Partials by Dan Wells

Title: Partials (Partials Sequence #1)

Author: Dan Wells

Publisher: Balzar + Bray 2013

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 528

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Quarter of a Century - 2013

Where I Got It: Book Outlet April 2020

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask.

Playing on our curiosity of and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike—and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one's own point of view.

This book has been sitting on my shelves for almost five years now. I was searching for something fairly breezy with lots of action and grabbed onto this one. Thankfully, it delivered on the promise. We get a very fast paced scifi post-apolyptic novel featuring lots of action and surprisingly, lots of science. As this is young adult, the main characters were annoying at times, but that’s to be expected. I also thought that Wells’s writing was fairly simplistic and immature at times. But the only part that I really disliked was the teenage romance angle. Truly it served no purpose whatsoever. By the end of the book, I was invested in the series. I want to find out what happens between the humans and the Partials after the revelations in this volume.

Partials Sequence:

• #1 Partials

• #2 Fragments

• #3 Ruins

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W18: Back to a Normal Week

What We Studied

We got over the sickness and went back to our usual schedule. We had some school days, I had a dentist appointment, and we restarted co-op.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G5 for his language arts this year. We finished our current read aloud. I’m not sure that I really enjoyed it and may just skip this book in a few years when Quentin enters the 5th grade. We also covered more grammar and extra language arts assignments.

• The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G1 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 2 and random books that we have around the house. We finished one classic and started another classic. I must say that I’m always so surprised how bad of a writer I think C.S. Lewis is when compared to J.R.R. Tolkien.

• Poetry: Alphabestiary selected by Jane Yolen

• The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Math

Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 1. Effectively this is Singapore’s 6th grade math text. Arthur started the second book of the course, diving back into algebraic equations. I am really am liking how Singapore spends a lot of time on what the equations are actually telling us vs just jumping into solving.

• Math in Focus Course 1 Book A

Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 2B and 3A. We moved onto 3A starting slow to easy back into our lessons.

• Singapore Primary 3A

• Primarily Logic

Social Studies

Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 this year. Even though we covered two sections, these two sections were mostly a review focusing on North America and the American Revolution.

• Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• A Spy Called James: The True Story of James Lafayette, Revolutionary War Double Agent, by Anne Rockwell

• Anna Strong: A Spy During the American Revolution by Sarah Glenn Marsh Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, by Margaret McNamara

• George vs. George: The American Revolution As Seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer

• Who Was Daniel Boone? by Sydelle Kramer

Quentin is using History Quest Middle Times with Build Your Library Level 2 as his main history curriculum. This week we covered a chapter about the Kingdom of Mali. Lots of fun connections to other chapters in this one.

• History Quest Middle Times

• DK When on Earth?

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• Kingfisher Atlas of the Medieval World

• DK Explorers

Science

Arthur is using RSO Biology 1 this year has the main science text. Our academic coop will also be using RSO Biology 1 as a basis for the fall and spring semester courses, so we will be just supplementing at home. We will also be doing some of Blossom & Root’s Book Seeds and various other small units in between. Co-op restarted and the first week was focused on vocabulary and introducing the ideas of ecology and evolution. We did read some chapters from our Story of Science to keep up.

• RSO Biology 1

• Story of Science Vol. 3 by Joy Hakim

Quentin is using RSO Earth & Environment and RSO Astronomy 1 as a base. Of course, we have a ton of extra science resources laying around the house. And I will be hosting some one-off science exploration days that align with the units. We started into our large space unit using RSO Astronomy as our backbone. We are also still watching the PBS Eons videos here and there.

• RSO Earth and Environment

• DK First Earth Encyclopedia

• Boy, Were We Wrong About the Solar System by Kathleen V. Kudlinski

• RSO Asttonomy 1

• The Big Beyond: The Story of Space Travel by James Carter

• DK Eyewitness Astronomy

• The Big Beyond: The Story of Space Travel by James Carter

• Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey

• Galaxies, Galaies! by Gail Gibbons

• The Book of Big Science Ideas by Freya Hardy

• DK Space

• Once Upon a Starry Night by Jacqueline Mitton

• What Miss Mitchell Saw in the Stars by Hayley Barrett

Academic Co-op

We restarted co-op this week with some big changes. The changes created a lot of stress for me, but the remaining members managed to pull together and successfully have a normal day. This semester we are learning 2D Design and Art History, Biology (focusing on ecology and evolution), and Writing Workshop. Because of some scheduling, I ended up teaching Homeroom and Closing along with my actual class of Writing Workshop. We focused on neurotransmitters and ways to push our brain into releasing those chemicals.

Art and Music

Art will be very sporadic this year, but we do have some fun excursions planned. And I will incorporate art projects into a lot of other subjects and unit studies.

For music, we are using Music Lab: We Rock! as our spine. Each week we will be learning about a different rock musician and focus on a particular song. I have also created Spotify playlists so we can listen on the go. We moved onto the next artist: The Clash! Arthur has decided that he likes them better than The Ramones while Quentin prefers The Ramones.

• Music Lab: We Rock!

• DK Music and How it Works

• DK The Arts

Field Trip/Activities

None this week

High

It was so nice to get back into a normal schedule for us. Hopefully next week we can re-introduce activities to our weekly schedule.

Low

I had a dentist appointment. Those are always a schedule disruption. The lingering pain impacted my ability to read with the kids and teach.

Next Week

• Attempting to read around my dental issues

• Moving forward with math lessons

• Traveling to Australia (A) and Indian (Q) for history

• Exploring the solar system for Q’s science

• Listening to The Replacements and Patti Smith

• Appreciating the art museum

• Going on a nature hike

• Playing some board games with friends

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Anberlin "High Stakes"

A new singer and slightly new sound for Anberlin. Another early 2000s band coming back!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #1

On my bedside table: I’ve got a stack of library books to prioritize. Not quite sure which one I want to read first.

On my tv this week: We finished up SAS Rogue Heroes S2. I finished Star Struck S3, Monarch S1, and Love Life S2.

Listening to: Nothing too interesting. I have had Dead Poets Society on repeat lately.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Kofta Patty Pitas

• Tuesday - Black Bean Soup

• Wednesday - Texas Cheese Fries

• Thursday - Snack Dinner

• Friday - Caribbean Salmon Quinoa Bowls

• Saturday - Burritos

• Sunday - Prosciutto and Fig Pizzas

On my to do list: The only thing I’m thinking about right now is getting my tooth issue taken care of. I got a temporary crown last week while they make my permanent one, but now my temp one has come off. Hopefully tomorrow the dentist can fit me in to fix the temp in the between time. I’m so very annoyed by this situation and it’s ramped up my anxiety to the highest levels.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Hopefully a dentist appointment

• Tuesday - Home day

• Wednesday - Joslyn Art Museum

• Thursday - Academic Co-op; Co-op Happy Hour

• Friday -Fontenelle Forest Hike; Board Game Club

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Nerdy Bookish Friends Book Club

What I am creating: Nothing much. I have been working on some trip plans, but something too creative.

My simple pleasures: Iced tea, cheesecake, propulsive reads

Looking around the house: After so much sickness, the house was a bit messy and cluttered. I spent a lot of time yesterday cleaning things up and putting things away. I feel so much better.

From the camera: A entire week with no pictures…

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Title: Apprentice to the Villain (Assistant and the Villain #2)

Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Publisher: Entangled 2024

Genre: Romance (lite)

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Full Moon Adventure; Cover Lover - No People

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 3

Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.

But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs—Kingsley’s included—point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.

Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?

While I absolutely adored the first book in this series, this particular one really suffered from middle of the series syndrome. It felt like the story alternately rushed the plot forward and stagnated the key relationship between Trystan and Evie. Mainly I was super frustrated about the stagnation section. I love Trystan and Evie and of course we are supposed to be rooting for them as a couple. But… I’m not at all convinced that they should be together. Their complete inability to speak to each other was extra annoying. I wasn’t expecting the second book to see them get a HEA, but I would have liked to see real growth in their relationship. The plot and larger storyline was interesting, but I did get a bit annoyed by the amount of coincidences in the book. I’ll be continuing the series, but I’m not quite as desperate to get the next volume when it publishes in August.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

Title: The Never King (Vicious Lost Boys #1)

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Publisher: Blackwell House 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 192

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Dark; Fairytale Retellings - Peter Pan

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.

Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.

But it’s pointless.

Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.

Finally picked up this series after my interest in darker romance. I am a bit disappointed, but not enough to stop reading the series. Really this is very focused on the steamy scenes as opposed to plot or really characterization. We dive immediately into the world and have to very quickly understand what is happening without a lot of explanation. As the book progresses, we get some little bits, but then we focus on the physical aspect again. Winnie is not my favorite, but I am very interested in all the men involved. I really want to get more backstories and world building in the next book.

Vicious Lost Boys:

• #1 The Never King

• #2 The Dark One

• #3 Their Vicious Darling

• #4 The Fae Princes

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Gathering by CJ Tudor

Title: The Gathering

Author: CJ Tudor

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2024

Genre: Mystery, Horror

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Read Horror - Vampires; Read Around the USA - Alaska

Where I Got It: Library

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?

It’s become a tradition to read a snow setting book in January. This was a great choice to dive into on these cold days. I’m not always a fan of thrillers, but this one hit the spot. Right away, we understand that vampires are real is this world and they live on the fringes of society in the cold and the dark, i.e. Alaska. A detective is sent to solve the mystery of a gruesome murder of a teenage boy. As she investigates, all the town’s secrets start to get revealed and the case becomes more and more complicated. I loved following the twists and turns of the case, making my own conclusions along the way. My biggest complaint about the book has to do with a part of the storyline dealing with sexual assault. I really could have done without that section. And while it explains part of the motivations of the Colony and Athelinda specifically, I think that the plot could have been reworked to delete that aspect. Overall, it was a very propulsive thriller full of gore and suspense.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova

Title: Kiss the Girl (Meant to Be #2)

Author: Zoraida Córdova

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Crystal Lake (Fairytale retelling)

Spice Meter: 3

A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love, and finding your voice—the highly anticipated third installment of in the acclaimed and best-selling Meant to Be collection. Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters—together, known as the band Siren Seven—have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she's the girl who has everything. But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can't wait to spend the summer just living a normal life—part of a world she's only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show. The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It's there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father—and goes with him. Caught between the world she longs for and the one she's left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?

I finally got around this Little Mermaid retelling. I was going to read it last fall, but of course, I had too many library books checked out and had to make some tough choices. I got it back and sped through this very lite retelling. I found that I really dig the rock star trope in my romance. In this one, we get a Disney-esque pop star going undercover to rediscover herself and find her path in music and a up-and-coming lead singer out to get a record deal. I’m not a super fan of intentional lying in romances, but I will forgive Ariel as she is trying to escape her controlling father. We breeze through this book with some very cute encounters and lite sexual tension. Overall, it was a good romance even if it was very closed door. Cute retelling.

Meant to Be:

• #1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

• #2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

• #3 Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova

• #4 Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren

• #5 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Next up on the TBR pile:

Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen

Title: Above the Bay of Angels

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing 2020

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 348

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; Cover Lover - Mode of Transportation

Where I Got It: Kindle

Isabella Waverly only means to comfort the woman felled on a London street. In her final dying moments, she thrusts a letter into Bella’s hand. It’s an offer of employment in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace, and everything the budding young chef desperately wants: an escape from the constrictions of her life as a lowly servant. In the stranger’s stead, Bella can spread her wings.

Arriving as Helen Barton from Yorkshire, she pursues her passion for creating culinary delights, served to the delighted Queen Victoria herself. Best of all, she’s been chosen to accompany the queen to Nice. What fortune! Until the threat of blackmail shadows Bella to the Riviera, and a member of the queen’s retinue falls ill and dies.

Having prepared the royal guest’s last meal, Bella is suspected of the poisonous crime. An investigation is sure to follow. Her charade will be over. And her new life will come crashing down—if it doesn’t send her to the gallows.

Our book club selection for January and amazingly, I had this sitting on my Kindle from years past. I was interested in reading a stand alone mystery from Bowen after reading her Her Lady Spyness series. Unfortunately, this book couldn’t figure out what it was. According to tags and the summary, it’s a mystery of a woman assuming an identity to move ahead career-wise and solve a murder. And yet, the murder doesn’t even happen until about the 80% mark. Seriously I kept waiting for someone to die. Moving past that discrepancy, I was thoroughly bored with the rest of the story. Isabella is too naive and yet too lucky to be real. Everything that potentially can harm her comes to naught. Seriously how lucky can one character be. Even the sections detailing food were boring and lagged on. I just couldn’t make myself like any part of this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W17: Sickness Changed All Our Plans

What We Studied

The entire family came down with that norovirus that’s been going around the country. And let me tell, it was horrible. We had plans for activities and meetings with friends that all had to be cancelled. This did open up the week for more school work and we powered through a ton. Ultimately, we all lost steam on Friday and just took it easy.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G5 for his language arts this year. We started our next read aloud, a classic that has been on my list for awhile. We’re about halfway through it and I still don’t know what I think about the book. We also covered more grammar and extra language arts assignments.

• The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

• Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G1 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 2 and random books that we have around the house. We started another classic. Q isn’t the biggest fan of C.S. Lewis, but we’re going to proceed through The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before we move on.

• Poetry: Alphabestiary selected by Jane Yolen

• The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Math

Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 1. Effectively this is Singapore’s 6th grade math text. Arthur started the second book of the course, diving back into algebraic equations. We’re starting close so he can catch up on some back-work.

• Math in Focus Course 1 Book A

Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 2B and 3A. We moved onto 3A starting slow to easy back into our lessons.

• Singapore Primary 3A

• Primarily Logic

Social Studies

Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 this year. We dove into Volume 2 and managed to cover two sections this week because of sickness. We covered Russia under Catherine the Great and Captain Cook’s exploration of the South Pacific and Hawai’i.

• Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• Catherine the Great by Elizabeth Raum

• A Royal Ride: Catherine the Great's Great Invention by Kristen Fulton

• You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Vaccinations!, by Anne Rooney

• Dr. Jenner and the Speckled Monster: The Discovery of the Smallpox Vaccine, by Albert Marrin

• The Adventures of Tupaia, by Courtney Sina Meredith

• The Shark King, by R. Kikuo Johnson

• Famous Lives: Captain Cook, by Rebecca Levene

• DK Explorers - James Cook

• Butterfly for a King: Saving Hawaii’s Kamehameha Butterflies, by Cindy Trumbore and Susan L. Roth

• A True Book: My United States: Hawai’i, by Joanne Mattern

• Kamehameha: The Boy Who Became a Warrior King, by Ellie Crowe

Quentin is using History Quest Middle Times with Build Your Library Level 2 as his main history curriculum. This week we covered a chapter about the settlement of Polynesia. Oddly, Q’s history connected with Arthur’s history chapters.

• History Quest Middle Times

• DK When on Earth?

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• Kingfisher Atlas of the Medieval World

• DK Explorers

• Oceania by Martha London

Science

Arthur is using RSO Biology 1 this year has the main science text. Our academic coop will also be using RSO Biology 1 as a basis for the fall and spring semester courses, so we will be just supplementing at home. We will also be doing some of Blossom & Root’s Book Seeds and various other small units in between. Co-op restarts next week, so no biology lesson this week. We did read some chapters from our Story of Science to keep up.

• RSO Biology 1

• Story of Science Vol. 3 by Joy Hakim

Quentin is using RSO Earth & Environment and RSO Astronomy 1 as a base. Of course, we have a ton of extra science resources laying around the house. And I will be hosting some one-off science exploration days that align with the units. We switched gears slightly to tackle Blossom and Root’s Prehistory Unit. We officially finished the Prehistory unit this week; although we still have a ton of Eons episodes to watch here and there through the winter.

• RSO Earth and Environment

• DK First Earth Encyclopedia

• DK Dinosaur

• DK Where on Earth? Dinosaurs

• DK Eyewitness Dinosaur

• The Story of Life: Evolution by Katie Scott

• Life: The First Four Billions Years by Martin Jenkins

• Stones and Bones: Fossils and the Stories They Tell by Rob Wilshaw

• When the Whales Walked by Dougal Dixon

• Everything Awesome About Dinosaurs an Other Prehistoric Beasts! by Mike Lowery

• Dinosaurs: Fact and Fable by Seymour Simon

• Prehistoric by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

• Nat Geo Kids Dinosaur Atlas

• Dinosaurium by Chris Wormell and Lily Murray

• The Colorful World of Dinosaurs by Matt Sewell

• Dragon Bones: The Fantastic Fossil Discoveries of Mary Anning by Sarah Glenn Marsh

• My Mastodon by Barbara Lowell and Antonio Marinoni

• Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt: The True Story of the Quest for America's Biggest Bones by Carrie Clickard

• I Used to be a Fish by Tom Sullivan

• Sapiens: Our Human Evolution by J.R. Becker and Max Rambaldi

• Amazing Evolution: The Journey of Life by Anna Claybourne Pg. 40-43

• Mary Leakey: Archaeologist Who Really Dug her Work by Mike Venezia

Academic Co-op

We restart co-op next week.

Art and Music

Art will be very sporadic this year, but we do have some fun excursions planned. And I will incorporate art projects into a lot of other subjects and unit studies. We covered a Harbor + Sprout module about textile art.

For music, we are using Music Lab: We Rock! as our spine. Each week we will be learning about a different rock musician and focus on a particular song. I have also created Spotify playlists so we can listen on the go. We moved onto the next chapter focusing on Punk Rock. We started with my favorite, The Ramones!

• Music Lab: We Rock!

• DK Music and How it Works

• DK The Arts

Field Trip/Activities

None… We quarantined to limit the spread of infection.

High

All the Eons episodes! We just hunkered down and watched a ton of documentaries while sick to relax and still learn.

Low

Sickness. Enough said.

Next Week

• Restarting academic co-op for spring

• Finishing our read alouds and starting new ones

• Moving forward with math lessons

• Covering the American Revolution (A) and African Empires (Q) for history

• Diving into RSO Astronomy for Q’s science

• Listening to The Clash

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Coheed and Cambria "Searching for Tomorrow"

Looking forward to the new album dropping in March from Coheed and Cambria.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

Title: Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse #2)

Author: H.D. Carlton

Publisher: 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 651

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Butterfly Garden

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

Warning: This book contains graphic depictions of sexual assault. Please review the content warnings before proceeding.

“If she were to die… the world would die with her.”
The worst Adeline Reilly expected for her life were a few unholy ghosts haunting the hallways of Parsons Manor, not falling in love with her stalker and ending up in the clutches of a trafficking ring.
Trapped in a house used to groom women for the elite, she faces the biggest fight of her life—survive the Culling and escape. But that’s not so easy when watchful eyes are determined to see her fail. However, Adeline may have an unlikely ally, who just might be the key to her getting out alive.
But trusting them is a risk that could cost her everything.
Meanwhile, Zade will stop at nothing until Adeline is safe in his arms again, even if he must burn the world to find her. Hunting his little mouse is what he’s best at, but who she’ll be when he finds her is a battle that he doesn’t know he can win.
It won’t be the test of time they must survive, but the memories of who they once were.

I really enjoyed the first book detailing a morally grey main character and his actions towards a woman. I really wanted to explore the topic of consent and fantasies. It was a fascinating book. But then there was a terrible cliffhanger at the end of the book. I had to see how the story ends, but I’m not sure that I actually enjoyed reading it. We spend almost half of the book with Addie in captivity being brutalized constantly. I fully admit that skimmed through huge chunks of this section not wanting to read about the abuse. I did find the second half more interesting, detailing how someone can deal with and heal from trauma. We get a HEA here, but it’s a long and disturbing journey. Be forewarned.

Cat and Mouse

• #1 Haunting Adeline

• #2 Hunting Adeline

Next up on the TBR pile:

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

Title: Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

Author: Cory Doctorow

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2003

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 208

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Quarter of a Century

Where I Got It: Prospero’s in Kansas City, October 2021

Jules is a young man barely a century old. He's lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies...and to realize his boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World.

Disney World! The greatest artistic achievement of the long-ago twentieth century. Now in the care of a network of volunteer "ad-hocs" who keep the classic attractions running as they always have, enhanced with only the smallest high-tech touches.

Now, though, it seems the "ad hocs" are under attack. A new group has taken over the Hall of the Presidents and is replacing its venerable audioanimatronics with new, immersive direct-to-brain interfaces that give guests the illusion of being Washington, Lincoln, and all the others. For Jules, this is an attack on the artistic purity of Disney World itself.

Worse: it appears this new group has had Jules killed. This upsets him. (It's only his fourth death and revival, after all.) Now it's war: war for the soul of the Magic Kingdom, a war of ever-shifting reputations, technical wizardry, and entirely unpredictable outcomes.

Another absolute dud. This felt like Doctorow’s attempt to create a story a la Snowcrash, but it falls extremely flat. This future full of terrible fucking men is not a place that I’m interested in reading about. And yes, I understand that this is supposed to be future that we don’t want, but I still don’t want to read about it. Jules is a terrible narrator and main character. I couldn’t find reasons to root for him to feel anger at his “death.” Why do the female characters have to be wet blankets or villains? I think this book may just have turned me off to Doctorow’s writing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Blame the Mistletoe by Dani Collins

Title: Blame the Mistletoe (Love in Montana #2)

Author: Dani Collins

Publisher: 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 205

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; Romanceopoly - Alpine Cottage

Where I Got It: Kindle

Spice Rating: 4

Liz Flowers has never enjoyed Christmas, but this one is shaping up to be the worst by far. She let her ex take her daughter to Mexico while she stays behind in a strange town, sitting her former mother-in-law’s high strung little dog. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, but this California girl doesn’t have much in common with the ranchers in small town Marietta. Blake Canon perks up with male interest when he sees a new face at his friend’s Christmas cocktail party. His son is away and a light affair would take his mind off his financial troubles. Then he realizes he knows Liz. She was once married to the brother of his ex-wife. Their children might be cousins, but Blake and Liz do the kissing—under the mistletoe. It’s the beginning of a new view of Christmas for Liz, but when their children arrive home unexpectedly, and family secrets are revealed, Liz isn’t sure she’ll stay in Marietta for Christmas after all.

One last holiday romance read and it was a bit of a dud. I wanted a fun romance. Instead, I got an overly wrought emotional mess full of lost adults and some bad decisions. The casual misogyny and patriarchal attitudes from various characters really got to me in the end. I didn’t really enjoy either of our main characters or the plot. The setting was another negative. The concept that these two connect in this small town where so many bad memories and enemies live is laughable. I just couldn’t get over it. And the secrets were just contrived and painful. I was not a fan. (Not a great start to my reading year, but I’m sure that I’ll hit on a great book soon.)

Love in Montana

• #1 Hometown Hero

• #2 Blame the Mistletoe

• #3 The Bachelor’s Baby

• #4 His Blushing Bride

• #5 His Christmas Miracle

Next up on the TBR pile:

2025 Reading Challenges

2025 Reading Challenges

• Goodreads Challenge

• UnRead Shelf Project

• Kid Read Aloud

• Finishing the Series

• Nonfiction Reader

• Quarter of a Century

• Retreat Recommendations

• Read Around the USA

• Romanceopoly

• She Reads Romance

• COYER

• Fairytale Retelling

• Cover Lover

• Books to Movies

GoodReads Challenge (200) - I’m sticking with my usual 200 books for this overall goal. .

UnRead Shelf (50) - My seventh(?) year participating in this particular challenge. Last year I did decently and want to keep up that momentum. You can find more information about this challenge at The Unread Shelf.

Kid Read Alouds (50) - Continuing with this challenge again this year. We have some great read aloud choices for the spring semester. And I’m sure that I’ll pick some great titles for the fall semester.

Finishing the Series (20) - I’m hoping to finish 20 series this year. I have a long, long list of series that I’ve already started and haven’t finished yet. I want to prioritize those in my reading this year.

Nonfiction Reader (12) - I definitely need to get more nonfiction back into my reading. I’m hoping to get to at least one nonfiction a month. More information at Book’d Out..

Quarter of a Century (25) - As we move into the second quarter of the century, I want to go back and read at least one book from each of the preceding years. I went through my Goodreads and highlighted some interesting books to put on the potential list.

Retreat Recommendations (12) - Over the past few years, I’ve received some great recommendations from a variety of friends. And yet, so many of those recommendations are still sitting unread. I need to prioritize those.

1. The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner

2. Off with Her Head by Eleanor Herman

3. Pandora by Susan Stokes Chapman

4. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang (I chose for February’s book club selection)

5. Empress for All Seasons by Emiko Jean

6. The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald Shoup

7. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Story by James McBride

8. James by Percieval Everett

9. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

10. The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

11. Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes

12. There There by Tommy Orange

13. The Governess by Anne Serre

14. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley

15. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

16. Divinity 36 by Gail Carriger

17. Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

18. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

19. The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Read Around the USA (50) - Such a stretch goal, but I’m going to try and read one book from every state this year. More information at The Book Girl’s Guide..

Romanceopoly (37) - I somehow missed this one last year, but I’m back this year. I read a ton of romance and am excited to get back into this challenge. More information at Romanceopoly.

She Reads Romance (12) - Another romance reading challenge for this year. More information at She Reads Romance.

COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) (20) - Goodness knows that I have too many books on my Kindle app. It’s time to start attempting to reduce that number. More information at Because Reading.

Cover Lover (50) - I love the idea of a challenge focusing on cover designs. I definitely judge a book by its cover. More information at Bloggin’ ‘bout Books..

Fairytale Retelling (12) - I always love fairy tale retellings and this challenge is perfect for me. More information at Charity Rau.

Books to Movies (12) - I thought I would resurrect a favorite challenge for me. I love reading the books before seeing the movie version.

I Read Horror (12) - I happened upon this challenge and immediately had to add it to my round up of challenges. I can’t wait to dive into some great horror this year.

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I also decided to create my own spice meter for romance books. A 1-5 scale seemed too limiting for the types of books I read. So I expanded it to 8 levels with corresponding explanations. I will be rating all of my romance books on this new scale.

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My rating system:

• 5 stars - loved it, will tell everyone (or almost everyone) to read it

• 4 stars - liked it, would recommend to certain people

• 3 stars - okay book, but maybe not something i would recommend, maybe not a book for me, but I see merit

• 2 stars - disliked it

• 1 star - finished the book, but hated it! will rant to anyone about why I hated this one

2025 Goals and Resolutions

Checking in with my 2024 Goals and Resolutions -

House Goals/Resolutions

• Paint the living room (and maybe playroom) - FAIL

• Downsize the playroom ✓

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Complete 52 Hikes ✓ - We don’t ever get to 52 hikes, but the idea is to focus on getting out into nature often.

• Add More Vegetarian Dishes to Our Rotation ✓

• Work on a Better Budget ✓

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 Books/60,000 Books ✓

• Clear Off 50 Books from My UnRead Shelf ✓ - Between my read books and unloading some that I will never read, I definitely got to this number.

• Skip at Least 50% of BOTM Months ✓ - I really stuck to my idea of only ordering books I was actually excited about.

Homeschool Goals/Resolutions

• Be a Leader for the Secular Homeschool Community ✓

• Move the Coop into the Next Era ✓

• Complete Another Year of Homeschooling ✓

And now on to 2025…

I’m not actually going to make any goals and resolutions this year. 2024 was hard and I really want to focus on the everyday victories instead of lofty goals. I want to try to live in the moments this year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2024 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed

For 2024, I brought back reading challenges into my life. My overall challenges stat isn’t great, but look at that overall spots stat! I really managed to focus on a lot of my challenges and find books I was interested in that fit the spots.

Overall Stats

7/15 Challenges 46.7%

537/576 Spots 93.2%

Completed Challenges

Goodreads
Goal 256/200 Books 100%

Holiday Books
10/10 Books 100%

1. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay (12/4/24)

2. All I Want is You by Falon Ballard (12/6/24)

3. The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver (12/7/24)

4. Jingle Ale the Way by Sarah Everly (12/12/24)

5. 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy (12/14/24)

6. Under the Mistletoe Collection (12/17/24)

7. Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley

8. Kringle Down II by Shane Lacy Hensley

9. The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

10. Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne

She Reads Romance
Goal 36/36 Books 100%

1. January: Dark Romance or 2023 Title You Didn’t Get to Read - Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan (1/12/24)

2. February: Spicy Romance - Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert (2/23/24)

3. March: Contemporary Romance - The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score (3/8/24)

4. April: New Adult Romance - A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft (2/21/24)

5. May: Romantic Suspense - Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (6/20/24)

6. June: Choose a Book by Its Cover - Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke (5/30/24)

7. July: Audiobook - The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert (5/9/24)

8. August: Romantic Comedy - Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (6/21/24)

9. September: Historical Romance - Reckless by Anne Stuart (3/26/24)

10. October: Paranormal Romance - The Succubus’s Prize by Katee Robert (9/4/24)

11. November: YA Romance - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (11/22/24)

12. December: Pick a Social Media Rec - That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (9/14/24)

13. Enemies to Lovers - So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn (3/15/24)

14. Fake Dating - Funny Story by Emily Henry (5/14/24)

15. Second Chance Romance - The Book of Scandal by Julia London (7/4/24)

16. Oops Pregnancy - A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone (2/7/24)

17. Arranged Marriage - Bride by Ali Hazelwood (3/19/24)

18. Friends to Lovers - A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn (5/22/24)

19. Office Romance - Teach Me by Olivia Dade (1/19/24)

20. Mafia Romance - Dark Succession by Katee Robert (7/20/24)

21. Forbidden Romance - Untouchable by Talia Hibbert (2/8/24)

22. Werewolf or Witch Romance - Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert (2/16/24)

23. Small Town Romance - Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders (1/16/24)

24. Motorcycle Club Romance - Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss (12/24/24)

25. Only One Bed - The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton (9/28/24)

26. Reverse Grumpy Sunshine - A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (1/18/24)

27. Guardian/Ward Romance - Desperate Measures by Katee Robert (11/9/24)

28. Cowboy Who Loves His Hat - The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver (12/7/24)

29. Faking It with the Boss - Illicit Temptations by Katee Robert (11/13/24)

30. Enemies or Lovers/Brother’s Best Friend - A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley (11/29/24)

31. Reality TV Show Romance - Mr. Fixer Upper by Lucy Score (1/26/24)

32. Romance Author Who Finds Love - By the Book by Jasmine Guillory (10/15/24)

33. Male Virgin Hero - Dark Restraint by Katee Robert (8/23/24)

34. Cute Nicknames - The Takeover by TL Swan (4/24/24)

35. Nerd with Glasses - Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (1/20/24)

36. Heroes Who Cook - Savor It by Tarah DeWitt (12/21/24)

Fairytales
12/12 Books 100%

1. January: Bluebeard - Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson (1/20/24)

2. February: Red Riding Hood - Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge (3/9/24)

3. March: Hansel & Gretel - A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (4/6/24)

4. April: Beauty & the Beast - By the Book by Jasmine Guillory (10/15/24)

5. May: Cinderella - Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke (5/30/24)

6. June: Aladdin - Desperate Measures by Katee Robert (11/9/24)

7. July: Rapunzel - Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren (11/6/24)

8. August: Reader’s Choice Cinderella: We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman (10/25/24)

9. September: Rumplestiltskin (replaced by Alice in Wonderland) - Alice in Borderland Volume 1 (11/8/24)

10. October: Peter Pan - Lost Boy by Christina Henry (9/26/24)

11. November: Snow White - Poison by Sarah Pinborough (6/7/24)

12. December: The Nutcracker - The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (12/5/24)

In Case You Missed It
12/12 Books 100%

1. Best Books from 2012 - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (1/27/24)

2. Best Books from 2013 - The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin (1/13/24)

3. Best Books from 2014 - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (11/22/24)

4. Best Books from 2015 - Crimson Bound by Roamund Hodge (3/9/24)

5. Best Books from 2016 - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (4/13/24)

6. Best Books from 2017 - The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (1/12/24)

7. Best Books from 2018 - Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (7/13/24)

8. Best Books from 2019 - The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders (5/17/24)

9. Best Books from 2020 - Dead Lake by Darcy Coates (9/27/24)

10. Best Books from 2021 - Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham (4/25/24)

11. Best Books from 2022 - That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (9/14/24)

12. Best Books from 2023 - The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods (7/3/24)

Library Love
60/60 Books 10%

1. Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan (1/12/24)

2. Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca (1/13/24)

3. Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders (1/16/24)

4. A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (1/18/24)

5. Teach Me by Olivia Dade (1/19/24)

6. Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson (1/20/24)

7. Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (1/20/24)

8. Mr. Fixer Upper by Lucy Score (1/26/24)

9. Confetti Realms by Nadia Shammas (2/3/24)

10. Untouchable by Talia Hibbert (2/8/24)

11. Dead Voices by Katherine Arden (2/10/24)

12. Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert (2/16/24)

13. Mislaid in Parts Half-Know by Seanan McGuire (2/20/24)

14. A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft (2/21/24)

15. Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty (2/28/24)

16. Mimi’s Tales of Terror by Junji Ito (2/27/24)

17. Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (3/6/24)

18. The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score (3/8/24)

19. What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell (3/13/24)

20. So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn (3/15/24)

21. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (3/16/24)

22. The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg (3/22/24)

23. Ruthless by Anne Stuart (3/23/24)

24. Dark Waters by Katherine Arden (3/27/24)

25. A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll (3/29/24)

26. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (4/3/24)

27. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (4/5/24)

28. Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden (4/12/24)

29. The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (4/20/24)

30. Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham (4/25/24)

31. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5/18/24)

32. A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn (5/22/24)

33. The Casanova by TL Swan (5/24/24)

34. Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (5/29/24)

35. Horror Hotel by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren (6/5/24)

36. Poison by Sarah Pinborough (6/7/24)

37. Ghost Station by SA Barnes (6/15/24)

38. Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (6/19/24)

39. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (6/25/24)

40. The Do-Over by TL Swan (6/28/24)

41. Cursed Cruise by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren (6/29/24)

42. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (7/5/24)

43. Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg (7/10/24)

44. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (7/13/24)

45. Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (7/18/24)

46. The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert (7/27/24)

47. Temptation by RL Stine (8/15/24)

48. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (8/17/24)

49. I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue (8/23/24)

50. The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (8/24/24)

51. The Deading by Nicholas Belardes (8/25/24)

52. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn (8/30/24)

53. Key Lime Sky by Al Hess (9/11/24)

54. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (9/18/24)

55. Dead Lake by Darcy Coates (9/27/24)

56. Behind the Horror by Lee Mellor (10/4/24)

57. Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher (10/11/24)

58. The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling (10/24/24)

59. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming (10/25/24)

60. The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel (10/26/24)

Nonfiction Reader
12/12 Books 100%

1. Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine (1/22/24)

2. Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca (1/13/24)

3. Sellout by Dan Ozzi (2/24/24)

4. Toil & Trouble by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson (3/30/24)

5. The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart (4/21/24)

6. Unmasking Autism by Devon Price (5/4/24)

7. Blood by Jen Gunter (6/11/24)

8. Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson (6/19/24)

9. Broad Strokes by Bridget Quinn (7/17/24)

10. Raising Critical Thinkers by Julie Bogart (7/24/24)

11. The Six by Loren Grush (8/3/24)

12. Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz (8/16/24)

Failed Challenges

UnRead Shelf Project
Goal 45/50 Books 90%

1. Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine (1/11/24)

2. The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin (1/13/24)

3. The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas (2/11/24)

4. Malamander by Thomas Taylor (2/13/24)

5. Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband by Melissa Mayhue (2/14/24)

6. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith (2/17/24)

7. Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert (2/23/24)

8. The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland (3/2/24)

9. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud (3/14/24)

10. Reckless by Anne Stuart (3/26/24)

11. Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston (4/4/24)

12. To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt (4/11/24)

13. The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart (4/21/24)

14. To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt (4/26/24)

15. To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt (5/3/24)

16. To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt (5/8/24)

17. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders (5/17/24)

18. The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang (5/25/24)

19. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (6/6/24)

20. The Morningside by Téa Obreht (6/12/24)

21. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (6/14/24)

22. Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson (6/19/24)

23. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (6/21/24)

24. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (6/22/24)

25. The Book of M by Peng Shepherd (6/24/24)

26. The Book of Scandal by Julia London (7/4/24)

27. Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver (7/9/24)

28. The Gentleman ‘s Gambit by Evie Dunmore (7/19/24)

29. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Turner (7/23/24)

30. Raising Critical Thinkers by Julie Bogart (7/24/24)

31. Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz (8/16/24)

32. Dark Restraint by Katee Robert (8/23/24)

33. The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry (9/7/24)

34. Murder Road by Simone St. James (9/12/24)

35. Book of Night by Holly Black (9/21/24)

36. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (9/24/24)

37. Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (9/26/24)

38. The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton (9/28/24)

39. Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torsz (10/10/24)

40. The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (10/16/24)

41. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (10/20/24)

42. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (10/30/24)

43. Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn (11/16/24)

44. The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (12/5/24)

45. The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries by Donald R. Prothero (12/13/24)

Kid Read Alouds
Goal 48/50 Books 96%

1. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd (1/6/24)

2. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (1/5/24)

3. Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-El (1/19/24)

4. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by EL Konigsburg (1/19/24)

5. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm (1/16/24)

6. Ban This Book by Alan Gratz (2/1/24)

7. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (2/9/24)

8. Tales from the Odyssey Part One by Mary Pope Osborne (2/6/24)

9. Guard Guards by Terry Pratchett (2/21/24)

10. Tales from the Odyssey Part Two by Mary Pope Osborne (2/16/24)

11. The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith (2/16/24)

12. The Witches by Roald Dahl (3/1/24)

13. The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf (3/2/24)

14. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar (3/13/24)

15. Sweep by Jonathan Auxier (3/18/24)

16. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (3/15/24)

17. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (3/22/24)

18. Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston (4/4/24)

19. Men at Arms by Terry Prachett (4/18/24)

20. Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr (4/4/24)

21. Charlotte’s Web by EB White (4/18/24)

22. Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca (5/4/24)

23. Homer Price by Robert McCloskey (5/4/24)

24. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (5/16/24)

25. We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly (5/17/24)

26. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (6/19/24)

27. Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate (7/26/24)

28. The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell (7/26/24)

29. Endling: The First by Katherine Applegate (8/1/24)

30. Gargantis by Thomas Taylor (8/14/24)

31. Over the Moon by Natalie Lloyd (8/29/24)

32. Endling: The Only by Katherine Applegate (8/30/24)

33. The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World’s Worst Knight by Tim Collins (9/5/24)

34. Wretched Waterpark by Kierstin White (9/14/24)

35. Lucy and the Rocket Dog by Will Buckingham (9/17/24)

36. Mars One by Jonathan Maberry (9/20/24)

37. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (10/7/24)

38. The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie (10/8/24)

39. Mr. Lemoncello’s Special Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein (10/3/24)

40. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (10/17/24)

41. No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy (10/25/24)

42. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graeme (10/16/24)

43. The Goblin’s Puzzle by Andrew Clifton (11/20/24)

44. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (11/22/24)

45. The Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga (11/30/24)

46. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (12/11/24)

47. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (12/16/24)

48. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (12/19/24)

The 52 Book Club
Goal 45/52 Books 86.5%

1. Locked-room mystery - Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty (2/28/24)

2. Bibliosmia: A smelly book - The Casanova by TL Swan (5/24/24)

3. More than 40 chapters - Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (1/9/24)

4. Lowercase letters on the spine - The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods (7/3/24)

5. Magical Realism - The Magician by Rebecca Serle (1/17/24)

6. Women in STEM - The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (4/20/24)

7. At least four different POV - The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott (1/24/24)

8. Features the ocean - Malamander by Thomas Taylor (2/13/24)

9. A character-driven novel - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (4/17/24)

10. Told in non-chronological order - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd (6/25/24)

11. Title starting with the letter “K” - The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert (5/9/24)

12. Title starting with the letter “L” - A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall (5/10/24)

13. An academic thriller - The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore (7/19/24)

14. A grieving character - The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas (2/11/24)

15. Part of a duology - What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher (5/15/24)

16. An omniscient narrator - The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert (7/27/24)

17. Nominated for The Booker Prize

18. An apostrophe in the title - The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman (2/15/24)

19. A buddy read - The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (6/6/24)

20. A revenge story - Haunted Holiday by Kiersten White (2/9/24)

21. Written by a ghostwriter

22. A plot similar to another book - Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (6/25/24)

23. The other book with the similar plot

24. A cover without people on it - Mislaid in Parts Half-Know by Seanan McGuire (2/20/24)

25. An author “everyone” has read except you - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5/18/24)

26. Hybrid genre - Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband by Melissa Mayhue (2/14/24)

27. By a neurodivergent author - What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell (3/13/24)

28. A yellow spine - The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia (3/28/24)

29. Published in a Year of the Dragon - Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (5/29/24)

30. Picked without reading the blurb - The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (4/3/24)

31. Includes a personal phobia - Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden (4/12/24)

32. Timeframe spans a week or less - Dead Voices by Katherine Arden (2/10/24)

33. An abrupt ending - The Last One by Will Dean (2/2/24)

34. Set in a landlocked country

35. Title matches lyrics from a song

36. Has futuristic technology - Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley (4/19/24)

37. Palindrome on the cover

38. Published by Hachette - To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt (5/8/24)

39. Non-fiction recommended by a friend - Blood by Jen Gunter (6/11/24)

40. Set during a holiday you don’t celebrate - That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming (10/9/24)

41. A sticker on the cover

42. Author debut in second half of 2024 - I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue (8/23/24)

43. About finding identity - A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (8/17/24)

44. Includes a wedding - Bride by Ali Hazelwood (3/19/24)

45. Chapter headings have dates - The Rise and Fall of DODO by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland (3/2/24)

46. Featuring Indigenous culture - Never Whistle at Night (9/13/24)

47. Self-insert by an author — A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (4/6/24)

48. The word “secret” in the title - Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (6/14/24)

49. Set in a city starting with the letter “M” - Funny Story by Emily Henry (5/14/24)

50. A musical instrument on the cover - Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver (7/9/24)

51. Related to the word “Wild” - A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (11/20/24)

52. Published in 2024 - Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (3/16/24)

COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader)
Goal 16/20 Books 80%

1. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (1/12/24)

2. Signal Moon by Kate Quinn (1/17/24)

3. Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert (1/18/24)

4. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells (2/4/24)

5. System Collapse by Martha Wells (2/6/24)

6. The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia (3/28/24)

7. A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall (5/10/24)

8. Witch King by Martha Wells (7/6/24)

9. Dark Succession by Katee Robert (7/20/24)

10. Jingle Ale the Way by Sarah Everly (12/12/24)

11. 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy (12/14/24)

12. Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss (12/24/24)

13. Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley (12/28/24)

14. Kringle Down II by Shane Lacy Hensley (12/28/24)

15. Kringle Down Krampus by Shane Lacy Hensley (12/29/24)

16. Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne (12/30/24)

Decades
6/12 Books 50%

1. 1880s-1890s - Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig (3/20/24)

2. 1900s-1910s - The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang (5/25/24)

3. 1920s - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (1/27/24)

4. 1930s - Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (6/22/24)

5. 1940s - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (4/13/24)

6. 1950s - The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott (1/24/24)

7. 1960s

8. 1970s

9. 1980s

10. 1990s

11. 2000s-2010s

12. Span Multiple Decades -

Lifetime
8/12 Books 66.7%

1. Child Protagonist - Haunted Holiday by Kiersten White (2/9/24)

2. Teenage Characters - Timekeeper by Tara Sim (1/20/24)

3. Characters in Their 20s - The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (4/5/24)

4. Characters in Their 30s - The Takeover by TL Swan (4/24/24)

5. Characters in Their 40s -

6. Characters in Their 50s - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (4/17/24)

7. Characters in Their 60s - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn (8/30/24)

8. Characters in Their 70s

9. Characters in Their 80s

10. Characters in Their 90s and 100s

11. Intergenerational Novels - The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (9/18/24)

12. Spanning a Character’s Lifetime - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (3/6/24)

Clock Numbers
4/12 Books 33.3%

1. One - The Last One by Will Dean (2/2/24)

2. Two - Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig (3/20/24)

3. Three - Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley (4/19/24)

4. Four

5. Five

6. Six - The Six by Loren Grush (8/3/24)

7. Seven

8. Eight

9. Nine

10. Ten

11. Eleven

12. Twelve

Spooky Season A to Z
23/26 Books 88.5%

1. A - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (10/20/24)

2. B - Book of Night by Holly Black (9/21/24)

3. C - The Clackity by Lora Senf (10/18/24)

4. D - A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley (11/29/24)

5. E - The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (10/30/24)

6. F - From Below by Darcy Coates (9/20/24)

7. G - Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates (10/12/24)

8. H - Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca (10/30/24)

9. I - Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs (10/10/24)

10. J - The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (12/5/24)

11. K - Key Lime Sky by Al Hess (9/11/24)

12. L - Lost Boy by Christina Henry (9/26/24)

13. M - Murder Road by Simone St. James (9/12/24)

14. N - Never Whistle at Night (9/13/24)

15. O - A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne (11/21/24)

16. P - Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (9/26/24)

17. Q - To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (11/12/24)

18. R - The Succubus’s Prize by Katee Robert (9/4/24)

19. S - The Nighthouse Keeper by Lora Senf (11/2/24)

20. T -

21. U - Universal Monsters: Dracula (9/6/24)

22. V -

23. W - A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley (10/19/24)

24. X -

25. Y - The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (10/16/24)

26. Z - Year Zero Vol. 0 (10/20/24)

2024 Wrap-up

Favorite Books of the Year:

• Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz

• The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton

• Dungeon Crawler Carl (entire series) by Matt Dinniman

• Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

• Funny Story by Emily Henry

• Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

• We Kept Her in the Castle by WR Gorman

• What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell

Honorable Mentions: The HM category is reserved for rereads that I really loved.

• All Systems Read by Martha Wells

• Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Total Books Read – 256 books

Total Pages Read – 83,950 pages

I averaged 6996 pages per month.  My lowest month was December with only 5426 pages.  My highest month was January with 9306 pages.  I hope to read 75,000 pages next year.

Book Rating Stats 

• 5 stars —26%

• 4 stars —46%

• 3 stars — 21%

• 2 stars — 7%

• 1 star — 0 books

• DNFs — 0 books

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish

Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my favorite things and not reaching too far. Sickness at the beginning of the month made me switch a few things around. Hopefully we can get back to all our activities by the end of the month.

All the advent calendars!

Go see Santa! ✓ - We had our yearly visit to Santa at Cabela’s. Of course we had go see the fish afterward.

Decorate the mini tree ✓

Decorate the house ✓ - Being sick pushed this back a few days, but we did it.

See the Christmas tree at the Durham Museum - Never made it…

Visit the Holiday display at Lauritzen Gardens - Didn’t get to it this year. Travel impeded some of our plans.

See A Christmas Story @ The Rose ✓ - We really enjoyed the performance! As a bonus, we got student tickets for very few dollars.

See The Nutcracker @ The Orpheum - We didn’t end up going due to the weather.

Listen to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ✓

Make Christmas cookies

Drive through the Santa Rock n Lights ✓

Visit the reindeers Dancer and Dasher ✓

Watch 10 Christmas Movies (8/10)

• Dear Santa

• Uncle Buck (close enough, it’s set in winter)

• Hot Frosty

• Red One

• The Merry Gentlemen

• Carry-on

• Die Hard

• Holiday Inn

Go to Zoolightful at the zoo ✓

Go to Fantasy of Lights at Franke Park ✓

Dinner at Coney Island and see the Santa lights ✓

Read 10 Christmas books (10/10) ✓

• The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

• All I Want is You by Falon Ballard

• The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

• The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver

• Jingle All the Way by Sarah Everly

• 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy

• Under the Mistletoe Collection

• Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley

• The Revenge by Shane Lacy Hensley

• Krampus by Shane Lacy Hensley

• Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne

• The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

Make paper snowflakes

Make Christmas cocktails

Hot Chocolate tasting

Finish a Christmas puzzle

Find a new Christmas album

Make a Christmas craft

Decorate a gingerbread house

Take a photo of all four boys together

Finish 2024’s December Daily album

Next up on the TBR pile:

December 2024 Wrap-up

December TBR Pile (21/24):

1. Bookworms BC: NONE (Christmas exchange)

2. Friend BC: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley ✓

3. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: NONE (Lit Society month)

4. Kid Book Club: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones

5. Kid Read Aloud: Wishtree by Katherine Applegate ✓

6. Kid Read Aloud: Gregor the Overland by Suzanne Collins ✓

7. Kid Read Aloud: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ✓

8. Nonfiction: The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries by Donald R. Prothero ✓

9. Fantasy: The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen ✓

10. Romance: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay ✓

11. Romance: The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver ✓

12. Romance: All I Want is You by Falon Ballard ✓

13. Romance: The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers ✓

14. Romance: Jingle All the Way by Sarah Everly ✓

15. Romance: 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy ✓

16. Romance: Under the Mistletoe Collection ✓

17. Romance: Savor It by Tarah DeWitt ✓

18. Romance: Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss ✓

19. Romance: The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling ✓

20. Romance: Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne ✓

21. Mystery: A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas ✓

22. Horror: Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley ✓

23. Horror: Kringle Down II by Shane Lacy Hensley ✓

24. Horror: Kringle Down Krampus by Shane Lacy Hensley ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 5426 pages
Pages Remaining: 191,338 pages

Current Read - Hunting Adeline by HD Carlton

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (5)

I grabbed some deals on Black Friday including:

• House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

• The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

• The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin

I restrained myself and only ordered one from Book of the Month.

• The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 305

• Books Read: 2

• Books Acquired: 5

• Books Unshelved: 0

• Finishing Number: 308

January TBR Pile:

1. Bookworms BC: Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen

2. Bookworms BC: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

3. Friend BC: Small Angels by Lauren Owen

4. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker

5. Kid Book Club: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones

6. Kid Book Club: The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontorvant

7. Kid Read Aloud: The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

8. Romance: Hunting Adeline by HD Carlton

9. Romance: The Never King by Nikki St. Crow

10. Horror: The Gathering by CJ Tudor

Movies Watched

• Dear Santa

• Uncle Buck - Still holds up!

• Hot Frosty

• Red One

• The Merry Gentlemen

• The Carry-on

• Die Hard - A yearly tradition

• Holiday Inn - Another yearly tradition

TV Shows Watched

• Only Murders in the Building S4

• What We Do in the Shadows S6

• Lower Decks

• The Great Britsh Bake-off S15

• Below Deck: Sailing Yacht

• All the Dropout shows

• The Essex Serpent

Comments - Wrapping up the year with a decent showing as far at my reading. I ended the year with some not great reads, but you never know when you start a book. I still had a good month.

Next up on the TBR pile: