October 2017 Wrap-up

October's TBR Pile (12/20):

1. MVPA Book Club Selection: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly √
2. Series Pick: Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell (not pictured) √
3. Nonfiction Pick: Reading People by Anne Bogel √
4. Nonfiction Pick: The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick
5. Read Your Book Shelf Pick: The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl
6. Discworld Pick: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett (iPad)
7. Scary Pick: The Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft
8. Scary Pick: The Gates by John Connolly √
9. Scary Pick: Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff √
10. Scare Pick: 99 Coffins by David Wellington
11. Scary Pick: Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
12. Scary Pick: 8.4 Peter Hernon √
13. Nonfiction Scary Pick: The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen
14. Nonfiction Scary Pick: The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall
15. More Nonfiction: The Tea Reader edited by Katrina Avila Munichiello √
16. Food Pick: Voracious by Cara Nicoletti √
17. Cozy Mystery: A Cast-Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell (not pictured; library hold) √
18. Added: The Mummy by Anne Rice (iPad) √
19. Added: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (not pictured) √
20. Added: Haunted Castles by Ray Russell √

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 3606  pages
Pages Remaining: 706,286 pages

Current Read - The Devil in the Shape of a Woman; Hexes and Hemlines

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books bought/received (0)

November's TBR Pile:

1. MVPA Book Club Selection: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
2. MVPA Book Club Selection: Bonk by Mary Roach
3. Series Pick: In a Witches Wardrobe by Juliet Blackwell (not pictured, library hold)
4. Nonfiction Pick: 1776 by David McCullough
5. Read Your Book Shelf Pick: Star of the Sea by Joseph O' Connor
6. Classics Pick: The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton
7. Currently Reading: Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell
8. Currently Reading: The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen
9. Scary Pick: Omega Days by John Campbell
10. Library random pick: Bad Girls Throughout History by Ann Shen
11. Extra: Tarnished and Torn by Juliet Blackwell (not pictured, library hold)
12. Extra: A Vision in Velvet by Juliet Blackwell
13. Extra: Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell
14. Extra: A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell

Movies watched

• Why Him -- Stupid, but it had it's moments.
• The Little Hours -- Fairly entertaining. Apparently we decided to go from one Franco to the other this month...
• Spiderman: Homecoming -- We finally saw this and really enjoed it. A good sueprhero movie that didn't dwell so much on the teenage angst. Thank goodness.
• Despicable Me 3 -- Mildly entertaining
• Crimson Peak -- Finally! It's been sitting on the server for so long and we finally watched it.
• The Haunting (1963) -- A very true adaptation of the book. The voice-over is weird, but I see what the filmakers were trying to do.
• The Haunting (1999) -- Such a bad movie. After reading the book, I understand just how bad it is...
• Baby Driver -- We're huge fans of Edgar Wright and this did not disappoint. And the soundtrack is amazing.

TV Shows watched

• Episodes S5 -- Sad this show is over, but it was oh so good! And I don't even mind the feel-good ending.
• Last Week Tonight -- Always a bit depressing, but we love it.
• Adam Ruins Everything -- Even Arthur enjoys this one.
• Avatar S3 -- Arthur and I finally finished this series. 
• Dirk Gently S2 -- Love this totally weirdo show!
• The Good Place S2 -- Every week we debate theories about what is going to happen. Love it!
• Star Trek: Discovery S1 -- We're still watching and have our theories, but still waiting for more philosophical discussions...
• Stranger Things S2 -- Oh my goodness!!!

Comments - I killed the FrighFall Readathon this month! 8 of my 12 books read were "scary" reads. And I passed 3500 pages for the month. November won't be this good for reading, but I'll take some entertaining reads.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Cast Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell

Title: A Cast Off Coven (Witchcraft Mystery #2)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Obsidian 2010

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 312

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

Lily Ivory is not your average witch. She runs a vintage clothing store called Aunt Cora's Closet and has the magical ability to sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry. When students are spooked at the San Francisco School for the Arts, Lily is called in to search for paranormal activity. She finds a dead body and a closet full of old clothes with some very bad vibes.

Really digging this series... I loved diving back into Lily Ivory and her witchy ways. We get more appearances by some great side characters (hello Aidan!) and a fun storyline involving an old nunnery, ghosts, and a demon. The only thing I'm not loving is Max. I get that we need a skeptical character, but seriously he treats Lily like crap most of the time. I hope he gets his act together in the next book. Overall, this series is just what I need for a fun enjoyable read!

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:

Music Monday -- Nothing More "Go to War"

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #30

Right now I am: Finally watching S2 of Stranger Things!

Thinking and pondering: What other activites did we want to accomplish before Christmas? Making a list and checking it twice!

On my bedside table: the Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman; Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell

On my tv this week: Some old episodes of Q.I. and The Great British Bake-Off. Arthur and I finally finished watching Avatar. Kinda lackluster finale, but still good. We also watched a few movies this week.

Listening to: Of Monsters and Men, Nina Simone, Hamilton Cast Recording, Bastille

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Chicken n Dumplings
• Tuesday - I have no idea... 
• Wednesday - Sloppy Joes
• Thursday - Kale and White Bean Soup
• Friday - Pot Roast
• Saturday - Monterrey Chicken
• Sunday - Lefftovers

On my to do list: I have a ton of cleaning to do this week plus getting through Halloween and moving on to Thanksgiving projects. I should also do a clothing sort for the boys (and myself) and create a clothing needs lists for winter and Christmas.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Probably errands
• Tuesday - Nothing during the day, but at night... Halloween!
• Wednesday - Lindsay Wildlife Experience
• Thursday - Grocery store, Target, Sprouts
• Friday - Half Moon Bay Beach Day
• Saturday - Christmas Card Classes Day
• Sunday - ???

What I am creating: I'm finishing up my 30 Days of Christmas Cards from Sketches. This will be appearing on the craft blog throughout the month of November. I also started pulling supplies for this year's December Daily kits.

My simple pleasures: Cooler temperatures, a mug of hot tea, a good book.

Looking around the house: There are cheerios absolutely everywhere in the living room...

From the camera: Admiring the view at the zoo

Next up on the TBR pile:

FrightFall Readathon 2017 Week #4

Pages Read: 304 (Paper Valentine) + 183 (Reading People) + 235 (Haunted Castles) + 296 (The Gates) +  68 (A Cast Off Coven)
Pages Read Total: 3362

Books Read: 4
Books Read Total: 11

Comments: Look at all that reading! This past week, I knocked off a ton of books. Very excited about wrapping up this month long readathon. I'm hoping to finish out A Cast Off Coven by the end of the month. Totally doable!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Gates by John Connolly

Title: The Gates (Samuel Johnson Vs. The Devil #1)

Author: John Connolly

Publisher: Atria 2009

Genre: Horror

Pages: 296

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New to Me

Young Samuel Johnson and his dachshund, Boswell, are trying to show initiative by trick-or-treating a full three days before Halloween, which is how they come to witness strange goings-on at 666 Crowley Road. The Abernathys don't mean any harm by their flirtation with the underworld, but when they unknowingly call forth Satan himself, they create a gap in the universe, a gap through which a pair of enormous gates is visible. The gates to Hell. And there are some pretty terrifying beings just itching to get out.... Can one small boy defeat evil? Can he harness the power of science, faith, and love to save the world as we know it? 

Another long-time resident of my TBR shelf. I finally picked it up and it was such a joy! Reminded me of Good Omens or any of Christopher Moore's books. I loved the combination of horror and comedy. Samuel is a great foil for the forces of Hell. And Nurd was so much fun. I started reading this as a holdover while my hold book was arriving, fully intending to put it up when my other book came, but I ended up flying through this book instead. Love love loved it!

Samuel Johnson Vs. The Devil

• #1 The Gates
• #2 Hell's Bells
• #3 The Creeps

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• October has been an amazing reading month so far. Hoping to finish out strong.
• Mother Nature really needs to make up her mind about the temperatures around here. Four days ago it was a high of 65, today it's a high of 90. Ugh!
• I hate having to go to three different grocery stores, but we save so much money!
• Speaking of, been thinking of trying the new dinner kit service Dinnerly. We like Munchery, but this one is half the price. 
• I drank an entire bottle of wine by myself last night and I have a minimal headache this morning. Hmmm....
• That reminds me that I want to make a signature cocktail for Halloween next week. Must go peruse Pinterest.
• Excited about how many Christmas card designs I've made so far. Now to pick one for November's stamp club...

Next up on the TBR pile:

Haunted Castles by Ray Russell

Title: Haunted Castles

Author: Ray Russell

Publisher: Penguin Classics 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 235

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsguar - Story within a Story; New to Me

Haunted Castles is the definitve, complete collection of Ray Russell's masterful Gothic horror stories, including the famously terrifying novella trio of  "Sardonicus," "Sanguinarius," and "Sagittarius." The characters that sprawl through Haunted Castles are frightful to the core: the heartless monster holding two lovers in limbo; the beautiful dame journeying down a damned road toward depravity (with the help of an evil gypsy); the man who must wear his fatal crimes on his face in the form of an awful smile. Engrossing, grotesque, perverted, and completely entrancing, Russell's Gothic tales are the best kind of dreadful.

How have I never heard of Ray Russell? And to find out he is one of Guillermo del Toro's favorite authors? Holy cow this was a great find on the random library shelf. I love love loved every single story included in this collection. But I have to say that my favorite was "Sagittarius" involving Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, and Jack the Ripper. The way Russell crafts his stories fascinated me. I loved the story within a story format for a few of the stories included. I loved the throwback to Gothic storytelling. And I loved the stories themselves. There were thoroughly scary. Perfect pick for my spooky October reads.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Reading People by Anne Bogel

Title: Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything

Author: Anne Bogel

Publisher: Baker Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction 

Pages: 217

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar -- Career Advice

For readers who long to dig deeper into what makes them uniquely them (and why that matters), popular blogger Anne Bogel has done the hard part--collecting, exploring, and explaining the most popular personality frameworks, such as Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, and others. She explains to readers the life-changing insights that can be gained from each and shares specific, practical real-life applications across all facets of life, including love and marriage, productivity, parenting, the workplace, and spiritual life. In her friendly, relatable style, Bogel shares engaging personal stories that show firsthand how understanding personality can revolutionize the way we live, love, work, and pray.

I'm a huge fan of Anne Bogel's podcast What Should I Read Next and was intrigued by the entire premise of her new book. I ended up preordering this one so I would get it when it released, but life got in the way of me reading this when it arrived. I ended getting this book this week and really did enjoy it. I read through all the various personality frameworks Bogel discusses but probably only really absorbed about 60% of the information presented. This book will definitely need a reread in a few weeks to continue my understanding of personality framelworks and how they apply to our lives. 

Next up on the TBR pile:

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Title: Paper Valentine

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Publisher: Razorbill 2013

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 304

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New to Me

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one.  Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders?  Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

Another random book that's been sitting on my shelf for too long. I thought it would be perfect for a spooky October. Unfortunately, I was very bored by this volume. I was not impressed by the characters or the storyline. I usually need one of the two to really get into a book. This one did not give me either. So I pushed through the story, but was thoroughly bored. Oh well. At least I made another space on my shelf.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday -- Walk the Moon "One Foot"

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #29

As I look outside my window: It's so dark outside... 

Right now I am: Relaxing a bit after the big parent group Halloween party. Lots of fun, but man, lots of work.

Thinking and pondering: What do I need to do next? So many things on my big to-do list, but I need to do some prioritizing.

On my bedside table: A Cast Off Coven by Juliet Blackwell; The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen

On my tv this week: I watched a few more episodes of Reign S4 -- getting super close to finishing the series. J and I watched both versions of The Haunting for comparison. 

Listening to: Not much really. I did listen to a few episodes of m y podcasts, but not that many.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Peanut Chicken Bowls
• Tuesday - Prosciutto and Fig Pizza
• Wednesday - Spinach and Artichoke Melts
• Thursday - Leftovers
• Friday - Waffle Crab Cakes
• Saturday - Chicken and Dumblings
• Sunday - Smoke Sausage

On my to do list: After being sick last week, I need to catch up on a variety of chores and little tasks.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Errand day
• Tuesday - Santana Row Trick-or-Treating
• Wednesday - Pumpkin Patch?
• Thursday - Children's Creativity Museum
• Friday - Probably a doctor visit for vaccinations
• Saturday - Boo at the Oakland Zoo
• Sunday - Friend's birthday party

What I am creating: Working on more Christmas cards. 

My simple pleasures: Wacky cake and sleep

Looking around the house: Lots of house chores to be finished.

From the camera: Our first Halloween event of the season.

FrightFall Readathon 2017 Week #3

Pages Read: 289 (Hidden Figures) + 241 (The Mummy) + 256 (A Tea Reader) + 182 (The Haunting of Hill House) + 34 (Reading People)
Pages Read Total: 2276

Books Read: 4
Books Read Total: 7

Comments: After finishing the first half of The Mummy, I couldn't stop myself from plowing through to the end. So good! And I finished Hidden Figures a few days before tomorrow's book club discussion. Again, so good! And I sped through The Haunting of Hill House riveted to Jackson's horror. Finally I completed A Tea Reader collection of essays that I've working on all week and moved on to Reading People. Such a great reading week!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Title: The Haunting of Hill house

Author: Shirley Jackson

Publisher: Viking 1959

Genre: Classics - Horror

Pages: 182

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Classics -- 20th Century

First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a "haunting"; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.

How have I never actually read this one? I read and loved Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. This one is such a masterpiece of terror and suspense. By the end of the book the reader starts to doubt even their own experience in reading this volume. Did the supernatural elements actually occur or was it all in our imaginations? Did Eleanor actually feel called to the house or was she just wishing for a place to belong? I put the book down at the end and promptly started doubting my own thoughts of what happened. Such is the brilliance of Shirley Jackson. Fascinating book. A great choice for spooky October. Now to watch the two movie adaptations... 

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Tea Reader by Katrina Avila Munichiello

Title: A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time

Author: Katrina Avila Munichiello

Publisher: Tuttle 2011

Genre: Nonfiction - Food

Pages: 256

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure)

This anthology shares the ways that tea has changed lives through personal, intimate stories. Read of deep family moments, conquered heartbreak, and peace found in the face of loss. A Tea Reader includes stories from all types of tea people: people brought up in the tea tradition, those newly discovering it, classic writings from long-ago tea lovers and those making tea a career. Together these tales create a new image of a tea drinker. They show that tea is not simply something you drink, but it also provides quiet moments for making important decisions, a catalyst for conversation, and the energy we sometimes need to operate in our lives.

The entire premise of this collection really intrigued me on the library shelf, but I just didn't love it like I was hoping I would. Some of the essays were quite enjoyable. Some of them seemed unfinished, as if an except was taken losing all context. And some essays just didn't land at all. Fairly disappointed in this collection. Oh well...

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Title: Hidden Figures 

Author: Margot Lee Shetterly

Publisher: William Morrow 2016

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 349

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR

Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades they faced challenges, forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives, and their country’s future.

We watched the movie a few months back and I've been itching to read the book. I heard it included much more information and I wasn't disappointed. In this deceptively slim volume, Shetterly packs in so much information. We trace the careers and lives for four women but also learn about social movements, the space race, court cases, and the inner workings of Langley through a very tumultuous time in our nation's history. I was completely entranced by the stories from page one although I will admit to taking a few breaks to allow my brain to absorb the information. The movie did a great job taking very complicated stories and distilling it down to something that could be enjoyed in two hours. But after reading the book, I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Mary Jackson's story. Hers was the journey that really stood out for me. Her passion for engineering, helping her neighbors, and promoting education was fascinating. Definitely a must read! This one will most likely end up on my Top 10 Reads of 2017 list!

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Spooky Month of Videos

The continued existence of royalty fascinates me...

I miss Jon Stewart.

This looks thoroughly unsettling. Love it!

I loved the comics. I hope the TV show is good.

Loving The Last Starfighter reference...

Okay. I'm interested again.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Mummy by Anne Rice

Title: The Mummy (Ramses the Damned #1)

Author: Anne Rice

Publisher: Ballantine Books 1989

Genre: Horror

Pages: 399

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Anne Rice); Mount TBR; Popsugar - Eccentric Character

He was Ramses the Damned in ancient Egypt, but awoke in opulent Edwardian London as Dr. Ramsey, expert in Egyptology. He mixes with the aristocrats and samples their voluptuous lifestyle, but it is for his beloved, Cleopatra, that he longs, and will do anything to be with...

In my middle school and high school obsession with Anne Rice, I somehow never actually read The Mummy. I think I got sucked into the Interview with a Vampire series and neglected her other works. I'm so glad that I finally picked this one up. I love Egyptian history and the early 20th century interest in archaeology. I immediately fell in love with the setting and characters. I loved traveling from England to Egypt throughout the course of the book. My favorite character has to be Elliott. I loved his entire storyline. Definitely an interesting character study. As Rice is the author, I was expecting a full out horror story. I won't call this horror necessarily, but the story has sufficient suspense and horror to keep me guessing as to what would happen next. This was such a page-turner. After getting about 20 pages in, I just couldn't pause in my reading. Loved it! I can't wait to pick up the sequel next month.

Ramses the Damned:

• #1 The Mummy
• #2 Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra

Next up on the TBR pile:

2017 Reading Challenges Update #3

2017 is almost at an end. How am I doing on my reading challenges so far? What do I want to try and finish before the end of the year?

Total Challenges:  2/13  15.4%

Total Spots: 213/340  62.6%

Individual Challenge Progress:

• Perpetual Reading Challenges  15/2075%**
• Mount TBR 37/6061.7%
• Read Your Shelf 6/1250%
• Popsugar  29/4072.5%
• Fairytale Retelling   12/12  100%**
• What’s in a Name 2/633.3%
• Discworld   1/12  8.3%*
• Back to the Classics 2/6 33.3%
• New to Me 11/20 55%
• Wired into Scifi   0/12   0%*
• Graphic Novel22/24 91.7%
• I Love Libraries  24/24100%**
• Picture Books 52/92 56.5%*

**Successes: I've got two full challenges finished. And I've very excited about my progress in the Perpetual Challenge. Those lists are so long and it's hard to not get distracted my the shiny new books I find. 

*Failures (Needs Improvement):  I've completely dropped the ball on the Scifi and Discworld challenges. Need to get back to those. I'm also not happy with our progress on the Picture Books Challenge. We read a ton of picture books, but keep missing some of these categories for the challenge. 

Next up on the TBR pile!

Music Monday -- Alice Merton "No Roots"

Next up on the TBR pile: