May and June 2025 Wrap Up

Sorry this post is late. That happens more often than I would like, but I have been really behind in pretty much all aspects of life, I think. Better late than never.

I am pretty sure some things happened in May, but I honestly am not remembering much off the top of my head. Kevin went out of town for several days so it was just me and Gabriel. That is a bit challenging, but it was good and I guess not too far out of the ordinary.

June was fun because I got to go to Disneyland with a couple of my girlfriends for a few days and then briefly visit some friends and family in Colorado. We had so much fun in Disneyland and got to be there for some of the 70th anniversary celebrations. It was nice to have a break from work and parenting, though I missed Gabriel. And I look forward to being able to bring him to Disney one day. And I think seeing friends and family in Colorado was sort of a nice re-set before going back to normal life.

Work is still work. It has been so much better since my previous supervisor has been gone. Not always great, but it generally feels so much better than it used to. And I am getting geared up for a very big project. If my next post is delayed, it will be for that reason. I will be working a ton and may not get many days off. It ends at the end of September/beginning of October so hopefully things will be back to normal by then.

Gabriel keeps growing and learning. I love seeing him learn new words (spoken or sign) and start using them. He's usually pretty happy, but impatient and demanding. He doesn't communicate well when he gets upset, which makes resolving things difficult. And he can be so funny and silly. I have been trying to get him to say his own name, but the best I get is "'Biel," which is super cute.

That's probably most of my general life news. I read more books than I thought in May and June (which will help with my goals because work stress has already caught me just re-reading favorites). Here are some short reviews.

 

Grip of the Shadow Plague, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, 

and Keys to the Demon Prison

by Brandon Mull

Narrator: E. B. Stevens

Re-reads

Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

 

How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids 

by Jancee Dunn

Narrator: Jancee Dunn

Re-read

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie 

Narrator: 

Synopsis/Thoughts: So this book was recommended to me by my counselor when we were discussing my PTSD-like response to going to talk to my new supervisor. She recommended it for strategies on connecting with her (and anyone, really). It is pretty straight forward and makes sense. It was an interesting read if this is your thing. Some of it has definitely stuck with me and I try to keep it in mind at least some of the time.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

 

I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend

by Martin Short

Narrator: Martin Short
 Synopsis/Thoughts: As expected, this book is about the life and career of Martin Short. I know of him, of course, but haven't actually seen a ton of his work. But for some reason I just wanted to read this. And I really enjoyed it and enjoyed learning about him. He isn't always my flavor of comedy, but his life and stories and perspective were so interesting. And maybe I should try watching more of his stuff?

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

 

Our Infinite Fates

by Laura Steven

Narrator: Sofia Oxenham

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was a recent Owlcrate book that I read in the Owlcrate Nest Read-a-long. I did a mix of listening to the audiobook and reading the Owlcrate edition. This is the story of two souls that have lived a thousand lives and loved each other a thousand times But they have each killed the other throughout their lifetimes before they reach the age of 18. In her current life, Evelyn is determined to live long enough to save her sister, which means finding Arden and convincing him to help her unravel the mystery of their past. This was an interesting story and I liked seeing their various lives and incarnations together. The final confrontation struck me as a bit odd and I am not sure why. Maybe it just felt rushed or like I wasn't sure where it was all coming from. But I enjoyed the story overall and liked the very end.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron

by Jasper Fforde

Narrator: John Lee

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was actually a re-read, but it is from a long time ago. Real quick, this is a unique and interesting dystopian story. Eddie Russet is. a Red, meaning that he can only see his own color unless something is artificially colorized. And that is how society is broken up (I still love the tongue-in-cheek moment where he admits that this doesn't really make sense). The greys are the lowest class as they are unable to see any color. The Reds are the lowest in the colors with the Violets at the top. Eddie has the potential to make a profitable marriage into a Violet family that needs more Red. But then he falls in love with a Grey who is trying to overturn the world as they know it. I loved this book. It is so strange and occasionally funny. Definitely a good read. I wanted to re-read it before I dove into the next book.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

Red Side Story

by Jasper Fforde

Narrator: Christopher Harper

Synopsis/Thoughts: Eddie and Jane continue their quest to learn more about the world (is there a world outside their boarders?) and go against the rules in their Chromatic society. The more they learn, the more dangerous they become and the more they put themselves and their loved ones at risk. I don't want to spoil anything. The end definitely surprised me, but I really liked it. There were some things left unanswered and I wouldn't mind getting back into this world again (though I don't think Jasper Fforde intends to write any more). I really enjoyed these books. If you like strange, generally dystopian stories that are occasionally creepy and funny, I definitely recommend them.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come

by Jessica Pan

Narrator: Jessica Pan 

Synopsis/Thoughts: The title of this book made me laugh and that is why I bought this book to begin with. A confirmed introvert, Jessica talks about various things in her life that lead to her deciding to live as an extrovert for a year. From intimidating exercises to use in public to connect with strangers, to performing stand up comedy, and hosting parties, we follow her journey. I LOVED this book. As an introvert myself, I am stunned by her courage and dedication. But it was also so interesting. I 100% recommend this book to just about anyone. I already want to read it again.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

 

Dear Cisgender People: A Guide to Trans Allyship and Empathy

by Kenny Ethan Jones

Narrator: Kenny Ethan Jones

Synopsis/Thoughts: Kenny Ethan Jones uses his own life and experiences to educate people about the transgender life experience. He highlights the parts that are the best and also the parts that are the most challenging. And the hope is that as people understand better, they will become allies. I am already an ally, but can always learn more. This was very informative and it was great that he was so willing to open up about his own life and experiences to educate others. Definitely worth a read for anyone, really.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 

 

Waiting for the Flood

by Alexis Hall

Narrator: Will Watt

Synopsis/Thoughts: After ten years, Edwin's love (Marius) leaves him. Edwin thought it was a forever kind of love. But after a couple of years living alone in the house they bought together, maybe it is time to mix things up. Enter Adam who comes to the rescue when Edwin's neighborhood floods. This story was very sweet. It also had some chapters at the end with Marius' story (which I enjoyed less, but I think Marius just isn't my type of person--I found Edwin to be very sweet and endearing and was more invested in his story).

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

Stay Gold

by Tobly McSmith

Re-read. I love this one.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

 

Becoming Ted

by Matt Cain

Narrator: Samuel Barnett

Synopsis/Thoughts: Ted is forty-three and recently separated from his charismatic husband, Giles, who left to be with another man. Ted feels that he and his life are wholly unremarkable and he has spent so much of his time an energy living his life for Giles. Now that Giles is gone, he has a chance to change his life. Slowly, he starts to find another version of himself that is sassy and strong and confident. This was a lovely story. I really enjoyed it.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

Fable for the End of the World

by Ava Reid

Narrators: Gail Shalan and Emily Lawrence

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was a recent Owlcrate book that I read as part of the Owlcrate Nest Read-a-long. I flipped between listening to the audiobook and reading the Owlcrate edition. In this dystopian society, Caerus controls this part of the world. Inesa lives in the out-lands with her brother and unbalanced mother. Her unbalanced mother who wracked up so much debt that she must enroll one of her children into the Gauntlet--a live-streamed assassination. As the new Lamb, Inesa and her brother try to run. Meanwhile Melinoë has been assigned as this Gauntlet's Angel. Her job: to hunt and kill the Lamb in the allotted time. When they end up in the wasteland where Caerus's cameras dare not go, they find that maybe life can be different for them both. I generally like dystopian stories and I did like this one. It felt a lot like the world now, with the technology and such. I don't know if that makes it better or worse!

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 

 
 

 

Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow

by Jessica Townsend

Narrator: Gemma Whelan

Synopsis/Thoughts: Morrigan's life is about to be turned upside-down when she learns that her mother's family is from the Silver District. And they want Morrigan to join the family. When the groom is found dead at her aunt's wedding reception, Morrigan and her friends become tangled up in finding out who the murderer is. Meanwhile, her apprenticeship to Ezra Skrall has begun and she is still hiding it from Jupiter. I adore these books and I absolutely loved this one. I can't wait to read more!

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 

Favorite book read in May and June: Stay Gold is an old favorite. Besides that, I would say either Silverborn or Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come.

Least favorite book read in May and June:  None, honestly. Lots of good books.

I will do my best to keep up as I can the next couple of months. Thanks for sticking with me!

July and August 2024 Wrap Up

Another two months have gone by. I have a hard time keeping up with the baby to take care of. Being a parent is the hardest thing I have ever done. It feels worth it, but it is definitely challenging. And I miss sleep sooooo much.

Otherwise, Gabriel is doing well. We had to find him a new daycare when his last one got suddenly shut down because the owners sold the building. It was really sad because we loved it there. Hopefully we will start making more connections at the new place. Luckily a couple of the teachers and kids from our last daycare are at the new one so we get to see some familiar faces sometimes.

Work has been challenging still. I struggle so much because I love my work, but none of my supervisors like me and I don't think I will ever advance or have opportunities other people on my team will. It strikes me as odd because I am generally very well-liked and respected by most people in my department and definitely by people outside of my department. That makes me feel better anyway and those are the people that I enjoy and stay for.

In other news, we also lost Ruthven. We'd been battling respiratory issues since we adopted him and he just couldn't fight anymore. It has been sad, but I am trying to find some companions for Varney. I don't want him to be alone if we can help it.

In good news, spooky season is coming! That is the best time of year, obviously. I hope to make a little post with spooky TBR or something next month, but we know how that goes for me. I should at least get an Instagram post up.

On that note, here are the books I read in July and August.

Title: What the River Knows 

by Isabel Ibanez

Synopsis/Thoughts: Inez's parents spend more of their lives in Egypt than in Buenos Aires with her. Upon their sudden demise, Inez runs away to Egypt where her uncle is to uncover the secrets about her parents' lives and deaths. This was an Owlcrate book that I was interested in but took a while to get around to. I really enjoyed it and I am really looking forward to the next book. There was a bit of a cliffhanger that I need answers to!

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Sunset Springs

by Kacen Callender

Narrator: Qamar Yochanan

Synopsis/Thoughts: After loosing this job, Charlie is forced to move back in with his mom in the small town he hoped he'd never return to. He also has not been back since he transitioned and he is sure it will be uncomfortable. Reconnecting with Jackson was a pleasant surprise. This story was fine, but I just didn't love it. I think the lack of communication to build drama is maybe overdone in this one? The story itself was quite sweet though.

2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Get A Life, Chloe Brown 

by Talia Hibbert

Narrator: Adjoa Andoh

Re-read

3 stars out of 5 stars

Titles: The Red Pyramid, The Throne of Fire, and The Serpent's Shadow

by Rick Riordan

Narrators: Katherine Kellgren and Kevin R. Free

Re-reads

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Of Jade and Dragons

by Amber Chen

Synopsis/Thoughts: Aihui Ying dreams of becoming an engineer and attending the Engineer's Guild university that her father went to. When her father is suddenly murdered, she heads out to learn more about his past and uncover his assassin. Which means disguising herself as one of her brothers and traveling to the capital. On the way, she encounters Aogiya Ye-yang, the eighth prince to the High Command. Ye-yang helps by entering Ying into the competition to gain entry to the Engineer's Guild. This was the June Owlcrate book and I participated in the read-a-long. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I really liked Ying and Ye-yang's relationship and reading about the challenges to get into the Engineer's Guild. I will probably read the next book.

3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars 

Title: Ruthless Vows

by Rebecca Ross

Synopsis/Thoughts: Iris has returned home from the front with her brother, but without Roman. Meanwhile Roman wakes up in Dacre's clutches with little to no memory of who he is. He is fortunate enough to reconnect with Iris, though he does not remember her at first, and he has to choose between her and being loyal to Dacre, who saved his life. I read the first book a while back and enjoyed it. I had to see how it ended. Overall I really liked this duology.

4 stars out of 5 stars

Title: Slow Dance

by Rainbow Rowell

Narrator: Rebecca Lowman

Synopsis/Thoughts: Shiloh and Cary were (maybe) supposed to end up together. They were best friends throughout high school. But now they are into their 30s. Shiloh is a divorced mother of two living with her mother and Cary is traveling the world as a member of the Navy. When they reconnect at the wedding of another good friend, can they change their lives to what they maybe should have been? This was Rainbow Rowell's most recent adult novel (I think she has only written two others, Attachments, which I really like, and Landline, which is one of my all-time favorites ever). I was excited to read it. There is something about the way she writes her adult characters that is intriguing to me. I loved this book.

4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Title: Stay Gold

by Tobly McSmith

Re-read

5 stars out of 5 stars

Titles: The Foxhole Court, The Raven King, and

The King's Men by Nora Sakavic

Narrator: Alexander Cendese

Re-reads

4 stars out of 5 stars

I have no excuse... I guess these are becoming comfort reads for me. I made a playlist that is longer than it needs to be... I found the following on Tumblr and it feels fairly accurate and is also funny. 

 

Title: Sleep Like Death

by Kalynn Bayron

Synopsis/Thoughts: Eve has trained all her life to defeat the Knight one day. The Knight is an evil monster who grants wishes in the worst possible way. Eve and her mother, the queen, are desperate to stop him. But then the queen starts secluding herself in her room and Eve hears her speaking to someone, though she must be alone. There must be more going on than Eve knows. This was the July Owlcrate book and I participated in the read-a-long for it. It was easy to get ahead of the daily reading goals. I really enjoyed this spin on the Snow White tale.

4 stars out of 5 stars 

Title: Scavenge the Stars

by Tara Sim

Synopsis/Thoughts: Amaya was sold to a debtors ship as a young girl and will soon be free. Until she rescues a man found in the sea. He offers her riches and revenge if she will help him restore his name. If it means she can help the other children on the ship, she is all in. But things get a little murky when she befriends Cayo, the son of her target. This was an old Owlcrate book that I finally picked up. It was pretty good and I really liked Amaya and Cayo's relationship. I don't know that I will read the next book though.

3 stars out of 5 stars

Favorite book read in July/August: Slow Dance or Stay Gold

Least favorite book read in July/August: Sunset Springs

I have now read 48 books towards my goal of 75. I am still a touch behind, but I hope I will catch up now that we are getting into spooky season!

May and June 2024 Wrap Up

May and June were busy months that went by quickly.

Gabriel started daycare in May and has been going each day. Which was very hard for me at first (I cried more than he did, for sure), but has since gotten much better. Gabriel likes his daycare and we really like the people who work there.

I had my first Mother's Day and Kevin had his first Father's Day. With a human baby, I mean. Gabriel continues to grow and mostly be wonderful and happy. And continues to be very central in my life, of course.

Kevin and I got to go on a little vacation to Florida without the munchkin. We got to spend time in Harry Potter World and Disney World. It was fun and wonderful, even if it was a bit weird to be away from Gabriel.

Otherwise, Varney was neutered and I am trying to get him and Ruthven back into the same cage again (ornery rats...).

Work is... just work. I am trying to maintain a balance and not make everything my problem. But things are constantly made my problem anyway. My issue with this is that I don't receive much recognition or any compensation to go with these extra things that end up being required of me while others holding the same position I do (or even above my position) are not expected to take care of these types of things and most of them are making more than I am. I have been better at pushing back, but it isn't always possible. And it does very much depend on who is asking me for things. There are some people who I like and respect and I have a hard time saying no to them. But they also show up for me, too, so that feels more OK. But otherwise I am trying very hard to push tasks and responsibilities back to the person who should be taking care of those things. My counselor and I talk a lot about practicing radical acceptance. That I don't have to agree with things in order to accept them. And how to accept things that are not in my control. We also talk a bit about how and why I get defensive about certain things and how to work on myself to deal with those issues... Which I like less, but definitely needs to be addressed. Ultimately, I think all of these things have helped me focus more on the parts of my job that are actually my job and letting things fall apart if that is what needs to happen (which it has). And helps me maintain better balance because my career is important and I love my work, but it is definitely not my whole life nor do I want it to be.

Anyway, that was long and rambling and probably nonsensical. But I wanted to get a little bit of that out.

I have gotten a bit behind on my reading goals. Part of that is because I started listening to music again. I go through phases with music, but since I have been listening to that while I drive, I am not getting through audio books as quickly. But I have managed to keep reading and I have actually worked my way through more of my Owlcrate book backlog.

Now for some quick reviews!

 

 Titles: The House of Hades and the Blood of Olympus

by Rick Riordan

4 out of 5 stars

Re-reads

 

The Time Machine

by H.G. Wells

Synopsis/Thoughts: Classic story that I never read before. This came in an Owlcrate box from many, many years ago as a bonus book. I'm glad that I finally read it since it seems to be one of those that everyone reads. It was pretty good, though I was not immensely satisfied with the ending of the Time Traveller's time in the future. (Also, since he can time travel, I feel like he could have saved Weena. Or maybe he went to do that at the end, who knows?) Overall, I liked it, but I do tend to like dystopian stories.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: How Not to Hate Your Husband

After Kids by Jancee Dunn, narrated by the author

Synopsis/Thoughts: Well, the books is basically what the title says it is! And this book really packed a punch. I definitely recommend it to any couple who is having or has children. I was feeling a lot of resentment towards my husband at times after Gabriel was born, though our situation was not nearly as extreme as some. And Kevin is so great about doing other household chores that baby care falling mostly to me felt more fair than some situations you hear and read about.

Seriously, read this book. I sobbed when their first therapist gave her instructions on controlling her anger (disappearing into a closet to tell a photo of her daughter that she knew what she was feeling was going to hurt her daughter but that her anger was more important right now than her daughter was. Oof.) And I laughed at the brilliancy of consulting an expert in de-escalating hostage situations to teach her husband how to deal with her when she was on a rampage. So many things made so much more sense when I read this. And I laughed and cried and got angry and felt happy all in turns.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Title: A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

Narrator: Kay Eluvian

Synopsis/Thoughts: During the war in Waterloo, Viola is assumed to be dead, but she survived and used the news to live her life as herself for once, even at the cost of her wealth, status, and friends. Including the Duke of Gracewood who was her closest companion in the days before her disappearance. Fate, of course, brings them back together as Viola helps Gracewood heal and Gracewood learns who Viola is all over again. Overall, I enjoyed this story. While I didn't love everything, many parts were very sweet and surprising and nice. 

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Crier's War by Nina Varela

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is an old Owlcrate book and felt appropriate to read in June. Once, humans created Automae to be pets and playthings of the wealthy until the Automae revolted and took over and forced humans to serve them. Lady Crier is an Automae, designed and built at the request of her father, the Sovereign. Ayla is her human maid servant who dreams of avenging the death of her family by destroying the Sovereign and his family. Until Crier and Ayla begin to fall in love and learn that maybe there are other ways to live. This book was a good read and I really liked the interactions between Crier and Ayla as they learned more about one another. I think I would like to finish the duology to see how their story pans out.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Narrator: Joe Jameson

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read. I just love this book and the voice and humor of the story.

 

Title: Song of the Six Realms by

Judy I. Lin

Synopsis/Thoughts: Xue is a very talented qin player, but she is a nobody. Until she captures the eye of Duke Meng when he hears her play. He makes an offer she can't refuse: to come play for him in exchange for her freedom. Upon arriving at Duke Meng's estate, she discovers there is much more to him and to his home than first meets the eye. And the Duke needs her help. This was a recent Owlcrate book and I participated in the read-a-long on the Nest app. I really enjoyed this book, maybe more than I thought I would. There were a few times I cried, mostly about Xue's uncle. It was a lovely story and many of the characters were really wonderful and interesting.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars 

Title: Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

Narrators: Theo Germaine and Phoebe Strole

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read. I just love this book so much. I finished it and wanted to turn around and read it all over again.

Title: Love Without Sex by

Sophie Lucido Johnson, narrated 

by the author

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is a look at different and modern relationships. Not just romantic relationships, but about friendships and chosen family as well. I feel like there was a lot to unpack here and it was a very interesting and informative read. I know that some of the lifestyles discussed are not for me, but it is interesting to see how people think and feel and make different things work. A couple of things resonated with me, especially the idea of community living with chosen family. As someone who is lucky enough to have friends who are family, this was interesting and appealing to me.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Favorite book read in May/June: Stay Gold. Or Boyfriend Material. I can't help it, I love them so much.

Least favorite book read in May/June: I suppose Crier's War or A Lady for a Duke, since I rated them a bit lower.

I have now read 33 books towards my goal of 75 books. Goodreads estimates that I am 4 books behind schedule. I am trying to find shorter books that I've been wanting to read that may help me catch up. I also have been trying to participate in more Owlcrate Nest read-a-longs. They are a good way to really keep me on track and set goals for each day. But there isn't much pressure and feels encouraging instead of daunting. Maybe that will help me catch up, too.

March and April 2024 Wrap Up

Hello and welcome back to my (hopefully) regularly scheduled blog posts.

Some little updates.

Parenthood has continued and is challenging but can also be lovely. Gabriel has the best smiles and giggles and he makes the cutest noises and I can never get enough. However, getting anything done is difficult. Once he is resting or entertaining himself, I need to do dishes or laundry or take care of the pets or shower or any number of things. It never ends, but Gabriel is worth it.

I had to return to work in March. That was difficult. I wasn't as upset about leaving Gabriel home as I thought I might be. It is hardest to say goodbye in the mornings, but once I am at work it all just feels like it did before. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Part of it is that Kevin is home with him for a couple months so I know I don't need to worry about him. Once Gabriel is in daycare I imagine that will change.

But anyway, work has been... interesting. And not in good ways. Some changes were made while I was out that put me in a not-so-nice position. It is frustrating because I actually love my job, but the favoritism in my department is so extreme. It is insane. A couple of things did change for the better and I was so happy to see my work friends again. I actually work with a lot of neat people who I really enjoy. But I am not going to hold my breath on things getting better. I am trying to make sure that I don't overwork myself like I used to, since it doesn't result in any rewards or appreciation. It has actually been nice taking that step back. And I have only been working my regular 40 hour weeks and trying to focus my energy on things that are more important to me.

I do get to go on a little vacation soon without Gabriel. I am looking forward to it, but I also know that I am going to miss him like crazy!

I think that covers most of what is going on these days. So here are the books I read in March and April.

 

Title: The Son of Neptune by 

Rick Riordan

4 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

Titles: Dragonwatch, Wrath of the Dragon King, Master of the Phantom Isle, 

Champion of the Titan Games, and Return of the Dragon Slayers 

by Brandon Mull

Synopsis/Thoughts: This series follows the Fablehaven series. I had actually read the first three books a few years ago, but never finished the series. And I didn't remember it well, so I started from the beginning. After the demons have been moved to their new realm, the dragons begin to rise and turn the table on the humans, wizards, and other people who wished them confined to sanctuaries. Kendra and Seth are called on to help by becoming caretakers of a dragon sanctuary and later joining in the war against the dragon king. Many things converge and many adventures are had. I love the Fablehaven series and I really enjoyed these, too They are a very magical story, but still take place in our world. I liked seeing Kendra and Seth developing more and stepping into their powers and having such a big role to play. It was nice to see old favorite characters return and go back into this world.

4 stars out of 5 stars 

 

 Title: Heartless Hunter

by Kristen Ciccarelli

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is a sort of Scarlett Pimpernel story (and yes, I had to look up what that was). In case you don't know, the Scarlett Pimpernel is a hero rescuing aristocrats sentenced to death during the French Revolution. But he leads a double life as a wealthy, but generally worthless gentleman and in secret is resourceful and quick thinking. In this story we have the Crimson Moth who is saving witches from being put to death by the new regime. Some of the officers (including high ranking officer Gideon) of the new regime suspect that she is hiding in plain sight. Rune plays the part of a shallow, flirtatious, and patriotic lady, but is secretly a witch helping to set other witches free. When she becomes a suspect, Gideon pretends to court her to find her secrets. Rune, knowing she is a suspect, pretends to let him. Until it stops feeling like pretend. There are a lot of layers and little things going on in this story and it kept me guessing and surprised me. I really, really loved reading this book and I am looking forward to the next book. I think I read that it was going to be a duology. This was an Owlcrate book and I participated in the read-a-long, but kept getting ahead because I couldn't put it down.

4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

Title: The King's Men

by Nora Sakavic

4 out of 5 stars

Re-read 

 

 Title: The Sunshine Court

by Nora Sakavic

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is the first book in a duology (I think) and the fourth book of the All for the Game series. The story picks up from the time Jean was rescued from the Nest by Renee and how he transfers to USC and starts to recover from his experiences. I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I was originally so invested in the characters in the first three books that I wasn't sure that I would be as interested in these. But I really liked Jeremy, Cat, and Laila. And I was really rooting for Jean. I am excited for the next book, whenever that will come out.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Title: The Mark of Athena

by Rick Riordan

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

I'm not sure if I had a favorite read this month. I really enjoyed the Heartless Hunter and the Sunshine Court.

I have now read 23 books towards my goal of 75 books. I'm a bit behind according to Goodreads, but I hope I will pick up soon. I especially need to work on reading my Owlcrate books. My slow progress there sometimes frustrates me and I need to find a way to make a better effort. It would be helpful if I stopped re-reading books, I think.

Oh well. Thanks for reading. Until next time!

2024 Updates

Hello and welcome back to my blog.

Sorry for the super long delay. First, my husband needed to use my computer for over a month back in September/October. Then we didn't have internet for about another month or more. By then we were approaching the end of the year and the holidays. I was in the third trimester of pregnancy which brought back some of my nausea and left me generally exhausted. Work continued to kick my butt. We were trying to prepare for the baby. We took in a stray kitten in August and adopted two new rats in October (I was supposed to wait until after the baby, but they needed a home! I couldn't say no). It was just a crazy time.

Our son was due on January 17th 2024, but decided to come early. My water broke a little before 9am on December 24th, 2023 and Gabriel was born at 10:17am. And then we had this little baby to care for which was new and scary.

Being a parent is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I think I have started to get the hang of some of it, but it is exhausting and challenging. It is impossible to keep up with everything, but I am trying my best. And there are wonderful things about having this little one. And I love that he is a baby and mom is still able to fix everything and make him feel better. He's starting to smile and make intentional noises, which is adorable and makes me immensely happy.

My anxiety has been way up high. I want to make sure that Gabriel is getting cared for and that chores are getting done. I am also not getting much sleep, which always spikes my anxiety. And I am not back at work yet, but there have been changes made there that are very much against me and against my advancement. That has been discouraging, frustrating, and has also increased my anxiety. If I wasn't on anxiety medication, I would be having panic attacks about going back. I figure that isn't a great way to feel about my place of employment, which has been discouraging. I have been missing my work friends, though, and I am looking forward to seeing them and getting back in the lab.

I am trying to enjoy the rest of my time off. Obviously it is heavily spent on caring for Gabriel and doing the never ending dishes and laundry that come with that. Luckily for me, Kevin helps where he can and has kept up with many of the household chores so I don't have to worry so much about those.

I have been going to counseling for a while now, mostly to deal with work anxiety, but we have been covering a lot of things surrounding parenthood now, of course.

I fell off of the journaling bandwagon last year and decided I wanted to get back at it this year. I needed a way to simplify it to make it easier for me to keep up with. But I also wanted it to be more fun and interactive so it felt less like a chore. That has been really nice so far. And I have started including different things that I never did before, like vision boards, inspirations and aspirations, and other notes that come in handy. I am trying to keep track of things that are important and trying to help myself since I have all of these big things going on. It has been really nice so far and I may make a little blog post about what I am doing and why.

I have still been reading, but these days it is easier to get through audiobooks than physical ones. And because of my anxiety it has mostly been re-reading. But I did join a group read through the Owlcrate Nest app for the January book. That has helped me stay on track, even though I haven't participated in the discussions (I do still read through the questions and some of the things other people post). Between that and my journal, I have had something else to focus time and energy on in the times I get a break.

I haven't decided what this blog will look like moving forward. I'd like to still post about the books I read each month, but it can be very time-consuming. I will likely need to simplify what I have been doing. Maybe post two months at a time and stop reviewing re-reads. Which probably means it would be a good idea to go through my blog and update tags to include book titles in case anyone (or I) want to go back to those book reviews. That will be a bit of a long term project, but I will see if I can do that.

I have a couple other posts started, one is a disease post and one is sort of about Gabriel. I have made it a goal to pick back up on my blog, but it might take a little time for me to figure out what it will look like. I hope you will bear with me.

Meanwhile, here are the books I read in January and February this year:

 

The Lost Hero by 

Rick Riordan

4 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

Red White and Royal Blue

by Casey McQuiston

4 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

 

 

 The Fablehaven Series

by Brandon Mull

5 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

 

Charmed Life and the Lives of Christopher Chant

by Diana Wynne Jones

4 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

 

The Foxhole Court and the Raven King

by Nora Sakavic

4 stars out of 5 stars

Re-read

The Jungle Book

by Rudyard Kipling

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is the traditional Jungle Book that most people are familiar with. This version is a full cast podcast read of the Jungle Book stories. I had never read them before, so it was a fun, quick read. I won't lie though, I spent much of the time trying to figure out how all of the characters and stories were represented in the Graveyard Book.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

A Fragile Enchantment

by Allison Saft

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is a fairy tale of a girl, Niamh, brought to a palace as a royal tailor for the younger prince's upcoming wedding. And in normal fairy tale fashion, the two fall in love despite the prince's engagement and Niamh's common-born status. This was an enjoyable read. I liked a lot of the characters (and I liked Sinclair, but I don't feel that other people liked him as much) and I liked the magic (especially Niamh's). This was an Owlcrate book and I sort of participated in a read-a-long through the Owlcrate Nest app.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

I have read 13 books towards my goal of 75.

July/August 2023 Wrap Up

Hello all.

I had to do another combination post since I couldn't get my ducks in a row at the end of July. I am not even sure I kept good record of all the books I read? Can I blame pregnancy brain? I haven't really had many problems in that realm, but I should be able to milk this for something.

Pregnancy is weird, but so far so good. I'm 20 weeks in now.

We lost the last of our ratties. It is sad, but it is OK. I am going to take a little break before getting more rats (after we've moved and adjusted to life with baby, I think). I love rats so I miss having them. But we did get another kitten. She was a stray I'd been seeing around our building and started feeding. She eventually decided she liked me and I brought her in. Marshmallow has been getting along with her so here she is. We haven't named her yet, but that's OK. You can check out my Instagram for photos.

Work has basically been awful for the last couple of months. But that is all I am going to say about that. It's just been rough guys. Something needs to change, I am not sure how long I can keep going with the way things are. And that frustrates me because there is so much I love about my work, but the management is such a trial I think I am developing PTSD.

And then at the end of August, Kevin and I finally got COVID. After nearly four years of avoiding it, we both got it. It was a huge bummer. On the plus side, we were both fully vaccinated which helped us recover more quickly. I am still getting over mine though. It messed with my blood pressure and I haven't quite regained my equilibrium.

Anyway, here are the books I finished this month. Hopefully I remembered them all!

Titles: Mister Impossible and Greywaren

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Narrator: Will Patton

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: I just read these a few months ago, so I am not really going to talk about them again. I read them again and I still enjoyed them.

 

Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Title: Little Women

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Synopsis/Thoughts: I have probably reviewed this one before, too. I'm sure it has been several years, but it is a classic and I think most people know what the story is about. I just wanted a comfort read and I just really wanted to read this again. And it was a very nice read.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Title: Divine Rivals

Author: Rebecca Ross

Narrators: Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk

Synopsis: Iris is an aspiring columnist at a local newspaper competing against equally driven Roman. With war waging and moving closer to home and her brother at the front with no news, life is a bit chaotic. When things shake out differently for Iris than she originally planned, she takes a job covering the war near the front and finds more than she bargained for. Especially when Roman joins her on the same assignment.

 

Thoughts: I did a combined reading/listening of this book. It is a fairly recent Owlcrate book, which I am trying to read more of. I enjoyed her last book, Dreams Lie Beneath, so I wanted to pick this one up. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked the characters and the overall story line. I am looking forward to the next book since this had a tiny cliffhanger and I need to know what happens next.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars 

 

Titles: The Foxhole Court, The Raven King, and The King's Men (All for the Game series)

Author: Nora Sakavic

Narrator: Alexander Cendese

Synopsis: Neil Josten is on the run from his father and the mob he is associated with (and any rivals for that matter). In a series of odd events, he ends up playing Exy, a game he loves, and getting signed by a college Exy team. Palmetto State's Exy foxes have a reputation for being the broken people collected by Coach Wymack. Neil decides to stay and play for one year, becoming entrenched in other strange dealings and relationships. But through it all, he finds a family and people he can actually trust and count on to have his back and to accept him no matter what dark secrets he hides. And maybe they can even win the season!

Thoughts: I have very... mixed thoughts about these books. I had been hearing about them because of the title of the second book being the same title as the last in the Raven Cycle. Anyway, I decided to give it a try. I actually was very interested in the (fictional) game of Exy, even though I am super not a sports person. And I LOVED the found family aspect of the books. I liked Neil's character, even if I didn't always agree with him. Kevin was an asshole, but I think he meant well and I appreciated his development. And Andrew. I love and hate Andrew at the same time. There were a lot of things that happened in these books (some perpetuated by Andrew) that made me feel very conflicted. I distinctly hated the way Andrew's crowd tested Neil (for someone so insane about consent, non-consensual drugging seemed SOO messed up). But Andrew's protective streak makes me love him. But he's also an asshole. Despite all of that, I actually thought the development of Neil and Andrew's relationship was nice and sort of sweet. Anyway, there were things I didn't love and there are definitely triggers for people, but the found family aspect (especially with the older team members and Coach Wymack) made me really love them. And they must have held my interest because I have continued to think about them and about the story.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars for books one and two, 4 stars out of 5 stars for book three

 

 

Title: I Was Told it Would Get Easier

Author: Abbi Waxman

Narrators: Lisa Flanagan and Bailey Carr

Synopsis: Single, high-powered lawyer Jessica and her daughter, Emily, set out on a tour of colleges. Jessica is hoping that Emily will go to college, enjoy herself, and find her place. Emily has NO idea what any of that would look like. And spending so much time with her generally absent mother isn't her idea of a great time either.

 

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I really liked Jessica and the mother-daughter story and how their relationship grew throughout the book. Overall it was a nice, uplifting read for fans of contemporary stories.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars 

 

Title: Thirteenth Child

Author: Patricia C. Wrede

Narrator: Amanda Ronconi

Synopsis/Thoughts: Another book I have read too many times and reviewed multiple times. These books are comfort reads and that's what I was looking for. I still love them so much.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

Favorite book read in July/August:  I'm not sure, there were so many good ones and it feels like cheating when so many of my comfort reads are in the mix

Least favorite book read in July/August: The Foxhole Court, since it got the lowest rating

I have now read 53 books towards my goal of 75. I only got one Owlcrate book read, but I am working on another one.