2025 Reading Challenges

2025 Reading Challenges

• Goodreads Challenge

• UnRead Shelf Project

• Kid Read Aloud

• Finishing the Series

• Nonfiction Reader

• Quarter of a Century

• Retreat Recommendations

• Read Around the USA

• Romanceopoly

• She Reads Romance

• COYER

• Fairytale Retelling

• Cover Lover

• Books to Movies

GoodReads Challenge (200) - I’m sticking with my usual 200 books for this overall goal. .

UnRead Shelf (50) - My seventh(?) year participating in this particular challenge. Last year I did decently and want to keep up that momentum. You can find more information about this challenge at The Unread Shelf.

Kid Read Alouds (50) - Continuing with this challenge again this year. We have some great read aloud choices for the spring semester. And I’m sure that I’ll pick some great titles for the fall semester.

Finishing the Series (20) - I’m hoping to finish 20 series this year. I have a long, long list of series that I’ve already started and haven’t finished yet. I want to prioritize those in my reading this year.

Nonfiction Reader (12) - I definitely need to get more nonfiction back into my reading. I’m hoping to get to at least one nonfiction a month. More information at Book’d Out..

Quarter of a Century (25) - As we move into the second quarter of the century, I want to go back and read at least one book from each of the preceding years. I went through my Goodreads and highlighted some interesting books to put on the potential list.

Retreat Recommendations (12) - Over the past few years, I’ve received some great recommendations from a variety of friends. And yet, so many of those recommendations are still sitting unread. I need to prioritize those.

1. The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner

2. Off with Her Head by Eleanor Herman

3. Pandora by Susan Stokes Chapman

4. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang (I chose for February’s book club selection)

5. Empress for All Seasons by Emiko Jean

6. The High Cost of Free Parking by Donald Shoup

7. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Story by James McBride

8. James by Percieval Everett

9. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

10. The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

11. Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes

12. There There by Tommy Orange

13. The Governess by Anne Serre

14. The Rook by Daniel O’Malley

15. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

16. Divinity 36 by Gail Carriger

17. Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

18. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

19. The Adventures of Amina al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Read Around the USA (50) - Such a stretch goal, but I’m going to try and read one book from every state this year. More information at The Book Girl’s Guide..

Romanceopoly (37) - I somehow missed this one last year, but I’m back this year. I read a ton of romance and am excited to get back into this challenge. More information at Romanceopoly.

She Reads Romance (12) - Another romance reading challenge for this year. More information at She Reads Romance.

COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader) (20) - Goodness knows that I have too many books on my Kindle app. It’s time to start attempting to reduce that number. More information at Because Reading.

Cover Lover (50) - I love the idea of a challenge focusing on cover designs. I definitely judge a book by its cover. More information at Bloggin’ ‘bout Books..

Fairytale Retelling (12) - I always love fairy tale retellings and this challenge is perfect for me. More information at Charity Rau.

Books to Movies (12) - I thought I would resurrect a favorite challenge for me. I love reading the books before seeing the movie version.

I Read Horror (12) - I happened upon this challenge and immediately had to add it to my round up of challenges. I can’t wait to dive into some great horror this year.

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I also decided to create my own spice meter for romance books. A 1-5 scale seemed too limiting for the types of books I read. So I expanded it to 8 levels with corresponding explanations. I will be rating all of my romance books on this new scale.

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My rating system:

• 5 stars - loved it, will tell everyone (or almost everyone) to read it

• 4 stars - liked it, would recommend to certain people

• 3 stars - okay book, but maybe not something i would recommend, maybe not a book for me, but I see merit

• 2 stars - disliked it

• 1 star - finished the book, but hated it! will rant to anyone about why I hated this one

2025 Goals and Resolutions

Checking in with my 2024 Goals and Resolutions -

House Goals/Resolutions

• Paint the living room (and maybe playroom) - FAIL

• Downsize the playroom ✓

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Complete 52 Hikes ✓ - We don’t ever get to 52 hikes, but the idea is to focus on getting out into nature often.

• Add More Vegetarian Dishes to Our Rotation ✓

• Work on a Better Budget ✓

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 Books/60,000 Books ✓

• Clear Off 50 Books from My UnRead Shelf ✓ - Between my read books and unloading some that I will never read, I definitely got to this number.

• Skip at Least 50% of BOTM Months ✓ - I really stuck to my idea of only ordering books I was actually excited about.

Homeschool Goals/Resolutions

• Be a Leader for the Secular Homeschool Community ✓

• Move the Coop into the Next Era ✓

• Complete Another Year of Homeschooling ✓

And now on to 2025…

I’m not actually going to make any goals and resolutions this year. 2024 was hard and I really want to focus on the everyday victories instead of lofty goals. I want to try to live in the moments this year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

2024 Reading Challenges Roundup: Completed and Failed

For 2024, I brought back reading challenges into my life. My overall challenges stat isn’t great, but look at that overall spots stat! I really managed to focus on a lot of my challenges and find books I was interested in that fit the spots.

Overall Stats

7/15 Challenges 46.7%

537/576 Spots 93.2%

Completed Challenges

Goodreads
Goal 256/200 Books 100%

Holiday Books
10/10 Books 100%

1. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay (12/4/24)

2. All I Want is You by Falon Ballard (12/6/24)

3. The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver (12/7/24)

4. Jingle Ale the Way by Sarah Everly (12/12/24)

5. 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy (12/14/24)

6. Under the Mistletoe Collection (12/17/24)

7. Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley

8. Kringle Down II by Shane Lacy Hensley

9. The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

10. Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne

She Reads Romance
Goal 36/36 Books 100%

1. January: Dark Romance or 2023 Title You Didn’t Get to Read - Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan (1/12/24)

2. February: Spicy Romance - Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert (2/23/24)

3. March: Contemporary Romance - The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score (3/8/24)

4. April: New Adult Romance - A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft (2/21/24)

5. May: Romantic Suspense - Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (6/20/24)

6. June: Choose a Book by Its Cover - Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke (5/30/24)

7. July: Audiobook - The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert (5/9/24)

8. August: Romantic Comedy - Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (6/21/24)

9. September: Historical Romance - Reckless by Anne Stuart (3/26/24)

10. October: Paranormal Romance - The Succubus’s Prize by Katee Robert (9/4/24)

11. November: YA Romance - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (11/22/24)

12. December: Pick a Social Media Rec - That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (9/14/24)

13. Enemies to Lovers - So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn (3/15/24)

14. Fake Dating - Funny Story by Emily Henry (5/14/24)

15. Second Chance Romance - The Book of Scandal by Julia London (7/4/24)

16. Oops Pregnancy - A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone (2/7/24)

17. Arranged Marriage - Bride by Ali Hazelwood (3/19/24)

18. Friends to Lovers - A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn (5/22/24)

19. Office Romance - Teach Me by Olivia Dade (1/19/24)

20. Mafia Romance - Dark Succession by Katee Robert (7/20/24)

21. Forbidden Romance - Untouchable by Talia Hibbert (2/8/24)

22. Werewolf or Witch Romance - Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert (2/16/24)

23. Small Town Romance - Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders (1/16/24)

24. Motorcycle Club Romance - Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss (12/24/24)

25. Only One Bed - The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton (9/28/24)

26. Reverse Grumpy Sunshine - A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (1/18/24)

27. Guardian/Ward Romance - Desperate Measures by Katee Robert (11/9/24)

28. Cowboy Who Loves His Hat - The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver (12/7/24)

29. Faking It with the Boss - Illicit Temptations by Katee Robert (11/13/24)

30. Enemies or Lovers/Brother’s Best Friend - A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley (11/29/24)

31. Reality TV Show Romance - Mr. Fixer Upper by Lucy Score (1/26/24)

32. Romance Author Who Finds Love - By the Book by Jasmine Guillory (10/15/24)

33. Male Virgin Hero - Dark Restraint by Katee Robert (8/23/24)

34. Cute Nicknames - The Takeover by TL Swan (4/24/24)

35. Nerd with Glasses - Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (1/20/24)

36. Heroes Who Cook - Savor It by Tarah DeWitt (12/21/24)

Fairytales
12/12 Books 100%

1. January: Bluebeard - Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson (1/20/24)

2. February: Red Riding Hood - Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge (3/9/24)

3. March: Hansel & Gretel - A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (4/6/24)

4. April: Beauty & the Beast - By the Book by Jasmine Guillory (10/15/24)

5. May: Cinderella - Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke (5/30/24)

6. June: Aladdin - Desperate Measures by Katee Robert (11/9/24)

7. July: Rapunzel - Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren (11/6/24)

8. August: Reader’s Choice Cinderella: We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman (10/25/24)

9. September: Rumplestiltskin (replaced by Alice in Wonderland) - Alice in Borderland Volume 1 (11/8/24)

10. October: Peter Pan - Lost Boy by Christina Henry (9/26/24)

11. November: Snow White - Poison by Sarah Pinborough (6/7/24)

12. December: The Nutcracker - The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (12/5/24)

In Case You Missed It
12/12 Books 100%

1. Best Books from 2012 - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (1/27/24)

2. Best Books from 2013 - The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin (1/13/24)

3. Best Books from 2014 - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (11/22/24)

4. Best Books from 2015 - Crimson Bound by Roamund Hodge (3/9/24)

5. Best Books from 2016 - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (4/13/24)

6. Best Books from 2017 - The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (1/12/24)

7. Best Books from 2018 - Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (7/13/24)

8. Best Books from 2019 - The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders (5/17/24)

9. Best Books from 2020 - Dead Lake by Darcy Coates (9/27/24)

10. Best Books from 2021 - Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham (4/25/24)

11. Best Books from 2022 - That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (9/14/24)

12. Best Books from 2023 - The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods (7/3/24)

Library Love
60/60 Books 10%

1. Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan (1/12/24)

2. Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca (1/13/24)

3. Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders (1/16/24)

4. A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert (1/18/24)

5. Teach Me by Olivia Dade (1/19/24)

6. Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson (1/20/24)

7. Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (1/20/24)

8. Mr. Fixer Upper by Lucy Score (1/26/24)

9. Confetti Realms by Nadia Shammas (2/3/24)

10. Untouchable by Talia Hibbert (2/8/24)

11. Dead Voices by Katherine Arden (2/10/24)

12. Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert (2/16/24)

13. Mislaid in Parts Half-Know by Seanan McGuire (2/20/24)

14. A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft (2/21/24)

15. Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty (2/28/24)

16. Mimi’s Tales of Terror by Junji Ito (2/27/24)

17. Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (3/6/24)

18. The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score (3/8/24)

19. What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell (3/13/24)

20. So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn (3/15/24)

21. Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (3/16/24)

22. The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg (3/22/24)

23. Ruthless by Anne Stuart (3/23/24)

24. Dark Waters by Katherine Arden (3/27/24)

25. A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll (3/29/24)

26. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (4/3/24)

27. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (4/5/24)

28. Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden (4/12/24)

29. The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (4/20/24)

30. Winterset Hollow by Jonathan Edward Durham (4/25/24)

31. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5/18/24)

32. A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn (5/22/24)

33. The Casanova by TL Swan (5/24/24)

34. Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (5/29/24)

35. Horror Hotel by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren (6/5/24)

36. Poison by Sarah Pinborough (6/7/24)

37. Ghost Station by SA Barnes (6/15/24)

38. Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (6/19/24)

39. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (6/25/24)

40. The Do-Over by TL Swan (6/28/24)

41. Cursed Cruise by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren (6/29/24)

42. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (7/5/24)

43. Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg (7/10/24)

44. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (7/13/24)

45. Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (7/18/24)

46. The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert (7/27/24)

47. Temptation by RL Stine (8/15/24)

48. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (8/17/24)

49. I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue (8/23/24)

50. The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (8/24/24)

51. The Deading by Nicholas Belardes (8/25/24)

52. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn (8/30/24)

53. Key Lime Sky by Al Hess (9/11/24)

54. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (9/18/24)

55. Dead Lake by Darcy Coates (9/27/24)

56. Behind the Horror by Lee Mellor (10/4/24)

57. Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher (10/11/24)

58. The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling (10/24/24)

59. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming (10/25/24)

60. The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel (10/26/24)

Nonfiction Reader
12/12 Books 100%

1. Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine (1/22/24)

2. Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca (1/13/24)

3. Sellout by Dan Ozzi (2/24/24)

4. Toil & Trouble by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson (3/30/24)

5. The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart (4/21/24)

6. Unmasking Autism by Devon Price (5/4/24)

7. Blood by Jen Gunter (6/11/24)

8. Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson (6/19/24)

9. Broad Strokes by Bridget Quinn (7/17/24)

10. Raising Critical Thinkers by Julie Bogart (7/24/24)

11. The Six by Loren Grush (8/3/24)

12. Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz (8/16/24)

Failed Challenges

UnRead Shelf Project
Goal 45/50 Books 90%

1. Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First by Laura Tremaine (1/11/24)

2. The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin (1/13/24)

3. The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas (2/11/24)

4. Malamander by Thomas Taylor (2/13/24)

5. Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband by Melissa Mayhue (2/14/24)

6. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith (2/17/24)

7. Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert (2/23/24)

8. The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland (3/2/24)

9. The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud (3/14/24)

10. Reckless by Anne Stuart (3/26/24)

11. Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston (4/4/24)

12. To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt (4/11/24)

13. The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart (4/21/24)

14. To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth Hoyt (4/26/24)

15. To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt (5/3/24)

16. To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt (5/8/24)

17. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders (5/17/24)

18. The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang (5/25/24)

19. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (6/6/24)

20. The Morningside by Téa Obreht (6/12/24)

21. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (6/14/24)

22. Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson (6/19/24)

23. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (6/21/24)

24. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (6/22/24)

25. The Book of M by Peng Shepherd (6/24/24)

26. The Book of Scandal by Julia London (7/4/24)

27. Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver (7/9/24)

28. The Gentleman ‘s Gambit by Evie Dunmore (7/19/24)

29. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Turner (7/23/24)

30. Raising Critical Thinkers by Julie Bogart (7/24/24)

31. Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz (8/16/24)

32. Dark Restraint by Katee Robert (8/23/24)

33. The 22 Murders of Madison May by Max Barry (9/7/24)

34. Murder Road by Simone St. James (9/12/24)

35. Book of Night by Holly Black (9/21/24)

36. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (9/24/24)

37. Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (9/26/24)

38. The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton (9/28/24)

39. Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torsz (10/10/24)

40. The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (10/16/24)

41. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (10/20/24)

42. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (10/30/24)

43. Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn (11/16/24)

44. The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (12/5/24)

45. The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries by Donald R. Prothero (12/13/24)

Kid Read Alouds
Goal 48/50 Books 96%

1. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd (1/6/24)

2. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (1/5/24)

3. Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-El (1/19/24)

4. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by EL Konigsburg (1/19/24)

5. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm (1/16/24)

6. Ban This Book by Alan Gratz (2/1/24)

7. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (2/9/24)

8. Tales from the Odyssey Part One by Mary Pope Osborne (2/6/24)

9. Guard Guards by Terry Pratchett (2/21/24)

10. Tales from the Odyssey Part Two by Mary Pope Osborne (2/16/24)

11. The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith (2/16/24)

12. The Witches by Roald Dahl (3/1/24)

13. The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf (3/2/24)

14. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar (3/13/24)

15. Sweep by Jonathan Auxier (3/18/24)

16. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo (3/15/24)

17. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (3/22/24)

18. Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston (4/4/24)

19. Men at Arms by Terry Prachett (4/18/24)

20. Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr (4/4/24)

21. Charlotte’s Web by EB White (4/18/24)

22. Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca (5/4/24)

23. Homer Price by Robert McCloskey (5/4/24)

24. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (5/16/24)

25. We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly (5/17/24)

26. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (6/19/24)

27. Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate (7/26/24)

28. The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell (7/26/24)

29. Endling: The First by Katherine Applegate (8/1/24)

30. Gargantis by Thomas Taylor (8/14/24)

31. Over the Moon by Natalie Lloyd (8/29/24)

32. Endling: The Only by Katherine Applegate (8/30/24)

33. The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World’s Worst Knight by Tim Collins (9/5/24)

34. Wretched Waterpark by Kierstin White (9/14/24)

35. Lucy and the Rocket Dog by Will Buckingham (9/17/24)

36. Mars One by Jonathan Maberry (9/20/24)

37. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (10/7/24)

38. The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie (10/8/24)

39. Mr. Lemoncello’s Special Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein (10/3/24)

40. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (10/17/24)

41. No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy (10/25/24)

42. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graeme (10/16/24)

43. The Goblin’s Puzzle by Andrew Clifton (11/20/24)

44. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (11/22/24)

45. The Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga (11/30/24)

46. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (12/11/24)

47. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (12/16/24)

48. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (12/19/24)

The 52 Book Club
Goal 45/52 Books 86.5%

1. Locked-room mystery - Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty (2/28/24)

2. Bibliosmia: A smelly book - The Casanova by TL Swan (5/24/24)

3. More than 40 chapters - Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (1/9/24)

4. Lowercase letters on the spine - The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods (7/3/24)

5. Magical Realism - The Magician by Rebecca Serle (1/17/24)

6. Women in STEM - The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (4/20/24)

7. At least four different POV - The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott (1/24/24)

8. Features the ocean - Malamander by Thomas Taylor (2/13/24)

9. A character-driven novel - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (4/17/24)

10. Told in non-chronological order - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd (6/25/24)

11. Title starting with the letter “K” - The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert (5/9/24)

12. Title starting with the letter “L” - A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall (5/10/24)

13. An academic thriller - The Gentleman’s Gambit by Evie Dunmore (7/19/24)

14. A grieving character - The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas (2/11/24)

15. Part of a duology - What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher (5/15/24)

16. An omniscient narrator - The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert (7/27/24)

17. Nominated for The Booker Prize

18. An apostrophe in the title - The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman (2/15/24)

19. A buddy read - The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (6/6/24)

20. A revenge story - Haunted Holiday by Kiersten White (2/9/24)

21. Written by a ghostwriter

22. A plot similar to another book - Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (6/25/24)

23. The other book with the similar plot

24. A cover without people on it - Mislaid in Parts Half-Know by Seanan McGuire (2/20/24)

25. An author “everyone” has read except you - Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5/18/24)

26. Hybrid genre - Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband by Melissa Mayhue (2/14/24)

27. By a neurodivergent author - What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell (3/13/24)

28. A yellow spine - The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia (3/28/24)

29. Published in a Year of the Dragon - Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (5/29/24)

30. Picked without reading the blurb - The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White (4/3/24)

31. Includes a personal phobia - Empty Smiles by Katherine Arden (4/12/24)

32. Timeframe spans a week or less - Dead Voices by Katherine Arden (2/10/24)

33. An abrupt ending - The Last One by Will Dean (2/2/24)

34. Set in a landlocked country

35. Title matches lyrics from a song

36. Has futuristic technology - Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley (4/19/24)

37. Palindrome on the cover

38. Published by Hachette - To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt (5/8/24)

39. Non-fiction recommended by a friend - Blood by Jen Gunter (6/11/24)

40. Set during a holiday you don’t celebrate - That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming (10/9/24)

41. A sticker on the cover

42. Author debut in second half of 2024 - I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue (8/23/24)

43. About finding identity - A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (8/17/24)

44. Includes a wedding - Bride by Ali Hazelwood (3/19/24)

45. Chapter headings have dates - The Rise and Fall of DODO by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland (3/2/24)

46. Featuring Indigenous culture - Never Whistle at Night (9/13/24)

47. Self-insert by an author — A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (4/6/24)

48. The word “secret” in the title - Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (6/14/24)

49. Set in a city starting with the letter “M” - Funny Story by Emily Henry (5/14/24)

50. A musical instrument on the cover - Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver (7/9/24)

51. Related to the word “Wild” - A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan (11/20/24)

52. Published in 2024 - Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett (3/16/24)

COYER (Clean Out Your E-Reader)
Goal 16/20 Books 80%

1. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (1/12/24)

2. Signal Moon by Kate Quinn (1/17/24)

3. Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert (1/18/24)

4. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells (2/4/24)

5. System Collapse by Martha Wells (2/6/24)

6. The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia (3/28/24)

7. A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall (5/10/24)

8. Witch King by Martha Wells (7/6/24)

9. Dark Succession by Katee Robert (7/20/24)

10. Jingle Ale the Way by Sarah Everly (12/12/24)

11. 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy (12/14/24)

12. Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss (12/24/24)

13. Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley (12/28/24)

14. Kringle Down II by Shane Lacy Hensley (12/28/24)

15. Kringle Down Krampus by Shane Lacy Hensley (12/29/24)

16. Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne (12/30/24)

Decades
6/12 Books 50%

1. 1880s-1890s - Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig (3/20/24)

2. 1900s-1910s - The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang (5/25/24)

3. 1920s - The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (1/27/24)

4. 1930s - Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (6/22/24)

5. 1940s - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (4/13/24)

6. 1950s - The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott (1/24/24)

7. 1960s

8. 1970s

9. 1980s

10. 1990s

11. 2000s-2010s

12. Span Multiple Decades -

Lifetime
8/12 Books 66.7%

1. Child Protagonist - Haunted Holiday by Kiersten White (2/9/24)

2. Teenage Characters - Timekeeper by Tara Sim (1/20/24)

3. Characters in Their 20s - The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (4/5/24)

4. Characters in Their 30s - The Takeover by TL Swan (4/24/24)

5. Characters in Their 40s -

6. Characters in Their 50s - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (4/17/24)

7. Characters in Their 60s - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn (8/30/24)

8. Characters in Their 70s

9. Characters in Their 80s

10. Characters in Their 90s and 100s

11. Intergenerational Novels - The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (9/18/24)

12. Spanning a Character’s Lifetime - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino (3/6/24)

Clock Numbers
4/12 Books 33.3%

1. One - The Last One by Will Dean (2/2/24)

2. Two - Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig (3/20/24)

3. Three - Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley (4/19/24)

4. Four

5. Five

6. Six - The Six by Loren Grush (8/3/24)

7. Seven

8. Eight

9. Nine

10. Ten

11. Eleven

12. Twelve

Spooky Season A to Z
23/26 Books 88.5%

1. A - Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (10/20/24)

2. B - Book of Night by Holly Black (9/21/24)

3. C - The Clackity by Lora Senf (10/18/24)

4. D - A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley (11/29/24)

5. E - The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (10/30/24)

6. F - From Below by Darcy Coates (9/20/24)

7. G - Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates (10/12/24)

8. H - Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca (10/30/24)

9. I - Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs (10/10/24)

10. J - The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (12/5/24)

11. K - Key Lime Sky by Al Hess (9/11/24)

12. L - Lost Boy by Christina Henry (9/26/24)

13. M - Murder Road by Simone St. James (9/12/24)

14. N - Never Whistle at Night (9/13/24)

15. O - A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne (11/21/24)

16. P - Phantasma by Kaylie Smith (9/26/24)

17. Q - To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (11/12/24)

18. R - The Succubus’s Prize by Katee Robert (9/4/24)

19. S - The Nighthouse Keeper by Lora Senf (11/2/24)

20. T -

21. U - Universal Monsters: Dracula (9/6/24)

22. V -

23. W - A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley (10/19/24)

24. X -

25. Y - The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (10/16/24)

26. Z - Year Zero Vol. 0 (10/20/24)

2024 Wrap-up

Favorite Books of the Year:

• Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz

• The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton

• Dungeon Crawler Carl (entire series) by Matt Dinniman

• Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

• The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

• Funny Story by Emily Henry

• Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

• We Kept Her in the Castle by WR Gorman

• What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell

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

• All Systems Read by Martha Wells

• Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Total Books Read – 256 books

Total Pages Read – 83,950 pages

I averaged 6996 pages per month.  My lowest month was December with only 5426 pages.  My highest month was January with 9306 pages.  I hope to read 75,000 pages next year.

Book Rating Stats 

• 5 stars —26%

• 4 stars —46%

• 3 stars — 21%

• 2 stars — 7%

• 1 star — 0 books

• DNFs — 0 books

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish

Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my favorite things and not reaching too far. Sickness at the beginning of the month made me switch a few things around. Hopefully we can get back to all our activities by the end of the month.

All the advent calendars!

Go see Santa! ✓ - We had our yearly visit to Santa at Cabela’s. Of course we had go see the fish afterward.

Decorate the mini tree ✓

Decorate the house ✓ - Being sick pushed this back a few days, but we did it.

See the Christmas tree at the Durham Museum - Never made it…

Visit the Holiday display at Lauritzen Gardens - Didn’t get to it this year. Travel impeded some of our plans.

See A Christmas Story @ The Rose ✓ - We really enjoyed the performance! As a bonus, we got student tickets for very few dollars.

See The Nutcracker @ The Orpheum - We didn’t end up going due to the weather.

Listen to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ✓

Make Christmas cookies

Drive through the Santa Rock n Lights ✓

Visit the reindeers Dancer and Dasher ✓

Watch 10 Christmas Movies (8/10)

• Dear Santa

• Uncle Buck (close enough, it’s set in winter)

• Hot Frosty

• Red One

• The Merry Gentlemen

• Carry-on

• Die Hard

• Holiday Inn

Go to Zoolightful at the zoo ✓

Go to Fantasy of Lights at Franke Park ✓

Dinner at Coney Island and see the Santa lights ✓

Read 10 Christmas books (10/10) ✓

• The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

• All I Want is You by Falon Ballard

• The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

• The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver

• Jingle All the Way by Sarah Everly

• 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy

• Under the Mistletoe Collection

• Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley

• The Revenge by Shane Lacy Hensley

• Krampus by Shane Lacy Hensley

• Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne

• The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

Make paper snowflakes

Make Christmas cocktails

Hot Chocolate tasting

Finish a Christmas puzzle

Find a new Christmas album

Make a Christmas craft

Decorate a gingerbread house

Take a photo of all four boys together

Finish 2024’s December Daily album

Next up on the TBR pile:

December 2024 Wrap-up

December TBR Pile (21/24):

1. Bookworms BC: NONE (Christmas exchange)

2. Friend BC: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley ✓

3. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: NONE (Lit Society month)

4. Kid Book Club: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones

5. Kid Read Aloud: Wishtree by Katherine Applegate ✓

6. Kid Read Aloud: Gregor the Overland by Suzanne Collins ✓

7. Kid Read Aloud: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ✓

8. Nonfiction: The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries by Donald R. Prothero ✓

9. Fantasy: The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen ✓

10. Romance: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay ✓

11. Romance: The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver ✓

12. Romance: All I Want is You by Falon Ballard ✓

13. Romance: The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers ✓

14. Romance: Jingle All the Way by Sarah Everly ✓

15. Romance: 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy ✓

16. Romance: Under the Mistletoe Collection ✓

17. Romance: Savor It by Tarah DeWitt ✓

18. Romance: Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss ✓

19. Romance: The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling ✓

20. Romance: Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne ✓

21. Mystery: A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas ✓

22. Horror: Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley ✓

23. Horror: Kringle Down II by Shane Lacy Hensley ✓

24. Horror: Kringle Down Krampus by Shane Lacy Hensley ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 5426 pages
Pages Remaining: 191,338 pages

Current Read - Hunting Adeline by HD Carlton

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (5)

I grabbed some deals on Black Friday including:

• House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

• The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

• The Kingdom of Gods by N.K. Jemisin

I restrained myself and only ordered one from Book of the Month.

• The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

UnRead Shelf Progress

• Starting Number: 305

• Books Read: 2

• Books Acquired: 5

• Books Unshelved: 0

• Finishing Number: 308

January TBR Pile:

1. Bookworms BC: Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen

2. Bookworms BC: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

3. Friend BC: Small Angels by Lauren Owen

4. Nerdy Bookish Friends BC: A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker

5. Kid Book Club: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones

6. Kid Book Club: The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontorvant

7. Kid Read Aloud: The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

8. Romance: Hunting Adeline by HD Carlton

9. Romance: The Never King by Nikki St. Crow

10. Horror: The Gathering by CJ Tudor

Movies Watched

• Dear Santa

• Uncle Buck - Still holds up!

• Hot Frosty

• Red One

• The Merry Gentlemen

• The Carry-on

• Die Hard - A yearly tradition

• Holiday Inn - Another yearly tradition

TV Shows Watched

• Only Murders in the Building S4

• What We Do in the Shadows S6

• Lower Decks

• The Great Britsh Bake-off S15

• Below Deck: Sailing Yacht

• All the Dropout shows

• The Essex Serpent

Comments - Wrapping up the year with a decent showing as far at my reading. I ended the year with some not great reads, but you never know when you start a book. I still had a good month.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Snowed In with Benefits by Misha Horne

Title: Snowed In with Benefits

Author: Misha Horne

Publisher: 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 427

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Kindle

Spice Rating: 5

Austin Ash is famous for trashing things. Hotel rooms, relationships... his career.
After his latest public meltdown, he's desperate to reclaim the spotlight— and get it off his ex's embarrassing revenge album. Presenting at The Snowglobes and owning the legendary afterparty is the perfect plan... Until he parties a little too hard and wakes up trapped in the middle of nowhere with the one guy alive who's not charmed by his chaos.

Marco Palmer is music royalty. And he's about to renounce his title.
Music is his family's legacy and all he's ever known, but an award-winning role on a hit tv show changed everything. A secluded mountain cabin is the perfect place to make the most important decision of his life... Until he ends up with the world's most obnoxious, attention-seeking rock star throwing a tantrum in his guest room.

Stuck together at the worst possible time, tensions get high, tempers get hot, and the tabloids see something that just isn't there. Right?
Austin is definitely not interested in the old school know-it-all who torpedoed his splashy comeback. Even if Marco makes him feel safe for the first time in years and is tapping into some embarrassing secret desires.
Marco is definitely not interested in the jaded, burnt out rock star who trashed his quiet weekend. Even if Austin is sweeter and smarter than he acts, and is clearly in need of a firm hand and the kind of attention fame can't provide.
But the photo breaking the internet that's hot enough to melt all the snow outside?
That says different.
And that kiss they're not talking about?
That says different too.

A random read on my Kindle. I was hoping for a fun holiday read. Instead, I got a very serious, repetitive holiday read. Within about 50 pages, I could just tell that I was going to be “treated” to Austin repeating himself ad naseum about his fuck ups and insecurities. I enjoyed Marco, but at times, he was very flat. I do wish that this book was about 100 pages shorter. I think I could have dealt with the internal monologues if they weren’t quite so long. As it stands, this was not the fun holiday read that I was looking for…

Next up on the TBR pile:

Kringle Down by Shane Lacy Hensley

Title: Kringle Down (Kringle Down #1)

Author: Shane Lacy Hensley

Publisher: 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 41

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads; COYER

Where I Got It: Kindle

1990, Red Onion Mountain, Southwest Virginia. A bright flash of light slashes through the night sky. Something crashes on the mountain near the infamous "pot mine," where two tired ATF Agents and their cleaning ladies have just finished scrubbing up a gruesome crime scene. What they find on that snowy Christmas Eve is more murder, mayhem, and mystery than you can shake a bloody candy cane at.

J picked up this collection for me thinking it might be a fun read for my trip. And I sped through the first one in no time at all. This is an action-packed horror take on Santa and his elves. I loved this slim story as an alternative to the sweet holiday romances I have read this year.

Title: The Revenge (Kringle Down #2)

Author: Shane Lacy Hensley

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Horror

Pages: 34

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads; COYER

Where I Got It: Kindle

ATF Agent Max Harkins survived a bizarre encounter in Kringle Down. Now cartel czar Ernesto Cabeza wants to make him pay. But Max has a plan. If he can just get "Santa" to go along with it.

Not quite as successful as the first story, but a strong action horror story to further the adventures of Max Harkins. We finally get to the meet the drug cartel boss and see hime deal with Santa and the elves. We also get to see a new Santa emerge from the chaos.

Title: Krampus (Kringle Down #3)

Author: Shane Lacy Hensley

Publisher: 2022

Genre: Horror

Pages: 43

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads; COYER

Where I Got It: Kindle

Little Jose Salazar is a monster. Now he’s missing, and his father, the new head of the Gulf Cartel, thinks a certain evil spirit of Christmas is behind it. To get his son back, Hector needs an army, a plan, and the help of a very reluctant Agent Maxwell Harkins.

Another episode in the unusual adventures of ATF Agent Max Harkins. This time, we get a very spooky appearance by some old friends, a new mission, and some glorious creepy fun. I really enjoyed this fun story to bookend the adventures. And the big reveal of the elves was just the absolute best. Overall, I really enjoyed this short series of gory fun.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling

Title: The Wedding Witch (Graves Glen #3)

Author: Erin Sterling

Publisher: Avon 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 279

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4.5

Bowen Penhallow has always been a loner, studying dark and ancient magic on a mountaintop in Wales. He prefers it that way. But when his friend Colin—who happens to be a ghost—asks him to attend a Yuletide wedding at a grand estate deep in the Welsh countryside, Bowen reluctantly agrees. 

Tamsyn Bligh is not a witch, but she makes her living off of them. As a procurer and seller of magical items, Tamsyn’s business is not always above board, but she’s been trying to fix that (mostly.) Bowen is an occasional customer—as well as the star of several of Tamsyn’s dirtiest dreams—but she’s been around enough witches to know that, as a human, getting involved with one is not the smartest idea. She’s finagled an invite to the Witchy Wedding of the Century in the hopes of finally making a score big enough to retire. Just one priceless magical artifact from Tywyll House would set her up for life.

But Tamsyn isn’t the only one sneaking about in Tywyll House, and the mix of a very strong spell combined with a wedding mishap transports Bowen and Tamsyn into Tywyll House’s past, to the Yuletide Celebration of 1958. As Bowen and Tamsyn work together to get back to the present, they must also face off with the origins of Tywyll House’s haunting, the suspicions of their fellow witches…oh, and the fact that somewhere between the mistletoe and the bonfire, they might be falling in love. 

The conclusion of the Graves Glen trilogy of romance and I liked it but didn’t love it. My biggest complaint is the severe lack of Graves Glen. I wanted a return to our witchy little town and the quirky inhabitants. Unfortunately we move across the pond in a boring castle for our setting. The plot is fun with some time travel hijinks, but I felt like we could have increased the suspense even more than we got. As for the characters, I enjoyed Tamsyn and her offbeat humor and spirit. She was a great main characters. Bowen just didn’t do it for me. I wanted to see more from him. At times, he really was a wooden board. More would have been nice.

Graves Glen

• #1 The Ex Hex

• #2 The Kiss Curse

• #3 The Wedding Witch

Next up on the TBR pile:

Throttle Me by Chelle Bliss

Title: Throttle Me (Men of Inked #1)

Author: Chelle Bliss

Publisher: Bliss Ink 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 278

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Motorcycle Club; COYER

Where I Got It: Kindle

Spice Rating: 5

Suzy is a control freak and has her life mapped out. She's content with the status quo, but her plan comes to a screeching halt when he enters her life and turns it upside down.

City gave up on love when his heart was crushed in college, but a chance encounter on a dark road makes him question what he had sworn off forever - a relationship.

A night of passion and lust causes them to question everything.

Is the tattooed bad boy her knight in shining armor? Can their relationship survive when a fantasy falls apart and a secret comes out that could change everything?

I needed a Motorcycle romance to finish out the challenge and thankfully I had this collection just sitting on my Kindle app. I dove into expecting not great, but at least some entertaining romance. And it lived up to my expectations. This is certainly more focused on the sex scenes than the characterization and plot. We get a basic alpha male knight-in-shining armor type character showing the innocent women how to live. Okay fine by me. But I did think that City’s alpha crap got a little too much at times. Making a lot of decisions for Suzy was just not my jam. I like more fun banter and give and take instead of just sex talk and demands. There is a whole series, of which I own at least three others (it was in a collection) that I may or may not read.

Men of Inked

• #1 Throttle Me

• #2 Hook Me

• #2.25 Throttled

• #2.5 Resisting

• #2.75 Rebound

• #3 Resist Me

• #4 Uncover Me

• #5 Without Me

• #6 Honor Me

• #6.5 Men of Inked Christmas

• #7 Worship Me

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W15-16: That's a Wrap on the Fall Semest

What We Studied

We wrapped up our fall semester in a great place. We managed to cover a ton of material while engaging in so many activities and fun outings. We are so ready for a bit of a break before diving back in in January.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G5 for his language arts this year. We finished our next read aloud and moved on. It’s another featured book from Hearth & Story G5. We are really enjoying that program. From there, we started our next read aloud from our own shelves. I had picked up a literature unit about the book to guide our reading. We’ll be taking the book to Indiana to finish. We also covered more grammar and extra language arts assignments.

• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

• The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G1 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 2 and random books that we have around the house. We finished our next selection. I really love everything Katherine Applegate has put out and Wishtree is no exception. It’s a quiet story, but one with lots of thinking points and emotion. From there, we picked up another Tim Collins book to read in tandem with our dinosaur unit. We finished that one and then will be diving into a classic.

• Poetry: Dinosaur Dinner (with a Slice of Alligator Pie) by Dennis Lee

• Poetry: Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian

• Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

• The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World’s Worst Dinosaur Hunter by Tim Collins

• The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Math

Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 1. Effectively this is Singapore’s 6th grade math text. Arthur finished the first book of the course. We spent some time doing a bit of math review and catching up before starting the next book in January..

• Math in Focus Course 1 Book A

Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 2B and 3A. I’m not going to start on Singapore 3B until January, so we are focusing on review and mastery until then.

• Primarily Logic

Social Studies

Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 this year. We wrapped up Volume 1. We’ll be starting Volume 2 in January.

• Curiosity Chronicles Early Modern History Vol. 1

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

Quentin is using History Quest Middle Times with Build Your Library Level 2 as his main history curriculum. This week we covered a chapter about the Hundred Years’ War.

• History Quest Middle Times

• DK When on Earth?

• DK History

• DK Timelines of Everything

• DK Timelines of Everyone

• DK A Child Through Time

• Kingfisher Atlas of the Medieval World

• DK Explorers

• Joan of Arc by Demi

Science

Arthur is using RSO Biology 1 this year has the main science text. Our academic coop will also be using RSO Biology 1 as a basis for the fall and spring semester courses, so we will be just supplementing at home. We will also be doing some of Blossom & Root’s Book Seeds and various other small units in between. Arthur covered a few body systems at co-op. At home, we read a bit chapter in our Story of Science about...

• RSO Biology 1

• Story of Science Vol. 3 by Joy Hakim

Quentin is using RSO Earth & Environment and RSO Astronomy 1 as a base. Of course, we have a ton of extra science resources laying around the house. And I will be hosting some one-off science exploration days that align with the units. We switched gears slightly to tackle Blossom and Root’s Prehistory Unit. We covered the wonders about the Mesozoic Era. Lots of fun stuff in there.

• RSO Earth and Environment

• DK First Earth Encyclopedia

• DK Dinosaur

• DK Where on Earth? Dinosaurs

• DK Eyewitness Dinosaur

• The Story of Life: Evolution by Katie Scott

• Life: The First Four Billions Years by Martin Jenkins

• Stones and Bones: Fossils and the Stories They Tell by Rob Wilshaw

• When the Whales Walked by Dougal Dixon

• Everything Awesome About Dinosaurs an Other Prehistoric Beasts! by Mike Lowery

• Dinosaurs: Fact and Fable by Seymour Simon

• Prehistoric by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

• Nat Geo Kids Dinosaur Atlas

• Dinosaurium by Chris Wormell and Lily Murray

• The Colorful World of Dinosaurs by Matt Sewell

• Barnum's Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World by Tracey Fern

• When Sue Found Sue: Sue Hendrickson Discovers Her T. rex by Toni Buzzeo

• Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon by Jeannine Atkins

• The Fossil Whisperer: How Wendy Sloboda Discovered a Dinosaur by Helaine Becker

• A Dinosaur Named Ruth: How Ruth Mason Discovered Fossils in Her Own Backyard by Julia Lyon

• Dragon Bones: The Fantastic Fossil Discoveries of Mary Anning by Sarah Glenn Marsh

• Prehistoric: Dinosaurs, Megalodons, and Other Fascinating Creatures of the Deep Past by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Academic Co-op

We finished the fall semester. For math, the student finished the semester with a personal budget project. It was difficult, but the kids made it through. For biology, they finished their anatomy and physiology section. Next semester, they will be covering evolution and ecology. For civics, the kids presented their active citizenship biographies and posters. We also did a big review of the entire class.

Art and Music

Art will be very sporadic this year, but we do have some fun excursions planned. And I will incorporate art projects into a lot of other subjects and unit studies. We covered a Harbor + Sprout module about visual styles.

For music, we are using Music Lab: We Rock! as our spine. Each week we will be learning about a different rock musician and focus on a particular song. I have also created Spotify playlists so we can listen on the go. We finished the next section of the book covering Deep Soul. We listened to Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye, and The Staple Sisters.

• Music Lab: We Rock!

• DK Music and How it Works

• DK The Arts

Field Trip/Activities

We attended our first Homeschool in the Hills session at Hitchcock Hills. The subject was art and nature. It was absolutely freezing on that day, but we powered through. The actual outside section was only about 15 minutes. I thought the program was interesting. Q was not on board. Arthur enjoyed himself. We’re scheduled for their January and March sessions also.

High

We got to see the reindeer at Mulhall’s after a car repair estimate. Seeing actual live reindeers are one of the highlights of the season for me.

Low

The drive to Indiana was not fun. The wind gusts and crazy drivers made it much more stressful.

Next Week - Taking a few weeks off for the holidays.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

Title: Savor It

Author: Tarah DeWitt

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Heroes Who Cook

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 5

Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win―something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.

Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.

A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like...

What a surprise! I went into this book expecting a light-hearted romcom style romance. On one side, this does have a light-hearted romance in it, but it also has a much more serious story of two people finding each other amidst all of their life obstacles and obligations.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update #2

Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my favorite things and not reaching too far. Sickness at the beginning of the month made me switch a few things around. Hopefully we can get back to all our activities by the end of the month.

All the advent calendars!

Go see Santa! ✓ - We had our yearly visit to Santa at Cabela’s. Of course we had go see the fish afterward.

Decorate the mini tree ✓

Decorate the house ✓ - Being sick pushed this back a few days, but we did it.

See the Christmas tree at the Durham Museum

Visit the Holiday display at Lauritzen Gardens

See A Christmas Story @ The Rose ✓ - We really enjoyed the performance! As a bonus, we got student tickets for very few dollars.

See The Nutcracker @ The Orpheum - We didn’t end up going due to the weather.

Listen to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens ✓

Make Christmas cookies

Drive through the Santa Rock n Lights ✓

Visit the reindeers Dancer and Dasher ✓

Watch 10 Christmas Movies (6/10)

• Dear Santa

• Uncle Buck (close enough, it’s set in winter)

• Hot Frosty

• Red One

• The Merry Gentlemen

• Carry-on

Go to Zoolightful at the zoo ✓

Go to Fantasy of Lights at Franke Park

Dinner at Coney Island and see the Santa lights

Read 10 Christmas books (7/10)

• The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

• All I Want is You by Falon Ballard

• The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

• The Best Cowboy Christmas Ever by June Faver

• Jingle All the Way by Sarah Everly

• 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy

• Under the Mistletoe Collection
  

Make paper snowflakes

Make Christmas cocktails

Hot Chocolate tasting

Finish a Christmas puzzle

Find a new Christmas album

Make a Christmas craft

Decorate a gingerbread house

Take a photo of all four boys together

Finish 2024’s December Daily album

Next up on the TBR pile:

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

Title: Before the Fall

Author: Noah Hawley

Publisher: Grand Central 2016

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 416

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are the painter Scott Burroughs and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.

Was it by chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something more sinister at work? A storm of media attention brings Scott fame that quickly morphs into notoriety and accusations, and he scrambles to salvage truth from the wreckage. Amid trauma and chaos, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy grows and glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, morality, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.

Our book club selection for January and it was a bit of a mess. We start out with the plane crash and immediate aftermath. I was intrigued by the mysteries of the passengers and what caused the crash. We start to explore the backstories of our characters. Very quickly the book starts to drag along. The backstories get more and more boring and tangential. I just found myself caring less and less about these characters. I kept wanting this is actually all connect somehow. But in the end, the cause of the plane crash was so stupid and frustrating. I almost threw my book at the wall.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas

Title: A Ruse of Shadows (Lady Sherlock #8)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2024

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 335

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?

The next installment in the Lady Sherlock series and I must say that I’m slightly disappointed. After the fun and intrigue of a locked room mystery in the last book, this one felt much more aimless and complicated. I am still with Charlotte as she navigates all the mysteries, conspiracies, and seemingly random murders. But… There were too many threads in this one leading all the way back to the first book in the series. At times, I really had to sit and think for a minute about what thread we were referencing. I still love Charlotte and Mrs. Watson, and Ash. I was not super loving the random interludes with Olivia, but understand their purpose. I’m still into this series, I just think this one was a bit of a muddle to get through.

Lady Sherlock

• #1 A Study in Scarlet Women

• #2 A Conspiracy in Belgravia

• #3 The Hollow of Fear

• #4 The Art of Theft

• #5 Murder on Cold Street

• #6 Miss Moriarty, I Presume?

• #7 A Tempest at Sea

Next up on the TBR pile:

Under the Mistletoe Collection

The Under the Mistletoe Collection is comprised of 5 original short stories presented through the Amazon Original Stories program. Stories from any of the collections are available to read or listen for free with Amazon Prime.

Title: Cruel Winter with You

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories 2024

Genre: Romance Short Story

Pages: 73

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Amazon Prime

Spice Rating: 5

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.:

I really do enjoy enemies to lovers style romance stories. This one was short and sweet, but lots of good banter. I have mostly really loved Ali Hazelwood’s publications.

Title: Merry Ever After

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories 2024

Genre: Romance Short Story

Pages: 59

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Amazon Prime

Spice Rating: 5

Evie Crowe is starting over in a strange town with her newborn, and men are the furthest thing from her mind. If only the quiet, hulking farmer, Luke Ward, would stop coming into the thrift shop and piquing her reluctant interest. Evie wants to stay single all the way—she can’t trust anything more than friends-with-holiday-benefits. But Luke is in it for the long haul. He’s fixed on making this a Christmas Evie will remember forever. If she gives him a chance.

Tessa Bailey writes a type of aggressive alpha male characters that I’m not a huge fan of. In this one, we don’t get enough of Luke for me to root for him. Instead, the story positions Luke in a much more creepy stalker role. Not my favorite.

Title: All By My Elf

Author: Olivia Dade

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories 2024

Genre: Romance Short Stories

Pages: 59

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Amazon Prime

Spice Rating: 4

Nina and William are underpaid adjunct professors at the same university, where winter break is no break at all: ’tis the season to make extra money. When their holiday side hustle has them stranded by a blinding blizzard in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do but cuddle up for warmth and play a hot and bothered game of Never Have I Ever to pass the time. But in the game of love, secrets never stay secret for long…

Too much silliness in this one. Riding around in a phallic shaped pastry vehicle is a little much for me. I wanted to see more actual connection between these two people instead of lots of flashbacks. It was fine.

Title: Merriment and Mayhem

Author: Alexandria Bellfleur

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories 2024

Genre: Romance Short Story

Pages: 58

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Amazon Prime

Spice Rating: 5

When Everleigh Dangerfield’s baking disaster necessitates a call to 911, firefighter Griffin Brantley douses the flames in the kitchen, but the ones he stokes in Everleigh are an entirely different story. Unfortunately, Everleigh’s only visiting and doesn’t do casual hookups, no matter how smoldering the temptation. But Everleigh’s holiday mishaps have just begun. And Griffin is seemingly always on call. If Everleigh is game for a change of plans, he can give her the merriest Christmas of her life.

Okay this was absolute nonsense and I really liked it. The collection of events that led to the Everleigh and Griffin getting together was wild and fast-paced. I would definitely read more stories from Bellefleur.

Title: Only Santas in the Building

Author: Alexis Daria

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories 2024

Genre: Romance Short Story

Pages: 65

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Amazon Prime

Spice Rating: 4

All Evie Cruz wants for Christmas is a nap. And maybe some ornaments for her naked Christmas tree. And while she’s making a list, she wouldn’t mind unwrapping her sexy upstairs neighbor like a present. Luckily, the building’s Santa-themed party and a surprise sprig of mistletoe give her just the opening she needs to make all her wishes come true.

Another cute story involving a secret Santa and crushes on neighbors. I was rooting for Evie to come out of her work fog, enjoy life, and possibly make a romantic connection. Such a cute story.

Next up on the TBR pile

Music Monday - Three Days Grace "Mayday"

Very exciting to have Adam back. It’s like the early 200s all over again.

Next up on the TBR pile:

26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy

Title: 26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays

Author: Jennifer Joy

Publisher: Foxburg & Stern 2023

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 164

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Goodreads Contest Winner

Spice Rating: 3.5

It’s Thanksgiving 1942, and Stella West, the first-ever head of holidays for Hanover's Department Store is left in a bind when her lead window designer runs off days before the grand unveiling of the store’s Christmas windows—the city's most-beloved holiday tradition. With only 48 hours left until the windows' ribbon-cutting ceremony, Stella scrambles to gather together a rag-tag team of store employees to finish the job, including their picky luxury stylist, two flirtatious personal shoppers, a handful of delivery boys, and Stella's best pal, Hector.

As the group races to complete the store's twenty-six 'Home for the Holidays'-themed Christmas windows, Stella is stunned to discover that Hector is newly single and realizes the feelings she’d buried for him long ago may run deeper than she ever imagined. Dodging a baker who's sweet on her, the store kiss-up who's after her job, and the store owner who wants an early preview — Stella has more than enough to worry about without her love life adding to the mix. But with the ribbon-cutting approaching (and the news of Hector's epic bachelor status swirling through the store), Stella realizes that telling him how she feels might be now or never—even if it means risking losing him entirely.

I won this book through a Goodreads contest. It’s a cute very sweet holiday romance novella. We follow Stella as she deals with a massive problem at her department store job. We’re taken back to the 1940s as we see the characters overcome the problems and come together for Christmas. Overall, it was a cute story with light romance. I did find it slightly odd that there were a few sexual scenes that seemed strange within the tone of the book. But it was a decent read.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries by Donald R. Prothero

Title: The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries: The Evidence and the People Who Found It

Author: Donald R. Prothero

Publisher: Columbia University 2020

Genre: Nonfiction - Science

Pages: 376

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project

Where I Got It: The Nook, Cedar Falls IA

The theory of evolution unites the past, present, and future of living things. It puts humanity’s place in the universe into necessary perspective. Despite a history of controversy, the evidence for evolution continues to accumulate as a result of many separate strands of amazing scientific sleuthing.

In The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries, Donald R. Prothero explores the most fascinating breakthroughs in piecing together the evidence for evolution. In twenty-five vignettes, he recounts the dramatic stories of the people who made crucial discoveries, placing each moment in the context of what it represented for the progress of science. He tackles topics like what it means to see evolution in action and what the many transitional fossils show us about evolution, following figures from Darwin to lesser-known researchers as they unlock the mysteries of the fossil record, the earth, and the universe. The book also features the stories of animal species strange and familiar, including humans―and our ties to some of our closest relatives and more distant cousins. Prothero’s wide-ranging tales showcase awe-inspiring and bizarre aspects of nature and the powerful insights they give us into the way that life works.

I grabbed this last summer from the used bin at a bookstore (The Nook) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I was hoping for a fun adventure through what we know about evolution. And that’s exactly what we got! I love how every chapter is its own mini book. You can do a deep dive into a variety of topics within evolution in this one volume. I was especially fascinated by chapter tracing animal lineage. We get to see exactly how our understanding of topics have changed over the decades. I loved it so much that I had to pass it on to a friend. And I will be adding it to Arthur’s required reading in high school. In the end, I will be putting Prothero’s other texts onto my TBR pile.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jingle Ale the Way by Sarah Everly

Title: Jingle Ale the Way

Author: Sarah Everly

Publisher:

Genre: Romance Short Story

Pages: 75

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; Holiday Reads

Where I Got It: Kindle

Spice Rating: 4

All I want for Christmas is the day off, a pint of Jingle Ale the Way, and Jason Fowler

Spending the holidays in Franklin Notch this year doesn't feel very merry. I'm stuck at work, there’s no snow, and not a single present under my tree. Until Jason Fowler comes back home.

My longtime crush magically appears, delivering drinks? It's a long fall from grace for the celebrity chef. Doesn’t matter. He's back home, helping his sick father, and I've got a plan to make him stay.

Coming home for Christmas wasn't my plan

But couple my unemployment with my dad's failing health and instead of spending the holidays cooking, I'm slinging beer across New Hampshire. The only good news about any of this is Stephanie's working the holidays, too. Our all too friendly, and often flirty, relationship has grown over the years, but living hours apart and only seeing each other occasionally, I've never worked up the nerve to ask her out. Maybe this Christmas I can convince her to be mine.

A cute Christmas themed short story romance. The beginning was a tad slow in that I felt like more exposition was needed up front to establish our characters. Once we got going, I enjoyed this little story of a sorta second-chance romance between our main characters. Nothing too crazy happens here but we do get some swoon vibes and a grand gesture. It was cute and fun, but ultimately was a little too short. I didn’t really get to know these characters and wanted more.

Next up on the TBR pile: