Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas (Decorating for the Holidays)

May your day be filled with love, laughter,

and many happy memories.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

I thought I would share some of the photos of my office this holiday season. We had our first Christmas Decorating Contest. Everyone did a fantastic job.

(The Doctor Who is my personal favorite)

© 2015, 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.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Bookish Thoughts: Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne

She supposed that particular state of affairs wasn't necessarily a bad thing in her current role as substitute attending physician at the Lake Haven Hospital emergency department. ~ Opening of Evergreen Springs

Evergreen Springs (Haven Point #3) by RaeAnne Thayne
Harlequin Books, 2015
Romance; 384 pgs

From Goodreads:

Christmas is the last thing Cole Barrett is thinking about this year. He's barely hanging on trying to care for his two grieving children since his ex-wife died in a tragic accident. For the reclusive Cole, this is no time for gift-giving and celebration—and certainly not for a sunny-natured optimist to blow into his screwed-up life.

In the years since her cancer treatments, physician Devin Shaw has researched the curative powers of Lake Haven's mineral waters. Unfortunately, the hot springs are on Barrett property, forcing Devin to strike a bargain with the ranch's attractively gruff owner: she'll give Cole's children the magical Christmas they deserve, and Cole will allow her patients access to the springs. But can she work her holiday magic to heal the Barrett family's battered hearts—and her own?

I do not think I have ever read as many holiday-themed books as I have this year. I thought Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne would be a good place to stop. Sort of coming full circle since it was RaeAnne Thayne's A Cold Creek Christmas Story which started off my holiday-themed reading in the first place. Evergreen Springs and A Cold Creek Christmas Story have some similarities, both about single fathers raising children who have just lost their mothers. In both cases, the fathers are devoted to their children and a bit rough around the edges.

I admit I worried a bit at first that the two books would be too similar, but I had nothing to worry about. The two novels were different enough from one another, as were the characters. In Evergreen Springs, Cole Barrett is stretched very thin. His sister, who had been helping him out, is stuck in the hospital on bed rest, pregnant with twins and with a sprained ankle. He's already been through two housekeepers. His two children only just moved in a short time ago and are still acclimating to their new home, life and the loss of their mother. Add to that work obligations to which Cole must keep because his business is still new and getting off the ground. He is not the kind of person who would ask for help, but he recognizes he cannot say no when Dr. Devin Shaw, his sister's childhood friend, steps in to do just that, seeing a family in need.

Devin is a caring family doctor who would go out of her way to help any of her patients, however, she's never felt as strong a pull to them as she does to Cole and his children. She finds herself volunteering to watch the children while Cole is out of town and arranges for the community to pitch in with meals and such. The children adore her as she does them. Plus, there's no denying (although she tries to) to the growing attraction she feels toward their cowboy father. Cole doesn't think he is good enough for someone like Devin, not with a past like his. Devin has her own reservations--and her own secret (although I'm not sure it really is a secret--she just doesn't talk about it), which she keeps close to her vest.

Both Cole and Devin are characters with pretty heavy baggage. I appreciated the way the author dealt with all of that. While there is drama, it isn't over the top drama. Cole is in a difficult place in his life, unable to let go of his past, while at the same time trying to make a better life for himself and his children. Devin finds it easiest to lose herself in her work and avoids getting too close to people--at least she did until she meets Cole and his children. I really came to care for both of them and was rooting for them to have a happy ending.

I also came to care for Ty and Jazmin, Cole's young children. Both Ty and Jazmin are very different from one another and have been through a lot. Thayne was very sensitive to their grief and lifestyle before they came to live with their father. It was so obvious they were in need of attention and love, and it was no wonder, really, that they grew attached to Devin so quickly under the circumstances. There is also Cole's father, Stan, who Cole has such strong feelings about. I wanted so much for Cole to let go of his anger and ease up on his stubbornness, even if only to talk to his father.

While at first I had my doubts about Evergreen Springs, I quickly got over them and by the end, I was tearing up quite a bit. I finished the book with a smile on my face. RaeAnne Thayne is definitely an author I plan to read more by in the future.

To learn more about RaeAnne Thayne and her books, please visit the author's website. You can also find the author on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: E-copy provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Bookish Thoughts: Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale

Twenty-six--that was the number of windows across the front of this house. ~ Opening of Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale

Bookouture, 2015

Romance; 305 pgs

Abbey Fuller is given a chance of a lifetime when asked to decorate multi-millionaire Nick Sinclair's mansion in time for Christmas. He has no interest in decorating really, but his grandmother insists, and he knows it will put his family's mind at ease--they already think he works too hard. This is Abbey's first real project and hopefully will be the kick off she needs to start her dream career in interior decorating. She's currently working as a nurse for Nick's grandmother, barely making ends meet as she supports her young son and helps her own mother with her sick grandfather.

Nothing prepares Abbey for what she finds when she enters Nick's house. It's huge and grand and nothing like anything she has ever set foot in before. She and Nick are worlds apart both economically and in life experiences. Nick has always lived a privileged life and has never wanted for anything.

The attraction is instant for both Abbey and Nick, but is very understated, which I liked. No zings or sparks or anything so obvious. Just a lingering look now and then. The novel reads at a leisurely pace, slow at first, allowing the reader to get to know Abbey. From all appearances, the two have an uphill battle in terms of having any sort of romantic relationship. Nick is very tied to his work, having decided long ago he was not interested in having a family. Abbey is cautious when it comes to men, having had a bad experience with her son's father who, like Nick, hadn't really wanted kids. He was never around. She dreams of one day having a loving husband and many more children.

I am the kind of person who respects someone's choice to have or not have children. It is a very personal decision to make, and so I was curious but also leery of how this particular conflict would be handled in the novel. I felt that the author Jenny Hale dealt with it in a respectful and believable way, given her characters and their situations. It was not a case of one character talking the other into their side--it was more complicated than that.

Then there is Max, Abbey's six year old son. Romance with a child involved can be tricky. As a mother, I cannot help but immediately think of the child and the consequences any such involvement can have on him. Abbey is concerned about that too and is very protective of her son. There are a couple of moments in the novel in which this comes out in full force, and it made me respect Abbey all the more.

I really liked Abbey. She is hardworking and thoughtful. She wants what is best for her son. For all her posturing about being afraid to get involved with a man, she sure falls for Nick fast though. I cannot blame her. Nick seems like a very nice guy. Even as a workaholic, he takes time out to make Abbey as comfortable as possible, accommodating her, and really listening to her. He is amazing with her son, Max, as well.

I love a good Cinderella rags to riches story, but I also tend to be more critical of them too, especially when it comes to contemporary romance. I am not sure why, other than perhaps something to do with the different power levels that often come with it. Add to that the fact that Abbey is working for Nick. Although written in third person, the novel is told from Abbey's perspective, and so while we get to know Nick from conversation and his actions, we are never really in his head. As a result, the reader is well aware of just what Nick has and Abbey does not. The author does try to make a point that Abbey is not exactly poor-at least when it comes to truly living life--and that comes through as the story progresses and as Nick comes more and more out of his office. It never felt as if Nick used his money or power to influence Abbey--if anything, he tries to push her away (although he wasn't very good at it--he'd tell her they had to keep their distance, and then be outside building a snowman with her).

There is one scene in particular in which Nick spends an extravagant amount of money on Abbey and comments about how he thought she would like it because his ex did, to which Abbey promptly replies she is not his ex. Then she gives in. I wish the author had taken it a bit further to hammer the point home. But that is just me. Abbey and I are not the same person.

I enjoyed spending time with Abbey, Max, and Nick, as well as their families. Particularly Señor Freckles, the rather wild but impossible not to love cat. Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses really is a feel good novel--clean and fun. Very Christmas-y in terms of the romance and the spirit of the season. The ending was perfect--this was an enjoyable addition to my Christmas-themed reading.

To learn more about Jenny Hale and her books, please visit the author's website.

Source: I received an e-copy of this book for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley.

Monday, December 21, 2015

Bookish Thoughts: The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat

I thought today I would do a combined post with a couple of teasers and a review of a book I read last week. I imagine there will not be many people around this week given Christmas is so close. I had planned to take next week off from blogging, but I may post my top ten books read list if I can put it together (it's proving to be more of a challenge than I thought--can I count three books as one since they are a series, each book dependent on the other? To make it easier for myself, I just might!). I have two more reviews going up later this week of Christmas-themed books I read, which I can't wait to share with you all.

To those who celebrate, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

First Paragraph of The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat:

My father is gone. I'm slouched in a cast-aluminum chair across from two men, one the manager of the hotel where we're staying and the other a policeman. They're both waiting for me to explain what's become of my father.

Teaser from The Dew Breaker, page 20:

"Ka, I don't deserve a statue," he says again, this time much more slowly, "not a whole one, at least. You see, Ka, your father was a hunter, he was not the prey."

and from page 93:

Estina Estéme lived in a valley between two lime-green mountains and a giant waterfall, which sprayed a find mist over the banana grove that surrounded her one-room house and the teal ten-place mausoleum that harbored the bones of many of her forebears. Her nephew recognized the house as soon as he saw it.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

The Dew Breaker by Edwidge Danticat

Knopf Publishing; 2004

Fiction; 244 pgs

From Goodreads:

We meet him late in life: a quiet man, a good father and husband, a fixture in his Brooklyn neighborhood, a landlord and barber with a terrifying scar across his face. As the book unfolds, moving seamlessly between Haiti in the 1960s and New York City today, we enter the lives of those around him, and learn that he has also kept a vital, dangerous secret. Edwidge Danticat's brilliant exploration of the "dew breaker" --or torturer -- is an unforgettable story of love, remorse, and hope; of personal and political rebellions; and of the compromises we make to move beyond the most intimate brushes with history. It firmly establishes her as one of America's most essential writers.

I first read something by Edwidge Danticat three years ago and loved it. I went on to read two more of her books, and loved them as well. She's a brilliant author who is able to put into words so well the struggle and hardships endured by Haitians through history. She also captures well the immigrant experience in her books. I have had my copy of The Dew Breaker since it came out, but for some reason put off reading it until now.

I wish I had read a few of the reviews out there before going into this one. It was not what I expected, and it hurt my enjoyment of it. I expected a typical novel, and The Dew Breaker reads more like a collection of loosely connected stories. I kept waiting for everything to come together with some sort of common conclusion in the end. When that didn't happen, I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied. I almost want to go back and read it again, now that I know what to expect. Maybe some day I will.

That aside, The Dew Breaker is made up of several poignant stories about various characters who have suffered throughout their lives and are just trying to make it today. The stories all either directly or indirectly center around the title character, the dew breaker, or torturer of Haitian dissidents under Duvalier's regime, who irrevocably influenced their lives. The stories take the reader between the past and the present. You meet both men and women, the victims and the family of victims of the dew breaker as well as his own family, both his daughter and his wife, and himself. You see a man who has completely remade his life and is a gentler kinder person, and yet his past reverberates long after in the lives he has touched--including his own daughter who has only just found out who her father once was.

What stands out most about this book for me is how it made me feel as I was reading. The sadness, the anger, the frustration, and also the hope of the characters. The story of the pastor who spoke out against injustice--how brave and yet how dangerous! Another of my favorite stories was the one of the young reporter who interviews the retiring seamstress. The language and the words not spoken . . . I liked everything about it. It was a very moving story.

While The Dew Breaker was not what I expected, it is one I have come to appreciate the more I reflect on it. Edwidge Danticat continues to be one of my favorite authors. I have another of her books on my shelf and will make sure it doesn't take me as long to get to it as it took me to get to this one.

To learn more about Edwidge Danticat and her books, please visit the author's Facebook Page.

Source: I pulled this book off my own TBR shelf.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Bookish Thoughts: A Silver Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear

Connor James Silver, better known as CJ, couldn't believe it had been a whole year since he and his brothers rejoined their cousin Darien Silver's wolf pack. ~ Opening of A Silver Wolf Christmas

A Silver Wolf Christmas (Heart of the Wolf #17) by Terry Spear

Sourcebooks Casablanca; 2015

Romance (Paranormal); 384 pgs

Along with the more contemporary and historical stories set during the Holiday season, I could not resist adding in a paranormal one as well, this one involving a wonderful little town run by werewolves. A Silver Wolf Christmas is actually my first novel by Terry Spear, and although it is seventeenth in the series, I had no trouble jumping right in. If anything, I am even more curious about some of the minor characters in the novel, wanting to know their backstories.

Laurel MacTire and her sisters are putting the final touches on the old Victorian Inn in preparation for their grand opening. The three women have made a living of turning hotels around, buying and fixing them up, opening them for business, and then moving on to the next project. They have an ulterior motive for coming to Silver Town, however. Several years ago, their aunt had disappeared from there with no word to her own sister or her nieces. Fearing foul play, Laurel and her sisters are determined to find out just what happened to their Aunt Clarinda. As a result, they have made a point of not getting too close to the pack that runs Silver Town. One or several of the members could be responsible.

The pack is more than excited to have the three sisters in their town and want nothing more than to make them comfortable in hopes they will stay. No one wants this more than C.J. who has fallen for the lovely red-headed Laurel. As one of the deputy officers in town, he is assigned by the pack leader to watch over the MacTires when they learn ghosthunters with a television show will be staying at the hotel upon its grand opening. The discovery of possible ghosts in the inn would be one thing, but to discover a whole town of werewolves . . . Well, that would be bad.

Both C.J. and Laurel are well matched, both a bit stubborn. Laurel has long take care of herself and her sisters, and C.J. respects her need for independence and space. I liked how their relationship evolved naturally over the course of the book. It is obvious they both had feelings for each other going into the book, but Laurel was cautious given the circumstances and uncertainty of whether she and her sisters would stay.

Along with the romance (C.J. can teach me to ski any time--because he is so patient, of course), there was the mystery aspect, which turned out to be quite intriguing. From the ghosthunters who weren't quite what they seemed, the haunted happenings in the inn and around Silver Town to the missing aunt and hints of murder, there was quite a bit going on in this novel.

Things wrapped up a little too nicely--and perhaps too quickly where certain characters were involved--but, all in all, A Silver Wolf Christmas felt like a fun romp in the snow.

To learn more about Terry Spear and her books, please visit the author's website.

Source: I received an e-copy of this book for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley.