Fall Bucket List Update #1

Ahhh fall! My favorite season of the year. I really missed it when we lived in California! Now I get to enjoy all the fall fun! Progress 3/25

1. Visit two pumpkin patches (1/2)

   • Vala’s - Obviously!

2. Carve pumpkins

3. Read 10 spooky books (not kids) (3/10)

   • Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

   • The Tower Formerly Known as Sears by Lisa M. Lilly

   • Life Among the Dead by Daniel Cotton

4. Read 20 spooky kids books (6/20)

   • Five Silly Ghosts by Hilli Kushnir

   • The Pout-pout Fish Halloween Faces by Deborah Diesen

   • Happy Halloween Mittens by Lola Schaefer

   • The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijo

   • Pumpkin Party by Maudie Powell-Tuck

   • Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

5. Make 5 pumpkin recipes (1/5)

   • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins - a staple this time of year!

6. Go on a hayride ✓

7. Take pictures of boys in a pile of leaves

8. Find a new Halloween activity

9. Create a fall signature cocktail

10. Bake a pie

11. Watch 20 Fall/spooky movies (10/20)

    • Idle Hands (1999)

    • Dracula (1931)

    • The Black Cat (1934)

    • The Mummy (1932)

    • Anna and the Apocalypse (2018)

    • The Mummy (1999)

    • Beetlejuice (1988)

    • Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

    • A Cabin in the Woods (2012)

    • Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

12. Navigate a corn maze ✓

13. Buy Halloween pajamas

14. Buy a new nail color for fall

15. Make a leaf craft

16. Buy a new pair of boots

17. Buy and complete a new puzzle

18. Decorate the front porch

19. Make a scarecrow

20. Go trick-or-treating

21. Fill 25 more reading challenge slots (11/25)

22. Find a Halloween door hanger ✓ - We have a cute hanging “BOO” for the front door.

23. Dye my hair something suitably fall

24. Watch It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

25. Eat at 3 new-to-me restaurants

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine

Title: Sword and Pen (Great Library #5)

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Motif; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Steampunk

The corrupt leadership of the Great Library has fallen. But with the Archivist plotting his return to power, and the Library under siege from outside empires and kingdoms, its future is uncertain. Jess Brightwell and his friends must come together as never before, to forge a new future for the Great Library...or see everything it stood for crumble.

And we finally reach the end of The Great Library saga! It was a crazy whirlwind of action and adventure. I loved every page of it. Every chapter was narrated from a different character helping the reader see multiple areas of Alexandria throughout the timelime of the book. I loved getting more from Morgan and Khalila. Such great characters! Over the course of the series, each of the main characters have grown so much. I feel like we have seen them evolve to embrace their individual identities. I didn’t quite want the series to end, but it was nice to get a proper conclusion.

The Great Library

• #1 Ink and Bone

• #2 Paper and Fire

• #3 Ash and Quill

• #4 Smoke and Iron

• #5 Sword and Pen

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• So close to the birthday party and I still have a ton of task list items.

• I did a bit clean out of my clothes and it feels so good to be organized.

• Plus the playroom is so clean right now!

• Spooky October movie month is going well. So far, I think the original The Mummy has been my favorite.

• I need more apple cider!

• Thinking about next year’s food project. Maybe stews and soups?

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Umbrella Academy Vol. 3

Title: The Umbrella Academy Vol. 3: Hotel Oblivion

Author: Gerard Way, Gabriel Ba

Publisher: Dark Horse Books 2019

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 200

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Faced with an increasing number of lunatics with superpowers eager to fight his own wunderkind brood, Sir Reginald Hargreeves developed the ultimate solution ...

Now, just a few years after Hargreeves's death, his Umbrella Academy is scattered. Number Five is a hired gun, Kraken is stalking big game, Rumor is dealing with the wreckage of her marriage, an out-of-shape Spaceboy runs around the streets of Tokyo, Vanya continues her physical therapy after being shot in the head--and no one wants to even talk about what Séance is up to ...

This volume was so much better than the first two. I loved the multiple storylines following each of the seven children. But my favorite was Allison’s storyline. So good! The scenes set in space were drawn so well. I loved those pages the most. My goodness that was a cliffhanger ending.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fall TBR

Ummm… oops! I completely forgot about my Fall TBR post until last night. Even though it’s a bit late, I’m moving forward and posting this season’s TBR.

Let's see how I did with my Summer TBR (3/10): Very slightly better than Summer’s TBR, but not a great showing.

1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2. Children of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi

3. Booknotes by Brian Lamb - Done!

4. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - Done!

5. Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

6. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Stephan Brusatte

7. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

8. Columbine by Dave Cullen - Done!

9. Solaris by Stanislaw Lem

10. Two Her Royal Spyness volumes

Fall TBR: Going for some of the books that I’m hoping to finish by the end of the year!

1. Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen

2. The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

3. Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

4. The Witches by Stacy Schiff

5. Feed by MT Anderson

6. The Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis

7. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

8. The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

9. Craft a Life You Love by Amy Tangerine

10. The Hunger by Alma Katsu

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Among the Dead by Daniel Cotton

Title: Life Among the Dead (Live Among the Dead #1)

Author: Daniel Cotton

Publisher: Permuted Press 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 444

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

There are over a million people in the city of Waterloo. Today, most of them have died, and now they are hungry. Corporal Dan Williamson is caught in the middle of the outbreak. He is desperately trying to reach his wife who is somewhere amid the urban decay. There are other souls out there, other tales of survival among the horror. Dan will soon learn that the living may prove to be an even bigger threat than the dead.

A random free ebook find for spooky October! Overall, I really enjoyed this zombie adventure story. I loved the vignette style of storytelling and constant change of setting. Dan is a good zombie apocalypse hero for follow. I ended up knocking off a star for the too many sexual references and scenes. I just couldn’t with those scenes. I doubt that I will continue with the series, but this was a good read for the week.

Life Among the Dead:

• #1 Life Among the Dead

• #2 A Castle Made of Sand

• #3 A Bittersweet Victory

• #4 The End

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Lindsey Stirling Feat. Elle King "The Upside"

Always love new music from Lindsey Stirling. This song has a great sound!

Life Right Now #28

On my bedside table: Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco; Paper Girls Vol. 6

On my TV: We’ve started our Spooky October so our watching has been spooky movies.

Listening to: All the podcasts like usual. Also, I’ve been listening to a lot of Mike Shinoda and Ghost while at the gym. Good gym music!

On the menu:

• Monday - Brie Grilled Cheese

• Tuesday - Leftovers

• Wednesday - Cornbread waffles and chili

• Thursday - Buffalo Chicken Sliders

• Friday - Teriyaki Shrimp and Rice

• Saturday - Party leftovers

• Sunday - Leftovers / Dinner out for me

On my to do list: Final prep for the birthday party; email whoever (not quite sure who) about the Halloween party; schedule RnR classes for Oct; cleaning so much; finishing my two current books

Happening this week:

• Monday - Park; Library; Park Playdate

• Tuesday - Park?; Tinkergarten

• Wednesday - Park Playdate; Vala’s afterschool

• Thursday - Gym morning; Lunch with Arthur; Errands

• Friday - Party prep

• Saturday - BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!

• Sunday - Skinny Bones Pumpkin Patch; Book Club; Zombieland dinner and viewing

What I am creating: Working on the birthday party crafts. Making progress, but I still have a ton of little things to do.

My simple pleasures: Cup of tea; a good book; sleeping with the comforter

What I’m planning: Right now, I’m just trying to get past the birthday party this weekend.

Looking around the house: Things are a bit of a disaster right now as we get ready for the party. I have a giant pile of boxes in my dining room (turning into robots), party supplies piled high on the kitchen counter, and a baker’s rack filled with other party supplies. Plus we need to do a big clean sweep of the downstairs on Friday before the party (bathroom, vacuum, sweep). For the playroom, I’m planning on removing about 1/2 of the toys for the party so we have more room to play. Of course we need to vacuum that room also.

Looking forward to: The birthday party of course!

From the camera: Raffle time at the school carnival on Friday!

Heathen Vol. 2

Title: Heathen Vol. 2

Author: Natasha Alterici, Charles Martin, Adrian F. Wassel

Publisher: Vault 2019

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Aydis the banished viking sets sail on the open sea to reach Heimdall, the magical entrance to the land of the gods. She’ll need the help of a crew of worldly pirate women and man-eating mermaids to survive the dangerous journey. Back on land, the cursed Valkyrie Brynhild and the goddess of love Freyja are chipping away at Odin’s power, testing the god-king’s patience and tempting his wrath.
Collects issues 5 through 8

Still enjoying this comic series. Although I would like it to move just a bit faster. I’ll be on the lookout for Volume 3.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Title: Shadow of Night (All Souls #2)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 574

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:  Finishing the Series; Monthly Keyword - Night; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Magical Law Enforcement

Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.

The further journey of Diana and Matthew, but this time, we’re in 1590 Europe. Goodness! I was very excited to finally read this second book in the series. Once i dove in, I didn’t want to stop. I loved the larger storyline and all the great characters (both historical and fictional) that we met. I especially loved the various witches Diana meets in London. On a more negative note, I really didn’t like Matthew until about halfway through the book. He was too distant, too much the alpha male, too guarded with all his secrets. He came off as an arrogant asshole and I was not interested at all. Thankfully things turned more positive after their official mating. From there, he started to actually remind me of the Matthew that we met in the first book. All in all, it was a good addition to the series even if I think Harkness could have probably shaved off at least 75 pages.

All Souls Trilogy:

• #1 A Discovery of Witches

• #2 Shadow of Night

• #3 The Book of Life

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hello October Videos

I loved Downtown Abbey, but yeah…

I laughed a little too much at this one.

I liked this show, but it had so many loose ends…

Totally here for this video!

Yeah! We get a part 2!

This looks horrifying!

The Tower Formerly Known as Sears and Two Other Tales of Horror by Lisa M. Lilly

Title: The Tower Formerly Known as Sears and Two Other Tales of Urban Horror

Author: Lisa M. Lilly

Publisher: 2011

Genre: Horror

Pages: 45

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

A recruiting event at an amusement park turns deadly when the attractions develop minds -- and purposes -- of their own. A woman struggles with whether to stay in her soulless job, unaware that far more than her career is at stake. And an unpopular new law firm chairman faces not only disgruntled attorneys but a haunted skyscraper bent on his destruction.

I didn’t realize that this was such a short collection of stories. It was one of those free ebooks that I picked up along the way and I finally just opened it the other night. Very uneven stories. I really enjoyed the Sears Tower story. The amusement park story was interesting. But the last story at the restaurant was very strange and not to my taste at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

October 2019 Life Goals

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

• Read 15 books - Success! Just made it with 16 books.

• Visit Vala’s - Success! We’ve gone twice so far this season!

• Create a rotation of activities/places - Threw this goal out. We’re just going to play it by ear until after Christmas.

• Plan/prep for the birthday party - Success! I have more things to do, but many items have been checked off.

• Clean out the kitchen boxes - 50% success. I emptied one. The other box is full of party supplies, so many will get used this month.

October’s Goals:

• Scary movie/television/reading month - We have a list of movies, television shows, and books for this month. I’m going all in for Halloween!

• Pumpkin patch visit with friends - Working on a plan to go to a patch with a few other families.

• Pull off Arthur and Quentin’s birthday party - October 12th!!!

• New Halloween activity - No trick-or-treating at the zoo this year. We’re looking for a different activities.

Next up on the TBR list: