Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Forecast is calling for days of rain. I may just kick the kids of the house anyway…. They are really not good staying inside this long.

• The local school district has extended their free meal program into the summer. So excited that kids can still get regular food!

• So excited to do a zoom chat with bookish friends tonight. I need to go pull a stack of books to feature.

• Reading a book about walking the Appalachian Trail has me inspired to attempt more short hikes with the boys once it’s safe.

• It’s Arthur last day of Kindergarten. Very bittersweet day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Confessions of a Duchess by Nicola Cornick

Title: The Confessions of a Duchess (Brides of Fortune #1)

Author: Nicola Cornick

Publisher: HQN 2009

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

When an ancient tax law is invoked requiring all unmarried ladies to either wed or surrender half their wealth, it's not long before the quiet village of Fortune's Folly is overrun by a swarm of fortune-hunting bachelors. Marry again? Never! Not after what Laura, the dowager duchess, was forced to endure. Even if the arrival of her onetime paramour, Dexter Anstruther, is oh-so-tempting, she knows the secret she's kept from him would destroy any chance at a future together. Young, handsome and scandalously enticing, Dexter suspects Laura has a hidden motive for resisting his charms…and he intends to expose her, by any means necessary.

This one was much more fun than the prequel short story. I really liked Laura and Dexter. The whole hidden child plot in romances is not my favorite, but this one was done better than usual. I was much more interested in the back and forth between the main characters. The subplot involving Lydia was a bit much, but thankfully the book rarely focused on it. What I really want is more from Miles! Here’s hoping the next book stars him and Alice.

Brides of Fortune

• #0.5 The Secrets of a Courtesan

• #1 The Confessions of a Duchess

• #2 The Scandals of an Innocent

• #3 The Undoing of a Lady

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Secrets of a Courtesan by Nicola Cornick

Title: The Secrets of a Courtesan (Brides of Fortune #0.5)

Author: Nicola Cornick

Publisher: HQN 2009

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 69

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

All's fair in love and matrimony in Nicola Cornick's wildly romantic new series that introduces the ladies of Fortune's Folly--spirited heiresses who are more than a match for society's most dashing rogues!The epitome of privilege and power, the handsome Duke of Welburn sets all the ladies' hearts aflutter as he strides into the village of Fortune's Folly.

For Eve Nightingale this fluttering is a mixture of wariness and wonder. Once his glittering society mistress--caught up in his glamorous world by day and tangled in his bedsheets by night--she is now no more than a penniless yet proud shopkeeper.

It's a world Eve can't go back to--she has secrets to keep. But this determined duke seems very keen on unravelling them....

Hmmm… I liked the premise, but wasn’t the biggest fan of the characters. Eve is fine. Alasdair is much too much of a pompous ass for me to really like him. At least this one was quick…

Brides of Fortune

• #0.5 The Secrets of a Courtesan

• #1 The Confessions of a Duchess

• #2 The Scandals of an Innocent

• #3 The Undoing of a Lady

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Motionless in White "Another Life (Remix)"

I know I posted this song a few weeks back, but I had to post this amazing remix!

Life Right Now #15

As I look outside my window: Our backyard is just so green right now. I’m loving the grass and the trees. I might curse the amount of leaves falling come September, but right now, it’s just so pretty and lush.

Right now I am: Taking a moment before the kids start demanding everything.

Thinking and pondering: What should I make for brunch? Every Sunday, I’ve been making a larger brunch for everyone. Today is the day before grocery shopping so we have limited food items. Maybe leftovers waffles (from the freezer), sausage links, and eggs?

On my bedside table: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin; Circe by Madeline Miller

On my tv this week: Continuing on with What We Do in the Shadows S2 and Below Deck (Med S2 and regular S5). We also started Living with You starring Paul Rudd and I’m totally hooked!

Listening to: Just podcasts this week. I need to be more mindful of adding music back into my regular reading.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Mongolian/Broccoli Beef (haven’t decided yet)

• Tuesday - Fish and Chips

• Wednesday - Grilled Cheese: Regular and Buffalo Rancher

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Miso Soup and Sushi

• Saturday - Chili

• Sunday - Garlic Shrimp Pasta

On my to do list: Other than random house tasks, my to do list is pretty light this week. I need to send out a few gifts to people, fix the meal plan, and organize lots of things.

Happening this week: I need to work on blocking out my days a little better. I want to fit in reading, crafting, housework, playing with the kids, and Arthur schoolwork.

What I am creating: Finally back to crafting a bit. I’ve been organizing supplies and decided to dive back into Project Life albums. I’ve got Arthur’s 2018 album to finish and Family 2019 and December Daily 2019 to start.

My simple pleasures: Chocolate, watching the wind blow through the trees (seriously love the backyard view here), sending out cards to friends, a satisfying conclusion to a book.

Looking around the house: More small house projects have been completed. I’m hoping to finish hanging curtains today. I think that will really make a big difference for me.

From the camera: We have almost finished the living room! Well, for now anyway. All of the funriture pieces have arrived and been put in place. In the future, we are going to change out the flooring, redo the fireplace and builtins, and paint the walls. But until we do, this is how my living room looks. It’s so cozy and inviting. I only we could invite people over to enjoy it with us…

Spring Bucket List Update #2

A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and have loaded up on home activities and schedules. And due to the uncertainty of the near future, I’m shortening the Spring Bucket List to create some manageable goals.

Obviously things have not gone back to anywhere near normal. I imagine that very few of these items will be accomplished, but I’m still going for the ones we can do from home.

1. Read 50 books (34/50)

2. Make fun cupcakes -

3. Create an Easter Egg Hunt ✓

4. Make a planter for the front porch -

5. Find two good parks -

6. Tie Dye Shirts with the boys -

7. Create a spring Spotify playlist -

8. Mini golf family night -

9. Go berry picking -

10. Sign Arthur up for summer camps - Camps have been canceled.

11. Go on a hike -

12. Have a picnic -

13. Put together the littles’s room - In progress

14. Monthly Massage -

15. Go antiquing -

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Title: The Secret Life of Bees

Author: Sue Monk Kidd

Publisher: Penguin Books 2003

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Top 100 YA, 21st Century Women Authors, Rory Gilmore; Goodreads Random

Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sister, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

A really beautiful coming-of-age story set in a fraught time period and place. I was rooting for Lily to find her place int he world away from her father and the ignorant perspectives of many in her community. I loved meeting the sisters and learning about beekeeping and their particular brand of religion. Many of the sequences feel very dreamlike. Almost like the opening scenes of Lily watching the bees swarm in her room. My only quibble with the book is the format. At times, the constant flashbacks muddled the prose. Transitions were not the best. Overall this was a lovely atmospheric book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss #1)

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher: Speak 2010

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 382

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen, NPR Romance, 365 Days of YA; Ebook

Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?

I absolutely devoured this book in a day and a half. This is such a great young adult romance. We get that initial meet-cute. We get the complications. We get a ton of will they or won’t they. And we finally get to see the two main characters come together. Even though there were some more serious parts, this was the light-hearted read that I needed for this week. I definitely was rooting for Anna and Etienne throughout the book. I loved the pretty straight-forward plotline propelling the romance. I loved the side characters, especially Rashmi and Josh. All of the characters act like late teens. Often in YA, we get 17 year olds acting either like 13 year olds or 25 year olds. It was nice to see appropriate teen behavior and though patterns. I finished the last page of the book and just sighed with a smile on my face. Lovely little book. I will definitely be reading the two companion books (not quite sequels, but involving some of the side characters).

Anna and the French Kiss

• #1 Anna and the French Kiss

• #2 Lola and the Boy Next Door

• #3 Isla and the Happily Ever After

Next up on the TBR pile:

Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

Title: Things in Jars

Author: Jess Kidd

Publisher: Atria Books 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 369

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme

Bridie Devine—female detective extraordinaire—is confronted with the most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, and a peculiar child whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors trading curiosities in this age of discovery.

Winding her way through the labyrinthine, sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won’t rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing a past that she’d rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where spectacle is king and nothing is quite what it seems.

Blending darkness and light, history and folklore, Things in Jars is a spellbinding Gothic mystery that collapses the boundary between fact and fairy tale to stunning effect and explores what it means to be human in inhumane times.

This was such a wonderfully strange book. The closest that I can compare to is a mix of Sherlock Holmes and Neil Gaiman’s fairy tale-esque stories. From page one, I was drawn into the story of Bridie and the missing child. Bridie is a great main character with fun quirks. I loved her relationships with Cora, Ruby, and Rose. I really did love the overall mystery of the missing child. I loved the mix of classic mystery and fantastical elements. London became such a great character infusing each page with atmosphere. Beyond the mystery, I wanted to know Bridie’s life and how some of the characters connected to her history, especially Ruby. Kidd’s writing style really brings this story to life. The prose makes this book feel like it was written a very long time ago. I really enjoy the old fashioned style to match with the characters and mystery.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #9

Reading: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd - One of my Book of the Month selections. It’s a strange story reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes with a dash of actual fantasy thrown in. I’m really digging it so far!

Watching: We’re currently balancing a light show (Making It S2) and a dark show (Broadchurch S2) before we embark on a movie week.

Listening: Randomly picking albums to listen to while making meals. The other day is was Invented from Jimmy Eat World.

Making: Back at the Project Life spreads. I’m so close to finishing Arthur’s 2018 Album. Just about 50 more photos to print. and a few more weeks to journal.

Feeling: Tired. This whole thing has exhausted me daily. Sleeping 8 hours isn’t even touching my exhaustion.

Planning: We’re shooting for the grocery store once every two - two and half weeks. That means I really need to get creative about what to buy and when so things do not go bad before using.

Loving: With all the crazy, I have found time to read daily. Working in at least an hour every day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Marcus Mumford "You'll Never Walk Alone"

Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen

Title: Malice at the Palace (Royal Spyness #9)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2015

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Caught between her high birth and empty purse, Georgie is relieved to receive a new assignment from the Queen. The King’s youngest son, George, is to wed Princess Marina of Greece, and the Queen wants Georgie to be her companion: showing her the best of London—and dispelling any rumors about George’s libertine history.

The prince is known for his many affairs with women as well as men—including the great songwriter Noel Coward. But things truly get complicated when one of his supposed mistresses is murdered.

The Queen wants the whole matter hushed. But as the case unfolds—and Georgie's beau Darcy, as always, turns up in the most unlikely of places—their investigation brings them precariously close to the prince himself.

Another fun cozy mystery. I do so love the murders that befall people around Lady Georgie. They are always interesting and fun. I think cozy mysteries are becoming comfort reads for me. As for this one, I loved meeting more of the Royal Family including Princess Marina. Plus we get some good interactions between Georgie and some of the recurring characters. I was annoyed by Darcy and his constant reassurances without ever really explaining. I think Georgie should kick him to the curb for awhile, but alas, she seems to be of one mind when it comes to Darcy.

Her Royal Spyness:

• #0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor

• #1 Her Royal Spyness

• #2 A Royal Pain

• #3 Royal Flush

• #4 Royal Blood

• #5 Naughty in Nice

• #6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas

• #7 Heirs and Graces

• #8 Queen of Hearts

• #9 Malice at the Palace

• #10 Crowned and Dangerous

• #11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service

• #12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

• #13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs

• #14 The Last Mrs. Summers

Next up on the TBR pile:

2020 Soups and Stews from Around the World - March and April

Week 8: Ajiaco (Chicken and Corn Soup) from Colombia

Pretty darn good. Next time we will up the spice factor, but we really enjoyed the flavors in this soup. The capers and sour cream really bring it together!

Recipe used from Closet Cooking

Week 9: Maafe (Peanut Stew) from Senegal

This was a delightfully spicy stew! I added three whole habanero peppers with seeds and it was the perfect amount of heat for us! I paired the stew with homemade Hungarian Fennel Bread and it was delicious.

Recipe used from Nibble Me This

Week 10: Red Curry Noodle Soup from Thailand

Southeast Asian food is always going to be a hit in our house. I really enjoyed this mild curry noodle soup. We decided that it was Thai comfort food. Perfect for a chilly day!

Recipe used from Damn Delicious

Week 11: Cullen Skink (Fish Stew) from Scotland

Very yummy. Unfortunately we couldn’t get smoked haddock so I had to use regular haddock. We agreed that this would be even better with smoked haddock. Hopefully we can acquire some later this year and remake this dish.

Recipe used from Foodie Quine

Week 12: Gulyas (Goulash) from Hungary

This did not have enough flavor. It was like a bland beef stew. Not really what we want in goulash. We’re hoping to try again with a different goulash recipe soon.

Recipe used from Daring Gourmet

Week 13: Lablabi (Chickpea Soup) from Tunisia

Eh…. it was pretty bland and very starchy. We are constantly having this problem with bean soups. The ratio of starch to liquid never seems to be right even when I’m following the recipe exactly. Maybe something else…

Recipe used from Serious Eats

Week 14: Pasta E Fagioli from Italy

This was pretty good. I really enjoyed the shaved parmesan on top to give it just a little something extra.

Recipe used from kitchn

Week 15: Crab Coconut Curry from Mozambique

This was very yummy. Decent amount of spice. The crab did just completely lost in the mix, so next time I might just sub tofu.

Recipe used from The African Gourmet

Week 16: Kulajda from Czech Republic

Decently good. I did like this but it was a very dilly potato soup.

Recipe used from Culinary Goddess

Week 17: Chicken Coconut Curry from Micronesia

So bland in comparison. The curry from Mozambique was so much more interesting and tasty!

Recipe used from Food.com

May 2020 Life Goals

Let’s check in on April's goals and my progress.

• Read 20 books - Fail. I did get pretty close with 18 books finished.

• Paint the craft/library room ✓

• Make Easter baskets for the boys ✓

• Clean up the yard ✓

• Get supplies for a small vegetable garden - Fail. I haven’t gotten around to making a shopping list.

• Every-other-day neighborhood walks ✓

• Go on an Easter Egg hunt ✓

May’s Goals:

• Read 15 books - Scaling it back just a bit to keep moving along.

• Acquire furniture for craft/library room - I think I’ve decided on a library bookcase and hoping to get it soon. And I’m hoping Ikea fixes their stock issues so I can get my crafting system.

• May Movie Month - I’ve compiled a list of movies that I keep forgetting about watching. So next month we’re going to pick a movie to watch every night.

• Hang curtains and art - Putting those things up makes the house feel more finished.

• Make a decision about Reading Retreat and end of Summer - I need to get some tentative plans in place.

• Acquire summer school materials for Arthur - Instruction from his school ends May 14th, but I need to keep him learning especially if we are still going to be quarantined.

Next up on the TBR list:

April 2020 Wrap-up

April TBR Pile (18/27):

1. Book of the Month Club: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

2. Girly Book Club: We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib

3. Friend Book Club: The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams ✓

4. Unread Shelf Random (Jan): Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

5. UnRead Shelf Selection (Feb): Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

6. UnRead Shelf Random (Mar): 1776 by David McCullough ✓

7. UnRead Shelf Random (April): Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

8. Goodreads To Read Random (Jan): Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

9. Goodreads To Read Random (Mar): Archaeology from Space by Sarah Parcak ✓

10. Goodreads To Read Random (April): Planetfall by Emma Newman ✓

11. TBR Jar Random (Jan): The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn ✓

12. TBR Jar Random (April): The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

13. March Theme Wrap-up: The Vagina Bible by Jen Gunter ✓

14. Theme 1: The Complete Phonogram ✓

15. Theme 1: Rat Queens Vol. 7 ✓

16. Theme 1: The Oracle Code

17. Theme 2: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

18. Theme 2: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

19. Theme 2: All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace ✓

20. Ebook: Horrostor by Grady Hendrix ✓

21. Ebook: The Last Debutante by Julia London ✓

22. Scifi: Redshirts by John Scalzi ✓

23. Added: The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis ✓

24. Added: Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb ✓

25. Added: Grave Minder by Melissa Marr ✓

26. Added: Saltwater Kisses by Krista Lakes ✓

27. Added: The Deep by Rivers Solomon ✓

28. Added: After the Cure by Deirdre Gould ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 6116 pages
Pages Remaining: 548,639 pages

Current Read - Things in Jars by Jess Kidd; Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen

Books I Gave Up On (0) 

Books bought/received (15)

Book of the Month Selections: I grabbed my monthly selection and added on another new release. Plus I grabbed a physical copy of Circe for Girly Book Club’s May selection and because I really enjoyed that book the first time reading.

• The Library of Legends by Janie Chang

• Circe by Madeleine Miller

• The Paris Hours by Alex George

I also found myself on the Book Outlet website and ended up buying a giant box of books. My first delivery arrived as a completely empty box. I had to contact customer service and get a replacement order. Unfortunately a few of the titles I originally ordered were then out of stock. I did get a few for the littles and many for me…

• Asylum by Madeleine Roux

• Catacomb by Madeleine Roux

• Escape from Asylum by Madeleine Roux

• Every Hidden Thing by Kenneth Oppel

• Lady of the Eternal City by Kate Quinn

• Partials by Dan Wells

• Sanctum by Madeleine Roux

• Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

• Asylum Novellas by Madeleine Roux

• The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin

• The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee

• The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert - I wanted a physical copy for my bookshelves.

May TBR Pile:

1. Book of the Month Club: Things in Jars by Jess Kidd

2. Girly Book Club: Circe by Madeline Miller

3. Friend Book Club: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

4. Unread Shelf Random (Jan): Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

5. UnRead Shelf Selection (Feb): Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

6. UnRead Shelf Random (April): Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

7. UnRead Shelf Random (May): Asylum by Madeleine Roux

8. Goodreads To Read Random (Jan): Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

9. Goodreads To Read Random (May): The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

10. TBR Jar Random (April): The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

11. TBR Jar Random (May): A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

12. April Theme Wrap-up: The Oracle Code

13. April Theme Wrap-up: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

14. April Theme Wrap-up: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

15. Theme 1: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

16. Theme 1: Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

17. Theme 1: The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

18. Theme 2: The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

19. Theme 2: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

20. Theme 2: TBD

21. Romance: The Secrets of the Courtesan by Nicola Cornick

22. Romance: The Confessions of a Duchess by Nicola Cornick

23. Romance: The Scandals of an Innocent by Nicola Cornick

24. Romance: The Undoing of a Lady by Nicola Cornick

UnRead Shelf Plans

For May, the prompt is a backlist book whose author has a newer book out. I’m choosing Asylum by Madeleine Roux. I’ve been meaning to read the entire series, so thought I would start here.

Movies watched

• Memory - A documentary about the making of the movie Alien. Fascinating!

• Vivarium - So incredibly weird…

• Emma (2020) - I really enjoyed this slightly exaggerated version of the classic novel. Loved the costuming choices.

• My Spy - This was a lot more funny than I thought it would be.

• Bloodshot - Decent superhero action movie.

• Beastie Boys Story - This was incredible! I laughed and cried throughout the video.

TV Shows watched 

• The Magicians S5 - What a good sorta happy ending to the series.

• Superstore S5 - We’ve caught up.

• Broadchurch S2 - We will finish this series eventually…

• Lego Masters S1 - Some light fair for our TV watching, although I wasn’t too keen on who won.

• Making It S1-2 - Another fun light show for us.

• Below Deck Med S2 - My silly show to watch occasionally.

• What We Do in the Shadows S1 - J had already watched the first season, but agreed to rewatch so I could see it.

• Cosmos S2 - Very soothing documentary series.

Comments - Another decent reading month during quarantine. We also watched some good shows and movies. Here’s hoping that creating my new reading room will keep up my momentum.

Next up on the TBR pile: