Tuesday Thingers and Booking Through Thursday

This week's question from Marie at The Boston Bibliophile:

Since we're past the Fourth of July and the summer season has officially started, what are your plans for the summer? Vacations, trips? Trips that involve reading? Reading plans? If you're going somewhere, do you do any reading to prepare? Do you read local literature as part of your trip? Have you thought about using the LT Local feature to help plan your book-buying?

Just as everyone is beginning to turn their thoughts to fall this year, my husband and I will be sitting on the beach in Hawaii, drinking pineapple juice and watching the sunset. Anjin and I tend to take our vacations towards the end of the summer, right after the American Labor Day holiday. Schools are back in session and the summer vacation rush has died down. It is the perfect time to get away. Not to mention it falls right around the time of my birthday.

In preparation for our trip, I have perused online websites and read through tour books as well as talked to friends and family. In this case, it is more for deciding what we want to see and do. Most likely while there, I will seek out books by local authors and my desire to read more about the state's history will grow exponentially--it always does when I travel. I am thrilled to be returning to Hawaii, visiting the place where I spent a part of my childhood. My time there is a distant memory, and I look forward to creating new memories with my husband.

I never considered using Library Thing as a resource for further research in regards to my trip, but it is not a bad idea!

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What would you do if, all of a sudden, your favorite source of books was unavailable?Whether it’s a local book shop, your town library, or an internet shop… what would you do if, suddenly, they were out of business? Devastatingly, and with no warning? Where would you go for books instead? What would you do? If it was a local business you would try to help out the owners? Would you just calmly start buying from some other store? Visit the library in the next town instead? Would it be devastating? Or just a blip in your reading habit?

It would not be a stretch to say that I am already prepared for such contingencies. My TBR collection is quite extensive and would keep me sufficiently entertained for the next decade or so at the very least. Add to that the books on my shelves that I have read that I can always reread. I rarely, if ever, reread books now, but there are quite a few in my collection that I keep around for that eventual day when I will do so.

With the number of book trading sites and online book clubs out there, there will always be resources for obtaining new (albeit used) books. The reading community may not be large in terms of the world population, but I imagine there are enough of us, not to mention in diversity of interests and tastes, that we could easily be able to organize book boxes and rings to ensure that books continue to be shared with others interested in reading them.

If it was just a matter of one store in town going out of business, it would not make much of a difference to me. I have no big attachment to any one store. In fact, I have a tendency to do business in quite a few, spreading my support and money around--this includes both brick and mortar stores as well as online stores. There are other bookstores in the area; the next town over is not so far away or even the town after that. It would not be worth making a big fuss over. Sure, I would moan about having to go a little farther or because of the loss of a good resource, but when it comes to books and reading, I will do what I have to do in order to keep my supply steady.

In the case of a library, if my local branch closed down, there are still several others throughout the city I can use. If the city libraries all closed down, I would then move on to the county libraries or to one in the next town or city over. As it is, I do not frequent my local library very often, and so I probably would not feel the impact of such a loss right away. That sounds terrible, perhaps, but it's true. It is hard to justify using the library when I have my own personal library at home that is full of books waiting to be read.

Even though I may not have a specific attachment to any book store or library, if I discovered that it was going out of business, I would probably make an effort to help out (donate books if appropriate and try and frequent the shop more often), but it would only be in a limited way. As one person there is not much I could do, but even those small efforts made by enough people might make a difference. It would be worth a try anyway.

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Tomorrow is the last day to to enter the giveaways! For more information and to sign up visit Sunday's post titled Sunday Salon: In Between Books.

There are two separate contests and participants may enter one or both. The only catch is that participants must answer a simple question. If you answer the question, you will automatically be entered into the main drawing for a book of your choice (limit up to $25).

For a second chance at a prize, you can also enter in the drawing for one of the ARE books I am giving away. In the case of the ARE Giveaway, simply tell me which ARE books you are interested in winning, and I'll add your name into that drawing as well. Do remember to specify which ARE book you are interested in or else you might end up with something you did not want.

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I took the plunge and now have my own domain name. While the old web address will redirect you to my new address, those who have me listed in their blog rolls may want to update your link to the new one: http://www.literaryfeline.com/.

The Servants by Michael Marshall Smith

If you live long enough, everything happens.
And then some of it happens again. [pg xii]

The Servants by Michael Marshall Smith
Harper Collins, September 2008 (ARE)
Fiction; 209 pgs

Mark is an 11 year old boy whose life is out of balance. His mother has remarried and they have moved from London to the seaside community of Brighton. Mark was forced to leave behind his friends and the life he knew. His mother is deathly ill and Mark wants nothing more than to have things return to the way they once were. He directs most of his anger towards his new stepfather, David, who seems to control every facet of their life. It is his house that the family moved into and him that controls how much diet coke comes into the house.

Mark feels alone and unsure of his place in the new life he finds himself leading. He befriends an elderly woman who lives in an apartment in the basement of the family’s house. She has lived there for many years on her own. She opens her door to the young angry boy and lets him in on a little known secret about the centuries old house they live in. Behind a locked door lies the old servants’ quarters where once servants ran the house, cooking and cleaning, keeping things in order and maintaining the balance of life up above.

The Servants is a heartfelt story about a boy coming to terms with his mother’s illness and finding his way in life. Author Michael Marshall Smith’s writing is simple and genuine, allowing the reader into the mind of that 11 year old boy as he struggles to understand everything going on around him. It was impossible not to grow attached to Mark, to feel his pain and also to want to steer him in the right direction when he seemed to be off course. He just needs to find his own way and look beyond the surface of what is going on around him.

In addition to Mark’s character, I was drawn to David, the stepfather. Mark focused so much of his anger and energy on disliking his stepfather that one had to wonder what was going on in David’s mind. Mark’s own father and mother could do no wrong in Mark’s eyes. He put them on pedestals, making it difficult at first to get to know them. And yet, it proved an effective move on the author’s part in telling Mark’s story. The reader only experiences what Mark wants us to. It is his story, after all. Although this is Mark’s tale, I would like to have gotten to know the elderly woman in the basement more. Her own story must be a remarkable one.

There does not seem to be much to this story, at least not at first. Michael Marshall Smith’s The Servants is on one level a ghost story. On another, it is a story about love and family. And it is about finding one’s place in this mad crazy world we live in. I found The Servants to be a refreshing and charming story.

Rating: (Good +)

Check out the Michael Marshall Smith's website for more information about his books.

Review book provided by Harper Collins First Look Program.

Weekly Geeks: Magazines

This week’s Weekly Geeks theme has to do with the magazines we read. Dewey provided a meme to help prod participants along.

For each magazine you want to talk about, here are a few questions. Answer as many or as few as you want.

1. Name of magazine.
2. Do you subscribe or just buy it now and then?
3. What’s your favorite regular feature in the magazine?
4. What do you think your interest in this magazine says about you?
5. How long have you been reading this magazine?
6. Is there any unique or quirky aspect to the magazine that keeps you reading?

My interest in magazines tends to come and go. There are times I go magazine crazy and will subscribe to everything under the sun that sounds interesting. At least until I realize I am not actually reading the magazines, but merely stacking them in piles to read later. Only, the piles get higher and higher. Then I go through a minimalist phase, where I cancel my subscriptions or let them run out, keeping only those I actually do manage to get to in a somewhat reasonable amount of time. At the moment, my magazine subscriptions fall somewhere between the two extremes.

I prefer taking out subscriptions to buying off the rack. A part of my brain believes I save money that way. Another part of my brain thinks my husband (a buy off the rack sort of fellow) has the better idea. He buys what he wants when he knows he has time to read it. It seems the wiser course. I am not always so rational. There is also the fact that I like having the magazines arrive in the mail, a little something special to look forward to besides bills and advertisements. Mail delivery is convenient. No trying to find time to run to the store to pick up the latest copy of a favorite magazine. No worry about the store running out before I can get there.

I prefer reading books over magazines, which is one of the reasons magazines tend to pile up rather than be read on the spot. It took me a long time to realize that I didn't need to read a magazine straight through, much less read every single article. I figured if I spent the money on it, that's exactly what I should be doing. There are three magazines I subscribe to in which I do tend to read cover to cover--not because I feel obligated but because just about every article interests me in some way. Those are the real treasures.

Magazines are great to read in a pinch and prove to be effective fillers for short waits or in between book times. Magazines don't draw me in as fully as a book might, and so they also make handy reading when I need to stay alert to my surroundings or am having difficulty focusing.

I currently subscribe to a number of magazines, three of which cater to the reader in me.

Bookmarks Magazine and Mystery Scene both offer book reviews, book related articles, and interviews with authors. Bookmarks appeals to the general reader in me, containing information about all sorts of different types of books; whereas Mystery Scene speaks to my inner mystery lover.

I am fairly new to World Literature Today. I like it well enough, but sometimes the articles aren't always appealing to me. It could be that it is a bit too academic for me in some respects or more involved than what I am seeking from my magazine reading at the time. I do enjoy flipping through the magazine though and often find articles that do interest me. I am especially drawn to the reviews.

One of my favorite magazines and probably the one I am most up to date with reading is Entertainment Weekly. The brief articles and pop culture focus make it irresistible. My favorite section is, of course, the book review section, but I am quite fond of the movie reviews as well.

How could I forget The Strand? Probably because I have only yet received one copy. It's a new subscription to a magazine filled with a little bit of everything having to do with books, especially mysteries and short stories. I have enjoyed what I have seen so far.

I also subscribe to Harper's Magazine, Consumer Reports and a couple of journals related to my field of work. These in particular tend to collect dust until an opportune moment arrives when I make time to read them. I do enjoy the lengthy articles in Harper's and find Consumer Reports to be quite informative.

There have been other magazines over the years that I have subscribed to of varying kinds and topics. I once was on an animal kick and subscribed to a number of magazines related to cats and dogs. I have tried a few of the women's magazines out there but have yet to find one that satisfies.

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Just a quick reminder that I am hosting two drawings which can be found on Sunday's Post titled Sunday Salon: In Between Books.

There are two separate contests and participants may enter one or both. The only catch is that participants must answer a simple question. If you answer the question, you will automatically be entered into the main drawing for a book of your choice (limit up to $25).

For a second chance at a prize, you can also enter in the drawing for one of the ARE books I am giving away. In the case of the ARE Giveaway, simply tell me which ARE books you are interested in winning and I'll add your name into that drawing as well.

The deadline is coming up this Friday so come on by before then to enter the drawings!

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake

Something in my soul had been hurt by what surrounded me, but I was not physically hurt. [excerpt from Nightwalker]


Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
Harper, August 2008 (ARE)
Fantasy; 370 pgs

It has been too long since last read a fantasy novel about vampires. I was thrilled when I learned that I was selected to receive a copy of Jocelynn Drake’s Nightwalker through Harper Collins First Look Program. It sounded like a promising start to a new series. A series reader can never have enough series to read, right? And what could be more fun than a tale of magic, vampires, lycanthropes, great battles, and a little flicker of romance?

Nightwalker introduces readers to Mira, a vampire with a special talent of being able to start fires. She is greatly feared and admired by those in the magic realm. Mira is content with her life in Savannah, Georgia, watching over her domain and protecting the secret of her people, keeping the knowledge of the dark forces hidden from the humans. When a powerful vampire hunter comes to town bearing an unexpected gift, Mira finds herself face to face with an enemy she long believed to be dead.

Danaus, the mysterious hunter, is not out to kill her just yet. He needs her help. The naturi were one of biggest threats to both nightwalkers and humanity centuries ago, and there are signs that they are returning to the world. Mira still has nightmares of her time in captivity when she was kidnapped and held prisoner by the naturi. She must decide whether to join forces with the hunter in fighting their common foe. One thing she knows for sure, however. She must seek out the triad that created the seal that had blocked the naturi from returning. Only they will be able to stop the naturi from growing in strength and ushering their queen across the barrier. If that were to happen, humans and nightwalkers would face certain death and destruction.

Although the book got off to a slow start, it wasn’t long before I was drawn into the story. I especially found myself curious about Danaus. He is human and yet holds his own special powers. He has a strong sense of justice and is not sure what to think of Mira and her kind. He was taught all his life that vampires were evil and that they killed out of blood lust. Mira has her own code. She does not kill indiscriminately and cares about the humans as well as her own people. She will do what she must to protect the secrets that she keeps just the same, and if that means spilling blood, then so be it.

It took me a little while to warm up to Mira. She seemed cold and calculating at first, using her wiles to get what she wanted. She was not above using force to prove her point and could just as quickly use her sensuality to get what she wanted. Jocelynn Drake did a good job, however, of bringing out the more human side of Mira as the story unfolded. And as her character often reminded the vampire hunter, humans are themselves a violent race—even more so in some ways than the nightwalkers.

The novel takes readers from the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia to Africa and on to England where the isle is rich in magic. I felt like I was wandering the streets right alongside Mira and Danaus as they went about their business. I wouldn’t have minded lingering a bit longer.

The biggest disadvantage to reading this book is that it ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. It is obvious there is much more to Mira’s story, and, of course, now I have to wait before I will be able to see where Jocelynn Drake will take me next. Jocelynn Drake has created an intriguing and magical world that I cannot wait to visit again.

Rating: (Good +)

Be sure and check out the author’s blog and website for more information about the author and her book.

Sunday Salon: In Between Books

There are holes in the shelf of books above my desk. I almost hate to fill the gaps, wiping away my progress. It isn't as if I do not have books to fill the spaces because I most definitely do. There are some stacked on top waiting for the cat to nudge them over just a little so they take a flying leap below. I could easily fit them into the holes. I will get to that, but for now I am enjoying the illusion that I am making progress in whittling away my TBR collection.

I spent a good portion of this past week trudging through the December snow in Wyoming, chasing down leads to find a killer. While yesterday I stopped in for a visit at a small seaside town in England where I consorted with ghosts. As of right now, I am in between books, and you know where that usually leaves me: wondering where to go next.

Craig Johnson has solidified his place on my favorite mystery author list. I have only read two of the four books in his Sheriff Longmire series so far, the fourth one I am itching to get my hands on sooner than later. I have the third sitting here on my desk. It is one of the books that I am considering reading next. As hot as it is this summer, another visit to cold wintry Wyoming is sounding awfully good right about now.

Michael Marshall Smith is a new-to-me author, The Servants being the first book I have read by him; although it appears he has written a number of books of varying kinds. He seems to be a bit of a renaissance author, which has my curiosity piqued. I no doubt will be looking for his earlier books to give them a try.

Where should I go now? While I definitely will be making another trip to Wyoming shortly, do I first want to stop off in Lebanon, or perhaps a visit to China is in order? Louisiana is sounding mighty fine right now as well. Ah! The joys of being able to go anywhere at just about any time, stepping into someone else's shoes, and seeing the world through their eyes for a short while . . . Is it any wonder I love to read?

On a different note, I have an assignment for you, my dear readers. Anjin's and my 10th wedding anniversary is coming up on the 12th of July, just a few short days away. While we are putting off the actual celebration until September when we both could get time off from work for a romantic getaway, that doesn't mean we cannot have a little celebration here at Musings of a Bookish Kitty right now. I thought a little contest was in order for the occasion.

Is there a book on your wish list that you have had your eye on for awhile now? One lucky winner will finally be able to add that book to his or her TBR collection. I also have a few ARE's to give away and thought I would throw those into the pot as well.

How to Enter For the Book of Your Choice:

• Answer the following question: Name a favorite literary couple and tell me why they are a favorite. If you cannot choose just one, that is okay too. Name as many as you like--sometimes narrowing down a list can be extremely difficult and painful. Or maybe that's just me.
• You may answer here in the comments or post your response on your own blog (please leave a link to your post if you choose this second option).
• Book of your choice is limited to $25 or less in price. You do not have to name the book now--the winner can let me know upon learning he or she won.
• Deadline to enter contests is July 11, 2008 at 11:59 p.m., PDT. Winners will be chosen randomly.
  
• Must have a valid mailing address to enter.

For a second chance to win, if you are feeling extra lucky, you can also enter your name in a giveaway for any of the below listed ARE's.

ARE Giveaways: (keep in mind these are uncorrected proofs--they are not the exact copies you will find for sale in bookstores. The covers are plain in most cases and the books may contain typos.)

The Accidental Mother by Rowan Coleman
Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Waiting to Surface by Emily Listfield
Sex Wars by Marge Piercy
The Last Blue Mile by Kim Ponders
Leftovers by Laura Wiess

How to Enter the ARE Giveaway:

• Answer the following question: Name a favorite literary couple and tell me why they are a favorite. If you cannot choose just one, that is okay too. Name as many as you like--sometimes narrowing down a list can be extremely difficult and painful. Or maybe that's just me.
• If you would like to be entered in the giveaways for the listed ARE's, please state in the comment section which ones you are interested in.
  
• If you are interested in all of them, please let me know so I know to enter you in each drawing.
  
• You may request as many ARE's as you like, but winners will be limited to only one ARE book. Each drawing is held separately.
  
• Deadline to enter contests is July 11, 2008 at 11:59 p.m., PDT. Winners will be chosen randomly.
  
• Must have a valid mailing address to enter.

Happy reading and good luck!


[Edited to make contest rules more clear; none of the rules changed.]