Where Is Your Bookmark? (07/07/2015)

While my daughter recovered from her most recent fever this past weekend, I snuggled up with Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife, a book that might have made my top ten list this week had it not been for my Postal Book Club. I actually own a copy of the book, which has sat on my shelf for years. It's time had finally come. Now I am trying to decide if I want to see the movie version. Have you read the book or seen the movie?

It is hard for me to imagine someone not having heard of this book (I feel like the last person on earth to read it), but then again, I had never heard of Daphne du Maurier until 2006. In case you aren't familiar with The Time Traveler's Wife, it is about Henry and Clare. Henry is a Time Traveler who first appears to Clare when she is 6 years old. The two fall in love as he bounces through time, but they both learn that life isn't always easy. It's actually about more than that, but you get the idea.

First Paragraph of The Time Traveler's Wife:

Clare: It's hard being left behind. I wait for Henry, not knowing where he is, wondering if he's okay. It's hard to be the one who stays.

I keep myself busy. Time goes faster that way.

I go to sleep alone, and wake up alone. I take walks. I work until I'm tired. I watch the wind play with the trash that's been under the snow all winter. Everything seems simple unless you think about it. Why is love intensified by absence? 

Teaser from The Time Traveler's Wife: 

I wish for a moment that time would lift me out of this day, and into some more benign one. But then I feel guilty for wanting to avoid the sadness; dead people need us to remember them, even if it eats us, even if all we can do is say "I'm sorry" until it is as meaningless air.

and this one:

I place my hands over her ears and tip her head back, and kiss her, and try to put my heart into hers, for safekeeping, in case I lose it again. 

What do you think? Would you keep reading?  

I began reading The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan this week after scrolling through my Kindle and randomly picking the title. I am still not far into it, but I am already captivated.  A world divided into two types of people: those who live on land and those who live on the sea. It's described as being inspired by Scottish myths and fairytales. which is probably what drew me to the book in the first place. I can't wait to read more.

What are you reading at the moment?  Is it anything you would recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's  Top Ten Tuesday theme is Top Ten Hyped Books I've Never Read. I went back and forth on how to interpret today's theme. Do I list ten hyped books I never intend to read or is it meant to be a list of books I just have not yet read? Several titles I listed in a previous Top Ten post (Books I'll (Probably) Never Read) could easily make this week's as well. Many of those books are well-hyped and popular. In the end, I decided to take this topic in a slightly different direction, listing five books I have not read despite (or because of) the hype and then five books I did read, but which I feel did not live up to the hype.

I read what I want to read, regardless of hype. Although, hype is occasionally what puts a book on my radar. Sometimes I rush to read a book that is getting much praise from my fellow book bloggers, but other times I sit back and wait--because, well, too much hype can be a turn off.

Books I Have Not Read Despite the Hype:

1.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott ~ So many people love this novel and say I must read it. I haven't felt the overwhelming need to though--or even a little need to, really.  I may read it someday if the mood strikes, but as of right now, I cannot see that happening any time soon.

2.

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel ~ I might have been curious about this one when it first came out, but the more I heard about it, the less interest I had in reading it. I have no plans to see the movie either.

3.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling ~ I love the Harry Potter series and I hope to read the mystery series she writes under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, but this particular book has never appealed to me.

4.

The Martian by Andy Weir ~ I have heard so many good things about this book, but I am still on the fence about reading it. The description alone does not appeal to me, but so many others have sung its praise that it makes me wonder if I am missing out by not reading it.

5.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón ~ I actually do want to read this one.  Someday. The hype kind of put me off of it though, and so it sits on my shelf unread.

Books I Read That Were Overhyped:

6.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

7.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

8.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

9.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

10.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Have you read any of these books?  What hyped books have you never read? Do you think you ever will read those titles?

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© 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

From the Archives: The Invisible Ring and Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

I began keeping a reading journal several years before I began blogging. I find it interesting to sift through my thoughts of books that I read back then. My reviews were often brief and contained little substance, but I thought it'd be fun to document them here on my blog as well as share them with you. The first half of 2006 seemed to be my time for series reading. Here are some of my reviews from 2006: 

The Invisible Ring (The Black Jewels #4) by Anne Bishop

Roc, 2000

Fantasy; 398 pgs

The Invisible Ring is a prequel to the Black Jewels series that I read just over two years ago. I had started to read The Invisible Ring at that time, but ended up setting it aside because I needed a little space between the books. I hadn’t expected to wait so long to read the prequel, however, this time I was much more ready for the book and enjoyed it quite a bit. Although the world Anne Bishop created in her novel was not fresh in my memory, it was easy to slip back into it. In The Invisible Ring, Priestess Dorothea who rules over Hayll is determined to see the Gray Lady, queen of Dena Nehele, dead so that she can overtake the queen’s land and people. The perfect opportunity arises when the Queen steps off her lands to buy slaves at the market. She picks up an unlikely lot of slaves, many of whom have secrets just like herself. Among the slaves is the powerful Red-Jeweled Warlord, Jared, who had been a pleasure slave for many years and whose last queen died at his hands. Dorothea and her Master of Guards soon discover that killing the Gray Lady will not be an easy task. Anne Bishop’s story contained suspense, magic and even a touch of romance throughout. The author painted a very dark world, where cruelty and unfairness seem to rule over honor and justice. 

Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop 

Roc, 2005

Fantasy; 439 pgs 

Stepping back into the realm of the Black Jewels, I decided it was the perfect time to read Dreams Made Flesh, which is made up of four stories involving some of my favorite characters from the Black Jewels series. The book opens with a creation story not quite like any other. Next is the story of Eyrien Warlord Lucivar and hearth witch Marian. Readers learn a dark secret about Saetan and what can happen if his family is threatened. And then there is the final story is of Warlord Prince Daemon and his Queen, the Witch, Jaenelle. Power, revenge, and retribution fill the pages of Dreams Made Flesh, in a realm where women tend to have the upper hand and the men serve. But threaten the man and those he loves, and there will be no mercy. I hated to see the stories come to an end because I so enjoy spending time with Anne Bishop’s characters. When I finally make it to some of her other books, I hope they are just as good.

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© 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Bookish Thoughts: A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison

London, the year I turned twenty. ~ Opening of A Small Indiscretion

A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison

Random House, 2015

Fiction; 336 pgs

Synopsis from Goodreads:

At nineteen, Annie Black abandons California for a London winter of drinking to oblivion and looking for love in the wrong places. Twenty years later, she is a happily married mother of three living in San Francisco. Then one morning, a photograph arrives in her mailbox, and an old obsession is awakened. 

After a return trip to London, Annie’s marriage falters, her store floods, and her son, Robbie, takes a night-time ride that nearly costs him his life. Now Annie must fight to save her family by untangling the mysteries of that reckless winter in Europe that drew an invisible map of her future.

Written as a letter to her son, Robbie, this novel tells the story of Annie Black whose seemingly idyllic life with her husband and three children is disrupted when a photo from her past arrives in the mail. It isn't the photo itself that outlines any possible transgression, but rather the events that surround it. It is the beginning of the unraveling of her life, and Annie is forced to reflect on her past and the choices she has made.

There were very few surprises in A Small Indiscretion. From what that "small indiscretion" could be (it's pretty obvious almost right away) to the role various characters played in the story and the actions they would take. Still, I was never exactly sure of Robbie's fate or what direction the author would take the story, especially in the end. There's the unhappily married couple, Malcolm and Louise, the mysterious and somewhat charming Patrick, Annie's ever reliable husband Jonathan, their best friend Mitch, and Emme, the wayward stranger turned employee.

The biggest draw for me to the book was not just the beautiful writing, which I found compelling and thought provoking, but also the characters themselves. I felt a certain disconnect with all the characters in the novel, but I am not sure that is a bad thing in this case. As Annie recalls the events from her past and ties them to what is going on in her life in the present, she is trying to be as objective as possible in terms of laying out her memories of what happened, why she made the choices she did, and the consequences that came after. She holds nothing back, not even in taking blame for her own actions.

I liked that that the author brings into question the validity of memories. This was a more minor point really, given the circumstances, but one can't help but wonder how reliable are memories really? The author brings this point up late in the novel, which at first I thought wasn't really fair as I would like to have seen that side of the story explored more.  And yet, the more I thought about it, the more I thought perhaps it was well-placed, this doubt the author suddenly had thrown my way. It gave me a chance to reflect on what had happened up to that point and re-evaluate my assessment of Annie.

I admit that Annie Black did not endear herself to me, not as a young woman trying to find her path in life nor really the more mature family oriented version of herself--and yet I was fascinated by her and could not help but feel pulled into her story. She was at times reckless and selfish (but aren't we all selfish to some degree?). I could understand why Annie made the choices she made even if I didn't always agree with them. I came to care about her as time went on. I saw a young woman, trying to make her way in the world on her own, but getting lost in loneliness and insecurities. She used alcohol as a balm. It was easy to see how she could get caught up with Malcolm and Louise and Patrick: Louise and Malcolm with their broken marriage, both of them pathetic and sad, really; and Patrick who seemed less a mystery artist type and more of a poser to me.

In the present, Annie is married to Jonathan, a doctor and loving husband. She feels as if she should be happy. She has a thriving business of her own, and yet there are moments when she feels restless and cannot help but wonder what might have been. When the photo arrives in her mailbox it brings it all back full force, however. It seems to be the domino that sets the other dominoes falling. She is forced to face secrets she has long kept hidden. Annie feels helpless and alone with the life she's built falling apart around her.

Jan Ellison does an amazing job of bringing out the inner turmoil Annie was and is feeling as well as giving us a good idea of what the other characters must have been going through too. Even Jonathan, who seemed more like a victim in all of this, isn't perfect by far. There is a scene near the end in which it becomes even more clear how the pieces of Annie's past fall into place--and I couldn't help but think of Jonathan's own past and how little we know about that and yet how he, like Annie, has his own ghosts, even if maybe not quite as prominent. It's another reminder of how the choices we make early on in our lives can impact us--as well as others--years later.

A Small Indiscretion hit two of my buttons in terms of topics that make me uncomfortable to read about because I have such strong opinions on them, one of which I suspected but decided to take the plunge anyway. I like to avoid those topics generally, but occasionally I think it's good to take them on, not just to challenge myself but also to take in a different perspective.

I had mixed feelings about the novel when I finished it. I loved the writing, but the novel left me in a dark place. At the risk of spoiling the end, it wasn't a particularly sad ending. It was more promising and hopeful than not. Still, I couldn't help but feel sad and a bit hollow as I finished reading it. Maybe even exhausted. I carried Annie and Jonathan and Robbie with me even after I finished the last page. Annie may have frustrated me more often than not, but Jan Ellison's novel was quite compelling and thought provoking. Most of all, what I took away from this novel is about the role forgiveness  can ultimately plays in our lives. Not just forgiveness of those we love, but also of ourselves.

To learn more about author Jan Ellison and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter. 

Source: I received an e-copy of this book from a publicist for an honest review.

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 © 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

June 2015 In Review

The weather has been: The past few days I have wished the dark clouds hovering above would let lose their burden.  They finally let loose yesterday for a brief time, coming along side thunderstorms, a tornado and 60mph winds.  Fires are burning in several parts of the state and not only would the rain offer some relief in that way, it would also help with the drought.  Most parts of the state have been under strict water conservation requirements for awhile now, and we are no different.  Although I expected the park water play area would be closed down this summer, I still kind of hoped it would be open. At least to bring some relief to the kids this summer from the heat.

I am listening: I am still listening to Paula Hawkins The Girl on the Train. I have made some progress since my last monthly review, but not as much as I would have liked. June just was not a month for listening to books, I'm afraid.

I am watching: I recently saw the movie Jurassic World, which I enjoyed--although I felt really bad for some of the dinosaurs. I also saw the 2011 version of the movie Jane Eyre, which left me disappointed. It was expected though wasn't it? Given how much I love the book.  I did like the visible chemistry between the two actors playing Jane and Edward, however, which isn't always so evident in the book.

What I am reading: June turned out to be your average reading month for me in terms of numbers. I read some good books, with the big stand out being Sarah McCoy's The Mapmaker's Children.  I am now reading Cold Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff, which I hope to finish very soon.

What I have been up to: In June we celebrated my husband's birthday at Disneyland. We had a nice breakfast at the Carnation Cafe, followed by a free birthday cupcake for the birthday boy. During our younger years, my husband and I used to love having lunch there. Back when you did not need a reservation to get in or else wait hours to be seated. Overall, it was a fun day, but an exhausting one.

Father's Day was more subdued. Mouse was coming off being sick and we were all still recovering from that. We had a nice day, however.

In between all that was the usual: housework, work, and all the other regular routine stuff we do. I have had some car trouble we are still working through, hoping and praying it is nothing serious.

My husband and I got news that a cousin's husband died in a tragic accident a few days ago. It is one of those life moments in which you hear about and cannot help but feel shock and terrible sadness, and want to hold your own immediate family closer and never let go. That expression about living every day as if it was your last makes even more sense than before. You just never know.  I am sad about the loss of a good man, and I am heartbroken for his wife who must be living through hell right now.

On a different note, I do not often talk politics or religion on my blog--such topics can sometimes lead to heated debates and hurt feelings. I have no plan to do so now (other than share a link), but couldn't help but mention a thoughtful post I came across earlier this week by fellow blogger, Athira of Reading on a Rainy Day. Her thought process mirrors mine these past few days as, and she's said it so much more eloquently than I ever could. If you are interested, please check her post out: The Sunday Salon: On true equality and perceived equality.

The child this past month: Mouse had an eventful June, both in sickness and in play. She missed her first week of swim lessons because she came down with walking pneumonia. Despite being sick, she was nearly as active as always. She enjoyed a week off from school and was really rather put out at having to go back when she was all better. Who can blame her really?

We joined her swim class half way into the session because of her illness. I had hoped her excitement and love for the water would carry over from last summer, but it wasn't meant to be. After two days of fighting and tantrums and lots of tears, Mouse finally went in without too much fuss. Well, maybe with a lot of coaxing on my part and reassurances that she could do it ("Are you sure, Mama?" "I'm sure." "Double sure?" "I'm double sure. I'm triple sure. I'm even quadruple sure!" That earned a big smile.). The second session started up again this week, and is going much better. She even volunteered to be first in the water. Mouse was sorely disappointed yesterday when we got to the pool only to find out it was closed due to the weather. The sky was perfectly clear by then, and I had not gotten a call to say it was cancelled.

We have started up our Sunday visits to a community pool with Mouse's best friend again, which I think has helped get Mouse re-acclimated to the water again. The girls have a great time playing in the pool and then in the park afterward.

The summer soccer season also started up the end of June, and Mouse is happy to be participating again. She really likes her coaches and playing with the other children.

Plans for July:  Vacation! We're actually going on a vacation this year. We will not be going far from home or taking much time off, but we are okay with that. It will be nice to get away from work for even just a little while.

On the home front, I think I finally know where I want to hang some of those old black and white family photos. First though, I want to figure out where I stashed the ones my mom gave me last year so I can go through those again and decide which ones might be a good fit for my little project.

Blogging wise, I have a guest post coming up later this month from author Alexandra Sokoloff. She will be talking about one of her favorite children's books. I hope you will stop by and see what she has to say.

How did June turn out for you?  Does anything in particular stand out?  

What was your favorite June read?

June In Reading Mews:

Number of Books Completed in June: 5
The Silenced by Heather Graham
My Highland Bride by Maeve Greyson
The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy
The Lovers Set Down Their Spoons by Heather A. Slomski
Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

Favorite Book of the Month: The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy

Currently Reading:

• Cold Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff
• Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins  (Audio)

Reviews Posted:

• Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff
• From the Archives: The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan
• The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy
• From the Archives: Plain Truth and Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
• The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
• Blood Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff

Posts of Interest This Month:

• Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/02/2015) (Including Top Ten Books I'd Love To See As Movies/Tv Shows)
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/09/2015) (Including Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases For the Rest of 2015)
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/16/2015) (Including Top Ten Books On My TBR For Summer 2015)
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/23/2015)
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/30/2015) (Including Top Ten Four Books I've Read So Far In 2015.)

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© 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Where Is Your Bookmark? (06/30/2015)

I am nearly done with the third book in Alexandra Sokoloff's Huntress/FBI series and thought I would share a teaser or two with you today.

First Paragraph of Cold Moon (of the uncorrected e-galley):

The moon is high, spilling icy light through the pine branches.

Roarke is in the forest again, in the clearing outside the dark house. His breathing is labored . . . his heart pounding out of control. The night is alive. . . with a presence other than his own.

Teaser from 42% (of the uncorrected e-galley): 

And the profiler's words of the previous evening were the first thing on his mind when he woke:

"The one thing that's certain is that she will kill until someone stops her."


What do you think? Would you keep reading?  

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is Top Ten Four Books I've Read So Far In 2015.  I do not give out five star reviews easily, but so far this year four books have taken that honor. I love how different each of these books is from the other.

1. 

I fell in love with Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte several decades ago and have read it twice since, including this year. I read the book alongside my husband who was reading the book for the first time. I still love it all these years later. 

2. 

A Man Called Ove by Frederick Backman turned out to be a pleasant surprise. More than that really. It was my first 5 paw book of the year. Yes, it is sentimental, but it is such a wonderful story--both sad and funny and well worth reading.

3.

The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy lived up to my every expectation and then some. Sarah McCoy has a gift for creating characters with whom I can really relate and enjoy spending time. I love how she weaves history with the present, connectimg two seemingly unrelated characters  and their situations together.

4. 

Written in Red by Anne Bishop blew me away. Written in Red is the first book of The Others series, three of which I have read and really enjoyed. It's a dark fantasy series with an urban fantasy feel. The world building is amazing. The characters are interesting. And the story spell-binding. 

Honorable Mention (4.5 paws):

Behind Closed Doors by Elizabeth Haynes is probably my top crime fiction novel for the first half of the year. Haynes impresses me with each book she writes. She has a way drawing out her characters in not so obvious ways. In this particular novel, Haynes tackles a very difficult and relevant subject matter--that of human trafficking in a thorough and sensitive way without sugarcoating the truth of it.

What are your favorite books that you have read so far this year? Does anything stand out above the rest?

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© 2015, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.