Personal Highlights from this month:

• The ice storm at the end of January continued into a snowstorm (11 inches of snow!!) the first week of February. That meant Miss R and Mr. Z had almost 2 weeks off from school (they did have 5 remote days).
• Week of February 1st through February 7th:
  • 1. Other than having no school until Wednesday and a 3-hour delay on Thursday and Friday, nothing much happened.
• Week of February 8th through February 14th:
  • 1. Miss R had an orthodontist appointment, and she is getting braces!! She is scheduled to get them at the beginning of March, and out of all three kids, her treatment plan is the shortest (20 months). They are being careful because of her bonded teeth and won’t be adding brackets to those until almost the end of treatment.
  • We went to The Oddities and Curiosities Expo in Charlotte. It wasn’t what I expected (I was expecting more oddities and less shopping), but I had a good time. Miss R got a henna tattoo, and Mr. Z got a steampunk-style pocket watch.
• Week of February 15th through February 21st:
  • Miss R finally got her hair done on the 16th. She got it cut to her shoulders, layered, and had streaks of red put in. It’s kinda like a peek-a-boo dye, with the red only showing fully when she flips her head upside down.
  • Mr. Z got chosen for our Rotary Club’s Student of Distinction award. It is a luncheon happening in the first week of March.
  • We had a come-to-Jesus moment with Miss R about her grades. Her grades dropped drastically (from a B to a D in math and from a B to an F in science). She was warned by the Student Council (she’s the secretary) that she would be dismissed if her grades weren’t raised by the end of the quarter. We also told her that she would have to earn certain privileges (working at the barn and riding lessons were not included in that because the barn owner is working with us on this). That night, she turned in all of her missing math and science work (and showed us the paperwork that she needed to turn in).
  • Miss R also started tutoring math on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is going on until May.
• Week of February 22nd through February 28th:
  • Remember when Miss R’s grades (see above). Well, she was able to pull both subjects up to C+’s (77 in math and 78 in science). She earned the right to go to her BFF’s house to play (she couldn’t leave the yard).
  • On February 22nd, Miss R worked at the barn all day (from 10:30 to 3:30). She was helping her instructor tack up/untack for lessons (for beginners and those who still needed help tacking up). She was also helping during the lessons, and when her instructor had a more advanced lesson, she went to the barn and helped the owner. She helped with feeding, turning out, refreshing water, catching (two of the horses decided to go on an adventure by breaking down their fence), and mucking out stalls. She was exhausted when she got home.
  • Miss R was also invited to her instructor’s daughter’s barn in Virginia next weekend (Fri-Sun). There was a dressage clinic the instructor was attending, and she thought that Miss R and another girl (Miss A) would enjoy it. Plus, the instructor said that she would teach Miss R how to load and unload horses (they are bringing two horses up and bringing two horses home).

Reading Highlights from this month:

• I read and finished the Dangerous Royals series by Annika Martin (Dark Mafia Prince, Wicked Mafia Prince, and Savage Mafia Prince). The series was OK, but some of the plotlines were a little much. But overall, I enjoyed the series and plan to read books associated with it.
• I read the first book in the Singularity series by Susan Kaye Quinn (The Legacy Human). I enjoyed reading it, and the time into robots/AI taking over the world was interesting. I also found the whole ascending into a robot/AI/human hybrid a little creepy. I will continue reading the series if it goes on KU.
• I read and finished the Agnes Barton Paranormal Mystery series by Madison Johns (Haunted Hijinks, Ghostly Hijinks, Spooky Hijinks, Hair-Raising Hijinks, Ghastly Hijinks). This was a cute, but predictable, series. I will warn, though, that this series is a continuation of another series (Agnes Barton Senior Sleuths Mystery). I suggest reading that series first. It will reduce confusion when relationships are mentioned without backstory.
• I read the first book of the Archaic series by Regan Ure (Archaic). It was interesting, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
• I am working on the Veils of Destiny series by Peyton Reynolds.
  • Auguries of Dawn (book 1): I read this book in 5 days, which is rare for me. The author’s world-building is amazing. She includes a glossary and a map at the beginning of this book that explain the world, how time runs in this world, and the castes (these are also in the other books in the series).
  • Tides of Fortune (book 2): Again, another excellent book. Usually in the 2nd book in a series, the author lets the storyline meander a little. Not in this book. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. Also, the author did not hesitate to kill off main characters. There is also a huge secret (and plot twist) revealed towards the end of the book that explains a lot (and it is tied into the death of several main and secondary characters).
  • Veils of Destiny (book 2.2): For this book, the author goes back in time to book 1. There are events in book 1 (the heist at the manor, the pegasi, and the riot) that are further explained. It is also revealed who is behind those three events and why this person is being forced to commit the crimes.
  • Shadows of Illusion (book 2.4): In this book, which takes place towards the end of book 2, Tishan and Callan are sent to another kingdom to investigate who has the Sapphire stone and how it ties into the riots that are happening. But Tishan and Callan take on a side quest that has some deadly consequences. I liked seeing Callan in his element. That man is danger personified. I also am kinda shipping him and Tishan together. I was not expecting what happened, though, and my heart broke when he gave Tishan advice on how to deal with what was going to happen.
  • Web of Portents (book 3): Another amazing read!! There was a focus on the diviners (which I loved) and on the espionage happening in Aralexia. Devlin Alvik sends Rydin off on his own but puts a bug in his ear about Callan and Tishan, who were captured at the end of Shadows of Illusion. He also sends Flynn and Sabian to retrieve the Amethyst stone, but they are competing with another thief who has been blackmailed into getting it. And he sends Knoxx and Synna to O’Kada to get intel on Leija Idrees (who has Magic as her birth and chosen). Meanwhile, Madi goes to the War Keep to meet with Qyn and tell him the truth about his parentage. She is also to tutor him in his emerging Destiny powers. But Madi isn’t safe there. Brother Jord is determined to thwart her. Also at the keep is Taleb, who now knows what everyone else does: he is the heir to the crown. He is also continuing his training with Bail, including his second trial. Meanwhile, Oliveah stays in Aralexia to help Devlin with his court intrigue. The book ends on a cliffhanger, but that made me more excited to read the other books.
  • Shades of Death (book 3.2): This book takes place shortly after Reagan helps Rydin escape Aralexia. In a very stunning turn of events, the author introduces Rydin’s partner and his SON!!! Rydin, who knows that an armed conflict will be happening and the village that they live in is in the way, begs his partner to leave. He gives her a couple of jumping stones and promises to meet up with her. But after he leaves, a fire decimates her house, and the jumping stones are lost. I have a very bad feeling that something bad is going to happen to her and their son. Anyway, Rydin jumps to Jennen, where he has been exiled. There, he finds that Callan hasn’t returned and clues the Jennen king into what is going on with the Catalyst stones. Soon after, he jumps to Veron and begins investigating Callan’s disappearance. When he gets there, he finds a country in turmoil. The new king and queen, along with their loyal knights, are holed up in the castle/forced underground. Given permission to search for Callan, Rydin soon finds that he and Tishan are being held captive and tortured by Cobain Tassoni, who is trying to take over the country. There are a few chapters where the author explains exactly how they are being tortured. She also reveals that Callan has fallen in love with Tishan (and vice versa). I am not going to go into the rescue much, but it was awesome!! There was blood, there was guts, there was a very angry Thief and an assassin who had zero shits left to give. It was glorious and very cathartic to read. The author ends that part of the story with Cobain getting the shit kicked out of him by Tishan (and her recovering the Diamond), but Cobain gets away. I cannot wait for that rematch.
  • Meanwhile, Flynn, Sabian, and Cryslyn are on the island where the Amethyst stone is being held. There, they meet up with Aris Sylvain, who is badly injured. They are being led through a labyrinth by the ghost who built it. But there is a special caveat when they arrive at the place where the Amethyst is being held. Blood must be spilled to release the Amethyst. During the journey through the labyrinth, Aris tells Flynn and Sabian that his daughter (now 4) was kidnapped by Leija Idrees and was being used as leverage against him. If he doesn’t arrive with the stone, she will die. The book ends, again on a cliffhanger.
  • Sea of Omens (book 3.4): Knoxx Alvik and Synna Dacyn have arrived in the capital city of O’Kada. Because they used up most of Synna’s magical reserve, and she needs to rest, they get rooms at an inn, and Synna sleeps. Meanwhile, Knoxx sets out to explore the city using his mage power, invisibility. It is when he is invisible that he meets Kai, whose mage power is to see magic; his sister, Lora, a diviner who uses flame and ash; and Prince Garrit Simig, who can transform into anyone and is looking to stop Leiga Idress, his half-sister. Knoxx and Synna discover that Kai and Lora were held captive with other people in a house by Leiga. One of those people is the young daughter of Aris and a mysterious guest, who Synna hopes is her missing mentor, Villian. While Synna and Garrit are doing research in the Royal Library, Knoxx and Kai are trying to find the house where Kai and Lora were held hostage (they also get a message from Lady Danetria, who includes a reading/warning for Garrit). After finding the house and Kai saying that there are enchantments on it (which can be easily broken through), they meet back up with Synna and Garrit. They plan to break into the house, rescue whoever is inside (hoping Villain is still there), and flush Leiga out. Telling Kai and Lora to meet them at the docks in an hour, Garrit, Synna, and Knoxx go to the house. After breaking in and incapacitating Leiga’s uncle, they find Aris’s daughter and no one else. Knoxx soon realizes that a jumping stone has been activated, and it will bring Leiga to them. He tells Garrit to take the girl and get on a roof (knowing that Synna will have to use her magepower to control water). After he leaves, Leiga arrives, and a very epic battle takes place. When it is over, the city is in ruins, and Leiga leaves, but she is badly drained. Synna is drained also. Knoxx, the young girl, Lora, Synna, and Kai take a rowboat back to Aralexia, leaving Garrit to deal with the fallout.
  • Path of Stars (book 4): Callan and Tishan arrive in Aralexia, bloody and beaten. Devil meets with Prince Luken at the castle and then meets with Callan and Tishan at Reagan’s old apartment. He debriefs them and learns that Callan will be returning to Jennen to try to avert a war. Tishan, on the other hand, wants to go with Callan but is afraid of how they would treat her (Jennen’s do not like people with Birth or Choice Magic).

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Books I Read:

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Monthly Playlist (I use songs featured in the book, if there are any, along with a playlist generated by ChatGPT).

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Featured Song of the Month