Where Is Your Bookmark? (Once Upon a Bad Boy & 2020 Reading Challenges & Goals)

Along with my mini reviews, I am linking to both Book Beginnings, a meme in which readers share the first sentence of a book they are reading, hosted by Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader and Friday 56 hosted by Freda of Freda's Voice, in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading.

This is the last of my reviews for my 2019 reads. I thought I would share a couple of snippets with you and my thoughts on the book.

Once Upon a Bad Boy (Sometimes in Love #3) by Melonie Johnson
St. Martin's Press, 2019
Romance; 383 pgs
Source: NetGalley

Book Beginnings:

Sprinkles. Sadie Goldovitz braced her feet on the mat, bent her knees slightly and twisted sideways, pulling her elbow back. No,Glazed.

Friday 56 (excerpt from 56%):

"Ugh, you don't get it! The tabloid people, they're not concerned with facts. Exhibit A, my invisible book job! And the people who like to read these stories aren't interested in facts either. All they need to do is skim a clickbait headline and bam, their mind is made up."

"Who cares?"

"I do! What people think of me matters. It matters to me, and it matters to my career." 

My thoughts:
The last person doughnut-loving actress Sadie Goldovitz expected to have to see again is her ex-boyfriend, Bo Ibarra. He was the love of her life and then he broke her heart, dumping her on prom night. Now he is the stunt coordinator on the movie that Sadie hopes will propel her career to a new level. Bo himself has something to prove as well. Both Bo and Sadie are carrying past hurts and secrets that perhaps it is time to finally face. Can they put the past behind them and give into the love they still feel for each other?

Melonie Johnson has fast become one of my favorite romance novelists. I was first introduced to Sadie in the first book of the series, Getting Hot With a Scot, and she made an appearance in the second book, Smitten by the Brit, as well. I admit I put off reading this one a little longer simply because I am not big on celebrity heroines, but I am so glad I finally did. I should have known Johnson wouldn't let me down. With her usual smart and witty writing style, taking on a relevant and difficult topic, Johnson  has written another winner for me. I loved Sadie's confidence and compassion. She doesn't let much get her down, and always pulls herself back up when it does. She and Bo are well matched. If you are a reader of romance, I highly recommend you check out Melonie Johnson's novels.

Does this sound like something you would like? 

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.

Do you have a reading challenge for 2020? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

I used to go hog wild when it came to challenges, but I stepped back from them because it got to be too much. I already have so many commitments, why add to them? I am very much a mood reader and enjoy the freedom to choose what I want to read when I want to read it. At the same time, I love the community aspect that often comes with joining a challenge, and sometimes it's a great way to motivate myself to work on personal reading goals I would like to achieve. Read more poetry. Read more nonfiction. Read more of my TBR books. It can be a way to hold myself accountable. In the end these types of goals or challenges are just for fun. If I complete them, I can pat myself on the back. If I do not, that's perfectly okay--it's not like my life depends on it.

This year I joined two.

 I am already planning to read more poetry this year, and so the Poetry Reading Challenge hosted by Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit seems like a natural fit. It will help motivate me to get to some of those poetry collections that are sitting on my TBR mountain. The challenge offers three options, and I am committing to the second, to read at least one poetry collection and share my self-reflections about one or more of the poems I read from it, although I hope to read more than just one (which would be option three).

I have long enjoyed reading poetry, but sometimes find it a bit intimidating, afraid I might miss some hidden meaning in the words. Poetry is very much about the feelings it provokes in the reader (and writer), however, and that is what I try to focus on when I read it.

If you could see how many nonfiction books I have sitting on my shelf . . . Nonfiction is not my go to genre, but I do enjoy it when I read it. I just sometimes need a little push. I really want to get to Becoming and Being Mortal this year, for example. And how long has The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks been sitting unread on my shelf? So why not join the 2020 Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Shelleyrae of Book'd Out? I am only entering the lowest of challenge categories, the Nonfiction Nipper, where I have to read at least three nonfiction books during the year. If I read more, great. If I only read the three, I met my goal!


As you can see, I am leaving myself quite a bit of wiggle room in both challenges. I want to keep it fun and keep the pressure light. The best of both worlds!

Are you taking part in any reading challenges this year?

Every Tuesday Heidi at Rainy Day Rambling hosts Tell Me Something Tuesday, leading a discussion about a topic of her choice. As you can see though, it is not Tuesday, but Friday. But I wanted to play along just the same. 

What is your word or phrase for 2020? 

It was a couple of years ago or so when I decided to give the whole one word or phrase a try. I felt fairly strongly about the word I chose, but ended up forgetting about it entirely within a few months. My intentions were good, but my focus and follow-through not so much. Just for the fun of it, I took a quiz someone had posted on Facebook that was to choose my favorite word for me in December. At the time, I was feeling quite exhausted and a bit overwhelmed, and I was still recovering. I am not adopting a word or phrase for this year, but if I was to, the answer I got when I took the quiz would definitely be a good candidate. Those who read my year in review post might remember me mentioning it there. Rest. Who would have thought the algorithm of an internet quiz would pop out the one word that perhaps I needed to hear most in that moment?  At least as a reminder to remember to throw in some self-care--namely rest--now and then.

I think though, what I really want to do is to be kinder to myself. Stop giving myself a hard time when I reach my limit and recognize that it's okay that I cannot do all the things all the time. To not feel guilty when I do take a break or do something just for me--even when there are other things that could use tending to (because there is always something, isn't there?). And to be kinder with myself when my anxiety sets in and I am overthinking things. So, perhaps I do have a phrase for the New Year after all.

Did you take on a word or phrase for 2020? If so, what is it? Or perhaps you have a goal you want to work on this year? 


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

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© 2020, 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.

Books from the Backlog & Can't Wait Wednesday: A Superior Death/Bitter Falls/Diamond City/Cartier's Hope

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!

A Superior Death (Anna Pigeon #2) by Nevada Barr (Berkley, 1994)

Park ranger Anna Pigeon returns, in a mystery that unfolds in and around Lake Superior, in whose chilling depths sunken treasure comes with a deadly price. In her latest mystery, Nevada Barr sends Ranger Pigeon to a new post amid the cold, deserted, and isolated beauty of Isle Royale National Park, a remote island off the coast of Michigan known for fantastic deep-water dives of wrecked sailing vessels. Leaving behind memories of the Texas high desert and the environmental scam she helped uncover, Anna is adjusting to the cool damp of Lake Superior and the spirits and lore of the northern Midwest. But when a routine application for a diving permit reveals a grisly underwater murder, Anna finds herself 260 feet below the forbidding surface of the lake, searching for the connection between a drowned man and an age-old cargo ship. Written with a naturalist's feel for the wilderness and a keen understanding of characters who thrive in extreme conditions, A Superior Death is a passionate, atmospheric page-turner. [Goodreads Summary]

I bought a copy of A Superior Death in 2005 from Barnes and Noble. I had read the first book in the series and liked it, but was not sure if it was a serious I wanted to continue. I thought I should give it a second chance. It still has not gotten its second chance, I am afraid. I love the idea of a mystery series featuring a female park ranger. I may have to revisit the first book and give this one a try finally!

Have you read this series? If so, what did you think? Does it sounds like something you would like?

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.

Bitter Falls (Stillhouse Lake, #4) by Rachel Caine

Release Date: 01/21/2020 by Thomas & Mercer

She’s investigating a cold case no one else could—by going places no else would dare.

In spite of a harrowing past still haunting her, Gwen Proctor is trying to move forward. Until a new assignment gives her purpose: the cold-case disappearance of a young man in Tennessee. Three years missing, no clues. Just Ruth Landry, a tortured mother in limbo. Gwen understands what it’s like to worry about your children.

Gwen’s investigation unearths new suspects…and victims. As she follows each sinister lead, the implications of the mystery grow more disturbing. Because the closer Gwen gets, the closer she is to a threat that looms back home.
In a town that’s closed its ranks against Gwen; her partner, Sam; and her kids, there’s no bolder enemy than the Belldene family—paramilitary, criminal, powerful, and vengeful. As personal vendettas collide with Gwen’s investigation, she’s prepared to fight both battles. But is she prepared for the toll it could take on everyone she loves?  [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I have yet to read any of the books in the series, but it is one I have wanted to start for some time now. I have enjoyed other books by Rachel Caine, and look forward to giving this one a try!

Diamond City (Diamond City #1) by Francesca Flores

Release Date: 01/28/2020 by Wednesday Books

Good things don't happen to girls who come from nothing...unless they risk everything.

Fierce and ambitious, Aina Solís as sharp as her blade and as mysterious as the blood magic she protects. After the murder of her parents, Aina takes a job as an assassin to survive and finds a new family in those like her: the unwanted and forgotten.

Her boss is brutal and cold, with a questionable sense of morality, but he provides a place for people with nowhere else to go. And makes sure they stay there.

DIAMOND CITY: built by magic, ruled by tyrants, and in desperate need of saving. It is a world full of dark forces and hidden agendas, old rivalries and lethal new enemies.

To claim a future for herself in a world that doesn't want her to survive, Aina will have to win a game of murder and conspiracy—and risk losing everything.

Full of action, romance and dark magic, book one of Francesca Flores' breathtaking fantasy duology will leave readers eager for more! [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: There's just something about a fantasy novel where the protagonist is an assassin that gets me curious every time. Aina appears to have had a hard life and is doing what she can to survive. This sounds like it will be on that keeps me turning the pages.

Cartier's Hope by M.J. Rose

Release Date: 01/28/2020 by Atria Books

New York, 1910: A city of magnificent skyscrapers and winding subways, where poor immigrants are crammed into tenements while millionaires thrive in Fifth Avenue mansions. Vera Garland is a thirty-two-year-old journalist, fighting alongside hundreds of women for a place in society, only to meet hurdles around every turn. Most female journalists are delegated to the fashion and lifestyle pages but like her hero, Nellie Bly, Vera is a fighter.

When news of the Hope Diamond—a jewel whose infamous legends and curses have captured the world’s attention—arrives in the city, Vera is fast on its trail. She’s certain the fabulous jewel will help jumpstart her career but she’s determined to seek revenge against her current employer, a magazine owner whose greed and blackmailing schemes led to the death of her beloved father.

Set against the backdrop of New York’s glitter and grit, this enchanting historical novel explores the very human desire for truth, equality, and retribution. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I enjoy historical fiction featuring women who take on nontraditional roles. Vera Garland sounds like just one woman--or at least she's trying to be. Add in a bit of intrigue and mystery, and I cannot resist.

Do any of these upcoming releases interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to? 

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© 2020, 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.

Top Ten Tuesday: My Top 12 Most Anticipated Releases in the Next 6 Months

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl.

I had this topic all prepared for last week, but, wouldn't you know, I failed to hit the publish button. As a result, you are getting it a week late. My Top Ten Tuesday topic is the Top Ten Twelve Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020.

There are, of course, many more upcoming releases I am looking forward to, but these are the ones I am extra super excited about getting my hands on and reading! (covers are linked to Goodreads)

1. The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman (01/07/2020) ~ This may be cheating a bit because I currently am reading The Secret Chapter, the 6th in the Invisible Library’s series. It is one of my favorite series and is full of intrigue and magic with steampunk flare, along with gateways to other worlds, and dragons and fae. This particular installment in the series finds our heroine, Irene, and her companion Kai teaming up with a group of misfits to pull off a heist in early twenty-first century Vienna.

2. Stars Beyond by S.K. Dunstall (01/21/2020) ~ To say I have been waiting impatiently for this release would be an understatement. Oh, how I have missed the Another Road crew, and I am looking forward to diving into this science fiction series again! This is only the second book in the Stars Uncharted series, but I loved the first. Always in search of something and on the run from someone else . . .

3. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James (02/18/2020) ~ The Broken Girls by the same author was in my top five favorite books read last year, and as soon as I saw this one I knew I had to read it. Set in a rundown hotel that holds lots of secrets, this novel is part ghost story, part thriller and part mystery about the hotel, a young woman, and her aunt who worked at the motel thirty-five years before. Doesn’t this sound good?!

4. Red Letter Days by Sarah Jane-Stratford (02/25/2020) ~ Another book by an author whose last book (Radio Girls) I adored. I have a soft spot for historical fiction and am excited about Sarah Jane-Stratford’s latest which is about two women who escape McCarthy-era Hollywood by going to London. Even from that distance, the two women do what they can to fight the injustices of the Red Scare.

5. Death with a Dark Red Rose by Julia Buckley (02/25/2020) ~  This is the 5th in her Writer's Apprentice series, and I have only read the first one. It's a good reminder though that I need to get back to it! I love a cozy mystery series with a bookish theme!

6. The Deep by Alma Katsu (03/10/2020) ~ Horror is not a genre I read often, but The Deep appeals to me for many reasons. It may be the fact that I keep seeing praise for the author’s work lately or that gorgeous cover. Or it could be that it involves the sinking of the Titanic. A bit of history mixed with the paranormal is a sure draw for me. I am looking forward to reading this one!

7. The Shape of Family by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (03/17/2020) ~ I was first introduced to Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s work when I read The Secret Daughter, which I loved. Her upcoming novel sounds just as compelling. This one is about a family struck by tragedy and their finding their way back to each other as they work through their individual pain and grief. I bet this book will make me cry. A lot. I cannot wait to read it!

8. The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag (03/31/2020) ~ If the title was not enough to call out to me, the author’s name certainly would. I enjoyed The House at the End of Hope Street, loved it in fact. The Sisters Grimm is being billed as a departure from her past work going deeper into the fantasy realm. Four sisters born to a demon father, each have magical abilities of their own. Pulled apart at 13, the girls have gone their separate ways. Five years later they must find their way back to each other, rediscover their magic and come face to face with their fate, one that is uncertain and may mean fighting for their lives as well as the lives of those they love.

9. A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber (04/07/2020) ~ This is the 8th in the author's Lady Darby series, which I have not even started yet. I love her Verity Kent series, however, and do want to give this one a try! Historical mysteries are my favorite type of mystery.

10. Afterlife by Julia Alvarez (04/07/2020) ~ The sudden death of her husband changes everything for Antonia. Then her sister goes missing, and she finds a pregnant undocumented teenager at her door. Aontonia has always found solace in literature, but her current circumstances may be too much for even that to bring her any comfort—or answers. In the Time of Butterflies made quite an impression on me and when I saw mention that Julia Alvarez had a new adult book coming out, I knew I wanted to read Afterlife. This novel takes on current and moral issues. It is definitely a book I want to read.

11. Universe of Two by Stephen P. Kiernan (05/05/2020) ~ Stephen P. Kiernan never ceases to amaze me. I liked his The Curiosity and absolutely loved his Hummingbird. I still need to read The Baker’s Secret, which I have a feeling I will love as well. Given my interest in most things World War related, it is no wonder this particular novel would interest me on its merit alone. Universe of Two is a fictionalized novel about Charlie Fisk, a mathematician who worked on the Manhattan Project, and his wife Brenda. Described as a love story and a story of redemption, I can only imagine this is another book that will have me in tears. But then, I expect no less from Kiernan.

12. Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust (05/12/2020) ~ I admit it was the title that first attracted me to this book. Upon closer look, I knew it would have to go on my wish list. Described as “a captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse . . . “ How can I not want to read this?!


Are you interested in reading any of the same ones I am? What are your most anticipated releases in the next 6 months? 

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 © 2020, 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.

Weekly Mews: Happy 2020/New Books/January TBR List Poll (Please Vote!)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by 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 The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where participants discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics. 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.   I am linking to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. 

Happy New Year! I hope your year has gotten off to a good start. We brought in the New Year at home and enjoyed our traditional hot fudge sundaes. There may have been a little banging of pots and pans as is our tradition too. I am looking forward to seeing what 2020 holds for all of us, especially what you all are reading!

New to the Shelves:

I was excited to find books under the tree Christmas morning!

Great Goddesses: Life Lessons from Myths and Monsters by Nikita Gill

Harry Potter Illustrated Box Set (includes the first three books) by J.K. Rowling, 

illustrated by Jim Kay

Mouse was super excited to find these two gems under the tree just for her:

Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star (Dork Diaries, #3) by Rachel Renee Russell

Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle (#7) by Shannon and Dean Hale, 

illustrated by LeUyen Pham

My husband's Christmas spoils:

Empire of the Grass (The Last of Osten Ard, #2) by Tad Williams 

The Art and Flair of Mary Blair: An Appreciation by John Canemaker

Walt Disney's Disneyland by Chris Nichols

Mouse could not resist begging for a visit to Barnes & Noble to spend a gift card she had received for the Holidays:

Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki

Frozen: The Magical Guide

I bought four e-books with an Amazon gift card I received:

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Between Jobs (The City Between, #1) by W.R. Gingell

The Silent Woman (Cat Carlisle, #1) by Terry Lynn Thomas

Honor Among Thieves (The Honors, #1) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think? Do any of them sound like books you might like? 

What I Am Reading: I am reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and enjoying it. It is the story of Achilles and Patroclus, set around the Trojan War. I came across high praise for the novel last spring when I was considering Circe by the same author (still haven't read), and decided to add it to my TBR pile. So far it is as good as everyone said it was.

I am also reading the sixth book in the Invisible Library series, The Secret Chapter. The author mentioned something about a heist in the opening acknowledgement section, and so I am eager to see where this installment is going to go. I love a good heist story! And of course anything having to do with books, dragons, the fae, and magic are my catnip.

What I Am Watching: My husband and I watched the first season of The Mandalorian on Disney+.  For those unfamiliar with the series, it is a Star Wars spin-off about a bounty hunter. We both love it.  We also were able to see the new Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker. Despite what the critics are saying, we quite enjoyed it. I am sure after my husband sees it a second time, he will have more to say though. I am just in it for an entertaining movie, but he takes the series more seriously.

We also finally got caught up on Stumptown, another television show we both enjoy watching together. It's a gritty crime drama about a female P.I. I love that there are so many women in the show that are in power positions.

Off the Blog: We had a nice holiday. I took a couple days off, but did have to work part of the time over the last two weeks. My mom was in town during that time and we had a nice visit. My in-laws were able to come for a couple days at Christmas time. I did not do much during my time off--by choice. Yay! It was nice to do nothing, read a little, and spend time with my family. This next week will find us back to our usual routine.

This Past Month In Reading Mews:

• Bookish Mewsings: Sweep of the Blade/Taken/Warcross
• Bookish Mewsings: Well Met by Jen DeLuca & Pretty Guilty Women by Gina LaManna
• Bookish Mewsings: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow & The Girl in Red by Christina Henry
• Bookish Mewsings: More Than a Touch of Holiday Romance
• Bookish Mewsings: The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor
• First Sentences of 2019
• Last Sentences of 2019 (Spoiler Alert)
• Books Read in 2019
• 2019: A Year in Review

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your December? 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 Saturday 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). 

Welcome to a new year! My TBR List is one of my favorite memes because I can use all the help I can get choosing my next book to read. Narrowing it down to three choices for you to vote on can be challenging, and I just could not settle on three this time around. So four it is. I promise I won't make this a habit. All of these books are first in a series with sequels being released soon, if they haven't been already--and those sound especially good too!  I hope you will help me decide which one of these great sounding books to read.

Gilded Wolves (Gilded Wolves, #1) by Roshani Chokoshi

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive. [Goodreads Summary]

The Late Great Wizard (Wayward Mages, #1) by Sara Hanover

A young woman must work with a magician who is not what he seems to find her father in this new contemporary portal fantasy series.

With her father vanished under suspicious circumstances and her old life destroyed, Tessa Andrews is determined to pick up the pieces and forge ahead. If only their borrowed house didn't shake and rumble as if haunted. But at least she and her mom have a roof over their heads, so her luck couldn't be all bad, could it?

As if to prove her wrong, Tessa gets an urgent call for help one night from crusty old Professor Brandard, one of the people on her charity meals route. She dashes over, only to find the house in flames and the professor gone. A handsome young man steps out of the ashes to request her assistance, claiming to be the professor and a Phoenix wizard. She not only has to believe in him, but in magic, for an ancient evil is awakening and it will take the two of them, plus a few shady friends, to stand against it.

Because the rejuvenation ritual has gone horribly wrong. The late, great wizard desperately needs to get his mojo back, for only if Brandard regains all his magic do they stand any chance of defeating this deadliest of perils. [Goodreads Summary]

An Easy Death (Gunnie Rose, #1) by Charlaine Harris

Set in a fractured United States, in the southwestern country now known as Texoma. A world where magic is acknowledged but mistrusted, especially by a young gunslinger named Lizbeth Rose. Battered by a run across the border to Mexico Lizbeth Rose takes a job offer from a pair of Russian wizards to be their local guide and gunnie. For the wizards, Gunnie Rose has already acquired a fearsome reputation and they’re at a desperate crossroad, even if they won’t admit it. They’re searching through the small border towns near Mexico, trying to locate a low-level magic practitioner, Oleg Karkarov. The wizards believe Oleg is a direct descendant of Grigori Rasputin, and that Oleg’s blood can save the young tsar’s life.

As the trio journey through an altered America, shattered into several countries by the assassination of Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Depression, they’re set on by enemies. It’s clear that a powerful force does not want them to succeed in their mission. Lizbeth Rose is a gunnie who has never failed a client, but her oath will test all of her skills and resolve to get them all out alive. [Goodreads Summary]

Spectacle (Spectacle, #1) by Jodie Lynn Zdrok

A YA murder mystery in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.

Paris, 1887.

Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day's new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered--from the perspective of the murderer himself.

When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie's search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie's strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer's identity--and she'll have to do it before she becomes a target herself. [Goodreads Summary]

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

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© 2020, 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.

2019: A Year in Review

I enjoyed answering Jamie's (The Perpetual Page Turner)  End of the Year Survey in past years and decided to join in again this year. I did alter some of the questions and subtracted a few to make it my own.

**2019 READING STATS**

Some Fun Meaningless 2019 Reading Statistics:

Number Of Books Read: 100

Genre Read The Most:

(Some of what I read falls under more than one genre. Here, I count them under the genre I most identified with the book. Also of note, my categorization of each book by sub-genre using broad definitions).

Crime Fiction/Mysteries - 22

• 8 Middle Grade
• 6 Cozies (3 paranormal, 2 contemporary, 1 historical)
• 4 Thrillers
• 2 Historical
• 1 Historical/Thriller
• 1 Romance/Fantasy

Fantasy/Science Fiction - 24

• 8 Children's (6 picture books, 2 chapter books)
• 4 Science Fiction
• 4 Urban Fantasy
• 2 Postapocalyptic
• 1 Science Fiction/Fantasy/Romance Cross-Genre
• 1 Historical
• 1 Fantasy YA
• 1 Middle Grade
• 1 High Fantasy
• 1 Contemporary/Indigenous Fantasy

Fiction - 31

• 16 Children’s
• 10 Middle Grade
• 4 Historical
• 1 Contemporary

Romance - 14

• 7 Contemporary
• 6 Mystery/Thriller
• 1 Historical

Nonfiction - 9 

• 9 Children’s

Of the book I read, 1 was an audio book, 53 were print copies (hardcover or paperback), and 46 were e-books.

16 of the 100 books I read in 2019 were written by men.

78 of the 100 books I read were written by women.

6 of the 100 were written by both male and female writers.

70 of the books I read in 2019 were written in 3rd person point of view.

26 of the books I read were written in 1st person.

4 of the books I read were a mixture of both 1st and 3rd person.

Months I Finished the Most Books: October (20)

Best In Books

1. Favorite Reads in 2019?

I read many wonderful books in 2019, and I wish I could list them all here. The below 5 books were the cream of the crop. This means the books have a combination of good writing, well-developed characters, a memorable setting and/or world-building, an entertaining and thought provoking story, and one that brings out an array of my emotions.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee

Broken Girls by Simone St. James

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (reread--this time with my daughter)

2. Best series I started in 2019?

I can be picky about contemporary romance, but this year I seemed to really choose some good ones. Melonie Johnson’s Sometimes in Love series was among my favorites with  Getting Hot With a Scot,  Smitten by the Brit, and Once Upon a Bad Boy (review pending). This is such a smart, witty and fun series.

I have to give a shout out to the Ivy + Bean books by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall because my daughter adores them. They really are cute and relatable. Any books that get my daughter excited about reading are winners in my mind. (She also is into the Dork Diary books, which I have not had a chance to read.)

I am not sure if it is fair to list a "best series" when I have only read one book in the series so far, but wanted to mention three that I have high hopes for after reading the first book.

My year got off to an excellent start when I read the first book in Anna Lee Huber’s historical mystery series featuring Verity Kent, This Side of Murder. I am hooked!

Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox (#1) is a wonderful start to the YA Fantasy trilogy. The world building is amazing, and I was also very taken with Yumeko and Kage Tatsumi. 

And I have to mention S.K. Dunstall’s Stars Uncharted, which I had such a hard time putting down. It had a Firefly vibe that I found irresistible.

3. Favorite Series Book From a Series I Was Already Involved In Before 2019?

It is a three way tie between The Mortal Word (Invisible Library, #5) by Genevieve Cogman, Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper’s Chronicles, #4) by Ilona Andrews, and Jennifer Ashley’s Death in Kew Gardens (Kat Holloway, #3). I cannot get enough of any of these series. 

4. Favorite Authors I Discovered in 2019?

I read a number of new-to-me authors whose books I enjoyed, but these in particular stood out this past year for me.

Alix E. Harrow

Jing-Jing Lee

Simone St. James

Jen DeLuca

S.K. Dunstall

Anna Lee Huber

Melonie Johnson

Amanda Bouchet

Allison Brook

Christina Henry

Julie Kagawa

Pam Jenoff

Marie Lu

Chloe Neill
Astrid Lindgren

5. "Old" Favorite Authors Whose Books I Thoroughly Enjoyed in 2019:

Ilona Andrews

Genevieve Cogman

Jennifer Ashley

Yangzee Choo

Judy Blume

Sarah Morgan

RaeAnne Thayne

Jenn McKinlay

Seanan McGuire
Hazel Gaynor

6. Most Memorable Character?

Red from The Girl in Red by Christina Henry is definitely one. Her belief that she will get to her grandmother's house despite everything she has been through and seen takes such strength and fortitude.

The same can be said for Myra in After the Flood by Kassandra Montag. As mother, I can really appreciate her fierceness and protectiveness toward her daughter Pearl under the conditions she is forced to live in. I also really liked Pearl who for so long had had to live in her sister's shadow.

7. Author or Series I Binged On This Year?

I binged on Allison Brook’s Haunted Library series in October reading all three books (so far) in the series nearly back to back. It's a fun series, and I just love Evelyn, the library's ghost.

8. My Favorite Covers of Books I Read in 2019? 

 The Night Tiger by Yangszee Choo

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

9. Book I Can’t Believe I Waited Until 2019 to Finally Read?

Warcross (#1) by Marie Lu. I have had the audiobook on my phone since it first came out. I really enjoyed it, and am not sure why I took so long to get to it. Probably because it was an audiobook.

10. Shortest Book I Read in 2019?

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler wins this prize, coming in at 28 pages. It was a reread—and an excellent one at that.

11. Longest Book I Read In 2019?

I guess after 2018’s huge tomes, I unconsciously shied away from books with many pages in 2019.  The longest book I read this past year was Genevieve Cogman’s The Mortal Word which has 448 pages.

12. Book That Put A Smile On My Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Both The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman and Well Met by Jen DeLuca made me laugh and cry, and walk around with a huge grin after I finished both. I adored these two books. They both still make me smile when I think of them. 

13. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

The Lady and the Thief by Megan Derr was a delight to read. It is a well-balanced mix of LGBT romance and mystery set in a Victorian time period.

14. Best World Building/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

I am totally smitten with the world building in The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow--not only the worlds on the other side of the doors, but also January's own time and place.  I also was very invested in her parents story, especially that of her mother's. Harrow's writing took me into her characters' world, and I experienced everything right along with her characters.

I was also quite taken with Broken Girls by Simone St. James, a dual time line historical novel. It was atmospheric and the setting was its own character. St. James knew just how to create the right mood for this murder mystery ghost story. I also really liked the way the author weaved the historical threads into her novel.


15. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Vox by Christina Dalcher was a good book, but the way women and girls were treated and how complicit society was in allowing that kind of thing to happen made me furious. My husband heard all about it as I was reading the novel.

16. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee absolutely did that. What a beautiful book and so heartbreaking! I felt so much for Wang Di. That this novel is based in fact makes it all the more soul crushing. Human beings are the cruelest of all animals.

Coming in second for books that hit me hard emotionally is Hazel Gaynor's The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter. It is a heartbreaking book that left me in tears more than once, and yet left me with a sense of peace at the end.

I would love to know what your favorite reads of 2019 were! Please share a link to your favorite's list below if you posted one--or just tell me in the comments. Did we read any of the same books? If so, what did you think?

My Blogging Bookish Life

I published 93 blog posts. February was my most prolific month with 13 posts, and June was my slowest with only 4 posts.

In 2019, I continued to take part in Michelle's My TBR List Meme at Because Reading, enlisting your help in choosing one book each month to read. I really enjoyed having you take an active part in selecting what I would read. It can be difficult to choose on my own with so many choices. You wouldn't believe the amount of time I can waste in deciding. Or maybe you can . . . I am grateful to Michelle for coming up with the idea. I plan to continue to participate in the meme in 2020, and hope you will join me! 

Books Read Because Of You (My TBR List Poll Winners of 2019):

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

• February: Stars Uncharted (#1) by S.K. Dunstall

• March: Broken Girls by Simone St. James

• April: The Master Key by Masako Togawa, translated by Simon Grove

• May: Shadow of the Fox (#1) by Julie Kagawa

• June: Rosemary and Rue (October Daye, #1) by Seanan McGuire

• July: Vox by Christina Dalcher

• August: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

• September: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow & The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

• October: Death Overdue (Haunted Library, #1) by Allison Brook

• November: The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter by Hazel Gaynor

• December: Did not participate

My Reading Goals for 2019 Were:

1. Read more Classics ~ Do children’s books count? And even then, not many. I really fell down on this one.

2. Catch up with my NetGalley/Edelweiss reading ~ It’s a work in progress.

3. Read more of my older TBR books ~ Yeah, no. Honestly, I think I forget about these goals as soon as I hit publish on the post.

4. Be better about recording in Goodreads the children’s books I read with my daughter ~ I did manage this one.

5. Read more poetry (and feature more on my blog) ~ Still a dream and not a reality. Somehow I did not read one poetry book all year. How is this possible?!

6. Make more time for reading in general ~ I wish time grew on trees . . .

Two thousand nineteen overwhelmed me. And more than once I felt frozen because of it. So much going on in every circle of my life and my anxiety did not help. It was a stressful year at work with so much uncertainty in the air. I had to take on greater responsibilities as a result. Much of the year I was wrapped up in my daughter’s dance/theater life which at times seemed nonstop. Although, the latter was more pleasant because it was something the entire family got into. But that takes a toll too, along with other things I (and my family) had going on this past year, including Girl Scouts and school. Both my reading and blogging took a substantial hit.  I imagine that is why my reading veered more toward lighter fare too--more romance and cozy mysteries.

It is getting harder to find time for blogging, which makes me sad. I enjoy the time I spend with all of you be it reading and answering your comments, visiting other blogs, or writing posts. I have ideas I want to try out, and yet finding the time to sit down and actually get anything done is a challenge. I am sure many of you can relate. We have so many different priorities pulling us in a multitude of directions.

I'm not much for the One Word trend/movement/idea, but took a quiz to find that One Word just for fun because I like taking quizzes. I'm sure the word choices for the quiz are limited, and frankly the questions and answer options were not very relevant to me (they were religious based). The word I got? Rest. How fitting is that? There are so many different facets to the word "rest." Calm. Comfort. Motionlessness. Leisure. Break. Quiet. Peace. Nap. And that is just for starters. If I did take on the One Word challenge, "rest" would be a good word for me to take on, if only as a reminder how important--and necessary rest is.

I would like to think that this New Year will be different. That I will find a way to blog more. I certainly intend to find ways to read more. Now that my daughter is more into the middle grade books, I plan to expand my reading more in that direction. I might actually review some of those books, which I did not do this year at all.

I am keeping it simple in terms of bookish goals this year. I will continue to keep my reading (and blogging) flexible, fitting it in when and however I can.

My 2020 Bookish Goals:

1. Catch up with my NetGalley/Edelweiss reading ~ A continuing work in progress.

2. Read more poetry ~ and feature it on my blog. My dream is to do a monthly poetry feature, but I know that is not likely my reality. Perhaps if I aim for quarterly, I can make it happen. Maybe. It is worth a try, right? Perhaps Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and her Poetry Reading Challenge will be my inspiration.

3. Keep a reading journal ~ I already keep a spreadsheet of my reading with basic statistical information, including my ratings of books read, and will continue to do that. But this year I want to get back into keeping an actual reading journal as well like I used to, a place where I jot down my thoughts on a book as I read or, at the very least, right after I finish a book. It is rare I get a chance to write a review directly after I finish a book, and this will help jog my memory when I do sit down to write one. I am really not sure why I gave up keeping a journal, but it is time I get back into the habit of keeping one.

Thank you to all of you for your visits and comments this past year. It means so much to me. As my blog turns 14 this coming summer, I cannot be more proud to be a part of this wonderful community of book bloggers. I have enjoyed visiting with you and look forward to seeing what this year will bring us, both in books and in life.


How did your past year shape up? Did you accomplish your reading and blogging goals? Have you set any for the new year? 

My First Book of the Year will be

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Every time I considered which book I should start the year off with, this title popped into my head. I cannot wait to see where it will take me!

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart. [Goodreads Summary]

What book are you starting the year off with?

I hope you all have a very Happy New Year! 

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