2022 Books

Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham (6)

Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon (8)

Fable by Adrienne Young (7)

Namesake by Adrienne Young (7)

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams (7)

The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read by Philippa Perry (6)

Here We Go Again by Betty White (6)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (8)

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir (8)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (reread with boys)

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir (8)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (reread with boys)

A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir (8)

Much Ado About You by Samantha Young (8)

Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins (6)

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (6)

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (6)

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (8)

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (8)

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab (8)

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer Armentrout (7)

How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith (8)

A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (reread with boys)

Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown (6)

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout (7)

Voices in Summer by Rosamunde Pilcher (7)

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren (7)

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout (7)

Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout (7)

Grace and Glory by Jennifer L. Armentrout (7)

Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (8)

Book Lovers by Emily Henry (8)

Verity by Colleen Hoover (6)

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (7)

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn (7)

Winter's Fury by A. E. Rayne (6)

The Burning Sea by A.E. Rayne (7)

Night of the Shadow Moon by A.E. Rayne (7)

Where the Crawdad's Sing by Delia Owens (8)

Hallow Wood by A.E. Rayne (7)

The Raven's Warning by A.E. Rayne (7)

Vale of the Gods by A.E. Rayne (7)

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (7)

Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood (6)

American Royals III: Rivals by Katharine McGee (7)

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (7)

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (reread with the boys)

2021 Books

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (6)

An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (6)

Greenlights by Matthew McConaghey (6)

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (7)

To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn (6)

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (7)

Stuart Little by E.B. White (with the boys)

It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn (7)

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn (7)

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (with the boys)

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (7)

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker (6)

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (7)

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (6)

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory (7)

Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory (6)

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory (7)

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner (8)

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (8)

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (with boys)

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (7)

Olive Again by Elizabeth Strout (7)

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher (7)

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (with boys)

Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab (9)

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (8)

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo (8)

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (with boys)

Love at First by Kate Clayborn (8)

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (8)

Gregor and the Prophesy of Bane by Suzanne Collins (with boys)

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (7)

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (6)

The Survivors by Jane Harper (7)

The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, Joanna Sawatsky (10)

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (6)

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout (7)

The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout (7)

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (7)

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (7)

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer (7)

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer (8)

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan (7)

The People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (6)

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne (7)

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (7)

Kingsbane by Claire Legrand (8)

Lightbringer by Claire Legrand (8)

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid (6)

The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny (8)

The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan (7)

The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan (7)

Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan (7)

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez (7)

Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods by Suzanne Collins (with boys)

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (7)

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin (8)

Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin (8)

Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin (8)

Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins (with boys)

The People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (6)

Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez (7)

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn (8)

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne (6)

The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley (7)

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger (8)

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang (7)

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (7)

Gregor and the Code of Claw by Suzanne Collins (with boys)

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (7)

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong (7)

Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans (8)

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (reread - with boys)

A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday (7)

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday (7)

Gilded by Marissa Meyer (8)

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas (7)

The Hunger Games (reread) by Suzanne Collins (with boys)

2020 Books

I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening) by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers (9)

Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini (7)

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert (7)

Call of the Wild by Jack London (with the boys)

Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery (8)

Meet Cute by Helen Hunting (6)

Know My Name by Chanel Miller (9)

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (with the boys)

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (7)

The Wicked King by Holly Black (8)

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black (8)

Trouble I've Seen by Drew G.I. Hart  (8)

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (with the boys)

The Breakout by Rachelle Harp (7)

Untamed by Glennon Doyle (8)

The Last Wish by Andrezj Sapowski (7)

Season of Storms by Andrezj Sapowski (7)

Sword of Destiny by Andrezj Sapowski (7)

Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting (6)

Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel (8)

Possession by A.S. Byatt (6)

Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire by Jen Hatmaker (8)

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn (8)

All Things Reconsidered by Knox McCoy (7)

Native by Kaitlin B. Curtice (8)

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (7)

Finnikin of the Rock: The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta (8)

Froi of the Exiles: The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta (8)

Quintana of Charyn: The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta (8)

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See (8)

Beach Read by Emily Henry (8)

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (7)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (7)

American Royals by Katharine McGee (7)

Majesty by Katharine McGee (7)

Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer (6)

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (8)

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake (7)

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake (7)

Open Book by Jessica Simpson (8)

Ember's End by S.D. Smith (with the boys)

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker (7)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (6)

Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake (7)

Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake (7)

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (7)

The Letter for the King by Tonke Dragt (with the boys) (8)

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (7)

Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George (with the boys)

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (7)

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh (7)

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa K. Adams (6)

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian (7)

Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian (7)

Ember Queen by Laura Sebastian (7)

Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump (7)

Fridays with the Wizards by Jessica Day George (with the boys)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (8)

Beginner's Luck by Kate Clayborn (7)

Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn (7)

Best of Luck by Kate Clayborn (7)

Bridgerton: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (7)

Saturdays at Sea by Jessica Day George (with boys)

2019 Books

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny (8)

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas (8)

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas (8)

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (6)

I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown (9)

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (8)

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken (7)

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken (8)

The Darkest Legacy by Alexandra Bracken (8)

Bring: The Last Beholder by Megan Beam and Erin Hicks (7)

Gather: The Last Beholder by Megan Beam and Erin Hicks (7)

Ember Rising by S.D. Smith (with the boys) (8)

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (6)

Educated by Tara Westover (8)

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley (8)

The Selection by Kiera Cass (7)

The Elite by Kiera Cass (7)

The One by Kiera Cass (7)

The Heir by Kiera Cass (6)

The Crown by Kiera Cass (6)

Happily Ever After (novellas) by Kiera Cass (6)

Red Queen (reread) by Victoria Aveyard (7)

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (7)

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (8)

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (with Ethan)

King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard (7)

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (7)

Shameless: A Sexual Reformation by Nadia Bolz-Weber (8)

Inheritance: A Memoir by Dani Shapiro (6)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (8)

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (8)

The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer (with boys)

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (with Ethan)

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness (7)

Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness (7)

A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa (7)

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (7)

North of Normal by Cea Sunrise Person (7)

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (7)

Dangerous Territory by Amy Peterson (8)

Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (8)

Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery (8)

Emily's Quest by L.M. Montgomery (8)

Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler (8)

The Land of Stories: Beyond the Kingdoms by Chris Colfer (with the boys)

The Naked Now by Richard Rohr (7)

The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett (7)

Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor (8)

The Birth Order Book by Kevin Leman (7)

Longbourn by Jo Baker (7)

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan (7)

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (7)

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (7)

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (7)

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell (6)

An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor (7)

Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale (7)

Everything We Left Behind by Kerry Lonsdale (7)

Everything We Give by Kerry Lonsdale (7)

The River by Peter Heller (7)

How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry (6)

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke (6)

My Glory Was I Had Such Friends by Amy Silverstein (6)

Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson (7)

The Land of Stories: An Author's Odyssey by Chris Colfer (with boys)

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (7)

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (7)

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali (8)

A Better Man by Louise Penny (8)

The Land of Stories: Worlds Collide by Christ Colfer (with boys)

Well Met by Jen DeLuca (7)

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (8)

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (7)

The One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood (7)

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (7)

Miracles and Other Reasonable Things by Sarah Bessey (8)

The Path Between Us by Susan Stabile (8)

Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (7)

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (7)

Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner (6)

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez (6)

The Only Girl in the World by Maude Julien (6)

Playing House by Ruby Lang (6)

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (8)

Not Counting Women and Children by Megan McKenna (6)

One Day in December by Josie Silver (7)

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan (7)

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang (7)

2018 Books

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny (8)

Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown (8)

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith (7)

Still Me by Jojo Moyes (8)

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (8)

Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (8)

Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle (8)

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (7)

Happy Again (novella) by Jennifer E. Smith (6)

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum (7)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (7)

Half the Church by Carolyn Custis James (8)

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (7)

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (8)

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (8)

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (8)

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (8)

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis (6)

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas (7)

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller (6)

Circe by Madeline Miller (8)

As Good As True by Cheryl Reid (6)

Drop the Stones by Carlos A. Rodriguez (8)

Paris for One by Jojo Moyes (7)

The Third Reconstruction by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (8)

That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam (7)

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (7)

Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway (7)

Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan (7)

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (8)

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (8)

Inspired by Rachel Held Evans (9)

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (8)

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer (with the boys) (8)

The Very Worst Missionary by Jamie Wright (8)

Belleweather by Susanna Kearsley (7)

Jesus, My Father, The CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron (7)

Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams (7)

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (7)

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (8)

I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel (8)

Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George (with the boys) (8)

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (8)

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (8)

Learning to Speak God From Scratch by Jonathan Merritt (7)

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen (8)

September by Rosamunde Pilcher (8)

The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile (9)

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (8)

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (8)

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (8) (with the boys)

The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle (7)

Windfallen by Jojo Moyes (6)

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult (7)

The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer (with the boys) (8)

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by RicK Riordan (with Ethan)

The Wondering Years by Knox McCoy (7)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (with the boys) (8)

Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah (7)

Glass Houses by Louise Penny (8)

Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard (6)

Bullet Journaling

This post is not about how or why I Bullet Journal...because I don't actually bullet journal at all. (Can I use that as a verb? I don't know, but I'm leaving it.) BUT, I feel like it's something I would be very much into if I started. Let's just look at the things a Bullet Journal does:

• Organize 
• Keep Records
• Make Lists
• Be Creative about all of those things

^ ^ ^ That is literally a checklist of all my favorite things. So why don't I bullet journal? (Yet.)

My problem with bullet journaling is NOT that it's everywhere. It feels like everyone is doing it. That sometimes deters people from trying things because they don't want to go along with the flow of popular culture. That is not me. I am not worried about doing something that everyone else is doing...IF I like it. 

My problem is that I feel like if I get started with it...it will be my new time suck. Sure, there would (could) be a payoff that's much greater than wasting time on Facebook, but it will still suck time out of my day. Where is that time going to come from?  Also, I will be perfectionist about every page. I know you can make it as simple or as complex (and creative/colorful) as you want. But perfectionists and those who love a good design on a page find that difficult. 

I also feel like I just got on board with digitizing everything in my life. Once upon a time, I swore up and down that I'd never stop using my little black book (my planner). And I did. I keep every list, note, record, calendar item, etc. on my phone. And it syncs perfectly with my home computer, so I am a happy, organized person. And now everyone is going back to paper? What is happening?

This post could also end up being like my wariness of the Kindle before I embraced that completely. I recently whittled down my collection of real books to only the ones that I love, love, love so much that I could never part with them. It's not that I don't love and appreciate physical books anymore, but I just love the convenience and efficiency of reading (almost) exclusively on my Kindle. Apparently, I did sort of see that coming.

So, I may end up bullet journaling in 2017. Or starting in 2018. Who knows? Because just look at all this loveliness I rounded up on Pinterest:

Harry Potter Library Event

We are getting our mileage out of the boys' Harry Potter costumes. Not only do they play with them at home with regularity, they used them to dress up for a Harry Potter event at our library last Thursday. My friend, Christina, had told me about the event, but what really sold it were the posters on the end caps at the library itself. Ethan spotted one on our last trip and asked if we could go. Our friends went as well.

Logan chose to wear his new Quiddich robes that the boys got for Christmas. And crocs for both of my boys. Sigh. Shoes are simply not something I will choose to argue with them about...unless a special pair is required for a certain activity. 

The library had several activities set up for the kids to do. One was a scavenger hunt - they had to go find things like a broomstick, etc. And mark it off their list. 

Give this child a checklist and he is a happy camper. He is my son for sure. 

They also had Professor Trelawney handing out fortunes to the kids. 

Inside another room there were several tables with activities. There was also a Butterbeer station. The younger boys decided to give it a try. Looks like Brennan was not a fan! 

And Logan wasn't either! Haha! At least they gave it a try - the big boys didn't even want to do that. 

The younger boys also designed and colored their own crests. Logan did a section for each of the Hogwarts houses. 

They all made their way back to the tables and played with some blocks at one point. I think some of the activities were too crowded and they just wanted to play with each other anyway. 

Christina took a photo of the boys and me for us. The boys barely stopped playing and running around long enough to do this. 

While you're in the library, you might as well have a look at some books...

They cannot resist playing with an iPad. Christina and I (thankfully) had the presence of mind to check what they had done on the iPad and we deleted three videos they had made. 

In all honestly, this was a wild night. The event started at 6:30 on a weeknight. That's right about when we winding down for the night on a school night. Logan is usually in bed around 7:15 and Ethan has lights out at 8. And this time of night is not known as their best time of the day, especially after a full day of school. Friends and fun activities keep them from melting down completely, but they only amp up the craziness factor. So, while Christina and I were struggling to keep these four from feeding on each other's energy and going totally rogue in the middle of the library, we did all have fun. 

There were quite a few people at the event, which added to the chaos. At least our children were not the only crazy ones. And ours were not the loudest and rowdiest either!