Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Saturday, February 02, 2019

Sunday Mews: January Wrap Up and February TBR List Poll

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by the wonderful Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking to Stacking the Shelves hosted by the great Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. I am linking up to Nicole of Feed Your Addiction's Monthly Wrap-Up Post, where any book bloggers who write monthly wrap-up posts can link up and visit other bloggers to see what they have been reading.

New to My Shelves:

I did not have much luck during my last visit to Barnes and Noble, but the gift cards I received for Christmas were burning a hole in my pocket. I ended up ordering three books that were lingering on my wish list:

Moriarity by Annelie Wendeberg

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liz Mundy

Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson

And I could not pass up a recent Amazon sale for Goodreads award winners, picking up copies of:

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Roa

Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O'Brien

Rosewater (The Wormwood Trilogy Book 1) by Tade Thompson

What I Am Reading: This winter/spring I am participating in a read-along of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. I am behind, I am afraid, but will be catching up shortly. I am also reading a domestic thriller, Annie Ward's Beautiful Bad, which I just started.

What I Am Watching: I was able to finish watching the available episodes of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. It's a definite twist on the teenage witch from my younger years, but I quite like the new, darker version. I also caught the third season of the science fiction show, The Travelers. Movie wise, I watched Albion: The Enchanted Stallion, which felt like it should have been based on a children's book. I was hoping Mouse would have been more interested in it because it seemed like the type of movie she would enjoy, but her attention was elsewhere for most of it. It was not anything fancy, if a little silly. It still made me tear up at the end. Just Add Magic has a new season out, and so Mouse and I got started on that one this past week. It is a show we both enjoy.

Off the Blog: January found Mouse and I sick for a good part of the month. We both ended up missing a few days of school/work as a result, and are still fighting the lingering cough and congestion. Girl Scout Cookie Season is now officially underway, and Mouse is preparing for next month's Greatest Showman auditions. My mom's hip replacement surgery went without a hitch, and she is doing well. Our Christmas tree is still up. At least it is bare, I suppose. Nina appreciates that we have left it up. She gets her daily exercise in climbing up to the top and down again frequently.

Here is what I finished reading in January:

This Side of Murder (Verity Kent, #1) by Anna Lee Huber
April Fools' Fiasco (A to Z Mysteries, #9) by Ron Roy
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
Judy Moody Girl Detective (Judy Moody, #9) by Megan McDonald

I was hoping to finish my January TBR poll winner in January, but it did not quite work out that way. I was not online much, especially the second half of the month hence why I did not post much. I hope to be more present in February. I have missed catching up on your news and seeing what you all are reading.

This Past January's In Reading Mews:

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your January? Do you have anything planned for this month?

Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

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

I was thinking the other day that I have not kept up with my desire to read more science fiction as of late, and these three titles have been calling to me in particular. I hope you will help me decide which one I should read next.

Nightchaser (Endeavor, #1) by Amanda Bouchet

Tess Bailey: the galaxy's Most Wanted. Captain Tess Bailey is in deep trouble. She and her crew are on the run, pursued by a tyrant who'll take them dead or alive. Tess's best hope is a tall, dark, and much-too-appealing stranger, Shade Ganavan, who says he can help her. But his motivations are far from clear...

Shade Ganavan: arrogance, charm...and that special something that makes you want to kick him. With the dreaded Dark Watch closing in, what Tess and Shade don't know about each other might get them killed...unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other before it's too late. [Goodreads Summary]

Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall

A ragtag band of explorers are looking to make the biggest score in the galaxy in the brand-new science fiction adventure novel from the national bestselling author of Linesman.

Three people who are not who they claim to be:

Nika Rik Terri, body modder extraordinaire, has devoted her life to redesigning people's bodies right down to the molecular level. Give her a living body and a genemod machine, and she will turn out a work of art.

Josune Arriola is crew on the famous explorer ship the Hassim, whose memory banks contain records of unexplored worlds worth a fortune. But Josune and the rest of the crew are united in their single-minded pursuit of the most famous lost planet of all.

Hammond Roystan, the captain of the rival explorer ship, The Road, has many secrets. Some believe one of them is the key to finding the lost world.

Josune's captain sends her to infiltrate Roystan's ship, promising to follow. But when the Hassim exits nullspace close to Roystan's ship, it's out of control, the crew are dead, and unknown Company operatives are trying to take over. Narrowly escaping and wounded, Roystan and Josune come to Nika for treatment--and with problems of her own, she flees with them after the next Company attack.

Now they're in a race to find the lost world...and stay alive long enough to claim the biggest prize in the galaxy. [Goodreads Summary]

Terminal Alliance (Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse, #1) by Jim C. Hines

When the Krakau came to Earth, they planned to invite humanity into a growing alliance of sentient species.

This would have worked out better for all involved if they hadn’t arrived after a mutated plague wiped out half the planet, turned the rest into shambling, near-unstoppable animals, and basically destroyed human civilization. You know—your standard apocalypse.

The Krakau’s first impulse was to turn their ships around and go home. After all, it’s hard to establish diplomatic relations with mindless savages who eat your diplomats.

Their second impulse was to try to fix us.

A century later, human beings might not be what they once were, but at least they’re no longer trying to eat everyone. Mostly.

Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is surprisingly bright (for a human). As a Lieutenant on the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish, she’s in charge of the Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation team. When a bioweapon attack by an alien race wipes out the Krakau command crew and reverts the rest of the humans to their feral state, only Mops and her team are left with their minds intact.

Escaping the attacking aliens—not to mention her shambling crewmates—is only the beginning. Sure, Mops and her assortment of space janitors and plumbers can clean the ship, but flying the damn thing is another matter. As they struggle to keep the Pufferfish functioning and find a cure for their crew, they stumble onto a conspiracy that could threaten the entire alliance.

A conspiracy born from the truth of what happened on Earth all those years ago… [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!

© 2019, 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, February 01, 2019

Six Degrees of Separation: From The Fight Club to Exit Strategy

Six Degrees of Separation is a monthly link-up hosted by Kate of Books Are My Favourite and Best in which our lovely host chooses a book and participants take it from there: creating a chain of books, each connected to the one before. Seeing where we end up is half the fun!

This month’s lead in book is Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club. I have seen mention of the movie so often that I am not sure if I am just remembering clips from trailers or if I have actually seen the movie myself. My husband says I have, and so I will take his word for it.

Regardless, I know I have never read the book. That is partly because I read Chuck Palahniuk's Diary in which a wife tries to figure out the meaning behind the hidden messages her comatose husband has left for her. While I wanted to like it and could appreciate Palahniuk’s writing, I was left disappointed in the book itself.

Perhaps one of the most famous books published in diary form is The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank. I read her book as a child and connected with Anne, the young Jewish girl hiding in the attic during the Holocaust, just as many other girls have over the years.

And that brings to mind Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo, which is comprised of journal entries written by the author, Zlata Filipović, during the war in Sarajevo. It offers a glimpse of the horrors of war, the fears of a child and her family, as well as a thread of hope.

Steven Galloway's The Cellist of Sarajevo is a fictional account of the war in Sarajevo during the 1990's. Of all the story lines in Galloway's novel (the lonely baker, the father out to provide for his family, the sniper, and the cellist), I was most drawn to that of Arrow, the young female sniper, a former university student, once with dreams and hopes of her own--for whom killing is now second nature.

Arrow's character brings to mind that of Tat'yana, a poet and academic, turned soldier who became one of the top Soviet snipers during World War II in Beautiful Assassin by Michael C.White. While women soldiers were not new to the Soviet Union during that time period, their path was still difficult. Many men still did not believe women had a place on the battlefield, and Tat'yana had to prove herself time and time again.

It isn't always easy being one of the few women in a traditionally male role, as Nadia Stafford can attest to. Like Tat'yana and Arrow, she has quite the kill list. Nadia is a contract killer who readers are introduced to in Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong. Nadia is a killer with a conscience, but not one you would want to cross.

This week's chain was much more straight forward for me than previous ones I have taken part in. With the exception of Fight Club, I have read all of these titles. I cannot wait to see the direction others go with their Six Degrees of Separation!

Have you read any of these titles? What sort of chain do you think you would put together?

Next month (March 2, 2019), the starting book will be The Arsonist by Chloe Hooper. I hope you will play along!

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Peek Into The Mortal Word & Audio vs. E-Books)

As I prepare this post, I am nearly finished reading my January TBR List poll winner (thank you again to all who voted!), The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman, the fifth in the Invisible Library series. I hope to be finished with it by the time you are reading this post. Murder is not a promising start for a peace conference between the fae and the dragons. The neutrality of the Library may be at stake as well. Set in 1890's Paris--well, one version of it anyway--The Mortal Word is full of magic, intrigue, and more than a few twists.

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

The braziers in the torture chamber had burned low while Irene waited for the count to arrive. The stone wall behind her back was cold, even though her layers of clothing--dirndl, blouse, apron, and shawl--and the shackles scraped her wrists. Down the corridor she could hear the sounds of the other prisoners: suppressed tears, prayers, and a mother trying to soothe her baby.

Irene, Librarian extraordinaire, always seems to find herself in the direst of circumstances--or rather, that's how the reader often finds her at the beginning of the books in this series. I wonder how she will get herself out of this one!

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

"I accept that you have--or that you believe you have--information. I am prepared to negotiate. But I'm being quite honest here when I tell you that I don't know what the information is."

Kai and Vale probably had their ears plastered against the bathroom door. She wondered how long it would be before they decided that she needed protection whether she wanted it or not. [56%]

I am just as curious as Kai and Vale must be to know just what that information may be. And why is this person so sure Irene knows already?

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Audio books vs e-book? If the world stopped printing books which would you prefer between the two? (submitted by Angelica @ Paperback Princess)

There is something about a physical book, isn't there? Such a small object that holds so much magic inside. I grew up surrounded by books, and have a house full now. My living room is more commonly known around here as the library. It is the first room you see when you enter my house from the front door. Bookshelves full of books. And that isn't even counting the shelves and shelves of books I have in other parts of the house. I love my physical books, being able to hold them in my hands, run my fingers through their many pages, some with beautiful artwork that doesn't compare on a screen. Signed editions. Books that hold notes of previous readers. Old and new. Lots and lots of books, full of knowledge and adventure.

I only started listening to audio books a few short years ago. I had all the usual excuses you hear as to why they would not work for me. Wandering attention span, no time or fractured time (constant interruptions), drowsiness when read to, and lack of or poor accessibility to them, just to name a few. But I had not really tried, and so all those excuses were rather flimsy at best. I have since discovered that I do enjoy listening to audio books from time to time. I have learned which types of books work best for me and in that format--and discovered just how important the narrator can be. I also have learned that some of my original excuses are valid reasons for why audio books have not become a more regular staple in my reading life. So, while I do enjoy listening to books, it is not my favorite way to take in books. I like that it is an option though--there may come a time when they do fit into my life better.

I never imagined I would take to e-books. I was very skeptical of them when I first heard about them. I am not sure what it was that changed my mind--no, that's not true. I do know. Convenience. It has a lot to do with convenience. Having so many books at my fingertips in one tiny device. Being able to read in the dark while my daughter is snuggled next to me, sleeping. Much easier to hold and turn pages when I only have one arm available--or even hold with no arms available. Adjustable text. And often the price tag is a bit lower than the physical copy. The reality of it is I read more e-books than physical books these days as a result.

All that to say my answer to this week's question is e-books. I like that there are so many different options for reading books available to us, and I hope those options continue to grow. I do not see physical books going anywhere though, thankfully.

What about you?

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Waiting to Read Wednesday: The Night Tiger/Daughter of Moloka'i/Inside Out & Back Again

The Old(er)

I have an embarrassing number of unread books sitting on the shelves in my personal library. Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight and discuss those neglected books in her Books from the Backlog feature. After all, even those older books need a bit of love! Not to mention it is reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai (Harper Collins, 2011)

For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I bought a copy of this book on the recommendation of a fellow blogger, drawn to it because the tie in to the Vietnam War. It is written in verse, which appeals to me as well. I am hoping to feature this in one of my Poetry Corner posts.

Have you read this one? If so, what did you think? What book has been lingering on your shelf for a while that you want to read?

The New

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

The Night Tiger by by Yangsze Choo

Release Date: February 12, 2019 by Flatiron Press

A sweeping historical novel about a dancehall girl and an orphan boy whose fates entangle over an old Chinese superstition about men who turn into tigers.

When 11-year-old Ren’s master dies, he makes one last request of his Chinese houseboy: that Ren find his severed finger, lost years ago in an accident, and reunite it with his body. Ren has 49 days, or else his master’s soul will roam the earth, unable to rest in peace.

Ji Lin always wanted to be a doctor, but as a girl in 1930s Malaysia, apprentice dressmaker is a more suitable occupation. Secretly, though, Ji Lin also moonlights as a dancehall girl to help pay off her beloved mother’s Mahjong debts. One night, Ji Lin’s dance partner leaves her with a gruesome souvenir: a severed finger. Convinced the finger is bad luck, Ji Lin enlists the help of her erstwhile stepbrother to return it to its rightful owner.

As the 49 days tick down, and a prowling tiger wreaks havoc on the town, Ji Lin and Ren’s lives intertwine in ways they could never have imagined. Propulsive and lushly written, The Night Tiger explores colonialism and independence, ancient superstition and modern ambition, sibling rivalry and first love. Braided through with Chinese folklore and a tantalizing mystery, this novel is a page-turner of the highest order. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I read and loved the author's The Ghost Bride three years ago and am so excited to see the author has a new book coming out. She writes beautifully, and I am eager to dive into The Night Tiger.

Daughter of Moloka'i (Moloka'i #2) by Alan Brennert

Release Date: February 19, 2019 by St. Martin's Press

Daughter of Moloka'i is the highly anticipated sequel to Alan Brennert’s acclaimed book club favorite, and national bestseller, Moloka'i. It’s a companion tale that tells the story of Ruth, the daughter that Rachel Kalama—quarantined for most of her life at the isolated leprosy settlement of Kalaupapa—was forced to give up at birth.

The book follows young Ruth from her arrival at the Kapi'olani Home for Girls in Honolulu, to her adoption by a Japanese couple who raise her on a farm in California, her marriage and unjust internment at Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II—and then, after the war, to the life-altering day when she receives a letter from a woman who says she is Ruth’s birth mother, Rachel.

Daughter of Moloka'i expands upon Ruth and Rachel’s 22-year relationship, only hinted at in Moloka'i. It’s a richly emotional tale of two women—different in some ways, similar in others—who never expected to meet, much less come to love, one another. And for Ruth it is a story of discovery, the unfolding of a past she knew nothing about. In prose that conjures up the beauty and history of both Hawaiian and Japanese cultures, it’s the powerful and poignant tale that readers of Moloka'i have been awaiting for fifteen years. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: One of my all-time favorite books is Alan Brennert's Moloka'i. I did a little dance when I heard he had written a sequel--and then again when I read the summary. Manzanar World War II. I cannot wait to read this one.

Do these interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to getting your hands on and reading?

Sunday, January 13, 2019

January's TBR List Poll Winner

We have been home all weekend with a sick Mouse. Poor girl has a bad cold. I have a feeling she will be missing school tomorrow and a visit to the doctor may be order. Her fever hasn't gone down much. She's been sleeping mostly, hardly eating, and drinking when I remind her to. Hopefully she will be feeling better soon. And hopefully her dad and I do not get sick too. In the meantime, I thought you might like to know the results to this month's TBR List Poll!

Thank you for helping me decide what book from my TBR collection I should read next:

I would have been happy with any of the three books up for this month's poll: Ilona Andrews' Magic Rises, Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop and The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman. All three are books I have been dying to read, and hope I will read soon. Next up though will definitely be The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman, which won this month's poll.

The Mortal Word (Invisible Library, #5) by Genevieve Cogman

Thank you to all who took the time to vote!