Musings of a Bookish Kitty: WhatName09

Showing posts with label WhatName09. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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!

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!

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!]

© 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.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Review: In the Wake of the Boatman by Jonathon Scott Fuqua

Alone in the gray living room of their clapboard rental, their four-year-old daughter asleep in bed, Carl's thoughts crudely took him off guard. On this oppressive Norfolk evening, the notion came to him so calmly it almost made sense. He should crack his little boy's neck as gently as possible. It would be like saving two lives. [pg 1]

In the Wake of the Boatman by Jonathon Scott Fuqua
Bancroft Press, 2008
Fiction; 307 pgs

Beginning during World War II and spanning the years through the Vietnam War and well into the seventies, In the Wake of the Boatman by Jonathon Scott Fuqua takes the reader into the life of Puttnam Steward and his family, from his childhood into his adulthood. He is the son of a self-made man, a father who worked hard and expected that others around him should too. Puttnam cannot seem to do anything right in his father’s eyes, try as he might. His mother gets through her days with the help of alcohol. Puttnam goes through life never quite feeling good enough. He is not sure what it is he wants in life. His self-doubts and guilt are compounded by his struggle with his gender-identity. The wrongs he did throughout his life, even as a small child, outweigh the positive in his mind. His accomplishments, such as graduating from the college his father was unable to finish and being a war hero, are lost on him.

In the Wake of the Boatman surprised me. I knew from the description that it was a book I would likely enjoy. I hadn’t realized though how much it would resonant with me on a personal level. I could see myself in both Puttnam and Mary, Puttnam’s older sister.

I most identified with Puttnam. I know what it is like to seek love and approval from someone who is not able to give it and that feeling of never being able to measure up. When it is a parent, it makes it all the more difficult. Puttnam tried for much of his life to make his father proud. Even when he tried to distance himself from his family, not to let his father in, it was impossible to break off completely. The parent/child bond is not easily dismissed. Puttnam is smart and capable. I wanted so much to step into the pages of the book and reassure him.

Puttnam’s sister Mary and his friend Milton are perhaps my two most favorite characters in the novel. Both care about Puttnam and reach out to him in their own ways to try and help him. I like them not just because of the support they offer Puttnam, but also for their own stories. Mary was not a victim to her father’s ill will. She saw what was happening to Puttnam, however, and, in her own way, sought to remedy the mistakes of the past with the choices she made in her own life. Like Puttnam, Milton struggled with the direction his life was meant to take. He joined the service right alongside Puttnam but soon discovered that military life was not for him. His love for nature and birds would eventually guide him to his new career. Even so, Milton had an uphill battle. Mary and Milton are both down to earth characters and anchor Puttnam, keeping him from losing himself completely.

Helen, Puttnam’s mother, turned to alcohol to fill the emptiness in her life. Her life had not quite turned out the way she had hoped it might. Booze numbed her to not only what was going on in her household, but also her own failures and disappointments.

I admit I was not too fond of Carl Steward, father of Puttnam and Mary. I voiced a few choice words about him as I read the novel. He was cold and sometimes cruel to his son, never satisfied with Puttnam and making sure he knew it. I saw in Carl a familiar figure from my own past and that made it all the more personal. It made it harder for me to feel sorry for Carl, even knowing his own upbringing was much like the one he gave his son. Both Carl and his father were hard on their sons who never seemed to live up to their fathers’ expectations. I can’t help but wonder if Carl’s own father had had a similar childhood to the one he gave Carl. Carl was not a heartless man. Just misguided. He always had something to prove, never quite feeling good enough himself. He transferred those expectations and feelings onto his son, Puttnam. Instead of acknowledging his own insecurities, he put them off onto his son.

Carl’s hobby of making boats and his struggle to make one that could float and carry his weight mirrored his own life and his struggles with his son. He did attempt to reach out to his son at times, but his efforts rarely carried the weight they needed and were weak at best.

The characters are fully realized, making them all the more real. I felt Puttnam’s frustration and sadness, his guilt and shame. I could even feel Carl’s internal struggle as he warred with saving face and acknowledging he might be wrong. I have a feeling I will be wondering for awhile to come about where Puttnam would be today if he were a real person.

In the Wake of the Boatman is a study into the human psyche, about how our lives are shaped by our life experiences. Jonathon Scott Fuqua’s novel moved me. In his acknowledgements, he mentioned that he hoped his story would inspire, and I definitely feel that it does; at least it did this reader.

Rating:

(Very Good +)

You can learn more about Jonathon Scott Fuqua and his books on his website.

Disclosure: Copy of book provided by publisher for review.

Sunday, September 06, 2009

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

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Review: Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey (& a Giveaway)

"So cold," he murmured. "Once she was warm and breathing."

It was what he could never quite get his mind around--not just how complex life was, but why it was so easy for life to leave a person once so complex. [excerpt from Wife of the Gods]

Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
Random House, 2009 (ARE)
Crime Fiction; 319 pgs

When I first saw mention of Kwei Quartey’s Wife of the Gods, I knew I had to read it. I can’t resist a crime fiction novel, especially one set in a country other than my own. I get to learn about another country and culture while at the same time settling in with the comfort of the familiar format of a mystery.

Kwei Quartey’s protagonist, Darko Dawson is the kind of detective I would want investigating my murder. He has a dogged determination and a strong sense of right and wrong—at least where others are concerned. Righteous is the word that comes to mind, but not in an arrogant or overbearing way. Darko is anything but perfect though. He has a weakness for marijuana and a bit of a temper which lands him in plenty of trouble.

The novel is set in the beautiful country of Ghana. Quartey paints a portrait of a complex society, one that straddles the old traditions and the new. In a community where witchcraft is feared and superstitions are commonplace, science is still trying to find a foothold. Detective Inspector Darko Dawson is a modern man. He trusts in science and facts to solve his cases. When he is assigned to Ketanu, a small out of the way community, to aid in the murder investigation of a volunteer AIDS worker, he comes face to face with the very superstitions he disdains.

The Chief Inspector of Ketanu has his eyes set on a particular young man as his suspect, but Darko isn’t convinced. He sets out on his own investigation, determined to solve the murder.

Darko’s mother disappeared after a visit to Ketanu over twenty years before while visiting her sister who lived in the town. Perhaps he can look into her disappearance while there as well. It’s a long shot after so many years, but he at least wants to give it a try.

I have seen this book compared to Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and I have to disagree. Smith’s series is not much of a crime fiction series at all—and if you go into those books expecting a mystery, you may well be disappointed. With Quartey’s book, on the other hand, a mystery is exactly what you get. It’s also a bit darker in some respects, than Smith’s series.

There was so much I liked about this series, including the various interesting characters, the flashbacks into Darko’s past and the unfolding of the mystery of his mother’s disappearance as well as the murder of that young volunteer. There was a moment early on in the book when I thought one story thread might get lost in other, but fortunately that did not happen.

Another aspect that especially caught my attention was the health department and volunteers like the murdered woman who struggle to reach a population of people who are very entrenched in the old ways. The misinformation and superstitions surrounding AIDS is frightening. Add to that the issue of fetish priests and the practice of families marrying off their teenage daughters to them in hopes of turning around bad luck or getting rid of a curse. Quartey offers both sides of these issues to some extent, but it is clear which side Darko falls on.

Wife of the Gods is a promising start for a new series. There are many characters, including Armah, Darko’s inspiration and mentor, that I hope I can visit again. And I do hope I haven’t seen the last of Elizabeth Mensah. She’s an admirable and strong woman. Kwei Quartey is definitely an author to watch.

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge, New Authors Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge

To learn more about the author, Kwei Quartey, and his book, visit his website. Visit TLC Book Tours for a list of Kwei Quartey's tour stops!

Interested in winning a copy of Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey? Here's how you can enter the drawing for a chance to win:

Leave a comment along with an e-mail address where I can contact you if it is not easily accessible on your blog or profile page.
To be entered, you MUST answer the following question: Who is one of your favorite fictional detectives?
Open to anyone with a valid mailing address.
Deadline to enter is August 22nd at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be notified by e-mail.

Many thanks to author Kwei Quartey and TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. Review copy provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program (via the publisher) and giveaway copy provided by the publisher.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Review: Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel

No one stays forever. On the morning of her disappearance Lilia woke early, and lay still for a moment in the bed. It was the last day of October. [excerpt from Last Night in Montreal]

Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
Unbridled, 2009 (ARC)
Fiction; 247 pgs

Last Night in Montreal is a rather melancholy tale set in the bitter cold of winter. But the author's writing has a softness to it, a gentleness that takes away the edge without losing any of the suspense or the strength of its message. Emily St. John Mandel has a way with words. Her writing is lyrical and yet simple.

On the outset, this may seem like Lilia's story. Her father kidnapped her when she was 7 years old, and, most of her life, she was on the run, traveling by car from town to town. She has no recollection of her life before her father whisked her away, much less of why her father took her in the first place. Even after her father decided to set down roots, Lilia was unable to stop moving from place to place. She would make friends, sometimes take on lovers, and always she would leave, most often without a word of warning.

It was like that when she left Eli behind in New York. Eli had no idea that the morning he sat working on his long-overdue thesis would be the day she would disappear from his life. She gave no warning. After she left, he felt lost. A postcard from a stranger in Montreal about Lilia spurred him into action. He would go to Montreal to make sure Lilia was okay.

All her life, Lilia had felt as if someone was watching her. And she was not wrong. When police failed to locate her, her mother hired a private investigator to track her down. The detective assigned the case became obsessed with finding Lilia to the detriment of his own family, including his daughter Michaela.

And while this is Lilia's story, it is also the story of Eli, Christopher and Michaela, all of whom are gliding through life, seeking something they aren't quite sure of. There is an underlying desperation within each of the characters, even the outwardly calm Lilia. Lilia has been chasing after her forgotten past while all the while running away from it. Eli feels stuck, living his life but not moving forward. He has been trying to write his thesis for years and continues to work in the same mindless job. Michaela longs for her absent father, jealous and angry of the time he has devoted to finding Lilia, a complete stranger. Michaela was on her own from an early age, her parents absent for much of her life. Christopher's life was spiraling out of control before he took on the search for Lilia and her father. Lilia was someone he could latch onto, an anchor of sorts. She was a distraction that kept him from facing his own problems. Each of these four characters were lost, their paths intersecting--the key, being Lilia.

I was just as mesmerized by Lilia as the other characters were in the book. There was a charm about her that drew people in. She was worldly and ever changing. She seemed to float through life, or as Lilia would say, "ice skate" through it. It is obvious the author took great care in creating the characters. They are vulnerable, and yet each carry within them a strength that keeps them going.

The city of Montreal made a fascinating character all her own. Not to mention it was the perfect setting for the story. Both Michaela and Eli are English speakers in a part of the town where French is the main language. Already feeling unsteady on their feet, they are even more isolated, more alone.

There was only one minor thread in the story that stretched my own suspension of disbelief almost to the breaking point, a part of Michaela's family's history. Eli's wonderment over it made it okay for me though. It is always interesting to me how that happens. If a character acknowledges the doubt I am feeling, however silly I am being, I find it easier to move past it and accept that which I doubted in the first place.

Told in third person, the novel flits back and forth between the past and present and between the characters. The changes are subtle, but I had no difficulty following each of the story threads. This is definitely a book that is more about the process, the journey that falls in between the beginning and the end. While certain aspects of the outcome may not be surprising, the way it comes together was completely unexpected. Last Night in Montreal was a pleasure to read. It was beautiful--poetic even--in writing and profound in scope.

Rating:

(Very Good +)

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, New Authors Challenge, 2009 Pub Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge, & Themed Challenge

Be sure to check out this excerpt on the author's website and stop and take a look around the rest of her website. Many thanks to Caitlin with Unbridled Books for the opportunity to read this novel and participate in the blog tour.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Review: Probable Claws by Clea Simon

I am not a cat. Beyond the obvious - no fur, no whiskers - I'm not and have never been as fastidious as your average feline, and I'm certainly not the clean freak that my own Musetta is. [from the prologue]

Probable Claws by Clea Simon
Poisoned Pen Press, 2009 (ARC)
Crime Fiction (MYS); 255 pgs

My favorite computer moments, however awkward, are when I have a cat sitting on my desk, another cat lying across my chest and arms and a dog at my feet. There is just something comforting in being surrounded by my fur friends. It might come as a surprise then when I tell you that I haven’t always been a fan of animal related mysteries. No, that isn’t quite true. I had not really tried enough to form that solid of an opinion. What I had read had not impressed me much and so for quite a while, I shied away from them.

And then I was introduced to Clea Simon’s Theda Krakow series. It was impossible not to fall in love with Musetta, Theda’s beautiful and playful tuxedo cat. What I like most about this particular series is how natural the cats are in the book. The cats are natural and realistic, which fits well with this series. They behave just like my cats. There are moments when I find myself nodding, “Parker does that!” Or light is shed on a behavior I might not have understood before.

Another aspect I like about the Theda Krakow series is how character driven the books are. Theda is a freelance reporter and music critic in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Theda’s personal and professional lives are woven together in such a way that they are integral parts of the mystery; the club music scene and her involvement with the cat community, included. In Probable Claws, the line is even more blurred as Theda’s career and relationships suddenly are put into precarious positions. What begins as a suspected poisoning of cats at her friend Violet’s shelter soon escalates into murder, and Theda becomes the number one suspect. Could shelter politics be behind everything? Or is a simple case of jealousy or greed?

Animal shelters carry a heavy burden in our society, and Clea Simon touches upon some of the difficulties they face. While her novels focus on cats, the issues also apply to other pets, such as dogs as well. In Probable Claws, the author addresses the problem of over population and euthanasia. With over population, it is difficult to maintain a no kill stance and yet many shelters are trying to go that route, limiting euthanasia only to hard to place animals. But what exactly constitutes a hard to place animal? This too is under scrutiny and a serious issue to consider.

Theda is in the thick of things in Probable Claws and she comes across as strong but vulnerable. So much in her life seems to be going downhill all at once and the author captures Theda’s internal struggle of trying to stay in control despite the odds. Many of Theda’s friends make an appearance in Probable Claws, including her boyfriend Bill and one of my favorite characters, Violet. The reader gets the opportunity to know fellow reporter Ralph a little better in this novel. Although he isn’t the most likeable guy, I found myself feeling sorry for him as the novel progressed. But only a little.

Probable Claws, the fourth book in the series, is the best yet. The mystery is tightly woven and the tension builds as the story unfolds, resulting in a climax that was both exciting and satisfying. Theda grew as a character in this book, and I look forward to seeing where the author takes her next.

If you haven't already, take a look at my interview with the author! You can learn more about Clea Simon and her books on the author's website and on her blog, Cats & Crime & Rock & Roll.

Other books in the series:
Mew is For Murder
Cattery Row
Cries and Whiskers

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, 2009 Pub Challenge, Cozy Mystery Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Presenting Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville (Four Reviews)

I have done my best to keep each of these reviews spoiler free (unless you count a little synopsis as a spoiler), despite the fact that this is an ongoing series. While each of the books in this series can be read as a stand alone, the background stories are overreaching and quite revealing. The two most recent books published have a tiny hint of a cliff hanger at the end, promising more trouble to come. I recommend the reader read them in order if possible.

The series begins with Kitty and The Midnight Hour, which I read before my blogging days. Kitty Goes to Washington followed close on its heels (click on the title for my review). The following are my thoughts on the next four books in the series.

Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn
Warner Brothers, 2007
Fantasy; 303 pgs

Ever since striking out on her own after being exiled from her pack in Denver, Kitty, the country's most famous werewolf and radio talk show host, has had it rough. Her trip to Washington only added to her now complicated life. She wants nothing more than to spend some quiet time alone and work on her memoir. A cabin in rural Colorado is the perfect getaway--or so she believes until strange things begin happening around her. A dead rabbit is left on her porch long with a cross painted on her door in blood. An evil lurks outside her door, one she cannot quite identify. With the police wanting to pin recent animal deaths in the area on her, Kitty must figure out what is going on. Old friend Cormac, the werewolf bounty hunter, and her attorney, Ben, are more than willing to help, although they come with their own baggage.

Amidst all of that, Kitty takes in a newly turned werewolf and has to reach inside herself to find the strength to be the alpha, a role completely opposite the one she was in at the beginning of Kitty and the Midnight Hour. Kitty is an amazingly strong woman, however, she doesn't quite realize that. Remnants from her abusive past have left their scars and will carry over into the next book in the series as well. At times, she lets her fears get the better of her, but she always manages to come through in the end.

Kitty Takes a Holiday is not quite as fast paced as the other novels in the series, but it does allow the character time to process much of what has been happening to her over the past few months, which I think adds a hint of realism to this urban fantasy series—grounding it in a sense. This particular book carries a number of different story threads, some intersecting better than others. It feels like a transitional book. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but felt there were a couple of minor loose ends that should have been resolved. Perhaps I have that to look forward to in future books!

Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn
Grand Central Publishing, 2008
Fantasy; 326 pgs

I was more than ready to dive into Carrie Vaughn's next Kitty Norville book after finishing Kitty Takes a Holiday. The mood was right and I was not quite ready to say goodbye to the characters just yet, however temporary. I wasn't disappointed.

Kitty and her new mate have settled in Pueblo, Colorado, far enough away from Denver not to cause problems, but close enough to continue with her radio show at KNOB. Her talk show is one of a kind. She reaches out to supernatural beings and others who want to learn more about them. When her mother is diagnosed with cancer, Kitty rushes home to Denver and finds herself in the middle of a power struggle between two powerful vampires. Despite her best intentions to stay neutral, Kitty is forced to choose sides. Her former pack leader wants her dead and will not rest until she is. With the werewolves and vampires on the brink of war and a powerful werewolf out for her blood, Denver is not the safest place to be--not even with the new supernatural police unit lead by Detective Hardin on the case.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and entertaining. Kitty is coming into her own as an alpha wolf, still struggling with her former life and her new one. She is not a violent person and would prefer to talk things out, but even she realizes that the ideal is often not the reality. Kitty must make some very difficult decisions, and she isn't quite sure she is up to being the one to make them. Her insecurities come to the forefront in this novel.

I am still not quite sure how I feel about her love interest. I like him very much as a character, and perhaps my hesitation to fully accept them as a couple comes from the fact that I am not sure the sparks between she and another man from her past have fully had a chance to die out. Still, her current relationship makes more sense for practical purposes, and I do hope they will be happy together.

One of many things I like about Carrie Vaughn's series is that it is dark and a bit on the gritty side, while at the same time remaining easy reading. Carrie Vaughn is one of my comfort authors.

Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand by Carrie Vaughn
Grand Central Publishing, 2009
Fantasy; 301 pgs

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: 2009 Pub Challenge & Buy One Book and Read It Challenge

Kitty heads out of town again, this time for Las Vegas. She somehow was talked into hosting a live television special in the City of Sin and in delivering a message from Denver’s Master Vampire to the one in Las Vegas. Add to that a wedding, a poker tournament and mobsters; what could be more fitting for the setting of this novel?

Kitty is booked into the same hotel that is hosting a gun show and some of the conference goers are not too keen on her kind. It does not take much to make an enemy of someone who already has it in for you. Where Kitty goes, you can be sure magic and danger will be close behind, and sure enough, Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand has some of both. Las Vegas is the home of many secrets and Kitty quickly finds herself tangled up in the middle of several.

Although I liked Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand, it got off to a slow start. Considering the characters that needed to be introduced for the set up of the various plot threads, including the main one, it probably could not have been done any other way. In addition, I wish the author had gone a little farther with certain threads in the novel, but perhaps that was in part due to the limitations of a first person narrative.

Something I really liked about Kitty in this book is how she used her cell phone to warn her friends when she was about to jump into trouble. Sure, she didn’t stay put like she promised and ran head first into trouble all by herself. But at least she reached out for help, even if a little later than she should have.

One of the strongest things Kitty has going for her are her friends and how they will stand by her during the worst of moments. Kitty may not be able to tackle the biggest evil in the world on her own, but she is a team player—most of the time—and she is not afraid to stand up for herself no matter how afraid she might be.

Carrie Vaughn has created an interesting storyline which holds a lot of promise in developing further in future books. Although this was not my favorite book in the series, Kitty and her friends continue to keep me entertained and interested in their adventures.

Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie Vaughn
Grand Central Publishing, 2009 (ARC)
Fantasy; 336 pgs

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge

Trouble seems to follow Kitty no matter where she goes, and it certainly has found her in Denver. Something is stalking her and threatening her pack. She is up against a supernatural force she cannot explain, much less name. Seeking help from the crew of a televised paranormal investigation show, maybe she will be able to figure out who or what is behind the strange happenings and learn how to stop it before it wrecks even more havoc than it has already.

She also is offered help from another source; a mysterious vampire offers his services but for a price. His price is high and both the Master Vampire of Denver and Kitty are unsure they can trust the man who says he is the only one who can stop the foe they are up against. As danger draws closer takes the life of someone close to her, Kitty is desperate and willing to try anything to save her friends and family.

I am beginning to see a pattern with the Kitty Norville books. I appear to like the novels that take place in Denver best (although I really liked Kitty Goes to Washington too). Kitty seems more settled in this book, although not completely. Her position in the pack is somewhat tenuous, especially with an evil after her that she knows so little about.

Carrie Vaughn continues to add new and interesting characters to the series as well as bring back old ones that I am eager to learn more about. The longer the series goes on, the more I like the character of vampire Rick. Kitty has a good ally in him even though they do not always see eye to eye. And I was pleased to see Odysseus Grant reappear—there’s still so much to learn about him!

Kitty Raises Hell is a great addition to the series. It was different and fun. I look forward to meeting up with Kitty and friends again in the near future.

Many thanks to Miriam from Hachette for providing me with a copy of Kitty Raises Hell.

Be sure and stop in and visit the author's website!

See what others on the blog tour thought of the Kitty books:

Cindy's Love of Books

Confessions of a Romance Book Addict

Drey's Library

Stephanie's Books

Book Thoughts by Lisa

Bananas 4 Books

Medieval Bookworm

Foreign Circus Library

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Warning: Challenge Fever is Contagious

(Note: The following post is extra long. I crammed my challenge lists into one post. Sorry.)

Challenge - A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking. - Extracted from the Free Dictionary

Hold on a minute. I have to get the laundry out of the dryer. Okay, I’m back. Where was I? Oh, yes. Challenges. At the beginning of December, I was fairly certain I would forgo all challenges in 2009. I was not proud of the poor standing I made in the challenges I attempted in 2008. I barely completed four of the seven I had committed to do.

Lazy - Resistant to work or exertion; disposed to idleness.
- Extracted from the the Free Dictionary

First though, I wanted to take a look at Wendy’s A Novel Challenge blog just to see what I would be missing. And suddenly I was bit (no, not by Edward Cullen or Felix Gomez) by the challenge bug. I had caught the Challenge Fever. What could I do but make list upon list of challenges that caught my eye? I turned in desperation to my husband for advice, sure he would keep me grounded. Only he didn’t. He said I should join as many as I wanted (this would later change when I told him I had narrowed my choices down to 13 at which time he told me that was probably overdoing it). What freedom! What luxury! I could submerge myself in challenges . . . and drown. Never to be heard from again. That would not do.

And so I kept at it and narrowed down my list even further (no one has to know that there are challenges that start later in the year that I want to join; by then, who is going to remember how many I signed up for at the beginning of the year? Besides, I now know firsthand that nothing happens if I do not finish a challenge. No punch in the face, no game of Monopoly, no forced coffee drinking, no tortuous sentence writing on the blackboard . . .). With one exception, all of the challenges I am signing up for are very flexible. Substitution is allowed (except for the one). In many cases, listing intended books ahead of time isn’t even required. Of course, that does take away the best part of signing up for challenges: the list making. And you know how much I love making lists.

Without further ado, a few challenges to keep me busy during 2009:

Host: J. Kaye
Goal: Read 12 books that are 1st in any series. Books can be listed anytime during the year.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Book Choices:

Zoo Station by David Downing [read]
Lion of Senet by Jennifer Fallon [read]
Starfinder by John Marco [read]
Defending Angels by Mary Stanton [read]
The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson [read]
Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey [read]
In the Woods by Tana French [read]
Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan [read]
Shades of Grey by Clea Simon [read]

Host: J. Kaye
Goal: Read 12 books by authors that you have only read once (it does not have to be a series). Books can be listed anytime during the year.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Book Choices:
Guests of the Ayatollah by Mark Bowden [read]
Watchmen by Alan Moore (& Dave Gibbons) [read]
Angel's Advocate by Mary Stanton [read]
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant [read]
Face Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan [read]
When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge [read]
The Girl on Legare Street by Karen White [read]
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens [read]

Host: Annie
Goal: Choose one book from each of the following categories. Books can be listed anytime during the year.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Book Choices:
1. A book with a "profession" in its title.
In the Wake of the Boatman by Jonathan Scott Fuqua [read]

2. A book with a "time of day" in its title.
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandell [read]

3. A book with a "relative" in its title.
Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey [read]

4. A book with a "body part" in its title.
Probable Claws by Clea Simon [read]

5. A book with a "building" in its title.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford [read]

6. A book with a "medical condition" in its title.
Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn [read]

* * * COMPLETED * * *

Host: Literary Escapism
Goal: Read books by 20 new authors. Books/Authors may be listed anytime during the year.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Book Choices:

* * * COMPLETED * * *

Hosts: Anna and Serena
Goal: Read 5 books related to some aspect of World War II (WWII). Books can be listed anytime during the year.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

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

* * * COMPLETED * * *

Host: Michelle
Goal: Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. Books can be listed anytime during the year.
Restrictions: No children’s/YA titles allowed and at least 5 of the titles must be fiction.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Books Read:

* * * COMPLETED * * *

Host: Teddy Rose
Goal: Read 12 Advanced Reader’s Copies (ARC).
Special Instructions: List all ARC's that you have to read right now. Then throughout the year, you must continue updating that list as you receive more ARC's. (This is important). You should also strike out the ones that you finish.
Definition: For the sake of this challenge, ARC is defined as any book provided to you for the purpose of review by the publisher, publicist or author.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Book List for ARC Challenge

Level One - Completed
Level Two: Over Achiever - Completed
Level Three: ARC Obsessed - Completed

Host: Jenn
Goal: Read 12 To Be Read (TBR) books.
Special Instructions: You need to have a list posted somewhere for others to see and the list cannot be changed after January 1, 2009 or the date you join if after the 1st. Alternate list of up to 12 books allowed.
Restrictions: Re-reads are not allowed.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

Book Choices:
1. Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan
2. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne [read]
3. Teaser by Jan Brogan [read]
4. In the Woods by Tana French [read]
5. Goodbye and Amen by Beth Gutcheon
6. Legerdemain by James J. Heaphey
7. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
8. A Thousand Veils by D.J. Murphy
9. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
10. Who By Fire by Diana Spechler [read]
11. Broad Street by Christine Weiser [read]
12. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak [read]

Alternates:
1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
2. Death of a Red Heroine by Xiaolong Qui
3. Gallows View by Peter Robinson
4. Forcing Amaryllis by Louise Ure
5. Shop Till You Drop by Elaine Viets
6. Overleaf of Hong Kong by Xu Xi
7. Full Moon by Rebecca York

Host: Wendy
Goal: Read 4 books that share a theme.
Time Frame:February 1 , 2009 to July 31, 2009

My Theme: Titles with city/town names.
Book Choices:
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandell [read]

Other Options:
Jackfish, The Vanishing Village by Sarah Felix Burns
The Painter from Shanghai by Jenifer Cody Epstien
Honeymoon in Tehran by Azadeh Moaveni
Overleaf of Hong Kong by Xu Xi

Host: Dana
Goal: Option Chosen: *Do These Books Make my Butt Look Big?* which requires the participant to read 3 to 5 Chunksters.
Restrictions: Chunksters are defined as books 450 pages or more unless the book is in large print and then a 525 page rule applies. Only adult books allowed, no short story or essay anthologies, and no audio books.
Time Frame: Now to November 15, 2009

Book Choices:
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins [read]
Chemical Cowboys by Lisa Sweetingham [read]
Lion of Senet by Jennifer Fallon [read]

* * * COMPLETED * * *