Love Hacked by Penny Reid

Title: Love Hacked (Knitting in the City #3)

Author: Penny Reid

Publisher: Cipher-Naught 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 402

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

There are three things you need to know about Sandra Fielding:
1) She makes all her first dates cry,
2) She hasn't been kissed in over two years, and
3) She knows how to knit.

Sandra has difficulty removing her psychotherapist hat. Of her last 30 dates, 29 have ended the same way: the man sobbing uncontrollably. After one such disaster, Sandra gives in to a seemingly harmless encounter with her hot waiter, Alex. Argumentative, secretive, and hostile Alex may be the opposite of everything Sandra knows is right for her. But now, the girl who has spent all her life helping others change for the better, must find a way to cope with falling for someone who refuses to change at all.

I am still very much enjoying Penny Reid’s writing and her characters. This book gives us Sandra’s story. Overall I really enjoyed Sandra and Alex’s romance. I loved their interactions at the restaurant and the ending. The bit in the middle got a tad annoying with Sandra’s constant referrals to Alex’s age. Like I get that he’s a bit younger, but he is legal (as he points out repeatedly). It seemed odd to focus on that and not the “I can’t tell you about why the government wants me in a jail cell.” But, I just kept reminding myself that this series has fun, if a bit outlandish, romantic comedy plots. Just go with it! I can’t wait to see what happens next. (P.S. Elizabeth and Nico is still my favorite.)

Knitting in the City

• #1 Neanderthal Seeks Human

• #1.5 Neanderthal Marries Human

• #2 Friends Without Benefits

• #3 Love Hacked

• #4 Beauty and the Mustache

• #4.75 Ninja at First Sight

• #5 Happily Ever Ninja

• #6 Dating-ish

• #7 Marriage of Inconvenience

• #8 Neanderthal Seeks Extra Yarns

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Pierce the Veil "Caraphernelia"

Old song, but every time it pops up on The Emo Project, I get really excited.

Life Right Now #21

As I look outside my window: The storms have cleared up leaving much cooler temperatures. Perfect for sitting on the deck.

Right now I am: Outside reading my book. I’m deep into People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry and I love it! I might just finish it this morning.

Thinking and pondering: Why are people so hesitant to commit to little things? I am really getting annoyed by the wishy-washy comments from people in regards to my homeschool coop. Seriously, just join or don’t. Stop telling me that you are “unsure” of your plans for August.

On my bedside table: Something is Killing the Children Vol. 3; Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

On my tv this week: We’ve watched a few movies this week (The Tomorrow War; Black Widow; Inside) and continued with Star Trek: Voyager and Hustle.

Listening to: The usual podcasts. Nothing new or special.

On the menu for this week: Oh goodness. I have no idea what we’re having for dinner this week. Guess I know what my big task is today.

On my to do list: First thing I need to do is update my big to-do list. Beyond that, I’m sure I should work on the road trip planning, reading retreat planning, and homeschool lesson plans.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Grocery trip

• Tuesday - Lake Beach Visit; Disney Villain Trivia

• Wednesday - Park Playdate

• Thursday - Home Day

• Friday - Pirate Putt; Lunch Out; Ice Cream

• Saturday - Normal Day

• Sunday - Normal Day

What I am creating: Math in Nature lesson plans for our STEAM coop in August.

My simple pleasures: Chocolate Chip Cookies, gentle rain at night (not the high winds thunderstorm we had), watching the bunnies in our yard

From the camera: Pizza and beer outside for book club this week…

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #3)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Henry Holt 2014

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 465

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. The nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

The Darkling rules from his shadow throne while a weakened Alina Starkov recovers from their battle under the dubious protection of the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Now her hopes lie with the magic of a long-vanished ancient creature and the chance that an outlaw prince still survives.

As her allies and enemies race toward war, only Alina stands between her country and a rising tide of darkness that could destroy the world. To win this fight, she must seize a legend’s power—but claiming the firebird may be her ruin.

The trilogy has been finished! I would not say that this series has been my favorite YA fantasy series, but I do think that it redeemed itself with the last book. Ultimately, I really did end up liking the storyline and I’m still very much in love with the magic system. I’m still annoyed by Alina and Mal’s relationship and don’t feel like Mal quite earned his place by her side. I was satisfied with the ending between Alina and the Darlking, but wish we could have seen his vulnerable side a little more and a little earlier in the books. (Seems like he ended up being a bit of unused character in the second and third books.) I’m okay with the entire resolution to the series. I’m more excited to read the companion duology and watch the television show.

Shadow and Bone

• #1 Shadow and Bone

• #2 Siege and Storm

• #3 Ruin and Rising

Next up on the TBR pile:

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Square Fish 2013

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 435

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Alina Starkov’s power has grown, but not without a price. She is the Sun Summoner—hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Shadow Fold. But she and Mal can’t outrun their enemies for long.

The Darkling is more determined than ever to claim Alina’s magic and use it to take the Ravkan throne. With nowhere else to turn, Alina enlists the help of an infamous privateer and sets out to lead the Grisha army.

But as the truth of Alina's destiny unfolds, she slips deeper into the Darkling’s deadly game of forbidden magic, and further away from her humanity. To save her country, Alina will have to choose between her power and the love she thought would always be her shelter. No victory can come without sacrifice—and only she can face the oncoming storm.

Can Mal get eaten by a volcra now? Seriously, I so disliked him as a character and kept wanting him to die so Alina could move on. Alas, it did not happen and we get way too many pages in this book where Mal gaslights and abuses Alina. I just cannot get behind their relationship at all. Their back and forth crap is the biggest reason why this book only gets 3 stars from me. Strip that crap out or change it into a more healthy relationship and I would have given it 4 stars. I really do love the magical elements in this series. I love exploring the evolution of both Alina’s and the Darkling’s powers. I want more and more of that. So sad that the Darkling only has a small part in this book. I wanted more of him. Thankfully we do get introduced to another mysterious character that had been in his side immediately. I wanted more Nikolai. Specifically, I wanted Nikolai and Alina to form a deeper bond. I’m still going to finish this series (reading the third book right now in fact), but I am very disappointed by the central “romance” to the series.

Shadow and Bone

• #1 Shadow and Bone

• #2 Siege and Storm

• #3 Ruin and Rising

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Took the boys to a movie yesterday. It’s been almost 18 months since we were in a theater. It was a nice excursion. We took advantage of the $2 second run kid’s movie for a cheap morning.

• Time blocking is going well… just need to keep up the routine.

• Day 1 of our fall road trip is planned (well, except for booking the hotel). Making progress!

• Sad that Q broke my pretty beaded bookmark. I can probably fix it, but it’s going to take some ingenuity.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2021

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: MMD; Seasonal TBR

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface.

I dove into this book really hoping for another Daisy Jones and the Six or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. With this book, we get a really good story, but it didn’t quite hit the 5 star mark for me. Right away, I was drawn into the world of early 1980s (and then 1950-60s) Malibu. I wanted to learn more about the Riva children and how they came to be at the places they were in their lives. I wanted to really submerse myself in the atmosphere of Malibu at the various time periods. We get some of that. In flashbacks, we get to see what happened with Mick and June and the snippets throughout the children’s lives. And we get one big final confrontation between Mick and his children. Unfortunately, the book the left me wanting more. When we get to the last chapter, I was just a bit taken aback at the abruptness of the ending. I felt like we were just getting into the meat of the various characters. I wanted to sit with them longer. Ultimately, I felt like nothing had really been resolved and I wanted more. I cannot deny that Reid writes a propulsive story with interesting characters. I just wanted more.

My two side annoyances:

• I really disliked how they dealt with Kit’s big identity revelation. Or really, how they didn’t deal with it. I felt like it was thrown to give a “complication” to her character, but was really a cheap afterthought.

• From the very first page, I thought the fire would figure more prominently into the story. I kept waiting and waiting and it didn’t come into fruition until the last chapter.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #5

Reading: Continuing the Shadow and Bone trilogy with Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. I needed something a bit more light after finishing Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Watching: Wednesdays are blocked out for Loki watching! Oh I am all in knots after last week’s episode. So incredibly good!

Listening: No big music this week, but I have been trying to catch up on some podcasts. Currently Reading is always a must-listen for the week!

Making: Our meal plan has gotten very much out of hand. I need to take some time this week and get everything under control. I also need to schedule some more 52 Desserts and Snacks to catch up a bit.

Feeling: The above 90 degrees days are really wearing on me. I am tired and hot almost all of the time…

Planning: I have so many fall projects on the horizon (book retreat, family road trip, kids’ birthday party) and the start of our second year of homeschooling. Plus all the usual house things. I’ve resorted to time blocking through July to get a jump on planning and organization for those. Once we hit August, I will be very busy so I’m taking advantage of my time this month.

Loving: I’ve been taking my book and coffee out to the back deck in the mornings and it’s been lovely. Thankfully the deck is shaded in the mornings and I can enjoy myself without feeling like I’m on the surface of the sun.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - New Years Day "Kill or Be Killed"

An older song, but I keep rediscovering it.

Friends without Benefits by Penny Reid

Title: Friends without Benefits (Knitting in the City #2)

Author: Penny Reid

Publisher: Cipher-Naught 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 406

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Elizabeth Finney is almost always right about everything: the musical merits of boy bands are undervalued by society, “benefits” with human Ken dolls are better without friendship, and the sun has set on her once-in-a-lifetime chance for true love. But when Elizabeth’s plans for benefits without friendship are disarmed by the irritatingly charismatic and chauvinistic Nico Manganiello—her former nemesis—she finds herself struggling to maintain the electric fence around her heart while avoiding a Nico charisma-electrocution or, worse, falling in love.

I finally got around to reading the second in this contemporary romance series. It was such a delight and I sped through it in two days. Elizabeth is such a taciturn character in the first book and I was glad to see her soft side in this novel. Right away, I absolutely fell for Elizabeth and Nico and especially those two together. There is a lot of angst in this novel, but I really did love the conversations. My biggest complaint was that there was only one steamy scene. I love the pre-steamy scenes, but I need more post-steamy scenes.

Knitting in the City

• #1 Neanderthal Seeks Human

• #1.5 Neanderthal Marries Human

• #2 Friends Without Benefits

• #3 Love Hacked

• #4 Beauty and the Mustache

• #4.75 Ninja at First Sight

• #5 Happily Ever Ninja

• #6 Dating-ish

• #7 Marriage of Inconvenience

• #8 Neanderthal Seeks Extra Yarns

Next up on the TBR pile:

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

Title: Behold the Dreamers

Author: Imbolo Mbue

Publisher: Random House 2017

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 416

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Clark demands punctuality, discretion, and loyalty—and Jende is eager to please. Clark’s wife, Cindy, even offers Neni temporary work at the Edwardses’ summer home in the Hamptons. With these opportunities, Jende and Neni can at last gain a foothold in America and imagine a brighter future.

However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers’ façades.

When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende’s job—even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.

Our book club selection for July… and I was very underwhelmed by this story. Let’s start with the good points. I enjoyed the look at Cameroon culture. In fact, those sections were the only ones that I really loved reading. Clearly the author has a love for the people of Cameroon and it shows through the writing. I also enjoyed the interplay of the family in the first half of the book. I found their struggles compelling. Unfortunately, the second half the book begins to show the fractures in the family and I was very annoyed. I was not a fan of Jende and his sexist bullshit. Combine that with the actions of the Edwards family and I really disliked all the characters in this novel. Per the summary, this book is supposed to heavily involve the economic collapse, but it seemed like an afterthought. I forced myself to finish this book, but I wasn’t at all excited about it.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2021 Desserts and Snacks - May and June

Week 14: Sicilian Orange Breakfast Cake

Definitely going on our top list! This was oh so yummy and easy to make. Our friends even appreciated it when we shared!

Recipe used from The View from Great Island

Week 15: Blueberry Breakfast Cake

I liked the overall taste of this one, but it ended up being a bit dry.

Recipe used from Amanda’s Cookin’

Week 16: Lemony Lemonies

Amazing! This recipe was loved by everyone in the family. Definitely going on our favorites list.

Recipe used from Bakerella

Week 17: Pesto Twists

These were so incredibly easy and a great side to our gazpacho.

Recipe used from a Facebook video

Week 18-19: Strawberry Pie and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie made on the new grill

J made these to try out his new grill and they turned out amazing. So incredibly good!

Recipe used from Joy the Baker and Traeger

Week 20: Chocolate Pound Cake

I’ve had some great recipes these two months, and this might be my favorite. This cake was amazingly moist and flavorful. I will be making this all the time now!

Recipe used from Cake Whiz

July 2021 Life Goals

I threw out all my goals for June and spent a lot of time really sorting through the brain fog. I’m tweaking my usual goals concepts for July and trying to time block. I have multiple projects coming this fall and I need concentrated time to work on each.

July Goals:

• Read 15 Books

• Plan August Homeschooling Lessons and Coop

• Stick to My Time Blocking

• Weekly Field Trips

• Cross Off 7 Items on Our Summer Bucket List

• Get My Email Inbox to 0

Next up on the TBR pile: