Where Is Your Bookmark: A Peek Into The Secret Keeper of Main Street & Other Friday Fun

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.

It was a gift, seeing what most people were afraid to see. It took her Aunt Charlene to teach Bailey she wasn't hexed. "But did the visions have to be with naked bodies?" twelve-year-old Bailey asked one evening as she sat on the porch swing, watching fireflies. [opening of The Keeper of Secrets of Main Street]

I imagine at the age of twelve, it would have been quite startling to see naked people in her visions. I don't think I would have taken that well either. 

A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Our wonderful host Freda of Freda's Voice is on a break, and Anne of My Head is Full of Books  has stepped in to host! 

Ingrid's voice rose to a shriek. "In the midst of my worrying about where you'd run off to, again, I hear about this from Vera, who, by the way, wanted to know if you perhaps knew what the fight was about, since Niles didn't want to talk about it." [excerpt from 56% of The Secret Keeper of Main Street]  

The communication between Elsa and her mother, Ingrid, is far from good. It sounds like it has reached the tipping point for Ingrid in this scene, doesn't it? There's nothing like finding something out about your daughter via gossip rather than directly from the source. Although, to be fair, Elsa has good reason not to be open with her mother. 

I just finished an early e-release copy of The Secret Keeper of Main Street by Trisha R. Thomas (my bookish mewsings to come).  The author is going to be at my favorite local bookstore this coming week, and I can't wait to meet her! I have already pre-ordered a final copy of the book for her to sign. 

Acclaimed author Trisha R. Thomas delivers a masterful new tale of scandal and intuition. In 1950s oil-rich Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery, a dressmaker with the gift of “second sight,” reluctantly reveals the true loves and intentions of her socialite clients, making her a silent witness to a shocking crime.

1954: In the quaint town of Mendol, Oklahoma, Bailey Dowery is a Black dressmaker for the wives and daughters of local oil barons. She earns a good living fitting designer gowns and creating custom wedding dresses for the town’s elite. But beyond her needle and thread lies a deeper talent, one passed down from her the gift of insight. With just a fleeting touch or brush against the skin, Bailey has sudden flashes of intuition— witnessing the other person’s hopes, dreams, and nightmares, as well glimpses of their past and future. To protect herself, she wears gloves to keep from grazing the skin of her clients as she pins them into their gowns.

Brides have whispered that Bailey can see if their true love is faithful, or if their marriage will be a success. Her aunt Charlene has always warned her, “It’s safer to stay out of White folks’ business.” But Bailey will reluctantly provide a reading during a fitting, as long as the bride promises to be discreet.

Now Elsa Grimes, daughter of one of the richest oil men in Oklahoma, has come to the Regal Gown as the least joyful bride Bailey has ever seen. Elsa’s big society wedding is imminent and her gown is gorgeous, but what Bailey’s intuition uncovers when she touches Elsa’s hand horrifies her. Against her better judgment, she’s determined to help Elsa in whatever way she can. But when the son of a prominent family turns up dead on the eve of Elsa’s wedding, and the bride-to-be is arrested for his murder, Bailey is suddenly at the center of a firestorm that threatens to overtake her and everyone she loves. [Goodreads Summary]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy? If you have read it, what did you think?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. It is hosted by Linda Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Jen from That’s What I’m Talking About. Join in by answering this week's question in the comments or on your own blog.

Which books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

So many! And probably most I will not be able to fit in. That and I am terrible at planning my reading ahead of time. I am too much of a mood reader. Here are some of the books I am considering reading in the next few months: 

The Wrong End of the Telescope by Rabih Alameddine

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Legendborn (#1) by Tracy Deonn

Black Sun (Between Earth & Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse 

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells

A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #3) by Kate Khavari

Murder Road by Simone St. James

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

American Demon (Hollows #14) by Kim Harrison

Ill-Fated Fortune (Magical Fortune Cookie #1) by Jennifer J. Chow

Daughter of the Moon Goddess (Celestial Kingdom Duology #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

And of course I am thinking of more after listing these . . . 

Which of the books I mentioned do you think I should make sure to read? What books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

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

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© 2024 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 Mewsings: It's a Tie!

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.

Just a quick check in to say hello and wish everyone well this weekend! It was another busy work week. I took some time off to take Mouse to the orthodontist's to get her expander and braces put in. If one has to endure braces, being able to wear brackets in a favorite color makes it a little more bearable. For all the mothers out there, I hope you have a happy Mother's Day! We have plans to take my mom out for lunch, do a little shoe shopping for Mouse, and I need to get some laundry done. There will be some quality reading time too, of course! 

Sleepy Cat

Nina is keeping me company

My Mother's Day Flowers

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This past week I finished reading Dr. Jen Gunter's Menopause Manifesto, which was informative, although I was hoping for more. I also finished The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. This wasn't a fast paced book, but one I wanted to savor  with its rich fox folklore and history, set in Manchuria and Japan in 1908. I hated to see the book come to an end as I was so invested with the characters. 

It is hard sometimes to pick up a book after reading such an amazing one like The Fox Wife, and so I decided to jump into something very different by another favorite author: The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties #3) by Jesse Q. Sutanto. I can always count on this series to make me laugh. I love Meddy, her mom and her aunties. They find themselves in such outrageous situations. I continue to fit in my chapter a night of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Let me just say, I do not like Uriah Heep at all. 

Next up, will be my TBR List Poll winners. Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan received 4 votes (Mouse was really hoping for that one to win). Tying with 8 votes each was Happily Never After by Lynn Painter and Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson. I was hoping someone would come along and break the tie, but it was not meant to be. I will do my best to fit both books in this month! I am looking forward to reading both.

Thank you again to all who voted!

My TBR List is hosted by Michelle at Because Reading. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books from my TBR pile 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).  

We finished the 10th season of Doctor Who, starring Peter Capaldi today. I grow so attached to each of the Doctors and am always sad to see them go. But I am so excited to finally have reached the Jodie Whittaker episodes (for those not familiar with the show, she is the first to play a female version of the Doctor).

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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© 2024, 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 Mewsings: April Wrap Up and It's Time to Pick My Next TBR Book (Please Vote!)

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.

May snuck up on me. April had its ups and downs. We are still dealing with the bees in our wall problem, the pressure and volume at work has been relentless, and then all the health stuff. About the middle of April, we went to see my mom perform in a skit at her neighborhood community's Masquers Club variety show. She did a great job and it was a fun show. Anjin had jury duty this past week and spent a good part of four days listening to the lawyers question people as part of the selection process. I think he was relieved when he was finally dismissed. Today we attended a self-defense class with Mouse and her Girl Scout troop. One of the troop members attends the dojo where they held the class, and Mouse's troop invited several other local troops to attend as well. They had quite the turn out! Anjin even got to take part in some of the exercises as a target. It made for an educational and fun afternoon.

Gracie took advantage of the open drawer as is her right as a cat

May means the end of the school year for Mouse is close at hand--a little less than four weeks left. It will be a busy month! I hope you all have a wonderful May! 

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Books Read in April

April proved to be a more average reading month for me quantity-wise, but I made it through another month without a bummer in the bunch. I revisited the second book in the Innkeeper Chronicles, this time in graphic audio version. That was quite fun! I also listened to the science fiction classic, Dune, a book which lived up to the hype and then some. I was sad to see the end come to the Heirs of Chicagoland series, but I thought the characters got a good send off in Cold Curses. I love books about books and reading, and Why We Read definitely got me thinking more about my reading habits and the types of books I read. I jumped back into my daughter's favorite middle grade fantasy series and had a great time reading about Sophie and friends in Legacy. One of my most anticipated reads was An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson, a modern re-imagining of the Tudors, which did not disappoint. I loved Olson's characterizations of the wives. In fact, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Three of the books I currently am reading have carried over from April into May.  

• Sweep in Peace (Innkeeper Chronicles #2) by Ilona Andrews (re-read/audio)
• Dune (#1) by Frank Herbert (audio)
• Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) by Shannon Messenger
• Cold Curses (Heirs of Chicagoland #5) by Chloe Neill
• An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson
• Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed

Like last month, I had a hard time selecting a least favorite and favorite book of the books I read in April. They all were good in their own ways. I decided on Why We Read by Shannon Reed as my least favorite. While I highlighted quite a few quotes from this book that resonated with me and came away with a few book and essay recommendations, there was also the occasional essay I did not care for as much as others. As for my favorite book of the month, it came down to two, and picking just one of those was soooo hard! I am going to with Frank Herbert's Dune. From the world building to the characters, to the depth and complexity of the novel, I found it entertaining and thought provoking.

What was your favorite book read in April? Did you have a good reading month?

I am farther in David Copperfield by Charles Dickens than I expected to be at the moment. I am just past the 60% mark. David is all grown up and trying to make his way in the world. I try to read a chapter a night, which isn't too hard given the chapters are not very long. In early April, I decided to finally pick up Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter, which, like Dickens' book, I am slowly making my way through, reading about a chapter a day.

Although I got to it later than I anticipated, I am also reading Yangsze Choo's The Fox Wife. Everyone! It is so good! I really hate that I have not been feeling well and so have not been able to make more progress in it.  

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List is hosted by Michelle at Because Reading. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books from my TBR pile 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). 

I cannot decide what I am in the mood for. Something light with a good dose of humor would be good. These three books all came to mind: romance, mystery, or horror. Please help me choose which of these I should read next!  

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Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Their name? The objectors.

Their job? To break off weddings as hired.

Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other.

When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!”

During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.

The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.

And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime. [Goodreads Summary]

Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan

Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.

A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish. [Goodreads Summary]

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

Two neighbors-at-war band together to stop a dangerous criminal in their midst in this enthralling new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Lost Ticket.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, and especially not in crumbling Shelley House. According to her neighbors, she’s prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling is Shelley House’s longest resident, and if you believe the other tenants, she’s as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Except there’s a good reason Dorothy spends her days spying on her neighbors—a closely guarded secret that no else knows and the reason Dorothy barely leaves her beloved home.

When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home. But when someone starts to play dirty and viciously targets one of the residents, Dorothy and Kat suspect foul play in their community. After the police close the investigation, it's up to this improbable pair to bring a criminal to justice.  [Goodreads Summary]

Thank you for voting!

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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© 2024, 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.