Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Four days stuck in the house due to a winter storm… It was rough! We needed to get out. We rescheduled out zoo day for tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully we can get out there and have some fun.

• Constant meal planning and prepping is getting to me. We may need to re-introduce a meal delivery kit for once a month.

• Super excited for our Spring Break in Indiana along with a stop at Legoland!

• Trying to finish the book club selection by Monday, but it’s really dragging for me. Not quite sure that I’m really excited about this one at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor

Title: An Argumentation of Historians (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s #9) 

Author: Jodi Taylor

Publisher: Accent Press 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 440

Stars: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR Pick; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Reading in PJs

Behind the seemingly innocuous facade of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, a different kind of academic work is taking place. Just don’t call it “time travel”, these historians “investigate major historical events in contemporary time.” And they aren’t your harmless eccentrics either; a more accurate description, as they ricochet around history, might be unintentional disaster-magnets. 

From Tudor England to the burning city of Persepolis, from a medieval St. Mary’s under siege to Victorian Rushford and a very nasty case of gaol fever, Max is struggling to keep her private life intact. There’s an ambitious program hindered by giant teapots, plus Mrs. Midgely’s objection to dead hamsters in her airing cupboard, and Mr. Markham’s stubborn refusal to reveal his exact marital status. 

And as if that’s not enough, the unfortunately not leprosy-laden Malcolm Halcombe is back. Admittedly, none of this is the most secure platform from which to launch an initiative to bring down the renegade Clive Ronan, but hey, what’s the worst that could happen?

Oh goodness. I was breathless speeding my way through the last 100 pages of this one. I did not see any of that coming!!! Truly a splendid volume full of historical adventures, quiet moments, major twists, a big reveal, the return of a few characters, and plenty of references to past adventures. I am completely stunned and in agony. This volume focused a lot on Max and we get tons of reflective moments from her. I loved the attempt at bringing together a ton of storylines and issues from the past. I can’t wait to see what happens next! And darn it! One of these days Ronan will see his end.

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

• #8.6 Christmas Past

• #9 An Argumentation of Historians

• #9.5 Battersea Barricades

• #9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump

• #9.7 And Now For Something Completely Different

• #10 Hope is for the Best

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lady Mechanika Vol. 2

Title: Lady Mechanika Vol. 2: The Tablet of Destinies

Author: Joe Benitez, M.M. Chen, Martin Montiel, Mike Garcia

Publisher: Benitez Productions 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

“The Tablet of Destinies holds the secrets of the Universe…he who possesses [it] shall rule the world.” – Sumerian Legend

After a young friend shows up unexpectedly on her doorstep, Lady Mechanika immediately drops everything to come to her aid. They embark on a globe-spanning trek filled with ancient artifacts, secret societies,and scientific curiosities, but Lady Mechanika is eventually confronted with an impossible decision: the life of her friend, or the fate of all humankind.

Set in a fictionalized steampunk Victorian England, a time when magic and superstition clashed with new scientific discoveries and inventions, Lady Mechanika chronicles a young woman’s obsessive search for her identity after a mad scientist’s horrific experiments left her with mechanical limbs and no memory of her past.

This volume was a great blend of Indiana Jones-esque adventure and Doctor Who episode. I loved every single pages of it. Lady Mechanika is the best female protagonist I really enjoyed this story and the big twist of the “Germans” was a hoot. I was a bit disappointed to not see more of Mr. Lewis, but maybe next time…

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lady Mechanika Vol. 1

Title: Lady Mechanika Vol. 1: Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse

Author: Joe Benitez, Peter Steigerwald

Publisher: Benitez Productions 2015

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Discover a beautifully illustrated steampunk world of airships, monsters, and one courageous but haunted heroine...

The tabloids dubbed her “Lady Mechanika,” the sole survivor of a mad scientist’s horrific experiments which left her with mechanical limbs. Having no memory of her captivity or her former life, Lady Mechanika eventually built a new life for herself as an adventurer and private investigator, using her unique abilities to solve cases the proper authorities couldn’t or wouldn’t handle. But she never stopped searching for the answers to her own past. Set in a fictionalized steampunk Victorian England, a time when magic and superstition clashed with new scientific discoveries and inventions, Lady Mechanika chronicles a young woman’s obsessive search for her identity as she investigates other mysteries involving science and the supernatural.

I had been eyeing this series for awhile and finally picked up the first two trades over Christmas. And I absolutely loved it! We get a complicated yet badass female protagonist. We get some fun shadowy backstory. I loved this particular story featuring a Romani circus, a supposedly dead girl, flashes of more mystery, and some awesome fight scenes. I can’t wait see what happens in the next trade! And I definitely want to see more of Mr. Lewis.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Brandi Carlile "The Joke"

How did I miss that she performed at the Grammys?? I love her voice so much. Definitely an amazing performance.

Dark Angel / Lord Crew's Bride by Mary Balogh

Title: Dark Angel (Dark Angel #1)/ Lord Carew’s Bride (Dark Angel #2)

Author: Mary Balogh

Publisher: 1994 / 1995

Genre: Romance

Pages: 624

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Finishing the Series; Seasonal Series - Over 500 pages

DARK ANGEL
Jennifer Winwood has been engaged for five years to a man she hardly knows but believes to be honorable and good: Lord Lionel Kersey. Suddenly, she becomes the quarry of London’s most notorious womanizer, Gabriel Fisher, the Earl of Thornhill. Jennifer has no idea that she is just a pawn in the long-simmering feud between these two headstrong, irresistible men—or that she will become a prize more valuable than revenge. 

Hmmm… So I like most of this book. I enjoyed the intrigue of the dangerous game between Thornhill and Kersey. I enjoyed watching Jennifer fall for Thornhill even though she resisted. I wasn’t a huge fan of their relationship during the last 50 pages of the book. I would have liked more discussion/understanding instead of hostility. I hope we get to see them happier in the next book.

LORD CAREW’S BRIDE
Jennifer’s cousin Samantha Newman is smarting after she too is toyed with by Lord Kersey. In the midst of her heartbreak, she seeks solace from her new friend, the disabled gardener Hartley Wade. If only she knew that Hartley is secretly Lord Carew, and that he hides more than extraordinary wealth: a passionate secret held deep in his heart that only her love can reveal.

I liked this story much more than Dark Angel. Hartley and Sam were much more interesting characters. And I wasn’t as confused by their relationship as I was Gabriel and Jennifer’s. I loved how their relationship progressed. And Kersey was just as much of a villain as in the first book. Definitely a fun read.

Dark Angel:

• #1 Dark Angel

• #2 Lord Carew’s Bride

• #3 The Famous Heroine

• #4 The Plumed Bonnet

• #5 The Ideal Wife

• #6 A Precious Jewel

• #7 A Christmas Bride

• #8 Christmas Beau

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #5

On my bedside table: HP and the Chamber of Secrets (reread!); The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay; A Place for Us by Fatima Faheen Mirza

On my TV: Lots of currently airing shows including The Magicians and Teachers (last season!).

Listening to: Eh. Some podcasts I guess.

On the menu: If you notice, I don’t have a grilled cheese on deck for dinner this week. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget! We’re going to make a blueberry breakfast GC this week!

• Monday - Leftovers

• Tuesday - Cajun Stuffed Chicken

• Wednesday - Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

• Thursday - Santa Fe Chicken

• Friday - Fettuccine Alfredo

• Saturday - Leftovers

• Sunday - Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

On my to do list: Thinking I need to do a brain dump today. I know I have a ton of to-dos, but my old list is looking a little sparse. I should spend about 20 minutes today just writing everything down.

Happening this week: We planning on hitting the zoo and a community center playtime this week along with school and our usual errands. I have book club on Tuesday night (yeah!!!).

What I am creating: I finally finished Q’s 2017 Project Life Album and spent time prepping his 2018 album. This weekend, I am either going to start on that album or make some more cards for March.

My simple pleasures: Hot tea, a walk through a garden (in winter!), lots of good books.

What I’m planning: Still working out our spring break plans, but I think we’ve most of things worked out. The little boys and I are going to make a detour on the way to stop and play at Legoland outside of Chicago. I scored a B1G1 coupon and Q is free, so I just had to pay for me! Score!

Looking around the house: Probably need to sweep the kitchen/dining room, but I did get the carpet all vacuumed yesterday, so farther than I thought I would be this weekend.

Looking forward to: Book club! Seriously, so excited to get out and have some adult conversation away from the kiddos. Even if I didn’t really enjoy the book…

From the camera: We found Spike at the garden this week!

Eruption by Steve Olson

Title: Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens

Author: Steve Olson

Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company 2017

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History; Science

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Modern Mrs. Darcy - Fascinating Topic; Nonfiction Bingo - Nature

For months in early 1980, scientists, journalists, and nearby residents listened anxiously to rumblings from Mount St. Helens in southwestern Washington State. Still, no one was prepared when a cataclysmic eruption blew the top off of the mountain, laying waste to hundreds of square miles of land and killing fifty-seven people. Steve Olson interweaves vivid personal stories with the history, science, and economic forces that influenced the fates and futures of those around the volcano. Eruption delivers a spellbinding narrative of an event that changed the course of volcanic science, and an epic tale of our fraught relationship with the natural world.

I’m always a sucker for narrative history book and this one was gifted to me by the library. (Thank you summer reading program!) I dove in and realized that I really didn’t know much about the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Granted it was before I was born, but still, I know a lot of stuff prior to 1982. Reading this book gave me a very clear picture of the run-up to the eruption and the aftermath. I really enjoyed learning about the history of the volcano and the back-and-forth between politicians and scientists about the warning zone. The earth science really got me hooked on the book. I wasn’t as much of. fan of the detailed history of the Weyerhauser family. Sure, the company was important when it came to drawing boundary lines, but I don’t think we needed that detailed of a history. Otherwise, I enjoyed this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang

Title: A Beautiful Poison

Author: Lydia Kang

Publisher: Lake Union 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Monthly Motif - Cover Love; Historical Fiction

Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims in her close circle, young socialite Allene questions if the flu is really to blame. All appear to have been poisoned—and every death was accompanied by a mysterious note.

Desperate for answers and dreading her own engagement to a wealthy gentleman, Allene returns to her passion for scientific discovery and recruits her long-lost friends, Jasper and Birdie, for help. The investigation brings her closer to Jasper, an apprentice medical examiner at Bellevue Hospital who still holds her heart, and offers the delicate Birdie a last-ditch chance to find a safe haven before her fragile health fails.

As more of their friends and family die, alliances shift, lives become entangled, and the three begin to suspect everyone—even each other. As they race to find the culprit, Allene, Birdie, and Jasper must once again trust each other, before one of them becomes the next victim.

A promising idea for a book: focusing on poison as murder weapon during WWI and the Spanish Flu. I was intrigued and very excited to read this one. Unfortunately the book fell very flat for me. I didn’t like a single character. They were all vain and selfish. Just couldn’t get behind all of those… But the big problem I had was the twist ending. After finding out who the murder was, I was very confused. The motivations of the murderer just didn’t make any sense, at least how the author portrayed the character and the reasoning for the murders. Nope. I was really disappointed.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wintertime Videos

Why didn’t they air this scene? Everyone was wondering what had happened to Kirpa…

Funny and depressing…

This looks like lots of fun.

I love the camp-ness of Riverdale and this is adorable.

This book has been on my TBR list. Guess I need to move it up…

Intrigued by the remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels…

Hilarious! Kate as Glenn Close is the just the best.

The movie was amazing. I have high hopes for the tv show. And it has Matt Berry!

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

Title: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Author: Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

Publisher: Dutton 2018

Genre: Nonfiction - Memoir

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Popsugar - Same Letter Name; Nonfiction Bingo - Essay Collection

The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter said he would assay a supporting role in the selfsame pageant. At the first rehearsal she surveyed her fellow cast members, determining if any of the men might qualify to provide her with a satisfying fling. Her gaze fell upon the carpenter, and like a bolt of lightning the thought struck her: no dice. Moving on.

I love these two so much, I had to read their joint memoir/essay collection. I really enjoyed the single essay sprinkled throughout the book. Very funny! The larger chapters with dialogue between the two were slightly less fun. It was the back and forth. I had to really pay attention to understand who was talking. Those portions would have been better in audio form. But I still really enjoyed learning more about them.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Title: Heart-Shaped Box

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: William Morrow 2000

Genre: Horror

Pages: 402

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Monthly Keyword - Heart; Horror

Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals . . . a used hangman's noose . . . a snuff film. An aging death-metal rock god, his taste for the unnatural is as widely known to his legions of fans as the notorious excesses of his youth. But nothing he possesses is as unlikely or as dreadful as his latest discovery, an item for sale on the Internet, a thing so terribly strange, Jude can't help but reach for his wallet.

For a thousand dollars, Jude will become the proud owner of a dead man's suit, said to be haunted by a restless spirit. He isn't afraid. He has spent a lifetime coping with ghosts—of an abusive father, of the lovers he callously abandoned, of the bandmates he betrayed. What's one more?

But what UPS delivers to his door in a black heart-shaped box is no imaginary or metaphorical ghost, no benign conversation piece. It's the real thing.

And suddenly the suit's previous owner is everywhere: behind the bedroom door . . . seated in Jude's restored vintage Mustang . . . standing outside his window . . . staring out from his widescreen TV. Waiting—with a gleaming razor blade on a chain dangling from one bony hand. . . .

After reading later Joe Hill, I had to go back into his back catalog. This one was thoroughly creepy. I could only read it during the day time. Night time reading gave me too many weird nightmares. Back to the story, Jude is a great character. His whole aging rock star persona is a great anti-hero. Originally I didn’t like Georgia, but she definitely grew on me. And the side characters were all great additions, especially Bon and Angus. The last 100 pages were a whirlwind.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #3

Reading: Eruption by Steve Olson about the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. So far, so good.

Watching: Slowly making my way through Riverdale S2. Finally got the Christmas break.

Listening: Plugging along with This Podcast Will Kill You about infectious diseases. Next up is Malaria.

Making: Feeling like I need to make some brownies this afternoon. Yum yum.

Feeling: Anxious about some upcoming decisions.

Planning:  Spring Break is just around the corner. So is the twins’s birthday. Busy busy with the logistics of getting there and back and what to do while there.

Loving: We’ve had a ton of snow this January/February. currently there’s about 7 inches of cumulative snow in our yard. But the sun is shining and the reflection has created a glittery wonderland. Arthur thought there was actual glitter in the snow. So cute!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday -- Palaye Royale "Dying in a Hot Tub"

Really digging this song lately! Overall, I just really love Palaye Royale

Life Right Now #4

On my bedside table: Eruption by Steve Olson; Dark Angel by Mary Balogh

On my TV: Lots of random television shows. We’ve been watching the back catalog of Letterkenny while also diving back into Star Trek: Voyager. As for currently airing shows, we’re keeping up with The Magicians and I’m watching The Bachelor.

Listening to: Mostly podcasts such as Here to Make Friends and all the NPR shows.

On the menu:

• Monday - Pot Roast

• Tuesday - Spinach and Artichoke Melts

• Wednesday - Teriyaki Chicken

• Thursday - Pesto Stuffed Shells

• Friday - Leftovers

• Saturday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches

• Sunday - Fettuccine Alfredo

On my to do list: Lots of random things i haven’t gotten to yet. I did check off registering Arthur for summer camps (we got discounts for registering early). And I booked an AirBnB for a friend and I when we go to Minneapolis in April. This week I’m focused on some planning goals and all those small house tasks.

Happening this week: We have our usual Romp n Roll classes, And I hope to get to Lauritzen Gardens to see the dinosaurs. Otherwise, I have no other plans.

What I am creating: I’ve started working on my 30 Days of Birthday Cards for March. I’m about 1/3 of the way done. I need to switch back to Project Life to finish Quentin’s 2017 album and get started on 2018.

My simple pleasures: Been digging Reese’s hearts on clearance. Really all the clearance Valentine’s Day candy. Other than that, I’ve been fitting in more time to read in my daily schedule.

What I’m planning: Doing a bit of catchup of blog posts. And working on planning what other card designs or challenges to do for March.

Looking around the house: Having a weekly cleaning schedule has really helped me keep a baseline. This week I do need to wash all the sheets and swiffer all the tile surfaces.

Looking forward to: Visiting a new-to-us museum.

From the camera: Arthur set up a theater so he could perform a concert in front of his animals.

American War by Omar El Akkad

Title: American War

Author: Omar El Akkad

Publisher: Knopf 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Alphabet Soup - E; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Science

An audacious and powerful debut novel: a second American Civil War, a devastating plague, and one family caught deep in the middle—a story that asks what might happen if America were to turn its most devastating policies and deadly weapons upon itself.

Sarat Chestnut, born in Louisiana, is only six when the Second American Civil War breaks out in 2074. But even she knows that oil is outlawed, that Louisiana is half underwater, and that unmanned drones fill the sky. When her father is killed and her family is forced into Camp Patience for displaced persons, she begins to grow up shaped by her particular time and place. But not everyone at Camp Patience is who they claim to be. Eventually Sarat is befriended by a mysterious functionary, under whose influence she is turned into a deadly instrument of war. The decisions that she makes will have tremendous consequences not just for Sarat but for her family and her country, rippling through generations of strangers and kin alike.

The February selection for the Girly Book Club. This was billed as a brilliant and powerful novel, but I found it pretty simplistic. I liked the idea of a Second Civil War, but the divide and the highly stereotyped and generalized groups annoyed me. The picture of the South depicted feels very old fashioned. With our changing demographics in this country, to portray all Southerners as rednecks was much too reductive for me. I just couldn’t get behind the basis for the groups. After mulling it over even more, why is the divide North/South? Wouldn’t it be more of an economic divide? There’s one line late in the book about how the Reds of the South got their name from voting Republican. Silly… There are plenty of Republicans all over the country and not everyone in the South votes Republican. As for the rest of the book, it felt very formulaic and graphic. I could predict exactly what was going to happen. I also was repulsed by the graphic scenes (and I read plenty of graphic books).

Next up on the TBR pile:

Exquisite Corpse by Penelope Bagieu

Title: Exquisite Corpse

Author: Penelope Bagieu

Publisher: First Second 2015

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 128

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Zoe isn't exactly the intellectual type, which is why she doesn't recognize world-famous author Thomas Rocher when she stumbles into his apartment...and into his life. It's also why she doesn't know that Rocher is supposed to be dead.

Turns out, Rocher faked his death years ago to escape his critics, and has been making a killing releasing his new work as "lost manuscripts," in cahoots with his editor/ex-wife Agathe. Neither of them would have invited a crass party girl like Zoe into their literary conspiracy of two, but now that she's there anyway. . . .

Zoe doesn't know Balzac from Batman, but she's going to have to wise up fast... because she's sitting on the literary scandal of the century!

Another one of those random library finds. I love just browsing the shelves looking for interesting titles. This one is a cute little story about an author and the two women in his life. I sped through this one in just a few minutes not wanting to wait to find out what happens to all our characters. I especially loved the twist ending. Such fun!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Damsels Vol. 2

Title: Damsels Vol. 2

Author: Leah Moore, John Reppion, Aneke

Publisher: Dynamite 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Weeks have passed since the defeat of the witch Belladonna, yet "Happily Ever After" is still out of reach for Rapa, the once-and-future Queen Rapunzel. The wandering adventurer chafes in the trappings of her royal station, her heart yearning to once again roam the roads and wilderness of her magical world. However, her path is not at all safe... for the witches Gothel and Carabosse have formed a new black coven, and are amassing a new army of the wicked!

A great continuation of the story started in volume one. I loved the introduction of a few new heroines with fun and complicated backstories. I loved the mention of other classic fairy tales and stories. The timeline of the pages was a bit harder to follow considering the back and forth. But I still really enjoyed this volume. I will have to seek out the next one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Damsels Vol. 1

Title: Damsels Vol. 1

Author: Leah Moore, John Reppion, Aneke

Publisher: Dynamite 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 200

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Once upon a time, the princesses of classic fairy tales banded together to save their kingdoms from war! Rapa, a redheaded girl with a fiery spirit and lost memories, discovers a conspiracy that threatens the peace among all the mythical creatures of the land. Joined by the Little Mermaid, the Frog Prince, and Red Riding Hood, Rapa journeys through fabled forests and legendary realms on a quest to foil the scheme! Who has stolen the identities of beloved heroines Rapunzel, Belle, and Talia, and plots to destroy all the Faerie races? 

A random library find from this week. I love fairy tale retellings and this one did not disappoint. Such a great tale of misplaced queens and adventures in dreams. The imagery and coloring are great. The characters are great. I wasn’t even annoyed by the exposition interludes. I will definitely be continuing this series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I had J re-dye my hair and it looks amazing! Now I need to find a stylist here to continue my look or possibly change it up drastically.

• Q has been so tired at bedtime lately that he hasn’t even wanted to read books. Crazy!

• The kiddos are loving playing in the snow this week. Much nicer temps and calmer wind.

• I think sweet tea is my kryptonite.

• Missing the gym this week. I tried to take Q to the daycare again and it didn’t go well. Not an option right now and I’m struggling.

• How it is my February book stack is growing instead of shrinking? #bookproblems Speaking of books…

• Rushing to finish a book before it’s due (today!). Silly people putting a hold on a book I’m currently reading.

Next up on the TBR pile: