Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger

Title: Manners and Mutiny (The Finishing School #4)

Author: Gail Carriger

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2015

Genre: YA Paranormal

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W44

Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle Geraldine's floating dirigible have become tedious without Sophronia's sweet sootie Soap nearby. She would much rather be using her skills to thwart the dastardly Picklemen, yet her concerns about their wicked intentions are ignored, and now she's not sure whom to trust. What does the brusque werewolf dewan know? On whose side is the ever-stylish vampire Lord Akeldama? Only one thing is certain: a large-scale plot is under way, and when it comes to fruition, Sophronia must be ready to save her friends, her school, and all of London from disaster--in decidedly dramatic fashion, of course.

Oh my! A very fitting conclusion to this series. I loved seeing the Picklemen's plan uncovered by Sophronia and her band of misfit intelligencers. Very exciting! Plus we get the return of so many side character. And most importantly, we find out everyone's allegiances. (I really should have Agatha's, but she took me by surprise). This volume is a well-paced adventure from page one. Definitely an enjoyable read!

The Finishing School

• #1 Etiquette and Espionage
• #2 Curtsies and Conspiracies
• #3 Waistcoats and Weaponry
• #4 Manners and Mutiny

Quentin: 5 Weeks

Apparently, I took hardly any photos from Wednesday until Sunday... Oh well. A light week.

Likes: Snuggles; being up on my shoulder to look around; his paci

Dislikes: Diaper changes; not being fed immediately!

Sleeping: I thought we were moving towards longer sleep stretches at night, but that seems to have gone out the window. Oh well. Eventually we will get this down...

Eating: Sometimes he downs 4 ounces at once and other times, he loves snacking. He'll eat 2 ounces and then be hungry again in an hour and a half.

Playing: Arthur loves chatting with baby brother. And Q's even been "talking" back sometimes. So cute!

Milestones: We've survived the first month! Woohoo! Looking forward to the next round of milestones.

Schedule: Nothing to report.

My Recovery: I have my postpartum appointment tomorrow morning. Hoping to be medically cleared. i feel like i'm just about back to normal. Now I get to focus on losing the extra weight.

Out and About: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we stayed home and out of the rain. I focused on cooking and cleaning. Saturday the rain stopped enough to allow us to visit the Oakland Zoo for their special Halloween activities. Arthur trick-or-treated while seeng the animals. Q mostly slept. Sunday I hosted crop day so Q got meet some of the crafty ladies.

Life Right Now #31

As I look outside my window: Dark clouds are rolling in. Another rainy day here in the Bay Area. Good thing I'm staying in doors today. Wouldn't want to drag the newborn out in this.

Right now I am: Holding an almost asleep baby, typing one-handed, drinking coffee, and chatting with the toddler.

On my bedside table: Same as last week -- Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris; Wild by Cheryl Strayed; Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink

On my tv this week: J and I started watched the new Dirk Gently series (definitely different than the Stephan Mangan version, but I like it), Zapped (crazy British sitcom), and The Good Place (has potential). I knocked out a few more Gilmore Girls and Penny Dreadful episodes. Arthur and I watched a few episodes of The Great British Bake-off Season 2 (missed this season).

Listening to: Not much, although the other day I did put on The Lumineers Pandora channel. I love the mix of softer indie rock for a quieter afternoon.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
• Tuesday - Chicken Pot Pie
• Wednesday - Smothered Pork Chops
• Thursday - Santa Fe Chicken
• Friday - Leftovers
• Saturday - Grilled Cheese and Soup
• Sunday - Potato Bacon Casserole

On my to do list: I need to call the post office to inquire about a passport appointment. We moving forward getting myself and both boys passports. I also need to buy stamps for the birth announcements and pick up Q's birth certificate.

Happening this week: Very light week of activities

• Monday - Cleaning the house probably; Trick or Treating!
• Tuesday - Post Partum appointment; Board Meeting
• Wednesday - ???
• Thursday - ???
• Friday - ???
• Saturday - Card Classes
• Sunday - Baby sprinkle for two friends

What I am creating: Today I'm hosting crop day at my house. I'm hoping work finish my last three November design team cards and work on Q's Project Life album.

My simple pleasures: Cooler, rainy weather (I miss fall); more than 3 hours of sleep at a time; ability to read during nighttime feedings (yeah for the iPad)

Looking around the house: I cleaned the kitchen on Friday, but failed to tackle the living and playroom. Guess what I get to do tomorrow...

From the camera: Zoo train selfie!

Duke of a Gilded Age by Suzanne G. Rogers

Title: Duke of a Gilded Age

Author: Suzanne G. Rogers

Publisher: Idunn Court 2014

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: none

When American-born Wesley Parker inherits a dukedom in 1890, he must learn to be an aristocrat. Assigned to the task is his attorney’s daughter, prim Belle Oakhurst. As they travel to England together on a luxurious ocean liner, their tempestuous relationship encounters more than rough seas. Although Wesley is increasingly attracted to Belle, she is already engaged. While Belle begins to regret her hasty promise to marry, she is bound by honor and duty to keep her pledge. Furthermore, a thoughtless fabrication on her part threatens to expose her as a liar. Neither Wesley nor Belle can foresee that their voyage across the Atlantic will be fraught with peril, and will cost more than one man his life.

Another fun and fluffy romance for my middle of the night reading. This one took slightly longer to finish as it's actually novel length, but I did it this morning! I immediately fell for Belle and Wesley. They make such a great couple. And the storyline isn't completely ridiculous, just the right amount of ridiculous. The star rating of these types of novels is often determined by the side characters. Good side characters equal higher ratings from me. Thankfully this one had some good side characters, especially Cavendish. A nice fun read!

2016 Reading Challenges Update #3

Getting closer to the end of the year. Let's check in on my reading challenge progress. This year I scaled back on the number of challenges and number of spots. I wanted to switch the focus from reading challenge to just reading So far my strategy seems to be working very well!

Total Challenges: 6/13 46.2%

Total Spots: 347/40086.8%

Individual Challenge Progress:

• Perpetual Reading Challenges  20/20  100%**
• Read My Own Damn Books  40/40  100%**
• I Love Libraries  24/24  100%**
• Nonfiction  20/20  100**
• Popsugar  27/40  67.5%
• What’s in a Name   3/6  50%
• Fairytale Retelling  3/10  30%*
• Books to Movies  8/10  80%
• Finishing the Series  5/6  83.3%
• Graphic Novel  34/52  65.4%
• Women Authors  20/20  100%**
• 52 Books in 52 Weeks  43/52  82.7%
• Picture Books   100/100  100%**

**Successes: Six reading challenges completely done and multiple very close! I am very excited about my progress so far. I was concerned that I reading would stop once the baby came. Fortunately I am still reading although the pace has slowed.

*Failures (Needs Improvement): So I am failing at the Fairytale Retelling challenge. I really don't know if I will finish this one before the end of December. I'm going to focus on some of the other challenges.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Migraines can kiss my ass. Not having a good week due to a pounding head. The screeches of the toddler and the newborn are not helping.
• Chocolate chip cookie bars were a great surprise treat from a friend. I can't lie, they didn't last long at all.
• I'm obsessed with planner accessories and stickers. Thankfully one of the Etsy shops I've been following had a 75% off flash sale. Now I can't wait until my goodies are delivered.
• Enjoying my pumpkin spice coffee.
• My wardrobe is not my friend right now. I shouldn't buy anything new, but my goodness I want to.
• I really need to get to the post office and send Q's birth announcements.

Quentin: 1 Month/4 Weeks!

Likes: Baby carrier snuggles (Arthur hated the carrier so this is a nice change); car rides (thank goodness); watching his big brother play

Dislikes: Diaper changes; digestive issues

Sleeping: We're still working on sleeping better at night. Lately, he's been sleeping only 1-2 hours at a time between night feedings. I'm so over this. We all need better sleep around here.

Eating: The original formula we tried caused some major constipation. We tried a "gentle" formula that fixed the constipation, but caused lots of gas. We're on our third different formula. We need to give it another day before determining if it's going to work.

Playing: Q's definitely focusing more and more on things and people. We pulled out the play mat this week. He doesn't seem to care at all. We'll keep trying.

Milestones: Head control is increasing! He's getting there

Schedule: No schedule. Maybe in a few weeks.

My Recovery: I haven't taken any pain meds in almost two weeks. I feel almost back to normal. I get a few twinges of pain after lots of housework or walking or bending in weird positions. I'm still trying to be careful, but I think everything's going really well. My postpartum appointment in coming up on Nov. 1st.

Out and About: We've had a busy week of outings and activities!

• Mel's Play Place
• Grocery store trip
• MVPA Fall Costume Social
• Book club with momma
• Big Target trip
• Trick-or-Treating at Santana Row
• So many activities...

One Month Photos!

• Wearing 3 month clothes even though NB onesies still fit. His legs are too long!
• Drinking 4 ounces of formula in a sitting
• Working on head control
• Isn't a fan of swaddling anymore
• Next doctor appointment is Nov. 28th

Music Tuesday -- Skillet "Feel Invincible"

Loving this song this week. 

The Obituary Society's Last Stand by Jessica L. Randall

Title: The Obituary Society's Land Stand (The Obituary Society #3)

Author: Jessica L. Randall

Publisher: Amazon 2016

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 232

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W43

Juniper’s knack for finding lost things is downright magical. But so is the portal to the afterlife in her back yard. Soon the town of Auburn is overrun with restless souls, and some of them want more than just one more Bingo win. To make matters worse, Juniper’s gift goes wonky when she needs it most. With new allies she doesn’t trust, magic that won’t behave, and ominous ghosts threatening all she loves Juniper must find a solution to her haunting problem or else…

A nice conclusion to the trilogy. I felt like we get closure to the underlying conflict of the series. We get to see what happens to all the characters. And we get to spend more time with a few of the previously side characters in Auburn. I enjoyed spending time with Juniper and Levi. The supernatural elements added to the story but weren't crazy. Definitely a good read for my middle of the night feedings.

The Obituary Society

• #1 The Obituary Society
• #2 The Stranger's Obituary
• #3 The Obituary Society's Last Stand

Life Right Now #30

On my bedside table: Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris; Wild by Cheryl Strayed; Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink

On my tv this week: We finished Daredevil S1 and finally started Jessica Jones. So intense, but really really good. I imagine we will speed through this one also. Plus we caught up with Last Week Tonight and Full Frontal.

Listening to: Random iTunes shuffle. Rediscovering some songs on my computer.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Irish Whiskey Short Rib Stew
• Tuesday - Friend bringing food
• Wednesday - Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
• Thursday - Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Friday - Smothered Pork Chops
• Saturday - Santa Fe Chicken
• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: I need to schedule a day to go get Q's birth certificate. I have to travel all the way up to Martinez so it will be a day trip. I also need to do a bunch of errands this week.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Grocery trip
• Tuesday - Trick or Treating at Santana Row
• Wednesday - Home day
• Thursday - Possibly trip to Martinez or Mel's Play Place
• Friday - Home day
• Saturday - Boo at the Oakland Zoo
• Sunday - Crop Day at our house

What I am creating: I'm hoping to knock out a few more November Design Team cards this week. My goal is three. We'll see if the baby cooperates and lets me have some crafting time.

My simple pleasures: Cooler but still sunny weather. Magazines from the library.

Looking around the house: I managed to vacuum the living room on Friday. Now I really need to focus on cleaning the playroom. It's a disaster!

From the camera: Someone didn't want to put on his costume for our fall social yesterday.

October 2016 Clothing Summary

So I completely stopped doing these after April. To be fair, I didn't really buy clothes as I was pregnant and wearing my old maternity clothes. I haven't bought any new clothes since giving birth a month ago, but I'm going to try and estimate what I spent during the last months of my pregnancy. Hopefully I can start fitting into real clothes soon and the reevaluate my wardrobe. Summer 2015 I participated in a capsule wardrobe challenge. I learned a lot from three months of wearing ~40 pieces. One of the biggest things that I learned was that I hate most of my wardrobe. I have so many ill-fitting and/or not my style pieces cluttering my closet. After completing the summer capsule wardrobe, I decided to take the fall off from that particular challenge and work on building a wardrobe I love. To that end, I started buying clothes agin. But not just any old clothes. No more purchases from the clearance rack “just because it’s cheap.” No more keeping things that don’t quite fit. No more buying things that i love on the mannequin but look silly on me. No more buying clothes that I realistically won’t wear. Instead, I’m trying to be very selective in my buying. So, dear readers, I am going to share with you what I bought during the past month. I will post links if the item is still available and prices i paid. I don’t have a specific budget, but definitely don’t want to spend more than $100 a month. (Realistically I’m aiming for around $40 a month). You will also get to see pieces I bought that I ended up returning. By December, I want to be able to say that I bought some great pieces that I wear often. I also want to plan for a possible winter capsule wardrobe…

I decided to add a running total for 2016 at the bottom. I know some months I won’t buy anything and other months I’ll splurge. I would like to monitor my total spent…

Target -- I eventually had to buy some new underwear (yeah for granny panties for postpartum recovery!) and a new nursing bra. I also grabbed a nursing tank that has been great for sleeping in. Estimated cost - $40.00

DSW -- Towards the end of my pregnancy, I realized that I was down to one pair of flip flops. All my other shoes didn't fit with my swollen feet. I broke down and popped into DSW to find something that I could wear for awhile. I found these two pairs of shoes on the clearance rack. Those flip flops are the comfiest I've every owned. They have been amazing for my aching feet. And the sneakers will be a great replacement for my old Dr. Scholl's sneaks that bit the dust last year. Thankfully both pairs were 40% off their original price. I got shoes that fit and didn't break the bank!  $52.00 for both pairs

May-October Total: $92.00

Total for 2016: $305.54

Rat Queens Vol. 3

Title: Rat Queens Vol. 1: Sass and Sorcery

Author: Kurtis J. Wiebe, Tamra Bonvillain, Tess Fowler

Publisher: Image 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novels

Having survived the end of the world, the Queens follow Hannah back to where it all began: Mage University. A long perilous journey awaits the Rat Queens as they attempt to find out what happened to Hannah's father while battling their own demons.

Ooooh my. Shit just got crazy for the queens. I sped through this volume in record time. Learning more about Hannah's past was just what I was wanting for. I love the back and forth between the four main characters. That is really why I keep reading. I can't wait to see what happens after the explosive events at the end of this volume.

The Stranger's Obituary by Jessica L. Randall

Title: The Stranger's Obituary (The Obituary Society #2)

Author: Jessica L. Randall

Publisher: Amazon 2015

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 184

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; 52 Books - W42

Mina Fairchild keeps to herself, and that’s the way she likes it. Her secluded life protects the secrets she hides, as well as a certain peculiarity that even people in the colorful town of Auburn, Nebraska find strange.

But when her movie-star sister Bernadette shows up on her sofa, Mina’s cozy bungalow is overrun with paparazzi. One dark eyed reporter seems to see straight into Mina’s soul and her world begins to crumble. It’s bad enough when he noses around her secrets, but then he starts digging for information about her mother, and Mina can’t let that happen.

Not quite as good as the first book in the series, but still a very enjoyable read. I enjoyed Mina's storyline, but found Bernie lacking. I just couldn't get behind her motivations at all. Mina had reasons for her faults Bernie just seemed very self-centered. I was not a fan of hers even after her "redemption." I loved revisiting some of my favorite characters: Gladys, Juniper, and Ada. Plus all the other townspeople make appearances. We also get a bit of a supernatural twist. Amazingly enough, it doesn't feel weird or forced. The supernatural elements seem right at home in Auburn. I'm certain I will dive into the third book tonight during the late night feeding sessions.

The Obituary Society

• #1 The Obituary Society
• #2 The Stranger's Obituary
• #3 The Obituary Society's Last Stand

Music Tuesday - Lindsey Stirling feat. Andrew McMahon "Something Wild"

Man, this soundtrack has some great music.

Quentin: 3 Weeks

Likes: Snuggles with momma, watching Arthur

Dislikes: Diaper and clothes changes, eating slowly

Sleeping: We're still adjusting our days and nights, but it's better. Slowly, Q's been increasing the sleep stretches at night time. But he still struggles with going to sleep the late evening time. He's staying awake during the day for longer stretches of time. The other day he went two and a half hours of awake time before falling back asleep. Holy cow!

Eating: This kid is a snacker. During the day, he'll eat 2 ounces and then refuse any more. But in 30-45 minutes he wants another 2 ounces.

Playing: I think I should pull out the baby mat soon. He starting to look at more and more things. Q may just like the hanging animals on the baby mat.

Milestones: I see definite improvement in Q's eye contact. He loves to stare at people more now.

Schedule: Still allowing him to dictate the schedule of the day, but we are going to start doing some activities this coming week. Arthur really needs more engagements out of the house.

My Recovery: I'm basically off my pain meds. I took a Motrin the other day after developing a horrendous nausea-inducing migraine. Otherwise, my incision has not pain. My ab muscles are still repairing and I have some soreness, but not severe enough to require medication. Weight wise, I'm down another 3 pounds.

Out and About: I accomplished my first solo outing with both boys. We had the ambitious plan of hitting the library, Walgreens (pick up pictures), and a short grocery visit, but I was fully prepared on scraping the other two errands if the library did not go well. We ended up completing all our errands. Quentin slept almost the entire time. Car rides seem to agree with him. Yeah!

Life Right Now #29

As I look outside my window: Windy and rainy. The leftovers from that typhoon have been rolling through all weekend.

Right now I am: Feeding a tiny baby and begging the toddler to eat his breakfast. Typical morning.

On my bedside table:  Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger; Rat Queens Vol. 3; The Obituary Society's Last Stand by Jessica Randall

On my tv this week: J and I are alternating Shield and Daredevil. We finally restarted Daredevil so we can eventually catch up, but some times it's just too intense and we switch over to Shield. I've been slowly working my way through rewatching Gilmore Girls. Almost finished with season one.

Listening to: It's been a Hamilton kind of week.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Frozen Chinese
• Tuesday - Friend bringing food
• Wednesday - BBQ Chicken
• Thursday - Friend bringing food
• Friday - Leftovers probably
• Saturday - Baked Ziti
• Sunday - Irish Whiskey Short Rib Stew

On my to do list: More rest; getting back on track with housework; finishing a book or two

Happening this week:

• Monday - Maybe a trip to the indoor play place
• Tuesday - Home day
• Wednesday - Friend is coming over for a playdate
• Thursday - Friend is coming over for a playdate; grocery run
• Friday - Home day
• Saturday - MVPA Fall Costume Social
• Sunday - Book Club

What I am creating: Working on catching up our Project Life albums. I haven't finished August or September yet. And I want to start Quentin's baby album. Thinking I will do his weekly for the first year and run it September-September to keep with the format of Arthur's albums.

My simple pleasures: Chocolate (just a bite or two each day); rainy cloudy days for snuggling and book reading; hazelnut coffee

Looking around the house: I need to restart my cleaning routine. We got off track due to baby coming, but it's been a few weeks. I need to get back in the swing of things.

From the camera: Got out the house this week and went to the library. Arthur picked out some good books.

Arthur: 3 Years Old! (well, tomorrow at least)

Arthur’s 3 years old! Well, okay his birthday is tomorrow, but I'm posting today. Time has really flown by...  Arthur had his 3rd year doctor visit this week complete with flu shot. That did not go well at all, but we made it through. Arthur is currently 36 pounds and just over 3 feet tall. He's hitting all the developmental milestones perfectly.

Likes: Playing with friends (especially J, V, and C), his baby and bis (blanket), his little brother (thankfully), jumping and running everywhere, cars and trains

Dislikes: Picking up his toys at night, being quieter when Q is sleeping, having a dirty diaper

Sleeping: I was going to write that he's a champion sleeper going down at around 8pm and waking around 7:30am. But... this week then happened. He's been getting up in the middle of the night and it's really hard to get him to go back to sleep. This may be due to the arrival of baby Q, but it certainly is annoying. I want my good sleeper back. As for naps, they have been nonexistent for at least a year now. It's a crazy day if he falls asleep during the day and usually ends with a cranky toddler after he wakes up.

Eating: Typical toddler pickiness. He's really not a fan of meat beyond chicken (and even then it depends on what is on it). Dinner time is always a crapshoot as to wether he will eat it or not. The other night I offered cheese, a peach, broccoli, and peanut butter pretzels (J and I were having really spicy food). Arthur ate the cheese and broccoli and then asked for seconds on the broccoli. So yeah I guess. But that doesn't guarantee that he will eat broccoli tonight. I'm not super worried about his eating. I just keep offering a variety of foods.

Playing: Oh my the imaginary play is at full force right now! Everything is a big new game and only he knows the rules. We try to meet with friends for playdates at least once a week. He's also a huge fan of vehicles of any kind (trains, cars, planes, etc). Definitely his favorite toys overall. Although right now, he's fixated on his Paw Patrol figures. I think a few more may be in order for Christmas. We don't have Sky or Everest figures yet.

Schedule:Well, we had a schedule, but with Q arriving, that's gone out of the window for right now. Hopefully we can get back to a semblance of a schedule soon.

Out and About: Before Q came, we were out and about at least three days a week. Arthur's favorite places include the Oakland Zoo (his #1 fave place to go), any park, the library, Bay Area Discovery Museum (one of mom's fave places to go), Mel's Play Place (indoor play area), Target (for cars!), and Chabot Space and Science Center.

Birthday Party: Due to Q arriving at the end of September, I elected to throw Arthur's third birthday party mid September. He requested a Paw Patrol theme and I delivered. We had a small party of about 5 toddlers and a few babies which was the perfect number for our house. Arthur and his friends spent most of the party playing, but we did also have pin the badge on Chase game and an adopt-a-puppy game. Each kid got to punch out a puppy and take it home complete with an adoption certificate. Arthur loved his cake with Paw Patrol "candles" (really little figures). Yum yum! Overall, it was a great party and his last solo party. Next year, he'll probably be sharing a party with Quentin. Mommy can't organize two parties within two weeks of each other. Too much work!

It's Video Day!

Loved the first one. Can't wait for the second one.

Interesting little video.

Haha! I loved both of these shows!

These two are adorable!

John Oliver is amazing and somehow this slipped through my fingers.

Love Adam

This one got lost in my feed, but it is so precious!

I love these great Mental Floss videos!

Fall TBR Pile

Today I'm sharing my Fall TBR pile. Come October, I always feel the need to reevaluate my reading goals for the year. What books did I really want to read at the start of 2016 that have somehow fallen off my TBR pile? There's always a few.

1. Rat Queens Vol 3
2. Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger
3. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
4. Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
5. 2-3 Fairytale retellings (maybe library selections)
6. Paper Towns by John Green
7. Bossypants by Tina Fey
8. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
9. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
10. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

The Obituary Society by Jessica L. Randall

Title: The Obituary Society

Author: Jessica L. Randall

Publisher: Amazon 2014

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 194

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Read My Own Damn Books; Women Authors

When Lila Moore inherits her grandfather's house, she finds herself in a small Midwestern town where margarine is never an acceptable substitution for butter, a coveted family recipe can serve as currency, and the friend who will take your darkest secrets to the grave will still never give you the secret to her prize-winning begonias.

Apparently, I'm huge into easy fluffy books while feeding the baby in the middle of the night. And I loved loved loved this one! I immediately fell into the town of Auburn, Nebraska and all the mysteries and characters. Lila is a great main character, but I was really pulled in by the ladies of the Obituary Society and Juniper. They seem like my kind of women. The mystery was intriguing and I even enjoyed the slightly supernatural elements to the story. They weren't distracting like I had initially feared. Instead, they just added a bit more to the mystery and atmosphere of Auburn. The romance was sweet and satisfying. I know that the next book in the series has a different main character, but I'm hoping everyone else at least makes and appearance. Can't wait to dive in tonight.

The Obituary Society

• #1 The Obituary Society
• #2 The Stranger's Obituary
• #3 The Obituary Society's Last Stand