Wishing to Read Wednesday: Old & New (#2)

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. (Based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.)

Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
Release Date: June 19, 2018 by Henry Holt & Company

An exuberant and wise multigenerational debut novel about the complicated lives and loves of people working in everyone’s favorite Chinese restaurant.

The Beijing Duck House in Rockville, Maryland, is not only a beloved go-to setting for hunger pangs and celebrations; it is its own world, inhabited by waiters and kitchen staff who have been fighting, loving, and aging within its walls for decades. When disaster strikes, this working family’s controlled chaos is set loose, forcing each character to confront the conflicts that fast-paced restaurant life has kept at bay.

Owner Jimmy Han hopes to leave his late father’s homespun establishment for a fancier one. Jimmy’s older brother, Johnny, and Johnny’s daughter, Annie, ache to return to a time before a father’s absence and a teenager’s silence pushed them apart. Nan and Ah-Jack, longtime Duck House employees, are tempted to turn their thirty-year friendship into something else, even as Nan’s son, Pat, struggles to stay out of trouble. And when Pat and Annie, caught in a mix of youthful lust and boredom, find themselves in a dangerous game that implicates them in the Duck House tragedy, their families must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to help their children.

Generous in spirit, unaffected in its intelligence, multi-voiced, poignant, and darkly funny, Number One Chinese Restaurant looks beyond red tablecloths and silkscreen murals to share an unforgettable story about youth and aging, parents and children, and all the ways that our families destroy us while also keeping us grounded and alive. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: This one may appeal to the foodies out there, but for me it is more about the multi-generational family, about the individual stories of each character as well as that of the family as a whole. I am anxious to read this one!

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Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen
Release Date: June 12, 2018 by Mira

The first thing you learn when you climb a tree is to hold on. Now it’s time for Harry to learn to let go…

Thirty-four-year-old Harry Crane, lifelong lover of trees, works as an analyst in a treeless US Forest Service office. When his wife dies in a freak accident, devastated, he makes his way to the remote woods of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains, intent on losing himself. But fate intervenes in the form of a fiercely determined young girl named Oriana. She, too, has lost someone—her father. And in the magical, willful world of her reckoning, Oriana believes that Harry is the key to finding her way back to him.

As Harry agrees to help the young girl, the unlikeliest of elements—a tree house, a Wolf, a small-town librarian and a book called The Grum’s Ledger—come together to create the biggest sensation ever to descend upon the Endless Mountains…a golden adventure that will fulfill Oriana’s wildest dreams and open the door to a new life for Harry. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: This novel has been compared to A Man Called Ove and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, which were great reads. Harry Crane sounds like a man I want to get to know--and especially Oriana. Besides, there's mention of a small-town librarian. This sounds too good to pass up!

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The Spook in the Stacks (Lighthouse Library Mystery #4) by Eva Gates
Release Date: June 12, 2018 by Crooked Lane Press

Halloween in North Carolina’s Outer Banks becomes seriously tricky when librarian Lucy Richardson stumbles across something extra unusual in the rare books section: a dead body.

Wealthy businessman Jay Ruddle is considering donating his extensive collection of North Carolina historical documents to the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, but the competition for the collection is fierce. Unfortunately, while the library is hosting a lecture on ghostly legends, Jay becomes one of the dearly departed in the rare books section. Now, it’s up to Lucy Richardson and her fellow librarians to bone up on their detective skills and discover who is responsible for this wicked Halloween homicide.

Meanwhile, very strange things are happening at the library—haunted horses are materializing in the marsh, the lights seem to have an eerie life of their own, and the tiny crew of a model ship appears to move around when no one is watching. Is Lucy at her wit’s end? Or can it be that the Bodie Island Lighthouse really is haunted?

With The Legend of Sleepy Hollow on everyone’s minds and ghoulish gossip on everyone’s lips, Lucy will need to separate the clues from the boos if she wants to crack this case without losing her head in The Spook in the Stacks, the delightful fourth in national bestseller Eva Gates’ Lighthouse Library mysteries. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: While Halloween is still a few months away, I couldn't resist adding this seasonal cozy to my wish list. After all, who can resist a cozy mystery set in a library?

Do these sound like books you want to read?
What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

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If I am going to draw attention to the upcoming releases I long to add to my TBR pile, why not also give some love to those unread books already sitting on my shelves?

Books from the Back is a weekly meme, hosted by the wonderful Carole of&nnahnbsp;Carole's Random Life in Books to spotlight and discuss the neglected books sitting on our shelves still waiting to be read.. 

A Bad Day For Sorry (#1) by Sophie Littlefield
Minotaur Books, 2009

Stella Hardesty, our salty, unlikely heroine, runs a sewing shop in rural Missouri. She also has a side business helping battered women with their abusive boyfriends and husbands. When Chrissy Shaw asks Stella for help, it seems like a straightforward case, until Chrissy’s no-good husband disappears with her two-year-old son. Now Stella finds herself in a battle against a more formidable enemy as she risks her own life to recover the boy. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: I bought an autographed copy of A Bad Day For Sorry at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in 2010, after attending a panel of crime fiction authors, which included the author Sophie Littlefield. I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and still am.

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The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam 
Knopf, 2008

In The Wasted Vigil, Nadeem Aslam, the award-winning author of Maps for Lost Lovers, brilliantly knits together five seemingly unconnected lives to create a luminous story set in contemporary Afghanistan. There’s Marcus, an English expat who was married to an outspoken Afghani doctor; David, a former American spy; Lara, from St. Petersburg, looking for traces of her brother, a Russian soldier who disappeared years before; Casa, a young Afghani whose hatred of the Americans has plunged him into the blinding depths of zealotry; and James, an American Special Forces soldier. Aslam reveals the intertwining paths that these characters have traveled, constructing a timely and intimate portrait of the complex ties that bind us and the wars that continue to tear us apart. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: The cover is what first caught my attention when I saw this book, and after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to read it. The Wasted Vigil has been sitting on my bookshelf since 2010, waiting for me to finally pick it up. I imagine this will be an emotional and thought provoking book--just the kind I like--just as relevant then as it is now.

Have you read either of these? Do you recommend them?

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© 2018, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Bookish Thoughts: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

It was a dark and stormy night. ~ Opening of A Wrinkle in Time 

A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet #1) by Madeleine L'Engle

Yearling Books, 1962

Science Fiction (Children's); 211 pgs

Goodreads Summary:

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract".

Meg's father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

A Wrinkle in Time is one of my husband’s favorite books from his childhood. He has two copies of the book, and he will not part with either one. I can’t blame him as I have a hard time letting go of my favorite books too. I was in elementary school when I first read it (and that was a very long time ago). I confess I do not really remember it. I remember The Wind in the Door more. That one was a favorite. I mostly wanted to reread A Wrinkle in Time because of the movie based on the book.

I kind of wish I was reading the novel to my daughter instead of just to myself (I can always go back and read it to her, of course) because it seems like the perfect story for someone her age. The concepts of good and evil, believing in oneself, of loss and discovery, and of dealing with one’s emotions, including anger and hope are all presented in a way a school-aged child can easily grasp. There are scary moments, but not overly so, and the characters, especially the three Mrs. are bigger than life. There’s magic and monsters; and Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace are very easy to relate to and cheer on. A Wrinkle in Time is a combination of funny, charming and thoughtful. I admit to being surprised at how obvious the religious overtones were, however. I don’t remember that at all about the series.

All in all though, I was a bit let down by the novel, but I think it had more to do with my own expectations of books as an adult versus those meant for a much younger crowd. I kept hoping for more . . . something. I am having trouble putting my thoughts into words, I am afraid. Still, this is a book I think my daughter would enjoy very much.

I had heard beforehand that the movie was quite a bit different from the book. My entire family enjoyed the film. There were the expected changes, in part to fit a larger and more modern audience. The movie is beautiful from a cinematic perspective, from the sets to the costumes to the CGI. It was very well done. I thought it followed the overall story of the movie well enough—up to a point. Some of the characters come across differently, particularly the mother and the father of Meg. Calvin’s backstory. Even Charles Wallace’s backstory. The movie has a few holes. But that may just be my perspective having recently read the book (when don’t I feel this way about a movie based on a book I have read?). And while I enjoyed it, this isn’t a movie that stands out for me or makes my “watch again and again” list (only if my daughter makes me).

To learn more about Madeleine L'Engle and her work, please visit the author's website. 

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© 2018, 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.

Wishing to Read Wednesday: Old and New (#1)

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. 

What Happened That Night by Sandra Block

Release Date: June 5, 2018 by Sourcebooks Landmark

One moment Dahlia is a successful Harvard student. The next, she wakes up from a party, the victim of a brutal assault. Her life veers into a tailspin, and what’s worse, her memory of the attack has been ripped away, leaving a cold rage in its wake.

Now, years later, Dahlia is a tattooed paralegal suffering from PTSD, still haunted by that night. Until one day, a video surfaces online, and Dahlia sees her attack for the first time. Now she knows what happened to her. And she knows who to blame. Her rage is no longer cold, but burning, red hot.

And she is about to make everyone pay. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: Sometimes a good revenge story is just what this reader needs.

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The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah
Release Date: June 19, 2018 by William Morrow

Sweetbitter meets The Nightingale in this page-turning novel about a woman who returns to her family’s ancestral vineyard in Burgundy and unexpectedly uncovers a lost diary, an unknown relative, and a secret her family has been keeping since World War II.

To become one of only a few hundred certified wine experts in the world, Kate must pass the notoriously difficult Master of Wine Examination. She’s failed twice before; her third attempt will be her last. Suddenly finding herself without a job and with the test a few months away, she travels to Burgundy, to spend the fall at the vineyard estate that has belonged to her family for generations. There she can bolster her shaky knowledge of Burgundian vintages and reconnect with her cousin Nico and his wife Heather, who now oversee the grapes’ day-to-day management. The one person Kate hopes to avoid is Jean-Luc, a neighbor vintner and her first love.

At the vineyard house, Kate is eager to help her cousins clean out the enormous basement that is filled with generations of discarded and forgotten belongings. Deep inside the cellar, behind a large armoire, she discovers a hidden room containing a cot, some Resistance pamphlets, and an enormous cache of valuable wine. Piqued by the secret space, Kate begins to dig into her family’s history—a search that takes her back to the dark days of the Second World War and introduces her to a relative she never knew existed, a great half-aunt who was teenager during the Nazi occupation.

As she learns more about her family, the line between Resistance and Collaboration blurs, driving Kate to find the answers to two crucial questions: Who, exactly, did her family aid during the difficult years of the war? And what happened to six valuable bottles of wine that seem to be missing from the cellar’s collection? [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: I love stories involving lost and found diaries, looking back into the past, World War II settings, and family secrets. This one sounds like it will be right up my alley.

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Island of the Mad (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #15) by Laurie R. King
Release Date: June 12, 2018 by Random House/Bantam

A June summer's evening, on the Sussex Downs, in 1925. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are strolling across their orchard when the telephone rings: an old friend's beloved aunt has failed to return following a supervised outing from Bedlam. After the previous few weeks--with a bloody murder, a terrible loss, and startling revelations about Holmes--Russell is feeling a bit unbalanced herself. The last thing she wants is to deal with the mad, and yet, she can't say no.

The Lady Vivian Beaconsfield has spent most of her adult life in one asylum after another, yet he seemed to be improving--or at least, finding a point of balance in her madness. So why did she disappear? Did she take the family's jewels with her, or did someone else? The Bedlam nurse, perhaps?

The trail leads Russell and Holmes through Bedlam's stony halls to the warm Venice lagoon, where ethereal beauty is jarred by Mussolini's Blackshirts, where the gilded Lido set may be tempting a madwoman, and where Cole Porter sits at a piano, playing with ideas... [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: I have wanted to read this series forever, and have heard nothing but good things about it. Not to mention this cover keeps calling to me.


Do these books sound like ones you would like to read too?
What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading? 

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If I am going to draw attention to the upcoming releases I long to add to my TBR pile, why not also give some love to those unread books already sitting on my shelves?

Books from the Back is a weekly meme, hosted by the wonderful Carole of&nnahnbsp;Carole's Random Life in Books to spotlight and discuss the neglected books sitting on our shelves still waiting to be read.. 

The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #1) by Laurie R. King (Minotaur Books, 1994)

Long retired, Sherlock Holmes quietly pursues his study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. He never imagines he would encounter anyone whose intellect matched his own, much less an audacious teenage girl with a penchant for detection. Miss Mary Russell becomes Holmes' pupil and quickly hones her talent for deduction, disguises and danger. But when an elusive villain enters the picture, their partnership is put to a real test. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: As I mentioned above, I have heard nothing but great things about this series and have had this first book on my book shelf waiting to be read forever.  Well, it feels like forever (2010, if I'm honest). I don't know what's stopping me from reading it. I really don't.

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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin's Press, 2015)

In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read it: Will I be the last one to read this book? It sounds just like the sort of book I would love from the World War II setting to the characterizations to the plot lines.


Have you read either of these (most of you have, I bet!)? Do you recommend them?

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© 2018, 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 Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

Back then, all we wanted was the simplest things: to eat good food, to sleep at night, to smile, to laugh, to be well. ~ Opening of The Book of Unknown Americans

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

Knopf, 2014

Fiction; 286 pgs

Source: Going Postal Mail Group

The Book of Unknown Americans is a fitting title for this poignant story of two families, young love, and the obstacles one might face trying to find a place in a new culture and society. Maribel Rivera and her parents arrive at the Redwood Apartments in Delaware with very little. They left behind a relatively prosperous life in Mexico after an accident leaves Maribel with a traumatic brain injury. Her parents want the best for her, hoping a special school in the United States will bring their old daughter back to them. Then there is Mayor Toro who wishes he was more like his brother the soccer star and college student. His family has been in the United States for fifteen years, having come over from Panama, fleeing their war torn country.

Through Arturo and Alma Rivera, Maribel’s parents, the reader gets a real sense of what it was like for them: homesickness, being strangers to the country, not speaking the language, and adapting to their environment as best they can. Arturo was able to secure a work visa, but his job in the U.S. is a definite step down for what he had been doing in Mexico. The hours are long and the conditions are quite rough. Such a simple thing as finding a store and shopping is a challenge. The author conveys the loneliness and outsider-ness the Riveras feel so well. My heart broke from them. They left behind comfort and home for such a bland and cold place . . . There is one scene in which Alma gets lost, missing her stop while on the bus, and she struggles to make it back home, knowing her daughter is getting home from school and expecting her to greet her. My heart broke for Alma. Her desperation and fear. Unable to really communicate with those around her, not really knowing where she was.

It was interesting too to examine the relationships between the characters. Child and parent. Husband and wife. Brothers and friends. There was a definite strain in Alma and Arturo’s relationship—from the accident that injured Maribel to the move to a new country. And also in Rafael and Celia Toro’s marriage. The relationship between Mayor and his father is a tense one, Rafael’s expectations of his son are a particular strain on their relationship, and Mayor feels like he must lie to his father instead of telling him the truth.

Alma and Arturo very clearly love each other and their daughter, and will do just about anything for her. They aren’t quite sure what to make of the growing friendship between Maribel and the neighbor boy Mayor, but they are open to it as they begin to see improvement in their daughter’s condition. Mayor is taken by Maribel’s beauty from the very first, although put off by her initial—seemingly--disinterest. The more he gets to know her and the more he draws her out, and the closer they become. I came to really like Mayor and rooted for him and Maribel, even as their parents weren’t sure what to make of their growing closeness. The Riveras are very protective of their daughter, which is understandable.

Although the novel is mostly told from Alma and Mayor’s viewpoint, giving the reader a glimpse into the Rivera and Toro families, Hernandez also offers brief looks into the lives of the other residents of the Redwood Apartments, all immigrants, all with their own stories of struggle, loss, and hope. There is the photographer, army veteran, a small business owner, and a line cook, to name a few. They come from various Latin American countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, and even Puerto Rico. I would not have minded more of a chance to get to know some of the more minor characters and see them interact with the main ones. I think they all have stories worth reading.

Overall, I found The Book of Unknown Americans to be a thoughtful and emotion-filled read. Although it seems like a big of the story is meant focus on Mayor and Maribel’s story, I was most taken with the side stories and the struggles of the parents. Their stories felt more fleshed out and real to me. This is a novel of survival, family, love, hope—and yes, heartbreak. I am grateful to my Going Postal Mail Group for the opportunity to read it.

You can learn more about Cristina Henríquez and her books on the author's website.  She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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© 2018, 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.

Wishing for Wednesday: Brief Cases & The Book of M

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. (Based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.)

Brief Cases (The Dresden Files #15.1) by Jim Butcher
Release Date: June 5, 2018 by Ace

Why I want to read this one: The Dresden Files, featuring Chicago's very own Wizard Private Investigator, is one of my favorite series, and so is it any wonder I would be looking forward to reading even this short story collection by Jim Butcher, starring characters from the series?

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The Book of M by Shepherd Peng
Release Date: June 5, 2018 by William Morrow

Set in a dangerous near future world, The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart, but on the world itself.

One afternoon at an outdoor market in India, a man’s shadow disappears—an occurrence science cannot explain. He is only the first. The phenomenon spreads like a plague, and while those afflicted gain a strange new power, it comes at a horrible price: the loss of all their memories.

Ory and his wife Max have escaped the Forgetting so far by hiding in an abandoned hotel deep in the woods. Their new life feels almost normal, until one day Max’s shadow disappears too.

Knowing that the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become to Ory, Max runs away. But Ory refuses to give up the time they have left together. Desperate to find Max before her memory disappears completely, he follows her trail across a perilous, unrecognizable world, braving the threat of roaming bandits, the call to a new war being waged on the ruins of the capital, and the rise of a sinister cult that worships the shadowless.

As they journey, each searches for answers: for Ory, about love, about survival, about hope; and for Max, about a new force growing in the south that may hold the cure.

Like The Passage and Station Eleven, this haunting, thought-provoking, and beautiful novel explores fundamental questions of memory, connection, and what it means to be human in a world turned upside down. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: I do not often read books like this, but I do enjoy them when I do. This one sounds like it will be both intense and emotional. I can't wait to read it.

Have you read the Dresden Files series? Do either one of these books appeal to you?
What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading? 

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© 2018, 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.

Weekly Mews: Happy Mother's Day & My May TBR Winner

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. 

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mothers or in mother-like-roles, whether you have human or furkids (or both). I hope you are celebrating the day in style, whether it be something extravagant or a quiet day at home reading. My husband and daughter took me out for breakfast Saturday morning (to avoid the Sunday crowds).

My daughter calls days like today "in-climate weather days." Cloudy and gloomy. A little rain. We have set aside the sandals we wore earlier in the week, and have put our socks back on for the time being.

Gracie hasn't quite taken to the new kitten, but that was expected. The new kitten's name is Nina, courtesy of Mouse. She went back and forth between that and Fuzzy. My husband is relieved Nina won out. We have had her home for a week now, and she's made herself quite at home. She's a climber and a bit of a daredevil. We have been showering Gracie with extra love and attention to reassure her she's still queen of the house.

What I Am Reading: I am in the middle of Aimee Molloy's The Perfect Mother, a thriller about a missing infant and the mothers in a mommy group, all with their own secrets and drama. It's good so far!

What I Am Watching: I started watching Iron Fist the other day. It's one of the Marvel series on Netflix. I am actually quite enjoying it, despite the negative reviews I had come across when it first came out.

What I Am Worried About: I was able to get one car problem taken care of only to discover more work needs to be done. Fitting everything in I need and want to do. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed these days.

What I Am Looking Forward To: A Dairy Queen Blizzard. I have been craving one all week.

What I Am Grateful For: My cuddly cat and playful kitten. My daughter's zest for life and never-ending curiosity.

This Week In Reading Mews:

• Bookish Thoughts: The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman
• Wishing for Wednesday: Dreams of Falling and Us Against You
• Bookish Thoughts: Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss

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). 

Many thanks to everyone who voted in this month's poll! I am very excited to get started on this month's winner, Victoria Gilbert's A Murder for the Books.

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

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© 2018, 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: Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss

I was going to jail.  ~ Opening of Pressed to Death

Pressed to Death (Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum #2) by Kirsten Weiss

Midnight Ink, 2017

Crime Fiction (Cozy); 338 pgs

Source: Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was pleased with this second installment as well. The Harvest Festival is about to get underway and Maddie, owner of the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, just has to put the final touches on her display. Only, good ol’ Laurel, a detective with a chip on her shoulder, is accusing Maddie of being a thief. Evidently the former owner of the haunted grape press Maddie is using for her display has reported it stolen. Maddie knows it wasn’t. She got it fair and square from a collector who had bought it from the wife of the accuser. With the grape press taken as evidence, Maddie must get creative if she is going to put up a display at the festival. While there, she agrees to help her mother who is a part of the Ladies’ Aid Society set up their event. Then Maddie unwittingly discovers a body—the body of the very man who had accused Maddie of stealing his grape press. Of course, this puts her at the top of the suspect list.

Maddie does not want to investigate another murder. It isn’t her place after all. But it seems the town is taking bets, and her mother is applying pressure. Could the murder be related to someone in the Ladies’ Aid group whose members recently had a falling out? Perhaps one of the people the victim rubbed the wrong way? He wasn’t well liked after all. Or what about the outsider looking into buying up area vineyards? Maddie's mother is acting awfully strange and so are her friends for that matter. As Maddie tries to ascertain the truth, she must stay under the radar of Laurel as Laurel is determined to pin something on Maddie, no matter what it is. (Laurel’s grudge against Maddie is rather ridiculous if you ask me. I really do not like that woman.)

Maddie can’t help it that she’s been caught up in recent murders in town (both this and the first book in the series). They really aren’t her fault, are they? I love how in this novel she doesn’t start out investigating, but people seem to expect her to and so open up to her. Which, of course, leads to her asking questions.

On the personal front, Maddie’s boyfriend’s is hiding something, and while he praises Maddie’s understanding and patience, his long absences and failure to return her calls are weighing on her. Maddie isn’t sure she wants to know, and uses the murder investigation as an excuse not to confront him. I cannot say I am disappointed about this turn of events with Mason. It may open a door for Detective Slate, with whom, even in the first book, seems to have some sort of connection with Maddie. I quite like Detective Slate, and so would not mind if that’s the direction the series goes. Even so, I do like Mason.

One of my favorite aspects of this series is the mystery involving a haunted object. In the first book, it was a photograph, and in this one it is the grape press. The grape press is sending out quite a few negative vibes and no one wants it around. Maddie isn’t exactly one to embrace the paranormal being rather skeptical herself, but she does love a good mystery. Finding out what happened to the two lovers associated with the grape press would certainly make a good story for the museum too.

This could easily be one of my favorite cozy mystery series given how much I have enjoyed the two books I have read so far. It is funny and entertaining, with the right dose of suspense and drama that keeps me wanting to come back and visit with the characters. Pressed in Death had plenty of twists that kept me guessing, although I had a strong suspicion of the whodunit early on. I need to make time soon to read the next book in the series, Deja Moo!

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

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© 2018, 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.

Wishing for Wednesday: Dreams of Falling and Us Against You

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. (Based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.)

Dreams of Falling by Karen White

Release Date: June 5, 2018 Berkley

New York Times bestselling author Karen White crafts evocative relationships in this new contemporary women's fiction novel about best friends who share a devastating secret, set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

It's been nine years since Larkin fled Georgetown, South Carolina, vowing never to go back. But when she finds out that her mother has disappeared, she knows she has no choice but to return to the place that she both loves and dreads--and to the family and friends who never stopped wishing for her to come home. Ivy, Larkin's mother, is discovered in the burned out wreckage of her family's ancestral rice plantation, badly injured and unconscious. No one knows why Ivy was there, but as Larkin digs for answers, she uncovers secrets kept for nearly 50 years. Secrets that lead back to the past, to the friendship between three girls on the brink of womanhood who swore that they would be friends forever, but who found that vow tested in heartbreaking ways. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: Secrets from the past . . . You know I can't resist a story like this one.

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Us Against You (Beartown #2) by Fredrik Backman
Release Date: June 5, 2018 by Atria Books

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beartown and A Man Called Ove, hailed as “a writer of astonishing depth [with] the remarkable ability to make you understand the feelings of each of a dozen different characters” (The Washington Times), a heart-wrenching story of how loyalty, friendship, and love carry a town through its darkest days.

After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.

Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.

As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: I have only read two of this author's books, and not yet Beartown, of which this is a sequel, but it's on my to read list. I can't resist a novel by Fredrik Backman. He is an amazing storyteller and his books always leave me feeling satisfied in the end. 

Do either of these sound like something you would like to read too?
What upcoming releases are you looking foward to. 

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© 2018, 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 Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman

Kostchei,

We have a problem. ~ Opening of The Lost Plot 

The Lost Plot (Invisible Library #4) by Genevieve Cogman

Ace Books, 2018

Fantasy; 369 pgs
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I probably say this every time I talk about the Invisible Library books, but this is such a fun series. Dimension jumping, magic-wielding librarian Irene always seems to find trouble—or rather, it finds her. In The Lost Plot, Irene and her ever loyal assistant Kai are tasked with finding a missing librarian in 1930’s New York after hearing that one of their own may be in a compromising position. Prohibition is in full swing as are the gangsters, with dragons warring against each other for power. Not only does Irene find herself at the center of it all, but now she must find a way to divert a possible war involving the Library, and also make sure she and Kai stay alive. Finding the wayward librarian brings about its own challenges as does finding and retrieving the coveted book that has caused all the trouble in the first place.

Irene, as always, is a very capable heroine. Resourceful and able to think quickly on her feet. I love her energy. I am also a big fan of Kai, who is charming and just as capable. The two make a good team. They share many of the same values and just want to do the right thing. Irene and Kai take their responsibilities to the Library very seriously, but know that sometimes rules have to be bent for the greater good.

I loved the setting—a definite hint of history and yet with a big twist. The reader gets a closer look at dragon politics in this book, and it was interesting to see how Kai fits into it all given his relationship to the Library and to Irene. We get to see a side to Kai that we have only until now seen hints of.

High in action and intensity, The Lost Plot did not disappoint. There was also the wit and humor I have come to expect in this series. I continue to love this series. I know when I pick up one of these books I am sure to be in for a great read.

To learn more about Genevieve Cogman and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her on Twitter and Goodreads.

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© 2018, 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.

Weekly Mews: May Is Here! (And May's TBR List Poll)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by the wonderful Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer, where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking to Stacking the Shelves hosted by the great Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently. 

May hasn't gotten off to the most promising start (car trouble, dental issues, stolen bank card number, holey socks). Even my reading has suffered a bit. I feel like May is the month for meetings and trainings at work. Rehearsals for The Wizard of Oz have picked up more as summer approaches. And we are hoping to bring our new kitty home later this month.

Mother nature has been keeping us on our toes. Jackets and umbrellas one day and shorts and sandals the next. We got a couple days of  rain, which was really nice. But being able to open the windows and let in the spring breeze and rays of sunshine has been nice too.

How has your week been? Did May kick off to a good start for you? I hope so!

New to My Shelves: 

E-Books (and new to everyone else's shelf who took advantage of Amazon's free World Book Day offers!):

The Light of the Fireflies by Paul Pen

The House by the River by Lena Manta

Last Train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin

The Great Passage by Shion Miura

Ten Women by Marcela Serrano

Still Waters by Viveca Sten

The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan

Audio Additions to My Personal Library:

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, narrated by Jim Dale

Vengeance in Death (In Death, Book 6) by J. D. Robb, narrated by Susan Ericksen

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, narrated by Juliet Stevenson

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, narrated by Anne Hathaway

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, narrated by Christian Rummel

Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7) by Jim Butcher, narrated by James Marsters

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, narrated by Christopher Plummer

Independent Bookstore Day Purchases:

 A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

What I Am Reading: amThis week I read Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton. Those who said it was unputdownable weren't lying! It is one of those thrillers in which none of the characters are particularly likeable, and the narrative took some getting used to, but, boy, was I hooked.

I am reading The Girl From the Savoy by Hazel Gaynor, last month's TBR winner. I had hoped to finish it before the week was out, and I am really close! I will likely finish it this weekend. I love Hazel Gaynor's writing style and am quite enjoying the novel. Every time I open the book, I feel like I am right there inside the pages of the book.

What I Am Watching: I finished the second season of Jessica Jones late last month, and have been watching a lot of HGTV (House Hunters and Fixer Upper and the like) as of late. It's one of those channels I can have in the background and pay attention to--or not. I have been watching this season of Fear of the Walking Dead, which I hadn't seen since the middle of season two. I admit it. Morgan is what brought me back. I am actually enjoying the show so far. I have not decided yet if I am going to go back and watch what I have missed. I am also watching The Voice again this season. I have my favorites . . . We'll see how they do!

What I Am Listening To: Gracie mewing at me. At least in the mornings while I am getting ready for work. Or at night when I am getting ready for bed. She wants me to pick her up and cuddle her a bit. Or give her treats.

It's been a while since I last listened to an audiobook. Maybe one of my new ones will entice me to start listening to another one!

This Week In Reading Mews:

• Blog All About It & Discussion: Cover Attraction
• April 2018 in Review
• Wishing for Wednesday: What Should Be Wild & All the Ever Afters
• Bookish Thoughts: Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

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 am in the mood for a cozy mystery, but cannot quite decide which one to choose . . . I could really use your help!

A Murder for the Books (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert

Fleeing a disastrous love affair, university librarian Amy Webber moves in with her aunt in a quiet, historic mountain town in Virginia. She quickly busies herself with managing a charming public library that requires all her attention with its severe lack of funds and overabundance of eccentric patrons. The last thing she needs is a new, available neighbor whose charm lures her into trouble.

Dancer-turned-teacher and choreographer Richard Muir inherited the farmhouse next door from his great-uncle, Paul Dassin. But town folklore claims the house’s original owner was poisoned by his wife, who was an outsider. It quickly became water under the bridge, until she vanished after her sensational 1925 murder trial. Determined to clear the name of the woman his great-uncle loved, Richard implores Amy to help him investigate the case. Amy is skeptical until their research raises questions about the culpability of the town’s leading families... including her own.

When inexplicable murders plunge the quiet town into chaos, Amy and Richard must crack open the books to reveal a cruel conspiracy and lay a turbulent past to rest in A Murder for the Books, the first installment of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library mysteries. [Goodreads Summary]

A Most Curious Murder (A Little Library Mystery #1) by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli

Jenny Weston moves home to Bear Falls, Michigan to nurse her bruised ego back to health after a bitter divorce. But the idyllic vision of her charming hometown crumbles when her mother's little library is destroyed.

The next door neighbor, Zoe Zola, a little person and Lewis Carroll enthusiast, suspects local curmudgeon Adam Cane, but when he's suddenly found dead in Zoe's fairy garden, all roads lead back to her. Jenny, however, believes Zoe innocent, so the two women team up to find the true culprit, investigating the richest family in Bear Falls, interrogating a few odd townspeople and delving into old, hidden transgressions--until another body turns up.

Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli's quaint and compelling series debut A Most Curious Murder will delight cozy mystery readers new and old. [Goodreads Summary]

Cancelled by Murder (Postmistress Mystery #2) by Jean Flowers

Cassie Miller returned to her sleepy hometown in the Berkshires to start over as the new postmistress. But she soon finds that dead letters are nothing compared to murder victims...

With a massive storm about to hit North Ashcot, Massachusetts, threatening floods and widespread wind damage, Cassie is forced to close up the post office along with the rest of the local business owners and residents, who are battening down the hatches and bracing themselves for the worst.

Although the storm proves not to be as bad as predicted, fabric shop owner Daisy Harmon is found dead, seemingly killed by a fallen branch. But the police quickly determine that her death had nothing to do with foul weather and everything to do with foul play. After Daisy’s widowed husband approaches her to help solve his wife’s murder, Cassie vows to find the killer before another innocent victim is taken by storm. [Goodreads Summary]

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

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© 2018, 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: Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

 The sweet blood has changed things. ~ Opening of Marked in Flesh 

Marked in Flesh (Others, #4) by Anne Bishop

Roc, 2016

Fantasy; 399 pgs
Source: Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Considering this is the fourth book in a series I have come to love, it is sad that I kept finding reasons to put off reading it. I still have one more book to go with these characters, and I will be sad to say goodbye. I have really grown fond of the characters and the world author Anne Bishop has created.

Tensions are high in Marked in Flesh as everything comes to a head. The Humans First and Last organization has organized an all-out assault on the Others, hoping to take over their lands completely. These humans, however, seem to have forgotten the past, and the strength and power that the indigenous races wield. The leaders of the Lakeside Courtyard have been tasked with defining the value of humans—and what—or who to save.

Marked in Flesh feels very much like a final book in a series in many ways. Everything that has been building over the last three books comes to a head in this one. The day of reckoning has arrived. The focus of this book is less on Meg and Simon, although they have parts to play in the story as well. I liked that Bishop gave us more insight into some of the outer settlements and their residents. Much time is spent in describing the preparations the settlers, both Others and humans, make in anticipation of what is to come. Meg is tasked with coming up with a list of things humans need to survive—or don’t want to give up. In part to keep her busy, I think. There are two other cassandra sangues whose visions play an important role in the novel. The need to cut to see visions has always bothered me a bit given cutting is a real problem in our own society, and I worry about it being glamourized in any way. I do not feel Bishop does that at all, mind you, but the risk is there just the same.

I just love Meg and Simon. I sometimes think Meg is underestimated in her abilities to protect and take care of herself, but she definitely brings out the protectiveness in just about everyone she meets. I really like that Anne Bishop never quite lets us forget that Simon is not even part human, even though he sometimes acts and looks human. He is in a difficult place as leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, brokering peace between his own kind and that of humans. It is no wonder he sometimes questions whether he is becoming too much like a human. I like that Meg likes him just the way he is. She has suffered enough in human hands, so it really is no wonder. I know a lot of fans of the series have been disappointed by the lack of romance, when it is so obvious Meg and Simon have feelings for each other. It has not really bothered me much though—maybe because that has not been my own focus in the series.

It is hard not to talk about spoilers when writing a review of a book in a series, but I am trying. So, I apologize for the vagueness of this review. Like with its predecessors, Bishop continues to amaze me with the depth of world building she has put into this series. In some ways, it is hard, too, not to compare it to the climate of our own world today—past and present.

In a book like this, there is bound to be death—and yes, that was tough. There is plenty of action and drama. If I had one complaint about this book, it is that so much is going on and there are just so many characters . . . I would have loved to spend more time in the different settlements, getting to know the characters there a little better. Perhaps we will see more of them in the future!

To learn more about author Anne Bishop and her work, please visit the author's website. You can also find her Goodreads. 

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© 2018, 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.

Wishing for Wednesday: What Should Be Wild & All the Ever Afters

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. (Based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.)

What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine
Release Date: May 8, 2018 by Harper

In this darkly funny, striking debut, a highly unusual young woman must venture into the woods at the edge of her home to remove a curse that has plagued the women in her family for millennia—an utterly original novel with all the mesmerizing power of The Tiger’s Wife, The Snow Child, and Swamplandia!

Cursed. Maisie Cothay has never known the feel of human flesh: born with the power to kill or resurrect at her slightest touch, she has spent her childhood sequestered in her family’s manor at the edge of a mysterious forest. Maisie’s father, an anthropologist who sees her as more experiment than daughter, has warned Maisie not to venture into the wood. Locals talk of men disappearing within, emerging with addled minds and strange stories. What he does not tell Maisie is that for over a millennium her female ancestors have also vanished into the wood, never to emerge—for she is descended from a long line of cursed women.

But one day Maisie’s father disappears, and Maisie must venture beyond the walls of her carefully constructed life to find him. Away from her home and the wood for the very first time, she encounters a strange world filled with wonder and deception. Yet the farther she strays, the more the wood calls her home. For only there can Maisie finally reckon with her power and come to understand the wildest parts of herself. [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: A curse and mysterious woods is enough to win my attention. I am looking forward reading What Should Be Wild.

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All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother by Danielle Teller
Release Date: May 22, 2018 by William Morrow

In the vein of Wicked, The Woodcutter, and Boy, Snow, Bird, a luminous reimagining of a classic tale, told from the perspective of Agnes, Cinderella’s “evil” stepmother.

We all know the story of Cinderella. Or do we?

As rumors about the cruel upbringing of beautiful newlywed Princess Cinderella roil the kingdom, her stepmother, Agnes, who knows all too well about hardship, privately records the true story. . . .

A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family and forced into servitude as a laundress’s apprentice when she is only ten years old. Using her wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful future. When teenaged Agnes is seduced by an older man and becomes pregnant, she is transformed by love for her child. Once again left penniless, Agnes has no choice but to return to servitude at the manor she thought she had left behind. Her new position is nursemaid to Ella, an otherworldly infant. She struggles to love the child who in time becomes her stepdaughter and, eventually, the celebrated princess who embodies everyone’s unattainable fantasies. The story of their relationship reveals that nothing is what it seems, that beauty is not always desirable, and that love can take on many guises.
Lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly perceptive, All the Ever Afters explores the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic tales of good and evil, all the while showing us that how we confront adversity reveals a more profound, and ultimately more important, truth than the ideal of “happily ever after.” [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this one: I have enjoyed some of the fairy-tale re-tellings out there written from the villain's perspective. There is more than one side to every story, after all. This sounds like it will be good.

Do either of these appeal to you?
What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

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© 2018, 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.