Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Weekly Mews: January Wrap Up & February's Maybes

2026-02-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

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 will save you from my thoughts on the state of affairs in the country this weekend; not much has changed on that front unfortunately. Several local high schools held walkouts protesting ICE and the current administration this past week and more are planned in the near future.

On the home front, Mouse is busy with her second semester of school, concert band and the spring musical rehearsals. There is some overlap in rehearsal schedules between band and theater, which she was worried would mean not being able to do the musical after all, but her teachers were able to work out a plan. Whew!

I have been struggling with a few health issues, but, with the hospital strike limiting care, I have put off reaching out. I do have a video appointment with a doctor to see about my recent back trouble though as that doesn't seem to be getting better despite my rudimentary self-care. Walking does help somewhat, and I have been spending a lot of time on my feet as a result (although that has taken it's own toll). There's no doubt stress and grief are contributing factors. I have been attending a grief support group and that has helped some.

The weather here has been lovely, spring-like even, except no blossoms and very few green leaves on my trees yet. The Santa Ana winds did blow through the middle of last week, but they didn't turn out to be too strong, fortunately. My half sister in Pennsylvania reported getting quite a bit of snow and below freezing temperatures. It sounds like many of you had similar weather. I hope you are staying safe and warm!

Books Read in January

At the beginning of the month, I leaned heavily into books with themes centering grief and loss: Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: A Year of Magical Reading by Nina Sankovitch and What We Lose by Zinzi Clemons. They both filled different needs for me in my grief journey. Like Nina, I am finding comfort and reflection in my reading. Zinzi's novel hit me on a more emotional level, often capturing my grief in a more raw way.

I jumped back into a couple of book clubs in January. The House of Doors by Tan Twang Eng may have gotten off to a slow start for me, but I found much to admire about the authors writing style and the depth in which he wrote about this characters. My Fantasy/Science Fiction book club started the year off with Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik. I was quite excited about reading this one, having read some of the author's other work, and it did not disappoint. I had been craving a fantasy read, and these stories hit the spot. While I started Buried Deep and Other Stories in print, I ended up switching to the audiobook due to time constraints. It was well worth it.

Another of my January reads was A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James, who has become a favorite of mine in recent years. I love a good ghost/haunted house story from time to time. Whereas Simone St. James's novel was the fun kind of horror novel, Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart was a different kind of horror story, a historical novel based on real events. I am drawn to books about lesser known historical events, and, although I may not have enjoyed it as much as I would have liked, I did find it to be a worthwhile read. And perhaps a warning of what may come again if certain people currently in power or with influence get their way.

To lighten things up throughout the month, I listened to System Collapse (Murderbot Diaries #7) by Martha Wells. I cannot tell you how disappointed I was that the next book is not out yet. I have really enjoyed the Murderbot series. I also read both Boyfriends. Vol. 1 and Boyfriends. Vol. 2 by refrainow. These slice of college life romance graphic novels are really sweet and have a way of always putting a smile on my face at least for a little while.

A monthly feature in which I l share the books I read this month ten years ago.

(Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like)

The titles are linked to my original reviews of each book when available.

I am hard pressed to pick a favorite book among my January reads. There were no five star reads, but four of the book I read earned 4 stars. If I had to narrow it down, I will have to go with What We Lose for the emotional impact it had on me and System Collapse for being a much needed escape.

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

One of my unofficial goals this year is to work my way through my collection of Medusa re-imaginings (I think I have six on my TBR shelves). I just started reading I, Medusa by Ayana Gray. I am really excited to read this one as I have heard good things about it.

What are you reading right now?

~ Next Up (Maybe) ~

I was very close to putting together a TBR List poll for this month, but in the end took my daughter's advice and decided not to. I actually had asked my family if I should start it back up again. My husband was all for it, knowing it's my favorite monthly feature. Mouse, on the other hand, said no, that I should read to my mood since I have so many other commitments right now. The cats did not even try to offer their input. They only wanted more treats. So, while I am not doing a poll, I couldn't help but compile a list of the possibilities that caught my eye when I looked over my bookshelves. Of course, there's always a chance I will end up going in an entirely different direction too.

The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter by Brionni Nwosu

Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson

Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen by Cheryl W. Thompson

The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum (A Harriet Stone Mystery Book 1) by Valerie Wilson Wesley

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? Do any of them interest you?

~ February Book Club Reads ~

It is easy to make reading plans, but not always as easy to carry them out. I am hoping to attend three of my book clubs this month if the stars align and my schedule allows:

Playground by Richard Powers

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 1 by Natsu Hyuuga,

illustrated by Touco Shino, Translated by Kevin Steinbach

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz, who shares three good things in her Sunday Salon posts, I thought I would try to do the same. With all the worries and stressors in life, I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

1. They came! Monday morning as I peered out the window, I saw a bird at my mom's bird feeder. The little bird must have told her friends because not too much later, the feeder was the water cooler of the neighborhood with so many House Finches vying for spots at the feeder. I worried that the other feeder, in a different part of the yard, would go unnoticed, but that changed by afternoon. It's a wonder I managed to get any work done this week because of the time I have spent watching my new little friends from my windows. As I type this, I'm watching one of the finches jump from blade to blade on our outdoor patio fan, which is slowly rotating in the wind. (There's even a squirrel that comes to visit. He was quite unhappy to learn he's blocked from the feeders themselves, but he has been collecting what he can from the ground.

2. These beautiful flowers came with a note that read: "Just wanted to make you smile today."

3. I am so grateful to my husband for his support these last two weeks as he comforted me during my overwhelming muscle spasm episodes and for talking me through a panic attack. Really, for pretty much taking care of me in general and Mouse who has been under the weather too.

Catching some sun and a nap

What have you been up to this past week?

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

© 2026, 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: What a Year It Has Been So Far!

2026-01-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

I had planned to post an update last weekend (and the weekend before), but words failed me. These days it feels like writing about the books I read is trivial when the world outside my door is in such upheaval. I have likened current events in this country to that of Hitler and the Nazis and the terror, propaganda, and the hate they spread. But it goes further back than that, doesn't it? Recent events remind me of one of my favorite reads last year, The Reformatory by Tananarive. There's a scene in the novel in which the local white men terrorize their Black neighbors, claiming they are seeking justice, when really it is more about sowing fear and intimidation. It's an all too familiar scene that has occurred throughout this country's history and today--and worse.

I also find myself thinking about another book I read last year, this one for my Historical Book Club, called American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin. The tactics of the slave catchers of the time are reminiscent of what is happening in Minnesota and other cities across the nation. Papers, be damned. We're told it is to get the worst of the criminals off the street and yet there is a lawlessness in the way these so called arrests are happening. No proper warrants, no due process, Constitution ignored, and random people, mostly of color, legal or otherwise, being carted away and locked up in inhumane conditions. They are beating and murdering people inside their jails and on the streets without any remorse. Journalists are being arrested for doing their jobs. As the people were told in the past, they tell us it is for our own good, to keep streets safe and clean; these enforcers are not able to see that it is really their own inhumanity that sullies this country.

And that is just a part of the turmoil the country is facing right now. Don't even get me started on the Epstein Files . . .

But not everyone buys the propaganda they are trying to force feed us, thankfully. People have taken to the streets, are writing and calling their representatives, providing shelter, and support to their neighbors and strangers; there are those who are speaking out, doing whatever they are able, in big and small ways. The challenge isn't just in fighting for our freedom now, but also in fighting against a past of wrongs imbedded in our society. Not all hope is lost. We have not all lost our sense of decency--our humanity.

How are you holding up?

My poor print book has not gotten as much attention as my e-books in January, unfortunately, and so I have not yet finished The Phone Booth At the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina. While sad, I find the novel hopeful too, and I find myself wanting to take my time with it, rather than rush through it. So there is that too.

Still recovering after the weighty Women of a Promiscuous Nature, I was still craving something light-hearted and decided Alechia Dow's Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a Cinderella re-imagining, sounded like it would do the trick. After the first chapter I worried it might be too saccharine for my tastes, but it is proving to be just the right amount.

What are you reading right now? Is it something you would recommend?

My recent reads:

Siblings return to the house they fled eighteen years before, called back by the ghost of their long-missing brother and his haunting request to come home. [from the publisher]

I was in the mood for a ghost story and figured I could not go wrong with A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James (Berkley, 2026; Mystery/Thriller/Horror, 344 pgs). I did not realize going into this one that it is set in the same town as The Sun Down Motel, which I have yet to read. But rest assured, A Box Full of Darkness is a stand alone novel.

The Esmie siblings hoped to never return to their childhood home, but they have long been haunted by the disappearance of their six year-year-old brother Ben.

While not a fast-paced book, I did find myself completely immersed in A Box Full of Darkness. All three of the siblings live relatively isolated lives, not letting anyone get close to them. They aren't particularly close themselves, barely in touch until they reunite at the house with the common goal of finding out what happened to Ben. Dodie, of the three seems to be the most successful in terms of career; she is a well sought after hand and hair model. She only does first dates, not seconds, and lives in a tiny apartment. Vail has spent his entire life trying to understand what happened to his brother. He avoids relationships and earns his living as a UFO investigator, without real roots anywhere. Violet cleans the houses of the recently deceased for a living, a job she takes comfort in because she does not have to interact too much with other people. On the downside, she sometimes see ghosts. It was her ability to see ghosts that landed her in a psychiatric ward for a time and ruined her marriage. Her daughter wants little to do with her, and she doesn't blame her.

With alternating chapters told from the perspective of each sibling, the reader gets a first hand account of the grief, pain and self-blame the characters are experiencing. Vail, Dodie, and Violet are not the easiest people to get along with, I imagine, but I found it easy to care about them and want them to find sort of peace. Their childhood was a difficult one, their brother's disappearance notwithstanding. Their parents were neglectful and they were often left to their own devices. They never talked about the nightmares they each suffered with each other growing up, the ones that seemed all too real. As the Esmie siblings put their heads together and start to dig into the history of their childhood home and the surrounding neighborhood in hopes of finding some link to their brother's disappearance, they find themselves up against a malevolent force that is out to get them.

This was as creepy and eerie as one would hope from a novel like this. The characters have suffered so much in their lifetimes. There were several side characters that play a part in the novel who play important roles in the novel, either actively involved or in supporting roles. One I admit I was suspicious of for a time. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were aspects of the story I felt were too convenient and others I wish had been explored more. Perhaps not my favorite of the author's work, but still a very satisfying read just the same.

When the unimaginable happens, you make the best decisions you can, and you never know if they were the right ones. [excerpt from 70% of A Box Full of Darkness]

From the dragon-filled Temeraire series and the gothic, magical halls of the Scholomance trilogy to the fairy tale worlds of Spinning Silver and Uprooted, this stunning collection takes us from fairy tale to fantasy, myth to history, and mystery to science fiction as we travel through Naomi Novik's most beloved stories. [from the publisher]

My Fantasy/Science Fiction Book Club selection for the month of January was Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik (Random House Audio, 2024; Fantasy/Science Fiction, 12hrs 46min). I started out reading this anthology of short stories, but ended up listening to the audiobook because I was running out of time before the book club meeting. I have read and enjoyed a few Naomi Novik's books and was excited to dive into this collection of stories (especially because it meant another visit to Scholomance).

Each of the stories is read by a different narrator, all of whom did an amazing job, with an introduction by the author herself, explaining a little bit of history about the individual stories. I like it when authors add that personal touch to short story collections. It often adds to my appreciation of the stories.

Buried Deep and Other Stories started out with a bang for me. The first story, "Arminta, or, the Wreck of the Amphidrake", was one of my favorites. I loved Arminta! She's a woman who is her authentic self--high born but non-traditional, preferring a sword fight to wearing pretty dresses. This pirate story had me craving more stories like it. And can we please have more stories featuring Arminta?

Another favorite (which won't surprise anyone) of mine was "After Hours", set in the Scholomance universe. This story takes place after the original trilogy, featuring a young witch named Beata, who is forced to room with Jayne, a privileged enclave girl. This story involves a curse, a dangerous, forbidden nighttime adventure, and a certain character from the trilogy who makes a very welcome appearance.

But my absolute favorite of the collection was "Dragons and Decorum". This Pride and Prejudice re-telling set in the Temeraire universe was such a delightful read. Elizabeth is a captain in the the Aerial Dragon Corps and home on leave, attending a ball at her family's behest where she meets the less than charming Mr. Darcy. I was sad to see this one end. And may I just add that everyone needs a Wollstonecraft in their lives--a dragon who enjoys Gothic literature, no less!

Some other great stories included "Vici" set in the Temeraire universe (dragons!) and "Buried Deep," a Adriadne and Minotaur retelling (Greek Mythology for the win!). I also enjoyed "Spinning Silver" which inspired her full length novel with the same title (which I have yet to read) about a woman who gains the unwanted attention of a fae and must figure out a way to outwit him or be frozen. The story "Blessings" reminded me a bit of the "Sleeping Beauty" fairytale, at least the part in which the fairies bestow blessings on the princess at her christening. In Novik's story, several fairies are invited to the birthday of lesser nobleman's daughter. The fairies (who are all very drunk) are taken aback when the shadowed fairy among them gives the child the blessings of ugliness and strength. The ending of this one was so good!

The anthology is made up of thirteen stories in all, a mix of fantasy and science fiction, and a great way to start off my Fantasy/Science Fiction Book Club year.

Accused of “promiscuity” in 1940s North Carolina, a young woman unjustly incarcerated and subjected to involuntary medical treatment at The State Industrial Farm Colony for Women decides to fight back in this powerful, shockingly timely novel based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, the government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century. [from the publisher]

I was having trouble choosing which e-book to read next and asked my daughter for help. I gave her the synopsis of three books, and she choose Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart (Kensington, 2026; Historical Fiction, 368 pgs). This book has received mostly good ratings as of the writing of this review. I wish I could say mine were among them, but I have come away from this book feeling it was just okay.

You can imagine that this was not an easy read subject matter wise. While I was aware of some aspects of this part of American history, I was not familiar with the American Plan itself. Originally a government program said to have been created to protect the military and naval forces against venereal diseases, it became a way for men to further control women's lives than they already did. If a husband was unhappy with his wife, she might be a good candidate for reform. So might the single women living in a boarding house together, an unwed pregnant girl, or a just the random independent single woman seen out on a date. Mrs. Dorothy Baker believes women like that are the perfect candidates for the farm colony and is determined to put these women on the right path. Women of a Promiscuous Nature is broken into three alternating narratives, that of Mrs. Baker, the superintendent of the farm colony, and two of its residents, Ruth and Stella.

Ruth is a confident and spirited woman. Her incarceration at the farm colony is clearly unjust. She had been seen on a date with a man, shared a kiss, and for that, was picked up on her way to work by a deputy, forced to have an invasive medical exam, and questionably diagnosed with a venereal disease, and taken straight to the farm colony with no chance to let her mother what had happened to her.

It was impossible not to sympathize with Stella given her situation. She was neglected by her parents and abused by her father who gets her pregnant. Unlike Ruth who wants to be anywhere but at the farm colony, Stella will do anything she can to ingratiate herself to Mrs. Baker, earn her approval, something she never got from any of the other adults in her life. Unlike most of the other women at the farm colony, Stella hopes she never has to leave.

Dorothy Baker's backstory is full of rejection; she wants nothing more than to be respected and to reform the women she supervises into the type of women she thinks they should be. She believes her intentions are pure, but from the first chapter, it seems clear to me that she lets her own hurt and anger guide her actions, even many years later. I appreciated that the author offers us Mrs. Baker's point of view, but I would be lying if I said I saw her as anything other than one of the villains in the book.

Of the side characters, Nurse Crawford was the most sympathetic among the staff of the farm colony. She seemed to care about the women although she was often complicit in what was done to them. Given her backstory though, it was easy to see why that might be. I was glad her character was fleshed out some because of the perspective her story had to offer. Of the residents, I would like to have gotten to know Frances Pratt more. She intrigued me and it was obvious there was more to her than met the eye.

Women of a Promiscuous Nature is not an easy read. It touches on a dark and not so long ago history in the United States about the treatment of women. Medical experimentation and procedures were performed on women without their knowledge and consent, being forced to work in what were basically labor camps, enduring cruel and harsh punishments, and being incarcerated indefinitely without trial or due process. This was not a new concept for controlling many marginalized populations, unfortunately. What is scary is that there are people in powerful positions today who likely wouldn't mind putting such a system back in place, asserting yet more control over the autonomy of women.

I had high hopes for this book. I would like to have seen Stella and especially Dorothy Baker grow as characters more. They might not have been in the same place they started physically, but on a psychological and self-awareness level, I was disappointed. I think I would have preferred to read a nonfiction book on this subject instead. Clearly, from the reviews, many people loved this book. So please don't take my word for it. This is a part of U.S. history that needs to be out in the open.

After reading Women of a Promiscuous Nature, I was in dire need of something the opposite of serious, and so I turned to Boyfriends. Volume Two by refrainbow (Webtoon Unscrolled, 2024; Romance, 306 pgs), a graphic novel. I read the first volume earlier in the month. This queer polyamorous graphic novel was even sweeter than the first. The four characters only known as Jock, Goth, Nerd, and Prep, are navigating their new relationship and college life among other things, and, in this edition, we also get to know the Girlfriends--who I hope will be around for future editions. I did not expect to enjoy this slice of life series as much as I do, but it makes for a nice escape for a short while.

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? If not, which ones appeal to you?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,

I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

1. Somehow my mother's plants are still alive. Mostly thanks to my husband who remembers to water them.

2. My husband and I put up a couple of bird feeders today. I made sure I could see them from my desk on my work from home days. I hope the birds come!

3. The Christmas decorations are finally all put away and my house is somewhat back to normal.

4. I love my new giraffe (and my mom's frog).

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

Weekly Mews: Tiptoeing into 2026 & Some Thoughts on My January Reading So Far

2026-01-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

Thank you to everyone for your kind words of comfort and condolences regarding my mom's passing. I wasn't able to get to everyone's comments, unfortunately, but perhaps I will yet. My winter holidays were relatively quiet. My brother and his wife were able to visit us in between Christmas and New Year's. It was just my husband, daughter and I for Christmas day, but we made the most of it and had a Lord of the Rings marathon. It was kind of nice not having to worry about entertaining anyone, but at the same time, we missed having my mom and Marty's mother and brother there to celebrate with us. New Year's Eve was not too eventful either. Just the three of us jamming together to our music as 2025 rolled into 2026.

I did not prepare a wrap up for this past year. I am not sure yet if I will. As the world around us descended into chaos and violence, books helped me cope and at times inspired me. I ended up reading 110 books; my last one being Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang read by David Tennant, which was as fun as it was funny. I couldn't help but picture Dick Van Dyke as I listened to David Tennant read (the movie and book are quite different, by the way--but both delightful).

I am not sure what this year will hold for any of us. The world seems so upside down. And, to be honest, my mental health is far from great. I hope to focus on that this year. Maybe get back into counseling, attend a grief support group, and focus on my overall health. In the meantime, I will continue to read for escape, to find comfort, to find and make connections, to learn and grow, to feel hope and be inspired, to explore other worlds, cultures and lifestyles, and, of course, for entertainment.

What have you been up to? I hope you are well!

My January reading is off to a good start. I have finished 5 books (see below under Bookish Mewsings) and currently am reading two others. I am reading A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James, a horror/thriller novel featuring three siblings who return to their abandoned home to find out what happened to their younger brother who had disappeared during a game of hide-n-seek years ago.

I am also reading Laura Imai Messina's The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World, translated by Lucy Rand. I am taking my time with this one, but I am loving it so far. While it is sad, it is also comforting. The novel is inspired by a real life phone booth in Ōtsuchi, Japan, where people from all over travel to speak on the (unconnected) wind phone to their loved ones who have passed on. Other wind phones have popped up in other places since.

What are you reading right now? Is it something you would recommend?

Years ago, after my father died, a fellow blogging friend recommended Nina Sankovitch's Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Magical Reading (Harper, 2011; Nonfiction/Memoir, 247 pgs). Although I added a copy to my TBR (books I own but haven't read), I did not make it a priority. However, now find myself gravitating more towards books about grief and loss, and the timing for Nina Sankovitch's book seemed right.

[...] life is hard, unfair, painful. But life is also guaranteed--one hundred percent, no doubt, no question--to offer unexpected and sudden moments of beauty, joy, love, acceptance, euphoria. The good stuff. It is our ability to recognize and then hold on to the moments of good stuff that allow us to survive, even thrive. And when we can share the beauty, hope is restored. [excerpt from 17 % of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair]

Nina devotes a year of her life to reading a book a day and documenting her experience during her 46th year, in honor of her sister, who shared her love of reading and who died at that same age. For so long, Nina had kept herself busy, not really letting herself sit with and process her grief. Tolstoy and the Purple Chair was about the books she read as much as it was about her journey that year, allowing herself to slow down, remember her sister, and rediscover the beauty of life.

[...] in that love which I carried forward, I would find forgiveness. [excerpt from 40% of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair]

And now I understood why it was important to read these books. Because being witness to all types of human experience is important to understanding the world, but also to understanding myself. To define what is important to me, and who is important, and why. [excerpt from 56% of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair]

Books are experience, the words of authors proving the solace of love, the fulfillment of family, the torment of war, and the wisdom of memory. Joy and tears, pleasure and pain: everything came to me while I read in my purple chair. I had never sat so still, and yet I experienced so much. [excerpt from 56% of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair]

I highlighted many quotes from Nina's memoir, excerpts that moved me in some way. I have only read about 15 of the 365 books she read that year, and only came away with a handful of titles of ones I have not read that I hope to one day. While our reading tastes might not line up exactly, I am glad I took the time to read the book. It is about more than just the books she read. I often felt a kinship with her in our shared love for reading and in using books to help us process some of what we are experiencing and feeling.

But the meaning of my life is ultimately defined by how I respond to the joys and the sorrows, how I forge crossbars of connection and experience, and how I extend to help others as they travel on their own winding road of existence. [excerpt from 88% of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair]

From an author of rare, haunting power, a stunning novel about a young African-American woman coming of age—a deeply felt meditation on race, sex, family, and country. [from the publisher]

Another book from my selection of books centering grief and loss was What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons (Viking, 2017; Fiction, 213 pgs). Thandi grew up in Pennsylvania, spending her summers with her mother's family in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has never quite felt like she belonged anywhere. Her life irrevocably changes when her mother is diagnosed with cancer followed by her eventual death.

This short novel with vignette style chapters reads quickly but holds lot of emotion within its cover. It took me couple or so chapters to settle into this one because of the unique formatting, admittedly, but once I did, this was a hard book to put down. I am having a difficult time finding the words to express my thoughts on this book, and I think that is because of the emotional impact it had for me. Zinzi Clemmons writes from the heart and her own personal experience, and it shows. She captures so well Thandi's struggles whether it be trying to fit in, figure out who she is, in her relationships as a friend, lover and daughter, and also in dealing with the loss of her mother and becoming a mother herself. The more I sit with this book, the more I appreciate it.

I'd made a list list of all the things I needed to apologize for, all the things I needed to tell her I forgive her for. But as I stood there with those mathematics in hand, the weight of the moment on me, I said nothing. And when I tried to speak, only tears came. The pain was exponential. Because as much as I cried, she could not comfort me, and this fact only multiplied my pain. I realized this would be my life; to figure out how to live without her hand on my back; her soft, accented English telling me Everything will be all right... [excerpt from pg 95 of What We Lose]

Loss is a straightforward equation: 2 - 1 = 1. A person is there, then she is not. But a loss is beyond numbers, as well as sadness, and depression, and guilt, and ecstasy, and hope, and nostalgia --all those emotions that experts tell us come along with death. Minus one person equals all of these, in unpredictable combinations. It is a sunny day that feels completely gray and laughter in the midst of sadness. It is utter confusion. It makes no sense. [excerpt from pgs 112-113 of What We Lose]

"[...] the worst times are when I wake up and I think, 'I have to call Mama to say hello.'"

I realized that was how heart break occurred. Your heart wants something, but reality resists it. Death is inert and heavy, and it has no relation to your heart's desires. [excerpt from pg 145 of What We Lose]

Alongside the heavier reads, I fit in a couple of more lighthearted books over the past two weeks. I read a graphic novel by refrainbow, Boyfriends. Vol 1 that came recommended. It is a lighthearted queer polyamorous romance. Perhaps not my usual reading fare, but a sweet and enjoyable read nonetheless. I also listened to the seventh Murderbot Diaries series book, System Collapse by Martha Wells, narrated by Kevin R. Free (Recorded Books, 2023; Science Fiction, 6h:36m). It is just a fun read all around, entertaining with high tension moments. I love this series. I started listening to the audiobooks last year and enjoy Kevin R. Free's narration very much. Even though they're not entirely human, I find Sec Unit (aka Murderbot) relatable as they navigates their way in a mostly human world.

A mesmerizingly beautiful novel based on real events, The House of Doors traces the fault lines of race, gender, sexuality, and power under empire, and dives deep into the complicated nature of love and friendship in its shadow. [from the publisher]

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng (Bloomsbury, 2023; Historical Fiction, 315 pgs) was this month's Cellar Door book club selection. This is my first book by Tan Twan Eng who is most known for his book The Garden of Evening Mists. The House of Doors is told from the point of view of two of the characters, Lesley Hamlyn and author “Willie” Somerset Maugham, and goes back and forth in time between 1910 and 1921, with brief visits in the prologue and epilogue to 1947, and is set mostly in the Straits Settlement of Penang. The novel begins with Lesley looking back on her life after receiving a package in the mail. She thinks back to 1921 when her husband's old friend, Willie, and his secretary visit them at Cassowary House, and the secrets that were revealed about a past which had shaped her.

"Where does a story begin, Willie?" I asked. For a while he did not say anything. Then he shifted in his chair. "Where does a wave on the ocean begin?" he said. "Where does it form a welt on the skin of the sea, to swell and expand and rush towards shore?" [excerpt from 32% of The House of Doors]

I did not know much about real life author and playwright, W. Somerset Maugham, whose short story and play "The Letter" was an inspiration for The House of Doors before reading this novel and doing a little research on Maugham after. Like his story in real life, the character of Willie had to hid his sexuality from the outside world. He had married for convenience to a woman who made him miserable and travels the world with his partner, Gerald, when he is able. When he arrives as Cassowary House, he is struggling with health and financial troubles. Despite his own issues--or perhaps because of them--Willie takes a special interest in learning more about Lesley, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own. Lesley, who has long held her secrets tightly to her chest, opens up to Willie, despite knowing what it could mean for her, that he will write about her story and how it could ruin her. And so she takes him back to 1910 and tells him a scandalous story, one about a Chinese revolution, affairs, and a high profile murder trial.

The writing is beautiful, and the way the author layered varying time periods and narratives was well done. I can see why Tan Twan Eng's books are highly regarded. He does not hide the warts of his characters, their flaws and vulnerabilities. They're very human and their lives messy, their weaknesses and hypocrisy on display. They were not always likeable, but I could understand where they were coming from. I loved the descriptions of Pengang. Tan Twan Eng creates a strong sense of place not just with the location and time periods, but also in his writing about the culture and colonialism hierarchy, particularly when it came to class and race.

I feel like I should have loved this book for all of that, and yet I find I did not. That is not to say I did not like it, because I did. I just didn't love it the way I would have expected. It took me awhile to get into the novel, it's pacing was slow initially; and while I finally was pulled in after awhile, I never felt fully engaged with the characters and their stories. I am not sure why exactly. Did I want more self-awareness on their parts; did their hypocrisy make me too uncomfortable; was there not enough conflict? Perhaps a little of all of those things. It turns out I was the only one in the book club who didn't absolutely love this one. Still, I am interested in trying other books by this author as there was much I did like about this book.

A moth flaked down from the rafters and settled on the sheets. I reached out to brush it away, but Arthur stayed my hand.

"Don't harm it," he said. They're the souls of the people we once loved, come back to visit us, to watch over us." [excerpt from 72% of The House of Doors]

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think? If not, which ones appeal to you?

Books for Christmas always make for welcome presents under the tree. Add in holiday gift cards for bookish shopping sprees and, well, what could make a booklover happier?

Dear Manny (Dear Martin #3) by Nic Stone

100 Poems That Matter

It's Okay That You're Not Okay by Megan Devine

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem (Ladies Most Scandalous #1) by Manda Collins

Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber

What Owls Know: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman

Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines

Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy

Wild For Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane by Devoney Looser

Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,

I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

One of my former coworkers gave me a calendar book this year as a gift and I have turned it into a sort of gratitude journal. I accidentally skipped a couple days so far, but I have been good about keeping to it so far otherwise. It's a good way to end my day.

I was accepted into a four part anti-racism summit for work that I am excited to be a part of. I attended the first session this past week.

I've decided to lighten up my family room and recently purchased new couch and chair covers to help with that. I found a place for my grandmother's rocking chair and it's become Gracie's new favorite place to sit. Nina likes to lay down under it.

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

Weekly Mews: Playing Catch Up

2025-11-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

I had no intention of taking a blogging break, much less such a long one. My mom fell ill on the 28th of September, and, on October 1st, she passed away. My brother and his wife were able to drive down in time to spend her last days with her, and we were all at her bedside. It has been an extremely difficult two months as I work on getting her affairs in order and struggle with the grief. My mom and I were close, especially these last few years after she moved to be closer to my family. She was a frequent reader of my blog, although she never commented. I have a feeling it will be January before I attempt to jump back into blogging more regularly.

Amidst dealing with my mom's affairs, marching band and color guard season was in full swing during October and November, and so my time was also taken up by chauffeuring Mouse to rehearsals and volunteering at and attending her weekly competitions. Whoever said marching band season was intense was not lying. The kids put on a wonderful field show. Mouse also participated in a few of the parade review competitions. Although I think the end of the season comes with some sadness for her, there is also a lot of relief to finally have it behind her.

For the Thanksgiving weekend, we made the trip to Utah to visit with my husband's mom and brother. It was a fairly lowkey holiday. It did not turn out to be nearly as cold as we expected, thankfully. For those who celebrated, I hope you had a nice one!

September, October, and November Reads

My reading has suffered for obvious reasons, but it has also proved to be a distraction when I needed one the most.

Books Read in September

Tuesdays with Morrie written and narrated by Mitch Albom

A Silence in Belgrave Square (Below Stairs Mysteries #8) by Jennifer Ashley

Sweep With Me (Innkeeper Chronicles #4.5) by Ilona Andrews

Small Island by Andrea Levy

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, narrated by Michael Urie & Marin Ireland

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, narrated by Adepero Oduye

Lady Susan by Jane Austen, narrated by Denis Daly, Catherine Bilson, & Linda Barrans

September started off strong for me reading wise. It was nice to dive back into two of my favorite series, the Below Stairs Mysteries and the Innkeeper Chronicles. While Small Island was a slow read, I ended up loving it. The Midnight Feast, the month's mystery book club selection, was a bit of a disappointment and, while I enjoyed My Sister, the Serial Killer, I wasn't as taken with it as I hoped (I loved the narrator though!). I enjoyed both Tuesdays with Morrie and Lady Susan. My favorite read of September was Remarkably Bright Creatures. It was such a delightful read that felt like a much needed warm hug.

Books Read in October

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett, narrated by Andrew Fallaize (re-read)

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James, narrated by Robin Miles

My Fantasy/Science Fiction book club read The Tainted Cup in October, and although I had read a print version earlier in the year, I decided to give the audiobook a try just to refresh my memory. It kept me company as I began packing up my mom's house. Although late, I also finished reading The Bewitching, September's TBR Poll winner, and have to say it was the perfect read for the season with its Gothic elements and witch folklore tie-in. My favorite book read in October, however, was The Book of Night Women, which I had been putting off for quite some time. I listened to the audiobook at the recommendation of a fellow blogger and have no regrets other than wishing I could have highlighted a few quotes that particularly moved me. It might seem odd that I chose such a heartbreaking historical novel about slavery and plantation life after my mom's death, but the idea of picking up something light just did not appeal to me in those early days as I continued to pack up her house, and so I went in the opposite direction. It is such a powerful novel.

Books Read in November

Demons of Good and Evil (The Hollows #17) by Kim Harrison

Apprentice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #2) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, narrated by Em Eldridge

Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries #3) by Martha Wells, narrated by Kevin R. Free

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World, Vol. 1 by Oumiya, Reiko Sakurada, Kyouka Izumi

The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World, Vol. 2 by Oumiya, Reiko Sakurada, Kyouka Izumi

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, Vol. 1 by Jinushi

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 1 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe

Merry Witches' Life: Three Widows of Berlebagille, Vol. 1 by Menota

I thought maybe revisiting favorite characters by picking up the next Hollows book might help me find comfort, and it did--somewhat. I followed it up with the audiobook of Apprentice to a Villain, which was a fun escape. I continue to enjoy the Murderbot Diaries. Murderbot is such a great and unique character. I loaded up on manga for the long drive to and from Utah over the Thanksgiving holiday. My daughter had been wanting me to try the Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World, thinking I might enjoy it. And I did very much! I also read the first volume of Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, at the recommendation of my husband and tried out Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, which was recommended by a fellow book club member. Merry Witches' Life was cute, and I look forward to reading more in the series. My favorite November read though was A Drop of Corruption, the second in the Shadow of the Leviathan fantasy series, with its immersive world building and multi-layered mystery.

What have I missed these past couple months? What are some of your recent favorites?

I wondered if perhaps I was leaning on the comfort reads a little too hard when I first began reading A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, but I am thoroughly enjoying it now.

I also am reading a book my mom recommended to me this past summer (and bought a copy of for her community library and gave another copy as a gift to a friend--that's how much she liked it) called Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers' Rights. Oh, how I wish she was alive so we could discuss it! I can see why she liked it so much and thought I would too.

What are you reading right now?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,

I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

1. As much as my brother wanted to help with packing up my mom's house, planning her memorial service, and dealing with other necessary tasks, there was only so much he could do from a distance. I was feeling overwhelmed by it all. A couple of her neighbors offered to help with the memorial service planning, taking a huge weight off my shoulders and giving me the opportunity to focus on the more pressing matter of packing up my mom's house and being out before the end of the month. I cannot tell you what a blessing they and others in her community have been these last couple months. My mother was well liked and active in her community, and her friends paid it forward by being there for me and my family. I am so grateful to them for their support.

2. My brother and I have become closer over the past two months. Not unusual given the circumstances, I suppose--death of loved one can do that. I am grateful we have each other to lean on.

3. Mouse auditioned for the spring high school musical and is excited she was cast in the show. Seeing her so happy makes me happy.

Mom and Allie

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

© 2025, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Where Is Your Bookmark? [September 26th Edition]

2025-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

One of my current reads, The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, is everything I hoped it would be so far. Let's take a peek!

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by Gillion of Rose City Reader. Also linking to First Line Friday hosted by Carrie of Reading is My Super Power.

Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches. That was what Nana Alba used to say when she told Minerva bedtime stories; it was the preamble that led into a realm of shadows and mysteries. [opening of The Bewitching]

This is the kind of opening that makes me fall instantly in love with a book.

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

"It was here," Alba said, and pulled the curtains open. "In the trees. It was floating there. It woke me. It screamed."

"An owl?" her mother asked.
"No, although it was noisy as one. It glowed. It burned."

They looked out the window. There was no wind to make the branches of the trees shiver, no whisper from the treetops. The moon lay hidden behind clouds. It was so dark outside that even if someone had been holding a lantern it might have been difficult to glimpse in the trees.

[excerpt from 56% of The Bewitching]

I am not here yet in the book, so this was a bit of a spoiler for me. I cannot wait to get to this scene though. What does Alba see out her window? Is it a witch? A ghost? Whatever it is, it's not something we would prefer not be there.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved. [Publisher's Summary]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy reading? 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 fictional character do you wish were a real person?

*I decided to pull characters from books I have read this year to make it easier on myself.*

I would love to hang out with Joe in their Misty Divine persona or even just Joe, and please can Miles, their adoring partner, come too? These Murder in a Dressing Room characters from Holly Stars cozy mystery seem like such a nice pair. They would not mind that I am on the quiet side and would be such fun to hang out with, whether it's light-hearted fun or for serious conversation.

Lindsay from Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller also comes to mind. Maybe she would be willing to help me spread some banned book love in the local little libraries around my area. Her mom, Beverly, seems like a great person too. Considering their fictional world isn't too different than reality, I imagine they would fit right in.

We all need a Vera Wong in our life. Jesse Sutanto's character from her Vera Wong series may get into mischief a lot, but she has a big heart and a way of bringing people who together, especially those who need a helping hand or a friend the most.

And just because, I am going to throw Marcellus from Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures in there too. Because we all need an especially intelligent octopus in our lives.

Is there a fictional character you wish was a real person?

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Do you ever get strange looks from strangers while browsing the book aisle in department stores? What do you think is going through their minds?

The department stores I shop at these days do not carry books. You are more likely to find me browsing bookshelves in one of the many local bookstores, and, there, most people, like myself, are too engrossed in their own bookish wanderings (and wonderings) to give anyone else much thought. There are occasions when I see someone pick up a book I have read and I consider speaking up, telling them how much I liked it, but I chicken out. One time a fellow bookstore customer paused in her browsing to highly recommend a manga my daughter and I were debating getting. Then there was the time a gentleman asked me what drew me to the display of diverse books, if I had read any of them, and that turned into a friendly discussion. I also remember an instance when I was looking over a table of books with sprayed edges, and a salesclerk asked me if it was the edges I liked or the genre displayed. I told her it was more about the genre for me, and she said it was the same for her. So no strange looks, but there have been moments of bonding over books. More often than not, I pay more attention to the books than the people around me.

Have you ever gotten strange looks while looking at books in the bookstore? Do you ever recommend books to other customers or have they recommended any to you?

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

Weekly Mews: Bookish Mewsings (Remarkably Bright Creatures & The Midnight Feast)

2025-09-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

I did not make much progress in Nikki Payne's Pride and Prejudice this past week as I was more focused on getting my Mystery book club selection finished in time. I just started The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, this month's TBR List Poll pick, and am enjoying it.

What are you reading right now?

This past week I finished two books. Let's take a look!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, narrated by Marin Ireland & Michael Urie
(Harper Audio, 2022; 11hrs 16min)

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late. [from the Publisher]

This book felt like a big warm hug. I loved every minute of the audiobook. It was sweet and charming, but not overly so. I was not sure what to expect going in. I did think Marcellus, the octopus, might play a bigger role but then was relieved that he did not. It felt more natural the way author Shelby Van Pelt incorporates his role into Tova and Cameron's lives. Odd thing to say, I suppose, given he has anthropomorphic characteristics, but it works. Both Tova and Cameron have come to crossroads in their lives. Tova is getting older and continues to struggle with her grief over her lost son and the more recent death of her husband. Her job as a cleaner at the aquarium means everything to her, but when she falls and is put on medical leave, she feels more alone and unmoored. Then there is Cameron, a listless man who cannot hold down a job and recently broke up with his girlfriend. He leaves his home in Modesto, heading north to Washington state in search for the father he never knew, and ends up taking a job at the aquarium as a temporary replacement for Tova to make ends meet. In his own way, Marcellus tries to bring these two lost souls together in his effort to heal his friend Tova's heart.

Marcellus is a great character (and I loved the narrator who voiced him), but I think my favorite was Ethan, the grocery store owner, who knew everyone's business and loved rock music. He wasn't so much a busybody, it seemed to me, but rather someone who cared about those in his community. I liked the way he took Cameron, a complete stranger, under his wing. Luckily, Cameron wasn't one to take advantage of that kindness.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is full of heart. Well-written with characters that felt real and I came to love. Grief and loss do not completely disappear no matter how much time passes, and I appreciated how the author gets that point across through her characters--not in a harsh way but in a gentle one. In some ways, the novel was predictable. The outcome was obvious early on, but I was completely okay with that. This is the story I needed right now, and I am so glad I finally decided to give it a try.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
(William Morrow, 2014, 320 pgs)

Secrets. Lies. Murder. Let the festivities begin...

It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka, and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.

But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered. [from the Publisher]

I do not think anyone in my Mystery book club expected a lengthy discussion about this month's selection, The Midnight Feast, but we all seemed to have a lot to say. Opinions were mixed: from one person who really liked it, another who said it was better the second time but still felt meh about it, a couple of people who didn't like it at all, and then those of us mostly liked it, but did not love it. I fall into that latter camp.

The novel is told from the perspective of several different characters, jumping back and forth in time from before the Solstice to during and after, which in someone else's hands may not have worked so effectively. Lucy Foley gives each of her characters distinct voices, and the weaving of the timelines adds to the building tension. The author's depiction of wealth inequity, the class differences, and the seduction money and power can have over people, stood out for me in the lives and motivations of each of her characters. Francesca is determined the opening of her elite resort, once her grandparents' estate, will go perfectly and she will make sure it does at all costs, even as the secrets of the past threaten to cast a shadow over it all. Francesca's husband, Owen, will do anything to make Francesca happy, but he also has secrets of his own. Eddie, the son of a local farmer, is working at the resort without his parents' knowledge, knowing they would not approve. The resort is bringing nothing but heartache to the local community, encroaching on their livelihoods, and threatening their woods and beaches. There is the perfect assistant, Michelle; Bella, a guest with an agenda of her own, and DI Walker, who is called in to investigate a suspicious death. And these are just the main characters. There were several side characters who also play a prominent part in in the novel.

I struggled to get into The Midnight Feast initially. The writing did not grab me and I worried that it was just too dark for me at this point in time. While I found the characters to be be on the one dimensional side, I really liked the way the plot points came together. The author kind of hints at a supernatural element related to the a local superstition of the Birds. Whether that proves true or not--well, you will have to read the book for yourself to find out. I will say that I found the way everything comes together during the final third of the book very satisfying, even if things go a bit off the rails. I was fully engaged at that point.

A monthly feature in which I l share the books I read this month ten years ago.

(Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like)

The titles are linked to my original reviews of each book when available.

Looking back over my reading in September 2015:

The Demon's Librarian by Lilith Saintcrow is such a great title, don't you think? It was one of a few Lilith Saintcrow's books I read that year, and while not my favorite of the bunch, I did enjoy it.

Next there was My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman. I was surprised I gave it a 3.5 rating instead of a 4 (it's Fredrik Backman, for goodness sake), but, then again, in reading my thoughts from then, I remember why. Still, I found it to be heartwarming while at the same time heartbreaking.

When I think of The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig, it is less about the book, admittedly, and more about the fact that it was the first book my daughter had a hand in picking out for me as a gift (with the help of my husband, of course). Drama, romance, a hint of mystery make up this historical novel set in the Jazz age. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Bearing It All by Vonnie Davis is the third in the Highlander's Beloved paranormal romance trilogy, of which I liked the first two books more (especially the second book, A Highlander's Passion). This third book pushed me past my ability to suspend my disbelief, I'm afraid, but I still look back fondly on this bear shifter trilogy.

Do you remember what you were reading ten years ago? Have you read any of these books, and if so, what did you think?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,

I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

1. Whenever Mouse has an orthodontist appointment in the afternoons, we often will stop in at the mall and wander around. One of those times was this past week. We had such a fun time! She let me read some of her writing over pretzels and drinks, and we chatted about school and whatever else that came to mind.

2. Nina may not be the most affectionate cat, but she does like to hang out in the same room with is. Here she has her eyes covered with her paws as she naps in the family room as I read.

3. Tonight was the school marching band and color guard barbecue and open house for family and friends. It was a fun time. The kids played for us and performed the first song from their field show. Everyone was invited to stay for the rest of the rehearsal after if we wanted to, and while a lot of people left, many stayed as well. My mom, Anjin, and I had already planned on staying, so got to see them rehearse the second song of their three song field show. I am always impressed with how the choreography comes together, with so many moving parts (or people, as the case may be).

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

Where Is Your Bookmark? [September 19th Edition]

2025-09-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

This week I thought I would feature my latest book, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I pulled the quotes from the print copy I own, but I was more in the mood to listen to it in audio format, so checked the audiobook out from the library. I had put off picking this one up, worried it might be a little too over the top with an octopus as a character. As it turns out though, it was just what I needed.

Darkness suits me. [opening of Remarkably Bright Creatures]

Sometimes all it takes is a three word sentence to leave me wanting more, and this is one of those instances. On its own, there is no real context, but it's piqued my interest just enough.

She feels a scowl cross her face now, watching this young fellow pick up a pair of fallen canisters and return them to the shelf, not seeming to care that he's placed them upside down. For the last two weeks, Barb Vanderhoof and Ethan Mack and their ilk have been churning the rumor mill with their talk of the fellow from California, the homeless man, who had taken her place. But Cameron has clean fingernails and nice, white teeth. And he's well versed in the works of Shakespeare, apparently. He has promised to keep her secret, and for some reason she can't quite identify, she likes him. She might even trust him.

He is not what she expected. [excerpt from Remarkably Bright Creatures, page 179]

Rumors can run rampant in small towns, but they are not always true, or at least, do not always tell the entire story.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible. [from the Publisher]

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

What would you do if you won the lottery?

My answer is less than glamourous and not very altruistic, I confess. And it would depend on whether I won a little pocket money or the biggest prize ever. If the latter, I would pay off any debt (namely my mortgage and the car), set aside money for my daughter's education and perhaps some for close relatives and friends in need. I would not mind doing a bit of traveling, but mostly, I would want to set up a fund of some sort that would allow me to live comfortably (no mansions or expensive cars or anything fancy) for the rest of my life. Though, a cottage in a remote forest near a lake sounds really good about now . . . But if I only win a little pocket money? I would treat my family to lunch--or ice cream, if that's all it would buy.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Do you know more than one language? If so, do you read books published in other countries?

Sadly, I am a monolinguist. I know a little Spanish but not enough to get by. I might be able to read an early reader children's book in Spanish that was published in another country thanks to my high school and college Spanish classes, but that would be about it. I have not actually tried though. Books translated into English are a different story. I have read and enjoyed those! I have great respect for those of you who speak and read in multiple languages. It is such a useful skill to have.

What about you?

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

Weekly Mews: Bookish Mewsings and a September Birthday

2025-09-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

This week, I finally finished reading Small Island by Andrea Levy. I was a little disappointed that no confetti fell from above when I read the last line. I also was able to fit in Sweep With Me (Innkeeper Chronicles #4.5) by Ilona Andrews.

I currently am reading The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley for my upcoming Mystery book club meeting and Nikki Payne's Pride and Protest.

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).

Thank you to everyone who voted in this month's TBR List Poll! The winning book stayed in the lead all week, although it was a close contest.

The two books that did not win were tied most of the week, but Murder at the Wham Bam Club (Psychics & Soul Food Mystery #1) by Carolyn Marie Wilkins came in second with six (6) votes in the end, with Zomromcom (Supernatural Entanglements #1) by Olivia Dade receiving four (4) votes. Winning with seven (7) votes is The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! I enjoyed Mexican Gothic by Moreno-Garcia and look forward to reading The Bewitching this month.

Thank you for voting!

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom
(Random House Audio, 1997; 3hr, 51m)
Source: Library

Am I the only parent who, upon hearing my daughter is reading a book for a class that I haven't read yet, picks up said book to read too? I have not done this every time (I still haven't gotten around to reading Holes) but I did reread The Outsiders last year because she was reading it in class. And this quarter, I decide to read Tuesdays with Morrie since she was reading it for school, especially since my library had a copy of the audiobook I could borrow.
Maybe it was a grandparent, or a teacher, or a colleague. Someone older, patient and wise, who understood you when you were young and searching, helped you see the world as a more profound place, gave you sound advice to help you make your way through it.
Mitch Albom had not seen his college professor Morrie Schwartz for almost twenty years, but when he saw an interview of him on television in which Morrie talked about his Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) diagnosis, Mitch decided to reach out to Morrie. The two began meeting regularly on Tuesdays, Mitch armed with his recorder to capture every word of Morrie's lessons on how to live. Morrie knew he was going to die but was not done teaching. His words, in part thanks to Mitch's memoir, would go on to inspire and offer comfort to generations of people, young and old.

The memoir, Tuesdays With Morrie, is sad in that it documents the final months of Morrie's life through Mitch's eyes (Lou Gehrig's Disease is cruel). But it is also an inspiring story. Morrie had so much life and was so positive up until the end, even as he struggled to eat and could no longer care for himself. Mitch shares a little bit about his own experience, seeing his mentor deteriorate before him, but does not linger on those aspects long.

In the afterward of the 25th anniversary edition of the book, Mitch Albom explains that he wrote the book to help pay for Morrie's medical costs. The book ends with audio clips from conversations Mitch had with Morrie. It was very moving, hearing Morrie share some of his lessons in his own words.

My daughter's class is still working their way through this short memoir, and so she has not voiced an opinion on her reading experience yet. I look forward to hearing what she takes away from it when she is finished with it.

"Be compassionate," Morrie whispered. "And take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those lessons, this world would be so much better a place."

He took a breath, then added his mantra: "Love each other or die." [excerpt from Tuesday with Morrie]

A Silence in Belgrave Square (A Below Stairs Mystery #8) by Jennifer Ashley
(Berkley, 2025; 311 pgs)
Source: Thank you to the publisher for sending me a e-copy via NetGalley for an honest review

I settled right into Jennifer Ashley's 8th book of the Below Stairs mystery series and it felt like coming home. This is by far one of my favorite historical mystery series. I am very attached to the characters and enjoy every moment spent with them, and this time was no different.
Valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must uncover the secrets of Victorian London’s most elite noblemen to save the man she loves.
It is not like Daniel McAdam to be so open with Kat about his upcoming mission, but with the stakes so high, Daniel hopes Kat will realize just how dangerous the situation is and stay far away. This is supposed to be his last mission for his boss, whose relationship with Daniel is contentious at best. Daniel should know better than assume warning away Kat will have any effect. But then again, he probably does know she will not be able to help herself. Kat enlists the help of an old friend to keep an eye on Daniel in a way she cannot. In the meantime, Kat has her own job as head cook to worry about, not to mention those blackmail letters that several of her friends and colleagues have been receiving. With a blackmailer to catch, a threat against the Crown to thwart, and now a murderer to catch (because there indeed was a murder), Kat and Daniel have their work cut out for them.

I especially enjoy seeing Kat put her connections to good use in getting into places and finding the answers she seeks. She's resourceful and well-respected among many across different classes. She doesn't see herself as better than those whose situation is not as good as her own. She knows all too well what it is like to be down on one's luck. In A Silence in Belgrave Square, we're reminded of some of those strong loyal friends Kat has made, whether it's them putting their trust in her, doing her a favor, or looking out for her.

Kat and Daniel's relationship through the series has been a slow burn romance, which I have enjoyed seeing unfold. The ever mysterious Daniel clearly adores Kat and will do anything for her. Even Grace, Kat's daughter has come to enjoy Daniel's visits when the three of them are able to be together. We have watched Grace grow over the course of the novels. She's growing into quite the young lady.

A Silence in Belgrave Square is full of moments that made me sigh in delight and gasp in concern as trouble came. This book felt like a turning point in the series, and I am eager to see the direction the author will take her characters in future books.

Sweep with Me (Innkeeper Chronicles #4.5) by Ilona Andrews
(NYLA, 2020; 146 pgs)
Source: Own TBR

I feel like I am spoiling myself, reading books in two of my favorite series back to back. The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews is my favorite of this husband and wife writing team's books. In my dream life, I would be an Innkeeper to a sentient and magical house like Gertrude Hunt too.

It is Dina Demille who is, in fact, Innkeeper of Gertrude Hunt, a bed and breakfast in Red Deer Texas, along with her wolf shapeshifter boyfriend, Sean Evans. Gertrude Hunt is one of several special inns that serve as safe havens and portals between worlds. Treaty Stay is a special holiday for Innkeepers, one that celebrates the ancient treaty that united the Inns and set the rules for the Inns in an effort to protect them, their intergalactic guests, and those on Earth, most of whom are unaware of the planets and worlds beyond their knowledge. This time of year, on Treaty Stay, Innkeepers are unable to turn away guests, and so it is with open, however reluctant, arms Dina and Sean welcome their latest guests, and, of course, everything goes array. Or, at least some things do. Seeing Dina in her element is one of my favorite parts of the series. She has to put out several fires, get creative in helping her guests find solutions to their problems, including her own chef Orro, who loses faith in himself when he cannot make a fast food hamburger taste as bad as the real thing. Then there is the human determined to get into Gertrude Hunt to confront one of Dina's more distinguished guests--the lengths his hired help go through and the trouble they face was quite entertaining! Dina has her own worries, concerned that her connection with Gertrude Hunt is not as strong as it once was. Sweep with Me was full of humorous moments (space chickens, anyone?) and several touching ones too. I hated that Sweep with Me was so short. I am never ready to leave Dina's world.

Small Island by Andrea Levy
(Picador, 2004; 441 pgs)
Source: Own TBR

Although I was not able to read Small Island with my Historical Fiction book club in June, I decided I still wanted to read it on my own. Now I wish I could go back in time and attend the meeting because there is so much to discuss!
Hortense Joseph arrives in London from Jamaica in 1948 with her life in her suitcase, her heart broken, her resolve intact. Her husband, Gilbert Joseph, returns from the war expecting to be received as a hero, but finds his status as a black man in Britain to be second class. His white landlady, Queenie, raised as a farmer's daughter, befriends Gilbert, and later Hortense, with innocence and courage, until the unexpected arrival of her husband, Bernard, who returns from combat with issues of his own to resolve.
Told in these four voices, Small Island is a courageous novel of tender emotion and sparkling wit, of crossings taken and passages lost, of shattering compassion and of reckless optimism in the face of insurmountable barriers---in short, an encapsulation of the immigrant's life.
I confess I was not sure I would finish this book at first. The slow pacing combined with a character I did not connect with right away made me doubtful this would be a book I would enjoy, but then it happened and I was invested and found my heart aching for these characters, each with their own struggles, disappointments, and heartaches. The novel takes the reader back and forth in time, before World War II, during the war, and after, jumping back and forth as we get to know each of the four main characters.

Hortense and Gilbert Joseph hope for a better life in England, the "Mother Country," when they emigrate from Jamaica. Hortense has dreams of living in a big house with a real door bell and getting a job as a teacher. Gilbert wants to be a lawyer. The reality of their situation hits them full force when they arrive (separately) in London, trading life on one "small" island for another. Not only do they face the struggle of putting together a life in a new place with doors closed in their face and opportunities limited, but also with the classism and racism of a society that looks down on them because of their situation and color of their skin. Hortense especially has a hard time adjusting, her expectations of a better life dashed and being completely unprepared. While Gilbert may have been my favorite character through most of the novel, Hortense stands out as my favorite now that I have finished it. I did not care for her much at first, I admit, finding her haughty and somewhat dismissive, but the more I got to know her, instead I saw an unfaltering confident and courageous woman.

Queenie and Bernard Bligh, white and privileged, offer their own perspectives of life during a tumultuous time in English history. Queenie is a particularly interesting character, a farmer's daughter, who gladly left that behind to live in the city. She married Bernard more for security and stability than love, I feel. I got the impression she was always wanting more out of her life, never quite satisfied and is often lonely. During the war, she helps families who have been displaced from the bombings in London and later takes in boarders to help with the bills during her husband's long absence during and after the war. Her neighbors are not too keen on the idea that she takes in Black boarders, but Queenie does not care. And then there is her husband. Bernard's experiences in the war have left him with many deep scars. He seemed to be the most stuck and the least likeable of the characters. He clearly has some deep-seated prejudice against non-whites.

Andrea Levy's Small Island is a multi-layered and thoughtful book that is at times subtle and other times more hard hitting. Having the four different perspectives only enhanced this nuanced novel. There was much sadness in this novel given the struggles and hardships the characters faced, but there is also hope, even when things seem impossible.

"Listen to me, man, we both just finish fighting a war - a bloody war - for the better world we wan' see. And on the same side - you and me. We both look on other men to see enemy. You and me, fighting for empire, fighting for peace. But still, after all that we suffer together, you wan' tell me I am worthless and you are not. Am I to be the servant and you are the master for all time? No. Stop this man. Stop it now. We can work together, Mr. Bligh. You no see? We must. Or else you just gonna fight me till the end." [excerpt from Small Island]

If you have ready any of these, I would like to know your thoughts! Do any of them sound like books you would like to read?

This week every year is always a mix of joy and sadness. There's my birthday (yay!), followed by the anniversaries of the deaths of my grandmother and my father. Let's focus on the good stuff:

1. A nice birthday lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory with my family (my mom, husband and daughter)! We also stopped by the bookstore and mall (Mouse needed new shoes) before heading home.

Gifts from my mom:

Shakespeare playing cards, a reading journal, and bookish-themed socks!

No picture of the bird feeder as we still need to put it together

2. My husband and daughter surprised me with an ice cream birthday cake on my actual birthday. My favorite kind of cake (mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate cake)!

3. Being able to open the windows and enjoy a breeze coming through the house Friday morning. In the early evening I was able to open them again, and enjoyed listening to my neighbor's music filtering in. My work day was done and I enjoyed being in that moment.

What have you been up to this past week?

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

Where Is Your Bookmark? [September 12th Edition]

2025-09-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I did not make my Diverse Romance Book Club this week nor did I finish this month's selection. It wasn't the books fault. Time got away from me. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite Austen novels, and I have been looking forward to reading Nikki Payne's Pride and Protest.

A red light blipped on the top left of the control board. Liza B. had a caller. "Hello and good evening. You are live with Liza B., the only DJ who gives a jam. Tell me what's on your mind . . . " [opening of Pride and Protest]

I used to listen to the radio more than I do now, especially on my commute into work in the mornings or in the evenings on my way home. So, there's a bit of nostalgia for me in this first paragraph from my current read. This opening introduces the reader to the heroine of the story, Liza.

"You know what your problem is?"

Dorsey pulled the door open wider, nudging her to exit the stairwell.
"You mean besides being a friendless, vain sociopath?" he offered wearily.
"Oh wait, I actually think that covers it." Liza snapped. Where is that smoldering man from just two minutes ago? [excerpt from Pride and Protest, page 89]

Pride and protest seem to be fitting adjectives to describe both Dorsey and Liza. They spend an awful lot of time verbally sparring, but there is a definite attraction there.

Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne

A woman goes head-to-head with the CEO of a corporation threatening to destroy her neighborhood in this fresh and modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by debut author Nikki Payne.

Liza B.--the only DJ who gives a jam--wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly--but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she'll settle for getting him out of her head.

At first, Dorsey writes off Liza Bennett as more interested in performing outrage than acting on it. As the adopted Filipino son of a wealthy white family, he's always felt a bit out of place and knows a fraud when he sees one. But when Liza's protest results in a viral meme, their lives are turned upside down, and Dorsey comes to realize this irresistible revolutionary is the most real woman he's ever met. [From the Publisher]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy reading? Do you enjoy reading re-tellings of the classics?

What’s your favorite room in your house?

My library with its cozy couches, front window with the view of my trees, and my many bookshelves of books.

One corner of my library

What is your favorite room in your house?

Are there any books that are considered terrible but you love?

This would be a much easier question for me to answer if we were talking about movies. I tried using my Goodreads ratings to see if there were any four or five start books on my list that were poorly rated, but that was not much help. The differences in ratings didn't fall into the "terrible" category. I am sure there are many books I have loved that others (including some of you) find terrible or just plain did not like. I look forward to seeing which books you list--and maybe I'll find some there that could have gone on a list of my own!

What about you?

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

Weekly Mews: August Wrap Up & September is Here (Please Vote in My TBR Poll!)

2025-09-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

Books Read in August

I was able to fit in 8 books this past month. It was another heavy book club month, which was not a surprise. I managed to attend all five of my book clubs!

I shared my bookish mewsings on the four books I read the first part of the month. You can find those thoughts here.

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

Trouble with the Cursed (The Hollows #16) by Kim Harrison

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, narrated by Aaliya Warbus and Jordan Waunch

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers, narrated by Kitty Parker

The second half of month included a mix of historical fiction, a classic and a mystery/thriller:

A Queer Case (The Selby Bigge Mysteries #1) by Robert Holtom

The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, narrated by Lynnette R. Freeman

Kills Well With Others (Killers of a Certain Age #2) by Deanna Raybourn

1984 by George Orwell, narrated by Simon Prebble

A Queer Case (The Selby Bigge Mysteries #1) by Robert Holtom

(Titan Books, 2025; 320 pgs)

A gripping 1920s-set whodunnit, this debut features a queer sleuth who must solve a murder in a mansion on London’s Hampstead Heath without revealing his sexuality, lest he be arrested as a criminal.

Author Robert Holtom pays homage to the Golden Age of detective fiction in A Queer Case about a bank clerk who gets himself entangled in the family drama of an old college chum and crush. Selby makes due with loveless trysts while what he really longs for is a meaningful relationship. When Patrick, the son of a banking millionaire, asks for his help, Selby sees it as an opportunity to get closer to his old friend. Patrick is sure his father's new wife is a gold-digger and wants Selby to help him prove it. Selby steps into the world of money and privilege, where everything is not quite as perfect as it seems. The next thing he knows, Selby is at the center of a murder investigation. And everyone's a suspect.

A Queer Case was the mystery book club selection for August, and while the feedback was mixed, most everyone enjoyed it. It is a mystery that does not take itself too seriously on the one hand, with humor and nods to Golden Age mysteries; and on the other, the novel offers the reader a glimpse into the struggles Selby, a gay man in 1929 London, experiences. Being queer is not only strongly frowned upon, it was illegal at the time. His trying to keep his sexuality a secret while uncovering the secrets of those he suspects of murder is quite the challenge. I read an interview with the author in which he mentioned wanting to create a character who was not weighed down by shame or self-loathing but who celebrates his queerness, and Holtom succeeds there. Holtom also includes a character who is the opposite of those things, one who hates themselves and feels deep shame. I liked that the author included both portrayals, each from contrasting perspectives.

I loved Selby's energy and he seems like a genuinely well-meaning and nice person. But my favorite character of the novel was Theodora/Theo. Actually, she/he was the favorite of my entire mystery reading group, and we all hope will be a regular character in future books. Smart, charming, and a good influence on Selby. They kind of keep him grounded, I think. Oh, and there's also Octavia Stubbs, crime writer, who I have to mention. She has only bad things to say about her contemporary, Agatha Christie, which was hilarious. I thought this was a fun addition, given how Agatha Christie was Holtom's, who is a Christie fan, inspiration.

A Queer Case was an entertaining read overall. It's a fairly quick read. I ended up giving it a 3 paw rating, meaning that I thought it was good (liked it). I cannot quite put my finger on what it was that was a miss for me; perhaps it did not pull me in as much as I would have liked or the characters weren't as fleshed out as I generally prefer. I think both. It was a fun time though, and I am glad I read it.

The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, narrated by Lynnette R. Freeman

(One World, 2024; 9hrs 56m)

A gripping historical novel about a spirited young girl who joins a sisterhood of Black women working together to undermine the Confederates.

I hesitated in using the above description of the book because it is misleading (the longer summary is no better, I'm afraid). I read The American Daughters for my August Historical Fiction book club, and we all went into it with similar expectations, looking forward to a novel about the sisterhood of Black women called the Daughters whose goal was to undermine the Confederates. Only, that is not quite what we got. They do get a little page time, but it is very limited, which was disappointing. Another element of the novel that fell short for me was the execution of the meta story, framing the primary story. It might have worked for me, but then it lost me at the epilogue (to say more would be a spoiler).

With that out of way, there was much I liked about The American Daughters. The writing is beautiful. I was completely engaged with the first half or so of the novel which focused on a young Ady and her mother, Sanite, who were enslaved together to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Ady loves listening to her mother share stories of their family's origins and picks up on the lessons her mother passes down to her. The mother and daughter have an inseparable bond. Their relationship was one of my favorite aspects of the novel, their moments alone together among my favorite scenes.

As with any novel about enslaved people and their experiences, it was not always an easy book to read. Author Maurice Carlos Ruffin's words paint a vivid picture of what life must have been like for Ady and her mother and writes too about the differences among the enslaved working in the house versus those in the fields. I more often come across books about "slave labor camps also called plantations" than I do about the enslaved who live in cities like New Orleans. In Ady and Sanite's case, they seemed to have a bit more freedom, if you can call it that, to run errands for their owner. Although, even that was risky, given they only had one pass between the two of them. There were also free Black people who had free movement in the city, and yet even they often faced discrimination and the ever present threat of being captured by slave catchers looking hoping for a bounty.

Despite her circumstances and what she endures, Ady never loses her sense of self--even after her mother is gone. I was not quite as smitten in the second half of the novel, admittedly, although I was still invested in Ady's story. Ady befriends a free Black woman who runs her own business, the Mockingbird Inn. Ady longs for the confidence her new friend has, standing up to the oppressors and carving her own path. Lenore is a force to be reckoned with and so is her friend Alabama, who behind Sanite, was one of my favorite characters in the novel. And yet their lives have not been easy either as they face their own struggles. The novel is full of strong women whose will to survive is fierce. They all longed for a better life. It is through Lenore we learn about the Daughters and their goal to undermine the Confederates when she invites Ady to join the movement.

This was an emotional read, one full of sadness and heartbreaking moments. The reader gets to see Ady come of age, fall in love, and find her voice in a world that would rather she remain subservient and silent. Lynnette R. Freeman's narration of the novel made it all the more compelling, as she captured the voices of the characters so well.

Kills Well With Others (Killers of a Certain Age #2) by Deanna Raybourn

(Berkley, 2025; 359 pgs)

Four women assassins, senior in status—and in age—sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation Killers of a Certain Age.

I really enjoyed Killers of a Certain Age and was happy when the second book in the series, Kills Well with Others won August's TBR List Poll (thank you again to all who voted!). This latest book picks up in just over a year since the last. Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are called out of retirement to eliminate a European gangster targeting Museum agents like themselves. From safe house to safe house, a cruise ship and a trip to Venice, our favorite assassins must not only find their target but avoid being targeted themselves.

In some ways, this second book in the series wasn't quite as good as the first, but in other ways, I thought it was just as good. Reading the first book is a must before taking the plunge into this one, if only to get a good feel for the characters and their relationships. I enjoyed the twists in Kills Well With Others and the building tension as the story evolved. I was happy to see Taverner again (Billie's love interest and an all around great guy) and wish there had been more of Minka (who I think should be a more regular part of their team). I also wish more time had been spent on the women's relationships with each other, but I appreciated the insights into the villain's backstory. Overall a fast paced and tension filled read. I hope there will be more!

1984 by George Orwell, narrated by Simon Prebble

(Blackstone Audio, originally 1949; 11hrs 22m)

A masterpiece of rebellion and imprisonment where war is peace, freedom is slavery, and Big Brother is watching. Thought Police, Big Brother, Orwellian - these words have entered our vocabulary because of George Orwell's classic dystopian novel 1984. The story of one man's Nightmare Odyssey as he pursues a forbidden love affair through a world ruled by warring states and a power structure that controls not only information but also individual thought and memory. 1984 is a prophetic haunting tale. More relevant than ever before 1984 exposes the worst crimes imaginable the destruction of truth freedom and individuality.

I first read 1984 in college and caved into the pressure to read it again this year, or rather listen to the audiobook this time around. Simon Prebble did an excellent job narrating. The novel itself is even better than I remember. Orwell is such a good writer. What made this book hard to read right now, in 2025, isn't that it did not stand the test of time as a classic, but rather I could not help but wonder if the current administration is using it as a handbook, just not from the perspective it was intended. So many of the ideas and concepts the government in this dystopian novel are believed and/or practiced by those in power today.

A monthly feature in which I l share the books I read this month ten years ago.

(Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like)

The titles are linked to my original reviews of each book when available.

My two top reads last month are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of genre and the feelings they evoked in me. Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado, a young adult romance, was a surprise hit for me. And not so surprising was George Orwell's dystopian classic, 1984.

I think this is the first time in my reading history that audiobooks out number digital and print books read.

It's always interesting to see how my reading is reflected in moods. Emotional and reflective seem to come up a lot in my reading these days. I blame the book club books. Although, I know it isn't all their fault.

What was your favorite book read in August? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

This week I finished reading A Silence in Belgrave Square (Below Stairs Mysteries #8) by Jennifer Ashley and listened to Tuesdays with Morrie written and narrated by Mitch Albom. I will be sharing my thoughts on both next weekend.

I had hoped to finish Andrea Levy's Small Island this week as well, but it was not meant to be. I have about a hundred or so pages left and should finish it this coming week, if not this weekend. Up next on my TBR are Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne and Sweep with Me (Innkeeper Chronicles #4.5) by Ilona Andrews.

September's Book Club Reads:

James by Percival Everett (Cellar Door Book Club)

Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne (Diverse Romance Book Club)

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (Mystery Book Club)

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club)

We are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, narrated by Robin Myers

(Historical Fiction Book Club)

I read James last year and plan to re-visit it via audiobook this time around. The rest are new to me. I am not sure I will make the Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club this month. Marching band season is well underway and that may keep me away, but I hope to still fit in How High We Go in the Dark, which is a short story collection. Of all the book club selections this month, I am most excited to read The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. I have not read anything by her before but have been wanting to. I am a little nervous about We are Green and Trembling if only because the writing is described as surreal storytelling.

What are you reading right now?

Fall is not quite in the air in my part of the world, but tis the season and I am in the mood for something witchy or maybe zombies and vampires or a historical paranormal mystery . . . I can't decide, and so this is where you come in. Please help me select my next read!

Zomromcom (Supernatural Entanglements #1) by Olivia Dade

Teaming up with your neighbor during a zombie outbreak is a no-brainer, but if it turns out he’s a vampire . . . the stakes couldn’t be higher, in this infectious new paranormal romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Spoiler Alert.

When Edie Brandstrup attempts to save her sweet, seemingly harmless human neighbor from the first major zombie breach in two decades, she’s stunned to be saved by him—and his ridiculously large sword—instead. As it turns out, he's actually a super-old, super-surly vampire. But for all her neighbor's newly revealed cynicism and lethality, Gaston "Max" Boucher (yes, Gaston) is unexpectedly protective. He wants her to stay in his safety bunker until the breach is resolved. Edie can’t risk more innocent people getting killed, though—and Max won’t let her save them alone.

As they unravel a sinister conspiracy to set zombies loose on the world (again), the duo meet a host of lovable allies and discover they're not the only ones willing to fight for the future of humanity. Despite the awful timing, Edie finds herself falling for the vampire who’s helping her save the world . . . but all their dangerous plans could end their future before it even begins. As she and Max battle side by side, Edie must decide whether having a love worth living for also means having a love you'd die for—and, in a world that grows deadlier by the minute, whether that’s a risk she’s willing to take. [Publisher's Summary]

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved. [Publisher's Summary]

Murder at the Wham Bam Club (Psychics & Soul Food Mystery #1) by Carolyn Marie Wilkins

As Prohibition era speakeasies and Jazz Age excitement reign supreme throughout a deeply divided country at the height of the Roaring 20s, a young psychic in small town Illinois helps the Black community fight crime and corruption in this thrilling historical mystery written by a real-life psychic medium and jazz pianist.

After the death of her brave Harlem Hellfighter husband during the First World War, young widow Nola Ann Jackson returned to her hometown of Agate, Illinois, to live with her Aunt Sarah, a known local psychic. Under her aunt’s care and tutelage, Nola has been learning how to tap into her own intuitive gifts and communicate with the spirits. And she will rely on their insightful guidance when she’s asked to help investigate a woman’s disappearance.

Lilly Davidson, the missing woman, was living at the Phyllis Wheatley Institute for Colored Girls where young ladies are educated and prepared to follow bright futures. But she vanished after a night at the Wham Bam Club where jazz music swings, prohibition is defied, and other vices are encouraged. Lilly was seen fraternizing with Eddie Smooth, trumpeter and leader of the St. Louis Stompers—and a notorious pimp. Nola finds Lilly at the club alive and well, supposedly engaged to Eddie. That same night, the Wham Bam is set afire and Eddie is killed by gunfire, leaving Lilly on the run, a suspected murderer.

Eddie Smooth had shady dealings with Agate’s wealthy elite, Black and white, making plenty of enemies with motives for wanting him dead. He was also a notorious womanizer who left several broken hearts in his wake. To prove Lilly’s innocence, Nola must listen to her spiritual instincts to unravel political schemes and personal vendettas to find a killer desperate to cover up a scandalous conspiracy . . . [Publisher's Summary]

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Thank you for voting!

1. We celebrated my mom's birthday in August with brunch and a trip to the local independent bookstore. We topped off the afternoon with cupcakes. Yum!

2. We recently attended Mouse's Back to School Night and met her teachers. She performed with the marching band at the welcome/opening. They performed music from their upcoming field show. The best part of the evening was being able to sit in on part of the field show rehearsal, which was taking place that same night. I cannot wait to see the final show.

3. My husband got me hooked on Duolingo, a language app, quite a while ago and I have been faithfully doing a lesson or so every day. I am up to a 1029 day streak. I recently started a second language so I would at least be familiar with some basic words in French since my daughter is taking it in high school. The other night I was complaining about the we/they verb conjugation and "why can't it be as easy as it is in Spanish" (because that is what I'm more familiar with), and Mouse offered to help me. She pulled out her notes from French class and went over the -er present tense verb conjugations with me. I am not sure I have it down yet, but with her help, I may get there yet. It was a special mom and daughter moment (for me, at least).

What have you been up to this past week?

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

Where Is Your Bookmark? [September 5th Edition]

2025-09-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

I am approaching the finish line of a couple of books, one of which I am featuring here today. It's the latest installment of one of my favorite historical mystery series.

Late on a rainy night in May 1884, Daniel McAdam paid me a visit. [opening of A Silence in Belgrave Square]

And so it begins! I wish it was a rainy night here in Southern California, but alas, the sun is shining and it is still in the 90's as I right this. A visit from Daniel is always welcome though. I wonder what he is up to . . .

When it came time to depart, I hugged Grace hard before I made my way through the damp twilight to Mount Street. My followers found me when I reached the Strand, but as they must have already known where I lived, I didn't bother trying to shake them this time. I assured myself that Mr. Fielding's lads and whomever Mr. Grimes had conscripted would work to keep me safe.

How ridiculous, I mused, to have so many following one innocuous cook about the metropolis. It would be comical if some of them didn't truly wish me harm. [excerpt from 53% of A Silence in Belgrave Square]

It has been a bit amusing, the amount of people following our dear Kat Holloway in this installment of the series. A Silence in Belgrave Square has been a hard book to put down. Time with Kat, Tess, Lady Cynthia and Lady Townsend is never a waste.

A Silence in Belgrave Square

(A Below Stairs Mystery #8) by Jennifer Ashley

Valiant cook and amateur sleuth Kat Holloway must uncover the secrets of Victorian London’s most elite noblemen to save the man she loves, from the New York Times bestselling author of Speculations in Sin.

Kat Holloway knows that her beau and confidante Daniel McAdam has a talent for dangerous work as a Scotland Yard agent. At long last though, Daniel’s coldhearted boss has promised that after a final mission, his debt will be repaid, and he’ll finally be free. However, Daniel must risk his life one last time, masquerading as a secretary to an elderly viscount who could be the mastermind behind the recent plots against the Queen and her government.

Using her contacts throughout London, Kat discovers several of her friends and colleagues have been victims of vicious blackmail. They’ll do anything to protect their scandalous secrets, even conform to the blackmailer’s political agenda. If Kat and Daniel wish to save each other and the Crown, they must prove the blackmailer’s identity and evade those who will stop at nothing to eliminate them.[From the Publisher]

Does this sound like something you would enjoy reading? Do you follow this series too?

Which books are you looking forward to reading this fall? (Sep-Nov)

Although there are a number of books coming out this fall I would like to read, most of the books on my must read soon list are already out. Here are a few I have been eagerly waiting to read. (I am noticing a theme . . . )

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Ghost Business (Boneyard Key#2) by Jen DeLuca

Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes Prequel) by Travis Baldree

Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are by Rebecca Boyle

Sweep of the Heart (Innkeeper Chronicles #5) by Ilona Andrews

Have you read any of these? What did you think? What are you looking forward to reading this fall?

Do you seek out new authors to read, or do you tend to stick with the same ones?

I often seek out new-to-me authors to read. It's been both a blessing and a curse since I began blogging 19 years ago. A blessing because I have discovered so many wonderful books I might not have if I hadn't taken a chance on authors I had not tried before; and a curse because I sometimes end up neglecting the work of my favorites. It isn't just the fault of the book blogging community though. My book clubs are also to blame, not to mention book recommendations of friends or those I come across online. Oh, and wanting to now read the backlists and new releases of the new-to-me authors I fall in love with does not help either, I am sure. At least I will never run out of books to read!

What about you?

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

Weekly Mews: Back to School & My Recent Bookish Mewsings

2025-08-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

I fit in quite a bit of reading time this past week, finishing three books and making more progress in Andrea Levy's historical fiction novel, Small Island. I was not sure about the book at first, but I am fully invested now. I just started reading Kills Well With Others (Killers of a Certain Age #2) by Deanna Raybourn, this month's TBR List Poll Winner, and am eager to read more.

On my reading list this week are two books I need to read for upcoming book club meetings. I have the audio version of The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, narrated by Lynnette R. Freeman queued up and ready to go, and, in print, I will be reading Robert Holtom's A Queer Case (The Selby Bigge Mysteries #1).

What are you reading right now?

This past week I finished three books. Let's take a look!

I imagine being kissed about a hundred times a day. ~ Opening of Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
Holiday House, 2021; YA Romance, 352 pgs

A sensitive, funny, and painfully honest coming-of-age story with a wry voice and tons of chisme, Fat Chance, Charlie Vega tackles our relationships to our parents, our bodies, our cultures, and ourselves.

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega was this month's Diverse Romance Book Club selection. Contemporary YA Romance is not one of my usual go to genres, but I liked the group's last YA pick and was open to trying another. I took to Charlie instantly. I could relate to her on so many levels, from her love for writing, body image issues, insecurities, an overly critical parent, and wanting to fit in. Perhaps not so much the longing for romance part, but that is okay. Charlie's best friend Amelia is everything she is not: athletic, thinner, lighter skinned, and with supportive parents (not to mention having a love life). Charlie had been very close to her father, and he was the glue of the family. Since his death, life has not been the same. Charlie's mother, once overweight herself, is now thin and trying to live her best life, dating and wishing for Charlie all the things she longs for herself. Charlie only wants to be accepted for who she is. She is happy in her own skin and wishes others, especially her mother, could see and accept that too.

After a humiliating incident with a boy she liked, Charlie has reservations about getting into another relationship, but Brian is better than the dream. He truly seems to like her and see her. But will Charlie's insecurities get in the way of her finding happiness, is he just using her, or has she finally found the romance she was looking for?

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega was such a delightful read. The romance was sweet. Charlie gets in her own way, and very painfully so. Not just with Brian, but in her relationship with her best friend too. It was one of those "throw arms up in the air" reading moments, but then, stopping to think about it, author Crystal Maldonado's depiction of teenagers and the intensity of their emotions was actually fairly realistic. The parent-child drama and how it played out was believable. I do not think any of us at the book club liked Charlie's mom much though, even taking into account how hard it must have been losing her husband and adjusting to being a single mother. Charlie really is such a great character who came into her own over the course of the novel. I love the way the author focused on body confidence and being happy with who we are. Overall, this was a great book and I am glad I got the chance to read it.

In Paris, a child goes missing. ~ Opening of The City of Stardust

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers, narrated by Kitty Parker
Redhook, 2024; Fantasy, 13 hours, 6 minutes
A young woman descends into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge to break her family's curse in this spellbinding contemporary fantasy debut.
The City of Stardust was this month's Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club Selection. I decided to listen to the audiobook due to time constraints.

The author brought the settings alive with her writing. The world she created is complex and multilayered, a mix of modern and fantastical. A generational curse has long plagued the Everly family, and Violet will be the latest victim if she isn't able to break the curse.

When the novel opens, Violet is a young girl, being raised by her uncles. She remembers well the visit from the mysterious woman and the boy, but her uncles keep the secret of the ultimatum--10 years to find Violet's long absent mother or Violet will become Penelope's instead--until time is nearly out. And now Violet is an adult and realizes she must search for her mother on her own if she is to try to find out more about the curse and how to break it.

I was taken with the the author's writing and the descriptions of the places and world Georgia Summers had created. The villain of the novel, Penelope, intrigued me the most of all the characters, and I wanted to know more about the mystery of this curse she cast almost as much as Violet did. Penelope is beautiful and frighteningly powerful and cruel, a goddess who walks among the people.

I would have liked if the author had written more about Violet's time among the scholars and her attempts to find her missing mother. Perhaps the author did not feel it was worthwhile since just about every avenue Violet tried was met with a door slammed in her face, but I felt like it might have only made the novel even better and added more depth to Violet's character. Not to mention I wanted to know more about the scholars in general. Alas, this was not their story.

The second half of the novel was stronger than the first, I thought, as the pieces of the puzzle came together and tensions grew even higher. Violet is a capable and resourceful woman. Aleksander, who is studying to be a scholar, is an interesting character in his own right. Throughout much of the novel, the reader is left wondering whether his intentions are good or evil. It is obvious Violet and Aleksander share a connection, but is it in Violet's best interest? Like Violet, I wanted to trust him, but I was not sure we should. One of my favorite characters in the novel was Caspian, a bit of a rogue, and the son of a well respected and affluent family. He doesn't get nearly enough page time, in my opinion.

Kitty Parker's narration hit all the right notes, drawing me into the world created by Georgia Summers. Overall The City of Stardust was an enjoyable fantasy novel. While this is a standalone, should the author ever want to revisit the world she's created here, I would consider reading it.

It wasn't even ten yet, and the cicadas were already screaming in the hot, muggy air. ~ Opening of Trouble with the Cursed

Trouble With the Cursed (The Hollows #16) by Kim Harrison
Ace, 2022; Fantasy, 464 pgs)
Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon, has one unspoken rule: take chances, but pay for them yourself. With it, she has turned enemies into allies, found her place with her demon kin, and stepped up as the subrosa of Cincinnati—responsible for keeping the paranormal community at peace and in line.
It is always a pleasure to spend time in the Hollows. In this 16th book of the series, Rachel's new position of subrosa of Cincinnati is threatened when an old dead vampire from D.C. comes to town to question who is really in charge. And then there is the little problem of Hodin, the demon Rachel vowed to protect from the other demons. He appears to be up to something, even though he denies he has any ill intentions.

As often happens when I read one of the Hollows' novels, once I hit the half way mark, it's next to impossible to put the book down. Rachel, as always, finds herself in over her head, juggling too many crises at once. Let's not even mention that she let Vivian, the head witch of the Coven of Moral and Ethical Standards, talk her into teaching a demonology class at the local university. Her friends seem to have their own problems to take care of and so she seems to be on her own, but she is nothing if not determined and this way they will be safe. Don't fret though! There's plenty of Jenks, Trent and Al. Ivy is back too, but not as much, sadly. And Pike, who is growing on me, is back too. In Trouble with the Cursed, we get to know more about what caused the rift between Al, Dali and the other demons and Hodin. The odds may not be in Rachel's favor as she tries to hold onto her city, but if anyone can do it, Rachel can.

Action packed, full of magic, and a bit of mischief, Trouble with the Cursed was a satisfying and entertaining addition to the series. This is a series best read in order.

Catching up from the the week before:

I sit with my back to the wall, my pillows flat. ~ Opening of The Berry Pickers

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, narrated by Aaliya Warbus and Jordan Waunch
Recorded Books, 2023; Historical Fiction; 8 hours, 44 minutes
A four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a community, and remains unsolved for nearly fifty years.
The year is 1962 when four year old Ruthie goes missing while her family picks blueberries during the summer season. Like so many migrants, her family travels each year from Nova Scotia to Maine for the work. Six year old Joe, Ruthie's brother had been the last to see her. While the local authorities shrug off the disappearance of the young girl, the migrant community rallies together to search for her only to come up empty handed. The Berry Pickers is told from the alternating perspectives of Joe, the brother who blames himself for his sister Ruthie's disappearance, and Norma, raised by a distant father and an overprotective mother, both of whom seem to be keeping secrets from her. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Aaliya Warbus and Jordan Waunch, both of whom did a great job of bringing their characters to life.

The Berry Pickers is not really a mystery in that it's obvious from the first chapter in the book what the connection is between Norma and Joe. This is more an intergenerational story about two families and the challenges they face and the repercussions of their own and others' actions. This is a story about white privilege and prejudice, indigenous and migrant life, loss and grief, lies and guilt, and of hope and healing.

I found Joe's narrative to be the most compelling of the two. I felt his heartbreak and struggle. His grief and guilt over his sister's disappearance and later the death of his brother shaped the direction of his life, including the choices he made. Even at his worst, my my heart ached for him. Joe and his family never gave up hope that their Ruthie was out there somewhere, even decades later. I wanted so much for their family to get the reunion they deserved.

For Norma's part, I felt a great sadness for her as well a sense of loss. Her memories are few and were so often dismissed when she was a child that she believes they were just dreams. For many years, she doesn't really realize all she lost, but the reader knows, and, in her own way, she senses it. Every time she asked about the past, why her skin is darker than her family's and about her memories, they come up with a ready excuse. She is robbed of her culture and identity and of a family that loves her. I have probably said too much, venturing into spoiler territory.

My book club met last weekend to discuss The Berry Pickers and we had a meaningful discussion about the various themes and characters as well as the cultural aspects--including discrimination against people of color, particularly those of indigenous ancestry, then and now. It was another good choice for our club.

A monthly feature in which I l share the books I read this month ten years ago.

(Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like)

The titles are linked to my original reviews of each book when available.

Looking back over my reading in August of 2015, I leaned heavily into mysteries, branching off a little into romance. In the pages, I went back in time to 1975 New York City as a crime reporter in the thick of a murder investigation that isn't as cut and dry as it seems. I spent time in the beautiful but harsh Falkland Islands searching for three missing children. I unraveled the history behind a Époque apartment that had been kept secret for decades until the death of its owner bequeathed it to a stranger in America, finding romance along the way. I followed the local police around as they investigated a brutal murder at a hotel in Pont-Aven, France, hoping to catch the killer before the summer tourist season began. I joined a research project of a 129 year old murder on an island off the coast of Connecticut only to suddenly find myself in that very past, in the body of someone else, and the only way back to the present was to solve the century's old murder. I visited London, England where I met a woman on a train, a woman on a deck, and a mother and wife who is not as secure as she once was in her marriage. I dodged the government's black ops Sigma operatives on their mission to wipe out anyone with psychic abilities. I also read a book of poetry that month, one expressing grief in many different forms, including that of love lost and and of lost opportunities. Just thinking about my August adventures in 2015 has me out of breath!

Drop Dead Punk (Coleridge Taylor Mystery #2) by Rich Zahradnik
Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton
Paris Time Capsule (Secrets of Paris #1) by Ella Carey
Death in Brittany (#1) by Jean-Luc Bannalec
Wet Silence: Poems About Hindu Widows by Sweta Srivastava Vikram
The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables #1) by K.C. Tansley
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, narrated by India Fisher, Clare Corbett, Louise Bradley
The Society (#1) by Lilith Saintcrow

Do you remember what you were reading ten years ago? Have you read any of these books, and if so, what did you think?

Mouse's friends had begging her to watch KPop Demon Hunters since it first came out, but she kept putting it off. When even her friend's mom was telling both of us we needed to see it, I put on the pressure too. It was really good! From the music to the characters and storyline, it's got it all. There's action, humor, romance, and the strength of women and friendship. It's worth watching if you have not seen it already. And again, if you have.

Anjin and I have seen a couple of episodes of the second season of Andor, which is part of the Star Wars franchise. We enjoyed the first season quite a bit. This second one is good so far.

What have you been watching lately?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,

I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

1. Mouse survived her first week of high school. We worked out the kinks for drop offs and pick ups, turned in last minute paperwork, and have begun to settle into the school year routine. Mouse attended the first thespian club meeting of the year and is looking forward to exploring that more.

2. Sunday morning doughnuts . . . I know they aren't the healthiest of breakfasts, but occasionally my husband will make a doughnut run, bringing back doughnuts, peppermint hot chocolate for Mouse and I, and a coffee for himself. Today was one of those days!

3. It is funny and cute watching Gracie come into the room, looking for me. She will lazily make her way around the perimeter of the room, stopping to visit with Anjin and Mouse if they are there (lifting one of her hindlegs straight out to signal she wants pets from them), and eventually making her way over to me. When I invite her onto my lap, she has to refuse at first, of course, and make a show of not being sure she wants to by making another trip around the room, but she always comes back, hops up and settles on my chest or lap. If I fail to invite her up in a timely manner, she will just jump up regardless of whether I am ready or not and instantly takes her place on my chest. If I am working on my laptop, like now, it makes it hard keep working, but how can I refuse?

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

Weekly Mewsings: Back to School Again - Goodbye Summer

2025-08-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

How was your week? What have you been up to?

The summer marching band and color guard camp wrapped up this past week. Just in time for the triple digit heat weather to come to town. This past Monday was registration day for freshmen and so Mouse and I picked up her class list (we had to wait until Friday night for the actual schedule), computer, and books. She did not get the art class she was hoping for, but she got her second choice class, Theatre Arts. The school invited all the freshman to school Friday to introduce them to the campus. Mouse said it was mostly ice breakers and touring the school ("It was okay, Mom."). That evening, Mouse attended the Freshman Dance, and enjoyed hanging out with her friends. Mouse also managed to fit a dentist appointment in during the week--and I went in for a mammogram.

My left leg has been giving me some trouble as of late, making it annoyingly painful to go upstairs or lift my leg at the knee to a certain point. I haven't had too much trouble walking (unless my leg is protesting after the stairs). And because I have been overcompensating with my right leg, that knee, which is my bad knee, has been acting up. I have been icing both off and on, and that seems to help some. I am managing, but it is a bit frustrating.

We have had a relatively quiet weekend. One of our last free weekends for awhile! Mouse and a friend have plans to get together tomorrow, and I am looking forward to my book club. School officially starts Monday for all the district students. She and her friends have been comparing class schedules and seeing if they share a lunch period--you know, all the important stuff. My work has already picked up as the school districts in the county are returning to school. Where did the summer go?!

I feel like an underachiever after last week's Weekly Mewings post. To be fair, last week I was wrapping up two months of reading in one post. Unfortunately, I did not get much reading done this week. I wish I could put all the blame on being busy, but I was too easily distracted when I did have down time to devote to reading.

I was able to listen to and finish The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, narrated Aaliya Warbus and Jordan Waunch, this past week for the upcoming book club discussion tomorrow. I imagine we will have a lot to talk about. I did like it and will be curious to hear what others thought about it.

I do not think I picked up Small Island by Andrea Levy once this past week, sadly, but I have not given up on it--I guess you could say it's on pause right now. I need to focus on upcoming book club reads. As much as I love the Hollows series by Kim Harrison, it seems to take me awhile to get through the books. Is it because of the long chapters (does anyone else find reading books with shorter chapters goes faster than books with longer chapters or is that just me?)? Trouble with the Cursed has been my bedtime book as of late, and I am making good progress, but still have a little over half way to go.

This weekend I am starting two of my upcoming book club reads, one for the diverse romance book club and the other for the science fiction/fantasy one. I am fairly confident I will be able to finish The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers in time, especially since I will be listening to the audiobook, narrated by Kitty Parker. I am less certain I will be able to fit in Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado in its entirety, but I will make my best effort!

What are you reading right now?

Thank you to everyone who voted in this month's TBR List Poll! I am eager to read all three of the August contenders, having enjoyed the earlier books in each of the series. And while I may not get to them all this month, I now have a place to start thanks to you.

My husband was disappointed that the book he was rooting for, The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose, came in last with only four (4) votes. It was a tie between the next two up until near the end. Coming in second with six (6) votes was India Holton's The Geographer's Map to Romance. And in first place, was Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn with eight (8) votes (my daughter was hoping this one would win, so she's happy). I look forward to starting Kills Well With Others soon!

Thank you for voting!

1. Mouse and I hit the mall together and stopped in at Barnes and Noble for a mother/daughter afternoon this past week. I love that she will still reach for my hand and hold it while we are walking.

2. I had a nice visit with my mom the other evening. I stopped by to drop off paperwork so she can complete the volunteer process for the school. She is doing well.

3. I showed up to my mammogram early and they took me right away! I was out before my original appointment was even set to start.

What have you been up to this past week?

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

Weekly Mewsings: Back From a Long Break / June-July Wrap Up / August TBR Poll

2025-08-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Books Read in June & July

I knew going into June that my reading would suffer. My family and I were away on vacation, and, while I did get quite a bit of reading done during our flights, I did not get much read in between. And then there was the bout of COVID we suffered through towards the end of the month . . . Not much reading was done then either, sad to say. I did manage to finish three books in June and also was actively reading three other books that carried over into July though, so there was that.

I am sad to see the Electra McDonnell historical mystery/espionage series by Ashley Weaver come to an end. What a fitting title though, One Final Turn (#5). It was a satisfying ending to this series set in World War II England, featuring a lock pick thief turned spy. I would be lying if I said I wasn't crying by the end. Action packed with a good dose of romance. It's such a fun series.

I could not wait to pick up Kate Khavari's latest historical mystery book, A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge (#4). It's always a pleasure to spend time with Saffron Everleigh, and this time the reader gets a glimpse into her past when she reluctantly returns home to visit with her sick grandfather. Seances and blackmail and family secrets--this was a great addition to the series, even if a bit slower in pace. Saffron is such a great character. Despite it's cozy feel, I appreciate that the author does not skirt around the impact war had on the soldiers, especially in her character of Alexander. I wasn't his biggest fan after the second book, but he's one of my favorites now.

And then there was How to Have a Killer Time in D.C., the first in a contemporary mystery series featuring travel guide journalist Oliver Popp by Sam Lumley. I decided to read this one when I did specifically for it's title and location. As Oliver was flying into the Ronald Reagan Airport, so was I. His Washington D.C. travel experience was much more adventuresome than mine though. Oliver was nearly killed and got tangled up in a murder investigation while I only got soaked during two especially crazy thunderstorms--our umbrellas survived, but weren't much use due to the wind--not to mention getting caught under the heat dome, visiting when temperatures were at a record high--so much for beating the heat at home. Oh, and there was the lost key and hat and that time we were racing to find a restroom and met the nicest man who let us into the children's aquarium in Maryland despite them being closed for a birthday party; we won't talk about flying with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction and what a pain that was! Anyway, Lumley's book was a bit on the silly side at times, but I liked Oliver instantly and found him relatable. I was not so sure about his love interest--but perhaps he will grow on me if he features in future books. I liked that Oliver is neurodivergent and was realistically portrayed, a characteristic not too common as mystery protagonists, although it seems to be coming up more than it once did.

At the beginning of June, I began reading Religion in the Lands That Became America: A New History by Thomas A. Tweed. I am not a particularly religious person, but I do find the history of religions interesting, and so was curious about Tweed's book after reading the description: "a sweeping retelling of American religious history, showing how religion has enhanced and hindered human flourishing from the Ice Age to the Information Age." This is a more academic book than I usually prefer to read, and so it took me a while to work my way through it, finishing it over a month later. About the time my family and I were touring places like the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the U.S. Capitol building, I had reached the part in the book about the formation of the United States up through the Civil War, and the book was never far from my mind as we explored the exhibits and took everything in. Religion in the Lands That Became America is well researched. The author makes every effort to be objective in his presentation of his subject matter, which I appreciated. History, in all its reality, is not pretty and is at times uncomfortable. He did not gloss over the fact that religion was used to subjugate and justify cruelty to women, enslaved and indigenous people and create division between communities, both internally and externally; but he also relates the positives of religion throughout America's history, including the ideas and actions taken to help the disenfranchised and disadvantaged among other things. Although I had a basic knowledge on the history described in the book, it was fascinating to read about the shifting of religious beliefs and practices, and the influence that had on society over time, not to mention the relationship and conflicts between various religions and the part that has played. Tweed's book is more of an overview, rather than an deep dive into any one particular area. I came away from the book wanting to explore some of the areas he wrote about more.

I had every intention of finishing The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grace Bankole in time for my book club in June, but it was not meant to be, but I did finish it in July. The Edge of Water is a multi-generational novel, spanning the lives of three women. It was an emotional read, taking the reader from Nigeria to New Orleans, a story in which tradition, prophecy and faith play a large part. A mother raises her daughter on her own as best she can; a daughter moves across the ocean dreaming of a better life only to fall pregnant, giving birth to her own baby girl. Then Hurricane Katrina hits. I couldn't help but think of Jesmyn Ward's Salvage the Bones, and one scene in particular that has stayed with me to this day--how quickly the water rose and the the damage it caused for so many. I felt like I was there in that moment, the panic rising within me. The way Olufunke Grace Bankole describes the scene in the Louisiana Superdome in The Edge of Water had the same effect on me. The Edge of Water has its share of tragedy, but it is also a book about three brave women, the strength of family even despite the odds, and one of hope.

Like with Sam Lumley's book, I decided to pick up Kate Quinn's historical novel The Briar Club because of the Washington D.C. setting during the McCarthy era. I started it before my trip but wasn't able to finish it until we were home again and not until July at that. I listened to the audio version which was narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Each chapter is narrated by a different character who lives in a boarding house, with occasional interruptions by the house itself. This novel touched on so many different issues during the time it was set, from the lavender and red scares, antisemitism, to domestic violence, misogyny. There are mobsters too! All five of the characters at the center of the novel are fully fleshed out and have distinct voices. There's a mystery at the heart of the novel, that of murder, and I was not sure which direction the author was going to take us until near the end. The writing is beautiful, and I loved every minute of The Briar Club.

July was a big audiobook month for me. I think they are growing on me. Or rather I'm finding more time to listen when I cannot read a print book. They come in especially handy for book club selections I need to fit in during a short amount of time. Go ahead. Tell me you told me so. My July audiobooks:

I downloaded the audiobook of The Lilac People by Mylo Todd, narrated by Max Meyers, for one of my book clubs. The Briar Club was in the lead as my July favorite until I read The Lilac People. This. Book. Oh my gosh, everyone! Given the World War II Holocaust setting, you can imagine the book was heart-wrenching and painful to read at times. The writing is beautiful, the narration was spot on, and the characters are so well-drawn. I had not known much about the real life Magnus Hirshfeld, a German physician and sexologist who advocated for the LGBTQ community before this, admittedly. And while this book isn't about him specifically, he does make an appearance. At the novel's heart is a trans man named Bertie, his girlfriend Sofie, and a young trans man, Karl. There is such a huge contrast between the life of the LGBTQ community in Berlin before Hitler came into power compared to after. The freedoms once enjoyed were stolen right from under them; they were forced into hiding or into camps where they facing death, rape, torture, or both. The novel's narrative follows a dual time line, the time approaching and into the war, and the time after as the Americans arrive, proving to be both a blessing and a curse. There were so many moments in this novel that mirror what is happening in the U.S. today. I felt so many emotions while reading The Lilac People. My heart ached for Bertie, Sofie and Karl, and all the other characters impacted by the prejudice and evils they faced for simply existing. The Lilac People is such a compelling, moving and powerful novel. This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time to come.

I was not able to get to the Science Fiction/Fantasy book club selection in June, but I did squeeze in the audiobook of Little Thieves (#1) by Margaret Owen, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld during the month of July. The funny thing was, I did not realize it was the same narrator I had just listened to when reading The Briar Club until after. I am so glad I took the time to fit in this fantasy novel about a servant who steals her mistress's life for her own. I cannot say enough about the awesome world building and and intricately woven story in Little Thieves. It is dark and suspenseful, with a bit of a fairytale feel (not the Disney kind). I definitely plan to follow up with the next two books in the trilogy.

In the mood for something light and romantic, I browsed through the library audiobook catalog and came across Abby Jiminez's The Friend Zone (#1), narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Erin Mallon. This one hit the spot for what I was looking for, but it was not exactly on the light side. It actually was quite an emotional read, tackling subjects like infertility, mental illness, loss, and grief. I did have a couple of issues with the novel (I understood why the female protagonist was so secretive, but it got old after awhile; and then an issue I had with the ending), but overall I really enjoyed it.

In July, I also listened to The Villa by Rachel Hawkins, narrated by Julia Whelan and Kimberly M. Wetherell. I had been looking forward to reading this one for quite a while, having enjoyed the author's The Wife Upstairs years ago. I loved the ending of The Villa, but the rest of the book was just okay for me. I can enjoy a mystery/thriller without liking the characters much, and this was definitely an instance where no one was particularly likeable. I just don't think I was fully invested in the story, at least not the modern day one. I did quite enjoy the historical narrative of this dual time line novel. The Villa was an entertaining way to spend a few hours, but I am not sure this thriller will stick with me for long.

July's Mystery book club selection was a winner. I read The Hunter (Cal Hooper #2) by Tana French. I almost decided to skip it because I have not read the first book (The Searcher), but I went ahead and read it anyway. I am so glad I did. While I am sure I was missing an important piece of backstory, it never really felt like I was. I read In the Woods years ago (an unrelated book) and loved it. So, I suspected I would enjoy this one too. I think of Tana French's novels as being literary mysteries, the characters themselves and their relationships to one another playing a significant, sometimes primary role, in the novels. She has a gift for getting into the heads of her characters and making them seem so real. I love her writing and the way she brings her setting to life in The Hunter. My book club had a good discussion about the book, about how tight knit small communities can be, but also about how resentments can build, how outsiders are not always welcome, and how protective they can be.

I had every intention of going to the Science Fiction/Fantasy book club discussion of Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis this past month, but I hadn't yet finished enough of the book to feel like being a part of the discussion would be worthwhile. I had high expectations for Floating Hotel, especially after the praise it's received, but I was not as enamored with it was I had hoped. I did like it on many levels, getting to know the guests and employees of the hotel, and what a unique setting, a hotel that travels through space! The novel seemed to be made up of interconnected short stories, leading up to the climax. When I was reading chapters, each focused on a different character, I was swept up into their stories, and yet when I put the book down, I wasn't always eager to pick it back up again. I cannot say why exactly. Perhaps it was just my mood.

My daughter got me hooked on the anime Fruits Basket, and I begged her to let me read her copy of the first volume in the series, Fruits Basket Collector's Edition, Vol. 1 by Natsuki Takaya. I love these characters! Dare I confess that I think I like the anime better than the manga? Maybe because I watched it before reading it . . . It's a fun series and surprisingly deep considering the premise. On our last visit to the bookstore, Mouse picked up a copy of the second volume for me. I look forward to reading it!

I closed out my July reading with a book that had been languishing on my e-reader far too long, Bindle Punk Bruja (Bindle Punk #1) by Desideria Mesa. This book was such an interesting mix of just about everything. I admit I had my doubts once I started reading, but I eventually became invested in the characters and the story. The protagonist is a journalist by day and a night club owner by night. Luna, aka Rose, is half Mexican and therefore half bruja--both are secrets she keeps well hidden because it could ruin her if anyone outside her family finds out. Set in the 1920's during prohibition, with mobsters, the Ku Klux Klan, corrupt politicians, Mexican folklore, and misogyny, homophobia, and racism impossible to avoid, Bindle Punk Bruja was dark, at times funny, with a good dose of romance, and always suspenseful.

What was your favorite book read in July? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

I am slowly making my way through Small Island by Andrea Levy. It was the historical fiction pick for my July Historical Fiction book club, but I barely made a dent in it by the time the book club meeting came around the end of last month. I ended up skipping the meeting as a result. I am having a hard time motivating myself to pick it up to read, but I have liked what I have read so far. I am trying to decide if I should set it aside and try again later or keep going. I had hoped to find it in audio format, but, alas, it isn't available in my part of the world.

I have been wanting to get back to the Hollows series by Kim Harrison, and so I started the sixteenth book, Trouble with the Cursed, Friday night. It's one of my favorite urban fantasy series, and I look forward to spending time with Rachel and friends in the coming days.

August's Book Club Reads:

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado (Diverse Romance Book Club)

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters (Cellar Door Book Club)

A Queer Case (Selby Bigge Mystery #1) by Robert Holton (Mystery Book Club)

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers (Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club)

The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin (Historical Fiction Book Club)

With school starting up again for Mouse in just another week and the advent of the high school marching band season, my book club attendance will be falling off because of schedule conflicts. My Saturdays will no longer be my own as I jump into volunteering and attending Mouse's competitions. But all is not lost! Two of my book clubs meet during the week and another on Sunday. Of the above book club picks, I will likely listen to the audio version of The Berry Pickers. I am most looking forward to reading A Queer Case and The City of Stardust. I am not sure if I will be able to make the Historical Fiction book club (that's one of my Saturday clubs), but I will try to fit the book in if I am able.

What are you reading right now?

Please help me select my next read! Browsing my shelves, I came across next in series books I have been wanting to get to. I was able to narrow the list down to three for the sake of this month's TBR List Poll. Which one of these books do you think I should read next?

The Geographer's Map to Romance (Love's Academic #2) by India Holton

Geography professors in a failed marriage of convenience inconveniently reconnect for an emergency mission in this swoony historical-fantasy rom-com.

Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her—except her own personal disaster, that Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves.

Gabriel is also an expert in magic disasters. And nothing fazes him either—except the walking, talking tornado that is his wife. They’ve been estranged since shortly after their wedding day, but that hasn’t stopped him from stoically pining for her.

When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, threatening catastrophe for the rest of England, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they must come together as a team in the face of perilous conditions like explosions, domesticated goats, and only one bed. But this is easier said than done. After all, there's no navigational guide for the geography of the heart. [from the Publisher]

The Maid's Secret (Molly the Maid #3) by Nita Prose

When a daring art heist takes place at the Regency Grand, Molly’s life is threatened. The question is who’s out to get her, and why? Long-buried secrets will be revealed in this intriguing and heartwarming novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid and The Mystery Guest.

A wedding. A heist. A secret.

Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and recently promoted Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, good things are just around the corner, including her marriage to her beloved fiancé, Juan Manuel, only two months away.

But Molly’s entire existence is upended when a film crew descends upon the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures, starring popular art appraisers Brown and Beagle. On a whim, Molly brings in a shoebox containing a few of her gran’s old things for appraisal, and much to everyone's surprise, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless treasure. Instantly, Molly is both a multi-millionaire and a media sensation—the world’s rags-to-riches darling—until the priceless piece vanishes from the hotel in the boldest, brashest antiquities heist in recent memory.

The key to the mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about Gran’s true-to-life fairytale, a young girl to the manor born, the only child of a wealthy magnate. But when Gran falls head over heels in love with a young man her parents deem below her station, her life is thrown into turmoil. As fate would have it, the greatest love of Gran’s life is someone Molly knows quite well….

Together with her friends, Molly combs the past and the present to catch the thief before looming threats against her become real.

A spirited heist caper and an epic love story, The Maid’s Secret is a spellbinding whodunnit that will capture and warm your heart. [from the Publisher]

Kills Well with Others (Killers of a Certain Age #2) by Deanna Raybourn

Four women assassins, senior in status—and in age—sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation Killers of a Certain Age.

After more than a year of laying low, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie are called back into action. They have enjoyed their time off, but the lack of excitement is starting to a professional killer can only take so many watercolor classes and yoga sessions without itching to strangle someone...literally. When they receive a summons from the head of the elite assassin organization known as the Museum, they are ready tackle the greatest challenge of their careers.

Someone on the inside has compiled a list of important kills committed by Museum agents, connected to a single, shadowy figure, an Eastern European gangster with an iron fist, some serious criminal ambition, and a tendency to kill first and ask questions later. This new nemesis is murdering agents who got in the way of their power hungry plans and the aging quartet of killers is next.

Together the foursome embark on a wild ride across the globe on the double mission of rooting out the Museum’s mole and hunting down the gangster who seems to know their next move before they make it. Their enemy is unlike any they’ve faced before, and it will take all their killer experience to get out of this mission alive. [from the Publisher]

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1. June ~ After years of talking about it, we finally made it to Washington D.C., staying in Virginia, and visiting Maryland. There were bookstore visits, of course! And lots of sightseeing and good food. The Smithsonian Museums we were able to get to were wonderful. Among the ones we did visit, Mouse's favorite was the National Air and Space Museum, although we were disappointed that half was closed for renovation. Anjin and I were most taken with The National Museum of African American History and Culture which was amazing in scope and design. Touring the museum was a moving experience to say the least. I highly recommend a visit there if you are able to go.

Phillis Wheatley statue at the
National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Air and Space Museum Display

Walter A. Mosley's The Influenza Blues (1919) at the Library of Congress

A View into the main Reading Room

at the Library of Congress, in the Thomas Jefferson Building

2. June ~ Over 50 years ago, my dad was stationed at the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington D.C., and was an usher for many of the parades held there. My mom has shared stories of attending some of those parades and being escorted to her seat by my dad. She really hoped Anjin, Mouse and I would be able to catch one of the night parades, and so we made a point to do so. We saw the Commandant's House, which looked just the same as it did in my mom and dad's wedding photos all those years ago. We enjoyed the performances, especially the Commandant's Drum and Bugle Corps. I kept thinking of my dad in his role as usher as our assigned usher lead us to our seat and as we waited, telling us some of the history of the Marine Corps Barracks and sharing antidotes about his military life.

Commandant's House at the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington D.C.

3. June ~ While seeing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia was an experience all its own, I was most taken with the Women's War Memorial and Museum at the cemetery. Seeing the posters and displays documenting the accomplishments of women, past and present, who have served in the U.S. military over the years brought to life so much of the history I have read about, both in fiction and nonfiction.

A World War II Display at the Women's War Museum at the Arlington National Cemetery

4. July ~ Lunch dates with my husband. With Mouse out of the house more because of weekend birthday parties or band camp, Anjin and I took advantage of the opportunity to hit up some of the restaurants we do not get to go to very often.

5. July/August - While getting up early and spending hours on her feet under the hot sun may not be Mouse's preferred way to spend the last of her summer days (Saturdays included), she is enjoying band camp and her fellow bandmates. The high school marching band and color guard have started learning this season's field show. I can't wait to see it! Anjin and I spent this morning with other parent volunteers cleaning out the trailers and preparing for the season ahead.

What have you been up to this past week?

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

Weekly Mewsings: Wrapping Up May

2025-05-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

May got away from me and here comes June! Too many days of nonstop work and end of the school year activities for Mouse, plus I have been a bit under the weather. I will be taking an official blogging break during the month of June, but first, I wanted to share my May wrap up.

Books Read in May

I read a good mix of books in May and overall am happy with what I read.

Among my May reading, were book club reads. There is nothing like a deadline to motivate me to choose an audiobook over reading the print version. And this month, three of five of my book club reads were audio versions.

This Could be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan, narrated by Inés del Castillo and Jakobi Diem, was not only a great read but the choice of narrators was perfect. More often than not, I pick up a rom-com, paranormal romance, and maybe even a historical romance when I am in the mood for romance. I likely would not have tried this series (with its heavier themes and family drama involving children) had it not been for the Diverse Romance book club. Kennedy Ryan yet again demonstrates compassion and sensitivity to her subject matter and I love her characters and the theme of self-empowerment.

My Mystery book club read Norwegian by Night (Sigrid Ødegård #1) by Derek B. Miller, narrated by Sean Mangan, and we had a great discussion about its themes, especially about the lasting impact of war on people as well as views and treatment of immigrants across the globe. The main protagonist was a curmudgeonly American war vet now living with his granddaughter and her husband in Norway. I confess I liked the police inspector trying to find him and the boy along with the killer a bit more than I did him. Feelings were mixed about the book, with me falling in the middle. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed the book more had I read the print version rather than the audiobook.

I listened to the audiobook Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Sarah Skaer, narrated by Lin King, for my Historical Fiction book club. This is one I definitely recommend you read in print rather than audio. The concept behind this translated work is a creative one--written as if it is a translated memoir by a Japanese woman in Taiwan in 1938. The author carries it over into the "afterwards" written by fictional translators which I thought was a nice touch. Unfortunately, my audiobook didn't include those, and so it was lucky I had the print version to fall back on. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and food--lots and lots of food!--may enjoy this one.

I was not able to finish Paul Murray's The Bee Sting in time for my book club meeting, but I still attended and enjoyed the discussion and then went on to finish it after. This is a terribly sad book, heavy in subject matter, with flawed characters who are facing difficult times. The writing and character development were among the strengths of this literary novel, following the four characters of a family in turmoil. Each character has a very distinct voice. Book club members had different takes on the ending, some feeling it was ambiguous and others saying it was quite clear. Although the novel is set in rural Ireland, it felt like could have been set in certain parts of rural America.

I did not expect to be able to attend the Science Fiction/Fantasy book club in May, but it turned out the band concert my daughter was attending of the local high school band turned into an after school field trip, and so she was able to go with her classmates and I was free to attend my book club. My husband did end up going and chaperoning the event. For this club, I read my husband's copy of The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories by Susanna Clarke. It had been too long since I read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by the same author, which I really liked, and so it took me a moment to settle into the story featuring Jonathan Strange (he plays only a minor role). These fairytale like stories are written in much the same vein as Susanna Clarke's first novel. As with every collection, some stories are better than others, but I enjoyed this collection quite a bit.

I had the opportunity to meet author Rebecca Thorne in April at the L.A. Times Festival of Books and she signed my copy of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea #1). This sapphic cozy fantasy novel was just what I needed. A mage and a former queen's guard runaway together to open a tea and book shop in a out of the way mountain town. I enjoyed getting to know the two main characters, but it was the side characters that stood out the most for me. Most of all, I loved the setting--the town and its surroundings as well as the tea and book shop itself. And dragons! There's a bit of mystery and occasional tension. This one leans heavy on cozy and was an enjoyable escape.

In April I read Bless Your Heart, which I enjoyed and decided to pick up the second book in the series, Another Fine Mess by Lindy Ryan, in May. I liked Another Fine Mess even more than the first book. Lindy Ryan blends the humor and horror together well. This family of women who own a mortuary have many secrets, including ones they keep from each other. Dark and funny with a dose of sentimentality thrown in, this made for an entertaining read.

Jesse Q. Sutanto has become an auto-read author for me and her character Vera Wong is one of my favorites, so of course I wanted to read Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) (Vera Wong #2). I just love Vera and the way her son and found family are always there for her. Vera has a knack for drawing people in and being there when they need her most. There were many funny and sweet moments throughout the novel. This one had a much darker story at its core but it is still a fairly light read. Others have mentioned liking the first book more than this second one, and I have to agree--but I still really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to everyone who voted in my May TBR List Poll! I enjoyed the month's winner We'll Prescribe You a Cat (#1) by Syou Ishida, translated by Madison Shimoda, which is made up of interconnected stories about the people who visit a clinic seeking mental health type services (most of them, anyway). They all are surprised when the doctor prescribes them a cat, just as the title says. Not all is as it seems in regards to the clinic and its staff, and the reader learns a bit more about that mystery with each story. The stories are simple and straight forward but heartwarming. That's part of their charm.

So, overall a good reading month!

Format pie chart from Storygraph

In May, it was an even split between all three book formats--and it wasn't even planned!

Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like

My highest rating this month was 4.5 while my lowest was 3.5. That's not bad at all, I would say! Nothing fell below my good rating. My highest rated book in May was This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan. I listened to the audio version and, while it did not earn the 5 paws its prequel received, it came close. I am fast becoming a fan of Kennedy Ryan's writing and storytelling abilities, not to mention how well fleshed out her characters are.

My June 2025 Reading Moods (according to Storygraph)

What was your favorite book read in May? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

I am currently reading Religion in the Lands That Became America by Thomas A. Tweed, a history spanning from the Ice Age to today, for the nonfiction reading challenge. And I just started One Final Turn (Electra McDonnell #5) by Ashley Weaver, the final book in a historical mystery series I adore.

June's Book Club Reads:

The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grace Bankole (Fiction Book Club)

After Hours on Milagro Street (#1) by Angelina M. Lopez (Diverse Romance Book Club)

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron (Historical Fiction Book Club)

Little Thieves (#1) by Margaret Owen (Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club)

I hope to read all four of these book club reads in June, although I will only be able to attend three of the meetings. The Ballad of Jaquotte Delahaye will be a re-read for me. I read it for the first time last year and enjoyed it.

What are you reading right now?

Where I share what everyone else in my family is reading

~ Mouse's Current Reads ~

Along with a tall stack of manga, Mouse is currently reading Disney Twisted-Wonderland: Rose-Red Tyrant by Jun Hioki and Yana Toboso. She recently finished reading The False Prince (Ascendance #1) Jennifer A. Nielsen. She gives is 4 stars.

~ Anjin's Current Reads ~

Anjin recently read Astro City Metrobook 1 by Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, and Alex Ross and The Black Company by Glen Cook, and is currently reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think?

1 & 2. Mouse and her fellow eighth graders in the middle school band performed together for the last time at their promotion ceremony this past Friday. It was a nice ceremony and a beautiful morning even if an extra warm one. It ended up being 100F that day, so I'm glad the ceremony was held early! The week before was the award ceremony. Mouse was given three awards, including highest honors. She had a blast on the eighth grade day at the park field trip and at the promotion dance. Another chapter in her life closed and a new one about to begin.

3. Anjin and I enjoyed the Conversation between Author Editor andré m. carrington and Graphic Novel Artist/Editor John Jennings Event at our local independent bookstore this afternoon. They shared their experiences about their work and their process, centering African American voices, and what influenced them and their books. Afterward, we got the chance to meet with them and have them sign our books. My Historical Fiction book club had read the graphic novel version of Kindred, illustrated by John Jennings, last fall. He was able to sign that and my copies of Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, both graphic novel adaptations of Octavia Butler's classics illustrated by John Jennings. I also picked up a copy of The Black Fantastic: 20 Afrofuturist Stories, edited by andré m. carrington, which is an anthology of contemporary Black speculative fiction.

andré m. carrington and John Jennings in conversation

The Black Fantastic: 20 Afrofuturist Stories, edited by andré m. carrington

Parable of the Sower, graphic novel adaptations of Octavia Butler's classic-

by Damian Duffy & John Jennings

Parable of the Talents, graphic novel adaptations of Octavia Butler's classic-

by Damian Duffy, John Jennings, & David Brame

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

Weekly Mewsings: Happy Mother's Day!

2025-05-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and mother figures! It's very warm here in Southern California at the moment. Quite the shift from the rain and chilly weather from last weekend. The high yesterday was 101F, which is a bit too summer like for me. Maggie is still struggling with her cough but is feeling better otherwise. She spent last week building a rocket for her science class, which will be tested this week. State testing is behind her and the school year is winding down.

I met with my Diverse Romance Book Club this past week to discuss This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan. The majority of us loved it, while one member didn't quite, but still enjoyed it. We had a lively discussion. I have enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy so much, I have the third book on pre-order.

Work has been keeping me busy. I am looking forward to a day of training next week--it'll be a little change of pace. At the moment I am catching up on laundry, one of many never ending chores.

What have you been up to this weekend and past week?

Currently Reading:

Norwegian at Night by Derek D. Miller (audio)

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (print)

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susana Clarke (print)

What are you reading right now?

My TBR List was the idea of Michelle at Because Reading, and while Michelle has not been hosting this monthly event for some time now, it's one of my favorite traditions that I cannot bring myself to give up. It's just too much fun! 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).

Thank you to everyone who voted in this month's TBR List Poll! This month's choices all have similar vibes and are translated works, both characteristics that appealed to me this month in deciding which to include in the poll.

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts, was tied with We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, translated by E. Madison Shimoda, for most of the week, but, in the end, We'll Prescribe You a Cat won with 9 votes to What You Are Looking For is in the Libary's 7 votes. The DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee, was not too far behind with 6 votes. Both my mom and husband will be happy to see which book won. I may try to fit in all three books this month, depending on the time, but am looking forward to reading into We'll Prescribe You a Cat first.

Thank you again to everyone for voting in this month's TBR List poll!

What are you reading next?

New to my shelves this week (purchased and Mother's Day gifts):

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology

edited by Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers

Where the Dead Brides Gather by Nuzo Onoh

Loveless by Alice Oseman

Elatsoe (#1) by Darcie Little Badger

After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez

Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung by Nina MacLaughlin

Sun of Blood and Ruin (#1) by Mariely Lares

Lady Eve's Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow

Servant of Earth (Shards of Magic #1) by Sarah Hawley

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (#5) by Elle Cosimano

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think?

1. Saturday we spent shopping for a semiformal dress and shoes to go with it for an upcoming 8th grade dance. Neither one of us is fond of clothes shopping (and much less shoe shopping), but we had a good afternoon, staying out of the heat and enjoying the air conditioning of the mall. Mouse found the perfect dress (on sale too!) and boots to match (also on sale). And of course we visited Barnes and Noble since it was right there.

2. We had a nice brunch with my mom this morning for Mother's Day. I expected a long wait given the day, but it was not bad at all! After our meal, we visited our favorite indie bookstore, which was across the street.

3. Look at my beautiful Mother's Day flowers from my husband and daughter:

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

Weekly Mewsings: April Wrap Up, May Showers & May's TBR Poll (Please Vote!)

2025-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

I went to sleep last night to the sound of rain outside. It is still overcast so perhaps more rain will come. That would be nice. How is it May already?! My calendar is looking full with book clubs, work trainings (and work itself), appointments, and Mouse's end of the year school activities. I meant to make more of an appearance in April, but time got away from me. Mouse is down with a cold/flu bug right now, unfortunately, and Anjin and I are trying to treat our early symptoms hoping we don't get sick too. That reminds me . . . I need to cancel Mouse's voice lesson for this next week. Singing and coughing do not go well together.

Books Read in April

It is obvious what I was doing instead of blogging this past month by the looks of the books I was able to get to. What happened to my five books a month average? I am not complaining. I have been including more audio reading in my days, turning to my books more than I am spending on social media or turning on the television. I am sure that has contributed to my reading more.

I started the month finishing A Sorceress Comes to Call, my first (but not my last) T. Kingfisher novel. And thank you to everyone who voted in my April TBR List Poll and for those who selected Lula Dean's Little Banned Library. It really was a delightful read! I found myself getting angry one minute and then immediately felt mollified when I read the next page. It was a charming book with bite. Speaking of bite, I decided to read Bless Your Heart last month too. A mix of horror and comedy set in small town Texas. It got off to a slow start for me, but I liked it quite a bit in the end. So much so, I currently am reading the next book in the series.

For my April book clubs, I split my book club reading between audiobooks and print books, listening to Against the Loveless World and Gideon the Ninth and reading the print versions of The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos and All Good People Here. I enjoyed taking part in the book club discussions for all of them. The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos was so romantic! And although it took me a moment to get into it, I liked Gideon the Ninth with all its clever twists. Against the Loveless World seems like a timely book to read right now, following the story of a Palestinian woman. Of the book club reads, All Good People Here was the most disappointing. It started off so well--a strong 4 paw read--but then the ending ruined it for me (and for other book club members too), so much so, it lost a paw. For the COYER read-along, I read Steel's Edge, which was a strong final book in the Edge series.

Mouse's language arts class read The Outsiders in April, and I decided it was a good time to revisit it myself. It was one of my childhood favorites, and I was curious to see how it would hold up. It may be dated in some respects, but the story is still a good one and, in conversations with my daughter, still relevant. It was a book her entire class enjoyed. Of all her required reading so far, The Outsiders is Mouse's favorite. Yay! At Mouse's request, I read The Girl With the Silver Eyes this past month too. It is one of her favorite books (she read it a couple or so years ago). I can definitely see why my daughter loves it. I enjoyed it too! One of Mouse's friends is on a Madeline Miller kick, reading The Song of Achilles and Circe, and is trying to talk Mouse into reading them too. That motivated me to re-read Circe, this time via audiobook. It's just as wonderful as I remember it.

My work offered staff the opportunity to listen to Unraveling Bias: How Prejudice Has Shaped Children for Generations and Why It's Time to Break the Cycle, and I jumped at the chance. It is well researched and evidence-based. It was well worth my time and I am glad I decided to read it.

I fit in a little poetry in April in honor of National Poetry month. I read Afterland, which is a beautiful and, at times, poignant collection of poetry. When I saw my library had an audio-copy of middle grade fantasy novel in verse, The Song of Orphan's Garden, I decided to check it out. I actually own a print copy, but though it might be fun to listen to. Even though I knew what the book was about, I was still struck by the depth of the world building and the character's backstories. It's well written and the story is compelling. I loved the characters. I would like to go back and re-read my print copy at some point.

As much as I enjoy participating in the reading bingo game, I do not plan my reading around it at the beginning of each month. It's usually toward the end of the month, as I begin to prep for my monthly wrap up, that I look to see how I am doing and panic. Can I fit another book in that meets a missing category, I ask myself. Which is how I found myself squeezing in The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher (academic setting) and Calling Invisible Women (character feels invisible). My daughter was kind enough to loan me her copy of the graphic novel, The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher (she also offered me another selection, which I kind of wish I had gone with instead, but, oh well). I admit I wasn't too sold on it for at least the first half of the novel, but the twists toward the end made it better. Calling Invisible Women had not even been on my radar of books I wanted to read, but when I read the description and found the audio on my library's website, it seemed the perfect choice for the "character feels invisible" category on that bingo card. And it was! It is figuratively and literally about a middle aged woman (and others too) who not only feel invisible but become invisible. It's a light-hearted hopeful novel, but also touches on themes that many women, especially those of us middle-aged and older, can relate to.

Calling Invisible Women by Jeanne Ray, narrated by Coleen Marlo

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (reread)

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers

Bless Her Heart (#1) by Lindy Ryan

The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz

Unraveling Bias by Christia Spears Brown, narrated by Bernadette Dunne

Steel's Edge (The Edge #4) by Ilona Andrews

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher by Ryan North, illustrated by Derek Charm

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir

Circe by Madeline Miller (reread)

The Song of Orphan's Garden by Nicole Hewitt, narrated by Esther Wane & Keval Shah

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Afterland by Mai Der Vang

The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts

Format pie chart from Storygraph

Of the sixteen books I read during April, six were audiobooks, six in print, and five in e-book format. My audiobook consumption is at its highest yet. I kind of like that there is a good balance between the three formats!

Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like

My ratings were a bit more spread out in April than they were in March. My highest rated book was a reread (Circe). If I had to pick a favorite read of the month though, it would definitely be Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa. It is the most memorable of all my April reads.

My April 2025 Reading Moods (according to Storygraph)

Let's take a look at how I did with my April Chapter Break Bookish Bingo card. I did not manage to fill out all the spots, but I think I did fairly good at filling out the card; I filled 23 spots, 24 if you count the free space!

What was your favorite book read in April? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

My Current Reads:

Another Fine Mess (Bless Your Heart #2) by Lindy Ryan (e-book)

This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan (audio)

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea #1) by Rebecca Thorne (print)

May's Book Club Reads:

Norwegian at Night by Derek D. Miller (Mystery Book Club)

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Cellar Door Book Club)

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan (Diverse Romance Book Club)

Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King (Historical Fiction Book Club)

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susana Clarke (Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club)

As for May's book club reads: although I have a physical copy of this month's Diverse Romance book club selection, I am listening to the audiobook (thanks to the library). I have a conflict in my schedule this month so am not sure I will get to the Science Fiction/Fantasy meeting, but I hope to read it just the same.

What are you reading right now?

Please help me select my next read! I am in the mood for something cozy, perhaps heart warming, and all three of these books stood out to me as I browsed my shelves considering what to add to this month's poll. Which of these appeals to you most? Which one do you think I should read next?

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts

For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a charming, internationally bestselling Japanese novel about how the perfect book recommendation can change a readers’ life.

What are you looking for? So asks Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian. For Sayuri Komachi is able to sense exactly what each visitor to her library is searching for and provide just the book recommendation to help them find it.

A restless retail assistant looks to gain new skills, a mother tries to overcome demotion at work after maternity leave, a conscientious accountant yearns to open an antique store, a recently retired salaryman searches for newfound purpose.

In Komachi’s unique book recommendations they will find just what they need to achieve their dreams. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is about the magic of libraries and the discovery of connection. This inspirational tale shows how, by listening to our hearts, seizing opportunity and reaching out, we too can fulfill our lifelong dreams. Which book will you recommend? [Publisher's Summary]

The DallerGut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee

What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life. [Publisher's Summary]

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, translated by E. Madison Shimoda

A cat a day keeps the doctor away….

Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope. [Publisher's Summary]

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Thank you for voting!

In my Easter basket this year:

The Mimicking of Known Successes (#1) by Malka Older

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (#2) by Malka Older

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

and an adorable book loving gnome!

In April, we enjoyed our day to L.A. Times Book Festival. These are the goodies that came home with us:

Mouse swore she did not want to leave the festival without a book. These three were among her finds:

Monster Movie! by Chuck Wendig

Whoever Steals This Book by Nowaki Fukamidori

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig

More of Mouse's Loot:

Lala the Memory Collector by Sui Kohno

Rebis: Born and Reborn by Irene Marchesini, translated by Carla Roncalli Di Montorio, illustrated by Carlotta Dicataldo

Mouse was excited to meet author Alejandro Lee and get signed copies of his graphic novels featuring Sally Sprocket and Piston Pete.

Anjin's Loot:

The Missing Men (Hobtown Mystery #1) by Kris Bertin

The Cursed Hermit (Hobtown Mystery#2) by Kris Bertin

Lady Mechanika, Vol. 1: The Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse by Joe Benítez

For me (Signed copies)

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

Also for me:

Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique

Long Division by Kiese Laymon

A new mouse pad for me along with stickers

and pins Mouse and I picked up at the festival

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?

1. We enjoyed Easter dinner with my mom, and got to see the birds, a bunny, and squirrel enjoy food from the bird feeder in her backyard.

2. Armed with our umbrellas, my family and I attended the L.A. Times Festival of Books in April, and while the day started out (very) wet, the sun was shining by the afternoon. We had fun at the festival--and I even had the chance to chat with authors Rebecca Thorne and John Scalzi!

3. Recently we went to see one of Mouse's friends perform in the local children's theater production of The Wizard of Oz. The kids looked like they were having fun on stage, and it was an overall fun show.

What have you been up to this past week?

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

Weekly Mewsings: My Week in Reading

2025-04-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

I am catching up on the laundry as I type this, listening to the occasional flyovers of planes from the airshow nearby. The weather has been very pleasant as of late, low 80F's with a nice breeze.

What have you been up to this weekend and past week?

A person can get a lot of reading in while sitting in the hospital waiting room. My mom had cataract surgery earlier in the week, and I was able to lose myself in The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz during that time. I had taken a couple days off work because of the surgery and my mom's follow-up appointment the next day so was able to fit in quite a bit of reading. The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay was the selection for my Diverse Romance book club, which met this past Thursday. Everyone enjoyed the book and we had a good discussion about different dating and courting traditions in various cultures. We always begin each meeting with a thumb up, down, or middle along with a one word description. I admit I am not the most creative in picking one word, but I felt "romantic" summed it up well, not only about the book as a whole, but also about the Filipino tradition of the five stages of courting.

This past week I also finished reading my daughter's recommended pick for me, a middle grade paranormal contemporary novel, The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts. It is one of her favorite books that she had read a couple or so years ago. I can definitely see why. I liked it too! It is one of those books I (and Mouse) wish had a sequel.

Last night I finished Steel's Edge, the fourth book in the Edge series by Ilona Andrews. Richard hadn't been my favorite character in the previous two books, but I really came to like him in this one. And I adored Charlotte. I think she's my favorite heroine among all of them in the four books.

During the week, I also fit in the audiobook Against the Loveless World, written and narrated by Susan Abulhawa. I have a print copy but wasn't sure I would be able to read it in time for tomorrow's book club meeting, so decided to listen to the audiobook instead. It isn't an easy read, given everything Nahr goes through. The author spares no details. It was a heartbreaking novel about a Palestinian woman as she slowly becomes radicalized due to her life experiences and search for a better life for her family. I look forward to the book club discussion.

I currently am reading three books. I am continuing to follow along with my daughter's Language Arts class reading of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I am also reading two more of April's book club reads: Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir for the Science Fiction/Fantasy book club, and All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers for the Mystery book club. I am a little skeptical I will get them both read in time, but I will do my best.

What are you reading right now?

Thank you to everyone who voted in this month's TBR List Poll! I have been unable to pin down exactly what I am in the mood to read this month, and so book club picks and the TBR poll are proving to be especially helpful right now. All of the books I choose for the monthly polls are books I have on hand that I want to read, and these three are no different.

Wooing the Witch Queen (Queens of Villainy #1) by Stephanie Burgis came in with five (5) votes while The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens earned seven (7). Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller won with eleven (11) votes. I look forward to starting Kirsten Miller's book soon!

Thank you again to everyone for voting in this month's TBR List poll!

What are you reading next?

1. My mom's surgery went well!

2. It's been nice enough in the evenings to open the windows for a little while before I go to sleep, and I have been enjoying the scent of the orange blossoms from the nearby orange groves.

3. I had forgotten how good a Strawberry Banana Julius is from Dairy Queen until I had one last weekend. Yum!

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

Can't Wait Wednesday: Six Days in Bombay / Another Fine Mess / One Death at a Time

2025-04-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings

to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them.

Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi

Release Date: April 15, 2025 by MIRA

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist, this sweeping novel follows a young Anglo-Indian nurse who embarks on a journey from her home in Bombay, through Prague, Florence, Paris, and London, to uncover a mystery and prove her innocence after a famous painter dies in her care.

When renowned painter Mira Novak arrives at Wadia hospital in Bombay after a miscarriage, she's expected to make a quick recovery, and Sona is excited to spend time with the worldly woman who shares her half-Indian identity, even if that's where their similarities end. Sona is enraptured by Mira's stories of her travels, and shocked by accounts of the many lovers she's left scattered through Europe. Over the course of a week, Mira befriends Sona, seeing in her something bigger than the small life she's living with her mother. Mira is released from the hospital just in time to attend a lavish engagement party where all of Bombay society. But the next day, Mira is readmitted to the hospital in worse condition than before, and when she dies under mysterious circumstances, Sona immediately falls under suspicion.

Before leaving the hospital in disgrace, Sona is given a note Mira left for her, along with her four favorite paintings. But how could she have known to leave a note if she didn't know she was going to die? The note sends Sona on a mission to deliver three of the paintings—the first to Petra, Mira's childhood friend and first love in Prague; the second to her art dealer Josephine in Paris; the third to her first painting tutor, Paolo, with whom both Mira and her mother had affairs. As Sona uncovers Mira's history, she learns that the charming facade she'd come to know was only one part of a complicated and sometimes cruel woman. But can she discover what really happened to Mira and exonerate herself?

Along the way, Sona also comes to terms with her own complex history and the English father who deserted her and her mother in India so many years ago. In the end, she'll discover that we are all made up of pieces, and only by seeing the world do we learn to see ourselves. [from the Publisher]

This sounds so good! Everything about it appeals to me.

Another Fine Mess (Bless Your Heart #2) by Lindy Ryan

Release Date: April 15, 2025 by Minotaur Books

Another Fine Mess is a horror novel that combines mystery, humor, and heart. It follows the Evans women, who have kept the undead from rising in their southeast Texas town for over a century. However, the dead sometimes rise too quickly. In Another Fine Mess, Lenore Evans, Luna, and the new sheriff must uncover what threatens everything they love. [from the Publisher]

I still need to read the first book, which I hope to do soon. A combination of "mystery, humor and heart" in a horror novel seems too good to miss!

One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman
Release Date: April 15, 2025 by Berkley

A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program. [from the Publisher]

This seems a bit of a departure from Abbi Waxman's other novels, one of which I read and enjoyed immensely, and I am all in! I love a good cozy mystery.

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

Weekly Mews: Springing into April with a Look Back On My March Reading (Please Vote in My April TBR Poll!)

2025-04-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

This past week was a rollercoaster, and I am relieved the weekend is finally here.

Books Read in March

March was an exceptional reading month even if an abysmal blogging month. I was able to fit in ten books again (will I be able to keep this up?!), with only one DNF. I have had very little computer time and am behind on my reviews. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to visit and comment on the posts. I hope to be able to reciprocate more this month.

Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews is my favorite in the Edge series yet. While I enjoyed the first two books, this one felt more like what I have come to enjoy and love about their books. Haunting and Homicide was a fun cozy paranormal mystery that was especially timely given my family's recent enjoyment of going on ghost tours--and I just love a good story involving ghosts! With the Epic musical soundtrack on repeat in our house (thanks to Mouse), it put me in the mood to pull Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths off my TBR shelf to read, my third nonfiction book of the year. I loved it!

March's TBR List Poll Winner, Spellshop, was just as good as everyone said it would be. This cozy fantasy was like a big warm hug. I want a sentient plant! I decided to go ahead and read the second place book, The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love, and it was delightfully funny and charming--I need more of that in my life.

March's book club reads were all winners. I re-read (via audio this time) The Truth According to Ember for my Diverse Romance book club--and it was just as good the second time around. Everyone in the book club enjoyed it. Since I was unable to attend the Cellar Door Book Club in March because it fell on my daughter's birthday, I decided to give the Science Fiction/Fantasy book club a try and joined them in reading Thistlefoot. We had a great discussion about Nethercott's novel, a Baba Yaga re-imagining. After a slow start, I did end up enjoying Ida, in Love and in Trouble, which I read for my Historical Fiction book club. I ended up missing the meeting unfortunately, but I am glad I was able to read the book. My Mystery book club's selection Murder by Degrees was enjoyed by all, including me. I love a good historical mystery! Although not a book club pick, I checked out the audiobook of Before I Go, after learning the second book in the series (trilogy?) will be the May selection for the Diverse Romance book club. I knew going in that the books can be read as standalones but the temptation to start with the first book was strong. When I first put it on hold through the library, there was a 30 day wait, so I was surprised when it was available only a couple days later.

The Fate's Edge (The Edge #3) by Ilona Andrews

Ida, In Love and in Trouble by Veronica Chambers

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

Murder by Degrees by Ritu Mukerji

Haunting and Homicide (A Ghost Tour Mystery #1) by Amber Burke

Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic #1) by India Holton

Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes

Before I Go (Skyland #1) by Kennedy Ryan

Format pie chart from Storygraph

Of the books I read in March, two were audiobooks and the rest were an equal mix of e-books and physical copies.

Rating Scale: 5 Paws=Outstanding; 4 Paws=Very Good; 3 Paws=Good; 2 Paws=Okay; 1 Paw=Didn't Like

Except for the one book I was unable to finish (therefore not rated), the books I read in March were all four paws and above. Two books earned my five paw rating. I may not have been sure GennaRose Nethercott's Thistlefoot would be among my top rated when I first began reading, but by the end there was no doubt it would be with the beautiful writing, clever plotting, and complex characters, many of whom I came to really care about. My other five paw book in March was Before I Go. Kennedy Ryan's novel was very much about the feelings for me, and that, along with the sensitivity and compassion with which the author approaches her characters and their story, won me completely over.

My March 2025 Reading Moods (according to Storygraph)

Let's take a look at how I did with my March Chapter Break Bookish Bingo card. I did not manage to fill out all the spots like last month, but I think I did fairly good at filling out the card; I filled 21 spots, 22 if you count the free space!

What was your favorite book read in March? Have you made progress with your reading challenges? Did you have a good reading month?

I finished reading A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher most recently and am now reading Steel's Edge (The Edge #4) by Ilona Andrews. I also started The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts, which my daughter recommended. She read it a couple or so years ago and it's one of her favorites--so I feel honored that she's finally letting me read it. I get it. It can be hard to let someone close to you read a book you love--what if they hate it? Speaking of Mouse, she's reading S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders with her class, and I dug out my old mass market paperback copy with its yellowing pages and am tempted to read along too. I haven't read the novel since I was in high school, but I remember it fondly.

I also really need to start this month's book club reads. I had hoped to start a couple of them earlier in the week, but it was not meant to be.

The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos by Melissa de la Cruz

All the Good People Here by Ashley Flowers

Gideon the Ninth by Tasmin Muir

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

What are you reading right now?

Please help me select my next read! I really struggled with coming up with three books for this month's poll. I am not sure what I am in the mood for. Here are three I pulled randomly from my TBR shelves.

Wooing the Witch Queen (Queens of Villainy #1) by Stephanie Burgis

In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn’t have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic.

When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. “Fabian” is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange – what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? – but he’s getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well…

Little does Saskia know that the "wizard" she’s falling for is actually an Imperial archduke in disguise, with no magical training whatsoever. On the run, with perilous secrets on his trail and a fast growing yearning for the wicked sorceress, he's in danger from her enemies and her newfound allies, too. When his identity is finally revealed, will their love save or doom each other? [Publisher's Summary]

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens

After the murder of her best friend, a librarian’s search for answers leads back to her own dark secrets in this sweeping novel about a woman transformed by war, family, vengeance, and love, from award-winning writer Allen Eskens.

Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared.

Thirty years before, Hana was someone Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head.

Now, someone is hunting Hana, and her friend has paid the price, leaving her eight-year-old grandson in Hana’s care. To protect the child without revealing her secret, Hana must again become the Night Mora—and hope she can find the killer before the past comes for them, too. [Publisher's Summary]

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.

Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.

But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.

That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.
[Publisher's Summary]

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Thank you for voting!

New to my bookshelves:

Upcoming Book Club Books

Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, translated by Lin King

Norwegian Night (Sigrid Ødegård #1) by Derek B. Miller

This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think?

1. My mom's Masquers Theatre Club put on an original melodrama play called Three Sheets to the West this weekend that had all of us in the audience laughing and cheering (and booing at the evil Mayor). All of the cast, including my mom, did a great job!

2. Waking up naturally on a Saturday morning; no alarm clock and no where to be.

3. Hot chocolate and chocolate chip croissants--thanks to my husband for surprising me with breakfast earlier this week!

What have you been up to this past week?

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

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Matchmaker / Happy Land / The Geographer's Map to Romance

2025-04-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings

to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them.

The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed
Release Date: April 8, 2025 by Bantam

A society matchmaker realizes she’s in danger when her clients' weddings are sabotaged in increasingly disturbing ways—an utterly original mystery from New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed.

Nura Khan is a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta and business has never been better. Her exclusive clientele benefits from her impeccable track record. And while a single thirty-one-year-old matchmaker would normally raise some perfectly threaded eyebrows in the community, Nura's childhood best friend Azar is willing to double as her pretend fiancé at her clients’ weddings—as long as Nura is able to hide that her feelings for him might not be so pretend.

But Nura quickly learns that all that glitters isn’t gold. While it’s not uncommon to get the occasional hate mail from rejected prospective clients, after a couple’s carefully constructed wedding implodes, Nura is blindsided by a cascading chain of increasingly terrifying events and realizes someone is taking things too far. With Azar by her side, Nura embarks on a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that threatens not only her safety but everything she's worked so hard to build. [from the Publisher]

There's something about novels featuring matchmakers that draws me to them. This one sounds like it will be an entertaining mystery with a fake-dating romance twist!

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Release Date: April 8, 2025 by Berkley

"It's time we name our kingdom!" he shouted over the wind. "I say we call this place Happy Land. If this ain't the land of happy people, then where is it? Why not create our heaven right here on earth?"

In the hills of Appalachia, there once existed a land ruled by a king and queen. Inspired by memories of African kingdoms, a community of formerly enslaved men and women grasped freedom on mountain land they owned. But freedom doesn't always last forever . . .

Today, after years of silence, Nikki has been summoned to North Carolina by her estranged grandmother. But instead of revealing answers about their recent past, Mother Rita tells Nikki a shocking story about her great-great-great grandmother, Queen Luella, and the very land they stand on. Land Mother Rita insists must be protected at all costs.

As Nikki learns about the Kingdom of the Happy Land, she comes to realise how much of her identity is rooted in this family land, and how much they stand to lose if it, like so much else, is taken from them. It's time to reclaim what's theirs. [from the Publisher]

I enjoy multi-generational stories and the setting particularly appeals to me. Inspired by true events too! I want to know more!

The Geographer's Map to Romance (Love's Academic #2) by India Holton
Release Date: April 8, 2025 by Berkley

Geography professors in a failed marriage of convenience inconveniently reconnect for an emergency mission in this swoony historical-fantasy rom-com.

Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her--except her own personal disaster, that is: Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves.

Gabriel is also an expert in magic disasters. And nothing fazes him either--except the walking, talking tornado that is his wife. They've been estranged since shortly after their wedding day, but that hasn't stopped him from stoically pining for her.

When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, threatening catastrophe for the rest of England, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they must come together as a team in the face of perilous conditions like explosions, domesticated goats, and only one bed. But this is easier said than done. After all, there's no navigational guide for the geography of the heart. [from the Publisher]

All of India Holton's books sound like fun, and this one sounds like it will be too!

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

Weekly Mewsings: Spring Break

2025-03-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

I am linking up Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality a meme in which participants share what new books came their way recently.

Spring Break is winding down for us. Mouse wanted to do an unofficial bookstore crawl during Spring Break, and so we visited several of the independent bookstores in and around town in addition to the local Barnes and Noble throughout her time off. That was a lot of fun! We also spent a couple days in San Diego just to get away. We went on a ghost tour that took us inside a few of the well known haunts in San Diego--we all enjoyed it immensely. We also spent a day at Balboa Park, visiting the botanical gardens and a couple of the museums there. No vacation is complete without a bookstore visit, and we stopped in at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, which my husband and daughter had to drag me out of--but not without books, of course! I think we all needed the break and a chance to recharge.

The above photo is of the backside of the Villa Montezuma in San Diego, built (1887) and once owned by pianist, spiritualist and author Jesse Shepard (aka Francis Grierson). Although we weren't allowed to take photos inside, we did get to visit the music room. It's a beautiful house with an interesting history. The below photo is of the front, including the stained glass windows attached to the music room.

We also had the chance to tour the Davis-Horton House (below), which is said to be one of the most haunted houses in the area, particularly popular among ghost and paranormal activity hunters. Alas, there were no ghost sightings while we were there, but we enjoyed hearing about the house's history.

Outside the Davis-Horton House

Inside the Davis-Horton House

Dante, one of your tour hosts, explaining the use of an

antique picnic basket at the Davis-Horton House

On the ghost tour, we had the chance to go into the present day Horton Grand Hotel in the Gaslamp District, where two of the rooms are said to be haunted, both having been built on properties that had been a brothel run by the famous Ida Bailey and also Wyatt Earp's Seven Buckets of Blood gambling hall. And we visited the well-known haunted Whaley House in Old Town San Diego, which has quite a history. The tour ended with a visit to a seemingly small graveyard in Old Town, which turns out not to be so small--when you think of all the bodies still buried under the sidewalks and paved street.

I am most familiar with Balboa Park because of our many visits to the San Diego Zoo. We have never really taken the time to explore the other features the park has to offer on those visits, so this time decided to make that our focus. The park has eighteen museums, including the gardens and exhibits. We did not come close to visiting them all, but we enjoyed what we did see and would like to go back someday to see more. Here are some photos my husband and daughter took of our visit to Balboa Park:

Outside the Casa del Prado

Outside the botanical building (Balboa Park)

Inside the botanical building (Balboa Park)

Lily pond outside the botanical building

Museum of Us

California Tower of the Museum of Us

Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park

Even amidst moments of personal joy, the weight of events and news in the U.S. and around the world is always there. Americans may not feel the repercussions now, but we surely will even as some already are.

What have you been up to? I hope you are well!

At the moment, I am juggling three books. Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes is my latest nonfiction book (I have talked about it so much that my husband wants to read it). I am also reading A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher--I really do not like Evangeline. My current audiobook is Before I Go by Kennedy Ryan, which is the first book in the Skyland series. My diverse romance book club will be reading the second book of the series in May. While Ryan's books are part of a series, they can be read as stand alone novels (each book features a different couple), but my library had a copy so I thought I would give it a try. I am loving it to far!

What are you reading right now? Is it something you would recommend?

Where I share what everyone else in my family is reading

~ Mouse's Current Reads ~

The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr

The Apothecary Diaries, Vol. 11 by Nekokurage, Natsu Hyuuga, Itsuki Nanao

Sixteen Souls (#1) by Rosie Talbot

The False Prince (Ascendance #1) by Jennifer A. Nielson

~ Anjin's Current Reads ~

Too Many Losing Heroines, Vol. 3 by Takibi Amamori, illustrated by Imigimuru (light novel)

Uncle from Another World, Vol. 11 by Hotondoshindeiru, translated by Christina Rose

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, Vol. 1 by Izumi Tsubaki, translated by Leighann Harvey

Mouse wanted to do our very own personal bookstore crawl during her Spring Break, and so we visited several of the new and used independent bookstores (in addition to the local Barnes and Noble). These are the books I picked up:

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales (#3) by Heather Fawcett

Oathbound (Legendborn Cycle #3) by Tracy Deonn

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space edited by Zoraida Córdova

Tea You at the Altar (Tomes & Tea #3) by Rebecca Thorne

Translation State by Ann Leckie

Karaoke Queen by Dominic Lim

Metamorphoses by Ovid

Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz

The Undetectables (#1) by Courtney Smyth

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think? What new books did you add to your shelf this week?

Following in the footsteps of Deb of Readerbuzz - With all the worries and stressors in life,

I want to highlight some of the good, even the seemingly small stuff.

1. Mouse has had an awesome birthday month!

2. Anjin and I attended Mouse's band competition a couple of weeks ago, and her middle school band received an unanimous superior for both their band performance and their sight reading test, which is the highest rating. They truly did sound good and Mouse enjoyed the experience.

3. Many thanks to my mom for taking care of the cats while we were away!

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

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Drop of Corruption / Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) / How to Read a Killer's Mind

2025-03-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings

to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them.

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett
Release Date: April 1, 2025 by Del Rey

The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire's greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat. [from the Publisher]

I read The Tainted Cup earlier this year and cannot stop singing its praises. Of course I want to read the second book in the series too!

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) (Vera Wong #2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Release Date: April 1, 2025 by Berkley

Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.…

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law. [from the Publisher]

I will read anything Jesse Q. Sutanto writes, and the first Vera Wong book was one of my favorites of hers. I am excited about reading this second book in the series.

How to Read a Killer's Mind by Tam Barnett
Release Date: April 7, 2025 by Boldwood Books

Enthralling, unsettling and darkly comic, this crime thriller is perfect for fans of Bella Mackie, Katy Brent and Alex Michaelides' The Silent Patient.

I’m psychologist Dr Emy Rose, but that’s not my real name.

I work with serial killers who've hidden their victims. My job is to find the bodies - and I'm kind of awesome at it.

The trick is to get inside these murderers' minds. And there's one in particular I'm hellbent on breaking.

Why? None of your business! Just know, I'll stop at nothing to read that killer's mind...

Tam Barnett's brilliant new novel will get into your head and under your skin... [from the Publisher]

Getting into the minds of serial killers to find their victims is interesting enough, but now I want to know more about this person she's specifically hoping to learn more from and why.

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Did Not Finish (DNFed)

2025-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl.

Sometimes a reader and a book are not a good fit, and it is okay to give up on a book. Sometimes it is a mattering of timing--right book, wrong time/mood. This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is the Books I Did Not Finish (DNFed). I do not often give up on a book and so this list is fairly short. It could be that some have slipped from my memory, given the lack of impression they made on me. I last posted on this topic in 2015 from what I can tell (you can find that post here).

A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novel - an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, doctors and patients, exile and home.

Several years ago, I attempted to listen to Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese, narrated by Sunil Malhotra. I enjoyed the few chapters of this audiobook I got through. Perhaps it was because my listening time was limited to 30 minutes at a time when I was able to fit it in and that was the problem. Of all the books on this list, Cutting For Stone is one I do hope to revisit, perhaps in print--so not really a DNF book for me, but more of a TAL (Try Again Later) book. I still think I will like this one when I do get around to reading it!

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

I looked forward to reading Paula McLain's The Paris Wife as it seemed like something I would really enjoy, but when I picked it up to read, I could not get into it. I liked the writing, but I could not bring myself to care about the characters or what was in store for them. For me, that's always the kiss of death for a book.

Don Quixote has become so entranced by reading chivalric romances that he determines to become a knight-errant himself. In the company of his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, his exploits blossom in all sorts of wonderful ways. While Quixote's fancy often leads him astray—he tilts at windmills, imagining them to be giants—Sancho acquires cunning and a certain sagacity. Sane madman and wise fool, they roam the world together, and together they have haunted readers' imaginations for nearly four hundred years.

When my husband was cast as Don Quixote in a ballet production my daughter's former dance studio was putting in 2019, I decided to give the novel, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra a try. I struggled with as much as I did manage to read, and in the end decided not to continue.

The first book of Jenny Colgan's delightful new four-part series, set at a charming English boarding school on the sea. Over the course of one year, friendships will bloom and lives will be changed forever. Life at the Little School by the Sea is never dull...

I had enjoyed two of Jenny Colgan books in the past and was really looking forward to reading this one when it won my August TBR poll in 2023. Welcome to the School by the Sea (Maggie Adair #1) by Jenny Colgan was a reprint of one of the author's earlier books, and I just could not get past the frequent negative references to one of the student's weight. If it had just been a bullying situation that was eventually resolved, it might have been different; but it wasn't just her peers comments, the teachers and staff could not help but comment on her weight as well, even if just amongst themselves. I read a few other reviews to see if the body shaming would be addressed--because then I might want to continue--but learned it wasn't and that I was not alone in being put off by it. While many people I know have read and enjoyed this book, I found myself pulled out of the story too often because of the comments on the child's weight to make it worth trying to continue.

At a time when society is more fractured than ever before, beloved Jesuit priest Gregory Boyle invites us to see the world through a new lens of connection and build the loving community that we long to live in—a perfect message for readers of Anne Lamott, Mary Oliver, and Richard Rohr.

Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times Gregory Boyle came recommended to me earlier this year. It is not my usual type of read, but I was told it would bring me a bit of hope to an otherwise dark and divisive time in U.S. history and that it wasn't overly religious and would appeal even to those, like me, who aren't religious. Unfortunately, I did find it too heavy in religious themes and references for my taste. It is nothing against the author or the great work he has and continues to do for the community--he and I probably agree more than we disagree in our philosophies--just not on the faith aspect.

What books have you recently been unable to finish?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree / The Keeper of Lonely Spirits / A Spirited Blend

2025-03-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings

to spotlight upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.

Here are three upcoming releases that caught my attention and immediately ended up on my wish list I am looking forward to reading all of them.

The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree by India Hayford
Release Date: March 25, 2025 by A John Scognamiglio Book

Disguised by years in exile and a name she found on a gravestone, an unconventional young woman returns to her childhood home in rural 1967 Arkansas in this hauntingly visceral Southern tale of desperate choices, found family, folk magic and noisy ghosts.

Genevieve Charbonneau talks to ghosts and has a special relationship with rattlesnakes. In her travels, she’s wandered throughout the South, working in a Louisiana circus and as a hootchy kootch dancer in Texas. Now for the first time in a decade, she’s allowed her winding path to bring her to the site of her grandmother’s Arkansas farmhouse, a place hallowed in her memory.

Disguised by years in exile and a name she found on a gravestone, Genevieve intends only to visit briefly and leave. But a chance meeting with a guilt-ridden young Vietnam veteran draws her into more unexpected connections. Her hard-won independence inspires an abused woman and her daughters to find their own path to empowerment, and a hypocritical preacher is brought to a long-deserved reckoning.

With undertones of magical realism and dark humor, here is a powerful story of discovering—and sometimes rediscovering—one’s place in the world, and the unexpected challenges and gifts that present themselves along the way. [from the Publisher]

This one just sounds so amazing!

The Keeper of Lonely Spirits by E.M. Anderson
Release Date: March 25, 2025 by MIRA

In this mesmerizing, wonderfully moving queer cozy fantasy, an immortal ghost hunter must confront his tragic past in order to embrace his found family.

Find an angry spirit. Send it on its way before it causes trouble. Leave before anyone learns his name.

After over two hundred years, Peter Shaughnessy is ready to die and end this cycle. But thanks to a youthful encounter with one o’ them folk in his native Ireland, he can’t. Instead, he’s cursed to wander eternally far from home, with the ability to see ghosts and talk to plants.

Immortality means Peter has lost everyone he’s ever loved. And so he centers his life on the dead—until his wandering brings him to Harrington, Ohio. As he searches for a vengeful spirit, Peter’s drawn into the townsfolk’s lives, homes and troubles. For the first time in over a century, he wants something other than death.

But the people of Harrington will die someday. And he won’t.

As Harrington buckles under the weight of the supernatural, the ghost hunt pits Peter’s well-being against that of his new friends and the man he’s falling for. If he stays, he risks heartbreak. If he leaves, he risks their lives. [from the Publisher]

Doesn't this sound fun? A ghost hunter, found family and a curse. Yes, please!

A Spirited Blend (Crystals & CuriosiTEAS #3) by Lauren Elliott
Release Date: March 25, 2025 by Kensington Books

For charmed tea shop owner Shay Myers, getting steeped in Bray Harbor, California’s October festivities is spookier than she ever could have bargained for—especially when a bone-chilling murder mystery spells grave danger . . .

With Halloween around the corner, Shay Myers is brewing witchy seasonal sips at Crystals and CuriosiTEAS—while simultaneously steaming over pub owner Liam Madigan’s decision to take anybody but her to the town’s Monster Mash dance. Her romantic premonitions have missed the mark since she settled into coastal Bray Harbor, opening the door to questions about whether she’s really the gifted seer her late mother imagined. It’s why she second guesses the dark vision in her tea leaves about a local citizen and their obsession with genealogy, Irish folklore, and magic . . .

But when bad omens come true, Shay doesn’t have time for self-doubt. A woman’s body has been discovered, frozen in a strange pose with an eerie black butterfly on her forehead, leading to suspicions that the victim took a conjuring ritual too far due to limited experience—or was murdered by someone with too much. As an investigation stirs up a sinister connection to a boardwalk mystic shop, Shay, guided by her knowing dog, Spirit, finds herself tracking down a shady figure from her past, navigating the sudden reappearance of her ex-husband, and chasing down a wickedly perceptive criminal who might finally be her match! [from the Publisher]

I haven't yet started this series, but I do like the sound of it. A mix of magic and murder-solving, what's not to like?

Do any of these books interest you? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading?