A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor

Title: A Symphony of Echoes (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #2)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Night Shade Books 2013

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 307

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Involving travel; I Love Libraries

In the sequel to Just One Damned Thing After Another, Max and company visit Victorian London in search of Jack the Ripper, witness the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, and discover that dodos make a grockling noise when eating cucumber sandwiches. But they must also confront an enemy intent on destroying St. Mary’s—an enemy willing, if necessary, to destroy history itself to do it.

Another great installment of the Chronicles of St. Mary's, although I must say I was worried with the first 25 pages. The entire sequence with Jack the Ripper was extremely unsettling and very open-ended. I hope they revisit the unanswered questions later in the series. Beyond that, I really dove into the book and didn't come up for air until I had finished. Max is just a great main character: flawed yet likable. I couldn't wait to see where the historians visited next. The sequence dealing with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was perfect! Can't wait to pick up the next volume.

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

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Music Tuesday -- Cold War Kids "Love is Mystical"

Quentin: 22 Weeks / 5 Months

Quentin at 5 months:

quite the momma's boy.
a belly laugher (so adorable)
in love with his big brother
can roll over and is starting to scoot around
can almost sit up
getting close to have a tooth
wears 6-9 month onsies and pants; 9-12 month sleepers
almost grown out of his infant carseat (too tall!)
loves being outside
reaches for my food (probably starting baby led weaning in a week or so...)
plays with his toys; his favorites being taggie monster and sophie
loves to snuggle with his big fuzzy blankie
can get hangry really fast!

Life Right Now #5

As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny. Looks like the perfect day for an outing.

Right now I am: Getting our things around to head to the Little Farm at Tilden Park. We've heard they have new piggies! And hopefully we can all be in good moods after to take a ride on the steam train.

On my bedside table: The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

On my tv this week: J and I finally started watching Broadchurch. Only two episodes in but it is oh so good. While J has been working late, I've been watching movies. I finished Allegiant (not good at all, but had to sorta finish the series), Cinderella (new live-action one, really enjoyed it), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (eh, pretty neutral about this one), and Bad Moms (had it's moments).

Listening to: Bastille's Wild World on Apple music. Really digging the new album so much.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Breakfast for dinner or leftovers
Tuesday - Nachoes
Wednesday - Freezer meal (Chicken Florentine)
Thursday - Pork chops
Friday - ???
Saturday - ???
Sunday - ???

On my to do list: I've got a few more cards to finish for March and a few more graphics to make for the crafty celebration. I also have a few home projects to take care.

Happening this week:

Monday - Mel's Place Place for some indoor fun
Tuesday - Possibly a park and the library if it's nice
Wednesday - Home day
Thursday - CuriOdyssey, picnic, and playground time
Friday - ???
Saturday - ???
Sunday - It's my birthday. I'm going to San Francisco for a day by myself to wander around, eat, and shop. I'm so incredibly excited!

What I am creating: Working on my memory planner kit for March, the last cards for March, and Project Life pages for January.

My simple pleasures: Loving Apple Music right now. I've been listening to some new albums. Arthur has been loving the They Might Be Giants videos.

Looking around the house: I should vacuum today and I want to finish cleaning up the playroom.

From the camera: Two wild and crazy boys...

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

Belly laughs are the bestest!
Okay Mother Nature, you can stop the rain for a bit. I know we said we needed it, but this has been too much. Hoping the flooding recedes soon.
Looking forward to Crop Day on Saturday to knock out a few more cards for March's extravaganza.
It's killing me to not be able to watch this week's episode of The Bachelor. I should be able to access it in a few days.
So obsessed with memory planning in my big planner right now! I would finish February, but I need to print the last photos and you know, live the last week in February...
My birthday day in San Francisco is coming together. Getting so excited to spend a day by myself.
I went a bit crazy at the library last time. I really need to scale back a bit.

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2014

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 552

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA); Fairytale Retelling; I Love Libraries

Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker; unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

This may be my favorite book of the series. I loved the continuation of Cinder and Thorne and Wolf and Scarlet and Kai. But even more I loved Cress's story and growth. And we get to see more from Sybil and Levana, an appearance from Dr. Erland, and an introduction to Jacin and Princess Winter. So many characters in this one! If felt like the story was finally coming together. Plus we get some real movement in the plot to overthrow Queen Levana. I sped through this volume in a matter of three days. Can't wait to get to the library and pick up the next volume!

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

Currently #3

Watching: J and I finally started watching Broadchurch. Only two episodes in, but we're hooked!

Reading: Cress by Marissa Meyer. I'm working my way through The Lunar Chronicles. Enjoying this volume even more than the last.

Listening: The rain is still here in the Bay Area. On Monday it rained all day. In many ways, I missed listening to the sound of the rain.

Making: Pushing to wrap up my 2016 pages in the Project Life albums. Getting close! i need to do Arthur's December pages and the twins and then 2016 will be done.

Feeling: I've gotten a decent amount of sleep this past week. Feeling better. Now if I could get the toddler to stop yelling about everything, I would feel fine.

Planning: March is my birthday month and I've got some great things planned to celebrate on my Facebook craft group. Lots of challenges, giveaways, and fun. If you want to play along, join The Craft Sea to get all the news.

Loving: Quentin's belly laughs are adorable. I wish I could bottle them for those times when I need a pick-me-up.

Music Tuesday - Sia and Kendrick Lamar "The Greatest"

Quentin: 21 Weeks

No big update this week. I'm a bit burned out this week... So enjoy a few photos.

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier

Title: Bruning Bright

Author: Tracy Chevalier

Publisher: Plume 2008

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 327

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Read Your Book Shelf; Popsugar - Used Book Sale

In the waning days of eighteenth-century London, poet, artist, and printer William Blake works in obscurity as England is rocked by the shock waves of the French Revolution. Next door, the Kellaway family has just moved in, and country boy Jem Kellaway strikes up a tentative friendship with street-savvy Maggie Butterfield. As their stories intertwine with Blake's, the two children navigate the confusing and exhilarating path to adolescence, and inspire the poet to create the work that enshrined his genius.

I have enjoyed some of Chevalier's other books, but this one ultimately fell flat. I didn't find the characters all that interesting. The plot seemed to be nonexistent. The story just didn't go anywhere and I was bored for most of the pages. The other real redeeming portion of the book were the sections depicting London in 1792. I found myself drawn into the city at a time of great upheaval. The writing comes alive in those passages. Otherwise I was just bored.

Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs

Title: Tales of the Peculiar

Author: Ransom Riggs

Publisher: Syndrigast Publications 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - With pictures; I Love Libraries

Wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars. A fork-tongued princess. These are but a few of the truly brilliant stories in Tales of the Peculiar—the collection of fairy tales known to hide information about the peculiar world, including clues to the locations of time loops—first introduced by Ransom Riggs in his #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.

Cute little collection stories briefly mentioned or alluded to in the Miss Peregrine series. I loved the little asides and commentary from Millard. My favorite story was the first story "The Splendid Cannibals." It was such a weird story, but I loved it. Overall a good collection of stories.

Miss Peregrine:

#0.5 Tales of the Peculiar
#1 Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
#2 Hollow City
#3 Library of Souls

Life Right Now #4

As I look outside my window: It's dark. I'm writing this on Saturday night again.

Right now I am: Snuggling with Q and enjoying a gin and tonic while Arthur is upstairs getting his bath.

On my bedside table: A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor (Second book in the Chronicles of St. Marys. I had to request it from a library in San Diego!); Cress by Marissa Meyer; The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

On my tv this week: J and I watched the first episode of Legion (so trippy!) and multiple episodes of Emerald City. I also snuck in the first two episodes of S4 of The 100.

Listening to: Catching up on my podcasts specifically Here to Make Friends (about The Bachelor) and One Bad Mother.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
Tuesday - Potato Bacon Casserole
Wednesday - Avocado Bruschetta Chicken
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
Saturday - ???
Sunday - ???

Happening this week: Not much on our side. J will be gone all weekend at an offsite for work. I'm hosting crop day here while he's gone. Other than that, I've got nothing planned.

What I am creating: Trying to finish my Project Life spreads for 2016. Really itching to move into 2017. And starting on my February memory planner pages.

My simple pleasures: Elderflower tonic water (amazing!), the chance to sleep in a bit

Looking around the house: This living room is still a disaster... Life with a toddler.

From the camera: Last night I did something different for dinner. We had a variety of appetizers. A lot of work, but oh so good! We had chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce, honey dijon scallops with avocado sauce, crab wontons, bacon wrapped green beans, and raspberry brie tartlets. I had an elderflower gin and tonic with my dinner.

The Very First Damned Thing by Jodi Taylor

Title: The Very First Damned Thing (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #0.5)

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2015

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 74

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

Ever wondered how it all began? It's two years since the final victory at the Battersea Barricades. The fighting might be finished, but for Dr Bairstow, just now setting up St Mary's, the struggle is only beginning. How will he assemble his team? From where will his funding come? How can he overcome the massed ranks of the Society for the Protection of Historical Buildings? How do stolen furniture, a practical demonstration at the Stirrup Charge at Waterloo, students' alcohol-ridden urine, a widowed urban guerrilla, a young man wearing exciting knitwear, and four naked security guards all combine to become the St Mary's of the future?

Loved learning how St. Mary's was founded. We get bit of time travel adventure, a fun appearance by Max, and more importantly, introductions to most of the major players. A short short story, but definitely a good addition to the series. Now to move on to book #2 in the series.

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

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Felwel andFriends 2013

Genre: YA Scifi

Pages: 454

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (365 Days of YA #49); Fairytale Retellings; I Love Libraries

Cinder is back and trying to break out of prison―even though she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive if she does. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.

Sped through this volume in just a few days. I love how on-the-go this story is. there's hardly a quiet moment. Sometimes the breakneck pace can get old, but I really enjoyed racing throughout the world with Cinder and Scarlet. Plus we get to finally see Queen Levana's plan to take over Earth. Loving the new developments and characters. Thorne is a great foil to Cinder and it's nice to see Wolf after reading The Queen's Army. Definitely need to pick up the third book soon and re-checkout the short story collection to read Thorne's story.

The Lunar Chronicles

#0.5 Glitches
#0.6 The Little Android
#1 Cinder
#1.5 The Queen's Army
#2 Scarlet
#2.5 Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
#3 Cress
#3.5 Fairest
#3.6 Stars Above
#4 Winter

Eclectic Videos

Wow! I was dying laughing!

Bill Nye is just too cute!

These two are adorable! And yeah for Broadway!

Jon Stewart's still got. He can point out the absurd like nobody's business!

This videos are always such a hoot!

Music Tuesday - Gavin DeGraw "She Sets the City on Fire"

Quentin: 19-20 Weeks

Likes: All his toys, playing with big brother, snuggles. being outside

Dislikes: Naps, being left alone (even for a few moments), not eating right this second!

Sleeping: Q's been sleeping through the night most nights. He goes down around 8:30 or 9:00pm and sleeps until 6:00am. I'll take it! If he does wake up, he usually just wants his pacifier or diaper changed.

Eating: Slamming the 6 ounce bottles with ease. He's been eyeing my food lately, but we're trying to hold off until he gets a tooth or two and we can start baby led weaning.

Playing: He's starting to actually play with his toys. His favorites are the little book (picture above), the taggie blanket with monster, the robot teether, and the wire ball. I also pulled out the exersaucer, but he doesn't know what to do with it yet. Maybe next week.

Milestones: Q's a rolling over expert now! And he's been scooting around while on the floor. We're working on sitting up but he still pitches himself forward.

Schedule: Still haven't figured out daytime naps yet. Makes momma kinda crazy some days.

Out and About: We went to a few places in the past two weeks.

Bay Area Discovery Museum -- We love that place so much! It's just a bit of a drive to get there. Can't wait to go again soon.
Janine's Baby Shower -- We had a lovely baby sprinkle at the park on Saturday morning.
Stamp Club -- After the sprinkle, we headed over to Campbell for stamp club. Q did so well hanging out.
Valentine's Exchange -- Our parent group had our annual Valentine's Exchange party on Thursday. It was a crazy party full of running toddlers, but we all had fun. Afterward, we had lunch with some friends while mom made rally signs for the Planned Parenthood rally on Saturday.

Contemplating eating Mickey's face (he did)

Life Right Now #3

As I look outside my window: Sun is going down... (writing on Saturday night)

Right now I am: Finishing dinner and attempting to entertain the baby while writing this post.

On my bedside table: Cress by Marissa Meyer (need to finish Scarlet first); Burning Bright by Tracey Chevalier

On my tv this week: J and I are working through 30 Rock. We also started Emerald City and have continued watching our currently-airing shows.

Listening to: Lots of The Lumineers on Pandora and children whining

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Lime Salsa Chicken Tacos
Tuesday - Garlic Ranch Chicken Pizza
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - ???
Friday - Sloppy Joes
Saturday - ???
Sunday - Avocado Bruschetta Chicken

On my to do list: A few little tasks. Some bills to pay. Zoo membership and driver's license to renew. Couple of emails to write. Lots of crafting to do.

Happening this week:

Monday - Zoo Day! We missed last week because it was raining so hard, so we're going this week.
Tuesday - Home day
Wednesday - Flower Power Card Class
Thursday - Grocery run; Stamp Club
Friday - Home day; Chore catch-up
Saturday - Coffee and Cards
Sunday - Book Club

What I am creating: I need to finish prepping examples and kits for my Flower Power card class. I also need to finish November and December's Project Life spreads for all the albums. And I have a few SSINK cards to finish for February and to start on March.

My simple pleasures: Earl Grey Tea and Scones, yum yum

Looking around the house: Last week I did a deep clean of the kitchen. This week I need to focus on the bathroom... Oh joy

From the camera: Supporting Planned Parenthood at the rally in San Jose yesterday.

The Daily Show: An Oral History by Chris Smith

Title: The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff, and Guests

Author: Chris Smith

Publisher: Grand Central 2016

Genre: Nonfiction - Media

Pages: 459

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); I Love Libraries

For almost seventeen years, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart brilliantly redefined the borders between television comedy, political satire, and opinionated news coverage. It launched the careers of some of today's most significant comedians, highlighted the hypocrisies of the powerful, and garnered 23 Emmys. Now the show's behind-the-scenes gags, controversies, and camaraderie will be chronicled by the players themselves, from legendary host Jon Stewart to the star cast members and writers-including Samantha Bee, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Steve Carell, Lewis Black, Jessica Williams, John Hodgman, and Larry Wilmore-plus some of The Daily Show's most prominent guests and adversaries: John and Cindy McCain, Glenn Beck, Tucker Carlson, and many more.

I loved The Daily Show under Jon Stewart and was looking forward to learning more about the inner workings of the show. I liked that the book included interviews with all peoples involved and some show transcripts. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed that the book skipped over some big events and issues in the show's history. The book seemed to skim over a lot. And the book would definitely not be interesting to those who did not watch at least some of the episodes.

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock #1)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2016

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 323

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - First in a series; I Love Libraries

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.
When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.
But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

A delightful retelling of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories. I love how Thomas turned the character on it's head and made Holmes a disgraced society woman. Mrs. Watson is great as Holmes' partner and in some ways benefactor. Plus we get an interesting array of side characters. I'm excited for the next book in the series to be released this fall. Best of all we get a tantalizing mention of Moriarty... I can't wait to see where this all leads!

Lady Sherlock

#1 A Study in Scarlet Women
#2 (Fall 2017)