Weekly Mews: September Wrap-Up & What Should I Read Next? (October's My 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. As well as 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.


Happy October! The month opened with my daughter getting sick and having to miss school a couple days. My husband and I took turns staying home from work to be with her. I have been working hard on the holiday schedule at work, especially trying to ensure the big holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day are covered. In past years, staff were allowed to work at home and telecommute on those days, but this year we have been told we have to have staff working from the office. It's quite a blow coming so close to the holidays as many people have already made plans, but we will do what we have to do to make it work.

The weather here has been all over the place. Mostly in the 80's and high 70's during the day and into the 50's at night. Friday it was back into the high 90's and this weekend we expect more of the same. At least there were a few days when I could open the windows wide and let in the fresh air.

September In Review: School got off to a good start for my daughter. We settled into our fall schedule of extracurricular activities. Mouse's soccer team is doing great this season with two wins, one loss and a tie so far, and she is learning her dance routine for the holiday showcase in December. The new Girl Scout season also kicked off to a good start.

I had high hopes for September both in blogging and with my reading. I think I managed pretty well for the month in terms of blogging. I do not think I have ever posted so often!  I was up to six posts a week some weeks, which is too much for me to keep up with. On the reading front, I managed to fit in four books. I had good intentions (don't I always?), but life got in the way as it often does.

Here is what I read last month:

Solely For Me:

• The Sworn Virgin by Kristopher Dukes
• Gin and Panic by Maia Chance
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
• Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish

Some of the Books I Read With My Daughter in September: 

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle 
• The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, translated by J. Alison James
• Ruby and the Magic Garden by Cari Meister, Erika Meza (Contributor)
• The Too-Scary Story by Bethanie Deeney Murguia 
• The Water Princess by Susan Verde, Georgie Badiel, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
• Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
• Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler
• The Magic School Bus Comes to Its Senses by Kristin Earhart, illustrated by Carolyn Bracken, created by Joanna Cole

Of the books I read just for myself, I wish I could tell you I had a favorite. I enjoyed my reading last month, but none scream "FAVORITE" to me. I liked them all, and they were each so different from one another. Of the children's books, my favorite is by far The Water Princess. What a great story! My daughter and I had such a great discussion while reading that one. The artwork is beautiful and the story itself is a good one. My daughter would probably say her favorite was The Magic School Bus Comes to Its Senses. She recently discovered the television show. I have to say, the book, while not the best story-wise, was actually pretty good in the education department. I was surprised and maybe a little bit impressed.

Book Reviews Posted in September (but not necessarily read in September):

• Bookish Thoughts: Going Dark by Monica McCarty
• Bookish Thoughts: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes & Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris
• Bookish Thoughts: Sadie’s Highlander by Maeve Greyson
• Mouse's Corner: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell & David Catrow & The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
• Bookish Thoughts: I Want My Epidural Back by Karen Alpert
• Mouse's Corner (Banned Book Week Edition): Banned Picture Books
• Bookish Thoughts: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Banned Book Week)
• Bookish Thoughts: In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez (Banned Book Week)

Non-Book Review Posts in September:

• Monthly Reading Mews (August Wrap-Up) & What Should I Read Next? (September's My TBR List Poll)
• Mouse's Corner: Shoes (They never end up where they are supposed to, do they?)
• Tuesday Favorites: Favorite Fantasy Novel & My Top Ten Books That Were a Chore to Get Through
• Wishing For Wednesday: Death At the Seaside & Love and Other Consolation Prizes
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (Miss Jane & Book Cover Art)
• Weekly Mews: Foul Weather/Good Books/September's TBR List Winner
• Tuesday Favorites: My Favorite Bookmark & My Top Ten Books I Loved During My First Year of Blogging
• Wishing For Wednesday: (09/13/2017)
• Weekly Mews: Let the Fall Routine Begin! (And New Books & My Sick Cat)
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (Owl and the Japanese Circus & the Top Ten Books on My Fall TBR List)
• Wishing For Wednesday: Where I Go Book Crazy Again
• Friday Fun: Good Food, Banned/Challenged Books & Authors I'd Like to Meet--or Not
• Weekend Mews (09/23/2017)
• Banned Book Week: On Banning Books
• Top Ten Tuesday: The Top Ten Banned/Challenged Books I Want to Read (Banned Book Week Edition)
• Weekly Mews: Banned Books, Current Reads, Running Naked Down the Street

How did your September shape up reading wise? What was your favorite book you read in September?

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New to My Shelves: The October My Lit Box arrived in the mail this week. Another great box! I am relieved I hadn't already purchased a copy of this month's book selection. It just so happens to be on my wish list! This month's theme is "Things Fall Apart", a sentiment I can relate to all too well. Art evidently plays a big part in Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, which is why Sanura included a Mini Doodle Kit and Bookmark Magnifier in the shape of a camera in the box. Also in the box is a box of matches, with A Raisin in the Sun cover. There is also a Tiwalade pin which hadn't made it in time for last month's box, which is just beautiful. I have a feeling I will have to fight my daughter for at least two items out of this month's box. Can you guess which ones?

Also in the mail this week I got an unexpected surprise! Gilly MacMillan's Odd Child Out, The Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, and Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan.

What I Am Reading: I am struggling on the reading front right now. Nothing interests me. Nothing sounds good. I am still trying to get through Miss Jane by Brad Watson. I might actually have loved this book had I read it at any other time. The only reason I am persisting is because I need to get it in the mail for the next person in my Going Postal mail group by next week.  I started Death in the Stacks by Jenn McKinlay last night as my daughter drifted off to sleep. I didn't make it too far before my own eyes didn't want to stay open anymore.

What I Am Listening To: The news. What happened in Las Vegas is horrific. So so sad. It seems like everyone I know what touched by it in some way.

What I Am Watching: Hallmark movies and re-runs of Catfish and even Grey's Anatomy. More Supernatural. I should be reading, but I can't right now. I just can't. 

What My Past Two Weeks Were Like: Sad. Heartbreaking. Last week we received my senior cat, Parker's blood test and ultrasound results, and it didn't look good. In a month's time, Parker had lost half his weight and was fading fast. My husband and I had a difficult decision to make. We had hoped Parker would last until the weekend, but it wasn't meant to be. I spent all of the Thursday before last with him, cuddling with him and sitting with him. That night, he took a turn for the worse. He was struggling to walk and breathe. I was up all night with him, not sure he would make it. The next morning, I drove him to the cat hospital for the last time.

Parker was the inspiration for my blog title and the reason for my nickname, Literary Feline. He spent fifteen and a half of his sixteen years with us, and is very much missed by us all, including Gracie, my surviving cat.

What I Am Worried About: My daughter's cough. A doctor's visit may be in order in our near future.

What I Am Looking Forward To: A visit to San Diego's Safari Park this weekend with our Girl Scout troop.

This Week In Reading Mews:

• My Parker (A Tribute)
• Bookish Thoughts: The Fire by Night by Teresa Messineo

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

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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 Saturday 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). 

I seriously thought about skipping this month's TBR List poll. I have fallen into a grief-related slump and am not sure how much reading I will get done this month. I want to try though. So, this month's selections are books I have been dying to read, hope to love, and which have been highly recommended. Two are new to me authors, but the other is one whose books I have enjoyed before.

Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Goodreads Summary: 

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine

Goodreads Summary:

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads Summary: 

Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder's brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.

Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.

But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.

Have you read any of these? Which one do you think I should lose myself in this month? 




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

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© 2017, 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.