January 2018 Wrap-up

January's TBR Pile (18/20):

1. MVPA Book Club Selection: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman ✓
2. TBR Pile: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran ✓
3. Reading Assignment: Arabian Nights ✓
4. Book of the Month Club (December shipped late): The English Wife by Lauren Willig
5. Book of the Month Club (January): As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
6. Series Pick: Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell ✓
7. Series Pick: No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor ✓
8. Nonfiction Pick: The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels ✓
9. Classics Pick: The Bostonians by Henry James ✓
10. Comics: The Walking Dead Vol. 27 ✓
11. Comics: Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 1 ✓
12. Comics: Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 2 ✓
13. Comics: Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 3 ✓
14. Comics: Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 4 ✓
15. Comics: Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1 ✓
16. Comics: Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 2 ✓
17. Romance Pick: The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
18. Romance Pick: The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
19. Romance Pick: A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
20. Added: A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 5561 pages
Pages Remaining: 693,748 pages

Current Read - The English Wife by Lauren Willig

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books bought/received (0)

February's TBR Pile:

1. MVPA Book Club Selection: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (iPad)
2. TBR Pile: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawksins
3. Reading Assignment: Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (iPad)
4. Book of the Month Club (December): The English Wife by Lauren Willig
5. Book of the Month Club (January): As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
6. Book of the Month Club (February): TBD
7. Series Pick: The Stone Angel by Juliet Dark
8. Series Pick: A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell
9. Series Pick: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
10. Comics Pick: Saga Vol. 8
11. Comics Pick: Moonshine Vol. 1
12. Comics Pick: Forbidden brides of the faceless slaves in the secret house of the night of dread desire by Neil Gaiman 
13. Comics Pick: Low Vol. 1
14. Comics Pick: The Last Temptation
15. Comics Pick: Kingsman: The Secret Service
16. Comics Pick: Monsters Vol. 2
17. Comics Pick: Revival Vol. 7
18. Comics Pick: House of Mystery: Room and Boredom
19. Comics Pick: Jane by Brosh McKenna
20. Comics Pick: ApocalyptiGirl
21. Romance Pick: A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
22. Nonfiction Pick: Literary Wonderlands by Laura Miller
23. Nonfiction Owned Pick: The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall
24. Random Pick: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Movies watched

• Geostorm -- J downloaded this just for me and my love of disaster movies. Way too much talk and not enough crazy action sequences.
• Colossal -- This movie did not go where I thought it was going to... Interesting, just unexpected.
• The Big Sick -- Mom and I watched this before I left Indiana. So so good. 
• Blade Runner 2049 -- I really enjoyed this one. There were a few issues, but overall I think it was a very solid movie.
• Kong: Skull Island -- Haha! This was my silly pick. Love some giant animals and destruction.
• The Light Between Oceans -- I wanted to watch the movie ahead of last Sunday's book club discussion of the novel. Fairly accurate translation of the book to screen. 
• Thor: Ragnarok -- Oh so good! I laughed at loud at some many parts (the snake story!) but it was also a great examination of the characters. 

TV Shows watched

• The Bachelor -- Was excited to be at my mom's house when the season started. We love/hate The Bachelor!
• People of Earth S2 -- Such a weird and twisted show. We love it!
• The Good Place S2 -- Oh my, this show just keeps surprising me.
• Happy S1 -- J's new pick. Very dark and twisted, but with some great scenes.
• The Librarians S4 -- This season is a bit more sentimental than I would like, but it's our light-hearted show.

Comments - Wow! Check out those reading totals! I had no idea I would get so much reading done in January. A lot of the pages were read while still in Indiana before traveling back home. I know my reading pace will not continue, but it was nice to start the year off right. Looking forward to what February brings!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bostonians by Henry James

Title: The Bostonians

Author: Henry James

Publisher: 1886

Genre: Classic

Pages: 496

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Pile; Modern Mrs Darcy - Classic I've Been Meaning to Read; A to Z - B

The Bostonians is a bittersweet tragicomedy that centers on an odd triangle of characters: Basil Ransom, a political conservative from Mississippi; Olive Chancellor, Ransom's cousin and a Boston feminist; and Verena Tarrant, a pretty, young protegee of Olive's in the feminist movement. The story-line concerns the struggle between Ransom and Olive for Verena's allegiance and affection, though the novel also includes a wide panorama of political activists, newspaper people, and quirky eccentrics.

Hmmm... so I wanted to like this novel as it deals with some interesting themes, but I just couldn't get over James's seeming derision of the feminist movement. I was very interested in the dichotomy between the Basil and Olive's cultures. The novel is a fascinating look at the North/South divide, the conservative/progressive struggle, and in general men and women. I was fully into the premise of setting the two main characters up as competitors for Verena's affections and loyalty. What I wasn't too keen on is the portrayal of the feminists and as silly and even caricatures of people. In the end, Verena's choice is presented as a possible mistake, but James plays it coy. So I felt like James wasn't really taking either side in the debates he set up on the book. Overall, a bit of a disappointment for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Sir Rosevelt "The Bravest"

Another interesting Apple Music find...

Next up on the TBR pile:

2018 Winter's Respite Readathon - Update #3

Pages Read: 113 (Haunting) + 336 (Spellcasting) + 120 (The Bostonians) + 45 (The English Wife)
Pages Read Total: 5230

Books Read: 2
Books Read Total: 17

Comments: This month has been amazing so far! I've read so much and such good books. And I even have a few more days left in the month. I'm hoping to be able to finish out one more book before February comes..

Goals: 

• Read 10 books ✓
• Read 3000 pages ✓
• Review all books read ✓
• Read at least one book for every reading challenge
  • Perpetual ✓
  • Mount ✓
  • TBR Pile ✓
  • Reading Assignment ✓
  • Popsugar ✓
  • Share-a-Tea ✓
  • What's in a Name?
  • Modern Mrs. Darcy ✓
  • A to Z ✓
  • Graphic Novel ✓
  • Finishing the Series ✓
  • Library Love ✓
  • Picture Books ✓

TBR Pile:

• The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman ✓
• Nefertiti by Michelle Moran ✓
• Arabian Nights ✓
• The English Wife by Lauren Willig
• Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell ✓
• No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor ✓
• The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels ✓
• The Bostonians by Henry James
• The Walking Dead Vol. 27 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 1 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 2 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 3 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 4 ✓
• Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1 ✓ 
• Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 2 ✓
• The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell ✓

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #3

As I look outside my window: Dark, dark Saturday night...

Right now I am: Writing this post while the boys watch an episode of Pink Panther before bed.

On my bedside table: As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner; Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins; A Toxic Trousseau

On my tv this week: A few movies, The Bachelor, The Good Place, People of Earth, and Happy

Listening to: The Head and the Heart; Cold War Kids; Fitz and the Tantrums

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Fish with Lemon Butter
• Tuesday - Honey and Jalapeño Chicken (new recipe)
• Wednesday - Leftovers
• Thursday - Baked Potato Soup
• Friday - Chicken Parmesan
• Saturday - Beef and Barley Stew
• Sunday - Blackened Salmon

On my to do list: Too many things to list right now... but I did do a brain dump last night so I'm headed in the right direction.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Dermatologist appointment
• Tuesday - Playdate at our house; DSP Class
• Wednesday - Birthday Cards Class
• Thursday - Bay Area Discovery Museum
• Friday - ???
• Saturday - A Friend's Baby Sprinkle
• Sunday - Card Classes

What I am creating: I finished up my cards for the Jan-March rotation of cards. Next up is name tags for retreat gifts. And then I'm thinking of attempting to tackle my 2017 Memory Planner and/or December Daily 2017.

My simple pleasures: Peanut butter, wrap sweaters, slippers, planner stickers

Looking around the house: We're in decent shape right now, although I do want to sweep and Swiffer the kitchen floor.

From the camera: Having fun coloring some mermaids for the upcoming retreat.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell

Title: Spellcasting in Silk (Witchcraft Mystery #7)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Berkley 2015

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Popsugar - Next in a series I've started; Library Love

Lily would like nothing better than to relax, enjoy her friends, and take care of business at her store, which is booming thanks to San Francisco's upcoming Summer of Love Festival.  But as the unofficial witchy consultant to the SFPD, she is pulled into yet another case.

A woman has jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and her apparent suicide may be connected to a suspicious botanica in the Mission District. When the police investigate the shop, they ask Lily to look into its mysterious owner, whose granddaughter also appears to be missing. As Lily searches for the truth, she finds herself confronted with a confounding mystery and some very powerful magic…

Oh my I loved this volume so much! I think this series has really progressed with lots of growth from Lily and more big interactions between her and the side characters. I cannot wait to see where Lily's relationships with Sailor and Adrian go in the next book. This should be interesting... 

As to the storyline of this volume, I loved the inclusion of new witchy characters and lots of San Francisco locales. I did not guess the perpetrator at all! So yeah, for unpredictability. Definitely a fun little cozy mystery. Can't wait to read the next one.

Witchcraft Mystery

• #1 Secondhand Spirits
• #2 A Cast Off Coven
• #3 Hexes and Hemlines
• #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe
• #5 Tarnished and Torn
• #6 A Vision in Velvet
• #6.5 A Haunting is Brewing
• #7 Spellcasting in Silk
• #8 A Toxic Trousseau
• #9 A Magical Match

Next up on the TBR pile:

Quentin: 15-16 Months

Likes: Playing with Arthur, music of any kind, food, snuggles, playing with the remote and my phone, toy cars, "reading" books

Dislikes: Nap time, being tackled by his big brother, not getting his way, being told "no"

Sleeping: Still a decent sleeper. Typically he goes to bed around 8pm and gets up at about 7am. Sometimes, but not always, he takes an afternoon nap of somewhere between 1 and 3 hours. Not super consistent with the napping. 

Eating: All the things right now! He started to slow down with eating a few weeks back, but now he seems to be eating everything again. He definitely has his favorite foods: French fries, bread, grapes, berries, yogurt, but will usually try anything I give him. At the moment he probably eats twice as much as Arthur any given day.

Playing: So much play in this house now! He loves playing cars and trains, wrestling with Arthur, and reading books. He also loves climbing and sliding at the park.

Milestones: Almost all of his teeth are in! He's currently getting all four canines at once (which is such a treat). He hasn't started talking yet, but there's definitely communication. And he learned how to clap and wave over Christmas.

Out and About: After getting back from visiting family for Christmas, we've settled into our old routine of one to two activities a week. We've hit a few parks for playdates, the zoo, Chabot Space Center (today), and lots of errands. 

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Videos for a New Year

I used to go see the Nutcracker Ballet every year as a child. This looks so pretty!

Interesting...

I have such high hopes for this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Haunting is Brewing by Juliet Blackwell

Title: A Haunting is Brewing (Witchcraft Mystery #6.5)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: InterMix 2014

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 113

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; A to Z - H; Finishing the Series

When Mel Turner is hired to rehab an old Victorian mansion to act as the eerie setting for a Halloween bash, she’s expecting the normal challenges—old wiring, bad plumbing, maybe a ghostly specter or two. But when a young man is killed after spending the night in the house, and the mannequins in the attic start to come to life, it’s clear that this is serious paranormal activity. Maybe this time, a real witch is needed. 

I haven't read the Haunted Home Renovations series, but I'm deep into the Witchcraft Mystery series. this one was a fun crossover novella. I loved seeing Lily help solve a murder in a very strange old house. The life size dolls were definitely creepy characters. I loved reading this novella. I'm ready to move onto the next Witchcraft Mystery book.

Witchcraft Mystery

• #1 Secondhand Spirits
• #2 A Cast Off Coven
• #3 Hexes and Hemlines
• #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe
• #5 Tarnished and Torn
• #6 A Vision in Velvet
• #6.5 A Haunting is Brewing
• #7 Spellcasting in Silk
• #8 A Toxic Trousseau
• #9 A Magical Match

Next up on the TBR pile:

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Title: Nefertiti (Nefertiti #1)

Author: Michelle Moran

Publisher: Three Rivers Press 2007

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 474

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Pile; Popsguar - Based on a real person; A to Z - N

Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped that her strong personality will temper the young ruler’s heretical desire to forsake Egypt’s ancient gods.

From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people but fails to see that powerful priests are plotting against her husband’s rule. The only person brave enough to warn the queen is her younger sister, Mutnodjmet.

Observant and contemplative, Mutnodjmet has never shared her sister’s desire for power. She yearns for a quiet existence away from family duty and the intrigues of court. But remaining loyal to Nefertiti will force Mutnodjmet into a dangerous political game; one that could cost her everything she holds dear. Teeming with love, betrayal, political unrest, plague, and religious conflict, Nefertiti brings ancient Egypt to life in vivid detail.

One of those books that I was super excited to read, but let it sit on my shelves for years. Don't know why I waited so long as this was a very good book. I really enjoyed diving into ancient Egypt and the life of Nefertiti and Mutnodjmet. The book started slow, but quickly drew me into the world. I loved Mutnodjmet and many of the side characters. Nefertiti is portrayed as a major bitch, however I'm not completely certain that she wasn't. Either way, the book kept me under its spell. After finishing it, I realized that Moran wrote a sequel! I must pick that one up for February.

Nefertiti

• #1 Nefertiti
• #2 The Heretic Queen
• #3 Cleopatra's Daughter

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Hikari feat. Kaii "Memories"

Random find from the Apple Music New Music playlist. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

2018 Winter's Respite Readathon - Update #2

Pages Read: 71 (No Time) + 1049 (Arabian Nights) + 396 (Nefertiti)
Pages Read Total: 4616

Books Read: 3
Books Read Total: 15

Comments: Wow! I had such a great reading week. I finished two books I started last week and read a huge classic. And now on to my fluffy next reads: A Haunting is Brewing and Spellcasting in Silk. Hoping to finish out the month strong.

Goals: 

• Read 10 books ✓
• Read 3000 pages ✓
• Review all books read ✓
• Read at least one book for every reading challenge
  • Perpetual ✓
  • Mount ✓
  • TBR Pile ✓
  • Reading Assignment ✓
  • Popsugar ✓
  • Share-a-Tea ✓
  • What's in a Name?
  • Modern Mrs. Darcy ✓
  • A to Z ✓
  • Graphic Novel ✓
  • Finishing the Series ✓
  • Library Love ✓
  • Picture Books

TBR Pile:

• The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman ✓
• Nefertiti by Michelle Moran ✓
• Arabian Nights ✓
• The English Wife by Lauren Willig
• Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell
• No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor ✓
• The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels ✓
• The Bostonians by Henry James
• The Walking Dead Vol. 27 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 1 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 2 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 3 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 4 ✓
• Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1 ✓ 
• Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 2 ✓
• The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #2

As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny like normal

Right now I am: Relaxing for a few bit before doing some house chores

On my bedside table: Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell; The English Wife by Lauren Willig

On my tv this week: The Good Place, Happy, Teachers, and a few movies (Blade Runner 2049 and Kong Skull Island)

Listening to: Almost caught up with the backlog of Reading Glasses podcasts. 

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Chili and Cornbread
• Tuesday - Black Bean Soup and Chicken Ranch Tacos
• Wednesday - Baked Potato Soup
• Thursday - Honey and Lime Jalapeño Chicken
• Friday - Beef and Barley Stew
• Saturday - Leftovers
• Sunday - Lemon Butter Caper Fish

On my to do list: I still need to make eye appointments and dentist appoints. I have my Warby Parker try-ons coming this week to potentially pick new frames. I also have some random tasks. 

Happening this week:

• Monday - Errand day; Card Class
• Tuesday - Home day; Card Class
• Wednesday - Seven Seas Playdate and Picnic
• Thursday - Home day?
• Friday - Chabot Space Center
• Saturday - ???
• Sunday - Book Club: The Light Between Oceans

What I am creating: I need to finish a few more cards for the upcoming Die Cuts and Happy Birthday cards class. 

My simple pleasures: Enjoying my pillow (so supportive!), good books, crafting days, goat cheese

Looking around the house:

From the camera: Friday night dinner - Apple Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, Salad, and Naan

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights

Title: The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights

Translated: Richard Burton

Publisher: 1932 version

Genre: Classics

Pages: 1049

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (FanPro); Reading Assignment; Modern Mrs. Darcy - More than 500 pages

Full of mischief, valor, ribaldry, and romance, The Arabian Nights has enthralled readers for centuries. These are the tales that saved the life of Shahrazad, whose husband, the king, executed each of his wives after a single night of marriage. Beginning an enchanting story each evening, Shahrazad always withheld the ending: A thousand and one nights later, her life was spared forever. 

This volume reproduces the 1932 Modern Library edition, for which Bennett A. Cerf chose the most famous and representative stories from Sir Richard F. Burton's multivolume translation, and includes Burton's extensive and acclaimed explanatory notes. These tales, including Alaeddin; or, the Wonderful Lamp, Sinbad the Seaman and Sinbad the Landsman, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, have entered into the popular imagination, demonstrating that Shahrazad's spell remains unbroken.

I would give this 5 stars, but I realize that they are issues with this translation and compilation. I really did enjoy many of the stories listed in this volume. They are full of intrigue and adventure. But after reading the wikipedia page on the work, I have wish I would have read the new Syrian translation and compilation. Burton's volume took many liberties in editing and adding elements of the stories. Darn Victorians! Maybe someday I will get around to reading a newer version of the tales and see how they compare. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I went a little crazy at Costco yesterday... but at least we are stocked up.
• Excited about lunch prep for next week
• Thinking about making blueberry scones for this week
• Beyond ecstatic about OBM Live this weekend in SF. Hoping we can get it together to do drinks and snacks afterward somewhere.
• Need to do a clothing re-sort for the boys
• I feel like I've been reading the same book for a super long time... time to get cracking and finish it up

Next up in the TBR pile:

No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor

Title: No Time Like the Past (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #5) 

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 328

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsguar - Time travel; Finishing the Series

Jodi Taylor's best-selling series The Chronicles of St Mary is back with a bang... St Mary's has been rebuilt and it's business as usual for the History department. But first, there's the little matter of a seventeenth-century ghost that only Mr Markham can see. Not to mention the minor inconvenience of being trapped in the Great Fire of London...and an unfortunately-timed comfort break at Thermopylae leaving the fate of the western world hanging in the balance. Re-join Max's madcap journey through time in Jodi Taylor's fifth inter-dimensional instalment No Time Like the Past.

This series never fails to entertain me. I love the adventures of the inhabitants of St. Mary's. This volume was a great exploration of three great time periods, including Max's favorite, Ancient Greece. I was all-in for the ride. Of course, the time travelers at St. Mary's can never just accomplish a simple mission. Something always has to go wrong and that's where it gets interesting. I can't wait until the next adventure.

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s:

• #0.5 The Very First Damned Thing
• #1 Just One Damned Thing After Another
• #2 A Symphony of Echoes
• #2.5 When A Child is Born
• #3 A Second Chance
• #3.5 Roman Holiday
• #4 A Trail Through Time
• #4.5 Christmas Present
• #5 No Time Like the Past
• #6 What Could Possibly Go Wrong
• #6.5 Ships and Stings and Wedding Rings
• #7 Lies, Damned Lies, and History
• #7.5 The Great St. Mary’s Day Out
• #7.6 My Name is Markham
• #8 And the Rest is History
• #8.5 A Perfect Storm
• #9 The Long and Short of It

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #1

Reading: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran -- one of those books that's been on my shelves for a few years

Watching: Arthur has really gotten into Buster Keaton movies, so we've been watching a few here and there

Listening: Catching up on the Reading Glasses podcast

Making: Jumped right back into card making once I got back home. Only 8 more designs to do before this weekend...

Feeling: After being sick over the weekend with a stomach bug, I'm feeling much better.

Planning: The numbers for the moms' retreat have been finalized. The house has been booked. Now to get to the rest of the planning.

Loving: Being sick meant no real food as we couldn't keep anything down. So excited to eat food again.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday -- K. Flay "Giver"

I love her voice!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bout of Books 21 has Ended!

Pages Read: 78 (Nefertiti) + 257 (No Time)
Page Read Total: 1709

Books Read: 0
Books Read Total: 5

Comments: A decent showing considering I spent all day Wednesday traveling and the weekend battling a stomach bug.

Goals:

• Read 3 Books ✓
• Read 1000 Pages ✓
• Review all book read ✓

TBR:

• The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor (in progress)
• Arabian Nights
• Added: The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels ✓
• Added: The Walking Dead Vol. 27 ✓
• Added: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (in progress)

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 8th and runs through Sunday, January 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 21 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Next up on the TBR pile:

2018 Winter's Respite Readathon - Update #1

Pages Read: 343 (Light) + 176 (DPWW1) + 176 (DPWW2) + 176 (DPWW3) + 176 (DPWW4) + 176 (WWR1) + 168 (WWR2) + 338 (Governess) + 338 (Daughter) + 354 (Refuge) + 130 (TWD) + 214 (Origin) + 257 (No Time) + 78 (Nefertiti)
Pages Read Total: 3100

Books Read: 12
Books Read Total: 12

Comments: Starting the year off with a bang! So much reading while still in Indiana in the deep freeze. I was excited by some good volumes of comics as well as longer novels. Looking to my next stack for January...

Goals: 

• Read 10 books ✓
• Read 3000 pages ✓
• Review all books read ✓
• Read at least one book for every reading challenge
  • Perpetual ✓
  • Mount ✓
  • TBR Pile
  • Reading Assignment
  • Popsugar
  • Share-a-Tea ✓
  • What's in a Name?
  • Modern Mrs. Darcy ✓
  • A to Z ✓
  • Graphic Novel ✓
  • Finishing the Series ✓
  • Library Love ✓
  • Picture Books

TBR Pile:

• The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman ✓
• Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (in progress)
• Arabian Nights
• The English Wife by Lauren Willig
• Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell
• No Time Like the Past by Jodi Taylor (in progress)
• The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels ✓
• The Bostonians by Henry James
• The Walking Dead Vol. 27 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 1 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 2 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 3 ✓
• Diana Prince Wonder Woman Vol. 4 ✓
• Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1 ✓ 
• Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 2 ✓
• The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓
• A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky ✓

Next up on the TBR pile: