Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone

Title: Misadventures of a Curvy Girl

Author: Sierra Simone

Publisher: Waterhouse Press 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 226

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Farmer’s Market

Spice Meter: 8

For the first time in her life, Ireland Mills is happy with her body. No more fad diets, no more hiding from every camera in the room, no more low self-esteem. She’d rather be alone than with someone who’ll only love her if she’s skinny.

Caleb Carpenter and Ben Weber are everything Ireland and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce dreamed of when conceptualizing the “Real Kansas” promotional campaign. They’re handsome, young, educated, and totally dedicated to their small prairie town.

When Ireland’s Prius gets stuck on a Kansas dirt road and a massive storm rips through town, she’s left stranded with nowhere to turn but to Caleb and Ben. These two hunky country boys are impossible to ignore, but could they ever be interested in her as well?

Caleb and Ben are more than interested…and they’re willing to share. After their first night together, they know this has to be more than a one-time thing. They need to make her theirs forever. But can they convince Ireland they love her, curves and all?

I was hoping that this would be a good choice for my book club’s Dirty Book Month. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype. I was completely onboard for a plus-size FMC and even a polyam relationship with two men. I wasn’t really okay with the insta-love from the men. Seriously, it was a bit much. And I wasn't okay with the constant body shaming from Ireland herself. I understand not liking your body and thinking negative thoughts. I don’t necessarily want to read that every other page throughout the entire novel. Authors only have to mention it a few times. Readers are going to forgot that the heroirne has body issues. It felt overdone. I was very much getting annoyed with the internal thoughts interrupting every scene.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Our first coop of the spring semester! It promises to be controlled chaos per usual.

• I may have overdone it this past few days. And I think my anxiety is getting to me.

• Thankfully, my minor surgery is on Monday. I should be on the road to less pain.

• Thinking about our To Watch list. I need to make a new one and maybe one for February Movie Month.

• Excited for my new sneakers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ducks by Kate Beaton

Title: Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Author: Kate Beaton

Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly 2022

Genre: Graphic Novel Memoir

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club

Before there was Kate Beaton, New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beaton, specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where the lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, Katie heads out west to take advantage of Alberta’s oil rush―part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can’t find it in the homeland they love so much. Katie encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands, where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet is never discussed.

Beaton’s natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, northern lights, and boreal forest. Her first full length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.

CW: Sexual harassment, rape

Fascinating look at life on an isolated mining facility in Canada. I have enjoyed Beaton’s comedic takes and was intrigued by this memoir. Be advised that this book details her experiences of sexual harassment and rape while working in the Oil Sands. This is not a comedy. This is a look at her life experiences and a discussion of how isolation can affect a person. I enjoyed some of the questions that jumped into my brain while reading. I will most definitely keep Beaton on a must-read list of authors.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2023 Goals and Resolutions

Checking in with my 2022 Goals and Resolutions -

House Goals/Resolutions

• Finish One Home Renovation Project - Haha! This was just all over the place and nothing really happened.

• Finish Organizing My Craft Room/Library ✓ - At one point, this was organized. Now, it’s a mess again, but it’s a constant reorganization.

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Get Back into My Treadmill Goals - Nope, but we did spend much more time outside this past year.

• 1000 Hours Outside - There’s not way that we will ever reach 1000 hours. We managed about 400 hours this past year. I call that a big win for us, especially as I do not love being outdoors in the heat.

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 Books / 60,000 Pages ✓

• Decrease my UnRead Shelf by 50 Books - Fail.

Craft Goals/Resolutions

• Get Back into Crafting! - Nope.

• Finish 2021 Memory Planner ✓

• Keep Up with 2022 Memory Planner ✓

And now on to 2023…

House Goals/Resolutions

• Organize My Craft Room/Library - Trying to find that floor again. I should also do a bit of cleanout with regards to my craft supplies.

• Make Progress with One Home Project - We need to remove the deck and hopefully replace it this year. I also want to redo our homeschool corner.

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Complete 52 Hikes - Instead of 1000 Hours, we’re going to focus on weekly nature hikes. I think that will help get us out and moving.

• Add More Vegetarian Dishes to Our Rotation - With the price of groceries right now, we’re cutting back on some things. Trying to up my vegetarian and even vegan game.

• Take Care of My Medical Issues - I will be having surgery for one thing on Monday. But I’m still hoping to take care of some other issues this winter/spring. Hoping for a less painful year overall.

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 Books/60,000 Books

• Clear Off 50 Books from My UnRead Shelf

• Skip at Least 50% of BOTM Months

Homeschool Goals/Resolutions

• Create a Long-Term Plan for Homeschool Curriculum - I started a scope and sequence last year, but want to beef that up. I also have to get some options in mind for future curriculum (e.g. what to do after Singapore 5B?).

• Continue to Organize the Coop, But Also Delegate for Growth - We’re into our second full year of the coop and it’s been amazing. But I have some ideas about growing our membership. I also want to focus a bit on delegating more tasks to others to allow for some breathing room for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katie Robert

Title: Court of the Vampire Queen

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2022

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Pages: 496

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - Fang Alley

Spice Meter: 8

Three Powerfully Alluring Vampire Men

And One Queen to Rule Them All

All Mina ever wanted was to escape her father's control. Half human, half vampire, she lived eternally torn between two worlds, never fully experiencing the pleasures of either―until her father chose her as the pawn in his latest political move, gifting her to the darkly powerful and dangerously seductive Malachi Zion.

Malachi is not a vampire to be trifled with. He rules with an iron fist and has a reputation for the darkest of sins. But the longer Mina spends with him, the more she realizes he's not the monster she first thought―and as fear bleeds into lust, then trust, then something more, Malachi opens Mina up to a world she never knew could be hers for the taking: including the love of Malachi's two closest friends and companions.

Now surrounded by all three men, the center of their shockingly seductive world, Mina may finally have the power to face down her father and take back the life―and crown―that by all rights should be hers.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

CW (from the author): Dubious consent, blood play, breeding, abusive parent (father), patricide, pregnancy, blood, gore, murder, explicit sex, vomiting (cause pregnancy), discussions about abortion, abusive parent (father, historical, off-page), blood play, attempted sexual assault (alluded to, non-graphic), attempted drugging

I picked this up on the strength of Robert’s Dark Olympus series. I figured that this one was going to be steamy and no joke, the steam gets started in Chapter 1. And it doesn’t let up until the last page. Make sure to notate that this is a MMMF explicit romance. I was drawn in my the dark vampire romance and stayed for the good discussions and relationships. Mina was a bit of a naive character for the first section, but thankfully she grows and matures throughout the novel. Once we get to know Malachi, Wolf, and Rylan, the story kicks into gear and I really fell for this book. I especially loved the relationships between the men. They somehow balanced each other out. In the end, we get an interesting look at creating polyam relationships albeit ones with supernatural beings. I ended up taking a star off because of the pacing. The last section of the book felt incredibly rushed without the good resolution that I was craving. I understand that Robert collected three novellas into one. That explains a few of the weird pacing issues, but I still wasn’t a big fan.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2022 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed

For 2022, I ended up throwing out any outside reading challenges. I focused more on mood reading and attempting to just go where my reading thoughts take me. I ended up finishing a few of my own challenges and failing at a lot of the others. But that’s okay. I don’t mind that I failed all of these challenges.

2022 Reading Challenges

• Goodreads Challenge

• Winter RC

• Spring RC

• Summer RC

• Fall RC

• Perpetual RC

• UnRead Shelf Project

• UnRead Shelf RC

• Kid Read Alouds

And now let’s break down all the individual challenges, starting with those that I completed:

Completed Challenges

Goodreads
Goal 244/200 Books 100%

Kid Read Alouds
Goal 20/20 Books 100%

1. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (2/10/22)

2. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi (3/13/22)

3. City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda (4/5/22)

4. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (4/17/22)

5. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming (4/24/22)

6. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (5/8/22)

7. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein (5/25/22)

8. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (6/9/22)

9. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (6/19/22)

10. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (7/12/22)

11. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (8/4/22)

12. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (8/19/22)

13. The Very Very Far North by Dan Bar-el (8/25/22)

14. The Beast of Buckingham Palace by David Walliam (8/20/22)

15. Through the Looking-glass and What Alice Saw There by Lewis Carroll (9/1/22)

16. Word of Mouse by James Patterson (9/7/22)

17. Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris (9/15/22)

18. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (9/22/22)

19. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry (9/30/22)

20. Morning Girl by Michael Dorris (9/18/22)

Fall
Goal 25/25 Books 100%

1. 5 Horror

   • Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (10/11/22)

   • The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James (10/19/22)

   • Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (10/25/22)

   • You May Now Kill the Bride by R.L. Stine (10/20/22)

   • The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine (10/21/22)

2. 5 Fantasy/Scifi

   • Vicious by VE Schwab (9/27/22)

   • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (9/28/22)

   • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas (10/14/22)

   • The Lost Vampire Prince by Melody Raven (11/4/22)

   • The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (1/11/22)

3. 3 Kid Read Alouds

   • A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry (9/30/22)

   • The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown (10/12/22)

   • Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone (10/14/22)

4. 3 Book Club / Buddy Reads

   • Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler - Nerdy Bookish Friends Read (9/23/22)

   • Her Majesty’s Secret Coven by Juno Dawson - Nerdy Bookish Friends Read (10/7/22)

   • Fairy Tale by Stephen King - Nerdy Bookish Friends Read (11/12/22)

5. 3 Romance

   • The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (9/25/22)

   • The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George (11/19/22)

   • The Highlander Who Protected Me by Vanessa Kelly (11/25/22)

6. 2 Classics

   • I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (9/24/22)

   • The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren (11/18/22)

7. 2 Nonfiction

   • The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse (10/12/22)

   • The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (10/8/22)

8. 2 Library Choices

   • My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris (10/22/22)

   • Beastly Bones by William Ritter (10/28/22)

Failed Challenges

Perpetual Reading Challenge
Goal 0/25 Books 0%

1. TBD

2. TBD

3. TBD

4. TBD

5. TBD

6. TBD

7. TBD

8. TBD

9. TBD

10. TBD

UnRead Shelf
Goal 23/50 Books 46%

1. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (1/30/22)

2. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (1/29/22)

3. House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (2/8/22)

4. The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (3/26/22)

5. Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (4/6/22)

6. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier (5/27/22)

7. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd (6/18/22)

8. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (6/28/22)

9. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (7/5/22)

10. Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl (9/21/22)

11. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (9/23/22)

12. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (9/24/22)

13. The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (9/25/22)

14. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (9/28/22)

15. The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (10/8/22)

16. The Yoga Store Murder by Dan Morse (10/12/22)

17. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James (10/19/22)

18. You May Now Kill the Bride by R.L. Stine (10/20/22)

19. The Wrong Girl by R.L. Stine (10/21/22)

20. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (10/25/22)

21. Reliquary by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (10/26/22)

22. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (10/29/22)

23. The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard (11/26/22)

24. The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

Unread Shelf Project Reading Challenge
Goal 14/24 Books 58.3%

1. January: The Book You’ve Been Putting Off Reading - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (1/30/22)

2. February: A Title You Couldn’t Resist - House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (2/8/22)

3. March: A Memoir or Biography - Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (9/28/22)

4. April: A Book by an Indie Published or Small Press - The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier (5/27/22)

5. May: The Shortest Unread Book on Your Shelf - The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (6/28/22)

6. June: A Book About a Journey - Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (7/5/22)

7. July: Book Set in a Country or Culture Different Than Your Own - The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (9/25/22)

8. August: A Book Chosen by Your Friends or Family - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (9/24/22)

9. September: A Book that Represents the Reader You Want to Be - Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (9/23/22)

10. October: A Book that Makes You Nervous - The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

11. November: A Title That Starts with the First Letter of Your Name -

12. December: A Classic Book -

13. A Book in Translation -

14. A Book Bought for the Cover - A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (3/16/22)

15. A Science/Technology Nonfiction -

16. The Most Recently Acquired - The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd (6/18/22)

17. A Book About/Of Poetry - The Girl and the Goddess by Nikita Gill (10/8/22)

18. A Book About Nature -

19. A Book Made into a Movie or TV Series -

20. A Book About a Season or Phase of Life - The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (3/26/22)

21. A Book About Food or Cooking - Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl (9/21/22)

22. A Book Set in Your Hometown or State -

23. A Book About Art or Artists -

24. A Modern Retelling of a Classic Book -

Seasonal - Winter
Goal 23/25 Books 92%

1. Five Kindle Books

   • Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler (1/25/22)

   • Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren (2/1/22)

   • Beautiful Beginning by Christina Lauren (2/16/22)

   • Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren (2/16/22)

   • Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gil (3/12/22)

2. Five Nonfiction

   • How Zoologists Organize Things by David Bainbridge (1/15/22)

   • Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedemanv (1/28/22)

   • How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith (2/11/22)

   • Fuzz by Mary Roach (2/25/22)

   • Everyone You Hate is Going to Die by Daniel Sloss (2/27/22)

3. Five Fantasy/Scifi

   • Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (1/21/22)

   • Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (2/12/22)

   • Just One Damned Thing After Another (2/23/22)

   • Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire (2/26/22)

   • The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg (3/8/22)

4. Five Romance

   • Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez (1/14/22)

   • All the Feels by Olivia Dad (1/19/22)

   • Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler (2/9/22)

   • An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole (2/15/22)

   • Electric Idol by Katee Robert (3/11/22)

5. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (3/16/22)

6. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (1/29/22)

7. A Jane Austen Reread - Northanger Abbey (2/18/22)

8. House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski

9. Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth

Seasonal - Spring
Goal 19/25 Books 76%

1. Five Nonfiction

   • Girly Drinks by Mallory O’Meara (4/16/22)

   • Thick by Tressie McMilan Cottom (5/13/22)

   • TBD

   • TBD

   • TBD

2. Five Fantasy/SciFi

   • How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (3/23/22)

   • Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (4/6/22)

   • Dead Silence by SA Barnes (4/9/22)

   • The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart (4/22/22)

   • The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec (4/29/22)

3. Three Romance

   • If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy (4/2/22)

   • The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton (5/14/22)

   • The No-Show by Beth O’Leary (5/20/22)

4. Finish (Three Books) Beautiful Series by Christina Lauren

   • Beautiful Secret (4/13/22)

   • Beautiful Boss (4/15/22)

   • Beautiful (4/26/22)

5. Three Middle Grade

   • The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman (3/25/22)

   • The Bookwanderers by Anna James (3/29/22)

   • The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell (4/5/22)

6. Two Buddy Read Books (CR Picks)

   • The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan (5/24/22)

   • When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

7. Two Random Library Picks

   • Anatomy by Dana Schwartz (5/4/22)

   • The Disasters by M.K. England (5/30/22)

8. A Jane Austen Reread

9. Seanan Maguire Selection

Seasonal - Summer
Goal 21/25 Books 80%

1. 5 Nonfiction Reads

   • A Brief History of Earth by Andrew H. Knoll (6/23/22)

   • The Palace Papers by Tina Brown (8/26/22)

   • TBD

   • TBD

   • TBD

2. 5 Romances

   • Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert (7/15/22)

   • The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (7/21/22)

   • Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren (7/27/22)

   • Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren (8/16/22)

   • Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren (8/28/22)

3. 5 Science Fiction

   • Klara and the Sun by Kazoo Ishiguro (6/25/22)

   • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (7/23/22)

   • Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (8/9/22)

   • The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (8/19/22)

   • TBD

4. 5 Fantasy

   • The Change by Kirsten Miller (6/29/22)

   • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (7/2/22)

   • The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller (7/6/22)

   • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (7/8/22)

   • Wonderland edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (7/13/22)

5. 5 Young Adult and Middle Grade

   • The Minor Third by Neil Patrick Harris (7/16/22)

   • Lobizona by Romina Garber (7/22/22)

   • Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White (7/30/22)

   • Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor (8/6/22)

   • The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (8/1/22)

January 2023 Life Goals

Let’s check in on December’s goals and my progress.

• Read 18 Books ✓

January Goals:

• Read 18 Books

• Make All the Appointments! (Medical related)

• Plan Out Curriculum and Coop for Spring

• Execute a Homeschool Seminar

• Clean and Organize My Office!

• Take it Easy after a Minor Surgery

Next up on the TBR pile:

2022 Wrap-up

Favorite Books of the Year:

1. How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith

2. Book Lovers by Emily Henry

3. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

4. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

5. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

6. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

7. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

8. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

9. Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

10. The War that Save My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Honorable Mentions: The HM category is reserved for rereads that I really loved.

• Sunshine by Robin McKinley - I reread it 10 years after I first read it. I still really really love that book so much!

Total Books Read – 244 books

Total Pages Read – 73,919 pages

I averaged 6160 pages per month.  My lowest month was January with only 4753 pages.  My highest month was December with 7963 pages.  I hope to read 60,000 pages next year.

Book Rating Stats 

• 5 stars —70 books

• 4 stars —108 books

• 3 stars — 54 books

• 2 stars — 11 books

• 1 star — 1 books

• DNFs —0 books

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Bucket List

Entering into another winter bucket list.

1. Go Sledding

2. Read 45 Books

3. Bake Some Bread

4. Make Winter Crafts

5. Movie Month February

6. Make Valentines

7. Go on 5 Winter Hikes

8. Have an Indoor Picnic

9. Make a Snow Globe

10. Complete 3 Puzzles

11. Buy Some New Cozy Pajamas

12. Check Off 50 Hours Outside

13. Have a Birthday Day Out

14. Visit the Zoo 3 Times

15. Monthly Bingo/Trivia Nights

16. Take the Kids Bowling

17. Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

18. Make a New Dessert

19. Make a Bird Feeder

20. Have an Ice Cream Sundae Night

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List Final

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list: We ended up not getting to everything, but I think we had a great Christmas season this year!

Read 10 Holiday Romances (10/10) ✓

• Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

• The Christmas Clash by Suzanna Park

• The Highlander’s Christmas Bride by Vanessa Kelly

• The Highlander’s Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly

• You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

• Whiteout by Various Authors

• Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

• Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

• All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Know

• A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes

• The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

• Fake It for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• Stuck Together for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• Bad Boy for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

• One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

Coop Christmas Party! ✓

Decorate the Mini Tree ✓

Letter to Santa ✓

Christmas Movies x3 ✓

Make Paper Snowflakes

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓ (and The Durham Museum)

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓

Meet the Reindeer ✓

Go for a Winter Hike ✓

Puzzle Day ✓

Make Gingerbread Cookies

Visit Lauritzen Gardens ✓

Decorate Gingerbread Ninjas

Drive around and see the lights ✓

Fantasy of Lights ✓

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights ✓

Christmas music dance party

Watch The Grinch ✓

Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Advent Books ✓

• Christmas Mouse by Anne Mortimer

• The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs by Carolyn Conahan

• The Three Bears’ Christmas by Kathy Duval

• The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas by Anne Muercke

• It’s Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• The 12 Sleighs of Christmas by Sherry Duskey Rinker

• Just Right for Christmas by Birdie Black & Rosalind Beardshaw

• The Twelve Day sod Christmas illustrated by Emma Randall

• Christmas at the Toy Museum by David Lucas

• One Cozy Christmas by M. Christina Butler

• Merry Christmas, Squirrels! by Nancy Rose

• The Last Christmas Tree by Stephen Krensky

• A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba

• Coming Home by Michael Morpurgo

• Christmas with the Mousekins by Maggie Smith

• The Bear Who Didn’t Want to Miss Christmas by Marie Tibi

• A Pirate’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Philip Yates

• Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans

• How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

• Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood and Don Wood

• Mouse’s Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• Christmas is Here! by Charles M. Schulz

• Scooby’s Scary Christmas

• Dino-Christmas by Lisa Wheeler

• The Unicorns Who Saved Christmas by Mary Winn Heider

• How to Catch a Reindeer by Adam Wallace

• How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace

• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

• Little Bear’s Special Friend by Claire Freedman

• If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff

• The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever by Steven Kroll

• Merry Christmas Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

• What the Dinosaurs Did the Night Before Christmas by Refe Tuma and Susan Tuma

Find a New Christmas Album

Have a Candy Cane Hunt

Go Sledding ✓

Send out Christmas cards

Take a photo of all four boys together

Finish 2021’s December Daily album ✓

Try a new holiday drink

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

December 2022 Wrap

December TBR Pile (27):

1. Bookworms BC: Already Read

2. Friend BC: The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin ✓

3. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: Already Read

4. Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: None

5. Kid Read Aloud: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia ✓

6. Kid Book Club: Samantha Spinner and the Super Secret Plans by Russell Ginns (in progress)

7. Middle Grade: The Fourth Suit by Neil Patrick Harris ✓

8. Comics: Snowpiercer The Prequel Part 1 ✓

9. Comics: Snowpiercer The Prequel Part 2 ✓

10. Comics: Snowpiercer Vol. 1 ✓

11. Comics: Snowpiercer Vol. 2 ✓

12. Comics: Snowpiercer Vol. 3 ✓

13. Holiday Romance: Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison ✓

14. Holiday Romance: The Christmas Clash by Suzanna Park ✓

15. Holiday Romance: Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, et al. ✓

16. Holiday Romance: You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky ✓

17. Holiday Romance: The Highlander’s Christmas Bride by Vanessa Kelly ✓

18. Holiday Romance: The Highlander’s Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly ✓

19. Holiday Romance: Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey ✓

20. Holiday Romance: Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle ✓

21. Holiday Romance: All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox ✓

22. Holiday Romance: A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes ✓

23. Holiday Romance: The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson ✓

24. Holiday Romance: The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis ✓

25. Holiday Romance: One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis ✓

26. Holiday Romance: Fake it for Christmas by Layla Valentine ✓

27. Holiday Romance: Stuck Together for Christmas by Layla Valentine ✓

28. Holiday Romance: Bad Boy for Christmas by Layla Valentine ✓

29. Added: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton ✓

30. Added: The Highlander’s English Bride by Vanessa Kelly ✓

31. Added: The Highlander’s Irish Bride by Vanessa Kelly ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 7963 pages
Pages Remaining: 360,385 pages

Current Read - Court of the Vampire Queen by Katie Robert; Ducks by Kate Beaton

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (5)

For my BOTM selection, I had to choose Babel by RF Kaung. It’s a book club choice for February and I’m very excited to read it.

During our book club exchange, I received Wake Siren by Nina McLaughlin. Very intrigued by this Ovid retelling.

For the Book Flood exchange, I received a copy of Broken by Jenny Lawson (already read, but wanted a physical copy) and Little Prisons by Ilona Bannister.

Had to stop in at Barnes & Noble for their 50% off all hardcovers sale. I grabbed The Night Ship by Jess Kidd, The Last Graduate by Naomi Novak, and A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (already read this one, but wanted a physical copy).

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 331

• Books Read: 0

• Books Acquired: 5

• Books Unshelved: 0

• Finishing Number: 336

January TBR Pile:

1. Bookworms BC: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

2. Bookworms BC: Come as You Are by Jess K Hardy

3. Friend BC: Paradise Falls by Keith O’Brien

4. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

5. Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: TBD

6. Kid Read Aloud: Chains by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

7. Kid Book Club: Samantha Spinner and the Super Secret Plans by Russell Ginns

8. Kid Book Club: Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

9. Winter Read: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Movies watched

• Christmas with You - I like the female lead, but her and the male lead have absolutely no chemistry what so ever!

• Get Carter - Classic Michael Caine. Very violent, I actually enjoyed it.

• Bullit - Never saw this classic Steve McQueen movie. Enjoyed it.

• The Misfits - Terribly boring…

• Glass Onion - Not quite as good as the first movie, but still very entertaining.

• Harry Potter 20th Anniversary - Very delightful.

• Artemis Fowl - My mom’s selection. Pretty decent kid action film.

• Something from Tiffany’s - Very cute holiday romance.

TV Shows watched 

• Leverage Redemption S1 and S2

• Below Deck

• Mythic Quest S3

• Staged S3 - Utterly delightful. We binged it in just three days.

Comments - Ended the year with a very strong reading month. In fact, I had my highest reading month of the year. I always love finishing out my year with some light Christmas romance and I definitely delivered on this year’s plan. Now I turn to 2023’s plans.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bad Boy for Christmas by Layla Valentine

Title: Bad Boy for Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedies #3)

Author: Layla Valentine

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 196

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

HER:
There I was, reeling from the biggest disaster of my life, with my PR career in smithereens, I was bracing myself for the worst Christmas ever. Then I saw a shot at retribution. Tyler Bliss, Boston’s hottest bad-boy hockey star, finally thrown off his team. I know I can change the public’s perception of him and get him reinstated, he just needs to clean up his act, and follow my plan to the letter. Given his reputation, that might be more difficult than it sounds… Can we make our own Christmas miracle?

HIM:
They call me Bad Boy Bliss. I’m a beast on the ice, and off. All I want is to be back playing the game I love, And now this bossy publicist is telling me she can make it happen. I’ll grit my teeth through all the publicity stunts if it means being back on the team by January, We both need for this to work, But that means keeping our hands off each other, And I’m starting to think the frustration might be more than either of us can take.

Meh. I was intrigued by the summary and was definitely up for a bad boy hockey player. Unfortunately, we just don’t really get to know enough about either character to care that much. I wasn’t that excited about the pairing. Tyler wasn’t the exciting bad boy that I wanted. He’s more like the class clown who gets in fights. The story touches on some hard topics (e.g. alcoholism, death), but seems to just gloss over things. I needed more. And the steamy scenes weren’t all that steamy.

Christmas Romantic Comedies:

• #1 Fake It for Christmas

• #2 Stuck Together for Christmas

• #3 Bad Boy for Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Highlander's Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly

Title: The Highlander’s Holiday Wife (Clan Kendrick #5)

Author: Vanessa Kelly

Publisher: Zebra 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 426

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It’s Christmastime in Edinburgh, but Lady Samantha Penwith’s secret mission takes no holiday: the Highlands-born lass vows to find the assailants who murdered her beloved husband, founder of a charitable school for orphaned boys. On her latest undercover excursion, she closes in on a pair of armed attackers and interrupts another assault, then disappears into the darkness, leaving the lone victim mystified—and lucky to be alive . . .
 
Braden Kendrick may be the sensible brother, yet the dedicated doctor routinely ignores the dangers of his late-night calls to the city’s slums. But when a fleet-footed rescuer saves his life, he’s determined to uncover the stranger’s identity. And once he does, he’ll find himself facing his own past loss for the first time—and more than willing to risk his heart again, just in time to make the Clan Kendrick’s Christmas celebrations more festive than ever . . .

Not super focused on Christmas, but a very enjoyable historical romance. We finally get to see more of Braden Kendrick after being teased for four books. I had been hoping that he wouldn’t just be the quiet doctor. Thankfully, we get much more from him and from Samantha. I loved the big mystery and action sequences within this story. It helped to fill in the gaps and give the book much more. I loved piecing together the mystery along with Braden and Samantha. My biggest complaint is that this volume is very light on the steamy scenes. In fact, they were practically nonexistent. Much more of a closed door romance in this one. Still it was a good light book to end my year with.

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

Next up on the TBR pile:

Fake It for Christmas by Layla Valentine

Title: Fake it for Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedies #1)

Author: Layla Valentine

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 233

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

HER:
Billionaires just aren’t like the rest of us, are they?
No sooner has my boss requested my assistance at a winter wedding, we’re boarding a private jet to Aspen, and I’m being introduced to every member of his filthy rich and utterly insane family as his girlfriend – and he barely even knows my last name!
I know I’ve bitten off more than I can chew,
I just need to play this role for a few weeks, collect my check and go.
So why can’t I tear my eyes off his brother?

HIM:
At my sister’s wedding, there’s one girl taking all the attention from the bride,
My brother’s new girlfriend – the one he never thought to mention until right now.
Immediately, I can tell that something’s up. Our parents’ approval is hard-won, and it can drive some of us to ridiculous ends…
Are these two really an item? Or, just maybe, did my brother simply not want to be the only sibling here without a date?

Decent Christmas romance novella, but I really wanted a bit more between the main characters. There was a lot of discussion about the Bentley family and the situation at work, but not enough between Ellie and Sawyer. I wanted a bit more meat on the bone. Still it was a decent open door (but not super steamy) romance.

Christmas Romantic Comedies:

• #1 Fake It for Christmas

• #2 Stuck Together for Christmas

• #3 Bad Boy for Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

Stuck Together for Christmas by Layla Valentine

Title: Stuck Together for Christmas (Christmas Romantic Comedies #2)

Author: Layla Valentine

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 219

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

For the first time in years, I was excited about the holidays, A week of sun, sea and luxury, curtesy of my newly loaded brother. I should have known there’d be a sting in the tail… The moment I arrive in Hawaii, I realize there’s an intruder in the house, And it’s no burglar—no, it’s far worse than that, Because Ryan Finch—my brother’s business partner, and the same man my mother’s been trying to hook me up with for years—is apparently here for the holidays as well. The longer we spend together, the harder it is to remember all the reasons why I told myself that going there would be a terrible idea, And my relaxing Christmas getaway has just turned into the ultimate exercise in restraint.

Short little novella following a sorta enemies to lovers couple. We get a cute set-up with interfering parents and siblings focused on a Christmas in Hawaii. I love their slower progression to a relationship. I would have enjoyed a longer focus on their relationship after they started dating, but that’s my usual complaint about these type of novellas.

Christmas Romantic Comedies:

• #1 Fake It for Christmas

• #2 Stuck Together for Christmas

• #3 Bad Boy for Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin

Title: The Librarian Spy

Author: Madeline Martin

Publisher: Hanover Square Press 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Ava thought her job as a librarian at the Library of Congress would mean a quiet, routine existence. But an unexpected offer from the US military has brought her to Lisbon with a new mission: posing as a librarian while working undercover as a spy gathering intelligence.

Meanwhile, in occupied France, Elaine has begun an apprenticeship at a printing press run by members of the Resistance. It’s a job usually reserved for men, but in the war, those rules have been forgotten. Yet she knows that the Nazis are searching for the press and its printer in order to silence them.

As the battle in Europe rages, Ava and Elaine find themselves connecting through coded messages and discovering hope in the face of war..

Intrigued by the summary and the idea of two women being internal to the spy business during WWII. Disappointed that the spy business doesn’t really show up and just how boring and naive both women are. I think I am spoiled by WWII novels with Kate Quinn’s book. Her heroines (while usually based on real people) are spunky and tough. They are delight to get to know with the pages of the book. Ava and Elaine were pretty disappointing in comparison. I really detest when characters are super naive and others keep vital information from them resulting in miscommunications, faux-pas, and outright mistakes.This happened so many times throughout the book. I had trouble rooting for the ladies and really any of the characters. I was very angry with Joseph and his treatment of Elaine (before the book even starts). I just couldn’t forgive him for working with the resistance, lying to his wife the entire time, and even going so far as to forbid her to do anything for the war effort. Ugh! So frustrating. Overall, I was very disappointed in this novel.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Highlander's Irish Bride by Vanessa Kelly

Title: The Highlander’s Irish Bride (Clan Kendrick #4)

Author: Vanessa Kelly

Publisher: Zebra

Genre: Romance

Pages: 464

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Miss Kathleen Calvert may be the daughter of an Irish aristocrat, but she has no intention of acting like one. All she desires is to return to her family’s estate to raise horses and manage her father’s magnificent gardens. But when a scandal threatens her reputation, her parents order her to a remote Scottish estate, hoping she will finally learn to behave like a proper lady. To make matters worse, her escort is a handsome Highlander who just happens to be the most boring man in all of Scotland . . .
 
After a youth of dangerous and wild escapades, Grant Kendrick surprised his family—and himself—by becoming a successful businessman and the most respectable Kendrick brother. But does that matter, when the beautiful and free-spirited Kathleen deems him a stodgy bore? Luckily, he gets the chance to prove her wrong when their carriage is ambushed by thieves. But it will take all his ingenuity to protect the beautiful lass who has stormed her way into his heart—and to convince her that a life with him will be a love-filled adventure . . .

I continue to enjoy this series, but not absolutely adore it. This particular book seemed to drag a big in the middle. I was getting annoyed by Jeannie’s repetitive behavior. I admit that I was distracted by her character throughout the book. I wanted to spend more time developing the relationship between Grant and Kathleen. As to the main characters, I found both of them intriguing, but it was definitely Kathleen that kept me reading. Grant was a bit too reserved for my tastes. I wanted a bit more banter and sass (like his twin Graeme). I kept reading wanting to see them get their happy ending and figure out the identity of the gang. Decent addition to the series. I can’t wait to see Braden’s story next.

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

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

Title: The Christmas Swap

Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Fleming H. Revell 2020

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 176

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can't find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there's someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year.

West Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet--or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house's caretaker. But when Emma's friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get . . . messy.

A very chaste romance for today’s read. I was intrigued by the plot and I really did like West. Unfortunately, all the other characters are so incredibly unlikable that it really makes you wonder about Emma’s judgement. Gillian is the worst as being manipulative toward her supposed best friend. I could not believe what Emma put up with and made excuses for. The book ended up making me pretty angry for Emma (and for West being on the receiving end of some of the manipulation). A cute idea that just really didn’t do it for me at all.

Next up on the TBR pile:

One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

Title: One Snowy Night (Heartbreaker Bay #2.5)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2016

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.

Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.

They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

I managed to sneak in this novella during the last leg of drive to Indiana this week. Loved this cute little story of Rory and Max reconnecting on a trip north to Tahoe. I was intrigued by their pairing in the last book and was excited to snatch up this hold from the library. We get a cute little story and I was excited to see actual conversations happenings while in the truck and then the motel. Carl was a great addition to the story. I only wish we would have gotten to see more from these two. (Note: this is an open door romance.)

Heartbreaker Bay

• #1 Sweet Little Lies

• #2 The Trouble with Mistletoe

• #2.5 One Snowy Night

• #3 Accidentally on Purpose

• #4 Chasing Christmas Eve

• #4.5 Holiday Wishes

• #5 About That Kiss

• #6 Hot Winter Nights

• #6.5 Just Say When

• #7 Playing for Keeps

• #8 Wrapped Up in You

• #8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Snowpiercer Vol. 3

Title: Snowpiercer Vol. 3: Terminus

Author: Olivier Bocquet , Jean-Marc Rochette

Publisher: Titan Comics 2016

Genre: Comic

Pages: 232

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

On a future, frozen Earth, humanity has been packed onto self-sustaining trains, doomed to circumnavigate the globe until the end of the interminable ice age - or until the engines give out.

When a scrap of music piques their interest, the inhabitants of the Icebreaker take the ultimate risk and cross the frozen ocean, a vast expanse with no train tracks... and no way to return to them.

This was the standout volume for me! We pick up right where Volume 2 left off and eventually find ourselves in a hidden world. I loved the imagination in the creation of this underground world. I loved the reveals as we finally understand what is happening with the mice. A much more thrilling story from start to finish. I only wish the art was a little less stark and dark.

Next up on the TBR pile: