Life Right Now #20

As I look outside my window: It’s weird overcast outside Probably because of all the fireworks from last night.

Right now I am: Surveying the living room and mentally prepping for a whirlwind clean of the house.

Thinking and pondering: About a few potential issues in coop this fall. How exactly do I want to handle them?

On my bedside table: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas; A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow; Into the Windwracked Wilds by A. Deborah Baker (lots of fantasy reads for my July).

On my tv this week: Not much. I was gone multiple nights this past week. We did catch with The Boys and Loot.

Listening to: Lots of Motionless in White, Ice Nine Kills, Asking Alexandria, and Nothing More. Apparently I needed some metal in my life this week.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Cookout

• Tuesday - Orecchiette with Sundried Tomatoes and Broccoli

• Wednesday - Out to Dinner

• Thursday - Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken

• Friday - Parmesan Tilapia

• Saturday - Mongolian Beef; Miso Soup

• Sunday - Bean and Cheese Taquitos

On my to do list: Obviously I need to clean the house. I also want to finish setting up coop stuff for the fall (planning to open enrollment on July 5th). I would love to make final Indiana plans or not.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Fourth of July with friends

• Tuesday - Groceries; Library; Possible Durham Visit

• Wednesday - Splash Pad Morning; Book Club

• Thursday - Library Book Sale; Lit Society

• Friday - Park Day?

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Home Day; Zoom Book Club

What I am creating: Nothing currently, although I would love to get back into my MP pages. I do a little bit at the retreat, but did not finish May at all.

My simple pleasures: Cool breezes, hard seltzer, a decent night’s rest.

Looking around the house: Such a mess right now. The boys have a lot of picking up to do so I can vacuum and sweep.

From the camera: Somedays they actually like each other.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)

Author:Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2015

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 432

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he's not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever.

After listening to all the hype of them books for years, I finally got around to reading it. For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I fell into this Beauty and the Beast retelling and didn’t stop until the last page. I’ll admit that the first 50 pages or so were slow going, but as soon as Feyre moves to the Far lands, everything kicks into gear. I enjoyed the world-building aspects of this volume coupled with the intriguing take on a classic fairy tale. I loved the back and forth between Feyre and Lucien and we get an interesting look at members of the other courts. The three tests were interesting, but it was Feyre’s interactions with Rhysand that were my favorite. Of course there is a big cliffhanger that I can’t wait to see what happens next. I think I’ve figured out the random comment by Rhysand before he disappeared. I feel like I’m going to have to dive into the next book very soon.

A Court of Throns and Roses

• #1 A Court of Thorns and Roses

• #2 A Court of Mist and Fury

• #3 A Court of Wings and Ruin

• #3.5 A Court of Frost and Starlight

• #4 A Court of Silver Flames

Next up on the TBR pile:

July 2022 Life Goals

I have somehow not done one of these posts since March. How have I just fallen off on this? Oh well. I’m back at it this month. But first…

Let’s check in on March’s goals and my progress. Wow! I actually ended up meeting all my goals for this month.

• Read 15 Books ✓

• Two Zoo Visits ✓

• Four Park Visits ✓

• Organize the Rest of the Homeschool Read Alouds ✓

• Plan a Two-Day Spring Trip ✓ - This turned into a 5 day family trip to Kansas, but was great!

July Goals:

• Read 18 Books

• Finish prepping curriculum for 2022-2023 school year

• Visit Indiana (and on-the-way states)

• Finish prepping for fall coop semester

• Redo the Playroom

• Put a pause on my library holds for second half of July-August

Next up on the TBR pile:

June 2022 Wrap

June TBR Pile (18/28):

1. BOTM: The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd ✓

2. Bookworms BC: Displacement by Kiku Hughes ✓

3. Friend BC: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker ✓

4. Friend BC: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

5. Currently Reading Buddy Read: When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

6. Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility

7. Fantasy: A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor

8. Fantasy: A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft ✓

9. Nonfiction: What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon

10. Romance: A League of Gentlewoman Witches by India Holton ✓

11. Romance: Neon Gods by Kate Robert (reread) ✓

12. Romance; Captured by Linsey Hall ✓

13. Historical Fiction: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

14. Literary Fiction: The Unsinkable Great James by Jennifer E. Smith ✓

15. Literary Fiction: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ✓

16. Comics: Invisible Kingdom

17. Science Fiction: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

18. Middle Grade: The Minor Third by Neil Patrick Harris

19. Middle Grade: The Fourth Suit by Neil Patrick Harris

20. Kid Read Aloud: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis ✓

21. Added: Book Lovers by Emily Henry ✓

22. Added: Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman ✓

23. Added: Gallant by VE Schwab ✓

24. Added: High Spirits by Camille Gomera-Tavarez ✓

25. Added: Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brogsol ✓

26. Added: Klara and the Sun by Kazoo Ishiguro ✓

27. Added: A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll ✓

28. Added: The Change by Kirsten Miller ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 5466 pages
Pages Remaining: 400,917 pages

Current Read - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas; The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (7)

• BOTM selection: The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

• At the retreat, I bought 4 books:

  • The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

  • Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by River Galchen

  • A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

  • Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

• And I received one book in the exchange: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

• In my mailbox, I got an ARC copy of: Into the Windwracked Wilds by A. Deborah Baker

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 330

• Books Read: 1

• Books Acquired: 6

• Books Unshelved: 0

• Finishing Number: 335

July TBR Pile:

1. BOTM: TBD

2. Bookworms BC: The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

3. Bookworms BC: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

4. Friend BC: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

5. Currently Reading Buddy Read: TBD

6. Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility

7. Fantasy: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

8. Fantasy: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

9. Fantasy: A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

10. Horror: The Fervor by Alma Katsu

11. Romance: Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert

12. Kid Read Aloud: Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Movies watched

• Moonfall - This was utter trash and I kinda liked it.

• The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent - Amazing! After learning so much more about Nicolas Cage, I really really enjoyed this one.

• Everything Everywhere All At Once - Loved this twisty twisty story. Michelle Yeoh is amazing.

TV Shows watched 

• The Great S2 - Oh I love this show so much.

• Obi-Wan Kenobi - The actors were great, but this show opens up so many plot holes.

• Holey Moley S4 - It’s our fun silly show.

• The Boys S3 - They have really upped the gore and the ridiculousness.

• The Outlaws S1 - I’m very intrigued by this show.

• Sex Education S1-2 - Still really enjoying this show.

• Love Life S1 - Almost finished with this season.

• Shroesy S1 - Surprising that I cared so much about Shoresy as I did. Not as funny at Letterkenny, but solid.

• The Orville S3 - Man that third season started with an incredibly serious episode.

• Loot S1 - Our new delightful show.

Comments - Such an amazing reading month! I flew through a ton of books (some really great ones in there) and even finished two read alouds with the kids. We also watched a ton of tv (what happens when’s it ridiculously hot outside) and a few movies. The reading retreat at the end of the month helped me wrap up my reading plans and think about July.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Title: The Age of Miracles

Author: Karen Thompson Walker

Publisher: Random House 2012

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 294

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Unread Shelf Reading Challenge - Shortest Book on My Shelves

Spellbinding, haunting, The Age of Miracles is a beautiful novel of catastrophe and survival, growth and change, the story of Julia and her family as they struggle to live in an extraordinary time. On an ordinary Saturday, Julia awakes to discover that something has happened to the rotation of the earth. The days and nights are growing longer and longer, gravity is affected, the birds, the tides, human behavior and cosmic rhythms are thrown into disarray. In a world of danger and loss, Julia faces surprising developments in herself, and her personal world—divisions widening between her parents, strange behavior by Hannah and other friends, the vulnerability of first love, a sense of isolation, and a rebellious new strength. With crystalline prose and the indelible magic of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker gives us a breathtaking story of people finding ways to go on, in an ever-evolving world.

This was our pick for June book club. I was very excited to read this one as I loved Walker’s other book The Dreamers. Unfortunately, I did not love this one. Fundamentally, I felt like this story went absolutely nowhere. In The Dreamers we get to see how an entire village reacts to the science fiction events. We see families and relationships change and evolve. There was a big emphasis on the emotional toll of the unexpected events. In this novel, we get the events, but I didn’t get to really see the emotional toll. I think that part of problem is that the narration is focused on an 11-year-old girl. Julia’s naive outlook on life means that we get a very skewed perspective of the world. I didn’t love focusing on Julia through this story. And then don’t get to really idea of how any other character feels about the events. I would have liked a different style of narration. The science itself was very weak and I didn’t love her non-explanations. Ultimately, this book was not for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Change by Kirsten Miller

Title: The Change

Author: Kirsten Miller

Publisher: William Morrow 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 480

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment…

After Nessa James’s husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, she’s left all alone in a trim white house not far from the ocean. In the quiet of her late forties, the former nurse begins to hear voices. It doesn’t take long for Nessa to realize that the voices calling out to her belong to the dead—a gift she’s inherited from her grandmother, which comes with special responsibilities.

On the cusp of 50, suave advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. She hasn’t left her house in months, and from the outside, it appears as if she and her garden have both gone to seed. But Harriett’s life is far from over—in fact, she’s undergone a stunning and very welcome metamorphosis.

Ambitious former executive Jo Levison has spent thirty long years at war with her body. The free-floating rage and hot flashes that arrive with the beginning of menopause feel like the very last straw—until she realizes she has the ability to channel them, and finally comes into her power.

Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl whose body was abandoned beside a remote beach. The police have written the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker, but the women refuse to buy into the official narrative. Their investigation into the girl’s murder leads to more bodies, and to the town’s most exclusive and isolated enclave, a world of stupendous wealth where the rules don’t apply. With their newfound powers, Jo, Nessa, and Harriett will take matters into their own hands…

This was the feminist rage book that I needed after last weekend’s news. I highlighted so many passages in this book. I feel like I am becoming these women and I’m totally here for it. We meet three every different women, but three women who are growing into their identity and strengths. I was floored by the changes, but cheered every page of it. I loved following these women and even meeting all the other women highlighted in this book. We get a murder mystery, but also a larger conspiracy tied to the ultra-privileged. My only issue was the revel of the villain. It felt a bit cheap and I wish it had been done slightly differently.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #11

Reading: I finally started reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. So far this has been slow-going, but I’m in it until at least the end.

Watching: We started Loot starring Maya Rudolph and it is delightful. I’m totally here for this show.

Listening: While driving to and from the retreat, I enjoyed listening to multiple episodes of 99PI. I really need to listen to that podcast more often. I always enjoy the series.

Making: Currently I’m working on a puzzle that might be worth $1 million. It’s probably a $1 puzzle, but there’s always the chance. The puzzle is a giant QR code and was labeled as medium difficulty, but it’s proving to be harder than I thought it would be.

Feeling: Rested. I really needed those few days off.

Planning: Now that the retreat is done, I’m deep into planning for our July Indiana trip.

Loving: Thinking back to the bookish retreat and loving all the great memories.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Milky Chance "Synchronize"

The kids always make me stop channel surfing if this song is one. We all love it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Title: Klara and the Sun

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publisher: Knopf 2021

Genre: Scfi

Pages: 303

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. Klara and the Sun is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?

It’s the second Ishiguro that I’ve tried and he is definitely not for me. Overall, my big thought is that Ishiguro is just retreading sci-fi tropes and ideas but without adding anything new or interesting. I never found any part of this book to be new or fresh. I found no real message about humanity or identity. I definitely did not connect with any of the characters. Klara has the mindset of a 5-year-old and never really changes. Josie is a brat throughout the entire book. Ishiguro never really explains much of anything about the larger world or being “lifted.” The reader is left in the dark for most of this story and I just didn’t appreciate it. Is this supposed to be our future? If yes, then I need a actually discussion of how we are going wrong and how we can avoid it. We don’t get any of that. It’s just a superficial story. And don’t get me started on Klara’s insistence that the sun will bestow some blessing on Josie. Just ugh!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Title: Where the Crawdads Sing

Author: Delia Owens

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 370

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens.

Very Meh on this book. There was so much hype and I was hesitant to read it before now. I finally picked it up because so many book club friends loved it and they want to go see the movie in July. I started and right away knew that this probably wasn’t going to be the book for me. I disliked reading about Kya’s birth family life and all the romance bits. It was hard for the sake of hard instead of a good emotional story of overcoming obstacles. I really wanted to just push all the men (and many of the women) off the fire tower right along with Chase. I was not invested in the mystery of the murder at all. I figured Kya had done it all along. I did really enjoying the sections detailing Kya’s life in the marsh. The nature writing was beautiful and I could just paint the pictures in my mind. But all those parts could not make up for everything this book lacked for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll

Title: A Brief History of Earth: Four Billions Years in Eight Chapters

Author: Andrew H. Knoll

Publisher: Custom House 2021

Genre: Nonfiction - Geology

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Reading Challenge

How well do you know the ground beneath your feet? 

Odds are, where you’re standing was once cooking under a roiling sea of lava, crushed by a towering sheet of ice, rocked by a nearby meteor strike, or perhaps choked by poison gases, drowned beneath ocean, perched atop a mountain range, or roamed by fearsome monsters. Probably most or even all of the above. 

The story of our home planet and the organisms spread across its surface is far more spectacular than any Hollywood blockbuster, filled with enough plot twists to rival a bestselling thriller. But only recently have we begun to piece together the whole mystery into a coherent narrative. Drawing on his decades of field research and up-to-the-minute understanding of the latest science, renowned geologist Andrew H. Knoll delivers a rigorous yet accessible biography of Earth, charting our home planet's epic 4.6 billion-year story. Placing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we’ve been and where we’re going.

I grabbed this slim nonfiction book on a whim while creating the geology unit for coop. I love a good natural sciences book and this one seemed right up my alley. We get to start at the beginning and follow the development of the earth through time all the way until today. Each chapter is organized around a stage of development. Much of the information included was already know to me, but I did find myself very attentive to the complete story. Knoll occasionally swerves into very hard science, but overall this is a very readable text. I only wish that the pictures had been in color. Black and white is so hard especially when it comes to looking at rocks.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• I’m away on retreat right now! Four glorious days where I only need to take care of myself. Tonight, we are all going to relax, but tomorrow we are going to a few bookstores and have cocktail hour. Very excited for all the bookish fun.

• Speaking of books, I’ve had a run of not amazing books this week. Really hoping to pull up my star ratings with my retreat selections.

• Took the kids to two splash pads, two libraries, and one movie this week to tire them out. I may have overdone it a bit.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Title: Anya’s Ghost

Author: Vera Brosgol

Publisher: First Second 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel Fantasy

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the "Forever" part . . .

Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who's been dead for a century.

Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend―even a ghost―is just what she needs.

Or so she thinks.

Interesting… I had no idea what this graphic novel was actually about until after I started reading it. I was pleasantly surprised by this strange story involving a girl and a ghost she found in a hole. We follow Anya as she navigates balancing life at home and at school as she attempts to create her own identity; And then things start to change, and not really for the better. I sped through this one and really fell for Anya’s struggles. She finds her fitting in the end, but it is a journey.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Summer Bucket List

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

10. Redo the Playroom

11. Bird Watching Hike

12. Pam Nelson Farm

13. Lauritzen Gardens

14. 5 Splash Pad Visits

15. 3 Movies at the Theater

16. 3 Omaha Zoo Visits

17. Craft/Art Day

18. Read 50 Books

19. July Movie Month!

20. Clear Out My Library Cart

Spring Bucket List Finish Line

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:

1. Check off 150 hours of our 1000 hours outside project ✓ - We’re currently sitting at 154 hours for the year.

2. Two Lincoln Excursion Days - We only made it to Lincoln once so far. But we will definitely schedule another day for laster this summer.

3. Three State park Visits - We hit Schramm a few weeks back.

4. Read 50 books ✓

5. Day trip to Des Moines

6. At least 6 zoo visits (4/6)

7. Design board for future kitchen renovation

8. Monthly bingo/trivia nights ✓

9. Do a donation drop

10. Take the kids bowling or mini golfing

11. Log 50 miles on the treadmill

12. Make homemade cinnamon rolls

13. Plan out curriculum for next year ✓

14. Plan out the Bookish Retreat! ✓

15. Plan an Indiana trip for summer complete with Indianapolis mini trip ✓

16. Weekend trip to Kansas ✓

17. Plan a redo for our homeschool space / playroom - in progress

18. Do a Closet Cleanout for Me

19. Do a Closet Cleanup for the Kids

20. Work on a Craft Project ✓

Up Next on the TBR:

Music Monday - Rufus Du Soul "On My Knees"

A new find from Alt Nation. I’m loving this song.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

Title: The Cartographers

Author: Peng Shepherd

Publisher: William Morrow 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 392

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Unread Shelf Reading Challenge - Most recently acquired

Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn’t seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.

But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable and exceedingly rare. In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence . . . because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one—along with anyone who gets in the way.

But why?

To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret and discovers the true power that lies in maps . . .

On to our book retreat club discussion. Because the votes were split, we are technically going to discuss one romance book (Neon Gods) and one fantasy book (this one) at retreat. I had been so excited to get this one from Book of the Month, but then let it just sit on my shelf. It took about 50 pages for me to really get into the story. I never really loved Nell, but was very intrigued by the mystery once it was set in motion. I connected more with the other Cartographers and their backstories than Nell’s current life. I was not a fan of her and Felix’s pseudo-relationship, but did enjoy seeing her interact with Swann. Once the mystery kicked into gear, I was flipping the pages waiting to see where it went next. Putting the pieces together was my favorite part of this book. Unfortunately, the ending became a bit rushed and muddled and I did not love Nell’s choices. In the end, I didn’t adore this book, but it was a solid fantasy mystery. I’ll have to wait until next week to hear what everyone else thought about the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

High Spirits by Camille Gomera-Tavarez

Title: High Spirits

Author: Camille Gomera-Tavarez

Publisher: Levine Querido 2022

Genre: YA Short Stories

Pages: 224

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

High Spirits is a collection of eleven interconnected short stories from the Dominican diaspora, from debut author Camille Gomera-Tavarez.

It is a book centered on one extended family – the Beléns – across multiple generations.

It is set in the fictional small town of Hidalpa – and Santo Domingo and Paterson and San Juan and Washington Heights too.

It is told in a style both utterly real and distinctly magical – and its stories explore machismo, mental health, family, and identity.

Surprise surprise, I ended up giving a short story collection 3 stars. This seems to be very much a given rating for me. I just don’t really enjoy short story collections. I much prefer to immerse myself completely into a book and really dive in. This collection’s premise of interconnected stories focused on on Dominican family though generations intrigued me. I had also heard a plug for this one on my favorite reading podcast, so I grabbed it from the library. Unfortunately, the collection didn’t completely draw me in. We get snippets or vignettes of lives throughout the Belen family, but enough enough of any of them. I wanted to read an big family saga and instead I only get to catch glimpses of these characters. And so many of the stories ended so incredibly abruptly that I was very much not wanted to keep reading. This may be a good collection for someone else, but I did not love it at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

It's Way Too Hot, So Videos?

On this Thursday, I think we all need to remember that this happened. So good!

Hands down my favorite of Jane Austen’s novel and yet I’m also so hesitant about movie adaptations.

I’m kinda intrigued by this movie. Might be a fun ride.

Sloth therapy anyone?

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Title: Gallant

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Greenwillow Books 2022

Genre: YA Fantasy/Horror

Pages: 334

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

Perfect creepy house story for the week. I love a good atmospheric haunted house story imbued with a constant state of dread. This one did not disappoint. We are sucked in within the first chapter to the mystery of Olivia, her mother’s journal, and all those ghosts she sees. And then we arrive at her mother’s birth house and things get really creepy. This story isn’t super gory, but has all the creepy elements that I really enjoy in a haunted house book. We get mysterious statues and portraits, a family secret, silent ghosts appearing everywhere, and a creepy man beyond the wall. I sped through this book shivering the entire time. Schwab has created a masterful book that I wish I had read in October (well, only a little bit, I loved reading it in June also).

Next up on the TBR pile: