Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Christmas tree went up yesterday, along with the indoor decorations. Usually we wait until after Thanksgiving Day (this coming Thursday); but since we decided on a do-it-yourself approach for the family Christmas pictures this year, well, it made sense to do it now so I could put in my order for my holiday cards. Although Mouse has actively helped decorate for the holidays in the past, this is the first real year she has an awareness of what Christmas is. It made for a much more fun experience--minus the hiding in the corner to pout and a couple frustrated-feet-stomping moments. 

Gracie has already decided the tree is a jungle gym. It is her first Christmas, and while in the years before Mouse we might have skipped the tree for kitty safety reasons, we can't get away with it this year, not with a two and a half year old in the house. 

Speaking of the two and a half year old, I asked her what she wanted for Christmas a few weeks ago, and the most I could get out of her was "Santa toys. One big Santa toy and one little Santa toy." Oh, and snow. So, we may have to plan a trip to the mountains to see the snow at some point.  While out shopping for her Christmas dress about a week ago, she saw a Princess Ariel baby doll that she just has to have. She didn't get it, of course, but now all she talks about is how she wants that particular doll for Christmas. It's the first time she's actually remembered she's wanted something for longer than a hot minute!  A milestone!  Although, not one I am overly excited about.  Haha!

What I want most for Christmas is a healthy household. My darling cat, Parker, became ill quite suddenly last week. He stopped eating and drinking and was in a great deal of pain. The veterinarian ran blood work and completed an ultrasound on him. The results showed he had an inflamed pancreas, liver, stomach and intestines. Parker had to stay in the hospital for a few days to get the inflammation down, and settle his digestive tract enough to where he can hold down food. He came home this past Saturday, armed with medication. He eats here and there, but is not eating much. And he spends most of his time in hiding.  He is still extremely subdued.  When I called the veterinarian this morning to give her an update, she asked that I bring him in this afternoon (thank goodness my boss is so understanding, especially since we're short staffed this week).  The overall prognosis is good (although guarded) once we get over this hump, which hopefully we will. He goes back to the doctor's on Saturday, when my husband and I will learn how to give him B12 shots. All this worry about Parker has taken its toll, especially given what we've already been through this year with our other animals.  The cost of his medical care is weighing heavily on us as well; although, to be honest, I'd rather spend the money on getting him healthy than on Christmas presents and what have you.  Still, it's a stressful time for us.  

My husband and I both are working this week, and my mother is in town visiting, which is nice.  We will be having a laid back Thanksgiving, I think.  Admittedly, it is not my favorite holiday, and I am looking forward to seeing its backside.  However, in the spirit of the holiday, there are many things I am grateful for this year, and my friendship with many of you are included on that list.  Thank you for your constant support and kindness.  

This will be my only post this week.  For my American friends, I hope you and your family and friends have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  For everyone else, have a great week!  I will see you all next week . . . 

---

© 2013, 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.

Cat Thursday: Attack!

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict.

---

© 2013, 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: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

November 8, 2000

Dear Franklin, 

I'm unsure why one trifling incident this afternoon has moved me to write to you.  But since we've been separated, I may most miss coming home to deliver the narrative curiosities of my day, the way a cat might lay mice at your feet: the small, humbling offerings that couples proffer after foraging in separate backyards.  Were you still installed in my kitchen, slathering crunchy peanut butter on Branola though it was almost time for dinner, I'd no sooner have to put down the bags, one leaking a clear viscous drool, than this little story would come tumbling out, even before I chided that we're having pasta tonight so would you please not eat that whole sandwich.

~ Opening of We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (narrated by Coleen Marlo)

Harper Audio, 2011

Fiction; 16 hours, 9 minutes

From the Publisher:

Eva never really wanted to be a mother - and certainly not the mother of a boy who ends up murdering seven of his fellow high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a much-adored teacher who tried to befriend him, all two days before his 16th birthday. Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin's horrific rampage, in a series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband, Franklin. Uneasy with the sacrifices and social demotion of motherhood from the start, Eva fears that her alarming dislike for her own son may be responsible for driving him so nihilistically off the rails.

After listening to William Landy's Defending Jacob  and reading Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes, I hoped I would get to Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk About Kevin before the end of the year.  When a couple of ladies in one of my online reading groups mentioned doing a group read of the book, I jumped at the opportunity.  Unfortunately, it didn't turn out to be much of a group read. Only one other person read the book, and she read it much quicker than I did.  By the time I finished, she had moved on to other things.

We Need to Talk About Kevin is not only a well written book that makes one think, it is also a book that draws the reader in affects him or her (at least me) on a more visceral level.  This is a book that is an experience rather than just another book to be read.  

Because of all the emotions and thoughts the book was dredging up, I thought it would be interesting to keep a journal as I read.  Although I have tried to keep this as spoiler free as possible, it may be that some have slipped in.  Please read with caution.  These are some of my initial thoughts:

When reading a book, it isn't unusual for me to draw comparisons between my life and that of the characters I am reading about.  I not only ask what I would do in a similar or the same situation, but I also think of how similar or dissimilar I think or behave from the characters I am reading about.  It's not something I put much effort into; rather, it's just the type of reader I am.  Call it reflection, internalization, personalization or what have you.  It's both a blessing and a curse.  Especially when I read a book like this. Being still newish to parenting and one who recently suffered from Postpartum Depression, I'm most susceptible to anything related to parenting and parenting issues. 

Anyway, listening to We Need to Talk About Kevin, particularly the very early letters, I found myself wondering about my own reasons to have a child.  My own ambiguity about having a child before my husband and I decided we wanted a child.  Eva and I were in totally different places when we got pregnant though.  Her situation just makes me sad. Not wanting a child, but having one because she thinks it will make her husband happy. 

and about half way through:

I feel sorry for Eva mostly.  I think she did what she could with what she knew.  She tried.  But I also am getting the distinct impression that she never really wanted Kevin even after he was born.  He was a very difficult child.  Colicky, perhaps?  How much of Eva's observations of Kevin as a young child are to be believed?  Is she a reliable narrator? What I see is the lack of attachment between a child and his mother--and even the father.  As much as Eva says Franklin is on Kevin's side, Franklin was always absent early on and his denial and belief that his son was an ideal and not the reality, did not help.

I am not blaming Eva or Franklin for what Kevin did, but I do think, from a clinical standpoint, something didn't click for Kevin during those early, vital formative years.  Maybe even before that really.  I believe a baby, even from the womb, can sense certain things.  So I tend to think his mother and father's detachment were contributing factors.  But I think he was already "off" somehow when he was born.

and finally,

I really liked the book.  I can't say I was surprised by how things unfolded as I had a strong sense how everything would play out from the beginning.  Still, I loved the author's writing and the way she really brought out the characters, especially Eva. Reading her story brought to mind William Landay's Defending Jacob.  It's from a father's perspective of a son who is accused of murdering a classmate.  It's less "in the head" as compared to Shriver's book--more a thriller, I think, than Shriver's book, which I see more as literary fiction.

The book was much easier for me to read after the first half, I'll admit.  Once I was able to get out of my own head and just focus on Eva's situation.  

This book is certainly thought provoking.  The idea of nurture versus nature comes to mind.  And I especially like the fact that it is written from the perspective of a parent.  All too often we, as a society, are quick to blame the parents when a child acts out like Kevin did.  I think it's a natural process in our attempt to understand the "why" of it.  Eva wasn't a character I particularly liked, and I doubt we ever would have been friends had she been real and we met in real life, but I felt for her as a parent and as a woman.  I understand Eva's feelings of guilt.  I think in her shoes, I would feel the same way. It's easy to look back and think of all that should have been done, the interventions that might have helped prevent such a horrible act from occurring.  And it's easy to think--or say--we would do things differently in the same situation.   I came away from this book shaking my head. I really don't know.  It's a book that makes me sad mostly.  Sad for Eva. Sad for all those families who lost loved ones.  As for Kevin, I have no sympathy for him.  Maybe for that little boy he once was, but what he did was plain evil.

Coleen Marlo narrated the audio production of the book and I have to say I have a hard time separating her from the story, given how much her voice became and was Eva for me.  She did an amazing job.  Thanks to her and the author, We Need to Talk About Kevin is a book I won't soon forget.

Rating:  (Outstanding)

You can learn more about Lionel Shriver and her books on the author's Facebook Page. 
For more information about the narrator, Coleen Marlo, visit her blog.

Source: I bought an audio copy of this book for my own listening pleasure.

---

© 2013, 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.

Mouse's Corner & First Chapter Tuesday

I woke up this morning to find a light fog outside.  There's a nice chill in the air, a sign that fall has finally come to the inland area in Southern California.  At last the weather matches the season!  We did get a little rain this past Saturday putting a damper on our plans to spend the day at the park.  For the past several months it's been our routine to go to Mouse's soccer class, and then follow it up with a visit to the park and library.  I guess we could have still gone to the library.  Instead it was an all day pajama day, and we spent a lazy day at home doing just about nothing.  

The next season of soccer begins in December, and so we have a little break in the meantime.  To help Mouse understand, I told her during the last lull between seasons that soccer was on vacation.  She's since run with that explanation.  Every Saturday we don't have soccer, she asks if soccer is on vacation. This past Saturday, she wanted to know if soccer was on an airplane.  I love how enthusiastic she is about her soccer classes and, although there are some Saturday mornings I wish we could sleep in just a little longer, I miss the classes during the breaks too.

Our Sunday was not so lazy.  We visited March Air Museum, which is just down the main road from where we live.  It was my first time there, and I was impressed by the size.  Mouse, Anjin, and I had a good time, looking at the various war planes.  We followed our museum visit up with pizza and games at a local restaurant.  Mouse hasn't napped so well in ages!  

At the moment, Mouse's favorite book seems to be Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman and Bonnie Leick.   I admit it's a favorite of mine too.  It's an adorable little book with beautiful illustrations about a mother monster who is putting her little monster to bed. Their routine is so similar to ours, that it makes it all the more fun for Mouse.  I downloaded it to my Kindle one day when I saw it was on sale.  Mouse and I do not read many books together on my Kindle, so this is a rare treat for her. 

Do you have a favorite bed time story either from your childhood or that of your child's?

---

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts 

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where  

participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a 

book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.

Here is a taste of what I am reading at the moment (from A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway, a steampunk/murder mystery about Sherlock Holmes' niece Evelina, former circus child turned lady):

Evelina froze, a breath half taken catching in her throat, nerves tingling down every limb.  She sat unmoving for a long moment, searching the shadows cast by her candle on the dusty attic floorboards.

Would you continue reading?

---

© 2013, 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: The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark

"Do you believe in fairy tales, Professor McFay?" ~ Opening sentence of The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark.

The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark

Ballantine Books, 2013

Fantasy; 321 pgs

Just a warning:  If you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy, and plan to, please do not read the summary from the publisher.  It contains spoilers.  I tried to keep spoilers out of my actual ramblings about the book.

From the Publisher: 

For Callie McFay, a half-witch/half-fey professor of folklore and Gothic literature, the fight to save the enchanted town of Fairwick, New York, is far from over. After a hostile takeover by the Grove—a sinister group of witches and their cohorts—many of the local fey have been banished or killed, including Callie’s one true love. And in place of the spirit of tolerance and harmony, the new administration at Fairwick College has fostered an air of danger and distrust. 

With her unique magical abilities, Callie is the only one who can rescue her friends from exile and restore order to the school—a task that requires her to find the Angel Stone, a legendary talisman of immense power. Propelled on an extraordinary quest back to seventeenth-century Scotland, Callie risks her life to obtain the stone. Yet when she encounters a sexy incarnation of her lost love, she finds the greater risk is to her heart. As the fate of Fairwick hangs in the balance, Callie must make a wrenching choice: reclaim a chance for eternal passion or save everything she holds dear.

I think I was actually purring when I read the final line of this book.  I really didn't want it to end, but, at the same time, the ending was so very satisfying.  I fell in love with the Fairwick Chronicles with the very first book, The Demon Lover.  The second book in the series, The Water Witch was quite different from the first, but still very enjoyable.  This third book is a combination of the first and the second, and was just as good.

I admit to being a bit leery for all the obvious reasons when I realized Callie would be going back in time to 1659 in The Angel Stone.  But I was sufficiently impressed with the way the author handled it, and even came to enjoy my time in the past. Now I want to go back and start the trilogy over again as I imagine it will be a slightly different reading experience knowing now what I didn't know when I first read the books.

I am not sure what to say that I have not already said about these books.  They are the ultimate comfort reads, full of magic, mythical creatures, action,  mystery, and heart melting (at least for me) romance.  Callie is such an interesting character, someone who learns more about herself with each novel and grows as a character.  I would love to sit in one of her classes.  The topics she teaches just fascinate me.

I really like the way the author weaves mythology into the setting of a small college town.  The list of mythical creatures is quite long, admittedly.  They do not always getting along well with the other "races"--and even among themselves.

The Fairwick Chronicles have everything I enjoy in a trilogy, and I hope this won't be the last we see of the town or its people, even if not these same characters.

Rating:  (Very Good +)

To learn more about Carol Goodman/Juliet Dark and her books, please visit the author's website.

Source: I received an e-copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.

---

© 2013, 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.

Cat Thursday: I Think They Like Each Other

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict.

 

---

© 2013, 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: Killing Floor by Lee Child

Killing Floor by Lee Child (narrated by Dick Hill)
Brilliance Audio, 2008

Crime Fiction; 15 hours 23 minutes

From the Publisher:

Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher is a drifter. He’s just passing through Margrave, Georgia, and in less than an hour, he’s arrested for murder. Not much of a welcome. All Reacher knows is that he didn’t kill anybody. At least not here. Not lately. But he doesn’t stand a chance of convincing anyone. Not in Margrave, Georgia. Not a chance in hell.

My first encounter with Lee Child's Jack Reacher did not leave much of an impression on me.  Although I enjoyed the book, I was not sure whether I would continue with the series.  I thought maybe I would give the audio version a try as I had heard Dick Hill makes an exceptional Jack Reacher.

Once I got over my expectation to hear Tom Cruise's voice, I really got into Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.  Dick Hill has the voice to match Child's description of the character, a man I wouldn't want to cross.  Jack Reacher is one of those protagonists who is almost too perfect to believe--just the same, I liked him.  Reacher exudes masculinity and all that entails.  My dad's kind of hero.

There was a moment halfway through the audio, when I was sure the story was done.  It seemed like the perfect place to end.  Only, I still had halfway to go.  For what I felt should be a fast paced novel, it seemed to take its time.  The book had its moments in high adrenaline intensity, particularly toward the end.  At other times, I found myself wishing the story would move a little quicker.

The mystery itself was quite complex and involved, more so than it first appeared.  I enjoyed the various twists and turns the story took, some of which I saw coming and others of which took me by surprise. Knowing a little something about where the character ends up in his life, I appreciated getting a glimpse of Reacher's origin story.  I also really liked his sidekicks in this novel, especially the chief of detectives.  He and Reacher made a good team.  I confess I didn't quite buy the romance in the story, but, overall, I enjoyed the book, and I think Dick Hill did a wonderful job narrating the story.

I am still not sure I will be reading the entire series, but I do want to give the series another try.  I read so many series, that I have to be picky about the ones I continue to follow.

Rating:  (Good +)

You can learn more about Lee Child and his books on the author's website. 
For more information about the narrator, Dick Hill, and his work, visit his website.

Source: I bought an audio copy of this book for my own listening pleasure.

---

© 2013, 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.

Cat Thursday: Well Hidden

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by The True Book Addict that celebrates cats; their foibles and humorousness and the joy they bring. You can join in by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you made or came across, cat art or share with us pics of your own felines, then post your link up at The True Book Addict.

---

© 2013, 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: An Illustrated Death by Judi Culbertson

An Illustrated Death by Judi Culbertson

Witness Impulse, 2013

Crime Fiction; 304 pgs

From the Publisher:

It's not every day you get an inside peek at the world of a famous artist.  

So when bookseller Delhi Laine gets the opportunity to appraise the late Nate Erikson's library, she jumps at the chance, despite the mysterious circumstances surrounding the illustrator's death. But as she spends more time with the eccentric Erikson clan at the family compound in the Hamptons, Delhi can't help but wonder what really happened to the lost patriarch.

When death visits the family once more and another Erikson is found murdered, dark secrets come to light. Left coping with a charmed family not quite as idyllic as she first believed, Delhi is determined to solve the murders once and for all. But digging up truths can get you dirty . . . and Delhi is about to discover just how far some will go to keep them buried.

I confess I am not a big fan of mysteries set among the rich and famous.  The eccentricities get old after awhile and I find I relate so little to the characters.  But the idea of reading a mystery featuring a bookseller appealed to me, so I took a chance on Judi Culbertson's An Illustrated Death.

I had not realized this was the second book in the series, otherwise I would have started with the first book. Not that the reader needs to.  As with many mystery series, this book stands well on its own.  It's just that with only one book before it, I could easily have slipped the first book in.

An Illustrated Death was an enjoyable read.  It has a cozy feel to it with an amateur sleuth and a small town setting.  The main character and I hit it off right away.  Delhi seems like the kind of woman I wouldn't mind sitting down to lunch with, and not just because we are both book lovers.  Although that helps.  Delhi seems down to earth and like an all around nice person.  

The Erikson family isn't short on eccentricities and they really aren't all that likable.  I felt sorry for Bianca, who lost her daughter, but she had an edge about her that was hard to get past. Still, the author has created an interesting story around them, secrets that aren't easily guessed--and boy, are there a lot of them!

I did enjoy the periphery characters, who I imagine are regulars in the series, especially Marty and Susie, both of whom I hope to see more of in future books.  I'm also really curious about the more personal story introduced in this novel relating to Delhi and one of her children.  Having not read the first book in the series, I do not know if the subject came up there, but it's certainly a hanging thread left at the end of An Illustrated Death that will be interesting to follow as the series continues.  Be warned, this personal side story has the distinct smell of a cliff hanger, even though it's not directly related to the main mystery in An Illustrated Death.

An Illustrated Death is a fast read, one that would be great for a quiet fall or winter afternoon. There's humor and heart mixed in with a good dose of suspense.  I wouldn't mind reading more by this author.

Rating:  (Good +)

You can learn more about Judi Culbertson and her books on the author's website. 

Source: Review copy provided by publisher via Edelweiss.

---

© 2013, 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? (11/05/2013)

I had hoped to take lots of photos to share of our adventures this weekend, but it did not work out that way. It was a crazy busy weekend with the last day of the soccer season, a visit to the hospital for our flu shots, and the Walk and Roll event in support of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (FMSA).

I barely had time to crack open a book this weekend, but when I did find a moment, I began reading Susan Elia MacNeal's His Majesty's Hope, the third book in the Maggie Hope series set in World War II.  It's such a fun series, and I'm already caught up in this most recent installment.  If only work wasn't getting in the way of my reading time!  Just before this, I read a mystery called Darkness First by James Hayman, my first by the author.  It was quite an intense story, which I enjoyed quite a bit.  Darkness First is part of a series, although I am not sure where it falls in the line up. I will likely know though by the time I review the book.

What are you reading right now?  Is it something you would recommend?

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts 

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where  

participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a 

book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.

My introduction today comes from An Illustrated Death by Judi Culbertson, a cozy mystery I will be reviewing tomorrow:

The dead man smiled up at me.

I stared back sadly.  Then I read the newspaper clipping on my worktable one more time.

Would you continue reading?

---

© 2013, 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: Adé: A Love Story by Rebecca Walker

Adé: A Love Story by Rebecca Walker

Little A/New Harvest, 2013

Fiction; 128 pgs

This is one of those novels in which the language washes over me as I read, like an ocean wave coming in and then retreating.  Rebecca Walker has written a beautiful and heart wrenching story about knowing one's self, and, most of all, about love.

Farida, as our unnamed main character comes to be called, is a recent college graduate who sets out to explore the world with her roommate and friend, Miriam, wanting to experience life and little known places. They aren't interested in the cities or the tourist culture, but rather want to take in the continent's raw beauty. Farida feels a kinship with those around her as she travels through African countries.  She finds herself identifying to some degree with those she meets. It is a connection that mesmerizes her and draws her in.

When she meets Adé, a local fisherman on a coastal island in Kenya, he is everything she longs for, including a tie to a land she so desperately wants to belong.  Adé is sensual and thoughtful.  The two fall in love and Farida wants nothing more than to establish her life on the island where Adé grew up.

The cultural piece of the story presented a land that is both harsh and also beautiful.  It is clear the narrator of the story is from a first world country and takes a more romantic view of Africa.  And as the story progresses, the ideal image Farida has created of Africa, and Kenya, in particular, begins to crumble as not only her love for  Adé is tested, but that of the country she longs to call home.

I was really taken with Rebecca Walker's imagery and tone throughout the novel.  The writing is almost poetic, in a sense.  It really is beautiful.  The story itself was poignant.  When I finished, I sat there for a moment, just wanting to absorb what I had read more fully.  It's one of those books that is not easy to move on from, at least not right away.

Rating:  (Very Good +)

To learn more about Rebecca Walker and her books, please visit the author's website. 

I hope you will check out what others had to say about Adé: A Love Story on the TLC Book Tours route!

Many thanks to the TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. The publisher provided an e-copy of the book for review.

.

---

© 2013, 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.