New Year 2025 and January and February 2025 Wrap Up

Sorry this post is so very late. And welcome to 2025. Crazy.

New Years goals are hard as a parent. Or maybe just for me, I'm not really sure. There are so many things that I'd like to do, but I am not always able to do much more than I already am. So much of my time is just spent getting by. Babies take so much time and energy. And they get it first, always. Not that I would trade Gabriel for anything. It is kind of amazing how much you can love someone. Even when I am tired and frustrated. So goal one, I want to keep trying to be a better mom. It is a continuous goal. I think I have done better over time, but I do see all my own shortcomings, especially when it comes to my own patience.

My job is absolutely draining and exhausting. It makes it hard to do anything extra. I haven't decided if I want to start looking for something else or if some of the work, spite, and the people I really like can get me through longer. I have also thought about possibly cutting my hours to see if having a little more time to myself will help. I haven't made a decision about that yet.

I set my reading goal for 75 books again this year. There were times I thought I would not make that last year, but I managed. I think I underestimate how much I am able to catch up once we reach spooky season. I also want to keep reading through more of my Owlcrate backlog, which is going pretty well so far.

I also want to keep up on my journal and (hopefully) here on my blog. I will do my best. It is obviously already behind.

And the main reason I am starting off so behind is because we moved to a new place. Which is great and we have more space and we are really liking it. But it was soooo hard for me to find time to actually move and pack and then we had to clean everything, but we also had a baby who did not want to let us (me) get anything done. Which continues to be a challenge especially for me unpacking and putting things away. Despite my commute being much longer now, I am so much happier at the new place. I will manage. Plus Gabriel has gotten sick numerous times, once with RSV. He was recently vaccinated so his case was pretty mild, but having to keep him home from daycare and not having much time to take off from work makes things challenging. Poor kiddo. I think this is just part of toddler life: regular illnesses.

I did a walking challenge with some of my girlfriends in February and that was fun. We participated in a Conqueror challenge and I am trying to continue to walk more and may do another one on my own in the near future. I am also planning a short vacation with a couple other girlfriends for June (without the baby) which I am really excited for.

Since this is so late, I will try to keep my reviews extra short, but I do want to share the books I read. Especially because a couple of them were surprisingly great.

 

 

At the End of the River Styx 

by Michelle Kulwicki 

Synopsis/Thoughts: Zan traded his life to the Ferryman of the river Styx to save his mother's life and was charged with working for the Ferryman for 500 years and has made it through 499. Meanwhile, Bastian is dealing with the aftermath of his mother's death and not doing it very well. He barely survived the accident that killed her and his near-death experience causes him to cross paths with Zan who is meant to bring him to the Ferryman. But as they spend more time together, they both start to change. This book was good and so bitter sweet. There were things I loved, but things that I felt dissatisfied with (and I think we are meant to, so that's OK).

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Narrators: Rebecca Lowman, Maxwell Caulfield

Re-read

5 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Carry On by 

Rainbow Rowell

Narrator: Euan Morton

Re-read

3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

            

 Wayward Son and Any Way the Wind Blows

by Rainbow Rowell

Narrator: Euan Morton

Synopsis/Thoughts: The stories of Simon, Baz, Penny, and Agatha continue. They visit America and confront crazy vampires. Upon returning to England with a cursed mortal in tow, the gang try to find their own paths. I enjoyed the rest of these books. They were fun reads and I am glad that some of the loose ends were wrapped up. I was surprisingly pleased with Agatha's part of the story.

3 stars out of 5 stars and 4 stars out of 5 stars

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Re-read (many times over)

5 stars out of 5 stars 

 

Boyfriend Material by

Alexis Hall

Narrator: Joe Jameson

Re-read

5 stars out of 5 stars 

 

Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was an older Owlcrate book that I decided to pick up on a whim. The story follows Renata, a magical Moria with the power to steal memories with a touch. As a member of the Whispers, a group of rebel Moria, her goal is to help bring down the king and his family and free Moria from their cruel reign. But everything changes when her unit leader (whom she loves) is captured by the evil crown prince. This book took a while for me to get in to, but it took me by surprise and I LOVED it! I can't even say why. It kept me guessing and thinking and wondering. Though there was one twist that I sort of guessed at right away. I have gone back to read the first part and can't figure out what was said that made me guess it, but something did. Anyway, I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected to and am currently reading the sequel.

4 1/2 stars out of 5 stars 

 

The Gilded Ones

by Namina Forna

Synopsis/Thoughts: Another older Owlcrate book that I decided to finally pick up. And another one that I ended up liking more than I expected. This one also took me a little bit to get into. Deka lives in a small village in a very religious country. When girls reach a certain age, their blood is tested to make sure that it is red and not the cursed gold of impurity. When Deka's blood turns out to be gold, her death is all but assured. But a mysterious woman offers her another choice and Deka takes it. I really enjoyed this read. There were lots of strong women, which I love. But the main thing that caught me up was the loyalty. When the girls swear loyalty to one another (even when they don't much like each other), they keep that oath always. And when Deka has a love interest, his loyalty NEVER wavers, even when she expects that it should. I love that questionable loyalty or ones who leave and return were not used in this story to create drama. There is a second book, though this one can kind of stand on its own. I haven't decided if I will read the next one or not yet.

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

What the Woods Took 

by Courtney Gould

Synopsis/Thoughts: What would you do if you were kidnapped in the night and taken away to a camp for troubled teens? Devin does her best to fight (nothing new for her), but ends up in the woods alongside two young counselors and four other troubled teenagers. They are meant to come out at the end of the program as better versions of themselves. But as they go along, their counselors disappear and the group discovers that the woods may be more dangerous than they first appear. This was the Owlcrate book for January so I was able to participate in the read-along on the Nest app (I will try to keep up with the books that are released this year). This is probably not a book that I would have picked up myself, but it was pretty good. I grew to like most of the teenagers and was invested in their journey. And I generally liked the way it ended.

3 stars out of 5 stars

Favorite book read in January and February: aside from the obvious favorite re-reads, Incendiary

Least favorite book read in January and February: What the Woods Took

I should be about on schedule to hit my reading goal of 75 books. And I managed to read the January Owlcrate book with the read-along group and read 3 backlogged Owlcrate books. Though At the End of the River Styx barely counts because it was the December 2024 book. So I think I am off to a good start.

Anyone else have good reading goals or books to share? Thanks for sticking with me! I will try not to be so late next time.

September and October 2024 Wrap Up

Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. Time really gets away from me these days.

Work is still crazy, but I'm not going to get into it right now.

Being a mom is still hard, but I love my little munchkin more than I could have expected.

It's hard not to feel like I am failing left and right these days, but that is something I am working on. And getting counseling for.

Gabriel had his first Halloween. He was a bat! There are a couple of photos on my Instagram for anyone interested in seeing. But he was the cutest little bat ever, if I do say so myself. Halloween was also Kevin's and my third anniversary.

I read a lot of books, especially in October. I am going to try to keep the reviews short. Here we go!

 

Made You Up by

Francesca Zappia

Narrator: Amanda Ronconi

Re-read

5 stars out of 5 stars

 

The Sword of Summer, the Hammer of Thor, the Ship of the Dead

and Hotel Valhalla, Guide to the Norse Worlds

by Rick Riordan

Narrators: Various

Re-reads

Rating: Overall 4 stars out of 5 stars 

 

The Graveyard Book by

Neil Gaiman

Narrator: Neil Gaiman

Re-read

5 stars out of 5 stars 

 

Castle of the Cursed by

Romina Garber

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was an Owlcrate book and I participated in a read-a-long on the Nest app. Estela is the only survivor of a mysterious accident on a subway, an accident that claimed the loves of both of her parents. With no where else to go, she is forced to return to her family's ancestral home--a castle in Spain. But la Sombra is harboring secrets and mysteries of its own that Estela must solve to understand her family and her place in it. This book was alright, but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Some things just struck me as odd and some were maybe too formulaic, in my opinion.

3 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Wrath of the Triple Goddess by

Rick Riordan

Narrator: Jesse Bernstein

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is the seventh book in the Percy Jackson series and I had to read it ASAP. Luckily, it takes place around Halloween time, so it fit great! Percy needs three letters of recommendation in order to get into the university in New Rome. To that end, he has to house- and pet-sit for Hecate. But her pets and her house are far from normal. I enjoyed this book very much, which is not at all surprising.

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Witchy by

Ariel Slamet Ries

Synopsis/Thoughts: This graphic novel was included in an Owlcrate box some time ago. This is the first in a series. It is about Nyneve whose very long hair should indicate that she has extraordinary powers to go with it, but that couldn't be further from the truth. When the Witch Guard comes to her school to recruit students, she is conflicted. The Witch Guard is influential and powerful, but they are also responsible for the death of her father. I enjoyed this and will consider reading more of the series. I appreciated the diversity and thought the story and characters were interesting. 

3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

House of Salt and Sorrows by

Erin Craig 

Synopsis/Thoughts: This is an older Owlcrate book and a re-telling of the twelve dancing princesses. Annaleigh and her family might be cursed. Once there were twelve sisters. But once her mother died, she was followed by a few of her sisters: one to a plague, one to drowning in the bath, one to a fall in the library, one to a long fall off a cliff. What is even worse is that it seems the disturbed spirits of her sisters still haunt the halls of their home. Meanwhile, Annaleigh and her remaining sisters discover a way to travel to other lands and attend wonderful balls where no one knows them and no one thinks they are cursed. This book was absolutely appropriate for Halloween. Parts of it were seriously creepy and occasionally a little scary (for me, but I am a wimp). It was a very good read, even if some of the images still haunt me.

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by

Shea Ernshaw

Narrator: Cissy Jones

Synopsis/Thoughts: Following Sally's marriage to Jack, the Pumpkin King, she begins to struggle with going from nobody to the Pumpkin Queen. Distressed by her inability to fit in, she travels to the grove of trees and finds another door. But she accidentally releases a monster into Halloweentown that puts everyone to sleep. It will be up to Sally to save her home and maybe she will learn how to be a proper queen in the meantime. This was a fun little read, definitely worth looking into if you like the Nightmare Before Christmas world.

3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Lenny Among Ghosts by

Frank Maria Reifenberg

Synopsis/Thoughts: Lenny (the second) ends up needing to get to a boarding school at the last minute so his parents can travel for work. In a strange turn of events, he ends up at Shadowsout Castle Academy. But he quickly learns that the school is full of ghosts. But the castle is also at risk of being torn down and Lenny might be the one to save it. This is a middle grade novel (or younger), but it was surprisingly charming. It was a pretty fun, quick read.

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Lakesedge by

Lyndall Clipstone

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was an older Owlcrate book that I started a couple of years ago and never finished. Until this year. I didn't start over, just picked up where I left off, so my memory of the start of the story is a bit murky. Violeta and her brother (with his shadowy magic) end up in the cursed estate of Lakesedge with Rowan, the head of the house, and his small household. Due to some dark magic, the corruption of the lake is spreading, ready to claim lives. It is up to Violeta to work with the Lord Under to try to save the estate and the world. But there is more at stake than Violeta realizes. This book was alright. I didn't love everything, but Violeta's connection to the Lord Under interests me. I do have the second book and will likely read it one of these days so I can find out how the story ends.

3 stars out of 5 stars

 

The Cruel Prince by

Holly Black

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was another old Owlcrate book and I did a read-a-long with another Nest user. Jude's world was turned upside down when a mysterious man turned up in her home and murdered her mother and father in order to take her older sister back to the High Court of Faerie. Jude and her twin sister were spirited away with their big sister and grew up in a faerie household. As humans, most fey despise them, but Jude and her twin are desperate to fit in. When the crowning of the next High King goes awry, Jude gets mixed in with her enemy, Prince Cardan, to try to save the High Court. I actually liked this book more than I expected to. I will try to get around to finishing the series in the near future. And I know we aren't really supposed to like the faerie that stole Jude and her sisters and raised them, but we all have a case of serious Stockholm syndrome...

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

A Forgery of Roses by

Jessica S. Olson

Synopsis/Thoughts: Another older Owlcrate book! Myra was born a magical gift: she can change someone's appearance by painting them. She can even heal. With her parents missing and a sick younger sister, she is forced to accept work from the governor's wife that would bring her dead son back to life. But once she arrives at the manor, she discovers that there is much more going on behind the scenes. And to begin, the boy's death may not have been an accident. With the help of the dead boy's brother, they try to uncover the secrets before the clock runs out on Myra's time. There were some things that I really liked about this book. Some things were definitely a bit spooky and I liked some of the characters. Overall, it was a pretty good story.

3 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

The Haunting of Hill House by

Shirley Jackson

Synopsis/Thoughts: This book was included in an Owlcrate box a couple of years ago. I think most people know the general premise of the story. I will say the book is not like the movies that I remember seeing. Some parts were definitely creepy and occasionally scary to me. But it was also interesting to see how the story and characters developed in relation to the house. I think it is worth a read.

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by

Josephine Leslie

Re-read

5 stars out of 5 stars

Strange Practice and Bitter Waters

by Vivian Shaw 

Narrator: Catrin Walker-Booth

Synopsis/Thoughts: Strange Practice was a re-read for me (despite telling myself that I wasn't going to read this series this year). I found Bitter Waters, a novella that is book 3.5 in the Dr. Greta Helsing series and I had to read it because I adore these books. Bitter Waters centers on the tale of a young girl who was turned to a vampire against her will and was found and rescued and taken to Dr. Helsing. Then it is up to Greta and her friends to help the girl and figure out how to stop the vampire who turned her. I love these books. I don't even know why. They are often very funny and creative. I love the idea of there being a doctor for the "differently alive" people of the world.

4 stars out of 5 stars

 

Favorite book read in September and October: Aside from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, the Graveyard Book, and the Greta Helsing books? Probably the Wrath of the Triple Goddess

Least favorite books read in September and October: Maybe Castle of the Cursed

I was finally able to catch up and get ahead of my reading goal. October is always a good time for me to do that. I was behind going into October, but managed to get several books ahead. I have now read 68 books towards my goal of 75 books. I might actually make it this year!

Now it is time to get ready for holidays and holiday reads! I will try to get a post or two up about our goings-on and holiday TBR maybe.

Thanks for sticking with me. I hope other people got to read some fun spooky books. Or maybe found some ideas here for next year.

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!

April 2023 Wrap Up

April was an interesting month.

Work has continued to be what it is, which is not real great right now. It's frustrating to basically have your dream job and have other people ruining that for you. Kevin has also been dealing with some very tough things at work, so basically work has put a lot of stress on us and altered our lives some. Hopefully some of it will be resolved soon.

But there have been good things in April. I still speak with many of my friends regularly. We are preparing for an elopement for a good friend of mine, which is exciting and fun. Kevin and I are still planning to go on a big trip at the end of May. And the end of this month was marked by a long weekend trip with a couple of my girlfriends to New Orleans.

I didn't get as many books read this month as I would have liked. Partially due to me continuing to listen to Boyfriend Material on a loop (it is comforting, I don't know what to say) and partially due to me re-reading/re-listening to the Raven Cycle books. It felt like cheating to count them again. But I did read a couple of books so here are some quick reviews.

Title: All the Crooked Saints

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Narrator: Thom Rivera

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: I think I have reviewed this book before, but this book is about miracles. The Soria family performs miracles on pilgrims that visit them. But the miracle works by bringing out the darkness within the pilgrim which the pilgrim must conquer without interference from the Soria family members. I loved this book when I first read it many years ago, but did not remember it well. It was nice to revisit. I think it is an interesting idea and I very much enjoyed it.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Title: Outbreaks and Epidemics

Author: Meera Senthilingham

Narrator: Deirdra Whelan

Synopsis/Thoughts: This was an overview of various viral infections and epidemics. Most of it was not new information to me, but I enjoyed reading and reviewing some virus information.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Title: Sweet and Bitter Magic

Author: Adrienne Tooley

 

Synopsis: A witch cursed to never feel love and exiled from her home

teams up with a secret magical Source to end a plague started by a dark witch. Tamsin is a very powerful witch who cannot feel love or joy and was cast out of her home by the Coven after committing a magical crime. Meanwhile, Wren is hiding the fact that she is a magical Source who should have been training with the Coven as soon as she realized what she was. And a dark witch is destroying the land. When Wren's father falls ill, she approaches Tamsin and they agree to try to end the plague together.

Thoughts: It took me a little bit to get into this book, but I actually enjoyed it. It was a nice read and I liked the characters and the story.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Favorite book read this month: All the Crooked Saints

Least favorite book read this month: None. Sweet and Bitter Magic got the lowest rating, but it was a good book.

 

I have now read 36 books towards my goal of 75 books. 

Sorry for the late post. My trip at the end of April into May and then another trip right after May started put me behind. I can't promise for next month, either, since we will be in Morocco into June. But I can combine May and June into one if I need to.

In the meantime, I am working on some other posts and thank you for reading!

January 2023 Wrap Up

Just like that, January is over.

I wish I had more to report for this month, but I think I've just been working all of the time. The big study I am leading is underway and it requires a ton of my time and attention. Plus I have other studies that also need my time and attention. Constant prep work and paperwork, being on call and working late/long hours/weekends. I haven't even been able to do laundry which is desperately needed.

But things are starting to wrap up. By the end of February my time should be a little less chaotic.

Despite the craziness, I managed to read more books than I expected. I will keep reviews short since I know this post is already a bit late.

Titles: Cold Fire and Shatterglass

Author: Tamora Pierce

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: These are the last two books of the Circle Opens quartet that follow Daja and Tris, respectively, as they travel and take on students. More comfort reads of course, but these two books are some of my favorites by Tamora Pierce.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Title: Attachments

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Narrator: Laura Hamilton

Synopsis/Thoughts: I have read and reviewed this book a few times. It is a good read and I love the email communications between Beth and Jennifer. It is an easy, lovely read.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Nick Offerman

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: I feel that this classic doesn't need much introduction. After seeing the Mark Twain house and museum in Connecticut, I figured I should read more than one story, so I did! It was a bit young, but still enjoyable.

 

Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Title: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Author: Lewis Carroll

Narrator: Scarlett Johansson

Synopsis/Thoughts: Another classic that needs no real introduction.  Another one I had never read before and it was a fun little listen. While I didn't LOVE it, it was still good.

 

 Rating: 3 stars out of 5 stars

Title: The Ballad of Perilous Graves

Author: Alex Jennings

Narrator: Gralen Bryant Banks

Synopsis: In an alternate version of New Orleans, ghosts are real, zombies work in the town, animals speak like humans, and music is the magic that holds the world together. When the core songs that protect the city escape and someone begins killing them, Perry (Perilous) and his friends and family must save the city.

Thoughts: I started reading this many months ago. It is actually quite good, but it didn't hold my attention well. That was completely on me, though, not the book. I just wasn't in the right head space for this type of story. It is one I will consider revisiting another time.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: The Depths

Author: Nicole Lesperance

 

Synopsis: Addie, having recently survived a near-death accident, is required to tag along to a remote island with her mom and new step-dad for their honeymoon. But the island is inexplicably strange; beautiful and unsettling and covered in mysteries. As she gets deeper into the islands mysteries, the island and its inhabitants seem determined to keep her.

 

Thoughts: This was an Owlcrate book from September that I started in October since it is a spooky book. There are two "ghosts" on the island (they are called ghosts, but they are really zombies if you ask me). One is good and the other gave me the worst creeps. Spoiler: that ghost is also good, but we don't know it right away. I only mention it because I was glad of that when it came out. Parts of this books were definitely eerie and creepy. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars 

Title: The Secret Garden

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Narrator: Carrie Hope Fletcher

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: Yet another classic that needs no introduction which I had never read before. I didn't actually know what to expect, I knew so little about this story. But it was a sweet, enjoyable read.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Title: Four Dead Queens

Author: Astrid Scholte

Narrators: Amy Shiels and Elizabeth Knoweiden

 

Synopsis: Quadara is a nation is divided into four quadrants (Toria, Ludia, Archia, and Eonia), each ruled by a different queen. Keralie is a Torian thief and steals comm discs from an Eonian messenger. When things suddenly go wrong, she watches the comm discs and sees the four queens each being murdered in different, horrible ways. She and the messenger, Varin, set out to save the queens. But they don't know who they are looking for.

Thoughts: This was an older Owlcrate book that I finally picked up. The mystery was super intriguing and I loved the twists. It was so much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. If you are looking for a neat, captivating mystery, I highly recommend this one.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Something Fabulous

Author: Alexis Hall

Narrator: Nicholas Boulton

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: I ADORE Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, so I thought I should read this, too. It takes place in the past and involves a Duke falling in love with the brother of his meant-to-be bride. So some parts were funny and entertaining and some of the characters were fun. But there were um... spicy parts in this book that were a bit much for me. That usually isn't my favorite thing to read anyway, but I don't normally have to actually skip parts of the book. Which I definitely had to do a couple of times. That probably says much more about me than about the book itself though. I will keep Boyfriend Material (and re-read it soooooo many times), but I think I will leave this one behind.

Rating: 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars

 

Title: Lunar Love

Author: Lauren Kung Jessen

Narrator: Raechel Wong

 

Synopsis: Olivia is in the process of taking over the family match making business when she discovers a dating app that also uses the Chinese zodiac to match people. She infiltrates their app in order to meet the creator to try to bring him down. But Bennett is not quite what she expects and they keep getting thrown together. Then feelings happen.

Thoughts: This was a pick for the Happily Ever After group run by Jenny Lawson and it sounded interesting so I wanted to read it. It was interesting and I enjoyed some of the Chinese culture that we get to see. And the way Olivia and Bennett's relationship develops was different than most of these that I have read. But in a very good way.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Title: Fruits Basket, volumes 1-3

Author: Natsuki Takaya

 

Synopsis/Thoughts: Inspired by Lunar Love, I wanted to actually read these since they have the zodiac animals in them. I have seen the anime (many years ago, but still) and I have liked reading them very much. They are cute and fun and easy to read.

 

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

 

 

Favorite book read this month: Probably have to pick Four Dead Queens

Least favorite book read this month: Something Fabulous

 

I have read 14 books towards my goal of 75 for 2023.

I want to work my way through some Owlcrate books (including the extra classic books that they sometimes send) and I managed to read 4 this month. I have some others in progress.