Shelf Control: The Kat Colorado Series/Covers War: Worlds of Ink and Shadow

Shelf Control hosted by Lisa of Bookshelf Fantasies "is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers."

Katwalk (Kat Colorado #1) by Karen Kijewski (St. Martin's Press, 1989; 232 pgs)
Katapult (Kat Colorado #2) by Karen Kijewski (St. Martin's Press, 1990; 275 pgs)
Kat's Cradle (Kat Colorado #3) by Karen Kijewski (Doubleday, 1991; 295 pgs)
Copy Kat (Kat Colorado #4) by Karen Kijewski (Doubleday, 1992; 377 pgs)
Kat Scratch Fever (Kat Colorado #8) by Karen Kijewski (G.P. Putnam, 1997; 355 pgs)


How I got them: I purchased these five books. I bought Katwalk at Barnes and Noble after receiving a recommendation from a fellow reader, Carole C.. Katapult, Kat's Cradle and Kat Scratch Fever I bought through E-Bay, and I bought Copy Kat at a used bookstore.

When I got them: With the exception of Copy Cat which I bought in April of 2005, the other books were added to my TBR collection in 2004, the first book in April and the others in December of that year.

Why I want to read the series: Karen Kijewski's mystery series caught my attention because the protagonist, Private Investigator Kat Colorado, lives in the city where I spent a good portion of my growing up years: Sacramento. I enjoy reading books set in places I have lived or visited--and Sacramento is not a common setting. At least not in my reading. There's also the fact that I cannot resist a good mystery series. You know how I love mysteries.

Have you read these books? If so, what did you think? Should I move the series up in my TBR pile?

Covers War is a meme hosted by Mariana of Book is Glee in which participants judge a book strictly by its cover, comparing different editions and deciding which one they like best."

While the cover is not the deciding factor in whether I read a book or not, it sometimes is the reason I decide to take a closer look at a book. Covers change between the hardcover edition to the paperback edition. And different covers are often chosen to represent the same book in different countries. I enjoy seeing the many different faces a book may wear, and thought it would be fun to take part in this meme today. 

I admit this particular novel, Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley, didn't win me over (I didn't care for it), but I was taken in by the differences between the covers. The first, the Canadian version, speaks to the time period when its heroines and hero lived. There is a subtle eeriness which is offset by the flower at the bottom.

Canadian Version

The American version is much more bold, with the red lettering, the stark black background, and the paper flower spotted with ink. This particular cover speaks more to the story within the story contained in this novel. Or at least that is my impression.

USA Version

From either cover, would you expect a Young Adult fantasy novel about the young Brontë siblings crossing between their reality and the one in their imagination that has taken on a life of its own?

My verdict: I admit to being torn. The Canadian cover is easier on my eyes, with the muted dark colors, but I also like the American version with the inky paper flower. Ultimately, I think the Canadian version is more telling in terms of what you might expect from the novel, and so I will have to go with that one. I do like the U.S. version though . . . This was a hard one.

Which of the two covers do you prefer?

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© 2016, 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.

Shelf Control: Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

Shelf Control hosted by Lisa of Bookshelf Fantasies "is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers."

Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan (Orbit, 2008; 400 pgs)

Goodreads Summary:

England flourishes under the hand of its Virgin Queen: Elizabeth, Gloriana, last and most powerful of the Tudor monarchs. 

But a great light casts a great shadow. 

In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above. In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined, in secret alliances and ruthless betrayals whose existence is suspected only by a few. 

Two courtiers, both struggling for royal favor, are about to uncover the secrets that lie behind these two thrones. When the faerie lady Lune is sent to monitor and manipulate Elizabeth's spymaster, Walsingham, her path crosses that of Michael Deven, a mortal gentleman and agent of Walsingham's. His discovery of the "hidden player" in English politics will test Lune's loyalty and Deven's courage alike. Will she betray her Queen for the sake of a world that is not hers? And can he survive in the alien and Machiavellian world of the fae? For only together will they be able to find the source of Invidiana's power—find it, and break it… 

A breathtaking novel of intrigue and betrayal set in Elizabethan England; Midnight Never Come seamlessly weaves together history and the fantastic to dazzling effect.

How I got it: A holiday gift swap

When I got it: December 2009

Why I want to read it: I love the genre and novels featuring the fae. Not to mention Marie Brennan is an author I have been wanting to read for ages now. Her books come highly recommended, and I love the sound of them.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? Should I move it up in my TBR pile?

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© 2016, 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.

Shelf Control: My Haruki Murakami Collection

Shelf Control hosted by Lisa of Bookshelf Fantasies "is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers."

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami (Vintage, 1987; 296 pgs) ~ Per Goodreads, this is "a poignant story of one college student's romantic coming-of-age, Norwegian Wood takes us to that distant place of a young man's first, hopeless, and heroic love."

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (Vintage, 1994; 607 pgs) ~ According to Goodreads, this is an "imaginative novel, which is at once a detective story, an account of a disintegrating marriage, and an excavation of the buried secrets of World War II."

Kafka On the Shore by Haruki Murakami (Vintage, 2002; 467 pgs) ~ A runaway and an aging simpleton's paths cross, and readers find themselves in "a world where cats talk, fish fall from the sky, and spirits slip out of their bodies to make love or commit murder." [as described by Goodreads]

After Dark by Haruki Murakami (Vintage, 2004; 191 pgs) ~ Two sisters are drawn into a nightlife like they have never known. As described by Goodreads, "After Dark moves from mesmerizing drama to metaphysical speculation, interweaving time and space as well as memory and perspective into a seamless exploration of human agency—the interplay between self-expression and empathy, between the power of observation and the scope of compassion and love."

How and When I got them: Kafka On the Shore has been on my TBR shelf since June of 2007, a  purchase I made at Barnes and Noble one day based off the recommendation of an online book group friend, Christine. In April of 2008, I received a copy of Norwegian Wood as a gift from a fellow online book group friend, Sylvie. After Dark landed on my TBR shelf in May of 2008 thanks to a purchase made at Borders. And I haven't a clue how or when The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle ended up on my shelf. I imagine I purchased it at some point, unable to help myself. It wasn't a recent purchase, I know.

Why I want to read them: It is curiosity and all the good things I have heard about the author, Haruki Murakami. I mean, Ti of Book Chatter has been singing his praises for as long as I can remember. I am both mesmerized by the descriptions of these books just as I am intimidated by them. Will I fall under Murakami's spell or will his books go right over my head? I will not know until I try. It's just a matter of which book to start with and when will I work up the courage to give his books a try.

Have you read any of this author's books? If so, what did you think? Which one do you think would be the best to start with?

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© 2016, 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.

Shelf Control: Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Years ago I kept a spreadsheet of all of my TBR books. Any time a new book came into the house, it immediately was entered on the spreadsheet. Then my computer was stolen, and along with it my TBR list. Fortunately, I had a back up. Unfortunately, I had not backed it up in quite a while and so the copy that saved was quite old. With the loss of my original list, I lost my motivation to continue with the list further. It could have been too because I had a baby and was in the process of moving around that time too.

I recently re-discovered that old TBR list. Some books I have since read. Others I passed along after losing interest in them. It has been fun going through the list. I not only tracked the date when and location where I got a particular book, but I also sometimes listed who recommended the book, including links to blogs. Sadly, many of the book bloggers who recommended the books on my list no longer blog.

Shelf Control hosted by Lisa of Bookshelf Fantasies "is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers."

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald (Simon & Schuster, 1996; 512 pgs)

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

They are the Pipers of Cape Breton Island -- a family steeped in lies and unspoken truths that reach out from the past, forever mindful of the tragic secret that could shatter the family to its foundations.  

Chronicling five generations of this eccentric clan, Fall On Your Knees follows four remarkable sisters whose lives are filled with driving ambition, inescapable family bonds, and forbidden love. Their experiences will take them from their stormswept homeland, across the battlefields of World War I, to the freedom and independence of Jazz-era New York City. 

Compellingly written, running the literary gamut from menacingly dark to hilariously funny, this is an epic saga of one family's trials and triumphs in a world of sin, guilt, and redemption.

How I got it: I bought my copy of this book from Amazon. It came highly recommended by a fellow reader and former blogger, Lisa of Breaking the Fourth Wall. A lot of books landed on my TBR pile because of her.

When I got it: May, 2007

Why I want to read it: Several years ago I read Ann-Marie MacDonald's novel The Way the Crow Flies, which I loved. More than loved. It is one of several books that has remained on my all-time favorite lists for years now.  You would think that would make me want to pick Fall On Your Knees right away, wouldn't you? And yet I haven't. The size and fear of being disappointed after loving her other book have made me hesitate to pick this one up to read. I hear it's even better than The Way the Crow Flies. And it's shorter. Both good reasons to want to read this one.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? Should I move it up in my TBR pile?

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© 2016, 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.

Shelf Control: Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park

Shelf Control hosted by Lisa of Bookshelf Fantasies "is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers."

Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey is

often referred to as Jane Austen's Gothic parody. Decrepit castles, locked rooms, mysterious chests, cryptic notes, and tyrannical fathers give the story an uncanny air, but one with a decidedly satirical twist.*

Austen's Mansfield Park is "a subtle examination of social position and moral integrity"* about a young woman of little means who goes to live with her wealthy cousins.


How I got them: I bought both Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey at Barnes and Noble. (I could have sworn I had a copy of Sense and Sensibility. The last I saw it, it was on my husband's TBR pile, but it seems to have disappeared. We searched high and low and it seems to be nowhere. Did it get donated on accident? Hrmphf. I wasn't very fond of the cover anyway (movie cover), so if it is truly lost, I will happily buy a new copy.)

When I got them: Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey have been with me since July, 2005.

Why I want to read them: Eventually, I want to read everything Jane Austen has written, or just about. Although Pride and Prejudice and I didn't get off to the greatest start, I ended up loving the book the second time around and now count it among my all-time favorites. I also loved Persuasion and Emma. How is it possible I haven't yet read these three?! I keep telling myself I will read at least one Jane Austen novel this year, but I still haven't managed it.

Have you read these books? If so, what did you think? Should I move them up in my TBR pile?


* excerpts taken from Goodreads synopsis

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© 2016, 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.

Shelf Control: Elizabeth George's Inspector Thomas Lynley Series

I have seen this meme quite a bit this year and decided it might be a fun way to give attention to some of the books marinating on my shelves, patiently waiting their turn to be read. I make no promises that it will be soon. My TBR collection is . . . well, let's just say, quite large. And that's an understatement.

Shelf Control hosted by Lisa of Bookshelf Fantasies "is all about the books we want to read — and already own! Consider this a variation of a Wishing & Waiting post… but looking at books already available sitting right there on our shelves and e-readers."

This mystery series features Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton, and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers of New Scotland Yard. I believe the series is up to 19 books, but I only have 14 of them, along with a short story collection that includes one story featuring Inspector Lynley. There are two many books to provide a synopsis of each one, but I imagine just knowing who the main players are and the setting gives you an idea of the type of books these are.

 A Great Deliverance (1988; 413 pgs)

Payment in Blood (1989; 374 pgs)

Well-Schooled in Murder (1990; 414 pgs)

A Suitable Vengeance (1991; 449 pgs)

For the Sake of Elena (1992; 442 pgs)

Missing Joseph (1993; 567 pgs)

Playing for the Ashes (1994; 678 pgs)

The Presence of the Enemy (1996; 625 pgs)

Deception on His Mind (1996; 716 pgs)

In the Pursuit of the Proper Sinner (1999; 718 pgs)

A Traitor To Memory (2001; 1009 pgs )

A Place of Hiding (2003; 777 pgs)

How I got them: Years ago, I discovered E-Bay and the fact that I could buy boxes of used books at a irresistible rate. I bid on a box of twelve used books in Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley's series, and one short story collection (The Evidence Exposed), and won.

When I got it: *hangs head in embarrassment* September of 2004. (I later purchased No One As My Witness in March of 2006 from Barnes and Noble and a signed copy of This Body of Death at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in 2010, which is kind of silly in retrospect given I had only read one f the other books in the series. This was back in my must-have-every-possible-book-in-the-series-before-reading phase.)

Why I want to read them: A pen pal recommended the series to me, and I have heard wonderful things about the books since then. I have actually read one of Elizabeth George's books (For the Sake of Elena--although another copy; not the one that came in this box), which I enjoyed quite a bit. I love mysteries, and really do want to read this series someday. It's one of the reasons all these books survived my massive book purging when we moved five years ago and the second one last year. Of course, pulling the books off my shelf for the photos for the post, I nearly dove right into the first one because, even after all these years, the series sounds so good.

The Evidence Exposed (1999, 216 pgs)

Have you read these books? If so, what did you think? Should I move them up in my TBR pile?

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© 2016, 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.