is to her. As the story continues, Morfie, the mysterious girl, proves that she isn't as innocent a friend as she first appeared. Morfie wants Sandy to only draw for her and grows more aggressive and demanding as time goes by. Over the course of the novel, the reader sees Sandy go through a range of moods in response: anger, sadness, withdrawal, and even fear. Her insecurities play out on the page through the artwork. Just as the situation seems hopeless, Sandy takes back control of her art and finds her way out. 

The artwork makes this graphic novel. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and not quite complete. I am not sure if that will be addressed in the next volume, or if this is it. I do know that my daughter loved Nightlights. Just as Sandy does, Mouse likes to draw. When I asked her why she liked this book so much, she said it was because she thought the art was pretty and because she could relate to Sandy. She said she and her art are misunderstood and not always appreciated by others. She liked how Sandy eventually stood up to the evil girl through her art. My daughter has often said she herself turns to art when she is feeling sad or upset to help her feel better. Any book my daughter loves is a winner for me.

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Aladdin, 2019

Fantasy/Middle Grade/Graphic Novel; 272 pgs

My daughter is into all things witches and when I was looking for graphic novels to get her for Christmas, I came across this one. It did not take me long to dive in after she unwrapped it Christmas morning. 

I really liked this middle grade graphic novel about 13-year-old Moth Hush who discovers she is a real live witch when something unexpected happens to the two boys bullying her on Halloween. Moth has long loved all things witch related and couldn't be more excited about her new found abilities. Only her mother is not too thrilled. Moth's mother has wanted nothing more than for her and her daughter to lead normal human lives. She put that magic stuff behind her long ago when she broke ties to her own mother. Moth quickly realizes she needs help controlling her magic and when her mother will not help, she turns to her mother's diary. It isn't any ordinary diary though. It opens an entire new world to Moth. 

The town, Founder's Bluff, Massachusetts does not have the best history when it comes to the treatment of witches. In fact, it's a part of the town's heritage and pride that the founding father of the town forced the witches out. The celebrate that moment, in fact. This added layer of world building only enhances the story and what the characters have and are going through. Of course, it also plays a major part in events that play out throughout the novel. 

Moth is such a great character. Even having been born and raised in Founder's Bluff, she has always felt like an outsider. When she comes into her magic, she starts to really question the way things are done, including pointing out the discrepancies in the way history is portrayed. 

Another aspect of the novel I liked was the approach the author took with the conflict between Moth and her mother and Moth's mother and her own mother. Three generations of strong witches, each with very solid ideas of who they are or want to be. Despite Moth and her mother seeming to want different things, one wanting to use her magic and the other to forget she has it, their stories are very similar. Both rebel against their mothers who want something else for them. 

Being as this is a graphic novel, I probably should say something about the art. The story is clearly strong on it's own, but I think the art adds to it in ways that just words would not. Describing those silent moments, and capturing emotion, not to mention giving the reader a more real feel of Hecate--which you will get to know if you read the novel. 

I do not believe there was anything I did not like about The Okay Witch. It is one of those books I think  person could get more out of with each re-reading. It is funny and full of heart, not to mention just a great adventure story. Plus there's a talking cat. I know my daughter will love it too when she reads it. Regardless, the next book in the series which comes out this summer is on my wish list. 

Book Love by Debbie Tung

Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2019

Nonfiction/Humor/Graphic Novel; 137 pgs

While the two above books were Christmas presents for my daughter, Book Love is all for me. I bought myself a copy a couple of years ago after hearing such great things about it. It's not so much a story type graphic novel, but more a compilation of the artist's illustrations denoting her love for books and reading. I just love this collection and could relate to so many of the comics. From reading being magic to not wanting to loan out books (without strict rules), to trying to peek at what strangers are reading when I pass by others who are reading in public, and on and on. It's a wonderful little collection every book lover can relate to. If you are looking for something quick, light and fun, definitely give this one a try. 

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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.

Mini Bookish Mewsings: How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse / Together, Apart / Anya's Ghost

They named the child Rory, because the firstborn of every generation was always a Rory, and had been since the first of that name had cut his way through the cursed briars on the homeworld and saved the kingdom of Thorne--and, incidentally, the princess--from the consequences of poor manners. ~ Opening of How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (The Thorne Chronicles #1) by K. Eason 

DAW, 2019

Science Fiction/YA, 416 pgs

Source: NetGalley for an honest review.

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse was such a fun read. Taking on several fairytale tropes and wrapping it up in a Science Fiction novel, K. Eason's first novel in this duology tells the story of Princess Rory Thorne, gifted with thirteen fairy blessings, one of which gives her the ability to see beyond the lies and platitudes. After her father the king is assassinated, she is to marry a prince of another world for political reasons. An ambitious Regent standing in for the prince until he becomes of age is hellbent on holding onto the power for himself. Rory is no damsel in distress, and with a small group of allies, she is determined not to let the Regent have his way. 

I was immediately pulled into the novel and liked Rory right away. She is a headstrong and clever young woman. Add in a well-developed cast of secondary characters who help make this novel what it is. From the writing to the characters, to the high stakes, occasional action, and carefully orchestrated political maneuvering, Eason's novel kept me entertained and has me eager to read the second book.

"This is it!" Mom said brightly, opening the door to my new room with a grand, ceremonial swing. ~ Opening of "Love, Delivered" by Erin A. Craig in Together, Apart

Together, Apart by Erin A. Craig, Auriane Desombre, Erin Hahn, Bill Konigsberg, Rachel Lippincott, Brittney Morris, Sajni Patel, Natasha Preston, Natasha Preston, & Jennifer Yen 

Delacorte Press, 2020

Fiction/YA; 288 pgs

Source: NetGalley for an honest review.

Several authors come together in this collection to share short stories set during the current pandemic. There's a definite sense of melancholy given the situation, but there's also a sense of hope in the connections the characters are able to make even despite the circumstances. I enjoyed each of these stories, relating to their feelings of frustration at being cooped up and enjoying the creative ways they made new friends--and even found love--while taking precautions and being safe. Whether flirting to the cute boy on the balcony across the way, falling for the pizza delivery boy, connecting with someone while out walking the dog, or bonding in an oak tree, among other ways, these stories capture our reality and that we really aren't alone in this.

Krak! ~ Opening of Anya's Ghost

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

First Second, 2011

Fiction/Graphic Novel/YA; 221 pgs

Source: Purchased

Vera Brosgol's graphic novel Anya's Ghost is about a teenager who just wants a friend. Her life isn't going the way she would like. Anya is ashamed of her immigrant parents and traditions, and only wants to fit in with the others in her school. A ghost Anya meets after falling into a well find a way to escape the well herself by tagging along with Anya when she is rescued. As Anya gets to know the ghost, she thinks perhaps she's met the answer to her problems. It soon becomes obvious that there is more the ghost's story than the ghost has let on.

There is a definite creepy factor to Anya's Ghost. Anya is an interesting character, insecure and full of angst, who grows over the course of the novel. The artwork is well done and enhances the dialogue. This graphic novel was a bit darker than I anticipated, but I thoroughly enjoyed it--probably more so as a result. 

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© 2020, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.