Winter Bucket List Finish

After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want to accomplish this coming year and I want to make some intentions for each season. For winter:

Check off 150 hours of our 1000 hours outside project - Fail. The weather was really against me here. We did manage to get over 25 hours this season, but no where near my goal.
Have a birthday day out for my 40th! ✓ - It was glorious!
Weekend trip to Chicago
Read 50 books ✓
Day trip to Des Moines
At least 6 zoo visits (3/6)
Trip to see the frozen waterfall at Platte
Movie Month February ✓
Weekly Game Day/Night with Arthur ✓
Make winter crafts
Design board for future kitchen renovation
Make Valentine’s ✓
Have a monthly (indoor) picnic
Finish one craft project ✓
Monthly bingo/trivia nights ✓
Go sledding
Buy a new Nebraska State Park permit ✓
Do a donation drop - I’ve done a toy cleanup, just need to gather some more things before doing the drop.
Take the kids bowling
Dye my hair purple - Fail for this season, but I do have an appointment for next week!
Log 50 miles on the treadmill
Learn to knit
Replace 50% of my socks ✓
Make homemade cinnamon rolls
Complete 3 television series ✓

Up Next on the TBR:

Spring Bucket List

After taking a bit of a break from bucket lists in 2021 (seriously, that year was a trash fire), I’m back this year. We have a variety of projects that we want to accomplish this coming year and I want to make some intentions for each season. For spring:

Check off 150 hours of our 1000 hours outside project - Winter was a fail due to the weather. Here’s hoping spring cooperates at least a little bit!
Two Lincoln Excursion Days - We know we want to hit Morrill Hall again and maybe the zoo.
Three State park Visits - Trying to use that pass!
Read 50 books
Day trip to Des Moines - Carrying this over from last season.
At least 6 zoo visits
Design board for future kitchen renovation
Monthly bingo/trivia nights
Do a donation drop - Carry over from last season
Take the kids bowling or mini golfing
Log 50 miles on the treadmill
Make homemade cinnamon rolls
Plan out curriculum for next year
Plan out the Bookish Retreat!
Plan an Indiana trip for summer complete with Indianapolis mini trip
Weekend trip to Kansas
Plan a redo for our homeschool space / playroom
Do a Closet Cleanout for Me
Do a Closet Cleanup for the Kids
Work on a Craft Project

Up Next on the TBR:

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

Title: The Magnolia Palace

Author: Fiona Davis

Publisher:Dutton 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 340

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City's most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica's financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

I’ve enjoyed Davis’s books in the past and had to pick up her newest one this week. We get a study of the Frick Mansion in NYC with our two timelines. I’m not a huge fan of dual timelines when one is in the present, but thankfully this one has two historical timelines: one in post WWI and one in the 1960s. Lillian and the cast of characters in 1919 were fascinating. I loved peeking into the Frick family at the height of their wealth and privilege. The storyline set in the 1960s was less exciting, but we get the perfect plot to wrap up the mysteries from the earlier timeline. Overall a good historical fiction centered on a real place, but I imagine that I will forget this in a few months.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

Title: The Magic Misfits (Magic Misfits #1)

Author: Neil Patrick Harris

Publisher: Little, Brown Books 2017

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 256

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find friends and magic in a sleepy New England town. But like any good trick, things change instantly as greedy B.B. Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies arrive to steal anything and everything they can get their sticky fingers on.

After a fateful encounter with the local purveyor of illusion, Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with five other like-minded illusionists. Together, using both teamwork and magic, they'll set out to save the town of Mineral Wells from Bosso's villainous clutches. These six Magic Misfits will soon discover adventure, friendship, and their own self-worth in this delightful new series.

Oh this was such a delight! Right away we’re pulled into Carter’s story of identity and found family all wrapped up in magic. As soon as Carter meets Mr. Vernon, we know that the story is going to get moving fast. And move it does. This story in one nonstop action and adventure story full of mystery, tricks, and possibly real magic. I loved that Carter finds his place in Mineral Wells and the beginnings of a real family. We get a few clues into the larger history of Mr. Vernon and his compatriots. And we get one heck of a final act with Bosso and his gang. Immediately after I read it, I put it into Arthur’s hands and he devoured it and asked for the next one. Guess we’re adding to the library holds.

The Magic Misfits

#1 The Magic Misfits
#2 The Second Story
#3 The Minor Third
#4 The Fourth Suit

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs edited by Ann R. Williams

Title: Lost Cities, Ancient Tombs: A History of the World in 100 Discoveries

Edited by: Ann R. Williams

Publisher: National Geographic 2021

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 512

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Blending high adventure with history, this chronicle of 100 astonishing discoveries from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the fabulous "Lost City of the Monkey God" tells incredible stories of how explorers and archaeologists have uncovered the clues that illuminate our past. Archaeology is the key that unlocks our deepest history. Ruined cities, golden treasures, cryptic inscriptions, and ornate tombs have been found across the world, and yet these artifacts of ages past often raised more questions than answers. But with the emergence of archaeology as a scientific discipline in the 19th century, everything changed. Illustrated with dazzling photographs, this enlightening narrative tells the story of human civilization through 100 key expeditions, spanning six continents and more than three million years of history. Each account relies on firsthand reports from explorers, antiquarians, and scientists as they crack secret codes, evade looters and political suppression, fall in love, commit a litany of blunders, and uncover ancient curses. Pivotal discoveries include: King Tut's tomb of treasure Terracotta warriors escorting China's first emperor into the afterlife The glorious Anglo-Saxon treasure of Sutton-Hoo Graves of the Scythians, the real Amazon warrior women New findings on the grim fate of the colonists of Jamestown.

I picked this one up off the new books shelf on a whim. I’m always up for a good book about archaeology and discovery. This one details 100 amazing discoveries starting all the way back in prehistoric times with a line of footprints. I enjoyed flipping through the pages and stopping when a topic caught my eye. I knew about most of these discoveries, but it was still nice to remind myself. This collection is perfect to those new to the topic of archaeology and those that are already steeped in it.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Title: The Jumbies

Author: Tracey Baptiste

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2015

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Corinne La Mer claims she isn’t afraid of anything. Not scorpions, not the boys who tease her, and certainly not jumbies. They’re just tricksters made up by parents to frighten their children. Then one night Corinne chases an agouti all the way into the forbidden forest, and shining yellow eyes follow her to the edge of the trees. They couldn’t belong to a jumbie. Or could they?

When Corinne spots a beautiful stranger at the market the very next day, she knows something extraordinary is about to happen. When this same beauty, called Severine, turns up at Corinne’s house, danger is in the air. Severine plans to claim the entire island for the jumbies. Corinne must call on her courage and her friends and learn to use ancient magic she didn’t know she possessed to stop Severine and to save her island home.

I’ve heard about this one from multiple sources and finally picked it up for Middle Grade March. I loved the dive into Caribbean myths and culture. We get to meet Corinne and the various inhabitants of the island, including the non-human inhabitants. We dive right into the story and immediately encounter the danger from Severine. I loved following along as Corinne makes new friends and then finds a way to return peace and order to her island. Beautiful middle grade horror.

The Jumbies

#1 The Jumbies
#2 Rise of the Jumbies
#3 The Jumbie God’s Revenge

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

I just figured out how to combine multiple curriculums together for Quentin. Now I need to start working on Arthur’s stuff.
Thinking it’s survey time for the coop. Working on the topics and questions this week.
Somehow dinner last night was a disaster. The rolls burned and the pork roast turned out incredibly dry. I gave up and we got takeout.
Added five shirts to my spring and summer wardrobe. Finally.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Mattotti

Title: Hansel & Gretel

Author: Neil Gaiman

Artist: Lorenzo Mattotti

Publisher: Toon Graphics

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 56

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Best-selling author Neil Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel & Gretel, a stunning book that's at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.

The writing portion of this slim story was delightful. Gaiman is amazing at creating those turns of phrases that delight and haunt. The illustrations were an interesting idea, but they were very hard to parse through. Still, I’m always up for a good fairy tale retelling.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Title: A Marvellous Light (The Last Binding #1)

Author: Freya Marske

Publisher: Tordotcom 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Unread Shelf Project - Book Bought for the Cover

Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it―not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles―and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

Oh this was a delight from start to finish! I got a mix of The Magicians and Jonathan Strange, but much lighter with some great romance. We get thrown into the story and slowly start to unravel the pieces along with Robin. He was such a wonderful character that you cannot help but love him. As we get thrown into the mystery, we slowly start to meet the rest of the cast of characters. Edwin comes across as a straight-laced aristocrat, but we get to peel back the layers along with Robin. I absolutely loved their burgeoning friendship and then romance. (But be forewarned that there are some very open door steamy scenes in this book. Oh, definitely needed a fan to myself a few times.) The mystery was sufficiently intriguing and dangerous. I sped through the pages not wanting the book to end. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

The Last Binding

#1 A Marvellous Light
#2 A Restless Truth

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin

Title: Snow & Rose

Author: Emily Winfield Martin

Publisher: Random House 2017

Genre: MG Fairytale Retelling

Pages: 213

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Snow and Rose didn’t know they were in a fairy tale. People never do. . .
Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.
Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.
But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.
This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.

I’m always up for a fairy tale retelling and this one was perfect. We get a nice retelling of the Snow White and Rose Red story set in a patch of uncanny woods. We get to see two young girls navigate their new life and the dangers outside the cabin. I loved the changes in the old tale coupled with the beautiful imagery. The small watercolors added delight to the story. I sped through this beautiful novel in an afternoon.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield

Title: The Apollo Murders

Author: Chris Hadfield

Publisher: Mulholland Books 2021

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 480

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

1973: a final, top-secret mission to the Moon. Three astronauts in a tiny spaceship, a quarter million miles from home. A quarter million miles from help.

NASA is about to launch Apollo 18. While the mission has been billed as a scientific one, flight controller Kazimieras "Kaz" Zemeckis knows there is a darker objective. Intelligence has discovered a secret Soviet space station spying on America, and Apollo 18 may be the only chance to stop it.

But even as Kaz races to keep the NASA crew one step ahead of their Russian rivals, a deadly accident reveals that not everyone involved is quite who they were thought to be. With political stakes stretched to the breaking point, the White House and the Kremlin can only watch as their astronauts collide on the lunar surface, far beyond the reach of law or rescue.

I went into this book with very high hopes and unfortunately, this did not live up to my expectations. Inside this book is a great political thriller. I loved the bits that dealt with the politics of the space program. I loved the intrigue of spyycraft. And the various characters were intriguing to follow. But then, the actual text gets bogged down in the technical writing. I really did not need to know exactly how Cessna airplane actually works. I imagine that this could have been edited down at least 100 pages to help trim the fat. As it stands, I kept wanting to put it away and read something with a bit faster pace. There’s something here, I just don’t think It completely works as is.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - A Day to Remember feat. Mark Hoppus "Re-Entry"

A collab between A Day to Remember and Mark Hoppus is just amazing.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W25: Midwest Weather Changed Our Plans

What We Studied

We had a schedule with a few field trips, but those changed due to the weather. After last weekend’s storm, the temperatures dropped dramatically and didn’t recover. It was cold and the wind made it even colder.

Our Book Outlet finally came! Lots of things for next year (except for the Beatrix Potter books).

Literature and Poetry

Finally finished Aru Shah this week and concluded our American Tall Tales unit. I really enjoyed both and I think Arthur did also.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Poetry Outside Your Window by Nicola Davies
When Green Becomes Tomatoes by Julie Fogliano
American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne
The 12 Most Amazing American Myths and Legends by Anita Yasuda
Casey Jones by Stephen Krensky
Mike Fink by Steven Kellogg
Pecos Bill Tames a Colossal Cyclone by Eric Braun
Pecos Bill by Stephen Krensky
Pecos Bill, Monster Wrangler by Benjamin Harper
Pecos Bill Colossal Cowboy by Sean Tulien
John Henry Vs. the Mighty Steam Drill by Carl Meister
John Henry: An American Legend by Ezra Jack Keats
Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson
John Henry by Stephen Krensky
John Henry, Steel-Drivin' Elf by Benjamin Harper
Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg
The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan by Martin Powell
The Bunyans by Audrey Wood
Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart by Marybeth Lorbiecki
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Whale by Penelope Gruber
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox: The Great Pancake Adventure by Matt Luckhurst
Paul Bunyan vs. Hals Halson: The Great Lumberjack Challenge! by Teresa Bateman

Both boys had successful dentist appointments

Math

We sped through Unit 10 about time. Really it was a big review while ago doing some more adding and subtracting time.

Logic Countdown

Social Studies

We ended up not actually doing our history unit this week. No big deal, we’ll just push it a week. This is why I add in “break” weeks to our schedule. Gives us a lot of flexibility.

Arthur Independent Time

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

Science and STEAM Coop

We didn’t have coop this week due to our scheduled break week. We’ll be back next week with our First Responders theme.

For science, we started our big Earth Science unit focusing on geography, geology, and volcanoes and earthquakes.

When Planet Earth was New by James Gladstone
Earth by Quinn M. Arnold
Home on the Earth by Laura Purdie Salas
Dirtmeister's Nitty Gritty Planet Earth by Steve Tomecek
Stickmen's Guide to Mountains and Valleys in Layers by Catherine Chambers
The Magic School Buss Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole

Art/Music

None this week

Quentin

I have scheduled at least four 1-hour time blocks for one-on-one time with Quentin. I bought Blossom and Root’s Early Years Volume 2 curriculum to use as our base. I love the variety of activities and some of the bigger projects included. Quentin started his next unit on the farm. Basically that means a ton of farm themed books, some themed ELA and math pages, and a few mini crafts and projects.

ELA

Winter Story by Jill Barklem
On a Farm by Alexa Andrews (Q reads)
Life on a Farm
Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig
Biscuit's Snow Day Race by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Q reads)
Farm by Rebecca Pettiford
My Farm Friends by Wendell Minor
Going to a Farm by Rebecca Rissman
Dinosaur Farm by Penny Dale
Busy Bug Builds a Fort by David A. Carter (Q reads)
Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals by Nicola Davies
Old MicMickey Had a Farm
I Like the Farm by Shelley Rotner
The Farmer by Ximo Abadia
Amara's Farm by JaNay Brown-Wood

Math

Lollipop Logic Book 1
Smart Start Beginning Coding Grade 1

Other

High Five January 2018

Field Trip

The weather was not cooperating with us this week. We again got below zero a few of the days. We did venture out to the zoo on Wednesday. It was chilly, but we got to visit the elephant babies (and they were right up front!) and warm up in the jungle and the desert dome. We also had a park day on the one slightly warmer day. The boys had fun, but more importantly, I had a lovely conversation with two coop moms. (The boys also had their dentist appointments this week.)

Documentary Selection

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

Misc. Picture Books Read

Letters from Bear by Gauthier David
Snickerdoodle Takes the Cake by Ethan Long
A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
A New Green Day by Antoinette Portis
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
In the Half Room by Carson Ellis
If I Were the Sunshine by Julie Fogliano
The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Britney Winn Lee

High

Getting out to the zoo on Wednesday was delightful. We got to spend 15 minutes observing the new elephant babies. They are incredibly adorable.

Low

Super cold temps cancelled our planned hike on Friday. I was looking forward to getting out into nature more. Thankfully, we have rescheduled for Wednesday.

Next Week

Starting 3B Unit 11 (Data Analysis) for math
Beginning City of the Plague God for our read aloud
Analyzing a few picture books for literature
Covering the Renaissance for history
Getting acquainted with the paintings of Rosa Bonheur
Continuing with our farm unit for Quentin
Exploring rocks and minerals for science

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wild Swans retold by Xanthe Gresham Knight

Title: Wild Swans

Retold By: Xanthe Gresham Knight Illustrated by Charlotte Gastaut

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Genre: MG Fairytale Retelling

Pages: 48

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Young Eliza and her eleven brothers' lives are transformed when a plague ravages the Kingdom of the North and kills their mother, the Queen. When their father remarries, their brilliant and "unusual" new stepmother becomes obsessed with finding a cure for the plague and protecting her new family - so obsessed that she decides to turn the boys into swans so they can fly away from the plague, and to send Eliza to a far-away village the plague hasn't touched. Years later, the Queen discovers a cure for the plague just before she dies from it herself. With the kingdom in chaos, it's up to teenaged Eliza to find her brothers, break the Queen's spell on them, return home to cure the plague - and claim her rightful place in the kingdom!

Such a gorgeous slim retelling of the 12 Swans fairy tale. The writing is great and the retelling bit was entertaining and engaging. But the real star here is the illustrations. Gastaut pairs the text with gilded images rich in detail and whimsy. I was entranced with the illustrations and had to wrench myself away from those to continue reading the text. A lovely few minutes spent on this volume.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #9

As I look outside my window: It’s bright and sunny and the temps are going to be in the mid-60s today. So much better than the high of 10 on Thursday.

Right now I am: Ready to settle in with my current book

On my bedside table: Lots of Middle Grade Novels for the rest of March!

On my tv this week: We started watching two great shows, one hilarious and one very weird and serious but amazing: Our Flag Means Death and Severance.

Listening to: Just my usual podcasts. But I did find a new podcast called The Rise and Fall of Lularoe. Definitely starting this one next week!

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Honey Lime Jalapeño Chicken
Tuesday - Coffee Rubbed Pork Loin
Wednesday - Lemon Dill Capellini Salmon
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Jalapeño Popper Bacon Bean Soup
Saturday - Grilled Cheese Night
Sunday - Mosterdsoep

On my to do list: I need to put some random things away, finish the laundry, clean the kitchen

Happening this week:

Monday - Home School Day
Tuesday - Errands morning and then School Day
Wednesday - Schramm Hike (trying again with a better forecast)
Thursday - Coop
Friday - Fire Station Tour; Lit Society
Saturday - Home Day; D&D
Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: I finished February’s Memory Planner pages yesterday. So that means that today I want to work on my birthday insert page.

My simple pleasures: Banana bread, reading a book in one sitting, a bit of quet

Looking around the house: I did a mad vacuum yesterday, but I would love f0r the kids to clean the playroom so that could get vacuumed.

From the camera: During our family game night, Arthur rolled 5 skulls! We were playing HeroQuest and with the wizard’s spell and five skulls, he immediately decimated the dread knight. Amazing!

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill

Title: Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul

Author: Nikita Gill

Publisher: Hachette Books 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 176

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Traditional fairytales are rife with cliches and gender stereotypes: beautiful, silent princesses; ugly, jealous, and bitter villainesses; girls who need rescuing; and men who take all the glory.

But in this rousing new prose and poetry collection, Nikita Gill gives Once Upon a Time a much-needed modern makeover. Through her gorgeous reimagining of fairytale classics and spellbinding original tales, she dismantles the old-fashioned tropes that have been ingrained in our minds. In this book, gone are the docile women and male saviors. Instead, lines blur between heroes and villains. You will meet fearless princesses, a new kind of wolf lurking in the concrete jungle, and an independent Gretel who can bring down monsters on her own.

A friend read this one and loved it and it sounded right up my alley. We get a beautiful collection of subversive takes on classic fairytales. Told in verse and in prose, we examine the motivations and histories of many villains and heroines. I especially loved the few centered on Alice in Wonderland. Towards the end of the collection, Gil moves out of the realm of fairy tales to deal with modern feminism. I was absolutely enthralled by this collection. So much so that I think I need to own this in physical form.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Electric Idol by Katee Robert

Title: Electric Idol (Dark Olympus #2)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 375

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

In the ultra-modern city of Olympus, there's always a price to pay. Psyche Dimitriou knew she'd have to face Aphrodite's jealous rage eventually, but she never expected her literal heart to be at stake...or for Aphrodite's gorgeous son to be the one ordered to strike the killing blow.

Eros has no problem shedding blood. Raised to be his mother's knife in the dark, he's been conditioned to accept that he's more monster than man. But when it comes time to take out his latest target...he can't do it. Confused by his reaction to Psyche's unexpected kindness, he does the only thing he can think of to keep her safe: he binds her to him, body and soul.

Psyche didn't expect to find herself married to the glittering city's most dangerous killer, but something about Eros wakens a fire inside her she's never felt before. As lines blur and loyalties shift, Psyche realizes Eros might take her heart after all...and she's not sure she can survive the loss.

I went from a light and frothy romcom to a very steamy thriller romance. Now that’s more like it. I enjoyed the first book in the series and was looking forward to Psyche and Eros’s romance. We get to see more of the Thirteen and their political machinations. I have really enjoyed that part of the series. And then we get to the actually romance. I really enjoyed getting to know Eros and Psyche. They were a great enemies to lovers situation. Their particular brand of romance wasn’t as exciting to me as Hades and Persephone, but still enjoyable. I spend through this volume desperately wanting to see how they would outwit Aphrodite. Overall a very enjoyable steamy romance.

Dark Olympus

#1 Neon Gods
#2 Electric Idol
#3 Wicked Beauty

Next up on the TBR pile:

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne

Title: To Sir, With Love

Author: Lauren Layne

Publisher: Gallery Books 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Perpetually cheerful and eager to please, Gracie Cooper strives to make the best out of every situation. So when her father dies just months after a lung cancer diagnosis, she sets aside her dreams of pursuing her passion for art to take over his Midtown Manhattan champagne shop. She soon finds out that the store’s profit margins are being squeezed perilously tight, and complicating matters further, a giant corporation headed by the impossibly handsome, but irritatingly arrogant Sebastian Andrews is proposing a buyout. But Gracie can’t bear the thought of throwing away her father’s dream like she did her own.

Overwhelmed and not wanting to admit to her friends or family that she’s having second thoughts about the shop, Gracie seeks advice and solace from someone she’s never met—the faceless “Sir”, with whom she connected on a blind dating app where matches get to know each other through messages and common interests before exchanging real names or photos.

But although Gracie finds herself slowly falling for Sir online, she has no idea she’s already met him in real life…and they can’t stand each other.

My favorite podcast recommended this contemporary romance as a fun re-envisioning of You’ve Got Mail and this totally is that. Right away we get a strong connection to the fun story and I knew how it would end. But this is all about the journey. I loved diving into Gracie’s life in New York and connecting with her friends and family. From there, of course we need a wonderful meet-cute with Sebastian. I loved him immediately, all straight-laced corporate man. It was delight getting to know them. The book ends with a happily ever after, but that was known in the beginning. This one is all rom-com with no real spice, but still a lot of fun.

Next up on the TBR pile:

I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer

Title: I Hope This Finds You Well Poems

Author: Kate Baer

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2021

Genre: Poetry Collection

Pages: 80

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

“I'm sure you could benefit from jumping on a treadmill”

“Women WANT a male leader . . . It’s honest to god the basic human playbook”

These are some of the thousands of messages that Kate Baer has received online. Like countless other writers—particularly women—with profiles on the internet, as Kate’s online presence grew, so did the darker messages crowding her inbox. These missives from strangers have ranged from “advice” and opinions to outright harassment.

At first, these messages resulted in an immediate delete and block. Until, on a whim, Kate decided to transform the cruelty into art, using it to create fresh and intriguing poems. These pieces, along with ones made from notes of gratitude and love, as well as from the words of public figures, have become some of her most beloved work.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

Title: The Kingdom

Author: Jess Rothenberg

Publisher: Henry Holt 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom™ is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species—formerly extinct—roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful “princesses” engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time… love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana’s memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty—and what it truly means to be human.

I was pitched that this was a young adult version of Westworld, and it definitely is! We get a seemingly perfect amusement park full of technological advancements. I loved the world building in this book. We really get a sense of the park and the different environments we can encounter. Once we establish some of the world, we get to follow Ana as she slowly starts to unravel her own thoughts and feelings. And the lingering mystery of who died and who killed them. The book is completely fun popcorn adventure, but I still loved reading it. The story was highly enjoyable and the characters were fun.

Next up on the TBR pile: