The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton

Title: The League of Gentlewomen Witches(Dangerous Damsels #2)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Berkley Books 2022

Genre: Historical romance Fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say—although it must never be said—witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society.

When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else—such as Charlotte’s heart.

Charlotte is not the easiest person to love and yet I totally fell for her in this novel. I loved the prickly not-witch and her adventures with dreamy pirate Alex. As soon as Alex showed up in the first book, I knew I wanted to read more of his story. Thankfully Holton took my desire seriously and made a whole other book featuring Alex. The swaggering pirate and the buttoned up not-witch make a perfect pairing in this chase adventure across England. I loved all the references to Austen’s (and Bronte’s) works as Charlotte attempts to understand just what situation she got herself into and how exactly it’s going to play out. I laughed out loud so many times at the witty one-liners and rejoinders. I swooned every time Alex stared and smirked at Charlotte. I hoped that we would get a HEA but only if the two actually came to an intellectual agreement. This may be my perfect light and fun romance book.

Dangerous Damsels

• #1 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

• #2 The League of Gentlemen Witches

Next up on the TBR pile:

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Title: Book Lovers

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 377

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming...

Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

I didn’t think that I could love a new Emily Henry book any more than her last two. I was wrong! This one is her best yet. I absolutely fell for the relationship between Nora and Charlie. Their banter was absolutely on point. The steamy scenes were very steamy. And the connections two the side characters were great. But what makes me absolute love Henry’s books is the emotionally connection. I felt completely drawn into this story and these two main characters. I was desperate that they work everything out and get a HEA. I would even read a sequel to this story as Nora and Charlie continue their lives after the events in this one. I would have loved to stay with this couple longer. We don’t but I still absolutely adored this one so much!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I got a bit of sunburn yesterday. I really need to get in the habit of always sunscreening…

• Guess I need to get a move on with my summer bucket list soon. Time is almost upon us.

• Two books that have made me laugh out loud in a row has been great for my mood.

• Making book recommendations may be my favorite thing right now.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

Title: A Far Wilder Magic

Author: Allison Saft

Publisher: Wednesday Books 2022

Genre:YA Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist—yet. He's been fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, and his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret. She begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, they soon find themselves drawn to each other. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt—if they survive that long.

CWs: antisemitism, animal injury, animal death, gore, parental neglect, panic attacks

Overall, this book was not for me. We get a YA fantasy set in a fictional world but with parallels to the religious divides in our own world. All through the book I was confused as to why were were coding the different groups with fictionalized words and practices instead of just making a direct comparison. It seemed like a very odd construct and also a way to confuse the readers. We are meant to take away a message, but if you don’t really know details about the Jewish/Catholic/Protestant divide, it would really be hard to piece out. As for the romance of the story, we wasn’t super into Weston and Margaret. I really enjoyed what we see of Weston, but Margaret was too closed off and angry for me to really connect with you. I loved the elements directly involving the hala, but those could not completely save this book for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #10

Reading: Deep into The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton. I loved the first in this series and this one is just as delightful. I love it!

Watching: We finally started Obi-Wan Kenobi and it just very good. I love the character of Third Sister.

Listening: Still rocking the giant shuffle of all the songs in my Apple Music account.

Making: I’ve made two batches of gazpacho so far this month. I may just have to make this every week or two weeks. It’s that good!

Feeling: After a few crazy busy weeks, things have calmed down a lot lately. I’m feeling a little calmer lately.

Planning: We’re getting so close to the retreat which means that I’m to the point of planning the games. We are doing a matching game and a pub-style trivia.

Loving: We’ve been spending less time inside and more time outside which is always great. Even better, most of the days have been spent with friends. Love it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W34: That Summer Feeling Has Hit

What We Studied

Memorial Day has passed and we are in high summer mode here. The temperatures have been cooperating and so we have spent a ton of time outside. We racked up a decent number of hours playing outside and exploring nature. The friends that we have made through coop have played right alongside us. We are definitely taking it easy with regards to book work. And July will be our month off for the most part.

Literature and Poetry

We started the last Chronicles of Narnia book with a a good reading guide I found online.

• The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

Math

Another week of math games, puzzles, and review. We finished both our logic book and The School of Numbers this week. One a related project, the boys help me make gazpacho. They practiced reading a recipe and measuring ingredients.

• Logic Countdown

• The School of Numbers

Social Studies

As we have finished our history curriculum, Arthur did finish a few geography scavenger hunt. He has gotten really into exploring Google Earth. Arthur also started a simple packet introducing economics.

Arthur Independent Time

To allow for one-on-one time with Quentin, I have added an hour of independent work time for Arthur. Each week, he will have a mix of packet work (mostly grammar and math review), independent reading time, and special projects. Many of his projects will be aligned with our literature selections (some taken from B&R Language Arts curriculum) and history.

Science and STEAM Coop

Nothing specific this week

Art/Music

None this week

Quentin

I have scheduled at least four 1-hour time blocks for one-on-one time with Quentin. I bought Blossom and Root’s Early Years Volume 2 curriculum to use as our base. I love the variety of activities and some of the bigger projects included.

ELA

• Eric Carle’s Dragons Dragons

• Eric Carle’s Book of Many Things

• Wonderful You with The Grouchy Ladybuy

• The Saggy Baggy Elephant by Tennant Redbank

• High Five April 2021

• High Five May 2021

Math

• Lollipop Logic Book 1

Other

• Tinkeractive PreK Science

Field Trip

Along with a park playdate and splash pad time, we explored Fontenelle Forest and the connected Raptor Rescue. Spending five hours out in nature was just what we needed on Wednesday.

Documentary Selection

I have carved out a one hour time block each week to watch a documentary related to our studies.

Misc. Picture Books Read

High

• Fontenelle Forest was an amazing day spent in nature.

Low

• Thursday was just a bit of cluster when it came to attitudes from the kids. We had to have a bit of a readjustment.

Next Week

• Spending multiple days outside at parks and a zoo visit

• Finishing The Last Battle

• Watching a documentary or two

• Continuing on independent and review packets

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Bishop Briggs "High Water"

I also love her new music and this particular song is great.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #18

As I look outside my window: it’s bright and sunny this morning, but I know that the rains are going to roll in later

Right now I am: Taking a moment to read my book before we head out to the coop’s first book club meeting.

On my bedside table: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens; The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

On my tv this week: J and I started Obi-Wan Kenobi and continued watching S2 of The Great.

Listening to: Mostly just a big shuffle of all the songs in my Apple Music/

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Pizza Sliders

• Tuesday - Chicken Shawarma Fries

• Wednesday - Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

• Saturday - Artichoke Pasta

• Sunday - Chicken Pad Thai Nachos

On my to do list: While there are many things on my big list, I’m spending most of this week finalizing the retreat details.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Bellevue Berry Farm strawberry picking

• Tuesday - Home day; Library author zoom

• Wednesday - Zoo Day

• Thursday - Park playdate

• Friday - Home day

• Saturday - Home day; D&D

• Sunday - Home day

What I am creating: Beyond the retreat tasks, I’m not creating much of anything. I’m really hoping to get my Memory Planner pages started before leaving for the retreat.

My simple pleasures: Iced coffee, good puzzles, amazing books

Looking around the house: Meh. It’s not amazing, but not terrible right now.

From the camera: We took some time this weekend to puzzle. We finished this one and started another one.

Displacement by Kiku Hughes

Title: Displacement

Author: Kiku Hughes

Publisher: First Second 2020

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 283

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Kiku is on vacation in San Francisco when suddenly she finds herself displaced to the 1940s Japanese-American internment camp that her late grandmother, Ernestina, was forcibly relocated to during World War II.

These displacements keep occurring until Kiku finds herself "stuck" back in time. Living alongside her young grandmother and other Japanese-American citizens in internment camps, Kiku gets the education she never received in history class. She witnesses the lives of Japanese-Americans who were denied their civil liberties and suffered greatly, but managed to cultivate community and commit acts of resistance in order to survive.

Our June book club selection and a completely new-to-me book. This graphic novel details the experiences of Americans during the Japanese interment of WWII. While I knew a decent amount of the specifics, this slim book conveys a lot of information in a gentle, concise way. We follow a modern girl as she experiences what her grandmother did in WWII. The treatment of the people is brutal, but the book doesn’t dwell on the gore. There are very emotional scenes between characters. I imagine that we are going to have a lot of interesting discussions And I’m definitely put this one onto my homeschool TBR for future years.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Unsinkable Great James by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Unsinkable Greta James

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2022

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Right after the sudden death of her mother—her first and most devoted fan—and just before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta James falls apart on stage. The footage quickly goes viral and she stops playing, her career suddenly in jeopardy—the kind of jeopardy her father, Conrad, has always predicted; the kind he warned her about when he urged her to make more practical choices with her life.

Months later, Greta—still heartbroken and very much adrift—reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on the Alaskan cruise her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary. It could be their last chance to heal old wounds in the wake of shared loss. But the trip will also prove to be a voyage of discovery for them both, and for Ben Wilder, a charming historian, onboard to lecture about The Call of the Wild, who is struggling with a major upheaval in his own life. As Greta works to build back her confidence and Ben confronts an uncertain future, they find themselves drawn to and relying on each other.

It’s here in this unlikeliest of places—at sea, far from the packed city venues where she usually plays and surrounded by the stunning scenery of Alaska—Greta will finally confront the choices she’s made, the heartbreak she’s suffered, and the family hurts that run deep. In the end, she’ll have to decide what her path forward might look like—and how to find her voice again.

I liked the premise of this one and was intrigued by the story. I was hoping for a good finding yourself and reconnecting with family storyline. But this one just fl a little flat for me. We spent way too much time with the possible romance angle and not enough time with the father. The setting of the cruise ship is a great way to force characters together and we get some interesting situations, but the follow-through left me wanting more. I closed the book and didn’t really care what was going to happen next to any of the characters. Not a great sign in my book. Definitely not the one for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Feels Like Summer Videos

I absolutely cannot wait for the new season of The Umbrella Academy! I love this super weird show.

Because we started watching Obi-Wan Kenobi this week…

I always enjoy these fashion videos.

I cannot wait for this installment of Thor’s story.

This movie looks very strange and right up my alley…

Captured by Linsey Hall

Title: Captured (The Shadow Guild: Hades and Persephone #3)

Author: Linsey Hall

Publisher: Bonnie Doon Press 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 192

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

The god of hell wants me to be his queen.

I’ve screwed up. Big time. A day ago, I mistakenly released the evil Titan Chronos onto the Earth. He’s spreading devastation in his pursuit of ultimate power, and it’s all my fault.

The only way to stop him is to fulfil an ancient prophecy and unite with Hades. Problem is, Hades plans to rule in Chronos’ place, spreading the underworld to earth. He wants me to rule by his side, a dark queen to his dark king.

As much as I want Hades—I might even be growing to love him—I can’t be part of something so terrible. Underneath Hades’ dark exterior, I know there is goodness inside. My only hope is to convince him to turn to the light, because I’m afraid I can't live without him.

And we arrive at the end of this particular story. While I enjoyed most of the storyline, it did seem a bit rushed at time. I wanted to spend a bit more time working out how Hades and Seraphia have connected to each other throughout this story. There were elements of emotional connection, but a bit more would have been better. I did enjoy seeing the rest of the Shadow Guild come together to help them defeat Chronos.

The Shadow Guild: Hades and Persephone

• #1 Infernal

• #2 Awakened

• #3 Captured

Next up on the TBR pile: