The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

Title: The Nightmare Before Kissmas (Royals and Romance #1)

Author: Sara Raasch

Publisher: Bramble 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 357

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Romanceopoly - The Holiday Spectacle (Holiday Theme)

Where I Got It: Library

Nicholas “Coal” Claus used to love Christmas. Until his father, the reigning Santa, turned the holiday into a PR façade. Coal will do anything to escape the spectacle, including getting tangled in a drunken, supremely hot make-out session with a beautiful man behind a seedy bar one night.

But the heir to Christmas is soon commanded to do his duty: he will marry his best friend, Iris, the Easter Princess and his brother’s not-so-secret crush. A situation that has disaster written all over it.

Things go from bad to worse when a rival arrives to challenge Coal for the princess’s hand…and Coal comes face-to-face with his mysterious behind-the-bar hottie: Hex, the Prince of Halloween.

It’s a fake competition between two holiday princes who can’t keep their hands off each other over a marriage of convenience that no one wants. And it all leads to one of the sweetest, sexiest, messiest, most delightfully unforgettable love stories of the year.

A random library find to bridge Spooky Season and Holiday Reads. Thank goodness it worked out. We get an alternate reality where all the holidays are embodied by ruling families. We meet the Princes of Christmas and Halloween and the Princess of Easter. From there we get some great situational romance opportunities and an underlying conspiracy. I loved the romance aspect. Seeing Coal and Hex get together was oh so cute and delightful. My issue came from the underlying conspiracy. Things just didn’t get revealed or come to a head until the last 20 pages. And then the book left off at a bit of a cliffhanger. I am interested in continuing to read the series with the sequel. Hopefully some of that plot line gets resolved in the next book.

Royals and Romance

#1 The Night Before Kissmas
#2 Go Luck Yourself

Romanceopoly 2025 Board Light Skin Brown Hair.jpg

Next up on the TBR pile:

For We are Many by Dennis E. Taylor

Title: For We are Many (We are Bob) (Bobiverse #2)

Author: Dennis E. Taylor

Publisher: Worldbuilder Press 2017

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 311

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER

Where I Got It: Our server

Bob Johansson didn't believe in an afterlife, so waking up after being killed in a car accident was a shock. To add to the surprise, he is now a sentient computer and the controlling intelligence for a Von Neumann probe. Bob and his copies have been spreading out from Earth for 40 years now, looking for habitable planets. But that's the only part of the plan that's still in one piece. A system-wide war has killed off 99.9% of the human race; nuclear winter is slowly making the Earth uninhabitable; a radical group wants to finish the job on the remnants of humanity; the Brazilian space probes are still out there, still trying to blow up the competition; And the Bobs have discovered a spacefaring species that sees all other life as food. Bob left Earth anticipating a life of exploration and blissful solitude. Instead he's become a sky god to a primitive native species, the only hope for getting humanity to a new home, and possibly the only thing that can prevent every living thing in the local sphere from ending up as dinner.

I finally dove into the second book in the series. We jump right in with no hesitation. Immediately I was right back in each of the storylines from the various Bobs. We get to see what happens to the Deltans, people on Earth, and even encounter a newly discovered sentient life on another planet. These books are definitely a high-paced ride. A little less philosophy in this one and more action, but still highly enjoyable.

Bobiverse

#1 We are Legion (We are Bob)
#2 For We are Many
#3 All These Worlds
#4 Heaven’s River
#5 Not Till We are Lost

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W13-14: Two Weeks of Normal

What We Studied

Another two weeks down! We’re getting closer to our Christmas break here. Managing to get a lot of work in during this in-between month.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G6 for his language arts this year. While I love H&S, there’s never enough literature in there. Thankfully we have a stack of books just waiting to be picked up and read. Beyond H&S, we are focusing on expanding vocabulary and reading comprehension this year. We continued with our book club selection and I lined up our next read.

Poetry: Hearth & Story G6
Poetry: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll
The Vocabulary Workbook for 6th Grade by Kelly Anne McLellan
Granted by John David Anderson

Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G3 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 3 and random books that we have around the house. We are also starting the Reading Explorer series to focus on reading comprehension and word choice. We continued with our read aloud, getting very close to finishing. I’ve had to slow down our reading time a bit to accommodate our general pace.

Poetry: National Geography Book of Nature Poetry
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Math

Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 2. Effectively this is Singapore’s 7th grade math text. We finished up our textbook for this semester and spent time catching up. We will be playing a bit of review and catchup until January. We don’t have formal logic book this year, but are focusing on lots of critical thinking and math puzzles.

Math in Focus Course 2 Book A

Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 3B and 4A. We finished up our logic book before moving to more complicated puzzles. We covered a chapter reviewing time. We still have a few short chapters left in this textbook for the semester. Hoping we can get the, finished before Christmas.

Primarily Logic
Singapore Primary Common Core 3B

Social Studies

Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1. Unfortunately CC only has volume 1 published so far. This will take us to Christmas break. If they don’t release volume 2 by then, I’m going to have to do it myself.. The last four chapters of Volume 1 are all about aspects of modern society as opposed to regional history. We covered a chapter about Inventions, one about art.

Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
A Journey Through Art
DK When on Earth
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers
Ice! The Amazing History of the Ice Business by Laurence Pringle
The Eiffel Tower by Russell Roberts
Eiffel Tower by Kristine Spanier
Now That's Big: Eiffel Tower by Kate Riggs
Action! How Movies Began by Meghan McCarthy
The Fantastic Ferris Wheel: The Story of Inventor George Ferris by Betsy Harvey Kraft
The Secret Subway by Shana Corey
Lives of the Scientists by Kathleen Krull
Who was Marie Curie? by Megan Stine
No Horses in the House!: The Audacious Life of Artist Rosa Bonheur by Mireille Messier
Paul Cezanne: A Painter’s Journey by Robert Burleigh and the National Gallery of Art
What the Artist Saw: Claude Monet: He Saw the World in Brilliant Light by Amy Guglielmo
What the Artist Saw: Paul Cézanne: He Saw the World in Spectacular Shapes by Amy Guglielmo
Sarah Bernhardt: The Divine and Dazzling Life of the World’s First Superstar by Catherine Reef
Carmen and the House that Gaudí Built by Susan Hughes
Gaudí: Architect of Imagination by Susan B. Katz
The Art and Life of Hilma af Klint by Ylva Hillström

Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. We covered the run-up and beginnings of the American Revolution.

History Quest United States History
DK When on Earth?
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
DK American History
We were There Too
Words that Built a Nation
King George: What was His Problem? by Steve Sheinkin

Science

Arthur is using RSO Earth and Environment 2 and later RSO Astronomy 2 for science. We kept up with our physics prep for co-op. Arthur also covered two chapters about faults and earthquakes. Mostly it was review for him, but we watching some good videos in the process.

RSO Earth and Environment 2 (August-November; March-May)
RSO Astronomy 2 (November-March)
DK Eyewitness Energy

Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We worked through a chapter about air pressure. Beyond our RSO, we read more chapters in our Story of Science covering Alexander, Euclid, and Archimedes.

RSO Physics 1
The Story of Science Vol. 1 by Joy Hakim
Physics: Investigate the Mechanics of Nature by Jane Gardner
Physics for Curious Kids Introduction
The Way Things Work Now

Enrichment STEAM Co-op /Academic Co-op

Oof! These two weeks were a struggle in Academic Co-op. The littles classroom was chaotic and loud. The bigs classroom was full of snark and commentary. Here’s hoping we get back on track with attitudes and behavior.

Art and Music

We are doing something a little different this year. Instead of trying to do music and art every week, we will be trading off. I realized last year these subjects were always the first to be cut when we had time constraints. We spent one of our weeks covering Beethoven for music. The other week was spent covering frames for art.

DK Music and How it Works
DK The Arts
Why is Art Full of Naked People? by Susie Hodge
The Story of the Incredible Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak
DK Art and How it Works
13 Art Techniques Children Should Know
The Story of Paintings
Ludwig van Beethoven by Mike Venezia
Iconic Composers by Nicholas Csicsko and Emi Ferguson
Music is My Life by Myles Tanzer
Welcome to the Symphony by Carolyn Sloan

Field Trip/Activities

Arthur wasn’t feeling good the first week so we scrapped our big activity plans.

High

We are getting very close to finishing all the schoolwork I had planned for the fall semester. I love being on track!

Low

Sickness. Always with the sickness in November.

Next Week

Finishing our read aloud (Q) and starting a new read aloud (A)
Moving forward with our math chapters - Close to finishing our current textbooks
Learning about the Consumerism (A) and 1775-1776 (Q) for history
Covering volcanoes (A) and how planes fly (Q) for science
Taking a small break for Thanksgiving week

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - CL "Spicy"

I was listening to a podcast Bang Chan and Felix from Stray Kids created for Apple Music in 2024 and they highlighted this track by CL. I had no knowledge of her before then but now I am obsessed with her. This song is just so great!

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig

Title: A Land So Wide

Author: Erin A. Craig

Publisher: Pantheon 2025

Genre: Horror

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; I Read Horror - Cryptid

Where I Got It: Library

Like everyone else in the settlement of Mistaken, Greer Mackenzie is trapped. Founded by an ambitious lumber merchant, the village is blessed with rich natural resources that have made its people prosperous—but at a cost. The same woods that have lined the townsfolks’ pockets harbor dangerous beasts: wolves, bears, and the Bright-Eyeds—monsters beyond description who have rained utter destruction down on nearby settlements. But Mistaken’s founders made a deal with the mysterious Benevolence: the Warding Stones that surround the town will keep the Bright-Eyeds out—and the town’s citizens in. Anyone who spends a night within Mistaken’s borders belongs to it forever.

Greer, a mapmaker and eccentric dreamer, has always ached to explore the world outside, even though she knows she and her longtime love, Ellis Beaufort, will never see it. Until, on the day she and Ellis are meant to finally begin their lives together, Greer watches in horror as her beloved disappears beyond the Warding Stones, pursued by a monstrous creature. Determined to rescue Ellis, she figures out a way to defy Mistaken’s curse and begins a trek through the cold and pitiless wilderness. But there, Greer is hunted, not only by the ruthless Bright-Eyeds but by the secret truths behind Mistaken’s founding and her own origins.

I went into this book completely blind and was so grateful for that fact. I didn’t even read the summary on the back past the first paragraph. Something told me to just wait and dive in! Ultimately, I really enjoyed this creepy adventure tale. We get a strange village in a strange land (it’s never revealed exactly where although I have some suspicions). where “things” lurk outside of the Wandering Stone. What happens outside of those stone? And what does it have to do with Greer? I really enjoyed following the slow reveals of the mysteries of Mistaken. I called a few of the twists, but not all of them. I do enjoy when a book pleasantly surprises me. Be advised that this book does involve death, some gory moments, and body horror aspects.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #19

Reading: Another random library read with A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig. I went in blind and am so glad that I did.

Watching: I still have three episodes left of The Nice Guy. I don’t know why it’s taking me so long to watch this series I have been really enjoying it. Maybe this week I will finally get through it.

Listening: While waiting for new Stray Kids music, I have been just hitting shuffle on my entire Apple Music library. Sometimes it’s a bit like whiplash when genres change, but I have had fun rediscovering some music in my library.

Making: We’re doing a Friendsgiving next week which means I need to start planning the menu. We have a few food restrictions on tap, but can definitely work around them. Definitely making twice baked sweet potatoes and another vegetable.

Feeling: I don’t really know why, but I am so cold this week. I will admit that this is a nice change from being so hot all the time, but I am very cold.

Planning: A friend and I are making mini travel plans for this Friday to find our preferred Stray Kids album. I cannot wait!

Loving: Stray Kids are dropping their new ep this week and I cannot wait!!! Not so patiently waiting for the music to be released.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Take the Name feat. What Lies Below "Blackest Void"

Every once in awhile, Apple Music gives me a recommendation that I actually really love. This one definitely peaked my interest.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #30

As I look outside my window: Within two days, all the leaves on the trees fell. We went from beautiful fall colors to nothing. I’m a bit sad that they didn’t hang on for a bit longer.

Right now I am: Heading out to the Enrichment Co-op Steering Meeting at one of my favorite coffee houses.

On my bedside table: I have a few more spooky books hanging around and a large stack of holiday reads. I also have some options to start reading for Dirty Book Month in February.

On my tv this week: Mostly Babylon 5. We’re trucking along in S3 already.

Listening to: A blend of K-Pop and metal tracks. I seem to go back and forth each day.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Baked Potato Soup
Tuesday - Snack Dinner (Book Club Lit Society)
Wednesday - Cheesy Artichoke Pasta
Thursday - Out/Leftovers
Friday - Teriyaki Salmon
Saturday - Kielbasa and Mustard Potato Salad
Sunday - Moroccan Chicken

On my to do list: I’m certain that I have a ton of little tasks but one of the big tasks is to find a new eye doctor. Beyond that, I need to prep for the Academic Co-op Info Meetings and the Academic Co-op Check In Meeting.

Happening this week:

Monday - Home Day
Tuesday - Academic Co-op Info Meeting; Book Club Lit Society
Wednesday - Home Day
Thursday - Academic Co-op; Homeschool Dance
Friday - Stray Kids Album Drop and Album Hunt!!!
Saturday - Kid Birthday Party
Sunday - Academic Co-op Info Meeting; Murderbot Watch Party

What I am creating: I finished my October Memory Planner pages yesterday. I’m right on track.

My simple pleasures: Incredibly good wine, apple cider, green tea. Apparently I have a trend this past week.

Looking around the house: Because we had Happy Hour on Thursday, the main floor looks great.

From the camera: Q has been enjoying game schooling time at co-op.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

Next up on the TBR pile:

This House is Haunted by John Boyne

Title: This House is Haunted

Author: John Boyne

Publisher: Other Press 2013

Genre: Horror

Pages: 291

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season

Where I Got It: Library

This House Is Haunted is a striking homage to the classic nineteenth-century ghost story. Set in Norfolk in 1867, Eliza Caine responds to an ad for a governess position at Gaudlin Hall. When she arrives at the hall, shaken by an unsettling disturbance that occurred during her travels, she is greeted by the two children now in her care, Isabella and Eustace. There is no adult present to represent her mysterious employer, and the children offer no explanation. Later that night in her room, another terrifying experience further reinforces the sense that something is very wrong.

From the moment Eliza rises the following morning, her every step seems dogged by a malign presence that lives within Gaudlin’s walls. Eliza realizes that if she and the children are to survive its violent attentions, she must first uncover the hall’s long-buried secrets and confront the demons of its past. Clever, captivating, and witty, This House Is Haunted is pure entertainment with a catch.

Another random pick from the library shelves. I’m always up for a good ghost story and this one certainly delivered. We get a first person narration a la an 19th century work. I definitely got shades of Dickens and Poe in this volume. We follow Eliza as she deals with her grief and changes in life, but of course things are not quite as they seem. I loved how the story slowly unfolded with little incidences here and there ramping up the tension and suspense. There are not many creepy scenes, but we get a lot of fun scenes and circumstances. The story finally comes to a head in the last 25 pages. And it’s a doozy.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #18

Reading: I randomly picked up This House is Haunted by John Boyne from the library shelves. It’s a homage to Dickens and gothic ghost stories. I’m really enjoying it so far.

Watching: We’re continuing our binge of Babylon 5. We’re up to S3 and things are so incredibly tense int he series.

Listening: After branching out to other K-pop bands and metal bands, I’m back to binging Stray Kids. I’m prepping for their comeback in a week and a half.

Making: I’m still enjoying the fall flavors by making apple desserts. Last night I made some pretty janky apple bourbon hand pies. They did not look good, but were definitely tasty. I’m thinking a vegan apple crisp for Thanksgiving.

Feeling: After the craziness of October, I’m very excited to just be cozy and sleepy. November is always a nice break from the busy season.

Planning: This holiday season our travel plans are very much up in the air. I think we are staying home, but Nick is going to Indiana and my mother is coming here. Maybe… Things are still very much in limbo right now.

Loving: With the cooler temps, I’m very much loving my cozy bed. My blankets are just so very very comfortable.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Homeschool W11-12: October is My Favorite Month!

What We Studied

This is actually two regular weeks and a Flex week all in one. But as expected, the end of October was crazy busy and we had to adjust. Now that we’ve reached November, everything slows down and we can get more schoolwork in our regular weeks.

Literature and Poetry

Arthur is primarily using Hearth and Story G6 for his language arts this year. While I love H&S, there’s never enough literature in there. Thankfully we have a stack of books just waiting to be picked up and read. Beyond H&S, we are focusing on expanding vocabulary and reading comprehension this year. We finished our current book club selection which is perfect for fall spooky season. In between we read some classic Grimm’s fairy tales. And we started the next book club selection.

Poetry: Hearth & Story G6
Poetry: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry by Michael Driscoll
The Vocabulary Workbook for 6th Grade by Kelly Anne McLellan
The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Granted by John David Anderson

Quentin is primarily using Blossom & Root G3 for his language arts this year. We will pull some elements from Build Your Library Level 3 and random books that we have around the house. We are also starting the Reading Explorer series to focus on reading comprehension and word choice. We took a break from our read alouds to catch up on some other language arts work. But we are back to our read aloud with a great fantasy read that Arthur read for book club two years ago.

Poetry: National Geography Book of Nature Poetry
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Math

Arthur is using Singapore’s Math in Focus Course 2. Effectively this is Singapore’s 7th grade math text. We covered a chapter about algebraic expressions. And then we paused so Arthur could catch up on math work before we finish out our current textbook. We don’t have formal logic book this year, but are focusing on lots of critical thinking and math puzzles.

Math in Focus Course 2 Book A

Quentin is using Singapore’s Primary Mathematics Common Core edition 3B and 4A. We finished up our logic book before moving to more complicated puzzles. We worked through a chapter about fractions. We spent more time on this chapter than I had planned, but we do lean towards mastery over here, so it was a good use of our time.

Primarily Logic
Singapore Primary Common Core 3B

Social Studies

Arthur is using Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1. Unfortunately CC only has volume 1 published so far. This will take us to Christmas break. If they don’t release volume 2 by then, I’m going to have to do it myself. We covered multiple sections for history these few weeks. We’ve mostly caught up to where I wanted us to be. We learned about Colonization in Southeast Asia, Colonization in Africa, and Displacement and Migration.

Curiosity Chronicles Modern History Vol. 1
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
A Journey Through Art
Suez Canal by Valerie Bodden
Who Were Stanley and Livingstone? by Jim Gigliotti
Leopold II: Butcher of the Congo by Tod Olson
Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story by Lesléa Newman
I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough
At Ellis Island by Louise Peacock
Ellis Island and Immigration for Kids: A History with 21 Activities by Jean Daigneau
Ellis Island: An Interactive History Adventure by Michael Burgan
Ellis Island: Immigration and the American Dream by Felipe Galindo Feggo and Tait Howard (History Comics)

Quentin is using Build Your Library Level 5 to begin our two year exploration of American History. We covered the formation of the colonies.

History Quest United States History
DK When on Earth?
DK History
DK Timelines of Everything
DK Timelines of Everyone
DK A Child Through Time
DK American History
We were There Too
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving
Words that Built a Nation

Science

Arthur is using RSO Earth and Environment 2 and later RSO Astronomy 2 for science. We managed to do all our prep for Academic Co-op’s Physics class. We focused on those videos and lessons and pushed our other science over for awhile.

RSO Earth and Environment 2 (August-November; March-May)
RSO Astronomy 2 (November-March)
DK Eyewitness Energy

Quentin is using RSO Physics 1. We worked through all the simple machines chapters. We’re ready to switch to Air Pressure next week. We also read multiple chapters from our Story of Science volume.

RSO Physics 1
The Story of Science Vol. 1 by Joy Hakim
Physics: Investigate the Mechanics of Nature by Jane Gardner
Physics for Curious Kids Introduction
The Way Things Work Now

Enrichment STEAM Co-op /Academic Co-op

We had our third, fourth, and fifth weeks of Academic Co-op. Week three was chaotic. I was not on board with the kids and their non-listening. Week four was better. Week five was quiet with multiple families out for sickness. On a bright spot, I got my regional history class caught up to where I want them. Quentin’s class has transitioned to learning about ocean biomes for November.

Art and Music

We are doing something a little different this year. Instead of trying to do music and art every week, we will be trading off. I realized last year these subjects were always the first to be cut when we had time constraints. We covered a few art sections about sculptures and early Christian art.

DK Music and How it Works
DK The Arts
Why is Art Full of Naked People? by Susie Hodge
The Story of the Incredible Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak
DK Art and How it Works
13 Art Techniques Children Should Know
The Story of Paintings

Field Trip/Activities

We visited the SAC Museum for a co-op field trip. The planetarium show about Exoplanets was fascinating. The “lesson” if you can even call that was a joke. No actual information. The kids make paper rockets and launched them. No discussion about aerodynamics or anything. I don’t know why I thought this year would be different. I’m always so disappointed by their field trip offerings.

We also had a park playdate randomly on a beautiful warm day and our monthly zoo day. The zoo day included a ton of friends and the kids had a great time exploring the buildings that we skip during the summer.

High

Beyond multiple Vala’s visits, we had the Co-op Halloween Party. This year, we did a Trunk or Treat style and it worked out perfectly. I decorated the van (and myself) all in spiders. The kids enjoyed their time.

Low

Vala’s is closed for the year. Until next fall...

Next Week

Continuing our read alouds
Moving forward with our math chapters - Close to finishing our current textbooks
Learning about the French and Indian War and Prelude to Revolution (Q) and Modernization (A) for history
Covering Earthquakes (A) and Air Pressure (Q) for science
Listening to Beethoven for music
Going to Academic Co-op for Week 6

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Evanescence "Afterlife"

K-Pop summer is over, but don’t worry, I’m still listening to K-Pop all the time. For November, I’m swinging back to metal as my comfort music. This week I had to highlight a newer song from Evanescence.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Heartless by H.G. Parry

Title: Heartless

Author: H.G. Parry

Publisher: Subterranean Press 2024

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 141

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings - Villain

Where I Got It: Library

At the age of seven, in a London workhouse, newly-orphaned James meets ten-year-old Peter. Mysterious, mercurial, thoughtless to the point of cruelty, Peter nonetheless takes a liking to James. The two forge a strange friendship, bound together by theirshared love of stories...But one fateful night, Peter vanishes from his bed, and in the morning James is found lying alone and broken in the courtyard outside...Over twenty years later, on the deck of a whaling ship in the frozen wastes of the Arctic...James's obsession with finding his childhood friend will lead him to mutiny and murder, beyond the edges of the world, and finally to an island that shouldn't exist.

I always enjoy a villain retelling usually because the villains of fairy tales are much more interesting than the heroes. In this slim novella, we get the story of Peter Pan told from the point of view of James who becomes Hook. We see the creation of Neverland and the birth of the story we know while understanding the sacrifices James made to survive. I really enjoyed this one. The overall tone of this book is very emotional and sad but it was a good fit for my mood this week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher

Title: My Funny Demon Valentine (Hell Bent #1)

Author: Aurora Ascher

Publisher: Kensington 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spooky Season; Romanceopoly - Krampus Night (Monsters)

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 6

Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, just wants to make music. Jazz, specifically. Unfortunately, he’s a demon. And he’s supposed to be evil.

Clearly, for Ash, a career as a musician isn’t exactly an option. Plus, he’s cursed. Sick of playing by the rules, Ash and his three brothers escape Hell in search of freedom on Earth. But it’s harder than they thought to keep their enemies off their tails . . .

Yet everything changes for Ash when he meets a beautiful violinist who can see through his curse. No matter the risk, he has to have her.

Evangeline Gregory is just your average human. She works at a jazz bar, plays gigs on weekends . . . and, apparently, hallucinates demons.

At least that’s what Eva tells herself when, moments after she meets the man of her dreams, she sees him shift into a 7-foot-tall monster. Not believing her own eyes, Eva decides to investigate and soon finds herself in the middle of a supernatural clusterf**k.. But Ash isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and the search for answers reveals a shocking truth that will change Eva’s life forever. Or maybe just doom it. The path to love can be complete Hell.

I just… no. I was hoping for some fun enemies to lovers, some miscommunication (but keep it light), and lots of sexual tension. Instead I got a super bland insta-love story that relied way too much on clever sentences and profanity. Don’t get me wrong, I curse like a sailor in real life. But to constantly rely on profanity instead of actual dialogue is just lazy and not fun to read at all. Insta-love is one of my least favorite romance tropes because we usually are just supposed to buy these characters are perfect for each other, but we never really get to see why. I want to dive into the actual meat of relationships. Insta-love just skips over those parts. And don’t get me started on the fact that they are demons in here, but they’re all great guys. Um no. Well, at least here’s one series I can take off my TBR list.

Hell Bent

#0.5 My Demon Romance
#1 My Funny Demon Valentine
#2 My Demon Hunter
#3 Demon with Benefits
#4 Guardian Demon
#5 Beauty and the Demon

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Great Mortality by John Kelly

Title: The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time

Author: John Kelly

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2005

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 364

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Reader; Spooky Season

Where I Got It: Library

The plague that devastated Asia and Europe in the 14th century has been of never-ending interest to both scholarly and general readers. Many books on the plague rely on statistics to tell the story: how many people died; how farm output and trade declined. But statistics can’t convey what it was like to sit in Siena or Avignon and hear that a thousand people a day are dying two towns away. Or to have to chose between your own life and your duty to a mortally ill child or spouse. Or to live in a society where the bonds of blood and sentiment and law have lost all meaning, where anyone can murder or rape or plunder anyone else without fear of consequence.

Wow! This has been on my TBR pile for years and now I understand why it kept popping up as a recommendation for me. We get a detailed, and I do mean detailed, examination of the the Black Death as it swept through Asia and Europe in the mid-1300s. Kelly goes region by region showing how the plague affected the people of the area. We get interesting insights from contemporary plague chroniclers as well as interpretations from modern scientists. I was fascinated to learn from the primary sources as well as analysis. This is a hard read. Obviously there are graphic depictions of death and suffering in here. But I think it is an essential read to understand history and gain insights into the changes following the plague.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - HAN "Updraft"

It’s a K-Pop summer! After doing my Top 10 Stray Kids songs, I decided to focus on some other K-Pop groups and people that I enjoy.

HAN has done a few OSTs with others, but this is his first solo OST. And I absolutely love it! He always brings the rock side out with his songs.

Next up on the TBR pile:

October 2025 Wrap-up

October TBR Pile (26/30):

Bookworms BC: A Short Stay in Hell by Steven Peck (already read)
Friend BC: North Woods by Daniel Mason (not reading)
Nerdy Bookish Friends: The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (already read)
Kid Book Club: The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien ✓
Kid Read Aloud: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones ✓
Kid Read Aloud: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving ✓
Romance: Stolen Vows by Sav R. Miller ✓
Romance: Zomromcom by Olivia Dade ✓
Romance: Shattered Innocence by Sara Cate ✓
Romance: Royal Heart by Nana Malone ✓
Science Fiction: We are Legion (We are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor ✓
Fantasy: Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli ✓
Fantasy: Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerry Maniscalco ✓
Horror: The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers by Jen Campbell ✓
Horror: The Carrow Haunt by Darcy Coates ✓
Horror: Fiend by Alma Katsu ✓
Historical Fiction: Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen ✓
Nonfiction: Tomes of Terror by Mark Leslie ✓
Nonfiction: The Great Mortality by John Kelly
Manga/Manwha/Comics: Rosen Blood Vol. 1 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: Rosen Blood Vol. 2 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: Rosen Blood Vol. 3 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: Rosen Blood Vol. 4 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: Rosen Blood Vol. 5 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 1 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 2 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 3 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 4 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 5 ✓
Manga/Manwha/Comics: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 27 ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 6068 pages
Pages Remaining: 126,225 pages

Current Read - The Great Mortality by John Kelly

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books Bought/Received (3)

Shattered Innocence by Sara Cate
Royal Heart by Nana Malone
The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong (BOTM)
Hazelthorn by CG Drews (BOTM)

UnRead Shelf Progress

Starting Number: 303
Books Read: 4
Books Acquired: 4
Books Unshelved: 0
Finishing Number: 303

November TBR Pile:

Bookworms BC: TBD
Friend BC: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
Nerdy Bookish Friends: Heartless by HG Parry
Kid Book Club: Granted by John David Anderson
Kid Read Aloud: The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Branhill
Kid Read Aloud: Brothers Grimm Stories

Movies Watched

Tron - Rewatching the series in prep for the new movie coming…
Tron: Legacy
Fantastic Four: The First Steps - Loved the retro vibe
Tron: Ares - In the theater! J and I went to a movie together for the first time in years.

TV Shows Watched

Only Murders in the Building S5
Slow Horses S5
Babylon 5 S1-S2
The Nice Guy S1
Smartypants
Below Deck: Med
SKZ Code (2023)
SKZ Talker (2023)
SKZ Talker-Go (2023)

Comments - My reading has finally rebounded. I didn’t love a lot of the books I read this month, but I did knock multiple books off of my TBR list. As for other media, we strayed away from horror, but did watch a ton of television episodes off of our watch list.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

Super tired from all the activities, but we are sneaking in two more Vala’s visits before they closed this weekend.
Speaking of spooky, I’ve decided that November will also be spooky book/movie month. I’ve still got some things I want to read and watch hanging around.
Academic Co-op went really well today. I wasn’t as tired as I thought I would be!
My meal planning is all over the place this month. I need to do a fridge cleanout and an eat from the freezer week. Maybe I will feel better after that.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 27

Title: Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 27

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 2025

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 192

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

In a world where cursed spirits feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryomen Sukuna have been lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of jujutsu sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the supernatural!

Gojo has been defeated! Without time to process this loss, Kashimo takes on Sukuna, but will he stand a chance once the King of Curses completes his transformation? Meanwhile, the entertainer Takaba takes on Kenjaku one-on-one!

Um… this was a bit jumbled. Parts of this were confusing as to who actually was speaking. I got lost on several pages and really had to puzzle out what characters were saying. Blergh. I have really enjoyed this series overall, but this volume just didn’t work for me.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Next up on the TBR pile: