Bookish Thoughts: The Maxwell Street Blues by Marc Krulewitch

"I feared you wouldn't know me." ~ Opening from The Maxwell Street Blues

The Maxwell Street Blues by Marc Krulewitch

Alibi, 2014
Crime Fiction; 240 pgs

Jules Landau is a private investigator, much to his father's chagrin.  His father doesn't understand his decision. Still, recently released from prison, the senior Landau hires his son to find out who murdered Jules' best friend, Charles "Snooky" Snook, a man who was like a son to the senior Landau. Snooky did not exactly work above the law, laundering money and keeping books for mobsters and other not so savory sorts, but he was well liked and careful with secrets.  This is Jules first murder investigation and a lot is at stake, including his reputation--and possibly his life. 

The old-school feel and Chicago setting created the perfect atmosphere for the novel, The Maxwell Street Blues. With a cast of characters to match, including dirty cops, a nosy but persistent reporter, a beautiful and enigmatic tattoo artist, and other rather shady characters, Marc Krulewitch's mystery was an entertaining read.

I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and getting to know Jules Landau himself.  I did not find the character to be as a cocky as the author (and the character) seemed to believe him to be.  Jules seemed to know his limitations.  He didn't let that stop him, however, from pursuing the answers to his questions, even after receiving plenty of bruises as a reminder of how high the stakes were.  I especially liked the interplay between Jules and his father.  The two clearly have a strained relationship and different ideas of their family's history, Jules' father feeling his son should be more proud of his roots and less shame.

There was a lot going on in the novel, and at times it felt like certain aspects of the story were not given the attention they deserved. Or perhaps that is just me and my penchant for sometimes preferring more background and a story that delves deeper into the characters and their motives.  That isn't to say this book did not take on some serious issues--it did to some degree.

Overall, I thought The Maxwell Street Blues made for a fun afternoon of mystery reading.  There's murder, shady politics, questionable ethics, and a romance to boot. The book has a little bit of grit and a lot of personality. While not particularly memorable in terms of story line, Jules and his dad are not characters I will  not soon forget.  I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Rating:  (Good +)

I hope you will check out what others had to say about The Maxwell Street Blues 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 me with an e-copy of the book via NetGalley for review.

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© 2014, 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.

Wordless Wednesday: Nose to Nose

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© 2014, 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? (08/26/2014)

My cold turned out to be an out of season flu bug that knocked me off my feet for a few days, took my daughter hostage and has now, at least for her, turned into pneumonia.  I'm just left with the cough and runny nose. Unfortunately she is still fighting a fever and infection (fingers crossed the antibiotics wipe it out soon!). My mother's visit was dampened by our illnesses this past weekend, but we made the most of it nonetheless, celebrating her birthday.  It was just low key, is all.  Between cuddles and fights to get my daughter to take her medicine, we enjoyed cake, presents and balloons.

My brain is still a big foggy, and, as you can imagine, my attention is mostly on Mouse right now, but I am muddling through.  Alas, not much reading got done.  And no blog visiting.  If I am scarce this week, you understand why.  I did finish Joshilyn Jackson's Someone Else's Love Story, although I am not much farther into Further Out Than You Thought by Michaela Carter than last we visited together.

I am nearly one with The Night Visitor by Dianne Emley, which I am reviewing in an upcoming tour.  It's a mystery with a definite paranormal twist: a woman is possessed (sort of) but her ex-boyfriend and sets out to find his and her sister's murderer.  It's interesting so far, and a fairly quick read.

What are you reading at the moment?  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.

Here is a taste of the opening of Dianne Emley's The Night Visitor:

Junior Lara saw the doves and knew something was wrong. They were loose inside the loft, flying in crazy circles, their beating wings stirring the air, scenting it with musk.

A gust of warm wind blew through the open windows. It carried a trace of something sweets and earthy.

The back of Junior's neck prickled. He stood with his hand against the edge of the antique elevator's door, hesitating before stepping into his loft apartment.

 Would you continue reading?

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© 2014, 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: Undead Series by Mary Janice Davidson

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. Here are four I read in the later half of 2005: 

Undead and Unwed by Mary Janice Davidson

Berkley, 2004

Fantasy; 255 pgs

Along with my interest in Laurel K. Hamilton’s vampire hunter series came many recommendations for the Undead series by Mary Janice Davidson. Undead and Unwed is the first in the series, where Betsy Taylor, a somewhat superficial and fashion conscious heroine suddenly finds herself dead and a vampire to boot. She has abilities that are unusual even among vampires and as a result is believed to be the queen whose coming was foretold by prophecy. This book was full of humor, romance, the supernatural, and the expected fight between good vs. evil. Although I definitely feel the draw to this series, the main character’s continual chatter can be annoying at times.

Undead and Unemployed by Mary Janice Davidson

Berkley, 2004

Fantasy; 272 pgs

In the second installment of Mary Janice Davidson’s Undead series, Queen of the Vampires, Betsy Taylor reluctantly agrees to find out who is killing vampires in the city, while maintaining her new job selling shoes at Macy’s. Undead and Unemployed made me chuckle out loud several times. This is a great light read that is quite entertaining.

Undead and Unappreciated  by Mary Janice Davidson

Berkley, 2005

Fantasy; 271 pgs

This is by far my favorite in the Undead series that I’ve had the chance to read so far. Betsy, Queen of Vampires, seems to be maturing a little bit as a character. In this third installment, Betsy discovers she has a half sister who just happens to be the child of the devil, destined to rule the world. This is just one of the many challenges facing Betsy during the course of the book. Undead and Unappreciated is a lighthearted and enjoyable reading experience, full of romance, a little action, and a great deal of humor.

Undead and Unreturnable  by Mary Janice Davidson

Berkley, 2005

Fantasy; 250 pgs

A serial killer is after tall blond women, ghosts are popping in for favors, and there are wedding plans to be made. Betsy, the Queen of Vampires, has her hands full. Mary Janice Davidson brings us her fourth installment of the Undead series. Betsy is her usual self and it’s never a question of whether or not she will get into trouble, but more a question of what exactly that trouble will be. I enjoyed Undead and Unreturnable and am curious to see what further adventures Ms. Davidson has in store for Betsy and her friends.

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© 2014, 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 Hexed by Heather Graham

"Help me, Rocky!" ~ Opening Sentence of The Hexed

The Hexed by Heather Graham

Harlequin MIRA, 2014

Crime Fiction (Paranormal, Romance); 400 pgs

My favorite kind of cozy mysteries are those with a paranormal element.  There is just something about adding a bit (okay, sometimes a lot) of supernatural to a story that appeals to me most.  Despite The Hexed being the thirteenth book in the Krewe Hunters series, it is my first.  Fortunately for me, The Hexed is very much a stand alone novel.  There is so little (nothing really) about characters that may have appeared in earlier books, that a reader jumping in now should not feel lost or feel like he or she missed out on a minor continuing story line.

In The Hexed, readers are introduced to Craig "Rocky" Rockwell, an FBI agent who asks to be assigned to the an elite division of the FBI called the Krewe Hunters.  The Krewe Hunters, once a private detection agency, was adopted by the FBI because of their special abilities in dealing with the supernatural, namely ghosts.  Rocky is haunted by the ritualistic murder of a friend when they were teenagers and when another body is found in the same area and in the same manner over a decade later, he requests to be involved in the investigation.

Devin Lyle, once reporter now children's book author, has only recently returned home to Salem, taking up residence in her deceased aunt's home.  One night she hears a cry for help and runs outside into the woods by her house only to find the body of a woman.

Devin is pulled into the investigation of the murders due to her ability to see and talk to ghosts, one of which Rocky and Devin are sure has the key who is behind the murders and why someone would want the women dead.  Add in an eccentric great-aunt who is a ghost, a black raven named Poe, and a budding love story, and you have an entertaining novel.

I really liked the character of Rocky.  He is such a sweetheart, maybe a little too perfect.  I found it interesting how the Krewe team gave him lead upon their arrival to town to help with the murder investigation, especially given how new he was to the unit.  It made sense in some ways, I suppose: this was the area he had grown up in, one of his childhood friend's was the local lead on the case, and he was the first on the scene.  It wasn't something that bothered me at all, just something I noticed.

Devin was no slouch, that's for sure.  She's smart as a whip, especially when it comes to the history of the area.  Sometimes when a civilian character gets involved with a police investigation it seems too unbelievable to buy into, but not so in Devin's case.  At least I did not think so.  In part, keeping her close was to protect her, but she was also the person the ghost from long ago wanted to talk to.

I enjoyed seeing the evolution of Devin and Rocky's relationship, but admit the moment they made their feelings known seemed forced somehow and so sudden.  It wasn't how I imagined either character acting except maybe in their heads.  Still, it was not a bad thing.  Given how stressful the situation was, how dangerous, I should not be completely surprised.

The Hexed was an enjoyable read.  I suspected just about everyone in the book at one point or another of being the killer, but it was not until closer to the end that I had it figured out.  Somewhat.  The investigation was slow going at times, but rightfully so given the amount of research and foot work the characters had to do.  There is a bit of a need to suspend one's disbelief (and I'm not referring to the ghosts) in how Rocky came to some of his conclusions, but it was easy to look past as much fun as I was having reading to see what would happen next.

Will I read more by this author?  Absolutely.  I'm curious to learn more about the other members of the Krewe Hunters team and see what mysteries they encounter.

Rating:  (Good +)

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

I hope you will check out what others had to say about The Hexed on the TLC Book Tours route!

Many thanks to the TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. E-Copy of the book provided by the publisher.

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© 2014, 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.

Wordless Wednesday: Chasing the Ducks

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 © 2014, 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? (08/16/2014)

If only an extra day could be added to each week just for reading (and maybe review writing).  If that was possible, I would have had time to join in The Maze Runner Book to Movie Read-Along hosted by Katie of Doing Dewey, which began yesterday, or I could sign up for The Sparrow Read-Along hosted by Trish of Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity next month (second time might be the charm, right?).

There is also A More Diverse Universe Event hosted by Aarti of Booklust, scheduled September 14-27th, in which readers are asked to read and review a book written by a person of color.  Just one book.  Or more if you want. The hope is to build awareness and encourage readers like you and me to read more diversely--not just in that two week period, but over the course of our lives.  If you are anything like me, it isn't something I pay much attention to.  I enjoy reading books about other cultures and countries, but I rarely pay attention to the author's background.  Reading diversely is important, however.  Learning about other cultures and taking in the world from different perspectives is a must in today's diverse society, especially given the hate and intolerance that exists even today.

My only hesitation in signing up for A More Diverse Universe is how soon the event is and how already crammed my reading schedule is right now through the middle of October.  My thoughts immediately went to a mystery series Kwei Quartey I enjoy, and want to continue.  Julia Alvarez's In the Time of the Butterflies has been calling my name for some time.  In fact, there are a number of books on my TBR shelves that would be perfect fits for this event.  A good thing!  Time wise though I am thinking my best bet, if I want to participate, will be a children's book, something perhaps from my daughter's shelf.  Because I really do want to participate . . .  Are you joining in?  I hope you will!

As for my current reading, well, I am in pretty much the same place I was last week, in the middle of Michaela Carter's Further Out Than You Thought and Joshilyn Jackson's Someone Else's Love Story. Life has been fairly busy and then this weekend, when I hoped to fit in some good reading time, I was (and still am) sick.  I wish I was one of those readers who could read while sick.  Instead I tend to sleep.

This coming weekend my mother will be in town for her birthday.  My daughter has her birthday all planned out.  I just hope no one else catches my cold before then!

What are you reading at the moment?  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.

Here is the opening paragraph of one of my current reads, Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson:

I fell in love with William Ashe at gunpoint, in a Circle K. It was on a Friday afternoon at the tail end of a Georgia summer so ungodly hot the air felt like it had all been boiled red. We were both staring down the barrel of an ancient, creaky .32 that could kill us just as dead as a really nice gun could.   

 Would you continue reading?

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© 2014, 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 Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

One evening, my father asked me whether I would like to become a ghost bride. ~ Opening from The Ghost Bride

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

William Morrow, 2013

Fiction; 368 pgs

From the Publisher: 

A wondrous coming-of-age story infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, adventure, and fascinating, dreamlike twists. 

Malaya, 1893 Li Lan, the daughter of a genteel but bankrupt Chinese family, has few prospects. But fate intervenes when she receives a proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family. They want her to become a ghost bride for the family’s only son, who died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, ghost marriages are often meant to placate a restless spirit. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a comfortable home for the rest of her days, but at what cost? 

As she reluctantly considers the offer, Li Lan is unwillingly drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, with its ghost cities and vengeful spirits. There Li Lan must uncover the Lim family’s darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family—before she is trapped in this ghostly world forever.

I knew at first sight I had to read this book.  The cover is beautiful and the description of what lie between its pages promised an intriguing story.  True to expectation, I was smitten from the first page.   I fell in love with the writing and Li Lan and her Amah and Mr. Wong.  I was just as eager to see Er Lang's face as Li Lan was as she journeyed in the afterlife.

The author seamlessly takes the reader from the real world into the dream world and also into the afterlife. She spins a tale of love and revenge and family secrets.  All of this set in a colonial Malaya, wrapped in its history, superstitions and traditions.  I really got a feel for what life must have been like for Li Lan, and the dilemma she was in.  She could easily erase her father's debts by accepting the proposal, but to do so would be to give in to a life she does not want to live.  She is such a kind soul, well meaning and innocent.  I liked her right away and wanted only the best for her.

She is being haunted by Lim Tian Ching, the son of a wealthy business man, who wants to marry her, a man who invades her dreams.  She wants only to be rid of him, but is unsure how to go about it.  Lim Tian seems to have some sort of special privilege in the afterlife, making him even more of a threat to Li Lan and her family. Besides marrying Li Lan, he wants to avenge his death, believing his cousin, Tian Bai, murdered him. Maybe in solving that mystery, Li Lan will find peace.

The Lim family was made up of interesting characters, not all of which were likable.  They have their own secrets that they would dearly love to keep hidden.  So much was said in a look and in a stance.  I liked how subtle the author was at times in conveying what was going on behind the scenes without being overly obvious.

The afterlife the author created is multi-layered, based on religious and cultural belief as well as imagination.  The way Li Lan is drawn in, the journey she takes, the people she meets . . . I did not want to stop reading, not even for a minute.  I wanted to know more about the demons and just who Er Lang, her guide in the afterlife is.  Even when Li Lan had no reason to sympathize with those who would harm her, she still felt for them.  This was true in her present life too.  She puts her life in very real danger the longer and farther she goes away from her own body, and yet she persists.

The end.  Oh, the end!  I confess I could see Li Lan going in several directions at the end, but ultimately, I think she made the best decision for her. I would have chosen that path too.

There was so much I loved about this novel as I read, from the cultural aspects to the story and the characters.   This is a book I will be recommending to just about everyone, I think.

Rating:  (Very Good +)

To learn more about Yangsze Choo and her book, please visit the author's website. 

I hope you will check out what others had to say about The Ghost Bride 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 a copy of the book for review, but I was impatient and bought and read an e-copy before the print copy arrived.

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© 2014, 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: Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss

Wacky Wednesday by Dr. Seuss writing as Theo LeSieg and illustrated by George Booth (Random House, 1974; 48 pgs) is basically about a young girl who wakes up one morning to find that things around her are not quite right.  A door has two knobs, there is a shoe on the wall, and a candy cane acts as a table leg, just to name a few of the crazy things she sees.  No one else around her seems to notice.

My daughter loves her books, and one of her favorite stories right now is Wacky Wednesday. It's one of my favorite books too.  The word repetition and rhymes are fun for a young child, not to mention the enjoyment my daughter gets from pointing out what is wrong in each picture.

Mouse has taken the book one step further and likes to create her own wacky scenes around the house. Mouse was quite proud of her work in the tub the other night:

To share your children's book related posts stop by Booking Mama’s feature,

Kid Konnection and leave a comment as well as a link to your posts!

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© 2014, 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: Bound by Night by Larissa Ione

The vampires were behaving weird today. ~ Opening of Bound by Night

Bound by Night by Larissa Ione

Pocket Books, 2013

Fantasy; 400 pgs

From the Publisher:  

A WOMAN OUT FOR BLOOD 

Nicole Martin was only eight years old when the vampire slaves rose up in rebellion and killed her family. Now she devotes her life to finding a vaccine against vampirism, hoping to wipe out her memories—along with every bloodsucker on the planet. But there’s one thing she cannot destroy: her searing, undeniable attraction for the one man she should hate and fear the most. 

A VAMPIRE OUT FOR REVENGE 

A member of the renegade vampire MoonBound Clan, Riker is haunted by demons of his own. When he recognizes Nicole and remembers how her family enslaved his loved ones, his heart burns for vengeance. But when he kidnaps Nicole and holds her in a secret lair, his mortal enemy becomes his soul obsession, his greatest temptation, and, perhaps, his only salvation—a hot-blooded lover who could heal him with her touch . . . or bury him forever.

In the alternate reality Larissa Ione has created in Bound by Night, vampires are slaves to humans.  They are considered to be dangerous but also lesser beings, more like animals really.  An uprising leads to the death of Nicole Martin's family, with her and her half brother as the sole survivors.  The Daedalus Corporation, once run by Nicole's father, is dedicated to creating a more subservient race of vampires.  When Nicole, now a doctor of vampire physiology, comes of age, she takes over as CEO of the corporation.  It is not a job she wanted nor is she equipped for it.  Her understanding of exactly what Daedalus does is incomplete at best, but all that is about to change.  

When kidnapped by the vampire of her nightmares, the man she believed to have killed her beloved nanny, Nicole is terrified, certain she will die.  Only, Riker has another plan for her--besides just death.  He must save a vampire who had been taken by vampire hunters and sold to the Daedalus Corporation.  It is a matter that could mean war for his clan, the MoonBound, if he fails.  As it turns out, Nicole knows nothing about the missing vampire.

Larissa Ione has crafted an intricate and complex world.  I love the way she built on the history of her characters and the world they live in.  There is a definite Native American presence in the story, the original vampires being Native Americans themselves.  Ione weaves some of those myths and legends into her story while at the same time capturing well the persecution faced by a minority class of people.  

I liked Nicole instantly and appreciated how the author was able to get across the changes in Nicole's perception of the world around her, including the treatment of the vampires, so naturally.  Nicole's entire belief system comes into question, including her thoughts about her own family.  Nicole is a smart woman, a scientist, and also one with a big heart.  She had been a young child when her parents died and then sent to live with family in France.  She had a very limited worldview.

Riker hates the Martin family and that includes Nicole.  His mate, who had been Nicole's nanny, died because of them, because she was a slave and treated poorly.  His heart slowly begins to melt the more he gets to know Nicole, although he has a hard time forgetting what her family stands for and what they have done to vampires.  He's very much the warrior type, an alpha male who likes to be in control.  His own story is a sad one and definitely shaped who he became.

Romance stories involving a prisoner falling in love with his or her keeper can be tricky to tell--and to believe.  I admit to not being too big a fan of stories like that.  However, the way events play out in this novel, I was able to buy into the story, and I came away thinking Riker and Nicole were a good match.

I enjoyed getting to know some of the other characters in the novel, particularly those of the MoonBound Clan.  I was not sure what to make of Myne at first, but the more I got to know his character, the more I liked and respected him.  Hunter was also a very interesting character as the chief of the clan.  I believe he is the subject of the next book in the series, of which we get a hint of towards the end of Bound by Night.

Bound by Night is on the darker side. There is a lot of action, with serious themes, and, of course, a good dose of romance.  There were moments I felt my suspension of disbelief stretching thin, but overall, I enjoyed it.  While I know this book will not appeal to those who do not like vampire stories or fantasy novels, there is much to recommend it.

Rating:  (Good +)

To learn more about Larissa Ione 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.

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© 2014, 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.

Wordless Wednesday: Princess Lucy Ballerina at the Park

Hosted by Wordless Wednesday

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© 2014, 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? (08/12/2014)

I woke up this morning with my daughter's feet in my face.  It happens sometimes.  I gently kissed her, trying not to wake her, and proceeded to get my day started.  And here I am . . . 

For months now I have not listened to my audio book, but last week I finally dove back into it.  Well, maybe dove isn't the right word.  I am able to listen to an audio book about half an hour each day.  One of the reasons I do not like to listen to long books.  It feels like it takes me years to get through one.  Fortunately, I had no problem picking up where I left off with Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese. The twins are school-aged now, being raised by a couple of doctors who took them in after their mother's death and their father fled; our narrator is as gregarious as can be while his brother says nothing.  My goal is to finish the book by the end of the year.  

After finishing The Maxwell Street Blues by Marc Krulewitch, about a young private investigator who takes on his first murder investigation, that of his best friend, and discovers corruption at every turn,  I spent some time on Friday reading more of Michaela Carter's Further Out Than You Thought.  Gwen, the female protagonist in the novel, unwittingly drove right into the heart of the L.A. Riots.  The year is 1992. Her fear is palpable.  The anger and sadness and frustration--and the fear--of those she encounters is all very real. I like the book so far.

I am also reading Joshilyn Jackson's Someone Else's Love Story, Jackson being an author on my "must read" list since forever.  I have heard great things about this novel about a young mother, her three year old son and the man she falls in love with during a hold up.  I can see why so many are smitten with the author's writing.  It's still too early to tell, but I have a feeling I will really like this book.

What are you reading at the moment?  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.

Here is the opening paragraphs of The Maxwell Street Blues, the first in a new mystery series set in Chicago, by Marc Krulewitch:

"I feared you wouldn't know me."

His ashen face did not remind me of the quaint grifter or winsome confidence trickster. Nor did I see an aging racketeer broken by prison. But I knew Bernie Landau--my father. He found me through "contacts" who specialized in making sure people were found. He wore dingy gray slacks with an argyle cardigan sweater that draped his eighty-year-old frame as though slung over a wire hanger. His pasty cheeks sagged like someone had disfigured a clay face. In his hand he griped part of a rolled-up newspaper as if his sixteen-year absence had fostered an intense desire to smack me.

 Would you continue reading?

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© 2014, 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: Price of Honor by Jan Goodwin

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. Here is one from November of 2005 (for a journal entry, I got pretty wordy with this one!): 

Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World by Jan Goodwin

Plume, 1994

Nonfiction; 368 pgs

Fundamentalism emerges out of every religion, and Islam is no different. Women are being subjected to oppression, their rights and freedom stripped away. The words of the Koran are being distorted and laws are being made that have absolutely no basis of support in that very book the extremists claim to follow literally. Hypocrisy abounds. Jan Goodwin takes a look at ten Islamic countries and their treatment of women. 

Women are the ones blamed for being raped, sometimes forced to marry their rapists; beating a woman is acceptable behavior if she is your wife; in one country a female child of nine is eligible for the death penalty while boys are eligible at the age of 16; men can have multiple wives, including temporary ones in some countries, and yet those same men attack Western cultures for couples having affairs; health issues are suppressed from the public, including the prevalence of AIDS; and women are treated as second class citizens, where an 11 year old mentally [disabled] brother has authority over his grown sister. In many of these countries, women were once allowed equal education to that of their male counterparts and held jobs. And yet those rights are slowly, sometimes suddenly, being stripped away from them. 

While some of the women the author spoke with find comfort in the restrictions applied to their lives—and even find it freeing, many more women feel trapped and oppressed. Despite that, many of these women are strong people, making the best of their situations. Some women are courageous enough to stand up for their rights and go against those in power, often suffering death threats and financial and social ruin as a result. 

As Ms. Goodwin suggested throughout her book, women’s rights become the focal point in many of these countries when leaders want to draw attention away from the more real and immediate problems or to subvert attention from unfavorable government decisions. Women become the scapegoats, and it is argued that every decision made is in the name of protecting the woman, when really it seems that she is only more endangered, subject to humiliation and violence. Men can act however they want, but women are the ones who have to be on their best behavior. 

The extreme fundamentalist movement is attractive in many ways to countries described in Jan Goodwin’s book. Most of these countries are mismanaged and run by leaders who fail to meet the growing needs of their people. War, either directly or indirectly, has torn other countries apart, forcing hardships on them that make survival difficult. The fundamentalist groups offer the people hope and resources they desperately need. The extremists’ passion and assistance is hard to resist, even knowing the possible cost of it in the end. And that, I’m afraid, is what makes the fundamentalist movement even more of a threat than it already is. Although a bit dated, having been published 11 years ago [And now 20 years ago], I found Price of Honor to be an interesting and informative book.

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© 2014, 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 Fifth Avenue Trilogy

Avenge Me by Maisey Yates (Harlequin Presents, 2014; 272 pgs) 

Opening Sentence: It was supposed to be an evening of bland conversation.

The first in the Fifth Avenue Trilogy about three men set on bringing down a paragon of society whose dark secrets will be his undoing.  That paragon of society happens to be Austin Treffen's father.  Austin and Katy Michaels, the sister of one of Austin's father's victims, are at the heart of Avenge Me. Brought together by circumstance and an immediate and rather intense connection, the two join forces to begin the push to bring Austin's dad down.  

Avenge Me tackles some very serious issues, including prostitution, sexual assault and drug abuse.  Not one to especially care for romance novels where the main characters immediately jump into bed together, Maisey Yates actually makes it work in Avenge Me.  While I questioned Katy's common sense at first, it made sense the more I got to know her character.  Both she and Austin are tightly wound, control being their middle name.  Katy has been on a vengeance kick since her sister's death and Austin is unable to shake the feelings of self-loathing and guilt over Sarah Michaels' death.

Except for the one moment in which the author describes Katy looking down at her food when their take out hadn't even arrived yet, I was quite swept up in the story. While Katy and Austin won't win my favorite characters' award, they seem well suited for each other.  I liked the way their relationship developed and the way Katy responds to Austin's darker moments.  I respected her more for it--and appreciated the author for taking Katy there.

Scandalize Me by Caitlin Crews (Harlequin Presents, 2014; 272 pgs)

Opening Sentence: Zoe Brook strode into the exclusive strip club, hidden away beneath a discreet sign on a side street in an otherwise upscale Manhattan neighborhood, like an avenging angel on the warpath at last.

Zoe Brook is one of the top public relations agents out there, and she's set her sights on the wealthy former NFL player Hunter Grant III. She intends to use him in order to exact her revenge on the well known and admired Jason Treffen, a prominent attorney and philanthropist known for his fight for women's rights.  Or so he would like people to think.  Zoe, who once had worked for Jason Treffen, knows all too well he has dark secrets, and she is determined to out him as the dirty scumbag he is.

Hunter hasn't a clue why Zoe is determined to rehabilitate his tarnished image, an image he worked hard to achieve after the death of his ex-girlfriend Sarah Michaels all those years ago.  He blames himself for her suicide and is mired in guilt.  His resistance soon gives way to curiosity--and lust for this beautiful and powerful woman.  When he does find out what Zoe is up to, his former reluctance to get involved with his best friends', Austin and Alex, own revenge plan against the elder Treffen, falls by the wayside.  He's all in and Jason Treffen had better watch out.

I confess I did not like Hunter much at first and Zoe came on so strong, I was not sure I would like her either.  I grew to like them though.  Hunter is much more than what he first appears and once I got to know Zoe better, I had a lot of respect for her.  She came by her strength the hard way, and it was impossible not to admire her for it.  Like with the previous book featuring Austin and Katy, both Hunter and Zoe come with a lot of baggage.  The two are clearly starved for love and acceptance, both of which they find in each others' arms.

There were two scenes that stick out in my mind after finishing Scandalize Me.  The scene in the rain when Hunter asks Zoe why she's mad at him and a scene towards the end involving Hunter and a teenage football player.  Both were extremely touching scenes and summed the characters up well.

Expose Me by Kate Hewitt (Harlequin Presents, 2014; 272 pgs)

Opening Sentence: Alex Diaz leaned forward in his seat as the limo pulled to the curb of Seventy-Second Street and West End Avenue.  

In the third and final novel of the Fifth Avenue Trilogy, it is Alex Diaz's turn to put the final nail in Jason Treffen's coffin. Austin, Jason's son, has done his part, and Hunter is in the process of carrying out his at the start of Expose Me.  Alex wants to make Jason's humiliation as public as possible, and the timing couldn't be more perfect.  Jason Treffen has a rare television interview coming up with the beautiful and competent Chelsea Maxwell.  If Alex can convince Chelsea of just how corrupt and vile Jason Treffen truly is and get her to confront him on her show, he, Austin and Hunter can have their ultimate revenge on the man who destroyed Alex's best friend, Sarah Michaels.  Sarah had taken her own life as a result of Jason's actions.

Chelsea long ago cultivated her image and has put everything into her work as a talk show host.  She had a rough life, one she wishes she could forget completely and yet it still haunts her.  When Alex first approaches her about Jason Treffen, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Alex.

Both Chelsea and Alex have serious commitment issues as a result of their pasts.  In addition, both take pride in their love for control of all things in their lives. Neither one comes from money and have risen to the top on their own.  Alex, who owns his own news network, feels confident he and Chelsea can give into their attraction to each other with no strings. And Chelsea agrees.  Only it doesn't work out quite like they hoped--and it scares them in different ways.

Like in the two previous books, Expose Me takes on the serious issues of prostitution and sexual assault and adds in child abuse and domestic violence.  I wish the author had given us a more full picture of the evening he and Chelsea spent with his family, but what did come out of it was revealing in its own way.

Chelsea is another strong female character who had to overcome great odds to get to where she is today.  She showed a lot of growth over the course of the novel, and while Alex played a part in that, he was more of a catalyst than a cause.  There is one line in particular that made me heart sing for Chelsea in the second half of the book that speaks volumes for how much she'd grown.  I won't share it here for risk of spoiling anything.

Overall, I enjoyed The Fifth Avenue Trilogy, although I cannot say I was smitten with it.  I have a hard time completely buying into characters who are all beautiful and gorgeous and in perfect shape.  I liked that the trilogy dealt with such serious issues and did so with respect and care to the victims.  I thought all three of the authors did a wonderful job in developing their female protagonists, demonstrating their strengths and vulnerabilities.  I confess I personally was not drawn to the men the way their female counterparts were--their initial (and, in some cases, continued) arrogance being a big turn off.  Still, it was not me who needed to fall in love with them.  To be fair, they were nice guys with good hearts. The couples were well matched, the chemistry between them obvious and fitting.

While each book can be read individually as stand alones, I would recommend you read them in order.  Each book is connected and the time line overlaps between the books to some extent. It was fun to see as I don't often read books that have done that.

*There is a prequel to the trilogy called Take Me by Maisey Yates which was published in June of this year.  I have not read it.

Source: I received e-copies of all three books for review from the publisher via NetGalley.

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© 2014, 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.

Wordless Wednesday: Dancing in the Rain

Hosted by Wordless Wednesday

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 © 2014, 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? (08/05/2014)

Happy August!  August is birthday month in my family.  My grandmother, my mother, my parents-in-law, two of my aunts, and several of my friends all celebrate birthdays this month.  And, of course, I have yet to do any gift shopping.  My mom and mother-in-law are fairly easy to shop for as they enjoy reading--and I've got plenty of ideas for them in that regard.  My father-in-law is a bit harder.  He likes to read, but his tastes are not so easily met.  I tend to give him nonfiction books dealing with sports figures or war most often. Stereotypical, I know.  But that's what he likes.  Anyway, recommendations are welcome.

The triple digit heat the end of July was followed by thunderstorms and rain the beginning of August.  The temperatures are still hovering in the 90's--who says California doesn't get humidity?  We just beat the rain with a trip to a local amusement park this past weekend, enjoying the water slides at the water park and then hitting the rides. We had a fun time and Mouse made sure we knew how much she wanted to stay when it was time to go.  We may or may not have bribed her with an ice cream sundae after in order to ease our exit.  It started sprinkling just as we were leaving the park.

The rain came hard and fast over the weekend, with flash floods resulting in car accidents and road closures. It was all tempered by news of the fires raging out of control in the northern part of the state, something I know may very well be the reality down my way given the dryness and drought conditions throughout the state.  My heart and prayers go out to those impacted by the fires, as well as those brave men and women who are fighting them.

You would think rain would equal reading time, however, that was not to be.  I do not think I cracked open my books once this weekend.  I hope to make up for it this week as I really am anxious to finish Ben H. Winters' World of Trouble, the third book in the Last Policeman Trilogy.  My favorite detective is searching for his sister with just days to spare before the asteroid is scheduled to hit the earth.  I just have to know:  Will he find his sister?  Will the asteroid hit?  And most importantly, will the dog survive?

Last week I also began Further Out Than You Thought by Michaela Carter.  I was drawn to the book because of the setting, the 1992 Los Angeles riots.  The novel is about three people who are trying to get by: a pregnant stripper, a street musician, and a nightclub entertainer.  As described by the publisher, it is a novel that combines "poetry and sensuality with an edgy urban sensibility," and also "a celebration of life and a haunting story of love, friendship, and one woman’s quest for redemption."  I have a feeling this will be a book that takes me a while to get through, if only because it is is one I want to savor every word.

What are you reading at the moment?  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.

Since I do not have my copy of Further Out Than You Thought with me (it's at home on my nightstand), I will share the opening line of my other current read, World of Trouble by Ben H. Winters:

"Are you here about the dust?  Please tell me you're here to do something about the dust."

I don't answer.  I don't know what to say.

The girl's voice is throaty and ill, her eyes looking out over a nose-and-mouth mask, staring hopeful and crazed at me as I stand baffled on her doorstep. Beautiful blonde, hair swept back out of her face, dirty and exhausted like everybody, panicked like everybody. But there's something else going on here, something not healthy. Something biochemical in her eyes.

 Would you continue reading?

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© 2014, 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.