September 2022 Wrap

September TBR Pile (21/35):

1. Bookworms BC: The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (library) ✓

2. Bookworms BC: The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

3. Friend BC: Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl ✓

4. Friend BC: The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard

5. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler ✓

6. Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility

7. Fantasy: The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

8. Fantasy: Into the Windwracked Winds by A. Deborah Baker ✓

9. Fantasy: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint ✓

10. Fantasy: City of Ghosts by VE Schwab (library) ✓

11. Fantasy: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (library) ✓

12. Fantasy: Vicious by VE Schwab ✓

13. Mystery: A Curious Beginning by Deanna Rayburn

14. Mystery: The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths (library) ✓

15. Mystery: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (library) ✓

16. Romance: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George ✓

17. Romance: Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren (library)

18. Historical Fiction: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith ✓

19. Thriller: Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey (library) ✓

20. Horror: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (library)

21. Horror: Jackaby by William Ritter ✓

22. Science Fiction: The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

23. Science Fiction: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

24. Science Fiction: The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson

25. Nonfiction: The 1619 Project edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones

26. Nonfiction: Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X Kendi

27. Nonfiction: Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine

28. Poetry: The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

29. Kid Read Aloud: Through the Looking-glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll ✓

30. Kid Read Aloud: Word of Mouse by James Patterson ✓

31. Kid Read Aloud: Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorrie ✓

32. Kid Read Aloud: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown ✓

33. Kid Read Aloud: Morning Girl by Michael Dorris ✓

34. Kid Read Aloud: A Wolf Called Wander ✓

35. Comics: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 5790 pages
Pages Remaining: 381,457 pages

Current Read - The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill; Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (4)

My BOTM selection this month was Sarah Addison Allen’s newest book Other Birds.

Randomly, I finally ordered The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse

While in Des Moines, we stopped at Half Price Books and I grabbed a few titles

• Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

• Scottish Myths by Jake Jackson

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 340

• Books Read: 6

• Books Acquired: 4

• Books Unshelved: 0

• Finishing Number: 338

October TBR Pile: It’s spooky book month! I’m trying to focus on the spooky and the horror for this month’s reads (excepting my Friend BC selection). I thought about making a much longer TBR, but only put some top contenders and then will just pick up what I like afterward that.

1. Bookworms BC: The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

2. Friend BC: The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard

3. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

4. Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

5. Fantasy: The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

6. Mystery: A Curious Beginning by Deanna Rayburn

7. Horror: Reliquary by Douglas Preston

8. Science Fiction: The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson

9. Nonfiction: The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse

10. Poetry: The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

11. Kid Read Aloud: The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Movies watched

• The Road to Wellville - Somehow I totally missed this movie when it came out. J had me watch. Very weird and delightful.

• Listening to Kenny G - Surprised (and yet not) about how oblivious he is about so many things.

• The Story of Bohemian Rhapsody - Decent little BBC doc about the making of a song.

• Little Women - Better than I thought it would be, but I’m not convinced that the time cuts were necessary.

• Creem: America’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll Magazine - I never read Creem, but had hear about it. Loved getting to know the story.

• Thor: Love and Thunder - I enjoyed the humor; not a huge fan of the sad emotional content.

• Moog - Ooof lots of rambling from Moog. Not a good storyline.

• Summer of Soul - Fascinating topic! I loved hearing about all the musical acts.

• The Wrecking Crew - Another fascinating story about behind-the-scenes musicians.

• Vinyl Nation - Loved learning more about the making of vinyl records.

• Gimme Danger - A doc about The Stooges, sign me up! I would have liked a bit more from othe musicians about the legacy of The Stooges.

• Stop Making Sense - This 1984 Talking Heads concert film was like a time capsule. Loved every minute of it.

TV Shows watched 

• Little Demon S1 - Love quirky cartoons

• What We Do in the Shadows S3 - Another great season

• The Orville S3 - I’m very meh about this series now

• Sonic Highways - I really really loved this doc-series focused on one city each episode.

• Lower Decks S3 - Really enjoy this series.

• Rick & Morty S6 - Off to a great start of this season.

• Archer S13 - I can’t believe this show is still running! Love it!

Comments - A very decent showing this month for books and tv shows/movies. I don’t feel like we watched or read much this month, but I was wrong after writing this all out. Looking forward to October’s spooky movie and books month.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Birthday party prep is going well, but I still have so much to do. I’m getting there…

• I overdid it at Vala’s on Monday, but I might go again on Friday. we just won’t be spending 6 1/2 hours there….

• Book club was a treat this week. We spent four hours chatting about books and other things. And we spent the time out on a beautiful patio (last time probably before it gets too cold).

• Looking forward to my October TBR pile.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Title: Ariadne

Author: Jennifer Saint

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Unread Shelf Project RC - March (Biography - heehee)

Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?

I absolutely had to get this book when it showed up in the Book of the Month selections. But then I let it languish on my shelves for a year. Finally picked it up this week and dove into this retelling of Ariadne and Phaedra’s stories. We start slowly, setting up the world on Crete and the family dynamic. I found the first part of the book to be a little slow. Once Ariadne is left on the island, I sped through the rest of the pages desperate to see how the story ends. Saint does not disappoint in giving us a Greek myth told from a feminist perspective. There’s nothing ground breaking here, but we do get a good story full of interesting characters. The writing isn’t quite as strong as Madeline Miller’s Circe, but I still found it very compelling and clear. I enjoyed my trip back to ancient Crete and Greece even if I always wish for a much happier ending for the female characters.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Title: Vicious (Villains #1)

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Tor 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

A book club friend insisted that I pick this one up and she was right! I absolutely loved this story of two friends who become extra ordinary and then attempt to navigate their worlds. I immediately fell for the oddball character of Victor. I really wanted him to find his place in the world and get away from the strange pull of Eli. Alas, we know that those two will spend the entire book pulled together, but also at odds with one another. What follows is a cat and mouse game as they each try to get the drop on the other while also dealing with new friends and enemies. I loved how we go back and forth in time to understand exactly what happened between Victor and Eli and how it is affecting the current time. Sydney and Michell were great additions and I was definitely intrigued by Serena and her power. I sped through the book desperate to see how it ended. Of course we get a bit of a cliffhanger, but that just means that I need to go pick up the second book in the series soon.

Villains

• #1 Vicious

• #2 Vengeful

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W7: Our First Flex Week!

What We Studied

As part of my planning process, I have inserted Flex Weeks into our regular schedule. In essence, Flex Weeks help me account for random days off and delays in our schedule. (Except for the first section) I schedule 4 weeks of lessons and then insert a Flex Week. If we get behind during those 4 weeks, we can make up our lessons and time during the Flex Week. I originally called them Break Weeks, but that’s not what they are. We don’t have schedule week breaks after every session. Instead, we often take a day off during a random week. Sometimes it’s due to sickness or general attitudes and sometimes it’s due to a fun opportunity to go somewhere or see something special. Homeschool is all about flexibility and this is how I remain flexible.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur finished The Wild Robot and loved it. We are planning on starting the sequel next week. We must see how Roz’s journey ends. We also started a new poetry book of Robert Frost’s creations. Beyond the selections tied to curriculum, we started reading A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry for a bedtime selection. It took a very serious turn the other night and I am very sad for the characters (who are wolves).

• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

• Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry

• In the Beginning by Virginia Hamilton

• Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost

• A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

Quentin focused on reading animal stories from around the world. I’m trying to line them up with our continents as we move across the world. We moved into South American tales and stories to round out our reading.

• Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry

• A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister

• Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta

• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead

• Looking for Jaguar and Other Rain Forest Poems by Susan Katz

• Abuelita and Me by Leonarda Carranza

• Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection by Alma Flor Ada

Creations at The Durham Museum

Math

For both boys, we have scheduled math for three days a week. One day is focused on logic, games, puzzles, and special projects. The two other days are focused on covering the main math curriculum (Singapore 4A and 4B for Arthur and Singapore 1A and 1B for Quentin).

• Logic Liftoff (Arthur)

• Singapore 4A

• Tinkeractive Math Kindergarten

• Lollipop Logic Book 2 (Quentin)

Another Durham creation

Social Studies

Arthur continued his large study of United States history using a combination of Build Your Library Level 5 and History Quest United States History. We wrapped up our exploration of the various groups of Native Americans pre-1492. We also finished two history read alouds. Arthur also took another Outschool class from Kelly Tudor, this time about Indigenous People's’ Day. I really love her classes. I’ll have to check to see if she has any other good upcoming ones.

• A Kid’s Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis

• An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

• Between Earth and Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places by Jospeh Bruchac and James Bruchac

• The Earth Under Sky Bear’s Feet by Joseph Bruchac

• Turtle Island: The Story of North America’s First People by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger

• What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger

• Trickster: Native American Tales by Matt Dembicki

• History Quest: U.S. History

• Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris

• Morning Girl by Michael Dorris

• The Girl Who Helped Thunder retold by James Bruchac and Joseph Bruchac

Quentin began his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We did a study of Central America, the Caribbean, and started on South America.

• Nat Geo Beginner’s World Atlas

• DK Countries of the World

• DK Children Just Like Me

• DK Children Just Like Me; A School Like Mine

• Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh

• Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore

• The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico by Nina Jaffe

• How Music Came to the World by Hal Ober

• Dalia's Wondrous Hair by Laura Lacamara

• Alfredito Flies Home by Jorge Argueta and Luis Garay

• Rainbow Weaver by Tejedora Del Arcoiris

• Islandborn by Junot Diaz

• South America by Libby Koponen

• South America by Alexis Roumanis

• Introducing South America by Anita Ganeri

• Spotlight on South America by Karen Bush Gibson

Arthur Independent Time

We are working on following a checklist in a planner for weekly independent work. There’s usually some math workbook pages, an ELA packet, weekly writing prompts (1-2 times a week), independent reading time, and a special creative project. I finally downloaded Flipaclip for Arthur to work on his drawing skills. A good friend of his has it and was showing him the cool creations. We has been really enjoying the drawing time.

Science

Arthur is focusing on Physics this year. We are covering the text and related videos at home and then joining friends for experiments and extra projects. The one week, our friends were sick, so we held the experiment for the next week. We did cover work, energy, and planes and wedges.

• RSO Physics

• The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way by Joy Hakim

Quentin will be focusing on animal science with BYL Level 0. We talked about animals of Central America and the Caribbean nations. We also threw in a little discussion about the Autumnal Equinox.

• Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas

• DK Animal

• Lonely Planet: The Animal Book

• The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George

• A is for Anaconda by Anthony Frederick

• We're Roaming in the Rainforest: An Amazon Adventure by Laurie Krebs and Anne Wilson

• Llamas by Mary R. Dunn

• Howler Monkeys by Chadwick Gillenwater

• Poison Dart Frogs by Julie Murray

• Amazon River by Sangma Francis

• Toucans by Julie Murray

• Sloths by Julie Murray

• Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Park

STEAM Coop

The older class started their telecommunications unit. Which means that I get to sit back a bit and just assist the various classes. The younger two classes learned about maps and geography. Quentin really got into make a sample landform map in a Tupperware.

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking

We’re planning one doing on art project and one cooking project each week as well as picking a composer or musician to listen to and enjoy. This week music just didn’t happen. But that’s okay. Arthur participated in an Outschool drawing class and really enjoyed it. They drew a falcon. Currently, he is signed up for this weekly class. We might not make it to every week, but it should be a fun class to continue with. Each week they will draw a different animal.

For our cooking projects, we had a Jamaica Night and a Cuba Night. For Jamaica, we made jerk chicken, beans and coconut rice, banana punch, and ting. For Cuba, we made pork Cubano, baked plantains, and coconut rum cake. All so good! Quentin even tried everything and liked some of it.

Jamaican Night

Cuban Night

Field Trip

We went to the Durham with coop for a very interesting look at the founding and Omaha and the International Exposition. I enjoyed our time at the museum.

Family Game Night

Result from Arthur’s first drawing class

High

• Our coop meetings were a blast these past two weeks. I don’t have to teach (yeah!) and can spend some time observing and help all of the students. And the weather held out last Thursday making it a bit chilly but no rain for our meeting time. I really resist moving into houses with the changing weather.

Low

• My body has been hurting lately which makes me less likely to take the kids places. I need to get into a better routine there.

Marshmallow catapults for science

Next Week

• Starting The Wild Robot Escapes (A)

• Finishing A Wolf Called Wander

• Moving past 1492 for US History (A)

• Covering more simple machines for Physics (A)

• Reading some animal stories from South America (Q)

• Covering various South American countries (Q)

• Covering telecommunications (A) and life skills Q) for coop

• Fall Picture Day!

• Quentin’s Birthday and a trip to Vala’s!

Excited about our random Aldi find this week

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Anna of the North and Gus Dapperton "Meteorite"

Hearing this song everywhere and it’s definitely become and ear worm for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

Title: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1)

Author: Harper St. George

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 316

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - July (Set in a different country)

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger--it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

We get the classic trope of a man courting/engaged to a sister. In this case, we quickly meet August and follow her as she visits England and encounters a mysterious man in a boxing ring. Of course that man is our male lead. The story then follows the twists and turns of their budding relationship and ends with the classic HEA. This book wasn’t anything surprising or new; I predicted just about everything in the pages. But sometimes, that’s just perfect for my reading. I wanted to pick up a comforting romance without too much angst and this was a great choice. I’m definitely going to be reading further into this series.

The Gilded Age Heiresses

• #1 The Heiress Gets a Duke

• #2 The Devil and the Heiress

• #3 The Lady Tempts an Heir

• #4 The Duchess Takes a Husband

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #28

Right now I am: Making my plan for the day. I have a lot to squeeze in today.

Thinking and pondering: What do I need to put onto my shopping list? I have multiple places to go and things to acquire. Mostly for the birthday party.

On my bedside table: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint; The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

On my tv this week: We continued watching Sonic Highways and some of our currently airing shows (Archer, Lower Decks, Rick & Morty).

Listening to: The usual podcasts. Nothing too exciting this week.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Q’s Choice Charcuterie Board

• Tuesday - Out for Book Club

• Wednesday - BBQ Chicken

• Thursday - Chicken Parmesan

• Friday - Apple Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

• Saturday - Argentina Night

• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: Lots of birthday party tasks, prepping for school for next week, making a grocery list

Happening this week:

• Monday - Quentin’s Birthday! We’re going to Vala’s for the day.

• Tuesday - Online Radio Station Tour with Coop; Book Club

• Wednesday - Coop Picture Day; Science

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Home Day

• Saturday - D&D

• Sunday - Home Day

From the camera: Arthur was so excited to find Jurassic World Trip cereal at Aldi’s. Definitely not on my list, but we bought it anyway.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Title: I Capture the Castle

Author: Dodie Smith

Publisher: 1948

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Pages: 408

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - August (Chosen By Friends)

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"-- and the heart of the reader-- in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

I was gifted this book during a Christmas exchange as the person who gave it told me that it was her favorite book. Somehow I had never actually read this one. After finishing, I feel very meh about this one. I found Cassandra to be at times so very naive and at other times too old for her age. I was intrigued by the book in the first half, but then the neighbors show up and Cassandra becomes a completely different person. I was not a fan of the personality switch. She become such a whiny girl and treated her family so badly. I got to the end of the book and felt very meh about this one. After thinking about it a bit more, I might have loved this book at aged 15, but as a 40 year old woman, I’m not quite a huge fan.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Parable of the Sower (Earthed #1)

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Publisher: 1993

Genre: Scifi

Pages: 345

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Read Shelf RC - September (A Book that Represents the Reader You Want to Be)

Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

We choose this book for my sci-fi and fantasy bookclub after a few difficult books. Ooops! Looks like we picked another difficult book. I had previous read Kindred and was really interested to read other Butler works. I completely understand why she wrote that book. I am more confused about why she wrote this book. Right away we are hit with a very depressing story featuring a young woman who survives and creates a religion. And somehow we have to contend with a very detached style of writing. We never really see Laura truly get horrified by the events in the story. On the other side, I did definitely have visceral and a dramatic reaction to the events. I even took a break after the big events right in the middle of the book. I picked it back up and finally finished the story and immediately just sat back and took a minute. It was a rough story full of graphic events. After thinking, I was impressed with Butler’s skill at creating an entire world that feels so prescient to today’s world. I see the importance of this book. But ultimately, I have a huge issue with the religion piece of this book. I’m still struggling with Laura’s push to create a new religion. The presumption that religion is a good thing stopped me and almost made me stop reading this book. I will be attending an online book discussion on Sunday. Really looking forward to hearing what everyone thought about the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fall Bucket List

My favorite season of the year. We’re diving into the spooky season and planning on soaking up all the fall fun.

1. Visit Vala’s 5x - We have season passes, so we are definitely going to be living there this season.

2. Celebrate Friendsgiving

3. Read 50 Books

4. Complete Spooky Movie Month

5. Execute a Halloween Party for Coop

6. Have an Art/Craft Day

7. Two State Park Visists

8. Two Zoo Visits

9. Pick Out and Carve Pumpkins

10. Go Trick-or-Treating

11. Jump in a Pile of Leaves

12. Go Through a Corn Maze

13. Make 5 Fall Recipes

14. Make Leaf Art

15. Go Pick Apples

16. Go on a Fall Forest Hike

17. Make 3 Pumpkin Recipes

18. Go Bowling

Next up on the TBR pile:

Summer Bucket List Finish

Another season, another summer bucket list. In our town, it’s been feeling like summer for weeks now. I sat down with the kids the other day and they helped me come up with a list of activities for this season.

1. Complete the Library Reading Program ✓

2. Tour of Midwest Zoos ✓

3. Ice Cream Tour of Omaha

4. Louisville SRA ✓

5. Durham Dinosaur Exhibit ✓

6. Trip to Indiana, Iowa, Illinois ✓

7. Cookout with Friends ✓

8. Lincoln Day

9. Medieval, Pirate, and Prehistoric Putt - In progress. The boys went with J to Medieval Putt while I was gone at the end of June.

10. Redo the Playroom ✓

11. Bird Watching Hike

12. Pam Nelson Farm

13. Lauritzen Gardens ✓ - We went with coop for a field trip.

14. 5 Splash Pad Visits ✓

15. 3 Movies at the Theater - 2 done

16. 3 Omaha Zoo Visits ✓

17. Craft/Art Day ✓

18. Read 50 Books ✓

19. July Movie Month! ✓ - We made the instead a September music documentary and movie month. So far, it’s going great.

20. Clear Out My Library Cart ✓ - I returned basically all my library holds and focused on my own books for September.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

Title: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Author: Ruth Reichl

Publisher: Penguin 2006

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 364

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - Food/Cooking

GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine anonymously. There is her stint as Molly Hollis, a frumpy blond with manicured nails and an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque. The result: her famous double review of the restaurant: first she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.

What is even more remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as she takes on these various disguises, she finds herself changed not just superficially, but in character as well. She gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can very much influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites.

One of my book club selections for September and a book that has languished on my shelf for years. Unfortunately, I think it probably should have stayed there. I really enjoyed Reichl’s Save Me the Plums and hoped I would encounter the same fun and relatable woman in this earlier work about her job as a food critic. Instead, I feel like we get a very out-of-touch upper class woman intent on showing the common people the joy of food who actually shows us just how snobby many people (herself included) are when it comes to food. I am no stranger to good food and really enjoy tasting new flavors and expertly crafted dishes. But I realize that that’s not an everyday reality for most people (even me). Sometimes you just have to eat. Not everyone can be catered to and pay for a $100+ meal for one person. After about the fourth chapter, the book got really repetitively. I just ended dreading having to come back to this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jackaby by William Ritter

Title: Jackaby (Jackaby #1)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2014

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 299

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--seem adamant to deny.

I bookish friend recommended this to me a few weeks back and I grabbed it for something a little lighter than my other current reads. This was absolutely the delightful romp that I needed this week. We are thrown into a new city with Abigail and fall into employment and potentially life-calling passion with Jackaby. I immediately fell for every single one of the characters and couldn’t wait to see where this story went. Donald was a particular favorite of mine. He must appear in every single book in this series. Back to the plot, we get a string of mysteries Jack the Ripper style murders that may or may not be supernatural in nature. We meet a wide range of characters that may or may not be supernatural. And through it all, we see a friendship forming between Abigail and Jackaby with witty banter and silly asides. I sped through this book not wanting it to end. Delightful! I can’t wait to pick up the next in the series. A word of caution: the murders in this book are very gruesome and terrifying. Be warned.

Jackaby

• #1 Jackaby

• #1.5 The Map

• #2 Beastly Bones

• #3 Ghostly Echoes

• #4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #17

Reading: I finally started The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George from my giant Unread Shelf. After multiple dark and depressing books, this might be just what I need this week.

Watching: As part of our music documentary month, we started watching Sonics Highways and I am very into the stories

Listening: After binging S3 of Unobscured about the Whitechapel murders, I quickly moved into S4 about Rasputin. I’m really enjoying this deep dive.

Making: I’m deep into birthday party planning mode. I’ve got some games and crafts that I need to finish before the actual day,

Feeling: We got our COVID boosters (J and I) on Sunday and feel like I had no ill-effects. J was done for almost 24 hours feeling terrible, but I’m totally fine. Very surprising.

Planning: Thursday we have our fall semester parent meeting and I’m finishing out my agenda. So many things to discuss.

Loving: I made coconut rum cake this past weekend and it was absolutely delightful. Will be making again and again.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Eva Under Fire "Misery"

I keep catching snippets of this song on the radio and I’m really liking it. So, I’m going to put the entire song in here.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #27

As I look outside my window: It’s a bit dreary out after last night’s storms.

Right now I am: Prepping to marinate the chicken for tonight’s Jamaican night: jerk chicken, coconut beans and rice, and banana punch.

Thinking and pondering: Why does my side hurt so much? Seriously it hurts to breathe sometimes. I think I pulled a muscle, but my goodness, it is painful.

On my bedside table: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith; The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill

On my tv this week: We’ve been continuing on with our music documentaries. I’m really digging Sonic Highways, made by Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters.

Listening to: I finally finished listening to Unobscured Season 3 all about the Whitechapel murders. It really went in depth about the area, the people, and the context for the murders. I think my favorite season so far is Season 2 about American Spiritualism, but this one was very interesting. Season 4 is all about Rasputin.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Broccoli Beef

• Tuesday - Ajiaco (Chicken and Corn Soup)

• Wednesday - Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Chili

• Saturday - BBQ Chicken

• Sunday - Sloppy Joes

On my to do list: We are getting our flu shots today (and bivalent COVID boosters for J and me) to prep for the fall/winter. Beyond that, I need to put away all the clothes, finished prepping my planner, clean the kitchen, write out the parent meeting agenda and my thoughts, and work on the birthday party. I ordered a ton of supplies, but now I need to really write out the quest details. Busy busy busy today!

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day

• Tuesday - Home Day

• Wednesday - Dentist (for me); Science with friends

• Thursday - Coop; Coop Parent Meeting

• Friday - Platte River State Park Hike (although the weather is looking very chilly and rainy for this day; chilly is fun, rain will cause a lot of muddy paths); Arthur Outschool Class

• Saturday - Home day

• Sunday - Nerdy Bookish Friends Zoom Discussion of Parable of the Sower

What I am creating: I’m working on laying out the birthday party quest and all the challenges. I always like to have a script for our birthday parties as there is so much happening.

My simple pleasures: Fun board games with friends (The Wood and Chuck Inn was particular genius on my part), hot coffee, a quiet moment to collect my thoughts.

Looking around the house: I already mentioned that I need to clean the kitchen. I’m also mentally decorating the house for the birthday party to understand where I need to move things.

From the camera: Pork Cubano, brown rice, and baked plantains for last night’s Cuba dinner. I also made a very yummy coconut rum cake for desert.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Title:Through the Woods

Author: Emily Carroll

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 2014

Genre: Comics; Horror

Pages: 208

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our Neighbor’s House”—though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in “A Lady’s Hands Are Cold.” You might try to figure out what is haunting “My Friend Janna,” or discover that your brother’s fiancée may not be what she seems in “The Nesting Place.” And of course you must revisit the horror of “His Face All Red,” the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page.

Already revered for her work online, award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll’s stunning visual style and impeccable pacing is on grand display in this entrancing anthology, her print debut.

This volume caught my eye on the library shelf and I checked it out immediately. This short collection of horror stories hit the spot for me. I wanted something a little fun, a little terrifying, with lots of twists and turns. Just the art gives the reader a tremendous sense of dread. I was completely terrified, especially with the last story. A lovely creepy collection that I am glad that I found randomly.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Title: Daisy Darker

Author: Alice Fenney

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2022

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. As seen on the TODAY show and picked by Book of the Month, Daisy Darker's family secrets and Alice Feeney's trademark shocking twists will keep readers riveted.

Another book that I somehow skipped right up to the top of the holds lists and snagged in ebook form. I dove in just knowing that some of my favorite podcast hosts were recommending it. Again, I purposely didn’t read the summary to go into the story blind. We dive into the story and right away know that Nana’s birthday party is not going to go well at all. The murders start and they don’t let up until the end of the book. This book is a sorta retelling of And Then There were None by Agatha Christie. In fact, a character mentions that Christie’s book is her favorite. Even though this is a sorta retelling, it felt fresh and interesting. I sped through the pages just waiting to see who would be revealed as the murderer. The twist came and I was floored for a few minutes. Definitely an entertaining read for a few nights.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Getting back into our regular schedule has reenergized me… thank goodness, I was flagging.

• Looking forward to pumpkin patch season.

• But first, I need to finish planning the boys’ birthday party.

• We’re going a Jamaican food night and a Cuban food night this week to celebrate our geography study. I’m looking forward to the coconut rum cake.

• I’ve read three horror books in a row and it’s been glorious I’m leaning into my comfort reads this month.

Next up on the TBR pile: