Finished a couple of books recently: Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin: "In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb." DD and I read this as part of our History of Science study. I dont' think I ever really knew all of the details behind the making of the atomic bombs besides very basic stuff, so this book was super interesting. It also talked about the spies within the Manhattan Project providing information to the Soviets. Some things also felt sort of relevant to today, which provided some good talking points as well. (4 stars) Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee: "All Samantha wanted was to move back to New York and pursue her music, which was difficult enough being a Chinese girl in Missouri, 1849. Then her fate takes a turn for the worse after a tragic accident leaves her with nothing and she breaks the law in self-defense. With help from Annamae, a runaway slave she met at the scene of her crime, the two flee town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls. Disguised as Sammy and Andy, two boys heading for the California gold rush, each search for a link to their past and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. Until they merge paths with a band of cowboys turned allies, and Samantha can’t stop herself from falling for one. But the law is closing in on them and new setbacks come each day, and the girls will quickly learn there are not many places one can hide on the open trail." This is the second book I've read by this author (the first was The Downstairs Girl), and this one was almost as good as the first. The relationship between the two main female characters was delightful. The setting along the frontier was exciting and the relationships they build along the way were heartwarming. This was a quick and easy read, one that I actually didn't want to put down. My only small gripe would be that the ending felt a little rushed with some of the stuff that I was waiting for happening "off-page." Other than that, it was great. I've been in a bit of a reading slump, so this was the perfect story to get me going again. (4.5 stars)

I finished Tale of the Nine-Taled: 1938 and I loved it! I actually thought it was better than the first season. I really liked the new female lead actress played by Kim So-Yeon. (I'm sorry to Jo Bo-Ah, but I did not miss her at all.) I really enjoyed the chaotic relationship between the three mountain gods. Of course, the complicated relationship between the fox brothers was entertaining and my favorite younger fox brother was again great! Plus he got the romance story this time...with a mermaid!! 🥰 I thought the time period of 1938 was an interesting choice too. I did get a little teary-eyed during the last episode, but not nearly as bad as season one. I don't typically wish for more seasons of a show, but I definitely feel like this one needs another. Time travel stories are really hard to resolve and there are still a lot of open ended questions here so I hope there's more to come.

Prayers for your family 🙏

Yesterday I finished reading Starling House by Alix E. Harrow: "Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot. Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home. As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares. If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it." I saw some people in the reviews describe this book as a dark fairy tale, and I think that's fairly accurate. This book definitely had a darkness to it, but not in a horror/thriller type of way, at least not to me. This was the second book I've read by this author (the other being The Ten Thousand Doors of January) and I definitely liked this one much better. I enjoyed these characters, the atmosphere of the setting, and just the overall writing. (4 stars)

You guys are so lucky!! We had complete cloud cover (in the path of totality). We couldn't see anything. It just got really dark. 🫤

I think it's pretty cool, but I definitely wouldn't travel to see it since it only lasts for a few minutes. This time around we were actually in the path of totality, but it was so cloudy that we couldn't see a darn thing! It just got really dark. I do think it's kind of peaceful when it happens and everything gets kind of still and quiet just for a minute. It's like the whole world stops.

I did finally setup a Viki account!!! At this point, though, I just have a free version. I haven't decided if I want the standard or plus pass yet.

I can't watch Wedding Impossible since it's on Hulu, but I did read about his cameo, so that's exciting. Kind of a bummer the show sounds like a stinker, but at least the cameo part was good! I've been waiting to start this show until all of the episodes (or almost all of the episodes) are out. It's Okay to Not Be Okay is one of my all-time favorites, so I'm really looking forward to Kim Soo-hyun in this one.

I finished Tale of the Nine-Tailed last night. I think I was in some sort of emotional state or something because I cried. Not just a tear, but tears! Thank goodness my DH didn't walk in on me and start asking questions because if I had to start explaining to him about nine-tailed foxes and serpents, he'd have probably thought I was nuts! Ha! 🤣 I really liked all of the folklore and fantastical elements of this show. I also enjoyed each of the characters and their stories. I have mixed feelings about the couple...loved the actors, but as a couple they were kind of meh. The star of the show, for me, was Kim Beom, who played the brother. He was great! I don't know how to describe the ending. In some ways it was happy, but it was also sad. I understand it was because everything went full circle, so I guess I'm okay with it, but it still made me cry. ETA…I saw there was a second season which is them going back in time (or something). It’s on Amazon Prime, which I have, so I think I’ll check it out.

Happy April! 💐 I’m not exactly sure where March went, but here we are! We’re heading into the last several weeks of school and while I’m ready for a break, I’m also kind of sad that another school year is coming to an end. My oldest DD will be in 11th grade next year and my baby in 9th grade…time just goes by so fast! Anywho, back on track! 🤣 I feel like my reading has been going okay. I’m keeping a decent pace and not slacking off. Some of my recent reads haven’t been super awesome so hopefully I’ll find something soon that I really like. As always, I look forward to hearing about what all of you have been reading!

They got back to me and resolved all of my issues.

I won't be watching because it looks like the show is either on Showtime or Paramount+ and I don't have either of those. I'm kind of indifferent about Ewan McGregor. He's not who I pictured, but he might not be terrible since he's a good actor.

Congratulations! She’s a cutie ☺️

I finished Happily Never After by Lynn Painter: "Their name? The objectors. Their job? To break off weddings as hired. Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other. When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!” During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in. The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all. And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime." I've read several books by Lynn Painter, and I usually really like them, but this one was just meh. (I think her YA books are much better.) The premise was kind of weird and by the middle of the book, lost. The main characters were shallow, which was surprising because this author usually adds more meaningful things to her storylines. This one was just two people dealing with bad breakups...kind of boring. Her writing was still fun and witty, so it kept me entertained. (3 stars)