Bookish Mewsings: The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James

No one in the moderately sized rural southern town of Cypress would ever suspect their stalwart assistant librarian of breaking into the library where she worked. ~ Opening of The Broken Spine

The Broken Spine (Beloved Bookroom Mystery #1)  by Dorothy St. James
Berkley, 2021

Crime Fiction/Cozy; 320 pgs

Source: NetGalley

When I first heard about The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James I knew I had to read it. I cannot resist and cozy mystery series set in a library. This one in particular caught my attention because of the premise. Trudell Becket is a pretty much by the book person who is not known for doing anything out of the ordinary. But when her beloved books are threatened at the library she works, drastic measures have to be taken. The mayor and town council of Cypress, South Carolina have decided their historic library would better serve the public by going bookless, and that means getting rid of all the books. This doesn't go over well with some of the town folk, much less Trudell. As a result, with the help of friends, she secrets the books away into the basement where she plans to open her own underground library. No one is going to take those precious books away from the town! 

When the body of the man in charge of the library's transformation is murdered, all suspicion falls on Trudell. I mean, she did make it obvious she was opposed to the idea. In order to clear her name, Trudell and her friends are set on finding the killer themselves---and the while protecting the secret of their underground library. 

I had a lot of fun reading The Broken Spine. Tru makes the perfect person behind the secret library just because she's so unassuming. She has a couple of very loyal friends, Tori and Flossie, who have her back at every turn. I especially liked Flossie, who is evidently a best selling author who refuses to tell even those closest to her what name she uses to write under or what books she's written. There's an adorable stray cat with a skull like marking on his head that finds his way into the library and Tru's heart.

There is a hint of romance, but the situation is complicated, and I was glad to see the author did not rush her characters into anything too soon. And who knows? Maybe it won't go in that direction at all. I am just not sure about her possible love interest, to be honest.

I thought the author did a good job with setting up the mystery and motives of  possible suspects. I did figure out who was behind it all early on, but that in no way ruined the novel for me. This was a good first start to a series, one I look forward to continuing in the future.

What do you think of the idea bookless libraries? 

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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: The Poetry Corner Edition (Plus Recent Updates)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  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 It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am going to use this space every third weekend to highlight some of the poetry I have been reading. I enjoy reading poetry, but admit I am more of a casual reader than someone who goes in for the deeper dive to find the hidden meanings between the words. I admire those who do. Reading (and writing) poetry is a very personal experience that means something different to each person. And there's such a wide variety for all different tastes. I hope you will enjoy my offerings and perhaps find something that speaks to you.

I came across two poems on Mom Egg Review, a literary journal about motherhood focusing on literature and art that spoke to me immediately. I could relate to them so much. It just so happens that the poems are both by fellow blogger Serena Agusto-Cox of Savvy Verse & Wit.  If you get the chance, please check them out at Mom Egg Review. 

While I am still required to go into the office some days, I work from home most days now. In writing about her own experience, Serena perfectly describes my day too in "Remote Work", from the sounds outside my window to the sounds inside, especially with a school-aged child in virtual school at the same time. I love the tone and imagery in the poem.

Draft client, text, peppered with child-like

giggles, rather than COVID-19's spread.

[excerpt from "Remote Work" by Serena Agusto-Cox, in Mom Egg Review]

But it was "In the Distance" that really moved me with its melancholy feel, describing the life of an only child during this pandemic. She could have been describing my child. I got tears in my eyes when I got to the verse about a child shouting, crying and the "ghosts of sleepovers".  How much different life is for them right now!

my (l)only child marched

into an age of social distance

[excerpt from "In the Distance" by Serena Agusto-Cox, in Mom Egg Review]

I will leave you with another poem which is about a tradition passed on from generation to generation in my family and likely many of yours. I can only hope my daughter will look back on our time together as fondly as I treasure it now. 

The Reading Mother
by Strickland Gillilan

I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath

I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be-
I had a Mother who read to me.

Later this month I will be sharing my thoughts about Elizabeth Kropf's poetry collection What Mothers Withhold. I hope you'll keep an eye out for my review! 

What I Am Reading: I finished Ruth Ware's One by One yesterday and am looking forward to the COYER January Book Club discussion at the end of the month. It's been awhile since I was last part of a group read, and I am looking forward to it! They recently announced the picks for the February (Adult: Beach Read by Emily Henry and YA: To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han). I have a copy of Beach Read and look forward to joining in for at least that discussion if I can.

Today I plan to start reading my January TBR winner, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg. I am looking forward to my visit to 1958 London, exploring the secret tunnels and solving a murder!

What I Am Watching: I am taking a break from The 100 to watch Bridgerton. I binge watched the first five episodes one day. I am loving it so far. It's a bit whimsical and just plain fun. 

This weekend we are planning to watch the movie Wonder finally, now that my daughter's class has officially finished reading the book (I couldn't help but finish it last month). Mouse and I are looking forward to it! 

And of course my family and I watched the first two episodes of WandaVision, a new Marvel Universe (MCU) show featuring Vision and the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff). These first two episodes reminded me of the Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched. filmed in black and white and set during that time period. It's still not clear what exactly is going on, but I will enjoy seeing it all unfold. 

Off the Blog: There was nothing really out of the ordinary about this week on the home front. The weather is starting to turn warmer (low to mid 70F's during the day--and today it should reach 85F), and so I opened the windows while I was working to let in the breeze. It was also my week to spend part of it in the office. Even after all these months, it is still a bit surreal to be in a big office with so few people while most work from home. Yesterday there were just two of us in my area. 

The Girl Scout cookie season is under way. It looks a lot different this year for our Council. No booth or door to door sales. Just about everything is being done online. We will make contactless deliveries locally when possible.

My county is still breaking records every day in deaths related to COVID-19 or the number of infections. There is a shortage of vaccinations and appointments fill up within an hour or two of being opened. How are things where you live? 

I got an e-mail from the school district saying that we would have to decide soon whether to enroll our child in their in-person, virtual, or home-school programs for the 2021/2022 school year. We are being given a two week window in early February to decide. It feels too soon, with everything still so up in the air--and as bad as the situation is right now. Next August seems too far away and we all hope things will be better by then. But I get that the district wants to be somewhat prepared. Schools here are still all virtual except for some special education classes and the small few private schools that received waivers last fall. 

Inauguration Day is coming up fast, although not fast enough for many of us. Hopefully it will be a peaceful event. I will be working through it but hopefully will be able to catch clips of it after. Are you planning to watch? 

Watching me work

This Past Week In Reading Mews:

• Bookish Mewsings: Nightlights / The Okay Witch / Book Love
• Waiting to Read Wednesday: The Nature of Fragile Things / City of a Thousand Gates / A Rogue By Any Other Name
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Peek Into My Current Read & What I Was Reading 5 Years Ago/ Nonfiction-Fiction Pairings / BBHOP)

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

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!

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© 2021, 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.

Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Peek Into My Current Read & What I Was Reading 5 Years Ago/ Nonfiction-Fiction Pairings / BBHOP)

I am nearly finished reading Ruth Ware's latest, One by One. As someone who lives in a part of the world in which the closest snow is on the distant mountain tops on the horizon, I have to experience a white winter vicariously through books.  Which is probably for the best since I do not like the cold very much. 

One by One by Ruth Ware 

Simon & Schuster, 2020

Crime Fiction/Thriller; 352 pgs

Source: NetGalley

A luxury mountaintop chalet

The opportunity of a lifetime

Until guests start to disappear… 

**The unmissable new thriller from the queen of the modern-day murder mystery.** 

Snow is falling in the exclusive alpine ski resort of Saint Antoine, as the shareholders and directors of Snoop, the hottest new music app, gather for a make or break corporate retreat to decide the future of the company. At stake is a billion-dollar dot com buyout that could make them all millionaires, or leave some of them out in the cold. 

The clock is ticking on the offer, and with the group irrevocably split, tensions are running high. When an avalanche cuts the chalet off from help, and one board member goes missing in the snow, the group is forced to ask - would someone resort to murder, to get what they want? [Goodreads Summary]

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

I keep my earbuds shoved into my ears on the minibus from Geneva Airport. I ignore Topher's hopeful looks and Eva, glancing over her shoulder at me. It helps, somehow. It helps shut out the voices in my head, their voices, pulling me this way and that, pummeling me with their loyalties and their arguments to and fro. [first paragraph of One by One]

My initial thoughts: The novel is divided into two points of view, Liz's and Erin's. This particular section is from Liz's. From this opening, I immediately wonder what it is Liz finds herself in the middle of. Is it something significant or just a part of their relationship dynamics? 

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.

"She came to my room last night, to try to persuade me not to sleep alone. When I asked why she was still awake, she said she had something on her mind, something she'd seen--I begged her to tell me--" She breaks off, her voice cracking. [excerpt from 56% of One by One]

My thoughts: Things have really taken off at this point, and one cannot help but wonder what it was "she" was trying to say. When I got here in the novel, I was on pins and needles wanting to know what she knew and did that play a part in what was happening. 

Does One by One sound like something you would enjoy reading? 

Originally a feature called Last Year I Was Reading created by Maria from ReadingMaria. 

I liked it enough to continue on my own, but have tweaked it

 to feature Five Years Ago I Was Reading. 

(I would have gone back ten, but I read so little in 2011)

It seems like this time last year I was reading another suspense/thriller, except then it was Gilly Macmillan's What She Knew, about a mother whose son goes missing one day while in the park. Looking over my notes on it, I noted that although I enjoyed it, the novel didn't quite sweep me off my feet, that I felt the end was a bit rushed. I have not quite reached the end of One by One to have an opinion on that one, but I do know that it's a different type of thriller. More of a locked room mystery.

In the eyes of others, we're often not who we imagine ourselves to be. ~ Opening of What She Knew

Do you remember what you were reading five years ago? 

Connect Five Friday is a weekly meme where readers share a list of five books, 

read or unread, or bookish things, that share a common theme. 

Hosted by the  Kathryn of of Book Date.

I like the idea of matching fiction books with nonfiction books and reading them either at the same time or at least around the same time. I know some of you do that already, but I often think of it long after the fact. I decided to think ahead a bit, however, and have come up with these nonfiction/fiction pairings, all books I already own and have on my TBR shelves. 

Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality by Debbie Cenizper & Jim Obergefell is about the hard won fight for marriage equality in the United States. It will go nicely with David Levithan's Two Boys Kissing, which is based in a true story about two 17 year olds who attempt to break the world record for the longest kiss narrated by a host of gay men who died of AIDS. The novel touches on coming out and gender identity issues among other things. Maybe not an obvious pairing on the surface, but I imagine both books take on the subject of discrimination and identity. Not to mention love itself. 

Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff's cover is part of what lured me to buy a copy, but I have always been fascinated by the historical figure herself. And what a perfect pairing! Schiff's Cleopatra with Margaret George's Memoirs of Cleopatra. Both tell the story of her life, one nonfiction and the other fictionalized. If only I can  get over the intimidating size of George's novel.

I got excited when I first heard about Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley's Frankenstein by Kathryn Harkup, and it did not take long to spend some of that gift card money on a copy. Doesn't it make a perfect pairing with the original novel of Frankenstein? I think so!

I had not connected my next two initially, but after some thought, I decided they would make a compelling side by side read: Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by John Krakauer and Bear Town by Fredrik Backman. While one book focuses more on college culture and the other a small town, I think it's fair that some similarities can be drawn. Not to mention the issue of sexual assault itself and how it effects a small community. 

I was approved to read and review the historical novel The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck which comes out next month and immediately thought of Sonia Purnell's A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. Both of these books about the life of Allied Spy Virginia Hall. It is always interesting to compare notes when it comes to historical fiction and nonfiction, and I look forward to doing so with these two.

What are some nonfiction/fiction pairings that you have read or want to read? Have you read any of these?

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.

How many posts do you schedule for your blog on a weekly basis? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

Scheduling posts ahead of time is a must for me because of my other obligations and priorities. I rarely am able to post off the cuff. At the very least I like to have the outline of a post done ahead of time to make it easier for myself if I have to add time-dependent content (like Sunday Salon/Post). I would say I schedule to post somewhere between two to four posts a week. It can vary. Sometimes I post less or not at all, rarely more.

What about you?

 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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© 2021, 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.

Waiting to Read Wednesday: The Nature of Fragile Things / City of a Thousand Gates / A Rogue By Any Other Name

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 Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
Release Date: February 2, 2021 by Berkley

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.

Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.

The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.

From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this:  Everything about this book is calling to me. It's a time period I love to read about, especially in that particular setting. San Francisco and its history has a special place in my heart. These women's stories also intrigue me and just how they are connected.

City of a Thousand Gates by Rebecca Sacks
Release Date: February 2, 2021 by Harper

A novel of great humanity, compassion and astonishing immediacy, this unique debut portrays the emotional reality of contemporary life in the West Bank and the irreconcilable Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A collage of narrative voices and different points of view are woven around the murder of two young people, one Israeli and one Palestinian.

Brave and bold, this gorgeously written work of fiction introduces a large cast of characters in a setting where violence is routine, even normal, and where survival is defined by boundaries, walls and checkpoints that force people to live and love within and across them.

Hamid has come into Israeli territory illegally to work. He runs into Vera, a German journalist on her way to Jerusalem to cover the story of Salem, a Palestinian boy who is in a coma after being beaten by Israeli teenagers. On her way to the hospital, Vera runs in front of a car driven by Ido, a new father, who is distracted by thoughts of a young Jewish girl murdered by a terrorist. Ori, an eighteen-year-old soldier from a nearby settlement, is guarding the checkpoint through which Hamid’s professor, Samar, must pass.

This powerful novel delivers an eminently human, complex and compassionate view of an irreconcilable conflict. Sacks writes unflinchingly about the hate and violence that continues to fuel tensions in the West Bank. It’s an extraordinary debut work of fiction that mines the range of shared human emotions with riveting engagement and understanding.  [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: City of a Thousand Gates sounds heart-wrenching as well as thought provoking. 

Do Good Neighbors, The Nature of Fragile Things and City of a Thousand Gates interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

 

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 Rogue By Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrals #1) by Sarah McLean (Avon, 2012)

What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets...

A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.

Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them... even her heart. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: This came in a book box years ago and wasn't the type of book I was reading at the time. Nonetheless, I kept it around for some reason, which is probably good since I have gotten back into the romance genre in recent years. 

Have you read A Rogue By Any Other Name? Does this book sound like something you would like to read? 

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© 2021, 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.

Bookish Mewsings: Nightlights / The Okay Witch / Book Love

Nightlights (#1) by Lorena Alvarez Gomez

Nobrow Press, 2017

Fantasy/Middle Grade/Graphic Novel; 60 pgs

This one took me some thinking about and a couple of readings, before I fully appreciated it. My problem is I have a tendency to race through graphic novels, and this is one in which the story is more fully told in the artwork--which is gorgeous and vibrant, at times whimsical or eerie, and so imaginative. 

Nightlights in the story of a girl names Sandy who loves to draw. She would much rather draw than do just about anything else. Her drawings come to life when she puts pen to paper, and she creates worlds only she seems to appreciate. One day, a mysterious girl appears who takes an immediate interest in Sandy's art. She is the first person to tell Sandy how much she likes it. Sandy is so excited that someone has finally recognized her art and sees how important it is to her. As the story continues, Morfie, the mysterious girl, proves that she isn't as innocent a friend as she first appeared. Morfie wants Sandy to only draw for her and grows more aggressive and demanding as time goes by. Over the course of the novel, the reader sees Sandy go through a range of moods in response: anger, sadness, withdrawal, and even fear. Her insecurities play out on the page through the artwork. Just as the situation seems hopeless, Sandy takes back control of her art and finds her way out. 

The artwork makes this graphic novel. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and not quite complete. I am not sure if that will be addressed in the next volume, or if this is it. I do know that my daughter loved Nightlights. Just as Sandy does, Mouse likes to draw. When I asked her why she liked this book so much, she said it was because she thought the art was pretty and because she could relate to Sandy. She said she and her art are misunderstood and not always appreciated by others. She liked how Sandy eventually stood up to the evil girl through her art. My daughter has often said she herself turns to art when she is feeling sad or upset to help her feel better. Any book my daughter loves is a winner for me.

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Aladdin, 2019

Fantasy/Middle Grade/Graphic Novel; 272 pgs

My daughter is into all things witches and when I was looking for graphic novels to get her for Christmas, I came across this one. It did not take me long to dive in after she unwrapped it Christmas morning. 

I really liked this middle grade graphic novel about 13-year-old Moth Hush who discovers she is a real live witch when something unexpected happens to the two boys bullying her on Halloween. Moth has long loved all things witch related and couldn't be more excited about her new found abilities. Only her mother is not too thrilled. Moth's mother has wanted nothing more than for her and her daughter to lead normal human lives. She put that magic stuff behind her long ago when she broke ties to her own mother. Moth quickly realizes she needs help controlling her magic and when her mother will not help, she turns to her mother's diary. It isn't any ordinary diary though. It opens an entire new world to Moth. 

The town, Founder's Bluff, Massachusetts does not have the best history when it comes to the treatment of witches. In fact, it's a part of the town's heritage and pride that the founding father of the town forced the witches out. The celebrate that moment, in fact. This added layer of world building only enhances the story and what the characters have and are going through. Of course, it also plays a major part in events that play out throughout the novel. 

Moth is such a great character. Even having been born and raised in Founder's Bluff, she has always felt like an outsider. When she comes into her magic, she starts to really question the way things are done, including pointing out the discrepancies in the way history is portrayed. 

Another aspect of the novel I liked was the approach the author took with the conflict between Moth and her mother and Moth's mother and her own mother. Three generations of strong witches, each with very solid ideas of who they are or want to be. Despite Moth and her mother seeming to want different things, one wanting to use her magic and the other to forget she has it, their stories are very similar. Both rebel against their mothers who want something else for them. 

Being as this is a graphic novel, I probably should say something about the art. The story is clearly strong on it's own, but I think the art adds to it in ways that just words would not. Describing those silent moments, and capturing emotion, not to mention giving the reader a more real feel of Hecate--which you will get to know if you read the novel. 

I do not believe there was anything I did not like about The Okay Witch. It is one of those books I think  person could get more out of with each re-reading. It is funny and full of heart, not to mention just a great adventure story. Plus there's a talking cat. I know my daughter will love it too when she reads it. Regardless, the next book in the series which comes out this summer is on my wish list. 

Book Love by Debbie Tung

Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2019

Nonfiction/Humor/Graphic Novel; 137 pgs

While the two above books were Christmas presents for my daughter, Book Love is all for me. I bought myself a copy a couple of years ago after hearing such great things about it. It's not so much a story type graphic novel, but more a compilation of the artist's illustrations denoting her love for books and reading. I just love this collection and could relate to so many of the comics. From reading being magic to not wanting to loan out books (without strict rules), to trying to peek at what strangers are reading when I pass by others who are reading in public, and on and on. It's a wonderful little collection every book lover can relate to. If you are looking for something quick, light and fun, definitely give this one a try. 

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 © 2021, 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.