Miss R got her teeth fixed, and they look fantastic!! The dentist did such a nice job, and you can’t tell that they are bonded. There is no line.
We had a quiet Halloween. For the first time in almost 20 years, I didn’t go out trick-or-treating with my kids. Miss R went with a friend, and Mr. Z stayed home. Miss B and Miss J visited their former college to catch up with friends.
We took Mr. Z to his college’s open house. He seemed to really enjoy being there and has decided to double major in History and Anthropology.
Miss R went on her school’s academic award field trip to a local roller skating rink. The school starts off by awarding kids who have a D or above with field trips (done once a quarter). Then it moves to C and above, and the next two field trips are A/B honor roll and above. If any of the kids have received disciplinary actions (ISS, OSS, or being kicked off the bus), they cannot attend, even if they have good grades. I think it’s a great idea and motivates the kids to do their best. Miss R had a great time but did end up hurting her knee.
Reading Highlights from this month:
I read two books from the Oatmeal collection (The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run and Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants). I was neutral about these books. I’m not sure if I would read the rest of the books in the collection.
I read and finished Bloodline by Jess Lourey. What I liked the most about this book was that Joan was an unreliable narrator. I couldn’t trust anything that she said or saw. There were two massive twists. One that took me by surprise, and the other one I kinda saw coming but didn’t want to believe it (the ick factor was huge).
I read book 3 of the Friendships and Festivals series (Love and Latkes). I found the romance between Abe and Batya sweet. I also loved the cooking show background.
I read books 1 and 2 of the All for the Game series (The Foxhole Court and The Raven King). While I liked these books, I do not recommend them for anyone under the age of 18. There are scenes in these books that disturbed me.
I read and finished The Alloy Era (Meru and Loka). I had mixed feelings about this duology. On the one hand, I found the storylines fascinating. But, on the other hand, it got very sciency, and I will admit that my eyes glazed over a couple of times.
I read The Last Goodbye by Caroline Finnerty. While I liked the storyline and thought that it was beautifully written, Kate’s character ruined it for me. She was completely immature and selfish throughout the entire book (excluding the chapters with Eva, when she was a teenager, where her behavior was somewhat justified). She just left a bad taste in my mouth, and honestly, I don’t know how Ben managed to deal with her childlike behavior.
I read and finished the Fae Isles series (Heart of Silk and Shadows, Court of Blood and Bindings, Lord of Gold and Glory, Ruins of Sea and Souls, Queens of Mist and Madness, In Love and War, and With Wing and Claw). This series was excellent and I highly recommend it. The main male character is yummy but also stabby and murdery. He is on the darker end of the moral gray scale. The main female character is stubborn, prickly, and full of issues. I absolutely loved this series!!
I also started the Cambric Creek series by reading The Minoan Bride and MorningGlory Milk Farm. I will be finishing this series in December. So look for my quick take on the series in December’s wrap-up.
Books I Read:
Monthly Playlist (I use songs featured in the book, if there are any, along with a playlist generated by ChatGPT).
Here is what I am reading, recently finished, and plan to read from Thursday to Wednesday.
Let me know if you have read or are planning on reading any of these books!!
Happy Reading!
What I am currently reading:
Stealing from a fae lord is a desperate plan…
As a human servant at the Crimson Court, Allie knows better than to anger the fae. Cunning and politics are her tools of survival. But when an unwanted suitor threatens her younger sister, Allie can think of only one way to protect her family…
Steal from the fae.
Agenor, Lord Protector of the Fae Isles and right hand of the Mother herself, doesn’t expect anything to still surprise him after twelve centuries of life. Finding a taunting note from an anonymous thief in his wardrobe is enough to rouse his curiosity, though. Enough to do the unthinkable – write back.
Then he finds out he’s been exchanging letters with a humble human. Worse, a human challenging him to his face.
A simple bargain is supposed to teach her a lesson. But the harder he tries to put her in her place, the harder she defies him… Soon their game sparks an unexpected romance – but will even love be enough when their loyalties collide?
Heart of Silk and Shadows is a prequel novel to the upcoming Fae Isles series. It can be read as a standalone, but the characters’ journey continues in the main series.
Note: this adult fae romance contains a generous dose of smouldering glances, passionate longing, and midnight meetings of the illicit type. It is recommended for a mature audience.
What I recently finished reading:
The Last Goodbye is a powerful story of love and loss, forgiveness and new beginnings – a heart-wrenching and emotional page-turner for mothers and daughters everywhere.Sometimes the decisions we make can last a lifetime . . . and sometimes we cannot shake off the shackles of decisions made by others in the past.Kate Flynn has spent her whole life running away. She reckons the best decision she ever made was to leave Ireland the day after she finished school. Having seldom returned since, she would be perfectly happy if she never had to go back there. She is happy in London where she runs a successful photography gallery with her best friend Nat, though their relationship is going through a rocky patch since Nat began an affair with a married man.When Kate becomes pregnant and her partner Ben persuades her to make the trip home, she is forced to confront everything she left behind and memories of Eva, the mother she feels betrayed her. Kate finds it impossible to forgive Eva who chose to refuse cancer treatment while pregnant and died, leaving a young family motherless.Do some wounds go too deep to ever heal? Must Eva’s Choice forever deny Kate real happiness?
What I plan on reading Thursday through Sunday:
They call him the Silent Death, because he kills without sound and leaves none capable of speaking in his wake…
When the empire’s deadliest fae murderer catches her wielding forbidden magic, twenty-year-old Emelin believes her hour has come. Instead, her inhumanly beautiful captor spares her life, but carries her off on his velvet wings – into the one place from which no human ever returns.
The heart of the Fae Isles. The treacherous Crimson Court, where the Mother of faekind has ruled unchallenged over fae and humans for decades.
The Silent Death is supposed to be the Mother’s loyal servant, her invincible warrior, her ruthless, soulless killer. But in the shadows he is playing a game of his own, and he needs Emelin’s magic to win it.
If she agrees to work with him, she could free all of humanity. But can she trust a fae male with so much blood on his hands? Worse, when his smouldering dark eyes and dangerous secrets reveal glimpses of the heart behind his murderer’s mask… can she trust herself?
Court of Blood and Bindings is the first book of the Fae Isles series, an enemies to lovers fantasy romance featuring a strong-willed heroine and a broody, morally grey hero. This adult fae romance is perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Raven Kennedy.
Note: Court of Blood and Bindings contains a generous dose of smouldering glances, angry yearning, and midnight meetings of the illicit type, as well as other mature themes.
“There’s no taming a fae like the Silent Death …”
Emelin has escaped the Crimson Court and saved Creon from the Mother’s chains. But her newfound allies bring dangers of their own. Thrown into a world of old feuds and thorny grudges, she needs all her ingenuity to keep the Silent Death safe from his friends-turned-enemies.
And the political games of the Alliance are the easy part …
Haunted by shadows of his past and magic he never wanted to wield, Creon is slowly losing control of his powers. The only solution may be found outside the buried halls of the Alliance’s stronghold – back within reach of the Mother and her armies hunting for him.
Soon Emelin can no longer hide from the war looming over the archipelago. And when her quest for Creon’s safety reveals glimpses of her own mysterious origins, she has no choice but to claim her place on the battlefield … or lose the male she loves forever.
Lord of Gold and Glory is book 2 of the Fae Isles series, an epic fae fantasy romance perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Raven Kennedy.
Note: like the first book of the series, Lord of Gold and Glory is an adult fantasy romance and features plenty of scenes intended for a mature audience.
“You fell in love with a fae executioner. Did you truly think that would end well?”
With war looming, Emelin’s plan is simple: break the Mother’s bindings while her more diplomacy-minded friends persuade the rest of the world to join their rebellion. Unfortunately, their would-be allies are far too concerned about Em’s exact connection to the feared and hated Silent Death.
They might risk their lives for the world’s only unbound mage, but they’ll never fight for a fae prince’s puppet.
Forced to hide the explosive secret of their love, Em and Creon journey to the plague-cursed continent to learn more about the bindings. But as they face dragons, ruins, and murderous forests in search of the vanished gods, distrust between Creon and their travel companions brings tensions to a boiling point.
And if their love may cost them the victory against the Mother … how will Em ever choose between her heart and her duty?
“Fae wars don’t end in surrender.”
Emelin has finally found the bindings, the key to her victory. But to use them, she needs one last piece of the puzzle … and the only person who can give her that information is a stubbornly silent Thysandra.
And an uncooperative captive is the least of Em’s problems.
As the Mother prepares to strike, the magical world continues to squabble. Something ominous is plaguing Creon. And Em’s own newfound powers come with a dark side she did not expect, forcing her to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the fate of the world.
To find allies and gather the forces they need, Em and Creon have no choice but to face the shadows of their pasts. But when disastrous secrets are revealed and the Mother finally deals her devastating blow … will they still have a future?
Queens of Mist and Madness is the thrilling conclusion to Em and Creon’s epic enemies to lovers romance.
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet and share what you have been and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.
Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kid-lit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle-grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in those genres – join them.
What I am Reading Now
The Last Goodbye is a powerful story of love and loss, forgiveness and new beginnings – a heart-wrenching and emotional page-turner for mothers and daughters everywhere.Sometimes the decisions we make can last a lifetime . . . and sometimes we cannot shake off the shackles of decisions made by others in the past.Kate Flynn has spent her whole life running away. She reckons the best decision she ever made was to leave Ireland the day after she finished school. Having seldom returned since, she would be perfectly happy if she never had to go back there. She is happy in London where she runs a successful photography gallery with her best friend Nat, though their relationship is going through a rocky patch since Nat began an affair with a married man.When Kate becomes pregnant and her partner Ben persuades her to make the trip home, she is forced to confront everything she left behind and memories of Eva, the mother she feels betrayed her. Kate finds it impossible to forgive Eva who chose to refuse cancer treatment while pregnant and died, leaving a young family motherless.Do some wounds go too deep to ever heal? Must Eva’s Choice forever deny Kate real happiness?
What I plan on reading on Monday and Tuesday
Stealing from a fae lord is a desperate plan…
As a human servant at the Crimson Court, Allie knows better than to anger the fae. Cunning and politics are her tools of survival. But when an unwanted suitor threatens her younger sister, Allie can think of only one way to protect her family…
Steal from the fae.
Agenor, Lord Protector of the Fae Isles and right hand of the Mother herself, doesn’t expect anything to still surprise him after twelve centuries of life. Finding a taunting note from an anonymous thief in his wardrobe is enough to rouse his curiosity, though. Enough to do the unthinkable – write back.
Then he finds out he’s been exchanging letters with a humble human. Worse, a human challenging him to his face.
A simple bargain is supposed to teach her a lesson. But the harder he tries to put her in her place, the harder she defies him… Soon their game sparks an unexpected romance – but will even love be enough when their loyalties collide?
Heart of Silk and Shadows is a prequel novel to the upcoming Fae Isles series. It can be read as a standalone, but the characters’ journey continues in the main series.
Note: this adult fae romance contains a generous dose of smouldering glances, passionate longing, and midnight meetings of the illicit type. It is recommended for a mature audience.
They call him the Silent Death, because he kills without sound and leaves none capable of speaking in his wake…
When the empire’s deadliest fae murderer catches her wielding forbidden magic, twenty-year-old Emelin believes her hour has come. Instead, her inhumanly beautiful captor spares her life, but carries her off on his velvet wings – into the one place from which no human ever returns.
The heart of the Fae Isles. The treacherous Crimson Court, where the Mother of faekind has ruled unchallenged over fae and humans for decades.
The Silent Death is supposed to be the Mother’s loyal servant, her invincible warrior, her ruthless, soulless killer. But in the shadows he is playing a game of his own, and he needs Emelin’s magic to win it.
If she agrees to work with him, she could free all of humanity. But can she trust a fae male with so much blood on his hands? Worse, when his smouldering dark eyes and dangerous secrets reveal glimpses of the heart behind his murderer’s mask… can she trust herself?
Court of Blood and Bindings is the first book of the Fae Isles series, an enemies to lovers fantasy romance featuring a strong-willed heroine and a broody, morally grey hero. This adult fae romance is perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Raven Kennedy.
Note: Court of Blood and Bindings contains a generous dose of smouldering glances, angry yearning, and midnight meetings of the illicit type, as well as other mature themes.
Here is what I am reading, recently finished, and plan to read from Thursday to Wednesday.
Let me know if you have read or are planning on reading any of these books!!
Happy Reading!
What I am currently reading:
One woman and her pilot are about to change the future of the species in an epic space opera about aspiration, compassion, and redemption by Hugo and Nebula Award finalist S. B. Divya.
For five centuries, human life has been restricted to Earth, while posthuman descendants called alloys freely explore the galaxy. But when the Earthlike planet of Meru is discovered, two unlikely companions venture forth to test the habitability of this unoccupied new world and the future of human-alloy relations.
For Jayanthi, the adopted human child of alloy parents, it’s an opportunity to rectify the ancient reputation of her species as avaricious and destructive, and to give humanity a new place in the universe. For Vaha, Jayanthi’s alloy pilot, it’s a daunting yet irresistible adventure to find success as an individual.
As the journey challenges their resolve in unexpected ways, the two form a bond that only deepens with their time alone on Meru. But how can Jayanthi succeed at freeing humanity from its past when she and Vaha have been set up to fail?
Against all odds, hope is human, too.
What I recently finished reading:
The Foxes are a fractured mess, but their latest disaster might be the miracle they’ve always needed to come together as a team. The one person standing in their way is Andrew, and the only one who can break through his personal barriers is Neil.
Except Andrew doesn’t give up anything for free and Neil is terrible at trusting anyone but himself. The two don’t have much time to come to terms with their situation before outside forces start tearing them apart. Riko is intent on destroying Neil’s fragile new life, and the Foxes have just become collateral damage.
Neil’s days are numbered, but he’s learning the hard way to go down fighting for what he believes in, and Neil believes in Andrew even if Andrew won’t believe in himself.
What I plan on reading Thursday through Sunday:
Finding a place to belong becomes a girl’s ambitious quest in a thrilling epic about space, humanity, and self-discovery by S.B. Divya, Hugo and Nebula Award finalist and author of Meru.
Akshaya is the hybrid daughter of a human mother and an alloy, a genetically engineered posthuman—and she’s the future of life on the planet Meru. But not if the determined Akshaya can help it. Before choosing where her future lies, she wants to circumnavigate the most historic orb in the universe—the birthplace of Earth.
Akshaya’s parents reluctantly agree to her anthropological challenge—one with no assistance from alloy devices, transport, or wary alloys themselves who manage humanity and the regions of Earth called Loka. It’s just Akshaya; her equally bold best friend, Somya; and a carefully planned itinerary threading continent by continent across a wondrous terrain of things she’s never blue skies, sunrises, snowcapped mountains, and roiling oceans.
As the adventure unfolds, the travelers discover love and new friendships, but they also learn the risks of a planet that’s not entirely welcoming. On this trek—rapturous, dangerous, and life-changing—Akshaya will discover what human existence really means.
The Last Goodbye is a powerful story of love and loss, forgiveness and new beginnings – a heart-wrenching and emotional page-turner for mothers and daughters everywhere.Sometimes the decisions we make can last a lifetime . . . and sometimes we cannot shake off the shackles of decisions made by others in the past.Kate Flynn has spent her whole life running away. She reckons the best decision she ever made was to leave Ireland the day after she finished school. Having seldom returned since, she would be perfectly happy if she never had to go back there. She is happy in London where she runs a successful photography gallery with her best friend Nat, though their relationship is going through a rocky patch since Nat began an affair with a married man.When Kate becomes pregnant and her partner Ben persuades her to make the trip home, she is forced to confront everything she left behind and memories of Eva, the mother she feels betrayed her. Kate finds it impossible to forgive Eva who chose to refuse cancer treatment while pregnant and died, leaving a young family motherless.Do some wounds go too deep to ever heal? Must Eva’s Choice forever deny Kate real happiness?
Stealing from a fae lord is a desperate plan…
As a human servant at the Crimson Court, Allie knows better than to anger the fae. Cunning and politics are her tools of survival. But when an unwanted suitor threatens her younger sister, Allie can think of only one way to protect her family…
Steal from the fae.
Agenor, Lord Protector of the Fae Isles and right hand of the Mother herself, doesn’t expect anything to still surprise him after twelve centuries of life. Finding a taunting note from an anonymous thief in his wardrobe is enough to rouse his curiosity, though. Enough to do the unthinkable – write back.
Then he finds out he’s been exchanging letters with a humble human. Worse, a human challenging him to his face.
A simple bargain is supposed to teach her a lesson. But the harder he tries to put her in her place, the harder she defies him… Soon their game sparks an unexpected romance – but will even love be enough when their loyalties collide?
Heart of Silk and Shadows is a prequel novel to the upcoming Fae Isles series. It can be read as a standalone, but the characters’ journey continues in the main series.
Note: this adult fae romance contains a generous dose of smouldering glances, passionate longing, and midnight meetings of the illicit type. It is recommended for a mature audience.
They call him the Silent Death, because he kills without sound and leaves none capable of speaking in his wake…
When the empire’s deadliest fae murderer catches her wielding forbidden magic, twenty-year-old Emelin believes her hour has come. Instead, her inhumanly beautiful captor spares her life, but carries her off on his velvet wings – into the one place from which no human ever returns.
The heart of the Fae Isles. The treacherous Crimson Court, where the Mother of faekind has ruled unchallenged over fae and humans for decades.
The Silent Death is supposed to be the Mother’s loyal servant, her invincible warrior, her ruthless, soulless killer. But in the shadows he is playing a game of his own, and he needs Emelin’s magic to win it.
If she agrees to work with him, she could free all of humanity. But can she trust a fae male with so much blood on his hands? Worse, when his smouldering dark eyes and dangerous secrets reveal glimpses of the heart behind his murderer’s mask… can she trust herself?
Court of Blood and Bindings is the first book of the Fae Isles series, an enemies to lovers fantasy romance featuring a strong-willed heroine and a broody, morally grey hero. This adult fae romance is perfect for readers of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Raven Kennedy.
Note: Court of Blood and Bindings contains a generous dose of smouldering glances, angry yearning, and midnight meetings of the illicit type, as well as other mature themes.
Escape Into Reading 