Awakened by Linsey Hall

Title: Awakened (The Shadow Guild: Hades and Persephone #2)

Author: Linsey Hall

Publisher: Bonnie Doon Press 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 226

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

I'm going back to hell, and Hades awaits...

Two weeks ago, I escaped Hades fortress. He might not admit it, but we’re on opposite sides of a war. He wants to spread eternal darkness; I want to stop him.

To succeed, I must master my magic before it destroys me. But Hades still thinks he can seduce me to the dark side. I let him think he’s right, because he’s the only one who can teach me how to use my magic.

But this practice requires that we touch, and once we do, our connection is impossible to resist. Soon, I’m torn between my goals and Hades. If I can’t resist his darkness that calls so sweetly, we’re all doomed.

I’m still really enjoying this trilogy based on the Hades and Persephone myth. This is definitely my fluffy romance pick for the month, but sometimes that’s exactly what I want. I liked how this book really did move the story ahead. We get to Seraphia accept her identity as a goddess and embrace most of her powers. But she also makes a stronger connection to Hades and learns more about his world. The chapters narrated by Hades aren’t quite as exacting but we do get to see some growth of understanding in him. I already have the last book in this series ready and waiting on my Kindle, but it’ll have to wait for my library books that will be due soon. My biggest complaint with this book is that it suffers from not enough Lucifer.

The Shadow Guild: Hades and Persephone

#1 Infernal
#2 Awakened
#3 Captured

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Title: The Last Cuentista

Author: Donna Barba Higuera

Publisher: Levine Querido 2021

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Había una vez . . .

There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita.

But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children – among them Petra and her family – have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race.

Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet – and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard – or purged them altogether.

Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?

Ultimately, I really enjoyed the combination of folklore and science fiction to detail Petra’s journey to the new planet. I loved the weaving of cuentas into how Petra sees the world, her past, and her future. I loved exploring more of her heritage. Once we start to piece together what has happened on the ship, the story started to get a bit weaker. I did love Petra’s interactions with the Zetas and Voxy. But, some of the science fiction elements as they relate to the Collective are just not believable even for this avid reader of science fiction. I feel like more time needed to have passed to get the Collective to the start that they were in when Petra awakens. Still, it was an enjoyable YA sci-fi story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Title: The Night Gardener

Author: Jonathan Auxier

Publisher: Amulet Books 2014

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 372

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - Because of the Hype

The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier’s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.

Oh this was perfectly creepy for a couple of night’s reading time. I grabbed this one way back in October from my favorite podcast’s (Currently Reading) Indie Press List. I just had to grab all the spooky books and then I let them just hang out on my shelves per usual. I finally picked this on up and sped through it. I loved the creepy setting and storyline involving two orphans, a creepy gardener, a family wasting away, and a wish-granting tree (or is it?). After speeding through and reading the author’s note, I definitely got the influence of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. Both books had similar autumn creepy vibes. I loved it! Even I was a little spooked when waking up in the middle of the night. I could just imagine the Night Gardener standing over my bed.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

Here’s hoping the rain holds off this morning for the coop’s field day. Would be sad to have to reschedule…
Looks like my May read pile is going to end up at 21 books. That’s a lot for one month.
That said, I have so many reads on tap for June. We’ll see how much I get read. I do have the retreat at the end of the month which should push me through a few books.
As for the retreat, I ordered the last of the goodies and I’m so excited about the bookish fun we get to have. Now I need to work on recommendations and games and start buying the grocery list.
I think we are going to continue watching Hawkeye with the kids tonight.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Below Zero (The STEMinist Novellas #3)

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Publisher:

Genre: Romance

Pages: 124

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station—but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams…but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm?

Meh. I was super excited by the plot of this novella and I jumped at listening to it. Unfortunately, I just didn’t get into this story and in fact it seemed so incredibly similar to the previous two stories. Hannah was not a likable character and I could not really understand her relationship with Ian at all. I was excited by the forced proximity trope, but that didn’t really pan out much at all. I’m really unsure if I will be picking up any future Hazelwood books or stories.

The STEMinist Novellas

Next up on the TBR pile:

The School of Good Mothers by Jessamine Chen

Title: The School for Good Mothers

Author: Jessmine Chan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Rating: 1/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Frida Liu is struggling. She doesn’t have a career worthy of her Chinese immigrant parents’ sacrifices. She can’t persuade her husband, Gust, to give up his wellness-obsessed younger mistress. Only with Harriet, their cherubic daughter, does Frida finally attain the perfection expected of her. Harriet may be all she has, but she is just enough.

Until Frida has a very bad day.

The state has its eyes on mothers like Frida. The ones who check their phones, letting their children get injured on the playground; who let their children walk home alone. Because of one moment of poor judgment, a host of government officials will now determine if Frida is a candidate for a Big Brother-like institution that measures the success or failure of a mother’s devotion.

Faced with the possibility of losing Harriet, Frida must prove that a bad mother can be redeemed. That she can learn to be good.

I absolutely detested this book. We are reading it for book club and I know I am going to rant at the meeting. Overall I had a few big issues with the book:

Who is this book for? I know how much society pressures mothers and then blames them for anything negative that affects children. Fathers are largely absent from this scenario. The book detailed all of that, but was it new information? No. I know exactly how all this works.
No character growth. I was hoping that Frida and many of the other characters would experience some great character growth. Unfortunately we don’t really that growth. Additionally, Frida repeats herself so much. We hear her whine over and over again. The reputation really got to me.
Conflicted feelings about Frida’s socioeconomic status. Frida is struggling financially at the beginning, but she does have access to resources. Most of the women that she meets at the school do not have access to those resources. The cult between those women and Friday wasn’t really explored and glossed over so much.
The school itself is just ridiculous. I understand that speculative fiction likes to exaggerate circumstances to make a point, but the school and specifically the “children” were just too much to be believable. I just couldn’t.
I know we are supposed to be very annoyed by Frida’s ex-husband and I definitely was. But what was his purpose in the book. Every time he was mentioned or appeared, I just shouted “Fuck the Patriarchy.”

Overall, I slogged through this book and immediately felt like I wasted so many reading days. This felt like a very bad copy of The Handmaid’s Tale that just doesn’t live up to the hype. When I add in all the bullshit about restricting the rights of women, I was so incredibly mad at this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Florence + the Machine "Free"

The entire new album (at least what has been released so far) is absolutely amazing. And this song in particular speaks to me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Under One Roof (The STEMinist Novellas #1)

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 112

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.

The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.

Another pretty cute contemporary romance novella. I read this series out of order (when my library holds came up), but like with many contemporary romance novels, it wasn’t a big deal. You know Mara and Liam are going to end up together. It’s just a question of how. I loved the juxtaposition of career choices in this short story. I loved hearing all about Helena and her plans for Mara’s future. I enjoyed the romance angle, even if it wasn’t completely fleshed out like I wanted. My biggest complain with this novella is that I think I’m really over the big/tall man and short/small woman dynamic in romances. This definitely seems to be Hazelwood’s preferred pairing as it’s appeared in like every one of her stories. I guess I would like to see more average height men and slightly taller women. (Could be that my husband and I are basically the same height and it seems much more common that super tall men with super short women.)

The STEMinist Novellas

#1 Under One Roof
#2 Stuck with You
#3 Below Zero

Next up on the TBR pile:

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Title: The War I Finally Won (The War That Saved My Life #2)

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Publisher: Dial Books 2017

Genre: MG Historical Fiction

Pages: 387

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Ada’s clubfoot is surgically fixed at last, she knows for certain that she’s not what her mother said she was—damaged, deranged, crippled mentally as well as physically. She’s not a daughter anymore, either. Who is she now?

World War II rages on, and Ada and her brother, Jamie, move with their guardian, Susan, into a cottage with the iron-faced Lady Thorton and her daughter, Maggie. Life in the crowded home is tense. Then Ruth moves in. Ruth, a Jewish girl, from Germany. A German? Could Ruth be a spy?

As the fallout from war intensifies, calamity creeps closer, and life during wartime grows even more complicated. Who will Ada decide to be? How can she keep fighting? And who will she struggle to save?

I finally picked up this sequel after taking a bit of a break. The first one was great, but so incredibly heavy that I needed a little separate. This book picks off right when the first one leaves off. We dive right back into Ada’s life and follow her as she finds her home amongst a war, tragedy, and a cast of characters. There are many times when Ada is still very stubborn and angry, but we see so much growth from her in the short amount of time we spend with her. I loved the addition of Ruth and Lady Thorton to the household. The reader gets to dive into the conflicted feelings towards different people without being overwhelmed by the horrors. I am adding this to our homeschool curriculum for next year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spring Bucket List Update #2

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 - 89/150 so far
Two Lincoln Excursion Days - We’ve done one so far!
Three State park Visits - We hit Schramm a few weeks back.
Read 50 books - 35/50
Day trip to Des Moines
At least 6 zoo visits (2/6)
Design board for future kitchen renovation
Monthly bingo/trivia nights - On track!
Do a donation drop
Take the kids bowling or mini golfing
Log 50 miles on the treadmill
Make homemade cinnamon rolls
Plan out curriculum for next year - in progress
Plan out the Bookish Retreat! - in progress
Plan an Indiana trip for summer complete with Indianapolis mini trip - in progress
Weekend trip to Kansas ✓ - We are there right now!
Plan a redo for our homeschool space / playroom - in progress
Do a Closet Cleanout for Me - in progress
Do a Closet Cleanup for the Kids - in progress
Work on a Craft Project

Up Next on the TBR:

Lore Olympus Vol. 1 by Rachel Smythe

Title: Lore Olympus Volume 1

Author: Rachel Smythe

Publisher: Del Rey 2021

Genre: Fantasy Comic

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Persephone, young goddess of spring, is new to Olympus. Her mother, Demeter, has raised her in the mortal realm, but after Persephone promises to train as a sacred virgin, she’s allowed to live in the fast-moving, glamorous world of the gods. When her roommate, Artemis, takes her to a party, her entire life changes: she ends up meeting Hades and feels an immediate spark with the charming yet misunderstood ruler of the Underworld. Now Persephone must navigate the confusing politics and relationships that rule Olympus, while also figuring out her own place—and her own power.

This volume collects episodes 1–25 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus.

A friend had been demanding that I read this one and I finally picked it up. In truth, I started reading the Webtoons but put a hold on the physical book also. The Webtoons on my phone was a bit annoying as it didn’t like to load that fast. The book is all right there. Anyway, I started reading this and completely full in love with this version of the Hades and Persephone story. I love the juxtaposition of modern in the immortal realm and the classical in the mortal realm. The world building is great and then we move into the characters. I loved how Smythe constructed each character relying on their classical stories, but also injecting some modern traits and quirks. Seriously, Hermes is my favorite. Hades becomes properly layered with heroic tendencies, but also really big flaws. Persephone can be a bit too naive for my tastes, but hopefully her character will evolve. So sad that this volume only contains the first 25 issues and that the second volume hasn’t hit the library yet. Guess I will have to go back to the Webtoon to continue reading.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The No-Show by Beth O'Leary

Title: The No-Show

Author: Beth O’Leary

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.

These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: they’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up—Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man.

Once they've each forgiven him for standing them up, they are all in serious danger of falling in love with a man who may have not just one or two but three women on the go....

Is there more to him than meets the eye? Where was he on Valentine’s Day? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?

CW: Sexual assault (off page, but referenced) and death

Ooof… this one left a bad taste in my mouth. I thought that maybe we would get a whole First Wives Club vibe from the summary while the three women all find their happy endings, but maybe not with the guy they thought. As I started reading, I immediately know that there was a couple of big somethings that O’Leary wasn’t telling the reader. Once things started to be unraveled, I really disliked the book. Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane all deserved better than Joseph Carter. One eventually gets better, but only one. Somehow we get to the end of the book and the entire thing became about the redemption of a white man. I just couldn’t believe that was where the book went. And we’re all still supposed to think that Joseph is a catch. I was yelling at all the ladies to get away and someone who can actually give back instead of take. I did not like. I may just have to resist O’Leary’s newest book when it releases. I just don’t think her style of contemporary romance is for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Stuck with You by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Stuck with You (The STEMinist Novellas #2)

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Publisher: Penguin Audio 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 112

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….

A decent contemporary romance novella. I loved the whole trope of being stuck in an elevator. Seriously a sucker for shared spaces forcing people to communicate. I really enjoyed slowly unspooling their past and the miscommunication that kept them apart. The steamy scenes were good, but not absolutely great. I would have liked more, but as this is a novella, I wasn’t going to get it. Still a good couple of hours listening while doing housework.

The STEMinist Novellas

#1 Under One Roof
#2 Stuck with You
#3 Below Zero

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #9

Reading: Ali Hazelwood just published three novellas all involving women in STEM. Somehow I got all three right in a row from the library. So I’ve been on a contemporary romance kick.

Watching: We finally started S2 of The Great and it’s still utterly delightful!

Listening: My Chemical Romance dropped a new song this past week! I’m so incredibly excited!

Making: We’re leaving on a mini family vacation tomorrow and I need to finish the packing.

Feeling: After a brief drop in temperature on Sunday, we’re back to very hot temps. I am hot and tired.

Planning: A family road trip needs carefully packed snacks. We have two bags available plus a thermal for cold drinks.

Loving: Sonic’s Cherry Limeade is amazing! It’s the perfect pick-me-up for a hot long day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W32: Apparently It's Summer Already...

What We Studied

This post actually documents one break week and one regular week. As we get to May, we find ourselves doing less book work and more outside excursions and field trips. This month has followed that tradition to a tee. To be fair, Arthur has finished his history and science curriculum for the year. We are concentrating on reading everyday, some math review, and various random nature-related activities and craft projects. Quentin has his own stuff, but it’s still fairly limited.

Literature and Poetry

We finished the next-to-last Chronicles of Narnia book. Definitely not my favorite at all. Instead of moving right onto the last book, we have taken a bit of a detour with a fun adventure book featuring a library lock-in.

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson

Math

Another week of math games, puzzles, and review. Arthur also did a few projects from the Math and Art book we have.

Logic Countdown
The School of Numbers
Math Art + Drawing Games

Social Studies

We finished our curriculum a few weeks back, but we did work on a map work workbook. We fly through the Grade 2 book.

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

For coop, we covered a week of rainbows and prisms and a week of coding.

Art/Music

We did a few free drawing projects based on the Eric Carle books.

Eric Carle and Friends: What's Your Favorite Color?

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.

ELA

Biscuit's Snow Day Race by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Q reads)
Biscuit and Friends Visit the Community Garden by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Q reads)
Biscuit and the Big Parade by Alyssa Satin Capucilli (Q reads)
Bitsy Bee Goes to School by David A. Carter (q reads)
Little Cloud by Eric Carle
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
The Nonsense Show by Eric Carle
Eric Carle's Animals Animals
The Lamb and the Butterfly by Arnold Sundgaard Illustrated by Eric Carle
Friends by Eric Carle
Have You Seen My Cat? by Eric Carle (Q Reads)
Walter the Baker by Eric Carle
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle (Q Fave; Arthur Fave)
10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle (Q Fave)
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by Eric Carle
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle
Can a Cat Do That? by Eric Carle (Q reads)
The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
Eric Carle and Friends: What's Your Favorite Food?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Garden Picnic
Can You Guess Animals with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Can You Guess Food with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Sleep Tight with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Can You Guess Animal Sounds with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Lunch
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Snowy Hide and Seek
A Day on the Farm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First Winter
How Does an Egg Hatch? Life Cycles with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Happy Birthday from The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Calm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Caterpillar Days of the Week Reader
LOVE with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Thanks from The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle
The Foolish Tortoise by Eric Carle
Rooster is Off to See the World by Eric Carle
Hello, Red Fox by Eric Carle
High Five August 2020

Math

Lollipop Logic Book 1
Tinkeractive PreK Math

Other

Tinkeractive PreK Science
Busy Day Sticker Book

Field Trip

We got to see a glass blowing demonstration at the local artist collective. The kids were really into watching the demo and they even got a scrap piece of glass to take home. Afterward we toured the rest of the building and looked at the art on display.

On Wednesday, we explored the Wildlife Safari. We haven’t been in two years and last time we went, we couldn’t get out of the car. This time we visited the Wildlife Education Center and even got to spy the wolves in their habitat. We will definitely have to go back soon.

On Friday, we traveled to Lincoln for a full adventure day. We started at the Nebraska History Museum (never been there before) and saw the Bison exhibit before it closed. After a quick lunch, we headed over to the Lincoln Zoo for a fun afternoon. Thankfully the field trip kids were leaving right as we arrived and the crowds became very sparse.

On Monday, we went to the zoo on probably the worst day of the season. It was incredibly hot and the kids complained the entire time. At least we got to see some animals.

On Friday, we hit the park for some free playground time. A friend joined us for a few hours. At least the temperatures had gone back down.

Documentary Selection

We finished Terry Jones’s Medieval Lives series

Misc. Picture Books Read

If You Ever Want to Bring a Pirate to Meet Santa, DON'T by Elise Parsley
Odd Dog Out by Rob Biddulph
Inky's Great Escape by Casey Lyall
How Do Dinosaurs Stay Friends? by Jane Yolen
Worm Weather by Jean Taft
Spring Parade by Camelia Kay
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
Rabbit's Spring Gift by Anita Loughrey
Animals in Spring by Jenny Fretland VanVoorst
Party Pigs by Eric Seltzer
Abracadabra It's Spring! by Anne Sibley O'Brien
Westward Ho, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz
Pterosaur by Jennifer Zeiger
The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague

High

I loved our trip to Hot Shops to see the glass blowing demonstration. I might have had more fun than the kids but it was a good day. And we definitely need to check out some of the other events at the collective.

Low

The heat this week has really gotten to us.

Next Week

We are only around for Monday and Tuesday before heading south for our mini family road trip. Once we get back, we will have another normal week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Coheed and Cambria "The Liars Club"

Seriously this song is on constant repeat!

Extra: a live performance version!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #16

On my bedside table: The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan; The Minor Third by Neil Patrick Harris

On my tv this week: J and I ended up watching a great new movie, Operation Mincemeat, and started S2 of The Great.

Listening to: My Chemical Romance just dropped a new album! You better believe it’s on repeat!

On the menu for this week: We are leaving for our mini road trip on Wednesday which means that I don’t need to meal plan this week! Tomorrow we will b having any leftovers and Tuesday we are grabbing takeout before going to the trivia night.

On my to do list: I need to grab some snacks and other assorted items from Target and Trader Joe’s. We need to do a drop of the library books. And I should do a bit more curriculum sorting before we leave.

Happening this week:

Monday - Home day
Tuesday - Last minute trip errands; Trivia night with the family
Wednesday - Road trip time!

What I am creating: Nothing at the moment, although I’m think about retreat goodies.

My simple pleasures: Fun trivia games, getting a handle on curriculum plans, ice water

Looking around the house: I’ll be doing a whirlwind clean tomorrow and Tuesday to prep to leave. I always prefer coming home to a decently clean house.

From the camera: I didn’t win any round, but still I had fun at 90s Music Bingo on Tuesday. I even read a few chapters waiting for people to arrive.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Title: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels #1)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Berkley Books 2021

Genre: Historical romance Fantasy

Pages: 324

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She's also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it's a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.

Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he's under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.

When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her--hopefully proving, once and for all, that she's as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.

Oh this was just delightful! We get a mix of pirates, romance, historical capers, modern humor, and even a few steamy scenes towards the end. I loved every single page of this story. Cecilia isn’t necessarily my favorite character, but her relationships with other characters were just such fun. I loved the back and forth with Ned and the back and forth with her Aunt. The villain was appropriately over the top and full of cheese and yet still very dangerous. The houses are delightful extra characters as they battle it out over the Moors. And the rest of the Wisteria Society adds the layers we need to understand this world. I sped through this one and cannot wait to get my hands on the second book. I can’t wait to read Alex’s story.

Dangerous Damsels

#1 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels
#2 The League of Gentlemen Witches

Next up on the TBR pile:

Thick by Tressie McMillan Cottom

Title: Thick And Other Essays

Author: Tressie McMillan Cottom

Publisher: New Press 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 244

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

In these eight piercing explorations on beauty, media, money, and more, Tressie McMillan Cottom—award-winning professor and acclaimed author of Lower Ed—embraces her venerated role as a purveyor of wit, wisdom, and Black Twitter snark about all that is right and much that is wrong with this thing we call society.

Ideas and identity fuse effortlessly in this vibrant collection that on bookshelves is just as at home alongside Rebecca Solnit and bell hooks as it is beside Jeff Chang and Janet Mock. It also fills an important void on those very shelves: a modern black American feminist voice waxing poetic on self and society, serving up a healthy portion of clever prose and southern aphorisms as she covers everything from Saturday Night Live, LinkedIn, and BBQ Becky to sexual violence, infant mortality, and Trump rallies. Thick speaks fearlessly to a range of topics and is far more genre-bending than a typical compendium of personal essays.

Essay collections are not usually my jam. I found that really enjoyed this collection more than most. We chose this for our May book club selection. I started the first essay and it was intense and dense. It felt more like academic writing than an accessible piece about race, gender, and identity. I was a bit hesitant to continue, but then the essay got a lot more accessible and interesting.. I was all in in hearing Cottom’s thoughts on a variety of topics. My favorite pieces detailed medical incompetence. While I cannot empathize with all of Cottom’s experience, I have followed the experiences of many women and their awful treatment in the medical establishments. I raged, I cried, and I laughed through this collection. Most definitely on the required reading list.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

My short list TBR is all in a jumble right now. I need to get that set right this weekend.
Less than one week until our Kansas road trip. I’m super excited for a break from our usual routine for a few days.
Speaking of, I need to make our snack list. I see a trip to Trader Joe’s in my future.
Getting the retreat planned (so much fun!) and starting on planning our July Indiana trip. Lots of trip planning.
The temperatures can go back down a bit. Highs in the upper 90s this week was not fun.
How am I so excited about a coop field day? I hated field day in school. Oh yeah, we are planning a fun relaxed day full of cooperative games not the terrible competition and stress that I experienced in school.

Next up on the TBR pile: