Month: January 2019

Sunday Summary

Sunday Summary: 6th January 2019

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Doesn’t the weekend, and the end of it, roll around all too quickly! The first week of the New Year is over… has anyone broken their resolutions yet?

I wrote about my New Year’s Resolutions earlier this week, as well as giving details of this month’s planned reading list. If you haven’t checked that out already, it would be really awesome if you do! I’d also like to know what resolutions you have set yourself! In addition to the resolutions on my post, I am also making a conscious effort to read more bookish blogs. I’ve fallen out of the habit, but even if I only take 20 minutes out of my day, that’s more than I am doing now. I have already read some fun, interesting resolutions posts; the best of luck to everyone in achieving your goals!

I have also written my first review of the year this week. It’s a review that I feel is overdue as I finished the book at the end of October last year. Unfortunately, I committed myself to a lot of blog tours in November. That’s why I have only gotten around to reviewing The Swan Keeper by Milana Marsenich now. This is the second book I have reviewed of hers, the first being Copper Sky. It was lovely that she contacted me to tell me what a pleasant surprise it was to see my thoughts on the book.

So, what have I been reading this week?

 

Books Read

 

It’s been a little while since I’ve been able to lend a mention to three books in this section! Maybe all this New Year, new me lark does mean something after all. No harm in a fresh start. My first mention is going to be brief though – in last week’s Sunday Summary post I promised to finish The Cathedral of Known Things before bed… and I did.

The majority of my reading time this week has been invested in The Road to Alexander by Jennifer Macaire. I had started the book in December but forgot to add it to my Goodreads and update my progress. So, on the 1st of January when I wrote my reading list, I confidently updated my progress without checking because I was convinced I was 46% through the book. Turns out, I had only read 31%. I had a bit more reading to do than I thought, but never mind. I still managed to finish the book on Friday night, so I’m happy.

This weekend, I have been reading Black Matter by G. D. Parker. I am reviewing the book later this month as part of the organised blog tour. I have to admit, I wasn’t really sure where the plot was going when I first started this book. The synopsis is quite vague in detail, but now I am hooked. I read the first 40% in one sitting and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the narrative unravels.

 

Books Discovered

After kicking myself back into the blog reading action, I stumbled across a review for Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett. I am an awful person because after telling myself a HUNDRED times to save where the book recommendations come from so I can credit that person here… I haven’t. I’ve tried searching for it too, but no luck. Sorry!

The review discussed how the blogger enjoyed the political elements within the book. As I love the dynamic and intrigue from a political stance in novels such as the Song of Ice & Fire series by George R. R. Martin, I think I could really enjoy Onyx & Ivory.

 

Coming Up…

 

For the first time EVER, I am being sent on a business trip this week! Eek! I’m equally excited and nervous because I haven’t been to London since I was a child. How can I tell I am nervous? I’ve already started trying to look into trains and taking screenshots of maps etc. I’m a worrier, okay, but I’m sure I’ll be fine. It’s just a day trip, but I have to get up in the early hours of the morning night to get there, it’s going to be a long day! I’m sure I’ll enjoy it though!

Back to the bookish side of things, what posts are going live this week?

As we are fresh into the New Year, I feel it’s only appropriate to take a look at some of the books I am really looking forward to reading this year. This will be my first Can’t-Wait Wednesday post, so I’m looking forward to sharing it with you!

 

 

down the tbr holeA little later in the week, I am going to work on whittling down the TBR with another Down the TBR Hole post. It doesn’t matter what I do, I can’t get the numbers down. I’m forever adding new books so it feels like I am chasing my own tail sometimes. At least I know I genuinely want to read the books on the list!

 

I want to make good progress on the reading front this week. My aim is to finish Black Matter within the next couple of days, as it is a relatively short read. Next, I’ll be moving on to reading You Can’t Make Old Friends by Tom Trott. This is the first book of the series, for which I am taking part in a blog tour next month. I am hopeful that I will have this one finished, or nearly finished, by the time I am writing my next Sunday Summary post.

 

That’s all from me for now folks! Don’t forget… I would love to hear what your New Year’s resolutions are! What are you reading to kick off 2019?

 

Book Review Banner

Book Review: The Swan Keeper – Milana Marsenich

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***I was very kindly provided with a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions stated below are my own ***

Girlhood, courage, nature, and flight from a tyrant’s hand in post-frontier Montana.

Goodreads – The Swan Keeper

The Swan Keeper is an historical, coming of age novel set in Northwest Montana’s Mission Valley in the late 1920s.

Lillian Connelly loves trumpeter swans and vows to protect them from a hunter who is killing them and leaving their carcasses for the wolves and coyotes to ravage.

On her eleventh birthday Lilly’s family visits the Cattail Marsh to see the newly hatched cygnets. The family outing turns tragic when Dean Drake shows up with his shotgun and fires on not only the swans, but on Lilly’s family. Unable to prevent tragedy, Lillian witnesses Drake kill her father, injure her mother, and slaughter the bevy of trumpeter swans.

The sheriff, Charlie West, thinks that Lilly is reacting to the trauma and blaming Drake because of a previous conflict between Drake and her father. Lilly’s mother, sister, and her best friend, Jerome West, the sheriff’s son, all think the same thing: that Lilly is trying to make sense of a senseless accident.

Left alone to bring Dean Drake to justice, Lilly’s effort is subverted when Drake woos her sister, courts her mother, and moves into their home.

 

My Thoughts…

Who cannot love a girl who will risk her life:

1.       for the sake of the truth and;

2.      the lives of innocent trumpeter swans?

She has guts; some would say gall, but Lilly will not be chastened. Too young, she is forced to grow up and face the harshest realities of life, and that no one takes an impulsive eleven-year-old seriously.

As in Copper Sky, the natural beauty of the Montana landscape shines throughout the narrative. Picturesque mountains and vivid descriptions set the scene of Montana in the 1920’s. The changing of the seasons mark the passage of time as Lilly transitions from a child into the headstrong, confident young woman she is meant to be.

Nothing is impossible for this young girl. When everyone refuses to believe that she witnessed her father murdered by the man he feuded with, she sets out for justice against all odds. But Drake is on to her? What lengths will he go to, to ensure that no one believes her?

Having already read Copper Sky, I know the high standard of writing and character development from Milana Marsenich. Once again she has proven her ability to write strong, memorable characters. During a time when a family is tested to its limits, the bond holding them together proves that blood is thicker than water. Two squabbling sisters are able to pull together when it matters most. Hardship and struggle are themes that Milana can write incredibly well. Death, loss and sad kind of acceptance are all feelings we can relate to. Experiencing such a tragedy from the perspective of a child makes those feelings all the more profound.

Lilly’s youthful determination and Drake’s easy arrogance are but two examples of how each of these characters is brought to life. These two are opposing forces of nature and they catalyze one another. The depth and complexity of humanity are explored in each and every character, though. I’m a firm believer that Milana’s experience in mental health therapy lends a greater understanding as to how we, as people, tick, especially under stress.

The Swan Keeper is a beautiful novel. Tragic and heartfelt, yet with its own admirable beauty and appreciation of nature, the novel is not just an entertaining read. It’s a journey.

 

 

Author Bio – Milana Marsenich

Milana Marsenich lives in Northwest Montana near Flathead Lake at the base of the beautiful Mission Mountains. She enjoys quick access to the mountains and has spent many hours hiking the wilderness trails with friends and dogs. For the past 20 years she has worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings. As a natural listener and a therapist, she has witnessed amazing generosity and courage in others. She first witnessed this in her hometown of Butte, Montana, a mining town with a rich history and the setting for Copper Sky, her first novel. Copper Sky was chosen as a Spur Award finalist for Best Western Historical Novel.

She has an M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. She has previously published in Montana Quarterly, Big Sky Journal, The Polishing Stone, The Moronic Ox, BookGlow, and Feminist Studies.

She has a short story included in The Montana Quarterly book: Montana, Warts and All. She has two published novels, Copper Sky and The Swan Keeper.

Bio Source: https://milanamarsenich.com

New Years Resolutions and Reading List – January 2019

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Happy New Year everybody! I would like to wish you all a fabulous 2019!

I’m not one for setting myself New Year Resolutions… aside from a reading goal. I find them difficult to stick to. That being said, I am setting myself two bookish and one personal resolution this year to see if I can do it: –

  • Reading Goal: 50 books
  • Read at least 5 non-fiction books
  • No alcohol in 2019

Yep, you read that right! A lot of people are attempting dry January, but I’ve decided to step up the challenge. I can go a month without alcohol easily… I must do it at least six times a year without trying. Truth is, I’m not fussed. I only drink to be social. So, we’ll see just how much I miss it. I don’t think I will at all, but only time will tell.

As to my reading goals, I really ought to read more non-fiction. I last read a non-fiction book in November 2017 – over a year ago. Since I really like history, I expect that I’ll probably dip into this genre in order to complete the challenge. I’ll keep an open mind though. I have been known to read an autobiography or two in the past.

Last year I read 46 books, beating my target of 40 with about a month or so to spare. After I hit my target, I did lose a bit of motivation to read more. With that in mind, I have decided to increase my target to 50 books. The most I have read in one year is 60, however, I read 20 of those before my blog came into existence in April 2017. I don’t think that is achievable this year, but I’ll happily aim down the middle with 50.

So, which books am I going to read in January to get myself started on that goal? In previous months I haven’t set myself that many books to read in a bid to give myself more freedom. I’m not convinced it’s working though. January’s list is going to be a full one though because I have a number of blog tours coming up in the next couple of months.

 

The Road to Alexander – Jennifer Macaire

Goodreads – The Road to Alexander

This is a carryover from last year; I began reading this last month in an attempt to get ahead of myself. With personal matters the way they were, I’ve lost a lot of this advantage, but I’m still well on track to finishing this book in time for the tour mid this month.

 

Black Matter – G. D. Parker

Goodreads – Black Matter

I’m looking forward to reading this book as the synopsis sounds fantastic. I expect it will be a combination of a thrilling crime novel with a futuristic setting, which for me will be a shakeup on the books I normally read. I have read some brilliant crime novels recently, so I have high expectations for this one.

 

You Can’t Make Old Friends & Choose Your Parents Wisely – Tom Trott

Goodreads – You Can’t Make Old Friends

Goodreads – Choose Your Parents Wisely

You guessed it, another blog tour! This one isn’t until February, however, on that date I am reviewing three books in one post. I told you, I’m a very busy girl. This month I am going to read books one and two, with number three making an early appearance in next month’s list.

 

A Clash of Kings – George R. R. Martin

Goodreads – A Clash of Kings

I recently re-read A Game of Thrones, beginning my mission to re-read all of the books before watching the final season of the show, due to air this year! Can something not come around quick enough and too quickly at the same time? I am excited but also gutted that this will be the end. I’ll be that person who binges a season every so often once it’s over, I bet. A Clash of Kings is quite a long book, so I am going to have to get my skates on!

Those are the books I am reading this month! Is anyone else re-reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series this year? As always, I would love to hear from you!