Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Sunday, March 10, 2019

March TBR Winner!

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

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

We are in the middle of birthday weekend festivities, and so I have not been able to do much blog hopping the last several days. I will see you soon though! I appreciate your patience. I wanted to at least post my March TBR Poll Winner. I am really excited about this month's winner. I would have been pleased with any of the choices winning, of course, but this one especially has been begging to be read.

City of Lies by Victoria Thompson came in with 20% of the votes (5 votes) with A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn taking 32% of the votes (8). Ultimately though, Broken Girls by Simone St. James won with 48% of the votes (12), beating out the other two.

I have only had a chance to read the prologue of Broken Girls so far, but I am already thinking I am going to enjoy the book.

Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . .
Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.
When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced. . . . [Goodreads Summary]

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

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Thursday, March 07, 2019

Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Peek into Amanda Bouchet's Nightchaser)

I loved Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall so much that I was craving another science fiction novel. The Nightchaser (Endeavor, #1) by Amy Bouchet hit the spot perfectly. I finished Bouchet's novel earlier this week. It is about a Captain Tess Bailey and her crew who have recently stolen a top secret lab ship that they thought held much needed vaccines. What they actually stole, however, puts them at the top of the most wanted list--well, that and because of Tess herself. A mix of romance and action, Nightchaser promised to be a fun read--and it was!

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

I sat back in my captain's chair and breathed, slowly and deeply, letting my body adjust to traveling at a normal velocity again. It was risky to come here, but maybe we'd finally get a break. We needed one. So did the ship.

My initial thoughts: I have a feeling trouble is around the corner sooner than they think. Isn't it always in a situation like this?

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

I smiled, but it felt weak. Triumph never came without sacrifice. "How many?" I asked.

There was no real surprise for me in her immediate question back. "How many do we have?"

I hesitated. "Four." I hated the answer I had to give her, but Shade would be done soon, and I couldn't risk taking more than that in the time before we left.

Fiona recalled in shock. "That's not enough. There are thousands of kids." [56%]

My thoughts: If you do not know the context of this, they could be talking about anything, but I think it conveys just how dire their situation is.

Have you read Nightchaser? Does it sound like something you would like to read?

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 buy all your books? If yes, do you keep them all? If no, where do you source them? (submitted by Angelica @ Paperback Princess)

I am indeed a book buyer. Do I buy all my books? No, but I buy a lot of books. Way more than I should (ask my husband--although my daughter would tell you need more. She takes after me that way.). Some of the books I own were gifts. Some are hand me downs and some came with my husband when we merged our book collections. There are also books I have been given for the possibility of a review. Many of the books on my shelves I have read. Many others I have not yet gotten to. This includes my virtual shelves as well.

I feel at home surrounded by books, perhaps in part because I grew up with parents who kept a nice collection of them in the house. Over the years I have given many books away, whether to build a little library at work everyone can use or to family and friends. I have also donated a considerable amount of them to the local library over the past several years. I did a major culling of my shelves just over 8 years ago in preparation for our move and have made a habit of going through my shelves at regular intervals to see what can go and what can stay. While I have given a lot of books away, I continue to have a rather nice size collection. I am sure bringing in new books hasn’t helped with that. But I really do not buy books as often as I did before having a child.

My rules are to only keep books I want to read but haven’t gotten to yet (my TBR collection is huge—don’t ask how many; I won’t say), books I loved and want to re-read (even though I am not a big re-reader) someday, and books that hold special sentimental value. Oh, and those my husband and daughter also refuse to part with—because they have a say as well.

I am not as big a library user as I want to be. Partly because they often do not have the books I am looking for and another, the bigger reason, because I have so many unread books sitting in my e-reader or on my shelves at home that I am working my way through. My daughter and I visit our public library twice a month at least to check out the children’s selection. Mouse feels right at home at the library these days, going right to her favorite sections, asking the librarian if she cannot find something, and checking out the books without any assistance from me. I love it!

Anyone walking into my home can see in an instant my family is made up of booklovers. There are books everywhere, which is just the way I like it.

What about you?

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

Tuesday, March 05, 2019

Waiting to Read Wednesday: The Sky Isn't Visible From Here/The Library of Lost and Found/My Lovely Wife

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!

The Sky Isn't Visible From Here: Scenes from a Life by Felicia C. Sullivan
(Algonquin Books, 2007)

Felicia Sullivan's volatile, beautiful, deceitful, drug-addicted mother disappeared on the night Sullivan graduated from college, and has not been seen or heard from in the ten years since. Sullivan, who grew up on the tough streets of Brooklyn in the 1980s, now looks back on her childhood—lived among drug dealers, users, and substitute fathers. Sullivan became her mother's keeper, taking her to the hospital when she overdosed, withstanding her narcissistic rages, succumbing to the abuse or indifference of so-called stepfathers, and always wondering why her mother would never reveal the truth about the father she'd never met.

Ashamed of her past, Sullivan invented a persona to show the world. Yet despite her Ivy League education and numerous accomplishments, she, like her mother, eventually succumbed to alcohol and drug abuse. She wrote The Sky Isn't Visible from Here, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, when she realized it was time to kill her own creation. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I hunted this book down about 10 years ago after a friend recommended it. It almost did not survive my last TBR purging because I have moved away from reading memoirs that touch on topics that I deal with in my daily life and career. At least mostly. But something stayed my hand, and here the book sits on my shelf, waiting its turn. There's something about Sullivan's story that calls to me.

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

The New

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

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

Release Date: March 26, 2019 by Park Row

A librarian's discovery of a mysterious book sparks the journey of a lifetime in the delightful new novel from the international bestselling author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people--though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she's invisible. All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend--her grandmother Zelda--who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda's past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever. Filled with Phaedra Patrick's signature charm and vivid characters, The Library of Lost and Found is a heartwarming and poignant tale of how one woman must take control of her destiny to write her own happy ending. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: A librarian, a book with a clue, and buried secrets? What's not to like about this one?

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
Release Date: March 26, 2019 by Berkley Books

Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting...

Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We're your neighbors, the parents of your kid's friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: Doesn't this sound intriguing? I can't wait to dive into this psychological thriller!

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

Saturday, March 02, 2019

Sunday Mews: Goodbye February, Hello March! (February Wrap Up & March's TBR List Poll)

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

It has been a wet weekend with more rain. I am in no way complaining though. I love these rainy days. Spring has been peeking her head around the corner earlier this past week, giving us a taste of sunshine and warmer weather. My rose bushes are beginning to bloom. I wasn't sure they would survive our freezing temperatures. We never did get that snow Mouse wanted; although several other areas nearby that usually do not see any did. Mother Nature is such a tease.

How did you fare this February? Are you ready for March?

New to My Shelves:

Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Dr. Snow Has Got to Go! (My Weirder-est School #1) by Dan Gutman

Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren (#7) by Barbara Park, illustrated by Denise Brunkus

The Knight At Dawn (Magic Treehouse, #2) by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Salvatore Murdocco

I am . . . A Journal for Extraordinary Kids by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

Dog Songs by Mary Oliver

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala

Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James

Dragons Get Colds Too by Rebecca Roan, illustrated by Charles Santoso

Mr. Right Stuff by Sophie Brooks

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

About That Kiss by Jill Shalvis

What I Am Reading: My bookmark currently is in Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet. I have been on a role as of late reading books that I do not want to put down, and this one is among them. It is so good!

What I Am Watching: I watched a couple episodes of The Umbrella Academy--the jury is still out on what I think, although I am interested enough to continue. I also recently watched the short documentary Period. The End of a Sentence., which recently won an Academy Award. I can see why it won.

Off the Blog: February was a busy month with all our usual activities, in addition to auditions for the summer musical, birthday planning and preparations, and Girl Scout cookie sales. I will be so glad when cookie season is behind us!

Mouse has been working on her Frida Kahlo report and will be finishing it up this weekend. She was named Scientist of the Week for school this coming week, and so will be coming up with a science project she can show her class. My husband has a whole slew of ideas, but none of them are realistic for a second grader to demonstrate to her class on her own. I nixed his burning magnesium idea.

Looking Forward To: My daughter's birthday this month. We are having a painting party, which she is excited about. And later in the month we are going to Drag Queen Story Hour: HERstory at our local independent bookstore. My husband, Mouse and I are all looking forward to it. It's been a regular event at the bookstore for a couple months now, but this will be our first time going.

Here is what I finished reading in February:

The Mortal Word (Invisible Library, #5) by Genevieve Cogman
Sleepy Hollow Sleepover (A to Z Mysteries, #4) by Ron Roy
Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward
White House White-Out (A to Z Mysteries, #3) by Ron Roy
Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall
Judy Moody and the Right Royal Tea Party (#14) by Megan McDonald
Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself by Margaret Frith
Who Was Frida Kahlo? by Sarah Fabiny
Getting Hot With a Scot by Melonie Johnson

February was a good reading month overall. Of the four books I read just for myself, they were all winners. Stars Uncharted, the February TBR poll winner, was my favorite, but it was close! All of the books were so different from one another.

Mouse really enjoys our reading time together. We take turns reading out loud to each other. She is really into the A to Z Mysteries and Judy Moody books. I tend to like the Judy Moody books a bit more, finding the writing in the A to Z Mysteries repetitive at times. I am sure it's partly because of the age group they are written for. What matters is that Mouse enjoys them. I love it when she speculates as to how the mysteries will turn out. Sometimes she is way off, and other times she is spot on. Mouse has two other series going as well, The Magic Treehouse and The Wish Fairy, but those she is reading with her dad.

This Past February In Reading Mews:

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

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

I had a hard time settling on three books to choose for this month's poll. I am not sure why it was so difficult to choose. I think all of these will be good, and all are books I have been wanting to read for awhile now. I look forward to seeing which one wins!

City of Lies (Counterfeit Lady #1) by Victoria Thompson

Elizabeth Miles scours 1920’s Washington, D.C. for a killer in the first Counterfeit Lady novel from the author of the New York Times bestselling Gaslight mysteries.

Every woman plays a part—but some are more dangerous than others…

Like most women, Elizabeth Miles assumes many roles; unlike most, hers have made her a woman on the run. Living on the edge of society, Elizabeth uses her guile to relieve so-called respectable men of their ill-gotten gains. But brutal and greedy entrepreneur Oscar Thornton is out for blood. He’s lost a great deal of money and is not going to forgive a woman for outwitting him. With his thugs hot on her trail, Elizabeth seizes the moment to blend in with a group of women who have an agenda of their own.

She never expects to like or understand these privileged women, but she soon comes to respect their intentions, forming an unlikely bond with the wealthy matriarch of the group whose son Gideon is the rarest of species—an honest man in a dishonest world. She knows she’s playing a risky game, and her deception could be revealed at any moment, possibly even by sharp-eyed Gideon. Nor has she been forgotten by Thornton, who’s biding his time within this gilded orbit, waiting to strike. Elizabeth must draw on her wits and every last ounce of courage she possesses to keep her new life from being cut short by this vicious shadow from her past. [Goodreads Summary]

Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . .

Vermont, 2014. As much as she's tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister's death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced. . . . [Goodreads Summary]

A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1) by Deanna Raybourn

London, 1887.

After burying her spinster aunt, orphaned Veronica Speedwell is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry—and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as with fending off admirers, Veronica intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

But fate has other plans when Veronica thwarts her own attempted abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron, who offers her sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker, a reclusive and bad-tempered natural historian. But before the baron can reveal what he knows of the plot against her, he is found murdered—leaving Veronica and Stoker on the run from an elusive assailant as wary partners in search of the villainous truth. [Goodreads Summary]

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

Friday, March 01, 2019

Six Degrees of Separation: The Arsonist to The Girls of Atomic City

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

I have not read Chloe Hooper's The Arsonist, a nonfiction book about Black Saturday, the February day in 2009 when an arsonist set two fires in Victoria, Australia. The fires would claim the lives of 173 people, not to mention the loss of animals, and structures, including entire towns.

Living in California, I know all too well the devastation wildfires can cause, not only in the moment, but in the aftermath. The first book that came to mind related to The Arsonist, is Catherine McKenzie's Smoke which features an arson investigator, once firefighter, who finds herself and her community in the middle of a massive wildfire, set in Colorado. Meanwhile, her friend worries that her son might be the one who set the fire.

A booklover's nightmare would surely include a massive fire in a library, and that is exactly what happens in The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman, as my favorite librarian takes on the Library's biggest enemy yet. This is the 3rd book in the Invisible Library series, which really should be read in order.

Or what of an infectious disease that causes bodies to spontaneously combust? The fear is real in The Fireman by Joe Hill, as society panics as the pandemic spread, and those infected search for places to hide and survive.

Just as people were ostracized and persecuted in The Fireman, a fear of leprosy resulted in people being sent to an isolated island, where they are sent to die. Only, life continued and they found ways to survive, including Rachel Kalama who was torn apart from her family and sent to live on the island at the age of seven in Richard Brennert's Moloka'i.

Another boy, separated from his family and forced to live in isolation, is Jim, in Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard. Jim had been living in Shanghai with his parents when World War II broke out, but finds himself sent to a prisoner of war camp, doing what he can to survive.

One of the most memorable and devastatingly sad scenes in both the book and movie version of Empire of the Sun is when the sky lights up and a huge mushroom cloud can be seen rising in the distance. Before that moment, however, quite a few people unknowingly had a hand in putting together that ultimate bomb which would cause so much destruction. Women from all over settled in Oak Ridge Tennessee to work on the unknown project, grateful for the work. All they knew is that they were part of the effort to end the war. And with that, we end with The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan .

I would like to have carried the fire theme through all the books, but my musings took me in a different direction. I have read all but the starting book, The Arsonist, which does sound like it will be an interesting read. Thanks to Kate, it has made it onto my wish list. As before, I had such fun creating this list!

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

Next month (April 6, 2019), the starting book will be How to Be Both by Ali Smith. I hope you will play along!