The Highlander Who Protected Me by Vanessa Kelly

Title: The Highlander Who Protected Me (Clan Kendrick #1)

Author: Vanessa Kelly

Publisher: Zebra 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 423

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Lady Ainsley Matthews, heiress and darling of the ton, was expected to make a magnificent match. Instead she’s hiding on a remote Scottish estate, terrified that her vicious former fiancé will use her pregnancy to force her into marriage. One man can help her—Royal Kendrick, son of a distinguished Highland clan. Though a mistake drove them apart long ago, Royal is the only person Ainsley trusts to protect her baby—even if that means agreeing to never see either of them again . . .

Scarred in body and soul by war, Royal suddenly has a purpose—caring for an innocent babe and thereby helping the woman he can’t stop loving. But when Ainsley ultimately returns to Scotland, determined to be a real mother to her child in spite of the risk, there’s only one solution: marriage. And only one likely outcome: surrendering to the desire that’s simmered between them for so long, no matter how dangerous it may be . . .

CW: Sexual Assault, Child Death

And a mostly disappointing Regency romance novel. I wanted to love this one and I did really enjoy the Kendrick Clan. I just could not at all find any way to like Ainsley. She constant lies and lies of omission to Royal didn’t build any tension; they build anger and resentment in me. I was so incredibly annoyed with all of her behaviors. I could not see what Royal saw in her and therefore did not like the book. I am going to continue with the series as I’m am intrigued by the other Kendrick brothers. Hopefully their stories are better.

Clan Kendrick

#1 The Highlander Who Protected Me
#2 The Highlander’s Christmas Bride
#3 The Highlander’s English Bride
#4 The Highlander’s Irish Bride
#5 The Highlander’s Holiday Wife

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

Title: Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1)

Author: Katherine Arden

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Genre: MG Horror

Pages: 218

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie who only finds solace in books discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man"—a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.
Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about on a school trip to a nearby farm. Then, later, when her school bus breaks down on the ride home, the strange bus driver tells Ollie and her classmates: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.
Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed these warnings. As the trio head out into the woods—bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them—the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small."
And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.

Ooooohhhhh… this book was deliciously creepy! It takes awhile to set up the story. We need to understand a bit about Ollie and the dynamics within her class. We need to get some tantalizing clues as to what’s actually going on. After everything is established, Arden turns up the creep factor and plunges ahead. Once the action gets going, it doesn’t stop until the last page. There were some very creepy scenes in this story. I would not give it to my 6 year old or even my 9 year old (he’s pretty sensitive to the scary). But this adult with a black heart absolutely loved it. I will definitely be picking up the other books in this series.

Small Spaces

#1 Small Spaces
#2 Dead Voices
#3 Dark Waters
#4 Empty Smiles

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Title: Lessons in Chemistry

Author: Bonnie Garmus

Publisher: Doubleday Books 2022

Genre: General Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

CW: Sexual Assault

This was chosen as our December book club selection. The reviews keep telling me that this is a “laugh out loud funny” book of strong women. The reviews tell me that it’s a heartwarming story of a woman finding herself. I most definitely disagree. I read this a terribly depressing story about what happens to women in this patriarchal society. We are slapped in the face with all the injustices that Elizabeth faces just because she is a woman. All of that, I could have maybe dealt with. The graphic sexual assault scenes were too far. And then we get Elizabeth herself. I was very annoyed by her completely obliviousness and naïveté when it came to issues and situations. I just couldn’t really root for her in the book. In fact, my favorite characters were the dog, Six Thirty, and the the next door neighbor, Harriet. I would have enjoyed more from them.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab

Title: Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3)

Author: Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Scholastic 2021

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows . . .Unless it's the other way around?Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while traveling for her parents' TV show.But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colorful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

And with that, Cassidy’s story comes to a close (or does it?). With this book, we do get a conclusion to the big mystery that was set up in the second book in the series. We finally encounter what is stalking Cassidy through the streets of Paris and now New Orleans. We get to finally meet The Society of the Black Cat and we get more information on what is happening to Jacob. Overall, this series was a delightful spooky read. It’s not true horror, but leans a bit more gentle and twee. My biggest complaint has to be the constant reminders of Cassidy’s condition and her relationship with Jacob. Those passages really felt like filler in the book. I would have liked to see a bit more ghost-busting this one. But I did enjoy the big final battle.

Cassidy Blake

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #21

Reading: Finishing The Highlander Who Protected Me by Vanessa Kelly. I picked up this series because two out of the five books are Christmas themed. Just about done with the first book. They are utterly predictable, but I’m totally okay with that.

Watching: We chose Spirited as our family movie selection. Very entertaining! So entertaining that we blew past the kids’ bedtime to finish the movie.

Listening: Very much obsessed with Michael Hobbes’ new podcast If Books Could Kill.

Making: Working on twice-baked sweet potatoes for our Thanksgiving. Love that these are easy to make early for Thanksgiving.

Feeling: I have not been sleeping well lately at all. I am tired. It was help if my body would stop waking me up at 7am when I have no where to be.

Planning: I’m hosting the Coop’s Christmas Party again this year. I got a lead on a Vegan GF baker to make us some cut-out sugar cookies. And I’ve ordered dairy-free hot chocolate mix. Now I need to organize the games and crafts.

Loving: The kids have been playing their own animal show most evenings. Basically they play charades but only do animals.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W14: Airplanes, Bingo, and DNA

What We Studied

J left for a work trip from Wednesday to Friday, which always makes our week feel a bit strange. The theme of the week was lazy schooling. We get our usual outings (science and coop), but also spent a ton of time schooling on the couch. Works for me!

Literature and Poetry

Arthur and I finished our current read aloud. He really liked the humor and the friendship bits. I might pick up the sequel for him to read independently.

Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry
In the Beginning by Virginia Hamilton
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Quentin focused on reading animal stories from around the world. I’m trying to line them up with our continents as we move across the world. We continued Europe and covered stories from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece. We also finished reading The Children of Noisy Village by the author of Pippi Longstocking. it’s like a collection of vignettes. I don’t think I was a big fan of the book. I don’t think Q really liked it either. The stories were a bit too old-fashioned for us, which makes sense as it was written in 1946.

Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry
The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister
Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta
Fox and the Bike Ride by Corey R. Tabor
Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor (Quentin Read)
Three Golden Oranges by Alma Flora Ada
The Key from Spain by Debbie Levy
Princess Florecita and the Iron Shoes by John Warren Stewing
The Beautiful Butterfly by Judy Sierra
Gabriella's Song by Candace Fleming
Caterina: The Clever Farm Girl by Julienne Peterson
Priceless Gifts by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss
Count Silvernose by Eric A. Kimmel
The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori and the Invention of the Piano by Elizabeth Rusch
Tony's Bread by Tomie dePaola
Papa Gatto by Ruth Sanderson
Night Circus by Etienne Delessert
Two Brothers, Four Hands: The Artists Alberto and Diego Giacometti by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
A Tale of Two Brothers by Eveline Hasler
The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece by Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidou
The Librarian Who measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
Greek Myths: Three Heroic Tales by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden

Math

For both boys, we have scheduled math for three days a week. One day is focused on logic, games, puzzles, and special projects. The two other days are focused on covering the main math curriculum (Singapore 4A and 4B for Arthur and Singapore 1A and 1B for Quentin). Arthur officially finished 4A, so we’ve been doing some review before we start 4B in December.

Logic Liftoff (Arthur)
Lollipop Logic Book 2 (Quentin)
Smart Start Math Grade 1

Social Studies

Arthur continued his large study of United States history using a combination of Build Your Library Level 5 and History Quest United States History. We ended up not getting to history this past week, which it totally okay. We will catch up next week.

A Kid’s Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
We were There Too by Philip Hoose
Words that Built a Nation
History Quest: U.S. History
A Different Mirror
DK American History Visual Encyclopedia
Map Skills for Today Grade 3

Quentin continued his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We moved onto studying Portugal, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and Greece.

Nat Geo Beginner’s World Atlas
DK Countries of the World
DK Children Just Like Me
DK Children Just Like Me: A School Like Mine
All Around the World: Spain by Kristine Spanier
Alcazar Castle by Grace Hansen
Barcelona City Trails by Moira Butterfield
Gaudi: Architect of Imagination by Susan B. Katz
Just Being Dali: The Story of Artist Salvador Dali by Amy Guglielmo
C is for Ciao: An Italy Alphabet by Elissa D. Grodin and Mario M. Cuomo
Living in Italy by Chloe Perkins
Cool Italian Cooking by Lisa Wagner
Follow Me Around Italy by Wiley Blevins
Follow Me Around Greece by Anna T. Tabachnik

Arthur Independent Time

We are working on following a checklist in a planner for weekly independent work. There’s usually some math workbook pages, an ELA packet, weekly writing prompts (1-2 times a week), independent reading time, and a special creative project. There has been many drawing projects lately.

Science

Arthur is focusing on Physics this year. We are covering the text and related videos at home and then joining friends for experiments and extra projects. We took a bit of a break from Physics to explore paper making and print making. The boys even got to make their own homemade paper. After thinking about it, we’re going to recycle (heehee) that idea for coop for spring.

RSO Physics
The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way by Joy Hakim
The Way Things Work Now

Quentin will be focusing on animal science with BYL Level 0. We did a study of the animals of the Alps.

Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas
DK Animal
Lonely Planet: The Animal Book
The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George

STEAM Coop

We’re back to coop after our absence week. Arthur continued with genetics. The kids explored mitosis and extracted DNA from strawberries. Quentin explored renewable energy and made a solar lantern.

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking

We’re planning one doing on art project and one cooking project each week as well as picking a composer or musician to listen to and enjoy. This week music just didn’t happen. But that’s okay. Arthur’s continued with the Outschool drawing class. This week’s animal was a dog.

Field Trip

On Monday, we visited the SAC Museum. The kids got a private tour and two lessons (planes and rockets) before free play. Quentin’s paper plane flew the farthest so he won a prize. He was very excited to win something. The kids enjoyed the day the museum with their friends.

High

I somehow took the kids by myself to Music Bingo on Wednesday night. Except for one little meltdown from Q, we had fun. I won and Arthur won. Q didn’t win, but some random guy gave Q his prize (it was a Mulan coloring set). Overall, we had a good evening at the cafe enjoying 2000s Punk.

Low

Q and I did not finish the ELA and Math packet. The papers are starting to pile up a bit. Hoping we can catch up a bit next week, before we hit December 1st.

Next Week (and the week after)

Starting our new read aloud (A)
Moving to the run-up to the Revolutionary War for US History (A)
Beginning 4B for Math (A)
Taking a break from physics to explore bridges(A)
Covering more of Eastern Europe for social studies and science (Q)
Covering genetics, (A) and renewable energy (Q) for coop - it’s the last coop meeting of the semester!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - First Aid Kit "Palomino"

Another group that I’ve rediscovered this month. I’ve always loved their sound. Definitely downloading the new album.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #35

Right now I am: Gathering my library books for a run to the closest branch once they open this afternoon. I’m also making our grocery list (never-ending).

Thinking and pondering: What exactly are we going to do for the coop Christmas party? I have hot chocolate tasting and cookie decorating. I need to think of a few games and fun.

On my bedside table: The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard (book club is on the 30th!), Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert

On my tv this week: Not much. Before he left for a work trip, J and I watched a few movies. When he was gone, the kids and I watched a few movies. I spent most nights not watching television, instead reading or listening to a podcast.

Listening to: I finally dove back into Grim & Mild’s offerings with Grim & Mild Presents: Sideshow. I like the biweekly format even if I’m almost a year behind. I’ll binge listen probably driving to Indiana next month.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Ranch Cheddar Chicken
Tuesday - Peanut Sauce Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Bowls
Wednesday - Pesto Stuffed Shells
Thursday - Thanksgiving!
Friday - Leftovers (of course)
Saturday - Spinach and Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Sunday - Black Bean Soup, Tacos

On my to do list: I really need to do a brain dump today. I know that I have a ton of random little tasks to deal with, but right now, they’re all rattling around in my brain.

Happening this week:

Monday - Possible Festival of Trees visit
Tuesday - Zoo Day with coop friends
Wednesday - Home Day / Thanksgiving prep
Thursday - Thanksgiving!
Friday - Home Day
Saturday - Home Day
Sunday - Nerdy Bookish Friends Zoom Chat about Fairy Tale by Stephen King

What I am creating: Nothing except big to do lists.

My simple pleasures: Cranberry orange scones, singing along at Music Bingo, snuggles with Q

Looking around the house: I did a whirlwind clean for coop on Thursday, so things are looking decent right now. I do want to vacuum at some point today and I know I have a load of laundry to do.

From the camera: I spent my Tuesday night getting my Alice inspired tattoo, finally!

The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George

Title: The Devil and the Heiress (The Gilded Age Heiresses #2)

Author: Harper St. George

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 275

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side, near his heart, in his bed.

Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true....

A decent follow-up to the first book in the series. I enjoyed Christian throughout the book, but I must say that Violet wasn’t really my favorite. She was just not the best character and foil to Christian. She was much too naive throughout the book and I kept rolling my eyes at her behavior. The actual plot line was decent, but I wanted a bit more banter between my leads. I’ll definitely keep reading this series. I sometimes just need something light and predictable.

The Gilded Age Heiresses

#1 The Heiress Gets a Duke
#2 The Devil and the Heiress
#3 The Lady Tempts an Heir
#4 The Duchess Takes a Husband

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Title: Sunshine

Author: Robin McKinley

Publisher: Speak 2010

Genre: Vampire

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake in years. Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts for a minute. But then the vampires found her . . . Now, chained and imprisoned in a once-beautiful decaying mansion, alone but for the vampire, Constantine, shackled next to her, Sunshine realizes that she must call on her own hidden strength if she is to survive. But Constantine is not what she expected of a vampire, and soon Sunshine discovers that it is he who needs her, more than either of them know. Originally published as an adult novel, but now in YA for the first time, Sunshine is an alluring and captivating vampire story - one that will ensnare fans of paranormals everywhere.

Back when I first read the book in 2012, I had this to say: “

This novel.... um wow! The one word that kept popping into my head throughout: Atmosphere. I haven't read any book lately that evoked such atmosphere. I loved it! McKinley puts us right inside of Sunshine's head. We connect with her right away. We remember past events, but always at the right time. We feel every emotion she's feeling. I especially loved the times when she was confused. We were confused right there with her. The writing was confused, but yet still readable. We see the world through Sunshine's eyes. Overall the effect is quite brilliant.

It took me awhile to get through this book; not because I was struggling to stay interested, but quite the opposite. I was so connected with the story and characters that I didn't want it to end. I was scared at what we might find out. Don't worry everything worked out in the end... well in a way. This book has made me add McKinley to my authors to explore. I have a feeling this might end up on my Top 10 Books of 2012 list.

Upon rereading, I feel exactly the same way. I absolutely love this book!

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Once & Future Vol. 4

Title: Once & Future Vol. 4

Author: Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain

Publisher: Boom Studios 2022

Genre: Comics

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

WAR OF THE KINGS!

Bridgette, Duncan, and Rose, – along with the entirety of Britain – are dragged into the Otherworld. It's a land of predatory monsters and things seem like they can't get any worse.

Of course they can. A rival king rises to confront Arthur, plunging the land into civil war... and both pursue Bridgette, Duncan and Rose as they travel across the land, desperately trying to find a way to return Britain to its senses...

New York Times bestselling writer Kieron Gillen joins Russ Manning Award winning artist Dan Mora, and colorist Tamra Bonvillain present the next chapter in the Hugo and Eisner Award nominated series.

Collects Once & Future #19-24.

Another great collection of issues from this series. The tension is definitely ratcheting up from our last trade. Things are becoming dire and the final war is looming closer and closer. In this volume, we get some maneuvering and more insight into the enemy camps. We also encounter two more story characters, one of which I gasped out loud at the reveal. I really loved the inclusion of Shakespeare and his works. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

Title: Mrs. Caliban

Author: Rachel Ingalls

Publisher: Harvard Common Press 1982

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 103

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

In the quiet suburbs, while Dorothy is doing chores and waiting for her husband to come home from work, not in the least anticipating romance, she hears a strange radio announcement about a monster who has just escaped from the Institute for Oceanographic Research… Reviewers have compared Rachel Ingalls’s Mrs. Caliban to King Kong, Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, the films of David Lynch, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, E.T., Richard Yates’s domestic realism, B-horror movies, and the fairy tales of Angela Carter―how such a short novel could contain all of these disparate elements is a testament to its startling and singular charm.

Definitely one the stranger books I’ve read lately and it was our Nerdy Bookish Friends pick for December (library hold came early). I dove in not knowing what to expect. Right away, I had such sympathy for Dorothy. She’s stuck in a terrible place with no energy to attempt to change it. And then we encounter Larry, and Dorothy begins to think of her like in different ways. I loved seeing the effect Larry had on Dorothy much more than the scenes with Larry. I was getting hopeful that Dorothy would get a happy ending. The actual ending of this book is much more complicated and I’m still not sure how exactly I feel about the entire thing. Right now, I’m really leaning into 3 stars as my rating. It was fine, but nothing very exciting.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W13: Ummm... It was an uneventful week.

What We Studied

It felt like a weird week, but we did manage to get a good chunk of schooling done.

Literature and Poetry

A new read aloud was started this week. Arthur is enjoying the humor and parts about friendships. A plus is that it’s easy to read aloud. I like it when the prose flows.

Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry
In the Beginning by Virginia Hamilton
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Behind the Mask: A Book About Prepositions by Ruth Heller

Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry
The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister
Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta
Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor (Quentin Reads)
How to Become a Knigth by Todd Tarpley
If You Find a Leaf by Aimee Sicuro
The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot by Alice and Martin Provensen
The Cat Who Walked Across France by Katy Banks
Henri's Scissors by Jeanette Winter
Up and Away! How Two Brothers Invented the Hot Air Balloon by Jason Henry
Three Perfect Peaches by Cynthia DeFelice and Mary DeMarsh
I, Crocodile by Fred Marcellino
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Adele & Simon by Barbara McClintock
Mornings with Monet by Barb Rosenstock
Three Sacks of Truth by Eric A. Kimmel
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by The Brothers Grimm
The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Lisbeth Zwerger
Hansel & Gretel by Holly Hobbie
The Star Child by The Brothers Grimm
The Bremen Town Musicians by Doris Orgel
Mother Holly by Bernadette Watts
Iron Hans by Stephen Mitchell

German night dinner: bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad, apple strudel

Math

Logic Liftoff (Arthur)
Lollipop Logic Book 2 (Quentin)
Smart Start Math Grade 1

Social Studies

Arthur continued his large study of United States history using a combination of Build Your Library Level 5 and History Quest United States History. We covered the growth of the English colonies, touched on the other European colonies, and explored the start of slavery.

A Kid’s Guide to Native American History by Yvonne Wakim Dennis
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
We were There Too by Philip Hoose
Words that Built a Nation
History Quest: U.S. History
A Different Mirror
DK American History Visual Encyclopedia
The Winter People by Joseph Bruchac
Map Skills for Today Grade 3

Quentin continued his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We moved onto studying France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Austria.

Nat Geo Beginner’s World Atlas
DK Countries of the World
DK Children Just Like Me
DK Children Just Like Me: A School Like Mine
E is for Eiffel Tower by Helen L. Wilbur
Follow Me Around France by Wiley Blevins
Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Björk and Lena Anderson
Pedal Power: How One Community Became the Bicycle Capital of the World by Allan Drummond
Windmill De Kat by Hyo-mi Park
Follow Me Around Germany by Wiley Blevins
Neuschwanstein Castle by Grace Hansen
Out of the Shadows: How Lotte Reiniger Made the First Animated Fairy Tale Movie by Fiona Robinson

Arthur Independent Time

Science

Arthur is focusing on Physics this year. We are covering the text and related videos at home and then joining friends for experiments and extra projects. We covered pulleys this week. I bought a great construction kit that builds 26 different simple machines.

RSO Physics
The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way by Joy Hakim
The Way Things Work Now

Quentin will be focusing on animal science with BYL Level 0. We did just a little overview of the animals of Europe.

Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas
DK Animal
Lonely Planet: The Animal Book
The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George

STEAM Coop

We’re back to coop after our absence week. Arthur continued with genetics. The kids learned about genotypes and phenotypes and played with Punnett squares. Quentin explored renewable energy.

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking

Field Trip

We didn’t have a field trip this week at all. We did attempt to have a park afternoon, but it started raining pretty much as soon as we got there.

High

Not school related, but we had a great playdate on Saturday with a friend that we hadn’t seen for awhile. We need to so it again soon.

Low

There was a general feeling of apathy this week. Not great energy at all.

Next Week

Continuing our new read aloud (A)
Moving to the French and Indian War for US History (A)
Taking a break from physics to explore the printing press and printmaking (A)
Covering more of Western Europe for social studies and science (Q)
Covering genetics, (A) and renewable energy (Q) for coop

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Angel Haze feat. Sia "Battle Cry"

An older song, but I just rediscovered Angel Haze. I really like her sound. Reading to my Apple Music.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #34

As I look outside my window: it look nice and sunny out, but

Right now I am: Eating a small breakfast before prepping for brunch and then my tattoo appointment.

On my bedside table: The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard; Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

On my tv this week: J and I have been watching a lot of random and new movies and documentaries this week. Mostly very good viewing.

Listening to: Mostly podcast this week. I started listening to If Books Could Kill and am loving it so much. Check it out!

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Smoked Sausage and Potatoes
Tuesday - Leftovers
Wednesday - Out for Bingo
Thursday - ???
Friday - ???
Saturday - Ranch Cheddar Chicken
Sunday - Greek Night

On my to do list: Eye appointments are next on my list. I also should get a start on my Christmas present list.

Happening this week:

Monday - SAC Museum
Tuesday - Home Day
Wednesday - Errands; Science; Music Bingo
Thursday - Coop
Friday - Outschool
Saturday - Home Day
Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: Nothing really… although I need to get Christmas cards started.

My simple pleasures: Brownies and hot tea, a good reread

Looking around the house: Things are decent looking right now. I should vacuum upstairs later today and probably clean the master bathroom.

From the camera: My tattoo idea board. Very excited to get it done today.

Fall Bucket List Update #2

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

Visit Vala’s 5x ✓
Celebrate Friendsgiving
Read 50 Books (36/50)
Complete Spooky Movie Month ✓
Execute a Halloween Party for Coop ✓
Have an Art/Craft Day
Two State Park Visists
Two Zoo Visits
Pick Out and Carve Pumpkins ✓
Go Trick-or-Treating ✓
Jump in a Pile of Leaves
Go Through a Corn Maze ✓
Make 5 Fall Recipes ✓
Make Leaf Art
Go Pick Apples ✓
Go on a Fall Forest Hike ✓
Make 3 Pumpkin Recipes
Go Bowling

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Title: Fairy Tale

Author: Stephen King

Publisher: Scribner 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 608

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Early in the Pandemic, King asked himself: “What could you write that would make you happy?”

The Nerdy Bookish Friends buddy read for November. I must admit that I have enjoyed Joe Hill’s writing over his father’s writing for years now, so I wasn’t necessarily super pumped for this read. On the other hand, I wasn’t mad about the selection. I was intrigued by King’s take on a fairy tale world and hero’s journey. By the end of the book, I had a few high points and a few duds. I loved how King featured the various fairy tales as easter eggs throughout the book. We get to see Charlie recognizing the stories as he encounters characters, settings, and events. I loved picking up all of those references. I also loved seeing how Charlie’s speech changes as he emerges himself in the world of Empis. Those were the high points. On the flip side, the pacing was terrible. For the first fourth of the book (~175 pages), nothing magical happens. It’s so incredibly slow. Once we get to the other world, things accelerate, but there are weird slow patches throughout the book. The entire section set in the prison lasted way too long. And then we get to the odd tone of the main character. I just don’t think that King writes 17 year olds very well now. There were some strange scenes that I just didn’t connect with. By the end of the book, I was left with very mixed feelings. Probably not the book for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Scorpio Races

Author:Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 409

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Some race to win. Others race to survive. It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive.

This book was so hyped up to me that I was pretty disappointed by the actual thing. We start off strong with two orphaned teens deciding to risk their lives to the Scorpio Races. I was intrigued but the idea of the water horses and hoped the book kept the threat of them front and center. Instead, we focus on other people’s petty and vicious games. We see a relationship develop between the two main characters, but I wasn’t really sold on their romance. Everything seemed just a bit too lackluster for me. I ended up finishing the book and not really caring what happened to Sean or Puck I wasn’t left with a strong impression at all. I don’t think this one was for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

Rereading an old favorite and it’s still so good.
Thinking about Christmas presents. Not sure which direction to take with the boys.
We’re officially indoors for coop until probably late March/early April.
Might need to swing by and get a pick-me-up coffee later after errands. It’s cold and dreary today.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Comfort me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Title: Comfort Me with Apples

Author: Catherynne M. Valente

Publisher: Tordotcom 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 103

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Sophia was made for him. Her perfect husband. She can feel it in her bones. He is perfect. Their home together in Arcadia Gardens is perfect. Everything is perfect.

It's just that he's away so much. So often. He works so hard. She misses him. And he misses her. He says he does, so it must be true. He is the perfect husband and everything is perfect.

But sometimes Sophia wonders about things. Strange things. Dark things. The look on her husband's face when he comes back from a long business trip. The questions he will not answer. The locked basement she is never allowed to enter. And whenever she asks the neighbors, they can't quite meet her gaze....

But everything is perfect. Isn't it?

I won’t spoil this slim volume, but it most definitely is an interesting retelling of a very old story. I spent the first half puzzled over what was actually going on. Then very quickly all the pieces fell into places. Once Sophia meets a being in the park, everything came rushing to a conclusion. This is a book that must be read without looking at reviews. They will spoil everything! I opened this one up and read it in one sitting. I found myself getting angrier and angrier as the story progressed (as I should have, it’s kinda the entire point). Once the reveals happen, I felt very justified in my anger towards religion and the patriarchy. Only after I read it did I see that this is from Tordotcom. I adore that publishing house; no wonder I loved this one.

Next up on the TBR pile: