Musings of a Bookish Kitty: February 2022

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Weekly Mews: New Books, Chocolate & More Chocolate

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz 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 It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews and Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

The tree in my front yard is bursting with purple blossoms. The weather has been quite pleasant in my part of the world--warm but not overly so. Although, the nights have still been chilly.

We had a quiet Valentine's Day. Well, a busy work/school/dance day and then a quiet Valentine's Day evening. There were flowers, chocolate and books. It was a very busy week at work--which seems to be the norm these days. There has been talk of hiring more staff but time will tell whether that becomes a reality. Last weekend's Girl Scout cookie booth went well and Mouse will be manning one this weekend at another local store. There seems to be a short supply of cookies just about everywhere, mostly due to supply chain issues.

The mask mandate in the state was relaxed this past week for indoor public places, at least for the vaccinated. There was a protest at my daughter's school, parents opposed to the school mask mandate that is still in place. My daughter, husband and I didn't see any of the protesters, but we heard about them. I guess they were blocking one of the school entrances and the police were called.

I hope you are all enjoying the weekend and have a great week. Can you believe March is almost here?

New to the Shelves

Mouse's latest acquisitions:

A World Without Princes (School for Good and Evil #2) by Soman Chainani

The Last Ever After (School for Good and Evil #3) by Soman Chainani

Anjin's latest acquisitions:

Friends of the Devil by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Destroy All Monsters by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Recent gift card purchases:

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism
by Amber Roffin & Lacey Lamar

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1) by Katee Robert

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

Have you read any of these books? What books did you add to your TBR this week?

Last Read

It was a good reading week. I finished reading Peng Shepherd's The Cartographer, which I enjoyed quite a bit. I laughed my way through Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto. My daughter wanted a play by play of the book as I read and now we are both looking forward to the Netflix movie when it comes out. I finished off the week with The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkellner, the second book in a graphic novel series my daughter and I both enjoy reading.

Reading Now

At the moment I have my bookmark in The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James, one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I am also reading Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 5 by Kamome Shirahama, translated by Stephen Kohler, a manga series my daughter introduced me to last year. I love the artwork. I fell a little behind the first half of the month, but I am back on track with my year long reading project to read The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

Up Next in Reading

I have not settled on what I will be reading next, although I have my eye on these three books as possible options, depending on which way my mood takes me: The Cage by Bonnie Kistler, Devil's Chew Toy by Rob Osler, and Unseen Magic by Emily Lloyd-Jones.

What I Have Been Watching/Listening To

My husband and I are watching the second season of Daredevil and I am on the fourth season of Chuck. We are all caught up with The Cleaning Lady, which we continue to enjoy. I put on the first couple of episodes of Blindspot the other day. I hadn't gotten far in the series when it first aired, but I have wanted to get back to it.

Friday evening, we put on Criminal Idol, Season 1. Mouse is really into the music and had wanted to see the You-Tube videos for the song series by Static-P of Black Static and Swerve. It is about a group of performers called the Star Blush Girls, who are framed for a bombing. The songs follow the girls and detective's investigation into what happened and who is behind it. The photo below is linked to the song video series for those who may be interested. Mouse's favorite song from the series is "No One's In This Alone".

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week?

© 2022, 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.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Where Is Your Bookmark: A Wedding and a Dead Body & Connect Five: Top of My Graphic Novel/Manga TBR Pile

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

There is a curse in my family. [opening line from prologue of Dial A for Aunties]

and

I take a deep breath before pushing open the swing doors. Noise spills out, a cacophony of Mandarin and Cantonese, and I step aside so Ma can walk inside before me. [opening lines from first chapter of Dial A for Aunties]

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

I run all the way back to my room. Even before I open the door, I can hear the faint sound of music. I tap the key card at the door sensor frantically and burst into the room. Fourth Aunt jumps up, then sighs when she sees me. [excerpt from 56% of Dial A for Aunties]

The opening grabbed me right away--a family curse definitely piqued my interest. I also like the way the first chapter opens. The first two sentences give us a sense of place as well as where the main character's head is in the moment with just a breath. She is mentally preparing herself for what is to come. I am just past the excerpt from 56% in the novel as of right now. It does not reveal much out of context--Meddy is obviously in a hurry to get back to her room. Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto had me laughing out loud early on and just keeps getting better. It is proving to be the perfect read for de-stressing after work.

What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family?

You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!

When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend? [Goodreads Summary]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy reading? If you have read it, what did you think? What are you reading right now?

Connect Five Friday is a weekly meme where readers share a list of five books,

read or unread, or bookish things, that share a common theme.

Hosted by the Kathryn of of Book Date.

I enjoy reading graphic novels from time to time and thought I would share five graphic novels/manga I hope to read soon.

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 5 by Kamome Shirahama, translated by Stephen Kohler

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Spy x Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo, translated by Casey Loe

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, Harmony Becker

We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration by Frank Abe, Tamiko Nimura, Matt Sasaki, Ross Ishikawa

Do you read graphic novels or manga? Have you read any of these? Are there any you would recommend?

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

© 2022 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.

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Weekly Mews: It's a Pizza Night

I just got home not too long ago from a full day at the dance studio. Rehearsals kicked off today on top of Mouse's regular dance classes. I dragged my computer with me for a change to see if I could get any of my review writing done this morning and ended up with a sore back and wrists. Darn carpal tunnel syndrome. The working conditions weren't exactly the most comfortable. I don't know if I will be trying that again. I attended a booster meeting this afternoon and am now settling in for the night. My husband ordered barbecue chicken pizza from a local pizza place, which should be arriving soon. Tomorrow Mouse has her first Girl Scout cookie booth--she'll be armed with mask, face shield and lots of hand sanitizer. Her dad is volunteering to help at the booth so I can stay home and have the house to myself (a rare treat!).

It was an ordinary week otherwise. Work continues to be busy. One of my colleagues will be out for several weeks helping her daughter with her new baby. She was set to take time off in March, but it looks like the baby will be coming early so she will be off starting this coming week.

I hope you are having a good weekend and wish you well this coming week!

Last Read

This past week I finished reading Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose by T.A. Willberg, a mystery set in London during the Cold War era. This is the second book in the series. It has a bit of a steampunk-like quality to it, featuring a underground detective agency that relies on unique gadgets to help them avert crises.

What I Am Reading Now

I am over halfway into The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, a mystery/thriller mixed with fantasy about a priceless map that someone has decided is worth killing for and the woman who is trying to uncover its secrets, including its tie to her own family history. This week I also started reading The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by Ellen Steinkellner at my daughter's request. She knew how much I liked the first book and though maybe I would like this one too.

I admit I have not made much progress in The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas since I last posted my weekly mews. I hope to get back on track with my reading schedule soon though.

What I Will Be Reading Next

Thank you to everyone who voted in this month's TBR poll! I am really excited about all three of this month's options. I am in the mood for a book with a more romantic bent and the three contenders this month were all calling my name. I still plan to read all three at some point, but let's see which one I will be reading this month:

Recipe for Persuasion (The Rajes #2) by Sonali Dev received seven votes while Jen DeLuca's Well Played (Well Met #2) earned 9 votes. Dial A for Aunties (Aunties #1) by Jesse Q. Sutanto won with 13 votes. I am looking forward to diving into Dial A for Aunties next!

Thank you again to all who voted!

My TBR List is 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 let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise).

What I Have Been Watching

Although I was not able to get into the popular Lee Child Reacher series books, I was curious about the television series. My husband and I enjoyed watching this first season, even though I found it a bit too heavy on the violence (I am more sensitive to it as I get older for some reason). We also watched the final episode of The Book of Boba Fett. If you follow Disney's Mandalorian television series, you will likely want to watch this series before the next season of The Mandalorian comes out. I liked The Book of Boba Fett but admit I did not find it as satisfying as I do The Mandalorian.

Just for the heck of it, I re-watched a few episodes of Scandal starring Kerry Washington. I really liked the show the first time I watched it, but I am not sure I am up for a complete re-watch right now so do not think I will continue.

This Week In Reading Mews:

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week?

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Where Is Your Bookmark: Maps and Favorite Books Read From Ten Years Ago

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

In the dim light of her desk's single bulb lamp, the map nearly glowed. [opening of The Cartographers (e-galley)]

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

I don't know how it happened--isn't that what everyone who betrays someone says? But I don't know how it happened. I just know why. [56% of The Cartographers, (e-galley)]

I am just over a third of the way into Peng Shepherd's The Cartographers, which I like so far. It is a little more slow going than I anticipated, but that is not a criticism of the book. It is a compelling read. The opening line seems a fitting beginning given the novel's focus on maps and their makers, don't you think? I have not yet reached the second excerpt I shared above. I am even more intrigued now! What happened?! Why did it happen?! I cannot wait to find out.

From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history.

What is the purpose of a map?

Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn't seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence… because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.

But why?

To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps...

Perfect for fans of Joe Hill and V.E. Schwab, The Cartographers is an ode to art and science, history and magic—a spectacularly imaginative, modern story about an ancient craft and places still undiscovered. [Goodreads Summary]

Does The Cartographers sound like something you would enjoy reading? What book do you have your bookmark in right now?

Connect Five Friday is a weekly meme where readers share a list of five books,

read or unread, or bookish things, that share a common theme.

Hosted by the Kathryn of of Book Date.

Today I am highlighting my top five books read in 2012. I think back on these books and I swear it does not feel like it has been so long since I read them. Two of these are among my all time favorite books still today.

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy

Every Day by David Levithan

The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Darkfever by Karen Moning

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think? Do you remember what your favorite book read was in 2012?

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

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Bookish Mewsings: Circe by Madeline Miller

When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist. ~ opening of Circe

Circe by Madeline Miller

Back Bay Books, 2018

Fantasy; 400 pgs

Source: I bought it for my reading pleasure.

I had high expectations going into Circe. I remember knowing I wanted to read it when I first heard about it, and then, as the praise continued to come in, that only intensified. I decided to read The Song of Achilles first (even though they books are not part of a series) after hearing it was even better. It turned out to be one of my favorite books read the year I read it. With an extra push from those of you who voted for it in my TBR poll in January, I finally picked up Circe—and I loved it. Whew. Expectations met.

I inherited my interest in Greek Mythology from my father, although admit I am not as well-versed in it as others might be. Still, I know enough to be familiar with the names of the gods and goddesses and some of their kin. I did read The Odyssey years ago. It was really Circe herself, a goddess-witch, that first intrigued me when I heard about this book. Circe is the daughter of Helios, god of the sun. She does not seem particularly extraordinary in relation to her siblings, not as powerful as her father and not nearly as alluring as her mother. She is viewed as weak and often dismissed as not being significant. She finds a friend in a mortal, falls in love, and, in wanting more, does the unthinkable, starting a chain reaction that leads to her being banished to a deserted island by her father and Zeus, who feels threatened by the witchcraft she can wield.

I was under Circe’s spell right from the start and the novel was never far from my mind even when I was not reading. Madeline Miller weaves the well-known myth with her own fiction, breathing new life into familiar monsters and heroes like the Minotaur, Daedalus, Medea, and Odysseus and his wife and son. In the novel, the reader gets a real sense of just how uncaring and vengeful the gods could be—how mortals were often their playthings, like pawns on a board, or puppets to manipulate however they wanted. Miller’s Circe was different however. She learned from her mistakes and spent her life atoning for them. She could be cruel, but often it was a reaction to cruelty done to her. She is both strong and vulnerable. She could be heartless but she loved hard. She was a self-made woman, teaching herself witchcraft, and occasionally struggled with loneliness. There was a humanness, if you will, about Circe that made her endearing. I cried with Circe and felt angry alongside her.

I enjoyed the quiet moments in the book just as much as the more intense ones. I would not call Circe a fast paced read, but, as I said before, I was caught in its spell. I wanted to savor every word. There were characters I wish could have been explored more—like Ariadne and Medea—but this was not their story. Themes such as love and loss, family rivalry, vengeance, and motherhood filled the pages of Circe. I can see myself reading this book again and getting something new out of it each time.

I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open.

I stepped into those woods and my life began. [pg 81 of Circe]