The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell

Title: The Dark King (Deviant Kings #1)

Author: Gina L. Maxwell

Publisher: Entangled: Amara 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 339

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Action Avenue (Read a fantasy from your TBR)

Spice Meter: 6

CW: Sexual Assault (off page), BDSM

For Bryn Meara, a free trip to the exclusive and ultra-luxe Nightfall hotel and casino in Vegas should’ve been the perfect way to escape the debris of her crumbling career. But waking up from a martini-and-lust-fueled night to find herself married to Caiden Verran, the reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city, isn’t the jackpot one would think. It seems her dark and sexy new husband is actual royalty—the fae king of the Night Court—and there’s an entire world beneath the veil of Vegas.

Whether light or shadow, the fae are a far cry from fairy tales, and now they’ve made Bryn a pawn in their dark games for power. And Caiden is the most dangerous of all—an intoxicating cocktail of sin and raw, insatiable hunger. She should run. But every night of passion pulls Bryn deeper into his strange and sinister world, until she’s no longer certain she wants to leave…even if she could.

I grabbed this one off of the library’s new books shelf. I probably should have at least looked into a review or two before diving in. This story and these characters really didn’t connect for me. I finished the book and had a bit of trouble figuring out just why I was disappointed. After some reflection, I was very disappointed in the power dynamics and lack of communication in the main relationship. I get the Beauty and the Beast-like setup. I okay with the BDSM sex scenes. But the real problem is how much Caiden keeps Bryn in the dark. She never has the upper hand or the dominant position in the relationship until the very very end of the story. I want to see more of a partnership between my main characters. I was also upset that the sex scenes did not being with proper communication. I’m okay with lots of behaviors in the bedroom if both (or more) parties are on the same page. We do not see that here at Bryn. Not a fan.

Deviant Kings

• #1 The Dark King

• #2 The Rebel King

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd

Title: The Night Ship

Author: Jess Kidd

Publisher: Atria Books 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Spring TBR

1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.

1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…

I grabbed this book right after Christmas and was so excited to read it after living Kidd’s previous book, Things in Jars. This one is a very different book from that and I just didn’t enjoy it as much. This one alternates between two pretty dire situations and time periods. There’s not a light or hope in this book. It’s very dark and depressing. Two main characters are set adrift in the world, one very literally. Both characters have experienced horrors in life and they seem to be continuing. I was really rooting for each of those characters (and many of the side characters) even while knowing that the story of the Batavia doesn’t really have a happy ending. My favorite part was the weaving of the mythology and folklore into the two storylines. We get to hear snippets of stories throughout the journeys. In some passages, it really felt like those stories had come to life and were stalking the characters. You’re never really certain what’s real and what’s imaginary. That play between real and unreal lifted this book from just a sad story to something mystical.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Vampire Villain by Melody Raven

Title: The Vampire Villain (Evil Rising #2)

Author: Melody Raven

Publisher: 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 232

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; COYER

Spice Rating: 5 (albeit with a vampire)

Marcus might look like an angel, but he's always been a villain. So when he's tasked with infiltrating the Vampire rebellion he doesn't expect it to be complicated. But his plans might take on a new path as he grows closer to a mortal, who can't--or won't--die.

After Gena is brutally murdered and mysteriously resurrected, she sets out to discover the truth about her supernatural background. But when she crosses paths with the sexy and vengeful Marcus, she realizes that there is more to her past than she ever realized.

With time running out, Gena and Marcus search for answers to her past, while going head-to-head with their enemies. Will it end the same way it began--with Gena's death?

Oof this one did not land at all. I read the first one and, for the most part, enjoyed it. I liked the spin on the vampire myth. This volume I could not get behind at all. First off, Gena is just way too blasé about everything and never truly understands how much danger she is in. I really hated that she never really asked enough questions about what was going on. And Marcus is the worst of the alpha male type. He never tempted me at all. And then we find out just what Gena and I got even more annoyed. Nope. Don’t believe, don’t care. Guess I am done with this series.

Evil Rising

• #1 The Lost Vampire Prince

• #2 The Vampire Villain

• #3 Her Very Own Demon

• #4 The Werewolf and the Siren

• #5 Beauty and the Shapeshifter

Next up on the TBR pile:

Radiant Sin by Katee Robert

Title: Radiant Sin (Dark Olympus #4)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 345

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Killer Crescent (Mystery/Thriller of choice)

Spice Rating: 5

As a disgraced member of a fallen house, Cassandra Gataki has seen firsthand what comes from trusting the venomous Thirteen. But when the maddeningly gorgeous and kind Apollo asks her to go undercover as his plus-one at a week-long party hosted by a dangerous new power player…Cassandra reluctantly agrees to have his back.

On one condition: when it's all over, and Apollo has the ammunition he needs to protect Olympus, she and her sister will be allowed to leave. For good.

Apollo may be the city's official spymaster, but it's his ability to inspire others that keeps him at the top. Despite what the rest of Olympus says, there's no one he trusts more than Cassandra. Yet even as their fake relationship takes a wicked turn for the scaldingly hot, a very real danger surfaces… threatening not only Cassandra and Apollo, but the very heart of Olympus itself.

Another decent volume in this series. I do love returning to the Dark Olympus world and revisiting some of the characters. I wish that we would have had more appearances from past characters, but this one was much more of a limited cast list. Apollo and Cassandra are fun characters and I loved how the relationship between the two grew over the course of the book. We get some great quiet moments between them and some great steamy scenes. I would have liked more steamy scenes, but the ones included were good enough. The locked room mystery was an extra fun angle to the series. And now Robert has announced two more books int he series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Dark Olympus

• #1 Neon Gods

• #2 Electric Idol

• #3 Wicked Beauty

• #4 Radiant Sun

• #5 Cruel Seduction

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #6

Reading: The Night Ship by Jess Kidd - I’m actually reading a book off of my Unread Shelf. It’s interesting, but a bit sad and slow.

Watching: We finally started watching The Misfits and it is absolutely amazing! We sped through S1 and are onto S2.

Listening: Fall Out Boy’s new album is great. Didn’t realize that I needed some new music from another emo band.

Making: Working on ideas for our summer bucket list. I may do one or throw it out in preview of a summer excursion notebook.

Feeling: I’ve been feeling a bit stretched thin lately. Making some plans for the summer and fall to help myself out.

Planning: Instead of a big family road trip, I’m going to take the kids for a mini trip to Kearney and Grand Island. Getting the details worked out now.

Loving: We are fostering to baby chicks this week and they have been a delight, if not much feistier than the ones we got last year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W27: Finally Spring has Come!

What We Studied

The temperature finally went above 60 degrees for a great day out and about. We took off the rest of Thursday in favor of joining friends at the park. As such, the school bookwork was lighter this week. And I apparently didn’t take many photos at all…

Literature and Poetry

We still reading the coop book club selection. I’m interested in the overall mystery, but the pacing is very slow.

• The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

To follow up after the previous week’s Shakespeare unit, our literature selection is a retelling of Midsummer Night’s Dream. I’m very into this book and Arthur has also been enjoying it.

• Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry

• Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson

• Emily Writes: Emily Dickinson and Her Poetic Beginnings by Jane Yolen

• Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca

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 started the second book in the Heartwood Hotel series. Quentin likes the gentle nature of these books.

• Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry

• Heartwood Hotel: The Greatest Gift by Kallie George

• A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister

• Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta

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‘s been working on a review workbook before we move onto a Personal Finance unit. Quentin is moving through 1B now.

• Kumon Geometry and Measurement Grade 4 WB

• Singapore 1B

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 harsh reality of slavery in America and learned more about Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.

• 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

• Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson

• Nat Geo Our Country’s Presidents

• What the Eagle Sees

• A is for Abigail: F for First Ladies

• Smart About the First Ladies

• Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

• An Apple for Harriet Tubman by Glennette Tilley Turner

• Follow the Drinking Gourd by Cari Meister

• Two Friends by Dean Robbins

• Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Quentin continued his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We continued our study of Africa with a focus on Central African nations.

• 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

• Africa is Not a Country by Margy Burns Knight and Mark Melnicove

• Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill by Virginia Kroll

• Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales

• Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa by Verna Aardema

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 finally got back together of science and the boys make a force field engine. We’ll be spending the next week (or two) building model engines. On the other side, we finished reading The Story of Science Vol. 1. Arthur wants us to immediately continue to volume two. I’m still thinking on. it.

• 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 continued watching a new documentary series called Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s a behind the scenes look at caring for the animals at the park. Each episode is less than 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect length for Q.

• Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas

• DK Animal

• Lonely Planet: The Animal Book

• The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George

• African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways by Avis Harley

• African Critters by Robert B. Haas

STEAM Coop

The little kids focused on telescopes this week, making their own simple telescope. The big kids had to create crash test dummy cars. Each pair of students had to ram their car into the wall with a raw egg passenger. Amazingly, all six eggs survived their ordeal! The kids really got into this project.

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking/Documentary

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.

Field Trip

No field trip this week

High

• We spent many hours outside this week. Thursday afternoon was all about a park playdate with lots of friends. Friday, we walked the trail around Walnut Creek Lake (about 3 miles) with lots of friends. I’m so proud of all of the kids for making it all the way around the lake. They even had energy for the island play area and the playground.

Low

• Little school work - I don’t regret spending the time outside, but had hoped to get to school work Friday afternoon. It just didn’t happen. Oh well. I’m not too upset, but it does add more for next week.

We are renting chicks again this year.

Next Week

• Continuing a Midsummer Night’s Dream retelling novel, the coop book club selection, and Heartwood Hotel

• Starting a financial literacy unit (both kids)

• Building engines for physics

• Moving to East Africa

• Fitting in animal science for Q

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Dua Lipa and Arctic Monkeys "Do I Wanna Know"

This is a fan mashup of these two groups doing the Arctic Monkeys, but it was just so magical that I had to add it.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #11

As I look outside my window:

Right now I am:

Thinking and pondering:

On my bedside table: I’m actually a bit between books right now. I might end up doing a book flight this week to decide on my next read.

On my tv this week: We finished the first season of The Misfits. Oh so good! We definitely need to finish that series.

Listening to: Very podcast heavy week, but I also downloaded some new-to-me albums from some favorite bands. I grabbed the new Miley Cyrus, Silversun Pickups, and Arctic Monkeys.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Out for book club

• Tuesday - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls

• Wednesday - Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole

• Thursday - Ham and Potato Soup

• Friday - Pizza Night

• Saturday - Pork and Green Chili Stew

• Sunday - Sesame Chicken

On my to do list: I made a brain dump list a while back. Currently actually checking things off my list. Very exciting!

Happening this week:

• Monday - Gifford Farm Public Days; Book Club

• Tuesday - Home Day

• Wednesday - Science Class

• Thursday - Coop; Lit Society

• Friday - Nature Explorers

• Saturday - Home Day

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: I’m trying to work on my February Memory Planner this weekend.

My simple pleasures:

Looking around the house:

From the camera: Welcome Mustardseed and Peaseblossom to the house for the week.

April 2023 Life Goals

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

• Read 18 Books ✓

• Make Progress on Planning the Retreat ✓

• Make a Watch List for TV and Movies ✓

• Preliminary Planning on a Family Weekend Trip ✓ - This has turned into a 3-day trip with just me and the kids, but still it’s happening in June.

April Goals:

• Read 18 Books

• Make a Summer Bucket List

• Knock Out My Brain Dump List

• Plan for Coop Wrap for the Year

Next up on the TBR pile:

2023 Reading Challenges Update #1

I’m back to employing reading challenges to help direct my reading this year. Let’s check in with my progress of all the challenges I am attempting this year. I am leaving out the Build Your Library Challenge as it’s very strictly Arthur’s challenge and I’m not focused on actually completing it.

• Goodreads 71/200 36%

• Winter TBR 25/25 100%

• Spring TBR 5/25 20% **

• Summer TBR (not started yet)

• Fall TBR (not started yet)

• Unread Shelf 9/50 18% *

• Kid Read Alouds 11/20 55%

• BOTM Cleanout 2/12 16.7%

• 52 Book Club 24/52 46.2% **

• Romanceopoly 16/39 41% **

• COYER 1/20 5% *

• Finishing the Series 1/10 10% *

Total Challenges 1/12 8.3%

Total Reading Slots 165/503 32.8%

* - Needs Work
** - Doing a Great Job

Comments: My two big personal category challenges (Romanceopoly and 52 Book Club) are actually going very well. I just really need to focus on reading more books from my own shelves. I would like to end the year with an Unread Shelf of less than 300.

Next up on the TBR pile:

March 2023 Wrap

March TBR Pile (22/29):

1. Bookworms BC: The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron ✓

2. Friend BC: Acid for the Children by Flea ✓

3. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (reread) ✓

4. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Beck Chambers (reread) ✓

5. Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty ✓

6. Kid Read Aloud: The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis ✓

7. Kid Read Aloud: The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne ✓

8. Kid Book Club: Argos by Ralph Hardy ✓

9. Kid Book Club: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

10. Fantasy: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi ✓

11. Fantasy: The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

12. Fantasy: Weyward by Emilia Hart ✓

13. Fantasy: The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty

14. Romance: About That Kiss by Jill Shalvis ✓

15. Romance: Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis ✓

16. Romance: The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

17. Romance: The Score by Elle Kennedy ✓

18. Romance: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey ✓

19. Scifi: Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

20. Scifi: VenCo by Cherie Dimaline

21. Scifi: The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler ✓

22. Scifi: The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee ✓

23. Thriller: The Drift by CJ Tudor ✓

24. Thriller: The Stranded by Sarah Daniels ✓

25. Thriller: The Getaway by Lamar Giles ✓

26. Literary Fiction: The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson

27. Classics: The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald ✓

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

29. Nonfiction: You Just Need to Lose Weight by Aubrey Gordon ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 7389 pages
Pages Remaining: 337,423 pages

Current Read - Radiant Sin by Katee Robert; The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukerjee

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (10)

Two BOTM selections for me this month. It was my birthday month and thankfully there were multiple books I wanted to take advanttage of my free add-on book. For my birthday weekend, I also hit up the Library Sale, my favorite local used book store Jackson Street Booksellers, and Barnes and Noble. Finally I picked up a few book for the kids’ read aloud shelf.

• Wayward by Emilia Hart

• The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi by S.A. Chakraborty

• Dangerous Joy by Jo Beverley

• The Seduction of Phaeton Black by Jillian Stone

• The Revenant Express by George Mann

• The Power by Naomi Alderman

• The Emperor of Maladies by Siddartha Mukherjee

• The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry

• Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokski

• The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 334

• Books Read: 2

• Books Acquired: 8

• Books Unshelved: 2

• Finishing Number: 338

April TBR Pile:

1. Bookworms BC: The Library of the Unwritten by AJ Hackwith

2. Friend BC: Crossings by Alex Landragin

3. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

4. Currently Reading Bookish Friends BC: TBD

5. Kid Read Aloud: Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca

6. Kid Book Club: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

7. Kid Book Club: The Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity

8. Fantasy: The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

9. Fantasy: King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

10. Comics: The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V and Filipe Andrade

11. Romance: Radiant Sin by Katee Robert

12. Romance: The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

13. Romance: The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell

14. Romance: A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

15. Romance: A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

16. Scifi: Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

17. Nonfiction: The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukerjee

18. Nonfiction: The Angel Makers by Patricia Nell McCracken

Movies Watched

• We Have a Ghost - We wanted to like it, but there was definitely some weird tonal shifts between the acts.

• 7 Days in Hell - Somehow I hadn’t seen this and J was amazed. It was hilarious.

• The Last Vermeer - Interesting art drama based on a true story. A little too slow at times, but a good movie.

• Cocaine Bear - Lots of gory fun. The tone was a little off in parts, but an enjoyable ride.

• Operation Fortune - Not the best Guy Ritchie movie, but a fun one.

• Ex-Machina - We finally got to this movie. Predictable, but a good scifi movie.

TV Shows Watched 

• Brave New World - We blew through this series. It was a good adaptation. Very not safe for kids and teens.

• History of the World Part II - Delightful! Not every sketch was hilarious, but most were entertaining.

• The Toys that Build America - We sprinkle these in when we don’t have another currently watching choice.

• The Mandalorian S3 - Still in this show. We’ll see where it goes.

• Ted Lasso S3 - So excited to be back with Ted and the gang.

• McMillion$ - Randomly we remembered about this documentary series about the McDonald’s Monopoly cheating scandal. It had so many twists and turns! Very interesting.

• Misfits S1 - Finally started this show. So good so far. Very into it.

Comments - And my big reading month streak continues. Even though I added many books to my Unread Shelves, I actually took a few off between reading and unshelving. Just need to step up the game a bit.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

Title: The Getaway

Author: Lamar Giles

Publisher: Scholastic Press 2022

Genre: YA Thriller

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Starts with “G”

Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property’s main theme park. Life isn’t so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it’s to get away from all that.

As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay’s friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only... they aren’t leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.

Whether they like it or not.

Yet Karloff Country didn’t count on Jay and his crew--and just how far they’ll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what’s more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?

Another recommendation from my favorite book podcast. I was a bit leery, but just jumped into this one immediately without any really knowledge of the book. This is a ride. Not one that is for everyone, but such a ride. The book really gets into a lot of very serious topics all while setting the story in a future setting. Do not read if very affected by violence. I have to admit that there were even a few scenes that I struggled to get through due to the violence depicted. I really felt for the four main characters. Sure, they each had flaws, but that’s what made them real characters. I wish that the story would have spent a little more focused on the main characters and how they dealt with the interpersonal relationships. Still this was a force of a book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• One more week of my teaching a coop cycle. It’s been a long 6 weeks… I’ll be ready to hand over the duties to someone else for a couple of weeks. I have enough admin work to get done before I teach again.

• I think we’ve decided on doing a space and scifi movie and television month for April. So many good choices that we keep forgetting about. Just need to make a list of options to work from.

• I have a couple of big projects with smaller tasks that I need to accomplish. First up is the reading retreat grocery list.

• Definitely mixed feelings about the ending of this season’s The Bachelor.

• Do I think we can fit in a grocery run after our playground playdate today? Hmmm… maybe?

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis

Title: Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 362

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Finishing the Series

Who needs mistletoe?

Most people wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once . . .

Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.

Another fun volume in this contemporary romance series, but still not my favorite. Lucas and Molly were at least two great characters that had actual personalities and lives. Their growing relationship was delightful to read. The book was a joy to read, but I was a little sad at the lack of steamy scenes. Some of the previous books had a better balance of steam, action, and dialogue.

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:

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Title: Weyward

Author: Emilia Hart

Publisher: St Martin’s Press 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; BOTM Cleanout

I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

CW: Rape, Domestic Violence

Usually with content warnings like those, I would immediately say no thank you to the book. But something about the summary of the book really drew me in. I started reading and was immediately connecting with the three Weyward women. As their stories unfold, we understand just how these women have been shoved to the side of their lives and how the patriarchy has punished them for just about everything. Their stories are not happy ones, but we do get to see these women come into their own identities and triumph over many of the obstacles put into their paths. The stories end on very hopeful notes, but more importantly, we get to see the journey these women undertake to get to the hopeful spot. This may just end up on my Top 10 of the year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W26: The Wind Chill Killed Our Winter Hike

What We Studied

We had a Flex Week (so needed this time around) and a normal week in the past two weeks. Beyond the actual teaching, I’ve been thinking about and planning for next year. Things are not going to radically change. I think we’ve hit onto a good system. Just needs some tweaks here and there.

Literature and Poetry

We picked up the next selection and thankfully it is so much better right away.

• The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Arthur tackled his first Shakespeare with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We covered some about Shakespeare himself the time period he lived in before reading a few version of Midsummer. We worked up to the actual Shakespeare at the end of the week and capped off our study with a movie version. We also found some great videos including three episodes from Crash Course Theater specifically about Shakespeare’s plays. The plan is to cover one Shakespeare play a year from now on. Next year I’m planning on having him read a complete scene. Not sure which play yet though.

• Nat Geo Book of Nature Poetry

• Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson

• Shakespeare’s Seasons by Miriam Weiner

• William Shakespeare and the Globe by Aliki

• Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley

• Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk by Jane Sutcliffe

• William Shakespeare: Scenes from the Life of the World's Greatest Writer by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom

• A Midsummer Night's Dream retold by Georghia Ellinas

• A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories by Angela McAllister

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 started the next in the Pooh series and will be sprinkling in the stories when we don’t have a country specific book. He also read me the entire Little Bear book. Getting much better as reading aloud!

• Nat Geo Book of Animal Poetry

• A World Full of Animal Stories by Angela McAllister

• Around the World in 80 Days by Saviour Pirotta

• The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne

• Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik

• Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak

• Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes

• Penny and Her Sled by Kevin Hanks

Pasta Bridge - Their bridge collapsed almost immediately, but good try!

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 ‘s been working on a review workbook before we move onto a Personal Finance unit. Quentin is moving through 1B now. Both boys finished their logic books this past week. We might take a break and pull out a games book instead of the next logic books.

• Logic Liftoff (Arthur)

• Kumon Geometry and Measurement Grade 4 WB

• Lollipop Logic Book 2 (Quentin)

• Singapore 1B

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 Martin Van Buren, indigenous lives, and the Trail of Tears. Hard week to discuss, but so important.

• 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

• Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson

• Nat Geo Our Country’s Presidents

• What the Eagle Sees

• A is for Abigail: F for First Ladies

• Smart About the First Ladies

Quentin continued his study of the world with Build Your Library Level 0. We continued our study of Africa with a focus on West African nations.

• 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

• Africa is Not a Country by Margy Burns Knight and Mark Melnicove

• Jaha and Jamil Went Down the Hill by Virginia Kroll

• Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales

• Ananse and the Lizard by Pat Cummings

• The Hatseller and the Monkeys by Baba Wagué Diakité

• Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson & Sean Qualls

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. Our joint science class was cancelled due to sickness with the other family. We’ll hopefully get back at it this week. We did read about engines and watch a great Modern Marvels episode about Engines.

• 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 continued watching a new documentary series called Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s a behind the scenes look at caring for the animals at the park. Each episode is less than 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect length for Q.

• Nat Geo Wild Animal Atlas

• DK Animal

• Lonely Planet: The Animal Book

• The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George

• A Zeal of Zebras: Animal Groups on an African Safari by Alex Kuskowski

• Safari, So Good! All About African Wildlife by Bonnie Worth

• African Acrostics: A Word in Edgeways by Avis Harley

• African Critters by Robert B. Haas

• Elephants of Africa by Gail Gibbons

• Nat Geo Kids Elephants by Avery Elizabeth Hurt

Rare sighting of the bobcat

STEAM Coop

The big kids have continued their engineering challenge making land sailboats and pasta bridges. Quentin did a study of time and seasons with a few fun little projects.

Land sail boats

Art/Music/Crafts/Cooking/Documentary

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.

Field Trip

We took a coop trip to see The Stink Cheese Man at The Rose Theater. Very fun production! We had lots of laughs watching the show. And the school rate tickets are only $5 a piece!

High

• We had a lovely Nature Explorers meeting at Chalco this past Friday. The kids got to explore the beach area by the water and the woods. We even walked the southwest portion around the lake. Not a great lake to walk in summer as there’s no shade, but it was great in March.

Low

• We tried to do a winter hike at Neale Woods two Fridays ago, but it was a terrible idea. It was a cold day, but that usually doesn’t stop us. I didn’t realize just how high up Neale Woods is on the bluffs. The wind chill was terrible! We bailed about 15 minutes in and went to the zoo instead. Unfortunately many of the districts had spring break so the zoo was packed. We still managed to see the desert, aquarium, giraffes, and elephants. In fact, the giraffes had a new baby and the elephants had a new baby just a few days after we were there. Can't wait to the see the babies next time we go.

Next Week

• Starting a Midsummer Night’s Dream retelling novel

• Playing some logic games

• Hopefully covering engines for physics

• Moving to Central Africa

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - boygenius "Souvenir"

Another older song that I just rediscovered. Love it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

You Just Need to Lose Weight by Aubrey Gordon

Title: “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People

Author: Aubrey Gordon

Publisher: Beacon Press 2023

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

The pushback that shows up in conversations about fat justice takes exceedingly predicable form. Losing weight is easy—calories in, calories out. Fat people are unhealthy. We’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic. Fat acceptance “glorifies obesity.” The BMI is an objective measure of size and health.Yet, these myths are as readily debunked as they are pervasive.

In “You Just Need to Lose Weight,” Aubrey Gordon equips readers with the facts and figures to reframe myths about fatness in order to dismantle the anti-fat bias ingrained in how we think about and treat fat people. Bringing her dozen years of community organizing and training to bear, Gordon shares the rhetorical approaches she and other organizers employ to not only counter these pernicious myths, but to dismantle the anti-fat bias that so often underpin them.

As conversations about fat acceptance and fat justice continue to grow, “You Just Need to Lose Weight” will be essential to ensure that those conversations are informed, effective, and grounded in both research and history.

Finally, I got Gordon’s follow up to her first book. I had really been excited about this volume and make no mistake, this is a great book. It just fell a little flat for me because it felt like a rehashing of a lot of things from her first book. I think that this one has a better format for people. Taking on one myth at a time helps to break up the science and the heavy. Having follow-up questions at the end of chapters is a great way to push the knowledge and questions back to the reader. In a sense, this is the workbook version of her first book. The content isn’t completely the same, but there’s a lot of overlap. I enjoyed hitting some of the high points. I really enjoyed getting some language to help combat anti-fat bias in the wild. If you had to pick up one Gordon book, make it this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #10

Right now I am: Needing to get brunch started soon. And I would like to work on my craft project before my zoom book club later today.

On my bedside table: The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost; Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel; The Getaway by Lamar Giles

On my tv this week: We’ve kept up with Ted Lasso and The Mandalorian after finishing McMillion$.

Listening to: I started the Revolutions podcast season about the French Revolution. I’m only 1/3 of the way through the episodes. There are a lot.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - J’s Birthday Dinner

• Tuesday - Spicy Thai Noodles

• Wednesday - Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breast

• Thursday - Leftovers

• Friday - Ham and Potato Soup

• Saturday - Cheesy Bacon and Egg Hash

• Sunday - Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowls

On my to do list: The bees have been buzzing in my head all week, so I finally did a brain dump. Now I have a giant list of tasks to try and complete. Just the act of writing it all down helps me tame the bees. Now I need to start completing the tasks.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Home Day; J’s Birthday

• Tuesday - Nat Geo: Rise of the T-Rex

• Wednesday - Science with friends

• Thursday - Coop

• Friday - Winter Hike at Walnut Creek Lake

• Saturday - Pick up our chicks for the week

• Sunday - Home Day

What I am creating: I’m finally getting to February Memory Planner pages. I also cut out the bases for the Reading Retreat goody bag tags. Now I need to decide which to work on today.

My simple pleasures: Sunshine, Raspberry Lime Spindrift, a good walk

Looking around the house: I cleaned up the coop materials area and suddenly the house looks so much better. I’ll be glad to put it all away in two weeks when the Engineering Challenge season ends.

From the camera: Quentin found a big stick in the forest during Nature Explorers. It might have been too big for him…

The Drift by C.J. Tudor

Title: The Drift

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2023

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 340

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Published in 2013

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They’ll need to work together to escape—with their sanity and secrets intact.

Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She’s in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board. They are heading to a place known only as “The Retreat,” but as the temperature drops and tensions mount, Meg realizes they may not all make it there alive.

Carter is gazing out the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, something hiding in the chalet’s depths threatens to escape, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails—for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater danger—one with the power to consume all of humanity.

What an absolute ride! Usually books billed as thrillers really fall flat for me. They just lack the oomph that I’m looking for or the characters are so incredibly unlikeable that I’m wishing all of them would get murdered. This one I went in blind except for a recommendation from my favorite podcast. The host purposely left the summary mostly hidden so as not to spoil the reveals and that’s exactly the way to go with this one. I dove in and immediately started piecing the big connections and storyline together. We are plopped right into the middle of a bus crash, a stalled ski lift gondola, and a mysterious locked “retreat.” From there, we have to understand exactly what is going on in the outside world, who each of the characters actually are, and how they intend to survive the situation and the elements. I got so wrapped up into the story that I ended up finishing this book in one day. I was completely along for the ride. Once the big reveals happen, I actually gasped out loud (I hardly ever do that.) It was just so good! A great book to end my work on.

Next up on the TBR pile: