The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos #1)

Author: Samantha Shannon

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 848

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; COYER; 52 Book Club - High Fantasy

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction--but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

The Nerdy Bookish Friends club started 2023 with this behemoth! And what a story it was. I will admit that it took my about 100 pages to really get into the story. There are many people and places to keep track of and I had to orient myself to this world. This is high fantasy and definitely involves a lot of world-building at the beginning. Once, I settled in, I started to connect to some of the characters and began to see the big conflicts brewing. I really enjoyed how Shannon wove the stories of all these very different characters to highlight their prejudices and biases. By the end of the book, I was glad that I had read it, but I must say this wasn’t my absolute favorite. The pacing seemed very off throughout the book. I was extremely bored at many times throughout and then something would happen and I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. I may have been more satisfied if this book had been broken up a bit in two separate volumes. Still debating about reading the prequel that’s just about to be published…

The Roots of Chaos

• #0.5 A Day of Fallen Night

• #1 The Priory of the Orange Tree

• #2 TBD

Next up on the TBR pile:

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress #2)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 357

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Winter TBR; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . . .

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind.

Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again.

After finishing the first book in the series, I just had to immediately start on the next one. This series is so much fun and full of action. The story dives right in and doesn’t let up until the last page. We get to see Cat four years after the events of the first book as she tries to navigate a new life away from Bones. Of course, he’s not going to stay away for the entire book. Thankfully he fairly quickly makes an appearance and we get the real action. The reader finally gets to learn more about the world and the history of the characters. Another great volume in this series. I’m definitely going to be moving on very soon.

Night Huntress:

• #0.5 Reckoning

• #1 Halfway to the Grave

• #1.2 The Other Half of the Grave

• #1.5 Happily Never After

• #2 One Foot in the Grave

• #3 At Grave’s End

• #3.5 Devil to Pay

• #4 Destined for an Early Grave

• #4.5 One for the Money

• #5 This Side of the Grave

• #6 One Grave at a Time

• #6.5 Home for the Holidays

• #7 Up from the Grave

• #7.5 Outtakes from the Grave

• #7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway

• #8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2007

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 358

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Romanceopoly - The Vault; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with vampires)

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

This particular series has been sitting on my unread shelves for years. I finally started it just a few days ago and I sped right through the first book. The action starts right away and doesn’t let up until the end of the story. We get a strong female lead and a strong male lead. I loved following Cat’s journey as she comes to understand who exactly she is. Once Bones enters the picture, the story really gets going. I just really love their banter and the way that he cares for Cat. The mystery of the disappearing girls gives the plot a bit of depth and kept me on my toes. I just had to see how everyone concluded. At the conclusion of this volume I knew that I had to keep reading. I’ll be starting the next volume immediately.

Night Huntress:

• #0.5 Reckoning

• #1 Halfway to the Grave

• #1.2 The Other Half of the Grave

• #1.5 Happily Never After

• #2 One Foot in the Grave

• #3 At Grave’s End

• #3.5 Devil to Pay

• #4 Destined for an Early Grave

• #4.5 One for the Money

• #5 This Side of the Grave

• #6 One Grave at a Time

• #6.5 Home for the Holidays

• #7 Up from the Grave

• #7.5 Outtakes from the Grave

• #7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway

• #8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

The End and Other Beginnings by Veronica Roth

Title: The End and Other Beginnings: Stories from the Future

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2019

Genre: SciFi Short Stories

Pages: 262

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club - Time in the Title

No world is like the other. Within this masterful collection, each setting is more strange and wonderful than the last, brimming with new technologies and beings. And yet, for all the advances in these futuristic lands, the people still must confront deeply human problems.

In these six stories, Veronica Roth reaches into the unknown and draws forth something startlingly familiar and profoundly beautiful.

With tales of friendship and revenge, plus two new stories from the Carve the Mark universe, this collection has something for new and old fans alike. Each story begins with a hope for a better end, but always end with a better understanding of the beginning.

With beautifully intricate black-and-white interior illustrations and a uniquely designed package, this is the perfect gift for book lovers.

A collection of science fiction short stories isn’t usually a winner and this volume was no exception. I usually find a few stories that really interest me, but often the stories are dull or uninspired. This one dives into the future featuring a few dystopian worlds and a few alien worlds. I preferred the dystopian worlds to the alien worlds. I liked when the stories stuck to simplicity. When authors try to cram too much world-building into short stories, they do not really work. Oh well. Stories can’t always be winners.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #1

Reading: I started the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost on Saturday. And I’m totally going to keep reading the series. Fun and full of action!

Watching: J and I started on a big murder mystery movie binge and we’re really enjoying it. It started after watching Glass Onion over Christmas and watching a video about 10 classic murder mystery movies. We made a watchlist and have started moving through them.

Listening: Attempting to catch up on my regular podcasts. I got a little behind during Christmas.

Making: I’m starting to make plans for my coop section. We’re doing Engineering Challenge and I need to think of some good tasks for the kids.

Feeling: I had minor outpatient surgery yesterday. I’m definitely not feeling great, but I am on the way to recovery and feeling much better soon.

Planning: While stuck at home, I’m working on getting a meal plan for the spring next.

Loving: While I’m recovering, I’m loving the peace and quiet. J took the kids to the coop field trip at the planetarium. I am excited to just rest a bit before the kids some charging back home.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Paradise Falls by Keith O'Brien

Title: Paradise Falls: The True Story of an Environmental Catastrophe

Author: Keith O’Brien

Publisher: Pantheon Books 2022

Genre: Nonfiction - History, Science

Pages: 455

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Lois Gibbs, Luella Kenny, and other mothers loved their neighborhood on the east side of Niagara Falls. It had an elementary school, a playground, and rows of affordable homes. But in the spring of 1977, pungent odors began to seep into these little houses, and it didn’t take long for worried mothers to identify the curious scent. It was the sickly sweet smell of chemicals.
 
In this propulsive work of narrative storytelling, NYT journalist Keith O’Brien uncovers how Gibbs and Kenny exposed the poisonous secrets buried in their neighborhood. The school and playground had been built atop an old canal—Love Canal, it was called—that Hooker Chemical, the city’s largest employer, had quietly filled with twenty thousand tons of toxic waste in the 1940s and 1950s. This waste was now leaching to the surface, causing a public health crisis the likes of which America had never seen before and sparking new and specific fears. Luella Kenny believed the chemicals were making her son sick.
 
O’Brien braids together previously unknown stories of Hooker Chemical’s deeds; the local newspaperman, scientist, and congressional staffer who tried to help; the city and state officials who didn’t; and the heroic women who stood up to corporate and governmental indifference to save their families and their children. They would take their fight all the way to the top, winning support from the EPA, the White House, and even President Jimmy Carter. By the time it was over, they would capture America’s imagination.

Such a hard book to read, and yet I was very interested in it when the book published. One of my book clubs chose this to read and I dove in after the beginning of the year. I knew the basic information about the Love Canal incident. I remember seeing news reports (after the fact obviously) and I knew about the incident was the origin of the EPA’s Superfund program. This volume really goes into depth, detailing the events leading up to the inhabitants of the neighborhood realizing that there was something seriously wrong. We get to know all the major players including a few of the women who led the neighborhood response. I’ve heard the name Lois Gibbs before, but it was nice to understand exactly who she was and how she helped lead the efforts to clean up the area. Many of the sections were difficult to read. Reading about children getting sick and dying is never my idea of fun. And yet, this is such an important story to read. I’m sure that we will have a very interesting discussion next week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #1

Right now I am: Mentally preparing myself for book club later today. One last activity for the week!

On my bedside table: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt; Come as You Are by Jess Hardy

On my tv this week: J and I watched some episodes of Avenue 5, Leverage: Redemption, Mythic Quest, and the Bad Education Reunion Special.

Listening to: I’ve been trying to catch up with some podcasts, but people keep making more! It’s a never ending battle.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Leftovers/Takeout

• Tuesday - Balsamic Pork Roast

• Wednesday - BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf

• Thursday - Black Bean Soup, Chicken Ranch Tacos

• Friday - Asian Takeout Night

• Saturday - Chicken Parmesan

• Sunday - Blackened Salmon

On my to do list: Nothing much.

Happening this week: It’s surgery week! Minor outpatient surgery, but it will put me down for awhile. I am not planning on doing much of anything this week. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow.

What I am creating: Nothing much, although I did print some photos from my 2022 December Daily album. I really want to get that finished by the end of the month.

My simple pleasures: Chatting with friends, chocolate cookies, the anticipation of less pain

Looking around the house: Since I hosted a homeschool meeting yesterday, the house is looking pretty good right now. I want to do a pick up sweep later in anticipation of not doing much next week.

From the camera: We went on a very cold, but fun hike on Friday morning. Loved seeing the pond partially iced over.

Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

Title: Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby #3)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 341

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Finishing the Series

Jenny Cavanaugh, the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, has enlisted the services of her detective-agency tenants to solve a decade-old murder—her own. Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, dive into the cold case, starting with a search for Jenny’s fiancé, who went missing the night she died. But when a new, gruesome murder closely mirrors the events of ten years prior, Abigail and Jackaby realize that Jenny’s case isn’t so cold after all. Soon Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her down to the mythical underworld and deep into her colleagues’ grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.

Oh I am so on board with the series still. I absolutely love the mix of Sherlock Holmes and wild supernatural adventures. The first two books were setting up the larger storyline without really telling us that there was a larger storyline. In this volume, we get the big plans laid out. We finally meet the big players, including the mysterious pale man from the previous two books. We also get to learn so much more about Jenny and Jackaby while following the clues in Jenny’s murder case. I sped through this volume on pins and needles desperate to see what would happen and who would live and die. I cannot wait to finish this series with the last book. So happy to have been recommended this series by a bookish friend.

Jackaby

• #1 Jackaby

• #1.5 The Map

• #2 Beastly Bones

• #3 Ghostly Echoes

• #4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Deal (Off Campus #1)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Bloom Books 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 360

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Campus Corner; 52 Book Club

Spice Meter: 5

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

CW: Rape (in the past, off page, but discussed), Domestic Abuse

I admit to being hesitant to dive into a New Adult romance series. I have a history of being very annoyed by the early 20-something character whining about life. Like seriously, what have you experienced? So, I tiptoed into this series. By the end of the book, I was looking forward to more from this author and the world. This book is so much more than just a college romance. We get very big discussions about domestic abuse and rape. Nothing is put on the page in a graphic nature, but we know it’s happened. We have characters that come together, slowly get to know one another, and eventually build a romantic relationship. I really enjoyed watching Garrett and Hannah connect. The conversations felt real and meaningful.

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

Next up on the TBR pile:

2023 Reading Challenges

2023 Reading Challenges

• Goodreads Challenge

• UnRead Shelf Project

• Seasonal TBRS: Winter TBR, Spring TBR, Summer TBR, Fall TBR

• Kid Read Alouds

• BOTM Cleanout

• 52 Book Club

• Romanceopoly

• COYER

• Finishing the Series

• Build Your Library (Arthur Focused)

GoodReads Challenge (200) - I’m sticking with my usual 200 books for this overall goal. Last year, I blew past that number and ended with 244, my second highest number ever. But I don’t necessarily want to read more books, I just want to keep my momentum up. 200 seems like a good number.

UnRead Shelf (50) - My fifth year participating in this particular challenge. I haven’t really done well in years past, but I do want to keep this on my radar. You can find more information about this challenge at The Unread Shelf. For 2023, my Top 10 to Read:

1. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

2. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

3. Wake, Siren by Nina MacLaughlin

4. Lady Mechanika Vol. 7

5. The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

6. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

7. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

8. The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

9. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

10. The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson

Seasonal TBRs (25 x4) - Instead of strict monthly goals, I’m going to focus on seasonal goals. Unlike last year, I won’t be filling my lists with 25 specific titles, but instead use a bit of a goal framework. For example, winter’s list can include 5 Kindle books, 5 fantasy/scifi pics, 5 romances, and 5 nonfiction. I can go anywhere in those categories. This helps me diversify my genres and styles.

Kid Read Alouds (20) - Continuing with this challenge again this year. We have some great read aloud choices for the spring semester. And I’m sure that I’ll pick some great titles for the fall semester.

BOTM Cleanout (12) - I have so many BOTM books just hanging out my floor. I was excited to order every single one of them, but then they just started gathering dust. This year I want to reduce my pile by at least 12 books.

52 Book Club (52) - I am often tempted by big diverse prompt challenges, but I lot I have issues with the prompts. This one seems to be more in line with how I read. And I like the one book a week idea. So I’m going to attempt this one! You can find more information at The 52 Book Club.

Romanceopoly (39) - This challenge is going to be a big of a stretch. As I rediscovered my love of romance books, I thought I would give it a try. I haven’t decided if I want to move space by space through the board or roll dice to determine. More information at Romanceopoly.

COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) (20) - Goodness knows that I have too many books on my Kindle app. It’s time to start attempting to reduce that number. More information at Because Reading.

Finishing the Series (10) - I’m hoping to finish 10 series this year. I know of a few that have already been started, but I imagine that many many more will crop up as the year progresses. More information at Celebrity Readers.

1. ACOTAR - I need to just read A Court of Silver Flames

2. Jackaby - I need to read Ghostly Echoes and The Dire King.

Build Your Library (40) - BYL forms the basis for our homeschool curriculum and I just now learned that Emily makes a reading challenge every year. This challenge will be primarily for Arthur, but I imagine that I will be reading many of the books with him, so I added it to my page. Looking forward to a great year of reading with the kids. More information at Build Your Library.

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I also decided to create my own spice meter for romance books. A 1-5 scale seemed too limiting for the types of books I read. So I expanded it to 8 levels with corresponding explanations. This year, I will be rating all of my romance books on this new scale.

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My rating system:

• 5 stars - loved it, will tell everyone (or almost everyone) to read it

• 4 stars - liked it, would recommend to certain people

• 3 stars - okay book, but maybe not something i would recommend, maybe not a book for me, but I see merit

• 2 stars - disliked it

• 1 star - finished the book, but hated it! will rant to anyone about why I hated this one

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone

Title: Misadventures of a Curvy Girl

Author: Sierra Simone

Publisher: Waterhouse Press 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 226

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Farmer’s Market

Spice Meter: 8

For the first time in her life, Ireland Mills is happy with her body. No more fad diets, no more hiding from every camera in the room, no more low self-esteem. She’d rather be alone than with someone who’ll only love her if she’s skinny.

Caleb Carpenter and Ben Weber are everything Ireland and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce dreamed of when conceptualizing the “Real Kansas” promotional campaign. They’re handsome, young, educated, and totally dedicated to their small prairie town.

When Ireland’s Prius gets stuck on a Kansas dirt road and a massive storm rips through town, she’s left stranded with nowhere to turn but to Caleb and Ben. These two hunky country boys are impossible to ignore, but could they ever be interested in her as well?

Caleb and Ben are more than interested…and they’re willing to share. After their first night together, they know this has to be more than a one-time thing. They need to make her theirs forever. But can they convince Ireland they love her, curves and all?

I was hoping that this would be a good choice for my book club’s Dirty Book Month. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype. I was completely onboard for a plus-size FMC and even a polyam relationship with two men. I wasn’t really okay with the insta-love from the men. Seriously, it was a bit much. And I wasn't okay with the constant body shaming from Ireland herself. I understand not liking your body and thinking negative thoughts. I don’t necessarily want to read that every other page throughout the entire novel. Authors only have to mention it a few times. Readers are going to forgot that the heroirne has body issues. It felt overdone. I was very much getting annoyed with the internal thoughts interrupting every scene.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Our first coop of the spring semester! It promises to be controlled chaos per usual.

• I may have overdone it this past few days. And I think my anxiety is getting to me.

• Thankfully, my minor surgery is on Monday. I should be on the road to less pain.

• Thinking about our To Watch list. I need to make a new one and maybe one for February Movie Month.

• Excited for my new sneakers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ducks by Kate Beaton

Title: Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Author: Kate Beaton

Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly 2022

Genre: Graphic Novel Memoir

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club

Before there was Kate Beaton, New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beaton, specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where the lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, Katie heads out west to take advantage of Alberta’s oil rush―part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can’t find it in the homeland they love so much. Katie encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands, where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet is never discussed.

Beaton’s natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, northern lights, and boreal forest. Her first full length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.

CW: Sexual harassment, rape

Fascinating look at life on an isolated mining facility in Canada. I have enjoyed Beaton’s comedic takes and was intrigued by this memoir. Be advised that this book details her experiences of sexual harassment and rape while working in the Oil Sands. This is not a comedy. This is a look at her life experiences and a discussion of how isolation can affect a person. I enjoyed some of the questions that jumped into my brain while reading. I will most definitely keep Beaton on a must-read list of authors.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2023 Goals and Resolutions

Checking in with my 2022 Goals and Resolutions -

House Goals/Resolutions

• Finish One Home Renovation Project - Haha! This was just all over the place and nothing really happened.

• Finish Organizing My Craft Room/Library ✓ - At one point, this was organized. Now, it’s a mess again, but it’s a constant reorganization.

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Get Back into My Treadmill Goals - Nope, but we did spend much more time outside this past year.

• 1000 Hours Outside - There’s not way that we will ever reach 1000 hours. We managed about 400 hours this past year. I call that a big win for us, especially as I do not love being outdoors in the heat.

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 Books / 60,000 Pages ✓

• Decrease my UnRead Shelf by 50 Books - Fail.

Craft Goals/Resolutions

• Get Back into Crafting! - Nope.

• Finish 2021 Memory Planner ✓

• Keep Up with 2022 Memory Planner ✓

And now on to 2023…

House Goals/Resolutions

• Organize My Craft Room/Library - Trying to find that floor again. I should also do a bit of cleanout with regards to my craft supplies.

• Make Progress with One Home Project - We need to remove the deck and hopefully replace it this year. I also want to redo our homeschool corner.

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Complete 52 Hikes - Instead of 1000 Hours, we’re going to focus on weekly nature hikes. I think that will help get us out and moving.

• Add More Vegetarian Dishes to Our Rotation - With the price of groceries right now, we’re cutting back on some things. Trying to up my vegetarian and even vegan game.

• Take Care of My Medical Issues - I will be having surgery for one thing on Monday. But I’m still hoping to take care of some other issues this winter/spring. Hoping for a less painful year overall.

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 Books/60,000 Books

• Clear Off 50 Books from My UnRead Shelf

• Skip at Least 50% of BOTM Months

Homeschool Goals/Resolutions

• Create a Long-Term Plan for Homeschool Curriculum - I started a scope and sequence last year, but want to beef that up. I also have to get some options in mind for future curriculum (e.g. what to do after Singapore 5B?).

• Continue to Organize the Coop, But Also Delegate for Growth - We’re into our second full year of the coop and it’s been amazing. But I have some ideas about growing our membership. I also want to focus a bit on delegating more tasks to others to allow for some breathing room for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katie Robert

Title: Court of the Vampire Queen

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2022

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Pages: 496

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Fang Alley

Spice Meter: 8

Three Powerfully Alluring Vampire Men

And One Queen to Rule Them All

All Mina ever wanted was to escape her father's control. Half human, half vampire, she lived eternally torn between two worlds, never fully experiencing the pleasures of either―until her father chose her as the pawn in his latest political move, gifting her to the darkly powerful and dangerously seductive Malachi Zion.

Malachi is not a vampire to be trifled with. He rules with an iron fist and has a reputation for the darkest of sins. But the longer Mina spends with him, the more she realizes he's not the monster she first thought―and as fear bleeds into lust, then trust, then something more, Malachi opens Mina up to a world she never knew could be hers for the taking: including the love of Malachi's two closest friends and companions.

Now surrounded by all three men, the center of their shockingly seductive world, Mina may finally have the power to face down her father and take back the life―and crown―that by all rights should be hers.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

CW (from the author): Dubious consent, blood play, breeding, abusive parent (father), patricide, pregnancy, blood, gore, murder, explicit sex, vomiting (cause pregnancy), discussions about abortion, abusive parent (father, historical, off-page), blood play, attempted sexual assault (alluded to, non-graphic), attempted drugging

I picked this up on the strength of Robert’s Dark Olympus series. I figured that this one was going to be steamy and no joke, the steam gets started in Chapter 1. And it doesn’t let up until the last page. Make sure to notate that this is a MMMF explicit romance. I was drawn in my the dark vampire romance and stayed for the good discussions and relationships. Mina was a bit of a naive character for the first section, but thankfully she grows and matures throughout the novel. Once we get to know Malachi, Wolf, and Rylan, the story kicks into gear and I really fell for this book. I especially loved the relationships between the men. They somehow balanced each other out. In the end, we get an interesting look at creating polyam relationships albeit ones with supernatural beings. I ended up taking a star off because of the pacing. The last section of the book felt incredibly rushed without the good resolution that I was craving. I understand that Robert collected three novellas into one. That explains a few of the weird pacing issues, but I still wasn’t a big fan.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2022 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed

For 2022, I ended up throwing out any outside reading challenges. I focused more on mood reading and attempting to just go where my reading thoughts take me. I ended up finishing a few of my own challenges and failing at a lot of the others. But that’s okay. I don’t mind that I failed all of these challenges.

2022 Reading Challenges

• Goodreads Challenge

• Winter RC

• Spring RC

• Summer RC

• Fall RC

• Perpetual RC

• UnRead Shelf Project

• UnRead Shelf RC

• Kid Read Alouds

And now let’s break down all the individual challenges, starting with those that I completed:

Completed Challenges

Goodreads
Goal 244/200 Books 100%

Kid Read Alouds
Goal 20/20 Books 100%

1. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (2/10/22)

2. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi (3/13/22)

3. City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda (4/5/22)

4. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (4/17/22)

5. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming (4/24/22)

6. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (5/8/22)

7. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein (5/25/22)

8. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (6/9/22)

9. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (6/19/22)

10. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (7/12/22)

11. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (8/4/22)

12. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (8/19/22)

13. The Very Very Far North by Dan Bar-el (8/25/22)

14. The Beast of Buckingham Palace by David Walliam (8/20/22)

15. Through the Looking-glass and What Alice Saw There by Lewis Carroll (9/1/22)

16. Word of Mouse by James Patterson (9/7/22)

17. Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris (9/15/22)

18. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (9/22/22)

19. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry (9/30/22)

20. Morning Girl by Michael Dorris (9/18/22)

Fall
Goal 25/25 Books 100%

1. 5 Horror

   • Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (10/11/22)

   • The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James (10/19/22)

   • Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (10/25/22)

   • You May Now Kill the Bride by R.L. Stine (10/20/22)

   • The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine (10/21/22)

2. 5 Fantasy/Scifi

   • Vicious by VE Schwab (9/27/22)

   • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (9/28/22)

   • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas (10/14/22)

   • The Lost Vampire Prince by Melody Raven (11/4/22)

   • The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (1/11/22)

3. 3 Kid Read Alouds

   • A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry (9/30/22)

   • The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown (10/12/22)

   • Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone (10/14/22)

4. 3 Book Club / Buddy Reads

   • Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler - Nerdy Bookish Friends Read (9/23/22)

   • Her Majesty’s Secret Coven by Juno Dawson - Nerdy Bookish Friends Read (10/7/22)

   • Fairy Tale by Stephen King - Nerdy Bookish Friends Read (11/12/22)

5. 3 Romance

   • The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (9/25/22)

   • The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George (11/19/22)

   • The Highlander Who Protected Me by Vanessa Kelly (11/25/22)

6. 2 Classics

   • I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (9/24/22)

   • The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (11/18/22)

7. 2 Nonfiction

   • The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse (10/12/22)

   • The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (10/8/22)

8. 2 Library Choices

   • My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris (10/22/22)

   • Beastly Bones by William Ritter (10/28/22)

Failed Challenges

Perpetual Reading Challenge
Goal 0/25 Books 0%

1. TBD

2. TBD

3. TBD

4. TBD

5. TBD

6. TBD

7. TBD

8. TBD

9. TBD

10. TBD

UnRead Shelf
Goal 23/50 Books 46%

1. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (1/30/22)

2. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (1/29/22)

3. House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (2/8/22)

4. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (3/26/22)

5. Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (4/6/22)

6. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier (5/27/22)

7. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd (6/18/22)

8. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (6/28/22)

9. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (7/5/22)

10. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl (9/21/22)

11. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (9/23/22)

12. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (9/24/22)

13. The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (9/25/22)

14. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (9/28/22)

15. The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (10/8/22)

16. The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse (10/12/22)

17. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James (10/19/22)

18. You May Now Kill the Bride by R.L. Stine (10/20/22)

19. The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine (10/21/22)

20. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (10/25/22)

21. Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (10/26/22)

22. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (10/29/22)

23. The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard (11/26/22)

24. The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

Unread Shelf Project Reading Challenge
Goal 14/24 Books 58.3%

1. January: The Book You’ve Been Putting Off Reading - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (1/30/22)

2. February: A Title You Couldn’t Resist - House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (2/8/22)

3. March: A Memoir or Biography - Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (9/28/22)

4. April: A Book by an Indie Published or Small Press - The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier (5/27/22)

5. May: The Shortest Unread Book on Your Shelf - The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (6/28/22)

6. June: A Book About a Journey - Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (7/5/22)

7. July: Book Set in a Country or Culture Different Than Your Own - The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (9/25/22)

8. August: A Book Chosen by Your Friends or Family - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (9/24/22)

9. September: A Book that Represents the Reader You Want to Be - Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (9/23/22)

10. October: A Book that Makes You Nervous - The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

11. November: A Title That Starts with the First Letter of Your Name -

12. December: A Classic Book -

13. A Book in Translation -

14. A Book Bought for the Cover - A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (3/16/22)

15. A Science/Technology Nonfiction -

16. The Most Recently Acquired - The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd (6/18/22)

17. A Book About/Of Poetry - The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (10/8/22)

18. A Book About Nature -

19. A Book Made into a Movie or TV Series -

20. A Book About a Season or Phase of Life - The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (3/26/22)

21. A Book About Food or Cooking - Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl (9/21/22)

22. A Book Set in Your Hometown or State -

23. A Book About Art or Artists -

24. A Modern Retelling of a Classic Book -

Seasonal - Winter
Goal 23/25 Books 92%

1. Five Kindle Books

   • Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler (1/25/22)

   • Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren (2/1/22)

   • Beautiful Beginning by Christina Lauren (2/16/22)

   • Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren (2/16/22)

   • Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gil (3/12/22)

2. Five Nonfiction

   • How Zoologists Organize Things by David Bainbridge (1/15/22)

   • Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedemanv (1/28/22)

   • How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith (2/11/22)

   • Fuzz by Mary Roach (2/25/22)

   • Everyone You Hate is Going to Die by Daniel Sloss (2/27/22)

3. Five Fantasy/Scifi

   • Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (1/21/22)

   • Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (2/12/22)

   • Just One Damned Thing After Another (2/23/22)

   • Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire (2/26/22)

   • The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg (3/8/22)

4. Five Romance

   • Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez (1/14/22)

   • All the Feels by Olivia Dad (1/19/22)

   • Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler (2/9/22)

   • An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole (2/15/22)

   • Electric Idol by Katee Robert (3/11/22)

5. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (3/16/22)

6. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (1/29/22)

7. A Jane Austen Reread - Northanger Abbey (2/18/22)

8. House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski

9. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth

Seasonal - Spring
Goal 19/25 Books 76%

1. Five Nonfiction

   • Girly Drinks by Mallory O’Meara (4/16/22)

   • Thick by Tressie McMilan Cottom (5/13/22)

   • TBD

   • TBD

   • TBD

2. Five Fantasy/SciFi

   • How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (3/23/22)

   • Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (4/6/22)

   • Dead Silence by SA Barnes (4/9/22)

   • The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart (4/22/22)

   • The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (4/29/22)

3. Three Romance

   • If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy (4/2/22)

   • The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton (5/14/22)

   • The No-Show by Beth O’Leary (5/20/22)

4. Finish (Three Books) Beautiful Series by Christina Lauren

   • Beautiful Secret (4/13/22)

   • Beautiful Boss (4/15/22)

   • Beautiful (4/26/22)

5. Three Middle Grade

   • The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman (3/25/22)

   • The Bookwanderers by Anna James (3/29/22)

   • The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell (4/5/22)

6. Two Buddy Read Books (CR Picks)

   • The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan (5/24/22)

   • When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

7. Two Random Library Picks

   • Anatomy by Dana Schwartz (5/4/22)

   • The Disasters by M.K. England (5/30/22)

8. A Jane Austen Reread

9. Seanan Maguire Selection

Seasonal - Summer
Goal 21/25 Books 80%

1. 5 Nonfiction Reads

   • A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll (6/23/22)

   • The Palace Papers by Tina Brown (8/26/22)

   • TBD

   • TBD

   • TBD

2. 5 Romances

   • Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert (7/15/22)

   • The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (7/21/22)

   • Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren (7/27/22)

   • Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren (8/16/22)

   • Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren (8/28/22)

3. 5 Science Fiction

   • Klara and the Sun by Kazoo Ishiguro (6/25/22)

   • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (7/23/22)

   • Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (8/9/22)

   • The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (8/19/22)

   • TBD

4. 5 Fantasy

   • The Change by Kirsten Miller (6/29/22)

   • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (7/2/22)

   • The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller (7/6/22)

   • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (7/8/22)

   • Wonderland edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (7/13/22)

5. 5 Young Adult and Middle Grade

   • The Minor Third by Neil Patrick Harris (7/16/22)

   • Lobizona by Romina Garber (7/22/22)

   • Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White (7/30/22)

   • Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor (8/6/22)

   • The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (8/1/22)

January 2023 Life Goals

Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.

• Read 18 Books ✓

January Goals:

• Read 18 Books

• Make All the Appointments! (Medical related)

• Plan Out Curriculum and Coop for Spring

• Execute a Homeschool Seminar

• Clean and Organize My Office!

• Take it Easy after a Minor Surgery

Next up on the TBR pile:

2022 Wrap-up

Favorite Books of the Year:

1. How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

2. Book Lovers by Emily Henry

3. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

4. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

5. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

6. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

7. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

8. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

9. Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

10. The War that Save My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Honorable Mentions: The HM category is reserved for rereads that I really loved.

• Sunshine by Robin McKinley - I reread it 10 years after I first read it. I still really really love that book so much!

Total Books Read – 244 books

Total Pages Read – 73,919 pages

I averaged 6160 pages per month.  My lowest month was January with only 4753 pages.  My highest month was December with 7963 pages.  I hope to read 60,000 pages next year.

Book Rating Stats 

• 5 stars —70 books

• 4 stars —108 books

• 3 stars — 54 books

• 2 stars — 11 books

• 1 star — 1 books

• DNFs —0 books

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Bucket List

Entering into another winter bucket list.

1. Go Sledding

2. Read 45 Books

3. Bake Some Bread

4. Make Winter Crafts

5. Movie Month February

6. Make Valentines

7. Go on 5 Winter Hikes

8. Have an Indoor Picnic

9. Make a Snow Globe

10. Complete 3 Puzzles

11. Buy Some New Cozy Pajamas

12. Check Off 50 Hours Outside

13. Have a Birthday Day Out

14. Visit the Zoo 3 Times

15. Monthly Bingo/Trivia Nights

16. Take the Kids Bowling

17. Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

18. Make a New Dessert

19. Make a Bird Feeder

20. Have an Ice Cream Sundae Night

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List Final

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list: We ended up not getting to everything, but I think we had a great Christmas season this year!

Read 10 Holiday Romances (10/10) ✓

• Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

• The Christmas Clash by Suzanna Park

• The Highlander’s Christmas Bride by Vanessa Kelly

• The Highlander’s Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly

• You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

• Whiteout by Various Authors

• Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

• Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

• All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Know

• A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes

• The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

• Fake It for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• Stuck Together for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• Bad Boy for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

• One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

Coop Christmas Party! ✓

Decorate the Mini Tree ✓

Letter to Santa ✓

Christmas Movies x3 ✓

Make Paper Snowflakes

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓ (and The Durham Museum)

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓

Meet the Reindeer ✓

Go for a Winter Hike ✓

Puzzle Day ✓

Make Gingerbread Cookies

Visit Lauritzen Gardens ✓

Decorate Gingerbread Ninjas

Drive around and see the lights ✓

Fantasy of Lights ✓

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights ✓

Christmas music dance party

Watch The Grinch ✓

Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Advent Books ✓

• Christmas Mouse by Anne Mortimer

• The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs by Carolyn Conahan

• The Three Bears’ Christmas by Kathy Duval

• The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas by Anne Muercke

• It’s Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• The 12 Sleighs of Christmas by Sherry Duskey Rinker

• Just Right for Christmas by Birdie Black & Rosalind Beardshaw

• The Twelve Day sod Christmas illustrated by Emma Randall

• Christmas at the Toy Museum by David Lucas

• One Cozy Christmas by M. Christina Butler

• Merry Christmas, Squirrels! by Nancy Rose

• The Last Christmas Tree by Stephen Krensky

• A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba

• Coming Home by Michael Morpurgo

• Christmas with the Mousekins by Maggie Smith

• The Bear Who Didn’t Want to Miss Christmas by Marie Tibi

• A Pirate’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Philip Yates

• Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans

• How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

• Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood and Don Wood

• Mouse’s Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• Christmas is Here! by Charles M. Schulz

• Scooby’s Scary Christmas

• Dino-Christmas by Lisa Wheeler

• The Unicorns Who Saved Christmas by Mary Winn Heider

• How to Catch a Reindeer by Adam Wallace

• How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace

• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

• Little Bear’s Special Friend by Claire Freedman

• If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff

• The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever by Steven Kroll

• Merry Christmas Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

• What the Dinosaurs Did the Night Before Christmas by Refe Tuma and Susan Tuma

Find a New Christmas Album

Have a Candy Cane Hunt

Go Sledding ✓

Send out Christmas cards

Take a photo of all four boys together

Finish 2021’s December Daily album ✓

Try a new holiday drink

Next Up on the TBR Pile: