February 2023 Wrap

February TBR Pile (24/27):

Bookworms BC: Come as You Are by Jess K. Hardy ✓
Friend BC: Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez ✓
Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: Babel by R.F. Kaung ✓
Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: NONE
Kid Read Aloud: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson ✓
Kid Read Aloud: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson ✓
Kid Read Aloud: Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate ✓
Kid Read Aloud: Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George ✓
Kid Book Club: Winterhouse by Ben Guterson ✓
Winter Read: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Middle Grade: Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack ✓
Fantasy: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Fantasy: Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire ✓
Romance: Never Fall for Your Fiancé by Virginia Heath ✓
Romance: Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath ✓
Romance: A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone ✓
Romance: Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca ✓
Romance: Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis ✓
Romance: Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis ✓
Romance: Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis ✓
Romance: Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis ✓
Romance: The Mistake by Elle Kennedy ✓
Romance: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey ✓
Horror: A Lush and Seething Hell by John Hornor Jacobs ✓
Comics: Snow, Glass, Apples ✓
Nonfiction: Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson ✓
Scifi: Timemaster by Robert L. Forward ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 7613 pages
Pages Remaining: 344,812 pages

Current Read - Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (0)

UnRead Shelf Progress

Starting Number: 335
Books Read: 1
Books Acquired: 0
Books Unshelved: 0
Finishing Number: 334

March TBR Pile:

Bookworms BC: NONE
Friend BC: Acid for the Children by Flea
Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Beck Chambers
Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty
Kid Read Aloud: The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
Kid Book Club: Argos by Ralph Hardy
Kid Book Club: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Fantasy: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
Fantasy: The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Fantasy: The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty
Romance: About That Kiss by Jill Shalvis
Romance: Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis
Romance: The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews
Romance: The Score by Elle Kennedy
Romance: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
Scifi: Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel
Scifi: Venmo by Cherie Dimaline
Scifi: The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
Thriller: The Drift by CJ Tudor
Thriller: The Stranded by Sarah Daniels
Thriller: The Getaway by Lamar Giles
Literary Fiction: The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson

Movies watched

Wakanda Forever - Very powerful. But we need to see more from Namor.
The Night Shift (1982) - Surprisingly pro-sex work movie from 40 years ago.
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - J made me watch. Had some funny moments.
The Lost King - We really like British quiet comedies and this one was great.

TV Shows watched

His Dark Materials S2 & S3 - That was a whirlwind. Great adaption of the books.
The Bachelor - I can’t quit it…
Below Deck - My silly show.
Lego Masters (US) S2 - I called the top three teams. Very satisfied with the winners.
Doctor Who - We caught up with the specials that we apparently forgot about. Ready to see David Tennant do his limited run before Ncuti Gatwa takes over.
Killing It S1 - It was cancelled, but a funny and sometimes very serious show. Love Craig Robinson.
Clarkson’s Farm S2 - I was totally sucked into this one… Very compelling and funny.
Cunk on Earth - Well, that was ridiculous and delightful.
Brave New World - Very different from the book, but an interesting take on the story.
Slow Horses S2 - Back to this awesomeness.

Comments - Wow! I somehow read almost as much as I read in January. And that month I read a ton because of being down for surgery. Like most months, it was a mixed bag, but I made a dent in my TBR piles. We also watched some good television shows and movies. In fact, we binged a few seasons of various shows. We absolutely loved S2 of Slow Horses. Super excited that there will be a third season.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

Title: Hook, Line, and Sinker (It Happened One Summer #2)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publisher: Avon 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 353

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Starts with “H”; Romanceopoly - BFF’s House (Friends to Lovers)

Spice Rating: 5

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time—in bed and out—and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah's in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She knows he’s a notorious ladies’ man, but they’re definitely just friends. In fact, she's nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport’s resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker’s eye… yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can't deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and… and… man overboard! He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she'll choose him instead?

Surprisingly, I have really enjoyed this duology. After my first two attempts at Tessa Bailey books failed miserably. Thankfully, I connected with this series and these characters. Fox was an intriguing character in the first book and I’m so glad we finally get to dive into all his layers. Hannah was a slightly less interesting characters. I think I’ve decided that I really enjoy Tessa Bailey’s male characters and her female characters less so. Fox was such a great layered characters. I felt so much with him as he started to acknowledge his own feelings, fears, and desires. The journey was my favorite part of the book. I must say that the steamy scenes weren’t my favorite, but they did their job. With this duology, I may just be open for new Tessa Bailey books.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W23: A Super Cold Week Caused Some Cancellations...

What We Studied

We were excited to start our week off with a bowling date and wanted to continue the fun with other activities. Unfortunately, we got hit with an ice storm (minor) and below zero temperatures (major). Our outside activities were all cancelled for the week. Here’s hoping next week is a bit more mild and offers opportunities to get outside.

Literature and Poetry

For the coop book club, we received the book (from the library), but have been reading a Terry Prachett book instead of starting it.

Another read aloud was started. This time, I started the book, but have been Arthur read it independently during his work time. We’re attempting to do more retelling and comprehension.

Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry
One World, Many Religions by Mary Pope Osborne
Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson: Letters to the World by Jeanette Winter
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

Quentin focused on reading animal stories from around the world. I’m trying to line them up with our continents as we move across the world. We finished our read aloud. He didn’t seem super sad that it was over, but we did a conversation about the characters and the plot. So win!

Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry
A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister
Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta
Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George

Math

For both boys, we have scheduled math for three days a week. One day is focused on logic, games, puzzles, and special projects. The two other days are focused on covering the main math curriculum (Singapore 4A and 4B for Arthur and Singapore 1A and 1B for Quentin).

Logic Liftoff (Arthur)
Singapore 4B
Lollipop Logic Book 2 (Quentin)
Singapore 1A

Social Studies

Arthur continued his large study of United States history using a combination of Build Your Library Level 5 and History Quest United States History. We covered the Presidency of James Madison and the War of 1812. I’m not going super in-depth with a lot of these topics, but we are hitting the high points.

A Kid’s Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
We were There Too by Philip Hoose
Words that Built a Nation
History Quest: U.S. History
A Different Mirror
DK American History Visual Encyclopedia
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
Nat Geo Our Country’s Presidents
What the Eagle Sees
The White House is Burning by Jane Sutcliffe
Long May She Wave: The True Story of Caroline Pickersgill and Her Star-Spangled Creation by Kristen Fulton
Our Flag was Still There: The True Story of Mary Pickersgill and the Star-Spangled Banner by Jessie Hartland
Words that Built a Nation Pg. 66–69 – The Star-Spangled Banner and Francis Scott Key
The Star-Spangled Banner by Peter Spier
The National Anthem by Elaine Landau

Quentin continued his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We’re continuing with our Asian country study. We covered more of Asia and moved into the Middle East.

Nat Geo Beginner’s World Atlas
DK Countries of the World
DK Children Just Like Me
DK Children Just Like Me: A School Like Mine
Everybody Says Shalom by Leslie Kimmelman
Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah Da Costa

Arthur Independent Time

We are working on following a checklist in a planner for weekly independent work. There’s usually some math workbook pages, an ELA packet, weekly writing prompts (1-2 times a week), independent reading time, and a special creative project. There has been many drawing projects lately.

Science

RSO Physics
The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way by Joy Hakim
The Way Things Work Now

Quentin will be focusing on animal science with BYL Level 0. We started watching a new documentary series called Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s a behind the scenes look at caring for the animals at the park. Each episode is less than 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect length for Q. We also talked a lot about what animals do in winter.

Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas
DK Animal
Lonely Planet: The Animal Book
The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George
A Drop Around the World by Barbara McKinney

STEAM Coop

Arthur’s group finished their stop-motion animation project with finished videos. So exciting! Quentin’s group covered the moon and planets this week and then played some board games. Next week, all the groups are moving to Engineering Challenges.

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking/Documentary

We’re planning one doing on art project and one cooking project each week as well as picking a composer or musician to listen to and enjoy.

Field Trip

We didn’t have a coop field trip and our first Nature Explorers meeting was cancelled due to weather.

High

I took the boys bowling for the first time on Monday! We met ups with two friends and their kids to have two hours of bowling. The alley was packed as it was Presidents’ Day. Thankfully I prepid for a lane so we slid right in. The boys really enjoyed it. We will have to take advantage of our Get Out Pass that includes a free monthly game at a local bowling alley.

Low

Super sad that our first Nature Explorers meeting was cancelled. I didn’t particularly want to be outside for a few hours in below zero temperatures, but still we were sad to cancel.

Next Week

Continuing a new read aloud (A)
Finishing Singapore 4B for math (A)
Covering electrical circuits for physics
Moving to J. Monroe for US History
Watching a few more animal documentaries
Hoping to get outside for a hike

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Miley Cyrus "Flowers"

I’m so digging Miley’s new song. It’s strong and amazing!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Bucket List Update #2

Entering into another winter bucket list.

Go Sledding ✓ - Backyard, but we still did it!
Read 45 Books ✓
Bake Some Bread ✓
Make Winter Crafts
Movie Month February
Make Valentines ✓
Go on 5 Winter Hikes ✓
Have an Indoor Picnic
Make a Snow Globe
Complete 3 Puzzles
Buy Some New Cozy Pajamas
Check Off 50 Hours Outside
Have a Birthday Day Out
Visit the Zoo 3 Times (1/3)
Monthly Bingo/Trivia Nights (2/3)
Take the Kids Bowling ✓
Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Make a New Dessert
Make a Bird Feeder
Have an Ice Cream Sundae Night

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Life Right Now #7

As I look outside my window: Bright and sunny and just a bit chilly. Looks like a lovely day.

Right now I am: Making dinner, scones, and brunch. It’s a busy cooking morning.

Thinking and pondering: How many cardboard bases do I need to cut for engineering coop class? My brain does not want to do math this morning.

On my bedside table: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi; The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

On my tv this week: We’ve been watching a few series including Slow Horses and Brave New World.

Listening to: Not much of anything this week. I really need to incorporate more music back into my weekly routine.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Lemon Chicken with Potatoes
Tuesday - Mississippi Pot Roast
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Bangkok Coconut Curry Noodles
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday - Shrimp Burrito Bowls
Sunday - Birthday Dinner Out

On my to do list: My two big tasks are to write discussion questions for Tuesday’s book club and prep supplies for Thursday’s engineering coop

Happening this week:

Monday - Prehistoric Putt
Tuesday - Zoo Day; Book Club
Wednesday - Science Class
Thursday - Coop; Lit Society
Friday - Schramm Hike
Saturday - Book Club
Sunday - Birthday Day Out

What I am creating:

My simple pleasures:

Looking around the house: I need to do a general pickup today in preparation for the rest of the week. And the kitchen probably needs a big wipe down.

From the camera: The boys went to a birthday party last night at the play place. Lots of fun on the trampolines.

The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Mistake (Off Campus #2)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Createspace 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 298

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Challenge - A Book You Meant to Read Last Year

Spice Meter: 5

He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

Hmmm…. not quite sure how I feel about this book. I actually really enjoyed the first book in this series while not usually gravitating toward college romances. I was intrigued by the rest of the series, but this volume didn’t quite land the same way. The issues surrounding Grace and Logan’s relationship didn’t really resonate with me. I was hoping for a bit more relationship talk and bringing in their families and pasts. I was hoping that the steamy scenes would redeem the book for me, but those scenes just didn’t do it for me. I will probably keep reading this series as I’ve enjoyed the appearances of Dean in previous books.

Off Campus

#1 The Deal
#2 The Mistake
#2.5 The Pact
#3 The Score
#3.5 The Incident
#4 The Goal
#5 The Legacy

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson

Title: Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City

Author: Kate Winkler Dawson

Publisher: Hachette Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

London was still recovering from the devastation of World War II when another disaster hit: for five long days in December 1952, a killer smog held the city firmly in its grip and refused to let go. Day became night, mass transit ground to a halt, criminals roamed the streets, and some 12,000 people died from the poisonous air. But in the chaotic aftermath, another killer was stalking the streets, using the fog as a cloak for his crimes.

All across London, women were going missing--poor women, forgotten women. Their disappearances caused little alarm, but each of them had one thing in common: they had the misfortune of meeting a quiet, unassuming man, John Reginald Christie, who invited them back to his decrepit Notting Hill flat during that dark winter. They never left.

The eventual arrest of the "Beast of Rillington Place" caused a media frenzy: were there more bodies buried in the walls, under the floorboards, in the back garden of this house of horrors? Was it the fog that had caused Christie to suddenly snap? And what role had he played in the notorious double murder that had happened in that same apartment building not three years before--a murder for which another, possibly innocent, man was sent to the gallows?

The Great Smog of 1952 remains the deadliest air pollution disaster in world history, and John Reginald Christie is still one of the most unfathomable serial killers of modern times. Journalist Kate Winkler Dawson braids these strands together into a taut, compulsively readable true crime thriller about a man who changed the fate of the death penalty in the UK, and an environmental catastrophe with implications that still echo today.

Overall, this was a fairly interesting history narrative that failed due to clarity of writing. I was intrigued by the juxtaposition between a literal serial killer and a killer fog. I vaguely remember reading some short article about the killer fog, but didn’t know much. I did learn a lot abut the fog, but the book seemed to meander a bit and really go deep into the minutiae of politics in Parliament. The other side of the story involving the serial killer was introduced in a strange detached way. I wasn’t pulled into the story that I thought I would. Dawson doesn’t quite have the narrative talent of Erik Larson and such. The book just didn’t hold my attention from chapter to chapter.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Timemaster by Robert L. Forward

Title: Timemaster

Author: Robert L. Forward

Publisher: Tom Doherty Books 1992

Genre: Scifi

Pages: 301

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Read the tale of Randy Hunter, billionaire industrialist, who communicates with aliens, achieves interstellar flight and explores far-flung worlds in a future filled with technological wonders. The future physics is mind-boggling but firmly grounded in the science of today, and the action never stops.

This was a recommendation from J that ended up really not landing for me at all. I was intrigued by the science included in this book. We get some interesting sections detailing various new scientific ideas and inventions. Unfortunately, in between all those sections was an appalling collection of characters and interactions. The misogyny is rampant with some very offensive dialogue. I kept thinking that this book was written in the 1950s. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the book was actually written in 1992! Seriously, I just couldn’t get over this fact and very quickly soured on the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Come as You Are by Jess K. Hardy

Title: Come as You Are (Bluebird Basin #1)

Author: Jess K. Hardy

Publisher: Pinkity Publishing 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 318

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Set in a Workplace; Romanceopoly - Flirts Corner (Contemporary by an author you haven’t tried before)

Ashley Cooke will do just about anything to save her struggling ski hill. When she hires the men from a local sober living home for the season to cut costs, even she thinks she’s gone too far. With her credit cards maxed, her cheating ex-husband intent on buying the mountain out from under her, and record-breaking snow in the forecast, she can’t afford to be distracted by the six-foot-tall bearded and tattooed sober living home owner moving onto her mountain.

Recovering addict and ex-grunge rocker Matthew Madigan has devoted every minute of the last decade to the men residing at his sober living home. When he meets tightly wound and adorably flustered Ashley, desires he’s put on the back burner for years start to simmer. Immune to his infamous albeit rusty charm, Ashley presents a challenge he can’t resist. When she offers to give him skiing lessons in exchange for his help training her St. Bernard rescue dog, he jumps at the chance to ride next to her on the chairlift despite his debilitating fear of heights.

During bunny hill shenanigans, chairlift confessions, and steamy cabin serenades, Madigan teaches Ashley that a person’s past doesn’t define them, and Ashley shows Madigan that the men he helps aren’t the only people who deserve a second chance. When sabotage threatens both the men and the mountain, Ashley and Madigan will have to decide if they’re only having a winter fling, or if the mountain isn’t the only thing worth fighting for.

Such a beautiful contemporary romance. I am completely head over heels for this one. We get mature protagonists, true communication, very hot sexy scenes, past mistakes and redemption, and some great side relationships and family issues. I picked this one for our book club’s Dirty Book Month in the hopes of a great steamy romance with some substance to it. Thank goodness it delivered. I related so much to Ashley and her insecurities and hang-ups. I literally wrote down a ton of quotes just on that point. I wanted to see her understand her walls and start to break them down with a very sexy man. And then we get to Madigan. I loved his own redemption story and the ways in which he tries to be the best person for everyone around him. He was so easy to love. Mostly I loved how they opened up to each other and the people around them. So many great conversations and true conflict resolution modeled in this book. I also loved how we got to see Ashley and Madigan interact with other people at the resort. The side characters were relatable and definitely set up some sequels for the future. I can’t wait to discuss this with book club next week!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Babel by R.F. Huang

Title: Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution

Author: R.F. Huang

Publisher: Harper Voyager 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 545

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Unread Shelf; BOTM Cleanout

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.

Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

This is going on my Top Ten of 2023! It was truly an amazing masterpiece of a book. And one that I am still processing. Thankfully I have a Nerdy Bookish Friends Zoom this weekend to talk all of it through with other bookish people.

The book gets labeled as fantasy, but don’t let that scare you. This is more literary fiction than fantasy. The crux of the book is about the intersection of translation and language and colonization. We follow Robin as he attempts to create a home for himself at Babel in Oxford. But will he ever really be accepted into society in England? And what’s the real purpose of Babel? And does Robin want the life that has been laid out in front of him? As the story progresses, we see Robin made friends and enemies, discover his love of languages and translation, and come to realize the true horrors of colonization. I am having trouble succinctly writing a review as my mind is still very much stuck in that world grieving for Robin and Ramy and Letty and Victoire. And realizing that Victoire was my favorite character and now knowing it until the very last page.

“Translation, speaking, is listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they’re trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone understands.” (pg. 535)

Next up on the TBR pile:

Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

Title: Holiday Wishes (Heartbreaker Bay #4.5)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Romance

Pages: 128

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

It’s Christmastime again in Heartbreaker Bay!

When Sean O’Riley shows up at the Hartford Bed & Breakfast for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, he’s just hoping to make it through the weekend. What he’s not expecting is to come face to face with the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago—a woman he’s never really forgotten.

The last time Lotti Hartford saw Sean, she told him she loved him while he said nothing. Now, ten years later, she’s just looking for a good time. For once, she wants to be the wild and free one, and Sean – the good time guy – is the perfect candidate.

But as the weekend continues, Sean realizes that after a lifetime of being the hook-up king, he’s ready to find happily-ever-after, and he wants it with Lotti. But will she open her heart to him again? As Christmas sweeps through the little B&B, he can only hope love and magic are in the air.

Not enough! I was hoping that we would get a full length novel featuring Sean. Instead, we get a very short novella. I wanted to see more of how Sean has grown since the series started. I wanted more conversations between him and Finn and him and Lottie. I wanted to actually see them start a proper relationship. Disappointed in how short and abrupt this one felt.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #3

Reading: In the middle of Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson. It’s a narrative history weaving together the killer 1952 London smog and a serial killer. Interesting, but the writing structure could use a bit of work.

Watching: While looking at something else, I stumbled across a limited series that adapted Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Of course, we had to start watching. Only two episodes in, but the creators have done an interesting job trying to fill out the world. We’ll keep watching.

Listening: I finally downloaded Paramore’s new album, and it’s been my go-to listen this week.

Making: I’m hosting one of my book club’s this month and need to make some discussion questions. Of course the book I chose does not have premade questions. That’s okay, I can do this, just need to sit down and collect my thoughts.

Feeling: All weekend and into this week I’ve been very tired. Not sure why…

Planning: We’ve cycled back and I’m up for teaching science for the next two weeks. We’re covering electricity - static and circuits.

Loving: Finding the time to sit in silence and read these past few days have been a life-saver.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W22: We Caught Up with Our Week!

What We Studied

We had a Flex Week and a regular week encompassing the last two weeks. Adding Flex Weeks into our yearly schedule has been a game changer! They allow us to take breaks that make sense to us and then use the Flex Weeks to catch up on the units.

Literature and Poetry

For the coop book club, we finished our selection and had a great book club meeting.

Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

We started and finished our read aloud. Arthur really got into it and we hd some great discussion about homelessness and financial difficulties. It’s a fairly gentle story that really touches on some serious topics. Great pick!

Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry
One World, Many Religions by Mary Pope Osborne
Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

Quentin focused on reading animal stories from around the world. I’m trying to line them up with our continents as we move across the world. We also started a new read aloud. He’s been slow to warm up to it, but I think we’re really going to enjoy this one.

Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry
A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister
Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (Q reads)
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
FriendBots: Blink and Block Make a Wish by Vicky Fang (Q Reads)

Math

Logic Liftoff (Arthur)
Singapore 4B
Lollipop Logic Book 2 (Quentin)
Singapore 1A

Working on lighting his animation project

Social Studies

Arthur continued his large study of United States history using a combination of Build Your Library Level 5 and History Quest United States History. We took a week off from history (Flex Week) and then covered Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency minus the Lewis and Clark expedition. That portion will be covered with a larger unit about exploring the west. I also found a great documentary about Monticello (The History of Home: History’s Greatest Homes).

A Kid’s Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
We were There Too by Philip Hoose
Words that Built a Nation
History Quest: U.S. History
A Different Mirror
DK American History Visual Encyclopedia
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
Nat Geo Our Country’s Presidents
What the Eagle Sees
Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt: The True Story of the Quest for America's Biggest Bones by Carrie Clickard
Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library by Barb Rosenstock
Thomas Jefferson: A Day at Monticello by Elizabeth V. Chew
Jefferson Measures a Moose by Mara Rockliff

Quentin continued his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We’re continuing with our Asian country study. We covered more of Asia and moved into the Middle East.

Nat Geo Beginner’s World Atlas
DK Countries of the World
DK Children Just Like Me
DK Children Just Like Me: A School Like Mine
Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan by Jeanette Winter
A Sky-Blue Bench by Bahram Rahman
The Sky of Afghanistan by Ana Eulate & Sonja Wimmer
Count Your Way Through Afghanistan by Jim Haskins & Kathleen Benson
I am Malala Yousafzai by Brad Meltzer
Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
I See the Sun in Turkey by Dedie King
Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad by James Rumford
The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter
Joha Makes a Wish by Eric A. Kimmel

Arthur Independent Time

Science

Arthur is focusing on Physics this year. We are covering the text and related videos at home and then joining friends for experiments and extra projects. Continuing our physic study with lessons on atoms and sensors. We were going to watch a Modern Marvels episode about radar but our copy was very wrong. Instead, I found a Mythbusters episode of them trying to beat a speed radar. Adjacent, but good addition to our science. And we watched a classic episode of Bill Nye: The Science Guy about atoms and molecules.

RSO Physics
The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way by Joy Hakim
The Way Things Work Now

Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas
DK Animal
Lonely Planet: The Animal Book
The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

STEAM Coop

Arthur’s group is continuing its big stop-motion animation project. They were supposed to finish filming this past week, but coop was cancelled due to weather. We made the decision to shift the next three weeks so the kids could finish out their project. The littles started their unit on stars and astronomy. They are also going to finish next week.

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking/Documentary

We’re planning one doing on art project and one cooking project each week as well as picking a composer or musician to listen to and enjoy.

Field Trip

We took a trip to the SAC Museum. The lesson they provided wasn’t that exciting, but we had lots of free exploration time. The museum has updated the kids exploration area adding in lots of new games. All the kids were very excited to design their own jet and then fly it on the flight simulator. They each did it about three times. Lots of fun!

We also got back on our 52 Hike plan with a lovely (and cold) morning at Heron Haven. Glad we wore our snow boots as the drifts were about 5 inches deep.

High

We had our coop Valentine’s Day Party. It was a great time and the kids got lots of time to hang out with their friends.

Low

A snowstorm put a wrench into our coop plans. Oh well, it happens living in the Midwest.

Next Week

Starting a new read aloud (A)
Getting close to finishing Singapore 4B for math (A)
Covering static electricity for physics
Moving to Madison and the War of 1812 for US History
Continuing our current read aloud (Q)
Watching a few more animal documentaries
Joining a friend’s new Nature Explorers group on Friday morning.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - All Time Low "Tell Me I'm Alive"

And a new All Time Low song! My 2000s Emo heart is loving this!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #6

As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and going to get fairly warm today. All that snow we got on Thursday is quickly disappearing… I would have liked it to stay around for a just a bit longer.

Right now I am: Deciding what to make for brunch. I think we’re doing canned cinnamon rolls, sausage, and eggs. I don’t really feel like making anything homemade right now.

On my bedside table: I have a stack of library books to get to, but not exactly sure which one to pick up next.

On my tv this week: J and finished watching S2 of Clarkson’s Farm and moved on to some random movies.

Listening to: Mostly just the random podcasts that I listen to on a weekly basis. I should add some more music into my rotation.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Chicken and Corn Soup
Tuesday - Mongolian Beef
Wednesday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Roasted Lemon Chicken Thighs
Saturday - Chili Verde
Sunday - Sausage, Potato and Spinach Soup

On my to do list: So many things probably. I should really check my big brain dump list.

Happening this week:

Monday - Bowling
Tuesday - Trivia Night
Wednesday - Science Class
Thursday - Coop; OPL Book Bash
Friday - Nature Explorers
Saturday - Home Day
Sunday - Nerdy Bookish Friends Zoom

What I am creating: I actually finished with my December Daily album yesterday and started working on my January Memory Planner pages. I printed the pictures, but need to lay them out and get to journaling.

My simple pleasures: All the scones! Seriously, now that I have a new oven, I’m baking scones weekly. So good!

Looking around the house: I cleaned up yesterday for homeschool seminar that was then rescheduled. So, things are looking decent right now.

From the camera: We had a big snow storm that hit overnight on Wednesday. We had to cancel coop, but it was lovely to have a snow day.

Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Title: Chasing Christmas Eve (Heartbreaker Bay #4)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Romance

Pages: 366

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

Meet cute...

Run for the hills—temporarily. That’s Colbie Albright’s plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie’s so over it that she’s under it. She’s also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she’s pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won’t be a stranger for long.

Make merry...

Spence’s commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn’t have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot—chemistry he’s got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself... just because she’s gorgeous and a great listener…just because she “gets” Spence immediately doesn’t mean he won’t be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

…and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock’s ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

Another fun romance novel from this series. Spencer may have the most intriguing of the original group. I really wanted him to find love. We finally get see more of his life and learn about his past relationship troubles. Over the course of the book, I totally fell for Spencer even more. He’s such a great guy. Enter Colbie and her attempt to run away from her responsibilities. I liked Spencer and Colbie together as they find ways to be more true to themselves and connect to each other. The only part that I didn’t love was how Colbie and her family interacted. That part of the story frustrated me. I really wanted to see more growth from her family. Still Spencer and Colbie were great together.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis

Title: Accidentally on Purpose (Heartbreaker Bay #3)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 353

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Emergency Services (Main characters is a part of emergency services [I’m counting Archer’s job]); Finishing the Series

Spice Rating; 5

There’s no such thing as a little in love . . .

Elle Wheaton’s priorities: friends, career, and kick-ass shoes. Then there’s the muscular wall of stubbornness that’s security expert Archer Hunt—who comes before everything else. No point in telling Mr. “Feels-Free Zone” that, though. Elle will just see other men until she gets over Archer . . . which should only take a lifetime . . .

There’s no such thing as a little in lust . . .

Archer’s wanted the best for Elle ever since he sacrificed his law-enforcement career to save her. Their chemistry could start the next San Francisco earthquake and he craves her 24/7, but Archer doesn’t want to be responsible for the damage. The alternative? Watch her go out with guys who aren’t him . . .

There is such a thing as . . .

As far as Archer’s concerned, nobody is good enough for Elle. But when he sets out to prove it by sabotaging her dates, she gets mad—and things get hot as hell. Now Archer has a new mission: prove to Elle that her perfect man has been here all along . . .

I absolutely adored Elle and Archer in the previous books and I was so looking forward to following their relationship. They intrigued me. Once we got to their story, I was all in on learning more about them individually as well. Overall, I enjoyed their story. But I wasn’t that into their actual relationship. There was much too much back and forth and repetition of the same conversations and arguments. I wanted to see their relationship really progress, but it seemed really stuck for most of the book. I wanted to see more of them after actually together. Oh well. Here’s hoping the next book is better.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

We’re supposed to get a winter storm today, but I’m unsure that anything is really going coming down.
My current book is amazing, but slow going. Still, I am really enjoying it.
Getting Valentine’s candy on clearance is my favorite.
I need to set up my science lessons for the next two weeks.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis

Title: Sweet Little Lies (Heartbreaker Bay #1)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Bar (Main character works at or owns a bar); Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

Choose the one guy you can’t have . . .

As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas—the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she’s in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.

Fall for him—hard . . .

Pub owner Finn O’Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don’t ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast.

And then tell him the truth.

Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it’s what she wishes for at the historic fountain that’s supposed to grant her heart’s desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story—because Pru’s been keeping a secret that could change everything. . . .

Over Christmas, I read #2 and #2.5 in this series while driving to and from Indiana. I enjoyed them and decided to pick up the rest of the series to read the other romance pairings in the building. Surprisingly, each of these novels has romance but also a much more serious topic to cover. In this book, we get characters who feel a lot of guilt about actions their parents took. I like how Shalvis gives us real people with real issues and problems that they then need to communicate to others and get support. Finn and Pru were a great couple to start off this series. I loved them together and was rooting for their relationship from page one. I just wish the big conflict and reveal at the end was drawn out a bit more with more communication. Still, I really enjoyed this volume in the series.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile: